Happy New Year!



I just wanted to do a quick, one last post for 2010!  It is only 10 minutes until 2011 here in Scotland.

I want to wish you all a wonderful, happy, and fulfilled 2011!!  I hope we all reach our goals in all areas of our lives!

I am hoping to overhaul my blog (again!) with a nice clean and sleek design - a blog to match what I will become!  Mwahaha!

PS. I gained 1.5lbs this week (plus I was wearing jeans - so it may have only been half a pound I put on!)  I am back on track and ready to get to goal in 2011!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!


Can you believe it's three days after Christmas already?!

Hey everyone!  Merry Christmas to everyone - I hope you all had a blessed and happy time!  I had a lovely couple of days.  I spent Christmas Day with my dad and sister.  We had a lovely dinner - and although I didn't go too overboard with dinner - I made up with it the day before and day after!  I had a bright idea on Christmas Eve to make cookies!  My first time making cookies - and they turned out delicious!!  I made some with chocolate m&m's and peanut m&m's and some were plain!  So I ate far too many of them!

On boxing day we went to Kenny's parents house and had homemade soup - IT WAS DELICIOUS AND HEALTY!  But ate a few honey roasted peanuts and chips and had a couple of jack daniels and coke!  (For the record - it was nice at the time - but I can't seem to handle alcohol like I used to to!  Mwahaha! ) And then we played Wii Sports resort!  I won at Basketball, Sword Fighting and Archery, but lost miserably at bowling!

Today I have been trying not to eat too much chocolate and instead eat some fruit!  So far my fruit intake has consisted of two satsumas!  I need to do better than that =)   I did a 23 minute workout on my Wii Fit and you know when you're unfit when Wii Fit is hard to do!!  I am so inflexible and uncoordinated!  And yet my Wii Fit age came out at 32!!  A year younger than my actual age!  I don't know how I managed that!

Well, I better head out in to the rain and walk Molly!  It's actually nice to get out and walk on normal solid ground after all the snow and ice we have had!!  I really sympathise with you if you're in New York just now - snow is hellish and totally gets in the way with your routine!!

Before I go - just wanted to say a big HELLO to my new followers!  I don't know how I managed to get 113 followers.............  but just wanted to say thanks for reading my ramblings!

If you have a blog and I don't know about it - let me know!  I love discovering and finding out about new blogs =)



S'now good when it snows!

I wasn't going to do an update because I have been BAD!  Very bad.  I couldn't get to Weight Watchers class last Thursday because the weather was so bad and my car headlights weren't working!  I did, however, weigh in at home and had put on half a pound.  Which I don't think was that bad.  But things seem to have snowballed!  I just can't get back into the swing of things.  I had to turn back home today because the snow was so bad.  The traffic just was not going anywhere.  Things were at a standstill everywhere!  I don't know why Scotland can't cope with bad weather - we should be used to it by now!

This weather just seems to get me down.  And when I feel down, I want to eat.  And so I feel even more down!  It's a vicious circle!

I just home this snow goes away soon - I really hate it!!  It would be nice if you didn't have to go to work in it and could just look out of your window where it is warm and cosy!

Ok, I'm going to go and read some magazines!   And try and snap out of this negative state of mind!

=)

Weekly Weigh in Results!!

Week 2 on the fabulous new Pro Points Weight Watchers plan!  It has been an awesome week!  I feel like I never stop eating - but I find now I am getting in all my fruit and veg quota most days!  I really feel wonderful, like a mental shift has definitely happened!

So on to tonights weigh in!

I lost another 2lbs!!  That puts me at 186.5lbs.  A total loss of 5.5lbs!


I am currently watching The Biggest Loser: Where are they Now - and have been crying through most of it!  I just love that show and how people really change their lives inside and out!

I'm off to watch the rest of the show and have a lovely dessert of apple, maple syrup and cinnamon - chopped and "fried" in a pan - it smells just delicious and only 1 Pro Point!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY WONDERFUL FRIENDS IN THE USA!!!

Big hugs to you all!

1st Week Weigh In!

So tonight was my first weigh in after re-joining WW last week and starting the new Pro-Points plan.

