I’m a Pear/Apple - Part 4. Yabadabadoo !

Today was the first day in ages in which I ate properly. It started with the mouse problem. When I realised I had a mouse in the kitchen I stopped doing any meals; at first I was keeping out of the kitchen so I could trap it but, after I did I had to clean the whole kitchen with bleach. It had got into so many places. So I just ate bread and butter and digestive biscuits. I’m going to try to do a 16:8 diet for a while to get me back on track. I was doing so well till I got invaded.

What an awful time MayBe70. Hope that dratted mouse is no more.

No. It’s gone. But it had poo’d all over the larder. The very larder that I’d had to empty and clean from top to bottom because of the flour mites. And I’d only just started keeping some pots and pans in there, too, so they all had to be bleached. I only realised it was going in the larder when it knocked something off the shelf, I’d assumed it was behind the barge boards.

Up a pound….im sure more pounds will be added the next week or 2, will try my best this week.

NanKate moi temptresses 🤣. This is going to sound big headed but only did it at request of others. I posted my gingerbread recipe on a thread then a couple more. I take short cuts because I can't do this normal way. Someone asked when my book was coming out. So I said I would start a thread if people would like it. They said yes hence on food there is a thread Whiff's recipes but it's not just for mine but anyone.

I finally conquered my inability to make muffins that don't turn out like rubber balls thanks to LucyAnna and her banana muffin recipe. Very easy and they turned out light and fluffy. My grandsons liked them. Had to make my own muffin cases as I forgot to buy any. But it was easy so wouldn't bother buying any in future.

Allsorts you must have felt wonderful when your jeans where loose. 8 lbs brilliant loss. Never been to Newcastle see how I get on with my Berwick holiday and may have another one later in the year. I know the train from here goes to Newcastle because I have to change there to get to Berwick. Funny never bothered me all these years not having a holiday and now thinking about places I want to go.

SachaMac how is your mom ? Hope she is fully recovered and looking forward to Christmas.

Four staying the same is hard this time of the year but you did it. Funny enough haven't had a mince pie yet. At my sit fit last week I didn't have a mince pie but did have mincemeat cake one of our members made it was delicious. Never liked Christmas cake to heavy. Only ever liked my dad's home made Christmas pud. They always brought an extra bottle of Guinness to give too my husband as he loved the black stuff.

I made the cardinal mistake of buying the milk chocolate for my millionaire shortbread on Thursday . I eat it if it had been dark chocolate wouldn't have touched it . So I ate 400gs of chocolate over those few days and knew I would put on so glad it was only 2lbs. Been extra good so far. Got shopping being delivered today including the the replacement chocolate but it will be melted straight away and put onto the shortbread and caramel topping I made yesterday. And water put straight into the bowl to stop me eating any. Made the gingerbread on Sunday . Today making the mix for my cheese rocks and making my sweet potato and mango chutney samasoes ready to bake both tomorrow morning. I have my pneumonia jab in the afternoon and don't know how I will be as it's the first one I have been allowed to have. But will still have to cut and pack all the goodies ready for our craft Christmas party Thursday .

Will post then read the next page .

MayBe glad you got rid of the mouse. A pest controller told me mice are incontinent hence always lot of poo. Since I had them any black bit on the floor has to be checked. Luckily it's either a dead wood louse or fluff off my black jumper as it sheds but it's warm . My doors are firmly kept shut.

All that cleaning was good exercise so if you haven't lost weight must have toned your muscles up.

Normally on craft day because I don't have lunch I have extra porridge but this week just have my normal amount. Make a vegetable and bean stew for my dinners this week. So I could have treats on Thursday as I know there will be lot of goodies on offer.

Will be spending Christmas day with my daughter and family. It's the year her in law's come as they alternate between them and their daughter's. Like I used to with my son . So there will be turkey and I will be bringing home the left over. When it's just me I love my daughter's nut roast but they like turkey so there will be both. My eldest grandson be having salmon as he doesn't like nut roast. My daughter is vegetarian but my son in law and grandson's do eat fish. But there will be all the trimmings but I will be having Quorn sausages as I haven't eaten meat for 2 years. I got fed up with only having it stewed. Chicken I like stewed and alternate it with Quorn . Not even the smell of bacon temps me.

