Weekend Survival!!

I'm sitting here in work and I can already feel that this weekend will be tough. I thought to help me stay on track I'd post my meal plans for the three days. 

Friday:

Breakfast - smoothie and grapes 0 points

Lunch - 2 ryvitas, 2 slices ham, 2 slices turkey, 30g low low cheddar, low low cheese and ham triangle 7 points

Dinner - wholemeal spiegel, 20g flora (10 for spiegel, 10 for cooking), 1 rasher, 1 chicken fillet, 1 onion, low fat Caeser dressing, balsamic vinegar, some veg (whatever is in the house) 9 points

Treats - I have the house to myself tonight so I'm thinking of treating myself and using the rest of my dailies and some weeklies tonight. Not sure on what yet but definitely some wine. I normally don't allow myself to use all my weeklies but I'm planning on doing lots of exercise this weekend so I think it'll be okay. 

Saturday:

Brunch - Omelette, slice toast and glass slimline milk 13 points

Dinner - nachos with homemade Bolognese 11 points 

Treats - purple snack bar and Malteasers bar 8 points. Normally I'd only have one but I'm planning for a bad day so going to allow both.  

Sunday:

Brunch - Omelette, slice toast and glass slimline milk 13 points

Dinner - homemade Bolognese with 40g pasta 9 points 

Treats - purple snack bar and mars bar. Okay I know a mars bar is really bad but I have a feeling its going to be one of those weekends so by allowing the points for the treat then I'll be able to maintain some element of control.

I should also note that while it seems like I'm not including any veg, I have included them in the Bolognese sauce and in the omelette. I will post the recipes for them tomorrow. In keeping up with my challenge, I am also trying out a new veg this weekend, courgette. This one will be harder as I'm not including it in a smoothie but in the Bolognese sauce. So if I don't like it, I could struggle with my main meal and it could cause me to go off track. 

I will also probably be picking at fruit over the weekend; grapes, mandarins, apples.

It is really important that I stick to plan not only for my WI but also I want to compare this week with last week. Last week I did zero exercise, this week I'm doing 30DS and some other workouts. It is important that all else is equal so I'm comparing like with like. The reason why I'm comparing the two weeks is that I tend to either put up, STS or have a really small loss when I up my exercise. This was the case the last time I did WW. What I'm wondering now is, was I really good with my food or was I complacent, which I certainly can be at times on WW. So hopefully Wednesday will tell me one way or another. 

I also want to achieve my first mini goal; to be in the 13s again. I'm 1lb away so its definitely doable. I'm also 3lbs away from my first silver seven so I would like to get that within the next week or two as well. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend and that you stick to your points! 

Weekly WI

So I had my WI last night and I am delighted I was down 2.5lbs. I really wanted 3.5lbs so I could reach my first mini goal; 13st 13.5lbs. I probably was a little too ambitious with that target though. What I really wanted this week was to lose more than what I had gained last week. I gained 1.5lbs last week so I am happy to have that off again along with another pound. When I was updating my weekly results in the side bar, I did get a bit upset. I have only lost 1.5lbs in the first 4 weeks and only 4lbs in 5 weeks. Now don't get me wrong, 4lbs down is still 4lbs down, which is good. However when you hear of others losing a stone in a month etc. it does get a bit disheartening. Being honest though, the first few weeks I wasn't as good as I should have been. This week I did try really hard and I enjoyed my week and it showed on the scales. It is time to put that effort in every week and I know if I do, I will get the results I want. I have six weeks until my holidays and I'd really like to get my first stone by then. 10lbs in 6 weeks. A bit optimistic but as long as I am sticking to the plan every week  and losing every week, I am happy.

Along with the challenges I set for myself this month, I am also setting myself a new one this week. I have realised I am a bit obsessed with the scales. Every time I am in the bathroom, I hop on them. Ideally I would love to put them away but I am not the only one that uses them. Digital scales are also sensitive to movement so its best just to leave them where they are. So I am going to use every bit of willpower in me to avoid the scales until Saturday. I will take a sneak peak then as I found last weekend, when I saw I was down, it helped me stay on track for the weekend. I will then stay off them until my WI on Wednesday. I am liking setting myself challenges, as I find they help me stay on track. So if you are struggling, set yourself some weekly goals or challenges. Keep them small and simple such as trying new foods. It really does help :)

WW Catch Up

I haven't posted in the last few days as I have been really busy. I posted my meal plan for the week last Tuesday and I have pretty much stuck to it except for a few changes here or there. I have been bang on points every day except fro Friday. Friday, we decided to go for drinks after work which led to eating out so I have no idea how many points I used. On the plus side, I have taken a sneaky peak at the scales yesterday and this morning, and it is showing a loss. I have been stuck in and around the 14st 2/3lbs mark the last few weeks, so I think I may just break that! Seeing the loss on the scales has definitely helped me stay on track this weekend and I'm working really hard for a good loss on Wednesday.

My May Challenge has been going really well so far, besides my little slip-up on Friday but I wouldn't completely classify that as a binge. My new fruit & veg last week was spinach and bananas. I have to say initially I hated the smoothie initially, but definitely by the end of the week I was enjoying it. I also had kale this weekend in Colcannon mash. I only tried kale for the first time a few weeks ago and now I love it mixed with mash. This week I'm trying my Summer Berries Juice with apples, pears and mixed berries. I've never had a pear before in my life and the only berries I have had is strawberries. Also next weekend, I am going to try courgettes with a bolognese sauce I am going to make. I will post the recipe next weekend. 

