My Filling & Healthy Week

When I first started Weight Watchers in 2012 they didn't have this Simple Start or Filling and Healthy malarkey so I had gotten used to the ProPoints system and trusted it (can't go wrong with calorie counting). Then F&H came in last year (I think) and my first thought was "it's just like Slimming World" and "it won't work for me" so I pretty much ignored it and got on with pointing. 

If you read my first blog post you'll know I re-started WW in January this year and, after nearly 8 months on plan, I was feeling a bit stuck in a rut meals-wise. I was having the same maybe 10 things for dinner on rotation, salads for lunch and bagel thins for breakfast. I felt like I was using as few points as possible in the day in case I was hungry after tea and wanted something else... but then I wouldn't be as hungry as I thought and the points would just go on chocolate and general rubbish. Not good.

So I thought I would try a whole week on Filling and Healthy to shake things up a bit and swore to post everthing I ate on Instagram so, if I put on weight, my fellow fat fighters could tell me where I went wrong! 

The main problem I foresaw was that I am a greedy cow and don't trust myself not to eat just because I can and not because I'm hungry. I got obese in the first place because I ruddy love food, eating makes me happy and I love the feeling of being full (especially if it invoves cake, chocolate and freshly baked cookies mmmm...) So give me free reign and I'll be like a pig snaffling truffles. 

I had to really remind myslef to listen to my body and go off hunger cues and not eat just because I'm bored/ watching Bake Off / fancy chocolate.  

Days 1 & 2 were a bit of a nightmare. I had totally forgotten that my TOTM was due and spent 2 days climbing the walls with hunger but too scared to eat in case I over ate. Then on Sunday afternoon shark week began/ the painters were in/ I surfed the crimson wave and on Monday the gnawing hunger had disappeared. Coincidence? Maybe but wow I felt loads better! 

I tried to stick to my usual 3 meals a day (I don't usually bother snacking), the main difference being I didn't get my evening Toffee Crisp but one night *cries* 

I couldn't help but keep swapping my tracker from F&H to Counting to see how many dailies I was using and I was surprised to find that there was a few days I didn't even use all my dailies! Obviously other days I went over (especially if I ate Shredded Wheat. Heaviest. Cereal. Ever!) But swings and roundabouts.

I did find it annoying as to how many weeklies I ended up using. I thought I wouldn't have to use any seeing as I could eat unlimited foods from the list but, being honest, if you want your food to taste like anything you need the points for cheese and condiments and sugar and toppings and CHOCOLATE! I wasn't looking forward to my meals like I usually do and felt myself not "fancying" anything. If nothing else it stopped me eating as much! 

The other annoying thing was making everything from scratch. I didn't realise what a lazy cook I am but I do eat Heck chicken sausage, Birds Eye burgers and Tesco dusted fish a lot!

I had a slight fail on Wednesday where I caved and ate a chocolate cornflake cake that a colleague had brought in work (about 9pp) and then had a cookie (6pp) in the evening whilst watching Great British Bake Off. So that took me waaaaaaaaay into my weeklies. Damn you Bake Off!

So it's Friday a.k.a. Weigh In Day and the results are in *drumroll*

2.25lbs off! Not the most epic loss in the world but I'm just happy I didn't put on!

In conclusion, the Filling and Healthy plan was a nice change and I have tried a few new things but really I feel the main thing I have learned is to appreciate the ProPoints plan more. I have missed you... and my ready made foods... and my Toffee Crisps.

Sweet n' Sour Fanta Chicken - 4pp

This recipe is completely stolen from Slimming World. I didn't even really make any changes to it as I was too scared of it going wrong! I didn't have high hopes for this as the Diet Coke chicken does nothing for me but I'd read such good things I thought I'd give it a go.

Teamed with cauliflower rice this is a low propoint meal that honestly tastes like Sweet n' Sour sauce from a jar! 

Serves 2
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts cut into chunks (180g is 4pp)
330ml Fanta Zero
1/2 medium onion chopped
Chopped pepper in any colour (I used red, green and yellow)
Fresh Pineapple chunks
Chicken stock cube
4 tbsp Passata
1 tsp vinegar
1tsp sweetener
Chilli flakes (to taste)
1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice
Fry Light Spray

Instructions
1. Add chicken to a hot pan sprayed with Fry Light.
2. Fry the chicken until sealed and then add diced onion and cook for a further 3 minutes.
3. Add the Fanta, stock cube, passata, chopped peppers, pineapple, sweetener, vinegar, chilli flakes and 5 spice.
4. Leave to slimmer until the sauce has reduced to a thicker consistency (around 20 minutes on high)
5. Then add to rice, noodles, cauliflower rice, courgetti or whatever you like!

