The unexpected Slimming World journey of a Me who wants to fit in her size 12 pants!

[Brewster]

Thank you Astrs73, I appreciate your insight. So far I have been a hopeless dieter. Ive tried every diet going and apart from starving myself for 3 months on lighter life a few years ago I never get past a month or get anywhere near my target. From experience though, and this time around, I have learned that whatever I am craving, it's not worth blowing the diet for, it will still be there tomorrow, if I wait it out the craving will go and usually the craving, for me, is brought on by a stressful situation (or sometimes just a stressful thought!) which I am trying to avoid thinking about.

I have to say though, Its funny you should mention wagon wheels, there is a packet in the cupboard and they were a consideration

I am definately guilty of filling my face without thinking about it in the past and I have noticed that I spend most of my day thinking about food, except for when I am actually eating it, I always get an urge to do something else whilst I am eating, like reading the paper, post, a book, or watching telly, it's kind of weird. I am definately becoming more aware of my behaviour around food.

I will try the water carrying tomorrow and will up on super free snacks in the fridge, thanks for the tip. As for the double decker, I will plan it into my week so it's not forbidden but a planned, conscious treat.

Thanks again, your post is very motivating

 

[Astrs73]

Aww Thanks Brewster!

Water is good or sugar free cordial and water if water taste is too boring or even a squish of lemon or lime in water helps!

As for the Wagon WHeel… include it in your syns and have one! WOn't kill you and it isn' the food of the devil… on the contrary I find a good Wagon Wheel has in fact been touched by Angels oooo Angel Delight…. STOP STOP STOP!!! lol

Planning and preparation is the key.. I can;t plan meals for the entire week ahead, but I can at least plan meals for the day I am on.. so when I wake up in the morning I write down what I will be eating, preparation is when you do your shopping list BEFORE you go to the shops and always go food shopping AFTER you have eaten already.. shopping hungry is a recipe for a trolley full of munchies you don't want winking at you in your weak moments from the cupboard!

Stress is a git, depression is hideous, emotions cannot be tamed, but the actions you take when you feel those emotions can be trained … it's called having an emotional strategy in Personal Development and Therapy terms… basically it means learning how to act before during and after any emotional reaction/feeling so that the stress of it doesn't win over and ruin your day. If you have your day ruined then, understand that it's done, it;s over, let it go and then look back at it and work out what you could have done differently to avoid having a ruined day again… and keep doing that until you find the right action for you to do in future, then you will find that less things stress you out at time goes on… here endeth the therapists one long liner! lol

Pub for tea which was nice and I was good.. not sure how good the mushrooms were seemed a bit greasy when I bit into it! ho hum, I shall persevere!

Mad Dogs is on and then I am going to bed ! x

 

[Astrs73]

Uh Oh… it's monday! I have a job interview at lunchtime and I really have zero clue what to wear because the last suit I bought for me was size huge and now doesn't fit me! SO if you know anyone who wants to buy a blue Next suit, trousers and skirt size 18 (worn once!) and a pair of black suit pants size 18 let me know because I will not be needing them again in the future and seems a shame to hoard them just to say … These used to fit me just about!

Raging PMT yesterday felt like my stomach was being removed with a crowbar! Better today but had to sleep with a heat patch on my back all night!

Had the BBQ yesterday.. loads of meat, kebabs (great way to get the EE plan onto a kebab I have to say, quite a revelation!) and salad.. obviously made too much salad as there is still half a bowl in the fridge!

TOday is Green
B: Half a melon and coffee with some Hex A skimmed milk
L: Depends on interview, currenty will be jacket spud, beans and salad
D: Spaghetti, bacon (Hex B), tomatoes, garlic onion salad and Parmesan (other HEx A)

WIll either have Alpen Light as Hex B or as snack..

Have been logging my food in My Fitness Pal to, just to see how many calories I am consuming a day to, and for logging my exercise stuff it's quite good really have a look if you are board.

