You say it best...

I just watched Amy Schumer being interviewed by a radio station in Melbourne for her new movie...  (just google 'Amy Melbourne KIIS interview' you'll get it!), in which one of the presenters clearly offends Amy by his comments on her new movie, and she called him out on it... It got me thinking about how you react to negativity... and it comes it ALL shapes and forms... but your reaction will have an impact on you... and how you feel about you... and no one has the right to make you feel bad just by going about your day... Life is hard enough...

A jealous sibling, a parent who doesn't get it.. a friend who thinks 'you're GRAND the way you are...' Sometimes it's the people you least expect... It also comes from a strangers... I've had my fair share of comments from random stranger who believe they have a right to comment on me as I go about my day being a good citizen of the world... honestly with 8.5 stone gone and another 6+ to go I was BIG girl... but it didn't mean I should be a target for abuse.. and I was... I still am... kids just say what they like, 'look at that HUGE lady over there' ... they're hurtful little feckers who think they're funny but are easily put into place... They're mean to each other, tall kids, short kids you name it... once someone is 'different' or not they're version of 'normal' then they're fair game... we all remember the bullies in school... it's up to the parents to nip that in the bud!

Old people, the same... 'during the war we didn't have enough food to get that fat...' Followed but the killer 'but you're doing so well... such a pretty face...' Next time bring in our own wheelie bin lady!

Now before you think I'm going around shouting abuse at the children and elderly, I'm not... but I no longer believe in ignoring comments aimed at me... if I'm fair game, so is the next person they meet... If I'm the person to put a stop to them then I'll wear that t-shirt with pride! Like I said, if someone, anyone, is prepared to make a comment about me and how I look, then they must expect a response... Here's a few that I have perfected... feel free to use them when you need em!

Excuse me, but did you actually just say that? 

This one shames the shamer... and I'm not about making other people feel bad but a taste of their own medicine really doesn't hurt... plus if you've got the cahoonas to say something then you should be able to stand by it and explain it...  so question them... stop dead and look em in the eye and say it... watch em squirm...

So sorry I wasn't listening... Could you repeat that please? 

I love this one... being a bully isn't so funny the second time around... especially if it was said for effect... if they're playing to the crowd, the crowd doesn't laugh so hard at the same joke twice... you'll find a lot of mumbling when you do this... just end it with an 'I thought as much...'

You don't really expect me to answer that do you?

The higher road beckons you... just let them know that's where you'll be! With humans who have IQs higher than goldfish...

I really don't know how to answer that... 

This one comes after the 'death stare' ... look at them... tilt your head... a la Amy... ponder for a moment... THEN say it... practice it, it's VERY empowering!

Right...

This is all in the pronunciation... 'RIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT...' follow it up with a little sigh... end it with a ...

Whatever you say...

This screams of 'I just don't have the time, energy or inclination for you right now...' 'Unlike you I've got too much to do and TOO little time to do it!'

You're kidding, right?!? hold on... you ARE kidding, right?

I may recall I used this technique to give some helpful tips to some taxi drivers... >>> HERE <<<

Yup, I think we've reached the end of this conversation..

Ouch! Did you mean to be that rude?!

I think that was a bit rude.. 

All winners... call it like it is... 

I'm actually offended by that comment... 

Depends on who said it, this is for someone you know, your nearest and dearest can sometimes be the most hurtful, thinking they're 'helping' but you need to remind them you're not a personal project and you have feelings too!

I'm sure you didn't MEAN for that question/comment to be 

rude/ intrusive/inappropriate, but that's how it sounded

These are good for the oldies... I think there is a generation out there who just think it's OK to say anything cause they're old... they also think they can park anywhere and get away with it... but that's a WHOLE other post!

Help me understand why you think that was an appropriate thing to say - 

and why you think I should answer you

The 'kill em with kindness' response... Head tilt... Sad eyes... 'teach me oh wise one...'

'I just want to help you to heal' tone - think Miss America Pageant

Thank you.. we're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view... 

If in doubt... in your poshest accent... 

My apologies... I don't speak English... 

No one has the right to make you feel bad... and if you call them out on it, you may just spare someone else feeling miserable in the future... plus, you'll feel SO empowered... bullies don't know where you've been, how much you've lost, how hard it can be... they see an easy target and most think they can get away with it, and usually they do... not anymore folks... not any more! 

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'A' ... #XMAScountdown

OK you can unfollow and not read this blog anymore after reading this... but it is 26 weeks to Christmas Eve... 26!! TWENTY SIX! Yup... 26 weeks today we'll all be wrapping pressies, stuffing turkeys and hiding the tin of Roses... But anyone want to lose a stone and a half, can have it gone in time for Santa losing just 1lb a week.... I know, I know, people haven't even gone on summer holidays yet... me included but it will come whether we like it or not... and yes we can enjoy our hols and have a good summer... but why wait till September or Halloween to get on track when you could be losing a little all the way along... and only have to face the damage after holidays, rather than hopping on the scales in October and realising you have even more to lose than you thought... Start this week... one small change... and for the next 26 weeks I'm going to be doing my 'Weight Watchers Alphabet Countdown'... First up the letter 'A' (obviously...)

