After last week's telling off at Weight Watchers I could easily have gone either way - I could have become the militant, hardcore Weight Watcher, always with a 1point snack at the ready should temptation come my way, constantly munching on fruit and turning my nose up at the slightest whiff of vino or, dare I say it, cake... or I could become the "hang-it-all, I'm quitting" type, having a major binge whilst blowing raspberries and sticking my fingers up at my tracker...
Not me! I focused on making lovely home-made soups, bulking up on vegetables and choosing leaner cuts of meat and fish. My salmon and vegetable soup last week saw me through a couple of work lunches, then I opted for freshly-made sandwiches with simple fillings from the convenience store up the road.
At the weekend I took Flo to Southampton. This, in itself, is not a major event, granted, but it could have turned into a foodfest easily! The thing with it being just the two of us for a change, is that there is less pressure (perceived or otherwise) to eat crap. We walked from our home to the ferry (about a mile), took the little train up the pier, then the ferry across the water to Town Quay, where we picked up a free bus to take us to West Quay. Perfect! In true "ladies that lunch" style, we went to Marks and Spencer for a pot of tea and a babycino. We had no cake as we had eaten lunch before we left (Strike one to Jeanie!). After a bit of window shopping and picking up a few basics, we went to Asda and chose a quick snack - cooked chicken skewers (only 1 point per 2 skewers) and some fruit, then headed home. So no MacDonalds, no Pizza Hut, and no oh-so-sneaky Fat Jackets (they sound as though they should be healthy, but you really don't want to know!).
That's half of the week done, easy peasy! Throw into the equation a family birthday party on Sunday, though, and you can start to panic... it's days like Sunday that I'm glad I don't dip into my bonus points on a regular basis. I had a biscuit (that I'd made, I might add), some nachos, dips, chilli with rice, CHOCOLATE CAKE and other nibbles. This I could probably get away with on any good week. This week, though, I took my parents home after the party, around 6.30-7pm, driving past a MacDonalds and KFC. When I say driving past, I actually mean, driving into and ordering an eat-in family bucket with extra crispy strips. My part in this calamity cost me 20 points. Maybe 25 with the popcorn chicken of doom I accidentally "helped" Flo with.
Monday I did a big weekly shop, stocking up on fresh fruit and veg. This makes my life SO much easier from a diet perspective, as most fruit and veg are "free" on WW, so I tend to fill 3/4 of my plate with veg, with small amounts of meat and potato. Sounds dull, but I love veg, and I don't feel at all deprived.
Enough of that! I shouldn't polish my halo TOO much - I've been less than angelic food-wise. Tell that to the scales, though, because today I weighed in 3.5lb LESS than last week! This takes my overall weight loss to 1st 2.5lb, and my WW weight loss to 1stone exactly. I reckon I can lose another half stone at least by Christmas, so here is my pledge - to weigh 12stone-something by my final weigh-in on 19th December. I know I can do it, with or with out Colonel Sanders!
Yet again, thank you all so much for the support - I love your comments after my posts :D
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Blame Toby
I think I got off lightly this week - I was fully expecting Katie at WW to say "You've put on two pounds!" so was very relieved to have stayed the same. Here's why...
First: I didn't track. This is one of the fundamentals of Weight Watchers - you have to track. Keeping tabs on the food you've eaten during the day not only allows you to reward yourself on low-point days but also means you have an accurate idea of how many "bonus" points you can use if you happen to go out for a meal.
Second: I baked biscuits. I'm usually pretty good with this, as I can restrict myself to one or two. I took half of them to my mum's as my brother, sister-in-law and niece were all there for the afternoon. Of course I had to try a couple more while I was there. What I didn't need was the extra 4 or 5 when I got home. For that I look to my next issue...
Third: Scott was away most of the weekend. Being the wife of a very successful and busy photographer has its perks, don't get me wrong (I can get as wrinkly as a prune and he magically smooths away the lines on any photos of me in Photoshop!) but one thing I find difficult is the amount of time he's away from home, particularly at weekends. I usually end up either not making much of a meal for myself, concentrating on Flo, or I say "stuff it!" and eat like a pig. It's daft really, as it is SO counter-productive, but I can't tell myself that at the time.
