Food Diary

[e30m3Mark]

Tuesday's food.

Porridge
2 x skinless chicken thighs and rice.
Chile, rice and salad.
2 x Nakd bar
Strawberries & half fat creme fraiche.
3 x coffee
1 x orange juice

I went and bought some scales last night so will start weighing foods from today. Might seem daft but where is the best place to look up suggested portion weights?

Also installed 'My fitness pal' on the phone.

[e30m3Mark]

Found the MFP website and concerted effort to avoid anything nice and tasty today.

[e30m3Mark]

The Moose said:

e30m3Mark said:

Found the MFP website and concerted effort to avoid anything nice and tasty today.

STOP EATING SUGAR!!!!

You can eat loads of nice tasty stuff today...and every day - just stuff that doesn't have sugar in it!

I had a yogurt. Just the one.

a311 said:

This is the bit you need to educate yourself on with MFP and your scales. Stick with that system and eventually you'll be able to estimate fairly accurately what calories are in what which is useful if you're eating out or at a friend's etc.

Have you set a daily/weekly calorie goal yet?

Daily goal is 2,140.

Today I had (weighed ingredients)-

Porridge (45g 50/50 water/semi skimmed)
Salad & 50g chicken breast
teaspoon salad cream light
Chicken breast stuffed with peppers, mushroom, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella & sweet potato
yogurt (sorry)

I'm still 700 under target though.

[e30m3Mark]

Thanks. I'm still motivated and an added bonus was finding out the surgery scales are knackered. It seems I had actually lost 3 pounds! I know that's like throwing a deckchair off the Titanic, but it's a start!

[e30m3Mark]

I'm going to see a nutritionist next week and hoping to get some pointers there.

Today I have only had porridge, some homemade vegetable soup and an apple, so would like to think I could have a small plate of curry and rice for dinner? I've also taken the dogs out on a good walk, so am pretty confident I have burned more calories than I have eaten?

My bicycle arrived about 20 minutes ago, so will be unwrapping that shortly.

[e30m3Mark]

I saw my GP and told him what I was doing. If honest he wasn't overly concerned. Yes, that goal was from MFP and so far it's been easily achievable.

I know it's only been a week or so but have noticed I am feeling full far sooner. Hopefully I can increase the exercise from tomorrow.

[e30m3Mark]

Johnniem said:

e30m3Mark said:

I saw my GP and told him what I was doing. If honest he wasn't overly concerned. Yes, that goal was from MFP and so far it's been easily achievable.

I know it's only been a week or so but have noticed I am feeling full far sooner. Hopefully I can increase the exercise from tomorrow.

OP, I'm sorry to say this fella but if you are getting to a point where you are feeling full, then you are eating far too much., Small portions and fewer carbs. 2 oz of carbs only (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes - or derivatives thereof). If you are having bread with a meal then two slices only and try to avoid the white stuff. Drink loads of water (2 litres a day). Drink water before you eat as this will stave off hunger.

I know what you're saying but there is absolutely no way that what I ate yesterday could be deemed too much for an adult human male. I've been particularly mindful of portion size and weighed everything. I don't eat white bread, or very much bread at all really, bur when I do it's wholemeal and a single slice.

At the moment I am concentrating on eating smaller portions of more healthy foods, whilst reducing the sugary stuff. I've stopped taking sugar in coffee all together. I'm also trying to eat throughout the day, as opposed to having breakfast and nothing more till a large evening meal. I'm also trying to get into the habit of drinking more water. Eventually I hope it will all become second nature but right now I feel OK with the progress I have made and will continue to make. That said, I do appreciate all of you that have commented and this thread has definitely helped me remain focussed. The next 2 nights are the times I find hard, as I work till 5am and invariably crave snacks. I used to eat fruit but now I need to find something less sugary.

[e30m3Mark]

The Moose said:

Johnniem said:

The Moose said:

Try cocktail sausages (check nutritional info first, but most are ok)

60% fat content in most of these. Aren't they basically the sweepings from the floor of a slaughterhouse? Clearly I am using irony to make a point so please don't think that I am really meaning 'the sweepings from the floor...'

But they taste so damn good!!

I knew they were too good to be true.

Today's

I know the slice of wholemeal with light butter type stuff isn't great.



This was dinner. No pudding!



I'm at work now so might have a 140 calorie bag of popcorn as it's a Friday night!

[e30m3Mark]

Today.

Porridge
Salad and prawn sandwich on wholemeal
Tea spoon lite salad cream
Stir fry chicken
1 yogurt





Work again tonight. Might not bother with popcorn but definitely need a small snack to see me through.

[e30m3Mark]

Thanks.

Usually I would have had noodles or rice with dinner. Oh and a full bowl, not a children's meal.

Somebody actually said I look like I've lost weight today. I'm not convinced but was nice all the same.

[e30m3Mark]

Today.

Porridge
2 wholemeal toast & individual pot beans
Cajun chicken thigh, rice & cherry tomatoes
Yogurt



Weigh day tomorrow. I feel like I've lost some weight so fingers crossed. I've definitely been making an effort.

[e30m3Mark]

Thanks.