I lost 3.5 lbs!  I am so happy with that because I had a bit of a mini binge on Tuesday (where I stopped tracking completely!)  So to have that loss with all the food I've eaten this week, and having a Chinese Takeaway on Sunday night, I am delighted!

I have been eating more fruit too, since it's FREE!!

Ok, I gotta go make dinner - I am starvin' like Marvin!  (Whoever, he is!)  I think I will have Spicy Pumpkin Soup to start, and see what I fancy after that!

Hope you are all having a great week! =)

Maple Syrup Pancakes, Walking and Pro Points explained.

I am so rubbish at coming up with a good title for my posts!

Anywhoo, back to Weight Watchers.  The new Pro Points!  As I said in my last post - I totally love it!  I weighed in on Thursday at 192 lbs =(  That is my highest weight ever.  And a little too close to 200lbs for comfort!  I am so glad I feel this confident about the new plan, otherwise I'm sure I would be full of despair about my weight.

I won't post a "before"photo yet.  I feel that's all I ever do!  I really need to get moving on making the "after" photo.  I have loads of Florida photos that will make for a good "before" picture anyway!  I will only be brave enough to show them when I see a significant difference in how I look.

How the Pro Points system works:

The new PP system works completely differently from the old Points system.  PP are now worked out by how much protein, carbs, fat and fibre a food has.  Before it was by calories and saturated fat.

Each person will be allocated a personal Pro Points allowance for each day, and everyone gets a Pro Points weekly allowance of 49.  (That is my favorite thing about this new plan!)

You cannot save any Pro Points for another day - so if you don't use 'em, you lose 'em!  And if you go over your daily allowance, fret not!  You just dip into your weekly allowance!   You could have more points each day, or save your allowance for a night out, drinks or just a fabulous meal!

You can still earn Activity Pro Points too.  You can choose to "eat" them, or just use them to help you get to your goal faster =)

Oh and I almost forgot!  Fruit also has a Pro Points value of 0!  Yes, ZERO, ZILCH, NADA!  This also makes me want to reach for fruit a lot of the time also!

But even though you can eat as much fruit as you like, WW advise that you use your common sense and don't eat past the point of fullness.  Just eat until you feel comfortably full, and then STOP.


My allowance for each day is 29.   Tonight, I had a Chinese Takeaway.  Now normally if I have something like that, I would go for fried rice and eat the whole thing!  But I weighed out my BOILED rice (no point in wasting Pro Points now is there?!) and I had half of the Beef and Mushroom dish I had ordered.  And I had a lot more mushrooms than beef!  It was yummy!  And all still within my weekly allowance.

And this was for my lunch yesterday!  Dieting has never been so much fun!
Carrot and Ginger Soup with a Ham, Tomato and Basil Toasted Sandwich with side salad.

For brunch today I made a recipe from my WW Pack we all received when the new system came out.

I added a sprinkle of cinnamon - yummy!

Maple Syrup Pancakes & Pears   - 7 Pro Points per serving (3 pancakes per serving) Serves 4.


125g Self Raising Flour
2 Medium Eggs - beaten
175ml Skimmed Milk
6 Tblsp Maple Syrup
1tsp low fat spread (suitable for cooking)   - I would just miss this out if you have a non-stick pan!
2 x 400g tins of pear halves in natural juice, drained




Place the flour into a large bowl.  Make a well in the centre, add the eggs, milk, and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.  Whisk together until completely smooth.


Warm a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.  When hot, add the spread and leave to melt.  Add the batter in large spoonfuls to make little pancakes about 8cm across.  Cook for about 1 minute until bubbles start bursting on the surface, then flip over and cook for a further 30 seconds until both sides are golden.  Continue with the remaining mixture until all 12 pancakes are cooked.  Set aside in a warm place.


Increase the heat and warm the empty pan.  Add the pears and remaining maple syrup and cook for 2-3 minutes until hot through and starting to caramelise a little.  Serve a stack of 3 pancakes with the syrupy pears on the side.  





Because the pears are zero points, you can have as much as you like - just don't overeat past the point of fullness.

ENJOY!!  You can also freeze the pancakes - but don't freeze the pears!

This was delicious!!  The pancakes weren't too sweet, but with the pears they were just right!

I also went to the park with Molly today and walked 2 miles (around the park twice!)  It was a lovely brisk cold day and it felt good to get out in the fresh air!  I took some photos, but the light wasn't very good - the sun was disappearing quickly!

