If your happy & you know it clap your hands!

15^th December

Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me ... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.  Shel Silverstein

This weeks flown by, I can’t believe it’s Thursday already, this time next week, I’ll be rushing round packing a case for Christmas, I won’t have done any shopping and I’ll be freaking out ;) but I won’t worry about that now.  Today’s my last Thursday weighing of the year so I’m planning to have a lovely morning.

I suppose I should be packing this weekend, but I stopped doing what ‘I should’ a good while ago!  If you live in a sea of “shoulds”, you find yourself in an impossible situation.  You’ll end up being disappointed with yourself or fearful of disappointing others.

 “I should lose weight.”

No I shouldn’t neither should you unless it’s want you want to do!  If you live in a world of saying “should” you will end up feeling trapped by a sense of obligation and expectation.  You don’t have to conform to what you think you should do, change it to ‘could’ (if you want to), or ‘will’ (because you want to).  That small change has made a massive difference in my life.

“I could lose weight this month but I won’t because I don’t want to, I will however lose anything I gain over Christmas in 2012”

Notice I’ve wrote 2012 and not January, because I’m not putting myself under any pressure to do it quickly.  January for me will be hectic enough without putting any added pressure on myself.  I suppose Decembers like that for most people, hectic and stressful trying to get everything ready before Christmas Eve. 

So if you are struggling at the minute to enjoy the festive season for whatever reason, here are a few suggestions on how to get Happy in under 30 Minutes and remember making being happy a priority doesn’t mean your selfish, it means you’re self caring, research shows that happier people are more sociable, likable, healthy, and productive, plus they're more inclined to help other people. By working to boost your own happiness, you're making other people happier, too.

Why not raise your activity level to pump up your energy. If you're on the phone, stand up and pace. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Put more energy into your voice. Or even better, take a brisk 10-minute walk.  Try to take that walk outside. Research suggests that light stimulates brain chemicals that improve mood. For an extra boost, get your sunlight first thing in the morning – unlike me wait till the sunrises!

Why not get in touch by sending an e-mail to a friend you haven't seen in a while, or reach out to someone new. Having close bonds with other people is one of the most important keys to happiness. When you act in a friendly way, not only will others feel more friendly toward you, but you'll also strengthen your feelings of friendliness for other people.

This often helps me - rid yourself of a nagging task. Deal with that problem, do the ironing, or make that long-postponed appointment with the dentist. Crossing an tedious chore off your to-do list will give you a rush of elation.

One I’m not good at but when I do, I feel so good is to create a more serene environment. Outer order contributes to inner peace, so spend some time organizing bills and tackling the piles in the kitchen. A large stack of little tasks can feel overwhelming, but often just a few minutes of work can make a sizable dent. Set the timer for 10 minutes and see what you can do.  I’ve been doing a little bit at a time this last week and now I have a bedroom floor ;-)

YOU can beat doing a good deed.  Anything large or small, I saved a dog from being run over the other day, the owner was chuffed and I felt good, whatever you do, however small, you’ll feel good, even if you just put next doors bins out.  Or if you’re feeling brave sign up to be a blood donor or an organ donor, and remember to tell your family about your decision. Do good, feel good―it really works!

If all else fails - Fake it 'til you feel it. Act happy. Research shows that even an artificially induced smile boosts your mood. And if you're smiling, other people will perceive you as being friendlier and more approachable.

I love to learn something new. Think of a subject that you wish you knew more about and spend 15 minutes on the Internet reading about it, or go to a bookstore and buy a book about it. But be honest! Pick a topic that really interests you, not something you think you "should" or "need to" learn about.  I felt great the other week when I learnt to crochet using YOU TUBE and I ended up with a smashing scarf too.

So you happy yet – if not, go get happy!

not too many nibbles...

14^th December 2011

Countdown to Christmas tip – Get moving. You may have a shopping list to plod through, but that's even more reason to get in some activity time, like walking or a class at your local leisure centre during the build up to the festive period. After some lengths of the refreshing pool or a calming yoga class your mother-in-law's impending visit and the Christmas cards you have yet to post won't seem quite so overwhelming.

I really am on Christmas countdown and that together with listening to Christmas tunes whilst working in my office seems to have resulted in a fantastic mood, I’m proper happy and loving it.  Add that to the fact my members are still losing weight, and getting to goal 3 more yesterday and all is good in my world.

