wow, Wow, WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Considering I haven't been well and have struggled with my journey.  When I say struggled, I have been comfort eating and binging due to not being well.  I have planned my meals and have eaten them but not really enjoyed.  I have also not been up to going to the gym or swimming as I have struggled with exercise.  I have tried to walk and not quite managing, again, to do what I wanted!

So bearing in mind the above, I was apprehensive about weigh-in tonight and had to make myself go.  I was shocked, amazed and astounded to have lost 3lbs this week!  Just what I needed.  So I am letting myself enjoy the evening by having a glass of wine or 2!

Breakfast was fruit, yogurt and a bacon roll.  Lunch was a carrot and coriander wrap with broccoli and runners.  Drinks throughout the day was coffee (using milk) and fruit tea.  Dinner was more Cowboy pie with courgettes, carrots and leeks!  So fab day for super free.  I have indulged in a bit of chocolate and of course the wine.

So for another big loss this week I need to stay on plan!

Dinner is below:

Heart and Soul!

I have found following the plan this last week very difficult.  I have been of work withe sickness and flue bug!  It has meant my heart and soul wasn't put into following the plan.  I have also found it hard to exercise as I have been and still feel quite chesty!

All my meals have been on the slimming world plan, but I have been synning round it!

But on the other hand I am now in the Christmas spirit and have started cooking my Christmas sauces (lots of tasting and they aren't on plan!).

On the food front I have been trying new recipes and we (the better half and I) cooked The Cowboy Pie from the latest slimming world magazine!

I served this with some lightly wilted spinach and it was absolutely gorgeous!

I am struggling, so I just need to remember its one day at a time and within that day it is one meal at a time!

Empowered

Definition:

verb

past tense: empowered; past participle: empowered

1.

give (someone) the authority or power to do something.

 

I am the only person who has the power and the authority to win my battle with weight. I will win and I will loose what I want, no mater how long it takes!  It took me a long time to put the weight on, so my perfect reasoning it is going to take me a long time to get the weight of!

Today I am still not feeling very well, but I managed to get to work and do a full day at work, with a walk at lunch!

I got home and went walking again and managed in total to walk for a hour and 45 minutes, whoop whoop!  While I was out walking this evening I left  Mark cooking tonight's dinner, pictures to follow!

Breakfast was above followed by a bacon roll (HEB).  Lunch, no pictures I am afraid was Jacket potato with slimming world coronation chicken and lots of salad and a orange juice (5.5 syns).  I snack on Jaffa cakes  x3 (6 syns) and 3 Go-Ahead bars (9 syns).

Dinner was butternut squash lasagne made from latest slimming world magazine.  We had soup to start, made out of extra butternut squash and tomato sauce....so lots of super-free:

The recipe had lots of free cheese in it and was yummy and filling!

Any way that's all for today, I need bath and bed!  My assignment for my diploma will have to wait til tomorrow!

Motivation!

I am finding it so difficult to stick to the the plan a the moment as I am not feeling well and I am using chocolate as comforter, however, I am still trying elsewhere to stick to plan!  I can't let this afternoons chocolate madness ruin it!

I had for breakfast to a banana and a satsuma slimming world magic muffins (not as nice as the pancakes).  Lunch was 2 bacon sandwiches and the extra bread is synned and I had over half a punnet of grapes before I had my sandwich.

I am also finding going to the gym and pool difficult at the moment due this head and chest cold, but I did get out for a 45 minute walk earlier, it was a struggle but I did need the fresh air!

My evening meal is going to be salmon, potatoes and lots of super free food!

On a more positive note I came across these affirmations earlier, which I aiming to read at least twice a day and more if needed:

• Today I love my body fully, deeply and joyfully
• My body has its own wisdom and I trust that wisdom completely
• My body is simply a projection of my beliefs about myself
• I am growing more beautiful and luminous day by day
• I chooses to see the devine perfection in every cell of my body
• As I love myself, I allow others to love me too
• Flaws are transformed by love and acceptance
• Today I choose to honour my beauty, my strength and my uniqueness
• I love the way I feel when I take good care of myself
• Today my own well-being is my top priority

(taken from a free ebook which can be found on facebook under 101 powerful affirmations)

I hope these can be of help to someone else and think about what each one means to you when you read it!

Mixed Day......................

.......its been one of those days I have been syning around the plan!  I am in the process of trying to cut down on caffeine (diet coke and coffee, both of which I am addicitted to) and drinking loads of water and fruit tea! But I have had the need for chocolate instead.

So tomorrow, another attempt and I will trying to avoiding the canteen where there is huge displays of chocolate!  I am also going to have to do loads of walking tomorrow to, to get rid of my chocolate binge......I need that stone of for Xmas!

