Happy Mothers day to everyone!

Sunday 31st March 2019
Of all the gifts that life has to offer, a loving mother is the greatest of them all.

Well I'm glad I had an early night because I'm feeling that I've lost that hour for sure!  It feels like 5 not 6am and I need to leave at half 6, plus I ain't got mom sorted yet cos she's still asleep, so this will be brief.

I tried the overnight oats again for my breakfast yesterday, they're just not for me I'm afraid and I'm glad I now have eggs back in my kitchen.  This I had for dinner however was for me, mmm.  I roasted potatoes, carrots, butternut squash and peppers and had Penn Road chicken sausages in onion gravy for 7SP.   

Plus there's a portion left that I could eat today, but I do really want that cod in butter sauce at some point, plus there's a defrosted keema to be eaten with the last of the Indian spuds and cauliflower, so that's the food for the next two days I suppose. It's definitely helping having meal ideas at the ready.

I'm hoping to earn lots of FitPoints this morning with a good walk, we're going to walk an old childhood walk to the Clay hills, which was huge when we were young, but obviously now we're grown up they aren't quite so big, but the walk is still quite a distance, so let's see how we fare.  

The rest of the day will of course be spent with mom, but as she told my brothers the other day - every day is mothers day in this house ;) that made me feel good.  Remember to spend some time with your mom today if you're lucky enough to have her, time is the greatest gift we have, although mom wouldn't agree with that, she likes money! 

Okay I'm off, need to go make mom a flask and sort her meds in case she doesn't wake up before I go!  

Have a very, great day, 

Stay BeYOUtiful

'------'

(O,O)

/)__)

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On track? Even got Rollovers!

Saturday 30th March 2019
Today be the badass you were too lazy to be yesterday! 

Day 1 done and I even rolled over 4SP - Boom, on a Friday too, check me out.  Was it easy, course it was for one day, although I did start to fancy a slice of bread and spread around 7pm, but I resisted and plan to survive today too. 

If you ever find yourself thinking, 'oh here I go again, I've done all this before and I'm still fat', remind yourself it doesn't matter, it's okay to lose the weight as many times as you need to, to start over as many times as you wish.  A car needs servicing every year, a house needs cleaning mmm I suppose some would say daily or weekly, I'll go with monthly, what I'm saying is nothing lasts, we need to refresh and redo.  

I found myself thinking similar yesterday when I decided to walk to my massage, a little voice, yeah the one inside my head with a bloody big opinion was all, 'oh here we go again, it's Spring, you'll walk a bit more, then winter will come and you'll stop and replace the walk with food.' Something like that anyway and I ignored it and instead rationalised that yeah, maybe that's the pattern of my life but imagine if I didn't get mobile in the Spring, then I'd be a damn sight heavier than I am!  At least doing this gives me the chance to lose a few pounds.

Not jumping in my car helped me earn twice as many steps and FitPoints as I would've got if I hadn't walked the 3 mile round trip to the Chi Rooms.  In total I did just shy of 16k steps, had 4 walks all over half hour and earned 25 Fit Points, I'll take that for what is usually a lazy day for me. 

I also chopped me some salad in a tub on the morning to ensure I had it later when I probably wouldn't fancy prepping a meal.  

Trout and salad and it was delicious, for my breakfast a bit random, I had my sisters lentils with an egg on it.  I've put overnight oats in the fridge for this morning because I didn't have any eggs, so decided to give them one more chance, I've used some berries I froze a couple of weeks ago, so we shall see if they're edible, 3SP ain't bad.   I'm thinking cod in butter sauce today and maybe a chicken hot pot tomorrow or maybe toad in the hole with chicken sausages.  Everything in the kitchen is mostly healthy so I should be okay, just got to resist moms crisps and biscuits!  

I'm not comfortable walking the dog in a t-shirt without my coat on so I do want to lose some weight, I also saw photos of my cousin on Facebook having lost 10% with WW, she was wearing the same white t-shirt in both photos and I thought damn, yeah, I want a bit of that!

It's good to be motivated and inspired by others, that's why the workshops are so good, it was thanks to one of my members Peter that I walked yesterday, he'd posted in our group that he'd just completed a 2 mile morning walk, I thought I'd do the same.

