JockoT's Journal, 05 Sep 16

Most of that 4 pounds will be water retention. You'll soon lose it again :) 

Wonderful the weight is coming off, well done you. Me? being a bit hopeless at the moment, but have slowly started to eliminate stuff like bread from my diet and focusing more on fish and veg. Have bought set of Tanita scales you mentioned, finding them quite a challenge to set up as not very technically minded. Have managed to record my weight but haven't yet managed a re weigh record for the following week. No worries, get there in the end.X 

Well done on your weight trend, and I'm glad you had a nice weekend 😀 

Hi Jocko - You have very impressive losses over the past one year, and as a retired engineer, you of all people can be disciplined and dedicated. If I can share instead of shouting, then a while ago my weight was similar to yours, yet to shift this stubborn belly fat (and you can do it) looking at your food calendar, the carbs and fat are still too high, with protein too low...... the reality is that this plan will only serve to frustrate you. I know it's tough, yet drastic change is required, before life drastically changes you (old proverb, not mine :-) - Wine as you know is counterproductive, so too is pub lunches and the empty calories in beer. 2 bottles of wine, fine food to accompany, a pub lunch washed down with a fine ale is "habit" yet totally counterproductive towards your goals - You end up fighting yourself here - You know this..... Go back to your engineer days and recall how to get the end product you simply had to follow a strict set of rules, deviate from these rules and there was no end product (or not one that was planned). Yet not only did you follow the rules of engineering, you also applied precision through discipline, so you already have what it takes Jocko - actually the human being is built to change, and while everything in the mind will want to stay in it's comfort zone, make a habit of change and this will soon become your adventurous default - Our spirit LoVe's adventure, wake it up and get it to come out to play! To get down to your target weight (( without loss or lack of motivation )) it's going to take a mammoth dietary change. At least for 12 weeks,,,, not forever, yet for the next 12 weeks set a reasonable goal where you will at least see the physical results reflect in the mirror. Drop the alcohol, give up all processed food, and don't allow a pub-lunch to dupe your consciousness, or your taste buds. 12 weeks - Just do it for 12 and watch what happens! Get your carbs down to 100, protein up to 100, and fat to hover around 50 - (and while these figures are not set in stone), the weight will fly off. The physical self will then inspire and motivate you to continue, yet more importantly, your emotional, mental and spiritual self will return with full colour and vibrance - Excuse the pun, yet "Your born again". Trust that wasn't pontificating too much Kind Regards Morgan  

DGM is right, and you could do that if you wanted to. The question is, do you want to? 

I'm having a wine whine. Haven't had any for almost a month. Parched! Can I drink vicariously through you please (Malbec being a favourite)? 

@Strange Trout - Only you can answer if you should or shouldn't drink alcohol - though before you undo those 28 golden days, consult your inner-self and ask your own being if this is a good idea. If your inner voice is advising you not to drink, then this is "life's plan" for you, and if you drink consider there may be a residue of guilt or regret. Though if it's saying OK, "drink vicariously", then only you can make that decision. Just bear in mind your liver has almost renewed itself now, and your beautiful blood is purer than it was, i.e alcohol free....... your cravings are coming from the mind though Which do you prefer to live with? cravings that will eventually subside, or potential guilt and regret that are embedded for a great deal longer? Only you can know the answer and I trust whatever your decision, it's the right one for you. 

As Heidi says, do I want to. It would be fine if I lived in isolation, but I don't. My wife likes a drop of wine now and again. She would never dink a bottle though. She also likes me to take her for a bar lunch now and again. It is not a regular thing, but nice when it happens. My wife hates cooking and I don't cook. Because she works (as I do now), convenience food is just that. Convenient. 

Thanks DGM, good advice, although the beautiful thing about drinking vicariously is that I don't have to touch it, I can just hear about how nice it is to have a glass :). I know the health benefits but was hoping it would help my diet more, ho hum. However, having lived with a man who thought it acceptable to drink a bottle of red and half a bottle of whiskey a night, I can take or leave it! 

StrangeTrout - Living with anyone who consumes or consumed a bottle of Red and half a Whiskey, (without joining them), is a sure sign that you have an incredible amount of "inner spiritual" self-discipline. You have a very wise inner-self which can serve you well in life ....... I agree that dieting can be difficult, yet after many yo yo's myself, the way I found to be most effective was to jump on the scales first thing in the morning and weigh myself daily. I Calculated calorific intake and expenditure with precision accuracy. For me, a 500 calorie deficit gives approximately 200g of weight loss per day, and as I understand it, this formula works for everyone. It took time, yet I worked out that at 1200 to 1400 calories (on a very strict low carb - high protein diet) gives me a loss..... not everyday, though most days I drop 200g. Can't say I'd be on this diet forever, though until this belly fat goes, as mundane as it is - I'm putting in my utmost to stick to it.  

JockoT, in Aldi (am I allowed to put that? not advertising, just saying) here, they do a marvellous microwave in a bag mixed fresh veg ie broccoli, carrots, leek. All different. just shove in microwave and viola, veg and no prep.Also wonderful salmon, enough for 2, shove in microwave = meal.Expect they do it in the U.K too. X 

burble - The content appears good, i.e. broccoli, carrots, leek, salmon, etc --- Microwaving comes with mixed opinions and it's a topic all on it's own - the upside it's quick and convienient, the downsides are potential radiation which "could" mean a loss of some nutritional value. Overall it's better than a cream cake :-)  

Sounds great Jacko! You know how to enjoy! 

Great idea for the veggies and salmon, burble! Especially as Jocko and his dear wife aren't keen on cooking :) 

Thanks DGM, my deficit is between 1,300 and 2,000 daily and my diet is all fresh, well balanced and (for the next week) without booze - even with wine I only twice went over my given calorie intake. However, I am not losing weight as I should and I am not feeling very wise about it! Feeling let down by my body actually - quelle surprise - although it's probably just my age. I certainly won't lower my calorie intake again, that would be silly, shouldn't do more exercise as an hour and a half daily is enough. Guess I'm destined to be 'buxom', dammit! 

I like the Aldi salmon. Lidl's as well. We just ding frozen veg, but I am not keen on veg, so half a cupful is more than enough for me.