My Tooth Hurts

Hi all, the 'get a grip' day certainly seemed to work yesterday, I had a great day food wise, no snacking, lots of fruit and veg.  I also squeezed in an hour of very energetic Salsa.  So I'm feeling quite pleased with myself and hopefully it'll be the same today.

Food will certainly be easier as today I have a really sore tooth, I'm very gently nibbling on a little cereal at the moment but it's hard going.  I've been putting off registering with a dentist, mostly cause I'm terrified, but it looks like I have no choice now. I hope they have a free appointment...I guess this is a sign that you should never put things off.

Diets are the same, how many times have I said to myself, I'll start the diet on Monday as I tuck into a large bag of crisps, then Monday rolls around and before I know it, I'm starting the following week and then the following week.  I said that this time and my mum, who was listening to me whine about clothes said 'why not start today' and I think it's good advice.

If only I'd done the same about the dentist...

Have a good day all.

Luv Suz

Really Need to Get a Grip....

Hi all, well if I don't get a grip I won't be losing any weight this week.  I checked this morning after a really bad weekend and so far I still weigh the same.  It's a miracle I don't weigh more.  Pizza Express on Friday, Spring Fair on Saturday (nice baking), and then Pizza Express again on Sunday....apart from that I had a wee melt down on Saturday and had, 1 packet of Snack a Jacks, 2 little shortbread stars topped with Nutella and a Cornetto .  My husband happily reminded me that this is nothing compared with what I used to snack on, but it didn't make me feel better.  What's worse I've done absolutely no exercise all weekend.

This would certainly be one of those points where the whole diet comes to an abrupt stop but that just can't happen this time.  So I am official announcing this as

GET A GRIP DAY


I'm off for the food shopping this morning once I've dropped Tom off to school. Then it'll be back, get it all away and get into some serious salsacise.

My house guest is leaving today so that will alleviate some of my issues with having time and space to exercise and it'll also reduce the many trips to coffee shops and other places.

I really need a big dose of normality for the next few weeks to get back on track.

Anyway I better get off and grab some breakfast.

Have a great day everyone.

Luv Suz.

A Very Busy Day

Hi all, it's Friday and the sun is out which makes me all happy and hopeful for a good weekend of walking.

That's what we are planning for this afternoon.  It seems unlikely I'm going to have a spare moment today, it looks somewhat like this.

• Finish Blog
• Have shower and get me ready
• Get Tom ready
• Tom to school
• Food shopping
• Make Shortbread for school fair
• Early Lunch
• Collect Tom
• Off to Dawyk Botanic Gardens
• Lots of walking
• Drive Home
• Pizza Express
• Collapse

It's the Bellsquarry Primary Spring Fair tomorrow and yesterday I made some Tablet.....then I had to taste it, and then taste some more and some more and some more...not good....  I'm think I'm going to require an extra hour or two of exercise this week just to make up for the tablet.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Tablet her are the ingredients, prepare to be horrified.

1kg Sugar

400g Sweetened Condensed Milk

100g Butter

Vanilla Essence

Not the most healthy snack food but very yummy....

I'll be making shortbread today but it's not as tempting...

Better get on have a great day

Luv Suz xx

End of Week 7

Can't believe it's the end of another week already.  It's been a challenging old week, with quite a lot of eating out and some stress, but I'm happy to report a loss of 1and a half pounds.  Still moving in the right direction.

Hopefully this week will be a lot more settled although I think we are heading out to Pizza Express (mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......) on Saturday.

I'm hoping to get in some exercise today, unfortunately it won't be Zumba as we'll be having a very late dinner tonight and the class is in the evening.  I think I need to go to a during the day class as by evening I've collapsed into a chair and don't seem to want to get out.  ;0))

Yesterday while I was out shopping in Glasgow I stopped into a very interesting shop.  For those ladies among you who are of the larger chest variety this shop is a must see.

The shop is called Pepperberry

http://www.bravissimo.com/pepperberry/

They are an offshoot of Bravissimo who sell all the very pretty Bras for us well endowed ladies.  Anyway the clothes are great, they are very feminine and best of all they have room for your boobs :0).  I have to say the prices weren't bad either.

