Welcome to my world ...

Well,

I have decided now I am two weeks in and enjoying sw and mini's so much it is time I started to keep a bit of diary. If you haven't seen me about on the forums I am a bit of prolific poster so I thought it would make sense to have my own thread for writing so much in.

Bit about me - I am 34, live with my cat Jinx, partner is a teacher but we dont live together yet - would love to but i also love my independence, plus he has a dog. I work in the food industry helping to audit the food safety/quality/legality stuff. Am doing an open university degree in Social Policy and Criminology. I have the exam for my fourth (out of six to do) courses on Weds 12th June, nerves are present - surprisingly.

I have also just done my Reiki Level 2 course which is practitioners level - just need to do 45 days of self improvement, distance healing and hands on treatments with associated case studies/testimonials and then I will get my certificate. Reiki is a holistic healing method, which involves the laying on of hands and is totally unintrusive as the divine universal love and light heals the client.

My sig reflects my sw journey so far - but 6.35lb vanished in week one, and week two weigh in this morning sent another 3.25lb following it so I am already 9.5b lighter. My journey will be long and I have no misconceptions that this is a quick fix, this is a lifestyle change and I will make mistakes, I will have blips but I need to keep plodding on and the plan will help me.

My biggest loves so far are the variety of foods on the free lists and the inventiveness of fellow sw members on here with their delicious recipe ideas.
Syn free bbq sauce is a big favourite, I did attempt a 1/2syn roulade which was a bit of a disaster but the quiche I made was delicious too so made up for that.

The reason I began slimming world is down to the results of a blood test. I had been feeling out of sorts, very fatigued and dizzy for a few weeks so took myself off to the drs to seek advice. A full blood test later showed I had high cholesterol and high blood glucose, luckily I was not full on diabetic but experiencing the primary warning signs. My mum is an insulin dependent diabetic and knowing I had the chance to change my future health I grasped it, took my sisters advice and here I am.

Feeling a lot brighter and more content in myself. Still tired but I am putting that down to the fact I am mentally working hard. I have been off work a week for revision/the reiki course and have another week yet before I return. Only one woman in the team knows I am on sw - hence the loss being noticed goal in my signature.

Ok enough from me today. I need to do some reiki healing on myself and also make an action plan for tomorrows revision, I may also do a bit more but we will see, I have learnt revising when tired is a battle both mentally and emotionally.

Namaste,

Sarah xx

Hello! Popping in to subscribe You're doing brilliantly so far, am sure this is the start of a fab journey for you towards much improved health. I find the diary really helps me stay on track so hope it's as good for you! Nicola x

Thanks Nicola,

Right... Good morning diary,

I feel the urge to write - well type.

Had a lovely start to the day with breakfast being scrambled eggs from my cousins cute little chickens, fried mushrooms (obvs in frylight) and a slice of smoked salmon. NOM!

Then I have sat down and done a practice exam question for my exam revision, from last years paper. It flowed beautifully, managed to write 4 1/2 sides of A4 in 45 minutes. During the exam it is 2 questions in 3 hours so I am trying not to think - omg what am i missing its too short and focusing on the completely different environment that being at home is compared to an exam hall. Plus the exams I did last year and the year before I recall leaving about half an hour before the end, as I had finished so maybe I am just fast at writing. Lets hope so eh...

Expect this to be a diary filled with exam comments until after Wednesday. I deactivated my facebook account this morning too. The temptation to go onto the informal study group and read other peoples panic filled statuses was overwhelming and triggering a panic response in me. I don't need it right now so it will not be re-activated until after the exam.

The exam is in the Lincolnshire show ground exhibition hall and I know that the grounds are lovely and green with trees etc, so it pleases me I will have somewhere nice to do some grounding techniques and relaxation before going in. I have made a plan for the next few days, including little things like making sure my favourite comfy top and trousers are washed and ready, making sure I have my pens and passport (for ID) all prepared in advance. Little anti anxiety measures.

Ok thats enough for now xx

Ok today we shall begin with the old food diary...

B - oops coffee only
L - Salad, cottage cheese, crabsticks and boiled egg with salad cream - 2 syns
S - Scone and scraping of flora - 11 syns and totally worth it
T - Pork loin, new potatoes boiled with fresh mint, fried tomatoes and courgettes, ketchup - 1 syn

Later I will have either alpen lights and babybels or crackerbreads and philli for my hexa/b not sure yet and maybe some sliced melon.

Today has been a bit odd. Had a terrible nights sleep last night so was late up and struggled to get motivated to do anything.
Anyway after coffee I got some more revision done then had some lunch before whipping mum up to the eye unit, she has had a blurry eye since her cataract op, all is well but it was worth just checking in to be sure. We then popped into the local garden centre and had coffee and a scone - no jam no butter just a scraping of flora - get me!! :innocent0002:

Treated myself to a new Yankee candle as a reward for my half stone loss. I love yankee candles and have an extensive collection this new one is pineapple cilantro and is burning now and is heavenly!!

