Good morning Everyone,

If you have been following me for a while you will know I have an ongoing weight battle. I lost 42lbs for our wedding earlier this year and have maintained it, thankfully . In July I joined Unislim to lose more weight for our honeymoon in September. I love Unislim and I successfully lost 8 & a half lbs on it. Unfortunately We had a family disaster in July when Our Mum was admitted to hospital in Galway. Mum lost her battle with cancer on 23rd August. This was the most horrific and stressful time we have ever had to endure as a family. I had to take two weeks off Unislim and missed the classes. When I returned after the funeral I had gained 1 & a half lbs.  This wasn’t bad at all, but We were going on our honeymoon the following week. Such a crazy couple of months!!! We decided to go on honeymoon and try to enjoy ourselves as best we could. We had a great time eating and drinking.

 

 
So when I arrived back to my Unislim class I had gained 5& 1/2 lbs add that to the 1 &1/2 and that makes 1/2 stone. To be honest I don’t think anyone ever went on honeymoon and didn’t gain weight. So anyway I’ve got to work and I’m losing it again. I lost 1lb this week. My goal between now and Christmas is 1lb a week. I’m going through the grieving process and it’s difficult enough as it is. I’m suffering from anxiety and night terrors. I seem to be fine during the day but it’s much worse at night. A few close friends who have been through this ordeal have assured me that it’s perfectly normal. I really hummed and hawed about writing about this, but it’s very real for me. A friend who I spoke to on Saturday night gave me some lovely compliments on how real and honest my blog is. I was delighted to hear this so I thought I would be upfront and honest about my suffering and how it’s effecting my life. Unfortunately I just have to ride out the storm and let grief run its course. Nobody gets to make any decisions in this, I can’t outrun grief, I just have to take the pain as its dished out. That’s all anyone can do. I’m not the first and I definitely won’t be the last.

  
A good few ladies have written to me asking for advice on maintaining their weight. So many times I’ve been told that a tragic event in someone’s life has caused weight gain. I can see why, because struggling through a difficult time is awful. I can see why people turn to comfort food. God knows I’ve done it plenty of times myself. I find attending a class really helps. The weekly weigh in really works for me. Also my Unislim leader Geraldine is very supportive. She also lost her Mum to cancer and knows exactly how it feels. This is a big help and makes all the difference. I attend the Westport group on a Wednesday at the Westport woods hotel. The weigh in and consultation is private so it’s only ever Geraldine that I see.

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So that’s it folks, my Monday motivation for this week. If there’s any other Unislim ladies out there get in touch. I’m aiming for 1lb per week for Christmas. If anyone is up for the challenge I’d love to hear from you. As always thanks for reading . As I am using social media to grow my blog I’d appreciate if you could share any of my posts that you find useful.

Love Maria xx

Sunday evening is the perfect time for a fakeaway. Beef chow mein is super simple and only takes a few minutes. It’s tasty and filling and I bought all the ingredients in Aldi so it’s way cheaper than getting a Chinese. I thought I’d share this really easy recipe. If you are craving a Chinese but trying to lose a few lbs for the party season. This is the perfect Sunday evening guilt free comfort food. You can adapt this recipe with chicken or prawns to suit your own taste. 

Enjoy, and let me know if you try it. As I am using social media to grow my blog I’d appreciate if you can share my post. Thank you as always.

Love Maria xx

 

 
Ingredients 

• 1 pack of stirfry beef strips
• Aldi straight to wok noodles.
• 1 courgette
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion 
• A few mushrooms 
• 1 clove of garlic 
• 2 slices of sweet jalapeño peppers (optional)
• 1 red pepper
• Soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of tomato purée 

Method, chop the veg in fine strips. Sautée the garlic and onion in one cal spray until soft. Add the meat and brown. Toss in the veg and soy sauce and tomato purée stirfry until cooked to your liking. Add in the straight to wok noodles. They are individual packs so add on one packed per person. Mix well and serve.

Hi Everyone 

Happy Sunday, I hope you are all enjoying your weekend. We were out for dinner last night with friends as a “wedding warm up” in Barone Castlebar. The food was Ahhhhmazing. I didn’t take photos as We were out with a group and I thought maybe it was a bit rude. We will go again though and I will review it properly for you all. Our friends Maureen and Neil are getting married next weekend. We are so excited for them. I’ve been doing Maureen’s hair for years and I’m so delighted to be styling her bridal party on Saturday morning. The excitement for any wedding is great but when it’s a good friend and your attending the wedding too, it’s unreal. The wedding is in Breaffy house hotel in Castlebar. I can’t wait. We are staying over too so I will photograph the room and do a post next week on our stay. It’s also Maureen’s birthday today so I want to wish her a happy birthday.

 

 
So it’s a week of wedding prep for me. There’s a lot to be done. Exfoliating, waxing, eyebrows, nails, tan, skin prep. Etc etc. It will be a busy week. Not to mention the diet. But it has to be done. I’m planning on wearing black and Gold on Saturday. It’s a dress I bought on sale in River Island a few months ago and didn’t get a chance to wear it yet. I will show you all next week once the celebrations are over. Keep an eye on my snapchat next weekend for updates. 