I get on well with my daughter's in laws even though I have seen them this will be my first meal with them since I can no longer use a dinner knife. My daughter will cut up the turkey for me veg etc I will beable to cut with a spoon as I can only eat with a spoon and fork. Funny it's gone back to how I was when the limb jerks started in 1988 when my husband had to cut up my food for me. It never embarrasses me and if I got to a cafe or restaurant by myself I just ask them to cut it up in the kitchen for me and always ask for a spoon instead of a knife. And plenty of napkins as I drop food down me.as my hands tremble.

It's funny having a meal with my daughter and family as my grandson lets me know I am doing well if I don't drop food down me . One of the joys of having HPX. We call it wearing our food.

Will weight myself on Sunday as usual hopefully have lost the 2lb but doubt it. Christmas day I will eat what I want but boxing day be back to my usual menu.

Have a good week pears . Problem is after Christmas all the goodies will be on sale to get rid of them just have to close my eyes to them .

At least the mouse made me less paranoid about the flour mites which, creepy as they may be do not pose a risk to health. I have a plug in deterrent from when I had mice before but never used it after seeing a mouse sat next to it one day chomping on an apple! I’ve now put it in the utility room. When I let the dog out I now make sure the kitchen door is shut. When I go away next time I’ll put traps down. If that mouse had been in the kitchen when I went to stay at my partners I can’t imagine the mess I would have returned to! Two days of it was bad enough!

Well Pears I see Christmas is almost upon us.

There will be lots of goodies on offer and no doubt we will all indulge to some extent.

Have a good few days whatever or wherever you this Christmas.

From your old buddy Kate 🎄⭐️

Merry Christmas everyone and hope 2024 will be a good year for all.

I debated facing the scales this week after all the cake and savoury things I ate at our craft group party Thursday. But I did am an amazed lost quarter of a pound. I expect the scales to flash up one at a time 😂.

My brother has lost over 4st and is at the swimming pool at 6.30am 5 days a week. He has to have the cup taken out of his hip replacement he had done in 2018. It was never supposed to have been used on a working man and my brothers job was very physical. He has high levels of cobalt in his blood from the cup wearing . And a plastic one will be put in . They will check the rod in his femur when they operate. He's at the hospital on 4th and they will tell him when his op is.

Going to enjoyed myself at my daughter's tomorrow. I know I will come home with a load of turkey as it's the year her in laws will be there. They alternate between their daughter and son. When it's just me I like the nut roast my daughter makes but my eldest grandson has Salmon as he doesn't like the nut roast but his younger brother does. My son in law parents like turkey . So I will have some as well as nut roast. I bring back some other goodies as well. Boxing day will be making a turkey stew and back to my normal eating pattern.
Still haven't had a mince pie. Didn't have one at sit fit had homemade cake instead and no one brought in any mince pies on Thursday.

Any eat drink and be merry tomorrow and hope you have a lovely time whoever you are with. And have some nice pressies. 🎄🥂

Merry Christmas dear Pears

CocoPops hope you had a wonderful Christmas.

Yesterday thought I would weigh myself again as I only lost quarter of a pound on Sunday . I was 2lb down . Weight me today yep put the 2lb on. Back to sensible eating today. Got half a turkey crown to stripped and make a stew today for my 6 dinners and pack rest into the freezer. My daughter had her in laws and they like turkey there was my daughter's nut roast which is delicious. They even tried some this year. When it's just me we just have nut roast because I like it . Her in laws alternate between my son in law and their daughter. It's was lovely spending time with them as we get on very well.

As usual my daughter and gang went overboard with the presents . Did make me laugh when she came for me as one of the books she brought me said to open it here so she wouldn't have to explain to her eldest . It's by Jilly Cooper Tackled. Read most of her books not for anyone who gets shocked . 🤣😱.

Enjoy your boxing day.

The picture would need explaining 🤣🤣🤣

lol #whiff# is Rupert Black still in it? Think that was his name…enjoy the read….bet you all had a good laugh when you opened it!
Hope you all enjoy the rest of the festivities…I’m actually going back on the wagon tomorrow, can’t wait till Monday…be an extra half a stone put on then lol….

Well, I’m pleased in one sense I stepped on scales this morning…but not in another , up 4 and 3/4s lbs 😮. Just think, if I carried on till new year been even more. Back to the drawing board today….

I always eat quite sensibly on the run up to Christmas and Christmas itself. But fall apart after Christmas and then January. I really hope I can keep a lid on it this year. I’ve made a point of not having too much Christmas food in the house but this depressing wet weather does have me reaching for the biscuit tin.

