Back on track

So, I did well with keeping up with the blogging malarky didn't I!????

I'm still at SW, it's been slow going, but thats my own fault.  That said, I'm happy, we've recently moved house, work is okayish, and I've not put on any weight.

My newest challenge (inspired by the lovely Wedding Ideas forum ladies) is to ensure I get my 5 a day.  Most days I really dont, which is terrible considering every meal on SW should basically be 1/3 of the plate fruit and veg.  I'm also going to attempt the superspeed food challenge this week... wish me luck!

Close but no cigar!

2lb off for me last week, which took me annoyingly close to my first half stone. 0.5lb which I definately hope to get this week!

Dinner tonight was delicious, lamb with savoury rice, and a MASSIVE portion of grilled peppers, courgette, onion and mushrooms.  I didn't do so great over the weekend with my superfree foods - so I'm really going to push for them the next few days.  I've really had to think about getting my 1/3 plate.  My lastest trick is to plate up my superfree first, so that I don't just fill my plate with carbs and meat!

In other news, S stopped going to sliming world whilst I was on holiday.  I'm a bit disappointed really, as she's normally so motivated.  She's not stopped slimming altogether.  She bought a bike and has really been upping her exercise - and is looking more toned for it I should add.  That said, I'm starting to make more friends at the Slimming World group I go to.  It's nice to talk to people before the image therapy session, I've picked up some nice recipies and tips through chatter over a cup of tea!

Coming up this week is the usual busy week at work, then on Thursday at slimming world it's the Woman of the Year session.  I'm not sure who will get it in our group, definately not me!  Then next week I'm off to visit my parents for a few days - but the diet will be coming with me... I'm going to weigh in at my Granny's SW group!

That's more like it!

I'm very happy today, as I had a 2lb loss this week. I still went over on my syns for things I shouldn't have had (and wouldn't have missed!) So it makes me wonder what I could do if I tried REALLY hard. I'm aiming high for 2.5lb this week, which would get me my half stone award.

Just a short blog today as I'm posting from my phone (trying out the Blogger app for the first time). I have a day off work so am off to visit a friend who lives 2 hours away. Previously this would have consisted of a naughty pub lunch and a Chinese for tea... but she is also on slimming world and training to be a consultant! So I'm going armed with a chocolate scan bran cake!!

It's not all food and exercise

I think to get into the right mindset about losing weight and getting more active, you don't just need to change your eating and exercising habits (or lack thereof).

My life revolves around food.  I'm not a big breakfast fan, but from 11am I'm thinking about lunch.  after lunch I'm thinking about what I can have for dinner.  I get in from work and start cooking that dinner.  Evenings are spent wondering what I can eat tomorrow.  Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

I like routine, I get in from work, pick up the post and head to the loo (usuallyI've been busy at work and not taken a comfort break since lunch).  I'll come back down, kick off my shoes, head to the kitchen and start dinner.  By the time it's cooked I've missed the first 5 mintues of The Simpsons/My Name is Earl (husband kindly fills me in), we eat dinner.  He washes up and tidies up my kitchen mess (who knew home made chips and roast chicken could use all our pots and pans!) then I veg out on the sofa (usually with my laptop and the whole of the internet to amuse me).  Maybe we'll watch a movie, after dinner we always enjoy a cup of tea and shout at the news (Kirsty Young what ARE you wearing??). At some point I'll realise I'm tired, and head to bed, husband will follow 20mins later, waking me up for a cuddle and then off to sleep.

Not much movement in there.

So today I've made a cake!  Yes, it's not exercise (and don't worry about the food part, its very slimming world friendly at 0.5 syn for the whole thing!, will post about it tomorrow - if it tastes good!), but it's doing SOMETHING.  I'm sat waiting for it to cool so I can finish it off, and I feel good.  I've done something productive with my evening.

In other news - this arrived today:

So tomorrow after work I will, most definately, be moving more!

A revelation

You know what, you can't weigh in on a thursday, eat what you like Friday thru Sunday, then get back on it on Monday!  I learnt this lesson this week with a 1lb gain.  I'm very annoyed at myself!!!

I'm starting to feel like a failure again, but it's okay as I bought a six week countdown at slimming world, so I've already paid for another 4 weeks! 

