Thursday 31 October 2013

dietdevil: Teeth, trauma and treadmills. And cakes.

dietdevil: Teeth, trauma and treadmills. And cakes.: So I went to see Causal Nick and he was lovely and gentle and listened to my self pitying tales of woe. I was in there for ages and he was ...

Teeth, trauma and treadmills. And cakes.

So I went to see Causal Nick and he was lovely and gentle and listened to my self pitying tales of woe. I was in there for ages and he was very thorough.
 
 I am officially teething.
 
 My bottom wisdom teeth are trying to cut through and I have antibiotics and after further gum prodding, I am also 'run down'. I told CN about my ghastly first half of the year and the whole lack of sleep issue and he told me to take a multi vitamin and come back next week. I wanted to cry a little bit but he assured me , that just like Bob the Builder, he can fix it and I wont end up with no teeth. It was nice to have him tell me this and I feel a bit better already with his expert knowledge still ringing in my ears. Sometimes you just want someone like Casual Nick to take charge and I am going to let him take charge and make my mouth, gums and teeth a happy place.
 
I can drink no alcohol with these tablets. Well I could but I just know that I would be the Daily Mail statistic and end up choking to death after a glass of prosecco so I am on day 2 of being booze free. It's not so bad really. I am out tonight for a catch up and dinner and I will be fine sipping water with my steak and greek salad. I will be fun and bubbly and will not have a headache in the morning.
 
I also went to the gym for my induction. Martin was my personal trainer type person and we had a laugh as I tried not to perspire too much and gasp for breath. It's a nice gym and the view is fabulous. There was no super fit gym bunnies there, just me and a couple of old people. Oh my god - am I one of those old people? Only time will tell. I did quite enjoy it though and the walk home looking at the sea and I will be going again in a couple of days.
 
I spoke to Leanne this morning and she is having a nervous cakedown. All she thinks about is cakes. Her house is already smelling like a bakers , but I, in true Liz style, work best under pressure and there will be no buns or anything in my oven until Sunday morning. I am planning on a late night trip to Tescos on Saturday night to buy everything I need and my trolley will be bursting with eggs, flour, sugar, butter and other cakey things.
 
Our biggest concern is that we wont sell any/many and we will be left with tons of the sweet little bad boys. I am hoping that this wont happen as I simply cant have them in my house. They are too tempting and plus, I like looking at them rather than eating them and it will be a waste. This is not going to happen though so I am not going to give it another thought.
 
And finally - tonight I am going out to the very basic pub around the corner after my steak and greek salad and water. Debbie is playing pool against Naughty Billy and it is his Mum that I am dining with. His even naughtier twin Sam will be there too and I imagine there will be banter galore. Lots of banter - just no alcohol.
 
Bring it on!
 
 

Wednesday 30 October 2013

dietdevil: Redruth................so good they named it once....

dietdevil: Redruth................so good they named it once....: So today I lost another 3 and would like to officially announce that I am now the lightest I have been for 9 years!!!!!! Lighter than when ...

Redruth................so good they named it once.

So today I lost another 3 and would like to officially announce that I am now the lightest I have been for 9 years!!!!!! Lighter than when I won my coveted sash and the 'Woman of the Year' competition and it feels fab. I arrived home to some online clothes shopping parcels and I have a non minging dress that will look fab at any party over the festive season and a couple of other things that I cant wait to wear. I also won 'Slimmer of the Week' and a bag of things. At any other SW class this bag is normally full of fruit but it's Redruth so there are other items in there that I am not sure are conducive to the ethics of Slimming World! Never mind , it's the thought that counts.
 
And even though I have been going to this fat club for 8 weeks today was the first week that I actually stayed to the motivational talk afterwards. They are certainly a lively bunch and a certain friend who came with me had to turn her head away from me a couple of times as she was laughing so much.
 
1. The Witch. I sat next to a woman with the same name as me. She was dressed as a witch, presumably as tomorrow is Halloween ,  but you never know with Redruth. She was spinning me a few yarns and my 'friend' was encouraging her in her new found love for me. She had an open sore on her hand which she sucked and then started picking her nose. I had turned away by then but I could see her fingers in my peripheral vision. Those that know me well, know that I can be a little squeamish so it was a good job my tummy was empty is all I am saying.
 
2. Redruth tweaking. I am not a fat club Nazi but there are certain bits you should adhere to in order to ensure and protect weight loss. I loved what some of the ladies there eat! Pot noodles, Slim a Soups, you name it....... I was almost scared to mention my mashed cauliflower.
 
3. The strange foreign man. Don't know who he was but he took a fancy to my friend. He came and asked her name and I think love could blossom.
 
4. The lack of attention span. Now I have been to many classes when people whisper to each other and have the odd fidget but some of these lot were answering their phones and having full blown conversations whilst poor old Margaret was saying she had been eating crisps and no fruit.
 
5. The general camaraderie was good though. They are a warm and welcoming community. We have put our names down for their Christmas 'do'. I personally cant wait - if only to see what they all wear and if my namesake turns up as a shepherd or an elf or a fairy.
 
It's all good clean ( ish ) fun and I have to lose a pound and a half next week to get that all important one and a half stone shiny sticker. I have one dinner out and one lunch out and I am very determined. I also have a gum infection I think and am seeing Casual Nick this afternoon where I reckon a nice strong dose of antibiotics will put paid to any alcohol for me for the next week.
 
This will be fine. I will not miss it. I have cakes to bake and things to do and people to see so it will be fine.
 
And finally - M and her friends went out to Redruth last night to 'Zone' the nightclub for a Halloween party. I love listening to the funny stories of what they got up to, but I have to say that the fact M came home wearing a poncho and a St Ives school tie amused me no end.
 
Ah to be young again. Young and free in Redruth. What a scary thought.

Tuesday 29 October 2013

dietdevil: Boots - I bloody love them! Gums - I dont love the...

dietdevil: Boots - I bloody love them! Gums - I dont love the...: So today I don't love my scales quite as much as yesterday as I seem to have found a pound. I am positive that by tomorrow it will be g...

Boots - I bloody love them! Gums - I dont love them..... apart from wine gums - I do love them.

So today I don't love my scales quite as much as yesterday as I seem to have found a pound. I am positive that by tomorrow it will be gone plus another ( with any luck ) and I am not going to spend my day hopping. Just hoping.
 
I have been working this morning and it was quite warm and the minute that I had to come home, the heavens opened. I got drenched. I don't ever wear a hat apart from to weddings and my coat didn't have a hood and umbrellas annoy me so I got well and truly drenched.
 
I don't care though - my new boots arrived!
 
 They are fabulous. I love them. I want to wear them as soon as possible and parade them round town. My flip flops and deck shoes will be thrown to the back of my wardrobe and my lots of lovely boots will stand proud at the front and greet me each morning. My new ones have a slight fur trim and I have to say that I think they are one of the most beautiful pairs of boots I have ever clapped my eyes on. Ever.
 
As it's weigh in tomorrow I had no carbs yesterday and tonight I have the most evil meal in the world and it's a stir fry. I hate stir fries. They are boring and repulsive but even I cant do another night of mashed cauliflower. I had some last night and it actually started to swell up in my mouth a bit towards the end of the meal. At least it's a whole week until I have to subject myself to it again.
 
And I am giving in and seeing my dentist! Casual Nick the lovely Welsh man will sort me out. I have sore gums and not sore teeth and I will be brave as he is always so very gentle and it will cost me a bomb but I cant live with the pain and the agony any longer. And yes I have self diagnosed and I now acknowledge that I need professional help.
 
On a final note - M and her friends are off to a Halloween party at 'Zone' tonight which is a nightclub in Redruth , the home of my fat club and errr, not much else. She is 'having a few round for pre drinks' beforehand so it looks like I will be banished tonight from venturing out of my lounge. I may cause embarrassment and I may have to tell them to keep the noise down or in all fairness, my gum problem may be more Halloween than their costumes.
 
