Dieting/Low Carbs

[Donna]

Oooh now I am a cook!!! And you said a good one!! Wahoooo!!! To think I had never eaten a curry before in my life (all 21 years!!!) and now I am thinking it is my favourite food!!!

[EmmaG]

lol see there could be loads of different foods you like but just haven't tried before ;)

9 stone 4.5lbs today, considering the lemon cheesecake yesterday I thought was quite good!!! lol

Back on track today

breakfast - lemon custard and low carb jam
lunch - half a sweet potato (jacket) with coleslaw
dinner - steak and veggie

[Donna]

Weighing tomorrow. Not expecting too much.

NO breakfast
Lunch - cheese salad
Dinner - chicken with veg (got a butternut squash so will try that too!)

[EmmaG]

Donna I am sure you must have lost something, :) Let me know what you think of the butternut squash ;)

[Donna]

You will laugh Emma, but I made sure I bought the one that looked the least rude!!!! Took me a while to find one I was not embarrased to go through the checkout with!!!!

Emma wanted to try it, and she also wanted to try parsnips with her roast tonight!!! Just me and Emma tonight so will have a girls night in!!

[EmmaG]

lol classic!!!!

Parsnips are really nice, when I do the roasted veg I always have them :)

Enjoy your dinner, are you roasting the squash?

[Donna]

Well I have had my dinner:-

Roast chicken, cauliflower, brocolli, carrots, parsnips and butternut squash. Emma also had Yorkshire Puds!!

All was nice, and roasted the squash, but must say Emma I didnt think it really tasted of anything!!! Emma liked it tho and ate all the bits I left!!

[EmmaG]

The squash has got a very mild taste but I do find it quite sweet tasting.

Your dinner sounds wonderful, did Emma like the parsnips?

[Donna]

Yes she loves parsnips. I quite like them too but didnt have too many. I can imagine the squash being better mashed with butter - will try that next!

[EmmaG]

Yes they are very nice mashed....you could also add some garlic ;)

[Donna]

Was thinking butter and black pepper - but yes I have garlic so can try that too!!!

[EmmaG]

Yes black pepper and butter would be very good!!! :)

I think it is good to have a veg that perhaps is a little mild in flavour as you can normally do so much with them ;)

[EmmaG]

lol I see what you mean about those jelly beans, started off thinking hmmm these are not too bad..and I have got 6 (only had half of the bag) sitting next to me that are going in the bin in a minute!!! lol they seem to be the blue, green and purples ones that are terrible...lol

[Donna]

lol to the jelly beans Emma!!! Didnt order from online yet - but will do it - so dont worry about your pasta - will get it!!

Official Monday weigh in -

9 stone 11 lbs.

No change this week, but am happy with that as I thought I had put on weight and it was my birthday week. Had plenty of vodkas bought for me on my birthday so glad its not gone up!!

Hope things are still progressing for you Emma!

[EmmaG]

You have done well Donna :) I am sure you will lose some over the next week now ;)

No rush for the order, I still have some of the pasta left :)

9 stone 4lbs for me today :)

[EmmaG]

Well I haven't fancied much to eat but I have tried to have something

breakfast - vanilla custards with low carb jam
lunch - half a jacket sweet potato with butter and cheese (it was very nice)
dinner - scampi and roasted butternut squash with tartar sauce

Loads of water today and loads of coffee, one cup of tea

[Donna]

Not a good day either it turns out for me Emma. Hope you get things sorted soon as its not good being down (I know, I have been there).

Custard and jam
cheese and salad
chicken and coleslaw

[EmmaG]

Oh I will be fine in a day or so ;)

Your food has been very good, I bet by the end of the week you will have lost some more. Have the veggies/salad helped??

[Donna]

yes all sorted thanks emma

[EmmaG]

good stuff Donna :)

Well 9 stone 3lbs today. It seems as if the jacket sweet potato isn't slowing down any weightloss which is good :)

breakfast - custard and low carb jam
lunch - jacket sweet potato with butter, cheese and coleslaw
dinner - not sure yet but I might have scampi again ;)

[Donna]

Good weigh in Emma.

