Be My Guest: Emma MacAulay

Every Friday on The Real Slim Shandy I invite someone special to write a blog for you and I. This week's guest blogger is very special. I was very fortunate to meet her through Twitter last year, she is someone who has appeared already on this blog with many comments and of course that excellent soup recipe! Like me, she lives in Inverness and she too has been on her own journey to live a healthier lifestyle. She is the very friendly and equally lovely Emma MacAulay:

Emma MacAulay
with her partner Keir

When Jason asked me to be a guest on his blog I happily agreed but at the same time I didn’t have a clue what I was going to talk about.  I guess I’ve been making the same changes in my life as Jason has with the healthy eating.  I started my “diet” at the end of January of this year and 7 months later I have lost almost 2 1/2 stone.

I have to say that it took me quite a while to actually realise that I needed to lose the weight, I’m not convinced I looked like I was carrying as much as I was but looking back on photos etc. and comments that I have been getting from people now, I know that my whole body shape has changed quite a lot.



I never used to have any major issues with my weight when I was younger; I was quite active and always taking part in some sort of team sport at school.  It was when I left school that I started to get a bit lazier!  I think the first time I became bothered with my weight was when my ex boyfriend pointed out to me that I needed to lose a few pounds! Yes, I know what you’re thinking – why did she stick around to listen to that?!  Well at the time I was in love and didn’t think of it as a bad thing.  It turns out that he actually always had an issue with my weight and this made me have an issue with my weight.  There is a comment that stuck out to me more than any....I had bought a swimming costume and I asked him if he thought it looked ok on, his reply was “well put it this way, it’ll look a lot better once you’ve lost a good bit of weight”.

This did upset me but it didn’t kick me into the diet thing, in fact probably pushed me further away from it.  Anyway, after being together for 6 years we broke up for various reasons. Yes, I lost a whole heap of weight, went out and partied for about 6 months and then met my wonderful current partner Keir.  I was looking my best when we met and I was full of confidence.  I guess they always say a sign of being happy and content in a relationship is putting on weight, that’s exactly what happened.  This time was different though, no one to tell me I needed to lose the pounds!

In January this year, Keir and I booked a holiday to Egypt for September, this was when I knew that I didn’t want to look like a beached whale lying by the pool in my bikini!  This time my attempt to lose weight was for me and only me.... this made me more determined than ever!  So I started up at Weight Watchers (WW) – I knew that if I was going to a weekly class and had to stand on those scales each week I didn’t want to be embarrassed by putting on weight.  I didn’t actually follow the WW diet as such – I know what healthy eating is and don’t need a book to tell me!

So September is on it’s way and I’m now really looking forward to lying by the pool in my bikini, I’ve worked hard for the loss I’ve had and I’m delighted. I feel much better for it and for the first time in a long time I can enjoy going shopping for some lovely summer clothes.  I don’t know what “switch went on” in my head but I’m so glad it did.  For anyone that is thinking about starting up some healthy eating, we all know the basics it’s just a matter of sticking with it, as soon as you start seeing some results it’ll just make you more determined.

I’ve rambled quite enough now and probably bored you stupid (well done if you made it to the end!)

A big well done to Jase and his efforts with his blogging the loss, an great inspiration to others. Keep up the good work.

Thank you Emma for being my guest and not only your kind words for me, but also a great insight to your personal motivation to lose weight and be healthy. Your holiday sounds like it will be something to remember for more reasons than one! You can follow Emma on Twitter, like I do!

If you'd like to be a guest blogger here on The Real Slim Shandy then please check out the information on the Be My Guest page. Thanks.

Weigh-In Wednesday

Current Weight

10st

(Week #18 - Weekly Loss 1lb / Total Loss 2st 1lb)

It is becoming a recurring theme for Weigh-In Wednesdays but you won't hear me complaining. In recent weeks it has all been a one pound loss. That is nothing bad. In fact, when you consider that between stepping on the scales I have consumed some alcohol and ate some crisps. These of course are treats, while regularly stuffing my face full of pasta, rice, chicken and turkey on a regular basis. Always tweaking it, always changing it so it never gets boring.

If everything goes to plan in the next seven days I should get under that ten stone mark. That will be another target smashed. Possibly even a reason to celebrate! It will also tell me that I do not much further to go. Then of course the next part of the journey begins. Balancing out a healthy lifestyle while attempting to keep some sort of continuous weight. I know it will go up and down, I just don't want it to do one or the other all the time! I will still weigh myself every week though, I just might have a few more treats.

I'm still getting out for walks, although it does feel like I've not been pushing myself as hard. I'm already slowing down. I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing though. It gives me room to improve but also I'm at a point where I can take my foot off the pedal a little and I am clearly still losing weight. I would say the effort required is less now, but then it rarely felt like a lot was required, especially after the first few weeks of changes. 

Oh, and now I can go around saying I've officially lost over two stone... and that feels damn good!!

Less Is More

125 blog entries ago I declared 'There Is No Plan B' when I started this website. Since the 100th Blog, I have been thinking where else can I take this? What can I do next? How can I improve it? Last week, I introduced the Be My Guest blog, something I want to continue as the first one has been a tremendous success. The Weigh-In Wednesday blogs have always proved to be the most popular ones and they are an excellent way for me to record my weight. So I don't want to change that either.

I have realised I don't want to change anything too much. However I do feel change is needed. One thing The Real Slim Shandy cannot argue with is the sentiment that less is more. So I've decided not to blog daily anymore. Weekends have been a struggle for sometime now, and I've never been a fan of adding more than one blog a day, even if they are back-dated. It's not fair on you the reader, and it can become more of a chore for me.

