How to Survive the Weekend With Slimming World

We all deserve and need a few treats every once in a while, it's drawing the line which is the tough part! A lot of Slimming Worlders have 'treat days' or often go for treats after weigh in; I used to do the same but it massively impacted my weight loss.

I still have treats most days (in my syn allowance) and extras on weekends, for the past two weeks I've been out for cocktails and had takeout and even had a weekend away and lost a few lb both weeks!

It's not impossible to have a good time AND lose weight!

You just have to plan around it and make a conscious effort to not be as naughty as you feel you want to be. I keep my syns lower if I know I'm going out and try not to eat much once I am. My biggest downfall would be after a few drinks I'd scoff mini cheddars (my go-to tipsy snack) and Maltesers, more crisps, chocolate and whatever I fancied but since really pushing my weight loss I keep snacks to a minimum and just enjoy a few drinks as they are.

I've also switched up what I drink, usually it's wine or sugary fruit ciders but recently spirits have been a life saver. I'm not a massive fan of Coke, I just don't like the taste, but if I fancy something a bit different I may go for a Malibu and diet coke. Usually I'll go for a vodka, soda, lime; they're super refreshing and relatively low calorie - as much as vodka can be. 

When I eat out I try to keep on plan as much as I can but I don't stress about it. If I deprive myself too much it always ends up in me binge eating to make up for it. I'll try to have side salads with most meals and choose brown bread, generally healthier options and always drink water. Staying hydrated is essential to weight loss and general well being. For breakfasts fruit is always a good option for me as I love fruit, I can eat 4 bananas a day and still want more. Takeout wise, Chinese is my favourite and there are relatively low syn options available, don't forget you can always ask for no oil etc!

Try not to let your hangover control you! This is essential if you're going to stick to plan because one bad day you can get over, two bad days makes is 100% harder! Wake up and make yourself a monster breakfast and go back to sleep (my hangover cure) and stick to simple, big, healthy meals to keep you alive til the following day. It will feel like torture but you'll thank yourself for it! And drink LOTS of water, more than you can fit in your body!

A grand example would be my birthday weekend, I lost 1.5lb! I planned every single meal and prepared it in advance to ensure I'd be eating the right stuff. I enjoyed some cocktails and some meals out but when I wasn't celebrating I was eating CLEAN... and down to preparation!

My Diet and Lifestyle

I joined Slimming world over 2 years ago initially, with my mum. I didn't have a lot to lose but I lost about a stone and maintained at around 9 stone 4 lb (I am 5.4" for reference) for a long while - this was my 'norm' weight. 

I met my boyfriend about a year ago... now we can guess what happened! Lots of meals out and cinema trips, Netflix and Chills, and our first holiday together! The weight soon piled on and although it's never bothered me too much or made me less confident I was frustrated because all my gym efforts had gone to waste. (I joined the gym a few months after meeting my boyfriend - completely coincidental...) 

So recently I decided to jump back on the Slimming World band wagon after loosely following habits for the past year or so but still eating far too much rubbish. I'm a week in, and I stuck to plan 100% (give or take perhaps a syn or two) which I have hardly ever done! And I feel great, so much less bloated, I actually feel lighter and much more positive in my gym trips.

Here are just a few meal ideas/gym routines that I follow which have helped me get back into this lifestyle:

Breakfasts
Pancakes
I love this breakfast because it feels so naughty and fills you right up!
Mash 1 banana and two eggs, fry in pan with frylight (preferably butter flavour) until set.
I like to add blueberries in mine whilst they cook or sometimes peanut butter if I'm feeling synful. I also like 2 syns of golden syrup drizzled over them, yum!


Cereal and Banana
A lot of cereals are HexB eg. Weetabix, Bran Flakes etc. Warmed up with milk and a banana is super satisfying.

Eggs on Toast
I like eggs poached, scrambled, fried, boiled and every other way you can cook them! My fave is poached or scrambles on toast with a few syns of marg and maybe a mashed avocado (which you should syn for but I refuse).

Lunches
Salad
I eat a bit of salad practically every day as either a side or a bigger portion for a main. I love love love salad cream on my salad and I like to add some extras if it's my main course such as...
HexA Cheese cut up into cubes
Boiled Eggs
2 slices wholemeal bread (HexB) fried in frylight as croutons
Slimming World quiche (which I have yet to perfect)
Coleslaw... and whatever I fancy; I don't mind adding syns to my salads.

