In which Sarah Barr discovers there's no Irn Bru in the Shire.

[Sarah Barr]

Last time, I managed to swing a sword about fairly well (until I broke a ceiling light), prove I can keep going for much longer than I ever thought I could, and get back into my good jeans.

 

Ultimately, my goal is to become a competent field ecologist. In the immediate future, this means shedding excess baggage. I wish to maintain a loss rate of about 1.5lbs a week.

 

A quick glance at my food diary over the last couple of months shows a number of things I would like to alter, mostly my reliance on processed pretend-meat-products, my overconsumption of energy drinks and a daily Diet Irn Bru habit.

For those yet to encounter this substance: Irn Bru is a vivid nuclear-waste-orange, is Scotland's most popular soft drink and contains such nutritional gems as Ponceau 4R, and the ammonium ferric citrate from which it can derive the "Irn" part of its name. It is a fantastic hangover cure. I am told it tastes like bubblegum by first-timers, but to me it just tastes like Irn Bru.

 

 

Main Quest:

Lose 9lbs (6 x 1.5lbs).

(Starting weight will be posted on Monday)

 

Missions:

1. Cut out all processed foods, except things like all-fruit smoothies, hemp protein powder, and natural canned tomatoes.

- very specifically, cut out Quorn, Irn Bru, energy drinks, takeaway food and ready meals. Even if it's low-calorie.

- To help, I will refer to this wonderful webpage of delicious Middle Earth recipes, because after all, I am a hobbit adventurer. I am very fond of Merry's Mushrooms, although I swap half the thyme for turmeric.

- Because sometimes things happen, I am allowed two instances a week where I can eat birthday cake or go to lunch with old friends/family and not have to worry about additives as long as I'm reasonable about portion control. This does not mean I get to order takeaway twice a week. Emergency use only.

 

2. Walk the 2.8 miles to work every day unless there is torrential rain.

- If you sleep in, walk home from work. Not that much more on top of last challenge. Daily walking intended to eventually just become part of normal daily routine. 

 

3. Diligently and accurately monitor calorie intake, maintaining a reasonable level not too far above or below 1500kcal a day.

- (_⁺- 200kcal. I proved to myself last time that I can do this, but now I need to sustain it a little longer.)

- If forced to make the choice between going over/under the calorie limit and managing to stay processed-food-free, go for the latter as long as it doesn't take you over 1800kcal.

 

Side Quest:

Last time this was related to swordfighting. That has to go on hold until about September for various reasons. Sniffle.

This time, I want a quest that will not likely result in lightbulbicide and that I will definitely have space for. I have a mass of books I haven't read, and would like to read, and should read. Do you see where this is going?

 

- Read one new book a week.

 

The six books I have selected are:

- Kraken (China Miéville)

- The Beginning Place (Ursula K. Le Guin)

- Neverwhere (Neil Gaiman)

- Emma (Jane Austen)

- Moby Dick (Herman Melville)

- Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier)

 

I am part of the way through a couple of these. This is technically cheating. But I'm only a page into Rebecca and Moby Dick is difficult for a biologist who got to Ishmael's classification of whales and just went "LOL NOPE" like a dismissive sausage. I am currently reading A Storm of Swords Pt. 1, so if I find myself without reading materials I have a whole lot of Martin to get through. 

 

 

So that's all pretty cut-and-dry, which is good for grading.

 

Grading:

Simple: if Missions 1-3 are completed for a day, I've passed that day.

If I pass an average of 5/7 days a week where the missions have been accomplished, and I've read at least 4/6 books, I'll have passed the challenge.

 

If I haven't lost 9lbs but have also passed the challenge, then the next challenge needs to be tougher or have a higher pass mark.

 

If I fail, I will probably order pizza and grumble. And then re-evaluate my tactics.

 

If I complete the challenge 100% and lose 9lbs, I will be progressing immediately to the Woot Room and wooting like an overenthusiastic owl and buying a celebratory mug or something.

 

 

In preparation, I'm going to root through that recipe website, work out calories, buy ingredients and cook lots of food for the fridge.

And maybe start on Kraken.

Sneaky cheat.