The sunshine is really helping isn't it, I feel so much better when it's shining.  Looks like we're in for an okay weekend, here's to making it through!  Stay focused on the t-shirt for me, what's your focus? 

Have a very, great day.

Stay BeYOUtiful!   

'------'

(O,O)

/)__)

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Project Me! Needs to be!

Friday 29th March 2019
Never forget how wildly capable you are! 

Eat Wise - Drop a Size!

3 months from now you will thank yourself!

You are what you eat, so don't be fast, easy, cheap or fake! 

Results come over time not over night!

Right there's 4 weight loss relevant quotes to motivate you this morning.  Even I left my workshop motivated to get on track and lose some weight yesterday, we reminisced about when we first joined Weight Watchers, for me it was probably around 1988 when I was 18, back then you only got to catch up with your weight loss buddies and leader once a week, if you wanted to know what you could eat you looked in a book, to work out points in things you had a cardboard slider thing.  In comparison these days, everything is so simple, it's all there at your fingertips on the app and yet we all say, 'it's so hard', but you know what, if it's important to you, you'll make the time and do the things needed to make it easier. 

I'm loving my crochet, so I'm going to try a new project but this one doesn't require wool, this one requires a pad and a pen, PROJECT ME!  I'm going to get to know my eating/drinking habits and routines again and then I'm going to tweak them so by the end of April, I'm well and truly in the next stone down, hopefully by summer, I'll be at least half stone lower.  I'm not in a rush for weight loss, it's not a race.  I'm thrilled that I appear to have maintenance sussed, I can maintain the weight I am pretty easily, it'll go up a couple of pound then back down over the course of a month.  This means all I have to do is tweak it.

The power of the mind is incredible though, I suppose it could've been because I'd been awake since 3am yesterday so maybe my brain was tired and needed energy but I don't think it was, I think it was more about the fact, I'd decided to start tracking 100% regardless of good or bad and get myself a notepad (not a new one because I already have loads that have only a page or two used) I'm going to use this pad to get to know myself again so that I can work on me for me.  Well my appetite and imagination went into overdrive yesterday afternoon.  From knowing what I was having for my tea because it was all in the fridge made up, suddenly I'm thinking about the fact I wanted an Indian at some point, a Chinese for my tea, then there's chips from the chippy, if I start PROJECT ME, these things aren't going to be on the menu, maybe I should start Monday and get them out my system.  I even sat on my phone whilst waiting for my members and added £22 to the local Chinese Takeaway food basket to order for collection on my way home.  I had a word with myself, realised what I was doing and closed the window.  Instead I drove home and had the Indian spiced cauliflower and potato Suman had made for me and the last of my mince concoction.  

Yeah I have a few pairs of trousers in my wardrobe I'd like to wear again this year, I know they're too tight and in danger of splitting if I walk round in them, my mission is to get into them.  

I loved what Sadie said to me yesterday as she told me she'd been coming for a year continually, she's dropped 4 dress sizes and wants to go down one more.  She hadn't lost weight this week but felt smaller and had bought a smaller size in the shop.  She told me, she wasn't so bothered about the numbers, more focused on the dress size, especially as she's exercising so toning up too.  Her words, "No one knows your numbers but everyone knows what you look like."

I'm not aiming for big grand gestures, I'm not going to go shopping and buy loads of diet stuff, I'm going to use what's in my cupboards and freezer because there's plenty to make healthy food from.  I'm going to lose some weight in a doable, healthy way, like the members I've been watching doing just that and enjoying their journey's. 

I know it's Mothers Day on Sunday, but there's something all the time to knock us off track, we can still enjoy a bit of something nice and lose weight.

I've done it before - I'll do it again.  How you doing? 

Here's to a very great day because remember, this months choices are next months body!

Stay BeYOUtiful!   

'------'

(O,O)

/)__)

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Who'd do you spend time with?

Thursday 28th March 2019
Excuses will always be there for you - opportunities won't!

And I get to spend my time with awesome people!  Yep being a WW coach means I get to spend my work time with the best kind of people, I have the most amazing tribe.

