Weight loss - The naked truth...

Hello!

 

 

This is going to be an honest and slightly more sensible post where I update you all on my story so far and some of the cons I have experienced along the way.

 

Firstly, I am a year and a bit into my weight loss journey, let's say and I still believe I have a long way to go.

For those of you who are new here or aren't sure why I decided to lose weight, I was pushing the top end of 15 stone back in 2011 and at a size 20/22, decided enough was enough.

 

 

I didn't want to be 'fat' anymore, I wanted to be slim and healthy, so I changed my eating habits and joined a gym.

 

Thanks to a great plan from the gym as well as useful advice and recipes found online, I am now a year on and maintaining a healthy weight. I am now a size 10/12 clothes, which feels amazing as I never thought I'd see the day.

 

It hasn't been an easy ride. My weight has almost always continued to drop because of the exercise but there have been some weeks where the scales stayed the same, it just made me want to give up.

"Why am I working my butt off and nothing is happening!?"

It can be very frustrating. I just made sure I kept going and kept focusing on the milestones...

 

5lbs lost

Size 16

30lbs lost

Size 14

56lbs lost

Size 12

 

Although the weight loss has been amazing and on the whole, I am happy with my results, the loss has happened in a very short space of time and I have unfortunately ended up with excess skin.

 

I hate admitting this, especially to what seems like everyone I know but I need to be honest.

 

 

It has taken a lot of balls for me to post this picture and looking at it, it makes me so unhappy but also really motivated to change it.

 

As you can see from the above, I have a lot of excess skin on my tummy along with loads of stretch marks. This is purely because I lost the weight too quickly. Was this something that could have been prevented? Possibly... but given the opportunity to lose the weight again, I'd have done exactly the same thing.

 

Excess/loose skin is a serious con to weight loss and no one warns you about it. I have always had my concerns because I was so big and unfortunately, it happened.

I wouldn't let this put you off losing weight, because like a good friend said "loose skin is a common thing, it's better to have a bit of that than be overweight and in danger of ill health" and I couldn't have said it better myself.

There are days when it gets me down, as I have worked so hard to get where I am but I don't let it stop me, I still wear the clothes I want and still work out just as much, if not more than before because I'm now so focused on toning it up.

 

Just be aware that if you are on the larger side, you need to make sure you take the gym instructors advice and/or include weights as well as cardio in your weekly gym routine. This will help burn the fat as well as building the muscle, so you hopefully shouldn't end up with as much (if any) excess/loose skin. Obviously, I cannot promise anything because everyone is different and I'm not a qualified expert but just be aware before going crazy on the cross trainer or treadmill. Weights are your friend.

 

A great perk for larger ladies tends to be larger breasts. I recently had to say goodbye to mine and welcome in the 36Bs instead. 

This is another con... loss of boobs and possibly your bum!

My bum hasn't really disappeared too much as I always suffered from a seriously large but flat bum. Luckily, with the amount of squats that I do each week (especially recently), my bum is toning up quite nicely but I still have some work to do to get it looking 'peachy'.

 

My boobs on the other hand, that is a sad story.

I used to be a 38D but have somehow managed to lose a lot of weight from them, making them a 36B. This week is the first week I have been slightly happier with my smaller chest, as I am happy that I'm toning it up but it is one of the first things to go as there is a lot of fat stored there. Also, my boobs are similar to my tummy so I now have a little loose skin.

Not a good look BUT again, it is manageable and I am working to tone up.

Larger ladies, please be aware of this when looking to lose weight. It may not happen to you and you may keep your large breasts. Some women do! Just don't let it be a surprise like it was for me.

 

For those who are really worried about losing weight now, please don't be afraid.

Excess/loose skin, bum and boob loss are horrible, yes but the feeling you get from dropping dress sizes, toning other parts of your body and eventually going crazy and showing up the guys in the weights area is so worth it.

 

I love knowing I am healthy both inside and out. My skin is clearer than it has ever been and my body, although not perfect, is in the best condition it has ever been in.

 

 

 

I would happily go through this all again if I had to, so although there are cons... they do not outweigh the pros!

