DAY 13 OF MAKING IT COUNT

Sunday 10th May 2015

A very disappointing day today ... My monthly visitor is here so the scales are just going up and up and up 😕!  Trying not to let it dishearten me but can't help it.

Breakfast was 2x slices of nimble with egg

Lunch was a vegetable stir fry ... Broccoli, green beans, onions, mushrooms fried in fry light with soy, ginger and garlic.

Snacked on an apple

Dinner was boiled rice with onions, mushrooms and peas stirred through (very small portion)!

Haven't been feeling very well and have been babysitting my nephew so haven't reached my goal today but to be honest the way I am feeling really couldn't have.  Also it has rained all day 😕

A new week starts again tomorrow ... Looks like a couple of pounds gain at this stage. 

MOOD - feeling like a failure

WATER - 2+ litres

EXERCISE - 6000 steps 😩

SYNS - 0

DAY 12 OF MAKING IT COUNT

SATURDAY 9TH MAY 2015

Grrrrr ... I have gained weight!  I know I know I shouldn't stand on my home scales but there is no point as I just can't stop myself!  Am 1 1/4 pounds up!   Sooooo frustrating.

I am putting it down to my monthly visitor arriving last night! I guess there is nothing else for it but to keep going as I am as feel I am doing everything right.

I have been filling out a food diary sheet so will give that to my consultant to double check for me.

So today we went shopping with my mum ... The weather was nice for a change. I was walking about most of the day ... My step challenge was 12742!  I over done that my just short of 2000 so was pleased with that.

I got myself a sports bottle, sports bra and cap for when I am out for my walk. (Never would have believed I was shopping in a sport shop... Felt weird)!  Might go today to look for a sports jacket!

I had 2 x weetabix with semi skimmed milk for breakfast.

I had a bowl of sweet potato and parsnip soup for lunch ... I checked with the waitress that there wasn't any cream in it before ordering.  I gave James the roll that came along with it. I had a bag of skips later in the afternoon (4syns).

We didn't get home to later in the evening. James had a Chinese and I had a small egg salad and a bowl of strawberries with yoghurt.

Thinking of checking out some exercise classes now ... Maybe Zumba! 

I am happy that I won a few of the challenge groups on the garmin Vivofit that I joined ... Whoop whooop ... At least that's something to be positive about.

My sister and her family are thinking of visiting tomorrow which will be nice!

MOOD - extremely disheartened

WATER - 2+ litres

EXERCISE - 14667

SYNS - 4 (skips)

DAY 11 OF MAKING IT COUNT

Got back home last night ... quite tired  but watched some of the election results roll in!  Not my thing really but James likes watching so I dosed beside him and then we went to bed so was a late night.

This morning I got up and had 2 x slices of nimble with 2 fried eggs (fried in fry light) .... filled me right up!

I then done some housework and went for my walk!  My target today is 12586 steps! After my walk and making lunch my total is already 9342 ... am determined to do it so if it means I have to run round the kitchen then so be it before bedtime.

Walking selfie!

My route today!

So far my meals have been good.  Had a smoked salmon salad for lunch so am still on track!  Plan this afternoon to do more housework and might go out and paint some furniture ready for my log cabin arriving for my garden next week ... hooray!

Not sure what to have for dinner but have left a chicken fillet out to defrost so might have it with vegetables as stocked up yesterday!  

 For dinner I ended up having chicken with mushrooms, onions, peppers with pasta ... Stuffed now!

MOOD - Cheery

WATER - 2+ litres

EXERCISE - Walk (15533 steps) 

SYNS - 5 marshmallows - 5 syns

DAY 10 OF MAKING IT COUNT

So stayed at mums last night ... Her house is upside down at the minute with the new kitchen being installed.  The only cooking item she has access to is the microwave!

Woke early this morning ... Just normal for me I guess .... Used to be 7am but now it's 6am.  I think my body clock is all confused ... Doesn't my body know I don't have to waken up?

Anyway I knew today was a busy day with my hairdressing appointment and then having to go to the airport to collect James later so thought I would get my walk in early.

