AimeeJ

Thursday, 16 March 2017

This Week At Slimming World

This week saw me get my ½ stone award. That’s 8lbs gone in just 2 weeks!! I am so proud of myself right now, this is exactly the type of start I wanted to give myself.

2.5lbs lost 🎉

Wednesday 8 March:

Breakfast – skinni slice x 2, free range scrambled eggs x 2, spaghetti hoops with tomato sauce, melon
Lunch – homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, carrot, onion & celery)
Dinner - spicy mozzarella penne with carrots
Snacks – pink lady apple, strawberries with sweet freedom choc shot, beef hula hoops pufts, salted caramel hi-fi bar
Healthy Extra A – 50g grated mozzarella
Healthy Extra B – 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 13 = salted caramel hi-fi bar 3 syns, beef hula hoops pufts 3.5 syns, Oreo thins x 4 6 syns, seasoning 0.5 syns

Thursday 9 March:

Breakfast – n/a
Lunch – homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, carrot, onion & celery)
Dinner – Chicken Tikka Masala with carrots
Snacks – melon, pink lady apple, Malteser bunny, beef hula hoops pufts, coffee, sprite zero
Healthy Extra A – 350ml skimmed milk
Healthy Extra B – 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 12 = beef hula hoops pufts 3.5, Malteser bunny 8 syns, seasoning 0.5 syns

Friday 10 March:

Breakfast – skinni slice x 2, free range scrambled eggs x 2, spaghetti hoops with tomato sauce and melon
Lunch – homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, carrot, onion & celery) and a mozzarella & asda chicken tikka toastie
Dinner – sticky chicken, chips and carrots
Snacks – apple, Malteser bunny
Healthy Extra A – 50g grated mozzarella
Healthy Extra B – 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 12.5 = Malteser bunny 8 syns, sticky chicken marinade 4 syns, chip seasoning 0.5 syns

Saturday 11 March:

Breakfast - n/a
Lunch – homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, carrot, onion & celery)
Dinner – Pizza Wrap (asda chicken tikka, bacon, red onion & red pepper) with chips and salad (lettuce & cucumber)
Snacks – sprite zero, Tesco fire & smoke turkey, Oreo thins x 2, Malteser bunny
Healthy Extra A – 50g grated mozzarella
Healthy Extra B – 1 BFree wrap
Total Syns 11.5 = Oreo thins 3 syns, balsamic vinaigrette 1tbsp 0.5 syns, Malteser bunny 8 syns

Sunday 12 March:

Breakfast – n/a
Lunch – homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, carrot, onion & celery)
Dinner – Fajitas with salad
Snacks – Tesco fire & smoke turkey, apple, melon, blackberries, Oreo thins x 4, salted caramel hi-fi light
Healthy Extra A – 30g grated cheddar
Healthy Extra B – 1 BFree wrap
Total Syns 9.5 = Oreo thins 6 syns, Salted Caramel Hi-Fi light bar 3 syns, balsamic vinaigrette 1tbsp 0.5 syns

I tried blackberries for the first time on Sunday. They were one of my favourite kinds of fruit to snack on during the day so I hoped and prayed that Archie (my stoma) would be okay with them, which he totally was!!! I was so happy that I don’t have to give up my favourite fruit.

Monday 13 March:

Breakfast – skinni slice x 2, free range scrambled eggs x 2, spaghetti hoops with tomato sauce, melon and blackberries
Lunch – homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, carrot, onion & celery) and beef hula hoops pufts
Dinner – herb-crusted pork with apple mash, carrots and salad
Snacks – pink lady apple, Oreo thins x 2
Healthy Extra A – 350ml skimmed milk
Healthy Extra B – 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 11 = beef hula hoops pufts 3.5 syns, Oreo thins 3 syns, Herb-crusted pork 4 syns, balsamic vinaigrette 0.5 syns

Tuesday 14 March:

Breakfast – n/a
Lunch – Nando’s: medium flame-grilled butterfly chicken breast without the skin and cooked without oil, mixed leaf salad without dressing and spicy rice
Dinner – Spaghetti Bolognese
Snacks – beef hula hoops pufts,
Healthy Extra A – 350ml skimmed milk
Healthy Extra B – 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 7.5 = beef hula hoops pufts 3.5, Nando’s spicy rice 2 syns, Nando’s medium marinade 2 syns

Fingers crossed for another weight loss next week!

Until next time,

AJx

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Thursday, 9 March 2017

Rejoining Slimming World

I've just completed my first full week back on the Slimming World plan including getting weighed and staying to class. One reason I wanted to restart my blog was to document my weight loss journey on the Slimming World plan with an ostomy. I plan on posting once a week, rounding up everything that I have eaten throughout the previous week, how many syns I have consumed, how any new foods/meals affected my ostomy and, finally, whether I have lost, maintained or gained that week. I will also aim to include pictures of everything I eat - although sometimes I may forget (possibly because I was far too hungry LOL) which happened this week because I was more focused on getting my mind around the plan and all its jigsaw pieces but I promise next week there will be pictures!