If only I didn’t have the worst memory and the tidy skills of a toad, my life would be perfect ;) but you can’t have it all I suppose and if that’s the only problem I have then I won’t be complaining.   To help me and mom with our memory I’m going to go get us a letter holder for the wall, so we stop just throwing it on one side and losing it!

If you’re still stressing about Christmas here’s some good news, Christmas lunch is packed with goodness.   While eating your bodyweight in roast potatoes isn’t healthy, when you look at the components of a Christmas dinner it's about as wholesome as a meal gets.  That smoked salmon starter will give you a truckload of all-important essential fatty acids - these are healthy fats that stimulate your metabolism and encourage your body to burn stored fat. Turkey is low in fat and high in protein, helping you to build muscle rather than put on fat, and it's also rich in tryptophan, the protein your brain needs to produce the happiness hormone serotonin. Just go easy on the fat-laden skin.  Meanwhile, despite their rather anti-social reputation, one portion of sprouts contains 300% of the RDA of cancer-protective vitamin K. And all that Christmas veg makes clocking up your five-a-day a cinch.

Before the big day arrives though, there’s all those get togethers!  Below are the propoints in some of those nibbles you want to enjoy;

Nibbles Peanuts (salted, roasted 50g) 8pp
Almonds (5) 2pp
Banana Chips (25g) 4pp
Brazil Nuts (2) 1pp
Cashew Nuts (10) 2pp
Chestnuts (4) 2pp
Date (dried 1) 1pp
Fig (dried 1) 1pp
Hazelnuts (10) 2pp
Marzipan (50g) 6pp
Pecan nuts (3) 4pp
Pistachios (15) 3pp
Walnut Halves (3) 2pp
Butterkist toffee popcorn(30g) 3pp
BombayMix (50g) 7pp
Tortilla Chips (44g) 6pp
Mini Cheddars (25g) 4pp
Pork Scratchings (35g) 6pp
Pretzels (25g) 3pp
Pringles original Light (25g) 3pp
Snack a jacks cheese or bbq (30g) 3pp
Snack a jacks caramel (30g) 4pp
Snack a jacks jumbo (1) 1pp
Ryvita minis (30g bag) 3pp

I had my first mince pie last night; actually I had two, that’s the danger when they land in your house as a gift from someone!  I haven’t been buying things like that so that I won’t eat them.  Now I can say I’ve done the mince pie thing and won’t have to purchase any over Christmas, they’re not but not worth gaining weight for, in my opinion anyway.  I’ve just checked my options for Christmas shopping and there’s a local Co-op about 3 minute away and a Sainsbury’s, Morison’s and Tesco about 5 miles so I’ll be okay, just got to decide where to go now!

A week today I’ll be on my last working day of the year, YAY, love my job, but looking forward to a rest, I may have not long been on holiday but it wasn’t a relaxing one like this one will be. 

Have a great day. xx

You're not a number on a chart - you're an individual!

13^th December 2011

Dance like nobody is watching! Eat like somebody is!

Countdown to Christmas tip – Go easy on the drinks. Alcohol, which tends to flow freely during Christmas, packs a double whammy. It tends to be high in calories and it can lower our inhibitions, making us more likely to dive into dishes that we'd prefer to resist if we were sober. Try alternating your drinks by having one diet soft drink to every alcoholic one. You'll save yourself the ProPoints values and a potential hangover.

Well I had quite a start to my day yesterday, my car wouldn’t start so I couldn’t get to my meeting on time, luckily my very good friend who’s also a leader jumped in and saved the day, she took her scales to the venue so that they could at least get weighed.  Meanwhile I had a lovely young man arrive in about half hour (thank you Green Flag) and sort it out, apparently on Saturday morning when I started my engine to move my car a few feet and then turned the engine off immediately, I flooded the engine because I didn’t give the choke time to go off – I didn’t even know my car had a choke :-)!

I did manage to get to my meeting and do my talk and because there weren’t too many of us we had a lovely chat, its lovely to see how much progress we’ve made, not just in weight loss but in the way we think about our diet and ourselves.  It’s not just about numbers; it’s about being happy in your skin with who you are.  One member who’s known me quite a long time said to me, “you seem much more relaxed with it all these days”, and she was absolutely correct, this is the first year I haven’t shed a tear over my weight, I’ve shed many a tear in the past and even remember crying last year, but when I did I remember deciding ‘no more’ although I’m not 100% sure I believed it at the time!   