The only part of my May challenge that I have not completed this week was the exercise. I have done absolutely none which also means my 30DS challenge has gone out the window. There are a few reason I didn't do any. It started off with being exhausted after work but then I got thinking about my WI. I always find that on weeks I exercise, my weight loss is either very low or non-existent. So seeing as I had done very little already this week, I have decided to wait until after my WI on Wednesday to start exercising again. It'll be interesting to see the comparison with this Wednesday's WI and next Wednesday's WI; no exercise vs exercise! Of course that will only work with everything else being equal.
I also am going to start level 2 30DS from the start. I had done 5 days of level 2 but they've been very scattered so I want to start it again to see the full effect. I can definitely feel the effect of all the exercise I have done to date, which is why it is important to look at the bigger picture. Yes the scales may slow down, but the inch loss and your body shape will continue to change. Exercise is also important for your general well-being which is why I would never give it up entirely. 

Summer Berries Juice

I made this gorgeous juice this morning to have with my breakfast. My new fruit & veg for the week is pear and berries/cherries. Fruits and smoothies are a great way to incorporate fruit and veg into your diet if you are not normally a big fan of them. This fruit juice is zero points and is a great start to your morning.

Serves: 2
ProPoints: 0

Ingredients:
2 pears, cored
2 apples, cored
2 handful of mixed summer berries, fresh or frozen

Method:
Place all the ingredients into a blender or juicer and blend until well mixed.
If you are not a fan of bits, strain the juice.
Add some water or orange juice to the mixture if it is a bit thick.

Green Smoothie

As promised here is the quick and easy recipe for the green smoothie I have been drinking this week. As part of my May challenge I am trying at least one new fruit and veg each week. This week it is bananas and spinach. My mum used to try and get me to eat bananas when I was younger but I refused to. I think it was more the texture than the taste, that I had a problem with. Spinach I always associated with Popeye! Smoothies and juices are great for increasing your veg and fruit intake. If you are not a veg eater, then I would recommend trying this recipe. The great thing is you can put in as much or as little as you want. You can also try using kale instead of spinach or different fruit if you would prefer.

ProPoints: 3
Serves: 1

Ingredients:
300ml skimmed milk
2 handfuls of spinach
1 banana

Method:
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until you get your desired consistency. I found when blending, it tends to get quite foamy, so leave it to settle for a few minutes after blending.

Week 4 WI

Week 4 and only 1.5lbs down :( I'm annoyed at myself and at work for my 1.5lb gain tonight. I was working late all last week and while I tried my best to stick to points and stay on track, obviously it wasn't enough. It is really frustrating when you try your best and you don't get the results you want. I missed my WI last week due to work, and to be honest, I probably should have had a gain last week. If I had made an effort to attend another meeting last week and accepted the gain, I would have had a loss this week. It just goes to show how you should always attend your meeting, as it does set you back if you don't. I'm still on track for my May Challenge. Okay 8lbs is now looking unrealistic but there's no reason why I can't achieve my silver seven during that time. I have all my meals planned for the next week, so I thought I would share them with you all:

Wednesday:
Breakfast - spinach, banana and milk smoothie 4pps
Snack - Grapes 0pps
Lunch - 4 ryvita original, low low cheese triangle, 30 low low cheddar cheese, 4 slices ham, tomato 9pps
Dinner - 2 eggs, 10g flora light, 30g low low cheddar cheese, onion, 2 rashers, red pepper, glass of milk 14pps
Treat - Malteaser bar 5pps
Total 32pps


Thursday:
Breakfast - 40g porridge, 300ml milk, 1/2 tsp sugar 8pps
Snack - Grapes 0pps
Lunch - 4 ryvita original, low low cheese triangle, 30 low low cheddar cheese, 4 slices ham, tomato 9pps
Dinner - spiegel, chicken fillet, 20g flora light, onion, balsamic vinegar, roasted veg, glass milk 10pps
Treat - Malteaser bar 5pps
Total 32pps

Friday:
Breakfast - spinach, banana and milk smoothie 3pps
Snack - Grapes 0pps
Lunch - eating out so whatever soup they have. I point it as 8pps
Dinner - 2 poached eggs, 20g flora light, balsamic vinegar, spiegel, onion, 150g beef, glass milk 17pps
Treat - Malteaser bar 5pps
Total 33pps

Saturday:
Lunch - 200g colcannon mash, 60g bacon, veg 11pps
Dinner - 2 spiegel, 150g beef, balsamic vinegar, 30g flora light, onion, roasted veg in olive oil 14pps
Alcohol - 3 vodkas and diet drink 9pps
Total 33pps

Sunday:
Breakfast - spinach, banana and milk smoothie 3pps
Snack - Grapes 0pps
Lunch - 200g colcannon mash, 60g bacon, veg, glass of milk 15pps
Dinner - 2 spiegel, 150g beef, balsamic vinegar, 30g flora light, onion, roasted veg in olive oil,  15pps

Total 32pps

Monday:
Breakfast - 30g porridge, 300ml milk, 1/2 tsp sugar 7pps
Snack - Grapes 0pps
Lunch - 2 ryvita original, low low cheese triangle, 30 low low cheddar cheese, 2 slices turkey, tomato, 2 slices ham 8pps
Dinner - spiegel, chicken fillet, 10g flora light, onion, balsamic vinegar, 2 poached eggs 11pps
Treat - homemade pear, apple and cherry fruit juice 0pps
Options hot chocolate with 300ml milk and purple snack bar 7pps
Total 33pps

Tuesday:

