The 1:1 Diet by the Cambridge Weight Plan Review

Category: Weight Loss

10
Sep
2020

The 1:1 Diet by the Cambridge Weight Plan Review

After my second baby I managed to gain a lot of weight, again. Having preached about never letting history repeat itself I felt incredibly embarrassed by my size, but more than anything I felt physically unfit. I discovered the 1:1 Diet by the Cambridge Weight Plan and since March of this year I’ve lost almost 6 stone. Here’s how I stumbled across the plan and how it works.

March 2020
It’s accurate to say that in March of this year I felt extremely low about myself. I’ve always battled with my weight but in 2013 I lost 50lbs for my wedding and I thought I’d found a way to manage my weight for good. Then I fell pregnant with my first child and I put on 5 stone. I eventually I lost a lot of that weight and vowed to myself to never gain so much weight again. However, old habits die hard and pregnancy cravings are a force to be reckoned with! Long story short, I gained over 6 stone during my second pregnancy and I felt awful for it, physically and emotionally.

In January I decided I was ready to do something about it and I lost almost a stone over a two month period, however I know from past experience that I always benefit from creating a weight loss support network when I embark on a new healthy eating regime. I started to look for weight loss groups in my area, as I’ve had success with them before and I’m a big fan and advocate on them. In researching groups nearby I came across astonishing before and after photos from people who had followed something called the 1:1 Diet. It’s a programme I hadn’t heard of before and the transformations were incredible, so much so that I initially didn’t believe they were real. After some more investigating I found out they were very real and it seemed to be a plan that truly worked and could work quickly if you stick with it.

How to start 1:1 Diet Plan
If you head to www.one2onediet.com you learn more about the plan and can search for consultants in your area. Each consultant has a web page sharing their own personal weight loss journeys and detailing their services. Many offer virtual and in-person consultations, loads of one to one support (hence the name I’m assuming) and everything you need to start the plan. I found a consultant close to where I live who offered lots of flexible ways to meet and get started on the plan. I sent my consultant, Vicki, a message. She was quick to reply and I instantly felt at ease and happy I had contacted her. She explained the plan and how it works so brilliantly. The programme is a keto based diet that enables your body to go into ‘ketosis’, a process that encourages your body to use fat as its main source of energy. Once your body is in ketosis, you can expect to see amazing weight loss results. There are 6 steps available on the plan, ranging from complete meal replacements to having just a few meal replacement products, alongside eating a healthy, balanced and low carb diet.

The 1:1 Diet by the Cambridge Weight Plan review
My consultant was both encouraging and realistic with me. The step we decided was best for me is a strict one and not for the faint hearted (it’s called step 1B). I replaced all my usual foods with four 1:1 products and promised to drink 3 litres of water. Being on such a strict diet, after eating (on reflection) a fairly carb and sugar heavy diet, brings about some unpleasant side affects. Not everyone experiences them and thankfully my first week on plan wasn’t too bad, but I did have some headaches. By day four something weird happened, I didn’t actually feel too hungry and the headaches subsided. I found the plan straight forward to follow, too. Removing all food was for me a blessing, because it took away temptation. If I could stick to this plan for one week, I’d now whether I wanted and could continue.

“I lost 14lbs in my first week”
After 7 days following the 1:1 Diet I was absolutely shocked and thrilled when Vicki weighed me and I had lost 1 stone, 14lbs, in my first week! From that moment on I was sold. The headaches for a few days were definitely, in my opinion, worth it! From then on I continued to lose 4 to 5lbs every week and after a month I had lost just over 2 stone. Flash forward six months and I’ve lost almost 6 stone and I feel amazing! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had bumps along the way and days when staying on plan has felt harder than others, but the wonderful thing is you have a consultant available to talk to anytime you’re struggling. Any time I needed some practical tips or motivation, I’d get in touch with Vicki and she’d helped me; even through lockdown when we then couldn’t meet in person, she continued to support me through virtual meetings, FaceTime and delivering food straight to my doorstep. Vicki would also send me lots of encouragement throughout the week, which really kept me going.

What do you eat on the 1:1 Diet?
I have mainly been on ‘step 1b’ which means I eat four 1:1 products everyday. Products available on the plan include shakes, bars, soups and meals (such as spaghetti bolognese, which is my favourite and actually vegetarian). On my step I’m also allowed to eat a small packet of fava beans daily and I’m a huge fan of the water flavourings available. There are sweet flavours such as pineapple, which makes a squash type drink, and a savoury vegetable stock which tastes like a cuppa soup. These are great to have in between meals and really keep you going when you feel hungry, plus they count towards your water count which you really must keep on top of. Drinking lots of water (minimum 2.5 litres) is vital when you follow this plan as it helps your body get rid of excess fat – you literally pee fat out! (Plus drinking lots of water is generally very good for you to do anyway.) Another little extra you can have is the ‘mix a mousse’ which lets you change shakes into mousses and the water flavourings into jelly or jelly sweets. These are all great for keeping what you consume on plan varied and help you feel better in-between meals.

