We managed to escape the South after all on Tuesday and drove up to my parents around lunchtime. 4 hours to travel 300 miles as opposed to the 9 hours to travel 12 miles the day before. Slight improvement!
It's lovely to be home, but any thoughts of dieting have well and truly disappeared the last couple of days. There is so much food in this house, it's an absolute impossibility to avoid it all! I have decided that I will start tracking again on Sunday and just try and be a bit more sensible the next few days. Ho hum - wish me luck!
I've been spending a bit of time with my nieces which is lovely, that's keeping me on my toes a bit. Yesterday I was taught a dance routine to the Black Eyed Peas by a 5 year old. I was exhausted!
Met some friends last night for dinner and a fair few festive mulled wines. I couldn't eat everything on my plate which is definitely an improvement but I am suffering with a right dodgy tum from not being overly healthy. I am looking forward to getting back on track.
Sunday we have to leave here fairly early to drive back down to Gatwick as we are off to Tenerife for New Year. Matt's friend has a villa out there so 7 of us are flying out for just over a week of sunshine. Cannot wait, I am officially sick of snow now. Its been snowing again up here which will be lovely for tomorrow, but then it needs to disappear please.
I'm bound to be fairly quiet now while I'm away so have a fantastic Christmas and New Year everyone. Here's to healthy and slimmer 2010's.
xx
Thursday, 24 December 2009
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Snowed in!
In Bracknell around 245pm yesterday the snow really started coming down so my boss told us to all get home before it got too bad. Too late. It was complete and utter chaos. Having left the office at 3pm, I proceeded to sit in traffic for over 9 hours?!! People were abandoning cars left right and centre. I needed the loo when I left the office but thought it would take me an hour at most to get home. BIG MISTAKE!!!! I spent about 3 hours trying to work out the logistics of weeing in a tupperware box (TMI?!). It was most definitely the journey from hell. I was starving, thirsty, dying for the loo and most definitely extremely grumpy.
I eventually got back to Caversham just before midnight and had to abandon my car at the bottom of the hill as there was just no chance of me getting anywhere near the flat. The roads have about 6 inches of snow and although it seems to have stopped around 2am this morning, its not melted at all.
How do we not cope in this country with a bit of snow??! This was my view on the dual carriageway - cars just at a total standstill.
Clearly there was no chance of us getting up North yesterday and it's looking increasingly unlikely we'll get out of Reading today. I am sooooo annoyed!! Think I had better pop down to Iceland and buy some emergency supplies!
I eventually got back to Caversham just before midnight and had to abandon my car at the bottom of the hill as there was just no chance of me getting anywhere near the flat. The roads have about 6 inches of snow and although it seems to have stopped around 2am this morning, its not melted at all.
How do we not cope in this country with a bit of snow??! This was my view on the dual carriageway - cars just at a total standstill.
Clearly there was no chance of us getting up North yesterday and it's looking increasingly unlikely we'll get out of Reading today. I am sooooo annoyed!! Think I had better pop down to Iceland and buy some emergency supplies!
Monday, 21 December 2009
Another weekend of excess
Spent the weekend in the Midlands to celebrate Christmas with Matt's family. We were deluged with snow on Friday down here so we left fairly early but once we got past Oxford, the snow was nowhere to be seen. I had a minor trauma in that we got stuck in traffic on the M6 and I was absolutely desperate for the loo. We were literally 10 minutes from our hotel, but got stuck for 45 minutes. Matt was trying to persuade me to go on the hard shoulder, erm yes rightio!! Anyway, we eventually managed to make an emergency stop at Burger King and I had to have myself a cheeseburger to ease the trauma. Pig.
Friday night involved a fair amount of alcohol with Matt's brother at our hotel. I stuck to Vodka and Soda however, but I did end up snaffling down some Chilli which I really didn't need. Pig again.
Saturday we had breakfast in the hotel which was a help yourself buffet styleee... My biggest nightmare. I made a conscious effort to stick to one trip and not to overload my plate - not overly easy to do when a) you're a pig b) you're slightly hungover and c) you love a good fry up. Could have been worse though, I managed to completely avoid the pastries (and also the fruit!) and I only had one of everything I fancied (apart from the mushrooms as that would have been a bit daft).
We spent the afternoon in Stafford with Matt showing me around some of his old haunts before heading back to his Mom's house for a cuppa and cake. She had about 10 different varities and took great offence when I only wanted one small slice of Christmas Cake. I had to take a Cherry Bakewell with me for later to keep her happy. Fortunately I am not overly keen so I managed to resist that.
