Lets get this show on the road!

In the airport now waiting for our flight. At long last we have made it, yay. Its been a very very long few months. A lot of exercise, dieting and planning. I have literally been running on steam for the last 3-4 days.

So I made it to 9st 2lbs. Im happy with that as towards the end I did need to turn to sugar and eat slightly bigger portions for energy and even stay awake at times. In all though, I made it. I lost half a stone of body fat in 9 weeks and gained a lot more muscle. I would say that right now I am the fittest I have ever been. I am definitely the lightest Iv ever been since joining Weight Watchers®. I may not follow their diet plan but I do eat clean, point and track everything! As we board our flight now to London Gatwick and onto Las Vegas to join my sister and her husband, I would like to thank all my supporters, followers and friends. It really has been lovely to share my knowledge and inspire people. Knowing that some of what I have wrote has helped others is a big deal to me! So thank you all. Please keep an eye on facebook and/or my future blog (undecided still) for the wedding pictures and stories. Best of luck with all your fitness conquests and weight loss journeys. Stay clean! Chemaine x

A dedication to.....

Hello everyone, this is most likely my 2nd last post (this side of the wedding). And I would like to dedicate it to, in my oppinion (many of you will agree), the best Weight Watchers® leader in the world. Mary McCaffrey, also know as my fairy godmother. Without who, I would definitely not be the person I am or indeed where I am today.

Since I first met Mary in July 2006, she has been the backbone of my success and my biggest fan/supporter. The support I lacked in other places, Mary made up for ten folds over! I came to Mary just under 18 stone, with a new baby and no real direction in life. Less than 2 years later she helped me to reach my goal weight of 9st 10lbs. Today I am just over 9 st, have another new baby and my own fitness business. I will honestly miss Mary something awful as I know many others will. She is a gifted lady! A god send to the Weight Watchers® company and anyone who has ever struggled to find the, how should I put it.......the base and beginning point of their weight loss journey.

Not only has Mary provided me with guidance and support, I have found in her a friendship like no other. Like the god mother in Cinderella.......my fairy god mother helped my dreams come true.

Mary I wish you all the best in your future, all the happiness your heart desires, as many good friendships as you can find and of course great weight maintenance ;-). A big THANK YOU for helping me become the strong independent woman I am today and for your friendship. I hope I can become half the woman and leader you are. I will miss you at the wedding but see you at the home wedding party xxx.

So before I wrap up this post, a little update. My weight is holding nicely at 9st 3lbs. With 4 days to go I will hopefully get them last 3lbs off. My wedding dress is ready to go, bags are packed, the hair is done, dollars are bought and passports are in date. Now to get through the next few days and were off. Please keep an eye on facebook for pictures.

Until then enjoy the back to school weather, stay clean and stay classy x

Tired now.

Another long week. Its definitely all catching up with me. Stress, tiredness, excitement, anticipation....you name it. My skins breaking out in dry patches and I find myself lieing in bed thinking/worrying about money and bills and what if the plane crashes or we get lost along route 66 or something. Mad I know but I cant help it. I am a worrier. And as a result im going around in a daze the last week and totally exhausted. Run down I think is what one would say. Roll on the end of this week. If I can just make it to Friday Il be ok. It will then be literally chapagne, cocktails and high flying all the way.

The bags are pretty much packed (see pictures below). Hair and tan appointments are made for this week. I got an offer off a dear old friend of mine for some lash extensions, hopefully I can find the time to take up her offer. Soooo sweet of her. She is based in 'the lash lounge' in Dundrum for anyone interested. My soon to be husband picked up his suit, shoes and nerves during the week. Bless him he doesnt know what hes getting himself into ;-).

I know Iv over packed (again pictures below) but it is 2 weeks with at least 2 wardrobe changes a day, so Id say im doing ok. Like the suitcase closes without me having to sit on it, thats good right?! I did throw some shoes and bits in the hubbys bag too though hehe.

This week we need to do all the laundry, clean the house, do the grocery shopping and make sure everything is at hand for my mam who is minding the 2 boys (and the cat). Im confident they will be fine. Iv wrote another list for her to work off and the older boy will help with the baby. They will be fine! (Maybe if I say that enough times il convince myself?!). Yes im sure they will be fine alright.

I tried on my dress again today, along with the shoes and veil. I do clean up well, even if I do say so myself. But alas I seem to have faultered on my hair style again. All the styles iv tried have either not looked right or are a pain in the @$$ to do. I might google some wedding hairstyles now while im lieing in bed.

Hopefully get the chance to do another couple of blog posts before the end of the week. Until then, dont forget to stay clean and stay classy!

Ps;
My weight is still good at 9st 3lbs :-).

No pain no gain!

12 days and 4.5lbs to go (see picture below). Delighted with how my weights coming off. All the pain is most definitely worth all the gain!