Everyone cross their fingers for me for tomorrow.
 
 

Monday 28 October 2013

dietdevil: There WAS no effing storm and I am off to the gym

dietdevil: There WAS no effing storm and I am off to the gym: So I hardy slept a wink last night! You know why? I lay awake listening for the hurricane and I could see the lamppost outside my bedroom w...

There WAS no effing storm and I am off to the gym

So I hardy slept a wink last night! You know why? I lay awake listening for the hurricane and I could see the lamppost outside my bedroom window wobbling slightly and I worked out in true geek fashion that if it fell it would come through my window and I would be a goner. I did fall asleep eventually and when I woke up there was nothing to suggest there had been a storm at all. That will be because there wasn't one. No more storm talk please. It's dull.
 
And I went to the gym!
 
I know I know, I am fickle. I am a fool but I went. I didn't actually do anything but I have signed up for my free personal training consultation for Thursday morning. Ironically, the chap that works at the new gym , or the spa as I shall call it from now on, is the same chap that used to work at the old gym that I first signed up with. He laughed when he saw me and I laughed too but he said well done for losing weight and he is lovely and he will train me..........apparently.
 
And for all you cynics out there that think that I am fibbing - well here is a photo of me -
 
 
 IN THE GYM. STOOD IN FRONT OF TREADMILLS AND NEXT TO BIG BALLS.
 
I have no idea what I am going to do with those big balls but I know that by 10.45 am on Thursday I will and it rather excites me.
 
I did go for a swim and it was lovely. The water was warm, it was CLEAN and the Jacuzzi was wonderful and so was the steam room and the sauna.
 
I would also officially like to announce my current love affair with my scales. They were very very nice to me this morning and I am hoping they will continue to be so tomorrow and of course, Wednesday. I want my next shiny sticker and I want it now.
 
M also joined the gym, whoops I mean spa, and she reckons that we are off there tomorrow morning at 8am for an invigorating start to the day. At this precise moment I am up for it but quite how I will feel tomorrow is a different matter. I really need to sleep at some point tonight and am hoping that now the Met Office have calmed the hell down then I will and I will therefore be off and out early to be healthy.
 
The town is rammed again for half term and I have a busy weekend coming up and then it's November and it's the quiet season once more. I have decided the trick with me in order to combat my low spells is to keep busy and I have all sorts of things lined up that will make me smile. Oh and the spa of course.
 
Next big thing is the cake stall. M is experimenting tonight in the kitchen with a blueberry and lemon tray bake. I have said it before and I will say it again - that girl is a feeder and thankfully this time she has a couple of friends round so they too can benefit from her baking and it wont be my fat bum that suffers. Leanne has got a lovely Boden dress to wear on the day and I have a rather gorgeous 'tea dress' that I think will look ok as long as I don't bend too much, breathe a lot and I wear big knickers. I wont have a chance if I actually eat any of the cakes so maybe I will hang it on the outside of my wardrobe alongside minging dress and THAT item of clothing I bought last week.
 
And walking back from the spa I saw the girl fromWarrens the bakers outside shouting 'doughnuts for 50p' at passers by. This is what they do - they flog all of the stuff cheap that cant be eaten tomorrow. I brushed past her hurriedly and then wondered if myself and Leanne will be doing the same thing one week from now outside the Guildhall?
 
I sincerely hope not!

Sunday 27 October 2013

dietdevil: My wheelie bin is upright and my roof is still on....

dietdevil: My wheelie bin is upright and my roof is still on....: So the weather men have been telling us for days now to be prepared and I am up and looking out my window and there is not even a breeze in...

My wheelie bin is upright and my roof is still on.

So the weather men have been telling us for days now to be prepared and I am up and looking out my window and there is not even a breeze in my street. The sun is actually shining and I am up an hour earlier due to the whole clock change. I do love a storm though, as long as I am on the inside.
 
In Northumberland we may have had the Easterly wind and the heavy snow but I had never seen wind and rain as bad as when I moved to Cornwall. I do remember one particularly stormy night in Alnwick though - New Year's Eve 1984 to be precise.
 
'The do' was at Nicola's house and we were all 15/16 at the time. The usual suspects were there - myself, Joanne and Clare and we had all been to Safeways to buy our stash of booze that afternoon. It was a windy night to say the least and Clare and I made our way to Nicola's house and I remember that I was wearing very slippy pixie boots and was gripping my glass bottle of Woodpecker to my chest. We went through the Hotspur Tower and turned right and the combo of wind, rain and my impractical boots took me clean off my feet and I fell face first onto the road. I saved the bottle of Woodpecker ( obviously ) and smashed my head against the ground.
 
An egg soon emerged and this was in the days when people made less of a fuss so I was maybe a little quieter than normal that evening and I ignored the dull ache in my forehead and the possibility of concussion. It made my fringe go askew and to this day I still have a bit of a bump there and my fringe has never been the same since. And all for a bottle of cider!
 
The night took a bit of a downward spiral after that and there was vomit involved and a few of the rough kids from toon gate - crashed and Nicola got told off by her Mam but all in all it was one of my most memorable new year's.
 
And the sun is still shining at the moment and I am thinking that this storm is not on the way at all. Maybe tonight when I am retrieving my wheelie bin from down by Barclays Bank and the back yeard has flooded and rats have crawled up my drains then I may retract that statement but at the moment I am remaining positive!
 
Scales news - I am loving them with all my heart at the moment. I do not wish to divulge what they sweetly whispered to me this morning but I reckon I can pull another loss out of the hat. I need 4.5 pounds to get my next shiny sticker and certificate and in an ideal world I would lose that amount this week, but in an ideal world I would be able to swig red wine, nibble cheese, munch pies and not have to go to fat club in the first place wouldn't I?
 
And it is half term now which is weird as I do not have any kids at school anymore! M has half term off from college but as I don't really see her that much due to her fantastic social life and independence then half terms just aren't what they used to be. We are going to do some mummy daughter bonding though when our schedules oblige. Today we may join the gym together or we may go shopping or we may just chill out. As yet we do not know.
 
Final note - this time next week my house will be a cake baking sweat shop. It's all systems go. We have a name for our stall, we have lists and we have plans. Grand plans. I love a grand plan and I have many at the moment which excite me no end. They don't all involve cakes by the way, but the cake one is only the start of it.
 
Onwards and downwards. Hopefully. And I hope none of you blow away. Actually I would like to see a couple of people blown away or hit by the odd branch, but that is mean and today I will be nice.
 
 
 
 

Saturday 26 October 2013

dietdevil: Shush Bridget and that ilk and I really need to ...

dietdevil: Shush Bridget and that ilk and I really need to ...:     So a couple of nights ago  a good friend told me that she attempted to read the new Bridget Jones book and had to throw it down in ...

Shush Bridget and that ilk and I really need to write something and cardigan talk in the town.

 
 
So a couple of nights ago  a good friend told me that she attempted to read the new Bridget Jones book and had to throw it down in disgust as it was well, as Bridget would say 'gaaaaaaa'. I read the first two books  years ago when they were first out and I do admit that I laughed like a drain at Bridget's buffoonery but now she is apparently grown up with kids and a toy boy??? Sorry Bridget but your scattiness has worn thin and we don't really care that you are now a smug married or how many calories you have had.
 
Which leads me to my next point and question - what really makes a good book?
 
I have always been a reader but must admit that I have flitted in and out of it for years.
 
I properly got back into to it with Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code and haven't really looked back although I do feel that my reading tastes have evolved. I like a certain genre of books I suppose, a good old thriller with an evil  psycho , although I do pride myself on the ability of usually guessing who's dunnit quite early on. If I find a book with a decent twist then I love that - I like the writer to catch me out and make me think 'hmmm that was cunning' and if I ever do find that then it's a book I will recommend and will read again and again.
 
