I’m a Pear/Apple - Part 5. Still going!!

silverlining veggie lasagne but only put cheese sauce on the top . I make my cheese sauce with 30g plain flour into a cold pan with 200ml of cold skimmed milk and 50g mature cheddar crumbled in . Using a whisk bring it to the boil whisking all the time . If it's to thick use bit more milk. Because of the fat in the cheese you don't need and spread or butter . I have made it using grated mozzarella and parmesan for guests same way but used more cheese but they aren't watching their weight and they took all the left over with them .

You could make a baseless cheese cake using low fat or fat free cream cheese and low fat or fat less Greek yogurt sweeten with icing sugar to taste and poured into small dishes or cups ,or small mugs topped with fresh fruit . Still tastes like cheesecake but without all the fat.

Veggie curry or using Quorn mince with just rice no naan or poppadoms . Cottage pie using Quorn mince and plenty of veg topped with sweet potato mash or combination of sweet potato and butternut squash . Goulash made with just veg or with Quorn mince and served with bulgar wheat . To be honest anything high cal can be made low cal . Even a pie with pastry top just make a crumble uses half the ingredients and as it bakes it joins up.
Summer pudding can be made with low cal bread and this time of the year use autumn fruits just serve with low fat or fat free Greek yogurt. I use granulated sweetener for this . 2 cal per teaspoon and it's sweeter than sugar.

Does anyone have any suggestions for easy meals for our visiting friends? They both need to lose weight and know it but want to do something which is tasty and maybe a treat
Thanks 🙏

Oh and I am a pear 🍐

Hello 🙋‍♂️
I re joined SW last night. After 10 years of maintaining a 1.5 stone loss am back to within a whisker of my old weight. I cook from scratch eat healthily etc but It’s crept up over the last year gain one lose one so slowly and now I have to start again. I am just 5’ so every pound shows.
We have friends coming tomorrow for a few days and they like to eat.
I Havnt had a chance to look at the SW books I got last night and really need to focus on meals til Tuesday.
Then it’s back for my first weigh on Thursday . Feeling nervous.

Hi I’m new here!.. I’m an Apple!
Have always lost weight in the past by eating 2 meals of 200 cals and 1 healthy meal. Doesn’t seem to be working anymore, also tried cutting out carbs but as I’m not a lover of meat and fish it’s hard to find what to eat! Looking forward to tips from everyone here to spit me on..

I'm with you on that one Allsorts! If I can see it I can eat it! I'm out today with friends so no chance of resisting temptation there either.

Not hopeful I've lost anything this week- even one pound would be good!

Whiff, please don't overdo it. Your body took a bashing.
MayBee I always have about 12 hours from 6 pm until about 7 am without food but I am overweight, my downfall is biscuits and crusty bread and what I put on it. Today when I shop no biscuits, no bread just Seeded Ryvita which I have to soften first as they are too crunchy. I am not a person who can keep anything I like in the house even a present for anyone. Thank you for your tips NanKate I will try.

To all the losers well done ,to the stay that same that's an achievement. And any like me who put on the weight I lost in hospital but only lost quarter pound of it this week. Just keep going .

Saw my GP yesterday and she reluctantly gave me a week's worth of Furosemide a water tablet. But my sodium levels are still very low and having a blood test week tomorrow. I took on board all she said about the water tablets could reduce my sodium levels. Once home did some research into the dangers of low sodium and decided not to take the tablets. And wait until after my blood test to see what my sodium levels are then. So my weight it's up and down everyday but still keep weight , measuring and counting cals and not giving up . She did give me a spray to use when I get breathless but will only use it if I can't get my breath back under control but taking extra breathes. But at least having it means I can use it if I need it .

Managed to do 150 on my static pedals on Sunday and that was my limit. Thankfully my tum is back to it's normal colour and wrinkly again but the skin is very dry so plenty of cream . And been able to do my morning exercises the way I used to do them. Will try my pedals again today .

