Hi guys, thanks for all your support - it's really helping. I was sooooo nervous about my first weigh in on Tuesday (not because I hadn't stuck to then plan, but incase I didn't lose any weight and they thougt I hadn't tried!) I was being really silly because I actually lost 3.5lbs. I was dead chufffed.
So my first week on SW Extra Easy was pretty good and super easy! Because I'm a live-in nanny I'm not in any rush to get out the door so I can make a cooked brekka if I like. I find that for me a good brekka determines my appetite for the rest of the day. Tiny brekka = Julie munching on naughty snacks. I kinda think the SW H extra B cereal allowance is a bit stingy, 35g of fruit'n'fibe ain't gonna fill this girl up past 10am! So I make quick scrambled eggs in the microwave (free) plus a splash of milk (part of milk allowance as a H extra A) then use my H extra B on 2 slices of 400g wholemeal loaf, no butter. If I'm feeling fancy I'll chop up a tomato and do some bacon in my lean, mean, fat reducing grilling machine (George Foreman grill - it's fab). TMI time..... I discovered I can't stomach baked beans.... I like them, but they clearly do not like me!! It's a shame as they are free on the plan and filling.
For a mid-morning snack I'm having fat free greek yogurt mixed with sugar free caramal syrup (same as Costa coffee use) and chopped fruit mixed in.
For lunch whilst baby sleeps I've been baking a potato (prick all over and part cook 4 mins in microwave) then in the oven for 20-30 mins whilst I clear up baby's mess from the morning. I tend to have tuna as a filling or 30g cheddar...yes I agree I'm not very experimental yet but hoping to get more ideas from SW group. I did mix curry powder in with the tuna (much to my boyfriends disgust!) I replied "It's just like having coronation chicken, delicious! - what's the look of disgust for?!" I'm having a huuuge salad with it too. A couple of times I've had to abandon the last 1/4 of the salad and save for later. I was genuinely full - something which I struggle with. I'll tend to leave it an hour and have a piece of fruit to tide me over. All in all I've not been feeling hungry.
For supper I've been having stir fry's, fish with sweet potato SW wedges (basically cut up sweet potato, sparayed with Fry Light, shake a bit of paprika on and in the oven for 20 mins - no need to par boil.. they're yummy) I also recommend getting some quickie bits for supper incase you get back from somewhere late and a bit ravenous - I got some Quorn peppered steaks that only need 6 minutes grill/10 minutes oven (I did them in the George Foreman grill though) Really yummy and a free food on EE. Trying to make a conscious effot to eat more veg so bought baby sweetcorn and sugar snap peas to quickly microwave. Also, the supermarkets do some great frozen mixed veg bags. I got a grilled veg bag with different coloured pepeprs, courgette, red onion and they're pre-grilled so just whack in the oven. Super easy - my fave style of cooking.
Although according to my SW consultant I can have "unlimited" portions of pasta,rice,potatoes,noddles etc; I tend not to want it --a bit of reverse psychology there, eh SW?!
Conclusion after first week on SW:
Sticking to the plan for a week 100% really highlighted to me how much crap I had been snacking on. I'm a nanny for a baby so us nannies get together and have coffee/cake/biscuits/crisps etc whilst the kids are happy playing so it really is mindless eating. I reckon on average that's an extra 300-400cal that I've been scoffing everyday!
I have bought a pair of jeans that are the exact same as a pair that currently fits but in a size smaller. I have been trying them on as my motivation to lose the weight. At the moment I can get them up my legs and just about get them done up (feels like the buttons will pop off!!) I couldn't get them over my bottom about a month ago when I first bought them, so it's a good NSV (I'm speaking the lingo already, that stands for Non Scale Victory).
Good luck to everyone who's new and let us know how you get on!
Julie x