Category: Blog

Today and tomorrow we are Cherrymembering Aprilcot. If it is possible, one of the summer tasks is to freeze fresh apricots to eat in Aprilcot. They are very little fuss because they can be placed in the freezer in airtight bags in their raw state. In Aprilcot we get what we need out of the freezer each night and steam them in the same basket as the vegetables. If it is at all possible we also like to have a special activity outing to visit real apricot trees towards the end of Cherrymember. This is when the fruit is at its very best. Some years we have had commercially preserved apricots. Care has to be taken to drain off all the sugar filled juice.

Aprilcot is the month when lean lamb appears on the menu. We serve fresh chopped rosemary with it. A lot of chopped rosemary. Making sure there is a good crop each year is a small task in itself. Bought dry rosemary is fine if circumstances do not allow gardening. Rosemary is a nice indoor plant in the kitchen so another special activity outing to visit a nursery one afternoon in Aprilcot could be a good way to place some distance between myself and my refrigerator.

Today we are Cherrymembering the Cullinary BFF (Best Friend Forever). We have obtained a deep boiling pan and have a collender-like basket which fits snugly inside the pan resting on the top. Over the top of the basket fits a dome shaped glass lid. Not only is the lid practical but we can admire the steaming vegetables. They look really pretty. Having a deep boiling pan means we can boil the water furiously for 25 minutes preferably, but the alternative is very forgiving, because as sometimes happens, the vegtables steam for a whole lot more minutes than that. The steamed vegetables are nicer if they are just cooked, but also we have found out that they quite edible if steamed for longer, they just have a softer texture.

As well as being great to cook food in, the Cullinary BFF is easy to look after. No soap powder gets near it. We only ever rinse out the pan, basket and lid with hot water and wipe them up preferably immediately, at meal serve up time. The best place to keep this kitchen treasure is in its own place with no obstacles to get it in and out of the cupboard. I like to keep it on a lower shelf so two sneaky “squats” exercises are done each evening meal.

Today and tomorrow we are Cherrymembering Mayndarin. Fresh mandarins are a fond memory because they are out of season at this time of the year. As well as cherries we will enjoy some extra serves of stone fruits instead. Pan fried lean chicken cooked in Cajun spices and served with oven fries potatoes, commercial brand Hollandaise finishing sauce and steamed vegetables are on the Mayndarin plate. The star vegetable is pumpkin each night with other vegetables rotated.

Freshly chopped thyme features as Wattle’s weight warrior herb in Maynadrin. Some suppers may include Joan’s savoury, a dish with a small serve of cheese, an egg and large amounts of tomato, onion, bacon and chopped thyme cooked on toast for 12 minutes in a moderate oven.

Today we are Cherrymembering a trivial but difficult task which is to study the smaller body shape. Make some observations about the changes. The reality is the smaller body shape still has the same bones. It does not look like a Vogue magazine model’s and it is likely it never will. It still has some rolls of fat left and that is fine.

What has changed is there are definitely less rolls of fat left, compared to this time last year, and to compared to this time several years ago.

What has not changed is the essential “me” is still present. I look in the mirror and see a smaller “me”, not somebody else.

Today and tomorrow we are Cherrymembering Pearn. As well as plenty of fresh pears, any sort of food that may be eaten with a spoon features in this eating theme. If meats such as steak, lamb or chicken are wanted they may be eaten, so long as they are chopped up and served in a bowl, of course better with steamed vegetables. However, this is the month where a respite from steamed vegetables may be taken. All sorts of soups are tried out in the bowl. Our pancakes feature steamed pears and ice cream.

Today we are Cherrymembering soup. It keeps the hand busy going from bowl to mouth: not smoking.

Any soup is allowed, be it thick or thin composition. As much soup as is wanted is the correct amount to have. The task is to watch television, rewatch favourite movies or reruns of television series.

Today and tomorrow we are Cherrymembering Apply. This month a brief 2 day summer pie season is all that is allowed.

Certainly a meat pie for breakfast is a must. Beef and apple rissoles with oven fries potatoes and steamed vegetables will be on the plate for one evening meal. The other will be composed of egg and bacon puff pastry pie with oven fries potatoes and salad. Our pancakes are served with steamed apples and ice cream. Apply is just as it sounds – many fresh apples a day help keep the weight away.

Today we are Cherrymembering the Apply task which adds colour and warmth to winter. Instead of eating indulgent foods to counter the cold, bleak weather take extra and more lengthy showers. Use a different towel each time, enjoying the luxury instead of the utility. Allow plenty of time and try out some new products to add interest to the task.

Today and tomorrow we are Cherrymembering Augrapes. On tonight’s plate is homemade pizza featuring large amounts of ham and pineapple with a small amount of cheese. Tomorrow’s plate will have a trimmed pork cutlet with commercial brand Hollandaise finishing sauce, oven fries potatoes and steamed vegetables. Fresh grapes follow pancakes well, but on our pancake we prefer to repeat the steamed apples. Some fruit cake may appear at supper time.

Today we are Cherrymembering the role of Weight Warriors in losing and managing weight.

