Enjoy the sunshine

Sunday 30th June 2019

It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away.

Alfie and I are out walking, he’s enjoying the cool morning air as he wouldn’t go out yesterday so I only managed 7.5k steps, don’t blame him though, it got ridiculously hot didn’t it!  

I had the best of intentions to do some exercise but the only thing I did was 5 minutes with a hula hoop, at least I did that!

Food wise my sister made me the pinch of nom Cuban beef http://pinchofnom.com/recipes/syn-free-cuban-beef-ropa-vieja-slimming-world she cooked it perfectly the beef melted in your mouth, a good slow cooker recipe for a busy day. 

My breakfast was the last of my WW wrap with a couple of bacon medallions, tomato and the last bit of light mozzarella.  Oh and before I drank way too much white wine, I filled this twice and drunk my water, plan to do the same today, already done my usual pint of water. 

It appears Alfie’s on a mission, I’m sure he knows I’m going to walk with my brother next, at least I’ve had some sleep, even if it was broken thanks to a combination of mom, dog and weather, gotta love real life ain’t ya. 

It was good to sit in the garden for a bit yesterday, although it soon got too hot for mom so we went back indoors. 

We're home now, a mile and a half he's walked bless him, now I'll just finish this, I've sorted mom then I'm meeting Ian, we're going to drive to the Bratch at Wombourne and walk back along the old railway line or the canal, then drive back to get the car so we don't have to rewalk the same path or twice the distance. 

Right I'm off because I want to get out in this glorious day, I have a stock take to do at some point this weekend - not looking forward to that, might leave till tomorrow!  Yeah today is going to be too lovely to spoil with work. 

Enjoy the sun, mwah

Luv ya, 

love me xx

Survived eating out

Saturday 29th June 2019
Make it happen, shock every single one of them! 

Well I ended my day on 37SP, not bad for a Friday when I went out for lunch with my bestie, we went to Nando's and I ordered, half chicken (11SP) with 2 sides (corn on cob & side salad) then I had a slice of pineapple too.  It did cost just shy of £15 though which isn't the cheapest I know but at least I got to stay on track.

 

before 

after - me hungry, nah lol

The corn on the cob are so good you don't need any butter!  I was really proud of myself eating what I'd already planned and tracked on my app before leaving the house, I don't usually stick to plan when I escape, I even drank Diet Coke - whoop whoop check me out.  I don't mind going over my points every day if I'm honest, as long as it's done in a decided, controlled way and not because of sod it syndrome. 

Now I wanted to wander round Sainsbury's and do my shopping but mom had guilt tripped me before I went out and said, “Oh so I’m going to be on my own all day again!” As I'd been out three and a half hours, I went home and decided to do my shopping online, what a nightmare.  I'd had a free 12 month delivery pass with Ocado but it'd run out, paying for delivery is my bugbear, I know it shouldn't be but it is.  Anyway I managed to get a £2 slot for Saturday, our fridge is bare, but it wouldn't check out, eventually it did, but then I needed to make changes and when I went back in this time it wouldn't let me, after wasting a good hour, maybe more, I cancelled the lot and decided to use Waitrose because I had a coupon that had come through the post, plus they deliver free over £60.  So now I have nice food to look forward too, as they are the only people that do the shashlik I love.

Well it's the weekend officially and we're in for a hot one!  I managed to get mom outside for an hour yesterday, she was good, then turned on the afternoon, it's like living with Jekyll and Hyde, I've learnt a level of patience, I didn't think possible, if Alzheimers has taught me anything, it's the importance of knowing when to stay quiet, now if only I could learn when to keep my mouth shut to help me lose weight, that would be awesome ;) 

I've done that buy food but without having planned any meals, hopefully it shouldn't be a problem as I've ordered healthy stuff.  

I almost forgot, I did my exercise yesterday, I did a 25 minute standing yoga video and a 10 min back workout, really enjoyed them and the time went super quick, I will try and fit something in today if I can later on, I can do it in the kitchen or maybe out in the garden, I know it's most pebbles but I have a garden mat and my yoga mat so I could try, we'll see.  Ooo I like the idea of yoga in the garden like I did at Lorraine's on Monday. 

Right, I've got a wonderful workshop to get ready for, love my Saturday mornings catching up with my crowd, we have a good time.  

Catch ya tomo, 

Mwah, luv ya,

Love me xx

Off out for lunch

Friday 28th June 2019
Two things to remember in life.  Take care of your thoughts when you're alone, and your words when you're with people.

