Cupcakes ..

Please don't get excited I have not made SW cupcakes, I made cupcakes for the Halloween trick or treaters that come to the door.

I made 20 novelty ones with a Halloween character and the rest I had bought some Halloween rings for the kids so I stuck them in icing on top. Then I put them in individual boxes and tied them up. Turned out quite well.

It's sometimes hard being an amateur baker, because I do bake a lot of things, I've tried SW recipes too but as a baker I can definitely tell you they are not the same. I've tried out cupcakes, brownies, pies and other but they will never be the same as full fat things, I am sorry to tell you. So when I bake things I have to test and taste, luckily today I had my son off school for the holidays and I had him as resident taster.

 

 

I worked the syns out for one cupcake and without the icing its, 6.5, with the icing, the cupcake is 10.5, which I think isn't that bad for a treat!

Weigh In .. Wooo

 

So the time has come to tell you the result and I can tell you I am delighted, no that's not the right word, I am ecstatic! I got my new 2 and a half stone award and got myself into a new number I lost 6lbs, unbelievable! Of course we have to thank the tonsillitis for the most part, obviously my body didn't go into shock and store up my fat. I am now 13.9 and well on my way to my interim target which I set at 12 stone. I'm also 1 and a half pounds from my 3 stone award and I am going for it. I've set my target at 2lbs this week and nothing is stopping me getting it!

 

I'm so gleeful its unreal. As well as getting my 2 and a half stone award I also succeeded in my body magic silver, since I've been going gym twice a week and swimming once, so I got a nice new shiny sticker and I am now onto building up for my gold. Also because I lost 6lbs I got slimmer of the week, another award and shiny new sticker! I am seriously loving this week, if I needed any inspiration for next week, I have it now!

 

Feeling Better ..

 

So I'm finally getting over tonsillitis, I can just about manage solids and I've got a little more energy, meaning I can actually walk around without leaning on the wall for aide. The anti-biotics they gave are working amazingly, plus they're great for food managing since I can't eat with them, I can't eat hour before or after taking it. I knew I could find a plus for an illness!

 

Weigh in is tonight, which I will drag my body to, to attend. I hoping for a loss since I've been ill. But I also have to factor in that my body will have gone into shock and probably stored some fat, not to mention I haven't moved that much in a week! My lack of exercise is what scares me, but my food intake has been minimal. From low fat ice cream, soup and on Sunday I manged lunch with mash potato, soft veg and chicken cut up into little pieces. I felt I was eating my 5 year old meal but I just about manged it. Yesterday I had some pasta with  a Dolmio express sauce, cabonara. I hardly ever have them these days, but it was something quick and easy since I didn't have the ingredients in to make my own sauce. So I should mention that this pouch was 150g and is 8.5 syns. Very high but really quick and easy when you don't feel good.

 

I will go to weigh and face my fate, hopefully it's a happy result, but if not tomorrow is the start of a new week, and a healthy one at that! I will keep you informed...



Rubbish Tip For Loosing Weight ..

Develop Tonsilitis!

Yeah I'm kidding, this is not what you want at all but it's what I have. The irony is that my consultant put this picture on our Facebook page on Wednesday.

3 o'clock Thursday morning I awoke with an awful sore throat, I truly thought I'd been jinxed for reading this, but I got some water and thought nothing more about it since I never really get sick. But sleep never came again all night, I tossed and turned but doing this I realised I was getting weaker and all my bones were aching. I finally gave up on the sleep at about 6am and said to myself this has to more than a mere sore throat, I thought it was a really bad cold, something that had attacked my immune system and shut it down. So all day Thursday I was in pain, I could hardly move my head never mind anything else. My mum has had to look after my son for me because there was no way I could do it, shes been brilliant, looking after me and Josh.

 

I didn't get any sleep Thursday night either so my mum made me go to the doctors, which is a place I hate going. It seemed worth while though since she diagnosed me with tonsillitis and gave me antibiotics in a form of something I can't spell or even pronounce. So I took the first dose and was feeling brave, I thought I would dabble in some soup to get something other than water in my stomach. Unfortunately it went down like sharp needles, so that plan was busted. A couple of hours later the antibiotics seem to be doing something, I was able to take some paracetamol and keep it down so I thought soup wasn't the was to go, how about ice-cream? I can tell you right now ice-cream is the way to go, I just had a couple of scoops and it was great!

