Wednesday evening, 06-11-24 and Christmas Strategy 4: It's your Christmas too.

Good evening, everyone!  

What I ate today

The usual breakfast.  Fruit was apple and raspberries.

Part of a healthy B for the seeds

Half of the leftover chicken pasta bake (the other half is not in the freezer) with a very simple salad.

Two syns for evoo in dressing, half an A for some cheese and one syn for evoo used to cook the veg yesterday.

Later on I had a couple of easy peelers.

Apologies for the light - it's not great above the dining table.

A small jacket potato with some cheese, some bean and tomato mix and a salad.

Afters was more easy peelers

One and a half healthy extra As, two syns for dressing and one for some evoo in the bean/veg mix.

Summary:

two healthy extra As

part of a healthy extra B

six syns

My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  fruit, yogurt and seeds

L: at a friend's for lunch.

D:  tuna and bean burger, side salad; fruit

Exercise:   SET class online.

The Extra Bit

These points are taken from the article on p 34 of the Nov/Dec Slimming World magazine but with my thoughts instead of theirs!

4.  It's your Christmas too

Basically, this is saying that it can really help to let your family and friends know how very important this whole weight loss shebang is to you and how they can really help you stay as on track as possible.  

It also suggests being creative about those little changes that can make a difference, the example being to have butted in a separate dish rather than adding it to the vegetables.

I'm lucky in the Beth and Alex are very onboard, as shown during our recent holiday together and I've already had a few conversations about that sort of thing.  This week, Alex is staying and like most young adults likes a snack or two.  However, he is keeping his snacks up in his bedroom as that way there's no way I will grab a few sneaky nibbles.

We have agreed that a few good, home made sweet treats (biscotti, etc) will be all we want in that line so no 'nice box of chocolate biscuits' and have discussed the non-negotiables such as Granny's veggie sausage rolls (see strategy 1).

It is really helping me to feel grounded and on top of it all - yes, early days, but a good start.  After all my hard work, I REALLY don't want much of a weight gain this Christmas plus it is also a health thing.  

As the lovely Stephanie says, Moderation in all Things!

She is quite right.

Tuesday evening, 05-11-24 and Christmas strategy 3: walk and talk

Good evening morning, everyone!  

Sorry.  I started working on the last part of a crochet project, lost count of time and the next thing I knew it was nearly eleven.

Does anyone else do that too?

What I ate today yesterday

The fruit was pear and melon, both of which were deliciously ripe and juicy.

The chia and mixed seeds were part of my healthy extra B

I went almost full on med for lunch.

The salad had capers, olives and my balsamic dressing as well as the usual stuff and the only naughty bit was some 70% lighter salad cream which is, obviously, ultra processed (but nice).  The grain is bulgur wheat.

There's some mixed bean and tuna mix (without salad cream) left over so I think I will mash them into some potato and make patties tomorrow.  I can make Alex a burger.

Afters was easy peelers.

Two syns for evoo in the dressing, one syn for olives, two syns for salad cream

I do love a pasta bake.

One syn for some spray evoo to soften the veg and one healthy extra A for grated cheddar.

Alex and I both had this and there's leftovers, enough for either him or me (it would make two portions for me) so I will see what he wants t do for lunch.

No dessert - I was full.

Summary:

one healthy extra A

almost one healthy extra B

six syns

My meal plans for tomorrow today:

B:  fruit, yogurt and seeds

L: soup from the freezer with bread for dunking or it might be pasta leftovers from yesterday.  It depends what Alex wants as I will be happier with either.; fruit

D:  jacket potato, cheese, bean and veg topping, salad; fruit

Exercise:  personal training

The Extra Bit

The third strategy for having a great Christmas with minimal gaim, according to the SW magazine is . . .

Walk and Talk

Basically, it is saying that as things get busier through the run up, it might be hard to fit in your usual fitness stuff (assuming you have any) but don't forget that walking is also great exercise and can be very sociable.
It mentions Christmas markets, late night shopping, walking around the neighbourhood to see the house lights and decorations - these are all; great exercise (two of them are likely to be expensive too though!!)

