Day 292: Tennis with kids

24 October 2008 at 11:31 pm (food diary, photo)

Posted by Paola

7:30am  Broccoli salad + sweet spiced tea

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
lemon juice 12 0.2 4.1 0.0 0.2
extra virgin olive oil 33 0.0 0.0 3.7 0.0
sun-dried tomatoes 34 1.1 4.0 2.3 1.1
cottage cheese 69 10.7 4.1 0.5 0.0
broccoli 90 12.0 4.9 2.5 7.1
Total 238 24 17 9 8

12:40pm  Ham salad sandwich + tea + figs

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
lettuce 7 0.4 0.8 0.2 0.4
cherry tomatoes 7 0.3 1.3 0.1 0.5
tomatoes 13 0.5 2.3 0.2 0.7
Quark low-fat soft cheese 26 4.6 1.6 0.1 0.0
piccalilli 28 0.6 6.0 0.2 0.0
Quorn ham-style slices 29 4.2 1.7 0.6 1.5
soft figs 30 0.4 6.6 0.2 1.6
seeded batch bread 146 5.9 20.6 4.5 3.4
Total 286 17 41 6 8

3pm  Curried squash soup

281g portion calories protein carbs fat fibre
fat-free yoghurt 41 7.1 2.4 0.1 0.0
Finn Crisp 43 1.5 8.1 0.3 2.3
curried squash soup 84 2.4 13.2 2.6 2.3
Total 168 11 24 3 5

In the afternoon, I went for a walk in the park with the (neighbours’) kids and played tennis for the first time in thirty years!

7pm  Broccoli and cheese salad + apple + hot chocolate + fig

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
capers 1.4 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.6
red chilli 6 0.3 1.2 0.0 0.3
lemon juice 12 0.2 4.1 0.0 0.2
Peppadew 26 0.2 6.2 0.0 0.7
sun-dried tomatoes 40 1.3 4.7 2.7 1.3
extra virgin olive oil 41 0.0 0.0 4.6 0.0
soft figs 43 0.5 9.7 0.3 2.3
apple 63 0.0 17.3 0.0 3.9
light sheep’s milk cheese 66 7.1 0.8 3.4 0.0
broccoli 84 11.2 4.6 2.3 6.6
Total 382 21 49 13 16

Evening drinks: hot chocolate + half pint of fizzy squash

Day 292 calories protein carbs fat fibre
Breakfast 238 24 17 9 2
Brunch 286 17 41 6 8
Lunch 168 11 24 3 5
Dinner 382 21 49 13 16
Other drinks 100
Total 1,174 73 130 31 31
27% 48% 26%
Allowance 1,200 75 – 105g
25 – 35%		 120 – 165g
40 – 55%		 33 – 40g
25 – 30%		 18 – 30g

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Day 291: Funeral in Portsmouth

23 October 2008 at 10:55 pm (food diary, photo)

Posted by Paola

11:10am  Teacake with cheese + milk

I added the cheese as an afterthought to balance the carbs with protein.

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
extra-light Flora spread 15 0.4 0.1 1.4 0.0
half-fat cheddar cheese 60 6.7 0.0 3.6 0.0
teacake 169 5.8 30.9 2.3 2.1
Total 244 13 31 7 2

I went to a funeral on the south coast today. The people who gave me a lift there had planned to stop on the way for a sandwich. I also knew that there would be tea and cakes. I made two sandwiches for lunch and later on.

2:15pm  Ham salad sandwich + crisps + Diet Coke

Half a bag of crisps.

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
lettuce 4 0.2 0.5 0.1 0.3
Quark low-fat soft cheese 24 4.1 1.4 0.1 0.0
Quorn ham-style slices 28 4.1 1.7 0.6 1.5
corn relish 33 0.3 7.7 0.1 0.0
crisps 91 1.1 8.6 5.7 0.7
seeded batch bread 150 6.1 21.1 4.6 3.5
Total 330 16 41 11 6

4:40pm  Walnut cake + tea

7:50pm  Ham salad sandwich + crisps + curried squash soup + diet Coke + apple

The other half bag of the crisps.

