Positive Power

I cant quite believe its been two months since i was on here, time certainly does fly.

Its been a funny few months, i started my year with a great week on simple start and then yo yo'd ever since.  Without making excuses, i have been in a weird place, tired all the time was the start of it, and if i am honest i would say i was probably heading towards a dip into depression again, if i wasn't already there.  Don't get me wrong i don't suffer from it in a serious way, not like some people do, but i get low, everything is a challenge and a struggle, concentration is difficult to the point making a shopping list is hard work let alone going to buy the things on it.  So weight loss went to the back of the agenda and getting through the week was about as good as it got.

After a trip to the Dr, asking for them to take lots of blood and check me out for any medical ailment that might be causing such issues I realised i was bringing myself down with the thoughts & feelings I was having. (Dr did give me all clear thank goodness)

Now to explain where I am going with this, I read The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne a few years back now and if you haven't read it you may think i have gone slightly mad but it all makes sense to me.  The Secret is The Law of attraction, we bring to ourselves what we are, how we think and how we feel.  So if i was constantly complaining about always being tired - then like a magnet I would always be tired.  Its like the saying "Smile and the world smiles with you" or one of my favourites "Whether you think you or think you cant, your right".  We have the control to decide how we feel and how we are.

So i told myself that i was going to turn this around with Positive thinking, and I have.  I think you can do anything you set out to do if you just believe it.  I wake every morning and sing to myself "Oh what a Beautiful Morning" then much to my son's annoyance I then keep going with the singing and occasionally dancing around until we are ready to go to work and school.  Your day will go how you start it, if you constantly moan about being late or being tired then guess what ? You will be those things because it is the Law of Attraction.

We don't need to question how it works, we don't question how magnets work, but like a magnet we get back what we give out.  We just have to believe in what we want most will come to us if we think it and feel it. 

Nice brings Nice !

Thoughts Bring Things !

 

I don't ask anyone to agree with me on this unless you have experienced it first hand, but starting your day with a song and a smile certainly goes a long way to making your day a better one. 

 

I am now getting through day to day on a positive note, occasional i dip but i soon come out smiling again.  I have joined the Social Media wave of sharing my #100happydays on my own facebook page, and if something as simple as reminding ourselves of the things that make us happy can lift the spirits then why not.  We can all spend far too much time dwelling on the bad, and BOOM as the law of attraction works we experience more bad things, so i am spending my time thinking about the good things, the ones that make me feel good, the ones that make me smile and i know i will have a year of good days making amazing memories.

 

My Day 7 was as pictured below, Hubby and I got back on track and both lost, 5lb for me and 8lb for him.  That was Monday morning and I know i am back on the losing streak.  I will be slimmer this summer !

 

I was a little sad that my run in the WW magazine came to an end, as other than i enjoyed writing for them every month, I also think it kept me focused.  So on my Dolittle's Facebook page and my Twitter account I have starting my #100daysofww.  Just a small way of sharing my day, good or bad i will record it for 100 days.  It will help keep me focused and help me towards losing another 3 stone this year.  100 days will take me to the week before my holidays so great timing and incentive to stay on track.

 

Keep Smiling

Dolittle xxxx

 

 



Simple Start - My Week

Well I did it, a full week following the new approach to WW with the Simple Start Plan, and in all fairness it wasn't too hard if you have the right foods in the cupboard.  Just a case of checking out the shopping list and make a little plan.  My plan went slightly off course when it was pointed out that WW Bagels are no longer filling and healthy choice, which is a shame as i do like them but will now save them for my weeks counting points. 

So here's my week in picture form, I certainly didn't starve and had plenty of choice.
 
Day 1:
B 2 Weetabix with skimmed milk and banana. (weetabix extra treat)
L Homemade Vegetable Soup with ww Petit Pain with wafer thin ham
T Gammon steak, homemade chips, poached egg and baked beans
Sugar Free Jelly and Low fat Custard (treat)
 

Day 2:
no breakfast decided to sleep instead of eating, it was Sunday after all.
L Braised Beef and vegetables
T Tuna and Sweetcorn pasta
Gravy and Mayo my extra treats today
also had a crumpet and wafer thin ham in the afternoon, not sure if i was hungry or bored.
 

 Day 3:
Porridge with Banana - really nice even tho i was unsure.
Chicken and Sweetcorn Pasta (mayo treat)
Ham Crumpet Sandwich
Jacket Potatoes, beans, bacon and cheese (treat)

 Day 4:
Crumpets (or pikelets) with chocolate spread (treat)
baked potato with beans
pork steaks and roast potatoes
not sure if pikelets are filling and healthy but i use them as crumpets.