This weekend has been good, at home I've tried to eat syn free where possible.  Saturday night we went out and  I had 2 glasses of red wine, a fruit beer, and then an italian meal.  I chose badly (calimari and then a pizza).  If it's any use it was absolutely delicious and I'd recommend Salvo's to anyone in/visiting Leeds!

To make up for it, last night I cooked a lovely syn free roast dinner and it was delicious!

I've just demolished the leftover chicken with salad, cucumber, peppers, tomatos, a measured portion of cheese (42g low fat cheddar as my Healthy Extra).  And to top it off, I looked up the syn values of the dressing - SYN FREE! 

Yum yum!

Hit the ground running

So after the post-holiday weigh in, I stayed in holiday head for another three days... oops!  But it was no where near the scale of things I would have done a year ago.  I was thinking about it last night, bored and watching telly... last year I would have gone out and bought a big chocolate bar/tub of ice cream/big bag of crisps... or all three.  Instead I got my bum up, tidied up the house a bit (including several trips up and down the stairs, which got my hear pumping nicely) and then had some strawberries and a muller light.  It was delicious!

Back to SW on thursday, I'm pleased to report I had a 1.5lb loss.  I've only lost 3.5lb over all, which is a poor amount for about 6 weeks - but I feel like I really understand the plan now. 

Starting SW before my "week of death" at work and the honeymoon, meant that coming back I could really hit the ground running.  Lots of superfree foods for me this week!  I'm hoping for a steady 2lb loss now, which would take me to 1.5stone off for my birthday at the end of September.

That's my first mini-goal set.

The results are in....

Drumroll please....



+2.5lb!

I am absolutely gobsmacked!  I was sure it would be at least 4lb, and realistically way more!  The only thing I can put it down to is jet lag causing me to start my period early, but even that only normally makes about 0.5lb difference.

So, happy me! (Husband isn't happy, he says it's sheer luck!)

That said, we went out for dinner last night for his birthday, I wasn't good at all.  But I've been food shopping today, and £95 later we are re-stocked with fresh and healthy goodness!

The past month...

Ok, so I've been absent for a month but for two very good reasons:

"Week of Death" at work
I'm a Marketing Officer at at University, specialising in undergraduate recruitment events (getting 16/17 year olds to apply to our uni!).  My main fous of the year is Open Days, and at the end of June we had two!  Without boring you with the detail, it's a mental week leading up to them, long hours and erratic eating.  I may or may not have managed three different takeaways in three nights!  whoopsie.  I put on 1lb, but was expecting (and deserved!) more.    But, the events went really well so all in all a successful week.

Honeymoon! 
Although we married back in October 2010, we've only just been on honeymoon!  Our holiday of choice was an epic 13 day tour of California.  It was amazing, relaxing (despite driving 1500 miles!), incredible, hot, funny, fantastic... I could go on!  The diet went out of the window for this holiday of a lifetime, and I ate waaay to many chips!  There were the odd occasions where I could dust of the halo, such as ordering a salad and baked potato from Wendys (when husband devoured a huge burger and fries!) 

I told my slimming world group that I was on holiday today too, as I wasn't sure when we would come back from my parents (flew to the USA from an airport near them), but I'm going to pop along to get weighed tonight, if I don't, my mind will be on holiday mode for another week!

The only holiday hurdle left is tonight, it's husband's birthday!  We're going out for dinner, ot sure where yet but I'm going to try and be good and make some sensible choices. wish me luck!

Ohh I've not posted all weekend, bad blogger!

Not been too shabby, we did get a chinese on Saturday night, but I was good and had plain noodles with chicken and veg, and then added my own sauce of soy sauce, and fish sauce and bits.

We were dog sitting, so I got a few good long walks in.  Here's a photo for good measure:

Am uber busy at work this week, but I've started off good by brining cottage cheese and salad for lunch.

sorry this is a rubbish blog post, will try harder next time!

On the first day of breakfasts my kitchen gave to me...

A massive bowl of all bran, natural low fat yoghurt, grapes, raspberries, strawberries and cherries!!

It was awesome, although it did take ages to eat!  I'm going to have to get up earlier on weekdays! I felt sooo full, and was quite sluggish, but I felt better by the time I got to work.  I think it might take a few days for my tummy to get used to being full in the morning!

