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May 9, 2014

Seasons... Weigh in #6


My back garden looks like I have green fingers! 

Spring has sprung and decided to feck off back to the cave for a while... May is effectively so far.. rubbish... 




The world runs on seasons… Summer means holidays… swim suits… Winter for cuddling up and hibernating … Spring wakes us up a bit… a bit…  Christmas… Easter… back to school … the calendar year is divided up so that just when you think you’re ready to start… something else is on the horizon!


The thing is… this healthy eating lark is for all year round and sometimes we use bank holidays… easter… a confirmation… a wedding to ‘start again’ … it’s a mentality that you’ve just got to get and I think I’m slowly getting there… how many times have we said.. ‘sure look we’ll have a blast and enjoy ourselves and we’ll start again next week/Monday/when we get home’… our bodies have no clue what season it is.. they get cold… hot… hungry… thirsty… sore… energised… tired… and … wait for the cliche… food is just fuel … I know! I know! its taken me YEARS to get this... AND why can’t cream cakes and pizza be fuel anyways!??! groan… 



We’ve only got one body…  it’s our responsibility to take care of it… no one ties you down and force feeds you chips on a Saturday night…  and no one is saying you can’t have chips on a Saturday night... or not have a good time and be ‘norma-no-mates-I’m-doing-weight-watchers’ in the corner… but you know when you’ve overdone it, you feel sluggish… it effects your skin… your mood… and you know what you have to do… but sometimes it’s easier to ignore your body and tell yourself that soon… soon, you’ll be back on track…  and emotional eating is the root of many problems… For years I treated my body like a rubbish bin… bingeing.. purging... bingeing again.. a vicious cycle... wondering why the reflection in the mirror was so hideous… I still struggle to look in the mirror… emotional eating has taken its toll on me… and there are days …even after losing nearly 7 stone when I think I just can’t do it… and i feel like enough is enough and I'm never going to be where I want to be...

The ‘seasons’ will continue… Next January… the shelves will be heaving with Easter eggs… birthdays will happen every year… and yes.. have a slice of cake but be kind to your body… nourish it… and it will repay you… that karma lark really works… 


This week I was down 2.5lbs! After all the ‘cowboy’ shenanigans over the bank holiday…  I honestly had no idea how it was going to go but I knew I had made good choices… I’m learning to make better decisions… I’m sharing treats… OK so I didn’t share the 99 but I mean that’s just ridiculous! Before we got to the main event.. I made sure I had eaten something that I knew would get me past the chicken wings, bread and coleslaw… I took control … I still had loads of fun ...  I had a few diet drinks amidst the gin… not enough to stop a massive hangover (twice!) but still it could have been a million times worse! 



A super long walk on the beach… line dancing (I’m reviving that by the way!) lots of fruit and water all helped… I made a decision before I got there to only have the breakfast grill on one day even though it was there for free all weekend, wafting about all bacon-esque… but the alternatives were just too yummy to miss out on and I knew I'd feel so much better eating healthier... and as soon as I got on the scales I was SO glad I behaved!  

Even when I got on the plane it was water and fruit… I just wanted to feel better in my skin again… and that comes with time… years of doing weight watchers has changed my palette.. even full fat milk tastes funny now! Think of your lifetime as the seasons… where are you now? Summer…autumn… Late spring… your body needs to last you all the way through to winter and fuelling it the right way will mean just that… so… 





Here’s what seasonal fruit and veggies are up for May… these bad boys will be cheap as they’re gonna get at this time of year ALDI are doing some great deals at the moment in veg! 


okra
courgettes
aubergines
rhubarb
artichokes
asparagus
spring peas
broccoli
lettuce
baby spinach
leeks
cabbage
cauliflower
new potatoes 
scallions/spring onions

cherries
pineapples
apricots


Courgette is a personal fav of mine.. the Skinny Mum grows it and we overdose every year, like we get hives kind of overdose! 

Jamie Olivers nifty way to make Courgette penne’ can half your points and it tastes SO good! Here's a diagram that I .. *coughs* stole... things I do for you people! 


Courgette penne

Jamie cuts penne shaped courgette… 

I could only find this version online but skip to 1:28 to see how he cuts up the courgette… sneaky little beggar! Just shows we eat with our eyes and if you got a plate of this mixed with half of your usual pasta you’re digestive system would high five you and you could half the propoints for you pasta... more wine anyone?!

Also… courgette spaghetti… dear god try this! I make mine.. steam it for 2-3 minutes and pour your sauce and meatballs on top… DELISH!!! 

Courgette spaghetti how I make it… 




Click on the link to go directly to the recipe!


