Day 4 - Oh yeah I'm doing this!

30th November 2018
Being an adult is like folding a fitted sheet.  No one really knows how. 

Entering the weekend with 41 weekly remaining because I rolled over Smart Points - whoop whoop,  at least I'm back in the room!  I also earned 13 Fit Points yesterday, smashing the 11,365 steps and racking up 32 activity minutes, I'm truly happy with that to say I spent most of the day at work.  I always said I'd never wear my Fitbit to bed again because I can tell in the morning if I've slept or not but I have been and it's not true.  I woke up yesterday and my eyes were bloodshot, I felt like I'd had a terrible night but my Fitbit told me I'd had over 6 hours sleep, last night I had 8, yes I woke up a couple of times but not for long. 

Foodwise yesterday, I had zero beans toastie, egg, mushrooms and tomato for 3SP.  My lunch was roe, mash and veggies, I thought this was only going to cost me 5SP but it ends up 10SP because pressed cod roe isn't a zero hero, soft roe is but not the hard stuff in the tin which if you stop to look at the ingredients is only 55-65% roe, the rest is oil, tomato paste and other stuff so it makes sense it isn't zero.  Then for my tea I had the rest of the mash and veggies with a piece of salmon.  Instead of wine I opted for water and watched a bit of tele before going to bed around ten. 

See I can do it, it just takes a bit of effort! If I do it until the 17th when my family arrive, then I can enjoy their visit and get straight back to it on the 1st January.  

My workshops were brilliant yesterday, I loved how we all connected, had a laugh about how hard this all is, tis the season to be jolly and eat mince pies, but we're going to do our best this week to stay strong and do what we can when we can.

I've got salmon defrosted so I'll be eating that again today, undecided what with though, although I still have some sweet pepper lentils and a healthy food shop arriving this morning.  ON IT AY I! 

I feel so much better than I did at the start of the week, I'm telling myself I CAN DO THIS instead of WHAT'S THE POINT, our thoughts and our words are powerful tools.

Normally Friday is where it all goes wrong but not this week, I will do what I usually do, go for my massage, walk Alfie and relax later but I will also drink less, eat healthily and I might just spend a bit of time in the kitchen cooking something delicious, experimenting and having a play with foods.  Yeah I've got this, I will keep reminding me of my WHY and my GOALS.

I proved yesterday I can resist when mom is being awkward / low / miserable / horrid because she was all 4 throughout the day, then when I got back on the evening she was good again.  So just like the weather, I can't change her behaviour but I can choose to stand in it and drown or get out of it and do something else.

3 blue dots on my app this week, I don't expect to get 7 because I will be drinking my weeklies over the weekend but 3 is more than I've got in months and I will end this week within my allowance because this week weight loss is important to me.

What's important to you? 

Have a great day beYOUtiful, I have a dog patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for me to take him for a walk so I better go. 

Am I thin yet?

29th November 2018
The darkest nights produce the brightest starts

Day 2 in the bag, yesterday was a lot easier than Tuesday and seriously the easiest I've found it for months.  My mood was much lifted, my members were awesome as ever, I managed to ignore my moms mood and not let it effect mine.  Yep I've woke up ready for another day.

I seriously can not believe I'm going to say this but I finished my day way under my daily allowance! Breakfast was eggy bread using one egg, with a dry fried egg on top and cherry tomatoes (3SP)

lunch was chicken stew (5SP) the first chicken stew I've ever made, usually I do beef stew and chicken in a casserole.  It wasn't bad but I added a bit of Worcestershire sauce and I wouldn't do that again.   Then for tea I had sweet pepper lentils on white fish (think it was bass) (2SP).  The only other points I spent was on my skimmed milk in my tea and I even tracked the taste of a brownie I had which a member brought for me to try.  I shared it with my helpers and as it was only 3SP to start with I tracked 1SP.

Now sweet pepper lentils, mmm, I used Harj's curry recipes as my inspiration.  They're at the bottom of my blog, but this is how I tweaked it a little because I had no chilli's.

