Weight Loss Wednesday

That time has come round again to don the scales and let you all know how the first week went on the diet :) 

Here are the results :) 

As I started the diet last Monday it is 10 days worth of weight loss including this mornings half a pound that wasn't for budging!

Overall this week has been great, there have been times I have sat day dreaming of a 'big tasty' from McDonalds but after finding out it had over 800 calories I soon snapped out of that and reached for a satsuma instead.

As predicted the water weight dropped off at first but since Saturday I have definitely seen a slow decrease, in a way I am glad because now I know the weight I am loosing is fat. Matt has being saying lovely things like he can see I am thinner but I am not too sure, maybe another 7 pounds before I will tell a difference.

I am currently averaging 500-600 calories a day, it doesn't sound much but once you find low calorie foods that fill you up it really isn't too bad. If you would like to know what I have been eating and making for lunches etc just let me know. 

I still have a long way to go yet and some days all I want to do it go back to my old ways, but where would that leave me, heavier than ever, eating rubbish daily and putting more strain on my joints! At 24 this isn't something I imagined I would be saying. 2013 is a time for change, positive thinking and happy times. I don't want Finley to have a mummy that cant keep up with him, that looks different and is too self conscious to go swimming. No, every time I want to reach in the treat cupboard or order a pizza I think of the amazing years ahead I will have a 'slimmer' me. All the goals I want to accomplish and all it will take is a few more months hard work and I will be there! 

If anyone else would like to join in 'weight loss wednesday' it would be great to know that we are doing it together. Leave a comment below or send me an email and we can encourage each other! 

Good luck everyone and wish me and Matthew good luck too!

Speak soon,

Love Kayleigh x

G-Nappies Review

A little while back I was asked to test run (along with Finley of course) a few gNappies. Of course I jumped at the offer as I had planned on using re-usable nappies on Finley from day one....however....

to build up the amount we needed it would have cost over £300...that's just on the nappies themselves, we still would have had to purchase wet bags, storage for dirty nappies and even a sprayer! At the time it just seemed like such a massive investment that we just couldn't afford. 

We have used disposables ever since Finley was born and luckily he has been perfectly fine in them but one problem we do have now he is a little bigger is leaking! Since the minute he realised he could roll over he has been a tummy sleeper ever since, which meant his nappy would press against his tummy making a little wet patch :( 

Whilst trialing the gNappies with Finley it resolved that issue straight away! It may be down to the snug fit that made sure any tiny leaks stayed put or that the tabs wrap around the his back so he wasn't sleeping on the crossover. Seems like such a simple solution but I haven't seen it on any other nappy out there. 

gNappies offer two versions of their nappies, the cloth inserts that you use and treat just like normal cloth nappies or the disposable version that I tried. 

It is a disposable/reusable hybrid that has the look and fit of cloth but the ease and convenience of disposable.

The gPants as they are known are like an outer shell that a little insert just pops into - easy as that! And once your ready to change just pop out the insert and pop in the bin or if your that way out, in the compost bin!
  Here is a scary fact for you, did you know that regular disposables can take up to 500 years....yes 500 years to bio degrade! Wow...that's up 8/9 nappy's a day per baby for maybe 2ish years that's nearly 6000 nappies per child in a landfill for half a millennium! I had a look and gNappie inserts take less than 2 months!

They are the perfect disposable alternative for me but I would say maybe a full time cloth nappy aficionado may prefer the full cloth outer and inner, but as I have never managed to fully cloth for any length of time I would love to hear what you think and let me know if you would prefer this system? Or do you just like the idea of one nappy, no insert or liners that just gets washed and dried...no stuffing necessary. Would love to hear your thoughts?

I love the way these little gPants s look on Finley, they just blow regular disposables out of the water in the style ratings! I can see why people get addicted to buying funky new colours and patterns! Plus the girls versions *swoon* they have little embelisments and beautiful patterns....Do you think Finley would mind a pink pom pom on his bum? hmmmm! 

On their website it says that you only need to 6-8 gNappies for full time use! They currently have a set of 6 gpants and inserts for a third of the price of what you would spend on a cloth nappy stash - have a peek here or if you fancy just trying them out like me have a look at their starter bundle here

Overall I was really impressed with gNappies and definitely something I would consider stocking up on and possibly converting full time too. Any large amount of money laid down will of course be an investment but with all the pros of this product I would highly recommend going for it and making the switch! 

Love Kayleigh & Finley

Weight Loss Wednesday

Well the diet started on Monday and so far we are still on track :)

A while back I said I had a fair bit of weight to loose but I hadn't expected it to be so much when I stepped on those scales Monday morning! Its a good job I didn't faint with shock because at this weight I doubt Matt would have been able to drag me to safety let alone pick me up!! ha!

