25th January 2011

You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Christopher Robin to Pooh

Yesterday I was listening to Pooh, you can beat the old bear for a bit of wisdom, and of course my favourite Pooh story is Pooh in a hole! If you’re not a Pooh fan or you don’t know the story, I’ll copy it at the bottom of this page – Pooh Rocks!

I also found an article on how to save money and lose weight, cos lets be honest everyone’s a bit skint in January, and most people are a bit skint just before payday, I often have members say they couldn’t afford to buy fresh fruit the week before they get paid because they’d run out of cash, my answer here would be buy some tinned or frozen when you get paid in anticipation of being short of cash.

So the articles first tip was to cook up a curry, An average Indian takeaway meal Chicken Madras (27pp) with rice (12pp plain rice), naan (12pp minimum) and poppadoms (4pp each) contains lots of ProPoints as you can see and costs around £10 per person. Switching to a home cooked version instead is far kinder to your wallet and your waistline. It doesn’t have to be difficult either, tandoori and tikka is so simple you just leave it all day to marinate in the fridge.

For a delicious, super fast, low calorie chicken curry simply sauté 1 chopped onion in a non-stick pan with little water and a tablespoon of Worcester sauce until soft. Add 400g of diced chicken (10pp), sauté for 5 minutes until browned on all sides then pour over a jar of Sainsbury’s basic curry sauce (only costs about 16pence a jar) (8pp), cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with 100g of boiled rice (4pp). Serves 4.

Money and calories saved
345 Kcals per person
Total cost p/p: £1.25
£’s saved over 8 weeks: £10 - £1.25 = £8.75 x 8 weeks = £70
Kcals saved over 8 weeks: 1500kcal – 345 kcal = 1,155 kcal x 8 weeks = 9,240 Kcal* (Over 2 1/2 pounds!)
(*Based on swapping 1 takeaway a week for home cooked version)

The next idea was to make a souper saving!

According to the British Sandwich Association we buy approximately 1.8 billion sandwiches every year. The average sandwich costs £1.66 and contains approximately 400 calories. A Weight Watchers BLT Sandwich is 6pp, whereas The Co-Operative Truly Irresistible Chicken & Sweetcure Bacon Sandwich is 15pp. However, a recent report by the National Consumer Council has found that many leading chains are selling sandwiches that contain more calories, salt and fat than a Big Mac (13pp) with some containing well over 700 calories per pack. Eaten every working day for a week, both the cost and the calories can mount up.

For a far cheaper, healthier option make a large pan of your own healthy, veggie based soups such as carrot and coriander, leek and potato or tomato and fresh basil. Freeze individual portions then simply remove from the freezer before you go to bed, heat in the microwave the next morning and pop in a flask to take with you to work. It’s a great way to get your five-a-day and with most home-made, low fat vegetable soups containing no more than 140 calories per serving and costing less than 50p per portion your waistline and your wallet will be much better off.

Money and calories saved
£’s saved over 8 weeks: £1.66 – 50p = £1.06 x 5 = 5.30 per week x 8 weeks = £42.40
Kcals saved over 8 weeks: 400 kcal – 140 kcal = 260 kcal x 5 = 1,300 Kcals x 8 weeks = 10,400 Kcal* (almost 3 pounds!)
(*Based on swapping shop bought sandwiches for home-made soup 5 days a week for 8 weeks)

Save wine for the weekends

Winding down each evening with a glass or two of wine may seem harmless enough but apart from the extra calories (approximately 140 Kcals per glass) and the health dangers associated with regular drinking, alcohol actually increases your appetite which can lead to an even greater calorie intake. The financial cost of relying on a glass of wine to relax can soon mount up too as even a relatively cheap wine consumed at home costs approximately £1.50 per glass.

Money and calories saved
£’s saved over 8 weeks*: £1.50 x 5 = 7.50 per week x 8 weeks = £60.00
Kcals saved over 8 weeks: 140 kcal x 5 = 700 Kcals per week x 8 weeks = 5,600 Kcal* (over 1 and a half pounds!)
(*Based on consuming one glass of wine a night, five nights a week.)

OUCH that ones just hurt me!!!

Ditch the sugary drinks

If you’re partial to quenching your thirst with sugary drinks you could be doing more harm than good to your budget and your body. Just one small bottle of lemonade, cola or Ribena can contain over 200 calories and cost up to £1. Save cash and calories by switching to drinking water instead.

Money and calories saved
£’s saved over 8 weeks*: £1 x 4 per week = £4 x 8 weeks = £32.00
Kcals saved over 8 weeks: 200 Kcals per bottle x 4 = 800 Kcals per week x 8 weeks = 6,400Kcal* (almost 2 pounds!)
(* Based on swapping 4 bottles or cans of soft drinks a week for tap water.)

Sack the snacks
We are a nation of snack lovers munching our way through 6,000 million bags of crisps, 4,400 million packs of savoury snacks and spending a whopping £6 billion on sweets and chocolate every year. Cutting back on just some of your favourite high fat, high sugar snacks is a great way to save cash and cut calories. Just eating 1 packet of biscuits, a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar less a week can save £2 and reduce your weekly calorie intake by approximately 2,400 calories!

Money and calories saved
£’s saved over 8 weeks: £2 per week x 8 weeks = £16.00
Kcals saved over 8 weeks: 2,400 kcal per week x 8 weeks = 19,200 Kcal (almost 5 ½ pounds!)
Total Kcals saved = 50,840 - just over a stone in body fat!
Total cash saved = £220

Mmm food for thought I think you’ll agree, so I promised you the Pooh Story to make you smile;

Pooh always liked a little something at eleven o’clock in the morning, and he was very glad to see Rabbit getting out the plates and mugs; and when Rabbit said, “Honey or condensed milk with your bread?” he was so excited that he said, “Both,” and then, so as not to see greedy, he added, “But don’t bother about the bread, please.” And for a long time after that he said nothing… until at least, humming to himself in a rather sticky voice, he got up, shook Rabbit lovingly by the paw, and said that he must be going on. “Must you?” said Rabbit politely.

“Well” said Pooh, “I could stay a little longer if it – if you –“ and he tried very hard to look in the direction of the larder.

“As a matter of fact,” said Rabbit, “I was going out myself directly.”

“Oh well, then, I’ll be going on. Good-bye”

“Well, good-bye, if you’re sure you won’t have any more.”

“Is there any more?” asked Pooh quickly.

Rabbit took the covers off the dishes, and said, “No, there wasn’t.”

“I thought not,” said Pooh, nodding to himself. “Well, good-bye, I must be going on.”

So he started to climb out of the hole. He pulled with his front paws, and pushed with his back paws, and in a little while his nose was out in the open again… and then his ear… and then his front paws… and then his shoulders… and then –

“Oh help!” said Pooh, “I’d better go back.”

“Oh bother!” said Pooh. “I shall have to go on.”

“I can’t do either!” said Pooh. “Oh, help and bother!”

Now, by this time Rabbit wanted to go for a walk too, and finding the front door full, he went out by the back door, and came round to Pooh, and look at him.

“Hallo, are you stuck?” he asked.

“N-no,” said Pooh carelessly. “Just resting and thinking and humming to myself.”

“Here, give us a paw.”

Pooh Bear stretched out a paw, and Rabbit pulled and pulled and pulled….

“Ow!” cried Pooh. “You’re hurting!”

“The fact is,” said Rabbit, “you’re stuck.”

“It all comes,” said Pooh crossly, “of not having front doors big enough.”

“It all comes,” said Rabbit sternly, “of eating too much. I thought at the time,” said Rabbit, “only I didn’t like to say anything,” Said Rabbit, “that one of us was eating too much,” said Rabbit, “and I knew it wasn’t me,” he said. “Well, well I shall go and fetch Christopher Robin.”

Christopher Robin lived at the other end of the Forest, and when he came back with Rabbit, and saw the front half of Pooh, he said, “Silly old Bear,” in such a loving voice that everybody felt quite hopeful again.

“I was just beginning to think,” said Bear, sniffling slightly, “that Rabbit might never be able to use his front door again. And I should hate that,” he said.

“So should I,” said Rabbit.

“If we can’t pull you out, Pooh, we might push you back.”

Rabbit scratched his whiskers thoughtfully, and pointed out that, when once Pooh was pushed back, he was back, and of course nobody was more glad to see Pooh than he was, still there it was, some lived in trees and some lived underground, and –

“You mean I’d never get out?” said Pooh.

“I mean,” said Rabbit, “that having got so far, it seems a pity to waste it.”

Christopher Robin nodded.

“Then there’s only one thing to be done,” he said. “We shall have to wait for you to get thin again.”

“How long does getting thin take?” asked Pooh anxiously.

“About a week, I should think.”

“But I can’t stay here for a week!”

“You can stay here all right, silly old Bear. It’s getting you out which is so difficult.”

“Well read to you,” said Rabbit cheerfully.

“And I hope it won’t snow,” he added. “And I say, old fellow, you’re taking up a good deal of room in my house – do you mind if I use your back legs as a towel-horse? Because, I mean, there they are – doing nothing – and it would be very convenient just to hang the towels on them.”

“A week!” said Pooh gloomily. “What about meals?”

“I’m afraid no meals,” said Christopher Robin, because of getting thin quicker. But we will read to you.”

24th January 2011 facebook email

Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Michael Jordan

 

Well where did that weekend go? I can’t believe it’s Monday morning already, it’s just gone by in a flash, we had my brother and his wife stay Saturday night and the whole weekend has just gone by in a blur!

 

I’d made a beef stew for them but they’d already eaten so it was still there when they left, I’ve frozen it, but it did get me thinking about how some people hate to waste food, you’ve heard all the reasons, “good food is expensive”, “there are starving children in Africa”, “It’s just wrong to throw good food away”. If you’re on of those people, think about the belief you have regarding waste and ask yourself the following questions;

 

Now for each belief, go through the questions below.

• How does believing this impact the way you eat?
• Would eating the food help?
• Where did you get this belief from?
• Is it out of date?
• Do you want to keep it or let it go?

 Which of these beliefs do you want to let go of. Read each belief out loud and ‘symbolically’ throw them in the bin.

 

These beliefs can take time to really let go of. So be patient with yourself and notice as much as you can about how these beliefs impact your willingness to STOP eating when you’ve had enough. And always remember you will get there when your ready.

 

It is important to acknowledge to yourself that WASTING food is not ideal nor is it something I’m encouraging. What I’m saying is that:

 

Eating it doesn’t mean it’s NOT wasted! If your body doesn’t need it because you have had enough, then it’s already wasted – inside or out!