Two such books that have done that for me in the last year are these -
 
Gentlemen and Players by Joanna Harris
 
Gillepsie and I by Jane Harris
 
I am sure these Harris ladies aren't related but one review on Amazon of the latter said that 'the author manipulates the reader' and I couldn't agree more. I was so captivated by the book that I even wrote a review myself.

 It inspired me!

It made me wish that I could write with a twist like that!

And as I sit here waiting for the infamous hurricane to hit the country and turn over all our wheelie bins I am thinking I need to write something down. And quick. There are words bubbling around my brain at the moment and I know I should write a book but I shall let you all into a little secret...............I really don't have the staying power to write anything too long.

That's why blogs , poems etc suit me.

Oh I have the ideas alright, and I even think of characters but it seems such a hard thing to do to make the plot and characters and the writing all work together and then I get overwhelmed and then I give up. I really must try harder.

My friend Nicola lent me a book of short stories a few years ago and we have explored short stories at writing group but then I just want to use more words than my limits and then I get frustrated. I am 45 and I will soon be 46 and I keep asking myself how long can I put this off and I give myself a proverbial kick up the bum.

And yes, I know I am quite amusing ( and I'm not fishing ) but I actually find it quite hard to write down being funny. It's just the odd thing that slips off my tongue, or the odd observation but when I sit and get out my lappy and try and be funny - well I'm not.

So you see, I am being a high maintenance diva angst ridden writer before I even start. Is there any hope for me? Maybe I will stick to the poems. I can do serious as well as amusing ones but they don't get the recognition that they deserve. Not that I write for anyone other than myself - cough cough.

And changing the subject completely and I feel I do need to write this down. I have got a bit of a sad family crisis looming  at the moment. I don't want to talk about it and I am only writing it down because I want to and not because I want sympathy. I have told those that are the most important to me and I bit my tongue when one of them asked me what was wrong today when she caught me looking a bit glum. What I wanted to say was 'you know what is effing wrong' but what I did say was 'oh, well you know'. It isn't like me to be at a loss for words but hey ho, even I have my quiet spells.

Finally on a jolly note - I banged into an old friend in town today that I haven't really spoken to for a year as we both seem to miss seeing each other. We admired each other's cardigans and then laughed because we were like 2 old grannies. Hers was a lovely poncho effect one and mine was a bit of a chunky 80's angular type with one large button. It made me think back to Cardi-gate on Facebook when someone said ''oh no, I don't think so'' on a pic of me in my fave mustard cardigan. I was outraged and deleted her and then even blocked her!

I loved that item of clothing and I cant even find it. I have questioned the spaniels and none of them know anything about it so I will continue my hunt until it comes back safe and sound.

I can do it in between verses and chapters of my best selling work................

 

Thursday 24 October 2013

dietdevil: Let them eat cake.........................please! ...

dietdevil: Let them eat cake.........................please! ...: So I went to Leanne's last night and we ate an Indian takeaway and we drank wine ( I drank much much more than her ) and we talked cake...

Let them eat cake.........................please! And the life of a third year uni student.

So I went to Leanne's last night and we ate an Indian takeaway and we drank wine ( I drank much much more than her ) and we talked cake. Lists were made. We looked through books and discussed ideas. We got a bit excited and then we talked about Doctor Who. It was a good night. I first started watching when John Pertwee turned into Tom Baker and M's fave is definitely David Tennant and we are all looking to see how good Peter effing Capaldi will be.
 
I have to say that Leanne and M are very talented in the baking department whereas I am going to go for the more simple types of things. I thought some rock buns and blueberry muffins wouldn't test my expertise too much and I then got a bit over ambitious ( and had some more wine )  and an American cheesecake was mentioned. I hope to god that there are plenty of  takers for all of this as my kitchen is being turned into a sweatshop next Sunday and I want my one and a half stone sticker and although cakes aren't my number one naughty treat, they will be eaten if they come back here.
 
On to other things - namely my eldest daughter.
 
It sounds odd, but you get used to them not being around when they go back to uni. She has been gone a month now and I have barely spoken to her. This is not a problem - she is busy and I am busy but today we had a good old catch up. I asked her if she found it amusing seeing all the freshers drunk and emotional and she said that as a third year, she and her group of friends seem to be partying more than they did 2 years ago.  I knew this already as I do see the photos of their various nights out on Facebook and I did think last week that she seems to be hammering it but as long as she is happy and healthy and passes her degree with a first then I will be happy too!
 
That last remark was a joke by the way....................honestly.
 
And further inspired by H and her amazing healthy regime - she is always at the gym when not at lectures or in nightclubs - I am going to join one! She also claims to eat a lot of spinach, even for breakfast and bearing in mind the street she lives in has just about every takeaway known to man, then I think this is very  impressive. It's bad enough living where I do, with a Chinese, an Indian and a chippy all around the corner but imagine being able to see them when you open your front door?
 
I need something to fill my empty winter nights and have decided that as well as making cakes, writing my book of poems and my bestseller and going to book group, I should really get off my arse and do something. I am hoping that it wont go the same way as the last 2 times I joined the gym - ie, I didn't go but Sunday is the day - watch this space!
 
Maybe I will surprise you all and maybe I will even surprise myself.
 
Can a leopard change its' spots?
 
We shall see.
 
 
 
 

Wednesday 23 October 2013

dietdevil: Bop Bopa-a-lu a whop bam boo

dietdevil: Bop Bopa-a-lu a whop bam boo: So my worrying and obsessing was all for nothing. I lost 2 pounds! I adore my scales but I adore the official ones more. I am over the moon...

Bop Bopa-a-lu a whop bam boo

So my worrying and obsessing was all for nothing. I lost 2 pounds! I adore my scales but I adore the official ones more. I am over the moon. I know I am going on about it but I don't care. And this loss of 16.5 pounds in 7 weeks is no fluke - I have worked very hard and no chocolate has passed my lips in that time. Not one piece! Nil. Nada. Nowt. Oh and very little red wine either!
 
And so begins the road to 'target'. One and a half stone left so that I will finally be happy with my weight. I have calculated ( obviously! ) that by losing a pound and a half a week that I should hit target the day before my 46th birthday. How good a present will that be?
 
And on the subject of target weights etc here is my opinion.
 
Don't look at the charts which tell you that you're over weight / obese / healthy or whatever. Don't even look at the scales that much and I know this is rich coming from me but nothing can spell out weight loss more than the way your clothes fit and the confidence that you gain from having that brilliant feeling.

I am focussed at the moment but I know that at any given time I could crumble more than an apple crumble with custard. It's always in for me to reach for a pie and the feeling doesn't ever go, you just need to know how to control it and eat like a 'normal' person.

Any serial dieter will know exactly what I mean by the 'normal' reference. I love food and even when I am on a diet I still love food. I just have to know when to stop. I started my new rule a while ago with regard to meals out when I used to say to myself if after my starter and mains I am still hungry, then and only then will I have a pudding. Of course I rarely am still hungry so that's why sticky toffee puds are a thing of the past. I am not kidding myself when I say that I will never eat one again but why eat if you are genuinely not hungry? Oh and my main new rule to myself is - by eating a mars bar you will not mess up your whole week. It is one mars bar. Get over it.

So maybe there is a new me within? Maybe I have cracked it?

I am only human as are all of us and I hate the fact that I need to pay £4.95 a week to be weighed. I buy into their jargon, their books, their cereal bars but it's something my inner geek needs. Some form of discipline is good and if we could all lose weight at home and on our own then there would be no multi million pound diet industry.

So for any of my diet buddies that may be struggling, here are my words of wisdom with regard to my own journey on Slimming World,  written in the form of a list.

