My day in photos! Oh and a few words too ;)

31^st July 2012

The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it. Gen. Norman Schwarzkoff

I decided Sunday I needed to get a grip!  Then yesterday morning as I was looking for a recipe for cauliflower on my pc I came across a cooking journal I’d kept at the beginning of 2011 for a couple of months, and realised I used to eat some seriously good food and it was very low in ProPoints, my meal values have since almost doubled!   And I have to admit over the last month or so I have been kind of panicking about having to make meals with lower ProPoints because I didn’t think I could, we looking at that journal proved I already have in the past I’d just forgotten!

So I did have my cucumber sandwich for my breakfast for 7pp, odd maybe but I really like it, full of crunch, really hits the mark, I bet it would be nice with Philidelphia light rather than low fat spread, mmm might try that.  I’ve bought a smaller loaf for today too as 2 slices of the seeded bread I had yesterday was 7pp, I could’ve had 4 slices of Weight Watchers for 4pp (I weighed it & it was 4pp) but it wasn’t the freshest and it’s not got seeds in which I likes.

I passed my assessment at my meeting which was good news and I realised driving home after a pep talk on the phone from a friend that I WANTED TO run, we’d chatted about how we’d both got to get back on it, I mentioned my skirts were a bit snug that morning and it might be because even though my weight hadn’t changed, I hadn’t run for 6 weeks so I might be getting a bit wobbly ;0).  She asked me why I hadn’t run and if I planned to run again, I explained how the rain had stopped me initially but then with mom being unwell and me having to do more, the hour I spent running I’d found I could do a job in the house.  And she pointed out how now I understood how it is difficult for a working mom to fit it all in, even if she does have the hour, she finds herself thinking about something useful she could be doing with that time.  BOOM lightbulb realisation moment for me, yes I could be doing useful houseworky things but I needed and wanted to run for my sanity and health, so when I got home that’s what I did.  Oh and I still managed to get my washing done & dried (all about routine – I’m learning)!

Before I went though I found out a pair of shorts I had bought a couple of months before and they were too snug but I said to myself I’d get in them when I lost half stone!  So I took them downstairs and stuck them to my fridge as my reminder, they are my motivation to lose some weight amongst other things ;-)

That’s how many ProPoints I managed earn yesterday, I wore it set to active whilst I ran for the first time in 6 weeks and I managed 40 minutes, covered 3.28 miles, chuffed with that because the paths were overgrown so navigating through them was a mission and I’m now covered in nettle stings ;-) but it was worth it for the scenery and also for the 17pp the entire day earned me, meant I could enjoy a glass of my favourite and a very nice glass it was too as the bottle was a gift and they very chose well indeed! 

17pp total - that’s from 40 minutes running – pedometer set to high & 25,592 steps (10.5 mile) from 2 & a half dog walks and my day to day stuff)

This was one of the many beautiful views I ran past.

When I got back I did my paperwork, then went and cooked Cauliflower Cheese for 6pp a portion, recipe in ‘The Complete Cookbook’ there’s great simple white sauce mix in there.  There’s also enough for today’s lunch too. 

After eating my lunch, I went back in the kitchen and made Caramelised onion and mushroom lasagne, (recipes on Weight Watchers esource, although I did use the white sauce recipe from the cookbook and I bit more cheese) I made enough for 8 servings and it worked out at 8pp a portion, very tasty it was too with spinach for my tea.

Alfie and I then went for another walk, although he did do this at one point;

That’s not really walking is it!  But the sun was shining and we sat and enjoyed it for a little while.  I also caught myself dancing in the street to my tunes on my phone whilst he was sniffing his trees – I’m not mad at all!

Before settling down in front of the tv for the night, I had me a nice hot bath to ease the bad back running had given me, I’m used to the back problem, I’ve had it since I became a leader, it’s just part of who I am, and there’s obviously nothing seriously damaged because it goes right eventually.

