Adventures of this week

Well this week I went to Riga with my bestie, and it was my birthday yesterday! 

I would definitely recommend a visit to Riga, with its beautiful buildings, great museums, and fab restaurants. The people were absolutely wonderful, always helping us out when we needed it. Felt a bit sorry for this poor woman in the orthodox church, me trying to ask if I could buy incense, with the weirdest hand gestures, at least she saw the funny side!

We were lucky enough to be there during Riga Restaurant week, being able to have fab three course dinners for 15-20 euros!

I also let the hotel know in advance that I was gluten free. I got given rice cakes to replace the bread, which helped a lot.

Have to say on the most part ate pretty healthy out there, as salad and soup is big on the menus. I haven't eaten as well this week as I could have, but I know I will work extra hard next week. I am just grateful I did zumba at least once ;)

My birthday was yesterday, and was lovely to have a nice relaxed day, seeing all my family at some point in the day. I decided this year being my first gluten free year, I would make my own birthday cake. My poor poor friend having to deal with me asking constant questions, as I was determined to get this right. 

I used a spin off recipe from a new blog I found called hungry hinny- Recipe here. I decided to change the recipe slightly, as I am not a fan of coffee, and wanted to use up some cranberries. I also didn't have a food processor to hand, so had to improvise. All good fun!

I also make the rookie mistake of trying to whisk the icing sugar straight away. The mess I made...

I think the end result was fab if I say so myself, and was proud it was light and fluffy- something I found difficult with gluten free flour.

I have some improvements to make in the future, but right now I am happy I had a cake I could eat and everyone else enjoy as well!

I am sure I will get better at it in the future, mainly so I don't have to bug people with inane questions. Obviously I won't be doing much practicing, as I'm trying to be good. At least I know I have this cake in the repertoire, which will definitely come out in the future.

Would love to hear about more gluten free recipes, and try some out if you have any :D

Pancake Party!

So this Tuesday just gone was shrove Tuesday, better known as pancake day.

I was invited to a pancake party, and am very lucky that my friends understand my gluten issues. I brought my own flour and frying pan, but I felt like I was included like everyone else. Sometimes it isn't always a nightmare to be gluten free, all you have to do is swap something round. 

I used self raising flour from the Sainsbury's free from range, which worked nicely with smaller pancakes. All I would say is that you do need to use a little bit more water/milk than usual, and I left my mix to sit for a while (a great tip I learnt from a lady I know who uses the flour regularly).

TADA! lovely gluten free pancakes (if I do say so myself :p)

Feeling a bit more daring

I have been starting to feel more confident in myself whilst I have been on my weight loss journey. Being able to cook the meals from scratch means that I control what goes in my mouth. I definitely could see the results when I went to Katie today. In two weeks I have lost 5 pounds, and in total lost 10cm in measurements.

What I hadn't realised until recently was that I had lost my daring side in recent years. When I was at college, I remember having a crazy dress sense, wearing more daring clothes, because I felt much more confident in myself.

I have found a brilliant facebook page a week or so ago: Plus size for sale, swap or wanted.

It has given me the push I needed to put some of my clothes for sale, but also gave me the opportunity to buy clothes at cheaper prices. 

A recent topic that has come up on FullerFigureFullerBust about clothes whilst you lose weight. Should you buy expensive clothing whilst you are going down the dress sizes, knowing that you won't fit into it soon?

This facebook page has alleviated that problem that will be arising soon. I can still get beautiful clothes, without spending a fortune all the time. It doesn't mean that I won't ever shop again, (anyone who knows me knows this can never happen!) but does mean I don't have to break the bank if I don't want to, and also potentially give the clothes to a new home once I have finished with them.

I made my first purchase on here earlier this week, deciding that I want to get back to my more daring self again, seeing these and fell in love with them.

The jeggings came in the post yesterday, and couldn't wait to wear them today! When I first left the house, I was nervous about people and their reaction to me. Then I realised that I didn't really care. I felt fabulous in my jeggings, and that was all that mattered.