 

I took my last dosage of the day about 9 o'clock and a couple of paracetamol and had a better nights sleep, still have a really sore throat when I woke and can't eat solid foods but I feel I'm getting better.

 

So sorry for not posting any recipes but I have had an amazing excuse, and of course afterwards I did look up the syns of the ice-cream, for the basic reduced fat, 60g, it's 4 syns, but whose counting when you're ill? ha ha.

Quick Gym Sesh ..

 

Had a quick gym session this afternoon, and even though it was only 50 mins long, I feel better for having it. We usually stay for over an hour but time was restricted today. Started on the treadmill to warm up, I did 30 mins on there, while running collectively for 7 mins, moved over to bikes then finished off with some weight trainer, where I learn every time I have no upper body strength.

 

For dinner tonight I cooked Hunters BBQ Chicken with Paprika Wedges. Syn free meal as I use the cheese as my Healthy A. Also I don't like BBQ sauce so I leave that off.

 



 

 

If you don't know what it entails it's real easy. Cook a chicken fillet off, add a rasher of bacon on top, and cook that, then add cheese and melt. The wedges were sprinkling with paprika or some sort of spice, spraying them with Fry Light and cooking in oven for about 30-35 mins turning a couple of times. Add with some veg or a nice crisp salad.

Weigh In, Pizza! ..

 

So yesterday was weigh in day, no point going around the houses to tell you I maintained. Which is much better than gaining but I was half a pound away from my 2 and a half stone award. It's frustrating but its my own fault, I had too much bread this week, I know this. I have to cut down on it, not to  mention them cheeky snacks. Last week my motivation was shot. Sometimes you just get those weeks, the weeks that are harder than others. I needed a boost, some sort of shot of inspiration. Today is a brand new week, and I have my inspiration. I have made before and after pictures for my friends and a couple of others but never for me, I didn't think there would be any difference, but today, with my inspiration gone I thought why not? So here it is, my inspiration to keep going!

 

 

 

So the weigh in came and went, and it was time for something to eat, Tuesdays I always say is treat night, I like to have a bit of chocolate or something, but with my maintain I by passed that and went straight for my dinner (another treat). Pizza, garlic bread and chips, now I know what you're thinking, 'one slice of take-away pizza is 25 syns!' But don't worry I had a full plate of these things and it was only 7 syns!

 

I had a gorgeous homemade chicken pizza, SW chips and petit pan garlic bread.

 

 

To get this meal to 7 syns I have to use both my Healthy A and B. Also you can't eat the whole pizza, I have a quarter, or if you can have half for 12.5 syns, which still is acceptable. Really easy as well, all takes under 30 mins.

 

Ingredients:

 

150g basic pizza base

tomato puree

any free toppings you wish

reduced fat mozzarella ball

Weight Watchers petit pan

1 tbsp of Flora Extra Light

1 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp mixed herbs

couple of big potatoes, peeled and cut into chips

Fry Light

 

To make the pizza spread the tomato puree on the pizza base, add topping of choice and cover with sliced mozzarella. Put in oven at 170c for 10-15 mins.

For the garlic bread mix the Flora, garlic and mixed herbs in a bowl. With a knife make slits in the petit pan and spread a little of the garlic butter in each one. 1 tbsp is 1.5 syns so make sure you don't go over. Bake this in the oven with the pizza for 10 mins or until browned on top.

To make the chips I spray a small baking tin with Fry Light, add the potatoes and spray Fry Light on top, put in oven at 170c for 20-25 mins, then raise temp to 190c for 10 more mins to brown them a little.

 

Here's how I work it out because I think a few people will be a little dubious.

 

Quarter of the basic pizza base is 5.5 syns.

I use my Healthy A for the cheese.

My Healthy B for the full Petit Pan.

A tbsp of Flora Extra Light is 1.5 syns.

 

All together a healthy option for a take away night and a very satisfied Charlotte!

PB Best Record Broken!

So just got back from doing some exercise in the pool. I have just broken my personal best of 50 laps and done 60, I'm ecstatic, I really am. I have never done this much swimming, I don't even like swimming that much. Ha ha.

I was lagging when it came to 55 but me and Gareth really pushed ourselves and really tried and I am quite proud of us. I am hurting and I'm most likely going to feel it tomorrow but it will be worth it!

