Saturday Swapit #23

Welcome to another Saturday Swapit. Last week’s theme was about having the nibbles and not being aware of how much we were eating whilst occupied with watching TV or reading. Some great comments were left and you can check them out on the original post here

DISCLAIMER:
I am not, nor do I claim to be, a professional dietician, nutritionist or diet programme consultant.
I rejoined SW in May 2019 and have managed to stay within my target parameters since August 2019.
Saturday Swapit is not intended as a diet programme, and anyone who wants or needs to lose serious weight should consult a medical professional or their GP.

This week’s theme is not so much as having the nibbles, but how we deal with days when trying to keep to plan is futile.
To join in, you can either write a post and pingback to this one, or leave a comment below for others to read and hopefully get some pointers.

For whatever reason, there are days when the intentions are good, but something happens and suddenly we find ourselves away from our kitchens, scales and fridges and at the mercy of take outs, fast food, or cafes.
Although some outlets may cater for vegetarians and lately, those on calorie watch, we, as consumers, only have a rough idea of what actually goes into the dish we are enjoying because the hidden ingredients of salt, fats and sugar in particular are not immediately visible. Is the mayonnaise in your sandwich low calorie or fat free? Is the bacon in your bap lean with all fat removed, how are those chips cooked, in fat or oil? Little things perhaps, but when you are seriously trying to improve your eating habits, choose healthier options and lose those unwanted pounds, such things can sabotage your efforts. Once in a while the damage is not so apparent compared to holidays, traveling on business, or having to suddenly care for someone who is unwell.

When you have been watching your weight, by however means, you can normally make allowances, even if it is simply a case of only putting spread on one slice of bread for your sandwich, or better no spread at all and just a smidgen of sauce or mayo instead. You can inspect your bacon bap before you start munching on it, and if necessary remove the visible excess fat (Maya would say thank you).
I cannot remember the last time Hubby and I had chips (fries to my American friends), but even then we used to have a small portion between us. This was then reduced to a child’s portion, then reduced again to a cone which was smaller still. Prices down the road have increased and for said small cone, you are now looking at £2. Cost is also a good deterrent for eating the wrong things and keeping the right pounds in place.

I have to admit some take outs, like Subway, show the calorific value of their sandwiches, but as with most things, it is the sauces we put on them that could be our downfall.
Other take away establishments list the ingredients in their rolls, but it is still a guessing game, especially with a spread which may or may not be butter, and the sauce unlikely to be low calorie. Salad rolls may look a safe bet, but nearly all have butter and mayo/salad cream. Where it is possible for someone to make your sandwich or roll to order, you have a fighting chance of just having the ‘good stuff’ and asking them to omit the bad.
The ready to eat pasta dishes in supermarkets are quite popular, but again the sauce therein could not be as healthy as one would like. At least most of these have the traffic  light colour charts on them now, so you can see the red, amber and green to help you.

Pastry is my downfall. Be it sweet for a cake or bun, or savoury for a sausage roll or chicken slice. The syns for all are in double figures, but once in a while I consider it OK. It’s when I get a craving for them that the trouble starts, and that’s when I wish I had never treated myself in the first place.

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