D-Day! Or weigh in as some would say ;)

27th October 2016

Repeat after me, "My current situation is not my permanent destination"

WOW, that's it 4 weeks in the bag, weigh-in this morning, keep everything crossed for a good loss for me, I feel like I should get one, I can feel the difference both psychological and physically, I can see the difference when I look in the mirror and even better I feel like I can continue for another 4 weeks and it doesn't scare me, I can do this because I'M DOING THIS FOR ME!.  I've even had my mug printed with that written on to remind me each morning.  Yep if I do say so myself - I feel good!

I got back to my walking yesterday after my few days off recovering from the virus I had, it felt good.  I've even been and treated myself to a walking winter coat so I have no excuse as the weather drops colder.  You gotta love pay day!

I went to a Caribbean food place yesterday when I drove over to collect my mug, they do curried goat and that kind of thing, but as I've had that before I chose something else from their menu, oxtail with rice and peas, it was lush but too much, enough for two in my house anyway.  I've also had steak stew with rice and peas too, which I'll eat today. 

I've made my cottage pie as well ready for today so no reason to go off track on my busiest day, I'm all prepared - I'm not letting my excuses control me this time, I will be lighter at the end of the year than I was at the start.

What is it they say - believe it then achieve it!  That's my plan.

I'm enjoying feeling how I'm feeling and that's what's motivating me - amazing what a difference  4 weeks came make, it really is.

I have a to eat/cook list as long as my arm, I need to make the 40 clove of garlic chicken at the weekend for sure, but for now I need to think about breakfast and getting ready for work.

Moms just woke up early, so I better go make her a cuppa, keep her smiling.

With Halloween this weekend I'm thinking a GHOULash :) get it! 

Beef Goulash

Serves 6, 7sp per serving
1kg good braising steak, preferably chuck steak (29sp)
1 tbsp sunflower oil (5sp)
3 medium onions, cut into 12 wedges
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp hot smoked paprika
1 tbsp paprika (1sp)
1 beef oxo stock cube
600ml cold water
400g can of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 bay leaves
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 orange pepper
Flaked sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat over to 170oC/Fan 150oC/Gas 3.5. Trim any hard fat off the beef and cut the meat into rough 4cm chunks. Season well with salt & freshly ground black pepper.

Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Add the steak and fry over a high heat until nicely browned all over, turning regularly. Tip the onions into the pan and cook with the beef for 5 minutes until softened. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a further minutes, stirring regularly.

Sprinkle both paprika's over the meal and crumble the beef stock cube on top. Add the water, tomatoes, tomato puree and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, stir well and bring to a simmer. Cover with a tightly fitting lid and transfer the dish to the oven. Cook for 1.5 hours.

While the beef is cooking, remove the core and seeds from each pepper and chuck them away. Cut each pepper into chunks of about 3cm. When the beef has cooked for 1 ½ hours, carefully remove dish from the oven. Stir in the peppers, put the lid back on and put the goulash back in the oven for a further hour or until the beef is meltingly tender.

Serve with small portions of brown rice (for extra ProPoints) and spoonfuls of soured cream if you like (for extra Smart Points), but don’t be too generous soured cream contains less fat than double cream but still has 2sp per tablespoon.   Elmlea light single cream is quite good on Smart Points too.

On that note I'm off to get us mugs of hot steaming tea, it's still pitch black outside, I know that'll change at the weekend when the clocks change but I'm not a big fan of the clocks going forward and back each year, it messes with my body clock!

Here's to a tremendous Thursday BeYOUtiful, focus on the healthy and happy, oh yeah and maybe move a little xx

What a difference a month makes!

26th October 2017

Don't stress, do your best, forget the rest.

How ridiculously fast has these past four weeks gone! I can't believe I'm on the last day of week 4, a third through the challenge and I'm still doing it and not struggling to do it, yep I've noticed the difference.

The quote is a reminder that we will see a change in our bodies but it takes time.  It's too easy to get discouraged when we're trying to live that healthy and happy lifestyle but we don't see the results we want or expect to see.

The chances I've noticed are more psychological than physical also my fat jeans are getting baggy as I mentioned yesterday.  I'm chuffed it's only take me 5 days to see of that nasty virus I picked up, usually those things linger but obviously eating well for the last 4 weeks and going for my daily walk has all helped.  The daily walk resumes today, I've actually missed it, half hour with my audio book. 