Home Made Coleslaw - 0pp

Gotta love a bit of coleslaw to liven up your salads and sandwiches! I've tried making my own before and been pretty unimpressed. Low fat yoghurt just doesn't taste of anything and makes the coleslaw really watery. Bleurgh. 

Another very simple recipe (I hate recipes with a thousand different ingredients. You buy 20 different spices only to find out you don't like it and then they sit in your cupboard for the whole rest of your life.)

Makes 3-4 portions
Ingredients
1/2 white cabbage
1 white onion 
2 small or 1 large carrot
4-5tbsp Hellmann's lighter than light mayo - 1PP (if you can't find Hellmann's a supermarket own brand will do i.e. Tesco Healthy Living but beware it may be slightly more points) 
1/2tsp Dijon mustard

Method
Grate the cabbage, carrot and onion into a bowl. Mix in mayo and dijon mustard. That's it! You can use more mustard if you like but I find it too strong and burny if I put more in.

Fish Pie - 7pp or 1pp on F&H

I think I took this from a normal Weight Watchers or Slimming World recipe and adapted it to suit a Filling and Healthy day. I was genuinely surprised at how nice it was!

Serves 2
Ingredients
150g carrots, diced
150g swede, diced
(I get a frozen mix of the above from Asda. Tesco do a fresh one too.)
Salt and pepper
250g fat free fromage frais - 3pp
1 tsp chopped fresh dill
1 tsp parsley
1 x clove of garlic
4 x laughing cow light cheddar triangles - 3pp
90g skinless cod fillet - 1pp
90g skinless smoked cod fillet - 1pp
90g salmon fillet - 2pp
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped - 4pp

Method
Boil the carrot and swede in a pan of salted water for around half an hour. When done add a bit of salt and pepper and a tbsp of fromage frais. Mash and set to one side.
Cook eggs until hard boiled (I usually go for 6 minutes in boiling water).
Gently heat remaining fromage frais, dill, parsley and garlic. Add the fish and cook for around 5 minutes. Add the laughing cow triangles and cook for a futher minute. 
Put fish mixture into a serving dish or 2 smaller dishes, add chopped egg, top with mashed veg and cook in a preheated oven on 200°c for 20 minutes.

Serve with boiled or steamed veg.

Chocolate Porridge - 4pp

I had completely forgotten about chocolate porridge! I ate this every morning for breakfast during Winter. It's tasty and chocolately and I find the best way to describe it as "dessert for breakfast".

Ingredients

35g porridge oats (I just use Tesco's own)

11g/ sachet Options or Highlights hot chocolate

200-250ml water (I don't like mine too thick and gloopy)

1tsp sweetener (Sweetness n Light by Silver Spoon is my fave)

Strawberries

Banana

Method

In a bowl, pour cold water over your porridge oats (I found if I used hot water it cooked faster but the oats were still a bit hard) and heat in a microwave for around 2 minutes. When it has thickened slightly, stir in your hot chocolate and heat again for around 1 minute (please keep an eye on it. I have had more exploing porridge incidents than I care to mention). Top with chopped banana and strawberries, sprinkle with sugar and eat!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Roasted New Potatoes - 10pp

As my long suffering husband gets stuck eating the same meals as me every night (I cook so he gets what he's given. Albeit larger portions or extra sides. I'm a feeder...), it makes me extremely happy when he really enjoys my "diet food" and this is one of his favourites.

Serves 1 
Ingredients
140g chicken breast - 3pp
2 x bacon medallions - 1pp
2 x laughing cow light cheddar triangles - 1pp
1 clove of garlic
270g new potatoes - 5pp (you get more new potatoes for your points than normal potatoes. I only found this out the other day. #win)
Fry Light
Salt
Green beans or any 0pp vegetable of your choice