As mentioned before there are 6 steps you can choose from and move between. The higher number steps include eating several ‘real’ foods and meals. The 1:1 plan guides you on what foods to pick, but to give you an idea you’re encouraged to choose lots of green vegetables, lean protein and eventually a small amount of wholegrain carbs.

5 stone weight loss in 5 months
I’ve now lost the weight I gained during pregnancy and I’ve also been able to start running again. Keeping up with my busy children feels physically easier too, which is a huge benefit. I feel so much fitter and way more confident than I was before embarking on the 1:1 Diet. The plan may not be for everyone, as it is definitely a strict plan and quite a shock to the system. That said, I’m delighted with the results and excited to start maintenance through healthy eating (everyday ‘real’ foods) and with the support of my consultant. It’s for those reasons that I would 100% recommend this programme, especially if you have a lot to lose.

Thank you for reading,
Chloe x

11
Jan
2019

21 practical weight loss tips for beginners

Categories: Weight Loss

I’m often asked for my top weight loss tips, so I’ve put together a post that contains the many tips I’ve picked up over the years that have helped me to lose 4 stone and keep it off for quite some time now. These are not quick fixes, but practical steps you can take to improve what and how you eat. These weight loss strategies have also helped me to improve my relationship with food and how I view my body. If your New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight, I hope you find these useful and I hope that you are kind to yourselves in the process of changing your eating habits and associated behaviours.

1. Record what you eat
Tracking what you eat is a simple way to keep an eye on what you’re consuming, as it’s quite easy to forget what you eat, especially if you’re prone to snacking. It’s also a useful tool to adopt if you calorie count or want to track how much protein, carbs or fat you’re consuming. Apps such as MyFitnessPal are great for tracking and recording your progress, but simply writing down what you eat on a piece of paper is just as useful.

2. Plan your meals in advance
I’m a huge plan of meal planning. All you need to do is jot down what you plan to eat and when. I find this helps you to make and stick to healthy choices “in the moment”.

3. Walk more
I always think that walking is a hugely underestimated form for exercise. It’s a great fat burner, free to do, relaxing, and suitable for all fitness levels. Incorporate it into your everyday schedule or set some time aside to take a stroll.

4. Eat way more vegetables then you’re currently doing
Vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that will leave you feeling great in so many ways, plus they’re a wonderful source of fibre and can help fill you up for very few calories. Include a large portion of veg with as many meals as possible. Carrots, cucumbers, peppers, celery and fruit make great snacks too.

5. Be kind to yourself
In the pursuit of weight loss many of us can be very cruel to ourselves – whether that’s in the form of starving your body from food or having negative thoughts and opinions about yourself. For anyone wishing to lose weight, please do be kind to yourself. It can take time to lose weight and for long-lasting results it’s far better to work on creating new, healthy eating and exercise habits one step at a time that are sustainable. Although this book – Body Positive Panda – isn’t a weight loss book, I would highly recommend reading it if you continually find yourself having negative thoughts about your body, or feel you may behave in a less than positive way towards yourself. This book does not advocate dieting, so it may seem like a very strange thing for me to recommend it, but it helped me to put my weight loss goals in perspective and re-evaluate why I’m wanting to lose weight and if I actually want or need to. After some time asking myself some difficult questions, I realised that I have a genuine interest in nutrition and I enjoy exercising, so from a distance it might not seem that a lot has changed in my behaviour but take my word for it that mentally and emotionally, I’ve experienced a huge shift in my attitude towards weight loss and I feel far happier and healthier for it.

6. Remember the basics of weight loss
There are a lot theories when it comes to successful weight loss methods, but there is one fundamental thing experts agree on – consume less than you’re using. If you eat more than you’re ‘burning off’ you can gain weight. Plus, there’s undeniable research when it comes to the benefits of consuming a wide range of fruit, vegetables and foods as close to their natural state as possible (e.g. heavily fried or processed foods are never featured in a healthy weight loss plan for this reason). I find this helpful to keep in mind when I feel conflicted by healthy food messages or if a new fad diet appears on the scene. A healthy diet consists of a wide range of fruit; vegetables; wholegrains (brown rice for example); legumes; pulses; protein (e.g. chicken, tofu, salmon, eggs); healthy fats (found in avocado for example), lots of water and exercise.

7. Food shop online
Supermarkets can be tempting places, with buy one get on free offers on foods that tend to be high in fat and calories, and low in vitamins and minerals. Once you’ve made a meal plan for the week ahead, why not shop online as a way to reduce the temptation to buy foods that aren’t great for your health or weight loss goals.

