The FastDay Forum

[Tracieknits]

So today is Wednesday, official weigh-in day at weight watchers. I was down 3 pounds since weigh in last week! I got a few awards including 10% and 25#. I guess it paid off behaving on the fourth of July!

So I came home and had a celebratory croissant with my son -- well he had a kouign aman, which is an amazing pastry from Brittany, and is perfectly recreated at the French patisserie in town. I knew my weigh in would be good, so I stopped and got the pastries before the meeting. What a wonderful reward treat to have with my son. I made an espresso to go with it, and added my usual 1/2 tablespoon of half and half cream. Those points got added to Monday's deficit, and I still have enough rolled points from Monday and Tuesday to account for the Gai Gra Pow and Jasmine rice I'm getting for lunch today. My 15 year old son and I are sharing my splurge day together with three lovely meals. Tonight I'm making his favorite, Spaghetti alla Carbonara. My husband has a business dinner tonight, so that's the reason for that choice. I'll be roasting some zucchini to go with it and I have a bit of grilled chicken as well. So I'll have a small portion, but it will be the real thing with bacon, eggs, cheese and pasta.

I haven't talked at all about my strategy with exercise, which I think is an important part of my routine. I have been walking 2 miles at a fairly brisk pace every morning, getting up as early as 6:30 so I can do this before the sun is too bright and hot. It used to be that I didn't do well exercising while fasting, but now I'm fine with it. Maybe it's because I know I can eat a lot sooner than dinner -- no idea. In any case, I think that two miles at a brisk pace helps use up any glycogen stores and gets me into a fat burning mode for the day. I think this, combined with my reduced carb intake has really been key to my success (and honestly, even on my splurge days I am eating fewer carbs than I used to)

So it's looking like that original goal of 30# down before my Paris trip will actually happen! I was 235 at the doctor's office on April 15 (233.3 at Weight Watchers a few days later). I'm 208 right now, and I could *possibly* hit 30 pounds gone next week. Most likely I'll hit it within two weeks. I fly to Paris in 7 weeks and 1 day. I'm starting to think my new goal of 190 might actually be achievable!

fantastic post @Tracieknits

nice to hear how you are going & well done on your continued weight losses. you really have got this sussed!! Im liking the sound of the new weight watchers plan even more & you should start patenting your version ~ its a winner

Im confident you will reach your goal way before time. absolutely brilliant

good luck & very envious of your continued enjoyment of bread & pastries

shelley xx

Well done tracieknits,it's great to hear about your success.

[Tracieknits]

Thank you ladies! Although Shelley @Johns true to 5:2 form, I don't get to have bread and pastries all the time. I have a croissant probably once every other week, after a successful weigh in, if I decide not to have a different splurge like Indian buffet. The bread I enjoy is definitely in moderation, and significantly less than I used to eat. But it's nice I've found a way to carve out a place for things I love, like bread, pasta and croissants.

I've only had two proper desserts, other than 1/2 cup of ice cream, since I started in April. I used to have a proper dessert every day, sometimes more than one. >.<

On to the regular update: So today I was down another 0.4 lbs Yesterday was a light day. I actually had 3 points left over from Wednesday -- I just wasn't able to eat them. So I started the day with 1/2 cup of whole milk yogurt, espresso and more cherries that are still in season and very cheap. For lunch, I was a bit naughty and had 2 carefully measured ounces of excellent French baguette (I usually have some stashed in my freezer) that I covered with 3 points of goat cheese and toasted. I served that over a green salad with a bit of light vinaigrette for lunch -- 8 points. I realized dinner was going to have to be spare, but I couldn't face another salad. So I got a large cauliflower, cut it down to small florets, and tossed it with a tablespoon of oil and some garam masala spices. I roasted that in the oven for about 45 minutes until it was nicely browned. I took lean, boneless chicken breast and marinated that in some Schwartz tikka spices with a few tablespoons of yogurt and a squeeze of lemon, then I cooked the kebabs on the grill. I served that with the cauliflower and some fine french string beans I had sauteed with a bit of oil, garlic and crushed red chili pepper. So I ended the day with 13 points to roll over instead of the 15 I hoped for, but it worked out well.

