Tuesday 31 January 2012

The quest for domestic perfection

Feeling very lethargic today work wise. I've been in front of the screen all morning yet have done jack all - and it's mounting up. I've decided to crack off a blog and then get to it. No excuses! (Little BL13 joke there for those who are watching. Ha!).

So first up, in my new domesticated life TB's parents and my parents are coming for dinner in March. Part of me is really looking forward to it and part of me thinks, 'Ugh, so civilised - and grown up'. Neither of those thoughts really matter though as it's happening.

What I am really looking forward to is cooking and baking and making a lovely meal for them - a lovely 3 course meal and possibly with some sort of biscuit too, to have with coffee later on. I'm thinking maybe Florentines. Any recipe or meal ideas would be much appreciated. Ideally something that doesn't require me to be constantly watching over it so I can entertain. Oh, and also something that I can plate up for each person. I don't want people to have to help themselves and reach over each other. It's the first time my dad will have met TB's folks and my mum only met them for 10 mins last summer and so anything I can do to remove awkward 'Would  you like the last piece' scenarios is what I'm trying to do. Oh yeah - seafood and curry are both out. Fussy mothers!

I'll just finish up with my workout chit chat as tomorrow is weigh in. I'm not too sure what to expect from the scales tomorrow. I know I worked really hard at the gym but I did eat an entire big bag of Penn State Pretzels between Wednesday and Sunday. And I had cranachan on Wednesday. And quite a few Celebrations. I'll just stop there... it's getting too depressing! Oh well... fingers crossed for a loss.

Wednesday: Nothing
Thursday: Boxercise
Friday: Gym workout
Saturday: Nothing
Sunday: Gym workout
Monday: Gym workout
Tuesday: Spinning

Monday 30 January 2012

Thoughts to fingers to keys to blog

I'm just shit at blogging these days. I can't seem to summon the mental dexterity to fashion together even just a few words that aren't as boring as.... see! I can't even come up with a vaguely witty analogy.

Rather than totally fall off the radar I thought I'd at least crack out some words which might pass as a blog if you drank 17 rum and cokes and screwed your eyes up a bit. I might pap some pics up too. Better than nowt, eh. Well, I'm actually going to go list style. When in doubt paragraph it out, baby.

Last year my jam making was such a ruddy success that I got THREE jam making books at Christmas. Suffice to say I had to make marmalade this weekend just past. First attempt and it is the shit. Next up, three fruit marmalade.

My feline special boy continues to delight and frustrate in equal measures. We share a communal hallway/stairs with two other flats (top, middle and bottom). We are middle. Top is a lovely lady, her 9 year old daughter and their female cat. My boy is not getting on with their cat. Constant shouting at each other and a few swipes too. My cat keeps sneaking up to their front door and shouting dog's abuse (HA!) through their cat flap at their poor cat! I also know she's gone to the toilet inside her flat as she's unsettled! I wish my cat would stop being such an aggressive little shit. Although I have caught her chasing him inside from the garden too. It's like a full time job.

Sugar. Things are a lot better. A lot. For the past few days I've had about 3 celebrations a day and maybe a couple of boiled sweets. Feeling a lot better about that. I'm still totally aware of the fact I could go nuts and just inhale silly amounts but I am managing to be a lot more controlled.

The Biggest Loser (USA) I am obsessed. I fricking loved Season 11 (although nothing will ever beat Tara and Season 7) and have just gorged my way through season 12. I'm now one episode behind on Season 13 - which means I'll soon be caught up totally and I can actually read the blogs and tweets in line with the rest of the world without spoiling who gets chucked off each week.

