Hmph! Well I've been well and truly off the wagon for a couple of weeks. Very stressful times at the moment with coursework deadlines and a massive amount of work to do, plus an HOH who decided to run a mock exam in the week of the coursework deadline, so it's marking central.

I've had no lunchbreak for a fortnight and have been taking cup-a-soups and ryvita for lunches. Also been staying back after-school to try and put right the dire mess that my class were left in by their previous teacher: 31 kids and practically all have had to re-do all 5 bits of coursework, plus exam content for 3 exams as well. So the past two weeks I've had kids behind after school until 5.30, not getting home myself until gone 6pm, and then having to mark everything the kids have done and do the related paperwork. It's been a nightmare.

So food-wise, I've been exhausted, stressed and craving comfort food when I've eventually got home. There have been chippy nights, ready meals and all sorts. Really feel like crap as a result as well!

Anyway, I've met my deadline now, just the mock exams to mark although the HOD is not being too strict about that deadline, knowing how much work we have. So can hopefully find time to eat properly and get to the gym (which I really miss).

The sun has just come out, so I think I'll go out for some much-needed fresh air.

The only problem now is that I cam home from work last night to find our oven door had exploded! There was glass all over the kitchen, handle had come offf and everything. The actually oven was fine, but the door is a mess and therefore it's unusuable. Hmmmm, lots of meals cooked in one pan on the hob for the next week then!

Welcome back on the wagon Eva. You will be fine; a couple of weeks weight gained will soon fall off when you get back to normal.

I feel your pain with the marking load! Have just have Ofsted too so late nights and takeways for a few days followed bu a few litres of wine on Friday night have put me back a bit too.

I stopped weighing myself as it was sometimes quite depressing or even misleading. I can put on at least half a stone at certain times of the month!  Mind you, last night I managed to wear a beautiful top I bought from warehouse last year that was so tight when i got it I couldn't wear it for fear of being thought pregnant. I cannot lie and say I looked like a slender goddess but I felt ok.

This reminds me of the other reason I want to get smaller; I HATE pretty much everything in the shops. Given that I had (almost) been paid, had an hour child and hubby free, I came home on saturday with a nail varnish! It is a nice nail varnish but I would have happily spent 50 quid if I had found a really nice top or dress.I haven't bought anything recently. At work I am wearing about four tops and three paits of trouser on a rota! I have loads of nie stuff that would fit me if I were about a stone and a half lighter!

 Have a good week. I plan to be angelic in terms of what I eat Monday to Friday next week and go to the gym three times.

Liz

lizgaskell

I have loads of nie stuff that would fit me if I were about a stone and a half lighter

Same here, I have a suitcase full of old clothes that would fit again if i lost another 1.5-2 stone.

I haven't been doing as well as usual these past couple of weeks. I went back to work 2 weeks ago after a year on maternity leave, so that's been hard, plus both my kids were ill this week, and then i've felt ill all weekend. I've been back up north to visit my mum a couple of times in the past 5 weeks too, so done lots of travelling back and forth. So, I've been beyond exhausted and not managing as much gym as usual, and haven't been as careful with my eating.

I do seem to have lost a bit of weight though - my clothes feel like they fit better. I guess I spend so much time running round after my children, and although I've not been as careful with food as usual, I haven't been eating large amounts.

Anyway, I am vowing to be better this week! I've got personal training tomorrow, and will also go to the gym Tues and Fri and one weekend day. I've eaten well today so will continue that this week.

Not been on for a while- too busy with uni work! Just got myself a new job and I start in sept! So determined to lose at least a stone by then. Off on hos tonight but will stick with fruit and veg  and protein as much as possible all week. Wish me luck ladies!!

Sorry for late reply Hubcap Have a lovely time and good luck! I always lose weight when I'm on holiday in hot countries because all I want to eat is salad and vegetables...especially in the Med where the tomatoes and salad veg are just soooo delcious! I honestly believe that if I lived in a hotter country I'd be at least two stone lighter!

