Preparing for my most frugal year ever

Dear reader,

Early morning here. Was laying in bed thinking about how crap I was at running and was worrying that I am so unfit that I couldn't sleep and got up at 0600.
So now am unfit and tired!

Will do my run this morning as soon as it gets light and then it will be out of the way.

Am catching up on some blogs and everyone seems to be well prepared for Christmas.
We have had a huge cut down this year on presents. I have been know to go a bit mad and it's all too much especially when we are trying to pay off debts.

Big Man said to me last night that we just won't know ourselves when we are debt free.
We will be making 2014 THE YEAR when we pay off our debt or most of it anyway.

The most important thing I have learned from all your blogs, the tips we share and other forums is planning ahead. I know what's coming be it car insurance, tax, Christmas, house insurance, chimney sweep time. Therefore there is no excuse to not be prepared. I will make sure next year that I have all the money saved and stashed so its there. I can't stand having to scrabble around and get into more debt paying for things. I got seriously caught out this year with a huge repair bill for my car.

I will start by saving the council tax that we don't have to pay in February and March. That can be stashed away towards the insurances we pay.

Back to now and Christmas. We haven't any decorations save a twig tree with lights on it. We won't have any visitors as we go to my mums for Christmas. No children come here and as we are mostly at work we don't have anyone round for drinks. We sound like a right old pair of bah humbugs.

The shops were packed yesterday when I ventured out at lunch time. The card factory had queues out of the door but their prices are very good. 89p for lovely, large cards that would be at least £2.50 elsewhere.

I hope your plans are coming together and you are not too stressed.

Have a great day and weekend

X

GIVEAWAY

Dear reader,

Welcome to new followers and also to everyone who has been brave e ought to add themselves to the weight loss list BEFORE the season of overheating and excess is upon us.

This is the list so far.
Pam-good life in Tydd

Rambler

VC

Katie-Jane

Highlandhearts

Maria

Emma Watts

Miss Piggy Bank

Jan

Helen Mortimer

Donna Scott

Welsh Poppy

Alison B43 (in the New Year)

Treaders

Trudie

Kate

Sue

Simplesligo

Donna

Bets

The silver bunny

I'm going to name our weigh in day as Wednesday so it's easy to remember . 

Weigh in Wednesday as suggested by Frugal Queen.

Now you don't have to put your weight unless you want to but it would be really great if people could do a little comment on how they have done, maybe some great meals they cooked and how much weight they have lost.

I will also be doing a giveaway draw on Wednesday as a bit of a reminder.

It will be for one of my favourite products that I use for my weight loss which is Fry Light one calorie a spray oil. I used to use olive oil but its 97 calories a tablespoon.

The people at Fry Light were so impressed we were all trying to start our weight loss before Christmas, they sent me two bottles to give away.

I have a bottle of Sunflower oil and a bottle of olive oil from Fry light to give away.

You have to be a follower of this blog. I will then be able to nose round your blog in return. You do not have to write a blog yourself but if you do I will of course follow you back.  X. 

You must be in the weight loss list and leave a comment between today and next Wednesday. I will then draw two names out of my kitchen scales and send you a bottle. Which one you get will be luck and I can only post to the UK. 

So get on the list and send me a comment and any good loss stories.

X

Fit, healthy and glowing-I want some.

Dear reader,

Thank you for all your great comments. I will be replying to you all but am off to work soon and didn't get in until 11 last night. It was work not a knees up!

Frugal Queen did a post answering the question, "Can you be frugal and healthy?"

My main quest is to prepare healthy meals. I'd love to eat just organic meat and eggs but I just can't afford it. I also would like to up our fish intake.

I have been cutting down on the meat or other protein part of our meals and really boosting up the vegetable portions. I have also started eating much more fruit.

When I get to work, I sit at my desk, someone puts the kettle on. There are usually biscuits, a tin of sweets or similar. It's really hard not to indulge when they are there. I always start snacking when I get to work. THAT WAS THEN!
I have started taking a banana and an apple to work as well as my usual lunch.what I do is make myself eat the fruit. I'm not keen on bananas but I figure if I'm hungry I will eat them. I'm avoiding dried fruit and I know fresh does have some sugars in but it's got to be better that the mince pies!

