JockoT's Journal, 16 Aug 16

Hi JockoT, I have had good steady progress by not eating anything processed (Bread, biscuits, tinned soup, ready meals etc...) I only eat fresh veg, fruit, meat, nuts etc...I keep a track on my daily intake using this app and as I'm very greedy I'm amazed at the amount of food I can scoff to keep my intake at 2000 Cals. Even more amazing is the money we save in shopping. You have to plan your meals and go shopping a bit more often, but this does give you more control back on what you are eating and spending. We keep it very varied, and I've tried food I would never have imagined eating a few years ago. The Guinness is my big downfall. But I try to keep a few calories spare every day so a few pints at the weekend wont hurt. Allow yourself a treat or two every week and try to do as much exercise as you're comfortable with and try to build it into your normal routine. I walk it to work and back most days now. It's only 30 mins in the morning and evening but its 5 hours a week I never used to do!! There's lots of good stuff on the internet about Glycaemic Load, which explains why processed carbs and some cooked carbs aren't that good to eat when losing weight. I don't pretend to be an expert but it has certainly helped me and my wife. Hope this helps.  

Thank you for your input. There is no reason why, as a retired man, I cannot go shopping anytime I need to. Processed food is a big part of our diet as my wife still works. She comes in, throws something in the oven or microwave, and away we go. My big concern is why things changed so much after my surgery. Okay, it was on my gut, but no reason why that should have affected any thing to this extent. 

Jocko, you need to go back to how you were eating before your surgery. You were doing well then. Look back at your food diary and see what you were eating. 

Are you drinking enough water? I have found that this significantly effects how hungry I feel. If i just have one glass of water with/ 30 mins before a meal I feel fuller for longer and also less bloated. If you have had surgery keeping hydrated will be important as it will also aid in your recovery. Maybe also try eating foods that keep you fuller for longer like nuts, beans, eggs etc. I'm no expert either but these definitely help me. If i feel hungry I try and have a handful of nuts and a glass of water which usually tides me over until my next meal.  

You may have just answered your own question Jocko, your wife still works and puts food into the oven or microwave, if they are processed and ready meals they may be full of sugar and high in carbs, the more carbs you eat the hungrier you will feel. You say you are retired and can go to the shops anytime, so why not you doing some of the cooking and if the shops are not too far walk there and plan your meal, meat, veg , salad ,nuts etc it will help your energy levels, keep you occupied and would be nice for wife to home to meal. Don't get too down hearted , if what your doing now is not working for you, but please try to cut out the processed foods, it's just as easy to use frozen peas and not open a can of processed peas , little changes will make the difference and without eating processed all the time I dont think you will feel hungry, good luck.  

I haven't looked at your diet (I'm on my app) but I know all your journals lately mention how much you have been eating carbs. Allowing them back in. It is no fun being hungry, maybe cut the carbs, be strict and see if your hunger goes down with the fame Same exercise. You're also teetering at a very mental number , I think it's 200 without looking. Pushing through that mentally might help ya move forward. My big number is to get below 150 and keep going. Something about some numbers, just stalls me, and I sway. Good luck, hope you figure it out! 

I agree with what sueb89 posted, maybe you could take over the cooking duties. Make your own versions of the "pierce and ping" meals so you control what is in them.  

I try and drink 2.5 Litres of water each day, plus tea, coffee and diet soda. I don't always manage it but I do drink quite a bit. I would cook, but I am so rubbish at it and my wife doesn't like me in the kitchen! 

You had surgery and were very poorly. It could take up to a year for your body to recover. It could be it needs the fuel if it is healing. Accept that it will take you longer to recover. Drink green tea and plenty of water. A glass of water before a meal and you will eat less. It could be that you are thirsty not hungry. The colour of your urine should tell you if you are drinking enough. You should hardly see it in the toilet bowl. Try 4 fruits and porridge for breakfast. Have you been checked for diabetes. Ping meals are deadly. You try this one. Get a large piece of cooking paper. In it place a pile of sliced sweet potato, frozen green beans, frozen peas, broccoli, cauliflower. On top place a fillet of frozen pollok, sprinkle with chives. Wrap giving space but securely. Do two and microcrowave together for about 10 minutes. Check it is cooked thoroughly. Anyone can do that. Good luck.  

Thank you Jenny. I'll keep that in mind. I have been checked for diabetes and I am all clear. I'll have to try the cooking. I'll try it when my better half is out! 

I suggest you just log everything you eat, eat 500 less calories a day then you use and realize how far you've come! What's the option? We are not quitters : ) We are the determined ones! 

Good advice Angel. I log religiously, but an currently having trouble stopping at 500 below. I use the numbers my Fitbit gives as the calories I use, and at present my logging is very seldom below that value. I cannot give up. We have a Renewal of Vows Ceremony, next July, I need to be ready for. Part of the problem is the fact my wife doesn't want me to lose any more weight. She has always known me as fat, and now she sees me at trim and is happy with her new man. I know I still have a good bit to go. 

