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Taking Back Control – Update #2! #WayOfLife #WalkingToWellness #SlimPod

04 May 2025 17 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Health, Life, mental-health, Slimpod, Taking back control, Weight Loss, writing

Hello my lovely Peeps!

It’s been around a month since my last update, and I am now beginning Week 10 of my Slimpod journey.

I listen to my Pods every day, and most days, I listen twice. I now have four in total: the original Slimpod, then Chilpod, Sugarpod and now Fitpod.

Fitpod does what it says on the box. Its job is to encourage movement.

Again, all four are not essential to listen to. You an pick and choose which ones you want to, but I listen to them all. Slimpod is the one recommended to listen to every day.

I’ve watched the weekly videos, too, with lots of advice on how to deal with how your mind is processing the changes to emotional eating.

I am eating much better. I cook more, even on school days, so I can use more proper foods. And I am experimenting more, too!

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I’m still walking, daily, and in the Easter holidays, I even walked twice a day! I’ve enjoyed observing the changes around me as Spring really kicks in. The leaves on the trees burst out in glorious greens, and the wildflowers are growing and changing. I love seeing the swathes of bluebells that carpet the floors of the various woodlands around us. Plus, I am enjoying seeing the animals. There are sheep, and one ram who is always in a paddock alone. He stops and stares at me every time I pass him. I have named him Sheep, and I say hello whenever I pass. Then there are the horses in their paddocks. I am lucky enough to see a beautiful white foal with his mother most days, and I’ve seen him grow, from a wobbly-legged baby, to a stronger one, practising how to gallop! It’s just glorious where I live, and the sunshine makes it such a positive place to live!

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And the changes in me?

Well, I hit a bit of a plateau with the weight loss initially, but I stayed positive, and now I have lost 12lb, as well as 2 inches off the waist! I feel more energetic, and the daily walks are so good for my mental health!

I appear to have fallen into a natural 14:10 fasting day, as I am eating when hungry, and I rarely feel hungry at breakfast time. My first meal of the day is lunch, and it is always healthy, nutritious and filling. I may snack but equally I don’t always feel the need to reach for sweet stuff. And I eat a good dinner and maybe a take away once in a while.

And I feel good!

So, yup right now, I am two weeks from finishing the initial programme, and I can say I 100% advocate it!

I’m sharing this link, only if you feel like having a go. It gives you 10% off if you wish to continue with Slimpod after your 10 day free trial, and you also get 30 days after, to get money back, if you don’t feel it is for you, so essentially, you have 40 days to try it out!

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

I’ll leave you with a picture of a happy me on one of my walks, because I am feeling happier about many things in life, right now, and I also feel like I have the mental strength to deal with things that are not so easy, right now, too.

Now enjoy your day, everyone, and be happy!

Oh, and May the 4th be with us all!

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!

#JusJoJan 23rd – Emphasis on SEND

23 Jan 2025 13 Comments

by Ritu in #jusjojan Tags: #jusjojan, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Children, Education, Emphasis, jusjojan25, Linda G Hill, news, SEN, SEND, writing

Today, our prompt is courtesy of our darling Dar. Thank you, Dar! Please be sure to visit Dar’s blog to read her posts and say hello. And follow her while you’re there if you’re not already.

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 23rd, 2025 is “emphasis.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

Ooh, interesting word!

I don’t know if enough emphasis is on the right areas of improvement in education, right now, in the UK.

Sure, they want to overhaul SEND provision (that is the provision for children with Special Educational Needs).

That would be brilliant, and a much-needed overhaul, as the present system ain’t working, my friends. Ask me, an experienced EYFS teacher, who has seen the steady changes in expectations, provision, budget, and level of need itself.

Who knows why it is happening, but every year, over the last five years we have seen an upturn in the amount of children requiring a lot more support, joining the Reception classes. But nothing has changed to support them.

In fact, those specialist provisions for children with more complex needs are shutting, and this means those children still need the education they are entitled to, but the environments they are forced to attend aren’t suitable for them.

Overstimulation, dysregulation, insufficient staff to support individual needs, stress on both children and their families, as well as the staff who are trying to cope with the usual cohort, plus a myriad of needs that they may not actually be trained to specifically support.

And then there are those children with what would be classed as low-level need. They still need individual support, however, with the majority of staff trying to juggle the needs of the complex SEN pupils, as well as teach a whole class, they get less attention.

It’s not fair on any of us. We feel, as staff, that we are failing. The parents feel school is failing them. That child is being failed because they cannot access what they need.

So, here’s hoping the emphasis is on funding and improving the provision, so we can truly support all children.

(Oh, and while we’re at it, that National Curriculum? It needs a total overhaul! The Covid generation will never ‘catch up’. We need to meet their needs where they are, and progress from that. New, realistic targets and goals, please.)

I’m not asking for too much, am I?

Daily Prompt – JusJoJan the 23rd, 2025

#JusJoJan 21st – Content

21 Jan 2025 17 Comments

by Ritu in #jusjojan Tags: #jusjojan, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, jusjojan25, Linda G Hill, Socs, writing

Our prompt today is courtesy of the lovely J-Dub. Thank you, J-Dub! Please be sure to visit J-Dub’s blog to read her posts and say hello. And follow her while you’re there if you’re not already.

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 21st, 2025 is “content.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

Content, to be at peace.

However, the first place my mind went was content, as it what we need to put together to create a social media presence!

Over the years, my dedication to creating content has wavered.

As I started my blog I was all about posting regularly, sometimes more than once a day, before I realised blog post burnout was a thing!

When I got my rhythm going, it was Twitter, but I posted automatically via the blog.

Then it was the FB author page, followed by Instagram and Tiktok. All needed different types of content to suit the different platforms.

I started out religiously trying to work out what to do for each, before the platforms started changing. Insta let me post videos via Reels, Tiktok started photo galleries, and FB let me post all!

I got overwhelmed.

So now, I post what I want, when I want.

I am no longer a slave to content.

And that makes me content.

Daily Prompt – JusJoJan the 21st, 2025

#JusJoJan 19th – Why?

19 Jan 2025 13 Comments

by Ritu in #jusjojan Tags: #jusjojan, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Life, Linda G Hill, Poetry, Why, writing

Today, our prompt comes to us from the wonderful Willow., who happens to be my beautiful blog sis! Thank you, Willow! Please be sure to visit Willow’s blog to read her posts and say hello. And follow her while you’re there if you’re not already.

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 19th, 2025 is “why.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

“Why?”

Probably the most dreaded question from a child for both parents and teachers, alike.

When the ‘Why?’ train starts, it can go on…. FOREVER!

For example:

Adult: We're going for lunch
Child: Why?
A: Because we need to eat
C: Why?
A: To give you energy
C: Why?
A: To help you grow
C: Why?
A: Because you are getting bigger and older
C: Why?
A: Because that's what happens to children
C: Why?
...

See what I mean?

I end up answering back in rhyme, if it gets out of hand. Even that can go on and on…

Child: Why?
Me: Pudding Pie
C: Why?
Me: In the sky
C: Why?
Me: Flying high
C: Why?
Me: Drinking chai
C: Why?
Me: So I can try
C: Why?
Me: To say goodbye! Now we need to go do something else!