Before I went swimming I made Beef and Bean Hot-Pot Bake for dinner. Yes it's the return of the one pot but I love them, I really can't stress enough how easy they are.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

750g lean stewing beef, all visible at removed, cuubed

2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped

450g carrots, peeled and rougly chopped

1 level tbsp plain flour

salt and pepper

200ml boiling hot beef stock

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

400g can baked beans

2 bay leaves

600g potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

 

1. Preheat oven 180c/Gas 4.

2. Place the beef, onions, carrots and flour in a baking dish, season and toss to mix well.

3. Pour in the boiling hot stock, then add the Worcestershire sauce, baked beans and bay leaves. Stir to mix well and arrange the slices of potato on top of the meat mixture.

4. Cover with foil then place in oven for about 1 and a 1/2 hours or until the potatoes are cooked and tender.

5. Remove foil, then turn the oven up to brown the potatoes, or finish under grill for 5-8 mins until brown.

 

I served mine with some greens and it was gorgeous, serves for and it's 1 syn each serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Meal Plan for the Week ..

 

So, normal Sunday protocol today. I had a scrummy Sunday lunch of chicken, veg, small Yorkshire pudding and gravy. I've done well with my snacking today, I chose grapes instead of anything fattening. I unfortunately couldn't get any exercise in today so I'll have to push myself tomorrow at swimming.

 

There is something I have tried different today and that is a meal plan, I have set out meals for the week and worked out the syns for each meal.

 

 



 

 

Sometimes when it comes to dinner I haven't thought of anything and I'm rushing to find something or I throw something easy together that I didn't really enjoy, and then that is when I snack on something that isn't good for me, so hopefully this will help with that, and working out before will give me some knowledge of what I can have for lunch or as a treat/snack. 

Snacking..

Snacking is the worst thing you can do, its actually the worst thing that I do. I think actually its my downfall. Its not the takeaways or all the fatty foods or anything like that, I mean they don't really help, But when it comes to snacking it could reverse everything I've done so far.

I get fruit in, the slimming world high-fibre bars, which are gorgeous by the way. But sometimes that just isn't enough, sometimes I look around the room and think I could just fancy something really good, or something not got. Like today I had a toffee crisp bar, unfortunately I looked afterwards at the syns, And when I looked at the syns it was 11.5, luckily from me I had none that day so far so I fitted it in okay. Still I didn't have to eat it.

Yes snacking is my downfall, sometimes I do it out of sheer boredom. I need to fill the time with something else, something that will take my mind off of snacking on chocolate or other foods that are bad for me.

So there is my confession. I had a cheeky chocolate bar that was 11.5 syns, but I made it so my dinner was no syns, So maybe I made it all okay. Also tomorrow I will try to get some exercise so I can work the extra syns off.

Body Magic? ..

 

 

Today was meant to be a body fitness day, gym and swimming.

Unfortunately things went wrong, 40 mins into the gym session I was feeling sick, maybe I had done too much already or not had enough water. I think mostly though it was because we went early and I hadn't eaten. This is my downfall, no breakfast. Admittedly I have never had breakfast, it is not something that sits well with me, but now I'm being active more and having longer days maybe I should invest in it?

 

So that was the gym cut short but then we went forward onto the swimming pool, unfortunately that did not go as planned either, only half of the pool was open so we couldn't really do lengths or for Gareth's sadness we couldn't go on the flumes. So all in all a pretty poor day for body magic, but I know I'll get 50 lengths in at the pool on Monday so looking forward to that.

 

When I got back it was time for dinner, not really planned anything today so it was pretty much throw something together. I decided on ham pasta salad with a jacket potato, I haven't had Healthy A today so I used that on cheese for JP. Sometimes its just really easy to throw a salad together for dinner, can be really filling and depending on what your vital ingredient is can be really flavourful. And don't forget completely syn free!

 



Pushing It In The Gym ..

I've just got back from the gym, my arms are quite tied but I'll try and get through typing this!

Me and Gareth did an hour work out tonight, mainly cardio with 10 mins of weights at the end. We both want 2lbs, I want it to get in my new number and to get a new award.

 

I think I pushed harder at the gym tonight. Anyone who knows me, knows I am not a runner, but tonight I ran for a collective 6 minutes. I know it doesn't sound like much but it was for me. An achievement almost. Before that it was 10 minutes to warm up, then after 15 cycling. I also like to get some rowing in there as well, I can always feel it on my arms. Then the weights to try and built some muscle since I have no strength at all.

