Mind Games

Yesterday was a challenge. I shouldn't be surprised, I've done enough 'first day of diets' to know that the overwhelming senses are deprivation, resentment and above all hunger. Apart from a small piece of granary toast yesterday evening whilst I waited for my vegetables to roast (I was desperate), I stuck to the day's allocation of food.

I saw a programme last week about weight loss which was in the form of a series of experiments and case studies to illustrate each of the ten tips they were giving. They were pretty self-explanatory but then even I know that the way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you use but if it was that easy we'd all be models so clearly a programme pointing out the obvious has it's place.

One tip that really struck me was the trick of using smaller plates for your food to help reduce portion size. I have a set of pasta bowls given to me by my mum and one of them could bail out a mid-sized rowing boat in about 3 scoops. I generally fill one of those with pasta, ladle my home made tomato sauce over the top (healthy until I add my heaps of parmesan) and scoff it down in front of Eastenders. Obviously I'm trying to avoid pasta but even so I have switched to a much more reasonable set of plates which are probably about 3" less in diametre than the aforementioned. The idea is your brain is tricked into thinking it's had loads because the small plate is full so it tells your stomach you've had enough.

Last night I was fine up until about 9.30pm then I had to have a Horlicks because I was about to tear the flat apart, Hulk-style trying to find something sweet to 'take the edge off'. Considering my flatmate has a giant Toblerone in her cupboard (she's the sort of person who can have a piece then put it back - mental) I count it as a great achievement that I opted for the 40kcal drink.

I'm pleased to report that so far today (it's 4.45) the hunger pains have been minimal.

Tomorrow is the start of a 2 day tube strike which will be utterly infuriating, however it means I'm planning to walk to and from work from Victoria, a good half hour each way which could be the burst of exercise my first week of weight loss needs.

Food for today:
Small bowl of Fruit & Fibre with semi skimmed milk
Salad of green leaves, cucumber, tomatoes, assorted seeds, feta, houmous & small tortilla wrap
1 Tesco Light Choices fruit bar
Roasted veg & half a low fat mozzerella ball
Tea, diet coke