It’s good to be back!
Posted by Anna
Well, here I am, back and worse off than I was when I started! Just to shortcut the details, here’s the latest version of my old chart:
It seems that the extra walking I did last Spring was not as beneficial initially to my health as one might suppose, and I ended up with a stress fracture of the second metatarsal on my right foot. The fracture wasn’t picked up in an x-ray at Kingston Hospital and continued pain caused me to return to my GP after several weeks, when I went for a private referral. The consultant I subsequently saw found the fracture, too late to do anything as it was well on the way to mending, but noticed my left foot needed operating on. Finally in October I had the op and was immobile for 6 weeks.
Having started last year in fine fettle, I spent much of it in pain, hobbling around and feeling as though I were falling apart (which left me feeling old and quite depressed). I also had serious problems at work that culminated in my filing a grievance against my boss, which came to a resolution just before I had the operation. As a result, I ended up not falling off the diet so much as plummeting headlong, and had a rapid weight-gain that I’m only now starting to address.
I weighed myself a couple of weeks ago and began the Atkins diet which I have slavishly kept to. I actually find it easier to keep to a diet when I know that even one small thing will mess it up (I really can’t have any carbs if I want to remain in ‘ketosis’). I lost a lot the first week, though much of that may have been water. And have lost a couple of pounds in the week since.
A nice chappy at work suggested I go at lunchtimes to the gym with him, which I shall be starting next week, although I can’t do anything which requires impact of the feet. I bought a pair of good trainers last week and, for the first time since the op, wore ‘normal’ shoes when I wore them to work.
So here I start out on yet another journey of trying to control the food I eat, or rather, trying to control myself and my choices of food I eat.
It’s good to be back and I look forward to cheering you all on! :-)
Week 19 weigh-in
Posted by Anna
I went into total self-destruct this week, as far as the diet’s concerned. I’m amazed I only gained 1 lb given that I’ve not held back from eating what I felt like. Maybe it’ll hit me at my next weigh-in. I spent 3 out of 5 working days this week in hotels which probably hasn’t helped as I’ve had access to vast amounts of free food. Today I called a halt and have been back ‘on plan’. I’ve been out and bought stuff for the first part of the week which will also keep me on track. Work has been tough with very long days and very tight deadlines. That continues into next week but ends at close of play on Thursday. I’ll look to take Friday off work for a much-needed rest.
Catch-up
Posted by Anna
Monday I went off to work and from there straight up to Liverpool. I worked until late on a project that has its deadline today. I got home yesterday evening and worked until midnight last night. Today I hope won’t be so late. Tomorrow and Friday and I’m running a 2 day leadership course with my boss and we’ve completely re-written it. I’ll be in another hotel…
Monday
| Breakfast | Yoghurt | 70 |
|---|---|---|
| Spagetti + meatballs + tomato & basil sauce | 450 | |
| Sprinkling of cheese | 100 | |
| Dinner | Small fillet steak | 200 |
| Mixed veg | 150 | |
| Small ice cream | 200 | |
| Snack | Danish pastry | 400 |
| Drinks | Glass of wine | 75 |
| 1 cup of tea + various 0 cal bevs | 10 | |
| Total Calories | 1,655 | |
Tuesday
| Breakfast | Yoghurt | 125 |
|---|---|---|
| Bowl of cereal | 170 | |
| Toast + marmalade | 260 | |
| Sub-total | 555 | |
| Lunch | Small portion of lasagne | 300 |
| 1/2 baked potato (no skin) | 40 | |
| Side salad | 60 | |
| Sub-total | 400 | |
| Dinner | 1/2 ploughman’s sandwich | 250 |
| Sub-total | 250 | |
| Snacks | Pretzels | 200 |
| Sub-total | 200 | |
| Drinks | 2 cups of tea + various 0 cal bevs | 20 |
| Sub-total | 20 | |
| Total Calories | 1,425 | |
Whoops!
Posted by Anna
I ate more in calories than I expected today. I’ve had a real sweet craving today which is linked to ‘that cycle’ and will have worn off tomorrow. I call it PMM — pre-mentrual munchies! And instead of denying myself, I’m giving in to it, as I know I’m still in a delicate state and I don’t want to go back to how I was feeling last week/end. So I’m going easy on myself even if it means maintaining for a while. I went out for a drink with a friend this evening and she could see I’m not in a great place. When we looked at my life, I realised I currently have *nothing* to look forward to. I hate my job (she got me to re-write my CV yesterday and gave me some good tips when she looked at it this evening). I’ve got a few very stressful weeks coming up with some major and very tight deadlines. One of the team has left so it’s just me and a part-timer keeping everything going and she’s on holiday all next week… Also, I have no-one to go on holiday with so I’m not going to get a holiday and I *desperately* need one (taking a week off and moping around my flat will not make me feel better — I need to get away but I hate going somewhere on my own — I did that in March and didn’t enjoy it). I’m in constant pain with my feet and the thought of an op and a lot more pain and a long convalescence is looming… And I don’t really have anyone I can ‘offload’ to. So, I’m being gentle with myself and I make no excuses. I’ll continue to blog here daily and my goal is to continue dieting, as long as it doesn’t add to my woes.
| Breakfast | Yoghurt | 130 |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-total | 130 | |
| Brunch | 1 slice foccacia bread | 150 |
| Scrambled eggs | 210 | |
| Sub-total | 360 | |
| Snack | 1 ciabatta roll | 200 |
| Sub-total | 200 | |
| Dinner | Roast chicken | 150 |
| Carrots and potatoes | 150 | |
| Flake dessert | 265 | |
| Sub-total | 565 | |
| Snack | 2 digestive biscuits | 140 |
| 1 bar of chocolate | 255 | |
| 30g nuts | 170 | |
| Sub-total | 565 | |
| Drinks | 1 glass wine | 78 |
| 2 cups of tea + various 0 cal bevs | 20 | |
| Sub-total | 98 | |
| Total Calories | 1,918 | |
Week 18 Weigh-In
Posted by Anna
No weight lost, no weight gained. The really good news is that I’d gone up 1 lb but it’s dropped off again! :-)
Quiet Saturday
Posted by Anna
I had one of the sloppiest Saturdays I’ve had in a long time. I wandered around the flat in my underwear and didn’t actually get dressed until nearly 9pm when a lack of food in the fridge drove me out to get something. I’ve enjoyed being ‘off’ the diet for a while and just eating what I feel like. It’s been interesting, though, that old habits seem to die hard and although I’ve had one or two ‘naughty’ things, I’ve still been eating cottage cheese, lean chicken, veggies and fruit too — in other words, not going completely mad! This is born out by the scales this morning when I weighed in and got a nice surprise…! :-)
| Breakfast | Yoghurt | 130 |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-total | 130 | |
| Snack | Cottage cheese with onion & chives | 208 |
| Sub-total | 208 | |
| Lunch | Pasta + tomato & basil sauce | 373 |
| Small cheese stick (grated) | 70 | |
| Sub-total | 443 | |
| Dinner | Lemon chicken | 350 |
| Sml portion boiled rice | 111 | |
| Sub-total | 461 | |
| Snack | 30g nuts | 188 |
| Sub-total | 188 | |
| Drinks | 2 cups of tea + various 0 cal bevs | 20 |
| Sub-total | 20 | |
| Total Calories | 1,450 | |
Week 17 weigh in
Posted by Anna
Up 2lbs (1 kg) on last week and back to the weight I was 3 weeks ago.