I've been organised too, and pre-weighed out my all bran into 42g portions.  No excuses even when I'm running late, as I'll be able to grab a bag and a muller light, and eat it at work.

I'm going to be more adventurous at the weekend breakfasts, maybe something with eggs tomorrow, I'm open to suggestions!

Weigh in!

I've been nervous all day, this week has been so up and down!  Camp at the weekend, balanced out by being good during the week.  Would it pay off??
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It did! :-D

3.5lb off!

I'm really chuffed, and I've enjoyed this week too!

To top it off, I went straight from the meeting to Asda, and I now have a kitchen full of goodies, including no less than 23 speed/super speed foods!!!

Roll on next week!

These boots were made for walking!

So last week S invited me to go for a walk with her on Tuesday night.  I really wasn't in the mood, but I didn't want to cancel.

I got changed, and put on my new trainers (that I'd bought 3 months ago for the gym, and hadn't worn yet...)  I don't like them as they're too new and white!

Shiny Shoes!

S arrived and we set off.

I loved it!  We didn't go particularly fast, but we didn't dawdle either.  I'm not sure how long it took, maybe 50 minutes, but we did 2.9 miles (according to Google Maps).  It was great (apart from the big hill to Sarah's house at the end!).  We talked and moaned about houses/work/scouts/life in general.  Part way round we got beeped at by a car - it was our Slimming world consultant! :-D  We did say at the meeting last week we'd start walking - now she knows we weren't lying!

Next week we're going to try and go a bit quicker, and see if we can do two loops, so 6 miles.


Lunch today is what I had for dinner last night: pasta, tuna, chopped toms, onion, garlic, spinach, peas.  With fruit salad for pudding.  Yum!

one more day until my first weigh in!  eep!!

Lunchtime

In lots of the blogs I've been reading, people have been taking photos of their food.

I meant to take a photo of my (very colourful) salad - it was lettuce, carrot, sweetcorn, chicken, tomatoes, beetroot and cucumber, but I forogt!

So here's my rather bland looking, but delicious tasting, pudding: Strawberries, plums, cherries and banana, topped with a mandarin muller light.

That should keep me full until dinnertime!

Ging Gang Goolie

I wrote this post on Sunday night, but forgot to post it - whoops!

Have just got back from Scout camp.  I'm a Beaver Scout Leader, and although the Beavers were only visiting the campsite for the day on Saturday, I decided to camp from Friday - Sunday to help with the cubs.

The Good
I was on my feet nearly all weekend!  9 Beavers, 7 cubs and 9 scouts all wanting attention!  It was really good fun though, playing football/frisbee/rounders.  I had a go at Archery (missed) and did some pioneering (big wooden poles tied together to make a gateway with a tent on top!)  So the goal of "move more" was most definately completed.  (added: I'm still achey on Tuesday!)

The Bad
Food.  Being on camp there's not a great deal of choice.  I did good though and avoided all crisps/biscuits.  Saturday morning I had bacon, sausage and egg (cooked in oil), lunch was sandwiches and soup, but I only had one slice of bread, no soup, instead loaded my plate with salad.  I did have half a scotch egg though.  Dinner was sausage, mash and beans, followed by rice pudding.  I had a "normal" portion.  Usually I would load my plate up, but I purposely picked up a small plate so I couldn't have lots.  Evenings at camp consist of the leaders in the mess tent, putting the world to rights with a beer (or 5) until the early hours.  I took one bottle of wine (to last both nights) but only drank 3/4 of it.

The Ugly
When I got home, I was so tired, husband ordered a curry.  I had a chicken/tomato/coriander thing with rice and some chicken pakora.  I don't even know how many syns it was.  My only saving grace was I was so tired, I only ate half of it!


In the end I think I did okay given the circumstances.  I knew it would be hard starting slimming world the week of camp, but I figured that I'd rather get into it straight away, rather than put it off a week.  If I wasn't on slimming world, I'd have totally pigged out, and probably put on this week.  I'm still aiming for a loss, even if it's only 1lb, I'll be chuffed.

Back on the Wagon

Well, I did it.  I joined Slimming World last night!

I was on weight watchers earlier in the year, but the new pro-points system didn't work for me, there was just too much to calculate and think about.  I've done SW before, but found that the leader wasn't that great.  The focus was all on eating massive portions of pasta, that just didn't work for me.

