Yup, I've Lost Weight!

Yup I'm a slightly slimmer version of me. 

It was through choice(& effort) & not because I had an issue with what weight I actually was (as I've never been one to weigh myself regularly), nor was it anything to do with being unhappy with my clothing size.  I've been comfortable with being mostly a 10-12 (my JLo booty sometimes needing even more room!) for the last few years. No biggy really... it was a case of, you just feel you could do with shifting a lil' bit of padding and you make the effort to do so.   I felt it had crept on gradually & was needing the heave ho, especially with a swimwear kinda holiday on the cards. 

 Hubby had also been keen to lose a bit of weight but was not so enamoured by the thought of  attending a class (for various reasons) which I could totally understand. Having taught a weekly dance class to a marvellous Weight Watchers group in Cumnock near Ayr , I'd heard great things & seen the amazing transformations of so many of my participants that it seemed the obvious choice. With the app being the affordable & best option for us both, we joined then navigated our way through the it, figuring out what our weekly points allowed us to munch on.....which we discovered was everything and anything really (you just gotta 'point it')'!! 

Using the app & following the ProPoints system has been a walk in the park...a breeze...an absolute doddle! Each day you type in what you've eaten (1000s of brand name products are uploaded in to the site for you to find and choose from) & you can see your remaining daily allowance, as well as your weekly points. So there's no way to lose track of what you've eaten! Of course you can also use it to make healthy, informed choices too. If you fancy something but not sure how many points it is, you simply type it in & it'll bring up the value....then it's down to you to decide if it's worth it to dive in or opt for something lower in points!  

We began our weight loss journey June 4th & within that 4 months of sticking to the program & enjoying regular exercise (I have an active job) I have lost 1 stone 6lbs thus far!  It's been a steady, gradual process with some weeks there being no weight loss at all. 

So what does a typical day look like for me? Firstly I'd like to point out that these are my preferences & that the program offers variety....I'm just a creature of habit most of the time & enjoy certain food groups over others. 

Brekkie? 

Crumpets have become my staple diet. They are low in points, filling and go with almost anything.  Can't even imagine how many of them I've eaten since we started the diet!  I quite often have mashed-up,  heated banana over them. Could literally live on that. It's soooo yummy! Eggs are a fave too and I usually boil an egg the night before to ensure I get that protein fix first thing. 

Lunch? 

Tends to be either tuna or chicken breast with heaps of salad. Low points, mega filling (haven't imputed my spinach leaves below but believe me, they're always there). I've seen myself add all sorts of veg too. Whatever we have that's zero points & will fill out my lunch goes in. Spring onions, broccoli, peas.... My tub is always brimming with greenery! 

Dinner?

We are enjoying the foods we ate before (mainly)but have adjusted portion sizes and thought twice about a jarred sauce, opting to make our own to allow us to control the calorie intake. Chicken fajitas, burgers, stir fries, curries.....we enjoy a varied and tasty diet. Will be posting a few recipes soon!

  My current daily allowance is 26 points which I ALWAYS eat. Rob on the other hand, has a much higher point allowance than me (men get more and it also differs depending on weight) and almost NEVER eats his full allowance. He annoyingly updates me every evening after dinner, when I've only got 2 points or so left, that he has something like 26 left....26 left??!!! He's eaten all day and is still left with the amount of points I get in a whole day! What the actual....?? He apparently should be trying to eat all his points each day but he finds it virtually impossible. He snacks on fruit mainly at work which has a zero points value so he doesn't clock up points during the day. We also both have 49 'weeklies' which you can tap into if you'd like to have that dessert or that glass of wine. Some days I find myself going over my daily 26 by a few points so this is where the weeklies come in to play and I don't feel too guilty about stretching out my allowance. I rarely eat even half of my weeklies but I know they're always there in case of scran emergencies! Oh yeah, we all have 'em! Birthday cake is of course a must-have! 

 My diet hasn't changed much to be honest. I was a healthy eater beforehand with a very balanced diet. What I would say has been the magic ingredient for me with Weight Watchers is the weighing and measuring of my food. Portion control is the key! Yes fruit and veg are 'free foods' so they require no measuring at all but my meat, dairy, carbs etc are weighed (or their weight checked on the packets) before consumption. Cooking or preparing food for two often left us in a scenario where we were overeating at dinner time in an attempt not to 'waste food'. Of course we could have cut down the portions and used the leftovers another day but we weren't....we were just eating them unnecessarily. Filling up on veg and fruit now allows us to eat plenty of the good stuff and manage everything else better than ever before. Tonnes of salad with a burger means I don't need potato wedges with it. Heaps of veg in a casserole means one chicken breast each is plenty for us. Swapping rice for grated cauliflower allows us to eat a heaped plateful without the bloated tummy and the carb overload! It's not rocket science but it kinda feels like it.

