'Y' #xmascountdown

'Y' is for 

YOU! You are the reason you are doing this... YOU want Your body to feel better... You want to look good and be able to do things without getting breathless and looking like a beetroot! If YOU're in a better frame of mind every benefits and YOU and your loved ones are worth it... 

I've always said it's not selfish to take some time out and just take care of yourself... You can be a better person if you're in a better frame of mind, being unhappy.. spreads unhappiness... 

So take care of you and the world benefits!

'Y' RECIPE

Two recipes from Nancy from Skinny Kitchen >>> HERE <<< 

Frozen Yogurt Dots! A quick and easy sweet treat! 

Recipe >>> HERE <<<

Any Skinny Feta Yogurt Dip! This is amazing! Recipe >>> HERE <<< 

'Y' INSPRIATION 

Sheryl is one of the first weight watcher bloggers I followed when I started blogging... She is amazing... and she has a pink cruiser which is on my list when I get to goal! Check her out >>> HERE

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'X' - #xmascountdown

'X' is for ...

eXcuses... and this time of year there are plenty...

'sure it's only a few weeks till the new year I'll start back then..'

'It's miserable out there... I'll go for my walk tomorrow...'

'Oh feck it, it's Xmas I'll have a few sweets... I'll be EXTRA good when I get home... ' 

or 

'The dress won't fit me anyway so I might as well forget it...' 

familiar anyone? 

The average amount that people put on over xmas is between 5 and 7 pounds... you add the weeks running up to Xmas and the week between it and New Year... there's a lot of time to do a lot of damage ... There are 21 meals in a week... you are in control of all of them... having fibre rich, low PP breakfasts will allow you to save some points for the festivities, keeping up the water intake will make you feel better and less sluggish, and realising you won't dissolve in the rain if you eXercise, means that you can have your Forrero Rocher and eat it! 

No one wants to be a spoil sport but binging will only lead to you feeling rubbish... tired... and like you can't ever get back in control... I don't want to start the new year needing to lose weight I've already lost! PLUS I want to look and feel comfortable and happy when I'm out over Xmas... not Miss "I'm-doing-WW-I'm-no-fun-wait-till-next-year-lads' ... Have a G&T, and a slice of Auntie Marys Plum pudding... it's legendary but don't let it spiral out of control to a point where you just feel miserable and guilty for enjoying something and having some fun... If you do lose the plot, get over yourself and back on the wagon, guilt is just a wasted emotion and won't help anyone least of all you... you can end up in a vicious circle of binging and feeling guilty for it and going no where fast... Every day is a fresh start, and just remember Xmas is only one day... 

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'W' - #xmascountdown

'W' is for... 

WATER hardest thing to get into us this time of year... and the experts will tell us that bine times out of ten we're thirsty rather than hungry.. so here's some tips.. 

There's a fab cordial from MiWadi that is sweetened with Steiva, a natural sugar and it's lovely... 

also leave your water at room temperature... it can be easier to drink it when it's not so cold...

If cordial isn't your thing, mix some fruit juice through your water... just enough to give it a bit of colour and flavour... slice up some oranges, plums, lemons whatever takes your fancy and let it steep in the fridge over night... it's SO good! I did a post earlier in the year >>> HERE <<< 

Leave a water bottle everywhere!!! On your desk, in the car, side pocket of your sports bag.. you name it there's a half a bottle of water there that I've left behind... I drink pint of water if I'm waiting for the kettle to boil... especially at this time of year, when it's so easy to grab cup of tea and a biccie! It makes me feel fuller and I'm not so quick to reach for the goodies with my cup of tea... 

WALKING 

You don't need a gym, a personal trainer... you need to put one foot in front of the other and repeat! It really is SO good for you and I know this time of year isn't great for getting out but try a few times a week to hit the pavement... meet a pal and chin wag your way around the park before you know it you're done and you're up to speed on all the goss! 

WRITE

Yup, she's on about tracking... again!!! But honestly, one week of tracking will open your eyes to exactly what you're eating and when... best tool in Weight Watchers in my opinion and FREE! 

'W' RECIPE 

Welsh Rarebit... I mean with cheese... all melty... *drools*  Perfect comfort food for this weather... 