Today so far:

boiled eggs/mayo
cheese/coleslaw/crackers(water table biscuits 2.5g each)

not sure dinner yet!

[EmmaG]

Well I think Scampi for me again tonight ;) might have it with some butternut squash and half a sweet jacket potato covered with cheese and coleslaw!!! lol I am so predictable ;)

[Donna]

i eat the same things over and over!!!

[EmmaG]

Well I suppose it makes things easier ;)

Decided what you are having for dinner yet Donna?

[Donna]

Mmm, might have a cooked breakfast!! Daft I know as it is evening, but thats me!

[EmmaG]

Sounds like a great idea :)

[Donna]

kids have eaten already so only myself to worry about so makes it easier to chose

[EmmaG]

Well only me here at the moment ;)

[Donna]

Well now the kids are not arguing over what channel on the TV to watch they have made better use of their time and are playing in the garden. Maybe not such a bad thing after all!!

Will cook bacon, sausages, egg methinks!

[EmmaG]

I hope you had a good dinner Donna ;) Thought you might like to see this, it is a good visual reminder for weight loss ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v720/songbird1963/fat_5lb_brick.jpg

(photo nicked from another site ;) )

[Mags]

Yuk!!!!!!!!!:shock::shock::shock:

[EmmaG]

:) I think Donna has lost 3 of those :smt041

[EmmaG]

and I have lost nearly 8 of those :shock:

[Mags]

Well done both of you!! Makes it all worthwhile when you see what the fat looks like! :cat36

[EmmaG]

Yes when you actually see it like that!!!! Donna is going to be like OMG when she sees that!!! lol

[Mags]

Hope she doesn't stop eating all together after seeing it! :shock::shock: :-D

[Donna]

Just seen it girls!!! Oh that is disgusting!!!!

I am gonna get rid of all those wobbly yellow jelly bits that I have left!!! Wont stop eating all together, but more effort required!!!!

[EmmaG]

:)

Well 9 stone 3.5lbs today :) When I get below 9 stone 3lb then I think it is going to mentally hit me how close I am to my ideal weight ;)

breakfast - custard and low carb jam
lunch - jacket sweet potato with butter, cheese and coleslaw
dinner - will be spaghetti bolognaise (low carb spaghetti ;) )

I have drunk loads of water so far today about 2 litres so far ;)

[Donna]

No weigh in today -

custard and jam
handful of mixed nuts
steak or chicken and salad for dinner

had about a litre of squash today so far.

Keep going Emma, keep going!!!!

[EmmaG]

Oh I am not going to give up ;) I WILL get to 9 stone!!! lol

[Donna]

Oh I am not going to give up ;) I WILL get to 9 stone!!! lol

I know you will!:D

[EmmaG]

;) Well just had another litre of squash...I think I am turning into a fish!!! lol Spaghetti Bol was wonderful.. ;) topped it with some cheese ;)

[EmmaG]

9 stone 5lbs today!!! lol must have been all of that water ;)

breakfast - none (as I am having a large lunch ;) )
lunch - might have a full english breakfast down the cafe
dinner - sweet jacket potato with coleslaw and cheese

[Donna]

Oh dear oh dear oh dear!!

[EmmaG]

lol I am sure I will be lower tomorrow lol I didn't eat anything odd yesterday apart from a LOT of water!!!

[Donna]

I meant me Emma!!!!

custard
crackers and cheese
handful of nuts

and



pizza for dinner (emma having birthday sleepover and ordered pizza)

Oh deary me!!

[EmmaG]

hahaha well you started off well!!!! Thought you had gone a bit quiet ;) don't worry about it, I am sure you will be ok....did you have a lot of pizza ?? In future you can have pizza if you only eat the topping (fairly now carb) ;)

[Donna]

Only had a couple of slices Emma - but did stuff me completely!!! Amazing how the low carb diet keeps you full on such a small amount, whereas foods like dough just make you feel like you have eaten a bag of cement!!!

