THE CC DIET: CHRISTMAS EH? THIS WEEK'S WEIGH IN

Since reaching my first goal of three stones lost, it's been a roller coaster ride up...

then down further...

and then up at Christmas.

Here's to 2021 and some more consistent reduction !

THE CC DIET: DOWN AGAIN. THIS WEEK'S WEIGH-IN

A remarkable loss of weight this week, despite upping consumption in this colder weather.  Three stones lost in less than three months, and after a period of stability, off down again.  Let's keep it going!

THE CC DIET: TIGHTENING MY BELT. THIS WEEK'S WEIGH-IN

Yes.  This week I was able to tighten my belt one more inch, and see a weight half a pound lower than my previous minimum.  Only to see it go up again.  Then down.  A rollercoaster of a week.

The colder weather is still playing havoc with my appetite and self-control.  But basically it's weight stability, within a narrow range, rather than gaining weight.

 

I certainly need to regain control over my self-control!

THE CC DIET: TACKLING WINTER. THIS WEEK'S WEIGH-IN

Braeburn apples

Another weight loss this last week.  Only half a pound.  But I count that as a success given the difficulties I have had since the clocks changed to shorten the day for daylight exercise, and the weather then got colder.  

Braeburn apples have replaced nectarines as my fruit snack.  3Cs instead of 2Cs, but that's better than 4Cs or more for most other snacks.

So the graph is again showing a dip in weight, after a setback for a couple of weeks: 

I'm finding that I can lose weight despite eating more and doing less exercise than in the summer. Presumably because I'm feeling somewhat cooler and the body is having to use energy to keep warm.

So I have reset my daily target back up to 59Cs this coming week, and see how I get on sticking to it.  In that sense it is easier to lose weight now we are going into winter.  Here's the background to how you can lose weight too.  Best of luck!

THE CC DIET: STABILITY. THIS WEEK'S WEIGH-IN

Another tough week, but after losing three stones in three months at least my weight hasn't increased.

Juggling my day has become much more difficult since the end of British Summer Time, with sundown being only just after 4pm.  All too often I have found myself in during the evening and sorely tempted to eat.  

The net result is now:

 Looking forward to reporting further weight loss!

THE CC DIET: TEMPERED SUCCESS. THIS WEEK'S WEIGH-IN

 

After losing three stones in three months, losing seven inches off my waist, this week has been tough:

• Beat daily Cs target on one day, but only one day
  
• Previous weight loss has been helped by two major fits of exercise a day, but only managed that on two days.  Bad weather or circumstances. Ultra-early sundown certainly isn't helping
• Nectarines now out of season.  Braeburn apples may be the best snacks substitute, but discovered late in the week
  
• Feeling down with this lockdown, which should have been shorter and sharper.  The lockdown won't be getting any decent results for the country despite much pain.  Musical activities little chance of re-opening.
• Brexit talks stalled, as expected.
  
• International travel restrictions look set to continue into the New Year, blowing my Christmas plans out of the water to escape Brexit
  

So on six days my evening self-control has disappeared.  Comfort food.  A pound put back on.  There was always going to be setbacks.  It's how I now respond.

I am encouraged by hearing of a lady who has lost 8 stones.  So it's back to 48Cs a day, exercise or not, to lose another 3 stones.  Now the tough must get going!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

I love my food, which is why weight loss action had become necessary.  Frankly, if I can lose weight, so can anyone.  That includes you.  Do you want to give it a go?

Here's the introduction and simple principles to get started.

THE CC DIET: WHEN 7 INCHES ISN'T ENOUGH

7" between belt holes

I reported at the weekend that I had lost more than 3 stones in less than 3 months.  But what is that loss in waist inches?  Seven.  But I can't stop there.

Plenty more to go.  New smaller belt needed!

Pictured is my current day-to-day belt, top, and the belt I was wearing at the start of the diet, on its last hole.  Buckles side by side.  

