Weight Day; The Result

Weigh day has come and gone. I had a day off work yesterday and I decided that I was going to use that day to go to my class and get my hair done.  Getting my hair done was out of necessity rather than desire.  The other day someone told me that the balayage in my hair was lovely... I didn't want to tell them that what they were actually looking at was nearly five months worth of re-growth... I said thank you very much and, with a slight hint of red to my face, picked up the phone and made an appointment to get regain control of my mane! Once upon a time the thought of sitting in a hairdressers for two hours doing nothing would have filled me with dread.  I was never able to fully relax into the experience, I wanted it over and done with as quickly as possible.  These days, well, it's a completely different experience.  Two whole hours of not having to wipe a nose or change a bum.  Two whole hours of reading trashy mag after trashy mag, and they were all in date too so it wasn't months old news I was reading either! I got two cups of tea handed to me along with a couple of Roses, which I politely declined. Then the lady massaged the scalp off me. I was on the verge of making very inappropriate noises when it came to a sad end. Yes, post baby, hairdressers are my new favorite place!

My pampering was almost ruined by the scales... I was half a pound up yesterday morning.  Very disappointed in that because even though I didn't put in the effort with my exercise, I did put in the effort with my food.  But, thankfully, I had measured myself on Sunday night to compare my stats to what I was 12 weeks ago and I was very happy with what I saw.

The scales may not have  been kind to me, but at least the measuring tape was.  That's 9.5 inches lost all over my body in 12 weeks and I think that's not to be sniffed at.  I can feel it in my clothes and have already dropped a dress size. I am very happy I took these measurements because I think if I hadn't, that half pound would have resulted in me saying "Feck it, where's the selection box"?  

With only four weeks left of the year, I am going to give it all I have got to start 2016 at a minimum of one stone lighter than when I started 2015.  I will go into the new year with a much smaller challenge ahead of me.  I will not throw in the towel! 

The party season is upon me and my wee diary is already filling up with fun and frolicks. I love this time of year, catching up with people and getting dolled up and just the general happiness that seems to reign supreme for most.  So as I was scooting around the interweb looking for inspiration from some of my favorite bloggers such as the very talented Skinny Doll, I stumbled across a great post from another blog called 59 Pounds to Go.  This post had a great idea for planning the festive season that I am going to get on board with.

This is my plan for tackling the party season 

My goals for December are as follows: 

Loose 4lb 

Survive Christmas with a maximum of 2lb gain 

Exercise every day 

Do a minimum of 11,500 steps per day 

Drink at least 2.5l of water per day 

Track every day 

Happy 1st of December everyone!

This road is long... today

Man oh man, some days this journey I am on is just like a never ending road trip with a really annoying, nagging companion! Today, all I could see in front of me was pounds and pounds of weight to loose and internal fight after fight to make rhe right choices (like avoiding, and failing to do so, the box of biccies my new neighbour gifted us to apologise for the noise of work happening in her house! How sweet was that in a skinny minnie thoughtless kind of way?). Today I felt like just saying feck it, I've enough, sure aren't I grand.

Then I got off the couch and I did the second day of 30 day shred level 2 and I also did another workout, which involved a side plank. I ALWAYS automatically choose the modified version of these positions, but today I decided to give it a bash. And you never guess what? I did it. On both sides. For the length of time I was meant to. With one arm up in the air. Sure I was like a pro, feck Jillian Michaels,  it's Rach Mc The DVD that'll be the best selling fitness DVD in 2016!!!!!

I swear I was utterly delighted with myself. I know to most a side plank is nothing, but it was a big achievement for me and it has helped me see the road ahead in a different light. It has reminded me to focus on getting fit and healthy and the weight loss will come with it.

In another Non Scale Victory, I had a bath tonight (victory for all in my house, the pong off me from all my side planking and jumping jacking). Anyway,  since I was about five months pregnant, I am sad to say that when I had a bath, I created what can only be described as a human dam. Water behind me would rush to freedom when I stood up. Tonight, the water flowed freely. I no longer back up the bath!! Practically svelte at this stage of the game!

Weigh Day, Week 10; The Result

I'm not skipping home let me tell you. I am up 1lb this week.  I knew that It wasn't going to be great, and it could have been a lot worse! I am taking the gain and dusting myself off and carrying on into next week.