Sweet Pepper Lentils
11SP total, easily 5 portions at 2SP per serving

3 peppers (I used 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green) diced
Lentils (I used 325g - just weighed the rest of the bag to work out - they're zero so I didn't weigh)
2tsp turmeric

2 large onions (diced)

Garlic - I used frozen equivalent of 2tsp

Ginger -  I used frozen equivalent of 2tsp

Spray light (I used the chilli version)

1-2tsp cumin seeds

passata.  I used about 1/3rd jar

1 heaped tsp garam masala

Coriander - I used frozen equivalent of 2tsp

100g Mango Chutney (11SP)

Method:

Wash all lentils in saucepan with warm water - drain water and add boiling water to cover well. Add salt & turmeric, bring to the boil be careful not let it boil over then turn gas down and simmer, leave to simmer stirring occasionally until it start to thicken and looks like soup consistency. This can take up to 30-45mins to get right consistency.  Low and slow is the answer with this.

Base - chop onions add to separate frying pan with spray light.  Cook for 5 mins and add garlic, ginger & cumin seeds, if onions start sticking to saucepan add a little water. You need to cook onions until they are more or less purée, then add tomatoesCook onions/tomatoes until they look like a paste, stir through, add peppers and cook for a few more minutes. Add add to the lentils which should now have cooked and look like soup. Also add garam masala, coriander and mango chutney and let it blend together. 

It's a lentil dish with a sweetness to it that makes it lush, wash delicious on my white fish which I'd microwaved for a few minutes, I find steamed white fish quite bland so this was perfect.   I'll definitely be doing more with lentils, you could add anything to that mixture, mushrooms to bulk it out. The mango chutney could be replaced with agave syrup, or something completely different like hoisin sauce.  Yeah, experimenting will be happening a lot.  Lentils are so cheap too, so you don't just save on Smart Points, you save on your pennies.

Today I shall mostly be eating leftovers, although I'm going to have salmon for my tea, not decided what I'm doing with it, but it'll be delicious.  I really enjoyed spending some time in the kitchen yesterday throwing stuff together and seeing it work.  I think I'm getting back to me.

It appears I had to hit rock bottom because I realised I do want to crawl my way back up and out of that hole.  I had a chat with my boss yesterday which also helped a great deal, it's good to know he cares and is supportive of me. 

I also listened to the 10 minute headspace thing on the WW app before going to bed, mom was moaning at Alfie in the background and huffing and puffing but I chose to ignore all the sounds as headspace man (his names Andy btw) instructed me to do and I was asleep in no time. 

I will do 7 days on track, the family don't arrive until the 17th, I can more or less stay on track until then, here's to getting back to me.  Then in 2019, I will continue to focus on me and my weight loss journey.

Have a very great day BeYOUtiful, that's my plan, I'm going to ignore the miserable weather and see a grey day as silver. xx

Here are Harj's recipes 

Harj’s Lentil Curry- 5sp total

1 small cup red lentils, mung yellow lentils & chana dal (pulses)

2 tsp turmeric

Boiling water - I used 2 kettle fulls

Base - 2-3 onions

Garlic - I used 1 frozen block

Ginger - 1-2 blocks

3x green chilli’s add more if you like it spicier

1tbs olive oil (5sp)

1-2tsp cumin seeds

Tomatoes - either tinned which need to be purée or passata.  (she uses about half a can)

1tsp garam masala

Coriander (optional)

Method:

Wash all lentils in saucepan with warm water - drain water and add boiling water. Add salt & turmeric, bring to the boil be careful not let it boil over then turn gas down and simmer, cover saucepan but didn’t cover completely otherwise dhal will boil over - leave to simmer stirring occasionally until it start to thicken and looks like soup consistency. This can take up to 30-45mins to get right consistency. 

Base - chop onions add to separate saucepan and add olive oil.  Cook for 5 mins and add garlic, ginger,  chopped chili & cumin seeds, if onions start sticking to saucepan keep adding water. You need to cook onions until they are more or less purée, then add tomatoes. Cook onions/tomatoes until they look like a paste then add to the lentils which should now have cooked and look like soup. Also add 1tsp of garam masala and coriander if required.