Bread is not bad - but what you put on it generally is - so try and limit it.

Red wine is lush but is not good so drink clear spirits or prosecco.

Vegetarianism sucks. Eat meat!

Don't waste your money on pricey low fat cooking oil sprays. Get an empty spray bottle and fill it with olive oil. A few squirts will not make you put on weight.

Lay off the carbs before weigh day. It works!

Don't buy food that claims to be low fat - it's generally full of sugar.

Have a treat by all means but only because you want to and not because you feel you have to.

Throw out your fat clothes.

Hang a minging dress on your wardrobe.

Ditch milk - cheese is so much more fun.

Measure yourself regularly.

Keep attending a class. There will always be someone fatter than you that will make you feel automatically good.

Remember that yogurt mixed with eggs does not make a nice white sauce so don't expect too much - or from any other recipe really.

And most importantly? Don't be too healthy - a blob of mayo here and a drizzle of gravy there will make your meals taste so much better.

It's really that simple!

Onwards and downwards.

 

Tuesday 22 October 2013

dietdevil: I have worked so hard that I deserve a loss - just...

dietdevil: I have worked so hard that I deserve a loss - just...: So my cow of a set of scales can't make their minds up. I am either the same as last week or if  I kick them towards the loo I am a pou...

I have worked so hard that I deserve a loss - just saying! Oh and cakes!

So my cow of a set of scales can't make their minds up. I am either the same as last week or if  I kick them towards the loo I am a pound down. I am snarling a bit. I know I should look at the big picture but I am being a total fat club brat and I don't care.  And yes, I also know that I shouldn't do this continual hopping, but I do and I am not going to stop now.
 
No carb has passed my lips since Sunday. I have eaten clean fresh food and lots of fruit and have also drank pints and pints of water. My life is ruled by the nearest loo and that awful minging dress is still hanging on my wardrobe door watching my pain and angst. I even went swimming for god's sake!
 
But tomorrow I will go to fat club and if it says I am the same weight as last week I will be brave. If  I was to get all weepy the Redruth ladies may hug me and want to sell me their hand knits and at the moment my personal bubble is huge and I'm not a fan of wool. I shall leave with my self esteem intact.
 
On a jollier note I am off to Leanne's tomorrow night to talk cakes! I am taking my bottle of Polish vodka that Marek brought me back and depending on the outcome of tomorrow maybe even a takeaway too. We have grand plans and our stall is going to be amazing! I cant bake but I can pimp a stall and I could sell snow to eskimos so it simply cannot fail to be a success. I like cakes but I have to say that if I had a choice between cakes or chips then the chips would win hands down. I think it's the sight of cakes more than the taste that gets my buds flowing.

So on that note I am going to just go with the flow tomorrow. There is no point getting stroppy as I am sure that it will come off next week. I will smile at the Redruth ladies and take it on the chin. You never know - a miracle may occur overnight and so I will wait and see.

And maybe when I go to bed I will give that dress a swift swipe of my hand so it falls in a crumpled heap on the floor...........

 
 
 
 
 

Monday 21 October 2013

dietdevil: The joy of a perfect fit and I AM Ian Dury! Now, w...

dietdevil: The joy of a perfect fit and I AM Ian Dury! Now, w...: So I had a huge grill up. There was bacon involved. I had missed it from my one day of abstinence and it made me feel all warm and gooey ch...

The joy of a perfect fit and I AM Ian Dury! Now, where are all the blockheads?

So I had a huge grill up. There was bacon involved. I had missed it from my one day of abstinence and it made me feel all warm and gooey chewing it. There are no problems in life that can't be resolved by bacon. I then went to my very pregnant friend's house for coffee and she too was grilling bacon. It's what Sundays are all about.
 
I  went off to spend a rogue M and S voucher that I had found tucked ( ironically ) behind a tax demand from HMRC in my office.  It has taken a lot of courage for me to type those 4 letter so please bear with me as I may flake.....deep breaths.
 
Anyway, in my head I knew what I wanted to buy from M and S and I spotted 'it' as soon as I walked in. I didn't try it on I was feeling that confident and I bought it. I also bought some new shoes and a very nice black ( of course ) top and some low fat sausages and some gigantic sprouts. I had M with me and bought her a furry headband type hat and tried to explain that as C isn't that far off she couldn't have anything else. I have no issues with treating myself. I am not selfish, I just think that after years of raising 2 lovely girls who have never gone without, it's time for me to have some nice things too. And I worked hard. And I'm worth it.
 
When I got home I prepared myself for the mental and physical ritual of 'the trying on'. It looked too small but I persevered and YES IT FITTED!
 
Ok, it may have been a little 'snug' but it fitted and I reckon in another 4 or 5 pounds time I will wear it with confidence. It is now hanging next to minging dress on the outside of my wardrobe to remind me of my goal. It's good to have goals.
 
I am off swimming this morning with Louise my lovely fat club buddy. We are fair weather swimmers and only want to go where the water is warm and the sauna is operational. We are trying out Tregenna Castle today and it is still pitch black outside and pouring with rain but no pain no gain is what I believe they say.
 
My scales have obviously taken a dislike to me and I am the same weight as last Wednesday so I have 2 days in which to get them and myself moving. I am no carbing today and tomorrow so hopefully that should give me a boost as I think a maintain for 2 weeks on the trot may tip me over the edge and make me reach for a pie.
 
And I have even thought about C - December 25th!
 
It was when I was in M and S and they have pulled out all the stops to make it look festive. I am a cynic, I don't get pulled in usually but yesterday I fondled scented candles and looked at stollen cake and overpriced bubble baths. I have made a list of who I need to buy for and it is surprisingly short. Small family, virtually no cousins etc and the girls are getting a new car to share* so they know there will not be tons under the tree. All I want is a polka dot scarf and world peace and my minging dress to fit and you cant wrap the last 2 up can you?
 
Last C due to my imminent horrible following 6 months ( I saw quite a bit of it coming ) I was at an all time low and I am determined this year not to be such a miserable cow. I have already been invited to parties, there is a murder mystery night being planned, our 1950's cake bonanza, I am getting on a plane in the next couple of weeks and I am going to the Welsh metropolis to see H.
 
As Ian Dury would have said - these are all reasons to be cheerful.
 
* No you haven't misread this. I am getting the girls a car - TO SHARE!
 
Sylvia number 2 is being hunted for at this very moment. H will need wheels when she comes home and soon after that, M starts lessons. I have also worked out that H has been driving long enough to sit in with her little sister. As I Have already quoted Ian Dury, I feel the only song lyrics that will be apt with regard to this car malarkey will be from the Kaiser Cheifs.
 
'I predict a riot........'

Sunday 20 October 2013

dietdevil: I am a failure but on the plus side I'm having bac...

dietdevil: I am a failure but on the plus side I'm having bac...: So everyone that knows me well will know by now that if I screw up then I will raise my hands and take it on the chin. I am not cut out to ...

I am a failure but on the plus side I'm having bacon!

So everyone that knows me well will know by now that if I screw up then I will raise my hands and take it on the chin. I am not cut out to be a vegetarian. That's it really. I tried all day yesterday and managed it all day yesterday but as I shovelled the last bit of dahl into my mouth I said to myself -
 
''Liz - get a grip. You need bacon.''
 
I know that the British Heart Foundation is a charity close to my, well, heart, and I have given them numerous items of clothing over the years, I raised £400 for them a couple of years ago by losing weight, and I think I would quite honestly just pull the money out of my own purse than have to go another day intentionally missing the all important meat part from my meal.
 
And before any of you vegetarian readers get all moralistic ( and believe me , some of you are very moralistic ) there are several days in a month that I don't eat meat but that's because I choose not to and not because I feel I shouldn't.
 
