Friday, 23 October 2009

It's been a bad couple of weeks!

Well, let's face it, it's been a bad month for dieting really, I've been out drinking beer far too often!

It kind of started when Weight Watchers CUT ME OFF!! *sob* It was a slow realisation, but I gradually noticed that the emails I were recieving were no longer giving me handy tips on how to snack healthily....they were telling me to 'Sign up now, 12 weeks until Christmas'.

It was at this point that I realised when they'd tried to take the dollarz off of my credit card there hadn't been enough on there, and when I'd swapped the detail hurredly for the next time they tried to take the monies...I was too late.

Cut off, I tell you, what is a bird supposed to do?

Since then I've been out many many too many times, and I'm acutely aware that I haven't been eating properly.

HOWEVER!!

I still fit in my 'target' trousers...not as well as I did before..but all is NOT lost. I'm not out for another drinky (unless I see the Jo Jo next week) before I go on holiday, and my sister Nicki doesn't go overboard on the drinky drinky.

The danger in Barcelona will be the inclination to stuff our faces with wonderful tapas, but I think we'll (try to) be relatively sensible...if only to dampen the impact upon our wallets.

So, my intention now is to turn it around a bit. I'm guaranteed to be more than the 11st 10lb I was last time I got weighed. With some healthy eating this weekend and not too much extravagance on holiday I'm hoping to creep back to 11st 10lb and can start again. My aim is 11st 7lb. I started off last night by being good, I had that recipe Philadelphia have been tempting me with on my yahoo account for weeks, smoked salmon and cream cheese linguine. I've brought the cream cheese and smoked salmon in today to have a bagel for lunch.

I'm so good. I can get there. This is my first proper lapse, but I knoes I can do it, with or without stinky Weight Watchers!

Go Team Sproglet!

*whimper*

Img Cred

Thursday, 1 October 2009

Catching up!

Ok ok, epic catch-up to be done here! It appears I haven't blogged here for over a month, this will not do!

Ok, so....looking at my weightloss sheet, I've lost about 6.5lb since I last blogged, so it's all still going in the right direction.

However, I have noticed that I've hit a bit of a plateau recently, this could be for a number of reasons:

1) I've lost a grand total of 2 stone 4.5lb rather quickly and now the weightloss is (necessarily) slowing down.

2) I've not been pulling my weight (get it?) with the diet plan over the last couple of weeks. I have become lacksadaisical with the lager and complacent with the calories.

3) I'm becoming increasingly happier with my shape and size....and the reciprocal effect is that I feel less of a need to improve it. Hence, motivation lowers. My motivation is increasing in the 'maintain what I have now' arena.

It's a neat combination of all these factors I think.

Also! My mum and my sister have recently joined Slimming World. I went along with them on their first day for moral support more than anything and I was pleasantly surprised. As opposed to the dingy place with a few chairs slung around that I attend for my WW meeting, this place was large, airy and light, there were lots and lots of people around, and the meeting leader was absolutely lovely. Very encouraging and full of hints, tips and explanation.

I get the feeling that...after 20+ years in the business, my leader has stagnated somewhat....Jo and I hardly ever stay for the meetings, there's a definite lack of motivation going on THERE. My familys 'leader' (makes it sound like some kind of cult), Loretta, is very young...as in...younger than my sister, that makes me feel really old, and it's a new class so she's a new leader. Full of enthusiasm and ringing round everyone in her group every week! I can't help but wonder if that will fade over the months/years. There's only so much whinging I think I could take from overweight people refusing to make an actual change to their eating habits and then wondering why they only lost 1/2lb last week. Or people elated by 2 weeks of 5lb loss plummeting into a deep depression in week 3 because they only lost 1b. How many times can you explain water loss and safe rate of weightloss before wanting to slit your wrists? Or run into the next room and devour an entire Sara Lee's chocolate gateaux to yourself? (Closely followed and trampled by a stampeding herd of women fighting their inner fatties...and failing....having caught a whiff of chocolate....one part per million is enough). If evolution is just and fair then in 50 years, slimming group leaders will have evolved food pouches to avoid such scenarios. Hamsters have the right idea.

We'll follow Loretta and see, I hope she keeps it up, she's a lovely lady :)

So now, every weekend I spend with the folks has become almost a competition. I'm asked what I've lost this week and get curt congratulations if I've done well and stern eyeballs if I've stayed the same. Dad has joined in the plan recently and loves bringing up that he dropped about a stone in 3 weeks, at which my mother begins muttering and rifling through the fridge for another sugar free jelly.

