Paid off the £31,000! BUT - still scrimping!

HairyHandofDartmoor

You're back . I'll look forward to your catch up tomorrow.

doingitanyway

Good to see you back. I was worried you had lost so much weight you had fallen down a drain

beanielou

Looking forward to your catch up

Sun_Addict

Glad you're ok xx

Seasidegal58

Thanks guys! DIA -I should be so lucky!!!![

MY BIG FAT VEGAN DIET!

The vegan diet is going ok – better than I expected really. I don't seem to be craving the things I thought I'd be craving, e.g. decent cheese! The best hard cheese substitute I have found is a Smoked Applewood made by Sheese. I'm also going to try their soft cream cheese version as DD has tried it and said it's not bad.

I've had to have a rethink though about my food choices as I found I was buying too many replicas – like vegan sausages, or vegan fish substitutes and a few ready meals. These can work out quite expensive so it's back to basics on the recipes for main meals – I've also spent too much on vegan cookbooks and have quite enough now going forward! Breakfasts are fine as I have my porridge with Oatly mill with banana or nuts and maple syrup or Agave. Or toast with peanut butter or orange spread and olive oil spread. Lunches at work consist of hummus, ryvitas or brown rice cakes and apple on my 500 cal days and on the other work days, sandwiches spread with Dijon mustard and filled with rocket, beetroot, tomatoes and chopped walnuts. Also sometimes include the Sheese Smoked Applewood. And lots of fruit.

As I mentioned above, I've been trying to cook from scratch more on the dinners – actually it's quite easy as I love curries, chili, stews etc. Potato or sweet potato wedges, rice, grains and lots of other veg.

I've also had to buy some B12 vitamin spray as well (lucky they were on offer at Holland & Barrett so I bought three!).

The only thing that I've not been too draconian about is wine. Non-vegan wine is classed as such because of the animal protein used in the clarification of the wine – and this has traditionally been the production method. However, lots of wine producers are now ceasing to use animal products and if you look for 'unfined' or 'unfiltered' on the label these are classed as vegan. However, if I'm out and about, I'm not too bothered about checking as I'm not out drinking every night so for the amount of wine I do drink when socialising I'm not bothered about checking for vegan. I'll just buy it for home.

With regards to weigh-loss as last Saturday I hit the two stone loss mark which I'm v. pleased about! So that's 2 stone 6lb to lose now to get to Icelandic Pony weight!

I must admit that I've felt great on this diet though I think still keeping to the 5:2 is helping. I'm still panting a bit at the top of vertical hill on the way home from work, but I'm certainly getting up it a lot more quickly than before. Clothes are feeling less tight though I'm still not quite fitting into the size 22s quite as comfortably as I would like so have left this for now - though I think another 7lb loss will do it.

HEALTH

I went to see the eye expert at Moorfields about my dodgy eye – all ok here thank goodness. There is a sort of membrane over the retina due to the laser surgery I had a couple of years ago, but he said it was fine and not to worry unless the sight in that eye deteriorated. I still haven't heard back about the NHS appointment though!

I also took the plunge and paid out for some private blood tests – I was really chuffed that they all came back much better than when I had my last yearly BUPA medical back in February. The doctor that I saw when discussing the results actually said that she wished her cholesterol was as good as mine! I'm hoping that eventually I can come off the blood pressure medication once and for all!

MONEY

Well I've totally overshot several budgets since I last posted!

I'm over budget on categories:-

• Ad Hoc Spends Week 4 (this week)
• Food/Household Week 4 (this week)
• Books/Kindle/Itunes
• Clothes
• Entertainment – Concerts/Cinema/Theatre
• Entertainment – Meals/Coffees
• Toiletries/Make Up/Vitamins
• Birthday/Gifts

And no extra to put away to Ad Hoc Savings!

Some aren't too badly over budget (£1.43) but some like Entertainments are well over! Once I get paid on Friday I'm going to have to replenish my pots and really start keeping my eye back on the ball. It's frightening how easy it is for me to go over budget – I've 18 months now to retirement and I've really got to get myself in gear.

I've bought the new mattress (which is being delivered on Monday) – still to sort out iPad and ioniser for the bedroom.

I've also bought a spa day for DSis for her birthday present as there isn't anything at the theatre at the moment that she wants to see. I'm going on the spa day as well so a nice pampering will be had by all and we'll go out for a meal afterwards.

Christmas presents have begunl – not much so far though – Jo Malone lip balm for DD, a funny mug for her OH (which he will appreciate!) and the usual Christmas golf balls for the boss (or my homemade Xmas puddings as I like to call them!).

Social things that have gone on – I've been to the cinema to see 'Judy' and 'Official Secrets' – both were excellent – 'Terminator' this Sunday!