It's a very valid point that, as things get busy and social stuff builds up, it might be hard to get the classes in but, for me, I've paid for this current block of classes which take us right up to Christmas Eve and, apart from a few that I know I will have to miss, I'm committed!  Other things can work around them.  Priorities, guys!!

To be fair, I don't have the responsibilities that some have but I also try to get as much done as possible in November to spread the load.

My 'danger time' will be between Christmas and the start of the new blocks in January and then walks will be invaluable for getting me out and about in the fresh air.  Walking is so very accessible and can be tuned perfectly to what we can manage as well as being great opportunities for a bit of a get together and chat, not to mention clearing the head and getting the gut working better after those indulgences.

(and there are some enjoyable 'walking' videos on YouTube too).

And I have a vague idea that SW group will continue as usual because it doesn't fall on any of the Big Days.  They might be weigh-and-go sessions but there will probably be be something.
That will help too.

So - find ways of staying active and getting fresh air as the days get busier!  It will help so much

Monday evening, 04-11-24 and Christmas Strategy 2: asking for help

Good evening, everyone!  

What I ate today

A very simple breakfast of melon, yogurt and seeds.

One syn for the seeds

Scrambled eggs on toast with mushroom and tomatoes - very tasty and filling.

One healthy extra B and two syns for spray evoo

Roast chicken dinner.  See my halo?  That's because I made roasties and gave them all to Alex.

I took some of the skin off but I did have a bit, the skin that was stuck to the drumsticks.  Ooops.  And I have no idea of syns.  However, I haven't had any As today so that's 240 calories not accounted for so I guess it will be OK.

Afters was a couple of easy peelers.

Two syns for gravy and one and a half for redcurrant jelly

Summary:

no healthy extra As

one healthy extra B

six and a half syns p0lus some chicken skin.

My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  fruit, yogurt and seeds

L: bean and tuna or salmon salad, bulgur wheat; fruit

D:  cheesy chicken pasta bake, maybe salad; fruit

Exercise:  Groove class and the walk to the hall and back again, weather permitting.

The Extra Bit

The second strategy in the SW mag article on having a magical Christmas is entitled . . .

Ask for help

It talks about asking for advice, tips and ideas from your SW group at the meeting and, yes, if you have a group and stay for Image Therapy, that can be very helpful.

However, I would say it is more to do with getting help from those who will be with you over the festive season.
I have Beth and Alex round mine on Christmas Day and we have already talked about how we are going to approach the whole food thing.  They both know how important it is for me to stay healthy and are so very supportive.

I'm also looking for help on Social Media - 'asking' Google for recipes, 'asking' YouTube for videos and clips.
And on Facebook, there's a wealth of support but I will mention just two (because I halp admin in them)

The first is 'Slimming on a Shoestring' and the second is the 'Slim Win' group I talk about quite a lot.  

Where do you go when you need help with this whole healthy eating lark?  Not just for Christmas but at any time?  xx

Sunday evening, 03-11-24 and strategies for Christmas without the super-gain

Good evening, everyone!  

What I ate today

Oat waffles with yogurt and strawberries for breakfast.  Same recipe as yesterday's mug cake but so much more colourful.

Half a healthy extra B and one syn for seeds

I made these baked beans using onion, pepper, garlic, chilli, tomatoes (skinned and chopped, pretty much the last from the garden), chicken stock powder, salt, pepper, a squeeze of bbq sauce and some liquid smoke plus a can of brown beans, the name of which I can't remember and the tin is out in recycling now.  You could use any pulses, to be honest.

They were so, so delicious and I have two more portions in the freezer.  Nice!

One healthy extra B, one syn (per portion) for the beans and two syns for salad dressing.

An old fashioned dinner today.  Cottage pie with veg and it was delicious.  Alex loved it too - no leftovers.  😋

The mash had an egg and cheese added for extra yumminess.

Afters was an apple.

One healthy extra A and two syns for the gravy.

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one and a half healthy extra Bs

six syns

My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  fruit, yogurt and mixed seeds

L:   scrambled eggs on toast, tomatoes and mushrooms; fruit

D:  roast chicken dinner; fruit

Exercise:   circuits - Lindsey is back again.

The Extra Bit

In the Nov/Dec Slimming World magazine, there's an article entitled Seven steps to a magical Christmas. 

