I've moved

I've been away a while.  Sometimes you just have to retreat into your shell, & I did but I am plotting my comeback!

I'm a bit like Madonna, I just keep reinventing myself (that's prob the only thing I have in common with Madge)

I am around on Twitter & Pinterest (my new addiction) building up my ideas, posts & features.

I'm excited about what 2014 holds for us & look forward to sharing it with you.

So please please please pop on over to my new blog

Bee Happy and Healthy

I Love You

I am lucky to have a husband who says I Love You many times each day.

But yesterday he said it in a lovely imaginative way!  He sent me an AmazeBox.

AmazeBox landed on doormat

AmazeBox is a little box that comes through the post with some treats inside.  Inside my box was a single red rose, a sweet smelling moisturiser and some yummy chocolates.

I love you - a special little sentence.  At our wedding we wanted our tables to have names so we called them "3 Words", "8 Letters" and "1 Meaning" all meaning I Love You.

We also had a Rose Ceremony straight after the wedding.  We exchanged single red roses as our first gifts as husband and wife.  The ceremony asks us to use roses as a reminder of our special day and if there are times when we are finding it hard to say the words we can use that single red rose to say those special 3 words "I Love You".

What a lovely idea, a little box of treats.

If you fancy 25% of an AmazeBox I have a referral code MSQ4G7

Enjoy! Love Mrs Brown xx

Week so far

Week 2 - I'm still struggling to get into the zone.

My eating has been a hit & a miss this week - very much up & down.  I'm desperately trying to keep on track.

Here's how I've gone with this week's challenges.

1. Ditch the scales

I didn't ditch the scales, I'm afraid I need them just now.  I need to go to slimming class to keep me on track.  It would be so easy to let the pounds I've lost creep back on.  I was 1/2 pound down, at least it's going in the right direction, but I know I am capable of much more.

2. Create an inspiration wordle

Now I love wordle, they just look so cool.  I played around with it & decided to use words about how I wanted to feel or what I want to achieve.  I revisited my Myfitnesspal profile page & it reminded me 'Why I want to get in shape' and 'My Inspirations'.  It was good to come back to these reasons & a wordle is a great way to keep these in focus.  So I am going to print out my pretty wordle & put it on my fridge.

3. Track my food every day

I have no excuse, I just haven't done it.  This is also one of my goals.  So next week I will definitely be back on it!

As I write it's making me want to do better.  I want to really take on this challenge.  This week I am really going to plan meals & track to keep on track.

I can do this!

Love Mrs Brown xx

Weight Loss Goals & Week 1

I've taken up the 12 week Summer Weight Loss Challenge and the first challenge is goal setting.

What do I want to achieve over the next 12 weeks?

I know I want to lose weight but I need to make my goals - specific, measurable and achievable.  I hope  by having these weight loss goals it will help provide focus and motivation.  These need to positive.

It's taken some time, but I think I've got them.  My weight loss goals for the challenge.

Goal 1

In 12 weeks I will have lost 1 stone.

I am attending a slimming class and getting weighed weekly.  I have been losing weight ~1lb per week so in order to achieve my weight loss goal I will need to up my game.  I will need to lose 2lbs on at least 2 weeks.  I think this is achievable, enough of a stretch to challenge me but realistic enough that I'm not setting myself up to fail.

Goal 2

I will have an exercise routine

• I will go to Zumba on Monday and Wednesday
• I will do my exercise DVD on a Thursday
• I will go swimming on a Friday

I am already going to Zumba Monday and Wednesday but I regularly debate with myself about going.  The debating stops.  I will be attending because I enjoy it!  I am off on a Thursday and a Friday and I am in desperate need of some structure to these days.  By committing to an exercise DVD and swimming I can plan my days off and hopefully make them more productive as well as more active!

Goal 3

I will follow a calorie controlled diet

I have been using My Fitness Pal for a while, but kinda fallen out of the habit of logging.  So I plan to get back on this to keep me accountable.  By calorie counting I need to make the right choices, healthy food choices.  If you want to support me on there, my username is MrsBrownThought, feel free to add me!

So my goals for the next few weeks have been set.

As for this week well it's kinda been a right off.  My mind just hasn't been in the right place.  I am not making excuses just my priorities this week have been to keep me sane!  I am in a better place today & with my goals set I feel ready to take on the challenge.

