It's foggy out but clear as day indoors!

31st October 2016

Our days are happier when we give people a bit of our hear rather than a piece of our mind.

My tweak of the week is more fruit and veggies, when I was poorly last weekend I couldn't stomach any at all so I'm glad to be well again and enjoying them.  Yesterday with breakfast I had mushrooms and tomatoes, I also had a banana, so there's 3 first thing.  With my Sunday I had carrots, onions, sprouts and peas, another 4.  I didn't have another meal as I wasn't hungry and went to bed early, but 7 is a good start for sure!  I have a pineapple in the kitchen needs peeling, I'm hoping it hasn't gone rotten in the middle, will do that today.  I also strangely woke up fancying a side salad with my lunch, waking up thinking about food, what's that all about!   I'm thinking chorizo penne, it's a simply cook kit so will only take 20 minutes to knock up, think I have all the ingredients in too.  Need to nip to the shop for the salad though, got to go to the vets to sort Alfie's pet cover so I can do both together.

It's foggy out there, that'll be the after effects of all those fireworks last night!  If Alfie could talk he'd have said "I wish they'd shut up, I'm trying to sleep!",  which was my thoughts exactly.

I'm drinking lots of water lately, got into the habit when I was poorly and have carried it on, I bet I had 4 pints yesterday, and I did post on Facebook, don't tell me you can't drink cold water in the cold weather if you can drink wine, beer or spirits!  Amazing how we only see the water as too cold to drink isn't it!

I made it through another weekend on track and looking forward to step on the scales Thursday, I'm chuffed to be in the zone and not struggling.  Especially as it's 54 days to Christmas, but let's be honest it's the 1st November tomorrow and the party season will start in December so if you want to feel a little better in time for that, you need to get doing something now!  I've lost 7lb in 4 weeks and you could do the same, heck you could do more, let's be honest!  Even without weight loss, wouldn't you feel better entering the Christmas season knowing you're focusing on the healthy and happy. 

Let's do this, my mantra is working for me "I'm doing this for me", what's your mantra - why are you doing it, or more importantly if you aren't doing it, why do you want to?  As a leader I can't help a member who doesn't show up, I get so many messages from people saying they need help, then they don't show up, nothing happens if you don't take that first step.

As the weeks are going on, I'm getting into new routines, trying to put new habits in place, if I don't want to be tempted by something, I don't take it home with me - I can't eat what isn't there!

I'm writing in my journal every day, I'm starting day 33, which makes me smile because I didn't think I could get to day 3 let alone 33!  I've also drunk a lot less the last 7 days, I didn't drink at all Monday - Friday, which I have to say I did notice a difference in myself, when I got to my meeting Saturday morning I was full of the joys, whereas usually I'm a bit cranky for that first half hour setting up, my helpers noticed too.  I enjoyed a bottle of red Saturday night and yesterday I had 3 bottles of peroni lager, I poured the fourth and it's still in the glass ready to go down the sink this morning, I just wasn't fussed.   I think I've been abducted by aliens and replaced by a tampered with version.  Turns out though, I don't need a glass of wine to chill out at night, I just need to sit down and relax, that works too.  Who knew! 

My walking is helping me relax far more than the glass of wine was, because unlike the walk, the wine wasn't always just one, it sometimes turns into 2 or 3, whereas my walk is never more than I can afford to do. 

Ooo just realised this weigh day I should be in the next stone bracket down, that'll be worth - I was going to say worth the effort I've put in, but honestly it's not feeling like an effort at the moment, it's feeling very natural which I'm so very glad of, I really am.

Apologies if I'm annoying you, I get it, there's nothing worse than someone on track when you're not, can I say though I'm not feeling smug at all, I'm feeling lucky, because I know how hard this is, I just started by faking it till I made it, and know I'm not having to fake it, it's coming natural.  Are you on it, or could you do with a bit of faking it today?

Either way, smile today, realise you're BeYOUtiful, focus on the healthy and happy and hey why not throw in a little walk too...

Slow Sunday on the cards here...

30th October 2016

Don't tell people your goals - show them!

Clocks have gone back and it's still dark ;), I've got to do my clocks, my phone and moms does automatically thankfully, we had a super early night too so I'm not tired at all and hopefully the change won't affect me too much especially when I'm in such a good place and on a roll!

Yesterday was a good day, cracking meeting and giggles in the morning, sometimes we have to stick with the rule "What happens in a meeting, stays in a meeting", ain't that right Karen :)

Next I went for my massage, bliss, totally chilled me out, from there I nipped into the Christmas craft fair at the community centre bought a couple of things before nipping to the new Ladybirds gift show in Willenhall to pick up a few things I've had made for Christmas gifts including a box for Alfies toys and treats, but we've let him have that already as he don't appreciate Christmas at all!  Here's their facebook page, he can do most things with wood!  https://www.facebook.com/ladybirdsgifts/?fref=ts

I then cooked myself steak, chips, mushroom and peas for 13sp, what a bargain.  The chicken hadn't cooked in time in the slow cooker, I'd put it on low not realising, so that's ready for lunch today, nice bit of gravy and a yorkie mmm.

