weight gain

How to start a Weight Loss Journey

08/01/2016 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Over the last few years I’ve had so many people tell me how hard they have found it to start losing weight. I hear them. It’s no lie when people say the first step is the hardest. So here’s a couple of things I’ve learnt about starting a weight loss journey.

Moffat-Drive

1. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve tried before, the first step on a weight loss journey never gets any easier.

You might have all the knowledge and the nutrition info and all the tools you need to start losing weight, but if you’ve taken a break from healthy living, getting back into it never gets any easier. Newbies and veterans alike struggle to take that first step and all should be applauded for doing so.

2. YOU have to really want to do it.

You can pay lip service to wanting to lose weight all you like, but if you don’t want to do it deep down in your soul it won’t work. The commitment to changing is something that takes passion and if you don’t feel it, why on earth would you stick to it? Likewise if you’re just doing it because you ‘feel you should’ or for someone else’s benefit, you’re never going to truly get it. And that’s fine. If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. You, and only you will know when it’s time ?

3. There is no ‘right’ way

Now you might think this is weird coming from someone who has enjoyed the Slimming World plan for several years now, but I stand by that statement. What what works for me, might not work for you and vice versa. You know you better than anyone in the world. You are the only one who can say what is going to work for you. You dig Slimming World and feasting on large portions? Fantastic! Green smoothies and the gym your thing? You go girl! You prefer to count calories? Amen to that! Never let anyone else tell you what kind of weight loss journey is best for you.

4. Be prepared

Now this could mean one of two things really. Firstly being prepared with the right kinds of foods in the house etc is sooooooo helpful. You try starting any kind of healthy living with a house stuffed the gunnels with chocolate, wine and crisps and you’re not giving yourself even a fighting chance. And if you have to have these things in for other people, try moving them out of eye line and get your preferred foods in their place.

Secondly it could also mean being prepared for how hard the beginning might be. Changing foods is one thing, but changing behaviours is a whole other ball game and it doesn’t happen over night. If you’ve been eating pretty much what you want, when you want, for a long time, changing that behaviour could take a while. Be prepared to have to literally think about everything you do and eat until it becomes second nature. It might take a while. Don’t be surprised by that and just accept it’s the way it will be.

5. Set small goals

For the love of all that is beautiful in this world, please don’t start any weight loss journey with just your end weight in sight, particularly if, like me, that is a loooong way away. I still don’t know where I’d finally like to get to because it’s never been near enough to be an achievable goal. Smaller goals are achievable and any life coach or motivation ‘guru’ will tell you achieving a series of smaller realistic goals will help keep you going. And the more goals you reach the more positive reinforcement you’ll get. By all means have a figure or a place in mind, but remember to set smaller goals within that figure. Could be a number of lbs lost or a size of clothing you want to wear or how you feel at a particular time. By breaking it down you’re more likely to get there.

6. Be your own cheerleader

Probably one of the most important things in beginning any weight loss journey is to make sure you celebrate your own success. And publicly if you can bring yourself to. We all have to be motivated to do anything in this life (would you go to work if you didn’t get paid?) and losing weight is no different. Please, please, please don’t ever put your weight loss down, say it’s not that good or not as good as someone else. Losing weight can be bloody hard work, so why would you ever put any loss down as ‘not good enough’? You get out there and you shake those pompoms! You might find it awkward to begin with, but every pat on the back you give yourself will just reinforce that you’re doing the right thing. And if others join in, well all the better ?

Making the decision to change in your life is never easy, but I swear once you take that first step, over the mental block that’s stopped you doing it in the first place, you’ll have done half the hard work already.

Good luck?!

love

Lisa

xxx

Mrssavageangel Slimming World – Ground Zero

07/01/2016 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

I wrote my last Slimming World update in April last year. We’d not long received Oscar’s Autism diagnosis and dealing with that, physically every day and emotionally every minute of every day was hard. Too hard to think about much else if truth be told. Is it realistic to be counting syns when you’re heart is breaking over and over again? Receiving Oscar’s diagnosis was such a sucker punch to the guts, it just took everything out of me, including any motivation I had to keep losing weight. If you have been reading for a while you’ll know back in April I decided to ‘maintain’. It was a good decision at the time but I was unaware of just how hard the year was going to get. Not the day to day of living with an autistic child, but the bigger picture stuff. The coming to terms with who I was now, the life I was going to be leading, the logistics of that life and what it meant for us as family. I wont lie, it floored me. I stopped going to group in August and I eventually turned back to familiar habits. ‘Comfort’ eating. It did nothing of the sort, but it rarely does. I gained weight. A bit and then a bit more and then a lot more. I’m not proud of it, but I wont apologise for it either. I challenge anyone to go through something similar and not turn to some form of vice or other out of desperation just to feel a little bit better today.

Anyway.

