What I've Learned About Juicing (so far)

I first heard about juicing when I dubiously asked a girl in the staffroom what was in her flask. When she told me it was celery and cucumber juice with some apples mixed in for good measure I thought she was off her head. Another fad diet I thought. I was pregnant at the time and not really thinking about losing weight or nutrition. After Jamie was born I was aware that my sister in law was getting married in 6 months time and I wanted to lose some weight for the wedding. I had seen adverts on Facebook for Jason Vale's new juicing programme '5lbs in 5 Days'. The rest, as they say, is history. I want to share my introduction to juicing and give you a little flavour for it in the hope that you too will find some benefit in it.

Firstly, it isn't a diet. 

The 'lose xxx lbs in xxx days' can suggest that it is just another diet craze but if you look at it like that you are unlikely to succeed as diets, in my opinion, don't work or certainly, they don't work for me. I have been on a diet since I was 16 and all I have achieved is to gain weight. Juicing for me is about getting the best quality nutrition into my body is the most efficient way. Since starting juicing I have had periods of weight loss, stability and gain. However, I have felt great. My moods have stabilised, I have more energy, I sleep better, my skin is clearer, I am free from allergies, my digestive problems disappear completely and I feel in control around food. It isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle choice. Jason Vale talks more about why juicing is the bees knees here.

You don't have to replace all food with juice

The detox programmes such as Jason Vale's 5lbs in 5 days or Natural Juice Junkie's 'Juice Reboot' are designed to give your body a kick start. It is a way to reset your system and detox your body from sugar, caffeine and the numerous nasties contained in processed food. It isn't necessary to do a programme like this although there are many benefits. Having a young family, I find it difficult to do a total food replacement programme as I am still cooking and sitting with the family at meal times. The first 3 days are the worst as your mind is urging you to fail. We are in effect, addicted to sugar in the same way a drug user or alcoholic is on a biological and mental level so you do have to initially fight through that. As I can't avoid food, it is easier for me to only replace breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack. I still have my dinner with my family, I just try to make it as plant based and as healthy as I can (stir fry, salads etc). My eldest son is almost 4 and is very aware of what I eat. I don't want him to see me not eating so that is another reason I don't often do total food replacement.

You can involve your kids

I want to be a role model for my children and as this isn't 'another faddy diet' there is no reason not to involve him. Making the juice is so much fun and he loves helping me squish all the fruit and veg down the chute. This is him having his green juice before our 5k Race for Life last week. Since I have started juicing his tastes have really expanded. He has always been a good eater, loves his fruit but not keen on salad veg. He now eats cucumber, lettuce, celery and pineapple. All foods he would have turned his nose up at before. He calls the juices Elf Juice (green) Santa juice (red) and reindeer juice (orange).









You don't need an expensive juicer

By the best juicer you can afford but don't worry if you can only buy the £30 one from Argos. I started with this cheap and cheerful Cookworks juicer and can honestly say it has been fine. The quality of the juice isn't as great, it can be a bit foamy and you do need to shake it up once it's juice to get rid of the layers. You don't get as much juice using a cheap juicer and that is my biggest gripe. I am just about to buy a new juicer and I am upgrading to an Optimum 400 as I have proven to myself that this is something I will continue to do regularly.

My Typical Day

8am - start the day with a ginger shot (sometimes I make a batch of these and freeze them in ice cube trays)
8.10am - Green Juice
10.30am - Herbal Tea
12 noon - Juice (usually another green juice)
3.30pm - Juice (usually a red/orange juice)
5.30 - Family Dinner
7pm - Herbal Tea

Sometimes if I am hungry through the day or later in the evening I will have a piece of fruit, veggie sticks with houmous or a Raw bar such as these .

If I stick to this routine and don't eat rubbish in between I typically lose about 3lbs a week (6lbs if I juice for dinner too) however, as I said before, weight loss isn't really my focus.

You don't have to drink it if you don't like it! 