I'm listening to a book about willpower at the moment and yesterday it was talking about stress and how we cope, unfortunately we usually turn to the wrong things, like food, booze, tv etc when that actually doesn't help, what does help is exercise, meditation, massage, yoga etc. Sadly, even though we know this is the truth we still opt for the not so good stuff which in turn adds to our stress.  Someone who is in credit card debt up to their eyeballs, will go shopping and spend more when they receive the bill because they think spending will make them feel better!  Someone who's overweight and struggling will overeat even more when they've had a bad week because they believe that's where they can find their happy.  We all know they won't and it doesn't make sense but in that moment when you're looking for an instant lift, that's what your brain will tell you!    We've all thought after a workout, or a good walk how fab we feel, sadly we forget that good feeling all too quick, so the book suggested taping yourself on your phone saying how good you feel at the end of the walk.  I liked this idea and thought it would be good for when you walk out of your Weight Watcher meeting when you've had a great week, lost weight and left feeling high as a kite and motivated to keep going - you can't beat that feeling!  So if you were to record it, either by taping yourself or writing it down, you could read it back when you're tempted to not bother, to skip class, to think sod it and overeat! 

We need reminding!  One of my members asked yesterday if after a while eating healthy etc becomes the norm, my instant response was NO!  I've been a Weight Watcher since I was 18, I've been a greedy bitch longer than I can remember!  Don't get me wrong we're all different, but it's never come easy or automatic to me, maybe for a short while it will then my old habits will try to creep back in.  I love food, I have a good appetite and can eat more than I need, so I have to be consciously aware of that.  The other thing is, there is so much temptation out there, it's easy to overindulge and overeat without even trying!

Not today though, today I'm going to sort my kitchen out (again), apparently this housework lark is a weekly thing!  I'm going to put our winter quilts on the bed so we're snug when we get in them.  Cook a delicious Sunday roast but not too big though, then I think we'll chill out after I've done my 30 minute walk of course.

Perfect Autumn Sunday that is, it's the season to slow down for me, for sure.  I might do a bit of reading too.

But now I'm gonna go make me a brew, my pint of water drank.  This week's tweak for me is to eat plenty of fruit and veggies - feel free to join in!

Have a slow Sunday BeYOUtiful, I plan too.

You can navigate those obstacles!

29th October 2016

Health is not about the weight you lose but about the life you gain.

Waking up in the dark sure sign winters on its way, it'll still be dark when I wake up even with the clock change because my alarm is set at silly o'clock!

Yesterday I did a training session with some of my colleagues and it was good, but obviously not my usual Friday afternoon activity.  I nipped into Waitrose beforehand because I was over that way, if you have a Waitrose card you can have a free cuppa to take with you, so when asked I automatically said "yes please I'll have a cappuccino".  As I watched it pour I saw all this frothy creamy stuff come out at the end and just thought mmm, that's not skimmed milk!  I guessed it to be about 4 or 5 Smart Points, so has I walked out the shop and bought a copy of the Big Issue off a vender, I gave him the hot drink!  Happy man and 5sp saved.  Next I arrive at the hotel where the training is taking place, as I enter the room we're using, there's tea and coffee and a little basket of biscuits supplied by the hotel, 'Grandma Wild's Ginger biscuits', individually wrapped, I popped a packet in my bag, the first thought that went through my head was, 'ooo someone told me ginger was good for nausea last week when I wasn't feeling great', then I thought 'I'll take them for mom', I've just worked the points out, the little packet is 7sp, there's 2 biscuits in the packet!  As I sat down there was water on the table, I love that, I'm not a fan of hotel coffee it's too strong and the tea is usually too weak, but water, well you can't get that wrong!  With it though was cordial, of course it wasn't sugar free, so I worked out the Smart Points, using my calculator because by now we'd been asked to put our phones away!  The cordial was 2sp a glass made up - ouch!  Strewn over the table we were sitting at were Weight Watcher bars, not bad at 2sp each but something I wouldn't be normally considering eating at this time on a Friday unless it was sat there in front of me.  

Within the space of an hour, I could've easily have consumed an extra 16sp on a coffee, 2 biscuits, glass of squash and a WW bar, ouch, how scary is that!  We are constantly surrounded by temptation and it's not always the in your face obvious kind, it can be subtle and sneaky.  Instead of indulging in any of that little lot, I spent those points on my Friday Fakeaway;

Butter Chicken (recipe here http://wwbevsworld.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/lurgy-free-to-good-or-even-not-so-good.html?m=1), pilau rice (1/2 a microwave packet), Weight Watcher naan bread and a bottle of Becks blue, I like the taste of lager, I didn't need any alcohol so the alcohol free kind was perfect for 1sp,  Those dishes are great, £1 each from Budgens and they make my portions smaller but ample.  All for 14sp!  Result!