All their standard dress sizes come with three possible chest sizes Curvy, Really Curvy and Super Curvy.  So where normally I'd be in the shops looking at top sizes 22 or sometimes 24 I had on an 18 SuperCurvy and it fit...did a merry little jig in the store...

They have a bigger shop in Edinburgh on George Street and I hear it's very good so I'll be heading in there for a another look myself shortly.

As an incentive to keep up the weight loss my lovely Mum has offered to buy me something from there when i reach my second stone... 9 and a half pounds to go.

I'm thinking I quite like this one for going back to work..



Things to look forward to.

Anyway I'm out of time this morning so have a great day everyone.

Luv Suz xx

A Very Disappointing Day

Morning all, this'll be a quick post today as I'm off to Glasgow this morning for a wee bit of shopping and hopefully lots of walking.

I feel like I've been sitting still quite a bit since my mother in law arrived.  We did go to the garden centre yesterday and I have to admit I crumbled and had a small piece of Banoffee Pie....It was very nice.  Did some exercise when I came home, as I certainly wasn't hungry when I ate the pie, but it's still in the back of my mind...particularly as later on in the day I had a Cornetto.

I'm trying to remind myself that there are going to be times when sticking to the plan is difficult, and it's OK to sometimes eat things that you shouldn't but if given half a chance yesterday I would have had a packet of Wottsits and a KitKat as well.

It's weigh in day tomorrow and I've no idea how it's going to go.  It feels like I haven't been on the diet much this week between my wedding anniversary binge and yesterday.  I think it's a lot to do with feeling out of my normal routine, and while I have been getting exercise I haven't felt anywhere near as active as normal in general.. :0(

So fingers crossed for weigh in day tomorrow.  Think I'm going to need the luck.

Luv Suz xx

What a Storm

Hi all, what a day yesterday was, I thought the conservatory was going to blow away at one point.  Fortunately we have been very lucky and there is no real damage.  My poor wee tree was just about bent double and now it has a decided lean to it.  A good few of my plants have been flattened but all in all the house is still standing and the roof is intact.

It wasn't too bad a day for the diet.  Got out food shopping in the morning, came home and did an hour of really energetic Salsa again and then in the afternoon went out for a wee walk.  Felt somewhat nibbley during the day so I had a little popcorn and a few grapes.

The walk was a bit of a mistake...

It was gorgeously sunny when we left the house and the wind wasn't too bad, but as this is Scotland it didn't last.  As we turned to head back towards the house the wind got much worse.  We had two choices, walk directly into the wind or walk back through the woods.  We chose to go back through the woods, so it's not surprising that I got thumped with a falling branch.  Only a slight bruise as it wasn't a big branch, although it felt massive at the time.

It's less windy today and I'm taking my mother in law off to the garden centre for morning coffee.  Just have to see if I can avoid the cakes, or I could have one and do some more exercise today....choices, choices....

Have a great day.

Luv Suz xx

Wedding Anniversary Weekend

Another weekend over and it's Monday again, but surprise surprise it's another school holiday...

We'll it was a very mixed weekend, Sunday was my wedding anniversary (8yrs) but we decided to go out on Saturday night for a wee celebration.  As I knew we were going out for a special dinner I wanted to make sure I had done some serious exercise. So we had a two hour walk in the morning and then mid after noon I did an hour of really energetic salsacising.  As for the dinner itself...oh dear....

We went to Tony Macaroni's in Livingston.  It has an Italian American feel. The food was very very nice but there was just far too much of it.  I had planned to have a main and a pudding but my husband wanted a starter and a main...so we had all three..not very wise.

For starter I had Brusheta topped with Goats Cheese, Onion Marmalade and Rocket.  If I'd eaten all of it I wouldn't have needed anything else.
For my main I had a very nice Risotto with mushrooms, tomatoes and Italian Sausage...it was gorgeous but again it was massive, I had about half.
After feeling very full, I decided against all my common sense to have a pudding.  Cheese cake was my choice and it was very delicious, but after it I thought my stomach might just explode. Lesson to be learned,  order less food!