 

If you are eating it because you don’t want it to go to waste, you are saying that it’s WRONG to throw it in the bin to rot, but it’s OK to throw it in your body where it will not be doing you any good as you don’t need it!

 

What you are saying is that it’s OK to treat yourself as a dustbin!

 

YOU ARE NOT A DUSTBIN

 

If you want to avoid wasting food… experiment with:

 

- Buying less or shopping more frequently for perishable foods.

- Cooking less.

- Using serving dishes rather than plating up (so that everyone decides how much they want based on appetite).

 - HONEST shopping (buying what you WANT to eat rather than what you think you should eat!).

 - And finding suitable ways to deal with leftovers.

 

After my visitors had left yesterday afternoon though I decided to do a bit of cooking as I already had the meat in the fridge and I’m so glad I did because it was delicious, A Nigella recipe for Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, I love garlic and cooking them in their skins makes them sweet and caramelly as they cook, like savoury bonbons in their sticky wrappers as Nigella says.

 

Serve it with some steamed or boiled potatoes alongside if you wish, or a huge portion of green cabbage or Kale would work really well or some fine beans or baby peas or a plain green salad. The flavoursome juices really do scream out for a chunk of bread dipped in them though so if you do have any spare ProPoints that’s definitely an option.

 

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic,

 

Ingredients

 

2 tbsp regular olive oil

8 chicken thighs (with skin on and bone in), preferably organic

1 bunch (about 6) spring onions

small bunch fresh thyme

40 garlic cloves (approx 3-4 bulbs), unpeeled

2 tbsp dry white wine

1½ tsp sea salt flakes or ¾ tsp pouring salt

good grinding pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

 

Heat the oil on the hob over a high heat in a wide, shallow, ovenproof and flameproof casserole (that will ultimately fit all the chicken in one layer, and that has a lid). Sear the chicken, skin-side down. This may take two batches, so transfer the browned pieces to a bowl as you go. Once the chicken pieces are seared, transfer them all to the bowl.

 

Finely slice the spring onions, put them into the casserole and quickly stir-fry them with the leaves torn from a few sprigs of thyme.

 

Put 20 of the unpeeled cloves of garlic (papery excess removed) into the casserole, top with the chicken pieces, skin-side up, then cover with the remaining 20 cloves of garlic.

 

Add the vermouth (or white wine) to any oily chicken juices left in the bowl. Swill it around and pour this into the casserole.

 

Sprinkle with the salt, grind over the pepper, and add a few more sprigs of thyme. Put on the lid and cook in the oven for 1½ hours.

 

Mmm, it was absolutely delicious. Have a Marvellous Monday everyone – remember it’s a choice you make in your head!

 

23rd January 2011 facebook email

Let your freak flag fly!
This week we looked at TRACKING, the ProPoints of some BASIC FOODS and how these are miscalculated on trackers.

We realised…

- People forget to put MILK on their tracker, or underestimate the amount they use, ‘’it’s only a drop’’

- We forget to measure butter/margarine ‘’it’s only a scraping’’

- Cheese can be swapped for lower ProPointed options, i.e. ½ fat or Cheese triangles.

- Bread, is often miscalculated, some thick slices are 3pp (that’s 1 slice, not 2)

- AND finally EGGS, check the size. YES ‘size does matter’.


We all agreed that

· TRACKING does work.

· TRACKING stops SNACKING

· And honest TRACKERS has SUCCESS written all over it.


This week, get a pen and PROMISE YOURSELF YOU WILL WRITE A TRACKER!!!

When it comes to food, I like it best when its delicious, low in calories, high in nutrients, and (not to sound shallow, but) looks good too. For me Butternut squash hits all of those points and more. Make fries with it, mash it, put it in a stew... JUST EAT IT. Today, butternut squash, I salute you!

What Is It?

Butternut Squash is most importantly zero ProPoints, its shaped like a large pear, has cream-colored skin, deep orange-colored flesh and a sweet flavor. Technically a fruit, the butternut is a winter squash with a nice long shelf life and a thick skin (so feel free to mock it). It's mostly solid with a bulbous end that contains seeds and strings to be scooped out.

Why Do I Love It?

It’s similar to Sweet Potato, but better! This orange guy tastes a lot like a sweet potato, but it's lighter and lower in starchy carbs. Use it pretty much anywhere you would use a sugary spud.

Delicious AND Nutritious. Sure, it's full of fibre, and is also good sources of vitamins A and C, several B vitamins, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids?

Once you learn the easiest ways to skin and slice the things, working with them becomes a lot simpler. I don’t bother to skin it most of the time especially if I’m roasting it, and I eat the skin. If however I do skin it, I have found a peeler the best option, the one I have is green and it slides on your finger (had it from Sainsburys), but otherwise use a nice and be careful, slice away from you always!

Make chips!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice the ends off the squash, and then cut it in half widthwise. Peel squash with a vegetable peeler or carefully with a knife. Cut the round bottom piece in half lengthwise and remove seeds.

Using a crinkle cutter or a knife, carefully cut squash into chip shapes. Pat chips firmly with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Sprinkle evenly with salt.

Lay chips out on a layer of paper towels, and let stand for at least 5 minutes, to allow the salt to draw out any excess moisture. Then pat with paper towels again. If you like, sprinkle with additional salt.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray, and then lay chips flat on it. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, and then carefully flip chip. Bake for about 20 minutes longer, until tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Enjoy!

Here’s to a lazy Sunday xx

22nd January 2011 facebook email

Don’t sweat the small stuff and trust me it’s all small stuff!
It’s Saturday – YAY! A full day off and I’m really looking forward to it, I’m going to take Alfie on a super long walk first, then I have a massage booked as my treat, then I’m going to pick my brother and his wife up who I haven’t seen since last Easter as they live in Corfu. So yes today is going to be good. Hope you’ve all got a great one planned too.

Yesterday in the spare hour I had, I sat and went through the Seriously Satisfying cookbook and some of my other cookbooks and planned out some meals, breakfasts, lunch and dinner so that I know what I plan to be eating for the forthcoming week. This mornings breakfast is the Oaty smoothie on page 12 (3pp), spiced carrot and butternut squash on page 54 for lunch (1pp) and dinner is beef and ale pot pies on page 120 (10pp), that leaves me some spare for anything else that happens along the way!

Last night I attended a business meeting with the other leaders, who I hadn’t seen for a few months and it was lovely to meet up and we had a real good laugh, o yeah and I got weighed by my boss which actually wasn’t too bad ;-)

Truth be told – I don’t really need a reason to smile. I think happiness can be our natural state, and that we learn the unhappiness that so many of us experience. But if you do need a reason to smile this weekend, here are six of them:

1. You are loved. If you’re not loved by yourself, you are at least loved by me. And probably a whole bunch of other people to which you mean the world. Best of all, you have the ability to reciprocate that love – and doing so is guaranteed to make you smile.

2. Smiles make new friends. There’s no better way to open up yourself to other people than by smiling at strangers. Smiles attract attention, and your smile may spark a new and fulfilling friendship.

3. Because you’re worth it. There are over 7 billion humans on this planet – and not a single one of them is more deserving of love, more beautiful, or more magical than you. Knowing that, how can’t you smile?

4. A smile looks good on you. In fact, smiling is my best-kept beauty secret. A radiant smile works with any outfit, any season and any combination of colors or prints. Wear it proud!

5. It’s good for you. Smiling doesn’t just make you more attractive; it reduces stress, boosts your immune system, lowers blood pressure and releases endorphins.

6. Because it’s contagious. Your smile lights up a room – and other people take notice. Your smile helps others connect with their happiness. If you won’t smile for yourself, do it for others.

And I know what you’re thinking, there are certainly a number of reasons not to smile today. You don’t need me to remind you of those. But by focusing on the negative, you’re probably only ensuring a negative mood, attitude and experience.

Why not focus on those things that will lift you up, and align yourself with a more loving and positive energy? The choice, as always, is yours.

Have any more reasons to smile? Share them on our facebook wall ;-)

So have a smiley Saturday, share them out too, they cost nothing xx

21st January 2011 facebook email

Life is short, forgive sooner and always keep smiling.
Well I’m truly inspired by all my members this week, I’ve never seen such positivity even from those who haven’t lost. The week ended with a staggering weight loss of 84½ stone (average weight loss of 1.97lb per person), which is just incredible, the meeting with the best overall average for the week was Monday morning meeting at Bloxwich, with an average of 2.41lb so well done all of you.

Sometimes however we don’t get the results we expect and why that is I can’t always explain, I can empathise and check trackers, offer suggestions, but real answers sometimes just aren’t there. Yesterday morning when one of my helpers told me she’d ate everyone of her daily and weekly allowance and that she’d also earnt 50 ProPoints doing exercise and she’d ate them too, I sort of gulped and thought omg she’s not gonna get a weight loss and she’s not gonna be happy, but when she stepped on the scales she’d lost 1.5lb, I was both amazed and pleased, especially as she’d also gone over by 18pp because she thought chick peas were zero ProPoints and they’re not!

At the other end of the scale, I’ve got her mate who has stuck to it 100% over the last two weeks, hasn’t eaten all her weekly ProPoints, has also been running 2½ miles every night and hasn’t lost an ounce! Go figure, why is this? Honestly I’m not sure, it could be that because she’s running she needs a little more food, but it might just be her body going through some changes and the weight loss will show in time. In these cases you just to be patient and stay with it. Easier said than done I know but worth it.

It’s also worth going back to basics and checking everything, when I shouted across my meeting room yesterday, “how many ProPoints in Walkers lites” most members replied 2, the answer was 3! Check, check and check again! Make sure you’re ProPointing everything correctly, check the portion sizes – weigh the food where possible. Be honest about your Activity ProPoints and most importantly has we’ve talked about in meetings this week – TRACK! And track everything and everyday, not just the good days.

Also attend your meeting, especially if you’ve had a bad week, that’s when you need your meeting more than ever.

I get weighed today by my boss and I know it’s not going to be good, but I also know the next time she weighs me it will be better and that’s what we all need to focus on, the good and the future.

One last thing, it’s great that you’re all using the wall to communicate, can I just say if you have a specific question for me to send it to me directly by text or email as I don’t always get to check the pages as regularly as I’d like.

Have a fabulous Friday – here comes the weekend, hope you’ve still got your 49pp!

January 20th 2011

Whatever you are, be a good one. Abraham Lincoln
Another fab day on the weight loss front yesterday, bringing this weeks total up to 59 stone, can we beat our record, can Bloxwich lose 11 stone today – I think they can!

