Easter Sunday - and nothing naughty.

And so it is that Easter Sunday has slipped innocently by.  Another day under my belt.  As the clocks leap forward there is an air of optimism about.  The weather can only get better, the days are longer.  Maybe I will be able to wear something feminine and pretty after all this summer, instead of the dowdy shapeless outfits I usually wear.  There is one thing we are sure of, this healthy eating cannot be rushed.  It takes time and whether it is months or years we will get there. 

Such a sunny start to the day today, although that damn north easterly wind is still making it feel cool.  Managed to increase my dog walk by 50%.  Molly and Paddy certainly enjoyed it.  They are Airedales and this breed do not moult. Their fur grows and at the moment they are in quite a full coat.

Paddy met up with Eric an Italian Spinoni, they ran and ran.  Paddy lay in a stream to cool off, he was absolutely soaking wet.  Time to phone my best friend who is also my dog groomer!

 

Breakfast was late, the clocks going forward seemed to make the morning much shorter. So I had a bowl of melon, no yoghurt! I really want to make sure I do not have more than 2 yoghurts each day, yesterday was three and I think that could be overkill!

 

 Instead of having to weight muesli each morning on the scales, I decided to dig out some measuring cups I bought at the Potteries last year. The smaller one measures 1/4 cup and if filled to the top it is 18g of muesli.(Half of a HexB)
The other cup is 1/2 cup and if filled just below the top measures 90g pudding rice.  To this I add 1 litre Alpro unsweetened Almond Milk.

 

 Lunch was Roast Lamb, roasted potatoes and parsnips (Actifry)cabbage, carrots, peas, cauliflower. In fact I am sure this plate is 1/3rd Free and 2/3rd Superfree.  I allowed 5 syns for the gravy - although I let the juices cool and scraped all the fat off.





 


Four ryvita original and i only had 3 Laughing Cow light blue cheese with 3 tbsp picallili. I just followed this with a bowl of melon, raspberries, few grapes and a 0% cherry Activia yoghurt.



Really happy to have come this far now through Easter, one of those occurrences that is going to happen a lot during this journey.  If I had been away - well it would probably be tougher.  If the weather had been nicer I reckon we would have been away in our caravan.  I am hoping that will be OK as its our home from home, we take the food, we cook it. 

 

HexA = 3 Laughing Cow Light blue cheese (could have had 4)
HexB =  4 Original Ryvita

SYNS

Gravy= 5 syns
Picallili 3 tbps = 1.5 syns

Total syns = 6.5


Although its saying 10.40pm I know it is 9.40pm, so trying to hang on a while before bed.  All day I have been saying - "It's 7 but it should be 6" "It's 12 but its only 11" Roll on tomorrow as this stops.

Have a good day Easter Monday, all of a sudden WI will be here in a flash!

Love Carol xx

Saturday - Keeping that focus 100%!!

As I reflect over the last few days I think I am not fully making the most of Healthy Extras A and B.
I think I have always hung onto them in case I needed them later. Same goes for syns.  So this afternoon I am going to have a Galaxy 40 calories bubbles hot chocolate (2 syns) and 8 mikados (4 syns)  I am really looking forward to that,  so while we are watching soccer Saturday I will sneak off at half time to have it.

Breakfast Fruit salad with yoghurt..followed by dog walking down by the river, think its getting slightly warmer, so pushed a bit further, possibly added 10 minutes extra to my daily body magic. Which adds up over a week.  God knows what I would do if I didn't have dogs.  But I am a big dog lover and could never imagine not having them in my life.




Lunch.  Fried sliced onion,quorn chicken pieces,  half a large courgette, mushrooms, celery stick, half a red pepper, in fry light until softened, added half a tub of Kerry Low Low (yay - HexA done), stirred some cooked Orzo through. It was very tasty, cheesy and my ever so picky skinny son, liked it too.  PLEASE do not be put off my the photo (I added a boiled egg for a change). I would mark it a 9/10 for taste and fulfilment.


I had a bowl of fruit and yoghurt again with a crumbled Alpen light bar over the top.  Watched by you know who!
I even lifted the bowl a little higher, but she still stares at me and the bowl.  Thank God the big lad Paddy is not interested.





