Weekly Update No30

I've lost a bit more weight! Only about half a pound, but it all adds up.

I've had a good mental-health week, and so it is easy to lose weight, as I haven't really tried.  The main thing has been that when I didn't need a meal, I didn't eat.  Simple.  So last night, after having a big lunch, I only had a couple of slices of French bread for dinner.  And on Friday, even though I was looking forward to having a Miller and Carter Steak in the evening (my girls were out dancing, and my husband away with work, so I was looking forward to good food and a good book), I was again, too full from lunch, so rather than going out and spending money on a steak which I would then force down because I had paid for it, I stayed in instead.  (Admittedly I did eat a whole tub of ice cream in front of the TV, but it was one of those "150kCals in 1/2 a tub" ones, so I didn't feel guilty about eating the whole thing, because it would have been less calories than the steak dinner.)

I'm going on holiday later this week, all-inclusive, but am going to try and make sensible food choices.  Last year, I went away for a fortnight and didn't put on weight at all, despite eating whatever I wanted, and drinking most of the day as I followed the 2B Mindset.  I'd be happy to replicate that this time, though obviously it does depend what the buffet choices are.

Weekly Update No27

No weight loss this week.  Quelle surprise.

Sometimes I wonder if I should give up on pretending to lose weight, but I know that I need to in order to have the surgery I want in a few years time.

Someone shared this video on FB recently:

I've seen it before and I do find it inspirational.  It makes me want to do more Body Grooving as clearly dancing is good for weightloss - I just need to keep going start again with it.  

I know that the issues I have are in my head.  

I know I can lose weight as I've done it before.

I know my goal weight of 64kg is achievable because I've done it before.

I need to get to the root cause of what is stopping me.  

I need to find my motivation again, and cement it in my head.  Whilst I don't have cancer, the idea of it is abstract, whereas I need to bring it to the forefront of my mind.  I don't want cancer - I've seen what my mum has been through.  I do want preventative surgery.  And to have the reconstruction that I want, I need to have a healthy BMI.
I need to stop giving a shit about what other people think of me, and live life on my terms, and dance if I want to dance.  When I took my girls to their dance lessons last week, I shared with some people about Body Groove, and we even did a dance in the hallway together.  It was fun! And that's despite some of the kids and the other parents laughing at us.  One parent who danced with me, even said that if I became a trainer and could offer classes whilst her child was dancing, she would come along - much like I did when a pt friend offered pt sessions at the dance studios a few years ago.

A few weeks/months ago I used the excuse that I didn't have any suitable clothing to wear, as it was too tight or too hot.  I have since bought loads of loose, groovy clothing that I am wearing as everyday wear, and could easily dance it, but I'm still not doing it.

And I need to rewatch all the 2B mindset videos.  I think part of my problem is that I get so familiar with stuff that I know the 'right' things to say, or think, but don't actually action them.  I'm clever enough to come up with the excuses as to why I don't need to stick to this or that this time, I'll do it next time; or I can justify why I really do want this cake/doughnut/alcohol, rather than holding out for my goals.

Weekly Update No24

This week has been an up and down week - by weighing myself daily I could see that I got down to the lowest weight I had for a month.  And I put it all back on again and more.  Today, I have lost weight again, but am still higher than I was this time last week.

So, I'm back on the smoothies (which isn't a bad thing as they are delicious and filling).  Today I am drinking Innocent's Cacao and Cherry flavour one; and I have planned chicken with vegetables for tea tonight.  My husband wants to lose weight, but is trying to do it through calorie counting.  I am trying to introduce him to the 2B Mindset, not least because there is now a 28day meal plan that is ready to follow.  This week is a busy week for us, and I'm not sure I'll be able to update everyone next Monday either as I won't be at home, with lots of travelling around the country.  I do need to plan out what we're going to eat, as otherwise when in motorway services I'll be tempted by fast food again; which is ok once in a while, but not every day if travelling every day.

I also need to start grooving again. It's something I really enjoy doing, and the 30 day challenge has been a challenge for me.  Not because the workouts are too hard (whilst some are challenging, they are great fun), but because I don't prioritise myself.  And on the rare occasions when I do have enough time at home to actually do it, I do something else (like update this blog... or watch TV because it's late in the day).  I am part of the FB group that is helpful for motivation, but really I need someone who can push me harder, nag me often, or want to come round and join me.

Happy Birthday to Me!

So, today's my birthday, and a friend set up a little party for me at a regular HE meet for the kids.