Breakfast today was Mixed fruit and Slimming world pancakes with drizzle of honey.  Snacks today where fruit and chocolate.  Lunch was a super free soup with bacon and chicken in it and a HEA portion of cheddar cheese and a Ham salad.  Dinner was rice and Sri lanken Beef curry with loads of super free added!  Followed by more chocolate!

Time to draw a line and have another attempt tomorrow, as they say Rome wasn't built in a day!

Wow, Amazing and Fab

That's how I feel at the moment! 

Why should I feel like that when I have put a pound on this week?

Because Slimming World is an amazing plan!  I have struggled to keep to plan with my weekend away, but as soon as I got back yesterday lunch time, I refused to eat before going to the butchers to do a shop for Super free and some meat and then getting home and stuffing my face with super free!

I also feel amazing as the other half keeps saying how glad he did the climb on the big birthday on Saturday! It was one amazing climb and made me realise I can achieve what I want, no mater how difficult it is....and Saturday was difficult!  I really wanted to give up at times and did at some points look at the map and think we can go an easier way, but not to the top!  We got to the top!

I have set a goal of loosing another stone for Xmas!  I am going to do it!  Its 5 weeks and equates to 3lb a week!

I can't believe how amazing and positive I feel and group reinforced this.  It just goes to show how important it is to stay!

Thanks all!

What a long time its been, since I last posted!

Last Tuesdays weigh-in I had put on and I think this is why I stopped writing this.  But I need to recommit to doing this blog!

I have had a lovely weekend in Wales, but food was a no go area as it all seemed to be served in a greasy way! The full English we had, was very nice but was oily.  I am just wishing now we had gone self catering so I could had have had more control over the food!

I am afraid there is no pictures to hold me accountable!

We did however make it all the way up to the top of Sugar Load Mountain from the village of Llangenny.  Here is the wiki link:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_Loaf,_Monmouthshire

Here's me at the top:

On a good note I got back home and started straight on plan! I don't think its going to help with my weight loss for my weight in tomorrow though!

It's Friday, but I have to work tomorrow.....

..........these means I have Friday afternoons of and I never seem to really achieve anything. As the gym and pool don't open til 6pm so I can't go there.  The other half works so we can't do anything together and as he works from home, I can't even do the housework!

Today though I have played on my new toy and early Xmas present of the Nexus, followed by a walk which had some running built in.  Great body magic and I can really feel my fitness improving.  I did however stop on the way home and but some wine! (24 syns a bottle and I did share!)

I am stopping at the one bottle and not opening the 2nd though!

Food wise was a bit of a funny day:

Breakfast banana and bacon roll:

I had a 30 minute break at work and as it was chucking it down with rain didn't go for a walk!  I did munch on below at (13 syns):

Dinner was beef stew with carrots, parsnips and butter beans included and served with potato's, sweet potato's, carrots, swede and leeks.  Lovely meal to round the evening of!

Lessons for the day:
1) Have trust in myself as I know I can do it!
2) Don't get to upset if I need wine and crisps!
3) I struggle mentally with running, I know I can do it, but I just feel people are judging and laughing at me when I do it.  I have to ignore the negative thoughts and just learn to enjoy it.  I don't have these thoughts in the gym or when I go for a swim.

Food porn!

What a fan evening eyeing up fan food cooked! I wish Michael Roux Jnr could cook for me! He so good with the contestants but offers good criticism! I just wish I could cook like him!

All the food cooked tonight look lovely, but it could have been cooked healthier!

Been a bit on taking pictures of food today! Shifts were changed, so I had a 8am start instead of 11.30 start, which threw me a bit! The day started with a banana and a bacon roll! Lunch ended up being lettuce and a mug shot! Took gravy to work instead of left over fish pie! Had a good walk at lunch!

 Got home from work at 5pm and charged my phone and went for another walk!

Dinner was Sri Lanken Beef curry, in slimming world Asain cook book! It was lush and tonnes of super free veg in!

Not much of a day but looking forward to weight loss this week!

'Make the decision, then do something - no matter how small - towards accomplishing what you want.'

What do I want?
To loose weight to be healthy and look good!
To be able to ride a horse again!
To be able to run a half marathon!
To be able to wear my red dress again!

I have had such a fab day today on the plan.  I think it helps that I lost a pound and a half this week, a total of 6lbs over the last two weeks!  Four more pounds and back to two and half stone weight loss and 11 pounds to 3 stone weight loss! Seven weeks to it in (last weight in before Xmas is going to be a Monday as class is not running on Xmas eve!