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

I love my food, which is why weight loss action had become necessary.  Frankly, if I can lose weight, so can anyone.  That includes you.  Do you want to give it a go?

Here's the introduction and simple principles to get started.

 

 

THE CC DIET: SMASHED IT ! THIS WEEK'S WEIGH-IN

No need for a drum roll.  No need for trumpeters.  The results speak for themselves.

Three stones lost in less than three months.  With an extra half a pound for good measure.  With three days to go, it was down to the wire!

A last day push of eating very little, after a week with a couple of days where too much 'comfort foods' in the evening was a response to the re-introduction of the new Lockdown measures and the shenanigans across the pond.

The result was being somewhat over my Cs target for the week, although produced the 3 pound loss I have been targeting from the start:

Whilst I am obviously pleased to have met the three stone loss milestone, it is only a milestone.  The idea is to make this a change in lifestyle, with:

• A three pound per week loss target still relevant for a few more weeks yet.  So it's a target of 48Cs a day now.
  
• Maintaining the increased level of exercise to keep me fit, as well as helping to control weight 
  

So no resting on my laurels!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

I love my food, which is why weight loss action had become necessary.  Frankly, if I can lose weight, so can anyone.  That includes you.  Do you want to give it a go?

Here's the introduction and simple principles to get started.

 

 

 

THE CC DIET: BELT AND BRACES. THIS WEEK'S WEIGH-IN

Last week I said I was tightening my belt, by lowering my daily target even further to 44Cs a day.  When the going get tough, the tough get going.  So I also reduced the credits earned on exercise.  The objective being to get back to losing at least three pounds per week, after a couple of disappointing weeks.

So brace yourself.  Sound the trumpets!  This last week's weight loss was ...

Three and a quarter pounds.   Hurrah !

That means my target of losing three stones in three months is so so close, with only two and a half pounds to lose in ten days.  Achievable at the new weight loss rate. 

You can too.

Only one problem.  How do I keep my trousers up?!

 

 

THE CC DIET: TANTALISINGLY CLOSE. THIS WEEK'S WEIGH-IN

Tantalus the Greek

Last week I mentioned that having lost two stones in two months, I am targeting to lose three stones in three months.  With 17 days to go, I am getting tantalisingly close, with less than 6 pounds to lose.

I also challenged myself this week to meet my target every day for the first time, yet making it more difficult by reducing my 59Cs daily allowance by 10Cs to 49Cs.

The result was 70Cs better than target in total over the week, being an average of 10Cs a day. But with one day slightly beyond target.  Yet only 2 pounds were lost in the week:

Disappointing.  Yet when the going gets tough, the tough get going.  The loss for the next week must be over 3 pounds.  So the target has been reduced by a further 5Cs to 44Cs per day.

Wish me luck!

Here's the starter if you want to give this strategy a go.

THE CC DIET: ADOPTING A 'STRETCH TARGET'

In business, if you want to achieve a target, it's worth setting a 'stretch target' that even if slightly breached will still achieve the master target.  The technique can also be used in personal matters too.

On Saturday I said I wanted to get back on track to be losing three pounds a day by saying "I have ... achieved my daily target on some days, so the challenge now is to do so every day."

To better guarantee that, my 59Cs daily target is now 49Cs.  That not only encourages me to eat less, but encourages me to exercise more.  Good, light exercise, but nonetheless enough to let me enjoy a broad diet.

Will this approach work?  So far so good.  As long as that jar of peanut butter is well hidden!

 

 

THE CC DIET: SURPRISE, SURPRISE. THIS WEEK'S WEIGH-IN

The great Priscilla White, RIP

I was dreading this week's weigh-in.  Would my weight have actually gone up, after a couple of disastrous days with a pot of peanut butter?  And the day I had eaten my evening walk, but fell asleep for the night before doing it.  Real life travails.  Though yesterday a long walk meant I was actually 24Cs up on target for the day.

So surprise, surprise.  Nearly 2 pounds lost this week.  Not too shabby, but below my three pound weekly target.