This travelling to London is just playing havoc with the scales for me.  The travelling and my inability to say no to a night out. But mostly the travelling, because I figure if I wasn't travelling, I wouldn't have the opportunity to dance my socks off till 4am of a Thursday morning!

I am going to focus on all the NSV's this week and next week to get me over the hurdle of the travelling I need to do.  I measured myself when I started this process, and again at 4 weeks into it.  Last night, knowing that the scales was going to be brutal to me, I measured again, just to remind myself that there is more to weight loss than just the number on the scales.  I discovered that since my last measure 4 weeks ago, I have achieved this:

So even though the scales is not telling me what i want to hear, the inches on that measuring tape is making up for it. My total inch loss in the last 10 weeks is:

Bust: 1.5 inches
Waist: 1 inch
Hips: 1 inch
Thighs: 1.5inches
Arms: 1.5 inches

That's not really to be sniffed at.

I am going in to this week with a battle plan.  I will be back in London Wednesday, Thursday and Friday so I need to be as prepared as possible for the week ahead.

Himself bought me a lovely present yesterday. He bought me a slow cooker and I am dying to get home and get trying it!  Who says romance is dead eh? It may not sparkle, or fit on a finger or around a neck, but it made me very happy... anyone with some good slow cooker recipes to share, please send them on in and I will get cracking on them!

Motivation - That Fickle Little Rip

I have been thinking about how motivated I had been over the last nine weeks. Everything had clicked into place and I was powering through the weight loss without a struggle to be seen.  I was moving more and more every day and feeling on top of the world about myself, how I look, what I was doing and how committed I was (am). But then last week came along and old habits, that I have worked very hard to change, began creeping back in.  Too tired to move, too busy to cook, too..... (insert excuse here). Suddenly, all mojo has up and left me and I am happy to sit on the couch, or ignore the early morning call to get a few extra steps in.  The baby is not well, sure no time to cook. Busy busy busy.

I promised myself that I would not allow my excuses to hold me back this time.  I swore that I would be bigger than any excuse I could muster up and that I would not stand in my own way again. Thankfully, my lack of motivation hasn't last this whole entire week, and I am feeling on top of it all again.  I have also noticed that even though I have gone off track, I'm not killing myself with unkindness.  Instead I am looking at the bigger picture of this journey I am on, and I am allowing myself a couple of stumbles along the way in order to make it there in one piece (mentally and physically).  And I think the reason that I haven't spiraled out of control is because I am working so very hard on how I perceive myself and the things I think and say to myself.

So here's a couple of things that have helped me get myself back to where I need to be...

Photos I am a snap happy person.  I used to be called Tagger O'Toole, but then I got married, changed my name and had a baby so I was less likely to be out in the pub at 1am taking snaps of all the shenanigans and more likely to be walking the floors using my phone as a flash light so I could see what I was doing without actually turning on the lights and fully waking the baby!  But, back in my Tagger days, I have hundreds and hundreds of photos of myself that are absolutely not flattering in any shape or form. I see these photos now and marvel at how the girl on print never matched the one in my head... This week, I got a pop up of a memory on Facebook, which was a photo of me from 2009.  Apparently back then I not only needed to loose a lot of weight, it also would have been useful to introduce me to a decent hair straightener, some moose and a make up lesson or two... but that's not the point.  The point is, when I saw that picture I realised that I have actually come a very long way from the girl I was, not just physically, but mentally too. Comparing a then and now made me very protective of the weight I have lost and made me excited about getting to where I need to be.

Keep a Diary. Not just a food journal.  When I came back to weight watchers, I made myself a couple of promises, and one of them was to track my food and to write a diary about my day. And that's what I have been doing. Every day (or most anyway) I write a plan for the following day, what food I'm  going to eat and what exercise I am going to do and then leave a space for how it went and how I felt. It's been helpful to look back on this information.

Get adventurous. It can be so boring loosing weight.  I find that I get a couple of recipes going and then I end up just sticking with them. Then I get bored and I make bad choices. When I'm feeling demotivated I get my books out, I go on line and make myself try at least one new dish a week.

Check your thoughts. I know, I go on and on about the power of Positive Thinking. But it really works.  I was recently out with my best friend who told me that the transformation in me over the last couple of weeks is amazing.  I am less stressed, less likely to be bogged down in the little things and so much happier than I have been in a long time.  I didn't even know that I was that unhappy until I started to feel this happy!