Will keep going - back on track tomorrow!!! (It was her pre-birthday evening pig out!!)

[EmmaG]

Oh that isn't quite so bad Donna, yes you are correct after a while low carbing you do tend to get full fairly quickly ;)

9 stone 5.5lbs today, hmmm not sure what is going on...I did have quite a lot of food yesterday and I am hoping that it is a general blip ;)

breakfast - lemon custard with low carb jam
lunch - half a sweet potato with coleslaw, cheese and butter
dinner - chicken, with garlic and mushrooms and veg.

I am going to make sure I am good over the weekend ;)

[Donna]

no brekkie for me today cos i was bad

[Donna]

LUnch was Beefeater:

Rare steak and salad (doing well so far)..

folllowed by..




...



...



chocolate fudge sundae!!!!


Oh dear oh dear oh dear.

Well at least the birthday season is over for a couple of months so back on track from now!!! Emma had a great time so thats what counts!!! What I do for that child!!!

[EmmaG]

as long as you enjoyed the Chocolate Fudge Sundae Donna :) If you are going to have a treat like that....my tip....really enjoy it!!!

[Donna]

as long as you enjoyed the Chocolate Fudge Sundae Donna :) If you are going to have a treat like that....my tip....really enjoy it!!!

Certainly did!!! Only had half of it tho as was MASSIVE!!!! No more now, back to being sensible. :p

[EmmaG]

That's the way Donna :) Everything in moderation ;)

[EmmaG]

Donna as you know I am rather partial to sweet potatoes at the moment, I have read that you have cook them like oven chips, cut them into wedges (keep the skins on) coat in a little bit of oil and then put into a very hot oven until brown, they are a lot lower carbs than normal chips and I did think that perhaps if Emma wanted to have a go at cooking these you could try a few of them?? or you could try cooking them for Sean and Emma?

I might give them a go tomorrow ;)

[EmmaG]

Also you can bake them (in the skins), once cooked split and put butter, cinnamon and splenda on them, apparently they are very nice

[EmmaG]

Well back down to 9 stone 3.5lbs today!!! lol

Just having a coffee for breakfast, might make some custards later
lunch - sweet potato of some sort
dinner - chicken curry ;)

[Donna]

Glad you are back to going down in weight again!!! Tis so disheartening when it goes up isnt it?

I not weighed myself as I have been so bad with Emma's birthday a week after mine!! But been good today.

No breakfast
chicken salad for lunch
handful of nuts
nothing for dinner as yet.

[EmmaG]

Donna I thought you were quite good on Emma's birthday, one dessert now and again is fine. Having them every day is a different matter ;)

Yes I am glad the weight came down, I have done loads of exercise today (gardening) and I am hoping the weight will continue to go down, although I have had the munchies this evening, one low carb chocolate bar and a handful of munchy seeds!!! lol

When are you going to weigh again??

[Donna]

Will weigh in on the "official" Monday morning weigh in!!!

I have a typed up chart with Mondays until Augutst on it so just need to update it once a week!!!

Will be harder over next week or so when kitchen being ripped out. Ceiling being done tomorrow - and the fitting a week later roughly. So hope not t to be without cooking facilities for too long!!

[EmmaG]

I am sure you will be fine without your kitchen, you now know more or less the better foods to eat and there is always salad ;) lol

I bet you are exciting about your kitchen being done, just wear some blinkers whilst the work is carried out!!! lol that was the thing that got to me....the mess!!! lol

[EmmaG]

Well 9 stone 4.5lb today, that doesn't really surprise me as I was in a munchy mood yesterday and had quite a bit of food.

breakfast - ???
lunch - half a sweet potato
dinner - roast duck with veg :)

[Donna]

Keep going Emma!!

I didnt have dinner. just some cheese last night.

Today cheese/biscuits for brekkie. Thats as far as I have got!

[EmmaG]

Just made some custards so I will have one when they have cooled down a bit :)

No dinner last night?? well as long as you weren't hungry.

