If we took a holiday, took some time to celebrate....

Normal service is almost resumed. I've spent the past couple of days wallowing in self pity and generally feeling (and looking) fairly rubbish... but the end is in sight, I'm a bit of a snot monster still (sorry!) but most definitely on the mend. I even have my appetite back.

Exercise has been zero since the weekend - unless you count walking to the chemist, which had me a right sweaty mess. Food has been a bit all over the place. I've not really eaten much, but if I have eaten, it's not been pointed, as quite frankly, I couldn't be arsed.

We are heading off to Gatwick tonight for our early morning flight to the Dominican Republic tomorrow. I cannot wait. Am somewhat concerned about the sudden surge of hurricane activity in the Caribbean presently, but I'll not let that put me off too much.

Our last few holidays have very much been about activity, exploring and generally not sitting still. This will be nothing like that at all.

1 week of all inclusive heaven. This has the potential to cause me much grief. The last time we went all inclusive, I managed to put on 9 pounds in a week and didn't get back on track until I had gained 2.5 stone. I won't let that happen this time. I have a plan of sorts. Jillian Michaels is coming with me. I figure the rooms are air conditioned and have a DVD player, so I have no excuse not to do 20 mins a day. I won't eat myself silly - i.e. I won't have 3 courses, 3 times a day plus afternoon tea as I did in Mexico and I'll be a lot more restrained with the cocktails. After all, you don't really need a Woo Woo at 9am in the morning... (well sometimes you do).

I feel more in control of myself at the moment compared to the last time we did this kind of holiday and I know the damage I am capable of doing so I am hopeful I can come home relatively unscathed in the weight department.

So that's me signing off for the next week or so. Have a lovely week everyone and I look forward to catching up upon my return.

Wooo Hooooo!

No WW for me

I am poorly sick. I was up until 4am this morning as I couldn't swallow and the hypochondriac in me had visions of me suffocating during the night or something equally as unlikely. I've had to call in sick as I actually have no voice at all so working in an office full of people could be a tad tricky.

Today I am existing on Pea and Mint Soup (I am sure it tasted lovely, but my taste buds are hidden somewhere until a mound of swolleness), Lemon and Honey in Hot Water and Soluble Aspirin.

Woe is me. Bit of a bugger though as I now won't get weighed officially until after my holiday.

Ah well, I suppose this bit of enforced starvation can't do me too much harm. Hopefully, I'll be back tomorrow and a bit more chirpy and a bit less mute.

Lovely weekend, but woe is me.

I'm back from a lovely weekend in the Cotswolds. Reading is thankfully back to normal now the Festival is finished, so it's nice to be home.

We were up bright and early on Saturday morning and had a quick breakfast here before heading to Stow-on-the-Wold. I'd love to say I've had a very healthy and virtuous weekend, but that would be a big, fat lie. Everywhere we looked there were tea-shops, little cafes, pubs and bistros. Diet hell. I have discovered a new love - Lardy Cake - this has to be a mahoosive diet disaster, but I only sampled a little bit so it maybe wasn't the end of the world. Thankfully I've never seen it around here so that could be my first and last taster. Crisis averted.

Our B&B was in Stow, so that was our base, but we also went to Moreton-in-Marsh, Upper and Lower Slaughter and Bourton-on-the-Water. All of which are lovely little places, I could definitely see myself living somewhere like this when I grow up :) Beautiful countryside and loads of quirky little shops and houses. Lovely.

We walked a little bit (about 10 miles in 2 days), but I generally ate what I wanted (I was mindful of it, but I didn't point) so I don't expect a good result tomorrow.

I feel fairly unwell today (and therefore very sorry for myself), I woke up this morning with lots of mouth ulcers - a definite sign I am run down, and a sore throat and tight chest. The plus side of this is I can barely eat today as my mouth bloody kills. As a result of feeling under the weather, I am massively craving vegetables, so for dinner we've had a big salad with some Haddock and I've made a big old pan of Pea and Mint soup to get me through tomorrow.

We are off on holiday on Friday (one week's all inclusive in the Dominican Republic - help) so I've only got a few days of being completely in control.

Ah well, middle of September onwards should be good!

Good intentions

Well... The intention was to at least try and be good. Clearly that didn't happen.

I just love this restaurant, it's too hard to control myself!

For starter:

Salmon and spring onion, beer battered, fish cakes. Bloody lovely.




Main course:

Hampshire beef bavette with herb butter, chunky chips and watercress. OMG.




Dessert: crepe suzette with cream. I'm not a fan of ice cream so I asked for the cream bit :)




Possibly we had prosecco too.

Quite possibly one of the best meals I've had in a very long time. I know I should feel bad for blowing my points, but I can't. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

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Bumbling along

I'm getting this post in early as I am not sure when I'll next be online. Will try and post my dinner later to attempt to keep me restrained....

Day 5 of Jillian is in the bag. I am still a sweaty mess upon completion and I still cannot do a press up. I fail to understand how I will ever be able to support my weight (that's a lot of stones) on my granny arms. However, I shall persevere on my knees until I feel I can support myself without the fear of losing my teeth on the wooden floor. I also majorly struggle with the last set of sit ups - you have to cycle your legs at the same time as sitting up... have you seen my thighs?? It's like a normal person trying to cycle with a 7 year old child sat on each leg. Hard.