This week I heard of £1000 someone had been offered to lose three stones in three months.  I'm now only half a stone off that with 24 days to go.  An average of two and a quarter pounds per week is needed.

 

Two and a quarter pounds a week is achievable, but not in the last two weeks.  I have nonetheless achieved my daily target on some days, so the challenge now is to do so every day.  And then keep doing it as a lifestyle change.

Wish me luck!

 

 

THE CC DIET: PLATEAU

This week's diet has been difficult.  Being colder has made me more hungry.  Being wetter has cut my exercise capers.  My evening self-control has deserted me.  

I need a new incentive.  Someone mentioned £1000 to lose 3 stones in 3 months. 

As of last Saturday I had lost 2 stones 4.5 pounds in exactly 2 months.  Leaving less than 10 pounds weight to lose in 30 days.  A pound every 3 days. 2.2 pounds a week.  Can I do it?

Need to get off this plateau.  Watch this space!

THE CC DIET: NOT 'ARF. THIS WEEK'S WEIGH-IN.

5 holes, 4 inches

It's exactly two months since I started the CC Diet.  A new and unique way of losing weight, or if necessary gaining it.  Especially if, like me, you have put on some lockdown pounds.  

In early August I was straining to do up this belt on the longest hole.  Now I can easily do up the first hole.  A good four inches off my waist.  Now I'm having to dig out old belts to start the next four inches.  My doctor's delighted.

This last week, though.  I have over-eaten compared to my target on six of the seven days.  The weather's been a lot cooler, so I was hoping that keeping my body warm would consume enough extra energy to compensate.  Turns out that I must stick to my daily targets if the weight loss is to continue:

Indeed weighing myself first thing this morning was only showing a loss of one pound across the week.  A short snooze and another half pound was lost.  An important extra half.

But over two stones lost in just two months, nearly 15kg lost.  Not bad.  Not 'arf!

 

THE CC DIET: TOO MUCH CRUMPET

Yesterday I came back from a long walk and had two crumpets with butter and marmalade.  12Cs consumed instead of 6.  

It wasn't the only misdemeanour.   Maybe the colder weather had made me more hungry.  I ended the day 14Cs beyond target, despite my estimated exercise 'earnings' adding 30Cs to my daily target.

This morning I had to make a decision.  Put it down to experience, or try to claw the 14Cs back by Friday before the next weigh-in on Saturday?  If so, how?

As I've got 4 days to claw back 14C, that's 3.5 a day.  Let's deduct 3Cs from my target (not 4Cs if I had been a rounding pedant).  So my target for the rest of the week is 56Cs instead of 59Cs.  

Serves me right.  Or should it be serves me wrong?

Here's what this Cs lark is all about.

THE CC DIET: SAY CHEESE. THIS WEEK'S WEIGH-IN

Cheese. Many a man's downfall.  I'm not smiling.

This week's weigh-in is in.  A target of three pounds to lose.  Only lost two and a half.  Bother.

The week was going so well too.  The first five days were on target or better.  Day six I was also 1C better than budget just before bedtime.  But in looking for something to use that last C, I looked in the fridge, and found the cheese I hadn't used on the crumpets.  Took just a small piece.  Didn't weigh it.  Enjoyed it.

I've just estimated it, though, and that put me over Thursday's target by 5Cs.  But that wasn't the end of my misdemeanours.  It was last night, celebrating a bit of good news, that I came home a trifle bungalowed.  It wasn't trifle but another potent target spoiler - the new "Layers of Joy Jaffantastic", which at 8Cs was Cs I didn't have.  Nor was the extra beer I had also enjoyed, chatting with pals,  masked and socially distanced.

Total overspend for the week suddenly up at 18Cs.

 

But should I be despondent?  "No, sir."  I have lost over two stones in less than eight weeks.  My weight now lower than at any time in the last few years.  My doctor ecstatic.  I'm smiling really.  Say cheese!