The Real Slim Shandy will continue. The new version will have updated blogs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I think that will work well for me and hopefully for you too. Mondays will be a mixture of what has happened in the previous seven days along with what is to come. Wednesdays will continue to be Weigh-In ones and Friday's are the home of my guest blogger - for however long that feature will continue.

I hope you will embrace these changes and continue to visit this blog, read, comment and react. This place still keeps the pressure on me to do good, try hard and not let myself slip up too much when I have doubts about all this. I honestly believe I would have gave up a long time ago if it wasn't for the continued knowledge that I have to tell all here.

So... I'll see you Wednesday for the Weigh-In, then pop back on Friday for another special guest blogger.

Thanks for reading.

Waist Aware

Following on from yesterday's recruitment open day malarky, I thought I better sort out some kind of decent trouser wearing action. I generally live in jeans but even I know that's not really suitable for a job interview, for whenever I get one. I was on a mission, not only to get a job - but first to get a pair of trousers that to fit me.

Over the past few months the belt notches have been shifting in tandem with my weight loss. I've been aware that without the belt, I'd be arrested for making an arse of myself. Even with the belt, the size of my jeans are now definitely too big for me around the waist. There is nothing I can do about this though, I literally have no money to buy new jeans! I don't mind, it's not really noticeable or anything. What I do mind is forking out from any type of trouser because they usually need adjusted in the length department. It is very unusual for me to walk into a clothes shop and find something that just fits. I either have to buy online or get them "taken up".

My Dad came to my rescue regarding a proper pair of trousers. My jeans are all 36" waist, these trousers had the biggest label proclaiming 34" waist on them!! Suffice to say, I knew right there and then this was the moment of the day I would be blogging about - and that's before I tried them on. My fears were unfounded fortunately and they fitted me very well. Much better than my current jeans do! So I can officially now say I am a size 34" waist once more (it's been a couple of years!). It felt very good to accomplish that and another step on this journey that I am happy to have taken.

I must remember this the next time I go to buy trousers!!!

The Early Worm

Saturday has been an eventful day for a few reasons. Probably most shocking was me being up early. This was brought on by the bottle of wine I had the night before! I have since been advised by my heavily drinking friends to consume as much water after drinking before going to sleep! Great, next time I fully expect to wake up early needing the toilet!

Waking up early did have it's plus points though, it meant I could get my butt into gear for a recruitment open day. So that is exactly what I did. How that will turn out, I'm not sure. I'll know early next week. It also have it's minus points. Being awake much longer than I usually am in one day meant I was fuelling myself more. Everything was pretty healthy but I definitely consumed more than I normally would in a day. There were a couple of sugary carbonated drinks in there too, just to keep me awake!!

Other than getting out to the recruitment open day, which was a walk in itself, and a bit of food shopping it was a relaxing day. Could have done more. Should have done more.

Be My Guest: Stephanie Kerry

Welcome to the very first 'Be My Guest' blog, where each week on The Real Slim Shandy I invite a special guest to blog for you and me. The first guest is Stephanie Kerry from California, USA. Known as The Airplane Food Critic on her essential reading blog You Covet My Ice Cream Bar, she makes wine for a living, is quite the traveller and I am very proud to be able to call her my friend. Here is her blog, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did:

Stephanie Kerry

A healthy lifestyle does not mean a bland, boring lifestyle. It does not mean you are working out at the gym, miserable and sweating. It does not mean you are eating carrot chips and plain baked chicken breasts. It can be fun, it can be tasty and it is doable for everyone. The key is to keep it simple. If you begin to do things you dislike in the name of health, you will begin to resent a healthy lifestyle.

An example for me is running. I really really really hate running. It is terrible for my knees and joints and I feel like my chest is going to seize up. When I first attempted to become more healthy, I took up running. That lasted about a week. I gave up and begin to despise the thought of being healthy. It was not until recently that I learned one does not have to do something as extreme as running to be healthy. Look at our friend, Jase, here. He hasn’t gone out and joined a gym. He has not taken up running marathons but he is still consistently becoming healthier. What I did was find an activity I actually enjoyed. My activity is hiking or swimming. Jase has taken up walking. Some people may like using a video game or a yoga video. As long as you are adding some kind of activity to your normal routine you are on your way.

Along with exercise you need to focus on nutrition. This is another topic that can turn people off. There are stigmas around the phrase “Healthy Diet”. First, the word ‘healthy’ does not mean rabbit food and no flavor. And the word ‘diet’ does not mean an extreme, flash in the pan attempt at losing weight by eating only grapefruits for a month straight. Healthy means well rounded, regular meals with minimal bad fats, pesticides and preservatives. Diet means whatever you are putting into your body. You read in a magazine that a bear’s diet is fish and berries. That does not mean the bear is trying to lose weight, that is simply what he eats.

A healthy diet should consist of lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables and, your body permitting, dairy products. If you are not skilled in the kitchen, you may feel your only option is to have plain rice, baked fish and steamed broccoli for dinner. Boring! I have a little rule of thumb about how to layer a meal so it is flavorful with minimal effort or skill. To have a balanced meal combine a protein, a grain and a fruit or veggie. Then, layer on your spices and seasonings. Some great lean proteins are tilapia, salmon, ground turkey, skinless chicken breasts, shrimp, eggs and legumes like beans or lentils. The best veggies and fruits are the ones that are in season. Buy the freshest produce and try to get organic when you can. The pesticides, waxes and processing of fruits and veggies can cause you to feel under par. It is also nice to support your local farmers. If there is a veggie you do not like, do not eat it just because you feel you have to. The best grains are whole grains like wild rice, brown rice, bulgur wheat and quinoa.

