Quest Complete!

The quest for popping corn has now been successfully completed! Thanks for suggesting Tesco Seren, but I managed to find some on my little jaunt into town after work yesterday afternoon. It was only £1.60 (I think) for a rather large bag full from Holland and Barrett.I didn't think was too bad compared to many of their prices. However with the lack of an awesome pink popcorn maker (unlike S!), I am yet to get the energy to pull a pan out of the cupboard of doom...

I've been feeling a bit under the weather the past few days, just very very lethargic. I'm sure it's just something to do with the evil coldness that has descended on us all over the country, I refuse to be poorly for my days off! I'm sure another session in the gym will either be "kill or cure" tonight. I'm sure I'm turning old as I was in bed, ASLEEP, before 10 last night! What on earth is happening to me!

After today I'm not back in work until next Wednesday and I can't wait! I have a lovely cafe visiting day planned for tomorrow with Mum. I think we're off to Blackerhall cafe which is at their farm shop just outside Wakefield and is well worth a visit. Everything is gorgeous and probably not very WW friendly, although now that PP are here....

Here is the inside of the cafe, it doesn't do it justice as it's set inside a barn with all the beams exposed. Oh and for the girlies among us, the toilets are very nice too!

I also need to get organised and pack for my super surprise birthday weekend that Mr B has organised. I have no idea at all what is happening or where we're going, all I know is that we go on Friday morning and come back on my Birthday (Monday)!!!! It's all very exciting!!!!

I shall let you know what the scales of destiny read at my second WI on the new plan. I have been able to be my usual organised self this week regarding meal planning etc so we shall see tonight!

Lex xxx

Work Once More

It's the start of the working week once more boys and girls, I hope you all had lovely weekends. I'm sure I blinked and missed mine though!

Ross Noble in Salford was amazing on Friday night, I thought my sides might actually split and my ears are still aching from laughing too much! We had an unexpected surprise of seeing one of my oldest friends and her fiance there too. It was fantastic to see her and to admire her engagement ring that is bloody gorgeous! We've not managed to meet up since February so my appearance was a bit of a shock to her to say the least, the last time we met up I was just starting the long and winding road of WW and had just lost my first stone so 4 stone and 4 dress sizes must be a bit of a shock to her!!

We had a quick wander around the Imperial war museum on Saturday morning as Harriet wanted a look (she's doing GCSE History) and it was free! I'm not into the history of war by any stretch of the imagination but even I found it interesting, I'd certainly recommend it to anyone as it's not just the first and second world wars, but every conflict since the first world war. Oh and the cafe is rather nice too...

Saturday night was Harry Potter night! Mr B and I love the books and the films, as does Harriet, so Mr B booked us tickets for a late night showing. It wasn't as packed as I thought it would be, but that's probably just the time that we picked. I thought it was fantastic, really dark and eerie just like the book. I think Harriet has at least three more trips to see it planned with various different friends!

Even though we were away, and I had ice cream in the interval at Ross Noble, plus a full English breakfast on Saturday morning, I only dipped into "Party Points" by 5! Not bad going me thinks! I even found some butterkist "light" popcorn when we called at the shop for cinema supplies, the small bag (50g I think) works out as 4 pp and I don't think I could have eaten any more than what was in that bag. I tried to find a bag of popping corn so I could make myself a portion and know exactly how much there was etc but I couldn't find any! Any clues as to where I could get some?? Please??

My friend Sally is coming round tonight for tea. She has been doing WW for a little while now and has so far lost 19 lb! She's doing fantastic at it and is also loving the propoints. I have promised to cook a ww friendly tea later which is going to be "Sausage, apple and red onion casserole" It looks rather yummy and has potatoes in it too. For 10 pp, plus some 0 pp brocoli I'm hoping it will be nice and filling too. I'll let you know what it's like...

Lex xxx

Holy Crap!!!!