I bought the '5lbs in 5 days' app which I loved as it had video demos! I didn't follow the plan but I made all the recipes then picked the ones I liked the best. I can't stand beetroot and couldn't take any of the beetroot recipes from this plan. I am aware of all the health benefits of beetroot and I wanted to find a way to drink it so I kept experimenting and looking around juicing sites. I then came across 'The Red One' on the Natural Juice Junkie sight and can honestly say I really enjoyed it! You do have to just look around and find different recipes to try. My go to guys are Jason Vale (The Juice Master) and Neil Martin (Natural Juice Junkie) and their recipes are really my juicing safety blankets but I have found a few good Facebook pages with hints and tips.




You can make your juice the night before

I don't tend to but you can. I find I am much quicker at juicing now and it takes me about 20mins to juice 3 juices in the morning and clean up. The important thing you need to know about storing juices is that they should be kept in airtight containers (filled right to the top) and in a cool dark place, ideally the fridge. If you intend on freezing them, leave a gap at the top to allow expansion when frozen. Juice made in a centrifugal type juicer can be kept in the fridge should be used with 12 - 24 hours max. Juice made in the masticating juicers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Neil Martin has great info about storing juices that you can read here 

It doesn't need to be expensive

If you buy a masticating juicer, several Kilner jars for storing your juice and shop for all your fruit and veg in the more expensive supermarkets then yes, it can be pretty costly. However, if you buy a cheaper juicer (to begin with anyway), use old rinsed out pasta sauce jars for storage and insulated flasks (I bought mine from Asda at 99p) and shop in places like markets, Aldi or Lidl you will drastically cut the cost of juicing. My weekly juicing cost for fruit and veg is about £30. Natural Juice Junkie even created a Budget Juice Reboot which uses less expensive and more readily available ingredients.







Exercise

Just move yourself. That's my mantra of the moment. I am trying to move more. I am steadily increasing my exercise. My body hasn't been the same since the birth of my youngest son. I am finding it really difficult to get back into exercise and for the first time in my life I don't want to go to the classes I loved before because I feel really self concious about my current physical condition (nothing to do with weight). This is really my next hurdle.

It's not the same as Juice Plus

I've been hearing the words 'Juice Plus' being thrown around. This is not the same thing. There are no pills or powders here. This is real food. I don't claim to know much about Juice Plus other than this is not it. I want something real that is not overly processed. "But juicing them myself is hard" I hear you cry. It's not hard. Beating Cancer is hard, child birth is hard, living with a 3 year old is hard. Juicing fruit and vegetables and god forbid, cleaning the juicer for 10 mins is not hard. Man up and get on with it.

I hope you have enjoyed this little insight into my world of juice. For the record, this isn't a sponsored post. Nobody sent me free stuff and I didn't get paid. Everything I have written here is truthful and based on my own experience. I am not a nutritionist or a doctor so don't depend on me for medical advice because that would be ill advised. I do have a first aid certificate in the event of a skint knee though :)

Go forth and Juice x

My Top 5 Achievements in 2013

I haven't taken part in Listography for a while but I have missed it! This week it's a reflective post on my Top 5 Achievements in 2013. It's been a busy year!

1. Biggest achievement was giving birth to a 10lb 8oz healthy boy with nothing but gas n air and hey, no stitches, need I say more! 

 2. I've survived a year in a new job role which entailed moving councils and working across 2 schools. It was so the right decision for me. I love my job and I've made some really good friends within my workplaces. 

3. I purposely didn't make a resolution last year to diet as that never ends well for me but since giving birth in September, I've lost 3 stone and dropped  2 dress sizes. I have done this through eating clean, healthy, dairy free food and regular exercise. I'm very proud of myself and I look forward to continuing next year.

4. I successfully managed 2 summer holidays abroad with a husband who was in a moon boot with a broken leg and an over excitable 3 year old, all whilst heavily pregnant! 

5. We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. We have been together since high school and it was probably seen as one of those 'it'll never last' relationships. But it did and it continues to. It hasn't been easy but nothing worth working for ever is. He thinks I'm an over the top drama queen and I think he's a selfish arse at times but we know each other inside out and still love each other so that must count for something. I've learned a lot about successful love this year and I think that first you need to find love for yourself, I'm still working on this. 

