flying visit

Lost 3.5 lb yesterday. I should be all whooo etc but I'm not, I actually feel pretty flat about it, probably because I still feel cheated for last week. If holding a grudge was an Olympic event I'd be on the team.

do I have to?

I did not want to go swimming tonight. Even when I got to the pool and was changed and in the water, I still did not want to do it. After 10 lengths I wanted to get out, but made myself stay for 20. Which is cr@p, considering I did 20 50m lengths last week. But is good, considering I did not want to go at all. And "exercise done because you must builds discipline" (link lifted from Marla).

So no, I don't have to do it. I don't have to do any of this if I don't want to. I don't have to excercise, I don't have to think about what I eat, I don't have to go to FatClub, I don't have to do this big bike ride in September. I do these things because I want to - or because I prefer doing them to the consequences of not doing them. Sometimes I even enjoy some of it.

Today is the last day of my WW week, weigh in tomorrow.

My week in review:

• basic points allowance for week: 168
  (24 per day)
  
• total points used this week: 181.5
  (avg per day: 26)
  
• bonus points earned this week: 23.5
  
• total points allowance using max (12) BPs: 168.5
  
• points +/- for week: +1.5
  
• minutes of exercise this week: 250
  (avg per day 35; exercised 4 days out of 7)
  
• miles biked this week (est): 23

today's numbers: points allowance ~ 24; points used ~ 19; +/- for week ~ +13.5;exercise ~ 0; water ~ 750 ml; booze ~ 0; crisps ~ 0

women hold up half the sky

hibernation

Brr it's horrid and grey and cold today, I just want to crawl under my duvet and curl up and snooze. I feel like I may have a touch of lurgy hanging around (sore throat etc) or maybe I am just imagining that as an excuse not to go to aquarobics? Whatever, I'm not going. If I feel OK tomorrow I'll go swimming.

It doesn't help that I had to do a very unpleasant but very necessary thing today. Something that will have a serious impact on someone else unrelated to me. It was horrible but it had to be done if my community is to survive.

Right I'm off for an evening of sofa and telly and duvet.

today's numbers: points allowance ~ 24; points used ~ 19; +/- for week ~ +13.5;exercise ~ 0; water ~ 750 ml; booze ~ 0; crisps ~ 0

happy burfday jude

have made you nice calorie-free cake

ouch

First big bike ride today. Wasn't expecting it till next weekend but my cycling buddy (hereinafter called CB) was unexpectedly free today, so she rang me and we went for a ride. Did about 14 miles in total, average speed of approx 9 mph. Not bad for a first run and I didn't find it quite as hard as I expected.

Came home and spent an hour in a hot bath, with lovely Lush goodies I got for Mother's Day, sipping banana & mango smoothie through a straw. My legs are starting to seize up now, tho'. Think I shall appoint R my soigneur.

Went to see my parents yesterday. My mum did a beautiful thing for me. She's taken photos that she found in my Gran's house when Gran died and put the ones of me into a memory album for me. She's done the same for my sister. There are lots of pages so that we can add to it ourselves.

yesterday's numbers: points allowance ~ 24; points used ~ 25; +/- for week ~ +18.5; exercise ~ 30 mins walking; water ~ 0 ml; booze ~ 0; crisps ~ 0

today's numbers (provisional): points allowance ~ 24; points used ~ 24; +/- for week ~ +18.5; exercise ~ 90 mins cycling; water ~ 1000 ml; booze (anticipated)~ 2 glasses rioja; crisps ~ 0

bucking tradition

We have a tradition on special days of having 'Special Breakfast'. This features croisants with jam & butter, pain au chocolat and bucks fizz (or fizzy water & juice if it's a work day). R asked me last night if I wanted Special Breakfast on Sunday. I really didn't hesitate very long before saying no. This'd all better be worth it.

today's numbers: points allowance ~ 24; points used ~ 26.5; +/- for week ~ +17.5; exercise ~ 0; water ~ 750 ml; booze ~ 0; crisps ~ 0

simple things

A wise man once observed that stationery shops are like Toys'r'Us for grown ups. S'true. I've spent some quality time this morning browsing for office supplies. Post-its and filofax accessories and notepads and folders and best of all, a new propelling pencil. All of which has cheered me up no end.

get over it

I'm not like other women. Most women seem to have been on diets their whole lives, whereas I have never seriously tried to lose weight until last year. So I'm just not used to the fact that sometimes you can do everything right and still not lose. I realise that it is something I will have to get used to, because on a long weight loss journey like I have ahead of me, it's bound to happen again. Hopefully next time I won't let it get me down so much. Thank you so much to Jude and Marla for your comments. If I didn't have to feed other people as well as myself, I'd definitely give the Vodka 'n' Skinny Cow Diet a go for a week.

The 'No Crisps' challenge continues for another week. And today I even turned down free chocolate. They were giving promos out in town, I averted my eyes and walked quickly in the other direction. Free chocolate and I turned it down. The scale gods must surely smile on me for such sacrifice?

today's numbers:
points allowance ~ 24; points used ~ 21; +/- for week ~ +15; exercise ~ belly dancing (60 mins), cycling (30 mins); water ~ 500 ml; booze ~ 0; crisps ~ 0;

why teh interweb is A Good Thing

Reason No. 4,955 - you might find someone else who wants to do this 100km ride and who lives near enough to you to maybe be a training partner.

meanwhile in d**t news: We're not talking about last night. The 'no crisps' challenge was well and truly busted. It is of course utterly illogical to deal with being upset about one's weight by eating fattening foods but hey, if my relationship with food was logical I wouldn't be here in the first place. Back to pointing everything today, but still feeling a bit low about the whole weight loss saga.

you're just too good to be true

So. It's like my dad always told me. If something seems to good to be true, it probably is.

I should've known. I was having too much of a good time on NoCount. And so it is. In spite of keeping pretty well to plan this week, inspite of exercising 5 days out of 7, I have staying the feckin same. Stayed the same.

I was so gutted, I started crying at fatclub. I cannot eat any better than I did this week. I ate properly, I resisted urges to binge, I did what I thought I had to do. If I can't lose weight after all that, I feel like maybe I can't lose weight at all.

I will go back to counting points tomorrow. Tonight however is given over to a box of skinny cows and a bottle of wodka.

this is insania

I posted on a cyclists board for advice on whether doing this 100km ride is realistic, of course being evangelical cyclists they all think it's a fantastic idea and say I'll be able to do it no probs and have given me advice on training etc. So basically I've let them talk me into it and I'm going to do it. At least it gives me an excuse to buy stuff hurrah first up I need a cycle computer.

