(copied from stuff I wrote elsewhere):
"The reason it's a bad idea to weigh yourself any more than once a week (or ideally even less frequently than that), is that there can be odd daily fluctuations, and indeed odd weekly fluctuations. The bigger the gap between weighings, the more likely it is you'll catch a general trend (upwards or downwards), rather than just a localised blip.
The other reason it's a bad idea is that you have such an emotional investment in what you weigh. So if you catch one of those blips, no matter how you try to rationalise it, it will make you miserable.
And that's why I should NOT have weighed myself this morning.
I STILL HAVEN'T LOST ANY WEIGHT.
Also, someone dear to me last night was quite derisive about the whole thing (the fact that IPD is bright pink was really not helpful, either): "I reserve the right to point and laugh when it doesn't work."
I need some fvcking proof that this is all worthwhile.
I could try getting out the tape measure (I measured all my circumferences on Wednesday), but what if it agrees with the scales? Also, it involves getting undressed which is really quite difficult with my back the way it is. Maybe the painkillers are stalling progress? Maybe I should just be BE MORE BLOODY PATIENT?
Oh well. I'm not giving up now. At least the nearest-and-dearest's response has made me more stubborn than ever to make this work. And I've been sugar-free for 3 weeks now, which means I no longer get cravings, and it was only ever the sugar that was likely to derail me - I have no particular fondness for the other carbs.
I also might have to splash out on the Taubes book, to counteract the pink thing.
I am spending way too much on this already though. I've justified it so far on the basis that I'm just starting out and need incentives to carry on, but soon I'll have to cut back. Or sell my body or something. But first I will have to make it worth selling... ;)
I'm currently on free prescriptions, cos of the poverty ting. Maybe I could convince the doctor to prescribe butter, walnuts, salmon and cream? :O)"
Saturday 31 March 2012
Day Four
SATURDAY 31st March 2012 (scroll down for food eaten today)
Felt fine, apart from carb cravings late at night and the sudden realisation that I may never be able look forward to weekend carby treats again. NO MORE CAKE!!! FOREVER! I can cope with this as a short term thing, but long term? Hmm. At least I can have dark choc. Realised how much my weekly routine is focused on weekend carby treats, and my mindset on "what lovely thing can I next shove in my gob?" At least that last part is largely satisfied by treats such as mushrooms fried in cream. But maybe this diet is better suited to someone who doesn't have a MASSIVE sweet tooth and has always always preferred foods that were on the sweet side? Even when eating savoury, I've always favoured the sweet stuff. All my favourite veg are sweet (and currently off limits, boo).
Also, lovely things like trips to cafes in order to eat cake and coffee. And I was looking forward to being able to take advantage of Kro bar's cheap coffee-and-cake deal at weekly choir meetings. Oh well. Maybe my habits, and more importantly desires, will change. Certainly I don't crave sugar hardly ever any more.
Weighed myself in the afternoon. Big mistake. I STILL weigh 12 stone. I could try getting out the tape measure (I measured all my circumferences on Wednesday), but what if it agrees with the scales? Also, it involves getting undressed which is really quite difficult with my back the way it is. Got into stupid discussion on BC forum about the mathematics of regular weighings, and whether it was mathematically more sound to weigh yourself frequently rather than as little as possible. Frequent measurings give more accuracy and a better ability to spot trends and ignore fluctuations, but they are emotionally catastrophic and anyway, my contention is that the bigger the gap, the more you will be able to see gross trends and fluctuations will be irrelevant: For instance, if I weigh myself a month from now and I'm a stone lighter, I won't be able to see all the fluctuations along the way, and it won't matter at all that I was 2 lb lighter the day before and 2 lb heavier the day after, because what I will see is a significant net weight loss, and that's what's important.
Was demoralising though: WHEN will I lose weight? Is F right that it's all a waste of time? "I reserve the right to point and laugh when it doesn't work," F said. I have finally caved and bought a copy of Gary Taubes' The Diet Delusion: Hoping I can use it to blind F with science.
But worried the multitude of painkilling medication I'm on because of my back may be stalling the weight loss. Am on valium, paracetamol, prescription-only codeine and some anti-inflammatory whose name I've forgotten. All recommended by doctor! Does make a difference though. Also doesn't help that I'm swotting madly for my SQL Database Development Microsoft Competency exam (70-433) on thurs, which means I have to stay at desk for longer than my back is really happy with, and have also had to go back onto cafetiere coffee to counteract the valium and stay awake late at night - so I can do more swotting.
Also, it's bloody easter next weekend!!! I have no desire to eat lots of choc though. Son Number One has been told that he is only allowed to buy me a small very-dark-choc easter treat, and I will eat it in homeopathic quantities. Ideally I won't eat any of it until the first fortnight of Phase 1 is up.
Got mild gastric reflux this afternoon and again this evening. Booooo, was hoping I would escape that on this diet. May well have been the coffee though. Will knock that on the head again once this exam is out of the way. Until the next thing comes along that means I have to stay awake all hours. Knowing me, it won't be long. It's juat that the only way I can get decent amount of sleep is if ALL I do is go to work and be a mum/housewife. I get so depressed/bored if I don't have other projects on the go too.
Breakfast: scrambled egg with one field mushroom, butter, soured cream, groundnut oil
Lunch: 2 hard boiled eggs, mayo, mustard-and-cress, fried caulimash, watercress + spinach + rocket
Snack: Field mushroom, soured cream, leftover fried onion+mush, roule, butter, groundnut oil, walnuts, almonds, garlic. Nowhere as nice with soured cream instead of cream (we'd run out of cream) - won't be doing that again. Felt slightly sick afterwards, but that may have been the codeine I'm taking for my back.
Tea: beefburger, homemade coleslaw (raw cabbage, raw carrot, almonds, nat yoghurt, mayo), slices cucumber
Snack: Slice ham (medium quality), slice cucmber
Snack: slice ham (medium quality)
Felt fine, apart from carb cravings late at night and the sudden realisation that I may never be able look forward to weekend carby treats again. NO MORE CAKE!!! FOREVER! I can cope with this as a short term thing, but long term? Hmm. At least I can have dark choc. Realised how much my weekly routine is focused on weekend carby treats, and my mindset on "what lovely thing can I next shove in my gob?" At least that last part is largely satisfied by treats such as mushrooms fried in cream. But maybe this diet is better suited to someone who doesn't have a MASSIVE sweet tooth and has always always preferred foods that were on the sweet side? Even when eating savoury, I've always favoured the sweet stuff. All my favourite veg are sweet (and currently off limits, boo).