2015 sucked. It sucked balls. But 2015 is over. It’s been nearly a year since we got the diagnosis and while for ages it felt like I’d never feel like myself ever again, over Christmas I realised I would, but that it was down to me to carve some space out in my life to do so. Christmas was unbelievably good (you can read about it here if you’re so inclined). We went away. Put everything in our lives that was causing us sadness down for a couple of weeks and saw people we loved. We couldn’t have done anything better. Yes, life was here waiting for us when we got back, ready to be muddled through, but just a small step back gave us perspective. Oscar’s care and education and all that jazz, will be whatever it is because of me. But it will also be whatever it is regardless of how how much I weigh and how happy I am. So I have a choice. I can live my life being sad and heavy, or I can take some time and space back for me, Autism or not.

So last night I made the decision to go back to group and start again. I can’t tell you how nervous I was. I had a terrible head and back ache all day. I just had it in my head that everyone would be looking at me, judging me, seeing just how much I’d ‘failed’. Then Ben asked, would I feel that way about anyone else who’d had a break and gained any weight, regardless of their situation? Of course he was right and I hate it when he’s right 😉 So I strapped on my fighting boots and walked right back in there. To be honest it felt so lovely to be back. There were lots of new faces (with it being January) but there were also existing members and friends I hadn’t seen in ages. And everyone had the same sheepish grin when we talked about Christmas and many even had the same nervous look in their eye that I did. No one was judging. I don’t know why I ever thought any one would be. Everyone who goes to Slimming Word goes with the same goal; to lose weight and to get some support while doing it. It wouldn’t have lasted all these years if anyone was ever made to feel judged negatively for making a positive choice to (re)join.

Weigh in wasn’t much fun obviously, but do you know, it was what it was and in that moment I couldn’t change that. All I can do is move forward. I made the decision to keep my old book, because I don’t want to wipe all my history for good. I did work really hard for that and I’m proud of it. But I’ve drawn a big old line under last year’s results and I’m starting again. I don’t want to think ‘Oh I’ve gained X amount and I’m back to X date’. That’s not going to help. So today was day 1. I’m doing this like a new member. I’ve set a new interim target of 2 stone loss and this week I’m going for 2lb.

I wasn’t planning to blog about this all again, but when I mentioned on FB that I was going back to SW, someone told me how much they’d missed my posts. Which was sweet. So I thought why not. What I wont be doing this time round is feeling under so much pressure to write interesting, motivational updates that I’ll come to loathe doing them. These posts will just be me updating of how I’m doing and working through any issues I’ve had. And maybe having a few laughs along the way 😉

I hope you had an awesome Christmas and New Year.

Here’s to a happy, healthier 2016

love

Lisa

xxxx

The Boy Makes… Gluten Free Peanut Butter and Banana Cookies

02/07/2015 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

The hottest day of the year yesterday and today? Pah. Gloomy, murky, rainy! What the dickens is going on? It’s July for goodness sake. Well there really was little else for it we needed to bake today and something comforting on this warm/cold/murky/grey July day. Happy British Summertime.

Like many of our forays into the kitchen I looked in the cupboards, saw what we had, and googled the ingredients for inspiration. That’s when I found this recipe over at the awesomely name Yammie’s Noshery. The beautiful photos won me over and I just had to give them a go.

So I got the bowls out, called Oscar over and told him to get get a chair to stand on. And he did! Lets just take a moment there to marvel at that fact. Ahhhhhh. Right, so anyway the cookies, yes?

Peanut Butter and Banana Cookies

These were great to make with the boy as unlike recent attempts in the kitchen they required no melting or hob work. Perfect for little hands who just love to dump stuff in a bowl and mix.

Ingredients

The original has these in cups, but I’ve converted to grams, cos I’m super nice like that. I’ve also made a few tweaks, including using gluten free flour as usual. Should you prefer standard flour then just omit the Xanthan Gum

130g peanut butter (I used crunchy which I think works amazingly, but smooth would be good too, particularly if these are for small children)
50g softened unsalted butter
220g soft brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large ripe banana
200g gluten free plain flour
1/4 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar for rolling (I used caster, but any kind would be good)

Apologies for the lack of photos of the boy helping me. I promise you he did, but I’d left my phone in the other room and you know how they are once they start something!

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c or Gas Mark 5.
Mix the peanut butter, butter and sugar together.
Mash the banana. Add to the butter mix along with the vanilla extract and stir well.
Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined into an easy to work dough.
Take walnut size pieces and roll into balls. Roll each ball in the granulated sugar and place on a baking sheet covered in baking parchment.
Press lightly with the prongs of a fork to make the chequered pattern. The cookies will spread, so don’t put too many on a tray or too close together. I used two baking sheets to make 19 cookies.
Bake for around 10-15 minutes or until golden.
Leave to cool on cooling racks before snaffling greedily behind the kitchen door so the children don’t see you.

Press lightly with the back of a fork this way and that to get the criss cross pattern. — Press lightly in to the uncooked dough with the back of a fork this way and that to get the criss cross pattern.

I am totally going to have to make these again (not that the waistband on my jeans wants me too – they’re so good). The boy loved mixing the ingredients and the mixture is so tactile. Rather like very soft play dough. And so quick. From ingredient to grateful munching in around 20 minutes. I can see them being really good with added cinnamon and rolled in demerara sugar closer to Christmas.

