Another Award

Tonight i got my 2 1/2 stone award with a loss of 2lbs this week. That means i'm quarter of a way to my final target and i'm so pleased with myself. I know that this will take some time to loose the rest and i can deal with that as i know what i what to achieve at the end of this and how good it will feel when i get there.

I'm still going to the gym and i've moved it up to three times a week and i'm still enjoying it. My workout is now as follows

Bike 20 minutes

Rower 10 minutes

Chess press 30lbs two sets of 12

Seated Row 30lbs two sets of 12

Squats two sets of 12

Treadmill 10 minutes

Scifit 10 minutes

I feel like something is missing but i don't know what. I'll find out tomorrow as i have my review and see if anything will change. In the time i've been going to the gym i've only lost 7lbs which isn't bad but i hoped that i would have lost more but there is always the hope that it will happen soon (fingers crossed).

Apart from the gym i'm walking everywhere so that give me plenty of bodymagic and i'm finding that if i have my mp3 player on then i'm walking faster and while its as cold as it is outside that is a good thing. I can end up doing lots of miles a week so i can't complain and i find that the more i do the easier it is.

Anyway this week is a weird week and i'm going out on friday night and i plan to have a lot to drink but i will be at the gym in the morning and then again on the monday and i'll be eating lots of syn free food so hopefully i'll be able to lessen any damage that i'll do. this is a night out that i really need.

Time for me to call it a night as i'm off to the cinema with my bff in the morning. Take care and happy slimming

Maintained Again

So this week i maintained again which was a little disappointing but to be honest it was understandable with the amount of body magic that i've been doing. I'm so pleased with what i've been doing and i'm just waiting for it to show up on the scales. As times goes on it will all get easier so that it becomes second nature.

The body magic i've done this week is pretty good (as far as i'm concerned) so here is what i've done.

Tuesday - 40 minute gym session and walked about 6 miles

Wednesday - small workout

Thursday - walked about 2 1/2 miles

Friday - 55 minute gym session and walked over 6 miles

That's not bad is it?

I'll be back at the gym on monday and i'm looking forward to it at the moment but if today catches up with me tomorrow so that i feel what i've done today then i may change my mind. I go with my BFF which makes it so much easier and helps to motivate each other. We do jokingly call it the torture chamber which can be very fitting.

One thing that is helping is the fact that the other day i brought myself a brand new pair of trainers which tone as i walk which is great. I've only worn them twice now so they will take some getting used to.

Anyway that's enough for now but i'll try and come back soon. Take care and happy slimming

Body Magic This Week

Right so far this week i think i've done a good amount of body magic, here's what i've done

Tuesday - Walked to group

Wednesday - Walked to the Gym and back again and 35 minute gym session

Friday - Walked 6miles in total

Monday - 30minute workout to dvd

I don't think that's too bad as i'm starting out.

With the dvd i followed the advice and just did the warm up, stage one and the cool down. As i do it more i'll get to stage 2 and then 3 plus the toning exercises but i thought for a first time it was best to stick with the basics.

This week i will get to the gym a couple of times even if i have to go on my own.

Tomorrow is weigh day and i'm so hoping that i've lost a good amount as i haven't done anything naughty. But i suppose that i'll just have to wait and see.

Take care and happy slimming

Gym Session 1 Done and Dusted

Well i had my first session at the Gym today and it went well. I didn't find it as bad as i thought it would be so it won't be too bad to go back really soon. The workout that has been set for me includes cardio and toning which is good for the full body workout. The next time i go in i have to do the same as today and it works out to be about 35minutes. This doesn't seem like long but week by week i'll increase the length of time i do so that by at least christmas i'll be doing over an hour each time.

Due to a shortage of money i may not make it to the gym again until next week and i will go at least twice then and i will be happy to do it.

Take care and happy slimming

Maintained

So it's that day of the week and at group tonight i made alot of people laugh. I can here you asking how and i'll tell you. I got there early tonight and was one of the first few people to get weighed and when i stepped on the scales it showed that i had gained 1/2lb and i was so shocked as i thought i'd had a good week. I then thought that i don't normally wear a bra when i get weighed and i was wearing my new padded bra so i took it off and weighed again and this time it showed that i had stayed the same which is so much better. So i now know that my bra weighs 1/2lb which is mad. Lots of comments were mad about my being the size of a hammock and being made of steel or even it being Boudicca's bra. Now to be honest it is a big bra as it's a 40DD and that is smaller than i was. I always feel good when i come home from group no matter what the scales have said. We have a great leader in Linda as she makes us all feel so welcome so that means that the members are great too. This all makes it so much easier to stay and feel comfortable talking about things that are going on. I believe that staying to image therapy is very important to help with your motivation.

Well tomorrow is my first session at the gym and i think that it will be interesting to see how i get on as i think i'm going to have to eat more to help with the losses. I'll post tomorrow when i get back from the gym as i'll be walking there and back which is a good distance so i'll have so exercise before i get there and on the way back too. I'll be there for at least an hour maybe more and i plan to be going to the gym twice a week with my bff and in between visits i'll do a workout at home so i'll be working out 3 times a week. This will take some getting used to after doing so little for years but i'm up for it as a change for the better is always good.