3-5pm Soccer Saturday, half time I made Galaxy bubbles hot chocolate, in my opinion its the nicest chocolaty one for me.  The drink + 8 Mikado was 6 syns what a treat. Six syns compared to not so long ago. I would think nothing of 2 glasses of red wine at 6 syns each!  But not any more!  This girl has learnt a hell of a lot these past few weeks.  And it is starting to show.



Dinner.
Stir fry chicken with fine egg noodles.  Sean my very good cook of a husband always preps his food, unlike me who suffers from impatience.  I usually turn on the gas, fry pan on top, frylight squirted in, then rush to slice onions, rummage for the celery, courgette, mushrooms etc, panic sets in...I really should take a leaf out of his book...see photo. I did add mushrooms and courgette to the ingredients.  All he used was Frylight and Soy Sauce! By the way this served four adults.



The finished article, complete with my special rice - wonder if I could have added an egg stirred through to make it egg rice??
anyone know if this is how its done?
I used a tbsp of sweet chili dipping sauce over the top.






Dessert fruit and yoghurt. May have overdone yoghurt today (3 in total)

Had a nice reply to a comment I made in yesterdays blog, regarding my concern at not having HexB. Karen M suggested muesli with my fruit at breakfast, or 2 slices of wholemeal bread (400g loaf)  Seeing as I have this fear of  "If I use my Healthy extras A and B too early, I will have nothing to fall back on if I get hungry."  So with this thought, as I usually have a bowl of fruit between lunch and dinner,( guess if I went to work it would be called a "Break"), I am going to have my muesli on the fruit then.  Result.
Don't know if you have read some fabulous bloggers "25 Random things about me", if you  haven't you  must read them, they are really great. I've read 4 or 5. I simply would not know where to start personally.  I'll have to sit down and think it through.  One thing struck me though, quite a few mention that their best friends are the ones they have made in the past year!  Think I understand that.

HexA = 1/2 tub Kerry LowLow mature cheese spread.
HexB =  2 Alpen light cherry bakewell.

SYNS

11g Galaxy 40 cals hot chocolate = 2 syns
8 Mikados = 4 syns
1 tbsp sweet chili dipping sauce = 1.5 syns
Milk for coffee = 2.5

Total syns = 10

Have a super Easter Sunday.
Love Carol xx

Friday - Good Friday?

Yes I can categorically state it was a Good Friday for me on plan.  I was worried about going out to my brother and sister in law's last night for a bit of a do.  My sister in law is one of the sweetest people on this planet.  I knew if I walked in with a bowl of savoury rice, she would not mind in the slightest and would fully understand and be supportive.  My brother said "What you brought this for? I have done a huge amount of rice to go with the chilli", I said, "Yes, but its not got superfree has it"  "What you talking about?" he said..."Its so I can stick to my plan and not be worried "  I just left it at that. We had a lovely evening, he had put all the old family video's put onto DVD.  I saw me in 1999 at my other brother's wedding in Gretna Green.  Oh wow, that's where I want to be again, figure wise.   I will remember that image now just to keep me on track.

Breakfast. Usual fruit and yoghurt. What to do with Miss Molly though? it is now a given for her to be present at my fruit bowl! She can be laid upside down on the sofa in the lounge and no matter how quietly I prepare the bowl of fruit, she is in like a shot!

Lunch was a more substantial affair as I knew it would be much later when we would be having dinner at my brother's.  This would hopefully stop me feeling hungry later in the afternoon.  Although not showing I did add some canned tomatoes that had been cooked with 2 dollops of spinach and 5 large mushrooms, to bulk it out AND add superfree.

Just before leaving I prepared a bowl of rice to take along, added, peas, sweetcorn, celery, mushrooms, red pepper, spring onions.  I may do this again and put in a tupperware in the fridge. It just makes a mugful of rice go a long way.

 Dinner.  Colin's chilli which had baked beans and red kidney beans, my rice and salad.  This was quite a small plate and I did go back for half as much again.  the food layout was very impressive.  If you are not on a healthy eating plan, it would be fantastic.  I just did not look at it, but out of the corner of my eye I could see two lasagna's buried under a mountain of melted and browned cheese, and garlic bread.  I did not touch any of it.  I cannot believe I am saying this as it is just not me, pre SW I would have had the lot and gone back for more.  I won't dwell on the desserts, but it is suffice to say not one was SW friendly.  The homemade pavlova was friendly, with the fresh fruit, but the double cream made it not SW friendly.  So I just had a can of Diet fizzy drink. 