Method
1. I cook potatoes in my Breville Halo. Spray the bowl with fry light, put in the potatoes, spray again and sprinkle with salt. Cook for around 35 minutes. 
2. If you want to oven cook, par boil the potatoes until just soft enough to insert a knife, drain, put on a baking tray, fry light and salt and cook in the oven at 200°c for 40 minutes.
3. Put your chicken breast in some cling film (just fold over once, don't wrap tighly or it won't flatten) and hit with a rolling pin or any other heavy, blunt object which takes your fancy (you can imagine that the chicken is your boss/ husband/ mother-in-law. Very therapeutic.) You want the chicken to be around 1cm thick-ish. Just easy for rolling without falling apart. 
4. Lay out your bacon medallions, place the chicken on top. In the middle of the squashed chicken put your laughing cow and garlic then roll up to make a nice bacon-chicken-parcel. 
5. Cook in the oven on 200°c for around 30 minutes. 
6. Boil or steam your veg. Done!

I'm So Fancy

So one of my best friends got married a few weeks ago and with it came the terror of finding something nice to wear which didn't make me look like Jabba the Hut in a dress. I wanted something fancy that made me look like I was making an effort and I was determined not to wear anything totally covered up like I usually would. I fell in love with this dress by TFNC from ASOS (only £40. Bargain) months before the wedding but was just convinced that it wouldn't suit me. My shoulders are too broad, I have back fat, my arms are too big, etc etc etc. But as time got closer and having rejected about 100 other options I took the plunge and ordered the dress and you know what? I LOVED it! Ok I am no super model but, as far as not making me look like an over stuffed sausage goes, it did the job!

My shoes are custom Disney princess ones off my friend (the bride) for Christmas. My fascinator was from eBay for £12.50!

At this time I weighed 178lbs or 12 stone 10. I'm 5'5" and in a size 14 dress.

'Scuse the mess!

With my equally fancy husband <3

L-R: Bro-in-law, sister, bride, me, hubby

*hugs*

Doing my Joker impression

Slow Cooker Bruschetta Chicken - 6pp

It's bruschetta... but on chicken instead of bread. I know, awesome!

Serves 1
Ingredients
180g chicken breast 4pp
1/2 red onion, chopped
4 x tomatoes, chopped
fresh basil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
Fry Light
30g half fat grated cheese 2pp (I use Tesco Half Fat Mature Grated Cheddar)

Method
Cut all fat off your chicken breast. Spray some fry light into the bottom of the slow cooker (you can use oil if you like but it will be PPs), top with your onion, tomatoes, garlic and balsamic and slow cook as you normally would (usually about 6 hours for me). The first time I added the basil before cooking but it goes a bit soft and mushy so you might want to sprinkle over when serving. Top with your grated cheese. 

I have mine with roasts or chips for an extra 5pp. 

Cauliflower Rice - 0pp

Cauliflower rice is a life saver when you're low on ProPoints! I'll admit, it does smell like fart when it comes out of the microwave, but I swear it doesn't really taste of anything, especially when served with curries or chilli which have a strong taste to them. 

One of the easiest things ever to make. There isn't an exact science to this, nor does there need to be, so this is just what I do. It's really hard to go wrong.

I usually get a small bowl (you know like the ones you have your cereal in), grate my cauliflower on the big side (I'm not fancy enough for a food processor) until I look like I have a decent portion (about 3/4 full. It's veg. I'm not scrimping.) Then cover the bowl with cling film and heat on full in the microwave for 3 1/2 minutes. Carefully remove the clingfilm as the steam hurts. Then that's it, ready to serve!

I know some people add salt and pepper to theirs, others add spices, some fry it (chicken fried cauliflower rice.. mmm must try). This is just what I have found to be the easiest method with great results each time. 

Moroccan Meatballs - 8pp

This recipe was actually stolen from the a Juice Plus clean eating plan and they are soooooooo good! I love finding recipes from other plans and making them fit my own.

Lamb mince can be substituted for beef, pork, turkey... whatever you fancy, but for me you can't beat lamb though the calories in it do upset me!

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 250g lamb mince (8pp for 125g)

• 1 onion, grated

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• fresh/ dried parsley

• Fry Light

• 1tsp ground cumin

• 1tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• 500g passata

• fresh/ dried coriander

Method

1. Put the mince, half the onion, half the garlic and parsley in a bowl. Use your hands to combine, then set aside.

2. Heat Fry Light in a frying pan, set over a medium heat. Cook the remaining onion and garlic for 5mins, until softened and golden. Add the spices and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 min, until aromatic. Add the passata and bring to the boil.

