Merry Christmas

well I know it's been a while since I last updated the diary....things have been hectic leading up to the holiday period, and so I though I would take a little break from the diary and let things settle until the new year.

Now, this time of the year will be a real test for me, so much food....so much....but I plan to enjoy myself and have a nice time....not to extremes of course...but enough to have a nice time.

so to that end, I expect to gain a pound or two *winks* but come the new year it's all back to the plan and the downwards sprial to my ideal weight again.

So happy Christmas everyone, have a fantastic time, and don't panic about eating that 4th mince pie....well come back in the new year and deal with it together....

Seasons Greetings :))))

I December 2012 - Update

HAPPY DECEMBER EVERYBODY!!!!!

To all my work colleagues who read this blog, don't worry, I will put my christmas decorations back up on Monday...it is the christmas period now, not a week ago :P

So it's been 2 weeks since my last update, and sorry about that, but last saturday I found myself redecorating my daughters bedroom, so I didn't get a chance. That being said, it was a good workout, and given I did not eat from 9am until 6:30 pm it was probably good for my diet as well, at least until I had a Chinese for dinner that night :P

I did however weigh myself last week, I just didn't post it here, and I was very pleased, very pleased indeed :))) I had lost another 4lbs :)))) this week, I am happy also, but that's only because I have not gained anymore weight, I am still the same as last week.....

there are many reasons for this, a rather larger KFC meal for dinner and supper one night....an amazing Madisons (local sandwich parlor) sandwich containing chicken tikka and bacon (seriously, it's good) to name but a few...have to be better this week....I mean christmas is coming, and we wll know what that means??? EAT EAT EAT!!!!

Ok, I'll leave you with a little challenge.....I am sure we have all tried and tasted a ham and cheese toasted sandwich, but have you ever tried it with ketchup?? NO??? well then, get toasting and get tasting, it's yuuummmmmmmmmm :D

17 November 2012 - Update

wow, has it been 2 weeks since my last update? I guess it has..

It's been an interesting 2 weeks really, in fact it's been an interesting month....at my best, I had lost 67lbs (just over 30 kilos) but then things went wrong....I gained 6 lbs over a couple of weeks. I felt as though I was experimenting with myself to see have far I could push myself, but I guess I went too far, but it was worth it, cause you learn boundaries.

Anyway, 2 weeks ago I got back on track and lost 2 lbs, and this week I am pleased to say I have lost another 2 lbs, so I am back to a total of 65lbs lost (just under 30 kilos).

So in celebration of getting back on track, I thought I would share a little recipe with you that I tried out on myself and loved...I call it Texan Hobo Pie....

Boil a medium sized potato (or 2 smaller ones) and then mash with the skins still on. Because of the skin, the mash almost looks dirty (like a Hobo). Take some corn beef and mush it in a bowl with some Texan BBQ sauce (until it becomes soft and squidgy). Place it in the bottom of a decent sized ramekin until it is over half full. Add a layer of grated mature cheese. Put the mash potato on top until the ramekin is full and then cover with another layer of cheese. Place in the oven (190 degrees) and allow to cook for 15-20mins or until golden brown and properly warmed through.

there you go...if you decide to give it a go, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Come back next week for another update, lets see if I can get back to where I was before things went all "pete tong"....

Have a great week people

3 November 2012 - Update

Happy November everybody :)

New months are all about new starts....and this month is no different. I have finished October on a low note....last week there was no update, and why?? Well cause I was a bad boy :P My wife was away for a night, and I decided to let me hair down and have a little party for one....roll on the KFC, Pringles and chocolate....I knew I would gain weight, after all, the weigh-in was the very next moring, and eating until 4am isn't advised...but I had it in my head I will lose it again during the next week....how wrong was I???

This last week has been worse than ever...so many parties...so many reasons to eat and try new foods including a lovely sweet chilli pasta dish which I will test myself and then post a recipe here :)

It's funny, but I am hoping that by posting an update here today, I will make the change and be more determined to lose not only the 2lbs 2 weeks ago, but the 4 I added this week :((((

Onwards and downwards is the motto for this week....looking foward to a happier report next Saturday :))

Cheers guys

20 October 2012 - Update

After last week's incredible ordeal, it seems this week was not meant to be a good one....

Unfortunately I got sick and found myself comfort eating a lot :(( so I won't dwell on this update, I was sick and I ate...what more do you need to hear? :D :D :D

that being said, I am still the same weight today as I was last week, so still happy-ish.

Onwards and onwards it seems.....