Temptation is everywhere, so you have to be prepared, you have to navigate your day in the best way you can.  I had my calculator in my bag to help me point stuff, I already knew I didn't need any of it but pointing it and seeing how high the points were was an added support in a way, it helped me agree it wasn't worth it at all.

I'd ensured I wasn't hungry before arriving by having a damn fine and tasty breakfast that cost me the same as the 2 ginger biscuits and glass or cordial;

A much better and tastier choice for sure!

We can do this, it just takes a little thought and effort.  Things will always make it tough, those obstacles along the way, but we can do this!  We can - honest, I've been doing it for a month now and managed to navigate those obstacles, I'm lucky at the moment the force is strong in me ;)

I'm also well aware there's nothing more annoying than a Weight Watcher completely in the zone - they're a little like a new non smoker, so I apologise if I'm being that annoying member, I'm aware this is the honeymoon period of my weight loss journey and I know it could end at any time so I'm making the most of it whilst it lasts and enjoying every minute of being in the zone!

On that note, moms just woke up so I'm going to go make her a cuppa, finish my pint of water and see if the chicken in my fridge will fit in the smaller slow cooker my brother gave me, if it does, that'll be today's dinner, mmm with a yorkie, veggies and gravy, nom nom.

Here's to a super Saturday and starting the weekend as we intend to finish it - you can navigate your way through all those obstacles, don’t see it as a diet, see it as a journey, Weight Watchers is your vehicle, your leader is your Sat Nav & your weekly meetings are your pit stops.  Remember BeYOUtiful you’ll lose your excess baggage on-route to your Golden destination.

Silver 7 - 4 weeks in the bag!

28th October 2016

The starting point of all achievement is desire. Napoleon Hill

Well I'm feeling good my first 4 weeks of my 12 week Christmas goal challenge is in the bag, I lost 7lb in total, 3.5lb of that yesterday, so my results over the four weeks are;

Wk1 - 2.5lb

Wk2 - Stayed Same

Wk3 - 1lb

Wk4 - 3.5lb

Here's a link to photos of the meals I've eaten this week, not as varied as usual because I wasn't well last weekend so kept everything simple.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154408009990862.1073741936.595730861&type=1&l=9debdca379

I'm so ready for week 5, bring it on!  I cooked butter chicken yesterday so I have my tea ready, there's cottage pie in the fridge I could have an early lunch or keep till tomorrow as I'm at a training session from 12-2 today, but I'm prepared see, I think I'll have a big brunch which will keep me going till I get home, fancy me a bit of bacon and egg.

One of my members overheard a bit of a conversation between myself and another member yesterday and as the lady left, the member said, "You've got to want to do it though!"  And she was right I guess, your desire to lose weight has to be greater than your desire to overeat or eat the wrong things.  For every weight loss problem there is a solution if you look hard enough.  I'm not saying it's easy, hell I've spent all year starting tomorrow.  The difference now though is exactly as that member said, I want to do this!  Another huge difference is I'm doing this for me, I'm sorry if I'm repeating myself, I get to the point where I don't know what I've blogged, said in my meeting or just thought in my mind, but I realised people were telling me I had to do it for one of two reasons the first being "because it's my job" and the other, "because you've got to be healthy and well to take care of your mom".  Erm hello, a person here, I matter too - I've got to be healthy and well to take care of me too!   I do realise people were being nice and caring, however it wasn't until I acknowledged that I wanted to do it for myself that I started and stuck with it.  Gosh there's nothing more annoying than a Weight Watcher on track is there :) especially if you aren't!  I remember it well.

Just think though, if you're not on track, 4 weeks today you could be feeling like me!  And all it took was a realisation I did want to do it and I could do it, plus I was willing to work out the solutions to all my problems.  I feel so much better for doing it too.

I'm so glad I've been taking the meal photos too of everything I've eaten because I know at some point when I lose momentum, I'll be able to go back and look for meal ideas.  It's a picture tracker, ready to repeat at any time in the future.

We've been talking about our favourite Weight Watcher friendly meals in the meetings this week also, not specifically WW meals but the meals we enjoy that fit in well with the plan, it's been interesting to hear what others eat as their go to meals.  Stir fry for instance, I don't remember the last time I had a stir fry, but I'll be having one soon for sure!

Ooo beautiful sky this morning so I'm going to sign off and enjoy the sunrise.  Here's to making Friday fanbloomingtastic, focus on you because you're important too.