Molly loves just jumping around the leaves!
Molly wanted to get to those swans so bad!





















Lesley, thanks for your support too!  We can do this =)

I'm going to go have an Options Hot Chocolate with a Galaxy Bubbles bar and watch Keeping up with the Kardashians!!  

If you want to know anything else about the plan, just ask!

Here's to a great week!!!

Hey Y'all!!!

Hey everybody - I'm BACK - with a VENGEANCE!!    I rejoined Weight Watchers monthly pass on Monday but didn't manage to get to a class until Thursday.  The new Pro Points plan is out and I must say - I LOVE IT!!  I am back in love with Weight Watchers again.  I have that same feeling I had the very first time 8 years ago when I first joined.  Back then it was all new and exciting.  And it's the same again =)

I am going to update more either today or tomorrow, but I just wanted to do a quick post to let you all know, that this gal is on the Weight Watchers train to Slimsville!!!!


Hungry Girl

This is just a quick post!  I don't really have much to say today.  I ate okay - a bit too much, but not too much bad stuff!  I took my homemade soup to work in my food flask for lunch today - and it was still warm at 1pm!  Good stuff =)   However, after lunch, I started feeling that urge to just go to the bakery and buy a couple of big cakes and then get some chocolate!  I did not give in to that urge today!  I went to the local shop and bought some diet soda (bad, but WAY better than a couple of big cakes!) and a Cadbury's Fudge (which is 115 calories or 2.0 WW points!)  So that was the baddest thing I ate today!

I really need to start getting to bed at an earlier time.  I am always way too tired in the morning and just can't get going!  I don't have to start work at a set time so if I'm feeling very tired when the alarm goes off I just reset the alarm to a later time - it's another bad habit that I need to break!

I have also gone back to reading Hungry Girl's website!  So awesome!  I did a post many moons ago about how I loved her website, but never did get round to making anything!  I am definitely going to try some new recipes this time around. I need to feel that excitement of trying something new that tastes great but is also good for you!  Go check out Hungry Girl - she's also got some brilliant You Tube videos!!

Jennifer, thank you so much for your comments on my last couple of posts!  I love your blog too, and look forward to following your journey!

That's really all I have today!  Ciao for now!


Another GREAT day!!

Hey everyone!  How is your weekend going?  Mine has been pretty good, but quiet!  Yesterday I had lunch with my dad.  But I had a cake after it........ and it was delicious!  But that was the only bad thing I had yesterday.  Usually if I eat something like that I just think I've blown it, I might as well eat 10 bars of chocolate, more cakes and lots of bread!  I wasn't even that hungry come dinner time so I just had a wrap with sliced roast chicken and salad.  I have to remember that healthy food tastes even better than crap food!

Today, was a GREAT day.  It started off, where I slept til 12 (SHOCK!  I couldn't sleep very well last night so I got up and watched episodes of the Waltons til 3!)  I felt like I had wasted most of the day.  Kenny was heading off to the gym and I just wanted to curl up on the couch and watch rubbish telly but he convinced me to get out for a long walk with Molly.  So I got changed, strapped my heart rate monitor on, grabbed my iPhone, put on my fabulous new playlist, and did Couch to 5K.  Now I have done this before, got to the 2nd week and feel like I can run for 30 mins without stopping.  I found it so hard just to run for 1 minute.  But it was a glorious day, the sun was shining, and although it was quite cold, I kept going until I completed my 30 minutes, and then continued for a further 30 minutes of walking with a bit of random jogging!  Molly loved it too!  I took a few photos while I was out - what a beautiful day it was!





My favorite pup!!

562 Calories TORCHED BABY!!!

When I got home, I started work on making my Tomato and Basil soup!  It was so simple.  A tin of Plum tomatoes, frozen diced onion, frozen baby carrots, fresh basil chopped, and vegetable stock!

My freshly chopped basil!  Looks like a professional photo eh!

Soup a simmerin'

Frozen diced onions and baby carrots!

Basil - just in case you couldn't tell!

Instructions!

"Fry" onions and carrots until soft.
Add tin of tomatoes and stock,
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add in handful of chopped basil.
Blend roughly in blender.