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
lettuce 4 0.2 0.5 0.1 0.3
Quark low-fat soft cheese 24 4.1 1.4 0.1 0.0
Quorn ham-style slices 28 4.1 1.7 0.6 1.5
corn relish 33 0.3 7.7 0.1 0.0
apple 43 0.0 11.9 0.0 2.7
crisps 91 1.1 8.6 5.7 0.7
curried squash soup 97 2.8 15.2 2.9 2.6
seeded batch bread 150 6.1 21.1 4.6 3.5
Total 470 19 68 14 11

Evening drinks: hot chocolate + half pint of squash

Day 291 calories protein carbs fat fibre
Breakfast 244 13 31 7 2
Lunch 330 16 41 11 6
Snack* 250 3 30 13 1
Dinner 470 19 68 14 11
Other drinks 100
Total estimated 1,394 51 170 46 20
16% 53% 32%
Allowance 1,200 75 – 105g
25 – 35%		 120 – 165g
40 – 55%		 33 – 40g
25 – 30%		 18 – 30g

In hindsight, I shouldn’t have had the soup and crisps with the second sandwich after having already had a piece of cake earlier…

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Day 290: Gem squash

22 October 2008 at 9:17 pm (food diary, photo)

Posted by Paola

1:30pm  Ham salad sandwich + tea

Very hungry, hence the over-loaded sandwich. Pre-diet, I’d have just made two sandwiches on normal-sized bread.

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
lettuce 7 0.4 0.8 0.2 0.4
red chilli 10 0.4 1.8 0.1 0.4
tomatoes 15 0.6 2.5 0.2 0.8
Quorn ham-style slices 29 4.2 1.7 0.6 1.5
corn relish 29 0.2 6.7 0.1 0.0
sun-dried tomatoes 34 1.1 4.0 2.3 1.1
Quark low-fat soft cheese 39 6.7 2.3 0.1 0.0
seeded batch bread 223 9.1 31.4 6.8 5.3
Total 384 23 51 10 10

4:20pm  Squash soup with cottage cheese + pint of fizzy squash

This soup was made with the gem squash from last week’s Abel & Cole box. I’ve not cooked it before. I steamed it with the skin on, only to find out that the skin is hard compared to butternut squash. I couldn’t be bothered to scoop off the flesh and decided that, once liquidised, it’d be good roughage!

I added celery, onions, tomatoes and a tin of cheap curry sauce. It turned out as a fairly decent mild curry soup.

I added some cottage cheese for protein to reduce the carbs percentage so I would be full for longer. Yup, it worked!

393g portion calories protein carbs fat fibre
celery 8 0.3 1.5 0.1 0.5
white onions 10 0.4 2.1 0.1 0.5
gem squash 12 0.9 2.6 0.1 0.8
passata 26 0.9 5.2 0.2 0.8
fat-free yoghurt 59 10.2 3.5 0.2 0.0
curry sauce 61 0.8 7.1 3.1 0.6
cottage cheese 66 10.2 4.0 0.4 0.0
Total 242 24 26 4 3

Evening drink: hot chocolate

8pm Tomato and cheese

I wasn’t very hungry at this time but, as yesterday, felt I should eat something or else get very hungry later.

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
tomatoes 28 1.1 4.9 0.5 1.6
sun-dried tomatoes 38 1.3 4.4 2.5 1.3
wholemeal Crackerbread 40 1.4 7.8 0.4 1.2
extra virgin olive oil 66 0.0 0.0 7.3 0.0
light sheep’s milk cheese 88 9.5 1.1 4.5 0.0
Total 260 13 18 15 4

The day’s totals:

Day 290 calories protein carbs fat fibre
Breakfast 384 23 51 10 10
Lunch 242 24 26 4 3
Dinner 260 13 18 15 4
Other drinks 100
Total 986 60 95 30 17
27% 43% 30%
Allowance 1,200 75 – 105g
25 – 35%		 120 – 165g
40 – 55%		 33 – 40g
25 – 30%		 18 – 30g

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Day 289: Just add protein

21 October 2008 at 9:22 pm (food diary, photo)

Posted by Paola

10:40am  Crackerbread

Grabbed before going to my doctor for my six-monthly review.

Afterwards, I walked to the shops and back (2 miles).

12:40pm  Cheese and celery sandwich + apple + tea

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
celery 7 0.3 1.3 0.1 0.7
lettuce 10 0.5 1.1 0.3 0.6
extra-light mayonnaise 19 0.1 2.2 1.1 0.1
fat-free yoghurt 22 3.7 1.3 0.1 0.0
apple 32 0.0 8.7 0.0 2.0
half-fat cheddar cheese 64 7.3 0.0 3.9 0.0
seeded batch bread 149 6.0 21.0 4.5 3.5
Total 302 18 36 10 7

I felt hungry again after half an hour.

4:45pm  Carrot, tomato, apple and lentil soup with ham and cottage cheese + tea

I added the ham and cottage cheese after reading about how eating high-carb foods can make you more hungry afterwards. So far so good!

322g serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
Quorn ham-style slices 28 4.0 1.6 0.6 1.5
cottage cheese 53 8.1 3.2 0.4 0.0
carrot, tomato, apple & lentil soup 123 4.1 25.0 0.2 4.9
Total 203 16 30 1 6

Afternoon drink: hot chocolate

8:10pm  Carrot, tomato, apple and lentil soup with ham and cottage cheese + tea

I wasn’t very hungry but just getting so. I figured that if I didn’t eat then, I’d be hungry later.