8. Cook from scratch whenever possible
This is a simple way to reduce salt, sugar and saturated fat in your diet, as many pre-made sauces and ready meals contain a higher proportions of these compared to when you cook a meal with fresh ingredients from scratch. Plus, cooking from scratch is an easy way to include a load of vegetables – think soups, stews, curries and stir fries.

9. Cook in batches
If getting in the kitchen to cook everyday is impractical, then start ‘batch cooking’ and save the extra portions in the fridge or freezer for future meal times.

10. Enjoy fruit as a dessert or afternoon snack
Fruit is naturally sweet and makes for a great dessert or snack, especially if you have a sweet tooth. Fruit needn’t be ‘boring’ either. I personally love a piece of fruit but I also love making banana ice cream (blend a frozen banana with some milk – that’s it), fruit sorbets (more frozen fruit in a blender), fruit salads, mixing fruit with some yogurt or making a smoothie. Plus, you’ll be consuming a load more vitamins, minerals and fibre too!

11. Eat more protein
Lean sources of protein can really help you to feel fuller for longer, and reduce the urge to overeat on foods that may not be great for you. My favourite protein sources are plain greek style yogurt, quark, chicken, tuna and salmon. I also love lentils and beans, which are great sources of fibre too. I should state here that I’m not an advocate for cutting out carbs, but when it comes to breaky, lunch and dinner I have found it beneficial to reduce my carb portion sizes slightly, if favour for a larger portion of protein and veg.

12. Eat more fibre
Nutritionists and health experts often report that we do not consume enough fibre, and we can all benefit for upping our fibre intake. Fibre ensures you have a healthy working gut, are ridding your body of toxins and, well let me just say it – stools! Stay regular by opting for brown rice, brown bread, lentils, beans and green leafy vegetables. There are many other benefits too and I personally have found in recent years, that increasing my fibre intake has helped significantly with my weight loss.

13. Join a group
The buzz of other people working out or eating healthy is infectious and I’ve always found it beneficial to be around people with a similar goal. Groups can come in so many forms, so have fun finding one that works for you and keeps you motivated. It could be a group (online or in person) where you discuss healthy food choices (like WW), or a local exercise class or gym where you naturally have conversations with those taking part about their goals and share tips. Or, start your own group with friends and family and motivate each other to try new healthy recipes and new activities.

14. Learn from the process
If you have a ‘bad’ day and go off track, try not to beat yourself up about it. Put it in perspective and learn from it. For example, I would overeat anytime I would restrict my food intake too much during the day. This may sound silly but it’s almost as if I thought I wasn’t allowed to eat while trying to lose weight. That is ridiculous, we all have to eat. I learned that I simply needed to eat more nutritious foods and not to let hours and hours go by without eating, as that was also a trigger for me to indulge on high fat and high calorie foods.

15. Eat
Eating less and burning more will create a calorie deficit that will lead to weight loss, but please don’t take that to the extreme. From experience, when you eat more nutritious foods (such as lean protein, fruit, vegetables, brown rice and bread, lentils, beans) you may feel as though you’re actually eating more than you’ve ever done before. Your body will thrive on receiving all the right macronutrients (fat, protein and carbs) and micro (vitamins and minerals) nutrients it needs.

16. Forget ‘good’ and ‘bad’
I’m guilty of referring to myself as having been ‘bad’ if I eat a piece of chocolate or as if the chocolate itself is ‘bad’. For me it’s important to establish and share that eating chocolate (or any other food not on a superfoods list) doesn’t make you a bad person. There are no ‘bad’ foods; some foods do have higher nutritional benefits than others but eating chocolate or crisps doesn’t make you bad. If you like these foods, enjoy them in moderation and don’t be hard on yourself after eating them. Life is too short for that.

17. Be mindful of your portion sizes
Without sounding confusing having just said eat and forget good and bad foods, for weight loss a deficit between what you’re consuming and what your using needs to be created. I went through a time when I just wasn’t losing weight, even though I felt as though my diet was healthy and any treats I had were in moderation. It came as a bit of a shock to me when I realised (through research and talking to a PT and weight loss coach) that I was simply overeating – even though the foods I was consuming were healthy. Here’s a link to a handy portion size guide I came across online.

18. Be mindful when you eat
As much as possible sit down to eat and focus on your food without distractions – even if you’re just having a snack or a hot drink. When you eat while watching TV for example, it’s easy to consume your food without really acknowledging it and that can leave us wanting more food than we need. Try to savour every moment and make eating a fun event.