Totally channelling the Biggest Loser workouts when I've been at the gym. I've been working really hard and yesterday, all of a sudden, I could feel a massive difference when doing dynamic lunges. I have an 8kg weight in each hand and using my right leg I step forward, lung and step back 12 times. Then the left leg. Then the same again but I step backwards and dip into a lung. And then the same with the other leg... 3 sets if you please. Ouch! I use to do these bad boys all the time.  I really do hate them but I know they work and so I just got on with it. Since the ankle incident (yes, I'm still bleating on about that) I've done them but never a full complement of 3 sets.... until yesterday baby! Very happy about that. I just felt much stronger than I have in months. While I feel the same size and generally a bit podgy about the body, my arms and legs feel much more solid and I can feel more muscle.

Had a pretty quiet weekend but was out on Friday night and both nights the weekend before. I even managed to go to an 80's club. They actually played Jason Donovan and Two Many Broken Hearts. Amazing! I'm staying off the booze this coming weekend as I'm at a night out in a village miles from anywhere and am just going to drive home to stay at my folk's afterwards. Quite hoping that'll help the scales move in the right direction.

I finally bought another pair of gym trousers/leggings. I have two sports bras (3 if you count the one that lots of the stitching has come out on), two pairs of trainer, countless t-shirts- but just one pair of trousers. They are constantly being washed and hung on the radiator to dry. It's never ending and it BORES ME TO DEATH. No more though! I'm not at your mercy any longer, sweaty breeks! And on that note... here are some pics.



Wednesday 25 January 2012

Weigh in


Let’s go straight in with the bad news. 1lb on. Bam. There it is.

I’m now 12stone 12.5lbs – and after the sugar shuffle (that’s me shuffling it down my throat), I totally deserve it.

I could get annoyed with myself when I think about the fact I’ve only lost a paltry 2.5lbs this year but... I’m not going to.

I’m going to use this post to look at the positives.

  • ·         I’m back in control of my portion sizes
  • ·         I’m working out 4 days a week – hard
  • ·         I’m feeling quite organised with meals which suit both TB and me
  • ·         I’ve been back to spinning
  • ·         I’ve lost weight in 2012
  • ·         I can see and feel more muscle definition in my calves and arms
  • ·         I’m only 5lbs away from my lightest ever weight
  • ·         I feel fitter than I did this time a 2 months ago – when I was a few pounds lighter

That is a pretty good list. Things are going in the right direction. However, they could be moving in that direction a hell of a lot faster if I made just a few changes. The first being to stop picking at sugar in between my meals. I put in a huge effort with my exercise plans but I’m sabotaging it with some truly destructive habits.

It’s time to make a change. My next weigh in is on February 1st. I do not want to enter February this close to 13stone.

Starting Weight: 183 pounds
Current Weight: 180.5 pounds
Weight Loss This Week: plus 1lbs
Total 2012 Weight Loss: 2.5bs

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Where's your head at

What a great weekend. My best friend was visiting and we had such a good time.

We shopped (hello two gorgeous dress from Warehouse that should have cost £130 and I got them for under £30), danced to 80's music, baked a cake, drank, ate, gossiped, played trivial pursuit and watched R Kelly's 'In the Closet'.

A few words from the above paragraph might have jumped out at you. You know... eat, drink, cake. I think it would be fair to say the diet went down the pan at the weekend. I drank quite a lot of Friday and Saturday night and also knocked back half a bottle of wine on Sunday night. Not good.

And since the weekend I've continued to faff about. My meals are great. Really good (apart from when Lover Boy cooks and makes a creamy sauce). Lots of lean protein and fruit and veg. My workout are really good. I'm kicking it big time at the gym and it feels good - even though I'm still only fitting in 4 workouts a week. I'm messing up all this good work with my lax weekend and my continual picking at sugary things. - every day.  My head is just not where it should be.

For example... today I've had a fruit for breakfast, chicken and prawn salad for lunch and a frittata for dinner. I've also been to spinning. Saintly, right? Wrong; because I've also had tablet (which if added all together would probably be the size of an iphone. In fact, probably more) and just there, after my tea, I had a slice of the cake I made at the weekend (Victoria sponge, if you're interested). I'm weighing in tomorrow for crying out loud - and I had a piece of cake. And then some more tablet! What am I playing at?