Harjit’s Chicken Curry 

Serves around 6-7.  Total recipe points, 10sp

2-3 teaspoons Olive Oil (5sp), 

4 Onions, 

Garlic, 

Ginger , 

1-2 (3-4 if you like it spicy) Green Chilli
2 teaspoons Jeera (Cumin Seeds),

 1-2 teaspoons Haldi (Turmeric), 

½ large can Tomatoes (Blended), 

1-2 teaspoons Salt, 

1 teaspoon Garam Masala,

 500g chicken breast (5sp), 

Fresh Coriander (Optional)

1. Heat oil in saucepan and add chopped onions & salt.
2. After 5-10 mins add garlic, ginger, chilli & jeera (cumin seeds)
3. Cook for around 20 mins if onions start sticking to the pan add water.
4. Once onions are browned and softened add 1-2 teaspoons of haldi (Tumeric), cook for around 10 mins until the colouring separates from the onions.
5. Once the above has cooked add half a tin of tomatoes and cook for around 5-10 mins.
6. When tomatoes have blended in with the onions add chicken, cook chicken for about 10 mins and then add boiled water and simmer until water has thickened and chicken is tender.
7. Once chicken has cooked add garam masala and stir and garnish with fresh coriander.
8. Serve with (add the extra SmartPoints of course) basmati rice 

The base is the same for every curry so you can add vegetables if required.

My members saved me....

28th November 2018
It always seems impossible until it is done.

WW, Weight Watchers, call it what you will but for me, they're my tribe.  Nowhere else can I go and be completely understood when it comes to my relationship with food.  Let's be honest my relationship with food is very much dependent on everything else that's going on in my world so that means my WW tribe get everything that's going on with me, they're my people and yesterday proved that more than ever.  The morning members caught me whilst I fell apart and the evening ones started the work on putting me back together.  That probably sounds dramatic but it isn't, I did have a moment and they were all there, they'd all got my back and there was true love and support in the room.  On the evening, we all connected over what WW really means to us and we agreed we are all about the weight loss but at this time of year we're not going to expect too much from ourselves.

I've said a few times in my blog that I didn't want to end this year in the next stone bracket, the truth is I've been weighing naked and after a poo to ensure that didn't happen!  I bit the bullet and stepped on the scales clothed in a meeting yesterday morning and I was as I knew I would be in that next stone bracket, only 3lb away from my heaviest ever weight, almost back to my pre WW weight.  What was worse was I just shrugged my shoulders in defeat, I wasn't bothered.  That was before my members started to arrive and I had the meeting, by the end of it I was feeling differently.

I rang my coach when I got home or rather she rang me (I wished she lived closer, I'd go sit in one of her meetings, road trip one day maybe!) and she coached me, asking at the end what do I need to focus on this week, and the truth was a we both so politely put it 'being arsed!'  Yeah I need to be bothered that the scales say what they do and the truth is I am bothered, it's just easier to ignore them and pretend that I'm not.  I'd put a blouse on yesterday morning and it was gaping a little at the buttons, I don't want that.  My back hurts and last night my sciatica had returned down my left leg, that's a combination of extra weight but also stress.

I know my life isn't easy at the moment, but I can't wait for that to change because it isn't going to - not any time soon anyway, therefore I'm going to start to use the time I'm stuck at home to take care of myself again.  I started yesterday.

I made my garlic chicken, instead of serving it with rice as suggested, I added mushrooms and a tin of chick peas, mmm it was good.  So good, I will definitely be making it again, I might even add peppers next time too, and at 2SP a bowl, it was well worth it.  I've renamed it because honestly it's not a stew but it is lush.

Bev's chicken & chickpea diet saver stew - 5SP total

10 minutes prep time, plus marinating. Cook time 20 minutes

frozen chopped coriander

Frozen garlic, crushed (the equivalent of 3 cloves)

2tsp garam masala

1tbsp mango chutney (4SP)
425g pack skinless chicken breast fillets 
1 tsp vegetable oil (1SP)
1 onion, thinly sliced
400g tin chopped tomatoes
200g mushrooms
tin chick peas

2 tbsp 0% fat natural Greek yogurt (optional) 

• mix 2tsp coriander with the garlic, garam masala, chutney and a pinch of salt to form a paste. 
• Using a sharp knife, cut small slashes in each chicken fillet then flatten them slightly. Spread over the paste and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or overnight). 
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan or wok and fry the onion for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the chicken and marinade and turn to coat in the onions. Fry for 6-8 minutes, turning the chicken and stirring regularly. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes. Add another couple of teaspoons of coriander and stir into the sauce. 
• If you want to use the yogurt, add either a spoon of coriander or maybe a teaspoon of mint sauce and stir.
• Serve either on it's own or with the coriander yogurt.