 Day 5:
weetabix with banana
pizza thins
diet coke chicken
treats are the weetabix and cheese.
 

 Day 6:
porridge and banana
diet coke chicken with brown rice and ww wrap
slow cooked gammon, chips and egg
 I did not used my two treats today but not hungry

 Day 7:
porridge and banana
ham crumpet sandwiches
cheese and bacon pie with salad and sweetcorn
ww chocolate bar and cheese were the extra treats.
 

 

And the results were promising with

4 1/2lb gone.  (Woop Woop - Happy Days !!!))

My views after a week, I cant complain after such a great loss, (even though I obviously wanted 7lb because I always want more)  But i was pleased it was just a week, i did find breakfast a little repetitive and if i didn't work I could have had more variety but when its breakfast on the go I have to choose what i can make and eat "Al-Desko" which was mostly porridge. 

I did find breakfast was keeping me going til nearly lunch time, but i am not sure if that was because i was eating it later or because my choices were better, i like to think it was my choices.  I also realised that my mid-morning snack was more a habit then a need.  But i did start craving sweet things by the end of the week and feel i am not wanting chocolate this week. 

Over all I am pleased I tried it, i like to know what new things are all about and it did what it said, got me started in a simple way.

I was all for doing a filling and healthy week this week, and have got half way through and i am sick of it. 

Without repeating too much of what i have already said previously, i like convenience, i like things in jars when I am too tired to cook, i like counting points so on the days i want to graze all day i can.  Filling and healthy is alot of cooking from scratch and some weeks I can do that and love doing it, and then other weeks i just don't want to. 

I am hoping to get this week out of the way with no damage and get back to what i know and like best, counting pro points.

Hope everyone is having a good start to 2014 x x x

Simple Start to 2014

It's the start of another new year and what better way to begin with the New Weight Watchers Simple Start, and no I don't work for weight watchers and I am not paid to say this, I truly do love something new to challenge myself to follow.

What better way to start a new year with something new, after eating too much for the last three, maybe four weeks I am ready for a planned menu that will help me keep on track.  And yes I could do this counting pro points but I have been doing that for a year so why not have a change even if it is only for a week.

My interpretation of the new approach would be that it is filling and healthy without the 49 weekly pro points but with two extra treats a day.  After downloading the apps I realised the extra treats were the things I often use to add to my meals like mayo and cheese so I thought, I can do this, it's one week without snacks and hopefully a good kick start to losing the Christmas gain.

I think it's a good way to start new members as filling and healthy foods should be main focus on any healthy lifestyle but it was always second place to pro points.  Don't get me wrong I am all for pro points, the flexibility of eating what I want in the right quantities, and the convenience of eating out and grabbing food on the go is why I love weight watchers, but for a week it's a great way of introducing new members to trying  new foods that they may not normally have.  After looking through the Simple Start Shopping List I found myself trying to think of new recipes or meals I could have made up of the free food.  What I am looking forward to most though is pasta and jacket potatoes without weighing, some of my favourite comfort foods that I don't have often when pointing foods.

i have planned my week to make sure i stay on track, some days may get swapped around depending on what we are doing but a planned menu has helped me make a shopping list. I am, like many, working on watching the pennies as pay days between December and January are a long wait after the Christmas so i have checked the cupboards and made my menu around what i have, keeping it as simple as possible, i guess that is the idea though.

The only down side is buying wholewheat pasta, and maybe having to buy weight watchers products as they cost more than the supermarket own makes but for a week i will go with it and hope for a good week. maybe i need to check out the ww app for alternative filling and healthy products that could be used instead.

 My weigh in is tomorrow morning so i will see what damage i have done over the last few weeks, i don't plan to worry about it as i know i can lose it again, and then i am set for a good start into 2014. 

One last thing, i don't know how many people read my posts but if you are i want to say a huge thank you for following and supporting me last year. I hope all your journeys are going well and lets make 2014 a great year. We Can Do This !

Keep the motivation and positive approach and we can all have happier and healthier lifestyles x

 love Dolittle x x x

2013 Summed up

Well what a year, I haven't posted on here for a while, longer than i thought to be honest, which considering I always have so much to say is surprising, but i thought i would end the year by reviewing my year.

