I did it!!

I did it!!!

I ran my first 10k yesterday morning.

I ran it in under 57 minutes.

I am delighted with myself. 

This is my second short term goal done.!!!

I hope to do at least 1 if not 2 more 10 k runs this August. 

I have no desire to ever run any longer distances. 

But I do hope to keep up running.

I don't find running easy. 

It doesn't come naturally to me. 

While I'm running I have to keep telling myself that I CAN DO IT. 

It's very much a case of mind over matter.

Food wise I'm doing ok. 

My plan is to hopefully choose well for d remainder of the holidays and then in September get back to basics.

TRACK TRACK TRACK!!!

Fingers crossed! 

It's been a long time!!

Hello friends,
It's been along time since I blogged - 5 weeks!!!!
That usually means either of 2 things - I've been busy - true - I'm slipping off the bandwagon - true again.
The last time I blogged I was within 2 Ibs of my goal . I didn't weigh in officially since but I think I've put on about 7 Ibs  .
What happened you may ask ?
I'm on holidays. The kids are on holidays. I'm out of routine. The weather has been great. Lovely weather for ice cream , burgers , sausages , glasses of wine etc .
I'm eating out more- mainly pub grub - lots of chips being eaten.
I've become happy with the way I am. My clothes are fitting.
Unfortunately for me this is where I fall down.
I have been here many times before.
This is history repeating itself. Again and again and again!!!!

Where do I go from here?
The fact that I'm blogging is good. It means that I haven't lost focus.
But I have to be realistic.  I have to find a balance. I'm still on holidays with my family.
I have one month to go before we are all back in routine again.
I'm not going to track until September . I will go back to my classes in September .
Between now and then I will totally cut out chips( as I had until the last few weeks!  )
I will cut out if possible or else choose well when it comes to ice cream and treats.
I will limit my wine intake.

I still have kept up the running.
This has been my saving grace.
I run at least 5 k a few times a week.
I have ran 3 5k races in July and I hope to run a 10 k in August. It was one of my goals for the Summer.
I am drinking loads of water and herbal teas.
 I am eating lots of fruit.

Fingers crossed that in August I won't put on any more weight.
I feel more focused already.
I'll be back on track again soon.

Week 12

I feel it's confession time.
It's been 2 weeks since my last blog!
I've been very busy work wise and I've been slightly out of focus 'diet' wise.
But I'm glad to report that I seem to be back on track.

Last night I had a weigh in.
I lost 2 lbs.
I was delighted. I have now lost 17lbs and am 2 away from my goal.
It was 3 weeks since my last weigh in!
I knew I had more weight put on so I wouldn't go.

I'm quite happy where I'm at.
I would love to reach my target next week as that was one of my short term goals- to reach my goal by July.
Now my hard work begins.
Maintenance has always been difficult for me.

For me the most difficult meal is dinner.
I often don't eat dinner.
I eat lots of healthy snacks but not dinner!
During the Summer I'm going to work on this .
I would like to eat a dinner every day!
I will have more time on my hands and I hope to establish a good eating pattern/ habit by the Autumn.

Exercise is also key to maintenance .
I do feel that running has helped me lose weight more quickly this time round.
I plan to keep running at least 3 times a week.
I'm very much on schedule to run my first 10 k in the next month or so.
There are also a few 5 k races coming up.
For me it's important to have something to work for.
It keeps me focused.

I have 2 weddings coming up this Summer.
I'm looking forward to getting style for them.
It's great to be in a happy position where I won't be worrying if "my bum looks big in this!!".

Where I'm at today!

Today I'm reassessing my progress and my present state of mind.
I'm in a good place.
I have over 15  Ibs lost.
I feel good in my clothes.
I'm fitter than I've been in a very long time.
I go jogging generally 2 to 3 times a week.
Some days I don't find it too hard and I feel great afterwards.
I'm now golfing!
I play 9 holes of golf at least twice a week.
Some days I think I'm actually improving!
All in all I'm enjoying being out and about.
There was a great feel good factor in taking part in the Marathon Relay.
I felt a great sense of achievement.
I'm now motivated to do a 10 k in the very near future.
Imagine me talking about running 10 k!!
This time last year I started the Couch to 5k and I found running for 2 minutes tough going!

I'm learning the importance of  having attainable short term goals.

If I was to pick out a problem area for me it's STILL my relationship with food.
90% of the time I'm great.
I know about all the benefits of healthy eating and I eat well.
I eat a lot of fruit. I could do better on the vegetable front. It's work in progress!
I eat a lot of chicken and fish.
I drink a lot of herbal teas.

But it's that 10% that worries me.
I can still over eat and binge.
There are times I can't seem to get that satisfied feeling and I can't stop eating.
I usually feel sick a few hours later because my tummy isn't used to this amount of food anymore.

I am now within 4 lbs of my goal.
Well I was at my last weigh In. This week I didn't go because I knew I had weight up!
How bad is that!!
I'm breaking all the Rules of Weight Watching.

I'm back focused again and I will weigh in next week.
I still hope to lose another 4 to 8 lbs!
One of my goals is to have reached my target weight by July.
That's only to lose another 4 lbs!
I hope I can do it.

The month of May I found difficult to stay focused as I had a lot of social occasions and family gatherings.


