weight gain

Slimming World Update – Week 71

27/11/2014 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Hi you!

Despite being able to say ‘bye bye, see you soon’ for a while now Oscar has only just started to say Hello, and this is how he says it. It’s the cutest thing!

So how’s your week been? Mine been good, properly cold, but good none the less. I explained last week that I was making a gamey take on Chilli, using (free and speed food) Venison for dinner with friends on Friday. And I did. Only I think the Venison was off! It was fresh when purchased, but I froze it. I then think I defrosted it (i.e. left it out of the fridge) for too long. It smelt really odd raw, and smelt worse as it cooked! It also tasted of kidneys – you know, slightly pissy! I was gutted. I mean I’d definitely try it again, only I think I’d buy the meat closer to making the dish. Anyway, rather than poison our guests we wrote the whole thing off and because we had neither the time or the ingredients to prepare anything else, got take out. It wasn’t how I planned the evening to go, but as I’d been being careful with my syns (with the wine I knew would be drunk on Friday in mind) I decided not to worry about it too much. So Friday was one of those nights where suddenly everything is ‘off plan’. Food, wine, even a few chocolates. And boy did we all enjoy it. Nearly as much as Sarah and I enjoyed beating the boys at Cranium. Games Nights are so the way ahead for a fun night in! I highly recommend it.

So any who I wasn’t hopeful in ANY way for last night’s weigh in, but was bowled sideways to see I’d lost 0.5lb taking me back to 6 Stone 7lb. Who knew!

I spoke last week about the jeans situation and after writing about it decided to take the plunge and order the next size down. I got the size 14 (eek!) in the Next Relaxed Skinny Jeans that I’ve been wearing since the 18 started to fit me last year. I love these jeans and have had both the 18 and the 16. They suit my shape so well and despite having some stretch retain their jeansyness (real word) Or they did. Because I received them last Friday and immediately realised Next have changed the material. A quick check on the composition shows the new pair had less cotton in them and felt more like jeggings. And they looked awful! Way too big. Now you think I’d be pleased that a 14 was too big, but I wasn’t. I was gutted. I don’t know about you ladies (you may feel this too chaps!) but it takes me a good while to find a pair of jeans I like and when I do I wear them forever! It’s so good to be able to pick up a new pair whenever you need them, knowing they’ll fit. So yeah I was gutted. Anyway I took them back to Next and while we were there I tried on several different pairs. All in a 14. And do you know, all but one pair fitted! Size 14 jeans fitted me! Sorry, can I just take a moment here:

SIZE 14 JEANS FIT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ridiculous turn-ups, but bloody hell, the size 14 fit!

No hoofage to be seen! — My thighs! Seriously? Yes seriously?

Right. So yeah several pairs fitted, but none were perfect. One had enormous turn-ups I didn’t like and one had no pockets (not practical I keep all sorts in my pockets at all times including my phone). Ahh well it would seem the search goes on. With the changes that have taken place to my shape recently, I think I need a day in town, sans child, to try some on. Hmm.

And as I mentioned last week, those changes have recently been thanks to the Core Stability classes I’m doing with Fit for Life Mums. And look what I got last night:

Proving to myself that the relatively small changes I’m seeing on the scales, sometimes mean nothing to a change in shape. And outlook. I love my classes and it’s giving me the nudge to think about doing more exercise. Yeah I know. Me! I’ll let you know!

So for the coming week, we have no parties or such challenges. So I’m going to give a real serious push towards 7 Stone (Tish – can I borrow the food diary for the week you lost 8.5lb please? 😉 ). I have 4 more weigh ins (last one being on 23rd, not 17th as I originally thought) before Christmas. Come on Mrs S. You can DO this.

Have a great week entering the Christmas month with head held high and resolve held firm.

xxxxx

Slimming World Update Week 70

20/11/2014 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Hiya

Week 70? Bloody hell! Sorry, It just sounds bonkers! 70 weeks, what is that in months? Err (does quick maths in head, by which I mean calculator) 17.5? A lot anyway.

Not that that seems to have made any difference in my ability to maintain my losses. 0.5lb on this week. 6 stone 6.5lb lost.

