I think all texts need to start with something you struggle with. Mine is confidence. If you haven’t read my first submission then please go back and count the amount of times I bring that up! I lack confidence in my ability to write because I didn’t have the confidence to sign up to a class where I would have been put under scrutiny. I lack confidence with appearance as I hadn’t really had the money or time to actually explore what my look was and really didn’t have the confidence for statement pieces. I lack confidence in my speech as as a child I was forced to wear these god awful braces that created a nasty little lisp. But for now let's focus on weight. I wouldn’t say I’ve always struggled with weight. But I have definitely felt like I had. I’m average height and a bit stocky? Paired with a large chest don’t doubt that I struggled. Clothing sizes always used to make me shy away from the shopping experiences. Don’t get me wrong, I love clothes! I have a walk in wardrobe piled high with colour coordinated items organised into suitability and item (I did say I loved organising). I just needed a bit of toning and to avoid emotional eating as I was definitely the type to comfort eat.
I love slimming world. You’ll probably read that and think what bollocks! But honestly, I thrive with a routine that requires organisation. I also loved cooking. As a child I very much lived by Iceland oven meals. They were truly my parents life and my step dad thought mixing a jar of chicken tikka with chicken and fusilli was an example of a refined chef. At school I once again was influenced by a strong women (my catering teacher in this case) and used her lessons to truly test myself. I couldn’t really afford the ingredients but she would always go into the stock cupboard and supply what she had. With her guidance I then started competing in my local rotary competitions. I loved it. An hour or two or the days I didn’t have my paper round was the time I craved. I didn’t know what margarine was. I didn’t know half the terms being thrown my way but with Mrs Carter’s guidance I pushed myself to become creative with dishes making the likes of blueberry cream sauce to go with chicken and a type of pureed potato I would fill with beef tomato and onion and bake.
When college came around I once again had a crisis of confidence. I loved cooking and had applied for it and even had a pretty high report with the lecturers at the college due to my winnings of the rotary competitions. But, I loved cooking and feared I would hate the hours of work and I would hate the lifestyle. I didn’t want my studying to ruin my love so with that decision I decided to cook could be my hobby and I would branch out for more ‘suitable’ careers (words of wisdom supplied by my step dad’s mother.
At university I started cooking for myself and loved it. Oven dinners were being traded in for fish and fresh greens and I couldn't be happier. However, the lack of regulations (and long days in bed) led to this post. I was getting a little chubby. I had to do something here as I couldn’t help the comparisons I was doing between my housemates and me. Queue slimming world! Slimming world gave me that sense of community I craved and admiration for strangers for battling their weight and winning! It gave me the opportunity to love and keep playing with my food but gave guidelines on what I really shouldn't be eating.
I loved it for a while- lost a stone- got board- gained 5 pounds- did it again- lost 1.13 stone- bought a house- gained a stone and guess what… Along with this blog I started again! It’s always going to be a journey but i really am pushing myself to do better as I want to improve my confidence in all areas of my life, not just verbally and written.
Now down to the good stuff- how I plan my food week. I am a super organised person who thrives when faced with a challenge (does that sound like an answer to an application?). I write the meals I want for the week and then all the ingredients I need for each meal and then add the extras from the cupboards we’re running low on and then house stuff. With this giant list I then organise it into the walkway of the supermarket ...seriously. So, fruit, vegetables, fridge, meat, cupboard and home.
I’m going to attach this weeks list just so you all can all marvel on how I am a forty year old in a twenty two year old’s body.
Monday
Fruit salad
-apple
-mango
-kiwi
-pomegranate
-pineapple
-0% fat yogurt
Soup
-parsnip
-carrot
-courgette
-squash
-stock
-herbs
Curry
-5% fat Beef
-Stock
-Passata
-Mangetout
-Baby corn
-Tomatoes
-Spices
-Brown Rice
Tuesday
Fruit salad
-apple
-mango
-kiwi
-pomegranate
-pineapple
-0% fat yogurt
Leftover Curry
Fish Pie
-Potato
-Skimmed milk
-Peas
-Fish mix
-Herbs
-reduced salt butter
-Carrots
Wednesday
Porridge
-reduced sugar jam
-porridge oats
-skimmed milk
Leftover Fish Pie
Jerk Chicken
-Chicken legs
-Brown rice
-Spices
-Soy sauce
-Lime
-Broccoli
Thursday
Fruit salad
-apple
-mango
-kiwi
-pomegranate
-pineapple
-0% fat yogurt
Soup
-parsnip
-carrot
-courgette
-squash
-stock
-herbs
Hot dog pasta
-Frankfurts
-Wholemeal pasta
-Mushrooms
-Onion
-Peppers
-Passata
-Tomato
-Red wine vinegar
-Worcester sauce
Friday
Egg muffin
-Eggs
-Wholemeal muffin
-reduced salt butter
Leftover Jerk Chicken
Teriyaki salmon
-Salmon
-broad beans
-Rice noodles
-Baby corn
-Bean sprouts
-Soy sauce
-honey
-sesame seed oil
Saturday
Protein pancakes
-porridge oats
-0% fat yogurt
-egg
-skimmed milk
-Fruit syrup
Soup
-parsnip
-carrot
-courgette
-squash
-stock
-herbs
Eat out
Sunday
Overnight oats
-porridge oats
-apple
-sultanas
-cinnamon
WW pizza
-Weight watcher wrap
-Passata
-Pepperoni
Roast dinner
-Chicken
-Linda mccartney sausages
-Flour
-eggs
-carrots
-leek
-onion
-stock
-peas
And then as follows:
Fruit
-mango
-apple
-banana
-kiwi
-melon
-pineapple
-satsuma
-strawberries
-blueberries
-raspberries
-grapes
-pomegranate
Vegetables
-Carrots
-leek
-Bean sprouts
-tomatoes
-onion
-potato
-peas
-broccoli
-mangetout
-baby corn
-broad beans
-mushroom
-peppers
-parsnips
-courgette
-squash
Fridge
-0% fat yogurt
-skimmed milk
-reduced salt butter
-cold cuts
-reduced fat cheese
Cupboard
-rice
-pasta
-noodles
-passata
-All spices
-garlic
-sesame seed oil
-fry light
Worcester sauce
-red wine vinegar
-stocks
-porridge
-jam
-Ww wraps
-muffins
-Owen’s snacks
Meat and poultry
-Whole chicken
-Fish mix
-salmon
-frankfurts
-linda M sausages
-beef
-chicken legs
Home
-hand wash
-deodorant
-cat litter
-bleach
Face wipes
So as you can see I am slightly crazy. I love doing it usually but I have to be honest- I’m very much a pen a paper sort of girl when it comes to lists.
With that then I would usually do a Monday-Sunday list and pop it on the fridge just in case the nice guy has any questions or ideas about coming off plan.
So that is my way of battling confidence issues with weight. I plan everything and hope my planning pays off. I also hope my friends start chilling out with their ‘celebration’ nights where we are all compulsorily required to have a bottle of wine each.