Pasta 
I love pasta with basically everything! I often have it with syn free homemade tomato sauce - with lots of superfree - and occasionally pesto. I like to experiment with pasta sauces because they're very hard to mess up which I often do with cooking. Pasta bake with melted cheese is the one.

Jacket Potato
Every Friday at work we have jackets. As standard I have HexA cheese (which I can't measure at work argh!) and beans. I occasionally treat myself to some coleslaw (more syn guesswork) and perhaps some butter. They're a go to meal if I know I have a busy evening too because they're SO easy to cook! I also often like sweet potato as a bit of a change, with a little bit of cheese and salad.
Another great use of these potatoes are Slimming World chips - syn free and delicious! PS. also try with sweet potato!

Dinner
Vegetables
As a vegetarian (a lazy one) I often find myself eating just huge plates of vegetables, roasted or steamed - I'm not fussy. Working at a farm shop I can get the freshest and unusual things which is inspiring to eat healthily. Sometimes I'll have vegetables with pasta or cous cous or try some vegetarian burgery things.

Soup
Again, I'm lazy, so at the end of the day I like to just heat up a can of soup... just be careful as they can be synful! I find soups really filling and satisfying, they're a great comfort food and make you feel cosy from the inside!

Syns
Crisps
It took me so long to get my head around syns... you can eat crap AND lose weight?!?! So I try and use a fair few each day to curb my cravings and to make  me feel satisfied, not deprived. Crisps are a go to snack or to go with my lunch. I got for things like baked crisps and french fries as they are generally lower syns.

Icecream
My ice cream obsession started with an Oreo ice cream cookie... 5.5 syns! A chocolate bar would be twice the amount of syns and not half as satisfying. I always reach for ice cream over chocolate now although I do allow myself a bit of chocolate every now and then. I just find you get more satisfaction for your syns with ice creams.

In meals
I like to use up a few syns in my meals to make them tastier and more satisfying... as long as I'm satisfied I'm on the right track! Simple things like salad cream in salad, milk in tea, butter on bread...

Gym
When I joined the gym I'd go 5 times a week and I'd really push myself... then I'd go home and stuff my face because 'you burn more calories when you work out a lot' and 'I've earnt it'. The harsh truth is you can't out-exercise a bad diet. So I've toned down my gym routine, I try to do a 20-30 min HIIT routine Mondays after work which leaves me plenty of time to go home and cook an on plan meal.
I go Tuesday morning after breakfast and get home just in time for lunch! I do boxercise on Tuesdays which is for an hour and you get a mega sweat on!
Then I do pilates on Thursdays for 45 minutes which isn't sweaty but it really strengthens your muscles... in a relaxing way. I like it!
I occasionally do a bit in between but I'm focusing more on balance between food and exercise as they work really well together when you get the balance right but too much of one or the other can put me off plan.

If you have any questions visit me on Instagram: thoughtsofjodie

Also, wish me luck as today is weigh day!

Fail to plan, plan to fail.

I didn't really get this quote until it came to sixth form exams and then even more when I wanted to change my diet/exercise regime! Now I plan weekly workouts as they just keep me more motivated! I do 2-3 classes a week as they always seem like you do more work and try to swim once a week. Then I choose to focus on one goal the other days of the week eg cardio, legs, bum, abs etc etc!
I try to workout Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday then I run Sunday evenings.
I've also tried to cut out snacks and as a result I get through hardly any food (I still pile up the veggies though!) so I plan meals to make sure I have the right ingredients and don't have any waste. Every night I cook and make twice as much for lunch the next day (or sometimes for the next two days!) I don't like to plan breakfasts as I like to have whatever I fancy at the time so I make sure I always have yogurt, granola, eggs, rye bread and fruit then I can always knock up a tasty breakfast but I always plan a few options so I have a really good idea of how to cook it! I also make juice every day for a sort of dessert for my lunch - I work in a farm shop which sells lots of chocolate etc and juice seems to satisfy my sweet cravings I get after lunchtime! Luckily we also sell lots of tasty fruit and veg so I always have the freshest stuff!

If you're interested in any recipe ideas or what I eat in a day leave a comment!

How to be a good customer

I work in retail and good customers can make your day, bad ones can ruin your whole week! I work in a small farm shop and generally all the customers are lovely and as time goes on, and we get to know each other, the conversations get better and the smiles get wider. So if you want to help make somebody's day please carry on reading...

