Monday , manic Monday.

 When I started my journey, my weigh in was Monday morning.  One Monday I had an unexpected gain.  I changed scales and WI day. Weight went up by 3.5lbs due to new scales and weigh in became Wednesday.  I really wish I had left it for Monday morning.  Since then, I was diagnosed with under active thyroid, so weight losses were always going to be tougher I am told.  (It is being controlled now) This is the crazy nutty thought, which makes me think I am losing the plot. "Mondays come around quicker than Wednesdays." 
Late in publishing this blog as it is now Tuesday, but as I photograph everything I am happy to report that I was on plan.
We have a caravan and we have not been in it for 8 months.  Its a shame as weather, time etc has made it impossible to go away, even for a few days.  So I asked Sean if he minded if we let my older son James and his fiance use it occasionally.  Idea is we tow it and set it up, they stay in it, then we go and tow it back.  Proviso was it was within 40-50 minutes towing time.  They were so delighted and happy it became apparent that they would like to go this weekend. Can't blame them with the extra day - Monday.  Oh,,this weekend is bank holiday, that may prove to be awkward?!*!  I could see their hearts were set on it and I was absolutely determined that I would find them a nice place somewhere!  I tried all my usual sites, Lincolnshire to Derbyshire, no luck. All full.. (You have been warned this Friday will see caravans all over the UK)
I was having now to spread the net.  I found one in Holbeach.  I have passed it a few times on the way to Norfolk and couldn't remember if it was 'our side' or 'Norfolk side', I paid the deposit and booked it anyway.  Then checked - not far from Kings Lynn which is "Norfolk side" in my head.  Drive time 1 hour 30min, that's drive time not towing time,  so possible up to 2 hours on a bank holiday Friday.  Plot thickens, Sean has results of biopsy Friday morning, Dylan my grandson needs collecting from school 3pm Friday (his mum and step dad are at a funeral and asked me ages ago if I could collect or Lee?( well Lee at the moment cannot walk let alone drive) Dylan lives North Nottingham, opposite side to where we need to be.  Now, I am pretty good at juggling. So how can I work this one?  God knows!  Me thinks " Lee, you have no choice but to get better PDQ, before your mother has a nervous breakdown." 
The big big plus side is, I have made James and Marie so flipping ecstatically happy - if a couple deserve a break its them. 
We have decided that if things work out ok we may stay on at that site for a few days, Monday - Thursday.  Could work out ok in the end.  Just got to get it there first.
Back to Monday food intake..

Breakfast - Fruit, yoghurt...(0% greek yoghurt), Molly licking her lips!!

Lunch - If I am stuck what to have (I never pre plan lunches, don't know why, never have), I usually think of Karen M or Karen P, cheesy pasta.  So that's what I did, a packet of Pasta n Sauce Cheese and Broccoli made with water I also added, frozen broccoli and 2 frozen spinach to this pan, then in a large frying pan, fried off half a large courgette, mushroom and half a red onion. Mixed it all together and stirred low low through, less than half a tub. Just noticed and remember I put two slices of lean ham in too.


Dinner - Quorn burger, 1xLM Vegetarian sausage, 1 egg, 2 bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes,

Dessert - fruit, yoghurt and a 0% cherry Activia yoghurt. (one crushed mini meringue on top)
1 tbps light evap milk


HexA - Low Low 60g
HexB - 1 slice wholemeal bread (400g)

Syns
LM Veg sausage = 2    (won't buy these again!- prefer syn free!)
1 mini meringe = 1
Galaxy 40 cals hot choc = 2
8  mikados = 4

total syns 9


Weigh in tomorrow, always always apprehensive and always feel heavy when I step on those damn scales.!

Love Carol

xx

SUNDAY half way there

Sunday is the day where I am thankful I have been on plan since last weigh in.  I would be in a state of panic now, if I had strayed.  No wobbles to speak of, so far!  Since I started in January, there hasn't been too many obstacles in my way.  A wedding early March, at Ross on Wye, where we had an overnight stay in a lovely hotel,  followed by a super three course dinner the next day, in a pretty village, Bishops Cleeve, close to Cheltenham. There has also been Mother's Day (Carvery=no problemo) but not much else of note. With the weather improving, thoughts turn to days away in our caravan, barbecues and warm summer evenings.  This sounds daft, but I have NEVER successfully slimmed in these months.  Most weight plus more has gone on by Winter.  This is a cycle I have to break.  Since the discovery of support groups on FB - I feel more confident. I used to have to wait until Image Therapy and then hope the subjects would cover how to cope etc..But, not any longer, I can get inspiration, support, ideas, 24/7.  Slimmers Bloggers was an excellent idea - hats off to whoever thought of this group. 

Breakfast was fruit and yogurt.  I am so into the defrosted raspberries at the moment a pack from Sainsburys is lasting 3-4 days when mixed with grapes and melon. I bought a pineapple yesterday and I wish I could find where to buy a pineapple peeler, I end up with a half of what I should.  Something nice about having a bowl of pineapple to munch on.



Lunch, Roast Beef, mashed potatoes and swede, carrots, white cabbage, cauliflower, gravy.  I did put a small Yorkshire pudding on the plate but didn't eat it. 

Dessert. More fruit and a 0% vanilla Activia yogurt.








Supper.  Sean made a beef curry last night (Saturday) there was so much left, I said that if I was hungry I would have some for supper.  I boiled some basmati rice had the curry with some yogurt and mint, with red onions, mango chutney. Not a large portion like yesterday, about half. No pics sorry.