Well as I was walking Alfie yesterday morning my phone beeped to wish me happy birthday and I walked round thinking about what had happened in my life over the last 41 years, some amazing things, some not so good and some life changing things. All in all I’ve had a good life so far and long may it continue. Then I started to smile to myself as I thought about the diets! O my word, someone asked me yesterday how long it took me to lose my weight, my reply was 22 years, and joking aside that’s probably right, I’ve lost weight more times than I care to remember, I’ve got 5 or 6 gold Weight Watcher cards with different dates and different weights on. Dieting has on occasion consumed me over the years, it’s even stopped me enjoying myself sometimes because I’ve refused a night out. I’m glad to say now though that since I got to goal in August 2004 I’ve finally got this dieting sussed. It didn’t automatically happen the day I got to goal, it’s more kind of slowly happened since. I still have the odd blip where I let it affect my mood but that’s very occasionally, yesterday I put my dress on for work and thought how it felt tighter than the last time I wore it, I had a little emotional wobble but soon talked myself round by saying to myself, “a dress that’s got a little tighter does not define you, it does not have the power to ruin your day, you are still as happy as you were two minutes ago, so get a grip and smile”. And you know what it worked! Yep, don’t get me wrong, I still gain weight and lose it again, never gain as much as I was which is a bonus, and I think the reason for that is because I no longer give myself a hard time about my size. I never deny myself anything, if I fancy it; I have it and move on. All day yesterday I promised myself I could have a donor kebab from the chippy for my birthday tea after I finally finished my meetings, then when I’d finished I didn’t want one ;-) things become less appealing when you’re allowed them!

Didn’t manage to cook anything yesterday so was very relieved to have a freezer full of home made ready meals, I had chicken casserole for lunch and curried carrot soup for tea. But I’ve just seen this recipe on esource (esource is free for monthly pass subscribers, please always buy your monthly pass in your meeting, it’s the same price, and I will get paid also) and think I may make it at the weekend.

Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

ProPoints® Value per serving: 7
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 40 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Liven up some chicken breasts with this easy stove-top recipe, with its spicy Moroccan overtones.

5 spray(s) Cooking Spray, Calorie Controlled
4 medium Chicken, Breast, Skinless, Raw, each cut into four pieces
1 medium Onion, All Types,
1 tbsp Ras el hanout seasoning (from the spice racks)
2 teaspoons (grated) Ginger, Root, fresh
1/4 teaspoons Turmeric, or saffron
100 g Apricots, Ready-to-Eat, roughly chopped
400 g Carrots, Old, Raw, sliced
600 ml Chicken Stock, Fresh
4 sprig(s) (fresh) Parsley, fresh, roughly chopped
20 g Almonds, flaked

· Heat a large flameproof casserole dish on the hob and spray with low fat cooking spray. Add the chicken pieces, cooking them for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat without moving them, then turn them over to cook for a further 2 minutes. (This will brown them nicely).

· Add the onion, Ras el hanout seasoning, ginger, saffron or turmeric, apricots, carrots and stock. Stir in half the parsley. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 30-40 minutes.

· Check the seasoning, then serve, sprinkled with the almonds and remaining parsley.

Cook’s tip: Couscous would be the ideal accompaniment to this tagine.

Have a great day xx

19th January 2011

If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down. Mary Pickford

It’s easy to write a list of reasons why you want to lose weight; it’s not so easy to remember those reasons when you’re about to eat something that you know will stop that weight loss! We need to remind ourselves daily, whether you use a paper tracker, a tracker journal or online, each day before you start writing what you eat, write a reason why you’d like to lose weight. Keep reminding yourself of all the benefits. It’s so much easier to succeed when you know why you want to.

At Christmas, I bought a container of Haagen-Dazs Tiramisu Ice Cream. To say that it’s delicious is to say that Brad Pitt is cute. Yummy doesn’t even begin to cut it.

Last night, when I got in, although I was tired, I wasn’t particularly hungry I contemplated having some. I glanced at the nutrition information, only to discover that each 100g serving had 7pp in, and I also realised that it was a tub of empty calories. Yikes! Clearly, it’s a dessert for very special occasions – and not something to be consumed every day.

For a few minutes, I was a bit disappointed. But then I realized that there were plenty of delicious alternatives that I could eat – putting into practice one of the best-kept nutrition secrets: Don’t focus on what you can’t eat. Focus on what you can eat.

If you focus on the foods that you can’t eat, making healthy choices could be unnecessarily painful. You’ll feel deprived, and by thinking about unhealthy foods – you’ll develop cravings from them. If you think about cheesecake long enough, you’re probably going to get a hankering for some. Don’t mourn over what you can’t eat; rejoice in the foods that you can! Take a glass half-full approach.

Indeed, a boring ice-lolly might not make the cut – but many other refreshing options like frozen smoothies or fruit salad are viable alternatives. And healthy foods can be delicious and satisfying, so put your energy and attention there.

And there you have it – the best-kept nutrition secret ever. EVER!

Focus on what you can eat!

By doing this you’ll start to enjoy losing weight and rewarding yourself in different ways. When you believe in yourself, you radiate a positive energy that people find irresistible. So get the positive vibe. Get rid of the ‘shoulds’ and ‘oughts’ set yourself free to enjoy the moment.

Replace every negative thought with a positive one. Instead of ‘I hate my hips’, try ‘I really like my eyes’

Say thank you to compliments, instead of putting yourself down in response.

Your mission today is to have a good one ;-) Go out, smile and be nice to others. Pay someone a compliment, do something nice for some. Let’s make today ‘National Be Nice Day’. Why? Why not!?

If you really need a reason, do it for me, call it my Birthday present xx

Happy ‘National Be Nice Day’ everybody ;-)

18th January 2011 facebook email

Silence is golden, but farts are funnier!
Apparently yesterday was officially the gloomiest day of the year! Christmas bills looming, it was cold outside and 70% of us have apparently already given up on our new year resolutions. I had a lovely day yesterday so they got it wrong I reckon ;-) The sun even managed to shine a little as I was having a lovely afternoon walk with Alfie.

I bought a book from Asda yesterday called ‘the handbag book of inspirations’ by Weight Watchers! It’s not bad, full of tips, advice and affirmations, of which I will share the odd one with you all now and then I think.

When Joyce my helper told me she made her smoothies with squash I thought it was odd! But it actually tasted good, she made me some yesterday, her ingredients were;

1 banana, 1 handful strawberries, 1 handful melon, 1 handful blueberries, 1 pint of summer fruits squash and blend together. She also gave me a straw to drink it with to protect my teeth, now that’s taking care of someone ;-)

Have you noticed how suddenly ProPoints become like currency, you eat something and think, “that wasn’t worth spending that many ProPoints on” or of course the opposite, “that was worth every ProPoint”. I made Cauliflower Cheese soup yesterday and although it was nice, I don’t think I’d want to spend 4 or 5pp on a bowl again, I’d rather spend more and have a proper plate of cauliflower cheese.

I did manage to track 100% though and I’m totally shocked because I managed to stick to my 29 when I thought I’d gone over! Thrilled is the word. This is what I had;

Breakfast
30g branflakes – 3pp
1/2pt milk for cereal & 3 cups of tea/coffee throughout day - 3pp

Morning Snack
Smoothie – 0pp

Lunch
Curried carrot soup – 0pp
2 pears – 0pp

Afternoon Snack
Big mug of Cauliflower cheese soup – 5pp

Dinner
Grey peas & bacon – 12pp

Late Snack
Wafer thin ham sandwich on 2 slices WW bread & low fat mayo – 6pp

All that adds up perfectly to 29pp and I got to each 6 times! I even earned 9pp on my pedometer and as I’m not drinking alcohol this week, I think I may be having a Chinese at the weekend with those ProPoints or I may just cook something special like the Nigella 29pp pasta dish I fancy making!

Okay, now it’s your turn, get on my facebook group or page and share your trackers, let’s inspire each other and give each other meal ideas. I know all my measurements are correct on my tracker because everything is weighed, how do you know that you’re ProPoints are correct, do you weigh, do you check portion sizes?

If you don’t weigh or measure, why not spend a week measuring out your portions to get used to what a sensible serving looks like – I was gobsmacked as I weighed my bran flakes yesterday, I’d forgot how few you get!

- Your fist is about the same size as one portion of fruit – just because they’re zero ProPoints doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be sensible about sizes.
- Your thump (tip to base) is the size of one portion of cheese.
- Your palm (minus fingers) equals a portion of meat, fish or poultry.
- Your cupped hand equals one portion of nuts or pretzels.

Also keep a track of how many portions of fruit and veg your having, remember you’re aiming for 5, I had 6 or 7 yesterday. Track fluids too, I’m not drinking so many cups of tea/coffee these days so I could how many cups of how water or glasses of cold I have, aim for 8 a day. And finally Calcium, try to include it in some form, whether milk, yogurts or even green vegetables.

Let’s all aim get healthy this week xx

17th January 2011

I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think. Rumi

Well I had a productive morning yesterday, cooked four things, which means I’ve got a full freezer again. I did grey peas and bacon, Weight Watchers don’t have grey peas on their food list but I weigh them as if they were a pulse such as chick peas which are 9 pp for 100g, or 41pp for a pound when dried before soaking or cooking. So mine with the bacon and I added a couple of onions fried with the bacon beforehand work out at 12 pp a portion. I christened my new slow cooker (£15 from Sainsbury’s) by concocting a Moroccan veggie dish with chick peas and butternut squash which is only 5pp a serving, I started off by frying 2 onions in a pump of oil from my Weight Watchers spray, and added 4tsp of Schwartz Moroccan spice mix, and about 100ml of water. Then put this into the slow cooker with, a butternut squash (peeled & diced into small cubes), tin of chopped tomatoes, 1 diced orange pepper, tsp ginger puree, 2 garlic cloves diced, can chick peas drained, 2tbsp honey & 2tbsps raisins.

I also made a delicious curried carrot soup which will cost me zero points a bowl as I only used a spray from my oil spray, 1 chopped onion, 1 tablespoon curry powder 1kg (2¼ lb) chopped carrots, 1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock, 500ml (17 fl oz) water, or as needed.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion until tender and translucent. Stir in the curry powder. Add the chopped carrots and stir until the carrots are well coated. Pour in the vegetable stock, and simmer until the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes. Transfer soup to a blender, and purée until smooth (or use a hand held blender). Pour back into the pot, and thin with water to your preferred consistency.

