Just me and my girl - the beach

There are no beaches in Wiltshire. Which pains me. A lot. And now that the in laws have decided in their *ahem* wisdom to move to France we no longer have Cornwall as a weekend getaway destination. So, we have to make the most of our trips to Norfolk.

It is a bit of a trek to get here and this time it has just been myself and Edith. A girls only road trip if you like. She has been a star and has been desperate to get to the beach - like mother like daughter - so today we went to get our coastal fix. We dodged the showers, flouted the rules of the beach, overdosed on sea air, had a look at the quirky coastal dwellings and picnicked in the car.

It was one of those making memories days - just me and my girl.

x x x

Happiness, weight loss and cookies?!?

It has always been an issue with me - being happy with myself.

Being a SAHM had its issues - I felt I needed to do more.

Being a working mum has its issues - the guilt at not being there for anything and everything.

Lately it has been the realisation that I am not happy with my body and my weight - but then who is?

It has taken me a while to accept that change won't happen without any input on my part. In the past I have thrown myself into a diet plan only to fail within weeks. I just don't think I was ready. Something didn't switch in my brain.

But now that 'something' has switched.

Being back at work doing a job I love and working with a great bunch of people, with whom I am looking forward to getting to know better and hopefully establish a social life with, has helped loads.

That crucial decision at the end of the summer to get off my arse and assess what I eat and drink has made a HUGE difference. My mind is working differently too. I now stop and think about food presented to me. I have to - the school staff room is never ideal for people watching their calorie intake.

Now I ask myself 'Do I really need that slab of cake that holds over 300 calories and is packed full of butter and sugar?' That doesn't mean I deny myself treats. Calorie counting works really well for me as it allows me to balance what I eat and drink then I can see where I can have a treat. If you look at my Fitness Pal entries you will find jam tarts, Nutella cookies and mugs of Chai tea lattes. But, these are now my treats NOT my daily elevenses and mid afternoon snacks.

http://www.gourmetmum.tv/easy-recipes/nutella-cookies.html

Anyhow. I am still a way off my ideal weight goal and body size but for the first time I feel I am able to stay on the road to it. A little of the above balanced with a lot of sensible choices and working up a sweat is starting to give me more of the results I am HAPPY to see!

Don't forget to find #theshreddies on Twitter for some more motivation!

If you are on My Fitness Pal and want to find me I am vivmelkshammum

x x x

 

Sundays

I'm loving Sundays lately.

It's the only day I get a chance of any type of lay in.

It's become cooked breakfast day in our house which for me is sausage, American pancakes - which I have finally perfected - and maple syrup. It has to be maple syrup by the way, golden syrup is not good enough!

Today the weather was a little bit dull but we had to get out.

We drove five minutes up the road to Lacock. We live so close to so many beautiful places.

We found things today that we had not seen there before and noticed that Autumn is well and truly here.

It won't be that long then till the Christmas stalls are setting up in the Abbey cloisters.

Where has this year gone?!

x x x

 

 

#theshreddies

Firstly, to make it clear, I haven't joined the grannies knitting that cereal made by that company!

I have joined a group though. A support group. A motivational group. A 'get off your arse and shift your butt' kind of group. A 'I've had a really bad day and want to eat chocolate, somebody stop me' group.

A group of like-minded individuals currently torturing ourselves following the 30 Day Shred and who are all trying to shift some weight, tone up, lose some inches, eat a better diet and generally feel better about themselves.

Let me introduce you to #theshreddies. Here are the love handles twitter handles of the lovely ladies involved, in no particular order of favouritism.

@fivegoblogging
@LakesSingleMum
@WritingForFun
@StressyMummy
@AResidence
@From_Fun_To_Mum
@WordsWithWine
and me obviously - @MelkshamMum, which you should know!

I'm logging my weight loss at the bottom of this blog and will be posting updates - like this one here, my frustrations and going BAM!

So, if you too are partaking in the shred, or just want to join us for motivational chit chat, find us on Twitter.

x x x

BAM!