A vegan vanilla sponge, covered in icing and fruit, jam doughnuts, crisps and more fruit on the side. Yum. (I'm not vegan, but my friend is.  The cake was lovely and moist, really sweet and delicious.)

When there, I was asked what I had been given for my birthday, I had to confess that I'd received nothing so far.  

Actually, that's strictly not true, as I know some family have put some money straight in my bank account - since we were kids, my sister and I have given each other a fiver for our birthdays.  As her birthday was yesterday (though there are 2 years between us), I would giver her a £5note, marked somewhere, so I could tell whether she had returned the same money to me or not!  As we're not in the 21st century, we do the same routine, but over bank transfer!

I do know of two presents that I am getting today.  The first because DD1 kept repeating that my husband had bought a CD, despite that he was trying his best to stare at her, and convince her to stop talking, and that she shouldn't be saying anything, because he definitely did not buy a CD...  DD1 just did not pick up on it at all, until I stated quite calmly that my birthday was in a couple of days, and perhaps the CD was for me, and that he didn't want me to know because it was meant to be a surprise, and that he was pulling that silly face because he was trying to get DD1's attention to stop talking... "Oooooooh!!! Yes, we didn't buy anything. Nope!" No, of course not dear, lol.
And then yesterday, my husband said that he had bought me a new screen cover for my phone, which should arrive today, so that can be for my birthday too.

I had been subtle and send him a link to a massager that had been recommended to me, but he hadn't commented on it, lol.  Apparently it's very good for toning up the stomach muscles too.
And in totally unrelated news, it turns out that we have sex more often than the average couple so maybe the massager isn't needed. Sorry not sorry  for the TMI.

So, Happy Birthday to me!  After getting up at 7am for the washing machine repair man, going to our usual HE club in the afternoon, I am now sat waiting for DD1 to finish her dance lessons, so I can drive her to her gym lessons, whilst DD2 has more dance lessons, then my husband will pick her up.  And finally, I'll go to my church's growth group tonight. This is with new people as the previous 2 groups were getting too large, so they have split them again, so there are now 4 groups.  

I don't know what is planned for tea, but I hope my husband is buying cake.  Yes, I'm trying to lose weight, but it's my birthday only once a year.

Weekly Update No17

I've lost 1.5kilos since last Monday (over 3lbs) which is good going.  I'm not getting overly hungry having just a smoothie during the day (not least because I'm being 'naughty' and having a whole bottle a day, rather than two thirds of one - it's only 500kCals in total, so I figure that's fine, the weightloss will just be slower), and am having a proper diner in the evening.

I've even eaten at a restaurant this week, carefully choosing to ensure I eat Veggies Most, and my weight is still slowly coming down.  Yey!

Other than that, I've been a bit quiet this week.  I got the results from my annual mammogram (until I have my mastectomy), and everything was clear.  I also had my ultrasound scan on my abdomen, because of the stomach pain I get. My gall bladder, pancreas, spleen, liver, kidneys and more were all checked, and all look healthy.  So no gall stones, and no pancreatitis. The next step is a camera down my throat to see what could be the problem.

I'm also not reading as fast as I normally would like.  A combination of factors, including the fact I'm trying to keep reading 50 Bible Chapters each week, which is taking up some of my time in the evenings.  I'm still ploughing through Lorna Doone, which I'm enjoying but need to be awake enough to read it (which usually means, after I've read 15-20 chapters of the Bible, I'm too tired to concentrate).  I've also discovered the Chapters App, which are slightly animated short stories, and are really easy to read, chick lit where you can choose your own path. Some of the stories are more graphic than others, so not suitable for young children, but any teens that read Young Adult fiction would be fine.  I've even read one of the stories for real (Dirty Little Secrets by Liliana Hart - well worth reading) so they are real novels (rather than made-up fluff, for the app) and I'm interested in reading some of the real books to see how they compare to the choices I've made.

I've also started doing another MosaiCraft - DD2 had one that she can't be bothered to finish, so I'm completing it for her.  It should be finished next week.

Are smoothies/juices compatible with the 2B Mindset?

Having followed a few juice and smoothie programs recently, you may be thinking that I have turned my back on the 2B Mindset, when in fact, that is far from the truth. 

If you click 2B Mindset on the word cloud to the right, you can see all the posts I've written about the 2B Mindset, but for convenience I am going to summarise the 2 Bunnies:

• Water First
• Veggies Most
• Use the Scale
• Track everything

Before you eat anything, you should drink water.  This will help you confirm that what you are feeling is hunger, and will help you feel full and satisfied when you do eat.

