lornameg

Hi Naps In my usual fashion, 0.5k off again, slow & steady, thats me. You have done really well. Have a great break, perhaps we can re-negociate our targets on your return. Lorna

I've just been advised to try Adios tablets, herbal, supposed to up your metabolism & increase weight loss!  Several people have said they have helped them.  Don't know how true this is, but I got some today & will give them a go. I'll see how good they are when I weigh in on Tuesday.  Ihave had great trouble losing weight, My mom had a low thyroid count in later life, if I've inherited this, the tablets may help. Try anything once!! Lorna

Hi to both Just to check, are you aware that if you had your ovaries removed at hysterectomy, you will not be able to store calcium, so you must have a good daily intake, to prevent things like osteoporosis. Think this post has ended up needing to be on the Health forum!!! Have decided to stay on HRT at least till the end of the summer. Many thanks for your help

Hi Naps, You have done much better than me, I have lost a measley 0.5k despite no alcohol & no cheats! Your comments re. menopause have made me think. I have been on HRT for 15+ years, and for the last 4-5 have had this creeping weight gain which defies my best efforts to halt. Earlier this year I had to come off it for a couple of months & my weight went down by 3k or so.  That, you would think would be the answer....problem is, I had the most horrendous flushes, night & day.  I was a sister in a menopause clinic before I retired, I trotted out advice on HRT, flushes etc, but I can tell you, if I had had any idea how ill they can make you feel, I would have had more sympathy. So, what do I do, come off it & drop weight & feel wretched, or keep on with this seemingly impossible task of dieting? Its cool here in England at present, but the thought of flushes in hot weather.....ug! What do you all think, all advice accepted with thanks. Lorna  

We are renting a farmhouse on the Lot and are trying all permutations of driving to get there.  Last time we came back, we went..Bergerac-Brive-Round Paris-Boulogne....a very long trip.does anyone else drive this route, all ideas would be welcome.  Our house is actually in Coulx. We would prefer to drive all day without an overnight stop, depending on ferry times...Caen or St Malo are preferred ports. Many thanks Lorna

Naps You are on...I will have to weigh 78k by 11th. I'm dragging OH out for a walk this evening, its lovely in Staffs, he's been watching Wimbledon all day!! Where are you holidaying on 11th? Lorna

Hi, Naps Next mini goal.....perhaps 1k between now & 11th, start gently, shallwe...thats 1lb a week. Is that ok or do you want to getreally serious from day 1? I'm 81k now, so we are pretty level. Anyone else up for a mini challenge? It just helps to have a goal that is attainable, then after 2 weeks, look out, the targets will climb as the weight drops!! If we don't do this, we will always be "tomorrow" women and I for one am fed up with being one!!!  All that stands between me now and me being slim is what I eat, so if I want to be slim for my daughters wedding in August it starts NOW...with your help of course Lorna

Hi to you all I'm back in blighty after a month in France, running a rally just south of Biarritz for 2 weeks...what a joy!!....then resting at the farmhouse we are going to rent from September. Don't know if anyone will remember, I was asking for tips on etiquette when eating with the elderly farmer & his wife, well.....all worked out really well, so thanks to you all. 9 weeks now till we start our 10 month rental, lots to do!! Jan, we had a mini challenge going, how did you do? I have come back about 2k heavier, not too bad.  Its the cheeses, always the cheeses in France that are my downfall. Lorna

Ok, Naps, you're on....4k  off on my return, june 24th. Who am I kidding!! No, I'll give it a good go, I'll have you in the back of my mind. Have a great 4 weeks Lorna

I confess that I have not met our mini-target either, I don't feel as though I have done much wrong, but am still 78.8K I'm off to France on Monday, for a month... I'll catch up and confess all when I get back. Best of luck on your move...we've got it to do yet!! Have a good month Lorna