I finally went to that wool shop I'd wanted to visit, she missed out on me treating myself and spending a lot of money on fancy wool because she had no manners!  Please, thankful, sorry we don't, such simple phrases that she failed to use when I asked her questions.  I want to make myself a really luxurious throw with really special wool so wanted to feel them but I will risk buying online or find somewhere else to buy from now and I'll continue to buy my Stylecraft from the very lovely lady at Sew & Sew https://www.sewandsew.uk.com and use Hobbycraft and the local wool shop at Laneshead.  

Anyway, that's enough about wool, it's only interesting if you crochet or knit! 

Now food, well that's interesting to everyone, this piece of deliciousness cost me 17SP but boy was it worth it, plus I had eggs and zero beans for breakfast and earned 13 Fit Points so it all balances out. 

Chicken and mushroom pie, mmmmm.

I'll be needing strong coffee this morning, I've been awake since three, yep, 3AM, what's that all about, thankfully we went to bed just after 9 so I've managed 6 hours.  

Today's meals are sort of sorted, I've just hardboiled some eggs, I'm going to make egg and cress sarnies, hoping I can tempt mom there.  Then the lovely Suman gave me some cauliflower and spuds, Indian style last night, she even didn't use as much chilli just for me - how kind is that!   Are your meals sorted today?  

Just for today, let's not think about what we can achieve in the next 12 weeks, by Summer, for our holidays, let's just focus on the 12 hours in front of us - what can you do in those hours to help you feel better.  I shall be walking with Alfie, drinking some glasses of water and eating some healthy food.  I'll also be making sure I stop for my lunch and take a break.  All these things will help me feel better.

Here's to a very, great day, 

ooo almost forgot, I bought these the other day for £2 in the Co-op, they're only 3SP each, quick fix when you're hungry and in a rush.  

Stay BeYOUtiful!   

'------'

(O,O)

/)__)

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Mid Week & feeling wonderful.

Wednesday 27th March 
Self-care is the skill of cultivating a kinder friendship with yourself.

My day in photos, it started with the best view of the year, I look forward to the blossom on the trees at the church where I do my Tuesday workshop every year, the photos do not do it justice at all! 

A great workshop was had, no photos, too busy having a great couple of hours. 

After walking Alfie, I heated up some of yesterday's beef mince concoction and cooked some spaghetti, 

then to bulk it out I added some zero roasted butternut squash. 

 it was delicious, it really was.

Then before going back to work I put chicken breast, mushrooms and diced carrots in the slow cooker with Campbell's condensed chicken and mushroom soup so that I have the filling for my pie today. 

but it looked so good when I got home, I had it with leftover mash and petit pots.  Love good food. 

Whilst checking into my workshop at tea time, I found this image to use; 

We're about to change the clocks this weekend, 8 weeks and we'll still have another 4 weeks before Summer, how would you love to see a difference by then, 12 weeks you could be a stone or more lighter, or take it slower and aim for half stone.  Every pound you lose, you'll feel a difference, if not physically, psychologically!  What do you reckon - worth it?  We chatted at workshop last night about how we'd like that a lot and the things we needed to do to make it happen.

Then I settled down and carried on with this blanket, I ran out of wood 3 rows before the pattern ends but I'm not buying another ball, it's big enough anyway.  There are mistakes in it, probably a dozen but it's proof something doesn't have to be perfect to be BeYOUtiful!  Just like us ;)    

I think I've found a home for it too, I need to start selling the ones I make or I'll end up the old blanket lady with cupboards full of crochet!  I also need to use the wool I have before I buy more, although I do have an image in my head for a new project lol, it might need to wait. 

So Chicken Pie on the menu today, only the pastry lid to save the points, I'll have it with butternut squash chips to save more Smart Points and peas - which could possibly be my favourite zero food of the moment. 

What excitement have I got planned today :) dog walk, crochet, workshop later - luckily I love to got to work and of course that pie!  Does life get any better, well if I can fit in a sneaky trip to the wool shop at Hednesford yeah, it depends on moms mood, or I might go tomorrow in-between workshops when I'm a little closer already.  We'll see.  