This kind of behaviour is typical of many, many of my dieting attempts in the past. I have a good couple of weeks and then I take my eye off the ball. I then stop losing weight or I put some back on - and then I lose interest... game over.  I can't let that happen again. I'm just a few pounds away from my lightest weight. It's within my grasp to get there - and lower.

Tomorrow is another weigh in - and another week for me to make the right choices. The scales will say what they say. I'll accept it and use whatever number is there to push me onto a week where things WILL change.

In the meantime, here's the workout lowdown.

Wednesday: Nothing
Thursday: Mental gym workout. 30 mins cardio and all manner of squats and weights
Friday: Mental gym workout
Saturday and Sunday: Nothing
Monday: Mental gym workout
Tuesday: 45 minute spinning class

Friday 20 January 2012

Sweets for my sweet

I'm not eating enough. I never thought that is something that I'd say. But my relationship with sugar is arsing everything right up. Sorry, I can't think of a more eloquent way to put  it. 

Let me explain... I got up yesterday and had a large clementine for breakfast. I wasn't feeling that hungry as on Wednesday night I had a run in with a mini sized selection box. Ooops. Mid morning I make a cup of coffee and as I get the milk out the fridge, I spy the carnation milk that was used to make the tablet. The carnation milk that is in a squeezy bottle. Before I know it I'm having some in my coffee and even worse... squeezing it straight out of the bottle onto my finger to lick off. Jesus, woman.

This continues until lunchtime when I try and redress the balance with some homemade soup. Doesn't last long. Before I know it I'm back on the carnation milk like a hungry pup suckling at its mother. I then get stuck into the boiled sweets. I must have had about 12 sweets. Oh. Dear.

By this time I'm feeling pretty crap. I'm going to the gym and so managed to stop eating sugar and have another clementine. By the time I think I've left enough time to let my body process everything and actually attempt some exercise it's about 7pm.

I have a great workout - until my last 10 mins of cardio and ouch! Stitchy stitch. I shower and being to walk home. Aaaaaaargh. What is this stabbing pain in my tummy. It's pigging agony and I'm almost bent double as I shuffle home. I eventually get in and lie down. TB arrives home soon after and gives me a cuddle and I feel a lot better. I then have a boiled egg and toasted roll for dinner - at 9.30pm.

So there you have it. Probably had a sore tummy cause of all the crap that I was putting in it - and lack of good stuff. And eating far too late. Not clever.

I really need to address my sugar issues. It's just after lunch and I've had two boiled sweets. That's okay - as long as that's it. And it is it. I could be sabotaging a really great loss with this stupidity. The workouts are going great guns and I can notice a little more definition in my calves and I'm not spilling out the top of my gym bottoms, like I was a few weeks ago.

So the moral of the story is stop being a git.

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Weigh in

Howdy Doody everyone

Weigh in this morning revealed I lost 1.75lbs -again. I was hoping for a little more as I've not had the big loss that often comes in first week of healthy eating when you've stuffed your piggy face for a couple of week. However, it would seem that it's not to be and if I could lose 1.75lbs every week then I would be delighted.

I'm also taking delight in the fact my body fat % is less (a very tiny amount less) than it was when I was this weight in November. And that weight is 12stone 11.5lbs.

I should maybe also fess up that TB and I had a tablet making session on Friday night. For those of you living in ignorant bliss, tablet is a bit like fudge. If made well it is so amazing. It's basically sugar boiled up with butter and condensed milk - what's not to love! We both made a batch from difference recipes. Mine was a total disaster (my version also had syrup and some brown sugar in it) and while the texture was horrific, it still tasted so good. Of course, instead of throwing it out immediately, I left it on the kitchen worktop and picked at it every time I went into the kitchen. And of course, I had to go into the kitchen for so many reasons... I've forgotten them. Ooops. I managed to pull myself together on Saturday tea time and stop the rot but in that small amount of time there must have been a lot of sugar ingested. Must do better next week.