This journey is a long one. And it can be a lonely one, particularly if you are to beat yourself up and treat yourself unkindly along the way. Find a reason to be proud of yourself every day and keep trying until that motivation kicks back in for you.  No matter how big a cheerleading squad you have standing behind you, the support you give yourself is the really the only thing that will make sure you succeed.

Weigh Day; The Result for Week 7..

I had an early weigh day this week because I am in London again on Monday. So I returned to a class that I haven't been to in a very long time. The last time I was in the Pavilions class I burst into tears on the scales and retreated into a 16 month long bubble of denial, cruel thoughts and personal neglect.  Today, I approached the scales so bloody hungover that I didn't have a chance to even think about it! I am literally the most hungover I have been since The Child was born. 

So I hopped up on that scales and for the first time in seven weeks, it beat me. I gained half a pound.  This would usually send me spiraling into an abyss of junk fueled negative thinking.  I would normally present a number of excuses for my gain such as; not my usual class, only five days since my last weigh day, the scales at the Pavilion Shopping  Center hates me and wants to depress me etc. etc. But I promised myself this time that I would be bigger than my excuses. So I have none. I went out last night and drank my weight in wine and even did a shot of Sambuca like I was a bloody 18 year old again. I can't do those things any more, I should have more sense.  I also have  been a little bit too cocky this week and have started to let my motivation slip. So I definitely deserve that kick in the backside. 

All in all, the gain could have been much worse, so I just need to shake it off and get back in the middle of zone instead of hanging about on the edges of it pretending I'm getting stuck in! I have until Monday week to loose my gain and then some.

Preparation is key! Traveling to London will be a hurdle but not one I can't get over.  I will do what I did the last time I was over and stick to low pointed breakfasts, salads for lunch and then dinner can be healthy choices.  Being in London is great because you can walk the legs off yourself (and if you get lost, which I will, it only increases your steps!) 

So half a pound is not the worst result in the world. I am looking at the bigger picture here.  Although I did gain, I still feel great about how far I have come in 7 weeks.  The changes I have made, and the way I feel cannot be measured on a scales.  Going out last night I felt amazing, with a lot of help from Himself.  I put on the Guna that I recently found I could fit into, but I nearly chickened out of wearing it. I had a dip in my confidence, but Himself came up and saw me and said that I was a lovely girl and that I wasn't to change into something else.  So, seeing as he loves me, I decided to take his word for it and ran away from the full length mirror so that I couldn't see myself anymore and talk myself out of the dress and into my boring old jeans and top.  After his little pep talk, I felt much more confident and headed off into the night to drink too much wine and die a holy death this morning! 

Now, I'm off to get organised for dinner. Fake-away tonight! I'm going to treat myself with some Diet Coke Chicken and Fried Rice  I'll have to add a couple more points onto the recipe for the fried rice, but feck it, it'll be worth it!

Have a great week everyone!

It's Friday at last!

It's been one heck of a week. Every goal I have achieved so far this week has  been hard won.  The urge to lie on my couch and eat a six pack of monster much, 3 bags of tangtastic jellies and an airport toblerone has been a difficult one to resist. A very difficult one. I have been tempted by the two McDonalds I drive past on my home. That's right, there's two. And there drive in's too. Drive in’s are feckin lethal for me. You see, in my head, anything I eat while in the car or driving is calorie free, because I don’t pay attention to what I’m actually eating and I can ‘forget’ that it happened just by throwing the wrappers in the bin outside the house. So yesterday, as I was approaching the danger zone I decided, feck it, I’m having a Big Mc Meal.  Then, for the first time ever, I decided that I would investigate just how much that big mc would cost me. 22 ProPoints for the meal. So I said no way. Then as I approached the next set of lights I thought, well sure I could take it out of my weeklies couldn’t it, feck it, I will. But, as I approached the turn to go away from the drive thru or head straight for it, I took the turn away from it. No, what if I want to have something really nice at the weekend, like Wine, or chocolate, or wine and chocolate. I’m not wasting points on that crap.

Danger zone 1 successfully averted.  But I still had one more danger zone to navigate. I knew that if I drove towards that second drive thru there would be no way I’d pass it, so I did something really bold, something that won’t jeopardise my weight, but may possibly jeopardise my clean licence… I took an illegal turn and scooted off up the road in the opposite way to the second danger zone towards the safety of my house! Yay me, although very bold for breaking the law. I would have explained the precarious position I was in to a Garda if I was stopped. I am full sure he would have understood that the severity of the situation.