This is where I fall down.
 I fairly good when I'm in a routine.
But as my Weight Watcher Leadar regularly says " You have to live life".
My Weight Loss Journey is a WORK in Progress!
But I'm getting there!

Cork Marathon Relay

Today I ran in the Cork Marathon Relay.
I did the 1st Leg of the journey which was 5.2 miles.
I'm absolutely over the moon with myself.
This is a huge achievement for me!
It was also one of my shortterm goals.
It's a great motivation for me to keep going and achieve the other goals I have set for myself.
There's nothing like a bit of adrenalin to make you feel good!

Week 9

Tonight was Weigh In Night.
I was UP 2 lbs!
I'm  disappointed but not overly surprised.
I had a bit of a melt down last week end where I totally overrate .
This past week I have been goodish but I was on a course in a hotel on Tuesday and Wednesday.
We ate all our meals out!
I had a few glasses of wine with dinner.
I had dessert and I had a bread roll.
So maybe I wasn't so good after all!

My leader's attitude tonight was just Deal with it!
That's life!
Get on with it!
So this week I'm going to get on with it!
I hope to make good choices this week.
I have another Communion Celebration this week end.
I'm hoping to make better choices this time.
My main problem last week was not what I ate but the amount I ate!
So onwards and DOWNwards!

Why? Why? Why?

Yesterday I made a pig of myself!
I have been on a slippery slope since Weigh in on Thursday.
On Thursday I was too busy to have a proper meal after work and I think I got too hungry.
Then when I started eating I couldn't stop.
Friday was better but I still had cake and chocolate  that I wouldn't normally have had.
Yesterday I had my nephew's Communion and I totally over ate.
I made a right pig of myself.
I don't know why I did this but I ate lots of bread with real butter!,  drank loads of wine and went back at least twice if not three times for the desserts.
I felt rotten after - bloated - bordering on sick.

Why did I do this to myself?
This is the first time in the last 8 weeks that I've totally fallen off the bandwagon !
I can't figure out why?????
I hope to get back on track again.
I got up early this morning and went for a run .
I'm still not totally back on track but hopefully I'm getting there.
My willpower seems to have left me!

What's an Ideal Weight?

What's an Ideal Weight?
As I near my goal of 9 st 4 lbs / 130 lbs I'm wondering what my Ideal Weight should be.
I'm 5 3". I'm female and I'm 43.
So I decided to google it and I found an Ideal Weight Calculator.
Based on different popular formulas my weight should be anything from 115 lbs to 126 lbs.
Based on the Healthy BMI Recommendation my recommended Ideal Weight is between 104 lbs to 141 lbs.

Thankfully I'm now within the Healthy BMI Recommendation.
But should I reset my goal?
Right now I'm thinking should I aim for 126 lbs / 9 st ?
The Jury is out on that one!

One part of me is saying Go for it! A nice even number - an easy one to remember!
Another part of me is asking when was I ever that weight in my life before?
NEVER!!!!
Is that reason enough NOT to aim for it?

As well as that I'm now getting a lot of compliments and criticisms!
Naturally I love the compliments.
It amazes me how it takes people awhile to notice weight loss.
I suppose we get abit paranoid about it and think that every pound lost should be noticed.
But It's a great motivation to keep going.

But then I'm also getting the criticisms!
The criticisms coming from my nearest and dearest!
Comments like " Your're looking gaunt"
"You wouldn't want to lose anymore weight".... etc don't help.

So I'm at abit of a junction.
I intend to lose another 2 lbs to get to my original goal.
Then I'll wait and see.
If I can motivate myself to go another 4 lbs I will.
If not that's ok too.
The important thing for me is Maintenance !
Remember I've been here a few times before!

Week 8

Tonight was Weigh In night.
I was down 1.5 lbs.
I'm very happy again with that.
I'm down 17.5 lbs in 8 weeks.
I have only 2 lbs left to reach my goal.

It's now my hard work begins.
I still have a lot of food issues to resolve.
I'm often too busy to eat.
I snack rather than eat proper meals.
Time seems to be a huge problem for me.
I rarely eat what I cook for my family.
What I'm doing at the moment is not sustainable.
I need to eat what everybody else is eating.

Tonight there was a different leader at the meeting.
It's great to see someone else's perspective on weight watchers.
She gave out great practical tips and easy low propoints recipes.
Again she left us with the Weight Watcher Mantra-
 "If you Fail to Plan -You plan to Fail"

I think that's the key to success.
You must plan out your meals and healthy snacks.
It's important to have a variety of healthy snacks/ foods at hand in your kitchen.

The Benefits of Exercise

Exercise and its benefits - This is a topic I've thought and read  a lot about lately.
I run, walk and am trying to play golf!
I know I'm becoming fitter and more toned.
I'm getting in my fresh air.
But For me personally the best thing about exercise is  the feel good factor after exercise !
How I feel mentally!
Exercise is great for my Mental Health.
Working full time and living in a busy household it's important to have an outlet away from everyday stresses and pressures.
My outlet is exercise .
Time out for ME.

I do believe that Weight Loss and Exercise go hand in hand.
Our main aim is to work towards a Healthier Lifestyle.
It's important to tone up.

