Long Time No See....

Long time no see, or so it seems my lovely readers! I have been missing in action for almost a week now I believe. Once again, life has got in the way of my ramblings I am afraid.

Twas awesome news at the scales on Wednesday, a totally unexpected loss of 3 whole lbs. I have no idea how that happened but I am certainly not complaining at all. It just means that I probably won't have a loss this week as that tends to be how my body goes after a massive random loss.

I hope you all had great weekends. Mine was spent with my Mr B just pottering around and doing bits around the house such as building the TV stand that finally got delivered, so I think the front room is just about sorted thank goodness! We than had Indian to celebrate. My god it was yummy! Although once again the portions beat us and we left some of the gorgeousness that was our curries.

The curry was slightly cancelled out by my session at the gym on Sunday afternoon, I had to get out of the house to escape the chuntering and swearing that was going off with Mr B insisting that he needed no help with the TV stand. So this (touch wood!) has kick started my aim to get to the gym three times before next Sunday. I have yesterday's session under my belt, as well as an hours swim today so I'm hoping to get back in on either Wednesday or Friday, or maybe even both!

I am currently enjoying a couple of days holiday from work, and as you can imagine I have so much stuff planned and to do that I think I'll be glad to get back to work for a break! Off to Leeds for the day with Mummykins tomorrow and I'm dead excited about it!

Lex xxx

Running...

I'm sorry I've not managed to blog before now, you know what it's like when you've got too much happening and not enough time to do it in!

Not much to tell so far really. We had a lovely weekend catching up with friends, and nice to be at work for a rest! The friends we met up with on Sunday night are over from the USA and we haven't seen each other for just short of two years. It was really emotional and so so lovely to see them. They didn't recognise me! I mean I know I've changed but I didn't think it was that much!

I'm planning on going to the gym three times this week to try and kick start myself into reaching another stone off by the end of the year. I did my normal work out last night, a swim tonight, then another session hopefully tomorrow. I even ran for the first time EVER last night on the treadmill! I never thought I'd build up the courage to run in the gym but I did, and I grinned like a loon the entire time! It was brill! I did one minute of walking then one of running and it felt awesome!

I finally managed to find some time and plan our evening meals for this week too. Last night was "creamy red Thai curry" (WW recipe) and tonight is "Pork steaks with cumin roasted carrots" (also a WW recipe). I recommend the red Thai curry to anyone, we thought it was delicious! Our other meal options for this week include stir fry of some variety and vegetable risotto. YUM!

Right boys and girls, I'm off to finish my lunch!

Lex xxx

The Hips Don't Lie....

First of all I want to say a massive thank you for the lovely comments I've had on reaching my 4 stone off. It really means a lot that any one even reads this blog, never mind takes time out to post such lovely comments to me. So thank you!

Today marks the anniversary of "the picture" being taken. I hate this picture, it's what made me decide to start WW, even though it took me until Christmas to pluck up the courage and stop kidding myself. I promise I will share it with you, but I want to do it around my one year mark just so I can take a nice pic of me now.

I finally got to the gym today! I really enjoyed it and once again didn't realise how much I actually miss it when I don't go. I've tried to add a few more reps in here and there just so my body doesn't get too used to it. I'm still building up the courage to actually run on the treadmill though, as an extremely accident prone clumsy person it's probably safer all round if I don't attempt it in the gym! I did however manage to master the new "ski" machine today, it's like a cross trainer only it goes side to side instead of forwards. I hope I got the name of it right! Any way, my bum and thighs are now a little bit achy so it must be using different muscles which is a good bonus.

It is the last day of what Mr B and I have affectionately termed "Stupid Shift Week". Yet another 3pm-11pm shift, which dare I say, has so far not been too bad! I've survived all week (thanks for asking Linz :) ) and now have that Friday feeling with 2 hours left to go until I can run screaming to my car bellowing FREEDOM!!!! Although it will probably be more of a waddle tonight. I had the same again for tea as last night and enjoyed it just as much, and again am far too full! I managed to ignore my belly screaming "ALEXA STOP!!!! I MIGHT BURST!!!!". Oh well, I'm sure a few more laps around the out side of the building will sort me out.

