September summary

This is basically what I have done over the past month and a bit....a few days out, celebrated my 35th birthday, considered buying too many shoes and lopped several inches off my hair. Now I'm looking forward to a new and productive month....October I'm ready!

 1. Harry Potter studio 2. Buckingham Palace gardens 3. Harry Potter wands 4. Birthday cake 5. Office boots 6. Me and my daughter 7. New hair 8. Freaky art project 9. winning football 10. Harry potter Hogwarts 11. Trainers wish list 12. Buckingham palace tickets

7 things in 7 days

I have neglected this blog.....life has been busy but I might make an effort again, if only as an online sort of diary for myself.

p.s. weight wise I haven't stepped on the scales for over a week, but think they're probably hovering around the 14stone mark still - my eating has been up and down...

anyway....the reason for this post. I stumbled across a blogpost by Sprinkle of Glitter entitled 7 things for 7 days and I loved the idea of it. It's by lovely Louise whose videos I enjoy watching on Youtube, as she brightens my day (along with everyone else who watches I think!) Hope the links worked to her blog and channel - I'm all new at this!

So as for my 7 things.....

1. Ironing. The pile of kids clothes has been immense, but this morning I tackled my sons items, so just my daughters ever growing wardrobe to do (note to self NOT to buy her any more clothes!)

2. Reading. I have a book about Deborah Devonshire that I have been reading and although I'm enjoying it, I have to pick it up again and finish it off. Highly recommend this book also about the Mitfords (she was one of six Mitford sisters) quite simply extraordinary lives involving Debutante balls, war, Churchill, affairs, Hitler, prison, family, suicide and running away funds!

3. Crafts. I bought the most amazing craft activity a couple of weeks back and haven't even picked it up yet. It's Batman cross stitch and I must start it this week! Pattern bought from Etsy here

4.Eating. Yes I don't need to remind myself to eat...but to eat the right things maybe. Breakfasts, lunches and snacks are sorted and I'm good at planning and eating properly for these meals. But dinner?! It all goes wrong lately and I eat things that I'm trying not to and then in the evening, oh well, let's not talk about that shall we. So no more mindless eating crap that doesn't make me feel good. Instead I'm making a stack of my healthy pancakes to grab when I fancy a sweet treat. 

5. Wardrobe. Thanks for reminding me about this one Louise. My wardrobe is heaving....yet I have nothing to wear. Time for a major sort out. I'm planning on buying some shoe storage from Ikea because it will make my life perfect. 

This is the sort of thing I will be customising only much smaller........

I'm aiming for this style of shoe-drobe. A-maz-ing!

6. Reports. This is work related, but I think I need to put in writing that I need to complete all outstanding reports for work. Don't like to think about it but it needs to be done. 

7. Fun! Yes a reminder to have fun and do something! This could be going to the cinema, out for lunch, meeting up with a friend for coffee, or making use of a salon gift card I received for my birthday. Anything will do, but preferably something out of the house that involves interacting with other real life people!

Now that's what I call a plan!

WIAW

What I ate Wednesday :-)

I love these posts and being nosey about what other people are eating, so I thought I'd do one myself today. I started off well, but forgot to photograph my lunch until I was half way through and then completely forgot to take pictures of my dinner as it was too yummy, but luckily I already had a photo of something similar I ate the other day, as it was too delicious not to take a photo!

Here's what I ate -

On waking - hot lemon water :-)

Breakfast - porridge, with whole milk, organic yoghurt, blueberries and almonds

Morning snack - cup of coffee, two beef slices and 1/4 avocado

Lunch - leftover beef stir fry (already half eaten)

Dinner - Salmon and salad

That's it! Just a cup of tea or two this evening before bed and I'm done for another day :-)

Weigh in Day - week 10

So this is my week 10 weigh in, not week 1, because I haven't been using this blog up until now. Here's the stats for my past 9 weigh ins-

I started on 12th June 2012 at 15st 11lbs (a few lbs lighter than my high of 16st this year)

Wk 1: -7lbs (15st 4)
Wk 2: -4lbs (15st)
Wk 3: -2lbs (14st 12)
Wk 4: -1lb (14st 11)
Wk 5: -4lbs (14st 7)
Wk 6: -2lbs (14st 5)
Wk 7: +1lb (14st 6)
Wk 8: -5lbs (14st 1)
Wk 9: +2lbs (14st 3)

and Wk 10: -4lbs (13st 13lbs)

Very happy!! (but not with my disgusting toenails)

Monday's motivation

So it's the start of another working week, this week however is also my birthday, so that should bring lots of excitement too! So this week's motivation to keep me on track with eating properly and dare I say it, even exercising and sticking to my plan, will be that I want to look pretty in my new birthday dress!

I bought this lovely Topshop lace dress in the summer sales a few weeks ago, as it passed the test of getting the zip all the way done up, not something that has been possible for me to do in Topshop for several months, having run out of sizes once the 16's got too small.

I last tried this on about a week and a half ago and it fit, but it was uncomfortably snug, so I don't yet know if I will feel good enough to wear it on my birthday, as I'm going out for the day and don't want to feel like my dress in too tight. I have plenty of back ups otherwise, but for now, this dress is my motivation to keep on the right track all week.....roll on Friday!

Plan of attack!

I find the best way to stay ahead of the game, is to make a plan....a detailed one!

My weight over the past couple of weeks has been up and down, now I want to get the scales moving and I REALLY want to get under 14 stone this week, but that will take some effort, not just wishing for it!

Firstly my food plan!!

Monday - Thursday

Breakfast 8am - Porridge / omelette
Snack 11am - chicken / smoked salmon & nuts
Lunch 2pm - goats cheese / mackerel salad
Dinner 6pm - salmon / chicken and veggies

No eating after dinner!

Now....the trickier thing for me to stick to - EXERCISE!

Monday - walk to work and back, dumbbell standing workout
Tuesday - walk to work and back, dumbbell floor workout
Wednesday - 30 mins exercise bike, davina toning dvd
Thursday - 30 mins exercise bike, turbo sculpt dvd

Where am I?

I started this blog back in February with the intention to use it as weight loss motivation for myself....and haven't posted since!

I still don't know what I am doing with regards to blogging and am clueless as to how to get a nice looking layout etc. but I guess I have to start somewhere if I want to keep this up!

Weight wise....all is going well from a high of 16 stones earlier this year, I am just sitting above the 14 stone mark now and hoping to get into the 13 stones (195lbs) by my birthday next Friday 24th August.

For now here are some photos of me lately, at the Olympics with my son, wearing what I thought was a lovely flattering dress until I saw the photos and cringed over my real size, oh well, I'm working on that again and I don't really care, after all it was a FANTASTIC DAY and I was unbelievably lucky to go to the Olympic Stadium!