Breakfast - 30g porridge, 300ml milk, 1/2 tsp sugar 7pps
Snack - Grapes 0pps
Lunch - 2 ryvita original, low low cheese triangle, 30 low low cheddar cheese, 2 slices turkey, tomato, 2 slices ham 8pps
Dinner - spiegel, chicken fillet, 10g flora light, onion, balsamic vinegar, 2 poached eggs 11pps
Treat - homemade pear, apple and cherry fruit juice 0pps
Options hot chocolate with 300ml milk and purple snack bar 7pps
Total 33pps

 

So that's my plan for the week. I am going to work really hard and hopefully I will see a nice little loss next week. I just have to keep reminding myself of this

My Fitness Challenge and Challenge for May

My exercise challenge has been put on the back burner this week because of work. I was working late all week so I never got a chance to do any. The last day I did 30DS, prior to yesterday, was last Monday which was day 4 of level 2. I found it so tough and I actually threw up during it. I was so confused as to why I was finding it so difficult in comparison to the previous day until I saw my time.....32 minutes! My previous time was 37 mins so I was extremely proud of myself for doing it in that time. Just to reiterate, I time myself to stop me from taking breaks, no other reason. You can only do the DVD as fast as Jillian herself does it! Also it is important not to compromise on form. I did it yesterday and today as well. I didn't time it as I have had a head cold and it was a miracle that I did it all! I definitely need to up my exercise, especially at the weekends.

In the spirit of challenges, I have set a few challenges for the month of May. I am a bit late starting, but better late than never.

1. Lose 8lbs.....okay may be a bit optimistic but I'm going to give it my all and try and get as close as possible.

2. No bingeing.....I have come a long way since I rejoined for the umpteenth and last time, but there have been a few slip ups.

3. Fizzy drinks on weekends only......I know I was supposed to give them up altogether but I will admit I slipped up badly this weekend. So I am going to stick to the squash during the week and allow myself a fizzy drink at the weekend.

4. At least one workout a day, except for Wednesday (WI day)

5. Try a new fruit or veg each week......this week its banana and spinach. I'm making a green smoothie for a mid-morning snack. I hated bananas when I was younger so its going to be a big step. I haven't tried it properly but I did take a sip when I made it and it wasn't too bad. I'll post the recipe for it tomorrow.

6. Stick rigidly to my daily points except for Friday and Wednesday where I will have a treat within my weekly allowance.

7. No mozzarella cheese.....it is low in points but I have a tendency to open the fridge and pick at it so I'm not having it in the house any more!

8. I am not going to let my weight affect my mood. Since I regained the weight, I have not done a proper clothes shop. As a result I have been wearing the same clothes, leggings and baggy tops, all the time. Today I went on a big shopping spree (my bank balance will not thank me) and bought nice clothes that fit me properly. I didn't care what size was on the label as it is only temporary. I was actually surprised though as everything I tried on fitted me and they were all 14-16. There was even a 12 thrown in there! I know I will feel much better about myself for having nice clothes that look good on me.

If you have been lacking motivation lately or looking to try new things, set yourself some challenges. Even set yourself just one new thing to do this month. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself but also don't push yourself. My list may seem like a lot, but most of it is stuff I have already set in motion, I just need to stick to it!

How to Survive the Weekend......Weight Watchers Style.....ctd.

The worse weekends are not necessarily the ones where we have numerous social events but rather the ones where we have absolutely nothing on. Boredom eating.....we have all fallen victim to it and know the damage it can do on the scales. The question is how do we overcome it?

The good old reliable of PPT is the first thing you need to do; plan, point and track. I find the best way to survive the weekend is to have two meals rather than three. I don't know about anyone else but I LOVE my sleep-ins at the weekend. I don't wake up until around 11. I would wait a while until I eat as I'm not hungry when I wake up. At that stage I just have my lunch and then I'd have dinner around the usual time. By only having two meals, it frees up points to use on treats. This option may not suit everyone so don't forget you have your 49 weeklies to use as well. If you plan your take-away and treats in advance then it allows you something to look forward to and you are less likely to have a disastrous weekend.

So you have done everything right but you still can't keep your head out of the fridge. Exercise is the next step. If we are lucky enough to get nice weather then get out of the house; go for a nice long walk or run. Not only are you burning calories but you are also keeping yourself away from the fridge. If you do go over your points then try and increase your exercise to counteract the extra points eaten.

If you are a really bad boredom eater then keep yourself busy. There are lots of things you can do; housework, gardening, shopping, make plans with friends in situations that you can control food e.g. cinema. Spending the day sitting watching TV allows you to spend time thinking about food and not the good kind! If its not in the house, you can't eat it. If you are prone to boredom eating then don't buy junk food. If you do get cravings then get out of the house and don't bring your purse with you.

Weekends can be both a blessing and a curse for Weight Watchers. Being out of our usual routine and social events can easily cause a 2/3 lb gain on the scales. You have to ask yourself what is more important; socialising or weight loss. One of my favourite quotes, which I got from my WW leader is, 'you have to have to give up the life you have to get the life you want.'  I am not saying lock yourself up in a WW world. It is up to you what sacrifices, if any, you want to make. For me I forgo alcohol on nights out. I save it for the special nights but for a regular Saturday, I avoid the drink. Some of my friends know the real reason why, others think I'm a 'freak' who doesn't drink. It doesn't matter to me what others think, as when I reach goal, I'll know it was worth it. I often get asked by friends how do you lose weight. I even have a friend who has every eating disorder known but still can't understand how she cannot lose the belly fat. My simple answer to them is give up the drink. These are people who drink every weekend and can drink the lads under the table. Alcohol is the worse for belly fat and just by cutting down you will make such a huge difference in your weight loss journey.