My treat was a packet of Boots salted popcorn for 2pp, nom nom, I’m liking them at the moment and my wine.

So my day looked like this;

Breakfast – Cucumber sandwich with low fat spread = 7pp

Lunch – Cauliflower cheese = 6pp

Dinner – caramelised onion and mushroom lasagne with spinach = 8pp

Snack – popcorn = 2pp

Treat – 2 x 175ml red wine = 9pp

(Notice I have reduced my glass since from 250ml, cutting me down by 150ml on the two glasses!)

Milk in drinks = 4pp

Total = 36pp,

Pedometer activity ProPoints earned = 17pp

Balance remaining to spend another day 7pp & all my weeklies intact – YAY!

Yep I think I’ve got my head in the right place, it’s all about the food for me, so if it’s tasty I can eat lower ProPointed meals. 

Well that was my day, here’s to another equally good one today.

How did yours go? 

Make the most of your Monday's!

30^th July 2012

Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't.

It’s Monday and I’ve had a lovely weekend, I managed to cheer my mom up even though she’s still in lots of pain, we had visitors, we were visitors, however I must admit I haven’t once thought about ProPoints.  I haven’t gone food crazy but I haven’t been an angel either.  Yesterday I ate out, Sunday carvery, much smaller than the one I ordered the other week ;0) and I ordered dessert because my mate wanted some, but I actually left it after two mouthfuls because it was a bit tasteless and the custard was runny.   I also declined scone with clotted cream and jam later in the day when we had our tea party with our cucumber Sandwich – have to say though they could become my new favourite food and cucumbers zero = bonus!

Beautiful sky this morning, that’s the first good one I’ve seen this year I think, we haven’t been having the amazing sun rises we had last year, I notice because I usually take a photo if it’s a good one and I haven’t.   The mornings are starting to get a little darker too I noticed today, it wasn’t quite as light as it usually is at 5am.

Yes I’ve had a bit of a sod it weekend all round, got paid and spent a little too much too, really enjoyed kicking back after the last few weeks of being worried about mom and stressing trying to do everything and get everywhere on time.  Normality will restore from today!

I bought a couple of pot noodles because my mates lad had been eating them and I thought, “mmm I fancy one”, picked up a chicken and mushroom flavour and a curry flavour, and I was surprised to read that the curry was 14pp, which was 4pp higher than the chicken and mushroom (10pp).  Four ProPoints different for something you’d assume was the same, that’s how easy it is to get things wrong!  It’s like scones, just looked and they vary from 4 – 10pp on esource, the 10pp one is just a fruit scone, yet in Tesco you can get a cream scone for 8pp!  Again showing how easy it is to THINK you’re on track!   We’re looking at how we use our weekly allowance this week, because a lot of people won’t lose if they use their 49 weekly allowance – TWICE!  And using them twice is so easy to do, even if you think you’re on track.

I’m going to ProPoint it all, I’m thinking oats for breakfast maybe, or maybe a cucumber sandwich ;0), lunch will be a little rushed because moms got an hospital appointment so maybe a 10pp Pot Noodle, then for tea I’ve got a cauliflower I need to make use of so I may do a cauliflower cheese, there’s a nice easy recipe in the complete kitchen.

I do need to go get some vegetables too for the rest of the week!  Mustn’t forget courgettes (I always do!), I might make a spring chicken casserole and this Friday when Lynne comes instead of getting the kids Macdonalds, I’ll make us a nice meal of some kind.  I love planning it out in my mind, I bet you’re bored of reading it lol.  Yes a week of goodness is on the cards, I’ve got my house pretty much under control now, I have a system going on, we’ll never be totally tidy, it’s not in our nature but we’re clean.  I want to get cooking again, the recipe books and Weight Watcher magazines need to come out again, new recipes need to be tried.  Ooo I’m getting all excited thinking about it ;0)

There’s a nice looking chicken biryani recipe on esource but instead of mixing up all the spices I think I’ll use a WW curry pot for speed, they’ve already got the balance of flavour that I like sorted so not much point of trying myself. 

