Photographs

Why is it that a simple photograph can make you feel so bad about yourself. I know that a photo is an image of what we look like but why when I look in a mirror do I not see that photo image?

I asked my daughter if she would take some pictures of me for my blog (my mumentum post) so that I could keep a track of my weight loss progress in pictures. Steff is always taking lovely pictures for her blog so I let her click away.

When I looked through the memory card of pictures I was devastated. I am still so fat and have several chins. I also look like I have never seen sunlight in years. I had finally felt more confident to wear different clothes but now I have seen photographic evidence lets just say I have a very long way to go.

I understand that we never see ourselves the same as others see us. I suppose its the same as our voices, I hate my works answer machine message but everyone tells me that is what I talk like.

Well that is enough of me feeling sorry for myself, I did try to make my mumentum post more interesting with pictures but lets just say they all went in the recycle bin x

MUMenTUM

This week has had its ups and downs. I had a temperature from Tuesday to Thursday and then on Friday I woke up with a bad chest and lost voice. I was tempted to crawl back to bed but I battled through it.

I still went swimming which I am no concentrating on my technique rather than counting my lengths. I have kept up the stepper and upped my minutes on the exercise bike. I need tips how to prevent a sore bottom!! I have a gel seat but it still really hurts.

My weight loss up to last Friday is 33lb but I officially get weighed at my doctors tomorrow for my 12 week check in.

I am over the moon today as I tried on my white linen trousers which would not go past my hips 12 weeks ago, I can now get them on without undoing them. People are finally starting to notice that I have lost weight and its a great feeling.

It is ten days till I go on my holidays and I am really hoping to get to my 3 stone holiday goal.

I hope everyone else is having a good week.

Anyone wanting to join this lovely group of mums please add via the link below.

Dianne x

Created by MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods

MUMenTUM

Here starts another week.

This week I am feeling very positive. I have moved my new best friend into my bedroom and I am trying to cover several miles of cross country with him. Well for those that have not guessed, yes I have an exercise bike in my room. I am hoping I continue to be friends with him and don't fall out and end up hanging my clothes on him.

My other new friend is my daughters Davina stepper, she manages a 40 minute session every day. I thought I would start steady and do 20 minutes. In I walked with my two tins of beans, put the music channel on the tv and began to step whilst doing arm curls with my beans. After 10 minutes I was huffing and puffing. 20 minutes seemed to take forever. I looked like I had stepped out of a sauna when I finished. I am now up to 30 mins every other day, it still kills but getting easier.

My weekly swimming is improving and I am still loving it.

People at work have been eating chocolates and I have resisted, I have had great will power this week.

Some of you may of heard me talk about myfitnesspal it is an online site where you keep track of what you have eaten and input your exercise which gives you extra calories. It is also an online community of people trying to lose weight or just shape up, you can add friends and they help encourage you. It also has an app for most mobile phones.

Someone posted this picture this week!!

This definitely has stopped me eating rubbish as I do not want my MumTum to get quite this big.

I have joined a biggest looser challenge on myfitnesspal so I have to start getting weighed every Friday not just once a month, lets see what Friday brings!!

I hope everyone else has had a good week, and I am sending you all my positive vibes if your week has not been so good. Lets hope we all have a great week

Dianne x

MumenTum

This week has been a Rollercoaster of emotions. On Tuesday I was insulted on my way home from work, check out think before you open your mouth. On Wednesday morning I took a trip to my G.P for my weigh in and was over the moon to of lost 11lb which now makes my total weight loss 1 stone 11lb. A good pick me upfrom the night before.

On Thursday I had a good swimming session. On Friday after a hectic day at work I went straight to Leeds with a friend and my daugter to move my daughter from her old accomodation to her new. After not eating since breakfast we finally got food at 11.30pm and I have to confess it was PIZZA when you are starving and exhausted you just eat what is available. Early start Saturday as her new room was filthy and in need of a paint job we went back to tackle the room. We spent the day cleaning (in the boiling heat!! no sunbathing for us). It was after 9pm before we finished, another day of no food. We decided to go to the Red Hot World Buffet and were gutted as it was fully booked so we headed to Nando's. I was really good and just chose chicken and corn. When we got back to the van I have to confess I attacked the left over pizza from the night before.

On Sunday all I wanted was vegetables or salad I craved healthy food. I feel all groggy after a hectic weekend and not eating correctly. I got straight back in to my good ways and had a healthy eating day today has made me feel loads better.

I have decided that some people that don't have a weight issue can say things like, "Have you ever been slim?", "So what do you weigh?" oh and "What has made you want to loose weight?" All three questions I was asked at work today. I presume they don't realise they are offending or just ignorant to peoples feelings.

I discovered myfitnesspal this week it is amazing you put in your weight and what you would like to lose. It works out what calories you should be eating to loose weight and you can exercise and earn more calories. You can keep a track online and the iphone and blackberry phones have free APPS for it so you can keep on track whilst out and about.

I hope everyone is having a good week and here is to a good week to come. Anyone wanting to join the MumenTum ladies just click on the link below.

MUMenTUM

This week has had some ups and downs, on the up side I have kept up with my exercise and now manage 40 lengths of swimming. On the downside I went out on Friday night and had a lot of alcohol!! I changed from my favourite tipple of wine to drinking brandy and diet coke. We ended up in a kebab shop at 2 in the morning and I ordered a chicken kebab, thinking it was healthy option. When I got home it was not pure chicken breast like normal it was in sauce on a bed of chips!! with garlic and chilli sauce!! I was annoyed I had no pitta bread in the box. I gave my husband most of it but I must confess I did eat some.