When I used to work stupid shifts all the time I once counted that a lap around the out side of the building is 250 steps so I used to keep going round and round and round. Saying that I still do now! I bet you now all think I'm rather sad hahahaha.

Just before I scamper off for tonight, I just want to tell you about my hip bones. I have found out that mine exist and I had them the whole time! They were just hiding from me! Even Mr B discovered them the other night. We were all snug in bed having a spoony hug and he went:

"Lex what's that?! There's a strange lump that feels really hard!"

It turns out he'd got his hand on my hip bone! Bless him. Hope you all have a lovely weekend

Lex xxx

Hell Yeah!

I cannot believe it, as of my official weigh in last night I have now lost a grand total of 4 stone!!!! 4 bloody stone!!! No wonder my jeans are huge!

I couldn't go on about it too much last night as Kheira had a STS this week and I didn't want to rub it in as she is even more emotional than me (and I take some beating!). So I am a very proud girl today as I never thought when I started that I would manage to carry on this far and still want to keep on going and eventually become a leader.

I'm on a different stupid shift today, 3pm - 11pm, where I'm from its called "afters" but round Wakfefield its called "lates". Either way, it's extremely stupid and I don't like it!!!! It totally throws me off for the beginning of the day as I have no idea what to do with myself and then I end up sort of clock watching or waiting around until its time to leave for work. Grrrrrrrr!

I had to start the day with an impromptu visit to the parents as a cheque I have been waiting for had arrived, this then led to a nice lunch with Mum and Kheira at a local garden centre. We all had scrummy cheese and onion quiche which was served with salad which is always a bonus in my book!

That's another thing with this shift, it throws meal times slightly out too. Not as much as nights I admit, but enough for you to be sat with not much happening and the temptation of the vending calling you from down the corridor! Tonight's tea is a vegetable bake from a WW cookbook with jacket potato. It smelled lovely whilst it was cooking so I hope it tastes nice too as I'm also having it tomorrow night whilst on this stupid shift again!

I know Linz had some problems getting home the other night, as did I but many miles away from Reading!! As I mentioned, Barnsley were at home to Leeds on Tuesday evening and I thought the traffic might be bad but I certainly wasn't expecting the nightmare I encountered! It took an hour to do a 10 minute journey!!! Stupid local Derby's! The next bad one will be against Sheffield United so I think we might have either be in for the night or far away long before kick off!

Lex xxx

Breakfast Breakthrough

After catching up with lots of your lovely blogs during the shift from hell yesterday afternoon, an enormous feeling of inspiration came over me. The ever so gorgeous Linz ( http://linzerello.blogspot.com/ ) mentioned trying out something different for breakfast, so I decided that I would too! Thanks Linz for being my inspiration behind a new awesome very filling breakfast that I have imaginatively called "Apple Porridge". Well it kind of tells you all you need to know in two words really rather than a trendy foam or jus....

Now I forgot to take a pic but I'm sure we all know what a bowl of porridge oats looks like, then imagine an apple chopped into small chunks and a couple of blueberries added for good measure and there you have it! I pointed it up on the recipe builder on the WW site and for 50g oats, 200 ml skimmed milk, an apple, about 20 g blueberries and some cinnamon it comes to 4.5 points. I'm very chuffed with my little self!

In fact I'm trying my hardest to try and eat better and make different food choices to normal this week, starting with the breakfast. I'm very aware that I haven't been able to get to the gym so far this week and I hope that I'll be able to get there Thursday and Friday. So with this in mind I've been trying to "fuel" my body better rather than just picking up a bag of WW crisps. It's going ok I think, but I'm feeling extremely tired which is making it harder to reach for the fruit and not for the other little treats even though they are WW friendly items.

My plan for the rest of the afternoon is to sit and plan a couple of days worth of evening meals from my cookbooks that are stashed in my bag. I noticed that I can make a big point saving on a few of the recipes I've looked at just by using less oil, or missing out cheese if its just for a garnish and I don't think it needs it.

I've left Mr b strict instructions on how to cook tonight's tea as I'll not be home until well after 7 and Barnsley are at home playing Leeds so I think I may have to fight to get into our car park! We're having a curry made with one of the WW tikka sauce jars, chicken and lots of veg. I'll let you know how Mr B gets on as his cooking repertoire only usually extends to mince based products and sandwiches!

