Tribal Nail Art (attempt)

Hey All,

I decided to try a tribal type design on my nails, I can't get enough of the bright colours at the moment and this gave me the chance to try more than one at a time (score for me)

Not much I can say about these, I tried, it was messy, the base coat was a little too dark once two coats were applied, but I tried and the pink and yellow did brighten them up a little, it just wasn't what I had hoped to do

These were only ok to be fair, buy I think its all trial and error and personal taste when it comes to nails and colours. These grew on me I must say, but I'll defo use a lighter nude as a base coat the next time

WHAT I USED

• Leighton Denny - Supermodel
• Catrice 700 Birdy Reloaded,
• Models Own Bubblegum
• Essence studio nails - Better than gel nails top sealer 

WEEK 20 WEIGH IN 2013

Hey Guys,
Aren't the weeks flying at the moment!! I had a MEH kind of week. i just wasn't feeling it. I was doing what I always do but I felt the week was long, I was tired, I felt heavy from muscle ache, I was feeling sorry for myself because I was tired and have carpet burns on my elbow (They're small, but hurt!!)
So I wasn't feeling optimistic as I hit the scales this week to be honest! I was just going through the motions.
I was down 1 pound on the scales, no movement on my fat or muscle this week. 
But I'll take it, I thought I'd be the same, so being down at all is a bonus.


FOOD
My food this week was ok! I had my cheat day on Saturday, I had a cream slice cake and Chinese for my dinner as my treats. I didn't have ice cream with the family after dinner on Sunday! Mon - Fri, I will admit  I was hungry a few days, I was craving sugar! On Tuesday evening I had a French Fancy with my cup of tea! 
on Wednesday night I was again hungry, so I had a cheese triangle (laughing cow light) I don't want to go back to the habit of eating at night or eating junk! Again on Thursday night around the same time, by belly started rumbling, so I went to bed!!  Not sure why I was extra hungry this week! I think I just wanted extras after the exercise and when the muscle ache kicked in I wanted to behave like a spoilt brat and just eat CUZ  I WANT TOO. I'm glad I didn't give it to all the cravings and voices in my head because if I had, I would have done some serious damage and not felt the better for it!! 


EXERCISE
The weather has been good this week, so lunch time walks made a come back. I even power walked my mile in the fastest time yet, 15 mins 55 seconds... So I was happy to get my walk time done a little bit faster :) This week I done 2 classes in the gym. Spinning on Monday night. Spin & Kettllebells on Weds night and Spin & Abs on Thursday night.  I found spinning tough this week, when I was doing the sprints, I felt my legs wobble like they were going from under me and I couldn't pedal very fast! On Weds night in spin my leg came out of my strap and gave me an awful fright! its a horrible feeling! Its rare that it happens, hense the fright I got, thankfully I didn't do any damage to myself! 
The Kettlebells part of the class was all new to me! I've avoided trying this because of my back issues! so trying it as a 25 mins class suited me, its tough swinging 8kg bells!! everything ached after 20 mins and my back was starting to come at me! So I don't think that this class will become a regular for me until I'm ready to strengthen and tone but if you are at the stage, then I'd recommend it. I'm terrified that I'm gonna pull my back and be out for 4 months like I was last year!! 
I was achey on Thursday going to Spin & Abs, but it helped to go, it eased out my legs, but my legs couldn't keep up with the sprints again! Its an odd sensation! The abs part of the class was where I picked up my trophy scabs! We were doing 500 variations of the plank and I was slipping on my mat and towel, so I was doing them on the carpet directly! So they're my own fault! But they feckin hurt!! I didn't realise how often my elbows hit my desk at work.. so on Fri at work there was a lotta muttering and cursing coming from my corner!  I was very bad, lol. 

And that folks is the story of my MEH week! Things can only get better eh :) 

If this is my 1lb loss, then I'm happy

My aims for next week

• To try harder to fight my sugar cravings
• Be more positive and stop whinging/ moaning
• Be down 3lbs before the bank holiday weekend

18lbs lost, 42lbs to go.... 

Operation Skinnie Minnie update #5

Hey, If you haven’t read my other progress reports, well here’s your chance..   Get clicking….

