Nicola's Cuba Countdown

[MissNix]

Morning everyone!

Good start to today with Magic Pancakes, how can something so good actually be good for me?? Am kind of getting the hang of this Success Express malarkey, although have to confess I was feeling a bit hungry by last night but just couldn't face any more fruit, so maybe only having 2 meals in a day doesn't work with this plan. So today I'd planned on just 2 meals but I'm slotting a salad in the middle to try and keep myself topped up during the day.

Have been invited to a BBQ this afternoon and don't know how to handle it foodwise as the host (my housemate's boyfriend, who I don't know very well yet) has already bought all the food, so I don't know if it's rude of me to bring my own food so I can stay on plan.... or whether I allow myself one burger/sausage and just syn it... have sent a text to ask if there's anything I can bring and have suggested salad, so at least I should be able to eat that if nothing else And am picking up some syn-free / low syn beer on the way so I can feel like I'm properly joining in!

The plan for today (with exception of BBQ)...

Breakfast: Magic Pancakes (HEB), Strawberries, Banana
Exercise: 30 Day Shred
Lunch: Smoked Salmon Salad
BBQ: TBC (have checked syns in advance - 4.5 per Sausage, 2.5 per Beef Burger - just need to balance whatever I eat with 2/3 superfree)
Dinner: Roast Chicken, Roast Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Parsnips, Sugarsnap Peas, Broccoli

 

[Laurenypop]

Do you not know you get 2 HEBs with SE?? Lol. Poor you, use your other one for a snack, no wonder you're starving!

 

[MissNix]

Do you not know you get 2 HEBs with SE?? Lol. Poor you, use your other one for a snack, no wonder you're starving!

Oh I'm making full use of the extra HEAs and HEBs, just haven't got them planned in for today yet!! Am thinking of getting some halloumi for the BBQ to use up my HEAs, and then I can use the other HEB on having a roll with a burger/sausage!

I was hungry despite using them all up yesterday! Should have had some supper to make up for missing breakfast I think

 

[Laurenypop]

Ahhh I see I don't often have the extra B and I don't need the A...but it's great that its there as I can see myself getting quite hungry on SE otherwise.

 

[MissNix]

Yeah me too! The extras make it so worth it

I conquered the BBQ - need to check a few syns but think I should be roughly within limits, yay!

Breakfast: Magic Pancakes (HEB), Strawberries, Banana
Exercise: 30 Day Shred
Snack: Apple
BBQ: Beef Burger (3.5), 2 Pork Skewers (10?), Bread Roll (HEB), 70g Halloumi (2 x HEA), 1 tbsp Ketchup (1), lots and lots of Salad & 2 Sainsbury's Low Alcohol Czech Lagers (1)
Snack: Mullerlight

Summary: 2 x HEA, 2 x HEB, 15.5 Syns, 30 Day Shred

I think I did ok! Totally guessing at the pork skewer things, they were from a butcher and can't find anything similar on Syns Online, chinese flavoured- any guesses?

 

[Laurenypop]

Seems to be about 130 calories in most if them, so that's about 6 1/2 syns each? However morrisons Chinese style skewers are a mere 67 calories! Might actually have to go get some that's awesome lol =D I imagine they're the snack size ones though

 

[MissNix]

Thanks Lauren! They'd have a free food allowance with being meat, so that should reduce them slightly from the 6.5 they'd get from the basic 20 kcals per syn calculations? Where did you look to get the calories? Might put the details into the syns calculator and see what it throws out!

 

[LauraLoo]

Morning all! I am sooo happy it's the weekend and I can chill, it's felt like a busy week! Am just sat here waiting for it to get hot enough to be able to lie out on the sunlounger, have got a stack of magazines ready and waiting to be read, and a little snooze in the sun will be just what the doctor ordered as woke up with a bit of a sore throat this morning... as if I need any excuse though haha!

Me and the scales are temporarily friends this morning, they're saying 11st 5.5lbs! Hope that sticks for Wednesday (and a bit more off ideally!) and it's not just my body being a bit dehydrated after yesterday's G&Ts - I did switch to soda water at about 9pm, so am hoping that's not the case and the loss is real! As I wasn't feeling too tiptop I went back to bed and didn't wake up til 1.30pm, oops! But on the plus side I now feel much better

Have got loads of lovely food planned for today, it's great when you're excited about every meal!!

Brunch: Chicken, Mango & Goats Cheese (HEA x 2) Salad (sounds odd but it's amazing, and fruit's a great way of getting that 2/3 superfree in) with a WW Petit Pain (HEB) and Cherries
Snacks: Apple
Dinner: Monkfish with Cherry Tomatoes, Chilli & Garlic, New Potatoes & Green Veg (0.5 for 7 Sprays Oil)
Pudding: WW Yogurt
Snacks: Daim Bar (7.5), Ryvita Fruit Crunch (HEB) & Choccy Philly (4.5 Syns), Frozen Grapes

Summary: 2 x HEA, 2 x HEB, 12.5 Syns, day off from exercise

View attachment 95033 View attachment 95054

These look yummy!!

