Whoop there it is (n't)...

At weigh in last night I lost 2lb. It surprised me at first because I had been expecting a gain since I remembered a few things I had eaten that were outside my syns allowance.

Sitting waiting for group to start I went back over the weeks food in my head and realised that I had actually been pretty good. I made a lot of meals SW style and made the right decisions most of the time.  If I hadn't been quite as naughty I expect I would've seen a greater loss, but I am happy with shedding the weight I put on last week.

I am now reinvigorated.  So much so, that following a pub lunch (steak sandwich with homemade chips that probably uses up a couple of days worth of syns, so low syn for rest of the week) with a couple of colleagues who are training for a marathon,  I have decided that I will train to run the Leeds half marathon next year. It tends to be around my birthday,  so what better way to celebrate turning 35 (!) than by being the fittest and healthiest I can be?

I have run  a couple of half marathons before, but that was 14 and 15 years ago. Much like slimming,  I know I am capable of it if I stick to it.  Hopefully now I have a target I will get out and run more - I need to if I am not to let myself and any supporters down next May.

I will try to share my progress as often as I can :-)

Here we go again...

At weigh in tonight I put on 2lb. It's to be expected given the 2 takeaways and 2 meals out this week, but it could (and possibly should) have been a different story. [] Takeaway curry - could've made one myself, which would've been a lot less spicy (so possibly slightly more enjoyable), and syn free. [] Meals out - could've chosen far less synful meals and so been closer to plan. [] Takeaway pizza/moroccan - could've had less bread and gone for something less synful [] Lunchtime - could've steered clear of syns entirely to enable me to have indulged a bit in the evenings. Instead I synned on both occasions! I'm back to hovering around a weight that I thought I'd finally broken free of. I need to get organised, get motivated and get creative if I'm to stop myself becoming involved in that vicious circle again. I hope that I can get back on track, because I really do want to live a healthy life (I would say happy and healthy, but I've got the happy bit already!), and I want to be able to walk into a shop and buy clothes that I feel comfortable and look good in. I've still got a very long way to go, but I've not given up just yet.

The verdict is in...

Slightly disappointed with my loss this week.  I had hoped for more, but a 3lb loss is a step in the right direction.  I reckon I will take on the scan bran challenge again this week - perhaps its a delayed loss.

Seven shades of scan bran...

I managed to complete the scan bran challenge having polished off everything in the pictures below.

The key to getting through 35 scan bran slices over 7 days has been variety. That, along with strong flavours and different textures has meant that I didn't get bored.

Roll on weigh in tonight!

So far so good...

Feeling pretty good about this week. OK, it's only 2 days old, but I'm (finally!) back on plan. Hopeful of a decent loss next week, but will take it a day at a time. Two days of the scan bran challenge done, and it's actually been fairly tasty each time. I'm looking forward to trying some new recipes to help me get through all 35 slices this week!

Challenge accepted...

So that's what a very stressful time at work followed by a very indulgent holiday does...

After my last weigh in (a loss which took me back to my lowest weight this year) I set myself a target of coming back to group after my holiday with a maintain. I was going to make the right choices and food optimise where possible.

That went well and truly out the window with the most stressful period I have ever had at work (if it continued for much longer I was ready to call it a day and get as far away as possible without looking back) which meant late nights, no chance to shop for SW friendly foods and feeding myself with whatever was available.  The week's holiday that followed was a time of de-stressing and indulging in very synful food, but I feel it was needed and despite the 5lb gain tonight I am now in a good frame of mind.

It's back to basics now, and an attempt at "the scan bran challenge".  That will involve me eating 5 slices of scan bran each day for a week, as well as getting right back on plan, starting tomorrow. For those of you not acquainted with the wonder that is scan bran, picture the remnants of a bowl of all bran that have been left to adhere themselves to the bowl so long that only a pneumatic drill could shift them and you're pretty close. Sound appetising?  Maybe not, but it gets results, so provided I stick with it I should get a decent result on the scales next week.

I will try to give updates on my progress and hope to try out some new recipes to help me get my scan bran fix. I might even come up with one good enough to take to taster night on Tuesday!