jenniebellie

{An Explanation is needed me thinks}

I DID REACH TARGET  YAAY!!

I certainly did although this blog doesn't show it, but things got on top of me towards the end of the summer last year, and a lot of things had to give, especially internet time, so I didn't maintain this blog. But this is me at target in the Summer.

So I reached my target of  11 stone (154 lbs) on 2 August 2007.  I was chuffed to bits. However sadly it didn't last, and following a hoilday to France with good home french cooking I gained a few lbs, and as Christmas approached, I was well out of target, and then now we are the other side of Christmas, I am back over that horrible 12 stone again!!

So I am back here again to drown my sorrows and restart my journey. However, the most wonderful thing is, I am a lot lighter than this time last year.

So  December 2006 I weighed 14 stone 6.5lbs (202.5 lbs)
and  December 2007 I  weigh   12 stone 9 lbs   (177 lbs)   

So I should be proud that I actually lost in total 1 stone 11.5 lbs (25.5lbs) last year. I just need to lose another 1 stone 9lbs ( 23 lbs) to get back to target.  Not anything that frightens me particularly, and I know I can do it, so if you are losing weight and want to watch my journey, come and join me.  I get weighed on Thursdays at Slimming World.

I made a gorgeous Potato Gratin dish last night, it's from a SW book, but I adapted it.

Parboil potato wedges, skin on with onion wedges.  Slice a couple of tomatoes, and a few mushrooms.  Pile them all in a shallow baking dish, sprinkle over salt, pepper and garlic granules and pour over a cup of stock (I used a veggie oxo cube - 1.5 syns) I then scattered 28gs of Parmesan and 28 g of Red Leicester over the top (my two A options) and baked in the oven for about half an hour.  The juices in the bottom of the dish were very tasty. Yum.  I shall definately be eating that again.

One thing you need to know about me, is that I always have green days as I am a vegetarian.

I am one of those normal people who tends to weigh myself every morning, and this morning I was looking at about a 3 lb weight loss so far since my last weigh in, so this week is looking good.

Have a good day.

{Week Twenty - Weigh In}

I ended up with a dilema this morning, I'd been invited out for a pretty posh lunch by an ex boss who is moving to Scotland, and she wanted to treat me.  I picked the day, but I am so dippy these days, I'd completely forgotten that it was weigh in day.  How could I eat a big meal, and then go and get weighed and not have a gain??

So far, I haven't had a gain in my weight loss journey, and I would be devastated if I did, so I really didn't know what to do, but cancelling the meal was out of the question.  So I texted my consultant to say I was n't coming.

I had a gorgeous meal, light, and salady, but a scrumptious, and goey hot baked chocolate pud for dessert, but it was small.  I got home weighed myself, and decided I might still manage a loss, and I did.

Woo hoo, 2.5lbs off, and Slimmer of the week too.  I am still beaming now.  It's made my target just 4lbs away, which is incredible.

So before I went out for a meal, I got on one of those size 14 tailored trousers on, and wore them out to lunch, that was a mile stone, I have been wanting to achieve for some weeks now, and I also found another pair of size 14 jeans a week ago now, that I can get into, infact they are a bit on the big side, and I have to keep pulling them up, but I like the shape of them.  A friend of mine took a pic of me especially to show my weight loss to date, so I'll share it with you, but I guess I ought to share my before photos too.  When I lose that extra 4lbs and reach my interim target, then I'll share the 'before' photos.

This week was a strange week, because I had two meals out, ate crisps and chocolate for my syns which I never normally do, so maybe it kicked my metabolism this week, because all week the scales have looked pretty good. I'm aiming for just a lb next week, so my Dr, doesn't get to upset with me, and I must start gentle exercise, or my muscles will start wasting away!!

See those arms of mine, they need toning, so swimming I think it will have to be, it's gentle, I'm supprted in the water, and I'll be toning up quite a bit of me, and I ama very good swimmer.  Just the thought of cold water puts me off though!!

I'll get all my stats on here sorted later., I must get to bed now.

{A Mega,Update}

I'm not sure why I've not kept this blog up to date, mainly because I am off sick from work, a little stressed, taking loads of medication and trying to manage my illness, but have a normal life too.  My MS seems to being managed better now I have the right medication, and I'll get back to work at some point soon I hope.

So how has my weight loss gone since week seventeen?

Great, yep, really great.  So here is a quick catch up of the statistics.

Week 18 - lost 2.5lbs so weighed 162.5 lbs, total loss 40lbs
Week 19 - lost 0.5lbs so weighed 162 lbs, total loss 40.5lbs
Week 20 - lost 1.5lbs so weighed 161lbs, total loss 42lbs and gained my 3 stone award!! YAY!!!

