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Slimming World Update – Week 69

13/11/2014 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Hiya!

Have you’ve had a good week? Despite it only being midway through November, mine’s been full of Christmas. Be it weeping at supermarket adverts (seriously Waitrose and Sainsburys, this needs to stop, it’s getting embarrassing) or visiting the mother of all Christmas Fair’s with my great buddy Helen, this week has truly marked the start of the festive season for me.

Now, I don’t know about you, but for me Christmas always, always means food. Any celebration in my family was usually marked with food, but Christmas is traditionally when things go a bit bonkers. It’s not just the main meal, although I have eaten Christmas dinners that have literally been the biggest meal I’ve eaten all year. It’s everything that goes with it. Its the party food, it’s the nibbley bits, it’s the crisps, the snacks, the nuts, the chocolate, the cakes, the biscuits. You get the picture. It’s almost as if the season cannot take place unless everyone has at least one high fat snack screwed into their hand at all times. And in previous years I’ve gleefully joined in this ‘tradition’. It wasn’t until last year that I took time to stop and look at what I expected of the food of Christmas and had to ask myself why? I understand Christmas is a time of generosity, of giving, of plenty and I don’t disagree with these sentiments at all. I just don’t want to push my body into a near diabetic coma in order to prove I’m feeling the Christmas spirit. Surely the fact that I’ve already got “Oscar’s” (yeah right! hahaha) advent calender up should give you a clue as to how much I enjoy Christmas 😉

But the thing is, it isn’t Christmas yet. We have 6 weeks to go. And I know the next 6 weeks aren’t going to be easy. I know that from last year. This time of year can be hellish for those with any kind of food issues and I know I count myself in that group. And it’s not helped that the enormous marketing machine behind Christmas is already in full swing. You think this is full on, you just wait. Every week between now and Christmas will see supermarkets pile on the pressure, with offers and deals and selling you things you need in order to make your Christmas complete, most of which will be food or drink. So OK it’s their busiest time of year and competition for your hard earned buck is fierce. I get that. But I also understand that what is being sold at me, will not make my Christmas. Gorging, will not make my Christmas. And gaining huge amounts of weight, weight I’ve fought every day for months to lose, will not make my Christmas.

So I guess the question is what will make my Christmas? Our plans for this year are pretty much the same as last. Christmas isn’t going to be syn free by any means. But it will be more considered. We’re going out for dinner. This will have the joint benefits of average sized portions and no left overs. We will be drinking Baileys in our coffee and Veuve in our pyjamas. We’ll be getting small pieces of our favourite cheeses and one box of our favourite chocolates. Every indulgence will be planned and anticipated. And every mouthful will taste all the better for it. That and spending time with the people I love the most in all the world. Yeah that’ll make my Christmas 🙂

Right, all talk of Christmas. Enough!

So this week’s weigh in was one I approached with some trepidation. Helen and I had such a great weekend and while I worked really hard to abstain from tasters of cheese etc, I did have a glass of wine here and a bag of popcorn I couldn’t syn there. So all in all I was hoping for no less than a maintain. Which I why I was thrilled with a loss. 1.5lb off. Get in! But more to the point that 1.5lb took me, rather neatly, to my 6.5 Stone Award! That’s right I have now lost 6 Stone and 7lb (91lb).

It’s been something of a long time coming, this one. Five months to be precise. I haven’t gained or lost a lot in that time. Had I been trying to maintain I’d have been doing a bang up job, but that wasn’t ever my intention. Don’t get me wrong, I know the results I’ve seen over the last five months have been entirely down to me and If I’d really wanted to have been regularly losing I could have been. But I’m not sad about it. I don’t feel I’ve lost the last five months. I am at peace with the fact that this journey will take as long as it takes 🙂