I know why, of course. I haven’t been eating foods that I know will result in a loss. Simple as. Actually I have been. I’ve been concentrating on super free and in particular speed foods, aiming for at least 7 different speed foods a day. It’s been good. Trouble is I have also been eating too many syns and trying to pretend I’m not. A head in the sand approach never worked before, and it didn’t work this week. That coupled with the fact that I have been visited by Aunt Irma (for all you IT Crowd fans) this week, means I have both been feeling grumpy and craving sugar/carbs. It’s not an excuse, it’s just fact. Sometimes I cave, sometimes (most times) I don’t. Ben and Oscar had the most beautiful fresh white bread from the farm shop on Saturday. I wanted some soooo badly. I didn’t have any, but it’s madness that after what is nearly a year and a half the hardest thing I find to avoid when the craving strikes is boring old bread. What is it about bread? Must be something from childhood, it’s pull is inexplicable.

So anyway, not a great week, but not terrible. I am continuing to go to Core Stability classes and can really feel the difference in my strength and see the difference in my shape. You may remember a few weeks ago I had to make a new hole in my belt? Well I am now able to get my size 16 jeans on and off without undoing them or the belt. I’m thinking maybe another hole in the belt, or just another pair of jeans. Eek! I feel so close to moving down into a size 14. Wouldn’t that be something? A 14 was always so far away, this kind of unobtainable holy grail, for me anyway. I know some people would baulk at the thought of having to wear a 14, but for me it was always where I wanted to be. It’s so close I can practically taste it! And I can guarantee it’ll taste better than any loaf of bread! I just need to remember that.

Anyway, enough of me blathering on. I do have so exciting times planned for the week ahead. I’ve got our good friends coming for dinner tomorrow night. I’ve decided to make a slightly more exciting take on the humble chilli. This one’s made with Venison (free AND a speed food none the less!) as well as a small amount of red wine and dark chocolate. When I first read the recipe I immediately thought I would try to leave out the wine and chocolate. However when I actually synned it, between the four of us it’s a really small amount, so am planning to go with it. Dark, spicy and just right for an Autumn’s evening. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Have a great week tasting the sweet flavour of success 😉

xxx

Slimming World Update – Week 67

30/10/2014 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Hi there buddy – how are you?

I’m not too bad thanks. Bit of an up and down week, as per. Some great days, spent with great friends and playing with my boy, some stressful days and even some days feeling a bit pants (probably as a result of the stressful days – did you know high levels of stress raise the levels of hormones in your body and after extended periods of stress, if everything goes back to normal, it can take up to 6 months for your body to recover? No neither did I!) Had a couple of situations where I ate things I wouldn’t normally for reasons that really weren’t reasons at all. It’s been a while since I’ve felt obliged to eat anything so it was a bit of a weird one actually, but c’est la vie. Anyway meh, what’s done is done. 0.5lb on. Disappointing but still 6 stone 4lb off.

Despite that, last nights group was wonderful for several reasons. Firstly it was Halloween themed with spooky decorations and a spooktacular SW quiz. Who doesn’t love a quiz? Here’s my team busily checking out the syn value answers in their books! And all that diligence paid off, as we won! Go us!

Sara our consultant had an awesome witches hat on. I loved it so much I asked to borrow it – and she let me keep it. I’m going to two Halloween parties this weekend and had nothing to wear so this’ll come in very handy! Thank you Sara. As requested here is a pic, just for you!

Last night was also the nomination evening for Miss Slinky and Mr Sleek Award. Every year Slimming World run an in group award for those you think have embraced food optimising and made significant changes to their life because of it. I was nominated, along with several others in the group. It was so flattering to be nominated, but to be honest there isn’t one member who couldn’t have been. We have such a dedicated group and everyone deserves recognition for what they’ve overcome to reach the point where they decided to take the bull by the horns and, with SW’s help, change their lives. Everyone’s got their story and last night we were privileged enough to hear some of those. I was humbled time and again. So thank you. Everyone.

So looking forward, the coming week does actually pose a couple of challenges. Firstly I have the children’s Halloween party at my NCT buddy Kat’s house tomorrow. We had one for the children at ours in the first yerar of their lives, but didn’t bother last year. This year however we’re going have another crack at it. I’ve already made some chocolate pretzel pumpkins to take! I couldn’t even begin to syn them so I shan’t be having any (I’ll take some fruit for myself – had I thought about it more carefully I’d have made some actual pumpkin to take – but I got so swept up in the Pintrest of it all, you know how it goes!!)

Then I’ve got a Halloween themed fireworks party next door on Saturday. I’ve got a bit more time before that though, so I think I’ll go shopping on Saturday for a few bits to make some syn free, warming nibbles. So yeah not easy, but nothing I can’t come through smiling.

And I really want to be smiling next Wednesday, because you see I’ve set myself a sneaky little challenge. My good friend Helen is coming to visit next weekend. I haven’t seen her in nearly a year and she’s coming up for a proper girly weekend. We’re both massive Christmas fans, so I’ve got us tickets to the Spirit of Christmas Fair at Olympia. It’s going to be brilliant. But you see Helen’s one of my oldest friends, she’s known me since I was a teenager.