Also, lovely things like trips to cafes in order to eat cake and coffee. And I was looking forward to being able to take advantage of Kro bar's cheap coffee-and-cake deal at weekly choir meetings. Oh well. Maybe my habits, and more importantly desires, will change. Certainly I don't crave sugar hardly ever any more.
Weighed myself in the afternoon. Big mistake. I STILL weigh 12 stone. I could try getting out the tape measure (I measured all my circumferences on Wednesday), but what if it agrees with the scales? Also, it involves getting undressed which is really quite difficult with my back the way it is. Got into stupid discussion on BC forum about the mathematics of regular weighings, and whether it was mathematically more sound to weigh yourself frequently rather than as little as possible. Frequent measurings give more accuracy and a better ability to spot trends and ignore fluctuations, but they are emotionally catastrophic and anyway, my contention is that the bigger the gap, the more you will be able to see gross trends and fluctuations will be irrelevant: For instance, if I weigh myself a month from now and I'm a stone lighter, I won't be able to see all the fluctuations along the way, and it won't matter at all that I was 2 lb lighter the day before and 2 lb heavier the day after, because what I will see is a significant net weight loss, and that's what's important.
Was demoralising though: WHEN will I lose weight? Is F right that it's all a waste of time? "I reserve the right to point and laugh when it doesn't work," F said. I have finally caved and bought a copy of Gary Taubes' The Diet Delusion: Hoping I can use it to blind F with science.
But worried the multitude of painkilling medication I'm on because of my back may be stalling the weight loss. Am on valium, paracetamol, prescription-only codeine and some anti-inflammatory whose name I've forgotten. All recommended by doctor! Does make a difference though. Also doesn't help that I'm swotting madly for my SQL Database Development Microsoft Competency exam (70-433) on thurs, which means I have to stay at desk for longer than my back is really happy with, and have also had to go back onto cafetiere coffee to counteract the valium and stay awake late at night - so I can do more swotting.
Also, it's bloody easter next weekend!!! I have no desire to eat lots of choc though. Son Number One has been told that he is only allowed to buy me a small very-dark-choc easter treat, and I will eat it in homeopathic quantities. Ideally I won't eat any of it until the first fortnight of Phase 1 is up.
Got mild gastric reflux this afternoon and again this evening. Booooo, was hoping I would escape that on this diet. May well have been the coffee though. Will knock that on the head again once this exam is out of the way. Until the next thing comes along that means I have to stay awake all hours. Knowing me, it won't be long. It's juat that the only way I can get decent amount of sleep is if ALL I do is go to work and be a mum/housewife. I get so depressed/bored if I don't have other projects on the go too.
Breakfast: scrambled egg with one field mushroom, butter, soured cream, groundnut oil
Lunch: 2 hard boiled eggs, mayo, mustard-and-cress, fried caulimash, watercress + spinach + rocket
Snack: Field mushroom, soured cream, leftover fried onion+mush, roule, butter, groundnut oil, walnuts, almonds, garlic. Nowhere as nice with soured cream instead of cream (we'd run out of cream) - won't be doing that again. Felt slightly sick afterwards, but that may have been the codeine I'm taking for my back.
Tea: beefburger, homemade coleslaw (raw cabbage, raw carrot, almonds, nat yoghurt, mayo), slices cucumber
Snack: Slice ham (medium quality), slice cucmber
Snack: slice ham (medium quality)
Friday 30 March 2012
Day Three - The Coconut Oil Dilemma
(copied from stuff I wrote elsewhere):
"One of those articles somebody linked to had something about the miraculous qualities of coconut oil.
Well, I'm quite confused about it. I spent ages searching the shelves for it in Asda last weekend, then finally found it... in the cosmetics aisle!
It's actually in quite a foody looking bottle - a bit like lime juice or peri peri, and has nothing on the label about applying it to the skin. According to said label it contains absolutely nothing but pure 100% coconut oil, but it is white and gloopy-looking... rather like moisturiser.
It's from another country (can't remember which), so maybe the Asda staff got confused by its foreignness and put it on the wrong shelf?
So... can I eat it? Or should I smear it on my skin?? Hilarious dilemma to have!"
"One of those articles somebody linked to had something about the miraculous qualities of coconut oil.
Well, I'm quite confused about it. I spent ages searching the shelves for it in Asda last weekend, then finally found it... in the cosmetics aisle!
It's actually in quite a foody looking bottle - a bit like lime juice or peri peri, and has nothing on the label about applying it to the skin. According to said label it contains absolutely nothing but pure 100% coconut oil, but it is white and gloopy-looking... rather like moisturiser.
It's from another country (can't remember which), so maybe the Asda staff got confused by its foreignness and put it on the wrong shelf?
So... can I eat it? Or should I smear it on my skin?? Hilarious dilemma to have!"
Day Three
FRIDAY 30th March 2012 (scroll down for details of what I ate today)
(copied from stuff I wrote elsewhere):
[after being advised to chuck out the scales]:
"I know you're right, but for now my goal is to leave the scales alone for 24 hours.
The irony is that I've always frowned on scales, and in the past have done whole diets without using scales at all. I KNOW they're really unhelpful and just encourage unhealthy obsessions and unnecessary mood swings. My theory is that once I can see that I definitely am actually really losing weight, I'll be able to put them away or at least use them in moderation. I need validation that I'm doing the right thing.
Had to take day off work today cos back pain so bad: Getting out of bed was such agony that the second time the alarm clock went off, I had to make Ally turn it off, even though it's only a metre away from the bed.
Doctor took one look at my back and could see that the muscles were in spasm. Gave me a ton of painkillers and valium (!!) (apparently it helps your muscles to relax), and advised me to keep (gently) moving, and not lie down too much. She was in favour of the low-carb diet and said it was irrelevant as far as the back was concerned. Agreed that likely cause of back pain was moving heavy furniture last Sun.
Went on Fitday.com last night, which was a bit annoying: Despite everything I apparently consumed 38g of carbs yesterday. Two fresh tomatoes were the main culprit. I'm on my way out to buy spinach (and get some gentle exercise).
Also I have discovered I like nuts! Roasted / salted macadamia nuts, specifically. Only a small handful though. My tastebuds are changing.
