BECAUSE YOU ARE AMAZING!!!

Oh my goodness - what a fabulous success you all are! This week, you collectively lost an incredible total weight loss of 108lbs (and just 13lbs gained!!!) Well done to Julia and David who reached target, and Annette, David, and Hannah all getting their Club 10 awards!!! In total there were 12 awards earned last night from half a stone to three and a half stones, plus Janet getting her lovely bronze and silver body magic awards. I'm still buzzing from a fantastically successful night - bring on next week as there are plenty of awards in waiting, not to mention your Slimmer of the Month!!!!

Don't forget to save the date - 18th August - Woman of the Year. Do start to think now about who you'd like to nominate and let me know as soon as you've decided so I can prepare everyone for our fabulous party night. Woo-hoo!!!!

Sandra

Pack up that Perfect Picnic!!!

Thanks for all your great ideas in both groups last night - here's some of the ideas I've put together, plus some other bits which I hope will inspire you when you're picnic-bound! Don't forget my top tip for scooping out the centre of the bread to leave you with more crust and more room for fillings!!!

For a perfect picnic sandwich try these tasty Free fillings:

•Grilled sweet pepper with 42g mozzarella (Healthy Extra ‘a’ choice) served on a bed of salad greens and basil (Free on Extra Easy, Green and Original)
•Crisp lean bacon, thick slices of firm fresh tomato and plenty of watercress for a deliciously peppery BLT (Free on Extras Easy and Original, count bacon as Healthy Extra ‘b’ choice (85g) or 6 Syns on Green)
•Pickled beetroot, sliced salad onions, halved cherry tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce and shredded carrot make up a super salad sarnie that's completely Free on both choices. For extra oomph, include sliced boiled eggs!
For more scrumptious sandwich suggestions, feast your eyes on our feature.


Pack up your hamper with these goodies, and get out into the great outdoors…

•Cold skinless roast chicken - Free on Extra Easy and Original
•Fresh pineapple cubes wrapped in lean ham slices - Free on Extra Easy and Original
•Sliced ham, turkey, chicken, beef - Free on Extra Easy and Original
•Chilled kebabs - skewer cherry tomatoes, rolled up ham/turkey, cubes of cucumber, inches of celery, squares of pepper and basil leaves to make a delicious lunch box treat that's Free on Extra Easy and Original
•Low-Syn Scotch eggs – shape sausage meat from Marks & Spencer Count On Us pork sausages (½ Syn each ) around a hard-boiled egg, making sure that the egg is covered. Crush a Scan Bran with a rolling pin. Roll the covered egg in the crumbs until evenly coated. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180ºC for about 25 minutes. Use the Scan Bran as a Healthy Extra ‘b’ choice or count 1 Syn per crispbread used.

Grab your picnic blanket, along with these tasty ideas…

•Potato salad - made with boiled salad or new potatoes and fat free fromage frais. Flavour with garlic or fresh herbs for a fresh and Free salad on Extra Easy and Green.
•Pasta/rice/couscous salad - made with 100% Free Food. Try mixed beans, sweetcorn, celery, raw mushroom, pepper, cherry tomatoes, radish, spring onion, and flavour with Syn-free vinaigrette, fat free natural yogurt or fromage frais for a Free extravaganza on Extra Easy and Green.
•Broccoli quiche - made with a roasted red pepper base, lots of eggs, fat free natural cottage cheese, broccoli florets and seasoning. Cook at about 160ºC until golden brown. Free on Extras Easy, Green and Original.

Picnic puddings:

You can't beat a punnet of strawberries. Did you know that many people eat strawberries with vinegar or black pepper? Apparently, it enhances their flavour (and it's Free) - try it!

Fruit kebab - skewer lychees, kiwi, pineapple, physalis, kumquats and grapes for a fruit salad on a stick - Free on both choices.

Keep it simple, and take a whole melon. Nibbling on a huge slice will be wonderfully refreshing before or after your sandwich!

Syn-free snacks:

Instead of sweets, why not take broad beans or peas still in their pods (both Free on Extra Easy and Green) or unshelled boiled eggs (Free on Extra Easy, Green and Original). Shelling them will take more time than opening a sweet wrapper, and the centre is Free!