I've wittered on long enough so take care and happy slimming

The Gym is Calling

It seems such a strange thing to say but it's so true the Gym really is calling my name. I've been meaning to go for a while but it's better late than never. As i'm able to walk further than i have been able to now it seems like the right time. I'm booked in to go for my first session on wednesday at 12. When i'm there Sarah who i saw yesterday will have a routine for me to do and she'll go through it with me so i'll know what i'll be doing. In a way i'm looking forward to it as it will really help with the weight loss and anything to help that will be good. At the moment i'm planning on going at least twice a week for a minimum of an hour as it's a twenty minute walk to the gym. I will be posting how i get on with my sessions.

In between my sessions i plan on working out at home as i brought a exercise dvd the other day. This is Rebecca Wheatley the new me workout, she lost 12 stone with slimming world so this is well worth a try and i got it for only a pound so it's not as if i spent alot of money on it if it isn't for me.

Twice this week i've walked 5miles witch is the best i've done for a few of weeks so hopefully it will really help on the scales but we'll see on tuesday.

It's lunch time and i think it's time to eat but i've no idea what to have, i think maybe sausages and chickpea dahl.

Take care and happy slimming

2 stone down

So another weigh day and another loss. Today i got a loss of 1lb so i now have lost a total of 2 stone dead on. I'm so pleased with this as it's going in the right direction. It may have taken me 15 weeks to get here but i don't mind as its coming off and that's what i want.

Last week i manged two 6 mile walks, one on monday and one on friday with my bff. I want to be able to do the same again this week but you never know whats going to happen to get in the way of good intentions. But for the moment i still have them so i can't see anything getting in the way.

I'm hoping to bake a couple of slimming world cakes as i really fancy having cake and this will be a low syn way of having some. I'll let you know how they turn out when i've done them.

It's getting late and i'm hungry so take and happy slimming

1st Target Reached

Yesterday was weigh day and i wasn't too sure about what i'd see when i stepped on the scales but i was very happy to see that i had lost 3lbs which meant that i had got my Club 10. Next week i need at least a pound and i'll have my two stone award. I was so pleased i did a little dance lol. The group was good fun last night as we laughed alot.

I did manage to walk 6 miles on monday and i want to that again a couple times before next weigh day. I also tried to buy a cheap skipping rope but they are only sold in the summer. I mentioned this at group last night and it was suggested that i buy a cheap washing line and use that, so the next time i see one i'll buy it.

Can't write much as my connection is being a pain.

So take care and happy slimming

Bad Week

This week was not good as when i weighed in on tuesday i had gained 11/2lbs and i was so gutted. To be honest i didn't have a good week food wise as i eat some stupid things. The fact that i've not been feeling very well and i'm still not well. I've had a headache all day today and even thou i've taken pain killers its still there.

I need to do more exercise and i'm hoping i can over the weekend and it all depends on how i feel. Fingers crossed that it will be good.

It's late and i think i should go and curl up in bed with my book.

Take care and happy slimming

Long Week

It's friday so today i spent time with my BFF as we try and do every week. Today i dug out my smaller size clothes and was so happy when i found that some of them actually fit. Some of these i haven't worn for at least 10 years (i don't throw things out until their dead) and some of these i have loved and missed and i'm so pleased to be able to wear now or to soon get into.

I'm a Goth at heart and haven't fitted into my goth stuff for years and it's going to great to wear them again.

Tuesday this week was a long day for several reasons. I spent most of the day with two wonderful friends and we had some good laughs.

I had to go to the Doctors for my results but they were inconclusive so i need another blood test and a scan to see whats going on so that's not sorted yet. I'm still not feeling too good but it's not anything i can't deal with. I just want to know what's wrong so it can be dealt with, hopefully not much longer.

This week i lost 2 1/2lbs which means i'm 1 1/2lbs away from my Club 10 (that's a loss of 10% of my weight) and 2 1/2lbs from my 2st award. It will be great to get those two awards in the same week.

When i've lost weight in the past i've never felt quite like this. I'm motivated and so looking forward in this journey and i can see the finish line and what it will be like. I think that as i've been ill since the end of last year is helping to keep me focused as no longer being overweight can only improve my health and that's what i want so much.

My dinner is nearly ready so i better go.

Take care and happy slimming

Late Weigh In

This week i weighed in on thursday as i've not been feeling good for the last couple of weeks and its been two weeks since i last weighed in. As i've not been feeling good i've been eating things i shouldn't so i stepped on the scales i had geared myself up to have a slight gain but i had a shock as i lost. Yes i lost 5 1/2lbs which i think is great with the way i've been. This loss gave me my 1 1/2 st award and also slimmer of the week. It gave me a great boost after the couple of weeks that i've had.

On wednesday i had to have a blood test and as i'm skint at the moment i walked there and i ended up walking a total of 6 miles which is really good for me and even thou my legs did hurt afterwards i felt that it was worth it. I'm planning on doing it a couple of times a week if i can as it will help with the weight loss.