Never lose hope of gaining loss

Firstly, let me apologise to all you readers who were expecting an update last week. I did not have a chance to do it as I was singing/attending the Global Leadership Summit among other things, and when I did get chance to update you, I decided that I would just leave it and give you a double helping this week :))

Sooooo, cast your minds back two weeks, I was depressed cause I had gained 4 lbs and made a pledge that I would get myself back on track and lose those 4 pounds. I explained how late night snacking had taken over my diet, and that if I could get over the weekend, I knew I would be fine for the rest of the week.

Well, things didn't get off to a good start, and by Monday I had put on another 2 lbs.....yeah I weighed myself again, but I felt I had too after a lunch at Wolfes Diner on Sunday. Anyway, that meant I had gained 6 lbs in total....nice huh?? But that's when the determination set in again and for the rest of the week, I did good...I did very good....I lost the 6 lbs.....yes you read right, not only did I lose the 2 lbs I had put on since the start of the week, but also the 4 lbs that I had gained the previous week. Now, I know what you are thinking, HOW?? did I starve myself?? NOPE!!! I love my food too much for that. The truth of the matter is a little too crude for detailed explanation....but lets just say, what goes in, eventually has to come out....and apparently the average human carries 6-9 lbs of food in their stomach and intestines. So I was back on track, and feeling great....

That gave me the boost I needed this week. Things were awesome, perfect in fact, no more late night snacking :)))) But then it happened....my nephews birthday party, and the most delicious southern fried chicken goujons I have eaten....and I did eat....about 12 of them!!! BLEUGH....well not literally, but I couldn't face food for the rest of the night, in fact not until 10am next day :P

So I had low hopes of this week being a good week after that, buuuuut, I was wrong, and today I am pleased to report that I have lost another 4 lbs :))) I am thinking that this has a lot to do with the long walk my daughter and I went on yesterday and my lunch time walks during work as well...but now that I have lost 66 lbs in total (30 kilos) I think the time is coming when I need to up my exercise regime. I will give it some consideration over the next 2 weeks and then report back what I have decided to do, but until then keep the faith people, never lose hope of gaining loss, and continue to take little steps to on your way to better health.

29 September 2012 - Update

Hmmmm, not good this week, not good at all......

I was just saying to a work colleague yesterday that I felt I might have put some weight on this week, and I was right...I have put on 4lb :((((

So where did it all go wrong?? Simple...late night snacks!!! Can anyone please tell me why it is that food tastes nicer later at night??? I mean to say, melted cheese on toast tastes nice during the day, but at night it is amazing!! So I fell victim to the night snacks this week, oh, and a chinese which I haven't had in over a month!!

Now, am I worried about this weight? No, not really...I am more worried about breaking the habit of the snacking, but even then it won't take too long too break. Actually if I can get through the weekend, then I think I'll be back on track. See that's the thing about my dieting, I know there will be times when I won't lose weight, or times like this week when I will gain weight. But when I look back to the week that led to this point, I don't regret it, I enjoyed it...lol - including a gorgeous toasted bagel with smoked bacon and cheese....

Anyways, here's to another week and getting back on track...I wonder can I lose that 4lb that I have gained?? Is that a challenge I hear?? alrighty...game on

22 September 2012 - Update

Well this week was a little tough. It was my eldest daughters 8th birthday and as a result, I had a party filled with cakes, sweets, buns and biscuits...x 2. hehe

Also, I was at a quiz night on Monday where they served amazing food and even though I had already had my dinner, it was just too good (and of course rude) not to have some. Hey, it was for charity :P

But I didn't mind really, they were special occasions after all. And I have to admit, during the rest of the week I was pretty good, even when my work colleagues tempted me with a cheeky fish supper for lunch one day (you know who you are!!!).

I did enjoy a lovely baked potato with tuna and cheese the other night, have not had one of those in a long time. Let me tell you, if you have never tried Albert Bartlett Rooster potatoes, try them, they are de-li-cious, whatever way you serve them :))

So, down to business....lost another 2lbs this week for a total of 63lbs or 28 kilos (that's 28 bags of sugar :P). Onwards and downards :)))

15 Spetember 2012 - Update

Another week gone....

My eating habits were pretty good actually, although  appear to be addicted to ice-pops!!! Can't be much wrong with that can there??