188g serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
capers 3.2 0.3 0.3 0.1 1.4
Quorn ham-style slices 28 4.0 1.6 0.6 1.5
sun-dried tomatoes 36 1.2 4.2 2.4 1.2
Finn Crisp 43 1.5 8.1 0.3 2.3
carrot, tomato, apple & lentil soup 72 2.4 14.6 0.1 2.8
cottage cheese 90 13.9 5.4 0.6 0.0
Total 271 23 34 4 9

Evening drink: hot chocolate

Day 289 calories protein carbs fat fibre
Snack 20 1 4 0 1
Breakfast 302 18 36 10 7
Lunch 203 16 30 1 6
Dinner 271 23 34 4 9
Other drinks 100
Total 896 58 103 15 23
30% 53% 18%
Allowance 1,200 75 – 105g
25 – 35%		 120 – 165g
40 – 55%		 33 – 40g
25 – 30%		 18 – 30g

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What the doctor said

21 October 2008 at 7:26 pm (advice, thoughts)

Posted by Paola

I saw my GP today for my six-monthly review.

I had a few things I wanted to talk to her about including metabolic syndrome as advised by Ginni’s doctor. Ginni – my cousin once removed – was recently diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, which runs in families.

My GP (Dr D.) said matter-of-factly that it was likely that I had it. She said that my abdominal weight, hirsutism and acne suggested the syndrome. She explained that it was a pre-cursor to type 2 diabetes. I’d read up on it before and knew that treatment included losing weight to achieve a healthy BMI, getting exercise and not smoking. I just have to not put weight back on if I don’t want to develop diabetes.

Always be vigilant

If I do have metabolic syndrome, I metabolise things differently. Dr D. said “you know how some people only have to look at a cake to gain weight whilst other people have trouble gaining weight.”

I realised that this fitted in with my recent discovery that I only need to eat 1,600 to gain weight and that, to maintain my weight, I’d need just 1,400 calories a day. Dr D. wasn’t surprised, saying that it wasn’t fair, that people with the syndrome put on weight easily and just can’t eat the same amount as other people. We agreed that it means that I must always be vigilant about what I eat.

This discovery is a blow; I’d already realised that my appetite was broken – I just want to eat more than most people – but to find out that there’s a physical reason why I’ll always put on weight easily makes me a bit sad.

“The last few pounds are the worse”

I mentioned that I’d lost very little weight over the last month and Dr D. said that it’s normal, that people who have less to lose find that their weight yo-yos.

That was a relief but also made me realise why the other Food Confessors had found it so much harder to lose weight!

Eating makes me hungry

Disclaimer: the following is based on 30 mins online research. Please research this yourself or ask your GP before making any changes to your diet.

When I got back, I did a little research online. Metabolic syndrome is related to insulin resistance, where the body doesn’t properly turn glucose sugar into energy. It turns out that high sugar levels in the blood cause hunger and that this is what GI means, something I was aware of but which I had ignored.

“The Glycemic index – or GI – is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates that break down rapidly during digestion releasing glucose rapidly into the bloodstream have a high GI; carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the bloodstream, have a low GI.” From Wikipedia.

High-carb foods tend to have a high GI. Carbohydrates are metabolised as glucose. A high sugar level in the blood tream 1) causes weight gain and 2) causes hunger!

Maybe this is why, when I end a meal with a piece of fruit, or when I have a big bowl of veg soup, I am hungry again after half an hour. And maybe it’s where the idea comes from that proteins are more filling – it’s actually that carbohydrates make you hungry whilst proteins don’t.

To test this, I added some Quorn ham and cottage cheese to my last meal of soup. Besides a pang of hunger 45 mins later after lifting some crates, I haven’t been hungry.

Interesting!

However, here are my questions:

  • why did my doctors never tell me that I had metabolic syndrome?
  • why did no one ever explain how close I was to developing diabetes?
  • why didn’t I know about the relationship between carbohydrates, glucose and hunger?

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Day 288: Food catalogue

21 October 2008 at 12:54 am (food diary, photo)

Posted by Paola

1pm  Cheese and celery sandwich + orange + tea

Wondering what to do with the Abel & Cole celery, I remembered the creamy cheese and celery sandwiches I have bought. Nice and refreshing home-made.

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
celery 7 0.3 1.3 0.1 0.7
extra-light mayonnaise 19 0.1 2.3 1.1 0.1
fat-free yoghurt 22 3.8 1.3 0.1 0.0
orange 59 1.1 14.6 0.2 1.1
half-fat cheddar cheese 66 7.4 0.0 4.0 0.0
seeded batch bread 151 6.2 21.3 4.6 3.6
Total 324 19 41 10 6

4pm?  Carrot, tomato, apple and lentil soup

I forgot to photograph.