Hi Naps, What willpower! I can resist savoury things, no problem, but cake...I'd probably sell my soul, these days for a slurp of buttercream. You have reached our mini-target, no slacking now.....congratulations. I have stayed the same this week,  78.8k I really thought I'd done well, ah well, I'm told that when you really start dieting again it may take a week to kick in....or am I deluding myself.  As you are off gadding this weekend, maybe things will weigh a little different next week. Have a great time, we'll be dieting for a while, I think and enjoying life is just as important. I'm off for a walk now, will wear my pedometer & see if I can reach my 10,000 steps today...thats about 4 miles..one can dream. To the poster who is looking for a quick fix of food, how about low fat yogurt with an apple chopped in it, with a teaspoon of honey.  Low in calories, is sweet & takes ages to eat. You could add a dozen raisins if you are feeling really daring I am doing Slimming World, good for me as I love fruit and I can eat lots . I also find that carbohydrates stick to my ribs, so to have a diet which is like the best of Atkins (lots of protein) with a little carbs and lots of fruit suits me well. To those of us who haven't lost this week....hang on in there, it will come off, albeit slowly. Lorna

Many thanks Su Another question for you: In England I make my bread overnight, on Economy 7 electric.  I don't know much about French power schedules, is it cheaper at night and are the tarriffs widely different in prices?  This will  be useful to know as I also use the washing machine at night. Lorna

As the house we will be renting is not within walking distance of a boulangerie, (probably a good job, as far as my diet goes) I will continue to use my breadmaker.  Can I easily buy bread flours and dried yeast in supermarkets?  Many thanks Lorna Burton upon Trent till September, then 47.

Hey Naps Sounds as though you are off to a really good start....good.  I am more like the tortoise than the hare, but we'll see. Keep at it gal.  I'm off to do my exercise dvd now, every little helps!! PS When my kids were little & I was dieting, I taught them from an early age to scrape their own plates of leavings after a meal, otherwise I ate the scraps, it seemed a sin to throw them away! Now mine are all grown & gone, I just don't buy tempting treats...except for 2 finger kit kats, I have one every evening to keep the chocolate monster chained, aren't I sad. Lorna

Hi Jan I've just looked on ebay, there are several sets of Slimming World starter packs and recipe books for sale there.  As I am "decluttering" my house before its eventual sale I have sold several items on there and have found them really useful. Hope this helps Lorna

I'm also doing Slimming World, I've tried most of them over the years, WW, Atkins, Rosemary Connolly, but this one makes the most sense and is the easiest to keep to when you have to eat out socially.  I'm a woman who loves her potatoes & pasta, on Slimming World I can eat these without weighing anything & still have a bit of meat, eggs, cheese and unlimited fruit, its a way of eating I like.  I tend to stick to Green (mostly veggie) days, but my husband loves his meat, so when we have dinner together I'll have a chop & veg with spuds & gravy etc. I'd suggest giving it a go, as has already been said, the website is good, but if you want any help, just give me a nudge. I think I have to accept that I have to watch what I eat from now on, so I don't beat myself up over the occasional lapse, as long as the general trend is downward, thats ok by me. Naps, I weigh in the same as you, within 1k, do you fancy challenge......I weigh 78.8k today, I'll give myself a target of being 77k by 17th May, 2 weeks time...what do you think? Lorna

Can't believe its Tuesday again......ok, here we go.  Lost no weight this week, stayed the same.  I know why, it has something to do with the large piece of coffee cake I ate at the garden centre!! Do other people eat when worried? We have had our house on the market for 8 months, the last step on our move to France.....not one person through the door, its so frustrating, have resorted to pretty plants in pots along the front wall for what the estate agent calls "curb appeal" We've decided we can wait no longer, so have taken a 10 month rental on a farmhouse in Lot et Garonne, things will be tight, but we want to get going. This has nothing at all to do with dieting but, boy, do I feel better for downloading it all to you.  Thanks!! Will have lost weight by next week, thats a promise. Lorna

Where are you all, is no-one weighing in any more? Don't desert me here, I need all the support I can get....or have I frightened you all away? Since having a good weigh in on Tuesday, spent yesterday pigging out, what a foolish thing to do, I enjoyed it at the time but feel gross now.....all cos I was tired & bored. Does anyone else do this, am I alone in occasionally blowing a perfectly good dieting week with a chocolat-fest? Lorna

