Thank you for the birthday wishes everyone,this is first chance I’ve had to look at the forum today.I’ve had a lovely day but definitely over indulged.I’m looking forward to getting back to basics tomorrow for first time in a while.Dawn X

Thank you for posing the question about comfort eating Lauren.
If you’re unfamiliar with The Chimp Paradox, I’ll briefly explain – we all have an inner chimp, our instinctive response, which has evolved to keep us safe but sometimes is really not helpful in our current lives.
By the way, Prof. Steve Peters who wrote the book does say that willpower will not control the chimp!
The book does go on a bit, but the general concept is good.
I understand that offering someone an apple when they want a bar of chocolate is likely to end up with them having an apple suppository 🙂
I know I eat when I’m stressed or anxious, and in many respects it is a way of soothing my chimp, and sometimes does really feel soothing and a sense of relief when I eat something. I realise this is probably not a healthy mindset, but I recognise it and sometimes eating something is les stressful than fighting it. I guess what I’m trying to say is if I can refrain from comfort-eating sometimes, it’s a small victory.
Another Chimp theory is that the chimp hates uncertainty, likes to tell a story and fill in the gaps and lives in the land of what-ifs and catastrophic thinking. I found myself in that world on Tuesday this week and just wanted to sit in a corner and cry, and eat everything in sight. Somehow I managed to reason with my chimp, we had a good chat, I wrote stuff down to myself to get it out of my head, and the reality wasn’t as bad as the story my chimp had been telling me, and we dealt with the facts as they arose.
I suppose if you can break the association of sad = eat, at least some of the time, that would help. You sound like you’re into the science behind stuff, so maybe look at yourself in the third person, and have a chat with you and your chimp.

Hi. I’ve just completed my 12 week Fast800. I am within athe perfect bmi range now, happy with weight loss etc. After the first 4 weeks my pre diabetic fasting glucose had corrected from 6.3 to 4.5, my BP was down from 170/95 to 124/73, but at week 12 my blood sugar was up to 5.1, my cholesterol has only dropped from 9 to 8 and my TSH level ( slightly raised at start) hasn’t changed. BP starting to creep up again. I have stuck to the diet with the occasional cheat day. Has this happened to anyone else? I haven’t strayed from Mediterranean for 13 weeks and weighed and calorie recorded everything.

Hi everyone, back on track with TRE and weight starting to move again. I set a goal for Friday, reached it on Thursday, set another goal but for Tuesday and reached it today. So need to set a new one for Tuesday. If this sounds familiar then you are right. I did this a couple of weeks ago and then blew it all at the weekend. Hope I have learnt from this and my cheeky chimp doesnt tell me it is okay to have a couple of glasses of wine. Thats my comfort zone – a treat of a few drinks. I am not a comfort eater, in fact quite the opposite, when I am sad I cant eat so it is a good diet for me. I eat when I am bored, or rather I just fancy something. Luckily my go to is chicken which I always have in the fridge. So that is one tip, have snacks to hand that you are allowed and that you can keep control of. I was watching (again) the 30 day challenge by Deborah Murtagh – cant get over how much like Danni Minogoe she looks – anyway, she is trying to sell her 30 day body reset programme but she gives about 40 mins of very interesting body stuff. You know, insulin resistance, what happens when we eat carbs, glucose storage etc. All explained in very simple terms so is worth a watch. I didnt watch the whole thing the first time but this time I left it on audio while I got on with other things – Cookie Jam – and she talks about the devil/angel on the shoulder situations in life. She includes a programme on mind programming – how to stop your mind telling you lies about your diet i.e. just one wont hurt, started so I might as well finish the packet – we have all been there. I am not trying to push her paid for programme but on this subject of comfort eating, there must be some stuff on the net that deals with mind programming, maybe under mindfullness – worth taking a look for. If anyone knows of such programmes (free of charge) then give a shout out. So how do I deal with my chimp encouraging me to have a glass of wine. I only have one way and that is to say no. It is only a little word but it is very powerful and much more positive that humming and ahhing and dithering then giving in. Another trick I use is to imagine I am having the thing I crave, smell it, feel it in my mouth, taste it and so on. It is believed that has the same power for your brain to actually believe it has now had that experience and it will stop knocking on the temptation door. It is worth a try. As for me, this weekend I am just going to say no with a but…… but I might allow myself something on 28th May – it is my daughters birthday and even though I cant be with her I want to be at least 4lbs lighter by then and we can raise a glass together.

