The Christmas DRESSES & Final Weigh In 2014

Happy Christmas to each and everyone of you that take the time to read my blog :) 

So the "12 weeks to Christmas Challenge"" that The Skinny Doll organised is over, can you believe it? 

It flew by I thought. To see how every one got out, check it out here 

So when I wrote my guest post for the Skinny Dolls Blog, it was about feeling confident for Christmas in a nice dress.. >>> post here<<< 

I decided that I would show you that I did go out over Christmas and I enjoyed the parties.

I tried not to be self conscious (tough to break the habit of a life time) and I didn't hide in the corner minding the handbags :)

This purple dress is from New Look and I wore this to my work Christmas party. It was nice and bright and not black for a change

Work Xmas Party

Not the best photo here, but this was the dress I wore for my mums 50th birthday party and I don't think I've ever gotten such a fab reaction being out, my family were full of compliments on how great I was looking, it was such a confidence boost I can tell you :) I could have kissed the lot of them, I took them at their word and accepted the compliments :)

Not sure where this dress is from, its been in the wardrobe at least 2 years!! 

Mums 50th Birthday

I know my nail post have been lacking this year, but it doesn't mean that I haven't been painting my nails. 

I have :) (you'll see them on instagram)  so below is a photo of my Christmas nail art attempts

Christmas nail art

Christmas nail art

My last weigh in for the year was this morning and I was up 2.5lb

My plan is to enjoy the holidays/ break.. Accept whatever the scales give mes on New Years Day and start fresh 

Weight lost to date: 8.5lbs
Onwards and Downwards, the Slimming World way :)

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#IrishbbloggersSS14 Big Reveal Day

Let me start by saying a HUGE thank you once again to Aisling from Total MakeUp Addict for organizing this fabulous Secret Santa extravaganza :) 
It was so exciting last month waiting to see who I would be shopping for and following the hastag #irishbbloggersSS14 (Irish Beauty Bloggers Secret Santa 2014) on twitter. I've found loadsa new fab blogs to follow since this has started :) 

I was so excited to come home for work and find a package waiting for me :) My lil niece and nephew were as excited as I was to open them, luckily I managed to take a pick before the 2 and 5 year old let loose :) 

My secret Santa was Michelle  from Michellealice and she sent me two gorgeous presents :)

I'm a HUGE Soap & Glory fan, so I  was delighted with this S&G set :) 

Inside was Hand Food hand cream, (my fave) Scrub & happiness dry hand smoothing scrub,

a nail file and 2 nail polishes, well one colour and a top coat. 

Very Berry nail polish is a beautiful berry/ wine/ red / burgundy colour, there was a lovely light catching shimmer and it was a two coater.. very Christmassy and it got plenty of attention :) 

Soap & Glory Very Berry

Soap & Glory Very Berry

My other present was a set of 3 very pretty make up bags, who doesn't love make up bags, my 2 year old niece was very fond of these.. but luckily I won in the end.. lol 

I want to say a huge thank you to Michelle for the lovely presents :) Love them :) 

I got Bernie from Beauty Minx Blog as my secret santa, click over to her blog to see what I sent her :) 

I can't wait to see what everyone got in their posts. Aisling has posted a list of everyone that was involved over on her blog today.. link here 

Christmas and me & Weigh In 11

I’ve always been a “Christmas Person” I own more Christmas jumpers and earrings than I’m willing to admit too.. I love getting the Boots/ Argos/ Smyth/ Littlewoods Xmas books in September and pouring over it to see what’s coming in and choosing special presents for people and for me (sure why not.)

I love driving around to see the lights people put up outside their houses, with the Christmas tunes on (obvs) Me and my friends even take photos of our Christmas tree’s as soon as they go up to show each other, before we go to visit each tree (yes, this is a thing) 

I could talk Christmas stuff all day, the toy show, the children singing, the carols, the songs, the Santy hats, the decorations on houses and in shopping center, people everywhere and I mean everywhere, wrapping paper, presents, bows, cribs, baubles, nights out, lotsa booze and lotsa over eating….

Yip, I think of all of the above when I think of Christmas but I also think of the food, the Roses/ Celebrations that will be hanging around the office, the pies, cakes & biscuits that will be on offer in every house and shop that you visit and this is all in the build up to the big day.

