Slimming World - Week 3 & 4

I am a now a month in on Slimming World and although I have had a few blips here and there on a whole I am still feeling very motivated.

I decided to put together a double post this week as I didn't have chance to update last week as I was so busy with other posts but I'm here now!

Week 3
I knew week 3 was going to be a tricky one for me because we had our Nan's 80th birthday meal to attend. It was a Michelin Star restaurant and all the food and drink was already paid for. I knew I was going to have a major cheat day and I did! A three course meal and a whole bottle of pinot grigo to wash it down with! 

I also had some other naughty treats that weekend so it was no surprise that when I stepped on the scales I had maintained. I was lucky that I didn't put anything on really so I had to brush it off and start fresh.

Week 4
This week I feel like I've been really strict with myself when it comes to what I've been eating and we have been out almost every day on long walks. There has even been some days where I didn't have half the syns I am allowed but I wasn't hungry and there's no point in eating for eating sake, heck that's how I'm in this predicament now! Ha ha. 

I feel like I've had some sort of epiphany lately because I used to see Slimming World as a diet and that's where I was going wrong. It's not a quick fix diet that you do, loose weight and that's that. It's a lifestyle change. It's really showing me how to eat the right things and in a balanced way. I feel refreshed and motivated to do this now. I can do it! 


The weigh in

I was feeling optimistic stepping on the scales and was pleased to see that I had lost 2lb!

After maintaining the week before ideally I would of liked to of lost more but 2lb is 2lb and takes me to an 8lb loss in 4 weeks. Roughly 42lb's to go! 

Slimming World - Week 2

Two weeks ago I started Slimming World again, for the second time. In case you missed it, I blogged about it here. I miraculously lost 4lb on my first weigh in and I say miraculously because I did have a few dozen blibs, a takeaway, chocolate, crisps and so on. I think I only lost so much because it was my first week and I am so kicking myself that I had those naughty treats because I could of lost more. Oh well, 4lb is 4lb! 

Week 2

I feel like I have been more strict with myself and have had a lot more willpower. That doesn't mean I haven't gone off plan slightly on some nights but I have reigned it in a lot. 

I haven't taken photo's of most meals like I did the last week. It would get a little tedious after a while because what I eat doesn't change that often but I thought I would share a photo of my favourite meal of the week.

Chilli and Tomato pasta with Pork and Beef Meatballs

Ingredients: 

Pasatta
Chopped tomatoes
Onion
Garlic
Slimming World meatballs
Pasta
Chilli Flavour Pot
Mixed herbs
Pepper
Frylight


Instructions:

Place the frozen Slimming World Meatballs into the oven. Whilst they cook chop your onions and garlic and fry in Frylight. Once they have browned add the pasatta, chopped tomatoes and Knorr Chilli Flavour Pot. Season to taste with the mixed herbs and pepper. 

Cook the pasta on the hob whilst your sauce simmers away. If you time it well your meatballs will be ready at the same time as your pasta and you simply just have to mix it all together! Voila!


The Weigh In

I lost 2lb!

This morning I stepped on the scales and was delighted to see I had made a loss again. That means I have a further 44lb's to go but if I keep chipping away at it like I have been doing I am sure I can do it. I just need to keep my motivation and moral up and hopefully this time around I will stick to it!  

Slimming World - Week 1

This time last year I started Slimming World for the first time. I had put a lot of weight on during and after pregnancy and I was desperate to shift some of it. 

I stuck at it and worked for me and I lost over a stone in just a few weeks, I felt great! Then for some reason I just lost all motivation and once the motivation went through the window I just forgot about it and resumed with my bad eating habits.


Fast forward a year and I have put that stone back on and more. This time I am sticking at it, I need to. I am fed up of feeling unhealthy and frumpy and it's horrible being overweight in the summer. 

Last week I started Slimming World for the second time with the aim to loose over 3 stone which I have rounded to a neat 50 lbs. I can't remember the last time I was 50 lb lighters so I may loose 35lb and think that's enough, I don't know. 


I know where my bad eating habits are and the main issue is snacking and snacking late at night. You can still do this on Slimming World but swap those naughty snacks to healthy ones. Or even better you can save a few syns for an evening chocolate treat. That's what I love about Slimming World, you can still indulge and eat your favourite foods you just have to make changes to the way you cook and of course syn those little naughty extra's! 

Here are some photo's of what I ate last week. 

I was good as gold all week and even had syns left over on some of my days. I felt motivated and determined to stick at it this time and then came the weekend! I had a few blips..