Back to Deborah Murtagh – she is selling a 400 dollar 30 day programme for just 47 dollars so it is worth having a look at. I ask myself why and she says she can only take 500 applicants at a time so she and her team can give them individual help and motivation. Why would she sell it so cheap, work it out 47 x 50 = 23,500 dollars a month income x that by 12 months (30 day intervals) in a year whic is 282,000, so she can afford to offer a great price.

Well I have been rabbiting on. Have a great weekend and say no to temptation.

Just back to say hi to Lizzie. Regarding your blood pressure, you dont mention exercise in your post. Although exercise has little effect on weight loss it is so important for total body health and fitness. Also, now you have finished the ‘diet’ period are there things creeping in or portion size change – what little cheats are you having and how often. I have just looked back at a blog I did when I first started this way of eating and I was surprised that I ate quite a bit less than I do now. So my one egg scrambled with a measured 20g of cheese back then is now 2 eggs and square of cheese which I know weighs at least 2 oz or 56g. Little things add up and I am going to have to go back to basics and do a reset so I am not just having a dig at you. When you are really strict on this you do see amazing results but we all slip back a little, it is only human not to want to be strict all the time but when it is a health issue taking great care has to be the norm.

Hi all, thanks for all the input re the comfort eating question, certainly some food for thought there, I had a stupid stressful day yesterday where I got up at half five, drove to Chelmsford, set up the lab, taught for 7 straight hours repeating the same session six times (small group size cos of covid) and then drove home, and taught online for an hour. I was KNACKERED and could easily have succumbed to take away, but I didn’t and cooked dinner and then didn’t actually want it as I was so tired – I’m not sure if that’s a win or not but at least I didn’t reach for the comfort food!

Lauren

My gosh Lauren – I feel knackered just reading about your day!! Hope you slept well and have had a restful weekend. And a win in not reaching for the comfort food. 🌺🌺🌺🌺

Oh crikey Lauren..that is one full on day. Understandably stressful and exhausting. Well done for coping 👏.
Nothing much happening here..indoors as the weather is dreary but it has given me time to continue with my son’s photo book volume 2 with lots of personal message from our family (there are lots of us ).I have been reading about sugar addiction which is linked to emotional and comfort eating which most of us struggle with. It’s a free book from kindle unlimited called The Sugar Demons by Jonathan Cranford. Haven’t discovered anything we don’t already know but just how insidious these inner voices are telling us we deserve something, just one won’t hurt et etc and how the sugar demons are constantly waiting for a weak moment. I will let you know the coping strategies as I keep reading.
It’s tough …we have all had struggles with weight issues but we mustn’t forget the successful changes we are making even if we are not totally there yet.
I hope the weekend is going well for everyone. Take good care xxx

Wow Lauren that really is some day. Knackering. Wendleg that sugar book sounds interesting. I am midway through Marion Keyes’ latest book Grown UPS (struggling as it is too long) but one of the characters has sugar addiction/ bulimia. Finding it interesting how she portrays it – I’d guess she’d have done thorough research. Just popping on here really to say that I’ve started trying more recipes again. Chicken korma for lunch today and for dinner had the roasted cauliflower and grape and harissa and almond salad from latest easy book. Not one I would have picked – a friend recommended it – but it was super easy to make and really delicious! I’d recommend it.

Morning all – hope you all had a fabulous weekend.
I have woken up today determined to get myself sorted and back into a bit more of a regimented food routine. Last week was difficult due to a number of dinners out, and despite really trying to stick to the appropriate foods (no rice, no white carbs – you know the stuff I mean), I have just looked at my fitbit weight entries and have realised that where I am weight wise today, I was on the 6th May, 11 days ago. I know that isn’t huge, but it essentially means I haven’t really achieved anything towards my weight loss goals for over a week and a half, which is a bit disheartening. Admittedly, some chocolate did make its way into my mouth (so Lauren, comfort eating and I are very familiar friends) – my chimp and I need to have a very serious discussion about that RubyG!!! (I really liked the Chimp Paradox info – I need to look into it further).

So, back to it today with a ‘Not one step backwards’ attitude. I have set myself quite the goal in that I want to reach my ‘ready to start transition/maintenance’ weight by the end of June. That gives me just over 6 weeks to lose 5.5kg, which should be doable if I stick with the program wholeheartedly.

I have achieved one thing though, which is getting back into the exercise / strength training. I don’t have a gym membership, so it is little old me in front of a laptop screen in my living area, but every day for the past week or so I have completed either a Fitness Blender workout, or a Mr and Mrs Muscle workut, with a focus on weights. I am determined to rock some toned arms come summer time at the end of the year 🙂

Workingfromthefridge – your food yesterday sounds delicious! I need to experiment more with recipes I think – I tend to get stuck in a bit of a rut just eating whatever is easy to prepare, so thanks for the inspiration.

