Amy's weight loss diary

I'm making an effort to eat more today, get up to my calorie goal rather than just under it. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm also more hungry than usual. It could be having work to do (procrastination being my middle name), it could be the increase in calories, it could be being tired and not getting enough sleep. Or maybe it's the fact I'm trying to eat more- that could be a catch-22.

I'm having yet another snack soon, and see where that takes me in terms of my calorie alowance. I don't plan to go over, I just want to get to around that number.
 
Food diary (I actually ate to try to get to my calorie goal today, based on what the doctor said- and I feel like I've eaten way too much)

Wednesday 13 April

Breakfast: 50g oats, 100ml milk, 75g berries (233 cal, 9g protein, 39g carbs, 4g fat)
Then went to the doctor, and almost straight on to the gym.
Lunch: 2 slices rye bread, 75g cottage cheese with onion and chives, and a bit (est. 0.1 and 0.2 respectively) of ground pepper and dried mint. (270 cal, 14g protein, 47g carbs, 3g fat)
Snack 1 (in an attempt to get more protein up): 170g Greek yoghurt, dessertspoon of honey (221 cal, 9g protein, 37g carbs, 4g fat)
Snack 2 (felt blood sugar dropping off): 200g orange (98 cal, 1g protein, 25g carbs)
Snack 3 (very tired and aware of doctor's recommendation that I should get calories towards daily limit): 12g (3 dessertspoons) grated parmesan cheese 100g (1) tomato, quartered then blitzed in microwave, and 200g (3) boiled potatoes (209 cal, 8g protein, 38g carbs, 3g fat)
Black tea with 40g milk (let it stew for a little too long, needed extra milk) (14 cal, 1g protein)
Dinner: Serve (1/8) chilli con carne mentioned before, with 250g steamed carrot and 50g (raw weight) basmati rice. (561 cal, 34g protein, 80g carbs, 11g fat)
Dessert: 170g Greek yoghurt, 80g summer berries, dessertspoon honey (243 cal, 10g protein, 41g carbs, 4g fat)

Total: 1851 calories (98% of new allowance- 1885), 91g protein, 311g carbs, 32g fat.

Another thing I didn't mention before, but I've definitely noticed a loss of padding on my backside. I don't know if it's any smaller, but there was a layer of lumpy fat that meant I didn't feel things (shall we say I'm clumsy? :eek:) quite as much as I do now. (I didn't realise why that was, I had a bit of an examination of it, shall we say) Noticing it in a few other areas as well, but nowhere more so than there. Which is funny, because my bum and thighs are usually the last places where I lose weight.
 
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I also saw this on caffeinehigh's diary:

I've emailed them and asked them for details on nutrition (as their website doesn't give calorie details), and whether this would be suitable for a low calorie diet. The idea would be to eat one packet a day (or every second day, they're not terribly cheap) so I can get some nuts back into my diet, and other things where I'm a bit scared to buy the big bag because I might binge on it. Will update as to how that goes on. (I suspect the answer might be "of course it's suitable for you!" because they want my money- but if they don't cough up the nutritional information I'm not signing up)
 
It makes absolutely no sense that you are tired because you are eating more.

As you suffer from depression, it could be linked to that. Sometimes i notice i go through periods of feeling leaden and find doing things difficult. I think its very likely to be connected with that. If you think its a possibility relax a bit more and don't push yourself physically when you are struggling. I think if you are struggling too much with the activity you might give up. I notice when i do exercise regularly or am working hard at something, after a few months, this fatigue sets in . I think thats an indicator of a time to take a rest or to switch activities for a bit.

I don't remember too closely how much you are doing at the gym but there should be a day here and there where you don't do exercise. Your body needs to recover from exercise.

Also how many calories can you eat for your current weight? I can't remember. I can't even remember how much you weigh. And reading back through all the posts is time consuming. Sorry. I'm lazy.