So make your decision now. If you want to keep the life you have, then by all means do and enjoy it. You will still lose weight but you have to be realistic about your results on the scales. If you are willing to make changes, then do it one thing at a time. Remember why you are doing it and you will be rewarded for your hard work. Before you know it the weekend will be upon us again so start your planning now!

How to Survive the Weekend......Weight Watchers Style

Some of the lovely ladies (and guys), on the Weight Watcher thread on boards.ie have been asking for a weekend WW survival guide; so I thought I'd give it a try. It is by no means a perfect guide and a lot of it we already know but we fail to apply it.

First off...what are your plans for the weekend? Are you staying in or do you have plans?

IF YOU HAVE PLANS

The obvious plan, point and track applies here. I am now an old hand at WW but it is only this time around that I have actually bothered to point alcohol. Be honest with yourself. Don't just write down two vodkas when realistically you are going to have 4 or 5 and/or shots etc etc. If you are honest with your alcohol consumption prior to your weekend and point and track it, then you are less likely to fall completely off the wagon.

Going out for dinner

If you are going out for dinner most restaurants have their menu online. Look it up a few days before. Decide there and then what you are going to order. Decide if you are going to try your hardest to be good or if you are going to allow yourself a treat. If you are going to allow yourself a treat/night off then it will probably be extremely hard to point. You should still try your best and write it down. Don't be too disheartened if your way over your points as remember you have allowed yourself a treat and one every so often is allowed. Have a look here for tips on how to limit the damage at your next WI.

If you are being good then stick to one course. Put the bread at the other end of the table or even better ask for it to be taken up. Avoid all creamy dishes and oily dishes. Do not be afraid to ask how things are cooked, what is in the dishes and to have them cooked a different way or without things. As a former waitress, I used to get all sort of dietary requests and we always tried our best to provide what the customer asked for.
Tomato dishes and salmon dishes are always a good option to go for. Be aware of salads as they may not be the best option. A chicken caeser salad can be as high as 1,000 calories. I often go for the chicken caeser salad but I ask for it with the sauce on the side and no croutons. I will then point the remaining ingredients to the best of my knowledge. If you are going out after and planning on drinking later as well, then try and avoid alcohol at the meal. Wait until later. If you are just going for a meal then enjoy your class of wine. You can check the points for a glass here.

If you get sides, like chips, that come unexpectedly with the meal, or you don't finish your meal; offer them to someone else or pour pepper on top. That may sound weird but trust me it works and stops you from picking!

Hitting a nightclub

Dance, dance and more dancing. You can really burn the calories in a hot, stuffy nightclub by spending the night on the dancefloor. You will also probably drink less than if you spend the night in the smoking area or in the booth. Keep track of what you are drinking on your phone. If you have planned in advance, then muster up all the motivation you have and stop at your limit. If you do go over the limit then make sure to keep tracking so you can point it the next day. If you do go over, do not allow it as a free pass for the rest of the weekend. You know the damage done so see the link above for tips on how to undo that damage. Remember that damage is done but ask yourself do you really want to add more on top of that?!

AVOID at all cost takeaways after the club. You are drunk not hungry! Anything you get is going to be at least 20 points if not 50. It really will ruin all your hard work and it is not worth it. I have a friend who says she has to get food after a night out or else she will be really hungover the next day. That may be true but it doesn't have to be a greasy takeaway. Have something at home like a bag of crisps and a bar. It is still not the best but much better than curry chips!

Those nibbles that magically keep appearing in front of you

Get up and walk away! You do not have to spend the evening sitting/standing at the food table. You can subconsciously end up eating nearly a full share bag of Malteasers if you're not careful. A share bag of Malteasers is 19pps. Avoid finger food at all cost. The typical finger food, cocktail sausages etc, are deep fried and are very high in points. My advice is eat properly before you head, that way you will be less likely to pick.

The next day hangover cures......

Get it out of your head that the only cure to your hangover is food. Think of how you will feel on Monday morning if you succumb to that Dominos craving. This is going to be the hardest part but it really is about self-motivation and willpower. What do you want more the pizza or a loss on the scales? There is no reason why you can't have a WW friendly hangover meal. Find a low point favourite to your usual hangover meals. If you know you are going out and you are prone to hangovers then plan in advance. By planning in advance then you can fit your hangover meal within your points. Don't forget you have your weeklies as well, unless you used them the night before obviously! 

Most of the above we know inside out. The problem is actually doing it. We can get all the advice in the world about how to be good at the weekend, but at the end of the day if we don't apply it then we only have ourselves to blame. PPT is what you have to remember; plan, point and track. So you don't have a good weekend but if you still follow PPT then that is a start. You can look back over your tracker and try and find ways you can improve. The important thing is to get back on track first thing Monday morning. Do not let your bad weekend spill into the week. You still have time to undo the damage through healthy eating and exercise.

I didn't want to overload with info and I tend to ramble on a bit; so tomorrow I will post the second part which will be for those weekends where we don't have plans.....boredom eating every weight watcher's nightmare!

Life just sometimes gets in the way and the confusion with Weight Watchers bread doesn't help!