 

I got through it and now I feel much better for it. Before going to do any sort of exercise I have this internal groan and question if I really have to, but as soon as I'm working out the rush of adrenaline gets to me and I feel amazing afterwards!

 

Before I went out I made dinner. This is what I would call a nice stomach warmer; Rich Banger and Bean Casserole. This is the first try for me and I can definitely say I will be having it again and not because there is leftovers in the freezer. ha ha.

No its really nice and just completely warms you up. Easy to make, all in one pot. As you can tell by now I love my one pot recipes, so easy but so flavourful!

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Fry Light

8 Quorn Sausages

6 large shallots, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage leaves

500g pumpkin flesh, cut into large bite-sized pieces

1tbsp white wine vinegar

400g can chopped tomatoes

400g can cannellini beans

300ml vegetable stock

salt and pepper

4 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

1. Preheat oven 180c/Gas 4.

2. Spay a large casserole dish with Fry Light and place over a medium heat. Stir-fry the sausages for 4-5 mins or until golden brown all over.

3. Add the shallots, garlic, sage and pumpkin and fry for 3-4 mins.

4. Increase heat to high and add the white wine vinegar, tomatoes, beans and stock and season to taste.

5. Bring the mixture to the boil then transfer the casserole dish to the oven and cook for 1 hour, or until the sausages are cooked through and the pumpkin is tender.

6. Serve sprinkled with the flat-leaf parsley.

 

Great meal, really easy and only 2 syns per serving (serves 4). I just boiled up some carrots and green beans that I had left over to put some more superfree in there. Also I didn't have pumpkin so I substituted it with potatoes and it worked just as good. You could also have low fat pork sausages instead of quorn, just remember to syn them correctly.

Weigh In ..

 

Okay so it was the dreaded weigh in day today, and I lost 2 and a half pounds! Woohoo ha ha.

I was quite surprised by that and also ecstatic, I am now 14st 1lb, I need 1/2 a pound for my 2 and a 1/2 stone award and a 2lb to get into a number that I haven't been in years. I know I can achieve that next week!

 

Today was taster week to start the 12 weeks to Christmas countdown, some lovely things to try. I made and brought in aromatic chicken bake. It consisted of a walk into town to buy ingredients so I got some body magic in today. Then I got cooking, really easy one to make again since it all takes just over 30mins and it is all baked in one pot. I think it went well down at group since I made a full casserole pot and there was only about a quarter left. I thought it tasted great and I will definitely be making this one again!

 

Also won the raffle tonight! First time ever, was quite excited. I won ingrediants to make a nice casserole or a chunky soup.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Fry Light

800g Skinless and boneless chicken, cut into large bite-sized pieces

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded and diced

2 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1cm dice

200g green beans, trimmed and cut into 1cm lengths

3 cardamom pods

2 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

250g dried paella rice

500ml chicken stock

salt and pepper

chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish.

 

1. Preheat oven to 180c/Gas 4.

2. Spray a large casserole pot with Fry Light. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 10-15 mins until golden on all sides. Add the onion, garlic and pepper to the pan and cook for 5 mins.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, carrot, green beans, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick , paprika and rice.

4. Add the stock. Season to taste, and bring to the boil.

5. Cover with lid and transfer to the oven and cook for  20-25 mins or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.

6. Fluff up the rice, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

 

Amazingly easy and syn free!

 



Productive Day? ..

 

Today was what I would like to call a 'productive one'. Sold a hell of a lot of old clothes on EBay over the week so it being the first business day after, I had to package, stamp and post them all. I have found it to be a really easy way of making money.

 

Next I was putting a ham in to cook so I can have a nice ham salad in the week and some thick ham sandwiches, they are the best!

 

I even tackled my ironing pile today, I was on a roll.

 

Yes a very productive day indeed. It was next onto dinner, minced beef hash with petit pan.

 



 

 

 

This is what I like to call comfort food, it just so warm and delicious and is all made in one pot so it's easy to make and there isn't many pots to wash up after.