That 30 30 30 idea is not typical of a balanced diet. Its more typical of a high protein, low carb diet. You might already know that. In the CSIRO book its up around 55 carbs, 25 protein, 20 fat. Or something more like that anyway i think. (sorry i can never remember details accurately, just the bigger picture).

I even forget about your rye bread which of course is a great alternative to wholegrain. Rye is the most high protein bread. That said, the fat in multigrain is mostly in the seeds cause seeds are high in fat. And its good fat. But if it doesn't work for you, no problem.

Oh one more idea. Re your fat loss, there's calculator on the web somewhere where you can measure your body fat. If its accurate, it think its a good idea. You measure your bum, your waist, your thigh, your wrist, not sure about the tits and they obviously run it through a forumla. Height and weight too... Just google it. i'd try body fat percentage .

Oops i forgot its breakfast time for me and the ducks. I'm so late today...
 
I've only started to eat more today- new calorie calculation, and I was eating more to see if it helped me feel better. Before that I think I probably wasn't eating enough- at the low end of my "safe" range. I'm not quite sure what it is (apart from perhaps the fact the sun is rising earlier and earlier and it goes straight through the blinds- and I'm bad at going to bed at a decent hour. Or maybe the gym work) It doesn't make sense that I was more hungry than usual, particularly for that post at the top of the page (where I was in the middle of my three snacks). I'm basically doing it because the doctor told me I needed to slow down my weight loss (health comes first and all of that).

I've actually been feeling better depression-wise, to the point where the doctor decided today I didn't need the increased dose (that I thought I would do). Perhaps it's the fact that the sun is starting to return, at least some of the time. Winter here is grim.

I think the gym is also starting to lift my mood. I certainly feel really good after the gym once I've got some food into me (I feel pretty horrible before, but I think that's the fact that my blood sugar and stuff has dropped off. I'm going to have to start putting strategic snacks in my gym bag, I think). I remember feeling this kind of good the last time I was fit. I'll see how it goes tomorrow with the new program (yikes). The aim was to go 5 days a week, but I've told them that was unrealistic (the time commitment was excessive) and have set the new goal at 3-4, but the intensity has been increased as a consequence.

My maintenance (assuming I do moderate rather than light exercise) is now 2385 calories- so I've taken 500 off that number to get to 1885. I had it about 150 lower before (calculated with another kilo on top but doing light activity, but I think you're right and I'm doing moderate activity, not light. It's not an enormous difference in calories in any case). I started at 74 and I'm either 73 or 72 kilograms- I'm working on the basis of 73 because I want Saturday to be my official day, if that makes sense, I was just curious yesterday (Tuesday).

I wouldn't mind regular bread if it were more filling- I've tried wholegrain and multigrain, I generally didn't eat white even before (except when it was on sale). But if I need 4-6 slices to satisfy me, well that's a heck of a lot more than 2 of rye bread, even if they ha the same calories per slice.

I got my boyfriend to measure me awhile ago (I don't have a soft tape measure, but for some reason he does), and I'll get him to do it again soon. I'm sure I must have lost centimetres (particularly given my new jeans are sagging already).
 
One more thought. Are you getting enough sleep?... i posted this before seeing your answer. Yeah, sounds like you are not getting enough sleep.
 
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Hey Amy.
Wow you are super regimented with your eating. And your exercise. You record every last protein value and mint leaf.

I think that with the exercise you do, the increased calorie intake is a good thing. As is the loss of fat from your ass and thighs. I'm jealous. Keep up the amazing work. xxx
 
Amy, girl you need to read this article and determine to make getting enough sleep a priority, including changing your sleep habits and i know from experience that you can do it if you want to.



When i was a student in my 30s, i also used to study and stay up all night. I quite often went for nights without sleep. In my 20s, i could do this and not feel at all bad the next day but in my 30s i could feel the stress my body was under. I remember one night when i felt so bad in my body that i thought i could die of a heart attack even. I used to go without sleep often. It was a habit i got into from my teens and I didnt' resolve it until to any extent until my 40s and its only this last year that i've even been able to stop being a night owl.

