Feeling Fruity...

Since the beginning of forever I've always struggled with snacking. I'll eat even when I'm not hungry or use it as some kind of distraction from what I really should be doing, usually work! I've got terrible self control too which really doesn't help. After using the WeightWatchers plan and getting used to the "fruit and veg is unlimited" thing I had to keep reminding myself that just because it's 0 points doesn't mean it's 0 calories.On the WeightWatchers plan I tend to use vegetables to bulk out my meal without feeling guilty and it's working just fine, however when I have lost 10lbs and return to real-life I'll have to be aware of the nutritional value in foods. I could (and have been known to) eat 6 or 7 bananas in a day. I bloody love bananas, on WeightWatchers (in theory) this is okay but a 100g banana can contain 100calories.. 700calories on just bananas is a little bit mental. This has lead me to find ways to snack on healthy foods in moderation. This is where a home-made fruit pot comes in! 

I used - 

- 1 clementine

-  small bananas

- 1 medium apple

- 7 red grapes

- 7 green grapes

and 2 clean, large yogurt pots.

I peeled and chopped both bananas and the clementine, used a super cool apple slicer to remove the core of the apple and slice it evenly and rinsed off the grapes before sharing everything evenly between the two pots. 

Each pot comes to approximately 144calories. As a snack this is less than your average bag of crisps, chocolate bar and only around 5 calories more than a can of regular Coke! I find that pre-preparing any snacks I know I like means that I only eat what I've already prepared and they're easy to grab out the fridge and take wherever you're going.. for me that's usually out to a friend's house or somewhere like the cinema where there are plenty of temptations!

For more of a treat you could add frozen yogurt or for those who are blessed enough to not need to focus on the calorie count, ice-cream.. one of my favourite extras is either some frozen chocolate buttons or granola, I love granola!

This can also be turned into a breakfast parfait by layering your selection of fruit with yogurt and granola or your choice of cereal and then refrigerating overnight until the morning. 

So, an obvious but healthy way to snack without going overboard.

Are you one to pick fruit over pick 'n' mix or does your sweet tooth take over??

Love, 

Who you gonna call? Weight Watchers..?

Excuse the title. I'm fully aware of quite how crap it is, but I wanted to add another angle to my blog.

After succeeding on Weight Watchers Online last year I decided to re-join after letting go a little too much for the last six months.. I don't want to "fad diet" or cut carbs because all of that is temporary, I want to change my lifestyle to incorporate much healthier aspects with the occasional indulgence.

My initial weight was ....... 11stone 11lbs or 165lbs and for a girl of 5'3" let me tell you that is not cute!
I don't give much thought to my BMI but that made it 28.8 which is quite far in to the "Overweight" category.
Over the course of the following 6 months I lost 24lbs and left for Disney World in Florida at a much slimmer 10stone.

As I mentioned, I'm back on the Weight Watchers Online program using my iPhone, iPad and the computer application supplied through the membership scheme via their website. After Christmas I started back weighing 10st 7lbs or 147lbs and I'm aiming to reach 9st 7lbs by July for my 21st and to finally feel confident in my own skin!

It took a long time for me to get into a good routine last year and it involved a lot more exercise than what I did in the months over summer - I used Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred work out dvd most days and ate 3 meals a day with one snack and one dessert.

Weight Watchers works like this -

I'm allowed to eat 26 points per day, each food having a points value with carbohydrates or carbohydrate based foods like pasta having higher points values when compared with protein based foods like meat with lower points values. Most fruit, veg and water have 0 points no matter how much you eat.. but this is where being sensible comes in. Diet drinks, Splenda / sugar alternatives and fruit and vegetables have 0 points but they are not necessarily guilt free. Everything has calories and excessive calories lead to weight gain so everything must be in moderation. There are 49 extra weekly points that can be used in one sitting or spread across little indulgences and you can still lose weight even if they're all used. You can also earn points through activity but personally I store these and try my hardest not to use them; I'm not working out so I can eat and stay chubby... I'm working out so I will burn calories and lose weight.


I'll be documenting my weight loss on here and a couple of days of meal plans etc for anyone who is interested. If it looks like there's no interest then I'll stop writing..I feel like I'm putting myself out there a bit to much already!

So... if this is the first instalment then I weighed in this morning at 10st 4.5lbs.. yeah buddy! 2.5lb loss since mid January so it's working slowly but surely.
After weighing in I went to the gym with my friend Jade (at 7.45am!!) and earned myself 6 points, but like I said they're staying in a separate compartment of my mind not to be delved into!

If you're on Weight Watchers or thinking of starting I'd love to hear from you, but remember healthy weightloss is between 1-2lbs per week and if you're looking to lose weight the healthy way please, please do not think that fasting will help you lose weight. Your body needs between 1200-1500 calories per day to begin weightloss but NO LESS than 1200. It is also recommended to speak to your healthcare professional before beginning any diet.

Love,

last day (potentially!) without a job for a few weeks!

I'm not 100% sure how I feel about having a job again (though I know the £££ will be wonderful!) as I haven't worked since the Christmas season. My old boss has offered me back my job working 2 or 3 days a week until I move back down to uni mid September. I was a sales assistant from the age of 16 to when I left for university last September including through my gap year so I think I'm unsure only because I grew to resent working so much on my gap year while all my friends had gone off around the country for university.
I made the most of having today at home by fully unpacking my suitcase and getting to work on the terrible messes that were my desk and dressing table. I'm not a naturally tidy person by any means so it was a big job but I managed to leave it respectable. Tomorrow I'm going into my (old/new) work to see my boss and then my boyfriend and I are going to Ikea to buy furniture for his uni house! Living the dreeeaaaaam! (I say that sarcastically but I'm absolutely psycho when it comes to homeware/decorations so it's kind of true...)
I also took an impulsive trip to the gym with my brother this evening. It took about 10 minutes of me begging him to come with me so I wasn't alone but we went there! I wore a Hello Kitty vest top and Hollister bottoms (basically rocking the 12 year old girl look) and actually had an alright time! I'm looking forward to getting back to the gym now I'm home from my holidays! 7lbs to go until I've lost 2 stone and 10lbs until I'm at the weight where I hope I'll be happy.

Being a girl is way too stressful sometimes!

xo xo