SERVE!!

Simple even for me!!  Ha ha!!

I bought a food flask yesterday too, so I can heat my soup in the morning, put in ma flask, and take it to work!!  EASY!

And before I go - my starting weight...............DUN DUN DUN!!!!


187.8lbs  -  I think thats about the same weight I was when I started this blog!!  But no point in crying over put on fat!  It's time to be positive.  Time to get this fat off once and for all.  No matter how long it takes.

I will post my measurements tomorrow.  I did take some during the week, but I can't seem to find my notebook :-(    I do remember it being bad though!

And before I go, I thought I would show you all the flowers I bought myself yesterday!  They sure do brighten up the coffee table =)




Goodnight wonderful bloggers!

Positivity!

Ok, so I had to delete that last post I did!  It was way to whiny, moany and just in no way productive or inspiring for weight loss!!  So on that note - I am only going to post POSITIVE, UPBEAT and HAPPY posts!! Well, as much as I can!!  =)  I have decided to take a page out of Karla's book - she is just so happy and positive  in her posts that you can't help but feel that way too!

I am going to focus on things I love, things I can change, and not worry about people and things I can't change!

Here are a few of my favorite things:

Perfume:  Victoria's Secret Bombshell
I am a BOMBSHELL!  (Almost...!)


Favorite Vacation:  FLORIDA!!



Favorite Exercise:   Weight training!  (and cycling!)



Favorite Pet:   MOLLY!!



Favorite Fiance:   Kenny!!



Favorite trashy TV show:  Now this is a draw with Keeping up with the Kardashians and Jerseylicious!!



Favorite hobby:   Photography


Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right.
-- Henry Ford







Tomorrow, I will post my start weight and measurements and maybe some "before" photos!

What are some of your favorite things???

Back from Orlando - The City Beautiful!

Hey, y'all! I'm finally getting round to typing a blog! This will just be a quick update - I've been meaning to do this for over a week!

We had a fantastic time in Orlando, I love that place and seriously would move there in a heartbeat! That was our 5th time visiting Orlando.  It never gets old!  I am such a big kid and I still feel awe and wonder when I see the Magic Kingdom or Mickey Mouse!  I will post some pictures once I get a look through them and edit them. I took a ton of photos - I'm not kidding when I say I took over 3000 shots!! I bought a new professional Canon L lens in downtown Orlando in Colonial Photo & Hobby,  and it is the shizzle!  It just adds a new dimension to your photos!

I managed to lose 3 pounds while I was away, which really surprised me!!  I was 186.4lbs the day before we left for Florida, and the day after we returned I was 183.4!  Great huh!!  I also have to confess that I actually went out to Walmart and bought a set of scales so that I could keep track of my weight - At one point in the 2nd week there I was down to 178lbs!  If I can manage to lose weight while on vacation, in the USA - home of buffets and boneless wings, then I can lose weight anywhere!!  Ha ha!!  We walked for miles everyday around the parks and didn't order appetizers when we ate out at dinner, and always drank diet sodas, although occasionally I did order some sweet iced tea! Until I found out it was full of high fructose corn syrup! Why do all the soda's over there have high fructose corn syrup in it?? The regular soda's over here just have plain old sugar in 'em! 
I will start doing some proper posts in the weeks to come!! I feel refreshed and comitted to losing this excess weight once and for all but I tell ya, it sure is a shock to be back in Scotland - it's too cold here for me! 

I will leave you all with a couple of iPhone piccies!! Enjoy!





Hollywood Tower of Terror - My most favorite ride!

Who doesn't love palm trees??? 


Wholefoods!  Oh, how I love thee!!


I'm having an early night tonight - I have managed to catch a darned cold!!  Bleh!!  And I need to catch up with everyone's blogs - I am WAY behind!! 

Nighty night!!








ALMOST VACATION TIME!!

I have been such a bad blogger for the last few weeks! I am so excited as it is only 1 more work day before my vacation. I have Friday off work so I can finish getting organized and take my dad out for lunch before I leave very early Saturday morning!

I have been out and about on my bike a lot the last couple of weeks, and also spinning class. Spinning class is seeming a bit easier to me now. I can cycle at a higher resistance and cycle standing up a lot longer! Yay!

