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February >>> #WWPHOTOADAY


If you're over on Instagram and fancy joining us for a prompt a day... here's the list for February!

Join in everyday or just do the days you fancy... there's no pressure... interpret the prompts anyway you like and don't forget to use the hashtag >>> #WWPHOTOADAY so we can all have a nosy at your tips and tricks! 


You'll find me here 


x



Veggie Rice...

How do we all feel about cauliflower rice? Come on admit it? I actually quite like cauliflower rice but I love it IN my stir fries, for me I need the flavour, herbs and spices to enjoy it... I find when you put it with sauces it's just like rice but on its own, I feel like I'm licking the wall...  It can be very bland but so versatile... and it you are trying to save points and get some rollovers for more gin *raises both hands* it can be great! It's fab to add to mash potatoes... half the SPs and still got that creamy potato taste, especially good as a topping on SP friendly shepherd pie! 

This is the new range of veggie rice from Green Isle, you'll find them in the freezer section in the supermarket (I took these pics in Tesco)... There's 3 in the range and they all come in individual portions of 160g (2 portions per bag)... The ingredients for the broccoli is just that 100% broccoli, so it's 0SP ...Same for the cauliflower rice... The Super Green rice I've listed the ingredients, again it's 0SP... I think these are very handy to have in the freezer, lash them into soups (cauliflower when it's blended makes soups lovely and creamy) and they steam in a few minutes, with some chicken, stir fried veggies, you'd only have to SmartPoint your sauce! Bargain! 

x



Green Isle, Cauliflower rice, per 160g pouch - 0SP
The only ingredient in it is cauliflower. 



Green Isle, Broccoli rice, per 160g pouch - 0SP
The only ingredient in it is broccoli. 




Green Isle, Super greens rice, per 160g pouch - 0SP
The ingredients are Broccoli, kale, spinach, zucchini and 2% seaweed. 
Again makes it 0SPs per portion.





So, this one time, on FaceBook...




Let me just start this post by saying I am in loads of groups on Facebook (probably too many!)... Big groups with thousands of members, smaller groups with only 30 members, I'm in Slimming World groups, Weight Watchers groups, keep fit groups, cake baking groups (I see the irony here but if you follow me on twitter you'll know my love for GBBO!) .. and I love them all... I don't engage with any drama, it's usually pretty pointless, but the motivation and tips you pick up in there is gold! 

We're nearly a month into 2018 and this is the time of the year when the doubt sets in... when the 'it's not working for me...' posts appear... and I get it, I totally do... new plans are hard and some people just don't like change... if it was a one plan fit all we'd all be fit as fiddles! I can't do No Count, I really think most of it is in my head but it was the same with Slimming World... just not for me... If I had my way ProPoints would be the plan for life for everyone! It was a fantastic plan but you gotta roll with the times and I totally understand how bad sugar is in our diets and SmartPoints really opens your eyes to just how much sugar there is hidden in products on the shelf...

However, last week (when I was having a bit of a downer, I went into some of the groups to try to get revved up again...) and I found a post by a member and it just made me both sad and mad! Now I'm not about naming or shaming but the post went something like this... 



I'm a week in. I weigh in tomorrow. I'm a little nervous. 
If I didn't lose weight I'll be so disappointed. 
I feel great! I have more energy, my brain fog has lifted 
and my stomach feels better 
but I'll be gutted if I didn't lose anything... 


Now, I have no idea how much weight this member has to lose, I don't know when she started her journey, it was her first week on Flex but the pressure she put on herself for a number on a scales just made me angry and sad in equal measures... she feels great, she has more energy, the brain fog has lifted (I'd kill for that right now!) and all this in a week... I'm jealous! 100% jealous! Don't get me wrong this number is important to some people but the one bad thing which hadn't even happened yet, outweighed all the good stuff! But it made me realise just how much pressure we put on the number on the scales... yes, it's lovely to see that number coming down... but the weeks I really focus on water, my skin is so good... and I might be weeing like a race horse (TMI I know but ya get it all in here!) but I do feel so much better... in the summer when I practically live on salads, I really notice how less bloated I am... all of these are reminders off how our body is feeling and isn't that the main thing, we feel better in our own skin? So, if the number isn't what you wanted to see, think about how you're feeling... we all lose weight at a different rate, we're all unique... Don't worry about the people losing 5lbs a week... it's great for them, but they're not you! This week, maybe focus on the other stuff, how is your skin? Have you got more energy? Has the brain fog lifted? Are you walking a bit faster? Did you make it up the stairs without the paramedics? Because it's all of these things that make up your journey, not just the number on the scales... x




Bringing it home with Homebird!