Have a wonderful day everyone,
Donna x

Hi All,

Well, I slipped off the wagon again since Friday- yes, delicious cake at work on Friday (I avoided the 1st homemade cake on Thurs, as was a low cal day, and a type of cake that isn’t my fave, but then someone else brought one of my fave types on Friday, homemade), followed by some kind of accidental (unavailability issue with my usual Sat brekkie) carbs Saturday, (twice) and then yesterday my just turned 16 y o daughter had some friends round (garden based with rain cover!) for her birthday- we made lots of party food for them and there was an excess….excuses, excuses, I know….any how, weighing about 5 lbs heavier than I was on Thursday 😱….soooo, today is my usual lower cal day and really need to make a big effort! And the rest of this week too….have not quite got the hang of maintenance as yet…or, I suppose, I could say I am experimenting with how to maintain and stay healthy…..I definitely find that if I eat carbs it makes me hungry for more (carbs and food in general) so definitely need to learn my limits (which should be minimal off plan food) and how they affect me….I guess on the plus side, I know now to fix it asap rather than piling on several stone before making a move…I hope so anyway…..sorry, rambling a bit, kind of thinking out loud…

Love to all,
Tulip xxx

Tulip I am with you on have carbs – want more carbs. Have gone back to strictness last few days as just a little bit seems to lead to just a little bit more. Definitely need to at least do 5/2. I had 16 year olds around Friday (daughter). They are fun and all that giggling and enthusiasm is hard to resist. They come to ours quite often as I think they like the lazy spa. Was pleased to see daughter get organised food wise this time. Made enchiladas before they came rather than risk the two hour wait for delivery of McDonald’s 🙄 GlAd to see her getting message that junk food not always best! I am very aware of trying to set healthy example for her without being too picky/ obsessive about food.

Hi all, well done to those of you who are getting your mojos back with food choices and/or exercise. I have had a successful weekend and kept the food choices simple and TRE Friday and Saturday still but had a break on Sunday. Still managed to lose more weight. I need to reassess goals as I am about to hit a number I havent seen for several years and I am determined to do it by Friday. I said earlier that I wanted to lose 4lbs by my daughters birthday at the end of May and have already lost just under 2lbs of that so well on track.

Here in France we are still in lockdown although I received an email from my fave restaurant saying they reopen on the 19th (possibly allowed today but they dont do Mon and Tues in normal times). Am I going to dash out and make a booking. No, not yet because it is outside on terrace only and it is very wet here at the moment and possibly for the next week. I am more interested in making a big effort on the diet so I can look great when I finally get to visit family. I still have a couple of pairs of jeans to get into and hope to wear one next time we go out. No hugs here, still not allowed and no-one to hug so please enjoy your families if you are able.

Have a good week and KOKO.

I am about to set up the new weekly thread ,everyone !

Not to change our weekly habit ….. Here we all are !!
wendleg, Sunny B, sunshine girl
JGwen
sixturkeys
Starina
Verano
ADD6605 ( Dawn)
Riccoh
Russianroulade
Tulip1 ( Clare)
Mifoz
MerryMelba
Maryanne Carlos-Mascarenhas
WindyJulz
articfox
Olive1
lauraknits
Marsie (Marilyn)
EllieAllegra
EC:Erin
Hello66
Jordana
Alipetunia/Alison
RubyG and hubby
Ditchedthemet
Dizzychicken
SlinkyTinks
LonelyAdipose
Emzijw
Barefoot girl
Life Diet
allicat1A ( Allie, formerly alliecat !)
RedRooster
nhatha3432
sprox
skittle
Daisybean
workingfromthe fridge
Bombalone
PSL68
ScottM
florobo85/Lauren
Tamara1
MillieMoo/Claire
SummerTwinkles/ Summer
Sheila Canning
JustKeepFasting
Bryla
kiltgirl
Deb2003
Donnadoobie
HappiR
WilLuck
PaulaZ
Faithlyn67
Onetowatch
nicnocgee
Smead01 ( Samantha)
Goforgoal
Britta
Mokovex
DebOflo
Riverrock
HopefulinOz/Donna
Quetzal
Onnipinoy
Magicbean
Pashasmum
avisamuelgrey
scotsgirl57
Annamarieboo
peanutbutty
erinmc82
Kat2020
xx1flump1xx
Ncij678
LizzieTOFI