See more progress on: cycle the Manchester 100 ride

Oh and here's yesterday's numbers (stoopid blogger playing up yesterday):

plan ~ No Count™; points used ~ 1 (points left for week ~ -10); exercise ~ walking (30 min); water ~ 500 ml; booze ~ 0; crisps ~ 0;

I think I'm going mad

I’ve hardly been on my bike all winter. The furthest I ever cycle in one go is 5 miles. My bike is crap. I don’t know when I would have time to train. And I’m sitting here looking at the entry form for the Manchester 100 – 100 miles or 100 km charity bike ride. 100 km is 62 miles. If I sent off my entry form and started getting sponsors, I’d have to do it. I’ve given myself 2 weeks to think about it ….

See more progress on: cycle the Manchester 100 ride

Monday numbers

today's numbers:
plan ~ No Count™; points used ~ 1.5 (points left for week ~ -7); exercise ~ aquarobics; water ~ 250 ml; booze ~ 0; crisps ~ 0

feeling virtuous

Only used 1 point today (mmmm Skinny Cow ice-cream mmmmm), and hauled myself off the sofa on a cold wet night for late-night swimming session hurrah.

Other news: Pokemon is the new Thomas

today's numbers:
plan ~ No Count™; points used ~ 1 (points left for week ~ -5.5); exercise ~ swimming (25 mins); water ~ 500 ml; booze ~ 0; crisps ~ 0.

little angels

O is doing his best to win a Cutest Kid award this weekend. If he's not mooning over S (and planning to save up his newly-awarded pocket money to buy her Animal Hostipal toys for her birthday), he's presenting me with lego constructions he's made specially for me. I've been given all of these this morning:

Aww bless. Having kids is luverly and I refuse to think about anything anyone might say about what happens when they turn into teenagers. La La La I'm Not Listening La La La.

bestotted

O's got a crush on an older woman - he adores S who's two classes above him. He wants to invite her round for tea. Bless. I meanwhile have been finding new tv shows to fall in love with.

My eating has gone good today. Not as much exercise as I expected tho - O has decided he doesn't want to go to Ninja Kids after all, so I didn't get my swim. Going to go for swim tomorrow evening, tho.

today's numbers:
plan ~ No Count™; points used ~ 0.5 (points left for week ~ -6.5); exercise ~ walking (20 mins); water ~ 0; booze ~ 0; crisps ~ 0;

why teh interweb is A Good Thing

Reason No. 4,954 - when your neighbour is playing his Star Trek videos so loud you can hear the dialogue in your bedroom at 1 in the morning, you can just drop him an email asking him to turn it down. And he does. Saves all that banging on the walls etc. Hurrah.

climb every mountain

R's dad is officially The World's Fittest Lollipop Man.

About 15 years ago, he had major heart surgery. Afterwards his surgeon told him he must start taking exercise. So he did, first of all walking round the lanes near his house, building up to longer walks, and then joining a local walking club. Age 69 he went abroad for the first time in his life, to go on the club's trip to Italian Alps. Last year he walked the Inca Trail.

We just heard that this summer, he's going up Kilimanjaro. The man's 73 years old. He has diabetes, a heart condition and poor circulation. He did not go abroad until he was nearly 70. He's going to walk up the highest mountain in Africa (and he will do it, I have no doubt). And here's me can't be @rsed to do 30 mins round the park a couple of mornings a week. Sigh.

D**t News ~ went out for meal tonight. I should not have had that ice-cream, I have now over-spent my discretionary points for the week. Feck.

today's numbers:
plan ~ No Count™; points used ~ 25 (points left for week ~ -7); exercise ~ 0; water ~ 500 ml; booze ~ half bottle red wine; crisps ~ 0;

it's an ill wind ...

All this healthy eating is making me distinctly anti-social. Jumping around seems to make it worse, so I get plenty of room to myself at belly dancing. I'm hoping it'll settle down as my body gets used to proper food.

science news: the mapping of the cat brain has been completed

today reviewed

Pretty good day all round, I think. Accomplished quite a lot a work, plus resisted the temptations lurking in the average offie¹ (crisps, cakes, chocs, biscuits). Went belly dancing this evening and earned bonus points hurrah (life on NoCount would be impossible without bonus points). Shattered now and off to bed.

I'm going to go back to posting a daily round up, it may help to keep me focussed.

today's numbers:
plan ~ No Count™; points used ~ 6 (points left for week ~ 18); exercise ~ belly dancing; water ~ 500 ml; booze ~ 0; crisps ~ 0;

1) correction: that should read 'office' not 'offie'. I have not been near any offies² (worse luck).

2) offie = off licence = liqour store

weekly challenge

First weekly challenge of the year is, by popular demand, No Crisps For A Week. For the avoidance of doubt, 'crisps' includes all shaped or extruded salty snack foods, whether they be potato, wheat or corn based. Anything that comes from the Asda snack aisle is off limits, basically.

Right I'm off out to work at another office for the day. I've been there before and usually get my lunch from a marvellous baked potato man, who whips the melted butter into the potato before piling on the cheese. Mmmm. But today, I am going to have a potato with beans (no butter, no cheese) which is NoCount friendly hurrah.

why do I bother?

am I bothering, that is the question. Put on half a pound this week. I've been 'mostly' doing no count but mostly isn't enough. And now I feel cr@p for only losing 2.5 lb in 7 weeks, tho' I'm trying to remind myself that I am doing OK, because I have lost something and am keeping on working at it.

No point making excuses, just need to get on and do it right. I'm going to give NoCount another go for a week, and do it properly this time. (Remind me to blog another time about why I think No Count could be a good plan for me). I'll be able to get more exercise this coming week, too (I'll be allowed to go in the pool after my paper stitches come off).

I feel like I should have a Challenge for this week, too. But can't decide what ... could be no crisps? no booze? drink 1 l water a day? exercise 5 days out of 7? Any suggestions?

other news:
O was so excited at the teeny tiny bit of snow we had this morning, poor little chap was gutted it had all gone by the time he was let out of school. I've been getting started on my OU course, am enjoying it so far, had my first tutorial this week.

recipe of the day (courtesty of FatClub leader): A Chickpea Snack
Drain a can of chickpeas [garbanzos] (or soak and boil your own). Spread on a baking tray, spray with low calorie cooking oil spray stuff, then sprinkle some spices over the chickpeas (eg garam massala, mild chilli powder). Cook in a low (140^oC) oven for about an hour, shaking occassionally, until the chickpeas are dried and getting crunchy. Cool and keep in air tight jar (add some salt if like).
free on No Count if eaten as part of a meal, otherwise 2 points per 100g start weight (eg if you start with a 400g tin of chickpeas, a quarter of the cooked chickpeas will have 2 points).

obsession

Despite hospitalising myself making them, I am still addicted to NoCount smoothies and also to roasted veggies. I'm working away for the day tomorrow, I've made a roasted veg, chickpea & couscous salad thing and am going to make a flask of smoothy to take too.

I get like this about things, go thro phases of eating/doing something all the time then get bored and drop it. It's when I get bored of dieting I have to watch out.