My breakfast had cost me 6SP, then when I'd got back I was emotional and knew I was in danger of comfort eating so I had a bowl of orzo salad for 5SP, which meant I needed to go low on my other meals to stay on track my first day. I did it thanks to that stew, it's going to be my diet saver stew going forward.  I actually think I'll make a batch and freeze it for those moments where I want to eat my own head!

I hope my Tuesday members did what I did and sat with their new 'Success Story'  book and really thought about what they were going to write in there.  I used my paper tracker yesterday too, then added it all onto my app later.  I ended my day on 25 and that was with wine.  Today I plan to do even better, no wine tonight will save points and make me fresh for Thursday.  

My other focus this week whilst I'm 'being arsed' (yep I'm now B.A. Bev!) is to find my food mojo, get back to cooking those meals I throw together so quickly, I'm good in the kitchen, I want to get back in that lovely kitchen I spent so much money on, that last year I wanted it finished so badly.  Not sure what's on the menu today, there's not a lot in my fridge, but there is chicken, potatoes and a couple of Yorkshires, so maybe may a super healthy chicken dinner, maybe not.  Whatever I have will be healthy.  Might make a chicken stew with carrots, onions, potatoes, that's a possibility.  

Mom's got the dentist first thing so whatever I do needs to be quick, easy, low Smart Points. WW works but I need to as well! 

Yeah I do solemnly swear that this time next week I'll be telling you I had a loss, hopefully I'll be back in that lower stone, I was only 1lb over it this week so a 1.5lb weight loss would guarantee that. 

A lovely lady has given me a Fitbit (it just needs charging) all I need to do is make a donation to the food bank for it, I'm going to make a conscious effort to get my steps up on that once it's charged and not aim for the 10k steps a day, just to improve on what it says the first time I wear it.  Small steps in the right direction remember.

I'm also going to hard boil some eggs this morning so I have them to snack on later if I get the uncontrollable munchies.  I know once I'm into it, it'll get easier and those munchies will go away, I also know if I don't do it now, they'll never be a good time.  I am strong, I can do this, and little by little, day by day, I will do it.   When you hit rock bottom - the only way is up, I'm going back in that direction.

Another day, but will it go well....

27th November 2018
Be careful how you are talking to yourself because you are listening.

Yesterday started really well, Monday's always do!  Despite having to hurry round to get the dog walked and mom ready for the dentist, I used a spare ten minutes to make me a healthy breakfast of omelette with lots of veggies in and also get the chicken in the oven to marinade.

Turns out moms tooth can't be saved so we have to go back tomorrow and next Wednesday so they can fit her with one on a plate, I thought about changing dentist as ours is where we used to live over 25 years ago but I don't think it's a good idea as any type of change completely confuses her.  When we got back moms foot lady was standing on the doorstep - that was well timed especially as I'd completely forgotten she was coming.  Whilst she did moms feet, I got dinner in the oven and also prepared an orzo dish with veggies in for tomorrow to either go with my garlic chicken or to have on it's own.

My day went downhill with mom, I know it was because so much had gone on and because it confuses her and she can't recall things, she gets frustrated which manifests in moods and behaviours that then help to spoil my day.  Let's just say it ended with her posh new table being taken out of the living room because she apparently never wanted it in the first place!  Oh how I wanted to hug the contents of the fridge right then, cuddle the stuff in the cupboards and basically eat my own head but I didn't.  Instead I went and had a bath to calm my mood and ease my pain, my backs in bits at the minute which isn't helping.  I'm hoping it's hormonal which would also explain why my mood wasn't great.

When I feel like that, when moms behaving in that way, I start to question why I am even bothered to try and lose weight when I've already got enough on my plate just trying to survive the day.  Also why bother when the only places I go are work venues, WW might have changed their name from venues to studios and meetings to workshops but I'm still driving to the same places.  I also think at times like this about the fact that food is one of the few pleasures I have right now so I might as well eat.  All this was going through my mind as I was walking Alfie for the second time yesterday.

My final thought after thinking - OH WHY BOTHER, I can't do this when mom's behaving the way she is, actually I don't want to do this when life's like this was.....I can't do it all but doing something is better than doing nothing!

