Tracey's healthy yummy lovely journey

[newbee89]

Hi sweetie, food is looking yummy today!
How was Zumba? How old is your little sister?
Ooooo how exciting about your holiday, not long to go! You will have to tell us all about the weather! I am off to Tenerife in July which i am mega excited for... that and the waterpark!
I had my eyebrows threaded for the first time last weekend and i've come up in lots of little spots above my eyebrow where she did it, can't get rid of them and they're all sore and look a right mess! Maybe I should try waxing next time xxx

Hello lady

Sorry I haven't been online all week as I was on holidays. Had such a good time, you'll have a ball in Tenerife. We were in Fuerteventura which is another canary island and the weather was gorgeous and there was so much to do. Do you love waterparks? I'm no good for that stuff. I go and take pictures of OH going down the slides haha! I use the pools etc but I don't go on the slides. Wish I was more fearless but I am no good with them!

I had the exact same problem when I had my eyebrows threaded and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone ever since. She actually ripped my skin and I had a cut above my eye for a week, it looked awful. Since then I've stuck with waxing and that works perfect for me

How have you been? xx

Hey hun
how are u getting on? xx

Hiya I'm good, just logged on for the first time in like 10 days so just catching up. I hope you are well

Hope your having a fab holiday huni!!! x

Thank you hun

 

[newbee89]

Well hello there everyone,

I think I am officially having minimins withdrawals.

I have returned from what was the most incredible holiday imagineable. It was everything I hoped for and more. We went to an island called Fuerteventura. It is a Canary Island that is something like 6,000km from Morocco. It is a beautiful place! The more popular place to go when there is Corralejo but we went to the less built-up area of Caleta De Fuste and it was just perfection. There was so much choice when it came to dining and lots of bars, beautiful beaches, and lots of activities. The whole place is just so clean and safe. I loved that about it. I'm not a massive partier. I can get in to that frame of mind every now and then but in general I prefer a more relaxed scene with a nice meal and a few glasses of wine. I can't relax in loud night-clubby places and I just find them really grubby and negative. I am not a prude or stuck up at all, it's just how I've come to be. I don't think it's because I'm not single either, it's just a general feeling. Don't get me wrong though, I have had some great random nights where we all got silly drunk and danced the night away in the dingiest of places. I suppose it's just not really my thing at the moment. So Fuerteventua suited me perfectly. We went for some amazing meals - Indian, steak house, Italian and LOTS of yummy seafood which I am really happy about because I adore seafood but never seem to really eat much of it when I am away, or even when I am at home for that matter - and I have no idea why! So lots of rich delicious food was had as was wine, cocktails and Sangria. We actually went to nice restaurants, not touristy british 'egg and chips' type places. We spent most of our money on nice meals and that is something we will always be OK with. Some people think meals are a waste and I couldn't think of anything better than spending money on a nice meal. We had some unbelievable culinary experiences and I will get in to them a little bit later.

I got pretty burnt so I am currently sporting a very red nose and forehead. We did a lot of lazing about in cafes, beaches, pools etc but we also did some pretty cool activities during the week too. We went to the waterpark which was great fun (despite me being terrible for that kind of thing, lol. I take pictures of OH on the slides haha), then one day it rained so we spent €24.50 each to spend the day in a spa and it was amazing. Lots of thermal baths and headed pools. It was divine and a great alternative to sulking in the rain. Then on our second last day we went out on a Dune Buggy Trip. These are basically like quads but you are down lower and you are strapped in to it and go side by side sort of like a car. These things can go VERY fast so it was a bit wild of me if I do say so myself I felt like quite the rebel. It was an amazing day. We followed a guide and drove through the Volcanos and alone the coast for miles and miles. It was an entire day trip and some of the coastal drives were so beautiful it took out breath away. It was such a cool experience and probably the best thing we did on the whole holiday. Again, it was pricey at €50 each but it was a full day and it was 100% worth the money. We also stopped half way for lunch in this incredible cafe and had one of our most memorable meals there so that was lovely.

So here I am now, sitting at my desk in dreary rainy Ireland wishing I could rewind back a week. That's the thing about holidays though, they end. Man I was so down when I got back. It took me by surprise because when we arrived back at 4am on Sunday I was so happy to see my bed etc and had a lovely sleep. Then I woke up on Sunday and reality hit - all the suitcases that had to be unpacked, all the clothes that had to be washed, and the reality of work the next day. I even shed a few tears because I felt so depressed about being home. We just had such an amazing time together and it's been a long time since it was just me and OH for a week with no stress or work or other people. Sounds corny but I feel like I fell in love all over again. It was amazing.