(Ssssneaking?! We wasn't sneaking! Was we, precious?!)

 

*Cough*

 

 

Good luck!

 

 

Sarah

 

 

 

[deftona]

Good luck in your challenge. I loved "Rebecca", it's a wonderful book. And I see your need to reduce or replace your Irn Bru vice but I think it's a crying shame it's not available in The Shire! 

[GingaNinja]

Hey Sarah! Good luck with everything, it's great to discover people I've met IRL on here! Hope all is well with you!

 

I hear you on the Ginger Goddess that is Irn Bru it is a hard vice to give up. I generally only have it when I'm hungover these days but still, once you start, it's easy to indulge in the craving again and again!

[Teros]

Hey!  I remember you from last challenge. Good to see another we got another adventurer   Good luck and have fun.  I like the emergency use for food.

[Countess D'If]

The du Maurier is on my list too, I can't decide if I want to read that or Anna Karenina next 

[Sarah Barr]

Morning everyone!

(Hi KingLeeroy!!)

 

Starting weight as of this morning: 16 stone 0 pounds. 

Target weight for next Monday: 15 stone 12.5 pounds.

 

Have not bought Irn Bru yet. 

 

So it's been a successful... 3 hours and 16 minutes of consciousness so far.

 

I'm considering my working definition of "processed foods" so I can set some boundaries:

- Currently, it is "anything with any additives". Which includes dried mango (has sulphur dioxide) and the brand of chopped tomatoes I use (has citric acid).

- There is a big difference between chopped tomatoes with citric acid and a bottle of Irn Bru.

- It is entirely possible for me to buy and chop my own tomatoes. It is also a little impractical. It is also entirely possible to get naturally preserved dried fruit. It is also about twice the price of some with a little sulphur dioxide.

- There are things like innocent veg pots, which are clearly processed in that they have been cooked and seasoned, but have no additives.

- So if there's just one additive to stop it going furry and sprouting tentacles, whether or not it's been cooked and prepared by someone else, it's fine.

 

I could go down the road of examining every additive and saying "Citric acid is found in citrus fruit, ascorbic acid is vitamin C, sodium benzoate may have some dubious effects on this, that and the other" and making a big list of approved and not-approved items, but that misses the basic purpose of this challenge:  

It's not "all additives are definitely unequivocally evil; anything described in chemical terms is obviously terrible for you no matter what it is, because it's a chemical", because they're not. Some of them are. And just because something is natural doesn't make it good for you.

 

It's to stop me eating junky things just because they're within my calorie allowance, and replace them with nutritional foods. And to get me to spend less money by swapping ready meals for home cooking. By being very specific and making it very black and white, I'm more likely to stick to it. I'm very good at finding loopholes when I try to deny myself things I want. This way I can just say "Doesn't meet criteria. Put it back. Bad hand. Naughty."

 

I know this is probably all obvious, I'm really just writing it so I will read it later when my resolve gets tested.

 

Have a really good Week One, everyone!

[GingaNinja]

I wouldn't worry about citric acid because it occurs naturally is a lot of foods, it isn't a bad additive

 

If I am worried about certain additives or don't know what they are, I usually check the Whole30 forum, because they are label checkers anonymous!

[Sarah Barr]

So this has gone pretty well so far!

• I have not had Irn Bru in a week.
• I've walked about 2.8 miles every weekday.
• I used my two emergency meals. There was a birthday party.
• I've pretty much stayed within my calorie limits. 
• I've finished this week's book (It's wonderfully bizarre by the way).
• Not weighing myself, because this morning my scales told me twice I'd lost two pounds, and then immediately after, they told me I'd gained a pound.
• I'm also half a litre of water away from completing the first adventurers' mini challenge.

*chug*

 

Things to work on for next week mostly involve being more careful about calorie intake, and getting enough protein at lunch to feel satisfied until dinner. Probably going to make a batch of these (with tofu instead of chicken) to take to work. 

 

 

Cooking more often. My cooking tends to be one long ad-lib, so the results are varied, but it feels good sitting down and preparing root vegetables. Well, it feels like juicy or slimy hard work (rock-hard parsnips and blunt knives, ugh) but it's also just nice to see them go from things-pulled-out-of-the-ground to a steaming, turmeric-scented vat of casserole.