You can find the recipe >>> HERE <<< 

'W' INSPIRATION

Check out the amazing Weight Loss Bitch... I have been following this journey religiously since I discovered her on Twitter! Every post, I nod along, cry, laugh and have all the feels with her posts... her journey is inspirational and honest... Check her out >>> HERE <<<

Another of my fav bloggers is Rebecca from Weight Wars... another girl who writes her journey with passion and honesty... Find her >>> HERE <<< 

'W' ZERO HEROS

Water chestnuts

Watercress

Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp, 15ml - 0PP 

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'V' - #xmascountdown

'V' is for

Veggies... Yup... all the goodness, no processing... full of flavour and seasonal... Its the one big change most people make, and once you learn to love them and cook with them and flavour them correctly you can have the best diet going and not feel like it's a diet... your skin improves, you have more energy the list is endless... If you can't bare the thought of shopping for veg all the supermarkets deliver now or check out Nudiesfoods.ie ... they deliver custom made boxes of fruit and veg to your home or office... so being too busy isn't a good enough excuse! Check out the kind of boxes they supply >>> HERE <<< 

'V' INSPIRATION...

Oh My Veggies is another fantastic blog to follow... when anyone says veggies are boring and all taste the same I send them here! AMAZING recipes full of variety and flavour! GO follow! >>> HERE <<< 

'V' RECIPE

and no, it's not all veggies today... if you love a bit of cheesecake, check out this Vanilla Cheesecake from the WW UK site for only 6PP a slice *drools* ... recipe >>> HERE <<< 

Can't believe we're so close to Xmas now! Stick with it everyone, you'll be so happy you did! x

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'U' - #xmascountdown

'U' is for... 

Understand... if you know the programme... whatever program you are following... if you get it and you've read your books through and through.. then all you have to do it do it... but if you're confused... or not sure then you could be making basic mistakes, pointing wrong... not weighing things correctly... this week, take out your books and read them cover to cover.. you might discover that you're doing something very small, that's stopping your weight loss... 

Unbelievable... that's you... you will surprise yourself... if you put your mind to it, you will take a look back in a few weeks and think 'wow did I really do that?!?!' Many people who have lost a lot of weight genuinely don't feel like they've done something exceptional... But the old cliche surfaces every time.. 'If I can do it.. anyone can... ' and it's SO true... 

Ugh... The frustration when you HAVE done it right and you HAVE weighed, walked and drunk all the water.. but sometimes your body can be week behind an you have to be a little kinder to yourself... as my leader says if you worked for it the scales will reward you.. 

'U' INSPIRATION ...

This week it is a fantastic app... the Ultimate Food Diary is a great app to have on your phone for tracking your food on the go, and visualising your losses... It's in the APP store for both Apple and Android! >>> HERE <<< 

'U' RECIPE - 

is from Weight Watchers the Ultimate Burger is a simple but VERY tasty recipe to fix that meaty craving! You can find it >>> HERE <<< 

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'S' - #xmascountdown

'S' is for... 

Success... Now anyone who knows me, knows I've got the pom poms out when someone loses half a pound... As someone who is chipping away at weight loss VERY slowly... I know how hard it can be for someone to lose half pound, PCOS just adds to the misery and in fact, some weeks, I'm celebrating staying the same ... but success can be measured in so many ways... walking up the stairs without feeling breathless... zipping up a pair of jeans with ease, ones that were VERY snug! Someone saying 'you're looking well' and knowing you feel it... and 5 lbs to someone is the very same as 5 stone to someone else, it's all relative... so celebrate the little successes along the journey... They have been well earned and it's hard for some of us to lose weight and a round of applause can really be a positive thing! 

Soup... It's the time of year for it and there are SO many good versions online... but come spring time I'd rather go to the dentist than see another butternut squash... so add some Spices... they add such variety to your meals, can curb your hunger and will release all the feel good endorphins! 

Here's some of the things I add to mine to spice things up ... >>> HERE <<<

Salt... yes it's bad for you... it will make you bloat, it will make you hungry and thirsty, so keep an eye on it if you're a little heavy handed with the cellar! 

Sleep... it's a known fact that lack of sleep can add to weight gain, but with such busy lives it can be hard to turn in early... so set yourself some rules... turn off the internet and get into a routine to help you drift off... do an at-home beauty treatment, catch up on your fav book, I've a stack of cookbooks beside my bed it's not even funny! Wind down and give yourself a chance to really rest and relax... it'll make all the difference...  

'S' INSPIRATION

If I'm ever stuck for something to cook and need some inspiration I always head to one my fav bloggers 'Skinny Jeans and the In-betweens' ... Irish blogger Diane, makes healthy and lighter versions of all the classes and her recipes are DELICIOUS! Whether you're propointing or doing F&H all the info you need is with each recipe... Check her out >>> HERE <<< 

'S' RECIPE

No one could escape the 'spice bag' last week in the news and in WW classes all over the country, my leader made one in class and dear god it was amazing! I've never tried one but after last week it's on the list of to-dos! Here's a version from Diane AKA 'Skinny Jeans and the In-betweens' blog... >>> HERE <<< 

'S' ZERO HEROS 

Spray oil - up to 18 sprays is 0PP

Satsumas

Sauerkraut

Shallots

Sharon Fruit

Spices - fresh

Spring onions

Strawberries

Swede

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'R' - #xmascountdown

'R' is for ...

