Eating Gorgeous & BeingYOUtiful I am ;)

31^st March 2014

It’s all messy: the hair. The bed. The words. The heart. Life…” William Leal

But it’s all still good. Beverley Longsden

Yay I lost a pound – how pleased am I!  Actually I’m relieved, I’ve been bloated all weekend, I’ve got all those lovely symptoms you get when it’s nearing the BEST time of the month – NOT!  So when I got on the scales I was chuffed, I’d have been happy with anything other than a gain because this is a 20 week journey with an end goal in sight and as they say in the movies “failure is not an option!”  Apparently the other half of that quote is “hope is not a plan & failure is not an option”  I like that a lot, I won’t lie hope was a little part of my plan yesterday when I was desperately trying to stay on track but wanted to eat my own arm I was that hungry.  Instead I choose to follow a Filling & Healthy day and focused on the healthy, I had a bubble and squeak type breakfast from leftovers, for lunch with had chicken curry and brown rice then for tea because I was SUPER hungry by then we had egg, beans and chips and I even had bread with it – it was that or moms maltesters and cheese and onion crisps!

I did it, I made it through to bedtime, we went out visiting for a couple of hours to get us out of the house – that helped and I will confess to one glass of wine and 3 chunks of chocolate so that took me over my allowance by 9pp, but hey I lost a pound so BOOM!

Now to start week two with the same conviction, shopping list is written, meals are semi planned and most importantly I’m feeling positive – I want to do this, I don’t feel I “should” or I “could” nope I want to lose some weight because I know my joints and my future self will thank me for it.

Busy morning of running errands today then I hopefully might have an hour in the garden, followed by a few hours of Weight Watcher work, I’ve set my laptop up in the living room so I can do some of my work from there whilst still keeping mom company.

We enjoyed Mothers Day, had a few giggles, my bestie gave her a walking frame and she loves it, will be great if we go out for a drive she can use it to walk round a bit longer with better support.  We all need support throughout our lives, what form that takes just changes a little bit as we get older and if it comes in the form of a metal frame with wheels then why not if it means you can still get out and about in the beautiful sunshine – yeah we’re going to have lots of sunshine this year, I’ve pre-ordered it!

Today’s the first morning I haven’t thought about breakfast as soon as I’ve started typing – that’s progress :) but now it’s in my head I’m thinking what to have, you can put the girl on a weight loss plan but you can’t stop her brain thinking food!

Right lots to do, places to be and feeling happy about it all – Eat Gorgeous BeYOUtiful. xx

Appreciate what you have.

30^th March 2014

The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation.  James E Faust

Strong!  That’s what I was yesterday, stronger than I wanted to be, I’d bought mom bread pudding, scones and shortbread biscuits and all three I likes a lot but I only cut a small piece about an inch of bread pudding to taste, the rest I left!  Check me out, I’ve got one day to get through before I get my weeklies back, I’ve used them all and all 26 of my pedometer ProPoints too, I’m minus 1, so should get that back on pedometer today and I’ll do a F&H day and not have a drink and I’ll have made it through the week!

Mothers Day, I hope you all get looked after today, mom will get breakfast in bed – she gets that every morning anyway, then I’ll cook her a nice dinner, mmm I do that every day too – I think Mothers Day is every day in this house!   Maybe we should have a Beverley day ;-)

Every day should be mother’s day as moms get older, think of all the things they did for you when you were growing up, my mom was and still is amazing, I’m just trying to repay her for all the things she did & still does for me!  There’s the obvious stuff, like doing your washing and ironing, but then there’s that other stuff like bringing you up to believe you’re amazing and can achieve anything you want to but at the same time that it’s ok not to be the best at everything and to something’s get things wrong.  My mom always made me feel safe and loved, I have ‘moments’ in my life flashing through my head right now of times when the only person I wanted and needed was my mom and she was there – she may be getting older but she’ll always have that special quality that makes her the best mom in the world - she’s an incredible lady with a wicked sense of humour.   One example of her natural humour (she doesn’t even realise she’s doing it, she’s just making conversation) happened yesterday, we’re eating our dinner and she pipes up, “you cook all the cabbage even the middle bit!" Me "it's Kale". Mom "it's vile, it tastes like privet".  Nothing like a thank you for cooking someone's dinner is there!