HexA - Milk 250ml in coffees
HexB - Not had any--oopsie...only just realised and it is 10.20pm.!

Syns
Gravy = 5
Galaxy 40 cals hot choc = 2
12 mikados = 6

total syns 13

Technically all the food today is on the plan as far as I can see. It is just unusual for me to have two meals. Although I used to regularly have a large cooked breakfast at lunch time, 2 eggs, 2 toast, 2 LM sausage, beans, mushrooms. Then have dinner later. Ah, i know why I feel bad about eating this...! Sean had the same as me, and as I was taking my last few mouthfuls, he said, "You know Caz, I don't really want this, I'm sorry" I was suddenly filled with a feeling of "Oh no, why didn't he say so earlier, I wouldn't have had mine!" It was nice though so i am hoping I haven't done too much damage. 
Lee my son is slightly improved . No locking muscle spasms. Still so debilitating, but I think in a few days time, he will be standing straight and not be confined to one chair (its the only one he can sit in)

Two more full days to go on plan before weigh in.  My whole world is seeming to revolve around Wednesday mornings.!  Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend...

Love Carol xxx

DON'T WRITE, PHOTOGRAPH

As I seem to be haphazard with food diary, I asked Karen (M)  how she recorded her food diary. "Photograph everything."  My own food diary (handwritten), recorded EVERY breakfast I have had from day one. Not difficult as it rarely changes. I am not a lazy person, but writing it down just gets missed and so lately do the photographs. I have photographed everything today. I am hopeful this new method will help.  Many times I have half eaten the plateful before I realise I haven't photographed, steal at glance at Sean's to see if his still looks photograph able!  It's become quite a laugh at breakfast photo shoot, with Molly.  I wish I could video her.  Her head starts at bowl level, goes to rest on knee, goes to head between my leg and chair arm.   Sean says I shouldn't laugh as it "encourages" her.  It's the melon that encourages her, not me, thanks for the advice Sean!
Been running around more than usual.  Lee my son, has a really bad torn lower back muscle.  I have never seen a tear as debilitating as this.  He just cannot move.  Movement is so limited at the moment.
As a mum, you think your days of seeing to your children's needs are long gone.   Kind of nice knowing I am needed once again.
My blog should have been posted last night, but I had a backlog of phone calls that I had to make. No such thing as a quick phone conversation.  Sean is ever amazed at how long I can spend talking on the phone. 

Breakfast. Melon, grapes, defrosted berries,banana, 0% activia pineapple yoghurt.  No Molly, it was quite late - and she was on cat/fox/badger patrol at the side gate.






Lunch - A first. ( inspired by Karen (P), I had seen a pic of a wholemeal roll on her blog) I bought a pack of Warburtons wholemeal rolls.  I was surprised that the first one weighed 69g, second one 65g.
Lean ham, salad roll with a tsp of light salad cream.  Beetroot on the side.  Why did this feel naughty?  Because, it tasted so nice.  I don't know why I haven't done this before.  I have in my head the idea that HexB = 2 slices of wholemeal bread (400g) loaf, OR, 2 Alpen light.  If I am ever going to do this forever and ever, I have to wise up.  Bread rolls for lunch has opened up a whole new range of ideas.  For me this is the best news ever.
At seven o'clock 'ish I was on FB and noticed the amazing Donna (Diet Donna) had posted a pic of her breakfast, 2 slices of toast with jam.  I said, looks lovely but I like to hold onto my HexB for later in the day.  She said, "Oh I already know what my meals are for the rest of the day" Good point.
Lunches for me have always been the most difficult meal to plan.  This is crazy and I know those who go to work have no choice. Perhaps its just that, I can rustle up anything I want.  I think I should plan it as carefully as I do my evening/main meal.
I am learning so much about the plan from FB.  I say it again and again, I have learnt more than any class I ever attended. I do wonder if a lot of you have learnt all this attending from image therapy
 or just gleaned and figured a lot of it out, because I didn't ever hear or see anything like this.  I attended all image therapy incidentally, I never weighed and left.  As more used to leave, than stayed.

Dinner.  Roast chicken dinner.  Always good to have a roast dinner as naturally plenty of superfree.









Dessert Rice pudding, Alpro unsweetened Almond milk method.  Not tried the cream soda method. Has anyone tried this? if so how does it compare?
After all this I didnt even feel like hot choc, mikados etc. 

So after helping Lee to bed,( I haven't done this for 25 years.) Bit of catch up TV and Alan Carr.

HexA - Alpro Almond milk in rice pudding
HexB - wholemeal bread roll

Syns
Salad cream - 1

I was just about to publish this blog when Lee's back took a turn for the worse, totally locked. An ambulance came, he had gas and air to assist him with the pain, so he could get inside the ambulance. I had to follow him to QMC (our hospital)  We came home a while later with v. strong painkillers and some Diazepam.  These are knocking him out now.  Hence being very late with this blog.


Hope you all have a lovely weekend and are having a truly good time on plan.

Love Carol

xx

INCHING CLOSER TO THAT NEXT MILESTONE

I had a few stones to lose, when I started this. (still do!)  I tend to look at the place I want to be - for me just under 12 stone, then I will see how I feel. I guess its an interim target.  Why is it the gap from here to there never seems to close?  I know it does, but I can't see it. So I going to do what most intelligent normal people would do and choose half stone awards as mini targets.
As i don't tend SW classes, opting to follow the plan solo, I decided to see what stickers I would have adorning my book. (I am using my last years book at home).
Half stone award
One stone award
One and a half stone award
Club 10.
4 1/4 pounds to go to Two stone award.
That just made me feel loads better.