My sister and I pretty much laugh about the whole thing....but I HAVE noticed...if she thinks she's not doing well she tries to SABOTAGE me!!

'Another roast potato?'

'Two or three scoops of Ben and Jerry's FroYo? *seductive grin*'

'Oh go on, a kilogram bar of dairy milk won't make a dent!!'

Ok....that last one was a lie, but you get my drift.

I hope that this general competitive weightloss environment isn't adding to my laziness. The weightloss was something I started doing for myself, and somehow it's losing it's magic with others around me keeping up with my progress and comparing it to their own. I've never been the competitive type (mostly cos I'm crap at sports and would never inflict myself upon a team). Maybe I shall ask them to stop talking about it and see if it helps!

Anyway, this week I am trying hard to get back on track.. I haven't actually tracked for about 2 weeks now, but I have today, so back on the weightwatching wagon it is for me.

Wish me luck on my continued journey :o) xx

Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Countess Cuties

I'm now a countess cutie! It seems that the Sexy Sorceresses have disbanded.

I unfortunately put on half a lb last week, but I made up for it all this week by shifting 3lb! :o) Not entirely sure how I managed that, but I'm very happy about it.

This has brought me to my 2 stone goal!! I've lost 2st and 1lb!! :D Huzzah!!

Ahhhh, just fancied sharing that so I did :)

Wednesday, 12 August 2009

Halloween Hotties!

My motivation has been somewhat lacking the last couple of weeks, I lost 1lb this past week, and 1/2lb the week before. It's still weightloss, but I know I haven't been applying myself to it, so I'm a little disappointed, in ME!!

This past week was such a bad one in terms of the quantity of beer I drank (again) that I was actually considering bailing out of my weigh-in. By the way...I'm not a raving alcoholic, it's just that the two weeks after I get paid tend to be characterised by a flurry of meeting up with mates that I finally have enough money to spend some time with....and it usually involves large quantities of beer or wine.

However, some of the guys on the WW forum started talking about a challenge. I'd never done one before and I thought it might be a great way to get back my mojo and my motivation - so I've joined the Halloween Hotties Challenge.

We've been put into groups of about 8 people, and we'll track our weight losses/gains for the 12 weeks leading up to Halloween. The group with the biggest total loss after 12 weeks will be the winnerz!!

I have no idea what we win......I think it might just be the good feeling you get from being a winner...which is all good :o)

This will be good because you're doing it for the team as well as yourself, so it's that extra little bit of motivation, and we have a whole website set up where we can chat and encourage each other.

Go Sexy Sorceresses!!

img cred - imageshack

Saturday, 1 August 2009

Confesshiunz of a Fatty - Off the wagon in spectacular style

Forive me Weightwatchers for I have sinned...it has been...er...a couple of days since my last confession.

Before telling you the number of points I consumed yesterday, I shall give you a brief overview of the day:

I went into work prepared for what may be a bad diet day, there was to be a brief leaving do after work followed by munchies before Nicki and I went to Somerset house for Alien and Poltergeist. I'd had my normal branflakes brekkie and all was on track so far.

When Linda walked into the tea room with her little choccie cake I suddenly recalled her mentioning the day before that she was bringing it in....ah, I can factor this in I think.

What REALLY upset the balance was when Greg walked in with a 12pk of favourite KRISPY KREME!!! Argh!!! What are they trying to DO to me! I won't lie and say that this is the ONLY reason I ate a couple, but he had bought them because he's been a grumpy bastard recently and it was his way of apologising, I'd have felt bad if I hadn't indulged. Being honest I'd have eaten them anyway though :)

So....a piece of choccie cake, a crulled original glazed and a raspberry glazed later...I'm in the office bloated to buggery.

Come lunchtime I'm really not that hungry, but we've decided on pub lunch already because of payday!! So we bimble to the pub and I have a half of Starapromen and Linda and I share some little platters, Crudités, houmous and flatbread, and falafel, tzaziki and flatbread. Niiiice.

Back to work and another little slice of choccie cake in the afternoon.....sigh

Then the fun really begins.....

3 pints at the pub at Troys leaving doo, chicken pitta and spicy rice at Nandos. We get a whole chicken to take away for Somerset House.

All in all this horrendous day came to....wait for it......

56 points!!

That's 56 points!!