Yep, I can't or don't want to do it 100% all the time right now, it's very much dependent on how the mood is in this house but I can do something which is much better than doing nothing.

See she's just woke up and it's like groundhog day, she tells Alfie not to come out of her bedroom which he completely ignores, she moans at him, then we have the moaning in the toilet and I have to lift her mood.  I can do it but some days, it's just draining, it's like being the Kings jester, surely he got to take of his daft hat sometimes and just be a miserable bugger.  It's no fun trying to keep someone else happy constantly.

Anyway, I won't be great at this weight loss, healthy eating lark all the time but I will do what I can, when I can.  Yesterday I ate a really healthy breakfast and dinner, I did indulge in a big glass of wine whilst in the bath, I stayed in there a long time, until she came looking for me anyways.

"OH bloody hell", are the words I now dread because I know something has happened that has caused her frustration and things won't get better will they.

So unless your day was rosy yesterday and your world is great, like me, you're gonna have to decide how you plan to handle your life.  For me right now, it's about grabbing the good moments when they happen, trying to make some of those good moments possible and surviving the disease that is Alzheimer's and vascular dementia whilst at the same time doing my damn best to eat as healthy as I can.

Not having temptation in the house if possible is also a plan, I won't be buying any crisps I like, only stuff I know mom likes, because moms on the dementia diet, tells me on a morning she needs to lose some weight then calls me an evil bitch on the afternoon when I remind her and suggest she doesn't eat so many biscuits!

Anyway, here's to getting on with the day, looking forward to some grown up company at work today and I have my meals planned and prepped, I even have leftover omelette from yesterday for breakfast.

Have a very, great day or at least survive whatever your day looks like BeYOUtiful. xx

Last week of November! Make it count

26th November 2018
Can't and won't are no match for can and will.

29 days to Christmas, I really should think about getting stuff!  Nah we'll go to the supermarket the week before and fill the trolley with niceness, what we forget - we'll live without.  As for gifts, I've donated to the Food Bank this year instead of buying gifts, I've got mom a couple of small things and if I can think of anything else, I'll buy them too but she's not easy to buy for because there's not really much she wants or needs.   

What should be bothering me right now is losing a few pounds beforehand, I do not want to start 2019 in the next stone bracket up, I've said it before and I'll say it again. I might stick a sign in the fridge!  

I'm going to make garlic chicken today ready for tomorrow (it'll taste better then too), some how I've ended up with some pork in the fridge, I never buy pork so not sure if I clicked the wrong box online when doing my shop, but I will Smart Point it and make a dinner with lots of veggies on the plate.  WW doesn't have to be all about chicken and eggs.  

I've just been having a look at the WW website on my computer, it made me smile to see my besties face on there staring back at me, but once I'd got over that, there's some great recipe videos and some delicious recipes in general.  It isn't just there you can find ideas though, I came across a lush sounding soup recipe in this months Co-op free magazine.   It's good to know that WW fits round most recipes, obviously some of them would have to be treat meals but at least you can have them as long as you point them.

Well I'm going to go crack on getting that chicken marinating, if I do it now, it'll not get put off!  I'm probably going to have to take mom to the dentist AGAIN! That'll swallow a couple of hours from our day.

What's your plan for the week?   Are you on it or off it?  How high are the walls inside your mind!  Don't stop now, at worst go for damage limitation, we can survive this season x

  

Overdrawn? In denial!

25th November 2018
The comeback is always stronger than the set back!

Guess where I am, I'm in bed writing my blog because I can cos I've got a laptop now - woo hoo, I didn't realise I could do that till I woke up and it was early, dark and cold and I thought I don't really want to get out of bed yet, then realised I didn't have to!  This is the future for sure.

Yesterday went by in a flash, the day was full of good things, from having to go to work on a Saturday and being okay with that because I love my members to the fact I did a bit of housework ignoring my back pain, then I made an epic roast chicken dinner, nom nom nom. mom and I watched a lovely Christmas movie, then we had visitors, my brother and my niece popped in and occupied mom for a couple of hours.  Yeah yesterday was a very, great day.

Now back to WW, Regardless of any changes that are happening to WW, I asked my members in my Facebook group to remember they all joined for weight loss reasons.  Members lost 8% more weight on our latest plan which has been in place for a year now than any of our previous plans, proving its worth.  From today in meetings you will have the choice when you join to opt for one of the following reasons for joining.   

