Caring is Sharing....

So week 18 on Weight Watchers and I have gained 1lb - so annoying! And I have really struggled this last week - I don't know if it's all food and weight loss related but I think stress of work and what is or might happen with our jobs is also getting me down a little too I think. And what do I do when I feel low? I comfort eat of course. I will be really good all day up until after dinner and I sit down on the sofa and reflect on the day and life and then that is where I eat the naughty stuff.

After being inspired by someone posting up some lovely mint Aero balls I thought I would do a bit of 'Share bag' investigation....

This also helped and stopped me from eating far too much.....

These work out as 9 for 4pp

Yorkie Giant Buttons 

These work out quiet heavy on the points front....

1x = 1pp

2x = 2pp

3x = 4pp

4x = 5pp

5x = 6pp

Milkybar Giant Buttons

5x = 2pp

10x = 3pp

15x = 5pp

At this point I want to thank everyone on the WW UK Support group, if it wasn't for all of you then I wouldn't have been able to stay focused on WW and I would of also have had a massive hole in my pocket too!!!

I tried making some pancakes this week using a recipe that someone had posted up on the support group. They tasted so good but didn't look very well presented! When I get a good picture of them looking neat and presentable I will add it to a recipe page... 

You can see what I mean here...

This week I also had a look back at some old blogs that I had done and my word have my hands got smaller! Before I saw this post I knew I had lost some weight on my hands as my rings were getting looser but I didn't realise how much weight my hands had lost. Maybe it's because you see your own hands everyday and you don't always stand and stare in the mirror at yourself everyday. Well, I definitely don't! Normally its the shortest amount of time possible as I am rushing around getting things done and myself ready for work. You can see this post HERE

I have kept up again on making and preparing my lunches...

(this was the soup I made the other week 0pp :) Recipe found HERE )

I have been trying out new toppings for my porridge....

(This is a trail mix on top of it - recipe found here....)

(Oat so simple original porridge 3pp, Skimmed milk 1pp & Trail mix 1pp - TOTAL 5PP)

And having some yummy dinners:

Ummm.... Chicken Korma....

Hope your weeks have gone well too :) 

What was the hardest thing you had to face?....

Love, Mrs O x

Week 17 - 10% goal reached :)

Sorry for the late post but I have been away this weekend which I shall fill you in on in a moment, but for now....

I've reached my 10% goal :)

 Major happy is an understatement!

Week 1 - 3lbs

Week 2 - 4lbs

Week 3 - 1lbs

Week 4 - 2lbs

Week 5 - 1lbs

Week 6 + 1lbs :(  - 0lbs

Week 7 - 4lbs

Week 8 - 2lbs

Week 9 - 0lbs (but also +0lbs!)

Week 10 - 2lbs

Week 11 +/- 0lbs

Week 12 + 3lbs (Major :(  )

Week 13 -3lbs

Week 14 +1lb :(

Week 15 - 2lbs

Week 16 - 0lbs (but also +0lbs!)

Week 17 - 1lb (10% :) )

However, my weight loss journey is not over yet.... I have still got 15lbs more to go until I am no longer classed as 'Obese' and so I can't stop yet! A loss of 15lbs more will see me at my 1st major goal.....
I know that there is still lots of things to do and still got more weight to loose... but I will get there - I know I can! So here it goes.....

This week also saw the launch of my recipes page - Click >>HERE<< to go there ....

If you haven't already looked at it, I am slowly building up and putting up recipes that are all suitable for Weight Watchers.

I have really enjoyed my cooking and baking this last week as I have been trying out all these new recipes. It's given me a chance to enjoy the whole process as well as the eating!

If you have any recipes you want me to make or try out, just give me a shout and I'll try my best for you....

I've continued on with my 'being prepared' attitude with my lunches and it is really paying off. So much so that in the evening I have left over points which is allowing me to have extra naughty pieces of chocolate! I have such a sweet tooth it is unbelievable!