Then, when you do eat, you should eat mostly vegetables.  Definitely when looking across the whole day, but certainly aim to eat at least half your plate being veggies for lunch and dinner.  Not only are vegetables vital for health as they contain many vitamins, minerals and nutrients, but they also help your stomach to feel full and satisfied, without consuming too many calories.  It means you can eat big portions and still lose weight.

Using the scale, means you can learn your daily fluctuations, and help you realise that the number on the scale is just that - a number.  There is no shame attached to that number, it is simply a tool for you to learn how your body responds to food, and so you can adjust what you consume accordingly.

Finally, tracking.  This is the one where I personally struggle.  Again, it is another tool to help you learn about how your body reacts to food, whilst also becoming more mindful about what you eat and why.  When you get into the habit of writing down everything you eat and drink, including any sneaky licks and tastes, and adding into that diary your feelings about why and what you are eating, you can start to note any patterns.  Perhaps you've picked up a bad habit of eating something specific every evening, your you note that when you've had a bad day you are more likely to crave something sweet or sugary.  By keeping note of everything, you may be able to break habits and retrain your mind. 

So that's the 2B Mindset, but how do juices fit into that?

For me, personally, I like knowing that I am getting plenty of vegetables and fruit during the day, and smoothies and juices are easy for that.  Sometimes I buy them (and if I do, I check the ingredients so they only contain fruit/veg and no added sugar), and sometimes I make them myself, but drinking a smoothie or juice for breakfast and lunch, and having a proper dinner is working for me, and that is what the 2B Mindset is all about.  The dinner I have in the evening, I try to make sure is low carb (remember, there are carbohydrates in fruits and vegetables too; I don't advocate removing any entire food group from your diet), with plenty of veg to keep me satisfied until morning.

Weekly Update No15

I am winning! 

This week, I had lost 2 kilos, but after hosting a sleepover for 6 girls, we had loads of food leftover yesterday, and I had a bit of a binge and craving for sugar. I ended up putting on a kilo over the weekend, but still am down one kilo since last Monday! Progress!

I have been having bought smoothies (mainly Innocent, since they were on offer), and I'm not quite sticking to the portion size.  One portion is 250ml, and a bottle is 750ml, so each bottle should be lasting across 2 days; however, I have been drinking a bottle a day (across breakfast and lunch) and since there is only ~450kCals in the whole bottle, I am still able to lose weight.

In fact, this past week, I had dropped to my lowest weight for 136 days!  Last year, I didn't track my weight as well as I should have done, so am missing about 6 months worth of data, but if I can knock a further kilogram off, then I will be my lowest weight for over a year!  Bring it on!

For the main meal of the day, I am trying to eat low carb, but am not worrying too much, so if my husband has cooked me real spaghetti (instead or courgetti or bean spaghetti) I'm still going to enjoy it.

Egg-white Pizza Recipe

I’ve seen egg-white pizza discussed on a few sites as well as part of the 2B Mindset. It is meant to be a tasty low-carb version of a pizza.

As I’m trying to only cook one meal in the evenings, one of our go-tos is wrap pizza (which is also lower carb than a standard pizza): put a wrap on a baking tray, add toppings and grill until the cheese melts. We like this because each of us can choose our own toppings, so we all eat everything, and it is not so filling that you feel stuffed afterwards.

So last night, instead of the wrap pizza, I made myself an egg-white pizza.

Half a cup of egg whites (I cheated and bought a carton of egg-whites, rather than separating them myself) whisked until fluffy. I also added in a pinch of garlic powder and onion salt into this base, just to give it a bit more flavour.

Then, spoon into a hot pan and wait for the base to cook.  I put a lid on the saucepan to encourage to top/middle to start to cook too.

Carefully turn the base of your pizza base over.

As the bottom of the pizza is cooking, spread with tomato sauce (I used pesto) and add your toppings on the top. In mine, I added Pepperami, mozzarella and a sprinkle of Italian herbs.

If you are using a frying pan that can be put under the grill that would probably be best, but I couldn’t do that, so I put a lid on the pan, so that the top would heat and cook. When the cheese melted, I dished it up.

I confess to not having a photo, of the pizza on my plate.  I had intended to take a photo when I had taken a few bites, but it was too yummy and I got distracted.

It was delicious. Much tastier than I was expecting it to be. And really filling too, without being bloating. I quickly ate it before going to Growth Group (my Bible study group), and I didn’t feel like eating more when I returned a few hours later.