So on we go to the weekend. I am not too worried about it because I have a nice relaxing time planned with my family.  We have only just settled down into the swing of things after me being away from London. My little Dolly decided that she would teach me a lesson for going away and leaving her for nearly a week by suddenly starting to walk all by herself and fed herself. In your face mam, she says, you leave me, I’ll just grow up too quickly on you!! It was a happy day when she started walking by herself on Monday. I nearly caused her to fall down with the screech of delight that I let when I turned around to find her following me up the hall!!

I have completed 35,846 steps of my 83,000 so I am well on my way to achieving my goal by Monday.  I am determined to achieve this weekly goal. I will not be beaten! I am back to feeling like I want to this, not just that I have to.  This weight loss journey business is a funny one.  No matter how much you would just like it to go from A-B in a straight line, it is generally a squiggley up and down and all over the place mess of road!! 

Have a good weekend all x

Weigh Day; The Result

Oh my goodness. I have such a busy busy evening and morning since I got weighed that I haven't had a minute to update you all... wonderful news to be shared. In absolute record time for me, I have shed a grand total of 7.5lb in 5 weeks. Completely unheard of! That never happens. I have lost consistently over the last 4 weeks and had only one maintain on Week one. I normally loose 1, gain 6, loose 0.5, gain 3 - you get the picture! I lost another pound last night and I swear to God I am so very proud of myself!!!

New month now. New goals to be achieved. My goal of 81k steps continues to evade me... I made it to 79,500 steps in the last week. I just couldn't do the last 1,500. I am raging now because I am meant to be bigger than my excuses! But it's past, I'm moving on.

This month's goal is another 7lb loss by 30 September. I am going to achieve this by getting back on my tracker and really using that tool. I'm also planning on increasing my daily steps by 500 so that I achieve 83,000 steps next week. It's a challenge,  but I will do it! I need to keep building on this momentum and my PMA!

I celebrated my loss with a workout and a cup of tea!

Here's a pic of me and my shiny silver seven

Weigh Day: Week 5 - Travelling Mama, Walking for Weight Loss and Terrible Tantrums

It's the end of Week 5 of Operation Skinny Bitch and it has gone relatively well.  The mobile stats look good, but I am not entirely sure the output will negate the input, if you get my meaning!!

Being away from home for the four days was difficult. For all my chat and excitement for my baby free time, it was not easy to spend so much time away from her and Himself and I was so excited to get back in to their loving embrace, that was until my little Dolly decided that she would punish me for her abandonment by launching into a level five tantrum that shook the house to its very foundations.  Hell hath no fury like a toddler who cannot wear her leggings on her arms, let me tell you that! For a full 35 minutes she lay on the floor and howled like she was being murdered. I must admit, I admire her dedication and commitment to her cause and it gives me great hopes for a bright and successful career in the future. But my goodness; it was a sight to behold.  By the end of the 35 minutes, she pulled her tear stained, sweaty little head off the floor, crawled up into my lap and lay on my shoulder rubbing my face saying "sssh sssh sssh". We were exhausted, mildly traumatised and relived that the (many) moment(s) had passed.  She returned to her loving little self and was all smiles and hugs and kisses from then on... while the fear of a repeat performance mounted in the pit of my stomach at the thought of having to change her bum! That was my punishment for being a Travelling Mama...

Here's hoping a frustrated drama queen is the only punishment I will receive for my break from the norm! I have asked my WW Leader to talk extra nice to her scales.  I was quiet good, but definitely had a little more than a tiple or two! I didn't go wild, like usual, but I am definitely not as confident about tonight's weigh in as I have been in previous weeks.  I am going for my silver seven. I need to loose 0.5lb to achieve this. It's so hard to have confidence in your choices when you have no control over what is going into them.  Eating out a lot is difficult. I did make some very good choices, I also made some not so good ones too - Doritos, I'm looking at you... but for the most part I kept breakfasts to fruit and yogurts and lunches to salads without the dressings so that I could be a bit more relaxed about my dinner and enjoy a glass of two of wine.

But I walked! I moved and I move and I moved. I set my self a goal of 81k steps by bed time tonight. I have 11,212 steps to go to make this goal. That's not a bad achievement if I do say so myself.