For Karen P, me with Eric last night. Aren't they characters. Lovely breed (he loves Molly and Paddy especially Paddy.


HexA = 250ml milk - (for my coffee)
HexB = Don't know what to do about this, as I seem do be missing them? any tips ladies? is it vital each day?

SYNS

Not good this! i cannot recall any, none written in my book. I expected to use some at my brothers. There would probably be syns in the chilli and salad which had a oil and balsamic.  Would hope I had no more than 10?...simply do not know.

Apologies for photos being all over the place, I am trying to make them smaller and making a proper hash of it. Hope everyone else had a Good Friday!



Love Carol xx

Thursday - my first milestone.

Did you know you can have 2 x  Alpen light bar as HexB, but if you  have only 1, it counts as super  speed one.  I didn't, but I do now.  Thanks KM. I seem to be making the mistake of not having syns during the day and kind of 'banking' them until later in the day.  So if I get the munchies, I can use them up.  The last few days I have been so busy with work, I noted I am not having many at all.

When I had my unexpected visitor yesterday, he actually gave me half an hour notice. (It was my accountant), I was busy on laptop working like fury when I got the call.  I was still in dog walk gear and I knew I had to scrub up a bit.  In my wardrobe (yep we all have this) are stacks of clothes that are just way too tight (or they shrunk in the wash, lol). I grabbed a pair of grey trousers (afraid to say pull ons ) - they have been in there for 2 years.  They fit, size 18 and I was so chuffed.  A black t-shirt, that did nicely.    I think its fair to say this is my first milestone.  Does this spur me on? - you bet ya it does.  God knows how many black sacks I put in the attic with summer clothes I bought last spring, as I was determined to slim last year, labels still on.  SO if we ever see summer this year, I may have a nice surprise.  Its funny how we wait for the milestone, it could be anything, clothes feel looser, bras don't dig in so much, boobs don't fall over the top, plus they don't seem to get in the way at meal time either!  Did I ever tell you I knew the time had come to start a diet, when I went to bed one night, took my bra off and peanuts fell out! 

Breakfast. Fruit and yoghurt again, its just simple and takes no time at all.  I also love the fact that it probably gets the metabolism working, and no HexA, HexB, or syns.  I've been and bought more grapes and melon for the next one.  I didn't buy kiwi  as I am really not that fussed with it. So I may add frozen rasperries (defrosted!)

Lunch  Poor dogs had a late walk in fact it was lunch time.  I was so determined not to miss lunch again.  Even though it was 3pm I heated up yesterdays throw it all together, with half a tub of Kerry lowlow, it was fabulous.  First attempt with Kerry low low. My hairdresser Lisa, said to me she uses it cos she likes cheese. I said, "I use Quark." She said "but Low low is much cheesier", Lisa, you were correct!

Dinner. Chicken curry with sweet potato, red pepper and onion.  Sean is the curry expert and he said it needed a tbsp of curry paste.  Patak Madras Curry paste = 4 syns per tbps. Between two of us is fine.  Worth 2 syns.  A mint rathia, with tomato , a side salad of lettuce cucumber and red onion. The curry looks a large portion but it had so much superfree in I guessed it would be OK.

Dessert.  To use syns up I broke up four mini meringues (1syn each)  added some defrosted black forest fruit mix (i added sweetener, too tart for my taste) and a yoghurt. 

Was going to post this blog last night, but fell asleep watching Prisoner Wives. It was a busy day today so I know it was due to that - in the days before I copped on to syns, I would have dropped off due to red wine intake!  I do not miss the headaches, I do not miss the disturbed sleep...so glad I gave it up and had sensible syns.  It has made all the difference to my eating habits.

HexA = 1/2 tub Kerry LowLow
HexB = missed it out, only realised just now too!

SYNS
4 x Mini meringue  = 4 syns
1/2 tbsp Patak madras curry paste = 2 syns

total Syns = 6 syns

Night out Friday at my brother and sister in law.  They do not cook unhealthy so I am hopeful I can stay  on plan. May take some savoury rice packed with veggies to be safe.