Talking of obsessions, some people need to learn to 'just say no' to stalkers. No, actuallly, they need to learn to say 'feck off or I'm calling the police' to stalkers.

being good

We'd been planning to eat at the local caff tonight (I've been saving my points up for it) but for some unknown reason it was shut. In a fit of lethargy we failed to think of anywhere else to go and so ended up in Pizza Hut. Where I was a good gurl. No starter, had a salad from the salad bar and didn't chose anything with mayo/dressing on, had thin based pizza, didn't have pudding. Actually I had (just) enough points for pudding but decided the ones they had were insufficiently tempting. O and R had starters and pudding (O adores the ice-cream factory thingy) while I sipped my diet coke. And I didn't even feel deprived (well not much).

So, I is feeling smug. I'd like to think I have finally cracked this dieting mularky, and being in the presence of temptation holds no fears for me. Grim reality tells me that this is bollox, of course. Just because the eating demons are awol tonight, doesn't mean they've gone for good. But one day, maybe, I will get to the point where food doesn't always haunt and stalk me (or me it).

I love Diet Girl's recent post, which kind of relates to this stuff.

I used to be really dedicated to my fat. I put so much effort into collecting it.

That really made me sit up and think. I do spend alot of time serving my fat. Going out and getting it special food, even. I need to give that kind of time and effort to Slim Me, not Fat Me.

One small thing to be thankful for, I have always taken my coffee as it comes, no milk no sugar. That was never a dieting choice, just how I like it. I am now so glad I never got the latte-frappucino bug (truth be told, I am a bit of a coffee snob - fave de jour Zapatista coffee as served at local caff). Imagine not being able to get your daily caffeine fix cos it's stuffed with calories. Ouch.

I :heart: the NHS

Tonight I had an unfortunate mishap with my beloved hand held blender, took a chunk out of my thumb and needed to go to casualty. Expecting, on past form, to have to wait around for several hours I packed my book and water bottle and got R to drop me off at the hospital. I was in and out in under half an hour!

They have a minor injuries unit now, run by nurse practioners. Instead of a nurse looking at your finger, then calling a doctor to look at it so the doctor can tell the nurse to put some steri-strips on it, someone finally worked out that you could maybe trust the nurses to just get on with the job. So yay for nurses and yay for the NHS. Boo for not being able to go swimming or aquarobicising for a week. Although yay for getting out of doing the washing up for the week.

I had the accident while making my new fave-food (fave-food in the sense of diet faves, not absolute faves) ie fruit smoothies. Skimmed milk, low fat yoghurt, banana, frozen soft fruits, all whizzed together. V delish and free on No Count wooo.

Was trying to save most of my points allowance for eating out tomorrow night, but decided I needed medicinal wine on the way back from the hospital. At least I walked back, 30 mins walking so that kind of makes up for not getting to swim tomorrow.

fed up?

"what am I fed up of?" s/he¹ asks?

Mainly I think I'm fed up of myself. I'm fed up I find it so hard to stick to eating and excercising right. I'm fed up that I feel the need to eat at the slightest stress or unpleasant emotions, and that I let myself give into that so much. I'm fed up that I don't feel like doing the work that's needed.

But, today I'm trying again. NoCounting today and going to belly dancing tonight. Just concentrating on today and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. We'll see ....

1) that you, Jude?

no surprises

Gained 2 lb this week. Fed up of it already, and it's only been 5 weeks. Going to read a bit of my course book in bed.

Hello to the person who came here searching for chandelier for a car. Good look with pimpin' your ride. Personally I'm torn between the chandelier

and the neon waterfall light.

O wants the car pimped too, he was much impressed by all those in-car TVs he saw.

further adventures of geek-gurl

The DVD drive has to go in this weekend - I've received all my course materials from the OU and there's a DVD of computer activities. I think I'm going to get this NEC ND-3520 that's on special offer. Looks like I'll need some bits and bobs too (makes note to ask wo/man-in-shop) and a copy of nero 6.

Once that's done, next project is getting a laptop and setting up a wireless network at home. Probably this laptop and this router. Or probably some different ones altogether when I change my mind over and over again. Dell have some offers on at the mo.

Anyone who feels like chipping in their 2c worth of advice on laptops and/or networking, please do.

See more progress on: install dvd burner on my pc

yuck

Weigh in day today and I know it's going to be bad, the only question is just how bad? What I ate at the weekend would probably have meant I stayed the same this week. But then on top of that I've missed 2 excercise classes this week, haven't done my walking and have stuffed myself with cr@p for the past couple of days.

I know I keep saying this but I need to get a handle on this stuff. I can feel the ill effects of the past week. Physically, I feel bloated and tired and I'm stiff when I get up in mornings. Mentally I feel agitated and irritable, and not a little disgusted with myself.

I'm planning on doing NoCount¹ this week. Most of our usual main meals fit in with it. For me it's between meals that's where the bad stuff happens, tho. I don't know if doing NoCount will make this any easier to handle. Anyway I'll give it a go, perhaps the change will shake things up a bit.


1. NoCount is what WW UK call the Core plan

trade in?

Not so sure about R's new career, after reading about this research.

Sociologists ... have found that teaching young women makes male teachers less satisfied with their wives.

Am I going to get traded in for a younger model, then? No way Jose. Even if those youngsters could compete with me on looks, they're so far behind on brains and charm as to be not worth losing sleep over. Hah.

from the "I don't know why I don't listen to this more often" files ...

Spent the morning listening to Half Man Half Biscuit while tidying up. "Trumpton Riots/Back in the DHSS" remains a work of sublime genius. All together now - all I want for Christmas is a Dukla Prague away kit

See more progress on: listen to more music.

Test post

I am doing 43 things.

edit: aha! now it's working. Trouble is now I have two identical blogs listed on 43things, only one with correct password, and I can't tell them apart. Anyone know how to remove a blog from 43things?

words of love

R and I had a game of scrabble last night, accompanied by rioja and pistachios. He won booo. Must re-read "Play Better Srabble"

See more progress on: play more scrabble with my sweetie

grr

Grrr 1: why isn't posting from 43things direct to blog working?

Grrr 2: aquarobics was cancelled. And I didn't go to belly dancing last week cos I had an upset stomach on Thursday night. Piles of food and no exercise, how the Scale Gods are going to be laffing at me on Wednesday.

Bah.

didn't we have a lovely time

I did manage to drag myself away from in front of Trin's tv a couple of times (when "Pimp my Ride" wasn't on, of course) to see some of the sights of the south west.

We went to see wonder of the industrial world the Clifton Suspension Bridge, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. I'm not sure Trin believed us when we said we like bridges. Despite a surfeit of school trips to Iron Bridge, I still find a well made bridge a beautiful sight.

