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Taking Back Control – Update #1! #WayOfLife #WalkingToWellness #SlimPod

06 Apr 2025 17 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Changing Thinking, Diet, Food, Health, Life, mental-health, nutrition, Slimpod, Snoozebands, Weight Loss, writing

Hey Peeps, it’s me!

After my last post, I feel it’s only right to update you on my new journey!

Day 37 in the SlimPod House… (As I write that, I can hear it playing like the guy from Big Brother (UK) who used to narrate, Marcus Bentley, with his distinctive Geordie voice!)

Yes, I am still going with the SlimPod pods and listening to them at least once daily before bed. Sometimes I might even listen twice, if I feel like it.

Three have been released for me at this stage: the original SlimPod, the ChillPod, and the new SugarPod.

It’s only the first one that is essential to listen to daily. The second is suitable for relaxing or even being used as a stress buster, and the third, the SugarPod, is something to listen to, especially if you have feelings of addiction to certain things. It’s called SugarPod, but it’s not just about sugar; the mindset can relate to many things. If your mind is not quite ready for it, it can make a listener feel the urge to binge! So, it is additional, and up to you to judge when you may want to listen.

I was a bit scared, but in the end, I added it to my playlist and listen to it daily. I’m actually listening right now as I type because it is talking to my unconscious mind, so I don’t have to actively listen.

What are the changes I have noticed?

Well, let’s start with Fibro Frank (remember, I have given my Fibromyalgia a unique name!) I am feeling more energetic and finding the pains are not as constant. That may be because of meds I am on, but the positive feeling is attributed to my mindset.

I had settled into my three healthy meals a day, and then I began to listen to my body more and eat when hungry. I try my best, given that I am in school during term time! One big thing I noticed was that I am not really hungry first thing in the morning. I have a cup of green tea and then get going. I have my first meal at around 11.30 when we have lunchtime at school. If I snack, which is rarely, I will have fruit. After school, I used to have a cup of tea and some sweet/savoury snacks. I’m not doing that much now. I have a good, healthy dinner. If I want something sweet, I reach for fruit and Greek yoghurt.

The plan advocates the 80:20 rule: eat well 80% of the time and enjoy the other 20%!

So, I can forgive myself for the odd takeaway once a week or eating a chocolate bar or crisps occasionally. I’m just not craving them as much.

Another big thing is that I have started walking every day. I usually hit my step targets because of my job, but now, I go for a purposeful walk at the end of the workday, once I am home, or earlier on the weekend. I am blessed that we live in a village, so I get to walk through the lanes, chatting to the local sheep or horses as I go or singing along to my music while I walk! (Still wearing my SnoozeBand. In fact, I have two. One for inside and one for outdoors!)

I’m feeling more confident, genuinely, better about myself, and I have lost 10 lbs. Healthy weight loss is just brilliant. I feel good! That dress below is even a little loose for me.

I’m fully endorsing this programme, and below is an affiliate link if you are interested in the free trial or even signing up after!

https://30116thinkingslimm.refr.cc/gold-referral/u/ritubhathal?s=sp&t=cp

Right, I will keep you updated on the progress!

In the meantime, have a great rest of your Sunday!

Taking Back Control #WayOfLife

09 Mar 2025 31 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Changing Thinking, Diet, Food, Health, nutrition, Slimpod, Snoozebands, Weight Loss

Hey, Peeps, it’s me!

Not a blog tour, not a review, no birthdays or anniversaries to celebrate, just me here to have a catch up.

Some of you have been here since the beginning of my blogging journey, which started nearly ten years ago. And over that time, aside from me discussing topical issues, sharing family and cat stories, poetry and my writing journey, I have also documented when I have tried, and often succeeded, then failed, to start a weight loss journey.

I was so good with Slimming World, losing around 2 stone before I stilled and it all piled back on, then I also had a go at Noom, on two separate occasions, reading articles, logging food intake and weighing in every day… which again worked for a while before we moved house, and life went a bit topsy turvy…

I started to think this was it for me. I’d be that slightly podgy, bellied, double-chinned Ritu forever, and I had to accept it. After all, I also now have fibromyalgia to deal with – who I have also named Frank.

Fibro Frank is like that annoying houseguest who turns up unannounced, causing a flare up, and can sometimes overstay his welcome. While he is here, he exhausts me, and can play havoc with my joints. I just try and deal with him and his stay as each day comes.

Then a friend of mine recommended something she had started, Slimpod. It’s not a diet. It’s not about controlling your food intake, it’s about talking to your subconscience. She is much younger than me and has had trouble with her own joints and needed something to help, so she tried a 10-day free trial, and felt there was some change in her approach to food. She was going to sign up for the full programme and recommended it.

Again, no specific diet. No calorie counting. Just a way of retraining your mind and how it things about food and eating.