So I have 7lb to lose before the last Christmas weigh in. There are 5 weigh ins to go. 7lb in five weeks. Totally doable. I’m going for another good loss this week to send me flying towards my 7 Stone Award. I’m concerntrating on SuperFree foods and particularly those that Slimming World class as Super Speed (foods that will speed up your weight loss). I have also decided to have another crack at eating a better breakfast, than a coffee and a banana. This morning I had 35g porridge oats (as my Healthy Extra B) mixed into a Vanilla Muller Light with half a punnet of raspberries (first Speed food right there!). It was delicious! It didn’t taste like eating yogurt for breakfast (which I personally have struggled with in the past) but neither did it just taste like porridge. It was great. Thanks for the tip Sara!

Hope you have a super week, not letting the marketing departments of big supermarkets dictate the food you eat 😉

xxxxxxxx

My day out at Spirit of Christmas

11/11/2014 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

I love Christmas. And I’m not just talking about the day itself. No I love the run up. Sometimes I think I prefer the run up. Receiving presents isn’t the big thing it once was for me. I guess that comes with age and having a child! No, its the festivities that come with the season that make my heart happy. I’ve written before about how much I enjoy the traditions and excitement of Christmas. You can read that here if you haven’t already. And this year is no different. I’ve already got Christmas tunes on and I’ve been burning my Christmas scented candle for weeks already. Good job it’s a biggun – it wouldn’t last until the end of November if it wasn’t!

One of the things I love about this time of year is shopping. No, I haven’t gone mad. I’m not talking about fighting other parents at the door of Toy R Us for the years ‘must have’ toy. To be honest I do most of my Christmas shopping online these days and have done for years. It usually works really well for me – except in 2010 when my beautiful organic Bronze turkey got snowed in and nearly didn’t make it in time – ooo just thinking about that makes me hold my breath! However, that being said, I love and I mean love a good Christmas Fayre. I love the chance to have a mooch about, discovering independent and often local retailers and although I can’t say hand on heart I shop exclusively local/independent it is something I’m trying to do more off. There’s nothing nicer than spending a morning wandering around to the sounds of Christmas tunes with the wafting scent of cinnamon and if you’re lucky mulled wine! One of my favourite local ones is at Secretts in Milford and the Haslemere Market is great fun (if a little chilly). If you’re nearby I’d urge you them to check both out.

This time last year I saw the advert for the mother of all Christmas Fairs, The Spirit Of Christmas Fair, held at Olympia. I knew back then I wanted to go and that my friend Helen, who’s more bonkers about the festive season than I am, would also love it. Trouble is Hels lives in Plymouth, a long old way from Olympia! So when she suggested she come and visit me this month I bought us tickets as her Christmas present. Which is how we found ourselves, without our children, on the 8.30 train, whizzing towards London.

Helen got a little over excited on the train!

The fair was everything we both hoped it would be. The stall by the door had wreaths and decorations made with a heady mixture of orange and cinnamon and cleverly put you in the mood as soon as you walked in. We decided to walk around the edge and then up and down the rows, which we attempted, but there were just so many glittering things to drag the eye sideways! We spent 7 hours there, with a short 15 min break for lunch, but not once did I feel bored or like I’d had enough. It was busy, don’t get me wrong, but not so as it ever felt claustrophobic, which is probably because Olympia is so huge!

There was everything you could imagine from art to tea towels and firepits to tweed. And candles, so many candles! I had something of a celeb moment when we happened across Richard E Grant manning the stall selling his own fragrance, Jack. He was lovely enough to give us a sample and pose for a photo with me with all the gentlemanly grace you’d expect from him. I have to say I was a little star struck; Withnail and I is one of Ben and my favourite films. I walked away a little shaky and grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Helen on the other hand was unmoved, asking who he was again!

Other than celeb spotting, I was actually looking for a bauble for this year’s tree (something I do each year) and whilst I didn’t find what I was looking for (despite the thousands of baubles I saw) I did get several Christmas decorations.