3. With slightly wet hands, roll the lamb mixture into balls (I usually make around 8 between the 2 of us), then put them directly into the sauce. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 15mins, until the meatballs are cooked through. Sprinkle with coriander to serve.

I have mine with cauliflower rice for 0pp :D

Fish, Chips and Mushy Peas - 11pp

Ok so no recipe or major explaination needed for this one. This is just a low calorie version of good ol' English fish n' chips.

These cod pieces are gorgeous. If you haven't tried them before, go and buy them. Now. I also believe Aldi do a version for the same ProPoints. Be aware though these are from the freezer section. They do fresh versions for around double the PPs! (40cal = 1PP approx)

Tesco lightly dusted salt n pepper cod - 4pp
250g potatoes for chips - 4pp
1/2 tin mushy peas - 3pp

Sticky Chicken Wraps - 11pp

I think that I stole this recipe from Slimming World a long time ago and it has since been a staple in my household with some tweaks to make it more Weight Watchers friendl :) It's quick and easy to make and tastes amazing. Is also good with rice and vegetables for a Chinesey feel!

Serves 1

Ingredients:

140g chicken breast - 3pp

15g honey - 1pp

15g balsamic vinegar - 0pp

15g soy sauce (I use dark but I don't think it matters) - 0pp

2 x Weight Watchers tortilla wraps 6pp

45g Tesco half fat soured cream - 1pp

Lettuce, tomato, cucumber

Dice your chicken breast (I do mine quite small as, psychologically, it seems like more!) 

Add the chicken to a sauce pan with the honey, balsamic and soy and cook on medium until the liquid had reduced to a sticky coating on the chicken. 

Top your wraps with salad, your sticky chicken and soured cream and done!

Tip: Use Old El Paso tortilla boats for less points (2pp each)

Low Calorie Fry Up - 11pp

Who doesn't love a good fry up? This is my easy, low calorie version. 

4 x Heck chicken sausages - 3pp

2 x bacon medallions - 1pp

125g Heinz baked beans - 2pp

1 x medium egg - 2pp

1 x Warburtons small white loaf slice - 2pp

15g Flora light - 1pp

Mushrooms - 0pp

Plum tomatoes - 0pp

I cook my sausages and bacon in the oven or Breville Halo and poach my egg so no extra calories for oil!

Shakshuka - 4pp

Sooooo... what the hell is Shakshuka? Apparently it is a Middle Eastern breakfast made with eggs and tomatoes. I got the idea from someone's meal posts on the Weight Watchers message boards and thought I'd have a look in to it and I wasn't disappointed! I have mine as my main meal with pitta bread but if you want it for breakfast or lunch, go for it!

Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 sweet red peppers - 0pp
1/2 medium onion - 0pp
2 cloves of garlic - 0pp
4 ripe tomatoes - 0pp
2 medium eggs - 4pp
1 chilli pepper - 0pp
1 spoon of tomato paste - 0pp
Fresh basil - 0pp
1 tsp paprika - 0pp
Salt and pepper to taste - 0pp

Directions:
1. Peel the onion and garlic then chop them both into very little pieces.
2. Clean the red pepper and chilli from seeds and cut into small cubes.
3. Cut the tomatoes into cubes.
4. Chop the basil
5. Heat a frying pan then add frylight, onion and garlic. Fry them until the onion is golden clear.
6. Turn the heat down to low, add the red pepper, tomatoes, chilli pepper, tomato paste, paprika, and then mix. Cover the pan, and simmer the mixture over low heat for 15 minutes.
7. Add the basil, salt, pepper, and then mix. Gently crack open the eggs without breaking the yolks, and drop them on the vegetables.
8. Cover the pan and continue cooking the mixture for another 5 minutes.


I have mine with some pitta sticks from Tesco (1pp each) and occasionally a couple of tbsp of half fat soured cream (0pp for 1tbsp, 1pp for up to 3tbsp).

A Little Bit of Progress

I'm one of those annoying people who puts on weight quite evenly all over which is great on the way up when I'm gaining a ton of weight but not many dress sizes but on the way down is a b*tch! I remember going to group and there were people who would lose 7lbs and drop a dress size and here I am, 2 stone lighter and have only just gone down from a 16 to a 14 and I know it's gonna be another 21lbs until I am a size 12 and another 14lbs after that until I am a 10. Grr!

BUT here is the bit of progress I have made so far. 28lbs down since January. Slow and steady wins the race and all that.

