bellamandaj

Wow, I want to thank all of you (especially my buddies!) for getting me to this point. I’m still going strong, and when I lost the 28lbs of baby weight I was so close to stopping…..but when I joined this site I got right back on track and am almost there!

I think for as many years as I’ve been old enough to contemplate a new years resolution it’s been to loose weight or get healthy or be a certain size by the summer (I know you’ve all done it too!)…….but for some reason having my son has given me the drive to actually stick to it this year.

It’s been slow and steady, but sure enough, this Christmas I wont look like my fat old self in the photos. Even if I only lose 1 more pound (which I hope I can do better than!) by Christmas….I’ll have done 52 weeks at -1lb a week on average….

If I think back over each Christmas, I’ve always weighed a little bit more then the year before since the resolutions to try and shift some pounds started! What a mess!

You guys and this site have got me here, and have meant I’ve kept going – and I now hope I can keep some people motivated when they read this – the way I have been when I’ve read the hundreds of blogs that have made me feel accepted, normal and not alone (things I often didn’t feel when surrounded by skinny people and I wasn’t happy with my weight!)

We are a team - we can do it - we will do it!     xxxxx

Hello everyone,

It’s been a while since I wrote a blog. Partly because I started part time work after a year of maternity leave; and partly because I haven’t had anything to write.

But, finally I have time and a desire to blog again!

My son is 1 today, and my new years resolution this year was to get to where I was (weight-wise) before this landmark ‘birth’day came around for both of us.

Well, I’m pleased to say I’ve done that plus 11 or so pounds, so I’m enjoying all the parties (and photos and videos that go along with it) without wondering what to wear or how I look bending over to wipe his VERY mess nose (he has a nasty cold!) 

I must say there have been moments where I thought I could stop trying and see what happens, (I especially thought this when I reached the weight I was at before I got pregnant) but that would have been taking the easy way out and letting myself down.  I know I wasn’t totally happy with my weight then either as my previous jobs long hours and commute had taken a toll on my figure.

I’m still on this journey, and I must be honest and own up to it not being hard…it’s just about commitment and remembering what your goals are. Just making different choices. Although, the choices I make may not be my old favourites! I’d always used the excuse that dieting or losing weight was ’too hard’, but I think that just proves I’ve never been in the right place in my mind. 

I really think this is a lifstyle change – and besides old photos, my son wont know me as an overweight person and that is really important to me. I want him to enjoy healthy food with us, and to set a good example to him as his mum.

I know in January I couldn’t have chased around in the park while he enjoys running after leaves, or pushed him along on his trike for hours in town, or chased Daddy with the stroller and laughed at the same time without dropping into a state of unconsciousness!!!!

 WE ALL NEED TO BE SO PROUD OF EVERY POUND WE SHED! It is a big deal….and don’t let anyone (especially that ’skinny’ person at work) tell you otherwise.

Thank you to all of my buddies and the support of all of you I’ve met on this site….it really is wonderful logging in here each night and knowing we are all after the same thing. And I suppose a thanks needs to go to Weight Watchers and my hubby for being patient in the early weeks in January/February when cold-cookie must have set in!

We can all get where we want to - I can feel it in my bones! Keep it up everyone!   xx

If you’re my buddy or read my blogs you probably know I started my part time job last Monday after a year off with my son on maternity leave.

Well, the guy I’m replacing is leaving tomorrow, and there’s an office party to send him off in style…and I saw the 1st signs of the party food arriving today…and it’s not the kind of thing that can pass my lips…beer, crisps, tortilla chips, creamy dips, muffins, cake and champagne!

…So my piece for the party (and for every party I’ve gone to since January) is a veggie/fruit platter so I have something to keep my plate full and don’t look like a party pooper/odd ball dieter.   
It may not be a cheap/easy/grab it on the way to work type dish, but it is a staple for me right now. I do carrots, cucumber, celery, brocoli and cauliflower with a fat free sour cream and chive dip and strawberries, melon and pineapple with fat free cream cheese and vanilla dip. I know it just means getting up 20 minutes earlier to chop and bag these things ready to plop out on the tray when needed….but it’s SOOOO worth it to not come home from a party feeling like you blew it. (And I did cheat and buy the carrots pre-chopped this time to save a few minutes!)

I know ‘party season’ is coming up, so I better get my chopping board and mixing bowls ready for more of these……   :0)

 I hope you are all having wonderful weeks. It’s been a while since I’ve had anything to blog about, but I have been on here each day just emailing and lurking.  xx

I want to write about the foods that got me to the start of this weight loss journey - the bad stuff.

The long and short is that I gained about a stone (14lb’s) in the year before I was pregnant through working 8am-6pm, 6 days a week, and having a 30 minute commute at each end that meant I was too tired (or lazy!?) to bother planning all my meals.
Then, when I was pregnant I ate whatever I could, whenever I could as I had morning sickness right up until the 8th month…so by the time Drew came I knew it was the time to get going in a downward direction on the scales for the 1st time in 2 years…and to get back to where I really wanted to be.

I think having a baby made it easier to get this far in (I’m over 30lb’s down) as I’ve been on maternity leave until now - so for a whole year have been at home to plan meals and walk walk walk miles each day with Drew. Plus, with Drew eating what we eat now for all his meals it’s all healthy and low salt/sugar stuff. (The only change I make for him is adding full fat milk or cheese to his portions. )

So…now to the disgraceful (but wonderfully sinful) part…

My fav. temptaions were Dairy Milk chocolate, pizza delivery for an easy dinner and KFC or McDonalds. WOW - being honest and writing that down makes me see how the weight piled on. I haven’t touched these foods since Christmas and the thought of them doesn’t tempt me now my body and taste buds have adjusted. I’ve always been a dieter that didn’t ever want to ‘cut-out’ the bad food that I loved, but this time I did…and I think now I’d allow myself something off that list if I ever really wanted it. But I really think after 8 months of not having them the urge may never come. I’d much rather satisfy my chocolate craving with some Cadburys Nibbles and my crunchy craving with some melba toast and home-made salsa nowadays.

