The debt free journey of an easily distracted Moog

Kepp

I don't do well with planned diets either. Have lost 20lbs since Feb though (although stalled the last couple of weeks). To be fair, going to Borneo did help me with a kick start but I've found that cutting out bread, pasta, potatoes and rice has worked really well. I like it better than calorie counting as I like to eat a lot of food!

It's easy enough to do and I do cheat and have the odd takeaway etc and it still seems to work!

LittleMoog

Wow, well done Becs! Can I ask - have you cut out the carbs altogether, or reduced portion sizes? I think I'd have to do the latter, I find it hard to do without carbs - when I did the Atkins diet back in 2003 I managed to stick to it for about 7 weeks and lost 2 stones, but then went mad and ate every carb in sight for the next month and put it all back on Have to say I felt really unfulfilled by meals with no carbs - breakfast was particularly challenging, no cereals, bread or fruit, that doesn't leave much :rotfl:

Think I'll cut our portion sizes and reduce fat. This has worked well before, lost 1.5 stone, and I've kept 1 stone of that off. once I'd been doing it for a few weeks I found I didn't need to count calories, as i knew what portion sizes etc I could have - just got lazy over the last year. Need to get back to weighing cheese (my biggest downfall ), and definitely back to making lunches more often. Have been going to the work shop too much the last month or 2 I've found in the past that by eating a sensible but small breakfast and lunch, I can eat a reasonable dinner and still be around the 1500 calorie mark.

Also need to stop myself from snacking while I wait for DH to get home, I'm not hungry, just bored.

So swimming tonight, and will try and get DH to do some exercise with me tomorrow as we're both off for his birthday We both really like playing squash, so may try and book a court. Not sure my back is up to it, but won't know until I try. Otherwise will suggest a trip to the big park in town we haven't been to yet - apparently they have a dinghy lake, so we may be able to do a bit of sailing just need to dig out DH's dinghy qualifications - last time we tried to hire a dinghy he only had his coastal skipper certificate with him (a much much higher qualification!!) and they wouldn't let us hire one as it didn't cover us on their insurance :rotfl:

Kepp

I haven't totally cut the carbs - I did Atkins too years ago and failed because of that. I remember there even being some vegetables you can't eat because of carbs and that's just too much!

I still eat sauces, don't worry about carbs unless they are in the obvious such as the pasta, bread, rice and potatoes.

Still have the odd takeaway and if I'm going out for dinner or whatever I don't make myself order the salad cause then I feel cheated!

Portion sizes are a big part (OH eats and eats and gets away with it!) and I was ending up matching him. So now we still have the big portions so he can't complain he's hungry just have lots of more healthy food.

Doing it this way doesn't make me feel like I'm on a diet (instant fail!) just like I'm someone who eats more healthily.

One of my greatest finds has been making chips with butternut squash instead of potato!

LittleMoog

Afternoon Diary:)
Virgin card arrived today, so have done the cash transfers to clear our ODs :j

Have also emptied our house savings ISA and paid it off our highest interest CC, it seemed pointless having the money just sat there when we're paying £100s in interest every months. We'll be able to replace the money in 3 months when we're DF, so I don't feel too bad about it.

Have updated my sig, now including all debts apart from the 2 loans. I haven't included them, as we're not going to overpay them. DH's finishes in June 2012, and mine in Feb 2013, so by the time we're DF DH's will be gone already, and mine will only have a few months left. (Plus I have no way of getting the balances of them, so don't know what figures to add for them!)

So current DFD is November 2012, and I've set myself a new target of bringing that forward to September/August. I think that's achievable with my bonus in April, DH's in Feb, and increased payments from June when DH's loan finishes.

Woowoo

I think using your savings to clear your c/c is a very sensible idea and you shouldn't feel bad about it x

jtr2803

I chuckled out loud at the wood comment :rotfl:, men are just so darn predictable aren't they?