Sunday was a much quieter day, it was poring of rain, so no walking and I just couldn't get peace to get in any  exercise, always a problem when you have guests and there's a three hour Grand Prix on.  A lot less food on Sunday and even though my husband made one of his amazing roast dinners I was still feeling quite bloated so I was very restrained.

I'm off food shopping this morning then I'm hoping to get in a little salsaing.

Have a great day.

Suz xx

Out of my routine again....

Hi all, it's Friday again, the weeks are just flying in..

This morning I'm really tired, no I didn't get to Zumba last night as I was still tidying at 9.30.  Now it's my own fault, I shouldn't have put things off so much. I probably shouldn't have invited my Mum through on Tuesday, but I wanted too, quality time with Mum is very good for dieting it's like having a shrink.  My house is now tidy and very clean, it's virtually sparkling, I can relax this morning and drop my son at school and then head off for a leisurely food shop.

The relaxation won't last, today my mother in law arrives.  She's very nice, that's not the problem.  I'm just not good with having people to stay.  Even when my Husband and son are on holiday eventually I want them to go back to work and school so I can return to life as normal.  It's different when you are away on holiday, but my home is my sanctuary.  Peace, quiet (at least while Tom's at school) and the freedom to do what I want, when I want.  What am I going to do with my house guest when I want to Salsa?
Then there's the food, will she like it, do I have enough, should I make pudding.......and I'm ready to reach for the chocolate already!

I'm on the hunt today for some healthyish puddings just in case I'm tempted...

• Fruit Salad, definetely
• Rhubarb Crumble, maybe if I have a small bit and have soup for dinner
• Blackforest Fruit Filo Parcels, another maybe
• ????? any suggestions?

Oh yes, exercise for Yesterday - full day of housework

Have a good weekend everyone and I'll have an update on Monday.

Luv Suz xx

End of Week 6

Another week over, it's been a bit of a roller coaster but in the end I still lost 1 pound, taking my total up to 17 pounds.  Feeling very pleased with myself.  I really thought this was going to be the week of no weight loss, or worse a week of weighing more.

I spent nearly all of yesterday doing housework and it'll be the same again today, it's downstairs this time.  Some good window washing, floor scrubbing, hoovering etc.

Then I'm off to Zumba tonight at 8.30.  I really must be mad.  I have two feelings about Zumba, general excitement because the charity night was lots of fun and total dread as I've never gone to a class before.  I think one of the other school mums is going with me so that should help.  Of course she's a lot fitter and thinner than me.

If you haven't sponsored someone for the Moonwalk yet, why not go for my friend Morag.  After giving it her all at the Zumba charity night, she's decided (at the last minute) to do the Moonwalk.  She's completely mental as most people have been training hard for months now, but that's Morag, all heart and enthusiasm.  Good luck Morag.  Just click on the link below.

http://www.walkthewalkfundraising.org/moragbl?10087644


Have a great day all.

Luv Suz xx

Why am I freezing.....

Morning all, had a good day yesterday, no snacking, good meals and 4 of my 5 a day, spent most of the day on my feet moving and then did an hour of vigorous house work in the evening.  Big thumbs up..

I have however noticed one thing.  I'm freezing.

I've never been a really warm person but since I started all this I've been feeling particularly cold.  I can only guess that my body is having a few wee issues in adjusting to the lack of readily available sugar in my blood.  It certainly can't be my circulation, not with all this exercise.  Think I'll need to get a pair of giant fluffy socks for my poor wee feet and some gloves as well.  Not a good look in May.  Still  Zumba tomorrow night so that should really warm me up.

Anyway lots to do today, my mother in law is due to arrive Friday morning so I've the house to get ship shape, all the little jobs that I've been putting off...Window cleaning, floor scrubbing (that's on hands and knees and not with a mop) etc.  I've also some Salsaing to fit in.

If you'd like to leave a comment, some words of wisdom or encouragement then click on Comment, you don't need to register.  At the 'Comment As' box just select Anonymous.