I so excited now, to feel good in myself on my wedding day and also have a few pounds to play around with. Actually because we are away for 3 weeks and I dont want to deny myself anything, I gave myself a stone to play around with. Looking forward to all that tasty food stateside, yeh ;-).

Its been a long few weeks and im not quiet there yet. Heres an idea of what its took to get my body prepared and wedding ready......lots of weight training {legs, back, chest, arms, shoulders}, body conditioning {abdominals, obliques and neck}, alternating days of pilates, alternating days of high intensity interval training {working approx 85% of my MHR}, 2-3 moderate 30 minute walks a day and 1 day rest per week. Its a lot I know but I would say that I am in the best strength and physical fitness shape of my life, so far. A LOT OF PAIN AND BIG GAINS.

And the food......high protein and as much clean food (food with only 1-2 ingredients) as possible. I wouldnt be a big water drinker, maybe 1.5litres on a good day. Id average 2-3 cups of green tea a day and always a coffee before a workout (to help with endurance). I always make sure the cupboards are filled with wholgrain pasta, rice, rice cakes and noodles. Jars of mixed nuts, almond butter and 100% natural crunchy peanut butter. There is always fresh fruit at hand. Green apples, bananas (for a post workout snack), pears, lemons and limes. In the fridge we have blueberries, gooseberries, fresh broccolli, peppers, red onion and mushrooms. Always plenty of natural low fat probiotic yogurts too (very important for the reproductive system). I also keep a big glass jug of cold water in the fridge flavoured with either sliced lemon, lime or cucumber. The freezer is filled with lean meats and fish. And if all else fails......the are protein shakes in the press.

So theres and idea of my lifestyle. It takes a hell of a lot of planning, preparation, motivation, endurance, persistance and fear (of getting fat again). You have to keep working for what you want and never give up.

This is one of my fail safe recipes. If I have nothing else ready I throw this stirfry together and all the family enjoy it.

Beef stirfry with blackbean sauce and mixed veg (picture below);

Sliced beef
1/2 Red, green and yellow pepper sliced
Punnet of button mushrooms sliced
1/4 red onion sliced
Chopped broccoli head (as much as you like)
1 small tin of chick peas
Blue dragon blackbean sauce
Rainbow pepper (optional)

I steep the broccoli head for 2 mins to soften it up while I dry stirfry the strips of beef and season with fresh ground rainbow pepper.

On a separate pan I dry fry the mushrooms until they are browned.

Once the beef is done I add the mushroom and the rest of the veg. Stir for 2 mins and then add the sauce. I usually let the stirfry sit for 5 mins on a low heat to let the flavours mix.

Serve in a nice bowl and enjoy. If you like you can add 1/3 cup of quinoa or wholegrain rice. A blue dragon wholegrain noodles nest is yummy too. Plenty of complex carbs, protien, vitamins and iron.

Try it out and let me know what you think. My next post will be all about the wedding etc. So have a nice week and stay clean/classy x

Getting there!

Half way through another week already! Where does the time go.

Having a good progressive week so far. The mentorship course is going brill, really got the juices flowing.Wrote a list of the clothes I want/ need to pack. Im nearly done would you believe. Just the few last minute bits and pieces to get and double check iv packed all the essentials. When I actually get into a project I can get a lot done. Plus I had a break from my baby on wednesday morning. That helps too!

I havnt got around to trying my wedding dress on again....im not sure whats holding me back. Some sort of fear that it wont look good maybe?! Or pre wedding jitters? Il have to do it soon I know. I think il do a demo of my wedding hairstyle this weekend when I get the chance. That way I can see if I like it or not.

The weight is coming along great. Down to 9st 5lbs today. Hopefully I hit the 9st target but if I dont im not going to beat myself up, at least I tried. The exercise is going great too as is my diet up until the afternoons, when stress kicks in. Some days I can beat it and some I cant, I just have to give in and feed my hormones. Looking forward to the cold weather coming in so I can really burn some calories.

If you dont mind I would like to day a big congratulations to my friend Jenny who gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby boy yesterday. Well done, its over now. Il see you soon to get that pre baby body back ;-).

Il try do another post and recipe over the weekend. Until then, good night and stay classy x

The last stretch.....(& some clean eating)

I hope you all enjoyed the 2 recipes in my last post?! I love the peppermint ice cream. I actually add peppermint extract to my vanilla protein shake when I want a change and its absolutely fabulous. You can buy clean food flavourings in the health store if you want to keep all your recipes clean too!
Im sure there are a few of you wondering what clean eating is....it seems to be the new buzz on the street. Well clean eating means eating natural, non processed, organic (if possible), fresh foods. So you have your fresh organic vegetables that haven't been tampered with or genetically modified. We have natural nut butters which contain nothing but ground nuts. Meats, chicken and fish should be bought fresh and organic (if possible). Organic cheese and yogurts are everywhere now days, Glenisk® are great. Avoid foods that are processed and refined...like white flour, sugar, bread and pasta. Read the label! Clean foods contain only 1 or 2 ingredients, anything more is human made. If you can, buy organic. Prepare your meal fresh and eat 5-6 times a day. 3 meals and 2-3 snacks. Include lean meat, fresh fruit or vegetables and a complex carbohydrate with each meal. This will keep your body energized and burning calories.
Its alot to remember but with clean eating, practice makes perfect!