Right, here's to a very, great day, 

Stay BeYOUtiful, think about those 12 weeks and the opportunity you have.

Stay BeYOUtiful!   

'------'

(O,O)

/)__)

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Cook once, eat twice or even thrice!

Tuesday 26th March 2019
Get into the habit of asking yourself, 'does this support the life I'm trying to create?'

Waking up to a thank you message is a lovely way to start the day, the parcel I sent arrived in America and Kim love the blanket I made her with the PomPoms on that Vicky did for me, I have to say it does look good, that's one big  heavy blanket I tell ya.

So last week in my workshops we talked about the power of your thoughts and I like this so thought I'd share, read it slowly;

Imagine your mind like a garden and your thoughts are the seeds.  you get to choose what seeds you plant in it.  You can plant seeds of positivity, love and abundance.  or you can plant seeds of negativity, fear and lack.  You can also spend time trying to take care of everyone else's garden or you can work on making yours beautiful and attract other beautiful people to your garden.

Which are you going to do?  Hopefully the positives.

My day got changed yesterday, my dentist appointment cancelled, she'd phoned in sick so I nipped to Lidl's, I needed bread and milk, 52p in Lidl's the longline milk 80p in Sainsbury's! Anyway, I've fancied cottage pie for weeks and I'd made homemade baked beans on the morning so had leftover passata, so decided to buy some beef mince and cook once and eat twice or maybe even thrice.  

I cooked a big pan of food, I added onions, diced carrots and peppers, peas, olives, pasta and oxo's.  Oh and a little bit of chorizo too.  It tasted amazing, for tea I added mash to a third of it and mom and me enjoyed it, so did Alfie, mom gave him a bit and I ended up giving him his own plate, he really did like it.  

I'm going to have some of it today with spaghetti that'll be a cracking meal and I bought some cheese topped rolls which will make a sloppy Joe type meal.  You can't beat good, old fashioned, home cooked food.  

I also bought a big pack of chicken breast for just under a tenner, there's 7 or 8 big breasts in the pack, I can make a few things there, I'm thinking Katsu curry for one meal, there's space in my freezer too for me to put the other portions of whatever I cook.  I fancy doing a pie, 84p I think the pastry was in Lidl's - bargain.  I was going to put a pie lid on the beef I cooked, but now I'm thinking chicken pie, there are recipes on the WW app, but I'm going to just throw chicken and mushrooms in a can of soup and put a lid on, quick and easy and delicious too, you watch I won't have a tin of chicken soup in the cupboards, but I can pick on up if I don't.

I have got some satay sauce though, that'd be nice with chicken, mmm.  That's enough food to keep me going for the week.  Food glorious food, it really is delicious.  Remember with WW you can eat anything you want as long as you point it, everything in moderation. 

I'm thinking eggs for breakfast, I had weetabix yesterday for the first time in forever, they're good but not worth the points and I'm not sure they'd fill me up for long either.

Here's to a very, great day, 

Stay BeYOUtiful!   

'------'

(O,O)

/)__)

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Bring on Monday

Monday 25th March 2019
When the sun rises, you have a whole day ahead to make a difference.

There's only one thing better than a wonderful walk on a glorious day and that's one that I've never walked before, I really love unexplored ground and that's what we did yesterday.  We'd planned to meet at the bottom of the Wrekin but instead of going up there we turned left and walked down to Ercall Wood, I recommend it for sure, there's even 3 marked paths so you can enjoy a walk of a length to suit.  We'll be going back when the bluebells are out, it'll look amazing.  Photo's here

I've got an Alfie hanging around, he wants to go for his walk but I want to finish my cuppa, it's a good one. 

I've got a busy morning, need to get ready for my workshops this week and I've got the dentist, plus whilst I'm out, I'll go get bread and milk, such a simple errand but things like that I have to plan these days so as not to leave mom for too long.  She had a face on her when I got back from my walk yesterday but thankfully with a bit of persistence, I bought her round and we sat and watched The Voice, then Deadpool 2, I wasn't sure she'd sit through that but she belly laughed at a few moments at the beginning but then fell asleep as a lot of the gags went over her head so I got to watch it in peace. 

