5 Years & a Non Scale Victory

So I've been with my other half 5 years today, I was probably about 3 stone heavier when we got together. I'm amazed at the change in me in such a short time. I feel so comfortable in myself and I'm actually happy with what I see. Here's a few of my favourite photos of us: 

Today we went out for lunch and enjoyed watching some of the football with our friends. I wore this dress, it's a size 10! I never thought I'd ever wear a size 10. I know different places vary in sizes but this is definately a none scale victory for me. So happy with how far I've come, I've made so many friends through both my group and my Instagram and I love helping others on their journeys too. 

Low Syn Trifle Inspired Desserts

My sweet tooth is my downfall so I've decided to start making different desserts that are super low in syns. 

This is just jelly, banana and custard muller, raspberries, blueberries and part of a digestive grated on top. 

It works out at just under 1 syn and it's so lovely! 😍😍😍

Here's attempt number 2:

Jelly, banana and custard muller, clementines & passion fruit yoghurt. The only syns in this are the jelly which is actually 0.375 syns so counting half for ease :)

Key Lime Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 x sugar free lime jelly crystals - 1.5 syns

8 x digestive biscuits - 3.5 syns each (28 syns) 

350ml fat free vanilla yoghurt - syn free

250ml quark - syn free

2 limes - syn free

3 tbsp sweetener - syn free

2 tsp powdered gelatine

Method

Break up digestive biscuits into crumbs and heat over a low heat until they damp then fill the bottom of your tin using a flat surface of a spoon etc to press into the corners and make sure it is level. 

Put in fridge whilst continuing with the rest. 

Make up lime jelly as per the instruction and leave to cool. 

Grate the zest of 1 lime and put to the side, juice both limes and also leave to the side. 

Once jelly has cooled (but not set) add the yogurt, quark, gelatine, sweetener and lime juice then mix until smooth. 

Pour over biscuit base (I hadn't set mine well enough so bits actually set in the jelly part too). Sprinkle some of the zest on top then put in fridge to set (overnight if possible) then sprinkle more zest for decoration if you like.

The whole thing is 29.5 syns so I was classing it as 3 per portion based on it serving 10 people.

Please make sure you check syns on what you're using, my syn value above is based on the syn values listed in the ingredients, different brands may vary.

Enjoy! 

All I ask if that if you use any of my recipes on your own blog/social media, please can you link back & give credit to mine. Many thanks!

Something Different For Tea

Tandoori Chicken made by mixing Syn free Greek yogurt with tandoori powder and the juice of 1 lime. All Syn free. 

Then roasted tomatoes and peppers, hex a cheese and some pickled onions. 

Random combo but lovely all the same 

Fakeaway Feast

There's nothing like a Fakeaway to bring in the weekend! Salt and pepper chicken for 2 syns. Syn free egg fried rice and then 3 syns for the mayflower curry sauce. Yum!

Salt and pepper chicken recipe previously posted!

Weigh Day

So after a few cheeky drinks and bbq's I'm actually alright with this. I wanted more but after a busy and amazing weekend I can't complain! Still on for my goals which is good. Just need to knuckle down now :)

June Goals

Here we are. I'm hoping that by posting them online and making them public it will mean I'm more likely to give it my all and actually aim for them. It seems to have been a good while since I can honestly say I've given it 110% every single day so I'm hoping this month I can. They're all targets I can achieve if I set my mind to it. I just need to take it a day at a time if needs be. 

Game on!

Carrot Cakes

So in my attempt to be as on plan as possible when I can, I made a batch of the carrot cakes I posted a few weeks ago. Definately a favourite of mine and it's great that this dessert was just 3 syns

Each cake is 1.5 syns, the syns are just from the flour used. There's probably a way to lower the syns but I'm not going to argue with 1.5 syns for a lovely little cake!

Schwartz Curry Sachets

Sometimes it's good to have a low syn sachet you can use and not have to rely on making your own curries etc. 

This was super easy to do in the slow cooker which is perfect when you don't have much time. 

5.5 syns for the sachet, packet full of speed veg and chicken. Serves 4 so just under 1.5 syns per portion :)

Weigh Day

So last night I lost 1.5lbs. It's not the 5lb I was hoping for but it's not the end of the world either. I've had a stress time lately at work and what not and probably haven't done the plan 100% if I'm totally honest so if I had have got 5lb it wouldn't have been deserved. I have 17.5lbs to go until I reach target now, which I wanted by 30th June (the day after my next birthday) to get this I now need 3.5lb loss per week until then, now I know this isn't completely out of the ordinary but I also know it probably isn't realistic. That being said I'm going to give it my best shot to get as close to it as possible. I need 10.5lbs to be bang on the stone mark, so I'd be happy with 11lbs, taking me into the next stone bracket. I came so close last time (within 3 lbs) of hitting that stone mark before my cock up, so I know I can get there. I'm definitely feeling more determined today. The only thing stopping me, is me. I can't blame anyone else for not seeing the results I know I can get. I intend on being completely on plan this week, I've printed a diary and will even flexi syn over the bank holiday if I need to. I haven't set a target at group this week but my target for the next 5 weigh ins will be 3.5lb per week, lets see how I get on!