Late typing the morning, managed to sleep till 5.40am, then Alfie wanted walking straight away so we went over the park and I've been engrossed in my audible book and needed to hear the last half hour when I got back so I've done my paperwork first whilst listening to it as I can do both but I can't blog and listen at the same time.  Anyway it was a wonderful book, I've actually cried whilst listening to the last hour or so, very moving and beautifully written. Half a world away by Mike Gayle, really good, stunningly heartfelt, I've laughed, I've cried, I felt like I knew them.

So back to my world, yesterday was a great workshop day, my meals were good, strawberries and 0% Greek yogurt for brekkie and the last of my scotch eggs - I need to go shopping my eggs are almost gone and my fridge is almost empty!  Plenty in the freezer though, now I could live on that stuff but I know the fresh stuff will help me with my weight loss more, so I will try to nip to Sainsbury's after lunch with my bestie - yay I'm escaping for an hour!

Now lunch yesterday was too much, it set me back 13SP but for a midday meal when I still had all night at work, it was too heavy, the fish wasn't the best either, so I won't be buying that one again, think it was Young's, I'll go and check hold on. 

Yeah Young's chip shop 7SP, these that were 6SP were much nicer. 

you can see it didn't look great did it, the batter wasn't bubbly or crispy!

My tea on the other hand was really good, the only thing it was missing was a splash of soya sauce, I've run out, it's on my list - maybe I should do an online order to make sure I only buy what I need, I'll see.   Anyway this was so easy, a diced up chicken breast fried with 2 bacon medallions (1SP), orange pepper (the only veg I had left in fridge), I cooked egg noodles (6SP) with frozen sweetcorn.  Added 2tsp of teriyaki marinade (1SP) to the pan and some Italian seasoning I found in the cupboard (note to self - need to sort herbs/spices cupboard) then mixed it all together and it was delicious.

Then I went and had more than planned wine and a packet of Walkers!  Hey ho, still finished on 49SP, I tracked the full bottle of wine, but there is some left for today and earned 7FP, managed 10k steps at least, despite Alfie being a lazy boy and me being at work all day.  I'm going to go do a workout in a minute too, which is why I'm going to cut this short because I think I'm going to try and do 30-40 minutes and up my game!  Still low impact though as my ankle isn't right and I still have that hamstring tightness.  It's all much better than it was though, my back is loads better than it's been in years, I'm less Gollum more human when getting out of bed in the morning, and I didn't see 'Oooo I'm going to Barbados' once this week which means I haven't moaned about my achy back as that's what I sing when I'm oooo ing about my back pain!

Right I'm chatting crap now (no change there) so I'm off, just a big thank you to everyone last night who had a go at the hula hoop at the workshop, you all made me laugh so much, but especially Lisa, there I go, chuckling again just remembering it.

Mwah, luv ya

Love me xx

And reset...

Thursday 27th June 2019

You'll never change your life until you change something you do daily.  The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.

So I gained yesterday, a pound and despite my face in that photo, I was completely okay with my result because I'm in this for the long haul and I knew I hadn't been great last week, there was the day I found a bag of broken brownies and dipped a piece in the butter dish every time I went in the kitchen (I went in a lot that day!), there was the lager I found which was out of date so I felt needed drinking - it doesn't btw, I wouldn't eat a can of beans just because of the use by date so I won't be drinking the rest of the lager, I've given a couple of cases to my brother and will offer some to my sister for my brother in law today.  A few cans of lager for the sake of it are not worse the weight gain.  

Once I'd been weighed and sat in my workshop, I decided that this week I would work on tracking and drinking more water, already done half pint this morning.  I ate my breakfast at the workshop, one of the scotch eggs I made, then when I got back I knocked this together,

 There was enough to feed me and my helpers last night, this was mine and I couldn't empty the plate, it was so filling.  I'd used 5% beef mince and added green lentils, veggies, tin tomatoes and oxo.

For my tea I enjoyed a delicious Harj's special, I halved what she'd given me where I would usually eat the lot regardless!   