Fourth: I went out for the day with mum and nan. This is always a positive thing - I get to spend some quality time on a four-generation day out. What makes it slightly awkward is the fact that occasionally we want to celebrate, and this week nan was adamant that we would celebrate my new job by stuffing ourselves silly at the Toby Carvery at Christchurch. In and of itself this wouldn't really have been a problem, as I restricted my potatoes to three, and went for turkey rather than beef and positively HEAPED my plate with veg. What really did it for me was the afternoon tea at Stewart's garden centre - a sharing plate of sandwiches, scones, fairy cakes and shortbread. It's one of those "too good to miss" type deals, and I think for all of us it cost around £10. I didn't need it though, and I should have said to mum and nan to just get themselves a cream tea and I'd have some fruit salad. The fact that I didn't is purely my fault. I'd still like to blame Toby though.
Fifth: I haven't been shopping since last week. I'm out of my favourite fruits, I've got very little in the stock cupboard, and I'm all out of home-made soup. Unfortunately, until I get paid at the end of the week, this situation is not going to change. Having to wait an extra ten days after my usual payday is actually fairly crippling financially.
At my WW group this evening, only a few women had lost weight. Many had stayed the same, and some had put on. This led to quite an interesting discussion on our lack of self-control. One woman suggested that over-eating actually IS a form of control - we CHOOSE to eat more, whether we feel worthless in ourselves, or, worse, to SPITE someone else. I feel both apply to me this week. I am perfectly capable of saying no to food, it's just that this week I chose not to. I said I'd be honest and open in this blog, so there you are. I haven't failed, but I'm not impressed with myself. Next week will be better. Scott is away all weekend again, but I'm going to try and keep busy and make sure the fruit bowl is full of tasty treats. The cap of resolve is firmly in place - woe betide any who try to knock it off!
First: I didn't track. This is one of the fundamentals of Weight Watchers - you have to track. Keeping tabs on the food you've eaten during the day not only allows you to reward yourself on low-point days but also means you have an accurate idea of how many "bonus" points you can use if you happen to go out for a meal.
Second: I baked biscuits. I'm usually pretty good with this, as I can restrict myself to one or two. I took half of them to my mum's as my brother, sister-in-law and niece were all there for the afternoon. Of course I had to try a couple more while I was there. What I didn't need was the extra 4 or 5 when I got home. For that I look to my next issue...
Third: Scott was away most of the weekend. Being the wife of a very successful and busy photographer has its perks, don't get me wrong (I can get as wrinkly as a prune and he magically smooths away the lines on any photos of me in Photoshop!) but one thing I find difficult is the amount of time he's away from home, particularly at weekends. I usually end up either not making much of a meal for myself, concentrating on Flo, or I say "stuff it!" and eat like a pig. It's daft really, as it is SO counter-productive, but I can't tell myself that at the time.
Fourth: I went out for the day with mum and nan. This is always a positive thing - I get to spend some quality time on a four-generation day out. What makes it slightly awkward is the fact that occasionally we want to celebrate, and this week nan was adamant that we would celebrate my new job by stuffing ourselves silly at the Toby Carvery at Christchurch. In and of itself this wouldn't really have been a problem, as I restricted my potatoes to three, and went for turkey rather than beef and positively HEAPED my plate with veg. What really did it for me was the afternoon tea at Stewart's garden centre - a sharing plate of sandwiches, scones, fairy cakes and shortbread. It's one of those "too good to miss" type deals, and I think for all of us it cost around £10. I didn't need it though, and I should have said to mum and nan to just get themselves a cream tea and I'd have some fruit salad. The fact that I didn't is purely my fault. I'd still like to blame Toby though.
Fifth: I haven't been shopping since last week. I'm out of my favourite fruits, I've got very little in the stock cupboard, and I'm all out of home-made soup. Unfortunately, until I get paid at the end of the week, this situation is not going to change. Having to wait an extra ten days after my usual payday is actually fairly crippling financially.
At my WW group this evening, only a few women had lost weight. Many had stayed the same, and some had put on. This led to quite an interesting discussion on our lack of self-control. One woman suggested that over-eating actually IS a form of control - we CHOOSE to eat more, whether we feel worthless in ourselves, or, worse, to SPITE someone else. I feel both apply to me this week. I am perfectly capable of saying no to food, it's just that this week I chose not to. I said I'd be honest and open in this blog, so there you are. I haven't failed, but I'm not impressed with myself. Next week will be better. Scott is away all weekend again, but I'm going to try and keep busy and make sure the fruit bowl is full of tasty treats. The cap of resolve is firmly in place - woe betide any who try to knock it off!