BUT sometimes I think that Weight Watchers ( the clients / members I'm referring to) put too much emphasis on exercise for losing weight and are disappointed if they have no weight lost even though they have done alot of exercise.
I find to lose weight you have to EAT LESS.
I'm using the App "RunKeeper " to track my runs and it amazes me how hard it is to burn off calories!
A 10 k run for me burns off about 650 calories!

One Step Nearer

Last Friday I felt one step nearer one of my Goals.
I want to run in a 10 k race during the Summer.
I have been following an App "Couch to 10 k" and on Friday evening I ran 10 k without stopping!
I was delighted.
For me sometimes it's a matter of mind over matter.
My mind often lets me down with thoughts of "I can't!".
Now that I know I can do it- I hope to run it again today.

During the week I was asked to take part in a relay for the Cork Marathon.
Again my first reaction was to say "I can't ".
But I didn't !
And now I'm hugely motivated to go running again .
I have two weeks to get ready.

Week 7

I had my Weigh In tonight.
I'm down 2.5 lbs.
Again I'm delighted!
I'm down 16lbs in 7 weeks!
I'm now within 3.5 lbs of my Goal Weight.
It's a good feeling.
I now have all the privileges of being a Gold Card Member again.
I'm now free to attend Weight Watcher Meetings .
I intend to get to my Goal again and to continue to attend the Weight Watcher Meetings regularly.

I had a good week.
I didn't track this week.
Not on paper officially anyway but I always track in my head.
I am trying to eat mainly from the Filling and Healthy Foods.

I've lost the weight easily enough this time.
What am I doing differently this time?
I've cut back hugely on bread, potatoes and pasta/rice.
I eat lots of fruit , veg and salads.
I don't eat a lot of red meat.
I usually choose chicken , fish or salad.
I eat little and often!
I've cut back in drinking wine- I now only drink 1 to 2 glasses of wine a week.

My Motivation

It's important to keep motivated on this journey.
But sometimes it's easier said than done.
At the moment I'm feeling good and I believe my frame of mind has a lot to do with my motivation.

I'm losing weight weekly which is a great motivator.
I have now lost nearly 1 st in weight and I really feel it in my clothes.
I think I look well! (another good motivator).

I find writing this blog a great help to me.
At the moment it's like my private diary.
I haven't told my family or friends about it.
I feel I can be more honest and open about my weight when I feel anonymous !
How sad is that!
This is my outlet.
I have found in the past that in general family and friends don't want to talk about healthy foods, propoints and exercise !
They don't want to know you're on a diet.
And that's ok too.

I love hearing / reading other people's stories or blogs.
I read the Weight Watcher magazine and I follow loads of blogs.
I find these inspirational.

I find the Weight Watcher Meetings a great help.
I usually come away with some bit of advice or a tip be it from the leader or a fellow member.
The chats I enjoy!

I'm getting a great sense of achievement from exercise this time.
I suppose I'm doing things I thought I'd never be capable of.

The goals I've set myself are now within reach.
I can see the finish line !

Just to finish on a quote
"Motivation is what gets you started- habit is what keeps you going."
How true!

Week 6

I had my weigh in last night.
I was down 3 lbs.
I'm delighted with that.
I missed last week's weigh in so that weight loss was for 2 weeks.

Last night I went to a different meeting with a different leader .
It was nice to see how other meetings operate.
It was in a country area and was more intimate.
Nearly everyone stayed for the meeting.
There were about 15 at the meeting.
It was like having a big chat with the neighbours.
All we were short of was the cup of tea and the biscuits ( sorry I mean the rice cakes!!!).
This type of meeting wouldn't suit everyone.
Sometimes it's good to be at a meeting where you can sit back and be anonymous if you so wish.
The jury is out for me!
But it's great to have options for meetings.
I have 3 I can choose from - all within 20 minutes drive from home - all on a Thursday night.

Last night the Leader asked an interesting question.
Being that the meeting is on of a Thursday night, when does the weekend start for you?
When does your Weight Watcher Week start?
It amazed me that many said they wait until Monday to be strict on themselves again.

I believe that now that I'm on this Weight Loss Journey I can't afford to eat whatever I like for 3 days.
That's the me I'm trying to change!
I always need to be aware of what I'm eating / drinking and how much of it I'm having.
Yes I relax a little at the weekend.
I don't always track at the weekend.
But I am trying to train myself to always choose from the Filling and Healthy Foods.
Of course I have my treats or my glass of wine.
But I put a limit on  these !

I am now within 6 lbs of my goal again.
I lost 13.5 lbs in 6 weeks!
Next week hopefully I will lose 1 lb and I will be a Free Gold Card member again.
I hadn't realised this.
I only have to get within 5 lbs of my goal.
I am hoping to get back to my goal weight and I will continue to go to the Weight Watcher Meetings.

A New Activity

This week I'm delighted to announce that I've taken up a new hobby / pastime- GOLF.
Last Summer my two youngest kids took up Junior Golf and really enjoyed it.
The local club did a big drive to attract lady members and myself and a few of my colleagues took up Beginners Golf.
A member would take the beginners out every week and we would shoot a few balls( and a lot of fresh air shots!!!)
Before Easter we started formal Golf Lessons.
This week I went out twice and played 9 holes of golf each time.
This is a first for me and I feel a great sense of achievement !
I really enjoyed it.
I'm along way off becoming a PRO!
But now that I'm being more positive I have actually improved.
It's great to have a ME time.
I'm getting in my fresh air and I'm getting in some exercise!
So all in all it seems to tick all the boxes.

