Fighting old habits!

So today has been full of things that would usually have me grabbing for comfort food! Bad news, a visit from mother nature and a lonely evening... but I refuse to let anything get in my way of getting to my target weight!

Breakfast was 35g All Bran with raspberry yogurt and defrosted summer fruits.

Lunch was 2 Ryvita (3 syns) topped with quark, cucumber and smoked salmon served with a coconut yogurt, a banana and some grapes.

Dinner was steak topped with garlic and chilli prawns served with mangetout, asparagus, mushrooms and celariac chips.

Now I'm tucked up in bed watching my favourite series with some melon and a Hazelnut Options made with my hea of hazelnut milk (1.5 syns)

A very proud day all round, just 4.5 syns all day and I haven't slipped into my old habits :-) there's hope for me yet!

SORRY!!!

So I promised that I would post each and every day for 6 weeks... I have just gone to post and realised last night's post failed! I did type it and click publish, I promise! Now theres a double post showing for today... Sorry peeps!

Breakfast today was 35g bran flakes with fruit salad and a strawberry yogurt.

Snacked on a plum mid morning.

Lunch was a small pot of leftover cajan chicken pasta from last night (minus the cheese) followed by a plum and a raspberry yogurt.

Dinner was usual Thursday night food at the besties, today we had spag bol. Lots of superfree (peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms) and less than 5% fat mince on a bed of spaghetti.

Just got home and snacked on 16 olives (2 syns) and 45g of feta cheese (hea)

So sorry again about last night's post... I promise to double check this one! And you'll hear from me again tomorrow!

A long day!

So I got up at 6.30am this morning so that I could make magic pancakes for breakfast. I used a lemon and lime yogurt on the pancakes, and served them with melon and papaya... didn't like the papaya but the rest was yummy!

Lunch was leek & fennel soup, 2 clementines and some chilli & lime pistachios (5.5 syns)

This afternoon I opted to go and see one of my consultants at work, meaning I didn't leave the hospital until 6.30 (10.5hrs after I arrived) so I wanted something quick and easy when I got home. I chopped some pepper, mangetout and chucked some frozen veg into a pan with a tin of cajan chicken (syn free) cooked all that up and mixed in some pasta before topping with my hea of reduced fat cheddar. For such a quick meal, it was absolutely delicious! And I even made enough for lunch tomorrow :-)

Happy happy...

Breakfast this morning was a crusty wholemeal roll with ham, a frylight egg and mushrooms.

Lunch was 2 alpen light bars (I actually ate for once after 12 on a Tuesday... not a lot but it's a start!)

Before weighing in I popped to the new Morrisons and got myself a large salad box for my dinner, lots of superfree topped with my hea of grated cheese... and all for £2.75! Such a bargain that I may start it as a Tuesday night routine!

Got to weigh in, and was very pleased with a 2.5lb loss. Not quite the 3lbs I had hoped for but blimin close... and it still got me my 6.5 stone award!! :-D

I am currently weighing in at 12st and have exactly a stone to go til target... I can do this!

The night before the dreaded weigh in...

Breakfast this morning was 35g porridge with hazelnut milk, topped with blueberries, plum and apple. I don't think I have experienced anything quite so delicious in all my life!

Lunch was salad and a boiled egg from the work canteen, i had all intentions of getting a dry roast dinner so was pleasantly surprised when i saw the salad counter all set up!

Snacked on 2 hifi lights with a yogurt and a plum mid afternoon.

Dinner was spicy stir-fried veg with quorn pieces. After dinner I did snack on another of those sw truffles today (3.5 syns) but again, I stopped at 1! :-)

Tomorrow is weigh in day and I have to say, I am so proud of how well I have coped this week. Yes I had the odd unplanned meal (but still followed the success express rules and ratios), and yes a couple of times (today included) I snacked on a few syns that weren't incorporated in a meal... but overall I have had a great week and I am hoping it is reflected on those scales tomorrow night! Only time will tell...

Exciting times ahead...

Breakfast today was smoked salmon with a poached egg, asparagus, mushrooms and tomato.

Headed off to the gym late morning and I am soooo excited about some events over the next couple of months... I have an appointment set up for Friday so that I can have a fitness plan set up to help me tone up... also, I have booked a tattoo as a reward for getting to target! It will be a rib tattoo and symolise my weight loss... its booked for 7th April so I have until then to get to target!!

