Time for the Summer Wardrobe

With all the recent lovely ‘summer’ like weather it was that time of year again- Time for the Summer Wardrobe.

I don’t live in a mansion with a walk in room/wardrobe were everything stays in order *dreams*, no, I live in a squished 3 bedroom terraced house where my bedroom is in a loft conversion. This has one BIG problem………….my wardrobe will only hold so much at any one time! Therefore, I pack my summer stuff away at the end of the warm weather an get all the winter woolies out. This week I have just done the opposite, cleared through the winter stuff and sorted through all my ‘summer’ style clothes.

THIS YEAR THERE WAS A PROBLEM!!!!

A big problem as far as I am concerned…………………….a weight problem.

OK I’m not huge, but I am vertically challenged and so any extra weight is VERY noticeable ( any vertically challenged comrades will know what I am talking about). So I decided that I wouldn’t keep anything that was properly tight with obvious ‘muffin tops’ showing………………………………………………This left me with very little * huffs a little but see’s the chance to buy some new bits*.

I have gone from an 8-10 which I have now been for many years to a 10-12 (more of a 12 on the bottom!). LikeĀ  I said it’s not sumo wrestler size but enough to make me very uncomfortable.

So this is the lot that has to go *weeps*

 

But YAY for good ol’ Primark who came up trumps with bargain linen trousers, a gorgeous pair of chino slim fit on sale, and some great shoes ( no my feet haven’t grown but come on…….they have to match don’t they?)

So now I don’t feel so bad…………………surprising how a few new items can make you feel, right?

 

How’s your summer shaping up?

 

 

 

Can you ‘Think’ yourself thin?……..tough question!

As mentioned in a previous post here the mere mention of the word ‘diet’ throws me into a state of panic which makes me end up eating more than I had previously! Thus leaving me with muffin tops, or should I say ‘family sized cakes’ that even Mary Berry herself would be proud of.

So a decision was made to try ‘portion control’ as opposed to cutting out certain foods to see if that helped instead. That alongside the fact that I had been offered the chance to try the new Thinking Slimmer Slimpods that I had heard so much about via Twittershere!

So I opted for the ‘Drop a dress Size’ although it had been initially intended for me to try the ‘Drop a Jean Size’ however this wasn’t available online at the time, but it is now. I also took the opportunity to try the Chillpod they do, as lets face it unless you really are Mother Teresa in disguise who doesn’t need to chill out a little when they have kids!!

Excitedly I downloaded my new Slimpods onto my Ipod and chose to start listening to them everyday in the evening before I go to bed.

The premise is that you listen to the slimpod for 21days consecutively and then start listening to the booster pod after that for another 21 consecutive days, and then as and when you need it afterwards.

Now I’m a firm believer in mind over matter anyway ( although harder to put into practice) and love all forms of alternative healing and medicines. So this really is right up my street.

I started on Tuesday 6th September, as I felt it was a great new start as kids were starting back to school and our whole routine was about to change anyway.

I am very proud to say that since that date I have not a biscuit, crisp or a smidge of chocolate has passed my lips!! I am truly amazed, not because I have unbelievable willpower ( otherwise I would have a figure like Cheryl Cole!) but it’s been more of a feeling of not really wanting them…………….I know I’m still shocked! I have found myself saying ‘No’ to stuff before I have really thought about whether I want it or not. Now don’t get me wrong if I really had a craving for something I would have it, but then be safe in the knowledge that I would simply go back to not craving them and saying ‘No’ again.

Today I put on a pair of size 10 linen trousers that had over the summer become extremely snug to say the least, pretty much making me resemble the Michelin man with his several spare tyres……..I kid you not! But today, they were still a bit tight but I could feel the difference with them. They were comfortable for a start and I didn’t get the feeling that my knickers were going to disappear up my arse never to return again! Surely that’s a step in the right direction.

A VPL I don’t want to replicate!!

Don’t get me wrong I haven’t got shed loads to lose. I have generally been a size 8-10 for a long time but now my size 10’s are cutting off my circulation and leaving unsightly bulges in all the inappropriate places. Totally not a good look!

So there you have it, Day 10 of my Thinking Slimmer challenge and at the moment I am totally convinced this is the way to go for me. I am not able to exercise due to my M.E so I have to make do with a little ironing or an odd bit of hoovering to push my activity levels up more than normal.

I shall continue and update you all again after my initial 21 days. keep you fingers crossed the weight will come off.

In the meantime check it out for yourself at www.thinkingslimmer.com or find them on Twitter and Facebook too.

I have not received payment for this post however I was sent the Slimpods free of charge to trial. All opinions in this post are my own.

Muffin tops must go!

After the kids have been off soooo long now and there has been many a day out, nights away, festivals etc etc and that can mean only one thing………………lots of food, unhealthy food, yummy picnics with cakes and biscuits, lots of over sized ice creams (it is supposed to be summer you know!).

                                   
However, that’s so not good for my already established muffin tops that seemed to have expanded into fully grown over sized family sponges!!!! No longer can they be squeezed into already snug fitting jeans and the tops have begun to get longer and more spacious.

                                        
So after our great overnight stay in Dover at the weekend to go to the castle for a birthday trip for the OH, which came with a very yummy dinner and pudding and an all you can eat continental and cooked breakfast!!! That just about pushed me over the edge. The dreaded ‘D’ word was mentioned which pretty much throws me into a panic as the mere mention of the word tends to make me think of food……………………………………..all the time, more than I normally would and leaves me literally wanting to eat everything in sight!!

So it has been collectively decided ( that means generally I have decided and my OH has no choice but to join in as I am the main cook!) that we should be on a ‘healthy eating’ regime. Not a restrictive diet but more of  portion control with a few healthy choices thrown in and an odd treat here and there (instead of everyday).

                                             
That started yesterday and for me it has gone OK so far as my OH have been at work over the bank Holiday working very extended days. However tomorrow is his birthday, and a chocolate cake has already been acquired so this could go rapidly downhill from here!

I have also been approached by Think Slimmer to try their ‘Drop a jean size’ Slimpod that should be coming soon. So with that and the fact I have started to use my Slendertone again I’m hopeful that I should shift a few pounds. However, I’m restricted with exercise due to having M.E so trying to be active around the house is exercise enough for me so hoping that will help a little.

So my motto is going to be ‘Everything in moderation’!!!!

That way I wont get over obsessed by the food I’m trying not to eat so much of. I have been good for 2 days and tomorrow will go downhill but hopefully I will be back on track Wednesday.