Holding On and Letting Go 🎈

Fortune_Smiles

Re-focus

Mr F was away last week and I used the opportunity to catch up on a few things and also to have a think:

Health:

I've never really considered myself to be properly overweight.  There have always been times where I've thought I could benefit from losing a few pounds but I never thought I was heavy enough for it to affect my health.  Recently though I've had a few minor niggles - acid reflux, sciatica, low mood - which prompted me to look at things differently.  My BMI is now right in the middle of the 'Overweight' spectrum.  For it to be right in the middle of the 'Healthy' spectrum I will need to lose two stone 😲  That's fourteen bags of sugar 😲  I know BMI is not an exact science but, as a rough guide, that's shocked me. This epiphany has galvanized me into action...

• I have started calorie counting again.  I use Nutr@ch£ck.  It costs £7.99 a month but it works for me and I see it as an investment in my health
• I'm avoiding processed foods and sugar.  This is the diet I have always aspired to, and we don't eat much in the way of processed food anyway, but once I start eating cake I seem to get into the habit of it
• I've been finding it more difficult to exercise recently (and, of course, fourteen bags of sugar is going to do that for me isn't it).  I'm still walking FDawg and have started to do more again in the garden.  Once I'm a little lighter on my feet and the sciatica improves I'll start my exercise DVDs again too.

So that's been my focus for the last 8 days and the results are in:

• I've lost 6lbs 🥳  Some of this will be water weight of course but It's the most I've lost in this timescale so I'm very pleased.  I haven't felt hungry in that time apart from once and I had enough calories from my allowance on that day to have healthy snacks
• I've dropped a whole point from my BMI 🥳
• my clothes are feeling more comfortable
• my face looks better - less puffy and more angular
• I think I feel a little lighter on my feet although that might just be wishful thinking 😆

So a good start.  I have a goal weight but what I'm really aiming for is to be able to wear some of the lovely clothes in my wardrobe that are currently too small for me... oh and to find some new bras that fit well 😊

Wealth:

• our grocery shop is still coming in under budget.  I think this is because we still have lots of fruit and veg in the garden to call on and also because Mr F has been away a lot for work.  I've been using some of the savings to buy items for the food bank
• spending has been minimal
• we're still harvesting chard, spinach, fennel, courgettes and potatoes from the veg patch.  Also apples and blackberries from the hedgerow
• we're still waiting to hear back from several workmen so I'll chase that up this week.

Happiness:

• as I said earlier, my mood has been low.  Not really down just 'meh'.  This often happens to me as we go into autumn and I think it might be connected with the shorter days.  I took Vitamin D last year and it did help so I shall start taking it again today
• I have a painting workshop booked in October which I'm looking forward to but I think I need to have a few more social dates in the diary.  There are some glass art workshops coming up locally soon so I think I'll book onto those too.  Not something I've tried before so that will be exciting 😁
• I've caught up on a lot of housework and chores... not sure how I got so behind 🤔 Now things feel a little more under control I can make a start on my next painting.  I can never settle to it if there's too much untidyness about
• still counting my blessings and taking joy in the small things.  My diet is so rich in fruit and veg at the moment that each plate brings me joy.  Very excited to see what changes my continued weight loss brings too. I might buy some new clothes to celebrate when I hit my goal.

I hope everything is going well with you guys.

Fortune x

badmemory

I have managed to lose a couple of stones this year & it has certainly made a difference to my water retention.  My diet has mostly been reducing portion sizes & avoid white food.  If you look at jars or ready meals you can see that anything white is a lot more calories than anything red, I also avoid (particularly white) bread but that is because I tend to bloat, but not with home made.  Just shows what rubbish they must put in it.

Fortune_Smiles

Well done BM!  That's a great achievement.  My diet is generally wholefood and I am mostly pescatarian (my system can't tolerate much in the way of meat).  It's sugar that's the villain for me.  Once I start with it I just can't stop even though it's evident the negative effect it has on me.  Not any more though!

Fortune x

badmemory

Sugar is definitely a villain.  A lot of years ago I used to have 4 spoonfuls in a coffee.  I also used to love meringues.  Fortunately I can't eat them now as there is just too much sugar in them.  I certainly never thought that would ever happen!

Merlin's_Beard

Sugar is definitely super addictive and while I'm a big fan of "everything in reasonable moderation" I really struggle with keeping my sugar intake reasonable - if it's in the house I need it!