Morning Folks, yes back to the drawing board for me too. I haven’t binged just upped my eating by about 10%, now I have the job of cutting back. This is a life long struggle but I am determined not to get really flabby again.

Shirley Rupert Campbell Black is in it..Still has horses and his daughter wants him to buy a football club. I have books that I need to read before I get to it. I have to do things in order which I have done all my life but I now know it's part of my HPX. I set myself a task and have to do it. Like going to my sit fit class and craft group no matter how much pain I am in or my mobility is bad I have to go. What task I set myself I have to do it. Otherwise it sets my anxiety off. That's the great thing about finally having my diagnosis I now talk to others with it and never knew how I have to do things and how I feel if I can't causes anxiety which I never knew what it was . Sounds nuts but it's true. Like bus journeys I take every week I still have to watch for every bus even though I know where to get off. But my life now makes sense. Hence my rambles but it's how my mind works . What I have learnt is anyone with a physical health problem also can effect your mental health and mental health problems can give you physical symptoms. But if you think about it you will realise they go hand in glove.

I braved the scales this morning but pleased only put 2lb on. I was expecting a lot more. But all the Christmas goodies I had given me are gone so not temptations in the cupboards or fridge. So today back to my normal routine as no extras to be had. Phew .

Happy new year everyone and hope 2024 is a good one and you achieve all you set yourselves. 🥂🎺

There have been many times where I’ve been waiting for a bus and, just as the bus arrives I get a panic attack, have to go home and then go back for the next one.

That’s not bad at all up 2lbs * whiff* for festive week.
How are you getting on with the Jilly Cooper books?

Happy and healthy new year to you all

HAPPY NEW YEAR 🥳 Pears.

As I slurped down a glass of red wine with my roast duck last night, I realised that I’m back on the wagon from today. Eating Less for Life imo is the only way for me to lose weight.

Whatever your method let’s all start with renewed effort for the year ahead 2024. 👍

Shirley haven't started it. I am mid series of reading Kim Harrison books. This is going to sound odd but as I have learnt since my diagnosis April 2022 it's normal for people with HPX . And have done it all my life but know understand why. I set myself a task and have to finish it . I have over 300 books sounds a lot but before my move had over 700. I only kept my favourite authors and books I knew I would read again . I keep my books in boxes under the beds with the authors name on the box. I fill my bookshelf up with which authors I want to read and then have to read them in the order I have put them. I have to have the books in order as most are series some stand alone books by the author. Plus I have a pile of 8 new books to read and I read them in the order they were brought. Having my diagnosis I found I am no longer alone with this rare condition and don't feel weird as I had the rest of my life. But then again reading what I have just wrote still a bit weird. 😁.

I plan far ahead and no matter how much pain or how bad my mobility is I have to do what I plan. Hence my booking my holiday early for May and getting all the leaflets from the tourist board. I will plan what I want to do when I get there by the end of the month. It's how my life has always worked but now I know it's my HPX.

MayBee panic attacks can be very frightening sorry you have then. You do very well to go out again after having one . I had one last year didn't know what I was feeling so asked my craft friends as some of them get them. It was horrible as I cope with whatever life throws at me and get on with things. I hope you don't get them to often. Do you have a coping strategy for them ?

Did you see the Vera it was centred on Holy island .

Happy new year hopefully we will all be slimmer by summer. 🤷🥂

I didn’t watch Vera. I find the programmes a bit depressing. There was a lot of criticism about the Lindisfarne episode as I believe it showed them driving across the causeway as the tide was coming in. The RNLI are constantly having to rescue people from the causeway so it’s irresponsible showing people ignoring the tide. When it comes in it’s so fast! I don’t really go anywhere to get panic attacks these days. So scared of catching covid I don’t go to enclosed spaces such as theatres or buses. I wish I could turn the clock back because I know how to cope with such things now but for years it made life very uncomfortable.

Hi Everyone, I hope you don't mind me joining in! I used to be a pear, but now I'm a big, round apple!

I've tried just about every diet going since my teens/twenties (when I actually wasn't overweight at all!). Lost some, gained it back, and more. I was always obsessed with trying to lose weight to look good, but now I'm older, I think it's more important for me to lose weight for my health.

Over the past year or so, I've been troubled with sore, aching joints. I've even had gout! And my blood pressure is higher than it should be, which worries me. I used to do regular pilates classes for 2 or 3 years, which really helped with my flexibility, but my instructor moved, and I didn't find another suitable class to join. Consequently, my now sedate lifestyle really hasn't helped, and my hips and back are so tight that I really struggle some days. As the saying goes, 'use it, or you lose it'!

