Herbal Tea

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One of the habits I’ve been trying to break is that of having a hot chocolate last thing at night.  Although I always have a lighter option, such as Options, Cadbury Highlights of Galaxy Bubbles which come in at between 1-2 pro points, it’s a habit I’ve been trying to break as that still equates to between 7-14 pro points over the course of the week.

However, I do enjoy having a hot drink as I unwind with my latest book.  So I started to look for zero pro pointed alternatives.  I’ve always enjoyed fruit teas but they strike me as being energizing with their zingy flavours.  A friend of mine recommended that I try chamomile tea.  Herbal Tea

I wasn’t sure about trying plain chamomile but I found Twinings Chamomile & Maple Sensation (£2.49 for 20).  As I love maple syrup, I thought it was worth a try.  I’m really glad I did as it’s delicious.  It has a sweet, creamy flavour with a hint of vanilla and is perfect for calming the mind in the evening.

Having enjoyed these, I next decided to try Pukka Vanilla Chai (£2.49 for 20).  I love Chai Lattes and as these are caffeine free, I thought they’d be a good option.  The flavour is amazing: sweet and spicy.  However, I found that the spices in them acted as a stimulant (on checking the ingredients it does contain liquorice and ginger) and woke me up rather than relaxing me.  I still enjoy them but I tend to heave them in the afternoon when I need a bit of an energy boost (in fact I’ve just had one before writing this post).

Finally, I tried Twinings Chamomile & Spiced Apple (£1.49 for 20).  I was looking for another chamomile-based tea, but didn’t really fancy any of the other flavours.  I was a bit reluctant due to the spices and my previous late night following the Pukka Vanilla Chai.  But the box said it was soothing and designed to help you relax, so I thought I’d give them a go.  Although you could definitely taste the cinnamon, it was only subtle – in fact it was a bit like drinking apple pie!  And I’m pleased to say that the effect was a soothing one.

I’ve been working my way through these over the past couple of weeks and, although I’ve been tempted to try other flavours, I lack space in my tea cupboard for any more at the moment but when I try some more, I’ll let you know my verdict.

This is an independent review.  Please click here to read my disclaimer.

Banana Pancakes

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Banana PancakesThese flour-free pancakes make a delicious weekend breakfast and are an excellent way to use up over-ripe bananas.

Servings:    1

Pro Points:    4

Simple Start/Filling & Healthy:    0

Preparation time:     2 mins

Cooking time:    15mins

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe banana
  • 2 eggs
  • Spray oil
  • Raspberries or strawberries to serve

Method

  1. Mash the banana in a small mixing bowl.
  2. Add the eggs to the banana and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
  3. Heat a non-stick frying pan and spray with oil.
  4. Pour about 1/4 of the batter into the pan and cook over a very low heat for 2 minutes.
  5. Very carefully, turn the pancake over (the lack of flour means they will break up quite easily if you are heavy handed).  Cook for a further minute.
  6. Transfer the pancake to a warmed plate while you cook the remainder of the batter.
  7. Serve with the raspberries or strawberries.

Top tip:  Drizzle with 1tsp for 1pp or use a drizzle of honey as one of your daily treats if following Simple Start.

Stepping Up The Exercise

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Image courtesy of Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So it’s half-term week and I thought that I’d use the extra time to increase the amount of exercise I’m doing.  I’ve already taken part in my first parkrun event and now tonight I’m going to step things up another gear with a new Zumba class.

If you’ve never tried Zumba before, you ought to find a class and give it a go.  It is a dance-based exercise class based on Latin/Salsa/Merengue/Cha Cha dance steps.  It’s great fun and a great work out that’s easy to adapt for different fitness levels.  I used to regularly attend Zumba classes at my old gym.  However, on joining my current gym they didn’t run any at a time to suit me.  But now they’ve started a new class and it’s on right before the Body Pump class I’ve been attending for the past 6/7 weeks.

I didn’t want to give up the Body Pump class as Mr FFF has been enjoying going to that with me, but I do really want to take up Zumba again.  So I’ve decided to go to both.  This will not only earn me more activity points and boost my weight loss, but it will also increase my stamina and overall cardio fitness.  And I’m pretty certain to sleep well tonight!

Wish me luck!

