Life goes on

Starting weight: 9 stone 1.6 pounds

Previous weight: 8 stone 13 pounds

Current weight: 8 stone 13 pounds

                

           This week was a real challenge for me, and that showed on the scales today. I’m not surprised though because it’s been a hectic week with exams, eating out and birthday parties. Exams mean I spend my days sitting at a desk studying. Sitting stationary does not burn calories. Little to no exercise was my major mistake for the week. I guess when you have an exam coming up the last thing on your mind is going on a walk, jog or even to the gym. But that is the total wrong way to think, taking an hour break would have been beneficial for my weight loss and stress levels. Another problem with studying is the boredom that comes with it, boredom can lead to snaking. I have an extremely sweet tooth so after five hours of study when the sugar levels are low and I need a boost I am in real danger. When I felt the urge to snack I had an orange. This worked really well for me and suppressed my sugary cravings.

          Eating out is always daunting when you are watching what you are eating. It is one of the ways in which you can slip up just by ordering wrong. This week I went to Captain Americans. This is certainly a restaurant where if you order the wrong meal you are in big trouble. I opted to play it safe and got the southern fried chicken salad with no dressing. If I’m perfectly honest I was really disappointed with what was served to me. The bowel contained lettuce and chicken with the odd cucumber scattered in it. The presentation was terrible and it tasted bland. For the price of the salad I truly expected more. I would have much preferred a homemade one which I prepare myself.

When dining in, my main aim was to ensure my meals were quick, tasty and low in fat. For lunches this week I decided to have weight watchers soup. The chicken soup is yummy and only contains 98 calories per bowl. This only took three minutes to heat up and ideal for my days of studying.

I also made a Quorn steak stir fry this week for dinner.  Quorn products are great, I swear by them. They are low in fat and calories, they contain no cholesterol and they are a source of protein, fibre and essential amino acids. Stir frying is quick, easy and one of the healthiest cooking methods.  Here is the recipe I used, it makes enough to serve three adults.

Ingredients

Quorn steak 1 bag

Peppers (red and yellow)

Sweet corn

Onion

Mushrooms

Stir fry noodles 2 sachets

Stir fry sauce (Blue dragon)

Method

Add a small amount of olive oil to a wok, heat the wok. Add the Quorn mince and fry for 8 minutes. Add the vegetables and fry for a further 8 minutes. Add the stir fry noodles and sauce, stir and allow 5 minutes for it to cook.  Serve and enjoy.

                So this week has not showed great results but I think that has made me more determined to get back on track. I guess it’s inevitable that life is not going to stand still while you try to lose weight. Don’t sit in and let it pass you by, temptation lies in the kitchen cupboards not just on restaurant menus. Get out there meet your friends and make educated choices. After all Rome wasn't built in a day!