At the beginning of 2013 i decided to create a bucket list, a list of small things i wanted to achieve by the end of it. The idea was to get to the end of the year and feel a sense of achievment instead of thinking i had "done nothing" all year.  Well I am pleased to say mine was a success and i feel 2013 was a good year.

First was to become a columnist for the Weight Watchers magazine, something I am sure many thought would never happen but here I am a year on, still writing for them and loving every minute of the experience. 

Then was to complete the Race for Life, something I had done before but i wanted to run or jog some of the way.  I am happy to say I completed this with my best friend Sarah in Newcastle this year.

Next was to wear a dress for my Mam & Dad's Ruby Wedding Anniversary, something i didn't wear very often.  Well i didnt wear one for their party, bought one but didnt feel comfortable on the night, but did wear a fab one for my works christmas party.  Me in a little black dress, well a little'er black dress and i felt great, the few comments i recieved about my weight loss has made me determined that next year everyone will notice.

Then there was wanting to own a size 16 pair of jeans, last christmas i bought a new pair size 20 and swore i would never buy a bigger size, and not only have i dropped to sizes in jeans but i also managed to fit into size 16 top, OMG from a 22 to a 16 with boobs like mine is AMAZING.

I can happily say this year has been a success, not only for my WW Journey but for me and my family.  We have got to the end of it healthy and happy and thats the important factor.  Yes i have still had my ups and downs but so does everyone and thats what makes me human.  I hope to get my 50lb certificate by the end of 2013 which i didnt quite reach, but 43lb is good enough for me, i am certainly not thinking this doesnt work or I cant do it.  I am thinking the opposite, if i can believe all these things can come true I had better be careful what i wish for this year as i guess its coming my way.

 My current before and after picture made me realise how far I have come

I started my year with the attitude of I CAN DO THIS, and guess what i did.  I am going into 2014 with the same attitude, following my same motto's of ASK BELIEVE RECIEVE, if you want something enough, believe in yourself and dreams can come true.  And my favourite one :

 I am now needed to make my 2014 Bucket List and make some plans of what i want to achieve this year.  Weight loss is still high on the list but i have learnt this year not to focus so much on how quickly I lose as long as it is still coming off.  

This was supposed to be posted in 2013 but I have taken three attempts to finish it so I will end simply with :

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE - LOTS OF LOVE AND LUCK FOR 2014

Confessions of a Weight Watcher

I am more than happy to share my good days so think its only fair to confess my sins on one of my worst days.

Yesterday was a disaster !

Why do I do it, everything is going great, back on track and losing again and then it goes wrong.  This list of food is not for the faint hearted and I think I could give Man v Food a run for his money but here goes

9.00am - Bacon and Sausage Sandwich - (not a small one either) bought from a sandwich van that come around work.  this is what happens when you don't have breakfast before you go to work and don't make the effort to take any.

9.45am - Malteser Cake - same sandwich van and 100% down to no will power.  Worst bit was it wasn't even that nice, mine tastes better but it didn't stop me inhaling it.

11.30am - Cadburys Twirl

1.30pm - McDonalds McChciken sandwich Meal, Large of course, with diet coke hoping the word "Diet"makes what I have eaten not so bad - yeah right !!

Mid afternoon - Cadburys Caramel- inhaled, ate it so fast don't really remember it.

5.15pm - Packet of Ritz Crackers - bought for my son but opened the multipack while driving home and one bag gone, guess I should be pleased I only ate one.

6.30pm - Mini Pizza and a few potato wedges - my brother had a small Halloween party for the kids and I wasn't having food but gave in, scarily when no one was looking.

7.45pm - Jumbo Sausage and chips for the chip shop - now not enjoying food but still eating it.

After 9pm - Pickled Onion Crisps, 4 or 5 chocolate fingers

                            

Omg what a pig I was - when you write it down, (because I obviously didn't track any of it) it looks worse than I remember.  But then why would I remember as most of it I ate with out thinking.

Now to the reason why, well I wish I knew.  Part of me had given myself a day off, with out really meaning too.  School holidays, hubby at home and I was just having to look after myself for lunch at work.  It was if I was giving myself the freedom to have what I want as Alan wasn't there to see me eat naughty food, and I could please myself as to what I had. ( Too much it would seem)

I also realised I am a bit of a secret eater, the only meals / food anyone saw me eat was after 6.30pm, only I knew how much I had consumed in one day.  Well now everyone can know and I am pleased to say today has been a lot better.  Not 100% mind, I am feeling the need to snack but have been having to argue with my will power again. i may blame mother nature and hormones and move on from it.  