I am having one of those days where I am extremely jealous of celebrities. They not only have all the money in the world but they also have all the time in the world to exercise. If I had the life of a celebrity I would have had this weight long gone. Instead I arrive into work this morning to find that I have to help out on a project. This project will be great for my career but it also means working overtime all week which means no WI. I was gutted when my boss told me especially as I had made such an effort to be good yesterday and today. Anyway I am not going to let it get me down. I had a little mini blow-out tonight. For the record I had two Malteaser bars and....ok this one is bad, but I had a Mint Dairy Milk bar. I now have 8 days to add to the loss that I should have gotten tomorrow; my scales were showing a lb loss this morning and my scales are pretty accurate. I am really going to put an effort in this week as I really want to get my silver seven within the next two weeks. I have 3lbs gone so need 4 more; 2lbs a week is definitely doable. I hope everyone else has a great WI this week. Now for some more complaining!

Thin Slice Pan

I am going to do some nitpicking with Weight Watchers Brennans bread. Homemade soup has long become a favourite of mine for lunch. With the soup I love to have a ham sandwich made with Weight Watchers wholemeal bread.

Thick Slice Pan

Originally I used the thin sliced bread as I thought it was lower in points than the thick slice. The thin slice is 1pp per slice while the thick slice is 2pp per slice.

Thick Slices

One day I couldn't get the thin slice pan anywhere so I decided to get the thick slice pan. To my shock 2 slices of the thick pan is 3pps which is the same as 2 slices of the thin pan. Then I noticed that the thick slices are shorter but thicker than the thin slices, so effectively you are getting the same amount of bread.

Thin Slices

That is, until I got the thin sliced pan last week, and to my shock what used to be nice long slices, are now short slices. It still has the same thinness, yet the nutritional value is the exact same.

The thick sliced pan is definitely better value but I find it heavy on the stomach. I am also trying to reduce the amount of bread I eat which is why I preferred the thin slices. I feel like I am being robbed. Has anyone else found this problem or is it just my imagination?

Exam Time and Staying on Track

It is that time of year again where you will see stressful students wandering around. It can be a nightmare for anyone on WW. This is the first year in a long time where I do not have exams. It was during the Leaving Cert that I was at my highest weight. The thing you have to remember is that it is vital to eat properly during exam time. You will feel so much better, more energised and you will not have the general sluggish feeling that comes with eating poorly. Ask yourself; what are your study flaws; are you prone to stress eating? If so then here are some tips to get you through those stressful times:

1. Do a big grocery shop before you start into study. Get your WW staples along with whatever low point treats you like. If you do not have time to do a shop, write a list and get someone else to do it for you.

2. When planning out your study schedule for the next day, take a few minutes and plan your meals as well. Planning and tracking takes only a few minutes. It will help you stay on track throughout your exams.

3. Exercise is key. Not only does it help with WW but it will also help you study. Exercise is known for rejuvenating the body and can help with concentration. You need to take breaks so use that time wisely. When I was studying for my Masters, I started the day with a good workout and then during the day I did smaller workouts. Then at night, if I was not tired, I would do another workout. I probably did more exercise during my exams than I did during the summer.

4. If you attend meetings, try your best to attend them. They are only 20 minutes and will make a nice change of scenery from your study.

5. Most importantly, do not stress. Focus on what is important, your exams. WW comes second. Do what you have time for and feel comfortable with. If you gain a few lbs over those weeks, you will lose them again over the summer.

Low Point Treats:
Fruit - 0pps
Jaffa Cakes - 1pp for one cake, 3pps for 2 cakes, 4pps for 3 cakes, 5pps for 4 cakes (not really sure how the maths work on that one, but its what the calculator says!)
Curly Wurly - 3pps
Skips - 2pps per pack, 5pps for 2
Popcorn 30g - 4pps
Options Hot Chocolate - 1pp
Milky Way Bar - 3pps per bar, 5pps for 2
Various WW snacks

My Fitness Challenge Day 12 and 13.....and a bit of a WW ramble!

This post is all over the place and a bit of a ramble so I apologise!! It starts with last Sunday's fitness post and then goes on to today's!

Nothing like doing a good workout on a Sunday afternoon. It really does put you in a good mood. I also find it stops me from boredom eating or in this case hangover eating. I did 30DS level 2 day 2 today. I did it in 37 minutes which is not great but an improvement. Just something to note if you do 30DS, for the walkout push-ups make sure to bend your knees if you are not that flexible. The instructors do it without bending their knees but I would only end up injuring myself if I kept then straight.

I finally got around to doing Banish Fat Boost Metabolism again. It was much easier this time round and I even enjoyed it. I will admit though that I skipped the burpees. I have never been able to do them so rather than risk injuring myself, I just jogged on the stop for that exercise. It took me 1hr 10mins previously to complete it and I am proud to say that it only took me 57mins this time around! I am already looking forward to next weekend and doing it again.

Eek my fitness challenge was put on the wayside this last week. I have not been sleeping that well and the tiredness got the best of me, not to mention work was extremely stressful this week. I finally gathered to energy to do a workout on Saturday (yesterday). I did BFBM and I did it in 51 minutes! I had intended on doing 30DS but I was wrecked after doing BFBM. I was feeling really disheartened until I was reading a WW supplement. It talks about how we are more likely to fail if we are too hard on ourselves. So instead of being annoyed with not doing my planned exercise, I am proud of myself for doing BFBM.