I still haven't got the scales working yet but I can see my stomach has gone down, a lot. In just a few days. I'm very pleased. I will post my weight ASAP.

I don't know if I told you but Big Man used to be a personal trainer. He is very knowledgable about working out  and nutrition. We do have a gym in the garage but its what I call a proper boys gym. It's all weights and boys stuff. None of the girlie stuff that you see the Lycra women in the gym using. No cross trainer, no treadmill, no thigh machine. ( the one that springs your legs wide apart)
But I'm going to use the boys stuff just on light weights.

I'm going to post my excersizes as well, there may be a few photos of me doing them too!

Over the weekend, I did something I hate. I mean really detest. Can't understand how or why people do it but I did.

I started running!
I have a couple of female friends who have done so well running. They were not runners and both were a little overweight.
I have to say, it looks like they have melted. They are fit, healthy and glowing and I want some of that!

Off I went. My trainers, usually only for dog walking were dusted down and off I went.
OMG, I can tell you I ain't no runner! I did a minute of a very slow, sad and wobbly jog. Followed by about 2 minutes recovery walking.
I kept going until I got to a set point and then did it all back home again. It took my 25 mins to get the and back and it's 1.5 miles in total.
I did Saturday and Sunday. Then I had a day off on Monday and did Tuesday which was a bit better. I can run about 1.5 minutes and only need about the same of walking. I did the same route but in 24 minutes. I did tell you it would be little steps.

After I guzzled a glass of water Big Man got me to do a few abdominal crunches. These sound a lot more impressive than what I actually did. I fell to the floor on the front room rug, on my back. Then put my legs up on the sofa, I liked that bit. With knees bent I did little sit ups. Not huge right up ones but just so I could feel it in the tummy.
Then I did some dips, which is sitting on the sofa, lovely, then, lifting your bottom off so it's kind of suspended in the air and pushing yourself up and down with the arms. Good for the bingo wings.

Everyone says if I keep running, I will eventually love it. Not so sure.
My legs are agony, my calves are screaming and my shins aching.

My body must wondering what on earth is going on!

How do my weight loss buddies want to track our progress. Are we just going to have weekly updates with weight loss? Are we going to have a superwoman (or man) of the week?

Have a great day,
X

Can you be healthy and frugal?

Dear reader, Firstly here is the list so far of the losing pounds challenge. I am trying to think of a really good name for us all. Any ideas? We now have Pam, Rambler,VC,Katie-Jane,Highlandhearts,Maria,Emma Watts,Miss Piggy bank,Jan,Helen Mortimer,Donna Scott,Welsh Poppy(sorry I missed you) AlisonB43 and Treaders. I have been going through recipe books, old diet magazines and looking for inspiration online for healthy meals and packed lunches. Today I had 2 Weetabix with semi skimmed and granulated sweetener. It looks a bit weird like the stuff in a snow globe and I could just blow it away but it gives me sweetness without the calories.

 When I got to work, the bitches (the skinny ones on the other side of the office in the size eight jeans!) had brought in two types of chocolate cookies, the chewy type, and chocolate brownies followed by a coffee cake. "Oh just help yourself" they chirped, in their skinny jeans, high heels and lip gloss. All sweetness and light- I'm not fooled. I stayed well away. I had a cup of tea and for my treat I had an Alpen light bar. The only cereal bar I have found that isn't laden with fat and calories. Try them, nice flavours. I like cherry bakewell. For lunch I had last nights lamb biryani, an apple and a no fat fruit yogurt. (Lidl) I got a bit hungry about 4pm so I had one of those mug shots. The cheese and pasta one. Low fat and it was nice. Takes a while for the pasta to go soft but filled me up. 