As i've already said my health isn't too good at the moment and i'm seeing the GP on tuesday for the results of my blood test as i got a phone call yesterday that the doctor wants to discuss my results. After i got off the phone i called my bff and asked her if she could come with me and she said that she would so that makes me feel better.

I'm still stressed about all sorts of things which i have lost control over and at the moment my weight is the only thing i can control so thats what i'm doing. According to the doctors i was 20st 11lbs in may so i've lost nearly 3st in about 4 months. I'm really pleased with the loss and i can't wait till i have to get new clothes as what i have is way too big for me. The good thing is that i have clothes in my wardrobe that have been too small for me and it will be so good to get in to them.

Anyway i'm not going to bitch and moan about things today as i think that i'll leave that until later.

On facebook at the start of the month someone posted that it was 17weeks until christmas and how about a challenge to lose 17lbs before then. I thought why not join in and so far i've lost 6 1/2lbs in 3 weeks and there's still 14 weeks to go. As far as i can see there shouldn't be any problem in doing this and next year hopefully (no i will be) i'll be a new me.

This afternoon i think i'm off for a walk and i'll see if i can get anyone to join me.

Take care and happy slimming

Changing Tastes

Over this week i have noticed that my tastes have changed with certain things which isn't unusual. I've been at my BFF's for the last couple of days which has been great. For years i've always had semi skimmed milk and thought that skimmed milk was just watery but yesterday i tried some and it was really nice so i'll be getting some in from now on.

I also don't think my body can take cake any more (well with real cream and sugar in) as after having some the other day i was ill. As i have found lots of recipes for low syn cakes i can still eat it when i fancy it. This is not a bad thing and i'm glad that i found out now rather than later. It has also made me wonder what will happen when i have any alcohol as i haven't had any since i've been on this journey so that will be interesting, not sure that i'm looking forward to that one lol.

This weekend i have been corrupted by my BFF. She loves to cross stitch and has now got me at it and i'm all ready about half way through a bookmark she gave me to do. I also have a couple of things to do after i've done this so my life will slightly different but good. When i move on to the bigger projects i'll post them here.

Right i'm off as my foot is going numb and i need to move. Take care and happy slimming

A Break From the Norm

So today this post is taking a break from all slimming related topics. Instead i'd like to talk about a new book that is due to be released here in the UK on 1st September (23rd Aug in the US and Canada) by the wonderfully talented author Rachel Vincent. Rachel has written some truly amazing books like the Shifters series and the Soul Screamers Series. I've read everything that is available so far and i'm really looking forward to this new book.

This new book i'm talking about is BLOOD BOUND and is the first book in a trilogy. Here i have posted the book covers US and UK (I prefer the UK one) a video teaser and the official blurb (all of which i got from Rachel's blog, which i constantly stalk lol)

UK Cover

The official blurb:

By blood, by word, by magic…

Most can’t touch the power. But Liv Warren is special— a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.

Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.

But when her friend’s daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can’t rest until the child is home safe. But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.

Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Liv is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner…every touch…every kiss.

And more blood will be spilled before it’s over…

I so can not wait to get this as i've been waiting for ages for it. I want it now and i'm so impatient lol. Below is the cover of the Book that is currently for sale in the US and Canada. Above is the UK version which i prefer so i don't mind waiting a little longer for it. So roll on the 1st. If you want to buy the book you can get it at Amazon and its a fab price.

Weigh Day 8

So it's that day again. This week i lost 1/2lb again, i'm not happy but at least it was a loss. I'm trying to workout what to do to loose more next week. I want to get my club 10 next month so i'm going to have to do more body magic to help the weight come off.

I'm not in much of a mood to write much tonight but i'll post more soon

Take care and happy slimming

Feeling bleugh

Having one of those days today where i really don't want to do anything and can't be bothered to cook. I haven't blown it by eating things i shouldn't so i am proud of myself. Out of a maximum of 15 syns that i can have a day i've had a max of 2 so far.

Tonight i just really didn't want to cook so thankfully i had a jacket potato and some chilli in the freezer so that's what i had and it was lovely.

In over a week i have friend moving in with me and he's taken it himself to paint. So far his bedroom and most of the hall stairs and landing has been done. The hall floor is covered in paint so its a good thing that its being re-done with new floor tiles. It's amazing how much brighter it looks and how much cleaner. It feels so much more like its my home rather than just living here. Getting the house together is more work than i thought it would be but in the long run its totally worth it. I do want to do my bedroom, kitchen and bathroom but i wait until next year for those to happen.

I think that losing the weight is giving me a new outlook on other things in my life. So in 2012 i will be a new me and i'll have a new look home. I'll be healthier and fitter and i may even meet Mr Right which would be nice. I'm looking forward now and not back so onwards and upwards.

As it's monday it means that tomorrow is weigh day and i'm not sure how i feel about it this week. I can't see why i won't have lost as i haven't done anything different from the weeks that i've had a good loss. I have also had some good body magic on a couple of days so hopefully that will so. I'll report back tomorrow.

