Onwards And Downwards Continues In April 2013

[AB Editor]

Hello all,

I heard the other day that fat-free salad dressing is one of the biggest "No No's" you can eat, mainly because of all the extra stuff they put in to replace the fat!

So as we are almost heading into salad season (even if the weather doesn't quite agree yet) how about some low calorie salad dressing recipies or even some interesting salads that might not need dressing?

We welcome anyone serious about losing weight and we offer support and kind thoughts - not magic fixes, just sensible help.

Don't forget your weekly weigh on Wednesday and remember we don't judge!
Here is last months thread

[AlwaysConfused]

I find grating some ginger, along with a squeeze of lemon and lime is tastier than most salad dressings. I also grate the lemon rind and chuck it in with the salad, which gives it a real zing.

10 weeks until holiday when I have to squeeze into my itsy-bitsy, so I may have to check in to Onwards and Downwards as of next week!

[AB Editor]

Thanks always confused, sounds lovely and very low in fat too.

I am sure you can get some support on here :-)

Hope you have a great holiday

[wendilla]

Thanks Ab Editor for our April page. Like the sound of that Always confused . Dressings on salads are my downfall.

[Maydup]

Just as I thought, I'm starting the Easter break from the naughty step. I had a couple of meals out, a birthday party and some long journeys this week, which have seen me gain a pound. Now i will have to try very hard to get back on track, what with 5 days off work and all the tempations that go with that!

Still, i have no chocolate in the house and no serious plans over Easter, all I need is to get my determination back. How good it would be to have a couple of sunny days and the opportunity to burn off some excess calories with a bit of gardening.

[Old_Geezer]

Dash it all. Bought a whole mackerel yesterday in the hope it'd be a possible decent diet meal. Have just realised I'll need to clean/gut/whatever it ! :-(

[Old_Geezer]

Ah found a video on the net showing it's just a case of cut and remove. Didn't say what soap I needed to clean it with afterwards though. Nor what to do with the removed bits. Wonder if they'll go on the compost heap ? Maybe not, it'd attract next door's cat.

[mrs_overall]

OldGeezer - you only need to gut mackerel and rinse the cavity with fresh water. Pat it dry. Fill the cavity with quartered lemon pieces, wrap the fish in foil and stick it in the oven for 15 mins.

[Old_Geezer]

Mmmm sounds nice. Fishmonger said it'd only keep a couple of days in the fridge so need to treat myself to a mackerel meal this evening. Just swill & pat dry eh ? Maybe not such a daunting task then. It'll make me feel like a right Rick Stein by the time I'm done ;-) Ta.

[wendilla]

Hy Maydup yes it is the temptations in the house. I always say if you don't buy it you can't eat it . My daughter bought me the biggest box of Thorntons chocs must be about 50 in the box. I have not opened them I have made up my mind that every time I lose I will have 2 as a treat.
OG Mackeral sounds nice .What you having with it ?

[Old_Geezer]

With it ? You mean you expect me to plan things ? Well I thought rice, and I have green beans, cauliflower, carrots, sweetcorn and peas in the freezer, one or more of those I guess. Actually I'm dreading weighing and looking up the calorific value of mackerel, I'm expecting it to be 7000 per ounce or something.

[mrs_overall]

OG - 140 calories per ounce

[xstitcher]

Love the sound of the lemon, ginger and lime dressing. I don't have a lime so it will just be the first two........keep these good ideas coming please.

[xstitcher]

Love to hear how your fish cleaning goes OG...rather you than me...

[Old_Geezer]

Silly me.

Got involved in DIY (not enough during day but as usual later in the day I get into it) so it's 7:45 before I think "FISH !" Open the bag, get the sharp knife, go to open the fish, and I think to myself, "Hmmm what's this line where I need to cut ?" Turns out the kind fishmonger has done all the messy bit !

Let's see, bones, head, tail and all it's 8.6 ozs, so ignoring waste that'd be 1,204 calories YIKES ! And that excludes the rice & veg. I think I may need to weight the bones and stuff afterwards at that rate. This may be another high day then.

[xstitcher]

OMG you are going to weigh the bones after......please tell me that you are joking OG

[Old_Geezer]

8.6 - 1.1 = 7.5 ozs of edible mackerel
1050 calories then.

OK I suppose it was a main meal for the day, but more than I usually aim for. Add another 149 for the rice, and 85 for the sweetcorn. I'm unsure I'd recommend it as a normal diet meal, but maybe one when you want a bit of a treat. I'd like to say that on the plus side I ate less between meals today, but being on holiday, especially one with hot cross buns, well ...... I'll add up the damage before going to bed, later.

[xstitcher]

I have just found an excellent way to cut down on my eating....I cracked a filling in a molar thus limiting chewing to one side until the dentist opens up again on Monday (I hope)

[Marijn]

Hi Xstitcher, that's a very positive attitude; finding a silver lining in every cloud :-) I hope you get it fixed ok.

[Old_Geezer]

Ouch.

I've just spent an absolute fortune on dental suff (since the start of the year). Eating on one side rarely stops me though.

[xstitcher]

I sponsered my dentist's Christmas so was hoping that would be the end of it. It doesn't hurt and hopefully will stay that way.