Anyone who reads regularly knows I'm all about keeping it local... sure there are some treats that I like that aren't grown in Ireland but for the vast majority of my grocery shop, I try to keep it seasonal and local... it's much cheaper and tastier too! There's nothing like Irish Strawberries in the summer or stewed apples you pick up from the ground at home... Even my eggs are laid fresh from my mums hens! Supporting local business is really important, and you're supporting local families who rely on jobs at home and all that is really important I think... 

I did a post on these when they launched last year and today I had the pleasure of going to lunch with them and some fellow foodies, finding out how important it is to keep Irish businesses going and supporting the home team when we can... 

The garlic & herb chicken with some 'lighter than light' mayo in a wrap is SO good! Well worth 1SP for 100g! The smoky one is perfect for home made pizza wraps... pile on all the free veggies (tip: roast some red onions in balsamic vinegar and they'll be so sweet) with some worcestershire sauce or a dollop of BBQ sauce - delicious! Plus HomeBird are literally everywhere, so no excuse at lunch time (especially now summer is coming... ignore that snow outside!) ... lots of fresh lettuce, baby tomatoes, beetroot, spring onions and a pack of this and some dressing you've a massive lunch for 2SP max! No excuse to not be eating well! 



The surveys and focus groups say we all want to buy local and buy Irish... but not just any old shamrock on the pack will do... It's got to have the Bord Bia logo to be 100% Irish, otherwise it's meat that's butchered and processed abroad, maybe just sliced in Ireland or packaged in Ireland but it's not an Irish Product... Something I'm really going to be keeping an eye on in future! 




Homebird Irish Roast Turkey, traditional flavour per 90g pack - 1SP



Homebird Irish Roast Chicken, traditional flavour per 100g pack - 1SP



Homebird Irish Roast Chicken, Sweet & Smoky flavour per 100g pack - 1SP


Homebird Irish Roast Chicken, Garlic & Herb flavour per 100g pack - 1SP



Who's the boss?






You know when then crisps are calling (screaming) your name from the kitchen cupboard... in moments of weakness we forget we do have the power to say no, but the struggle is real... My old leader used to say, when an ad comes on the telly for chocolate suddenly we have the urge to find a chocolate bar and we all know where there's one in the house somewhere! But if an ad comes on for washing powder, does anyone get the urge to jump up from the TV and pop on a load or hit the ironing board? Nope... the pleasure food gives us, the short satisfaction we get from a cookie, and it is only temporary, is something I personally need to keep an eye on... food is fuel... food is for celebrations and nourishment... It really doesn't help when you're sad, I mean the post-Christmas bloat is testament to that! So deep breathe and ask yourself if you're really in control... 


Pots of Protein...

Not all chicken is created equal on the flex plan but if you're caught on the hop, there are some low SmartPoint proteins out there if you get caught for lunch or just need a quick snack... These are new from M&S and would be so handy to throw into a wrap or salad if you weren't prepared... 
note the pots vary in size... handy though no? 




M&S Sweet & Smoky Chicken Thins per 90g pot - 2SP



M&S Fajita Turkey Thins per 90g pot - 2SP



M&S Mini Turkey bites per 120g pot - 2SP



M&S Mini BBQ Chicken bites per 120g pot - 4SP




Little steps...




So, we're all settled in, and the 'new year, new me' brigade is in full swing... 

The thing about starting something new,  is we all want instant results... We've been 'good' for 7 days in a row and the expectations are high... 

"What do you mean I'm not down 7lbs this week?!? 
I stuck to the plan?! I drank ALL the water... 
I walked EVERYWHERE!
This clearly isn't working..."

Sound familiar... we're so disappointed in our bodies and we shouldn't be... and yes, sometimes the first week you get an amazing weight loss, we've shocked our bodies into the fact the roses tin is long gone and there's no more gin in the house! But on week 2, what happens if we ONLY lose half a pound?! We're devastated! This is where the doubt starts to kick in, this is where we say 'I'll give it another week but then...' and the plan starts to unravel... 

You did not gain weight over night... I did not gain over 10 stone over night... so I can't expect it to come off that fast either... one thing I have learned on this journey so far, is every half pound is a victory, every STS is a win... we're far too hard on ourselves and our bodies when they don't do what we think they should... and the mind games we play with ourselves because of this is just as bad... 

Take baby steps... every little step in the right direction is a step closer to being happier in your own skin... 


You can do it... you can... just believe in yourself and listen to your body... 



What is Weight Watchers Flex? #WWFLEX


Nearly everyone has seen the changes to the Smartpoints Plan on Social Media, Weight Watchers Flex was launched in the UK last November and our lovely Canadian & USA friend welcomed WW Freestyle in December... and now it's finally here in Ireland! Hello WW FLEX!




