Life as a target member.

My before picture (Approx weight 14st 4)

After picture (Approx weight 11st 4)

So I was sat trying to think of what to write my next post on, then it dawned on me I’ve been at target since before Christmas and I think it’s incredibly hard trying to keep the motivation to stay on plan and not going back to your old ways for good.

This past week has been mega crazy with exams and I will be honest I have been on plan about 3 days out of the 7 but on Monday I went to weigh in and I was 2.5lbs under target so I have that bit of breathing room over the exam period.

Some target members do say they can manage with only calling in to get weighed at group once a month where as being part of the social team at the group I go to keeps me on track and I think it’s lovely catching up with fellow members so you can give them all advice on their journey. I am not going to group next week due to too many exams (yes they are taking over life at the moment) but I will certainly be back in group the following week.

Life at target is brilliant, the ability to have freedom of choice, the flexibility, the feeling, the confidence, the fact that you are a role model for many people and best of all you no longer have to pay when you go to group each week.

Being at target is brilliant and I love it, I’m so glad I got to target & definitely don’t regret anything.

Let me know if you need anything, feel free to message me for any recipe ideas or hints or tips on getting to target.

Love
Tori
xx

I need to get my life in order!

Im trying to get back on plan this week properly this just isn’t happening. Teachers at sixth form have a habit coming up to exams and during exam season to load you with sweets and cake for “motivation” or “brain food” as they call it. Basically just a little bribe to get you to do that mock test and sit in silence for an hour or to get you to do that bit extra revision.

I don’t know if there are any other students that read this but I don’t know about you guys, I’m really struggling to get motivated at home. Before I leave sixth form I have brilliant plans to go home and sit and do like an hours psychology revision then maybe a break and then a maths paper or something along those lines. It just however isn’t happening. I can’t motivate myself.
 
I keep thinking back to how I motivated myself to stay on plan at the very start but for me it all just seemed to click into place. I never needed much motivation other than that image of me when I got to target and I look now how I imagined I wanted to look so I’ve lost my motivation. (Sorry if this blog post sounds a bit like I’m just blabbing on but it’s my way of doing things)

Yes I want to go to university to study Food & Consumerism but I just cannot motivate myself to do any extra work to get the grades I need and yes Im getting stressed out over the fact. I have had an offer from my top choice university and it seems too good to be true as they only want low grades but I know full well I can do a lot better than that. It just seems like when I finally get round to doing stuff in the day there is hardly any time left in the day or Im practically dead on my feet that I don’t bother anyways.

Wow its one stressful time of year. Im sat writing this thinking well I could have just done half an hours psychology revision but then it’s the whole angel and the devil battle once again saying oh well you have free periods in the morning so you don’t need to do any now but then the angel saying but its you’re A Levels you need to do some work. Urgh so stressful. I cant wait till all my exams are finished and then at university at least I will only have one subject to concentrate on.

Im also finding it hard to sleep on a night which isn’t helping. Last night I woke up really hot and scared. As far as I can recall I had a nightmare but I cant remember what that nightmare was about which is really quite annoying as I cant convince myself everything will be okay.

I cant wait till February when all these exams (at least for now) will be over with and I can re gain my work life balance and I can get back on track. For now though Im sticking with my target weight at Slimming World and just seeing how things go then once exams are finished I will think about adjusting it and lowering it slightly.

Any tips on getting through this period would be great fully received. Thank you & Good luck to everyone else with exams J

xx

Stress, Stress and more stress

So exam season is upon me with my first exam starting on 13^th January and going until the end of the month its not going to be easy with all of the slimming world plans and trying to juggle a work life balance. So as requested I am writing a blog on my top tips during stressful times whether you are a busy working mum, a fellow student like myself or just in general lead a busy life like many of us.
So here goes…

Number 1.
Plan plan plan. If you fail to prepare you are preparing to fail. Yes its one that teachers have said and nailed into me but im actually admitting that it is true. Especially during your slimming world or dieting journey that you may be following its always important to be planning whether it be making sure you know what meals you are having during the week or writing that shopping list and sticking to it. I always plan and it keeps you organised.