Weight loss and healthy habits 
If your goal is to build healthy habits and lose weight, select this mode. You'll have the chance to set a weight loss goal later on

Healthy habits.

If your goal is to build healthy habits without focusing on weight loss, select this mode. You can change your focus at any time.

I've just copied and pasted those from the website, now I completely understand WW's reasons for changing but don't forget your reasons for joining, you wanted to lose weight and develop healthy habits for life!

Ask yourself - does not stepping on the scales really help?  We're all coming up to Christmas so we'll be spending more cash than usual, would it help if you completely ignore your bank balance until January, then get that shock in the New Year that you've gone overdrawn and are in a shedload of debt, nope it wouldn't.  So don't go overdrawn with your weight loss journey either!  It's one thing not to step on the scales because you know there is going to be a gain and your mood couldn't handle that but it's completely another if you just don't rock up to your workshop at all.  At least if you come to your wellness check-in you can have a quick chat with your coach and then sit and chat with the other members and share how your feeling, looking forward to how you plan to behave over the coming week. 

One of my members is going away this week for a few days, she's already decided she's going to enjoy it then get back on track when she returns.  Imagine if she didn't return till January, what would those scales be saying then!  Out of sight, out of mind.  Ignorance isn't bliss which is why regardless of how good or bad my week has been, I always step on those scales once a week. Because for me, there is that number that will get me to get a grip and stop eating that packet of crisps before bedtime!

I may not be being brilliant right now but I'm doing something, lots of veggies on my plate, glass of water each morning, I've still only had the one mince pie this winter and I resist a lot of what mom offers me because I know I can't afford to go that overdrawn on my Smart Points, if I do, I'll regret it!

I'm working towards getting the balance back and reminding myself of how amazing delicious, healthy food tastes.  My shopping arrived yesterday morning with the ingredients for garlic chicken, that'll be going in the pot this week, I'll have leftover chicken dinner today.  The thing about things coming in packs is you have 8 Yorkshire puddings to eat, I'm thinking eggs in Yorkshire puds for brekkie instead of one toast, wonder if that would work?  They're 3SP each according to the app, so more than toast  Speaking o
f the app, it's time for me to start using it properly, for tracking my food - all of my food!  Yes today I won't pretend all is ok in my WW world, today I will be accountable to the magic of the app, track it all and enjoy a delicious day of food because with WW you can!  8% more weight loss if you follow the plan sounds good to me, what do you reckon BeYOUtiful?

Shall we both have a very, great day? Catch ya tomo.

Yep, the trees gone up!

24th November 2018
Today do not stress over things you can't control

#3GoodThings
1) got mom to eat a proper meal
2) got mom in a supermarket for a walk round (only a few aisles but she did it)
3) I had a lovely massage 

From the 2nd of my good things came more good things, whilst in there mom took a liking to a little Christmas tree so we bought that and it's now sitting by our TV, Christmas is officially in the house!  That will be more or less the extent of our decorations as the living rooms too small for much more but it's snug and I lit candles last night too.  It was all cosy sitting in there.

It would've been my dads birthday yesterday, 87 he would've been, thankfully mom doesn't miss him and wasn't sad talking about him, she told me how he'd always looked like an old man even when they got married.  I've just realised he's been dead 27 years, so I've had more years with him dead than I did alive, 60 is no age to die is it, but that's what happens when you don't take care of yourself, because all of dads problems were self inflicted, bad diet, drinking too much and lazy, I never saw him go out to work.  

I had to take mom to the dentist yesterday, the other side of Wolverhampton, Merry Hill where we used to live, her tooth keeps coming out, I'd say it was a wasted journey because the tooth has since come out again but it wasn't because it got her out of the house.  She loved driving past the street where armed officers are negotiating with some 38 year old bloke https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/wolverhampton/2018/11/23/fire-crews-and-medics-on-standby-as-armed-police-close-wolverhampton-road/ she loves a bit of drama.  Oh and she loved having a natter with anyone who'd listen.  Whenever we're in the car she chatters away none stop and theres a lot of "He was there last time we drove down here", "That was like that the last time we came this way", she has a lot of deja vu but it's not real because they weren't there or we haven't been there before.  I'm sure it's a part of the Alzheimers, almost as if her brain processes it instantly and then repeats it like she's seen it before 'last time'.  Could be very annoying, but I just agree with her or laugh with her depending on her mood.  We had a couple of hours out the house and that's what matters. 