[Donna]

Not going to starve Emma - too much of a piggy for that!! Just wasnt that hungry so no point eating just cos it was "dinner time".

[EmmaG]

Good luck with the weigh in Donna, I was 9 stone 6lbs today!!! arrgghhh but I did have quite a bit of wine yesterday so I will blame that!! :) Decided to have a few more salads this week ;)

[Donna]

Well we both had a bad weigh in - up to 9 st 13lbs!!!

Thats my birthday drinks, Emma's birthday celebrations and slacking!!!

THIS WEEK I AM GONNA BE SOOOOO GOOD!!!

Today had two boiled eggs, bacon and mayo for breakfast, and not hungry yet but will have a small lunch and chicken curry dinner!

[EmmaG]

Hey at least you had a good reason to Donna :)

Well Boss decided to take us out for lunch down the pub so I tried to be good, I had salmon with veg and had 3 new potatoes, I was going to cook sausages tonight but I have eaten my sweet jacket potato with coleslaw and cheese instead.

Tomorrow I go to work armed with SALAD!!!!! lol and we are having duck salad for dinner.

[Donna]

Glad you had a nice lunch Emma.

Tonight I cooked chicken curry. Sean and I love it!! I had mine with green salad, Sean had rice and poppodoms!!

Emma wanted to try some salmon. Cooked it for her - she took one bite and said it was disgusting!!! Kitties are having a treat tonight and I have another piece I saved for the fridge (not sure what to do with it!!)

[EmmaG]

Oh why didn't she like it??? any ideas?

You could cook the remaining piece with a tiny amount of butter and a squeeze of lemon. You can cook it on the george forman ;)

[Donna]

Oh why didn't she like it??? any ideas?

You could cook the remaining piece with a tiny amount of butter and a squeeze of lemon. You can cook it on the george forman ;)

I cooked both bits tonight on the George foreman!!!

She didnt like it because of the smell and it tasted odd apparently :roll:
She is now eating uncooked pasta - obviously no taste!

[EmmaG]

uncooked pasta??? that's a bit tough!!!! (I presume it is fresh pasta though rather than dried :-D ) Strange how she didn't like it, perhaps it was a little bit strong tasting for her.

If you have got the other piece in the fridge and it has been cooked I would flake it up and have it over a nice salad.

[Donna]

It is dried pasta!!!! She is a strange girl!!

Will have the other bit tomorrow - will mix with a bit of mayo and have with salad. At least thats my dinner sorted for tomorrow now.

Will have to go cook yet another dinner for Emma now :-(

[EmmaG]

hmmm dried pasta....very odd ;)

Well at least she tried the salmon more than some children do!!

[Donna]

Sean wouldnt try it. He just turned his nose up, but he did eat all my curry so cant complain too much!

[EmmaG]

Next time Donna, make enough curry so you can freeze a few portions :) you can then just heat them up in the microwave if you want to, nice and easy ;)

[Donna]

Next time Donna, make enough curry so you can freeze a few portions :) you can then just heat them up in the microwave if you want to, nice and easy ;)

Good idea Emma, but i do find it quite fun cooking now!!:shock:

[EmmaG]

hahahaha see, I just knew you were a natural chef :)

[Donna]

Wouldnt say natural, but am getting the hang of it!! Can you do a beef or lamb curry? And also can I do a beef dish using a creamy sauce as we cant have gravy?

[dinahsmum]

Beef Stroganoff? Fab!

[Donna]

Beef Stroganoff? Fab!

Low carb???? Receipe????:lol:

[dinahsmum]

I'll google you one! Would think it's low carb

[Donna]

I'll google you one! Would think it's low carb

Sounds promising!!

[EmmaG]

yes both beef and lamb work very well, but use tinned tomatoes and the paste (no coconut cream/milk)

how about a beef stroganoff??

Servings: 2

Ingrediants:

1/2 pound beef
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 teaspoon worchestire sauce
1/3 cup sour cream
Garlic salt
pepper

Directions:

Brown the beef, season with garlic salt and pepper.
Add water, tomato sauce, and worchestire sauce, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in sour cream and heat through.