When I lose 2.5 stone about 5 years ago that was mainly through cutting down on carbs, I really struggle with it though as toast is one of my main comfort foods . I have survived this week on peanut butter on toast, galaxy ripples and whole garlic pizza breads, oh the shame! I really need to weigh myself as I think I could be over my highest known weight which is shocking and I really need to sort myself out.

Very cute pic of your nephew Jules . OH's niece had her son last week and we saw him on Sunday, didn't make me broody at all which I was relieved about!

LittleMoog

I have to admit I'm still feeling a little guilty about moving the money from our ISA, as it's not ours really, given it by FIL for house deposit fund. Still, we can replace what we took out in about 3 months once we're DF, and then actually start adding to it. It's saving us about £100 a month in interest, and has moved our DFD about 4 months earlier, and that's including paying off the ODs which weren't included before, so we'll be in a much better position once we reach our DFD.

I logged into my online banking today and I have +£61. A positive number!!! Not had that for about 10 years :j :eek:

Spoke to DH about weight/health issues at the weekend, and we've agreed to go on a healthy eating plan - I'm not going to cut out specific food groups, but will reduce portion sizes, choose lower GI options and strictly ration cheese (my greatest downfall!)

I'm going to start swimming again tomorrow, and I've been walking at lunchtime with friends, will try to go twice a week, and we normally do 3-4 miles. Plus pilates, and I'm feeling nearly ready to try running again.

Main issue is getting DH to exercise (and admit that he really needs to lose about 5 stones :eek:) He's not keen on the gym etc, and too embarrassed to go swimming when I go with my friend , but he does like squash and bike rides. He needs to get his bike from his mum's and see what's needed to get it up and running, but he said he'd try and do 2 45 minute bike rides during the week, and we'll do something together at the weekend.

LittleMoog

Morning diary

Started using foodfocus.co.uk to track my meals again yesterday, and managed to stay under my target calorie level (1450 if I don't exercise). I think the point when I stopped using ff was when I let myself go off the rails, so need to get back to tracking all my food. Today's meals don't look too bad either, plus I'm swimming tonight, which ff thinks burns 600 calories/hour. We'll probably do about 45 minutes. Also, no cheese for 36 hours, I think I deserve a trophy :rotfl:

Dinner tonight is smoked haddock and spinach fishcakes, leftover mash from last night plus haddock from the freezer, so nice and easy. Will probably make 2 meals worth though, so will have to put some back in the freezer - I've been trying to run it down, but I've got so good at stretching ingredients in an OS way that I'm always putting extra portions back in still, it's getting emptier, and there's plenty of fresh stuff in the fridge, so no need for me to go anywhere near tesco for at least a week!

Little bit of spending tonight for swimming, but I've got enough cash left to last until payday next Tuesday, including a couple of swims. It's our anniversary on Friday and DH is taking me out for dinner , and then we're heading to the Hamble for a sailing weekend. Hopefully no spending, as DH's dad normally pays for dinner/drinks etc. Stopping in at home on the way back for our tea, as it's Father's day.

Do need to pop into the pharmacy and buy some stugeron and life bands, to try and defeat my seasickness. It's getting a bit embarrassing, every time I get on the boat I'm sick Just can't seem to get my sea legs.:( good thing I don't go racing with DH :rotfl:

Kepp

Sounds like a very sensible plan to have used the savings. Don't feel guilty - like you say, you can soon replace it.

Well done on getting the diet started too

LittleMoog

Thanks Becs, unfortunately I remembered that I ate a slice of DH's birthday cake last night, so that puts me well over my 1450 calories (it probably had 1450 calories in!) I was feeling so proud of myself too!
still, the rest of my meals were balanced etc, so once the cake is gone I'll be on the right path :cool:

The cake was a 3 layer sweet and salty chocolate/caramel layer cake, from my Hummingbird Bakery cookbook. It had 1lb of butter and 1lb of chocolate in the icing alone :eek: lush though