Slimming World Salt and Lime Pepper Calamari

Decided to try a new recipe tonight using the Lime Pepper I bought from Tesco today. I've never cooked squid before, not unless you count a shop bought bag of frozen ready made calamari! So I ordered some squid from Tesco and got three little ones for just under £2.00. I squidged out the tentacle bits and chopped off the wingy bits, and chopped the main body into rings. I used a tablespoon of flour which is two Syns, but only half (if that) of is stuck so I'm counting one Syn! Then I poked the tentacle bits and decided I couldn't eat them so left them out! Chucked the rings in the bag of flour, salt and lime pepper and shook. Chucked into a very hot pan for about four to five minutes and had with salad and my HEXB wholemeal thin toasted and cut into little triangles.

Syn Free Food Treat

I've got out of the habit of having regular food treats. It's something I used to do years ago when I got to target weight. I'd follow plan weekdays and then eat what I wanted at the weekend, then the weekend crept into Friday, then Thursday....you get the idea? Diets I've followed before had always be so much more restrictive on what and how much you can eat that it's so easy to fall off the wagon as soon as you start eating normal food at normal quantities on the weekend. 

As I've found Slimming World to be so much more like a healthy eating plan where you just tweak normal every day food, in normal portions I don't really feel like I need a treat - other than wine ;-) I'm probably happier with a Slimming World burger than a Whopper from Burger King these days! I also like how they don't ask you to up your Syns once at target, which would just encourage me to slip back into bad habits. 

The easier a plan is to follow the easier it is to stick to and end up as a new normal . The more difficult and time consuming it is to follow the more likely I am to get fed up of it's restrictiveness and go off plan. It's easy to be more laid back around planning meals if all you have to have is a fridge full of normal food. As long as it's there you don't have to plan everything in advance, you can just open the fridge and decide on the spot. It's also nice and easy to have fall back food in the cupboard or freezer for a busy day. Pasta, couscous, tuna, beans, potatoes, Iceland ready meals...I could go on! So it's not the end of the world if you've not had time to spend all day planning your evening meal, then weighing and measuring it all out when you get in before you can even cook and eat it!

Whilst the food optimising plan might seem really complicated when you first read through it, as it begins to make sense and sink in it's surprisingly easy to follow. If you're struggling get help in group, or most Slimming Word groups have online Facebook pages only accessible by the members of their group where you can get help, support and advice.

I digress, now I just need to decide what to have for dinner and which pepper pot to use first!!

Slimming World Iceland Singapore Noodles

Making room in the freezer for a few bits coming tomorrow. The Slimming World Iceland ready meals are so huge they take up a lot of room! Very impressed! This was really nice, quite spicy although I needed to add a bit of salt! Best of all completely FREE! Even ate the peas, and I don't like peas much!

Food Shop

Just finished my online shop, this week I'm treating myself to some flavoured peppers grinders! Love pepper on order is a Rainbow Peppercorn Grinder a Roast Garlic and Pepper Grinder and a Lime Pepper one too!

Also was inspired last week by a post from someone in group of a fish pie which looked delicious so I'll be doing my own take on that just as soon as I've found a good Quark white sauce type recipe.

Bought the Tesco courgette spaghetti, or courgetti and some carrot spaghetti too which I'm planning to use with the above.

Also ordered some of the Arla Skyr Honey yogurt which is 3 Syns for a 450g pot, I've heard good things and can't wait to try it!

Watermelon and Weigh In

I've been at home today, feeling nibbly, have eaten a lot of this! It's free, and speed and delicious!

Weigh in yesterday was 1/2 below bottom target range, so that means I can  have an extra glass of wine this week doesn't it? 

Starve Binge Dieting Cycle

This started for me in my late teens early twenties when I first started dieting. I've been on all kinds of diets but my own downfall has been restricting what I eat by eating very small amounts of the wrong foods, especially on days where I want a glass of wine or three in order to stick to plan. It seems so simple now, getting the most amount of food for the least calories by choosing wisely 5% mince instead of just lean, removing fat and having a third of a plate of speed food. But, until that lighbulb moment clicked on and started shining I'd eating small portions of high calorie foods! I got to target, but then what? I'd add more points, calories or drop the shakes choosing treats in order to try to maintain and fell easily back into bad habits. The problem I find is when you've been restricting your food intake and let go of the reigns a bit with treat food the bloody horse takes off and you're galloping back down the road to binge central!