  As someone who ate healthily I wasn't convinced that the diet would work for me. I thought any weight loss would only be in high intensity workouts, which sadly (due to my work load,  I don't always have time for. I love exercise, it's my job to be active but because of the regularity of my daily 'workouts', my body expects that level of cardio and needs something far more intense to have an effect.  I was convinced that I didn't have much to change diet wise and yes, that was partly true but a few tweaks have made all the difference surprisingly.....1 stone 6 lbs to be exact! 

I'm down a dress size. I feel great. I'm never hungry. I have stacks of energy. I'm not bored as I can eat anything. It's given me the boost I needed mentality as well as physically. Result, I say! 

I'll keep y'all posted on our weight loss adventures and will be sure to post some recipes too. 

Over and out,

Weesse x 

We Ate..... at The Grapevine, Bothwell

Hey y 'all

We thought it may be nice to get blogging about any restaurants, cafés etc we've recently visited & enjoyed, as well as any recipes we've tried & tested.  We're both foodies & enjoy trying new dishes & new food haunts so should be a regular post on 'ere! 

At the weekend, hubby & I had the pleasure of our friends Mich, Fraser, Lu & Tom's company at Bothwell-based restaurant The Grapevine. Mich had spotted an itison deal which couldn't be missed, with 2 courses for 2 people at £14 !  Wowzers!! 

Was super difficult to choose what to have from this scrummy Market Menu (which is normally their Pre-Theatre deal menu) but eventually opted for the scallops & crab to start, then the salmon (always end of having salmon!). 

The scallops were cooked to perfection & the apple salad went beautifully with the dressed crab. The salmon was just so moist & tasty along with the herb potato mash. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their lunch wiping the plates clean. 

I was good & didn't go for a sweet (stole a little mouthful of Rob's icecream) & had coffee (ultimate fave after-dinner treat) but the sticky toffee & bread & butter puddings looked so morish! 

We practically rolled outta there, all suitably stuffed & a little snoozy from our foodathon! 

Beautifully presented, tasty food in a nice, chilled, relaxed setting.  Not your pub grub, no- The Grapevine is a little more special & certainly a great option for an evening meal or a special lunch. We just took advantage of the amazing deal but be sure to check out their website for future deals they may have on offer.  

http://grapevinebothwell.com/menus/

Writing this has made me hungry!! I'm off to raid the fridge! 

Nom nom nom .......

Weesse x

COAT It Be Magic....

Mimi here!

I love a good pun (see title). I love a pun even more when it's used in reference to something I love more than puns. Like cats, chocolate, blowing out birthday candles and coats.

Right now, as you may know, my obsession is with the perfect grey coat. I got the perfect camel coat just a few weeks ago from Primark at a mere £25 (although one of the studs fell off so am now having it repaired!). I have been on the hunt since then for the perfect pale grey woolen structured coat, knee length or longer.

My hunt so far has been unsuccessful. In fact, PERILOUSLY so. Don't get me wrong, there have been a few contenders (said in the voice of John Anderson from Gladiators). Some "close but no cigar" versions available online and on the high street have been as follows:

Boohoo £40

PROs: Cheap!
CONs: Sweater material, doesn't have the luxe heaviness of wool

Whistles (or Next) £375

PROs: Sleek, stylish, perfect colour.

CONs: What, am I made of money?

 

Mango at John Lewis £119.99

PROs: Perfect colour, love how there's no buttons etc
CONs: Less structured than what I would have liked.

Xu112 (eBay): £56.99

PROs: Perfect colour, no buttons, heavy look
CONs: Sizing from Chinese stores can be tricky, quality is always an issue as well (previous experience)

Dorothy Perkins £55

PROs: Cheap(er) than others, no buttons
CONs: Not quite long enough...also the cost vs quality ratio isn't quite there for me


So...I'm not fussy (at all)...okay maybe I am a bit. HOWEVER, Saviour came for me today in the form of a glorious MANGO 30% coats and selected knitwear promotion (instore AND online). I had seen this beauty a few days ago, but the cost was putting me off slightly:

Mango originally £129.99

One hundred and thirty smackaroonies is a lot of money to me, so I held off...and I'm glad I did. With the 30% off promotion, I got this glorious coat for £90.99. I LOVE Mango with an absolute passion and always buy my staple items from there as the quality is so good (their jeans are particularly great...I wear these jeggings religiously). AND because my order was over £30...free home delivery! Hopefully this bad boy will be with my by the weekend.