 

[LauraLoo]

My fave SW pancake recipe is this one btw....

American Style Breakfast | Slimming Eats - Slimming World Recipes

I know, not syn free but without the maple syrup, only 2 syns and that little bit flour and baking powder really improves them! The magic pancakes are OK I think, but these taste soooo much better - I add a bit extra vanilla essence too! I admit I usually have maple syrup though, cos I love it on them lol - I do measure it out though, too easy to go overboard!

 

[Laurenypop]

Thanks Lauren! They'd have a free food allowance with being meat, so that should reduce them slightly from the 6.5 they'd get from the basic 20 kcals per syn calculations? Where did you look to get the calories? Might put the details into the syns calculator and see what it throws out!

My Fitness Pal =) and yes very true gotta be less!

 

[MissNix]

My fave SW pancake recipe is this one btw....

American Style Breakfast | Slimming Eats - Slimming World Recipes

I know, not syn free but without the maple syrup, only 2 syns and that little bit flour and baking powder really improves them! The magic pancakes are OK I think, but these taste soooo much better - I add a bit extra vanilla essence too! I admit I usually have maple syrup though, cos I love it on them lol - I do measure it out though, too easy to go overboard!

Ooh they look nice, might have to try them! Not a fan of maple syrup so that would be 2 syns saved!

My Fitness Pal =) and yes very true gotta be less!

Ooh I signed up for that and still haven't used it, will have to log on and have a look around

 

[MissNix]

Evening lovelies!

Day 5 of Success Express and I think maybe I could be converted, I'm getting used to this and feel great for all the fruit and veg I'm eating! The extra HEA and HEB just make it so flexible, love it!

Housemate just put up pics on Facebook from Friday evening and I'm so happy with the photos I could cry! My arms look slim and toned, my multiple chins are 100% gone, and now all I need to sort out is the colour of my skin which continues to be as ridiculously pale as ever! I can only imagine how good I'm going to feel when I get to target! It really makes all the effort worth it



Today's summary...

Breakfast: WW Yogurt, All Bran Choc Crunch (HEB), Banana
Lunch: Small Jacket Potato, Tuna Mayo (1 Syn for 2tbsp Extra Light Mayo), Huge Salad & Syn-free Dressing
Snacks: Raspberries
Exercise: Zumba
Dinner: Monday Roast (Sainsbury's Chicken in Gravy - free!) with Roast Potatoes, Broccoli, Sugarsnap Peas, Butternut Squash & Carrots
Dessert: Peach & Apricots
Snacks: 40g Reduced Fat Cheddar (HEA), Frozen Grapes

Summary: 1 x HEA, 1 x HEB, 1 Syn, 50 mins Exercise

Don't feel like I need the extra HEA and HEB (haven't even eaten dessert and snacks as above yet and it's 9pm!) so am not going to have them, shouldn't be a problem should it??

 

[*Emsie*]

Re: Nicola will be taking 3 stone less luggage to Las Vegas!

Just poping on and thought would sub x

 

[MissNix]

Just poping on and thought would sub x

Welcome to my little corner Emsie!

 

[OpalLilyEats]

Looking fab in the photos!! Bet that was such a NSV!!

 

[MissNix]

Looking fab in the photos!! Bet that was such a NSV!!

Aw thanks, and totally!! It feels a long way away from the NYE photos where I really wasn't looking my best!

 

[Pinknails2012]

You look lovely in those photos, beaming doing so well x

 

[MissNix]

You look lovely in those photos, beaming doing so well x

Aw thank you Really hope the scales get a shift on this week so they can reflect the way I'm feeling! x

 

[Jodieboo]

You look beautiful Nic!

 

[MissNix]

You look beautiful Nic!

Aw thank you too! I'm going to get quite big-headed with all these lovely compliments!!


Last proper Success Express day today before tomorrow's weigh-in, when I'll just be eating everything as light as possible rather than true Success Express principles! Very busy day at work so am hoping all the running around might have helped shift another half pound?? They were still stuck at 11st 5.5lbs tomorrow, so it's looking like official weigh-in will probably be around that mark too unless something radical happens overnight! Not quite the huge loss I was hoping for, but it'll still be a loss!

Exercise: 30 Day Shred at home followed by 20 mins in the gym at work (10 mins bike, 10 mins treadmill) - was exhausted by the end of that!!
Breakfast: All Bran Choc Crunch (HEB), WW Yogurt, Banana, Tea (0.5)
Snack: Apple
Lunch: Bernard Matthews Tikka Turkey, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Peppers, Syn free Dressing, Diet Coke
Dinner: Aldi Thai Red Curry Salmon Fillet, Mini Roasties, Roast Butternut Squash & Roast Tomatoes
Snacks: Raspberries

Summary: 0 x HEA, 1 x HEB, 0.5 Syns, 50 mins Exercise

Hope this hard work pays off, I have never in my life eaten so much fruit and veg!!

Edit: Never ate cheese in the end so no HEAs today... oops!