Have a great day all and fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Luv Suz xx

The Trouble with Scales....

Hi all, it's Tuesday and we're only a few days away from another weigh in, but this week I'm nervous...

I've been pretty good this week, lots of exercise, not bad on food.  So I should have nothing to worry about, right?  As I'm totally compulsive about this, I always have a wee mid week jump on the scales to see how things are going and up to this point it's been great.

So yesterday, jumped onto the scales and OMG not less than the 14st4.5 I was last week, but I seem to have put on 2 pounds arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Then I phoned my mum and as always she was the calm voice of reason.....

1.  PMS week, so the joy of water retention :0(  (yes rings are tighter)

2.  After losing sooooo much weight so quickly sometimes you stall for a few weeks (yes, this has happened to me in the past)

3. Exercise builds muscle and muscle is heavier but then later on it will add to the calorie burning.( after all that Zumba lets hope so)


So I'm going to chill out and just see what happens on Thursday and even if I put on 4 pounds this week (lets hope not), I can't give up...No, I won't give up.

Have a great day all

Suz xx

Zumba - oh what a night!

Hi all, we're back, apologies for there being no blog on Friday but the blogger update facility was down.  :0(

It's Monday and as I sit here typing I'm aware my shoulder is a little stiff.  Certainly not from salsaing.

On Saturday I took part, along with many fab ladies, in a Zumba Charity night.  How bad could it be, it'll only be an hour, right.  Wrong....  Nearly two hours of Zumba, something I've never done, and I was fit to drop.  Of course I did get through the two hours which was more than some people (the sensible ones).  Here are a few pics from the night.

The Main Torturer Sandra Harnes and a very knackered me.

http://www.zumba.com/en-US/profiles/79930/sandra-harnes

My new friend Lorraine Farmer, Zumba coach extraordinaire.

http://www.zumba.com/en-US/profiles/98284/lorraine-farmer

Morag and Ali - two very energetic participants, enjoying a little post Zumba refresher.

Still it wasn't all pain, along with a massive sense of achievement, a wee bottle of Brothers Stawberry Mixed Pear Cider (yum yum) and some great chat with some of my fellow school mums (super friends all), I won a prize in the raffle.

Guess What  - 5 Free Zumba classes with the lovely Lorraine. She's mental...

Zumba is great fun and if your uncoordinated like me it really doesn't matter.  I'd highly recommend it for super calorie burning.  One thought only.  If you are unfit like me stick to the lower impact version, if your totally out of breath your not burning fat just the sugar in your blood!

So after so much Zumba, I thought I'd have a wee haggis supper on Sunday.  I didn't have too much and stopped when I was full.  Wish I hadn't bothered...stomach still feels funny...

I'm hoping for a better day today, a little light salsa should loosen off my shoulder nicely and some lovely healthy fruit and veg should help my poor tummy.

Have a great day all.

Luv Suz xx

End of Week 5

Yipee it's the end of week 5, and I'm still going....This week I've lost a very respectable and much more reasonable 2 pounds.  I have to admit being a little panicked that the week I posted a food diary would be the week I lost no weight, but that's fortunately not the case.

It's not been the best few days, I've been restless and as my husband sits down to a nice Cornetto or to a packet of yummy chilli Snack-a-Jacks, I've found it difficult to remind myself that I'm not hungry and I am not hungry.  As this is going to be the rest of my life it's not practical to refuse myself the food I want or I'll not keep going.  This is what happened last time when I was doing Paul McKenna.  So I'm trying to fit in having small amount of the treats I want into meals.  So you'll see this week I've had.

1 Cornetto
2 Petite Filou 'Little Desserts'
Half a chocolate muffin

This week I'll be concentrating on trying to get in my 5 s Day fruit & Veg.

Unfortunately the weather here has turned wet, which is really messing with my walking to school exercise, but I'll be continuing on with my Salsacise and this weekend I'm off to a charity Zumba night.  I'll get a picture, hopefully not of me being resuscitated.