So it's been a productive, hardworking and emotional year. I'm looking forward to watching my boys grow over the coming year and I'm hoping to do a bit of growing myself. Watch this space! 

Hop over to Kate's blog for a catch up and other Listography entries ...

What I've Learned in 50 Days

For those of you just joining me, I started a challenge 50 days ago. The challenge is to walk/run/cycle 5km a day for 100 days. It started off as 50 but in a moment of madness I decided to increase it! Today is Day 50. I'm halfway there. I felt this was a good day for a pause to evaluate and reset goals. The initial purpose was to lose weight and to make activity a part of my daily life. I decided to raise money for charity at the same time which you can read about here.I originally joined up with the 5x50 team but as I started early I have been doing the last 50 days on my own. Today I join the other 4423 challengers for the last chapter of my challenge, the final 50!

What I've Learned About Myself

• I like planning what I am going to do but I'm not that enthusiastic about actually doing it. 
• I have an 'inside' voice that tries to sabotage me by telling me things like; "Nobody would know if walked to a café and sat there for hour, just run for the last 5 mins to get home and arrive sweaty". Resisting this inner voice is really difficult. 
• Finding an hour in the day for myself is nearly impossible. 
• The biggest obstacle to my weight loss and fitness is my utter lack of endurance and consistency. 

Just back from a walk together

What I've Learned About Walking

• I like it. It's my favourite activity! I find that for an overweight person I am actually quite good at it and I'm reasonably fast paced. 
• My favourite time of day for walking is either sunrise or sunset. I like to take photos on my walk and this is the best time of day for it. 
• Blisters are awful and the type of socks you wear really make the difference. My feet eventually adjust to the trainers and the pain of blisters reduces. 
• It's easier to do the hilly part of the walk first and get it over with. It's a great warm up then the rest seems like a breeze. 

I just love walking/running when the sun is setting

What I've Learned About Running

• I'm not awful at it but I am most definitely a beginner. I am amazed how quickly my body adapts though. I went from not being able to run for more than a minute to running for 15 mins by the end of the week. 
• My pelvic floor muscles are not what the used to be. Running is like the equivalent of sneezing for me.
• Carrying the amount of weight that I do is not great on the joints when I'm running. I think running will be something that will be easier for me when I'm lighter. 
• Blisters are worse when I run compared to walking. They appear in different places so my running feet technique must differ from my walking feet. 
• Running downhill is easy, running on the straight is manageable, running up a hill is stupidity. 

What I've Learned About Cycling

• Bum Sores - need I say more?
• Any women who have had a baby really need a bigger bike seat or it simply disappears. 
• Cycling is much harder than walking or running but you can complete the challenge in much less time.
• Despite it being quicker, the pain last twice as long. 
• If you find it too hard you can get off and walk but you look like a loser and you should really come up with an excuse like "My bike has lost it's pedals, that's why a walking, I'm not a lazy git". 
• There is nothing quite like the exhilarating feeling of zooming down a hill on a bike. It releases the inner child. 

What I've Learned About Weight Loss

• It's 70% diet and 30% exercise. On the weeks I only exercise I lose less or stay the same. It really takes both. Exercise is brilliant for tone, fitness and wellbeing but alone it won't shift the pounds. 
• It shouldn't be a diet, it should be something that fits well with your life. If I exercise regularly and show some self restraint around food I'd be thinner. 
• I don't feel better after I go on a food bender.
• My stomach is flatter when I eat more protein than carbs. 
• I've lost a stone in the last 50 days but it's been really slow. I jump from one diet to another which totally confuses my body. I find it really difficult to be consistent with a food program. 

Where Do I Go From Here?

• I am really excited about the next 50 days. I am going to focus more on walking faster and increasing the periods of running. 
• As I like the mornings and the evenings for walking, I aim to walk at these times. I think if I walk before work I will have more energy but this means committing to going to bed earlier at night.
• I'm going to eat well and make positive choices towards food. I am going to think less about dieting and more about fuelling my body effectively. I am going to eat things I know make me feel good, cutting back but not eliminating carbs and increasing but not overdoing the protein. 