Where the frick did that come from last night??!! I am shocked, neigh stunned, at the news the scales of doom showed last night. Even for all my moaning about bloaty-ness and water retention, I still managed to lose 1.5 lb! AWESOME!

So as some of you may now be aware, by losing that 1.5 lb this week I have reached my very own mini goal. Yes my lovelies, I am now 5 whole stone lighter!!!! FIVE STONES!!!!!! It really has not sunk in yet at all. In my head I still look like I did when I first started, even though I know I don't at all.

I stepped onto the scales with a distinct sense of "oh well" and a mental note to try harder next week. So when they showed the magical number I couldn't believe my eyeballs! The poor cover leader Lisa kept asking me if I was OK as I went into some sort of stunned silence and kept asking her if she was sure that's what I now weighed. I then explained that that took me to 5 stone gone, and I then had to tell her how I started online and have only been going to meetings since the end of June. Once the meeting got under way she then encouraged me to tell the others what happened at the scales, and they all clapped and cheered bless them. I'm not ashamed to admit that I welled up more than a little bit too!

Today is the day of the stupid shift. A nice 13 hour stretch at work worse luck. I'm half way through now though, not sure what I can find to do for the rest of the time as there's not many people around at all today, it's all rather odd.

I'm beginning to put my faith in the new propoints system, and have tracked everything for today and still had 6 pp to spare. So I indulged in a slice of cake from the sandwich van at lunch time. It felt rather naughty to be eating "proper" cake that was all accounted for, even if I did get a massive sugar rush from it!

Tomorrow night is the Ross Noble gig at the Lowry in Manchester, and I can't wait! Nor can Harriet and Mr B for that matter, lets just hope we don't forget the tickets!!

Lex xxx

First Week Done...

Well it's come round so fast, but today is the first of my WI's on the new plan. As I said in my last post, my body feels like it's against me this week so I'm not holding out much hope.

Like some of the other girls, I feel like I have over indulged this week and I have struggled to get my head round the fact that some tried and trusted foods are now higher in value than before. Throw into the mix the fact that my "ladies things" have arrived unannounced and with more water retention than usual, I think I may not be onto a good thing tonight!!! But, I am still going to the meeting and facing whatever the scale gremlins are chucking at me.

So that's my moan for today over and done with! I'm at the gym tonight, but can't get there Friday as we're off gallivanting again. I'm trying to get back to going three times a week, but seen as it's coming up to many birthdays and random celebrations, it's going to be a struggle. I shall keep aiming though and if I get there twice it'll be good, three times will be awesome.

The treadmills at the gym have been changed so they now operate in miles per hour rather than kilometres. This is all well and good but I had just got used to the speeds that I liked to run at!! Some how I managed to miss all the random notices about the change dotted around the gym, and instead convinced myself that my legs were just tired that day!

I shall let you know how I go on tonight...

Lex xxx

Back To Work

It's my first day back in the office after a wonderful week off, and it's been a huge shock to the system! It's strange just how quickly you manage to forget what it feels like to get up at stupid o'clock in the morning and have to scrape the car...

I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Grandma's visit was lovely and Jason Manford didn't disappoint! My face hurt from laughing so much!

I really struggled with making wise choices with food though. I had a chicken salad for lunch, lots of fruit and then a sandwich and a sausage roll before Jason Manford, and crumpets when I got in! I thought I'd got my head round the fact that I'm not going to starve or waste away if I don't eat. But obviously Saturday was a nice little blip in things to keep me on my toes! I'm sure I could have gone without the sausage roll or the crumpets, the sausage roll especially as it tasted foul, but old habits die hard as I still ate it all! I think once I start learning what propoints some of my more regular food choices are it should get a little easier.

My parents treat us to a yummy curry last night too. Dad said it was danger money/curry for us taking Harriet to Manchester next weekend and for having her when they're away for their wedding anniversary. It was scrummy non the less, and I pointed everything and still only dipped into the weekly allowance points (or party points as I like to call them!) by 3, so not bad going at all for a very delicious meal.