Then I enjoyed my last packet of WW Fava beans for 2SP.  My day ended at 30SP, I'm happy with that as I earned 13SP, over 15k steps and my 20 minutes on demand workout with ltfitness.net, I'm actually enjoying doing them, I'd do them every morning I think if I had the time, but it's impossible on a Tues, Thurs or Sat unless I start getting up at 4am and that's not happening.  I suppose I could consider doing them in the afternoon between workshops if I had the time, mmm, I could do that on a Tuesday I reckon and a Saturday, defo a Sunday, so maybe I'll have a go, Thursday could be my rest day as there's not much chance of fitting anything else in.  I know I'd have to get changed but even that and a quick shower would only add another 15 mins wouldn't it.  Can you tell I'm thinking out loud again, my computer is my sounding board and you get to read the drivel that goes through my brain.  I miss being about to have these conversations with mom, but I can't because I sometimes get the strangest responses, she could respond to that one with 'Why bother' and then I'd get frustrated so we won't, I'll stick with chatting to my very old but faithful Apple Mac that was very kindly given to me a few years back. 

Right so I'm on track again, I actually reset my app to start from yesterday, it usually resets on a Monday but I decided I wanted to draw a proper line.  I'm out for lunch Friday but I can stay on track even with that, I'm not sure where we're going, I've got a fancy for Nando's in my head for some reason, although why I don't know because I've always said it's just expensive chicken!  I've also seen this place on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lovecigno/ and like their ethos (I think that's the write word I'm looking for, another joy of menopause you lose the power of your brain and words escape you).  If you have any recommendations, let me know. 

What else have I got to tell you?   I don't know, I do know I need to get my day decided.  I have a few strawberries about to die in the fridge so I'm going to mix them with some 0% Greek yogurt for breakfast, I have a scotch egg left too, I've loved them, but I'm thinking of experimenting and taking them to the next level, turkey or chicken mince with my own herbs/spices in would remove a point, I'd only have to point the breadcrumbs, worth a try.  Ooo curry flavoured scotch eggs ;) I've seen a couple of recipes where instead of sausage meat they've used fish, but both used prawns and I'm allergic.

Now the other meals, I'm going to have potato waffles I think for my dinner, or I have some gnocchi left or egg noodles, so I have a chicken breast I've defrosted, I could stir fry that with a little chorizo and have with either the noodles or gnocchi.  I'll see how I feel, but I have options, I just know I need my evening meal planned and hopefully prepped before I get home! 

Okay, I'm off to get ready for my Bloxwich babes, oh talking about Bloxwich babes, I almost forgot, we talked about strength training about a month ago in my workshops and resistance bands were discussed, I'm so proud to say quite a few members bought them and have been using them.  Four of my BeYOUtiful ladies decided to treat themselves and had a group session with the lovely Lorraine to show them how to use them without doing themselves any damage as they're more mature ladies and here's the result https://www.facebook.com/100009012382986/videos/2225739324403125/?id=100009012382986 I'm so proud of them for taking their health and happiness into their own hands - let's all join them and do the same shall we, we are in control of our own destinies. xx

mwah

Luv ya

Love me xx

Midweek, hump day, weigh day!

Wednesday 26th June 2019
Being an adult is like folding a fitted sheet, no one really knows how!

Midweek, weigh day, mmm Wednesday is one of these could go either way kind of days!  I have had another good night, almost 8 hours in bed, at least going to bed early stops me eating more than my tea.  I spent yesterday trying to pull back a few points before weigh-in this morning, I’ve been a bit of a rebel this week, so it may be too little too late! 

The highlight of my day yesterday were my workshops, my members were on form and once again it was great to share in their success and hear the mishaps of the not so successful.

My meals looked like this, need to do a bit of planning today I reckon. 

Scrambled egg and spinach wrap to start the day 3SP for wrap.

Zero hero’s at their best! 

My tea was one of these for 10SP, was good but there wasn't enough of it for my liking, so I like sweet potato in a curry but it's so high in Smart Points, next time, I'd do half sweet potato, half butternut squash to bulk it out and make it a bigger portion. I'd used 2 jars of Saag masala for 22SP, and 28SP of sweet potato and got 5 trays from it, although I think looking at them, I ended up with the smallest one ;).  I'd actually be tempted to do a butternut squash curry, then I'd only have to point the sauce and I could have rice with it, nom nom. 

Strawberries & 0% Greek yogurt topped with grated WW Belgian chocolate bar - I only used a third of it for 1SP

So yeah, I've not been 100% this week, actually I've not been 100% since I restarted but I had been tracking honestly even though I'd gone into minuses, this week I've only been tracking my meals and ignoring the odd bit of naughtiness, so as of today, back to honest tracking because it makes a massive difference, it really does.  

I saw this on my Facebook feed, recipe on WW USA site. 