Iv been keeping to my shredding plan. I can see iv lost weight but iv also gained a lot of muscle. Id a busy last few days so I actually haven't weighed myself in a week. I plan to go to Weight Watchers® tomorrow evening so we shall see what the scales and my wonderful leader have to say.

People ask how I stay so lean and keep a flat stomach, well the truth is consistancy. If I miss a day of exercise I always try to make it up in some way. Even if its an extra walk, clean the house non stop for an hour, a couple of ab curls or stretches before bed. It all adds up. I must say though, since I increased my weight training at the start of the year everything has tightened up. My stomach is tighter than ever and the backs of my arms have really improved. I seem to be comfortable with showing a little more flesh and I definitely put it down to weight training.

Iv seen such a great improvement in my personal training and class clients too. From the new to the old, every one is getting results which is great. Some come to me hating cardio or with improper technique when doing stomach work or weak  upper body strength or despising burpees! I have pre natal and post natal ladies, ladies with me only a few weeks and ladies with me a few years. I think all can say with some hard work (we have laughs too) and consistancy, we all get positive results.

Iv been trying to shake things up the last 2 weeks by making each class routine different but working the same muscles. We have been doing some Russian twists, Chinese sit ups and bananas to name a few. Its been fun.

Myself and my parter got our wedding rings this weekend. I went for a 2mm 18ct white gold ring. Its really lovely. And he went for a 6mm Paladium ring, I must say he looks good with a ring on ;-).
Our car is booked for driving Route 66 and travel insurance is paid for. Only 4 weeks to go, the last stretch!!! Im so excited I could burst.
We got our very first wedding present this weekend too. Off my aunt and uncle, it was so lovely of them. Again, EXCITED!!!!

I know I said in my post last Tuesday that I would fill you in 'later' on what happened with the dentist. Well after a week of antibiotics, the saga continues! Its ridiculous. I have an appointment for tomorrow to get it pulled for definite (I hope) so I shall keep you all posted ;-).

Until then, wish me luck and stay clean x

Photos, ice cream & salsa

I dont know why all the pictures didnt attach on my 'hens and beyond' post but heres another go at it below......
Also check out my favourite clean protein recipe and a tasty salsa that can be used instead of salad dressing. Both are super easy to make! Enjoy x

Peppermint Protein Ice Cream.
Serves 2.
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder
1/2 cap of peppermint extract
1/4 cup of natural low fat probiotic yogurt
1 peppermint sweet crushed (optional)

Mix all the ingredients, except for the peppermint sweet, in a bowl. Blend for quicker results.
Pour mixture into a lunch box and sprinkle with the crushed sweet. Allow to set in the freezer until creamy and nearly set. Mmmmm.
{106kcals, 2g sat fat, 13g protein per serving}

Refreshing Peach Salsa.
Serves 4.
1 pear peeled and diced
1 peach pitted and diced
1/4 cup of red onion diced
1/4 jalapeno minced
2 tbsp of mint finely minced
Juice of 1 orange
2 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch sea salt

Combine pear, peach, onion, jalapeno and mint in a bowl.
In a separate small bowl mix the orange juice with the olive and sea salt.
Pour the orange mix into the salsa mix. Make sure its mixed evenly and allow to set in the fridge for 2 hours before serving. Really delish!
{68kcals, 0.5g sat fat, 2g fiber}

Do I enjoy it?

At last the pain in my head (from my wisdom tooth being pulled) has subsided so I can finally think straight. Just under a week I was feeling the after effects of the dentist for! I tell you I will think twice before I put sugar in my mouth again or 'accidently' forget to brush twice a day. Il never be too tired to floss again!!! Glad its all over though :-D.

So this is something I get asked alot or people pass comment on. Do I enjoy exercising so much and do I ever get a day off from my healthy/clean eating diet? The answer to both is a big YES. I can honestly say I love exercising and pushing myself to new limits. Because I was so over weight and unfit (in my past life haha) I get really excited when I see what my new body can do. I like to try new exercises, new routines, lift a heavier weight or walk somewhere new. I get bored very easily so Iv learnt how to keep my exercise routine interesting. The gym is great but a bit too monotonous for me, the treadmill is soooo boring, so I tend to stick to the weights area or try out different classes if im there. Not that I got to the gym much anymore though. Iv built up a nice little home gym for myself and the 'hubby' that pretty much fulfills our requirements and I can listen to my own music, not the rubbish some gyms have on. Plus nature is the best gym, the sound and picture always changes and its free. As far as my healthy/clean diet goes.....yes I love eating clean good food. Knowing im putting good high grade food into my body is satisfying. I try new foods and recipes when I can. It shows on the outside too. I still get embarassed when I get complemented but I am always getting told my hair looks healthy or my skin is very clear. My nails are strong and my figure speaks for itself. So many perks to a clean diet!

