*ding... ugh... ding* Round 4

I could start this post with a list of excuses... Being sick last week, being PMT'd this week, being busy at work... but I didn't track... I didn't move my butt as much as I usually do and as much as I rant about drinking water, I didn't listen to my own advice this week... so not surprisingly I'm up... I have this button in my head that I press, after a few weeks of doing well and I think I know it all... I don't track properly, I faff along thinking I'll be grand, and even though I knew I was going to be up... I had suspected 2... not 5.5! Was I tempted to binge out last night watching the bake off? Absolutely... but I've learned that it really doesn't help... and I know my gold card is still a long way off but if I keep feckin' about I'm never going to get there... ever... and that makes me sad... 

Last week I spoke to my doctor for the first time about skin removal... she said, if I keep going as I am, I should think about adding myself to the waiting list fairly soon... Blood pressure was good, blood sugars were normal, weight was down... she's delighted with me and for me! That conversation went through my head last night, when I was mulling my gain over and over... Is it always going to be one step forward, two steps back? Why can't I just get back in the zone? There is no reason.. I'm just standing in my own way like I did for so many years! So, I gave myself a good talking to! 

If there's one thing about JQ and I, we're all about the honesty, good or bad we fess up, what's the point otherwise?! It's not easy, it's not... every single pound we've lost on our journeys, we've had to work hard for... We both love to socialise and enjoy life, pizza is a food group in our world... and when we're in charge, calories will be free! Free for EVERYONE! (I mean if Trump can get as far as he has, we can certainly run for office next time it comes around! I'm happy to share the white house with him, it's HUGE! Plus think of the shopping in Washington!) But until then we're sticking to it... we've given each other a good talking to, lectures all round! There's 4 weeks left in this challenge, and the big 'C' is nigh so it's a loss every week! EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK! I'm determined to kick his skinny ass! Send all the happy tracking karma... 

I've added my forfeit to the pot! Remember we're doing this for our lovely leader and friend Catherine so if you'd like to donate to the cause we'd love that! >>> HERE <<<

and don't for get to cheer on her fab 'Cheerleaders' over on Facebook! >>> HERE <<< 

Continue Reading

*ding ding* Round 3!

Round 3! Three weeks into out 'Ready-to-Rumble' Challenge to get ourselves back on track and raise as much money as we can for our lovely leader and friend Catherine! 

This week I've been poorly... So drugged up to the hilt, no tracking and no exercise (even my eyelids hurt this week!) I honestly had no idea of how I was going to go at the scales... I'm a serial tracker... when I track, and track PROPERLY, I always have a good week... it's the weeks when I guess and don't measure stuff that I'm sitting in the car park outside class in dread! So this week I was hoping to break even... but clearly the 'UNIFLU' part of the plan works for me cause I'm down 2lbs! Can I also add that because I was in bed every night by 8:30pm and passed out it meant there was none of my usual late night snacking! This is one of my biggest triggers so I definitely learned something, up the stairs by 9pm! 

Mr. Q had a gain this week so it's dish up the dollars time! 

This week I have 3 outings, so I'm going to have to be super tough with my SmartPoints and with my appetite firmly on the way back, it's track track track all the way! But remember it's all about motivating your buddy, making it a bit fun and making lots of money for the charity so it's game on for week 4! You can support our challenge and donate to Breast Cancer Ireland >>> HERE <<< We all know someone who has been touched by cancer so every cent counts... it's much appreciated! 

Also check out Cathys Cheerleaders over on Facebook! They're well and truly into their training now! So show them a little support and shake your pom poms at em! >>> HERE <<< 

We're nearly half way through this challenge already?! Where is 2016 going?!? My bank account would also like to thank John for his donation this week, when pay day is SO far away! Why is September 6 weeks long?!?!?! 

Continue Reading

*ding ding* Round 2!

Week 2 of the 'Ready-to-Rumble' challenge done! 

The amazing John Q lost 4lbs this week! FOUR! Awesome! 

After a big loss last week, I wasn't expecting to be down at all if I'm honest, 

normally those weeks mean I stay the same but I'll take the 1.5lbs thank you very much! 

This brings our combined total loss so far in the challenge to 14lbs / 1 stone / 6.3kg! 

We've coughed up our weekly pledges... head over to the Charity page >>> HERE <<< if you'd like to donate to Breast Cancer Ireland on behalf of our lovely friend Catherine! Every penny helps and we all know someone facing that challenge today! 

Don't forget Cathy's Cheerleaders are training away... over 100 people have joined their mini marathon walk/jog/run/giggle now! 100!  You can support them over >>> HERE <<< with a cheer of encouragement! 