Apple “Fries” with Creamy Peanut Butter Dip, 2SP 

2 Tbsp powdered peanut butter

1 Tbsp water

¼ cup(s) plain fat free Greek yogurt

1 tsp honey

1 large apple  cut into "fries" 

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Stir together peanut butter powder and water in a small cup until blended. Add yogurt and honey; stir until blended and smooth.  Place apple “fries” on a plate; dust with cinnamon. Serve with dip.  Makes 1 serving.

I'd be tempted to try this but replace the peanut butter for 1tbsp of choc shot, I have the chocolate raspberry flavour as well as the maple syrup.  It could encourage me to eat apple!   I'd probably omit the cinnamon too.

I'm enjoying feeling better in myself, I love it when I cook a delicious meal so I need to remember these things and remind myself of the difference it's making, I've already gone from an uncomfy size 16 to a comfy size 14 so I need to keep it going, I'd be more than happy to be a size 12, not fussed about it though if I'm honest, I'd like to lose 2 stone by January for my 50th and whatever size I am is all good, it's about how I feel.  I just needed to write that down to remind myself of my goal, 2 stone by January and I've done 9.5lb so far, although that might be less after today's weigh-in but it'll be a lesson to me not to get lapse.  Let's hope we get some sunshine soon as everything is easier when the sunshines isn't it!

That's me, I'm off to do my Wednesday workout before doing my paperwork and going to my workshop to get weighed. Here's to a very great day, we got this! 

Mwah, luv ya, 

Love me xx

Food, glorious food...

Tuesday 25th June 2019
you can learn something new everyday if you listen.

YAY it's payday, I've treated myself to some exercise gear from Sainsbury's that's my payday treat, I felt more comfortable in it yesterday doing some Yoga with Lorraine in her back garden, here's the link if you want to have a look and maybe have a go too, see how you like it.    https://www.facebook.com/100009012382986/videos/2224069537903437/?id=100009012382986 Lorraine has yoga and lots of other exercise videos on her ltfitness.net on demand website.  She's really helping me strengthen my muscles and it's really helping lessen the pain in my legs and back, actually  I've just realised my lower back pain hasn't risen it's ugly head for a couple of weeks now, her sports massage whilst uncomfortable is paying off, so yeah if you have any issues there, she might be able to help you too. 

I do like my new Monday routine, bit of exercise then home to do a little bit of cooking in my kitchen, I listened to my audible book yesterday whilst making these scotch eggs that are my new favourite snack it has to be said, Alfie loves them too. 

They are so simple to make, just hard boil the eggs, use Penn road chicken sausages (you can get the sausage meat from him) I use two sausages (1SP) per egg take out of skin and mould round the egg. You could of course use any low fat sausages and point them accordingly.  Next whisk an egg in a bowl and dunk the scotch egg in before rolling in breadcrumbs which are in another bowl. Bake for half hour at 180 or gas 5.  They work out at 2SP per egg as you use roughly 10g breadcrumbs per egg. If you find not enough breadcrumbs are sticking, don't be afraid to dunk it again in the egg mixture and then back in breadcrumbs, messy job but I've been told those blue latex gloves make it easier, but I just get messy.

Whilst the eggs where baking I also put some chopped sweet potato (3SP per 100g raw weight) in there to roast, just sprayed it with a bit of spray light, I had them leftover from my lentil bake and they needed using.  Once cooked I just stirred in Patak's Saag masala (11SP per jar) and that's batch cooking right there, food doesn’t have to be complicated! Roast sweet potato and Pataks saag masala = delicious simplicity 10SP per portion.

I've been waiting to cook this since last Wednesday when I got the new August WW magazine and it didn't disappoint, I halved the ingredients because I knew if it was good I'd struggle to resist seconds and I was right, it was so good, I did go back and finish the pan, so it was my lunch and dinner together, good job I went to bed at 8pm again, and yes I went straight to sleep, needed those couple of early nights to make up for all the early mornings and menopausal flushes that wake me up throughout the night.

Anyway chorizo and gnocchi bake, so good, I wasn't that keen on gnocchi when I've cooked it before, had it in a sauce and I think that was the difference, this way it's so much tastier and I will definitely eat it again, especially as it only takes 2 minutes to cook, then you add it to whatever else you've made.  Chorizo is one of my favourite foods and what's not to love about cheese of any kind especially when you're whacking it under the grill to melt - oh I just had a mini food orgasm thinking about that!  

I didn't do a live video of it but I did take photos and put it together in this short video, so good you have to try it!  https://www.facebook.com/WWBev/videos/715781705543459/

I feel better when I make myself a priority, I'm happier to sit with mom for hours because I've already done a little for me.  