Its true you do need to be disciplined and I cant lie, it is hard. Thats why like many others, I give myself 1 treat/cheat day per week. During this day I eat what ever I fancy with no limits, no calorie or saturated fat counting at all. I take it easy with my exercise on that day too. Its my day of rest. And no matter how much chocolate or pizza I may eat I try to not beat myself up over it. It can all be undone and this 1 treat day helps me get through the other 6 days of being diciplined.

I am just like everyone else. Im not superwoman, I am just afraid of getting fat again! Even though I teach, train and walk a lot, I get tired too. There are days I dred going to class or to do a sweaty workout or walk another lap of Tymon park. But I make myself do it and after that class or workout I feel totally motivated and refreshed. I never regret it. So the next time you try to make up and excuse to not go for that walk or do that workout, please remember who you are doing it for and why. It will all be worth it in the end ;-).

Seens as the last few recipes got a good response, here is another one I like to make every now and then. Lean and clean. Simples!

Pesto and sundried tomato stuffed chicken. (less than 240 calories per serving)

4 skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp of your favourite pesto (shared equally between each breast)
Sundried tomatoes
1/2 lemon

Slice chicken breasts in half and spread pesto along the inside.
Stuff as many sundried tomatoes as you like into the middle.
Next squeeze lemon juice over the chicken.
Fold the chicken over the pesto. Grate 1 tsp of lemon rind over the chicken.
Bake in the oven for approx 25 mins or until chicken is cooked through.
Simples!

As far as the wedding plans go, its exactly 3 weeks tomorrow. Tour America® were kind enough to send out my itenery again. So much for being enviromentally friendly. Boots® seem to be making a small fortune out of me. My packing seems to have hit a wall. But other wise all is still going to plan.

Started writing another list for my mam on what my baby likes and his routines (shes minding the boys while we elope). She may have rared 4 children herself but my way of doing things is very different uno. Maybe if all fails with the fitness I could start up a list making company. Not a bad idea.

Below is a picture of my wedding shoes too. A few of you had asked to see them :-). Let me know what you think of the chicken! Chat soon. Remember stay motivated, clean and classy x

There is a lesson to be learnt here....

Evening all! I got my wisdom tooth out at last. Oh god it was horrible. I was numbed up to my eyes (literally) and as I squeezed the arms of the dentist chair, the tooth of death was pulled! My nerves were seriously shot but its over now. Hallelujah....what an ordeal. At least now I am pain free and can really start looking forward to the wedding. Plus I got a great night sleep last night :-).

I met a client on my way into Weight Watchers® yesterday evening. She had just got weighed and her weight was up. But hold on....her clothes were looser and she felt slimmer? So what was this? There is a very simple answer and my own weigh in results back this up. MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT!!!

I got weighed and had only lost 1/2 a pound. Yet I am definitely thinner. When I started this blog I weighed 9st 9lbs. 2 weeks in and I was 9st 7lbs. Then 2 weeks later I went down to 9st 4lbs.  Now I am back up. So whats going on? Well lets see. Iv increased the weight Im lifting, iv increased my protein shakes, iv increased my leg strength training (the legs having the biggest muscles in the body) and increased my daily protein intake. So in all I have put on approximately 6lbs of muscle over the last 6 weeks. Im definitely leaner and stronger. I look about 8st 7lbs. My clothes are hanging off me and I feel amazing!

In my clients case. I train her 2 evenings a week focusing on cardio improvement and strength work on all the bodies major muscle groups. Plus she walks and hill climbs. Combined with a healthy diet. Muscle is definitely getting built.

So the lesson to be learnt here is....that sometimes we cant always rely on the scales. A pound of muscle is smaller than a pound of fat. So if you have been working out hard or training alot then you may have gained muscle and lost fat. You cant be disheartened by the results on a scale! Connect with your body and notice how it feels. Watch how your clothes sit on you.

It really is a life choice. I have chose to be lean and strong. If I stop weight training and leave my muscles to waste away, the pounds will drop off me (on the scales). But I will loose my strength, tone, energy and my metabolism will slow down. My waist size probably wont shrink. So I will keep weight training but for the next 3 weeks I will increase my cardio intensity and clean up my diet. I couldnt quit now sure, could I?!

The wedding is still on haha. Just over 3 weeks now. September 3rd in a little chapel in Las Vegas. It seems iv so much to do but so little time. Il will get there. Just have to stick to my list ;-). Really hope I dont forget anything though!