 

So I plan to take You with me through my week of wedding prep. I just love the feeling of excitement in the run up to a wedding. I will keep you posted on all the goings on this week. I had a few drinks last night. I’m feeling it today I can tell you. My tipple of choice is Vodka and sparkling water with a slice of fresh lime. I’m quite sensitive to sugar and it sends me craving like a maniac so I tend to avoid all sugary drinks even diet ones. Vodka and water is one of the most low cal drinks you can get so it won’t ruin the diet. A vodka and sparkling water will cost you 1 yum on unislim. That’s not bad at all for an alcoholic drink. 

 

  
My refuel meal this morning was this simple breakfast. A toasted slimbo, 2 rasher medallions, an egg, and 1/2 an avocado. If your doing unislim the slimbo is FC. 1/2 avocado will cost you 1 yum. Now I need to drink loads of water to rehydrate after the alcohol and I have a long walk planned for this afternoon. 

 

 
So that’s it folks, enjoy your Sunday. I’m looking forward to watching Downton Abbey tonight. As always thanks for reading. As I’m using social media to grow my blog I’d love you to share my posts. 

Chat soon 

Love Maria xx

Hi Everyone 

So you may have heard me raving about the fantastic bloggers event I attended on Sunday. I am lucky enough to part of Into the west bloggers network. Or #ITWBN as its known in digital circles. So basically We are a group of bloggers who come together to network and to support each other. We also tend to have lots of fun whenever We meet up. 

 

 
So on this occasion We decended upon the beautiful Glenlo Abbey just outside Galway. I had never been to Glenlo before it’s a very beautiful place. The perfect location for afternoon tea. I will definitely return to Glenlo again. I just loved the Vintage decor. I felt like I was in Downton Abbey. We were absolutely Spoilt with the delicious afternoon tea. It was amazing.

 

 Very hard to resist such mouthwatering treats. The diet had to be abandoned. There was also Solaris tea available which I admit I didn’t even try. Shame on me because I tried the samples we were given since and loved it. That will teach me to be more open minded.
 

I ran into Foxford Blogger Jade o Hara who writes Dropsomesparkle. Jade used to work in my salon a few years ago it was great to catch up.  I  met Orla Sheridan stylist, although I feel like I know her from Facebook. I also got to meet Elaine Onechickinthehouse who drove all the way from Kerry for the event.
  
I was delighted to see Bríd from the blog “fit with Bríd ” there too. I have been following Bríd on snapchat and it was great to meet her in person. Bríd runs fitness classes and online courses in Portlaois. I also met two lovely girls from Roscommon who write Siren and Soul.

 

So the main speaker at the event was the fabulous Erika Fox who writes the Blog Retro Flame. Erika is a Kerry Girl who has become very successful in the blogging world. Erika currently works in New York and had loads of tips and advice for us Bloggers. Her story was inspiring I really enjoyed listening to her speak. 

So We had a wonderful afternoon and loads of Blogger chat. I came away from the event full of ideas and inspiration. I also got loads of compliments on my own blog. I was delighted with this as Mrsdillonsdiary is only up and running since July.
 

  

I’m going to do a separate post on the contents of the goodybags. As there was so much inside. Thanks to Sinead and saibh for another brilliant event.  It was a fabulous day I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next one already.

    

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to share.

Love Maria 

Hi Everyone 

So yesterday I had a very exciting morning. I went to Sligo for a free consultation with David MC Conville orthodontists. For a long time my bottom teeth have bothered me. There’s one tooth that’s misplaced due to overcrowding. My lower line is a little uneven, and I would love to have them straight. The top needs a little work too.Over the last few months I have realised that life is short. Putting up with something that is making me feel self conscious is just not worth it. So I decided to take action and get my smile fixed.

 

David MC Conville Orthodontist clinic is located at the Quay side shopping centre in Sligo. On the Wine street entrance.Of course I’m very familiar with Quayside as there is a River Island there.(This could be dangerous) There is loads of parking available at the shopping centre so this helps.
  

 
So I arrived at the stylish modern clinic to find a lovely relaxed atmosphere. (No scary dentist noises/smells) The friendly team made me feel at ease straight away. I went in for my consultation with David. He did an assessment of my teeth, pointed out a few areas that needed correction. He explained the different stages of treatment required. I will need a fourteen month plan to achieve my desired results.As I am far too vain for traditional braces, I’m opting for Invisalign  invisible braces.

  Now I know You are all going to want to know how much the plan costs?? Here’s the thing everybody’s is different depending on the level of treatment required. Everyone knows any cosmetic dentistry is not cheap. For me it’s a long term investment in myself. You can’t put a price on confidence and contentment. I am opting to pay monthly to spread the cost over the fourteen months. There are a few different instalment plans available at no extra cost.

  
The only way to find out how much it costs is to book a free consultation by calling the clinic on 071 9150820. They also have a clinic in Donegal town 074 9723506 or click onto the link below. My readers can enjoy a discount on €500 OFF Invisilign by mentioning mrsdillonsdiary.ie When You book Your FREE consultation. 
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So I will be taking my readers with me on my Invisalign  journey by blogging about my experience. I hope You enjoy my progress reports on my quest for the perfect smile. I will keep you all informed of how things are going. I’m sure the time will fly. I’m very excited to get started my next appointment is on October 19th when I get the impression done for my Invisalign . Then I have to wait Six weeks for my   Invisalign  to arrive. There will be a few changes to my routine required. Just some little habits I will have to build into my day for oral hygiene with the Invisalign . I’m sure this won’t be too hard to get used to.

 

 
So that’s it folks, I’m very excited to be starting this new little journey of self improvement. That’s all for now I will keep You updated. Don’t forget to hit that share button.

Love Maria.