The only things I would change are:

1. Add the basil leaves on top that I bought but forgot to use!

2. Serve it up with a large salad. As I was in a rush, I ate it as it was, but would be really good to eat with a salad so I can eat more slowly and savour every bite.

This will definitely be one to make again.

Feeling like shit

Bit of a frank post this one.  I've been feeling like shit recently.  A combination of lots of things, including the fact that I ran out of antidepressants on Monday.  I ordered more last week, and thought I had a week's grace, but obviously not. As it takes 4 working days for repeats to be fulfilled, I was only able to collect more on Thursday.

My weight is also increasing.  As I'm an emotional eater, my response to this is to shovel more crap into my pie-hole.  Part of me is curious whether I can actually make it to 100kg?  Anther part of me wonders how high I can make my weight? And the sensible part of me tells me that's a crap idea, I need to lose weight as it is (because I need to have surgery in a couple of years, not just general health reasons), and I'm stupid for even thinking otherwise.

I'm meant to be a 2B Mentor, but I can't even sort out my own head.  I wanted to do the Body Groove Facilitator Training at the end of this month, but thankfully saved my money, as I'm not even managing to do 10min dancing a day, let alone claim to be able to get others dancing.  It is something I would like to do one day, maybe they're next offering it in the UK, but my head isn't there yet.

I watched Isn't it Romantic? last night: "After hitting her head, an architect who hates romantic comedies wakes up to find her unremarkable life has become a dazzling, cliché-driven rom-com".  It was really enjoyable, but made me realise that I don't love myself.  I don't even like myself half the time.  I'm amazed I have friends at all, as I can be so clingy and melancholy at times << I'm hoping that's the depression talking, though it feels very real.

One good thing to come from this slump, is that I haven't got angry!  I always thought, and it seemed to be in the past, that if I came off my ADs, then my temper would run riot.  Actually, it hasn't been the case at all.  I haven't argued with DD1 once this week.  All my anger has turned inwards on myself, which is probably what you'd expect with standard depression.  I did think about going to the chemist/doctors to try and get my medication early since I had run out, but I couldn't convince myself that I was worth it.

I have lost weight before, and I know I can do it again.  But I also know that my head has to be in the right place.  Previously, my weightloss was kickstarted because I had HG when pregnant, causing me to lose 3 stone in the first trimester.  After that pregnancy, I lost a bit more weight, before becoming pregnant again, and managed to lose even more, so I was comfortably down to 64kilos.  That is where I would like to go again.  The 'diet' I used (inverted commas, because it was a lifestyle change) was based on the book Fat Burner Foods by Dr Caroline Schreeve.  It was low carb, high fruit and veg, and high amount of liquids/soup throughout the day too. It showed me that I really don't have to eat very much at all, to stay full and satisfied.  I seem to have lost that along the way.

A few years ago, I was making smoothies daily for breakfast or lunch, and though I didn't lose much weight, I felt much healthier and better in myself, as well as being fitter (I was exercising more then too).  Right now, I have tried to pre-prepare salads and vegetables, I have bought fruit with the honest intention of eating them, but I am wasting lots of food.  Not in the worst way, as I do compost, so it's not just going straight to landfill, but still a waste of food and money.

So what am I doing about it?
Spending even more money of course...

The Core is a raw food and juice bar that also offers programmes. Right now, I don't seem to have the mental function for making food for lunch or dinner (I'm not sleeping well, so am not even waking up for breakfast!), so having everything ready made will be good for me.  I'll be doing the standard 'Juice Programme' and have not yet decided whether I am going to stick to liquids alone, or whether I will need some food alongside, but we'll see how we do.

Now I have started taking my medication again, I hope that this increase in nutrition will kick-start my body into behaving and give me more energy, and help me make the needed steps in the right direction.

Edited to add: I wrote this yesterday and took an AD when I received them in the afternoon.  In the evening, my husband commented how much happier I'd seemed.  It's kinda scary (but good!) how fast/much they affect me.
Last night I even slept well, not waking up until this morning!

Weekly Update No5

I lost half a kilo! (That's a pound, in old money.)

I'm really pleased, because it shows that even without exercise (oops...) it is possible to lose weight. 
Slowly, but surely, the weight is coming off.  I've even managed to put on a pair of jeans this morning that I was given for Christmas, that I had been scared wouldn't fit.  I did try them on shortly after Christmas, and I could get them up, but not done up, but today, they are on and comfortable! The photo is not particularly flattering, but is the best DD1 could manage.