Well it's Wednesday already and I feel totally cheated out of half my holiday, what with the two bank holidays (it's just not the same when EVERYONE is off work!).

Been doing plenty of exercise: a long walk/jog on Saturday; another walk on Sunday (granted, to collect my car parked at a friend's from the night before!);  bike ride, gym, AND a walk yesterday (ver sore today).

Today I'm planning to go out for a walk if the weather holds up, or will have to be the gym otherwise. Am out for a meal with a friend later on, so will try to make sure I don't eat too much (Paul McKenna style).

Off to the supermarket too to stock up on veggies.

How's everyone doing? xx

Hi all, I've not been on in a while!

How is everyone doing? Summer seems to make a difference to eating healthily doesn't it - although I must say our weather recently hasn't been the best.

I am just trying to keep myself healthy at the moment, unfortunately we had some bad news about my wee surprise so naturally I was upset and didn't feel like eating, but am much better and feeling more positive now.  I've always been into my running but I really have found it therapeutic these last few months!

Oh no, Emi, that's awful. I'm so sorry for your news. How are you doing?

I've been trying to make sure I exercise every day over the holiday. The only day I missed was Monday because I just didn't have time! I was pushed for time yesterday but managed to squeeze in a 35 or so minute walk in the morning. Today is a miserable day so I'm marking essays; planning on taking a break to go to the gym at about 3pm.

After a weekend of BBQs and sunday lunches etc, I'm trying to be careful and eat reasonably. Back on the PM bandwagon. Went out for tea Wednesday night AND last night, not on both occasions I left food on my plate and wasn't hungry afterwards, so progress.

Today, I was craving a large breakfast and the hubby wanted a cooked breakfast. So I had baked beans on toast and a fried egg (no oil, just non-stick pan). Of course, he pigged out on a sausage, bacon, beans, eggs etc, but I was good. No lunch as yet as I'm not hungry, but may grad a snack before the gym. Tonight's dinner is going to be beef and vegetable sitr-fry with homemade chow mein sauce and noodles. Mmmmm.

Sounds good - if you have a recipe for chow mein I'd love to hear it.

I am ok thanks, obviously it was upsetting, but it was extremely early days, and from what the doctors said, it's not uncommon. I suppose nature knows best and all that. 

I am finding it difficult to manage my diet at the moment because there have been lots of BBQs and picnics, and meals out. I do try to choose the healthiest option but sometimes you feel as though you are picking the best of a bad bunch!  Managing to keep up the exercise though, and I've entered another half marathon so I have something to focus on.  Mustn't use it as an excuse to treat myself to too many sweeties though!

EmiW

Sounds good - if you have a recipe for chow mein I'd love to hear it.

I just stir fry whatever veg I want (today I've had onions, peppers, baby sweet corn, mange tout, thinly sliced BNS and brocolli). Then the sauce is just a good slug of dark soy sauce, garlic, ginger and some sweet chilli dipping sauce, al mixed up in the wok. I've had mine with beef tonight, but I have it variably with chicken, quorn pieces of just a veggie version.

Been to the gym this afternoon. Did a warm up on the treadmill, about 15 minutes on the cross-trainer and 20 minutes on 'The Wave' machined - which I have recently found out is it's really name, as opposed to 'Ski type machine thingy' as I've been calling it. It burns calories like billy-o; 400 in 20 minutes, pretty good and I was pouring with sweat but loving it. Then did a little toning.

My target is to slim down a touch for my birthday later this month. I'm having a surprise party - at least I'm pretending that I don't know I'm having a surprise party, but it's fairly blatant as my husband doesn't lie well at all, fortunately!

Could do with one of those machines Eva! Well I ate only proteins all week with salad or veg and I HAVENT LOST a pound! Gonna have to start exercising more- roll on summer hols!