I'm definitely moving about. At the moment I can only cycle if I take the bike somewhere that's relatively flat, as I live at the bottom of a steep hill / cul de sac and the weakness in my left leg limits me considerably. I walk my dogs every day though and live in a beautiful part of the world so have been trying to walk a little further each day. I have to use a walking stick and my posture is awful so that's something else I need to address. Basically I had to find my own way when learning to walk, as opposed to being guided and having someone point out the things I was doing wrong. That's not me complaining, it's just how it was. I still think I have been incredibly lucky considering.

One consequence of severing the blood vessel in my left leg, is the circulation being so poor. This means the lower part of my legs in discoloured and the skin gets terribly dry. I have to cream them several times a day and wear some fetching compression stockings. These are available in either tan or black and are 'below knee'. Just what you want to be wearing in 30 degree sunshine! I sometimes have to have compression dressings though, as I am susceptible to leg ulcers. I have one on my left ankle that just refuses to heal fully. It has been there for a few years now and I just accept it as being something to deal with. The compression dressings consist of a layer of thin cotton tubi-grip type stuff, a layer of cotton wool, a stretchy bandage, another layer of cotton wool and another stretchy bandage. It's a bit like a cast once all the layers are on and it's hot and uncomfortable. The compression does help the healing process though. Anyway, my hope is that the weight loss will have a positive impact and that the skin condition will improve dramatically. Time will tell obviously.

I'm off to the surgery in an hour or so, so will probably get weighed. I do feel I have lost some weight and my Mrs says she can see a difference but I'm just not convinced. I'll let you know.

[e30m3Mark]

Well according to surgery scales (which they say are more accurate than the ticket print ones) I've lost half a stone since the 10th July.

[e30m3Mark]

Tuesday -

Porridge
Chicken breast & salad

Unfortunately we ate out this evening and there was very little choice. I actually opted for a kids meal (as it was considerably smaller) that was 2 sausages, mashed potato and peas.

Strawberries and half fat creme fraiche.

According to MFP I was still under my daily calorie limit but would have preferred something healthier for the evening meal. Anyway, back on track today.

[e30m3Mark]

Still sticking with the diet and exercise thing and had to see my GP this morning. Whilst there he checked my BP (all good) and my weight. It would appear that I have lost just over a stone since July 10th. I'm really chuffed although I still have a long way to go.

[e30m3Mark]

Thanks.

I did think about setting a goal for the new year but I think I'm just going to just keep on as I am for now. All I really want, for now anyway, is to dip below 20 stone but that's still way off.

This might be a daft question but is there any way of losing fat from specific areas, like the belly?

Yesterdays food.

Porridge
Salad / tuna
Chicken / baked potato
Yogurt
Popcorn

[e30m3Mark]

NoVetec said:

You can't spot reduce fat annoyingly, the body feasts on its own reserves where it sees fit in a seemingly random pattern.

Thanks. I kind of figured that would be the case.

Yesterdays food.

Porridge
Ham salad (inc teaspoon low fat salad cream)
Chicken breast & salad (inc teaspoon low fat salad cream)
2 x rice cake
1 x popcorn

I'm definitely eating a fair bit less than I used to.

[e30m3Mark]

Itsallicanafford said:

Mark, firstly, congratulations on a great start, things are definitely moving in the right direction and you should be proud of that....

I just read through your posts so far, it’s really difficult to dodge sugar, even when you are eating just innocent old apples!

Disclaimer on what I am about to say below as in not a medical professional...

As an alternative to porridge for breakfast, shredded wheat (normal and bite size) are very low in sugar, I have a big bowl most days and it keeps me going until lunch (add half a banana or a handful of blueberries as an alternative, although these of course contain sugar )

A good bowl of veg soup for lunch ( easy to make homemade if you have time) would go well with some rice cakes.

For dinner, try lots of different green veg to complement your meat/ fish, I eat loads of green beans or round beans, as well as broccoli, peas, kale, spinach etc...

Cycling is also a great idea, I hope your mobility allows you to get some good time on the bike as it’s can be a great way to get some exercise and burn calories, take it slow and build up the km although I think focusing on diet rather than too much exercise is the right way to start.

Like I said, this is all homebrew ideas but keeps me relatively fit and healthy...good luck chap!

Thanks. Much as I like porridge, an alternative is no bad thing. I'm having raspberries on the porridge at my GP's suggestion, as he said they speed digestion?

Generally though, this is how I have been going with the added aspect being the weighing of food to aid portion control. As I sit here typing I definitely feel as though the belly is significantly less than it was.

[e30m3Mark]

Yesterday.

Porridge
Salad and small homemade pastie. (with the crust removed)
Ham salad & teaspoon low fat salad cream
2 x rice cakes
Banana

Also went for a first proper cycle ride along Bissoe trail. Total distance covered was just shy of 6 miles. I know that won't be getting me a yellow jersey but I was pretty pleased all the same. I remember being told I may never walk again so to be mountain biking for 6 miles on a hot and sunny day feels like quite an achievement. Hopefully it will get easier the more I do it? I don't feel too bad this morning either. I do want a softer / wider saddle though, as the one I have felt like a knife edge by the time I'd finished!

[e30m3Mark]

Thursday.

Porridge & raspberries
Ham salad & teaspoon salad cream

It was a family birthday and we all went to Hubbox. I had a cheeseburger.

Back on it yesterday though.

Friday.

Porridge
Beef salad in wholemeal bap.
Chicken breast, rice & peas
2 x small popcorn

I can definitely see a physical difference in my size now which is encouraging.