5.5lbs Lost 🎉

Wednesday 1 March:

Breakfast - n/a
Lunch - Cheese & Marmite toastie with a bowl of homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, carrot & onion)
Dinner - Arrabiatta
Snacks - honeydew melon, pink lady apple, pom bears, green tea
Healthy Extra A - 2 slices Kerry Low Low mature cheddar cheese
Healthy Extra B - 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 6/15 = pom bears 4 syns, 2tsp sugar 2 syns

Thursday 2 March:

Breakfast - n/a
Lunch - Cheese & Marmite toastie with a bowl of homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, carrot & onion)
Dinner 4 Heck Chicken Italie sausages, homemade chips with seasoning & carrots
Snacks - Kit Kat, honeydew melon, pink lady apple, pom bears
Healthy Extra A - 2 slices Kerry Low Low mature cheddar cheese
Healthy Extra B - 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 14/15 = chip seasoning 0.5 syns, Kit Kat 5.5 syns, pom bears 4 syns, Heck sausages 4 syns

Friday 3 March:

Breakfast - n/a
Lunch - homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, carrot & onion)
Dinner - chicken nuggets, homemade chips with seasoning, spaghetti hoops with tomato sauce & carrots
Snacks - Kit Kat, pink lady apple, honeydew melon, coffee
Healthy Extra A - 250ml semi-skimmed milk
Healthy Extra B - 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 11/15 = chip seasoning 0.5 syns, chicken nuggets 3 syns, Kit Kat 5.5 syns, 2tsp sugar 2 syns

Saturday 4 March:

Breakfast - french toast with Sweet Freedom Fruit Syrup
Lunch - homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, carrot & onion)
Dinner - Chicken and chorizo-style sausage paella from Iceland
Snacks - watermelon, honeydew melon, pink lady apple, Kit Kat, pom bears
Healthy Extra A - 350ml skimmed milk
Healthy Extra B - 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 10/15 = pom bears 4 syns, Kit Kat 5.5 syns, Sweet Freedom Fruit Syrup 1tbsp 0.5 syns

Saturday was my first time trying both peas and red pepper since having my ileostomy. Luckily, neither of these things had adverse effects - thank goodness because I have a slight obsession with peppers so I'm so happy that I can still eat them. Peas, however, I can take them or leave them but it's nice to know that if they're in a meal I don't have to spend ages picking them all out.

Sunday 5 March:

Breakfast - n/a
Tuesday - homemade tomato soup )chopped tomatoes, onion & carrot)
Dinner - Prawn Linguine
Snacks - Oreo thins x 4, honeydew melon, pink lady apple, coffee
Healthy Extra A - 350ml skimmed milk
Healthy Extra B - 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 11.5/15 = Oreo thins 6 syns, beef hula hoops pufts 3.5 syns. 2 tsp sugar 2 syns

Sunday was the first time I tried putting celery into my tomato soup as an extra speed food. I didn't think it would be a problem because I tend to blend the soup down instead of leaving it chunky - it's just how I prefer my soups - and I was right, no problems what so ever and you can't even taste it.

Monday 6 March:

Breakfast - skinni slice sandwich with tomato ketchup
Lunch - homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, onion, carrot & celery)
Dinner - Chicken & Bacon Risotto
Snacks - Malteser bunny, honeydew melon, pink lady apple, coffee, beef hula hoops pufts
Healthy Extra A - 350ml skimmed milk
Healthy Extra B - 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 12/15 = Aldi tomato ketchup 1tbsp 0.5 syns, Malteser bunny 8 syns, beef hula hoops pufts 3.5 syns

Tuesday 7 March:

Breakfast - n/a
Lunch - homemade tomato soup (chopped tomatoes, onion, carrot & celery)
Dinner - beef steak hotpot with carrots & baby new potatoes
Snacks - Malteser bunny, beef hula hoops pufts, honeydew melon
Healthy Extra A - 350ml skimmed milk
Healthy Extra B - 3 slices Kingsmill Wholemeal No Crusts bread
Total Syns 11.5/15 = beef hula hoops pufts 3.5 syns, Malteser bunny 8 syns

Here's hoping for another weight loss next week! I also promise to try and remember to take pictures of my meals this week.

Until next time,

AJx

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Wednesday, 8 March 2017

Life Update

It’s been a year since my last blog post but I’m hoping that this time there won’t be such a long break this time. It’s been quite an eventful year, that’s for sure!