My monthly weigh in is on Wednesday and I am keeping my fingers crossed I have done ok.

My aims this week are to try making some different dishes to keep me interested.

Try not to live on salad for days.

Sort through my holiday clothes.

Do more exercise on the wii fit

I tried a packet of these snacks today and the sweet chilli flavour are lovely and only 81 calories a bag. A friend of mine discovered them in Home Bargains and I think I will be going to get some more.

I hope everyone has had a good week and all the lucky mums that went to cybermummy had a fantastic time.

Keep your fingers crossed for me on Wednesday.

Sunshine Award...

I would really like to Thank clairejustineoxox for nominating me for the Sunshine Award. She is a lovely mum with an interest in fashion and running amongst other things. Thank you also for stopping by my blog and leaving me lovely comments x

Well I now have to tell you a few things about myself and then nominate some blogers to pass the award on to.

1) I am currently trying to lose two stone for my holiday. Then several more after that. The lovely ladies in MumenTum are helping with this.

2) I went to my first comedy night on Friday and it was amazing, I have never laughed so much in ages, will definitely be going again.

3) Love my new hobby of swimming.

4) I am thinking about learning to drive.

5) Contemplating a change in career.

Bloggers I have chosen to receive the Sunshine Award

1) muminmeltdown

2) circusmums

3) livloudude

MUMenTUM - My second week.

This week has been a bit of a strange week for me, I have been good with what I have eaten and worked hard at swimming. I can't really put my finger on it but I just feel like I have hit a stand still with my weight. As I go to the doctors to get weighed once a month I don't really know how I have done this week. I chose not to have a sneaky weigh in at work or home as I get too hung up on the scales.

After trying on nearly my entire wardrobe and feeling sorry for myself I decided to read through other Mumentum blog posts and it gave me a kick up the bum pick me up that I needed.

The cupboards were getting empty (well the fridge) by the middle of last week and I think if you are not stocked up on foods you can eat this is when you start to struggle. I also need to plan my meals or I get passed it trying to decide what to make when I get in from work.

Tonight I made myself a tuna salad

I do like my salad cream so I have changed to waistline so that I can have a tablespoon of it.

Steff's vegetarian salad, you may have noticed we are both tomato and yolk dodgers.

Whilst I was making the salads I made myself this one for my lunch tomorrow with the other half a tin of tuna.

For supper I have prepared sugar free jelly with strawberries and pour on Activia yoghurt. Something to enjoy whilst reading peoples blog posts.

This week I am joining the gym and aiming to swim more lengths. Hope everybody has had a good week and look forward to reading your posts

My Healthy Eating Plan

After a life time of yo-yo dieting, spending the past year burying my head in the sand over my ever increasing waistline I decided enough was enough and I had to make a total life time change and start a healthy eating programme the whole family could enjoy.

My father died of a sudden mass heart attack 9 years ago it was a massive shock and I can't bear the thought of my children growing up without me. My five year old asked me why I was fat and not thin like her child-minder, she went on to tell me she will look like her child-minder when she is older not me.

You would think with a body building gym fanatic for a husband I would be obsessed with my appearance.

When I went to my doctor I just told her how I felt and she asked if I had ever followed the healthy eating plate. I looked at her and explained that I deliver weaning to new mum's and knew what I should eat but it is easier said than done.

My doctor gave me a booklet from the British Heart Foundation called So you want to lose weight ... For Good

After looking through the booklet and talking about the way it works I said I would give it a go. I now see the doctor every 4 weeks for a weigh in.

What I can eat

8 or more portions of fruit or veg a day. including fresh fruit juice/ tinned fruit in own juice etc.
8 portions of carbs a day e.g bread, rice, potato, cereal, pasta etc.
3 portions of milk or dairy e.g 1/3 pint semi or skimmed milk, low fat yog, cottage cheese etc.
3 non dairy protein portions e.g meat, fish, eggs and beans
3 portions spreading fats, sauces, oils and dressings
200 calorie High fat, high sugar, alcohol
7 or more glasses of water

All of the above is per day or you could build your 200 calorie a day treat for a weekend take away or drinking night out.

You should eat Breakfast, Lunch and Tea with healthy snacks.

My typical Day

Breakfast:- 2 Weetabix with a sliced banana and some of my skimmed milk, glass of water.

mid-morning:- coffee, fruit.

Lunch:- Tuna Salad, glass of water.

mid-afternoon:- glass of water.

Evening meal:- Chicken, prawn or beef stir fry with a glass of water.

Super:- Big bowl of fruit with half fat fromage frais/ natural yoghurt.

If I want something nice I have a breakaway as they only 99 calories and a solid biscuit.

A friend of mine at work designed me a tracker sheet

Tonight I made a beef stir fry, which I used lean beef strips, peppers, mushrooms, cabbage etc. My sporty runner friend introduced me to these stir fry sauces

They only have a trace of fat and taste lovely.

I would like to say this is my husbands portion not mine lol. I have to admit I struggle to eat 8 carbs so I sometimes have toast on an evening. As well as my new Healthy eating I have also started swimming and I have also joined the lovely Liska and other blog hop members of MUMenTUM everyone is so friendly, if you have not checked out some of the ladies blogs yet pop over and have a look.