So what have I done today to start achieving my goals? I incorporated in my daily walk this morning the first pod cast of NHS couch to 5K. I had anticipated it was going to be much harder than it was. Don't get me wrong I didn't find it easy and the challenge was actually having the confidence of doing and completing it!  I was so proud of myself that I had done it.  As I said i incorporated this into my daily walk and came back via the butchers as I needed some veg (they are also a greengrocers!)

I got home and had breakfast which is my usual smoothie which included a banana, strawberries, blackberries, a Muller light and some skimmed milk from my healthy a allowance.  I had this with slimming world pancakes, made from 35g of porridge (healthy extra b), Muller light and 2 eggs, served with more strawberries and a lone left over blackberry! Served with a teaspoon of honey (1 syn).

After a shower it was of to work for me, as i am on a late shift!  My first tea break I had some left over pancakes and fruit, as I couldn't finish at breakfast!

Lunch was a load of lettuce leaves served with left over roast chicken and two tablespoons of extra light mayo (2 syns).  Picture taken half way through my meal:

Dinner was fish pie with loads of super free added and served with leeks and broccoli, but I had eaten most of these before I took the picture:

I have also snacked on 5 celebrations (allowed 1 sysn each), which is about 5 Syns.  So total syns is 8.  I have also allotted 35 syns for the week on a 35cl bottle of vodka of which I have had some tonight.

I have learnt (or should I say noticed) a number of things today.  I always try to aim for 5 in a day and don't always achieve this amount but I have noticed six things today which I need to try and put into practise!

1) Stop putting of to tomorrow, what you can do today.
2) Loved doing the first couch to 5k run today!
3) Can achieve what I want if I put my mind to it!
4) Need to achieve my goals one step at a time!
5) Learn to love myself!
6) Think about my food before I eat it!

That's all folks as I have agreed to a shift swap tomorrow and have to be in at work for 8am!

I'm stuffed!

I'm stuffed because I have had a lovely roast chicken dinner this evening!

Today has been a relatively good day after a long lie in for me (I got up at 10 am)! Breakfast was a strawberry, black current and banana smoothie made with a muller light and milk from my healthy a allowance.  I had this with slimming world pancakes, made from 35g of porridge (healthy b), a muller light and a egg, fried using fry light, served with black current, strawberries, honey and bacon.  (Only 1 syn, which is for the honey).

I then headed for the gym and spent 45 minutes doing weights and then went for a swim for 45 minutes.  When I got home I had a salad with some chicken drumsticks, Asian style.  I spent the rest of he afternoon cooking and doing housework chores.  I cooked s slimming world luxury fish pie and a Sri Lanken Beef curry and then cooked our roast dinner.  The chicken roasted in its own juices and the roasties had a tablespoon of oil on them, but was spilt between the two of us and there was some cornflour in the gravy so that was the only syns for the meal.

My positive though for the day comes from my NLP training:

'There is no such thing as failure only feedback'

and thought for the day is based on a idea that comes from a book called Slimming secrets, by Steve Miller.

'Stop, look and listen'....which is designed for you to think about the food you eat before you put in your mouth and for you to have a conversation with your inner voice (subconsciousness) and decide if you really do want that bit of food!

I am enjoying a few vodkas tonight...I know it will affect my weight loss but I do have to live!

That's all folks!

What a day it's been!

Today, even though it is a day of work for me, I still had to be up at 8am, as the car was booked in for its MOT. Passed with flying colours, so phew it only cost me the price of the MOT!

Before leaving to take the car to the garage I wasn't really hungry but I knew I had to eat as I knew I would be hungry later.  so breakfast was just a lonely old banana after doing my daily toning exercises! 

I waited at the garage while the car had it's MOT and went straight from there to the gym.  I didn't make use of the gym though but spent an hour swimming very slowly, but I didn't want to do but I did!

I got home and the other half had cook me a bacon sandwich, which was lovely and needed even though I wasn't hungrey again!  Sorry forgot to a picture!  As the other half cooked it and he doesn't really now the plan there was no superfree with it, but I am grateful it was done for me.

After showering we went on a shopping trip, starting with a bulk shop at costco, then the village butchers and finally Waitrose!  Everything was unpacked and put away.  I then realised I managed to walked for an hour and a half and had done lots of steps! 

At this point I was getting hungry and had some carrots and tomatos with some laughing cow portions (healthy extra A) which is when I decided I needed to make up my steps to reach the 10k worth of steps and walked to the long way to the shops to get some freezer bags to bag up the salmon we brought at Costco!

When I got back from the shops we had Salmon Teriyaki (recipe in the Asain cook book available from Slimming World) served with Rice, a cucumber and carrot salad, runners and snap peas.

I also snaked on some chocolate earlier on today and now chillin with some Vodka and diet coke!