What is it, then?

Basically I listen to a pod (a short audio clip around 10 mins long) every day, before bed or sometimes more often, and our friend Trevor speaks to our subconscience. There are two to start with, but the Slimpod you should listen to daily. After 5 weeks there will be another pod released. And there are videos to watch, which are not long, and you can either watch them in one go once a week, or watch them over the week, before the new ones are released.

It’s all about Neuroscience, and unpacking possibly decades of emotional eating triggers. (Stress is one of mine.)

Plus you are encouraged to write down three wins a day. And to not weigh yourself.

I know. That’s a bit mad. A weight loss thing but you don’t weigh? Well, I guess the long and short of it is that we get so reliant on the numbers that show up, sometimes we forget to remember the other plusses that have occured

And I won’t go into it because, let’s face it, I’m not the expert, but after my first ten days, I wanted to share what I am feeling.

So, within a couple of days I did notice that, aside from a really stressful day where I ate three chocolate bars, I have stopped automatically reaching for snacks in between meals, and if I fancy something, I’m bypassing most naughty treats, and going for fruit. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t stopped eating all things that give me pleasure, it’s just I can finally eat and stop before I finish a whole pack of something.

I’m eating three good meals a day, drinking more water, and snacking less. I’ve refused the takeaway that Hubby Dearest wants to order on most occasions, trying to cook from scratch more.

We aren’t meant to weigh in, but I did this morning, and I have lost 4lb in the ten days!

I’m trying to hit my step goals most days.

And I am starting to sleep better.

I’ve invested in a Snoozeband so I can fall asleep wearing it while listening to the pods as it is flat on the ears and I am a side sleeper. I am wearing it right now, as I type while listening to a podcast. So comfortable!

And I have realised that I don’t have to wear tent-like tops. I have worn a couple of outfits that cinch in at the waist, and usually I am paranoid because I feel conscious of my tummy, however people have made a point of saying how lovely they look on me. The tent-tops of which I have many, are comfortable for work, but they do make me look bigger because they hang in a certain way…

So, tomorrow, my free trial ends, and I am 100% going to be continuing. There are 3 monthly payment of £39 then the pods and videos are mine to keep and continue to listen to.

This isn’t me being paid to advertise. This is a genuine recommendation, that so far I am loving this! You can click below if you want to read more… You get 10% off if you use it!

https://30116thinkingslimm.refr.cc/gold-referral/u/ritubhathal?s=rw&t=cp

And the Snoozebands are brilliant, too. Check them out, here!

https://www.snoozeband.co.uk/

Right, I will keep you updated on the progress!

In the meantime, have a great rest of your Sunday!

Ritu’s Healthy Living – Week 4 #icandothis

30 Aug 2016 53 Comments

by Ritu in Health, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #icandothis, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Diet, exercise bike, Healthy Eating, Weight Loss

We’re starting the last week of the school holidays… Goodness knows what will happen to my attempts at healthy eating and living once term starts!

But I have managed at least 4 weeks, through the holidays, with kids eating all sorts, and I survived decorating, and still carried on with my mission. And there is one more week until the rigidity of school commences once more.

Granted, I haven’t lost as much as I hoped, weight wise, but I think I have made great progress in changing my eating, and introducing some exercise into my lifestyle, and as they say, slow and steady wins the race!

So, what have I been eating this week?

I have had a request for recipes for some dishes, so when I get a chance I will try and post!

And I am still drinking lots of water, and herbal teas throughout the day.

I haven’t attempted any of the exercise DVD’s yet, but I have finally got on my exercise bike and am trying to do 30 minutes moderate speed cycling on it most days… but the speed and calorie counter don’t work, so I am guestimating how fast I am actually cycling! Whatever the speed, it sure is making me sweat! That’s gotta be good!

I’m thinking of investing in a Fitbit to help track my activity and heartrate too!

And to be a little bit more proactive, I have started to publish the odd health tip, found under Health in my header menu! I’ve had some great feedback so far, and if I give information that helps another, then all the better!

I post these, alongside foodie pics, on my Instagram account, if you wish to follow me on there! @phantom_giggler.

Now, the all-important question… what did the scales say today???

I had lost 3 lb so far last week…

This week another

2lbs!

That makes 5lbs in total, and I have broken the 11 stone barrier and am 10 stone something now!!!!

Woo hoo!!!!

Ritu’s Healthy Living – Week 2 #icandothis

16 Aug 2016 39 Comments

by Ritu in Challenges, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #icandothis, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Diet, Exercise, Weight Loss

So it’s been another week since I attempted to eat healthily, and live a generally healthier life…

Did anyone tell me how hard it is to eat healthily or incorporate any exercise into your day when decorating?

I have been half good, half naughty this week.

