weight loss journey

Mrssavageangel Slimming World – Week 6

18/02/2016 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Hello!

Sorry this is a bit late going out, but (as you may know) it’s half term this week, meaning I don’t get my 2 hours in Dylan’s or Costa or wherever just to switch off and write. How other bloggers do it, writing solely in the evenings, I really don’t know. I’m usually so pooped by the time he’s in bed, all I want to do is eat dinner and veg out in front of the telly. Anyway, blogging gripes aside, half term has actually been pretty good. We’ve gone out every day and had play dates and made new friends and his language is having a mini explosion. Which, you know, I love. 🙂 This week he has told me he emphatically loves both pizza and carrots. And that he equally emphatically doesn’t like my ‘pumpkins’ (or orange peppers, but who’s counting). Yeah it’s been a good week!

It’s also been a good week for my social life (how come the kids have such better social calenders than us !) Social occasions can often come with their own issues. Do you plan and moderate or do you throw caution to the wind and limit damage around the event It’s a choice and both can work equally well in my experience and usually depends how much you drink ( you can plan all you like but after a couple of glasses of vino Good luck with that!) So this weekend I had Galentine’s Day lunch with the bestie and it was as awesome as I’d hoped. But I did plan ahead. Firstly I knew I wanted onion rings (have you tried the Onion Rings at the White Horse Amazing!) But for my main I checked the menu the night before, made my choice before I even got to the pub, all the things we talk about doing in group. I chose, what looked like the lowest synned option on the menu, a Bulgar Wheat and Quinoa Salad with beetroot, chicken, spinach and seeds. It was delicious, however it was covered, and I mean covered, in dressing. I couldn’t tell you what the dressing was and as it wasn’t mentioned on the menu I didn’t even think to ask them to leave it out, which was a bit of a shame. However it was so amazingly filling I could only manage half the dish! I had one drink, then moved back to diet coke as I knew I needed to keep my wits about me, if only because we had friends coming to dinner that night!

OOTD for our Galentine's Lunch — OOTD for our Galentine’s Lunch.

I like having people to dinner. It gives you so much more control over what you’re eating, without making a fuss. And I’ve yet to meet anyone who is served up a SW friendly dish and rejects it on account of the lack of lard! Saturday’s dinner was a tried and tested Savage household favourite, Pepperpot Stew. A warming spicy take on a winter classic, this Slimming World friendly syn free dish is served with rice and our guests loved it. So much I thought I’d detail it here.

Pepperpot Stew

Serves 4

Frylight
800g lean stewing beef, all visible fat removed, cut into chunks
3 red peppers, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
300g green beans, trimmed and halved
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp jerk seasoning (I use Bart’s spice mix – it’s got a great kick to it!)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
400g passata with onions and garlic
400ml beef stock
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Spray a large flame and ovenproof casserole (I use my Le Creuset) with Frylight and place over a high heat. Add the beef and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
Add the peppers, sweet potato, beans, garlic, jerk seasoning, wine vinegar, passata, stock and Worcestershire sauce. Season and stir well.
Cover and place in the oven on 180/gas mark 4 for 2 hours, or until the beef is meltingly tender.

Serve with rice. I cook my rice in vegetable stock and when it’s done I stir through fresh chopped coriander.

Syn Free and delicious! And so handy! I made this the day before and it heats up really well. It meant I could spend more time actually being with my guests and having a good old laugh!

So that was syn free and fine, but then there was wine. And a small amount of lemon tart (although it was served with berries so….). And we had a super night.

Sunday was Valentine’s Day and my lovely hubby eschewed the traditional chocolates and went with beautiful yellow lilies instead. I cooked us a lovely Valentine’s dinner, which included heart shaped Heck sausages. Sausages have always featured heavily in our relationship. Ben doesn’t have an emotional attachment to comfort food in the way I do, but when he’s had a bad day, a sausage sandwich can cheer him no end. In fact in our wedding vows I promised to make him sausage sandwiches, whenever he was “blue”. So to me, sausages always mean love and what better way to express that love than with heart shaped sausages. Heck very kindly sent us some of their limited edition Peck heart shape sausages to try and boy oh boy did they go down a treat! Ben had his in sandwiches, me with jacket potato and vegetables. At 5 syns a pop I used most of my days syns on them. But they were totally worth it! Delicious and juicy and just so cute!