I haven't done the shopping for this week yet, but still have lots of salad left from last week, as well as a freezer full of food.  I like cooking in bulk and storing food in the freezer, but then I forget it's there, or worse, the label or pen comes off, and I don't know what it is.  So, I think this week will be full of "freezer surprise" - a meal we usually have once a week, where you defrost something from the freezer without knowing what it is, and serve up with salad or veg, and sometimes rice or potatoes. Yum! lol

Weekly update No3

I lost a kilo!  I said last week, I wanted to lose a kilogram, and I have. Phew!


It hasn't been easy. I haven't managed to up my vegetable intake as much as I wanted, and my weight went up significantly after a night of liquid carbs... ahem!  Not helped by my feeling ill the next day, and only being able to stomach bread, ahem ahem...


I also have not managed to fit in any Body Groove.  On the rare days when I know in advance that I have time (like this morning), something always seems to get in the way.  For example, this past week, my husband is really suffering with back pain.  He's maxed out the painkillers, but keeps waking up in pain.  This in turn wakes me up, causing me to then oversleep.  Which I did, and only woke up just before lunchtime.

I need to reset my body clock. The best way to do that, for me, is to go camping - going to bed in the dark and waking up at dawn is brilliant.  But it's winter, so I don't want to be outside in zero degree weather.  Instead, I'm inside in the warm, with artificial lights on most of the day and night.

Moving on to next week, I would like to lose at least 0.5kg.  Being realistic that I'm not eating or exercising well atm, but still giving myself an achievable goal.
Positive thinking means positive weightloss.

Vegan Chocolate Mousse/Hummus Recipe

I saw something on Facebook recently called Chocolate Hummus. I'd never heard of it before, but have made chocolate mousse recipes using chia seeds before.  Despite, not being able to find the recipe I saw again, I decided to have a go and make it up.

I used:

Tin of chickpeas, drained
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 ripe avocado
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp sunflower oil

Then, I put them all in a blender and blitzed.
Simples.

Now, if I'm honest, I should have used my big, proper, powerful blender, rather than my hand-blender, as the texture was a bit weird - I'd prefer it to be smoother. 
The taste, however, was really nice. I think some added dates would make it taste a bit more like chocolate fudge, but overall was a good experiment. It made 4 portions, which are now sitting in my fridge, ready for when I next fancy something sweet.  I did lick out the bowl (as you do) and it is quite sweet, so could conceivably be split into 6 or 8 portions.

I used Explore Food Calculator to look at the nutrition of my recipe.  Per portion (a quarter of the mixture) it contains 10g of protein, 7g of sugar, and 9g of fibre. 
Not bad for a sweet treat that took less than 5min to make!

Weekly Update No2

This week, I am exactly the same weight as I was this point last week.  I'm counting that as a positive, considering I haven't done any Body Groove this week, nor have I eaten the best.

Back to being busy, means it is harder to get time at home to exercise.  Today, both my girls are ill, so I will be able to fit it in today, as I've had to cancel all their HE groups and my tutoring.  Neither girl is eating very much atm, they both have a bit of a fever, feeling sick and are very lethargic.  I should have known something was wrong on Saturday, when my elder daughter came home from her theatre class and fell asleep on the sofa!

I still am not back in the habit of using my slow cooker.  It doesn't help that since Christmas, I've had loads of food piled on top/next to it (like crackers for cheese, etc) that don't fit in our cupboards.  We don't have much cupboard space at the best of time, so when we have extra food around, everything just overflows everywhere.  I would like to get the kitchen redone, but I don't see the point if there's not going to be any more cupboard space, as the area to work in is so small. My husband mentioned yesterday about the possibility of having the whole downstairs redone, to have an open plan kitchen/livingroom area.  Apart from the money issue (ie we have none), I'm not against that idea, but it seems quite daunting, and I'd have to study lots of plans before we agreed to anything - and I'm not sure how many people would b willing to draw up plans in the detail I'd like to see for free, before we commit to anything.  It's not helped by a friend having renovation work, only for her builders to try and charge nearly double the agreed quote, and then walking out leaving it unfinished.


 Back to my weightloss plan, though.  This week, I would like to try and lose 1kg.  I am drinking plenty of water, but I do need to up my veg intake again, as it's too easy when tired, to reheat frozen beige food.  Looking over this blog, I found this post where I said I would do some stretches every day.  Well, that fell by the wayside... but if I can't
fit in 30min of body groove, then doing a few dynamic stretches in the morning will help tone my body a little - at the very least, it's better than doing nothing.