In April my Gastro team decided that I was to stop receiving Infliximab IV infusions every 6 weeks because my immune system was starting to create antibodies against it. Their plan was for me to come off of Infliximab and transition seamlessly onto Humira injections which didn’t happen. April was also my birthday month. I spent it turning 21 and drinking my weight in cocktails - is there really any other way to celebrate a birthday?!

Birthday Cupcakes: Chocolate and Coffee w/ a salted caramel centre

Birthday Flowers

May was probably the best month of 2016. I spent 4 days in the happiest place on earth with one of my closest friends; You are never too old for a trip to Disneyland! I also finally got to see one of my favourite bands Pentatonix live after being a fan for years.

In front of the castle

Walt and Mickey

Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too

My favourite mouse

Sleeping Beauty's Castle with The Lion King floral arrangement

Pentatonix at O2 Academy, Brixton

After all my trials and tribulations over the last 2 years, I finally graduated university in June with a degree in Marketing. This is, by far, my biggest achievement to date! I managed to finish the second half of my third year of university whilst being in a continuous flare of Ulcerative Colitis after taking a year out. I decided that, for the time being, not going back to do my Honours year was the best option for me at this moment in time because of the fragile state of my health. I discussed it with my university lecturers, and my healthcare professionals and we both decided it was for the best and that, if I wanted to, I could go back and complete my Honours year when I was feeling a bit better - boy am I glad I decided to do this as I didn’t know the hell that was about to happen. Afterwards, we went for a delicious meal at Atlantic Bar and Brasserie in Glasgow.

Starter: King prawns flambeed in calvados served with a beurre blanc sauce and a drizzle of paprika oil

Main Course: Ribeye steak with roasted cherry tomatoes, french fries and peppercorn sauce

Dessert: Baked rhubard and pink lady apple crumble, creme Anglaise and vanilla ice cream

Mum, dad and I

I finally started taking Humira to try and get my Ulcerative Colitis under control in August. Having to inject myself wasn’t my favourite form of medication but I didn’t end up staying on it for too long…

Three weeks after starting on Humira my symptoms were getting worse each day and I was admitted back into hospital with the hopes that a strong course of IV steroids would help calm down my flare-up which sadly wasn’t the case. After two weeks in the hospital, multiple x-rays, countless bags of IV steroids, 2 blood transfusions and 1 MRI scan later the thing I had hoped to have never had to have happened… Surgery. Even though one of the surgeons told me during my first 6-week hospital stay back in January 2015 that 70% of patients with multiple hospitalisations because of IBD end up having some kind of surgery, I hoped and prayed that I was part of that elusive 30%. I plan on going into more detail about my surgery and wound complications in separate posts so keep your eyes peeled for them!

The last 6 months have been spent in recovery from surgery. The last few weeks have seen me being restarted on azathioprine and the possibility of being restarted on Humira because I have started experiencing symptoms again in the rectal stump left behind after my surgery. We don’t know if it’s the Ulcerative Colitis flaring up again or diversion proctitis. I’m currently waiting on an appointment for a Sigmoidoscopy with my surgeon so we can see what is going on inside there, and to also take some biopsies to find out what exactly is attacking my insides. Chronic diseases are just so much fun!

I’ve also started back at Slimming World because I’ve gained almost 4 stone because of all the steroids that I’ve been on as well as having to eat a low residue diet pre and post op. I had great success on the plan after my first stay in the hospital where I lost 2 stone so I'm hoping to have similar success this time around. I plan on blogging my experiences with the Slimming World plan with an ostomy so stay tuned.

Anyway, that’s what I have been up to during the last 12 months. I really do hope that the worst is all behind me now.

Until next time,

AJ x

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Tuesday, 1 March 2016

A Break From Reality

For Christmas, my mum got a spa voucher for two at the Bowfield Hotel & Country Club and last weekend we finally made use of her gift – making this my first ever trip to a spa and I loved every second of it! You may think that at 20 (almost 21) it’s ridiculous that I’ve never visited a spa and yes, I guess it is but this is the first time I’ve ever felt confident enough to go into a room with a total stranger and let them rub oil over me. As weird and gross as that sounds, that’s essentially what it is and when you don’t feel very body confident, that’s the last thing you want to do!

We decided a few hours wasn’t enough for us to fully relax and unwind so we booked in for an overnight stay to truly get the most out of the use of the spa facilities. We had the best time ever just floating about the spa all day. We definitely got our money's worth out of the Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room, especially since we were the only ones there for the first few hours – Fridays are definitely the best day to go!

No mini break is complete without prosecco and chocolates, so naturally, we took both with us to enjoy after our massages - not very slimming world friendly but we decided to treat ourselves and enjoy our weekend.

Aside from the beautiful setting of the jacuzzi in the spa, the open wood fire in the restaurant area of the hotel was my favourite part - isn't it beautiful!? Nothing beats the smell of a wood fire.

I thoroughly enjoyed the mini break from reality and I'm now a lover of spa weekends.