Heart Shaped sausages from Heck. 5 syns each and worth every one!

Anyway, my point is that although the weekend was large, it was all about trying to find some balance. Finding the place that lets you be you and do the things you love, with the people you love and yet stay in some semblance of control. And do you know what I think I just about managed it.

Slimming World

Nope, I wasn’t expecting that AT ALL! Mega happy dances all round. That puts me at 12.5lb lost in 6 weeks. I’ll take that!

So obviously I am very keen to replicate this loss again this week, if only to reach my one stone. We are out for dinner this weekend (OK, look I don’t usually have this much of a life!) but my darling friend Jane has sourced some Thai themed Slimming World recipes for us all and I can’t wait. But I’m also realistic. Just because it worked last week, doesn’t mean it will work this week. So I’d just be happy not to gain. Anything else is a bonus!

Have a super week

love

Lisa

Mrssavageangel Slimming World – Week 1

14/01/2016 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

If you read my blog last week, you’ll know I have just spent my first week “back on plan”. So? How did it go? In some respects it was really hard. Having to stop and think about everything I ate again was something I had to consciously do. Every single time. Not picking in between meals or if I did choosing fruit or syn free foods. I had days where I had to consciously break habits I’ve made over the last few months (no cake in Dylan’s for me was a big leap!) and days where I just wanted to melt a bar of Dairy Milk and pour it down my throat (that time of the month unfortunately!) Yeah some parts of this week were hard.

But what I wasn’t expecting was how easy other parts were. In some respects it felt like coming home. Things started to slot into place from day one and I chose meals and snacks I knew I loved. I recorded everything I ate on the fab Lifeline Online planner and felt more in control than I have done in aaaaages! And it was a good feeling.

This week’s favourite foods have included pickled red cabbage (in everything! salads, stirfrys you name it) and a new discovery; Velvet Crunch Pop Corners, Sweet and Salty flavour. Kind of like popcorn chips, but only 4.5 syns per 20g pack! Yum!

One of my favourite meals this week, was one I’ve had in the repertoire for a long time. My own take on a reeeeeeally old recipe from the other weight loss company that shall not be named ?. I shared it in group last night and I thought I’d share it here too. It’s a great veggie night dish, but substantial enough to serve without the rice if you’re doing an SP day!

Red Lentil and Pepper Curry

Free on Extra Easy

1 onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp curry powder (whatever heat you fancy)
150g red lentils
3 peppers (whatever colours you have), chopped roughly
1 aubergine, diced
600ml vegetable stock
1 can chopped tomatoes
Handful of chopped coriander

Fry the onion and garlic in Frylight until softened. Add the curry powder and cook for a further minute
Stir in the lentils, peppers and aubergine. Add the stock, stir and bring to the boil.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins, stirring from time to time
Remove lid from pan, add chopped tomatoes, season and allow to bubble for another 15 mins or until desired consistency.
Stir in chopped coriander

Serve with rice and fat free natural yogurt for a syn free meal. Serve without rice and extra veg for an Extra Easy SP day

If you have the syns, this is bad boy is also lovely sprinkled with toasted flaked almonds (3 syns for 10g) and mango chutney (average 2 syns per tbsp).

Lush!

However, despite my best efforts this week really seemed to drag. I think that was because I was so desperate to check I was doing it right. Desperate to get on those scales and get that positive reinforcement that, yes, I was on the right path. And after last night’s weigh in, it would seem I am.

What a result! Shaking my Pom Poms all over the place right here. It’s been a long time since I weighed in knowing I was owed a good result, because I know I’d worked hard for it. It gave me a warm feeling inside. I think it’s called pride.