Once you have chosen your protein, choose to either bake, grill or pan fry or stir fry in light oil. Add your veggies or keep them on the side. Make a rice or grain. One you have your plain main ingredients it is time to flavor them up with healthy flavoring choices. Some of my favorites are lemon, sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, cayanne pepper, cumin, onion, ginger, garlic, cilantro, oregano, basil, soy sauce, curry and jalapeno. Pick your favorite combination of flavors and put them on your meal. Remember that a little fat is very good for you so do not be afraid to add avocado, olive oil, olives, dry cheeses and nuts.

If you put only good foods into a meal you are guaranteed to create a healthy meal, no matter how delicious it is! I, again, refer you to our friend, Jase. He began his journey with no knowledge of cooking and now we see the yummy looking foods he can create.

Begin by doing and eating the things you love and you will learn to love your healthy lifestyle!

Thank you Stephanie for being the very first 'Be My Guest'. Don't forget to check out her blog You Covet My Ice Cream Bar for recipes, ideas and tales of her travels.

If you'd like to be a guest blogger here on The Real Slim Shandy then please check out the information on the Be My Guest page. Thanks.

The Fear

I want to share something a bit bizarre that happened last night. While going through my drawers, the furniture kind, not my pants, I discovered an old t-shirt I've not worn in years. It's actually a size small (I'm a medium, size... not a communicator of the dead) but it's always been a bit bigger than normal. To my surprise and my delight, it fitted me. Here I am wearing the t-shirt:

Me wearing a t-shirt - last night

Frankly, I thought if I got any response from putting this picture out on my Twitter and Facebook accounts, it would be about the slogan on the shirt. Or perhaps a comment about how I should change my hairstyle. While some did focus on the 'I Like Girls Who Like Girls', no-one focused on my hair. Until now. The really weird thing is, a very small minority of people commented on... my arms.

Now look, before I shoot anyone down here, let me explain that I am sure their opinion was based on my wellbeing and with care towards me. That said, to suggest I look unhealthy and that I have lost too much weight was, like I said earlier, a bit bizarre to me. The focus on my arms suggested that I was now underweight, because I have thin arms. I have thin arms not because I have an eating disorder, but because I am not some muscle bound bloke. I never have been. It is a case of 2+2=5. People like to strengthen their argument with anything they can. Obviously anyone with a weight-loss issue, arms and legs can be a giveaway.

However what I find most amusing out of this, is if you draw your eyes over the picture above, and move them from my arms to the lower middle of the photograph, you can see the curvature of my stomach with the creases in the t-shirt. This of course does not help strengthen their point, so remains unnoticed. In addition, only a few weeks ago I posted this blog which no-one considered I looked unhealthy in. Actually quite the opposite. The dramatic difference between the photo from January and from July was noticeable and positive. If you look at my arms in those photos, my left one looks "fatter" on the July photo, while the right one looks "thinner". This of course has a lot to do with the lighting in those pictures.

To allay fears of my great demise and general health worries, I popped over to the NHS website to check out my Body Mass Index (BMI). I was pleasantly surprised with the result:

My BMI - last night

The BMI was unsurprisingly brushed aside by those who already convinced that I am not healthy. This is relatively easy to do with BMI as if you have a lot of muscle, it is pretty useless as a guide. However, let me reiterate, I have never been a muscular guy. While I cannot say that BMI is an exact science, I'm willing to say that it is probably more suitable to my build than if I had been "pumping iron" like some gym monkey.

It wasn't until after I posted that BMI detail that 'The Fear' struck. See, I'm not a professional medical person. Maybe I do have some sort of disorder. It got me thinking. I think most people get a bit freaked out by anything medical because we tend not to fully understand it. The Fear got me thinking. The Fear got me paranoid. This is the danger of laymen's opinions. I don't think for a second it was predetermined. I do believe their had my best interests at heart but just went about it the wrong way. As today has went on, The Fear has withdrawn, between comments from others who have went through similar when losing weight and my common-sense kicking in that I do not have an eating disorder. My parents would notice if I did, my family would see it and my friends who physically see me beyond photos online would. On top of all that, The Fear may have played with my mind but I didn't believe for a moment that I am ill. In fact, I was just thinking the other day it has been ages since I had a migraine. Obviously my healthier lifestyle is having an impact in that area too.

At the end of the day, what really matters is as long as I'm healthy then it doesn't really matter if some people think I could do with a bit more meat on my bones. I am a short guy at 5'4" and that has an influence on how my ideal weight compares to say a guy at 6'2" overall. Will I ever gain visible muscle? Who knows? Who cares?! The Fear could have taken over me and undone all my hard work over the past four months. It didn't because I'm lucky to have friends and family who support me, compliment me and give me reason to be proud of my achievements so far. As was pointed out to me earlier today, some of the people who suggest you're "too thin" are usually the people who struggle with their own weight-loss, usually due to a lack of willpower crossed with apathy and bone-idleness.

I appreciate the concern, the sentiment but frankly it was negativity that I could have done without. Anyone who has followed my story, even just the Weigh-In Wednesdays will know that I have never had a huge loss week-on-week. I think there was one time right at the start when I lost 5 pound. That was when the changes kicked in with what I was and was not eating, and getting more exercise. Ever since then it was been on average around one or two pound per week. I wouldn't say that was unhealthy. I would say that is very good. I would go as far to say it is something for me to be proud of. I also think if there was any truth in what this minority said last night, it would have been pointed out to me long before now, on this blog and in person. I am open to criticism, advice, whatever, otherwise I wouldn't be doing this on such a public level. When you put yourself out there, there is always a chance The Fear is going to get you. Remember, if you're doing a similar thing to what I am, and you are concerned, go seek the advice of a professional medical person. I am not concerned about myself. Why? Simple, I confidently believe I look and feel better than I have in a long time. I know I'm heading in the right direction, and now I know I am Fearless.