There was a little bit of controversy late last night when discussing with a few others the price of meat. I would like to point out that I nearly always buy locally sourced meat where the cows have smiled and the pigs have snorted and the lambs have frolicked. Yes it's dearer, but it's also nicer. This then lead into a little bit of a self righteous rant from a certain someone re money and the cost of food.
 
 She is the  friend of a friend and  commented on a post on Facebook saying that she hasn't eaten meat for 30 years and that all families get free school dinners and that most of the people that use food banks smoke and she wrote - 'FACT' next to these comments so I have politely requested that she sends me the links to these 'facts' and I am willing to bet it's from The Daily Mail.
 
 My breath is literally baited for her response.
 
Anyway, yesterday when I was still a vegetarian I went to my least favourite place ever - Tesco and this was my trolley.
 
 
I actually don't mind Linda's sausages but I must have had a moment of madness when throwing the quorn roast in there. Why did I do it??? You may also notice that it is next to a chicken and even though it isn't local and organic , it is what will be going into my mouth tonight with gravy, roast tatties and veg.
 
So there you have it. Liz's 'facts'. I like meat. I eat a lot of it but sometimes I don't. I am still trying to lose weight and couldn't see how I could go meat free, mainly bread free, milk free and carb free , which is what I always do on a Monday and Tuesday, and remain sane. I know there are problems with mass farming and I don't like seeing Norfolk turkeys get battered by nasty farm workers either, but this doesn't make me the anti-Christ. I am sure a lot of things that I have done in my life may, but my consumption of meat is not one of them.
 
And let's move on .......................very quickly before I switch on the grill.

I am going swimming! It was going to be today but it is now going to be tomorrow. I am not joining the gym. I am going to go early mornings and I am going to go at least 3 times a week. I am going to make soup today and I am going to visit a very pregnant friend who has bizarrely requested that when she has her home birth I could be around and maybe 'help'.

I am not known for my skills of efficiency in any form of medical incident so am not sure what I can do to help but I will be there.

I shall be on tea making duties..............or maybe bacon grilling ones?

Saturday 19 October 2013

dietdevil: Day One - I am prepared.

dietdevil: Day One - I am prepared.: So we had a lovely night out. I obviously had no pudding but I had a starter. Sardines with salsa and then of course my steak and Greek sal...

Day One - I am prepared.

So we had a lovely night out. I obviously had no pudding but I had a starter. Sardines with salsa and then of course my steak and Greek salad. I watched 3 of the other ladies eat puddings and my heart ached a little bit but I wasn't hungry and that's the rule I give myself. No room? Then don't shove it in. I didn't even have wine but I did have a few cheeky voddies and I don't wish to count how many.
 
And today is the day. I am meat free. I am cool with this. I have planned my day. I'm not even having fish! It's veg all the way.
 
My biggest problem I think will be my neighbour Lovely Mike. He runs a B and B and his kitchen window is right next to the back of my house. The smell of bacon frequently wafts down my hallway and permeates every room. People come here and ask what I am cooking and it makes me want to grill bacon. I have an inking that he hasn't any guests in at the moment and I hope this is the case.
 
But back to nice things. Our meal out last night was intended to cheer one of the ladies up and I think that the desired effect was achieved. Lots of laughter, a few serious bits and then to the pub afterwards where they had a musician playing. He had a glockenspiel and he had indian bells and he had a set of maracas.
  I bet he was a vegetarian!
 
All we wanted was something we could sing along to but he did all of us his own stuff and although everybody clapped politely it was total rubbish. He then came round and gave us all a card with his contact details on and as I was being marvellous I took it and smiled. That's what vegetarians do.
 
The plans for our cake table are now well under way. We are apparently going to dress like perfect 1950's housewives as Leanne already has a dress that will work ( Boden of course ). I don't. Not even my minging dress , if I fitted it, would be suitable so I am going to have to do some research. Our table will be a homage to perfect and clean cut 1950's living which should be interesting.
 
I am just thinking that I also don't have a hangover today as I think I have that level of maturity to stop when I know one more may tip me over the edge. Plus I have to work today and I am also having a facial later and last time I got a bit worse for wear I had my hair done the next day and any form of beauty treatment is never good with the undercurrent of potential fainting or being sick. A friend texted me when I got back and did try and lead me astray by suggesting I have another vodka as they too were going to and I got the ice, I poured a teeny splash and then realised that I had nothing to mix it with and even though this friend reckons that vodka is best just with ice, I only had a couple of sips before I had to give up.
 
So I am all ready to face my 7 day challenge. I am going to have bread this week because I think that toast will set me up for the non meat days and all of the lentils that I am going to eagerly devour.
 
I am so raring to go. Bring it on.
 
have I convinced you all yet.............?

Friday 18 October 2013

dietdevil: Projects in the offing, the joy of a drop , big fa...

dietdevil: Projects in the offing, the joy of a drop , big fa...: So yesterday I was in wonder woman mode. No, I wasn't wearing a cape and deflecting bullets with my bangles but I just cracked on with ...

Projects in the offing, the joy of a drop , big fat cakes and the final countdown.

So yesterday I was in wonder woman mode. No, I wasn't wearing a cape and deflecting bullets with my bangles but I just cracked on with everything that needed to be cracked on with and that meant I could escape in the afternoon and have a catch up with a good friend and discuss a few ideas that are floating around my already too busy brain. I cant say too much yet as it's early days but if it's something that can be pulled off then I shall feel creatively nourished. Plus, now that the nights and mornings are pitch black I need something positive to focus on. It's what keeps me relatively sane.
 
My scales must be feeling the love for me at the moment because when I did my ritual hop this morning I had dropped a pound! I didn't kiss them as such, but I did smile cheerily and think 'keep going in that direction baby'. I am out for a meal tonight but have pre chosen and I think now that I have gone down that I will stick to the spirits as opposed to some fizzy prosecco or  a mahoosive glass of rich , dark, fruity cheeky merlot. It can be done.
 
And for all of you dieters out there I am going to tell you one of the best bits about losing weight.
 
It's the ability to wear things that you want to wear as opposed to wearing what you have to wear. Yesterday for example I dragged a pair of jeans out of my bottom drawer. I bought them 2 years ago when I had initially lost my 4 stone and I think I wore them about twice. I have looked at them several times over the last couple of weeks and thought there was no way I would fit my rear into them but yesterday.....................I pulled them on, slid them up, zipped them and felt fab!
 
And I could breathe / walk / bend over too! As a friend of mine would say - 'awesome'!
 
So tonight as I get dressed I will decide what to wear there and then. I know that minging dress is a long way off and even if it did fit I wouldn't wear it anyway but I have several other things in my wardrobe to pick through.
 
Now on to non diet type things. A friend of mine is holding a table top sale in the church hall in a couple of weeks. I have persuaded Leanne that we should do a cake stall. Leanne bakes great cakes and I don't but I have a daughter that does. We are going to pimp our table with bunting and we are going to make it look lovely and all money taken is going to be donated to cancer research in honour of a very lovely and brave lady that we are both friends with. I am sure that it will be a total blast. I am not thinking about what will become of any left over cakes as they will be so delicious that there will be none and even if there is then I am sure Leanne's 3 growing boys or M can eat them.
 
And as I am sure none of you could possibly have forgotten - but today is my last day as a meat eater for a week! I can see Sunday being a bit of an issue when I don't have my customary grill up with all the bacon and low fat sausages but a deal is a deal and I will not crumble.
 
 I am not a fish fan but I have a feeling that I shall be bonding with it in no time at all and I'm sure there are hundreds of things you can do with a can of tuna.
 
And no, please don't give me any recipes.
 
And no, there will definitely be no quorn.
 
Or tofu.