The Results Are In – Week 6

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Weight loss:    +1lb

Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Current weight:    12st 1lb

Weight loss since start:    5lb

Lbs to go to reach next target:    1.5lb

So I have small gain this week but I’m not disheartened by it as I’ve had a lovely weekend of being wined and dined (or more accurately beered & takeaway-ed) and eating delicious chocolates for Valentine’s day; then I enjoyed a meal and drinks with my work colleagues on Saturday to celebrate surviving the Half-Term From Hell.  So it could’ve been much worse.

 

What’s gone well?

I took part in my first parkrun event this week and I really enjoyed it.  I was thoroughly impressed that, despite not running further than a mile in several years, I managed to run for the whole course and completed it in a respectable time.

 

What’s been difficult?

Loosening the Control Freak reigns was a little difficult this weekend.  While I wanted to have a successful week weight-wise, I also wanted to let my hair down a bit with my colleagues.  Although I don’t like to drink lots (I can’t cope with the hangovers these days), I find that, if I have a few drinks on a Saturday night, even if I stay within my points budget, I usually stay the same or have a slight gain at my Monday weigh in.  In the end, I went out, ate a sensible meal, had a few drinks and really enjoyed myself.  I reasoned that it was a one-off, and I’m in the right frame of mind at the moment not to let it completely throw me off track.

The week ahead

This week could be a tough one as I’m on holiday from school.  I’ll be meeting up with a friend who is also a teacher so we always get together for lunch and a catch-up in the holidays. I’m also going to a really fancy restaurant on Thursday evening for a Friend’s birthday.

To help deal with this I’ll make sure I stay completely on plan for the lunch with a friend.  At the meal I’ll probably go a little off plan but I will look at the menu beforehand so that I can make as wise a choice as possible.  I’ll also make sure I stay completely on track for the rest of the week and I’m going to do an extra exercise class tomorrow to get some activity points in the bank.

I’m also really looking forward to taking part in parkrun again on Saturday.  Who knows – I might even get a bit faster!

Thanks for reading.

PS  How do you stay/get back on track following a slip up?

Run, Fat Fighter, Run.

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Despite it being the first day of the half term holidays yesterday, I dragged my weary backside out of bed and went and took part in my first parkrun event in a bid to help me move more and boost my weight loss.

image courtesy of www.parkrun.org.uk

image courtesy of http://www.parkrun.org.uk

The weather had been shocking over the previous 24hours with howling wind and rain.  I’d been half hoping that the rain was going to be torrential as there’s no way I was going to attempt it in that weather.  But the other half of me really wanted to have a go and I found myself lying in bed yesterday morning, listening to the very strong winds and hoping that the rain held off.  It did mainly: there were a couple of showers but I was already at the park by then.

My main aim for the run this week was to actually do it and not be bothered if I didn’t manage to run all the way around as I’ve not run properly in several years. However, when we got there, I decided that as I’m reasonably fit and can cope with 45min spinning classes, there was no reason why I shouldn’t be able to run all the way round if I paced myself.  So I went for it and was delighted with my time of 33min 12sec.

What was even more surprising was that I really enjoyed it and I can’t wait for next week’s run!

Parkrun events are free and held all over the world.  If you fancy taking part why not checkout http://www.parkrun.com/ or http://www.parkrun.org.uk/

On Your Marks, Get Set…

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Well, I’ve taken the plunge.  In an effort to bank a few more activity points prior to going out with my work mates on Saturday night, I’ve registered for parkrun and plan to take part in my first one this Saturday morning!

Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you’ve never heard of it before, parkrun is an organisation that arranges free, 5km runs across the country (and indeed the world!) every week.  Your time is recorded and logged online so that you can track how you’re improving.

I must say, I’m a little apprehensive: I’ve never been a massive fan of running and I haven’t run at all since September.  And even then I was only doing 1 mile daily.  However, I’m reasonably fit and I hope that being in competition with myself will help to spur me on to make this a weekly occurrence and so give my exercise and weight loss a boost.

Here’s hoping!

PS – If you’re interested in taking part in a parkrun event, take a look at their website http://www.parkrun.org.uk/

Excuses, Excuses!