19. Enjoy feeling better
While I understand the happiness that can come from losing weight, I also want to shout about the benefits of eating well and exercising more, because this has (ever since I started to really change my eating habits for the better) always been a surprising benefit. Binge eating on chocolate and consuming portion sizes way bigger than I needed for my lifestyle I believe where the reasons why I was overweight and felt so lethargic. Eating more natural foods and moving more has given both my energy and confidence levels a huge boost. Eating better makes me feel better and every time I complete an exercise (be it running, cycling, or weight lifting) without wanting to keel over, I feel extremely proud of how far I’ve come and how much stronger and fitter I am today.

20. Weigh yourself just once a week
Weighing yourself is one way to measure your progress, and if you do weigh yourself regularly please only do it once a week – ideally at the same time each week, first thing and in the nude! If that’s not possible, weigh yourself on the same day, at the same time each week wearing similar clothes each time. Weighing yourself throughout the week can be disheartening if the number on the scales fluctuates, which is does depending how what you’ve eaten, how much you’ve drunk and so on. Other measures you may like to try or consider are how you feel; how your clothes feel; you may be able to access scales that tell you your body composition and see if your ratio of fat to muscle changes over time; or a measuring tape – so that you can see if you’ve lost inches from your waist, hips, thigh and arms for example.

21. Make one change at a time
There are many ways to achieve successful, healthy weight loss. In this post alone are 21 tips and I wouldn’t blame you for feeling a little overwhelmed if you’ve reached the end of the post and aren’t sure where to start. While you lose weight focus on one area (or tip provided in this post) you could change at a time. Focus on that area for a week and give yourself time at the end of the week to review your progress and see if you’re ready to focus on another area.

If you’ve enjoyed this post and have found it useful, please like, share and comment; and I wish you the best with all your health goals, you can do it!

Chloe

29
Nov
2018

Don’t Panic – Plan It: Christmas Healthy Eating Tips That Are Easy To Follow

Categories: Weight Loss

There are a few things I’d like you to know before I dive into some top Christmas weight loss tips.

1) I love Christmas and it should be enjoyed to the fullest; this post is by no means trying to dampen your festive spirit, be a buzzkill, or a party pooper.

2) The following tips are healthy strategies you could adopt if you’d like to keep on track with your weight loss goals in the run up to Christmas.

3) I can’t promise you that you won’t gain any weight over Christmas, but these are tips I’ve put into practice over the last few years and they have made a huge difference.

Although Christmas is actually just one day, celebrating Christmas can become a month-long session of pubs, dinner dates, parties, buffets and lots more. Before I was ever aware of what and how often I was eating, the Christmas period was a time when I could easily gain a stone or more. (Quite the skill I know.) However, in recent years I’ve managed to maintain my weight or gain only a few pounds thanks to a few simple strategies. There is no reason why you can’t enjoy your Christmas pudding and keep on track with your health goals, too.

1) Lose, gain or stay the same?
This is a tip I gained from WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers). The idea is that you decide before all the festivities start if you’d be like to lose weight over Christmas, stay the same or if you’d be happy to accept a gain once the festivities are over. This can help with setting realistic goals and help you to be mindful of your food and exercise choices during December. I’ve personally never aimed to lose weight over this time, as for me that’s just not realistic. I range between wanting to stay the same or gain a few pounds; but no gain that would take me too long to shift come January.

2) Make a note of all the events you’ve got coming up
It can be a busy time of year with lots of social occasions full of alcohol and indulgent food. Think ahead to special events you have coming up; are there any events where you can be more mindful of what you eat and drink (while you still enjoy yourself of course); and others where you decide to ‘let your hair down’ and indulge on what’s on offer.

3) Be aware of how many boozy nights you have
Mulled wine, prosecco, festive ales – alcohol is everywhere at this time of year. I love a little drink, but it can increase your appetite and if you suffer with hangovers that last a day or more, then it can lead to more times when you’ll be more than likely overeat and/or not exercise. Try having a few nights where you keep your alcohol content low or at zero.

4) Relax, Christmas dinner is pretty healthy
Turkey, sprouts, potatoes… traditional Christmas dinner is actually pretty healthy, especially if you cook with healthy oils and maybe lay off the goose fat. Fill your plate up with all those Christmas veggies, lean meat, clementines and any other healthy Christmas treats you can find.

5) Embark on a festive walks
Want to catch up with friends and family, while keeping fit? Why not suggest a festive wintery walk!

6) Enjoy yourself!
Most importantly, just enjoy yourself. If you make a mini festive weight loss plan, then good luck and I hope you succeed, but if it doesn’t quite go to plan than don’t stress it. “Life is too short” and it’s more important to enjoy the holiday for what it is and what it means to you.

15
Nov
2018

5 ways batch cooking can help you lose weight

Categories: Weight Loss

I’m a huge fan of ‘batch cooking’; so much so that I’ve decided to dedicate a whole blog post to it. Here are five reasons why I love to batch cook and how it can help you to eat well and lose weight healthily (if that’s your goal).