Not a fab loss, but it's down, and I'm getting very close to target. I've been trying hard to get into all of my size 14 (UK) work trousers, I've been into 14 jeans for several weeks now, but tailored trousers have been a struggle, and with three or pairs sitting in my drawers, I have been keen for them to fit, especially before I go back to work, but although I have recently managed to do them up, they are still too tight to wear!!

I haven't made a secret of the fact that weight loss has been fairly easy for me this time round, and I still attribute a lot of that to giving up drinking alcohol.  I don't miss it at all, and really have no choice as I take so many drugs now, but I have wondered if the day will come when I allow myself one glass in a blue moon, or whether I should stay teetotal.  For the time being I feel quite virtuous not drinking any, and will keep it that way for now.

People are really noticing my weight loss now, I've even been called skinny, even by my husband and daughter, and they are my biggest critics. 

Unfortunately, my daily walks have stopped, and I can blame that on bad weather, but now I've got out of the swing of it, and need to restart.  I',m also contemplating swimming, because this will tone up my arms, which are one of my week points.

I was really thrilled to get my 3 stone award (42) lbs, that is such a significant amount of weight, it's taken a while for it to sink in.

{I'm sorry}

I'm sorry I have been such a bad blogger, I've had some health issues to work through and this blog hasn't been a priority, but I amstill losing weight big time, and got my 3 stone award last night, so feeling very chuffed with myself, and am close to my target.

I really want to go to bed now, so I'll update tomorrow.

{Week Seventeen - Weigh In}

I can't believe, I have been doing this for seventeen weeks, that sounds like ages, but it hasn't felt like that.

It was weigh in yesterday, and I lost a lb.  I was slightly disappointed, I thought I'd done better than that this week, but I am pleased with the lb.  It's a loss, and makes that 12lb to go down to 11lbs to go to my target.

I haven't written down what I've eaten this week, and that can make a difference, I don't think for a minute I ate off plan, but I may have doubled up on my Healthy Extras a few times, and not remembered that, so I will do a diary this week for definate.

Yesterday I ate

2 fried eggs, piles of SW chips, 2 Linda Macartney sausages (synned) tomato sauce (synned) 2 x HI Fi bars, 3 x baby bel light, an apple.  Not much, but it was weigh in day!

I am still walking most nights for 30 minutes,  I'm finding that is good, I still have problems when I get home with my legs playing up, but that's all to do with my health condition.

I have been persuaded by my sister who ran the London Marathon last Sunday to do the Ladies Hydro Active 5k race in Hyde Park  on 16th September 07.  I can walk it, run it, or crawl it, or push someone in a wheel chair, so whatever I can mangage will be fine.  I certainly plan to walk it, and would like to run bits of it too, and have plenty of time to train.  I'll need some sponsorship, and am running for The Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre, a charity very close to my heart, my daughter is going to run  it too, so I'll have some support.  In fact several of my online buddies have decided to register, so I'll meet lots of friends irl too, which will be great.

Today is my 119th day without wine, and I'm not remotely tempted!
(in fact I've gone right off the smell of it too!)

Starting weight                    202.5 lbs
Today I weighed                    165.lbs
Total loss                              36.5 lbs
Total % lost towards target      75.3%
Still to lose                          11 lbs (I'm 3/4 of the way, and averaging 2.2 lbs a week)

{So What's Happening This Week?}

s,It's been a busy week, I'm eating on plan, and have absolutely nothing in the house to eat, I've just eaten the last two cherry tomatoes, and had a Muller Light and grapes for breakfast, I need to get to the shops.

I went a bit mad on eggs yesterday, I had two fried egs with some sauted new potatoes left over from our BBQ at the weekend, cut up small and fried in frylight, until crispy brown.  And to eat the leftover cooked rice in the fridge, I ate it with cherry tomaoes in an omelette, with my HE cheese on top and grilled. I didn't eat anything else in the evening I was stuffed.  I ate lots of grapes through out the day, my appetite this week has finally slowed down, over the weeknd I really had the munchies, and pushe my syns up much higher than normal, but the scales are looking a lb down at the moment, so I think I've sorted that out know.

It still hasn't sunk in that I know weigh 11 stone something, that is something I should be so proud of, I just can't quite believe it.  I am currently wearing size 14 Next  jeans, and have in my bottom drawer, thre pairs of size 14 work trousers (That I actually thought were 12s, but they are 14s), that I am aiming to get into for work, and hopefully will by the time I am fit enough to go back.  I tried them on again this morning, and I can get them all on and ziped up now, which is a great improvement, but they look a bit obscene, so couldn't possible wear them yet, I think it's my stomach that is letting me down.  They will definately fit by the time I get to my 11 stone target, I am sure.