These are cookie cutter lights. How gorgeous? I plan to wind them through a garland and then up the banister, as the stairs are in our kitchen.

This is a sort of cage, it opens out completely and you can fill it with whatever you like. The stall I got it from had one filled with Quality Street and another with sprouts. And what’s more Christmassy than sprouts! I haven’t decided what to fill mine with yet, but I might just fill it with LED lights and hang it over the fire!

The second floor of the fair was devoted to food and this was the bit I was worried about the most. I know it was going to take some will power to avoid all the tasters that I knew would be on offer. And for the most part I did. Who knew there could be so much cheese in one room! I tasted free foods like turkey and smoked salmon and avoided the spirits. Helen got herself some unusual charcoal flavoured cheese, some Black Bomber Cheddar and some beautiful garlic jam. I also bought myself a couple of foodie treats:

This I couldn’t syn, but I guessed it was better than a wedge of cheese. It sounds odd, but let me tell you if you haven’t tried garlic popcorn you haven’t lived!

I couldn't tell you how excited I was to find a Heck stall at the Fair. I've been looking for these chicken sausahes since our Area Manager told us about them. The lack of gluten based rusk and using low fat chicken means this whole pack is just 1/2 syn. Yes you heard me right. The WHOLE pack is 1/2 a syn. I bought three packs and let me tell you I wish I bought more. They are GORGEOUS! — I couldn’t tell you how excited I was to find a Heck stall at the Fair. I’ve been looking for these chicken sausages for ages. The lack of gluten based rusk and using low fat chicken means this whole pack is just 1/2 syn. Yes, you heard me right. The WHOLE PACK is 1/2 a syn. I bought three packs and let me tell you I wish I bought more. They’re GORGEOUS! EDIT: In Jan 2015 Slimming World revised the syns in these sausages. They are now 1/2 syn EACH

I got bacon and mackerel from these people. I like a nice bit of smoked fish and whilst mackerel isn’t free (1.5 syn per 100g) it is one of my faves. This was lovely.

One of the best parts of the day was also food based. We managed to get spaces on the free biscuit decorating workshop run by the Biscuiteers. They provided five biscuits and everything we could need to create our own little Christmas masterpieces. It was just so much fun!

I sat in the row behind Helen, primarily so I could pass her notes and flick balled up bits of paper at her head!

Beautiful cinnamon biscuits ready to be prettied up

This picture was taken by the Sprit of Christmas team for their FB page. Thats my arm inthe top corner — This picture was taken by the Spirit of Christmas team for their FB page. I’m the one at the top of the table.That’s my arm at the very top of the picture!

My attempt. Yeah one is missing. Well it wouldn't fit in the box and what's a girl to do ;) — My attempt. Yeah one is missing. Well it wouldn’t fit in the box and what’s a girl to do 😉

We arrived home laden with our goodies and full of Christmas cheer. The aching thigh muscles didn’t start until the next day 😉 I would absolutely go again, particularly if I could go with such a dedicated follower of Christmas as my mate Helen.

I was not paid to write this post and I paid for both our tickets with my own hard earned cash. I did get a sneaky £1 off my lights, but I think that was because it was the end of the day and the guy just wanted me to stop talking to him 😉

Slimming World Update – Week 65

16/10/2014 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Buongiorno (sorry just been to ASK for lunch – feeling the love for La Italia!)

How’s your week been? Mine’s been a bit soggy to tell you the truth – the weather here has been pretty rubbish. The rain keeps us in the house, which isn’t good for Mama or her cub. I could just stop being such a wimp I suppose and go out in the wet, but I don’t have a car and there’s just no fun arriving at a destination cold, damp and miserable. Other than the rain though, this week’s been much better than last, so that’s a start.