345g serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
Thin Crisp 19 0.7 3.8 0.1 1.1
carrot, tomato, apple & lentil soup 131 4.4 26.7 0.3 5.2
Total 151 5 31 0 6

Afternoon drink: hot chocolate (5:15pm, hungry)

6:30pm  Vegetarian chilli

444g serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
fat-free yoghurt 29 5.0 1.7 0.1 0.0
vegetarian chilli 297 19.0 41.4 7.2 9.2
Total 326 24 43 7 9

I ended up spending five hours on the computer making a bespoke catalogue for my mother of low-calorie food and drink that can be bought online from Tesco. My mum doesn’t have a computer, let alone Internet access, but I figured she can tell me her shopping list and I will order things online for her. The delivery charges work out cheaper than if she sends out one of her carers to do the shopping; she won’t be limited to what can be carried by one person and will have more control over what she gets.

11:40pm  Celery and cheese snack + tea

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
celery 20 0.8 3.8 0.2 2.0
extra-light Philadelphia soft cheese 23 2.5 1.1 1.0 0.1
wholemeal Crackerbread 40 1.4 7.8 0.4 1.2
Total 83 5 13 2 3

The day’s totals:

Day 288 calories protein carbs fat fibre
Breakfast 324 19 41 10 6
Lunch 151 5 31 0 6
Dinner 326 24 43 7 9
Snack 83 5 13 2 3
Other drinks 100
Total 984 53 127 19 24
24% 57% 19%
Allowance 1,200 75 – 105g
25 – 35%		 120 – 165g
40 – 55%		 33 – 40g
25 – 30%		 18 – 30g

And that’s me making a big effort. Had I not been carried away with the catalogue, I’d likely have had more soup in the evening.

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Day 287: Riding my bike

20 October 2008 at 3:24 pm (food diary, photo)

Posted by Paola

11:30am  Cheese and tomato sandwich + orange + tea

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
lettuce 7 0.4 0.8 0.2 0.4
extra-light Philadelphia soft cheese 21 2.3 1.0 0.9 0.1
sun-dried tomatoes 44 1.5 5.1 2.9 1.5
light sheep’s milk cheese 61 6.6 0.8 3.1 0.0
orange 65 1.3 16.2 0.2 1.3
seeded batch bread 187 7.6 26.4 5.7 4.4
Total 385 20 50 13 8

3:40pm  Vegetarian chilli + apple + pint of fizzy squash

396g serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
apple 37 0.0 10.1 0.0 2.3
fat-free yoghurt 38 6.6 2.3 0.1 0.0
Finn Crisp 40 1.4 7.5 0.3 2.1
vegetarian chilli 265 16.9 36.9 6.5 8.2
Total 380 25 57 7 13

Afternoon drink: pint of fizzy squash

6:30pm  Banana and sultana pancakes

Made with Tom (11) and Marcus (9) after riding about on our bikes for a couple of hours.

1 serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
banana 19 0.2 4.8 0.1 0.6
semi-skimmed milk 19 1.3 1.9 0.7 0.0
white flour 26 2.2 4.1 0.2 1.6
egg 47 3.9 0.0 3.4 0.1
sultanas 73 0.7 17.4 0.1 0.5
Total 183 8 28 4 3

7pm  Carrot, tomato, apple and lentil soup + pint of squash + figs

390g serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
fat-free yoghurt 35 6.0 2.1 0.1 0.0
Finn Crisp 43 1.5 8.1 0.3 2.3
soft figs 65 0.8 14.5 0.4 3.5
carrot, tomato, apple & lentil soup 149 5.0 30.2 0.3 5.9
Total 291 13 55 1 12

8pm  Vegetarian chilli

The soup should have been the last meal of the day but I prepared this when Frank was having his dinner and I was feeling peckish even though I knew I was probably over my day’s calories anyway.

323g serving calories protein carbs fat fibre
fat-free yoghurt 37 6.4 2.2 0.1 0.0
vegetarian chilli 216 13.8 30.1 5.3 6.7
Total 253 20 32 5 7

The day’s totals:

Day 287 calories protein carbs fat fibre
Breakfast 385 20 50 13 8
Lunch 380 25 57 7 13
Snack 183 8 28 4 3
Dinner 291 13 55 1 12
Snack 253 20 32 5 7
Other drinks 100
Total 1,593 86 222 31 41
23% 59% 18%
Allowance 1,200 75 – 105g
25 – 35%		 120 – 165g
40 – 55%		 33 – 40g
25 – 30%		 18 – 30g

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