I hope you find some of the information in my posts helpful. Until the next post. Stay clean and stay classy x

The three S's

Time for Some Serious Shredding!!!
With only 5 weeks to go im well motivated now to loose these last few pounds and get in the best physical shape of my life! Stocked up on 2 new tubs of Kinetica protein, some jars of almond butter and a few packs of quinoa rice cakes.

'Strong is the new skinny!'
- Oxygen magazine

How true is that? Myself and all my clients can vouch for that I think. If you feel strong....strong legs, strong core, strong chest etc.....you feel great. Achieve a strong lean healthy physique and set yourself up for a long healthy life. Am I right?!

After a great but exhausting weekend Im back on track and full steam ahead! I got a great sleep on Sunday night so woke yesterday refreshed. Egg white scrambled egg and seeded whole grain toast for breakfast. Then as the thunder was roaring outside I dived into an big cardio workout, working 85% of my max heart rate. It felt great. Then trained my legs, abs and 15 minutes of stretching. Protein shake and chicken salad for lunch. 2 walks throughout the day and a prawn and salmon stir fry with wholegrain rice for dinner.

I was waiting to see if I had got a place on a start your own business mentor ship programme and I did. Yay me! Im trying to expand and do it right so everyone benefits, off I went. My mentor worked with An post and helped his father run a fresh meats business. His input was very motivating and interesting. Il be with him for the next 5 weeks, right up to the wedding. Things are actually picking up. Not on the scales tho!

In the dentist at last. 4 weeks iv been in pain for. They insist its down to sugar while I insist I dont take sugar! The dentist looked at me and listed off sugary drinks that I must be drinking....coke, 7up, orange juice.....I was like no I dont even take sugar in my tea for god sake. So anoying! Why do they have to make the whole experience difficult? Any how im waiting for my mouth to numb now and the xray to show what I need.

There will be an update and the pictures I promised plus a treat later today. Until then, stay classy x

Hens......and beyond

Wow what a week! Where do I start?

Last Sunday I managed to get my hands on a last minute Longitude ticket. So glad I did, it was amazing and I really needed a bit of fun and sillyness! The build up to the wedding has me alot more stressed than I thought it would. I got to see Hotchip and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs which were brilliant (pictures below). Kraftwerk played last.....I wasnt too impressed with them at all at all. No hangover the next morning thanks to LifeLine, I actually cant say enough about them. Dont know how I survived in the past with hangovers. The tiredness caught up with me though, so I spent the following few days trying to get back to whatever normal is.

I did workout (not as much as usual) and walk. Weights on Monday, pilates on Tuesday, weights on Thursday and some aerobics and body conditioning before I started to get ready on Friday. I taught all my classes also. My diet wasnt great a couple of days. Im going to put that down to tiredness and stress. I havnt been sleeping well at all, as iv mentioned before. I seem to be waking up at all hours and worrying about the wedding, bills and the future. Im constantly counting figures in my head and even when I tell myself to stop, I just cant seem to let go. I know I am an awful worrier, I have been ever since I had kids but this is getting ridiculous. Then my baby wakes for his night feeds and I cant get back asleep. I couldnt be more exhausted if I tried!

Sometimes we all have 'off' weeks. Its hard to be good 100% of the time. Still though, I did try to stay on track and like when practicing pilates.....its the effort that counts.

So Friday arrived, the hen day, bridal shower day, whatever you like to call it. I dropped the boys to my parents at 10am and off I went to class. I arranged that my mam watch the boys until my future husband picked them up after work. That way I would get some well needed alone time :-). I headed straight for Dundrum for a bit of retail therapy. Starbucks was first on the menu. Then a look around the shops. Its amazing what you see when you dont have to drag along a baby and an 8year old! Managed to pick up my wedding bras (no pictures haha), the nail varnish and make-up for the day plus some nice little pieces for the honeymoon, swit swoo you say.

Left Dundrum and went home about 2pm. The silence was priceless! I got to workout, do my make-up (while watching a bit of Tom Hardy ;-) ), do my hair, pack my bag and have a drink before leaving for my much anticipated hens. I was in such great form and super excited. The bit of 'me' time was what I needed too. I know everyone says it but it is very tough running a business, staying in shape, keeping a family and a house. Every mother out there doing the above, deserves a diamond encrusted white gold medal!

Any how, I arrived at the Beacon hotel at about 7pm and had some pricey cocktails. Worth every penny!!! Myself and my lovely friends got spoilt, had fun and got silly....... the rest is history.

Ah no I wouldnt leave it like that :-). So, there was 14 of us. We had cocktails in the hotel foyer for about 2hours before heading up to our rooms. I decided to go with a little cream dress that I hadnt wore since before I got pregnant (picture below). It was so good to relax and have a good rant about the men folk and all their 'flaws'. We headed to our rooms at 9pm to get into our pyjamas (pictures below) for the Beacons famous 'Pyjama party'. Which honestly, I think WE made it famous haha. Myself, my sister and our friend got the penthouse suite (pictures below), it was fabulous! We felt like royalty. I got a room to myself would you believe, things couldnt get any better.....but they did.