Weight loss tips
Batch cooking: To cook more than you need to in order to create extra portions for future mealtimes.

Batch cooking helps you to stick to a healthy diet
When you’re tired and hungry it’s easy to reach for foods that might not be best for your health or weight loss; I’m talking about high fat, high sugar and overly processed convenience foods. If you’re like me, it’s at these times when we’re more likely to overeat too. Having healthy meals already cooked, that just need heating up, is a great way to stick to your healthy eating goals.

Batch cooking comes in handy when unplanned events strike
I remember an occasion when my daughter was a baby and it was the first time she was really poorly. Anytime I left her she would cry and so cooking dinner that day was the last thing on my mind – until I got really hungry and I had nothing to eat! (I should add I was also behind with my food shop.) When I got back into the habit of batch cooking, having some healthy meals to hand felt like a lifesaver for moments like these (and there have been several moments like these). Batch cooking is also great for if you ever have unexpected guests around mealtimes – this one hasn’t happened as much to me, but if you surprise me with a visit then I can heat up some chilli con carne for you!

Batch cooking saves time
I first started batch cooking to save on the amount of time I needed to spend in the kitchen; this was when I didn’t particularly enjoy cooking – just eating! Now, I see batch cooking as a huge timesaver for my future self! If I know I have a few hectic days coming up that will leave me short on food prep time, I will turn to my pre-cooked meals to help me stay on track with my healthy eating. (I now like to cook, if you were wondering.)

Batch cooking can give you a break from cooking!
Batch cooking is perfect for when you simply want to do other things and have a break from cooking but still eat healthily.

Batch cooking saves on waste
I’ve also found batch cooking to be a good way to use up any ingredients that might be on the turn – particularly vegetables. I often make batches of vegetable curries, or roast a load of veggies – they make a great side dish.

If you found this post helpful or interesting, leave me a comment or give me a thumbs up on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Happy cooking!
Chloe

05
Nov
2018

Meal planning for weight loss

Categories: Weight Loss

I’m often asked for my top weight loss tips and one of them has to be meal planning. At the start of each new week, I’ll make a note of what I’m going to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner; plus two (sometimes three) healthy snacks. Planning my meals in advance has helped me to make healthy food choices and lose weight. Here are a few other reasons why I’m a big fan of meal planning.

The benefits of meal planning

– Meal planning helps you to make healthy choices before hangryness and/or tiredness sets in. I find both of these emotions in the past have led me to overeat on foods that were high in fat and sugar, and not good for my health (or weight loss goals).

– Planning what you’re going to eat in advance makes food shopping easier; as you’ll know what you need to stock up on. It also saves on waste, as you won’t be buying anything you don’t plan to eat.

– Meal planning helps you to look forward to meal times. It’s easy to get stuck in a food rut and when that happens, I’d often start fancying more indulgent foods that weren’t great for me. ‘Healthy’ food can be and is delicious, so planning a breakfast, lunch or dinner that you’re excited to eat is a big win all round.

– Planning your meals in advance encourages you to try new foods and is a good way to see if you’re eating plenty of fruit and veg over the course of a week.

– Meal planning also encourages you to think about any social occasions that you might have coming up. It ives you a chance to create a plan of action that will help you to make healthy choices, or decide if it’s a occasion that’s worth some indulgence – and if so, go ahead and enjoy it!

08
Oct
2018

My weight loss journey

Categories: My Journey, Weight Loss

I used to find the phrase ‘weight loss journey’ really bizarre and a little bit silly, until I realised that changing your eating and exercise habits for good really does take you on a journey of discovery. It was seven years ago that I decided to start my own weight loss journey and today I’d like to share with you what 2018 has contributed to my weight loss experiences. Warning: This post contains verbal diarrhoea.

Pre-2018
In case you’ve not read my blog before (or you’re not one of my family and friends… hi Michelle), let me share with you why I wanted to lose weight.

I’ve always felt like the ‘fat’ one and over the years my ‘obese’ (according to the NHS BMI charts) weight levels started to get me down. I would cry a lot about my body image and I would feel guilty eating (be it healthy or not). So, I joined Weight Watchers (now called WW) after many years of yo yo dieting. It was the first slimming group I’ve ever been too and the only time I successfully lost weight week after week. Not just that, but it encouraged me to exercise and learn how to cook healthily from scratch. (This is not a WW advert but the way, just what happened to me). A little while after I joined WW I got engaged and my motivation to get to my ‘goal weight’ went through the roof. Fast forward two years, I lost 50lbs, got to my goal weight, dropped 5 sizes and felt amazing.