Ooo I've got my shopping coming at stupid o'clock this morning so I better get myself some clothes on!  I need to sign off, here's to surviving the weekend.  Oh and do you like who you're becoming as per the photo at the top of the blog.  I do, I'm happy in my head, I'd like a leaner body but the pay off is too expensive for me right now, if the worst thing about me is I'm carrying an extra stone, I'll take that, my qualities and quality of life more than makes up for it.  I can handle the aches and pains I wake up with, I'm making moms life as comfortable as is possible and ensuring she has nothing to worry about.  Oh and it's nearly Christmas! WOO HOO, oh okay it's not quite but it is a calendar month to Christmas Eve, yep it is!  So Happy month before Christmas to you BeYOUtiful, enjoy your weekend. 

Surviving the rest of the year

23rd November 2018

The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

So yesterday in my meetings we talked about the foods we could be eating at this time of year to help keep us on track and one of the meals mentioned last night was this one; 

Garlic chicken curry

9sp per serving, serves 2

10 minutes prep time, plus marinating. Cook time 20 minutes

Small bunch fresh coriander

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2tsp garam masala

1tbsp mango chutney (4SP)

2 x 125g skinless chicken breast fillets

1 tsp vegetable oil (1SP)

1 onion, thinly sliced

400g tin chopped tomatoes

100g basmati rice (10SP)

2 tbsp 0% fat natural Greek yogurt

• Cut most of the stalks from the coriander and set the leaves aside. Finely chop the stalks and mix with the garlic, garam masala, chutney and a pinch of salt to form a paste.
• Using a sharp knife, cut small slashes in each chicken fillet then flatten them slightly. Spread over the paste and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan or wok and fry the onion for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the chicken and marinade and turn to coat in the onions. Fry for 6-8 minutes, turning the chicken and stirring regularly. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Chop the coriander leaves and stir half of them into the sauce.
• Meanwhile cook the rice to pack instructions, and mix the remaining coriander leaves with the yogurt.
• Serve the curry with the rice and coriander yogurt.

It definitely going on my To Eat list and I remember a member throwing it all in the slow cooker and it worked a treat.

Now as good as my meetings were yesterday, I was missing quite a few - can I just say it's not Christmas yet and we can do a lot of damage in the days left of this year, the general consensus from members was easily a stone could be gained if they ditched WW now.

What can we do to stay focused?  Well eat more zero foods and plenty of veggies, make sure we're not hungry to start with.  I had a delicious omelette for breakfast yesterday filled with peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and peas.  I was just about to type onions but I didn't have any to add, maybe I'll buy a bag of frozen so I can always grab a handful for a meal like that.  It's been a year since WW added to the zero food list and the results have been brilliant thanks to them.  I popped round to see my bestie on the way to work yesterday morning and I barely recognised her, she's lost so much weight over the last 12 months, I know I see her every Saturday morning when I weigh her but seeing her in her work clothes, well I was like WOW! 

#3GoodThings - my entire day was good if I'm honest, but the highlight, well let's just say I'm sat here tapping away on it.  It's a smoking hot new laptop - Happy Christmas to me.  Good job it's pay day this weekend, although my wages will not cover my credit card bill this month at all, I had a laptop mom had a chair which can I add she does not use the mechanics on because she's a stubborn bugga, but she's my stubborn bugga!

I think I need to cook some salmon this weekend, I have so much of it, fish pie maybe as I know there's white fish in the freezer too. Or maybe a pasta bake.  I'll have a mooch in the cupboards see what I have, maybe get sorting them a little in preparation for Christmas.  I'm starting to get excited for our visitors and my week off work - woo hoo, first one this year!

But not too excited, need to limit the damage over the next few weeks, keep it together, stay out of food shops so I don't get spending crazy.  I know what I'm like, so I won't put myself in a situation where I'll be tempted too much.

What are your plans to stay on track BeYOUtiful?  What are the excuses or lies you're telling yourself right now to enable you to go off track?  Who would we be without our stories!  Have a very, great day or don't - it's your choice xx