 

Speaking of which, here is a recipe!

 

Curried Root Vegetable Stew:

 

- 2 large carrots

- 2 large parsnips

- 1 large baking potato or sweet potato

- 1 400g can mixed beans, in water, drained

- 1 large leek, washed and trimmed

- 1/2 a white onion

- 2 vegetable stock cubes

- Turmeric, to taste

- cinnamon, to taste

- Mild curry powder, to taste

- Tabasco sauce, to taste

- Garlic, to taste

- 1 tsp olive oil

 

Dice all veg finely.

Fry off leek, garlic and onion in the oil till soft.

Toss in rest of veg and beans, stir.

Crumble in stock cubes, add spices.

Just cover veg in boiling water, cover and simmer till tender.

Uncover, mash a little with a potato masher, and allow to reduce until thick.

 

I go through quite a lot of Tabasco sauce. I put about twelve glugs of it in everything. I haven't looked at the ingredients, and I don't plan to.

 

Have a good Week Two everyone!

o/

[GingaNinja]

Sounds like an awesome week and a great casserole! Good luck with week 2!

[deftona]

 

• Not weighing myself, because this morning my scales told me twice I'd lost two pounds, and then immediately after, they told me I'd gained a pound.

 

Argh, this! My scales do this and it makes me fly into a murderous rage for anything that measures and judges. 

 

If you do look at the ingredients of tabasco and get scared (I have no idea what's in it either) then Frank's Red Hot Sauce is perfectly virtuous and also paleo. 

[IronGlider]

Man, Irn Bru was definitely a favourite drink of mine in my pre-NF life. Good work for staying off of it! :-)

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk

[Sarah Barr]

Welp, I read the book, but that was about all I managed this week. (The Beginning Place: interesting, but Hugh creeps me out.)

Was ill Mon and Tue so didn't walk on Mon and only part-way on Tue.

Was just unfocused and lazy rest of week. Did do some walking, did kind of watch intake of junk, but on the calorie front, yeah, this was a flop. 

DID manage to complete second mini-quest: I now only set one alarm instead of two, and have forced myself to get up as soon as it went off at least four times. Also making sure I am in bed by ten on week nights. So I feel happy that at least I get that extra Con point this week.

 

This week!

• Book: Emma, Jane Austen
• Problem solving: I am not getting enough protein! Nowhere near! Reintroducing Quorn! Then maybe I'll actually feel full and eat more sensibly! I thought eggs and tofu would work out. They didn't. The egg muffins I made were disgusting when reheated, and not even the fact that I used dinosaur shaped moulds could make me eat them. And I never have the inclination to press tofu properly.
• Further problem solving: If I don't top up my bus pass, I'm less likely to be able to skip walking this week. 
• This isn't even problem solving: WRITE IN MY BATTLE LOG EVERY DAY, DANGIT.

Here's to a better week! I obviously will not complete challenge 100% but I refuse to fail this challenge, so I have to stay really strong for the rest of it, now. 

 

Extra motivation: Going to Mum's for Mother's Day on the 30th (IT'S MOTHER'S DAY ON THE 30TH, BRITISH GUYS) so I want her to be able to see a visible difference. 

 

Have a good week 3!

[Sarah Barr]

Oh, I forgot to assign attributes to my goals!

 

1) Cut out processed food: 5 Constitution

 

2) Walk to work every day: 3 Stamina

 

3) Stick to around 1500kcal a day: Let's say 2 CHA and 3 CON (less weight: slightly nicer figure, less Sarah to smack into things and weigh down on joints)

 

4) Book List: 2 Wisdom

 

 

And because I hate channel spamming by updating lots, here is a recipe.

 

 

Some Kind of Porridgey Burger Thing:

 

(It evolved from a veggie haggis recipe but is considerably less complicated)

 

Ingredients:

- Couple of handfuls of porridge oats

- handful of sage and onion stuffing mix

- Can of brown lentils

- 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled

- 1 small white onion

- 1 tsp olive oil for frying

- Lots of black pepper

- Kettle of water, on boil

 

Method:

- Chop onion finely. Fry in a non-stick saucepan until soft. 