Foodwise, I had smoked mackerel with eggs on toast for breakfast, which was delicious but boy did the mackerel repeat on me, I might think twice before having it again.  Dinner was fish in batter, mash and peas - so good.  Not sure what's on the menu today, but I'm doing a grand job of using up the food in the house.  I defrosted the chicken in honey and mustard but when I took the lid off it, remembered it had butterbeans in, put me off, but I'll be brave today and try again, maybe pick the beans out.

I had a good chat on the phone with my bestie too, we've both got what most would call boring lives so nothing to talk about really, but a boring life is alright as it's drama free, just how we like it.  

Loving the sunshine, starting to think about adding a bit of colour with a few plants in baskets, might leave it a few more weeks though, still getting a bit of morning frost, I had some on my car yesterday morning.

Right he's doing my head in now so I need to go walk him, 3 damn walks he got yesterday, that was in addition to my walk with my brother, I earned 29 Fit Points yesterday, two and a half hours walking in total, can't fault that can ya. I'd love to be able to do it every day, I really would but life ain't like that, so instead I'll go walk Alfie round the estate and smell a few lamp posts (him not me honest).

Here's to sunshine and a very, great day.

Stay BeYOUtiful!   

'------'

(O,O)

/)__)

   ""

You got the time?

Sunday 24th March 2019
A healthy relationship with food isn't just about what you're eating, it's also about what you're thinking and feeling while you're eating. 

We all make time for what we feel is important in our lives, so what's important to you?  For me it's my weekly massage and my walk on a Sunday morning with my brother.  Then there's my dentist appointment, I never miss one, plus I see the hygienist regularly even though I don't like that at all, but it's important so I do it. Hopefully for my members, it's their weekly workshop, that time each week to recharge and get demotivated.  Yesterday's was as good as it always is and even I came away promising to track properly with the rest of them.

What's important to you? What do you need to find time for?  Two very simple questions really but how many of us know we 'should' make time for certain things and don't.  It's that SHOULD word isn't it, as soon as I hear or write it, I feel a bit of rebellion in me, I don't want to be told what I should do, it's also laced with guilt.  Want is far more likely to get me doing something, how about you? 

I've been awake since just after 4, thankfully I had an early night so I'm not tired, I ate good food yesterday too, had a delicious steak with butternut squash chips and peas, so good.  

I've just taken chicken in honey and mustard sauce out of the freezer so that's one meal sorted for later, thinking ahead see, yep my members yesterday said we were all going back to basics, 

tracking
moving more
sticking within points
drinking more water
planning

Anything else I've missed?  Maybe just reminding yourself why doing all these things are important to you, you thinking you haven't got time for all that?  Mmm remember, it's not about having time, it's about making time and we make time for what's important to us.  

On that note, I'm going to drink my mug of tea and get ready to go walk up the Wrekin. 

Have a very, great day.

Stay BeYOUtiful!   

'------'

(O,O)

/)__)

   ""

Sweets, Sunrises & Skint!

Saturday 23rd March 2019

Who am I? The healthier question is who do you want to be?

I had a lovely calm day yesterday, mom was good, Alfie was too, all was relaxed in my world - I love days like that.  She likes me being home, her body language changes when she asks if I'm going to work and I say 'not today'.   Sitting at home chilling with mom don't pay the bills though does it and those bills don't get any less either do they!  It's payday Monday but it's all spoken for really, meh as long as I've got some wool, all is good in my world?  At least I can't buy loads of food so it'll help my diet lol.

I did pop in the local KandyBox as they want to be able to tell their customers the Smart Points in their sweets, 

I've come away with a box of labels and I'm going to get them worked out over the coming week, what's not to love about a bit of something nice and having the points to enjoy, I've just realised that Fizz Wiz at the bottom of the photo is only 1SP, I wrote the wrong points on it. DOH!

5.31 and she's already woke up, oh man, I like an hour to myself before the movement starts, hey ho, we both went to bed before 9 and I've slept great, got a cracking workshop to look forward to and then the usual, dog walk, crochet, tv, bed & repeat on Sunday but throw in a walk with my brother then too. 