Actually I hope this is something in my favour: I've always told my kids that they should never rule foodstuffs out: there have been so many times that I've retried something I thought I hated, and discovered, or even deliberately cultivated, a taste for it. I like change. I like trying new things. I actively enjoy confounding my own expectations and proving my own assumptions wrong. I'm a great believer in an open mind. Makes life so much more interesting, even if it does make me suspect that nobody knows what they're talking about, no matter how convinced they sound."
...
"Thing is, it's so EASY (and quick) to just fry some stuff in butter and then add cream and other bits.
I used to be an (untrained, straight outta school) service chef/waitress*, and one of my favourite starters that we cooked was something called "hot mushrooms", which was mushrooms fried in butter and garlic, with added white wine and cream.
*[nostalgia]
It was a vegetarian women-only co-op called Billies (after Billie Holliday), in Chorlton (that combination - vegetarian, lesbian, co-op, Chorlton, is SUCH a leftie Manchester cliche, LOL).
It was my first full time job after leaving home.
It was TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO (bloody hell).
The original premises was half of what is now Iguana bar.
I can still remember my job interview, and how I fell in love with the woman interviewing me.
I was 18.
I can still remember the smell of the storeroom.
We used to make a luscious chocolate mousse out of Ritter dark chocolate bars.
We all used to go clubbing every night after work.
I lived on leftovers.
They paid a pittance.
I LOVED it.
[/nostalgia]"
Breakfast: fry-up: 3 rashers bacon, one field mushroom, quarter of an onion, half a tomato, 2 leaves pak choi (steamed)
Lunch: 2 giant field mushrooms in garlic, cream, butter, blue cheese, nutmeg and walnuts, served on a bed of rocket, watercress and spinach. YUM!
Tea: Tarragon chicken recipe from IPD book, although using rubbish Asda coriander (tastes of nothing!) cos we had no tarragon. Also cauli mash, also from book. Cooked by Ally, bless him.
Everybody goes on about how tasty the mash is, but I didn't like it much. Too bitter. Although it was hard for Ally to get lemon quantities right on the chicken cos we didn't have any fresh lemon, so maybe that was it.
(copied from stuff I wrote elsewhere):
[after being advised to chuck out the scales]:
"I know you're right, but for now my goal is to leave the scales alone for 24 hours.
The irony is that I've always frowned on scales, and in the past have done whole diets without using scales at all. I KNOW they're really unhelpful and just encourage unhealthy obsessions and unnecessary mood swings. My theory is that once I can see that I definitely am actually really losing weight, I'll be able to put them away or at least use them in moderation. I need validation that I'm doing the right thing.
Had to take day off work today cos back pain so bad: Getting out of bed was such agony that the second time the alarm clock went off, I had to make Ally turn it off, even though it's only a metre away from the bed.
Doctor took one look at my back and could see that the muscles were in spasm. Gave me a ton of painkillers and valium (!!) (apparently it helps your muscles to relax), and advised me to keep (gently) moving, and not lie down too much. She was in favour of the low-carb diet and said it was irrelevant as far as the back was concerned. Agreed that likely cause of back pain was moving heavy furniture last Sun.
Went on Fitday.com last night, which was a bit annoying: Despite everything I apparently consumed 38g of carbs yesterday. Two fresh tomatoes were the main culprit. I'm on my way out to buy spinach (and get some gentle exercise).
Also I have discovered I like nuts! Roasted / salted macadamia nuts, specifically. Only a small handful though. My tastebuds are changing.
Actually I hope this is something in my favour: I've always told my kids that they should never rule foodstuffs out: there have been so many times that I've retried something I thought I hated, and discovered, or even deliberately cultivated, a taste for it. I like change. I like trying new things. I actively enjoy confounding my own expectations and proving my own assumptions wrong. I'm a great believer in an open mind. Makes life so much more interesting, even if it does make me suspect that nobody knows what they're talking about, no matter how convinced they sound."
...
"Thing is, it's so EASY (and quick) to just fry some stuff in butter and then add cream and other bits.
I used to be an (untrained, straight outta school) service chef/waitress*, and one of my favourite starters that we cooked was something called "hot mushrooms", which was mushrooms fried in butter and garlic, with added white wine and cream.
*[nostalgia]
It was a vegetarian women-only co-op called Billies (after Billie Holliday), in Chorlton (that combination - vegetarian, lesbian, co-op, Chorlton, is SUCH a leftie Manchester cliche, LOL).
It was my first full time job after leaving home.
It was TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO (bloody hell).
The original premises was half of what is now Iguana bar.
I can still remember my job interview, and how I fell in love with the woman interviewing me.
I was 18.
I can still remember the smell of the storeroom.
We used to make a luscious chocolate mousse out of Ritter dark chocolate bars.
We all used to go clubbing every night after work.
I lived on leftovers.
They paid a pittance.
I LOVED it.
[/nostalgia]"
Breakfast: fry-up: 3 rashers bacon, one field mushroom, quarter of an onion, half a tomato, 2 leaves pak choi (steamed)
Lunch: 2 giant field mushrooms in garlic, cream, butter, blue cheese, nutmeg and walnuts, served on a bed of rocket, watercress and spinach. YUM!
Tea: Tarragon chicken recipe from IPD book, although using rubbish Asda coriander (tastes of nothing!) cos we had no tarragon. Also cauli mash, also from book. Cooked by Ally, bless him.
Everybody goes on about how tasty the mash is, but I didn't like it much. Too bitter. Although it was hard for Ally to get lemon quantities right on the chicken cos we didn't have any fresh lemon, so maybe that was it.
Thursday 29 March 2012
Day Two
THURSDAY 29th March 2012 (scroll down for details of what I ate today)
(copied from stuff I wrote elsewhere):
"One of the things that has surprised me is that I don't know my body as well as I thought I did.
Fat and salty meats have always led to instant heartburn for me - I have a genetic predisposition to gastric reflux - but I haven't had any heartburn at all since I cut down on, and then cut out altogether, carbs.
The one thing that's always been guaranteed to give me heartburn is baked beans, which are pretty carbalicious. When pregnant, bananas were particularly bad - but when pregnant, most things set me off.
I guess this improvement must be something to do with the combination of carbs and other stuff. I have heard a lot of people claim that low-carbing ended any digestion problems they previously had."
...
"I know I know I really do know that it's utterly pointless to be weighing myself yet, but it is just ever-so-slightly irksome and annoying that I STILL HAVEN'T LOST A SINGLE BLOODY POUND.
