Unislim

Starting Weight . . . . 21stone 4lb

Current Weight. . . .  13stone 2lb !!! ( I was 12st 13lb until christmas happened, boo!)

Hey Unislimmers, 

Emma here, I've been gone an awful long long time, and I really didnt mean to be. I just had so much going on in my life, I didnt seem to get any time to sit. BUT Christmas 2012 is over now, and so normal life resumes.

SO where were we? If I remember rightly, I had been struggling with picking constantly at cereals and crisps and biscuits and so had been stuck losing and gaining the same pound over and over again. I went back to basics, tracked everything, increased my water intake, and we had regular 1lb losses weekly. Which made me very very happy. On the 22nd of October I went in to have my varicose veins removed, and I deliberately tried really really hard not to let myself cave and return to sweet treats while I was recovering. That weeks weigh in was scary . . .  6lb UP, BUT I know it was fluid retention after the operation, cos the week after I was down 6lb. THEN Came Halloween, my friends on UniSlim Chat and Skinnie Minnie, will know how hard that was for me. I am a chocolate addict, if there is chocolate in my house, then its only a matter of time before I eat it. More than that,  I find it so difficult to say NO to chocolate, I actually display addict qualities. If I know there is chocolate in the house, I wont be able to get it off my mind. It will be all I can think about. I will be snappy, and will eat my way through the kitchen of FREE foods and STILL wont be satisfied . . . I would even go as far as to sneak the chocolate so no one would know I had eaten it, and then when asked about it, I would deny it.

BUT that was the old me. That was the me of 2011. 2012 has been an amazing year for me mentally. And I have put alot of strategies in place so I can cope with my irrational chocolate addiction. I dont buy chocolate in multipacks any more. If the kids want some, I just buy the one bar. . .multipacks cause me far too much temptation. At halloween, I didnt even look into the trick or treat bags, If I didnt know what was in them, then I couldnt crave them. I DO allow myself a small chocolate bar every once in a while, but not too often so as it becomes a habit. AND I've got a list of sweet treats I could have instead. My favourite being frozen banana chocolate icecream. HEAVEN . . .  grab a pen and paper quick . . . . *chop and freeze one banana in a bag. Put the frozen banana, options belgian hot chocolate sachet and a DROP of slimline milk into a food processor and whizz* I am not kidding you, it turns into chocolate ice cream. Some other sweet treats that keep me going include lower fat yoghurts, microwaved apples filled with raisins and drizzled with a drop of honey, low calorie hot chocolates and small oranges.

There are so many little tricks that i have learnt this year thanks to a few amazing people. Having the online support of the chatters has been fantastic. It has really kept me going at times. especially when you get stuck some weeks and find it difficult to dig yourself out of that hole, there will always be someone to help.

No sooner than I had managed to survive the nightmare that was Halloween (and have a 2lb loss), talk of Christmas started. . .pudding, cake, mince pies, turkey  . . it was all widely under discussion. Deep inside I was absolutely dreading it. . . but then something happened to help take my mind off it. A friend of mine messaged me and pointed me in the direction of a new job. . . I hadnt worked in about 5 years. As a bigger person I had totally lost all confidence in myself. I had lost the ability to approach people and talk to strangers. I had been hiding out at home for so long, how could I possibly just walk into that coffee shop and get a job? I read and re read some of my blogs here, and realised that I was a totally different person now. I had done alot of things through out the year that had prepared me for this moment. From standing up in front of a class of UniSlimmers and giving a small talk, to meeting hundreds of strangers at the Ultimate Girls Day out, to meeting people on the street and JUST chatting. This gave me the courage to "just do it". I got up on the Tuesday morning, and the printer wouldnt work to print off my cv, so I headed to the local library to do it, but theirs wasnt working either. So I walked into the Koffee Bar and asked to speak to the manager. I apologised for not having my CV and then chatted with her for a few minutes. She asked me to pop back in the next day for a trial run. I was, and still am, in shock that I  had actually done it. As it happens, fate was on my side that day, cos If I had just dropped in my CV without stopping to talk, she probably wouldnt have given me a second thought. On the first few days I was there, I was constantly apologising for mistakes, or for being too slow, BUT Lynn reassured me that she was very happy with how I was doing and couldnt believe that I was ever shy. In fact, she said she couldnt believe I was ever over 21 stone! its wierd getting to know people outside of the UniSlim circle I now look upon as family. Now a few weeks into the new job, I do feel like a very different, much more confident person. I am talking to new people on a daily basis, and I am less likely to turn down oppotunities based on the fact that I havent done it before. This is a far cry from the girl, who not less than 3 years ago had a panic attack and couldnt put her CV in the post box, just in case she wasnt good enough.

The week I started work, I had the oppotunity to go shopping with Joanne Connolly from www.joanneconnollystyle.com . What an amazing woman. She helped me to have the cofidence to go clothes shopping, and actually TRY on the clothes, in various sizes, instead of grab and go, get home and find its too big, or doesn't sit right, or is the wrong colour. Myself and Unislimmer Kathy have both lost over 8 stone, and it was a treat for both of us from our Leader Anne. We had been complaining one night that we just didnt know what kind of clothes to wear, or what'd suit our bodies, or how to hide the bits we dont like. . . . Well I learnt ALOT. Even thought the pictures might not show it, I really enjoyed that evening, and it was very emtional. Especially seeing myself in size 14/16 clothes for the first time, or a really pretty dress and heels. I would truely recommend that IF you can, for every pound you lose, save a few euro, and when you reach your goal you would be able to afford to treat yourself to some wardrobe help!