Honestly the best word to kick it all off is ATTITUDE! If you don't have the right attitude... it won't happen for you... and even if you can't muster it up.. FAKE IT! Everyone has bad weeks... but if you march into class, put your paws up and say I know I'm up but today I'm starting afresh... you'll have a much better chance at getting to goal sooner than waiting till 'Monday', or when the kids are back at school or after Halloween...  Attitude comes from within... and you might think you're being 'full of yourself' but the way you feel about yourself sets the tone throughout your life.. if you feel shite, and think you're worthless, then that's how you will treat yourself.. if people think they can take advantage of you then they will.. you have the power to stand up and fight for your little space.. and you are in charge of your body... filling it with rubbish will make you feel rubbish... caring for it will make you feel amazing... 

Stand strong and admit you're changing your lifestyle for the better.. let friends, colleague, family .. whoever know this is a long term thing... you're not a spoil sport in fact you're doing everyone a favour and by the time Santa gets here you'll be in that sexy little black number and not face planting the selection box waiting for the 'January resolutions' to start again... It's a healthy lifestyle... and you do that by making healthy choices the majority of the time...

Change your attitude by changing the way you talk to yourself... it's very easy to talk yourself into and out of things... it's not that your CAN'T have the fun things.... you're just choosing to have them less frequently and in moderation... change CAN'T into CAN! You CAN and you WILL get to goal... you CAN and you WILL feel better in your own skin... so work the attitude this week people! 

INSPIRATIONAL 'A's...

A great blog to follow for healthy recipes is A Better Me... All from the Weight Watchers Leader of the year so you know it's all good for you... Check out Verette  HERE 

'A' RECIPE...

Try this lovely Asian Fruit Salad for 1PP! The recipe is HERE ... Honestly it's SO easy to do and SO refreshing for the summer! Make it up the night before to let the flavours really absorb into the fruit! 

'A' list ZERO HEROS... 

Apples

Apricots (fresh)

Artichoke

Asparagus

Aubergine

All Spice

Artificial Sweetener

and remember, this week... WORK IT GIRLFRIEND! 

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Boohoo SS2015

Spring is here.. clocks are right back where they belong.. the daffs are out and the weather will cooperate! It will, no it will... positive thinking and all that! 

I have only recently discovered BOOHOO.COM's plus size collection, they won Cosmopolitans 'Best Dressed Curves 2014!' In a word SASSY! 

The GORGEOUS Nadia Aboulhosn... rocks every single thing she puts on! I dare anyone to body shame this woman! SHE IS HAWT!

 

I was at BooHoos Spring/Summer launch and I'm just going to let the pictures do the talking! Can I just say, I'm SO glad the 70s look is back in... Gorgeous crochet and lace additions to soft flowing fabrics... I'm gonna go all Charlies Angels on you this summer, just watch! 

Come on... you knew I'd find the shoes first! LOOK! and the shades... too cute! 

First up... the details... 

and some hippy chick LOVE to share... the pics don't do the colours any justice... 

If you've got good legs... you need these shorts.. 

if you don't... get squatting and lash on the fake tan... we don't have much time! 

the fabric is so soft, and they're SO flattering... 

Next up... white is always a summer colour 

and these pieces all have beautiful crochet, lace and fringe detailing... 

Cutest dress on the rails for sure! 

See, Charlies angels! Gorgeous white blazer with a 'D ring' buckle belt,

I'm pretty sure Farrah Fawcett Majors had one just like this...

again the fabric as so soft, it just hung beautifully!

What?!? Just cause I can't eat them doesn't mean I can't wear them... 

Cute T-shirt from the Mens Collection

Check out the #WeAreUs to see more!

Did I mention the shoes?! *drools*

There was ice cream too! and sorbet to get us in the summer mood... 

Watch... The heatwave will come, I tell ya!

Have a peep on your lunch break and check it out! Don't forget look in the 'sale' section too... some fabliss bargains to be had! They do sizes up to 26 and the fit is bang on! I've ordered two things from them and was delighted with the cut, fabric and fit of both!

Online >>> HERE <<<

and the Boohoo Plus Size range... >>> HERE <<< 

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Stick with it...

So... let's go over the last few weeks... 3 gains! Not exactly 'Miss Inspirational 2015' now am I?! Put the tiara away lads... The first one +0.5lb I totally deserved, there was cocktails, rashers and rugby and it was epic... I think I used my 49 weeklies nearly 3 times in fact the scales should have been MUCH worse! 