Quite pleased to see the scales showing a loss from last Wednesdays gain.  Two and 3/4 lbs.  A gain is just awful, but just goes to show that it will make it up the following week.  Had a biggish shop to do today.  Good to see Quorn burgers are half price in Morrisons. 97p for a packet of 6.  So I bought three packs.  Bit stupid really as I have never tried them before.  Pleased to say they were quite nice, very barbecued taste about them.  I bet they will be super on a bbq.  Green grapes seemed a good buy there too, a nice punnet of sweet green grapes £1.45.  I keep hovering around the fresh fish counter, but I am useless when it comes to cooking fish.  I would love to pan fry it (frylight) but its the after smell I cannot stand.  Last time it took 3 days to dissipate.  I had plug-ins going upstairs and downstairs.   If anyone knows how to fry and not have the smell, I would be grateful if you could share it with me.

Breakfast - 2 slices melon chopped, defrosted frozen summer fruits, 0% Greek Natural yoghurt.  Molly was a little confused as to whose plate to hover around. Mine with fruit or Sean's, with toast and marmalade.
First pic, she's in the quandary, second pic, Seans finished so she moves in on mine!
She is so Doug at times!

Lunch. - 1 egg, 2 slices wholemeal toast with beans. No super free. and that makes me sad.  I had no mushrooms and couldn't be bothered. tut tut!!  Had fruit at breakfast though!!






Dinner - 2 Quorn burgers, 2 eggs (thats three today), mushrooms, canned tomatoes.  Also had some potatoes fried left over from last night.  At least some Super free.  Haven't decided on a dessert, but I reckon it will be Alpen light with fruit and 0% fruit yoghurt.  I have syns left so I should be ok.





Oh I bought a packet of the Orange Galaxy 40 cals hot chocolate, so will try that later with a few mikados.  Not much newsy stuff today, actually sat in the garden at 5pm today.  Not so long ago, I would sit there with Sean and a bottle of red would appear, probably a gin and tonic for starters.  How I have changed.  I had a bottle of water and a can of Diet cherry coke.  It was nice to cook dinner without seeing double!!

HexA - 250ml Semi skimmed milk (coffee)
HexB - 2 slices wholemeal bread (small loaf)

Syns
Alpen light = 3
Galaxy hot choc 40 cals. = 2
6 mikados = 3

Total = 8 syns

So its a wrap for my blog today, if anything exciting should happen between now and bedtime I'll let you know.  Highly unlikely as its TV time and I want to see if I can get Broadchurch on ITV iplayer.
Sounds like we missed a good programme. Hope I can figure it out.

Love Carol
xxx

WEEKEND OFF ?

I thought if I wrote the title of this post - "Weekend Off" - it could be read two ways, hence the question mark.  It is not a weekend off plan, it's a weekend off blogging.  Rather than not mention my weekend at all, I have decided to do a small summary:-

Saturday. Lots of work in the garden as I am sure lots of us did that. Amazing how much tidying up needed doing.  Morrisons were selling lovely Alpine plants at 69p each, so a tenner's worth went a long way to spruce up two planters I have at my back door.  My neighbour phoned and asked if we had a spare box. "How big?" I asked. "Big enough to hold a pigeon, I just rescued one from the cat"(she has 3 cats)  I had to despatch Sean with the box as I easily get upset at these type of things .For those wondering, it died.  I know dogs have the instinct to kill - luckily my two Airedales (King of the terrier group) don't appear to have it. Mum has three westies, and one of them has the instinct. She will have a go at anything...and out of  all the westies we have had between us (lots) , she is the most sweetest westie and will go to great lengths to avoid confrontation.

Breakfast : Normal fruit melon and defrosted raspberries and activia 0% cherry yoghurt
Lunch :Lean smoked ham from Lidl, lightly fried in frylight, with two fried eggs, mushrooms and canned tomatoes.  Also two slices of wholemeal toast (400g loaf) Did take a pic of this, thank goodness otherwise I would have forgotten.
Dinner : Chicken and sweet potato curry with onions, homemade with rice that had celery, peas, sweetcorn, mushrooms, spring onions chopped in it.


Sunday : Really struggled today with feeling hungry. sometimes I find this when we have an nearly Sunday lunch, but with Dylan being here I love to make sure he has his Sunday lunch before we head back to his Mums, due to it being lighter in the evenings. We took our dogs, and once Dylan was safely back at his mums, me and Sean took our dogs for a lovely walk around a country park. We both said we were hungry and what could we do quickly once back home (19:20).  Its a fair drive and we passed Chinese Restaurants, Indian Restaurants, McDonald's a Restaurant on the busy A614, called the Big Fish...I had my card in my pocket as I had filled up with petrol, that really tested my resolve.  Phew, a mint out of the glove compartment helped! Decided on toast with spaghetti.  Still feeling hungry I know a hot chocolate always hits the spot with mikados, trouble is Molly (our version of Doug) has taking a liking to them!  Try as I might to sneak them, she is on us like a shot!

Breakfast 40g Dorset muesli, raspberries and 0% cherry yoghurt.
Lunch : Sunday roast beef, mashed potato and swede, carrots, cabbage, gravy (no fat)
Tea: 2 slices toast with half a tin of Heinz spaghetti

And so today, Monday.....

