Slimming World Update

First the stats :

Starting weight on 5.8.15 - 13st 3.5lb

Current weight 30.9.15 - 12st 9lb

Lost 8.5lb

So, I am losing on average a pound a week

Doesn't seem much, but, when you put it into perspective, at that rate, I will be almost a stone and a half lighter by christmas

I am aiming more for a new lifestyle, healthy eating that I can maintain without feeling like I am deprived or 'on a diet'

So far so good

Here are some of the meals I have been enjoying ( most of which my family have been eating too - no complaints so far !)

Beetroot risotto, salad and a dollop of fromage frais

Slimming world pizza ( the base is actually chicken and it was so yummy)

Gammon, egg, spinach and potato rosti stacks, mushrooms and roasted cherry tomatoes

A favourite for lunchtime, wholemeal toast (HexB) with spicy beans, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes

Garlic and herb chicken, homemade coleslaw and salad

Fruit salad, fat free yoghurt and crumbled pecans, I sometimes have one of these for pudding or as my breakfast

Wholegrain Ryvita (HexB) , with Laughing Cow Light spread cheese (HexA) ham and pickles

Cooked breakfast with grilled tomatoes, bacon, mushrooms, beans, Drakes pudding and a ducks egg

Fruit salad with fat free yoghurt, a large banana and an Alpen light bar (HexB)

Large vegetable stir fry with home-made and syn free chinese sauce, with meringue, lemon yoghurt and dessicated coconut for pudding

Overnight oats - these are so lush and more like a pudding than a breakfast and I have had them for both

Crab salad and a bowl of home-made spicy butternut squash soup

I have found that the Alpen Light bars are lower in sugar, lower in fat, lower in calories and higher in fibre - gram for gram than the Hi-fi light bars AND they are currently on offer at both Co-Op and Poundland, so that means they are also half the price of Hi-fi light bars - it's a no brainer, so as you can see I am stocked up for quite a while !

One of the little tasks I set myself each week is to prep all my fruit and veg for the week and store in tupperware in the fridge, it keeps nice and fresh and is all ready to go should I get an attack of the munchies

I have found this little tip saves me time and saves me syns as I don't reach for something that is easy but naughty

I tried a couple of days on the SP plan last week and felt that although it was quite restrictive ( no carbs ie potatoes, bread, pasta, rice) I did feel better in myself on those days, less bloating, more energy and I did lose 2lbs, even though I had a couple of meals out and a few extra syns here and there

I am going to try and do a full week of SP this week to see if it makes much difference to my overall feeling of well-being and of course to see if it does in fact give me a little extra boost with the scales

Stay tuned, I will let you know how I get on

Love and happy eating

Tracey

xxx

Great Cornish Food Festival

What a beautifully sunny day it has been today, warm and bright, a cloudless sky lifting spirits and helping shed layers of clothing

We headed out to Truro today to sample the delights of the Great Cornish Food Festival and we certainly weren't disappointed

Crowds of 40,000 were predicted over the weekend and whilst Truro was quite busy we had no trouble exploring everywhere we wanted and the large marquee housing most of the stalls was comfortable and easy to navigate

We ate inside the marquee for lunch, Neil tried the paella and I sampled the chowder, both were absolutely delicious and were cooked in front of us in huge dishes bubbling away and wafting wonderful aromas all around the tent - who could resist !

The rest of the shopping area didn't seem much busier than a normal saturday and we wandered the cobbled streets in peace

There is some beautiful architecture in and around Truro, this lovely stone building now houses Barclays bank but I can imagine it having a much grander history

The bunting was out and looked stunning  fluttering against the cloudless cerulean sky

The spires of the cathedral just peeping over the roof tops as we sat and awaited the park and ride bus

We paid a pound each to park and ride to and from the city centre and I can highly recommend the service, we always use it now as it is so regular, easy and cheaper than actually just parking

And did I succumb to any delicacies you may ask

I was actually quite restrained but came away with just a few new treats to try

Some lovely large duck eggs

Drakes pudding, which is similar to hogs pudding but made from duck instead of pork

And a couple of tubs of  flavoured Cornish sea salt, we sampled most of them but ended up buying the garlic one and the onion one as we thought they were most versatile, but, having seen some of the recipes on their website I have a feeling I might be going for the complete collection

You can check them out HERE

We have enjoyed a fabulous day today and are now home and cosy, settled in for the night with only the outcome of the rugby to think about

Love and foodie fun

Tracey 

xxx

Green fingers and muddy boots

The raised flower beds surrounding our house had been sadly neglected for many years

Building rubble, odds and ends, everything except flora and fauna in fact, had been dumped unceremoniously into each one, stifling any growth other than the weedy variety

We had a local landscaper and general odd job man come by to renew some fencing, add trellis around the back and also replace all the rubble and rubbish with some brand new weed-free fertile topsoil