It has some really helpful ideas and strategies (as well as some I wouldn't adopt) so I thought I would take what I think useful and give my own thoughts on them..

The first one is 'Muster your food must-haves'

Basically, it is saying it helps to have a clear understanding of things that are non-negotiables for your Christmas.  It might be that bottle of bubbly on Christmas morning or potatoes roasted in goose fat instead of the usual spray oil.

Once you know where you are, you can work them in so that you still include things that make Christmas special for you - or, conversely, you can decide whether it's actually worth it or not.

Such an individual thing, isn't it, but I am finding it very, very helpful.
For instance - one mince pie would be very nice but I really don't want more than one.  So could I use some mincemeat in my pancakes/porridge/waffles and give them a mince pie vibe for that festive hit or could I buy a box when I know there are people round so there will only be one for me.

I haven't finished my list, it takes time, which is why it's really good to start now, and this is definitely a really helpful strategy for me.

Saturday evening, 02-11-24 and Sarah's mug cake recipe.

Good evening, everyone!  

What I ate today

A bit colourless, yes, but this pear and gingerbread mug cake was absolutely gorgeous - thank you for the recipe, Sarah.

Different fruit would add colour although pear and ginger isw a lovely combination, or one could use a different spice.

It's the same recipe as I use for pancakes or waffles but just cooked in a mug in the microwave.  

Half a healthy extra B and the rest is syn free - I just forgot the seeds.  Ooops

To make this, I popped a couple of slices of my Med bread in the air fryer on dehydrate using a toast rack and it came out lovely and crunchy.  Not browned, just crunchy.  Definitely doing that again.

I don't think soft cheese is an A but I used Nutracheck to work out how much light soft cheese I could have for 120 calories (which is more or less what As and Bs are) 

So lunch was one healthy extra A, one healthy extra B, one syn for seeds and four syns for salad dressing.

This recipe, which I found in BBC Good Food Easy Cook magazine, was dead easy.
Cook the pasta and to it add some smoked salmon, some watercress(I used salad leaves as I don't have watercress), seasoning, lemon juice and zest and a sauce that was one tbsp lighter creme fraiche and the same amount of horseradish.  Reheat to just below bubbling.
You could easily add extra veg and the sauce was lovely.

One syn for the horseradish and one and a half for the lighter creme fraiche.

Summary:

one healthy extra A

one and a half healthy extra Bs

seven and a half syns

My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  oat pancakes or waffles, fruit and yogurt with (obviously) mixed seeds!

L: home made beans on toast; fruit

D:  cottage pie and veg; fruit

Exercise:   housework.

Friday, 01-11-24 - Eat-Your-Syns Friday (Saturday 2nd, actually) and starting to plan for Christmas

Good morning , everyone!  
I was so, so tired yesterday evening, I decided to leave both blogs until this morning.

It was EYS Friday so things slackened a little bit.  I might have had a few more pumpkin seeds on the oats for breakfast and that little bottle of wine just jumped into my shopping trolley, honest!!   I didn't bother to count stuff because, being EYS Friday and also allowing myself up to double syns (if I wanted them) because target members can and still stick to the SW structure, there didn't seem to be that much point.  I'm as sure as I can be that I didn't go over.

At group first thing, I had a gaintain of one pound but am still under target so absolutely no worries whatsoever - natural fluctuations are going to happen.

What I ate yesterday

What a messy bowlful.  It's very hard to get overnight oats looking anything but sloppy, isn't it?  It was, however, absolutely scrummy!

20g oats, strawberries, strawberry skinny syrup, bit of Sugarly, yogurt and mixed seeds.

The chicken and veg soup was delicious but the bread was just wow!!

I'm calling it Mediterranean bread.  It was a right mix of flours because I was low on strong wholemeal so I used what I had plus spelt, rye and white and the additions were seeds, sun dried tomato, olives and seeds and toasting it really brings out those flavours!

I am definitely doing this again and certainly for Christmas when I might also add walnuts or pistachios too.

Yes, it probably - no, certainly - contains syns as well as being a B but please, if you're following SW, remember that I've never totally toed the line and also - target member . . .