Anyways, after an amazing week last week of losing 5lbs, I was happy to see my body relaxing again and losing smaller amounts, this week 2lbs. However, I am very excited by this 2lb loss as it finally means that I have broken the 60lb mark!! what a milestone to reach...quite happy and proud of myself :))

Many people have asked me..."what's your target?" and up until now, my target has always been to get to 13st (182lbs or 82 kilo's) but I was doing some research this week into the ideal weight for my height and my BMI (Body Mass Index), and it seems that even at 13st, I am still on the boundaries of being considered overweight!!! So I may have to re-evaluate my target, maybe take it down a few more pounds. *shrugs* I don't really know at this stage. I guess when I get closer to that target, I will know better.

Anyways, plenty of time between now and then, so not panicking about it just yet. Remember people, sometimes we go through periods were no matter what we do, nothing works, it feels like we are banging our heads against a brick wall and wonder, what's the point? Well, the point is that very soon you will come through that period and see that you had the strength in you all along to accomplish great things with your body. 22 weeks ago I was 261lbs (123 kilos) and now I am 200lbs (91 kilos), if I can do it, so can you :))

8 September 2012 - Update

lol - so happy right now, not going to waste any time with a build up this week, not gonna complain about this and that and how bad I have been, cause quite frankly I have been GOOOOOOD (with a little bad on the side :P)

After going through 4 weeks, yes 4 weeks, of uncertainty I am finally back on track with my plan and am pleased (very pleased) to annouce that this week I have lost 5lbs :D Sooo, that makes a total of 59lbs (or 27ish kilos).

So what did I eat this week? Well, in no particular order, I enjoyed scones, pancakes, sausage rolls, sauages wrapped in bacon, chicken stuffed with cheese and bacon, spicey potatoes, a Mcdonalds meal (I know right??), grapes, water melon, apples and a loooooot of ice pops (well c'mon it was pretty hot in the office at work).

Saying that, it is my youngest daughter's 3rd birthday today....I feel the need....the need for cake!! Not too much...just a little eh?? After all, I think I deserve it, and it would be soo rude not too *winks*

1 September 2012 - Long overdue update

Ok, so I know I missed last week's update, but to be honest I was a little fed up having had a bad week in the eating department. I was struggling, I really was. I found out that food seems to taste even nicer during the evenings. No matter what it was, healthy or otherwise. So I was eating more foods at a later hours, which as everyone knows, is the worst time of the day to be eating.

Funny thing was, I was still being good during the day, perhaps maybe I had convinced myself in some level that I would be balancing it out, how silly of me. Late night cheese and toast is not good at all, it just sits in your tummy all night long and in the morning you feel bloated, still yummy though :P

So last Saturday I was half expecting my weight to have gone up radically, but I was wrong, I actually lost a little, not much, but enough for my mind to say, "hang on a minute, maybe I am balancing out", again, how silly of me....

This week however, I made a determined start, time to get rid of the late night cheese and toast and for the better part of it I did. However, it was not perfect, I did slip from time to time, less than before of course, but this week I also had an evening out with my wife for a lovely meal.

As it was coming to the weekend, the day when my diet week starts, I decided the time had come start again. I threw caution to the wind and enjoyed the rest of the week with the determination that this weekend would be the beginning of the end.

So the bottom line is this...it matters not how much I gained or lost over the last two weeks, what matters is that I am moving on, lifting myself out from the hole I landed in and taking matters back into my own hands. I am currently 54lbs lighter than I was when I started, a staggering 24kilos, that's 24 bags of sugar, literally!!

So here's to brighter days and happier times. Thanks to everyone for their kind words and support over the weeks, it has been much appreciated.

18 August 2012 - update & a little meal idea :)

Well, what a week....I have to be honest, I was pretty bad this week. Not as bad as last week while I was on vacation, but I did find myself having late night snacks, and I did kind of over indulge myself at my nephews birthday party...

Yeah I found it pretty hard this week. Not sure whether it was because I allowed myself so much leverage last week while I was away and then found it hard to let go this week, or maybe I was just a little fed up? *shrugs* I think it may be the former, as I still had the right mindset to be good, just found myself not doing it.

Anyways, I was not looking forward to weighing myself this morning, sort of had it in my head that I may have put even more on this week. So imagine my surprise when I found I had lost 4 lbs!!!! It was just the lift I needed. So not only did I lose the 3 lbs I put on last week, I some how managed to lose a bonus one :)) Well happy...so to celebrate, here is a little "meal for one" for you to give a go, I had it tonight, and it was delicious....

Marinated Turkey with spicy garlic potatoes.

Take a turkey breast and marinate it in soy sauce and ground pepper.

Take a medium sized potato and cut it into decent sized pieces. Place the pieces into an oven dish and add a large knob of butter, garlic, chilli powder and herbs. Baked in the oven at 190 for 45mins (or until the potatoes are crispy and browned and fluffy inside.