Wednesday, 10 October 2012
It's ok to be naughty, as long as you track it!
Some weeks I can walk into my Weight Watchers meeting feeling virtuous, knowing I've "behaved" and avoided over-indulging. This is NOT that kind of week. I walked into the meeting feeling anything BUT virtuous. I have to blame my best friend Kirsty for this. Yes, that's right, I'm taking no part in this where blame is concerned. Here's why:
Eleven days ago I baked delicious chocolate biscuits. 16 of them to be precise. These were 3 points each, so I was careful and limited myself to a couple. However, on the way to visit Kirsty ten days ago I felt that my chocolate biscuits might not be entirely to the liking of our little monkeys, so I picked up a tube of Cadbury chunks and a BIG tube of Smarties (you know, the Christmas ones). We had a lovely time, ate lunch, ate a few biscuits and then looked at the sweets. Kirsty was dubious about keeping both tubes, so I opted to take the Smarties home with me. Flo LOVES Smarties, right?
WRONG!
On the revelation that Flo doesn't like Smarties I steadfastly decided that I could resist them. Unfortunately I put them on a shelf right above the coffee machine, right in my line of sight all day. I managed to ignore the tube for a week, but then the weekend hit. Scott was on shoots all day Sunday so I was a bit down, and sought solace in the little pellets of loveliness. In handfuls. Till they were gone. Granted, this ended up spread over 3 days, but still, a lot of points for not a lot of point, if you see my point. I tracked the tube, using my bonus points, and resolved to be extra good for the rest of the week.
So yes, I blame Kirsty. I love you really, Kirsty, but never ever let me take chocolate home with me.
To make up for my chocolate dalliance, I decided to make a huge vat of soup - always good for a bowl of soup, me. I'd picked up a side of salmon from the bargain shelf in Tesco, so I went for salmon and vegetable. I made enough for 14 individual portions (only used a tiny bit of salmon though - cut the rest up for other meals). Last time I made soup I thought it would be a good idea to batch up two bowls at a time in takeaway tubs, because in my head I always sit to eat a meal with Mr C. Sadly we don't always eat together, particularly at lunchtime, which is traditionally my soup time. Needless to say, my last soup was in double quantities, with me eating two portions for 5points rather than one portion for 2 points. I would not make this mistake again. My salmon soup I portioned into little Ikea freezer bags (the press-seal ones) using 4 ladles per bag. Each portion - 1 point :D
Ok, so a little bit of penance, a little bit of making amends... but still had to walk into Weight Watchers feeling as though there was evidence of my Smartie-related wrong-doing all over my face. Incredibly I managed to lose a further 1.5lb this week, proving that it's OK to be naughty, as long as you track it!
So, overall weight loss is now 13.5lb (WW official weightloss is 10.5lb). I weigh 13st 11lb, so I'm getting there, slowly. I think I'd like to aim for 13 stone by Christmas. I'm sure I can do it - 1lb a week consistently from now on should just about get me there. My leader asked me about my blog at the meeting this week, so if any of my lovely Marchwood ladies read this, please say hello on the comments. Thank you for reading xxx
Eleven days ago I baked delicious chocolate biscuits. 16 of them to be precise. These were 3 points each, so I was careful and limited myself to a couple. However, on the way to visit Kirsty ten days ago I felt that my chocolate biscuits might not be entirely to the liking of our little monkeys, so I picked up a tube of Cadbury chunks and a BIG tube of Smarties (you know, the Christmas ones). We had a lovely time, ate lunch, ate a few biscuits and then looked at the sweets. Kirsty was dubious about keeping both tubes, so I opted to take the Smarties home with me. Flo LOVES Smarties, right?
WRONG!
On the revelation that Flo doesn't like Smarties I steadfastly decided that I could resist them. Unfortunately I put them on a shelf right above the coffee machine, right in my line of sight all day. I managed to ignore the tube for a week, but then the weekend hit. Scott was on shoots all day Sunday so I was a bit down, and sought solace in the little pellets of loveliness. In handfuls. Till they were gone. Granted, this ended up spread over 3 days, but still, a lot of points for not a lot of point, if you see my point. I tracked the tube, using my bonus points, and resolved to be extra good for the rest of the week.
