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and so to sleep… WEEK 11

'If we were meant to 'POP" out of bed… 
we would sleep in toasters!' 



We've all done it… nodded off on the couch watching people in an Australian jungle eat grubs… and have you ever wondered why even after a good sleep you still feel wrecked? Sleep is SO important… There's SO much research on this..  


Not just for weight loss but for all health problems… a good nights sleep is great for you eyes, your skin, your digestion… that's why a midnight feast is such bad thing… your body needs sleep to recharge and recuperate after the day… your feet need a break from carting you about and your mind needs to be still… easy huh?! 


Some nights it just won't happen… and although you lay awake for hours… come the morning you need to be peeled from the duvet and you feel even more exhausted than when you got in!

You all know the obvious tips… 

No coffee before bed… 
Don't eat a heavy meal… or junk food… the indigestion will kill you… 
Get a routine so you're in bed at the same time every night… 
Keep you're bed room for sleep and the fun stuff… no iPads, iPhones, googling or otherwise… 
Exercise every day… I find a walk in the evening after dinner seems to make me sleep better… 

and there's LOADS of excuses.. 



'I'm too busy'… all the mothers out there are nodding… it's prob the only time of day when you do get 5 mins to yourself… but like the little people… routine will help.. turning off the box.. those nutters in the jungle will still be there tomorrow and you still won't know who they are… make a decision to switch off the gadgets… do your skincare routine… brush you teeth… and hop in under the duvet.. you might be called to check monsters under the bed… but you'll deal with them and back to it… if you really cannot sleep.. read… you'll nod off.. and if nothing else your body is resting as it should and recharging for tomorrow… 


Have a bath… get the other half to give you a foot rub… play some soothing music… get black out curtains if the early morning sun or street lights are keeping you up… NO booze… although you might think it's helping… the middle of the night loo dash and the indigestion is going to get you up in the wee (pardon the pun) hours!


A friend of mine keeps a notepad beside her bed… she writes out her stresses and worries and once they're on paper… they're out of her head… Worries will still be there in the morning but if you spend all night worrying you'll be in no fit state to do anything productive about them… 


Even if you're not sleeping… being in bed is good for you… have a kiss and a cuddle… even a bit of giggity is good for some activity points! Sex actually helps you sleep with all the feel good endorphins… Just no fighting! 


Give yourself an extra 5 mins wake up time too… a good stretch makes all the difference to waking up properly and getting the blood flowing… 



Your body will thank you and if you're not sneaking munching and nibbling watching telly all night… you will be helping your weight loss! As my leader says… when an ad for chocolate comes on the  telly … we all want a bar… but when the ad for washing powder comes on, we don't' all jump up and put a load of washing on!

Thanks to @quinlivan for his guest post last week… he's such an inspiration! 

Last week my leader gave us the 'kick in the pants' lecture and EVERYONE was down this week… it was just what was needed… so this week I'm down 5.5lbs! I KNOW RIGHT… get a look at my tree! 



1 month to go… so close now… think about how you'll feel in January if you write all your hard work off now… 

Lots of Christmas type posts coming in the next couple of weeks…  T'is the season and all! 











The View between the Trees...


This week I needed an almighty kick up the pants! A messy week and a week of me playing games with myself… I went to class and was actually HAPPY to be up only 1lb ... this weeks challenge post has been replaced with a guest post from Mr. Q … regulars on here know of his successful journey to date and his amazing achievements and how he's struggled like we all do… When it came into my email, I just knew people would appreciate it this week … a bit of reflection is whats needed sometimes … His blog can be found >>> HERE <<< ... you running types will LOVE it…  next weeks post is on going to bed… and not for the fun stuff! Post your weigh ins below… chart will be up Sunday… Doll x



The View between the Trees

By @quinlivan

When things are going well, you see the world in a completely different light. Everything is amazing, everyone is amazing, losing weight is easy. It’s what happens when you hit a bump in the road that determines really how “well” things are going.