It has everything I am looking for. Pale colour? Check. Minimal fastenings? Check. heavy look and feel? Check. Structure? Check. I may replace the black button with a grey one. But I might be so head over heels in love that I won't give a monkeys.

If you would like to take advantage of the offer on coats, jackets, cardigans and jumpers, enter the code 5MNG at the checkout. Offer ends 22nd October 2014.

I am now currently resisting the urge to go to my nearest Mango and try it on! If I do and I reeeeaaalllly love it...the offer still stands IN STORE and I could buy it there and then! Don't tempt me!

Now, my new obsession? JUMPER DRESSES.

PS: Really need to stop buying grey clothes #looklikeablackandwhitemovie.

BRAvo for ULTIMO'S House of Fraser Launch

On Thursday evening, both Mimi & I hotfooted it down to House of Fraser, Glasgow for lingerie brand ULTIMO'S launch of their concession store in house.

   Headed by Glaswegian tycoon Michelle Mone, ULTIMO catapulted to fame in 1999 with the launch of their first bra at Selfridges selling out in a mere 24 hours. Years of unprecedented success later, with many well known faces & of course, bodies, having modelled for the brand, it's a name that I've always known of & associated with well-fitting, stylish lingerie. So you can imagine my delight when the RSVP to the invitation required my bra & underwear size!

On arrival we were offered a glass of fizz or orange juice (us tea-totalers opted for the latter) & we were then free to peruse the collection on display, all beautifully presented & true a feast for the eyes. Use of bold colours, lace & the ULTIMO signature plunge design for cleavage boosting power, one set was nicer than the next. Your black, white & flesh coloured staple pieces were also on show but it was this hot pink combo which caught my eye. Ohh mama!! 

ULTIMO'S beautiful bridal collection boasting many solution products is also available at this first-ever Scottish concession store & with a team of dedicated ULTIMO staff & free bra fitting service, I presume it will become a hot-spot for all your lingerie needs. 

We were delighted to see a few familiar faces amongst the modest crowd of invitees, including the gorgeous Nicki McCourt of STV Glasgow & Steph Telfer of Scottish Wedding Directory. Always a pleasure to chat to these uber talented gals & was comforting to know some peeps there considering this was our first launch event as bloggers and all. The ever-glamorous Michelle Mone herself was also there, looking fabulous in a fitting white top & checkered trousers, with her golden locks coiffeeured to perfection & her makeup pristine.  

As guests started to say their goodbyes, we finished up our drinks & caught up with the beautiful Kat Campbell of ULTIMO (who'd kindly invited us) who presented us both with a goodie bag! On later inspection (as soon as we left!) we found a stunning  lingerie set, a YSL foundation sample & a 100ml bottle of Paul Smith Optimistic Woman. Thrilled! 

My gorgeous black lace & baby pink satin underlay bra & knickers set fits perfectly! I ADORE it! At a 32E I sometimes struggle to find a padded bra (which I prefer as I feel it gives better support!) in my size as these tend to be exclusive to A-C cups in other brands. I wore it on Sunday whilst out for lunch & you know that special feeling you get from putting on pretty new lingerie? Well, I got it wearing this set for sure! Almost too nice to wear hidden under clothes!! 

A huge thank you to ULTIMO & our beautiful friend Kat who kindly invited us along. 

A pit stop at Yo Sushi & then we were off home, goody bags in hand & feeling very special indeed at being invited to such a swish event! 

BRAvo ULTIMO! 

Be sure to check out their concession store in House of Fraser ASAP! 

Weesse xx

Useful Links

http://www.ultimo.co.uk

http://m.yosushi.com

http://www.paulsmith.co.uk

http://www.yslbeauty.co.uk/exclusive

Winter Is Coming....

....and I loves me some knitwear!

Like, I really love it.

For our readers in the UK, you will know that we had been experiencing a bit of an unseasonable warm front over the past few weeks...20 degrees in September?! Cray. Zee.