Saturday night was our Xmas dinner at a pub near Matt's Mom's. 3 courses which we had pre ordered back in September. I am so over Turkey and Xmas Pudding already. I didn't finish everything which is progress, but I still ate way more than I needed or actually even wanted. I spent the evening being entertained by Matt's Mom and his brother with their various views of the world.
Yesterday was a bit better but only because we literally have no food whatsover in the flat other than a couple of tins of beans, low fat rice pudding and various herbs and spices. I can normally manage to rustle something up, but I admit to being defeated by that one.
Today I feel hungry - and I am sure its because the excesses over the past few weeks have stretched my stomach again. I am worried that I may lose my last little bit of self control this week. I must try harder. I seem to have developed a sod it attitude since I am not officially now weighing in until the 6th January. There are numerous cakes and sweets in the office which I have resisted so far but it gets harder every time I look at them.
We're driving up to my parents tonight around 9pm which should hopefully mean we miss all of the traffic. I am going to have a very light dinner and only take a couple of healthy snacks for the journey. Matt is unlikely to want to stop as its a 300 mile trip and he'll just want to get there. Really looking forward to spending a bit of time at home and having some time off work. Tomorrow is officially my last day of the year, but I will be working from my parents so I am not entirely sure how much actual work I will do... don't tell my boss.
Right then, I am off to torture myself with a wander past the mince pies again.
Friday night involved a fair amount of alcohol with Matt's brother at our hotel. I stuck to Vodka and Soda however, but I did end up snaffling down some Chilli which I really didn't need. Pig again.
Saturday we had breakfast in the hotel which was a help yourself buffet styleee... My biggest nightmare. I made a conscious effort to stick to one trip and not to overload my plate - not overly easy to do when a) you're a pig b) you're slightly hungover and c) you love a good fry up. Could have been worse though, I managed to completely avoid the pastries (and also the fruit!) and I only had one of everything I fancied (apart from the mushrooms as that would have been a bit daft).
We spent the afternoon in Stafford with Matt showing me around some of his old haunts before heading back to his Mom's house for a cuppa and cake. She had about 10 different varities and took great offence when I only wanted one small slice of Christmas Cake. I had to take a Cherry Bakewell with me for later to keep her happy. Fortunately I am not overly keen so I managed to resist that.
Saturday night was our Xmas dinner at a pub near Matt's Mom's. 3 courses which we had pre ordered back in September. I am so over Turkey and Xmas Pudding already. I didn't finish everything which is progress, but I still ate way more than I needed or actually even wanted. I spent the evening being entertained by Matt's Mom and his brother with their various views of the world.
Yesterday was a bit better but only because we literally have no food whatsover in the flat other than a couple of tins of beans, low fat rice pudding and various herbs and spices. I can normally manage to rustle something up, but I admit to being defeated by that one.
Today I feel hungry - and I am sure its because the excesses over the past few weeks have stretched my stomach again. I am worried that I may lose my last little bit of self control this week. I must try harder. I seem to have developed a sod it attitude since I am not officially now weighing in until the 6th January. There are numerous cakes and sweets in the office which I have resisted so far but it gets harder every time I look at them.
We're driving up to my parents tonight around 9pm which should hopefully mean we miss all of the traffic. I am going to have a very light dinner and only take a couple of healthy snacks for the journey. Matt is unlikely to want to stop as its a 300 mile trip and he'll just want to get there. Really looking forward to spending a bit of time at home and having some time off work. Tomorrow is officially my last day of the year, but I will be working from my parents so I am not entirely sure how much actual work I will do... don't tell my boss.
Right then, I am off to torture myself with a wander past the mince pies again.
Friday, 18 December 2009
Bad head
Oh dear. Well yesterday went well.... or perhaps not. It started off ok with Porridge for breakfast, but went downhill when someone opened the Celebrations at work. I only had 4... but that's 4 more than planned. I had left over bolognese for lunch and then snaffled half a doughnut - not quite the light day I'd planned in preparation for my girls night out in Richmond.
I had already decided to just enjoy myself and not worry overly about points, which I clearly stuck to! 3 Passion Fruit Martini's (each served with a shot of Champagne), copious glasses of wine, Goats Cheese with Puy Lentils, Rib Eye Steak with Hand Cut Chips and Bernaise Sauce and Sticky Toffee Pudding and Custard later, I skidded towards the train station to attempt to get home.... Had a fab night, although the restaurant had stuck us in the Conservatory, which has a tent for a roof... you can imagine it wasn't the warmest. We ended up getting our desserts free and a bottle of wine since we were literally frozen so that was an added bonus. I didn't eat all of my main or even half of my dessert, but I still had too much.
