Hi 2 weeks in and it is going great, I am over the moon 🙂

Amongst many other nice things!! I am a picky vegetarian, who ate limited vegetables until 1 month ago!!!! (I kid you not) who is now discovering how to eat all over again and that is going great too! The weight loss, mood, self esteem, the view in the mirror and eating, tasty healthy tasty food is working. However, It is going to get very expensive as my wardrobe ALREADY needs changing !!!!

I am counting calories and balances myself (inc taking the advice from the blogs re: carbs and the WHOOSH effect etc, re: what can hinder my progress. I putting together some great balanced meals, however, now I am exploring and using my imagination to see what I can come up with, the calories are not so easy to count.

My question is: If I simply put together a salad or a bean burger of choice etc, and count the total calories and then divide it into portions of so many calories each portion, will this work. OR is the science a little more complicated than that.

Thank you and especially for the advice re: whoosh effect, as I lost nothing on one day and put on a 1b on another day and was irate as, I kid you not, I am like the calorie police! and had been very active. It all caught up on me and I aced it the next day after my quiet rant by losing 2lb! across 1 day (not). LOL. I am steadily losing 1b a day, holy wow!

I will be forever in debt to Michael (my new best friend)! as I now throw over my shoulder all the ridiculous nonsense advice I have ever read or been given, re getting fit, eating well and getting rid of the weight. There is no one more surprised than me, to find that not only can I survive on 800 calories, but I can sit and relish the feeling of real food without hardly a pang.

Thank you Michael and all you amazing people, happy Thursday from New Zealand 🙂

Congratulations and well done.

To answer your question – yep if you make a meal just total up the calories of ingredients, then divide by the number of portions…

Personally I wouldn’t recommend weighing every day. I did twice a week during the 800 cal a day phase (although now in maintenance I do weigh every day).

During the 800 cals a day I wasn’t too rigorous about 800 cals a day. I had a weekly meal plan. I’d total daily calories then average (divide by 7). As long as it averaged around 800 I was happy.

Don’t go buying any new clothes yet. Ones you buy now maybe too big by the time you’re done (I made that mistake after my 6 wk 800 cal phase but continued to lose in maintenance).

Well done – you’ve got this!

Thanks Freester! for your encouragement!
First time EVER yesterday that I went out on a shopping/browsing trip and did not end up in a cafe eating a huge dish of fries, etc etc followed by a huge slab of chocolate cake and a bar of chocolate later to “keep me going”.

I took a moment out for lunch as I sat in the sunshine, surrounded by flowers, listening to a great busker singing and playing guitar while thoroughly enjoying the blueberries, apple (only fruit of the day) and popcorn I had taken with me. There was a kind of glow around as I realised that I had preplanned, knowing I could easily stuff up the hard work. Had a giggle to myself that no one else knew what I was thinking and how irrationally (over the top, sickeningly, smugly, pleased with myself I was). I was literally laughing. It felt good after so much negativity surrounding, weight, food and previous advice.

I know the long haul is harder and I have yet to survive my friends and colleagues while on this journey (on holiday at home). But I have plans, including gorgeous crockery to eat off at work rather than eating out of the plastic packed lunch boxes and having a small stash of pumpkin seeds and sparling water on hand (my current saviours) for THOSE moments.

Happy Saturday 🙂

Hi bee light, you make it sound so idyllic, sitting in the sunshine with your berries and apple, feeling in control of your future. Good for you, it is an adventure and your enthusiasm should bring your friends along with you – not doing the diet – supporting you. That is what you have to explain. You dont want them to understand you diet but you want them to support you in what you are doing for yourself and your well being.

Thanks for your kind words, Sunshine girl
The big test for my will power is this thurs when ‘my girls’ from work come round for the first time since I started, each bringing a plate OR TWO! They are all fantastic bakers. Imagine their faces when instead of the huge chocolate cake being centre place it will be herby wild rice, quinoa, slivered almonds, pomegranate seeds, falafels and hummus!

Previously our picnic yesterday, would have been: white rolls, crisps, chunks of cheese, muffins, chocolate and ‘lettuce’ LOL
Yesterday it was swapped for a gorgeous colourful salad, fruit, a mixed veggie sausage/beanburger. They had a little wholegrain wrap with theirs.

Voting ended 4/4 in favour of the new regime! and I am now eating beetroot for the first time in 48 years. Grated, after all, I don’t want to run before I can walk!!!!! ha ha.

My 19 year old son (slight additional needs) met grated beetroot on a picnic blanket for the first time too. He did quite well until: (he is petrified of birds that make noises) and a certain duck who, after telling my son (for the millionth time) that they are harmless and “you are fine” then decided to literally attack his plate of food. I kid you and exaggerate not! Attila the duck! You could have heard the commotion half a mile away. I will await the video of anyone who managed to record it!!!!!!!! as were not alone by the river. I obviously get the healthy vote from the ducks too as they were obviously sick of white rolls and crisps as well.

Happy Sunday 🙂