I’ve got lots of meat in the freezer, so all I’ll need to shop for is veggies really which will help after my spending fest at the weekend ;) I don’t even have anything to show for it because we ate the evidence, oh there are two smiling kids that were glad I did, and Alfies got a new toy lol.

Right I better get ready for work, got an assessment this morning with my boss – oooo wish me luck, keep your fingers crossed for me.

Make the most of your day, don’t walk round saying “Boo it’s Monday”, there’s only seven days in a week, enjoy them all!

 

I've got verbal diarrhoea this morning!

29th July 2012

Don’t take life too seriously; you’ll never get out of it alive!

We had a lovely day yesterday, finally got mom out of the house we drove to Lynnes which is about 30 miles away, so mom enjoyed the scenery on the drive too.  She does make me laugh, we stopped at a  zebra crossing whilst an old lady went across, and mom says "Aah bless her, pap your horn really loud Bev scare the s**t out of her!” This is a 74 year old telling me to do this, what can I say!  In case you were wandering -  I didn’t, I’m a grown up ;-)

Listening to the radio in the car, the dj was talking about the opening ceremony of the Olympics and how for him it wasn’t about impressing other countries with how great we are, it was about reminding us how great we are, and I have to say I totally agreed, the Brits are way too quick to put their country down.  He then went on to say, “I feel like doing something very British today”, and me and mom thought that was a fab idea and of course being foodies that was the first thing that came to mind, typically British food – fish and chips, afternoon tea with scones and jam, so I stopped at the supermarket and picked up the scones etc. 

Lynne was making us proper chips for our lunch anyway, so later on mom had a scone with jam and cream, I didn’t I wasn’t hungry.  However today we shall be having a tea party later on, at moms request, I’m going to make cucumber, tuna, ham, coronation chicken sandwiches, quiche, jam tarts and there’s a couple of scones left, she can afford to indulge as she’s at her goal anyway.  She also wants ginger beer because that’s what they used to have when the sun shone as kids.

Food does play such an important part in our lives, so we have to not let it become the enemy and resent it.  The chips we had were home fried and after the meeting on portions the other week we did only have the 14pp worth, the fish was a Young’s in batter which I’ve looked on esource and it’s 10pp.  Most of the time you can find a way to still eat the things you fancy without doing too much damage, portion sizes are key to keeping it all under control!  One bag of crisps is fine, 4 bags not fine!  One scone okay, pack of four scones – not okay!

I missed it because I was driving but I’m quite proud to know that we have a Wednesfield lad in the Olympics, he’s on the gymnastics team and at the end of the first qualification round the thet are top & Wednesfield's Kristian Thomas is top of the individual table, how fab is that!

Just thinking about all this sport, with the Olympics being held in this country, a Brit winning the Tour de France, not forgetting the Diamond Jubilee I’d say national pride is possibly at an all-time high, but so unfortunately is our weight which is less of a reason to cheer!

So what’s changed, obviously we’re more affluent (despite the recession), convenience food doesn’t help, and of course going back to the Olympics we move much less!  I wasn’t anywhere near athletic yesterday, I wonder what percentage of my members where?  Last week we talked about the motivation to get active and I was motivated to move a bit yesterday my mates got a really bad back, so whilst I was at hers I did some ironing for her to save her a task.  Nothing worse for a bad back than ironing!

Being a housewife these days is nothing like back in the 50s, according to the National Sizing Survey, in 1950 the average woman’s vital statistics were 36, 24, 35. She was a size 12 and weighed around 9st 12 lb. These days Ms Average weighs 11st and has become a considerably rounder 38, 34, 40. The average UK dress size is now 16.

In 1966, when records of obesity began, only 1.2 per cent of men and 1.8 per cent of women had a BMI of more than 30, meaning they were classed as obese and so at higher risk of a host of illnesses, from diabetes to heart disease and cancers.

