No more 'tomorrow' - it's today that counts!

[pandauk]

Hi everyone, :wave_cry:

I've decided to take the plunge and start writing my weight loss diary - I've read other diaries and I think they are such a useful tool to start on track.

So a little bit about me:- My name is Helen, I'm 30 years old and married my childhood sweetheart in April 2013 - we have one Daughter together who has just turned seven ! I have always struggled with my weight. I was 'normal' size until I was about 15 and then I just put on more and more weight. My heaviest weight was 17st 6lbs which at 5ft 7 put me in the highly obese category. I managed to lose three stone before my wedding last April, but since then I fell of the wagon in spectacular style and ended up back at 17st 3lb - which is where my new journey began.

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2011 and this itself came as such a relief to me - I'd always found it really hard to lose weight but thought that I just wasn't trying hard enough. Whereas now I know there is a medical reason why I have to work that much harder to obtain my losses - which in itself makes them all the more rewarding.

My husband and I are TTC baby #2 - we have been for the last 6 years. We've recently been referred to a fertility hospital, but they will not start prescribing any further medication to help with the conception until my BMI is under 30. So that's the main focus for my weight loss - I'm not getting any younger and as the title to this diary states, I'm got to stop thinking "I'll start tomorrow" and made today count instead.

I'm currently on Week 3 of slimming world, I lost 5lb in my first week and 1.5lb in my second - meaning I'm just 0.5lb away from my first elusize 1/2 stone sticker.

Thank you in advance to anyone who is reading along - I will try to update this daily and will be grateful for any comments or support you can provide me.

Helen

 

[pandauk]

Thursday 27 March 2014

I'm on Day 18 of the 'new me' and to be honest I'm feel pretty good. I've got some nice meals planned for the week and just one potential hurdle to overcome which is a meal out on Saturday night. I've already scanned the menu and have found a few things that should be ok to have!

Today started off with a nice big bowl of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries topped with a Cherry Muller Light yogurt - it made a nice change to the weetabix I've had every other day this week. Lunch is a jacket potato with 20g of cheddar Cheese (HEXA) and chicken, plus one 10g portion of Flora (2.5 syns).

In case I get a bit peckish later on I have some Ryvitas (HEXB) and a 17g tub of Philly Light (1.5syns) and I am going to go over to Sainsbury's on lunch and pick up an apple and a kiwi fruit.

Dinner tonight is going to be cowboy pie - my absolutely favourite SW recipe! Mine is served without the Mash, as I try to limit my carb intake in the evenings. I just love that I can cook a meal like this for my whole family and it still be completely syn free.

I need to try and encorporate some exercise into my day - I will have brisk walk to Sainsbury's and back on lunch today and then I might get off the bus a couple of stops early tonight and have a power-walk home!

 

[pandauk]

Friday 28 March 2014

Friday already? How did that happen? This week has gone by in a complete blur!

Friday always indicates the start of me having to get my game face on ready for the weekend - I find that weekends are the only time of the week where I really have to think hard about making good food choices. Tomorrow I am going out for a meal with all of my family for Daughter's, Brother's and Mum's birthday and an early Mother's Day for me! As I mentioned yesterday, I've already studied the menu and I think I will go for Gammon & Eggs with Peas & Baby New Potatoes. That's probably the lowest syn meal on the menu - everything else is 'creamy', 'fried' or lathered in oil. I am also going to use all my will-power to not get a tempted by the dessert trolley!

Sunday I'm off to see 911 in concert (don't judge me haha!) so I am planning to have a late lunch and early dinner at home - maybe a spanish omelette or SW quiche with salad.

Anyway, enough of the weekend plans and onto today! This morning I left home in a rush to get DD to school on time that I left my fruit and yogurt at home. So breakfast was 2x Weetabix with a plum. I don't normally enjoy weetabix at all, it's just something I eat because I know I need to have breakfast, but today it was actually quite enjoyable - not sure what I did different today?