Operation Skinnie Minnie update #1
Operation Skinnie Minnie update #2
Operation Skinnie Minnie update #3

Operation Skinnie Minnie update #4 

 

Hey,

I know I’m very late with this months progress report, but I thought that since I posted loadsa photos last week from my Gallery of Shame that I ‘d leave the lovely Lycra shots till a later date!

But today is that day.

Since my last post things have been very good for me, I gave myself a stern talking too and committed myself to cop on 100% I think we all need a good kick up the bum at times, I defo did.

I am down 7lbs since my last update (14.04.13) which means that I am down over the stone mark and I’m now officially the lightest I've ever been in my adult life EVER.

Its been a good month for me, I've gotten over my own mental sabotage, I've set myself the realistic goal of being down 2lbs per week, (I've managed this 4 out of the last 5 weeks)

I've changed my hair, my car, got new runners, but best of all my mind-set has changed and I truly believe that I can do this.

TO THE LEFT

TO THE RIGHT

ME BACK FAT

Yes I talk the talk ALL THE TIME. But I’m the worlds worse for taking my own advise, oh I can give it out alrite, but I've been slow to believe my own hype just incase I fail!

But the way I feel at the moment, failing isn't an option, the only way is down for me at the moment. I feel very positive in all aspects of my life, I think the sunshine has a big part to play in that too J

I want to eat light and feel light and get up off my bum and go for walks when I don’t have a class booked. You never regret a work out that you've done, and even if its just a stroll rather than a power walk  it’s a lot more than what you’d be doing if you were sitting on the couch.

I know I said last month that I’d take my measurements but I totally forgot! But I have measurements from a body wrap that I had done a few months back, so I plan to use these as my before numbers and next month I promise to give the results out.

In the last week of so I've bumped into people that I haven’t seen for a while and they have been complimentary about my appearance and this has been a huge boost. I’m not advertising what I’m doing, well I tell you guys here, but a lot of my friends/ family don’t read my blog. So they wouldn't know about my careful eating, gym visits and weekly weigh in’s. So its nice to hear it from people that are unaware of my hard work and efforts. Not that I don’t appreciate every supportive word or comment that I receive. I guess I’m just happy that my loss is now starting to show in the real world, rather than just in my imagination and magic mirror, lol. I know that sounds a bit mad!

Apologies for the photos, they were taken after a Rip60 class, so I'm a bit of a sweaty Betty!! I normally try to take these before I go to my classes!!

Also, I never got around to editing these and trying to make them “pretty” but the camera doesn't lie, so your seeing the raw/real photos!

I hope your starting to see results with your weight loss and fitness attempts. I’d love to hear your stories

The 100 Most Inspirational Weight Loss Bloggers of 2013‏

I was checking the traffic to my blog this morning ,just to see where people come to my blog from, the majority were from the usual Facebook, twitter and beaut.ie but I spotted a new link and me being a nosey wagon, I had a lil click and found myself reading a post “The 100 Most Inspirational Weight Loss Bloggers of 2013”   I was absorbed in the reading and wondering how this was linking into my blog!

When I decided to start my blog it was to show off some of my attempts at nail art and to see if I could write. I read A LOT and it was in my head to start writing a few bits and pieces, so I started by buying myself a cute notebook, I thought I’d just write descriptions about my nails, and possibly write a few book reviews, I had kept a daily diary from the age of 12 – 20, and I had enjoyed the therapy of writing everything down so I wouldn't forget anything.

It turned out that I was awful at writing book reviews and I never posted any of the attempted film reviews! They were just too bad.

So I thought of the following quote and that is “stick to what you know”  I’ve been battling with my weight all my life and I’ve had so many failed weight loss attempts/plans.

So I decided that I would see if I could possibly write and rant about the woes and wonder of weight loss, and it seems to work and flow. People seem to understand where I’m coming from and can relate and for once in my life I feel like I’m not alone on my journey.

I once sat down to write a post on a topic that I thought I could talk a good bit about, when it came to the editing, I had gone off on so many different tangents about the same thing (kinda) that I had 3 posts ready to go out of that one. Its great when that happens, but rare for me.