Looking forward to my workshops this week, we're chatting about how to turn things around when you've gained because in real like you will, no one's on it 100% of the time continually so we need to learn to handle the knock backs. 

Here's to a very, great day, I know it's raining here now so yoga in the garden is a no go (get it) but it doesn't mean you can't do a few stretches in the house, or maybe go along and do one of Lorraine's classes this week, I've listed them all at the bottom of this blog.  If I hadn't got mom and didn't work evenings, I'd definitely be giving the Yoga a go, ooo she should do a daytime one I reckon, the hubs only across the road from me it would be perfect ;) 

Right I'm off, mwah, luv ya

Love me xx

LT Fitness 

JUST TURN UP TO ALL CLASSES

Monday’s @ Bloxwich Memorial Club 

7.15 Clubbercise 

8.00 Standing Abs 

Tuesday @ Pelsall Community Centre

6.00pm ZUMBA

Tuesdays @ Bloxwich Memorial Club 

7.15pm Pilates/Yoga strength training 

Wednesday @ Bloxwich Memorial Club 

7.15pm Clubbercise 

Thursday @ Pelsall Community Centre 

6.10pm ZUMBA/BEATZ

Thursdays **New class** YOGA

(Excluded from passed)

7.30-8.30pm Ashmore Park Hub

WV11 2LH

ON DEMAND classes at your leisure, anytime, anyplace www.ltfitness.net

£4 YOGA (not included with pass offer)

£5 per class or purchase a pass

CLASS PASSES

4 class pass = £16 excludes step 

8 class pass = £30 excludes step 

10 class pass = £35 excludes step 

Ultimate pass = £50 which gives you access to all the classes including step class and private group with access to all new songs and choreography.

** please check dates from and expire on monthly passes as they differ depending on the start of the week for a new month.

ltfitness.net 

Keep going, the time will pass anyway!

Monday 24th June 2019
Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.

Not only is it Monday morning, it's also the start of week 26, which means by the end of this week we are half way through the year, how quick has that gone!  Now I know I joined a workshop at the beginning of May and my official weigh-in was 13st 4.5lb but I've weighed myself naked on a Monday morning for years and the heaviest I was on them was 13st 4lb!  I had a very early night last night, in bed by 8pm and didn't get up till half 5 this morning, yeah I woke up in the night and I also dreamt a lot but in-between I have had some wonderful hours.  The best thing about sleeping like that is your dehydrated when you wake up and need the toilet ;) so I couldn't resist a naked weigh-in, hence the reason I'm not holding the scales to take the photo but check these numbers out! 

I know they won't say it on Wednesday at my official weigh-in but that's okay, they won't say those numbers if I go back and weigh again now I've drunk my mug of tea and pint of water, but they made me smile anyway!  Because no end of wee's and poo's and dehydration would have got me anywhere near that number in the first half of this year.  

And no I wasn't a 'perfect' WWer yesterday at all, apart from my chicken, cheese and sweetcorn toasted WW wrap for breakfast, I picked throughout the day, packet of WW fava beans, Walkers crisps, a crust of bread with the last bit of cheese on, oh and my red wine, so meh I'll do better today.  I just didn't want to cook, me and mom were enjoying watching Chicago Fire and moments like that are so special I didn't want to disappear for half hour, I didn't even wash up yesterday, there were thankfully 2 mugs left for this mornings cuppa, I'll do it all this morning, I'll make the curry this morning too so it's done as it'll warm up fine.  She was my mom yesterday, the one that I have loved for 49 years, we had a lovely day, once I'd bought her out of her mood when I got back from my walk with Ian which I thoroughly enjoyed, I've realised it doesn't matter where you walk as long as there's greenery to enjoy and fresh air to breathe in.  

Yeah yesterday was a perfect Sunday, dog walk with Alfie was lovely too, he took me over the park on his second one and just sat down, so we sat on the park for 20 minutes before walking back, I had a lovely chat with a sweet lady who's partner had bought her 'Jeffrey', the most gorgeous pug and she did adore him, it oozed from her. 

See the world is full of wonderful people if you take time to look, start by looking in the mirror there's wonderful person in your life number 1, so make sure you're taking care of yourself.

At the bottom of this blog is a delicious recipe for a sweet potato and spinach curry, but I'm not going to lie, I'll be using the Pataks Saag masala sauce which is 11SP for the jar, then pointing the sweet potato I add because I have lots of those jars in my cupboard to use.