 

:]

 

x

 



Skinny recipe #13 Baked salmon with poached eggs and spring greens

Hello!

 

 

This is a really simple recipe.

REAAAALLLLY SIMPLE!

 

Let's get to it!

 

Serves 1

 

You will need:

1 Salmon fillet



Mixture of cabbage, leek and greens (I cheated and used a 1/2 a bag)

Large handful of mangetout

2 eggs

1tbsp white vinegar

Salt & pepper

Olive oil (for drizzling)

 

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 200 whilst you prep the salmon
• On a baking sheet, add your salmon (skin side down) and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a little olive oil and once the oven is hot, pop in to bake for 20-25 minutes
• After 10-15 minutes, boil or steam your vegetables of choice. I popped mine in my steamer for 10 minutes
• Whislt your vegetables are steaming, bring a medium/large pan with a 1/3 of water to the boil, adding 1 tsbp of white vinegar.
• Once the water is boiling, turn down to a simmer and crack an egg into a seperate bowl then lower into the water. Repeat again for the second egg.
• Leave the eggs to poach for 3-4 minutes, perhaps a little longer if you don't like a runny yolk.
• Serve the vegetables once steamed/boiled with the salmon placed on top and then the eggs.
• Drizzle over a little more olive oil (if you wish) and eat!

 

 

I said it was simple :]

Simple doesn't mean bland though... this is one of the tasiest meals I've had all week and it's so healthy!

 

Salmon & eggs <3

 

x

 

 



Skinny recipe #12 Chocolate protein mug cake

Hello!

 

 

 

Ohhhhhhh boy. I wish I could have finished this because it was so tasty but there was just too much for little me. I think I had eyes bigger than belly syndrome.

 

Anyway :] this is a great dessert/treat to have, especially after a busy day of exercise!

 

Here's how you make it...

Serves one very hungry person or two snacky people

 

 

You will need:

3 tbsp whey protein powder (I used chocolate but vanilla would be nice as well)

1 tbsp flour (ideally oat but I only had plain)

1 tbsp cocoa powder - unsweetened

1 tsbp low fat greek yogurt

3 tsbp egg white (this equals approx. 2 eggs)

1/2 tsp baking powder

Optional: vanilla extract, coconut, chocolate chips, peanut butter etc.

 

Note: Although these cakes were very tasty, they were a little dry/dense. I'd recommend playing around with the amount of yogurt. Perhaps add a little more or add a dash of milk to thin the mixture.

 

Method:

 



 

Add all of the ingredients to a LARGE mug and mix well.

 

 

Pop the mixture into a microwave for 1-2 minutes.

 

 

Insert a knife or cocktail stick into the centre to make sure it's cooked all the way through.

Empty out onto a plate.

 

 

Slice (because it's way too hard to eat as it is) and cover in your topping of choice.

I decided on low fat greek yogurt, sweet freedom and a few pecans.

I AM SO FULL OF CAKE >.<

 

My husband decided to slice his up and spread on Nutella :]

 

 

It's a pretty tasty treat, just needs to be a little softer but it's still worth making. The toppings choices are endless as well, especially if you use a spread on them - a nut butter would work really well or berries!

 

Let me know what you decide to make

x



Skinny snack #3 Chocolate coated kiwi

Hello!

 

I'm still trying to find snacks that suit me and help sort out my chocolate cravings and this is the one.

 

I first saw this on Pinterest and then watched Carly Rowena's healthy naughty treats video where she made it look so simple, I decided to give it a go.

 

Here's how you make them :]

 

You will need:

• 1 packet of 70% dark chocolate - the darker, the better.. mine was 80% (I think?)
• 1 packet of kiwis
• Lollipop sticks/cocktail sticks

 

Method:

 

 

In a small pan, break up your chocolate into pieces and melt slowly. You can do this in a glasss bowl over a pan of boiling water or in the microwave if you prefer.

 

 

Peel and cut the kiwis into chunks. I wanted mine to be chunky so I sliced one kiwi in half and then popped a lollipop stick into them.

 

 

Dip the kiwis into the melted chocolate and place on greaseproof paper to set.

Once cooled, pop in the fridge and eat within a few days!