THIS was not an ideal climate for my absolute most favouritist form of clothing. Knitwear.

My ranking of favourite forms (or features) of clothing runs something like this:

1. Knitwear
2. Skirts/dresses with pockets (HOW convenient?!)
3. Faux fur (or vintage, never new)
4. Leather (or pleather)
5. Tartan or "plaid"

So the day that I wear a leather skirt with pockets, a faux fur jacket and a massive tartan woolen scarf will be a good day fo sho.

I was kinda halfway there with this outfit. The coatigan has faux leather sleeves and trim, and the scarf is so cosy yet light. I did however wear this on a day where it was 20 degrees and had to half strip off in every shop I walked into.

Scarf- £5 Primark IN STORES NOW
Bag- £8 Primark IN STORES NOW, other colours available
Dress- Primark (last season)
Boots- Primark (2 years ago)
Coatigan- £20 Jumpo London, purchased at 2013 Clothes Show Birmingham (alternative sold HERE on eBay)
Stack of rings- £8.99 Parfois
Large ring- £3 Argento (SALE ITEM)

HOT. But seeing as the temperature has recently dropped (proven by the fact that I had to scrape my car windscreen this morning)...it's all about the knitwear baby!!

My go-to outfit at the moment is a knitted dress, belt, snood, tights and boots. Another more casual alternative is my pale grey skinny jeans and any massive chunky knit jumper. I am a lover of a knitted dress- this one is from Primark last year but they have a few in this season starting at around £12. INSTANT look.

You can of course invest in some cashmere that's going to last you much longer, but to be honest if you look after your cheaper stuff it might just last as long! Making sure you don't wash your knits at too high a temperature and taking care when ironing (shiny jumpers = not cool) is a good place to start.

If you're looking for cheaper less" alpine" head-to-toe knitwear options, why not consider woolen accessories instead? A great way to transition into autumn and Winter without looking like you're just back from the slopes. TOP TIP: When looking for new knitwear accessories, don't ignore the men's department ladies! I got this wine chunky knit snood from Primark's Cedarwood State menswear range for £5. An actual fiver. AND it comes in tan too!

Look how happy I am to be wearing this snood. LOOK AT MY FACE. #sheerjoy

Here are a few of my top picks for knitted accessories. in stores and online NOW.

Wool Fedora Hat
Mango £34.99

Tartan/check scarf
Primark £6

Grey woolen tights
Primark £3

Cream and grey checked scarf
Zara £25.99

Leather detail gloves
Mango £35.99

So there you have it. You don't have to go head-to-toe woolly to rock some crackin' knitwear.

But I will. Cause I LOVES IT.

If anyone needs me I'm the one hiding under four massive tartan scarfs and a fedora.

Weesse's SEPTEMBER FAVES

Hey

It's Weesse here with my September Faves! Each month I'll give y'all the low down on any purchases I've made, whether it be beauty products or some fashioney bits & bobs & pop the links on here to anything I'm loving right now for you check out.

My birthday is in September so between some lovely gifts & my birthday money splurges, I feel I've been buying left right & centre. Not at all complaining of course! Even made some Autumnal purchases whilst holidaying in Portugal! 

BEAUTY PICKS 

In terms of beauty recommendations for September, two of my faves are from URBAN DECAY. My mate Kelly had recommended their SUBVERSION lash primer & PERVERSION mascara duo & having never really found a mascara that I absolutely love, I was particularly eager to try these out, especially when I mistook Kelly's lashes for falses! Those bad boys were looking good! 

   So far, I'm really liking this primer meets mascara scenario. The wands on both are a decent size & easy to use which I like & I really do notice a significant difference in using the primer prior to the mascara. I apply the white primer (looks a tad weird but hey, it's not like you're going out with just that on!), allow it to dry & then layer up the mascara on top. The biggest difference I've noticed has been on my lower lashes which rarely look very defined. This combo seems to making them far more fuller & fluttery (word?). I wonder if the primer or the mascara alone would do the trick. Which one is the magic ingredient or is it really this specific combo that's making it all happen? I will have to use the primer with another brand of mascara I guess...and will report back on my findings! 

My next beauty fave is from Benefit & it's another primer! Maybe I'm just in the prime of life, eh? Badoomtish! Their POREfessional makeup primer is super silky on the skin & you need very little of it to get maximum coverage. I've never been one to use a primer before applying my foundation but had heard so many good things about this one I just had to try it. So far I'm loving it & that extra layer on the skin can only serve me well to achieving a very even coverage & flawless application of foundation. Always love Benefit's packaging & the handy sized tube is great for storing it in the old makeup bag.