This week is going to be a bit tricky planning wise too unfortunately. I have to contend with crazy shift patterns, unplanned overtime and a trip to Manchester to see the comedian Ross Noble next Friday. So I haven't been able to sit down and plan to my hearts content as I have got into the habit of doing, which has knocked me back slightly but I'm never too far away from my new eating out guide and new little blue folder! Thank heavens for the freezer and it's left overs!

In spite of the lack of pre-planning this week, I did delve into the depths of the freezer yesterday armed with a permanent marker and my new propoints calculator in the hope of totting up the new values of some of the bits that I have stored away such as fishcakes etc. It was well worth the tens minutes of freezing to sort my head out a bit more.

I'm a bit dubious about the first WI of the new plan on Wednesday. With how my body is, it'll either be a slight loss or a massive gain until it settles into the new routine.

How is everyone else getting on with it all?

Lex xxx

Day Two and All Is Well

Well hello there my lovelies, how has your week gone? I have now had two full days on the new Propoints system and am slowly starting to get my head round it all! How is everyone else finding it all??

The WI results this week showed a 2 lb loss which I am very chuffed with thank you very much, just 15 lb more to the 5 stone mark! Lets see what this week holds! I have never seen as many WW members all in one room at the same time as there were on Wednesday night, we had to get more chairs out!! Everyone sat and listened intently and I think most of us have got a rough idea of what we need to be doing to get started...

So far I haven't been able to plan any meals in advance except for my porridge for breakfast due to my holiday days that have been full to bursting and keeping my nice and busy. I have worked out (as has the lovely Linz) that the Aldi porridge I like is now 5 propoints, rather than the 2.5 in old money. Now as this is all relatively new I'm not sure how to split up my 30 point daily allowance as of yet so this morning I got all creative with 30g of porridge oats, some water and topped with an apple that I cooked down in a drop of water with loads of cinnamon. It was rather yummy and only works out at propoints.

The thought of planning my evening meals in advance like I did before is slightly worrying me. I need to sit down and make the time over the weekend and enter some of my favourites into the recipe builder on the website and get the propoints updated, I'm sure once I get started with it it won't take too long (famous last words.....).

My week off is finishing on a high with a visit from my Grandma and auntie in the morning, possibly the in laws too, and then a night out in Manchester to see Jason Manford. I'm very very excited and giddy!

Now seen as there's no excuse any more, here are a few more pictures for your perusal, these are from June this year I think...

Lex xxx

It's Started...

How is every one finding the propoints?? I've had a quick go on the website but it's my meeting tonight so I shall get all the info I can tonight. I logged on this morning for the first time since it all changed, and I think that if I adopt the attitude that I'm starting a fresh I should be ok... Will those be famous last words??

I have finally got my pictures uploaded onto my laptop! Hurrah! Here are a few I have found from April when we were in Cardiff for a few days, I cannot believe how much my face has changed!

I shall report back tomorrow with my WI results and my thoughts on propoints! Have a great day every one.

Lex xxx

Counting Down...

Well my lovely bloggettes, as of WI last night I lost 2.5 lbs which definitely makes up for the slight gain I had last week. My weight at the moment is now 13 stone 9.5 lbs, and I'm feeling pretty chuffed with my little self about that. I am now on the count down to the new plan, Wednesday is D-day for our meeting!

I set my self the little mini challenge of being at 5 stone gone for the one year anniversary of me starting, but I changed that to being at 5 stone gone for the end of the month. So with 3 more weigh in's before my Birthday and the end of November, I hope I can shift that annoying 3.5 lbs! Please can everyone cross their fingers and toes for me?!

Last night's meeting was all about change, and Yong was hinting BIG time at what's going to happen with the new propoints plan. I'm very undecided about all the change at the moment. I'm sure once I get into the hang of it I'll be fine, it'll be just like starting all over again as a new member I reckon. On one hand I like the thought of it, whilst on the other I'm thinking that I've spent time and money getting to where I am with my weight loss. It's hopefully the kick up the bum I need to make me concentrate rather than becoming complacent. How's every one else feeling about it?