The snow was fairly heavy by the time I left Richmond. I fell asleep on the train and literally woke up as we pulled into Reading, then had to wait 20 minutes in a blizzard for a taxi. The taxi couldn't get up our hill and we skidded backwards a fair few times... cue me trying to scramble the rest of the way in not overly sensible footwear. I was soooooooooo cold when I got home, that I had to wear several layers in bed. I got to bed at 2am and was awake at 7am to start work.... although don't tell anyone but I've been working from bed all morning, I am just too cold to venture out! The garden looks pretty though....
Off to the Midlands tonight to visit Matt's family. I am going to try and be a bit more restrained than I was yesterday, I don't want to undo all of my hard work in one bloody week!
Have a good weekend everyone.
I had already decided to just enjoy myself and not worry overly about points, which I clearly stuck to! 3 Passion Fruit Martini's (each served with a shot of Champagne), copious glasses of wine, Goats Cheese with Puy Lentils, Rib Eye Steak with Hand Cut Chips and Bernaise Sauce and Sticky Toffee Pudding and Custard later, I skidded towards the train station to attempt to get home.... Had a fab night, although the restaurant had stuck us in the Conservatory, which has a tent for a roof... you can imagine it wasn't the warmest. We ended up getting our desserts free and a bottle of wine since we were literally frozen so that was an added bonus. I didn't eat all of my main or even half of my dessert, but I still had too much.
The snow was fairly heavy by the time I left Richmond. I fell asleep on the train and literally woke up as we pulled into Reading, then had to wait 20 minutes in a blizzard for a taxi. The taxi couldn't get up our hill and we skidded backwards a fair few times... cue me trying to scramble the rest of the way in not overly sensible footwear. I was soooooooooo cold when I got home, that I had to wear several layers in bed. I got to bed at 2am and was awake at 7am to start work.... although don't tell anyone but I've been working from bed all morning, I am just too cold to venture out! The garden looks pretty though....
Off to the Midlands tonight to visit Matt's family. I am going to try and be a bit more restrained than I was yesterday, I don't want to undo all of my hard work in one bloody week!
Have a good weekend everyone.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Miracle and a realisation....
Erm, by some complete and utter fluke, I managed to lose 1lb. I totally don't deserve a loss after the last few weeks I've had.
BUT perhaps I am just not as bad as I think I am. Perhaps, after months of religiously (and not so religiously) counting every point that passes my lips, I am maybe a bit over critical of myself when I am not so saintly.
I need to look at the facts and start realising that there are changes within me. I know I cannot eat as much as I used to, and I am much more aware of what I do eat. I even stop when I feel full and leave things that I don't like - something I used to massively struggle with. I'd eat the stuff I didn't really like first (some form of self torture maybe??) and save the best bit on the plate until last, but there would pretty much always be an empty plate. I find fatty foods taste, well, fatty to me. I don't enjoy them like I used to.
I make better choices with alcohol than I used to - once upon a time pints of cider and bottles of wine would be fairly easily polished off, these days it's vodka with soda water or the odd glass of wine or bubbly (ok, maybe more than the odd glass of late!). I exercise more and have now been a member of a gym for a year (normally I manage 3 months at most). I now think nothing of walking the 25 minutes to the train station - this time last year I'd have gotten the bus, or more likely a taxi. I actively try and go out for a walk at lunch time, instead of sitting at my desk browsing the web.
I am far from perfect and I still have a long way to go, but I've lost 48.5 pounds this year. That's an achievement. This is a life change, not a diet. There will be times, like Birthdays, Christmas and Holidays where I won't be as good as I could be. But that is normal, that is how thin people are.
Phew, I feel better for that!
So in other news.... I had my last physio session on my ankle last night. She said my balance has greatly improved, there is still some inflammation, but not much more she can do. I have exercises to perform to increase my strength and try to realign my knee (it's all out of kilter from the repeated ankle sprains). I just need to always wear an ankle support when I do any sort of activity. But I am good with that. Its still tender and a bit painful at times, but I will get there.
Tonight I need to write some Christmas cards and pack for the weekend in Birmingham. I'm going to do 30 minutes on the Wii Fit as well as a compromise for not going to the gym. Tomorrow I am meeting a load of girls I used to work with at DHL. We are off to a gorgeous place in Richmond for dinner and drinks. There will be 9 of us so it should be really good fun. My last train home is at 2354 so I have to make sure I don't miss that as Matt is away at his Christmas Do, there is no chance of him coming to rescue me (not that he ever would!). I fully intend to relax and enjoy myself, choose wisely and not over do it.