I know I’m new enough to the blogging community, but I have been reading other blogs for a long time and think, I can relate to her, “she’s funny”, or I wish I could write like that and get my point across.  So it turns out that weight loss, weight gain, exercise fails, gluttony, emotional  and binge eating is what I know. Its all I’ve ever known really.

Its such a great release to be able to express myself through the medium of this blog and know that there are others out there that feel the same and are battling the same demons as myself. I know that these demons will be with me forever, but I also know that I’ve know figured out how to deal with them in a healthy way rather than trying to silence them with food and making my problem even worse. I need to be Positive Pippa all the time and get rid of Moaning Myrtle as much as I can, cuz we all have our good and bad days.. But eventually the good days should outweigh the bad days and that’s how you know your winning.

Ok I’ve totally gone off on a little tangent there now again! I’m sorry. I do have a point.

I found this blog today, I was working my way down the list, clicking into links and getting lost in other peoples stories and looking on enviously at some of the amazing before and after photos (seriously amazing, you should go have a look if you don’t believe me)

And I found the reason why my traffic source was linked to this page. BECAUSE I MADE THE LIST. Yip, you read that right. I’m number 41/100, I know the listings are in no particular order, but my jaw dropped when I saw that I had been listed. It has made my day to think that someone read my blog and thought it to be suitably remarkable to be included in a list like this, and the little synopses of my blog is lovely too, I‘ve pasted it below so you can see J

1.        
41. Happy Bubble Gal

happybubblegal.blogspot.com

You might say Vicki’s weight loss blog is an up-and-comer. She’s using it as a platform to launch herself into meeting her 60-pound weight loss goal, and here’s the thing: she’s doing a darn good job. Reading through her blog, it will become very clear that no matter the ups-and-downs, Vicki’s commitment to losing weight and changing her life is wholesome and candid. She shares her food choices, her exercise routines, her enthusiasm and even the occasional let-down. Her blog is perfect if you’re looking to follow along with someone from the beginning - someone who will very likely get there soon.

WEEK 19 WEIGH IN 2013

Hi Guys,

I bring good news this week, great news even, so I thought I'd share that first before I tell you about my week.
I was down 2lbs on the scales, down 5lbs in fat and up 1lb in muscle. A FANTASTIC result.


FOOD
After last weeks weigh in, I was off to Dublin to see the wonderful Beyonce. I was aware that being away I tend to make bad choices, so I went away and decided that I would make smarter decisions rather than eating whatever crossed my path. So before we went to the concert, we went for Chinese, I had Chicken Skewers and Chicken Chow Mein, both were very tasty and filling and didn't fill me with guilt or calories.
Plus I then went to the concert and danced and sang my heart out.. Beyonce was AMAZING.. 2 hours and 10 costume changes later, I was a happy bunny. It was  a great day :)
The following morning we went to a cafe for breakfast. I choose the Vegetarian brekkie rather than the full Irish, I even tried Spinach for the first time, and it was nice.. Again I was full and happy and didn't try to steal the boys sausages or pudding (trust me, that's huuuuuge, lol)
Back to work and routine on Monday and my foods stayed on track, I even managed to eat 2 pears most days. So the rest of my week food wise was good


EXERCISE
The weather wasn't great this week, so lunch time walks were off the cards! I decided to chance a Rip60 suspension class on Tuesday evening. we had to do 600 reps, so 100 lunges, 100 jump squats, 100 burpees, 100 chest presses, can't think of the others, I may have blanked them out. It was a very tough 50 minutes and I struggled throughout it, but I didn't give up, even though I wanted too. I left feeling like every inch of me had been thoroughly worked out.
I couldn't move on Wednesday, well I could move but very slowly, I went for a walk on Weds evening to try and ease my bones out, I would be walking along fine and then my knees would just wobble and I'd feel like I'm gonna hit the floor! It was a very funny feeling and I was wrecked after the short walk!!
Waking on Thursday I was feeling worse than the precious day, (isn't day 2 always the worst) The muscle ache was awful!! everything hurt, I was feeling very sorry for myself and my achey body!! I had to cancel my Spin & Abs for that evening and take a total rest day!!
Friday I was almost back to walking like a normal person, but my legs were still achey and starting to feel like two lead blocks attached to me!! I was DREADING going to spinning class that night, but I made myself go and it really helped my legs, the standing up sprints were tough and I thought that my legs would go from under me, but thank gawd my legs were strapped in, the instructor done a brilliant cool down and stretch session at the end of the spinning class and it really helped me


So there you have it, I had a tough week body ache wise, but my food was more or less on the ball and I got a better loss than I had expected, so I'm happy.