Also went to Weston, tho it was too cold and windy for the donkeys. O adored the amusement arcade at the end of the pier, he loved the Crazy House and the Ghost Train, he had a fantastic time apart from when he got lost 'cos mummy & daddy were obsessed with shovelling 2ps into the Penny Falls machines. I am so in trouble when he tells my mother that I lost him. Again.

We got proper candy floss (tho not onnastick owing to prevailing weather conditions) and O even saved some for Abby awe. He likes Abby, they were singing along to Busted together in the back of the fancy car with cd player. O thinks they should move up here, Trin and girls and cats. And their Busted cds and digital tv, natch.

My diet and exercise efforts were suspended over the weekend so I am expecing the worst when I get on the scales on Wednesday. Planning on doing NoCount™ to atone.

Pimp My Bike

a chandelier in your car, that's classy

Pimp My Ride. I am in awe. I have to get digital tv so I can watch this every single day.

magic lantern show

like members of some remote tribe whose only previous encounter with western society was starring in a Bruce Parry documentary, O and I sit bewitched in awe and wonder before the spectacle of Trin's digital TV.

I fear we shall be unable to drag ourselves away from the lure of Pokemon/QVC/Discovery Channel on demand and the sights of Brizzul will remain a mystery to us.

making a start

Well I'm all registered for my course, just waiting for the course materials to arrive. I've seen the course calendar on-line (and entered all the key dates in my outlook and my filofax non-windows based outlook back-up system woo just call me organised) and I'm going to have some catching up to do. There's an essay due next week which obviously I'm not going to be able to do on time.

Can't wait to get my hands on those lovely new course books!

See more progress on: finish my degree

ask-a-techie

I am lucky to have a couple of uber-techie neighbours. Last night I got one of them to tell me if I should have my dvd drive as well as or instead of my existing cd drive (verdict: as well as) and begin to explain the mysteries of dvd burning (highly commended: dvd shrink)

I have some time next weekend pencilled in for getting this done cor.

See more progress on: install dvd burner on my pc

about this week

well, this week has been OK. I haven't been eating as well as my 2.5 lb loss suggests. I think it was Ladies Things last week, both making me feel cr@p and making me eat cr@p. This week, I've had some bad days and some good, and I have been making a conscious effort to work harder during my exercise sessions.

Happy New Year

May Prosperity Be With You.

If we weren't going away this weekend, I'd take O to Chinatown to see the dragon.

book quiz

Copying off of Mr G again ...

You're A Prayer for Owen Meany!

by John Irving

Despite humble and perhaps literally small beginnings, you inspire
faith in almost everyone you know. You are an agent of higher powers, and you manifest this fact in mysterious and loud ways. A sense of destiny pervades your every waking moment, and you prepare with great detail for destiny fulfilled. When you speak, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS!


Take the Book Quiz at the Blue Pyramid.

that's a book I haven't read but keep meaning to, so if it's me I'd better add it to my reading pile ...

left-pond latest

R's accepted the job. He'll be mainly in Manchester this year and the beginning of next, then from around August he'll be spend some time working in Buffalo.

It's right by Lake Erie & Niagara Falls cooo.

We don't know exactly how long he'll have to be there for, but it's too good an opportunity for him to miss so he's decided to take it. In around 18 months time, be prepared for plenty of moaning from me about single parenthood and having to have my mother come to stay to help me out with childcare when I'm working. While R's off having a good time.

Oh and did I mention he gets at least two trips to Brazil for conferences, too?

saturday boys and girls

But I never made the first team,
I just made the first team laugh
And she never came to the phone
She was always in the bath

In the end it took me a dictionary
To find out the meaning of unrequited
While she was giving herself for free
At a party to which I was never invited

Billy Bragg: The Saturday Boy

Unrequited love can be a 'killer'
Flippin 'eck, nearly 20 years since I was a victim of unrequited love and that news story brought it all right back. Ah well. Now I get to spend my life with someone who requites my love and is worthy of it.

My love he speaks like silence,
Without ideals or violence,
he doesn't have to say he's faithful,
Yet he's true, like ice, like fire.
People carry roses,
Make promises by the hours,
My love he laughs like the flowers,
Valentines can't buy him.

Bob Dylan: Love Minus Zero/No Limits

(Yes I is having a blasts from the past singer-songwriter mp3 fest today. There may be some Michelle Shocked related posting later - I think I'm a housewife).

misleading headline of the week

In the Times: Breast-fed babies put at risk of obesity

If you actually read the article, what it says is that babies who are given supplementary bottle feeds are at risk. So the headline should in fact be "Bottle Fed babies put at risk of obesity"

grrrrrrr.

gutted

according to Trin, Baby Race is back on Dick'n'Dom. My all time (well all time in the last 10 years) favourite Saturday morning kids' tv feature and I missed it cos my sprog insists on watching rubbish Ministry of Mayhem on the other side. Bah.

In between squabbling like with a 5 yr old over the remote, I half-listened to R telling me about his email from left-pond about the job. Still not quite sure how much time he'd have to spend in over there but most of the first year would be here in Manchester, with some of the second stateside. So we think he should take it, and if he needs to be there for long periods me & O can always visit. State of New York here we come, maybe.

Scary Lady

She terrifies me.

today's numbers ...

points allowance ~ 26 (25/1); points used ~ 28.5 (+2.5); exercise ~ bit of walking ; water ~ 0 [note to self: get water right tomorrow!]; booze ~ 2 glasses red wine

celebrating (but )

R's been offered another job! A 2 year post-doctoral research assistant post, starting when his current one finishes, and it's a perfect fit for his research interests. It's based in Manchester but (and this is the 'touch wood' bit) he will have to spend some or more time working the USA. Some would be OK but more might be a problem. He's asking for details so fingers crossed they won't want him to be there for extended periods, then he can accept it yay.

Also in good news, I finally got a place on the OU course I wanted. It's taken a while because of various admin difficulties (not the OU's fault) and the course actually started last week, by the time I get the books and stuff I'll have some catching up to do but that's OK. I'm just so relieved, for a while I thought I wasn't going to get it sorted in time and everything would be put back another whole year. And R has been brilliant supporting me with getting this organised.

today

today has been better than yesterday, anyways. Mood a bit better and consequently eating a bit better. Tho I did eat two skinny cows in one sitting. And a quick 'hurrah' for Light Touch, now I can make omlettes without the block of butter haunting me, stalking me, making me eat it.

some numbers:
points allowance ~ 32.5 (25/7.5); points used ~ 28 (-4.5); exercise ~ belly dancing; water ~ 2 l; booze ~ 0

weigh in result

Gained a pound. No surprise there, as I have had 3 binges this week. I really have to get a handle on this, but I don't have the energy right now. At least I went to my WW meeting, I'm hoping keeping on going will give me some focus.

why do I do it?

and when will I learn not to respond to every unpleasant emotion by eating? Gah.