Today, Sunday, I am sitting here writing this and putting off doing my workout. Even after a 10 hour sleep last night, I am still tired and just drained of energy. I have no idea why. Granted I do have my TOTM but I have never been this tired before. Also I should add that my previous attempt to try and overcome the TOTM weight gain myth is well and truly abandoned. Now in fairness I have not been as bad as I have been in the past. The worse is picking at the rich tea biscuits, which for some reason my Mum decided to buy a double packet of before going on holidays! Maybe a sneaky bar of chocolate as well and okay a few bottles of fizzy drinks.....and not diet. However if you have read my previous posts you will now that I can easily demolish a share bag of Minstrels and tube of Pringles in one sitting so I am not going to stress over a few biscuits. I really have come a long way in the space of a few weeks. My scales are showing me as STS so there is still hope to get down a lb or two before Wednesday. Anyway I am going to get up and do my exercise and the next paragraph will be about my results.......when this programme finishes, I'll definitely do it then!

If you saw me this evening, you would laugh your head off at me. I was a mess. I got up started, to do 30DS, and after the warm-up, I gave up. I decided to do a few sit-ups instead. There I was lying on the floor, thinking how ridiculous I was being; so up I got and did level 2 day 3. I was sweating like a pig by the end of it. My phone died during it so no idea what my time was but I say it was bad enough. I am just glad I did it. Now to push myself to do it tomorrow.

Going off topic again, my appetite seems to be all over the place this last week. It probably is a mixture of PMS and lack of sleep. When I get up in the morning, the last thing I want to do is eat but I force myself as I know I'll be starving in work. Then as it turns out I am starving anyway by 10. Nothing seems to work, I've tried porridge and boiled eggs. Then lunch comes and I could easily skip it as I just don't want to face food.
Come dinner, I am hungry but nothing appeals to me and funnily enough neither does junk food. I had bought  some gorgeous smoked salmon the other day, it cost €5, but I have yet to open it as its the last thing I want to eat. This evening I had planned a gorgeous beef and trimmings dinner but I wasn't that hungry. I am proud of myself as instead I just had some beef with two poached eggs. It was a light meal and better than not eating anything or even worse, eating crap. I am open to suggestions on how to overcome this and I am willing to try anything! I know I probably just need to wait it out but I really don't want it to effect my plans or my weight loss journey.

That Dreaded Time of the Month and Weekly WI

You do everything right; you plan, you track, you exercise and you drink your water. Yet when you step on

that scale at your WI your worst fear comes true; you are up. There is no explanation for it. Or its there? Is the dreaded time of the month (TOTM) the cause? Most people will put their gain down to that reason. However scientific research has found that the opposite should in fact happen; you should lose weight. I know you are probably cussing at the screen right now, not believing a word I am saying. I would have been one of the first to blame it on the bloating and the water retention until I read this article.
http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=42321&sc=801

Now it should be noted that I have looked into this further and there appears to be conflicting evidence regarding this. It may or may not be true. However this article gave me some hope that I may just get a loss last week. The main causes of weight gain during TOTM are water retention and increased appetite which can both lead to bloating. There are ways to possibly overcome these causes. To prevent water retention; you should limit your sodium intake and increase your water intake. This also applies to processed foods which are high in salt. Avoiding heavy carbs may also help prevent bloating and high fibre foods will help with bowel movements.

That sounds easy enough right? Well this is the hard part; say NO to your cravings. Stick to your plan, do not allow yourself to succumb to temptation. If you are feeling hungry, then snack on fruit or drink some tea, particularly green tea. Do some exercise. Exercise will not only help you ignore the cravings but will also aid in preventing a weight gain. If you were to look back over your tracker from a TOTM week you will most likely find you had gone over your points; and that does not include the items you did not track!

It is important to keep track of your weight loss pattern during your TOTM weeks. You should always highlight or mark the weeks you have your TOTM on you weight loss tracker. I always highlight the date so that I know that particular week I had my TOTM. Before I did it to prevent me from being disheartened over gains. Now I am doing it so I can monitor my eating patterns during those weeks. Some people may think this is excessive obsessing with WW. If you are like me and would like to see a consistent loss every week, then it is important to keep track and to make necessary changes. I have looked back over my old weight trackers from the last time I did WW. I was kind of surprised at some of the results and it does show you can lose during your TOTM. The weeks I gained I have no doubt that other factors i.e. eating crap, played a role in that gain.

Week 1 - +0.5lb
Week 2 - STS
Week 3 - -5lbs (not sure what happened that week!)
Week 4 - +0.5lb
Week 5 - STS
Week 6 - +1.5lbs (more due to lack of following the plan)
Week 7 - -1.5lbs
Week 8 - +1.5lbs (was the beginning of my plateau and yo-yoing)
Week 9 - -1lb
Week 10 - -0.5lb
Week 11 - -1lb
Week 12 - STS
Week 13 - +0.5lb

So why am I stressing out over TOTM? Last night I had my WI but I did not reach my weekly target of 2.5lbs. I only lost 0.5lb. I really do not want to see a gain next week as it would set me back as I am only down 3lbs. 3lbs in two weeks is good but not so good if I see a gain next week. So I really want to see a loss. Although, if I am being honest with myself, the reason for such a small loss this week was that I was only about 60% good; so to get any kind of loss was a good result. I also found myself writing off my weeklies, more than once. This is a bad habit to get into and it is what happened to me the first time around on ProPoints. The weeklies are the reason I am not the biggest fan of ProPoints. It does not help that I caved to the cravings this evening.

So I am setting myself a challenge this week to try and get a loss on the scales at my next WI, on Wednesday.  I am going to lower my sodium intake, make sure I am drinking 3 litres of water a day and I am going to make sure I reach my exercise target over the weekend. I am also going to make a big effort to stick to my daily points and to only use a few of my weeklies for a girls night on Saturday. I am going to make sure I am getting enough sleep and avoiding all fizzy drinks. These are two goals I set myself a few weeks ago. As I have said before weight loss is not just about the results on the scales but also about the other changes you make in your life. Here is to a good week and hopefully a good result on the scale.