Yes, the weight is coming off slower now I’ve been at it for a while, but sure enough each week I’ve lost something….so I’d recomment WW to anyone. Plus, if I ever did want something from the dreaded fast food establishments I have my eating out guide and can do it as long as the rest of my day is very low in points (it’s funny to look up points and see that the meals I used to have totalled my entire daily points allowance…and I had them on top of breakfast, lunch and tea/biscuits!)

I’d love to know what everyones fav. naughty foods are/were…..let me know.

And have a nice time buddies (and if you’re in the UK - enjoy the long bank holiday weekend!)

I was sorting through some old photos today and thinking I could do some scrapbooking when Drew naps….

In with my stack of scrapbook possibilities I found a wedge of old photos from when I was learning to drive/finished high school/left for univeristy.

I sat and thought about the tiny figure, lovely clothes, carefree and happy me…..and how I was on this weight-loss health journey to get back there…….aaaaahhhhhhh……

Then it hit me that those clothes are actually now 10 years out of date (and some were quite ugly!)

So why did I still sit there for a few seconds thinking they were hot-hot-hot?

The truth of the matter is, my brain had been tricked into thinking the whole look in the photos was better then it really was, because when I was 18 I had no baby, no bills (except petrol, car insurance and my mobile phone) and yes, at that time in my life I was flitting from boy to boy with no relationship to maintain (or husband to make lunch for in a mad rush while showering and cleaning baby bottles in the morning)………..

But…..I love making that lunch and sprinkling sweetner on my hubbys cereal and giving it to him while he sits and checks hit email before work!

So my moral for this long winded story?   

Thinking about old times is great, but I have to remember that what I am shooting for…..it’s not the 18 year old worry free, bill free, marriage and baby chore free me….it’s the healthier and thinner me of NOW.

I love my life, husband and little man more then anything and I need to remember the goal - for this new, older (cringe!) me.

I just wanted to share this. Don’t let old photos or memories throw off your perspective like I almost did today. Find a goal and visualise it, but make sure it’s realistic……and in the right decade! Ha! I had such a throw-back moment sitting on the bed with those old photos.

Have a good weekend everyone  :0)

It’s been a nice day here (almost autum-like, but really sunny) and we’ve had a couple of nice walks around the local parks. My sister left thismorning - it was so nice having her here for a few days. Girly company that doesn’t mean you have to clean your house and be Mrs Stepford and that likes taking care of Drew is few and far between as my family is all 3 hours away and Chris’s family is all in Texas!) It was even better, because she’s just lost all her weight and that meant I had a ‘holiday’ without the worry of being around lots of bad food and eating out.

I start my part time job on Monday. This is my 1st time back at work for over a year, and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s just 3 hours a day, so gets me some grown up time but still lets me have lots of time and my weekends/holidays with Drew. My mum is coming to stay for the week to look after Drew while Chris and I are both working. (My mum and sister are both teachers and on summer break - that’s why they’re both visitng right now.)  It’ll lets me ease into the job for a week before having to start getting Drew ready for daycare too.

I hope everyone’s doing really well. Stay focused! My only goal is to get back to being healthy before my thirties….but my mini goal to keep me going is to get a good head-start on this journey by Christmas. I’ve lost 31lbs since Drew arrived….and figure even with only 1lb’s lost each week until Christmas that’s another 20!

Keep going everyone! We’ll get there! xx

My sister’s visiting this week - so I don’t have long - but it’s the worst weigh in week of the month for me and I’m still 1 lb down so I’m very happy. Next week should be good!

Keep going everyone!

It’s been a good couple of days (and not rainy so we’ve got back to our walking!)

My hubby was off yesterday which was nice too, and my sister is coming to visit tomorrow and staying until Thursday so I can’t wait for that.  

So I wont be on here too much for the next few days, but I know I’ll stay on track through her visit…she lost 98lb last year and eats nice and healthy to keep it off!

I’ll still weigh in on Tuesday and post how it’s gone (fingers crossed for more lb’s….!!!!!) but it might be short.

 Keep going everyone. Next summer we’ll be stunners!

At least the Olympics are on so there is something interesting to have on in the background while I’ve been trying to keep little Drew occupied today.

It is drying up now (after supper again!) so we’ll get to do an evening walk…but I hate not being able to walk during the day. I think walking has become like a part time job for me now and I need that few hours out and about. It’s a great time to clear my thoughts and plan meals in my head etc. I need fresh air! I’m a grumps without it!

I hope everyone else is doing great and is planning a lovely weekend.

Wow…it’s Friday tomorrow and I hope it’s nicer weather then it has been today. It’s been wet and thunderstorms! Not great for walking…although we’re just about to squeeze in a quick after dinner walk now it’s dried up (at 6:30!)

Anyway, we did get out and about, we just had to drive the main parts that are my calorie burners. Only one day though, so I don’t want to let it get me mad. I did clean the house like fury to try and get some extra moving in while we were house-bound by the rain though.

I’m unusually low on my WW points so far today though, so there’s a silver lining to all the clouds! We’ve just had Chicken in pepper and tom. sauce with rice and I’ve got my own low fat low cal peach cobbler in the oven and it smells SOOOOOO good! I’ll put the recipe on the site soon, it is really good and without it cobbler in any form would be out of the question for me on WW! (I just wish I could have the mountain of ice-cream my hubby will have!)    :0)

I hope you are all doing great!