PMT Week

Oh my goodness, this week has been a killer on my will power.  I have stuck to the diet but this week has been hard.  I was kinda taken by surprise as until now I've found it relatively easy to follow and not been hungry.  I have even been to a restaurant where others have been eating and I just drank a glass of water without any problems, so this week...

Period is due, my irritability levels are at maximum and I'm fighting off a horrible virus.  I keep feeling sick, hot and cold due to temperature and sore throat.  Lots of people have commented maybe its the diet but I know what its like to be ill and PMT week is normally calmed with food.

I have been making the kids meals and could drool over the pizza as its come out of the oven.  The melted cheese, soft white bread and tomato sauce oozing over the sides, it looked amazing.  Oh how I have missed chocolate this week.  Wisper bars, with the velvety smooth texture and that Cadburys sugary chocolate taste - so good.  However I don't want to ruin all my hard work and I really do need to loose this excess weight.  I just remind myself of why I'm doing this and why its important to me.

I also need to find a way to cope with PMT without always reverting to food.  I need to plan ahead and think of healthier ways to relieve the tension of my hormones - I have started to read Girltalks PMS prep guide.  Its a Godly woman's plan on coping with hormones.  I can learn from this and will be better prepared next month!

Observations..

The second week has been harder.  This is mainly because I have gone down to 3 sachets instead of 4.  This is because its more affordable this way for us.  I'm glad I stuck to this change though as towards the end of the week I was back to being normal.

I have now completed 2 weeks on the plan and am now allowed to exercise.  I have also lost 11lbs and people are noticing the weight coming off.  This is a great feeling but I just want it off faster!

During this week, we had some people over and we had the normal cakes and biscuits out.  I sat there watching everyone just happily snacking and it got me thinking.  My old eating habits means I would probably of eaten 2 cakes and a couple of biscuits, regardless of whether I was hungry.  This meant I would of gone to bed having consumed a large amount of calories that I did not need to eat.  There have been plenty of occasions where I have eaten because it was there, rather than needed to or even wanted too. 

In the morning there was 1 left over cake and 4 biscuits.  The biscuits easily divided out to the boys but the cake I would probably of eaten, just because I couldn't stand the arguments over which son should have it or wasted the food by putting it in the bin.  I hate wasting food.  Even with my homemade bread i save the crusts for bread pudding or croutons, any loaves that go stale (very very occasionally) this is then frozen to make stuffing.  The idea of throwing food away is just awful for me but I have to learn that I'm not the bin, neither are my children. 

I am slowly learning that what we consume is really important.  Food is fuel for our bodies and starting the day off with refined carbs and high doses of sugar because I don't like to see waste, is just a different type of waste.  Rather than fuelling our bodies properly, I would choose to contaminate them.  Rather than saving it as a treat for later in the day as part of a balanced diet, I would of consumed it without really thinking about what I was doing to my body.  This diet has really made me think about where I go wrong with my food choices and how I can make changes to benefit both myself and family.

I'm so excited....

Today I'm feeling great - I can fit back in my old clothes (pre-4th child) and I weigh under double figures - only just but i'm so happy! It feels like its been a long time since I was last here and feels so good!!!

Its certainly been worth the hard work, to think if I had joined a slimming club and follwed it strictly and lost approx 2lb a week then it would have taken me about 9 weeks to be here, where as on the Cambridge its taken 4!!!

I'm now really looking forward to when these clothes are too big and I need to treat myself to some new ones!!!

The first week....

Day 1, butterscotch shake, maple and pecan porridge, leek and potato soup, strawberry shake. Managed over 2litres of water and a few cups of black tea.

It felt strange not eating but I wasn't actually hungry, just felt light headed.  I set my phone to remind me every hour to drink a glass of water.  I thought I'd really struggle with the water but it was ok.  Also having black tea was fine, i think as i only have a splash of milk, going black didn't really taste any different.  I really don't like the flavour of the shakes but they are bearable if made with very cold water and served with lots of ice.  I had a little rest in the afternoon to help conserve some energy but on the whole ok.