I feel that I am getting back to my old self, both in body and mind. :)

Good news and Experimentation

Went to see Katie today, and feel very proud that I only gained 2 pounds over the whole Christmas period! I have also had an epiphany whilst watching the hairy bikers/dieters last night. It felt so nice to see others who had the same problems with food, but found a fab way of being clever with their food choices. It really has given me the motivation to up my game, and keep going with the hard work.
One of my favourite recipes from yesterday was the lasagne. Instead of using pasta sheets, they used leeks! It is ingenious ideas like that I need, so that I can still enjoy food and not feel like I'm missing out.
I got given a brilliant book for Christmas, giving me brilliant inspiration for new healthy, yet tasty recipes.
As I have the week off, I thought I had might as well try out some recipes whilst I have the free time to.
I am getting the whole family involved (including my Mr. Fussy :P), and hopefully they will like the recipes too. For me, I find getting everyone involved gives you the support you need when you are feeling low, frustrated, or craving certain foods.

This was dad's portion, so there
was more couscous

Tonight, I made sticky chicken with mango couscous. Really easy recipe, and nice and quick. Handy if you don't have much time to prepare a dish. It could also be altered in different ways to bring variety.
Not sure what to try for the rest of the week, but I'm sure I will find some more brilliant ideas from the book, online, and from family and friends.
If you have any ideas, let me know! x

Hitting the Wall

I went in for my weigh in today, and have lost a pound. I'm not sure how I feel about it though.

I think I have hit the wall. I think it has something to do with feeling like I am being pushed.

I don't want a target for how much to lose before Christmas, I just want to be told when I have reached my next milestone 1/2 stone and stone.

To be honest, I wasn't going to beat myself up if I had gained weight over Christmas, because hey, don't we all!

I want to be healthier, yes, but equally I don't feel that I am allowed a break once in a while. I am starting to have a better understanding of what is good and bad for me, and I feel like I have found a nice method that I am gradually losing weight with. I do need a break though. I want to be able to treat myself, and not have to watch everyone else eat all the food I love and me abstain.

I think I also have been putting myself down over the fact that everyone else seems to be losing weight much quicker than me.

Please don't think that I don't wish my friends well, I am very proud of them and their successes, but I want to see their change too.

To a certain extent I can see it, and the changes are slowly happening, but just not as quick as others. This could be down to the fact I have PCOD, but it is still frustrating.
I decided after my weigh in to go out shopping for my foods for lunch, as the boredom makes the naughtier things creep in.
Hopefully this change in my routine will help build up my mood again and carry on.

By Jove, I think we've got it!

Well I have been without bread for a week, and on the most part feel so much better for it!
It has definitely cheered me up no end, knowing that I have found the main source of the problem.
Friday I might have accidentally had breadcrumbs without realising. I had falafel, and whilst it didn't say anything about breadcrumbs, I wonder whether it was in there, because after I felt very ill. It probably didn't help I did a Fab Ab class the day before, so mixed with muscle ache and bad tummy I was not a happy bunny to say the least. To know long term that it looks like bread means I can move forward, turn a page, and get back to the weight loss thing.
I have definitely found lunchtime the hardest when it comes to no bread. I have pretty much been living on soup and sushi and the odd salad, which I love, but if people have any other suggestions that would really help!
This past week I have been feeling a bit strange, as my partner's family, as well as mine eat bread a lot! This morning though, I was talking to a friend of mine, and she says she is exactly the same! I am not alone! Her issue is with the preservatives that they put inside the bread here in the UK.
Depending on what Katie thinks of the results, I might see how much effort it is to start making my own bread. Not all the time, but maybe occasionally as a treat.
We will see on Tuesday. x