Serve over sauted courgette strips

[EmmaG]

lol DM great minds think alike ;)

[dinahsmum]

Ingredients
675g/1½ lb beef fillet, preferably cut from the tail end
65g/2½oz unsalted butter
1½ tbsp paprika (hot Hungarian, if you like a little subtle heat)
1 large onion, very thinly sliced
350g/12oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 tbsp sunflower oil
300ml/10fl oz soured cream
2 tsp lemon juice
small handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
For the matchstick potatoes
450g/1lb floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, peeled
sunflower oil, for deep-frying

Method
1. Cut the steak into slices 1cm/0.5in thick, then cut each slice across the grain into strips 1cm/0.5in wide.
2. For the matchstick potatoes, cut the potatoes by hand into short sticks 3mm/0.2in thick or use a mandolin. Set aside in a bowl of cold water.
3. Heat the sunflower oil for deep-frying, either in a large pan or in a deep-fat fryer, to 190C/375F.
4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the paprika and onion and cook slowly until the onion is soft and sweet, but not browned.
5. Add the mushrooms and fry gently for three minutes. Transfer the mixture to a plate and keep warm.
6. Drain the matchstick potatoes and dry thoroughly in a clean tea towel or a salad spinner.
7. Plunge the potatoes into the hot oil and fry for three minutes, until crisp and golden. Drain briefly on kitchen paper and keep hot in a low oven.
8. Using the same pan you cooked the onion mixture in, heat one and a half tablespoons of sunflower oil until very hot.
9. Add half the fillet steak and fry quickly, seasoning and turning it as you do so, for just over one minute. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the rest of the oil and steak.
10. Return the onion mixture to the pan and pour in the soured cream. Bring to the boil and simmer for a minute or so, until thickened.
11. Return the steak to the pan and heat very gently for one minute - the beef should not be cooked any further.
12. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley and serve with the matchstick potatoes.

But no potatoes!

[dinahsmum]

Just mushroom strog is fine too.................a much cheaper option!

[Donna]

Thanks Emma and DM!!! Will definately give this one a go!!!

[EmmaG]

hmmm I might as well!!!!! lol

[Donna]

Just mushroom strog is fine too.................a much cheaper option!

Bit scared of mushrooms DM:roll:

[EmmaG]

Bit scared of mushrooms DM:roll:

lol lol (sorry Donna ;) )

[EmmaG]

Well cheese salad all prepared for lunch tomorrow, I also prepared some celery sticks and mixed up some tartar sauce and some mayo as a dip, rather yummy :)

[Donna]

Well cheese salad all prepared for lunch tomorrow, I also prepared some celery sticks and mixed up some tartar sauce and some mayo as a dip, rather yummy :)

Looks like you are gonna be good tomorrow!!

[EmmaG]

NOTHING is going to stop me being good for the next few days!!! lol I will be sick of salad by the end of the week!!! lol although I might make some meatballs for Friday :)

[Donna]

I have been better today:

boiled egg/bacon/mayo
biscuits with low carb jam
chicken curry and green salad

Couple of teas and lots of diet coke.

[EmmaG]

Food sounds good Donna, the OH bought me an Easter Egg on Saturday, so I now have a buttons egg sitting near my computer, my mum has also got me one as well :roll: so I have no idea how/when I am going to eat them (just checked buttons egg and it needs to be eaten by July 2006 lol) I need to get down to 9 stone before I eat it!!! lol

[Donna]

Luckily I wont get any Easter eggs!! Just gotta get a couple for the children.

[EmmaG]

Well I don't eat a great deal of chocolate so no doubt they will last me a couple of months!!! lol

[EmmaG]

9 stone 6 lbs today, but I have been soooo good ;)

breakfast - custard with low carb jam
lunch - cheese salad
dinner - will be duck salad

snacks have been some celery with tartar and mayo dip :)

[Donna]

No weigh in -

Bacon/egg/mayo
chicken/green salad

dinner ???