I will post mid week how I am getting on with this weeks challenges. Wish me luck!

Love Mrs Brown x

All over the place

There have been some highs and some lows these past few weeks.  I've been a bit all over the place.

I had a great meeting with my new psychiatrist, his explanations just make soo much sense.  So after two brief appointments I felt over the moon when he suggested coming off 2 of my medications.

In my mind, I'm doing fine, let's get off the meds  - was just what I wanted to hear.

I've been feeling broody.  I've heard my biological clock ticking.  But I wouldn't risk getting pregnant on my meds, I would really like not to have to worry about what harm medications could do, and even better would like not to worry about my mood.  Anyways the quicker I'm off my meds, the quicker we can try for a baby.  That was my thinking.  So yes, I was ready to come off.

Off I skipped, chuffed with myself.  This guy had seen progress & he felt I was ready to stop popping a few pills each day.

5 days later .......

I'm a wreck, I'm shaking inside, my stomach is doing flips, my mind is racing, I haven't slept & my to do list at work seems like it's written on a never ending scroll.

What happened to the girl who was ready for this?  Where is the Mrs Brown that the psychiatrist was so pleased with?  The one whose symptoms had improved?

The answer, I have no idea.  But she has definitely gone.  Instead I am left with the Mrs Brown who is struggling, the one who is unsure of herself, questioning everything, including this bloody decision to come off my meds.

Did I come off to quickly? Maybe, anyways I can't afford to take steps back.  I can't afford to be off work.

So I am back on.  I'm taking the little pill that seems to be making a massive difference.

At least it gave me something to write about, eh?  It certainly wasn't another week of feeling nothing.  I had plenty of feelings, just not the strong, confident, fine ones I had hoped for.

Sorry for the rambleyness of this post but as the title says my mind is all over the place.

Love Mrs Brown xx

12 Week Summer Weight Loss Challenge & Link Up

I have been a bit quiet on the blog front.  I have been struggling for inspiration.  Well I've found some!

I found a challenge.  A summer weight loss challenge.

I've been keeping up with different blogs on bloglovin and have been drawn to fitness and weight loss blogs.  I have long struggled with my weight and always seem to be wanting to lose weight but never actually doing it!

But I joined a slimming group, and for the past 10 weeks I've weighing in.  My progress has been slow but mainly because I've had a lack of focus.  I've been weighing in, and kinda watching what I'm eating but not really putting in a great deal of effort.  I've been selling myself short.  Soo ......

Challenge Accepted.

Every Friday Caitlin over at Weights and Measure will post three new mini challenges.  I try to complete the challenges and do a post about my week.

I think this is a great way for me to put in the effort and to stay accountable.

The challenge will run for 12 weeks - which takes us right up to the day before my holidays! What perfect motivation.

This week the challenges are

1. Identify three weight loss goals I would like to achieve or work towards over the next 12 weeks
- I'm nearly there with my goals but I think they deserve a post on their own - stay tuned!

2. Drink 2L of water per day - gonna be a tough one for me, especially with my diet coke addiction!

3. Get active - 30mins of activity per day - sure Bailey will help me out with this one.

Caitlin's been so organised there is even a hashtag! #12wkssummerchallenge so I will be tweeting along as well.

The little things

Hello! Long time, no speak.

I am not going to ramble on about being away or coming back, all I will say is that today I feel ready to write.

Today feels like a turning point, feels like I've been able to stop & take stock. Focus on the little things.

I seem to have glossed over the little things that keep me going.  I have been missing my zumba, my hair was in terrible need of a colour & cut, my skin was screaming out for a facial and my computer had been gathering dust.  The little things that make me feel "me" have been neglected.

Today I noticed that things were beginning to slip.  I was able to see what I needed to do!

My pick me up - repair kit

I got my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish from the back of the cabinet & gave my skin a freshen up.  The difference is incredible, my skin feels smooth & nourished.

Then I found a sample of shampoo & conditioner I have carted from the flat to here but had left it hiding in a drawer, probably never to be used!

But today I fancied a change, a pick me up.  My hair deserved it, my hair needed it!  So Tresemme Split Remedy to the rescue.  My hair feels silky smooth, it smells divine & looks much healthier.

No more split ends!

And I feel stronger, fresher & more together.  It's the little things that can make a big difference.

Love Mrs Brown xx