Tonight is Piloxing mk1, tomorrow is Piloxing mk2 wednesday is DOg walk from hell and Thursday is Callanetics Saturday is ….. Good FOod SHow in B/ham NEC so looking forward to smelling lots of freeby food and making my son eat it so he can tell me what it's like xx

Have a fab day everyone

 

[Astrs73]

Oh for the love of god.. barely anything fits me..black dress looks like a cocktail dress… wil have to do and a mismatched jacket.. lol I look sooo like I have raided the posh charity shops in Kensington! hey ho

 

[Astrs73]

Ok well Interview was odd to say the least. First thing was the salary was misrepresented in the advert the actually guys had it waaaay lower, so not sure I can take it on those grounds for a start, but then they didn't appear to know what it was they were asking for.. not sure it is the one for me tbh.

Food changed a bit at lunchtime because the interview was at lunchtime I ended up having a Batchelors Deli Box noodles chow mien which is 1.5 syns on green day. I thought it tasted a bit bland but it stopped me having a food panic attack and heading for the bread.

I don;t know why but Bread on SW is my nemesis, I love bread, love making bread, love smelling bread but most of all I love eating bread… however I can't eat the quantity of bread I can and watch the scales go down.. talking of scales i had a sneaky weigh in after my Piloxing class tonight .. 14.5 which if I can get THAT at WI on wednesday at class will have me well and truly with a new shiny sticker on my book!!! WIth a big fat 2 on it xx

I don;t recommend daily sneaky weigh in's.. I did it the other week the week before I lost my 4 lbs… and I ended up putting on 1.5lbs and doing all sorts of stupid stuff to panic and try and beat the scales to the point where I missed out I wasn't drinking enough water, watching my EE S/free quantities and just generally ballsing it all up! every 2-3 days is fine, but never take your scales seriously unless it is your WI at home or the scales at class. Weight seems to fluctuate sooo much it's quite fascinating!

Right bedtime for mee see if I can get more than 4 hours! xxx night y'all

 

[Astrs73]

Piloxed out last night… didn't had as much energy as usual, think it was because I had my tea before I went, but am going again tonight so maybe I shall hold off on tea until after, the class is at a much earlier time tonight too which is helpful!

Food today… RED/Green/EE ????? SO unsure so I shall make a decision ….. NOW

RED

Breakfast: Grapes, Strawberries
Lunch: Steak and salad
Dinner: SPanish omelette using Hexb Potatoes, Hex A cheese, ham, mushrooms, more salad probably!

SNacks: Probably Alpen Light which might use as a Hex B if I haven't used it on something else, and maybe a Milky Way mini… Hmmmmm Chocolate x

 

[Astrs73]

Polioxing rocks.. such a sweaty red face type of exercis and only mild 'good' aching in the am… Yesterdays food went straight out the door..

basically had a quorn burger and leftover meaty pasta sayce(1 syn - ½ for the burger and 1/2 for the little bit of extra light philly in the sauce) over 1 scan bran (which I think was one syn) tasted quite nice really.. reminded me of student days!! (but without the 60 fags a day and lashings of cheap nasty vodka!) Moving swiftly on I then proceeded to have a big fat Zero until about 930 when I had a sandwhich with slivers of cheese (Hex A) Bread(HEXb) and ham and ½ syn of ultra light mayo.. then proceeded to feel a bit sick.. havent eaten proper bread for months and I'm reasonably glad, bit like giving up ciggies, once you have gone so far without them even the merest whiff or slight cheaty puff makes you glad you gave it up!
But I do like fancy funny bread, plastic bread as I call it is the one I don't like, fancy bread like the Lush Paul Hollywood makes I can scoff till sundown!

ANyway, today is weigh in day, its chuckin it down, so there will be much to drink and very light breakfast/brunch and then nowt til weigh in… then home to cook my steak! nom nom

Today will be an EE day because I want a stack of syn free chips with this steak and loads of green beans and garlic…

Hope you are all having a good day, and if you are not then I send happy good thoughts in the hope it will change it for you… such fun xxxx

 

[Astrs73]

RIGHT!! 3.5lbs off at WI WHOOOOOOP DE WHOOOOOP!:happy036:

to say I am a little happy about this would be an understatement … so I had Steak and Salsa verde as recommended by a Minimins expert!

