Phew!

I'm relieved to say that I've lost 5 lbs in weight since last week. That's one week of low-carbing under my belt, so that's comforting too, that it's going to work!

I'm not ecstatic because I actually feel as if I'm filling out, which is rather odd... but it might be due to eating decent food and higher calories. Only time will tell!

Another reason I'm not ecstatic is because I'm aware I've been overeating. This seems to happen particularly when I'm tired, which is a lot these days, due to the downturn in my health... It's a struggle that I'm going to have to get to grips with. And a struggle that I'm struggling to get to grips with!

I think I've had a daft idea in my head - that I'd lose all that weight I put on the week before when I stopped eating carbs (that all the water retention would go) and that I'd lose more on top of that with low-carbing. But the more I think about it, the dafter that idea gets! I think I'm just so scunnered with myself for putting so much on and am not happy that I'm not as light as I was a few weeks ago. 14 stone 6.5 lbs felt very good! Especially because I could say I'd lost just short of 8 stone; now it's back to being just over 7.5 stone. Still, I'm below 15 stone again so that's a positive.

And I do keep reminding myself that this is for the long haul and there's bound to be a certain amount of flux while I transition back onto real food. I have to get used to it - mentally - and my body is having to make a big adjustment too.

Another aspect is that several people have told me I look great as I am and don't need to lose any more weight. I have to keep my original targets in mind - to get back to what used to be my normal weight - 11 stone 5 lbs (actually 11 1/4 stone but I rounded off the stones to make it easier!) - and getting back to a size 14.

One big downside is that I don't think this is working out any cheaper than CD, in fact it might be working out more expensive. I've stocked up on food in the freezer so it's going to be a case of seeing how long all that lasts before I know if I'm right. If I am right, I'd be as well going back onto CD and getting my weight down to my target that way.

Alternatively, I could just stay with low-carbing (if I can afford it) until I reach my target weight or until my weight stabilises (which apparently can happen on low-carb), as this has to be a long term way of eating now, not a diet.

I think I should start feeling happier about that 5 lb weight loss!

Reassurance

Judging by my unclothed weight this afternoon (post-breakfast but pre-lunch), I've already lost at least 3 lbs as the retained water disperses by steering clear of grains and sugar. It's quite astonishing now how I can track the level of water retention - I can feel it round my hip bones first!

I'm feeling very happy with my food choices and have realised that (to quote a certain famous deceased pop star) - this is it! This is when, being back on real food, I need to learn to make the food choices that are best for me, not just to lose weight or to maintain it, but also to maintain my health - sugar levels and energy levels, as well nutrition.

I've also realised that, when I was eating food all the time, I allowed my hunger to govern when I ate. (I also allowed just about every other sensation to govern when I ate!) Now I've got used to feeling hungry, I'm learning to integrate that into my day to day as well, so that I don't overeat. It doesn't kill me to wait an hour to eat and I actually like the "clean" feeling that being a bit hungry gives me. Don't worry anyone - I won't starve! I don't suffer from hypoglycemia either (which I did used to think I might but I honestly think that's induced by a high carb diet, at least for me) and, whenever I feel too hungry, I will and do eat! I'm not into starving myself - but I also don't want to get back into my old habits of eating at every opportunity.

Tis a steep learning curve but I'm feeling really fine about it - for just now!

PS Weight loss won't go on the tickers until my "official" weigh ins on Wednesdays.

Eeek....!

In the interest of honesty and an accurate record of weight loss, I have to embarassingly admit to a weight GAIN of a massive 9 lbs!! My eating has gone haywire and I've been eating wheat and sugar - high carbs - resulting in massive water retention. I could even see it in my feet this morning! I was sooo bloated today, my stomach was enormous and I was in a lot of discomfort for a long time...! My CPAP machine makes me swallow air as it is, but this was something else!
So today I spent quite a lot of money on food and am embarking on low carb eating from now on. I'm looking forward to it, lots of yummy and, importantly, satisfying food. I still have food packs left but they're all soups so will use them for lunch. I can't quite face a bowl of artificial broccoli soup first thing in the morning! :-p
Here's hoping I can stick to it and keep away from sugar more successfully than I have been this past week.