Out of the blue yesterday I had a lovely "remember me" e-mail from a lovely lady called Cathy.  She and I met many years ago when we both had SW websites and we were online buddies, checking each out each week and encouraging and supporting, just like I do with many of my online buddies that read this blog, or my main blog here.  I haven't spoken to Cathy for a long time but in the summer of 2002 we met up, and her husband took this photo of us!

I was very near my target here, and weighed about 10.5 stone, so I know I could eventually get back to that weight, and I still have those trousers, and I can get into them and do them up, but they are too tight to wear just yet, but I am sure I can when I get to my 11 stone target.

It was so lovely to hear from Cathy *Waves* and I've loved looking at her website and seeing all the pics of her when she met her target after we met., but like me she's back on SW course again, so keep it up Cathy, you'll get there.

So what have I done this week, I've been walking everyday for at least half an hour, and for me, that's very good considering my health issues.  I have been very inspired by meeting the staff of the MSRC a couple of weeks ago in connection with my sister's fab London Marathon run last weekend and encouraged to do the Ladies Hydro Active 5k race in September 07, in Hyde Park.  I measured the distance in the car yesterday, it's basically 3.9 miles to Sainsbury's and back, so I thought that would be a good route to practice, and hopefully get to the stage where I might be able to run it too.  Sophie has agreed to do it with me, so I must make that phone call as soon as I finish this and get ourselves registered.

So weigh in tomorrow.  I hope for a 1.5 lb loss.  Fingers crossed.

Have a good day.  Talk to you tomorrow.

{Week Sixteen - Weigh In}

I know this update is very late, I mean it's weigh in again tomorrow and I haven't recorded what happend last week.  What a bad girl!  I really must keep this blog uptodate, it motivates me to write it, and I know it inspires others, so I must update more regularly.

I have loads to tell you, but let's catch up on last week first.

I had another fab weigh in, and lost 2.5lbs yay!! Went down into the 11stone area, wow, that's a little bit scary, I know it's fab, but to think I weighed 14 stone something, and now it's 11 stone something wow!! It's not sunk in really.  Anyway, I got my 2.5 stone award, yay!!! I should be so chuffed, but I came out of the class last week feeling a bit mundane, not over excited really, and I should have been, and in fact this was quite a significant week, and it's odd I didn't jump on the computer straightaway and tell you all.

I think the best thing is, I only have 12lbs left to go to my target, that really is quite something isn't it?

I got back from France at the weekend.  France was a nightmare as far as eating low calorie veggie food was concerned, although the very first motorway cafe we stopped at was fab, it had a lovely slad buffet, and I filled up on a gorgeos couscous salad.

Eating out in Arras was difficult, we found a pasta restaurant one night, and I had a tomatoey arrabatia sauce, which was great, and I avoided the bread rolls on the table.  In fact that was tempting, a warm crust french bread roll with a slab of butter was one of my previous loves, but I was a good girl!

The second day, I fell by the wayside, and on reflection probably the first time ever since January, but I was very frustrated, there was nothing veggie on the menu, and my Pa was beginning to get annoyed with me, after all he was paying, so in the end I went for a Welsh Rarebit. It was ab fab, really really gorgeous, but this tiny piece of toast was just swimming in oily melted cheese, and it would have been at least a week's Healthy X Bs!!  I ate it of course, but gave the chips that came with it to my nephew.  after that, it was just coke and coffee, until we got back on English soil, and I dived into sainsbury's on the journey back and stocked up with grapes, mullers and Quorn sausages to eat for the next two days before I got home.

Today is my 96th day without wine , and I'm not remotely tempted!
(in fact I've gone right off the smell of it too!)

Starting weight                    202.5 lbs
Today I weighed                    166.lbs
Total loss                              35.5 lbs
Total % lost towards target      74.7%
Still to lose                          12 lbs (Very nearly 3/4 of the way, and averaging 2.2 lbs a week)

{Week fifteen - Weigh In}

On holiday in France!

{Week Fourteen - Weigh In}

So after my weekend away, did I lose?  Did I deserve to lose?  Yes, I was positively angelic, whilst away and it paid off yay!!!!!!

2.5 lbs off.  Woo Hoo.  So pleased with myself, that is way more than I expected, I was hoping for just one lb.

Looking at my 14 weeks of dieting, I really have shifted an enourmous amount, and I feel very chuffed with myself, and am wondering where this determination has come from, I am so on plan, I must be annoying.  Everyone at my SW class, catches me on the way out or in the queue and asks me what is it I'm doing that works so well?  All I can say is I'm rigid, yep, totally rigid, I am so on plan, no digression what so ever, and I am not finding it a hardship at all. I'm just completely on plan.  I am so pleased that I have never had a maintain or gain as yet, and that has become a bit of an obsession now, and I get myself in a bit of a state if that ever comes into jeopardy, but with only one more stone to go, I am sure I can manage it.  Wouldn't it be cool to get to target, and never gain?