Friday we drive up to Birmingham for Christmas with Matt's family and then Monday I have another former DHL night out in London. I may have to forgo this one however as we drive to my parents on Tuesday and I need to pack for that and for our New Year holiday in Tenerife at some point. Too much to do and too little time!
So now I am off out for a stomp around in the snow. Have a good one everyone and lets all stop beating ourselves up about enjoying the festivities!
BUT perhaps I am just not as bad as I think I am. Perhaps, after months of religiously (and not so religiously) counting every point that passes my lips, I am maybe a bit over critical of myself when I am not so saintly.
I need to look at the facts and start realising that there are changes within me. I know I cannot eat as much as I used to, and I am much more aware of what I do eat. I even stop when I feel full and leave things that I don't like - something I used to massively struggle with. I'd eat the stuff I didn't really like first (some form of self torture maybe??) and save the best bit on the plate until last, but there would pretty much always be an empty plate. I find fatty foods taste, well, fatty to me. I don't enjoy them like I used to.
I make better choices with alcohol than I used to - once upon a time pints of cider and bottles of wine would be fairly easily polished off, these days it's vodka with soda water or the odd glass of wine or bubbly (ok, maybe more than the odd glass of late!). I exercise more and have now been a member of a gym for a year (normally I manage 3 months at most). I now think nothing of walking the 25 minutes to the train station - this time last year I'd have gotten the bus, or more likely a taxi. I actively try and go out for a walk at lunch time, instead of sitting at my desk browsing the web.
I am far from perfect and I still have a long way to go, but I've lost 48.5 pounds this year. That's an achievement. This is a life change, not a diet. There will be times, like Birthdays, Christmas and Holidays where I won't be as good as I could be. But that is normal, that is how thin people are.
Phew, I feel better for that!
So in other news.... I had my last physio session on my ankle last night. She said my balance has greatly improved, there is still some inflammation, but not much more she can do. I have exercises to perform to increase my strength and try to realign my knee (it's all out of kilter from the repeated ankle sprains). I just need to always wear an ankle support when I do any sort of activity. But I am good with that. Its still tender and a bit painful at times, but I will get there.
Tonight I need to write some Christmas cards and pack for the weekend in Birmingham. I'm going to do 30 minutes on the Wii Fit as well as a compromise for not going to the gym. Tomorrow I am meeting a load of girls I used to work with at DHL. We are off to a gorgeous place in Richmond for dinner and drinks. There will be 9 of us so it should be really good fun. My last train home is at 2354 so I have to make sure I don't miss that as Matt is away at his Christmas Do, there is no chance of him coming to rescue me (not that he ever would!). I fully intend to relax and enjoy myself, choose wisely and not over do it.
Friday we drive up to Birmingham for Christmas with Matt's family and then Monday I have another former DHL night out in London. I may have to forgo this one however as we drive to my parents on Tuesday and I need to pack for that and for our New Year holiday in Tenerife at some point. Too much to do and too little time!
So now I am off out for a stomp around in the snow. Have a good one everyone and lets all stop beating ourselves up about enjoying the festivities!
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Free car anyone??
I think my car is on a mission to severely upset me this week. After the mammoth amount of money I spent last week getting it through its MOT and the cracked windscreen on Saturday, it decided it wouldn't start last night when I was leaving work. Seriously car, what is wrong with you?? Thankfully Mr. AA man was fairly prompt in arriving, diagnosing the issue (corroded earth strap by all accounts) and getting me on my way. It did mean that I ended up stuck in traffic for ever and arrived late at the pub to meet my friend Laura, so we had a rather rushed dinner and I clearly didn't make the healthiest of choices. Tuna Fishcakes with chips... Ho Hum. Very tasty but I am sure way over the 12 points I had left. I then came home and had myself a bit of left over Xmas Pudding (we still have enough to feed 25 people I hasten to add) All in all, not the best of days.
Today hasn't really been much better. I've been working from home and we are very low on supplies given we are away for the weekend and then off for Xmas to my parents next Tuesday. Food so far today has been, 1 slice of toast with reduced fat peanut butter, 1 mince pie, 2 Birds eye potato waffles and 3 Aunt Bessies Yorkshire puddings with Bisto. Random?? I've spent the last 2 hours in Costa with some friends (working of course) and I managed to avoid all cakes and just stuck to a skinny latte, but its really not shaping up to be the best day ever.
I've stuck a healthy Bolognese in the slow cooker so I'll have that later. Tomorrow's WI is not something I am overly relishing. I anticipate a gain, but lets hope its minimal. Enough to give me a kick up the jacksy, but not enough to severely annoy me.