On 29th August we did the Sky Ride in Glasgow, which is basically a big cycling event, where a few of Glasgow's busy streets were closed to traffic! It was amazing seeing the city I have lived in all my life from a different perspective. There were a LOT of people and the atmosphere was amazing. There were steel drummers under one of the bridges - great acoustics under there! And this awesome girl was cycling on a chopper with a boom box blaring music and just chilling out and moving to the beat! We cycled over 17 miles that day. Pretty good seeing it was only my 2nd time out on the bike. I managed to persuade Kenny to get a bike too, so we can get out and exercise together.

After that, not much has been happening! I have just been doing a major clean of the apartment since Kenny's sister will be house sitting and pet sitting (her most important job!!) Ha ha!

It's 1am here, so I better get to bed!! Eeeeeeek, only 2 more sleeps until FLORIDA!!!

Hopefully I can do a couple of blogs while I'm over there, we will have free wi-fi and we are taking the laptop so I should be able to blog.

Hope everyone is having a fabulous week!


PS. A big warm welcome to my new followers! I can't believe anyone really cares to read my ickle blog! I really must get to work on reaching my goals!

New bike!!


Kenny got me this for our 9 year "anniversary" on 11 August! He is so adorable! I love that guy!!

For the last few weeks, I had been thinking about getting a bike - as I have been so inspired by Bitch cakes and her biking adventures on her gorgeous "Hello Kitty" bicycle in New York! She got to goal just recently and she is just awesome! So I had been looking online, and just thinking about what kind of bike to get. On Wednesday, Kenny was doing some overtime and texted me asking if I wanted to go to KFC (ha ha!) and he would pick me up from home on his way back from work. So, I thought this was an ideal time to go into the bike shop, which just so happens to be across from KFC!! So I was wandering around, and I was immediately drawn to the bike shown above! And then Kenny came over and said, "that is your bike, we're here to pick it up" I was just in shock!! He knows me so well! I almost started crying, but the bike guy was looking at me funny! lol

You can't really tell from the picture, but it is dark pink with butterflies on it - it's so cute - I totally love it!!! I went on it last night for a test ride and I ended up with about 5 kids running alongside me! And wanted to know what apartment I lived in so they could ask me to go out and cycle while they ran! Now anyone who knows me, knows I do not like children! lol They are too loud, cheeky and just messy - I much prefer dogs - they are cute, furry and do not talk back to you (well sometimes!! lol)

Kenny has also ordered himself a new bike, so we will be able to go bike rides together! I did suggest a tandem but he didn't like that idea!


On diet news, things are going BADLY! I have been stuffing my face with everything in sight for the last 3 weeks. I don't know why I do it. It makes me feel sick, guilty, horrible, fat! But I seem to wake up every morning and think "what can I eat first??"

My training at the gym has been good though! I had a half hour PT session on Monday and boy was that TOUGH. I then did the half hour spin class straight after my PT session and I loved it this time around! I really pushed myself and burned 700 calories all in during the hour! My legs and shoulders were so sore for four days afterwards. It's only now I feel I can walk properly again!

Only 3 more weeks until we leave for Florida!!! I am so excited!!! I need to get my diet under control and at least lose 10 pounds before I go.............. sounds easy, huh?!


Ouch!

OMG! My legs are sooore today! Walking lunges will do that to ya!

Just wanted to do a quick post before I head off to bed! I succeeded in each and every one of my mini goals I posted yesterday. I drank so much water today I spent a lot of time in the loo :-(
I also had 5 servings of fruit and veg today too!

I had a great workout at the gym. I ran on the treadmill for 30 mins with a few walking breaks - my legs were toast and I couldn't really keep running non-stop :-(

Time for bed now - I really need to work on getting to bed earlier!! It's after midnight now! Golly!!

Goodnight everyone!

Three time's the charm!