We watched 'TAG' yesterday the new film on Sky cinema, it proper made mom laugh, I love it when that happens, I added a few more tunes to her playlist too, we're up to 293 songs yesterday we added Bobby Darin and a few others, I'll keep adding as I hear songs or think of them, it's good to see her singing along, just wished when I ask Alexa to shuffle she'd play the ones we haven't heard yet first!

Ooo I was just looking for cheap eat recipes and I stumbled across this which sounds tasty. 

Bhaji frittata - 19SP total

Feeds 4 at 5SP each

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (8SP)
• 2 onions
  
  , thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tsp mild curry powder
• 450g potato
  
  , coarsely grated and any excess liquid squeezed out (11SP)
• 6 medium eggs, beaten
• 100g frozen pea
• small pack coriander, roughly chopped
•  

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan and fry the onion for about 10 mins over a medium heat until golden. Add the garlic and curry powder and cook for 1-2 mins.
2. Next, add the grated potatoes and cook for 5-8 mins, stirring occasionally. You want the potatoes to soften, but also catch a little and turn golden in patches. Season the eggs, then pour into the pan with the peas and most of the coriander, swirling to coat the potato mixture. Cook for 1 min more, then transfer to the oven for 10 mins until the eggs have set. Sprinkle with the remaining coriander and serve.

Yep I'm up for some budgeting this money, I'll use what I have in the house and only buy necessary stuff like bread and milk, I almost bought things 3 times yesterday on the internet and resisted.  Ooo Could I go till next payday without wasting money, let's see, a calendar month to help make my credit card bill less scary, yeah let's do this.

But first, I need to go shower and get ready for work, now I've finished watching the glorious sunrise, I did stop to sort mom too as she wanted a cuppa and drugs, the tea is a good un too, as I'm half way down mine, it's the only one I'll have today, I've cut right back, if only it was that easy to do with wine! 

Luckily, I have a months stash of wine so the budgeting can commence ;) 

Have a very, great day, 

Stay BeYOUtiful!   

'------'

(O,O)

/)__)

   ""

Pasta power nom nom

Friday 22nd March 2019
Make sure your own worst enemy isn't living between your own two ears!

It isn't very often I cook something and later think I could eat that again today, but this I made yesterday I could've, don't remember the last time I ate pasta and that sun-dried tomato and olive pasta sauce was lush, I threw in extra olives and topped with a bit of parmesan, added mackerel fillets for a zero boost and all those good nutritional benefits and bang, a delicious 11SP meal in 12 minutes, the time it took for the pasta to cook and I spent 10 of that doing something else.  

 So good!

Today I'm gonna have steak, hopefully with butternut squash chips as long as it's still fresh when I cut it in half.   The cupboard and freezer is emptying but I will not shop this weekend, I'm skint, payday is Monday and even then, I could really do with cutting back on my food shop spending as I'll have my car MOT and service coming up soon.  Plus I have a serious wool problem :) I need to use the wool I have before purchasing anymore, I'm loving my latest project, a lemon and grey blanket in block stitch, ain't I interesting - isn't life exciting lol.

Spring most definitely in the air and I've seen lots of new members over the last couple of weeks, some very happy smiling faces as they saw their first successes on the scales yesterday, 11lb one lost and had Maccy D's and Pizzahut - shows you can have anything as long as you point it.  The ladies last night all had lost weight and eaten some delicious food from the handouts, mags, app and cookbook, love seeing Freestyle work it's magic on people.

Today, I'm off to see the couple at the local KandyBox as they want to point their sweets and treats so that WW members can still enjoy a bit of what they fancy and lose weight, he's even going to look at getting my fav's in, cream pies, looking at the website, they'll work out at 5SP.

They're not the exact same as I used to have, they used to be shallower, but they'll be an ok rip off.  Why do the have to change the good stuff?

Anyway, it don't matter cos it's Friday, and I do believe the forecast is pretty good for the weekend which is a bonus, it'd be lovely to get mom in the garden at some point.  I need to tidy the back up, burn some bits of wood from when we had the fence panels changed, rake the sand over, it's coming up to starting to think about hanging baskets too, ooo I've just had an idea, mmm that's dangerous.  