These days I’m happy with who I am, with my life and I’m also very fortunate to have some wonderful friends too, not forgetting the most marvellous mother anyone could wish for.  Yes I’m a very lucky lady and as if by magic (although I know it isn’t it’s been years of hard work on myself) my weight has stabilised. 

Another reason is I’ve accepted I can’t be the weight the charts suggest without a great deal of effort, I can be this weight which is between 5 and 7lb more quite easily, without too much effort or thought, my body and mind naturally consumes the amount of calories to maintain this weight without me even thinking about it and I love that.  So I’ve learnt to love the skin I’m in.

I even did some housework yesterday, after I’d finished all my paperwork, I tidied my bedroom, I’m going to work on one room at a time rather than all at once, and then I’ll hopefully keep on top of it all and earns me some activity ProPoints!

That’s the secret to keeping this season under control, burn off some Christmas calories. I don't believe in missing out on festive food. So here is what you need to do to burn off some of the excess, ProPoints for all these things would vary depending on the brand, it’s shown in calories because that’s what the article used I stole it from!

To burn off a mince pie (230 cals)
27 MINS Moderately fast running
23 MINS Swimming (breaststroke)
26 MINS On the cross-trainer
33 MINS High-impact aerobics
36 MINS Dancing
42 MINS Ice skating
66 MINS Housework
77 MINS Walking the dog
128 MINS Writing Christmas cards
232 MINS Kissing

Burn off Christmas Pudding  (345 cals)
36 MINS Moderately fast running
40 MINS Boxing
45 MINS Circuit-training
51 MINS Skiing
51 MINS Tennis
87 MINS Aqua aerobics
102 MINS Vacuuming
119 MINS Moderate weight-lifting
203 MINS Writing Christmas cards
356 MINS Kissing

Burn off MULLED WINE (300 cals)
31 MINS Moderately fast running
90 mm Football
44 MINS Ice skating
54 MINS Gardening
60 MINS Table tennis
60 MINS Horse riding
80 MINS Playing Frisbee
10S MINS Ironing
1SS MINS Typing
240 MINS Sitting on the loo

Burn off STILTON AND CRACKERS (306 cals)
40 MINS Circuit-training
46 MINS Ice skating
49 MINS Dancing
70 MINS Badminton
83 MINS Brisk walking
106 MINS Moderate weight lifting
180 MINS Typing
140 MINS Washing up
140 MINS Shopping
205 MINS Sex

Burn off a SLICE OF YULE LOG (155 cals)
18 MINS Cross-country running
20 MINS Cycling
20 MINS Rock climbing
23 MINS Swimming (backstroke)
34 MINS Ballroom dancing
35 MINS Badminton
40 MINS Gardening
42 MINS Brisk walking
82 MINS Cooking
104 MINS Sex

Are these things worth the effort to burn them off?  Only you can decide.

Enjoy your day, I’ve got a busy one, but I do like Tuesdays.

Never too old to learn...

12^th December 2011

To lengthen you life, shorten your meals.  Proverb

Countdown to Christmas tip – Add it up. Never leave a party without knowing how much you've eaten. Yes, that includes those tiny, addictive canapés! At a cocktail party, allow yourself one round of the hors d'oeuvres so that you can pick your favourites. Zero in on those you like best and log what you eat. This goes for baking days, too — don't let yourself 'forget' those extra tastes and track them all.

I had a lovely weekend but also one where my head did quite a bit of thinking in-between the eating, drinking and enjoying myself.  Yes I found myself feeling quite, oh I can’t think of the word, anyway I was being thoughtful and thinking about my behaviour and how that affects others.  I try to be the best person I can be however we all have moments where we’re not that best person! 

And I realised this weekend, that if something that is said hurts you then it's possible that there is some truth in the comment!  It’s an excellent time to have a good hard honest look at yourself, none of us are perfect, no I'm wrong we are all perfect for who we are, but none of us are flawless. When I do something that isn't good I use it as feedback and guidance to grow, I’ll do my best not to do it or anything similar again.