I talked to a friend (S) who goes to SW (I've joined her group), and she was telling me about the new Extra Easy plan, no more red and green, it's a mix of the two, ensuring that at least 1/3 of your plate is superfree food (most fruit and veg).  It sounds really appealling, and what's more important, I've told S she's not allowed to let me quit (and I'm slightly scared of her!).

The only downside is I'm on camp with the Scouts this weekend (I'm a Beaver Scout Leader), so I'll have no control on the menu choices.  I'm still determined to make it work though.  At least I'll be moving lots!

The other thing I'm doing, or rather not doing, is telling people about starting SW.  The only ones who know are S, the in-laws and the husband (and you, whoever you are reading this!).  I want to do this (for starters at least) without the pressure of everyone looking at what I'm eating, asking me how I'm doing etc.  I'm doing this for me, so with the exception of a few close friends, that's where it will stay!

I'm going to see how I do for the next 4 weeks before honeymoon, and then when I get back I'll let people know that I'm on SW and they can bug me then!

Everyone in group last night seemed to be aiming for a 3lb weight loss this week - so that's what I want too!

Lunchtime hunger

Just something I'm pondering about.

Had a really busy morning, it's not 1.30 and I'm really hungry.  (doesn't help that I never eat breakfast, but that's another post for another day!)

I read somewhere that if you feel thirsty, you're dehydrated already.  Does the same work for hunger?  Is feeling hungry a good thing or a bad thing?  As in, should I eat little and often to never be hungry, or is feeling hungry a good thing.  Does the stomach churning feeling of being really hungry make you eat more to try and satisfy it?

Hmmm.. that's a bit of a brain fart.  Think I'll head out to get a sandwich now.

A bit about me

So, two posts in one night, I must be keen.

I thought I might start with a little bit about me.  And photos are always nice to look at.




So this is me (I'm in the dress).  And that charming fellow next to me is D.  Incase you hadn't gathered, the reason for the cheesy grins is we'd just got married.  And if you can't smile then, when can you?

This was 23rd October 2010, and I was truely happy in this photo. D is the one person who can make me feel good about myself.  He's also the one who can tell when I'm lying about how I feel. I'll stop there at the risk of getting too mushy and romantic.

This is my idea of a great friday night.  Amazing friends, nice wine, amazing cheese, and a good board game.  I'm very lucky in that I have some amazing friends.  Ones which will probably crop up on this blog are K&C (C's arms are featured in this photo), and S.  S doesn't know it yet, but she's going to be a big part of my weight loss journey.  But more about that another day.

And finally, this is Skittles.  She's a lurcher (greyhound crossed with a terrier, we think).  She lives with my in-laws not too far away, D and I share her with the in laws.  I wish she could live with us full time, but unfortunately we have to work full time, and it just wouldn't be fair on her.  (to say she is needy is an understatement).

Her three favourite things are sleeping, eating and running (not nessicarily in that order).  I have no excuse not to take her out for a walk at every oppertunity.  We could do 5 miles and she'd still want to run.  Watch out Skittles, I'm going to be seeing a lot more of you!

Four little words

Hello, and welcome to my blog!

This is my second attempt at a blog (I've deleted the first so don't go looking!), I'm still very new to this blogging lark, so please be kind!  I'm Amanda, I'm 25 and I live in Leeds with my husband D.  And to get the point of this blog across at the start, I'm fat.  Very Fat.  Okay, the BMI scales puts me at obese. Very obese.  And I'm not happy about that.

If you ask me to my face, I'll shrug it off, crack a joke and smile.  Inside, I hate it.  I hate the way I look, they way I feel, and they way I think other people think about me.

Tonight I decided enough is enough.  Yes I've been on diets before.  I'm a member of a forum (not diet related) but I've made friends with a great bunch of ladies in the "weight loss" section.  But the truth is I've been a member for 18 months, and am the same size I was as when I first started talking to them.  It makes me feel like a fraud to be honest.

EAT LESS MOVE MORE

Four very simple words I've heard time and time again.  I was doodling at lunchtime, and I found myself writing these words over and over.  So here I am.  I'm Amanda, I want to eat less.  I want to move more.  I want to be healthy.

I want to be happy.

Here goes.....