[sigh]
On a happier note, I don't believe I've ever eaten such a wide variety of properly tasty food in such a short space of time, and none of it seems to be bothering me at all at the moment. I just realised I haven't even thought about coffee today, and it's only my second day away from caffeine. And no headaches. And although I have occasionaly little flashes of 'ooh, some chocolate would be nice right now', they never last and I have resisted all temptations without having to actively avoid them.
There's no way I'm goign to be able to stop weighing myself though, not until I actually LOSE SOME EFFING WEIGHT.
(grr)
Tea tonight was yet more nomminess, and prepared in ten mins flat because (sigh again) the dog was spurting from both ends and Ally was having some kind of work crisis so I had to sort kids and dog out single-handed.
*I know, I'm putting it in everything at the mo. I do also have flatleaf parsley and coriander (which I love love love to bits), but for some reason mint seems Just The Thing in all current scenarios. This has the added and not-consciously-intentional-because-it-always-catches-me-by-surprise-when-I-notice-it effect of reminding me of my childhood and my gran, cos she always put fresh mint from the garden into her cooking. And butter. NOM."
...
"Also also, food and cooking have always been mostly a source of annoyance for me - as irksome a task as cleaning up after spurting-from-both-ends dogs. It's often mightily pissed me off that my body insists on being fed at regular intervals. But at the moment I'm rather enjoying the whole cooking-and-feeding-myself thing. Who'd-a-thunk it?"
Breakfast: fry-up: bacon, one tomato, mushrooms, onions, sweetheart cabbage (steamed).
Lunch: blue-cheese-and-cream sauce, broccoli, fresh chopped mint, pork tongue, salmon-and-cheese nibblies.
Snacks: Slices of pork tongue and a handful of salted roasted macadamia nuts.
Tea: Eggs scrambled with butter, cream, mushrooms, onions, groundnut oil, fresh chopped mint*, steamed Sweetheart cabbage leaves, chopped fresh tomatoes.
Snack: One soft-boiled egg.
(copied from stuff I wrote elsewhere):
"One of the things that has surprised me is that I don't know my body as well as I thought I did.
Fat and salty meats have always led to instant heartburn for me - I have a genetic predisposition to gastric reflux - but I haven't had any heartburn at all since I cut down on, and then cut out altogether, carbs.
The one thing that's always been guaranteed to give me heartburn is baked beans, which are pretty carbalicious. When pregnant, bananas were particularly bad - but when pregnant, most things set me off.
I guess this improvement must be something to do with the combination of carbs and other stuff. I have heard a lot of people claim that low-carbing ended any digestion problems they previously had."
...
"I know I know I really do know that it's utterly pointless to be weighing myself yet, but it is just ever-so-slightly irksome and annoying that I STILL HAVEN'T LOST A SINGLE BLOODY POUND.
[sigh]
On a happier note, I don't believe I've ever eaten such a wide variety of properly tasty food in such a short space of time, and none of it seems to be bothering me at all at the moment. I just realised I haven't even thought about coffee today, and it's only my second day away from caffeine. And no headaches. And although I have occasionaly little flashes of 'ooh, some chocolate would be nice right now', they never last and I have resisted all temptations without having to actively avoid them.
There's no way I'm goign to be able to stop weighing myself though, not until I actually LOSE SOME EFFING WEIGHT.
(grr)
Tea tonight was yet more nomminess, and prepared in ten mins flat because (sigh again) the dog was spurting from both ends and Ally was having some kind of work crisis so I had to sort kids and dog out single-handed.
*I know, I'm putting it in everything at the mo. I do also have flatleaf parsley and coriander (which I love love love to bits), but for some reason mint seems Just The Thing in all current scenarios. This has the added and not-consciously-intentional-because-it-always-catches-me-by-surprise-when-I-notice-it effect of reminding me of my childhood and my gran, cos she always put fresh mint from the garden into her cooking. And butter. NOM."
...
"Also also, food and cooking have always been mostly a source of annoyance for me - as irksome a task as cleaning up after spurting-from-both-ends dogs. It's often mightily pissed me off that my body insists on being fed at regular intervals. But at the moment I'm rather enjoying the whole cooking-and-feeding-myself thing. Who'd-a-thunk it?"
Breakfast: fry-up: bacon, one tomato, mushrooms, onions, sweetheart cabbage (steamed).
Lunch: blue-cheese-and-cream sauce, broccoli, fresh chopped mint, pork tongue, salmon-and-cheese nibblies.
Snacks: Slices of pork tongue and a handful of salted roasted macadamia nuts.
Tea: Eggs scrambled with butter, cream, mushrooms, onions, groundnut oil, fresh chopped mint*, steamed Sweetheart cabbage leaves, chopped fresh tomatoes.
Snack: One soft-boiled egg.
Wednesday 28 March 2012
Day One
WEDNESDAY 28th March 2012 (scroll down for details of what I ate today)
NB: Although this is entitled "Day One", it's not actually the first post... we also have Day Minus One, Minus Two, etc (sorry - comes of being am mathematician) (although mathematically speaking there really ought to be a Day Nought as well, but that was just confusing).
Don't know if this counts as Day One or not. I've finally read the IPD book and as a result have cut out milk in redbush tea, cut out coffee altogether, stopped having a small daily pitta bread, and dramatically upped my water intake. Otherwise for the previous two days I have been carb free. I was also low carb on Sat and Sun, but was having muesli every morning for breakfast and had sweet cocktails with friends on Sat night.
Copied from stuff I wrote elsewhere on this day:
"Well, I'm still going strong - or rather stronger and stronger.
I started out four months ago cutting down on sugar. Two and a half weeks ago I decided that wasn't enough and cut it out altogether, and started reducing carbs too, to a greater and greater extent... then finally on Monday cut them all out apart from milk in tea, and a small daily pitta... then today I gave up milk in (redbush) tea, gave up caffeine altogether, dramatically increased the water intake and gave up the daily pitta. Minor derailment this evening when Ally promised me a burger and presented me with a breaded turkey burger that had 18g of carbs... but I think maybe today counts as Day One according to IPD. But I suspect the book's timings may have been interfered with by my previous low-carbing... or maybe not, who knows. Anyway I am awaiting the Day Five Crash with baited (and slightly peardrop-like) breath.
Feel fine so far, apart from the backache, but that's beginning to ease (has been pretty bad the last couple of days though, but I think it's unrelated).