I had breakfast first.... Raspberries, grapes and a weight watchers yoghurt.

I then walked for over an hour (3.5 miles approx)!  The garmin Vivofit has set me a target of 12,580 today. I have just finished lunch and am at 10,013 steps.

My lunch was 2x pickled eggs, lettuce, tomatoe, beetroot, carrot.

I then had 2 x Alpen bars which will be my HEB choice today and had a sneaky penguin bar (5.5 Syns)

Not sure about dinner but the butchers near mums has a slimming world range so might go and see what microwaveable meals he does.  Though I am very dubious about buying off butchers as no butchers is slimming world verified!  Will see.

On a good note my arm band for when I am walking/jogging came today so will try it out on my walk tomorrow.

MOOD - frustrated

WATER - 2+ litres

EXERCISE - 1 hour walk (12920)

SYNS - 1 x penguin bar (5.5 Syns)

DAY 9 OF MAKING IT COUNT

NOt much to report today ... Came down to babysit my adorable nephew at 8am.  I took him swimming but I didn't do much swimming.  Oscar is only 1 so I had to be with him all the time.

My eats have been ok, if anything maybe didn't eat enough.

Breakfast was toast (HEB) and egg with mushrooms

Lunch mmmmm ... Took Oscar swimming and then he fell asleep in my arms when we got home so I didn't have anything to eat until 4pm and had an apple, weight watcher yoghurt and orange.

After taking Oscar home I went for a walk with my sister and niece (about a mile and a half).  Thankfully went over my target with my steps ... Finished the day on 16001 steps.

Been reading up about muscle and fat and think now I am exercising my muscles may be holding onto water ... Poor things!  Would be an answer why it is coming off more slowly this time! 

I am staying at mums tonight as have to go to the airport tomorrow and have the hairdressers in the morning so no point in travelling up and down again.

MOOD - feeling loved 

WATER - 2+ litres

EXERCISE - 16000 steps (1hour walk 3.5 miles)

SYNS - 2 x Alpen light bars (6 Syns)

DAY 8 OF MAKING IT COUNT

Tuesday 5th May 2015

So this morning (at the crack of dawn I had to take James to the airport) ... hate when he leaves!  Anyways I went on down the road to spend the day with my mum who was supposed to be having a new kitchen installed today.  I usually go and spend the day with her after I drop James off at the airport and we go shopping or do something.

Unfortunately the kitchen guy decided not to come to the afternoon which meant a morning waiting around - he still hadn't come by the time I was leaving at 2.30pm!  Grrrrrrr!

I had my walking gear on from this morning as it wasn't raining when we left home but started raining during our journey and literally did not stop all day!  Really miserable!

I am worried about making my stepping target now :( ... as I type this I have 6471 steps to still do ... so why I am sitting on the computer and not getting my bum in gear and doing some form of exercise? Story of my life!

I might do some jogging on the wii fit but I did find on youtube a great workout video which appeals too!

So my eats today ....  I had some raspberries, apple, an orange and a syn free yoghurt for breakfast, lunch was a 5 bean chilli that I took down to mums (she has not cooker so thought we could put this in the microwave) ... not sure about dinner tonight (I still feel full up from the chilli but will see later)!

So easy to make ... tin of tomatoes or you could use passata, an oxo cub, chilli powder, onion, garlic, I used baked beans, butter beans, mixed beans and cannellini beans, add sweetner to taste and salt and pepper ... was rather good and is really really filling.  If I would have been at home would have added peas and mushrooms and peppers but was at mums and she didn't have any peas or mushrooms in and is allergic to peppers!

While I was down in tesco I saw they had these on offer - we had discussed them in group so when I saw the offer I thought I would have a treat.  Not sure to be honest.  Would rather use my syns on other things and if I want a yoghurt chose a syn free one ... didn't really float my boat (but liked the meringue bits) but at 2.5 syns have decided it wasn't worth it!

I meant to put this up a while ago ... I have it on my microwave ... am hoping it will inspire me!

I have also decided to log my syns on here to make myself more accountable for them!