You may have seen in my last post that I had my haircut last Saturday and there’s nothing like a bit of pampering to raise the spirits. When I came out of the salon I felt really relaxed and just really good. So good, that I decided to trot on over to the lovely Fat Face and have a little peruse of their AW14 collection, while I had the time and no boy to entertain. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like all their stuff, but the pieces I do like, I really love. Saturday’s trip saw me try on a shirt that I instantly fell in love with. I’m not usually much of a fan of the shirt. The heavier chested among us will understand why. I’ve avoided them for years now, after a friend of Ben’s spent an evening staring at the third button straining to keep up it’s end of the bargain, only to reach towards it after a few ales saying “I could just….”! Anyway, this one just caught my eye and I tried it on in a 16 (I was feeling reckless and thought ‘why not!’) I was right, that poor third button was still struggling. To be fair I could have got the 18 and it might have been OK, but do you know, it fitted everywhere else, and going up a size just felt like admitting defeat. I’d rather keep losing and get the 16 when it fits properly.

Fat Face Shirt Size 16. A bit tight still, but not forever — Fat Face Shirt Size 16. Still too tight on the bust, not that it seems to bother me here!

And that’s the plan. To keep on keeping on. Last night at group we celebrated the countdown to Christmas (only 10 more weigh ins people!). We were each given a gift tag and asked to write on it our wish for ourselves for Christmas. The marketing bumpf that came with it was a bit saccharine sweet for my taste (and I’ve got a sweet tooth!) but the idea behind it is absolutely sound. It’s basically encouraging you to make a commitment to yourself to achieve something by Christmas. It doesn’t matter what that achievement is, it’s personal to you after all. But in the same way that this blog keeps me accountable, writing your goals down solidifies them in your mind and makes you accountable to them. I still have my card from last year.

My Christmas Wish 2013. Achieved and then some!

I keep it because it reminds me that I achieved what I set out to do, but also what I’m capable of. I actually reached my 3.5 stone target several weeks before the deadline and eventually went on to reach 4 stone lost by Christmas 2013. And I’m very proud of that.

So this year I’m going to make another commitment for Christmas. In fact I’m making two.

How funny! I’ve just realised this years wish is double the mount of last year’s! There’s something very pleasing about that! Are you going to join me in making a Christmas wish for yourself? It doesn’t have to be about weight loss. Remember, it’s just a commitment to yourself to achieve something. What’s it going to be?

I really enjoyed last night’s group. Firstly, I found I’d lost 3lb (that’s 3 of the 3.5lb I gained last week), taking me to 6 stone 3.5lb (88.5lb). This means I have 10.5lb to lose to achieve my Christmas wish. A pound a week and one week as 1.5lb and I’ll be sorted! Secondly we had our pre Christmas taster party. So many people bought in tasty, low syn treats that I went home completely stuffed and couldn’t eat my tea! I made biscuits from last years Slimming World Christmas Cookbook.

Last years’s Slimming World Cook Book: Star Biscuits 3 syns each

They were OK, although I think adding some spice would have made them more Christmassy. Never the less I took 40 biscuits with me last night and only came home with five so they can’t have been that bad. My personal faves from last night were Claire’s boozey Chocolate Truffles. I’d make some myself, only then I’d have a house full of 3.5 syn truffles! Perhaps I could make them, keep a couple and give the rest away. I also really liked the mince pies (sorry I don’t know who made them!) I’m not usually a big mince pie fan, but these had a more crisp than crumbly base and only minimal mincemeat. Delicious and very festive indeed. Thank you to everyone who fed me so well last night!

So my goal for the coming week is to lose 2lb. That will take me to 6 stone 5.5 and back to where I was a couple of weeks ago. I’m going to do this by filling up on fruit, counting (rather than estimating) syns and keeping one eye on my tag. I might even go and have another look at the shirt 😉 .

Have a great week and let me know what your wish for yourself will be this Christmas. I’d love to hear.

Big hugs

xxxxx

Slimming World Update – Week 62

25/09/2014 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Wotcha (does anyone still say that, other than cockney children in the 80’s?)