Listen to your body!

That's my own advice I should be taking.  And it is a good thing to learn.

Yesterday I had a... I'm hesitant to use the words "bad day" because with the 2B Mindset, there are no bad foods, just foods that you should eat less of as they may not be as nutritious as other foods.  Yesterday, I did not eat as I know I am capable.  I snacked, cooked (reheated from frozen) beige food, and snacked some more.  At the end of the day, I did eat some slow cooked stuffed peppers, but my stomach was so full and bloated that I didn't enjoy it.

Taking the positives, the salt content of the food meant I more than surpassed drinking my water target. It didn't have a good effect on my bowels either, and when I woke up this morning, my body was crying out for vegetables, fibre, nutrition, anything!

Today, I have eaten better: a delicious ham and egg salad.  And when I prep my food for the week, I need to prep more - I enjoyed my homemade mix and match salads, so need to cut enough veg to last the full week, not just 3 days.

I also need to work on my triggers and feelings regarding eating.  It's no surprise to me that I post that I'm eating well, and then immediately self sabotage.  Healthy eating is more than just knowing what you should or shouldn't eat - if it were easy, nobody would be overweight or malnurished!  I need to tackle what is going on internally too.

Back in the swing of things

Term-time is up and running, and we're back running around after the girls and all their dances and activities.  I am trying to make the most of the time I have, so am currently being good and am sat in the dance studios with my laptop writing this post!

My tutoring has started up again after the Christmas break, as has all the girls' home education groups, leaving me little time at home for everything I need to do, including exercise.  It's now Wednesday, and I for the third day in a row I have no managed to BodyGroove, as I have not had 30min spare.  Technically, that is a slight lie, because I could have tried to wake up earlier, or stay up later, in order to fit it in, but I am someone who needs a lot of sleep. But, I'm not giving up on it.  I do enjoy it, I have noticed it working my muscles and I am losing weight.  I just need to squeeze a bit more out of my day.

I am eating well at the moment though.  The 2B Mindset is firmly implanted in my brain.  I am easily drinking my 90oz of water daily, and for the past 3 days I have had "mix and match" salad for lunch, from the prep I did at the weekend.  I have discovered I didn't prep enough, as I ate the last of the cut cucumber and pepper today, and ate the last of the hummus. I still have portions of vegetables that I can use for the remainder of the week, and some couscous left, but when I meal plan this weekend coming, I will need to prep even more food.

So far, I have managed to keep on top of the Bible readings - I'm aiming for 50 chapters a week.  We had our first meet on Tuesday, and we discussed the verses that spoke to us, and spent some time praying for each other.  Even though we're going at a much faster rate than I anticipated, I think I will get a lot out of the next 6 months.  I had planned to use my study Bible for the readthrough, but I find that I do most of the reading when I am taking my younger daughter to bed (we need to stay with her until she is asleep).  So, I'm reading the Bible on  my phone, highlighting the verses there, and then going through my actual Bible to copy up my highlights.  Only on the second week of the year, but it's working so far.

I'm also reading less than I would usually, as a combination of not having to wait for my children all the time (some days I leave them at dancing or gymnastics whilst I do other things), or because I'm using waiting time to do something else, like writing right now!  I do have 3 books on the go, though: 1 Christian inspirational, 1 non-fiction, and 1 fiction, so I haven't stopped reading altogether - perish the thought! - just getting through books a bit slower than usual.  That said, I am starting to really get into the fiction book I'm reading, so I may end up giving up a few hours sleep for that.

Note to self:
If I can give up sleep for reading, I can give up sleep for exercise. 
I am important and I am worth it!

Low Carb Revolution by Annie Bell

With the subtitle of "Comfort Eating for Good Health", you know the Low Carb Revolution will be full of tasty, hearty meals.  I was given this book for Christmas, which was a nice surprise as it fits well with the 2B Mindset.


Last night I decided to try "Chicken and aubergine tagine traybake".  Due to copyright I can't share the actual recipe, but it involves chicken thighs and aubergines, in a tray and baked...

It was delicious! Definitely one to make again and again.  It was very easy to do, and I have never had aubergine taste so good.  I wasn't keen on eating the preserved lemons, but they did lightly flavour to other ingredients such that I won't be omitting them.

And to add to my pleasure, this morning's daily weigh-in, is the lightest I've be so far this year.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Weekly Update No1 (I hope!)