 

 

So simple but so tasty and that little bit of chocolate just hits the spot when it comes to cravings.

I'm not a fan of really dark chocolate but the sweetness from the fruit really balances it out.

 

I also dipped some leftover pineapple in the chocolate and that was really nice. It would work well with strawberries, banana or perhaps slices of apple.

 

Let me know what fruit you try!

x





Skinny recipe #11 Protein pancakes

Hello!

 

OH.MY.GOODNESS

 

I didn't really realise what I was letting myself in for when I made these this morning, but they are the best oh-so-tasty breakfast I have eaten in some time!

 

They're lower calorie than regular 'american' or 'scotch' pancakes and taste ten times better.

 

Here's how you make them!

 

You will need (pancakes):

1/4 cup Vanilla Whey protein - you can use any flavour you fancy

1/4 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

170g low fat greek yogurt

1 large egg white

Non/low calorie Cooking spray or butter & a little oil

 

For the toppings:

Handful of pecans

Sweet freedom (dark)

1/4 Pineapple (fresh)

Cinnamon (to taste)

 

Method:

 

 

Mix together the wet ingredients and in a seperate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients

 

 

 

Slowly add the dry to the wet mixture a little at a time, combining well each time.

 

Put to one side and prepare your pineapple by cutting it up into chunks.

Sprinkle over some cinnamon - as much or as little as you like - I used 1 tsp.

 

 

 

Add your choice of oil to a pan, heat up and add the pineapple.

Cook until golden and put to one side.

 

 

In another pan, heat your choice of oil and using a tablespoon, add three blobs of the batter. Not too close though as they will spread out.

 

 

As soon as bubbles form, it's time to flip. Flip over and cook for a minute or so.

 

 

Serve with your pineapple, pecans (which you can toast if you fancy) and a generous squeeze of sweet freedom.

 

 

Eat.... Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Minus the toppings - calories: 314, carbs: 34g, fat: 1g & protein: 43g!

You can add whatever protein powder or toppings you have/like. You could add strawberries, walnuts, banana.... the possibilites are endless.

 

Let me know if you make these - they're great pre or post workout.

 

x



Squats - the quickest way to a perkier bum

Hello!

 

 

The Squat...

 

This is my favourite exercise at the moment. Each week, I push to increase the weight on the bar and although hard, the buzz afterwards is well worth it.

 

First of all, a squat is a full body exercise and the muscles targeted are in the thighs, hips and bum! They also help to strengthing bones, ligaments and tendons in the lower body. The reason why this is a full body exercise is because the lower and upper back, abs, arms and shoulders are also essential to performing the perfect squat.

 

 

To safely and successfully squat, you must ensure your back is kept straight and you push up through your heels.

 

There are a number of different ways to squat...

• Barbell - back squat, front squat, box squat, overhead squat, zercher squat.
• Lunge - split squat
• Body - bodyweight squat, overhead squat, face the wall squat, jump squat.

 

Beginngers are sometimes advised to start without weight (below):

 

 

 

 

You can squat at the gym or at home, depending on whether you're doing so with weights, a swiss ball or your own bodyweight.

 

Squats are usually recommended for 15 reps x 3 sets although you may want to change your reps to 20, 15 and 12 x 3 sets if you're using weights. Try increasing your weight as the reps go down.

 

Squats can be made more challenging by...

• increasing the weight on the barbell
• putting one foot on a box behind you and squatting on one leg - bodyweight or with a barbell
• squat low using a swiss ball and hold for 5-10 seconds at the end of each set.

 



If you're up for a challenge, why don't you try the Squat Challenge?

 

Let me know how many you can squat!

x

 

 



Skinny recipes for socialising #1 Appetizers

Hello!

 

 

 

Girly night in? Lads round for the football? Dinner party with friends? Sometimes being social when on a diet can be really tricky. You want to have fun without indulging but you also want to put on a good spread for your friends.

 

When serving appetizers, the trick is to keep them healthy by using fruit and vegetables but adding the odd naughty treat here and there. If you make all of the appetizers yourself, your friends will focus on and appreicate the effort, so won't even miss the usual crisps and cake!

 

Here are a few appetizer ideas...