Things I have learnt today:
1) Chill, relax and enjoy the right food and exercise
2) I can control what I buy when I go shopping if I go with a list!
3) Menu plans are the key to my success

Got a temporary Router

Sorry that there was no post last night as I was going to find it difficult on my phones 3G, I m so gutted I couldn't do one that I ate a huge bar of chocolate!

I had complained to the better half on Wednesday night my phone wasn't connecting to the home wi-fi on my ancient I-phone, so when he was investigating on Thursday the whole router went.  He has spoken with sky today and we are going to get a new one, but for the moment we have managed to borrow one.

My first breakfast for Thursday was an apple and boiled egg. I had this before I went for a long walk:

My second breakfast on Thursday, after my walk was a Raspberry and Banana smoothie (Healthy extra a) and slimming world pancakes,with a dash of honey (used healthy extra b and honey is 1 syn) and 2 bacon rashers:

Snacks throughout yesterday were a mugshot, another boiled and 3 Go-ahead crispy slices (9 syns):

Other snacks.syns was Galaxy and wine coming to a total of 57 syns!

 I also managed to do a walk lunch yesterday too. With this walk and my morning walk I managed 13450 steps today, well above my daily target of 10K.  As my weigh-in is on a Tuesday my exercise and food week starts on a Wednesday and my total steps for Wednesday and Thursday are 23738, which is fab and so my goal for Friday was a minimum of 6300 steps to keep on track.

My lunch for Thursday was pumpkin soup, sorry no pictures.  I also brought a salad in canteen which I didn't eat, so I left in the fridge for today.

I got home from work about 8.30pm to a dinner of beef stew, potato's, broccoli leeks and courgettes:

My five good things for  Thursday:
1) aimed for early night as Internet down and unable to do blog
2)Lots of walking
3) Used the stairs at work instead of the lift
4) Me time
5) Enjoyed my walks

Friday I started the day with doing 15 minutes of toning exercises, but no walk his morning as I wanted a lie-in followed by another smoothie for breakfast (raspberry and banana again!)

My break at work saw me buying Jaffa cakes (6 syns, 2per cake) and diet coke:

Lunch (no pictures) was yesterday salad with 2 slices of ham) and other snacks were carrots and tomato's.

Dinner was Roast meditation chicken and veg (all super free):

Five good things for today:
1) Toning before work
2) Achieving walking goal of over 6300 steps
3) Keep on smiling when things aren't all they seem
4) Super free food is fabulous and fills you up!
5) I probably won't have lost 5 and half pounds by my next weigh-in, but I will damn well keep trying!

That's all folks!

What have I done to me!

Talk about self sabotage!  Ive pigged out (or feel like I have) as cakes were brought into work and had to have one even though I wasn't hungry.  This is me acting before I think again!  I have also brought a large chocolate bourbon biscuit in the canteen when I didn't need it, again acting before I think here I could have brought a bit of fruit as there was some lovely looking banana.

Day ended well, as i decided to head to the pool, as I had by costume in the car (it was 8.45pm by the time I got in)!  I swam for 30 mins and really wanted to more, but I new I still had to have my dinner and do a few chores round the house when I go home.  I have also actively walked 90 mins more than I used to and walked over 10k worth of steps! 

I overachieved on exercise and underachieved in food today. I was so upset with myself about the bad things I ate I didn't take any phones of it.  I have consumed over 31 syns today! Do I regret it no as it motivated me to do more exercise and during my swim it made me realise I can do achieve what I want to in small chunks!

Breakfast:
Smoothie made from raspberries, banana, natural yogurt, skimmed milk from healthy extra a allowance, 25 ml of apple juice (1 syns).  Slimming world pancakes made from 35g porridge (healthy extra b), muller light, 2 eggs and served with bacon, satsuma and 1 tsp of honey (1syn).

Snacks:
 To embarrassed to talk about any more and anyway no pictures

Lunch:
Was a syn free salad and a soup made from passatta and left over of carrots, swede, Cauliflower and potatoes with some herbs thrown in.

Dinner:
Chicken Chaseur (1 and half syns as it has red wine in) and i made with mushrooms and onions, served with a mash of sweet potato and normal potato, carrots and swede:

Five good things about today:
1) Went swimming when not planned.  More so as I pigged out today!
2) Picked at wrong food, because it was there...boredom! (i have that I do this before)
3) Stated at class I want to loose 2 and half pounds every week til Xmas, but the realisation dawned on me when I was swimming I would love to walk away with 5 and half pounds weight loss. I have to be really determined to stick to plan for the rest of the week.  So much so I have got carrot sticks and tomato's ready chopped for me to pick on tomorrow!
4) I do enjoy exercising when I have started and get a steely determination when I am doing it! Its just the lead up to it!
5) i have said this before, I'm not thinking before I act, I need to do this more!

