50lbs Down!

Whoopeeeeeeeee! Yeehaw! Hoo-bloody-ray!

I just updated my ticker (in the sidebar thataway -> ) and a 3lb loss today means that my total weight loss has hit 50 whole pounds! That's as much as a small bale of hay, 2 average two year olds, 4 and a half cats or 50 guinea pigs! 50 guinea pigs! I can't imagine carrying any of those things around with me, all day, every day, but at some point I did (and more when I was pregnant). I wont say I'm not struggling at the moment, but it's really motivated me to stay on track and keep seeing that number fall. Hopefully I'll see another loss next week :)

Hx

Salad Days

I've recently developed an allergy to tomatoes, which, in my world, is devastating! I love and adore tomatoes, in all shapes and sizes and various forms. I was practically weaned on tomatoes and usually grow my own in the summer (although this year's monsoon weather put paid to that). Now, if I eat them, it makes my mouth really sore and my chest tight  which is very very scary!

To me, a salad isn't a salad without a tomato. Or it used to be. This recent allergy has made me look at the way I see salads. A salad is a dieter's friend, but it can soon get rather boring if you're eating lettuce, tomato and cucumber at every meal... So I've been coming up with some ways to spice up your salad.

Chose your leaves

Are you an iceberg fan, or do you favour a little gem? The leaf is usually the basis for a good salad, and there are so many available now there's no reason not to vary them. I like to buy bags of pre-washed salad leaves, for convenience mostly, but also because of the variety. Our favourite is a babyleaf salad, but you can try rocket, spinach, beetroot leaves, watercress. Whatever takes your fancy. A good old round lettuce can be a nice change from the more "exotic" too!

Once you've got your leaves, what goes on top. I often find myself piling everything salad-like on top, but you really don't have to. Chose three or four "toppings", such as:

• cucumber
• tomato *sob*
• peppers
• carrot (grated, cubed, thinly sliced with a speed peeler...)
• olives
• herbs (I like basil or mint)
• beetroot
• beansprouts
• mushrooms
• radish
• celery
• onions

Know your onions

A good onion can add a sharp kick to your salad, but again you can vary them. Spring or salad onions are quick and convenient (snip them with scissors) but try red onion, spanish onion or even a couple of pickled onions for variety.

Pickle it

Talking of pickled onions, pickled beetroot, gherkins or cauliflower can also be a great addition to a salad. Add a blob of sweet pickle to turn your salad into a ploughmans.

Fruity twist

Still missing that tomato? I've been experimenting with adding fruit to my salad. Grapes, strawberries (great with balsamic dressing), melon, mango, apple or raisins will make a great addition to a good salad.

Protein power

Now you've got your basics, add the protein you need to make this a meal. Chicken salad will get boring really quick if you have it regularly, but combine it with bacon and a mustard dressing, or with mango and a curried mayonaise and it's a completely different meal. Other great protein sources for salad are:

• lean ham
• prawns
• tuna
• boiled eggs
• cottage cheese
• chorizo (quite fatty but a little goes a long way!)
• lean bacon or turkey bacon
• crab sticks
• omlette
• reduced fat cheese (try feta or mozzarella)
• quiche (crustless quiche recipe coming soon!)

Dress it up

Now here's a stumbling block - the dressing. You don't want to add a load of calories at the last minute, so chose wisely. I like to use balsamic vinegar, but raspberry vinegar is nice too. If you're buying a shop bought dressing, do for one that contains less than 40 calories per 100mls or is marketed as a lighter choice (my current favourite is honey and mustard). You can also buy 1 calorie salad sprays that are intensively flavoured so that just a few sprays (at 1 calorie each) are needed. If you're a fan of mayonnaise or salad cream, chose on that's "extra light" or "lighter than light" and try mixing it with fat free fromage frais to make it go further. Or water down some fat free natural yoghurt and add some finely chopped mint, for a dressing that feels really creamy and indulgent, without all the fat.

Things to avoid

This may sound obvious, but if you're trying to keep your salad healthy there are some things to avoid:

• croutons
• full fat cheese
• crispy onions
• crispy bacon
• creamy or oily dressings
• chips on the side!

I enjoy salads, and I always have, but it can get boring, very quickly. I hope I've given you some ideas and inspiration to spice up your salad! Let me know your suggestions too :)

Hx

Weekly Weigh In - Back in the zone

Morning!

Monday again, so I trotted off to the pharmacy and hopped onto the scales. Ok, so it was more like dragged myself to the pharmacy and forced myself onto the scales - it is Monday! But, it paid off since I have lost 2.8lbs this week :)

Last week's weight:

13st 13.8 lbs/ 88.9kg (195.8lbs)

This week's weight:

13st 11.0lbs/87.6kg (193lbs)

I'm surprised at how easily I have just slipped back into this dieting lark. It's like I have a new found determination. Long may it last!

Goals this week:

2l or water (been slacking a little bit on this)

Some form of exercise at least once

Carry on food optimising with the Slimming World Extra Easy plan

How has your week been?