Then I went on honeymoon and gained a lot of weight in just two weeks – almost a stone if memory serves me right. I was disappointed and disgusted with myself. In hindsight I still looked slim and could fit into my smaller dress size, but I wasn’t happy. Months went by and I maintained the new higher weight and came to terms with it. I then fell pregnant with my first child and gained five stone.

Having a baby and that extra weight completely threw me. Not only was I learning how to be a mum, but those old feelings of hating the body I was in came rushing back with great force. I’m very aware as I write this that way worse things could happen. I just had a precious baby (and my daughter is everything), but my body felt so alien and simply disgusting. Which is really harsh considering it (my body) just grew a human being and managed to push it out of another one!

A negative start to the year
It’s been three years since then and I did reach my ‘goal weight’ once more, but that was in 2017; and so my 2018 started in a less than positive way. I was heavier than I was in 2017 and feeling incredible down about that fact. In hindsight, (again) it really was only a few pounds but because I beat myself about it so much, I ended up comfort/overeating and the weight crept up towards the end of 2017.

In 2017 I had also run 10k in under hour in a fun run, and whilst I’m incredibly proud of that I hadn’t realised just how much of my year had been focused on training for the run. Without a major event to work towards, and with the change in weather, I was lacking enthusiasm to get out and work out.

Body positivity
I started reading more about body positivity and felt that I needed to change my mindset in 2018. It wasn’t healthy for me to be so transfixed on a number on the scales and having that fun run to work towards made me realise that it’s the getting fit and healthy that really inspires me. If I aim for that, then any excess weight (fat) will in turn come off. I absolutely loved reading Megan Jaynee Crabbe’s Body Positive Power and it had a way bigger impact on me than I could ever imagined. I would hugely recommend this book if you are constantly beating yourself about your body.

New learnings
My thinking started to change and I decided that I wanted to learn the facts about good nutrition and exercising healthily. This is something that, in my view, WW has always encouraged but I wanted to further my understanding and seek out more sources of information – which I’ve been doing and I have enjoyed. I’ve also seeked advice from Personal Trainers and have learnt a lot about the importance of resistance training, and protein – to name just a few things.

Wrap it up
In a nutshell, I’ve been re-educating myself this year and working hard to question my attitude towards food, exercise and body image. It’s been challenging in places but I feel like (without being super cringey) I’ve grown a lot and have made some good progress in cementing healthy habits and a healthier outlook.

Give me the facts, how much do you weigh?
I’m not going to tell you that, although I’ve had some fun featuring in various WW articles and you will probably find the answer if you Google it! I will say that I’m 12lbs away from my ‘goal weight’ and feeling a lot slimmer and toned than I did at the start of the year (despite weighing a little more). I’m also feeling less bothered by that number on the scales and have enjoyed working on my muscles! Yeah I said it, if you happen to be in my house after I’ve been to the gym it’s common to see me flexing my new muscles to anyone willing to inspect them – normally my 3-year-old.

Binge eating
Plus, one of the biggest changes and something I’m most proud off is the decrease in binge eating episodes, which used to be a common occurrence. It was usually set off by bad news or having an indulgent weekend and then feeling guilty about it come Monday. Instead, I’m enjoying those occasions where I may eat and drink a little more but not letting then send me into a downward spiral of unhealthy habits.

The end
So, good luck to you all if you are trying to improve your health (be it physical or mental) and if you managed to read the majority of this post, then well done to you because I really did go on a bit!

Chloe xx

12
Jul
2018

Weights for weight loss

Categories: Weight Loss

For a long time I’ve bypassed the weights corner of any gym, and resistance* training happened once in a blue moon. Curiosity however got the better of me and after researching what it’s all about, and giving it another go with a Personal Trainer, I now feel foolish for having neglected this type of training. Here are 7 weighty facts about dumbbells, barbells and everything else you can find in that part of the gym!

1. Weights will help you lose excess fat
Many people who have excess weight to lose tend to focus on cardio pursuits, which are important, but building muscle will also help you to lose actual body fat and will ensure that the weight you’re losing is excess fat and not vital muscle.

2. Weights do not make you bulky
Some people think as soon as you lift a weight you’ll suddenly turn into the incredible hulk – not quite. Lifting weights can lead to a lean and toned figure, especially if you get advice from a professional on what weight size to lift and how many reps per movement you should do.

3. Weights can give you a slimmer looking body shape
Similarly to the above, building more muscle can really help you tone up, creating a slimmer looking physique.

4. Resistance training is important in the prevention of osteoporosis
Lifting weights/resistance training can help increase bone density, which is very important as we get older (as this can decrease). Increased bone density means that if we fall, we’re less likely to seriously injure or break a bone.