Oh on the way home from Dublin we stopped off in Kildare Village for a little retail therapy and I treated myself to new runners, aren't they lovely and pink? I had to show you all. They were a bargain too :) Should have been €85, I paid €33.50.. I love them and I also loved the price (heehee)

My aims for next week

• To keep going as I have been, be more aware of what I'm eating and WHY.
• Eat my pears and yogurts everyday (this is a tough one for me)
• Be down 2lbs

17lbs lost, 43lbs to go.... 

WEEK 18 WEIGH IN 2013

Hey All,

I hope this post finds you all well. I want to start by thanking all of you that have read my post from last week with all the photos of me over the last few years. (my most read post to date, eeek)

The comments in the post itself and the support through Twitter has blown me away. So thank you to all you lovely ladies and guys. Its nice to know that I’m not alone, when it is a very personal journey that we’re all on. Weight loss and gain has become a part of me and my life but an embarrassing part! And I’ve chosen to go public to keep me on track and it’s the support of all of you that keeps me going at the moment. If I didn’t have to report back every week, I feel like I would have fallen off the wagon a lot more and be sitting in a ditch in my own gluttony right now kicking myself that I have to start over AGAIN!

But I don’t, thankfully and today I have good news to report, well kinda. I hit the scales on Saturday morning and I was down 2lbs. This was the 2lbs that I gained last week. So I’m back on track.

I must admit that I had been hoping for a 3lb lost just so I could say that I got rid of the gain AND lost an extra pound.

BUT 2 lbs is good ESPECIALLY when I had a 3 day loooong weekend and a busy week!  At the weekend I ate out (choose the wrong food, pasta carbonara, yummy but bold) and I think that I spent a lot of time over the next few days burning that off! So I caught myself out with that!

EXERCISE

I went to a spinning class on the bank holiday Monday, which was fab after doing nothing all weekend! But I over done it and pulled my back! So I had to take it easy on Tuesday. Wednesday I managed a walk without pain! I decided to chance a spin and abs class on Thursday, I was fine and a full hours spin on Friday evening, this was grand too, well tough, but no back ache or pain afterwardsJ  

So I think it’s the 3 spinning classes that saved me this week and got me back on track

FOOD

Admittedly I could have been better with my food over the last week. The long weekend in my head means eating out and treats and ice cream!  I was trying to be careful and I ate out on Saturday night, which we  know I picked the baddest thing on the menu! On Sunday, I had a lovely roast dinner in the afternoon, I was going to see Comedian Billy Connelly that evening and to meet friends for drinks. I never ate before heading out, so I was hungry and temptation was around me. I had a bottle of coke and a packet of Rolo’s at the gig and afterwards a few drinks and a pizza slice!!

These things happen I know and it makes me normal and I shouldn’t beat myself up about them! But sometimes it seems like the harder I try to “be good” the bolder I am!

So I was glad on Monday that I had a spin that evening, I did have a bacon toastie for my breakfast, not too bold but yummy and I had a super delicious butter icing cupcake that day too!

4 good days followed the gluttony of my 3 day weekend! But sometimes the good days take longer to undo the damage of the bad days! My weekends should come with a warning label or I should have my jaw wired shut on Sat & Sun!

Thankfully my bad weekend didn’t catch me this week, but it has thought me that I won’t get away with eating like that all the time. Even when I reach my target, I’ll have to be carful and find a balance that works for me. It’s something that I know that I’ll battle with forever. But once I stay in control and positive I’ll win

Here’s to a good week ahead. I’m aiming for a 3lb loss this week.