I'm allowed 23 points!!

That's 23 points!!

So, one asks, what am I going to do to make up for this ridicuous indiscretion?

Well......mum and Nickis meal plan for today will save me about 13 points today I think, I'll try not to eat any snacks etc.

I want to go shopping in Croydon and I'm considering walking there or back, but that might just make me hongreh!!!

Tomorrow I'm covering the mela with St J so I reckon there'll be a bit of walking around.

Monday night I'm salsa-ing :D Last minute exercise FTW!!!

I might pull it back and be able to stay the same :o)

Cross your fingers for me people, cross your fingies, not that I deserve it lolz!

Tuesday, 21 July 2009

Orgasmic pitta pizza from heaven

For weeks I've been watching the guys on the WW boards rave about pitta pizzas. I thought they sounded quite nice, but didn't think much more of it.

Whilst scouting the boards today they came up again and they popped into my head whilst I was wandering round the Co-op trying to gather some inspiration for dinner.

I stayed the same at WI today, which is nothing short of a miracle given my excesses over the past week or so. I normally treat myself if I've lost......not sure that should extend to STS, but....what the hey, I also bought a cheesy twist! NORTEH!!

Being quite hungry when I got in, and still entirely in ignorance of the wonderful experience to come, I ate my cheesy twist with a cup of tea.

Aafter looking up the points value of such a beasty I became depressed and immediately needed more food, so I turned to my actual sustenance for the evening.

OMG!!!

I swear, this was better than normal pizza...and I don't know if that's because I haven't had pizza for almost a month....but it was some good shit!

Here's my recipe for Heavenly Pitta Pizza: (for one)

1 white/wholemeal pitta bread
Around 150ml bolognese/any pasta sauce you like
Around 1tbsp tomato puree
1 small clove garlic, chopped finely
2 slices of onion, chopped roughly
Quarter of a pepper, chopped into batons
3 cherry toms, halved
seasoning
Small amount of feta cheese

Mix the sauce, puree and garlic together, spread on the pitta bread

Sprinkle the rest of the ingredients on as you like and season to taste

Pop in oven on gasmark 6 or 200 degrees C for 12 minutes

NOM NOM NOM!!!!


Obviously you can stick just about any ingredient you like on top o this, but the way I've done it comes to roughly 3.5/4 points, ideal for dinner :o)

Monday, 20 July 2009

Oh My!! So much to catch up on!


On a great note...last weigh in I achieved my 10% goal...huzzah! 21.5lb down :D

On a less positive note, I've consumed so much alcohol this week that nothing short of self-imposed starvation, running a marathon, and the biggest emergency poo in the world is going to help me to have lost for Tuesday. I shan't complain though, for it is my own fault.

I've said in past posts that having a bad week every now and again, although disheartening, is good for you I think. The weight seems to have been coming off far to easily, especially the last few weeks. The tracking has begun to slide and really I need a kick up the bum to stay on track before it all goes to pot, it hasn't yet, but there is certainly the danger.

My sister and I held a Weight-watchers friendly BBQ yesterday, which I think went down quite well with our mates. Here's our menu:

Meat:
Piri Piri Chicken wings
Home made beefburgers (WW recipe with added garlic)
Curly cumberland sausages (which no one asked for so we got away without)
Lamb kebabs (TESCO bought....so maybe not so diet-friendly)
Home made bean burgers
Stuffed peppers

Fish:
Whole trout
Prawn and scallop skewers
Oven-baked garlic salmon

Sides:
Mediterranean cous cous
Potato salad
Pitta bread and houmous
Sweet potato wedges
Garlic bread


Afters:
Fruit skewers drizzed with white/dark choc
BBQ apple crumble (which also didn't get made in the end)

Errrr....I think that's it! Problem is, there was so much stuff to prepare that Nicki and I got hardly any time to spend with our mateys!

The trout on the BBQ is nice, if anyone wants to know how here it is:

1) Top, tail and butterfly a whole trout (you usually get the ready gutted at the fishmonger)

2) Marinade in olive oil and garlic...and anything else you like for at least an hour

3) Stuff with a strongish herb like lemongrass, dill or fennel, and lemons, onions and garlic (trout doesn't have a strong taste, you need to add flavours you like)

4) Wrap in foil and cook on a fairly hot barbie for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway.

You may like to cook your trout for less time, but I was adamant not to kill people with uncooked fish :D

Nom nom nomz, argh I want trout now!