AVID, WISE and keen to debut our Spring buys

[Russianred]

Inspired, eh?!

That's impressive fleecy. I think I just eat too much and sometimes I need the discipline of calorie counting and weighing food (just bought a new scale as mine was old fashioned and couldn't do small weights) just so I realise how portion sizes increase without me realising it. My soup at lunch was really nice. The fresh coriander no doubt helped. I do struggle with lentils, and chick peas, but this one I enjoyed, and it helped knowing that calorie and fat content were low, but the lentils and chick peas made me feel full. Have 3 portions for the freezer for next week.
red lentil, chilli and chickpea soup.

No cooking for the weekend, that sounds divine dauphine!

I think I may need to venture into some rudimentary calorie counting in order to continue weight loss. Or at least avoid lunches like today's bacon and cheese panini with chips . The DCs and I were out adventuring, we were hungry, and a greasy spoon was the nearest cafe. Maybe we'll take a packed lunch for our next adventure... Bloss and Fleecy is the my fitness pal app easy to use? It's free, isn't it?

Soup sounds lovely bloss! I've been logging food intake onto myfitnesspal for a week now, it's addictive! Though my daily calorie target is 2100 calories, and I have to resort to Gu puddings at the end of the day if I haven't managed it properly! My carbs are not high enough and fat is too high, so I'll have to try to improve that over time.

I've just had my second Pilates session - I think it's going to be great for me, but it's hard work, I've having to concentrate really hard to get my body to do what I want it to do! But I think my gymnastic youth is helping, when I was used to having to make small body adjustments based on what my instructor would tell me.

Right, I need to browse LK Bennett, I have a £200 credit note that I will need to spend tomorrow. BTW, you remember my panic about Selfridges vouchers - it turns out they have no way of knowing when the paper vouchers expire, so I can wait as long as I need to. So guess where I am heading to on our MU weekend!

Hopefully, it's very easy to use, with a really massive database of foods that helps you be very precise. And yes, free.

Not meaning to bang on about trying to gain weight when most would prefer to lose it , I don't mean to imply that it's a hardship having to eat puddings, just that eating enough is something I have to work on.

welcome baby blue!

Hands up who's at Apuski needing to down Gu puddings to make up calorie intake?

Have downloaded the app and logged my calories today. Greasy spoon interlude means I am already -386 for today. Double Shred later...

Oh- meant to say Bloss- I don't have a heart rate monitor. The few times I have borrowed someone else's I have scared myself by discovering just how high my heart rate goes during some exercise!! Are you trying to find out if you are working hard enough?

I feel the urge to buy new tops- I need some for layering (long sleeved, tight fitting- navy, grey, black and white.) Any recommendations? I also fancy a new 'evening' top to wear with with new coated skinnies. Fairly fitted, undecided whether I need sleeves or not. Jewel colours or metallic/sequin [magpie emoticon]. All links welcome!

Blue- Hope you are having an amazing time holed up with your new arrival.

notyummy, I'm desperate to lose the belly/love handles. I was hoping I could track my cals 'out' with a monitor. I was starving just then. Probably why I can't shift the lbs. I am also a glutton!
I wonder if 'half my daughter's sandwich' will be on the mfp app?

apuski, I'm sure it's hard for you too. Do no feel bad about it. Look forward to seeing Selfridges spoils ar MU!

Ah yes - the old 'it's not on a proper plate therefore I didn't eat it' diet. I am a past master. Last night I was peckish at 6 after coming in from work. DD was eating a snack tea, having had main meal at Kids Club. Cue a hot cross bun, a large piece of chicken and a big bit of camenbert disappearing in my maw.......

I do weigh a fair few things though. Cereal (only have sugar free muesli or porridge anyway), pasta, rice etc all weighed. Snacks...see above...not weighed .

Goodness the Me&Em dress is lovely. Am thinking definitely the new Janice.

Dauphin, I did much the same. The best cry was when I went to a MU with the NCT crowd and they had all had their babies and I was near 42 weeks, huge and miserable. I couldn't hold or look at other babies as I was so livid not to have mine and went to leave early and one of them pointed out my dress was tucked into my knickers. I walked home weeping!

Am feeling in a very good mood as I try to pack for my weekend away, very much looking forward to it. Like you Hopefully it's my two dearest friends and I know we will have such a laugh. One of them has a new man in her life, so am looking forward to hearing all about it.

Apuski I am a little bit envious of you having to ate yourself eat more. I need to make myself eat less!

In other news, I won a pair of cobalt 811s on eBay today - seriously badly listed BNWT for £30.