Hx

*EDIT* I've just realised I only have 3lbs to lose to get back to where I was at my last Weight Watchers weigh in...can I do it this week? Maybe that's my incentive to work out...

Weekly Weigh In - Back on track!

*Yippee hooray jumps up and down and does a dance*

Ah I'd forgotten how good it feels to have a good loss! And I mean GOOD!

Last weeks weight:

14st 5.3 lbs/ 91.4kg (201.3lbs)

This weeks weight:

13st 13.8 lbs/ 88.9kg (195..8lbs)

Three massive achievements - back under 200lbs, back into the 13 stone range and under 90kg in one week. Just the boost I needed I think!

I haven't done any exercise this week, apart from taking the kids swimming and running around after them all week, and I had a slip up on Friday night with a binge after someone (*coughMrFGScough*) wound me up, so I am more than happy with the result. I haven't felt deprived, or hungry really although the first couple of days were really hard as my body was CRAVING sugar. It didn't help that it was that time of the month either (which Slimming World helpfully calls Star week *puke*).

All those things said, I know 5 1/2 lbs is a big loss and I'm not expecting as big a loss this week. I'll aim for a sensible 2lbs :)

This weeks goals:

2lbs weight loss

2 litres water a day

1 exercise session...maybe

I've put a maybe to the exercise because I'm still struggling to fit it in. It will be easier in a few weeks when my eldest starts lower school full time, I can hopefully get into a routine where I can have a long walk with the little one in the buggy, or do a DVD routine when he's napping. I do run around with them, play in the park, take them swimming etc but everything has to be at their pace so it hardly gets my heart rate up. But, they say it's 30% exercise and 70% nutrition, and I think I'm finally getting the nutrition on track :)

How has your week been?

Hx

Weekly Weigh In and SCC Update

Morning,

I had a good result on the scales this morning, but it's somewhat bittersweet as I have flu and have eaten very little since Friday. I don't think I've had more than 10 ProPoints any day the whole weekend, and yesterday my total was 6 (I'm usually allowed 29 a day plus a weekly allowance of 49) since I've just felt so sick. So although I weighed in at 2lbs less than last week, I'm pretty sure it's not a true representation. Although I have been drinking gallons of water (4 litres yesterday) so I know I'm not dehydrated, it's going to be interesting to see what happens this week once I am feeling better.

Previous weight: 13st 9 1/2lbs (191.5lbs)
Current weight: 13st 7 1/2lbs (189.5lbs)
+/-: -2lbs

I am hoping to at least maintain this week, as I've now entered the 180s!

Last weeks goals were:

Lose at least 1lb so that I enter my 30s at my lowest weight ever - Yep! 30 tomorrow....
3 workouts at least, including a swim and something new - nope :( I ordered myself a skipping rope though, and a little birdy told me that a Jillian Michaels surprise might be waiting for me in the morning...
Cheer the eff up! - Yes! A good night out really helped, even if I have been at deaths door ever since...

This weeks goals:

Maintain my weight at least, lose if I can.

Work out! Anything is better than nothing. Re-do week 3 of C25k minimum.

Continue to track and drink 2l of water.

Spring Chick Mini Challenge: Go caffeine free. Think I can do this. I barely drink any diet coke any more, and I'm sure if I want coffee I can cope with decaff. As it happens I've just run out of regular coffee and only have decaff in the cupboard, so if I do my usual trick of forgetting to buy more anyway it wont be hard!

Tomorrow is my birthday, so I will be hibernating. Not looking forward to it for a variety of reasons so plan to mope about and act like a sulky teenager all day. Then Thursday I'm going to put on my big girl panties and get over it! Onwards and upwards!

Now I need bed and a box of tissues...

Hx

Weekly Weigh In and SCC Update!

Evening all

Well, after a week of actually doing it properly (sticking to 29 ProPoints a day, tracking every morsel, exercising most days, weighing and measuring portion sizes, drinking 2-3l of water a day, generally feeling miserable...you get the picture) I lost a grand total of....half a pound. To say I am disappointed is an understatement, although I kind of knew I hadn't achieved a big loss. I could feel it. I have followed my WW plan to the letter this week, no cheating. Exercised every single day. Resisted the cravings. No bueno. But I am confident that if I keep going it will show on the scale eventually...it has to.

Spring Chick Challenge update-

Last weeks goals:

• TRACK. Yep.
• Menu plan. Yep.
• Exercise. Yep.
• Support. Haven't done as much as I could - need to find a way to categorise the blogs I follow - anyone know if there is a way to do this?
• Blog. Yep.

The mini challenge was to eat with your non-dominant hand and I failed! I just kept forgetting, and the one meal I did remember for I made such a huge mess LOL. Definitely food for thought though.

This weeks goals:

• TRACK. Everything. Again.
• Menu plan. Already done, just need to finalise. And stick to it!
• Exercise .As much as possible. Twice a day if I can.
• DON'T eat the kids leftovers! Put it all IN THE BIN.
• Support. Read all the challengers blogs as much as I can.
• Blog.