In front of my is my Weight Watchers Track, and I’m just about to plan my day, breakfast is going to be bran flakes haven’t had them for a week or two, 30g = 3pp, I’m using the online tracker to find the points but I like to have it hand written for me to carry in my handbag so I can see at a glance. Lunch = curried carrot soup (0pp), dinner = grey peas (12pp), 1pint skimmed milk for cereal and drinks. This leaves me 9pp for anything else I fancy along the way. I need to pop to Asda this morning for fruit and some salad. Yeah this week I mean business; I’m on a proper diet. It isn’t until you start writing it down that you realise how quickly those 29pp can disappear if not budgeted well - bit like the money in your purse I suppose!

I’ve managed to lose a pound this week so I’m pleased, but I’d like to have a really focused week to get my energy back and feel healthy and lose another pound next week.

So if you do one thing this year…

“Have three alcohol-free days a week”, says Dr Nick Sheron, consultant hepatologist at Southampton University: “Also, have three alcohol-free weeks, spread throughout the year. This dramatically reduces all alcohol-associated health risks by giving your liver a chance to rest while testing your dependency.”

Having just typed today’s ‘one thing this year’ suggestion I’ve decided to make this week my alcohol rest, I finished the last bottle of wine from Christmas last night so the house is bare therefore I’ll take that as a sign ;-) I think we have family coming to stay this weekend so I’ll need to have my wits about me to cope!

16th January 2011

If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun. Katherine Hepburn

Well I had a laidback Saturday, walked Alfie for longer than usual, the chilled out with the papers and watched some tv. Cooked Bobotie from the Seriously Satisfying cookbook, then ate it ;-) And watched more tv before having an early night, that is my idea of a perfect weekend at this time of year!

Sticking to a diet and an exercise regime is never easy, so here are some suggestions to make it a little easier!

Only eat food you adore - you may not be able to eat whatever you like all the time, but dieting will never work if you force yourself to eat food you dislike.

Put yourself first – nothing is more important than eating well and exercising, because if you don’t have good health you can’t make the most of everything life has to offer – or be there for the people who need you. Ask yourself daily “what do I need to do to stay on track?” and make that your first priority.

Eat slowly and stop when full – those that eat quickly are twice as likely to be overweight – and eating slowly is a great way to give your body time to register that you’re full and give you change to enjoy the eating!

Ask what you really need – every time you feel an urge to eat (outside of the 3 meals and 2 snacks you’ve planned into your day) ask yourself this question – you may be surprised by the answer – do you really need food, or does your body need a break? A glass of water? A hug?

Watch portion sizes – losing weight isn’t just about what you eat, but how much. And that counts for salads too. Instead of eating huge portions, eat smaller amounts and promise yourself you can have second helpings should this mini meal not be enough. You will find yourself feeling pleasantly full on a lot less food.

Every little helps – you didn’t become overweight in a day and you won’t slim down in one either. It took thousands of tiny lifestyle decisions to get where you are today and, by the same token, many life style decisions are going to help you slim. Think about every bite of food you take, every move you make and, little by little those calories you shave off and those extra bits of energy expenditure will add up to a new slim you.

Remember your goal – psychologists have found that focusing on things rather than just appearance will make you more likely to be successful in your slimming quest. So make sure your diet goals are enticing and worthwhile.

Forgive and forget – don’t punish that one biscuit indulgence by feeling a failure for the rest of the week – that’s a certain way to sabotage your weight loss. Instead, forgive and get back on track.

Plan everything – if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Go shopping for the weeks salad and vegetables on a Monday to reduce the risk of the empty fridge sending you off track. Put your exercise sessions in your diary and fit other commitments around them, not the other way around.

Relax! Studies show stress can make you fat, but rest, sleep and exercise can ease your stress and help you shed those pounds.

So if you do one thing this year…

Give your eyes a computer screen break – staring at a screen can cause sore or tired eyes, headaches and even blurred vision. Follow the 20/20 rule: look up from your screen every 20 minutes and focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Check out www.screensmart.co.uk

15th January 2011 facebook email

Celebrate what you’ve accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed. Mia Hamm
I had a break from the computer yesterday, facebook wasn’t working so once I’d done my paperwork I shut everything down and turned my phone onto silent too! It was bliss ;-)

Why do you wanna be slimmer? Why do you wanna lose weight? Will it make a difference to your life?

Why don’t you start today by setting your slimming goals -find a quiet place where you are unlikely to be disturbed and make yourself comfortable. Relax.

Now focus all your attention on the reasons why you want to lose weight. Think about how you’ll feel when you’re slimmer, what you’ll look like, what outfits you’ll wear and the activities you’ll be participating in. Draw up a list of your short-term goals (to buy gorgeous new clothes for the summer, for example), medium-term goals (to look better at 40 than you did at 25), and the lifelong reasons why you’d like to be slimmer and healthier (to look good and feel great).

Let’s make it easier to lose weight by adoring ourselves slim. Now that you know why you want to be slim, choose the rewards that will help spur you on to achieving those goals. Why not promise yourself daily treats for sticking to your plan such as a 15-minute break reading a good magazine, or a long soak in the bath. Promise yourself weight loss rewards like pedicures, manicures, massages or facials, a new lipstick, or a new outfit in a smaller size.

The road to weight loss has its ups and downs, but you’ll sail through if you can keep your self-belief high. Super charge it before you start by incorporating the following tricks into your life:

- Spend the first precious minute of every day praising yourself. That way, even if no one else does (though they will, once the weight starts falling off), it matters less.

- Stop striving to be perfect – you don’t have to do everything right in order to love yourself and for others to love you. Instead of berating yourself if things don’t go to plan (the chocolate biscuit that jumped into your mouth, the day without exercise), start practicing a bit of unconditional self-acceptance.

- Get in touch with your body – show it how much you adore it (rolls and all) by lavishing it with care and attention. Treat yourself to a scented body lotion and massage in it after a shower as a way of saying thank you for what your body does (carries you around, allows you to enjoy all the wonderful things life has to offer), not just for the way it looks.

- Banish evil thoughts – most women are plagued by a negative inner voice, belittling, sneering and criticising everything they do. But every time you catch yourself thinking something unhelpful (such as I’ll always be overweight), just imagine a giant STOP sign in front of your face. Then consciously turn that thought into a positive (every day in every way I’m becoming slimmer and fitter).

- Act like a Girl Guide – it’s far easier to believe you are a good person if you behave like one, so start committing acts of kindness and get in the habit of doing a daily good deed.

- Be grateful – every time you brush your teeth at night think of three things you’re happy to be (funny, determined, enthusiastic), three things you’ve done well that day (not lost your temper with the kids, cooked a healthy meal, made others feel good about themselves) and three things you’re grateful to have (your health, a loving partner, a comfy bed).

- Fake it to make it – think of the most confident and successful person you know and analyse how they dress, look and behave, and then start copying them.

What you really feel inside doesn’t count because what you’ll be telling the world is that you have self-belief.

And guess what? With nothing better to go on than what you tell them, other people will soon start treating you like a person who’s confident and successful, which will boost your real confidence.


So if you do one thing this year…
Make time for a quiet bedtime routine

Some quiet time, maybe a warm bath and a warm milky or chamomile drink will allow even those who don’t sleep well to have a deep, restorative night’s sleep. Remember, going straight from the computer or TV to bed – or exercising too late – makes it much harder to drop off.

Personally I don’t have this problem falling asleep is something I do really easily! Having said that I’ve been awake since 4am so maybe I need to work on staying asleep ;)

Have a super Saturday xx

14th January 2011 facebook email

“People say money is not the key to happiness, but I figure if you have money, you can have a key made.” Joan Rivers

Alfie (my dog) is one year old today, yep it’s his birthday, and so an extended walk is on the cards for sure.

67½ stone was lost in my meetings this week, I think you’ll agree that’s fabulous, especially as Monday members were at their first meeting of the year so they had their Christmas gains to be acknowledged. I think next week if we try hard enough we could beat that and maybe beat the 69 stone that we lost the first week the plan was launched to my members! Are you up for the challenge? So let’s get a little competitive my meeting with the best average weight loss was Bloxwich, Thursday 10.45am, they lost an average of 3.62lb, and the average lost overall from all my members this week was a fabulous 1.82lb. So well done to everyone of you that lost weight, and remember never let success go to your head and never let failure go to your heart. If you didn’t get a weight loss this week, that’s okay, because there’s always next week. xx

I know a good few of us struggled to get back into the plan last week, Christmas has only just past, we’ve still got rubbish in the house, the weathers rotten, etc, etc, etc. This is a post that was written by a member last night on our fb wall;

“I'm really struggling with this new propoints, not that its hard to work out points, just I can't get motivated. I want so much to be able to fit in my old clothes again but everyday I start again and every day it takes just 1 thing to knock me down. I just don't care and yet I hate the way it makes me feel. guilty! stupid that i can't stop eating. Fat!!!! Am I the only one who gets like this??? I wanted this to be a new year, new start. To be able to look at myself in the mirror without avoiding my own eye contact. but all I'm doing is avoiding mirrors!!”

Does this sound familiar, do any of you feel like this, I know a lot of you do. I think the first thing to do is realise it’s not about the ProPoints plan, hell, it’s not even about food. This is about how you’re feeling about yourself and your life. This is about low self-esteem and that can be worked on and improved. Everyone needs to realise that what you weigh does not define you as a person; it does not make you beautiful. We are all gorgeous, everyone can look fantastic if they dress in the right clothing, a skinny bird can look terrible if she has no dress sense! If you constantly punish yourself, you’re setting yourself up for a lifetime of yo-yo dieting, fluctuating weight and self-hatred. Some people fall into the trap of such severe denial that by the time they do eat, they do so obsessively. The answer isn’t constant denial; it’s balance and sensible choices.

These days I enjoy food, I used to say that when I was a size 20, but it wasn’t true, back then, I just ATE food, it’s not the same thing. I didn’t enjoy the eating, I didn’t even acknowledge or notice the taste of the food. I didn’t eat good food; I just ate lots of food. I didn’t like my life very much, I didn’t like anything or anyone very much either! It wasn’t until I stopped and realised my life sucked and then started to do something about it that my attitude to food changed. Until then I had used food to block out my emotions; I was unhappy in my work but terrified to leave because it was so well paid. I was a single woman with bills to pay and a mom to take care of, I couldn’t afford to leave my job - it wasn’t feasible. But in the end that’s exactly what I did, I walked away from £30k a year and a company car, not knowing what I’d do, all I had was 5 Weight Watcher meetings a week and a promise that I could have more when they became available. I was terrified and excited all at the same time. I just kept saying to myself, we can shop at Kwik Save and eat baked beans, it’ll help the weight loss ;-)

The trick is not to give yourself a hard time, accept that its not easy and that you are doing your best. Hell life’s not easy full stop, but you can make it even more difficult by approaching it negatively! Take each day at a time, heck take each meal one at a time if necessary. Before you eat, ask yourself why you’re about to eat. Are you hungry? Are you bored? Are you just plain miserable? Is eating going to help the way you feel, will it make you feel better? Short-term maybe, long term – NO!