I make mistakes, not on purpose of course and I'm the first to apologise if I've done something wrong or said something that upset someone else.  I do my best to live the best life I can, to be the best version of me possible but sometimes I mess up because I'm not faultless, just like everyone else.   At the same time, I’m me, I make no apologies for who I am, if people don’t like me they won’t stay around me, that’s fine too – I love the person I’ve become, it’s taken me a long time to get to this point (almost 42 years to be precise) so apart from the odd moment, I’m 100% happy with who I am.  And I do my best to make my members realise they are perfect for who they are, and the should love themselves regardless of what size they are, size is not your worth, you can be big and healthy and you can be slim and unhealthy, it’s not just about size or weight it’s about being happy and healthy both physically and emotionally.

So yesterday afternoon as we were about to start lunch, I wrote “Just decided I'm not ProPointing anything from now till January 1^st” on my facebook and instantly I got a response “NOOOOO that's weeks ago still - too long so rethink as too much damage can be done in that time :(“  People make assumptions when they read or hear something, people also interpret it in a way that suits them.  How have you interpreted my fb status?  Do you think that means I’m going to go on an eating frenzy?  Or do you realise that I can continue to maintain my weight without ProPointing?

Thanks to Weight Watchers and a lot of self development work on myself, I no longer feel the need to eat everything in sight all the time as I may have done in the past.  Yesterday when we sat down for our Indian lunch, I’d cooked 7 different main dishes, lots of indian snacks, nann bread and rice.  I had one plate of food, a spoonful of each main, 2 spoons of rice, 1 snack and an inch square of nann bread because I can take it or leave it, I’m happy to sit and see the leftovers, I’m happy to stop eating when others are still going.

Another thing I did this weekend, that I’d never dream of doing at home is eat nachos in front of the tv as a snack after we’d been out for a lovely 3 course meal, when I eat out on a Friday I don’t usually eat again the rest of the day because I’m not hungry.  I never buy snacky food for in the house because that’s where all those additional ProPoints come from that do all the damage.

So no I won’t be ProPointing for the rest of the year, not unless someone asks me to work something out for them, but I won’t be eating my way to January 1^st, I plan to enjoy my Christmas break when it starts, I won’t go crazy and I’m perfectly happy to come back to my meeting on January 3^rd and have gained weight because that’s what I do at Christmas, I enjoy myself and relax, gain a little weight then get it off again.  I’ve been doing it for years and know I can, as I’ve said in meetings, it’s not what you eat between Christmas and New Year, it’s what you eat from New Year to the following Christmas eve!

It’s all about balance and doing your best, if like me, you live with that mentality; you should be fine and content with yourself as I am.  We can all improve on ourselves, for me life is about learning and growing continually.

It’s the final countdown - 13 more sleeps!  ;)

11th December 2011

Complaining about dieting and exercise burns off extra calories!

Countdown to Christmas tip – Keep a friendly distance from the food. If you stay at arm's length away from the buffet table, you'll be less tempted to mindlessly nosh while you're mingling. And when you're finished eating, ditch your empty plate — it screams for second helpings.

Feeling very relaxed this morning 10.45 and still in my PJs, we had a very wonderful day yesterday celebrating Chantel's birthday. 

We went to a restaurant called Crazy bear in beaconsfield, very lavish with prices to match as you can imagine.  The food however was delicious and I had Chateaubriand for my main which for those that don't know is a delicious cut of steak.  I was a little daring with my starter and ordered a brains sandwich to say I've tried them. Not impressed and wouldn't eat again, it had the texture of pâté and a milder flavour. Just knowing what you're eating puts you off instantly I think whatever the taste. 

For dessert I has salted butter caramel which was delicious, Vicky had the miniature tasters of all of them and it did look divine. 

Afterwards we all snuggled up in front of the tv to watch XFactor and fall asleep.

A weight loss is not likely tomorrow but I've had a fabulous time and I do believe that sometimes its ok to think the diet can wait.

I'm actually too chilled out to write, so I'll catch ya tomorrow.  Xxx

Sent from my iPhone

It's beginning to taste a lot like Christmas!

10^th December 2011

A healthy attitude to eating and drinking is contagious, but don’t wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier.

Countdown to Christmas tip – Planning is key. If you've got lots of festive meals out planned, plan ahead and stay in control by looking up the menu online and then using Find & Explore on Weight Watchers esource, your shop or eat out guide or use your ProPoints calculator to check the ProPoints values.