This is my third day blogging in a row! Yay! Go me! And not only that, but I went to the gym todaaaay! I had a personal training session and it was fabulous. I didn't mean to sound so down about my trainer in my recent post. I suppose I was looking for my "downfall" to be someone else's fault, when in fact it is I that has control over ME. I know ME better than anyone and I suppose I was trying to make it sound like it was the trainer's fault I came off my diet. She told me to eat HEALTHY, and not obsess about every little thing I put in my mouth. But I used that as an excuse to go absolutely nuts! I spoke with her about it today and she was very supportive. She is actually going back to college to study Psychology and said to come back and see her in 4 years when she will be able to tell me what's wrong with me! lol

Aaanyway! I had a great training session and I felt so much better - isn't that an amazing thing??? Exercise makes you feel gooood! And I think it helps when you look in the mirror - you somehow see a smaller you. Well I do anyway!

Tomorrow my diet will be CLEAN! I had a few slips today, but I caught myself in time and I have just thrown a pile of CRAP in the bin! No more of that stuff is going in this body! I have had a headache almost everyday since I came off my healthy eating regime. I know how to feel good and it's only a few healthy meals away!

I really need to start setting some mini goals again to help give me focus. I have 5 and a half weeks before my vacation!! Yikes! I know I won't get to my final goal weight by then, but I know that exercising and eating right will help me feel more confident and good about myself and I suppose that's the main thing at the moment!

So - here are my mini goals for tomorrow!

1. Drink at least 4 bottles of water (500ml size!) so that will be 2 litres!
2. Wear my Fit Flops around the house and when walking the dog.
3. Eat at least 3 servings of fruit and veg.
4. NO DIET SODA!!
5. Exercise for at least 30 minutes (probably running on the treadmill!)
6. Take some photographs :-)
7. Get up tomorrow at 7.30am (I am flexi time and lately I have been getting up waaay too late - about 9am!! - I am a lazy biotch!)
8. Go grocery shopping for healthy food!
9. Watch "Charmed" - this one will be easy!
10. Get to bed earlier!!
11. Track what I am eating.

Amelia, thanks for your comment! I know exactly how you feel. I don't if there is any liberation from the insanity! I suppose it's down to choice - we are choosing what we are eating - even though we know it's wrong! Maybe making more good choices than bad ones will eventually beat it?! - good for you for throwing the ice cream away - it's hard to do but you feel a million times better for having done it! I hope I find the answer to it one day - if I do I'll let you know!! :-)

Christina - the poppy seed dressing is amazing!! Sooo good!! You will not be disappointed!


Ok, I think I better get to bed if I have to be up for half 7!! Ha ha!!

Goodnight :-D

Baaaad!!!

Hey y'all! Are you surpsrised I have blogged two days in a row?! I am!

Today was going well up until lunchtime, when my mind went that hazy way and I decided I wanted to buy a jar of Nutella chocolate spread. I told myself not to buy it, I argued with myself when I was opening it and even as I was spooning mouthfuls of chocolatey goodness into my mouth, I just didn't care. And I don't know why! I eventually came to my senses a 1/4 of the way through the jar and poured some antibacterial handwash into it and threw it in the bin. If I hadn't poured the handwash over it, I know I would have fished it out the bin and finished it later!

I felt disgusted with myself all afternoon - I felt so full and FAT!!

I redeemed myself (almost) at dinner time. I had a lovely salad with poppy seed dressing and two fish cakes.
So yummy!!!

I am loving my new camera and still trying all the different settings on it. I am mostly using the Auto function at the moment but these pictures were taken in creative mode!! Go me!

I'm off to watch Charmed now - I love that show - I'm sure I've said that before!! I wish I had witchy powers!! Ha ha!!

Hope everyone has had a great start to the week!! I have less than 6 weeks before I leave for Florida!! Yikes!!





My new toy!

I have always loved photography ever since I was a little girl. My first "proper" camera was a Canon Eos 1000 (or something like that!) that took good old fashioned film! Then as a a gift about 6 or 7 years ago, Kenny bought me a Canon EOS 350D - which I loved. But for the last few weeks I had been hankering for a more sophisticated camera, something a little bit better. And so today I bought a fabulous Canon EOS 50D! I absolutely love this camera! It makes the 350d seem like a toy! I recently got a bonus at work and I thought why the hell not! I was out earlier tonight and took some photos before the sun disappeared. Unfortunately, I missed a cracking sunset because it took so long to get the camera strap on!


The Moooon!

Click on the photos for the full effect!!


In diet news - it's going a little better!  I will be back in the gym tomorrow and I'm going to try and run for 40 minutes without stopping or walking!  I know I can do it!!