Last food diary: (much better on the 5 a Day)

Breakfast

Super Fruity Shredded Wheat with semi skimmed milk

Glass Fruit juice

Lunch

Two slices of toast (Olive spread) with two poached eggs

Apple & Some grapes

Dinner

Homemade Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry ( all veg no dairy or coconut) with Rice and a teaspoon of Mango Chutney - this was excellent!

Supper

2 squares Green & Blacks ‘Maya Gold’

Have a great day.

Suz xx

Getting your 5 a day

Hi all, hope you've been having a great week.  It's only one day to weigh in, so keep your fingers crossed.

As I've been posting a food diary all week I've been mulling over the 5 a day issue, and clearly I'm not getting mine.  Think I'll have to look for some more recipes with veggies in.  I keep getting full having my meals so I don't have room for the nice fruit or veg I've got in the fridge.

So I've been having a look on the web and here are some good ideas for topping up your 5 a day.

1. Glass of fruit juice with breakfast
2. Top your cereal with some dried fruit
3. Eat a piece of fresh fruit with breakfast
4. Try a fruit salad for breakfast, pineapple, bananas, kiwi etc
5. Try any of the following toppings on your toast, mushrooms, beans, chopped tomatoes, avocados, bananas
6. Try some fruit smoothie or a banana milk shake
7. Try the nhs 5 a day meal planner, it's got lots of menu options to help you a long

http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/5aday.aspx?Tag=Lose+weight

Yesterdays food not much in the way of fruit and veg... :0(  must do better.

Breakfast

Super Fruity Shredded Wheat with semi skimmed milk

Lunch

Smoked Mackerel fillet with salad and bread roll (cheese and onion flavour)

Dinner

Small homemade cheese burger in bun with salad and a few oven chips

Supper

2 squares Green & Blacks ‘Maya Gold’


Have a great day all
Luv Suz xx

Food Shopping..the hell of temptation....

Hi all, I had a good day yesterday but Mondays are food shopping day and for me it's a trial.

When I was a working mum, we food shopped as a family at the weekend.  When someone else is with you it's really hard to be overly indulgent.  Not impossible but hard.

When I gave up work I thought this was my chance to get back on the right track.  I'd have time to cook and plan meals better, time to shop with care, time for exercise, time for me.

 I'd like to say that's what happened but actually it was more like this.
I had time to plan meals and puddings, got quite a bit of baking done, practiced making tablet ( mainly sugar and condensed milk). I had time to wander round the shops and see all the bargains and it's amazing how many things that are not good for you are on special offer.  I was also free to buy what I liked.  I mean it doesn't count if nobody sees you eating it, right!!  I also had time to catch up on my movie watching at home in the peace and quiet.  So I shopped indulgently then I sat and ate food.  If you could call M&M's and cheese puffs food.

Not that things were brilliant before I stopped work, too much take away and convenience food.  Plus the snack shop at work, and boy is stress a good excuse for comfort food.

I like to think things have changed...I'm really trying hard to change my relationship with food.  Although current theory does suggest that in times of high stress people will revert back to early habits...(can't wait for my mother in law to visit to test this theory).  I'm actually using my time to get some exercise and saving the movies for when I'm ironing or just after exercise when I'm knackered.

Shopping is still hell, the super markets are choc full of fattening calorie laden goodies.  Think I should think about shopping on line!

Food consumed yesterday.

Breakfast

2 Slices of toast with nutella

Glass of Fruit Juice

Lunch

Finger roll filled with camembert, salad  and Branston Pickle

Two Petits Filous ‘Little Dessert’

Dinner

Oven cooked Salmon in Chinese marinade with rice and steamed vegetables. (Yum yum yum. Tasty and good for you)

Strawberry Cornetto

So despite the temptation all went well...at least this time...

Have a great day.

Monday again...how time passes

It's Monday again already, what a quick weekend it's been.  Not sure what I've done with the time. It's not been a bad weekend, no major snacking issues.  I did however make some chocolate muffins on Saturday for my wee boy and his friends and I have to say it was very hard not to just tuck on in... I persevered and had half a muffin as part of my lunch yesterday.  It wasn't as nice as I thought it would be even though Tom said they were 'brilliant'.

