Nicola's Cuba Countdown

well done on your loss :)

Thank you! You've lost loads in the same time it's taken me to lose half of that, what's your secret?? x
 
Right am busy making tea for tonight, not sure how much of I'm going to eat yet so not sure how many syns I'll need, but even at this early stage I think it's going to be well worth it! :D

Snacks: Punnet of Strawberries
Dinner: Kebab & Chips - SW doner meat (will need anywhere between 5 and 12.5 syns, depending on how much I eat of the total at 25 syns), shredded red cabbage, shredded lettuce, tbsp chilli sauce (3 syns), SW chips (0.5 syns for spray oil), pitta bread (HEB) - so am anticipating a max of 16, which is fine since I only had 2.5 yesterday. Although there is a part of me wondering whether it'd be easier just to get the kebab meat from the kebab shop and do the sides only!! I don't think I'm saving that many syns since it's only 8 syns for the meat in a doner kebab bought at the shop, and I'm allowing more than that for my homemade version?!
 
Last edited:
Hello and welcome to my diary! :D My weigh-in is Wednesday evening, so I really want to be seeing 11st 13lbs on the scales by then so I can 1) get into the 11s and 2) get my stone award!! Am so, so determined! You look like you've done brilliantly, how long has it taken you? My journey's been a slow one so far! x

I've been doing this since 2010 but went off track at the end of 2012 and went from 12st to 15st and since January 2013 I've been back on and am now at 13.5 so slowly getting back there :D

Also, just meant to say your SW kebab meat how is it 25 syns? Aren't you making the syn free version? xx
 
I've been doing this since 2010 but went off track at the end of 2012 and went from 12st to 15st and since January 2013 I've been back on and am now at 13.5 so slowly getting back there :D

Also, just meant to say your SW kebab meat how is it 25 syns? Aren't you making the syn free version? xx

Ah well done you, you'll be back at your lowest before you know it :)

I'm making the kebab meat from the recipe below, it's the lamb mince with all the syns - 5 per 100g!!!

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon plain flour
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
500g/1.1 lb lamb mince

Method:
Preheat oven to gas mark 4/180C/350F

In a large bowl, combine the plain flour, dried oregano, dried Italian herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.

Add the lamb mince and mix thoroughly for 2-3 minutes. Take out all of your aggression on the kebab mixture, punching and kneading until no air pockets remain and the kebab meat is extremely smooth.

Shape the seasoned mince into a loaf and place on a baking tray.

Bake in the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes, turning the loaf half way through the cooking time to ensure even browning.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Slice the donor kebab as thinly as possible and serve with pitta, salad and sauces!!!
 
Oooh I always use extra lean lamb mince that's why :D

Where can you buy it?? I couldn't find it in either Tesco or Sainsbury's here :( Is it free if you use extra lean????
 
Where can you buy it?? I couldn't find it in either Tesco or Sainsbury's here :( Is it free if you use extra lean????

I got mine in Tescos, but we have a massive superstore one near here, I've also got it in Sainsburys though.
& yup, free wth extra lean pork mince xx
 
I got mine in Tescos, but we have a massive superstore one near here, I've also got it in Sainsburys though.
& yup, free wth extra lean pork mince xx

I'm going to have to write to my locals and tell them to get it in stock then! Can't wait to make this again and to be able to eat the whole lot haha!! :D
 
I definitely will, just had the one I made and it really does taste like the real thing! :D

So today I've had:

Breakfast: Berries & Low Fat Greek Yog (1 Syn)
Lunch: Cheese & Broccoli Pasta n Sauce with 125 mils SS Milk (half HEA)
Snack: Strawberries
Dinner: SW Doner Kebab in pitta bread with salad, chilli sauce and garlic yogurt sauce with SW Chips (HEB + 11.5 Syns in Total, ate about 1/3 of the meat)
Dessert: WW Milk & White Chocolate Mousse (2.5 Syns - only ate half as just didn't taste worth the syns!!)

Seriously stuffed now!!!

Summary: 1 x HEA, 1 x HEB, 15 Syns, no exercise (aching far too much from yesterday's Zumba!)
 