Oh, I forgot to update my list of exercise yesterday as I was running about like a maddie. So here we go...
  • Wednesday: Gym workout. All manner of squats and lunges and weights interspersed with 30 mins cardio
  • Thursday: Boxercise - ooh, I must tell you about that soon
  • Friday: Nothing
  • Saturday: Gym workout as before
  • Sunday: Nothing
  • Monday: Gym workout as before
  • Tuesday: Nothing
It's mostly gym workouts and while they are quite similar, no two are the same. The cardio is 10 mins running, 10 mins cross trainer and 10 mins spinning but the weights vary as I mix up dynamic lunges with squats with weights, and on the bose ball things too. It's all rather hellish but what can you do. Just bloody well get on with it.

To finish here is a bike pic of me. I've got the essentials... cool as fuck bike (complete with spokey dokeys), reflective arm band, 80's bodywarmer, animal print scarf, demin jacket. What else do you need?!



Starting Weight: 183 pounds
Current Weight: 179.5 pounds
Weight Loss This Week: 1.75lbs
Total 2012 Weight Loss: 3.5bs

Monday 16 January 2012

Settle down

Thanks for all the advice yesterday. I've been pretty vocal about not getting enough help and I've also explained that I don't like to nag. I don't want to have to tell him to do things.

I think after our chat when I nearly went stratospheric about the dishwasher loading incident things are going to improve. Last night dinner was a team effort and when I was hanging up some washing he came and helped me. Small things but they make such a difference. It also helped that because TB is on a training course this week there is no ironing to be done and his lunches are provided.

The other thing that has been getting me down is the atmosphere that comes with the hum drum and the nagging. A couple of times when I've been grumpy because I feel like I'm not getting enough help TB has said: "I've been looking forward to coming home to see you. Let's not fall out." I don't want to fall out either but if I'm annoyed, then that's the mood I'm in.

What I'm getting at is that I feel like the shine has come off a bit. Don't get me wrong, things are still amazing but it's just not quite how it was. Of course it's not going to be. We live together now. Before we always knew that in a day or two we would be saying goodbye, heading off to spend 5 days 100 miles apart and so every moment was enjoyed to the fullest. We gave our best, 100% all of the time. It's hard to give your best all of the time when you are getting in a tizz about cleaning the loo.

And as I've pointed out to TB - everything is different for me. I'm in a totally new city where I know hardly a soul. I've lost my routine, my flat -my whole world has changed. I miss my old city. I miss my flat. I hate not having an real friends here (yet). I've got plans to try and change that but it doesn't help how I feel right now. Even things are different with my cat. He has only been here 3 weeks and is still settling down. He's not the same pussycat as before. I miss how we were before.

Saturday night was a real struggle for me. TB mentioned earlier in the week that some of his friends from work (all boys) were going to see a band on Saturday night. I told him he should go. I want him to do his own thing. But that meant I was at home, alone on a Saturday night. I put a brave face on it for TB but I felt pretty low. There is nothing wrong with staying in on a Saturday night. I love it - when it is my choice. The pathetic part of me wanted TB to stay in with me but I would never have told him that. I wanted him to come to that conclusion on his own.

I quite enjoyed my night catching up on some of my programmes and then I went to the gym at 11pm! Ha. Rock and roll, eh? I'm glad I did though as at least I felt productive and was doing something for me.

So, the upshot is that things are good. I'm just adapting and finding my feet. I'm going home (to my mum and dad's house - where there is a new kitten!) today for the dentist and then to my old office on Tuesday in between a couple of meetings. I'm really looking forward to it and it'll probably be quite good for TB to come home from work and not find me doing my best impression of an attention starved puppy. My best mate is also coming up this weekend for Saturday and Sunday night and I can't wait.

In other dieting news. I am exercising like a mo fo. Sugar intake needs to be checked but other than that - bring on the scales!