Thursday 17 October 2013

dietdevil: There's rather a lot of chilli left and who needs ...

dietdevil: There's rather a lot of chilli left and who needs ...: So further to my announcement yesterday that I was going meat free for a week, I have been given  a lot of advise as to what to cook . Some...

There's rather a lot of chilli left and who needs bacon when you've got eggs? And the joy of .......soup!

So further to my announcement yesterday that I was going meat free for a week, I have been given  a lot of advise as to what to cook . Some of it was from vegetarians and some of it was from meat eaters that just happen to have a few meat free recipes. I am overwhelmed but I draw the line at marinated tofu. And you all know my loathing of quorn.
 
I made a chilli last night and as I am the only person in my house that eats it , there is still tons of it left. It looks like I am having it reheated for lunch today and quite possibly tomorrow too. This is fine as I love it and I especially love it the following day when the flavours have had more of a chance to infuse. I am actually sounding like some sort of chilli expert there and I'm not but it's true. Things always taste better the following day.
 
So in 2 days time it's goodbye to bacon..........and hello to , ummm, eggs?
 
I am quite partial to an omelette but if I am honest, it's usually bacon that I put in it along with cheese and mushrooms so I'm not sure if I will be quite so partial after a week. And of course there's the whole fish issue, or 'fishue' as it shall now be known. I try my hardest to like it, I really do and I adore shellfish but cod and plaice leave me cold. Unless they are wrapped in batter and served with chips obviously. And as I am still trying to follow the fat club rules then I cant really have that can I?
 
I am also going to attempt soup!
 
My mother used to always have a pan on the go and I have to say it was the best soup I have ever tasted and nothing I could make could ever hope to rival it. There is also the whole 'what do you dunk in it' scenario as although soup can be tasty, it's even tastier with some homemade crusty bread and butter wiping up the last bits. I am notorious for making crap soup even when I follow the recipe and maybe it's because I am comparing it too much to the soup of my youth. I am not sure what my mother used to put in it but it just got added to day by day and it was never placed in the fridge overnight ( Northumberland in the winter wasn't exactly snug and warm ) and none of us died of food poisoning, we just got on and ate it.
 
So in a week when I am feeling a little flat at times I have something to focus on. I will not say that I am looking forward to it because I do honestly love meat but if my foul mouthed cousin can go without swearing or being lewd for a week then I am sure I too can change my habits for 7 days.
 
Oh and I also finished the quiz. I have read through it and corrected a couple of bits and am sure it will raise a few eyebrows tonight amongst the anoraks. I personally think quizzes should be fun and I don't think that sport and politics fall into this category at all. I haven't dumbed it down that much but I have made the individual questions easy as I know from bitter experience that getting a stinker of a question that you have to answer on your own with ten pairs of beady eyes watching you, is no joke.
 
And tomorrow I am having a meal out with a few friends and I will have the steak and I will savour every mouthful and I wont get all huffy the following day when I crack some eggs into a pan.
 
It's all good............................
 

Wednesday 16 October 2013

dietdevil: Nothing says determination like a graph and goodby...

dietdevil: Nothing says determination like a graph and goodby...: So I maintained! I am ok with this. I really am. I have still lost one stone and half a pound in 6 weeks which is pretty good going I think...

Nothing says determination like a graph and goodbye meat - for a week!

So I maintained! I am ok with this. I really am. I have still lost one stone and half a pound in 6 weeks which is pretty good going I think and I did escape for a couple of days and I did eat stilton and I think there may also have been a couple of cheeky crackers underneath the rather sizeable chunks of that beautiful cheese. It was worth it so I am fine.
 
And there's also the huge psychology issue of a fat club weight record book. If I had gained even half a pound today and had seen one of those horrible + signs written down then that would have totally knocked me.... and I need to remain focussed and positive.
 
That is why today I am going to make me a graph and I am going to stick it on the fridge!
 
Nothing says you mean stuff like a good old graph. The inner geek in me loves them and I am just thinking about all the various different types of graph that I can create. There are going to be colours and there are going to be lots of squares and I should perhaps be finishing writing the quiz questions for tomorrow but I always work best under pressure and I can do it tomorrow instead, or stay up late.
 
I have also just checked the calendar and it is 10 weeks until C time! I want to lose 23 pounds until I get to my hallowed target and I reckon I can do it. It's 2.3 pounds a week and I do not see that as a problem. I have hung the minging dress on the outside of my wardrobe as a constant reminder but I do keep laughing thinking that it may still not fit even when I get to target and if that's the case then I may have to ritualistically burn it .
 
So determined am I that I have even toyed with the idea of the gym. This is a totally stupid idea as I really hate the place and can think of a million other things to do instead but it does keep flitting through my head. I am going to run though and one of my lovely owners has threatened to drag me out next week and he is super fit and I may have to hide or I may go anyway as he has confirmed that we can have a cheeky Magners on the roof if we do go. We shall see.
 
And a brief update on H and M now. M seems to have settled into 6th form college or has resigned herself that she has to go. She likes law, she has made new friends and still sees her other friends that went to Truro college. H rang me last night to tell me her latest life decisions. her current problem is that she is unable to apply for her masters until after she has finished her degree which leaves her in limbo for 12 months. She was going to come back to Cornwall but , and as nice as it is, there's not a lot of opportunity so she is going to stay in Cardiff and do a one years masters in linguistics. All good stuff and I am immensely proud that they are both carving their way into the big bad world.
 
I wonder if they too will be immensely proud of me when I am carving a turkey breast up whilst wearing the nasty orange dress.
 
Oh and one more thing ...............my cousin Peter refrained from swearing and being lewd on Facebook for a whole week and this meant that a few of us had to donate money to the RNLI. Well I am going to issue myself with the challenge to go without meat for a week as from Saturday. I love meat and I am still going to eat fish and if I do it then I want any donations to go to the British Heart Foundation. I am starting on Saturday due to the fact that I am out for a meal on Friday and I desperately want a steak and greek salad.
 
So bring on the quorn ( ! vom ) it's all for char- I - deee.
 
 
 
 

Tuesday 15 October 2013

dietdevil: Operation Minging Dress and will I actually wear i...

dietdevil: Operation Minging Dress and will I actually wear i...: So I have been to Brizzle and have visited my mother. It went well. I hugged her and told her I loved her and she was nice and only told me...

Operation Minging Dress and will I actually wear it once it fits?

So I have been to Brizzle and have visited my mother. It went well. I hugged her and told her I loved her and she was nice and only told me I looked tired once and I met her eye and said ''Mum I am fine''. She gave me a chicken dinner, she rolled her eyes slightly when I said I didn't eat bread or drink milk and she was only racist a couple of times when mentioning her neighbours across the road that were drug dealers and Indians. I ignored her open Daily Mail and she ignored the fact that I said the word 'arsehole'. I am glad I went and I am sad that it had been so long since I last saw her. Life's too short............even for a peppery mother and daughter relationship.
 
She also tried to force feed me cakes and biscuits but I was strong! She is an official feeder!
 
I am back now and I have tackled my wardrobe again! It is gradually being whittled down and the fat clothes are being given to the charity shop or to my even fatter friend who,  when she reads this is not going to be happy but I couldn't resist ha!
 
Anyway, whilst having a look today I unearthed this little beauty.........
 
 
I don't know where or why the hell I bought it but it has been folded up along with a few other ''no chance you're arse will never fit'' garments and I was curious today as to whether it would fit or not.
 
Well I think we all know what curiosity did don't we?
 
That cat is dead!
 
I have decided therefore that even though it is  a complete and utter fashion no no that the next stage of my weight loss journey is going to be called................drum roll please.......
 
OPERATION MINGING DRESS
 
and I am going to wear this dress on Christmas Day when I will hopefully fit it. Before and after the copious amounts of fizz and sprouts.
 