Instead of avoiding your reflection in the mirror, have a good look at yourself, you’re gorgeous – learn to appreciate that! Get a pad and write down a list of all the things in your life that you are grateful for, do you have wonderful friends/children/parents. Write a list of things you like about yourself, this may seem difficult at first but it will get easier as you start. I always start my list with “good teeth” (hey if its good enough when selling camels!) Don’t think or say anything negative or horrid to yourself that you wouldn’t dream of saying to a friend! Start being your own best friend and make time for yourself.

Yesterday was very busy for me but I still made time to cook my lunch (which is my main meal), I got in at 12.30pm and it was in the oven for 12.50pm, twenty minutes was all it took to prepare stuffed mushrooms and get them in the oven. So remember you’re always worth finding the time and making the effort. If you don’t look after yourself you can’t look after anyone else.

Anyhow, I went off on one then didn’t I so I better stop now and get some work done!

Please be gentle on yourselves – you’re all so lovely xx


So if you do one thing this year…

Get a DOG! Yep according to Dr Anna Dominiczak, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Glasgow University: “This will make you get out for a walk every day, no matter what the weather. Not only is a dog great exercise, it clears your head, relieves stress and maintains your weight”

Anyone for Walkies?

Yay it’s Friday and I’m off over Bantock Park for my walkies…

13th January 2011 facebook email

“I have at times been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.” Agatha Christie

Morning all, we I’ve just finished the paperwork from last nights meetings = Tired.com already this morning ;-) and I haven’t even got to work yet lol. And even though I’ve been really busy all week, I’m making time for me, so that I can cook descent meals, that way I’ve got the energy and motivation to cope. Yesterday I experimented without a recipe and it turn out really tasty I was so impressed and pleased. I diced 2 onions and put them in a large frying pan with a spray from my WW oil spray, when they started to cook I added a teaspoon of paprika and stirred, then added half buttersquash diced, & 2 carrots diced, 1 stock cube, approx 200ml water and a 100ml of vermouth and brought to boil, then left for about 30m until almost cooked. I then threw in 2 pepper (1 orange / 1 yellow) and a courgette and cooked for a bit longer. Meanwhile I boiled 20pp worth of potatoes and 25pp worth of cheese (sorry not sure of weights as I used the Weight Watcher scales and was only looking at the ProPoints values. I added the vegetables from the pan to ovenproof bowls (made 5 portions) and then mashed the potatoes adding some of the cheese. I then made up a packet of Schwartz garlic, mushroom & cream sauce with ½ pint milk (6pp made up) and shared this between the bowls spooning it over the vegetables. I finally topped the bowls with the potato mixture and sprinkled cheese on top. I reheated mine later in the oven for half hour which browned off the cheese but if you were eating immediately you’d brown off under the grill. They worked out at 10 or 11pp each. Fabulous, you could really taste the cheese too. Mmm check me out!!!!

Staying with the cooking theme as I’m too much in a rush to be deep and meaningful this morning – it’s all about the food! If you remember the other day I made a tart which was tasty, but the next time I make the onion mixture I won’t put it on pastry I shall use it as a filling for roasted butternut squash, just cut in half, scoop out the seeds and cook the squash in oven until cooked, then top with the mixture and crumble the Stilton (or cheddar) on top and bake for another 15 minutes. Alternatively, you could use it as a filling for a jacket potato or maybe mix it into some pasta. Or if you like the idea of the tart, (pastry is only £1 in asda at the minute) You can top a 375g ready-rolled piece of puff pastry with it to make a tart for 7pp a portion, serves 8. Place pastry on a baking tray, just leave a border of about 1cm and spread the mixture inside, bake for 15-20m on gas mark 6/200oC

Red Onion and Cheese (12pp total)

5 medium red onions, sliced
2 tbsp cranberry sauce
350ml hot vegetable stock (made with 2 oxo cubes)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
80g Stilton (or cheddar)

Place onions in a non-stick frying with the cranberry sauce and stock. Season. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and increase the heat. Add the balsamic and cook for a further 10 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

So if you do one thing this year…

Walk around the house with bare feet! According to experts, it’s vital to let our feet air and stretch out, as they spend the majority of their time cramped up in footwear. Walking barefoot is natural and what our feet were designed for.

Mmm here’s to a truly scrumptious Thursday xx

One last thought, I was chuffed to see my group went over 400 members yesterday and I just wanted to say if you have a friend who goes to Weight Watchers (even if it's not my meeting) and you know they'd benefit from the emails, tell them they can request to join. xx Let's get everyone losing weight for the last time!

12th January 2011 facebook email

“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go!” Oscar Wilde

My members lost 245lb yesterday – wow and it was great to see so many new and returning members so we should have another great weight loss next week. Some of us have found it a little difficult getting back into it as there is still junk in the cupboards, but we’ve managed to maintain and are looking forward to a loss next week. Sometimes you’ve just got to be realistic. It’s great to see you starting to use the facebook page to share success and other things, Anita’s posted on there – she’s looking for a fold up exercise bike, can anyone help out?! Please go onto the facebook page and tell others how well you’re doing and any ideas you have, anything that will help others.

Well my fridge is obviously turned up too high because the chicken casserole didn’t defrost totally so I had a tuna toastie for my tea last night, the Ginger Beer Pork that I made at lunchtime was truly scrumptious though, it’s a sweet dish and went great with mashed potatoes. What I would say is if you are a can’t cook, won’t cook, start trying the odd thing. You don’t have to cook everyday, but once you give it a try and see how easy it is you can do a little as and when. The Ginger Beer Pork meant me spending 20 minutes maximum in the kitchen and I just left it cooking and popped back a couple of times. It’s definitely a dish I’d want again.

Here’s the recipe;

Ginger Beer Pork total 30pp, Serves 4 @ 8pp each.

450g pork fillet (17pp) (I used pork chops and removed bone & sliced)
2 tbsp flour (4pp)
Salt & pepper
½ pint / 250ml ginger beer (4pp)
½ pint pork or vegetable stock
1 onion
2 tsp brown sugar (1pp)
1 clove garlic
1tsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp Oil (4pp)

Warm oil in large saucepan while you cut pork into thin strips and coat in the seasoned flour.

Quick fry the pork and strain the old oil if its a bit dirty and add fresh, with the onion and garlic.

Stir in the stock and the ginger beef with the sugar and caraway seeds. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until the pork is tender.

Serve with any combination of winter vegetables and 200g mashed potatoes each (4pp per person)

So if you do one thing this year…

Ditch the fizzy! Apparently we may think diet fizzy drinks are better for our teeth as they’re sugar-free, this isn’t true as the phosphoric acid in these drinks causes calcium in our teeth to be released, leaving them weaker. If you must have a fizzy drink, use a straw then neutralise your mouth with a few sips of milk!

Mmm interesting….

Have a wicked Wednesday xx

11th January 2011 facebook email

“The talent for being happy is liking and appreciating what you have, instead of what you don’t have.” Woody Allen
Well I had my first member get to goal last night, she lost 2½lb over Christmas making it a total weight loss of 60lb so well done Tiff. Someone stood behind her when she was getting ready to get weighed and said, “What you doing here, you don’t need to be here!” Whether said in jest or not, no one should ever say that to another member, I had that said to me when I went to my very first Weight Watcher meeting when I was 18. We never know someone else’s story, and that member didn’t know Tiff had lost a staggering 60lb to achieve her goal, that’s over four stone by the way!

I cooked the most delicious tart yesterday, red onion, chestnut and stilton, (photo on group page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bevs-Weight-Watchers/133361767350) recipe in week 49 Your Week, you can find which one that is by looking at the back cover, its printed with an SKU number and then the number underneath is the week number. It was divine, and I’m thinking that I could cook the topping another time and rather than have it with pastry (which was were the points were), I might do it as a topping for a jacket potato, or put it in a wrap! Nice.

Tea last night was almost a Chinese because I was driving home thinking how tired I was but instead I made a scrumptious cheese 3 egg omelette, now 1 egg is 2pp, 2 eggs are 4pp, but 3 medium eggs is only 5pp so it would be silly not to have the three! I also used a tablespoon of oil and got that really hot in the pan first, then dropped the egg mixture (added a drop of skimmed milk) in and let it cook, half way through sprinkled 30g cheese on top and I’m proud to say it was the first time I’ve ever cooked a perfect omelette in my life! It was extremely filling too; I even left some, so maybe a 2 egg omelette would have been enough!

Today, I’ve put out a tub chicken casserole to defrost that I made last week, my own version of a ready meal, but tastier, healthier and bigger portion! And I’m also defrosting some smoked haddock, which I’m planning to make a fish pie type thing I think.

I also bought some pork chops on offer which I’m going to defrost and make Ginger Beer Pork, if I cut the meat off the chops that’ll be similar to pork fillet, I’ll just cook if really slowly. I’ll give you the recipe for them tomorrow.

So if you do one thing this year…

Breathe correctly. It doesn’t matter how much you exercise; if you don’t breathe correctly, you can’t reduce tension or get nutrients around your body. So, take three deep breathes three times a day. Sit in a quiet place and breathe in slowly through your nose and out through your mouth.

Try it now.

Have a tremendous Tuesday xx

10th January 2011

“Each morning I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today… Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it” Groucho Marx

Did you know that 14% is how much you can reduce your diabetes risk by eating one portion of green veg a day, so another good reason to get your five a day! I read that in a magazine yesterday. I know some of you aren’t massive fans of vegetables but you can include them in meals without really knowing they are there. Yesterday I had stuffed mushrooms and I grated carrot and courgettes and mixed them with the low fat soft cheese so once it was cooked you weren’t even aware that they were there.