Oh, finally. Rapunzel asked if TB knew I had a blog. He does. When he asked why Moonraker and I split up I had to explain the whole finding of the blog thing for it all to make sense. I told him that I had stopped because of that and it was TB that suggested I start again with a new blog, new name and no clues as to who I was in real life. I honestly don't think he'd look for the blog but if he did and he found it (doubtful) then he can read away as while this is all very personal and private and is not for his eyes, there is nothing here that he doesn't know or that I couldn't say to him.

Sunday 15 January 2012

Poor Old Cinders

The first few blissful weeks where it feels like we've been playing house, have passed. The festive fun and holiday shenanigans are over. Living together is no longer something that's been long anticipated and envisaged as a cosy love nest. It's a reality. Mostly it's a really lovely reality but like anything else, there is slightly sour note that comes with the sweet overtones - nothing is perfect.

Let me just set out my stall before I say anything negative or make any statements that sound like they have come straight from the latest edition of An Idiots Guide to Being a Nagging Girlfriend. TB is the best. He is such a peach and I love living with him. While I'm about to... well, moan - that doesn't take away from the fact he is the best thing since sliced bread. This post is about what is annoying me. Not him. I dread to think what his version of this post would read like.

So what's up? I'll start with the domestics. Apart from the hoovering and taking the bin out (which I have to ask him to do as I seem to be the only one that fills it up) I am doing everything. Every sodding thing. This includes (and is not limited to) the cooking and tidying up afterwards (loading and emptying the dishwasher), washing the clothes - hanging them up and putting them away, ironing, making breakfast and lunch (ready for him to take to work with him), the food shopping and cleaning the bathroom. This is all partly my own fault though.

At the moment I am working from home and so it's easy for me to stick on a washing or empty the dishwasher when I've got 5 or 10 minutes. TB works a longer day than me, so I don't mind that. The breakfast and lunch prep, well -  I don't have to do that - but it saves money and is healthier. If I need to chop up some fruit for my breakfast then it's not that big a deal to just do double and stick some in a tupperware box for him.

I like to cook and the control of making the meals (making sure they are healthy) is not something I am willing to give up. See - there's not much left for him to do! So what the chuff am I complaining about.

Well, when we are together in the flat and jobs need done I feel like I constantly need to ask and point out what needs done. Yesterday we were both in the kitchen. I was tidying up, putting shopping away and I asked him to empty the dishwasher. He did so and was about to sit down when I pointed out the dirty dishes that needed loaded. "You didn't say put the dishes in. You just asked me to empty the dishwasher", he said.

What? Are you actually being serious. I nearly lost the fucking plot right at that second. My face must have been a picture. I'm not going to shout at him and tell him what to do though. I'm not his bloody mother. I walked out the kitchen and took a moment in the bedroom, trying to calm myself. He came through a moment later (after having loaded the dishwasher). "What's wrong?", he asked. Did I really have to explain? I told him that he was being totally unreasonable and it wasn't my job to give him a tick list of things that needed done. He said he was joking. Now, here's the thing. I know he was joking but if I he could have gotten away with it, he would. That is taking the piss, good and proper.

He went onto say that he knew he wasn't doing enough to help out and would try harder. Okay - fair enough. I can't ask more than that. I also need to hold back a bit but it's hard. I want to live in a harmonious house and that means that things need to get done and I'm not going to wait until things get into such a mess that sorting it out will take ages and I'll end up doing the lion's share anyway.

It's a tricky one; getting the balance right. If anyone has any tips then I'd love to hear them.

There's a whole other are that I want to talk about. About living in a new city and trying to make my own life and routine - while TB already has his. I'm missing my old flat and life. Last night, Saturday night, I went to the gym.What is that all about? What a total loser. I've got lots to say on that which I'll save for another day.

For now, I'm off to get dinner in the over and do some ironing. Aaaaaaaaargh!

