Operation Butterfly

Recently at Slimming World Kate our consultant asked us to take 5 minutes and think about where we wanted to be by the end of the summer holidays (see told you I listen Kate !!)

Little did she realise it reminded me of something I'd always wished for and hoped for way back when I was in school.

I have always struggled with my weight, and every summer holidays, I dreamt about coming back after the 6 weeks holiday looking fab and gorgeous, like a butterly emerging from a cocoon, but then time went on, and the weeks past, start of new term and I was still in the same position.

Something has been stirred again, and this year as the summer holidays are fast approaching Operation Butterfly has been born.

I have my food plan in place, I have my exercise plan in place, and even have 5 free exercise classes & gym sessions at Fitness First to fit in.

Goals are:

lose 1 stone,

get my 10% award

gold fitness award

7 weeks from now - the butterfly will finally emerge :)

Because you're Amazing !!!

I have been going great guns over the past year with my weight loss, I have been tracking my calories on my fitness pal and if I do say so myself have been doing brilliantly and have lost 4.5 stone but now am finding myself struggling to lose any more (I have about another 3 to lose )

The thing with calories is that they are in everything, and everything you pick up has the calorific value on the side so that they are easily checked and recorded, the issue I have found with that is, you are allocated a certain amount of calories per day, and it doesnt matter if you eat X amount of calories in fruit and veg or solid chocolate as long as you record the calories, it is up to you to make the right decisions on what is best way to use your calories to maximum results and if you havent been 'taught' the right choices then you arent going to get the correct nutritional needs, especially with the training side coming in.

So I've found myself floundering a bit and feel like im going to need the support of a group or run the risk of going off the rails. I looked at all of the usual suspects and found Slimming World to be the best to fit in with 'real life', it teaches all of the fundemental food rules (which are the standard, fresh fruit and veg and lean protein).

The beauty of this is that Slimming World have the 3 plans to choose from and can be adapted depending on your daily needs and requirements.

The Green Plan - higher level of carbohydrates, limited protein

The Original Plan - Higher level of protein, limited carbohydrates

The Extra Easy - Mixture of both protein and Carbs

For the majority of the time I stick to the Extra Easy and find that this fits in REALLY easy with family life and I dont eat anything different to the rest of the family (to look at anyway- I have quorn sausages instead of 'normal' ones) - I have 3 children - 2 of which are girls and I have a real problem with them having any future body issues and dont want them going through what I have been going through, I really dont want them to see mummy eating something different to the rest of the family.

But its great in that as time goes on and I get closer to the marathon and up my long runs Im going to have to 'up' the amount of protein for muscle repair, which is where the Original plan comes in and closer still when I'm carbo loading is where the Green plan comes in, so in theory I can get to the marathon, still losing weight, and sticking to the plan.

It also helps that the group I've found is great with a really friendly consultant - Kate - who is always at the end of a text to talk you down from a (Non Quorn) sausage butty ! - Im really lucky to have found the group and each week come home really fired up full of hints and tips

Looking forward to sharing this journey with you as well as my training schedule - all part of the big picture, weight loss and training all ready to come together - yipeeeee cant wait so excited x