This week's mini challenge is NO SWEETS! I am a sweetie addict but don't eat too many at the moment (apart from the odd few I nick from the kids...shhh....). I am allowing myself one Weight Watchers chocolate bar (2PP value) per day if I want it, but other than that no sweets for the week.

I hope every one is well and that you had better results than I did! I'll try and catch up on all your blogs soon.


Hx

Weekly Weigh In and Spring Chick Challenge Update

Morning guys and gals :)

So after my self sabotage last week I managed to lose 1/2 a pound. I got back on track over the weekend, and didn't eat anything I shouldn't and tracked it all meaning I was well below my ProPoints every day. Didn't get much exercise in, but that is going to change this week. I am having a tough time in my personal life at the moment, but I am not going to let it get in my way.

My plan for this week:

• TRACK. Everything. I have a habit of not writing down 'free' foods but even these are going in the tracker this week. I also get halfway through the day and stop tracking, which is dangerous as my snacky time is in the evening.
• Menu plan. To go along with the tracking I am going to write a menu plan, which will include 3 meals + snacks for every day Weds-Mon this week. This should also keep my budget in check.
• Exercise. Rest day today, and then get back on it tomorrow.
• Support. Read all the challengers blogs as much as I can, and ask for help if I need it.
• Blog. I have a couple of posts up my sleeve for this week :)

Exercise plan for the week:

Wednesday: Walk to farm shop and back with buggy (2 miles)

Thursday: 40 mins Zumba

Friday: 30 mins Wii Fit

Saturday: 40 mins Zumba

Sunday: Walk with family and/or run in the evening

Monday: 40 mins Zumba

I am going to add these to a side bar so I can tick them off each day, and continue with the Starter exercise plan I showed you in my last post. Another thing I am going to do is wear my sports bra under my normal clothes, and that way I can fit in a few star jumps or step ups on the bottom stair when the urge takes me!

The Spring Chick Mini Challenge this week is to eat with your non-dominant hand. At first, I thought that as I eat with a knife and fork, I don't have a non-dominant hand for eating! But actually, as I usually have cereal for breakfast and soup for lunch I can hold my spoon with my left hand and try it! I think I will need a bib though... The theory behind it is by changing hands when eating it will disrupt your normal patterns and break the habit of over-eating. We'll see!

Just a final thought from me, last week when I was feeling down, as I often do, I took to Twitter. If any of you are on Twitter, please leave your user names in the comments and I will follow you. It is a great support network and we can keep each other going! My user name is @HellBellUk :)

How have you done this week? I hope the new year is treating you well :)

Hx

Weekly update - Smashing my goals!

Bonjour!

And it is indeed a good day as I have succeeded! Whoop! 3lbs off on the scales this morning, bringing me to  a total loss of 37 disgusting pounds of FAT! According to Eggface that's a pound more than a mid sized microwave! Can you imagine carrying around a microwave? Insane!

And the Christmas Cracker challenge, tied into the end of Operation Fit and Fabulous. I smashed this goal too! I had hoped to lose 7lbs between the 9th November and today, and I in fact lost 8 :) Only slight annoyance is that  could have maybe lost a few more if I hadn't slipped and gained for 2 weeks... Never mind! This also means that I got another silver 7 at WW this morning (you get a little sticker for every half stone/7lbs you lose) and including the 7lbs I lost before starting WW I have lost 44lbs. *Insert smug face*

How have you done today? Looking forward to Christmas? I am going to treat myself to a mince pie...

Hx

Feeling the cold

The weather has turned, and although here in the UK we've had a very mild November so far, it's really rather chilly! I've never been one to be bothered by cold weather, I grew up in a very drafty flat with very little heating apart from two gas fires, but this winter I'm really feeling it. Not just a little, but bl**dy freezing! Chilled right to the bone cold, and I can't warm up. I'm trying to have the central heating on as little as possible, especially during the day, so you'll quite often find me huddled up under a blanket, wearing warm socks, fluffy slippers, and two jumpers, and once I've put my scarf on to take my eldest to school in the morning, it doesn't come off for the day! I wont leave the house without my gloves on and my coat buttoned all the way up, and I'm going to need some gloves for running very soon too. I've even been wearing socks to bed, which I never ever usually do. Sexy, right?!

So, is this constant coldness to do with my weight loss? I have over 30lbs less fat to keep me warm I guess! Often, weight loss surgery patients who lose weight very quickly find that they suddenly get very cold. I haven't got my layer of fat to keep me warm anymore! Seeing as I've only lost a third of what I want to lose altogether, it seems like next winter is going to be even colder...

After a quick bit of research it seems that this is a common problem. If course, fat is insulating (when I was pregnant at the height of summer 2010 I remember feeling like I was literally cooking), and also having a full stomach makes you warmer too. But feeling cold can also be a sign of low metabolism, anaemia and lack of zinc. So, if, like me, you're feeling the cold, make sure you are eating enough and exercising to stabilise your metabolism, and eat a balanced diet, with supplements if necessary. Exercise will warm you up, and burn calories at the same time, bonus!

Now, where did I put those long johns....

Hx