So what are the changes? Honestly on first glance it's very like the old Wendie plan (for people who are as old as me, and that's pretty old!), where you had points that rolled over so you could have high and low days... but there's some great zero SmartPoint additions if you love chicken or eggs especially! (listed below and I've updated this on the DINNER page on the right)

You'll get your new books in class this week and the leaders are all set to get you going! Your daily & weekly Smartpoints will change, you have to go to a meeting to find out what they are and it's difference for everyone, if you have one of the new calculators you can do it that way too.
Another great change is 4 unused daily SmartPoints can rollover into your weeklies (yay for weeklies!), so if there's something coming up that you really want to have a few extra SmartPoints, you can!



First of the new bits is the pocket guide. This is the list of all the new free SP foods and its pretty handy, it's definitely one to stay in the handbag! 



You'll also get your 'Enjoy food with freedom' book... This is the plan explained in full, and like I said there's no major changes most of the things on the plan are staying the same, just some proteins have got a free pass now! 



There's a new 'Move' book, to get you up and running, literally... The table to work out how many SmartPoints you've earned is updated in the back! 



and the last book in the set is 'Mindset' ... this is a smaller version of the Smile book, which I loved! If you have your smile book, keep it! I think theres' more in it when you need a bit of time to regroup and think about where you are on your journey... 



There's a new tracker, I track in a planner but I know some people love these, it's a lot simpler, no smiley faces anymore :( but there's nothing like a fresh tracker to focus the head! 



   

The Shop & Eat out guides are revised, I'll be updating the lists on the right over the next few weeks.




Some of the cookbooks have been revised but if you've got a pencil you can deduct the points you have in any recipe for eggs, chicken, fish etc and you're away. I'm going through my fav recipes and working them out over the coming weeks. I'll post them all here! 



Here's the basics....

FLEX - 

These foods are now 0SP to be eaten freely until you're satisfied but not stuffed! 

Most Fruit & Vegetables
       Fruit & veg that you STILL HAVE TO SmartPoint are
       Avocados
       Cassava/Yuca/Plantain/Manioc
       Mushy Peas
       Olives
       Parsnips
       Potatoes
       Sweet Potato
       Yams

Protein - All now ZERO SP...
       Hen eggs
       Skinless Chicken & Turkey Breast
       Plant based proteins like
           beans (not baked beans), peas,tofu, lentils & corn

Fat Free plain yoghurt

All unsmoked fish & shellfish


So there you have it! This week in class you'll find out what your new Daily & Weekly points will be and you're all set to go! Having read about it and followed a lot of people doing it for the last few months, it seems like the changes are really working for people! Like they say 'if you don't change, nothing changes!' Here's to a very successful 2018!







New Year, New... ???



We're bombarded this time of year... EVERY year... and it's a long time since I made a resolution... because when I fail at them, and I always do because they're so unrealistic, they just made me feel like a failure, I'm useless and I give up and that's the total opposite of what I need! When I don't achieve the impossible tasks I set myself every January I just think I can't do it and I can!


So this New Year, I'm taking time to breathe, stress less and take time to think life thorough... I tend to rush decisions though to make everyone else happy and am then left miserable...

New Year, new foods to taste...
New Year, new places to see...
New Year, new friends to make...
New Year, new goals to set that are achievable and make me happy...
New Year, SAME me...
New Year, same old me, working just as hard being a better version of who I am...
New Year, same positive outlook, I can and I will...
New Year, same cheerleader for you... weight loss is hard, we don't need a bunch of new rules because a date in the calendar! I've always had one goal, to be healthy and happy... I'm getting there, no resolution has ever helped!

There's no new me, there's just me and I'm doing OK... I go through the bumps on the journey, I struggle some times but I'm honest with me, and I give myself a break when I'm being hurtful to me (and I can be a real bitch to the reflection in the mirror sometimes!)... but I 'm not quitting and that's better than any resolution...

You can't be the best version of you if you don't give yourself some time, I know we all struggle with not having enough hours in the day but it's not selfish to be the best you can be for you and everyone you love... If you must make a resolution... Make one... BE HAPPY!


So New Year, same fabulous you, setting goals you love and you know you can achieve, don't make sweeping statements that will just make you feel bad... You won't lose four stone in January so don't shout it from the rooftops... Aim for 1 or 2 lbs a week and any more is a bonus on the trip! Work on the bits you know you struggle with... I sabotage myself, so I've got to focus on keeping on the wagon and portion control... Just think how you would feel by summer if you were a stone lighter? Very achievable... If you plan to lose 4 stone in January and fail, you've lost a month by not being realistic and have stalled at the start line... so pace yourself, breathe and ask for support when you hit a wall, we've all been there...

Now here's to a New Year, Fabulous you!







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