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Weigh in

Let's get straight into it. 1.75lbs off.

I'm not going to lie, I'm disappointed. It's week one and I ate massive chinese the night before last week's weigh in. I was really hoping for at least 2lbs if not 3 or 4. I was justifying not losing more with all manner of reasons.... I got away with a few losses in December that I didn't deserve and maybe was really a few pounds heavier. I've not exercise properly for about 8 weeks and my muscle is coming back that I no doubt lost. I've had some... ahem, toilet issues.

Oh do shut up woman. What a pile of waffle. Get real.

I lost almost 2lbs. That's a good loss. I'm back in the 12s (12 stone 13.25lbs) Slow and steady worked for me last year and it will again this year. I ate too many left over sweeties last week and a massive meal on Saturday night at well as drinks - that's why I didn't lose more. Week two  - tighten up the sneaky extras and keep on keeping on. Simple.


Starting Weight: 183 pounds
Current Weight: 181.25 pounds
Weight Loss This Week: 1.75lbs
Total 2012 Weight Loss: 1.75lbs


Tuesday 10 January 2012

The lean list

It's that time again. The time when I think about what I've done over the past week and I wonder if it's been enough.

It's week one and this time last week I was inhaling a chinese at a rate of knots. With that in mind I would expect have to have lost something - even just a quarter of a pound. Ideally I'd like to get back into the 12 stone bracket which means I need to lose 1.25lbs. Well, the scales will say what they say. And now.... the lean list.

Wednesday: Nothing
Thursday: 3.92km run. 3 sets lunges & squats, tricep dips and press ups
Friday: 4.03 miles on the bike
Saturday & Sunday: Nothing
Monday: Gym workout 30 mins cardio, squats, lunges, chest press & triceps
Tuesday: 8.2 miles on the bike lunges & triceps, 10 mins cardio at gym

Chirpy chirpy cheep cheep

Just in case anyone feels like following me on twitter then you can find me at @_love_cat

I opened the account last year and wasn't very good at updating it. Not now though, Oh no.

Monday 9 January 2012

Multi Gym

What's better that 1 gym membership... 2.

Yes, as of today I have two gym memberships. Madness. I know, but let me explain.

When I moved city I had to leave my beloved Virgin Active gym behind. I had been a member for... oooh, maybe 7 years or something like that. I really really liked it. Literally five minutes from door to door on foot and with more classes that you could shake a wobbly bum at, it was great. Lovely changing rooms, hot showers, loads of cardio machines, free weights, huge mat area for weights etc. It was great. And that's before the swimming pool and steam room/sauna come into it.

Admittedly I only really went to spinning and used the gym equipment so I wasn't making the most of it - but it was my gym and I loved it. Although I wasn't so mad about the £60 a month price tag. That's not quite the way I like to shed the pounds.

There is no Virgin in my new city and to be honest I was quite keen to put the £60 towards rent (my new city is quite an expensive place) but I couldn't be without a gym. However, a solution raised it's budget head in the form of Pure Gym. With banks of cardio machines, a full timetable of classes and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week all for the lean and mean price of £17 a month, what's not to love? I signed up and the very next day trotted along for a workout.

It's still very close to my flat. Just over ten minutes walk and I was punching in my very long ID code to get in. They gym itself is great. Lots of equipment. Loads! There are so many machines it's insane. Cardio and weights machines. However, there is a distinct lack of space for any free weight action. I like to use the gym ball to lie back on with my knees bent while I do chest presses. And lunges. Well, I hate them but they are golden for slimmer thigh action and there were very few spaces for me to do this and even fewer that had mirrors. Not the end of the world and a day later I found out the fitness studio has loads of kit including viper bars and kettle bells and that space can be used if there are no classes.

That brings me onto the classes. 9 spaces in each class. 9. That is not enough. I will have to set reminders to try and book into a class if I stand a chance of getting in. And the one class I want, spinning, is not the way I like to spin. The bikes are in the middle of the gym studio. There is no seperate spin studio. Everyone can see you wobbling about as you do your best Lance Armstrong impression.