 

Ingredients:

 

Fry Light

2 onions, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

450g extra lean minced beef

2 carrots, peeled and diced

300g potatoes, peeled and diced

400g can of plum tomatoes

100ml beef stock

1 tsp dried oregano

4 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

salt and pepper

 

1. Spray a large lidded frying pan with Fry Light and place over a medium heat. Add the onions and stir-fry for 2-3 mins.

2. Add garlic and cumin, stirring for a few moments to release the flavours.

3. Add the minced beef and cook on high, stirring all the time and breaking up any lumps, until all the meat is sealed and brown.

4. Add the carrot, potatoes, tomatoes, stock and oregano and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 12-15 mins.

5. Remove from heat, stir in parsley and season to taste before serving.

 

You can add more veg to get more superfree in, or some green chilli to maybe give it an extra kick. I served it with a weight watchers petit pan and used it as my healthy B.

This is a completely easy and syn free meal.

 

After the gorgeous meal had settled it was off to do some laps at swimming to get my body magic in. I usually do 50 lengths but got sidetracked chatting so only managed 32.

 

Got talking to Gemma (friend and fellow slimmer) about a great idea to freeze soup, so she gave me some to take home and try. She has her own great blog with more wonderful ideas and recipe Here. Go check her out!

 

Tomorrow is weigh in day and also taster session, looking forward to it, I'll let you know how I got on.

 



Nothing To Wear ..

Today as per any usual Sunday I had Sunday lunch, which consisted of lamb, potato, carrots, cabbage, peas, and gravy which is the only thing I syn. Really need to get my super free in today, so it might be some fruit for supper.

 

Done well today but no exercise as I have been updating my EBay account, and packaging up the items I have sold.

 

What you want to see when you're losing weight is result, mainly smaller clothes, and it is an amazingly great feeling but then you come to realise that nothing fits you. I started this SW diet at a dress size 20 and now I am a 16, which is unbelievable for me. I haven't been in size 16 clothes in some years but nothing fits me, everything is baggy and frumpy, or most embarrassing falling down. So recently it was time to get the credit card out and treat my weight loss to some new clothes. Dresses, jeans, tops and shoes - okay I didn't need the shoes but they were so pretty!

 

So as my new clothes arrived I have to sort out my wardrobe and say goodbye(hopefully forever) to size 20, thus me being on EBay. It only seems natural to pay for my new clothes I should sell my old ones and they have been going well.

 

Today was one of the hard sells. My rockabilly dresses, I love them, even in a bigger size they give me a flattering figure but alas they do not fit and I have to move on. I will just have to spend money buying more! If you want to see what I'm selling, my user name is ctea2997 .

 

So been a busy day for me really, meaning no time to cook fantastic meals. Tomorrow though I'm making one of my comforting faves, minced beef hash. I'll let you know how it goes and a pic (if I haven't eaten it to quickly) tomorrow.

Chilli ..

Chilli has got to be one of my favourite meals at the moment, not only is it gorgeous tasting, it is completely syn free. Put it with rice, chips, jacket potato or even bread to make sloppy Joe's, make sure you syn the bread though.

This evening for dinner I had rice and chips, I didn't make the syn free Slimming World chips today, I put them in the fryer which is 4 syns every 100g. I did this because I hadn't had any syns today.

 

 

 

 

Chilli is really easy to make and the leftovers always get put in the freezer, they don't really last long there though.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

400g can red kidney beans, drained

Fry Light

2tsp chilli powder

1lb/454g extra lean minced beef

7oz/198g chestnut mushrooms

400g can chopped tomatoes

salt & pepper

 

1. Spray a large frying pan with Fry Light and stir-fry the onion and garlic for 2-3 mins.

2. Add the chilli powder and beef and stir-fry for 5-6 mins. Next add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Bring to the boil.

3. Season well, cover tightly and cook over a low heat for 20-25 mins.

4. Add the beans and stir to mix well then return to the heat for another 10 mins. Then Serve.

 

Couldn't be easier.

 

So today I've had overall 4 syns. I'm having a hard time trying to get my healthy A (diary products) and B(bread) into my day today. Also done quite bad getting my superfree(most veg and fruit) in today, so I may have to invest in a snack for supper.



New Me .. New Blog

My friend Joanne had started dieting and joined a group; Slimming World.

 

I've always been sceptical of slimming groups, thinking it some sort of con, they get your money and not really help you. You have to eat their products and do it exactly their own specially branded way. But I'd seen for myself it had worked for her, in just a short space of time she had an amazing weight loss. My friend Gareth was thinking about joining, and I had to seriously think would this be good for me. My friends were in the group, I would have support from the consultant and other members, I would have to get weighed in front of people so they were no ways to cut corners.