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Writing my post on why I want to lose weight reminded me of what my husband encouraged me to do in the run up to our wedding when I was trying to shift a few pounds to fit into my dress: He suggested that I make a list of all the excuses I could think of for not sticking to my diet and exercise plan.  That way, when one of these excuses came up, I’d recognise it for what it is: Just an excuse.

Image courtesy of pakorn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of pakorn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I thought this was a good idea so I wrote the following list on the noticeboard in my study:

  • Too tired
  • Too much work to do
  • Don’t have time
  • We’re going out
  • I’ve never been to this restaurant/tried this dish before
  • Can’t be bothered

I did find that it helped me to ignore these excuses.

Since starting my weight loss efforts afresh in January this year, I’ve been  thinking about these excuses again and I’ve found it useful to spend some time considering how to respond to them.  I’ve found this strategy to be even more helpful because I haven’t noticed the excuses surfacing so far, despite the fact that I’m now well into my second month, a time by when my initial flush of motivation would definitely have expired in my previous weight loss attempts.

Here are my musings on each of my excuses:

Too tired (to exercise) – Will I be going to bed instead of the gym? No? Then I can’t be too tired.  Also, once I get there and get going I’ll feel more energised.  I’ll feel great after my workout and I’ll have an even better night’s sleep because of it.

Too tired (to cook healthy food) – I’ve made sure that I plan very quick and easy meals for week nights and I’ve also got some stock cupboard staples, such as beans and bread, for when I really can’t be bothered.  I also make sure I freeze extra portions of the meals I cook so that I’ve always got a healthy ready meal on standby in the freezer.

Too much work to do – Yes, work is important but so is my own health and well being.  Just because I have a job which will expand to fit every waking moment doesn’t mean that I should allow it too.  Exercise is an excellent way for me to de-stress at the end of the day.  I can always go into work a little bit earlier the following day if I have something really urgent that I didn’t get done.  I also make sure I have quick and easy meals planned for in the week (see point above).

I don’t have time – I need to prioritise my healthy eating and exercise to help me achieve my weight loss goals as I really want to reach my goal weight. Simple.  So I make the time to plan my meals in advance and then make a list of all the foods I need.  I then shop either in person or online.  This makes it really easy in the week as I just have to refer to my meal planner.  I also keep things realistic in the week sticking to recipes that are really quick and easy and using frozen portions of recipes I’ve already made.  I also plan my exercise classes into my week – they’re just part of my routine.

We’re going out – We might be going out but I can still make wise choices.  It won’t be the last time I ever go out and I’ll get to my goal quicker if I stay on track.

I’ve never been to this restaurant/eaten this dish before – I try to look at the menu in advance of going out for a meal so that I can choose the most plan-friendly option.  This also allows me to work in any higher Pro Points options I want to try.  However, I do often ask myself is it worth spending the points on one meal or even dish?

I can’t be bothered – Let’s face it.  We all have days when we simply can’t be bothered.  I’m not 100% sure how to best tackle this one as I haven’t really experienced one yet this time around.   I have had a couple of ‘can’t be bothered’ moments, but I’ve just given myself a bit of a mental talking to and reminded myself that I REALLY want to reach my weight loss goals and throwing myself off track won’t get me there.

 

I’d like to end on a quote I came across the other day which seems to encapsulate the attitude I’d like to adopt towards excuses:

“If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way.  If not, you’ll find an excuse.” – Jim Rohn

 

Thanks for reading!

PS How do you deal with ‘Can’t be bothered’ days?

 

 

The Results Are In – Week 5

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Filed under My Progress

Weight loss:    1lb

Image courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Current weight:    12st 0lb

Weight loss since start:    6lb

Lbs to go to reach next target:    0.5lb

I’m really pleased with this result and here’s why:

 

What’s gone well?

I coped really well with an unexpected mid-week meal out choosing a Filling &Healthy friendly steak and replacing the chips with jacket potato (read my post about this here).

Following my chocolate-free January, I’ve eaten some chocolate most days this week but I’ve not gone mad on it and I’ve pointed it all.

I went to an engagement party on Saturday but drove instead of drinking.  I also ate before I went and although I was stood right next to the delicious smelling and looking Indian buffet all night – not one morsel of it passed my lips!

I stuck to my plan to deal with eating out yesterday by choosing a main and a desert from the ‘lighter choices’ section of the menu.