- Add rest of ingredients to pot. No need to drain lentils.

- Add just enough water to give it a thick, not-too-gloopy consistency kind of like, er, porridge.

- Cook until oats are soft, adding more water as necessary to stop it from burning but not so much as to make it runny. Your spoon should stand up in it.

- Eat.

 

Serving suggestions:

Stuff into big fat portobello mushrooms; bake at 200^oC for 20 minutes.

Alternatively, use as burger mix.

 

Variations:

You could add chopped mixed nuts, various beans, mushrooms, garlic, leeks, or finely chopped pre-cooked root veg.

You don't have to add the stuffing mix. It was just a thing in my cupboard. I didn't have much in the cupboard that day. Except lentils, porridge, stuffing mix and hope.

Brown sauce would be magic in this. For a more meaty taste, the veggie haggis recipe adds a half teaspoon of yeast extract. 

[deftona]

 

Some Kind of Porridgey Burger Thing:

 

 

What an appetising name! LOL

[dimech]

(IT'S MOTHER'S DAY ON THE 30TH, BRITISH GUYS)

 

Holy crap, thank you!! I'm from the UK but live in Korea, so I have no reminders around me! I totally forgot!

[Sarah Barr]

What an appetising name! LOL

 

I know, so tempting! Ha!

 

 

You're welcome, Dimech!

[SuNoYo]

Found you!

 

Oh Lord, Irn Bru, the girder drink. I've only had that maybe half a dozen times in my life and it's just such a fascinating drink. The taste is bubblegummy, but not quite; it's not like any other fizzy pop I've ever had. Not that I drink them any more unless I'm cheap (which is always) and buy it for a meal deal in 'Spoons or elsewhere.

Side track!

On the plus side it should be easier to cut down in (in theory) than other fizzy drinks (I'm looking at you Coke)

 

Yay books!

I've read Neverwhere. It's fantastic, my favourite book written solely by Gaiman. Also, did you know Radio4 did an adaptation of it starring Benedict Cumberbatch of the sexy voice?

If you like Neverwhere read Stardust and Good Omens and American Gods.

Emma is utterly hilarious. As long as you get the joke. If you don't you may not like it. If you did I suggest Northanger Abbey, but I will say it's a lot funnier if you've read Gothic fiction (especially Victorian and pre-Victorian).

 

And don't diss the problem solving and planning. By doing it now you can implement the next week/whenever in order to reach your goals faster.

 

Hope this week is going well for you!

[Sarah Barr]

Hey SuNoYo!

 

I am excited, Neverwhere is next week's book! I saw part of the TV series when my local Sci Fi society screened it but I'd missed an episode or two so had no idea what was going on but had a good time anyway. It'll be the first one of his I've read (apart from Good Omens) and when I confirm that I love it I'm buying American Gods. Boyfriend mentioned Radio Show too; I'm not a radio person but Benedict Cumberbatch is good in Cabin Pressure so I'm going to look it up once I've read the book!

 

It's already Wednesday and I haven't picked up Emma yet... but I'm putting Northanger Abbey on my book list now. I was a complete gothic fiction fiend when I was in high school but haven't really gone back to it since I discovered Terry Pratchett. 

 

Problem solving seems to be working out. This week's going really well so far! I've walked a good nine miles, I'm not grumpy from lack of food, and am still off the Girder Juice!

 

(Actually, I did sneak some on Sunday and you know what? It tasted weird and I don't want it any more.)

 

 

I should go read Emma now.

 

 

Hope the rest of your week is good, everyone!

[SuNoYo]

Hey SuNoYo!

I am excited, Neverwhere is next week's book! I saw part of the TV series when my local Sci Fi society screened it but I'd missed an episode or two so had no idea what was going on but had a good time anyway. It'll be the first one of his I've read (apart from Good Omens) and when I confirm that I love it I'm buying American Gods. Boyfriend mentioned Radio Show too; I'm not a radio person but Benedict Cumberbatch is good in Cabin Pressure so I'm going to look it up once I've read the book!