Breakfast this morning - Bear Granola Nibbles (1.5) and Lychees (0.5)

For lunch I popped to see a friend on Maternity Leave who lives near my work. Another friend of ours is on holiday so had popped over with her 18 month old son. Blooming heck - how do people cope with children? I was exhausted just watching him.

Anyway, lunch was: A couple of spoonfuls of Moroccan Cous Cous, A spoonful of houmous, sliver of Broccoli Quiche, square of extra mature cheese, Carrot and Red Pepper sticks, few pretzels and some onion chutney. Lovely - no idea of points however. Probably far too many.

Tonight we are off out for dinner at our favourite local restaurant. I've had a little look at the menu and none of it looks like an overly healthy option, so I'll just have to drink less or something.

Tomorrow we are escaping Reading for a weekend in the Cotswolds. Lot's of walking is planned and I'll attempt to be restrained with my eating. Enjoy the Bank Holiday everyone, let's hope the weather cheers itself up a bit.

Reading Festival Hell

I am currently suffering from the torture that is the Reading Festival. This morning it took me 45 minutes to travel 0.3 miles thanks to ridiculous amounts of people trying to get to the Festival. It takes place about half a mile from our flat (as the crow flies) with just the River Thames in between us. At the other end of our once tranquil (shared) garden you can hear the thud of extremely loud music and the festival doesn't start until tomorrow. Am I getting old or what??

I hate it, at risk of sounding like a right killjoy, our town becomes a traffic nightmare, the noise is horrendous and the amount of people (quite smelly by the Sunday) is just ridiculous. You can't buy anything 'normal' in any of the shops, it's all Pot Noodles and Beer. Fortunately we are going away Saturday morning (to escape it), but I've still got to try and get to work tomorrow... Bah Humbug!

Anyway, enough of my whining. Another fairly good day for me today. I could actually be back on track.

Breakfast was left over Tuna Empanada from last night. Not really a normal breakfast choice, but it's a make do situation once again (3)

Mid Morning I was a bit peckish so I had a WW Chocolate Caramel Whip bar (1.5). I quite like these, but don't have a massively sweet tooth so they have been in my drawer for ages (unlike crisps which I demolish within seconds). I really need to get a bit healthier with my snacks.

Lunch was Salad of Watercress, Spinach, Beetroot, Cherry Tomatoes and Red Pepper, with 40g of Salad Cheese and some cous cous (3.5) - and a can of Diet Lemonade. I need to substitute the Pop for water. That will be tomorrow's task.

Mid afternoon I gave into the crisp addiction and had a packet of Frisps (2.5) and a bit later on 9 lychees for 0.5 points. How bargainous is that? Careful though, have 10 and it's a point :)

Dinner was Rib Eye Steak served with Roasted Veggies and a few crispy potato slices (11). Rib Eye Steak is very pointy, but totally delicious so worth it every now and then. One of my most favourite dinners.

22/26. That will do nicely.

I had to give Jillian a miss as I am hurting from the past couple of days and totally knackered. Tomorrow morning I will definitely partake.

Yesterdays food - kind of on track....

I worked from home yesterday due to a very early start (630am). 20 minutes of Jillian done - with new hand weights, which definitely made a difference. My arms are not overly happy with me today. Washing my hair this morning was a bit of an effort.

Our fridge is not overly full at the moment since we are away for the weekend, so breakfast was a make do (although one of my favourites). A savoury pancake made with 1 egg, 2 level tbsp of flour, water (the milk had turned to cottage cheese) and salt, cooked in half a teaspoon of lurpak lighter (5 points).

Lunch was a delicious chicken tikka kathi kebab with mixed salad, a little bit of Citrus Kick cous cous and a dollop of extra light mayo (4.5 in total perhaps). I've had to guess the kebab points, but it's just chicken tikka and onions in a small tortilla affair which I cooked in the oven - wasn't at all greasy. Could be a massive underestimate!

Last night I headed into London to my Spanish friends flat for dinner. I walked to the station in the pouring rain and ended up completely drenched, but it was a bit of exercise all the same. Note to self, don't wear plimsolls and long jeans when it's raining, you will end up more soaked than a soaked thing.

Marisa had cooked tapas which was amazing, but a bit difficult to point, although I did ask her what was in everything to get a bit of an idea.

I had 2 glasses of red wine with cloudy lemonade (tinto de verano apparently) - this is gorgeous. 4 points maybe? Definitely a new drink for the future.

Followed by a slice of toasted bread with tomato and garlic (2). So simple, yet lovely.

Gazpacho served with chopped egg and ham - the ingredients were all free apart from some oil and the toppings so I think about 2 points perhaps?? I need to make this, it was so lovely.

I then had 1 slice of Spanish Omelette (eggs, potatoes and onion) and some tuna empanada - tuna with peppers, onions and tomato in filo pastry brushed with egg - 8 points in total perhaps?

I am on 26 points a day (well officially 27 given the weight gain this week, but I am not giving into that) so I think I am alright, who knows though?!

Hopefully another good day to follow.