It can't stop here.  Indeed I was reminded this morning that the problem with rapid diets is putting the weight straight back on when the diet finishes.  So the plan with this diet, right from the start, was there wouldn't be an end.  The concept was and remains that a Cs target could be adjusted as the weight comes off, to accelerate it or slow it down.  Making the approach a permanent change in lifestyle.

The other aspect of a change of lifestyle is doing more exercise.  This approach encourages exercise by earning extra Cs that can be consumed.  The recent good weather has made exercise a joy.  But the rain this weekend?  I'll skip the ironing. 

But I do have two lock-ups of mainly business papers that I need to thin out to get everything into one.  I've been putting it off.  I'm such a hoarder.  Today?  A lot of energy needed to move things around!

 

DO YOU WANT TO GIVE THIS PROVEN APPROACH A TRY?

Head straight to the introduction page, and read the various other blogposts of my trials, tribulations and success.

 

 

THE CC DIET: ENCOURAGING EXERCISE

Sunrise walk earns Cs

I prefer to have a good breakfast and a good lunch, so my evening is basically free to do whatever I want without needing a full meal.  That's theatre, concerts, sport or whatever.

Take today for example.  I set myself a target of 59Cs today.  By the time I had finished lunch, I had consumed 58Cs.  That's 1C left for the remainder of the day.

How was I going to survive?

The only way I could eat more and meet my target was to do some exercise.  Fortunately I had gone for a long walk after breakfast to see the sunrise, and also went out at lunchtime.  That put 29Cs in the 'kitty', giving me 30 Cs in total.  I 'spent' them by enjoying some naughty peanut butter.  

What better way to encourage exercise?

THE CC DIET: A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD

Consuming calories in Red Rum

When I started this diet in August (and I have since already lost over two stones), it was with a view to making any weight loss permanent.  That was going to require a new relationship with food.

As a rower in my youth, I could consume a whole packet of custard creams in a single sitting.  A skill I have to confess I hadn't lost, and had found was transferrable to digestive biscuits too. Though a skill I have had to un-learn.

Just before 10pm Friday

I am having to look at food in a new way.  Not to consume, but to savour.

To walk past a burger van.

To look at food labelling for the kJ rating.

To enjoy a wide range of food, but in more modest quantities.

An approach which I am trying to ingrain for the
foreseeable future.  Fingers crossed.

THE CC DIET: CHEESE ON CRUMPET

Delicious!

Yesterday I heard on the radio that Red Leicester was the best for Cheese on Toast.

That was lucky,  I had some Red Leicester in the fridge.  But no bread.  Would that stop me?  Of course not.

Call the crumpets!  4Cs each.  The cheese at 17Cs per 100g, that's less than the 19C granola I often have for breakfast.  54g of cheese and a touch of TK and that's an 18C meal.  Less than many of my lunches.

A strange idea, but true. Certainly different!

THE CC DIET: LAUGHING AT THE SULTANAS

Two stones lost

On Wednesday I wrote of how my bag of sultanas had succeeded in blowing my daily target the night before.

I had gone out for a couple of pints mid-week, as the last evening I could sit out in the pub garden in the warm before the weather was due to change.

I vowed to tighten my belt before the Saturday weigh-in.   I'm pleased I did.  I've hit my weekly target out of the park!

My general target is a minimum of three pounds lost per week. Two stones lost was four pounds away.  I've lost four and a half.  A total of two stones and a bit.  Result!

A quick chat with my GP, and I have the all-clear to continue at that rate.

If you'd like to join me on this quest, here's the principles of how to start.   Don't let me stop you.  But do please check with your GP.

THE CC DIET: THE SHARON FRUIT

My GP rang me today, which gave me the opportunity to discuss this diet.  He was delighted and encouraged me to continue. His accent is decidedly Irish.

I can claim Irish descent on my mother's side.  Her mother was a Donovan, living in Sheffield when my grandfather met her.  He had been posted there for military service, and fell in love with his landlady's daughter.  Who said I couldn't introduce romance into this blog?  Proving I have some Yorkshire in me too.