 

Yes if you are lucky enough to still have your mom, make sure you make her day special today, and if you’ve lost your mom, spend some time today thinking about the good times rather than dwelling on the sadness that’s she’s gone. xx

Back to yesterday the morning was all work, yesterday afternoon was a massage followed by Harry Potter, sat and finished number 3 then watched number 4, I’m all chilled out and ready to ‘do’ today now, so much I can be doing!  Housework is never ending isn’t it, I can work on Weight Watcher stuff forever that’s never-ending too.  So I’ll do a bit of both, walk Alfie for mom and see if she fancies doing anything then we can chill out together later.  

Dinner’s already cook, a chicken curry made in the slow cooker, I’ll serve that with brown rice, I’m enjoying beans for some reason this week – had them for breakfast yesterday and might have them again today!  I need to shop already, can’t believe how quickly a shopping list grows, that’ll probably be tomorrow now though, I’ve got enough food for today, and if I buy more I’ll only be tempted by the niceness I’ve put on that list ;0) I want to make mom those rice crispie cakes, and the rock cakes from weeks back but I’m going to had crystallized ginger like one of my members did mmm, there’s also an amazing looking chocolate  cake thing in this month’s magazine that needs making – all sweet stuff, that will need rationing, so today’s not the day to make them.  I’ve also been fancying Ryvita lately; they’ll make a quick breakfast when I’m in a rush.

Anyway I can hear movement so it’s time to go do the ‘mother’s day’ thing, have a good one yourself and BeYOUtiful. xx

Don’t forget the clocks went forward in the night!

Each day is a gift - don't send it back unopened!

29^th March 2014

Some days are tougher than others but remember you have the strength to overcome all of them. Rubyann

Yesterday was a VERY, VERY, VERY, GOOD DAY!  The BeYOUtiful Natalie kicked cancers ass!  Yep, she had the call to give her the all clear!   Her Facebook status on her own page read;

Ahhh I've only gone and done it!!!
Just had a phone call from the Macmillan nurse everything was tested what they took away and it's ALL CLEAR I've done it I've kicked cancers arse !!!!
Thank you so much to everyone has supported me I could burst I'm so happy!!!!

I was out shopping, in Boundary Mills café when I read that, it sent me cold initially, then made me cry with joy, I couldn’t have been more relieved and thrilled for her, such a strong wonderful young lady.  I then smiled a second time when I read her post in our Weight Watchers group to her fellow members; 

“You know that feeling when you get to goal - times that by a thousand and you’re somewhere how I feel right now”

Couldn’t be happier for anyone if I tried, just the best news ever, it was only a week ago she had her hysterectomy and took her cancer awareness selfie from her hospital bed, 

 This was her new profile piccy took yesterday celebrating her victory! 

Amazingly strong brave young lady, I’m in awe of her.   I’m now going to make a blatant plea for money so that they can continue to do research and help other amazing individuals like Nat, our fundraising page is https://www.justgiving.com/natalies-fight-club or even easier you can choose your donation and text NJMS48 £1 to 70070 and donate to our race for life team, you can write any amount in place of that £1.

Well how do you follow that amazing news!  I’m still on track, opted for a Filling & Healthy day yesterday, used 24 of my weeklies, which leaves me with 2 weeklies and 23 activity ProPoints that I’ve earned on my pedometer.  Two more days till weigh in and I get them all back to start again ;-)

 

I resisted cake in the café and had a pot of tea and a bottle of water, I’d had a good breakfast of baked beans on crumpets, and I’d had a Warburton thin with some ham on before going out.  For tea we had gammon, actrifry chips, egg and peas and I enjoyed a couple of pints of Guinness to celebrate Nat’s success ;0)

Quiet weekend planned, got lots of work to catch up on and apparently we’re in for sunshine, it doesn’t look promising to me at all!  I’m feeling good this morning, I don’t care what the weather man says, I don’t mind what the weather does because it’s sun shiny in our house :-)

Have a super Saturday whatever you have planned, use today’s blog to remind you how precious life is, it can be taken away in a heartbeat, so embrace the BeYOUtiful and be Healthy & Happy. xx

Water instead of Wine - or both together :)

28^th March 2014

Choose to see the world through optimistic eyes.

