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Disclaimer
Beverley has prepared the content of Bev's World irresponsibly and carelessly. She therefore disclaims all warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, originality or completeness of the drivel presented on this blog or on other linked websites or on any subsequent links. She vehemently denies that the information may be relied upon for any reason. Beverley shall not be liable for inflicting laughter, shame, disgust, torrents of tears and the eventual desiccation or crashing boredom on readers.

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Tuesday 31 May 2016

Oops, that is all...



31st May 2016
Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege.  Use it.  Dwell in possibility.  Oprah Winfrey.

And there it was gone!  That's the last Bank Holiday until the end of August and even though I don't work Mondays, they still feel like a holiday, I think because so many others are off.  In true Bank Holiday style I went off track, there was chocolate involved and ice cream, so I won't be getting a weight loss this week! Hey Ho, that's the reality of life, it's why I'm a Weight Watcher because I likes to eat and I get easily led astray sometimes, even by myself.

If you're in my gang, how about we draw a line (yeah I know another one, I've got a good marker pen, I can draw as many lines as I need to!) and get back on it!  Notice I didn't stay start over, I never stop so I don't have to restart, I just pause occasionally.   

My meals have been good, it was just the other stuff in-between, temptation got the better of me, sunshine and wine, before I knew it, I had a small cornetto in my hand!  On a positive, I have a clear kitchen, sorted cupboards and a list of meal ideas to get me through the rest of the week.  Need to eat the eggs as I've got quite a few, might make me a crustless quiche or a nice frittata, especially as I have potatoes too, ooo yeah I like that idea.  Ooo I've just remembered a pasta frittata thing I had once, I only got a taste of one someone had made but it was really tasty and filling, simple to make too, cook the pasta, then make an omelette like mixture with any veggies in that you fancy and throw the cooked pasta in.

Just realised today is the last day of Magic May, believing in yourself, remember if you can do that - you can do anything.  Need to think about Junes theme today then!

I spent yesterday just relaxing and being reminded that I just enjoy the normalness of my life, I like doing nothing, chilling with my mom, hanging out in my garden.  I have no desire to go off doing stuff really.  I've made a life I love and I'm happy, my job is my social life, when I get together with my friends, it's always for lunch because they know I don't do evenings and parties or any of that, partly because I don't enjoy it and also because I don't like to leave mom on her own.  We have a routine and routine works really well for both of us, so why change that.

I did do some ironing though, I kept to that promise and I finished my book, I'm sure that's the first book I've read this year!  Hopefully it won't be the last, I'll get my kindle out now and see what's on there.  I also did a little bit of gardening, still not feeling the love but hoping June will sort that out, I always have been a fair weather gardener.

Keeping it brief again today, got a car to load, shower to have, breakfast to eat, mom to sort and I'm short of helpers this morning, my Sharon's enjoying a much deserved holiday - all good fun ;)

Here's to making the last day of May a healthy one, I'm gonna ask mom to hide the rest of her chocolate, I can resist the cornettos and I'll be busy today so my mind will be distracted.
Have a magical day BeYOUtiful, wherever and whatever you've got on the agenda today, let's make it a healthy one.

  

Monday 30 May 2016

Just a regular Monday in my house.

30th May 2016
A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.  Elbert Hubbard


I'm not gonna lie, I didn't finish my meal planning, I got as far as sorting my cupboards and fridge/freezer and making a list of what's in them, then I got distracted by the sunshine and my book.  If it's overcast today, I'm going to tackle my ironing and continue with the meal planning, I'm thinking rather than doing an actual 'plan' I'm just going to do meal ideas and recipes ideas I want to do then I can choose what I make on the day, depending on what I fancy.  I'm not always good at having a set menu, it puts me off if I'm honest.

The ironing definitely needs tackling, I'm wearing the same clothes each week because I can't be bothered to iron the other stuff, might find a good movie to stand and watch as I iron.

I'm thinking a No Count day today, I've got steak for later, maybe with chips, wedges or mash, actually if I do chips mom can have egg and chips - her favourite.  I'll have griddled peppers with mine I think as they need using.  I fancy scrambled eggs for breakfast, maybe a couple of bacon medallions, tomato and mushrooms with it, mmm yeah sorted.  I realised yesterday when I was thinking about meals that it isn't the main meals I need to plan it's the lighter bites, stuff I really enjoy but never remember when I'm thinking 'what shall I eat', stuff like the beans on toast, tuna toasties and quesadillas, they are all great, especially the quesadillas if you can get your hands on Weight Watchers tortilla wraps, you can fill them with anything you fancy, shredded cooked chicken breast, peppers and onions would be tasty, add a bit of cajun or other spice to the chicken before cooking.  Mmm that's definitely going on the 'to eat' list this week, maybe I'll just make a list of meals I like to eat.  Yeah that sounds easier and more fun!