Well I’m ready for the weekend – sort of!  Physically I am anyway, I’ve had ten hours sleep which if you know I tend to get up at 5am means I was, wait for it – in bed before 7pm, yep a whole ten minutes before.  I had the perfect day yesterday once I’d done my paperwork, I went for a full body holistic massage at the Chi Rooms in Essington (that woman has magic fingers! And it was my first in months so even better) followed by lunch with Lynne and Jo and we had such a giggle.  We went to the Spread Eagle on Broad Lane South, food was average to good nothing amazing but reasonably priced and it’s a nice comfortable pub.  Hark at me, I sound like a food critic!  I was so not on a diet yesterday, but my excuse was I’m still in credit from my holiday because I didn’t gain any weight, a full 3 courses and a baileys Irish coffee which now I’ve sampled I’d advice you give it a miss, it’s nice but is over very quickly and wouldn’t have been worth the ProPoints, how many pp’s mmm let me think double bailey’s (5pp) with squirty cream (5pp) – ouch 10pp for something that lasted a couple of minutes because it would have come cold if I’d drunk it slowly!

So if you’re thinking of drinking, you can enjoy a festive tipple and still stay on track with your weight loss.  Real life means that sometimes you fancy a drink or two and because the ProPoints plan fits in perfectly with real life, the good news is you can. The key, as with everything, is moderation and keeping track of your budget.

Wise choices will make your ProPoints budget go that much further. There are various methods you can use to keep your drinks under control this Christmas, which means you don't have to choose between total abstinence or losing control of your weight loss. Here are some tried and tested favourites:

·         You will tend to have fewer drinks if you have long drinks. In fact, you can save ProPoints values by choosing spirits or liqueurs and asking for them in a tall glass with diet mixers and extra ice.

·         You can make a glass of wine last twice as long by turning it into a sparkling drink with some sparkling mineral or soda water added. (personally I’d rather drink slower if it’s a good wine, but bar wine rarely is good wine so soda improves the taste!)

·         Pace yourself by alternating each alcoholic drink with a soft drink or water. You'll save ProPoints values and it could help you to avoid a hangover the next day. (why not have a jug of water on the table and save the morning hangover too!)

·         Use the handy cocktail cheat sheet on WW website to compare and contrast the ProPoints values of different drinks so you can select your tipple before you hit the cocktail bar.  Or make the drinks in Decembers copy of YOUR WEEK.

·         Remember you've got your weekly allowance to spend on exactly you want - and yes, that can mean wine!

·         If you're hosting your own Christmas party, serve up some ProPoints value-friendly options. How about mulled wine or a strawberry bellini (recipes below). Use Find & Explore (on WW website) to search for plenty of other ideas too.

·         Don't bow to peer pressure if everyone else seems to be drinking. If you put ice and a slice of lemon into your mineral water it will look like a gin and tonic anyway.

·         If you do drink more than you planned, just get back on track and in control of your budget the next day. Earn some activity ProPoints values, to compensate for any extra you spent on drinks.

·         In a party situation where pub measures aren't being served, it can be much harder to keep track of what you've had. Don't let anyone refill your glass until it's completely empty.

·         If you are going to a party, take a bottle of mineral water or diet soft drink with you, so you aren't just relying on what is being served when you get there. Not everyone will have diet drinks on offer, so be prepared.

·         If you want to limit the number of outings and opportunities where you'll be drinking alcohol, volunteer to be the designated driver.

Well there’s some advice – whether you take it, only you can decide.  I’m off for a weekend of mayhem with my besties so I’ll let you now how I faired with my own advice!  Below are the recipes for Bellini’s and Mulled Wine.

Strawberry Bellini (we had bellini’s in New York – scrumptious!)

ProPoints® Value: 3, Servings: 8, Preparation Time: 10 min

400 g Strawberries, stalks removed (why not try tinned or frozen if fresh are expensive)
2 tablespoons Artificial Sweetener, powdered, optional
750 ml Champagne, or Cava, (1 bottle) chilled

·       Reserve 8 strawberries for decoration if you wanna be fancy. Blend the remainder in a food processor or blender, or use a hand-held blender to give a smooth puree. Strain the strawberry liquid through a fine sieve to remove the pips. Add the sweetener, if using, then chill until icy cold.