Weigh-In Wednesday

Current Weight

10st 1lb

(Week #17 - Weekly Loss 1lb / Total Loss 2st)

Two stones gone bye-bye. For the international audience, that's 28 pound I've lost. It's taken four months but I'm happy with that, very happy. I'm also content with what appears to be a current trend for me losing one pound per week, especially considering there is plenty of room for improvement at the moment, especially when it comes to exercise.

Anyone who has been reading this blog recently will know I've not been getting out and about as much as I would like, for various reasons. It is reassuring that without the regular walks that I am still losing weight. That said, I've not been doing nothing, just not as much walking - and the whole jogging and running thing has definitely reset itself, it's been so long!

I am heading, hopefully, to the 9 stone something mark. That will be a massive point for me. There is a huge leap between single numbers and double ones. The main thing to focus on once I drop below 10 stone is that I will be much, much closer to my target area for my weight. I'm already closer to it, but that 10 stone on the scales is the current hurdle.

The weather today has been awful again, so it's another day I won't be getting a lot of exercise. Tomorrow no matter what, I'll have to get back out there. Come Friday night, I may have a drink or two. I was convinced today would be a "gainer" on the scales and I was going to not have a drink on Friday as punishment, but I think maybe I've earned that treat... as for the treat when I get below 10 stone - does anyone want anything from the chip shop?!

Four Months Later...

If you are one of those people who consider a month to be 30 days, then this blog is the four month anniversary of The Real Slim Shandy. Day 120 to everyone else. Or if you count in hours... GET A LIFE!

A time to reflect? Nah, we did that on the 100th Day. This is a day to look forward, to the future. The very near future that is! Tomorrow is Weigh-In Wednesday and I've got a feeling it could be a "gainer". I hope I'm wrong but I feel like I've not been getting my usual amount of exercise lately. I've not returned to bad habits of eating badly but even though, something tells me tomorrow may not be the happiest. We'll see.

The other thing that is coming your way this week is the Be My Guest blogger spot. Check out the finer details on the link, but in short it is where I give you the blog. You tell me and everyone else your experiences of a healthier lifestyle. What works, what doesn't and everything in between. I've reached out to some people so hope the blogs will come in soon - I only need one. Then each Friday for the next few weeks, I'll post that blog on this website. Every week, a different guest blogger... who will be the first? Could it be you?! Well, actually, yes because at this stage I don't have any guest blogs ready to go... you wouldn't let me down, now would you?! Ha!

Nothing much else to report from today, apart from I had a good walk in the rain, sweet and sour chicken with rice was my main meal and fortunately my hay fever is behaving itself today and I am no longer shooting my snot everywhere... and with that wonderfully descriptive image, I shall go sit in the corner and wait for you to get in-touch to Be My Guest.

Fever!

Achoo!

Today's blog isn't going to be a long one.

Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!

My hay fever is hitting me hard today. It's crazy. I'm not normally this bad. I don't even take an allergy pill every day. I did take one today though - and it has having no effect.

Achoo! Achoo!

Suffice to say I feel like poop and I'm not doing anything today. I did go for a walk to the shop, bought a bottle of Lucozade and a bag of crisps to make me feel better. If it puts me over the edge on the scales I don't care right now. It made me feel a little better.

Achoo!

Hopefully tomorrow will be better, even if my nose probably will still be bright red. If I still have it tomorrow that is!!!

Achoo! Achoo! Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!

Groundhog Day

Today was the same as yesterday, more or less. I could cheat and just re-post yesterday's blog today but I'm not going to do that... because we both deserve better!!

Again I didn't get out for a walk but again I did continue to clean my bedroom. Look, if you think this has nothing to do with a "healthier lifestyle" then you are very wrong. A de-clutter is very healthy for the mind. Throwing out crap from the past and nonsense from the present is always a positive thing and all of that encompasses a better life. Add to the fact that I've not done this in a long time, not only am I finding all sorts but there is a lot to do, so it is actually a bit of a physical workout as well as a mental one.

All of this was complimented by a lovely family meal which I didn't have to cook any of! Got to love the Sunday meal. Meat and vegetables, every time. It's a classic and shouldn't be messed with. Apart from with gravy. Yes, it's Sunday, there is meat on my plate, there must be gravy too. It's alright to salivate, I am right now!!

How this strange set of exercise will pan out on Wednesday is a bit of a worry but the weather hasn't been that great out and at least I am remaining active. As always for any weigh-in, I'll be happy with any loss, not too upset if I remain the same - but if I gain, well who knows? That's never happened... yet!!

Rock'n'Roll

Saturday started with great intentions. I woke relatively early with the prospect of playing football in the afternoon with my nephew and my brother. I was looking forward to that. I wouldn't say I was excited though, as a couple of hours after I woke up I was snoozing again!

To be fair to me, this was on the back of a late night which involved wine and crisps. Yeah, so not the healthiest time but that is why the football would be so good to get my sweat on!! When I woke up (again) I got ready to play, only for it to be cancelled. I decided against playing football on my own! This cancellation was probably a good thing as it shortly began to rain anyway, and it rained and rained.

Boredom kicked in so I decided to start cleaning my bedroom. I'm not sure why, it's not like I'm expecting any company! It is a big task. I'm a boy. Think about it. However it is well overdue and I can be such a hoarder so it's always good to rebel against that. I started today, gawd only knows when I'll finish - if ever!