And I spent so long looking like this

I just want my oldest friends to replace the picture of me in their heads.

So what I really want for this week is to reach my 6.5 stone award by next week. Its 3lb away but I really, really want to reach it in time for her visit. It’s a big ask, in a week with two parties, but I just really want her to be proud of me. What do you reckon Hels? Can I do it?

I’ll let you know.

Have a super, spooky week people

Mmmwwaaahahahaaha

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 64

09/10/2014 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Hi chaps

I’m so sorry everything’s been a bit quiet on the old blog front this past week. I’ve wanted to write, but every time I sit down to, my mind goes blank. I’ve got some important stuff going on at the moment and it kind of dwarfs everything else. It’s one of those ‘not ready to share online’ things (everyone has stuff that’s off limits, even the most honest bloggers I know) but when I am ready you’ll know.

Partly due to the fact that my head’s really not been in the game this week I wasn’t surprised to see I’d had a gain at weigh in yesterday. 3.5lb. Owch. Total back to 6 stone 0.5lb. I don’t really believe in the whole “woe is me” excuse in a journey such as mine. And I don’t comfort eat any more. I think this week my head just been in a whirl and I haven’t been able to be as mindful about what I’m eating as I would normally be. It’s not even like I’ve had chocolate and crisps and all that jazz (I know – I amaze myself sometimes). I’ve just been really slack at counting the syns I am having, meaning one day I know I had about four different things and thought ‘I’ll count that as my HEB’! I have had cake when I’ve been out, but then no other syns for the rest of the day. Or so I think. Actually who knows? Honestly, I’ve just been so all over the shop!

But the things is, what’s going on, is going on and I can’t change that. What I can control however is how I treat myself. I’ve said it before, it’s not by mistake that air passengers are told, in the event of an accident, to don their own masks before helping others with theirs. If you don’t take care of yourself how are you meant to take care of anyone or anything else? So whilst I’m disappointed with the last two week’s results (of course I am) I’m not beating myself up about them. I’m taking a bit of care of myself. And this week I am treating myself to some delicious and nutritious food. Filling the house with easy to snack on fruit and syn free loveliness. Planning ahead, meaning I’m not open to saying ‘feck it’ and getting Chinese take out because it requires no thought. Today I’ve cooked a stew and a bolognese, both stuffed full of superfree foods. I know what we’re having on what nights and I’ll get more fruit over the weekend, focussing on things like melon and berries to superspeed me along. I might also try something that was suggested in group last night; quinoa, mixed with fruit and syn free lemon curd or Choc Shot. I’ve only just discovered quinoa and I’ve only had it with rice before, but something about this idea really struck me. So I might give it a whirl over the weekend. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Tonight's Caribbean Pepperpot Stew. Beef, peppers, sweet potato, green beans, stock, passata, garlic and Jerk seasoning. All served up with rice. And all free. — Tonight’s Caribbean Pepperpot Stew. Beef, peppers, sweet potato, green beans, stock, passata, garlic and Jerk seasoning. All served up with rice. And all free.

In the same vein of taking care of myself, I have started Post Natal Core Stability Classes on a Monday with Fit for Life Mums. Sounds fancy, but it’s basically an awesome mixture of pilates, yoga, fit ball and physio. It’s run by a physiotherapist and focuses on (as the name would suggest) strengthening the core, those foundation muscles that lie under everything else and can be seriously weakened by pregnancy. I’ve been twice now and boy is it good. Hard work, yet you hardly move. It’s highlighting to me just how poor my muscle tone is. The first week was OK and the next day I didn’t really ache. The day after however, Man Alive! I coughed on the Thursday and nearly fell over! Every time I take the buggy out I’m pulling it all in and clenching. Did you know it’s almost impossible to slouch with your core engaged? I do now! This week, although the exercises were the same, I found it so much harder! I don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing! Either way it’s a great class for two reasons. One, you really have to concentrate, leaving no head room for anything else. Perfect for me right now. And two I swear I can see the difference already. Despite gaining weight, my waist feels smaller. So much so that I’ve had to move my belt up a notch on my jeans. Which would be fine, except I don’t have any more notches to move up to so I had to make a hole. Now that’s a satisfying feeling 🙂 .

I’m also having my hair done on Saturday at a new salon in town (which equals muchos excitement in this house I can tell you). Yes all in all this week will be a little bit more about donning my own mask, so I can help others with theirs.

Have a great week guys

xxx