Love Carol xx

Wednesday WI - 2lbs off

  Yay! I really wanted to lose 2lbs today, as I am now into the next stone down.  I am so happy as its the first time I have ever slimmed without a club, successfully, 1/2lb to go to my one and a half stone.   It just proves to me now, that by making changes, subtle changes at that, then the plan will work for you.  My main changes are cutting out red wine, I figured it was syns I could use more effectively elsewhere, writing it all down, starting to understand after years of being a SW member, how this plan does actually work.  No matter how many meetings I have been to, no matter how much image threrapy I have sat through, no-one explained it better than the two lovely Karens, whose blogs I became addicted to.  The more I read the more I learned.  They just write away telling you how they do it their way and boy do they get result after result.  I wonder if they truly realise how much the pair of them help me!  Pity they cannot bottle it and sell it, they would make a fortune.

Breakfast usual fruit and 0% greek yoghurt, as you know I have a huge amount sitting in the fridge so I can just dish it out without prepping it.  As soon as we had breakfast it was time to take the Airedales for a walk.  They just so know when its that time to go out.  They focus on  my feet, they wait for the walking shoes to come out of the porch in readiness. Then the excitement is just crazy.  My pockets are emptied of anything that is in there, handkerchief, gloves, my woollen headband.  I usually have to traipse up the garden searching for a glove!  I have tried all ways to stop them but I just end up laughing so much at them.  Wish I could video the whole shebang..I then get them to the car, the pair of them pulling like crazy, sometimes I have to grab the car door handle to stop them dragging me down the drive.  Molly gave a tug on her lead and horror!  it snapped in half - Paddy had been chewing through it.  They are worse than kids.  The drive to the riverside is 10 mins drive.  You should hear the howling that goes on, it is embarrassing. I have a video of it, I'm going to post it on you tube..its so worth it.

Anyway I digress.  Lunch was distrupted as I had an unexpected visitor for a couple of hours, so lunch was really behind schedule.  Sean and Lee had sausage sandwiches, yes the real thing...the type that ooze fat when cooking. I quickly fried an onion, celery, mushrooms, red pepper, then added small handful of peas sweetcorn and quorn chicken. It smelled so lovely i added nothing else.  Apart from a small pan of orzo pasta - it looks like rice.  As you see above it looks lovely.  By now my appetite had just gone, it was 3pm. So it is in a tupperware in the fridge for tomorrows lunch.

Dinner was prepared by Sean.  Ex Lean mince, root veggies, leeks, potatoes and 2 oxo cubes.  Simmered away for an hour or so.  This is so filling.  Whilst it was cooking I quickly measured 90g pudding rice, a carton of Alpro unsweetened almond  milk, simmerred on the cooker top for 25 mins. then added few tbps sweetener and a capful of vanilla extract.  Thats dessert sorted.

Bit upset that I missed a meal, but I can't do anything about it.  Ending the day on a nice positive feeling.

HexA = 500ml Alpro milk
HexB = 1 Alpen light bar -( damn missed another HexB)

SYNS
Gravy mix = 5 syns

total Syns = 5 syns

Tuesday...Weigh day is so close now.

Its times like this, when it is now 5pm and tomorrow morning is WI day, that I reflect and am genuinely happy with the past week's efforts on plan.  Made the mistake of actually glancing at myself in the mirror this morning.  S'truth I have a long way to go yet.  I'll just keep chipping away at the weight losses.  On my profile thingy I said 32lbs to go..that was not true, its more.  But anyway I will cross that one when I get to it.  Another thing I like about the start of a new week, is reading other peoples weight losses on  FB pages. 
I admit when I used to go to SW group classes, I only wanted to sit close to those ladies who were being successful, losing every week. I did not want to be close to the moaning minnies who I knew were in the chip shop straight after class.  Its the same for me now, only I slim from home. I just love the blogs by the terrificly inspiring ladies who are so on it. Those are the ones I want to read.
I am writing a daily blog and it does help me.  I know of three ladies who are what I call very experienced bloggers.  Its those ladies who started me doing the plan properley for the first time EVER.  I do write it all down now.  Funny really as the notebook I write in has evolved into a really good plotter. I started this journey Jan 7th.  I started writing it down Feb 4th (if you could call it that)
No mention of HexA or HexB, I was guestimating syns.  Nowadays its like 2nd nature to me.  If you dont do already you should try it as it may surprise you, not having enough syns, not having enough healthy extras..etc.  Its great when it gets to 8pm and you realise you only had 4 syns so far...grab 10 mikados - for 5 syns.