I’ve got to admit I’ve struggled with the first week back on the plan, not only have I been busy so struggled to think about cooking and what to eat but I got to hear everyday what you’d all eaten over Christmas which kept reminding me I hadn’t had half of those things so felt I’d missed out ;-) I have to admit I succumbed to shortbread, after about the 8th person told me they’d eaten loads, I went in the co-op and there was a box reduced to 40p! Well before I know it, I’d put it in my basket! Did you realise there’s as many ProPoints in shortbread as there is in chocolate, 15pp per 100g! and just for the record 1 biscuit = 3, but no one eats one biscuit!

I’ve been on the scales and I’ve managed to maintain, some of you might not think that’s good but I’m chuffed to bits, yeah I gained 5lb over Christmas but I’m happy to let it hang around for a couple more weeks whilst my head gets straight. It’s not a race, I’m more interested in making life changes that will stick with me forever, not short term solutions or quick fixes.

I was impressed with the bacon and cannellini beans on toast I made yesterday (recipe in this weeks YOUR WEEK), I hadn’t got passata so used chopped tomatoes but will use the passata next time to see if it makes much different.

As it’s the time for stews and casseroles I also put together a recipe sheet yesterday on how to make stew, it’s from Jamie’s Ministry of Cook book and on one side it has 4 stew recipes on the other the option to make it into a pie, hotpot, cottage pie or with dumplings, so as soon as I can get them printed out I will let you all have one in the meetings.

Hope everyone gets the results on the scales this week they’ve worked for and I’m hoping to welcome back those of you that didn’t make it last week!

I’m thinking a banana & pear smoothie for breakfast, or pineapple as they’re the only fruits I have in the house! Might as well start the week as I hope to go on.

So if you do one thing this year…

Drink more water. Most of us are dehydrated and water is vital for the normal functioning of our body cells. Dehydration also causes hunger, fatigue and headaches and is a common reason for feeling run down. Aim to drink six to eight glasses a day.

I drink boiled water and for me it’s replaced the numerous cups of tea and coffee I used to drink and I actually enjoy it! Don’t just sit there pulling a face try it, don’t try and drink it when it immediately comes out of the kettle, let it cool a little. I’ve just finished my first cup!

Here’s to just another Manic Monday! xx

9th January 2011 facebook email

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!

A few moments spent planning ahead can make such a difference to your success. You don’t have to spend hours planning, but taking time to think ahead will help you stay on track.

If you returned to the meeting last week, this week I will give you a booklet called LIVE which has lots of tips in the ‘plan ahead’ section, those of you that came before Christmas will already have the booklet so take another look at it.

I sat and prepared my meeting for this week yesterday morning and WOW there are some delicious breakfast ideas in Your Week including bacon & cannellini beans on toast which I plan to make today and it looks delicious and much healthier than baked beans which have a high sugar and salt content. It serves four, but I can make it up and it’ll keep for a few days or I could freeze the other three portions to eat another day. There’s a recipe in there for sticky sausage and mushroom muffins that I fancy too, although I might serve it in a wrap rather than on a muffin.

Ooo I love food - don’t you? And I love the ProPoints plan because it doesn’t matter whether you like to cook or not, the plan suits everyone; you can tailor it to suit your lifestyle. OMG I’ve just looked at the week after copy of Your Week and there’s a delicious recipe for Banoffee Mousse and it’s only 2pp a serving, and the week after there’s a delicious tagliatelle recipe. I’m absolutely loving the new Your Weeks, they are fabulous.

Apparently according to hypnotherapists Bijan Daneshmand, “it’s easy to find excuses to do nothing. But this can make us lazy and lead to depression. Even the smallest achievement helps, so tidying that messy drawer will give you a positive mental boost”. Try it and if it works, you might find yourself moving on to big and better things!

I found an article with suggestions of ways to improve your health that aren’t too painful or impossible to keep up, but at the same time make a big difference. So I shall start suggesting one a day for the next couple of weeks.

So if you do one thing this year…

Activate your abs. “Put your hands on your tummy and cough, as you expel air, your tummy muscles tighten in towards your body. Hold that position as you go about your day, breathing properly. You should be able to walk, talk, sit, shop and exercise like this. Over a few weeks, your tummy muscles will become stronger and tighter, protecting your back”. I know this works because I’ve been making a conscious effort over the past month when walking the dog to pull in my stomach muscles and already I have noticed a different.

Speaking of which that’s where I’m off to in an hour, I’m going to walk Alfie over Lickey Hills, meeting up with a friend for a chat, it’s healthier than meeting for lunch! Hope you enjoy your Sunday too xx

8th January 2011 facebook email

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.
Mmm Saturday morning and a bit of a lie in, I love them and I think I’m going to start my day with the “All day breakfast omelette” recipe in the blue ENJOY book in your ProPoints folder, it looks delicious for 5pp and there’s even a vegetarian option.

I’m looking forward to today because me and my friends are going to book a trip to New York, it will be the first time I’ve taken a week off from being a leader (other than xmas) in six years. It’s also the first time I’ve been away with girlfriends for longer than a couple of days so it’s a good job we all really get on well. We’re not going till November but that will soon be here, believe me!

Do you reward yourself when you lose weight? I don’t mean by having something to eat, that’s part of our problem is that some of us use food as a reward when we’ve done something good, or as a comforter when we’ve had a bad day. This is okay sometimes that’s why we’ve got that weekly allowance of 49, maybe instead though you could try and find something else to serve that purpose. It doesn’t have to cost the earth, it could be something as simple as buying a copy of the Weight Watchers monthly magazine and allowing yourself some time to sit and read it! You could put a pound in a jar every time you lose a pound and treat yourself to something really nice when you’ve lost a stone, maybe something to wear, or a bit of a pamper session, a manicure or whatever floats your boat. My indulgence is massage, it also helps my bad back, and I go to the Chi Rooms at Essington where she has magic hands ;)

I also enjoy spending half hour in a lovely bubble bath, which only costs the price of the bubbles!

So what will you treat yourself to if you make it through the first weekend in 2011 and stick to the plan? The first weekend is always the hardest isn’t it, especially if you remember back to last weekend when you were overindulging on everything and anything you could find ;) I’m going to cope by making sure what I do eat is absolutely delicious, I’ve treated myself to some lamb chops (half price in co-op) and I’m going to look for a recipe to use them with. I’m really enjoying butternut squash too and that’s zero ProPoints so I can do something with that. I might make a batch of soup too, if I use the soup to fill me up, I can use my ProPoints for something scrumptious! There’s a nice recipe on page 14 of the ENJOY booklet.

The Daily Mail have got a Weight Watchers supplement starting today, looks like it’s got a weeks menu planner in there, might be worth a look.

As we’re all starting afresh this week, it might be worth measuring yourself as well as your weigh in, one of my members text me yesterday to tell me she’d got her husband to take a photo of her (front, side & back), very brave but she will be so glad she did as she loses the weight and enjoys taking more photos of her every shrinking body ;-) Different things motivate us, some people are motivated by what they no longer want to look like, some people are motivated by what they want to look like, some are a bit of both. So think about what motivates you?

These days I’m more motivated by how I feel rather than how I look, the size tag in my clothes doesn’t concern me I can cut those out! I do however want to feel good and healthy, carrying extra weight makes my back and knees worse, therefore that is my motivation, to lose weight and be in less pain.

What motivates you? Do you want to look better, feel better, fit in smaller clothes, look better for an event, or have a fitter healthy future? All reasons are good reasons; you just need to acknowledge yours.

Then this weekend when you’re tempted by something you know will take you over your allowance, remember that motivation and use it to talk yourself out of it.

Here’s to a Super Saturday for all xx

7th January 2011 facebook email

Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of someone else. Judy Garland
Six years ago this week I started working as a Weight Watcher leader with my own meetings, I had all the training in the months before and I started with my own meetings in January. Best move I ever made, it started as a couple of meetings a week to help keep me at my own gold and a bit of extra cash and by the July it turned into my full time job when I realised how unhappy I was in my other job and how much happier I was being a leader. Best move I ever made and I’m still loving it, I couldn’t do any of it without my helpers I love them all dearly. (if anyone likes the idea of helping out in a meeting, let me know and I can tell you if I need any help in your meeting).



Anywho, how’s the getting back on track going folks? Isn’t it a challenge to get back into in after that Christmas break, especially if you stopped tracking altogether and gave yourself permission to eat anything and everything? One member actually told me if it hadn’t moved for 3 minutes she either ate it or licked it ;-)



Even though I was really busy yesterday I still managed to cook my main meal (I have it at lunchtime), it took ten minutes from when I walked in the door to getting it in the oven, we had Parma Ham Wrapped Chicken Breasts with Blue Cheese (recipe on Weight Watchers website for monthly pass holders) and it was 7 ProPoints of delicious, served it with butternut squash and peppers. Tea time was a different matter altogether, it was 8pm when I was on my way home, I’d been up since 4am, done 5 meetings and really had no intention of cooking, plus felt like I could’ve eaten the world. Luckily one of my helpers works in the chip shop at Stubby Lane so that made me realise I shouldn’t be having chips! Which meant the big red lights of Tesco Express were calling, it could have got ugly as I tend to turn into a truffle pig when I feel this hungry and tired after a week at work, and have been known to fill a basket full of all the reduced stuff (irrelevant of ProPoints value) and generally blow my diet) but luckily the wonder that will remain being the convenience of the Tesco garage have seen the light and ProPointed the light choices range, which includes their sandwiches – yay, all hail the Tesco dude! So my tea was Roast Chicken & Stuffing for 8 ProPoints and a sneaky glass of wine.



Have you noticed if you’ve been overeating for a while, that when you decide to cut back, you seem to feel that you’re hungry all the time? But is it really possible to be hungry all the time? No, it isn't possible to be hungry all the time – sorry I know that’s not the answer you want. If you're not sure when you're really hungry and when you're just emotionally hungry, read below.



Real hunger comes on slowly. Emotional hunger comes on suddenly. Real hunger can be satisfied with any food. Emotional hunger comes with a craving for a certain food. And it usually isn't carrots. When you get hungry look at the clock. Ask yourself a few questions. How long has it been since you've eaten? What was the last thing you ate? Was it something nourishing? If you suspect your hunger might be emotional, ask yourself what you could be really hungry for. Is it affection, nurturing, assistance or rest?



Can you ask to have the real need met by someone, or meet it yourself? It can even be helpful to simply write about what it feels like to have the need go unmet. Often times, we fear that our real needs can't or won't get met and so food becomes the one need that we feel like we can control. When you feed both your real hunger and your emotional hunger, your weight becomes unmanageable. But, when you feed only your real hunger your weight is easy to manage.



The beauty of the weekly allowance is you can use it to sometimes satisfy that emotional hunger because lets me honest I don’t think there is anyone who doesn’t experience comfort eating at some time.