I'm currently debating what to have for lunch today - I'm leaning towards a jacket potato with tuna and salad. I'm working until 6pm again so need something substational to keep me going until then!

Dinner tonight is my husband's favourite meal - Beef Burger, Low-Fat Super Noodles & SW Chips. I was a very good wife and cut and par-boiled the potatoes before I left for work this morning, so I can crack on with making the burgers and cooking it all when I get home tonight.

Tonight is also my night to do my ' mid-week weigh in' to see how the scales are saying I've faired so far this week. I'm hoping to see at least a little loss already!

 

[pandauk]

Monday 31 March 2014

I've got the Monday morning blues today - it's always the way after I have a lovely weekend; coming back to work is so tough!

My weekend was really nice - on Saturday my two brothers and I took my Daughter on a 6 mile nature walk through the woods - it was great to get out and about and enjoy the lovely weather. Sunday we went for another walk, this time around our local aquadrome, not as long this time, probably about 3 miles in total.

Saturday was a good food day for me, I had the meal in the evening that I was dreading, but I stuck with my plan to just have Gammon & Eggs so I didn't feel too guilty. Although I was incredibly jealous of everyone else and their amazing looking puddings!

Sunday wasn't such a good day, foodwise. That's not to say I ate badly - I just hardly ate at all. My Daughter made me Bacon, Eggs, Mushrooms & Spaghetti hoops for breakfast at about 11am, I had a Muller LIght at 3pm and that was all I had for the rest of the day. I hadn't planned that, but I was out in the evening reliving my youth by going watch 911 (and meeting them afterwards *swoon*) - I didn't get back until 22.30 and it was obviously far too late to eat then. I went to bed with a thumping headache - so that's a lesson learnt; I must plan better!

Today I'm going to get back on the plan and try my best to hope for a loss showing on the scales tomorrow! Breakfast today will be weetabix and fruit. Lunch will be a Jacket Potato, Cheese & Tuna and Dinner is going to be a beef stew and veg. I should actually crack on with making my breakfast rather than writing this - I'm so hungry!

 

[Rae Rae]

Hi Helen, you're doin great when's WI?

 

[pandauk]

Hi Helen, you're doin great when's WI?

It's tomorrow evening! I'm really hoping to see a loss - I did do my sneaky mid-week check on Friday and it was showing 1lb off - I'd be happy with that as it at least takes me to my my 1/2 stone award!

 

[Rae Rae]

I'm sure you'll see a little more. You following EE or the other plans?

 

[pandauk]

I'm sure you'll see a little more. You following EE or the other plans?

I'm doing EE - I did try red & green days when I did it last time, but find EE works best for me.

 

[Rae Rae]

EE fits in with normal life

 

[pandauk]

EE fits in with normal life

Yeah it definitely does - it means I can cook meals for all the family without having to do a separate one for me!

 

[butterflysunshine]

Hiya panda!
Just had a read of your diary, you are doing so so great!
The time goes really quick, I cant believe I am on week 3 already
I hope you loose the weight you want to ttc. I know how hard it can be and also how wanting and draining too.
Are you doing any excercise? I hate excercise lol so I try to walk 2-3 miles at least 5 days a week, weather dependent! x

 

[pandauk]

Hiya panda! Just had a read of your diary, you are doing so so great! The time goes really quick, I cant believe I am on week 3 already I hope you loose the weight you want to ttc. I know how hard it can be and also how wanting and draining too. Are you doing any excercise? I hate excercise lol so I try to walk 2-3 miles at least 5 days a week, weather dependent! x

I don't drive so I walk quite a lot, I think I probably average at least 10 miles a week. I also do my wii fit at least 3 times a week.

Time really does fly, tomorrow is my 3rd weigh in already!

I gave the stew a miss tonight and made a yummy salad instead!

 

[Rae Rae]

I'd be starvin after that, lol

 

[pandauk]

I'd be starvin after that, lol

I couldn't finish it! I think I'm still full from lunch - had a really big jacket potato and salad.