So that is is how I spent my Saturday night, rock'n'roll, huh?! No football, no walks but some pretty good munching. Nothing too shabby. Plus I'm guessing I got some exercise working up a sweat in my bedroom on a Saturday night... even if it maybe wasn't the best possible way to do it!!

Be My Guest

I want to try something new with this blog. Once a week I want to hand it over to you. I want you to be a special guest blogger. If you live a healthy lifestyle, eat well, lose weight or are in training then I want your perspective.

One of the very cool things that has spun out from this blog is how it has encouraged some people to make similar changes to their lifestyle. Some people of course have been doing it long before I have. No matter which you are, I want your experiences. The things that worked for you, and just as importantly, the things that didn't work! I realise health, weight, etc. can be a very sensitive area for some people and as such it is entirely up to you how much personal information you include in your blog. It can be light-hearted, serious or anything in between. It is also your choice if you wish to include a photograph of yourself for the blog.

So how the heck are we going to do this?! Simply get in-touch with a comment below, by email above (click on Contact) or catch me on Twitter or Facebook. Whatever works best for you. We'll take it from there. I'm really looking forward to this, as I'm sure your story will help me and many others. I'm genuinely excited by the prospect. I have no idea how many guest blogs there will be, but hopefully it will start next Friday and hopefully there will be more than one!!

Any questions? Leave a comment below and I will reply in the comments... thank you!

Brown Rice

That is a rather boring and bland blog title, huh? Yes, yes it is. I just thought I'd be presumptuous and reply on your behalf instead of waiting for you to get back to me. Hope you don't mind. Thanks. A boring and bland title for a boring and bland food - brown rice.

Let's make one thing clear nice and early, I love white (long grain) rice. I could probably have it on a daily basis and it would continue to rock my socks, but brown rice is like the black sheep of the family, but brown - obviously. It is a bastard relation to the rice family - but absolutely no relation to Anneka! (I "challenge" you to get that reference before clicking on the link!)

It is bland and boring. Brown rice. It really is. It takes three times the duration of normal rice to cook, and half an hour later it still tastes like it is half done. I'm sure there is probably something I could do to jazz it up a bit but since the brown rice doesn't make an effort, I'm not sure if I should! Yes, the health benefits of brown rice are better than other rices, but it doesn't appear to be a huge difference. I may be wrong on that one, but so far I've yet to be convinced. Maybe if I was in training to be Marathon Man, which I'm not, then I would embrace it more. Then again, by the time I get to the bottom of the bag, I may have acquired the taste.

I'll keep you posted.

Fascinating, huh?!

Weigh-In Wednesday

Current Weight

10st 2lb

(Week #16 - Weekly Loss 1lb / Total Loss 1st 13lb)

Another week and another pound off! That's four months now with a loss of nearly two stone. Maybe more importantly that is 16 weeks without a gain. Not even once. I've got to take pride in that. I'm not overly great at blowing my own trumpet, and in my mind I'm still not where I want to be but all that aside, I've got to be proud what I have achieved so far.

I know I've banged on about this before, but I think it's important to mention it again, and that is what I've lost hasn't been done by splashing cash at the problem, in the form of the gym, fitness equipment or even those weight-loss tablets. I've done this by simply eating better and getting more exercise. Cutting out the snacks has been the biggest difference maker for me. I've cut back big-time on cheese, bread and crisps. I've completely eradicated microwave ready meals. I used to live on "ding-ding food" before I could cook!!

It's not been a treat-free week though. On Friday I had a bottle of wine and the odd bag of crisps that go with it. Saturday evening I had a chicken curry with naan bread. That's the point though, I've not been eating rabbit food to get to where I am at. In fact, I enjoy every meal I have. I don't see the point in starving myself or living on salads just to lose weight quickly. I'll reiterate once again, this is not a fad, nor some "diet". It's not a 90 day plan (good, because this is the 114th day!), and it is not something I'm going to stop doing when I get to my desired weight. What happens at that point is I allow a few more treats, but not many. I haven't worked my arse off (literally!) just to yo-yo back up to where I was at.

Finally for today, four months later, I'd like to thank everyone who has been helping me with this. Those who understand and support me. Those who have told me I've inspired them to do the same - seriously! Those who inspire me and keep me going when I need it the most. Those who click 'Like' in the Reactions.  Those who click 'Dislike' in the Reactions. Especially those who take the time to comment. Thank you, if ever there is a moment of self-doubt, this blog serves as the mechanism to lift me up - and that's much easier to do 16 weeks on, I weigh less!!!

The Magic Umbrella

Well... yesterday's blog entry was a bit different, huh?! Nice to get so many reactions for it though, likes and dislikes. Thank you for reading and reacting. You may be pleased to know, today's one is a return to the more traditional entry for The Real Slim Shandy:

The temptation before Weigh-In Wednesday is to be über-healthy, get lots of exercise and absolutely no treats. Even push myself to do a bit more while walking, jogging or cycling. Those are all positive things. Nothing to shabby about it. Then of course there is nature, which likes to mess with it all. This afternoon Inverness was like something out of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea! I already think I'm getting a cold, which is the first one in a very long time, so didn't particularly want to head outside in it. I put off my walk until after I ate my main meal for the day. A decision that was applauded with a loud clap of thunder. I think Mother Nature is trying to mess around with my act!