Take a selection of raw vegetables cut into sticks to nibble on. You could make a variety of Free dips out of fat free natural yogurt, fromage frais or cottage cheese, flavoured with finely chopped garlic, paprika, chopped fresh pineapple or your favourite herbs.


Hints & tips

Invest in a cool bag and freezer packs to keep your picnic fresh
•Take along a football or badminton racquets for a Body Magic boost between courses!
•Avoid melted, sticky chocolate by packing chocolate flavour Snack-a-Jacks and topping them with slices of banana when you get there.
•Get into the spirit of British picnics and take your brolly!

Most of all, relax, have fun and have a bit of body magic to boot!!!

Enjoy this weight-loss journey - you really are worth it!!!!

Sandra

SURVIVING - AND THRIVING! - THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

S taying to group will motivate and inspire;
C ounting your syns will fulfil your desire.
H olidays can be tricky, so weight may go on;
O nce back on the plan, that weight will be gone.
O nly commitment will help you achieve;
L ong lasting results - the scales don't deceive.

H elping each other by staying to class;
O ur consultant Sandra - what a fine lass!
L ong walks, rides and swims can help us stay fit;
I nfact body magic is such a big hit.
D inner, lunch and breakfast are tasty on the plan;
A sk Sandra for advice - she'll help if she can.
Y es! The holidays are over, the kids back to school;
S limming World and its plans most definitely rule!

SUMMERTIME......and the slimming is easy!!!!!

Are you going to be lucky enough to pick up a copy of our new and fantastic booklet specially designed to help you on your way to a slimmer summer? Armed with this bumper booklet, plus all the practical help and real-life understanding that you receive each week in group, you'll have all the advice, support and inspiration you need to enjoy your holidays, have fun-filled days out as a family and still keep your weight loss on track. You'll discover how to pack the perfect picnic, barbecue in bliss, dine out with ease - and overcome any holiday hurdle you can imagine (and much, much more!!!) You'll be able to tackle sticky situations quickly and easily and keep Food Optimising during the weeks where you thought your slimming journey would have a holiday too! It's this summer's must-have accessory!!!! It's packed with:

Summer survival strategies
Brilliant barecues
Divine drinks (mmmmmmmm!)
Food on the move
Perfect picnics
Seaside snacks, frozen delights and sweet treats
Eating out guide
Motivational Body Magic
Fun-filled family days out
Kids' corner to keep the kids amused and occupied

So how to you get your hands on this booklet packed with this wealth of information? You simply need to do one of the following:

Introduce a friend (your friend will just love you for it when they start losing weight - plus you could get a free week during the qualifying period!)
Show real commitment and get a 6 or 12 week Countdown Course (you'll have nothing to pay until September if you opt for a 12 week course by which time you could be be at least a stone lighter!
Be Cambourne's Slimmer of the Week or Slimmer of the Month

So don't miss out - qualify and you can pick up your copy from 14th July!!!!

Don't let the summer ruin your weigh-loss efforts - with Slimming World's power there really is no need!!

Stay smart!

Sandra

MILES FOR SMILES

Well done to everyone for showing such amazing enthusiasm for this week's "Miles for Smiles" when we'll be raising funds for the Slimming World NSPCC's campaign. Well done to those of you who've pledged to get sponsorship - I've got more sponsorship forms for anyone who needs one, otherwise you can make a voluntary donation - every penny helps!!

Wednesday will be great fun so don't forget to bring along those low-syn cakes to auction off, as well as any clothes for the clothes-swap! We've just been given a voucher for a free professional make-over courtesy of a local beauty therapist so I thought we could auction this off to the highest bidder, so bring those pennies along on Wednesday! And of course I've a couple of really fun games lined up - so get ready for a fun-packed evening! I will also have a very interesting visual demonstration on how damaging the summer COULD me to your weight-loss efforts so don't miss it!!!!

Then on Sunday we'll have our Miles for Smiles walk where we will (collectively!) be walking 40 miles around Cambourne lakes. So bring a friend, bring the dog - bring anyone who'd like to get a little bit active - on Sunday 11th July at 11am starting at the Vine School. You never know, we may end up in the pub at the end for a little light refreshment!!!

Have a great food optimising week - be bold and keep going with those fabulous weigh-losses!!!!

Sandra