Tonight I had a jacket potato, half a tin of baked beans and a tiny bit of cheddar. I would usually have had a so lodge of butter, plenty of salt, loads of grated cheese and a dollop of coleslaw. Now I have to admit it was a bit bland so to add flavour I splashed Worcestershire sauce on it, much better. My concern with food in our shops is that the cheapest foods seem to be unhealthy. The crisps, the biscuits, the cheap bread, chips and pizzas. I think you can get an own brand of digestive biscuits for the same price as one orange. Pizzas can be had for one pound and chips 87p for a huge bag of frozen ones. It takes a lot of organisation to be prepared, to have meals ready and to get something healthy on the table especially if you've been at work all day. Who wants to start chopping, peeling and baking after 8 hours plus travelling? Not me! I read on someone blog although I can't recall who, that they cooked a batch of jacket potatoes then froze them ready to get out, heat in microwave, stuff with something lovely and eat. What a great idea. The jacket spud, a wonderful food for cold winter nights. Full of carbs though. Now what's best? Low carbs, high protein (but could play havoc with arteries), low fat, low calorie or a healthy mix of all food types with low fat in mind? I think that's the one I fancy. I love my pasta, potatoes and pulses and I also enjoy meat and fish. I don't fancy eating high protein and I just don't think you can eat loads of cheese and cream and it be good for you. I am just waiting for Big man to replace my scales batteries and I will post my weight. I'm not shy and I know we are all friends and you won't judge me because you are all lovely. I'm sure the small changes I've made so far will make a difference. I am also going to take measurements of top of arms (bingo wing area) top of thighs (the wobbly bit) waist and hip areas. I think that will be a good way to see myself melting. Some of the challenge list are doing brilliantly, some have lost weight already and some are going to join in the New Year. I already have a giveaway arranged with weight loss cooking in mind. I will do the giveaway on Sunday but you must have joined the weight loss challenge and be on the list to enter. So send me your name and I will add you. We are going to do so well!

My healthy cooked breakfast

Dear reader,

It appears I am most definitely not alone. The responses to weight loss and fitness improvement have been many. I am so pleased that blog land gets us all together.

Yesterday I went to work for 8 hours and I knew I would be busy. I wanted to feel full up and not snack so I decided on a cooked breakfast. A healthy cooked breakfast.

Now I usually would have had bacon with a nice crispy rind, a couple of sausages, a fried egg, mushrooms fried in oil and lots of it because mushrooms suck it up and hey everyone knows the Mediterrenean diet is good with all that olive oil! Isn't it? Perhaps a couple of slices of toast with thick butter and because its a five a day a fried tomato.
All served with a large helping of " I was kidding myself!"

With a few small changes I managed to transform the above fat laden feast into a much leaner version. This is what I had.

Two bacon with all visible fat trimmed of with the kitchen scissors, grilled.
Two poached eggs which are so easy in those little silicone dishes-easy peasy in microwave.
One Linda McCartney sausage-grilled straight from frozen.
One grilled tomato
Mushrooms sprayed with a tiny bit of fry light then grilled.
Two spoons of baked beans.

I went for two eggs because they are such a great food. They are a great filler upper, good source of protein and about 80 calories and egg depending on size. They are so portable too as a hard boiled egg and great value for money. (I only buy free range but should really go organic)
The Linda McCartney sausages are two packs for £3 in Lidl so that's 12 sausages. To be fair they're not actually that sausagey but you feel like you've had a sausage as they get you with the shape and its quite a dense....substance so I find these really fill me up. I can only manage one.
The baked beans are about 100 calories for quarter of a tin and i llike them for the fibre and they are good for protein too.
No bread, no oil. There are a lot of changes in that breakfast but you don't feel deprived and I was full until late afternoon.
For lunch I had a small salad with a bit of plain cottage cheese, a mini baby bel cheese, an apple, a banana and a no fat yogurt.
When I got home I made a lamb byriani again no fat just cooked rice, curry powder, chilli, onion, ginger and some chunks of lamb from a joint I had frozen. I had a dollop of plain yogurt on top and had half a very small pitta bread.
Sorry I had dug in when I took the picture.

Our list is growing, so far we have

Pam 

Rambler

VC

Katie-Jane

Highlandhearts

Maria

Emma Watts

Miss Piggy Bank

Jan

Helen Morimer

I am off for my two weetabix with semi skimmed and sweetener now.

Good luck today, will you be making any healthy changes today or is it all too much before Christmas?

X

Pull you in knickers and small changes.

Dear reader,

Welcome to my blog, I have new followers and a jump in readers. It's brilliant to have you here.