So next time you have a friends coming over and there’s a gluten free eater among them, whip up a batch of these. Everyone will be grateful you did.

Delicious Gluten Free Peanut Butter and Banana cookies. Great with a coffee!

Maybe

10/06/2015 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Sorry it’s been quiet of late. Truth is life’s fair taking it out of me. The harder things get the harder it is to see the light, the positive, the things that keep you going. The temptation is there to focus on the difficult things, the stuff that makes you sad or, in my case, to feel yourself coming to something of a grinding standstill. Not happy, not sad, just suspended.

We do our stuff every day. Sometimes that means a heart wrenching nursery drop off, sometimes a fraught trip into town, other times it’ll mean staying home because today it’s just easier that way. I don’t know if it’s his unpredictability that ruins me the most. The energy he takes from me he can have. He always has.

So I sit down and think, I know, I’ll blog about this, get it out there, read it through. So I write some stuff and then I stop. Partly cos I’m not sure how to say it, partly because I don’t know what to say and partly because I don’t want people to read it. It sounds so utterly boring that I cant imagine anyone would want to read it. Or it sounds so very self indulgent, so ‘woe is me’ that I can’t stand myself. So I leave the few lines I’ve written in drafts, then worry because I haven’t written anything for a while.

I wonder if it’s his DLA form that’s causing such a blockage? It sits there on my desktop, half done. Every time I do a bit more I feel like I’m betraying him, talking only about the bad stuff. There’s no question that says “And what did the child do today that made you insanely happy?” or “How often does he ask you to jump on the trampoline with him?” It drains your soul. Is that what I have to give, in return for an allowance that enables him to live a life parallel to his peers?

Maybe once it’s finished and sent off I can stop feeling like I’ve forgotten to do something. Like I feel like I can’t move forward, stuck in this treacle of bureaucracy. But that’s asking a lot of one little form (it’s not little, it’s bloody huge!) Maybe it’s not that.

Maybe I’ll feel the weight lift when I work out how to get his hair cut. So he can watch TV without having to tilt his head back, his fringe is so thick.

Maybe it’ll be when I start losing weight again and stop feeling awful every time I look in the mirror.

Maybe it’ll be when I start getting some proper time to myself (two hours twice a week really isn’t cutting the mustard) and maybe it’ll be when his nursery sorts out his plan for next year.

Maybe it’ll be when he starts his speech therapy and maybe it’ll be when he calls me mama.

Something’s pulling me down.

I’ve got a feeling it’s called life.

Slimming World Update – Week 91/92

23/04/2015 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Hi there

How’s your week been? Or should I say weeks? Yeah sorry about that. Symptomatic of the wider issue I feel. That’ll make sense in a minute.

Anyway, last night’s weigh in was a gain, same as the week before. Well, you know, that’s what you get from eating home made biscuits and cheesecake and banana bread and ice cream and crumble (Crimble Crumble for your FND fans!) and drinking wine and beer. It’s not rocket science guys. I didn’t gorge. I just ate. Ate things I wanted to and had missed. Ate and drank socially and in good company. Ate because my will not too has left the building.

Because you see I just don’t care as much as I used to. But then I’m dealing with stuff every day I didn’t used to. My meals are all healthy and planned and delicious, but what comes in between is not. The first few days of every week (after weigh in) are positive and thoughtful, but then something happens or something slips and the rest of the week falls into the abyss too. I’ve heard about people talk about this feeling but until fairly recently this wasn’t me. I could live my life the way I wanted and still lose weight. But something’s changed. People tell me all the time how well I’ve done and I don’t know if that’s wonderful or awful. On one had it’s lovely reminder to give myself a little pat on the back, but on the other hand it makes me feel dreadful because I know I haven’t come as far as I set out to. I want to feel that high of getting off the scales with a well earned loss, I do. I just don’t want it enough at the moment.

And there in lies the problem.

I still weigh more than most people who join ever will. But I can wear clothes I never dreamed of and look better than I ever thought I would. I’m not saying I’m giving up and going back to how life used to be (seriously I’m not OK!) I’m just kind of happy bimbling along here for a bit. And that’s why last night, after a fantastic discussion with my consultant and my group, I’ve decided to reset my target to 6 stone loss and maintain for a bit. Slimming World allow you to reset your target to anything you feel comfortable with at any time in your journey and I just think I’m not nearly focussed enough to push myself forward at the moment. But staying here? That I can do.

I don’t want you to think me a failure. I honestly never considered this an option before (trying to maintain), but once we talked about it, it just felt right. For me. For now. I’ve come to dread every weigh in, mostly because I know I have to write about it. I know it’s only pressure I’m heaping on myself, no one else is making me feel this way, but removing that pressure from a life that has plenty of other stuff going on (new, uncharted, scary, sad stuff) seems not a bad thing to do right now.

As my plan is to stay at target for a while, these posts could get awful boring. So I’ve decided to give the updates a rest. I still write plenty of other stuff you can read, should you feel inclined, but unless I have something positive and interesting to say I wont be writing the weekly updates for a while. I hope you can understand.

So long and thanks for all the fish

xxxx