And now? A study published last week found that 90,000 lives are lost every year through inactivity; 63 per cent of us do no exercise. Statistics from the Department of Health show 62 per cent of adults are overweight – with a BMI of more than 25 – or obese.

Yet many experts believe we eat less: the National Food Survey of 1952 states that on average women consumed nearly 2,500 calories a day.  By 2000 this figure had dropped to 1,750. It’s estimated that we now consume 1,500 to 2000 calories a day. So where are we going wrong?

Perhaps a clue can be found in a survey published earlier this year by over-50s group Saga, which showed that a housewife in the Fifties burnt about 1,000 calories every day going about her tasks, compared with just 560 calories now.

‘Today’s women have to set aside time in their busy schedules for exercise,’ says Saga’s director-general, Dr Ros Altmann. ‘But this is just fire-fighting. In the Fifties, lack of technology meant a lot of daily physical activity was a necessity.’

With this in mind, Alice Smellie from the Daily Mail set about leading a gadget-free life of a Fifties housewife for a day to see if there really is a startling contrast with my everyday life. She measured how many calories she burned and how far she walked (to read the entire article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2176971/1950s-housewives-kept-slim-burning-calories-housework.html?ITO=1490).  As a Fifties housework doing all the housework and cooking herself she worked out she could consume more than 2,600 calories a day without putting on an ounce.  She burned off 1,200 calories a day being a 1950s housewife, she was walking 9,552 steps – a little less than four miles – and this burns 671 calories. The NHS recommends we should walk 10,000 steps a day and yet the average person manages only between 3,000 and 4,000.

Mmm, save money on the gym maybe and get active in the house, I might decide to make mine spotless!  But not today ;-)

Sorry the blogs a long one, its Sunday I have more time!    Enjoy your day whether you’re being active or not!

Just found this info online if you want a reason to do some of those housework tasks;

How many calories burned doing house work?

Calories burned per half-hour

Doing laundry 73

Making the bed 68
Cooking 85
Washing the dishes 78
Ironing 78
Dusting 85
Sweeping 112
Vacuuming 119
Scrubbing the floors 129
Rearranging furniture 204
Yard work 170
Washing windows 102
Washing the car 102
Gardening 136
Mowing the lawn 187
Raking 146
Shoveling snow 204
Carrying a small child (up to 15 lbs.) up and down stairs 289

Looking forward to my morning walk in the sunshine.

28^th July 2012

Well I have to say watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics last night made me proud to be British, my history knowledge sucks but as I was watching the performances and being reminded of what this country has achieved.  Unfortunately I couldn’t keep my eyes open long enough to watch it all, I will definitely watch it today some time.  I had no intention of watching any of the Olympics, I’m not really a watcher of sport but that show last night made me go “WOW”!  And having caught a bit of the new just I think it was a tremendous idea to choose our future and not our past to light the final flame.  Brilliant, just brilliant.
And outside looks promising too for another glorious day, I’m taking mom out today, she’s been stuck in the house now for a couple of weeks, so I’m taking her over to Lynnes, we’ve had to make out its so she can have a nosey round her house, otherwise she’d have said she’s wasn’t bothered! ;0)  Gotta love mom, and no I wouldn’t ever consider giving her away, even when she’s being a total nightmare, she’s still my mom, a very special lady and I love her. 

We had a lovely afternoon yesterday sitting, chatting, took the kids over the park, it was relaxing, we even had a 99 from the ice cream van (must have been 10pp), haven’t done that in a very long time.

The new Weight Watchers magazine arrived Wednesday and I have to say looking through it last night, there’s some tasty recipes this month, I must get back in the kitchen and have a cooking session.  I did do the housework I said I’d do yesterday too, my bathrooms sparkly and everywhere was hovered through.  I think I’ve finally got it under control.