The other two, NO WAY! I was that model student... the class swot... and wouldn't you know... after all the drama and sads of the last week... can I remind you of the 'Tesco-crying-in-the-car-park-incident'... a massive loss! 6.5lbs! I KNOW!

Last week when I was an emotional wreck, someone very wise told me...

If you've earned it... the scales will reward you... 

maybe not today... may be not this week but if you've worked for it.. it will show! Our bodies work on their own system so our metabolism, extra exercise, medication all work against it and it rebels... so let it catch up with you... I don't work for Weight Watchers but I can tell you this for sure... if you do the programme properly... it works!

So the lesson this week... no giving up... Last week I was totally prepared to throw in the towel, take a couple of weeks off until after my holiday and live with the consequences... how happy am I today! 

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Weigh in 5! Easter Challenge!

2 weigh-ins to go... just two! Where did those weeks go?! So... 2 weigh-ins means 2 lbs... could be enough to put you into a new stone on the scales, might get you a silver 7, will definitely make a pair of jeans a little looser! So after a disastrous week in my camp... between a day out with mum for Mothers Day, Paddies Day and the rugby celebrations it's time to get the heads down and really focus...


The lovely people in Weight Watchers Ireland have donated their new cookbook and some other goodies as prizes, and it's a good one, so two more losses and there will be post for someone!!! If you're struggling, read some of the success stories on their website, you'll see just how everyone struggles and loses focus along the way but you can get back on track I promise! Plus the ProPoints calculator is a god send when you're stuck! >>> HERE <<<

Also the lovely people in Choc Shot have given me some of their Chocolatey goodness to curb the Easter egg cravings and reward the losses! I love the plain stuff... just enough in a drizzle to curb those cravings... >>> HERE <<< but the orange has that extra kick!!!! Low GI / GL; suitable for diabetics, vegetarians and vegans; GM, dairy and gluten Free, its a choc fix for pretty much everyone! Its also very versatile... check out some fabulous recipes online here >>> HERE <<< 

It ProPoints like so... 

1 tsp, 5g - 0PP

2 tsp 10g - 1PP 

3 tsp 15g - 1PP

4 tsp 20g - 2PP

5 tsp 25g - 2PP

6 tsp 30g - 2PP

7 tsp 35g - 3PP

8 tsp 40g - 3PP

9 tsp 45g - 3PP

10 tsp 50g - 4PP 

Whole bottle 320g - 24PP

Chart below... if I've missed you out just shout here or on the post on the FB page... >>> HERE <<< Only two weeks left!!! 

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Skinny-butt-kicking-karma please...

I don't usually make a blog post about my weigh-ins but today was just disastrous and I'm all about sharing the good and the bad on this trip...

I'm up 2.5lbs this week... 2.5!!! Holding the tears back at the scales... I know I'm PMT'd, I'm practically a human fish bowl, I know I was good, I didn't go mad for Paddies Day and I know it will probably show next week but that feeling of failure is still there after all this time... That feeling of giving up never really leaves you...

I went food shopping at lunchtime and had a little cry in the car... apologies to anyone who saw the snivelling women giving herself a good talking to in the mirror in Tescos car park around 1.30pm... silly I know but sometimes it just seems like I'm never going to get there but you know what, a good cry really helps! Yes I'm 5 dress sizes smaller, yes I can do things I couldn't do three years ago... but it's still hard... really hard sometimes...

Class today was all about positivity and honestly every one of us left feeling positive... many of us were in the 'I wasn't going to come group...' 

My awesome leader Michelle said one thing that stuck with me today...

So that is what I've done... What's done is done... Time to put the arse back in gear and keep going! The weekly shop is done and all the good stuff is in the house... I have kicked myself in the butt and am not giving up... come too far on this road to stand still because of one weigh in!

Send all the 'skinny-butt-kicking-karma' my way... ta x

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Skinny Bunny Weigh in 3!

Weigh-in 3! Losses all over the place! Just at the half way mark now, so stick with it... come Easter Sunday you can still be down a quarter of a stone! It would be nice to have that in the bag before all the summer stuff hits the shops and we're stripping off for a heatwave... what?!? I'm an optimist!

Willpower is in the mind... If you want it badly enough... you will do it... if you put a bit of faith in yourself... you will get there!

Check in below, if I've missed anyone or it slipped by just shout, I'll be removing those who haven't weighed in so far after this week ... and if you can't comment below, the post will be up on the Facebook Page, post your losses there and I'll catch them >>> https://www.facebook.com/TheSkinnyDoll

In four weeks you can be down 4lbs... 4lbs closer to goal, you're worth the effort... so stick with it.. on Easter Sunday you can have your choccie egg knowing you've earned it rather than eating it feeling guilty and facing the summer having to start again! 