It's so good to see loads of people doing this with their best pals, I've had lots of messages and people tagging me in their charts! It's a great motivation to kick someone else's ass even every second week! Round 2 to JQ bring on Round three! Have a great week everyone! 

x

Continue Reading

ROUND 1 - Ready to Rumble Challenge!

In the early days of blogging, I was always very conscious of being 'preachy',  I don't know it all,I've never pretended to, I blog the good, bad and ugly of this weight loss journey... I wish I did know it all,  I'd be running the Barbados branches of Hendricks and Tayto! Both myself and John used to share blog posts to read through and worry if we came across like 'know it alls' or smug... how innocent we were! One of the things I love about John is his honesty... you get the 'I'm having ALL the pizza ' pics and the 'I don't wanna run today...' faces along with the silver sevens and the non scale victories... Losing weight is hard... and I truly believe I'm a lifer! I don't look good in orange but I have to watch what I eat forever and not like in the 'normal' person kinda way...  If I don't keep tabs on myself, I'll let my emotions get the better of me and I'll be right back where I started at deaths door... so despite the cliche... it really is a lifestyle!

Last week I was up... gloriously so, this is not an excuse or to dumb down this weeks weigh in but when you start back with a bang and are the model Weight Watchers child, the first week always goes well, I know it won't be this every week but it shows that when I do the plan, it only feckin' works! 

I KNOW! 

Between us, this week we've lost 8.5lbs / 3.85kg and the smack talk was minimal to be honest... although I did get a message wishing me well for class that was suspicious! 

Whaddyamean 'GOOD LUCK IN CLASS?!!  

The table stands like so... 

We've added to the kitty online... If you want to donate to the very worthy cause of Breast Cancer Research please do here >>> HERE <<< we'd really appreciate it!

and the best thing about all this... SO many people are doing it too! I've had leaders message me that they're doing them in class, my own leader had it printed out on the table for people to do, MAGIC! Over on Instagram there's lots playing along too... Husbands and wives, best pals and work colleagues... all supporting each other and nudging each other along yet no one brave enough to give in 'cause it's only another 7 weeks! That's half a stone left to lose! I can't wait to see how everyone does...  Now that everyone has put it down in writing they're committed to sticking to it! So we're all gonna be fab for halloween and half of you are going to win jackpots!!! YAY! 

Here's to week 2! Focus everyone... FOCUS! 

Continue Reading

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!

Good morning and welcome to the weight loss challenge of the year! This promises to be a classic in every sense of the word…  A clear battle between east and west… and ultimately the battle against breast cancer! 

In the pink corner, standing at 5’9" and a half, having lost over 133lbs, with a dangerously high nail polish addiction, representing Dundrum, Dublin FOUR (teen)... totes… The “NOT EVEN REMOTELY SKINNY YET" DOLL! 

AND in the blue corner, standing at 5’8”, having lost 99lbs, known to many as ‘19st to 10K’, training for his 9th marathon and fighting out of Oranmore, Galway… the undisputed marathon man of the west… and the tribesman to beat.. John ‘CEEGY’ QUINLIVAN! 

A battle of 8 rounds is ahead of us… ending in the "Ultimate Weight Loss Champion of the World, well our world anyways, being crowned for Halloween! We want a good clean fight… Nothing below the belt… no name calling, whinging or cheating at weigh ins… Plenty of smack talk allowed! 

So you want to join in on the action? Here’s how it goes...

Rules are… there ARE no rules! 

Well, technically there are but ya know… this is smack talk week!

So...

1.      Choose your opponent… and choose them wisely!

         Pick someone who will keep you on your toes,
         have a bit of fun with and you can beat easily!

2.      Commit to the 8 weeks and place your bets! 

         Whatever penalty works for you both… can be a euro a week! 

         Just remember the payout at the end and it's ALL about WINNING!

         John and I are adding to the kitty if we lose or win! 

         The sting is if we gain we're out of pocket even more 

         but the charity wins either way! 

3.      Weigh in weekly and add your money to the kitty!

         We'll be posting our weight losses on the blogs!

4.      Smack it to your opponent when you lose more than they do 

         and drive them nuts for the week till the next weigh in! 

5.      Download the chart below and keep score!

6.      After 8 weeks ETERNAL GLORY! WINNER takes all! 

If anyone has trouble downloading the score sheet I'll pop it up on my Facebook page too! 

>>> HERE <<< 

Continue Reading

A picture...

'A picture paints a thousand words...' 