I lost 1.5lbs this week

So I'm back where I was 2 weeks ago!

However - I've been eating since my weigh in on Wednesday and know my weight has increased...

I have to come off the Cambridge Diet because, being back on Incapacity Benefit, my finances are dire and I just can't afford it. So... I'm having to look at low-carbing long term, with real (very inexpensive) food. Frankly, I'm very concerned about it, on both the financial and the emotional/addiction sides. But I do need to get to grips with real food again so now's as good a time as any, I guess! I just cannot put back on all that weight again. I mean, I just can't let that happen, can I?!

I put on 1.5lbs last week

which doesn't surprise me in the least (other than that it wasn't more!) as I ate every day for 4-5 days while Stitches was on. It was easier to give into the desire to eat while I was so busy and so tired. Not good, I know, but that's how it is. I've stuck to the packs since (can't remember the number of days) except yesterday, when I went a bit nuts...!! Here's hoping I can stick to it for the next couple of days til my next weigh-in!

I cut my hair the other week and folk keep telling me how much younger I look! I think it's also made people notice my weight loss more too, for some reason. I'll need to get a new photo up here. Suffice to say that the size 20 trousers that I squeezed myself into so proudly in July(?) are now loose.

I know I've miscalculated somewhere, as 2 weeks with half pounds should leave me with an whole number but I've still got a half pound floating around! Anyway, last week's weight (14 stone 7.5 lbs) is accurate so we'll take it from there.

I forgot to say...

...that I lost 5 lbs last week!! I'm delighted as it makes it only 1 lb short of 8 stones (112 lbs) weight loss altogether!

HOWEVER I have eaten every single day since then (except today) and I know my weight has rocketed as my body holds onto the water. I was just too busy and too tired to find the wherewithal to resist food... It's silly, really, because I would actually feel better if I did, as carbs don't make me feel great... Anyway... I don't expect my weigh-in in 2 days time will show a return to last week's results but I guess you never know. Here's hoping. It's on the record anyway.

Another 2.5 lbs lost

That half pound is important! I've been cheating again, though it was my daughter's birthday last week. Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! I wonder if I can get through a week without cheating... I wonder if it would make that much difference... Perhaps I should give it a try!!

Another 3lbs lost!

Yippee! That's now 7.5 stone I've lost. And I'm less than 15 stone!! Woop woop!!
I have lapsed a few times, not least sharing a box of Quality Street with daughter Laurie on Saturday!!! =:-o Strong cheddar is still my downfall strangely!
It's so great to be losing weight again... I'm enjoying the Cambridge Diet (in parts!). Some of the soups are a bit iffy but it's fine on the whole. I'm really enjoying my evening poppadums again (in spite of the fact that cooking the packs isn't recommended - I take a multi-vitamin!) and the bars are all scrummy. Even my grandson likes the Chocolate and Mint shake, though he turned his nose up at the Chocolate Orange! I'm also allowed milk so can enjoy tea and coffee without going outside the food plan.
I met a friend of Laurie's tonight who's known me for the past 20 years - and it's quite amazing to realise that she has never known me at this size. I've worked out it must be around 1985 when I was last this size. I was 29 then... That's quite a thought...

I forgot....!

to report in last Wednesday that I'd lost 4 lbs! So my weight was 15 stone 1 lb. I'm very pleased. I cheated like mad that first week but have had more success this week. Not 100% success =:-o but most days... It's tough! I'm really looking forward to being 14 stone something - it's over 25 years since I was last that weight.

Start weight

For the record, my start weight (first thing in the morning, without clothes) is 15 stone 5 lbs. It's going to get complicated again trying to compare it to the LL weigh-in, taken in the middle of the afternoon, so let's just say that's what I am. It means that's a full 7 stone weight loss since I started, as that was 22 stone 5 lbs, so I don't need to alter the counter or anyfink. (There's really a couple of pounds difference due to the time of day I was weighed but, as weight can fluctuate by a couple of pounds given how much water you drink or not, I'm staying with that!)

Target still stands at 11 stone / 154 lbs.