Elegance

This is what I have decided to aim for. At nearly 60 I am never going to have the figure I could have had in my teens if I had not got derailed by sugar and insulin. But I have decided that I can aim for elegance. Something that was in short supply when I staggered around at over 200lbs.

I felt I was getting there yesterday. We were invited to an engagement party for a couple of people who I taught 10 years ago. I wore a white and black long skirt. White heeled shoes, black top and black and sliver overblouse and a white large hat. You could not see any lumps and bumps and I did feel I looked good!

The meal was lamb and pig on a spit with salads so I had a good plateful and then put together my puddings. Pavlova and black forest gateau. I did not eat those and asked for a cup of coffee instead.

Only going to weigh on Sunday as if I get on the scale now I might find a gain because of the extra food and alcohol I have been consuming over Christmas.

Today I get back on the 3 meals a day with no snacks plan.

made 170.8lbs

Well I did not make the 170 but I am only 0.8lbs above that so as far as I am concerned that is success.

I will make sure I take my irvingia tomorrow. Maybe even a double dose! and will enjoy my food at meal times and try and stay away from the snacks.

I have been going back and working out how long it has been taking me to lose 10lbs. Took me 50 days to lose the last ten. It may be much slower than other diets I have been on but it is much steadier and I feel so much better.

I know I can be a normal size next year. Happy Christmas to those of you who celebrate it.

Not going to make 170lb by Christmas

Just had 2 days away from home Christmas shopping and picking up the first new dining room chairs we have bought in 35 years!

Amazing to feel in such good control over my appetite. I did eggs before I left and then had lunch at 12 grilled chicken and salad. Despite buying chocolate and nuts and cheese, all my downfall foods, I did not eat anything till supper which was more chicken and a greek salad.

Next morning I opened one of the cold meat packets and ate that as it was difficult to organise a cooked breakfast. Lunch same as day before. Had tuna, tomato, salad dressing and blue cheese when I got home. Another 0.6lbs down this morning. Some maybe fluid but I will be happy to maintain this weight over Christmas.

Got in lots of interesting cheeses and olives and nuts. Plus different fish. So will be plenty for me to snack on if I feel the need. Going to try and stick to the 3 meals a day and stop eating between meals.

One pound a week

This is the steadiest diet I have ever been on. I dont get wild mood swings and feel generally happy and I dont get eating binges where I eat everything in sight. I have lost 25lbs since I started on the irvingia and the Richards Leptin diet in September. So that is just over 3 months to lose 25lbs. I am now losing at the rate of 1lb a week but it is not a steady loss. I see no movement on the scale for 4 days and then over 2 days I lose a lb and then it holds again for the next 4 days.

I am used to previous diets where I lose one and a half to 2lbs a week but on those I am much more restricted in my food and I battle with cravings and will power to stay on the diet. This is much better for my brain as well as my body.

I am looking forward to getting under the 170lbs and then under 168lbs within the next month. Even if the weight loss drops to 2lbs a month I know I will still make my goal over the next year and will have cured my obesity.

Looking for answers to obesity

I worked out I have nearly 200 books I have bought on obesity and dieting. If I can discover why I have the ability to put on weight so easily I stand a chance of keeping it off once I lose it again. I never want to be over 200lbs again.

From what I have read it is my : insulin, leptin, BGL that have been the problem. Wild swings in BGL caused by eating too many carbs ( which are low calorie so have been the base of my diet for years) means that the glucose level in the blood is either far to high or drops to quickly and gets too low. The brain then screams for more sugar and as short while after a meal your will power goes awol and you are eating again.

When you eat low carb you dont get these wild swings and the BGL stays within a satisfactory range and it is much easier to resist food outside mealtimes in the afternoon and evenings. Your body also starts to manufacture the enzymes to burn up the stored fat and you have an endless supply of energy on tap from the fat on your hips and thighs and belly.

I have been having bigger breakfasts recently, had tinned kipper with my eggs yesterday. Today will be left over braised rump steak and 3 days ago was bream in cream sauce.

Keeping up with the 45 mins on the stationary bike in the evenings. I think it is helping me sleep for longer as before I started this I would be waking at 3.30 not able to get back to sleep. Now I wake at 5am which is much better.

Stationary Bike

Four days ago I set the stationary exercise bike that has been gathering dust in the lounge up in the computer room in front of the screen. Since then I have been putting an episode of All creatures great and small on the computer and watching each episode while pedalling. I try and do a bit of interval where I speed up for 30 pedals and then slow down again.

I have lost another 0.4lbs in those days and getting down to a weight I have not seen for over a year and my legs feel thinner and yesterday I got into a blouse I have not worn for a long time.

Will keep up the pedalling. I cant say I enjoy it but I can endure if for 45 mins if I have something interesting to watch!

Sure it is going to help my insulin resistance and my leptin problem.

Fete

Went to the fete yesterday and made some mince pies to sell on the cake stall. Normally I love pastry and mince pies and would have eaten 3 or 4 of them. This year I can leave them alone as I know what they do to my body.

Had to pay for an extra portion of lunch at the fete as the 2 kebabs and salad did not fill me up! I skipped the pudding table altogether.

Managed to do another 45mins on the bike while watching a DVD I had not seen before. Tried to do interval training where I speeded up for about 30 pedals and then slowed down again, Will try and keep that habit going.

Had hoped to be 170lbs by Christmas, could still make it if I am careful.

Michelle

Forgot Irvingia again

Yesterday I did really well up to the evening. In the morning I was busy moving the computer desk out of the dining room ( I am not tied to the phone line any more so moved the whole caboodle into the office). Realised it was lunch time and had not taken my irvingia an hour before. So decided to skip it. Big mistake. Afternoon was fine but after my tea I got the munchies. I kept going back to the fridge for blue cheese, cold meat and then had cream cheese with sweetener, cinnamon and vanilla. Ended up finishing the bowl.

I have put it behind me now and am learning from the experience. I have not eaten like that for about 3 months ( before that I always used to eat like that!). It would seem that because I did not take the irvingia my brain did not register that I had eaten my tea and then a couple of hours afterwards I started eating again.

I need to get back into being in control around food. Last night I was verging on the out of control again.

New day today and I will take the tablet and keep in control. I was hoping I was 'fixed' but yesterday showed me the cravings are just there round the corner waiting to come back and make me obese again.