I don't just have a few pounds here and there to loose, I am setting my sights on 5 stone....wow! A few years back I lost close to 3 stone so I know a little of what I am letting myself in for. Even losing 5 stone wouldn't be enough weight in the eyes of the NHS for me to be 'normal' but at only 5foot 1inch I am fighting a losing battle to ever be 'normal'. My perfect body will be a little slimmer, still curvy and of course still have chubby cheeks! 

How do I plan to loose the weight? It may not work for most people but I have entered the world of 'very low calorie restricted dieting'. When I lost that extra 3 stone in 2009 I did it through the same method, I saw a surgeon and weight management professional hoping for a gastric band but now I look back and I am glad they said I wasn't ready. They did however show me an alternative route, I eat the same amount I would if I had a band/bypass but without the risks of surgery. You really have to mentally prepare yourself for this one, it is not easy but if you want results then this is a guaranteed plan!

Quick weight loss often results is quick weight gain, very true! That is exactly what happened last time, I admit I lost my first stone in 2 weeks! Then as soon as I fell off I went straight back into my old eating habits, this time I have a plan in place for when I loose the weight, people around me to help and guide me, I have educated myself on how weight loss works and why I gained the weight back.

I do have a couple of 'before' pictures but I am not sure I will post them just yet, maybe when a little slimmer I will feel more confident to show you a comparison. I will also be updating weekly to let you all know how much weight I have lost :D 

Pic from Google

I saw this picture and chuckled so I thought I would pop it here, I couldn't have 2 posts in a row with no pictures! Plus it reminds me of my friend Keri that you can usually find crying over how 'fat' she is whilst eating a cake to cheer herself up :) btw - if Keri is fat I must be the earth haha!

If anyone would like to know anymore information on low calorie dieting please send me a message or pop a note in the comments, I am happy to share my daily diet plan if you like or advice on how to curb cravings! 

Hope all of you who are dieting/eating healthy are doing really well and looking forward to showing off those summers bodies! 

Love Whaley Kayleigh x

A weird ol' week

Take 2...yes this is the second version of the exact same post, why? I just re-read it and it read to me exactly how I have been feeling the last week. Just a little down and well,weird. 

I have sat trying to write posts for the last week but no matter how many words I typed all my mind was focused on was 'my return to work'! Yes that's right, I am now back in the office and officially an 'office working' mum! And last week I suffered the full effects of getting back into a routine that doesn't involve colouring, reading and bath time. Instead I was sent back 12 months to appeal hearings, computer systems and IT issues. 

Last week was spent squeezing every last drop of 'Finley Time' I could, every moment I captured and stored in my little mind memory box, we played with all his toys over and over, attempted to learn to walk and sang all our fave songs with Daddy.

Thursday loomed closer and closer and it just felt so surreal, ironing work clothes, getting my change together for the bus! How did this day come around so quickly, how will Finley manage without his Mummy there? Will I cope being away?

Well....it all went really well! My first day back was lovely, seeing all my friends, sweets, biscuits and a chance to sit down for longer that 10 minuets. I have the most wonderful team who knew I was a little nervous and after the first hour it was like I had never left. I text Matthew throughout the day and gave him a call at lunch and Finley did great, he had a fab day with his Daddy :D 

After what seemed like the quickest day ever I got the bus home and was met by a very excited Finley and possibly relived Daddy! His little face all lit up....for 10 minuets if that, once he spotted my work pass that was it, Mummy was relegated and off he went to sit twirling my pass around.

All I wanted to say is that it really wasn't as bad as I thought, it really was okay. Of course if I had the choice I would spend every moment at home but I think those two days at work will let me get back to 'Kayleigh' for a split second before I am back home snuggling and giving Finley his bottle. 

Please let me know if you are planning to return to work after your Maternity leave or if your a SAHM? Or how you found your return to work. 

Sorry for the absence, and I shall now be back on top form as usual! 

PS: the diet started today - thumbs up for losing weight - thumbs down for Twix and Crips cravings.

Weekend Meet & Greet Blog Hop #11

It's time to Meet & Greet...

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Join in, meet some fellow bloggers, greet them with comments, and grow your blog with new friends!

A big thanks goes out to everyone who comes and participates on a weekly basis as this hop grows. We're now extending the hop for a Weekend Meet & Greet, hosting Friday nights all the way until the end of Monday. That gives us all extra time to meet new bloggers and greet everyone!