Now, I can get over that. What I can't get over is that the open studio means the tunes are not pumped up full blast, nor are the lights dimmed. I love it when the beats are right in your face and the instructor is screaming at you. Oh, and the classes are only 30 mins long.

There are other things that make it obvious the cost is only £17 per month for a reason. No paper towels, no shower gel, the changing room is very much a locker room; tiny benches and lockers three high. It's functional. And it has to be. That's how it has made it's mark and created a niche.

It does leave me missing the spin love though. Hmmm. Where else could I spin? Why, of course! TB has a gym at his work! His gym has some classes, cardio machines and even better - he's paid to sign up and adding me is next to nothing (well, it is nothing as he's not letting me give him any money for it. What a sweetie). It's 4 miles away from the flat and so tomorrow I am cycling out there at lunchtime for my induction. Lovely! They have a spin class on a Tuesday teatime - just like I used to go to! And they also have a boxercise class. I am very tempted by that.

So I'll use Pure for wet weather and general gym use. I'll use TB's for good weather antics (as I'll always try and cycle there) and spinning. A killer combo.

Friday 6 January 2012

Resolute

I've got a whole list is resolutions. Some of them are just rolling ones and some I'm really going try hard at in 2012. Without further ado, here they are.

Lose more weight
I was really pleased with last year's loss and I feel great. I want to lose the festive flab and then at least another stone on top of that. Goal number one is to get into fresh fat i.e. under 12 stone 7. I'm gonna do what worked for me last year. Cut back on the carbs, up the protein. Watch the portions. Snack on fruit and veg - not crackers and cereal bars. Oh, and exercise like a mother fucker.

Be nicer
Sometimes I can be a bit harsh. A bit blunt. I need to watch that. I'm quite opinionated and can let fly with how I think how things should be done. I'd like to work on softening that a bit. I think I probably should. Something that goes along with that is my drunken attitude. The last few times when I've been boozing I've been really aggressive. Not fighting aggressive but really argumentative and my smart arse comments have come over as... well, I suppose, rude.

Be more productive
I can be the Queen of Faff. Not when I'm doing things around the house; cooking or cleaning (or watching telly!) but when I'm working. My attention span is horrendous. I can be working on a word document and mid way through typing a sentence and without even realising what I am doing, I reach for the alt tab keys and there I am on Facebook, Twitter, reading blogs and generally dicking about. I could get through so much more work (ergo have the potential to make more money) and fit in more time for doing things which I enjoy without always feeling rushed.

Jam it up
My wee Granny LoveCat died just over two years ago. She was jam maker in our family. Last year I decided to take over the mantle and did her proud with a batch of strawberry jam and a batch of plum jam. Both of which, even if I do say so myself, were delicious. I also had a bash at chutney which also went down a storm. I want to try lots more jams and jellys. Next up... marmalade.

Make new friends
Okay, this sounds a bit needy but here's the deal. I have just moved to a new city. Outwith TB's friends, I know two people. Two single souls! One is a friend of one of my best friends from Edinburgh and the other I know through some volunteering we did together years ago. They are both really lovely and this Sunday I've got my first lady date with one of them. Very excited. We're going for lunch and then off to an art gallery. How sophis!

PS) Quality Street Watch: Day 3. They are finished! Thank god. A couple more sneaked past my lips yesterday but finally I am free of the shackles. Praise be!

Thursday 5 January 2012

I have often walked down this Quality Street before

Time to fess up... the dregs of the Quality Street tin called my name last night and I responded with a saccharine.. 'Yes, my Sweet?'.