Monday it was circuit training at sit fit and did all the exercises with my usual gusto. And on Tuesday joined a 'move it or lose it' class at the church same place my sit fit class is . Which is round the corner from where I live. We did different exercises and used different things to help . It was fun but trying to get round my head moving my arms and legs together I got into a jumble but like with my sit fit I will get used to them . It's due to my HPX effecting my cognitive function. Our instructor was a physiotherapist for 30 years. I am glad I decided to go and know doing the 2 classes will help me . I have lost strength in my arms so hoping to build it back up since my hospital stay but can't fault the care I had. I will see how I am in a months time and may need to up my medication for my HPX as my mobility has been effected . But hoping with the 2 classes that will improve. If not I only have to phone my neurologists secretary to say I need to up my tablets . He's registrar who I saw before Christmas asked me if I needed it increasing but said no but he said just phone if I feel it needs to increase. That's the brilliant thing about having something rare my neurologist leaves it up to me as I know more about HPX than he does and know my own body and trusts me to know what it needs.

The way we are eating less for life and not giving up is the best way to lose weight even with blips . I hate to think what long term damage those weight loss injections are doing to people . Trouble is they want a quick fix and not put in the hard work. Reading the thread about it shows it doesn't work for some people because they haven't changed what they eat .

Anyway Pears hope those who aren't feeling well feel better soon and keep up the good fight we will win in the end . 🤸

I must make a note of the way you make cheese sauce, Whiff, as I use cheese sauce mix which isn’t very healthy. I do like macaroni cheese and also cauliflower cheese but I think the latter gives me terrible indigestion. I, too, am drinking a lot more water. First thing every morning I have a cup of hot water and I’ve just had one now instead of a cup of coffee, which is what I was going to have. I’m worried about getting on the scales as I over ate last week, so I’m doing a 12-14 hour fast each night as I know that’s an easy way to get my weight down.

Hello Pears and Apples.

I was listening to a radio programme on weight loss and the expert said that when we diet we hopefully get to our target weight and then our bodies try to get us to the weight they think we should be, which is usually heavier 😳. Therefore we need to keep to our Eating Less for Life mantra as, imo, we don’t want to return to our former weight or more ☹️

I’ve decided when I get to 10 stone (I’m 5 lbs away) I will very gradually increase my calories and check weekly if I am maintaining my new weight or if my body is trying to increase my weight.
Losing weight is a hard slog but the benefits are many.

Allsorts please don’t feel ashamed. It took me two years to feel able to start calorie counting again!

Here are a few things I do now when it is an hour before we eat at night and I have hunger pains.

Drink a glass of fizzy water with a slice of lemon or lime in it.
Or
A favourite fizzy drink like ginger beer, a third ginger beer and two thirds water.
Or
A few gulps of my favourite Kefir

No one need beat themselves up on this thread.

CocoPops

Keepingquiet and Nankate Wow! you are both getting close to shifting a stone.
Take it easy Whiff
I lost 1.4lbs this week. Must try and keep motivated!

Well done and spoke too soon! I put on 2lbs this week!! Maybe not so inspirational after all...

I have been away though and not on my meal plan- some bad habits have crept back in and I have eaten a lot of bread. Pizza and pasta two days in a row too!

Now I'm home I should be able to get back to what I now consider normal- lots of grilled fish and meat and keep off the bread...

keep going everyone!

Keepingquiet and Nankate Wow! you are both getting close to shifting a stone.
Take it easy Whiff
I lost 1.4lbs this week. Must try and keep motivated!

Over last few weeks because of a health issue and bring housebound all my weight piled back on, it goes on tar try tines quicker than losing it but gave started again today as feel bloated.
Well done everyone, Shirley you have done well, I skyways feel much better when I lose just 7 pounds.
Keepin quiet and NannaKate you are ispirationl, I'm hanging my head in shame again.

You certainly have been through it whiff, glad you’re back home. Hopefully your strength will improve quickly.

Lost a pound and a half and done my second week of C25k.

