Slimming World Update – Week 61

Hiya! How ya’ been?

I’ve not been too bad as it goes. Nothing as exciting as jaunts up to London to report this week, more of a standard mummy week. Some difficult, some lovely times with my boy. That sort of thing.

Can I ask a question? If you’re on any sort of weight loss journey, do you weigh yourself in between weigh ins? I do. I try and try not to. My scales aren’t professionally calibrated and I know my weight fluctuates throughout the week, everyones does. But I just can’t help myself. And it’s a mug’s game I can tell you. Some weeks it can give false hope for a great result, and other times it gives you an unnecessarily negative view of the week’s progress. What it rarely does is give you the true picture. So why do I do it? Like this week. I weighed myself at home and my scales told me I’d gained 1.5lb. This didn’t come as a massive shock Perhaps it was London catching up with me or maybe it was the way I’d been guesstimating my syns a little bit too much. Either way I was not surprised, but I was downhearted. Particularly, as I’d had a really stressful week with the boy and not once had I given in to chocolate’s silky siren song. No matter how much I wanted it. No matter how hard I’d fought my internal demons (to the point of rooting me to the spot – I physically couldn’t move I was raging so much inside). To see I’d gained anyway was just so annoying. So when I took the boy to the Hen House on Tuesday I decided if I was going to have gained anyway, I wanted it to be because of something worth talking about. So I had a piece of Carrot Cake. The most delicious Carrot Cake I think I’ve ever had. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. In a devil may care, renegade kind of way.

Worth gaining for?

I went to weigh in thoroughly expecting at least a 1.5lb gain (if not more!) and I’d lost 2lb! Taking my total lost to 6 Stone 4lb. And I was thrilled. But I know the false vision my scales at home gave me did me no real favours. Maybe that 2lb could have been 2.5lb if I’d not had the cake (as I wouldn’t normally). Don’t get me wrong I’m really happy with a 2lb loss, but I know I need to stop weighing myself midweek. It’s doing no one any favours. Except perhaps the purveyors of fine cakes 😉

So this week I’m setting myself two goals. The first is to lose 1lb. I’m still on track to get to 7 Stone by losing 10lb before Christmas in 14 weigh ins. The next is to NOT weigh myself at home, even once, in the coming week. I’m going scales cold turkey, as it were. Can you hold me to that? Thanks. I’ll let you know how I get on.

And this week I’m hoping any craving for chocolate can be dealt with using the new SW Double Choc Crisp Hi-Fi bars. Have you tried them yet? 3 syns each or 2 bars for a HEB. I don’t know about you, but the name didn’t really inspire me that much, I have to say. But the taste? Wow. They’re properly delicious and I can see the really chocolatey flavour dealing with any cravings. Although in the interest of conducting a full and thorough experiment, I did have to buy two boxes worth. Just to be on the safe side you understand 😉 . If you’re a Slimming World member they should be in your group now. I heartily recommend giving them a try and if you like them, tell SW! These are currently a Limited Edition bar, but if enough people like them they might make them standard stock. And that would be just super!

Double Choc Crisp Hi-Fi Light – 3 syns each or 2 bars for a HEB

Have a great week, not weighing yourself!

xxx

Slimming World Update – Week 47

Hello!

Hope you’re managing to enjoy the sun wherever you are. I love the sunshine. It makes everything seem better, easier somehow. Everyone seems that little bit happier and life feels just that little bit more fun. I defy anyone of a certain age to listen to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Summertime and not feel uplifted and chilled at the same time.  All together breeeeeeathe!

Another thing I love about the good weather is the chance to wear a different wardrobe. Skirts and dresses replace jeans and jumpers sit forgotten in drawers replaced with t-shirts and vests. Summer wear is my natural wardrobe. I was happiest when I worked jobs I could wear a pair of baggy crop jeans and a tunic vest with my beloved Birkenstocks. This year however I am starting to edge, for the first time, into more ‘fashionable’ summer wear. I can wear clothes that not only feel comfortable but look good too. Today I’m wearing an above the knee, strapless patterned summer dress with a black strappy vest over the top. I love it. I feel completely comfortable, despite having so much of me on show. I would never have chosen this dress, but my lovely friend Hayley gave it to me and I love it!

I love it so much in fact I wore it  (with a cardigan to hide the bra straps I am obliged to wear – these ladies need their support!) last Sunday to my friend Emma’s baby shower. The shower took the form of an afternoon tea, with cakes, scones and sandwiches. Obviously I still have a mini loss target of 6 stone in my sights for next week, so I chose to go in with open eyes and a cool head. I’m so glad I did. For example we were served two scones each, one plain, one fruit. I made the decision to have one, so chose the fruit as it was the one I liked the most. The macaroon, which looked so pretty on the plate, was filled with a violet flavoured cream. As soon as I bit into it I realised I really didn’t like. So I left it. I approached the whole experience with this same attitude and do you know, it meant I got the absolute best out of the food I ate. The old me would have scoffed the lot, regardless of whether I liked it or not, or just because it was there. The level headed me took a much more objective approach that meant I could thoroughly enjoy myself and not come away feeling both sick and angry with myself. I call this progress.