Bit of a test today, hoping I will stay strong.  A close family friend has her birthday tomorrow and due to Sean having a hospital appt tomorrow, we decided to meet up this lunchtime, at a garden centre - small one, but they do lovely food. (gulps)  My mum is Gemini, and she can swing from "Why are you bothering trying to lose weight, you look lovely anyway" to "Carol, you are doing so well, I can really see it coming off now"  Bless her she is 77 next month and I see her, phone her every day (Sean just does not get this at all, he cannot understand how I can be at her house for 2-3 hours or shop with her, then phone her later as well!) All three of us, it is fair to say, has battled weight problems for the past 40 years. Every slimming club mentionable.  I know for sure mum and friend will not give a damn what they order cos they never do. They will go for the works.  I know I will be good as we met up 3-4 weeks ago in a garden centre for a cuppa and mooch around.  They had the pot of tea for two, fruit scones and extra butter (2 little portion to each half of scone) 4 in total each, plus jam.  Me, I had a fruit tea.  I feel its always going to be this way until I reach target.  I know some will go for the flexi syns, but I am not ready to try it yet.  It won't be long as we are due to go away in our caravan for a week in Devon.

Breakfast.
I had a mix of banana, thick slice of melon, one plum and few raspberries in a container, so I had half of it with a few tbsp of 0% greek Yoghurt.  (Rest will be for dessert later)

Lovely walk with Paddy and Molly and straight back as I had to change before I went out to pick my mum up for our lunch date. 
Funny how the dogs notice when I am going out..They have it in their heads they can come with me all the time.  So I have to squeeze myself out the side gate with Paddy pulling on my trouser hem. Madness.

Lunch  What a lovely guy who took our order.  I asked if their tuna was in oil. He said no only the brine type. "Great" I said. He said "Would you like Mayo or Light mayo?"  I decided against any dressing to be safe.So it came plain..I did miss the mayo and rather wished I had said yes.  Quite pleased I resisted puddings.(Crumble and custard,  ouch!!)

Dinner. When I got back after my afternoon out, Sean had prepared the SW meatball in pasta dish in this months magazine.  I showed him  You Tube where someone was demonstrating it.  I asked if it was difficult, he said "Never again, I cannot believe how many pots there were during the prepping!" Must admit it did seem a bit of a faff.  It was lovely, although personally I prefer the meatballs made with Parmesan cheese, in tomato sauce from the Diet Momma FB page.  A nice touch would be to add pasta to this mix next time and do a pasta bake this way.

Can't believe I didn't take a pic...all I could do was take a pic of what was left. I did prepare a side salad though. I had 2 tbsp mayo with this.

Dessert will be Alpen light, fruit and yoghurt.

HexA - Parmesan cheese  and cheese in the Meatball pasta bake.
HexB - 1 Alpen light

Syns
2 tbps ex light mayo = 2
Galaxy hot choc 40 cals. = 2
6 mikados = 3

Total = 7 syns


Going to watch some catch up TV, I nodded off last night for 90 mins, I havent done that for a long time. I used to lots when I was having 2-3 glasses of wine each night!

Not long now for WI, it will be great watching other results coming through..
Love Carol xx

I AM SAILING...

My brother sent me a video on FB today of a ferry that was in stormy seas, crossing over to The Shetlands.  The song that accompanied it was "I am sailing" by Rod Steward.  Since then I cannot get the song out of my head.  Two days after weigh in it feels good to be in control and on track. Yep I am sailing too.  I don't worry about the weekends anymore.  Saturdays used to be something special (meal out, takeaway) but not any longer.  I do try and plan something special that is on plan.  I am planning a chicken and sweet potato curry with my rice that will have finely diced veggies in.  It is great to see a new lady do her first blog yesterday.  It so much helps and I get the feeling she is going to do just fine!

Breakfast was just melon, defrosted frozen raspberries and 0% Activia cherry yoghurt.  Decided against having muesli as I wanted to have a ham salad sandwich with a side of beetroot and gherkins, for my lunch. ( Hope I am not preggie, thats what I used to crave when I was pregnant.  Not at 58 though eh!! )

Later than usual dog walk and it was raining that damn awful drizzle that soaks you.  I had just blow- dried my hair, I was wearing the wrong coat  (no hood) so Sean said, "Have mine and I will put my hood up" So I did the walk complete with a beanie hat and an arsenal badge on the front. - hence no photo of us today.

Lunch.  I opened the fridge to get the ham sandwich cobbled together, and spotted the remnants of yesterdays Chicken Cacciatiori.  So the ham sandwich will be carried forward until Saturday.  No photo as I forgot, but it was the same as yesterday, minus cabbage and potatoes.  There was more superfree in there than chicken anyway.

Nice to note my son James' fiance Marie, is reading my blogs, she sent me an email asking for the recipe today.  So chuffed because she is on the SW bus, solo, like me. At least James eats anything, unlike his brother who is not at all impressed with anything I cook.  The only SW food Lee will eat is the SW quiches, mini ones.  But then again, even pre-slimming world, he was fussy. Typical rubbish eater, won't list them as it may bring back painful memories.

Dinner. Meat casserole, with lots of superfree veggies, had small yorklie (Yorkshire pudding) - my grandson calls them yorklies. lol. ( Dylan is here with us this weekend, we always do a casserole for him.  )

I have shortage of photos today,  I thought you would like to see Molly in our conservatory the other day.  They really do have it easy our dogs!