No back peddling now, I am half way there!

Next Saturday I will have completed the first part of my challenge, the first 50 days of my 5km a day for 100 days. I am taking part in this challenge to raise money for Alzeimer Scotland but also to try and create a exercise habit for myself. It's no secret to anyone who knows me or reads this blog that weight loss and good health is something I am constantly striving towards.

Since starting my challenge I have dropped a dress size and lost about a 10lb in weight. I've lost something every week but it's clear to see that exercise alone will not shift the pounds. I reckon it's all about the fuel. I am really not very good at diets but I am trying to eat healthily. I really notice a difference in my shape, I am much more toned and my waist is appearing!

Next Saturday, to mark the 50th day, I am taking part in a family cycling event in Edinburgh. It is organised by Sky and one of the Scottish ambassadors is Edith Bowman. I am hoping to meet her and Sir Chris Hoy on the day as they are supposed to be making an appearance. There are Sky Ride events being held all over the country and the main reason I am excited about it is because it's an opportunity to cycle in a traffic free zone. I'm not confident cycling near cars so this suits me perfectly!

I am a cycling novice. Although I loved cycling as a child, I haven't been on a bike in years. We bought a bike buggy attachment for JC and I am really looking forward to using it next week. It's a really nice way to end my first 50 days.

The great thing about this event is that its for everyone. You don't need to be a great cyclist or even own a bike (you can hire one!). There will be lots of entertainment and prizes to be won on the day.

Here is a video of Edith, explaining why she is keen for everyone to take part.

This is not a sponsored post. I am not being paid to take part in or write about this event.

Run! Run! As Fast As You Can!

You can't catch me, I'm the ....

Well I'm not the Gingerbread Man and I'm not much of a runner but I'm still managing to take part in my charity challenge of 5km a day for 100 days. I wrote about the motivation for my challenge a few weeks back, at which point, the 5km a day was for 50 days. I decided to up the challenge after reaching my target of £100 in 2 days!

Just back from a walk together

So gluten for punishment I made it 100 days and I started last Sunday. Tonight was walk number 8 and I've trimmed 10 minutes off my time. I average round the 5km route in about an hour but I have started running  jogging part of the walk, admittedly, it's the down hill parts but we all need to start somewhere!

I've been walking with the dogs and with JC. The dogs are great as the pull me round most of the route but taking JC in the buggy adds an extra dimension of difficulty. At this rate I might have arms like Terminator by the hundredth day.

My walking music of choice this week was recommended to me by my next door neighbour and is 'Now That's What I Call Reggae'. Okay, it's probably a little laid back for this type of challenge but then that's me all over! 

7lbs lost and things are tightening up nicely. Send me positive thoughts this week as I'm going to my Dad's in Czech Republic on holiday this week so avoiding the pivo and forcing myself out walking will be a real challenge.

Laters ;)

pssst
If you want to sponsor me or just browse my just giving page you are more than welcome
Click Here

You'll be old one day too you know!

I remember my Mum saying the phrase 'You'll be old one day too you know' every time I moaned about dottery old folk walking slowly or driving carelessly or forgetting things. She was right, I am getting older. I'll be thirty next year!

I'm starting to feel my age a bit these days. My knees are creakier, my boobs are further south than I'd like them to be and it takes a lot longer to shift the excess weight but a lot less time to put it on. I only need look at a cupcake and it's appearing on my thighs.

One of the other worries I have about getting old is my memory. I had a brief encounter with memory loss during my pregnancy. It's not fun feeling like you are losing your marbles. It's uncomfortable when other people look at you like you are falling apart at the seams.

My Grandad has Vascular Dementia. He has been progressively getting worse over the past 6 years. My Gran was his main carer at home until a few months ago when things got so bad that he had to be admitted to a care home as an emergency transfer as she could no longer care for him. She was devastated. She had cared for him for 6 years at home on a measly carers allowance of £11 a week. Yes you read that right, £11 a week. She is now struggling through a period of grief and loss. This transition period is most definitely just as stressful for the family as it is for the patient.