Right off to do something to get the steps going up!

MOOD - Deflated (again)

EXERCISE - (typing this after my main post - managed my goal of 12000 steps ... went on the wii fit and jogged lightly for 30 mins) ... shattered now!

WATER -  2+ litres

SYNS - 2.5 syns for muller light goodies, 5.5 syns for a penguin biscuit = 8 syns! (Terrible considering I was trying to lower my syn intake because I was unsure of what I used yesterday)!

DAY 7 OF MAKING IT COUNT

The dreaded "weigh in day"!  Yicks!

Got up this morning early as wanted to weigh in at 9.30am instead of my usual 5.30pm group with it being a bank holiday and being out and about for the day.

A very disorganised group if I say so myself!  Anyway was only weighing in and leaving again!

So ... drumroll please .... I lost a grand 1lb .... :(

I know it is a loss and now that I don't have very much to lose I shouldn't feel disheartened but can't help it ... I know I am putting in a lot of effort!

I have 10 weeks until my holiday now and would dearly love to lose 25lb by then but know that is a big big ask especially as I am only getting 1/2 to 1 lb per week!  A 2.5lb loss seems to be impossible!
I intend on sticking with it and see how it goes! The closer I can get to my goal the better I suppose as when I go on holidays I don't hold back but get right back on the plan the minute I step of the plane.

Today's eats weren't that great if I am honest.  I didn't have any breakfast (as I was weighing in at 9.30am), called into mums hoping to have some weetabix or something but her house is upside down as her kitchen was being taken out ready for her new one!

By the time we were leaving mums it was almost lunchtime so where did we go!  Yip ... my very favourite restaurant!  The delicious Ramore Wine Bar!  It was quite busy with it being a bank holiday but were first in line to get a table ... I ordered chilli chicken penne pasta (I didn't eat the crispy fried crisp things that came on top) but nibbled on peppered potato skins, tobacco onions and sweet chilli fries and a tiny little bit of following desert with the marshmallows on as James didn't like it.  They were mini deserts but I should have resisted but I don't like waste!

We went for a walk around the town before heading back to mummys.  Felt a little better going a long walk but think I would have needed to walk many miles to compensate for what I have eaten!

We got back home and I went out for another walk though was very tired for some reason so only walked 1.5 miles but I still exceeded my goal for the day .... 135000 steps!

Determined to get some exercise done tomorrow.  I have to take James to the airport at the crack of dawn then will spend the day with mummy.  The weather is to be awful so might head back home early evening and go on the cross trainer!

MOOD - Disappointed

EXERCISE - Lots of walking (13500 steps)

WATER - 2+ litres

DAY 6 OF MAKING IT COUNT

So today is the day before weigh in!  Yet again I stood on the scales and there was no change ... (I know I shouldn't but simply can't resist it)! I am weighing in at a morning group tomorrow as it is a bank holiday and we are planning getting out and about for the day.

My meals have been good ... No syns used today!  James cooked (love it when he cooks as he thinks of things I couldn't think of ... I hate cooking but he loves it) ... A perfect partnership in my opinion.

This is his concoction he made for lunch ...

Roast beef with cauliflower, puréed peas, stuffed pepper (stuffed with leeks, mushrooms), roasted onion and tomato.

For breakfast I had 2 x weetabix with semi skimmed milk.

Unsure what to eat later but may have some fruit and yoghurt. 

We had a lazyish morning then while James was cooking lunch I went on the wifi fit and jogged for 30 minutes.  I knew I was a long way off my target that my vivofit had set me for the day of 12100 so after lunch the sun came out and I set off walking and walked briskly for 3 miles (5kilometres).  

MOOD - upbeat

EXERCISE - 30 minutes on Wii Fit and 47 minute walk (3miles) 15,000 steps

WATER - 2+ litres

DAY 5 OF MAKING IT COUNT

Today has been such a miserable wet windy day so no walking today!  Sooooo cold!

We decided to go for lunch ... Our favourite restaurant "The Ramore Winebar" ... Not much else you can really do on such a miserable day!  We took along my adorable 10 year old niece who I love to bits (lovely to spend some one to one time with her)!