A Chinese takeaway

Some crisps

Sweets

Chocolate... oops.

I was kicking and cursing myself because my willpower is dreadful. With my weekend blips in mind I didn't think I would of lose anything this week but I was shocked to discover that I did! 

I lost 4lb!

So that's another 46 lb's to go!

I can do this!  

  

Slimming World - 1 stone lighter

Another New Years Resolution of mine was to lose weight. I had put weight on before becoming pregnant then put weight on whilst being pregnant and even more so after Noah was born. In those newborn days we were eating a lot of takeaways and having naughty treats as we didn't have the time to cook so the weight pilled on. I have around 3 stone to lose.

I chose Slimming World to help me on my weight lost journey and I love it! I am now 8 weeks in and I have finally lost my first stone! 14lbs! I am so happy! I feel so much better in myself, healthier and happier. I've had good days and bad but I have on a whole been strict with myself and know I need to stick at it otherwise I won't shift all this baby blubber.

I have tried other diets in the past but soon lost all motivation a couple of weeks later and then quit. I found myself bored, hungry and felt it wasn't worth it. This hasn't happened with Slimming World. I am never hungry and it's easy to mix up your eating plan each day to keep it interesting. You can also have treats too which you syn. I like that you can still have chocolate, crisps, bread, cake as long as it is within your daily syn allowance. I think that is where I have gone wrong in the past, I have done diets where you can't have them. I need my treats! 

Slimming World isn't really a diet, it changes the way you look at food and makes you think about the food choices you make. My diet is a lot more balanced now. As you cook most meals from scratch I feel like I have become better at cooking too, which is a win win. 

If you are thinking of losing weight then I couldn't rate Slimming World high enough. I am aiming to lose another stone before the end of May as I have a wedding coming up and want to look my best. If you have any questions about Slimming World or what to join me on my journey then I am just a comment or tweet away! 

Slimming World - Magic Pancakes

I recently jumped on the Slimming World bandwagon and so far, so good. I've just begun my fourth week and I have lost a total of 8lb. That sounds good but it's not really as I lost a whooping 7lb in my first week, maintained on my second and lost just a single lb on my third. It's my fault for my slow loss in the previous two weeks because as soon as it gets to the weekend I seem to fall off plan and sabotage myself. I don't necessarily pig out but I eat what I shouldn't, eat way too many syns and don't count them either. This weekend it is all change. No cheating this weekend!  

Slimming World is fantastic and it really is not a diet. It's a lifestyle change. I am really enjoying cooking fresh, healthy and balanced foods. We are saving a lot of money and as I cook every day now I feel like I am becoming a lot more confident in the kitchen.

One of my favourite treats have got to be pancakes. Smothered in nutella, stuffed with chopped banana and sprinkled with sugar. When I discovered there was a Slimming World alternative that was just as good, if not better! I had to try it myself. 

Magic Pancakes-

35g porridge oats (hexB)

Muller Light

2 Eggs

Sweetner 

Measure out 35g of oats into a bowl 

Pour in any flavour Muller light (I like toffee or banana and custard)

Beat in two eggs (Or more if you prefer) 

Add a generous helping of sweetner and mix it all up 

Heat your frying pan and spray with fry light

Pour pancake mix into pan, make them as big or as small as you like 

Cook on med/high for a few minutes

Serve

These pancakes are totally syn free and you can keep them syn free by serving them with sweetner and chopped fruit or with fat free yoghurt. I like my Magic Pancakes a little bit naughty with a tablespoon of nutella (5 syns) and chopped bananas. Delicious! Great for breakfast or brunch.But I prefer them as a night time treat once the baby is in bed. Mummy treat time! 

What are your Slimming World favourites? 

Slimming World

One of my new years resolutions is to start and stick to a diet. I decided to try out Slimming World as I am forever hearing positive weight loss stories and positive remarks about the diet. Although I wouldn't call Slimming World a diet, it is more like a lifestyle change. It changes the way we choose and cook our foods and I have already learnt so much in such a short space of time.

I did start Slimming World earlier on in the year but wasn't fully confident in it so I decided to give it another go this week and to stick at it and I feel a lot more committed this time around. I am on the Extra Easy plan and it is just that. Extra easy. Once you get your head around all the ins and outs it's like riding a bike. 

I try to have three meals a day but do find that I tend to miss or skip breakfast. When I do this I have a supper instead. I have always been more of a night time eater and I can't change that. That is why Slimming World is great. You don't need to change what you like and want, it's all in moderation and you tailor it to what works for you. 