5. Weight training makes for more varied and interesting workouts
If the thought of going to the gym and running on a treadmill bores the life out of you, I would definitely recommend incorporating some weight/resistance training in to your routine. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the time flies by and with that…

6. Resistance/weight training can offer you new challenges to keep workouts interesting
It’s a great feeling when you notice that you’re able to complete a set of reps easier that the first time you tried or perform a full push up without being on your knees – it happened to me once! Plus, the Department of Health recommends resistance training twice a week for adults aged between 19 and 64.

7. Building more muscle through weight and resistance training can actually help you burn more calories over the course of the day.
How? This type of training increases the body’s fat free mass which in turn increases your body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR), which means your body will be able to burn more calories over time.

Read more:
Exercise recommendations from the NHS
www.nof.org
Strength training guide from MyFitnessPal

* Resistance training also strengthens your muscles but may not necessarily require any weights or equipment. Using your own body weight to perform various exercises, for example push ups or pull ups, can also build and strengthen your muscles.

26
Feb
2018

Weight Watchers for beginners

Categories: Weight Loss, Weight Watchers

For anyone wondering about joining Weight Watchers, I’ve put together a little overview of what Weight Watchers is like – everything beginners to Weight Watchers may want to know.

I’ve been a member for quite some time now and the plan helped me lose 50lbs for my wedding back in 2013 and another 50lbs after having my first baby (forget eating for two, I was eating for 10 at the time!). If it can work for me, it can definitely work for you!

What is Weight Watchers like?
It can take a few days to get used to, but once you understand how the plan works it’s straight forward to follow, plus there is an amazing app included which makes it all really simple. You can eat anything you like, but you get more from the plan when you pick healthy foods. Plus, you’ll receive loads of great information and advice on what’s best to eat for weight loss.

What is Weight Watchers Flex?
If you join Weight Watchers today, you’ll be following their new ‘Flex’ plan – it includes more foods than ever before with a SmartPoints value of 0. There’s also more flexiblily with when and how you use your daily SmartPoints values.

What is Weight Watchers No Count?
There are two ways to follow Weight Watchers, counting (every food as a SmartPoints value which you deduct from your tailored daily and weekly points allowance) or no count. To follow no count you eat foods from a set list, which includes things like chicken, wholegrain pasta and fat free greek yogurt. If you fancy chocolate, or booze you then have to deduct their points value from your weekly allowance (which you still get with no count).

What’s a Weight Watchers meeting like?
A really friendly, informal place to talk about your weight loss. There’s a Weight Watchers Coach waiting to chat about your weight loss and to weigh you – no one else sees or knows your weight. This happens first and then there’s some time to pick up some weight loss friendly treats, gadgets or cookbooks, if they take your fancy, from the pop up shop. Last part of the meeting is where a Weight Watchers coach focusses on a particular aspect of the plan and weight loss tips, this is also a time for you and other members – if you wish – to talk about your weight loss so far, anything that you struggle with, or anything that you find helpful.

What kind of food can you eat on Weight Watchers?
Anything! The personalised allowance you’re given helps with portion control, but you can use it to eat anything you like. However, you’ll get the most out of your allowance by opting for foods best for good health and weight loss, such as lean meat, fish, eggs, fat free dairy, wholegrain pasta and rice, fruit and vegetables.

Top tips for Weight Watchers beginners

Download the Weight Watchers app – it makes it really easy to follow the plan.
Opt for lean meat, fish, eggs, fat free plain dairy alongside plenty of fruit and veg – lots of these foods have a 0 SmartPoints value and will help you make the most out of your Weight Watchers allowance.
Plan your meals in advance if you can – this helps you stay on track.
Don’t deny yourself anything, have what you enjoy just work out the SmartPoints value of it first. If it’s high in SmartPoints just have a little bit of it or seek out an alternative.
Attend your Weight Watchers meeting every week or if you’re an online member, weigh yourself just once a week at the same time.

P.S This is not a promotion – I am not being paid to write this – but for full disclosure I did previously work for the company. But I really should get some commission for how much I talk about Weight Watchers 😉

I hope you found this useful and thanks for reading,
Chloe x

15
Nov
2017

The WW Flex Effect – 3 reasons why I love it

Categories: Baby & Me, Reviews, Weight Loss, Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers have announced some changes to their plan and if you’re already a member like me, you don’t have to look far to find a mixed bag of reactions to the announcement. I’m for one am over the moon to learn about the Weight Watchers Flex programme and here are 3 reasons why I already love the improved Weight Watchers plan and the flex effect!