It's easy to rack up the steps in London. You practically walk everywhere, except the first day when your sense of direction fails you and you end up getting the tube to the next stop. It took longer to get down into the tube station, buy a ticket, wait for the tube, get on it, get off it and go back up to the street than it would have if I had walked, but I didn't know where I was going and looked like a fool walking up and down the road afraid to commit to a direction!!! 

Here's my stats so far this week... It's hard not to feel a little bit confident that I will achieve my goal when I look at them, but I am afraid to get cocky... 

Week 6 is about to start. Every week my confidence in myself grows and grows. And with that, so does my pride in myself.  I have made the decision to change my life, and I am not using excuses to stop me from doing this. My mantra again this week; the scales is not a true reflection of the effort I have put in.

All the same, if  you could send a few feather light thoughts my way I'd be ever so grateful!!! 

London Life

Greetings from Lovely London… I am currently living it up in a beautiful serviced apartment in the heart of London. It is amazing. It has a fully functioning kitchen, a shower that would strip the skin off your back, and the biggest bed with the most comfortable mattress, fluffiest pillows and cosiest blanket.  If you’re traveling, this is definitely the way to do it!

I have been concerned about how my eating habits my go while away. It’s so much easier to be at home and in my routine (and my comfort zone), but I know that this is a way of life for me now, I need to be able to adapt my food choices to my life. And I am trying very hard.  I made really good food choices yesterday, I had a bagel with smoked salmon and salad for my breakfast and I went out for dinner to a lovely Italian. I read the menu, I drooled over the pizza choices and the creamy cheesey gooey sauces, so much so that they had to put a “Caution, Wet Floor” sign beside my seat.  But, as tempted as I was by all that, I made good choices. I had an avocado and prawn salad, no dressing, for starter and Gnoochi with a tomato and basil sauce.  I had to fling the menu at the poor girl and order her away from my table before I changed my mind and said “Four cheese sauce, with extra cheese please”..

I can’t speak as highly of my willpower when it came to the bread and oil that was brought to my table. I ate that. I am not proud, but man it was so tasty. So I am happy to live with the shame…. The great thing about being in London is that you manage to get a lot of steps in without actually having to make a huge conscious effort to move. So yesterday I had managed to do a grand total of 14,534 steps without really trying… although tell my legs that cause they are killing me today!

After such a successful eating day yesterday, it’s given me the confidence to remain on track and not completely loose the plot while here. Smart choices! I’m starting with low pointed breakfasts (had fruit salad and granola bar (5pp)) and I’ll do the something similar for lunch so that I can be a bit more relaxed about dinner.

London is such a busy place. It’s one of my favourite places to visit, but I am really missing Himself and the Dolly. I had a facetime with them last night and my poor Dolly didn’t understand what was going on. She got so upset when I was saying goodbye to her. I think she’s wondering where the heck I’ve gone. Only two more nights to go! This jet setting lifestyle wouldn’t really be for me.

The POA for my PMA - Keeping Her Lit Week

As I previously mentioned, this is Throw in the Towel and get a Snickers Week, in my usual weight loss journey.  At this stage the last time I went back to weight watchers, I ran from the scales crying and snoting and in an awful negative place.  Granted, I was full of postpartum hormones and had only pushed a tiny human out of a tinier hole about 12 weeks before the crying and snotting and running and I had to quit.  My wonderful WW Leader reminded me last night of an email I sent her saying how trying to regain control of myself by being in weight watchers at that particular time was having an incredibly negative impact on me, and I would have to leave it for the time being. And leave it I did. I retreated into a happy lovely little bubble of myself, Himself and Herself. Sure I was delighted in my little life, still wearing my maternity jeans (because lets face it, they are just so comfortable!).

It makes me very sad reading back on some of those posts from that time.  I was very hard on myself, and if a new Mama came to me right now and said half of what I said to myself, I would give her a swift (but gentle, very gentle) kick in the backside and tell her to sit down and mind herself and her baby and have a little bit of what she fancied. Sure isn't she after growing a whole human all by herself. That's something to be incredibly proud of!

Anyway, I totally digress here! The purpose of this post is to discuss tactics!!! Tactics to protect my losses! I need to hire Fat Protectors who are going to guard me from my lost 4lb, in case they are a bit like homing pigeons and make their way back to me! I am heading to see my family in Donegal this weekend.  This means wine (yay!) and good company and happiness (more yay!).  So my plan is a simple one - sit in a corner and be a miserable moo for the weekend!