Today is a splurge day, I have 30 points plus 13 from yesterday. So I had 1/2 of an onion bagel with a bit of butter for breakfast. And I had lunch of a proper sandwich with a bit of roast chicken and lots of greens on a beautiful roll from a local bakery. Tonight I'll make a lovely pasta dish using a small quantity of orecchiete, some white cannelini beans, some hot italian chicken sausage and lots of veggies, garlic and oregano. I might even add a few tablespoons of cream cheese or marscapone to give it a creamy sauce.

Onwards and upwards - or is that downwards?

[Tracieknits]

Monday morning and I weighed in the same as Friday -- which is surprising. Monday is usually my heaviest day of the week.

I was reasonably well behaved this weekend. We shared a bottle of wine and had a pizza with a huge salad Saturday night. Yesterday we had cheeseburgers, no wine, but I did make real chocolate mousse with dark chocolate and eggs. I counted everything and ate reasonable portions and managed to not eat 23 of my weekly points. So I'm calling that very well done.

I'm not terribly inspired today. Truth be told, I am FREAKIN TIRED of salad. We are having taco salads tonight, which is salads with taco seasoned grilled chicken, sauteed/grilled onions and peppers, a small amount of black beans cooked with spices (called Cuban Beans and come premade, so really easy), and tomato salsa. I bought some stuff to make a spicy mango salsa so I'll go do that now. I'm feeling naughty, and I even bought an avocado. They are one of the few fruits and veggies that actually have points. But I figure that will be healthier and friendlier to weight loss than a bit of sour cream and cheese. In theory I was going to have only 15 points of food today, but I've already eaten 8 and I'm feeling ornery. I may allow myself a few extra points. We'll see how it goes.

Weigh in is Wednesday. Hopefully I can stop being a brat >.<

@Tracieknits I meant to say in my other post. Why not have roasted or stir fried veg to change things up a bit.

[Tracieknits]

@Tracieknits I meant to say in my other post. Why not have roasted or stir fried veg to change things up a bit.

I have roasted veg a couple of times, but it's so hot here that I hate to have the oven on like that. It's going to be at least 90 all week , which is about 32c. What I'm really missing is pots of yummy goodness like soups or chilis. I may have to make chili tomorrow.

I hear ya, it's the same temp here. I've got a fridge full of veg that I need to use before it goes off, we'll be having a lot of stir fry this week. We do a lot of cooking outside at this time of year. The BBQ, that only gets used when we have people to stay (don't see the point in lighting it for a few of us to have one bit of something each) and a hob burner for the wok, this gets used loads as I hate cooking inside in this heat. You could cook veg in a griddle pan, still hot but much faster than in the oven.

[Tracieknits]

We do have a small barbecue here. It's been used lots. I think I'm just having a lot of diet fatigue - because I want things that are a bit naughty. Maybe I had too many carbs over the weekend? I'm not sure. I'm definitely feeling in a rut, food wise. But my light day is almost over. While I didn't save 15 points, I did save 10. I can definitely last the hour or so until bed using no more points. Tomorrow I can eat something hearty. Maybe I can splurge and get a steak, and maybe serve a stir fried broccoli dish with that? We'll see what the steaks are going for at the market tomorrow >.<

[Tracieknits]

I am having a bit of diet fatigue -- perhaps it's the heat we've been having. We've had many days in a row hovering at 90/32 or higher. And I'm sick of Salad.

I still am losing weight, it's just a wee bit more slowly. I only lost 1.2 pounds at WW this week, and it's been a long time since I lost less than 2 pounds. I still can't bear the look of salad, but I have been tracking everything and not overdoing it on points. I've been exercising, but not *quite* as much as previous weeks. It's so dang hot!! I just barely got 70k steps in last week, but it's going to take a great deal of willpower to make it to 70 this week. I tried to go for my usual two mile walk this morning, but it was so hot and the humidity was 90% - felt like trying to exercise in a sauna. I only got 1 mile in. We have a chance of a thunderstorm this evening, so maybe that will help and maybe I can get some steps in tonight.

Tuesday we had roasted broccoli and roasted butternut squash with grilled chicken breast for dinner, so that was fairly low in points. Wednesday we had steak, a (small) baked potato and huge piles of string beans, with a glass of red wine each. Last night, we had a small, modest serving of baguette, with gazpacho, charcuterie and we split a tiny bottle of sparkling French Rose wine (about 3.2 ounces each). That was a really refreshing change from salad!!