So yes, I blame Kirsty. I love you really, Kirsty, but never ever let me take chocolate home with me.
To make up for my chocolate dalliance, I decided to make a huge vat of soup - always good for a bowl of soup, me. I'd picked up a side of salmon from the bargain shelf in Tesco, so I went for salmon and vegetable. I made enough for 14 individual portions (only used a tiny bit of salmon though - cut the rest up for other meals). Last time I made soup I thought it would be a good idea to batch up two bowls at a time in takeaway tubs, because in my head I always sit to eat a meal with Mr C. Sadly we don't always eat together, particularly at lunchtime, which is traditionally my soup time. Needless to say, my last soup was in double quantities, with me eating two portions for 5points rather than one portion for 2 points. I would not make this mistake again. My salmon soup I portioned into little Ikea freezer bags (the press-seal ones) using 4 ladles per bag. Each portion - 1 point :D
Ok, so a little bit of penance, a little bit of making amends... but still had to walk into Weight Watchers feeling as though there was evidence of my Smartie-related wrong-doing all over my face. Incredibly I managed to lose a further 1.5lb this week, proving that it's OK to be naughty, as long as you track it!
So, overall weight loss is now 13.5lb (WW official weightloss is 10.5lb). I weigh 13st 11lb, so I'm getting there, slowly. I think I'd like to aim for 13 stone by Christmas. I'm sure I can do it - 1lb a week consistently from now on should just about get me there. My leader asked me about my blog at the meeting this week, so if any of my lovely Marchwood ladies read this, please say hello on the comments. Thank you for reading xxx
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
New job, new dress size, new goals!
It would appear I had a rather good end to September/start to October. Last Friday I completed my final shift as a bra fitter and this week I've been training for my new job. It's strange. Over the years I've had many different jobs, and have left for all sorts of different reasons - end of contract, move to permanent role elsewhere, to go and do something "worthwhile", to have a baby etc. This time was different again.
Working in retail is fairly straight-forward. I'll never say it's easy, as you're on your feet most of the day, face to face with the public who often have a very set (and perhaps not terribly accurate) idea of the sort of person they are going to be served by, all the while smiling, staying positive and making the best of what you do. It is not a job I disliked by any means, but it was certainly not fulfilling all that I seek from a career.
The key objective for me in leaving was to move into a business where working part-time hours doesn't automatically put you on the back foot. Banking seems to match this objective really well. I'm not allowed to say where I work (some of you may know already), as we've been told emphatically that we cannot publicise this in case someone uses the information to make us commit fraud, or to blackmail or bribe us. Sounds pretty drastic, but I can see their point. Anyway, suffice to say, I now work for one of the UK's leading financial institutions, and will be seeking to progress from a cashier to an adviser as soon as I am qualified. Because I can progress. The phrase used in my interview was "part-time hours, full-time mentality".
So this week, training has well and truly begun. I'm working Mon-Fri for the first time in 3 years, which has been a culture shock to say the least! Granted, I've not had to travel too far, as my training is in Southampton, whereas my fellow trainees have traveled from South Cornwall, South Wales, West Sussex and Hertfordshire. Unfortunately temptations are many when you are training, particularly with a chap delivering sandwiches, crisps, hot food, chocolate and other tasty treats every lunchtime. I've averted diet disaster by taking in a flask of hot soup, purchasing a salad, and today taking in more soup, this time for microwaving in the training department.
So, what is the outcome of this tumultuous week in terms of my Weight Watchers diet? A loss of 2.5lb, taking my total loss to 11.5lb and my official WW lost to 9lb. I also wore my size 16 smart trousers today for the first time this year (couldn't do them up before!) so I'm definitely heading in the right direction. My current weight stands at 13st 12.5lb. My 5% goal is 13st 12lb, so I'm now looking at my new goal of 13st 3lb, which would be a 10% drop from my start weight of 14st 10.5. Not bad, eh?
I'm feeling pretty good about how quickly this is happening. I'm not hungry, I don't feel deprived, as I'm still eating occasional chocolate and snacks, and tonight I've had one of my favourite meals as a real (high in points!) treat - home made lasagne with garlic bread. Yum! So, onwards and upwards (or downwards might be more apt!). Thanks once again for all the support. I love to hear that you've read my blog, and even more when you comment. It really means a lot and makes the whole journey much easier.