I don't normally post at this time of the day but I wanted to get this out there.

I've done it.

I've smashed it.

I've driven through the wall.

The scales have shifted!

Yes, I know, I'm still the weight of a baby elephant but that 11 stone marker has gone. For now.

Now the goal is to keep it gone.

For good.

Oh, and apologies for the state of my nail polish!

x x x

Sad board update

So, the husband asked the teacher at school this morning about any incidents regarding the sad board from yesterday. And guess what? Nothing happened. Alban was "just joking".

We had a little chat tonight about when it is appropriate to be "just joking" and when it isn't. I tried to explain that the idea of him being on the sad board made me sad. I'm not sure he really got it.
I called him a toad.*
His reply?
"That begins with t, t, t, t, toad. I can put that in my sound book!"
Big sigh.

My son**

A nicer looking toad.

x x x

* in an affectionate way

**not really

Mummy, I was on the sad board today.

I can't recall how the point of conversation started tonight but as Alban was getting out of the bath it emerged that he hadn't been put on the smiley face chart today. Fair enough I thought, I didn't put every child deserving of it in my class today on my smiley star list.

"I was on the sad board" he states.

Eh? The sad board? My little boy on the sad board??

"Why were you on the sad board?" I ask carefully.

"I didn't do the right thing" he boldly says.

Eh? My little boy didn't do the right thing??

"What did you do wrong?" I ask.

"I put the cars away in the wrong place" he says bluntly.

What?? How the heck is that punishable with the sad board?

"I had to stay in at play and have some thinking time" he adds.

"Really? So you put something in the wrong place and your name was put on the sad board AND you missed play to have some thinking time?" I ask confused.

"Yes" he says matter of fact.

Eh? Really? Can this be right? At this point I thought I would let it go.

Just before bed time I mention that I will speak to his teacher tomorrow.

"I was just joking" he says

Was he? Why would he say he was on the sad board if he wasn't? Is the sad board actually an 'I'm feeling sad' board - Alban was off school yesterday poorly so maybe was feeling a bit low this morning?

But, the whole 'thinking time' sounds like something the teacher would say, I'm sure I've had children sitting in for a bit at playtime to think about their actions.

If it wasn't true where has he got this 'I'm joking' thing from? Is he turning into a liar? If so why?

Tomorrow I am sending the husband in to ask questions. Yes, he is going to go and bug the teacher first thing in the morning but this is bugging me and I need answers.

x x x

Weight loss and workout frustrations

You may be aware by now that I have been on a bit of a kick to work out, cut the calories and lose some weight. Well I have been working out, I have been cutting the calories and I have lost some weight. Now BAM! I have hit THE WALL.

I dropped 6lbs over the first three weeks by dropping to 1200 calories a day - tough at first but now it's my norm - and by doing a daily session of the 30 Day Shred. I saw results as blogged about here.

Now? I AM FED UP.

I am fed up with working my arse off every evening and looking a right state like this...

(clearly another great mug shot worthy of a place in Spike and Heels' #OperationHideous gallery)

...only to stand on the scales in the morning and constantly see 11st 1lb staring back at me. I also beat myself up further by standing on the scales at the end of the day when I am heavier. Why??!!!!

Some lovely Twitter folk gave me a lesson in basic fat to muscle weight changes, inch loss and metabolism but still I AM FED UP!

How does Weight Watchers work?! Do the participants not exercise? If I was part of such a weight loss programme surely I would be laughed out of every weekly weigh in and deemed a failure?

Someone said just IGNORE THE SCALES. But, I admit it, I am obsessed with them. I want to see results. In numbers in front of my eyes, not just on a tape measure.

I know I need to celebrate the successes of losing 6lbs and inches from the waist and hips but what if that suddenly stops? THEN WHAT?!!?

Somebody tell me it will be worth it. Somebody tell me I WILL see a 10st something appear on my scales.

Please.

x x x