(not showing off, just saying because it does make a difference)

I just added mushrooms and yellow peppers to the leftovers of chicken and veg casserole and it went jolly well with the air fried chips.

I had other stuff too but don't want to trigger so just accept that I went off plan, please.  Ta!

No summary - I wouldn't know where to start.  Back on it straight away this morning.

My meal plans for today:

B:  Sarah's pear and gingerbread mug cake with yogurt and mixed seeds (must have my mixed seeds!)

A lady called Sarah posted this in the Facebook SlimWin group (lovely supportive group, do take a look) and it looked so good I'm giving it a go.

L: Mediterranean toast with soft cheese and smoked salmon with salad on the side; fruit

D:  smoked salmon pasta (from an Easy Cook magazine), salad; fruit

Exercise: Goodness knows.  Come back, Lindsey.  All is forgiven.  :-)

The Extra Bit

Starting to prep for Christmas because

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail . . .

I used to be a teacher.  Teachers plan; we have to in order to survive in today's target driven, OFSTED dominated environment.  

In primary schools, the second half of the autumn term is manic, what with shows, decorations, Christmas celebratory stuff - and one still has to keep up with the curriculum.  As a result, I had my own Christmas pretty much done and dusted by the end of half term.  It's in the blood.

Sorry!

For the purpose of this blog, the most important thing is The Food.  Every year I eat rubbish and gain pounds and the seem to take literally MONTHS to lose again.  I really want this year to be different.  I love my healthy food and want to stick to it.

Mostly, anyway.

So the planning starts.  I've had a conversation with Beth and we are singing from the same carol sheet.  I'm not sure Alex (a 26yr old man) is totally convinced but I can be flexible and he does love the healthy stuff too.

So this weekend, I'm sitting down with my notebook and my pile of print out recipes (I've been researching) and am starting to plan what I can make that will go into the freezer - like my Mediterranean bread, for example.  The more I have it all organised, done and dusted, the easier it will be.

That's the theory, anyway.

How do you tackle this time of year?

Thursday evening, 31-10-24 and soup

Good evening, everyone!  

I've been a bit of a homey girl today, ending up with three portions of hearty chicken and soup mix soup, all thick and tasty and healthy and two loaves of bread, one the usual seeded wholemeal and the other with added garlic, cheese, olives and sun dried tomatoes (all chopped into bits.
So delicious!

Two portions of the soup and both the loaves, sliced, are now in the freezer and one portion of soup is in the fridge for tomorrow.

What I ate today

It was so nice to get back to porridge this morning after a summer without.

One healthy extra B and one syn for mixed seeds.

Later on, I had an apple.

What a messy plate and what a terrible photo but it was delicious!

Four syns for the hummus, one and a half As for the feta and one B for the wrap (I can have two Bs as a target member - actually, I can anyway but you know what I mean!

Later on, I had a couple of easy peelers.

This was delish.  Chicken, leeks, onion, pepper and mushroom with chicken stock, lighter creme fraiche and a bit of thickening granules.

I had planned to have bulgur wheat but found a portion of puy lentils and quinoa in the freezer so had that instead.

I have half of the sauce left but less than half of the rest but that's OK, I can put in lots more veg nd have it all tomorrow.

Three syns for evoo, two syns for thickening granules and two syns for the lighter creme fraiche

Dessert was a pear.

Summary

one and a half healthy extra As

two healthy extra Bs.

twelve syns

My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  porridge, fruit, yogurt, seeds

L: chunky chicken and veg country soup with a good hunk of bread; fruit

D:  leftover chicken casserole with extra veg added, chips (definitely chips); fruit

Exercise:  Not much, I expect.  Classes start again next week.

The Extra Bit

Soup

One of the most powerful weapons in a slimmer's armoury.

It can be:

• very frugal  
• great for using up all sorts of leftovers
• really nutritious
• as varied as the world is round!
• a complete meal
• easily digested, comforting and warming
• herby, spicy, deeply savoury - packed with flavour
• suitable for all kinds of diet structures
• a great way to stay hydrated and full
• an easy way to stay nourished when you're feeling under the weather
• very freezable so you've always got a speedy meal when needed
• chunky or smooth - your choice
• a delicious way to get your fruit and veg

I could go on . . .

Do you make your own soup?