I didn't know Benedict Cumberbatch was in Cabin Pressure! That voice makes me want to check it out.

 

It's already Wednesday and I haven't picked up Emma yet... but I'm putting Northanger Abbey on my book list now. I was a complete gothic fiction fiend when I was in high school but haven't really gone back to it since I discovered Terry Pratchett.

One of the funniest scenes parodies a scene from The Mysteries of Udolpho. The first half of Northanger Abbey is your standard Austen fare, then it switches over to the Gothic parody. Specifically: a 'real world person' thinks herself in a Gothic novel and acts accordingly. She's not in a Gothic novel, so hijinks ensue.

And Terry Pratchett is a god. Not to mention he parodies Gothic fiction (though not Gothic romantic (not love-romance, but romance romance) fiction) quite a lot. Don'tgonearthecastle!, Uberwald, vampires and vampyres, werewolves and so on. Night Watch and Reaper Man are two beautiful and amazing books.

 

Problem solving seems to be working out. This week's going really well so far! I've walked a good nine miles, I'm not grumpy from lack of food, and am still off the Girder Juice!

 

(Actually, I did sneak some on Sunday and you know what? It tasted weird and I don't want it any more.)

 

See! It works. Nine miles in three days, you've sorted out food amounts and drastically reduced your Girder Juice. And that's the things about fizzy pop, once you decide to stop it (especially when you go cold turkey) it's amazing how little time it takes for your tongue and mind to forget how/why it tasted good in the first place. I don't think I could stomach even one of the tiny weeny cans of pop any more to be honest.

Give it until the end of the SWC and you probably won't crave it in the slightest, or if you do you won't like the taste and it'll put you off.

 

I should go read Emma now.

"Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her."

I don't care what people say about Pride and Prejudices sarcastic opening, Emma's is by far the best.

 

Hope the rest of your week is good, everyone!

And yours too.

[Sarah Barr]

Hey!

So this week went really well! Stuck to it, walked 15 miles, tried dance, got a reasonable amount of protein. 

I still haven't read Emma. It's not that I don't want to (I really do, especially after SuNoYo's comments!), but the supplies for a peacock costume I'm making arrived so I spent all my free time since then making big satin feathers. And making kusudama balls (I started that project weeks ago and I am so bad at getting round to finishing things. Determined to finish it before I get too obsessed with peacock feathers). Next week's book, Neverwhere, will probably be read very, very quickly, so I should have time to read Emma too. And there will be time later today, too, when I am not covered in so much glue.

 

Troubleshooting:

- Getting out of the house on time so I'm not late for work when I walk (so far I haven't hopped on a bus halfway along my route when I realise I'm going to be late, but that's just because my boss is never in first thing and I should really fix that so I'm there on time.)

- Making time to read for at least half an hour every day (so I am more likely to finish books on time)

- Making sure I have small healthy things in my room during the weekend - I don't keep snacks in the house so I don't eat them all at once, which I will do if I can, BUT this means when I want something to eat, even if I'm not hungry for much, I'll make something meal-sized. Need something healthy to graze on. Will order a graze box for weekends.

 

 

I'm feeling really optimistic! Scales are still not saying much except "We can't decide whether you've gained or lost weight, if we just keep throwing random numbers at you maybe you'll stop standing on us" but eh. I might just get rid of the scales for now and only weigh myself at the end of each challenge.

 

Have a great week 4!

[Teros]

Just ditch the scale entirely. It swings way too much and you can even change weight over the course of the day.  If your clothes fit better, you're on the right track and stick with it.

 

Peacock costume?  Will you be modeling some sort of peacock cotume?

[Sarah Barr]

Sounds like a good plan!

 

I will be! It's going to be some sort of big peacock tail bustle skirt to be worn with a blue dress. I maaay be throwing a fancy dress party just as an excuse to make costumes.  If I manage to get it to work, there may be pics!

[Sarah Barr]

So this week went well until my shoulder mysteriously turned into a raging ball of searing pain. No idea what happened. But I reasoned that exercising when it took 5 minutes to take my coat off would do more harm than good. Completely better now, equally mysteriously. Problem is, whenever I'm too ill to exercise I just kind of ignore the healthy eating part, which doesn't make any sense. 