No dessert photo as I haven't decided yet, it will probably be fruit and yoghurt, with an Alpen light bar. 

Great feeling to be on track totally by Friday evening, full after dinner, fruity water on tap (waking me up every night, tripping to the loo ) Nice day tomorrow, lots of body magic in the garden.

HexA - Parmesan cheese on chicken cacciatiore and milk in coffees.
HexB - 1 Alpen light

Syns
1 small Yorkshire pudding = 3
Gravy (guess) = 4

Total = 7


Its a quickie this evening, so wishing you all a great weekend, keep on track, because before you know it, WI will be just around the corner.  As Winnie Lula Belle says,(think it was her) "the minute you step off the scales at weigh in, its  the start of the next week."  Good sound sensible advice!

Love Carol xx

My theory was correct - if like me, you ever wondered.

 After my horrid result of a gain yesterday, I decided to put my theory to the test.  I went to the loo last night (sorry to mention this but it may help others in similar situation) and decided to test my theory, I would weigh this morning. (One good thing about doing this at home)

Weight yesterday 8am  = 13st 12 1/2 lbs
Weight today 8am = 13st 10 1/4lbs.

So in my opinion it is impossible to lose 2.25lbs in 24 hours (unless you have been ill)
I won't record that weight as I want to stick to Wednesday am weigh in.

I have been to so many slimming clubs since I was 20 something.  I only was ever successful once. Losing 4+ stones in 1990/1.  I took over the running of my slimming club (Slimming Magazine in those days) and ran it for three years.  The point I am trying to make (Sean says I go around the houses!!) is, it is only this time around with FB pages and kind hearted ladies who are also on this mission, that I feel I am getting real and true support.  If you are a lady who really would like to post onto a FB page,and feels uncomfortable doing so,  just do it, you will be surprised at how much support is out there and how much it helps.  Immediately after my posting on DM, I had replies within minutes, I felt the support and camaraderie immediately.  So I was boom! just like that, back on track. - (watching too much BBC The Voice)

Breakfast 40g Dorset Muesli fruity. Thank you Karen P for pointing out its 40g not 35g for HexB.
Defrosted raspberries and 0% greek yoghurt.  Really filling and again, a change from the fruit and yoghurt.  I intend to have cereal 3-4 times a week for breakfast and fruit and yoghurt the other days.






Usual dog walk body magic.  Just so windy it drives me potty.  Roll on Saturday when it is due to drop. I have been looking it up on the weather websites.  I actually like seeing where the jet stream is as this generally dictates our weather.  Last time I looked at it it was bang overhead. From tip of Scotland to tip of Cornwall.  Completely covering us.  Perhaps that's why it is so windy.  I really wish it would rise up and head towards the North Pole. Maybe then our warm season will start. Fingers crossed.

Lunch. Again different to the norm.  Two boiled eggs, teeny bit of turkey breast tikka pieces, one slice of smoked salmon, salad vegetables. 2 tbps light salad cream and 1 tbsp piccalilli.  Quite filling but I just do not like salad.  Not sure how to make it so I do like it.



Dinner.  Sean made my favourite while I was working. Chicken cacciatori, it was in one of the booklets that come with magazine.  It did feature a couple of years ago in the SW mag.  We are having it with white cabbage and new potatoes (steamed)





Dessert Rice pudding made with 1ltr Alpro unsweetened Almond Milk (925mls per HexA) 90g Pudding rice, then once cooked on top of stove, sweetener, vanilla extract, grated nutmeg. I stirred the last of my defrosted summer fruit berries in.

I bought these plums in Morrisons yesterday. Watermelon Plums
£2 per punnet.  The colour is amazing and the flavour is mmmwwahh....






HexA - 450ml Alpro, semi-skimmed milk in coffee 100ml.
HexB - 40g Dorset muesli.

Syns
1 tbps piccalilli = .5
2 tbsp light salad cream = 2
Galaxy hot chocolate bubbles 40 cal= 2
8 mikados = 4


Total for day 8.5 syns.


So its a wrap!....Hope everyone had a good day on target..

Love Carol
xx

Its a gain and I am gutted

Yes, I had a gain this morning 1lb.  Absolutely cannot figure it out as I have been honest and to the best of my knowledge on the right track.  As soon as I stepped on the scales I had a feeling that it would be a gain.  And I don't know why.  The upset feeling lasted a good hour or more.  I was honestly tearful as I so want to lose this weight.  I was inching towards the 13 and a half stone mark and now I feel as if I am hurtling up to the 14 stone mark I thought I had left behind. I t feels as if all the hard work is for nothing.  But, then I recall a blog belonging to Karen M, about the fact that some people are 'regular' and some (me) are not. I can go 3-4 days without losing any wastage if you follow my drift.  Sean lost 2 lbs so I was so happy for him. He just stood and said, "Caz, there is no way this is right, I have had 3 glasses of red wine each night, not been following it like you do, it cannot be right, something's wrong!"  I said "I told you what is wrong its like Karen was saying a week or so ago, I just don't go as regularly as you do" Sean is as regular as clockwork.  At that, he went to the loo. Came back down and said "Right, I am getting back on the scales." I said "Don't do that, it may go up you have had a cup of tea, just leave it, it doesn't matter"  He said "I am not as bothered about all this as you are"  So he had weighed in at 15-8, a trip to the loo later he was 15-7.
A pound had gone just like that.  I worked hard all bloody week and it went up.  He was really sweet and came over to me at the desk and gave me a lovely kiss.  I was really tearful after that. I posted on DM and the comments I received were so lovely. The support around is amazing. If anyone knows of a way to get myself regular, the natural way, please let me know.