Working in retail is fairly straight-forward. I'll never say it's easy, as you're on your feet most of the day, face to face with the public who often have a very set (and perhaps not terribly accurate) idea of the sort of person they are going to be served by, all the while smiling, staying positive and making the best of what you do. It is not a job I disliked by any means, but it was certainly not fulfilling all that I seek from a career.
The key objective for me in leaving was to move into a business where working part-time hours doesn't automatically put you on the back foot. Banking seems to match this objective really well. I'm not allowed to say where I work (some of you may know already), as we've been told emphatically that we cannot publicise this in case someone uses the information to make us commit fraud, or to blackmail or bribe us. Sounds pretty drastic, but I can see their point. Anyway, suffice to say, I now work for one of the UK's leading financial institutions, and will be seeking to progress from a cashier to an adviser as soon as I am qualified. Because I can progress. The phrase used in my interview was "part-time hours, full-time mentality".
So this week, training has well and truly begun. I'm working Mon-Fri for the first time in 3 years, which has been a culture shock to say the least! Granted, I've not had to travel too far, as my training is in Southampton, whereas my fellow trainees have traveled from South Cornwall, South Wales, West Sussex and Hertfordshire. Unfortunately temptations are many when you are training, particularly with a chap delivering sandwiches, crisps, hot food, chocolate and other tasty treats every lunchtime. I've averted diet disaster by taking in a flask of hot soup, purchasing a salad, and today taking in more soup, this time for microwaving in the training department.
So, what is the outcome of this tumultuous week in terms of my Weight Watchers diet? A loss of 2.5lb, taking my total loss to 11.5lb and my official WW lost to 9lb. I also wore my size 16 smart trousers today for the first time this year (couldn't do them up before!) so I'm definitely heading in the right direction. My current weight stands at 13st 12.5lb. My 5% goal is 13st 12lb, so I'm now looking at my new goal of 13st 3lb, which would be a 10% drop from my start weight of 14st 10.5. Not bad, eh?
I'm feeling pretty good about how quickly this is happening. I'm not hungry, I don't feel deprived, as I'm still eating occasional chocolate and snacks, and tonight I've had one of my favourite meals as a real (high in points!) treat - home made lasagne with garlic bread. Yum! So, onwards and upwards (or downwards might be more apt!). Thanks once again for all the support. I love to hear that you've read my blog, and even more when you comment. It really means a lot and makes the whole journey much easier.
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Big changes in the Chalmers household
Ok, so I'll get to the point straight away today - I lost 1/2lb... I'm a bit dejected about this, but I'm realising this shouldn't feel like a failure in any way - it's still a loss, and I had an exceptional week last week. It takes my total loss to 9lb and my official Weight Watchers loss to 6.5lb. I'll try to explain why this may not have been such a great week in terms of weight loss...
Firstly, Scott and I have rediscovered fajitas. These seemingly innocent little wraps filled with spicy goodness are sneaky little buggers! The wraps alone are 5pts each (unless you buy the tiny WW ones for 3pts) and I always have 2 (before it would have been 3 easily!). I used lots of peppers, onions and mushrooms plus a small amount of chicken (I kept this separate so Scott could lean his towards chicken and I could lean mine towards veggies). Add a dollop of sour cream for 1pt and some salsa and it's not difficult to have a 20 point meal - 2/3 of the points for the day. And we did this two days in a row!
We also ate out Saturday, having a notoriously dangerous Chinese buffet for lunch. I tried to stick with the vegetarian options or the non-battered meat, but the sauces are very high in fat and sugar, so to be honest, I probably used most of my bonus points for the week in that one meal :(
So, all things considered, I did well to lose at all really - I didn't deserve to! lol!
On a more personal, non-weight-loss related matter, there are some Big changes in the Chalmers household from next week - this Friday is my final shift at Marks and Spencer, so no more bra fitting for me (and no more slightly-too-tight uniform either, for that matter!). On Monday I start working for the Halifax, and will be embarking on two weeks of training full-time. The job itself starts on 17th October, and I will be working Weds-Sat each week. I start work at 8.45 now, so will be sending Flo off to nursery two mornings a week, along with her regular one-day preschool session. She gets breakfast, a snack and a cooked lunch each day there, and will then be with my mum for the afternoons, prior to my collecting her after work.
