Get in the swing for Spring - Slimming World support thread 2017

LizzieR

Top_Girl wrote: »

That's the one, I'll have to work out how many a tub is, unless anyone has a good recipe for a fake one?

Although I can't eat it, as chickpeas disagree with me nowadays, I make my own for family gatherings as others really love it. I drain a small can of chickpeas, keeping the liquid back, crush the chickpeas with a fork adding a teaspoon of the liquid as I do this - it helps make it smoother. I add stuff like garlic salt, chilli flakes, lemon juice and anything else I feel like until it resembles houmous. I don't add any oil or tahini, so it's totally syn free. Depending how chunky you like your houmous then you could just whack it in a blender or keep crushing it with a fork. No need to use all the liquid from the can as this would make it too runny (in my opinion) but a bit of it certainly helps. It'll easily last 2-3 days in the fridge - possibly longer, but not with my Dad in the vicinity so I couldn't say!
It obviously tastes a little different to shop bought houmous, as there's no tahini in it, but I always preferred it.
Hope that helps!

LizzieR

Mrs_Optimist wrote: »

Longtime lurker who is nervously taking the plunge.

I am the heaviest i have ever been, even when 9 months pregnant. I'm fed up with not fitting into lovely clothes I have have hanging in my wardrobe (I estimate 75% of my wardrobe doesn't fit or is too tight). I have done SW numerous times before and it is a good plan to follow for lifestyle changes but I just can't bear joining a group again and sitting around listening to what other people have lost that week and clapping like children, misery that I am !

So I am going to take the plunge and weigh myself shortly (gulp) and post my starting weight. I have at least 8 stone to lose so it's going to be a long slog.

EDIT well I have just weighed in on the bathroom scales and my starting weight is 19 stone 8 pounds, I am beyond disgusted that I have let myself get so heavy. I am a size 20 and 5 feet 5 inches tall so my BMI is through the roof. I am going to have a moment to let it sink in. Any starting tips would be appreciated, as well as any tips to losing such a huge amount of weight, how do you stay motivated when it's such an uphill battle ?

Hi, I know exactly how you feel. I couldn't believe how heavy I'd allowed myself to get, and how rubbish I felt at the time. Beating yourself up won't help though - you need to think how you would support a friend who'd said the words you've typed above - kindness and support would be my guess.... Then treat yourself in the same way. I've probably got closer to 10 stone to lose in total, but that is too overwhelming to think of - I haven't set a target, as having been overweight all my life I have no idea what I will look like at any given number. Mini targets are the way forward for me, and might be worth thinking about for you?
I know it sounds clich!, but you really do need to spend some time focussing on you and book yourself some time for food prep/planning if necessary - it took me a while to convince myself that I am worth spending a couple of hours on at the weekend to prep stuff for meals through the week, but as time has gone on I really value that time, and love seeing lots of Tupperware boxes all sitting in my fridge ready for me.
I've been doing SW for about 16 months now, and am hoping that I'll reach my 4 1/2 stone award on Saturday. I definitely could have done it quicker, but it's not a race, and I can't begin to quantify how much better I feel than when I first started SW.
One of the things that really helped motivate me was to set myself a physical challenge - last April I signed up for a 25 mile charity hike for Race for Life. The hike was in September. I set myself a training schedule and planned what low syn / free snacks I could take when out on my training walks - boiled eggs and chopped up Quorn sausages were my faves. I love walking, but even the thought of a 5 mile walk was a bit much, so this hike was definitely going to be a challenge. To cut a long story short, I completed the hike (26.5 miles in the end...!) and raised over £700 in the process. Those weeks I really couldn't be bothered to keep going with SW and felt like eating cake I just had to remember that the less I weighed the easier this hike would be, both physically and mentally. Getting the sponsorship money also gave a real feeling of accountability - there was no way that I wasn't going to finish that hike. I chose something that was a real challenge for me, but also something that I knew I could achieve if I put my mind to it - it might be worth considering if there's something similar that you could try, based on what you enjoy doing - that feeling of achievement has stayed with me, and although my weightloss has stalled recently, a quick peek at my finishers medal reminds me what I can do if I really want to.
Another motivation for me is ditching clothes as they become too big, and always having a slightly too small pair of jeans to aim for. When I started losing weight I had about 10 pairs of jeans I couldn't get into. The pair I'm wearing now were bought a little before Christmas as I'd 'ungrown' all the others, and I bought my next too small pair a couple of weeks ago - I WILL be in them by Easter. I have kept the biggest pair of jeans though as sometimes I need that reminder of how far I've come.
I know you mentioned you don't like going to group and all the clapping etc - I feel the same, but have realised I need the accountability and support. For me it was about finding the right group, and now (in spite of all my cynicism) I miss it when I can't stay...!
Apologies, didn't mean to write an essay, but hopefully some of the things that have motivated me might strike a chord. Good luck, and remember, as the shampoo ads like to remind us, 'you're worth it'!

chocomonsta

Recipe for houmous from SW website

https://group.slimmingworld.co.uk/recipes/speedy-houmous.aspx

I added beetroot to mine and it was delicious and fast and free

"Whip up a batch of basic Free houmous – and jazz it up with your favourite Free flavours. Here we've added roasted red peppers and beetroot. Other tasty possibilities include: pea & mint, roasted red onion, lemon & coriander.
ingredients
• 400g can chickpeas, drained
• 2 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus extra to taste
• 2 tbsp fat free natural Greek yogurt
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of smoked paprika or cayenne pepper (optional)
method
1. Put the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and yogurt into a food processor and pulse until fairly smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add more lemon juice to taste and sprinkle with smoked paprika or cayenne pepper if you want a bit of extra spice.
2. Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and serve with your favourite crudit!s or crispbreads"

Mrs_Optimist

Thanks for the Replies.