Lex xxx

The Second Of November

The 2nd of November marks a day that will be ingrained in my memory forever as the day that cancer took my Grandad 8 years ago. He had his faults, and he could be a mardy bugger, but he was only human and he was MY Grandad. He had a wicked sense of humour and loved to wind us grand kids up by watching cricket whilst other more entertaining things were on. He liked to drink tea, and John Smiths, and ate cold baked bean sandwiches, and he was MY Grandad.

I have always believed that there is something else after we leave this earth, I have no idea what but I have always felt that way. I wouldn't say I'm psychic or anything but I guess I can pick up on little things as most people can. Such as I can feel that there's "someone" in and around my desk most of the time, and I knew the precise moment that both of my Grandad's died, but yesterday had to be the strangest day for a while!

I was on lates/afters yesterday so I managed to have the morning to myself for a change. I had to run errands in town, and get something sorted for my tea etc. Whilst i was pottering in the kitchen I had radio two on, and there was a lovely lady vicar on the show saying that the 2nd of November is all souls day and is the day that we should remember all those that we have loved and lost. How very fitting. As the day progressed I saw two blokes that looked like my Grandad, and even walked like him! Then every shop that I went into had some sort of music / song that he liked on, I mean who plays Bonnie Tyler really!! I then went into Boots and saw the cricketer Dickie Bird, who spoke to me and asked how I was. He was one of Grandad's favourites! Then to top it all off on the way into work, the radio had on another of his favourite tracks.

All such strange things that are probably a coincidence but certainly made me crack a smile...

Sorry for this post boys and girls but I felt the need, normal service shall be resumed shortly I promise. Plus there's the threat of tonight's WI on the horizon!!

Lex xxx

To The Rescue....

Merry Monday everyone, hope you all had a great weekend. Mine didn't go to plan but turned out good in the end! That's got to be a bonus!

The rich beef cobbler that I made the other night turned out to be very very yummy, as did the lasagne I made from a WW recipe on Friday night. I even managed to make the white sauce non-lumpy after a failed first attempt. Sometimes my stubbornness comes in handy!

Mr B and I had planned a trip to Scarborough for Saturday, and we were going to meet up with my parent's and youngest sis as they were due to come home on Saturday from a week in sunny Flamborough. All was going to plan until I had a missed call when I was in the gym on Friday afternoon...

Dad's car well and truly died! He turned a corner, the crank shaft snapped and has blown a hole straight through the engine! Oooooops! They got recovered back to the chalet and were then due to be towed home on Saturday morning. So after many random jumbled up conversations, it was decided that Mr B and I would go to the chalet, collect some of there stuff and then go on our merry way to Scarborough. Lex and Martin to the rescue!!!

We got up at stupid o'clock, were on the road for 7 am and with them for just after 9, all with a wee / coffee stop en-route! Not too bad at all!! Harriet then tagged along with Mr B and I for the rest of the day and stayed at ours. She must have eaten far too many ice creams this week though as we said she could anything at all that she wanted, and she just had a 99!! Strange child! I thoroughly enjoyed my sundae and I pointed it all up too. I was rather accountable!

We met up with some friends for a curry Sunday night. It tasted sooooooooo good! We're both curry monsters so since I've started WW I try to make my own, but it's just not the same as it being cooked for you. It was a real treat and I only went over points by 1.5 due to the hot chocolate I'd had whilst we were in town.

I put my planning head on yesterday and have planned as many meals as I can for this week. It doesn't help that I'm on another odd shift again tomorrow, so that's thrown a huge spanner in the works! Tonight is Turkey and mushroom stroganoff, I hope mine looks like the picture as it looks yummy!

Hope every one has a great start to the week,

Lex xxx