Breakfast - yep, my fresh fruit out of the fridge with a 0% activia strawberry yoghurt.  It takes ages to eat, compared to say a bowl of porridge. I must take a photo tomorrow as Molly my Airedale, sits while I eat my fruit salad and I swear she gets closer and closer. My fault, I gave her a piece of melon thinking she would not like it but she does!

A walk with the pooches as per usual, by the time I was back, i was feeling peckish.  So I took a leaf out of KM blog and had a banana and yoghurt for my break.

Lunch I noticed that KM had a pasta tomato dish recently so I tried to do one of those myself.  Fried off celery, mushrooms, peas, onions, green pepper, a few green beans, added some strips of ham, tins of toms. Then stirred cooked pasta through with some parmesan cheese.  Very filling. Two photos, before I added the pasta and the finished product.  I forgot to take the photo of mine, so I grabbed Seans just before he stuck his fork in , said "Sorry I need this for the photo" - wonder how he copes with me at times.  I must buy some low fat cheddar cheese though, our fridge has the full fat version and I ain't touching that.

Dinner. Chicken breast with lightest Philly cheese and bacon wrapped around, covered in foil, baked in oven.  SW chips in Actifry, beans and carrots. 
For dessert I had run out of yoghurts, so beat some quark with sweetener and vanilla extract, served with a crumbled Alpen light bar, fresh fruit salad, and a dollop of quark.  It tasted like  cream to be honest.

Remember I said earlier, I would snap Molly as she loves my fruit salad? well I didn't have to wait until the morning cos, here she is, her eyes are on the bowl Not me!

Would have liked to finish this blog in the morning after WI, but I am trying to keep it so that its published on the right day.  I hope to have lost 2lb in all honesty, but after a 2lb then a 3lb, its unlikey I will hit another 2lb loss.  Reason is because I am in the next stone marker.  I feel as I have been in this 'stone' for ages, because I bought new scales and they weighed heavier by 3.5 lbs.  So I was pushed back, never goes the other way does it, I couldn't have been 3.5lbs lighter !! Grrrrr...

HexA = 25g Philly cheese, 10g parmesan. (dont think I will be far out)
HexB = 1 Alpen light bar -( damn missed another HexB)

SYNS
2 Tbsp ex.light mayo = 2
2tbps Light evap milk = 1.5


total Syns = 3.5

Once again I missed out on syns. 

Hope you all have well earned weight losses this week.

Love Carol xx

Monday - countdown to WI

Yes, countdown officially starts when I know WI is only a couple of days away.  There is always the excitement but as any experienced slimmer know, that can soon turn into a slimmers nightmare, if a gain or stay the same shows on the scales.  So much effort, thought etc goes into the week.  A SW consultant once said, "If you are given a dozen red roses and one is dead, you would not throw the whole bunch away!"  As I have been on plan I hope to be Ok. But you just never know and can never take a loss for granted.

Must admit the regular dog walk with Paddy and Molly has been cut short due to the freezing weather.  It is just too cold. I'll make up for it next week, if it warms up. I try not to chatter about blogs, eating plans, with Sean on this walk, but it is always on my mind.  Wonder if it will pass, I should ask the other lovely ladies who blog regularly, if it does pass.  Then again, I dont see how it can if you are focused on everything you eat or plan to eat.

Breakfast was my usual fruit and natural 0% this time, Greek Yoghurt. The tupperware is now empty so I have been busy washing grapes, peeling a galia melon and 3 kiwi fruits. This should keep me going for quite a few days, it does seem to keep well in the fridge. So far, I am not bored with this for breakfast as it keeps my HexB free for lunch.

Lunch. Sean rustled up 2 slices toast, with 2 poached eggs, baked beans, I had a can of whole mushrooms to pad it out. Some ex light Mayo and brown sauce.  Really filling and I do have a big appetite. Still got plenty of syns to have, because I write it down, I glance across to my pad and see instantly I have used 3 syns so far. 