My other relatively new pastime is running.
I'm still following my App Couch to 10k and I'm on the second last week.
I'm running now for 25 minutes, walking for 1 and running again for 25.
I still don't find it easy but I feel really good afterwards.
I'm running about 8K.
It is one of my goals to do a 10 K during the Summer.
I feel I'm right on target.
In 2 weeks time there is a 10k race on in Dingle.
I would love to try it even if I have to walk at times.
If I'm in Kerry I will seriously consider it.

Anyway I don't think I would be running or golfing only for joining Weight Watchers.
It has made me focus more on Exercise.
It has made me focus more on ME.
I am worth it!
Now that I'm losing weight I have become more confident.
It has made me more conscious of using my limited time well.
All in all I am happy being me!

The Holiday Season

The Holiday Season is upon us!
For me that means spending a lot of time in a mobile home in Kerry.
This usually means lots of fresh air, walks and runs.
It also means eating healthier - lots of fruit bowls and salads.
But it also means drinking a lot of wine!
I'm quite partial to a white wine.
I love wine with food.
When I'm working during the week I limit my wine intake to the weekend.
Since I'm back at Weight Watchers I limit my weekly wine consumption to a glass or two.
But in Kerry it's quite normal for me to have a glass with my lunch and another with my dinner.
It's also the norm here to sit on the decking with family and friends sipping wine !
It's more common than drinking tea!!

This I need to address.
As my Weight Watcher Leader (who is a tea totaller! ) says " you can eat or drink your weekly pro points allowance but its difficult to do both".
If I want to continue losing weight I'll have to monitor my wine intake.
I'm hoping to limit my wine drinking to eating out at night only!
Keeping it at 1 or 2 glasses in the week.
That's the plan.
Hopefully I won't find it too difficult.

Week 5

My Week 5 Weigh in didn't happen.
I was going away for the Bank Holiday Weekend ( on the Thursday evening!!! ) and couldn't fit in my usual meeting .
I had planned to go to a meeting en route but I couldn't find the building advertised on the WW site.

Our family have a mobile home in Kerry that we go to for the Summer months.
So I must do a bit more research into it as I plan to attend this meeting again in the near future..
Anyway the bottom line is I didn't have my Week 5 Weigh In!

I did Weigh In on my own scales at home and I was down 1 lb.
I won't record that officially but I would be happy with that.
At this stage  I would be happy with 1 to 2 lbs a week.

This weekend again I'm not tracking ( on paper!! ).
I am tracking in my head and eating from the Filling and Healthy Foods.
I'm hoping that will do!
I do feel this is what I need to learn.
It's all or nothing with me!
In the past I have been great on my diet and then when I have reached my goal I tend to go back to my old ways.
I was either on a diet or not!

This time I'm hoping to train myself early on about always choosing from the Filling and Healthy foods.
I need to change my attitude to the diet !!
This is my DIET for the rest of my days!
I need to embrace it and enjoy it!
Easier said than done but that's my Challenge!

Birthday Greetings!!!

Today is my birthday .
I am 43 years young.
I've had a good year.
I've a lot to be thankful for.
Time for Reflection!

I have a great husband and 3 very happy( most of the time ) and healthy children.
My mother is nearly 82 and hail and hearty. TG.
My dad died in 2011 and I miss having him around.
He was a gentleman.
He was sick for years but fought it bravely.
He had a beautiful death where we were all around him and he just slipped away.
I believe he's never too far from us and I often ask him to keep an eye on my lads for me.

Myself and my husband have good jobs.
We want for nothing.
My children aren't very demanding.

Weight wise I'm very happy at where I'm at.
I know I have another 9 lbs to go to my goal but my clothes are all fitting me better already.
I'm a lot slimmer now than I was 10 years ago.
I'm a lot fitter now than I was 10 years ago.
I went to a Secondary School 25 year reunion a few months back.
We made a weekend of it.
Two of us kicked off the weekend with running a 5K race.
This was something neither of us could have done 25 years ago!
All and all I'm healthier now than I was before.

Birthday Celebrations have been put on hold til the weekend.
My long term plan is to eat very well and track during the week and to relax a little at the weekend.
This doesn't mean to forget all about Healthy Eating but to live life! and hopefully to eat from the Filling and Healthy Foods.
I feel in the past maintaining my weight has been a problem.
I'm hoping to train myself to choose from these foods always.
That's the plan !!!!!

Eating Out

Eating out can prove to be problematic!
But it shouldn't be.
We must live life.
But it is important to make good decisions when eating out.
If we "blow it" every time we eat out , we undo all the good work we do during the week.

This week, I ate out several times.
I made good choices.
I generally chose salads, chicken or fish with veg.
I had a salad bowl usually instead of chips or potatoes.
I drank loads of water.

I decided against having desserts and wine.
I didn't need them.
I'd prefer to hold onto my points!

I'm hoping this is what my Weight Watcher Leader means when she talks about eating from the Filling & Healthy Foods.
It's a great option for us weight watchers when we're out and about and can't track properly.
I'm hoping to track from Monday to Friday and just eat from the Filling & Healthy Foods at the weekend.
Hopefully it will work for me!
Time will tell!
Watch this spot!

A Lapse is NOT a Relapse!