My favourite find and recipe has to be THIS apple turnover. Ummmmmm So quick and easy and it fills my sugary need!

I kept my organised Mrs O head on and stuck to making my lunch every night for the next day.....

(in the pot is some low fat humous)

I've had some yummy dinners....

(Turkey Steak from Lidl 7pp, Egg 2pp & Salad 0pp. TOTAL: 9pp)

(Turkey Steak from Lidl 7pp, salad & Tesco Light Choices Balsamic Dressing 0pp. Total: 7pp)

(Steak 8pp, Salad (same as above) 0pp & BNS Chips 0pp) Total: 8pp)

With some yummy desserts....

(This is 1 crushed meringue with 1x WW coconut Greek yogurt with some light squirty cream ummmmm... and all 4pp :) )

But tried this yucky new smoothie - it's made with spinach :(

And did a 'cupboard and freezer' shop just so I could post up some lovely yummy treats for you all....

These are 2pp per pot

  

These are 2pp per pot  

These are 3pp per pot

These are 4pp per pot and are very yummy and very worth it!

These are 2pp per pot

I bought these and the Fruity ones

These crisps aren't from Tesco but are from Lidl and work out as the following:

10g = 1pp

20g = 2pp

30g = 4pp

40g = 5pp

But then..... the ISS weekend away happened.... and it all went a little down hill...

I didn't even bother pointing anything up as we were presented with lovely yummy food. Unfortunately on ISS weekends away, we don't have much say on the food that is put in front of us (unless it is a buffet!) and when the food looks too good, it's so hard to say no.......

So I have drawn a line under it and I was back on track this morning and had some lovely warm porridge to warm my tummy up. I have also decided that I am having far too many smoothies so I think I am going to restrict myself to only 3 a week. I am going to plan them into my weeks when I am on an early shift at work and when I know that my tummy will rumble in front of patients!!

However, I don't feel too guilty as I have seriously upped my swimming this week. I think I experienced this week the first time ever that I got out of breath when swimming. I really pushed myself. And because of all of this I tested myself.....

This time last year I wouldn't have been able to walk up the stairs at work without getting out of breath but on Friday we had a suspected emergency and so I had to run up the stairs. My colleague told me that I literally flew up the stairs. So today I tested myself and walked at a brisk pace up those stairs and surprise surprise... I didn't get out of breath! So I must be doing something right.

Have any of you found any yummy low pp treats?

Have any of you found some things easier to do?....

Love, Mrs O x

Trail mix 1pp per portion

This yummy trail mix is perfect for adding to yogurt and porridge for getting a little crunch to your food.

I found this recipe in the February issue of Weight Watcher's magazine...

I doubled the ingredients up so that I made plenty of it up but the ingredients listed below are the original list of ingredients.

It's so easy there is no need for step-by-step photos....

1 tbsp works out as 1pp (if you are weighing it, it's 10g) and is pretty much all that you need.

I serve it like this....

This makes up 10 servings.

Ingredients:

15g Sunflower Seeds
15g Sesame Seeds
15g Flaked Almonds
25g Dried mango

Let's get cooking....

1. Dry toast the seeds & almonds for 3 minutes - make sure you stir them during the time.

2. Chop up the dried mango

3. Then put it all in a pot or a bowl and mix.

4. Voilla all ready! It should all keep for about 2 weeks if you keep them in an air-tight container.

Enjoy!

Love, Mrs O x

Pork & Apple Casserole 4sps

What else can you add to make the perfect cold winter's night?..... A heart warming casserole.

I have experimented and come up with this sweet little number... Tell me what you think....

This serves 4 and I worked it out as 4sps each serving.....

Ingredients

400g Pork - chopped and diced
Fry light spray
3 Carrots
2 Apples
Broccoli
1 red onion
2 vegetable stock cubes
1tbsp of ground Cinnamon
**Set the oven to about 180'C**

Let's get cooking....