Sunshine can be a help or a hindrance to your plan depending on who you are and your personality, for some it takes your appetite away and you don’t want to eat so much, for others like we said yesterday there are bbqs and beer and ice cream.  So it’s learning to control it all, I have to say if I’m enjoying the sunshine I think about food less than if I’m sitting bored in the house when the weathers rubbish.  So yes the sunshine helps in my case and I do love salads especially when they’re already made by someone else!

Anyways I’ve not got much else to say other than enjoy your weekend, I’m wanting to get out there and walk Alfie on this lovely morning!

Free to good home a dog & a mom ;)

27^th July 2012

What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is what you do now. Buddha

Woke up feeling good this morning, this is the most energetic I’ve felt on a Friday in a long time, I was the same yesterday, so that’s a bonus, I think it might have something to do with the Vitamin B6 tablets the doctor prescribed for my PMS, apparently these are the benefits of the Vitamin B5

Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine hydrochloride, is essential for the breakdown of food by the body, and turning carbohydrates, proteins and fat into energy. It’s also needed for the production of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the nervous system) and proper functioning of the nervous system and the immune system. It’s also involved in the synthesis of hormones and red blood cells.

Vitamin B6 supplements are often taken for a variety of reasons, including to help:

• Fight stress
• Increase energy
• Manage symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome

Vitamin B6 occurs naturally in poultry, fish, pork, cereals, eggs, vegetables and fruit.

That’ll do me, if I can start to feel like this at weekends again and get through my monthlies feeling better, I’ll be a very happy lady!  I’ve missed being active at weekends, and just wanting to laze around, but this morning, I’ve already cleaned the kitchen, I’m going to do the bathroom next, they’re the tasks I’ve set myself for today, still got paperwork to do, then a little housework, then later today my mates coming over with her kids so we can chill a bit and have a giggle, I’ll bribe the kids with money to behave because I’m really good with kids, they understand me ;)

We’ve had a great week in meetings, 39 stone total weight loss, 3 members to goal, Katy got her 5 stone goal, all absolutely amazing achievements, lots of silver sevens, 5 & 10%, it’s great to see so much success on our first hot week of the year, especially as I heard the words ‘BBQ’ and ‘Alcohol’ a lot at the scales!

One question I got asked was, “well what can I eat at a bbq?” the answer would be anything as long as it’s within your allowance!  There’s a BBQ cheat sheet on the Weight Watchers website if you’re on esource and have the monthly pass, there’s also lots of articles http://www.weightwatchers.co.uk/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=11751&sc=3027.   Some lower pointed options would include making your own burgers, maybe using turkey mince, having chicken breast or steak instead of sausages. Why not make kebabs, alternative, chicken, peppers, onions, etc on skewers.  And to top it all off what about a glass of Sangria so you can pretend you’re in Spain!

Serves 6, 1pp per glass or 7pp for the lot!
takes approx 20 mins

200ml red wine (5pp)
200ml orange juice (2pp)
1pt/568ml diet lemonade
1 large orange, sliced
2 limes, sliced
4oz/113g strawberries, hulled and halved

Half-fill a large pitcher with ice cubes, then pour in the wine, orange juice and diet lemonade. Add the fruit, stir, and then allow to chill for 10-15 minutes. Serve in chilled glasses, sit back and enjoy.

Ooo that sounds perfect doesn’t it, I might give that a try myself, I have a bottle of red I know won’t taste fantastic when I open it so I’d be happy to make it into sangria, that’s a to do over the weekend I thinks for sure.

Right Alfies fidgety and moms being dramatic so I need to go, have a fabulous Friday xx

Trying to sort myself out '-)

26^th July 2012

Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling. Margaret Lee Runbeck

It feels a little cooler this morning, you’ve got to love the British weather it goes from wet and cold for weeks to 29 degrees overnight, Wednesday I burnt my hand on my steering wheel when I went to go out, so a little breeze today, my busiest day is nice.