I don't think so

Survey sez "forget counting sheep, listen to jazz to drop off to sleep". As O would say - No Way, Jose! I am physically intolerant of jazz, it upsets me deeply. I'd rather have insomnia than jazz. Bad jazz bad bad bad. Ick.

Other news: I am hopefully going to be killing two of my 43things with one stone. Having been unable to find a gymanstics class locally for O, I think I'm going to take him to Ninja Kids (tae-kwondo lite for tots, apparantly) at the leisure centre on Saturday afternoons. Then I can swim while he ninjas. Yay.

ah

not doing so well with this one. Have just spent time setting 43things up so that posts go on my blog, too. It was important. Honestly.

See more progress on: Spend less time fooling around on the net and more time actually working

a different set of numbers

2 years
24 months
104 weeks
731 days
17 531 hours
1 051 898 minutes

since I stopped smoking.

18 270 cigarettes not smoked.

£4 574 not spent on cigarettes.

9 weeks 12 hours of life saved.

Yay.

can't leave well enough alone

Now I've coloured my hair too. Nothing wild, just a semi-
permanent colour a little darker than my natural state, but it's a bit more interesting. My virtual model has had her hair done to match (sort of, hers is longer at the back than mine).

End of 'fascinating' hair updates, I promise. At least until I complete my search for the perfect product for my new 'do ...

lost a pound or two today

Well, I think I have. I had all my hair cut off. Hah.

I feel like me again now. I've had 'long' (long for me ie shoulder length) hair for a few years now, but I never felt quite like it was me. It is amazingly hard to convince hairdressers to cut all your hair off, they keep telling you that it's going to look really short. I suppose they have to guard against the unwary bursting in to tears in the chair at the shock, but short hair holds no fears for those of us who spent years going to the barber's for a no. 4 back'n'sides.

today's numbers ...

points allowance ~ 32.5 (25/7.5); points used ~ 31 (-1.5); exercise ~ aquarobics (45 min), walking (1 hr 15 - not all in one go); water ~ 1l; booze ~ 1 glass red wine

ooh that's a good idea

copying Mr Grumblemag (again), I've started listing my 43 things I want to do, too. Although creating my 43 things list is defeating any attempts to acheive items 1 & 2.

rip it up and start again

Friday was an extraordinarily bad day. A Bad Thing happened in the morning, sending me straight to the Asda snack aisle. We went out for a curry in the evening, and I threw all caution to the winds. My only concession to d**ts was drinking diet coke instead of sweet lassi. In the end, I estimate I consumed nearly 4 days' worth of points in one day. Bggrit.

There is no way I can make up up for that by saving a few points here and there but hey ho, what's done is done and all that. At least I have not let that one bad day be an excuse to give it all up and stuff my face for the whole weekend - I even turned down an invite to go for another curry on Saturday. 23.5 points yesterday and 19 today (probably a few more to add there, with a glass of wine later).

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

badness/goodness

Bad: having to pair up at bellydancing with tall willowy teeny chested woman, to do a face to face dance involving lots of upper chest action. Poor woman was terrified I was going to knock her out with my 'ample charms'.

Good: belly dancing earns me enough extra points for a couple of glasses of cava. Which I'm going to need to celebrate, cos R got that job after all! Hurrah.

today's numbers:
points allowance ~ 32.5 (25/7.5); points used ~ 33.5 (+1); exercise ~ belly dancing ; water ~ 500 ml ; booze ~ 2 glasses cava

never forget

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a communist;

Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a socialist;

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a trade unionist;

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a Jew;

Then they came for me—
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Martin Niemöller

Only after writing about Primo Levi just now, did I remember that today is Holocaust Memorial Day, and the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

An Italian Jew, Primo Levi was captured trying to join the Resistance in 1944 and sent to Auschwitz. The short stories in The Periodic Table are mainly about his life before and after Auschwitz, while his other writings address this in more detail.

my next reading list

a list of ten essential science books in the gruaniad today. I've read 3 of them. I urge everyone to read The Periodic Table by Primo Levi. It is a deeply beautiful and moving book.

it's that time again

Weigh in day, and I lost 1 lb. I'm quite pleased with that. Although I did generally make reasonable food choices while I was in London, one evening there was too much wine and crisps and chocolate. But I did walk over 8 miles the next day, which must've burnt off a couple of pringles at least.

today's numbers:
points allowance ~ 28(25/3); points used ~26 (-1); exercise ~ 2 x 20 mins walking; water ~ 500 ml; booze ~ 1 small aquavit

that was the easy part

To cease smoking is the easiest thing I ever did. I ought to know because I've done it a thousand times.

Mark Twain

I've been thinking a lot about decisions lately.

“I’m going to stop smoking”. “I’m going on a diet”. Taking the big decision is easy. The hard part is to take all the little decisions that make it happen, time after time, day after day. The decision not to go out and buy some cigarettes, the decision to not eat that bar of chocolate, to walk for 20 minutes instead of taking the car, to weigh your pasta, to drink some water, to not eat the instant you feel 'hungry' – dozens of tiny decisions to be taken again and again.

Making the changes, consciously making all those decisions every day, gets tiring and draining and feels like it’s grinding you down sometimes. It makes living your life feel such an effort some days.

But. After a while, if you keep taking those conscious decisions, they become your new habits. I no longer have to constantly decide not to smoke. Not smoking is now just what I do, it’s who I am. There are still moments when I have to decide not to smoke, but they are few and far between and the decision is no longer a hard one to make.

So. I am guessing, hoping, that it’s like that with changing my eating habits. Right now, some days, it feels like too much trouble. One more thing I have to deal with and work on, one more thing I have to do. But if I keep on doing it, it will become part of me, and I will perhaps even reach the mythical state of Thinking Like A Slim Person.

A journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step, but it continues with the decision to keep on putting foot in front of foot, taken over and over again.

girl about town

Just got back from That London. Yesterday was all work work work blah but today was all mine. Mr Grumblemag took me to a crypt for a gorgeous veggie lunch. Then off to meet my mum in the V&A, and look at a fraction of all of the things they have. When we got all art-ed out, we found somewhere to eat then headed over to the Mall Galleries for the private view of the show C is exhibiting in. Couple of glasses of chardonnay there, before getting the train home.

A lovely time had by all, and I am very proud of my mum for going to London on her own for the first time ever, managing the tube and everything without panicking. And she's signed up for computer classes at the local library. Go Mum!

Not all good tho, R didnt' get that job. Boo.

bye

Off to That London for a couple of days. Not feeling wholly confident that the eating plan will hold up under the eating out and boozing opportunities that will be on offer. Am already 5 points over for the week. I will at least do my best to get more exercise while I'm there, walking instead of tubing when possible.

See you all when I get back xxx

PS keep things crossed on Tuesday morning, that's when R has his job interview. It's a part-time temporary post, but it would be good experience for him and also a boost to his confidence in his new career.

stamping my feet

I want my msn! why is msn broked why why why? Bggr.

the 21st century returns

Hurray the elektrickery is back. Hurrah for tv and radio and stereos and puters.