When I got home I made lunch. A cheese, chicken and pepper toastie with blueberries and melon.

Dinner was a meal out with my hubby, dad and dads girlfriend. We opted for the local carvery so that I could still stick to success express. I had my veg made separately so that it didnt have any butter, 4 slices of meat, and a 1 syn ladle of gravy.

So another good day under my belt, but also some things to look forward to and aim for :-)

The challenge of the weekend...

So it's now the weekend and I am trying my best not to give up on my meal plan for success express...

Breakfast was 2 slices of wholemeal toast with frylight eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes and a couple of spoonfuls of beans.

Lunch was a hot pasta salmon salad with lots of superfree (asparagus, radishes, spinach, tomato, peppers) mixed with a little fromage frais.

Snacked on a banana mid afternoon.

Dinner was cous cous with chicken, chunky onions, tomatoes, cucumber, spinach, my hea of feta cheese and 2 syns worth of olives.

Went to visit the in-laws today and they passed on some SW truffles at 3.5syns each. I was planning on having them next week as my syns are supposed to be incorporated in my meals, but disappointingly I had one before coming to bed. But it's done now, and yes it wasn't part of a meal but I am still well under my syns not only for the day but for the week... and to be fair, they are that yummy, I am proud of the fact I stopped at 1!!

So even with my tiny blip, I am still going strong. Tomorrow will be the main challenge as hubby is off work. I'll keep you updated!

My favourite Success Express day so far...

The food I have had today has by far been my favourite in my Success Express journey...

Breakfast was an omelette with peppers, mushrooms, onion and babybel light.

Lunch was a chicken salad sandwich, a banana, grapes and a fat free yogurt.

Snacked on a baked apple with a tbsp of mincemeat and fromage frais mid afternoon.

A friend came round for dinner this evening so I made lasagne (less than 5% fat mince, chopped tomatoes, celery, onion, mushrooms, pasta sheets) topped with my HEA of reduced fat cheddar served with lots of superfree salad... a little tip for a syn free 'cheese sauce'... whisk some water in with quark until just pourable, delish!

Each and every meal has been absolutely delicious today, so I have loved every minute of it! My only regret is not getting a pic of my lasagne before I wolfed it down!! (Sorry!)

Day two of Success Express...

So day two of success express has gone really well.

Breakfast was 35g all bran with yogurt and defrosted fruit salad.

Lunch was a small jacket potato with tuna and lots of salad.

Got home from work and snacked on 4 ryvita with 3 light babybel and a sliced apple.

Dinner was one of the yummiest steaks I have had in a long time, with a small portion of sw chips, mangetout, mushrooms, tomatoes, roasted pepper and a tbsp of ketchup (1 syn)

So everything has gone swimmingly and I am just about to prep tomorrow's breakfast :-)

Success Express...

So this week I am trying something called Success Express in the hope of boosting my weight loss and getting closer to target. Basically it is having a higher quantity of superfree and less syns.

Breakfast this morning was a fruit salad (melon, blueberries, grapefruit and orange) followed by a hifi light.

Lunch was an absolutely delicious salad. Lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, celery and radish topped with potato, cottage cheese, reduced fat cheddar and bacon. Yummy!

Snacked on 70g of semi-dried apricots when I got home from work.

Dinner was a roast chicken, sweet potato and lots of superfree (cabbage, swede, carrots, brocolli and caulifour) with 3 syns worth of gravy.

So I have had a day with only 3 syns, and have been completely full throughout.

Lunch and breakfast for tomorrow already and I am feeling positive :-)

This time last year, I set up this blog to keep me focused whilst doing Slimming World 'Slim for Good'... this year I have decided not to set a weight challenge, but make different positive changes for the next 6 weeks...

1. I will not gain on the scales at all. Even if it is a 0.5lb or a 3lb loss, the number on the scales will decrease every week.

2. I will post here everyday without exception.

3. And most importantly, I will relieve some of the pressure I put on myself to lose weight! Yes I want to get to target, and yes I want to get there asap, but stressing myself out about it will only have me reaching for those high syn foods. I refuse to let my new lifestyle get me down, and I will walk into our next fertility appointment with my head held high knowing I am not only under the BMI caviat for IVF, but that I will be under that BMI caviat for the rest of my life!