Today’s the day my ears will ring, kids are off school so this morning will have quite a few, but in fairness it’s not the kids that make the most noise, it’s their moms ;0), they are so glad to see their friends and have a chat, everyone’s all talking at once which makes for a lot of noise, it’s a lovely vibe though and I always enjoy Thursdays and finish the week on a high.

I feel asleep in my chair last night watching Superstar, don’t normally stay up after ten if I’m honest, getting up at 5am every day kinds of makes ten 10pm sound really late, but the last couple of weeks whilst moms been poorly she’s been going half hour or so before and it’s been nice to have that time to myself to just sit, I think that’s how you moms must feel when the kids finally go to bed.  I also now understand what you mean when you tell me that’s when you get the munchies, I don’t think it’s because you’re hungry, it’s more because there’s no one there and you can sit, relax and enjoy it.  it’s like a treat in the calmness that has been your day.

WELL I’ve got to stop that malarkey, I’ve got enough habits without causing myself another one ;-) So I shall be making myself go to bed next week on work nights at 9ish as always and I might try reading in bed instead because I’ve downloaded a book I really want to read and haven’t had time to.  That’s a much better habit to get into, 15-30 minutes reading in bed instead of 15-30 minutes of eating before bed!

Those bad habits are like comfy beds, way to easy to get into but damn hard to get back out of!  I do not need any more bad habits in my life ;0)

Routines work for me, if I can get into the routine of doing the same thing at the same time each day, then it becomes a habit in time, so my new one is the washing up, when I get up and I’m waiting for the kettle to boil I wash the dishes from the night before.  I know some of you are wincing at the fact I’ve left them since the night before, but you know what, I’ve worked from 8am till gone 8pm, just about managed to force myself to cook something, and there’s no way I’m washing up too, I need to sit and chill. I’m going to get into the habit of hovering through the house on a Monday afternoon I think when I’ve got the most energy, I’ll have had the weekend to recover from my work week, I go to work on Monday morning then start on my paperwork, so I can fit in hovering the house.

I bet you full time moms are laughing at me aren’t you, you do this stuff automatically and feed the kids and the husband, and a lot of you go to work.  Well I don’t care, ‘0) it’s all new to me, I’ve never been a tidy domesticated person, I’ve always been of the belief dull women have tidy houses, and if I’m honest I only ever said that to make myself feel a little better for being a slob.  But I actually want a tidy house now so it’s different, I actually caught myself in the bathroom yesterday looking round thinking, “I must clean the bath and tidy this room up”. What the hell is happening to me!  On the bright side, think of all the extra activity I’m doing and the Activity ProPoints I’m earning – tis nice.

My veggie stir fry for 3pp last night was delicious, I didn’t finish within my allowance yet again, I’m just gonna get through the week as best as I can, I know my weight is going up on the scales, but I’m too distracted to focus enough on it.  I can’t afford to go and fill my fridge full of lots of healthy stuff, but luckily what is in my house is good as long as I eat the proper portions and stick with the three meals a day option!  Having a house full of good food, isn’t gonna make you lose weight if you’re eating too much of it!  So I will continue to eat as well as I can until I click back and get on track. 

I had scrambled tofu and roasted mushrooms for breakfast yesterday, I used to eat that all the time when I was a vegan – I must have been really hungry that’s all I can say because the tofu wasn’t very nice!  Back to toast or porridge today I reckon.

Have a fabulous day, they’ve said the weather will last till the weekend now which would be good. x

Your leader ain't got it sussed either!

25^th July 2012

Free your heart from hatred -- forgive. Free your mind from worries -- most never happen. Live simply and appreciate what you have. Give more. Expect less. Stephen Covey

Last night a mother of 18 month old triplets got her goal in my meeting, which I think you’ll agree is pretty awesome.  How busy must she have been for the last 18 months, trying to be a mom and do all those things that have to be done, it made me realise I can cope with everything that’s going on in my world at the moment, I just need to be organised.  I’ve already got the bins out at its only 5am, the neighbours must love me, but then again I lay in bed listening to them put theirs out late last night so hey ho!