Dinner today is chilli with Quorn mince.  I added chopped celery, onion, mushrooms, garlic, tsp cumin powder, frozen coriander, tin of baked beans and chopped tomotoes.  Quorn  went in  10 minutes from the end of cooking.  If you cook Quorn for too long its like rubber bullets.  Jacket potato and time to use some HexA, 2 Laughing Cow light Blue cheese and 15g paremesan scattered over the whole plate. A small salad and natural yoghurt with 1tsp mint sauce.
My salad had a topping of Shwartz Perfect Shake. For salads, it has black olives, red pepper and mint, which you just shake over the salad.  Mine was almost empty so not many chunkier peices left in the pot.

As we ate, we were watching TV, a  programme came on and it was fascinating about how technicians are making false eyes look more realistic.  They are trying to make the iris, sensitive to light so it will dilate etc. But, they were modelling it on a young lady who had lost an eye, I should turn away as my appetite usually goes.  Thankfully my dinner was almost finished. But, I could not eat a single thing after that.  Even mikado's, choccie drink wasn't doing it, so my syns were really low and I prefer to have them in all honesty. I have always been sqeamish with certain programmes. 
I have really hurt my wrist today, hence the delay in finishing this blog.  I can only put it down to spending too many hours on my kindle in bed.  Must rest it as I jokingly said to Sean, if this gets any worse you'll have to pull my knickers up for me!  He had to fasten my bra this morning as he was still in bed, he couldnt see as his specs were downstairs. Even seen a man try and fasten a bra? "

HexA = 2 Laughing Light Cow Blue cheese, 15g grated parmesan cheese
HexB = 2 slices wholemeal bread

SYNS
1 tsp mint sauce = 0.5
2T ex light Mayo = 2
1 tbps brown sauce = 1

total Syns = 3.5

Hope you all had a good day.

Love Carol xx

Sunday - always a "safe day" for slimming..

Most unusual for me today, I slept until 10am.  I never ever do this.  Two loo trips during the night, each one wakes me up.  A tickly cough too.  Think Dylan - age 7, my grandson has passed something on.
I almost got up at 07:00 but a little fella crept in our bed and we both fell asleep for another three hours!  Molly the Airedale was wandering in and out of the bedroom as I just could not get out of the warm bed.  Finally managed to get downstairs by 11:30, thats shower hairwash, then Dylan the same.
Sean was up and about hours ago, so the smell of the roast pork was wafting through the house.  Feel "safe" today in slimming terms. Superfree galore!

Breakfast was fruit and yoghurt.  This time I measured my 35g  Dorset tropical fruit muesli into a measuring cup I bought from Stoke potteries two years ago, (I knew it would come in handy one day)
Now I don't have to dig my scales out each time. Arranged above with yoghurt for my photo.  Hell!!!
the Sainsbury's Greek Yoghurt is NOT 0% fat. It's 3% fat.  That probably means I will have to syn it.
I am gutted as its the second portion I have had out of the tub.  Another lesson learnt, do not assume all low fat greek yoghurts are 0%.  I will check them all now. No wonder it was creamier. Not too much damage but still unhappy at 1.5 syns (would rather have 3 mikado's)

I was born in County Durham, close to Durham Town. Although I moved to Nottingham when I was six.  The dish pictured is something that within our family we call "Geordie Salad".  Its shredded lettuce, 5 spring onions finely sliced, 2 tsps mint sauce, lots of sweetener and a few tbsps vinegar. It does sound strange I know, but it is something I have grown up with.  Essentially people from the North of England, had their Yorkshire puddings with gravy as a first course (they still do in some restaurants up there), the 'salad' would be eaten with it.  Nowadays I still have one yorkshire pudding with my dinner.  As soon as dinner is ready to eat, this "salad" goes with it.  Like you would mint sauce with lamb.  I do it with most meats.

I did have gravy but I poured it on after the photo.  The mash is potatoes and suede (no butter) a splash of milk only.  I think Sunday roast dinners is the only meal where I have 1/3rd free and 2/3rds superfree. 
By 4pm it was time to take Dylan home and its an hour and a half round trip.  I could not stop thinking about what I was going to eat when I got home.  One of those - I cannot get full days.  I asked Sean, what did he fancy, he replied "Are you joking? I am still stuffed" - I wish I had been joking.  I remembered photos from two lovely ladies blogs, that almost each day had for a break..banana and yoghurt.  Bingo...that is exactly what I had and it took the edge of being led astray!