But panic ye not. The sum total was one fudge (picked by accident - don't even like those ones!) one strawberry cream and a caramel cup. I may also have nibbled at some tablet. Oh yeah, and I've just remembered I had a cracker with brie. Now that is bad. Okay... It's not quite the absolute pure start I envisaged but I'm not too upset about it. It was day one and overall the rest of the day was really good. My meals were all superb and considering we got 2 tins of Quality Street (not to mention the other selection boxes and chocs) it would probably have been medically unwise to go cold turkey. Ha!

And what about exercise? I woke up to a beautiful day this morning. Very windy and cold but nice and sunny. I popped on my gym kit and planned to head out after lunch. The elements then taunted me for the whole morning. Rain, hail, sun, more rain, lots of wind, sun. It was really pretty cold too and the thought of leaving my cosy flat was far from appealing. Finally it was almost 3pm and with the light fading I had to steel myself and just get the hell on with it.

It actually went okay but, ouch - my teeth! Ouch indeed. The cold wind hitting my pegs as I drew in lungfuls of icy air was so painful. I battled through and made it home where I did some lunges, squats, tricep dips and a chest presses. A quick check of my route (thank you map my ride) revealed I'd run 3.92km and my pace was 9.4km an hour. That is a much faster pace than normal. I usually sit around 8.7kmph. I've not actually been running outside for about six months and so I must have improved. Well done me!

The plan tomorrow is to get up with TB (at 6.55am!) and head to the gym for 8am. I really cannot be arsed but it means it'll be out the way and I'll also miss the crowds.

Right, I'm off to stir my homemade soup. Byeeeee.

Wednesday 4 January 2012

Wave Hello & Say Goodbye

Whaddya know, it's Twenty Twelve!

The tail end of last year was a whirlwind as TB and I has just moved in together and then it was time for a whole bunch of festive shenanigans.

Moving into our flat (which is semi-furnished) has been a proper project for us as we had to spring into action and buy some essential items, namely a couch. As much as I'd love something which is a bit more unique we ended up with a DFS number, which should be with us in about a week.

However, the mainstream seating has been balanced out with the quirky dining. We got some money from TB's folks for Christmas which we decided to spend on a table and chairs. I had a quick peek on gumtree and saw the perfect set... three days later it was ours!

Here are just few pics which sum up what's been going on with me.








  • The view from my new flat on a snowy day
  • Our Christmas Tree which was a little chubbier that we realised in the shop
  • The new dining table and chairs in situ
  • My food diary and exercise log - hello again!
  • Sushi making on New Year's Eve
  • The presents under our tree
  • My fluffy boy en route to his new home - highly unimpressed
  • One of my top crimbo presents. Hello marmalade season!

But what of the size of my backside? Well... 2011 ended pretty well for me.  The last few weeks were up and down and I lost all interest in exercising but the weigh ins continued non the less and look a little bit like this...

November 30th 12 stone 8.75 1
December 7th 12 stone 7.5 1.25
December 14th 12 stone 9.5 plus 2 
December 24th 12 stone 8.75 0.75  

So I ended the year at 12 stone 8.75lbs - just half a pound off the two stone mark. I was pretty chuffed with that, especially as the last couple of weeks saw me slacking off with the healthy eating more than I should have.

For the past 11 days I've been having a whale of a time eating and drinking pretty much anything I wanted. Lovely. That's what you do over Christmas isn't it? Well, it's what I do. And I do it pretty well! Heehee.

Today I got back on the scales and I was greeted into the New Year by my cheeky little scales with a 6.25lb gain. I'm not surprised and to be honest it could have been a lot worse. So it's back into the old routine. Hello lots of protein and working out like a mofo.

No exercise today  - this living with someone malarkey seems to eat away at your time like mad. But tomorrow I shall be biting the bullet and getting down the gym which I fully expect will be heaving. Ugh.

It's a new year and so time for some new stats too I reckon.

2005 Starting Weight: 216 pounds
2011 Starting Weight: 204.25 pounds
2012 Starting Weight: 183 pounds

Weight Loss This Week: 0 pounds
Total 2012 Weight Loss: 0 pounds