I’m improving, yesterday was all tracked in my journal, I may have been over my allowance but I’ve made the step forward to track it all.  Today I will do the same and try my hardest to bring the amount down.  I’ve got a pack of stir fry vegetables for my lunch so that will help, might not add any meat either so it’ll be a zero lunch for a change, we shall see. I’m getting better that’s the main thing, and even with going over my allowance, it’s still all good stuff.

Yesterday I just struggled with the rushing of getting everything done, my work, going back to the doctors for mom and fetching prescriptions, I got frustrated because the painkillers are giving her side effects worse than her pain so she’s decided not to take them and I can’t make her better and it frustrates me!   I did have to smile though when she told me off for not washing out the mayo container before throwing it in the recycling!  I wanted to scream mom for the last two weeks I’ve worked 60 hours weeks, I’m doing all the housework, trying to get you better, sitting with you in the afternoon for a natter when I haven’t got time but I’m aware you’re bored – the last thing I’m bothered about is what the recycling collector will think about my dirty plastic pots!  Bless her she’s really OCD about the rubbish, yet unfortunately not so OCD about housework when she is well ;)

At least I’m earning lots of activity points on my pedometer or Power Points as a member called them last night – I like that idea.

I was really pleased at the turnout in the meetings yesterday to say the sun was shining and the kids are off, we had a lot stay which always makes for a good talk and lots of weight loss too, it’s always good to hear what you’ve all done to help with your weight loss that week and you do help to motivate me as well as other members I have to admit.

I had this email from a member last night, “Lost half for 2 weeks then 2.5 then put 2 on !!!!! Why do I do it to myself !!!”

Hands up who can relate to that comment?

I’ve had to put my hands down or I won’t be able to type ;)  I remember that frustration so much, I know I still struggle with weight loss when I’m not in the zone, but I don’t get so overwhelmed by it all nor let it bother me so much these days.

There are obviously so many reasons for a gain, but what a lot of us do is cut back too much, get too strict then our minds and bodies rebel and send “eat food” messages to our body which we can’t always ignore.  I think it’s better to pace yourrself, set realistic targets and stop trying to lose it all too quickly.

Obviously there are other reasons, one this week would be the sunshine, we’ve been summer starved all year so a lot of you have gone a little heat giddy and indulged in BBQs and booze, of course you can do that and stay on track but sometimes we just don’t – why – because old habits die hard, and it’s easy to indulge than resist.  You’re not a failure, you’re human and you chose the easy route.  That doesn’t mean you can’t get straight back on track the day after.

There’s also the times when you use food as a reward, sound familiar “I’ve had a really hard week/day I deserve something nice, I’m going to treat myself”. 

Or you’ve worked really hard and you have a drink to relax!

Or you didn’t plan nor exercise because in the scheme of things, it’s just one more thing you didn’t have time to do!

As a leader who does 13 meetings I talk about weight loss and food all the time, sometimes the last things I want to do on a Friday lunch/evening is think about ProPoints and I think a lot of other leaders would agree with me here, we rebel a little bit and think sod it.  A lot of leaders obviously feel that in our role we’re expected to be on track all the time and be at our goal all the time so when we aren’t we feel like we’re not just failing ourselves but others too.  That’s an immense amount of pressure to put on a person. 

So to all the leaders out there, don’t beat yourselves up – you’re awesome.  If you’re not at goal, or you’re struggling with your weight loss journey at the moment, do you know what, that just shows you’re human.  You too joined Weight Watchers because you needed to lose weight, that doesn’t magically go away when you become a leader, Weight Watchers isn’t a cure, it’s a system to help you lose weight and change habits for life, unfortunately bad habits have a way of hiding just out of sight waiting for an opportunity to come back into your life at the first opportune moment.

Okay, whether you’re member or leader, today (I know this is really difficult) put yourself first, ask yourself what one thing could you do today that would help with your weight loss.  For me yesterday it was to STOP, put everything down and go for a walk to calm down and enjoy a bit of that sunshine, I decided everything could wait half hour.