Ah not really! I am aiming for 81k steps this week.  And I have gotten off to a wonderful start! I was up at 6am this morning jumping around the sitting room for a bit of a HIT workout. Had to check what that meant when I first read it, it's High Intensity Training. Jesus I was a mess after it. Talk about making my fat cry (sweat). My goodness, I was sweating behind my ears after it! So while I was buckleaping around the sitting room, and my lovely family were snoring their heads off, I racked up at good 3k steps and it got me going for the day.  My whole mood lifted - I'm not a great morning person! I was bouncing around and I have kept it up all day with making sure I move for at least 10 minutes in every hour. This is what I've achieved so far today:

Pretty happy with that!

I am thinking that a mixture of aerobic and resistance training and keeping them steps up at around the 12k mark every day this week will ensure that I minimise the damage that could be caused at the weekend.

If anyone has any tips at all on making sure my weekend doesn't blow my whole week, please feel free to share!!!

I am looking forward to weigh day next week, when Week 4 officially gets renamed at Keeping Her Lit Week!!

Thought for Today

I saw this today on Instagram and I think it's a really good attitude to have. For me, my own body image is what has driven me to weight loss and exercise in the past.  This time round, I made a promise to myself that I would make physical and mental changes in my life, starting with how I speak to myself and how I feel about myself.

So far, I have been totally focused on how these changes are making me feel and not necessarily on what the scales is telling me.

A lot of the time, those of us on this weight loss journey have spent so long being cruel and unkind to ourselves that we don't even realise we are standing in our own way!

Motivation Tip

Exercise is the bane of my life. I am the first to admit it. I know I should be moving more, but the rain falls, the couch calls and, unable to play hard to get,I drop everything and sit in the ass groove I've lovingly and painstakingly carved for myself and before all thoughts of exercise are forgotten, I make a vague and undefined promise to try again tomorrow...

Having rejoined weight watchers,  I decided that in order for this to work I needed to look at this as a change in my life. To succeed I need to think of it as the new me, not a means to getting slim and then forget about it. So I made a a loud and definite promise to block all calls from the couch and move more every day.

The motivation is high right now - but it is only week 3! So to keep it going, I have been using the pedometer on my phone.

Everyone everywhere should have one. Yes, there are fancy Dan bracelets that track your steps and your z's and every breath you take etc etc.  But if, like me, you think there's a chance that this is a passing phase, download an app and just get walking. 

I have set myself challenges for the last three weeks. Increasing my weekly goal every time and, when I see I am doing more steps every day than the last, I am getting a bit addicted to bettering my count every day. I am a numbers girl.... I  like to see the numbers getting higher and higher. And, as a result, at the end of the week, regardless of what the scales tells me, I can see for myself that I am doing the right thing to get me where I want to be!

So my tip? Get a pedometer. As basic or as fancy as you might like.

Today, I did over 15,000 steps... my best yet!

Thought for Today - Staying on Track

I have to be totally honest, yesterday was a bit of a tough day, and for all my chat about not minding about the scales and feeling great regardless of what it said, I think I was a little bit more disappointed than I was letting on. Actually, a lot more disappointed. Like, a Malteaser Bar, 1 meringue nest, a Babybell Cheese and a packet of popcorn, disappointed - not all in one go mind! It was spaced over the day. I was hollow all day, nothing I ate could satisfy me, but it didn't stop me from eating let me tell you! I didn't get anywhere near my goal of 9,000 steps because I was in a 'can't be feckin arsed' kind of mood.

As my wonderful Hubby kindly pointed out to me, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was the wide load I call my ass (he didn't say that last bit, I did!). He knows that I have unrealistic expectations with food and exercise.  I am from the "eating well and moving more for one week will totes undo years of sitting on the couch making bad food choices" camp.

So today, despite a terrible nights sleep with the worst bedmate ever - my daughter, I have woken up with renewed positivity and am back to really believing in the benefits I am feeling. No more feeling sorry for myself! Yesterday's bad day will not be Monday's bad week!