Keep it real... there are 9 weeks till Santa gets here... and being realistic many of us can lose 9lbs by then and still enjoy all the good stuff that will happen... of course losing more is a bonus and hard work and sticking with it will mean that you do... but announcing you're going to lose 2 stone by Christmas day isn't realistic if you're not super determined and really really focused... and I won't be focused until the Wallabies win the World cup... I may be a while!  Just think though.. the first week may be brilliant... and the second but what happens when you stay the same one week... or you put up a pound? Many will just throw in the towel because they set the benchmark too high... instead of somewhere that's honestly achievable... if you're the kind of person who loses half a pound every week, then that's what you body will lose... shouting at it to lose 4 lbs won't change it... but it will make you feel like you've failed... so listen to your body and not the chocolate angels on your shoulders! I'm always saying my top tip is not giving up!

Last week I was up 5lbs... I didn't deserve it but I was a walking human fish bowl... it happens about 3 or 4 times a year when I get really bad PMT... I knew it... I had a little cry, fine I bawled, about it to myself (hormone central!)... my leader understood it and this week I was down 6lbs... I knew I had been on track... I knew I had been a bit bold at the rugby and I also knew my body well enough to know this was just out of my control... and if I work at it it will show eventually... in my teary state I was happy to throw in the towel, take a break from all of i, propounding, blogging the lot and just 'start again in January!" but how much would I be up by then? I was giving myself permission to run amok... but I stuck with it, got over myself and I'm now 1lb away from a 9 stone loss... sometimes we just need a little reality check to make us realise how well we're actually doing...


'R' INSPIRATIONS...
One of the most successful weight loss blogs out there is Ronis Weigh... it's such an honest and personal account of weight loss and it will motivate you ALL the way!
You can find here >>> HERE <<<

Also 

Another amazing weight loss blogger is Monica from 'Run Eat Repeat' >>> HERE <<< Again Monica's blog is about her journey and living a normal life including the ups and the downs... well worth a look!

'R' RECIPE...

Risotto... this only appeared on my TL last night so I've yet to make it but I LOVE risotto... it's from  fellow Irish blogger and weight watcher Zoe from '59lbs to go' and ALL of her recipes are amazing... You'll find it >>> HERE <<<  It's definitely on my meal plan for next week!

©59lbsToGo

'R' ZERO HEROS

Radishes

Raspberries

Rhubarb

Top tip for rhubarb - stew it in diet lemonade or 7UP ... it's LOVELY!

Rocket

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'Q' - #xmascountdown

'Q' is for... 

QUITTING... we've all done it... we've all just given up... we've all said "after Xmas/Easter/My birthday 'insert event here' I'll be BACK..." and then lost the run of ourselves only to appear back in class with a lot more to lose than when we started... it's my top tip when people ask me for advice... there will ALWAYS be a family event, births, deaths and marriages... then add birthdays, holidays and calendar events into the mix.. there will always be something... always... but learning how to work around them is the trick... no one said you can't have Xmas dinner and enjoy it, no one said you can't have a selection box or an Easter egg... but learning to enjoy life and enjoy everything in moderation is the key... last week I was on the cusp of throwing in the towel... I know pointing works fro me... I know how to do it, but last week life got in the way and the last thing I wanted to do was count points... or even care about what I was eating... emotions will do that... but like I said on snapchat the other day, giving up is not the answer, the only person your giving up on is yourself and the people who suffer are the people who love YOU the most and want YOU to be happy and healthy! So the doubts creep in... draw a line... and get over it... it's easier to start again right now than next Monday / Month / New year! 

'Q' INSPIRATION...

is a quote... one I say over and over again to people who are thinking of just giving up... 

'Q' RECIPES...

Chicken Quesadillas... SO easy to make and they taste SO good... from the lovely Gina over on SkinnyTaste.com! Fantastic recipe to use over left over veg and a filling lunch to boot! 

>>> HERE <<< 

Image ©SkinnyTaste

And for the Quorn lovers... here's an easy pasty from Weight Watchers... >>> HERE <<<  I've tricked my family into thinking they're eating mince with quorn.. the trick is to season it well... and it cuts the ProPoints back in dishes like home made cottage pies or spag bol! If you're unsure, mix half quern and half mince! 

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'P' - #xmascountdown

'P' is for... 

Patience... I can't tell you how many times I've heard 'I'm on week two and I've stayed the same even though I lost 4 lbs last week and I did the exact same thing... It's just not working...' or variations of the same... every week I get messages along the same lines... 