Sometimes all we need is a little push.....Part 3

 Yesterday, I finished up by talking about changing your diet. Today I am going to focus on making changes not just in your diet but throughout your life.

Weight loss is a lifestyle change so it is important to look beyond your weight loss. Set yourself goals to change things in your life that will make you feel better and be healthier. However pace yourself. Do not

make drastic lifestyle changes overnight. Every week or two, pick one goal and try to implement the changes into your life. My list includes;

• Exercise at least three times a week
• Give up fizzy drinks
• Cut down on wheat products
• Snack on fruit or light healthy snacks to prevent hunger pangs
• Up protein to maximise points instead of treats
• Have two low calorie days to help kick metabolism
• Cut down on sugar
• Drink green tea or hot water when feeling hungry between meals
• Increase fibre 
• Switch to wholewheat products

Dump the black clothes. Are you like me and wear baggy, comfortable clothes? Are those clothes mainly black? I know mine are. Wearing bold colours will give you the confidence you need and no matter what weight you are you deserve to feel good. You have to remember that you are doing this. You are losing the weight and making good changes in your life. You do not need to wait until you achieve goal to wear the red dress you always wanted to. Shop around, try the clothes on and buy a red dress that fits you properly and suits your figure. You will be amazed at how good you will feel.

If you do WW from home and you are struggling then find a family member or a friend that you trust. Make them your WW leader. Every week you have to tell them your weight loss. Make yourself accountable to them. This will make it easier for you to stay on track and hopefully give you the fear to motivate you.

Focus on the good and not the bad. So you have had a bad day, big deal. Ask yourself what did you do right? You only had one bar instead of two. That in itself is an achievement and you should focus on that. Positivity is so important for your weight loss journey.

 

Lacking motivation to exercise? I find that planning exercise in advance can help motivate you to exercise. I find that it is the initial push to

get up and start the exercise that I lack motivation. Once I start, I fly through it
and I love it. I always feel so much better after it. This is why planning really helps me, as if I have it planned, it feels like I have to do the exercise.

Sleep is so important. If you are tired you are going to lack motivation and are prone to giving up. Make sure you are getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night. It really will help you get motivated.

Browse the internet for weight loss stories to help inspire you. You are not alone and there are so many others who have gone through what you have. By reading their stories you will muster up the motivation you need to continue your journey.

This may sound counter-productive but if you are lacking in motivation, take a week off from WW. Sometimes stressing and worrying about losing weight can cause you to plateau. A break can allow you time

to think about why you are doing this and what you want at the end of the journey. It can make you realise the importance of losing weight and why giving up is not an option. Sometimes a blow out is what you need to motivate you to get back on track. It is so important, though, that you do actually get back on track. One week is sufficient. Any longer and you risk never coming back!

This is easier said than done but STAY OFF THE SCALES. You only need to weigh yourself once a week. You may say to yourself that weighing yourself regularly is a great motivator. I used to think this but it is perfect if you are down but, if you are up or have stayed the same, then it can demotivate you.  This happened to me only yesterday when I stepped on the scale that morning and saw that I had not changed. This was after being perfect the day before. I do know that my weight is not going to drop overnight however it still put me off. I found myself that evening nearly throwing the towel in. I got over it though. The only problem is I cannot put the scales away as other people use it and I got given out to the last time I tried to put them away. I need to learn to walk past them instead of stepping on them.

If you feel like you are about to quit, you need to ask yourself one question; will I be better off? If the answer

is yes then by all means go ahead. If the answer is no then you need to slowly get your head back in the game. You will not lose the weight if you are not in the right frame of mind. You may lose a bit initially but either you will give up or the scales will. This will not happen overnight and you need to give yourself time. As I said before, take it one day at a time. If you have a bad day, then forget about it and move on.

That is a lot of information to process so I am going to leave you with some very simple and basic tips. If you start to have cravings or are bored, start planning your goal wardrobe. Go for a walk, do some exercise or simply go into another room. Go for a drive and listen to some music but leave the purse at home. Getting past your cravings are essential for staying motivated.

Sometimes all we need is a little push.....Part 2

Yesterday I promised I would post tips on how to get motivated. These are tips that I have picked up through out my time in WW and from other sources on the internet.

The first one is a good starting point. Set mini-goals. These are a vital key for your weight loss journey. Weight loss goals include silver sevens, stones, 5% and 10%, drop into a lower BMI category and a drop into a new stone bracket. Do not forget other goals such as exercise goals and clothes goals. The satisfaction you feel when you get to cross off those goals will spur you on. If you have a competitive streak in you then go into competition with yourself. Dare yourself to reach those goals. Some people may prefer to have deadlines for these goals while others prefer to achieve them at their own pace. Do what you feel comfortable doing. Make sure your goals are realistic and your deadlines are reasonable. By putting yourself under pressure you are setting yourself up for failure.

Remember to celebrate the small victories. Half a pound is better than a stay the same or a gain. Being able to zip up your old jeans is an amazing achievement. Running around with your children and not being out of breath is something you should be proud of. Reward yourself with non-food treats. Let go of the fat person inside of you and embrace the new skinny to be you.

A little trick I learned from my leader was to write, on my tracker, all my treats in red pen. This highlights the amount of treats you are eating and it is easier for you to see exactly how many points you are using on
treats. You should always plan your three main meals first. Make good hearty meals with foods that will keep you fuller for longer. Then once you have done that, you can see how many points you have left and you can allow for treats.

