Being normal

It's been a couple of weeks since I've blogged. Partly due to being extremely busy, but also partly due to not having much to report. Last week I stayed the same. I did all the right things but it was just one of those weeks where it does not show on the scales.

This week I knew would involve a bit of eating out as my mum and dad were coming to stay for the weekend so I saved 10 points over Monday to Friday. For the only proper meal I was cooking for them was on Friday evening, I made a beany veggie chilli. It was divine and I was amazed how low in points it was! It is probably not at all authentic but it has the virtues of being easy, healthy and yummy.

I sauteed onion, garlic, courgette, red pepper and mushrooms in a wok with a few sprays of fry light, then added 2 cans of tinned tomatoes, a bit of tomato puree and a handful of cherry tomatoes because they needed using up. Together with chilli powder and some dried mixed herbs so far that is 0 points! When all of that was bubbling away I added a tin of red kidney beans, a tin of green lentils and a tin of borlotti beans all drained. I just heated them through and let the sauce reduce a bit. The end product was enough to make 6 normal portions (the hubby has a large portion so actually there was enough for the 4 of us and leftovers for 1) so my portion was 2 points plus rice.

Thanks to the saved points despite the meals out on Saturday and Sunday I stayed on track and lost 1.25lb this morning which means my BMI is now 25 and in the normal range! I have not been this weight since before I got married which was nearly 12 years ago.

I got my hair cut last week. It was nearly halfway down my back but is now just above shoulder length. The new length really shows off the weight loss on my face and several colleagues suddenly commented on my weight loss rather than the haircut! Mum and dad really noticed the difference and were very complimentary.

I feel normal now. If I glance around a room I am hardly ever the largest person there. I can go clothes shopping, try something on and feel I look OK in it, before it was about finding the least bad option. I can look in a mirror now and think I look attractive. Before I lost the weight I felt that my face never looked pretty, no matter the lighting or angle.

I could stop here and it would be OK, but I am going to carry on and see how I feel for the next stone.