Take care and happy slimming

Weigh Day 7

It's tuesday so that means its weigh day. I felt that i'd had a good week as i stuck to it and i even ended up doing more walking than i had been and also extra house work. So stepping on the scales i was expecting another good loss. Now don't get me wrong i did lose this week but only 1/2lb. So at least it was off not on. I just hope that i'll have another good loss next week. I'm not planning on doing anything different from what i have been doing since i started so i don't see why it shouldn't be.

Today i went for a picnic with my lovely son and BFF and her 3 kids. As it looked like it was going to rain we ended up going to the park instead of the beach which was our original plan. We still had a nice time and i didn't eat any of the crisps, sausage rolls, cocktail sausages or drink the full fat fanta that we had got for the kids to enjoy. The kids seemed to have a good time and we sat on the grass and chatted while keeping an eye on the kids as they played.

While we were there i said my lovely niece who i haven't seen in ages and she noticed that i had lost weight which was really nice and next time i see her i'll have lost even more.

It was a nice day but was a pity it wasn't sunny enough until we were on our way to group.

I have a busy couple of days of painting and laying new flooring (as long as i can pay for it lol) so hopefully that will give me body magic.

That's all for tonight. Take care and happy slimming

Beetroot Risotto with Rocket

I'm posting this recipe tonight as a lady called lisa on facebook asked for it after i said that i was having it for my dinner.

Serves 4----------------------Free

Fry light

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 celery sticks, peeled and finely chopped

13oz (369g) dried risotto rice

2pt (1.1l) hot vegetable stock

250g pack cooked vacuum-packed beetroot, cubed (reserving the liquid)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

A very small handful of fresh dill, finely chopped

4oz (113g) wild rocket leaves

Parmesan cheese, grated (optional, 1 1/2syns per tbsp)

1) Heat a deep frying pan sprayed with fry light. Cook the celery and onion, covered for 10 minutes until softened. Add the rice and cook for a minute

2) pour the stock into a saucepan and keep hot over a low heat. gradually add the stock to the rice pan, stirring frequently, adding more stock as the stock becomes absorbed. This will take about 20 minutes.

3) Add the beetroot and juice to the rice after about 15minutes of cooking and stir well. To see of the risotto is cooked, check the stock has been used up and the rice is tender , but al dente. Season to taste.

4) Divide the risotto between large shallow bowls and sprinkle with dill. Add a handful of rocket and cheese (if using)

This is a slimming world recipe (i think it was a magazine that i got it out of). I hope that you enjoy it coz i did.

Take care and happy slimming

Sweet Craving

Tonight i've had a massive craving for something sweet but not chocolate. I had some quark in the fridge and mixed it with two tubs of muller light and some sweetener. It was sweet and creamy and so nice. I ate some with a chocolate snack-a-jack but the craving is still there. I did some searching on google and found that this could be turned into ice cream so its now in the freezer and in an hour i have to take it out and mix it. This should become a creamy ice cream and syn free.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Take care and happy slimming

Sausage and Potato Salad

Now i have to admit that i'm not really a salad person as i don't like lettuce. But then i was introduced to rocket and i've not started to eat salads.

With alot of vegetables in the fridge i thought i'd have one for lunch today as put of my new healthy lifestyle. So here is my salad

Sausage and Potato Salad

Serves 4-------------------2 1/2 syns per serving

Charlotte potatoes, sliced and as many as you like

2 sticks of celery

1/4 cucumber, diced

1/2 pack radishes

1/2 tin sweetcorn

1 pack rocket, spinach and watercress salad

3 spring onions

mushrooms, sliced and as many as you like

10 cherry tomatoes, quartered

8 cumberland sausages, sliced (i used tesco low fat ones)

8tbsp fat free fromage frais

1tbsp extra light mayo

1tbsp wholegrain mustard

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Cook the potatoes and sausages and then allow to cool

2) Chop up everything and toss in a bowl

3) Add the rocket salad and potatoes in the bowl ans toss

4) Divide the sausages between serving plates and add the salad to the top

5) Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve

Remember that the dressing is where the syns are (apart from the sausages) so use as much or as little as you want.

After eating this i'm really full and i have lots left so i'll be eating it for ages. You don't have to use the dressing that i did. After i go shopping on tuesday i'll have some syn free salad dressings to use and i can't wait.

Now i'm just wondering what to have for my dinner tonight.

Will be back soon so take care and happy slimming

Lamb Bolognese

Tonight for my dinner i had Lamb Bolognese. I got this from my bff and her weight watchers recipe book. The first time i had this was a few weeks ago when i stayed at her house. It's nice and spicy and very filling.

Serves 2-----------------1 1/2 syns per serving

fry light

1 onion, chopped

185g (6 1/2oz) lean lamb mince

2 large garlic cloves, chopped finely

1 tsp dried thyme

200ml (7fl oz) passata

100ml (3 1/2fl oz) vegetable stock

25g (1oz) dried apricots, chopped into small pieces

75g (2 3/4oz) canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

a few splashes of Tabasco (optional)

a few fresh coriander leaves

salt and freshly ground pepper

1) Heat a lidded non stick saucepan, spray with fry light and cook the onion for 5 minutes, covered stirring regularly until softened. Add the lamb and cook stirring regularly to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes until browned all over.