It's difficult when you have a family, cos you start looking askance at everything they eat too, but let's do this person by person. Gawd knows whether this will change my eating habits permanently, I'm just taking it one day at a time for now. But in Tesco today, I was mostly oblivious to their tempting carb-fests (although did have a bit of a wobble next to a packet of dolly mixture). Not for the first time, I was boggled by the sheer proportion of the place that's given over to carby badness.
Lovely discovery / invention this evening: Double cream with blue cheese melted in to it, and added fresh-chopped mint, on broccoli. NOM. And v quick to make."
Breakfast: scrambled eggs, double cream, fried mushrooms+onions
Today's lunch (DELISH, and also zero preparation in the morning as I just grabbed a bunch of stuff from the fridge and did minimal prep in work kitchen): Steamed broccoli with leftover blue cheese sauce (double cream, blue cheese, flaked almonds, chopped fresh mint), steamed dark green "Sweetheart" cabbage leaves, a slice of pork tongue (special offer in Tesco last night), and some yummy salmon snacky things from Tesco (OK, they were a treat - only £2 but I couldn't afford to do that every day) (salmon rolled up around various bits of cream cheese).
Tea: 2 sausages, one breaded turkey burger (oops - but only 18g carbs), broccoli, one fresh tomato, homemade blue cheese sauce (blue cheese - Roquefort, double cream, chopped fresh mint).
NB: Although this is entitled "Day One", it's not actually the first post... we also have Day Minus One, Minus Two, etc (sorry - comes of being am mathematician) (although mathematically speaking there really ought to be a Day Nought as well, but that was just confusing).
Don't know if this counts as Day One or not. I've finally read the IPD book and as a result have cut out milk in redbush tea, cut out coffee altogether, stopped having a small daily pitta bread, and dramatically upped my water intake. Otherwise for the previous two days I have been carb free. I was also low carb on Sat and Sun, but was having muesli every morning for breakfast and had sweet cocktails with friends on Sat night.
Copied from stuff I wrote elsewhere on this day:
"Well, I'm still going strong - or rather stronger and stronger.
I started out four months ago cutting down on sugar. Two and a half weeks ago I decided that wasn't enough and cut it out altogether, and started reducing carbs too, to a greater and greater extent... then finally on Monday cut them all out apart from milk in tea, and a small daily pitta... then today I gave up milk in (redbush) tea, gave up caffeine altogether, dramatically increased the water intake and gave up the daily pitta. Minor derailment this evening when Ally promised me a burger and presented me with a breaded turkey burger that had 18g of carbs... but I think maybe today counts as Day One according to IPD. But I suspect the book's timings may have been interfered with by my previous low-carbing... or maybe not, who knows. Anyway I am awaiting the Day Five Crash with baited (and slightly peardrop-like) breath.
Feel fine so far, apart from the backache, but that's beginning to ease (has been pretty bad the last couple of days though, but I think it's unrelated).
It's difficult when you have a family, cos you start looking askance at everything they eat too, but let's do this person by person. Gawd knows whether this will change my eating habits permanently, I'm just taking it one day at a time for now. But in Tesco today, I was mostly oblivious to their tempting carb-fests (although did have a bit of a wobble next to a packet of dolly mixture). Not for the first time, I was boggled by the sheer proportion of the place that's given over to carby badness.
Lovely discovery / invention this evening: Double cream with blue cheese melted in to it, and added fresh-chopped mint, on broccoli. NOM. And v quick to make."
Breakfast: scrambled eggs, double cream, fried mushrooms+onions
Today's lunch (DELISH, and also zero preparation in the morning as I just grabbed a bunch of stuff from the fridge and did minimal prep in work kitchen): Steamed broccoli with leftover blue cheese sauce (double cream, blue cheese, flaked almonds, chopped fresh mint), steamed dark green "Sweetheart" cabbage leaves, a slice of pork tongue (special offer in Tesco last night), and some yummy salmon snacky things from Tesco (OK, they were a treat - only £2 but I couldn't afford to do that every day) (salmon rolled up around various bits of cream cheese).
Tea: 2 sausages, one breaded turkey burger (oops - but only 18g carbs), broccoli, one fresh tomato, homemade blue cheese sauce (blue cheese - Roquefort, double cream, chopped fresh mint).
Tuesday 27 March 2012
Day Minus One
(copied from stuff I wrote elsewhere):
"In response to someone querying the quantity of carbs I ate yesterday: These pita are apparently 15g per piece. And I only had one piece. Small, not large.
Drank water and redbush tea.
Only ate about 10 nuts, if that - just sprinkled in (I don't actually like nuts on their own so I'm never likely to eat too many of them) - the coleslaw made mostly of carrot and cabbage. I know carrot supposed to be carby, but I also know it's a very inexact science and these things vary massively according to who you ask, and is all relative.
Definitely a low carb day, even if not the-absolute-lowest-ever-possible.
The IPD book arrived today and I'm resetting a few things based on what I've read. Have been drinking milk in tea, and tons of coffee, so am going to attempt to give those up, although I know I get nasty headaches and deep fatigue when I give up caffeine, so am not entirely convinced it's a good idea to give both carbs and caffeine up at same time. No way I'm putting cream in my tea (yuck!) so will just drink it black for a bit (have done that before, so I know I can get used to it v quickly). I drink gallons of redbush tea every day already, which is approved of, so at least I'm doing something right-ish."
...
"What surprises me is that so far I haven't seen anyone say anything about the apparent increase in salt (bacon, deli meats, various cheeses, olives, sausages... a lot of this stuff is super-salty).
And I'm enjoying the IPD book but they don't seem to explain anywhere why they want you to give caffeine up as well as carbs - whether it's in any way related to weight loss, or whether it's just that they were trying to be as healthy as poss... and although they insist that you must take at least 6 (!!) different daily supplements, they don't really explain why, or whether there's any medical backing for the supplements they recommend, or why they're needed at all given that the low-carb thing is supposed to be so good for you? "
[I discovered later that for some people caffeing can stall weight loss - something to do with it encouraging the body ot produce insulin. As for salt, some people believe salt isn't as bad for you as previously stated, but most people on low carb diets do try and watch the amount of salt they consume]
"In response to someone querying the quantity of carbs I ate yesterday: These pita are apparently 15g per piece. And I only had one piece. Small, not large.
Drank water and redbush tea.