Alzheimer Scotland are a charity who provide services to people with dementia and their family and carers in my community. They are a friendly voice on the other end of the phone, a smiley face at the door and a source of information and support to many people. We are an ageing population and charities like this should be supported to continue and extend their services.

I am pledging to walk, run or cycle 5km a day for 50 days to raise money and awareness for this charity. I start on the 9th of September and it ends on the 28th of October. I hope to increase my own fitness in the process. If you are interested in finding out more, check out my Just Giving Page.

Walking Into The Sun

As I mentioned last week, I have started walking in the morning with the intention of eventually breaking into a jog in the near future! The principles of my new lifestyle are

Drink More Water

Eat Less Junk

Run Walk

These are not innovation principles that I made up myself. They are taken from the book that I have been reading like a bible for the past few weeks.

I was up before dawn again this morning and I stopped a few times to take some photos. I love the way the light changes over the course of my walk. It's like walking into the sun.

The darkness at the start of the walk

Black trees

Here comes the sun

Walking into the sun

This is the light at the end of the walk (an hour later)

I think the dark photo at the start reflects my attitude and emotion at the start of a walk and the light photo at the end reflects how 'light' I feel at the end.

I'm linking this post up to Liska's Inner Truth link up 

I've been eating in the wardrobe again

photo credit

I don't know why I do it. 

I am only hiding from myself. 

Since Christmas I have been 'eating well'. Telling everyone who will listen that I am not on a diet but I am a downright liar. A non diet, that is what I am on. I think this new revolution in 'non' dieting is dangerous. possibly even more so than obesity (which is what the helpful guy at the gym told me I'm suffering from, more about that later). 

I am kidding myself. I am miserable about my weight but too lazy to do anything about it and I can't seem to stick to anything for more than a few days. I start the week off 'eating well' but telling myself I'm not dieting. I get to Wednesday and start to crave anything and everything I probably 'shouldn't' be eating. I end up eating in the wardrobe, hidden from sight. I keep all sorts in the wardrobe. Currently there is a box of Thornton's Toffee and a box of Celebrations, neither of which are mine I might add. They belong to Hubby who has been informed of the secret eating ritual that takes place most evenings but he still hasn't moved them yet. 

I swing from one extreme to the other. I'm either not dieting at all or I'm really restricting but I'm rubbish at that so I end up binging and there goes the cycle again. Here is a breakdown of my week . . .

Day One - Right, I'm not dieting. Just eating 3 square meals.

Day Two - This is going quite well but I feel like I'm overeating at every meal. I really should be writing down my food or counting something. 

Day Three - Ok, I don't think it's working, I'm going to try and just eat meat because I feel fuller when I eat protein only and that kind of diet is the 'in' thing right now. 

Day Four - I'm totally starving and I'm at the gym. If only I was doing something like Slimming World I could have a banana right now. 

Day Five - I'm at the gym trying to work off the toffee I ate in the wardrobe this morning. The helpful instructor just broke the news to me that my BMI is in the obese category. No shit Sherlock (sudden hunger pangs that can only be quelled by chocolate or icecream). 

Day Six - bugger it, I coming off this diet and I am going to write a super douper plan of action for next week. I must stop this yo yo dieting. I will go and have some chocolate from the wardrobe while I write my plan and book into more gym classes. 

Day Seven - eat the contents of my kitchen units and polish off more wardrobe goodies in preparation for tomorrow's diet.

And the cycle continues . . . 

Some days I feel like giving myself a proper slap!

Sorry that this isn't more positive but I have no motivation this week! Check out Liska's Mumentum linky for more weight loss and exercise posts. 

I do have reasons to be cheerful - R2BC

I had a bit of a rough day yesterday and found it hard to muster up some cheerfulness but after a good nights sleep I am feeling more positive today. So better late than never . . .

1. I am losing weight. I told you it would happen and it is. I'm not dieting but I am eating better. I am feeling more confident that the weight will start to shift now that I am in control of what I'm eating. I have booked into classes at my gym next week and I am really looking forward to becoming active again. I haven't really managed any proper exercise since JC was born.