2) Stir in the garlic and thyme, then add the passata, stock, apricots and cannellini beans. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes. Add a splash of Tabasco, if using then partially cover the pan and cook for a further 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced and is thickened. Season to taste.

3) Serve with a jacket potato or mash potato

This is really worth trying and i hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

I need to have a reasonable night tonight as i have to be up early in the morning to go and help out at my consultants thursday groups.

Take care and happy slimming

Weigh in 6

It's tuesday so that means only one thing, it's weigh day. Being so close to having lost a stone and knowing how much more i have to go is keeping me motivated. Also helping my consultant Linda out when shes short handed is also good for motivation. Today's weight loss was a fab 3lbs which means that i got my 1 stone award and also slimmer of the week. I feel so good about this as i'm so focused.

I did help out tonight which felt good but i'm still learning the ropes so that i can help out when i'm needed.

This afternoon i thought that it was about time that i took my measurements and i'm now a size 22/24 and although what i'm wearing is baggy on me it's not too bad. I have quite a bit of size 18's hanging around from years ago which i can't wait to get into. As i don't have alot of money at the moment i don't want to buy any new clothes until i really have to. As my bff is losing as well and is smaller than me she's going to pass on her clothes as they get too big for her and i slim in to them so that we can save money. I know that i'm an hourglass and i've seen so many outfits that i really want to wear when i get to target. One of the big this i want is a pair of leather trousers as it's something that i have always wanted. I'd wear them with a corset and i know that i'll get it as i'm determined to. I really want to wear a bikini for the first time ever and be able to wear mini skirts and short shorts. In a way it seems shallow to want little things like this but to be honest it will do me the world of good and i'm really looking forward to it.

Anyway that's enough for tonight.

Take care and happy slimming

Diet Coke Chicken

Now this recipe sounds really weird but the smell when it was cooking was lovely and buy the time it was ready it was looking just as good. I served it mash potato, broccoli and cauliflower but you could have it with anything really. This turned out to be a very yummy meal and best of all it was syn free which is always good. I will be having this again and think it will become a family favourite. I have heard that some people have done this with fanta instead and that does sound just as interesting.

Diet Coke Chicken

Serves 4--------------------Free

4oog sliced chicken breast

1 onion, diced

330ml can diet coke

6tbsps passata

Dash of worcestershire sauce

fry light

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Heat a large frying pan and spray with fry light

2) Add the onion and chicken and fry until starts to colour

3) Add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil

4) Simmer until the sauce thickens and reduces down to about half its volume about 30minutes

This is a really easy recipe to do and so worth it. It tastes like barbecue sauce and so good and you have to give it a go

Tomorrow is weigh day and i'm looking forward to finding out what i've lost this week (as long as its more that 1 1/2lbs), yes i did say looking forward. I feel that i'm still doing well so it can only be good news tomorrow.

I'm borrowing my bff's yoga dvd to give it a try before i go and buy my own. I keep hearing how good it is for weightloss and i can't see what i have to loss by giving it a go. If i get used to doing it now as i get smaller and even when i get to target i'll be used to doing it. I'll let you know how i get on.

Take care and happy slimming

More blogs to follow

Well i have more blogs for you to follow. Now i have to admit that i've only just come across these with thanks to Diet Momma on facebook but i will be paying them regular visits. With out further ado here they are

Flab 2 Fab

Losing....with Slimming world

BeeBee's Recipes

Fat Bottomed Girl

Laura's Slimming World journey

My slimming world journey

I hope that you take a look them and that they help to motivate you.

Take care and happy slimming

Body Magic

One thing that i'm learning during this journey is that Body Magic is important. What is it i hear you ask, well it's exercise. A while ago i got a kinnect for my xbox 360 and have been meaning to try it out. The other day i gave it a go with the dance central game and even thou it's a good game i'm just not fit enough for it at the moment. Hopefully when i've lost a bit more and have tried something else first like maybe yoga i'll be able to play it better and then i'll use a few times a week.

At the moment i'm working towards my silver body magic as i got my bronze a couple of weeks ago. I want to be fit as well as slimmer so i need to do this. At least three days a week i'm walking at least 4 miles a day and i'm hoping that i can make it more. Will post here as i get fitter

Take care and happy slimming

Salad Day

Tonight i decided that i would try one of the salads from this fortnights menu. Its Chilli, Crab and Mango Salad which i got out of an old weight watchers recipe book. Its really nice but i think i will end up playing around with it as when i made it it was a bit wet.

Chilli, Crab and Mango Salad

Serves 4 ---------------- 4 1/2syns per serving

240g (8 1/2oz) fresh crab meat or 2 x 120g cans white crab meat, drained

1 medium cucumber

8 small pink radishes, halved and sliced thinly

2 medium ripe mangos or papayas, peeled and sliced

2 tsp sweetner

1 1/2tsp fish (nam pla) or soy sauce

1 tsp crushed dried chilli

juice of 2 limes

1 small red chilli, deseeded and chopped

50g (1 3/4oz) roasted peanuts, chopped

a small bunch of chives or coriander, chopped to garnish

salt

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and toss together gently. Pile onto serving plates and top with the chives and serve

This summer salad is well worth a try. I think that i will have some more and try it with some rocket.