Its now 7.15 pm and I am about to sign this daily blog off, so the last meal of my day is the remaining rice pudding from yesterday. I may add a few pieces of my remaining fruit salad, but I know after that I will be very satisfied and chuffed that I have managed to get through the weekend. 
Each day when I think I have now got a grasp on this plan, I find I have not been as careful  as I as thought.  The 3% yoghurt won't happen again.

Leave this with a little pic of my dear little Molly who is the sweetest Airedale, in the woods after dropping Dylan off at his mums.

I have had plenty of fluids, I just don't mention them - fruit teas, and bottled water, favourite at the moment is Lidl - Strawberry and Kiwi spring water.

HexA = 500ml Alpro unsweetened Almond Milk
HexB = 35g Dorset muesli

SYNS
Yorkshire pud = 3
1 tsp mint sauce = 0.5
3% greek yoghurt = 1.5
Gravy = 5

total Syns = 10

Hope you had a nice weekend.

Love Carol xx

Saturday - survived it !!

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Could not believe the snow this morning and it was freezing cold.  Dreaded doing the Body Magic dog walk with Paddy and Molly.  But, as we know dogs are for life not just for when the weather is fine and dandy.  Due to the snow, our planned evening with my brother and family was postponed until next Friday, which kind of meant I would not have any foods that would tempt my new found resolve. 

Breakfast first, which was the normal fruit, but I did put some raspberries on top and tried a new flavour 0% yoghurt - blueberry.  Really nice, those yoghurts are so creamy.  I bought some Dorset muesli but each morning I think I should have it, but I know my HexB choice has gone if I do that, so I try to hold off.  As soon as we left the riverside I needed a trip to Lidl and Morrisons.  The fresh fruit that I have sitting in the fridge may only last a couple more days so extra melons and grapes were called for.  I really must try mango, but they look firm and I am not sure how long they would take to ripen. I also needed more Alpro Almond milk unsweetened as that is great for rice pudding. More of that later.

Lunch.  Needed a good filler as I was feeling quite hungry, my usual fry in frylight, but again I had the tomotoes, mushroom and spinach mix which is great for superfree foods.  I also had two wholemeal slice (400g loaf) for my HexB. 1 x Tbps tomato ketchup too.  My husband now has LM Red onion sausages too.  He actually likes them quite a lot.  He refuses the tomato concoction though, won't say what he says it look like. 

 

For Dinner, I had the remains of the casserole Sean cooked yesterday, with steamed broccoli, cauliflower and peas.  It was really filling, but I feel  I am really not enjoying eating much meat these days.  One day I will pluck up the courage and buy a Quorn Roast.  Cannot imagine what that tastes like.  Then again, I didnt realise that LM red onion and rosemary sausages could taste so good. My memories of Quorn sausages years ago, did not do it for me.  These taste almost like stuffing. 

 

Dessert.  My first attempt at rice pudding with Alpro Almond unsweetened milk left me feeling slightly disappointed.  I made that one in the oven. Then Karen M suggested I add vanilla extract. I also noted that some cook it on the top of the cooker and not in the oven.  So 94g of pudding rice, 1 ltr of Alpro, sprinkle of grated nutmeg, brought to the boil and simmered for about 20 minutes, I added 5-6 tbps sweetener,1 tsp vanilla extract. Et voila! Thats it..its simply fantastic.  That also made sure I had my HexA. 

 

During the afternoon as we sat watching Soccer Saturday, I munched on 4 mikados and had a options hot chocolate. 

 

All in all I am happy with how the day has gone.  Saturdays were usually take aways, steak and chips, always something I called special (which equals = calorie laden) plus a bottle or two of red!

 

This morning whilst I was in Lidl I bumped into my old SW consultant.  I almost felt guilty that I was doing quite nicely on the SW plan, solo.  I had to confess that I was doing it solo, because just after Xmas I was going to rejoin, for the umpteenth time!  She was really sweet and very encouraging.  There was that moment of dread when you glance into your trolley and hope there's nothing 'naughty' in it.  All I had was bottled water...Yay!!!! 