I finally enjoyed food yesterday and enjoyed an egg and bacon toastie for breakfast, a spinach and potato spiced dish for lunch and for tea I had a can of minted lamb big soup - wasn't so keen on that to be honest.

The beauty of being told to drink less means I'm going to be saving points on my glass of wine at night in the week so I can use those points for more food - YAY!  Upside to everything, today I'm going to make me a scrumptious, comforting cottage pie, nothing fancy, just good plain grub, although I am thinking of instead of mash on the top doing it hot pot potato style, mmm I'm smiling now because I've missed this over the last 5 days, missed thinking about what I can eat today, it's part of who I am. 

I like food - now to continue to prove to myself I can love food, eating and lose weight then maintain that weight loss.

One of my wise members commented on my blog "The best part of being ill is feeling better. You just appreciate things more." How true is that, I really did appreciate sitting down and enjoying my lunch yesterday.  I'm also surprised at what I've missed and what I didn't, I've not even thought about having a drink which proves it is a habit, the doctor actually asked "Do you have a glass when you wake up", erm no ;) then ask "could you stop", erm yeah, almost a challenge that, but seriously I've never had a drink problem, I just like drinking, it's entirely different, one you need, one you enjoy.  I'm already thinking about the fact I can have higher pointed meals because I'm saving at least 6sp a night from not having my big glass of red.  Don't get me wrong I'll be partaking on a Saturday still!

Weigh day tomorrow, expecting a good loss, I've still had my points even without my appetite, I've just eaten higher pointed stuff.  I'd be chuffed if I lose a couple of pounds. Whatever I lose I know I've got another week ahead of me to lose some more. 

Apparently there's an update on the Weight Watcher app, so I'm off to update and play.  Here's to a wickedly good Wednesday - you in?

4 weeks tomo & yes I'm noticing the difference!

25th October 2016

It's not about perfect, it's about effort and when you implement that effort into your life, every single day, that's where transformation happens.  That's how change occurs - keep going, remember why you started.

I do believe I'm almost better - YAY, I so want a decent meal, I really do.  My first meal will be cottage pie I think, I've just had no appetite at all, nausea sucks and it can go away now, I've woke up feeling so much better I'm so pleased to say.

I nipped over the doctors yesterday morning because of my throat, I have real bad tonsillitis sometimes after a good dose of the lurgy, he sent me for blood tests to check my white blood count, which turned out to be fine.  Apparently the medication I take can lower my bone marrow or something and he told me I need to cut down on the alcohol I drink, so guess what my next small goal in my 12 week goal is.  Yep, you guessed it, to cut down on my wine!  I always said if a doctor told me to and gave me a good reason then I would, he did both so here's to some wine free days each week.  Let's hope it helps with my 12 week weight loss goal too.  

I'm so chuffed I'm starting Day 27 of my 12 week challenge, yep, nearly completed 4 weeks, how good is that.  See the time passes anyway, I thought this was gonna be the longest 3 months of my life, especially as I'd decided to post photos of everything I eat online.  Yet here I am one day off the first 4 weeks and despite having had the lurgy over the weekend, I feel great.  I think it would've probably taken longer to recover had I not been taking care of myself in the first place. 4 weeks for yourself to notice the difference they said and they were right, I've noticed differences.  My fat jeans fit me again, actually they were slipping down over my hips a bit yesterday, not sure if that was just because they've stretched and near a wash but I'm still smiling regardless, my PJs keep falling down, they've always been on the big side but never fell down before.  The biggest change I've noticed is in my mind, now I believe I can!

I believe I can finish the 12 week goal.

I believe I can make the relevant changes needed and keep them going after the 12 weeks.

I believe I can get my portion sizes under control and still not be hungry.

I believe I can have wine free days.

I believe I can do anything I put my mind too.

I believe in me....

Because I'm doing this for me!