With 5 mins of the potatoes remaining, take your turkey breast and place it in a pre heated grill (I use a George Foreman grill) and cook for 5 mins.

And that's it...simple and lovely. Of course you can serve it with what ever else you want...salad, or other vegetables, but I just had the potatoes and turkey, in fact, I still have some potatoes left over for tomorrows dinner, hehe :))

11 August 2012 - post vacation update

Well the moment arrived and I finally weighed myself this morning following our vacation to the caravan, and I have to say I was slightly surprised, I thought it would have been a lot worse than it actually was.

Last week I reported that I had allowed myself a little break from the diet as I was sort of on vacation. But this week as we really were on vacation, I decided to let my hair down a little more, well a lot really, and enjoy eating foods I would normally try to avoid, and enjoy more quantities of them :))) I did have some sensible food, I was not a complete pig (:P), and had some yogurts, strawberries and half a watermellon :D That being said...when you counteract that good with the bad...well, it does add up. But it matters not, it was only a few days of Chinese, McDonalds, Burger King, a BBQ, chocolate, sweets, cake, ice cream, crisps, fizzy drinks and a lot of toast :))) Ok, reading it back again does sound like I was really bad, and I guess in a sense I was, but this morning I am back to being determined to continue losing weight. I was ok with my fall from the wagon, and with the right frame of mind, I hope to report next week that I have lost some weight again.

Until then, I have to report that this week I have gained 3lbs making my weight loss at 51lbs. I am not at all bothered by this as I enjoyed each and every part of that 3lb gain. But back to normality again, back to dropping the pounds, back to eating sensibly :))

4 August 2012 - update

Well week 16 has gone and I am surprised to say that I have lost another 1lb. The reason I am surprised by this is that during this week I have taken somewhat of a holiday from my diet, as I am on holiday myself. I haven't gone overboard, but I have enjoyed letting go a little bit. Saying that, I am still focused on my goal, and I won't allow myself to fall completely.

Now, next week I am on holiday again, and I shall be travelling to the camp site to stay for some time. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be able to update the diary as there is no internet connection. But rest assured, I will be back with week 17 update, fingers crossed for some more loss :)

Overnight Pavlova

Ok, so I know it's not the best recipe to be adding to a diet diary, but hey, as I always say, it's my belief that you should treat yourself now and then in order not to go insane!!!

Anyways, here is an easy but oh-so-good dessert to do just that :P

Preheat the your Oven to 150 degrees c (300 degrees f / gas mark 2)

Separate 3 large eggs and whisk the whites in a large bowl until they form soft peaks (a good test is to hold it over your head and nothing should come out of the bowl :P). Don't over whisk though as they will collapse. Measure out 6oz (175gramms) of caster sugar. Add the sugar to the egg mix, 1oz (25g) at a time until all the sugar is in.

Place some grease proof paper on a large baking tray and spoon your mix into the centre forming a rough circle shape about 20cm in diameter. Now place it in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 140 degress c (275 degrees f / gas mrk 1) and cook for 1 hour.

Next turn the heat completely off, but leave the pavlova inside the oven until it is completely cold. Actually, I usually make pavlova in the evening and then leave it in the turned-off oven overnight to dry out, hence the name Overnight Pavlova.

The outcome of this method for me is in the morning I have a lovely slight gloden-brown pavlova. Now, I also find that the top of the pavlova is slightly hollow, so what I do is cut around the top and place the cut-out shell inside the pavlova, filling some of the hollow. Next I use whipping cream to fill the remainder of the hollow ensuring that the edges are also filled with cream. Others may know better methods of ensuring this hollow doesn't occur, but personally I don't mind it, as it gives an amazing spot for the cream and toppings :))

Finally, you can add your choice of topping. Some may add chocolate or sweets, others may add fresh fruits etc, while some add nothing, But either way, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Here's the pavlova I made just last night.

Meal ideas - Pan fired steak with savoury mash

Here's another little simple yet delicious meal which I enjoyed very much for dinner tonight. Hear a little oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan on a medium/high heat. Place the steak in the pan and cook the steak for 1 min on each side in order to seal in the juices. Turn the heat down to medium, and continue to cook for a further 1-2 mins (medium) or 3-4 mins (for well done) turning once.
Slice a medium potato and boil in a pot of water. Drain of excess water and add some butter, bacon, garlic and herbs. As an optional extra (and because I am a mouse :P) I also added a handful of cheddar cheese. Mash the potato together with the extra ingredients until creamy. Transfer steak and potatoes to a plate and enjoy :)

Diary entry - 30 July 2012

Dear diary,

Today was a bad day. It started of well, toast for breakfast, a ham sandwich and yogurt for lunch. But then came dinner!!! You have to understand diary, it was a busy day, I was run off my feet doing washing and ironing and cleaning and sowing and knitting and baking, I just got the urge and I had to answer the cries of my tummy. So, I caved in, and had.....a KFC....and you know what....it was delicious :))) hihihihi.....