I'm off to plan some menus and eat my bagel and have a well deserved (and needed!) coffee

Lex xxx

Fully Fledged Campist

Well what can I say boys and girls, camping was AWESOME!!!! I loved every minute of it, even when some giant spiders invited themselves in for a party in our bedroom space and the very loud argument that was happening at the end of the site kept us all entertained for ages!

Here is Mr B celebrating the fact that the tent hasn't blown away...

We managed to get to the site whilst the sun was still shining, but the wind was very windy! The tent took some putting up I can tell you, but only really due to the fact that we didn't practice before we went away (but the less said about that the better....). We were both extremely grateful that we got there when is was dry and bright unlike the family that were setting up camp in the dark at 10pm on Friday night!!!

We decided to have a treat of pizza from the take away on the site for Friday night tea and then cook on our little stove on the Saturday. The pizza was ok I suppose but I've not eaten it for a good while and really wish there had been some healthier options in the club house rather than fried stuff with chips! But I really really enjoyed my ice cream in the harbour bar ice cream parlour on Saturday. I didn't eat them both, I just had to eat the mandarin off Mr B's as "fruit is just wrong" apparently! Mmmmmmmm Ice cream how I have missed you.....

Turkey stir fry made on the camping stove was made even more excellent by watching a family put their tent up whilst arguing about who forgot to bring what.

Well I'm sorry but the weekend was pretty much taken up by camping and walking, so not very exciting. I've a feeling that it's going to be a long week at work, I am working 12 hours today and tomorrow, my normal shift on Wednesday and lates on Thursday and Friday (3pm-11pm). The only bonus about the late shifts is that I can actually go to the gym before work on both days, and hopefully partake in an exercise class.



Lex xxx

Hectic With A Capital H

The past few days have been hectic with a capital H dearest blog readers. We've had weigh in's, mad dashes in the car, last minute shopping trips and a ride in an ambulance!

The weight watchers meeting on Wednesday night was great. Kheira was welcomed with opened arms as I knew she would be, and since she weighed in at Boots last week she's lost around 6 lbs! Obviously there's be a difference in scale calibration and other stuff but I think that it's shown her what she can do and given her the push to carry on with her weight loss journey. Here she is in all her glory ready to go get weighed!

I have had another good week and managed to lose another pound. Dead happy with that as I didn't feel as in control this week as I would have liked to have been. I'm now at 14 st 7 lb, which is 1 lb away from losing 4 stone.

The Boston Barbecue Beef and Beef Hotpot from the old WW book was gorgeous. It really didn't take long to make and was really filling, plus because it tasted like BBQ sauce and has pasta in it felt like a naughty tea even though it was only 6 points. If any one would like the recipe, let me know and I'll post it on here.

I wanted to write this post yesterday, but I was just sitting down to do so when I was called upon to be "Super Lex -First Aider Extraordinaire". A lady from the control room upstairs was feeling all the classic signs of a heart attack, so I had to call an Ambulance to get her to the hospital. It then appeared that I was the only female staff member available to go with her too! So I had my first ever ride in an ambulance and got to spend the day waiting around at the A&E in Wakefield. It was also our "lucky" *ahem* day as we got to hear this bloke describing how a drain he's got sewn in keeps coming out and leaking everywhere! It's just what you need when the nurses have been lovely enough to find us both a drink and a sandwich. In the end they've kept her in over night and they don't think it was a heart attack! Phew!

Mr B and I are off for our camping trip this afternoon. I'm really looking forward to it but CONVINCED that there's something I've forgotten! I have pretty much got everything except the kitchen sink (although I was tempted...) but there's bound to be something! I hope you'll all wish me luck being in a confined space with Mr B full of cold and we've not had chance to practice putting the tent up!

Keep your eye's peeled on the news for "Annoyed girlfriend pushes mardy/sniffly/snot filled other half over cliff top at Scarborough"

Lex xxx

Excuse Me, Could I Just Eat Your Lunch For You??