I urge, then, to try to change this habit. I would suggest to start with, don't study at all in the evenings. Do relaxing things like watching tele. This is preparation for the mind to be relaxed. Only study in the day. Gradually get up earlier. As you get up earlier you will get tired earlier and be able to fall asleep earlier, especially if you are doing exercise.

Anyway read that article and read more about cortisol and stress. Its an issue with depression but i only just learnt that its an issue with physical stress from too intense exercise. This article explains why you can put on more weight. It explains why you are struggling with your exercise program lately.
 
Hi caffeinehigh-

I'm not actually as regimented as you think. OK, I have a bit of a routine going with the kind of stuff I eat, but actually all I do is eat when I'm hungry and weigh everything first (except for a few things which I estimate- I have the Greek yoghurt in 3 lots, it's a 500g pot so 1/3 is 166.666*g, which is a stupid number, so I say 170g, the herbs are an estimate, more of a marker that I've had them, sometimes with fruit and vegetables I take the average measure because I've forgotten to weigh them). The reason I record everything is to keep the accountability going- I don't want to go back to the days of "I'll just have one biscuit, it won't hurt" and then turn around to find I've eaten the whole packet without thinking about it. (One biscuit every now and again may not hurt- the whole pack is another matter entirely!) If I make sure I record everything then I think about what I'm eating. I do most of my work from home, so I'm able to make sure I have a variety of good choices in my fridge (which looks like the fruit/ veggie section in Tesco most of the time) so I can just go and grab something and not think about it too much. (I plan my grocery shopping instead)

The protein records and stuff aren't that hard either- I use a program called cron-o-meter (free download) which, if you enter the food and the weight, will tell you all of this stuff (at the start I was entering a lot of values into it a lot as it's an American program and so I had to enter my British products, but if you save it it remembers it so, say, for breakfast, I type "Quaker", it comes up with "Quaker oats", and then I type in 50g, I type "0.1%", it gives me my milk, I put in how much I've had, I type "summer" and it gives me "Tesco summer fruits", and I put in how much I've had. And for recipes I pick a weight for the sake of a number- say 300g- and make that the portion size, and enter the details for portions, found either on the recipe or I run it through a recipe calorie calculator. My entries for recipes read, say, "chilli con carne adapted (serving 300g)", so I just write down I had 300g- I have no idea of the weight, but 1/8 is a portion, and a portion is of that nutritional value) I think I've made it sound more complicated than it is. I put it through the program, and while there was a little homework to do be done (and a little when I get something new or make a different recipe), it's mostly just straightforward "I had spinach, enter spinach".

I think the loss of fat on my arse has been the cross trainer. I've never felt any exercise work it so hard before. But yeah, the exercise thing has been good- it's slowly but surely bringing me the mental clarity and feelings of wellbeing I so desire.

Thanks again :)
 
Interesting.

What do you do during your work outs?
I used to suffer with bouts of anxiety/depression and found that working out realllly helped me get control back.
 
I had a program set out by an instructor at my gym (included in gym membership for me, but in retrospect if it hadn't been, it'd would've been worth paying for). I was given a form asking about medical problems, injuries/ weaknesses, time available to commit, diet, weight goals, parts of my body I wanted changing, my current level of fitness, that sort of thing, and had a program the next day.

My old program (set up for weak knees, big time commitment- I've just scaled that back- and fixing thighs, stomach, and to a lesser extent arms) was: warmup (rower 3 min, stretches held for 10 seconds each), cross trainer for 15 min (on a hill program), bike for 10 minutes (no program specified), and resistance training- leg extension 3x12, leg curl 3x12, calf extension 3x18, bicep curls 3x12, tricep extension 3x12, crunches with ab cradle 3x12, crunches on exercise ball (I couldn't do that, not coordinated enough, so I did more crunches with the cradle with my legs resting on the exercise ball so that my thighs were almost vertical) 3x12, plank position for 20 seconds, then leg raises 3x7, then cool down (rower 3 min, then hold stretches for 15 seconds). It sounds like a lot but actually it became easy quite quickly and I found myself increasing reps (most to 3x18, leg raises to 3x15) and time (cross trainer to 25 min, bike to 20- although at the end I was opting for the treadmill instead, the bike is quite hard on my knees). The aim was to do that 5 days a week, which is a big commitment.