Sweet & Sticky Chicken with Rice

I am still surprised how confident I have become standing in front of the cooker. When I started this blog I was convinced I would kill myself with undercooked chicken and who knows what else! Now I can cook it without having to cut the meat in half just to check if it is cooked all the way through. Working with marinades and still not bored of rice. All very surprising to me. I guess it is the little things. Some people reading this may think that sounds a little pathetic, and on some levels they would be right. However, where I have came from in the culinary department, it is far from pathetic to me - I'm actually a bit proud of myself. So there!! *sticks out tongue*

Shortly after chowing down my chicken and rice I took the opportunity to get out for a walk. The weather had settled down but it still looked like the rain was lurking around, so I took my umbrella on my walk with me. My umbrella is magical, it really is. It appears to actually keep the rain away. I don't mean just from bouncing off my head, but from falling out of the sky. More often than not, the umbrella is not opened and it does the trick. I should probably sell it on eBay!! Anyway, I had a swift walk round by the River Ness, because apparently I hadn't seen enough water today and it was near to the shop that I picked up a bar of 70% cocoa dark chocolate to sit in my fridge for when I crave something sweet, one block does me fine. Much better and healthier than munching a Snickers or Mars bar when I get a craving, plus the health benefits of 70% cocoa dark chocolate are not to be sniffed at either. No, that wasn't a reference to my potential cold. *achoo!*

A man (not me!) fishing in the River Ness

BOGOF!

Apparently there is something people do these days called "pwning", the cool kids told me about it. Today I "pwned" the supermarket. Not just one but two of those bad boys! Hmm, this is starting to sound tad seedy. Hold on. The definition of "pwned". Glad I found that link. Swiftly moving on, I did it more than once. I'm a big "pwner" these days. I'm all about the "pwning".

What on Earth am I banging on about?! Even I'm not sure but fortunately those big letters above that spell out "BOGOF!" are a timely reminder. My mission today was to go hunt, because I am a man. However, since this is the 21st Century man has built supermarkets, thus rendering my hunting spear (not an euphemism) relatively useless today. A more civilised way of procuring food is to pay for it with money. Apparently. Where is the fun in that, I wonder?!

Anyone who "does" the supermarket knows by the time you empty the bags in the kitchen, you're already wondering how so little cost so much. It always looks more in the basket or trolley. However, every once in a while, something quite mysterious and quite possibly magical takes place. Long before you find yourself in your kitchen cross-referencing your receipt to what is before your eyes. Even before you have that somewhat uncomfortable conversation with the person at the checkout about if you'll need bags (really?!) or a hand packing. Yes, I'm talking about while you drift down the aisle, weaving in and out old people with their tartan trollies, hyper-active children playing hide and seek and couples having domestics over a lamb shank. The moment you realise that today is your day in supermarket land. Everything you want, everything you need is discounted or on special offer. Even better, when everything has been crossed off your shopping list, out of the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of an old favourite. Something you've not had in a long time but there it is, waiting for you and it too has money off. This is not a tease, nor is it a flirtation. This is fate. It is! Every "buy one, get one free" deal, half price deal and multi-buy are the signs to this moment. The moment when you declare yourself the King or Queen of the Supermarket. Today you have won!

So, yeah, suffice to say today I went shopping. Managed to get a lot of deals and came home with a bundle of shopping. I stood in my kitchen, cross-referencing my receipt at what was before my eyes, wondering how so much cost so little. I couldn't help but be pleased with myself. That was until I realised it would have been even cheaper with my hunting spear in hand. Oh well. Maybe next time.

I still "pwned" the supermarket.

Finally.

I was more than happy to get some exercise today after my lazy day yesterday. I squeezed in an hour's walk in the afternoon, and managed not to get caught in the rain. It looked likely but never came to anything. Ironically, as I type this the sun is shining and the weather looks better than it has been all day.

The funny thing about my walks is I definitely walk fast. I always have but obviously getting regular exercise and walking more, I'm doing it even fast now. This actually causes problems when going for a walk because while the distance may remain the same, the duration most certainly doesn't. It means I have to weave in and out of places just to try to make it a bit longer and interesting. Well, it's so much more fun than walking in a straight line, right?!

Tonight's main meal was a shoulder of pork. Don't ask me if it was the left or right one, all I know is it didn't have a chip on it. Just steamed vegetables and gravy, actually. It felt like a big meal, like I guess most Sunday dinners really are, in the traditional family sense. It was good, and I remembered to cut off the excess fat as I munched my way through it. Tastes bloody horrible anyway - I had a wee bit, that I couldn't get off.

The World Cup Final is finally here. Holland versus Spain. Such an event should be enjoyed with some cold beers, crisps and other treats, right? Wrong! Well, no, not wrong just not here. There is a bottle of wine chilling in the fridge but I'm not sure if I'm going to open it or not. This wasn't really planned, I think had I thought about it I would have got some beers in but I didn't, so oh well, the wine may be opened after all! For the record, it's not Spanish or Dutch wine!!

"Diets are for Mondays"

No matter how long I've been doing this healthier lifestyle, when it comes to my diet (in the truest meaning of the word), I always seem to falter. I don't mean that I gorge on sweets, have a fry-up or stuff cake into my mouth until my jeans stud fires off like a bullet in an old western saloon!

Thinking about it, which I probably shouldn't really, it could all be linked to "wine night" on a Friday. It is that basic requirement to feel better after the night before as quickly as possible. Comfort foods or sugary drinks usually work for most as hangover cures. Not that I had a hangover, I cleverly sleep through any such things, if I do get them, I do not know.