Last edited:
Glad you like the kebab recipe, do extra lean beef mince next time, tastes the same, and extra lean lamb mince is so hard to find,I used an egg to mix it when I used the beef, gave it a smoother texture and was easier to slice!
You're doing really well.keep up the good work! What's your goal weight? I haven't Been doing great.don't know what's wrong with me, feel like such a failure, inspiring to see how well you're doing though :) xx
 
I'll remember that next time if I use beef, going to slice up what's left over and freeze it so I've got easy fakeaways to hand! :D

My goal weight is 9st 7lbs, a long way away yet, and my losses are so slow despite me following plan 95% of the time - I'm hoping stopping the weigh-in night treats will help, but it's depressing when my tiny housemate follows plan for 2 days and loses 2 lbs when it would take me 2-3 weeks to achieve that! :( I thought you were doing well so far with being 100% on the food and getting into exercise?? Are you just having an off weekend? I really want chocolate today...

Breakfast: Turkey Rashers & Egg Butty (HEA & 1 Syn for brown sauce)
Snack: Raspberries (but really I want chocolate!)
Lunch: Aldi Mussels in White Wine Sauce over Linguine (2 Syns for the mussels for an entire pack - recommended by someone in my group)
Dinner: Thai Red Fish Curry from the Asia cookbook (2 Syns)

And a Daim bar that is winking at me from the coffee table is a distinct possibility - 7.5 Syns, is it worth it?!
 
Last edited:
Good morning (afternoon).

Food is looking good for today, I haven't even woken up properly to plan my meals. I know for sure I'm going to enjoy some cheese on toast at some point today :D
 
Afternoon! :D The only reason I know what I'm eating is because I sat down and planned my menus from the entire week on Friday evening (rock and roll haha!) and then went shopping for all the ingredients on Sat morning, which then gives me no excuse to go off plan! Am just waiting for the roads to reopen after the marathon at the moment so I can head down to the gym - suppose I should walk there really as my warm-up instead of waiting for the roads to open, but it's a good 45 mins and I'm just too lazy on Sundays haha! :D

Might have to plan in some cheese on toast for next week, haven't had that in aaaaages! x
 
Ooh gym on a Sunday, you're good :D I was going to go swimming today however I did go to Legs, Bums & Tums yesterday and will be hitting the gym tomorrow after work so decided having a lazy day was not too bad!
Hope you have a nice day xx
 
Ooh gym on a Sunday, you're good :D I was going to go swimming today however I did go to Legs, Bums & Tums yesterday and will be hitting the gym tomorrow after work so decided having a lazy day was not too bad!
Hope you have a nice day xx

1 lazy day a week is definitely allowed :D

Updates for today...

Breakfast: Turkey Rashers & Egg Butty (HEB & 1 Syn for brown sauce)
Exercise: 30 mins on bike and 5 mins on rower at gym
Lunch: Aldi Mussels in White Wine Sauce over Linguine (2 Syns) - very filling so a bargain at 2 syns!
Dinner: Still not hungry after lunch so saving red curry for another night
Snacks: Raspberries & Pineapple, 30g Cheddar (HEA), and a Pink n White (2.5 Syns)

Summary: 1 x HEA, 1 x HEB, 5.5 Syns, 35mins exercise (and I resisted the Daim Bar!) :D

WP_000272.jpg
 
Last edited:
Well I'm unofficially in the 11s as of this morning!! Woohoo!! :D 11st 13lbs on the scales at home, would love to see that on the scales at weigh-in on Weds! :D

Another good day today... busy at work with back to back meetings but was prepared with a bag full of fruit and salmon for my lunch so all I had to do was buy a salad from the canteen :)

Exercise: 10 min run & 30 mins bike at gym (finally finished my book, love a good happy ending! probably looked a bit of an idiot grinning away while cycling haha)
Breakfast: Mullerlight Turkish Delight (surprisingly good, will be buying again!), Tea (0.5 Syns)
Snack: Pineapple
Lunch: Smoked Salmon Fillet, Mixed Salad, New Potatoes in BBQ Sauce (2 Syns), Tea (0.5 Syns)
Snack: Raspberries
Dinner: Spaghetti Bolognese with Salad (had planned to have parmesan as HEA but it had gone mouldy... boooo! :( )
Snack: 2 Ryvita Fruit Crisp (HEB) with little tub of Chocolate Philadelphia (4.5 Syns), 30g Tabasco Cheddar (HEA)

Updated Summary: 1 x HEA, 1 x HEB, 7.5 Syns, 40 mins Exercise

Update: HEA and a HEB used up by having Ryvita Fruit Crisp with Choccy Philly and a block of cheese to take to bed! All very tasty!! :D
 
Last edited:
Well done for getting into the 11's & for all that excercise xx

Thank you! Going to be angelic until weigh-in to make sure it sticks!! I'll be gutted if the scales at class still show 12st something!!
 
Back
Top