I know that all of my issues would be greatly improved if I lose weight, and start to exercise again. I currently have a LOT to lose, and even my husband has now voiced his concerns about my health if I carry on the way I am.

I've previously followed a sugar-free, lower carb, anti-inflammatory diet, which really did make huge difference in the way I felt, and I lost weight too. But, as always, life got in the way, and I stupidly let things slip back into unhealthy ways. However, I've now come to conclusion that things are always going to 'get in the way', because that's just the way life is! So, I have to deal with it and plough on!

Anyway, here I am. I gained another 3lbs over Christmas & New Year! All the goodies have now been eaten ... or given away, as I didn't want anything left in the cupboards! It's a New Year, and the 'New Me' starts today! I also have the added incentive that my daughter is getting married next year, and I do not intend to be the Mother of the Bride looking and feeling the way that I currently do!

I hope I can stick with this, and any support & encouragement that you lovely ladies can offer me will be very much appreciated! Wish me luck!

Welcome NansNet. You have come to the right place for support here. We all follow our own methods of weight loss, and no one is ever told off if they slip up and increase rather than decrease in weight.

The thing that helped me was to eat anything I wanted but in more smaller quantities. If I go out for a coffee and cake I eat a third of the cake and give the rest to my DH or take it home for him. He never puts on an ounce !!

Our motto is ‘Eating less for life’.

Finally if you fall off the wagon please don’t abandon this thread, just get straight back on board.

Best of luck. 👍

NansNet welcome to the fruits. NanKate made this a fun place to be . Non judgemental and we all have our struggles with weight. I would measure yourself to start with as well as weighing. It's a marathon not a sprint to lose weight. Took me decades to realise that. People here lose weight different ways you need to decide which way suits you. I count calories which means I weight and measure everything I eat and drink. Sounds daunting but been doing it since 2017 so it's a way of life. And I write it down . By 2021 lost 7st was over 19st and size 32 but now size 16. Been battling to lose the last stone and bit since then.

Good for you getting rid of the goodies left. I can't buy certain foods as I have no control over them . My way of eating wouldn't suit most people but due to disability it's my way of having healthy food everyday. As I can't cook from fresh everyday day as I don't know how I am going to be that day.

My meals are porridge for breakfast , homemade lentil and whatever soup . The whatever is what veg I put into it. And either a stew or lasagne for dinner followed by Easiyo low fat unsweetened Greek yoghurt and stewed fruit sweetened with granulated sweetener. My soups last 6 lunches and my stew or lasagne 6 dinners . Same meals all year round. Even on the hottest day. But it means I always have soup and dinner in the fridge . But I live alone and it works for me.

I am happy if I lose quarter of pound a week . If I put on it's my own fault. But each day is a new start. That's where I made my mistake for decades . I would lose 3 st put on so gave up and put 4 on. But not since 2017 have I given up. I do not want to be that morbidly obese woman I was.

I go to a sit fit class on Mondays. Don't think sit fit is an easy option it's not our instructor works us hard but she always says you should feel it but if it hurts stop. I am the youngest in the class at 65 oldest member 91. Our instructor is in early 60's. It's great fun. No matter how much pain I am in or how bad my mobility is I still go as it makes me feel better. Going to a gym would not be any good for me or swimming.

There are sit fit classes all over the country. Used to go to one run by my local council called active ageing it was GP referral 12 weeks free. The maintenance class it went to was £2.50 a week but the council pulled the the funding . Been going to my private run class for a year it's £5 for 60-70 mins. If our instructor hasn't got through her plan for that day always says ok for a few more minutes we all say yes.

If you start to exercise regularly you may find you put on weight I did but lost inches that's why I said measure yourself. Muscle weights more that fat.

My body is flabby and sagging and my thighs will never get any slimmer. But so what it's the price I pay for being fat for decades . Don't expect your skin to tighten up if you have been overweight for long time. It wouldn't even with exercise. Only way to get rid of flabby skin is to have it cut off. Not for me waste of money and hospital resources. I am sick of so called stars who lose stones and show perfect bodies. That's why I like Lisa Reilly who lost 11st but admitted she had surgery but also said about all the infections she got and the scars .

But I wish you well on your journey and yes I do ramble . But that's me . But this isn't just able losing weight we talk about other things as well. NanKate has made this a safe place to talk about anything. Again welcome .