 

The amount of ingredients required may vary, depending on how many people you are cooking for!

 

Pesto chicken & cherry tomato skewers

Chicken breast x 2-4 depending on guests

1-2 packets of cherry tomatoes

1 jar of pesto

 

Pre-heat grill to med-high.

Cut the chicken breast into cubes.

Mix with half the jar of pesto.

Slide on to a skewer (note: if the skewers are wooden, soak them for a couple of hours beforehand to prevent burning) alternating between chicken and a cherry tomato.

Grill for 10 minutes (or until chicken is cooked).

Serve & enjoy!

 

 Sweet potato wedges

3-5 sweet potatoes

1 cal cooking spray

 Spice combination of your choice. This could be cayenne & paprika, lemon and herb or cajun spice to name a couple... even plain ol' salt and pepper will do the job.

 

Pre-heat oven to 180.

Spray a baking sheet with 1 cal cooking spray.

Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges and pop into a bowl.

Spray a couple of times with the 1 cal spray and add your spices combination.

Stir/shake up and then add to the baking sheet in one even layer.

Pop in the oven for 15-20 minutes, turning over halfway.

Mmm... ready to serve!

 

Coconut prawns

2-3 packets of king prawns (with shell if possible)

1 packet dessicated coconut

1 egg (beaten)

1 cal cooking spray

 

Pre-heat oven to 180.

Spray a baking sheet with 1 cal cooking spray.

Shell the prawns, leaving the tail on.

Pour the coconut onto a plate.

Dip the prawns (holding on to the tail) in the egg.

Roll the prawns in the coconut.

Repeat process with egg and coconut.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes (or until cooked).

Take out and enjoy with a low calorie sweet chilli dip or soy sauce.

 

Cucumber rolls filled with prawns

2-3 large cucumbers

2 packets of prawns - pre-cooked

Low-fat mayo

Tomato puree

Worcestershire sauce

Paprika

Handful of spring onions

 

Mix your prawns with 2-4 tbsp of low-fat mayo, 1-2 tbsp of tomato puree and 2-3 tsp of worcestershire sauce (add less/more to taste).

Stir together and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Peel a cucumber and cut into chunks.

Remove the middle of each chunk 3/4 of the way, so leaving a small base for the prawns to sit on.

Add 1 tbsp of the prawn mixture to the cucumber.

Dust each with paprika and chopped spring onion.

 

Tuna and cucumber sandwiches

2 large cucumbers

2 tins of tuna

Low fat natural yogurt

Lemon

Pepper

 

Mix together the tuna with 3-4 tbsp of natural yogurt.

Squeeze in the juice from 1 lemon and season with pepper.

Slice cucumber and dollop on.

Hey presto!

 

Roasted maple nuts

Mixed nuts

Olive or coconut oil

Maple syrup

 

Pre-heat oven to 180.

Add the mixed nuts into a bowl and drizzle over some maple syrup.

Spread oil over baking sheet.

Mix and add to baking tray.

Bake until lightly toasted.

 

Chocolate covered fruit pops

Variety of fruit - chopped banana, strawberries, sliced kiwi etc.

80% chocolate

Lollipop sticks

Greaseproof paper

Sprinkles (optional)

 

Cut up your fruit of choice so they're not too big/small for a lollipop stick.

Break up and melt the chocolate in a pan over a low heat.

Coat the fruit pieces in melted chocolate and place on greaseproof paper to cool and set.

If you would like to add sprinkles, do so before the chocolate hardens.

 

 

Fun will sugar free jelly

1-2 packets of sugarfree jelly

Hot water

Serving suggestions - empty orange (peel) in half, shot glasses, hallowed strawberry.

 

Make up the jelly as per the packet instructions.

Pour into halved orange peel (tip: chill orange peel with jelly in a muffin tin so it stays upright). Slice when chilled to look like orange segments.

or

Pour into a shot glass and to finish off, garnish with a piece of fruit.

or
hollow out a strawberry, pour in and chill. Serve with a very small dollop of natural yogurt and a sprig of mint on top.

 

 

More information on 'Skinny drinks' and 'Skinny baking' to come!

 

x