This was my Weight Watcher Leader's mantra on Thursday night.
A lapse is not a relapse!

Strangely enough since then I'm not feeling hugely motivated.
And I'm worried!
I don't want to give in.
I have my goals written out.
I'm hoping to lose 1 to 2 lbs a week every week!
I feel it's doable.
So what's my problem?

I'm finding it hard to say no to the biscuits around me.
I'm looking for something to eat even though I'm not hungry.
I'm getting careless with the tracking.

I'm writing this to hopefully buck myself up.
I need to eat more filling and healthy foods.
I need to TRACK, track , track.
I need to think about -
The 3 occasions I have coming up- 2 communions and a wedding.
The lovely dresses I want to wear.
The Relay marathon I'm hoping to do in June.
The 10k race I'm hoping to do in July.

It's important to remind myself of why I'm doing this in the first place.
I'm doing this for me.
And I'm so worth it!

Hopefully  I'll get back on track today.

Week 4

Week 4 Weigh In - down 1.5lbs.
I'm not overly happy by this!
I thought I did as well as last week and was hoping to be 2 pounds down at least!
Ah well it's going in the right direction.

The good news is that altogether I'm down 10.5 in 4 weeks .
And I have only another 9 lbs to go!
I would love to have that gone in the next 4 weeks but realistically I'll allow myself  8 weeks.

TIME and VARIETY continue to be my biggest challenges.
I'm usually hungry when I come home from work and I need something quickly.
At present I'm going for soup everyday.
I would love to try and make up my own soup.
I do cook because I have to!
But I wouldn't be very confident in the kitchen.
I'm looking for a Fool Proof Recipe!

Some days I'm finding it hard to keep up the Motivation.
I'm hoping I can sustain it and stay focused.
At the moment when I'm at home Food is all I think about.
My life seems to revolve around my food.

I've kept up with my running this week.
Yesterday I started Week 12 of my Coach to 10K.
That's running for 18 minutes and walking 1 and repeating this 3 times.
Again I don't find it easy but I get a great sense of achievement afterwards.
I try to run 3 to 4 times a week.
I'm being told by a fellow Weight Watcher that that's the reason I'm not losing more weight.
Muscle weighs heavier that fat!!
But surely a pound of muscle looks better than a pound of fat!
Sometimes it's hard to know what the right thing to do is.

I find it easier NOT to tell people that I'm a Weight Watcher.
People generally mean well but often do nothing to motivate you.
Comments like " You're grand the way you are! -  We'll see through you if you lose anymore ! -  Are you sure you're not overdoing it? " don't help.

The Barbeque Season

The Barbeque Season has begun!
This poses a big problem for us weight watchers.
The amount of food especially the amount of meat available is one of the biggest problems.
Beers and wines are also free flowing.

Last weekend I went to a Barbeque.
It was a difficult day for food choices!
I think it's important to PLAN  beforehand.
Have an idea of what you're  going to eat.

For me , it's very important that everybody doesn't know I'm on a diet!
I chose the Chicken Skewers and I filled my plate with lettuce , tomatoes, onions and mushrooms.
I steered clear of the burgers and the sausages.
I love a burger but I made this choice beforehand so it was abit easier.
I drank 1glass of wine. I paced myself and drank slowly.
I also drank a lot of water.

I did allow myself to have a small dessert.
I had a slice of homemade apple tart without the ice cream .

All in all I made good food choices.
If I wasn't a weight watcher I would easily have eaten and drank three times the amount I ate that day!

My Favourite Snacks

One of my biggest challenges is finding the TIME to plan and prepare my food.
I seem to be always in a hurry to collect someone or to do a drop off!
Also There  always seems to be endless matches to attend and support.
As a result its crucial that I have a supply of " weight watcher friendly " foods at hand.

Since I've joined weight watchers I've become very aware  of what I eat.
I'm not only looking at the propoints in a food - I'm asking myself-
 Is this healthy?
Will it fill me?

One of my best finds this week is the " Carrot, honey and coriander Soup" from Cully & Sully.
It's delicious and 200mls of it ( half the carton ) works out at 1 propoint.
I usually have this with 2 krisprolls or 2 Ryvita which works out at 3 propoints.
Sometimes I put cheese on them.
I use the Philadelphia Light cheese mini tubs or the Laughing Cow Light triangle or a slice of the Dubliner Light Cheese.
Each one works out at 1propoint each.
I find all of this very fulfilling for only 5 propoints.

I have always loved Cheese and it amazes me at how high full fat cheese is in propoints for a fairly small portion!
The Cheeses I mentioned are pre portioned or pre sliced which I find great.

The Ryvita I use is the Fruit Crunch Ryvita.
It has a sweetness to it which I love.

Eggs are another stable in my diet.
I have them poached, scrambled or in an omelette.
A poached egg on a slice of  Wholemeal Hovis bread toasted and buttered ( low fat of course! ) works out at 6 propoints.
I used use the Hovis Nimble Bread.
One fairly small slice is 1 propoint and 2 slices work out as 3 propoints.
I always had 2 of them but found that I enjoyed the Wholemeal Hovis bread better so I stick to that now.   One slice works out at 3 propoints.

Yogurts are another great quick fix.
I love the Weight Watcher Dessert Recipe yogurts.
I generally have one over a fruit bowl.
Quite filling and all for 1 propoint .
Very tasty!