An army of 'free' women, sipping wine and cocktails ventured down the hotel corridors to the function room where we where met by a table of gift bags and waiters ready to tend to our every need. We were served tapas and free cocktails while we all rooted through our lovely Alice in Wonderland themed bags made especially for me by my lovely sister (its my favourite movie EVER you see). The bags contained sweets, bubbles, Alice in Wonderland wine glass charms, penis straws and lots more.

On went our movie, Sex and the City. A table filled with sweets, chocolate, crisps, a giant penis cake (pictures below), ice cream, bottles of wine, beer, cider and a 'sippy cup' filled with vodka. It was heaven. Good food, good friends and good laughs. By the time the movie ended we were well on our way as they say. Time for the games.....the Mr and Mrs quiz was first. I learnt, my future husband hasnt a clue about me :-/. Wedding dresses made out of toilet roll were couture (pictures below) and  would you believe its not that hard to find a fancy car to strike a sexy pose on in the hotel car park. Yes we were all still in our pyjamas!

It wasnt too crazy, it was just what I wanted. Relaxed, nice and fun. Then came the highlight of the night.......sleep! Yep sleep. At about 3.30am. All you working mums with babies know what im talking about. Our good old friend, uninterrupted sleep! A double bed in the penthouse suite all to myself :-). Breakfast in bed the next morning too. A big fry, tea, toast, a bowel of fruit and late check out. I could well get used to that! No hangover either as I was smart enough to take two LifeLines with my first drink. They really do work!!!

Checked out of the hotel and still had the day to myself. Went home and fell asleep, it was great. Myself and the future husband picked up the boys a 8pm and we all went for a big slap up dinner in Eddie Rockets mmmmm. I was worn out by the time we got home, I honestly still am. Im sure the tiredness will go by the time my baby is 16 or so.

Oh and I got a lovely gift of wedding jewellery today from the boys (I know my future husband paid for it ;-)). A fabulous white gold pearl and earring set for the wedding day (picture below). A nice little token of appreciation on their part. About time too haha.

Not long to go now, stay classy ladies x

Tick tock watching the pounds drop

It seems that all I do is watch the clock and scales lately. Time goes by so quickly and iv learnt to manage it well or the pounds wont drop. I am a creature of habit. I need a strict routine, I need to track my food and I need everything to run smoothly. If even 1 of these goes off plan then the whole lot goes to pot. I hate when things dont go to plan and I loose control, dont you? My eating will be bad, my stress levels increase, I feel like I cant function and it even rolls over into the babies routine. Its literally the end of the world!

But not this week. This week was good. I managed to keep to all my workouts so by Friday I felt super toned and strong. That shone through to my Friday morning class which was outdoors in the swealtering heat, I had my baby with too, and all went smoothly :-). I did 19 walks in total last week! I like to walk, I aim for 3 walks per day. It settles my baby as well as maintains my cardio endurance and keeps my legs strong. There are other benefits too for walking, such as calorie expenditure, stress relief, fresh air if your not in the city.....the list goes on.

I decided to load up on my weight training too this week. Wednesday was legs, abdominals and lower back day. Thursday was arms, shoulders, chest and upper back day. And Friday evening was a total body workout. So after 2 days rest I can really see an increase in my muscle mass. That also means im burning more calories when im resting. Yay me!

Finally decided to start packing. Excited! Just the essentials first (picture below) like facial wipes and scrub, bobbins, hair clips and safety pins, eyelashes and extra glue, LifeLine tablets (dont know if they work yet though).....I have my list made that I thick off as I go along :-). I have my wedding evening dress and a dress for the night before (pictures below). Wont pack them yet because I basically still like to look at them. And wait....the shoes I picked up for a steal in TKMax (picture below)! Actually now that I think about it, I think im just excited to wear something other than workout gear for a change haha. My hens is this coming Friday too. That will be fun! Il have to pick out something lovely to wear before we change into our pyjamas. You see we are doing the pyjama party in The Beacon hotel. A night off by myself AND uninterrupted sleep, yaaaay, im so excited I could burst! Im sure il have loads of juicy gossip for next weeks blog!

Any who, the clock is ticking........Until another day. Spend your time wisely x

Off the wagon!

Iv totally fell off the wagon today :-(. I started off well with low fat natural yog, 2 satsumas and a green tea for breakfast. For lunch I had a turkey salad and coffee. Then everything went down hill, with a bag of jellies and some biscuits. Its definitely down to stress. Im feeling under alot of pressure with the wedding, running my own business, 2 kids and a man child. Even the strongest of us crumble!

I know how to fix this and get back on track but for today I think il give myself a break!