This new working pattern also means that I will be home for family dinner time and Flo's bedtime EVERY DAY for the first time in two years! The effect this should have on both our diet and our sleep patterns I can only guess at, but I am definitely looking forward to being a mummy in the evenings again. My Mum heard for herself the sort of things people think about working mums sending their children to nursery this week, and I actually feel that the way I'm working things now will be better for Flo, better for mum and better for Scott and I as a couple. Scott will no longer need to schedule his photoshoots around my shifts, as I'll be home before him every day. Hell, we might even have some time to ourselves in the evening occasionally!
It really feels like the right time for me to be making such a drastic change. I'm very grateful for the support from my colleagues and friends in getting to where I am today, and look to the future with an eager sense of trepidation and excitement.
Firstly, Scott and I have rediscovered fajitas. These seemingly innocent little wraps filled with spicy goodness are sneaky little buggers! The wraps alone are 5pts each (unless you buy the tiny WW ones for 3pts) and I always have 2 (before it would have been 3 easily!). I used lots of peppers, onions and mushrooms plus a small amount of chicken (I kept this separate so Scott could lean his towards chicken and I could lean mine towards veggies). Add a dollop of sour cream for 1pt and some salsa and it's not difficult to have a 20 point meal - 2/3 of the points for the day. And we did this two days in a row!
We also ate out Saturday, having a notoriously dangerous Chinese buffet for lunch. I tried to stick with the vegetarian options or the non-battered meat, but the sauces are very high in fat and sugar, so to be honest, I probably used most of my bonus points for the week in that one meal :(
So, all things considered, I did well to lose at all really - I didn't deserve to! lol!
On a more personal, non-weight-loss related matter, there are some Big changes in the Chalmers household from next week - this Friday is my final shift at Marks and Spencer, so no more bra fitting for me (and no more slightly-too-tight uniform either, for that matter!). On Monday I start working for the Halifax, and will be embarking on two weeks of training full-time. The job itself starts on 17th October, and I will be working Weds-Sat each week. I start work at 8.45 now, so will be sending Flo off to nursery two mornings a week, along with her regular one-day preschool session. She gets breakfast, a snack and a cooked lunch each day there, and will then be with my mum for the afternoons, prior to my collecting her after work.
This new working pattern also means that I will be home for family dinner time and Flo's bedtime EVERY DAY for the first time in two years! The effect this should have on both our diet and our sleep patterns I can only guess at, but I am definitely looking forward to being a mummy in the evenings again. My Mum heard for herself the sort of things people think about working mums sending their children to nursery this week, and I actually feel that the way I'm working things now will be better for Flo, better for mum and better for Scott and I as a couple. Scott will no longer need to schedule his photoshoots around my shifts, as I'll be home before him every day. Hell, we might even have some time to ourselves in the evening occasionally!
It really feels like the right time for me to be making such a drastic change. I'm very grateful for the support from my colleagues and friends in getting to where I am today, and look to the future with an eager sense of trepidation and excitement.
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Week 3 - Goodwood Revival and more!
Following on from last week's party weekend, this week I had another diet wrecker to watch out for - Goodwood Revival! Scott was there with the Vintage Hair Lounge from Friday to Sunday, taking photos of the hair and makeup makeovers, the artistes at work, the racing, the Spitfire fly-bys and of course the amazing cars.
On the Saturday, Flo and I joined him, leaving home just after 6am, arriving on site around 7.30. We found the pie counter for breakfast. I bought a bacon roll which I shared with Flo and Scott. Having started so early, by around 10am I felt like it must be lunchtime, so went off in search of healthy, hearty food. Big fail! Pie counter again, this time a sausage roll. Again I shared it. Lunch was a bit better - a rather dry (aka not too much sauce, so good for diet) chicken tikka.
This is me with Sharon from the Vintage Hair Lounge. She is seriously funny, extremely good at what she does, and immensely passionate about bringing the style, femininity and glamour of vintage looks into our faster paced world. You really feel different when you've spent time with people who live their lives in a different way, with different outlooks. I love it! Oh, and this is Sharon's lovely mum, Gloria, with a very sleepy Flo...