At the time you don't think you are starving yourself, you're genuinely not interested in anything that's not on plan and can easily skip a meal or eat very little because you're focused, your goal is in sight and you're losing weight at the rate of knots! By restricting the food intake you can get the wine in and you hit target!

I initially resisted Slimming World because I thought portion control was my whole issue and thought by giving me free reign to eat as much of certain foods as I wanted would send me spiraling out of control and end up with me being bigger than ever.

For me once the control has gone and I've gone back to eating without counting points or calories the weight starts to pile back on, and it's then really difficult to snap back into "starve" mode to get it back under control. It was at this point I decided I might as well give Slimming World a go! I'd got to target, I'd started putting weight back on and thought the way I'm going it's not going to make any difference.

The first week I went for it with everything, all on plan but let myself eat as much as I wanted, and couldn't believe it when I lost 3 1/2 lb! By about week three the novelty of a cooked breakfast and huge lunch, and a huge dinner had begun to wear off and gradually over the weeks the meal sizes reduced as I settled into the plan and the weight came off.

I had tried a few time in the past that "diet" where you say to yourself I'll just eat what I want and eventually if I'm not restricting myself I'll naturally lose weight as I wont be craving anything. You can probably guess how that worked out for me.....not very well. This is the closest thing I think I'll get to it! If you're realistic and you struggle with your weight you have to restrict some things. It's a simple calories in versus calories out sum at the end of the day, but if you can still enjoy normal everyday foods just tweaking things here and there and watching out for synned food and your HEXA and HEXB, which is't really difficult then it's as close as I think you can get to that ideal.

I love the way that Slimming World educates you about food, I love the way they and their members are so inventive. If there's something you love, and miss you can bet there's a Slimming Worlded version of it somewhere on the internet, and nine times out of ten it's good enough to satisfy! I love you can feed the family the same things as you're eating and how they encourage you to eat normal every day foods and cook from scratch. It doesn't feel like a diet in the traditional sense of the word, but a re-education to learning a new normal way of eating and a normal relationship with food.

I'm sure I'll be in for some up's and downs as I try to stay at target but I feel like I've already made some important changes and am learning a new normal way of eating!

Check out here to see the kinds of things you eat on Slimming World!

Weekly Weigh In

Little bit late with the Monday Weigh in this week as I'm a little out of routine! Where I should have more time as my boy is on a school trip I've found myself a little lost without him and struggled to get motivated! I'm a complete control freak and any change to my routine completely throws me out! I had big plans this week to ramp up the exercise while the boy was away, but a pulled muscle in my shoulder means I've done a lot of sitting on my arse! Sods Law!

Anyway......lost 1 1/2 this week taking me to 1 1/2 below target. Aiming for another half pound this week so I'm two below target and therefore giving myself some wiggle room for when we are away over the summer for a few weekends......and out of routine! If I can teeter on the three pounds below target that would be even better!

6th week at Target and not doing too badly!

Took the Chorizo Bites and some of the Iceland Slimming World Mediterranean Chicken Sausages with me to tasting. Bought two packets of the sausages and really didn't like them much. VERY garlicky! Thought I'd free up some room in my freezer and take them to tasting for everyone to make their own mind up after I gave them a bit of a slating in Image Therapy the other week!

Rude People and Feeders

Love this post from spanjee_sw on Instagram

I totally agree, and can relate to some of those comments. I'm not sure why people think it's OK to make rude comments about a persons weight when they are losing or have lost their weight. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't hear people making rude, sarcastic or patronising comments about someone being too big, but somehow some people think it's OK to do this when you've lost weight.

I've had.....

You've lost too much weight!
Are you sure you're eating?
You're eating too much!