2. I am going out with one of my good friends tomorrow for Afternoon Tea. We don't see much of each other and we haven't had good quality 'chat time' in a while. There has been so much change in both our lives recently that I doubt there will be a second of silence. I am looking forward to catching up and of course enjoying the delicious tea and cakes (in moderation!).

3. JC is talking! He is starting to anyway. He is 17 months now and understands a lot of language, probably more than we realise but he is a little bit insecure about speaking out. He tends to whisper words under his breath or he does this strange ventriloquist thing by speaking with his mouth closed. Over the last week we were hearing a least a couple of new words a day. He was also singing Happy Birthday after hearing it being sung to a child at his childminders. I try not to get too hung up on stages of development as all children are different but I am happy that he is walking and now starting to talk. I guess if he is anything like his mum there will come a time that I wish he would be quiet!

Check out the other cheerful posts on Michelle's linky and add your own to take part in her anniversary giveaway!

Think Yourself Slimmer

I have been listening to my slimpod which I bought from Thinking Slimmer and I have just finished my first 21 days. There is no effort involved, you just listen to Trevor's lovely voice every night before bed. The recording lasts for 10 mins so even on the latests of nights, I still managed to plug in my earphones.

Their website states that you will see results within 21 days. This doesn't mean that you will lose loads of weight in 21 days but that you will starts to see changes in your feelings towards food, activity levels and general thought processes around food. Everyone will respond differently but these are some of the positives I have experienced since starting my Thinking Slimmer journey.

•  I no longer obsess or what I am going to eat, what I have eaten or how 'well' I am doing. This is such a freeing experience. 
•  I have had loads of my favourite 'naughty' foods in the house but I have barely touched them and when I have eaten them, I haven't felt guilty or binged at all. 
• I have felt the urge to move more. I have found myself being more active without even thinking about it. I just realise at the end of a day that I have never stopped, barely sat down. 
• I have dropped a dress size. I haven't weighed myself but I know I am losing as my clothes are looser.
• I am eating delicious food but I always stop when I have had enough. I don't feel the need to stuff my face at every meal because I know that there will always be enough food.
• I have started thinking carefully about how I want to change my life for the better. How I can make my life more active and less stressy. 
• I get to sleep quicker and have a better quality of sleep when I listen to my slimpod. 

So far so good and I am really enjoying this 'thoughful' approach to changing my life. I am going to continue for another 21 days. Even though I am going to Florida on Saturday, I don't feel worried about it like I usually would with holidays. I will eat what I want, when I want, I will stop when I'm full and I will be really active when I'm there. I really don't see it as a problem at all. 

For more weight loss stories and inspirations check out the Mumentum Ladies over at Lovely Liska's blog

MuMenTuM - This week it's all about the protein

Our little #mumentum group is growing every week and the support on Twitter is fabulous! Liska set up this group to help us all lose our Mum Tums and have us looking and feeling our best. There has been some chat about people going OTT about Cybermummy and that losing weight for a conference is silly. I agree. Losing weight for Cybermummy is silly but Liska did not set this up for Cybermummy. She motivated us by using Cybermummy as an initial goal, something to look forward to and aim towards. I know that this group will continue long after the conference is over.  There are some #mumentum ladies who are not even going to Cybermummy! I just wanted to second what Liska says here that this is not about vanity and that we all have our own personal and important reasons for ditching the mum tum. The support from all the ladies involved is fabulous and just what we all need right now. Liska is the perfect person to host this linky as she is extremely motivating and supportive through her emails to us and her tweets. Thanks Liska! 

Every week a new plan. I have realised that this is not working and that consistency is the key. I have really enjoyed being diet free for a few weeks and I am loving the exercise. I didn't manage my exercise last week as JC had German Measles and I was kept extremely busy nursing him all week. I did stick to my meal plan though and I really enjoyed eating every carefully planned dinner. 

This week I have decided to focus on eating more protein and less carbs as I am feeling a little sluggish. So I am turning to the old faithful Slimming World to help me. I am doing a 'red' week which means I will be eating lots of protein (lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs) with oodles of vegetables and fruit. I started this yesterday and I can feel that I am less bloated already. I have signed up for my classes again this week. I fit this into my week by going when JC is in bed. My local gym runs a class every evening at 8.30/9pm so this gives me plenty of time to put JC to bed and let my dinner digest. 