That’s great nankate, over 10lbs since October. Since losing weight I find my right hip and lower back dosent ache like it did, also I have tons more energy, just shows being a heavy weight has a lot to answer for lol

Thanks NanKate.
Keepingquiet my diet is the same everyday apart from Christmas day.porridge made with oat milk or if skimmed milk 20g honey. Home made veg and red lentil soup, dinner stew made from either ,chicken , Quorn mince, chicken pieces or sausages pearl barely lots of veg and yogurt for pud. Because I can't cook fresh everyday I make enough soup for 6 lunches and stew for 6 dinners. Occasionally I make lasagne enough for 6 dinners . But my cheese sauce is made from 30g flour ,200ml skimmed milk and more if needed and 50g mature cheddar crumbled..put all into a cold pan bring to boil whisking all the time.. Doesn't need butter or spread enough fat in cheese . Only put it in top of my lasagne and use 4 sheets of pasta . Been eating this way since 2017. But I cook from scratch.
Since coming out of hospital haven't used my oven everything reheated in the microwave as I can't handle my oven proof dishes to heavy for me now . I need to build my limbs back up again but my HPX is worse than before the TIA if that is what it was .
But I never give up.

Thanks for the update Whiff and hope you continue to recover steadily and stay well.

I would focus on eating healthily rather than thinking about losing weight for a while. Lots of protein and fresh fruit and veg.

Thanks so much Whiff for updating us. You have certainly been through the Mill. It must be good to be back home and your daughter sounds as if she is keeping a good eye on you. 💐

My weight loss has been very slow but in the right direction. Since October I have lost 10 and half pounds. Still about 5 lbs to go. The weight loss has improved the discomfort I get from osteoarthritis in my knee. 👍

Onward and downward Folks.

Sorry gang not to get back to you after all your good wishes. Can't remember what I said about my week in hospital and if I go back will lose this . Anyway both hospitals couldn't have given me better care and must admit I did feel ill and frightened . Not frightened for me but my daughter as she looked so worried and because of my estrangement with my son his choice as you know I never saw it coming and he did it by email and follow up letter. So everytime I get very ill it falls on her . When I have hidden things before I moved up here about my health and she found out she torn a strip of me so made me promise the slightest thing I had to tell her . I son was the same pre May 2020.

Can't remember if I said about having the angiography. It was done with me wearing my pjs and slippers. They put a heavy lead apron around my tum which hurt as it was purple from bruising from the injections. I had asked for sedation as I didn't know how I would be . A local anaesthetic was put into my left wrist . But unfortunately neither injections worked but I didn't say I could feel everything as I just wanted it over. So lay on my back eyes shut and tears filling my ears. There was a comic moment not funny at the time but I thought it was afterwards . I heard a blue a blue her veins collapsed pinks no good. It took about 40 minutes but I didn't feel the wire and and dye in my heart because of no obstacles they could look all around my heart . Once over a dressing was put on my wrist and then a clear circular tube which was pumped with air to hold the dressing tight so I didn't bled out . Brilliant idea otherwise someone would have had to put pressure on my wrist for 30 mins. I was wrapped in a hot blanket and given the syringe to take with me . Once on the ward after hour some air was let out as my fingers where turning blue. And hours later it was removed.

Wonder who the clear person was who thought about using a balloon as a dressing to stop bleeding . I had visions of them using the ones people made balloon animals out off as proto types before the clear sterile ones .

Went into the fist hospital on the Monday taken yo the second on the Friday . My daughter was visiting and a nurse came and said they are coming for you . So my daughter packed up my things. The only problem I had at the second hospital was the bed was a modern one and didn't lower right the way down . Because of the one injection into my tum that hurt I couldn't get out of bed myself but at the second one I had to get a nurse everytime I needed the loo and I hated it. I felt a nuisance . They nurses all told me I wasn't but it's how I felt . I have a high pain threshold as been in pain with my limbs my whole life but this floored me . Because I can tolerate high pain levels think that's why the local and sedation didn't work. But my daughter said when she had her c section the first lot of local didn't work so they had to give her a double dose luckily that worked otherwise they would have had to knock her out.