R is very happy. Because he has a job interview next week, and his only suit is at least 10 years old (and looks it), he went out and bought a new one today. He is v pleased because he got into a size smaller trousers than expected. When I was on a d**t last year, he lost about a stone too. And he has kept his off. B@st@rd.

Was meant to be going to another party tonight but couldn't face it. R & O have gone, bearing gifts and my excuses. I'm staying to have a nice bath, watch some tv and have an early night.


yesterday's numbers:
points allowance ~ 26.5 (25/1.5); points used ~ 35.5 (+9); exercise ~ 30 mins walking; water ~ 0; booze ~ lots


today's numbers (provisional):
points allowance ~ 26 (25/1); points used ~ 24 (-1)
exercise ~ 20 mins walking; water ~ 0; booze ~ 1 aquavit

umm ...

according to the bbc "Mobiles get set for visual radio". i thought we had visual radio already? It has a snappier name, too. TV. Maybe I shouldn't read the news and post on my blog when I get in from drinking my whole week's excercise points?

noooo

noooo tomorrow they are taking our electricity away all day. No computer all day. No tv. Forced to interact with family. waaaaah.

No update post yet, points consumption for day not yet finished. R and I are taking it in turns to go to neighbour's party - he's there now, I'll go when he gets back.

Hope everyone has a lovely Friday night/Saturday day. Fingers crossed they give us our leccie back tomorrow night ...

As'salam alaikum

Greetings to those celebrating Eid ul Adha today.

today's numbers ...

points allowance ~ 32.5 (25/7.5); points used ~ 26.5 (-6); exercise ~ belly dancing; water ~ 500 ml; booze ~ 1 small aquavit [1]

[1] gift from visiting Norwegians who came for the wedding I was too ill to go to

feeling smug

I don't know if anyone will ever actually get round to banning junk food adverts for kids. They should be banned, obv, but it's not just about the adverts. Watching a McD's ad on kids tv, O just told a friend that "we don't go to McDs, we don't like it". Good boy! Extra corn on the cob for tea as a reward.

little scrotey b@st@rds

outside the post office, on a main road, in broad daylight, a gang of half a dozen or so of them trying to nick a bike. Fully equiped with tools etc. I shouted at them to leave the bike alone, they just laughed and said "not your bike is it, what's it to you?" but with more insults and swearing. They explained that anyway they weren't nicking it, just taking the saddle cos one of them wanted a new one. I wasn't going to take them on (gang of youths, metal tools, not good) but stood on the corner on the other side of the road shouting "leave the f*cking bike alone" periodically. It was our postie's official post office bike ffs! Eventually they did leave it alone and wandered off, presumably in search of another bike to cannibalise. Feckers. I can't believe they were so brazen about it, and I can't believe no-one else said anything. Grrrr. The joys of inner city living.

the results are in

I lost two and a half pounds this week. Hurrah. I'm off to have a Skinny Cow ice cream to celebrate.

One piece of bad news, tho. I've been counting my beloved Options drinks as half a point, turns out they are one point each. That's a lot of points error for a 3 cups a day girl.

edit: I forgot to add the weekly round up I meant to put in here

overall: pretty good for first week on new diet
weight: lost 2.5 lb hurrah
points allowed: total allowed (incl exercise points) = 27/day
points used: average 27/day
eating: lots of fruit & veg, v.g.
exercise: 4 times, 15.5 points worth
could do better?: make better lunch choices, exercise on more days (only exercised on 2 days last week)

back from babysitting

quick numbers post before going to sleep. I needed early tonight tonight, flippin restless legs wouldn't let me sleep last night, but I said ages ago I'd babysit tonight boo. Foodwise today went OK, I would've been almost in my points if I hadn't had a snack-attack and eaten 2 packets of thai bites.


today's numbers:
points allowance ~ 25 (25/0); points used ~ 28 (+3); exercise ~ 0; water ~ 750 ml; booze ~ 1 largish whisky


Thanks to everyone who commented on 'cross' post. Weigh in tomorrow, keep things crossed.

cross

according to my bathroom scales, I have not lost any weight. Not a single solitary measley little pound. Feck. Feck feck feckity feck. I know I've been eating over my points most days, but I'm eating much more sensibly and healthily, you'd think that'd be worth something. Arse.


yesterday's numbers:
points allowance ~ 31.5 (25/6.5); points used ~ 21.5 (-10); exercise ~ aquarobics (45 min), cycling (45 min); water ~ 500 ml; booze ~ 0

today's numbers

First time I have not eaten more than my basic points allowance for the day hurrah. Still over for the week so far though, boo. Must earn some exercise points tomorrow.


today's numbers:
points allowance ~ 25 (25/0); points used ~ 22.5 (-2.5)
exercise ~ 0; water ~ 750ml; booze ~ 0

yesterday and today

Spent much of yesterday in meetings boo but did at least get to pick the brains of the local techies in the brew/fag breaks, about my dvd burner installation plans (and also forewarn them to expect cries for help when/if it goes buggrup). Had a lovely night out last night. Went to our local cafe early evening for meal and drinks with friends and neighbours and kids, to say goodbye to someone who's moving out. I managed to make reasonable food choices and my points total was looking quite good. Until the second bottle of wine. And I probably shouldn't've had the bottle of raspberry beer, either. Judging by his hangover this morning, R should also not have gone back to friends' house later for beer and whisky.

I need to earn some exercise points. But instead am drinking tea and reading Observer Food Monthly. Special mention for Nigel's winter vegetarian recipes. We're gonna have his dhal and pumpkin soup (from the main magazine) for tea tonight. I fully expect O to loathe it on sight (can't trust most soups, you never know what suspicious things might be cunningly concealed in their depths), but he will be stuffed full of crisps and sugar from the party he's going to.

yesterday's numbers:
points allowance ~ 25 (25/0); points used ~ 29.5 (+4.5)
exercise ~ 0; water ~ 500 ml; booze ~ 1 bottle wine, 1 raspberry lambic

oops

I was doing OK, despite oversleeping and missing breakfast and eating a large lunch instead. I even resisted garlic bread. But then the pistachios happened. Now I have eaten all of yesterday's exercise points and have none left for eating out tomorrow night. Eek.

today's numbers:
points allowance ~ 25 (25/0); points used ~ 34.5 (+9.5)
exercise ~ 0; water ~ 750 ml; booze ~ 0

oatcakes

another one for Jude (this time because there's no comments on her blog boo also because it's a pet rant of mine hurrah). Oatcakes are good for you? Hmmm ...

They are made from oats, which are Good. They are also made from palm oil, which is Not So Good. It's high in saturated fat - nearly 50%. Take a look at the small print on the oatcakes packet. Oatcakes are 17.7% fat, of which 7.5% is saturated fat. Each little oatcake is worth one whole WW point.