Next week I'll be spilling the beans about the prizes for this challenge... EXCITED MUCH! x

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The girl on the right... x

I rarely feel the need for a little 'foreword' on my posts but this one is an exception... I have been lying awake worrying about it... it's been in the 'drafts' box for over a week now... I have thought about editing it, deleting it and just forgetting about it but it was written in a moment of clarity/rage/sadness when I saw this picture... but I decided to be brave and just 'let it go' as Elsa says... There were tears writing it... tears of sadness, tears of regret and happy tears... Today is an very big day for me... and I've finally realised that I need to cut that imaginary 'line' that was connecting me to the past and everything that just totally sucked about it... I have been stuck, very stuck... my epic February 'Spring-Clean-Your-Life-Doll...' has cleared the cobwebs... it's made me realise that I am definitely not the person I used to be (deep huh!?) nor is it the person I want to be anymore... I'm exhausted trying to be both... I've realised it's not about making everyone else happy, it's about making me happy... and if I'm honest, I'm scared to let the past go... I know nothing about my new comfort zone... This pit stop over the last couple of weeks has given me time to see how far I've come... what I've achieved and what I really, REALLY want to do for the rest of my time on this little rock spinning through space... so go easy with me... it's 'totes emosh' as the kids say... 

The girl on the right... is on top of the world... no really, she's on top of the Rockefeller Centre in NYC... It's her birthday and she's smiling, so she must be happy right? It's sunny... she's in New York... what's not to be happy about?!? But she is dying inside... embarrassed, ashamed, mortified... she struggled to get there but pushed through the sore knees, aching back and made it, flustered and breathless but endlessly cheery, so she didn't show up her friends... she carried her coat the entire holiday to use it as a cover to hide her hideous body... she cringed when a stranger took her camera to take a group photo... knowing they were probably, no, definitely judging her... she breathed in deep, thinking it might make SOME kinda of difference... she stood on the edge so if anyone wanted they could cut her out of it... she panicked in restaurants that she shouldn't fit in a booth... she was deeply sad and depressed... she was miserable... 

The girl on the left... is a very different birthday girl... she's at ground zero in Dublin... She's not smiling so much, this journey has been lonely and harder than she thought, but she's brave enough to take a selfie these days... something the girl on the right would never do... She can wear a dress to work and not feel as ashamed as she used to... she's judged on her worth, talent, personality and ability unlike the girl on the right... who got looked up and down many times before anyone took her seriously... she had to prove her worth over and over again... she feels 'normal' now...

The girl on the left, looks in the mirror sometimes and thinks... 'you look OK today...' She can face the world and not get shouted at on the street... or slagged off by some random stranger... people in shops don't look down their nose at her... people don't stare at her in restaurants or comment on what she eats... no one makes her feel like she shouldn't be there...  but sometimes she only sees the girl on the right in the mirror looking back...

I have asked friends and relations to send old photos they have of me... I have none... I dodged nearly every camera at every event and took pictures of everyone else, pulling a Mrs. Doyle from Father Ted attitude ... 'will you all just get in the picture and hurry up! I'm graaaand' kinda tone... So it's very difficult to see me as I really was... I thought I looked  'OK'... I was massively in denial... and very broken...  

The girl on the right was a doormat... freeloaders took advantage of her kindness and people-pleasing ways... she thought that she had to do everything for everyone so they would like her... she got used and walked on by selfish people who thought they could dump their problems on her but never listen to hers... so she internalised them... got sad and lonely... she comforted her depression with food... she abused her body to ease the pain... Her real friends stuck by her... for that she will be eternally grateful...  

The girl on the left... has a 'Fuck. Right. Off!' attitude to most things these days and it's very refreshing... she's kinda sad she lost that over the years, that she wasn't as strong as she should have been... she was hiding behind that blanket of fat, it protected her from the world but it also trapped her...

The girl on the right... she's gone... 

The girl on the left... is both happy and sad about that... she mourns the loss of time and energy she invested in people, colleagues, 'family' who thought she was just useless and would never be good enough, and all the sleepless nights of self doubt... she's sad the girl on the right never went out and lived her bestest life... and that she missed out on so much... she pities her but she's happy to wave goodbye to her... and start living her life without feeling worthless... if you don't like her, she really doesn't care anymore... she doesn't have any time to waste worrying about it... 

Sometimes you've got to take a step back and see how far you've come before you just give up... This is my 'pit stop' at the moment... No one finds it easy... No one knows all the answers... and everyone struggles... but to take a look at where you started and where you are now, it one of the best parts of the journey...

There's another girl to come... she's a bit of a diva... but she's gonna be mad craic lads... just you wait! 

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