Week 3 - Day 1

After an incredible weekend away partying in the 17th century, I was very worried about slimming world this week. My 'partying' didn't stop til Monday morning. I not only ate the banquet food but a good number of the biscuits I'd made, some pink and whites when I got home... So I was completely amazed when the scales said -2lb. I'm thrilled because that puts me back to my 3stone loss, back to where I was before I had my rough week and gained. That means I can start again afresh and carry on moving forwards.

Yesterday I went wedding dress window shopping with my mum, tried lots of things on and discovered that the styles I thought I like were not necessarily the ones I actually liked when I put them on. Being in the size 16 dresses was a revelation. I still want to buy a 14 or even a 12 one day, and when we go purchase the dress in September I hope that's what we'll do - but the difference already sometimes still takes me by surprise. I wish I could share pictures of the things I tried but alas, the boy might see!

Breakfast - banana, apple, HexB hifi bar

Snack - mugshot

Lunch - potato, beans and salad
Dinner - slow cooked gammon, big big salad, chips (1.5), salad cream (2.5), jelly (1.5)

Today's syns then total 5.5!

Awards

This week in group I got certificates:  Slimmer of the Week and my Club 10!

That means that I have lost 10% of my original body weight. I am amazed. If I do 2lb this week that's 2 stone gone!

Don't they look lovely lined up like that?!

I also did 4 miles at the gym yesterday, and 4.5 this morning, so there's that going on as well.. here's to a good week.

A Catch Up: Goals and Challenges

I've been remiss on updating the blog because I have a new job and it has utterly zapped me of time and energy. In fact I have two new jobs, but the point is still the same. I am exhausted.

Because of work, I couldn't go to my regular SW group (9.30am) and had to go later (5.30pm) and I was terrified it was going to affect my losses. I text my consultant and asked her about it and she agreed that maybe 1/2 a pound - 1 pound, but it'd show the week after as a bigger loss.

Come the evening of the weigh in, I crept onto the scales rather scared. I lost half a pound. That was it. I was devastated. We'd had a really good week, I was excited, I thought I'd get my certificate for half a stone. All I can say is that I hope it does show up this week at the next weigh in otherwise I will be losing faith in this plan a little, heh. The consultant of the evening said he would tell my consultant how upset I was, and I think I thought she'd get in touch - but to be honest I've been so busy I probably wouldn't have been able to talk to her anyway. I was really down, though. Eventually I convinced myself to use it as motivational, and inspire me to make sure this week is a huge one and maybe even get Slimmer of the Week (maybe? it's good to have goals!) so we've tried really hard, and my new job (1) is 1000000 times more active so that will be good too!

I think I could be near my goal by my birthday next March. I've decided that's the big picture aim. We're going to a Masquerade Ball in November, and I'd like to be in a slinky costume for that night (as I should theoretically be half way to my goal, no?) And we've decided to go on a big holiday in the February, which means I would like to be looking fantastic for all of our photos. So again, I say, it's good to have goals.

We've tried really hard again this week, reprieving the Chicken and Mustard Casserole from last month (yummy again, though not quite as mindblowingly good). We made a macaroni cheese dish, which you're not going to see because it was revolting. We've had healthy fruity breakfasts, I've been taking salads to work and snacking on fruit and syn free yoghurts, drinking plenty of water. Hopefully, when this weigh in comes around, I'll be happier. I've resisted all of the cravings I've had (and there have been many, in my new workplace, and lots of things I would LOVE to indulge in) and have been 100% honest about what I've eaten. It needs to go well and I want to be happy when I get to group.

Week One Weigh In and Fifty Shades of Fruit Salad

This morning was the proper day for the weekly weigh in (not yesterday: it's just that I forget what day of the week it is because I'm a tool.)

I've lost four pounds! Boyfriend lost five pounds!

I was a bit disheartened yesterday to have thought I'd not done so very well. This has definitely perked me back up! And that's even with a cheeky takeaway last night (although we did choose the lower syn options) because I was feeling terrible and too apathetic to cook. We're on holiday over the bank holiday weekend, which might be a challenge, but hopefully we can continue this momentum. I do hope so!

We had a celebratory 'exotic fruit' salad to treat ourselves (plus a syn's worth each of squirty cream.. it was a celebration after all!) Add that to the fruit salad and natural yoghurt I had for breakfast this morning and I'm pretty sure we've had a good portion of our 5-a-day today!






















We had papaya, sharon fruit and strawberries. The other day we tried dragon fruit and I was really not a fan, but both of these were delicious. I hope we get them again!

Lunch, Plans, Sadness and Goals

I don't feel quite myself today, but I'm trying hard to focus on more positive things and look after 'me' in the best way possible. I think a while longer on the internet and playing with Bunny then I'll crack on with the essay I'm avoiding (and panicking about) and perhaps even reward myself with a bath this evening.

As I'm so blue, I wanted comfort food. I'm a simple girl. Emotions = eating (though of course I know they definitely shouldn't!) But comfort food on Slimming World, not breaking rules? More difficult, not something I've explored too much before!

So I made rice pudding. Syn free rice pudding using my HEa allowance of milk for the day, and then filled it with chopped banana and berries. C'mon, when you're down, rice pudding is going to put a smile on your face. Or maybe that's just me. I don't know. :) Recharging with the magazine, though, I'm sure that's a more mainstream cure for the sads! It's full of motivation and success stories - one of the women in this edition is about my weight and is now even smaller than my target, and stunning. I want the dress she's wearing! I think when I reach target weight I will buy the most glamorous dress I've ever owned (wedding dresses not included!) and hold a party in which I am a princess.

But reading these success stories also made me think that I might need to be at a group, and I'm terrified that I won't get the reductions each week that I'm hoping for. The My Fitness Pal app which I use as a food diary each day, writing syns into the comments and notes sections, keeps telling me I'm not eating enough and might be putting my body into 'starvation mode'. But I'm not starving myself, I'm not particularly hungry most of the time, I feel like we're cooking good quality food. I'm worrying about Monday and weighing ourselves and I've got no need to be worrying about that yet. I'm very good at worrying, though!

Bigger picture, though. We're in this for the long haul. Lifestyle change and all that jazz. So I thought I'd show you what's up on my wall in the kitchen - the boyfriend and I have made one of those ticker/countdown things people have on the internet, but in real life!

Our goals are on blu-tack so can be moved if we reassess where we're at, and I'm worried I'm going to want to lose more than we've got length for! But right now, that's not something I need to be concerned with! I just think it'll be lovely moving along the slider and getting visibly closer to where we want to be.