Only ate about 10 nuts, if that - just sprinkled in (I don't actually like nuts on their own so I'm never likely to eat too many of them) - the coleslaw made mostly of carrot and cabbage. I know carrot supposed to be carby, but I also know it's a very inexact science and these things vary massively according to who you ask, and is all relative.
Definitely a low carb day, even if not the-absolute-lowest-ever-possible.
The IPD book arrived today and I'm resetting a few things based on what I've read. Have been drinking milk in tea, and tons of coffee, so am going to attempt to give those up, although I know I get nasty headaches and deep fatigue when I give up caffeine, so am not entirely convinced it's a good idea to give both carbs and caffeine up at same time. No way I'm putting cream in my tea (yuck!) so will just drink it black for a bit (have done that before, so I know I can get used to it v quickly). I drink gallons of redbush tea every day already, which is approved of, so at least I'm doing something right-ish."
...
"What surprises me is that so far I haven't seen anyone say anything about the apparent increase in salt (bacon, deli meats, various cheeses, olives, sausages... a lot of this stuff is super-salty).
And I'm enjoying the IPD book but they don't seem to explain anywhere why they want you to give caffeine up as well as carbs - whether it's in any way related to weight loss, or whether it's just that they were trying to be as healthy as poss... and although they insist that you must take at least 6 (!!) different daily supplements, they don't really explain why, or whether there's any medical backing for the supplements they recommend, or why they're needed at all given that the low-carb thing is supposed to be so good for you? "
[I discovered later that for some people caffeing can stall weight loss - something to do with it encouraging the body ot produce insulin. As for salt, some people believe salt isn't as bad for you as previously stated, but most people on low carb diets do try and watch the amount of salt they consume]
Monday 26 March 2012
Day Minus Two
(copied from stuff I wrote elsewhere):
"So anyway. Today was my first muesli-free day (scrambled eggs and double cream for breakfast).
I felt pretty crap this morning, then perked up when I ate some home-made coleslaw (grated carrot, finely chopped red cabbage, double cream, natural yoghurt, nuts). But for the past several hours I've had quite strong lower back pain (and occasionally-all-around-the-middle-and-down-the-legs pain). It's hurting to move. And of course, given that I am a hypochondriac, I'm worried it's somehow connected. Kidneys maybe? Doesn't feel muscular - feels menstrual, but the timing's all wrong for that.
Doesn't help that my friend R is worried I'm on some crazy quack diet that's gonna make me ill. And the last time I did any extreme diet-changing (Vordeman's detox), it was indeed crazy quack nonsense and I made myself quite ill.
Not that I'm saying it IS crazy quack nonsense, just that I've found an unfortunate side-effect of ageing is that I've not only become less and less sure of my own knowledge and opinions, but also less and less convinced there's any way of knowing whether anyone else is right about anything (is that just me, or do other people get this??)."
...
"The muesli was the last thing to go. I've been low-carbing for a fortnight now, gradually decreasing the quantity of carbs. Just that today was the first day without muesli, and I was pretty much carb-free (whoops, apart from the beans!) all weekend apart from the muesli.
I AM a hypochondriac though, and have a stupid tendency to draw extreme conclusions on the flimsiest of evidence.
To anybody not used to it this diet does look extreme, particularly when apparently-healthy things such as beans, complex carbs and fruit are frowned upon.
I know I shouldn't expect instant results. Sadly as well as having hypochondriacal tendencies, I'm also impatient. It doesn't help that I've actually been trying to lose weight for four months now, with no results - and the last fortnight has represented such a massive shift in my eating habits (in comparison with a much more gentle one in the previous four months) that it's been disappointing not to see any apparent effects.
Anyway I helped Ally move a metal bed frame up to the attic yesterday, so even though it felt fine at the time, that may well be the culprit for the back pain! I might not have jumped to the diet-based conclusion if I hadn't had my friend panicking on my behalf yesterday.
Had yummy tea tonight: Fish cooked in cream, with green beans."
...
"I've more or less reached the point, I think, where my appetite is changing.
At first I was hungry all the time, now I just get occasional spikes, and they either go away on their own or I just have to eat a small quantity of (non-carby) food.
Today I've had...
breakfast: scrambled egg + double cream
lunch: wholemeal pita (carby concession for the day) + home made coleslaw (carrot, cabbage, double cream, nat yoghurt, nuts) + houmous
tea: salmon, prawns, assorted seafood cooked in double cream, + steamed green veg
I haven't actually counted the carbs and prob won't do until the Idiot-Proof book arrives, but I think it's not bad.
And I'm not hungry. Back is still killing though. Suspect I've done it some damage moving stuff."
...
"Doctors were advising me to lose weight when I was only eleven stone, so I'm pretty sure they'll be saying it now I'm 12. I don't have any other health conditions so there's no reason why not. I'm five foot four inches high - don't actually know my current BMI, but I'm officially overweight and possibly even "obese".
My main reasons for wanting to lose weight are because I'm having trouble with my knees (and it was this, when I was 11 stone, that caused the doctor to advise me to lose weight) and none of my clothes fit and I look crap.
I went out on Sat night, burst into tears, couldn't stop crying and had to come home again. Was a bit unexpected - had been a v low-carb day apart from muesli, so maybe that was an effect of the low-carbiness, who knows?
Anyway I'm a bit stubborn and obsessive about stuff like this, so I'm confident I can stick to it."
"So anyway. Today was my first muesli-free day (scrambled eggs and double cream for breakfast).
I felt pretty crap this morning, then perked up when I ate some home-made coleslaw (grated carrot, finely chopped red cabbage, double cream, natural yoghurt, nuts). But for the past several hours I've had quite strong lower back pain (and occasionally-all-around-the-middle-and-down-the-legs pain). It's hurting to move. And of course, given that I am a hypochondriac, I'm worried it's somehow connected. Kidneys maybe? Doesn't feel muscular - feels menstrual, but the timing's all wrong for that.
Doesn't help that my friend R is worried I'm on some crazy quack diet that's gonna make me ill. And the last time I did any extreme diet-changing (Vordeman's detox), it was indeed crazy quack nonsense and I made myself quite ill.
Not that I'm saying it IS crazy quack nonsense, just that I've found an unfortunate side-effect of ageing is that I've not only become less and less sure of my own knowledge and opinions, but also less and less convinced there's any way of knowing whether anyone else is right about anything (is that just me, or do other people get this??)."
...
