At the weigh in between Christmas and New Year I received my new SW pack. All the info has been re-worked, and there's a nice clean new record book for me to use.... if I choose.
The same happened last year and to be honest I just shoved it in with the rest of my books and never looked at it again. My logic at that time was I didn't want to lose my history. I wanted to look at my progress and keep patting myself on the back... but it didn't really work out like that!
In reality I spent the last year watching the numbers going up, and down, and then up again, and managed to gain essentially a pound a month so I'm now approximately a stone heavier than I was this time last year.
I've decided to use my new book. I'm not going to throw away my old record, I'll keep it safe, but for me I need to stop dwelling on the past and comparing how well I did in my first year with how badly I did in my second and just focus on how well I'm doing now.
I've written in my original starting weight, and the weights of each New Year, and from now it's a clean slate. I'm currently 11st 12. I don't mind telling people what I weigh, I feel as though if it's out there, there's nowhere left to hide from it. I'm being realistic and giving myself mini goals to achieve. Easter is early this year, and is usually the start of social activities which hopefully this year will include scuba diving and camping.
So, what do I want to be by Easter? 29 March is Good Friday, which means my weigh in will be 28 March... that's 12 weeks. I know I'm not a big loser, I don't lose large amounts each week even if I'm sticking to plan religiously. So what's a reasonable loss in that time? I don't want to set an unrealistic goal which will only result in disappointment, but I equally don't want to go too easy on myself. I need to challenge myself so that I stay focused. If I got to 11st by Easter that's 12 pounds gone and a nice round number.... but then if I can lose 12 pounds, what's to say I couldn't go 2 more and make it a stone? 10st 12 by Easter?
Deal.
4 January 2013
30 December 2012
Gaining Control
After all the family have left I still have a mountain of cheese in the fridge, bits and bobs which don't seem to go well together; and am in serious danger of making my 4 pound Christmas gain into a 2 stone Christmas gain just to devour the lot...
Sometimes it's hard to look at the odds and ends and decide how to make a meal from it, let alone, find a way to make it semi healthy.
Tonight's dinner consists of Roast Swede soup utilising a swede that needed using up, some carrots which had seen better days, garlic, and leftover shallots which I didn't manage to pickle; followed by a Jacket potato stuffed with smoked salmon leftovers, creamed blue cheese leftover from the cheeseboard, and a bit of lemon juice to prevent me having gin!
Now that Christmas is done, and I only really have New Year's Eve and Day to contend with, I actually can't wait to start eating healthily again. Every Christmas I go into stodge overload instead of treating myself to luxuries I really enjoy that actually won't weigh me down. Seafood, fruit, and just a little of the very smelliest cheeses there are.
Why do we do this? Why do I do this? The one thing I always say is important to me is control, yet as soon as Christmas arrives, and the buffet table is presented to me i seem to lose all sense.
I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions as a rule, but this year I'm making a commitment to myself to try and bring back that control in my food again, and learn to say no once more.
Sometimes it's hard to look at the odds and ends and decide how to make a meal from it, let alone, find a way to make it semi healthy.
Tonight's dinner consists of Roast Swede soup utilising a swede that needed using up, some carrots which had seen better days, garlic, and leftover shallots which I didn't manage to pickle; followed by a Jacket potato stuffed with smoked salmon leftovers, creamed blue cheese leftover from the cheeseboard, and a bit of lemon juice to prevent me having gin!
Now that Christmas is done, and I only really have New Year's Eve and Day to contend with, I actually can't wait to start eating healthily again. Every Christmas I go into stodge overload instead of treating myself to luxuries I really enjoy that actually won't weigh me down. Seafood, fruit, and just a little of the very smelliest cheeses there are.
Why do we do this? Why do I do this? The one thing I always say is important to me is control, yet as soon as Christmas arrives, and the buffet table is presented to me i seem to lose all sense.
I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions as a rule, but this year I'm making a commitment to myself to try and bring back that control in my food again, and learn to say no once more.
12 October 2011
Beetroot in a new way!
Lamb and Beetroot Curry - Serves 4, Prep time 25 mins, Cooking time 1 hour.
Ingredients
700g boneless lamb, diced
150g low fat natural yogurt
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1tbsp chilli powder
2tbsp ground coriander
1tbsp ground ginger
400g beetroot, cooked, peeled and diced
cooking spray
1 tsp cloves
4 cardamon pods
3 red onions, peeled and sliced
2 tsp crushed chillies
1tsp garam masala
1/ lemon, juice only
To serve:
1 red onion sliced
handful of fresh coriander
Method
1. Mix the lamb in a large non-metallic bowl with the yogurt, garlic, chilli powder, ground coriander and ginger. Season to taste with salt, mix well, cover and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile blitz half the beetroot in a food processor into a smooth paste.
3. Heat some cooking spray in a large pan and add the cloves, cardamon pods and onions. Stir fry until the onions begin to brown then add the lamb and marinade. Cook over a high heat for 10 minutes.
