A Brief Encounter

For those who have read my blogs for a while, you will get the title of this post. For those who don't, never mind...!

Over the last few weeks, I've put on a lb here and there, and then I lost one. And last week I lost 3! This week, I'm hoping for maybe 1lb off and I'd be happy at that. I would normally hope for more but due to hormones and stress and an overactive knife & fork, I don't think it will be possible! So I'll stick to losing the flab slowly and surely, and get back to the workouts as soon as my body will allow.

Today, though, my eating habits have been relatively good! I made syn free pork and bean chilli, served with boiled rice. So far, I've had two bowls of this - and it's super yummy! I also had 1 hifi light bar and am saving the second for later with a cuppa. My milk allowance was dipped into when I had a cup of hot chocolate at 2 syns, and will keep the rest of my milk for that cuppa later on! This means I have plenty of syns to use if I fancy something later, but will likely save them until Friday or Saturday night. I might even have a bottle of wine!

Things are slowly calming down in the house too. I have (almost) got my windows done - it's only taken 2 bloody weeks! - but we're getting there now. We are also looking to redecorate as soon as possible, by wallpapering quite a lot of walls and a fresh lick of paint. Come time, I'd like to do the floors, kitchen and bathroom, and the garden, but for now it will have to wait until I get some more pennies in the bank. This could take a while!

What I will say if you're planning on doing any home improvements and getting outsiders in to do the hard work... Vet the individuals properly! Do NOT allow them to do anything until you are convinced they will be good at their job. Just because they are employed, it does not mean they can do a better job than a monkey on crack. FACT. Go with your gut, speak to your people and you'll know immediately how they will perform. I just wish I took my own advice at times - but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

By the way, I think I'm turning into Carrie Bradshaw. Oops. All I need to do is buy a Macbook Air and sit in Starbucks, writing about relationships while wearing strange outlandish outfits and flirting with people across the top of the screen. Nah, maybe not.

Time to Rethink

Once again, my immune system has taken a real knock and I've been floored with another cold for the past few days. This means that my healthy eating has gone out the window, purely down to not being fit to cook. It also means my kitchen is like a bombsite and the dog isn't happy with me. However, tomorrow marks the change. I WILL feel better, or at least well enough to get some essential shopping done and clear out the house. It's about time I took control of the situation again! I will not have my house in a tip for any longer. It's about getting into a routine. So far, this hasn't happened since Christmas, but I've hardly known which day is which, where I'm supposed to be or what I'm meant to be doing. My work hours are all over the place and don't look to be settling down any time soon but I've found another opportunity for an events job so I'm going to try for it.

For now though, I plan to get back on the healthy eating band wagon, clear out my kitchen and get myself sorted in at least one aspect of my life! I am going to start using my diary to full effect and make a list for tasks every day. Like tomorrow, I want to tidy the kitchen, get all the rubbish into the bin, mop the floor and have all the dishes done. To the normal human/housewife, that doesn't seem like much. But in this household, with that maniac of a dog and two terrorist cats? I'll be lucky to live until lunch time!

Over the next few weeks, I want to get the house decorated so the first task is to strip all the wallpaper from the living room. This is something I have never attempted before, but am seriously looking forward to. I just hope we've bought enough paper to cover the walls once I'm done! I also need to see about getting help to paper the wall after I've painted the other three. To say I'm excited is an understatement, but I'm also very nervous. What if I make an arse of it?

Never mind. I'm away to write my list, contact some friends of mine and share the love!

Peace in the middle east, folks. Or something like that. I blame Barry from Mount Pleasant, Presh!

Benefits of sleeping...

Last night, I was tired. This is a milestone! I also slept right through til 10.45am without waking. I was just stirring when the meter mannie (I think?!) came to the door for a reading. I've been racking my brains to make sure that was today and it wasn't the postie that turned up, but I'm hoping I'm right. Otherwise, I let the postie in to look in my cupboard...