Ok, so I'm crap at tracking.  I do track my weight daily, as I like to use the scales as a tool, and learn from decisions I have made yesterday to hopefully influence my new day and the new decisions I have to make.  Tracking what food I eat, how much water I drink, and what exercise I'm doing is much more difficult for me.  Whether it be that I'm too busy, I forget, I can't be bothered, or all three, sharing the minutiae isn't a habit I have yet.  Maybe it's because I'm an introvert so think nobody is actually that interested or cares much about it; or maybe because my subconscious thinks I'm setting myself up for a fall?  Whatever the reason, it is difficult for me.  So instead, I will try to do a weekly update.  It won't include all the details but will look for the positives, and be honest about the learning opportunities.

So, at the end of week 1, I have done some Body Groove everyday! (barring the 1st)  Most days have been between 20-30 minutes, and it really is good fun.  There's a surprising amount of ab-work that goes into dancing, and my muscles have really been feeling it when I wake up in the mornings.

I have been drinking plenty of water, and regularly hitting my 90 fl oz (3 bottles) goal.

My food has been up and down.  I have been making some good choices: I have made egg fried cauli rice a few times, I have chosen to eat a salad for lunch or when in a pub I chose to eat a starter with a side salad.  Eating well at home seems to depend on how busy/lazy/stressed I am, as those are the times when I'm more likely to cook something that just requires to be shoved in an oven, or to order in.  I need to pre-prepare food for the week, when I have more time on the weekends, so I can throw together something healthy quickly, without too much thought. Some points to learn from, include listening to when my body is full (at the Murder Mystery party I went to, I ate a curry with a whole naan, and then still found some space for birthday cake) and yesterday, after the meal in the pub we returned home with two Cakeaways.  If you haven't experience a Cakeaway, it is not as simple as a cake that you eat at home.  Rather than a 'normal' sized slice of cake, these slices are a good 8 inches tall, and 3-4 inches wide at the back.  When we returned home, we shared some of the cakes between the four of us, my husband took the girls to bed, and I mindlessly ate until I realised what I was doing... On the positive side, I did stop eating, before I ate it all and put them in the fridge and today when the others were eating the cakes, I didn't have any because I knew I had my share yesterday. Think positive!

As far as weight, I had put some on over Christmas, as I expected I would, and this week I have lost 1 kilo.

Happy New Year!

The Christmas season has passed by very quickly! 

We had a quiet Christmas day at home with just the four of us.  It was really relaxed, good company and good food.  The week after Christmas we visited my family in one part of the country and my husband's family in another.  Then we spent New Year's evening at a friend's house playing games whilst our children played together elsewhere.  And now we're back to reality with a bump. (Not literal - I am certainly not pregnant, now missing several vital parts! lol)

I enjoy getting a calendar every year from the girls for Christmas, and like to spend my NY day copying across new information and schedules.  This seems to be the worst year yet, as after this week, EVERY week is packed.  And my husband has finally badgered me enough to use a shared calendar on our phones, so I've put everything there too - only for him to say there's too much going on and he doesn't know when he needs to be where.  Men!

After chatting with the girls about any resolutions they may have, we have all decided to work together and help each other to achieve them.  My daughters' resolutions are to do with self-care (eg actually brushing their hair daily) and keeping their rooms tidy.

We don't have any pets.  I am allergic to cats and dogs, and other animals, but have said I would consider getting a dog, if... Now, I'm not stupid enough to say "if you look after it" because I'm the adult and I know my children won't immediately be able to switch on that responsibility.  It would be unfair on the dog for it to arrive and for me to not pick up the slack.  So, I went with something else. ...you can prove you're responsible enough to have a pet by keeping your bedrooms tidy for 6 months in a row.  Not perfect.  Not "showhome".  But reasonably tidy and having a clear floor at the end of the day.  My children's bedrooms are not massive, especially given the number of toys they own, but they do have a playroom where all their junk toys can be thrown stored, and I haven't said that room has to be tidy.  Thankfully for me, it's at the top of the house, so I don't have to think about it!

As for me, my resolutions are to do with self-care too.  Namely, being positive in my mind, being positive about how I fuel my body, and being positive about moving my body more.  I am changing my mindset, so there is no such thing as "failure" or "bad days", but instead they are learning opportunities, from which I can grow, learn and do better next time.

2B Mindset has a sale going on some of its products.
And BodyGroove has a 30day challenge for you to join in and move your body!

A 2B Christmas

Some people have asked me how to have a 2B Christmas dinner, so I thought I would write this post. The first thing to remember is that 2B really is a mindset and not a set of rules; however we can follow the principles in order to make the festive season happy and positive, rather than bloated and overfull.