Anyway, I am over it now and must not have a pity-party. I have about 12 weeks till my next holiday, yes next one... We are going away in August with a group of my family. It's not booked yet but will be soon - most likely Spain. That is a really nice amount of time to lose a serious amount of weight. It's three months!

I suspect I gained about 5/6 pounds in the week as I always do so this week is about getting back to where I was and then making some SERIOUS progress. I feel a whole new level of comittment to food and exercise. I'll be continuing with my food diaries here and as always am so excited to dive straight back in to minimins as it is an invaluable source of support for me. I will be sticking to SW, exercising at least 3 times per week and learning to say NO to things. I have realised that (with the help of Vintagepockets, thank you pet) that I can't have it all. If I want to lose this weight something has gotta give. I need to say no to some social occassions and if I go out I need to syn my alcohol. I also need to say goodbye to wine for a while. Nothing changes till something changes. I have a lot of weight to lose so I should be getting a 2lb or so weightloss a week when I am really sticking to the plan. So here I am, with one very good day ahead of me and another in full swing. I cannot wait to see progress.

My plan is that by mid-August (holiday) I want to be half way through my challenge! Thats 2.5 stone I want to lose in three months and I KNOW I can do it.

Photos and Food Diaries to come..

It is so good be be back Let's do this!!

 

[newbee89]

Yesterday's Food Diary...

Breakfast - Fruit (melon, grapes, pineapple) & a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice (2)

Lunch - a banana, wholemeal pitta bread (HexB) with a marinated Salmon Fillet (I make these out to be free, No oil added and all dry spices - It's hot smoked) with spinach and rocket leaves, tomatoes and 2 laughing cow lights (HexA) followed by a 0% fat pineapple yoghurt

Snack - Packet of Tayto Johnny Onion Rings (5.5) not planned but my day was awol and I was starving and this was the first thing I saw in the shop that I could afford, lol.

Dinner - Salmon Fillet (again, salmon day lol) Broccoli, peas, 2 mini corn on the cob and two roast potatoes sprinkled with Nandos Piri Piri Salt
1 teaspoon of butter (3)

Snack - cup of tea with skimmed milk (HexA) tiny taste of Ricotta (I had never tried it before other than in Canelloni) (.5)

HexA - 2 laughing cow light and some skimmed milk in my tea
HexB - Wholemeal Pitta Bread

Syns - 11/15

A very good day.



Today's Food Diary...

Breakfast - Half a wholemeal pitta bread (1/2 HexB) with 35g of Ricotta (2.5) half of a banana and a drizzle of honey (1)
This was SO good. I got the inspiration from HoneyOc of course

Lunch - Half of an Oyster sauce, ginger and spring onion stir fry sauce (3) with Quorn, mushrooms, green peppers, ginger, garlic and 1 nest of noodles
followed by a 0% fat strawberry yoghurt

Dinner - Chilli made with extra lean mince, mushrooms, peppers, garlic, ginger, mixed beans, tins chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, chilli powder, smoked paprika and cinamin served with brown rice, dollop of low fat greek yoghurt (2) and 1/2 HexA reduced fat cheddar. The other half of my pitta bread on the side

Dessert - Fresh Pineapple and camomile tea

HexA - milk in 1 coffee, 20g reduced fat cheddar cheese
HexB - 1 wholemeal pitta bread

Syns - 8.5/15 at the moment

 

[newbee89]

The salmon I am currently obsessed with. It is SO good. I read the ingredients and it seems the marinade is all dry free ingredients and no oil is added so it seems free to me. I got it in Aldi, so you have Aldi in the UK? It was unbelievably flavourful and so good in a pitta bread with salad.





Yummy!





This morning's beautiful breakfast inspired by HoneyOc, thank you girl





Not very slimming world friendly but i made this on sunday to try and bring some holidays back to Ireland as we had this a lot (Bruschetta, my favourite) and a salad with avocado and various other lovely things. So gorgeous!

 

[newbee89]

I tried to upload like 25 photos here. They uploaded but then the bar just disappeared and I can't see them anywhere. Can anyone help or tell me what the best way to upload photos from your computer is?

