That old issue…

A couple of weeks ago I made the decision that I really had to do something about my weight. I have written a blog before about this very subject back in August of last year. I have just re read the blog and wonder whether I should infact be writing about self control. Just before Christmas I had an appointment with a neurologist down here at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, when we discussed my weight. Once again it all comes down to my lack of self control. He spoke to me about how sedentary I had become due to my MS, which obviously is no fault of my own, it all comes down to portion sizes.

Weight is such an emotive subject as we all have our own way of dealing with it and what suits one does not suit the other. Last August when I wrote my blog about weight, food and MS I weighed 72.5kg (11.4 stones) and my physiotherapist told me I needed to lose at least a stone in weight. I am no longer going to the Chilterns MS Centre every two weeks and therefore do not have access to their roll on scales.

 

After being asked by GAL, CMB sorted out a set of scales for her and myself that attach to the hoist and is able to record our weight. Excuse me going off at a tangent for a moment but these scales are a prime example of how being disabled and wheelchair bound is a licence to print money, the price of them is extortionate I am fortunate that GAL and I now live close together and she was able and wanted to buy a set of these scales.

 

Now in January I feel mentally strong enough to weigh myself again and do something about my weight gain. I knew I had put on weight as my clothes were getting tighter and of course when I look in the mirror each day when my carers brush my hair. I am sad but probably more annoyed with myself as not only had I not lost any weight since August of last year but I had also put on 6lbs. As of the 5^th January I weighed 76.1kg (11.10 stones). After speaking with my assigned nutritionist and Speech and Language Therapist. I have started my new plan (it’s so much better for me to use the word plan rather than diet). I am not calorie counting per se but we have agreed with my lifestyle and lack of movement providing I have a good balance of the main food groups I will have a daily intake of approx 800 calories.

I feel better already after two weeks, our main evening meal is soup. The soup is freshly made and for the first time in a long while I am preparing the soup with my PA. Not only does it give me satisfaction that I can contribute but hubby no longer has to prepare the evening meal.

The recipes I use come from either the BBC Good Food Guide or A Pinch of Nom.

I am really chuffed as I am having my portions of fruit in the morning as a smoothie. The other two we have tried are butternut squash and minestrone. Predominately all the soups with the exception of one are vegetarian. I’m even incorporating lentils in my soups and because they are blitzed I can start eating mushrooms again. I don’t think I have ever been so positive about changing my eating habits.

 

On a Saturday we treat ourselves to a ‘naughty’ tea, we have half a pizza each and a slice of Christmas cake (after all it would be very rude of me when CMB has gone to so much trouble of making us Christmas cake not to eat it).

I do feel if after a month I have lost weight then CMB is more than welcome to invite us round for Sunday lunch and celebrate the loss! I will be weighing myself each calendar month, fingers crossed for the 5^th February and like other of my MS colleagues I will keep you updated.

I hope family and friends will get behind me and support me, it is really reassuring that I have checked this all out and know I am doing it sensibly and safely, wish me luck xx