The other hero in the supermarkets at the moment is rhubarb…. and I mean who doesn’t love a crumble!!! I just stew it in a little diet 7up and use it on my breakfast… a few tablespoons stirred into porridge… swoon… 


Here’s the WW version for 3PP and the portion is HUGE!







And here’s two fab rhubarb recipes from one of my favourite cooking site www.skinnytaste.com 







aaaannnndddd.. last one... here’s a fab recipe for cabbage.. use the lardons from Lidl or Aldi and that’s all you have to propoint! 



Sorry its a bit 'bitty' but its easier to post the YouTube links so you can see how other people are making this fab food! 

Fantastic losses again! Woo Hoo! Total so far in the challenge is 106lbs that's 7st 8lbs!!! 

WOWZER!











31 comments

  1. Great post btw and you are so talented with the crochet!!

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  2. I was down 4.5lbs this week and got my first Silver Seven! Oh yeah!!! Would love to be down a stone by my birthday (first week in June) so really trying to be extra good in the coming weeks!!

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  3. I can't wait to try these recipes. Is the rhubarb in diet 7up free?

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    1. Yes .. no points... and the 7up free adds that little sweetness without the sugar overload although you can add canderel and its still free.. depends on how sweet you like it... x

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  4. Really disappointed to have stayed the same again this week. I can't imagine maintaining being this easy when I actually get to goal! Hitting it hard this week by adding a spinning class into my exercise routine...GULP! Xx

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    1. Best thing.. you didn't gain! and that's always a good thing x

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  5. Hey Doll, I was down 4.5lbs this week, 105lbs in total in Nov 2013, still lots more to go but it's posts like yours, and the bank holiday challenge that really help me to keep on track. Thanks for the motivation :) x

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    1. WOW! That's amazing.. like you I've loads to lose still... but baby steps and we'll get there! well done xxx

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  6. So i totally fell off the aul wagon since Easter :'( week of the 2nd of May i missed class, went back this week and was up 6.5lbs!!!!!!!!!! HELP!

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    1. Best thing is you went back... line in the sand.. step over it and fresh start! we've all been there... x

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    2. You're still only 1.5lb up since we started! x

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  7. Stayed the same this week :) motivated again now so its all good! I just want my first stone loss and its only 1.5 pounds away!! C'mon like :P

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    1. You'll get there... our silly bodies need to catch up sometimes... You're too close to give up now! x

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  8. Hey Doll :-)

    No weigh in this week unfortunately but hopefully next Friday will bring me some good news on the scale :-)

    Have a great weekend :-)

    Gra x

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    1. Oooh I meant to say I spotted your new gadget! Looks fab! x

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  9. I've gone AWOL :( I put on 3lbs last week and then on Friday lost 1lb. I need a good motivational talking too

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    1. but you're back at it and that's what matters... my leader always says.. good weeks or bad .. you only fail when you stop trying and give up! x

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  10. Hey Doll, missed this weeks WI due to moving house!! eeek
    Trying to do some damage control now after a "takeaway" weekend of bad choices!!
    But i will face the scales on Thurs nite n keep u posted xx

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    1. One of the most stressful things in the world.. I do not envy you... unless you've moved into a mansion with servants and a pool boy! LOL xxx

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  11. I chickened out, I didn't WI. 3 out of 5 of us were sick and I used it as an excuse to make poor convenient choices. I didn't plan, I didn't do a big shop, and I didn't track. I feel bad but not bad enough to let it ruin me, today was hard but I'm doing it one meal at a time. If I could stop thinking about food every waking moment I'd be grand..........well done this week x

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    1. Baby steps... literally in your case.. 12.5lbs down since we started this... life is full of shite that is sent to wreck our heads... its only a blip and there will be more blips... but giving up isn't an option... you're doing brilliantly and one bad week won't ever change that! xxx

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  12. Jelliebellie here after a mad holiday in France im up three pounds.Arrived home last night and weighed in this morning.Back to basics this week .I cant wait to get stuck in for the last few weeks !

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    1. oooh a mad holiday in France.. I need one of those... 3 lbs is nothing if you enjoyed every second of it! xxx

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  13. wow 7st 8lbs that's great. I am just starting out on my weight watchers journey, my first meeting was yesterday.

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    1. 7st 8 between us all so far! I tell you I'd have no motivation if people didn't keep me on my toes in here.. hope you're liking the programme.. x

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  14. Thank you so much for this advice. I have recently started weight watchers and I am finding it a challenge. Very inspiring blog.

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    1. Stick with it.. think less about the numbers and more on how you feel in your own skin x

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