How’s your week been? If it’s been nothing else I hope it was fun!

Mine’s not been too bad as it goes. Busy, but productive for the most part. There’s few better feelings than getting stuff done. It’s just so satisfying. I couldn’t even tell you what I’ve gotten done, so many little bitty things, but then it’s the small stuff that makes up life isn’t it?

OK, so firstly I have a confession. Last week I set myself two goals. One was to lose 1lb and the other was not to weigh myself on my own scales in between weigh ins. Truth is, I actually found not weighing myself at home much harder than I anticipated. I found myself thinking I’d just ‘check’ and having to stop myself all week. And on Tuesday morning I finally caved. I couldn’t even make it a whole week. I’m disappointed in myself, but I also know leaving the scales where they were was tempting fate. I should have just done what my mum said and put them in the shed! They didn’t give me the actual weight I was at weigh in anyway, so why did I bother? Seriously! This coming week I will ask Ben to hide them. I want to see how it feels to go a whole week without just ‘checking’. And also I figure if I can make it through a couple of weeks it’ll get easier – I didn’t weigh myself at home for the first 6 months of this journey so really it’s just a silly habit I need to break.

As to the other goal, well you’ll be pleased to hear I lost 1.5lb at last night’s weigh in, taking my total lost to 6 stone 5.5lb (89.5lb). I’ve finally lost more than the lowest I got to this summer. I’m really pleased with this and finally feel I’m losing weight again, rather than just paying off the interest (if I can use a financial metaphor for a moment!). This summer has been a funny one really. I got my 6 stone in June and then spent the next three months on some kind of wiggly detour. It would have been nice to have followed a more linear route, but hey, I’m still going. I’ve said it so many times you probably get sick of hearing it, but this is a journey, not a sprint to the finish. It’s about losing weight, yes. But it’s also about learning and trying and failing and persevering. Of becoming someone I can be proud to be. Losing weight alone wouldn’t give me that. I don’t believe you’re a better person just because you’re ‘thin’. For me it’s all about the process.

And that’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot. Earlier on in the week I read the most marvellous post by Weight Loss Bitch (if you’re interested in weight loss, Slimming World or indeed motivation this blog is for you. This lady has so far lost 21st with Slimming World and her writing regularly inspires me.) It’s all about not comparing yourself and your weight loss journey to anyone else’s. If you have the time I heartily recommend reading it. From a personal point of view, I have people tell me from time to time, that they wished they could be as motivated as me or lose as (mostly) consistently as I do or as much as I have. And I mentally shake my head, because I know the struggle I go through to do it and wouldn’t wish it on anyone. But then I know I’ve been guilty of it myself in the past, particularly when people lose large chunks of weight at a time. Thing is, I don’t know their situation, the emotional impact their weight or their body image has on them. And it came up in group this week, when someone made a comment about our consultant Sara’s figure. Sara has done brilliantly well on Slimming World, losing weight and keeping it off. But as she said “just because I ‘look like this’, what makes you think I’m happy? We none of us know the issues the other deal with every day. You can be inspired by others, absolutely , but comparing your journey to anyone else’s, as far as I can see, really will bring you no peace.

Just a thought.

Anyway, so the coming week has a couple of small challenges for me, mostly in the form of wine. I don’t really drink, unless it’s a special occasion (night out, wedding etc). This weekend we have Ben’s mum coming to visit and sitting around chatting with guests and a glass of the ole Chardonnay (said in best TOWIE accent) is one of my fave things to do. I wont be going mad, but it’s best to be honest with yourself. If I can maintain this week I will be happy. I know it’s only 1.5lb to my next award, but you know, I’ve been waiting for it so blimmin’ long, another week wont kill me, especially if it’s in the name of fun 😉

And to end I thought I’d share this with you. Not sure if you remember a post I wrote back in May about my shopping trip to Fat Face? I was so happy I could finally fit into proper brand names. Any who I recently added that post to a blog linkup called All About Me and it got an amazing response, even from Fat Face themselves (welcoming me as a customer – sweet). Only then I realised, I’ve lost a stone since then and I wondered if I could see a difference. I think I can.