I tried on some trousers that were too tight for me at the beginning of January and they now fit so I’ll be wearing those at some point this week!

 

What’s been difficult?

My chocolate craving was back with a vengeance this week.  However, I didn’t let this throw me off track.  I simply reminded myself of my goals and my reasons for wanting to lose weight to help reign the craving in and I made sure I pointed everything.

The week ahead

I have a work’s night out on Saturday night where I intend to have a few drinks – following an extremely difficult half term, my team and I definitely need to let our hair down a little.  However, I’m very conscious that I want to achieve my next goal of being under 12st at my weigh in next Monday.  I know that if I drink too much it will:

a)      Make me want to eat rubbish on Sunday

b)      Make me not want to go to my box fit class on Sunday

c)       Make my dehydrated body retain fluid prior to my weigh in on Monday evening.

So, I’m going to have a few drinks but I’m not going to get really drunk so that I can still stay on track.  I’m also going to attend my first Park Run 5k race on Saturday morning to get a few extra activity points in the back.  I might even go for a swim and a spa following my class on the Sunday.

Thanks for reading.

PS  How do cope with a night on the tiles when staying on plan?

Onion Rice

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Filed under Recipes, Uncategorized

A tasty twist on an otherwise plain side dish.

Servings:    1Onion Rice

Pro Points:    7pp

Simple Start

/Filling & Healthy:    0pp

Preparation time:     5mins

Cooking time:    20mins

Ingredients

  • 60g brown rice
  • 2 onions, 1 chopped roughly, the other sliced thinly
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • Spray oil

Method

  1. Put the rice into a small saucepan and crumble in the stock cube.  Cover with boiling water so that the water level sits above the rice to a depth of about 1inch.  Add the chopped onion, stir once and bring back to the boil.
  2. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water has been absorbed (approx.. 10mins).  Turn off the heat, cover the saucepan and leave to stand for 10mins.
  3. Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan over a low and spray with oil.  Add the sliced onions and fry stirring frequently until golden brown (add a splash of water to prevent the onions from sticking if required).
  4. Serve the cooked rice topped with the fried onions as an accompaniment to your choice of meat and vegetables.

Top tip: Stir in frozen peas and sweetcorn at step one and add cooked pieces of chicken, pork, beef or fish before serving for a tasty main meal.

Weight Loss Dilemma – Control Freak vs Unexpected Meal Out

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Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

According to my sister (and probably my husband and a few others too), I’m a control freak.  In fact, she’s probably spot on with her judgement to be fair.

For the most part, this helps me to live a busy, organised life.  And being in control definitely helps with my weight loss:  On a Friday or Saturday night, I sit down and plan my meals for the following week, make a shopping list then either shop online or take my list to the supermarket and I’m in and out in about 30 minutes.

This is great when I get in from work exhausted and all I have to do is look at my meal-planner to see what I’m having for dinner.  No decision making is required therefore my chances to make unwise choices based on my mood or hunger levels are greatly reduced.  Similarly, meals out are usually planned at least a few days in advance and I will look at the menu ahead of time to decide what I’m going to order (see this post for evidence of control freakery!).

However, the flip-side of this is that I get a little bit panicky should something unexpected come up.  Tonight, for instance, my husband phoned me at about 5pm to ask if I wanted to go out for dinner.  We don’t often go out in the week and I know he wouldn’t have suggested it if he didn’t really fancy it.  Now, I know I ought to have been thinking ‘What a lovely idea’ but the control freak in me was wailing ‘But I haven’t planned for this!  How can I eat out and stay on track with less than an hour’s notice?’

Well, the answer is, quite easily actually!   I was really hungry and I thought that this would lead me to make a less plan-friendly choice such as a cheeseburger or a great big bowl of pasta.  But I simply thought about the reasons I want to lose weight and reminded myself that I’d feel much better about having made a wise choice and that I’d also be that little step nearer to reaching my goal too.  We went to a local pub where I ordered a sirloin steak and asked them to replace the chips with a jacket potato so it fit perfectly with the Filling and Healthy/Simple Start plan.  Simple.

I’m not saying I’m going to rip up my meal planner and start living by the seat of my pants, but, just maybe, I can say yes to an unexpected invite to dinner without getting stressed about letting it throw me off track.