#MissionMe #MotivationMay #BevsWW #TheFlexEffect

30^th April 2018

Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do today.

Journal out, food being delivered this morning, let’s make start this project

#MissionMe #MotivationMay #BevsWW #TheFlexEffect

Today is going to be a No Count day I thinks because I have the gammon and potato leftovers, mom refused to have dinner yesterday so there’s loads left.  I’ll have some for breakfast possibly with egg on and then some for dinner.  I ain’t wasting it, I can always have a sarnie with some too, might be able to get mom to have one of those too. 

Right what needs to happen with my healthy project, I need to focus on getting those good habits back, today I’ll consciously drink water, just stopped typing there to finish the glass which I will go and refill.   Then there’s making sure I have my 5 pieces of fruit and veggies, what also helps me is having protein at every meal, that’s not going to be difficult today – it’ll be gammon! 

Stop guessing my portion sizes, get my kitchen scales back out on the worktop so I can weigh and point accurately.  Then there’s tracking everything good or bad, no more messing around.   That’s enough to be going on with.

I had a lovely morning yesterday, went to get me the tree I’d seen in Homebase, had a mooch round a couple of shops, I’ve just got to pot it up now, but my wrist is playing up so not sure that’ll happen today.

My supermarket shop comes this morning so as I’m putting it away I’ll be thinking about meal ideas, I need food I’m going to look forward to eating, that’ll help me stay on track for sure. 

Anyway, keeping it short this morning, I’ve got a lot to get done, already done the first coat of oil on my draining board this morning, hoping to be able to start on the underside of it soon.  Also having reflexology again today, my feet like to be taken care of, they get used a lot and I didn’t have my massage this week so this is my treat.

Here’s to making Monday magic not manic and day 1 of #MissionMe #MotivationMay #BevsWW #TheFlexEffect

I do love Sundays

29^th April 2018

Don’t be afraid to start over.  It’s a chance to build something better this time.

Yep, I do love Sundays, I remember being bored as a kid on a Sunday afternoon, not anymore, and they don’t last long enough now. I plan to… actually I have no plans which is just how I like it, if the mood takes me I may do another coat of oil on the draining board and the pull out shelf on my kitchen unit.  I have already done my online shop so I have a healthy week guaranteed and few meals planned.

Yesterday was lovely, started with my meeting which is always enjoyable, then I went for breakfast with Katie and Vicky, we haven’t had a catch up in forever, we ended up in TK Maxx first, ooo let’s just say it turned into a very expensive breakfast, but I’m now the proud owner of a much need new pair of trainers, and 3 gorgeous pots for my new garden and two plants from Aldi, a lavender tree and an olive.  This means I need to take a trip to Homebase in Cannock for the third tree which I saw last Monday but wasn’t in my car.  Now if it ever stops raining long enough I can get my summer house sorted, that’s next weekend’s task, waiting on a few bits first, it’ll be easier if I paint it before putting stuff in and Katie has a can for me and I’ll get that next Saturday.

We ate healthy too, I ordered a breakfast veggie frittata from Bella Italia which was eggs, spinach, mushrooms, new potatoes, red peppers and onions and the way it was stuck to the serving dish, I’d say it had been cooked in there and there wasn’t any oil used, so only the new potatoes needed pointing.

The afternoon brought us a visitor, my niece came to visit mom and stayed for a few hours, we chatted a lot about furniture and décor, which was a theme of the day as I’d done the same with Katie, shame all these inspiring ideas and pieces aren’t self-cleaning!  That’s what I should be doing today, but that ain’t happening, my wrist still hurts – that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

I will make my gammon and potato slow cooker meal though, so today could have been a No Count day but I want to eat the flatbreads, plus I would just eat more if I could and that’s not going to help me lose weight and with my project MISSION ME. 

I’ve ordered mom a Fire Pit, not sure that’s the best idea but she loves to play fire and as long as I’m with her when she does it, why not, I’ll get proper fire wood and she can have some fun if it ever stops raining!

So today is the last time in preparation for Mission Me, it will involve pointing everything up in my cupboards with a marker pen whilst working out some meal ideas at the same time, after my little shopping trip, I’ll have to be using what I have in because it’s given me ideas of more stuff I want ;) yep it’s way too easy to spend the money you work so hard to earn.

