A Big Dollop of Nom – 8 Weeks with Pinch of Nom

It’s now eight weeks since I learnt about Pinch of Nom, and I have to say I think I have had a dollop on Nom not a pinch.

I have been going to Weight Watchers on and off for just over 20 years, I have lost loads, I maintained for a bit, however I have also gained it all back on and off. Don’t get me wrong it’s not the fault of WW it’s me. I have an unhealthy relationship with food, like many I turn to food when I’m happy, when I’m sad, when I’m pissed off, and when I’m entertaining, so just about any reason there is food. I also don’t eat salad and fruit, which does not help.

At the end of January 2022, I had not been at WW for a few months as the meeting I attended closed after Covid and low numbers. Feeling very sorry for myself after a bad Christmas for eating too much (everything) I decided to find another meeting and go back. At the heaviest I have ever been I needed to get a grip. After a year I had shifted 28lbs, slow and steady and doing it the way I wanted, which felt manageable for the long term. It was almost a year to my restart that I discovered Nom, and now 8 weeks later, I’m in a very different place.

It started with Campfire Stew a recipe I was told all about when walking the dogs with a good friend. After cooking this one Saturday evening and being amazed at how good it was, I was on Facebook in a flash looking for second hand cookbooks so I could find some more recipes. I’m not here to put down the weight loss programme I have followed for years, as I know it works and have many many recipes which I make weekly but when I used to look through their cookbook I might find one or two I wanted to cook and the rest were just a NO from me. When I got the first couple of Nom books, I wanted to cook almost every page I looked at. Well the obsession now means I have all of the books and a couple of the trackers, as well as pre-ordering the new book out in June already!

Eight weeks in and after this weeks weigh-in I have lost 23.5 lbs, add that the progress I had already made, and it puts at 52lbs off. You might say WOW, but I have plenty of reserve’s so there’s much more to go!

I have had help, the arrival of Lent and the customary omission of something for 40 days (It’s really 47) in the run up to Easter. A few years ago I gave up crisps (potato chips for the Americans that might be reading) and the wife and daughter did chocolate, since that point, my daughter always gives up chocolate, where and Jane and I, kind of DON’T! I decided this year to support Emily and gave up crisps again. This is helping me loads, so much so, that I’m about 95% certain I’m going to stay off of them after Easter. I have chosen some supplements rice cakes and homemade popcorn, which are super low pointed and can be tasty as well. I have recently discovered Popcorn seasonings as well.

Getting back to Nom, I have lost count of the number of new recipes I have now cooked, but I know a few things. I never used Balsamic vinegar before in my life, but now on my second bottle! My spice rack is full, and I have a new craft box which is also full of herbs and spices, I even used my Pestle and Mortar more in eight weeks, than I have in the last 20 years, since I got it for a wedding present. My weekly shopping now includes things I never heard of eight weeks ago, Orzo, Panko breadcrumbs, wine Stock pots and green beans (yeah I heard of them, just never ate them!).

So Nom is not replacing WW, they are working hand in hand with each other for me. I go over the books and the website and get ideas for new meals that we will all like, but I still plan my meals as I have been for the last three years. I still go to group therapy (As I call it) weekly to get weighed and talk about the journey. I still draw on WW fundamentals such as “Remember the WHY” and this gives you strength to keep it going.

My Why is fairly obviously I’m overweight, I lost a load and put it on and you know what being back to where I got, would be awesome. This week my wonderful daughter unknowingly has given me a huge boost with the Why. She found a picture of Jane and I from Australia in 2003, this was when I was at my WW best. She thought it was funny seeing how young we were, but what I say was me, looking (in my eyes) skinny, yes and young!

The other things I have learnt about my focus over the last year, is that when I’m “on it” I’m writing about it, posting about it on the socials, and yes taking pictures of my food, so on that note, here are some of the meals we have had recently.

If you have got this far, I hope you have enjoyed the update from the last few weeks. Why not read some of the other blogs, there are links below, and why not leave me a comment, I’m interested to know what people think.