Thanks for reading.  I so need a bath now before I go to bed as i stink of the swimming pool!

WOW, WOW AND WOW

What a fab weigh in today...four and a half pounds off!  Proved to myself today that I can do it!  Todays post is just going to be short and sweet!

Breakfast:
Smoothie made from Raspberrries, Banana, 25ml apple juice (1 syn), natural yoghurt and skimmed milk from 350ml allowance

Snacks:
Apples, bacon roll (fat cut of and roll Healty extra B) and 2 Hifi bars (12 syns)

Lunch
Ceaser Salad (sorry no picture) and 1 and a half syns

Dinner
Lamb rogan Josh, swede and carrot mash served with boiled rice

My treat tongiht is a bottle of wine.  So much for not drinking!

What a windy old day!

This morning got woken up by the wind, just before my alarm went of.  I think it was the wind blowing the fence panel down! I had set my alarm 15 minutes earlier just in case I was going to have a struggle to get to work!

My day started with the normal fruit smoothie, of a banana, Black Forrest fruits, natural yogurt and some of my milk allowance.  This so sets me up for the day:)

I did at my breakfast have three Go-ahead slices at 3 syns each and a total of 9 syns, sorry no pictures as I totally forgot!

Lunch was another bowl of pumpkin soup that I had the other day and I have used the same picture from the other day so has a bit of pork on it (which I didn't have as I had none left).  I also can't quite remember what veg is in in it apart from the pumpkin, passetta, the odd potato, but I now its all super free.

I debated as to whether the weather at lunch, but risked it and went for a 45 minute walk!  Didn't get to wet or blown over! Quite proud that I did it as it wouldn't have taken much to stay in the warm and read my book!
I did have a afternoon snack of a small piece of chocolate cake, which I allowed 6 syns (hard to judge as it was home baked by someone else).  But the odd treat never hurt someone!

This afternoon got home from work to find with joy my Avon has arrived, so a pampering session for me after dinner, as I brought myself some treats.  I decided to go through instead of going for another walk.  The weather was chucking it down with rain when I got home and didn't want to get soaked to the skin and make myself ill.

I did enjoy a tomato mug shot about 6.30pm to keep hunger at bay as other half has gone out and waiting for him to return so I can get dinner on, so no pictures yet, but we are having Venison (cooked on the griddle) with potato's, carrots, Cauliflower and courgettes,  Yum.

You don't know how much this is helping me as I am becoming more accountable in doing this.  The other thing I try and do each is write down 5 positive things which are:

1) I loved going out for a walk when I initially didn't really want to (was using the weather as an excuse)
2) I can enjoy my time without using wine/vodka as a prop and trying out new beauty treatments instead
3) I have also realised I am acting first and thinking after (hence the reason I had the bit of cake)
4) I also don't needs loads of food to feel full, my soup at lunch was enough and didn't need salad or a jacket potato to go with it!
5) I also eat out of boredom!

Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a fab evening!

What a day today

Today we had a family lunch and we needed to be there for 1pm, which put paid my visit to the gym and the pool this morning due to the time it opened would mean I wouldn't have time to do what I wanted there and be back in time to have a shower and change.  So chilled out this morning and watched the India Formula One instead on the telly.

For breakfast I had a smoothie made from: Black Forrest Fruits (Blackberries, Blackcurrants, Cherries and Grapes), a banana, natural yogurt, 25 ml of apple juice (0.5 syns) and skimmed milk from the 350ml Healthy Extra A allowance.  I served this with slimming world pancakes (made from 35g of porridge which is my healthy extra 'b' and a muller light mixed together and left in the fridge overnight.  Then when ready add 1 to 2 eggs and mix and then heat up a frying pan and spray with fry light), more Black Forrest Fruit, 2 teaspoons of Honey (2 syns) and 2 rashers of bacon.  Pictures:

Late on we walked uphill to where we were having lunch and it took us 30 minutes.  What a good workout! We arrived promptly at 1pm and were the first to arrive.  I must admit admit I was expecting to eat at about 1.30 to 2pm but not at 3.00pm, by which time I was starving!  I had been so good up to this point and not touched any booze that was being dished up and stuck to diet coke :) I have to say I don't think it was intended to be this late as there was an emergency dash for a gas bottle as the original one had run out :)

I had a lamb chop, burger, peas sweetcorn, pasta, potato's a additional bread roll which I had to syn, having used my Healthy 'B' allowance already (I picked it up as I was hungry and there was a lack of super free) and served with lettuce, tomato, carrot stick and cucumber (the only super free on the table).  I did have a teaspoon each of coleslaw and potato salad (allowed one syn for bath as not sure on how to syn this as very minimal.  We tried to leave at about 4pm and was asked to stay as the birthday cake was coming out for the birthday girl.  I resisted this as it was being dished up in large amounts and didn't want to use any remaining syns on this.  Sorry no pictures for this food as I would have looked stupid taking pictures of this.