What a stone looks like from the back. May to Sept 2014

Have a great week people

xxxxxxx

Slimming World Update – Week 58

29/08/2014 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Hi guys

I’m so sorry this update is late. I had a bit of a crazy day today. If you follow my blog, you might recall my toddler son has delayed speech. Anyway, as a precaution we took him today to get his hearing tested. Man that was stressful! The first part of the test he did brilliantly well, in fact I was astounded at how quickly he picked up what they wanted him to do. It was the second part, where they had to place a probe in his ear to check for signs of blockages and glue ear that he really really hated. It was worse than getting his hair cut! Anyway luckily he passed all tests with flying colours. He can hear just fine, all frequencies and all volumes. He still has delayed speech and there may be a hundred and one reasons for that, but at least we know lack of hearing is not one of them.

So anyway on to last night’s weigh in. Do you know I had a really funny (as in peculiar, not haha) day yesterday. I had some really interesting conversations with a friend, which left me incredibly pensive, with lots to think about and not in the mood for group at all. I went along anyway, weighed in and found I’d lost 0.5lb (it’s a loss I guess), taking me back up to 6 Stone lost. I sat down to stay, but was hit with an overwhelming urge to leave. So I did. I suddenly felt overwhelmed by, well I don’t know really, everything? And I walked over the Co-Op, hell bent on acquiring my drug of choice – sugar, in the form of cookies. I walked straight in, picked up the cookies and slowly walked back towards the checkout. I then thought I’d just have a wander round, all the time planning how I was going to eat the cookies and how they were going to taste. But the more I walked round, the more the overwhelmed feeling subsided. I spent 15 minutes just wandering round, before I decided to leave the cookies and go home. I left the Co-op empty handed and walked back up to the crossing. And it was then I realised I had a choice. I could carry on home and feel defeated or cross over, back to group, and chose to not feel beaten. I arrived back in group, to people pleased to see me. I’m so glad I made the choice I did.

And I guess that’s what this journey, heck what life, comes down to. We have choices to make every day. Some are small and seemingly insignificant, others mahoosive and life changing, but we all have choice. Even if it’s between a rock and a hard place, it’s a choice and it’s ours to take. And I think last night also showed me the benefit of time. Taking that tiny bit of time to allow impulses to be questioned. I could happily have shoved all five cookies down my neck at minute 0, but by minute 15 I was back in control. Taking time and listening to your instinct and not your impulse are definitely my recommendations for the week – give them a try 😉

Anyway – deep and heavy stuff over! I’ll finish on a positive note – yup I’ve been spending again! Another totally positive purchase. One of my goals for this coming year was a to get a new coat, as my old ones were both old and MASSIVE on me now. I had already decided that as I don’t go into work I didn’t need a ‘smart’ coat any more so was looking for something more jackety. But not too boring and nothing shapeless! I have a waist now for goodness sake! I saw a picture of a biker/moto jacket on Twitter a few weeks ago and my heart was sold. I ummed and ahhed over whether to go for it. I could only afford pleather, would it look rubbish, would I look to mutton dressed as lamb, was it a good use of money, blah, blah, blah. And after all that had quietened I just went with my heart! And I’m so glad I did! It’s this one from Next and a size 18 (to allow for jumper room in the colder months) making it 3 sizes smaller than my old black wool coat and 4 sizes smaller than this grey one.

It’s so different to anything I’ve ever owned and I just adore it. Thank you to everyone who has given me compliments on it. I’ll get you a full size photo soon – promise 😉

670-154-G92s2 — Black Quilted PU Biker Jacket – Next

Have a great week, taking time and recognising the choices you have.

xxxx