WEEK 1 - 8lb Challenge

So.. here is how this one will work..  Everyone has a flower with 8 petals (what its summer!) and by the end of the week you should have all changed your flower pink or even better be on your 2nd!

Note: Dotty is only 3 lbs away from goal so she's only got three petals to get but she's here to spur the rest of us on! YAY!

First mini challenge... PORTION control!!

Give yourself half and hour with the kitch scales and pack of cheap freezer bags from Lidl and WEIGH everything out... Put them somewhere you can see them when your cooking and learn what size you SHOULD be having.. the first time I did this I realised I was eating a full portion of pasta WHILST I was cooking.. just tasting it!!!! So weigh a portion of rice, pasta, cereal whatever you need to and bag em up and hold them so you know what they feel like and how generous you are being to yourself... Now.. weigh out another set and cook them! See a portion of pasta once its cooked, look into your favourite cereal bowl and see exactly where it should stop!  One of the biggest mistakes in weight loss is portion control... 'sure I'm having brown rice and thats good for me' you wail! But are you having enough brown rice to feed a small family! Bulking uo on the veg is good - yes.. bulking up on the carbs no matter how holy they are.. will just lead you down a merry path.. so I know Lidl and Aldi and most of the supermarkets have tehir own brands of freezer/sandwich bags.. and its an exercise you only have to do once.. Here's some of the other tips..


1• Don't leave a half-eaten birthday cake sitting on your kitchen counter. Wrap up cake and treats and send them home with your guests.

2• Doggie-bag it at restaurants. Their portions can sometimes be extra large. Ask that half of your meal be wrapped up to take home, I have yet to eat in a restaurant that hasn't obliged.

3• Consider ordering kiddie-sized meals at fast-food restaurants. You'll still get that fast food buzz but with a smaller portion.

4• Seek out starters and side dishes at restaurants that serve huge portions. Order two of the smaller dishes for a more reasonably sized meal. I'm a big fan of ordering two starters instead of a starter and main course.

5• Minimize bargain temptations. If you buy big tubs or bags of snack foods to save money, store them on a high shelf so they're not within arm's or your eyes reach. Or, immediately divide them into single serve portions and stash them away in a hard-to-reach place.

6• Learn to eyeball portion sizes, so it becomes second nature, you're homework this week will help with that! A 'normal' portion of chicken, about 3oz, for instance, equals the size of a deck of cards or your palm, NOT including your fingers.

7• Make your own "frozen" dinners. Store the leftovers in single serve containers for portion-controlled meals later on, or for lunch at work.

8• Don't leave the extra portions on the table in front of you..  if half a tray of lasagna stares you in the face while you eat dinner, you may be more likely to reach for seconds. Instead, serve yourself a portion and put the rest away. You can always go back for more, but this way, you may be less likely to.

9• Stock up on smaller plates. A half-empty 10-inch dinner plate spells deprivation; a salad plate filled to the edge seems like a huge meal.

10• Eat slowly! Research suggests that it takes approximately 20 minutes for your body to know that it's full. If you hoover down your food, seconds will be much more tempting.

I'll be first to log in and I'm down 2lbs this week! AND I got my 5% book and sticker (who knew a sticker could make me sooooo happy!!!) Post below and I'll update the board on Friday for those weighing in later in the week.. anyone else want to join in? the more the merrier!

Doll x