Festivals are an absolute killer for dieters. I had no idea what churros were before Goodwood. I know now. They are hot gooey sticks of loveliness, full of fat. But soooooo yummy. And mid afternoon, a very welcome snack. I counted them on my WW planner as I would donuts. Oh, and of course, Scott had to buy me a pint of Goodwood ale. Zoiks! We took a hell of a detour on the way home thanks to crappy roadsigns telling us "All routes this way" - a 10-mile trip north to Midhurst, adding a delightful 18 miles and 30 minutes to our journey. I'm pretty sure I ate something rubbish when I got home too.
Still, the weekend was amazing, the atmosphere was fantastic, everyone looked amazing in their vintage attire from the 40's, 50's and 60's and hey, a day off the diet shouldn't make tooooo much of a difference, should it?
One promise I made to Scott when we started this was that the money we DON'T spend on takeaways will be used to buy really good meat, so I bought a couple of beautiful rump steaks for us this week. It was a very welcome treat, and with a baked potato and some Philly it was pretty awesome.
The rest of the week has been pretty good - I made a lovely chicken and vegetable soup with a tomato base, which has been excellent for lunches. I've bought tons of fruit, stopped taking sugar in my tea and coffee, and have generally stuck within my daily allowance.
Even so, it was with some trepidation that I got on the scales this week at fat club. Flo was on the stage at the back of the hall, so I was a little distracted, but, joy of joys, this week I lost 4lb! I now weigh 14st 1.5lb A-ma-zing! Really happy. So, lets see how this week carries on. I've done what I call a "good" food shop, and have bought lots of fish, chicken fillets, Quorn and vegetables.
I'm still feeling really positive, and looking forward to getting my first silver seven at WW next week - basically a silver sticker when you lose half a stone. The 2.5lb I lost before my official weigh-in don't count, as that would have me on 8.5lb already, but next week I'll definitely lose some more. Watch this space...
On the Saturday, Flo and I joined him, leaving home just after 6am, arriving on site around 7.30. We found the pie counter for breakfast. I bought a bacon roll which I shared with Flo and Scott. Having started so early, by around 10am I felt like it must be lunchtime, so went off in search of healthy, hearty food. Big fail! Pie counter again, this time a sausage roll. Again I shared it. Lunch was a bit better - a rather dry (aka not too much sauce, so good for diet) chicken tikka.
This is me with Sharon from the Vintage Hair Lounge. She is seriously funny, extremely good at what she does, and immensely passionate about bringing the style, femininity and glamour of vintage looks into our faster paced world. You really feel different when you've spent time with people who live their lives in a different way, with different outlooks. I love it! Oh, and this is Sharon's lovely mum, Gloria, with a very sleepy Flo...
Festivals are an absolute killer for dieters. I had no idea what churros were before Goodwood. I know now. They are hot gooey sticks of loveliness, full of fat. But soooooo yummy. And mid afternoon, a very welcome snack. I counted them on my WW planner as I would donuts. Oh, and of course, Scott had to buy me a pint of Goodwood ale. Zoiks! We took a hell of a detour on the way home thanks to crappy roadsigns telling us "All routes this way" - a 10-mile trip north to Midhurst, adding a delightful 18 miles and 30 minutes to our journey. I'm pretty sure I ate something rubbish when I got home too.
Still, the weekend was amazing, the atmosphere was fantastic, everyone looked amazing in their vintage attire from the 40's, 50's and 60's and hey, a day off the diet shouldn't make tooooo much of a difference, should it?
One promise I made to Scott when we started this was that the money we DON'T spend on takeaways will be used to buy really good meat, so I bought a couple of beautiful rump steaks for us this week. It was a very welcome treat, and with a baked potato and some Philly it was pretty awesome.
The rest of the week has been pretty good - I made a lovely chicken and vegetable soup with a tomato base, which has been excellent for lunches. I've bought tons of fruit, stopped taking sugar in my tea and coffee, and have generally stuck within my daily allowance.
Even so, it was with some trepidation that I got on the scales this week at fat club. Flo was on the stage at the back of the hall, so I was a little distracted, but, joy of joys, this week I lost 4lb! I now weigh 14st 1.5lb A-ma-zing! Really happy. So, lets see how this week carries on. I've done what I call a "good" food shop, and have bought lots of fish, chicken fillets, Quorn and vegetables.