Thanks

 

[jadeelizabeth]

Glad you had an amazing holiday huni, sounds like you had so much fun!!! Not uploaded photo's from my PC before so can't help their sorry! x

 

[vintagepockets]

Sounds like you had a lovely time hun and I hope your first day back at work was ok. At least you have another holiday to look forward to so that's something positive to focus on! Aww I'm glad I helped - I have my fingers and toes crossed for you that you have great losses before your hols!

That salmon sounds great and I'd count it as free too. In fact I've just added it to my shopping list! There's an Aldi near my house so I'll be popping by and picking some up once we're back in Manchester xxx

 

[newbee89]

Gorgeous quorn and vegetable stirfry which was yesterday's lunch





Yesterdays dinner. I ended up making more of a bollognaisse than a chilli. Packed with superfree! Leftovers for lunch today too which is a huge plus.





All the veg that went in to the above bollognaisse





All chopped and ready for breakfast tomorrow. Mmm I love fresh pineapple.

Here's today's food diary...

I went over my syns by a few which is annoying but it's not a huge deal either.

Breakfast - 1 wholemeal pitta (hexB) with ricotta (2.5) half a banana and a drizzle of honey (1) omg so good, i am obsessed with this breakfast

Lunch - leftover pasta bollognaisse and grapes

Snack - coffee with hexb milk and 2 fig rolls (6) tasty but not worth 3 syns each popcorn (5)

Dinner - I was too tired and lazy to cook so i had another wholemeal pitta (7) with another one of those amazing hot smoked tuna fillets, cheese (hexa + 3) and some salsa (1) and it was gorgeous

Snack - fresh pineapple

Hexa - milk in 1 tea and some reduced fat cheese
Hex b - wholemeal pita

Syns - 22.5

Wouldn't have happend if i had of made a proper dinner. Oh well!

Plan for tomorrow is as follows...

Breakfast - freah pineapple with low fat greek yoghurt (2), honey (.5) and 2 syns worth of muesli

Lunch - sausage and veg cassarole (OH makes a gorgeous one with veg, choritzo, low fat sausages, smoked paprika and tins of chopped tomatoes. I didn't pack sausages in mine so just(1) for the choritzo
Pita
Packet of popcorn (5)
A yoghurt
Grapes

Dinner - won't really have one as such. I'm going to another Zumba class after work so I'll just be having a mugshot/banana or something before the class and after I am planning on having some melon with parma ham before bed.

I'll use my HexA on milk in coffee in work as I'll need one to make me up after work in time for zumba.
HexB is wholemeal pita

Syns - 5.5/15 at the momenf

 

[newbee89]

Sounds like you had a lovely time hun and I hope your first day back at work was ok. At least you have another holiday to look forward to so that's something positive to focus on! Aww I'm glad I helped - I have my fingers and toes crossed for you that you have great losses before your hols!

That salmon sounds great and I'd count it as free too. In fact I've just added it to my shopping list! There's an Aldi near my house so I'll be popping by and picking some up once we're back in Manchester xxx

Hi Hun,

Sorry I am only seeing this now - no idea why. Did you pick up the salmon? It's so gorgeous. I'll be having it today which will be my third time this week. It's just so full of flavour and so versatile. In a pita bread is lovely, or with rice or salad. It is so tasty. Let me know how you get on! They have different flavours but the one I got I loved so I just stuck to that when I went back TWICE this week, haha. Not the cheapest at €1.99 each but for once a week or so it's very worth it. I am actively trying to eat more fish anyway.

Yes, you have really helped me so thank you so much for that. Changes needed to be made and you really contributed to me realizing that. No point in me being so good in some ways and ruining it in others. You'r support means a lot to me!

x

 

[newbee89]

Happy Friday Everyone,

Would you believe I STILL haven't read anyone's diary since I got back. That is so annoying because I love reading them :cry:I have just been SO busy. It's literally taken me about 5 days to get back in to the swing of things after that holiday. I was very lazy in work because I just couldn't get back in to that frame of mind and now I am playing major catch-up so this will be a very busy Friday for me but I have nobody to blame but little old me.

Anyway, finally feel like I am back to reality now and thankfully the one thing I have been doing is sticking to plan. I've gone over my syns a bit two days this week but other than that I have been really good. I am drinking tonnes of water which I feel is really making a difference. I am just back to really enjoying my food again and cooking and eating lots of vegetables and tasty dishes. I genuinely feel a sense of commitment that I haven't felt before. I think it's because with the challenge I have to stick to a timeline and people ask me about it and I want to tell them positive things as people are donating. It's a good feeling.