My new program (starting today) is: warmup (3 min rower, stretches for 10 seconds), cross trainer 15 min (different hill program, resistance 7), stepper (didn't write down the time or specifications for that one- suspect 10 min- the details are at the gym), rower to row 500m to get a record time (as fast as I can), bicep curls 3x15, tricep extension 3x15, abs (as before- cradle, cradle with ball, plank, leg raises), then cooldown (3 min rower, stretches 15 seconds). I asked for harder and shorter, and that's what I've got (trainer jokingly said "don't blame me if you hurt yourself!"). The aim is to do this 3-4 days a week. I also might incorporate some treadmill back into this because I'm trying to get back to the point where my knees are strong enough that I can run again. I'm surprised the leg weights are gone, to be honest, I'm starting to feel the front of my thigh become quite firm (the back is the big problem, but that'll take some more time!).

I've got depression as well and I was surprised to find that I don't need more than the minimum dose of antidepressants (I'd just changed meds and went to the doctor yesterday expecting them to be put up, but my mood evaluation told her a different story)
 
Oh, I forgot to add- there are apparently apps for phones out there that do similar to my program. I "only" (ha!) have a regular 3g phone, not one of those smart phones, so that doesn't work for me, and because I'm at home most of the time when I eat I can just enter it on my computer, and write down what I've had on a bit of paper to deal with later when I'm not. The apps may work better for people who aren't at home as much as I am.
 
Wow that programme sounds intense but really effectiveee.
I hope you took before pictures.
 
I didn't, but my weight had been more or less stable since October so I have some pictures of me at about that weight. I'm not sure how much I've changed, to be honest (apart from the new jeans fitting looser than I expected them to).

I actually looked at the old program and thought "I'll never be able to do all that"- it was hard for about a week, and then I had to make it harder for myself. I'm enjoying the challenge. (and would recommend to anyone in a gym to get a similar program, whether or not you need to pay for it- it's given me focus and goals, rather than just flailing around aimlessly and either not doing resistance training because "it's for guys" or hurting myself)

Just heard back from Graze. They didn't send me particularly detailed information, but said the nutritional information for each punnet would be available on their website if I signed up. I'm thinking about it- maybe go for one a week for the reduced prices, see how I like it. (If there's no nutritional information on the website if I sign up I'll cancel after one, I don't want the risk of being sent something high calorie)

Something to think about. Haven't decided yet.
 
I've signed up for Graze, and gone through "binning" things I suspect would be inappropriate (they didn't have any nutritional information as they said they would so I've asked them not to send me all crackers, flapjacks, olives, and coconut pieces, plus everything with stuff I don't like- chilli, wasabi, walnuts, dried pineapple pieces). The first box is free, the second is half price, and the third and fourth are 50p off each- I figure it's worth a shot, see what they send me from what I have left and how the nutrition compares. I've signed up for one box a week, which should arrive Wednesday. I figure I'll try it for a month, with the reduced prices, and see whether I like it enough to keep it up full price.
 
I had a really nice lunch today (salmon and sauteed vegetables) but probably overdid the sauteed onions- I now want something sweet to balance it out. I'll have a kiwi fruit, I think. It was bigger calorie wise than a normal lunch but very filling so I think it evens out.
 