If I need a sugar fix I have a cup of coffee with sweetener .
I might have this with a Chilli flavoured Rice cake which I'm quite partial to.
Again this treat is 1 propoint.
The benefits of Sweeteners is an ongoing debate which I'll tackle on another day!
At the moment I feel I couldn't do without them.

I generally don't buy packets of biscuits or treats for the house.

First of all I prefer not to put temptation in my way!
Secondly I have kids ( and a husband ! ) who would eat them in me anyway!
I taught them well!!
If I am out and would like a treat with a cup of coffee I would buy a small Cadburys  purple  Snack.
This is 3 propoints.

Week 3

I had my Week 3 Weigh-in last night.
I was down 4 lbs!!
I was delighted!
I was hoping to be down about 2 lbs.  So anything else was a bonus!

So what did I do this week that was different?

I definitely upped my exercise.
I ran 4 times this week.
I'm religiously following my Couch to 10k.
Yesterday I started Day 1 of Week 11.
This week starts with a warm up of 5 mins and then a 17 minute run- 1minute walk.
This is repeated 3 times and I finish up as always with a 5 minute cool down.
I don't find it easy but I get a great buzz from it when I'm finished.
This week I downloaded another free App called RunKeeper.
So far I find it good.
Every 5 minutes it tells you what distance you've ran and what speed you're running at.
I find it a pleasant distraction and a good motivator to keep me going.

Food wise I did ok.
I spent my week making up for eating freely on Saturday.
I'm not a huge dinner fan.
This week I had many small meals / healthy snacks rather than a proper dinner.
These healthy snacks include poached egg & mushrooms on toast, soup with krisprolls / Ryvita & cheese, an omelette and WW beans / hoops on toast.
I don't think this is a good idea long term.
It's not sustainable.
I would like to cook proper and varied dinners for myself.
I would like to eat more vegetables.
I'm very good at eating fruit.
Variety is another thing I need to work on.
I tend to eat a lot of the same foods day in day out.

So my Challenge for this week - Make time for dinners!
Add Variety to my menus.

You have to Live Life!

This weekend myself and hubbie went away to a hotel for a night.
It was a much needed rare treat!
It was also a spur of the moment thing.
We had planned to meet friends of ours for dinner there and decided the day before to stay!
My first reaction was PANIC- How was I going to fit this in to my Weight Watchers plan?
What could I eat?
For a very brief period I did not want to go.

But this is Life and we have to live.
So I decided that while I was away I was  not going to track.

This is how it went!

I'll start with the positives.
I had a lovely much needed break with my husband,
It was no harm to remind myself that life shouldn't revolve around food!
I was very conscious of what I was eating.
Within reason I made good food choices.
I didn't eat bread.
I made a conscious decision to move the bread basket to the other side of the table!
This was difficult as it contained lovely homemade bread!
I drank loads of water and herbal teas while away.
I didn't have a starter or dessert.
I chose a chicken salad for lunch.
I had fruit, a natural yogurt, 2eggs,toast and 1rasher for breakfast.
I bought a light weight running jacket and I went for 2 45 minute jogs.

And now for the not so positives!
I didn't track.
I drank 2 glasses of wine and 1 glass of port.
The salad I had for lunch had a lovely dressing, croutons and Parmesan cheese in it and I licked the plate clean!
I found it difficult to choose for dinner.
I didn't want another salad!
So I looked towards the fish option.
There was only beer battered deep fried fish on the menu.
In the end I chose a chicken curry with rice.
It was lovely and again I licked the plate clean!
I chose we'll for breakfast except the eggs were fried.

This week I plan to cut down alittle on my daily 26 points.
I'm hoping to make up for my weekend indulgences .
I would love next Thursday to be down at least 1 lb.
Time will tell!

Hedonic Hunger

Hedonic Hunger!
So that's what they call it.
The desire to eat even though you are not hungry.
I have this a lot!!
And the good news is that this is only a habit!
Habits can be changed!
This I know is one of my greatest challenges.

So how am I going to work on this Challenge?

At my last meeting my leader was speaking a lot on this topic.
Her mantra was that " Size Matters".
When serving ourselves we should choose smaller plates, bowls, glasses etc.
Take wine for example. If you fill a small glass of wine you feel you've had a glass of wine.
If you put the same quantity into a larger glass you might even feel alittle hard done by!
Same goes for bowls and plates.
If you put 30g of cereal into a large bowl you will nearly be searching the bowl for it.
If you put the same quantity into a smaller bowl- add some fruit and perhaps a yogurt and your bowl is overflowing.
I suppose we need to train our brains to see things differently.
So this week I'm going to invest in a set of smaller ware for my use exclusively !

I'm also going to try and slow down when I'm eating.
If you chew your food properly and slow down you're  giving your stomach a chance to register with your brain that you've had enough to eat!
It seems to be all mind games this week!

And finally the more you drink the fuller you are!

Week 2

This week I lost 1lb .
I was abit disappointed. I had hoped to be down by 2lbs.
But I suppose it's in the right direction.

This week went fairly well for me.

I tracked everything I ate.
I have downloaded a Weight Watcher Calculator App on my phone.
I find this much easier to point the food on than the actual pro point calculator or the manual one given out to me the first time I went to Weight Watchers.
My only concern in regards to tracking is that sometimes one item might be 1 point and two of them might be 3 points!
This week I have used up my 26 points everyday and I have used about 15 of my weekly allowance.