4. Add the crushed chillies and 400ml boiling water. Simmer for 30 minutes stir in the pureed beetroot and diced beetroot, garam masala and lemon juicve. Cook for further 5 minutes.
5. Heat more cooking spray in a pan and fry the onion until softenned, serve with the curry fresh coriander and plain boiled rice.
Ingredients
700g boneless lamb, diced
150g low fat natural yogurt
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1tbsp chilli powder
2tbsp ground coriander
1tbsp ground ginger
400g beetroot, cooked, peeled and diced
cooking spray
1 tsp cloves
4 cardamon pods
3 red onions, peeled and sliced
2 tsp crushed chillies
1tsp garam masala
1/ lemon, juice only
To serve:
1 red onion sliced
handful of fresh coriander
Method
1. Mix the lamb in a large non-metallic bowl with the yogurt, garlic, chilli powder, ground coriander and ginger. Season to taste with salt, mix well, cover and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile blitz half the beetroot in a food processor into a smooth paste.
3. Heat some cooking spray in a large pan and add the cloves, cardamon pods and onions. Stir fry until the onions begin to brown then add the lamb and marinade. Cook over a high heat for 10 minutes.
4. Add the crushed chillies and 400ml boiling water. Simmer for 30 minutes stir in the pureed beetroot and diced beetroot, garam masala and lemon juicve. Cook for further 5 minutes.
5. Heat more cooking spray in a pan and fry the onion until softenned, serve with the curry fresh coriander and plain boiled rice.
Leeks?
Leeks seem to be good value at the moment - must be that time of year again. I usually just roast them, or bung them in soups, but would love to use them in a different way.
While trying to find inspiration I stumbled across potato gratin and thought why the hell not add leek? Maybe you do already, but here's my way:
Potato and Leek Gratin
Preheat oven to 180c and boil 500g sliced potatoes for about 2 minutes, add in 500g trimmed, sliced leeks and cook for 2 minutes . Drain and leave in an ovenproof dish. Mix 300ml milk with 300ml vegetable stock and pour over. Dot in a little virtually fat free cream cheese. Cook for 30 minutes then uncover. Turn the oven up to 200c and cook for further 10 minutes until golden.
While trying to find inspiration I stumbled across potato gratin and thought why the hell not add leek? Maybe you do already, but here's my way:
Potato and Leek Gratin
Preheat oven to 180c and boil 500g sliced potatoes for about 2 minutes, add in 500g trimmed, sliced leeks and cook for 2 minutes . Drain and leave in an ovenproof dish. Mix 300ml milk with 300ml vegetable stock and pour over. Dot in a little virtually fat free cream cheese. Cook for 30 minutes then uncover. Turn the oven up to 200c and cook for further 10 minutes until golden.
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pie
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pie - Serves 8
Ingredients
Cooking Spray
4 skinless chicken breasts/thighs
250g shallots, peeled and halved
1 tsp dried tarragon
30g low fat spread
30g plain flour
400ml chicken stock
200ml quark
400g broccoli
300g puff pastry
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200c, heat the cooking spray in a large frying pan and add the chicken and shallots and cook on a high heat until the chicken is sealed and has taken n some colour. Add the tarragon.
2. Melt the low fat spread in a pan and stir in the flour, Cook for 1 minute then gradually whisk in the stock, stirring until you have a smooth thick sauce. Add to the chicken along withe quark and stir well.
3. Meanwhile, boil the broccoli for 3 minutes. Drain and add to the chicken mixture. Spoon the filling into a large pie dish with a lip.
4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface so it is slightly larger than the dish. Cut a thin strip of patry from the edge and press down onto the lip of the dish. Moisten the pastry lid on top and press down well. Trim the edges. Re-roll any pastry trimmings and cut decorative leaves.
5. Brush the pie with beaten egg or milk to glaze and bake for 35 minutes until piping hot and the pastry is well risen and golden.
Ingredients
Cooking Spray
4 skinless chicken breasts/thighs
250g shallots, peeled and halved
1 tsp dried tarragon
30g low fat spread
30g plain flour
400ml chicken stock
200ml quark
400g broccoli
300g puff pastry
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200c, heat the cooking spray in a large frying pan and add the chicken and shallots and cook on a high heat until the chicken is sealed and has taken n some colour. Add the tarragon.
2. Melt the low fat spread in a pan and stir in the flour, Cook for 1 minute then gradually whisk in the stock, stirring until you have a smooth thick sauce. Add to the chicken along withe quark and stir well.
3. Meanwhile, boil the broccoli for 3 minutes. Drain and add to the chicken mixture. Spoon the filling into a large pie dish with a lip.
4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface so it is slightly larger than the dish. Cut a thin strip of patry from the edge and press down onto the lip of the dish. Moisten the pastry lid on top and press down well. Trim the edges. Re-roll any pastry trimmings and cut decorative leaves.
5. Brush the pie with beaten egg or milk to glaze and bake for 35 minutes until piping hot and the pastry is well risen and golden.
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