·       When ready to serve, share the chilled strawberry mixture between 8 Champagne flutes. Partially slice through the reserved strawberries, so that they sit on the rim of each glass, then top up with chilled Champagne or Cava.

·       Serve immediately. Cheers!

Mulled Wine
ProPoints® Value: 3, Servings: 10, Preparation Time: 5 min

300 ml Water, (1/2 pint)
425 ml Grape Juice, (3/4 pint) unsweetened red
2 tablespoons Sugar, Muscovado, dark or light

Either;

1 teaspoons (grated) Ginger, Root, fresh (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
4 individual Cloves, Whole or Ground
2 teaspoons Cinnamon, (2 sticks)

Or you can buy sachets with the mixture already prepared from the spice section in supermarkets.

1 medium Lemon, sliced

700 ml Wine, Red, 1.25 pints

·       Put water, grape juice, sugar, ginger, cloves and cinnamon sticks into a very large saucepan. Heat gently until just below boiling point. Add wine and reheat gently. Do not allow mixture to get too hot.

·       Pour into a punch bowl or jug and serve hot.

Ho Ho Ho, I'm feeling festive!

9^th December 2011

To promise not to do a thing is the surest way in the world to make a body want to go and do that very thing.  Mark Twain.

Countdown to Christmas tip – Get your priorities straight. Christmas comes but once a year, and so do some of the season's quintessential treats. Ask yourself which foods you won't likely see again until next year — then savour them in moderation. Remember you have your weekly ProPoints allowance to dip into for occasions just like this.  Enjoy.

Yay it’s Friday ;) and will soon be Christmas, I’m looking forward to the break now, I know I’ve just had a holiday but it wasn’t a relaxing one in a way, it was full on for 9 days so I came back shattered.  Christmas however will be all about recharging my batteries and spending time with my mom and Alfie - can’t wait.

Yesterday was busy as well as my usual rushing around fitting in five meetings I also had to decorate a Christmas tree (the first one I’ve decorated in ten years!) at the church where I do my Bloxwich meetings, every year the different groups at the church decorate a tree and this year I was invited to.  The theme was Christmas carols and songs, so I chose “When Santa got stuck up the chimney” only I changed the words (think I may have mentioned this already in a previous blog – blame my age!) so it went like this;

“When Santa got stuck up the chimney,

he began to shout
If only I’d gone to Weight Watchers
I wouldn’t be so stout!

And I also did a ‘Santa nice list’ with all my existing Bloxwich members and their weight losses to date, fantastic when I actually sat and typed them all up to see the fabulous success so far to date, makes me very proud.

I decorated the tree in gold because that’s what we’re all aiming for – gold membership and I filled the tree with positive affirmations because it’s important to love yourself for who you are, if you don’t you’ll never want to take care of yourself enough to lose weight!

So don’t forget to go look when you come to get weighed next week. Xx

I have to admit it was fun, Christmas is fun and a wonderful time of year if you don’t stress about it.  What turns it sour is the money side of it, people spend far too much money and get themselves in debt.  Such a shame because the idea of Christmas is fabulous, I was just about to type what Christmas means then I realised it’s different for everyone so I googled it and of course there is the religious aspect which we know so will overlook because lets be honest so do most people these days!

So some google feedback I found which impressed me because they were written by young folk and lets be honest that’s what

1)    Being with your family and appreciating the good health and love you have. Liam (11) NY

2)    Christmas is the time where everyone gets together and remembers the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savoir of the world. He is the Reason for the Season! John (14) Iowa

3)    "Christmas means having a nice dinner and loving everyone at the table! It isn't about the presents! It is about the love and the happiness.".....Madi (12) Texas

4)    "Christmas means time with your family and friends and to give to people that can't!!!"...Zoe (13) GA

5)    "I'm an ordinary teenager and just being real. Christmas is shopping and buying new clothes and shoes. "....Whittier (17) California

6)    "Christmas is more than getting presents it's spending time with your family and being out of school yea!!!"....Baby (14) Texas

7)    "To me Christmas means a time that everybody comes together in your family. And you get presents. And you put lights up."......Rane (10) Indiana

8)    "My favourite thing about Christmas is the food and my family. My other favorite thing is toys and a lot more.".....Jarica (10) Indiana

9)    "I love Christmas because you get presents".....Deja (9) Indiana

 Then there were the adults;

1)    It’s all about the kids, the magic of Christmas, seeing their faces light up, having them looking forward to it and the run up to Christmas.

