Seeing Results

I've managed to lose 10lbs since I began the weight loss again this time.
Hopefully I can make it to 12 lbs by the end of the month. There's still another week to go so it's highly possible.

I tried on some jeans today that fit me snugly just before New Year.
They are now quite baggy.

Means I'm doing something right :)

Chunky Chicken Broth

Serves 4
200 cals per serving

2 skinless chicken breasts diced
1 sweet red pepper diced
1 large sweet potato diced
2 cups of broth mix (with pearl barley)
2 vegetable or chicken stock pots
1 Oxo cube

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker half filled with water.
Check on progress after two hours then add more water if necessary.
Slow cook for 4 hours on high or longer on low.

I haven't taken a photo of this one as on the plate it doesn't look very appetising, but trust me when I say it's seriously tasty and filling too.

Another 4 Bites The Dust

I can't believe it's going so well.
Another 4lbs off this week.

I'm going to smash the 2 stone target the Doctors want by May 24th.

Whatever I'm doing, I'm doing something right.

Just going to keep on keeping on. :)

Green Lentil 'Shepherd's Pie'

1 tin of green lentils (I've used the tinned to save time) 43 cals
1 chopped onion - 30 cals
1 packet of steamfresh veg - 25 cals
2 tablespoons of tomato puree - 30 cals
2 tablespoons on caramelised onion chutney - 42 cals
1 oxo cube
Smash instant mash (As this is sin free on most weight loss plans) - 104 cals


Dry fry the onions in a deep frying pan until they begin to soften
Drain and add tin of green lentils
Add packet on steamfresh mixed veg
Stir all ingredients together well until lentils start to break up.
Add tomato puree
Add caramelised onion chutney
Add oxo cube
Place in dish or on a plate
Top with smash instant mash made up as per instructions
(You can make your own mashed potatoes of course but just don't add milk or butter.)
Brown top of mashed potato in the oven if preferred.

Serves 2 - 274 cals
Each portion - 137 cals

Chicken Stir Fry with Courgette Noodles

Before you start you'll need one of those vegetable spirallers that make vegetables into noodles.

1 diced chicken breast - 55 cals
Handful of sugar snap peas - 14 cals
Half of a large sweet pointed red pepper - 30 cals
6 halved cherry tomatoes - 19 cals
Large courgette - 11 cals
Sweet chilli sauce - 29 cals

Dry fry the diced chicken in a non stick wok or deep frying pan
Slice the pepper into circles and add to the pan
Add the sugar snap peas to the pan
Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan
Turn heat down and leave to cook slowly
Peel courgette and make noodles with your vegetable spiraller
Add the courgette 'noodles' to the pan
Stir all together for a couple of minutes (The courgette softens very quickly which is why it needs to go in so late)
Add 2 dessert spoons of sweet chilli sauce until all ingredients are coated.

Serve and enjoy

Serves 1

Total calories - 158
Fat content is minimal.

Ups and Downs

I have always been a bit of a chunk.

The chunkiness has gone up and down over time, but still a chunk nonetheless.

On the emotional side, I think I've subconsciously (or otherwise) kept myself that way as a security blanket. If you're not attractive, nobody will be interested and therefore you won't get hurt.

It's taken a while to get over that and start to gain some confidence and people have helped me along the way. One in particular more than they know.

The chunkiness has caused me health problems in the form of a large hiatus hernia. It does need an op to repair but they won't operate until my BMI is at least down to 30.
They explained the reasons why as being because if it's caused by being overweight (it is) then repairing whilst still overweight means it will just pop back up into my diaphragm again.
So I get their reasons and accept them. I have kicked myself up the arse.

Going to make a confession now.

At my absolute heaviest, I was 18st 6lbs.
Lots of reasons why I got that big, which I won't go into...

But now I need to get to around 13.5 - 14 stone to reach that BMI goal and get this op done.

What I didn't expect to find was that I'm actually loving coming up with healthy alternatives to ingredients and making up my own fat free recipes.
I'm going to post the successful ones as I go along. Aftter all, still finding out what works and what doesn't.

So welcome to the Yellow Brick Road. Feel free to join me. :)