Did a practice exam question when I came home which went well and my confidence is ok regarding the exam. Not too confident but not panic mode which is just right.

Ooooh got some chocolate truffle coffee from the garden centre - 'Littles' its nice but as a coffee addict I have to prefer my plain black strong stuff. makes a pleasant change tho.

Right off to slice up some melon and get a coffee as nibbles before i do another practice exam question.

Later xx

hey sis, your doing fab, if I have done it right think I have subscribed so I can keep my eye on you lol and keep me on track!!!

Hey there, love the idea of the Yankee Candle as your half stone reward, you'll have it for ages so it'll be a great reminder of how far you've already come How were the potatoes with the mint? have got loads in my garden and never know what to do with it apart from make Mojitos haha x

Thanks sis, now get writing one of your own too!

Yeah, I didnt think about it like that either Nicola. 150hrs of burn time as I got the large jar candle so yep cool.

I always put plenty of mint in when I am boiling new potatoes it flavours them lovely, it also works well in peas too. Give it a try

I definitely will, anything to jazz up boiled potatoes!

So, I decide on 2 alpen lights and 3 babybels for super. Need a sweet fix.
Anyway, I has harvest morns so I got an apple and sultana one of those and a choc fudge alpen light.

I can see why harvest morns are so cheap now... meh they are tiny in comparison to alpen lights.

Here's hoping alpen lights are on offer tomorrow in mini morrisons x

They sometimes have Alpen Lights on offer in B&M if you've got one of them near you? Never too long left on the date but if your house is anything like mine they tend to be gone quite quickly anyway!

Here to subscribe! Well done on everything you've achieved so far xx

Thanks Nicola, off out tomorrow so will take a peek in home bargains and the like.. see if i can find some.

Welcome Tasha, thanks for the sub x

Feeling quite good this morning.

Had myself a lovely apple for brekkie so that metabolism has had a nice early kick start. Strange tho, when I eat breakfast I find I am hungrier than if I dont. Obvs a sign the metabolism is working.

Todays an anxious day with BF he has been away since October and has a meeting at some point today regarding his home coming. I am hoping and praying it is very soon. It is sooooo hard when he is away and although it has been good for us in that we have developed a closer intellectual/emotional bond without physical elements getting in the way I just miss snuggling in his arms with my head on his fluffy chest.

The exam is tomorrow, still feeling at peace about it. No doubt though the tensions will increase come tonight but a few nerves are never a bad thing. I like to think it keeps me alert. Normally for exams I always take a bag of M&S percy pigs to nibble. Well thanks to the flexibility of sw i can still take them. Each one is 1.5syns so I will count 10 out into a little bag for the exam - 15 syns. Spot on!

Right time to crack on with the day.. Good luck all xx

You could try grapes either! They're sweet, super free and yummy! And save your syns for a reward afterwards! xx

Good luck for your exam tomorrow

*SIGHHHHH*:wave_cry:

Well last night was a bit messy. I slipped off the wagon and devoured a bag of cashew nuts, a lump of cheese, 2 mini chocolate bars and a whole box of mikado daim.
Whooooops :sign0007:

The nerves for todays exam kicked in and I just went roaming the kitchen and eating. I am taking the advice I shared with gareth and reminding myself it is only one slip and just going to get right back on plan today. Feel almost guilty as I was doing so well and in the end I wasnt hungry but simply eating as a source of comfort.
Still the pre sw me would have eaten a big bag of crisps, a share bag of chocolates and ice cream and not thought twice I guess binging on what I did wasnt so bad in the scheme of things.

Feeling quite anxious about the exam today. It is from 3pm to 6pm but I have to be there for 2.30pm to complete forms and the like. Feel like I am under prepared and although I know as much as I am ever going to and will just re-read my revision notes this morning I cant help it. I so desperately want to get at least 70% so I get a grade 2 pass which will keep me on track for a 2.1 in my degree.

Heres hoping

:needhug:

Am feeling so very nervous now. I have to leave here in about half an hour to make sure that I get to the exam site in good time.

Feel sick with nerves. Managed to eat some lunch - salad, cottage cheese, smoked salmon and crabsticks with a couple of syns worth of salad cream.
Packed two alpen light bars and an apple to take with me along with energy drinks (sugar free of course).

Was gonna take some percy pigs but decided not to bother. I can save my syns for when I am home and enjoy some hoops and crosses and a nice frozen curly wurly. Yes, even though I went off plan I am having my daily 15 syns I am ignoring the slip but will be mindful of it when I wi on saturday morning.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo nervous!

I slipped up Monday so don't worry about it, did you work out the syns so you know how much you went over?

Nerves will disappear. Do you know how to breath properly to calm yourself down, an exam is just the same as when you sit down at home and do a mock, only difference is, difference environment and other people I sort of numb myself for things like that so I don't panic but I suffer with anxiety anyways and mild agoraphobia.

Good Luck!! :hug99::hug99:

The exam is over. My brain is dead. I am exhausted.

BUT I AM STILL ON PLAN...
*toddles off to make a stir fry and then vegetate on the sofa for the rest of the evening*