Then December came and the talk of Christmas started again. But this time I wasnt so worried, I had a plan, I was going to stick to it. Christmas wasnt going to do to me this year what it did to me last year . . .a 7 lb gain, plus it took 4 months to get back on track properly . . . . MY PLAN? to track track track and not allow the treats to creep into daily routine until at LEAST Christmas Eve.  Well it didnt go quite like that, while I didnt go absolutely crazy, there were some extra nibbles in the house in the run up to christmas, some of which MAY have been consumed by moi, but I cant be sure cos I didnt track them . . . which resulted in me being UP 3lb on Saint Stephens Day, and I hadnt even had Christmas Dinner Yet. So I made the decision to enjoy the food on offer in Mammys and then get straight back to plan as soon as I left her house. And THATS exactly what I did. It was very very hard the next day though, my body craved savoury crisps and sweet chocolate ALL DAY LONG, and no matter how much I tried to hide from the selection boxes, my adorable children kept offering me theirs. BUT I didnt give in. My dear neighbour dropped in a tin of my favourite biscuits, which I had to regift, cos no one else in my house eats them so I would have eaten the whole tin. I didnt have anything off plan. I had one good day under my belt, and I knew this would lead to another and another and then today, another on plan day. And THAT there has been the key to my good year. No matter how far off track I have gone, or how hard things have been, or how much I havent wanted to, I still managed to pick myself up, remind myself that I can and AM doing this and Gotten Back on Track!!! My biggest tip? If you lick it, tick it . . .  dont lie to yourself about what your eating, you wont gain anything but guilt, unhappiness and pounds from it . DO NOT HIDE FROM THE SCALES FOR FEAR OF A GAIN . . . . Do not let guilt eat YOU up . . . As soon as you can, just start over again. There is no judgement or shame from a gain . .and you dont want to get further away from your goal do you?

Now the title of this blog is, Out With the Old, SO I can truely say that old me had nearly gone. I still battle daily with my obese brain, but I am learning new ways of coping with food, and allowing myself the occasional treat. I began 2012 a smoker, with over 5 stone left to target weight. My resolutions. . .were to give up the fags AND reach Target weight. . .Giving up cigarettes was the easy part . . I gained 2lb the week I gave up, not from over eating, but because my metabolism slowed down, it no longer had the smoking to tell it when to work harder. in fact, just adding a 30 minute easy walk everyday meant that the following week, I had lost that 2lb. I spent the first half of 2012 losing and gaining the same few pounds, BUT It was because I wasnt letting the plan work for me. By June I had finally figured out what I needed to do, and knew that there was no way I would reach Target by the end of the year. SO I changed my resolutions. I decided I needed to work towards reaching the 8 stone down mark before christmas, that was my personal goal. I also Had wanted to fit into size 14 clothes for the summer of 2013. I wore my size 14 skinnie jeans, with a size 14 top and jacket on Christams Day this year. BOOOM! Two goals smashed.

My eldest daughter is 9 years old, and when she was in Infants in school, she got very very upset when another girl told her that her Mammy was fat and Ugly, Only 2 weeks ago, she came home from school beaming with pride because an older girl told her to tell her Mammy that was is reall pretty. That actually made me cry. Its amazing how your weight can effect your kids without you even knowing it. I have so much energy now for the children, we dance and skip and jump and play together all the time, so much better than when I used to say, oh we cant, Mammys back is sore. . . Remember that on the days that you think you cant do this.

2013 sees UniSlim introduce us to a brand new plan. Forever Free. I am sooooo excited. I LOVE new things, but at the same time, I am very nervous, and very worried, that I wont be able to re learn what I already know. I know the plan will work, because I know UniSlim only want whats best for their members, old and new. I just worry that I lack the ability. (but thats my obese brain speaking). I never thought I could lose over 8 stone. I have been doing UniSlim online since August, and that has been fantasic motivation, but I have recently made the decision to attend the weekly classes. and No sooner than had I made that decision ( I feel I need the support to learn the new plan) than The UniSlim Fairies and Elves came to the rescue. For Christmas they gave me a fabulous 6 week membership card to help get me started! I heart UniSlim x x Now I just need to get over my fear of standing on "someone elses scales".

And so, I will bring in 2013, with only one resolution and that is TO TRY. That no matter what it is, or what may come, I will at least give it my best shot. Because, at the end of the day, there is really only one person that can get me to goal. . . .and that person IS ME!!!!! Give yourself the Gift of trying this year. You deserve it.

Eat to Live,

Love Life More,

Love, Hugs and Kisses,

Emma x x x

 ps If you do only one thing for youself after reading this . . . get rid of one item in your house that isnt helping you to lose weight . . .is it cheese? crackers? biscuits?

Hi Lovelies!

Its been a little while since my last post, but I really felt compelled to share where I am in my weight loss at the moment.

I reached my target weight this time last year and have maintained it to the best I could, until...dun.dun.dunnnn I went on holidays 3 weeks ago.

Now, I will be completely honest, being away wasn't the problem, I ate really well, I walked, I kayaked, I swam, I drank buckets of ...water (hee hee), I even got engaged! When I returned, I weighed in and found that I had put on 1 and a half lbs - which I was soooo thrilled with! I really felt like after an incredible holiday I had gotten away with the perfect crime! So instead of getting back on track and whipping myself into gear to lose this measly little 1 and a half lb, what did I do? I ate. I ate, I ate and ate some more. I secret ate. All of the wrong food, the food that I would consider to be my problem foods.  Those sneaky squares of chocolate that managed to just end up in my gob without me even realising it.  And I wasn't tracking.

So as a result, my 1 and a half lbs, not only doubled but tripled.

HOWEVER, I am delighted to say that I have turned a corner.  I woke up on Monday morning with a feeling of control and drive.  I can see Christmas in my mind, I can see how I want to look.  I can almost feel how I want to feel on Christmas day, in my Christmas dress.  And I know how to make it happen.  I have no doubt in my mind that I will make it happen.

So, as of Monday morning, I put the sneaky boldness behind me. I have been tracking my foods.  I have been eating my 3 meals and 2 snacks.  I have been planning in advance.  And I have been running! Which is a really big deal for me.....granted I have to wear, like 3 sports bra's, but I already feel the benefits of running - I have more energy during the day and am sleeping so much better at night. That alone is worth its weight in gold.

I suppose, the point of this blog is, that we all have hiccups, we all have "plateau's", we all have those moments where we just fall out of "the zone" - but come on, thats part of the journey! Don't beat yourself up about it! There are gonna be hurdles, times sent to test you, but the amazing thing about UniSlim is that you can get straight back on track and find your feet again - all the while, knowing that you have a massive circle of supportive peeps ready to help you every step of the way - I would be lost without my UniSlimettes!