The weekend is almost here, let’s make it through to weigh day and start losing weight in 2011, for those of you who weren’t brave enough to grace me with your presence, do it next week, otherwise if you leave it hoping to 'pull back!' it makes things worse. One week becomes two and then you feel blue. Missed weeks become missed weight losses. Bite the bullet, face the music, we've had gains this week ranging from 1 to 15lb, they’re just numbers and we all know we can lose weight because we were doing it in 2010. xx

6th January 2011

The most called-upon prerequisite of a friend is an accessible ear. Maya Angelou

WOW, it’s so great to see so many faces I haven’t seen for a while and each and everyone of them ready and waiting to start the new ProPoints system, can’t wait to watch everyone start losing.

I’m so busy this week that cooking isn’t always an option! I try to be prepared but sometimes time just runs away and I don’t have time. That’s why Weight Watchers Pro Points is fantastic because you don’t have to cook from scratch, you can opt for a ready meal. In truth you can eat anything you want and stay within your daily Pro Points allowance, or if you do go a little over, you have the weekly allowance to fall back on.

So yesterday I started my day well with Rice Crispies, I had 2 of those daft little boxes from a variety pack, one is too small, so that was 5 ProPoints and 3 for my milk for the day. I’d taken chicken breasts out of the freezer the night before to make a recipe I’d found on Weight Watchers esource, but when I looked they were chicken wings that had defrosted. So before leaving for work on the morning I poured 100g hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sherry together into the food bag with the wings and left them there to marinate all morning.

When I got back at lunchtime, I put them in a dish to roast, topped with chopped courgettes and pepper and cooked for about 40 mins on gas mark 6, then lifted the wings out of the juice and blasted them for 10 minutes of 8 to crisp up. Absolutely delicious and filling too, in total the meal was 15 ProPoints, probably less points actually because a lot of the sauce ends up in the cooking dish, and it tasty scrumptious.

Unfortunately when I got home after an extremely busy meeting last night it was gone 8.30 and I wasn’t up for cooking and hadn’t thought about it before going out, so I succumbed to my first frozen ready meal in quite a while, it was a Tesco Chicken korma & pilau rice that I’d bought because it was reduced. OMG I’ve just pointed it up this morning and it’s 25 ProPoints!!!!! That means for the day yesterday I used a total of 48 ProPoints, 29 of those will be my daily allowance, leaving 19 to cover, luckily because I was so busy I earnt 8 ProPoints on my pedometer – YAY, which leave 11 ProPoints to come out of my weekly allowance of 49, so I’m still okay because I still have 38 weekly points to play with.

Oops I’ve just remembered, I indulged in my first red wine of the year too, so that’s another 12 ProPoints to add on yesterday making it a staggering 60 ProPoints used meaning I only have 26 ProPoints left to play with.

See how easy it is to forget things if you don’t write them down asap, I consumed 37 ProPoints after 9pm last night and I was in bed before 10.30!

Tracking is the most important thing you can do to help you succeed.

Learn from experience, I now know I have to have a few of my own ready meals made up in the freezer in case this happens again, if Weight Watchers and Tesco can make frozen ready-meals so can I and I know they’ll be bigger in size and smaller in ProPoints values!

Look forward to weighing lots of you ladies (& gents) today, it seems like forever since I’ve seen my Thursday Bloxwich Babes.

Here’s to another day of HONEST ProPointing xx

5th January 2010

The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time. Abraham Lincoln
WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW, have you seen the new Weight Watchers adverts, I love them, I love the music and the newness of it all. The vibe in the meetings yesterday was fabulous and it was great to see everyone back after our Christmas break. WOW I really do have the best job in the world.

Do you really want to lose weight? Really, Really, and do it properly so you don’t feel like a failure if you have a bad week or if you’ve had a holiday (i.e. Christmas) and gained 5lb - that was me ;-) Well I’ll share my secret with you, the one thing I truly believe has made all the difference, the one trick that keeps me feeling focused and positive all the time, even when I’m having a binge, or I step on the scales and I haven’t lost, or when I’ve been golden for 6 days straight and on the 7th I indulged.

Are you ready for it?

Do you think you can handle it?

Do you promise to give it a go?

100% commitment, no ooo I can’t do that!!!

Seriously, and all jokes aside if you want to lose weight and enjoy the journey, my secret is to love yourself slim!

Yep that simple, the secret is to think you’re beautiful just the way you are right now. Think about it, if you’re after motivation but looking in the mirror and feeling disgust at the size of your waistband or belly, you’re setting yourself up to fail. When I got dressed this morning I cupped my belly with both hands and smiled at it thinking to myself, boy did I enjoy putting that there this last few weeks!

It’s taken me 40 years to realise it, but guess what “I like me”, and since I decided that and that I was going to be the me I like to be, other people started to like me too. In my office I have book upon book about dieting and personal development, a lot of them I’ve read, some I’ve skimmed but whenever I feel a bit off, I read one. I also keep all those nice cards people send me and notes of the nice comments or emails that people have sent me and when I’m feeling a little down, I read a couple. I have a drawer full, it’s my feel good drawer and it works.

So make sure you feel good about yourself, remind yourself that you’re not greedy, you have a love of food and the good life, sounds much better doesn’t it.

Sit down right now and write a list of ten things you love most about yourself. Go on it’s not that hard, I know you’re reading it now thinking, “I don’t have 10 things!” well you do – trust me! If you really struggle go ask friends and family for help. If they struggle, give them help, ask them, “do you think I’m helpful”, “A good cook”, “good in bed!!!” (I’m amazing in bed; I can sleep for 8 hours solid!)

It’s easy to get obsessed about your body and the bits you dislike, but its better to appreciate it, you need to love your body, the one you’ve got right now. Think of all the fabulous things it can do, for example mine continues to work and get me about even when my back is screaming with pain, the rest of my body takes over and ignores it! Do you love your hair, your teeth (I’ll be selling you all soon or swapping you for camels!) If you’ve got a body that gets you around without the aid of a wheelchair you’re very fortunate aren’t you?

Your brain is like a dvd player and you can choose which disc to play, if you find yourself watching the dvd that vents your frustration and anger at your body and your lack of self control it’s not helping. Instead choose a different one, one that shows how much you appreciate how well your body moves and how it’s improving everyday.

Love yourself, it’s the only way and it works. It’s been working for me for a good few years now and I’ve never been more content or happier with my life and myself. I’m very fortunate to be me and be surrounded by people who love me xx

COR we’re gorgeous!

4th January 2011

However flawed you are, know that you’re okay!


OMG alarm clock woke me up this morning, that rarely happens and first day back at work, can’t wait to weigh you all this week ;-) I know I’ve gained about 5lb over the holiday but that’s just dandy cos they tasted fabulous and I’m ready to eat less and healthier, my body is screaming for it!

Exercise helps but alone it won't make you thin - to lose a pound of fat you'd have to run from Leeds to Nottingham! So I look forward to seeing you all this week to get back on the ProPoints Plan!

I’m not suggesting you don’t do any exercise but at the same time don’t expect it to be a miracle cure, for example you will to do an extra two hours of cycling to but 500 calories, that’s about 2 doughnuts!

Another danger of the high aerobic exercise workouts is that those who exercise cancel out the calories they have burnt by eating more, either as a reward to celebrate their hard work or even just to satisfy their stimulated appetite! Another danger is people who do gym type activity are less active in their day-to-day life because they believe they’ve done their workout already.

The good news is the latest scientific findings from the US suggest an intense work out is less effective than gentle exercises in terms of weight loss. Evidence emerging shows that moderate exercise such as walking may help to burn calories without making you reach for a snack the moment you’re done.

The bad news is research has confirmed that it is more difficult for women to shed the pounds than men, because women’s bodies are simply more efficient at storing fat (DAMN!). In one experiment in which overweight men and women were monitored while walking on treadmills, the women’s blood levels of insulin decreased while appetite hormones increased; the men’s, meanwhile, displayed no change ;-(

Next time you have a snack attack, here’s an idea of how long it will take to burn off ten of your favourite foods!

One portion of Tesco lasagne (560cals) = 45 minutes of spinning!

One slice of Domino’s pepperoni pizza (198cals) = 45 minutes of swimming

Morrisons choc-chip muffin (476cals) = 58 minutes of climbing

Packet of Walkers cheese and onion crisps (184cals) = 35 minutes of Frisbee

Subway tuna wrap (310cals) 1 hour & 10 minutes of body pumping

Bacon sandwich on white bread (430cals) = 58 minutes of football

Coffee Republic ham and cheese toastie (436cals) = 1 hour & 30 minutes of netball

Granny smith apple (62cals) = 15 minutes of weightlifting (so glad I don’t eat them!!!)

M&S hot-cross bun (159cals) = 20 minutes of skipping

Mars Bar (280cals) = 50 minutes of aqua aerobics

Exercise is important, it’s fabulous for your health and it’s also a great contributor to maintaining weight loss. Don’t forget that overeating by just 100 calories a day for a year can lead to a weight increase of 10 pounds.

Changing for life isn’t down to one single solution, it’s a combination of things, moving more, eating less, changing portion sizes, changing your attitude to food, etc, etc, etc but the one thing that I think helps more than anything is loving yourself for who you are, because remember however flawed you are, you’re okay!

4th January 2011

However flawed you are, know that you’re okay!


OMG alarm clock woke me up this morning, that rarely happens and first day back at work, can’t wait to weigh you all this week ;-) I know I’ve gained about 5lb over the holiday but that’s just dandy cos they tasted fabulous and I’m ready to eat less and healthier, my body is screaming for it!

Exercise helps but alone it won't make you thin - to lose a pound of fat you'd have to run from Leeds to Nottingham! So I look forward to seeing you all this week to get back on the ProPoints Plan!

I’m not suggesting you don’t do any exercise but at the same time don’t expect it to be a miracle cure, for example you will to do an extra two hours of cycling to but 500 calories, that’s about 2 doughnuts!

Another danger of the high aerobic exercise workouts is that those who exercise cancel out the calories they have burnt by eating more, either as a reward to celebrate their hard work or even just to satisfy their stimulated appetite! Another danger is people who do gym type activity are less active in their day-to-day life because they believe they’ve done their workout already.

The good news is the latest scientific findings from the US suggest an intense work out is less effective than gentle exercises in terms of weight loss. Evidence emerging shows that moderate exercise such as walking may help to burn calories without making you reach for a snack the moment you’re done.