 

[Rae Rae]

I couldn't finish it! I think I'm still full from lunch - had a really big jacket potato and salad.

As long as you're eating

 

[pandauk]

Tuesday 1 April 2014

Today is weigh day for me! I've been so good this week, but after reading some other posts about the need to use at least 5 syns a day, I'm a bit worried that I'm being too good and that is actually hampering my losses! On most days I will have between 0-3 syns, as I was of the mindset that I'd rather just completely cut out the bad stuff that got me in this position in the first place - the thought of having a tiny bit of chocolate or bread a day just doesn't appeal to me at all. But after tonight I am going to try and up my syns by using them in meals e.g. gravy, extra cheese (I'm a big cheese fan!), sauces etc...

Today has started off quite unconventionally as for breakfast I had a big bowl of strawberries with a mini meringue sprinkled on top (1 syn) - I had already prepared it for pudding last night but I was so full after my salad I couldn't face it.

Lunch will most likely be a salad from our canteen, although I forgot to bring my smoked salmon with me so I don't know what I'm going to have with it.

I will report back later to state the outcome of my weigh in, fingers crossed it's a happy report!

 

[pandauk]

Wednesday 2 April 2014

Weigh in went well last night, I lost another 2lb bring my total up to 8 1/2lbs and I managed to get my 1/2 stone award. I stayed to group as I always do, but last night's was so long we didn't get out of there until gone 20.30 (it starts at 7!). They've also annouced their moving our group to a Monday and the time will be changing to 19.30 - I hope that doesn't mean the group will be going on until 9pm each week!

Today is food shopping day so I will be spending the rest of my lunch hour writing my meal plan for the week ahead and writing my shopping list. So far on my list of meals I have:

Cowboy Pie
Pizza (using the HE wrap that was posted on the HE section) & salad
Peanut Butter Curry
Stir Fry

I don't have too many obstacles coming up this week. I'm out on Saturday with my Mum for her birthday (I'm taking her to see Gary Barlow) and then on Sunday I'm taking DD to Legoland; we'll take a picnic with us both days though so I shouldn't need to deviate from the plan too much.

Only two more weigh ins until Easter and my 1st wedding anniversary. I'd really like to lose a few more lbs before then as we are going away for the week (Going to Weymouth for the Easter Weekend with my family and the in-laws and then going to Brighton with hubby for 2 nights) and I know there will be lots of pictures taken!

Today's meal plan is:

Breakfast - Strawberries, Grapes & Muller Light Yogurt
Lunch - Salad (tomato, cucumber, lettuce, beetroot, egg, mixed beans) with Smoked Salmon
Dinner - Chicken Stir Fry

Snacks - Cherry Tomatos, Cucumber Sticks

 

[pandauk]

Friday 4 April 2014

No diary yesterday as I was at home feeling very sorry for myself with a migraine. Luckily, I'm feeling much better today!

Yesterday was a good food day actually being at home meant I could cook myself the stuffed mushrooms that I won in the raffle in group on Tuesday. I fried some spring onion, garlic & bacon and when cooked I add in a dallop of light philly (HExA) Added them to my mushrooms that I'd pre-cooked and then added sprinkling of mature cheddar (10g worth 2.5 syns) and mixed herbs. It was then served with some baby plum tomatoes. It may be because I was feeling under the weather, but they were absolutely delicious!

Dinner was equally as good, I made a beef hotpot - packed full of superfree veg. It was my first time making a hotpot (normally do cottage pie or cowboy pie) but it will not be the last - there were clean plates all round.

I'm back at work today - had a lovely breakfast of fresh strawberries and an alpen light bar. I treated myself to come King Prawns for brunch and lunch will be a jacket potato with tuna. Dinner tonight is a treat - we're making our own Pizzas. I had hoped to get some of the HeXB wraps from Asda but they'd sold out - so I'm using half and half warburton thin wraps instead - 9 syns - but I hope they will be worth it!

 

[pandauk]

Lunch and dinner pics!

 

[Rae Rae]

Your meals look yummy xx