Number 2.
Allow yourself some flexibility. Even when it hits exam season and the stress is upon us you still have to enjoy life and take a break from time to time. Or on your slimming journey make sure you don’t see events as a mountain and allow yourself to be flexible and have that drink. The same applies to treating yourself when going through a pile of revision and needing something such as a treat. Allow yourself to have a couple of chocolates that got left over from xmas or a sweet treat. At the end of the day you deserve it you can still manage it and lose weight but just don’t overdo it!

Number 3.
Get organised. Whether it be covering your wall with revision posters if like me you have tons of exams and making yourself read them every night or putting plans in place to cover any circumstances such as having plenty of good snacks in your bag if you get caught out in town hungry and to keep temptation at bay.

Number 4.
Visualise. Whether it be visualising yourself in that fancy dress at the end of your journey or visualising yourself in your dream career. You know that all the hard work is going to be worth it. Those exam results will be amazing if you work hard and you will get to target. And you will reap the benefits. Just allow five minutes a day to sit down and let your mind rest and visualise.

Number 5.
Believe in yourself. You know you are able to do those exams and get the best grades or get to goal and love life being slimmer you just need some self-belief. You know you can. There is no such thing as cant as everything is possible!

Number 6.
Self confidence. Yes its hard walking up to those scales every week and dreading the fact that they are going to say you have gained or walking out of that exam hall and thinking you just failed your exams and beating yourself up about it until you get your results only to find that you have done the exact opposite. Stand tall, look pleased with yourself because you are and you are one confident person. And you can succeed and will succeed.

Number 7.

Take a break. Stress all too much?! Just chill. Being a busy mum or a student or whoever you may be just take 30 minutes out just to sit and let the world go by. Whether its 30minutes at lunch time in the park sat on the bench or 30 minutes in the bath having a soak with the door locked away from the kids and the hustle and bustle of everyday life it’s up to you how you take your break just make sure you do.

Number 8.
Check, check and check again. Whether it be the syns or calories in a product or the date of those all important exams, check everything twice if not three times and make sure you know exactly when or what it is. That way you wont miss that exam or jeopardise any weight loss. It doesn’t take 2 minutes just to take another quick look at something so make sure you do.

Number 9.
Celebrate your success. It has to be one of my favourites which many people don’t often do. Whether it be treating yourself to a glass of wine when you have got to a certain milestone in your weight loss or going out on a student night to celebrate your exam results, or maybe treating yourself to that gorgeous little black dress that you have had your eye on for weeks.

And finally number 10.
Enjoy life! The one everyone has to do. Its obvious, to love life you have to enjoy life. Yes it probably doesn’t sound possible right now with all the exams and chaos going on and life being life and throwing everything in your way but at the end of the day you have to enjoy life & love life.

I hope this helps with those who needed to know that people are all in the same boat and there are ways around it and we will all get through it together. Let me know if you have any different ones or ones you particularly like. Good luck to everyone sitting exams.

xx

New Years Resolutions

If you are anything like me you will make New Year’s resolutions then never stick to them at all. In fact by the end of the month you will have most likely given up on them and decided that you have had enough and can’t be bothered with that resolution no more.

Let 2012 be a different year and let’s all make a resolution and stick to it. My personal one is to still be at target by the time I next write a post like this in 2013. Wow it seems a long way off. But it’s true I don’t want to let going to university or going on holiday make me go back to square one. I want to stay in control and I want to stay healthy.

A lot of you will be after a resolution such as lose so much weight or to get fit and healthy for a specific date such as a wedding or a big birthday. It is possible; I’ve managed to do it this year so anyone can do it. If you have done it countless numbers of times and can’t possibly think of how to go about doing it don’t go it alone get down to your nearest slimming world group and join and enjoy the plan and enjoy life at the same time. I didn’t think it was possible till I did.

2011 hasn’t exactly been a brilliant year and there weren’t many fabulously great high moments but one of the best things I did do was to face it and go to my local group and I love it.

I always like to look back on life by taking plenty of pictures and comparing myself to last year and the New Year’s eve party I went to last year the difference is amazing (even if I do say so myself), last year I hid in a thick winter coat and a pair of plain black leggings this year I wore a slinky black size 12 number with a pair of silver high heels.



Let me know what you think about New Year’s resolutions. Let’s make 2012 the year we stick to them! Happy New Year everyone
xx