Weigh in...

So today was a challenge!

Breakfast was scrambled eggs, mushrooms and the last of my left over gammon on wholemeal toast.

At 8am this morning I started looking after 3 boys under 10 years of age (nephews and godson), I took them to the cinema and was so proud of myself for resisting all the treats and popcorn! Instead I had a black coffee :-)

Lunch was whatever I could find in my sisters house, unfortunately it was a crumpet but i did also have an apple.

Got to weigh in this evening and was over the moon with a 4lb loss :-) just 2lbs to go until a loss of 6 and a half stone... and 3lbs to go until I have less than a stone to lose until target! Set myself a mini target of 3lbs for next week, and my meal plan for the whole week is at home waiting for me :-)

'Naughty' treats

I had some leftover gammon from Sunday's dinner and I couldnt bring myself to waste it, so breakfast yesterday was sliced gammon topped with frylight eggs served with mushrooms and tomatoes.

Lunch was a gammon sandwich stuffed with lots of salad and 1 syn worth of light salad cream, a banana, a plum and a fat free yogurt.

As my hubby worked on valentine's day he took me for dinner last night, I chose harvester. Lots of superfree salad and half a spitroast chicken with boiled potatoes (no butter) served with 1.5 syns of hot chilli sauce. As it was date night hubby and I decided on pudding. I was absolutely thrilled to discover that a Toffee Sundae Best was only 13 syns!

So overall, I went over my syn allowance by 0.5 syn... but considering I managed to have ice cream and toffee sauce... I don't mind that!

Late post...

Apologies for posting late.

Breakfast yesterday was porridge mixed with cinammon and diced apple.

Lunch was a small jacket potato filled with peppers, onions and cottage cheese... yummy! Followed by a 6 syn pack of dried fruit from my Graze box.

Dinner was gammon roast dinner with dry roasted potatoes, parsnips, sprouts, carrots and brocolli (no gravy) and for pud I had rice pudding made with almond milk topped with apple, kiwi and plum drizzled with 2.5 syns of golden syrup.

8.5 syns all day and loved every bit of food that passed my lips!

Also, I finally got round to posting my honeymoon snaps on facebook yesterday. I came across a picture my hubby took of me in a bikini. I felt so proud of myself when I saw it. By no means the 'perfect' body, but starting out at 18st 7.5lbs I never thought wearing a bikini would be something I would do. Yes, I am still overweight... and yes, I still have body hang-ups... but feeling confident enough to do that (then post it on Facebook) was a massive achievement for me. I have attached the pic for you to have a look at :-)

Original planning!

So today is an original day.

Breakfast was 35g of bran flakes with strawberries and yogurt.

Lunch was carrots, onion, tomatoes, smoked salmon and my HEA of light philidalphia (yummy!!)

Snacked on a tin of mackerel in tomato sauce mid afternoon.

Dinner was a chicken casserole with lots of superfree... carrots, onions, swede, babycorn. I added a HEB of potato and 3 syns of gravy granules. It was delicious!

Went out for a drink with a fellow slimmer this evening, we had diet cokes and saved cash on taxis (my not drinking is going really well!!) And now I am at home tucking into a 2.5 syn hot chocolate before bed :-)

Valentines!

Breakfast yesterday was lemon & lime magic pancakes (pancakes made with porridge oats) with lots of fruit (grapes, apple & melon)

Snacked on an apple mid morning.

Lunch was homemade tomato soup, a fat free yogurt and a clementine.

Yesterday was obviously Valentine's Day... hubby was working so I had two of my besties round for dinner and tv. Dinner was a syn free BBQ bean lasagne topped with my HEA of reduced fat cheddar. I even made a low syn pud... cream soda rice pudding topped with fruit and 2.5 syns of golden syrup. And my friends loved it! :-)

Snacked on a hifi light before bed (3 syns)

So 5.5 syns all day, and I'm looking forward to those scales for the first time in a couple of weeks... roll on Tuesday!

Feeling the heat

Breakfast today was porridge with 1 syn of almond milk, a chopped apple and cinnamon.