Could someone please explain why, on WI day of all days, I am having a proper hungry day. I should be full as my roast veg soup (made by my own fair hands I might add) was lovely, and I even had a wholemeal pitta to make me last until after the WW meeting tonight but I AM HUNGRY!!!!! At least the mad rush once I've finished work should keep me from consuming the contents of the fridge once I get in.

Tonight is the night of my sister Kheira's first ever WW meeting and I can't wait! I've just realised how sad that sounds too.... oh well! I hope she enjoys meeting all the lovely people that I have become friends with in the short time that I've been attending WW meetings.

Tonight I shall be mainly cooking a recipe from one of the older WW cook books I purchased from play. It's barbecue beef and bean something or other and it looks AWESOME! I shall let you know how it went tomorrow. I haven't looked through either of them properly yet though as Mum and Grandma were hogging the books and sticking post-its on all the pages they want photocopying. I think it might be kinder to the environment if I just bought them the books each!

On another note I need to chat to Mr B about what we're actually taking with us on our maiden camping voyage to sunny Scarborough this up coming weekend. Does any one have any suggestions food wise etc? I don't want to try and cook loads but at the same time I'm not sure how close we are to any thing for going out for meals.

I would love it if our tent looked like this, I think I might even move in.Mr B wouldn't let me have a tent like this though as he is very mean!

Lex xxx

Non-Scale Victories

http://www.nataliedee.com/archives/2010/Mar/

Well hello my lovely blog readers, I hope you all had a good weekend. I know I certainly did for a change! I did try wriing this blog yesterday but my PC at work decided it had had enough of me pretending to do work and gave up the ghost. No power or anything! I'm sure things like this only happen in my presence!

Skegness was gorgeous, well the weather was at least! It was just what we needed after moving and me being off etc. There was lots of sun, lots of walking, a lovely cafe and two awesome salads all in the space of two days! We ate out both Friday and Saturday night but I managed to stay witin points and made wise choices from what was on offer, I did however succumb to the gorgeousness that is the milkshake bar that has opened in the brand new huge amusments on the front in Skegness. They are beautiful! Mr and and my youngest sis got quite into them in the week that we were down in July, and I had one as a treat on our last day. This time I'd managed to save a fair few points and gained tons of activity points on my pedometer so I felt a nutella milkshake was in order. NOM! It's one of the breed of trendy mikshake bars that will pretty much whizz any thing up into a shake for you, we even saw polo mints on the menu!

The one thing that I am finding now is I struggle with portion control when eating out or having takeaway. I've near enough mastered it when cooking at home, but restaurants etc are still a mine field. We ordered chinese for tea when we got there Friday night and Italian on Saturday. Both options were well within my points, however I still find it hard to put the fork down when I'm full. There's still one little part of me that thinks:

"you've paid good money for this, you WILL eat it!!!"

I guess old habits die hard, both Mr and I are the same. At least now we've both realised what we're doing and can do something about it.

Any way, back to the title of the blog...

I have had TWO non sacle victories this weekend whilst in sunny Skegvegas. The first was having a massive reduction in bra size! I last got measured around Easter time, which is now around 2stones ago and the lovely lady in M&S sorted me out. I got re-measured in La Senza at the weekend and apparently I have lost 4 whole inches from around my chestal area! How on earth did that happen?! I am tempted to go back to M&S just for peace of mind and to see if it really is true as I'm an old cynic at heart. I knew that my current "upper-decker-flopper-stoppers" were less supportive than they should be but not by that much surely!

The second was actually fitting my calves into "normal" sized wellies. Now that may not sound like much to some people, but my calves have always been big and I thought I was destined for a lifetime in boots from Evans and the like. So you can imagine my surprise when I tried on some wellies and I had calf room to spare! Thinking I may need water proof items for our very first camping trip this up-coming weekend.....

Lex xxx

Sea-side O'clock!

It's almost 3pm, the time I finish work which will today be known as "Sea-side o'clock" as we're straight off to sunny Skegness for a weekend in the caravan. I hope it will be a weekend of relaxing and chilling out as I feel we both deserve it!

It's a month since moving day today, and I don't think either of us have recovered from the moving stress on top of me being off and then being so tired from going back to work. Mr B has been fantastic and so supportive, it's time he took some time out for a change.