I am now off work for a few days so need to try and keep on track while out of routine so going to make a big pan of homemade soup to keep me full and try not to be tempted with to many Halloween treats.

Let's hope my day of binging doesn't show too bad on Saturday after all not long til Christmas and I want a few more pounds off before then.

Dolittle xxx

Going Online

After nearly a year back at Weight Watchers I have decided to give WW Online a go.

Why ??

Well why not, over the last few months I have found getting to meetings more of a struggle than an enjoyment.  A mixture of Hubby working late so I don't stay as I have Jack, or something else comes up and becomes more important.  Then the meetings died down to very few people over the summer and i missed the support of other members, the meeting is small anyway so when only 3 or 4 people stay I wasn't coming away with anything.  Some weeks I was paying to stand on a set of scales - seems a waste.   And now the dark and cold nights are here and I really don't want to be going out on these nights so here I am an online member.

I didn't want to give up and I want to be subscribed to ww for when i get to goal and want to become a leader myself (well maybe). So after weeks of trying to decide what to do I decided to go online, £11.95 a month ( much cheaper than my meeting fees as i didn't have a monthly pass).  I am weighing at home every Saturday morning with Alan as my support, we are doing it together and he will keep me right. 

I have been online a week and I am already addicted to the WW app on my phone and Ipad, tracking everything as i go and not in my journal at the end of the day.  Its funny how seeing it on there makes it so much more real, you cant "tweak" or "guesstimate" how many pp are in things as the app is telling me how many. 

I have switched to have a few filling and healthy days, which are now alot more approachable for me than before.  I now choose them on busy days on a weekend, the kind of day when I know I will be too busy for snacking so no temptation to use weekly points, and too busy to have to worry about counting and measuring.  I still plan them in advance though to make sure I have the right things in.

I am loving Saturday morning weigh in's, weekends have always been my weight loss hot spots, the times it can all go wrong, then i would spend the next three days leading up to my midweek weigh in, either trying to starve myself, wracked with guilt, or thinking I had already blown it so start again Thursday.  Now if my weekend goes a little off track it can be my 49 weekly points, it was lovely last week not panicking for getting myself back on track for the Wednesday night.

My first week online resulted in another 3lb gone, this is more than i have lost in a few weeks, to the point I had been gaining again and heading backwards.  Making the decision to join online seems to have lifted a weight of my shoulders that I didn't realise I was carrying.  I feel good, I have had a great week and have another great week planned. 

It saddens me to think that my Yo Yo ing seems to have jeopardised my aim for 50lb this year, i was so determined to get there but I need to be realistic and just keep aiming to lose every week and not focus on how much, by when and for what.  Just for me to lose each week and get to goal sometime in the near future is enough.  No pressure !

Wish me luck x x x

Cooking it Slow . . .

My new favourite kitchen gadget is my slow cooker, to the point I have even bought a second smaller one.  

Big Cook Little Cook !!

 

I have had my bigger slow cooker for a couple of years but only ever made simple things in it, chicken in gravy or braising steak.  I was recently added to a facebook group for "Slow Cooker Saddo's" by a WW facebook friend, Sue, and my eyes were opened to a whole new world of cooking.  I thought slow cookers were for casseroles and soups but now i know different.

The lovely ladies at the weight watchers magazine kindly added a slow cooker recipe to the page with my column this month, Spanish Chicken and rice, and wow it was good.  I have now made it twice, modified the recipe to make it for one and the second time added Butternut squash chips and salad to fill my plate for no more points, my kind of food.  (This whole meal was only 9pp)

 

 

Tonight I have made homemade bread in the larger cooker to go with a huge pan of homemade bacon and lentil soup, warm, comforting food on cold, autumn nights, nothing nicer.  All of us liked the bread and i still cant believe how well it turned out.  I wouldnt make it every week as its not the lowest pointed bread at 3pp for 45g, but it was filling and really tasty.

 

 

Another success was Pulled Pork, great for a filling and healthy day so no counting or measuring.  I made mine into hot pork sandwiches inside WW petit pains, they were amazing.

A few things are not so weight watcher friendly, like the rice pudding I made but as long as I am cooking it I can easily work out the pro points per portion so I don't miss out on all the goodies I am making.

Jack wants me to make Nutella Swirls next and I want to try lasagne, the list is endless and I have never enjoyed cooking so many homemade meals as I am now.

Now to save for an Actifry or maybe ask Santa for one ;-)