Take care and happy slimming

Follow This Blog

I have a blog for you follow if you like mine you'll like this one. It belongs to my bff who is gorgeous and wonderful and my biggest support and she's like a sister to me so we are family. She started at weight watchers a week before i joined slimming world and is one of the reasons i finally took the first step of this journey. Tonight she has take the plunge and started her own weight loss blog called My Weight Watchers journey. So head on over there and see how well shes doing.

Although we are working from different plans we are still supporting each other and its great to be going through it with someone else as i don't feel on my own. One of the worst things is if you don't get any support from friends and family as it makes the journey more difficult. You need to start this journey for your self and not worry what others around you think as you can do it in your own time. I know that this time i'll do, well we both will as we'll support each other and pass recipes to each other and i've already nicked a few.

Anyway do head on over to her blog and say hi. That's it for tonight.

Take care and happy slimming

Weigh Day

So it's that time of week again and it's getting easier each week to go and get weighed as i'm being so consistent. This week i would really have liked to have lost 4lbs to get my 1 stone award but i knew that would be asking too much. I wasn't disappointed with this weeks loss of 2 1/2lbs which is a total of 12 1/2lbs in 5 weeks. While i was there i paid for a countdown which was £24.75 for 6 weeks so i now don't have to worry about paying again until the second week in september and saves me £5 which can't be bad. Also i brought a new recipe book called family feasts for a fiver and there are loads of recipes i can't wait to try but will have to wait a fortnight as i've done my shopping now.

I'm not feeling to good so this is going to be a short one.

Take care and happy slimming

Facebook Slimming Help

As i spend alot of time on facebook (come on who doesn't) i've joined a few different pages like Slimming World which is full of very supportive people at different stages of their slimming journey. Someone i'm following is Diet Momma and her page is great as it has all sorts of useful things and shes friendly too which is great and i may send you over there every now and then. Another person i follow that's also doing the slimming world plan is Diet Geezer who it turns out i went to school with. They are useful for tips and full of friendly people so they are well worth a look.

Anyway its sunday night and i can't eat anything now until about 10am tomorrow as i have to have a fasting blood test first thing in the morning so until then its nothing but water and i'm drinking loads at the moment. When i get the results i'll post here as i think it will be what i'm thinking and i don't really want to explain it until i really have to.

This week is pay week so i have made my fortnights menu plan and the shopping list to make it all. All the recipes i'll use i have got from magazines, online and the odd recipe book i have lying around but with those i have adapted for the plan. So here is my menu for the fortnight starting from wednesday

Diet Coke Chicken

Sausage and Mash

Lamb Bolognese

Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta

Balti Mushrooms in a Creamy Garlic Sauce

Scandinavian style Meatballs

Chilli Crab and Mango Salad

Stuffed Courgettes

Beetroot Risotto

Homity Pie

Coronation Chicken and Pasta Salad

Mushroom and Sweet Onion Pasta

Deluxe Macaroni Cheese

Spaghetti Bolognese

Now just because they are in that order doesn't mean that i'm going to have them that way because once i have the ingredients i can eat them anytime i like. I can honestly say that i'm looking forward to everything on this list. I will also be having a go at syn free ice-cream and nearly syn free cake and once i try them i'll post the recipes here. It will be nice to be able know i can still enjoy yummy puddings but without all the syns.

I did do some cooking this weekend but nothing really exciting. I'll be having my main meal at lunch time tomorrow and it is already cooking in my slow cooker. It's a vegetable stew and my bff will be having some with me and if we both enjoy it i'll post here tomorrow night. But there is one recipe that i can share with you tonight. I like Deviled Eggs but i've never really known how to do them, it's not that i thought they were hard to do i just never really thought about it. When i came across a syn free recipe for them i just knew that i had to give them a go. I did play about with the one i found so this is my version which is very yummy if i do say so myself

Deviled Eggs

Makes 24

12 hard boiled eggs

3 tbsps fat free natural yogurt

1 tsp mild curry powder

salt and pepper

1 tomato, sliced

2 spring onions, sliced finely

1 red chilli, sliced finely

coriander, chopped (optional)

1) Peel and halve the 12 boiled eggs, scoop out the yolks and place in a bowl.

2) Mash the yolk with a fork and mix in the curry powder, spring onions, chilli, tomato and natural yogurt. Season and spoon the mixture back into the eggs.

3) Sprinkle with the coriander (if using) to garnish.

I've already had a couple and put the rest in the fridge for syn free snacks over the next few days. It was really nice and there was a little left so i decided to have it in a sandwich with a slice of gammon and it was so worth trying that i think i'll being doing that again really soon.

That's all for tonight as i'm getting hungry with the smell of my lunch for tomorrow cooking and i can't have anything.

So take care and happy slimming

Another yummy dinner

Tonight i had another very yummy dinner it was Rich Hungarian Beef Goulash. This was the first time that i had ever had it and i really enjoyed it and it was the first time i'd ever tried it. I got this from my BFF's weight watchers cook book.