I still have to teach pilates later and il go for a long walk after that. Im not going to stay off the wagon for long, just taking a little rest x

Sun....in Ireland?!

Sunny for the last 4 days in Dublin. And I mean proper sun with proper heat not like the 14 and 15 degrees (°) we had been getting. The news said its 22° today in Dublin, my car thermometer said 27°.......a bit optimistic I think. In saying that though it felt like 27° to me. Thats one of the downfalls to weight lifting. I sweat fiercely in hot weather and have to be sure to stay hydrated.

Iv taken a week off weight lifting to give my body a break. So in its place ive been doing high intensity iterval training. It gets the heart racing and improves cardio fitness quicker then running laps around a park. Im not a big fan of running either so this sort of training suits me to a tea.

Speaking of tea......It was way to warm to drink my hot green tea at lunch time today so I stuck it in the fridge and drank it cold with my dinner. It was actually quiet refreshing and I know it also helps with digestion. Cant go wrong :-).

Had a lovely 100% crunchy peanut butter (picture below) and chia bread sandwich for lunch. The  good stuff from the health food store. Nice to mix it up now and again. If your worried about saturated fat.....I would highly recommend their 100% almond butter mmmm. You can even use this instead of real butter. I like to use almond flour sometimes when im baking instead of  plain or self raising flour. Its yummy and packed with protein and good fats. Like I said....cant go wrong :-).

Pilates day today too. The baby was so good, he actually let me do a whole hour of pilates without interrupting. Didnt know myself!  I love uninterrupted pilates, it allows me to really focus and hone in on sculpting my muscles. Its very relaxing too. Great for destressing! And did you know that stomach or abdomen fat has been shown to be a major result of stress!!!

Not much happening on the wedding front this week. I got a lovely dress from Missguided (online ;-) ) for Vegas the night before the wedding. Its gorgeous and great value at €35. Their stuff is such great quality. Id highly recommend them too. I need to stop shopping though but its so addictive after loosing so much weight uno.

Any way enjoy the weather and dont forget the sunscreen x

Too soon to pack??

So that was some week last week. That heat was tough on me and my baby. He was so cranky and I couldnt think straight at all. From what I gathered from the mums in my classes, they were in the same boat too. I taught a post natal exercise class out doors on Friday morning.....my baby was with me (dam my mam for going away). It was soooo not fun! It was so hot out, he wouldnt let me put him down so I literally taught the class with my baby in my arms. I dont know how I didnt cry! Talk about stress. Men have it easy.

I seemed to be constantly sweating even when I wasnt working out. And when I was, the sweat was pouring off me. I try to stay mindful that I must drink as much water as I sweat or the weight wont shift. Last thing I want is my body clinging onto fluid and fat. By Saturday morning I was down to 9st 4lbs! I know some of it was lost fluid but its still nice to look at on the scales ;-).

I enjoyed my week off weight training, the high intensity cardio every once in a while is liberating. Back to the weights though today and I can really feel the difference. I love feeling strong, it gives me a sense that I am more capable to take care of my family too. I tried a new protein shake (picture below) after my workout. It was called protopure, creamy chocolate flavour. 33g of protein and 231cals, it was really good. Cant go wrong!

Im starting to wonder now is it too soon to start packing? Its only 7 weeks until the wedding now and I dont want to be forgetting anything. Iv always been one for writing lists of what I need and ticking them off as I pack them. I definitely dont want to be forgetting spare make-up, tan, tweesers, hair straightener, facial wipes, hair bobbins etc.....you know the essentials! I think iv been getting a bit of the wedding jitters so if I start packing soon maybe it will all feel more real and keep me focused.

I shall mull it over as they say x

You cant beat your diet!

Another week over. I always here people saying 'where does the time go' but its true. Seems like I blink and another year has passed. This time last year I was pregnant and this time 7 years ago I joined weight watchers. God only knows where I will be this time next year, hopefully still slim and happily married though.

Yesterday was treat day......I love it and hate it at the same time. Wouldnt it be great if all the food we loved had zero calories and zero fat! So I weighed myself in the am and I weighed 9 stone 7lbs. Yay you say but sure hadnt I put it back on by the pm. My treat day is my day off from clean eating and exercise. Thats not to say I become totally sedentary for the day. No we went to the Zoo yesterday so got a good 3 hours walking done.

I like to bake at the weekends. I think im quiet good at it if I do say so myself. Because I eat what I like on treat day, I can enjoy what I bake. So on Friday night I made Banoffee muffins for us all to have for breakfast on Saturday. They were amazing! And before we went to the Zoo I managed to make my Oreo cheesecake. It was set and fabulous by the time we came home. I reckon it was about a million Weight Watchers pro points but soooo worth it! I snacked on sour sweets and toffee throughout the day and for dinner we ate out. Im telling you all this so you see if you work hard during the week you can let go and enjoy your weekends :). Its not the end of the world if you enjoy it.