So with only 14.5 lbs to go I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm hoping I can reach my target by the end of May.  I need to lose one lb to get my 2.5 stone award, which will be an achievement.

Next week, is my first weigh in I will miss, as I will be going to France, and be away from home for three nights and 4 days.  I am going to try and do what I did last time, and pack up my food in advance, and stick to tomatoey pasta dishes if at all possible. One of those nights will be spent with my sister, so a fridge will be helpful, and I'm sure she can cook me a SW meal.  In fact she will be shocked when she sees me, as she hasn't seen me since about January, so she'l have a nice surprise when she sees the new slim me!

I have visitors over Easter, but have some meals in my head, that I can do and variations for the meat eaters and non dieters.  In fact my Pa is trying to put weight on!!  And he certainly needs to, and has managed half a stone so far, and could do with about another stone.

I shall wish you all a Happy Easter, and if you dare to eat a Chocolate Easter Egg, or A Hot Cross Bun, make sure you write it down and count it, be honest with yourself, it's only yourself you are cheating!

Today is my 96th day without wine , and I'm not remotely tempted!
(in fact I've gone right off the smell of it too!)

Starting weight                    202.5 lbs
Today I weighed                    168.5.lbs
Total loss                              33 lbs
Total % lost towards target      68%
Still to lose                           14.5 lbs (Over 2/3rds of the way, and averaging 2.4 lbs a week)

{My Weekend Away}

I had a fab weekend away, and my planning of food to take away really worked.  I took 2 small lunchbox sized coolbags, one stacked with cold diet coke, and one with several lunch boxes of strawberries, one of grapes, one of Quorn sausages.  Three Mullerlights, and six Baby Bel lites, and a couple of HI fi bars.

I ate a big cooked breakfast before I left.  On Friday night we ended up at Lakeside, just off the M25, and I found a pasta bar, that served pasta in a cup.  I asked the guy for the lowest in oil sauce, as there were two tomatoey sauces, and the prepacked salads, came with a little pack of dressing which I binned.

Saturday breakfast, I ate cold quorn sausages (Love them), and a Mullerlight, and Hi Fi bar, while all the others went for their breakfasts downstairs. During the photography course, I ate all my grapes, and that kept me going.  Lunch was mainly sandwiches, but there were two platters of fruit and veg, so I ate loads of veg with a dollop of Hoummous, my three Baby Bels and some fruit, and then ate my punnet of strawberries.  I was quite stuffed by then! I wasn't even tempted by all the cakes and sweets that were dotted around the hall.

When I first arrived at the hall, several people recognised me from my Avatar as they frequent the same Scrapbooking forum as me, and two, if not three people suggested I changed my avatar, as I had lost so much weight.  Another lady knew me from a SW thread, and she sat right behind me, and shouted, "Have you lost a lot of weight recently?"  She made me feel very special!  I felt good all day, with everyone's comments, and then to top it all, one of the Photography teachers offered to take some photos of me as a little present, because she could see how much weight I had lost, I last saw her November 06, so she saw a real difference.  She took about 6 really fab shots, this is one of them, but I need to get hold of the others, as I think I looked slimmer in those, but none the less, I'm reall chuffed with what Kirsty took.  She really is a fab photographer.

That night we all went out for a meal.  Just what I was dreading, but I had a syn free Taboulleh starter with no dressing, and a tomatoey and vegetable tagliatelle dish.  It tasted fab, but as I got towards the end, it looked really oily, and I thought "Oh God!!", this will be my downfall. I drank diet coke all night, no alcohol, and no dessert, and I scooted my After Dinner Mint across the table!!

Breakfast the next morning was as the day before, my sausages and Mullers were absolutely fine, and still slightly chilled.  We again stopped at Lakeside on the way home for lunch, and I ate a tub of fruit, and was home within a couple of hours, and collapsed on the sofa from too many late nights.  So not at all the disaster I imagined.

That oily pasta sauce haunted me through the week, so I was extra careful, but have taken to Snack a Jack Salt and Vinegar multi pack rice cakes.  i think they are 5 syns each, so one a day has been great, and I've really enjoyed them.  Although the scales didn't look good all week for me, I did feel inches are disappearing again, and I'm getting nearer to getting on and zipping up those size 12 work trousers.  It must be 4 or 5 years since I have worn them, so I really can't wait for that, I shall be so excited.

My DH took my end of month progress photos this week, that's the fourth lot now, and although I haven't checked them out yet, they are probably going to highlight a big change in my body.

I think I will share them, when I reach my target.