*Linzerellos Blog

Not sure really how this week is shaping up to be honest from a diet perspective. I've not pointed yesterday - since I really don't have a clue how to work out what I had.

Went to lunch at our favourite restaurant - you know you go there a lot when you get brought your drinks as soon as you walk in as you always have the same thing!

Lunch wasn't booked until 1pm so I had a crumpet with peanut butter and a milky coffee as I woke up famished. The curse of only eating KFC the night before perhaps.


For lunch, I had pea and mint soup, followed by Roast Beef and then Rhubarb Jelly and Cream. Bloody lovely.



Luckily I was stuffed after that so no need for dinner. All in all, a fairly good day (albeit perhaps not overly healthy.) I managed to sell my heap of junk as well to a scrappage company for a few hundred pounds and I won a tenner on the lottery - finances could well be looking up! Fingers crossed I can get that new car soon....

Today has been a bit of a wasted day really. I was hoping the weather would be nice so we could get out and do something, but it's been fairly miserable all day. Matt also had a bit of life admin to do - which has meant he has spent all bloody day staring at his computer, while I have cleaned and polished around him. I keep harumphing in his direction that we should be doing something nice, but he's not taking the hint so I am going to take myself off out on a wander.

Food today has been ok. Bacon Sarnie and a coffee for breakfast (6)

I made some macaroni cheese with mushrooms, onions and leeks for lunch. Proper comfort food and not overly high on the points front (8).

Dinner will be chicken fajita stack which I've not cooked yet, but it looks like this....


Right then, I am off out for a wander before I get cabin fever. Hope you have all had a fab Bank Holiday weekend.

First up - Big Thanks to Petra, Mandy and Police Girl for my awards. I am so chuffed that people out there read my inane ramblings and encourage me to stick with it, I wouldn't have come half as far without you guys, so massive thanks.

My photo diary appears to have gone a little bit by the wayside. I forgot to snap Friday nights dinner (with good reason since it was from the chip shop) and yesterday, I only had one meal - but that was a KFC. Not overly healthy huh??

Friday started off ok-ish, although I didn't eat loads, I was fairly heavy on the points. I grabbed a cheese bagel with marmite and a skinny latte on the train (me and the heap of junk still weren't on speaking terms).

Breakfast - 5.5


Lunch was left over Lasagne (8.) and a packet of Pickled Onion Pom Bears (1.5) and a Diet Coke

My darling OH then picked my up from the train station after work so no exercise. The sun had made a bit of an appearance so we headed straight to The Island for a quick couple of drinks. I had a Bulmers (bad) and a Vodka with Soda Water and Lime (not so bad)


This was followed up with Fish from the Chip Shop and a few of Matt's chips. Delicious but BAD!

Yesterday we woke up fairly late so only had a quick Hazlenut Latte at home before heading into town. We ended up spending most of the afternoon in an NHS Drop in Centre. Have you ever been to one of those places? You feel ill just sitting in there, I managed to diagnose myself with TB whislt we were waiting.... Hypochondriac or what since it wasn't even me who needed to see a doctor?? Matt's been under the weather for most of the week and he woke up yesterday with a really sore and swollen eye. The pharmacist advised him to get it seen to - so bang went most of our afternoon. Anyway, he has antibiotic stuff so hopefully that will sort home out.

However once we'd finished sitting in the gloomy waiting room of the drop in centre.... we did manage to go and look at new cars... and...... Wooooohooooooo. I could (finances permitting) soon be the proud owner of this little puppy..... A Fiat 500! How cute??


Excuse the state of me. I'd been totally caught in the rain and had made a faux pas with a bit of Batiste Dry Shampoo (I use this stuff all of the time and it's a life saver, but I somehow managed to buy some with Glitter in, so spent the whole day looking like I had unusual dandruff)

Anyway, the real selling point for the car for me was this.... a cream steering wheel and red dashboard!! I love it. Apparently the car is very economical to run as well and has good reviews, but that didn't overly interest me - I mean seriously, I love the inside of this car.


I just need to work out my financial situation (and get a move on with selling my flat once my tenants move out) and it could well be mine. Fingers crossed.

So, it was by then 1745 and we'd not eaten all day. Major starvation. Hence the KFC. Once again lush and surprisingly within points since it was my only food yesterday - but not very clever once again. Popped out to meet my brother in law last night as he randomly happened to be in Reading with his best mate picking up a new van. I stuck to lime and soda, so that was very restrained of me.

Today we're off out for lunch so I'll definitely try and snap what I eat which will force me to make better choices. I hope.

Right I am rambling now. Finger crossed the sun makes an appearance for the rest of the Bank Holiday weekend. Have a good one people!

Today did not start off well. My heap of junk, also known as a car, decided today would be a great day for the gearbox, or perhaps the clutch (I am not entirely sure since I am not a qualified mechanic, thanks very much Mr. Patronising phone answerer at KwikFit) to completely fail on me.