I hope you had a good result with your weigh in xx

15lbs lost, 45lbs to go.... 

Photo Diary of ME the Yoyo Dieter

I promised you this photo diary of my journey so far last year in November (Where did the time go) Read it here if you like.

2006 - It was at the end of  this year that my mother joined Motivation weight loss clinic with me because she could see that I was struggling and that I needed help. I did loose a stone and felt great. It was a real confidence. 

2007 - My best friend asked me to be bridesmaid for her wedding, I was thrilled. The 3 of us (my other best friend and the bride) all joined weight watchers  it was a weekly outing for us and we were also walking when we weren't counting our points. 

Around the same time I booked a 12 month working holiday to Australia and had visions of myself going off to Oz being slim and gorgeous! 
But sadly once we got our dresses and they fitted, I fell back into my old eating habits. 
The wedding day came around and the dress fitted.. only just! Its terrible to look at your best friends gorgeous wedding album and only see yourself in a negative way! 

Off I went to Thailand and OZ and diets and eating well were the last thing on my mind. It didn't help I guess that I went with two boys and was happy and well able to eat and drink as much as they did!! (not a good thing, as I now know) but I was on my holidays!! I want to burn every single photo of me from this trip! have a look...

2008 - I came home and I’d gained all the weight I’d lost the year previous and then some!! I was settling into a new job and the weight piled on. 

However, it was a weekend away in December and THIS PHOTO that made me realize that I had a serious problem that needed to be dealt with or else rather than it being for vanity (which it is for me at the moment) it would be a health issue in later life. 

January 2009 – Salsa Slims – this was a 10 week dance class, you were weighed in week one and week ten and the biggest loser won money. They gave you a food diary and the dance class was for one hour every Monday. The rest was up to you. But I guess it brought out the competitive streak in people to win the cash. I lost nothing.

March - 2009 - My friend joined the weight loss clinic that I had been with previously and was doing really well on it. I decided that this is what I would do too.. I joined up, but because I was obese, they put me on a different program to her, which was over seen by a doctor and lasted for 20 weeks. Her program cost her €600 in total, mine was closer to €2,500! We both lost 2.5 stone, which is good. For her this was all the weight she needed to loose and she looked amazing. A new woman with a new wardrobe. I was so happy for her, but envious also.

July + 2009 - I joined weight watchers after the 20 weeks was up in an effort to keep the weight off me for my approaching holidays

But once the holidays were over, I slipped back into my old habits and the weight crept back on slowly!! (doesn't it creep up on you sometimes? Or is that the denial speaking!!) 2 stone of it!

Jan 2010 - I was feeling very low, I heard a competition on the radio to win a 12 week program in a personal training gym. I entered the competition. Got to the final 20 and was interviewed. I didn't win the placement but the gym offered me a discount on joining.

March 2010 – I joined Key to a New You. This was different is everything else I had tried. I had a food plan and diary and weekly weigh in’s but I also had to do 3 x 30 minute personal training sessions aswell as 2 spinning/ core or circuit classes a week. It was very time consuming. But the results were great. I lost over 2 stone

July 2010 - I was in a bad car accident, I had 5 fractured, so I was out of action for 10 weeks, I managed to maintain my weight for those few weeks. But I found training very difficult and slow afterwards. I left there around Nov 2010.

OCTOBER 2010

November + December 2010 I left the gym and with that went my routine! In came the cold dark evenings aswell as the tins of sweets for Christmas, and I didn't hold back.. have a look at these!

NOVEMBER 2010

January 2011 – I knew that after the Christmas break I would need a push, so Christmas week I rang and made my appointment to start with a new private weight loss clinic in January.

The Diet is easy and straight forward. The exercise is 20 minute walk daily. There are no supplements or pills. It’s a lifestyle change, but a realistic one.

I lost 1 stone in the first month of joining. It then took me 6 months to loose the next stone.

JANUARY 2011

MAY 2011

NOVEMBER 2011

Jan - April 2012 I took a break form weekly weigh in's thinking that I could loose weight by myself! But sadly I couldn't! 

