It'll get easier...

Friday 3rd January 2020
Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help and brave enough to ask for it.

I made it through day 4, I always find it difficult around day 4 and the fact it was on a Thursday made it even more of a challenge!  You know what helped?  Knowing others were struggling and feeling the same way too, knowing you're not alone makes a huge difference.  I thoroughly enjoyed my workshops because listening to others and just seeing the looks on their face showed me they were having the same thoughts and doubts as myself.  But all those self doubters out there - WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER!  No it won't be easy, no there aren't any magic formulas but one meal at a time, one tiny change at a time will help get us where we want to be.

One meal at a time is so important too, because if one meal isn't the best, you can just start afresh the next.  Being honest about who you are, how you're feeling and the habits you have that aren't helping will all give you the opportunity to make those tiny changes.

TALK to anyone who will listen, do it by messenger if it's easier. I've helped many a member through written communication because it's easier for them that way.   I actually find writing to myself helps, it gets my thoughts from my head onto paper, helps me to process things.

Sometimes we don't want to admit we're struggling or we need help, that's when we really need to do it.  I've got much better at this over the last year or so.  But you know what's easier than asking for help - offering it!  Yeah it's not always easy to notice someones struggling but if you have an inkling, offer your help, start a conversation in your workshop with others, as you talk, they may open up.  We can all gain from talking to each other, sharing experiences, ideas, motivating each other, giving each other a shoulder to cry on.   Let's be more open and honest with each other.

I've always been very much an "I'm okay thanks" kind of person, I can manage on my own thank you very much but you know what, I can't and if it hadn't been for my sister this last year I don't know where I'd be.  She didn't wait for me to ask, she offered, even yesterday when Sainsbury's messed up my delivery, she said she'd talked to her husband and said that she was going to sit with mom so I can actually go to a shop to do my shopping.  It's so much easier than having to ask, which makes me personally feel sometimes like I'm asking too much, because she's already doing so much for me.  I can't be alone with that mindset, this is why people don't ask for help.  When I suggest members talk to me outside workshops, I have some say, 'You've got enough on your hands, I don't like to' but that's my job, I'm paid to support members, if support wasn't so important the WW app wouldn't have a 24/7 online coach facility which is there to be used.

Anyway moving on to the reality of staying on track, these little beauties helped me yesterday, I know chicken breast is zero on blue and purple but these are worth that extra point, you can have 2 for 1SP on all 3 plans and they're convenient and delicious.  They may not be cheap, a 5 pack will cost you £2.75 in Tesco, they're 35g portions, so that's £15.80 per kg where chicken breast is around the £6kg price but convenience counts for a lot

These are 3SP each (85g portion) and on offer for £1 in Tesco, but you've got to cook them first and I can have 6 of those above for the same Smart Points.

My day ended on 27SP and that included a couple of glasses of wine, I had my fruit, I've already had 2 pieces this morning too, I've got a huge watermelon that I got cheap which I'm going to chop up today and enjoy.

I had a lovely cheese crusty roll with salad for my lunch, definitely rate the Arla protein cheese, was good enough for me to have cold.  3SP for 100g.

The roll was a bit too hard though even for my crusty bread needs!  

Because I could feel myself wobbling later in the day I wanted something fast and something that felt a bit naughty so I stopped at the Co-op on my way home and bought some of those skinny fries again but I only cooked half the tray this time, the other half I can have today or tomorrow.  This was a bargain for 7SP, salmon and butternut squash crustless quiche leftovers (1SP for the cheese) and 6SP for the skinny fries.

Now to survive today!  I can do this, we can do this, it does get easier the longer you do it, you get into routines, you make those tiny habit changes, you find foods that are good to eat and low in points.  You start to remember how good healthy feels and tastes! 

Here's to making it through, I have 23 weekly Smart Points remaining and 17 FitPoints earned should I need them (hell yeah I'll need them over the weekend!) 

Going to sort my fridge out now and decide what to have to eat today.  Have a good one, mwah, luv ya 

Love me x