At least now I know if I ever have a local again I will ask for double amount. On the Monday I was discharged saw the pharmacist who gave me tablets to bring home,physios who asked about any exercise I did so told them so they said I didn't need them as I was doing everything I could to help myself. I went for an ultrasound on my tum because of the pain. The doctor who did it fetched his consultant to look as he wanted a second opinion. He said the needle had gone into my subterranean fat level and caused inflammation which was giving me the pain . I had visions of Jules Vernes journey to the centre of the earth pop into my head when he said it. And who knew we have subterranean fat levels .
Had my dinner there and my daughter fetched me at 7pm. She had been popping into my bungalow and putting the heating on of a morning and turning it off in the evening as it was bitter cold all week.

If I have said all that well it's me I repeat myself.

Wednesday I went to see my cardiologist. Had all usual tests done before hand . He was the one I saw on the ward at the first hospital and he said you look better than I last saw you . Once seen never forgotten whether that's a good or bad thing I don't know . Hopefully good. Even the nurse with him remembered me from the A& E corridor ward. They found slight furring in my right artery but not enough to need a stent but was going to prescribe a low dose statin to prevent further build up. Because he could have a good look round my heart decided I didn't have a heart attack . Even thought my Torpoin levels where 170 but they also rise if you have a stroke. He is referring me to a neurologist as they think because of my headache ,pain in the left side of my neck and loss of speech I had a TIA a mini stroke. I did explain that my HPX causes me to lose my speech especially as I had an UTI when I went to A&E . But the drug treatment I had was the same as they would have given for a TIA.

He did say my having a rare hereditary neurological condition made things more difficult as he has no idea what it was as he had never heard of it. But told him neither had my neurologist who is a consultant in adnormal body movements.

He was sending a referral letter for me to see a stroke neurologist and hoped it wouldn't be long to wait and they would do a brain MRI last time I had one was 2017. I hate the tunnel but always have them done as they are a brilliant diagnosist device . The CT scan on my brain didn't pick anything up but a MRI can pick up the smallest detail. And I always stay still.

So my cardiologist has discharged back to the care of my GP. But said he would see me again if I needed him .

I have an appointment with my GP on Wednesday as I am still getting breathless and having water retention which is something my GP can deal with and the cardiologist said they would help me .

My tum is now pale purple, yellow with only 2 patches of dark purple. Managed to lie on my side for a bit now. And since Thursday been able to do my exercises without holding on to my bed bar. Went to sit fit on Monday but couldn't do couple of the exercises. Going to try and see if I can use my pedals today as it's circuit training at class on Monday.

Decided to stop going to the Braun Charity craft group. Not because I don't want to but my daughter is worried about me going as it takes 2 hours each way with waiting time for train and bus. But will go for special events. But I have found a craft group that meets once a month above my favourite cafe in the village it's called village but the size of a small town so put my name to go there on the 19th.

I am doing ok not worrying about I could have another TIA. My brother has had 2, 6 weeks apart years ago. But if I get a headache and neck pain will take myself to A&E.

See what the scales say tomorrow but I have had water retention this week so my daily weight in has been up and down but only count Sundays weight in . Been eating my normal diet and having my tablets at set times. That was the only problem in the hospitals was not getting my tablets when I normally take them . I like routine it's how my life has always worked I know I am a control freak 🤣. Better finish this ramble . 😊

Looking forward to hearing how Whiff is getting on. We are missing you. 💐

Stayed the same this week. On the plus side I completed week one of the nhs couch to 5 k … week 2 here I come 😀

Weighed in at 142.6 lbs today. (I put a couple of pounds on over Christmas). Aiming to slowly shift the flab and get back to 130lbs. How are you Whiff?

Well done keepingquiet I am heading for a stone off by mid February.

A pound lighter this week! I'll take that as a win especially as I didn't get much walking done!

Only 3 more pounds and I've lost a stone in 4 months!

Not sure if it'll be this week though...

That’s a lot of weight to lose Whiff. 👍