2)    Christmas, for us, is simply about being together as a family and celebrating the fact we've made it through another year; throughout the good, the bad and the ugly.

3)    Christmas means being with my loved ones shutting the world out for two days, lighting the wood burner and walks all wrapped up and rubbish board games and awful tv lol seeing peoples faces when I give my gifts.

4)    Some of my favorite things are: Spending time with my family and closest friends.  Buying gifts for others, unique gifts for each person on my list.   Donating to The Salvation Army, whatever I can afford to spare, every time I see a red bucket. They do good work for a whole lot of people who otherwise wouldn't have such a good holiday.  Making snow angels.  Drinking hot cocoa.

There were of course many more and we all have our own meaning of Christmas, for me it means relaxing and spending time with my mom, watching her potter about on a freezing cold beach whilst I sit indoors (it’s too cold!) and insisting she puts on gloves and scarf (mmm who’s the parent!).  I believe Christmas is a magical time when people start being nice to each other and also when people become generous, but I think it’s important to only be as generous as you can afford, it shouldn’t be a time to get in debt.  I love to see the decorations everywhere because it brightens up an otherwise dreary month.  And of course then theirs Santa – I do believe!  And there’s nothing better than seeing a child that still does too.

Yep, the real feel of Christmas is truly special and makes you feel warm inside so if you’re stressing about getting it all done, STOP and remind yourself that’s not what’s important and no one will care if you forget something.

Ho, Ho, Ho, eat, drink and be merry (in moderation of course!)

Yay I feel all festive this morning now ;-)

A big pile of poo!

8^th December 2011

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. Buddha

Countdown to Christmas tip – Keep track of everything you eat and drink using either paper or the online ProPoints Tracker. You can also track on the go and find ProPoints values at your fingertips with the Weight Watchers Mobile app for iPhone and iPad. eSource and online subscribers can access all the app's fantastic features for free.

It’s that time of year when chaos ensues, trying to do so much at once and get it all done before Christmas.  I read a good piece of advice yesterday and I’m usually not one for using swear words in writing but just this once I need to so I can share the advice so apologies beforehand (yes before my friends comment I use them a lot in real life I know but it’s not the same), so here’s that bit of advice I read;

“When “shit” happens, turn it into fertilizer! Change your perspective - change your life!”

So if you’re feeling delicate don’t read on, if you’re not a bit of reality never hurts;

Bad stuff happens; it’s unavoidable and part of life.  But as I read yesterday, you are the gardener and what you do with the “shit” that happens it makes all the difference.

The challenges of life simply make you grow, and provides the natural friction that cause you to evolve.  When shit happens in your life, you can turn it into an opportunity, and use it to fertilize the soil of your life to grow beautiful roses.  Or you can go into judgement and victim mode, which will only stink up your backyard.

You choose.

How you see a situation will determine the reality that you experience in that moment. How you see the situation determines how you handle it, and how you handle it impacts your outcome.  Things happen in life that you cannot predict or control – some are good and some aren’t.

But, what happens isn’t nearly as important as how you choose to handle it.  In this sense you create your reality. You create the reality you choose to experience at any given moment.

So why not create a reality that empowers you?  Your minds capacity to understand and see the totality of a situation is often limited.  When something happens that makes no sense in your life. It is easy to go into fear, judgement, anger, resistance, confusion. But this simply keeps you spinning and does nothing to change the situation.

We often only see one part of the puzzle, or one scene of the movie. And from that perspective things might not make sense.  How you deal with the things that happen to you will determine how much freedom you experience.

Anyone can deal with life when everything goes your way, but the real test is when things don’t go the way you expect or want.  A pessimist sees difficulty in opportunity. An optimist sees opportunity even in the midst of difficulty. Choose what empowers you the most.

So when faced with a challenging situation that you might not understand –Breathe, step back from the situation, and take a look at the situation you are in from a broader perspective.  Then ask yourself
-What can I learn in this situation? What is my lesson?
-How can I grow from this experience?
-How will I look back on this in the future and say it is the best thing to happen to me?
-What do I need to shift in my life that is out of alignment?

