Wednesday Weigh In - Week 45 - Frustrated

I'm a bit fed up this week. I know a quarter of a pound is still a loss but I also know that if I'd had more time over the last week to work out then it could have easily been more.

I have had one of those weeks where work has just taken over. I haven't even had much sleep as I've been working until 3am and am then up again at 7am. I know that's not good for my health and next week looks like it will be easier. I've just got to hang on until then. It feels like I'm hanging on by my fingernails at the moment.

I've also got blog posts planned. It just don't have the time to write them this week but I promise that they will be more of a priority next week!

Hope you are all having a good week and are getting more sleep than me!!

Speak to you soon


Love Erica xxx

Monday Motivation- Be Flexible

So my Monday motivation for this week is to try and be more flexible. I don't mean brushing  up on my yoga, although that is another good thing to aim for.

I mean just being a little more relaxed and less regimented about my diet and exercise routine.  I do tend to get set in my ways, stick to a routine and it genuinely throws me out of sync if, for whatever reason, I can't stick to it.

I am aiming just to change my mental attitude. For example I wanted to run today but work pressures and grotty weather mean that it is just not feasible. I sat here for a while feeling cross and a little depressed instead of thinking what can I do instead or can I run tomorrow. It's that sort of roll with it attitude I need to work on. I felt that it was also good to bear this in mind with Christmas coming soon when routines will be impossible. I think I may give myself Christmas Day and Boxing Day off. I won't do too much damage or overeat too much in two days and being flexible will mean that I feel less pressured. I'm an emotional overeater so I'm more likely to crack and dive headfirst into the Christmas chocolates if I feel too pressurised. Being flexible is a way of ensuring damage limitation.

Hope you are all having a fantastic Monday and are feeling motivated for the week ahead.

Speak to you soon



Love Erica xxx

Salmon and Potato Puff

I eat quite a lot of salmon so I'm always trying to think of new ways of using it. This made a lovely filling meal and was a good way to use up some leftover filo pastry.

Ingredients
500g potatoes
110 precooked salmon pieces
3 tbsp low fat natural yoghurt
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 heaped tbsp chopped dill
5 sheets of filo pastry
low fat coooking spray

Method
1. Peel the potatoes, cut into quarters and then boil in unsalted water until soft.
2. Drain and then mash the potato throughly until completely smooth and then set aside to cool.
3. Add the salmon pieces, yoghurt, dill and Parmesan to the mashed potato. Mix until combined.
4. Lay one sheet of filo pastry flat and spray it with the low fat cooking spray. Lay a second sheet of filo pastry on top and the repeat until you have all five sheets laying on top of each other.
5. Spoon the salmon and potato mixture onto the filo sheets so that it is positioned in a rectangle shape across one end.
6. Carefully roll up the sheets enclosing the mixture so that it looks like this.

7. Pinch the ends together so that the mixture cannot spill out
8..Carefully place on a greased baking sheet..
9. Cook near th top of  preheated oven at 175 degrees for approximatly 20 minutes or until the filo pastry is starting to brown.
10. Serve while hot.


The recipe makes two gnerous portions which work out at 665 calories each. You could easily stretch the recipe to three slightly smaller portions which ould be 444 calories each

Serve with a simple salad for a fantastically tasty and healthy meal.

I loved this meal. It was easy to prepare, very healthy andit  tasted incredible. It was also quite cheap to make as I used a packet of salmon trimmings from the supermarket. Let me know if you try making it.

Speak to you soon


Love Erica xxx

Wednesday Weigh In - Week 44 - A Baby Step Is Still A Step

So I only lost a quarter of a pound this week but at least it's still a loss. Work and family life have got in the way a little bit, both in terms of exercising and in terms of this blog. Hopefully things will settle down more over the last week.

I've realised on this long weightloss journey that there will be times when I can't give it my undivided attention and I know that that is OK. I just need to keep focused and work through it. I managed that this week and kept to my healthy eating. I know that every loss however small still means I am heading in the right direction.