I am saying this particular day as I don't normally venture past my front door on December 25th so I can subject any festive friends and family to it only and not the poor unsuspecting public.
 
I tried to squish myself into it and there's at least a 5 inch gape at the back but I reckon if I am really good then I may be able to do it. And if I don't? Well I am sure I can find one of my famous cardigans to cover up any exposed flesh.
 
And to prove to you all what I am up against here is another picture. M obviously takes after her maternal grandmother and has whipped up this heavenly beauty aka a banoffee pie.
 
 
 I have stared at the whipped cream topping that has been suggestively dusted with cocoa powder and I can see the toffee and banana oozing out of it but none has passed my lips. I want to I want to but I want that minging dress on my back more.
 
And as the fat club think tanks says -
 
''do you like it enough to wear it?''
 
No I don't but in all fairness I don't really like the minging dress either so it's a bit of a tricky situation here. Perhaps it will look better on me and zipped up as opposed to me hunched over gasping for breath? Only time will tell.............
 
And as it's fat club tomorrow I have had no carbs today. I am growing to love mashed cauliflower and have had some cleansing tea to drink. There is some lamb in the slow cooker and I am praying that the couple of chunks of stilton that I had when in Brizzle will not be wedged onto me tomorrow when I step onto those scales. A maintain I can cope with but a gain I cant.
 
And one more thing - today I am feeling a bit flat but I have got plans for a shenanigan which have perked me up no end. It involves air travel and it involves quiche and I really want to do it! I don't know if I can pull this off!
 
OK - of course I can! hellooooooo road / air trip!
 
xxxxxxxxx

Friday 11 October 2013

dietdevil: Oh the paranoia and how I forget but still do it.

dietdevil: Oh the paranoia and how I forget but still do it.: So every time I go away I get 'ill'. This time it was either a prolapse, a hernia or sciatica. Logically I have pulled a muscle at ...

Oh the paranoia and how I forget but still do it.

So every time I go away I get 'ill'. This time it was either a prolapse, a hernia or sciatica. Logically I have pulled a muscle at the top of my thigh but I am a hypochondriac therefore I like to think the worst. That's what people like me do. I have a couple of friends that are the same and we thank god for websites like diagnose dot com to keep our already overactive imaginations working overtime. At one point today I even dragged my left leg behind me war wounded soldier stylee as I felt that I needed to feed my frantic obsession.
 
I also shuffled to Boots and bought some extra strength Nurofen. Now I should explain before I go any further that I do not normally take meds of any size shape or form. Last November when I was approaching meltdown I got a week's worth of sleeping tablets from my doc and I still have 4 left. It's the side effects you see - I read them and then I panic and then I take the pill and within nano seconds I have developed every single side effect known to man.
 
But that still didn't stop me from taking the Nurofen and as predicted I was in a delirious fever almost immediately. I lay on my bed and felt like the dying heroine in a BBC costume drama as I thrashed my weak limbs and rolled my head from side to side muttering ''no, no, nooooooooooo''. Thankfully I fell asleep and woke up and the tablets have worn off and apart from a slightly stiff hip my prolapse / hernia / sciatica seems to have cleared up lovely. It's a god darned miracle.
 
I have packed my bag for the expedition to Brizzle. I have written lists ( obviously ) and I have post it notes all over my office and I have even placed everyone's keys in little bags with their names on. I have emailed all the agents and said that I would be away as from tomorrow which there was absolutely no point in doing as one of them thought it was today and kept ringing my emergency numbers. I have done all bank transfers for the week ahead and there is a fridge full of food.
 
And on to food.............will I cope with not being here and still sort of sticking to my diet? I am guessing that mother may not feed me tomorrow or will underplay what's on offer so much that I will feel a bit awkward and say 'no, honestly, I'm fine' whilst coughing to disguise the sound of my tummy rumbling. I know I am being cynical and am hoping to be proved wrong. Put it this way - I doubt a fattened calf is being sacrificed at the moment in Bristol.
 
I shall put on a brave face and think of all the big shops instead.
 
And no, I haven't packed any Nurofen.
 

Thursday 10 October 2013

dietdevil: Addressing my phobias and drinkies on the choo cho...

dietdevil: Addressing my phobias and drinkies on the choo cho...: So the day after tomorrow I am getting on a train and leaving Kernow for three whole days!   I picked up my train tickets today and see...

Addressing my phobias and drinkies on the choo choo.

So the day after tomorrow I am getting on a train and leaving Kernow for three whole days!
 
I picked up my train tickets today and see that they had inadvertently booked me on the branch line from St Ives to St Erth which is quite possibly one of the prettiest journeys that you could ever travel on.  It's all cute beaches and winding roads and distant horizons etc and St Erth is  a railway station that is stuck in a time warp. Even the 'cafe' there is like something from the 1950's and I am almost too scared to ever ask for a cappuccino as opposed to a jolly nice cuppa and a scone.
 
The next train is the one to Plymouth and being that it is a Saturday lunchtime I can almost guarantee that there will be at least one drunk / unbalanced person and that they will no doubt be sat near me and want to befriend me. I am excellent at the art of social avoidance which may surprise some of you as I am normally a chatty sort of gal that likes nothing better than to talk to new people but preferably when they are sober and of sane mind. I have perfected the art of gazing blankly beyond their shoulder and will use my special falling asleep plan if the first one cuts no mustard.
 
My real big issue with any form of public transport though,  is the toilet facilities. I just don't do public loos I'm afraid and ones on trains I find spectacularly gruesome. I would rather hold it in but sometimes I have to give in, swallow my pride and calm myself and just do it.
 
It's loos in pubs and restaurants too - I do use them but it takes a bit of courage to even open the door and even more to enter a cubicle. I have no idea why I am like this, I am happy to use the toilet at a friends house, it's just the ones where lots of people have used that freak me out.
 
Which leads me to the next issue.
 
I firmly believe that any form of travel should be embraced my a refreshing drink. I haven't quite got over going to London in June and paying £6.80 for a voddie and diet coke and a bag of nuts on the way but it's just so nice sipping something nice whilst looking out the window at the world go by. if I stick to one drink then I reckon I can avoid loo-gate until I reach my hopefully clean and hygienic apartment but if I have more than one then I may struggle. I am going to see my mother that evening so I think I may need courage, whether it's Dutch or not, I'm going to need it.
 
It's a dilemma.
 
But joking apart, and as much as I adore Cornwall, sometimes it's just nice to get  out of it and go where there are big shops and restaurants and huge buildings............and your mother, of course.
 
And despite the toilet issue I also love travelling by train.
 
And of course if I decide on the second over priced vodka then it may be me that is the slightly tiddly mad person that is trying to make eye contact and talk to some snooty madam like myself.
 
We shall see on the day.
 
It's all good fun x
 

Wednesday 9 October 2013

Nothing compensates for green tea more than a shiny sticker and certificate!

So after 5 weeks of being back in the zone I got my stone award. I whooped and I 'booshed' and I may have said 'amazeballs' but there again maybe I didn't and I just got a photo of myself holding my shiny goodies instead.
 
 
I needed one and a half pounds off to get my stone award and lost 2 so I was even more chuffed and despite the fact that I have swigged lots of sugary prosecco I lost it because I did the following........
 
1. I didn't have a 'treat' after I weighed last Wednesday.
 
2. I resisted the chilli at The Ritz on Thursday - I had had my dinner and wasn't hungry.
 
3. I had hake and vegetables at H's meal on Saturday and it was actually lovely.
 
4. I hardly ever eat bread.
 
5. I didn't have any birthday cake.
 
6. I only had 2 potatoes at the carvery on Sunday .
 
7. I had no carbs on Monday and yesterday. This went as far as me having mashed cauliflower with chicken and veg last night for dinner. It tastes nicer that it sounds and with a bit of cheese in it is lush.
 