It got worse as I got near target to the point where I'd tell people I was't losing anymore rather than argue with them as to why I needed to lose another two pounds when asked! Sometimes it's just easier that way!

But my absolute pet hate are "feeders"

Have a couple of biscuits, they wont hurt!
I got you this cake!
Have a couple of chips!
It's Slimming World Friendly....as it drips with oil.....

I think nearly everyone who has ever dieted has come across feeders. These are the people who try and force feed you anything bad, will buy you cakes without asking and then try and guilt trip you into eating them. I've done everything from giving in and eating it, saying I'll have some later and then trying to get away with not having any....

....Don't forget to have your cake!

I've said I'll take it home and eat it after dinner, and then given to my husband or son.

It can actually be quite embarrassing trying to refuse things as the feeder argues with you that you should have it. To be honest nine times out of ten I actually really am not bothered by whatever is being offered. I'd rather save my Syns for a glass of wine. So I've put my foot down, and it's got easier. Now people don't pester me to eat things, and never buy without asking, or expect me to have something just because they've bought everyone one!

Some things are easier to lie about, like being at target when you've only a pound or two to lose, and some battles have to be fought to protect yourself and your weight loss!

Smoked Paprika, Thyme and Garlic DIY roasting bag chicken

I used the Maggi roasting bags a couple of weeks ago which are Synned on Slimming World so in this weeks shopping I ordered some plain roasting bags and added my own spices for a free dinner! Very impressed, the spices were lovely and the chicken just fell apart so much I took it off the bone with tongs!

Moroccan Chicken Skewers, Salad and Slimming World Chips

One for the whole family! Schwartz Moroccan seasoning on diced chicken threaded onto skewers with salad and Slimming World chips with garlic salt and Schwartz Chips Seasoning! Quick, easy and free - apart from the mayonnaise! Had two chicken kebab skewers and one with just the veg on, getting the extra speed food in! I put a couple of potatoes in the microwave for about eight minutes, let cool and then chop into chunks and spray with Frylight, season with Schwartz Garlic Salt and Chips Seasoning and bung in the oven with the kebabs for about 20-25 minutes on 220 degrees.

Be Prepared

Shopping is here! Lots of lovely on plan food to choose from!

Love these Slimming World friendly Princes Mackerel fillets the Moroccan ones are free, half a Syn for the Mustard ones!

Fruit bowl brimming with apples, clementines a water melon...and trying flat (or doughnut) peaches which.....

....are rather nice, not the same as a normal peach, the flesh is lighter and the taste milder, but they are lovely an SO SO SO much easier to eat!

So now all I have to do is decide what's for dinner?????

Burgertastic Thai Chicken Burger and Salad and a new recipe to try!

Nice and easy Iceland Thai Chicken Burger and salad for dinner tonight. 

Spent quite a while doing a Tesco online food order. I usually shop at Sainsburys till a friend said how much more expensive it was there so thought I'd give Tesco a go. It was slow as I've not shopped there for ages but well worth it! So much cheaper and I get to order lazy ready done cauliflower couscous and Tesco Quark which is the best! 

I've got loads of stuff coming including some ingredients to make this Tupperware Chorizo from the River Cottage website. Going to be a Slimming World version. I couldn't get 5% pork mince from Tesco and so I bought turkey mince instead, I'm thinking about using balsamic vinegar and some sweetner instead of the wine, not that wine would be many syns, but I quite fancy a sweet chorizo taste?? I'll decide when I cook it I think. I'll use frylight instead of oil and hopefully end up with a very low Syn, or Syn free meal! Fingers crossed!

Monthly Goals - July 2015

Been inspired by Instagram to set myself some monthly goals! Here's my three goals for July! Let's see how I go!

Away in July and August so want some extra lbs in the bank to cover the additional wine that will be consumed! Need to get the exercise levels back up too as I've been slacking a bit so cycling to work will help that and save some money on petrol! Need a push to try something new as well as I can sometimes play it safe and eat the same things over and over! 