About 4.30pm we made our farewells and walked back home.  I must have got thirsty as I wanted to stop at the pub on the way home and the other half agreed.  I managed to drink 2 pints and eat a packet of Honey Roasted nuts, not very clever and cost my at least 33 syns  I am not going to beat myself up about this as I enjoyed it and started to relax, as I don't really enjoy family get togethers.

This evening I had a late dinner as I knew if I didn't have anything I would pick at things I have in the house that I shouldn't!  I had some left over Lamb Rogan Josh served with rice and more salad leaves!.

I am trying to keep a note of five good things that have happened or I have learnt during the day.  Here is my list for today:

1) Listen to those that are trying to support you, as even if they aren't right in their own good way they are just trying to help you!
2) It doesn't matter that you don't do all the exercise you have planned, what matters more is that I am moving more (and hey I still walked for an hour today!)
3) Listen to the inner voice more.  I.E I need to think and question myself more before I act1
4) I haven't fallen of the waggon today by having my two pints of cider and packet of nuts, as I enjoyed this the most out of my day.  We are allowed a bit of fun and this was it for me today!
5) Tomorrow is another day!

Thanks for reading!

Why can't all days be like today?

I have a had a fab day trying to loose weight.  I was up early for a Saturday (about 8am) and organised my breakfast which was a fruit smoothie.

The smoothie is made up from milk, which came from my Healthy A allowance, natural yogurt (free on slimming world) and Black Forrest fruits, which include grapes, cherries, blackberries and blackcurrants (which are all super free).  This gave me the energy boost to get going to the gym as I really didn't want to go today.  I do go however and did 45 mins in the gym and did weights, CV and toning work.  I followed this up with a swim and only managed 30 minutes.  I had planned to do an hour in each, but considering I really didn't want to go at least I did something, which is better than nothing. 

I got back home for about 11.30am, as I had to stop at the shops for wholemeal bread.  When I got home I had a early lunch as I needed the protein to start repairing my body after the exercise.  I had a bacon sandwich, which was on plan as fat is remove as much as possible and bread is my healthy extra b allowance.  I had this with homemade pumpkin soup made up from left over super free veg such as peppers, broccoli, brussels and of course pumpkin.  There was also potato on there which is also free.  The soup was topped with left over pork croutons and added extra flavour.

Lunch was followed by a shower and a food shop.  Food wise we always start at the local butchers and buy most of our fruit, veg and meat there as the quality is fab and is cheaper than local supermarkets, with the bonus of fab customer service. Here's a link to their website http://www.villagebutchers.co.uk/

We then headed onto Waitrose to buy a few store cupboard items, as is the usual routine as on the odd occasion the butchers haven't quite got the odd bit we need.

With the shopping unpacked, the housework was done, lamb rogan josh in the slow cooker and I then headed on out for a walk.  My intention was just to go out for an hour so I could reach the 10k steps we are supposed to reach every day.  I ended up walking for an hour and a half and have so far done 13,414 steps today!  Total exercise today is 2 hours 45 minutes.  Hey I should be biggest lose!

When I got home I got the rice, broccoli and cauliflower on for dinner and it filled me up a treat.  I so wanted to eat one of my home cooked mince pies that were cooling down on the wire rack, but I resisted them and just waited for my dinner.  I have so far resisted the wine to.

Pictures of dinner (or whats left of it):

 I also was I bit cheeky today and brought some mini scream eggs at Waitrose.  I ate 2 of them, and will only have the occasional one, as I couldn't find the syns for them so I have taken the syn value of a mini cream egg (they are essentially the same thing) and are 2.5 syns for one, so that takes my syns to a total of five so far today.

For those of you that don't know the Extra Easy Plan that Slimming World offers, it works something along the lines of splitting foods into the following groups:

Super free:   This includes most veg and fruit, but not all.
Free:           This includes high carb veg such as potatoes, peas, sweetcorn and beans, meats and fish

Slimming world suggest on this plan you fill up more than a third of your plate with super free as this is what will start to fill you up and the rest of your plate with free food.  None of this food has to be weighed or measured.  But be sensible about it.

The other two groups are:
Healthy Extras:    You are allowed one A and one B on the extra easy plan.  'A's include things a milk or cheese allowance and 'B's' include things like breads and cereals.  These need to be weighed
Syns:          This is for your naughty bits like wine and chocolate.  These also need to be weighed to work out the correct syn value.  You are allowed a total of 15 a day.  Some people work them over a week, so they can save them up for night out.