FASHION PICKS

Moving swiftly on to my first fashion find of this month, it has to be from my Zara hit in Portugal. Yes I'm the gal who goes all the way to sunnier climates & buys a jumper & scarf from a store we have here at home. Had to be done as when I spotted these beauties I had to have them immediately. I always admire Zara's Autumn/Winter scarves as they're always beautiful patterned, a great size for wrapping yourself up on & uber soft to the touch. I swithered between quite a few in this year's collection (and may purchase another) but finally opted for a mixed of greens, greys, blues, red & black thinking that this would go with all of my winter jackets (and any other future purchases). I can't wait to as it's super snugly! No cold necks here! I'm not sure this exact pattern is available in the UK but there's plenty more to choose from.....which I'll probably end up doing again....well a girl's gotta have options, right?!

My second purchase from Zara was this thick knit, black jumper with leather trim around the neck. It was this detail that sold it to me. Love a lil' bit of leather so I do & I reckoned that black was a stylish, timeless option.  Also available in grey which could squirm it's way into my wardrobe before November!

Finally, I'm in love with this bag from H&M- a gift from Mimi herself! It's THE perfect shade of grey, an ideal size for everyday use & it's sturdy fabric gives the bag a fixed shape which I particularly like. Phone, makeup bag, diary, perfume, notebook, magazine, space for my scarf & a bottle of water....it's all getting in there & they won't misshapen the bag to boot! Result! Ideal Autumn/Winter purchase & will seriously go with anything! 

Photo credit: H&M UK

ET AL PICKS

It's a 'GOOD READ' pick this month with Sophia Amoruso's #GIRLBOSS being an absolute corker of a book. From humble beginnings on eBay, Nasty Gal has reached dizzying heights in a mere 8 years, selling clothing & accessories online worldwide to the tune of over 100 million dollars! This frank, witty account of her troubled teen years, the struggle to pinpoint her path in life as a young adult & then finding her passion for selling vintage treasures (like the Chanel jacket, bought for $8 & sold for over $1K!) online is a joy to read! I devoured this book on my week in sun. It's inspiring, funny, honest & motivational. A must for any budding #GIRLBOSS indeed! 

So peeps that's us for September! 

Me and my winter woollies and primers are off to do our thang and  I'll be back with an October Haul soon!

Peace out! 

Weesse x

What I Bought (WIB)

Just call me the "Mean Girls" Gretchen Weiner of the blog world, as in I am trying my hardest to make a lesser known (okay totally made up) phrase a "thing" (although my thing is not "fetch").

Welcome to my new slot which may or may not happen every week, What I Bought (or WIB). A bit like the MIB with just as much sharp tailoring but a bit less Will Smith.

I am OBSESSED with oversized coats. Mainly in pale blue, pale grey and camel. But they are simultaneously ruining and enriching my life. I NEED one but I don't HAVE one.

Primark have had a range of nice affordable coats but due to them making them a tad too big, it seems only the larger sizes are available. I really wanted to try and get one for less than £35 and even my old faithful eBay wasn't giving me any love.

Until....

I walked into Primark this morning. Primark at 9am is golden. The floor is clear, clothes are sized, there's no queue, and the fitting rooms are empty. There's no screaming children, and the footwear department doesn't smell like feet (yet). I looked forlornly at the oversized coats, dying a little inside when I noticed they had a camel coat with a faux fur collar (exhibit A).

Image courtesy of Primark

"That's nice" I thought. "If only it had the nice lapels and concealed buttons I so desire in an oversized coat".

THEN I noticed a wee label hanging from the coat....and it said....

"DETACHABLE COLLAR"

Shut. The. Front. Door. 

Could it be, that hiding under this collar was the perfect lapel of an oversized coat?!?!

YOU BETCHA.

Not gonna lie. I had to restraint myself from doing a wee victory dance.

Also bought a mustardy limey jumper for an actual fiver and a stretch jersey pencil skirt in charcoal grey. Also a fiver. Today I happen to be wearing last week's purchase, which is a pale blue chuinky cable knit jumper, £8 (Exhibit B).

Image courtesy of Primark

So there we have it...for £35 I have a jumper, a skirt and a coat which has 2 fabulous looks. Now I just need it in grey. And blue.

So fetch.