Feeling really virtuous, another 2lbs off, mind you I haven't cheated at all and don't think I can stay this good for ever!! 17 weeks till my daughters wedding, I'm 12st 6lbs now, what do you think will be a realistic expectation of weight loss by then? My ex husband and VERY ex best frien, now married will be there, they weigh about 10 stone each, wringing wet and I am b......d if I will face them looking a fright, this must be the best incentive ever for losing weight. Just eating a plate of sweet potato chips, free for me today as on a veggie day. Thinking of you all Lorna

Hi, all We have been invited to eat a meal with the elderly, farming couple who own the house we will be renting for a year, from September. Are there any faux pas that we could avoid, I'm sure the rules are different in France. The meal is in the afternoon on a Sunday in a very rural area, the farmers are 80+........should we take a small gift, if so, what....presumably not wine, as in England. Is it polite to arrive on time, or should we be fashionably late? What is the dress code, do people dress up for a Sunday meal at home? Does this vary by region, we are going to the Lot et Garonne. How long is it polite to stay after the meal is over? We have eaten out in France fo years, but this is our first time en famille, are table manners different? We feel it matters that we do not offend these lovely, welcoming people by doing anything crass, so all your knowledge would be most welcome.

Well, its Tuesday again...how has everyone done? I have lost 1 kilo (2.2lbs) but it has been hard, two meals out where the meal was put in front of you, no menu choices, how I passed on the key lime pie I will never know! Hubby is dieting with me now, thats very helpful, he would be on at me if I cheated, mind you he does not relish me reminding him that there are calories in wine, brandy etc!! 5 weeks to go until we are back in France, need to be half a stone less before all the cheeses! We have rented a house very near to the Lot for 10 months, starting in September, can't wait to begin our adventure, but really do need to concentrate on the weight before then, although the house is 3k from the nearest village...so I will REALLY want to have bread before I take on the walk. Talk to you all again next week. Lorna

Morning all, I've lost 1 kilo this week, I'm really pleased as it has been quite hard. Have found that a 2 finger kitkat at about 9pm works for me, I can be "good" all day, looking forward to it....stupid, I know but I can manage that way. I had quite a lot of eating out last wek, ut managed to stay fairly well on track. The thing I like about Slimming World is that on a "green" day, I can eat unlimited pasta & potatoes, so can have a big plate of home cooked chips with egg and not be cheating.  Having a meat day today, off to look for good ideas for chicken...maybe tandoori? Hope you all weigh in well. Lorna

I think you are quite right, there is a way of eating that suits each one of us, trouble is that the one that suits me involves lots of sweet things. I should love to lose the feeling that any meal that ends without something sweet is not really satisfying. Does anyone have any hints for controlling a relly sweet tooth.  I can be moderate with the cheeses, try not to have too much bread, but, oh, pain au chocolate...those little tartelettes with strawberries on, the list is endless. Anything you can think of will be appreciated. PS Used to be a practice nurse, running well woman & slimming clinics, just shows you, doesn't it that "do as I say not as I do" has worked for me for years.  Mind you went to GP here in England, he must have been 18 stone, gave me a real lecture on my weight.  Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!! Lorna

I've heard that you are soon going to have to register with a GP in France. I have to take blood pressure meds, am coming to France in September (hopefully the more relaxed lifestyle will do wonders for my BP). When is the change happening? What happens now re. prescriptions, from our many visits to France, I am aware that you can get more from a pharmacist than in England, does that include things like prescribable medicines. Many thanks Lorna

Hi, I've found you all at last.  I'm the looby that posted in the wrong place.  Better late than never! Slimming World seems to be doing it for me, albeit slowly, its just the thought that its for longterm that is so wearing....if only, once you lost it, it stayed off. As I told you, have to face ex-husband & ex best friend, now married in August at daughters wedding, believe me that is all the incentive I need, I'll walk in there, head held high if I have to get a girdle & can't breathe. Do you all get lots of excercise, do you think thats what makes the difference? Thanks for being there, talk again on Tuesday