19/02/2017

How I managed to lose weight this week is a Slimming World miracle

Ok, so to start, I have a confession to make. I didn't go to group on Wednesday.

After all the hype, the nerves, the expectation, and the promises (sorry, Beth!) I didn't go. I didn't bail, though. It wasn't that I was too scared or anything. I was unwell. Actually, it probably would've been the best time to go as my weight probably plummeted on Wednesday!

I had all the intentions of going after I'd been to the gym but I just felt crap. I had also forgotten my card, in the rush getting ready that morning, so when I got home just wanted to stay there.

I will be going this Wednesday though. I've even put it in my diary so 1. I remember my card, and 2. I don't arrange to do anything else. A late meeting at work can seem pretty tempting when dreading the scales.

So, food wise, this week has been a mixed bag. It hasn't stopped me losing 3lbs though! I was so surprised when I stepped on the scales. Especially after last week's disappointment. I did measure myself after I posted last weekend, though, and discovered my hips are 35" and my waist 29" - just half an inch away from what they measured when I got to target. Pretty good going, really!

Anyway, back to this week! Being poorly Wednesday/Thursday probably had something to do with my loss - but I'll take it!

Obviously, Tuesday was Valentine's Day so we enjoyed that with a meal in the evening. It was just a Morrisons meal for two so I was very careful in what I chose for us to have. I was tempted by some of the high-syn dishes but in the end went for steak - which I knew would be a safde choice. We had it with veg and some homemade SW chips - perfect. I wasn't compromising on pudding, but when I saw roughly how many syns it was I did feel sick (it's no wonder I was poorly for two days after!) Because I still haven't been back to group I don't have the SW app and the syn bible, so I totally have to guess syns for things like this.

596 calories in one pudding, though. That's not going to be less than 15 syns! These puddings were roughly the size of the Cadbury caramel puddings and each one was in a small plastic pot. It had 110% of your recommended daily allowance of saturated fat. Absolutely horrific. Or at least, it would be, if it didn't taste like actual heaven. I swear to god it was one of the nicest supermarket bought puddings I have ever had. It was worth every syn.

Aside from Tuesday (and Friday, when I went for an impromptu lunch date with my mum) it's been a pretty normal week. I didn't really fancy much in the way of food when I felt under the weather. Wednesday night I only had tea because I was making it for Tom. I had a really small amount too, compared to my normal portion sizes. There was no speed in there because, honestly, I just couldn't be arsed. I just wanted to go to bed.

I've ended up eating the same meal for lunch almost every day this week, which got pretty boring. I did the campfire stew and it was beautiful when I had it Monday, but by Thursday I was sick to death of it. I'd made it in the slow cooker on Sunday night with the leftover gammon from the roast dinner I made. It was just the gammon (which usually you'd put in raw, then shred once cooked. But mine was already cooked so I put it in shredded), with two tins of baked beans, three peppers, an onion, some garlic and some tomato puree. I cooked it on low for four and a half hours (it recommends more but my gammon was already cooked) then split it into four tubs for the week.

It was so filling that it meant most days I didn't want/need anything else to eat until my tea - which is exactly what you want from your lunch!

I don't really have much to say about this week. I didn't really had much of an appetite Wednesday/Thursday so was purely been eating because I knew I had to. I haven't really been to the gym much either, and when I went on Wednesday I felt so crap I hardly did anything. Although, I did manage to burn 450 calories - so almost got rid of the chocolate pudding from Valentine's Day! Win!

My aim for the week was to get more speed on my plate. It's not really worked out on a lunchtime, purely because I couldn't be bothered to carry any more tupperware into work with me with some salad etc. in it. The stew has peppers and onion in it, although in all honesty I'm not sure whether it would equate to 1/3 of my plate/tub.

Tea time has been much better (except Wednesday) and I have made conscious efforts to get more speed on my plate.

Friday I had a go a to making pizza using a bread mix which is a HEB. I've had it in the cupboard for ages but could never be bothered with the faffing. It's hardly a 10 minute job and is soooo messy. Not the thing to make after just blitzing the kitchen clean!

Anyway, as I portioned the bread mix into 60g balls I genuinely thought the pizza would be the size of a cracker. But with some careful rolling and pulling it was a good sized, thin base. I had loads of 60g balls left so wrapped them and have popped them in the freezer for future pizza making nights.