No one went to bed and woke up 4 stone heavier... so you won't wake up 4 stone lighter either! You've got to give yourself a chance... some weeks you've got to let your body catch up with you... Throwing in the towel after one week just puts you on the endless loop of yo-yo dieting... I know because I've done this MANY MANY times... I've rejoined more times than I've had hot dinners because the weight just didn't fall off me! It's taken me 3 years to lose 8st 12lbs... and trust me, it took a lot longer for it to go on... so give yourself a chance... 

'P' is for...

Portion control... take 10 mins this weekend to just weigh out some pasta, cereal or rice... and look at it... feel the weight of it in your hands so you know what 3PP of pasta feels like... I do this at least once a month and leave two small freezer bags on my work top so I can see just how much pasta I should be eating... it's so easy to guess, and as the week goes on, 3PP of cereal can really be 5PP and you'll be left wondering how you didn't lose weight... get yourself a smaller plate... use the ice cream scoop to measure out your potatoes... it's small things that will keep you in check... 

'P' RECIPE

This week I'm sending you all to a fantastic blogger... 'It suzy to be fat'.. Jennifer has collected some fabulous recipes from other sites for low PP pumpkin dishes (I am a HUGE pumpkin fan!) on her blog so check her out >>> HERE <<< ... PS: I've made the protein pumpkin pancakes and they were incredible! 

Image ©ItSuxToBeFat

Image ©ItSuxToBeFat

'P' INSPRIATION

If you don't already, then you need to follow Jen from Prior Fat Girl... her honesty is just incredible... every post is heartfelt and, like me, she still struggles... it hasn't been easy, she's had to work really hard but she's done it... and she's still working hard to do it and I love that about her journey... the site is hosted but other 'prior fat girls' all on their journeys and it's one of my go to sites when I get the wobbles and think I'm never going to get there... Check out their stories >>> HERE <<< 

'P' Zero Heros

Peaches (fresh or in juice NO SYRUP!)

Pears.. same as above! 

Papaya

Passionfruit

Passata

Peas - the sugar snap kind not the tinned ones... 

Pickled gherkins (If there is a heaven I'll be eating these ALL day long there!) 

Peppers.. red, orange, yellow, green... all of em! 

Pineapple... one of natures best sweeteners! 

Just don't add it to sugar free jelly or it won't set... 

Plums

Pomegranate

and, oh happy days.. 

Pumpkin!

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'O' - #xmascountdown

'O' is for ..

Obese... Overweight... yes there is an epidemic on the way... in fact it's pretty much here... and it can be a real struggle sometimes when all the bad foods are cheap and easy to make, and the foods that are good for us are over priced... I was in a shop recently, I hadn't planned my lunch properly, so I needed to make some good decisions... I veered away from the deli counter... bought my self a packet of cooked chicken and a wrap... when I spotted 4 sausage rolls for €2 yet the punnet of strawberries I looked at were €4... it's difficult to make decisions sometimes but you've got to remember food is fuel for your body... and eating 4 sausage rolls might be lovely and trust me in times past I would have managed it no problem... but the one message I would tell people about my weight loss is the effect it is having on my life now is just a complete 180 on before.. my back doesn't hurt.. my knees are better... I can walk and walk and walk and not need a paramedic... my skin is clearer...  my parents aren't worried about me anymore... I'm wearing brighter colours and feeling good about me, which in turn makes the people who hang out with me feel good too... I've lost weight and I've lost the negativity that comes with some people... if you look after you, everyone in your life benefits... you'll be a more energetic mum, a colleague who is up for anything... a friend who doesn't say no all the time because they have nothing to wear or they're afraid someone will make a comment about them... you will be a better version of you and everyone reaps the rewards... so make the start... one meal doesn't wipe out a whole week and do it for yourself... and if someone doesn't like it... it's their problem, not yours... x

'O' INSPIRATION

The amazing Angela from 'Oh She glows' has amazing recipes for the meat, dairy and gluten free amongst you...  Her blog is all about using food as a fuel, tasty fuel, and nourishing yourself from the inside out! Check here out >>> HERE <<< 

'O' RECIPE - 

Omlette Muffins... These are fast, easy and SO good... PLUS make a batch and you've got breakfast done for the week! You can add pretty much ANYTHING to these so all your zero hero favourites! This recipe from Marjorie over on 'A pinch of Healthy' is a great one to try out if you've never made it before... its' got the method and you can change up the ingredients once you get confident! The link is >>> HERE <<< 

My version is here >>> HERE <<< 

'O' ZERO HEROS
Okra
Onions
Oranges


Dont' forget OCTBER!!! They Instagram challenge is starting today! YAY!

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