Out with friends a couple of times and I last Saturday I enjoyed a lovely day out with a fellow DFW:) diarist whom I've been looking forward to meeting for ages. Hopefully the first of many meetings, although we do live quite a few miles away from each other!

Phew! That's enough for now – will be back later. I caught up with diaries last night on the train – we were delayed for ages due to an accident on a bridge – at least I had a seat and was able to spend my time reading diaries! Only thing was I didn't get home till late so after watching Bake Off whilst eating my dinner I was ready for bed and didn't post. Will rectify this evening after nails have been smartened up!

SSG x

HairyHandofDartmoor

Well done on the weight loss SSg, the vegan diet must suit you :T.

It's great news that your eye is okay and that your blood tests had positive results :T.

I think I know who you met in London and if she's as nice in real life as she is in diaryland then I can imagine that you had a lovely time meeting her .

It's good that you know where you've been overspending so that you can put the brakes on it.

beanielou

Think I have sussed out who you met too

Sun_Addict

Well done on the weight loss, you'll soon be down to Icelandic pony weight :j Glad you're enjoying your vegan diet, there's loads of delicious things you can make without resorting to ready made substitutes. You can use nutritional yeast instead of cheese in recipes and to sprinkle on food. Not tried it myself yet but am assured it's nice.

How lovely to meet up with a fellow MSE diarist, think I can guess who it is too

Seasidegal58

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

Well done on the weight loss SSg, the vegan diet must suit you :T.

It's great news that your eye is okay and that your blood tests had positive results :T.

I think I know who you met in London and if she's as nice in real life as she is in diaryland then I can imagine that you had a lovely time meeting her .

It's good that you know where you've been overspending so that you can put the brakes on it.

beanielou wrote: »

Think I have sussed out who you met too

Sun_Addict wrote: »

Well done on the weight loss, you'll soon be down to Icelandic pony weight :j Glad you're enjoying your vegan diet, there's loads of delicious things you can make without resorting to ready made substitutes. You can use nutritional yeast instead of cheese in recipes and to sprinkle on food. Not tried it myself yet but am assured it's nice.

How lovely to meet up with a fellow MSE diarist, think I can guess who it is too

Hi all! Yes we both had a 'grand day out' (in the words of Wallace!) - apart from nearly getting caught up in the Brexit march!:eek:

SA - I have tried the nutritional yeast sprinkled on my chili. It's not bad - quite a yeasty, cheesy taste!

END OF SCRIMPY WEEK 4 – OCTOBER

I watched 'Eat Well for Less' last night – it's interesting that the current series is focusing more on plant-based foods – quite a bit more than they done in the past.

Surveys are not going particularly well unfortunately. I never seem to receive anything from Prolific now. Still receiving Opinium quite regularly but sometimes I don't get to their surveys in time before the quota is full. I'm up to £15.50 at the moment – have to reach £25 before they will pay out. Perhaps surveys are something to get my teeth into more once I retire.

Forgot to mention that I bought a chenille throw from M&S the other day. It was £17.50 but I got 20% off plus double loyalty points. As my sofa is light-coloured I usually put a throw over it when I sit down just in case I spill coffee, etc. My current throw was beginning to look a bit threadbare so definitely needed replacing.

What rotten weather today! Woke up to misty drizzle and it's teeming out there at the moment! However, we have been celebrating Diwali in work today. Our Indian members of staff decorated the staff kitchen beautifully with flowers and candles and we had lots of lush veggie goodies to eat at lunchtime! Unfortunately I had to turn down the rather yummy Indian sweet treats as I think they contain rather a lot of dairy………:(

Payslip arrived this morning so I sorted out all my categories on YNAB ready for my salary arriving first thing tomorrow. Have cleared all the overdraft pots and will start with a clean state for November. I've allowed myself £50 per week for Ad Hoc Spends though I'm going to try hard and not to spend it unless absolutely necessary. I'm also going to be strict with my food budget now that the plant-based diet has been running for a couple of weeks.


OPTIMISTIC OCTOBER

- 1,500 cals three days in work week, 500 cals on two and lighten up a bit at weekend, BUT KEEP IT PLANT BASED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! – the actual plant based eating has been fine, however I've gone over the 1,500 cals a few times – probably why I only lost 1 lb last Saturday!:D

- Keep on with the walking and foot stretches, but see if I can incorporate a few back stretches as well – As usual the walking has gone ok, but stretches rather hit and miss!:(

Signing off for now.
SSG x

milann

Lovely to hear how you’re doing SSG. I’m really impressed with your vegan experimentation and weight loss. :T
It sounds as if you had a lovely day with MSEer - I know she had a great time.