Pretty macaroon, just not for me

Its all about choice

For the remainder of the week, I also made a concious decision to limit my syns to minimal amounts each day. I didn’t feel deprived and ensured I loaded up on free food to keep me full and satisfied. And I guess it must have worked as I lost 2.5lb at last nights weigh in. Total loss is now 5 Stone 12lb (82lb). It has taken me into the next stone bracket (I just love seeing the big number at the front going down!) and just 2lb away from the 6 stone I want to lose by the family wedding I am attending next weekend.

So that’s my plan for the next week. I want to lose 2lb. I have my fab friends Michelle and Lee visiting this week, all the way from Devon. Fortunately they understand and appreciate the journey I am on and have been so supportive. Saturday day time will be spent with Michelle in Guildford. Yep we’re leaving the children with the daddies and getting us some retail therapy! Mine is mostly to find a dress for the wedding. I’m so excited I can barely tell you. Earlier in the week someone asked what dress size I am now and the truth is I have no idea, especially where fitted frocks are concerned. I’m so looking forward to finding out! I’ve also got my mum to thank for this excursion as she has given me some money towards a new dress. I think she’s just really proud 🙂 thank you mum! Then on Saturday night we plan to have a BBQ (fingers crossed for the weather), which as I’ve discussed is perfect for SW fare.

I can’t wait! And on that note I best go clean the bathroom. We have guests a coming!

Have amazing weeks people

xxxxxxxxxx

 

 

Slimming World Update – Week 45

Hey you guys!

Having a good week? Mines been long. Or at least it felt that way. I’ve said it before, the hardest thing about switching your weigh in day is the length of the following week. This week it’s been 9 days, which is nothing really, but the extra wait for weigh in felt like a lifetime!

After last week’s fantastic result, I wanted to do something I thought long and hard about. For not succumbing all those times. For holding back so I could use my syns on items better for me. For all the times I had stayed strong, I decided last Wednesday to spend my syns on a piece of cake from the Hen House. I was so proud of my achievements and decided whilst I didn’t want to see this as any kind of ‘reward’, I wanted to eat and enjoy something I wouldn’t usually have. Originally I ordered a piece of coffee cake. However, when it came I had a small mouthful and was disappointed at how dry it had become (it was one of the last pieces). The old Lisa would have eaten it anyway and just been disappointed. Not any more. I really wanted to enjoy the thing I was dedicating a whole days syns too! So I took it back. They were very sweet about it and happily exchanged it for some Red Velvet Cake instead. And oh my god, am I glad I spoke up. The Red Velvet Cake was amazing. Oscar also agreed. I made the mistake of giving him a forkful. Well, after that I was lucky to get half the piece 😉 !

But it didn’t make me want to eat more cake, or buy cake every time I go in there. I guess that’s how ‘normal’ people behave, or at least those without my crazy food issues. And I’m proud and at peace with my choice and behaviour.

So good I nearly didn’t get this picture!

Anyway at weigh in last night I stayed the same. Total loss is still 5 stone 8 lb (78lb). And do you know, I wasn’t as disappointed about this as I have been in the past. I have (Red Velvet Cake aside) been on plan and within my syns all week. But sometimes it’s just the way it goes. However, and please don’t think I’m making excuses here, but my system has also been very erm… sluggish? over the past few days. I had one day where I made pasta and sauce from scratch for lunch, and then had an enormous Cauliflower Dansak that I made for tea. All free and super free, but pasta, cauliflower, rice and lentils all in one day would appear to have been too much of an onslaught for my digestion. It’s been pretty uncomfortable since then. I started to feel better today, but hey, lesson learnt!

June is shaping up to be an insanely busy month already! We have friends coming to stay and various events to attend. Its so exciting! Yes it will pose challenges – that I understand. But there are always ways and means to protect my weight loss. My goal is plan ahead as much as possible, and to be able to keep a cool head and think on my feet when I can’t plan. No one event is worth ruining my hard work for and anyway surely its more about the people I’ll be with and the laughs we’ll have than what’s on offer to eat?! I still want to lose 6lb by 19th June (in time for my ‘step cousin in law”s wedding),  so I really need to get on it this week. A 2lb loss would be great. I also need to go shopping soon, as I have nothing to wear for said wedding, so watch this space for dress updates 😉

Have a great week (whether you choose to have cake or not)

xxxx