Catch up

Typical, long bank holiday weekend and it pours it down continually. Tuesday morning and back to work and I see blue skies and sunshine from the office window! Despite the rain fest, my weekend was lovely, we caught up with lots of friends, lazed around on Sunday and ate some delicious food (perhaps not always healthy, but I was mindful of what I ate at least).

I also was reacquainted with an old friend - 'Gym'. He's someone I find very tedious, somewhat exhausting, but he generally makes me feel better whenever I make the effort with him, so despite much moaning from me yesterday (I am talking a proper sulk), Matt dragged me to be reacquainted. I was sure my attempt would be half hearted since I had absolutely no desire whatsoever to be there - but in actual fact I did ok. 20 minutes on the cross trainer, 5 mins jogging, 10 minutes on the bike and 10 minutes of Power Plate. Ouch do my legs feel it today. I am even going to bite the bullet and go again tonight.

I'm also back on track with food this week. I've only one night out - which is just to visit it a friend, so all food is pretty much sorted. I'm also trying to eliminate as much bread from my diet as I can. I suffer from physical urticaria - which flares up quite badly whenever I get hot and I've noticed that lately, since my diet has slipped somewhat, it's been a lot worse than it was when I was down to my lowest weight. This is the inside of my arm yesterday after my trip to the gym. Unpleasant huh?  

It's bloody itchy when it flares up, but it does go down quite quickly - still, not something I particularly like to suffer from. I'm fairly sure bread doesn't help much and my lack of fitness really doesn't do me any favours, so I am going to do my best over the coming weeks to get some of this weight back off. 

Other than that, not much to report. I'm going to make a bit more of an effort with blogging and taking photo photos, to try and keep me on the straight and narrow for the next few weeks.

Hope you all had lovely weekends. 

Darts, dogs and drinking

Since my last post, I have literally been all over the place. Thursday night saw us joining the beer swilling masses at Wembley Arena for the final of the Premier League Darts Championship. I kid you not. It was much fun, but it did involve a dreadful 'boiled' burger from a van, much Lager and some warm Chardonnay. Such a classy evening.

We had booked into a hotel at Wembley (Ibis Hotel - avoid  unless you wish to boil to death in bed) as we had the day off on Friday, so the day was spent, somewhat fuzzy headed, shopping at Westfield.

Friday night saw us fly up to Newcastle to spend the weekend with my parents and for Matt and my Dad to attend the Newcastle v West Brom game on Sunday. I met a couple of school friends for lunch on Saturday and then my parents took us to Lumley Castle for a celebratory engagement dinner. Much wedding chat (somewhat stressful) ensued which has left me somewhat concerned my plans aren't 'weddingy' enough. I've told my mother and my little sister they can have free reign on the party we will have once we are married, but I want Italy to be a relaxed and casual affair. I've no requirement for readings, speeches, horse drawn carriages or whatever else is deemed wedding like.

Anyway, we can safely say I consumed too much crap over the weekend and I drank far too much. I also had a 'pep' talk from my mother about not wanting to be a fat bride - however, I have been fat most of my life. Admittedly I don't want to be as big as I am now when I get wed, but I will never be a thin girl, no matter what I do, so I am really not going to make myself utterly miserable for the next 18 months in order to achieve the impossible. I will be a less fat bride - hopefully a few stone can be shed if I actually start eating properly and exercising more (I managed 2 small dog walks at the weekend - hardly good enough). I can't resist a little photo of my sisters new dog - how cute?

So - back to planning and tracking everything. Myfitnesspal has been accessed for the first time in over a week, I'm out tonight but I've chosen my meal and everything else today has been planned to fit around tonight's meal. I hope to report a few trips to the gym soon too.

Overdoing it.

My attempt at photographing my food so as to stay on track has not really gone to plan. I keep forgetting until I'm half way through eating and no one needs to see a half decimated plate of food.

I've been trying to eat a lot more Veg (on account of having a fridge full of the stuff) so here are a couple of creations I've eaten this week. Food portions are still far too large. I need smaller plates.

Gnocchi with Vegetable & Tomato Sauce (Tomatoes, Peppers, Mushrooms, Onions, Spring Greens, Garlic and Basil) and Grilled Light Halloumi.

Salad of Romaine Lettuce, Watercress, Beetroot Tops, Carrot, Tomatoes, Avocado, Peppers and Cucumber with Light Halloumi, Pasta Salad and Reduced Fat Coleslaw. This took hours to eat and left me feeling pretty stuffed.

Lamb Rogan Josh with extra Veg - Carrots, Onions, Mushrooms, Courgette and Fresh tomatoes with Rogan Josh Paste, fresh Ginger and Tinned Tomatoes. Served with Paratha. This was amazing if I do say so myself and will be repeated again soon.