Now to have a MilkyWay Mini and a Cobra ALcohol Free beer for my syns today (7.5 in total) yay go ME!

Now to focus on doing the same next weeks WI..

This week I did beat my Bestie she is only half a pound off her 2 stone sticker… I am 2 stones and 1.5lbs less of a fat git than I was the day after my 40th! just under 3.5 stones to go and I am done lol xx

 

[Astrs73]

Morning Morning Morning!! Tis Friday Eve….
Breakfast on this glorious day of fantastic GREEN!
B: 2 weetabix (hexb) strawberries and a banana and hazelnut milk (hex a - although I can hav 400 ml of it so I doubt I will get through THAT in a day!)
L: Spanish omelette with beans I think..
D: there is a question mark over this because I have Callanetics at 730 and I'm not an early dinner eater so it maybe an Alpen light bar or a proper dinner afterwards of Linda Mcartney Italian sausages, the rest of the ratatouille (1 syn) from last night over baked spuds or pasta.. lets see if we make to lunch first!

TOday I am going to finally get through the Ogg Monsters toys and get them off to the charity shop/nursery and look at fitting these floor boards of mine, but looking at the amount of toys I think there maybe tomorrow for floor boards! x

Have an awesome day folks x

 

[ellbee]

Well done on your loss this week!!!

 

[Astrs73]

Well done on your loss this week!!!

Thank ye kindly!!!
Made up for the only a half off last week…

working on at least 2 off next week… need to get on a good roll xxx

 

[Brewster]

Well done on you're fantastic loss, 3.5 lbs in one week, that's amazing, 1/4 of a stone!! I am still plodding on, can't hope for more than a pound off this week after going off the rails yesterday but am determined to keep going, giving up is not an option so trying to stay positive.

I Gotta think of something other than eggs for breakfast and Jacket fr lunch, it's getting a bit boring. Did have leftover spagbol for lunch today so maybe I just need to make extra dinner each day so I can eat it again for lunch the next day!

Ona night out to a cocktail bar with the girls tomorrow so no syns for me all day then will have to work out the lowest syn cocktail, any ideas?

 

[Astrs73]

How about fruit for breakfast or use the eggs in an omelette? Mushroom omelette … you can have an hex a cheese in it.. will fill you up for the day that
Plodding is a good way to go chic, slow n steady and it will stay off that way! Make a syn free soup, if you look on the SW website there are some really nice ones too and you can make a load and either freeze some of it or just have it on alternative days between jkt potatoes!

Cocktail night sounds nice Steer clear of overly sugary/creamy cocktails… so Baileys should be avoided, stick to ones with vodka, whisky, rum in them and avoid too much syrup.. but that said seeing as it's a NIGHT OUT!!! Flexi Syn it and just enjoy the night and pick up where you left off in the am Make sure you have syn free hangover cures ready for when you get home … then you won't hit the kebabs, crisps, chocolate etc.. take some Alpen Light bars with you (3.5 syns per bar) they will curb that "need a kebab, must HAVE a kebab AND chips and CHilli sauce with that" sensation that cocktails can cause

If you want to be really really good… alternate drinks like, vodka/whisky/rum/gin and diet something, (between 2 and 4.5 syns per bar measure) with fizzy water with a slice of lime in it … then you will be A) keeping the syns right down (you can still get drunk, but really sensibly!) and b) you will stay hydrated because of the water and will in all likelihood NOT get a hangover or the munchies either! But the night is yours for the taking so enjoy it first and foremost and then just get back on plan as soon as you can… you will still lose at least that pound you have in the bag xxxx

 

[Astrs73]

FOr the love of god.. Piloxing 3 times this week, plus callanetics and riding on Sunday!!! Thank God I get to the Good Food SHow tomorrow and an audience with the luscious Mr Paul Hollywood! Buggered I am!
lol

Well Piloxing burns off roughly 600-800cals per hour I've done 3 hours this week so thats 1800-2400 burnt off… thats almost a recommended daily input of calories for men and women who aren;t dieting in a day! But as with all these things… and the way my body responds to exercise… it doesn't want any food… it has no appetite.