Today I've had a cheese sandwich that admittedly was on brown bread but even so, and my main meal tonight was a full blown chicken curry with naan bread. I don't do calorie counting, because I am not on a "diet' (in the commercial meaning of the word), but I perish to think how much that lot would count up to. Add to that the rather rubbish weather, which slots so nicely into my lazy Saturday vibe, I won't be burning off these calories anytime today or night. (No, that wasn't an offer ladies!! Well actually...!)

Sunday I will have to get my butt into gear - let's just hope it isn't reverse!!


(Thanks to Sarah on my Facebook for the blog title.)

Livin' It Up!

Friday comes with the potential of alcohol by the end of it. I wouldn't say it is a weekly habit, actually, I would say it is a weekly habit - I just like to pretend that some weeks I make the choice not to drink. Can't remember when the last time that happened though. Hmm!

It would be a cheap bottle of wine, and it was. Thanks to Tesco. Not their newly announced £1.11 bottles of wine though... mmm, don't wish to be a wine snob, or maybe I do, but I bet that tastes like firewater!! I managed to get myself a bottle of White Zinfandel for under £4. Good deal. I've had it many times before, so at least I know it won't be money down the sink.

Continuing with my "livin' it up" ironic lifestyle, my main meal was a packet of Pasta'n'Sauce. Yes, cheap wine and packet pasta, I am half expecting to be waking up tomorrow with a traffic cone and some blurred memories of "pub golf" and whatever else it is that students do.

At least I get a curry tomorrow... and there is another bottle of wine in the fridge too - or should I keep that for next Friday?

That's It!

This will be quite a short blog entry. Not just because I didn't do much today but also because I am having one of those "can't be arsed" days. This was brought on not by anything to do with The Real Slim Shandy stuff, but other things. I guess it just proves I am human after all... for those still wondering.

I did get out for a walk though, so it wasn't a total loss. I also didn't stuff my face with junk food to make myself feel better - even though that would have been a quick "pick me up".

View from Inverness Castle

Weigh-In Wednesday

Current Weight

10st 3lb

(Week #15 - Weekly Loss 1lb / Total Loss 1st 12lb)

I think for once I am going to focus on the negative, just for a moment. Please allow me to indulge - literally, for this weigh-in comes on the back of eating a takeaway pizza, several "full fat" Irn-Brus, even more cans of lager and a tube of Pringles - oh and then there was my lazy Saturday! It begs the question, what would my weight be if I hadn't had all that in the past seven days?! Returning to the positive, I ate all that and still got a tick in the loss column!

Losing one whole pound is so much more satisfying than half of one, like last week. I remember when I started this I had no clue as to how much weight loss per week was good or bad. Most people assured me that anywhere between one and two pound is a healthy amount to lose. It makes sense. I've never quite understood those who starve themselves to shoot down to their target weight, then wonder why they shoot back up again straight after. Mind you, these are usually people who are on a "diet" and without sounding too preachy, that is not what this is. What I am attempting to do is a life changer, not some fad of a diet. I think I would have got bored a long time if I was on one of those "only eat green things" or "foods that begin with 'C' only" nonsense!

The World Cup ends on Sunday (cue: cheers, boos and vuvuzelas), which means once more it should be easier to get some exercise into my day. Normality will have resumed. Well, as normal as one gets! Looking forward to that. Almost as much as I'm looking forward to my curry on Saturday night... oh yeah, it's almost been two weeks since I last had any. Not that I'm counting the days - or the calories, come to think of it.

Abreast of the Situation

The day before a weekly weigh-in rarely needs motivation. If anything, Tuesdays can be full of frustration if the weather isn't behaving itself. I like to get out for a decent walk, a jog or in the case of today, back on the bike. I don't cycle a lot, I prefer to walk but I also think it is a good move to mix up the exercise routine, not just to confuse my body but it also keep it interesting for myself. Mainly it is to confuse my body though!

I went right back to the start of The Real Slim Shandy tonight with my main meal. Whole wheat pasta with a herb mix, and grilled chicken breast. I think I got my portion of pasta spot on finally. That had more to do with all that was left in the bag, instead of me being clever enough to work it out. The chicken breast was a little on the small side, but that is the chicken breast law when buying packs of it. There must be one boob bigger than the other. I'm told it's perfectly natural and very common. I have limited personal experience of such things. Honest.

So tomorrow is Weigh-In Wednesday. I'm not sure how I feel going into this one. There is a lingering doubt that at some point I will gain for the first time. It really is inevitable in my mind. I have certainly noted the slowing down of the loss, but that was always on the cards. Many people told me that would happen. I also know the "last bit" is the hardest to get off and keep off. My weakness is still the weekends, that is when I go "off the rails". How much so? I'll find out tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone clicking the 'Reactions' at the bottom of my blogs. Still loving your comments though, so please keep those coming too. I don't ask for much, do I?!

A Picture Is Worth...

Left - Taken 20th January 2010 / Right - Taken 5th July 2010

Well, Blow Me!

I woke up today with the sound of raindrops spanking my bedroom window. Before the curtains were opened I instantly regretted not going for a walk yesterday. This would have been the ideal day to be lazy, not Saturday. Still, I had made a promise to myself that I'd go for a walk today no matter what. So I opened the curtains, only to be met with the visual of my house going through a carwash! The rain, the wind, the works were all in full force. Maybe I'd wait for that walk.

The weather somewhat improved as I was munching on my breakfast. Good enough to get out for a walk straight after it in fact. As I finished up and getting ready to go out, cycle number two on the carwash struck. My heart sank and I started to debate how I could get round this problem. Could I exercise in the house somewhere? What would I do?! Maybe I could brave the elements or put it off until tomorrow? No, no, I was going for a walk... sometime today.