1. More food, less guilt, healthier choices
The beauty of Weight Watchers is that you can eat anything you like, but with the expertise of Weight Watchers there is a wealth of material at your fingertips to help guide on what foods are best for healthy living and weight loss. The recent changes to the plan include a wider range of foods, mostly protein, that you no longer need to be count as part of your daily allowance. I love this because once again it will steer me towards foods that are healthy, will fill me up properly and (I hope) will stop me from overindulging on chocolate when I’m in one of those moods…

An example;
If I have 2 SmartPoints remaining at the end of the day and I’m hungry, I more often than not opt for a low calorie chocolate bar. I know this won’t fill me up but i’m a sugar addict (i’m working on that) and I think it will at least take the edge off my hunger and give me my sweet fix. Only problem is that one bar often leads to more (if I’m having an off day) and then I get myself in a vicious cycle, as I’m annoyed with myself for having eaten multiple chocolate bars then i’m like “well I’ve done it now so i’ll keep going”! However with more zero foods on the list, and foods that I tend to have around or i’m intrigued to try, I can now fill myself up on good things and i’m hoping this will help me to still enjoy a sweet treat but not go crazy on them as i’ll genuinely be full. I hope that makes some kind of sense!

2. Increase fuel for exercising
As my fitness improves and I’m exercising more, I’ve struggled to satisfy my post-workout hunger. I’ve read a lot about eating protein after working out (and in general) but I couldn’t quite get my numbers right when it came fitting in the extra protein into my Weight Watchers SmartPoints allowance; not that it couldn’t be done, I just needed the professionals (aka Weight Watchers) to spell it out for me!

3. Change can be good to get past a plateau
Completely my own doing, but I have been losing and gaining the same few pounds for last few months. I’m so excited to see if the Weight Watchers Flexible programme will help me get past those same pesky pounds and into the next stone down.

I’ll keep you posted!

23
Oct
2017

Why you’ve not seen how much I’ve lost lately

Categories: Baby & Me, Weight Loss, Weight Watchers

I’ve been a little quiet lately when it comes to sharing my weight loss stats and that’s because i’ve been slowly gaining weight (well losing and then gaining what I lost) – since I got to my weight loss goal in March. Whilst I feel slimmer in some ways and definitely fitter, that pesky number on the scales has been rising and we all know I’m a little bit obsessed with the scales. So, here’s what i’m struggling with and how I hope to turn it around. Plus, should I hide my scales?

My trouble zones

Evening snacking: When it’s dark and my daughter is in bed I seem to snack like there’s no tomorrow. It feels like it’s a bit of me time and for whatever reason, my hands and mouth seem to constantly want food in them! But, i’ve got a couple of strategies…

I used to snack on frozen grapes. Because they’re frozen they take longer to eat and being grapes you get that satisfaction of going back for more. Does that make any sense? I kind of got out of the habit of eating them, especially when it’s a little colder, but i’m bringing grapes back! Also, when colouring with my daughter the other day I found it surprising therapeutic and kept my snacking hands busy, so I may actually get some of those adult colouring books and pencils which I used to think were a bit gimmicky – you win, i’m buying you!

Events: I’m guilty of admitting defeat before an event has begun. “Oh I’ve got a party and I know i’m going to be terrible so i’m going to be a massive piggy”. Instead of creating a game plan and making healthy choices during said event, I don’t track (and I usually track everything I eat and drink) and get carried away with the old prosecco, which eventually leads to drunken munchies. My strategy for this one is…

I must plan ahead and track what I’m eating and drinking during the moment. So that I feel better about those occasions where I will eat and drink more (but could do it more sensibly), I could go for a buggy run before the event to hopefully balance out any extra indulgences.

Tiredness:
Like many people, I tend to eat more when I’m tired, I just need to go to bed earlier!

To weigh or not to weigh: that is the question
While all of this has been going on, I’ve had more compliments lately on looking slimmer (people probably just being nice, but I’m taken those compliments vey seriously haha) and my stomach does feel flatter. Being able to complete a 10k run in a decent time I hope is evidence too that my fitness levels are ok, so why do I care about the number on the scales? I don’t know. It’s been my marker of good health for so long, I guess it’s tricky to abandon them.

Sometimes I think ‘should I just hide the scales’, as they can really get me down if I put on weight on when I feel like I should of lost a few pounds. Plus, I do love my Weight Watchers group, so perhaps I should bin my home scales so that I only weigh once a week at my meeting (as opposed to several times a week). That said I’d really like some Fitbit scales for Christmas!

My plan of attack
So that’s where i’m struggling and this is my successful weight loss plan in a nutshell…

Eat frozen grapes during evening snack attack
Get my adult colouring on to distract my hands during evening snack attack
Plan and track what I’m eating during special occasions to prevent massive binge on booze or food
Go for a buggy run the day before or morning of a special event as a damage limitation strategy
Go to bed earlier when possible
Weigh only once a week at my Weight Watchers meeting
Start taking my measurements to see if I am losing inches
Ask for some Fitbit scales for Christmas

Thanks for reading this brain dump, I really appreciate it.
Chloe x