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Feb 27, 2016

March #WWPHOTODAY

March! MARCH is upon us already! Wasn't it New Years Eve only last weekend?!?! EEK!

For those who do the #WWPHOTOADAY challenge over on Instagram here's my fav month!
St. Patricks Day, Easter, my birthday... love it! Plus daffodils, rugby and the evenings getting bright!

Play along everyday or just pop in whenever you fancy and don't forget to use the # so you can see what everyone is up to... it's great for sharing ideas and getting tips!

Can't wait to see this months pics... you'll find me >>> HERE !




Feb 23, 2016

PaddyOs Granola

One for the Granola fans this week,
although high in points it's a nice change sometimes
and can add a bit of crunch to desserts, for 20g these are 3SP,
PaddyO's is an Irish brand and you all know I'm about support the local businesses!
I spotted these in Supervalu... anyone tried them?
xxx



PaddyOs Granola with Strawberry & Apple per 40g serv - 6 SP


PaddyOs Granola & Berries per 40g serv - 6 SP



PaddyOs Granola with Fruit & Seeds per 40g serv - 6 SP



PaddyOs Granola with Apple & Cinnamon per 40g serv - 6 SP




Feb 22, 2016

100 days... 2016!




Regulars on here will know I do this little challenge annually! a 100 day countdown! Just a little something to print out, stick on the fridge and see how many good days you can have out of 100... Today is Feb 22nd... and in 100 days it will be June 1st... yup.. Summer will be here in full swing... and as usual I'm expecting a heat wave and water shortages... ahem... what?!?! A girl can dream, no?!

So where do you see yourself in 100 days time? How much lighter will you be? Will those snug jeans slip over the booty comfortably? Will you be happy to hop on a plane to somewhere warm and swan about in shorts or a sleeveless sun dress? You will be surprised at how quickly the time will fly by... we're already nearing the end of February!!! Wven with an extra day this year it will be Easter soon, then the May bank holidays and then it's summer! I'm off to print mine out and stick it on the fridge! I've even bought some 'bling' stickers to highlight the days I'm 100% on track! So who's with me? 



Feb 19, 2016

Instagram!


Instagram is my favourite social media, probably because you don't get any drama, or back chat like FaceBook and you can linger for as long as you like, unlike Twitter... It's just full of beautiful pictures, funny inspirational quotes, delicious food and puppies! Plus you get to have a good old nosy in other peoples day! It's the first thing I check in the morning whilst I'm boiling the kettle, seeing peoples breakfasts or the fact they've just come back from the run puts my arse firmly in gear... I've never met these people, but there are so many who keep me on track... Here are just a few of my favs!



Fellow blogger, Zoe from 59lbs to go makes me hungry but also makes me want to get up early 
and run... and remember I don't run! Great for recipes!
You'll find her >>> https://www.instagram.com/zedc/



State who posts her journey over on SoupDragon67 has lost an incredible 118lbs! 



Gina is one of my favourite weight loss bloggers... her food looks incredible, like 'lick the screen' kinda good! Tonnes of ideas!  Gina is >>> https://www.instagram.com/skinnytaste/



Lou is a WW gold member and is maintaining her 30b weight loss... 
lots of motivation and her baked oats recipe is a classic in my house!




The amazing Sasha posts over on FatTummyToYummyMummy and is FAB-U-LOUS! 
A WW UK Cover gal and gold member losing 41lbs! 




Arielle Says is the account I check out every lunchtime... Variety is the spice of life and she makes a sandwich look divine and different every single day! You'll find here >>> 




Of course I can't forget the mother ship! The WeightWatchers account is ALL of the positive stuff! 




and lil old me, just posting all the things I like...
trying to stay positive and losing it now pound at a time! 


Feb 18, 2016

Snack-a-jacks...

For the savoury and the sweet teeth! I'm big fan of the cheese ones... satisfies that 'crisp' craving!
Great for using with lunch as crackers... There's 12 of these in a pack so they're one of the biggest rice cakes around, I'm all about the portion size! Anyone tried these? Let me know! x



Snack a Jacks Cheese flavour - 
1 - 1SP
2 - 2SP
3 - 3SP


Snack a Jacks Salt & Vinegar flavour - 
1 - 1SP
2 - 2SP
3 - 3SP


Snack a Jacks Chocolate chip flavour -
1 - 2SP
2 - 5SP


Snack a Jacks Caramel flavour 
1 - 2SP
2 - 4SP
3 - 6SP



Feb 17, 2016

Listen...