It's now half way through week five and I'm wondering where the time has gone, if your a serial dieter you'll know that days can purely drag from one meal to the next, with the constant counting and checking.  Not this time, my days are just flying in, my biggest issue is finding time to fit in some exercise.  We did go swimming on Sunday but as Tom can't be left on his own I only got in about 4 lengths and that was me quite tired anyway. Did manage to Salsacise yesterday which was great and after I've been shopping today I plan to have another go.

I promised updates on food so here is my list from Friday to Sunday:

Friday 6^th

Breakfast

Super Fruity Shredded Wheat with Semi Skimmed Milk

Apple

Lunch

Two Slices of Toast (Olive Spread) topped with two poached eggs

Dinner

Chicken Korma (home made) with Basmati Rice (steamed) Wish I hadn’t bothered!

Supper

2 squares  Green & Blacks Maya Gold

Saturday 7^th

Breakfast

Two Slices of Toast (Olive Spread) topped with two poached eggs

Glass orange juice

Lunch

Hot Dog in bun with onions, tomato ketchup & mustard

Apple

Dinner

Plowmans  Salad (Cheese, Pickles  & apples)

Coleslaw and 2 mini bread roll

Supper

2 squares  Green & Blacks Maya Gold

Sunday 8^th

Breakfast

Super Fruity Shredded Wheat with Semi Skimmed Milk

Lunch

Butternut Squash Soup with one mini bread roll

Half a chocolate muffin

Dinner

Spaghetti Bolognese (homemade)

Have a great day.

Luv Suz xx

Dancersize DVD's - oh dear!!

Hi all, I'm still all full of joy from yesterdays excellent weight loss and that buoyed me on to try some of my new dancersize dvds.

All I can say is Oh Dear!!!!

First up was Urban Workout...



I had thought this would be fun and a bit of a change from normal exercise routines but I have to admit I couldn't get past the warm up.
2 main reasons.
1. I couldn't do the moves they were doing and they didn't repeat them enough  for me to get the hang of them.  Don't think I've ever felt so clumsy.
2.For a warm up it was very fast...
At present I think I'd score this one 4/10, if nothing else the music was great.

I'm going to be putting this one away for much later...

So after the first aborted attempt I thought I'd try the next one.
Strictly come Dancersize.



This one was just as bad, there just wasn't enough chance to get used to the moves before they has swapped onto something else.  By this time I was getting somewhat frustrated so I turned it off .

I still needed some exercise so I broke out my current favourite, Slim and Salsacise. 50 minutes later exercise done and a big smile on my face.

Oh yes I said this week I'd list everything that I ate so here is yesterdays.

Breakfast:
Bowl of Superfruity Shreddies with semi skimmed milk
10ish grapes
Lunch:
Smoked cod loin poached in semi skimmed milk
2 slices of crusty bread
Post exercise starvation
5 more grapes
Dinner:
Puff Pastry topped with feta, tomatoes and basil
Salad with small amount of ceaser dressing
Cucumber, tomatoes, pickled gherkins, coleslaw (50% less fat)
1 mini bread roll
Supper:
2 pieces of Green and Blacks 'Maya Gold'.

No exercise today but a mountain of ironing instead.

Have a great day
Luv Suz xx

End of Week 4

Wow can't believe it's the end of week 4 already, normally time on diets really drags right up to the point where your off to be weighed and you know you haven't been good enough.

So again this week I'm quite shocked by my weightloss another amazing 3 pounds, and that's my first stone complete.  Time to get that bunting out again and celebrate.

It just shows that you can eat what you want, this weeks meals have included:
Home made Pizza x2
Spaghetti Bolognese
Puff Pastry topped with Feta, Basil and Tomatoes
Salad with Onion Badjis and Vegetable Pakora
Pasta with Smoked Sausage, Red Wine and Onions

This week I'm going to record everything I eat, just out of interest.

It's very dull here today so I'm not sure the morning walk to school is going to happen. I also need to do the food shopping and then go and vote so it'll be a busy morning, but I think I'm going to treat myself and try one of the as yet unopened dance dvd's. So more about that tomorrow.