Yesterday was a bit of a difficult one. I'd sorted breakfast and lunch (toast and another Salad beast with Mozzarella and Sundried Tomatoes) but I was out last night in London to meet some friends. We had a few drinks and then headed to The Real Greek in Marylebone for dinner. Delicious food, but we did order a lot. We had a lot of grilled meat and salads, but still.

Exercise yesterday came in the form of running from one end of Paddington Station to the other to catch the fast train. I made it with 30 seconds to spare and was almost in cardiac arrest when I got on the train. Imagine my horror when I plonked myself down, sweaty and wheezing, opposite a woman I used to work with but don't really know that well. That awkward 'having to make small talk' situation that occurred for the next 20 minutes until she got off the train was made even more difficult by my inability to speak due to being so disastrously unfit. I can't even run for 4 minutes without almost passing out - that's fairly bad, huh?

I managed 5 1/2 hours sleep last night due to getting in late and waking up with the birds this morning. I've had to rely on caffeine to get me thus far. I'm even eyeing up a bottle of fat coke left over by a buffet lunch today.

I'm meeting a couple of friends tonight, but really could do without it, so I am going to have to try and make my excuses and leave early. I don't feel like I can cancel at this late stage without good reason. We're off to an East Asian Restaurant for dinner, but not meeting until 8pm. I'm just trying to work out how I can fit in a little snooze in between getting my hair cut and meeting up. I may have a power nap in the carpark.

tired.com

I am absolutely shattered today. Matt went away for work last night so I decided to watch some of the stuff I've been recording. 3 episodes of Whitechapel - i.e. murders, was perhaps not the best bed time viewing. I spent the night convinced one of the Kray's was attempting to break into our flat and smother me in my bed. Couple that with a bat swooping around outside and I was an emotional wreck (winged things scare the bejesus out of me along with wind turbines, I know, I am weird).

I'm aware I have been a bit AWOL of late. No real reason for this - I'm not spending my waking hours stuffing my face with lard, but I'm not quite there in terms of being completely on track. I'm eating quite well, lots of fresh vegetables and home cooked meals, but I am perhaps eating a bit too much. My portion sizes are somewhat suspect. Plus a cupboard full of cheap French Champagne is not overly helpful.

Exercise has made a slight reappearance, but it's not enough. I just don't seem to have enough hours in the day to fit everything in at the moment. Work is busy, my social life is ridiculous and I am also attempting to sort out a wedding. Eeeeek.

I think I have the wedding plan sorted, I just need to confirm a few things with my Italian Wedding Planner (it all sounds a bit too blooming grown up) for a wedding in Sorrento next September. Fingers crossed we can have the venue we want and then I can tell my nearest and dearest with plenty of notice. A few noses are already out of joint that I want to get married abroad and I don't want anything overly traditional, but at the end of the day, if I try to keep everyone happy, we wouldn't be getting married any time soon!

So, plan for this week is to try and keep an eye on my portions. I have planned my lunches every day and tonight's dinner is sorted. I am out Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, plus we are spending the weekend at my parents up North so, my control is somewhat limited, but I will do my best to try and eat sensibly.

I think food photo's are going to make a reappearance this week in an attempt to retain a bit of control.

Hope you've all had lovely weekends. I can't say I am overly happy it's Monday again!

Bugging me

Hello all, hope you've had lovely weekends. Mine was great, although very busy and therefore bloody knackering. I've come to work for a rest today.

Matt was away on a Stag do, so I had the flat to myself. I always like a bit of me time as I can watch something other than Sport on the TV, although I think I managed about 2 hours in the flat all blooming weekend.

Friday night I went out with work, but took the car so my alcohol intake was limited. I did, however, end up with Fish and Chips for dinner which was a slight faux pas - they brought me the wrong order, but I was too blooming hungry to wait for them to correct it as we'd already waited 40 minutes for our food. I'd asked for the Fish of the Day which was Seabass with New Potatoes (slightly healthier, I imagine) so I had the delicious, but unhealthy Cod and Chips that they brought instead and was secretly not unhappy. Clearly not ideal

Saturday morning I was up bright and early to meet my friend in town for a Dermologica Facial. Pancake for breakfast and a few episodes of The Only Way is Essex (shhhh, don't tell anyone, but I am a closet fan). The facial was very pleasant but it left me looking like I'd had some form of chemical peel.... my face was like a belisha beacon for most of the day, I was in danger of scaring small children. We went for lunch afterwards and I opted for Ginger Lamb Chops with Salad- totally delicious, but once again possibly not the healthiest option. Following that we did a spot of shopping and then headed back to my friends house for drinks with her and her hubby. Much Wine, Pitta, Houmous and Cheese was then consumed. I woke up in their spare bed with a raging requirement for water on Sunday morning to the sound of their 1 year old daughter. Epic Fail.