It’s the middle of November and I weigh (on the scales) the exact same as I did in June. I’ve had good weeks and bad weeks. I’d had weeks where you could offer me every single one of my vices double dipped in chocolate and I’d refuse. I’ve had weeks where I’ve eaten dark chocolate (gross) or those manky CafĂ© Noir biscuits just because they were the only thing I could get my hands on.
Like the quote above says, life is 90% how you react to something. I’m not going to lie, I’ve had weeks where I have been so fed up with pro-pointing and so sick of looking at fruit. Being good all the time is hard work – especially when you aren’t seeing the results you are expecting.
I’ve said this before, but if you had told me in the Summer 2012 that over the course of the following year I would lose 7st I would have looked for the Republic of Telly/Candid Camera crew. I never believed in me and I proved myself wrong. Now, if you told me at the start of this summer that come November I would weigh the exact same – one of two things would have happened.
1 – I would have stopped. After all, why bother continuing to be ‘good’ if I am not going to lose any more weight?
2 – I wouldn’t have believed you (after all I’ve been successful so far) and would have continued on with great enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, this fortune telling power does not exist. No-one today can tell me or you for fact where we will be in 6 weeks time let alone 6 months. All we can do is take a guess at where we will be. Luckily, I tend to undershoot instead of overshoot where I think I’ll be but fear is a powerful motivator.
Regardless of where you are on your weight journey, just close your eyes and picture “Where will I be in 6 months time if I quit now?” and I can guarantee you, you won’t be in a better position than if you continue now. This thought alone is what has kept me going back to my weigh-in week after week.
As I look back at myself and where I’ve come from, it’s really easy to not see the wood from the trees – I tend to look back in a straight line, like tunnel vision. However when I take a step back and look at my journey since the summer, so much more has happened other than remaining the same weight. If I turn to the side and look between the trees, I can see each of the other things that have happened to me along the way.
While everyone is on a different journey with different goals, we can’t forget to not only look back at where we started, but also to look left and right. Look at the opportunities we have had that we might not have had, had we not started out in the first place. Look at the people we’ve met (good, bad or indifferent) either through Weight Watchers or because you felt that bit better about yourself one weekend and you went out, or you didn’t dress all in black.
I have to say I take huge stock in my Non Scale Victories. These are the light between the trees that shine the path along my journey. And another thing, regardless of how far away your goal may seem, and no matter how out of reach you think it is, I know the journey will be clustered with the dappled light of unexpected Non Scale Victories.
My path hasn’t been smooth, nor has it been easy – but looking back I can now see how worthwhile it has been. So my advice to you now is… Don’t forget to check out the view between the trees. It’s nice there.

Cravings - week 8!



ssshhhhhh can you hear it calling for you?

You know they're there… you can hear them calling your name.. screaming from that kitchen cupboard you 'hid' them in… and that conversation in your head starts… 





'NO.. I got them for visitors…' 

'but I could have just one… '

'but would you REALLY have just one?!'

'No I'm going to open them and take two to have as a snack...
I'll track them and close them up and that's that…
I mean two biscuits won't kill me…'

Thing is there will be more than two .. and its not really about the biscuits, its about WHY you wanted them! Angry? bored? happy? lonely? Emotions that we feel we can satisfy with a cookie… sadly it doesn't work like that.. you're going to be even angrier, sadder, lonelier afterwards... 'WHY did I have to eat those.. I wasn't even hungry?!?' Its hard to stop mid cookie and think 'why am I doing this?' and honestly.. how many of us are going to put half the cookie back and have a think?! exactly! 



Anyone ever craved an apple?! thought not!

What we need is a diversion! A plan to keep us out of the goodie jar! as well as keeping the goodie jar empty!

We all have an endless list of little jobs that need attention… if it diverts you from food .. DO IT! Nail polish stops me eating crisps! You can't paint greasy nails… and you can't stick your fingers into a bag with wet polish!  All the nice comments I get about my nails and the mad stuff I try to do to them has kept me from eating crisps... I'm not that person who has all the will power to just say no... they know my name and I brought them into my home... but I'm not ruining my lovely nails cause I'm feeling a bit low!

Anyone else have a little drawer that's full of 'stuff' that you're always going to 'sort out'? keys, concert tickets, wine corks we can't throw away… go sort it…



Wandering aimlessly about the kitchen is a recipe for disaster! You're not hungry… work out what you really are and sort THAT out! have a good cry… put on your favorite tune and dance about the kitchen…  the guilt, weight gain, sluggishness and sadness aren't worth that cookie! If after 15 mins you still want something then have a piece of fruit or a glass  of water and don't ruin all your hard work because there's nothing on telly and you're home alone… 


you all look like this doing your chores yeah?


Whats needed is a list… a list of chores and things that don't involve eating! 

Walk the dog… 
Wash the dishes… 
read a magazine… 
call a friend… 
paint your nails (you all know where I stand on that one!) 
clean the toilet - trust me the smell of bleach will put you right off eating!
sort out paperwork… 
check the battery in the smoke alarm… 
dust that top shelf… 
shave your legs… 
prep veggies for dinner…
make your lunch… 
walk around the block.. 
walk out the front door and walk for 5 mins… then you have to come home!
and the one that never fails... 

brush your teeth… 



So… write a list... stick it somewhere.. every time you get the urge, read the list and do something on it! If you're anything like me you LOVE crossing things off lists!




Have a great week... 6 weeks to go! 



that's all...





that's all... one pound...

one pound every week.. is 3.7 stone a year!