Imagine the scene, running a bit late for work (I need to leave by 0730 at the latest to be in the office for 0800 and it was 0735 - yikes) loaded with various tupperware of healthy eats, my laptop, my over stuffed handbag, my coffee cup full of coffee and a birthday present for a friend who I was off to see after work. Throw everything in the car (well not the coffee or that would have been messy), start up the engine, pop the car into reverse and think.... hmmm, clutch feels a bit heavy but off I go... Free wheel down the massive hill we live on (as I do every day - clearly not clever)... only to discover at the bottom that when putting the car into first gear, nothing bloody well happens. Well something does happen, the car revs up and starts to smell quite alarmingly bad and the car rolls forward about an inch. Cue me, revving the hell out of the engine, swearing a lot and generally rolling further backwards away from home. Thanks a bloody lot car - I spent £500 on you in December and this is the thanks I get. I even cleaned you last week.

So, unpack the car and abandon it, trundle back up the hill, work from home for an hour until my colleague comes online and then trek 25 mins with all of my various bags to the station to catch the train (missing the first one as it pulls out of the platform as I arrive). Get on the train in a somewhat sweaty and trampy mess. Harumph.

Work has been fairly chaotic today as well, it seems to have been a week of system and network outages, adding stress to an already ridiculous work load at the moment (note it can't be that bad since I am still finding time to blog.... hmmmm)

Food has gone well again - I am in danger of needing halo polish.

Breakfast
2 crumpets with Lurpak Lighter and Marmite and a Skinny Hazelnut Latte which was meant for the car journey which clearly did not happen (5)


Mid Morning
Presentation is everything here as you can see. A large carrot and a tablespoon of reduced fat houmous (1)


Lunch
Mixed Salad with Chicken Breast with seasoning, Extra light salad cream, Packet of Salt and Vingegar Discos and Skinny Water. (5.5) Apparently this water is the answer to all of my prayers, I just need to drink this and I will be thin.... well perhaps not but it tastes quite nice and had 30p off in Superdrug so I was sold.


Mid Afternoon - forgot to snap as I was wolfing them down. 5 macadamia nuts and 2 dried apricots. (3 bloody points - trying to eat nuts as they seem healthier but full of blimming fat)

Dinner
Homemade Lasagne (8.5) with side salad and WW Doughballs (2) Bloody delicious if I do say so myself.



The only plus side of the car trauma is that I did some exercise today - 60 minutes in total of walking which I wouldn't have normally done... and some weight lifting if you count lugging my assortment of bags both ways.

So thats 24/26 plus a few BP's. I am liking this so far.

This might help me be a little bit less of a piglet, I only seem to be any good at this if I account for everything in photographic form....

Breakfast (remnants of food scavanging from Mothers)
Roll with Chicken breast slices, extra light Mayo and Spinach (4.5)
Odd brekky I know, but it was that or a tin of soup.


Mid Morning
Pineapple from Graze box (1)


Lunch
Mixed Salad of Spinach, Rocket, Spring Onions, Tomatoes and Peppers with a Bernard Matthews Crispy Chicken wotsit, a spoonful of reduced fat coleslaw (5.5). Packet of space raiders (2) glass of water and Look Mag.


Mid afternoon
Paper Tiger from Graze Box (2) i.e. Japanese Rice Crackers


Dinner
Asda Man was late with his delivery so had to do something quick...

Chicken Massaman with spring onions, mushrooms and rice (8)

Strawberries with a dollop of WW Thick Cream (1.5)

And a little Gin and Slimline tonic (0.5) to toast Jackie who got to goal today - way to go lady - Cheers!


=25/26

Day 1 in the bag. Come on!!

I convinced myself last night just to bite the bullet and go for WI today and accept the fact that I might have put on a couple of pounds - my home scales were certainly telling me so. And then this morning - well I kind of forgot it was Wednesday and I came into work wearing Jeans. Clearly a major no-no for WI day. So I didn't get weighed.... Slightly annoyed with myself as it would have been useful (although completely demoralising) to see the damage I did at the weekend.

Anyway, today is another day and I am still doing ok. Went for a bit of a walk last night and planning to play tennis tonight so the exercise is kind of happening. Food today has been fairly good - although I have been living off the remnants of food scavenged from my Mother's fridge at the weekend and smuggled back down South. Thankfully our food shopping is being delivered tonight so I should in theory be much better for the rest of the week. I am going to do a bit of a photo food diary for a few days as it helps me focus - so apologies for lots of food related posts.

Thank you all for your comments on the dresses. The green one is definitely going back, I tried it on again and I hate it (probably not helped by the tramp look but all the same, its still a frocky horror show) The current front runner for the wedding in June is the stripey item. I think I will keep the flowery number as I like the tea dress style and it will perhaps be better with a bit more weight off - but probably not for a wedding. I am still not completely happy with any of them though so I will keep looking. Stress.

Right then, I am off to scour the internet for flattering size 18 wedding attire... wish me luck.

Today I am mostly resembling a tramp (I don't mean a lady of the night kind of tramp - the other sort that doesn't wash often?) I had a doctors appointment this morning at 0850 about my crunchy knee, which meant a lie in. Which clearly meant I would fall back asleep after Matt left and wake up with 20 minutes to spare. So, quick shower, scrape hair back, throw on some clothes and off you go. Except the linen trousers I shoved on are 2 sizes too big and resemble clown pants. I never wear my hair back (unless on holiday) as I think my head looks too small for my body when I do - especially when my trousers are 2 sizes too big. I also managed to stub my toe when getting into the car - thus removing most of my perfectly pedicured nail varnish which looks lovely with a pair of leopard print peep toes. I feel like a right old minger, I am just thankful I found an old mascara in my handbag or I'd be rocking the albino look today too.

