The soup recipe
 

Hi Dave and all,
Here's the soup recipe I mentioned earlier. By the way it freezes well if you want to make up a batch.

Chinese Hot & Sour Soup

Ingredients: Serves 2

2 cups beef stock
100g finely sliced lean rump or topside steak (schnitzel works well)
½ cup sliced mushrooms
½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons soy sauce
125g fresh noodles or 30g dried noodles (plain)
1 tablespoon vinegar (cider or rice wine vinegar works best)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon finely sliced spring onion (green shallots)

Place stock, steak, mushrooms, ginger, tomato paste and soy sauce into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Prepare noodles according to pack directions, drain well and add to soup. Add vinegar, sesame oil, and spring onions. Return to the boil and serve at once.

Variations: Sliced chicken and chicken stock can be used in place of beef. If noodles are not wanted finely sliced cabbage can be used to replace them. Other ingredients can be added to suit: eg finely sliced capsicum, chilli, carrot etc.

Thanks bluesfan - looks yummy and I will give it a try.

With winter approaching I should add to my batches of home-made soup.

Ok, it's been a fortnight, and I have settled in to 1/3 to 1/2 the ridiculous QUANTITIES I used to eat, and hit 920 - 1150kCals a day (around the lower on fish days), again cutting calorific intake by 50 to 60ish%

And what did I find of benefit from this radical reduction? A 9lb loss in the first 2 weeks. I know I have been ultra strict with portion size, this speed of loss is unsustainable, and I have always lost weight quickly in the past, but this amount comes as a shock! I checked 3 times, weighing at noon on Saturday wearing t-shirt and boxers (sorry for that image in your minds). I suppose my Metoclopramide is now working in my favour.

It is not easy. I have hunger pangs and cravings, but I had them before and that is where the weight piled on. There has been no junk, one Baklava treat a week - and that is just 97kCals. It helps that my neck and arms are so painful it slows down lifting a fork to my mouth now, and is deteriorating. Meals last nearly twice as long so I get the chance to savour my food and feel full.

The one thing I have not done is get the tape measure out. That is a once-a-month ritual.

I trust that everyone on this Journey is making progress. I still have a long, long way to go. Maybe I will photograph my scales when I hit my target?

Dave.

Dave, that sounds really great :).

I do mindful eating ("I get the chance to savour my food" as well.

Dear david,
congratulations on your weight loss.
that is fantastic!!!!!!!!
I applaud you in your determination to stick with your diet plan.
Losing weight is all about the food.
I am sorry you can lose weight and not do one exercise at all.
I think that you need to eat at least 1200 calories or you run the risk of your body turning into panic mode. starvation mode and turning off your metabolism.
I wish you much luck in this journey....it will take a while but it is worth the effort.
YOU ARE WORTHY OF THIS EFFORT!
bizi

Hi bizi,

Thanks for the encouragement - and especially the advice. I am now aiming more at 1200kCals per day as a deliberate Target. I didn't want to have to cut, then cut again, but then my 'Low Count' days are not deliberate, just that I am eating a very varied diet. When I have a low cal main meal (fish usually) I will compensate with a higher count lunch and snacks.

I am slowly getting a grip on the hunger issue by allocating enough for a small snack every few hours.

I am coming from a long way up, with great determination - fuelled by the support of my Friends here. For that I thank you all.

Dave.

Drinking a ton of water and chewing gum helps me.
a piece of fruit like an apple or a pear in the evening is perfect when I watch an episode of the x-files with my hubby in the evening around 10:30 pm.
lights out midnight.
tonight we had a late dinner, I worked late so dinner at 720pm when we normally eat at 6. then we took a walk around the neighborhood, about 2 miles.
I wear a fit bit and todays totals are:
7615 steps
3.17 miles
1782 calories burned total
for dinner I had baked chicken with bacon and cream cheese
( rarely do I eat bacon!) and steamed brussel sprouts with strawberries and blueberries for desert oh and 2 dark chocolate hersheys kisses.
bizi

Thanks again bizi,

I have to watch Gum, acid issues I take Lansoprazole and Metoclopramide for. Fruit I am finding is good, instead of reaching for a packet of cookies. My Diabetes glucose levels are obviously dropping from this swap (I don't test yet, maybe this year).

For dinner last night I had 4oz Southern Coated Chicken Breast - as a treat, baked. 8oz baked potato and 6oz steamed peas and green beans. I hit 1180kcal yesterday nicely. I am not an obsessive counter, I do not include splurges of condiments or the like, and I round up and down. As long as I am hitting 1200-1300 consistently, now I am 'in the groove' I am happy.

Dave.

oh dave look at your condiments. they can really add up!
Are you diabetic? knowing what your A1c is really helps to see how your blood sugars have been over the past 3 months. It should be below 6.
bizi

Bizi is right about at least 1200 Cals; even 1500 Cals for a man would still be good. You don't want to set yourself up for failure by not allowing yourself enough to sustain a good diet.

Wishing you a successful, lasting diet.


Gerry