Happy In My Own Skin

I’m going through a phase. This is not necessarily a bad thing but I know that other people around me must suffer when I am having one. My current phase is called ‘I’m OK’. Isn’t that nice and simple? Much better than my miserable ‘I think I’m going to die’ phase and of course my ‘I hate being over 60’ phase.

I freely admit that other things in my life are going well right now. I have just become a grandfather and retired to South Wales. Nevertheless, it is my weight loss that is the cause of my current phase.

My ‘I’m OK’ phase is a positive thing for sure. I have reached a point in my Slimming World journey where I am happy in my own skin. I can now also use the word ‘journey’ with ease and impunity. I am so upbeat that I have started to irritate people. If ‘I’m OK’ then I expect everyone else to be of the same demeanour.

Bags of Clothes Competition - See below

If I come upon a ‘misery guts’ I decide to try and cheer them up and make them happy. It doesn’t always work for some strange reason. On Thursday, I have my first appointment with my new surgery. The nurse needs to inspect me for herself apparently. I know I will just tell her about the last 17 months of my life while she checks my blood pressure and does all the other things, I can’t stop myself.

Another manifestation of my ‘I’m OK’ phase condition is that I view food in a completely different way. The threat has gone. The jibbering fear of entering a supermarket and coming out with all the wrong things is away from me. Even when Naomi force feeds me burger and chips as she cruelly did the other day, I feel in control. It’s a new style of madness but I love it.

Why is this? What has happened?

The reason is simple but a bit patronising towards the people at Slimming World. This diet has put me in control of my food and my body. The support of the members of Bluebrook Park and our consultant Mandy-Lace means that I know that I will reach my target. I am completely convinced about it which means that ‘I’m OK’.

I know I will find a new group in South Wales and they will also support me. I can do this! Yes I can!

Talking About Skin

While I am talking about being happy in my own skin, I have to say that I am not as happy with my skin. I mean the physical skin on my body. I seem to have exactly the same amount of it as I used to before, but a lot less body to fill it up. I am getting wrinkly in my dotage. One of the benefits of being obese is that you don’t have so many wrinkles. Every cloud has a silver lining, eh? But now I definitely have a few creases of my own appearing.

My experience in using skin creams is extremely limited – almost non-existent. I dabbled with aftershave cream when Pierce Brosnan was doing the adverts for it. But that particular cream lost its effectiveness once his advertising contract from Gillette ended. Do I need a cream that makes skin soft? Or do I need a cream that makes my skin tight? Or is it a hopeless task trying to iron out my skin?

Honestly, I do have some cream in stock, but I don’t think it is working. Please tell me what you use, assuming you have the same skin issues. But please, no girly, sweet smelling stuff. And double please, don’t tell anyone I brought up the subject!

The Unheralded Benefits Of An Omelette

One of my favourite Slimming World breakfasts is an omelette. It surprises me that we don’t discuss this veritable banquet of a meal more than we do. If you awake to discover that you are ravenously hungry a well-planned omelette should satiate all thoughts of illicit syns until lunchtime. Here are the reasons why…

1. You can add almost anything to an omelette that you have lying around your kitchen. Caviar, Venison, Kiełbasa, Padron & Havarti. But I wouldn’t have any of those things on my omelette. My standard ingredients would include chopped bacon, ham, chicken, chorizo, peppers, onions, spinach, tomato, mushrooms, cooked potatoes and chickpeas. If you are a fish eater, I am not, you could try salmon, tuna, crab, prawns, anchovies and the like. Mix and match any of these ingredients as you please.

2. You can top your omelette with fresh herbs and spices. Dill, chives, parsley, basil & garlic come to mind. I have occasionally added some ‘cajun’ spices or chopped chillies when I need a good wake up breakfast.

3. If you have an omelette for breakfast you can save your healthy extras for later on in the day. A killer tactic if you are going out for evening dinner or having a party.

All-Inclusive Holiday’s

Jackie demanded a mention this week in this blog following her all-inclusive holiday in Spain. Cheek! So here it is. And…she did it! She put on weight after a week of excess in an all-inclusive resort somewhere in Spain. Jackie said she was shocked at putting 6 pounds on. Yes 6! Count them, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6! I was shocked that it was only 6 pounds! I can put that on in a day if I am really gluttonous and greedy.

Well done for staying within shooting distance of your target. I’m sure you will be back there in a matter of weeks, if not days.

Utility Tent

There has always been a bit of a grey area when people get weighed. The decision to be made is how much can I modestly remove without being indecent each time I come to group. I very nearly crossed the line two weeks ago in my desperation to hit my 5½ stone target.

Seren's Utility Tent

Well it appears that our lovely Welsh member, Seren, has gloriously crossed over the line, at least she is thinking about it. She found a utility tent that she could conceivably use in group to do a naked weigh. Seren tried to pretend it was a suggestion for the group but I am not so sure. Seren is a welsh girls name meaning ‘star’. You are a star for coming up with the funniest idea of the week. Brilliant!

Clothes Collection

Bluebrook Park won the clothes collection competition with the most number of bags. Of course we did. My dear friend who is near to death gave all her clothes to the collection but has since miraculously survived for three extra weeks. She is now thinking of buying some new outfits as she had nothing to wear. I hope to see her in a few days but in the meantime, I have sent the pictures of the lorry full of clothes over to her.

For my part I gave in all my old big clothes. I had this thought of keeping them as insurance in case something really bad happens with my weight. But now I can’t do that. I must stay slim if I want to wear clothes.