We have 5 weeks to Christmas....I for one, want to lose 7lbs.  Do-able? Hell yeh! That visual of myself on Christmas day, will become a reality!

If you are going through one of these little plateau moments or hiccups, please learn from my experience...don't put it off, get back to class, get back on track and get back in control.  Don't wait until the New Year to make a resolution.. You are the only person who can do this for yourself, but there are so many people who are willing to help you do it for you

To those of you kicking fats ass, GO TEAM!  To those of you trying to muster the strength to get your head in gear, just get to your local UniSlim class....the rest will fall into place!

Christmas!! Lets be having ya!

Muchos Smoochos

Feebs xxx

Current weight, 13st 8.5lb

Happy Saturday Slimmers,

SO I'm here again and have been in a really really strange mood over the last few weeks when it comes to food and health. I am at a point in my journey where I am really happy with how I look with my body, I am no longer classed as Obese, All the health benefits are amazing, and mentally, I'd be quite happy to maintain at this weight and clothes size 16/18. Funny isn't it because alot of people start their weight loss journeys at my size and weight. Which shows me that we all lose weight for different reasons. Some to feel more comfortable in their skin, some to fit into the next size down, some so they can live past the age of 50. Everyone of us is different and that is why each weight loss journey is SOO different.

I found myself self sabotaging over the last few weeks, the odd handful of cereal here, the couple of biscuits there, nothing too major, but enough to make stepping on the scales soo much harder. Last week I got this CRAZY idea to join a tag rugby training team, NOW< I have NEVER ever enjoyed sports in my life, I like exercising and walking, but team sports just do nothing for me. I don't know WHAT possessed me. From the moment I made the decision to go to training, I started panicing, what if it wasn't the right thing to do, what if I was no good, what if I didn't like it etc .... BUT I went on the first night, and thoroughly enjoyed myself, and that day I was very enthusiastic for going again on the following Friday. BUT THEN on Tuesday I had a bar of chocolate, and said to myself, sure I can work it off on Friday, the same again on Wednesday and Thursday and even Friday. I spent all of that Friday worried about training, the same worries as before, I sent myself into a huge panic over it, and was physically unwell for the day at the thoughts of it. Turned out that evening I couldn't have made it any way to training, AND it meant all those little extras I clocked up weren't gonna get burnt off. Did I do anything about it?

Saturday Morning last I woke up with this want of needing a break from the rush of it all. the last few months have been so focused around weightloss, health, journeys, getting fit, lifestyle, all these words going through my head. It was all I could think about MORNING NOON AND NIGHT! From the Ultimate Girls day out, to the Unislim Chat private page and Skinnie Minnie. I was trying to be super woman. Trying not to show any weakness, nothing gets ME down, I'm Emma, and I can do this.

I follow alot of inspirational weight loss pages of facebook, and I had started to notice a trend, all these women were spending alot of time working out and seeing amazing results. BUT I know you can see results just by sticking to UniSlim plan and it was driving me up the wall, why wasn't I seeing results, I had weighed up for 2 weeks in a row. Everyone else was moving down on the scales. It gave me hope, but also really upset me that I was trying and getting no where.

Then I realised what was wrong, I was comparing MY journey to everyone elses. And we are all so different. I know very few people that have had a huge amount of weight loss to lose, 10 stone is a massive chunk of weight too look at. When I started out, I was looking at it in 7 lb chunks. Each Target was 7 lb, BUT something changed along the way. when had i stopped focusing on the little goals? And then it hit me, it was when I stopped focusing on my own weight loss and started looking at everyone elses. I forgot that I needed to do what worked for me. That's how the max plan works, you need to find how it will work for you. I had started to take advantage of the FREE foods, which is not good for a person who is addicted to food. So I took out my trackers and went back over the last few weeks. I then took out my diary and went over how I had been emotionally feeling on some of the days. It dawned on me, that when I was feeling Tired and low, I was picking at free foods, grazing constantly throughout the day, trying to make myself feel full all day long. After dinner I was having my hot chocolate, but not just 1 free hot chocolate, I was having 2 or 3, with a biscuit, and then a couple of slices of ham, and a handful of carrots, and sure a cup of free soup too. Now it might not seem like much, but it all adds up. especially seeing that it was happening most evenings. BUT no one knew it was happening. I'd stroll into the kitchen to make a coffee and while I was there I'd have a quick munch. AND I wouldn't mind so much, BUT I'd be the first to tell you to talk about how you are feeling, don't bottle it up and eat them away.

SO I took to another place of support and posted about how I had been feeling, how PMS was playing a major role in bringing my mood down, giving me negative thoughts, making me a night mare to live with, and to be quite honest, I know I came across as a spoiled brat who just cant control what she is eating. BUT the girls were so supportive, it turns out that I am not the only woman in the world that suffers from PMS, the tantrums, emotional ups and downs, the feeling of anger, bloatedness, wanting to pick and that utter felling of "I am not in control" this week. The girls gave me some fantastic advice and I have begun working on some of those suggestions. One of them being, regain my focus. WHY am I losing weight, IS it to show others that I can, or is it because I want to live to see my children grow up? Another, start talking openly about how you are feeling. But most importantly, write it down, get it out of your system, what good was I to anyone if I was wallowing in my own feelings? NONE!!

I took the weekend off from Skinnie Minnie so I could catch up with some work, family times and time just for me. And in that time I decided to stop concentrating so much on posting what I was eating, or what I had planned, but instead to post how I was feeling and why, and so refocus my train of thought. I also took the step to reduce my portion sizes, because while they worked for me when I had alot of weight to use, it was quite obvious that they weren't working any more. Stick sticking to my carb allowance per day, but reducing the piles of free food I was having along side it. AND GUESS WHAT? I lost 2lb this week. I was so very surprised. SO I have also refocused my goals, it is going to take a long time for me to get to my Healthy BMI, BUT I will get there. I am going to tackle it in 3lb segments. they are small achievable goals. Weight loss is not going to take over my life, but it will still play a major part in it. I have a BMI of 29.8. I ultimately want to achieve a BMI of 23.9, just about scraping the healthy barrel!!!

