5 ways batch cooking can help you lose weight

Tag: Weight loss journey

15
Nov
2018

5 ways batch cooking can help you lose weight

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

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

15
Aug
2018

When food became ‘bad’, a poem

Categories: Baby & Me

I’ve not written a post for a little while and I wanted to share a little something about how I sometimes feel about food and weight loss pressures. I couldn’t quite find the words to say, and I ended up writing ‘a poem’! I really hadn’t intended on sharing it, but after laughing my head off while writing it, I thought why not just post it. So here it is, along with a bit of background information for you.

My husband found it hilarious when I told him what I was up to. We laughed for ages and eventually I let him read my first ever poem. The chuckles stopped when he came across the word “ashamed” and he told me he felt sad and asked “is that really how you feel?”. The answer is mostly yes, but less and less in recent years as I begin to understand a lot more about nutrition, enjoying a balance diet and learning why and how food became so emotional to me.

In case you have a similar reaction, please know that I’m not sad and the below was written in a very light hearted way; and was me trying to find the words to describe how ridiculous it is to think of food as ‘bad’ or that it, or being overweight can somehow make you a ‘bad’ person. If you’re currently on a weight loss journey and, or have ever felt down, or confused about what to eat, maybe you can relate to the below. Without further delay, here’s a little rhyme for you to enjoy!

When food became ‘bad’

Once upon a time you were just some bread,
Now you’re the devil inside my head.

Once upon time you were just a sweet,
Now I must run 10 miles for that treat.

Once a upon a time you were just some chips,
Now you’ve added 6 inches to my hips.

Once upon a time I was praised to eat,
Then I got big and was told be slim, be sleek.

Once upon a time I was full of laughter,
Then someone brought out a platter and I had to scatter.

Once upon I was just a little girl,
Who liked a sandwich and a lolly pop twirl.

Once upon a time something changed,
And all I could feel was ashamed.

Once upon a time I realised,
There’s more to life than… weight loss and food!

Chloe

07
Jul
2017

10 things you should know about my weight loss right now

Categories: Baby & Me, Weight Loss, Weight Watchers

So, I thought I’d share a little update about my weight loss journey.

Things you should know…

1. I’m “officially” 3lbs away from goal.
2. I say the above with quotes as I missed my Weight Watchers meeting this week – the scales at home (prior to leaving for the meeting) said I had gained 3lbs. That would make me 6lbs away from goal.
3. The above sent me into a slight rage as I couldn’t understand how that happened, then I got upset with myself. I soon calmed down but missed my meeting as a result.
4. I’m not proud of what happened above but I did stay on track that day; and even went out for a buggy run. So that anger made me quite productive!
5. My daughter likes bringing me the biscuit tin.
6. Today I ate a biscuit and I liked it.
7. Weekends seem to be my downfall these days when it comes to staying on track.
8. I’m hoping to break the above habit this weekend.
9. I really hope I lose some pounds this week coming.
10. Any tips for healthy weight loss are, as always, very welcomed! How do I get to goal?!

Use the comments box below or post on my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

19
Apr
2017

7 weight loss confessions after reaching goal

Categories: Baby & Me, Weight Watchers

Hello! It’s been a little while since I posted about my weight loss journey and I have a lot to fess up to…

1. I’ve been high and out of control on post-baby weight loss
At the end of March I reached my first major weight loss goal – my pre-baby weight. This meant I had finally lost the full 5st I had put on during pregnancy; and what’s more I had lost way more than I had anticipated in that same weigh-in – that meant I was actually under my goal. I was so delighted.

2. I bought a ton of new clothes in a smaller size
A while back I realised that I often celebrate occasions with food, so this time I made a small promise to myself to pick up some new clothes when I got to goal, instead of a piggy feast. Shopping for a smaller size was liberating (and expensive), but in the same week that I made it to goal, I was due to go out for my husband’s birthday. So I used that as an excuse to buy an outfit for the occasion.

3. I was probably at goal for a day
Only thing is, we managed to stretch out my husband’s birthDAY for a good week or so, with lots of booze and takeaways. And then it was my daughter’s second birthday, and although she’s not on the booze yet, we continued to drink and eat very, very merrily. Then it was Easter and well, because I was ‘at goal’ and now apparently invincible to weight gain, I might have got a little carried away (aka. definitely did get carried away) with Easter eggs, hot cross buns and anything edible with a bunny picture on it. I was so full of chocolate come Easter Sunday, that I had to go to bed early accompanied by a stomach ache and headache!

4. I missed my Weight Watchers meetings
While all of this was going on, I had to miss two of my Weight Watchers meetings – which is never, ever a good thing for me. The weekly meet up and weigh-in really does help me to stay on track and it gives me a much needed boost to keep going.

5. I’ve been making a ton of excuses for my piggy eating ways
I basically got to goal and fell off track hard, gorging on all the foods I know I should have just a little of. To start with it was fun, but I soon felt very sick and out of control – oh, and very spotty!

6. I really am a chocoholic
I had a feeling this may again after a month or so at being at goal, but I genuinely didn’t think I would be capable of such indulgent ways the minute I got to goal! It’s made me realised that I might have a little more work to do when it comes to my relationship with food!

7. I’m back on track
Thankfully I was able to my Weight Watchers meeting this week and I’m back to tracking what I eat, planning my meals in advance and moving more. Plus, I have a new, working Fibit after my previous one literally fell apart on me just days after getting to goal. I’m setting myself another challenge to stay at goal for at least 3 months (once I get back to goal that is). The ideal would of course be at my goal weight for the rest of my life, but the what would I blog about? Only joking, but this feels like a manageable, baby step goal to set myself as part of my maintenance journey. I’m currently 2lbs away from that pre-baby weight figure.

Until next time…