Tea with the in-laws last night was lovely. I made pork and vegetable casserole from the weight watchers site, it's becoming one of our faves to be honest with you and even more so since I decided to buy ready chopped carrot and swede mix. I'm extremely clumsy so no more nearly taking fingers/thumb off when trying to hack at the swede! It went down well with Mr B's parents, so much so that his mum has taken my copy of the recipe home with her. Even his Dad scoffed a massive dish of it, and at 3.5 points per serving you feel like you've had a naughty tea even though it really isn't at all. Here is the link:

http://www.weightwatchers.co.uk/util/prt/recipe.aspx?Type=1&RecipeID=7019372

Pork and Vegetable Casserole

POINTS Value: 3.5

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 70 min

Ingredients
5 spray low-fat cooking spray

450 g boneless shoulder of pork joint, cut into chunks

1 large onion(s), chopped

2 clove garlic, crushed

1 medium apple(s), peeled, cored and cut into chunks

2 medium carrot(s), sliced

200 g swede, chopped
420 g Sainsbury's Mixed Beans in a Mild Chilli Sauce, (use any brand)
1 portion stock cube, vegetable, make up to 400ml with hot water

400 g canned tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoon tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground

2 teaspoon thyme, or mixed herbs
1 pinch salt, and black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

• 
  
  
  
  Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5/190°C/fan oven 170°C.
  Spray a large flameproof casserole with low fat cooking spray. Add the pork, a handful at a time, and cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes until seared and browned.



• 
  
  
  
  Add the onion, garlic, apple, carrot and swede and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring.



• 
  
  
  
  Add all the remaining ingredients, stirring well to mix thoroughly. Bring up to the boil, then put the lid on and transfer the casserole to the oven. Bake for 1 hour.



• 
  
  
  
  Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed. Serve with extra vegetables or mashed potatoes, remembering to add the extra POINTS

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!


I'm still trying to find five minutes where I can take my measurements for this month, I've only been doing it since the beginning of June and have so far lost an inch round my waist each month. I don't think its something that will (or should) happen every month but it would be nice to see a small change.





Seen as it was pay day the other day, I have treat myself to a few new books that are either WW or weight loss related. I've had them sent to work to to make it look like I'm important and get interesting post! (I'm very sad I know!!!). The first of these arrived today and I'm trying so hard to resist starting to read it straight away as I already have a book on the go. I have been following Shauna Reid's blog "The Amazing Adventures Of Diet Girl" for a while now, and have finally managed to track down her book on the awesome Amazon. Her blog is brill and she is an extremely inspiring lady. Here is her blog http://www.dietgirl.org/ and this is her book to look out for:






Hope every one has a lovely weekend

Lex xxx

The Word That Strikes Fear....

Yes bloggerino's I'm afraid that the one little word was uttered numerous times during my WW meeting last night. If you're of a nervous disposition please avert your eyes and think of something pretty.......

CHRISTMAS!

I would like to know why it was uttered in what I perceive to still be (sort of) summertime!!! I swear I heard gasps of shock from the ladies on the back row.

Any way, the whole point to this is mini goals. Some of the ladies have decided that they want to have a mini goal for *that* time. Some of the suggestions have been to be at goal, still maintaining, and some even to try and lose two stone!

My personal little goal is to be at 5 stone gone by the 1 year anniversary of me joining WW which is the 28th of December. At weigh in last night I'd lost 1.5 lbs this week which is 2lb away from 4 stone lost, and 1 stone 0.5 lb lost since switching to monthly pass membership. I think that any more than the 5 stone off would be a massive bonus but I think if I pushed my body too hard it would just put up a massive fight!

Whilst in the gym last night I noticed that the class timetable has been updated again, and it now includes two "Zumba" classes. I have noticed that this craze is spreading like wild fire and I even saw it featured on the WW site the other day! I know I have been on about going to a class for a while but I think has given me the push as I really want to try it out. Has anyone been, or know some one that has??

I must dash as Mr B's parents are coming for tea tonight and I have to go home and be a domestic goddess and hostess with the mostest...

Lex xxx