Guys, in all seriousness, we need to talk about how we feel, we need to let go of our emotions, they can cause havoc with how we react to food on a daily basis. Find what works for YOU and concentrate on making yourself healthy and Happy.

Eat to live my Friends

Love, hugs and kisses,

xxx Emma xxx

Current weight 13stone 11lb,Total loss 7stone 7.5lb

I'm BaaaAAAaaack!

So in the last 2 weigh in's I've lost 1.5lb each time and FINALLY brought myself into the 13 stones. I am a very very happy little lady!

I wish things went THIS smoothly ALL the time. I guess it just depends on the frame of mind you may be in. I know I have been in a really good head space the last few weeks, and so finding the plan pretty easy. I am absolutely loving tracking online, it is so DOable. It just took a small bit study to get my head around it. I even managed a weekend away, and didnt stray TOO far off track. BUT having said that, I know that this week is PMS week, and the whole thing could collapse all around me. AND I must say, PMS week is usually my biggest downfall weight loss wise. I start to want to eat all around me, my will power all but disappears, my cravings increase, and then the bloat is soo visible, it makes me want to give up altogether. Some months it really gets to me, and I have a huge weight gain. Like back in January when I gained 5lb one week, I was so upset and annoyed with myself. It was my own fault though, I was the one who let PMS week get to me. So the following week I kicked myself up the butt and tried hard to lose that gain, it took me 5 more weeks to do it. But the thing is, I kept on trying. And thats all you need to do when you want to lose weight, no matter what gets in your way, or what excuses you make for yourself, you HAVE to keep on trying.

What have I been up to the last few weeks? Well, I suppose the most significant thing for me was THIS weekend. On Friday night I went with some friends to see a musical. We went out for a meal first, it was the first time I had eaten out, and made healthy choices and felt good about it, and not annoyed that I "couldn't" have the deep fried chicken. It came down to the choice between wanting the food NOW or the results later. Mind you I did indulge in a well earned slice of chocolate fudge cake. But the thing I enjoyed the most, was not feeling worried that I would be the biggest person in the Theater. I was not worried that I wouldn't fit in the seats. Infact I wasn't worried what people thought of me at all. BUT on Saturday, it was the complete opposite. I had been invited up to the Ultimate Girls Day Out by the Unislimettes. And they are UBER Slinky. I was so extremely nervous. I knew I was going up to talk to people as a member of UniSlim, going through the process. But when I listened to Feebee and Mary give their talks, I felt so under-prepared, I had decided I would just say what my heart felt at the time, and even though I have said about the TV programme Dead Fat many times before, it STILL got to me, and made me cry. I felt so emotional. My girlfriend and her mum were at the talk too, and they had said they could really feel how emotional I was. It was the first time Ger's mum had heard me talk about my weight loss in such a frank manner, and it has given her the courage to start her own journey.

I was amazed by the response I was getting to my before and after pics. We had a poster there and on it was a picture of me, taken 2 years ago, and a picture of me taken last month. The competition was to guess MY weight loss. The thing I found really surprising was that people were shocked when they were told that it was me in the picture, they said I looked so completely different. A whole different person. Even one of the lovely leaders I was working with, Linda, It took her a few minutes to realize who I was. And when she did, she gave me the warmest hug EVER!! I know she'll be reading this grinning xx

I spent most of the day with leaders, Linda, Jenny and Mary, and of course, the well known Feebee Foran. But what intrigued me, was that each of us had our own weight loss successes. And they had used their success to go on and teach others how to eat to live. It such a wonderful circle of giving I think. Some day I'd really love to inspire people the way they do. My biggest high light of the day was actually meeting the woman who made my weight loss journey possible. Fiona Gratzer. Some of you will know that she has personally encouraged me from day one, and has given me all the opportunities I needed to make this plan work for me. When She came up to the stand, I actually started crying at her. We greeted each other with a hug, and I'll be honest, I feel that she saved my life, I Just kept crying and shaking. Now usually I am quite nervous about meeting new people, BUT this is the first time someone has brought me to tears within a matter of seconds. and I could hardly open my mouth to express how I was feeling, I think I babbled a couple of words aboout how lovely the day was, but all I reall wanted to say to her was, Thank You!! But, I was just on a total high all day. I even met some fellow UniSlimmers, ones that i would Know from the Unislim chat page, it feels like we've been through everything together in the past year. they have been such a support to me. And I even had some fellow Skinnie Minnies come up and say Hi. I was just saying during the week, that it really is a family of support. And even though we have never physically met before, it was like chatting with old friends.

I'm telling you, this whole weekend has been very emotional. Yesterday we had a family get together, and It's been a long time since some of them have seen me,and them I.Even though we'd keep in contact through Facebook, I didn't realize I had changed THAT much physically. My picture today was taken yesterday, and I am using it because its the first time I can see what everyone else see's. AND this is also the first time that I find myself able to say I am proud of what I have achieved so far.

Well THATS whats been going on in my life. I face another weigh in this Wednesday, and I'm sticking to my promise of not Stressing over what the scales MIGHT show. I mean I was sure of a gain last week when I lost 1.5lb, you never know how it's going to roll any week.Plus its just the end of the summer holidays now too, which means, MORE TIME TO CONCENTRATE on ourselves. More time to plan, more time to put a routine in place. Well in my case anyway. What changes do you plan to make in your lifestyle for the next month? Have you set any goals? I am aiming for the very low half pound a week between now and christamas, anything more will be a bonus.

I was also thinking about doing a blog on UniSlim and pregnancy. I know we have our Fabulous Eunmom's, Claire and Aoife, but I have been asked alot recently if I knew was it safe to be in a slimming club during pregnancy. Which, by the way, IT IS, and we have some fine examples of ladies just like that on the UniSlim Chat page. ANYWAY I must talk to the powers that be, before I can commit to anything, maybe they have something already in the pipeline? ! In the mean time, If anyone has anything they'd like me to talk about, you can comment below. I publish the comments, so If you'd like it to remain private, I can do that.