Before I left for holidays I was about 9 pounds down in total. I have weighed myself and looks like I gained about 6 pounds while I was away. From what I can see I have lost about 3lb this week of that which is brilliant. I have decided to do an official weigh-in on Tuesday week so that's giving myself another week to lose the other 3lb and hopefully by then I will be back where I was. The following week is when I am re-joining Slimming World and I hope to be down a total of 10lb by then. Here are my targets for the near future

By Monday 3rd June - be back to my pre-holiday weight
By Monday 10th June - be down 10lb in total
By the end of June - be down over 1 stone in total
By mid-August - be down 2.5 stone in total

So those are my timelines. I know that losing 1.5 stone between end of June and mid August is a lot. It's only 6/7 weeks but I am determined to be so disciplined and have some big losses in that time. I want to be about half way through my challenge by then. I really feel I can do it and it's keeping me focused and motivated thinking about it. Other people in my class have done it before when they were really motivated and committed and that's the place I am in now, and it will be staying this way.

Yesterday's Food Diary...

Again I went over my syns. Not by many though. I was just starving when I got in from Zumba at about 8.30pm and we hadn't really planned anything for dinner so we ordered a take-away, but a 'good' one. I only ate a normal portion and felt satisfied but not sickly full or rotten after it so I didn't feel guilty or anything.

Breakfast - muesli (2) lf greek yoghurt (1.5) fresh pineapple and drizzle of honey (1) such a nice breakfast.

snack - 2 fig rolls (6) I seem to just get so hungry at about 12 which is an hour from my lunch. Will work on having a go-to lower syn and healthier snack.

Lunch - whoelmeal pita with sausage and chickpea cassarole (1 syn for choritzo and 1 for lf sausage) it was packed with superfree and it was amazing! packet of popcorn (5)

snack - grapes

Dinner - Singapore noodles from take away, normal portion on a plate nothing too big (7)

HexA - Milk in a coffee
HexB - Wholemeal pitta

Syns - 24.5

OK so went over by 9.5 but it's not the end of the world and I feel really good. I also did Zumba both nights and sweated a LOT.


Plan for today.

I am going for a meal tonight with my mam and two aunties. The day will definitely be over syns but I am DEFINITELY making good choices. There will be wine and I just don't have the syns for it but I plan to go for a big walk tomorrow which I hope will in some way make up for that. It's a normal day up till dinner in the restaurant but unlike normal times I will be chosing the absolute lowest fat option and I will have to be strong. Usually I love their chicken wings and their potato gratin but both are riddled with syns so I'll be going for something a lot healthier.

breakfast - Nutra Grain Bar as I was late leaving this morning and the shop on the way to work had no fruit salad (6.5)

lunch - Hot Smoked Salmon Fillet (obsessed) with spinach leaves, tomato, two laughing cow light (HexA)
packet of popcorn (5)

Dinner - ????

So I'll be way over syns today but I am hoping that if I make good choices tonight it won't affect me too much.

I am determined to have a really good weekend too

 

[newbee89]

Monday again and another week full of activities and promise eh? I am actually feeling really positive at the moment. I am feeling really grateful for all the things in my life at the moment, and most importantly the people. I have the best family and boyfriend a girl could wish for. So today is a day of gratitude.

I had a lovely weekend. I am not going to do a food diary for the weekend because I didn't stick to SW as such. I stuck to the main principles but it would have been impossible to stick to it completely because Friday night was a meal out, Saturday was a sleepover in my aunts and a visit to a farmers market and Sunday was lunch out and the cinema. I made really good decisions the whole weekend though, apart from a few minor ones.

I weighed myself this morning and I had maintained my weight from Friday which I am delighted about. Now it's crunch-time and I plan to have a fabulous weekend of healthy eating and exercise.

Plan for today -

breakfast - a kiwi, low fat greek yoghurt (1) drizzle of honey (1) and hexb Muesli
lunch - 2 slices wholemeal bread (6) light mayonaisse (1) salad, tomatoes, parma ham (is this syn free?) and a packet of velvet crunch (5)
Dinner - M&S Prawn and Chicken Paella (6) with a side of vegetables

Snack - I may be meeting a friend for coffee after work which will involve possible a baked potato (2 for coleslaw and HexB cheese) but I am not entirely sure yet.

This means I am over my syns by 7 today which is really such a pain, but the problem is that we haven't gone shopping yet so a sandwhich was my only choice for lunch today and the bread is costing me 6 syns!! Grrrr I will have 10 syns tomorrow to make up for it.