I love oatcakes, they are completely delish. I just don't understand why they have to be made with tropical palm oil (hardly a traditional Scottish highland ingredient, after all). It may or may not be because it's cheap and helps products last a long time on the supermarket shelves.

Palm oil (more chemically similar to beef tallow than to traditional vegetable oils, and called by some "tree lard") is one of those ingredients that helps food manufaturers provide the western diet with cheap, calorie-dense foods. Greg Critser discusses its impact in Fat Land: How Americans became the fattest people in the world

You may also want to take care when buying cooking oils. After his heart attack, R saw a dietician and was advised to avoid those labelled just as 'vegetable oil'. They could include tropical oils such as palm, with a high saturated fat content. We always go for 'named' oils like sunflower. And olive (extra-virgin), natch.

A whole other issue is that there are concerns about the ecological impact of palm oil plantations

OK, end of rant.

more about the numbers

because I know Jude is curious. WW™ have changed their system recently, to this new fangled Switch™ programme. You can do NoCount™ or Full Choice™. Each week you decide which plan to do, you can change week by week.

On NoCount™ you eat 3 meals a day and can eat as much you like from a set list of foods, you can only snack on fruit or veg, and you have a small points allowance for 'extras' not on the food list. I think it's the same as or similar to the Core™ that all the US WW bloggers were talking about last year (but ww.com won't let me in with firefox so I can't check).

Full Choice™ is the normal WW programme, you have a daily points allowance and foods are given a points value, based on calories/fat/fibre content. Your daily points allowance varies depending on age, weight and occupation. I think it's the same as Flex Points in the USA (but can't check grr). You can eat what you want so long as you don't go over your daily points allowance, but obviously they encourage you to eat healthful stuff. My daily points are worth less than 4 mars bars boo

On both plans you can earn bonus points by doing exercise. How many points you earn depends on weight and how long and how hard you excercise for. WW intiates get a handy "Bonus Booster", a slide rule thingy to work out the points value of exercise done.
edit: you're only allowed to eat 12 bonus points a week

Fascinating, huh?

doing the numbers

as requested by Jude:

today's numbers:
points allowed: 34 (25/9); used: 26.5 (-7.5)
exercise: walking (30 min), belly dancing (60 min)
water: 1l; booze: 0

I am doing the points couting (Full Choice™). I think the other one (NoCount™) is the same as the Core thingy WW™ introduced in the USA last year.

randomness

Yes we have no bananas: how am I supposed to start a d**t when my family get up before me and eat all the bananas? O has eaten all the cucumber, too. Bah.

Firefox: not sure I like it. OK so it's all safer and betterer than IE and everything, but I miss my google tool bar. And some websites don't work properly with it (eg some blogs comments won't work). I know this is all the fault of bad web designers who fail to make their sites accessible to everyone, and that we should be working to undermine the Evil Empire by using non-Microsoft products where possible. But I am finding Firefox irritating and might be going back to IE. Still, at least I got to write an 'irrate of Manchester' email to WW about their website not working in Firefox. Hah.

A beautiful song: Yemma by Souad Massi, from her album Deb. The whole album is beautiful but this song is particularly gorgeous.

OK now I'm off to walk to the greengrocers for more bananas.

I've been and gone and done it

I went to Fat Club the WW meeting as planned. It was a bit weird and felt a bit chaotic. But I think that had a lot to do with it being a new meeting, so everyone there was new this week or last. The Leader is nice, tho she seems inexperienced and (with my Professional Trainer hat on for a minute) she needs to work on her presentation and group management skills. But like I said she seems nice, she's young, she's lost over 4 stone (56 lb) on WW and best of all she's a vegetarian hurrah! so she won't be constantly extolling the joys of grilled fish.

Getting weighed wasn't bad at all, in the end (although queueing up for ages to get it done was a bore). I weighed the same as I did at home first thing this morning with no clotheses on gosh. Numbers will re-appear on the sidebar shortly.

I have been initiated into the mysteries of the new Switch™ system, and each week I have to chose between NoCount™ and Full Choice™. (There's a lot of ™ in the wonderful world of WW™ and lots of trying to sell you WW™ products).

Now I'm off for a nice bath and a read of my Switch™ handbook.

Other news: my mum has been on the internet less than a month and already she's googling for 'adult' content! She says she just wants to find out if the rumour at the post office about the health centre turning into a swingers club is true, but that's what they all say.

Other other news: I'm trying out this firefox browser (I'm such a l33t h4x0r) and now I can't read the WW™ website stoopid WW™.

tonight's the nigh

thanks to everyone who commented about going to WW. I've decided to go this evening, and feel encouraged by your words. I think I will find the accountability of going to a group will keep me on track and if I don't like everything that's said well, in the immortal words of as3, I can take what I need and leave the rest.

I also wanted to share this article from yesterday's paper on depression and anti-depressants. As he says

Taking antidepressants for anxiety or depression is no different from calling out a plumber to fix a leaky pipe

Some people feel that they somehow shouldn't be on a-ds and want to get off them as quickly as possible. For me, my a-ds are just like R's betablockers - something I need to take every day to keep me healthy. And that reminds me, must go take todays.

I'll report back about Fat Club later ...

I knew there was something else

Jude's comment reminded me of some more reservations I had about going to WW. Apart from the cost and the clash with aquarobics.

1) Being the fattest person there. I'm not actually sure why this matters. Sure there will be skinnies there desperate to lose a whole half a stone. But there'll be other big girls there too, won't there? Thing is, it's not like I'm going to be sitting there looking at anyone who happens to be bigger than me thinking 'omg what a fattie'. So why should I think they'd think that about me? I am paranoid that it will be all skinnies and me.

2) Getting weighed. Particularly getting weighed in the evening, with all my clothes on, I am bound to weigh heavier than 'normal'. Again, this is irrational. When you're my kind of weight, a few pounds here or there doesn't make much difference. It's the direction the scales head in, rather than the specific numbers, that matters.

Perhaps I am just scared of something new. Or scared of failing in such a public arena. Whatever, I'm going to go along tomorrow and see what happens. And bitch about the skinnies when I get back.

Spoke to my best friend C last night. She's been having angina-like symptoms for a while, but it's taken some time to get a proper diagnosis. After a series of test, they found she has furred up arteries. She's been given the advice you'd expect - told she has to lose weight, exercise more, eat better, stop smoking (she's a 'social' smoker yeah right) and cut down her salt (she does consume life threatening quantities of NaCl. She's the only person I've ever seen put salt on peanut butter).

So last night we were talking diets and eating habits. We have exactly the opposite eating problems. I can eat reasonably at meal times, it's the comfort-eating snack-attacks that pile on my pounds. C doesn't really snack much, instead she cannot leave the table at meal times until she is full to bursting - plus she takes the 'little of what you fancy' approach to her cooking, adding more cheese, salt, butter, cream, etc to dishes and finding it hard to go without dessert.

