I’m Still Standing
Weigh Day #14
Weight – 126.4 Kilograms, 19.90 Stone, 278.66 Pounds
Weekly Weight Loss – 0.5 Kilograms, 1.1 Pounds
Total Weight Loss – 11.3 Kilograms, 1.77 Stone, 24.91 Pounds
BMI – 38.8 (Obese), Total BMI Loss – 3.5, Check Your BMI
Weekly Summary
I Am Still Here
Another week hurtles by, almost the end of January! Weigh Day 14. Only a slight loss despite – bar last Saturday – a pretty much perfect week. Am I bothered about a relatively small weight loss? Am I heck! Admittedly, I still get that flush of disappointment when the loss is quite small but that soon goes. Last week was a bit messed up with eating sugar and then eating nothing at all after the 4 PM sugar session at work so if truth be told, last week’s reading was probably a little false and now things have evened themselves out with a little less weight loss this week.
In any case, nowadays this is so much more than simply about weight loss. This is a mission to feeling healthier, better, happier and enjoying life more. As I always say, keep this up and see where I am in a year. I remember reading on My Net Diary, that some weeks you will lose more than envisaged and some less. I expected a kilo, I got half a kilo and I’m happy with that. What’s so much more important is how I feel. Undoubtedly this is due to shoving less poisonous foods into my system. I’m still consuming some processed foodstuffs and a little bit of sugar but everything I consume is in moderation and in control.
How Am I Doing This?
Mind Over Matter
I know it’s an old cliche but it is mind over matter. You need to have that determination to succeed. You have to accept things will go wrong and deal with them. Since starting in October 2023, I’ve had more ups than downs on this journey of discovery. And that is because I have dedicated myself to sorting out my health once and for all. I look at the bigger picture, the whole thing. When there is a wobble like at Christmas, I simply brush the dust off and get on with the job in hand. The problem when you’re addicted to food is you are vulnerable but it does get easier when eat more ‘real’ food and ditch processed and sugar.
What Is ‘Real’ Food?
Real Food is considered to be all those foods that have not been industrially processed or foods that have not had their natural qualities interfered with or the quality of their composition reduced.
https://www.iberdrola.com/social-commitment/what-is-real-food
There you go. Quite a simple but effective definition. The fewer ingredients the better! I do check food labelling. Low-calorie and low-fat are a no-go for me. An absolute scam invented by the food companies to think you are eating healthy. I find them tasteless and would prefer to have a smaller portion of the normal version!
Worst culprit is butter substitutes. Since I’ve given up bread I no longer need anything to go on it. But, the baffling array of butter substitutes on the market claiming to be healthy (I’m specifically looking at you, Flora!!) is astounding!!!!
Since changing my diet, I’ve noticed I taste so much better. I’m sticking to three meals a day, around 6-800 calories a meal. Keeping a food diary of some description is critical to success. You know what you’re eating and what’s going in your mouth.
And there’s nothing wrong with having the occasional day off counting.
Changed Diet
I’m now ordering all our meat from the excellent Muscle Food, but you have to stay on top as there is a few days between ordering and delivery. An early morning jaunt to Tesco was required since I simply didn’t get my shit together and order online. I don’t mind going in store early to avoid the crowds. As I was hurrying round with my list, I thought about how much our food shop has changed.
We used to fill the trolley with desserts, ultra-processed foods such as bread, frozen chips and a variety of bad-for-you stuff. Nowadays the trolley is just a haven of sugarless, mostly unprocessed real food. I don’t even get tempted when I see the various Clubcard offers on crisps and chocolate! But the supermarkets are constantly trying to test you. As you can see from the photo below, taken in Asda recently.
I mean, for goodness sake, Easter is still two months away! I only noticed these last week but they’ve probably been in store since Boxing Day! This is the world we live in and the temptations food addicts face. In your face either in person or online. It matters not.
Don’t get me wrong, there are times when you simply have to eat comfort food. I most certainly did last week due to work being stressful. But, I didn’t enjoy it too much. Once you take the sugar out of your system, put too much back in and your body rejects even though your brain is telling you to consume it! A curly and tricky one! Sometimes, you simply find yourself giving in. And that’s ok because we are human and have natural instincts.
Reflective Walk
I’m Still Standing
As usual, on a Saturday morning, I took our beloved hound, Bowie, out for a road walk. As we manoeuvred around the quiet, grey, dusty streets of North Manchester, I was deeply contemplating life. Sir Reginald Dwight, who as you may have gathered by the title I am listening to a lot this week, tinkled away in my headphones. I thought how much better I’m moving, how much better I’m feeling and how much better my clothes are fitting. I never thought I’d get back to the stage where I could move much freer.
When my mum died in 2018, I put on a fair bit of weight as was off work for six weeks. My weight went up to what I am now. I remember feeling awful, no energy, run down, lethargic, depressed and completely out of shape. I was living on processed food, sugar and alcohol! Fast forward to now and I’m the same weight and feel great. There is the proof that you are what you eat. And be careful what you eat. Counting calories is fine but it’s what you do with those calories that counts.
The Week Ahead
More Of The Same!
The Muscle Food order arrives on Monday. The fridge is awash with healthy items. Not planning a don’t record food day like I did last Saturday. Hopefully, a little bit more weight loss next week. But, if there’s not, I still won’t panic. And you know why? Because I feel I’m right on top of this! I’m still standing! And plan to be for quite some time.