Fortune_Smiles

badmemory said:

Sugar is definitely a villain.  A lot of years ago I used to have 4 spoonfuls in a coffee.  I also used to love meringues.  Fortunately I can't eat them now as there is just too much sugar in them.  I certainly never thought that would ever happen!

I've struggled more with sugar since the menopause.  Apparently low oestrogen levels reduce sensitivity to insulin which means that you cannot clear sugar from the blood as efficiently anymore.

Merlin's_Beard said:

Sugar is definitely super addictive and while I'm a big fan of "everything in reasonable moderation" I really struggle with keeping my sugar intake reasonable - if it's in the house I need it!

Me too MB.  I watched this programme about sugar today - really interesting.

Fortune x

savingholmes

Hi FS - well done on 6lb weight loss and well done to BM too... Not easy to change habits. Will follow with interest... 

I am still struggling with over eating...

Fortune_Smiles

savingholmes said:

Hi FS - well done on 6lb weight loss and well done to BM too... Not easy to change habits. Will follow with interest... 

I am still struggling with over eating...

It think it's the sugar for me SH - without it I'm just not getting the cravings.

Fortune x

Fortune_Smiles

Stop the world, I want to get off!

Really struggling to set any kind of direction at the moment.  As soon as Mr F and I agree a way forward, something else major happens and we have to reconsider.  It's like being out on a stormy sea without an anchor 🌪🚣‍♀️ 🌪 Maybe we just need to concentrate on surviving each wave as it breaks.

Health:

• diet is going really well - 7lbs lost now
• avoiding sugar is working for me.  My energy levels are steady, my mood is lifting and I'm not getting any cravings
• the veg patch is still providing veg for the meal plan.

Wealth:

• the long suspected changes at Mr F's company are starting to happen.  His area is being restructured and he will have a new boss.  We have had a plan B in mind for a long time now should the worst happen so should be able to survive - although it's hardly the best time to be taking risks with income
• I'm so happy we re-mortgaged in August and fixed the rate for three years.  However, if rates remain high we might find the £30k or so we'll have left at the end of the term will cost us as much as we are paying now 😲
• Mr F's company car is at the end of its lease so he has to decide whether to order a new one or to take a car allowance instead.  We still have the car we bought for the Sunflowers which he could use for a while but there might be the opportunity to buy his current car from the lease company.  That would be the better option as it has low mileage, we know its history and it's much, much newer so a longer term solution.  However, it won't be cheap
• the log burner installer is coming out on Saturday to quote for our chimney replacement.  There is a chance he'll say we have to replace the log burner too.  So that's another potential big cost to consider
• there are going to be some changes to my main pension.  This is to remedy past inequalities in the way guaranteed minimum pensions were calculated.  I can either keep my pension as it is or change it to one which gives me a higher rate now in exchange for lower increases in the future.  They are providing free financial advice to help in making the decision which I'll take advantage of
• the heating has gone on for the first time today.  We've been lighting the log burner when it's been a bit chilly.  It keeps the living room toasty of course but also takes the edge off throughout the house after a couple of hours.  Our new hardwood logs are burning really well when mixed with bits of our old fences.  Last night I didn't bother with the log burner and did not realise how chilled I was getting.  It took me a couple of hours to warm up when I went to bed and that was with the electric banket on.  So I couldn't face a shower this morning without warming the house a bit.  I think a combination of the log burner and a couple of hours of the heating on will be the way to go from now on until it gets really cold
• I brushed, polished, painted and repaired my winter shoes and boots and they'll all last another season I'm pleased to report 👢👢👠👠

Happiness:

• the highlight of my week has been watching GBBO from the bath 🛀 😆
• FDawg had his bath today and I retired to a local hostelry for a light lunch whilst I waited for him.  Costs to be met from personal spends
• my clothes are starting to feel looser 😇

Hope you're all well and warm guys.

Fortune x

Moneyfordreams

Hi FS, another sugar addict here - and crisps  I'm so inconsistent and annoyed with myself. I'm too aiming to get a grip on a 15lb excess (the 5lb from before the summer and 10lb more).  
I often find those worrisome things make their own way to the top of the list which leaves me less to worry about- or that I'm well practiced in compartmentalising my life. 
Hoping Mr FS work situation doesn't impact negatively for you and your flux period settles soon.