Then take the action needed to bring yourself and the situation into balance. Do your part.  Release and let go of the outcome.  And finally trust that the universe will work out the details.  The more I have been willing to trust that everything happens for a reason, the more free I’ve become and the less problems I have. 

No matter what might be going on for you, use every experience you find yourself in for your growth and learning.  Ultimately in the game of life, the only thing that matters is living!  Sometimes we forget and get caught up in the drama. 

So when you find “shit” happening in your life.

Breathe.  Step back.  And use it to fertilize the soil of your life.

Enjoy your day whether you’re walking through roses or in the fertilizer!

I'll eat and eat and eat until I'm sick....

7^th December 2011

Countdown to Christmas tip – Stress free eating. The festive period can be hectic. What to eat can be one less thing to worry about with an EASY Start menu plan  (available on WW site) - a week's worth of tasty eating ideas to help you stay on track.

Well I gave in and did my bit of Christmas shopping and wrapping yesterday, 30 helpers is enough, I’m so glad me and my mates don’t buy nor do I get any family gifts otherwise I’d be in trouble right now because that’s a lot of shopping and wrapping.  I did come up with a nice idea for members though, if you want a cheap little bit of something for a friend, I can wrap it up pretty like the photo above – check talented little me out ;D

I’ve been listening to an audio book by Daniel Gottlieb, Letters to Sam, it’s a very moving book with letters from a grandfather to his grandson. I thought I’d share a little bit with you about change which is something we all have to cope with and some find it difficult, especially the changes you need to make to lose weight and the change in how you look and feel when you lose the weight.

Letter to My Grandson by Daniel Gottlieb

Change is difficult for all of us. The older we get, the more change we face. All change involves loss, and whenever we lose something, we ache to have it back. Everything I have lost in my life -- big things and little things -- I've wanted back at first.

So because we know that all change is loss and all loss is change, your mom and dad worried about how you would react when it was time to give up your beloved pacifier -- your "binky".

Now that you're four, you no longer have your binky; you have nothing to protect you from your anxiety. That's why transitions are hard. Those transitional objects give us the illusion of security. When they are gone, we are left with the insecurity that's been there all along.

Sam, almost everything we become attached to we'll eventually lose; our possessions, our loved ones, and even our youth and health. Yes, each loss is a blow. But it's also an opportunity. There's an old Sufi saying: "When the heart weeps for what it's lost, the soul rejoices for what it's gained."

As much as anyone who loves you, would like to rescue you from your pain and give the binky right back to you, that wouldn't be a good idea. Each stage of growth involves loss. Without it, you can't have the gain.

So when you feel the pain of loss, please don't grab at something to take away the pain. Just have faith that pain, like everything else, is transitional. Through it, you will learn about your ability to deal with adversity. You will learn about how you manage stress. You will feel pride. On the other side of pain, you will learn something about who you are.

A friend of mine recently told me she had so many difficulties in her life that she felt like she was living in a nightmare and didn't know what to do. I told her to find the bus station and wait for the bus! She looked at me like I was crazy. I explained that all emotions are temporary, and we can wait for them to pass as though we were waiting for a bus. We can wait with frustration, anger or feelings of victimhood, but that won't make the bus come any faster. We could wait with patience and relaxation, but that wouldn't make the bus come faster either! We just have to have faith that it's coming.

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Isn’t he a wise man!   So if you’re struggling with your weight loss at the moment, maybe because it’s Christmas and you have lots of parties to attend or just because you’re so busy, don’t stress and worry, find the bus station and wait for the bus!  I’ll be there when you’re ready, call me your conductor ;)

I didn’t have the best day diet wise yesterday, we had a trip to Hooty’s and mom bought lots of biscuits, actually who am I trying to kid, it was me that put the fig rolls, lemon puffs and jam mallows in the basket not mom.  I had 3 of each for my lunch and felt sick afterwards.  Mom’s put them out of my sight now so I won’t have anymore, but it’s reminded me of why I don’t buy those three types of biscuits – because I like them and they make me feel sick afterwards!  A good lesson to relearn this close to the Christmas break, I shall not go crazy with my Christmas food shop this year, a little bit of something nice but not too much.  I will however use the break as a chance to cook up some delicious dishes.  Have you thought about how you’ll survive?

Have a fantastic day, despite the rain. xx