When you walk in to a shop say 'Hello!' (with the exclamation point!), make eye contact, smile and ask 'how are you doing?'. Us poor workers are lonely and, if they're like me, cold and a simple 'you alright?' can lighten our moods!

Don't be afraid to ask questions, in fact shop workers might appreciate the opportunity to share their knowledge and help you out; just don't get frustrated if we don't know the answers!

Try to make conversation, even if it's awkward. On slow days it's fun to reflect on the good (and the bad) conversations we've had with customers and they certainly make time go faster! Try to be creative but if you really have no imagination just comment on the weather! (Paying us a compliment works just as well, with an added ego boost.)

Pay in the smallest change you can, empty out all your coppers, just don't take forever in doing so! It saves us a hell of a lot of change and saves us when somebody buys 90p's worth with a dreaded £20. Throw £5 notes at us (we will give change) because they're absolute saviours and very hard to find. 

Say 'thank you' before you leave, wearing your biggest grin and we'll be sure to be nice to you when you come again.

And on that note,

Thank you, come again!

Two steps to a better, happier you

Find motivation/inspiration in the littlest of things
You don't need to be motivated all of the time; motivation is an ongoing process! I've been going to the gym recently and have thought 'maybe I should drive to work so I can drive straight to the gym' but instead I have given myself a few days to think about it (I know it's not a big deal but I love biking to work) and have kept biking. This morning on my journey I saw my mum's friend, who I see biking around a lot, who's a big believer in regular exercise and she's always so positive, energetic and full of life. Seeing her big grin and enthusiastic wave motivated me, I enjoy biking, it's a bit of extra exercise and a great opportunity to get some fresh air!
It's finding motivation in little things that keeps you going towards your ultimate goal, all you need is the right frame of mind.

Always have something to look forward to
Since I've started full time work my life seems very samey, always working and not much play. My days off are split so I never seem to have much of a break which means when I have something to look forward to, I REALLY look forward to it. Then when I don't have anything happening in the near future I feel like I'm stuck in a rut. When I order something online I'm always excited for it to arrive then I realised you can look forward to pretty much anything! It doesn't have to be a massive holiday or a week off work. It could be a roast dinner or going out in your new dress. So now I make sure I always have something to look forward to. 
Right now there are a few things:
- Becoming a member of the gym 
- My new workout DVD I ordered last week
- Shopping for summer holiday clothes
- and the most exciting... going to Scotland for a week with my boyfriend!

Be grateful for the things that make you happy and make sure you appreciate them! This will help when you're feeling down, just think of things you have or things you're looking forward to and they'll be sure to lift your mood. 

Turn that frown upside down

I work in retail and we have lots of regular customers; there's a particular couple who have been in a lot recently and the woman always looks a bit sad, annoyed and grumpy (it could just be her facial expression!) so I try to put extra effort in making them feel welcomed and valued. Recently they placed a big order and told my boss I was an 'asset to the company' which makes me feel pretty damn good! It's good to know my behaviour has made an impression on them and I'm grateful for them for acknowledging it! Every day I aim to give a compliment or two because who doesn't love being complimented?! It's mainly over nail polish because that's my area of expertise but anything will do!

I once complimented a woman on her engagement ring and her response was 'It cost him everything he had at the time, but I'm worth it' which I found hilarious. Not only do the compliments make people feel good but they spark conversations which generally make people happy - and they help time past faster on slow days! 

Try giving people a few compliments, make somebody's day, possibly a new friend and see how it benefits you in return!

And remember to smile!

How to lose weight - and keep it off!

1. Don't call it a diet!
'Diet' implies it's a short term fix to lose a few pounds but if you really want to lose weight and keep it off you need to change your eating habits. Eat healthy food, don't count calories and don't go crazy with portion control. A fruit salad for breakfast is great but so are most cereals etc. Jacket potatoes make a great dinner - even with a bit of cheese! Consider the long term implications of your eating habits - you'll need energy to work and play, you don't want to be starved and miserable so allow yourself some luxuries!
A trick that worked for me is to just eat 'bad' food in social situations. For example at parties or if friends come over for drinks allow yourself a few nibbles. Not only does this limit the food you can eat but it also encourages you to make time and enjoy time spent with friends!