Please be good to each other, and remember when you comment or post on any pages, you never know who might read it, and gain inspiration from your words. You ARE worth the effort!

EAT TO LIVE , and you'll find your happy ever after.

Love Hugs and Kisses,

Emma xxxxxxxxxxxx

Current weight, 14stone (1.5lb loss this week, after two stay the sames)

"What you do everyday, matters more than what you do once in a while"

O boy, do I need to remember this on a Tuesday night before weigh in. I don't think the jitters will EVER go away. Our Bodies are such finely tuned machines, it only takes one small glitch for things to go haywire and for the scales to do the wrong thing. When I first started losing weight, I'll admit the first stone or two fell off quite easily, and I still managed to get in quite ALOT of treats. But then it started to get a little bit harder, and I realized I was going to have to put more effort into my plan for a sexy future! So the takeaway I'd been having once a week had to stop and the 2 fingered kit kat I'd been treating myself to EVERYDAY was cut out, and slowly but surely the weight started to come off again. BUT still, I have no faith in myself, and even though I stick to the plan, every week I convince myself on a Tuesday night that I am going to put on a pound or two. EVERY SINGLE WEEK, these thoughts go through my head. I wonder, why would people want to hear MY story, What if I don't lose weight, then I wont be good enough. I get into such a bad head space for a few hours. I share how I am feeling with my UniSlim family, and it isn't long before I remember that Whatever weight shows up on the scales, I will still be me. It wont change how people see me, and it wont make me any less of a person.

This week my ray of light came from a fellow slimmer, who had been following this blog for the past few weeks. She pm'd me, a very emotional message, that I felt sounded JUST LIKE ME at one stage, and all I could do was tell her, GO FOR IT, you will never regret TRYING to get healthy. Good Luck Claire. And thats the thing, as long as YOU are trying, because it is what you want, then you should NEVER be disappointed in yourself.

I eat to live 95% of the time, and that's good enough for me. The other 5%, life has to happen. Sometimes we are invited out for an unplanned meal, sometimes we have a few too many to drink and the little nibbles creep in, and sometimes we totally succumb to temptation. I used to send myself into a total panic when this sort of thing happened to me. BUT I soon realized there was no point in worrying about it once it's eaten, the best thing to do is move on, and TRY to make your next meal a healthy one, and then continue in THAT direction, and not on the downward slope you COULD have been on.

I cant count the number of times I've had a bad food week, and said, I'm not looking forward to my weigh in tomorrow, and then had a nice surprise of stay the same or even down a pound or two. At these times I take a look at my tracker and realize, that actually it wasn't a bad week, it was just one or two bad choices, AND, in comparison to the 30 or 40 GOOD choices I made that week, it just doesn't REALLY matter. Obviously, we should stick to the plan, to lose the weight more effectively, but sometimes, life happens and diversions can't be helped. BUT do you know what? Those little diversions are just part of a long journey. Sure if success was a straight road, wouldn't we all be Skinnie Minnies by now?

I have been asked by some people, why I haven't given up? What keeps me going? My only response to that is, We are each responsible for our journeys. We are the only ones that decide what to put in our mouths, the only ones who decide whether to sit on the couch, or go for a walk. It is each our OWN responsibility, BUT, it sure is nice to know that the support is there when you need it. I keep going because the only other choice I have is to go backwards. I haven't reached my goal weight yet, I am still not a healthy BMI, I am still classed as obese, and I cannot wait to get to that HEALTHY WEIGHT!!! But it doesn't matter HOW long it takes me, I will get there. My online tracker shows me where I may have gone wrong, (undereating my carbs and picking at bits caused my last two stay the sames), the support we receive at UniSlim Clubs Facebook page is fantastic. The Facebook UniSlim Chat is an amazing support tool, especially for us onliners. And socially, I've never felt so in tune with so many people before!!

Guys, it's so important to look after your health, we only live once, so why be miserable while doing it? If your reading blogs like this, and checking healthy recipies online, then your already thinking about changing your lifestyle. WHY WAIT, just do what you need to do!!

EAT TO LIVE, and sing that song that makes you feel good!!!

Love Hugs and Kisses

Emma xxxxxxx

PS. AAAAAAAAAAga do do do push pineapple, shake a tree. Agado do do push pineapple, grind coffee. To the left, to the right, jump up and down, and to the knees, come and dance every night, sing with a hoola melody!!!!

current weight 14st 1.3lb. total loss 7st 4lb

HHHIIIIIIIIIIII,

I CANNOT believe its been nearly 2 weeks since my last blog. And so much has happened in that time. Two weigh ins, a trip to the swimming pool, another UniSlim class talk AND an almost near melt down, plus an introduction to UniSlim online and lastly a new inspiration.

SO, after my last blog, my first weigh in was non eventful and I stayed the same, I was a little bit disappointed BUT then I remembered I did go to a fabulous wedding, eat wonderful food and drink alot of white wine spritzers! But all that was evened out by the 6 hours I spent dancing. I weighed in this Wednesday and was half a pound down, but with the week I'd had, it could have been terribly different.

So after my stay the same, I decided that the whole family should be a little bit more active together! And whats more active and fun, than a trip to the swimming pool? I agreed with the kids that we would go swimming and totally forgot that would mean having to be in public in nothing more than a swimming togs. People would ACTUALLY see my body in its natural state. I hadn't stepped foot in a swimming pool for 3 years, a) because my son was too young and didn't like it, but mostly b) because the last time I went to the pool, I was too big to change in the regular changing room, and even in the family one I felt squashed. And I was so paranoid the whole time I was there that people would be staring at me, or laughing at me. One woman was telling me the benefits of giving birth in the water, and how being in the pool would help with all those pregnancy aches and pains, I was too embarrassed to tell her I WASN"T pregnant!!

