The Real Issue

Starting weight: 9 stone 1.6 pounds

Previous weight: 8 stone 11.2 pounds

Current weight: 8 stone 11.2 pounds

Well, I have gone off the radar for almost two weeks now, as I had some soul searching to do. I have been getting quite upset over the last few days about the fact that the weight isn’t coming off as steadily as I first imagined. The worst thing about this is I cannot pin point what I am actually doing wrong, it is not like I am over eating and under exercising. I eat the right amount per day for a woman with my physic and lifestyle, this is approximately 1200 calories per day. I have even upped the exercise this week and made sure I got out every day. I became an exercise junkie if I wasn't spinning, I was playing football or being walked by dog, yes he genuinely walked me!

 As I am writing this I still feel clueless, although I don’t think the problem is with nutrition or exercise. I think I have gotten myself so discouraged over a reading on the weighting scales, that my mind has started to overrule my body. That is the problem with the scales one week it can be your best friend and then the next it is your enemy. I think it is baffling that by standing on the scales a person’s view of them self can change instantly. For instance, you wake up in the morning and go through your normal daily routine, you put on the perfect outfit and you feel good, looking more fabulous than ever and you begin to think that the diet is starting to pay off, you are practically glowing. Then you decide to stand on the scales, just out of curiosity even though weight day isn’t until Friday and to your surprise you are 2 pounds heavier than the previous week. There in a matter of seconds your mind has instantly changed how you feel about yourself, if you walk back and look in the mirror now I bet you will point out all that is ‘wrong’. This I have to admit is my biggest dilemma and the route to my weight loss mishap. This has to change,I don’t want to let the number on the scales determine how I feel about myself.

So the conclusion I have came to is to weigh myself every two weeks, I will also discipline myself to only step on the scales every second Friday. I think this could really help as weight loss is about more than the physical act of losing weight, your mind has to be in the correct place, and after some weeks of staying the same on the scales, my spirit has gone, the motivation I had at the beginning seems to be the only thing I have been losing. But now that I have acknowledged the problem I can try to fix it and get back on track and remember the real reason for starting this project, the DRESS...

Slow Progress

Starting weight: 9 stone 1.6 pounds
Previous weight: 8 stone 11.2 pounds
Current weight: 8 stone 11.2 pounds

The last couple of weeks have been slow, but on the plus side, no weight has creeped back on which is something to smile about. Like I mentioned previously my timetable is manic for the next few weeks, so weightloss is being temporarily put on hold. My focus will entirely be on maintenance and healthy eating. I know it is extremely hard to choose the right foods day in day out but I find the best way to do this is to plan. Planning for me is a life savour. I am a complete organizational freak, I like to know what I am doing, when I am doing it and how long it will take, yes I have a tad bit of OCD, but what woman doesn’t! If I plan my breakfast, lunch and dinner the day before I am more likely to stay on track. I do this by preparing my breakfast and lunches for work the night before. I find this very helpful when lunch time comes and the stomach is grumbling all I have to do is take the prepared meal out. If I had to open the fridge to prepare a meal when I'm hungry disater would strike, all my common sense and control would go out the window, because my main focus is filling the gap and satisfying my stomach. Can you see the logic in preparation, it really is a key factor in weight loss and weight maintenance.

This chicken curry is simple to make and extremely tastey. Although the portion is larger than what I would normally consume, but with the long shifts my body needs the extra fuel. Why dont you try this and spice up your dinner.

Ingredients
Chicken Brest (diced)
Onion (diced)
Peppers (diced)
Chilli (diced)
Unice Bens Curry Sauce
Long Grain Rice

Method
Prepare vegetable by dicing. Cut chicken breasts into small cubes. Heat wok and cook chicken until it is golden brown. Add vegetable and jar of sauce, cook for a further 15 minutes. Boil rice as per guidelines. Serve and enjoy.

Eggs are a great snack and super easy to cook. I'd call an egg the 'master food' you can do so much with it between pouching, scrambling, boiling and frying and they are all as yummy as one another. Its ready in a matter of minutes and is a perfect match for brown bread, making a nutritious and calorie controled meal.

Staying on track Monday to Friday also means that on the weekend an unplanned meal out does not lead to sacrifice. For instance last Saturday I headed to Toscanas for dinner, I know if I had had a week of bad choices I would not have enjoyed this night out as much as I did. It was such a treat, the food was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a dainty, romantic Italian restaurant. Definitely somewhere I would go back to again and again.

Last night was one to remember also, I ended up at the JayZ and Kanye West concert in The O2, definitley not my normal music style but it actually was a great night. The crowd was great which really added to the atmosphere and the production was brilliant. If there is tickets for tonight Id suggest getting on and taking a well deserved night off. Sure you will be burning calories while you bop along, its a win win situation!

Starstruck

Starting weight 9 stone 1.6 pounds
Previous weight 8 stone 11.2 pounds
Current weight 8 stone 11.2 pounds

Lets just say the week did not go according to plan. I am not that surprised though, this week has been hectic. After finishing my exams on Thursday I thought in my head that this is my week to have a really substantial weight loss. That wasn't meant to be though, between visits to the hospital to visit my sick brother, 21st birthday parties and work placement, I literally haven't had a minute to myself. You can agree with me that it was literally impossible to fit in an exercise regime.

This week saw me focus on what I was eating, which was extremely difficult with all the BBQs. With BBQ season in full swing us dieters need to be cautious. Although the method of cooking is fine it is the accompaniments that you need to watch. The burger and hotdog buns, the rolls and the salad are things which you should be weary of. I am certainly not suggesting to cut carbohydrates out I am merely suggesting choosing to either have a burger or a hotdog instead of both. On a positive note, with a BBQ always comes a beautiful salad. It is like a match made in heaven. Load up on these fresh ingredients and you will be surprised how filling they actually are. If you find the salad bland then a salad dressing may jazz it up for you. The Tesco light options dressings are super tasty and contain literally no fat. They are worth a try.

With work placement continuing for the next two weeks my schedule is going to be turned upside down. Working 15 hours a day leads little time to fit anything in. My main focus is going to be watching what I am eating and my portion sizes. Portion sizes is a major flaw for a majority of people, I myself used to be one of them. Here is a few examples of correct portion sizes to keep you on track.

Brown Bread: 2 small slices
Pasta: 1 cup
Rice: 1/2 cup
Cereal: 1/2 cup
Cheese: 30 grams (size of a matchbox)
Lean meat, poultry, oily fish: 150 grams (size of your palm)

I was at 21st birthday party this week, and temptation was every where with a candy land theme! I stayed true to my word and did not deprive myself of anything, so instead of heading for the chocolates I had marshmallows. These are a great treat, they are really sweet and fill you up easily, which means you cant eat too many. When we headed out on Saturday night I became starstruck when I met Damien Byrne a contestant on The Biggest Loser UK 2012. I couldn't help myself I had to go over and introduce myself and congratulate him on his success. He is looking absolutely amazing and is a true motivator.  Unfortunately he had no secret tips for me just hard work and determination. Best get cracking!