Nutri Bombz

In an attempt to use my syns on healthy snacking I decided to try out the Nutri Bombz that so many fellow slimmers seem to be into at the moment.
They are £4.99 per box of 12, so approx 42p each. 

I eagerly awaited and today received my box, I got Coconut, choccy orange, mint choccy brownie and super fruit. 

Decided to try a coconut one first and oh my word it was yummy. I expected a bland taste with it being all natural ingredients but I was pleasantly surprised. It was full of flavour and one satisfied my cravings which was definately a plus. 

The coconut ones work out at 4 syns each and I'm quite happy to use 4 syns on one Nutri bomb purely because it's packed full of flavour and I didn't feel the need to have another. I would highly recommend them to everyone, I will be getting a new selection in 4 weeks. Can't wait to try the other flavours. They seem to range from 3-5 syns it seems which I think is perfectly acceptable :)

Fruit Wobble & Chilli

Fruit wobble is basically a hartleys jelly crystals sachet (1.5 syns) made up with hot water and then quark mixed through then set. Used 1/3 of it today so only 0.5 syns.

Had some leftover syn free chilli to use so reheated that for lunch too, feels good to be back on plan!

Ombré Jelly Slice

There's a recipe for an ombré jelly slice on the Slimming World website. I didn't have all the ingredients so I improvised with what I had and I love it. 

The bottom layer was made with 1 sachet of sugar free hartleys jelly crystals (1.5 syns) made up with a pint of hot water and then a tub of quark mixed through. 

Poured into the mould and left to set. 

Then added some frozen raspberries

The top layer was made up with another sachet of the jelly crystals (1.5syns) and a pint of hot water and then the passion fruit muller light stirred through it and then poured over the top of the raspberries and other layer. 

3 syns in total and lasts ages. Super sweet and doesn't take much of it to daisy my sweet tooth which is good. 

Treat/Cheat Nights

A lot of people have different views on what they do for cheat/treat night. I'm not saying what I do is right or wrong, the same with the choices that other people choose to make, but I thought I would write a little blog post about what I do as I've been asked a few times.

I have a chippy most Thursdays after weigh in, It's the one meal I don't include in my syns. And that works for me. It gives me the little blowout I need and then I get right back on plan on a Friday. Some people have weekends off or a full day, some people go crazy. If I did that I'd find it so hard to get back on plan so this is what I do and it works for me. :)

Obviously if I know I have a family meal or something over the weekend that is somewhere I can't really 'be good' with I may not have as big a meal as that or will just flexi syn for the week after the meal. Theres a number of different ways people chose to use their syns but I know using them daily works best for me so I tend to stay away from Flexi synning as I know it can get out of hand for me. Would love to know other peoples thoughts?

Weigh Day

Lost 2.5lb tonight. Still gutted it wasn't more but what can you do?! Had a good week on plan, and going to be on plan until lunch on Tuesday then it's off to Frankfurt until Thursday afternoon so not quite sure how next week is going to go. I'd be delighted with a maintain if possible but we shall see!

Lemon Sorbet

My latest addiction. Lemon Sorbet. Or basically a lemon cheesecake muller chucked in the freezer. Didn't fancy a proper breakfast this morning so thought I'd have a sorbet and blueberries. Lovely and refreshing. Might try the strawberry cheesecake muller when I pick some more up. Would highly recommend.

Subway Salads

Subway salads have my approval. I've finally got round to trying one. I went for the chicken tikka one (doubled my meat) and didn't have sauce and it was completely syn free. I'm not a salad person so it was nice to be able to pick exactly what I liked instead of a load of salad that I wouldn't eat. 

Slow Cooker Chilli

I got in from work tonight and really couldn't be bothered standing in the kitchen preparing a chilli, so I whacked all the ingredients into the slow cooker once I'd browned the mince and 2.5 hours later tucked into a lovely SYN FREE Chilli.

Used Muscle Food's beef mince and then pretty much made it up to how I like it.
Added onions, peppers, chopped tomatoes, passata, baked beans, tomato puree, garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander, chilli flakes, salt and pepper and a beef stock cube. It's as easy as that. And my other half loves it too which is always a bonus! Leftovers for tomorrows lunch too which is good!

Grip Fitness Offer

Grip Fitness is a local clothing company for me, and they've got a fab offer on at the moment for anyone wanting to get a training programme for the gym.
When you make a purchase from them you have the option of getting a 6 week programme for just £5 which I think is great.

If anyone wants to take advantage of it there are more details on their facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Grip-Fitness-1494020560892053/?fref=ts

I've bought a few tshirts from them as you can see and I can't fault them. They are affordable and really nice to wear and I would highly recommend. I didn't want to spend a lot when I was looking at getting back into fitness and the gym so these were a great investment.

If anyone wants to find them on instagram too and show them some love their username is grip_fitness

Face to Face Friday

So last night I lost 1.5lbs. And I wasn't happy. And that's okay! I felt I deserved more after my hefty gain last week for no reason. I've had an awesome week on plan and in my eyes should have lost that 3.5lbs and more. It's okay to feel disappointed. It's okay to want more. But  the important thing is to draw a line and not let it effect your new week. 

This face to face really helped me realise just how far id come. I'd urge anyone to do it who isn't seeing the losses they want to right now ❤️❤️❤️