Ok, in all honesty, this is something I believe is required in order to prevent yourself from going like insane. Personally speaking, I find that if I completely stop eating somthing which I love, then I am going to want that thing even more, until eventually I snap and fall off the wagon. So I like to enjoy an occasional treat, and tonight it was KFC. However, in sticking with my dieting plans, I did not eat as much as I used too. In fact, there is still some left over which I shall enjoy tomorrow (if it survives that long :P).

Ideas for meals

I have been asked a lot recently about what I eat during my diet, so I thought that I would occasionally share with you some meals I have enjoyed during the day. Dinner tonight consisted of a chicken breast with reggae reggae sauce (oven cooked), an alfred bartlett rooster potato (slightly cooked in the microwave, then covered in butter and dipped in salt, then finished in the oven) and some peas, carrots, sweetcorn and green beans (boiled). Simple to make and delicious to eat :D

29 July 2012 - long overdue update

As I said in my opening post...some of this posts have come from another blog of mine. Therefore, there is a huge jump in the time line of my diet from my last post, to now. In fact, wekk 6 (which was my last post) was actually 2 months ago. I have just finished week 15. My total weight loss so far is 53lbs (or 24 kilos). I know right??

Now that I have created this dedicated blog for the diet, I will keep it more up to date, I promise.

Onwards and downards :)

6 week update...

So after 6 weeks of healthy eating I have managed to lose 27lbs (just over 12 kilos for those who prefer it :P).

what a journey it has been. I have had tough days, easy days and somewhere in the middle days, but with the right mind set I have overcome. I have been tempted with goodies, and you know what, I have enjoyed goodies. I have been tempted with take-aways, and you know what, I have enjoyed take-aways. I have been tempted with every food stuff you can imagine, and you know what, I have enjoyed them all :))) I just do not enjoy them in the same quantity as I used too - hehehehe.

So onwards and downwards :)) almost half way there, and I really can't wait to get into the second stage of the plan as then I will start a physical regime to go along with the healthy eating. Honestly looking forward to that....no really, I can't wait.....geeez...who am I trying to kid.....hihihihi

4 week update...

Satruday past marked 4 weeks since I began to "diet" and I am pleased to say at that point I had lost 21lbs (9.5 kilos). Not bad for a months work. Some people ask me am I not missing anything, sweets, chocolate, junk food in general. Well the answer is simply no, cause I am not abstaining from them completely. My belief is why starve yourself from something you know you enjoy? For me personally, doing that will only lead me to want it even more. So I allow myself a treat from time to time just not to the same degree as I used to. This doesn't work for everyone I know, but as I send in an earlier post, it all comes down to will power.

Anyways, onwards and downwards :))

Dieting, or something like it

There are many diets out there. Ones that reduce carbs, ones that reduce calories, ones that reduce fat and there are others that reduce eating period!! But which one to chose???

Well I am by means no expert on the subject, so please do not expect a scientific analysis of the do's and don't of dieting. What I will say is this, I fundamentally believe that no matter which diet you choose, it all comes down to one thing, will power. Without this, you are on a rocky course before you even start.

On 21 April 2012, I started to diet (again :P) and no, before you ask, I am not following any particular diet plan and therefore I cannot offer any reccomendations. Not that I would either, cause in the end, I also believe that what works for one person, may not work for another. Anyways, my chosen path is to watch what I eat, and in particular, the amount of food I eat. This path is one that I have chosen before when I lost a shed load of weight, but unfortunately I did not have the will power to maintain it and therefore put back on all the weight that I had lost. A friend once told me that it's all about finding a balance, and personally speaking I could not agree more. And not just a balance with the foods I eat, but also my lifestyle, this is a very important point, so get up Kudos, and get active!!

This blog is intended primarily as a diary of how the diet is going. Actually, some of this post's here started off on another blog of mine. But I decided to make a more specified blog, dedicated to my diet, in order to share stories and encouragement and maybe even ideas for meals. Please feel free to comment on the blog, and remember, YOU CAN DO IT YOU KNOW :)))