My son and I might go out for thai food for lunch - not sure yet. No idea what the boys want for dinner tonight, but whatever it is, I'll make it work with my points. I have 29 of my 30 dailies left (cream in my coffee, as usual) and I still have my 42 weekly points to use

I only have 1.4 pounds to lose before I make my original goal of 30 lbs down before Paris!

[Tracieknits]

Wow, just realized I haven't updated in a while!

Officially lost 2.2 lbs at the weight watchers meeting yesterday. Officially hit my 30# STRETCH goal that I was hoping I could make by August 25. I'm over a month early I'm actually down 30.7 now since I joined weight watchers in April.

On Sunday I want to a fabulous sale at Lord and Taylor, and discovered I actually fit in to normal sized clothes. I bought a size LARGE (not even extra large) Karl Lagerfeld biker jacket made of scuba material (see this post https://forum.fastday.com/fastonbury-glamping-grounds-f34/fashionista-tent-t11694-930.html)

And today, I found the Fitflops I've been coveting for only $40 (the cheapest I've seen them anywhere else is $80). But they only had US size 10, and I thought I was an 11. Then I looked at my feet, and my old fitflops, and realized they looked too big. I tried on the size 10 shoes and THEY FREAKIN' FIT!! I didn't realize FEET could lose weight. My freakin feet are smaller!

that made this light day that much easier to stick to

Yup, I did a light day monday (15 points) and then I ate those points on Wednesday (indian buffet again). light day today and then I spend my weeklies on teh weekend

Oh that's great @tracieknits! It's all happening for you on the weight front and I'm so pleased it's going so brilliantly!

I adore FitFlops and just about live in them in the summer! I could walk for miles in them too. Sounds like you bagged yourself a proper bargain - please describe them! Last year, I bought a pair of raspberry coloured ones studded with raspberry stones....a proper load of bling! Am wearing them again this year...mainly because we hardly have what you would call a summer these days anyway! Having said that, it is rather hot today in Somerset...though due to cool down somewhat for the weekend...boo hoo......

I've been away for a couple of days and am now heading full pelt into a cream tea fundraiser on Sunday. I've got 100 scones to make in due course and a number of cakes too...but haven't even started yet! Hope you have a lovely weekend xx

[Tracieknits]

Thank you @Hazelnut20! Mine are just like yours, but they're black. The style is Rokkit and the color is black diamond. They're perfect, as much of my wardrobe is black lol. I agree, I can walk for miles in them as well.

I'm down another 0.2 of a pound today, which is great, and my monthly friend, Aunt Flo, is due any time -- although she can be a bit unpredictable due to my wonky thyroid and the fact I'll be 50 this year. I almost never know when to expect her. I hope she's either exactly on time or very, very late, so she won't threaten my vacation.

I hope your cream tea goes well and that it cools down in Somerset. We're having a lot of hot weather here, but that's sadly normal. I do dislike it. On our morning walk I again reminded Bruce that he really needs to move us north. Scotland would do nicely for me, but I would take anywhere in the UK.

Are you very close to Stonehenge? I really enjoyed that area

[Tracieknits]

Just realized I haven't kept this up! I had a rather hectic week with a very sick kitty - we thought we were going to lose him. Thankfully he's on the mend now, even if it did cost nearly $500 in veterinarian bills >.< So I'm now on an extremely tight budget.

I've been doing well with my program -- I did two days at 15 points this week as planned, and I've eaten most of those points between Wednesday and yesterday, but haven't used any weeklies yet. I'm down 70.5 pounds total since starting a few years ago, and 33.7 since starting weight watchers in April. So I've lost almost as much these past few months as I did in a couple of years of fasting alone. So I definitely need to track and control what I eat on feed days. That's the message I've gotten in this experiment.

I went into Target and tried on size 14 jeans, and they fit! Because there was a good sale, I got jeans for $18. Which is really nice, because I didn't own any jeans in my new size
I'm still loving my hybrid plan and I think I will still stick with it even when I go on maintenance.

hi @tracieknits

just wanted to congratulate you on hitting your paris target a month early

fantastic. you really have got this sussed

your hybrid plan seems to be working great for you. like I said before, you need to patent it & write a book

shelley xx