Have a great day all

Luv Suz xx

For the love of chocolate...

Morning all, it's another gloriously sunny day which is great as I'm off into Edinburgh today to wander round the shops looking at the new summer fashions and then meet some friends for a wee spot of lunch.

I had a good day yesterday no snacking and no urge to snack.  This is amazing as my son has been leaving chocolate Easter egg lying around on my living room table.  I was just sitting down to watch 'Glee' last night when I caught sight of it. Now previously I'd be thinking "mmmmm chocolate, wonder if we have any in the cupboard" but instead I thought "look at the mess, wish he'd be a little more tidy".

I've never not loved chocolate so this is strange for me but I think I might actually be losing interest in milk chocolate, and Easter egg chocolate is never that great anyway.  I would want to clarify that I'm still having the occasional two squares of Green and Black's 'Maya Gold', an excellent quality dark chocolate.

There is however one thing I am missing.  I used to do a lot of home baking and since I started this I haven't done any.  Mostly I'm afraid that I won't be able to resist the fresh, warm cakey smells, but maybe if I can resist milk chocolate there might be some hope.

Have a great day all and fingers crossed for weigh in day tomorrow.

Luv Suz xx

The Coming Summer

Hi all it's another gorgeous day outside, and it's turned my thoughts to summer and my regular dread about summer clothes.

Winter is great, big baggy jumpers can cover many things, spare tyre, podgy arms etc. but summer clothes are way less concealing.

Now this summer, if it comes at all, is probably only a month or two off, not far enough away to make a big dent in either the spare tyre or the podgy arms.  So as usual it will be out with the baggy cropped trousers or the wide legged linen trousers, teamed up with long sleeved baggy tunic tops.  Yes I'll feel cool but when everyone else is gadding about in tight crops and strappy tops it's likely I'll be heaving a great sigh....

But this is good.  One of the worst diet killers is contentment.  You start off miserable and determined then as time goes on and your getting a bit of room in your jeans and starting to feel a bit better about yourself the motivation trickles away and your not being as careful and not following all the rules.  It's not been long enough to have really changed your relationship with food so nothing else changes and within a few months your right back where you started.

So this summer, when I'm looking enviously at other people, I'll be reminding myself exactly why I'm doing this and fortifying my motivation for a few more months.

So with that in mind I'm adding a new point to my 'What I Want List'

• I want to wear strappy summer tops and look good.

Have a great day

Luv Suz xx

What a weekend!

Morning all.

I'm glad it's Monday again, the weekend proved to be very challenging.

It all started out OK with a lovely trip to the botanic gardens as planned on Friday but once we got back I was feeling a little off.  The weather had become cold, windy and a bit dismal and that was exactly how I was feeling.

Now normally I'd be right off to the cupboard where the snacks are kept, having a wee look, and I have to admit that's exactly what I did.  I was standing looking at the crisps and the last few chocolate rolls thinking to myself  'what difference would one make', and the answer is maybe not much, as long as it was only one.  The trouble is I know me, and it probably wouldn't have stopped at one.  I'd be feeling bad for snacking when I wasn't hungry and then I'd be stuffing my face and by evening the diet would be done and dusted.  So I spent the rest of the day moping about.

Saturday wasn't much better, my poor mood morphed into a head cold which eventually sent me off to bed early.

By Sunday I'd had enough, after a nice long lie in (8.30am), I took my son off to see some of his friends. A wee bit of chatting, a little stretch of the legs followed later by a 45 minute Salsacise session and I was feeling much better.

The sum total of the damage

One packet of Sunbites
One cereal bar
20ish grapes
Two dinners where I continued to eat after I knew I was full.

Not too bad.

Truth is, it isn't going to be easy all of the time. At some point I'll have a really bad day and before I know it I'll be munching on freshly made chocolate cake followed by a really large bag of cheese puffs.  I know this because it's happened many many times before.  I've just got to hope that when it does I can shake it off and keep going.

Fingers crossed.

It's a new week and I'm in the mood for exercise..must be the snack guilt  :0)

Luv Suz xx