Solid foods at last!!

Officially, I went from purees to solid foods on Saturday 27th. I did eat some 'solid' food over Christmas, but not necessarily the kind of food I would have chosen had I not been staying with my Dad. As a result, I really saved my solid food changeover until I got home and was able to eat the kind of food I really wanted to eat. We arrived back home in the late afternoon on Saturday after a long motorway journey. Neither of us had the energy to go shopping for food so we made do with what we had in the freezer. I ate a small piece of salmon with butternut squash, leeks, broccoli and rice. RICE! I used to eat rice two or three times a week and hadn't had any for seven weeks – it was great to have some again. I do like mashed potato, but I really am a bit fed up with it now!

However, the big changes were to come on Sunday after we had been shopping to re-stock the cupboards and fridge. I spent absolutely ages examining the calorie contents of crispbreads, ricecakes and cereal bars. We also bought loads of fruit and vegetables. When we got home I made my first, proper, solid food lunch for bandits: A mixed salad with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, chopped olives, yellow pepper and cucumber. This was mixed with soy sauce and coarse black pepper (which I put on everything!). I ate this with two Ryvita crispbreads laden with Light Philadelphia. It took me quite a while to eat this because I was doing so much chewing (certainly my jaws are getting plenty of exercise!). It was lovely – probably the nicest lunch I have had in ages. It made me realise just how much I am savouring every mouthful these days, instead of chucking it down my throat with hardly time for it touch the sides!

In the evening, I tried something new that I've never had before – scallops. I microwaved them, against the advice on the packaging, and they were absolutely delicious. Five large scallops 'cost' about 80 calories so are an excellent, low calorie, low fat and high protein food. I had the scallops with a couple of new potatoes, some brussel sprouts and a mixture of my favourite vegetable (which I haven't had for seven weeks) – mushrooms (a mixture of oyster, shitake and chestnut varieties). Fantastic – once again I savoured each mouthful and believe I really am re-learning how to eat.

We all take the act of 'eating' for granted. We learn how to do it when we are children, and then probably never really think about it ever again. Being a bandit has made me do a lot of thinking about it because we have to eat everything very slowly, and chew everything well. I really do believe that I am re-discovering the wonders of tasty food. For the first time in many years, I am starting to enjoy food again instead of taking it for granted and using it as a crutch. I do hope this will continue.

I think my Christmas period has been really successful. The one negative is that I have this ongoing fear that somehow it can't last – that sooner or later it will all go pear-shaped. I know I will try my hardest to continue with the progress I have made but more than that I cannot say. I wish sometimes, that I could see into the future – say one year – and see me in my body and see whether I managed to keep this weight loss up or not! But hey, I can't so I'll have to be patient!

Current weight 16 stones 10 pounds.
Starting weight 19 stones 7 pounds.