Maybe later I will have something, but so flatlined is my appetite is that I have no compulsion to even plan today… will aim for an EE then I can be ok with munching on ham and making syn free chips/jacket spuds if I want.. I got plenty of veg in so no problems.

Cricket club this evening early start tomorrow and food food food ALL day.. and maybe a sneak peak into the Gardeners World show so allow my best friend to go stalking for ALan Titchmarsh and Monty Don…

Have a great day Minis and I may just get back to you post Good Food Show Gluttony! xxx

 

[Astrs73]

Despite the monsoon that has decided to fall down, and the fact I haven't eaten much today but what I did eat was yum…
Syn Free Butternut and Red Pepper soup so far (long story but came back from Piloxing then got interrupted by my mum )

.. today has been…. AWESOME!

I got offered the job I have been chasing since January and then I got offered another (which I didn't want as much so I politely declined) and have been put forward for another job, but I shall not waste folks time as I have the one I want. My life has finally come full circle and I am ready for the next chapter! SUch a happy little bunnyright now!

Will celebrate with a gin or two this evening but not too many as I have a 5 am start tomorrow to get BoyGenius and my friends to the NEC for the Good Food show and that appointment with Mr Hollywood! lol

Just thought I'd share my happy bunny feeling… hope you have had a happy bunny moment today too xx

 

[Brewster]

How about fruit for breakfast or use the eggs in an omelette? Mushroom omelette … you can have an hex a cheese in it.. will fill you up for the day that
Plodding is a good way to go chic, slow n steady and it will stay off that way! Make a syn free soup, if you look on the SW website there are some really nice ones too and you can make a load and either freeze some of it or just have it on alternative days between jkt potatoes!

Cocktail night sounds nice Steer clear of overly sugary/creamy cocktails… so Baileys should be avoided, stick to ones with vodka, whisky, rum in them and avoid too much syrup.. but that said seeing as it's a NIGHT OUT!!! Flexi Syn it and just enjoy the night and pick up where you left off in the am Make sure you have syn free hangover cures ready for when you get home … then you won't hit the kebabs, crisps, chocolate etc.. take some Alpen Light bars with you (3.5 syns per bar) they will curb that "need a kebab, must HAVE a kebab AND chips and CHilli sauce with that" sensation that cocktails can cause

If you want to be really really good… alternate drinks like, vodka/whisky/rum/gin and diet something, (between 2 and 4.5 syns per bar measure) with fizzy water with a slice of lime in it … then you will be A) keeping the syns right down (you can still get drunk, but really sensibly!) and b) you will stay hydrated because of the water and will in all likelihood NOT get a hangover or the munchies either! But the night is yours for the taking so enjoy it first and foremost and then just get back on plan as soon as you can… you will still lose at least that pound you have in the bag xxxx

Well got through the evening withou too much damage, gin and slimline tonic all evening worked a treat and you were right, no hangover! Thank you. Also passed on the tapas later in the evening and felt super good when I woke up this morning. Didn't fare quite so good today after I racked up 35 sins on a family day out but it could've been soooo much worse so wont let it put me off. Confident for my weigh in so long as I keep it together tomorrow.

 

[Brewster]

Wow well done on the job. What do you do? You've obviously impressed a few people in your search.

Also, just looked up piloxing I've never heard of it before, it looks fun. Do you have to use weighted gloves for it?

Im gonna have a go at soup making tomorrow

 

[Astrs73]

Hey.. Ref the Piloxing.. no you don't have to wear the gloves if you don't want to .. I think they are quite pricey, but my instructure has loads of pairs and she 'rents' them out, basically for the year she will charge you £2 so you can wear them at class and then spray them with anti bac spray until next class, but it IS fun.. so much fun! and nice to know all those calories and 'stolen' chocolate moments are being sweated out!!