How true is that quote? How often have you been moved by a photograph? Love, loss, memories, joy, hurt, pride... all the feels can be in a single picture... you can be so moved by something that was caught in a moment in time... I LOVE instagram! LOVE IT! I love seeing other peoples non-scale victories... I love seeing recipes, manicures, following peoples fitness regimes and all the positive stuff on there... I follow a lot of very positive and funny people, and often I'll check it in the morning and be inspired by someone elses breakfast to try something new... Many times I've been sitting on my bottom and I open it to see people 'Map my run' stats and I put on my trainers! There's the 'before and after' hashtags #transformationTuesday and #transformationThursday pics that are all the motivation you need! 

So... how about a picture challenge? Just for the month of May to keep everyone on track... I'm all about the motivation at the moment! They don't have to be personal pics, if you want to paste them to your Facebook page then go for it... but if you're on instagram and you fancy tagging along, please do! You never know what image will give you the push you might need... or what someone else does every day that might be a game changer in your journey! You'll also find some like minded people to follow, who are struggling or succeeding and happy to share their tips! 

The 'clues' (or are they called prompts?) are all about a healthy lifestyle, things that are good and bad... and how you interpret them is entirely up to you! If you're wearing something cute that's never fitted properly before that's 'green' on the 21st, share it! AND it's not like other challenges, you can do all the days or some of the days... just add the hashtag #wwphotoaday and then you can see what everyone else has posted! I'm dead nosy me! You don't have to be following weight watchers to do this either!!! It's open season to motivate each other whatever plan you follow! Starting this Friday... who's with me?!

You can find me >>>  HERE  <<< 

Continue Reading

100 days!

So... time to motivate this bottom of mine and get lighter for the next junket! I'm pretty sure I should have been an air hostess or at the very least be the wife of a hot airline pilot!!! Anyways... in 100 days I'm off on my USA road trip with my best pal and I want *cue spice girls song* I REALLY REALLY want... to have my 10th stone in my paws before I go... is it achievable? Absolutely... but will I sabotage myself? NOT THIS TIME MAMA! After my mental and wardrobe 'spring clean' it's time to focus on tracking, exercising, weighing portions and getting the last few stone gone!

So a 100 day countdown it is... my pink tracker will be with me at all times, a birthday gift that I'm going to use well! I've added my chart below, if anyone wants to try a challenge for themselves feel free to print it out and tag along with me! (I can email a PDF to anyone who would like it!) It's a 100 day countdown which will bring us to the 1st of August 2015 starting today! That's 14 weeks and 2 days! 1 lb a week is a stone lighter before you face the beach or bare all to the rest of the summer folk... think about it... 

I'll be doing a weekly countdown post, I'm going to exercise everyday so I'll track my progress on instagram, just to keep me even more accountable! So if you fancy it, tag along with me and set yourself a goal... want to fit into that bikini? Get into the next stone bracket? get a silver 7 or even hit goal? We all need something to keep us motivated and summers nearly here, and August is the month when everyone is in holiday mode, how do you really want to feel when it comes around... it's easy to get sidetracked and 'wait till the kids go back to school' ...but the arms will be out, flip flops donned, shorts and swimming cossies with limbs bared all over the shop! We all know that feeling of dread... well that could be gone and filled to the brim with the feeling of confidence! Imagine what you could lose in 100 days! Who's with me?!

Continue Reading

Happy Easter! x

And so the Easter challenge ends and what a success it was! Well done to everyone who took part and stuck with it!  I hope you're all enjoying your well earned Easter eggs... it was well worth the wait! It's great to see everyone motivating each other along the way! Weight Watchers Ireland and Choc Shot have given me some prizes to those who really stuck with it... so.... drum roll please...

1st place losing a fabulous total of -11lbs! 

Roisin C

Joint 2nd losing -10lbs each...

Caoimhe G & Jackie N

Joint 3rd place...

Kim F & Anne Marie McF

both losing -9.5lbs

If you could all send your postal address to ... theskinnydoll@gmail.com once I'm back from my holidays, I'll be sending you your goodies!

I hope you all have a lovely easter and that the chocolate isn't wrecking your heads too much! Just remember summer time is so close, so enjoy the day and onto the next challenge!

Here's my Easter egg... all the cute! 

Thanks again everyone, it's been the most successful challenge to date! 

Continue Reading

Easter Challenge - Weigh in 6

1 weigh in left! just one! So farthe loss has been... 

drum roll please... 

11st 2lbs! 

ELEVEN STONE AND TWO POUNDS!!!! 

Thank you so much to everyone who stuck with it... the motivation is just fantastic! 

Comment your losses below before Saturday and

I'll have the final chart up Sunday announcing the winners!

The goodies are all set to go too! 

There's the lowest chocolate treat you can get for Easter, 

Choc Shot and Choc Shot Orange from Sweet Freedom! 

Choc Shot 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

The latest Weight Watchers Cookbook and all sorts of other treats! 

If I've missed a weigh in or message, just shout! 

Continue Reading