Onwards And Downwards Continues In May 2014

[AB Editor]

Onwards and Downwards Continues in May 2014

Hello all,

Welcome to this month's Onwards & Downwards. We welcome anyone serious about losing weight and we offer support and kind thoughts - not magic fixes, just sensible help.

Rice - is a really healthy but sometimes forgotten ingredient? Apart from alongside a curry or chilli what is it good for? Have done a quick search and come up with these tasty looking recipes:

I know its risotto and that can be seen as boring but it can be a really handy thing to have a few portions of in the freezer as a quick lunch or accompaniment with your evening meal:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/725649/mushroom-and-thyme-risotto

Or egg fried rice is always a great way to use up left over ingredients you can pretty much add anything:

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/1156/chicken-and-mushroom-fried-rice.aspx?o_is=Hub_TopRecipe_1

Maybe a good way to jazz things up is to use more interesting rice like brown, wild or quinoa?

Over to you how do you make rice more interesting?

Don't forget your weekly weigh on Wednesday and remember we don't judge!

Here is last months thread

[boxtops]

I've managed not to lose anything for the last month, but have stayed more or less the same, give or take a couple of pounds. I know what happened - we had visitors for a couple of weeks, parties, etc.... and I have holiday coming up, so plan to get to grips with it all again once we get back. This just HAPPENS when we have cake and biscuits in the house from our guests, it would be rude to waste them :-)

[wendilla]

Yes Boxtops this is the problem when you have company . When I have my grandson stop over and he is here lots during school break term I have to keep goodies in for him . If I forget to tell him to take them home somebody pinches them and there's no one else in the house .it helps to come on here and share your onwards and downwards .

[xstitcher]

EASIEST SALAD EVER

Finely shred spring greens
Mix juice from one lemon
Lo fat fraiche
Sugar or sweetener to taste

Job done!

[xstitcher]

Good morning all,
I can't believe it! I have been eating as healthily as it gets, have cut my portions by half and the scales show that I have put on three pounds. Something is wrong somewhere so I think for the next week or so I shall weigh myself every day as OG does and see what happens. For me it is no longer that I want to loose weight it is that I must do so.

[Maydup]

Oh xstitcher I know that feeling. It seems that the harder we try sometimes the less effective the result on the scales.

I do wonder if when we cut right down on our food in intake, our body holds on to the fat thinking there are hard times to come.

I have remained the same this week and just beginning to think that I need to change something too. How ever hard I try I cannot budge, yet I need to start losing again.

So....what can we change to give our bodies a kit start. In this nice weather I could certainly walk further. I'm not one for the gym, but i could and I must find a way to exercise a bit more than I do. I could also change my menus again. I tend to have similar meals each day and although they are healthy, I fear they are causing the plateau. Off to look at recipes for diabetics xstitcher as you suggested last week. Maybe its time to properly count calories for a bit?

Maybe the other will help with some suggestions to help us get back on track?

[wendilla]

Morning both I don't know what to suggest Xstitcher perhaps if some with diabetis in the early stages might read this and give some advice. .Maydup I know the feeling staying the same when you know you have been good . I am just under a pound loss . Not very good as I have been strict part from once with a pizza delivery when my grandson stopped over at the weekend.

[Maydup]

Morning Wendilla, well done for keeping on track despite the pizza.

Typo in my previous post.... i intended to say "others" not other!

[Old_Geezer]

I'm rather annoyed at present. Granted the last few days of last week I finished the day having consumed slightly more than the aim; but the weekend, whilst not good, was no worst than I normally have and better than most of them. But both Monday and Tuesday I consumed slightly under, and the scales rewarded my by making out I was UP both yesterday and today ! They simply don't play fair at all.

Claiming to be UP again, ⅝ lbs over the week.

[xstitcher]

I think my scales have joined forces with yours OG!

[xstitcher]

I was a bit sceptical about this but it is delicious:
MARINATED BEANS
1 pound green beans
1 1/2 litres water
1 teaspoon salt
1 small red onions
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon water
Salt, pepper

Boil the green beans in the salted water for 3 min.
Finely chop the onion.
Mix the vinegar, oil, water, salt and pepper for the marinade which is then poured over the beans and give them a light stir.
Sprinkle the red onions on top.

[Old_Geezer]

A pound of beans !. Wow, that's one heck of a meal.

Hmm 3 minutes, sounds like they will still be hard. So how long does one cook them after marinating them ?

[xstitcher]

It's just a side dish OG. I used under half of the recipe and you can keep it in the fridge. It's supposed to be crunchy not mushy.

[xstitcher]

Good morning all,
Down 2 pounds but that surge last week should never have happened. I really do blame the scales for last week. I was told by the practice nurse that diabetics find it hard to loose weight because our bodies want to hang on to the calories they have so the name of the game is perseverance and patience.
I would love to hear from our members that have achieved their goals and how it is going with them.
Our numbers really have shrunk lately which is worrying. Are we not doing enough for you?

[wendilla]

well done xstitcher I have gained a pound I think know why I bought extra fruit florida salad and other dressings for salads I will have to go back to making my own dressings.
The answer to your question is some people just give up and I know I would if I did not come on here every week .We have done this now for 3 years and have seen this happen but eventually they come back .

[Maydup]

I've lost a smidgin this week, something less than half a pound; but at least its not a gain after the Bank Holiday weekend. (Which was spent with family and involved resisting cake and ice cream and not succeeding every time!)

For salad dressing i tend to use the Sainsbury's Its Good For You range. I'm not much good at making my own, but these are pleasant and only a few calories for a tablespoon.

My salad tip of the week is to grate beetroot and/or red cabbage add grated carrot and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar. Its a colourful side salad and really filling.

[wendilla]

Good for you not to gain Maydup. That sounds a good tip. Will try it .

[xstitcher]

I take it that you mean raw beet root Maydup ..I have a whole bag of them and needed much less so I shall make up your salad for lunch. I am a great fan of just using balsamic.

[xstitcher]

I'm going to use spring greens with Maydup's salad.

[Maydup]

Yes raw beetroot, and addition of your spring greens xstitcher, sounds great. Really colourful now. A few raw fresh peas and some shredded yellow pepper and we have a fair rainbow!

[xstitcher]

Oh wow the mind boggles with what you can do with those basic ingredients. I'm just about to make it.