Is anyone truly 100% happy with their figure? I have been everything from an 8 to a 16 and have never felt really pleased with how I look, though I will admit to being much happier as an 8 than a 16! Would still like to lose a stone which DH thinks is madness. I would settle for half. Need to stop eating so much sugar, so have downloaded the app.

hopefully you have a similar figure to me, I think, so I now want the Me&Em dress having seen how good it looks on you

Going to try and hold off purchases now until I've had my colours done in 2 weeks. How long do we think I'll last?

Well done red mine were £23 worn once. Girl must have been so gutted!

I know - but is the beauty of eBay. I am especially pleased as I have been having no luck with eBay bargains recently.

I don't think anyone can be truly happy with their figure - or at least I've not met a woman who is. Comfortable in your own skin, yes, but aways thinking, 'if my bum were smaller/hips bigger/shorter nose etc etc ad infinitum. I've been an 8-12 and am now probably a 9 and at no point have I been happy with my figure. Bar when about 6 months pregnant.

I'm a lot happier than I used to be - partially state of mind/maturity/confidence I think, and partially just not eating too much/drinking booze....and exercise. So I am only (at most) a dress size smaller than I used to be, but it's enough to make me more confident. Still look at my rear view and wish it was different though.....

Side view for me .

For me: Area from waist to knees, view from all sides. Plus nose ... On the positive side: Love my ankles and bony wrists

I actually don't have too many real hang ups when I'm less fat. OK, so there are bits of me that aren't absolutely perfect [modest emoticon], but on the whole I don't have any bits of my body that I seriously dislike when I'm down to about a size 10 and reasonably fit. Saying that, I haven't been a size 10 and reasonably fit since I was about 22, so maybe I'll address that question again when I'm there

Had to try on dresses again and the Me and Em one is definitely the one. DH prefers it too, and he has a reasonably good eye. Now I need to find the perfect heels to go with it! Although I quite like it with the Aggies, actually, having thrown them on with it for trying on yesterday. Made enough sales today to cover the cost of the dress, which is rather pleasing as well. Am guilt free about it!

Red well done on the 811s.

Blue I don't know if you're lurking (I suppose it's faintly possible that you've got something better to do with yourself 48 hours after giving birth), but just wanted to send more good wishes and hope you're recovering well!

apuski I can imagine that it must be just as difficult to make sure that you eat enough as it is to do the opposite. Only because there are more people who have to cut down on what they eat, does not mean that you should feel guilty for talking about your problem. Could you include nuts and dried fruit as snacks in your diet? Deffo high calorie but still healthy.

red Have fun this weekend! And hopefully you too!

A few nice dresses on sale at Reiss!

Stripes.

Print.

Hello all and congratulations to blue on her new arrival. Have had an exhausting and busy week although a great day off work today hanging out with my DS and my closest friend and her DC. Am lucky to have a couple of old school friends in the same city as me (London) but I agree with the other comments about the difficulty of making new close friends as well. Have made one through NCT and one through my nannyshare. I also used to do a lot of my socialising through work but similar to MIM's comments I'm a manager now and so not so much part of the social scene plus I'm always rushing off early now I have a child.

However, am also massively cheered up by mywardrobe sending me a £50 voucher - whoopee!! Have been pondering the stone Jalouse for a little while and which they now have in their new season so it seems meant to be :) (although clearly they are £5 off the required spend!)

Also like these, am more of a ballet flat girl for SS but can imagine these as nice for playing in the park with DS. They somehow remind me of my favourite ever ballet flats from Ash a few years ago.

Only purchases this week have been a couple of these BR t-shirts for work in grey and navy which I am pleased with.

I too have been exercising loads and have signed up for a 10k run in May and may do a half marathon later in the year. It seems to be taking ages to see much difference in my body shape or weight though but I am getting happier...mainly I put on weight instantly on my thighs which is not great given the trent for lovely pastel coloured skinnies.

Agree with everyone else lovely lovely dress hopefully

Ooh shoe porn. I want:

These

these

and these!

DS did his first wee in the potty tonight. Very proud!

Lovely shoes Breton and Amber.

We had Thai takeaway for dinner, but I limited myself to clear soup and a yummy noodle dish, so hopefully not too unhealthy. Have been having almost as much fun inputting food into MFP as actually eating it [loser]

V excited about make up class tomorrow, will also be nice to see my lovely consultant and catch her up on my insane amount of shopping. And v v excited about seeing my lovely friend too. Generally feeling excitable