I need to get ready for my meetings this week first before I do anything else today, but then I'm just going to go with the flow and do what takes my fancy, hopefully that will include ironing and meal list ;)

I'm keeping it brief this morning because I want to get on with my day, moms looking for a cuppa and I need to go make those eggs!

I don't work Mondays anyway so it's just a regular day, whatever you have planned for this Bank Holiday Monday, enjoy it BeYOUtiful. xx

Sunday 29 May 2016

All about the planning today...



29th May 2016
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lao Tzu
Not being able to get to a Weight Watcher meeting and not going because you don't want to step on the scales after a bad week are two very different things, the first is sometimes unavoidable, the later is only going to make matters worse because you're going to miss out on the much needed group support from all the other members and your leader.  Heck I've had members who've said, I'm coming but I don't want to get weighed so just put me down as stayed the same, that's better than totally avoiding, at least you go away with some new ideas and a bit of motivation.  I'm not going to lie, it also ensures your leader gets her wage and can pay her bills - so it's a win/win as a leader without members has no job.  I could've very easily not bothered to go to my meeting on Friday as I had so much to do, places to go but I'm glad I did and one question she asked me was "why do you make the effort every morning to have those breakfasts you make when you're so busy".  My reply without thinking was 'if I can't find ten minutes a day to prepare myself a meal I really enjoy then I need to rethink my life".  Thinking about that now, that goes for everything that's important to me and my life including my meeting, if I can't find the time for those things that are important to my health and happiness, then something is wrong and out of balance with my life and I need to sit down and work that out and do something about it.

Today's doing something for me involves planning my week ahead, I want to have a go at No Count, I finally have my own copy of the cook book so I'm going to sit in the garden with a pad, pen, WW mags and recipes and plan me a good No Count week so I can have a good weight loss.  Meal planning can be really off putting, scary even, so it's good to start somewhere and I find that to be in the kitchen, sort it all out, your cupboards and freezer, see what you have to start with.  It's amazing how much easier it is to cook when your cupboards are organised and tidy and you know where everything is.

Next get to know yourself a little better and how you tend to behave in the kitchen. Which of these are you;

·      I tend to recycle the same handful of meals from one week to the next
·      I improvise a lot and end up cobbling meals together with whatever is in the fridge/cupboards
·      I ‘sort of’ plan meals in my head or scribble ideas on bits of paper but never seem to stick to it
·      I spend far too much time shopping and cooking
·      I don’t have enough time to shop and cook
·      I've got a stack of cookbooks but rarely use them
·      Shopping feels like a chore
·      Cooking feel like a chore
·      A lot of the food I buy goes to waste
·      It feels like I never have enough time/incentive/energy to make different/exciting meals
·      I would like to rely less on processed food/ready meals/frozen foods
·      I sometimes feel like I’m running a restaurant
·      I often eat out/order in because it’s the quickest/easiest option
·      I often find myself racking my brains mid afternoon to come up with an idea for dinner
·      I feel like I spend my life dashing to the supermarket/corner shop for last minute buys
·      I tend to batch cook and eat a lot of leftovers
·      My shopping basket is often loaded with a random items

Once you know where you are starting from, you can work out your meal plan or how to change if necessary.

Next get yourself a pad or sheet of A4 for the planning to commence, what day do you want your planner to start, answer questions like

·      who is in, who is out
·      time to cook
·      who's doing the cooking
·      where is the recipe (link or a page number from book)
·      ingredients to shop for
·      things to do for meal (take things out of freezer, soak ingredients, make marinade etc..)
·      adaptations for different family members

Is there anything else you think you would find useful to know at a glance?

It might seem challenging but remember once you've done a few of these, you'll get into a routine, you can re-use them and you don't have to stick to the plan 100%, it's not set in stone.

You'll find the more you do it, you'll be able to build up your own recipe book, I have a box file with a lot of mine in and a folder on my computer with even more then I can find them easily and store them simply, I then email it to myself and I have the recipe on my phone or ipad.