I couldn't sleep the night before with worry. I tried on my old swimming togs size 24, much too big, I had been given a size 20 togs, so I tried them on and they seemed to fit OKAYISH. I made sure my son was better prepared this time. Packed up our bags and headed off. the whole time my heart was in my mouth, what if it was busy, what if someone said something nasty to me, what if they thought I was pregnant again? I had a million thoughts going through my head. There was a group of students in front of us, I reckon my heart rate was sky high at this point, I felt a bit better when I realised they weren't going to the pool. Next stop, The changing rooms! I made a quick dash to the family room with the kids, They seemed alot more spacious than before, that was a good thing right? We all got into our swimming gear, but it took me another 5 minutes before I plucked up the courage to actually open the door and walk out to the pool. BUT I DID IT! And boy was I glad I did. My togs were much too big, as I found out the hard way, but it didn't matter, the parts of my body I am quite shy of showing were on display and it didn't matter either, do you know why, because people were actually talking to me! Other parents there just voluntarily offered their time to say hello. That had NEVER happened before. Did I used to avoid getting into conversations and not even realise it? I'm definitely adding swimming to our regular family outings. AND I bought a smaller, better fitting swimming togs too, SIZE 16!!! WHOOP WHOOP.

Which actually reminds me, I've officially moved into SIZED 16 clothes this week! ME? A size 16, I never ever thought I'd see the day.

We had another class talk this week with some Fabulous Unislimmers in Arklow. I was MORE nervous this time. and really worried about what I should wear, I wanted to look presentable, and its not like I had much of a choice in my wardrobe what with rehoming all my size 18's.

On the Tuesday before the talk, I started to feel really annoyed at myself, overly emotional, and angry. I thought maybe it was my PMS playing up as I have only just started back on my pill after a 6 week break. (does anyone else suffer with pms cravings? How do you cope with it). All day I craved SOMETHNG, I didnt know what it was, but I just knew I HAD TO EAT. The old emotional eater was creeping back in. I decided a trip to the cinema was in order. I packed up the kids and some homemade popcorn. I paid for our tickets and then I heard myself say, a large bag of Hunky Dorys please  . . . and a share bag of m&m's. Uh OH this WAS NOT GOOD. I had every intention of eating these, and justifying it to myself by saying I bought it for the kids, I only had one OR two! LUCKILY I was saved by my youngest, He decided that he just did not want to go into the cinema, so I brought him out and I was far away from the naughties. I took to facebook STRAIGHT AWAY, I needed to share what had happened. It may have been circumstances that stopped me from binging in the cinema, but it was my own determination that stopped me from buying more naughties in Tesco when I stopped for milk. CRISIS AVERTED.

It hit me as I was driving to Arklow on Wednesday, that I used to worry that I would look like an elephant, or stick out like a sore thumb, but this time I didn't mind so much about being at the top of the room, and even found myself having the confidence to encourage Eugene to say some words! And yet again, I took home so much inspiration from these people. Seeing them all sitting with their friends, all with their own stories to tell, it was inspiring to find out that when most of them joined UniSlim first, they did it alone, and its amazing that they have formed wonderful new friendships from their mutual struggles with weight!

As you know, I didn't go to classes, I have been doing Slim@home plan, with the help of our local leader if and when I needed it. I was so lucky to have found support from the online community. It started with the UniSlim clubs Facebook page accompanied by tracking on Skinnie Minnie (a facebook page administrated by Ciara and I) and more recently I have been spurred on by the Fabulous ladies (and men) on the Unislim Chat private page. BUT this week, I have been given the opportunity to try out the UniSlim Online Plan. I am surprised at how well I am taking to it. You are given a choice of plans to follow, but I stuck to the maximizer. You can follow the meals that have been pre planned FOR YOU or, you can track your own foods and meals. I took a whole evening to sit down and go through it, and I must admit I was very overwhelmed at first. I had my own system that worked, I was torn as to whether I really wanted to change that or not. BUT in the end, the new adventurous me won. In for a penny as they say. I  am filling in my food diary privately online. Its quite handy to use once you get used to it, but unless your gonna be online alot during the day, I would recommend either pre-planning your meals, and then write out your tracker during the day OR spending an hour in the evenings filling it in. But be truthful, your online mentors cant help you if they cant see everything you've eaten. if you eat more than your daily allowance of anything, you can fill out your journal instead of your tracker, especially if it wont let you "add" the food. it's also great for keeping track of your trigger moments, like when I wanted to eat at the cinema, just because I was nervous. I'm still only settling into the Online Plan, but Its definitely given me a new incentive to do better. I LOVE that I have to earn my maxi star treats (yumz on the max plan) AND I still have my 2 optional extra's a day. It has helped me to reign in my extra snacking habit. I hope it can help me reach my target weight by this time next year.

The race for Unislimmer Of The Year 2012 is on too. Its so exciting getting to know the guys and gurls that have put themselves forward for it. I cannot WAIT to see their Before and After pictures. I've already had a sneak peek at one or two, MIND BLOWING STUFF! Everyones story is so different, but I know I will absolutely LOVE reading them all. I cant WAIT to reach my target, its sooooo close, and CAN be done in a year! I just have to be dedicated.

Another thing that has me totally enthralled, is the Eumom/Unislim mums on a mission. I really Idenify with Claire's story, and have been following her blog since day one. http://www.eumom.ie/blog/2012/07/25/unislim-diary-week-3/ . Well done girls, you are AMAZING! Keep up the hard work xxx

So that's it from me this week I've had my ups and downs, but the one thing I take with me is to NEVER GIVE UP. I WILL reach my target weight, and it doesn't really matter how long it takes, as long as I keep on trying.

Remember, your MORE than just a number on a scales, your someones friend, someones parent, someones child. You are loved, and you are blessed with life.

EAT TO LIVE, and live life to the MAX.

Love, Hugs and Kisses,

Emma xxxx

PS. who agrees I need a picture on my blogger profile?? I'm such a technophobe, I don't know how to do it xxxx

CURRENT WEIGHT 14st 1.8lb (1lb loss this week)

It’s Sunday evening, and I did promise to answer some questions that had been put to me since my last 2 blogs. I hope I can answer them okay for you; I can only be honest in my answers, as to how MY journey goes.