There are free foods, superfree foods, healthy extra's and then the foods you have to syn. I bet it all sounds like gobildygook but once you are doing it, it all makes sense. I get 15 syns a day to use which I could spend on a curly wurly (6 syns) or even a bag of quavers (4 syns) and much much more. If you want it, syn it and you can have it! Some people go syn free all day by filling up on free and superfree foods and then splurge using all the syns they have saved throughout the week. Which is great if you haven't kicked the takeaway habit. 

I have had some fab meals this week; beef casserole with roasted, potatoes, parsnips and carrots. Tuna pasta. Piri Piri chicken, rice and peppers. Roast dinner. Chicken tikka. I've even had chips!! All slimming world friendly and containing no syns! 

I had put on weight before becoming pregnant, during and after so I have a lot to lose. I am aiming to lose 3 stone so I will be here for the long haul but I will be blogging all about my adventure and maybe post a recipe or two.

I also intend on being more active. Even if it is just taking Noah out in the pram for a good half an hour in the afternoons. I have been trying to get out and be more active but the weather is dreadful. I can't wait to be able to go on long walks on milder days, Noah loves it too. 

On to the scary part. It is my first weigh in tomorrow! Wish me luck! 

My New Years Resolutions

I'm not normally one to actually make New Years Resolutions nevermind stick to them but this year with how much my life has changed recently I wanted to change my ways and create a few New Years Resolutions and stick by as many as I can.

Family time.

Now Nick, Noah and I are a family I want to make sure we spend a lot of quality time together especially now while Noah is young. As he get's a little older and more aware I want to take him to the zoo and the sealife centre. I'm so excited to be able to do things as a proper little family.

Mummy and Daddy time. 

If you are a parent you will know that as soon as your little bundle of joy arrives there is a lot less time spent with your significant other. Although I see Nick every single day sometimes I miss him because we don't have that quality time together anymore as our focus is on our son. At least once a week I want to snuggle up on the sofa and watch a film together and at least once a month I want to have a date night with Nick where we go out and enjoy one another's company.  

Diet - Join Slimming world. 

I was heavier than I would of liked to of been before I was even pregnant so of course going through pregnancy too I have a lot of weight to lose. The last time I was weighed was at my 12 week scan and I didn't even ask what I weighed as I didn't want to frighten myself. We don't actually have any scales in our house but I know I need to bite the bullet and see how much I weigh. I feel like I could lose about 2 stone. So I have a long long way to go. 

I am not the best when it comes to dieting or eating healthy. I did join Weight Watchers a few years back and lost a stone as it was easy to follow but it didn't really work for me in the long run. I have decided to give Slimming World a go as I have heard nothing but positive feedback from the programme. So wish me luck! I am going to need it. 

Excersize - Be more active.

I just want to be more active on a whole. I don't mean go full throttle working out every day cause lets face it I have a baby and don't get much sleep so at the moment that won't be feasible. Perhaps in a few months down the line I may join a gym but at the moment I just want to get out the house and go for long walks with Noah in the pram. This will be more appealing when the weather picks up a bit. 

Holiday - First family holiday.

Nick and I love going abroad and our home away from home is Alcudia in Majorca. We didn't go away in 2013 as I was pregnant. It was the first time in years we didn't go on holiday, we really missed it. This year we want to take Noah on his first holiday, which is so exciting. Probably back to Majorca knowing us! 

Mortgage - Buy our own home.

In 2013 we were accepted for a mortgage but we just need to now decide where we want to live and find the home that is right for us. We are getting there with our deposit but by the end of 2014 I hope we are in our very own home or atleast on our way to that goal. We are currently looking through various estate agents UK to find the perfect family home because now we have a baby it's time to start building a foundation for us as a family. 

Savings - Pennies make pounds.

Nick and I are dreadful when it comes to spending. We waste so much money and really need to learn how to budget better. Our savings would look a lot more attractive right now if we weren't throwing money down the drain left, right and center. We spend way too much money on meals out and takeaways. I aim to put a little bit more money away into our savings each month.  


Wedding - Make plans.

We have been engaged for a few years now and haven't talked in depth about our wedding as of yet. We've always been preoccupied with moving house, new jobs, redundancy, pregnancy and now a baby. This year I want to atleast start discussing our wedding plans and begin saving up. 2015 wedding? Who knows!

Here are my New Years Resolutions for the year. Lets see what I stick to! Here's to 2014!