Don't give up - Take up!

13^th February 2013

 

Never miss a chance to keep your mouth shut. Robert Newton Peck

So yesterday was Pancake day which means today is the start of Lent, luckily I’m not religious so I won’t be giving anything up from now till Easter,  although I did once give up ‘guilt’ for lent and kept that going ever since!  Although in 2011 it turns out I did actually give up wine for Lent, I lasted a month until we went for a posh meal with wine parings that I just couldn’t resist.  Since then I usually suggest my members take something up instead as deprivation usually leads to craves then binging.  So what could you start doing instead of stopping until Easter Sunday?  I’m thinking 100% tracking maybe or walking 10,000 steps minimum a day, or cooking meals from scratch instead of ready meals, any other ideas let me know.  I think I’m going to go for the tracking because I’ve not been doing it 100%, I’m kind of dieting, kind of tracking and kind of losing!   So with just a little bit more focus I could actually be losing that pound every week because I’m already eating really well, good healthy meals mostly cooked from scratch, and I do already try to do the 10,000 steps minimum (just need to up my game at weekends with that one).  Yeah 100% tracking it is – who’s with me?

 

I did almost 10 miles on my pedometer yesterday, which just shows how busy us Weight Watcher leaders are as half my day was spent in the meeting room, I did walk Alfie too, it was a lovely walking day yesterday, roll on the warmer lighter nights when we can enjoy getting out and about.

 

Yesterday we were all realising at the scales that those summer holidays booked are getting closer, so it’s time to break down your weight loss into realistic goals, Easter Sunday is March 31^st, which is seven and a half weeks way, so easily half a stone gone with some focus!  May Bank Holidays one is the 6^th (11 wks) and the other 27^th (14wks) so a stone is possible before June arrives!  I like that idea a lot.  If I could shift a stone from what I weigh today it would mean I’d be a few pounds under my goal before I went on my summer holiday with my bestie and regained a few ;-)

So tracking it is, it’s too easy to bury our head in the sand, did you know Ostriches don’t really do that – it’s a myth!  So if they don’t do it neither should we.  100% tracking, the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, no more pretending we know what we’re doing, we don’t have to track, we’re thereabouts, our ProPoints are always the same because we know what we eat or because we eat the same everyday!  Let’s use Lent as a time to get to know ourselves and our eating patterns and habits, 40 days is a good duration to really see if you have any cycles or patterns, if you tend to go off track the same time of the week or when something particular happens.  Yes I like that idea a lot and hopefully it’ll be the difference between hoping I’m going to lose a pound to knowing I will.

 

Now the banana cookie recipe seems to be going down well, check out yesterday’s blog if you haven’t had a go yet.  And also the cauliflower rice don’t cook it too long or it’ll go mushy, about 7-8 minutes I reckon is enough, but taste it to check.  As well as rice you can apparently have it as mash, steam for 7-8 minutes until fork temder, drain and pop in a food process, add seasoning (just salt & pepper and/or roasted garlic cloves, 1tsp fresh thyme leaves, 1 tsp fresh chives)and process to desired texture.  If needed add a splash of milk or water to get the texture you want.

 

I’ve got my hands on a few other cauliflower ideas so watch this space, I’ll keep you informed!

 

In the meantime here's what looks like a delicious recipe given to me by Jemma because it includes my new favourite food Goats Cheese;

Jemma has recreated her favourite Pizza Express pizza - grana padana - which although it comes in a leggera version for 14pp,she thought she could make it for less.

Passata (0pp)

spread on a Warburtons square wrap (4pp),

44g chopped up goats cheese (3pp),

20g caramelised onion chutney (1pp) (put little bits on each piece of cheese),

wilted spinach (can swap for rocket which you would just put on at the end before serving) –

Pop in the oven for 8-10 mins served with a salad with balsamic dressing.

It looks seriously delish, 8PP and she reckons it’s pretty close to the original!It’s midweek already and weigh day for me tomorrow, can’t believe how fast that’s gone, poor Alfie’s had me up since 4am in and out, I think he has a poorly belly, at least it means I’m ahead of schedule!

 

Have a fabulous day, here’s to tracking & eating gorgeous. xx