But First, I've had a really fantastic week this week, emotionally. We went to a family wedding, and I felt absolutely amazing all night long, a far cry from the girl who used to sit in the corner and hide away. I posted about it on Skinnie Minnie, I'll copy and paste that post for you at the end of this. I weighed in last wednesday at 1lb down, I have just 2lb to go until I reach the 13 stoners!! who'd have thought that?? I did over indulge a little at the wedding on Thursday, but I don't REALLY mind, as I don't go out too often, so I'll see what the scales say this Wednesday, and go from there.

1. What kind of foods do you eat?

This is not a very simple question to answer; I don’t tend to eat the same foods from week to week. But I will say that my food choices have totally changed since I started with UniSlim.

BEFORE UNISLIM

7am Breakfast - none

10am snack - Full Irish Fry up

1pm lunch - none

3pm snack - chocolate

5pm dinner - homemade spaghetti bolognese with a large plate of white pasta, garlic baguette and cheese

9pm snack - half a packet of cream crackers with butter and cheese and a cup of tea

NOW

7am - hot water and lemon slice

7.15am breakfast - 2 weetabix, berries and slimline milk

10am snack - shredded chicken, chopped apple and lighter than light mayo

1pm lunch - 2 egg omlette packed with mushroom, peppers, onions, chicken/lean ham and 25g cheddar cheese

3pm snack - cup of coffee with egg cup full of mixed nuts and raisins

5pm dinner - homemade spaghetti bolognese with 90g cookes brown spaghetti and huge porton of steamed brocolli

8pm snack - a cup of low cal hot chocolate

Where I used to fill up on “bad carbs” like chips, white bread, cream crackers, I changed to Brown wherever possible. I started eating breakfast again. I used to smoke, so that was my go to thing every morning. But now I reach for the hot water and lemon instead. And yes, I did give up smoking while trying to lose weight. Was it easy? No, but it was something I wanted to do, so once I put my mind to it I just stopped smoking. Over 6 months nicotine free now and absolutely loving it. What was the point in eating healthy if I was just smoking all those chemicals instead?
The next small change I made, was to eat more regularly during the day, fill up on the array of FREE foods that we are allowed to have daily. I found my cravings for naughty foods would ease off for weeks at a time, and than I might treat myself with a small chocolate bar every now and then.
I promise you though, It hasn’t been THAT easy. I have to fight my food battles EVERY SINGLE DAY! From choosing to NOT buy the bar of chocolate, to making the time to cook a healthy meal

2. What’s your Favourite Recipe?

I have soooo many faves, its unreal. I find them online from http://www.unislim.com/food-a-recipes, and have more recently taken to adapting some of my old favourites to make them UniSlim friendly. One of the more successful creations (not one of mine) is using a small brown wrap for the base of a pizza, and then topping it with fresh healthy vegetables and lean meats, yum yum yum. I usually make a sauce by roasting some tomatoes (seedless) and garlic together and then blending with fresh basil in the mixer. I spread this on the Pizza Base and then sprinkle 30g low fat Cheddar and Mozzarella mix. Then I over load it with peppers, mushrooms, onions, sweet corn, lean ham and chicken. Then cook it under the grill/in the oven OR fold it in half Calzone style and toast in the Sandwich grill!! DELISH and really kid friendly too xxx




3. What Exercise have you been doing?

I just about manage to do the recommended 30 minutes a day, whether it’s walking or running around with the children. I also LOVE playing on our Wii, Just Dance and Wii Fit are family favourites. And if I feel like I’m in need of a good kick up the bum, I’ll do the UniSlim workout DVD. I really love walking, and have recently discovered the joy of our local FREE outdoor Gym Equipment. But it’s the small changes that I have made in my lifestyle that really make a difference. For example, I literally live directly around the corner from my children’s school, and hail, rain or shine, I drove to collect them from school EVERYDAY, but last September, I decided enough was enough, and now we walk everyday, no matter the weather. I also live right beside a large supermarket, and again would drive around the corner to it, even just for a loaf of bread. We definitely walk a lot more over taking the car out, unless it’s a long distance we have to go.
Family activities USED to be things that kept the kids busy while I had “quiet time” with a bag of crisps, a bar of chocolate, sugary coffee and a magazine. Now we try to plan days out where I can get as involved as possible.

4. How do you resist temptation with kid’s treats in the house?

The honest answer is, with great difficulty! I TRY to buy treats that I wouldn’t really crave, like chocolate croissants, novelty crisps like burger bites and onion rings. If I’m buying them chocolate, I will only buy the 3 bars for THAT day, and If the plan allows it, I’ll buy something for myself too, usually something quite small like a Freddo or curly wurly. I don’t eat popcorn so I bought a popcorn machine recently, and the kids love it as a really quick snack. BUT I still have days where I just cave in, and eat all around me; it usually begins by making the wrong choices in the Supermarket and ending up with a press full of goodies that taunt me. It’s very rarely that I do give in, but when I do, I could go completely crazy. It’s not healthy, and I’d feel really guilty after, but I’ve learned that feeling guilty doesn’t help; you can only pick yourself up and make the next thing you put into your mouth really filling and healthy. Hot water and a slice of lemon is my life saver here.
The evening time used to be a major trigger time for me, so I started to put a new routine in place. At around 8pm every night, I finish cleaning the kitchen, make a skinnie mocha, or low cal hot chocolate, and then CLOSE THE KITCHEN DOOR. If I’m not in there, then I can’t be eating food, can I?

5. Do you weigh your foods?

I was asked this last week at the UniSlim class I attended, and the honest answer is YES!!! ALL carbs, fats, yums, and optionals are weighed out. Sure they have to be, my guess work wouldn’t be the best. My eyes are much bigger than my belly xx

6. How do you keep yourself on track?

I don’t know. I just take each day and week as it comes. I plan my main meals for a whole week and then do a shopping list around that, and generally I’m quite good and stick to it. I track every thing, because if I don’t, I’ll end up over eating. I’ve had weeks where I’ve eaten myself silly for days on end, but then I read a post on the Unislim Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Unislim , and immediately I pull myself out of it. But the most important thing, for me, is to WEIGH IN, no matter what kind of a week you think you’ve had.