8. I wore no knickers to weigh in.
 
So it's really that simple.
 
And if I am coming across as a smug diet bore that is because I am all too aware that at any time on any given day it could all go horribly wrong and I could be stuffing a pasty in before you could say 'pastry, Liz, really????'
 
I am off to Brizzle for the weekend on Saturday. I am seeing the mother. I am not sure whether she will feed me or not and this worries me. I can cater for myself and if she does cook for me she will probably make me something made of suet and with lots of butter. She is the reason I am brainwashed by fat club and feel the need to pay £4.95 a week to be told I am still overweight.
 
But onwards and downwards it's still good.
 
I may even whip my tape measure out to see where I have lost this stone. I had a cheeky measure a couple of weeks ago and my vitals had changed slightly in that I had lost an inch off my waist and 2 inches from my hips but had put an inch onto my chest. maybe it's just transferring itself from one part of my body to the other and it's actually somewhere like my fingers or ankles that I have lost it from? What a depressing thought!
 
I am now going to go and buy a salad from the deli. This is next to and opposite 2 bakers shop but I will stride past determinedly with my potentially thinner nose turned away from the tempting smells.
 
I wont even have a sneaky glance. 

Monday 7 October 2013

dietdevil: There's nothing wrong with a ra-ra

dietdevil: There's nothing wrong with a ra-ra: So in my quest of clearing out my wardrobe the last couple of weeks I have unearthed some beauties.    Most have gone to the British He...

There's nothing wrong with a ra-ra

So in my quest of clearing out my wardrobe the last couple of weeks I have unearthed some beauties.
 
 Most have gone to the British Heart Foundation shop but a couple I have saved for their pure quirkiness alone. One of these items was a grey woolly gillet with pom pom ties. I only bought it last year and today I wore it but it took me back to when I was a little bairn up in the North East and in the early 70's we all had those huge fur hats with pom pom ties. I am sure they wouldn't pass health and safety these days and I am sure if I trawled the news archives then there must have been at least a couple of little girls that got them stuck in motorbike chains or passing Morris Minors and were strangled.
 But even if they did................those hats were cool!
 
I was lucky enough (?) to have a mother that could knit and sew back in the day , therefore a lot of my clothes as a child were fashioned by her own fair hands. I particularly remember a couple of pairs of trouser suits that I had which were beautiful.
 
One was chocolate brown with a lovely gold braid trim.
 
The other was a red tartan one that any Bay City Roller fan would have given their milk teeth for.
 
They were both worn with either a shirt with gigantic collars or a polo neck underneath.
 
Bloody stunning.
 
Thankfully my mother allowed me to purchase my own clothes when I grew older and a big thing for us Alnwick lasses was a trip up to the toon aka Newcastle, and most specifically , Eldon Square. Top Shop, Miss Selfridge, Chelsea Girl, Etam, Snob - that shopping centre had the lot and I remember as though it were yesterday going in the summer of 1982 ish when ra ra skirts and a lot of polka dots were the in thing. I also seem to recall that emerald green was the colour to have them in.
 
I also remember that we thought we were dead cool by lighting a fag whilst walking through the busy streets. I am right in thinking that Regal Kingsize were the smoke of choice and we were literally too cool for school. So there we were with Top Shop bags bulging with green frilly things whilst lugging on a fag and trying to inhale. Nice.
 
Other memorable fashion items from my past are as follows -
 
1. Knickers with frills on the back. Actually more ruffles than frills.
 
2. Trainer bras. I never actually needed one of these but some of my more bosomally challenged friends did.
 
3. Wham and Frankie t shirts.
 
4. Dungarees - I wore a blue pair on my first date. They went lovely with my lilac kohl eyeliner.
 
5. Headband? Gold ones to be precise. I once wore one that was so tight it caused me to have a nosebleed after a couple of Woodpeckers and 3 Regals and a snog.
 
6. Those awful velvet skirts with a little tie in the corner of the front that exposed a bit of broderie anglaise petticoat. Very Bananarama.
 
7. Tight jeans with a line of piping down the sides.
 
8. Hacking jackets.
 
9. Jackets with too many pockets and buttons.
 
10. Pedal pushers.
 
I am sure I am concentrating more on my teens here so if anyone can throw any forgotten items into the mix then that would be good!
 
On a dietary note I am now detoxing. I have had ham and an orange for lunch and dinner will be an omelette. I will probably go  for a  last ditch bid for my shiny sticker and have a stir fry for dinner tomorrow. I despise stir fries but they are apparently good for you.
 
H was shoved on a train this morning and is now back in Cardiff. She was still slightly drunk from the weekend but got there in one piece. She very kindly pointed out to me last night that after her degree ( she has to wait a year until she does her masters ) she will be home for a year and then will be off at exactly the same time as M if she chooses to go to uni. That's 2 years away though which probably gives me enough time to finish going through the evils that are still lurking  at the back of my Narnia type wardrobe.
 
It's all good and I am not hungry and I think my pom poms looked fab.
 
 

Sunday 6 October 2013

dietdevil: Back to normality and time for a little detox I th...

dietdevil: Back to normality and time for a little detox I th...: So H goes back to Cardiff tomorrow and she has had a marvellous birthday weekend. There have been lots of laughs, a few hormonal tantrums -...

Back to normality and time for a little detox I think.

So H goes back to Cardiff tomorrow and she has had a marvellous birthday weekend. There have been lots of laughs, a few hormonal tantrums - ( 3 women, one shower, one set of hair straighteners ) but all generally good. Me being the diet devil that I am haven't been great but on the plus side I actually haven't been that naughty either.
 
Alcohol is a tricky thing.
 
At fat club you are meant to count any booze as 'syns' but I have mixed views about this.
 
It's all about moderation and although some would say that I am whaffing down a tipple every 5 minutes ....well I'm not. I do have a drink most days but it's generally a vodka with lots of ice and diet coke and everyone knows that booze that looks like water isn't as fattening.
 
Now merlot on the other hand? Oh that rich fruity red naughty drink is full of calories and that's why I haven't had any for a month.............until today when I had 2 glasses with my roast .
 
Yesterday I was good all day and even had hake with vegetables at H's meal. It was surprisingly meaty and not a chip or piece of bread past my lips. I did have lots of fizzy stuff though but I declined the chocolate cake and when I hopped on those beastly scales this morning I hadn't put on an ounce. Hooray.
 
Today we had a carvery at the pub round the corner. I had soup to start as my body and mind were crying out for something warm and comforting and I gave in and had a small breadroll. The main meal was turkey and heaps and heaps of vegetables with some gravy and 3 fat roast potatoes on top. I only ate 2 of them and am feeling quite virtuous for once in my life.
 
My dress fitted, my chest did look huge, my chest is huge so who cares? M told me that I might want to think about wearing a vest with it but I didn't. I couldn't walk in my shoes. At all. They came off for the thankfully short walk home. And now? I am feeling very tired and in the need of some rest.
 
I think my shiny sticker for a stone is still doable. I have 2 days left to get my arse into gear and am planning on having lots of fruit, yogurt, lean meat and WATER.
 
I fitted into another dress today and people said that apart from my eye bags I look nice so this is motivating me. That and the fact that I see my mother for the first time since May 2009 next weekend. I am nervous. It could go either way. She will tell me that I am looking ill or tired or stressed and this will have the effect of making me feel ill and tired and stressed. I don't know why she does this but she does and I need to be at my strongest to deal with this.
 
I am divulging too much now. This blog today is primarily about my food plans for the next 2 days and not about an imminent meltdown with my last parent.
 
I will stay chipper. I like the new positive me - it's the proper me and I hated the me that the first half of this year made me become.
 
Onwards and hopefully downwards. I have approximately 64 hours in which to lose a pound and a half.
 
Roar.