I'm still feeling really positive, and looking forward to getting my first silver seven at WW next week - basically a silver sticker when you lose half a stone. The 2.5lb I lost before my official weigh-in don't count, as that would have me on 8.5lb already, but next week I'll definitely lose some more. Watch this space...
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Birthday Week - Eek!
This week could have been pretty disastrous as far as my Weight Watchers diet is concerned - a toddler birthday party with very tempting finger food, cakes, and of course, more than a little stress; a big (nay, huge!) friends and family party with yet more cake, a huge vat of chilli and alcohol; the obligatory family meal at the local pub, plus the amazing news that I got a new job. All adds up to weight gain, rather than loss, on the face of it, doesn't it?
Well, I was very good on Saturday, making sure there were lots of fruit options in terms of snacks. I allowed myself a slice of chocolate cake at the kids party, and tracked it using my points calculator - 6 points! For the grown-up party I made a chilli using lean beef mince, lots of veg and chopped tomatoes, plus a vegetarian option made with beans and veg. I gave myself just a small portion of rice, some nachos and low-fat soured cream, and a mixture of both the meat and veg chilli, resulting in a filling, hearty meal.
Alcohol can be a problem for me at parties, as I tend to wander around with a huge wine (beer?) glass and keep topping up. Instead of this usually sad state of affairs, I opted for a bottle of Bulmers (again, 6 points) which lasted forever, some sugar-free fizzy pop and then a late small glass of rioja. Yum! This did mean that I was a bit of a grumpy arse by the end of the night, as everyone else was much more drunk than I was, and I was rather too aware of the noise we were making. All in all though, not bad.
A family meal with Flo and Scott on my birthday (the Sunday) was pretty successful - gammon, jacket potato and peas with a fried egg and slice of pineapple. I'd saved my points through the week, so still managed to stay within my limits. Fantastic!
Finding out I had a new job was a bit brilliant, but also made me want to celebrate/commiserate imminently leaving M&S. Thorntons Moments were a good option - one point each, easy to control myself.
Even with my self-control, I still had a slice of birthday cake for breakfast this morning, then a "slightly-too-large-to-be-diet-worthy" bowl of vege chilli for lunch. Weigh in this evening at Marchwood was scary. Usually in the first week you're expected to lose 4-6lb. I would be lucky not to PUT ON! So I was very relieved to find I'd lost 2lb, meaning I'm now down to 30points per week, and aiming for a better weight loss next week. I'm not entirely thrilled, but certainly not disappointed.
Onwards and upwards (or downwards, whichever way you look at it!).
Well, I was very good on Saturday, making sure there were lots of fruit options in terms of snacks. I allowed myself a slice of chocolate cake at the kids party, and tracked it using my points calculator - 6 points! For the grown-up party I made a chilli using lean beef mince, lots of veg and chopped tomatoes, plus a vegetarian option made with beans and veg. I gave myself just a small portion of rice, some nachos and low-fat soured cream, and a mixture of both the meat and veg chilli, resulting in a filling, hearty meal.
Alcohol can be a problem for me at parties, as I tend to wander around with a huge wine (beer?) glass and keep topping up. Instead of this usually sad state of affairs, I opted for a bottle of Bulmers (again, 6 points) which lasted forever, some sugar-free fizzy pop and then a late small glass of rioja. Yum! This did mean that I was a bit of a grumpy arse by the end of the night, as everyone else was much more drunk than I was, and I was rather too aware of the noise we were making. All in all though, not bad.
A family meal with Flo and Scott on my birthday (the Sunday) was pretty successful - gammon, jacket potato and peas with a fried egg and slice of pineapple. I'd saved my points through the week, so still managed to stay within my limits. Fantastic!
Finding out I had a new job was a bit brilliant, but also made me want to celebrate/commiserate imminently leaving M&S. Thorntons Moments were a good option - one point each, easy to control myself.
Even with my self-control, I still had a slice of birthday cake for breakfast this morning, then a "slightly-too-large-to-be-diet-worthy" bowl of vege chilli for lunch. Weigh in this evening at Marchwood was scary. Usually in the first week you're expected to lose 4-6lb. I would be lucky not to PUT ON! So I was very relieved to find I'd lost 2lb, meaning I'm now down to 30points per week, and aiming for a better weight loss next week. I'm not entirely thrilled, but certainly not disappointed.
Onwards and upwards (or downwards, whichever way you look at it!).
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