On my father's side, his father's family was traced back to the church records in the village of Cressing, just outside Braintree in Essex.

We looked at the Sharon fruit here.  Today was the inaugural opening.  Not quire ripe.  But fair to say it is not a nectarine.

THE CC DIET: SULTANAS. THEIR PART IN MY DOWNFALL

18 roguish sultanas = 1C

Last night I went for a long walk, came back and enjoyed some food that I had earned.  That left me with only 1C of my daily target unused.  What to do with it?  Leave it, like I did the day before, or find something to eat?

Well there isn't much that is only 1C:

• A small fruit
• One square of the chocolate bar I had bought (yes only one!) 
• A small handful of sultanas

Sultanas it was.  But fruit doesn't really count, right?  So another handful and another.  Another and another.  Oh dear.  Target busted.

Not the end of the world.  There's that 1C unused from the day before.  Some belt tightening before Saturday though!

THE CC DIET: ANYONE ELSE FOR CRUMPET?

This morning I went on my new Sunrise Walk, earning a good 6Cs. That earned me a toasted crumpet with a sliver of butter and a tad of jam.

A fine way to start the morning.

Anyone else for crumpet?

THE CC DIET: BROWSING THE FRUIT AISLE

It's not often I browse the fruit aisle.  But tonight it seemed a good idea.  Spotted some Conference Pears.  Haven't had any of those for years.  "Sweet and juicy" was promised.  Sweet and juicy was delivered!

Then I spotted Sharon Fruit.  What are they?  Pears are grown in Kent.  Are Sharons grown in Essex*?   "Sweet and succulent"  Sold to the man in blue.


* My ancestors appear in the church records of Cressing village just outside Braintree in Essex

THE CC DIET: THE SUNRISE WALK

A recent dawn, earning 8Cs

During the summer, it has been pleasant to time a walk to coincide with the sunset.

Now it is 21 September, midway between shortest and longest day.  The dawn is also no longer at silly o'clock.  Sunrise is now around 0645-0650 BST in much of England, and getting later at about two minutes per day.

So the sky begins to brighten about 0620, when colours can appear.  Indeed I reckon on being 'in position' half an hour before a sunrise or sundown, and if lucky for up to half an hour afterwards, sometimes longer.

The joy of a sunrise walk is even better knowing 6Cs can be added to my daily allowance.  That's 10% or more.  A great way to start the day. Yum.

Do send your sunrise and sundown pics to @CovidCourier on Twitter.

THE CC DIET: ANOTHER TARGET BITES THE DUST

King not Queen

A week ago I targeted a loss of 3 pounds by today, plus a quarter. Done. Another target bites the dust.

This last week has seen 6 days on target, and just one day when some fruit consumed in the evening was 4Cs more than the exercise had earned.

That's only 4 pounds to 2 whole stones lost.  The target for next Saturday is at least another 3 pounds lost, possibly 4.


Progress so far.  24 pounds lost in 40 days:

This is how to get started using the same principles, which you can adjust to suit your own weight loss (or indeed weight gain) target.

THE CC DIET: OTHER CRUMPETS ARE AVAILABLE

So my nectarine habit is now completely out of hand. At 10.30 last night I had to go out for fresh supplies.

Then realised I could do with some tea-cakes for my evening meals.  Sold out.  But packs of muffins and crumpets were available for lower C values.  Let's give them a go.

I had left home with zero Cs on my scoreboard. So on my return I could only eat what I had earned through walking exercise.

Whereas a tea cake is 7Cs (or 8Cs with a touch of jam), these particular  crumpets are only 4Cs.  Carefully weigh a sliver of butter, which barely registered, and a touch of jam, and hey presto a total of 6Cs.  Exactly matching the 6Cs earned from walking back from the shop the long way.

A yummy way to meet my daily target.  Lo and behold, this morning confirmed another 4.5 pounds lost since last Saturday.