This is before all the boxes and tins that you’ve been buying since last Halloween make an appearance and are cracked opened, enough food to feed you for months, yet we (I) take it upon myself to have an eating competition and see how I get on (I can assure you, these never end well) but I never break the cycle, I tell myself that I enjoy it. And to a degree I do, I enjoy allowing myself a “day off” to “eat whatever I want” but I don’t enjoy the other aspect of it, the belly ache, the bloated feeling, the guilts. Because for me these come hand in hand. But once I get a taste of the sugary goodness, I’m weak and I keep going, I just don’t know when to stop! I’m making myself out to be a savage and to a certain degree that’s how I behave on these days!!

All this for ONE DAY, but the eating can go on for up to 10 days!

Then I face the scales, say all the prayers possible and hope that the crazy eating won’t show up in the numbers, but of course it does and then I feel sorry. But I wasn’t at the time. At the time I was too busy enjoying stuffing my face.

I’m always very sorry after the face, but hindsight is 20/20.. I swear to myself that it will never happen again….

My Christmas Tree

I do intend to enjoy my Christmas, but I am also going to plan to be off plan if that makes sense. I am going to keep doing what I’m doing for now until my weigh in on Christmas eve.

I then plan to loosen the reins a little bit on myself and have some treats and enjoy them.

It is Christmas after all…

This year I want to break my own cycle, I don’t want to gain a stone over 2 weeks that will take me 6 months to shift (the story of 2014 for me)

I’m hoping that being aware of my self destruction button, it will help me to make wiser choices.

Weight lost to date: 11lbs
Onwards and Downwards, the Slimming World way :)

You can find me on the following:

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"only" lost 1lb - Weigh In Week 9 + 10

Sorry I'm so late with posting this!! The Christmas madness has hit and time is just flying by!!

Two weeks ago, I was up 1 pound and was very disappointed, its a total cop out but I'm blaming my jeans for giving me a gain that night!!

Last Thursday night I was down 1 pound, another excuse for this one, (I was hoping for a bigger loss) I weighed in on a different scales!!

The last 2 weeks weigh in's have left me feeling very disappointed BUT I refuse to give in, I feel great and I feel like I've lost wight even tho the scales hasn't confirmed this in the last 2 weeks!!

Weight lost to date: 8.5lbs
Onwards and Downwards, the Slimming World way :)

You can find me on the following:

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Slimming World Overnight Oats & Weigh In Week 8

How do I make my Overnight oats is a question I'm asked almost weekly on my Instagram account. its such an easy breakfast to prepare and surprisingly filling also.

So I've finally decided to write a "How To" post on it


Ingredients:
35g Quick Oats   (Healthy Extra B)
Mullerlight Yogurt (Free)
Fruit (fresh or frozen) (Superfree)

Slimming World Overnight Oats

 1. Add scoop of Oats to glass, 1 scoop = 15g Oats,

2. Next add in yogurt to cover the oats ( I used Mullerlight Vanilla with chocolate sprinkles)

3. Add in your fruit (I use frozen raspberries)

4. Repeat step one, by adding another scoop of oats (1 scoop = 15g Oats)

5. Add in the remaining yogurt

6. Top with fruit

Slimming World Overnight Oats

7. Place in Fridge overnight

8. Remove from fridge, grab spoon & enjoy

(I have to take mine out at least 30mins before I eat because its too cold, but that's just my preference)

Slimming World Overnight Oats

This is a lovely breakfast even if your not following the Slimming World Plan.
The recipe says you can use 35g of Oats, I personally just use 30g grams, because my scoops is 15g a go and its easier.

This breakfast is surprisingly filling for the size of it, I eat with my eyes and at the start thought this was tiiiiiny.. BUT... I've been proven happily wrong :)

Have you tried Overnight Oats? Or do you plan to now?
Let me know how you get on if you do try them :)

This week, I weighed in on Thursday evening, at my own group. I was  down 2.5lbs

Weight lost to date: 8.5lbs
Onwards and Downwards, the Slimming World way :)

You can find me on the following:

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Twitter  >>> HERE <<< 

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Blog  >>> HERE <<<