Slimming staples and I do not mean Weight loss Surgery

Potato Salad - Syn Free on  Slimming World ,Extra Easy made with Quark 

Family are away camping and I opted not to go due to Hay fever and back ache. I watched lots of TV last night whilst having a can of ready mixed gin and Tonic 5.5 syns and a bowl of cherries ( Syn Free) 

Most of the programmes were weight loss ones. Super sized vs Super Skinny followed by a Programme about Weight Loss  disasters including a Lady who had a Gastric band and since then has seizures. The programme was presented by a presenter who had lost weight with the traditional diet and exercise route.

Well the programme gave me food for though and stopped me picking on things I should not!

Today I have a Barbecue  followed by and engaging party. So I am aiming for a syn free day until I get to the engagement Party. It is nice to be invited to a Wedding related party where I am not working as a Toastmaster Master of Ceremonies  or Celebrant - a busman's Holiday..

It is not even 9.00am here yet and I have emptied the dishwasher, had breakfast and made a potato salad > I have used quark for the dressing: hence the title slimming staples.  I brought the quark some weeks back when I committed to Slimming World.  Have not really researched what to do with it. I think it is horrible on its own.. so why did I by it..It is a bit like Ryvita or Cottage cheese. A diet does not have to filled with staples that make you gag or put you off at least. or worst still the  ones that stay  in the fridge till they can nearly walk out on their own.  So I  am challenging myself to a more diet staple recipes so beating of beating-my quarkaphobia.. (I could always just not buy it.. But this is more fun for you to read!.

The potato salad was made like this 

Potato Salad - Syn Free on  Slimming World ,Extra Easy made with Quark 

• Maris Piper Potatoes peeled and boiled. and chopped roughly . ( I usually keep the skin on but wanted a certain aesthetic for the summer occasion
•  Parsley and mint .. From my Garden - chopped finely 
• Artichoke heart - chopped 
• One yellow pepper - chopped
•  6 gherkins or pickled dill cucumbers - chopped
• A half a red Onion. Chopped 
• Quark
• Salt and black pepper

I don't measure and weight  syn free foods just put-them all in a bowl and mix 

So back to the topic of today. Yes I have considered a wieghtloss surgery and hope it will not be necessary.. as you can tell I love my food and cooking and would not like the restrictions and would also feel like I had taken a easy option ( which I am aware it really is not) 

I would like to hear your comments on my blog, please subscribe and tell me what you think and also what are your staples or disasters.

I am not taking the Scenic Route with weight loss

Slimming World Membership 

 The Leader at my new slimming world class has brought out the competitive stubborn edge in me. There is a raffle in which you get a ticket for each pound you loose between now and September. Just the incentive I need to fit into my gamesmaker uniform for the Paralympic Games which needs to be collected sometime this summer. I shall put this off until the very nearest date as I ntend to fit into a size smaller that a 26!

She also pointed out that if  one takes the scenic route to losing wieght then that is fine with her as she needs the cash to go on holiday.. I am determined not to fund her on a Carribean cruise. maybe a weekend in a Bed and Breakfast instead. In fact I am now keeping a spread sheet of the expenditure on weight loss!

She is a excellent coach as she spoke in a way that captivated my visual mind. Talking of how you should have speed foods to fill up two thirds of your plate. This has helped me a lot. She also told us off in advance about thinking that the Jubilee weekend is a excuse to get off the programme and then not coming back to weigh in as the loss will not be there.. she did this in a humorous way.

I only started 3 days ago and am already showing a tremendous loss without even opening the book..How? well as I have been on every diet under the sun I know the principals  of the diet and recall which foods do not need to synned.

I also have been working up a sweat doing house work and gardening. I think this has changed my attitude and mindset. I firmly believe that the overhaul I am doing of my body is also an overhaul of my lifestyle. Getting up and doing things is making me realsie how lttle I did before .. (No wonder the house was a mess and I was so large) Tidying the house properly hardly leaves time to eat. I am bot making the sizeist generalisations that fat = lazy as many of my large friends have a perfectionism around their house and gardens. For me it has been a earning curve as I was not taught how to keep house. It is important for me to tackle this as my daughter cannot be like this. I intend to lead by example. I cannot take all the credit for my work. I employed a cleaner who I observed years ago doing a great job when I worked at a Community Centre. I gave her the remit of clean and teach me as you go. She was the one who pointed  out that garden need to be done too. I have taken out some shrubs in my garden.. they were there because they looked ok and were low maintanace. I have trimmed things and got ride of three skip loads.  I am also using the blossomy of the Garden as a visual incentive to how I am growing into a healthy person through my weight loss. (i know I sound really hippy..but watch this space!)

I have decided that I have to just get on with things in the house instead of waiting for my husband to do them.. There really is no such thing as man's work.especaillay as he cooks and puts my daughter to bed.


With regards to food  I now have  routine where I have thought about or cooked dinner for the evening by 11.00 am ( In the summer heat this is helpfull and it also helps with time management for the day) I am still trying to run a business as a Toastmaster and Celebrant  and Party Doctor as well as being a mum.

If you want to help me in my weight loss journey please drop me a line with your thoughts and inspiration and also sponsor me  as I try to raise money or the MS Society