Next week’s target is 2lb loss.

How’s your week been? What have been your favourite dishes or foods this week? I’d love to know.

Have an awesome week!

love

Lisa

xxxxx

How to start a Weight Loss Journey

08/01/2016 by MrsSavageAngel Leave a Comment

Over the last few years I’ve had so many people tell me how hard they have found it to start losing weight. I hear them. It’s no lie when people say the first step is the hardest. So here’s a couple of things I’ve learnt about starting a weight loss journey.

Moffat-Drive

1. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve tried before, the first step on a weight loss journey never gets any easier.

You might have all the knowledge and the nutrition info and all the tools you need to start losing weight, but if you’ve taken a break from healthy living, getting back into it never gets any easier. Newbies and veterans alike struggle to take that first step and all should be applauded for doing so.

2. YOU have to really want to do it.

You can pay lip service to wanting to lose weight all you like, but if you don’t want to do it deep down in your soul it won’t work. The commitment to changing is something that takes passion and if you don’t feel it, why on earth would you stick to it? Likewise if you’re just doing it because you ‘feel you should’ or for someone else’s benefit, you’re never going to truly get it. And that’s fine. If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. You, and only you will know when it’s time ?

3. There is no ‘right’ way

Now you might think this is weird coming from someone who has enjoyed the Slimming World plan for several years now, but I stand by that statement. What what works for me, might not work for you and vice versa. You know you better than anyone in the world. You are the only one who can say what is going to work for you. You dig Slimming World and feasting on large portions? Fantastic! Green smoothies and the gym your thing? You go girl! You prefer to count calories? Amen to that! Never let anyone else tell you what kind of weight loss journey is best for you.

4. Be prepared

Now this could mean one of two things really. Firstly being prepared with the right kinds of foods in the house etc is sooooooo helpful. You try starting any kind of healthy living with a house stuffed the gunnels with chocolate, wine and crisps and you’re not giving yourself even a fighting chance. And if you have to have these things in for other people, try moving them out of eye line and get your preferred foods in their place.

Secondly it could also mean being prepared for how hard the beginning might be. Changing foods is one thing, but changing behaviours is a whole other ball game and it doesn’t happen over night. If you’ve been eating pretty much what you want, when you want, for a long time, changing that behaviour could take a while. Be prepared to have to literally think about everything you do and eat until it becomes second nature. It might take a while. Don’t be surprised by that and just accept it’s the way it will be.

5. Set small goals

For the love of all that is beautiful in this world, please don’t start any weight loss journey with just your end weight in sight, particularly if, like me, that is a loooong way away. I still don’t know where I’d finally like to get to because it’s never been near enough to be an achievable goal. Smaller goals are achievable and any life coach or motivation ‘guru’ will tell you achieving a series of smaller realistic goals will help keep you going. And the more goals you reach the more positive reinforcement you’ll get. By all means have a figure or a place in mind, but remember to set smaller goals within that figure. Could be a number of lbs lost or a size of clothing you want to wear or how you feel at a particular time. By breaking it down you’re more likely to get there.

6. Be your own cheerleader

Probably one of the most important things in beginning any weight loss journey is to make sure you celebrate your own success. And publicly if you can bring yourself to. We all have to be motivated to do anything in this life (would you go to work if you didn’t get paid?) and losing weight is no different. Please, please, please don’t ever put your weight loss down, say it’s not that good or not as good as someone else. Losing weight can be bloody hard work, so why would you ever put any loss down as ‘not good enough’? You get out there and you shake those pompoms! You might find it awkward to begin with, but every pat on the back you give yourself will just reinforce that you’re doing the right thing. And if others join in, well all the better ?

Making the decision to change in your life is never easy, but I swear once you take that first step, over the mental block that’s stopped you doing it in the first place, you’ll have done half the hard work already.

Good luck?!

love

Lisa

xxx