4 days down, 3 to go before weigh in, ended on 42pp yesterday so used 16 of my weeklies, that’s ok – I still have 28 weeks left and I’ve earned 20pp so far on my pedometer – on track and in the zone!   Bring on the weekend I say, we can survive can’t we!

Yesterday I indulged in a raspberry muffin that I’d made for the meeting, we’ve raised £111.50 in meetings with some of my lovely members baking low ProPoint cakes for selling, donations from members and the  10p per photo that I’ve taken for Facebook, you all look lovely on my page and are helping to motivate others to make their weight loss a priority!   This takes Natalie’s total up to £439.50https://www.justgiving.com/natalies-fight-club.  To make a donation, please text NJMS48 £1 to 70070.

If you need a reason to make that donation, this recipe (one of the best of the cakes I tried this week ;> ) is worth it (trust me!) and it only takes 10 minutes to knock together!  Great way of using up the Easter Eggs so keep this recipe somewhere safe.

Peanut Butter Crispy Treats

Serves 10 (35pp total recipe value)

75g milk chocolate chunks

50g reduced fat peanut butter

3 tablespoons golden syrup

75g puffed rice cereal (rice crispies)

1) Line the base of an 18cm loose bottom cake tin with non stick baking parchment.  Put the chocolate, peanut butter and golden syrup in a large saucepan, stir and gently heat until melted.

2) Add the cereal and stir to coat in the mixture.  Spoon into the prepared tin and level with the back of a spoon.  Chill in the fridge, and then cut into 10 wedges.

You could even put the mixture in individual cake cases for accuracy with portion sizes!

These will last up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container so you DON’T have to eat them all at once!

So back to me being on track, yesterday was all about the quick and easy, breakfast was crumpets, cheese triangle, ham, egg, tomatoes.  Lunch was a 2 egg omelette with cheese, courgette, pepper, mushrooms, peas, tomato.  Then for tea I had a couple of brown Warburton things with tuna and coronation dressing and salad, followed by my first wine of the week, mmm delicious all of it.

One thing I’ve done this week is start every day with a pint of water, don’t forget how important it is to get plenty of water, why is it?  because up to 70% of the body is made up of water. 75% of muscle is made of water. 50% of bone is made of water and also fat is made up of 50% of water. The brain is also made up of 70% of water.   So go have a glass of water! The good news is while the daily recommended amount of water is eight cups per day, not all of this water must be consumed in the liquid form. Nearly every food or drink item provides some water to the body.  Do you think you’re putting enough of the magic stuff into your body?

The other thing I’ve become more aware of this week is my 5 a day, trying to ensure I’m eating plenty of my fruit and veg, again this is important because they are a good source of vitamins and minerals and of course dietary fibre.  Not forgetting they’re  zero ProPoints which is always a bonus.

Have you eaten a wide variety of fruit and veg this week, looking at my tracker I’ve eaten;

Onions

Cherry tomatoes

Spinach

Carrots

Courgette

Apple

Banana

Grapes

Broccoli

Red & green peppers

Cress

Tinned tomatoes

Peas

Raspberries

Lettuce

Cucumber

16 different ones, not bad – I’m happy with that!  Don’t forget to have plenty of variety - different fruits and vegetables contain different combinations of fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

My mission for the weekend is to get that total to 25 or over, variety is the spice of life they say afterall.

Have a fabulously, fantastic Friday, don’t use it as an excuse to say “oh it’s the weekend and I’ve got so much on, I can’t possibly stay on track so I may as well put my weight loss on hold”, NO, stay focused work your fun times into your success – it’ makes it even more fantastic!

Eat Gorgeous & be Healthy & Happy BeYOUtiful

xx