A Step in the Right Direction

Well, I had my weigh in today. Was quite nervous, because of the gain last week.
The weight I gained last week is back off! A good step in the right direction :)
I also showed Katie my food diary, and from the looks of things, it could be bread being my main foe tummy wise. This week I am not going to eat bread, and then if I feel better, introduce it slowly, and see if it has any effects.
Fingers crossed it is bread, and I can adjust my foods and go from there. Hopefully it is that simple.
One thing we did touch on today was that stress does have an effect on weight loss.
If I get stressed, I find it has a negative effect on my eating, especially what I eat.
I do wonder though whether stress does have a negative effect on your health as well. I always thought that when people said these things that it was a load of baloney. Thinking about it now though has me thinking: what if they were right?
When I think about it, when you are stressed, we know that it increases things like your blood pressure. Why wouldn't it affect the rest of your body?
This week I am going to try and take it easy, and see whether that also has an effect on my tummy. It might not, but it'll at least help my blood pressure!
It should still have a positive effect on my attitude and my mood. I think sometimes I need to learn to not let things get to me. Those things I can't change shouldn't get me so down or stressed. You can only control your actions, so just make sure that those are good ones.

What you put up with

It is funny what you put up with for so long.

As you well know, I have been dealing with these tummy problems for ages, and am doing my food diary and a tummy diary, to try and find a pattern.

Looking through the diary, ready for Monday, has made me realise what I have put up with for so long!

Virtually every morning this week I have woken up feeling ill. Two out of the four days, I have felt unwell during the day. Only today, I have woken up feeling fine, and have had no negative tummy problems so far.

I think partly you only realise that you are unwell when you see the evidence with your own eyes, and how it affects you as a person. I think also hindsight is a wonderful thing. The times when I thought I was fine when I wasn't show up more, because you truly feel better physically and within yourself.

Not all bad eh :P

One of the times that really sticks with me was when I went to Corfu this year on holiday.

For the first day or two I felt ok, but as the week carried on, I was feeling really ill with my tummy, and as a knock-on effect was becoming quite irritable. Thankfully, my partner understood and helped me through.

Looking back, I was very unwell, but carried on; I was just determined to have a good time on holiday.

I think sometimes we forget the problems aren't just to do with health. The knock on effects can affect your loved ones as well.

I want to be able to be better for myself obviously, but also for my partner. He has been that support for quite a while, and when it is sorted it will never be forgotten.

So here's to all those who look after their loved ones, because truly, you are amazing! x

Me? In a Pageant?!?

Been having a normal couple of days, then had a rather busy day today!

Dad and I were having the Monks and the Handy's round for Curry. Normally, we would order Chinese or Indian takeaway, but due to dad's hospital scare, the idea of then having takeaway seemed a bit silly! 

So Rosemary and Lesley would make the curry, and we would provide starters, rice and dessert. I had this idea of making mango cheesecake...

This was what the practice run looked like. Looked nice, though had rather a lot of cheese on top! So decided on changing how I did the recipe slightly, went terribly wrong, and thank goodness Lesley was able to fix it, putting in eggs to keep it all together so I could bake it. Dessert sorted. I then learnt how to make curry properly, and realised how incredibly easy it actually is. 

Imbetween cooking for the dinner party, going to the gym, and everyone coming round, I got a surprising message from a lady from a job website I'm on:

She thinks I would be perfect to enter this beauty pageant!

I am checking out whether this is real obviously, but the thought of being in a pageant never crossed my mind. I act like a loudmouthed trucker, who isn't necessarily a tom-boy, but not a girly girl either. I was definitely surprised when she thought I would be good!

As you probably know from earlier posts, I have been having some self worth issues concerning my body, but when this message came through, my confidence definitely shot up. I was good enough to compete against a whole load of other beautiful curvy women. That must mean that I don't look as bad as I thought I did!

It definitely is an opportunity, and I might just take it (after I checked that it is reputable), just to take myself out of my comfort zone. It also gives me a goal weight-wise to work on.

I don't believe in coincidence. There is a reason for everything, you just have to find it.

I am sure I won't be able to get a career out of being a plus size model, but it might be a good hobby and help me feel better about myself.

Hell, we only get to live once, why not enjoy it? x