Day 2, apple cinnamon porridge, butterscotch shake and leek and potato soup.  Drunk over 2 litres of water and a few cups of black tea.

I woke up feeling quite energetic so tried to do as many jobs as possible.  Water and black tea not a problem and the replacements were fine.  As the day went on I felt quite fuzzy though and needed to take it easy.  On this diet you can not exercise for 2 weeks as your body adjusts.  I can feel a headache coming on but as long as I keep drinking water, it is kept at bay.  I was able to make a roast for the family etc and I wasn't drooling or resenting it.  I feel fuzzy but fine.

Day 3, butterscotch shake, leek and potato soup, butterscotch shake, mint choc shake.  Drunk over 2l of water and a few cups of tea.

I woke up feeling really fuzzy and my mouth feels like its grown fur.  I don't actually feel hungry just weird.  I decided to have 4 sachets today as feeling odd.  The water is getting easier to drink and i now enjoy it.  I had a little rest in the afternoon as energy levels were disappearing. Thank-goodness for choc mint flavour, it is actually really nice and I can drink it without it being ice cold.

Day 4, choc orange shake, vegetable soup, mushroom soup and maple porridge.  I drunk over 2l of water and a few cups of black tea.

I woke up feeling really good! the fuzziness is gone and i have energy again.  I must now be in ketosis - this is the stage when your body starts to feed itself and you feel better.  I never thought it would actually work and that you would always feel a bit groggy but it has and I'm glad I persisted. Also really enjoy the choc orange flavour too!

Day 5,Choc orange shake, chicken mushroom soup, apple cinnamon porridge.  Drunk over 2l of water

Today is our anniversary and we went to the cinema to celebrate.  I haven't actually felt hungry and I feel really good on this diet.  I am so surprised! I think this diet must really suit me.  I do get the occasional light headiness (I have quite an active lifestyle wife and mother of 4 boys) but its certainly not stopping me from doing things.  I'm beginning to discover the flavours that I like and have placed my order for next week, when I go down to 3 sachets a week. I'm in a system now.
Day 6, Vanilla shake, leek potato soup, apple cinnamon porridge

I'm still amazed that I feel fine and that I don't feel hungry.  I am a girl who likes her food.  I'm also already seeing how sometimes I eat when actually all I really need is a drink of water.  That I sometimes fill parts of my day by eating a snack or treat but actually I really don't need that.  I am finding the diet easy - which I find hard to say as I have never found a diet easy before!  I'm still surrounded by food as have to cook for my husband and children but its been fine and not tempting.

Day 7, Maple porridge, mint choc shake and leek&pot soup. 2L of water and a few cups of black tea.

Today I got weighed - I have lost half a stone! I am so pleased! Today is Friday and I started on a Saturday so not quite a full week but have decided to keep Friday as my weigh in day.  I am really pleased - the diet has been easy to follow and easy to stick too.  I have found what flavours I enjoy and am ready to embark on week 2.  This week has really opened up my eyes to my bad eating habits and to what my body actually needs.  I have also started to read up more about food and learning about food from a nutritional point of view. Previously I'd let my mood dictate the food I needed. Roll on week2! 

Count Down begins...

Right I have my lovely consultant, ready to take me through the plan and I start on Saturday 10th September.  I have a mixture of soups, shakes and porridges... In the mean time I need to start drinking lots and lots of water. On the plan you need to drink 2litres of water minimum, getting used to drinking that much will be a challenge for me as I don't like it, but I know its good for me.  There are side effects to the diet and they ask you to start cutting out sugary/carbs before you begin to help you cope better. 

Apparently the first 3-4 days are the worst and if I can get through those then I will be ok, after then your body starts to feed itself... that is when you are suppose to feel much better and have more energy. 

Its quite scarey and a big challenge for me to cut out food. I love and really enjoy my food but at the same time i'm really looking forward to starting this new chapter in my life - this is the begining of freedom to food!