"The muesli was the last thing to go. I've been low-carbing for a fortnight now, gradually decreasing the quantity of carbs. Just that today was the first day without muesli, and I was pretty much carb-free (whoops, apart from the beans!) all weekend apart from the muesli.
I AM a hypochondriac though, and have a stupid tendency to draw extreme conclusions on the flimsiest of evidence.
To anybody not used to it this diet does look extreme, particularly when apparently-healthy things such as beans, complex carbs and fruit are frowned upon.
I know I shouldn't expect instant results. Sadly as well as having hypochondriacal tendencies, I'm also impatient. It doesn't help that I've actually been trying to lose weight for four months now, with no results - and the last fortnight has represented such a massive shift in my eating habits (in comparison with a much more gentle one in the previous four months) that it's been disappointing not to see any apparent effects.
Anyway I helped Ally move a metal bed frame up to the attic yesterday, so even though it felt fine at the time, that may well be the culprit for the back pain! I might not have jumped to the diet-based conclusion if I hadn't had my friend panicking on my behalf yesterday.
Had yummy tea tonight: Fish cooked in cream, with green beans."
...
"I've more or less reached the point, I think, where my appetite is changing.
At first I was hungry all the time, now I just get occasional spikes, and they either go away on their own or I just have to eat a small quantity of (non-carby) food.
Today I've had...
breakfast: scrambled egg + double cream
lunch: wholemeal pita (carby concession for the day) + home made coleslaw (carrot, cabbage, double cream, nat yoghurt, nuts) + houmous
tea: salmon, prawns, assorted seafood cooked in double cream, + steamed green veg
I haven't actually counted the carbs and prob won't do until the Idiot-Proof book arrives, but I think it's not bad.
And I'm not hungry. Back is still killing though. Suspect I've done it some damage moving stuff."
...
"Doctors were advising me to lose weight when I was only eleven stone, so I'm pretty sure they'll be saying it now I'm 12. I don't have any other health conditions so there's no reason why not. I'm five foot four inches high - don't actually know my current BMI, but I'm officially overweight and possibly even "obese".
My main reasons for wanting to lose weight are because I'm having trouble with my knees (and it was this, when I was 11 stone, that caused the doctor to advise me to lose weight) and none of my clothes fit and I look crap.
I went out on Sat night, burst into tears, couldn't stop crying and had to come home again. Was a bit unexpected - had been a v low-carb day apart from muesli, so maybe that was an effect of the low-carbiness, who knows?
Anyway I'm a bit stubborn and obsessive about stuff like this, so I'm confident I can stick to it."
Sunday 25 March 2012
Day Minus Three
(copied from stuff I wrote elsewhere):
"I realised today one hard one for me will be finding sandwich substitutes. I'm heavily reliant on sandwiches because I'm so frequently out and about with kids at mealtimes, and also I like to go for walks in my lunch hour, and sandwiches are so very portable and can be prepared in five mins flat."
...
"Sadly I don't like nuts or unmelted cheese unless they are a small proportion of a larger dish, but I'm sure I'll find somehitng portable that suits me. Salads, probably. I grabbed a bowl of bean salad when we went to the park yesterday, and just shoved it in a plastic bag. But that had already been prepared earlier. It's those days when I don't have anything already prepared that I need to cater for (with the best will in the world, they're bound to happen). Hmm yes, tins of tuna would be good for that."
"I realised today one hard one for me will be finding sandwich substitutes. I'm heavily reliant on sandwiches because I'm so frequently out and about with kids at mealtimes, and also I like to go for walks in my lunch hour, and sandwiches are so very portable and can be prepared in five mins flat."
...
"Sadly I don't like nuts or unmelted cheese unless they are a small proportion of a larger dish, but I'm sure I'll find somehitng portable that suits me. Salads, probably. I grabbed a bowl of bean salad when we went to the park yesterday, and just shoved it in a plastic bag. But that had already been prepared earlier. It's those days when I don't have anything already prepared that I need to cater for (with the best will in the world, they're bound to happen). Hmm yes, tins of tuna would be good for that."
Saturday 24 March 2012
Day Minus Four
(copied from wot I rote elsewhere):
"If I am staaaaaaaaaaaaarving hungry and feeling faint and dizzy, recommendations for tings to eat to make me feel a least a little better? Had muesli for breakfast, then 2 sausages for lunch, then bean salad (pinto beans, tuna, mayo, sweetcorn, chopped fresh mint) couple of hours after that (have been on the go with kids all day so didn't get a chance to be any more organised than that). They're all about to have pizza for tea - I'd rather not.
Sorry, I'll get a bit more on the case (hopefully) when the book arrives. Making it up as I go along at the mo, and having to squeeze research into small gaps that appear."
...
"Panic over, found some salmon in the fridge. NOM. "
"If I am staaaaaaaaaaaaarving hungry and feeling faint and dizzy, recommendations for tings to eat to make me feel a least a little better? Had muesli for breakfast, then 2 sausages for lunch, then bean salad (pinto beans, tuna, mayo, sweetcorn, chopped fresh mint) couple of hours after that (have been on the go with kids all day so didn't get a chance to be any more organised than that). They're all about to have pizza for tea - I'd rather not.
Sorry, I'll get a bit more on the case (hopefully) when the book arrives. Making it up as I go along at the mo, and having to squeeze research into small gaps that appear."
...
"Panic over, found some salmon in the fridge. NOM. "
Friday 23 March 2012
Day Minus Five
(copied from wot I rote elsewhere):
"OK, I've read those articles and I'm beginning to get the hang of it. Still don't know what to eat though.
I'm a big believer in fruit - it might take a bit more to persuade me to cut down on that.
So, Idiot-Proof Diet book then?
I've had salt-free-sugar-free muesli with added sultanas and freshly chopped apple every morning for breakfast for the last squillion years. It's, like, a part of my identity, man. It sets me up for the day.
I have a horrible feeling I'm going to be encouraged to give that up. Would I be right? What shall I eat instead?"
"OK, I've read those articles and I'm beginning to get the hang of it. Still don't know what to eat though.
I'm a big believer in fruit - it might take a bit more to persuade me to cut down on that.
So, Idiot-Proof Diet book then?
I've had salt-free-sugar-free muesli with added sultanas and freshly chopped apple every morning for breakfast for the last squillion years. It's, like, a part of my identity, man. It sets me up for the day.