And talking of night's out, i need to and get ready!

Who said weight loss was easy?

Well whoever said this, isn't the brightest spark in the book!

I have struggled since I started my journey back in January 2012, but I am still following the slimming world plans and the weight is coming of me again!  Need to remember the following:

Success is not a race, be patient.
Success leads to success.
Success is always a work in progress.
Success doesn't come to you - you go to it.
Success is a journey, not a destination. Focus on the process.
Some people dream about success - while others wake up and work hard at it.
Success is achieves and maintained by those who try and keep trying.
Everyday is a good day to SUCCEED!
If at first you don't succeed - try, try again.

I love this quote as it reminds me that I need to keep trying every day to achieve my goals and only by trying will I succeed and be successful at loosing weight!  It has reminded that you can't sit back and it will happen I need to make it happen, but by being patient as I will get there!

My success since starting my slimming world plan is that I have lost weight (nearly two stone) and that I have the tools now to carrying on loosing the weight in my own time and not to rush the process.  Two months ago I was trying to loose weight like the people in The Biggest Loser. Australia 2012 which I had been following! I can do the 2 hours exercise but it was wearing me out and guess what I was eating more of the wrong things as I wasn't concentrating on my food!

First lesson that I learnt, concentrate on my food first and back this up with weight loss!
Second lesson that I learnt, enjoy the right foods and enjoy exercise.  You won't stick to whatever plan you are following if you aren't enjoying it!

Oh my god, I cant believe its been 6 months!

I have definitely been slacking and my thoughts have been else where.  I am starting to get back on track!  Back to nearly 2 stone weight loss and I have a pound and a half to go, which I hope to achieved b y my weight in on Tuesday.

Why Tuesday?  My last weight in before my 2 week holiday!  When I did this holiday last year only put on 4lbs over the fortnight, so the pressures on!

Food and exercise wise I believe I am mentally ready for my holiday!  I have recipes and my new slimming World mag to take with me!  I am also taking my steamer! (I am self catering!)

Minor setback or not?

the scales on my weigh in on Tuesday 29th of Jan, stated I had lost 5 and half pounds! Fab, great, whoop and I jumped up and down with joy!  Helped me to win win slimmer of the week and month!  Weigh in on Tuesday the 5th I had put on a a pound a half!  I hadn't been that bad! Then I was told they were different scales as basically the old ones had failed.  This things happen! Upset understatement, but I kept telling myself I had lost 4 pounds in two weeks!

But more importantly than that its motivated me even more to keep going! I've worked out that if I carry on loosing 2 pounds a week I can have lost nearly 4 stone by my birthday!  I am also aiming to fit into my red dress for a wedding in June!

Just a reminder what it looks like (I know its a bad picture!)

I have also entered the Race for Life again this year.  This is a 5km race you can walk, jog or run and help raise money for cancer research.  The last 2 years I have walked it!  This year my aim is to have lost enough weight to try and run it!

I have also completed a 6 month plan which is stuck on my notice board next to my desk which includes things that I want to get done this year but don't necessarily relate to my weight loss journey so I'm afraid I'm not ready to share the whole lot!

Ive had a fab day trying to become fitter, I spent 33 minutes in the gym on the cross trainer and on the treadmill and then spent an hour swimming, clocking up 3.5km on all 3 activities.  This is part of one of my steps to be ready to run the Race For Life!

Looking Forward!

Stop looking back and start looking into the future!

Why do I say this?  I have always looked backwards in my weight loss journey and wallowed in what I would call self pity when I have felt I have done wrong in my journey!  What do I need to do right, firstly, take one day at a time but baring in mind what I want to achieve.  I want to ride again is my main goal!

The above is my riding my old horse in a competition four years ago!  We did very well if I remember rightly,  and was one of his last competitions!  RIP big boy!

I also have some clothes I want to slim into to!  Mainly first of all the below dress which I brought originally for a wedding of two good friends.

This week I invested in a new book called Steve Millers Slimming Secrets.  Steve Miller present Fat Families on Sky Living.  I didn't by the book for his plan as I have no need for it as I am currently following Slimming World's plan.  The reason I brought the book is for the hints and tips he suggests when trying to loose weight and this is what I have found useful this week and since starting the book have managed to stay in my syn allowance every day. RESULT! Me last two weigh in at slimming world resulted in a loss, but I didn't stay within my syn allowance, but I had increased my exercise!  Do I dare hope for a greater loss on Tuesday?

Stuggling!

The last couple of days I have struggled with my wright loss plan.  Yesterday I could have control certain things better, but sometime personnel things do get in the way!  Today forgetting some of my lunch totally threw me of course and I know I could have handled it better!

