On It Like A Car Bonnet ..

Just come back from a great work out at the gym with Gareth, broke a personal best! I go on the treadmill for 30 min's at the start and my record has been 8 minutes of collective running, today I did 9, and couldn't be prouder of myself, ha ha. I seriously had to push myself and get motivated but I did it. After that it was bike and cross trainer then onto the weights, we called it a night after that, feeling much better for what we had done!

 

Also food intake has been brilliant today. For lunch I had leftover chicken curry on a jacket potato, fruit for afters and for dinner I had gorgeous cheese salad, getting my Healthy A in. Now I'm just going for an after workout snack of a Hi-fi bar to get my Healthy B in. My head is really in it this week. I have completely changed my attitude and I'm ready for the scales next week.

No Weigh In ..

I'm not attending weigh in this as I have family matters at home, but in a way I am glad because I've had a horrendous week, from going back to old ways of snacking and too much bread, also drinking when I was out Saturday. It can only mean that I have put on.

 

This has been a quite a depressing start to the week, dieting and other matters at hand. Today I really sat down and had a word to myself, I had to stop this snacking, telling myself I'll be better later on in the week and not doing it. I'm going back to basics and writing everything down, I'm going to try cutting out bread completely this week to see if it helps.

 

I have had a good start today at turning it around, I've had 2 syns all day, by having a salad with mayo, and a fruit salad. I used my Healthy A on a babybel in my salad and I have my Healthy B left for a Hi-fi bar later on. I have quite a a few leftovers in the freezer so I will be using them up this week, and the frozen meals are all free.

 

I've come so far, I have to realise I can't mess it up now.

Weigh In .. A Little Late ..

Just got back from the gym with Gareth, and now I feel great. Always feel better after the gym, feel like I've contributed to my weight loss. Today is a great start to the week, got my superfree in and my Healthy A and B. For lunch I had left over chili with 2 slices of wholemeal bread followed by fruit. For dinner I made a favourite of Spaghetti Bolognese. Completely syn free, I had my Healthy A left so I popped a bit of grated cheese on top! Lovely!

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Fry Light

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

340g extra lean minced beef

230g button mushrooms, thinly sliced

400g can of chopped tomatoes

280ml beef stock

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

seasoning

280g spaghetti, dried

 

1. Spray a pan with Fry Light and cook the onions and garlic for 2-3 mins until just softened. Stir in the mince and cook until browned.

2. Add the mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock and Worcestershire sauce. Season lightly and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15-20 mins until reduced and thickened. Check the seasoning.

3. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions. Drain and divide between 4 plates. Top with bolognese sauce and sprinkle with cheese if you want.

 

So easy, syn free and filling!

 

Also I haven't informed you of my results of this weeks weigh in. I stepped on the scales thinking of a gain and received a maintain! I'll take it, after the week I had, of alcohol, apple pie and just random snacking I'm pleased with that result. I really thought I'd blown it, I would like to keep losing every week but at this stage anything is better than a gain. So I am set for a new week, still need 7 1/2 pounds for my Christmas target. In 5 weeks, can I do it?



Harumph! ..

Okay so it's time for a quick update to tell you I am not doing well this week. Bread has made its way back into my life, once I started eating it, I just can't stop. So bread has been a downfall this week and snacking, yes I've snacked this week. It's been really hard going. I don't know whats wrong with me either, it's like my will power is just completely shot.

 

On Saturday night I was out drinking as well, vodka and diet cokes, 4 syns a glass. I forget how many I had! Me and the gang went to see someone from the X Factor sing, don't ask me who, I haven't got a clue. I don't feign interest in them kind of shows, but I heard bar and gathering and I was there. Also when I got back in around 3am I sought out apple pie and cream.

 

So there is my confession, you can't have a good week every week. I'm trying to get back on it now and get it in my head! I'm off to have a jacket potato with chili on top. No syns!

SW Works Without You Knowing It ..

 

I am on it this week, went to the gym yesterday evening to get my body magic in, tread mill, bike, cross trainer and weights. really felt it last night as well, I always feel better when I feel it. I think that I've actually made a difference then.

My son was off school for teacher training day so I got my body magic in today as well. From racing home from the shops with him to dancing to Gangnam Style around the house, now that dance is a workout!

 

To quench my appetite after dancing I made spaghetti cabonara, the easiest one I have ever made. I'm not lying it literally took 15 mins, and tasted amazing, not to mention so filling and syn free.