I've put my starting weight as it's a stark reminder of how much I've let myself go. If it's written in black and white, the only way to make it better is to reduce the number !

I have a savoury, not sweet, tooth and I need ideas for savoury snacks I can munch on in the evenings when my snacking is at its worse. I don't like muller lite yoghurt although they are free. I find them runny and ridiculously sweet. I like greek style and natural yoghurt with fruits added.

I'm not a breakfast person (I know !) But will try the overnight oats in the latest magazine. I have spent this afternoon cooking chicken, SW quiche and savory cheese and potato cakes so have something ready to snack on this week.

Wine is my downfall and I know that I drink too much, I could easily drink a bottle a night, but reign myself in as it's very calorific and unhealthy too. Exercise Is a problem physically at the moment, because if I walk for too LOng the heel of my left foot is very painful. Losing weight will help that.

I am the best friend to everyone but myself so I know I need to be kinder to myself. My DH adores me and my weight has never been an issue for him, although I do know he is worried about my health. Likewise my teenage children, my DS in particular comments if I pour a glass of wine that he is worried that I drink too much (he is anti alcohol) so I do have some support at home !

orlao

Hope everything went well today Kathrynha

Shala could I have 6lbs for this challenge please - that will take me to bottom of target.

D'ya know, here is the only place that I like being called a loser

Tete_en_l'Air

Hi everyone! Happy new thread!

Thanks so much for doing all the work Shala, I posted on the last thread but just to reiterate, my target for this challenge is 9lbs please

Hope all has gone well Kathryn, been thinking of you today xx

Well done on your Outstanding TIE! Brilliant news

Loved your post Lizzie - never really thought about meal planning and prep as 'me time' or investing time in myself - such a good way of looking at it.

Welcome newbies and delurkers, grab a cuppa and settle in.

I had an off plan weekend as usual (though not as bad as last weekend!) and was all set to go for the 777 challenge again this week but have come in from work starving and grabbed a coffee, a Soreen lunchbox thingy (4.5 Syns) and a massive handful of pistachios :wall: Not the biggest wagon derailment of all time but it's only Monday! The rest of the day is like this:

B - Weetabix with sugar (HEA, HEB and 1 Syn)
D - SW Italian chicken and tomato soup
T - Speedy Spag bol
HEA - Milk
HEB - Weetabix
Syns - Sugar (4), Soreen thing (4.5), pistachios (about 10), hot choc (2)


I've just about managed my 7 Speeds but I've only had 3 glasses of water so far and am obviously way over on Syns. Wahhh!

Good luck tomorrow Lantanna!

maman

Thanks for the new thread shala.:A


Glad today's out of the way for you kathrynha. Been thinking of you.:)


Thanks for the sympathy on yesterday's result. We played really well which is what mattered most to me. I hate it when we're on TV and look idiots. Shame about the result but you get used to that watching my team.:)


Yesterday was a long and very tiring day. We had to stand, packed in like sardines both ways on the train as South West Trains, in their wisdom, only put on 2 extra trains when they knew they'd sold 14 000 extra tickets!:eek: On the plus side it was quite SW friendly and I had no more syns than the usual Sunday. I had a roast in a pub on the Strand at lunchtime and a single glass of wine so not too bad. On the way back the train was already on the platform so it stopped me going into M&S and buying sandwiches and crisps. Instead I had a bowl of soup and some more wine when I got home but not too much as I was ready for my bed.


Thanks for posting your story lizzie, very inspiring.:)


Mrsoptimist, I knew the first thing I had to do before starting SW was cut back on wine.


I used this thread:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4862549
and still do. It helps me keep my wine for weekends (mostly:o) and I save my syns for that. We start a new, monthly challenge on Wednesday so do join us or lurk if you'd prefer. I was stricter with myself getting to target but now I do allow a drink midweek if I'm eating out as I'm maintaining.


Strange day today. DH won't be here for dinner (or rather he'll be back when I've already left for dancing so he'll get his own) so I've just finished off some LOs.


My EE plan:
B: NAS grapefruit, HEB toast, bacon, fried egg, mushrooms and tomatoes
L: lentil and veg soup
ham, fried veg, pickled slaw
Syns: none planned


I'm very close to a SP day today. Other than one diced potato in the soup (shared between the 7 portions I made on Saturday), everything else is Speed or Protein.

kathrynha

Managed to get some signal on my mobile. Feeling rather groggy but not too bad. Been told they are happy with how the procedure went. Managed to eat some toast.
Fingers crossed for home tomorrow

Thanks for all your support.

beanielou

kathrynha wrote: »

Been trying to relax this evening. Had a nice soak in the bath then watched Call the midwife. Not feeling at all relaxed though. Bag is all packed. Kindle charged, mp3 player charged, and mobile on charge. Got some cereal bars, a banana and an apple in the bag, so I know I will have something edible with me if I need it.
Scared

Trying to think positive. In 24 hours the procedure will be over with and in 48 hopefully I will be home.

Not a good start to the new challenge with a 'holiday' week the first week, but will try to get back on plan as soon as I can afterwards.

Will be thinking of you and sending you a positive vibes.

TakeItEazy

Glad all went ok Kathrynha, sending you healing thoughts :A

Good luck for the interview latanna :A

Welcome in newbies, pull up a chair and have a :coffee: :A