Jan 2015                             Now

Jan 2015                             Now

Jan 2015                             Now

Chocolate Banana Pancakes - 4pp

One of my favourite weekend breakfasts ever (when I can be bothered to make it). The most simple pancakes you will ever meet.  

Pancake Ingredients:
1 banana - 0pp
11g/ 1 sachet cadbury highlights - 1pp
1 medium egg - 2pp
1tsp sweetener - 0pp
1tsp baking powder - 0pp
Fry light - 0pp

Toppings:
100g 0% fat Greek yoghurt - 1pp
Strawberries
Blueberries
Banana
Raspberries
Or choose whatever you like!

Method:
Blend all pancake ingredients until smooth. Cook in a frying pan sprayed with fry light until set. I put on quite a low heat as I find they burn easy and I usually cook 3 small pancakes at a time. I like the illusion of having loads of pancakes when I stack them up :) Then top them with whatever you like. As easy as that!

For even less points you could have banana and cinnamon pancakes and miss out the chocolate powder. To bulk them out more you could add oats. The possibilities are endless!

Step Away From The Cake....

I have been fat for as long as I can remember. I was aware of it even in Primary School, comparing myself to my friends with their super flat tummies and outy belly buttons. In High School I was always chunky. Never the biggest in my class, but bigger than most. Enough that I noticed but never did anything about it. 

I didn't start dieting though until after College. I don't even remember ever weighing myself before then. I had started working at Greggs The Bakers of a weekend when I was 16 for some pocket money and with it came 50% off cakes, pasties and sandwiches. I remember taking bags of cakes home every weekend. Some for my family, most for me, and I would sneak them in to my bedroom and gorge myself. By 17 I must have noticed I put on weight because I joined Slimming World with my mum weighing in at 13st 11lbs. It only took me 6 months of following the plan and daily exercise to get down to 11st and a size 12 (from a size 16). This is the happiest with my weight I ever remember being as an adult. I felt comfortable and I wasn't skinny but I'm ok with that!

Unfortunately, after a couple of years and a new relationship I had gone back up to 12 stone. I hovered around this weight for a looooooong time until, aged 24, me and my then boyfriend booked a holiday to Mexico and I decided I should lose some weight again. I really would like some feedback on if this is only me being mental or if it is something a lot of people do; I dieted, went to the gym, lost a bit of weight but then when I stopped eating healthily it's like I went the opposite way and gorged again like I was trying to get in all the bad food I could before I started my next diet. This is something I am struggling to overcome to this day. I ended up weighing more by the time my holiday rolled round than when I started dieting. By time I got back off holiday I weighed 13st 10lbs.

I had tried Slimming World on and off over the years but could never get back in to it so in January 2012 aged 24 I started Weight Watchers for the first time and fell in love! First weigh in I was 14st 5.5lbs. By 12th May 2012 I had got down to 12st exactly and went on holiday to Magalluf feeling amazing where I met my now husband :D

So my weight fluctuated a bit that first year but I tried to stay in control, on and off WW, yo yo-ing again but never got too out of control until lo and behold I tried to lose some weight for my wedding in August 2013, failed, went the opposite way and got married at 13st 10lbs. I looked and felt terrible. Ffs Zoe!!

3 week honeymoon in Florida, Christmas etc etc and I entered 2014 at 15st 2lbs. My heaviest EVER and way too big for my 5'5" frame.

Managed to lose 21lbs in the first half of 2014, went off the rails and started 2015 at 14st 9lbs having put on a stone of what I had lost.

THIS IS THE LAST TIME!

This year I feel more in control than ever. I have had days off plan, nights out, holidays, weekends away, stressful days, sad days, can't be arsed days but I have ALWAYS got straight back on plan, have never felt out of control and for the first time in a long time I really feel like I can do this! I currently weigh 12st 9lbs. I would like to get down to 10st ideally but just to see the 11's again would make me feel amazing!

I have so many things on the last 6 weeks including 2 weekends away, my birthday, a friend's wedding, my dad's birthday, nights out, etc so I have been off plan every weekend but I get straight back on it on Monday and so far I haven't gained a bean! It's a good feeling and after my husband's birthday this weekend I am hoping I can get back to losing again!

Anywho if you got this far, well done! I should have started this blog 6 months ago but I am going to try to keep posting, give you some good meal and snack ideas and hopefully you will see me get to target at some point. I can do this!!!

Zoe x