My first Mother's Day, Her first St. Patrick's Day

I had my first official Mother's Day on Sunday. I say official because last year my husband was very thoughtful and bought me flowers and a card from the Bump to wish me a happy Mother's Day. I was totes hormonal and, therefore, got totes emotes and cried my eyes out. But this year, I got woken with flowers and wine and cards and breakfast and cuddles on the outside. Which made a very welcome change from the foot that was lodged in my diaphragm last year, I can assure you of that! I even got a lie in this year! Last year, not so much...

It was a lovely day. It made me really think about how important it is to mind your Mammy and your Mammy-in-law too! This last year has made me so aware of what a tricky job it is to raise a tiny human and how much hard work my mother (and father) put in to make me into a presentable acceptable adult.  To be frank, I remember what a pain the backside I was, so I'm pretty lucky I didn't end up road kill and I pray every day that my daughter does not teach me a lesson my mother might like me to learn! We had a wonderful family dinner celebrating all the Mama's in my Dolly's life, me (her favourite), my own Mama, my Mama-in-Law and my Sister-in-Law all sat around enjoying wine (a little bit too much for me, if you get my drift) and having chats and laughs while the men minded the children and ensured that the wine glasses were nice and full.

Then we had Paddy's day.  This was a quiet one. No hangover (myself and the vino have fallen out again, we need a break from one another, as the old saying goes; absence makes the heart grow fonder), which was unusual for a week day Paddy's day. No chance of the pub with a little one in tow so we went to the park.  Not to knacker drink, but to actually go to the park and have a go of the swings.  Sadly, we were not the only parents to have this idea, what with the day that was in it, and there was a que for the swings, so I didn't get a go on them.  But Holly did, and she loved them! So swings are the way forward, and backward, and forward - you get it right?

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend. And "The Grand Stretch" in the evenings makes me very excited about the summer and the fun that is to come. Also makes me think about maybe, just maybe, making a trip to that park for an aul walk. Like a real proper walk. That might motivate me into becoming more of a weight looser than a weight watcher... But I think I'll make sure that the motivation is here to stay, rather than just passing through, before I get into making all those promises I never seem to keep!!

Week 3 - The Result

This weeks result... funny story really. I, eh, sort of chickened out of going to my class.  I have discovered this weekend that I am an almighty scardey cat who sometimes cannot face things head on. The Soul Crusher being one of them things I cannot face. Now in my defence, a rather weak defence but a defence nonetheless, I am not feeling very well. The hayfever has taken a bit of a turn for the worse and I appear to have developed a cough that you could liken to a cough of a 60 a day smoker. Feckin pollen will be the death of me.

Pathetic defence, I know, but I just didn't have the heart to go through with a weigh in.

As punishment for my lack of commitment I have signed up to a 2 nights a week for 4 weeks bootcamp. Every Monday and Wednesday for the next 4 weeks I will be putting myself to work!

Week 3 was a washout but week 4 will be amazeballs

Help! Help! I need a Superhero....

I have raised the Bat Signal.. I need help of the superhero variety, because nothing short of a superhero is going to rescue me from this food coma I seem to have slipped into since I came back from my honeymoon...

I am pretty sure my motivation and willpower got abandoned on one of the Caribbean Islands and are currently sunning themselves and sipping on cocktails laughing their asses off at me.

I keep saying I'm going to go back to a slimming class.  I keep getting organised and then I allow something to distract me. Mostly, food. I have been eating and drinking like a woman possessed with a tapeworm, or a high metabolism...

So that's why I have raised the Bat Signal by starting to blog again.  It might give me the push I need to get my backside back in gear.  I have literally buried my head in the sand and won't even get up on the scales at home for fear of breaking it!

I am putting it down to all the new things in my life;

1. New Husband
2. New (to me) car - purchased for me by the new husband, he's definitely a keeper!
3. New Suite of Furniture - a major role player in my lack of motivation.  I sit down on this bad boy and it's like sitting in a big fluffy hug...
4. New Phone - I have ditched the Apple and now run with the Samsung crowd!!
5. And finally, New Job....

Yes! I got a new job to start on the 5 June. I literally made one big changed and followed it with a load of other changes. Granted, not all of them life changing, but changes nonetheless.  And being the type of girl that likes to blame everything else rather than take the blame myself, I have decided that it is all of this change that has made me reluctant to return to slimming classes / exercise...

The name of my blog is apt, I am a weight watching wife. It's just that right now, I'm watching it (and facilitating its) increase...

Help! Help!