Serves 2

2 syns per serving

Fry light

300g (10 1/2oz) lean braising steak, cut into chunks

2 tsps paprika

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced

1 red pepper, de-seeded and chopped

400g can chopped tomatoes

150ml (5fl oz) beef stock

1 tbsp cornflour

salt and freshly ground black pepper

20g (3/4oz) low fat creme fraiche to serve

chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

1) Heat a large non-stick saucepan and spray with fry light. Add the beef a handful at a time, and cook for about 2-3 minutes over a high heat until sealed and browned

2) Add the paprika, onion and garlic and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes then add the carrot, pepper, tomatoes and stock. Cover and cook over a very low heat for 1 1/2hours or until the meat is very tender. Check the liquid occasionally, adding a little water if needed.

3) Blend the cornflour with 2 tbsp of cold water then add to the goulash and stir until thickened. Season to taste.

4) Serve the goulash with two teaspoons of creme fraiche per portion, garnished with the chopped parsley

I had mash potato with mine and i really enjoyed. With the mash i spooned fromage frais into it and it was creamy. The last time i did mash i used mayonnaise which was syns so this time it was syn free.

I hope you enjoy this as much as i did

Take care and happy slimming

Sausage and Pear Hot Pot

Last night for my dinner i had Sausage and Pear hot pot which was very yummy and one thing that i will be cooking regularly. So do you want to try it? I got this recipe from my bff and her weight watchers cook book.

Serves 2

4 syns per serving

Fry light

4 reduced fat Cumberland sausages, each sliced into 4

1 large onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

225g (8oz) butternut squash

1 tbsp plain flour

400ml (14fl oz) vegetable stock

1 pear, cored and cut into bite size pieces

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Heat a large non-stick saucepan over a medium heat and then spray with fry light. Add the sausages and cook for 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned. Remove from the pan, cover and set aside

2) Add the onion to the pan, spray with fry light and cook for 6 minutes, covered until softened. add the garlic, thyme, fennel seeds, squash and carrots. Cook stirring for another minute

3) Add the flour and cook stirring continuously for a further minute. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil then reduce the heat. Add the pear and sausages and simmer over a low heat stirring occasionally for 20 minutes until the stock has reduced and the squash is tender. Season and stir in the mustard.

4) Serve

This is very filling but i added new potatoes to it (put them in at the same time as the pear and sausage)

I hope you enjoy it as much as we both did.

Take care and happy slimming

Weekly Weigh in

So as today is tuesday it was time to go to group and see how much if anything i had lost this week. It was really busy there tonight and lots of new members joining. I went with the aim to get just the minimum of 1/2lb to get my 1/2 stone award but when when i stepped on the scales i had 3 1/2lbs which so far is the most that i've lost in one week. That means in 4 weeks i've lost 10lbs which is 4lbs of my first stone and 17lbs from my club 10 (10% of my start weight). Tonight i got slimmer of the week which is the 3rd week in a row and i also got slimmer of the month i was a little embarrassed but at the same time it made me feel really good. I will see if i can get it again next week but one of the other ladies there said that shes after it next week so we'll see how it goes.

I'm still not sure how i managed to do so well this week but i'm just going to carry on. I'm cooking everything from scratch and hardly using and syns which can't be a bad thing really and i'm places instead of getting the bus or a taxi. I have an xbox kinnect and i really must start playing it as i have a dance game which should be good, i'll post how i get on with it as soon as i've played it a couple of times.

Before i went to group tonight i thought that i'd cook my dinner as i don't get back till 9. On the menu slimming world syn free chilli which was yummy even if a little spicey and very filling. I got it of the website but here it is anyway

Chilli Con Carne

Serves 4

Fry light, for spraying

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 fresh chillies, deseeded and chopped

2 tsps ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp paprika

A pinch of cayenne pepper

1 x 397g (14oz) can chopped tomatoes

284ml (1/2pt) stock

salt and ground black pepper

454g (1lb) extra lean beef mince

1 x 198g (7oz) red kidney beans

1 level tbsp tomato puree

chopped fresh coriander leaves

1) Spray a large saucepan with fry light and fry the onion gently over a low heat for 6-8 minutes, until softened and golden

2) Add the garlic, chillies and all the spices and continue frying for 2-3 minutes. Add the mince stirring until it begins to brown.

3) Add the canned tomatoes, tomato puree and stock. Stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20minutes, until the liquid is slightly reduced.

4) Season with salt and pepper and add the drained kidney beans. Heat through gently for about 5 minutes.

5) Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped coriander leaves, with some plain boiled rice or jacket potato.

Tip:- A dollop of fat free natural yogurt (I used fat free fromage frais) on the top is extremely tasty and if you've gone overboard on the chilli it's a great way to cool it down

Hope you enjoy it as much as i did and i have lots left so i'll be freezing a portion or two.

That's enough for tonight so take care and happy slimming

Yummy Roast Chicken Dinner

Tonight i had a roast chicken and it very yummy but the main thing was that it was syn free which is really good. I did have roast potatoes and roast parsnips. How i hear you asking, well i cooked them in fry light so it was really dry roasting which is how i have always done my chicken. But today i sprayed some fry light over the chicken and as i type this i'm cooking chicken stock from the carcass which i'll use for a couple of my dinners this week instead of using stock cubes. I've never done this before but i've seen my bff do it when i've stayed at hers so i thought that i'd give it a go as it doesn't cost anything to do.