I definitely won't leave it another 20 years!

Until next time,

AJ x

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Thursday, 25 February 2016

Joining Slimming World

After gaining over 3 stone from the steroids in hospital, and getting more and more down about my weight and appearance I decided to join Slimming World.

Stepping on those scales for the first time was absolutely terrifying! I already felt so ashamed of my size and being told my weight made me so much more determined to start losing it.

What I looked like when I joined Slimming World

I found the plan relatively easy to follow once I'd got my head around the concept of speed foods, free foods, healthy extras and syns and how the combination of all 4 things helps you to achieve maximum results. To help me stick to the plan I make up a weekly menu and from that, I make my shopping list of everything I will need for the week ahead – I say myself but my mum is also doing it with me & all the shopping!

The first few weeks were slow, the weight wasn't coming off as quickly as I would have liked it to but I knew this was because of my medication which has side effects of weight gain, so really being able to lose any weight at all was an achievement! But by week 7 I’d achieved my ½ stone award and was feeling so motivated to get to that 1 stone award and by the time week 12 had come around I’d got it!

1 stone lost

The next half a stone also came off in a matter of weeks but from 1½ stone – 2 stone I’ve been really struggling: putting on a pound, losing 2, putting ½ a pound, losing 1 etc.

Current weight - 1 stone 12lbs lost

I’ve decided that in order to help re-motivate me and want to start losing weight and achieve my goals again, I’m going to start sharing my progress online, whether it be through what I eat in a day/week posts to try and motivate me to eat better, or the different forms of exercise I’m doing. People in my group have been encouraging me to share my favourite recipes on a blog because they love hearing about them in group and seeing the pictures of them I regularly post on our group Facebook page so here I am!

Until next time,

AJ x

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Tuesday, 23 February 2016

Leaving 2015 Behind

2015 was the worst year of my life.

I entered it with lots of plans for the year ahead, and goals I wanted to achieve; none of these came to fruition.

Instead, I spent the first 3 weeks of the year in excruciating pain but hiding it from everyone around me and trying to study for an exam I thought I had no hope in hell of passing - luckily I did!

Before everything went downhill

The next 7 weeks were spent in hospital battling my first serious flare-up of Ulcerative Colitis. My stay in hospital had some ups, but mainly downs. I almost lost my colon (large intestine) but thanks to the care of two amazing Consultants, their team of Doctors and the gastro specialist nurse I made it through those really tough times.

Thankfully, I was out of hospital in time for my 20th birthday on April 13 which meant I was able to finally see one of my favourite musicians live.

James Bay

I was due to be a bridesmaid at my big cousin's wedding in May, and had been working at losing some weight to look good in my dress next to the other bridesmaids but thanks to my stay in hospital and the thousands of milligrams of steroids that were pumped into my body I had piled on the weight - over 3 stone - and was no longer looking forward to the occasion. I almost pulled out.

My mum convinced me not to pull out, and kept reassuring me that no one would care how much weight I had put on and that they would all just be so happy to see me there, out of hospital. I'm so glad I listened to her and didn't pull out, I had one of the best couple of days of the whole year that weekend!

Bridesmaids

Bride, Groom, Bridesmaids and Ushers

Wedding Party

I got to see family from London that I don't see nearly as often as I'd like and, of course, see my big cousin get married in a beautiful location.

Cutting the Cake

Summer was relatively quiet. Being on many types of medication including one I have to get intravenously every 6 weeks in hospital, we decided not to go anywhere. Instead, I spent it reading books in the garden, eating ice lollies and going for swims in the local outdoor swimming pool.

Burning the chimenea

Gourock Outdoor Swimming Pool

Twister ice lollies in the garden

I did take a trip to the Edinburgh for the Edinburgh Fringe during August with some friends. There we went to see Jon Cozart's show - Laughter Ever After which was incredibly entertaining. Emma Thompson was also in the audience!

Udderbelly Tent

Jon Cozart

Edinburgh Castle in the rain

September should've marked my return to university but I was forced to take a medical time-out and will be returning in at the end of January to pick up the second half of 3rd year where I left off.

November saw me being diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD as a result of everything I had been through at the beginning of the year and I'm now on medication to help with it. I've also taken up yoga as a form of dealing with my anxiety - I find it really relaxes and grounds me.

Yoga

December was probably the best month of the year. It was the first month where I didn't spend it in pain. It started with a last minute trip to London to stay with one of my closest friends Helena who moved there for uni. Whilst there we went to see MockingJay Part 2 and I cried. Multiple times. Mostly we just hung out in her room watching (getting addicted to) Jessica Jones and catching up. I hate how far away she lives!

Helena and I

I also took the annual visit to George Square to see the Christmas lights, take the obligatory picture in front of the Christmas tree and, of course, go on the Giant Swings!