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Leave us each a comment letting us know you’re following, to say “Hi!”, or answer our fun question for the week!- We would love to follow/comment you back!

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The Meet & Greet Blog Hop will run Friday nights - Mondays each week! 

Meet Our Hosts!

This week’s fun question is:  What was your favourite food when you were a child?

Sara - from FlowerLandShop:  My favourite food was the apple pie!...When I grew I discovered that I'm allergic to apples, this is misfortune!XD

Kim - from 2 just B you: Pizza (I know, I know...Not so original).  I was a really (OK, I still am) a picky eater, but I'm getting better.

Laurie - from Created By Laurie: I fell in love with peanut butter and marshmallow crème sandwiches. I still eat them too!

*Featured Guest*

Kayleigh- from Beauty, Life, and Babies: Hmmmm when I was little my favourite food was an 'egg in a cup' I'm not too sure if it is common in the US, it’s a soft boiled egg mashed in a cup :) I used to have mine with toasted soldiers and a hot vimto.

What was your favorite food when you were a child?

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Finley's Faves

 It has been a little while since I lasted posted about Finley's current Faves so I thought its about time I did an updated version. 

Rather than jotting down his favourite toys or books I wanted to show you all a little more of his personalty and what makes him tick :D 

Number 1 - Kissing *mwah* 

For a few months now Finley kind of grasped the idea of kissing and sometimes vaguely attempted to kiss you back, one of those strange open mouthed dribbly baby kisses! The one you try and dodge but deep down they are your baby so you have to let it go. But more recently he has given the cutest little pecks on the cheek, kisses goodnight and even kisses for his teddys. The other day when putting his to bed I said 'give teddy a kiss' just as a passing comment and he picked up his little teddy and gave it a kiss! *double take* hmmm it must be a fluke, but no every time I asked politely a little baby lips kiss flew its way over to teddy. Yay, so now we can ask Finley for kisses all day long :D He will also stroke when asked (picked that one up from the cats) although he has taken to stroking a kissing his Dads arm! Lets hope he grows out of that before he goes to school or he will be the kid that strokes and kisses arms rather than says hello! 

 Number 2 - Dancing

Lets be a little more precise, Disco Dancing! For some reason the beats of 70s disco classics are really floating his boat right now. You can put on the top 40 music channels on and maybe he might jig around a little to the beat but put on Smooth FM and he is off. Rocking side to side, bouncing up and down....we need to cool this boy down because this baby has got Disco fever!

Here is one of his current faves on Youtube

Number 3 - Moving

Finley is loving moving in general....anywhere and everywhere! He loves climbing up, climbing down, crawling, bouncing, anything that involves those legs and arms wriggling around you can pretty much guarantee that he wants to do it! He hasn't quite grasped walking yet but I know it wont be long before he is zooming past me trying to catch the cat! 

This picture says everything and to be honest 95% of the pictures I take nowadays look exactly like this, our Finners just will not sit still...ever! Little disclaimer, there were 3 of us surrounding him to make sure he was okay, he is like P Diddy and we are like his posse of bodyguards!

  I would love to hear what your little ones are loving at the moment, it is great to see how individual such a tiny little person can be. 

Love Kayleigh x

Throwback Thursday

When Finley was born everyone including me agreed that he was a mini version of Matthew, I was surprised he was even related to me because he looked nothing at all like me. A few friends had said 'oh does he look like you or Matthew as a baby?' hmmmm I pulled out the photo album to have a glance but no, he just looks like a very tiny, wrinkled version of Matthew.

Well to my surprise the other day the thought popped into my head and out came the same photo album and BAM...

It was as though Finley was it all the pictures from 1988 onwards! How did this happen, why didn't I see this change in him! I thought you might all like to see a few snaps of me when I was the same age as Finley, let me know if you can see the resemblance or if I am going mad.

 I even noticed that Finley and I had the same eating habits, I'm glad to say that I have grown out of mine but now I'm just waiting for him to stop throwing his weetabix up the wall and squishing strawberries through his fingers!

There were a few other similarities I spotted, we both seemed to have that slight ginger tinge to the wispy hair dotted sparsely around our head although his is turning blonde as did mine at around 1ish (so I'm told).  Our eyes seem the exact same shade of blue, mine are a little more green nowadays so I'm expecting his to change a little. In the millions of photos I looked through there were only about 4 where I actually had noticeable hair....I was 3! Sorry Finley it looks like that little Egg nogin' of yours will just have to be bald for a little longer.

If you would like to see a few other comparison photos I will dig out some more for you all to have a look at, I love seeing old photos especially now we have a little baby of our own to see all the little similarities and family traits. 

Love Kayleigh x