My favourite part of planning, is to spend some time writing my 'to eat' list, that list of foods I love to eat, especially the easy stuff that isn't really a recipe, it's more build a meal, beans on toast (delicious), poached eggs (epic), egg & chips (legend meal), meal planning doesn't have to be complicated recipes.

Make a list of those 'easy eats' that you cook regularly and without a recipe (or with a simple recipe as a reminder if your memories as shocking as mine!)  Then add to the list those meals and food you buy ready cooked (e.g. fish fingers, soups, pasta sauces and other ready meals) those foods you like and are happy to keep on the menu.  There's family favourites too, what about the dishes that you like and know how to cook but maybe have forgotten about. We get so stick in a rut of serving the same things that we forget about dishes that we know how to cook or that we like eating.  Spend some time thinking about these meals and meals you'd maybe like to learn to cook. 

Now you have a base to fill in that meal planner, decide what kind of cook you are right now and do it.  Are you a play is safe, hassle free, cooking only dished you know 100%, or are you more of an experimental cook, happy and keen to try new stuff.  Or maybe you're a combination of the two.

How many nights a week do you want to cook from the regular stuff and how many do you want to try something new.  Don't stretch yourself too far or at all if you're not up for that.  It's not about having to become a accomplished adventurous cook if you are not, it's more about getting organised and the more you stick to what you do well, the easier that will be.

Once you've got the meals you want planned, then you can write the shopping list.

I'm liking this idea because I won't overbuy on my food which is what I did last week, it'll also be one extra thing I won't have to think about all week because I'll have a plan and I don't have to stick to it 100%, the meals will be interchangeable and flexible.  Mostly I'm looking forward to sitting in the garden in the sunshine whilst I do it ;) Bank Holiday weekend, I have no desire to go anywhere in the busy, thank you very much.

Right I've had my lie in, I don't have a headache today, I think it could have been caffeine withdrawal that triggered that, I've not had any since Thursday, been drinking hot and cold water instead and I've not missed it.  I feel good and ready for a day all about me, planning, reading my book later, sorting my kitchen cupboards out, eating the potato curry I cooked Friday or it'll be no good!  Over bought see, too much food I do have!  So I will be using that up before I buy anymore.

Enjoy your day whatever you're up too BeYOUtiful, remember this is your life - live it!


Saturday 28 May 2016

Head hurts - that is all!



28th May 2016
There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.  Bernard Williams

Well I've woke up feeling like the morning after the night before, without having had the night before!  I've took a couple of painkillers and waiting (hoping) for it to wear off.  In the meantime I'll sit here with my water and blog a little.

The scales were mean to me yesterday, I've named them Sidney cos he can be a complete sh&t!  I gained 1.5lb but I'm okay because I lost 3lb last week and didn't expect that at all.  I also had a couple of meals out, drinks and ice cream at the theatre, so I can't complain.  I've not tracked all week and I've been without my scales as I've taken them to meetings to show members. 

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Line drawn with love, tracker out and a healthy week decided because I don't like waking up feeling groggy with a headache, so this week I will be drinking plenty of water and eating lots of healthy meals including fruit.  I'm going to have a fruit bowl in my office because I'm in here all the time and it'll be there staring at me so I'll be more inclined to remember to eat that apple and I am enjoying them at the moment, what is that saying, "An apple a day...." shame it's not "An apple a day keeps the fat away!"

I've also decided I'm going to have a go at No Count as as soon as I've used the few things in the fridge that don't come under that banner, so it'll probably be after the weekend, I'm not wasting food and the food in there isn't No Count I don't think, I'll check what I have today.  I over ordered on my shop last week, got a little excited over all the nice food didn't I.

It's raining too, that'll be a bank holiday then ;) I've no plans this weekend, apart from finishing my book, yep I'm gonna read and relax, ooo that sounds lovely. 

My heads easing a little thankfully, I might go make me a mug of hot water instead of my usually tea, caffeine's not great for bad heads so don't want to make it any worse.

Right I'm off to get ready for my meeting, gonna be there a little early for those off to do bank holiday things, they can run in and out.  Meetings really do make a difference, the new members at last night's meeting all said they'd tried to do it on their own or online and it's just not the same as getting to a meeting and being accountable to someone else and getting the support of others.  Meetings are were the magic happens.  I like being a member again myself, I may not be the easiest or most successful member but this is my journey and I'm okay with it.

Enjoy your day BeYOUtiful, focus on the smile moments.  One of mine yesterday was me and Lynne being called 'girls' as we left the pub at lunchtime :) still got it!