1. Spray a couple of sprays into a frying pan and brown off the pork.

2. Whilst the pork is browning, chop up the carrots, broccoli and onion. And also peel the apples but keep the shavings then chop up the apples into about 16ths....

3. Make up some vegetable stock. I used 1 cube to make 1 pint of stock and then used the other to make up 1/2 pint of stock.

4. Put it all into a big casserole dish, including the cinnamon, give it a good stir and pop it into the oven and let it cook away for about 1 1/2 hrs

5. Take it out the oven and smell away - it will be lovely! Ummmmm

I served mine with some stewed apples (Click HERE to see how to do that...)

Enjoy!

Love, Mrs O x

Butternut Squash & Red Pepper soup 0sps

This yummy heart warming soup is perfect if you need to save some points for later on in the day or if you want to cook a posh meal and would like a starter.

I have taken ideas from the new Weight Watchers Freezer Recipe book but just accomadated it to what I had in... It's a yummy mixture but feel free to tweek it to your own preferences.

This should make about 3 or 4 servings....

Ingredients

1/2 Butternut Squash (BNS)
2 Large red peppers
1 garlic clove
1 red onion
Dried Thyme
1 vegetable stock cube made up to make 1 pint

Lets get cooking....

1. Set the oven to about 180'C

2. Chop up the BNS and the peppers into similar sizes and scatter onto a roasting tin.

3. Chop the garlic clove up into small chunks and 'hide' it inbetween the BNS and peppers.

4. Chop the onion up into chunks, break it up and scatter it ontop of the veg.

5. Sprinkle some Thyme over the top.

6. Pop in the oven for about 45minutes or until slightly browned and soft.

7. Pop all the vegetables into a big bowl or pot (I used the one below) - this is so that it doesn't squirt everywhere and get yourself covered in yummy soup!

8. Add in the vegetable stock that you have made up. 

9. Now, using a hand blender, blitz away!!

10. Either serve up straight away, leave in the pan so you can heat it up later on or pop it into containers and pop into either the fridge or freezer - or both!

Have you made this? If so, what did you think?...

Love, Mrs O x



Fake apple turnover 4sps

A pre-note about this post....

After receiving lots of interest on my blog over the weekend, I have decided to branch out and build up my recipe bank on here. It will be my way of sharing some interesting food finds from everywhere. I will be trying out not only my own made-up recipes but also recipes that other people have come up with.

*******  Fake apple turnover 4sps  *******

So after lots of talking and hype about these 'apple turnovers' I decided to try my hand at one last night. The turnover itself is worth only 4sps - a Weight Watchers Bargain! And what better way of starting to build up this recipe bank with something sweet .... Mmmmmmm....

Well, it was so easy to make, it is definitely on my list of favourite things to make now!

The one thing that I could have done to improve it was to spray it with some fry light - which I have added into the recipe below...

Ingredients

2 x Apples - any type
1 tbsp water
1 tsp sweetener
1x Weight Watchers wrap
Fry light spray
Ground Cinnamon

Let's get baking....

1. Turn your oven on to around 180'C

 2. Peel and chop up an apple into smallish pieces & pop in a bowl with a tbsp of water

3. Pop in a microwave for 2-3 minutes (depending on your microwave, but you will want them to be soft when they come out)

4. Mash it all up with a fork



5. Pop the stewed apple down the middle of a tortilla wrap & sprinkle on some sweetener on top of the apple

  

6. Spray a few sprays of fry light on the tray so that the turnover wont stick to the tray.

7. Fold the wrap up like a parcel and flip it over and pop it onto the baking tray

8. Spray a few times over the parcel and then sprinkle with some ground Cinnamon.

 9. Bake in the oven for roughly 15minutes.

10. Take off the baking tray and serve on a plate with something yummy like light squirty cream or ice cream.

11. Enjoy! :)

You can always change the filling to a different kind of fruit or different mixture of fruits. The possibilities are endless!