Woke up this morning feeling exhausted and hungover. The sugar rush from treat day every weekend does that to me. I feel so sluggish and it takes a while for me to get back into the swing of things. The woman across the road stopped me on my way back from my walk this morning. She said 'sure you like to walk dont you? Theres not a pick on you though!'......I know it was a complement but that statement always makes me uncomfortable. So I dont say thank you, I just smile and wait for the moment to pass. You see I think its because I still see myself as being overweight. In my head I am still bigger than other girls. Its only when I see my reflection in a mirror or window usually when im standing beside someone, that I see how thin I really am. Strange isnt it. 5 years on and im still not used to being thin.

Thinking about the wedding has me worn out. I didnt realise that even though we are getting married abroad there is still so much to organise. Like what colour nail varnish should I wear? How should I wear my hair and make up? Where will I get a good spray tan to cover my stretch marks ( yep thats a pain ).....all comments welcome on that one! And would my husband to be ever get a move on and pick his suit?!

I dont know, if its not one thing its another. The baby is not sleeping with the heat, hes teething, I still have my toothache and im not sleeping. Suppose if I didnt moan I wouldnt be Irish.

Haha on the plus side at least I dont work for Anglo!x

Mind over matter.....

Today is weight training day for me. I like lifting weights but I dred doing it, if you get me?! Like every mum im tired and find it hard to workout with a new baby around. Plus iv had a killer tootache for four days now! I do it all the same and I feel all the better from it. I feel strong and vitalised, great even. Building extra muscle has my body burning alot more calories and allows me to eat a bit more of what I enjoy. There is alot to be said for lifting weights for weight loss!

So I did my workout, went for 3 walks and thought my classes. All while drugged up to my eye balls on painkillers. Buyer BEWARE though, I had no idea that Neurofen increased your appetite so much. Not great when im trying to loose a few pounds!

I must admit though I am a lucky girl, I love what I do and I do what I love. I try to envoke my passion for fitness into my classes and with clients, the response has been great. I suppose you would say im dedicated to the cause :-).

My wedding veil came on Monday. Its 7 feet long, snow white tulle and only €11 in from China. Win! I searched high and low for the perfect comb. From House of Fraser to Claire's Accessories but couldnt find one just right. Then i found the perfect one...... online of course. I always get the best bargains online, dont you?! That arrived on Monday too. Its a floral design with pearls and zirconia stones (picture 1). Amazing! My sister gave me a gift of a lovely wedding folder (picture 2) to organise my itinerary and receipts. Now if only I could remember where I carelessly flung all my paperwork. I swear my brain hasnt been the same since I got pregnant  :-\.

Iv always wondered, what do people do with their wedding dress and stuff after their big day? My sister says she doesnt know what to do with her dress. I heard a story of a girl wearing her wedding dress to her friends wedding! Haha out of spite id say.

Not a bad old day all the same. I stuck to my diet. I had a 3 egg white omelette with turkey for breakfast and made a smashing beef stir fry with black bean sauce and whole grain rice for dinner. Yummy. I had my quota of green tea and got plenty of fresh air.

Now if I could only get some sleep x

Path of life....

This poem, I feel always represents my life and the path I chose to take x

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

This day 9 weeks......

So this day 9 weeks is the big day, the day I become officially off the market, the day I marry the love of my life, the man of my dreams and live happily ever after. And like every bride to be I want to look my best on my special day. I especially want to feel confident and comfortable in my wedding dress (its a bit snug at the moment). My goal is to weigh 9stone and look as toned as I can. This is not as easy as you'd think though......

As many people who know me, know, I have struggled with my weight for most of my life and I'm sure to do so for the rest of my life. In summary I lost 8stone and have maintained my weight for 5 years now. I'm one of these unfortunate people with the 'bad metabolism'. I look at a cake, I gain a pound. Now my chosen career is in the health and fitness industry, so I have somewhat more control and knowledge when it comes to my weight. It is still hard for me, don't think its not. I exercise and train 6 days a week. I watch everything I eat and drink. I walk rings around Forest Gump! But at the end of each week when I weigh myself (usually a Saturday morning before 'treat day' begins), I can honestly and happily say it is all worth it.

And here I am, telling the story/struggle of the next 9 weeks of my life. Why you ask? Well its simple. I stepped on the scales this morning and I weighed exactly 9stone 9lbs. And as its exactly 9 weeks until my wedding I thought this was as good a time as any to share a piece of my life. You will get to read about my weight loss, workouts and wedding plans. As well as hopefully be inspired and motivated to try something new yourself.
I'm going to aim for 1-2 posts a week, this post being my introduction of course. I'm actually super excited to do this!!!.

My next post will contain how my week is going. What exercise iv done. How iv ate and how the wedding plans are coming along.

Enjoy x
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