Was 15 stone 5 pounds at the start of half term. Yesterday was 15 stone 2 pounds. Need to get down to about 10 1/2 stone to be ideal weight according to the WiiFit.

Good luck Drhistory! Im finding it all frustrating at the moment. Still, sticking with it, maybe one day my body will realise it is not seating as much and suddenly lose the fat!! Knocking the proteins only on the head though! Today I have had;

Breakfast- bran flakes with sultanas

Dinner- Turkey, salad sandwich on brown bread, yogurt

snack- digestive buscuit, apple

Tea; 2 grillsteaks, baked potato, beans

Anyone tell me where Im going wrong- please do!

hubcap

Good luck Drhistory! Im finding it all frustrating at the moment. Still, sticking with it, maybe one day my body will realise it is not seating as much and suddenly lose the fat!! Knocking the proteins only on the head though! Today I have had;

Breakfast- bran flakes with sultanas

Dinner- Turkey, salad sandwich on brown bread, yogurt

snack- digestive buscuit, apple

Tea; 2 grillsteaks, baked potato, beans

Anyone tell me where Im going wrong- please do!

I think you are eating too few calories, Hubcap. Unless your grill steaks have hundreds and hundreds of calories....by lunchtime, you've only eaten about 400 calories, and that's a generous estimate.

I'm not sure if this is the reason, but that's the only thing I can really see because there's nothing wrong about the foods you're choosing and you aren't snacking excessively.

Are you using dressings or cooking oils that could be adding calories? Even then I can't think of anything that would be high in calories, given your low intake already, that would prevent you from losing weight unless you were using oodles of it.

Have you been to you doctor for a check up? If you aren't losing weigh on that diet there could be a medical reason; at the very least, they might be able to confirm my suggestion that you're eating too little.

Me today:

Breakfast: Bowl of cereal with semi-skimmed milk.

Mid-morning snack: two crispbreads and a little philadelphia

Lunch: Home-made vegetable soup and bread roll.

Afternoon snack: grapes and an orange.

Dinner: Quorn, peppers and onions cooked in a sauce made from milk, flour and paprika; tablespoon rice, brocolli.

No exercise at the moment as my back has been very bad. Food has been the highlight of my day so I'm been fairly restrained considering...

Ahh sorry to hear about your back Eva, backpain is awful! Your food is healthy and plenty!

Thanks for the advice, maybe you are right, I dont eat a lot and find it very confusing that Im not a nice size! My weight is mostly round my stomach so maybe I should be looking at other things to help me lose it. I have got to the stage were I am paraniod about everything I put in my mouth. Will keep posting my daily food and may go and see the doctor. Thanks again Eva x

Are you exercising Hubcap? If so, do you think you are doing it at high enough intensity? There are many shcools of thought (certainly across the H+W forum at the very least) as to what level of intensity is best for weigh loss. I personally find that shorter bursts of high intensity exercise works better than longer, low intensity. But I suspect it's different for everyone.

For example, when I know I've put on a couple of pounds, I go out for a walk but I head to a place in my local woods where there are some steep steps built into the hill. It require long strides to get up them as the steps are deep. I spend a good ten minutes or so going up and down these steps before walking home. It seems to help me shift a few pounds quite quickly.

I'ma nnoyed with myself because I lost over a stone just before Christmas for my wedding on Christmas Eve. I wanted to keep on losing weight, but it just didn't happen and some has crept back on, although not all. I really want to drop a few pounds before my birthday, but now this back injury has put a stop of my exercise for the time being, so I've going to have to really be careful with the food.

giggirl

Have you got an iPhone? My Fitness Pal is a brilliant App.

Sounds great. I have an HTC so I wonder if there's an Android version. Or maybe one for the iPod?

Nothing is more motivating than when you are injured....I really REALLY want to exercise. Haven't done anything since Saturday and I'm feeling lardy.

:-(

Yep, have found it! Looks good, although my entering my details it has immediately place me on a 1200 calories per day diet