Hey,

Nightmare: I am hoping your situation improves. Are you still going to the doctor in september?

Nicki:

I am ok. School starts for everyone next week. It will be easier to eat OP when I am away form the house. SO that is good.

Hope you both have a great day!

Ash

School starts in another fortnight here and I can't wait. Much as I love my DD I need a holiday now.

Kelli I'm another one who hasn't been on holiday in years. My last holiday was.................big drum roll...............my honeymoon in 1993. We've either had other priorities such as fixing up our home, or DH had to work or DD was in hospital or I was in hospital. Something has always cropped up.

Next year is going to be different, we're going even if I have to drag us kicking and screaming, and we will enjoy ourselves even if we hate every minute of it!

I've applied for the passports so now waiting to get them back, so the world's our oyster as the saying goes. However right now I'll settle for a weekend at a Butlins Holiday camp.

Nicki

Hi,
Doing vacations are hard for us too. Everyone in our group seems to go on vacation every year for a week or 2 or more - it is not in our budget. Different priorities I think, too. We went to england last year for the 1st time and stayed 17 days. It was lovely and we could only do it because we stayed with the MIL for 2 weeks.

But I thoroughly enjoyed our 2 days in Boston. When we were in England we vowed we would go on a real vacation every year - hmmm - and in Boston the dh said we needed to do a real one next year. We'll see - college tuition is looming.
Don't know what a Butlins holiday camp is - but it sounds fun.
Even 1 night away from home with or without children is nice.

Ash

Checking in, nothing exciting to report. Take care and I hope to have something to report tomorrow. It's just been a typical Saturday.

Nicki

Nearly forgot I'm still on plan and it's been a green day today.

Nicki

Hey All,

Been struggling a little. Eating mostly on plan then off for a bit at night. Still lost some weight but I need to get back to plan or else.

Hope you are having a good sunday!
A

Happy Sunday . Drinking my water today and my head is feeling clear, must be over the withdrawl of additives and simple carbs. I've noticed that whenever I stop eating proccessed foods my head clears and the advantages of drinking water and healthy eating make sense. A week of eating proccessed food and my head becomes muzzy and I can't for the life of me work out why I feel like c**p.

Nicki

As you are probably aware I'm now going to Slimming World meetings and I thought that it may be useful to give you an insight into the food plan I'm eating. So here goes.

The Slimming World diet is an eating programme that includes in its diet meal plans and recipes many foods known as "free foods" which participants can eat as much of as they like. In addition, you are allowed four portions a day of higher calorie foods, or "healthy extras", which also provide plenty of fibre, vitamins and minerals. The Slimming World diet Food Optimising plan also divides days into "red" and "green" days.

On red days, free foods include the following:

* White fish
* Lean meats
* Eggs
* Most fruits and vegetables (no free potato's sweetcorn, or parsnips everything else is allowed even bananas and grapes!

Restricted red day "healthy extras" include:

* Milk
* Cheese
* Bread
* Grains
* Beans
* Potatoes
* Dried fruits

On green days, free foods are:

* Fruit and vegetables
* Grains
* Beans
* Pasta
* Tofu
* Eggs

Green day "healthy extras" include:

* Milk
* Cheese
* Bread
* Dried fruits
* Nuts and seeds
* Meat
* Fish

Healthy extras are a vital part of the eating plan and not an optional extra.

Syns are the only counted foods and these include those naughty but nice treats, any one for a cookie? Also any overspill on the healthy extras. For example you're allowed 2 slices of wholemeal bread as a healthy extra but if you eat 3 slices then the third slice has a syn value. You are allowed between 5 and 15 syns a day.



Although there isn't a formal exercise regime included in the programme, participants are encouraged to be active.

Nicki
__________________

Where are you Ash and Keli?

Nicki

Hey Nicki,

Thanks for sharing your eating plan. So how do you switch between green and red days?
The dd started school today. She survived. I start tomorrow. We'll see if I survive.

Have a splitting headache today. Clearing out my system.

Kelli - hope you are well.

Ash

Ash, take painkillers if you haven't already, your headache isn't mean't to be a penance, it's just something you have to get through the best way you can and if that means taking medication, or have someone give you a head, shoulder and neck massage, or even a lie down in a dark cool room do it, don't suffer needlessly.

The changing from red and green days is up to each individual, you can eat just red days or just green days until you lose the weight, or you can alternate, some change weekly others daily. Some, and this is the group I find myself in ,decide when they wake up whether it's going to be a green or a red day.

Then just to really complicate things, when you get near to goal, or are feeling confident in being able to food optimise, you can 'mix and match' and that's eating green and red meals on the same day. So you could have a red day breakfast with a green day lunch followed by a red day dinner.

Nicki

Nicki,

It sounds very doable. How has it been?

My headache is definitely related to eating or not eating. I have got to find some snacks I can have that don't start a binge.

I am going to go take some headache medicine right now.

Ash

It's going great, though the proof will be tomorrow when I get on the scales at the SW meeting. I'm not expecting a huge weight loss, 1 to 2lb will be just fine. If I can manage that I'll be happy. If I manage more you will hear the screams of joy just by opening your back door!

Nicki

Nicki,
I cannot wait to see how successful you have been - at least how the scale measure success- I think we have both been successful in all sorts of ways.

Was in class today and the professor asked us what we mean by success. In terms of my well-being - it is definitely having control over my eating and having long term control. SO if I fall off plan I get right back up and do not wallow in it.

What about you?

I'm the same Ash, I've learn't the hard way that moaning, or wallowing in self pity just isn't a good way to get fit and healthy. Picking yourself up, get moving and take care of yourself,(which includes eating healthily)is the only way to be.

No longer will I be the miserable one at a party watching the others enjoy themselves, just because I let my weight tie me down. No longer will I be content to hold onto the wallets and handbags of my friends as they go on fairground rides because my butt is too big to sit in and the safety bar to lock down, and this is my personal pledge to myself. Never again will I gorge myself with food before going to a public function such as a wedding, eat very little there because I'm aware of others around me judging what I eat to how large I am, and then gorging myself again once I get home.

Nicki

I am with you! I am tired of letting my opinions about my weight and my weight and my unhealthy eating habits and my opinions about other's opinions about me rule my life. This is it.

I hope you have a fabulous day.