New Aspirations...

It's been six weeks since I last posted anything really - as life has taken over! But today I wanted to share what I have been up to with Slimming World. It has been ups and downs - I had my lovely big loss following my SP week and then gained and then lost and then maintained... can you see a pattern! I can't lie, I am gutted with how the past few weeks have been, especially as I am still chasing my first stone award, with so many more to go! But I probably haven't been 100%, I haven't had my head in the right place but I haven't binged on high calorie food either, which has shown in the yo-yoing, I am sure it would have been a lot worse had I not been 80% on plan!  Then in the last week or so, my motivation returned. In recent weeks I discovered some lovely SW Instagrammers who have been really inspirational (links below) and then with Lent I decided that for 40 days, I would give up both bread and coffee. My decision was made by the fact that these were two ...

Whoop! Having had a gain of a 1 1/2 lb over Christmas last week I got back on track following Slimming World's Extra East SP plan... A temporary plan introduced this month as a way of restarting your weight loss following a gain/stagnation or if you have an event coming up like a wedding to attend and want a significant loss... It has been trialed previous to launch by the Slimming World consultants, with my Consultant stating that some had lost as much a 8lb in a week... BUT it isn't for everyone! IF you are pregnant, have a health condition like diabetes, or are young then it isn't recommended as the difference between normal Extra Easy and Extra Easy SP is that you have NO PASTA, NO RICE, NO POTATOES, & NO 'FREE FOODS' like Muller yoghurt - BUT you are allowed all 'FREE FOODS' listed with a S (Speed food) and a P (Protein)... Having previously done the Dukan, I thought to myself you know what I can do this, no problem! But boy was it a struggle.....

It's been a few months - life's been hectic travelling to the wilds of East London (or South Essex depending on who you talk to) for work and to be  honest I haven't had the energy or inclination to write.  But it hasn't been all doom, gloom  and traffic jams! As for the last two months, my work life has (temporarily) had  a pattern to it as my secondment slowly came to an  end (this will soon change - life will be busy again but that is how I like it!).  So I seized the moment and joined Slimming World properly.  As those have read my previous post will know, since my initial success and then  plateau on the Dukan, three years ago(!), I have struggled to find the focus and  found that the Dukan whilst good was not a long term fit - whilst I still only  eat low fat dairy and proteins but I love carbs and am a picker! So I put back on the weight I had originally lost (but not anything extra - I'm  learning it's about t...

As previously mentioned I have been joining in with the #NYNYStyleProject over on Instagram/Twitter on and off since it started and this month they added a weekly style prompt of Manicure Monday's.  I have been following this prompt to a point - I have been painting my toes as I can't wear opaque nail polish at work, in fact I when working clinical shifts I avoid it, which is a shame as I love Gelish and swear that it the Gelish manicure I had back in the summer really helped improve the condition of my nails.  My nails/cuticles/hands have become quite dry over the last few years - where once my nails grew quickly and the skin on my hands was soft and plump, because my job involves a lot of handwashing - it has effectively ruined my hands.  Infection control in my clinical role is key - but did you know that good handwashing technique is just one way to prevent germs from harbouring on your hands - the other thing you must do is look after your skin and nai...

As some of you may know or may have guessed from the page address I have a artistic side and love working in different mediums - I find painting a cathartic release and there are times like this week where I itch to pick up a paint brush and wile away the hours!  I don't claim to be anywhere near as talented as my dear friend Georgina over at GeoLith - a trained artist who is fabulously talented and worth a visit or Clare - an amazing tattoo artist!  But if do have my own talents, which can be seen (and purchased) at my FB page LaharaArt or my etsy store.  Of late my work has been child orientated, as I have been commissioned for bedroom art and baby shower gifts.  However, my more grown up work leans towards a underwater/sea theme and I am really in love with Georgia O'Keeffe and would love to go on an artistic retreat in New Mexico to see the landscape and sights from which she drew her inspiration. I have stood in front of ...

The last few weeks have flown by and whilst I haven't had time to take pics and write about it I have been following #FashionFridayPlusSize and I have also been very excited for September's #NYNYStyleProject prompts over on Instagram.  Both have really made me look at what I am wearing and on non-clinical days have encouraged me make an effort at work as well as on my days off at home... I think I am beginning to find my style again! I just now need to feel physically comfortable in my clothing and aim for the lower end of the double dress sizes - but that's a blog for another day...  Here is my chosen outfit of the week, which encompassed the style prompt of Black Boots...  1. Black longline cardigan - Next  2. Black and White flecked skater dress - Primark 3. Black leggings (hidden out of picture) - New Look 4. Black wedge heel ankle boots - New Look (which later got replaced by black ballet pumps as I wasn't comfortable driving in them)  Finished off with my ...

For those who don't know, I was diagnosed with ME/CFS eight years ago.  I would describe my level of ME as low to medium, I keep it at bay by pushing myself and trying take things slowly but not stopping completely and taking pain relief when needed (it use to be everyday but I can't deal with the additional irritability and grogginess!) The job I do is definitely not ideal, it involves long shifts/night shifts, but it is a field which I am passionate about and which gives me the drive to move on and make the most of my own life, as I witness overcoming their fears and ailments.  Granted, there are tough times like this week where because of work stresses and financial worries, on top of the physical side of work/life, I can feel a crash coming on but after living with this for so long I am able to recognise my own triggers and put into place contingency plans to hopefully put on the breaks - usually by booking a week off every couple of months to give me a ch...