I drink alot of liquids daily including water, decaf coffee , green tea with vanilla and peppermint tea.
Sometimes I wonder if you can actually drink too much ?

I exercise most days.
Since last week I have downloaded a free App called "10k Trainer FREE - Run for PINK - Couch to 10k".
Since I was already doing about 30 minutes jogging, I started on Week 9.
On Week 9 I have to warm up for 5 minutes, jog for 10 , walk for 1 and do this 4 times and finally finish with a 5 minute cool down.
I have managed it ok.
I find it a very doable programme and I'm hugely motivated by it.
Long may it last.

It's probably in planning the food that I've had the most difficulty.
I've had turkey stir fries, chicken wraps , chicken salads, lots of eggs and soups.
I've even eaten out 3 times!

I often find time an issue.
With 3 busy children I find after work I spend my time as a taxi.
I often need something quick to eat and I leave my main meal until later at night.
For a quick fix I eat a poached egg on toast,  Philadelphia light cheese on Ryvita or soup with krisprolls.
Sometimes I eat several snacks rather than 1 main meal.
I'm sure this can't be good.

My Attitude to Food

I seem to be paranoid with eating. I eat for all sorts of emotional reasons . This I need to address. Really one should only eat when one is HUNGRY!
I need to recognise the FULL Feeling.

This week  I'm going to stop before I eat and ask myself 2 questions.
1) Do I need this?
2) Am I hungry?

I also need to slow down and enjoy my food. I'm always first to finish.
Often I feel my stomach hasn't time to tell my brain that it's full!

I really do believe if I can tackle my relationship with food and change my attitude I will be able to maintain my weight loss.

I seem to always need to be eating or drinking something.

 This brings me to another bad habit of mine.
Chewing Gum! ( Sugar Free - Of Course!) .
This  bad habit is linked to my dieting and has come to the fore again recently.
I seem to think that if I'm chewing Gum I won't be eating! I don't give my jaws a break.
I'm at my worst in the car.  When I'm driving I could chew 5 or 6 pieces  of gum in an hour.

Another Challenge for me this week is to try and Quit the Gum!

My Exercise Regime

Over the years I wouldn't have been an overly athletic person.

But I always walked.

That's the great thing about walking .

Everyone can do it.

You can walk by yourself or with a friend.

And You can go for a walk wherever you are.

Last Summer I decided to take up jogging.

I downloaded a free "Couch to 5k " App for I pods and I phones.

I worked methodically through the programme.

I didn't find it easy.

It's an 8-10 week programme starting off with 4 or 5 intervals of walking for 3 minutes and jogging for 2 minutes.

This eventually worked up to jogging for 30 minutes.

I highly recommend this App or something similar if like me you're not a natural athlete.

Since then I have jogged 2 5k races and a 4 mile Mini Marathon.

I got a great sense  of achievement from doing this!

I'm back training again at the moment.

As I said before I'm a fair weather exerciser and haven't done a whole pile of jogging during the Winter. 

I'm just about up to 30 minutes again.

I still don't find it easy but I do get a great buzz when I've it done. 

Hopefully all this jogging is toning me up and burning a few calories!

As well as those obvious benefits,  getting out in the fresh air is great for your head and mental state.

I always feel good after a jog.

This year's goal is to do a 10 k Race during the Summer.

I must surf the net to see if there's an App to help me.

I'll let you know how I'll get on!

What I learnt in WEEK 1

There were many things I took on board this week.

Tracking is crucial.
That is writing down absolutely everything you eat and drink and pointing it.
This makes you very aware of what you eat.
And it cuts down on subconsciously eating ie eating something left on the work top or finishing something on your child's plate!
I have started to do this several times this week and stopped because of the tracking!

Planning your food is very important.
You need to have plenty of fruit , vegetables and "Weight Watcher" friendly food in stock.
So when you're  hungry or just feel like a snack you have something healthy at hand.

Drinking Water is highly recommended .
As well as being good for you, it fills you up.
I'm quite partial to the Herbal Teas.
I love Green Tea with Vanilla in the morning.
I also drink Peppermint Tea and Very Berry.
I tend to use one bag and refill it several times- hence upping my water intake.
I also drink decaf coffee with sweetener which I find great when I'm hungry or need a sugar fix.
I would love to be able to drink coffee without sugar but I find it's the sweetness that I like.
I'm trying to cut down on it.
Another challenge for me!!

Again folks all advice would be most welcome!

The third facet of Weight Watchers is Exercise.
It's the one major good habit I've picked up throughout my years of weight watching.
It doesn't matter what you do once you're moving.
Walking - for a half hour 3 to 5 times a week is all that's required.
It's that easy.
And the benefits are huge- a fitter more toned up person !

Now that we have an extra hour in the evening (Clocks went back here at the weekend), my Weight Watcher Leader asks each of us
" What are you doing with the extra hour? "

So I'll leave you on that note.

What are you doing with that extra hour?

The First Weigh In

4lbs down!
Delighted.

I don't know why I was worried.
I usually weigh myself at home so I have some idea how I'm doing.
But my scales seems to be playing up on me at the moment.
My Weight Watcher Leader stresses that we shouldn't weigh ourselves at home.
She feels if we haven't lost weight or God forbid put on weight we mightn't come to the meeting!
And that's the time we need the meeting most.