Anyway that's how it is, I also think I am too repetitive, too much fruit (?), not bought grapes this week. I am going to change things around a bit, more salads, (which I do not like) and be sure that I drink at least 1.5 to 2 ltrs of water a day.  I hope the fruity water will be ok - the ones that are sugar free.  I also took stock of where I am.  Will do my measurements tomorrow and put them on here, just to remind me how far I have come.  Clothes that had not seen the light of day for 2 years, now fit.
I don't really know what my target is, I always said I would see once I got to about 12 stone.  I rather think 11st.7lb would be ok.

Breakfast. 35g Dorset muesli, fruity, I added some defrosted summer fruit berries and 0% greek yoghurt.  I told you I was going to be different this week.

 

Lunch did not happen, I had a banana, that I ate as soon as I had paid for them in Lidl.  Time just ran away and I had promised my mum to do a Lidl and Morrisons shop. 

 

Dinner.By the time we got home it was 5ish and Sean had put some skinless drummers and thighs in the oven with Cajun powder sprinkled over.  He fried in frylight chopped onion (I bought a mini chopper from Morrisons as I had seen someone use one on You Tube preparing meatballs-another gadget) garlic, celery, mushroom and courgette and frozen peas/ A cup of rice was poured in and then stirred some stock in (chicken stock cube and 1/2 pt ish of water) It is one of our favourite meals. I also had a tbsp of brinjal pickle on the side.

 

 Bit short on pics so I thought I would put Paddy and Molly on, taken last week on our daily dog walk.

I really want to get this blog published and done and dusted as I want to chill out in the lounge. Its been a sparse day food wise, so all in all its not the best way to go forward.  Tomorrow will be more like it, i have all the food in.  I am doing one of all time favourites tomorrow, not done it this year. Chicken Cacciatiore.  I haven't done anything wrong, but not had what I should, Hex A for instance,.


HexA - probably have a milky coffee to use it.
HexB - 35g Dorset muesli.

Syns
2 tbps brinjal pickle = 4
8 mikados = 4 will have with my milky coffee.


Total for day = 8 syns.

So a pretty miserable start to the day for me, but I am happy to report that I feel so much better, the lovely comments on DM were such a pick-me up. My son Lee, summed it up beautifully.  I was telling him how I had been upset this morning because I had gained 1lb.  He said "What!!! just because you have gained a pound, are you joking?  Mum, that's nothing"  Easy said when you are tall and slim and have never had a weight problem!

Can't wait to see how my blogging mateys have done...hope its good losses for them.

Love Carol
xx

Good to be back

I had a lovely welcome back to the fold yesterday from fellow bloggers and readers of our blogs.  The new FB group is just perfect for anyone who likes to read blogs of like minded people.  It saves time scrolling up and down the pages looking for one! The day before my weigh in is always a strange one for me.  All day long I am saying.  "I have been on plan 100%, haven't I Sean?, so it should be a loss"  or, "Hope the carrying excess fluids doesnt attack me in the morning" or "If its a maintain I'll take it, but will be unhappy about it!" or "What will I do if its a gain?"  Wish this would stop.  What will be will be, que sera sera!
I went out and bought the new SW mag today as I had noticed that some recipes were being mentioned that really took my fancy especially "Mac n Cheese", must say it looks lovely, so will be trying that one tomorrow. I  had run out of fruity yoghurts - when both me and Sean are eating them, they do disappear really quickly, so you have to be ever looking for the good deals on them, as they vary so much. Our little Co-op had Muller Greek 0% yogs strawberry flavour £1.14 for four. I know (simply by reading blogs) they are 1/2 syn, but thats not a lot..I only one pack.
Last Saturday someone said on DM that Tesco had steak at half price.  So instead of my usual farm shop for meat I went there and yes they were half price Sirloin Steaks.  If I am honest I did not enjoy it - I seem to be eating less meat than I used to, even Sean is going off meat.
 Only Kindled for 20 mins this morning,as I am trying to break the habit.  I will be reading my new mag tonight. Last time I did this, it made me feel really hungry.So I will try and stick to the slimmers success stories.  I think we have some potential success stories happening as I type this. 

So to the start of my day.
Breakfast.  Grapes and melon and my 0% Activia yoghurt. Sean said I should have muesli in the morning. I think I will try it now and again. I like to save my HexB until later.
I think Molly was caught out this morning as I sat checking my food diary at my table/desk.

Lunch. Not sure what to say about this one.  I was experimenting with slicing courgette to get ribbons. I was in danger of slicing a finger off. Gave up halfway through and had chunks as well as ribbons.(Although I have a food processor somewhere, I can never be bothered to use it.) I fried onion, celery, mushroom, courgette in frylight. I added a knorr chicken stock cube and 1/2 pt boiling water, then added a handful of frozen sweet potato,/butternut squash mix (Morrisons), also a small handful of Orzo pasta.  Once it was cooked and the liquid had reduced, I stirred in a heaped tbsp of  Kerry Low Low.  Very filling, but I was too heavy handed with the dried parsley.