Think about it!









*edited for the bad maths!*


Pace yourself! Week 7!


The secret of staying young is...
 to live honestly,
 eat slowly, 
and lie about your age.
Lucille Ball



My attempt at pumpkin cookies, small but FULL of flavour - 2PP each!

You all know my love of cooking… I've been known to spend hours in the kitchen experimenting… peeling.. chopping… icing… messing with flavours etc… all the love can end up going two ways... I either can't stand the sight of what I've cooked cause I'm sick of looking at it, stirring it and icing it … or it can be hoovered in minutes…  


ah bless her she's a happy soul... but I don't mean THIS kinda hoover!


If only it was this easy eh!?


Hoovered … Ever eat a sandwich in the car and forget you had it? Ever open a packet of biscuits and glance moments later to see half of them gone? and did you even enjoy it?! Whatever about portion control… and yes that's a HUGE factor in weight loss… mindful eating is SO important…  


A lot of fresh air for sale in a bag of crisps!


That moment when you put your hand in the family size bag of crisps and there's only air… THAT's what I'm talking about!



If you eat too fast.. your brain hasn't time to register that you're actually full till you're about to burst…  that uncomfortable bloated feeling… that Christmas dinner feeling… that you could sleep for a week or just throw up! It takes 20 mins for your brain to register that your tummy is full… 20 mins! Its a lot longer than you think..


Home made chicken curry

Paying attention to what you eat, taking the time for it to register can stop the over eating that leads to weight gain … take a meal.. say 'this is my dinner' … sit down to eat it… not on your lap… Don't eat from the pot as its cooking THEN give yourself a nice big portion, this is my downfall when I cook pasta… 'sure I'm just checking to see if its ready' ten times! Taste each bite... engage with it... enjoy the smell of it... the textures … the colours… the seasonings... spices… ENJOY your food… and appreciate it! Not to go all 'mammy' on you but not everyone has the luxury of 3 meals a day... so a little gratitude to boot!

Breakfast smoothie... the colours alone make my mouth water!



With snacks… take one crisp at a time... I know I know... The crisp queen has finally lost it… but try it... chew each one… enjoy the flavour and once you're done… take another… be aware of of your paw going into the packet again and again… its not easy when you're used to munching through a bag in minutes… 



Its easy to be distracted… and when I get home from work going straight to the cupboard because I'm STARVING!!! Be prepared for that… what works for me is to freeze my soup in small portions… stick a cup of soup in the microwave from the freezer when you go to work in the morning.. when you come in… zap it straight away and satisfy those 'I'm wasting away…' feelings… it will keep you from the bread box… with butter and god only knows what else! Another way to get over that 'My throats been cut!!!!' panic mode .. is to plan your snacks.. have a banana in the car.. an apple.. eat a yoghurt before you leave work… drink a litre of water… so when you arrive at the kitchen to make your meal… you're able to make it without pinching a biscuit as you go… 



Whilst eating your food… the classic 'put your knife and fork down between each bite' WORKS! Who knew?! Take a breather… chat with the family… 'how was your day?' 'did you get soaked in that shower too?'.. taking little breather lets your brain catch up with your stomach… A study showed that animals who were interrupted with a short break in their meals, consumed less calories overall than those without a pause in the meal… don't just wolf it down…  



The world is a fast place… our grannies and granddads sat down to all their meals and enjoyed them.. taking dinner time as family time… time with house mates, friends..  time to catch up with each other… geez even round the camp fires the cave men had an auld chin wag! and they were proper hungry!

Taking your time means you become aware of what you're putting in your body… you enjoy your food more… and you'll realize you get fuller LONG before you thought you would!

Its actually a lot harder than it sounds… but this week give it a go… it a good habit to get into … and to create a habit you only need to do it 21 times! 3 times a day for the week!



7 SEVEN weeks left on the challenge… half a stone people! 
Half a stone for New Years Eve??? Lets do it...! 








Seven weeks to sparkle!



In seven weeks time you're going to wonder why you didn't start today!


Motivation Monday!




The girl speaks sense! 


Totes Emosh... Week 7





Tomorrow is All souls day… and whilst I'm not religious... it got me thinking about all nourishing, you know how we're always banging on about nourishing our bodies but what about nourishing how we feel … I've often been described as a happy soul but for a long time that was just a front and food was my blanket... 

I know you're rolling your eyes but this has EVERYTHING to do with losing weight! 

Self loathing is possibly one of the worst emotions on the planet… hell in the universe! And for some of us, its easy to dish out the love, care and attention that other people need and want (and even those who don't deserve it!), but when it comes to ourselves, why do we feel we're not good enough? or worthy enough to even bother? Its easy to say 'sure I'm grand' when you're really not! but here's the thing… anyone trying to lose weight has already made that step towards realizing they're worth something… if you truly hated yourself you wouldn't bother with any of this pointing/syns/weigh-ins/goal setting malarky!