Right mom’s up, I’ve got a brew to make, as long as moms happy, I’m happy, it makes life a lot easier to handle when there’s no stress going on.  I just want the sunshine now so I can get up the garden.  Thinking I might experiment in the kitchen a little today though.  Here’s to preparing for, #MissionMe #MotivationMay #BevsWW #TheFlexEffect, I’m glad to be reading that so many of you will be joining me on this journey.  Have a super Sunday BeYOUtiful.

Oh and the Pay if forward day yesterday, a chap let me go in front of him in the Aldi queue, that was lovely of him.  Remember you don't have to wait till next year, pay it forward can be done every day and it's a nice thing to do. xx

Pay it forward day

28^th April 2018

Note to self: treat yourself the way you would treat a small child.  Feed yourself healthy food and make sure you spend time outside.  Put yourself to bed early.  Let yourself take naps.  Don’t say mean things to yourself, don’t put yourself in danger (remember your skull and your heart are still as fragile as eggshells. 

Morning, I’m happy this morning because I get to drive to work in my car, it’s all fixed and fit for service, so I’ll be able to drive to work today and won’t have to rely on the kindness of my bestie to get up at stupid o’clock.

I like the sound of this meal, thinking might do it next week.

Spring chicken pie

FEEDS 6 READY IN 1 HOUR 25 MINS 

33SP total, 6SP per serving, or 5SP if using spray light/

Freeze for up to 3 months

2 tbsp low fat spread (4SP) or use spray light plus 1tsp (1SP)

350g British leeks, halved lengthways and sliced

1 tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp plain flour (4SP)

6 chicken breast fillets 

600ml hot chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube (1SP)

750g Jersey Royals, sliced (18SP)

3 tbsp reduced fat crème fraiche (5SP)

Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6. Melt the 2 tbsp butter in a large pan over a low heat. Stir in the leek and thyme, then cover and cook for 10 mins, until softened.

Stir through the flour, add the chicken and pour over the stock. Cover and simmer for 20 mins, or until the chicken is cooked through. 

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and simmer the potatoes for 5 mins. Drain and set aside. 

Remove the chicken and chop. Bring the stock to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins until reduced. Stir in the crème fraîche, most of the parsley and the chopped chicken. 

Tip into an ovenproof dish. Arrange the potato slices on top and dot over the extra spread. Bake for 25 mins, until the sauce is bubbling and the potatoes are golden. Serve scattered with the rest of the parsley.

To freeze: Assemble in the ovenproof dish and leave to cool completely. Wrap well in cling film and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Either defrost overnight and bake at 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6 for 40-45 mins or bake from frozen for 1 hour 15 mins until hot through. Cover with foil if the pie browns too much while baking.

Started my online food shop will sit in the morning and add to it whilst doing a meal planner, then I’ll be ready for , #MissionMe #MotivationMay #BevsWW #TheFlexEffect, oh yeah, psyching myself up, getting my momentum going, finding my cooking mojo.  I’m starting with being kind to myself though, I had a busy morning yesterday so once I’m done today, I’ll be resting, enjoying a few hours with friends and having some me time which is just as important as losing weight.

Because we were in Morrison’s promoting WW yesterday we had a mooch round the shop, their large frozen Yorkshires are 3 for £1 and 7SP each, the Brain’s faggots were on offer 6 box for £1 and only 5SP for 2.  I didn’t buy these because I hadn’t got the freezer space but for 8SP a meal, they’re worth a try, I’ve been told they are good too. 

 I did buy a Weight Watchers chicken tikka meal because everyone’s saying how good it is and it had a decent use by date on.

Today is national pay it forward day by the way, so why not make sure you do, if you’re stuck for ideas check out their website http://payitforwardday.co.uk/ideas-to-get-involved/ it doesn’t have to be anything huge, it could be something as simple as offering to walk someone’s dog, carry their shopping.  If you were paying it forward to me, it’d be to clean my floor, hoover, scrub, mop (Sis, if you’re ready this, wink, wink) Seriously though, buy a stranger a coffee, give an old lady a bunch of flowers, anything to make them smile. 

Right, I better go take care of mom, she’s just woke up.  Looking forward to catching up with my lovelies this morning.  Oh and if you’ve bought your June copy of the WW mag, there’s some delicious recipes in it, including a cracking chicken, cheese & marmite rolls recipe on page 51, anyone local could use the Penn Road butchers chicken sausages as they’re far superior to Heck ones.  Actually he does send them through the post if you’re not local, check him out https://www.facebook.com/Penn-Road-Butchers-1570997599797501/ he does lots of different flavours and lots of low pointed burgers and stuff.

Anyway, I need to go, catch ya tomo.