I will definitely be making the chorizo and gnocchi today because the green salad needs using!  I'm already doubting my commitment to that last sentence lol, but yeah I will, because I know it's going to be delicious, what's stopped me making it other than me being a lazy bitch is the fact it feeds 4 and I have a feeling I could eat more than one portion, I also know it would be easy to half the recipe, so I need to give my head a wobble and behave don't I because I like the numbers I'm seeing on the scales nearly as much as how much better I'm feeling in myself right now, here's to continuing that behaviour that got me there.  

OOO it's payday tomorrow - whoop whoop, the summer months aren't as healthy in that respect so I'm going to try and eat out of the freezer again this week and stay away from the shops for anything other than fresh stuff and maybe a little something, something if I see a nice recipe I fancy, but I still have the fritter recipe from the August WW magazine to try first.

Right I'm off, Alfie wants walking, I have a kitchen full of washing up to do and a week of workshops to plan, this weeks topic is 'Turn it around', the start of the weekly card reads...

One of the most important things to know on your WW journey is this: small weight gains will happen. And equally important: the weight gain itself doesn’t matter – how you respond to it does.

Now that's going to be a good one, we can all make use off.  See you in your workshop!

Mwah, luv ya, 

Love me xx

Recipe; 

Sweet Potato & Spinach Curry, serves 2  

Total = 30SP if using 200ml of coconut milk or less if you less!  

15SP per person for a delicious curry ain't bad though is it! 

Ingredients:
Paste:1tsp each coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cumin seeds
2tsp paprika, ¼ tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp turmeric,1 tsp each ginger and garlic pastes, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp tomato puree, 1 red chilli

Sauce:75g chickpeas [cooked], ½ onion (finely chopped]
1½ tbsp paste, 150g sweet potato [peeled and cubed](5sp)
red chillies [extra - if required], 1½ tsp fresh ginger [finely chopped]
200g tinned tomatoes, 2tbsp coconut milk (3sp) or (up to 200ml – 18spp), (8SP if you use reduced fat coconut milk and less water maybe) 

handful spinach leaves [shredded], 1 tbsp oil (4sp)

METHOD:

Paste: Dry fry the seeds [adding cumin when you turn off the pan] and grind before mixing in the powdered spices while warm 

Blend or pound this with the other ingredients to make the paste

Marinate the cooked chickpeas and sweet potatoes in this paste

Soften the onion in a little oil (1 tbsp = 4pp), adding the paste mixture, cooking until the excess moisture is gone

Add the ginger [and any extra chillies] and stir well before adding the tomatoes and around 100ml water, covering and cooking for around 10 minutes

Remove the lid, taste and adjust and reduce, stirring regularly

Add the coconut milk and spinach and warm through

Taste to check seasoning before turning out into your serving dish

Storage: Keeps in the fridge for a few days 

It's all about the Carbs!

Sunday 23rd June 2019

It doesn’t matter how slow you go as long as you don’t stop. 

It’s half fiveish and I’m walking round the estate with Alfie, he let me have enough time to roll out of bed and make mom a drink, mines going cold on the side!   It’s so quiet out here this morning, just bird song and the odd car driving past - bliss. 

I want to wake up as I want to get stuff done today, going to meet Ian first for a walk, not too far today. Next I want to make those scotch eggs again I like them a lot, I want to be prepared this week it helps with the weight loss if I know what I’m having.  Yesterday I woke up hungry, wanting carbs and I knew a bit of toast wasn’t going to cut it but I had a slice anyway, then one of my members said she was starving and going to nip to Subway, well I wanted in on the act, never really been a fan of theirs, only ever had them on motorway services but we looked at the app and the egg and cheese one on Italian white was 6SP and I have to say I devoured it!  

That Subway is on the way to my Saturday morning workshop, this could become a thing!  Not sure what time they open on a Sunday but could be tempted to have one after a walk. I love white bread but if I buy a loaf I’m eating a loaf!  Same goes with pastry if I make a pie it serves 4 and there’s only me so I was chuffed to see Penn Road butchers selling garlic butter chicken and bacon lattice pie, I’ve worked these babies out to 12SP but oh my days I enjoyed it so much they, well worth the points splurge and thankfully haven’t got any pastry left in my house to get rid of!  

As much as I enjoyed both of those meals yesterday, oh yeah and the toasted wrap I had for my tea, I’m thinking I need a plate full of veggies today, too many carbs for one weekend! 