The bad news is research has confirmed that it is more difficult for women to shed the pounds than men, because women’s bodies are simply more efficient at storing fat (DAMN!). In one experiment in which overweight men and women were monitored while walking on treadmills, the women’s blood levels of insulin decreased while appetite hormones increased; the men’s, meanwhile, displayed no change ;-(

Next time you have a snack attack, here’s an idea of how long it will take to burn off ten of your favourite foods!

One portion of Tesco lasagne (560cals) = 45 minutes of spinning!

One slice of Domino’s pepperoni pizza (198cals) = 45 minutes of swimming

Morrisons choc-chip muffin (476cals) = 58 minutes of climbing

Packet of Walkers cheese and onion crisps (184cals) = 35 minutes of Frisbee

Subway tuna wrap (310cals) 1 hour & 10 minutes of body pumping

Bacon sandwich on white bread (430cals) = 58 minutes of football

Coffee Republic ham and cheese toastie (436cals) = 1 hour & 30 minutes of netball

Granny smith apple (62cals) = 15 minutes of weightlifting (so glad I don’t eat them!!!)

M&S hot-cross bun (159cals) = 20 minutes of skipping

Mars Bar (280cals) = 50 minutes of aqua aerobics

Exercise is important, it’s fabulous for your health and it’s also a great contributor to maintaining weight loss. Don’t forget that overeating by just 100 calories a day for a year can lead to a weight increase of 10 pounds.

Changing for life isn’t down to one single solution, it’s a combination of things, moving more, eating less, changing portion sizes, changing your attitude to food, etc, etc, etc but the one thing that I think helps more than anything is loving yourself for who you are, because remember however flawed you are, you’re okay!

3rd January 2011

Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality. Les Brown

Well I had a huge burst of energy yesterday, not only did I empty off of the shed into my car and take it to the tip to get rid of but I also started on the house, I cleared out the big cupboard in our utility room which we call the ‘bogey hole!’ and we keep all our junk and I’ve turned it back into a pantry where I’ve put all my tinned and packet food and the cupboard in the kitchen where it had been now has the food processor and other stuff that was hanging around on the work surfaces and after about 3 hours in the kitchen, I have what looks like a brand new kitchen and I can’t wait to cook in it ;-)

Wished I’d remembered to put my pedometer on yesterday, I bet I earnt some serious bonus points as I was none stop from 8am when I walked Alfie to about 3pm when I got in a lovely bubble bath as my reward.

I also went on my Wii Fit for the first time in months, I’ve got to be careful what I do on it because of my back and also my dodgy knee (I’m a 40 yr old trapped in a 80 yr old body I thinks!) but I can do the Yoga and other gentle stuff on it, so managed about 20 minutes to start me off.

Don’t you just love it when you wake up full of energy, the holiday has certainly done me good and now it’s 4am in the morning and I’ve been awake an hour – my body clock is crazy, I managed to lie in yesterday till 7am and today I’m wide awake, hey ho I’ll just go to bed earlier tonight, especially as I’m back to work tomorrow and looking forward to my meetings, can’t wait to see and weigh you all.

So yesterday I talked about using food to boost your mood, well apparently it’s not just what you eat but also how you eat it that matters. Note I’m talking about mood not weight loss – the only rule with weight loss is the amount of food that goes in has to be less than your body uses in a day to create what’s known as a ‘calorie deficit’ and ultimately a weight loss. So back to mood eating, here are some more tips

- Always have breakfast to set up your energy levels for the day. Skip the first meal of the day and you’re likely to be reaching for a sugar boost by 11am, setting up a cycle of blood sugar highs and lows. Researchers at King’s College London found that eating a healthy breakfast - wholegrain cereal, fruit and dairy – improved short-term memory and concentration for the rest of the day.

- Eat little and often. To help you avoid the blood sugar rollercoaster and maintain your energy levels and mood throughout the day, aim to eat three good meals with healthy snacks in between.

- Avoid large, fatty meals. They can negatively affect your ability to concentrate.

- Eat carbs in as close to their natural state as possible. Wholegrain pasta, rice, oats and pulses provide a slower supply of glucose into the blood stream for a more steady release of serotonin than refined or processed foods.

- Combine protein with low-GI carbs at each meal. This will help you stay calm and alert. Carbohydrates appear to help enhance the uptake of tryptophan to boost serotonin levels, while protein-rich foods are thought to increase the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which increases alertness and concentration.

To find out more about food and mood, visit, www.mind.org.uk/foodandmood, it has lots of information.

So I’m hoping my new found energy spurt and enthusiasm for housework is going to last today too so that I can get the living room and hall, stairs and landing complete. You have to realise this isn’t a weekly thing like in most houses, hence the fact it’s taking a lot longer, plus my mother seems to save everything!!!!

Have a great day whatever you’re doing, some of you may be back at work, but others like me may be taking advantage of the Bank Holiday Monday.

January 2nd 2011

“Bigamy is having one wife too many. Monogamy is the same.” - Oscar Wilde

I’ve been asked a few times this weekend so just for info, my meetings resume as normal from Tuesday 4th January.

So how was the first day of 2011 for you, I noticed from facebook status updates yesterday that it was a bit of a mixed bag, people were writing things like;

“Has hsd a relaxing start to 2011 wonders how long it'll last lol”

“Very flat new years day!! Hope this isn't a sign of what's to come?”

“Well if the rest of 2011 is as pleasent as today i shall be very content x”

I personally had a very productive day, I bought 3 chickens for a tenner from the Tesco garage when I walked Alfie and when I got back, I skinned and portioned them, made a huge chicken casserole from the 6 legs, and some chicken stock from the carcasses, I’ve frozen the breasts for later. Then I made a batch of the most amazing bolognese ready just to add the spaghetti to later. When I’d finished all that I finally got round to buying a new tv, ours has needed replacing for a year now! The old one has been positioned in my room with the Wii Fit attached to it so I can start doing some yoga to hopefully help my back. So yeah 2011 started well for me.

When I finally stopped for a cuppa and a read I came across a magazine article, how food can boost your mood? Is it really possible to feel better just by adjusting what you eat? Let’s see shall we?

What happens when you’re feeling low, irritable or anxious? Do you reach for the biscuits, chocolate or a glass of wine? We instinctively turn to food for comfort, but there’s growing evidence that many types of food contain substances that can impact on brain chemistry to give you a feel-good boost, help you sleep better and feel more alert – while overdosing on others can have the opposite effect.

Here are the eight top ‘good mood’ foods – plus the ones it’s wiser to cut down on.

What to eat more of…

Sardines (120g can of sardines in tomato sauce = 5pp)

The omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish such salmon, mackerel and sardines make up a large percentage of our brain tissue – mostly in the brain cell membranes – and researchers have found that people with low levels of omega 3s may be more prone to depression and low moods.

Oats (porridge oats 30g = 3pp)

Low GI carbohydrates such as oats, pulse and wholegrain rice and pasta release glucose slowly into the blood stream, which helps to keep your blood sugar and your mood stable – and they give a boost to your immune system.

Spinach (Zero ProPoints!)

Sever studies have shown that people with low levels of the B vitamin folic acide are more likely to feel low or depressed. Eating leafy green vegetables – spinance, broccoli, asparagus and brussel sprouts, for example – as well as calf’s liver, lentils and fortified cereals will help keep your levels up.

Chocolate (100g = 15pp)

The good news is, everyone’s favourite pick-me-up is packed with ingredients that have feel-good potential – although some experts maintain the levels are too low to have any real impact on brain chemistry. I personally think because you enjoy it, it automatically soothes you, but just don’t enjoy too much!

Chicken (1 medium (165g) chicken breast = 4pp)

Eat chicken and turkey breast, nuts, seeds and pulses to increase your intake of the amino acid tryptophan and help boost serotonin production.

Brazil nuts (2 = 1pp)

These are the richest source of the mineral selenium (eggs are good too). Several studies have shown more depression, irritability and anxiety in people with low selenium levels, so eating brazil nuts a couple of times a week might help to give you a mood boost.

Eggs

As well as being a good source of tryptophan and selenium, eggs are one of the few food sources of vitamin D (we get most from sunshine), which may help guard against a low mood. Eggs also contain choline, which is vital for brain health.

Water

It’s something we often overlook, but water is vital for every cellular function. It’s not just your body that’s affected by hydration but also your brain, even mild dehydration can impair your ability to concentrate. So remember to drink often – water that is!

And of course what to cut down, Caffeine, Sugar and Alcohol, I could give you all the reasons but I think most of us already know them!!! So instead go have a bowl of porridge for your breakfast or smoked mackerel and boost your mood. Let’s focus on the positive not the negative effects of food xx

1st January 2011

The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one often comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won't. Henry Ward Beecher

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to January, not the happiest of months for most, however I was born in January so I think its fab. January can be tough though, most people are skint after overspending at Christmas, we’ve nearly all gained weight and are trying desperately to get back on the weight loss wagon and it’s cold. To make it even more difficult we usually impose more suffering on ourselves by denying ourselves things we enjoy or making ourselves do things we hate, also known as ‘making resolutions’. So this year instead of making stupid pointless resolutions you have no intention of keeping let’s make, ‘anti-resolutions’, these are the things we absolutely refuse to give up or start doing!

Here are some suggestions;

- Chocolate, wine, caffeine & tv – if there’s one monthly you definitely need these things – it’s January. Why fight it, find a way to include them in your ProPoints Plan. I manage to have a glass of wine daily and stay within my allowance.
- Cycling on a daily basis – leave it till July when its warmer! Play on a Wii Fit or Kinnect instead.
- Saving money, wait until after the sales, have you’re last blow out – you’re already skint anyway.
- Being lazy – yeah sleep through January you can be energetic next month or even the month after ;-) Spend the weekend in your PJs.
- Don’t give up your pay day splurge! It’s not right, it’s not OK, it won’t get you out of debt but hell it makes you feel like working all month was worth it ;-)

So what do you refuse to give up!? It’s my 41st year on the planet and it’s taken me this long to realise what makes me happy and I plan to spend the rest of my life living the life I’ve worked so hard to realise. I plan to continue to spend at least 1 day a week doing absolutely nothing constructive unless I’m away for the weekend. I will ensure my calendar doesn’t have too many things planned as I enjoy having ‘me time’ and I won’t agree to do anything that I don’t want to. This will mean I have a fabulous 2011 ahead of me.

I hope you also have the courage to live the life you’d like to rather than the one you think you ought to or that other people expect!

Happy New Year! And I hope your head isn’t too sore after last night’s celebrations.