I really was at a loose end in the afternoon, plenty to do outdoors in the garden, but the wind just drives me potty. So we drove over to see my mum, who lives 5 miles away.  Her three dogs (Westies) and our two, just had a ball in her garden. My brother made me a coffee - I said "I can't drink that, its a latte, sorry!" He said, "It's ordinary coffee whisked with a hand held whisk."  It was fabulous.  I just daren't buy another gadget as my kitchen is full of them  Overspill gadgets in the shed! Then my mum came out with a plate of cakes. Oh my god!  Sean had two,  I declined.  That really was tough.

 

Dinner  I fancied lasagna, but my ever so fussy 31 yr old son, would not eat a SW friendly one. So I figured I would do a compromise.  Fried off ex lean mince beef, then added chopped onion, green pepper, mushrooms (in frylight). Added a jar of Morrisons Tomato and vegetable pasta sauce, then cooked it for a good 40 mins until it was thick. I do not like sloppy lasagna. I made a very small amount of white sauce - 1tbps flour, 1tbsp half fat butter, 1/2pt semi skimmed milk, grated nutmeg, whisked it while it thickened in a saucepan.  Don't know why i bothered, as I made sure I didn't have any of the sauce or cheese that was grated on top.  A mixed salad with balsamic and a drizzle of sweet chili dipping sauce.  Jacket potato with small amount of Kerry Low Low.  I enjoyed it but honestly, I prefer the full fat version with garlic bread, butter on potatoes etc....but then I know those days are gone now.  No going back to that! 



 

 

Dessert.   I thought the defrosted Sainsbury's Summer fruit looked so nice I photographed it in the bowl, before i have my portion with melon and my half syn strawberry Muller Greek yoghurt.

 

Football is going to dominate the household tonight, Sean and Lee's beloved team are playing (Arsenal) and they tell me its an important one for them to win. SO I can have total control of TV in the lounge.  I am hoping my syn count and Hex's is as accurate as possible. It is much easier when I don't have foods that are convenience (pasta sauce jar) gutted really as I could have had passata for free!

 

HexA - cheese Low Low in lunch pasta and jacket potato.
HexB - 1 Alpen light with my fruit and yoghurt

Syns

Lasagna sauce = 4
Sweet chili dipping 1 tbps = 1.5
Milk in coffee = 2.5

Total for day = 7 syns.

I hope I am not too far out with syn count.  I have learned a lesson though..to hell with convenience jars I am sticking to the simpler way.  Big shop tomorrow, its amazing how much fresh fruit and fresh vegetables we are getting through. Also eggs!  I wish our local Morrisons would stock Diamond Breeze almond milk. They only sell the Alpro and i can't have as much  as Diamond B..grrrr

If anyone has sat and watched Gillette Soccer Saturday , waiting for the results to filter through. This is how I feel about fellow dieters, anxious as the results come through, just willing everyone to do well. Off to the lounge now to make the most of a night where I can flick through channels until my heart is content.  Luxury..no nagging.  you know Sean will say "Its up to you tonight Caz, put what you want on, I mean anything you want." Oh great ! "Thanks Sean"...then as soon as I put Gardeners world or Diet related or Eden, he'll say "Are you joking!"  .......Men !

Night all!

Love Carol
xx

 

Back to blogging

I have been absent from writing my blog and I notice my last one was 1st April.  For those of you who do a daily blog, will know that it becomes a habit, but I felt mine was very repetitive, same breakfast, same routine.  So I thought I would have a break, see how weight loss would go.  Well I lost 2lb. Clearly not doing a blog had not impacted on weight losses. However, if just one little thing I do could help just one other person, its worthwhile. I know I will be forever grateful to the lovely ladies who blog regularly.
Although I can't wait to get to target, I questioned what would change. I would still be eating the same way, may be able to relax it now and again, and I suddenly remembered its not all about eating is it?  It's health:  knee may not hurt so much, back ache is starting to improve.  It's clothes; get rid of my elasticated waisted trousers/skirts.  Its about feeling better about yourself.  Insidiously I am noticing the non scale victories, other bloggers talk about. All of a sudden I am not just down to two pair of trousers that I can squeeze into. Due to weight loss, that number has grown to at least eight pairs that now fit.  I am almost half way to where I would like to be.  So "Things can only get better"

Really must stop taking my Kindle to bed, I am on FB last thing at night and in the morning I am checking emails, weather, news.etc..so I could be up and about a good hour earlier.

Breakfast was my normal, grapes, melon and defrosted frozen raspberries, with a dollop of 0% Greek yoghurt.
I have this every day and depending on where I buy the fruit, some of it is so tart, this lot is.  Molly still likes to be ever present as you can see.

Me and Sean did our normal body magic - dog walking, to the riverside.  We did a detour this morning as it was really windy and blowing straight in our faces.  Our trek back along the riverbank was lovely, the wind behind us, Paddy dipping in the River Trent.  I suddenly noticed I couldn't see Molly.  She was way behind and looked so sheepish.  (Dogs can look sheepishly at you!)  As she approached I thought "Why has she got greenish colour on top of her head, running from her eyebrows to her ears and neck.?"  The cattle aren't out on the river bank yet, but they must have left behind one helluva cow pat!  She must have done a headstand to get it where she did.  Why oh why do they do that?    Naughty stinky Molly!  It took  two buckets of water to wash  and rinse it off. Here they are up to no good sticking heads down fox holes.