April 2012 I went back to my weekly weigh in's and was back to square one weight wise. I had 3 weddings in May/June, so I had to get back to it. Lost just under a stone.

July - October 2012 - I put my back out squatting incorrectly! I was out of action for 10 weeks! But 2 physio sessions and 15 adjustments with a chiropractor has got me back to being able to power walk on the flat and I was able to enjoy my holidays pain free.

A week on hols and I'm bursting out of my clothes!! 

January 2013 I decided that I would commence with Operation Skinnie Minnie, read all about my progress here and see the photo's of me in my lycra.....

Operation Skinnie Minnie update #1 
Operation Skinnie Minnie update #2

Operation Skinnie Minnie update #3

Operation Skinnie Minnie update #4

My aim is to hit my target weight this year before my best friends wedding and also before I'm 30.

I've spent my 20's being ashamed and embarrassed of how I look and my weight has held me back in all aspects of my life.

But no more, by putting up these photos, you can see how much of a yo yo dieter I've been

I am a repeat offender but I’m also a fighter and I refuse to give up.

TODAY:

I’m 29 years old,

Height 5ft 8”

Dress size 16

WEEK 17 WEIGH IN 2013

+2lbs this week. There's no way to sugar coat it! I did everything I normally do 3 walks and 3 x spinning classes! But I was away for a night last Saturday, went out for a yummy blow out 3 course dinner and on Sunday morning had a full Irish Breakfast, which was yummy... made me feel sick as a dog and I think I spent the rest of the week trying to burn off those 2 bad choices that I made!!

On the scales I was up 1lb in muscle, 0 in fat (which is good) which leaves 1lb of being up unaccounted for!
So I'm guessing its a left over pound from me eating like a pig last weekend!

These things happen from time to time I know and being away for a night was lovely and great and long over due but me being out of a routine always throws my eating habits out the window too.

For me I see eating out as a lovely treat and instead of choosing wisely I decided to have a blow out. I was conscious of what I was doing and I cared, kinda. But not enough to stop  me from eating all the crap!!

yes I felt awful guilty, super bloated and my belly did not thank me in the days after.. Lotsa hot water and lemon and exercise did help. So I was punished for my badness!

I woke on Thursday morning with a scratchy sore throat and I could feel a head cold coming on (I'm the queen of head colds at this stage, so I can feel the signs!)  Thursday was a looooong day for me and I was hungry too! I went to my spin and abs class hoping that I could sweat the oncoming sickness out of me and get rid of the hunger pangs!! I went to bed early on Thursday night! It was the only solution I had!!

However I felt like crap on Friday, like there was a weight coming down on my head and I had a horrible headache!! If I coulda rang in sick to work, Friday would have been that day! But I didn't, I went to work and did not suffer in silence! I tried a vitamin C drink and it helped a little!
I skipped my lunchtime walk because I knew I would walk to the garage and buy the contents! I was that hungry and feeling sorry for myself!! Yip! I'm a disaster when I'm feeling a bit off! I didn't give in tho!

So I was extra gutted about my weigh in since I went to bed hungry 2 nights in a row!!

I've been advised that I need to start making my own free soup again to use in these circumstances, because I'm not meant to feel hungry like that!

So I'm just gonna put this bad weigh in behind me as a blip and plan better for next week!

I hope your enjoying the long weekend xx

13lbs lost, 47lbs to go.... 

Neon Flower Nail Art (pic heavy)

Happy Friday Everyone :)

As you saw from yesterdays post, I was wearing the new Rimmel London Salon Pro- 711 Punk Rock.
I decided that I would jazz my nails up a little to brighten them and make them more summery.
So with the help of with my trusty dotter and my new neon colours (which I'm lovin if you havent noticed) I thought that some lovely bright flowers would be the way to go.

I think the grey as a base coat was too dark for my neons, because they didn't POP in the way that I had hoped they would! Its hard to distinguish between the orange and pink also!

Over all they did jazz up my nails but I would ahve like them to be brighter..  So I will be testing and trialing my neons as flowers/spots on different colour bases in the coming weeks.

You have been warned... haha

Are you a fan of the neon trend or am i on my own for this one?