 

So they were the pros, but I was still sceptical of the paying for weight loss, would it be worth the money? So me and Gareth paid for one session to get the information, and to see what there diet consisted of. We sat down with our consultant (Mandy) and she relayed to us the important points of the diet. It sounded extremely easy, it was in the style of calorie counting, but instead of calories you count 'Syns', it was advised you have between 5 - 15 syns a day, didn't seem that much until Mandy explained that your fruit and veg, meat, poultry, egg, fish, pasta and rices are syn free. This meaning you could make your own meals and not have to buy their products, this diet was sounding better as we went on.

 

After the 'induction' it was time to get weighed, I hadn't been on the scales in a couple of years and was quite dreading it. I was now a size 20 bottoms and size 18 top, I was thinking definitely in the top teens, but was actually surprised to learn my starting weight was 16st 7 1/2 lbs. Now I was not happy with this, it was the heaviest I'd ever been but I'm glad I wasn't in the 18/19's like I thought I was.

 

After this we were referred to the circle of chairs and took our place while Mandy started the meeting, stated peoples weight loses around the room and asking if they felt if they had a good week. As this was going on I reflected whether this was a good move for me or not, looking around this room at people who were the same as me, who were in the same situation, it had clearly worked for them. The diet seemed easy but would it still be easy after a couple of weeks of doing it?

 

So they're I was in the first week of Slimming World diet and finding it extremely easy and comfortable to get on with. I was back to writing down my intake but now synning. I never could get close to the higher end of the syns a day but I was full and satisfied. I couldn't tell any difference or tell if it was working until I went back to weigh in the week after. I got on the scales cautiously waiting to see the number come on the screen. My weight was now 15st 13lbs, I had lost 8 and a half pounds, I was overjoyed. Not only had a lost over half a stone on my first week, I had got into a new number and got my first Slimming World certificate for losing half a stone.

 

It hasn't stopped there, over 19 weeks I've lost 2st 4lbs, I've re-joined the gym and now swim 50 lengths once a week. My lifestyle is healthier and I am loving it. Slimming world is just amazing, I'm now at a weight that I haven't been at for years, I've met some wonderful people and tried so many new recipes. I've only ever put a little weight on twice and with good reasons, a weekend in York and Leeds, but the weight soon came off the next week!

Old Me .. Habits

So I've decided to write a complete new blog, there comes a time in your life when you have to actually ask yourself are you happy with yourself? For the most part I am, just little things that worry me. The one that stood out the most was my weight.

 

I don't think I've ever been considered small or thin since I was younger, I started grammar school and the weight fluctuated from there really, slowly getting bigger and going into bigger size clothes.

I didn't personally notice it that much till my mother went on a diet and I thought 'why not? I could stand to lose some weight.'

 

So the dieting started just under 10 years ago, I'd like to say I've tried all the diets and found the best for me but I haven't, not even close. I've only ever just cut down, cut out fatty foods and the last was calorie counting. I lost 2 stone on calorie counting, it worked extremely well for me, obviously writing my food intake down and summing it up was the way to go, but it soon got boring and repetitive. Then the cutting corners began, a packet of crisps there or a small chocolate bar here. Thinking if I just had one I didn't need to write the calorie intake down, one didn't matter. But it came to a point where it never stayed at one and soon the writing down went completely sparse, and ended up in the bin with the dieting itself.
 

In the late months of 2006 I fell pregnant with my son, which if you ask any mother, most of them will say that it is a complete free pass to eat what you want and no one can say anything about. I used this pass to my compete advantage. Eating snacks, take aways, chocolate and not stopping at one helping, I'd convinced myself I needed to eat for two.
 

My son was born in early July and my binging didn't stop there, my eating habits I had learned from my pregnancy I brought over post birth. Couple of years past and diets were reinstated, gym was joined. A friends pack was introduced. Lose weight together and we'll all help each other, but even this could not help me. The gym was abandoned, diet was put to the back of my mind as well as in my friends too.
 

So here we are almost 10 years since I decided I wasn't happy with my weight and nothing has changed except I put a lot more weight on. I have come to realise I have no will power, I cannot do it on my own.