Lunch  I asked Sean what did he fancy. He said "Anything, as long it has not got, tinned tomatoes, courgette, peppers, onions and mushrooms in it!"  (Told you I am repetitive.)  So I rustled up mushrooms and baked beans with two poached eggs.  That hit the spot.  I would normally have 2 slices of wholemeal bread (400g loaf), but I am trying to save my Hex B for later. I wish for photographic purposes I had placed the eggs on top of the beans and cut one in half to show the yolk. mmmm next time I will.

Break I am finding that if I feel peckish, an Activia 0% yoghurt satisfies me.  So I had a strawberry one. 

Dinner.  I bought a small gammon joint £4, from Sainsburys, boiled it and was surprised at how many slices it had.. Boiled potatoes, cauliflower, white cabbage and a cheese sauce.  Cheese sauce was made with 1 Tbsp plain flour, 1 Tbps butter, 1/2pt milk, all added in together and whisk until thickened, then added grated cheese.  I am allowing for 30g cheddar as HexA , I thought 4 syns should cover remaining milk/butter as I only had a small portion.

Dessert Almost same as my breakfast, but I had half a banana as the melon had gone.  I will be prepping a new bowl of fruit in the morning. There is an Alpen light underneath the fruit HexB.  I did use 1.5 syns for 2 tbps of Half fat evap milk.  (I left a third as I was really too full) 

As I am full and it is 7.30 I know I wont get the munchies later.  I was going to allocate a few syns for Mikados and hot chocolate, but I won't.  Wednesday WI is not to far away.......

HexA - cheese 30g
HexB - 1 Alpen light

Syns

Cheese sauce = 4
2 tbsp Half fat evap milk = 1.5


Total for day 5.5 syns.


My blog done and dusted, although I was doing OK not writing one, I actually missed the routine of doing one.  I noticed the food diary was not as detailed, no photos were being done.  You know you can't afford to take your foot off the pedal for a single moment.
Hope everyone else is doing OK...including my new SW friend Sadie xx

That Monday feeling

That Monday feeling, is an odd one for me, I feel as if I am on the home straight.  But still a few days to go to WI. (Wednesday  mornings).Wouldn't it be easier to weigh ourselves every morning?  I know that wouldn't work, as our weight/fluids fluctuate daily, so an accurate reading would be unlikely. We are all probably guilty of wishing it would shift faster than it is doing.  I just wish I hadn't thrown caution to the wind and gained so much weight over the past 10 years. Weight gain is insidious. I love the word insidious. In this context though, weight creeps up on us ever so gradually, you actually do not notice it is having an effect.  OK, so we note the trousers are a bit tighter across the stomach, waist and legs.  The t shirts are riding up a bit more than they did.  The boobs are starting to bulge over the top of the bra and we are on the last hook.So we go buy a slightly bigger whatever. I have always said that I didn't go from size 12/14 to size 22/24 in a year. It's spread out over 10 years. In between the half hearted attempts to lose weight, countless slimming clubs. WW, SW Rosemary Conley.  I find SW the best, even though I am not at a club.  In fact I would go so far as to say, for me doing it at home and reading blogs, FB pages, has given me a better understanding, than ever before.  I am on a huge learning curve and really enjoying the progress and cyber buddies I am making along the way.  They know who they are, my food diaries and healthy extras and syns are almost carbon copy.  And I know 100% for sure, they do not mind one bit and are genuinely happy that someone (me) has found a great way to succeed. 

Breakfast. Melon, grapes and raspberries (defrosted) and a 0% Activia yoghurt. I also measured out a portion of muesli (1/4 cup-18g) which is half of my HexB.  I now have a half left and I know that can be cheese, Alpen light bar, more muesli.





Lunch  When I checked the fridge, the staples were running out. So I decided to go for a SW quiche as its been ages since I did one.  Fried 2 chopped up lean rashers of bacon, mushrooms, spring onions, peas, sweetcorn, stirred a cooked in water, Pasta n Sauce cheese n broccoli through. In a bowl I beat 3 eggs with quark, then poured into the pan and mixed everything together.  Sprinkled Parmesan on top.  This filled a six muffin tray and an 8" shallow dish.  Baked in oven for 40 Min's.
Served with salad and 1tbsp salad cream.  (I had two out of the muffin tray)











This afternoon I took my mum to a garden centre for a mooch around. We met up with a family friend and inevitably wanted a cup of tea.  They were having the scones with butter and jam.  I just stayed strong and had a speciality tea. (Lemon and Ginger). That was so tough and I do not know how I did it.  I know that soon, once I am in total control I will be able to just have one and know it will not wreck my weeks efforts. But until that time, I do without. (bum)

Dinner    Skinless cod, new pots, peas and green beans.  Cod was wrapped  in foil with a splash of soy sauce and baked for 35 mins in 180deg oven.  I made a small amount of parsley sauce, with a small amount of plain flour, 1 tbsp margarine, 1/2 pt milk, dried parsley.  I am going to say total syns 10, I did not have a third but will say 4 syns to be sure.

Dessert   Fresh fruit salad, yoghurt and Alpen light (HexB)




HexA - Milk for coffee and parsley sauce
HexB - 18g Muesli, 1 Alpen light

Syns

Parsley sauce = 4
Drinking choc = 2
6 mikados = 3

Total for day 9 syns.


I am finishing the blog off early as I have had all my meals for the day. Tonight i am having a Galaxy 40 cals bubbles hot chocolate with 6 mikados. So I know I will have had syns and healthy extras for the day.

Hope you all managed to succeed Easter, another hurdle to cross of the list...

Love Carol x