It will do the control freak in me good to have new targets lol 

Monday Weigh Day

So that could have been a lot worse! A pound on taking me back to target exactly! Back on plan now looking to get a couple of pounds off to be five below target! We have a couple of short breaks coming up over the next couple of months so I'll be needing the leeway!

6 Months Untill Christmas ......

Which means party frock season! I was reminded yesterday on our group Facebook page that it was 6 months until Christmas Eve! Although I spoke about the butter & coleslaw fest I will be having, that is planned for the day, and boxing day....and however long it lasts till it goes off or gets chucked out after that..... before Christmas means parties, work do's dressing up and going out all poshed up! I'm determined this year to be at target still and be able to splash out on something new and glam to wear! I know we are six months away but keeping these things in mind can help me to focus and try not to go off plan between now and then!

 

Making The Most Of Your Calories

Before starting Slimming World I would have said I was quite clued up with dieting, I’ve tried just about everything going at one point or another from Weight Watchers, to Atkins, Cabbage Soup, Low GI, Slim Fast, counting calories .....and so on and so forth. I guess I would have been right I knew a lot about diets and what you needed to do on them in order to lose weight. What I didn’t really understand was nutrition. I could count calories, work out points or just not eat all together and drink milkshakes! What I’ve learnt at Slimming World is how to make the most of the calories I consume. At the end of the day losing weight is a simple calculation of calories in versus calories out. That’s looking at it very basically as there are so many other factors to take into account but the basics are, eat less calories than you burn to lose weight.

Before I started Slimming World I was using My Fitness Pal to log and count calories in and log exercise as calories out which was a success and I did lose weight. But as I wasn’t really making the most of my calories I was often hungry, or going over calorie budget with wine at the weekends. When I started Slimming World the first time I went for it, I ate a big Slimming World fry ups for breakfast, huge salads for lunch and enormous dinners. I lost 3 1⁄2 lb the first week and was amazed! After the first week I decided to add my food into My Fitness Pal just out of curiosity and was amazed to have come in under the normal amount of calories I’d have usually eaten whilst eating twice as much and not going hungry. Food Optimising gives you a really easy way of controlling the amount of calories you eat without really having to weigh or measure very much at all. Simple changes from lean mince to extra lean mince, removing the fat from meat and using things like Frylight made so much more of a difference calorie wise than I’d have thought. As I settled into the Slimming World plan a bit more I’ve reduced the amount I eat naturally and fit back in with my normal eating routine. The novelty of a big English breakfast has worn off, I don’t really have the time or inclination to do this every day. I rely quite heavily on my staple lunch of Mug Shots Monday to Friday with a piece of fruit and/or a Muller Light yogurt as these are easy, quick and filling. Spicy Tomato is my favourite of the moment. Some Mugshots are free and some are Synned so check these out also beware of the ones you get in poundshops etc. as they are sometimes Synned too, even if the same flavour supermarket ones are free. I found the visual below for Synning Mugshots.


Anyway I digress, I’ve found I’ve settled into a more normal pattern of eating for me which fits my appetite and daily routine. I’ve also found I’m naturally starting to eat less and could eat even less if I think consciously about the meal I’m preparing. I still have a tendency to overfill my plate, and a tendency to not want to leave anything but I’m gradually learning to gauge what’s on my plate with what will satisfy my appetite. But even if I do eat more than I really need to I feel safe that it’s not going to result in a big gain on the scales as long as I’m sticking to plan.



 

Weigh in and Slimming World Burger Fest

Tonight was weigh in, managed to stay the same which is 1lb under target. Plan is to weigh in around 2lb below most of the time giving me 5lb to play up with! I currently weigh 8st 13lb 

Last two evenings dinners have been burgers! I love a burger! Sunday was a Slimming World Iceland quarter pounder with bacon and laughing cow light blue cheese for 1 1/2 syns! These are great in a burger! With salad and cauliflower couscous. As usual a couple of Syns of mayonnaise, wholemeal thin for HEXB!

Tonight was the Thai Chicken burger. Managed to squeeze a bit of speed food in there! Syns for mayonnaise, wholemeal thin for HEXB.