I have a horrible feeling I'm going to be encouraged to give that up. Would I be right? What shall I eat instead?"
Thursday 22 March 2012
Day Minus Six
I've written a lot about how I feel about all this stuff elsewhere, so rather than repeating myself I thought I'd just do some copying pasting. Apologies if you've already read all this in its original location.
How it all started:
This was on Thurs March 22nd, so about 12 days ago:
"I've been trying to lose weight for four months simply by cutting back on the sugary stuff, which has worked for me in the past, but it's made no bloody difference at all.
So I decided to go on the offensive, and about ten days ago I started a massive reduction in the amount of carbs I eat. The only sugar I've had in the last ten days was a meringue on Mother's Sunday. I haven't had any alcohol at all, and I've had several meals that consisted of only protein and veg. Apart from that every meal has had a massively-reduced quantity of carbs, and overall I'm eating a lot more protein and a lot less stuff generally.
I'm keeping it healthy - mostly I'm eating fish, chicken, cheese and pulses.
Oh yes, and I'm cycling to Oldham and back (to work) every Friday, which is a 22-mile round trip, up and down some extremely steep hills. It's about 2.5 hours of exercise overall, very aerobic indeed, and I've cycled up every bloody hill, without getting off the bike. And I'm swimming a bit too, and walking a bit.
AND IT'S NOT BLOODY WORKING.
OK, so it's early days, but I haven't lost a single pound.
Not only that but I feel hungry a lot of the time. This idea that protein fills you up just doesn't seem to work on me. Also on the days I eat no carbs at all, I feel pretty bloody ill.
I'm really sodding depressed about it and I just don't know what to do about it.
I don't actually agree with the kind of dieting that makes you go hungry - I can't see how it's sustainable and it's just a bit too hair-shirty for me. I'm not intentionally going hungry, I just really struggle to eat enough protein to fill me up. I get to a certain level and I just can't face any more, even though I'm still hungry.
I even had a theory that because I'm drinking more caffeine these days, my body is taking energy from the caffeine and therefore not using fat reserves instead? But I'm pretty sure that's bad science - surely caffeine isn't fattening (although using the above logic I'm not sure why it isn't)?
Anyway. Pah. [sulk]"
How it all started:
This was on Thurs March 22nd, so about 12 days ago:
"I've been trying to lose weight for four months simply by cutting back on the sugary stuff, which has worked for me in the past, but it's made no bloody difference at all.
So I decided to go on the offensive, and about ten days ago I started a massive reduction in the amount of carbs I eat. The only sugar I've had in the last ten days was a meringue on Mother's Sunday. I haven't had any alcohol at all, and I've had several meals that consisted of only protein and veg. Apart from that every meal has had a massively-reduced quantity of carbs, and overall I'm eating a lot more protein and a lot less stuff generally.
I'm keeping it healthy - mostly I'm eating fish, chicken, cheese and pulses.
Oh yes, and I'm cycling to Oldham and back (to work) every Friday, which is a 22-mile round trip, up and down some extremely steep hills. It's about 2.5 hours of exercise overall, very aerobic indeed, and I've cycled up every bloody hill, without getting off the bike. And I'm swimming a bit too, and walking a bit.
AND IT'S NOT BLOODY WORKING.
OK, so it's early days, but I haven't lost a single pound.
Not only that but I feel hungry a lot of the time. This idea that protein fills you up just doesn't seem to work on me. Also on the days I eat no carbs at all, I feel pretty bloody ill.
I'm really sodding depressed about it and I just don't know what to do about it.
I don't actually agree with the kind of dieting that makes you go hungry - I can't see how it's sustainable and it's just a bit too hair-shirty for me. I'm not intentionally going hungry, I just really struggle to eat enough protein to fill me up. I get to a certain level and I just can't face any more, even though I'm still hungry.
I even had a theory that because I'm drinking more caffeine these days, my body is taking energy from the caffeine and therefore not using fat reserves instead? But I'm pretty sure that's bad science - surely caffeine isn't fattening (although using the above logic I'm not sure why it isn't)?
Anyway. Pah. [sulk]"
Wednesday 21 March 2012
Hello
How's that for an optimistic blog title? I haven't proved anything yet. But then again, I am an idiot.
I'm a 42-yr-old mother of two, I weigh 12 stone, by BMI puts me at the high end of overweight, nudging obesity.
I gained most of the weight during pregnancy and breastfeeding, followed by complacency and the belief that as the 42-yr-old mother of a 3-yr-old and 9-yr-old, I was "past it" and nobody would ever find me attractive again so there was no point worrying about it. And I'm not single, so why should it matter? Except it does, because "fat, old, ugly and boring" is my self-hating mantra, and my knees hurt.
Aaaaanyway. I started by cutting down on sugar. No effect. So I cut down on carbs. No effect. Then cut down some more. No effect. Then I bought and read Idiot Proof Diet (India Knight, Nerys Hughes) and realised I'd have to cut carbs out altogether if I wanted to see a difference. That was five days ago, and so far I feel fine.
(I still haven't lost weight though, and I know I know I KNOW that weighing myself at this stage is pointless, but I just can't stop myself).
This post was actually written on 1st April, which was the day I started this blog, but I'm going to date this post as 21st March, just so that it becomes the first oen in the blog (because I've dated all the restrospective posts with their correct dates, so they appear in order).
I'm a 42-yr-old mother of two, I weigh 12 stone, by BMI puts me at the high end of overweight, nudging obesity.
I gained most of the weight during pregnancy and breastfeeding, followed by complacency and the belief that as the 42-yr-old mother of a 3-yr-old and 9-yr-old, I was "past it" and nobody would ever find me attractive again so there was no point worrying about it. And I'm not single, so why should it matter? Except it does, because "fat, old, ugly and boring" is my self-hating mantra, and my knees hurt.
Aaaaanyway. I started by cutting down on sugar. No effect. So I cut down on carbs. No effect. Then cut down some more. No effect. Then I bought and read Idiot Proof Diet (India Knight, Nerys Hughes) and realised I'd have to cut carbs out altogether if I wanted to see a difference. That was five days ago, and so far I feel fine.
(I still haven't lost weight though, and I know I know I KNOW that weighing myself at this stage is pointless, but I just can't stop myself).
This post was actually written on 1st April, which was the day I started this blog, but I'm going to date this post as 21st March, just so that it becomes the first oen in the blog (because I've dated all the restrospective posts with their correct dates, so they appear in order).
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