Let's change the subject quick, I have enough going on without coming up with new ideas, I wish one of my ideas would involve enthusiasm for tidying my house, nah not today, today is all about chilling, giving mom some attention, enjoying a massage and walking Alfie - yep it ain't a bad life.

Right, let's get on with my day, I love that I don't work Friday, it makes working Saturday morning painless, having an awesome group of members to go see eases that too.

Stay positive and BeYOUtiful!   

'------'

(O,O)

/)__)

   ""

How you feeling?

Thursday 21st March 2019

Whatever the problem is the answer is not in the fridge.

You're never gonna succeed if you don't believe you can!  That's so true isn't it, how many times do you hear your inner voice saying 'I can't do it, it's too hard'?  Does that help you make it through your day?  Hell no, it just gives you an excuse to overeat.  So who's up for both believing they can do it and shutting your subconscious up when it gets all full of self pity. 

I'm shopping less, that's helping, it's partly from a financial point of view, I'm earning less because I'm working less than I was last year and before so there's not as much spare cash about, but it's also because I've realised if it's not in my cupboards, I can't eat it.  The rules don't apply to mom of course, she's eating crap breakfast, dinner and tea, it's all she seems to want to eat but it doesn't mean I have to eat it too and mostly I'm resisting. 

I'm enjoying basic food again too, egg on toast, I really enjoyed fishmongers the other day, my cauliflower cheese, now I need to decide what to eat today, mmm this is where I wish I had planned stuff.  I will check the cupboards, maybe take a piece of salmon or a frozen meal out the freezer before I leave the house.  Yeah if I think 'I've got this, today is under control', I've got more chance of surviving it if I'm positive in my thinking.

Yesterday afternoon in my house was an absolute bloody nightmare so I was glad to go to work, now I could've walked back in my house later expecting the same reception but instead I walked in all smily and shouted "Hi, honey I'm honey', I was greeted with "you've been 4 hours', not the mood I was hoping for, she still wasn't happy but I persisted and I did win her round, to the point that when it was 9 and we usually go to bed, I didn't want to go because she was in such a good place then, I wanted to savour the moment.  

We have the power to influence what happens around us, let's use that power.  

Yesterday was International Happiness Day, everyone wants to be happy, but happy 24/7 isn't really likely so grasp it when you can, do whatever you can to make it possible and feed your body good healthy food to help tip the balance towards it, eat good mood food.   Eat regularly, because when your blood sugars drop, you might find yourself feeling tired, irritable and miserable.  Eating regularly and choosing foods that release energy slowly will help to keep your sugar levels steady.  Slow release energy foods include: pasta, rice, wholegrain bread and cereals - YES they are worth the points.  

Don't forget to drink enough fluids too, it'll help you concentrate and think clearly, it also helps you go to the toilet, 6-8 glasses a day is your aim, water is cheapest but feel free to stick a bit of sugar free squash in if you need to.  It's all the obvious stuff isn't it, get your five a day, get enough protein (lean meat, fish, eggs, peas, beans, lentils).  Manage caffeine, it's a stimulant, I used to drink over 10 mugs a day, I'm doing to a couple at most now.  Also eat the right fats (its not the enemy) your brain needs fatty acids such as omega 3 and 5 to keep it working well.  So rather than avoiding all fats, eat the right ones found in oily fish, poultry, nuts, olive and sunflower oils, seeds, avocados, milk, yogurt, cheese and eggs. 

Quick tip from the MIND website

• Try to avoid anything which lists ‘trans fats’ or ‘partially hydrogenated oils’ in the list of ingredients (such as some shop-bought cakes and biscuits). They can be tempting when you’re feeling low, but this kind of fat isn’t good for your mood or your physical health in the long run.

Anyway there's a reminder for all my lovely members who've felt a little low this week.  Take small steps, changing can be tough especially when you're feeling low, so start slowly by asking what small change can I make today? 

Right I'm off to ask myself the same question as I check my kitchen cupboards for todays food.

Take care of you, stay BeYOUtiful!   

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