So here is the plan this week . . . 

Exercise: 4 classes (Body Balance, Body Combat, Aqua jog, Zumba)

Health: drink a glass of water with every meal, 5 a day fruit and veg

Food:

Breakfast - porridge and fruit

Lunch - salad with ham and feta

Day	Dinner
Monday	Bacon and Vegetable Bake with mixed veg
Tuesday	Homemade burgers and salad
Wednesday	Bolognese and salad
Thursday	Chicken Tacos
Friday	Tasty Beef stew and veg
Saturday	Citrus Chicken and mixed veg
Sunday	Tarragon Stuffed Chicken wrapped in bacon with mixed veg

Best Laid Plans

Image Courtesy of Zaggora.com
 (This bum does not belong to me, that would be wishful thinking!)

This is a MuMenTum post that will link up on Liska's blog alongside a few other lovely ladies who want to lose their Mum Tums. The MuMenTum blog hop is open to everyone who has a mum tum and wants rid. We support each other daily through twitter #mumentum and we meet up weekly on a Monday to share our plans, pains, achievements and inner ramblings relating to diet and exercise.

Well I said a few weeks ago that I am giving up diets and focussing on the exercise. It has gone quite well this week. I have been to a few classes at the gym, all ones I really enjoy like body balance and aqua fit. I am going to go to the same classes this week and add in a couple more. My targets for this week are:

• Attend at least 4 classes at the gym (Can't wait to go in my HotPants when they arrive!)
• No unnecessary snacking between meals
• Drink more water, one glass with every meal
• Stick to the planned meals

I like a plan and I always have a good week when I plan out my meals, shop online for the ingredients I need and of course, stick to the plan (this is the hard bit). I have made a meal plan this week and it's not based on any kind of diet at all. I just thought, what do I want to eat? What would the picky hubby eat? What is easy to cook with JC clinging on to my ankles? What can I make that he can also eat? What is cheap to make because I am on a tight budget? What can I cook that will use similar ingredients so that I don't throw out loads at the end of a week?

I feel like I have many plates to spin but I sat down and came up with a plan for the week. I have included it in the post as it might give you inspiration if you feel stuck in a rut or fancy a change. There is nothing fancy about any of the meals. They are plain and simple and that is how I like my food. Sometimes it's the way you cook things that makes the difference. For example, a soggy baked potato done in the micro would look and taste uninspiring but rub a little rock salt and rosemary on it and stick in in the oven under the grill for 5 mins and you will see and taste a huge difference (Jamie Oliver tip). 

I haven't included my breakfast and lunch as it is usually porridge for breakfast and soup and a bread roll for lunch. Sometimes I mix it up with a feta cheese salad or a ham baguette if I am feeling especially adventurous.

Day	Dinner
Monday	Chicken Stirfry with noodles (Cook with sesame oil, remove JC’s portion then add soy sauce for us)
Tuesday	Baked Potato Night with choices of different fillings and corn on the cob and salad (beans, cheese, tuna, bolognese in freezer)
Wednesday	Spaghetti Bolognese (Make a big batch and freeze some)
Thursday	Fish Cakes, sautéed leek and potato, mixed veg (leek and potato are from leftover veg bought for making soup)
Friday	Steak Tacos with Rice (Serve JC’s with a pitta bread)
Saturday	Chicken stuffed with quark, tarragon, garlic and some grated lemon zest, wrapped in bacon cooked in oven 220 for 30 mins. (serve with potatoes and mixed veg)
Sunday	Pasta Night (easy peasy homemade tomato and bacon sauce this week)

I have a new code for anyone who want to pre order a pair of HotPants

The £4.40 I will receive as payment you typing in my code will be donated to the Post Natal Depression Service in Edinburgh run by the charity CrossReach.

I have a Cybermummy Sponsor!!! (and a brass neck!)

