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.....