If you follow me on Instagram then you will have seen that I've been working on some new recipes and I will definitely post them on the blog for you this week. I also want to get out running again as I've really missed it!

Hope you are all having a great week and even if it's not so great, don't get disheartened. Remember a baby step is still a step towards your goals!

Speak to you soon


Love Erica xxx

Homemade Sausages - Bangers For Bonfire Night

Sausages and burgers are always a popular choice for Bonfire Night celebrations. They are easy to eat outside while watching fireworks or standing around a bonfire. I've never made my own sausages before but I was intrigued by the idea of lowering the calories and coming up with my own recipe. This is easier to make if you have a sausage machine but you can stuff the skins by hand although it is a little fiddly.

Ingredients
200g pork sausagemeat
sausage skins
1 tbsp garlic granules
1 tbsp chives
2 tbsp tomato purée

Method
1. Combine the sausagemeat, garlic,  chives and tomato purée in a small bowl. This needs to be done really thoroughly.
2. Prepare the sausage skins accordingly to the packet instructions.
3. If you are stuffing the skins by hand the I found it easiest to use my fingers, stuff in a small amount of the mixture at a time and then push it through the skins to the end. Be careful not to let any air bubbles stay inside the skin.
4. Once the sausage skin is full, you can carefully twist them to create separate sausages

5. It's advisible to carefully pierce the sausages in a couple of places before cooking to stop the skins from splitting.
6. Grill under a medium heat for about 12 minutes, turning regularly.
7. Serve in a long roll.

The recipe makes 3 sausages which are 168 calories each. The tomato purée in the recipe makes the sausages quite moist so you don't need to add any additional sauces.

I bought my sausage skins in Lakeland but I know they are also available on Amazon.

These were really tasty.  I've got sone great ideas for more sausages including some vegetarian versions so I might have to put a sausage machine on my Christmas list.

Speak to you soon




Love Erica xxx

Wednesday Weigh In - Week 43 - On Track

I'm pleased with this week's weigh in as that's the half pound gone that I put on over the school holiday week plus a little extra. Not bad. Onsideribg that my only workout was the cross country run yesterday.

I'm generally feeling quite good at the moment. Work is under control so I have time set aside for workouts.

Also I have a lot of recipe ideas that I'm working on so keep an eye on the blog over the next week. My first one today was an attempt to make my own sausages.

Hope you are all having a great week and feeling good!

Speak to you soon



Love Erica xxx

Why I'm becoming a fan of off-road running

I've always ran since my teens. I used to run round the roads  where I lived and then when I started work in central London, I used to run round Hyde Park, Green Park or St James Park in my lunchtime. It wasn't until I became a single mum that I was forced to stop. I have no family support nearby so it just wasn't feasible.

So when I started this weight loss journey, beginning to run again was a natural choice for me. This has involved a lot of road running and around the paths in my local park. If you followed my blog through the summer then you will know that I had a couple of injuries. I had trouble with my Achilles' tendon and I have a recurring issue with my knee. At first I put this down to being older, I'm fifty in January so you sort of expect that your body won't be as strong as it used to be.

It was frustrating though that I would run and then not be able to run again for another 4 or 5 days. When my daughter started cross country training again with her club, I started to wonder if this might be a good option for me. We are very lucky that there are several fantastic country parks near us which are perfect for runners.

For me, it's been a revelation. I've had no problems with my knee at all and the changes in terrain actually makes me feel that I am working a lot harder. Plus it's a lot nicer than running on the roads, it's peaceful and the only people I tend to see are a few dog walkers.

The fact that I am running in such peaceful surroundings really seems to help me clearmy head and puts me in a good mood for the rest of the day.

My next step is to buy a pair of trail shoes. I've been runnning in my normal trainers but trail shoes offer that little bit extra support especially if you are running over uneven ground.

So if you are a runner who is finding the roads a bit hard going or you want to start running again but aren't sure where to go then I would definitely recommend trying some cross country runs!

Speak to you soon




Love Erica xxx