Love, Mrs O x

It's week 16 of the lovely Weight Watchers...

I have realised that I haven't posted my WI chart for a long time so I thought I would post that up first....

Week 1 - 3lbs

Week 2 - 4lbs

Week 3 - 1lbs

Week 4 - 2lbs

Week 5 - 1lbs

Week 6 + 1lbs :(  - 0lbs

Week 7 - 4lbs

Week 8 - 2lbs

Week 9 - 0lbs (but also +0lbs!)

Week 10 - 2lbs

Week 11 +/- 0lbs

Week 12 + 3lbs (Major :(  )

Week 13 -3lbs

Week 14 +1lb :(

Week 15 - 2lbs

Week 16 - 0lbs (but also +0lbs!)

I would also at this point like to thank all of you - all of you who have shown and given me the support to keep going. The inspiration. The words of encouragement.

I have also loved the messages from people asking me about how I am loosing weight and my thoughts and feelings on WW... When I got my first message I was gob smacked that someone asked ME about weight loss! Never would I have thought about receiving a message for my help! Usually it's the other way around!!

As you may have seen in THIS post - I received a blender for Christmas. So this week I have been trying to experiment with lots of different recipes. My sister and I have been messaging each other with our smoothie pictures - you may have seen some of them on twitter. I've really enjoyed it and it's made me more organised with my breakfast in the morning. I've not had any bad experiences with how they have turned out - just one spilt everywhere - all over my note book.... I will explain more for you in a moment. But for now... Let these juices get your juices going....

These contain bananas, frozen mango & frozen berries and then some water....

And then this one turned purple....

It has all the same as the other day's smoothies but I also added a tin of pears (I drained it before I chopped the pears up and put them in)

As I said above, one day the smoothie spilt everywhere... Everything else could be washed apart from my lovely note book that my mother in law bought me. It got ruined and ended up looking like someone had been sick all over it and then screwed it up....

This was the remains of the smoothie :(

So, it gave me a good excuse to buy a new one.... This time I decided to buy a day-to-view diary that then allowed me to combine my diary and my food diary together. I promised myself back on Boxing day (when I got the above note book) that I would write down my food diary rather than using the WW app or online tracker so that I could see exactly what I was putting in my mouth and that I wasn't actually hungry but I just needed some water instead.

I decided to write down he previous weeks (luckily only a few days to write down as it started from 1st January) so that I could relate back to any of the items I had previously written.

This week also saw a new Sistema purchase.... a new pink lunch box.... It's brilliant. And I have really enjoyed making the next day's lunch in it and it too is helping me to be more organised.

I also stumbled upon these lovely little finds in Sainsburys.... They are fab and are only 1pp

This week also saw the return to the salmon - I love the salmon!

( This meal came to a total of 6pp - 4pp for the salmon and then 2pp for the cous cous all the rest was freeeee :) )

AND LASTLY.... It was our 2nd wedding anniversary :)

So we decided to spend the night having a very not-so-weight-watchers-friendly meal of Creamy chicken and noodles. It's not a posh meal but it is a meal that holds lots of memories for me, and so that is why I asked Mr O to make it for me. 

We then banned the TV for the rest of the night and played music on our lovely new sound system - player thing and played Monopoly.

However, we haven't put the Monopoly box away since Tuesday and so we played it again on Friday night. 

This time we had a lovely nibble away at my version of the WW Nachos... They are so easy to make...

You literally thinly coat, with a brush, a tortilla wrap in some oil and then sprinkle on some herbs - I did one wrap spicy and one non-spicy, bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes. I then transferred them to a Pyrex and then sprinkled them with half fat cheese and yuuummmmmyyyy!!!

My closing question/s to you all is..... Do any of you have problems with seeing pictures? And would you like a few posts on recipes?....

Love, Mrs O x