 

Did do more dancing before that happened, and I seem to be developing fewer left feet and a little less self consciousness.

 

Took book to office with me so I'd read it, and of course suddenly I had lots of work for once. Took all week. And I forgot the flaming book. It's gathering dust on my desk. 

 

 

Problem solving:

 

rant/

Biggest issue with food this week was when a friend visited yesterday. I need to get comfortable with gently telling people I care about "you've been here too long, please go away now, I'm not cooking you lunch and dinner, and no that does not mean we're getting takeaway".  Also need to practice saying "you can't come over two hours earlier just because you made grumpy noises when I said I was busy. I'm fucking busy.". Ended up having to get up two hours earlier so I could clean yesterday. Flat inspection coming up. I'm too big a pushover. On plus side, takeaway is virtually untouched and boyfriend likes vegetable korma.

I have a different friend coming over tonight too, so will practice exercising this today.

/rant

 

Book Problem: I read Steve's article on saying "it's not a priority" instead of "I don't have time for it" and it's making lots of sense just now; I'm just not making reading a priority and am buggering about on flaming Buzzfeed for ages. I don't even like Buzzfeed that much.

"783 Unbelievably Tenuous and Hyperbolic Reasons Why Sarah Is Still Not Reading Neverwhere Right Now"

*headdesk*

Going to block Buzzfeed with StayFocusd. Right now. And later I'm going to read whatever is currently open on that kindle app on my laptop I haven't touched in forever.

 

Next weekend I'm off to Mum's. Tickets booked. This week has to really count. Some dumbass in the recesses of my brain suggested having protein shakes, water and nothing else until Saturday but yeah, we're not doing that. 

 

Right after blocking Buzzfeed, I'm putting the scales away because I forgot to do that last week. When I finish my peacock costume, I may dismantle the scales for parts. 

 

Then I'm going for a walk.

 

To next week! Hyaargh!

[Teros]

BuzzFeed and Cracked- I just end up on there and realize I wasted 4 hours reading god knows what and I never actually want to be on there. It's usually just a title that interests me and BAM 5 minutes gone. oooooh another title. BAM 5 minutes gone. ect.

 

Good luck with the friends issue. I've never had people show up early- usually it's the opposite. I go to bed on the earlier side (before 10) so if someone is coming over at 5- that's 5-10pm and that's it. Usually what happens is people will come over at 6:30 and end up staying till midnight and it screws me all up.

 

For dealing with food though- I'll excuse it as long as I pick with place so I can decide a 'better' option. True- Chinese isn't the best thing, but I can fill up 80% of my takeout box with broccoli and sesame green beans so it's not nearly as bad as pizza and cinnasticks.

[Sarah Barr]

Teros: I go to bed at about the same time, sometimes I just want to get a broom handle and gently start pushing people towards the door with it when it gets to 12 and I'm falling asleep. Good advice about takeaways, I'm going to suggest sushi if there has to be a next time so I can have all the edamame beans.

 

I have never heard of cinnasticks before. They look like weird pizza churros! 

 

 

Put scales away; got out measuring tape; looked at body fat percentages and measurements. 

 

They are:

49.5in  - Bust

48in  - Waist

53in  - Hips

17in  - Upper arm

29in  - Upper thigh

11.5in  - Forearm

6.25in  - Wrist

224lbs - Weight (Last measurement a few days ago. Like I said, scales are now gone.)

 

 

Lean body weight:

 

(0.732 x 224) - (0.157 x 48) – (0.249 x 53) + (0.434 x 11.5) + (6.25 / 3.14) + 8.987

= 159lbs

 

 

Body Fat percentage:

 

 (body weight - lean body mass) / (body weight) x 100

= ((224-159)/224)*100

= 29.02%

 

According to the source I got the formulas from, I'm not obese! I'm only 0.8% away from being obese, and I may have got the measurements wrong, but I'm technically not obese! That's a nice thing to type. And say.

 

Will take tape measurements every week. I want to see what shrinks first and by how much. 

 

 

I'm happy I got back on track just in time for week five!

 

Have an excellent week, everyone!