Danger Foods

I have a list of Danger Foods, these are foods that if I have in the house I can’t leave alone, so in general I don’t buy them. I have four foods, two pretty obvious ones and two maybe not so.

1. Butter

If I have this in the house I use it. I generally buy spread which doesn’t bother me but butter makes me want to eat bread, not just any bread but uncut white bread, baguettes, ciabatta and toast! In our house if there’s uncut bread of any type it’s usually me who eats it, my family prefer a sliced loaf. So if there’s butter, there’s bread that only I eat, and it would be rude not to eat it before it went stale!! If it’s not there I don’t miss it, or crave it but if it’s there I’d eat it! I always buy a couple of packs of butter at Christmas as a treat, and occasionally if we are having a BBQ or special occasion I’ll get a small tub of Lurpak.

2. Chocolate Hob Nobs / Digestives

A relatively obvious one, but I can never just stop at one of these. Once the packet is open I don’t stop till they are gone or I feel sick! I recently had my gallbladder removed and got through a whole large packet in about a day and a half! Post operative treat, nice but not good for the waistline.

3. Coleslaw

Not just any coleslaw, it has to be at number one Waitrose and number two Tesco. Again a food I just can’t leave alone and I’m the only one in the house who eats it really. Therefore it’s down to me to be a trouper and not let any go to waste. On top of this I refer back to number one as there’s nothing I love more than a big chunk of freshly baked uncut bread with butter and coleslaw. I also love coleslaw on toast, with salad, in a burger, in a sandwich or just a spoonful on its own whilst making any of the above. It might not seem like a particularly bad one as it’s easy enough to Syn and easily accommodated within your 5 to 15 Syns a day. But, as I find it hard to leave alone I only buy this occasionally. Fortunately I do most of my shopping online at Sainsbury’s (whose coleslaw comes in at number three) so I’m not often tempted to buy some. If I am making a trip to Tesco I am usually able to resist, Waitrose comes in a bit harder especially as the small pot only comes with one of those annoying peel back lids, and the big pot comes with a proper clip on plastic lid!

4. Hi Fi Bars

Again maybe not an obvious one? But so delicious and easy to pick up and eat before you’ve even realised what’s happened! If they’re not in the house I don’t miss them, but if they’re there I’m constantly wanting one or two for breakfast, then I get home in the afternoon and usually have a coffee, which immediately makes me want a Hi Fi to go with it. The later in the evening after dinner, another coffee, another Hi Fi craving. I buy these every few months or so as a treat I can’t buy them every week any more as I scoff the lot in about two days. Hi Fi treat at the moment is the Slimming World Lemon Merengue Hi Fi Lights. 3 Syns each or two for a HEXB.

No Wardrobe Stress - Check!

First Thing To Tick Off


Being able to look in the wardrobe and just have to decide what to wear, not have to go through what's too small, too big, feels comfortable etc etc.

Check out the link above, and in the sidebar to read some inspirational and honest stuff from Fopperholic.

First Post

So it was this post I read today which made me decide to start this blog.

The post that prompted the blog!

It makes for a really interesting read and so here I am right at the beginning of the maintenance journey. I've been here several times before and to be honest, don't shoot me, I find it harder to maintain long term than I do to lose the weight in the first place. There are loads of blogs out there documenting peoples weight loss journeys from beginning to end, but the end is just a new beginning! Once you're there you need to learn how to manage that, and I'm employing several strategies. I'm a member of my local Slimming World group, this is the second one I've been a member of but this time there are differences! Firstly it's run by one of my best friends who has been a Slimming World Consultant since the beginning of the year. I help out at group so that gives me some responsibility and means I don't just decide last minute I "can't be arsed to go to group this week". I've also stayed to Image Therapy every week which is something I never used to do. I was the typical weigh and run member before. Both helping out as a member of the Social Team and staying to group have helped keep me focused, and meant that I've met some really great people, got to know them properly and made friends. I'm going to keep up this blog so I can look back when times are tough and remember why I started, and why I need to keep it up!

That's all for now, here's to the beginning......