But tomorrow is another day and what I have got facing me tomorrow, just my works do and guess what I'm driving so guess who's not drinking!  Meal was chosen before Christmas....and what I have chosen...smoked salmon, pork and treating myself to chocolate torte for dessert! Yum!  But hey I will be fine!

Anybody else got any demons?

Goals, Goals, Goals!

No I'm not going mad posting a picture of a football and goalposts!

Why have I done this?

We all have a reason for loosing weight!  Whats mine?  I am to heavy to be on a horse and I want to ride one again! So this was the reason for walking through the doors of  Slimming World last year and its the reason for me sticking to it even though I have lost the amount of weight I wanted to last year.  I also have had to set mini aims and goal post for what I want to achieve and when!  That ball is going to be kicked into the goal time and time again as I loose more weight!

My goal for January is to loose a stone and I sat down after my first weigh in at Slimming World on Tuesday 8th and I needed to work out how I was going to achieve this.  First of all I realised that I had only three weeks to do this.  This means a weight loss of 5 pounds for 2 weeks and four pounds for another week.  Daily I'm trying to keep within my syn allowance and on my five working days I'm going out for a 30 min walk and I do some other form of exercise on Monday, and then Wednesday through to Friday (I don't on Tuesday as this is slimming world night) and then I try and do something on Saturdays and Sundays including long walks the allotment, swimming and a Zumba class.  I'm also going to try and start building the gym in again more for strength training I think!

So how have I done so far?  Exercise has been the easiest one to build in and it has meant that I have stopped eating for the sake of it at lunch i.e chocolate and crisps. Also I am trying to vary it and if I don't want to go swimming as its to cold for example I will got out the Wii and do some Zumba or go on the Wii fit or put in the Just Dance 4 disc!  I feeling deflated this evening as I have scheduled any exercise in but I also have to realise that I can't do it all at once and that I have others things to do other than exercise!

I believe this week if it wasn't for the exercise I would have put on weight.  Why?  As I didn't keep within my syn allowance any day this week and I was always over, which is why it was a 3 pounds loss this week.  (Don't get me wrong 3 pounds is a great weight loss and I am pleased I lost this, it does mean I have 11 to loose in 2 weeks).

Refocus,  daily goals this week are, firstly, no alcohol (which I do struggle with and is the reason I usually go over my allowance).  I am going to save up my allowance for when I do want a drink and not buy alcohol to have at home (if its not here I can't drink it!). Secondly, with trying to incorporate dry nights at home I want to stay within my syn allowance every day.  and, thirdly keep up the exercise.

There are going to be two days this week that are going to side track me and the first day is tomorrow as I have a day of on annual leave.  I have my morning organised so I am unlikely to pick at food, but I know its around lunch time that is going to be difficult as I don't know what is going to be available (I will be at an event), but I am going to try and build in a Slimming World brunch to keep me going and keep fruit in the car!  My other event is Friday night, as we have a works night out, so I don't drink I will be driving.  I have also choosen my food so hopefully it won't be to bad,  I have choosen Smoked Salmon for starters, Pork for main and I am allowing myself chocolate torte for desert!  I think I am more worried as I will not get a second exercise session in!

So lets see what I can do this week, and by the way I am pleased I lost weight this week!

Sunday 13th Jan 2013 3 Mile walk incorporating McIlroy Park

I think you will agree some fab views over Reading and Tilehurst taken yesterday Sunday 13th of January 2013.  I think these reflect my mood at the moment.  I am feeling good and healthy and the sun was just making me feel so good, even though it was freezing cold!

I keep meaning to write a proper full entry and I just havent had the time to sit down and write one, so watch this space!

New Year a New You!

What a wonderful view over Tilehurst, Reading and onto to the Oxfordshire Hills the other side of the river Thames on a gorgeous sunny day!

This picture was taken today on a 3 mile walk to blow the cobwebs away from to much drinking last night and what a reminder of places where we can go walking here just a short walk from our doorsteps!

There was another reason for the walk today, to increase my exercise levels so my fitness levels improve and to help me to loose the weight I badly need to, so I can achieve that all important goal that I want to achieve!

I want this picture to remind that my journey has to be fun and exciting and not boring and dreary! Whats the point of doing this journey if it isn't going to be fun!  We had a special New Years Day meal today. We had Roast Beef and Roast Potatoes with leeks, peas and broad beans!  It was lovely and this was followed up a Slimming World Strawberry Swiss Roll and had no syns in it, but was lovely! I did enjoy a glass of wine with my meal and while I was cooking!

As I had to Turkeys to cook over Christmas we have lots of turkey meals in the freezer and now I am trying new recipes to add that all important variety to my diet! Anyone got any low fat recipes that I may enjoy that I could try?