At group last night, I discovered I lost 1/2lb. This may not seem like much to many but I am very surprised I even lost that given the week I have had. However, onwards and up! I've got my cup of tea beside me, and have just finished off the pasta, chicken and veg that Donald left. I made quite a lot but he didn't want to take it all with him! I don't think he'd have had room in his bag for it!

So, my plan for this week goes as follows: STICK TO THE PLAN! I need to get myself into a routine with cooking, housework and getting up, but today is at least a step in the right direction. I got up and did some work, have eaten and am alert!

I've also got to get myself into the habit of preparing things for snacks. This afternoon, I bit the bullet and tried smoked mackerel. YUM! So, I've made a wee smoked mackarel pate type thing for snacking on with maybe a bit of ryvita or mixed through some cold pasta. Although the taste is delicious, I think I now know that dill is another food that irritates my IBS. Great.

I'll pop a recipe up in a bit and maybe a wee photo too!

Worried

It's a day before group and I don't think I will have lost any weight. I am struggling with energy at the moment, seem to be sleeping more and more and feeling pathetic all the time! I feel like going for a swim tonight but I probably won't as I'm still hungry after my supper and am very drawn to eating junk... if I can find any!

The main problem is snacking. Meal times are fine, but I tend to find rubbish to snack on and am bad for not counting my syns properly, so that must change from Friday onwards.

Onwards and upwards, they say!

Bargains 21/01/14

Hi folks! Here is a list of some of the bargains to be had at one of your local supermarkets. Prices and offers are correct today but I don't know how long some of them are going to last! If anyone wants to send me info, either facebook me, comment on here or email me.

Asda...

3 for £3 on prepared stirfry vegetable packs, 2 servings
3 for £2 on 340g cans Green Giant sweetcorn
3 for £1 on Napolina canned Cannellini Beans/Chick Peas
£2 for multipack of Heinz Baked Beans (4 tins)
2 for £3 on Heinz Baked Beans Fridge Pack/Beans Snap Pots/Spaghetti Hoops Snap Pots
2 for £3 on Asda Cooked/Sliced Beef, Chicken, Ham, Turkey
2 for £5 on 30% less fat cheese
2 for £6 on Pilgrims Choice Extra Mature Light Cheese
5 for £3 or 8 for £4 on Muller light Yoghurts
£1.09 for Asda Fat Free Natural Yoghurt
£1 Fat Free Fromage Frais
2 for £7 on Butchers Selection Lean Mince/Steaks

There are HUNDREDS more and I've lost patience and can't see any more. So if you want more info, head to the Asda website!! I'll do Tesco another time once I go round the shop and find what I'm looking for ;)

Cheers!

New Year, New Life

2014 is my year! This is the year where I set up my own teaching business, lose at least 5 stone, learn to cook better and work my way into having my own career! A lot has changed since the last time I posted but things are good. Generally.

I started this year at 18st 1.5lbs. Then, two weeks later I got down to 17st 9.5lbs! My next weigh in day is on Thursday so I'll be posting up my new weight (+/-) then. Fingers crossed. I can't say I've been that good this week - ill planning and lack of concentration due to being ill once again and running all over the place. Hopefully next week will settle down and I'll know what I'm doing.

Facebook is currently the place to be, with a group newly set up by yours truly to support others in their weight loss journey, whether they have 1lb to lose or 10st! So far, it has been a success but I really want to increase the number of users and get some more people involved. I need to set aside a time each week to update the page including recipes, offers on shopping and great hints and tips. I also encourage others to share their wisdom with the page - it builds a sense of having others to share the journey with and not having to go it alone. Weight loss can be scary, especially when you don't have all your family and friends supporting you!

In the future, I'd like to get people working together, exercising together, or even just going for a leisurely walk as a group in the summer once a month. I think it would really help everyone to bond, and it might encourage others to plan their own little do-groups and get moving!

So, will you join me and my team of amazing people? Will you succeed in your challenges of this year? Add me on facebook and send me a short message... convince me you have what it takes to make 2014 your year!

We're in it together!