JockoT's Journal, 16 Aug 16

I am on my computer and can see your photo of the chart now. IF it was a stock and i was reading the Candlesticks and trend lines, support and resistance (which i do every day trading) I would go all in LONG! So, if that means anything to you, i'd work on a bad earnings report and crash in the market so you can go short again:0 But, i would suggest looking back at what you were eating when the trend line was downward, and what you changed when it started creeping up. Your probably back on track already.  

I try and plan a day ahead. It is what I add ON TOP of the plan that does for me. The thing is, I am eating exactly the same stuff, for the most part, as I was doing before. Just slightly more. I think it is all mental attitude I need to get to grips with. I will certainly try the recipes everyone is giving me. Even Mrs T is interested in trying them. 

Okay, my second suggestion if you don't want to use a slow cooker is how I learnt to cook. Make jar meals, e.g. sweet and sour chicken. Fry chicken until white all the way through (best done on a non-stick pan because you can avoid using oil to prevent the chicken sticking to the sides). Boil rice as per instructions. Heat sauce e.g. Uncle Ben's (in microwave, or add to chicken in the pan until the sauce starts to bubble). Serve all together. <p> On it's own you probably won't see much of a benefit compared to ready meals, but it's a good way to start cooking. <p> From there, you can start reading the ingredients on the back and add in complementary vegetables. With extra carrots, peppers, and pineapple, your 'Serves 4' sweet and sour chicken stretches to five, and the extra calories are much healthier. <p> Eventually you'll get the confidence to follow recipes completely, and even learn how to make things up <p> Good luck :) 

Thanks Lucy. Coincidentally I did that today. I roasted a chicken yesterday, and stripped the carcass today. I put it in a pan with Batts Spanish Chicken Cooking Sauce and heated it all through. I boiled some brown rice, serving the chicken on top, and we had that for dinner. It was great. More than enough for two and my wife enjoyed it too. 

Just a thought along the lines about staring cooking meals yourselves (it's never to late to learn 😉) BBC good food have a lot of receipts for every level and most diet requirements. I use it a lot, and have done so for years to get inspired. A couple of years ago I bought the three books of the hairy bikers 'diet' books. They are great! My son can get so enthusiastic about the smalles things I make, and will copy it for his own use.. You are dong so well in your progress of weight loss, so why not carry on with some home cooking? You never know, it migh just become your added hobby 😄