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.