 

 

Ingredients:

400g dried spaghetti

Fry Light

400g back bacon, all visible fat removed, cut into short strips

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

120g Parmesan, finely grated

seasoning

A small hand full of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, to garnish

 

1. Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions. Drain and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile place a large deep frying pan sprayed with Fry Light over a medium-high heat. Stir-fry the bacon for 2-3 mins, or until lightly golden. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then remove from heat.

3. Add the spaghetti, beaten eggs and half the Parmesan, season and toss well (the heat from the spaghetti will partially cook the egg, but still leave it moist and creamy).

4. Divide the carbonara out, sprinkle with parsley and the remaining Parmesan and serve.

 

This recipe serves 4 and is syn free if using the cheese as your healthy extra. I also put about 200g of thinly sliced mushrooms to mine to bump it up a bit, and it was just as gorgeous.

 

 

Also an inspirational story today, my mother has been dieting as long as I have, but she sticks to the diet of calorie counting since it has been successful for her. She's just recently got to a nice weight she is okay with and decided to take a break a couple of weeks ago, in this time I have been cooking more meals for the household so my mum has hardly had any of her own meals.

She informed this morning that without even trying she has lost 5 pounds, there is nothing different about her lifestyle except for the one fact that shes been dining on Slimming World low syn or syn free meals. If there is any need for proof that Slimming World works, this is definitely it!

If my mother can lose 5 pounds with out even trying or knowing, I can definitely lose the 2 pounds I have put down for next week! Congrats to my mum!



Weigh In (Insert Sad Face) ..

Weigh in was last night, and it did not go well for me at all. I gained 1 1/2 pounds. Obviously I'm not happy about it. Nothing much has changed over this week food wise. The only thing I can think of is the extra gym training I did Sunday afternoon. I've been feeling aching and my muscle are really hard from the circuit training I did. So I am hoping its that and I've got some water retention, which would mean that it all comes off next week! 

 

Since Gemma had me doing circuit training, I am blaming her. Ha ha. The question is now though do I keep doing some sort of circuit training every week and make my body get used to it, or just scrap it all together. Gemma just put up a great little home exercise as well for toning, be sure to go check that out here. Looks like a great little work out that you don't even need to leave the house for!

 

So today is the start of a new week, I have my meal plan that I will stick to. Tonight on the menu is Tuna Pasta Salad, quick, easy and completely syn free, might even have a Weight Watchers petit pan for my Healthy B as a side. My head is completely in it this week. Nothing is going to stop me and I will get my Christmas target of 3.5 stone weight loss!

Aching & Cheesecake ..

Ow. I am in some pain, on my legs and stomach. Gemma had me and Gareth doing circuit training in the gym yesterday afternoon and I can feel it. I mean it was a great workout, I was panting by the end of it but my god I hurt today. I've just come back from doing a few lengths in the pool to maybe ease my muscles, it helped a little.

Last night I made vanilla & chocolate cheesecake so it would be ready for lunch today. The dish serves 10 and each slice is 6 syns. Not bad for a lovely dessert. Here's how its made.

 

 

Ingredients:

10 digestive biscuits, finely crushed

50g low fat spread (suitable for baking), melted

50g dark chocolate

2 level tbsp powdered gelatine

3 x 165g pots Müllerlight New York Style Cheesecake yoghurts

100g quark

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp sweetener

 

1. Mix the biscuits with the spread in a bowl, then spoon into a 20cm diameter, non-stick, loose-bottom cake tin. Flatten with the back of a fork, cover and chill in the fridge for about 30 mins.

2. Meanwhile melt the chocolate and allow to cool a little.

3. Sprinkle the gelatine into 75ml of boiling water and stir to dissolve. Put the Müllerlight, quark, extract, sweetener and gelatine mixture in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour in the mixture of the biscuit base and swirl in the melted chocolate. Cover and chill in the fridge overnight.

4. Serve by cutting into 10 slices, try adding some raspberry to add a little fruit.

 

 

 

 

Before I went out swimming I made Grilled Lamb Cutlets with sautéed Rosemary Potatoes. Absolutely delicious and syn free.

 

Ingredients:

1lb 5oz potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5cm cubes

seasoning

Fry Light

1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

12 lean lamb cutlets or chops, all visible fat removed

 

1. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil and add the potatoes. Boil for 8-10 mins or until just tender. Drain thoroughly.

2. Spray a large, non-stick frying pan with Fry Light. Add the rosemary, garlic and potatoes. Stir-fry over a medium heat, turning the potatoes regularly for 6-8 mins or until golden.

3. Meanwhile mix together the Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce and brush over the lamb. Season well on both sides and place under a medium-hot grill. Cook for 5 mins on each side or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the grill and serve with the sautéed potatoes and vegetables.