I've got a load of spinach I might make a curry with that and the sweet potato I have nom nom. 

Alfie’s walking like a bloody snail this morning and all I want is a mug of tea!  At least it’s not raining although the forecast is dreadful for later I believe. I did get mom in garden for an hour yesterday, bless her she fell asleep then when she woke, she said it was boring and cold. 

I'm back now, just booted my Mac up to find it wasn't working and wanted me to reinstall!  I didn't I turned it off and back on and phew it's okay.  One day I might treat myself to a new one, I do love a computer as opposed to a laptop, I enjoy sitting at my desk, looking at a big screen but this one works for now so we'll stick with it.  There's nothing on here that if I lost I'd cry, since my pc broke last year and I lost everything, I'm like it's all just stuff isn't it at least I have my memories in my head (for now anyway).  

Because imagine, I wrote this on my phone yesterday when mom was being a bit of a nightmare and I was trying to put myself in her shoes; 

Imagine you woke up tomorrow & you weren’t sure what day it was, where you were or who was in your house with you. You can’t find anything, you forget you need to eat or need the toilet.   This is the easy bit about having dementia!  

I see, feel and hear her frustration on a daily basis and there's nothing I can do to make that frustration go away, well apart from trying to get her to laugh about it, she knocked a mug of tea over her chair yesterday and was really angry with herself, saying how she's doing stupid things like this all the time now she's old, I reminded her I knock a glass of water or a mug of tea over my desk on almost a monthly basis, it's not my age, I'm just a clumsy cow!  She lost her glasses and got frustrated over that, I'd spent half hour looking for my credit card earlier only to find it on my seat in the car, it'd fell out my pocket!  Yeah some of her issues are because of her age and her dementia but some are just because she's my mom and we're both clumsy, disorganised muppets and I wouldn't have us any other way.

Right, now to make her another cuppa and go meet my bro! 

Happy Sunday, mwah, luv ya

Love Me xx  

Track anyway!

Saturday 22nd June 
Be the person you needed when you were younger. 

Had a lazy day yesterday, breakfast was a slice of bread and butter and a scotch egg, which cold reminded me of a sausage roll without the pastry and as it's the pastry bit that gives me heartburn, I'll be making more of those scotch eggs this weekend, I love em. 

I had chicken breasts that were use by yesterday so I used the new WW bag 'n' bake garlic and herb to cook them in and made a quesadilla which was delicious, even mom had a big slice of it from me. 

A lot of struggling going on out there at the moment, lots of different reasons, some as simple as our mood is a little low because we've not really had any summer yet!  It's important to realise it's okay to not be okay, to not beat ourselves up and to do what we can when we can, so my day didn't go brill food wise but I'm not going to give myself a hard time over it, I enjoyed that packet of cheese and onion crisps I had, the bags just not big enough and they don't last long enough, even when I do give them 100% of my attention.   Track anyway, even if you go over by 100SP a day, write it down, learn more about your habits, oh and you'll earn those Wellness Wins so why wouldn't you!

The best time for successful weight loss I can offer, is don't rush the process, take your time, settle for 1/2lb a week - that's still 2 stone a year and it only requires small tweaks to your eating habits.  I know we all want everything yesterday but weight loss doesn't work that way, we've all done it, said 'right that's it, I'm doing this', then you empty all the 'bad', 'naughty' stuff out the cupboards and it's all great for a week, heck sometimes a month, but then you fall face first into a vat of 'bad & naughty' food because it's nice and you've missed it like an old friend!   So instead of doing that, plan to have a bit of your favourite stuff so you don't miss it. 

Work on a tweak each week, focus on changing one thing at a time, so it might be upping your water intake, getting more steps on your Fitbit, eating more greens, you choose but trying to change it all at once is a sure way to disappointment and pressure. 

Don't deprive yourself - have the biscuit or the back of crisps but don't have 6!    If you're going to have them, enjoy them, heck let them replace a meal, I had 4 chocolate biscuits last night, they were my tea, 12SP, what a joke but when I've looked that's still 258 calories which isn't the end of the world, if I'd had salmon, rice and veg it would've been more than 258 so I'm not going to beat myself up for going over my points.  No eating biscuits wouldn't be a great thing to do every day but a one off, well it's okay and check me out for stopping at 4 biscuits!  

Be accountable, get to your workshop every week regardless of how you've done!  Oh and stop being so hard on yourself, if it was easy we'd all be thin!  

 “People often say motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.”