Been there, done that. All except for the surgery. The way I see it the problem is not your body, it's your head. Fix that and the body will follow. I am not eating and haven't since 6th August. I'm consuming very low cal medically approved and pharmacist managed products. Can't recommend this to anyone. It's my fault I got this way. I'm a recovering fataholic and nobody can fix me but me. I want to stop but I refuse to. I have a goal which is 'under 101kg. That's my short term goal. What are you willing to do to make you feel better?  

I cannot agree more. It is all in my head. I just need to knuckle down and do it. I can. I have done. I just need to do it now. 

Hi Joko, you've already got some good advice, so I thought I'd share my thoughts on cooking. Do you have a slow cooker? You can make basic (aka. non-processed) stews/big soups really easily. I'm making lamb this week. So... Serves 4: Put 460g diced lamb, 400g peas, 400g green beans, 400g chopped carrots 750g baby potatoes, 3tsp mint sauce, and 1 lamb stock cube (dissolved in hot water, as per the instructions) in the slow cooker on low heat. Leave in there for 6 hours, serve. You can stir as you want, but mine sits in there undisturbed until I come home from work. Adjust the portions as you want for your diet/size of your slow cooker. I'm super lazy, so buy my lamb pre-diced from the butchers and the chopped carrots from the frozen section of the supermarket. You can quarter the baby potatoes, but you don't have to. 

Thanks, Lucy. We had a slow cooker, but gave it away because we never used it. My wife didn't want it left on if we were out, and because we are seldom in for any length of time, it just sat on the shelf. I think her daughter has it now and she seldom uses it either. Seems a bit rude to ask it back! 

Jocko .. Basically I agree with Jennyroy. You've had it tough going this year and your body is trying to cope with a traumatic experience. You are a strong minded person having done absolutely amazing. Please don't be too hard on yourself you deserve a bit of time to adjust. I am certain that you will be well under your 200 mark very soon. We are all on your side.  

Hey JockoT, how about you cook a meal but make it enough for 4 servings? I do cottage pie, i have a quarter of it as does my husband and he either takes the remainder to work or i will have it another day (i freeze them in the plastic chinese containers and write on the front what they are, so effectively you are still having a ping meal but a healthier one :) so i use 500gr 5% lean steak mince, 1 chopped onion, 2 gloves of garlic, 1 tin or a carton of chopped tomatoes with herbs, 1 tsp marmite, dash of worcester sauce, i make up a half a pint of meat gravy granules, sliced carrots (i cube them) you could even put frozen ones in, 1000gr potatoes which i cook and then mash with a drop of skimmed milk, sometimes i stir in a tsp horseradish sauce or i add white pepper. So using spray light i put the onion and garlic in the pan and keep it moving, if it starts to stick i put a bit of water in it, then add the mince keep moving it around the pan, add the toms, worcester sauce and when all browned i add the gravy and the carrots (i cook them in the microwave first) if you use frozen carrots you could just chuck them in, let it simmer and let the gravy thicken, then put it in a roasting tin, cover with the mash and iether cook in the oven a for a bit or under the grill to crisp up the potatoes, i usually bung mine in the oven as i make it earlier in the day and then eat with hubby later, you could even put grated cheese on top of the mash, this will obviously increase the calories a lot, i do half pot half pots and cheese, i normally serve with cabbage or green beans. You could even do a batch without the carrots in it and just do the rest in the pan, freeze the other portions then use pasta for a bolognese or the bolognese ingredients but add some chilli, red pepper and a can of red kidney beans and serve it with wholegrain rice, i use the tilda microwaveable rice, you could have a green salad with it and a dollop of reduced fat creme fraiche :)  

another yummy one is chicken and butternut squash curry, i use (this serves 2), 100gr red thai curry paste, 200gr chicken breast, 140gr cubed and steamed butternut squash (you can buy it pre done if you want), 140gr chopped baby corn (the little cobs not kernels or corn on cob), 200ml reduced fat coconut milk (i get adli's own as the fat and calories are really low), 250gr wholegrain basmati rice (tilda steamed one or i use a coriander and chilli one), 240gr fresh spinach. So put the curry paste in the frying pan, stir it round add the diced chicken breast, keep it moving as it will stick, add a drop of water if needed, when chicken is browned add the cooked but not over cooked butternut squash, the corn and the coconut milk, stir it all in, it may look a bit runny, don't worry the rice will thicken it, cook the rice for 2 mins in micro stick in the pan then add a whole bag of spinach and put the lid on a simmer until the spinach has wilted, the spinach will look like you've put way too much in but you haven't as it wilts down to nothing. My hubby really likes this dish and there is plenty of it, to be honest we normally have a bit left over too, the calories per serving work out at 520 so it's quite good and you have lovely fresh ingredients in it. Hope this helps you :) 

Hi Jocko - I think you could benefit from planning each meal ahead each day on the calorie counter diary, and then adjust the fat and carb when too high and then add more protein instead. I do this, and come in under my calorie allowance every day without feeling hungry. Carbs are hard to avoid I know, but I hope this helps.