As a recap, the first half of the 2 Bunnies are Water First and Veggies Most. These two things alone, will help you control how much you are eating. Drinking plenty of water means you stay hydrated and are less likely to confuse thirst with hunger. Most people do not drink enough water, so when your body is craving H₂O it will not discriminate between food sources. Additionally, by drinking water before you eat, you start to fill your stomach up, so you can feel full and satisfied without having to pig out on a load of carbs. Veggies most makes sense too, because they are nutritionally dense, and we want to fill up on foods that are good for our body. We can eat a good plateful that is appealing to our eyes, whilst not making us feel heavy and tired afterwards.

At this point, I need to remind you of the Plate-It method, so depending on whether you eat your Christmas dinner at lunchtime or teatime, you may want to alter what is on your plate. Roast potatoes, even when cooked in goose fat, are not inherently bad for you, but depending on the time of day will affect how many you choose to eat.

My plan for Christmas dinner is as follows. We always like to have multiple courses with our Christmas dinner, but it will be spread throughout the day, because nobody wants to eat all this in one sitting!

Starter: Prawn Cocktail

King prawns, on a huge bed of mixed salad, covered in homemade thousand island dressing ‘watered’ down with lemon juice and vinegar. My husband will have bread and butter with his, but I don’t need that eating opportunity.

Main: Turkey with all the trimmings

We’ll be having a cook-from-frozen stuffed turkey crown this year, and my husband wants a half leg of lamb too. We’ll have roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding (I’ll have one of each) with pigs in blankets and sausage meat stuffing. I am having a lazy Christmas this year, so many of the items for Christmas dinner will be preprepared, but if you are making your own stuffing (especially if you are actually using it to stuff the turkey), why not use riced cauliflower instead of half (or more) of the breadcrumbs? I have even seen a bag of frozen cranberry and nut stuffing that has cauliflower rice as it’s base – but is only available across the pond, and not in the UK.

I’ll also do a range of vegetables, from sprouts with bacon, roast root veg, carrot and swede mash, cauliflower cheese, peas and sweetcorn. With a spread like this, there is no excuse whatsoever not to achieve Veggies Most.

Pudding: Option of Christmas Pudding or a Mince Pie with Brandy Cream.

It’s Christmas, so I have no intention of watering down any of this, but I only need a taste of each, rather than a pint of each…

Cheese board: Cheese, crackers and chutneys/jellies and grapes/apples.

I love a good cheese board. I love cheese. In reality, though I’ll plan to have it on Christmas day, I feel full just reading everything I’ve got planned, so this will probably move to Boxing Day. I’ll add another salad with it, so we can still have Veggies Most.

And alcohol. In my house, it wouldn’t be Christmas without any alcohol; but by having Water First, and alternating a glass of wine with a glass of water, means we can enjoy the taste without getting drunk or putting on weight from empty calories.

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas, enjoying your food and drink xx

Christmas is getting closer!

Just over a week until Christmas, and things are finally starting to slow down in the Middle-aged Mum household. 

Most of the presents are wrapped and around the tree.  Now the girls are older, the presents are generally getting smaller, and we don't have to worry about them opening any before Christmas.  They still look, of course, and get excited any time they see one to themselves, but they know they can only touch the label and nothing else.

All the admin stuff I had to do before Christmas has been done: I have finished tutoring for the year, I have completed all the forms for a residential trip I'm organising next year, and I have bought various prizes that we have won for winning Beat the Street in our local area - including donations for a local homeless charity.  The girls have stopped any formal Home Ed they have been doing; their classes have stopped, though dancing continues until the end of this week.

So after having a Tesco shop arrive this morning, most of this weeks will be various Christmas activities.  Lots of baking, we have a HE Christmas Party tomorrow, a friend is hosting a party on Thursday, and we are seeing our town's Pantomime in the theatre on Friday.  Next week, my husband only has Christmas Day and Boxing Day off work, so when we visit family afterwards it'll just be myself and the girls driving up and back.

I will be trying to get the balance between Christmas cheer and eating healthily (water first and veggies most), but will not restrict what I eat.  My aim for this Christmas period is to not gain wait and keep practising the basic principles; any loss will be a bonus. I would like to start getting into the habit of Grooving round the house too, when music comes on.

Merry Christmas everyone, and yes, to the eagle-eyed among you, we do still have our homemade Halloween bunting still up.

God Bless xxx