 We all have limited amounts of willpower which is why habits and routines are so important, work at establishing new, healthy ones that will help you long term and you'll be surprised at how this helps you much more than doing the 'I'm going on a diet this week' mentality. 

Start to notice all the results not just the scales, focus on how you feel not just how you look!  Also remember being healthy doesn't have to be dull, healthy food can be delicious, moving more doesn't have to suck, find something fun you enjoy, I hear so many members say how they love clubacise, I enjoy my walking. 

Ooo and maybe reward yourself, but find something other than food to do that with, don't reward yourself with food - you're not a dog.  And on that note, I'll go get ready for work. 

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me x

Scotch eggs & garden mint lentil bake nom nom

Friday 21st June 2019

Happy Summer Solstice you!  Today is the day to remember and celebrate your light and the light of others, may we dance in our light together and forever.  Did you know in Latin, summer solstice means 'the sun standing still'?  Let's enjoy the first day of summer - the longest day and the shortest night of the year!  It's a time to release the old and welcome the new, celebrate renewal, hell go lie on the grass and look up to the sky and enjoy the sun, it's actually out at the moment.  I love this time of year and I can't believe we're already almost half way through the year.  

Did you wake up feeling tired?  Ask yourself is it because you've done too much or maybe because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you?  I've noticed since I've started making myself a priority, taking a bit of time for me to take care of myself and do the things I enjoy doing, I'm not as tired as I was, it's too easy to get worn down - don't let it happen, take care of yourself too. 

Yesterday was a lovely day (apart from moms mood but we'll not go there, poor sis got her share too) I had great workshops, even managed to do a bit of cooking, we'll come back to that in a second.  I walked Alfie when I got back from my morning at work and it was lovely and sunny, so I didn't put my coat on, well we were out half hour max and right in the middle those heavens opened, oh I've not been that soaked for a very long time, had to get changed when I got back, it went all the way through to my bra and pants, had to laugh though. 

 Food wise, I had a slice of toast for breakfast, for lunch I had this deliciousness

Its a Waitrose chicken shashlik (9SP) in a pitta (5SP), 

I need to have a look for a shashlik recipe, it's so good.  

Then I decided to make scotch eggs and have an hour in the kitchen to myself 

(I matter too #MeTime) 

These are just hard - boiled eggs, sausage meat (Penn Road Butchers chicken breast sausages) he does sell it in a tube but I just squeezed 2 sausages out their skins for each egg. I then dunked them in a whisked egg and coated with breadcrumbs, they worked out at 2SP each, 1 for the sausages, 1 for 10g breadcrumbs.  Absolutely lush straight out of the oven, going to have one cold today to compare.  

Now I've got all my members making my zero curried lentil and butternut squash bake  Lentil bake recipe, so yesterday I experimented and instead of the curry powder, I added a Flava-It packet of garden mint marinade (6SP for the pack), I had some PR Butchers Chicken Breast Mint sausages too so added them, cooked them with the squash then diced them up and added at the same time.   Yes it adds some points but 6 sausages are only 3SP, which makes the whole dish 9SP.  It went down really well, everyone who tried it loved it.  It just proves you can change the spice, Flava-it do a good range of different flavours you could use.  You could make a teriyaki or lemon and herb using the WW sachets which are only 2SP a packet, so it would still work out at zero a portion using them, all you'd do is leave out the curry powder, then when you're making the stock don't add as much water, use the WW marinades to top it up to the 5580ml.  I fancy doing a carrot and coriander one, instead of or as well as the butternut squash, roasting some chunks of carrot and adding lots of fresh coriander, could even add the WW lemon and herb marinade to it to give it some umph.  The options are limitless.  I'm a big teriyaki fan could even add diced chicken and tender stem broccoli both zero hero's I'd be tempted to use 2 packets one to cook the chicken in and the other to add to the noodles. nom nom.  

Anyway I'm getting carried away thinking about food.  I have a gnocchi and chorizo recipe from the August WW mag to cook today, I'm looking forward to that, I can never decide if I like gnocchi or not but it's been a while since I've eaten it so time to give it another chance.  The recipe could be made using pasta or new potatoes instead.

Right enough of this food talk, I have my Friday morning workout to do - yep still working on making moving more a habit, 3 days a week, 20 minutes, I'm not going for excessive, starting small.  At least I have a massage to look forward to and hopefully a mom in a better mood - wish me luck!

Let's have a very, very, great day.

Mwah, luv ya,  

love me