As you know, I have taken the crazy decision to start my New Years diet resolution a bit early.

You know when a girl has her heart set on a certain man (who is usually no good? ) and there's nothing you can do to changer her mind. She has to do it herself. Well that's how I've got with being overweight. I've read all the magazines, seen all the before and after pictures, I know what to eat and how to exercise. So why haven't I done anything about it. It's the same as the girl with the loser.
There's nothing you can say or do until she's makes her mind up.

That's me, I've made my mind up. There are so many benefits from being slim and fit and none to being fat and unfit. It is uncomfortable. My jeans made an ugly red mark round my stomach the other day. I can't bend over easily to do up my shoes. How bad is that? There a tyre there that stops me!
I get out of breath easily. Clothes don't look good and I feel like I'm wearing the baggy loose stuff now.
Does it cover my fat arms?
Do my thighs look huge?
My bum looks massive.
My worst area is my stomach. It's the biggest part. My lower legs are good. Top of arms not so great unless I was a shot putter. Thighs large. Face has double chin.

I have tried the pull you in knickers for special occasions. Ok to start with. A few hours and a couple of drinks later and I feel like my blood has been cut off. The trouble is, where does the roll of fat go that they push in? Well I know, it goes up and over the top of the waistband. Nice!
How many times have I ripped them off in the toilet? (For comfort reasons, thought I should say as sounded a bit sexual)

I wanted to make small changes straight away. It will be a challenge over Christmas and I don't mind having a few treats but I don't want to gorge, feel bloated and sit in front of the telly trying not to fart!
Sorry to mention the wind issue but if I eat loads I do suffer from the odd bit of wind. Sadly we don't have a dog to blame it on. (It's better in a car as you can blame the one in fronts Catalytic convertor.)

I don't know about you but I do use a bit of oil when I cook. Olive oil, a small splash in the pan when frying onions for a curry or a drizzle over a salad. You know when you think you use a small splash, it's probably about a tablespoon. Nothing major, just a tablespoon, OR SO I THOUGHT.

It's bloody well 119 calories in that tablespoon of olive oil and 100% FAT.  A banana has 89 calories and an apple about 50.

That's the first thing I'm changing. Oil.
I do fry a few things, onions especially as I use the for a base for lots of dishes. Well I will be using one of the spray oils now. Fry light is the one I like. One calories a squirt-much better.

That's my first little thing I will change.

If I lose a pound of fat, I will be getting rid of this from my body and that has to be a good thing.

Please join us by adding your name to my list. You don't have to disclose your weight and you can wait till the New Year to start. I just think if we do it together with regular updates, tips from each other and discussions we can learn from each other and be more successful. I plan to do giveaways, recipes and pictures of my weight loss journey. 

Don't be shy, be brave.

X

Come, lose some pounds with me.

Dear reader,

I asked yesterday for you to join me in a weight loss challenge for 2014. I know, I've said it before, I've done this diet and that diet. I've promised other bloggers I'd join them, they've promised me the same blah, blah, blah.
Written my blog while munching on crisps and writing how I'm going to diet.

Well, no more! I am determined, neigh totally committed to getting rid of this fat.

I would like to lose about 3 stones in total. I'd also like to get fitter too. I'm coming to that age when it all can go a bit Pete Tong. I'm 43 now, things are sagging and loosening!

I am delighted to say that the following bloggers are on board. Some have done brilliantly already. Some want to lose more than others but the best thing is, we are going to do it together.

So Maria, Highlandhearts, Katie Jane, Welsh Poppy and One life three kids, I am totally thrilled.
I can feel a new me coming on. Miss slinky.

I think I'm going to set myself a goal because I achieve things better when I have a target, so I'm going to try to lose 10% of my body weight by the end of January. I reckon I'm 14 stones. (Big man wanted the batteries from the scales for something else) so that's 14 stones multiples by 14 pounds in a stone which makes 196 pounds so 10 per cent is 19.6 pounds. I'm going to round it up to a stone and a half.
Wow that seems a lot in a month and a half. I think I will make it the end of  February.

What do you reckon?

If anyone want me not to publish their comments/goals, just say so and I won't.

Let me know if you want to join in.

X