This time of year is typically when resolutions are fading fast and people quit their diets.... We all start thinking we 'can't' do it... 'I'm fed up...' But remember the day you started, remember THAT voice in your head, who was determined and positive, remember the reason why you walked through the doors to class, that photo, how miserable you felt, the clothes that are just too tight... 

It's a wet, cold, miserable Wednesday... The perfect recipe to stage dive off the wagon and think that treating yourself with food is going to make you feel better, but it's only temporary... don't ignore that little voice who is whispering 'don't give up... Not now... we'll get through it...' That little voice is who you really are... And it's telling you what you really, really want... and that's, dont give up... Keep going and in a few days, a week even a month, you'll be glad you didn't give up on you... xxx  



Feb 16, 2016

Kitty O'Byrnes Turf Sauce!


You may recall a few weeks ago I did my version of the 'pizza wrap' and I wanted to do a BBQ chicken kinda flavour, well I used this TURF sauce from the Kitty O'Byrnes range which we had over Christmas... recipe is >>> HERE 


Kitty O'Byrnes Turf Sauce
15g tbsp - 1SP
30g - 2SP
290 g bottle 22SP

I love this sauce, as it's packed with flavour... For me doing WW means herbs and spices are SO important and anything I can use to substitute butter/spread and add flavour at the same time is a win/win! So try these on burgers, with sausages, your sandwiches or wraps or even to marinate your meat in... it really changed up my chicken pizza for only 2 SP, and honestly a little goes a long way flavour wise... a 15g - 30g spoon full is loads! Variety is the spice of life so it's worth trying something new to mix it up a little no? There's new packaging now so keep your eyes peeled...



Kitty O'Byrnes Smoked Turf Sauce & Marinade is exactly that... Smoky... This is the BBQ flavour you're looking for ... for a ham sandwich or a drizzle on top of a pizza, it's lush! 
 15g - 1SP
30g - 2SP
290g bottle - 18SP


Kitty O'Byrnes Sweet & Tangy Turf Sauce & Marinade is more like 
a sweet-pickly-kinda-chutney flavour... This is fab as a dip with your veggies! 
 15g tbsp - 1SP
30g - 2SP
290g bottle - 18SP


and the lastly Kitty O'Byrnes Hot Turf Sauce & Marinade... 
no body panic its not a 'blow the roof off your mouth' kinda hot 
but it does have little heat in it which those of the spicy persuasion would love!
I'm going to use this one to try my version of spicy chicken wings this week! 
I'll pop the recipe up if it's a success!
 15g tbsp - 1SP
30g - 2SP
290g bottle - 18SP




Feb 15, 2016

Sharing is caring...



No one is an expert... in life, in knowledge and especially in weight loss...  I've often had digs from people telling me I think I 'know it all', that I know 'EVERYTHING', especially when I have a gain, people like to put me back in my box like I've deserved it... Sadly, it's very much an Irish thing but it's something I've never claimed... I'm just a normal person, trying to lose weight and get healthy, who one day decided to document her journey online... and if I did 'KNOW IT ALL', I wouldn't need to lose another 7 stone would I?

I take pictures of food that I like and that I would like to know the SP values of, so if they do accidentally 'fall' in my trolley, I'm not going to have a melt down when I go home... 
My phone is full of screen grabs of recipes and products I want to try, shared by other members, and products I should avoid like the plague... I've learnt so much from other people who are doing this journey too and if they hadn't shared their tips, recipes, highs and more importantly their lows, I'd be doing it alone and I wouldn't be successful, that's something I know for sure... 

Anyone can work out the SmartPoints of something, so it's not a skill that's exclusive to certain members... 

Sharing my journey and the stuff I find along the way has made it easier, more fun and included me in a group of people who are doing it too... today, share one tip or a recipe or a product with someone who you know is struggling, someone who's had a good week, if you've had good week tell someone how you think this week was better than last week... if you're struggling ask someone what they did differently, it may be the one tip that makes a difference to your week... 

and remember... sharing is caring... 

Feb 8, 2016

ONLY...






C'mon now, honestly... what do you think when you hear the word 'ONLY'?