As well as recalling all the herbs and spices that decorate the plate each month, we remember the task for Augrapes. It is trivially easy. Each week visit a Florist shop and purchase an economical bunch of flowers to colour up the last winter month. Visitors see a mere vase of pretty flowers. We see so much more. A dining table, neat and tidy between meals, proudly displaying the General of all the Weight Warriors. A visual symbol of the progress already made and of the progress yet to be made on the weight loss journey.

Today and tomorrow we are Cherrymembering Septnana. Some Septnana meals have roast beef. Others may have pan fried lean beef steak on the plate. Even pan fried beef rissoles might make an appearance. Either oven fries potatoes or boiled potatoes may be chosen. The constant for this eating theme is that each one features mushrooms, steamed green beans and cauliflower. If fresh tarragon is available some real Bernaise sauce would be a special taste, for one meal. Bernaise sauce might be more accurately called butter sauce so it requires very careful management. Pancakes are served with bananas and custard.

Today we are Cherrymembering spring tasks. Spring is the perfect time to reduce the amount of catalogues that are sitting around, or in a box. All through the year not a thing happens, the stack just gets higher. So in Septnana, in theory, if not in practice, the aim is to make the stack lower again.

Putting away the blue dinner plates, tablecloths and teatowels and gradually introducing green or white ones reminds us that another season has arrived and we may anticipate some more pleasant weather to walk in, particularly if less walking happened during the winter.

Today and tomorrow we are Cherrymembering Mangober. In early October the first fresh mangoes become available so we try to have one with our pancake each night and include mango flavoured icecream. Commercial preparations of Tandoori paste give lean pan cooked chicken some added interest. We rotate the steamed vegetables so that each meal has a different combination. For at least some of the meals we attempt to cook rice.

Mangober is the month when we chase real Indian cuisine at restaurants, trading so many walks done for an evening of dining out. At the beginning of the weight loss journey it was 30 walks done equals one evening of dining out. The amount of walks done for an evening of dining out is negotiable each year, worked out each Cherrymember. I really like this style of mathematics.

Today we are Cherrymembering some more spring tasks. Looking for three different items of interest for the warm weather wardrobe is not too arduous. They may be brand new, or be bought economically from an opportunity shop. We remember gleefully replacing the three oldest, largest items.

Mangober is a great time to inspect some likely plants which enhance the sense of smell. Tickle nostrils with lavenders, a new rose or an early scented geranium.

Today and tomorrow we are Cherrymembering Nolember. Fish with real lemon juice is on the plate for each meal. We are not all that fond of fish, but we remember to eat some each November. Our pancakes have lemon juice and sugar on them.

Today we are Cherrymembering the roles of no small tasks and primary activity tasks. In Nolember I declare a month of no small tasks. If they are wanted, repeating another month’s tasks would be quite alright.

I chose my primary activities to be some regular walking, taking a photo of a flower on my walk and making a collendar page on most days of the year. In the last few years I have documented some blogs and photos to share how the activities have contributed to gradual, successful and sustainable weight loss and a smaller body shape.

Each year this is a great time of the year to decide how beneficial the activities are. On balance I’d say they are very beneficial. The scales agree.

I may modify the amount of times the activities are done next year, but will still attempt to do them quite regularly. If you are just starting your weight loss journey decide your own set of activities that will suit you and work on turning them into habits, a part of your lifestyle.

Today and tomorrow we are Cherrymembering Cherrymember. It is an enjoyable eating theme which has no restrictions and the only discipline is by choice and by inclination. It is possible to remember only the favourite month’s eating themes, or repeat each month’s eating theme in turn, as we have done this year, or even to choose none of them. Have a total rest from eating themes.

Over several years we have reduced the amount of Chocolate ripes eaten. At the start of the weight loss journey one each evening in Cherrymember seemed about right. An unlimited amount of fresh cherries accompanies the chocolate ripe. Then trying one half of a Chocolate ripe the following year worked out quite well. Eventually one half of a Chocolate ripe each second evening in Cherrymember was allowed. This year one half of a chocolate ripe each evening of the last week of Cherrymember is the plan. Yet again a large plate of fresh cherries is on the table, with the expectation that they will all get eaten.

Today we are Cherrymembering to enjoy the Christmas holidays. We are going to eat as much as we like, of anything we like, whenever we like. We remember that compared to last year its quite likely that we will not want to eat quite as much. That is what has happened for the last several years as the kilograms have been lost and the new smaller body shape has been retained.

Merry Christmas to all from Waratah and Wattle.

Today we are Cherrymembering to weigh regularly.

Some guidelines may help in making the decision about what constitutes “regularly”. Daily fluctuations in weight are informative to horse racing handicappers and to very few others.

I believe that weighing regularly once each month would be plenty enough to see any trends. After all, it is trends which are of interest in long term weight loss and weight management. Several months of weight gain would show some caution is needed. Equally deserving of caution would be a constant weight loss trend. There needs to be time allowed to learn how to eat and get used to the new, smaller body shape before making it still smaller.

We have chosen our weigh day to be as near to the end of each month as is possible. Today I am happy to report my weight of 70.5 kilograms. Maintaining weight near 70 kilograms this month has been achieved. That will remain the goal well into next year.

You will see a menu option in the archives to “Read all Blogs” if you want to learn more about how our “Weight and See” approach has been developed and has been effective for me to slowly lose 20 Kilograms over several years, after giving up cigarettes.

Happy New Year to all from Warratah and Wattle.