Sniffle Sniffle Cough Cough

I'm full of cold! Since Friday I've been sneezing, coughing, and generally feeling yuk. I've managed to stay on my healthy eating plan throughout, although food is unsatisfying and tasteless. It's made me realise that if I didn't enjoy food so much (as in, the flavours and textures), I would probably be a size 10 by now. It's hard to get excited by food when you know it's not going to taste of anything and will hurt when I swallow it.

I tried making a spicy lentil soup yesterday but even that, was bland and I (very unusually) couldn't finish it. I'm not motivated to plan my meals which is dangerous territory as that would have led to getting takeaways in the past. Thank goodness I'm not craving them now! I have no idea what to have for dinner and I haven't taken any meat out of the freezer as yet. I must have something as I have 15 points and 29 weeklies still to use. 

Overall, week 2 went very well. I lost another 2 pounds which means 8.5lbs since I started back and 12.5lbs from my highest weight. I've cooked some tasty and healthy dinners and my fridge should have its own halo as its full of fruit and vegetables. I'm still struggling to take a packed lunch everyday and I tend to go to the shop to buy something but I've been making good choices and the walk does me good. At the moment, the walk to the supermarket is my only real exercise so I don't feel too guilty. 

This coming week is all about keeping healthy and fighting this cold. Work is also quite stressful so I need to make sure I keep cooking and planning and not taking the takeaway route out. 

Back in the Zone

The healthy eating is going really well. I lost 6.5lbs at weigh in on Wednesday which I'm really pleased with. It's so easy once my head is in the right place to eat well. I'm planning and cooking meals again and my fridge is full of healthy nibbles. Tonight, I'm having tandoori chicken, vegetable curry and basmati rice.

I haven't got my brain around the 49 weekly points yet so I've been eating some crap just to use them up. I always do this. I go too 'diet' to start off with. This week I'm going to try and have pointier meals so I don't end up having to eat rubbish that I don't really want. 

My new favourite snack has been Whitworths Shots

They are available in different varieties that vary in points from 1 to 2. My favourites are the berry and white chocolate ones (1) and the toffee pecan (2). 

Yummmmm

Back and Focussed

I took an intentional break from weight loss over Christmas but the problem is, I forgot to stop having a break! The intention was to go back to WW in January but normal life got in the way. Anyway, it's now the end of April and I am back on it. I have a new start weight of 17 stone 6lbs and a lot of clothes that don't really fit! 

The break has been good and I've liked enjoying food without counting. However, in the last month it's got out of control again with takeaways and completely empty calories. I need to cook, plan and think again. 

So far, I've been cooking well. I've had good meals like turkey burgers, healthy lunches, loads of vegetables and more fluids. The scales are looking good so far, so I'm hoping for a significant loss on Wednesday.

Chugging Along Nicely!

I just realised that I haven't posted a non-recipe post since September! The plan is going very well and I have now lost 26lbs (1 stone 12lbs). This week, I achieved my 10% lost goal which was great and I hope, very soon to be down 2 stone.

I'm noticing that my clothes are loser and some that didn't fit, now do. I'm wearing a size 20 top (was 24) and size 18 bottom, just (was 22)! This means that I can now shop in normal shops again! However, I haven't really felt like shopping! I'm just not really seeing the loss in the mirror yet. 

My skin hasn't started to clear up yet (from past experience I need to lose another stone and a half) but my periods have returned and are regular. I've noticed that my weight losses slow considerably before my period and then speed up nicely afterwards. I must remember this, next time I'm getting disappointed with a lack of movement on the scales.

My eating has been very healthy. I'm having breakfast everyday and cooking nearly every meal from scratch. I have had a few takeaways but only about 4 since August (big change from 3-4 per week!). I'd love to lose at least 7lbs before Christmas which would take me down to 15st 5lbs. I plan to come off WW for three days over Christmas but I'll be straight back on after!

Feeling motivated!

Chicken Tagine

Ingredients:

1/2 onion diced

Small piece of ginger, chopped

Sprig of rosemary, chopped

2 tsp olive oil

Small piece of chilli, chopped

1 stick of cinnamon

1 chicken breast, cubed

1/2 tin tomatoes

70g dried apricots

Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Sauté onion, ginger, chilli and rosemary until soft.

2. Add cinnamon, apricots and chicken, stir until browned.

3. Add tomatoes and water to cover. Bring to boil.

4. Simmer for 30 mins

12PPs

I served this with plain cous cous.

Seafood Pad Thai

I love the Pad Thai from my local takeaway but it would be very point heavy as it's oily! I decided to make my own version and it was delicious.

Ingredients:

* 1 courgette (I made it into noodles using a julienne peeler)

* 1/2 carrot cut into thin batons

* handful of mange tout

* 2 baby corn sliced

* 2 small spring onions, sliced

* 1 clove of garlic, chopped

* 1 small piece of ginger, chopped

* 100g mixed seafood frozen

Sauce:

* 30g peanuts, slightly crushed

* 15g Crunchy peanut butter

* tbsp light soy sauce

* splash of fish sauce

* tsp chilli powder

Method:

1. Mix the sauce ingredients together with a desert spoon of water, set aside.

2. Heat the garlic, ginger and spring onions. Add the other veg and seafood.

3. Stir in the sauce and mix well.

4 after about 5 mins add the courgette noodles and stir well

Serves 1 (huge bowl) 9 points

Could also be served with shredded chicken or pork. 

Portuguese Fish Stew

Oh my goodness, I can't tell you how yummy this filling, healthy and flavoursome stew is!

Ingredients: 

* 1 red onion, finely diced

* 1 large clove of garlic, chopped

* 1/2 red chilli, chopped

* 1/2 red pepper, roughly chopped

* 1/4 fennel bulb, roughly chopped

* 1/2 carrot, chopped (I did little sticks)

* 2 cod loins (or similar)

* 100g of mixed seafood

* 1 tin of chopped tomatoes

* 1 tsp tomato puree

* 1 fish stock cube (optional)

* 1 tsp cayenne pepper

* 2 tsps paprika

* 2 bay leaves

* 2 tbsps olive oil (I used one of basil infused and one chilli infused)

* 1 tbsp chopped coriander

Method:

1. Fry onions in 1 tbsp of olive oil until soft, stir in garlic and chilli.

2. Add in tomato puree, tinned tomatoes and fill the empty can with water. Stir together.

3. Mix in the carrot, fennel and red pepper.

4. Add the herbs and spices (except coriander) and the stock cube.

5. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

6. Cut the fish into bitesized pieces and add to the pan with the other seafood and the rest of the oil.

7. Stir gently and allow to simmer for a further 8-10 minutes.

8. Sprinkle over the coriander and serve.

Serves 2. 

4.5 Propoints per serving.

As with all my recipes, this can easily be adapted to suit your tastes. You can reduce the points by substituting the olive oil for spray oil, but I loved the oily taste and sheen it gives. You can omit the chilli if you prefer things less hot. Other vegetables could be used such as leek, butternut squash, courgette, fresh tomatoes, celery. I used to make a version of this when I was a poor student which only used cheap frozen baby prawns, tin of tomatoes, onion, garlic and paprika, so it's very versatile!