I am an only child, I'm not spoilt, genuinely I'm not, my folks went to Australia with the shirts on their backs, good work ethics and sheer determination to make something better for themselves and they did but money was tight like everyone else who had emigrated back in the 70s, and my mum was all over discipline, when she said 'no' she meant it... it wasn't up for negotiation, that still stands today! I was spoilt ONLY with time and love... and people often feel sorry for me, which I just don't get... My mum is the eldest of 12 children and my dad is in the middle of 10 siblings but I had an idyllic childhood... I'm very privileged and very lucky, I know this... We travelled around the world because of my dads job and my mums wanderlust, which I definitely have, as soon as my plane lands in Dublin airport, I'm booking a flight anywhere I can afford! Still... being an only child wasn't a bad thing... Did I miss out not having siblings? I don't think so, how can you miss what you don't understand... Would life have been different? Probably but we'll never know will we... people often pity me because I'm an only child, but I wouldn't want it any other way to be honest... my mum and dad are my best friends...



There are so many ways people use the word only... with Valentines day just around the corner every where is bedecked in 'for your one and only...' ... to think you are the one and the only one for someone is wonderful...



However... in the last few weeks I've seen people losing 'ONLY 2 lbs' ... 'ONLY half a pound' ...'ONLY 1 lb' ... people, if you were in the class last December, you would have been a hero and given a tiara for ONLY losing anything!  Like with all weight loss programmes, the first week is a shock to the system... big losses are inevitable... and some people can continue those all the way to goal and good on them... but most people lose weight the healthy way... 1 - 2 lbs a week.. that's the way it's going to STAY off... we've all done fad diets.. shakes.. juices... cabbage... grapefruit.. you name it, I have a lot of t-shirts, and lost the pounds needed to get into a frock for a 'do' but it always goes back on because the 'quick fix' is just that.. QUICK... not permanent... if any of those fads worked, we'd all be skinny and I'd be a travel blogger... Drastic changes to the system makes us drop weight quickly... When you use a quick fix, the results disappear quickly, I know I've tried... but remember maintaining is a victory some weeks, knowing you've been bold and ONLY putting on a half a pound is a victory, hopping on the scales doubting yourself and seeing a loss means you're subconsciously making better choices and that's a victory, being up even after a good week is crap, but if you worked for it, it will show... staying the same but needing a pin to keep your pants up, is a victory... losing ONLY a pound is the perfect way to do it... 1lb a week is over 3 stone and a half stone a year! And losing a pound a week is a steady, healthy way to do it, so you can still enjoy life, you all know I'm all over having fun! My friends son is just over 6 stone, and when I tried to pick him up I couldn't... yet I've ONLY lost one and a half of him... think about it... Next time you're in the supermarket, pick up a pound of butter and imagine that pound of lard ONLY strapped to your belly, thighs or arse... see what I mean...


We are all part of an elite club... we all GET each other... Our skinny friends, relations, colleagues just think we can ONLY have one slice of birthday cake and we can't! So surrounding yourself with people who get it is important... We're all in the weight loss boat together, and we all here support each other... and that's the ONLY thing we need to remember...



The only ONLY you should know! 
(If you don't know who this is.. we can't be friends!) 




Feb 5, 2016

Oh flip...

It's happening, it's happening on Tuesday... 
and here's some ready mixes you'll see on the shelves over the next few days,
brace yourselves... 


Sowan's Spelt Pancake Mix, 250g pack - 23SP
Per 40g serve made with eggs and whole milk - 1SP


Pure Bred Bakery Pancake mix, gluten & wheat free, per 140g pack - 20SP
You just add water to this mix... 


Oldies Perfect Pancake Flour per 250g (half pack) - 24SP
You need to add eggs and milk to this mix... 


Odlums Crepe Style Pancake Mix, per 250g tub - 32SP
You need to add milk to this mix... 


Oldies American Style Pancakes per 300g tub - 44SP
I KNOW!!! 
You need to add milk to this mix...


Odlums Gluten Free Pancake Mix, per 175g tub - 19SP
You need to add milk to this mix... 



Home Cook Pancake mix per 400g mix - 14SP



Gilbert American Ready Made Pancakes, for 400g, 8 pancakes - 64SP
NOT A TYPO!!!! I checked these 20 times! Run away! 



Galbert Large Ready Made Pancakes for 540g, 8 pancakes - 38SP



Galberts Mini Pancakes, per 300g bag - 37SP