Snacked on a grapefruit mid morning.

Lunch was homemade tomato soup, a 0.5 syn brownie (thanks Terri!) a fat free yogurt and a banana.

Mid afternoon I snacked on some babybel (hea) wrapped in ham and some fruit.

Dinner was pork stir fry with the bestie... lots of superfree, and we even made our own sauce with 1.5 syn of sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, fresh garlic and ginger, and lots of chilli. Was delicious but literally too about 2 hours for the sensation to return to my mouth!

So only 3 syns consumed today, and I have even prepped some brekkie for tomorrow... this will be a good week!

Getting back to normal!

So I am starting to feel like my usual self again. More focused and ready for anything thrown at me!

Breakfast this morning as grab and go, I had 2 hifi light bars, a pear and a kiwi.

Lunch was a ham salad (lots of lettuce, radishes, celery and red pepper) followed by a fat free yogurt, a pear and a clementine.

Dinner was a big chicken omelette. I chucked in lots of superfree (mushrooms, onion, half a red pepper and cherry tomatoes), mixed in with a HEA of reduced fat cheddar. It was really tasty!

Now I'm led in bed, about to make a start on a new book, with a hazelnut hot chocolate (options sachet, 1.5 syns & HEA of hazelnut milk)

So today has been a sucess with only 1.5 syns... lets hope tomorrow has the same results!

Making up...

I have been eating far too much over the past week and even though alot of it was syn free, it was still more than I would ordinarily eat. And I needed that to stop! So I decided to weigh in yesterday so that I could get my head back in the game. I gained a well deserved 2.5lbs.

So this morning I decided to do the original plan. Breakfast was a wholemeal roll (heb) filled with smoked salmon and light philidalphia (hea) followed by a grapefruit.

Lunch was a salad with lots of superfree (lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, celery) topped with ham. Followed by a pear, 2 clementines and a fat free yogurt.

Got home from work and made 2 chilli and garlic sausages with red pepper, asparagus, sugarsnap peas and 200g of potato (heb2) chopped to make SW chips.

Snacked on some beef jerky from my graze box (4.5 syns) and now I'm drinking some hot hazelnut milk (hea2).

Overall a very successful day. Hoping to keep it going throughout the week.

Breaking a sweat!

Breakfast this morning was 2 weetabix with summer fruits and almond milk. After breakfast I did a 20 minute workout dvd, to work on toning my thighs and my thighs and arms.

Lunch was 2 chilli sausages with garlic mushrooms and courgette followed by fresh pineapple.

Headed off to the gym mid afternoon for another workout, this time 25 minute of cardio. Needless to say, my thighs are feeling the strain today! Snacked om some fruit on my way home.

Dinner was roast chicken with frylight roasties and lots of veg. I allowed myself 2 syns worth of gravy and followed dinner with a 2 syn hot chocolate.

So 4 syns for the day and feeling energised after my workouts. Hoping I see results on Tuesday!

Double blogging...

Sorry, double blogging again.

Breakfast yesterday was a wholemeal toast topped with light philly and smoked salmon followed by mango.

Snacked on a banana mid morning.

Lunch was fennel and leek soup followed by a pear and 2 clementines.

Dinner was steak, sw chips and lots of veg. Followed by a custard apple and a 7 syn apple crumble from my latest graze box.

Breakfast today was wholemeal toast topped with ham and eggs served witj tomatoes and mushrooms.

Headed off to the gym for a good hour workout before going to the cinema with my sister, nephews, mum and husband. Whilst everyone tucked into popcorn, I had mango and pineapple which was prepared in my own little lunchbox :-)

After the cinema we went to the local hubgry horse for dinner. I opted for a mixed grill (minus the sausage and cooked pineapple) swapped the chips for jacket potato. Syns for the total meal were 3.5 (allowing for 3 onion rings and a fried egg)

Snacked on 3 light babybel (hea) and blueberries early evening.

So overall, a good couple of days. And I will make an effort to post tomorrow!

Fessing up!

So staying the same on the scales this week added to the already crappy time I've been having lately. Emotions all over the place have had me reaching for food I wouldn't usually eat.

Yesterday started off really well. I had branflakes with yogurt and grapes for breakfast.