I tried to chose the healthiest dish that I knew I would also enjoy on the menu.  I opted for grilled salmon fillet with side salad.

I have no idea on how to syn the dish I had!  I will be using the remaining syns for the week to make sure I haven't went over my syns!

This is the dish I had and it was delicious ....

MOOD - a little disheartened

EXERCISE - walked around coleraine for about an hour (12000 steps)

WATER - 2+ litres

DAY 4 OF MAKING IT COUNT

FRIDAY 1st MAY 2015

Hooray bank holiday weekend has arrived!  My husband is home for the long weekend ... double hooray!

Feeling positive this morning (I know I shouldn't yet again but weighed on the scales and think I might be down a pound) ... at long last!  Yet again I didn't eat very much yesterday so probably what I eat today with stick with me :( and I could possibly see it back on again tomorrow.

I got up this morning and after some fruit and yoghurt I went for a 5k walk which felt great.  I still need to do some more steps to meet my target but am determined to do it so might go out on the cross trainer for half an hour just to make sure I reach it.  The Garmin Vivofit keeps changing my target daily ... today it is 12040 steps!  I am already at 9305 so haven't many to do!

Well ... here is something for you!  I downloaded 5K runner to my iphone and done a little bit of jogging today ... me ... yes!  I have never ran or jogged in my life!  Basically it tells you when to walk (usually 5 minutes at a time) and when to run (1 minute at a time), as it was my first day my session only lasted for 25 minutes even though I walked further and it took me 47 minutes.

I also use an app called walkmeter which is excellent and gives you lots of stats! It is also free to download ... bonus!  This is how I got on today ...

I came back and had lunch which was nice ... salad sandwich (my Healthy Extra B choice for the day) with celery, radish and low fat cottage cheese (the tesco healthy living one with onion and chives which is free!  Really enjoyed my lunch ... feeling very stuffed now!

I have also been ready about adding cinnamon and fruit to water to help detox your body and aid weight loss so have made a jug up to give it a try!  Slices of lemon, apple and a cinnamon stick thrown in ... I really need to up my water today as didn't have the 2 litres I try to have every day yesterday!  Hoping this will help!

Right off now to do a bit of housework (yuck) and maybe do some more steps on the cross trainer!  Laters!

Dinner tonight had to be chicken (I had left it out to defrost) I toyed with the idea of a curry or chicken salad but in the end coated it with herbs and spices and put it under the grill. I served it with teriyaki stir fried vegetables .... Onions, mushrooms and peppers stir fried in garlic, ginger and soy sauce .... Was delicious but am soooo stuffed now! 

MOOD - focused

EXERCISE - 47 minute walk, total steps 13186 (1148 over my goal)

WATER - 2+ litres

TOTAL CALORIES BURNED (up to 7pm) - 1664

DAY 3 OF MAKING IT COUNT

THURSDAY 30TH APRIL 2015

So yesterday was my "travel day" so felt very disorganised about my meals.  I started off with 2 x slices of my feel good bread with 2 eggs and an apple.  I then went to see my Mummy and went out shopping for the day.  We stopped for lunch (which is always a terrifying prospect for me)!  Anyway I chose a healthy option ... a baked potato with baked beans and salad.  I asked for not butter on the potato and for the salad not to contain any cheese, coleslaw etc.  I went away feeling satisfied and content knowing I was still on plan.

I then had to go and collect my lovely husband from the airport (which is about an hour away) but on route I had to stop at my sisters (who is also doing the slimming world plan).  I called in advance to see if could be cheeky and get an invite for dinner but they were having a baked potato and I already had one at lunchtime.  To be honest I wasn't at all hungry ... I was quite full up so decided to have an apple.

All in all a good day though some would say I hadn't eaten enough today but hey ho!

This is my lunch ...

MOOD - Happy

EXERCISE - 45 minutes on cross trainer, walk - Total 18762 steps (7.11 miles)

WATER - Approx 1 litre - ooops!  (Find it hard when travelling)!