Photos are a great motivator. I recently did up a collage of photos with pre weight loss pictures, pictures

from when I lost the weight and pictures since I put the weight back on. I am gutted at how I look now. I had done so well but it does show me that I did it once, I can do it again. That collage is now my background picture on my laptop so I can see it all the time.

Another trick I learned from my leader was to set up a few alarms on your phone. You set them up for times that the cravings tend to kick in. You can name them whatever you like. She suggested naming them after her so it is like she is calling you to remind you to be good. I have on mine 200lbs and heavier since January. This is to remind me that I am now in the 200lbs and if I keep going I was be reaching the 300lbs.

Do not be afraid to get lost in your thoughts. A tip for newcomers or even the old hands at WW, write down your feelings that first day you join WW. Stick it somewhere that you can see. Think about how you feel/felt at your heaviest. Were you happy? Think about how you feel/felt at your lowest weight. Keep focusing on that

feeling. Write down your thoughts so you can refer back to them when you are struggling again. Think about what it would be like to be at goal weight, to wear nice clothes or to have the confidence to walk tall. Visualise yourself in your dream body. How does that make you feel? I know it gives me jitters. My leader said before that we can be that hot girl we are always envious of, if we want it bad enough.

Changing things up is so important. The weight loss journey is a long one and you need to make sure you do not get bored. Make sure you are regularly changing your meals around and not eating the same foods all the time. If you are eating the same things all the time then you are more likely to give up. The internet is your best friend. You can Google recipes. They do not necessarily have to be low fat as you can adjust them yourself to make them WW friendly. The same applies to exercise. You will eventually get bored of the exercise you do. One way to keep your exercise fresh is to try out classes with friends or go for a run/walk with your friends. You will not get bored and they can help motivate you as well.

Tomorrow's post will conclude with more advice and tips for helping you through your journey.

Sometimes all we need is a little push.....Part 1

Weight loss is not an easy journey. There are good days and bad days. There are going to be days where you feel like giving up. I am a follower of the Weight Watchers thread on boards.ie. I noticed over the last week or so that a few members have been lacking motivation or are struggling after weight gains. As an experienced WW struggler I thought would do a post on things that I have found helpful in the past. I have included my own tips and advice but I also have rounded up a load of information on the net.

The first thing you have to remember is that it is not a race. While it would be lovely to have the weight lost for the wedding in a few weeks, you have to realise that you most likely will not lose it by then. Yes you can do a crash diet and lose a stone but that stone will be back on straight after along with more. Weight loss is not for summer, it is for life. Think about how long it took you to put on the weight. It did not happen overnight. For me, I put it on over a three year period. The slower the weight comes off the better. It is more likely to stay off. By losing it the slow and healthy way, you are less likely to fall back into old habits when you reach goal. I stressed so much about losing the weight for my holiday last year that when I came home I rewarded myself for my hard work....with food. I gained back all the weight I lost and more. I was putting myself under the same pressure this year until I realised there will be other events after my holiday and I should look towards them.

If you have been struggling recently it is important to take it a day at a time. Do not be worrying about the end goal as it may seem so far away right now. As you may know, I have a tendency to binge eat. I would love to say I have cured that but I have not. Thursday and Friday of last week were terrible. However I did not let it get me down. Instead I focused on the positives from last Sunday. I went shopping and the cupcakes that I love were on special offer. Of course I picked them up and put them in the basket without even thinking about it. It was not until I was at the checkout that I realised that this is why I have gained weight while supposedly doing WW. I went and put them back on the shelf. Later that day a similar incident occurred. I was in the shop buying my bus ticket and I was so frustrated with how WW has been going, that I decided to write the day off, even

though I had been good up to then. I picked up a Mars bar and put it on the counter. While the clerk was getting my ticket, the WW angel in me, made me put the bar back. It is not an easy journey and you will have days like those. Willpower is the key. Easier said than done I know. You need to ask yourself do you really want that bar of chocolate. Can you have something smaller and within your points allowance? After the cupcake debacle I realised that they are 7pps each. Not bad considering they are a decent size cupcake. So, two cupcakes are 14pps. There are 4 in the packet so I two (because let’s face it who stops at one!) last night as a treat and gave the other two to my family. This is what I have to realise. I can have nice treats within points. I do not need any more than that. I may initially want more, but I have to learn to say no, everything in moderation. The problem is the days running up to Friday but I will take it a day at a time. I will make sure I am eating healthy, nutritious meals and not going hungry. If you are hungry and not eating substantial meals you will be more likely to reach for the cookie jar.

Do you have a tendency to overeat? Are you struggling? A great motivator is money. There are three financial factors that need to be considered; how much you spend on healthy food a month, how much you spend on junk food, and how much do you spend on WW meetings a month. When you tot this up, if your habits are like mine, you will be shocked at how much money you have wasted by not sticking to the plan. I

would find I spend so much money on being healthy but yet I am eating so much junk. I would sometimes end up throwing out the healthy food. Keep you receipts and keep note of how much you spend on food. Track your WW attendance. Are you skipping meetings for fear of the scales? If so that is another €5 down the drain. Are you like me and rejoining classes after every failed attempt? That is a waste of another €10. If someone who has not struggled with their weight was reading this, they would probably say quit, it is a waste of money and obviously is not working. Yes I have not been perfect since January and I have gained weight while supposedly doing WW. However I know that if I was not doing WW I would have put on so much more weight.

Tomorrow I am going to continue this post and include lots of tips on how to find the motivation you need to continue your weight loss journey.