I tried to have good breakfasts, and relatively good lunches. Dinner has been a little hit and miss.

Then figure in a day trip to visit my best friend so we had lunch out, and dinner at the services on the way home… and after that, Friday through to Sunday my whole eating plan, went out of the window, with me concentrating on moving furniture, and painting. I guess that counts as some exercise though eh! And we have ended up eating convenient food, and take outs, rather than cook, as by the time we sit down, we are hungry and exhausted!

I did start the week by digging my hula hoop out and did 3 days of 20 minutes hula-ing. Actually, on the third day, I actually did 30 minutes continuously! I managed one proper walk… but no more than that.

And for all my sins… this is the result this week…

1lb down!!!!!!!

So still a little loss! I’m happy!!!

Diet??? Really??? Nah, I think I’ll live a little! And live for ME!

04 Dec 2014 2 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Cats, Diet, Exercise, Family, Happy, Husband, kids, Self Belief, Self Confidence

So it’s less than a year until I reach that next milestone…40… And I have been trying to be good, reigning in my appetite, trying to ensure I don’t end up with that middle aged spread that seems to hit so many.

Actually, I did so well this summer! We had a very close family wedding and I really wanted to lose some weight so I felt confident, and looked my best for the week long festivities. And, d’ya know what? I did it! I hit 9 1/2 stone, a weight I hadn’t even been at on our wedding day! (Obviously I had been that weight before… Well, I had to have been, to get past it and tip the scales at my heaviest… I won’t say what that was!😜) I signed up to a diet plan, which was great, sensible eating and advice on top of the recommended products, and felt great! After a week or two of clean eating I was getting comments from colleagues and friends about my complexion glowing! (And a bit about the weight loss!)

I even managed to exercise… No mean feat for me! Being a mum, I find there is no time in the day for me to grab even half an hour to keep fit, and if, by some fluke, I do have spare minutes, the last thing I want to do is be getting sweaty by exercising! Just sitting down is a luxury! But, as it was the summer months and we had daylight so early, I set my alarm half an hour earlier than usual, and embarked on Jillian Michaels 30-Day Shred, as recommended pay some friends on a weight loss support site….
OMG!!!! It was only a 20 minute daily workout, but I was sweating (oops, should I be ladylike and say glowing, or perspiring? Nope, sweating fits the bill perfectly!) like a P.I.G.!! Well, I’ve been told that’s a good thing, so I continued doing the programme.

Got to day 21 and my darling kitten, who was only about 4 months old at the time, used to watch me fascinated as I threw myself around, squatting and lunging, crunching and whatever else you have to do. He’d lick my face every time I came down on a press-up, ur try and climb on me as I did sit ups, then decided it would be a great idea to catch my foot every time I stepped forward to lunge. During one of these ‘playful’ sessions I managed to twist my knee, avoiding him during a lunge… It was preferable to squashed kitty… But oh , how it hurts!!!! I was gutted! I’d done so well and could see the difference in my body shape, and couldn’t continue it straight away because of the darned knee! So, bring as I’d set myself a goal, I found alternate torture, I mean exercise (😁), to carry on.

Then since the summer, and after the wedding, I went into free fall again…
Well, I enjoyed myself, I should say. I ate, drank, did no ecercise, and a little crept on again, but not too much! And this is where I’m at now. I’ve realised that it’s too much hard work to stay a specific weight. I’ll try to not go beyond 10 stone… I’ll attempt to do the odd bit of exercise, but to be honest rushing around, as a wife, mum and daughter in law, and working in a school, running around after 4-5 year olds, I think I can’t be classed as lazy! I’ll eat carefully, but I won’t deny myself ( though I should sometimes. Ok, one bar of chocolate is enough, but sometimes I just HAVE to reach for the second😳) and if I want to lose weight, it needs to be for the right reason…

Thinking back, I was concerned about one individual, one person who, in my life, has never fostered any confidence in me, despite being my elder, someone who should have been supportive but just wasn’t. I was seeing said person after a long time, and my self belief just crumbled. Those who know me would think I’m a self confident person with no worries like this, and generally I am, but I don’t know why, this person comes on the scene, and I’m 10 again, in the shadows ( though not in awe, I have to say… There is no one I’d rather be LESS like!) hoping I’m doing right by them. Still, after this summer, and the wise words of some precious folk in my life, I faced this person, got through what I dreaded would be an ordeal, and came out with a renewed confidence!

You know what? I’m great as I am! Proud to be nearing 40 and looking how I do! Lucky to be the wife to a fantastic Hubby, mother to two crazy kids, I have a roof over my head, and food and drink so that if I wanted, I CAN indulge!! I have the most AMAZING friends, FANTASTIC colleagues, the BEST family a woman could ask for… What more do I need?