I do love this time of year, I can't wait to go home for Christmas and spend time with my family, but there is so much temptation around it's a minefield. I feel a lot better equipped to deal with it this year though as I really don't want to end up back where I started, I feel much better educated about food, portion sizes and healthier options and I know what I need to do to shift any weight I do manage to gain over the Festive period.
Today hasn't really been much better. I've been working from home and we are very low on supplies given we are away for the weekend and then off for Xmas to my parents next Tuesday. Food so far today has been, 1 slice of toast with reduced fat peanut butter, 1 mince pie, 2 Birds eye potato waffles and 3 Aunt Bessies Yorkshire puddings with Bisto. Random?? I've spent the last 2 hours in Costa with some friends (working of course) and I managed to avoid all cakes and just stuck to a skinny latte, but its really not shaping up to be the best day ever.
I've stuck a healthy Bolognese in the slow cooker so I'll have that later. Tomorrow's WI is not something I am overly relishing. I anticipate a gain, but lets hope its minimal. Enough to give me a kick up the jacksy, but not enough to severely annoy me.
I do love this time of year, I can't wait to go home for Christmas and spend time with my family, but there is so much temptation around it's a minefield. I feel a lot better equipped to deal with it this year though as I really don't want to end up back where I started, I feel much better educated about food, portion sizes and healthier options and I know what I need to do to shift any weight I do manage to gain over the Festive period.
Monday, 14 December 2009
Unmitigated disaster
Well I think that just about sums it up really. I don't seem to have stopped shovelling food and alcohol down my mouth since Friday evening.
Friday was meant to be a girls night out, but it became a girls night in after my car failed its MOT and cost me nearly £500 to get it through. I pleaded poverty and my lovely friends came to me instead. We indulged in Pizza, Champers and enough crisps to sink a ship. How very healthy.
Saturday wasn't much better, in fact it was probably much worse. My car windscreen decided to crack (do you get the feeling I should bin this bloody car??) so more blooming money. We then headed to Matt's friend Mark's to help prepare Xmas dinner for 9 people. Much food, wine, champers, port, amaretto and baileys later, we stumbled home feeling ever so slightly worse for wear.
Yesterday I had a token visit to the gym and managed 20 minutes on the Tread Climber and 10 minutes on the bike, before heading to the jacuzzi. We then ended up back at Mark's to help him finish off some leftovers - so Cheese board, Roast Potatoes and Xmas Pudding was lunch. My only saving grace yesterday was I was too full to eat dinner last night. Which also meant I spent the evening surgically attached to the sofa. Our bloody TV decided to shadow everything in green so we had to resort to bringing the little bedroom TV into the front room to watch the X Factor final. Well pleased that a fellow Geordie was victorious. Really hoping that the TV is not bust, I cannot afford any more expenditure this month!
So all in all, pretty disasterous on the diet front, but a fab weekend. Wednesday will be my last WI before Xmas and I am not anticipating good things at all. Another busy week ahead, pub dinner tonight, girls night out on Thursday and a weekend in Brum visiting Matt's family.
Oh heck.
Friday was meant to be a girls night out, but it became a girls night in after my car failed its MOT and cost me nearly £500 to get it through. I pleaded poverty and my lovely friends came to me instead. We indulged in Pizza, Champers and enough crisps to sink a ship. How very healthy.
Saturday wasn't much better, in fact it was probably much worse. My car windscreen decided to crack (do you get the feeling I should bin this bloody car??) so more blooming money. We then headed to Matt's friend Mark's to help prepare Xmas dinner for 9 people. Much food, wine, champers, port, amaretto and baileys later, we stumbled home feeling ever so slightly worse for wear.
Yesterday I had a token visit to the gym and managed 20 minutes on the Tread Climber and 10 minutes on the bike, before heading to the jacuzzi. We then ended up back at Mark's to help him finish off some leftovers - so Cheese board, Roast Potatoes and Xmas Pudding was lunch. My only saving grace yesterday was I was too full to eat dinner last night. Which also meant I spent the evening surgically attached to the sofa. Our bloody TV decided to shadow everything in green so we had to resort to bringing the little bedroom TV into the front room to watch the X Factor final. Well pleased that a fellow Geordie was victorious. Really hoping that the TV is not bust, I cannot afford any more expenditure this month!
So all in all, pretty disasterous on the diet front, but a fab weekend. Wednesday will be my last WI before Xmas and I am not anticipating good things at all. Another busy week ahead, pub dinner tonight, girls night out on Thursday and a weekend in Brum visiting Matt's family.
Oh heck.
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