On that note I’m off to walk Alfie before the madness of mid week commences ;)

Enjoy your day, remember you’re number 1.

I do solemnly swear to track today!

24^TH July 2012

It's so easy to judge, but much better to try to understand & help someone!

Good morning, wow it was warm yesterday, and felt warmer sitting in a car for 3 hours on the motorway, I stopped once on way home because I needed the loo and once I smelled the KFC I realised I was hungry, but I was virtuous I paid a fortune instead for fruit from Waitrose.  I have to say I’m not a huge fruit fan, and when you pay £4 for strawberries (I don’t care if they were buy one get one free) you except them to be as sweet as sugar but they weren’t, the were edible but made you pull that ooo face, you know the one, think of eating a lemon and you’re pulling the face yourself right now.

I’ve not really been able to spend any time in this lovely sun either, because when I’ve not been working or doing housework, I’m sitting with mom because it has to be boring sitting on your own all day!  She doesn’t like the heat too much either or I’d suggest she go sit outside. 

I did indulge I have to admit in a Waitrose meal deal for two, 2 currys, 1 rice, 2 sides but instead of eating them all at once, I’ll get three meals easily from them, me and mom shared one curry last night with a side dish, it didn’t need rice, there was plenty.  My meals are sorted for today, I’ve got mince beef and onion from Sunday, I did two plates with boiled potatoes, so that’s lunch sorted, then we’ll maybe have another of the curry’s for tea.

Going back to that article I was reading at the weekend about goals, I liked the line, “follow a compass, not a map”, in other words, know in what direction you want to go but don’t be fixated on one way of getting there.  Don’t be so focused on something that you miss other opportunities to get where you’re going.  Like me yesterday, I couldn’t sit down and eat the lunch I’d planned so instead of thinking ‘sod it’, I found a way to make it home without going off track.

We can’t be happy all the time, that’s not realistic and it can end up making you miserable trying to be.  I’m a ranter, I shout a lot and curse, I was very restrained yesterday though when an old man cut me up at the petrol station to get to the pump ahead of me, I went and told him off in a very calm voice, I informed him being old is no excuse for being rude!  I felt very proud of myself for not raising my voice or being aggressive in any way even though he was being that way to me!

So back to pretending to be happy in the hope that it’ll make you genuinely happy doesn’t always work, it can make you feel worse, especially if you’re pretending to be happy with who you are, instead why not remind yourself that you don’t have to meet any particular standards in order to accept yourself.  Get real, acknowledge that every day isn’t a smiley day, we all have bad hair days and fat days, even slim people!  Laugh at those days! Decide to accept yourself for who you are right now and use that love and positive behaviour to help you make changes to become the you, you’d prefer to be.  You’re more likely to eat healthy and take care of yourself if you actually like yourself! 

Being happy doesn’t make you smile, but smiling can usually make you feel happier, try it, I’ve found it works!

Oh I almost forgot, I gained a pound on the scales yesterday at my weekly weigh-in, I can’t really say I’m surprised, I was shocked I lost 1.5lb last week.  I’ve not been doing it really have I; Pro Pointing your meals doesn’t mean your on track!  I’ve been using my mom not being well as an excuse to not track, then when I was going to start tracking at the weekend my mate said she wasn’t and that gave me another excuse.  NO MORE EXCUSES!  The tracker is out, a fresh week started, lunch is already tracked, I haven’t got on track on a Wednesday for a while, maybe it’s an omen ;)  My only saving grace is I maintain around this weight wonderfully, and I do accept and love myself which I’m 100% sure makes a massive difference and stops me spiralling out of control and gaining week on week.

So I’m happy with who I am, but I would still like to lose to be more comfortable when I do have the odd weekend away and overindulge, that’s my motivation this week as I have one of those weekends away very soon.

Enjoy the sunshine, xx