REALLY need a good loss this week so I need to be really excellent. Today is an example of poor planning and what happens when the shopping hasn't been done!!

 

[vintagepockets]

Parma ham is 0.5 syns per slice xx

 

[Bettyboop23]

mail x

 

[newbee89]

My lunch yesterday. So gorgeous! Hot Smoked Salmon from Aldi, Erin Lowfat savoury rice (1.5) and salad. Delicious and filling! I'm hoping the Hot Smoked Salmon is free...





Last night's dinner. All free! Burger made with extra lean mince, salt, pepper and worchester sauce, roasted vegetables (courgette, peppers and mushrooms - SO GOOD) salad leaves, hexA feta cheese and a 'fried' egg.





Sat down to have a peach for breakfast and found a slug on top of it It was pre-packed in a pack of 6 from Lidl. RAAAAGING.



Had a really low day yesterday. Felt sad about certain things and cried a lot. Ended up having a bath and an early night. Feel better today but still a bit of a niggly anxious feeling there.

Food Diary to come!

 

[newbee89]

Parma ham is 0.5 syns per slice xx

Oh good to know, thank you!

mail x

I just replied

 

[newbee89]

Hi Everyone,

Had a bit of a low day yesterday but thankfully it didn't lead to comfort eating. I was walking through the shopping centre and very nearly went in to McDonalds but I stopped myself. It ended up being a very good day food wise but a very hormonal day otherwise. It came on me all of a sudden and I can still feel the tail end of it today. I ended up having a bath and an earlyish night. I hope this feeling passes.

Yesterday's Food Diary

breakfast - 1 slice wholemeal bread (HexB) with Rocotta (2.5) and drizzle of honey (1) with a banana. My favourite mid-week breakfast. So tasty and filling but really quick to make and eat on the go. I am usually stuffing it in my mouth walking to the bus stop.

lunch - Hot Smoked Salmon Fillet from Aldi. I really hope these are free! They seem oily but there is no oil in the ingredients. Had this with erin lowfat savoury rice (1.5) and salad

Snack - a plum and a 0% fat yoghurt

Dinner - extra lean mince burger, roasted vegetables (courgette, peppers and mushrooms) roasted in a bit of olive oil spray (I LOVE this) (1.5) HexA feta cheese and a 'fried' egg on top. This was so tasty (picture above)

Snack - Big bowl of fruit salad (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, melon and grapes) cup of tea (rest of HexA skimmed milk)

HexA - 50g feta cheese and skimmed milk in 1 tea
HexB - 1 slice of wholemeal brown bread

Syns - 6.5/15

Really delighted with how that day went. It was thoroughly needed! Feeling good

 

[newbee89]

Really looking forward to Zumba tonight. they say you release endorphines when you exercise and I could do with some of those today. Still feeling a bit low and my boss being a complete *** to me doesn't help. He is really a pain!

Anyway, plan for today is as follows -

Breakfast - banana, small glass of 100% fruit smoothie (2) and a 0% fat yoghurt

lunch - Wholemeal pita with HexA reduced fat cheese, scallion, green pepper, tomato and turkey slices all melted together and served on toasted pitta. Packet of skips (4) and a plum

Dinner - Turkey stirfry with egg noodles, turkey breast, mushrooms, courgette, asparagus, peppers, and garlic. made with soy sauce and half a pack of stir fry sachet (3)

post-zumba - bowl of fruit with fat free natural yoghurt and a cup of tea.

HexA - 40g reduced fat cheddar
Hex B - Wholemeal pita bread

Syns - at the moment I am on about 10 including 1 syn to cover the dribble of milk in my cup of tea. I am really hungry right now so I am debating about whether or not to have a fig roll (3) or just have my plum and guzzle the water till my lunch at 1pm. Hmm, decisions. Either way I'll be within syns, but it would be lovely to stop at 10 for today. It would give me the boost I need!

 

[jadeelizabeth]

Hi huni, happy hump day!
Hope you're feeling a little better, i'm sure Zumba will help
Your food always looks so yummy, where do you shop? xxx

 

[Applekath]

Looks more like a tiny snail lol.


Sorry you had a low day but well done for not turning to the bad stuff food wise. A hot bath and a soak can do wonders.

Hope you're having a good day today

 

[xJoanneJJx]

Sorry I haven't posted here for a while, always reading though! Hope you're feeling a bit better today enjoy Zumba xx

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