It was honestly soooooo good. I topped it with 40g reduced fat cheddar (HEA), chicken, red onion and peppers. My sauce for the base was a mix of passata and tomato purée.


I  serve it with SW chips (which I've finally nailed!!) and a big pile of spinach and peppers.

Beaut!!!


Filled a big, big hole!

Sunday's breakfast was also a dream. I'm a big pancake fan and have struggled to find a SW friendly pancake recipe that actually tastes like pancakes. Cue the Syn Free Oat Pancakes by Pinch of Nom. They tasted just like 'proper' pancakes and were so easy to make and super filling.


So glad I've discovered this recipe in time for Pancake Day! I used frozen berries to have with them and drizzled all the juice from them over the pancakes - it was like having fruity syrup!

All in all, I'm kinda surprised I actually managed to lose weight this week. I've been far more relaxed this week than the others since I've been back following Slimming World. I've used more syns and treated myself more, rather than barely indulging in any syns through the week.

I have heard people say they find they have better losses when they do use their syns, as opposed to when they don't have any or restrict themselves. I suppose that's what they're there for, though, to be used. And Slimming World isn't about depriving yourself of the things you want and like, it's about the balance. I suppose my first few weeks back on it I didn't want to jeopardise myself by slipping up and giving in to temptation. After Christmas my self-control was at an all-time low and I knew if I gave in and had a 5 syn Freddo I'd have eaten the whole pack and half the cupboard in no time!

I am feeling so much more positive now and 100% ready to be back at group on Wednesday. I promise I am going this time! I'll let you know how I get on and how accurate my scales are compared to Beth's - eek!

Food diary:

Monday:
Breakfast - Baked oats (using 40g porridge oats as HEB) with strawberries and fat free quark.
Snack - Blueberries.
Dinner - SW campfire stew.
Snack - Two clementines and a pear
Tea - Spicy sausage pasta (1.5 syns for three Morrisons Eat Smart Cumberland sausages - 0.5 syns each) with spinach and roasted peppers on the side.
Snack - Curly Wurly brownie (6 syns).
Syns for the day: 7.5.

Tuesday:
Breakfast - 5% sugar Cheerios (40g for HEB) with fat free quark and raspberries.
Dinner - SW campfire strew.
Snack - Two clementines
Tea - Sirloin steak with broccoli, green beans and carrots and homemade SW chips followed by melt in the middle belgian chocolate pudding (30 syns)
Drink: Two glasses of prosecco (9 syns)
Syns for the day: 39.

Wednesday:
Breakfast - Choco-nut malt wheats (40g for HEB) with 100ml semi-skimmed milk (HEA) - used the rest of my allowance in coffees through the day - followed by two clementines.
Dinner - SW campfire stew.
Tea - SW Carbonara made with fat free quark.
Syns for the day: 0

Thursday:
Breakfast - Choco-nut malt wheats (40g for HEB) with 100ml semi-skimmed milk (HEA) - used the rest of my allowance in coffees through the day - followed by two pears.
Dinner - SW campfire stew.
Tea - Cottage pie with broccoli and green beans.
Syns for the day: 0

Friday:
Breakfast - Bacon, poached eggs, baked beans and a big pile of spinach.
Dinner - Roast ham, poached eggs, hollondaise sayce (5 syns) and a white muffin (8 syns)
Snack - Chocolate cake (20 syns)
Tea - Homemade pizza (HEB and HEA) with spinach, peppers and SW chips.
Syns for the day: 33

Saturday:
Breakfast - Two clementines and two Alpen light bars (HEB)
Dinner - Chicken pasta and tomato sauce with cherry tomatoes
Tea - Speedy chicken jambalaya
Drink - Two cocktails (approx 16 syns)
Syns for the day: 16

Sunday: (SP)
Breakfast - Oat pancakes (HEB) with raspberries, strawberries and fat free quark.
Dinner -Butternut squash soup with a tuna sandwich in wholemeal roll (second HEB and 1 syn for mayo)
Snack - Two clementines
Tea - Caribbean beef and pepper stew with broccoli and green beans.
Syns for the day: 1

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