My family cooked the main meal for Sunday, duck with vegetables. I know duck isn't exactly the healthiest of meats but whenever I'm getting my eating gear wrapped around something like that I also think of the much, much worse things I could be eating - like I used to do four months ago. It is still good food, and remember I am NOT on a diet, I am just choosing to live healthier, lose some weight and get more exercise. This was not a problem.

The weather started to improve a little but the sky always looked like it could turn anytime. I gambled and headed out for a walk. I covered a lot of ground in an hour. I was very aware of my lazy day yesterday and to some extent I wanted to make up for it today. It was windy, very windy, very very windy. There was hardly anyone about, even though it was around 6 o'clock in the evening. It was some wild weather but wasn't harsh. Fortunately the odd threat of rain didn't come to much and I got home dry, if a tad windswept.

Obviously I still need to lose more weight, the wind didn't blow me over!!

Too Chicken For Turkey

Yesterday I bought a turkey fillet. I've never had a turkey fillet in my life. Well I don't think I have. No matter what, I'll certainly remember I have had one now. Wow! Seriously, this thing was massive. I really should have taken a picture of it! Honestly, I could have assaulted someone with it, then ate the evidence! It was crazy big. I didn't realise it was so until it was sitting on my place with some long grain rice. It was a good meal but I had to waive the white flag of surrender in the end, I just couldn't finish it.

It certainly was my main meal today. Probably could have done as tomorrow's main meal too if I had ate it all! Earlier I had a cheese sandwich and finished off the crisps from the night before. So luckily for me I hadn't had much to eat before attempting the turkey quest! I can only imagine how big that turkey was when he was gobble-gobbling all over the place!!

Saturday was a bit of a lazy day, failing to get out for a walk or any exercise. It wasn't so much anything to do with the weather, I just didn't fancy it. I know that shouldn't matter. Those are the days that separate the men from the boys and all that. I didn't feel good about it, but I also didn't beat myself up too much over it either. I think I'm allowed the odd day of rest, as long as it doesn't become a regular occurrence. Tomorrow I'll make sure I get out and about. Probably a walk. Anything else might be more detrimental than good right now!

A Sporting Chance

Friday night is usually wine night, if I decide I'm having a drink. It is not the case every week. Sometimes financial restraints dictate otherwise or frankly I'm just not in the mood. Tonight was slightly different, it was lager instead of wine. I'm sure wine is "better" for me, but recently I've had some dodgy bottles so it was nice to have a change. The big problem with drinking any alcohol is it usually gives you the munchies, either during or after. That can cause problems when trying to live healthy. It's not helped by judgement being somewhat blurred!

Earlier in the day, it was a bit of a race against time. The World Cup had thrown up Netherlands versus Brazil and there was the small matter of Scotland's Andy Murray in the semi-final of Wimbledon against Rafael Nadal. I also needed to hit the shops for food. I managed to dart into town and grab the essentials but it was a close call before making it home, missing the first five minutes of the football. The tennis would be starting as the second half of the football did. A dilemma that was quickly fixed thanks to the wonderful worldwide web...

Problem Solved!

...the Netherlands beat Brazil 2-1 and sadly Andy Murray lost to Rafael Nadal. I didn't really mind who won the football, but wanted Murray to win the tennis. Oh well. After an afternoon of watching sport, and my main meal which included brown rice... yes, brown rice - I've not mention this stuff yet but I think there is a future blog going to be about brown rice. All I'll say now is it takes at least twice as long to cook as normal rice and taste half as nice!! Anyway, after that I popped out to the supermarket to finish off my shopping from earlier. Grabbing a few bargains along the way.

The night ended with a few beers and some crisps. Not exactly a winning formula for The Real Slim Shandy but then I wasn't the only one to lose today. Sadly.

Room 101

If this was 1984, the novel by George Orwell not the year you uncultured slob, then I think I'd like my own Room 101. This is the place where bad things go... and when I say bad, I mean evil, evil things!!! Things like wasps, seagulls and Simply Red. Right now, I'd also throw in the warm, nae, the hot temperatures we are suffering here in the Highlands of Scotland. I'm pretty sure not everyone would agree with me on that one but it does make any physical exercise a sweat-fest, and that includes any serious amount of walking.

I realise the hypocrisy of all this is that if you searched back over these blogs you would find me complaining about how it was too wet or too snowy to get out for a walk. Are we every truly happy with the weather?! Am I?! The really weird thing with hot weather is sometimes it seems to zap your hunger to a point where you don't fancy eating anything. It's not about being too lazy to cook, it's about having no appetite to munch on. I'm guessing this is because we tend to do less when it's hot, so our body doesn't need as much energy to keep going. I dunno, I'm not qualified - but it seems like a good guess to me!

Yesterday was the 100th Day of The Real Slim Shandy. I celebrated it with a cheese pizza from my favourite place, Bici's (or now BCs) in Inverness. Seriously the best pizza place I know! Yes, yes, it isn't exactly the healthy option but I think I earned the treat. I had some Coke Zero to wash it down with - after I burnt my gob on the hot cheese! Over 24 hours later, I'm still not sure if I like Coke Zero. At least it's not another thing to crave. I don't crave much to be honest, but pizza may be one of them after last night. It was truly spot-on! I enjoyed every inch... *sniggers*

Oh and in other matters, you may notice I've added "Reactions" to my blog entries here and on the newly relaunched Life With Me blog. You can now simply click 'Like' or 'Dislike' after reading the blog - you'll find it at the bottom of each blog entry. I still would like your comments, but I understand not everyone wants to comment or has anything to say, but this way I know roughly how many people are reading these entries and if they like them or not! Go on, try it today!!!