I hope my bum will look this good after 2 weeks!
Image courtesy of Zaggora.com 

I did think I had a bit of a brass neck when I sent off an email to the sports brand Zaggora, makers of the fabulous HotPants, to ask them to sponsor my accommodation for Cybermummy. My Gran always told me 'if you don't ask, you won't get' and my Mum always told me to 'ask nicely and be polite'. So taking onboard the advice of the two most important advice givers in my life, I composed a begging letter proposal and hit the send button.

The reason I choose to ask Zaggora was because, as I'm sure my regular readers will know, I am not the slimmest mummy in the village but I am trying very hard, with the help of Liska's MoMenTum group, to lose weight and tone up. Fellow MoMenTum member, Karen (I would like to be a yummy mummy), put me in touch with this company who are launching these revolutionary exercise shorts, HotPants, which can help you to drop 2 dress sizes in 2 weeks. You wear them when you exercise and they literally sweat the fat out of you. You can wear them as shorts or under your clothes or even to bed. I wrote about my love for them the other day as part of my MoMenTum post. When I was emailing the company about reviewing the HotPants I found that they were very friendly and approachable. So I thought, why the hell not drop them an email and offer them some good blog publicity.

I truly believe that blog advertising works because I often buy products after reading a blog review or reading about a product that is working for someone else. I believed that I could offer Zaggora's HotPants some well deserved publicity for what I hope will be the remedy for my thunderous thighs.

"Why do you need sponsorship and what took you so long to ask for it?" I hear you ask.

Well, my plan was to take the night bus from Glasgow to London, stay the day in London and get the night bus back. However, I really didn't feel like it was a good idea to be alone, in London, in a bus station at midnight. The train would be a better option or staying over on the Saturday night but I couldn't afford it. I'm still not back at work and I'm counting pennies so that the pounds don't bankrupt me. In the end I worked out the best option was the bus after all but I would need to stay in a hotel on the Saturday. I didn't originally ask for sponsorship as my blog was only in it's infancy when I heard about Cybermummy but it's still going strong and gaining in followers every month so I feel I can reach a wider audience now.

Like a knight in shining armour, 5 minutes after sending off the desperate email for help, my prayers were answered. I will be going to the ball but I won't be wearing a ball gown. I will be wearing HotPants!

and I am staying here, courtesy of Zaggora, thanks guys!

HotPants are a new product launching in June and Zaggora are looking for 50 Mummy bloggers to be Ambassadors for their HotPants which means you get a FREE pair to review. You also get a unique discount code to place on your blog which means you will get PAID £4.40 for every pair order with your code at the checkout. If you fancy being involved then please comment below I will I put you in touch.

Can't wait until June 25th now! I don't even have to think about what to wear because I will be wearing a lovely HotPants t-shirt!

Feeling Hot Hot Hot

Check out these bad boys - Image courtesy of Zaggora

Well last week I harked on about giving up on the diet and so far it is working. I have not felt compulsion to eat at all this week and I have lost a few pounds without even trying. I have signed myself up for classes at the gym this week as I plan (evil word) to put my focus much more on the exercise side of things whilst remaining sensible but flexible with my diet. 

Karen over a Would like to be a Yummy Mummy asked around to see who would be interested in trying out a new brand of exercise shorts made by the company Zaggora. They are designed to help you get more out of your workout. By wearing them when you exercise can help you shift the pounds faster. Great! I love getting more for less but then I am Scottish and we are thrifty! 

I can't wait to get my pair of HotPants to review for you all. There are a few of us Momentum girls who will be receiving them shortly. I can assure you my pair will be thoroughly tested, I might even wear them to bed. Apparently, wearing them while you are sleeping can show results in 6 -8 weeks. WooHoo! 

Oh and before I forget to tell you this other amazing fact! If you fancy buying yourself a pair to get yourself svelte then please use this voucher code (CLAIREMCC) here: 

Why?

Because, you get 10% off and I get £4. Although the £4 will come to me, I will be donating my £4 to the charity CrossReach who provide the Post Natal Depression Service in Edinburgh as they have been a huge support to me when I have needed it most and I would like to give something back.