 

 

HexA = 500ml Alpro unsweetened Almond Milk
HexB = 2 slices wholemeal bread (400g loaf)

SYNS
1 tbsp ketchup = 1
1 tsp mint sauce = 0.5
4 mikados = 2
Options = 2

total Syns = 5.5

Hope you had a nice Saturday.

Love Carol xx



 

 

 

 

 

Friday, and its fffffreeezing!

Since increasing fluid intake (non-alcoholic only) I cannot seem to sleep beyond 06:00 (thats the way my bedside clock shows it.) call of nature, guess its also due to increase fruit and vegetables too.
Most nights I dream of searching all over for a loo, then wake in a panic, realise its a dream, breath a sigh of relief and dash to the loo. That then wakes me up proper and so I kindle away for an hour and a half.
I gave up alcohol as I was getting really bad headaches and also twigged on p.d.q. that the really, really successful dieters/bloggers didn't appear to have any alcohol on their regular syn listings.  Is it me or has my mum missed the point?  I told her that I had not had a headache for five consecutive nights plus I was having better weight losses. Her reply was " Well, have white wine, rose wine, beer, lager, gin then"  there is a saying "Mum knows best" - not in this instance.

So breakfast was same fruit made from the fresh fruit i bought yesterday. Cantaloupe melons only £1 and quite big too, 4 peeled and chopped kiwi fruit (punnet of 7 for £1) and a punnet of red grapes (£2) So £4 for a very very large tupperware of fruit. I tend to get 5-6 portion out of it.  I had a Mullerlight peach and mandarin yoghurt on top.  I was tempted to use the HexB on 35g muesli, but decided to hold on so I could have 2 slices wholemeal bread with lunch (400g loaf)

Really late this morning, doing body magic with Molly and  Paddy, but it was so cold we didn't manage 35 mins, as the wind was battering us. All the time we are walking I am chatting constantly about SW stuff.  Wonder if that will calm down later as I become more accustomed to it.  On the walk I had a text from my brother who invited us around tomorrow evening to celebrate him and my neice getting jobs this week.  I fired a text back immediately to my sister in law, saying oh yes please, and could I please bring over savoury rice, a salad and dessert (crafty ole me wanting to be sure of staying on plan).  Well my sister in law is so sweet, she said "No way! for once in your life you are coming here and not bringing anything along, just enjoy it!" I will take something anyway, I know they will understand, why I just had to.

Lunch.  2 slices of toast, scrambled eggs, fresh tomatoes fried in frylight and sliced mushrooms, and two LM red onion sausages. 2 tbps brown sauce. (2 syns)  I dont think the pic is very good, it was OK, but I wish I had canned tomotoes instead with spinach.

Sean had prepared a fab casserole, but I had in my head I wanted a veggie curry.  So half a butternut squash, onion, 2 cloves garlic,  2 carrots, few pieces of broccoli and cauliflower, cooked in frylight, then 2 tsps tandoori masalla powder, small amount of  garam masalla, turmeric, 1/2 carton shopped tomotoes, cooked for 30 mins until cooked, added small amount of water. Oh 10 mins from the end of cooking I added approx 1/8 pack Quorn chicken   Again I made mint rathia with 0% greek youghurt, cucumber, spring onion, tomato, small amount of sliced lettuce, 1sp mint sauce.  This filled half my plate so didn't fancy rice with it.  It was very filling and satisfied me.

1 Alpen light (3 syns), 2 mini meringue (1 syn each), fruit from bowl in fridge, 1/2 cherry 0% yoghurt, 1/2 mandarn Mullerlight yoghurt, 2 tbps half fat evap milk (1.5 syn)

That just about wrapped the day up nicely, another one under the belt.  Now its Saturday morning and its looking good for the weekend. 

Hope you all are feeling positive and just think, Summer, pretty dresses, shorts, t'shirts..at this rate and feelings of positivity i reckon I just may do it this time!

HexA = 250ml semi skinned Milk
HexB = 2 slices wholemeal bread (400g loaf)

SYNS
2 tbsp Brown sauce = 2
2 Tbls Half fat Evaporated Milk = 1.5
1 tsp mint sauce = 0.5
2 mini meringue = 2
3 mikados = 1.5
Alpen light = 3

total Syns = 10.5

If I hadnt written these down I would have forgotten to syn the Alpen!

Love Caz x