Anyways we both have to get serious about weight loss now. C because she already knows she has irreversible damage to her heart, now she's got to work on not making it worse and on getting healthier. Me because I hope I'm in time to make changes to avoid the worst health consequences of what I've done to my body over the years. I've made quite a lot of progress on that already, with stopping smoking and starting exercising. I need to remind myself of what I've achieved and that I have the ability to achieve more.

So, I've decided to try that WW meeting tomorrow night. Even if it does cost 5 quid and take place at the same time as aquarobics grrr.

is it a sign?

everywhere I've gone today, I've seen posters for a new WW meeting starting near me. I am deeply sceptical of the big business that is the slimming industry, including Fat Clubs. On the other hand, the only way I managed to stop smoking was by going to a support group. Maybe that's what I need to do to lose weight, too.

The meeting's on Wednesday evening. What should I do?

'OK Dad, now press esc'

Article about me and my folks on the BBC site. Although actually I am more likely to say "OK Dad, presss ALT + F4". Or "OK Mum, don't panic, you haven't broken it and Dad is not going to kill you when he gets home".

Thank the Lord Bill for System Restore, that's what I say. It's the perfect solution for when your dad bodges his way thro trying to do something, not asking for help along the way and pressing buttons pretty much at random, then rings you up because his computer now won't work properly.

Still not getting it

I just cannot get over my urge to turn to food when life gets even slightly stressful. Today I am supposed to be starting counting calories. Hah hah hah. Calories eaten so far = feckin loads. Feck.

At least I am doing OK getting back to exercising. Walked this morning after taking O to school. Having a dilema about this evening, tho. If I go to aquarobics, I'll miss the first half of Celeb Big Brother. Hmm. I could go and come home early.

leaving on a jet plane

bye bye lovely Trin. Have fun and don't worry about the plane trip. I know a very nice man who works for Airbus and he says they are jolly super top quality planes. Admittedly his job is to sell Airbuses, but as I say he is v. nice man and he wouldn't sell inferior quality planes.

So enjoy. Make the most of the fact that Disneyland Paris is the only one in the world where you can buy and drink booze. Also make the most of any babysitting opportunities that may occur (or that you can contrive - remember, strangers are just babysitters you haven't met yet). But remember, we don't wanna see your sexploits turning up on this page any time soon.

We'll keep the blog warm for you till you get back.

wimping out

Far to cold and wet and windy to do anything exercise-wise today. Couldn't even face a walk round the park. But am sure that lying on the sofa reading the gruaniad's guide to healthy living must have some positive effect. I felt much healthier after looking at all those nice photos of fruit & veg.

This afternoon we behaved like such middle class stereotypes it hurts. Went to the art gallery, then to the posey toyshop so O could spend his Xmas money [1], finishing up with having tea in the middle class McD's. Just shoot me now, before I get a job in marketing, rename my child Harry and move to Didsbury.



[1] Salty and Emily, since you ask. And sadly, since the ELC moved out of the city centre, D&T is the only source of O's fixes.

it was a dark and stormy night ...

... and all the lights have gone out in half of our building. So, if the leccie failure spreads over to our half I may be gone for some time.

back to 'normal'

Christmas is officially Over. Last night we took down the decorations and took the tree back to the garden centre for recycling. Nearly all the Christmas food is gone (including that box of chocs). We're all back at school and work.

I weighed myself yesterday, and found that I weigh exactly the same as I did this time last year. Amazingly, this is the same as I weighed a month before Christmas. I can't quite believe I haven't put on at least half a stone over the holidays (although not eating for several days when I was ill probably helped).

This week I'm easing myself back into some healthier routines. Went to aquarobics last night, 20 mins walk this morning, belly dancing tonight. I'm working on eating sensibly (more fruit and water) and thinking about calorie counting from next week. Although tonight is a cava and pistachios occassion (start of Celebrity Big Brother).

Some highlights of our holidays (before I forget):

• O opening his presents on Christmas morning, of course, and playing with his favourites. He loved all his presents from Santa (esp the chocolate orange), and we had to rebuild the railway track (dismantled on Xmas eve so Santa didn't trip over it) for his new Thomas to play on. The shredded cellophane packaging from my lovely big Lush package did excellent service as snow on Sodor.
  
  
• We actually got some snow on Christmas! O had been desperate for snow, of course, but it hardly ever snows in Manchester. There were a couple of light flurries during the day and we thought that was it, but on Christmas night we got proper snow. So instead of spending Christmas night dozing on the sofa, we were out playing snowballs and building (very small) snowmen and watching tipsy neighbours making snow angels in the car park. The absolute top highlight of my Christmas was O playing in the snow singing "We wish you an irie Christmas and a dancehall new year". Trojan Xmas works its magic. Next year, I want him singing "Santa Claus Never Comes to the Ghetto" in the school concert.
  
  
• O's top pressie was Thunderbirds DVD & playset (we didn't actually have a dvd player on Xmas day, but it turned out Santa had delivered it to my parents' house so we got it on Boxing Day. It also turned out Santa was feeling v. generous this year and brought us a recording dvd player wooo).
  
  
• my parents bought themselves a computer for Christmas, so I spent a lot of the time we were at their house sorting it out and showing them how to work it. I am their Tech Support now, which I don't mind, in fact I quite enjoy that for once I have knowledge and skills that my father wants and needs. That's another way of saying that I feel smug that for once, I know more than him and he has to listen to me. Hah. I've waited 37 years for this kind of advantage, I'm not going to waste it.
  

Okies, time to do some work booooo

just thinking about it hurts

slow progress or no progress.

No exercise today or for the last 6 weeks (illness then crimbo). I forgot to weigh myself this morning. Although eating today so far has been v. good if you leave out the chocolates.

Tonight I will fix my bike while watching sleb fit club [1]. Tomorrow I will buy more fruit, I will eat more fruit (and not just bananas) and will go to aquarobics. Generally this week I will try to eat more 'sensibly' and next week I will start calorie counting.

Ouch.

I have this ludicrous idea to take up running at some point this year.

Ouch ouch.

And I have this horrible fear that I may have to join a Fat Club.

Ouch ouch ouch.

[1] oh that's another resolution that's already faltering. The one to spend less time staring at tv/computer screens. S'not my fault, Celebrity Big Brother starts this week. Yes I am weak but I am not alone.

how ...

... am I supposed to start a d**t when there's a box of Thorntons' continentals in the house?

New year, new ...

.... new start? new hope? new plan? new something, anyways. I am going to get the weight loss thing going again. Not today, though. Today and tomorrow and Monday are still holidays. When the world gets back to work on Tuesday, then I'll start.

I think I'm going to start small with small steps. I'll figure out what the first ones will be and start at them on the 4th.

Wishing everyone a joyful new year.