I always take slimspiration from other peoples stories too, even just last week, Kathy Shared her 7.5stone loss with us, and how long it took her, and right then I knew it wouldn’t matter how  long it took me to get to goal, I just want to get there some day, and then when I do, I can concentrate on  TRYING to maintain that

7. Do you cook separate meals for yourself?

NO! I haven’t got time for that. I tried for one month at the beginning to cook healthy meals just for me, and still serve up the same food to everyone else as I did before. But it was too much hard work, so I just started planning healthier versions of things we used to eat as a family.  So Chicken Curry, Spag Bol, Mince and Spuds are all still on the menu, just much lower in fat versions of them, all bulked out with extra veg. The only thing I haven’t converted my partner to is soups. She just won’t eat a homemade soup of any sort, but my kids devour them, and even bring them to school in flasks.


So basically, the secret is, THERE IS NO SECRET. I plan my meals, I try healthier options, and I take advice and inspiration from wherever I can get it. My whole family is benefiting from my life style change, with my partner losing 4stone in the last year, and my kids just being fitter from getting out and about.  They have a healthier, happy mammy, who is discovering a new confident self!! What’s NOT to like.

I hope this has been of some help to you, and if there is anything I’ve forgotten, please let me know.

EAT TO LIVE

Love, Hugs and Kisses,
Xxx Emma xxx

PS< Skinnie Minnie Post as promised xx

Good Morning! I was lying in the bed this morning, and was thinking to myself, how things have changed in the last 2/3 years! The last wedding I was at, even though I had a ball, I was very self conscious. I didnt really get up to dance in case I made a fool of myself, I was definatly the biggest person there. I remember worrying about having to eat in front of people, in case they thought I was a pig. I hid from having my photo graph taken, unless it was forced upon me. Even on nights out with the girls, I wouldnt drink too much, or dance or just have the crack, because I was afraid to enjoy myself, just in case I looked stupid.
But I've recently noticed a change in me. Started off when two of our friends came down for a meal last july, and one of them only knew me as 'fat emma', but I remember her saying to me, Emma I've never seen you so happy and care free, up dancing and singing, usually your so reserved.
I just laughed, because I'd always been a bit crazy lol, but I guess it was well hidden away for a few years.
Then we had a hen party, which I was very worried about, being in a pub full of drunk strangers, what if someone said something horrible about how I looked? BUT NO, I fitted right in, yes I was still a little bigger than the others, but it didnt matter, I felt wonderful. And this time had no fear of the dance floor.
And then again this time at the wedding! I've lost a stone since the hen party. All the fabulous comments, and the amazingly positive week I'd had, had a profound effect on me that day, I found myself suddenly able to talk to ANYONE, I ate my meal with confidence. Ordered it with sauce on the side, no one battered an eyelid when I left the roast potatoes behind in favour of extra veg and a fabulous dessert. Even later in the night, when sambo's and sausages came out, I had no problem in having one or two! I overheard someone ask 'Where does she get the energy from, she's been on the dance floor, all night!'
I must admit, I feel so much more confident in myself, and happy with my life. If I'd have known when I was 18, what I know now, You wouldnt know who I am. X

Hiiiiiiiiiiii Lovelies!

I am on a positivity overload this week!

Before I joined UniSlim I found it very hard to find positivity about myself from within, I felt totally out of control and I suppose, pretty much like a mega-guilt zone. To the outside world, I probably looked like a happy bunny, my weight was really getting me down.   Within my first few days of joining UniSlim, I can honestly say I read about a zillion (no exaggeration haha) UniSlim success stories.  I found so much strength reading how all of these fantastic guys and gals had literally turned their lives around.  Reading through their stories, I felt like every single one of them had something that I could relate to.  Be it a type of food that got them in trouble, how they felt when they were at their biggest, problems shopping for clothes, overhearing people talk about their size....there was something I took from every one of those stories.  These stories really kicked me into shape in the first few weeks and to this day, I will still read through them week after week.  There are some that I have read about 20 times, but they never get old to me, the sentiment is the same.  We can do this.

This week, I have been glued to the UniSlim Clubs facebook page.  There has been such a flood of incredible stories!

I LOVE seeing new Sleeks being posted, all of these stories, from members who have hit targets and mini goals, really inspire me.  I particularly loved Jemma Dougherty's story - she has lost 22lbs in 22 weeks.  It goes to show that every one of those itty bitty lbs adds up.  I remember a leader telling me that if you lost 1lb a week, you would lose 52 in a year....thats 3 and a half stone.  Doesn't seem so little does it?

Also, seeing how Emma Dunne (7 stone down), Eugene Quigley (6 stone down) and Kathy Kinsella Levick (almost 8 stone down) all collected their certs at Anne Dixons class this week, just really sent me over the top! I was an emotional wreck looking at the pictures! Woman on the edge! ha! Its incredible how through our online community we all get so attached and proud of each other.  May I add, I have never actually met these peeps, who we will call the  WexLow Posse (Wexford/Wicklow), however, I feel such a connection to their stories, I have been feeding off their positivity and support of each other when they are having bad days and its giving me the extra oomph I need to keep me on the right track.

Last week, I was cleaning out my wardrobe and stuffed - literally stuffed in the back, was a pair of jeans.  I had hidden them in there when I joined UniSlim in 2010, as they were my worst enemy.  I lived in them before joining UniSlim, they were the only jeans that fit me.  And when I joined I hid them away, promising myself that I would NEVER wear them again.  But low and behold, here they were, lurking in the back of the wardrobe, like a little bad memory.

I took them out and unfolded them.  Holding them up and looking at them, I thought to myself, "they don't look so big".  So I put them on. Well, I have to tell you, I fell around the bedroom, laughing and dancing to myself.  I couldn't actually wear them without physically holding them up - if i let go, they fell to my ankles.  It was just proof to me of how far I had come.  I was so over the moon I ran down to Eric and made him take a picture of me wearing them.  I am actually delighted I held onto them now.  They are not a bad memory now....more so a fantastic piece of proof to myself of how far I have come.  I will never get rid of them.  They make me feel proud of myself.

Keep kicking fats ass my pretties!

Mwah

Feebs

xxx