Neil and I, with the help of the kids, all home for the summer, then set to, with paint brushes, to transform the fencing from dull brown to coastal blue and all the masonry to pure brilliant white from the grim institutional grey that it had been previously

And then the fun began, several trips to local garden centres later we had some lush foliage and pretty petals to brighten up our beds

This one runs along the boundary to the side of the conservatory

The larger corner bed at the front of the house. My lovely boss from the hospice shop where I worked in Cleethorpes wanted to treat me to something for my new home and I have three hardy perrenials in this section from her, so thankyou Wendy xxx

This long this bed runs between the two front corner beds and as the stone is original, unrendered and traditional stone walling we have left it in it's natural state, it would have been sacrilege to paint this

Also in the larger bed is a stunning rose, sent to me by my wonderful and very thoughtful friends Anne and David. It has bloomed all summer and all my neighbours have commented on how beautiful it is, every time I leave the house or look out of my front windows it reminds me how very special Anne and David are, thankyou so much xxx

Leaving the front garden and moving around the side of the house I have another raised bed which is not far from the kitchen door, so I wanted to create a herb garden here, and thanks to the wonderful Cornish weather my herbs have run riot and been abundant all summer

The chilli pepper plant you can see in the bottom left of the photo was a gift from Amy and Ben, they bought it back from the Eden project for me and it has been resplendent this month with pops of bright red 

Most of our planters didn't survive the storage, so we have replaced the contents of those too ( and yes you can spot a gnome, I only have the one - and it needs to stay that way but for some strange reason I love the little fellow)

We have one smaller bed in the front garden that houses my cornish palm, this was here when we moved in and it will be staying as we love it. The soil beneath drains well and can get quite arid, so I have planted up with alpines which thrive in drier conditions. I had some local purple slate left over from a previous project and tipped it around these plants, I love the contrast between the various shades of green and the purple of the slate

And finally the majestic palm reaching toward Cornish cobalt skies

Love and life's little blessings

Tracey 

xxx

Thoughts on thursday

Never has this saying been on my mind more than in the recent few weeks

Neil and I have enjoyed the three 'children' being home for almost three months, our new home search and summer holiday was spent with them, altogether

The living arrangements have changed dramatically from our last home of ten plus years, to the temporary abode of the caravan for five weeks and now our new home

We have all had to make some serious adjustments and have had to literally live on top of one another, especially in the caravan 

We roughed it a little when we first moved into the empty house as none of the furniture could be delivered for three days - picnics on paper plates, borrowed chairs and old fashioned unplugged entertainment

But it was an adventure and we had some good old belly laughs and some truly heartwarming moments as we all pulled together and made it work

And I was once again made aware of just how wonderful and resilient kids can be,  grounded and content, all pitching in and helping, going with the flow and I counted my blessings

Our recent relocation reinforced the realisation that it really doesn't matter what kind of house we are living in, or indeed whether it is a house, it makes no difference where in the country we settle or what we possess materially, the true meaning of home is where our children return to be safe and loved and happy

This last couple of weeks has been a wrench after such an exciting and busy summer

Robbie was the first to head back to Liverpool, he wanted to get a head start on the job hunt, he has an interview for Anfield ( bar work not football) and is hoping to supplement his student loan with some finances of his own

Amy left for Leeds yesterday, her course starts soon and another train took one of my babies away, two empty beds and a little less noise/teenage clutter in the house

And last week AJ started his new school

I have seen a massive change in AJ over the summer, his confidence has grown, he has become chattier and healthier

The first week was a little traumatic, he got lost a couple of times, was blanked by all the girls and ignored by the boys

Friday was a turning point, with a friendly encounter on the school bus followed by a warming up from the boys in his group

They are letting him in slowly, but for a while my heart was breaking, I can only imagine how hard it must be for a 15 year old to start a new school, but he soldiered on, kept smiling and accepted the challenge

All summer I have heard parents saying they can't wait to get their kids back to school, and all I can think is that I can't wait for mine to come home

Love, wings and roots

Tracey

xxx

New Home Card

Finally !!! I have managed to find my mojo and make something

Just a quick and easy card to gently ease me back into crafting mode

I made this for my lovely new Slimming World consultant Elaine

I used some of my favourite papers out of a paper pad bought from The Works, it was an absolute bargain, my friend Jan had bought some and you know how it goes, I just 'needed' them too - so thankyou Jan xxx

The sentiment was computer generated as I wanted a modern looking font and didn't have one among my rubber stamps

I made the little bird house using my paper trimmer, just cutting basic shapes, I used a Woodware punch for the heart shaped door and the flower, and I used an EK success border punch for the roof, string, bling and lace  - all bits and bobs from my stash The inking was all done with Frayed Burlap distress ink

I hope Elaine likes her card and loves her new home

Love and feathering the nest

Tracey

xxx