Yesterday was marginally better in terms of quantities of food, but did see me consuming a Bacon and Egg Sarnie followed by a BBQ with friends where I polished off a Lamb Burger plus bun and a Sausage, some Eaton Mess (with low fat creme fraiche at least) and much Prosecco... we were celebrating I suppose. So food yesterday according to myfitnesspal was under calories - however the alcohol massively bumped things up. I am now abstaining for the foreseeable, booze really does eat into your calories and causes bad things to be consumed!

Ruby, in response to your comment on my last post. I am finding myfitnesspal to be very handy instead of paying a fortune for WW. I really like it, especially since I can use it on my iPhone and it's pretty useful for giving me an idea of where I am going wrong (with booze mainly!). I'm going to keep on using it while I try and fathom out if I can lose weight on my own, or if I need to follow some other high priced diet plan instead!

Today should have been good. I had planned and packed my breakfast and lunch. 2 slices of wholemeal toast followed by a Tuna Salad (with loads of amazing veggies). However, best laid plans and all that....

Disaster #1 - get to work and discover bread is mouldy, in fact worse than mouldy, proper furry.... Buy an emergency Egg and Cress Sarnie from Greggs instead.

Disaster #2 - start eating  your Salad - consume one forkful whilst reading the news on the Tinterweb, look down and discover some form of hideous 20 legged buggy creature climbing up your fork. Now it's very possible that the hideous buggy creature hadn't come from your salad, but since it's all that fancy Organic stuff from Abel and Cole, it's of course possible and means you cannot face eating any more of aforementioned salad, so you buy an emergency Cheese Pastie from Greggs instead. (Note - Greggs is the closest place to my office, so therefore only used in case of emergencies - or double emergencies in this instance).

Not a resounding success so far!

Tonight I've an appointment with my Osteopath as I am in danger of resembling the Hunch Back of Notre Dame if my shoulders continue to pain me as they are. Following that, I've got to pop to see my new tenant and then I'm at a friends for Dinner and to watch the King's Speech. Phew.

So, once again no gym. However, I am fully intending to be there for the rest of the week. No more excuses. I'll also be boiling my salad tomorrow, just to make sure.

Quick catch up

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last post - I still can't quite believe it all myself :) Luckily my sister is in her element with Wedding stuff, so she is doing all my research for me.

Food wise I have been fairly good this week, I've had a tiny bit of chocolate, a couple of glasses of Champers (it sounds a bit posh but it was really cheap stuff we brought back) but other than that, it's been all about the Veg. Exercise has been somewhat lacking. My gym kit has been in my car since Tuesday, but it's not been used at all. In my defence, my journey to and from work this week has been hideous. Usually its a 30 minute drive, this week the least I have done it in is 90 bloody minutes. I work in Bracknell and it's been fairly badly hit by forest fires causing havoc on the roads. By the time I've managed to get even close to home, I've no inclination whatsoever to go to the gym. Must get better.

Weekend is likely to be fairly hectic, Matt is away on a Stag do, so tonight I'm out with work, tomorrow I've a facial booked in with a friend and then lunch and then I've drinks tomorrow night too. Going to have to try and fit some exercise in at some point.

And that's it from me for now. I'm off to inspect the contents of my Veg Box and plan some meals. Very organised!

Have a happy and healthy weekend everybody.

Je suis back.... (no my French did not improve!)

Hello dear people - how are you all?! I am back from our lovely holiday in France, somewhat heavier, I imagine, but with a renewed enthusiasm to shift some lard.

Oh and did I mention, I also now have a fiancé?! Yes, despite vowing he would never marry again, Matt decided to pop the question in Paris. I can honestly say, I had no inkling whatsoever so it took me completely by surprise. I am now the proud owner of a lovely sparkly diamond and a fear of not being grown up enough to even think about planning a wedding! Eeeek!

Anyway, enough of the Romance. France was lovely, we had amazing weather and stayed in some beautiful places. We drove from Calais to Lille, to Paris, to Bordeaux, onto the Dordogne and then up to the Champagne region before heading home. I fell in love with the Dordogne region, I drank a lot of Wine and Champagne, We visited Chateau's and Cellars, I ate a lot of bread and meat (although we didn't once eat more than 2 meals a day), I walked a lot and enjoyed the sun and we drove about 1600 miles in 11 days in my trusty little Fiat. Truly lovely.

Excuse the photo heavy post!

Champagne tasting at Moet

La Roque-Gageac

Beynac (note my lovely little fiat enjoying the view)

Sarlat

Medoc

Bordeaux

Wine tasting in Bordeaux

 Paris

So - operation lose the lard has begun. It's 6 weeks until I am on holiday again - this time in Bikini wearing territory, so I need to be as good as I can until then. Lots of salads, fruit and exercise is on the agenda. I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. Spinning tonight which may well be a shock to the system. A September 2012 wedding has been vaguely discussed, so I guess I have even more of a focus to get rid of some of this lard once and for all!