Pigs in blankets, Yorkshire puddings, mince pies, Christmas pudding, Miniature Heroes, cheese and biscuits - I’m not saying Christmas is all about food, but let’s be honest, it kind of is. When you’re unable to eat gluten, however, suddenly Christmas becomes a little bit of a struggle. Whether your colleagues are planning a delicious Christmas meal at Read more
It’s common knowledge that a healthy diet and plenty of exercise is the key to losing weight. But as we all know, changing your diet can be a tricky thing to do, especially if you’re going it alone. For this reason, many people choose to join weight loss clubs in order to shed some pounds with the Read more
Food waste is a huge problem. Each day in the UK, 24 million slices of bread are placed in our bins and the average family bins a whopping £700 worth of food annually. Although 50% of the total amount of food thrown away each year comes from households, supermarkets and restaurants are also responsible. It’s frustrating Read more
Ever since I was a child the subject of organ donation has been something that has both broken my heart and filled me with positivity in equal measure. I don’t know when I first decided to join the organ donor register, but I remember watching an episode of Casualty with my mum and being amazed Read more
With more and more people eliminating gluten from their diets, gluten free awareness is starting to grow. In fact, those of us with coeliac disease or gluten intolerances have never had it so good. It’s getting easier for us to find restaurants to eat in and we can choose from a wider selection of foods Read more
Hearing the news that you’ve got a life-changing disease can be tough for anyone. For those diagnosed with coeliac disease, it’s not unusual to feel scared, isolated and angry all at the same time. Coming to terms with a new diet can be difficult, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone, and while Read more
Getting diagnosed with coeliac disease can be hard to hear. If you’ve recently been given the news, you may be feeling upset, angry, scared, confused and even lonely. When I was first diagnosed with coeliac in 2010 I felt all the above emotions, and it was certainly tough. The good news is though, it aint Read more
I’ve fallen off the wagon. After losing 20lbs in weight and gaining £6000 in cash, over the past few weeks my weight loss and money saving efforts have really taken a hit. The cause? I’ve started eating chocolate again. Three chocolate bars a day, to be exact. And don’t get me started on the amount of Read more
Last night Jake and I enjoyed a gorgeous meal at La Tasca, and seeing as it was Jake’s birthday, we were given a free bottle of Cava (usually worth £20.95!) You can make use of this great freebie too, providing you spend a minimum of £30 during your visit from either the Main Menu or Party Read more
It’s been a while since I’ve popped into HomeSense, so on Thursday I decided to pay my favourite home shop a visit to buy a few treats for the Easter weekend. Needless to say I got a little carried away and ended up spending almost £25 on gluten free cake, pizza and pancake mixes, along Read more
This is Part 2 of my Coeliac Disease and Me series, and here I’ll talk about coming to terms with my coeliac diagnosis, telling my friends, and going on dates. To read the gory details of how I was diagnosed, take a look at Coeliac Disease and Me. Part 1: A Grisly Diagnosis. Sure enough, Read more
BODILY FUNCTION WARNING: In this blog post I talk in detail about coeliac disease symptoms and describe the ‘ins and outs’ of coeliac diagnosis. If you’re not mature enough to handle the truth, or you’re eating right now, maybe this blog post isn’t for you. Back in my teens I used to eat whatever I wanted. Read more
Calling all fellow coeliac disease sufferers! Did you know that if you’ve been officially diagnosed with this, quite frankly, rubbish condition, you’re entitled to ‘free’ bread and a selection of other gluten free foods on prescription? I use the term ‘free’ loosely. Technically, you have to pay for a gluten free food prescription just as you would with a Read more
First thing’s first let me put it out there and say that this post is in no way a criticism of Get Baked’s food. I’ve never eaten there and the reviews of the place are overwhelmingly positive. Also, from looking at photos of their grub, I’m drooling. This post is simply a comment on the Read more
I know it’s not Pancake Day until tomorrow, but I thought I’d celebrate it a day early. I’m a busy bee tomorrow night and straight after work have to dash to the donor centre in Manchester to give blood, and after that I’ve got to leg it (get the tram) over to Sale to get Read more
I’ve never been an excellent baker. I usually end up messing up at some point or forgetting what time I put them in the oven. But seeing as it’s Valentine’s Day and poor Jake is working all weekend I thought I’d do a bit of baking as a surprise. Many of you may read this Read more
Now that January is here, a worrying number of people are turning to faddy crash diets in an attempt to lose the weight that they gained over the Christmas holidays. If you’re one of those people, let me stop you right there. Have a word with yourself, love. Faddy diets are not going to do you any Read more
During one of my regular visits to Home Sense recently, I stumbled upon this Better Batter Pancake & Biscuit Mix along with several other lovely looking gluten free treats. At just £2.99 for a box, I couldn’t resist and so I snapped it up and took it back to Jake’s house before handing it over Read more
If, like me, you have special dietary requirements - such as Coeliac disease - eating out can be difficult. Many places are pretty much off limits, and some establishments offer just one or two options that cater for those with allergies or dietary conditions. No one wants to pay to eat at a restaurant that only has Read more
In work today a colleague was saying how she had her appendix taken out over the weekend. Worryingly, my first thought wasn’t “Wow. She’s returned to work fast” it was “I wonder how much an appendix weighs?” I then laughed to myself at the thought of someone somehow arranging their appendix removal on the same Read more
Two months ago I joined Slimming World. After gradually piling on the pounds over the last couple of years, I was starting to feel really down about my appearance. I finally got to a stage where none of my clothes in my wardrobe fitted me and I decided enough was enough and I needed help. I’d Read more
I think part of what makes Slimming World so great is the fact that you’re surrounded by like-minded people. Thanks to weekly groups and weigh ins, you’re able to get regular support and motivation from both your consultant and fellow members. But what about when you go home and are left to your own devices all Read more
The second week of a diet can often be filled with disappointment as dieters struggle to continue to lose weight. In some cases, dieters can even put weight on, even if they’ve been just as healthy as they were in the first week. This is because the body is trying to adjust to a change Read more
For the last seven days I’ve been eating the healthiest that I ever have in my entire life. After going from a size 8-10 a few years ago to struggling to fit in a size 16 recently, I finally decided that enough is enough and joined Slimming World. I’ve had a fantastic first week and Read more
After piling on the pounds over the past few years, it recently dawned on me that unless I changed my behaviour I will continue to get bigger and bigger. So I’ve joined Slimming World! I’ve always been a big eater, but when diagnosed with Coeliac disease - an autoimmune disease which is triggered by eating gluten - in 2010, I comforted Read more