2. Eat as much as you can.
People tend to skip meals or eat tiny portions when they want to lose weight - not me! Partially because in my house we have no concept of portion control so my plate is always piled high and partially because I don't want to starve myself, feel hungry, tired and demotivated. I want to feel energised, happy, lively and FULL whilst losing weight and changing my life and diet for the better. For breakfast I'm now used to drinking freshly squeezed juice (I bought a juicer at the start of the year to fuel my weight loss), either fruit or vegetable! It really squeezes all the nutrients and goodness out of the fruits! This may not always be enough so I'll top up on fruit, cereals or yogurt - I am LOVING fat free natural yogurt with a spoonful of lemon curd, not extremely healthy but damn it tastes good and it keeps me H A P P Y.
For lunch I'll have a salad either on it's own or with meat or fish or eggs etc. I fill a huge tupperware box up and dress it in low fat salad cream/mayonnaise or other low fat dressings. I then have either fruit or yogurt as a healthy pudding.
For dinner I go big... I don't be as strict at dinner time because it's the end of the day, we've all been working hard and we just want to enjoy a nice meal but I ALWAYS bear my weight loss in mind. I always eat lots of vegetables/salad with EVERY meal for extra goodness and fewer calories. I love pasta, jacket potatoes, stews, sausage and mash and many more tasty dishes! Just go easy on the fatty stuff but pile that veg high!



3. Eat chocolate every night.
As most people do, my urge for weight loss started in the new year when my cupboards were full of Prosecco and chocolate and other Christmas leftovers... this can be tricky. I've 'diet'ed before and starved myself of not just chocolate but good food too! This made me crave sweets and sugary food even more than usual so eventually I just caved and binged on crisps, chocolates etc. What I've found this time round is that when I want chocolate I eat it. I'll  just eat a square or two and really savour the taste and then put it away. It might be difficult at first to not finish the bar but once you get used to it it's easy! It stops the cravings and keeps you satisfied. After a while I found I wasn't craving chocolate half as much so ended up going a few days (even weeks!) without any!

4. Prepare!
I first started preparing my food simply to save time - which it does - however I soon realised it encourages you to eat alot healthier too! I usually fill a huge fruit bowl up with fresh salad, enough to last 2 - 4 days (depending on how hungry I am). I find it less hassle in the sense you can use a whole cucumber, a whole pepper, a whole punnet of tomatoes and you don't get odd bits of salad floating round your fridge. It's always readily available if you're ever too short on time to prepare lunch/dinner so you have no excuses! It's great for minimising waste too as you're more likely to eat a pre prepared salad rather than find all the ingredients and start from scratch!
I find the key to a good salad is equal(ish) quantities of everything - unless you really like something in which case go wild - and lots and lots of different things and lots of different colours, grated carrot and beetroot add great colour and texture to any salad and you don't have to cook it! I try and fit as many different foods as I can into one salad, not only does it look and taste great but it ensures you get lots of goodness from the variety of fruits.

5. Save £, Lose lb
Before I got a car I'd walk everywhere - because I had to. It was only when it snowed late December and I hadn't got the confidence to drive in it I decided to walk to work again. It's a gorgeous 20 minute walk and the snow meant it was so peaceful and beautiful, it really inspired me to walk more. However in the mornings I don't always fancy waking up with 20 minutes to spare so I dusted off my bike and rode to work ever since! It takes me about 7 minutes on my bike, exactly the same as my car because I simply over take all the school traffic and can take short cuts. It's a killer because I like to go as fast as I can - there and back - and there are some good hills round here! I can feel myself getting stronger and my legs getting more toned just from this! My friend came round last week and the first thing she said was 'you've lost weight, you're legs look amazing' and that is all the motivation I need to keep going!
I have ONE exception and that is if it's raining. I hate the thought of turning up to work wet, with makeup running down my face, unable to get dry and warm so I don't put myself through it. I just have to make sure I don't slip back into driving again the next day.
Another bonus of this, may I add, is that petrol lasts me a lifetime.

6. Be Happy
Why do you want to lose weight?
To look at yourself in the mirror and like what you see...
To be able to run to the end of the street and not have to fight for breath...
To fit into that dress you bought a few years back...
To make your partner happy...

Don't lose weight to be happy, happiness is not a destination. Happiness is a way of life.
Be happy that you're doing something about your weight, changing into the body you'll love.
Be happy that you've lost 1lb or even not gained any!
Be happy that you're filling your body with good, fresh tasty food.
Be happy seeing your body make slow, healthy, long term changes and progress and be even happier when people start to notice.

Don't set yourself unrealistic goals, any weight loss is great weight loss. Make choices that suit YOU and ENJOY yourself.

Ps. Vodka, soda, lime has a lot less calories than wine or beer!