My sister-in-law is making me a mug with that on "I'm doing this for me!" as a constant reminder of my mantra.  £5 - bargain!  She can put anything on a mug you want and post them anywhere in the UK for £2.50, cracking gift idea, but I'm buying the gift for me :)

Anyways, I do believe I'm up for breakfast this morning, I haven't eaten a vegetable for days, I managed some beans on Sunday and a cherry tomato yesterday, but the idea of greens made me nauseous.  I do hope the stuff in the fridge hasn't gone off.  Breakfast I wonder if I can manage mushrooms on toast, I'll do my best or do I play it safe with a bit of toast and have veggies at lunchtime - decisions, decisions!

Anyways, I'm off to get ready for my meetings, back to business, rested and recharged and ready to do it :)

Healthy & Happy BeYOUtiful - you know it makes sense.

Are you finding a way or finding an excuse?

24th October 2016

You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.

Monday morning, well that was an uneventful weekend, lots of rest and sleep, plan to not do much more today and then I should hopefully be good to go for my meetings this week.  I must be feeling better I've just heard myself singing along to the radio for the first time in days ;) YAY, on the mend, I listened to my body and stopped and rested, I haven't eaten much but tried to eat some goodness and I've drunk plenty of fluids.  Poor moms had to live on basic rations this weekend, there was no proper cooking in me, my domestic diva was drained.  Don't worry though she hasn't starved, just had simple easy to prepare meals, she loves a bit of cheese on toast.

I'd bought spinach to cook something, never got round to it, if it's not minging in the fridge, I'll have a go today, if it is I might do a corned beef hash, fancy comfort food for sure.  I could just eat my sister-in-laws Briam, but I'd have to be in Corfu for that, I can't make it like she does, or a bowl of goulash but that would involve a flight to Prague, isn't it funny how some foods never taste as good unless you're in situ. 

Just found this recipe on my computer, it must be a goodie because I set it up to go on one of my recipe cards, I only do that with tasty recipes, I've re-pointed it and it works out at 10sp per portion not bad at all.  It does sound good, I have to say!

Crispy potato & meatball pan fry, serves 4, 10sp takes 40m

400g potatoes, peeled and halved, if large (10sp)      

400g lean 5% mince beef (10sp)

1 tsp dried thyme                                                               

Cooking spray

1 leek, sliced thickly                                                          

1 courgette, sliced thickly

1tsp cornflour (1sp)                                                           

3 tbsp red onion chutney (13sp)

250 veg stock                                                                     

2 rosemary sprigs

200g Cherry tomatoes, halved                                        

75g mozzarella light, torn into pieces (4sp)

Salt & pepper

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the potatoes and cook tender, then drain and leave to cool slightly. Slice the potatoes thickly and set aside.   Meanwhile, mix the mince and thyme together, season and form into 16 walnut seed balls.   Heat a target deep-sided, ovenproof, non stick frying pan. Spray with the cooking spray, add the meatballs and fry over a medium heat for 8 minutes turning occasionally, until browned all over. Remove from the heat and set aside.  Preheat the grill to high. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the leek and courgette for 2 minutes then drain and refresh under cold running water.  Stir the cornflour and chutney into the stock and pour into a small pan.  Add two sprigs of rosemary then bring to the boil and season with black pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat and take out the rosemary and discard.   Arrange the tomatoes, leek and courgette in the frying pan with the meatballs. Pour the sauce over, then top with the sliced potatoes. Scatter the mozzarella over the top and grill for 6 minutes or until golden.  Chop the remaining sprig of rosemary finely and scatter over the top before serving.

For a vegetarian alternative, why not swap the meatball for 8x 50g (1 ¾ oz) vegetarian Quorn sausages? Cook for the same length of time as the meatball in step 2, then slice each one into four and continue the recipe from step 3, remember to amend the points.

It's Monday, another month ends this weekend with Halloween, another reason to go off track if you need an excuse!  Or you can do what I've done whilst I've been poorly and find a way to stay on track, not to think 'sod it', I know chocolate would've tasted so good this weekend and been so welcomed, but I also knew it would've undone all those last 3 weeks of taking care of me.  Just think how poorly I could've been and how long it might have lasted had I not already been taking care of myself!  Remember if it's important to you - you'll find a way, if it's not you'll find an excuse.  Also remember, it's okay for it not to be important to you right now, but make sure you really mean it when you think that way and it's not just your clever brain looking for a way to get out of making the effort it takes to be healthy.  Mmm think about that BeYOUtiful!