THE CC DIET: PUTTING PSYCHOLOGY INTO REVERSE

I tend to front load my day in terms of food, with a good breakfast and a pretty substantial lunch, plus morning fruit snacks.

By the end of lunch I have usually had my entire 59C daily allowance.  Which means any further consumption has to be earned through exercise.

Today I finished lunch with 19Cs in hand for the rest of the day.  So I sneaked another chocolate mousse and a nectarine to make sure I didn't eat too little.

I originally adopted the count-down method as a bit of psychology.  Aiming for zero, just like in a darts match.  I've found it works.

I never expected to have to eat more to reach my target.  That's really put the psychology into reverse!

THE CC DIET: A QUESTION OF CHEESE

Yes, Sue Barker may perhaps be a sport and become the new face of this blogpost.  As it is, a question of cheese arose last night.

You'll remember I made a heinous error in buying four luscious rolls yesterday and then consumed two of them for lunch.  That gave me a challenge to meet my daily 59Cs target.  I'm delighted to say I met it.  Until midnight.

I got a little peckish then.  My other heinous crime yesterday was to buy some cheeses. Actually at 15Cs and 17Cs per 100g they were similar to my breakfast cereals.

But at midnight I opened the fridge door and the "Wensleydale with Cranberries" said "Eat me". I cut off a sliver, weighed it and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Then another.  Then another.  9Cs in all.

But the big question was where to record it?  Would I break my target for Monday?  Or record it as 'pre-breakfast' for Tuesday?

Ultimately it's the total Cs in the week that matter, so better to record it for today, Tuesday and try to keep to 59Cs today despite it.  And despite the need to consume both remaining rolls before they went stale and hard.

The solution.  Toast the rolls with two scrambed eggs, 3Cs each.  Delicious lunch without too many Cs.  All I need to do now, at 8pm, is a mile walk and today's target is met.

Except that cheese is staring at me again.

Update the following day:  The cheese remains untouched.  I walked a bit more than a mile to 'pay off' the afternoon's over-consumption and earn myself another nectarine.  Ripe and juicy.  Liquid heaven!

THE CC DIET: RECOVERING FROM A TERRIBLE MISTAKE

Labelled 9Cs each

This morning I made a terrible mistake.  I love crusty rolls and I love a bargain.  I guess you love a bargain too.

So I bought a packet of four.

When I got them home I weighed them, only to discover each was 9Cs.  On previous experience I had expected no more than 7Cs.  But these were 'juicy'.

My lunch needed a bit of 'mopping up' so one roll was put into action.  Delicious.  The problem was that rolls like these go off hard very quickly, so I had no choice but to have a second.  No choice I tell you.

But then I can have what I want, in 'moderation'.  As long as I keep in total within my daily target.

So it was a hefty 18Cs off a target of only 59.  Alongside breakfast and the rest of lunch that put me down to zero.  None left for the rest of the day.  Except I knew I was going on a two mile walk, to buy nectarines.  So since lunch it's been a light chocolate mousse and fruit.

Here I am at 9.30pm with 2Cs in hand.  Recovered.  One final nectarine.  Still on target.

With a plan to do it all again tomorrow.  The rolls will go off otherwise, won't they?

THE CC DIET: YES, SHORTS ARE BACK!

I really hope Jeremy irons

Shorts are back.  Not only because autumn has given way to summer, but because I can now get into the shorts I wore in Ibiza last year.

I'll spare you the knobbly knees. 

"Belt up" I hear you say.  Well look closely at the belt in the photo and it is now possible.  A month ago I was struggling to do up the last hole.  I've since spent some time on the second hole, and now the third hole is easy.  Watch this space!

Update on yesterday's disappointing results

I was disappointed that I had only lost 2 pounds this last week.  Today the scales tell me I've lost 1.5 pounds since yesterday.   So was yesterday's reading just a quirk?  Maybe a higher level of hydration than normal, and a lower level today?

I don't know, but I only really regard my weight as +/- 2 pounds.  It's the one and a half stones (10kg) lost in a month that's real, and I'm pleased about.