Now i don't normally do a roast that often but when i was doing my menu for this fortnight i had just been staying at my bff's for the weekend and they always have one on a sunday so i thought why not. There was a lot of chicken left over but i have plans for it during the week like a chicken, lemon and garlic casserole tomorrow and curry or stew on tuesday.

Cooking all my meals from scratch means that i know everything that's in them so i can count the amount of syns that is in everything that i eat. I'm the first to admit that i was a big ready meal junkie and i'd eat a couple of them a week and even polish off a whole 12inch pizza by myself. Doing that at least once a week isn't really a good idea is it but i enjoyed it so i thought why not. But my biggest weakness has to be ice cream, i just can't get a enough of the stuff and really doesn't last long as i'll eat it as soon as possible and then spend a couple of days regretting it. So i've spent some time online looking at the slimming world website and it has a syn free ice cream recipe which i can't wait to try. That wasn't the only recipe that i found on there and to be honest there was loads and i will be trying them. The casserole that i'm having tomorrow is from there. Not that that is the only place that i've got recipes from, i've got several from weight watchers recipe books which i have worked out for their syn value which is quite good. My favourite so far has to be the sausage and pear hotpot which was so yummy and only 4 syns per serving. Next time i have it i'll post the recipe.

That's enough for tonight so take care and happy slimming

Tips for success

I got to thinking about what we all do to loose weight successfully and what do we see as our down falls. As everyone is different these things differ from person to person so you may not agree with everything i put here but here is just a few anyway as i find any more i'll add them.

For success

1) Write a shopping list and stick to it

2) Write a menu for a week or fortnight

3) Measure out your daily milk

4) Always wear the same thing to get weighed in

5) Try new recipes

6) Buy the magazines

7) Stay to group

8) Have lots of free food ready to snack on

9) Don't go food shopping hungry

10) Use a cooking spray like fry light instead cooking oils

11) Count everything that you eat

12) Use level spoonfuls not heaped

13) Make the most of herbs and spices

That's enough for now. Do i do all these? The answer to that is yes i do.

Is it easy? Well at the moment i'm not finding it too bad but that could always change further down the line but i hope not as this is the start of a very long journey.

That's enough for tonight so i'll be back soon. Take care and happy slimming.

Time for a change

So after years of being large or as the doctor would put it morbidly obese i decided that it was time to change and do something about it.

About a month ago i met up with my bff and went a local slimming world group and it was good. We sat and had the newbie talk with the leader (who's great) and then it was time for the meeting and finding out how much everyone had done that week. Then it was time for the weigh in which in a way i was dreading but also knowing that this would be the last time that i would ever be this heavy so the membership and weekly fees were paid and it was time to stand on the scales and as i watched the numbers slow and finally stop it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. I was 19 stone 6 and a half pounds which isn't good but not as bad as it could have been.

The first week was a little strange as i wanted to get rid of some of the bad food that i had in the house which was a whole 12 inch cheese pizza and enigma ice creams. So i did then only thing i could i ate them, yes i know i could have put them in the bin but i had paid good money for them and i wasn't going to waste it. When it came time to go to group i met up with my bff as she had said that she would come with me each week for support. I walked into group and stepped on the scales and i had lost 3lbs. This was great as it was also my time of the month so it could have been worse and any loss is good. After group i did my food shopping for the next fortnight so it was lots of fruit and veg and nothing unhealthy.

I felt that i had a good week and was happy when it was time to go to group and see how well i had done. This time i lost 1 1/2 lbs which isn't bad and i also got slimmer of the week which came with a certificate and a magnet with a saying on it that's meant to inspire and they are now stuck to the front of my fridge.

The start of week 3 and things were going well and i haven't been hungry and not always using up my syns. This time at group i went on my own and i lost 2lbs which is now a total of 6 1/2lbs so nearly at my half a stone and i also got slimmer of the week again. Time also to do my food shop after group for the coming fortnight and armed with a list which i stuck to and i got lots of herbs, spices and stocks. When i was unpacking the shopping i noticed that it didn't all fit in the fridge which is not good but i manged to put it all away and it has never looked so healthy.

So after this amount of time i'm feeling good about how well i'm doing and can only keep it up. I have worked out what i want my PAT (personal achievement target) will be and that's 9 and a half stone which is a total loss of 9st 13 1/2lbs. I know it's a whole other person and that's scary (if only it could be turned into a clone to do the jobs i hate doing lol). I know that this will take some time and there maybe weeks that i don't lose or even weeks i gain so baring that in mind it could take at least two years or just eighteen months.

This blog will record my highs and lows along the way which i may post daily or just weekly after i've been to group on a Tuesday. There may be the odd food post where i share with you the food that i'm enjoying. It may just be a post about what i'm thinking and anything else that comes to mind.

I look forward to sharing this journey with you. Take care and happy slimming