I even resisted all the high syn treats at the food day at work having only 4 syns on my curry, a cheese straw and a mini meringue.

After work however, things went downhill... treated my 16 year old nephew to a meal out and cinema. I gave him the choice of frankie & bennys or weatherspoons for food... he chose chiquitos! I opted for the lowest syn looking meal on the menu, peri peri chicken. Half a chicken with peri peri sauce, swapped my chips for salad and had 3 onion rings... it came out and had quite obviously been cooked in oil (might even have been deep fried!) I peeled off the skin and ate the dry breast, then the salad was covered in vinegarette... no idea whether it was low fat or not. So no idea how many syns I had at all. Then off to the cinema and feeling sorry for myself I go for the ice cream counter! Complete disappointment!

So this morning I gave myself a stern talking to! Breakfast was a small wholemeal roll (heb) with my hea of reduced fat cheddar and a frylight egg followed by grapes.

Snacked on a pear mid morning.

Lunch was homemade tomato soup (superfree) a grapefruit and an apple.

Snacked on some ham when I came home from work.

Dinner was steak with a sweet potato jacket filled with garlic mushrooms (garlic frylight is amazing!) and courgette.

So I have managed to get through today with 0 syns, and I am hoping to continue that way for the majority of the week. Fingers crossed!!

Gutted

So after some horrible news and decisions over the past 48 hours, I stepped on the scales last night and stayed the same. I was gutted!

Looking back though, even though I have been under syns, I have eaten a lot of stodge over the past week. Lots of puddings, syn free or low syn, that weren't needed. And it was star week.

It could have been a lot worse, yes my emotions got to me, but for once they didn't get the better of me! I resisted high syn snacks and binging, so I managed not to gain.

This week though, I want a good loss. I have a few social events to attend but I will be staying as low syn as possible. I can beat this!

Double blogging...

Breakfast yesterday was a cheese and marmite toastie followed by a fruit salad with yogurt (0.5 syn)

Lunch was a hot chicken salad.

Dinner was steak topped with chilli & garlic prawns served with roasted sweet pepper and mushrooms. For pud I had quark mixed with 1 syn of choc shot, strawberries and blueberries then tucked up in bed with a 3 syn indulgence hot chocolate.

Breakfast today was bran flakes mixed with yogurt and blueberries.

Snacked on a pear mid morning.

Lunch was a chicken salad followed by a grapefruit.

Dinner was 2 syn can of Lamb Bhuna mixed with peppers, red onion and mushrooms... yummy :-) again treated myself to some pud. Tonight it was 1 syn of toffee yogurt, frozen to be like ice cream, topped with blueberries and 2 syns worth of choc shot... delish!

I've even been prepping food for the next few days. Red pepper and chicken curry for SW food taster tomorrow, made extra for work food day on Wednesday and made up lots of soup for lunches (tomato or fennel and leek to choose from!)

So feeling positive for the week ahead, hoping for a loss on those scales tomorrow!

Curry!

So breakfast yesterday was 35g of bran flakes mixed with yogurt and passionfruit followed by some more fruit topped with yogurt. (1 syn for the yogurt)

Lunch was pasta mixed with light philly, peppers, onions and salmon... yummy!!!

Dinner was a meal out for a friend's birthday, she decided on curry. So I chose a 6.5 syn rogan josh served with a 4 syn poppadom and some boiled rice. I did also eat an After Eight when they were passed around afterwards (2 syns)

Went out in town afterwards and stuck to diet coke.

So 13.5 syns for the day and still on plan. Feeling bloated due to 'star week' but hoping for a loss on Tuesday!

Catching up...

So after my avocado disaster I was adament to have a low syn day yesterday.

Breakfast was 2 slices of wholemeal toast topped with light philly followed by a banana and an orange.

Lunch was roast pork with cauliflour and new potatoes.

Dinner was 2 joe's garlic and herb sausages, sweet potato chips and curly kale. I fancied something sweet afterwards so I made a cake in a cup... 11g of hot chocolate, a few drops of orangr essence and a egg. Whisk vigorously then pop in the microwave for around 60 seconds (until it rises) then drizzled it with a tsbp of choc shot... chocolate cake with chocolate sauce for only 4 syns! Devine!

So today is curry night, I'll keep you posted on how I get on!