You love your children, partners, mums, dads, siblings, friends, pets and would probably die for most of them... You wouldn't let them go hungry, you would try to make sure they're nourished, encourage them to eat well, keep them warm, want to see them living happy lives yet personally there was a point when I shoveled food into my body just to to keep it quiet so I could spend more time caring for others… caring for yourself isn't a selfish thing… in fact caring for yourself makes you a better you! If you have kids, they follow by example, preparing healthy food isn't easy, not in these ready-meal days… (tangent: I was in a shop the other day and it was 4 euro for a punnet of 10 strawberries and 3 sausage rolls for a euro!!! see what I mean!) ... counting points, exercising, tracking is a chore… but you do it because you love yourself enough to care for your body… a healthy happy version of you is better for everyone! And its the only one you've got so you really so have to mind it... 

No one is perfect… no one… ask a size 8 person how they feel about their body and they'll have a list as long as yours! 


If Beyonce hasn't got a problem... you haven't got one!!! 


Everyone hates their belly, bum, thighs, double chin, legs.. but take a really good look… are they SO bad? Are people screaming in fear at your thighs in the street? Those thighs carry you about every day… they help you pedal on the bike rides with your friends, they jumped rope in school… they walked you down the aisle… they ran when you needed to be beside a loved one fast… they're yours and you need to love them… and by making the step to lose a bit of weight… you're only improving whats already a great pair of thighs! And improvement is always encouraged!


 

The most famous thighs ever! and the sexiest!


Loving yourself is a privilege… there are so many who don't have your thighs and would probably kill for them! and many less fortunate who see how you don't appreciate them…  Ever been in a hair salon and had the 'I wish I had your hair…' conversation, if we have straight hair, we envy curls… if we're curly, we'll buy every straightener going… we're never happy… and we should be… life is too short to be grumpy about curls! 

Instead of looking at your body parts and labeling them as disgusting, gross, or repulsive, try and see them for the blessing that they are. They are part of YOU, and when you're negative towards yourself… it comes out in other ways... comfort eating. Give yourself a pat on the back for caring for your body and it carrying you through life so far..  How about a pedicure at the end of those thighs or even treat yourself to a nice body lotion… you know what makes your body feel good… Take time this week and do those things…


Bridget got it right!

I am an avid fan of Operation Beautiful… http://www.operationbeautiful.com  so if you even see a post-it note in the loo… it could have been me! NOTE: Um… work... these are not stolen from the supplies cabinet… ahem...  Sometimes all you need is to read that one little phrase to make you think… 'actually I'm looking good today!' and eventually you will start to believe it! A small thing can make a huge difference… ever got a compliment and felt amazing after it… simple things… 






True story... I was having lunch with a friend one day in an establishment famed for its chicken wings… when we walked in… I felt like every pair of eyes was one me.. clearly I'm THAT important… in my mind people were thinking 'WHAT is she doing in here?' … I noticed a woman staring at me.. and when we ordered chicken wings to share, I spotted her looking my way… again, in my mind she was screaming 'the LAST thing you need is chicken wings fatty!' … She and her friend got up to leave and she approached our table.. I completely went into 'take the high ground.. don't LOWER yourself to her petty comments… you are ENTITLED to have your lunch'… as I braced myself thinking should I deck her one? she leaned in and asked me where I got my coat, she'd been looking for something similar and thought it was lovely… I nearly choked on fresh air!!! And it served me right… I've done it myself MANY time.. 'Love your scarf'… 'where did you get your handbag?' … ' I noticed your nails they are fab!" to total strangers… YES... I still cringe when people give me a compliment because I still can't see what they see… but I'm learning to appreciate it and just say 'Thanks!" 



Every time you look in the mirror this week (and you all brush your teeth so I KNOW you've got mirrors!) … say one positive thing… I mean it… you don't have to go all 'YOU ARE TOTES GAWJUS' but if you did, I for one would applaud you! If you need to start with baby steps… 'I like this color on me' … 'I can really see a difference in my weight' .. 'I feel good today' … 'i love my hair this colour' … Tell yourself something good about YOU every day... And believe it... it'll start every day on a positive note!

Be kind to yourself… nourish your body… set aside some time everyday to do one thing for YOU.. maybe its your cleanse, tone and moisturise routine with your fav songs … maybe its a phone call to a friend… maybe its a new nail polish and a cup of tea… cause as the ad says… you're worth it!



Yes its me...Spooky Doll... get it?! 

Clearly no one was spooked by Halloween.. over 100lbs lost so far! well done x






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