I'm not going to the gym today, I don't feel very well. I'm due to have my thyroid tested but right now I couldn't be bothered to get out of my chair and do anything. I also need to pick up prescriptions and go shopping... but it's just all a bit too much for me at this stage. :(
 
Trying to get myself back into things. Thinking about shopping and so am planning some meals. Need to motivate myself to get off my arse and get my medication- I need it, and I suspect that's why it's difficult to motivate myself. How does this (with the alterations I'm about to list) sound?:



Remove olives, replace stir fry steak with lean casserole or stewing steak (see which the supermarket has), double tinned tomato, add cubed eggplant (aubergine) and zucchini (courgette) as suggested for vegetarian option, possible also add a beef stock cube and 250ml of red cooking wine, slow cook or put it in the oven in an oven proof saucepan.

If the calorie counting website I'm using has this right, that's about 318 calories for a serve (as adapted).

Also looking at other recipes, want to keep the variety up in my evening meals.
 
Hope you feel better :/
And enjoy your stew when you make it. That sounds goooood.
Variety definitely keeps things interesting.
 
I'll make the stew soon- I actually decided to make something else tonight.

I got hold of my medication and (although I know it can't have had an effect yet) it makes me feel a lot better already (psychological, I suspect). Thank you :)

Here's the food diary for today:

Thursday 14 April

Breakfast: Decided I could afford to go all out what with trying to actually hit my calorie allowance now. 50g oats, 500ml milk (cooked with 300, 200 on top), and 100g summer berries (that was partly because it was the end of the pack). Subtotal: 380 calories, 23g protein, 60g carbs, 4g fat
Lunch: Again, decided to do something a bit decadent. Made salmon from frozen- can't believe they're only 100 calories per fillet! So 2 fillets (about 90g each) of salmon, cooked in the oven in foil (used a light cooking spray- 1 cal per squirt- instead of butter), with two teaspoons of lemon juice, with a side of sauteed onion (200g), carrot (500g), and crushed garlic (25g) (did the sauteeing with the same cooking spray), topped with pepper. Subtotal: 544 calories, 44g protein, 75g carbs, 9g fat
Snack: A whole bunch of coffee as I wasn't feeling well (1500ml with 400ml milk) Subtotal: 155 calories, 15g protein, 20g carbs, >1g fat (registering as 0 but 2% of my allowance)
Snack 2: while dinner was on I started to feel lightheaded, so I had a 125g apple (Tesco have a deal on their organic apples at the moment which make them cheap enough for me to consider, their normal apples are a bit out of season) 62 cal, 14g carbs
Dinner: Chicken cacciatore*, with steamed carrot (250g) and zucchini (150g). Subtotal: 351 cal (yes, really), 29g protein, 35g carbs, 9g fat
Dessert: 170g Greek yoghurt, teaspoon honey, 150g Gala apple (steamed apple, then added honey and mixed it up, then added yoghurt. Was nice, but not as nice as the berry one I sometimes do) Subtotal: 232 calories, 10g protein, 37g carbs, 4g fat

Total: 1725 cal (92% of allowance), 123g protein, 244g carbs, 28g fat. Thankfully under my salt allowance today. I may yet have dessert of some sort, I haven't decided. I'm not hungry and it's getting late, but maybe I should work harder towards getting to my calorie goal? (I didn't need to snack much today because the salmon was mighty filling)

* I adapted this from . Instead of the meat listed I used 6 skinless boneless chicken thigh fillets, and I didn't bother with the olives, parsley, or beans. I've also made this to serve 6. I didn't add salt or pepper, but it didn't need it. (The sauce was to die for and the chicken was really tender) According to the recipe calorie calculator, one serve (as I've made it) is 233 cal, with 25g protein, 7.3g carbs (of which 4.4g is sugar), and 8.5g fat (2g saturates), and 282mg sodium.

Edit to add: I think I'm becoming a reasonable cook. This time two years ago I could barely cook anything and had no interest. Then I moved to the other side of the world and had no choice but to do it for myself. It was a steep learning curve, and for at least six months the best I could say was "I haven't made myself sick yet". I don't think I've seriously stuffed up a dish in months.

Edit to add 2: added dessert and revised total. I got hungry and wanted to try something.
 
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