Anyway lets move onwards and "downwards".

Awaiting the Weigh In

Tonight I'll be having my second weigh in.
I'm alittle bit apprehensive about it .
I feel I've had a good week.
I did it all by the book.
I tracked everything.
I drank loads of water.
And I exercised 6 out of 7 days.
So why am I worried?

I need a good weight loss this week to keep me motivated.
Maybe I was overly generous with pointing my foods.
I 'll just have to wait and see!

Wish me luck!

What's a Healthy Weight?

I'm 5"3.
The healthy weight recommended for my height is between 8st 5lbs and 10 stone.
For most of my adult life 11 st up was nearer my norm.

Previous Weight Watcher Experience.

When I started Weight Watchers (the first time! ) in May 2011, I found this healthy weight information abit daunting to say the least!
My Weight Watcher leader set a target weight for me at 9st 4lbs.

I felt I was never going to reach this weight.
But I did! And 6 months later I had lost 1st 5.5lbs and weighed 9 st 3lbs!
I was never ever so light in all my life.
I got my Gold Card and I was over the moon.

Gold Card

When you get your Gold Card you are free to attend Weight Watcher Meetings for the rest of your life as long as your weight stays within 5lbs of your target weight.

This is where I failed!
I had two major problems here.
First of all , as soon as I reached my target weight, I subconciously changed my target weight to 9st 10lbs! ( 5lbs over my target!)
Not a good move!

Secondly I didn't continue to go to the meetings.
I now know that I need to go to the meetings once I hit my target weight.
At least once a month - if not once a fortnight at the start.
I seem to be the type of person that needs to be "publically weighed",  "named and shamed" and kept accountable to keep me motivated.

Sad but true!

How did I let that happen?

I have asked myself this question over and over in relation to my weight down through the years.
I get comfortable with myself - settled - lazy perhaps and then the old habits start creeping back.
As somebody once told me " Once a Weight Watcher - Always a Weight Watcher!"
I think once I get to a weight I'm comfortable with, I forget this piece of advice.
Throughout my years of dieting I have picked up numerous good habits.
I eat well. (Too well you might say!)
I like fruit and vegetables.
I drink plenty of water and herbal teas.
I always eat breakfast.
I exercise regularly. ( I'm a fair weather exerciser though!)

So where does it all go wrong?

With me it seems to be a maintainance problem.
I seem to be able to lose the weight but not keep it off.

One of the problems lies with Portion Sizes.
Perhaps it's an Irish thing.
I always finish what's on my plate.
And if the truth be known I often finish food on my childrens' plates as well!

Secondly I seem to have an emotional attachment to food.
I eat when I'm hungry , when I'm happy or sad , when I'm tired or stressed and even when I'm sick!
I'm not sure how I'm going to overcome that problem.

Any advice greatly accepted!

Another problem I seem to have came to the fore yesterday.
Time or rather lack of it!
I was racing aroung so much that I didn't have time for a proper meal.
I spent the day snacking on rice cakes.
Then, when I did eventually come home, I was too tired to cook anything decent and I had another bowl of weetabix.
This to be very honest is a regular occurence.

I feel abit like a hopeless case!
St Jude please help me!

Back to Weight Watchers!

I went back to Weight Watchers last Thursday.
I'm thinking about it since January but I kept telling myself that I could do this myself!
I couldn't!
What I might lose in one week was up the next.
I hated the thought of going back!
I got a great welcome from my Weight Watcher Leader which made me cringe all the more.
Then the moment of truth - the weigh in -
10 st 9.5lbs.
Back to where I started 2 years ago - having got my Gold Card that time.
How did I let that happen again!!!

About Me

My name is Mary Kate.
I'm 40 something, a mother of 3 and a wife of 1!
I work full time.
I am 5"3 and weigh 10st 9.5lb.
I've always been overweight, never being ( or considering myself!) obese but always overweight.
My weight never really bothered me until after having my first child nearly 17 years ago.
My weight really spiralled after having my second child - a beautiful girl- the apple of my eye.
It rocketed to 13st 7lb!
In the last 16 years or so I have tried all sorts of diets and they all worked!
I did Slimfast, tried Cabbage Soup, Nutron, Motivation and Weight Watchers.
My problem seems to be with maintaining my weight.
I generally have no huge problem losing the weight.
It seems to be all or nothing with me.
I'm either on a diet or not!
I tend to have a "bad" relationship with food - I eat and overeat not only when I'm hungry but also when I'm tired, stressed and even sick!


This time as I head back to Weight Watchers for the second time I'm hoping to change the way I view food.

Why Weight Watchers you might ask?
I believe that it is probably the safest and the most reliable and natural way to lose weight.
It doesn't involve changing your diet hugely.
It's all about choices!
There are no banned foods.( not really anyway!)
It's a very structured programme.
You can eat what you want - you just have to point it!

Please join me on my journey!

Welcome to my Weight Loss Journey

I've decided to write a Diary of my struggle with losing weight.
This is an ongoing battle!
In this Diary I hope to include a daily blog, tips on what I've found useful, motivational thoughts and notes on exercise.
This is a motivational activity for me.
I hope someone else might find this beneficial.
All my views are my own.