Job.. Well I am such an interesting berrrrd I work in IT I'm an IT Project/Programme Manager.. I get all the techie folk to do all the programming for the Sales folk to sell software to their clients and make their Xmas bonus! lol THis time round tho I am working for the Dept Work and Pensions IT dept … so.. A CIVIL SERVANT IN IT.. does it GET any more interesting!

Glad you had a sweet night out and was so good as well and as for family day excess, well you only get one family and 35 syns doesn't sound bad at all when you are having fun

WHen is your weigh in I shall send out Happy thoughts of weightlessness for you lol … I reckon you will do ok too. let me know how you get on xxx

Yesterday I did quite well on the food front given I was at the Good Food Show all day… bacon sarnie(didn't eat the bread!) when we got there, spit roast pork (no bread!!) for lunch, about 4 cups of strawberries with my son and as I was driving when we got back I avoided all the alcohol testers… I had a cake that was made with no fat and no sugar and was gorgeous so rightly or wrongly classed it as a Hex B in place of bread. Didn;t get home until late so crashed

Today:
Breakfast: Bacon and Hex B Wholemeal bread
Brews with Hex A
Lunch: missed because I was riding and we spent the afternoon at a local agricultural show
Dinner… Quorn mince spag bol, or mushroom rissotto, linda mccartney sausages and syn free chips and beans or… something totally different! … totally unplanned really, but there is only me to cook for and I don't get so animated when I cook for one! x

Honestly I am pooped and I could sleep.. but I SHALL eat before bed I promise lol… two days on the bounce of enjoying myself and I'm done in! x

Have a fab evening folks xx

 

[Brewster]

Sounds like a great job, good for you, well done. I used to work in IT pre kids but it doesn't take long to get out dated with the technology so havent gone back to it. It's a shame because I used to love it. Now I work in an estate agents which is very interesting but doesnt pay so well.

I weigh in tomorrow, been on plan today, used my syns for 2 'proper' sausages with free chips and an egg for dinner and it was yummy. Ive kept away from the scales today, no sneaky weigh ins after yesterday's exploits it would mess with my mind too much: a loss would trick me into thinking I'd got away with it and a gain could send me into free fall. I guess I think too much, lol.

Being at the Good Food Show all day and coming out so light on syns must take a will of steel! You sound like you're being very active too so u deserve a good loss this week. What day do you weigh?

Hope u have a good nights sleep. Tomorrow is another day closer to your goal

 

[Astrs73]

used my syns for 2 'proper' sausages l

PRoper Sausages… made me smile that did.. for two reasons.. 1 I like that we call these luscious fatty, tasty but oh so full of syns we would normally have PROPER and not just "BAD" things and 2) I had 3 Linda McCartney Italian veggie sausages syn free chips and mushy peas for my dinner so great minds thinking alike on the sausages!

It's always a good sense of will power when I am out with my Son i have trained him to taste for me and also say "Can you eat this or are you saying No to this?" that way I get to do that 'think of the answer before I open my mouth' thing and usually stay on track.. that and there weren't THAT many cheese/chips/crisps/biscuit stalls on giving away free buckets of their produce!! lol

You're right not to weigh in after a syn filled day usually the salt increase and dehydratio from any drink tends to make your body bloat up and hold water and therefore 'add' some of these vile grams of extra weight!

I used to work in estate agents when I was at uni… it is interesting I liked it, but yeah the money isn't great, but you do get to legitimately nosey around other folks houses!! lol "Now Who would live in a hell hole like this!?" … then you find out it's your next door neighbours mother in law and she has a 50 Shades of Grey dungeon room or something!

Well fingers crossed and all grams to be 'doing one' for you tomorrow and a fab weight loss in waiting (weighting?? )I'm a wednesday weigher… but sneaky peak this am (post shower no food no drink in me mind and weigh in as 7pm !!! so I add 2 lbs on at least!) I was 14.2lbs which is 2.5 off from last wednesday .. if I can get that to 3.5 I will be chuffed to nuts and doin my not such a lard arse dance in the lounge again! lol

Live in the now plan for your future and think thin thoughts xxx