Ho hum. Anyway, according to the doctor I have crepitus - which is apparently nothing to overly worry about (although just reading about it made me worry) and I am being sent for an X-ray to be on the safe side. I always feel like a right hypochondriac when I go to the doctor's and this was no exception. I felt like I was totally wasting his time since my knee is not in constant pain and just a little bit noisy.

In other self inflicted traumas: I ordered 3 dresses last week from Very for various weddings this year and they arrived yesterday. Trying them on made me thoroughly depressed. All lovely dresses, just fairly hideous on me. Excuse the really bad photos - but you get the gist. If I put them on here, I can look at them and remind myself why I need to get my fat arse back into gear. I've 3 weeks til the first wedding, so a few pounds can be lost. I think I am just going to have to go with one of them with extra large pants and hope for the best. The only good thing is that they are all size 18's and they fit. Today's clown pants are a size 24. Opinions all welcome :)



Food went pretty well last night and so far today. One meal at a time seems to be working, I am definitely not stressing so much about my food. Planning to go for a walk tonight after work if Matt gets home at a reasonable time - failing that the Wii will be dusted off for a bit of Just Dance. I need all the help I can get to not resemble a the Michelin Man in a horror frock at these weddings.

Why do the weekends go so quickly? Whoever decided we should only have 2 days off and work the other 5 has a lot to answer for. I officially hate Monday's.

The weather was lovely all weekend up North - which meant a BBQ on Saturday at my parents house (which lasted 12 hours) and then a Lunch buffet on the Sunday in the Garden = Linz eats far too much. I couldn't really tell you what I consumed from a points perspective, but I know it was too much - especially since my friend Cider made a rather large appearance. Ho hum. Was lovely to see the family and spend time playing with my gorgeous nieces so I'll not stress overly about exactly what I consumed - one meal at a time and all that. I did have a bit of a run around in the Park on Sunday with my nieces and I helped my parents clear out the garage and patio on Saturday morning which saw me working up a right sweat - so exercise of sorts I suppose.

Today is shaping up ok. It's still fantastic weather down South so I am not feeling the need to stuff my face full of stodge. I went for a walk at lunchtime, but it was so hot I was sweating before I even set off. Still, I shouldn't complain as apparently the Sun is bidding us farewell for the rest of the week.

I need to try and get my head back round the exercise malarkey - starting from tomorrow I am going to attempt to get back into the gym. Not looking forward to that much I can assure you but it's most definitely a necessary evil.

The scales are likely to hate me this week so I may well go for the head in the sand approach and avoid them altogether.... Coward? Moi? Hell yes!

I am kind of on track. Not as great as I could be, but I'm not in the realms of being a disgrace just yet. Met the girls in Richmond last night and we went to Pizza Express so I indulged in a Leggera Pizza for a bargainous 7.5 points - trauma was we shared a few starters which I hadn't accounted for and a couple of glasses of the old Vino which took me a few points over, not the end of the world however.

I had the joy of my darling boyfriend coming in hours after me last night and stomping round the flat like an elephant in Doc Martens. Seriously - why are men incapable of being quiet?? Given I started work at 6:30am this morning (albeit from home) you can imagine I was well chuffed with my 1am wake up call. Harumph!

Off home to Durham today as it's my nieces 3rd birthday, flying up to Newcastle and thanks to the BA strike (I won't get started on that or I am in danger of ranting for hours) it's been a bit touch and go as to whether we'd still be going. I thought of cancelling and getting the train, but I would have needed to remortgage the flat to afford it. So fingers crossed no chaos at Heathrow today. Really looking forward to getting home and seeing the family. My Mam is planning a BBQ tomorrow, so that's going to need some self control but I'll still continue to take it one meal at a time.

Right, I am wittering now. Have a good weekend all!

Gave myself a very stern talking to this morning and dragged myself to my WI. I was expecting the worst, so was very pleasantly surprised with a 2.5lb loss. I can only presume that a slightly dodgy stomach yesterday has contributed to that. I inadvertantly poisoned myself with shellfish last night (to which I am somewhat allergic), not really the best weight loss method, but I'll take it. I've also managed 2 days on track. Progress of sorts.

Matt has been away with work for a few days so we went to the pub last night when he returned. I stuck to lime and soda and I even ordered a Salad (unheard of). I think focusing on one meal at a time is definitely helping me. I am not spending all of my day stressing about what I can and cannot eat. So far so good.

Exercise is still not happening. I was full of good intentions to go to the gym this morning. Packed my bag and set my alarm for 0630am. Then a few unexpected trips to the loo during the night meant when the alarm went off this morning, I snoozed it (for snooze read 'turned off') and promptly woke up again at 0830am with Matt still snoring beside me. Clever.

I can't go to the gym tonight as I need to work late (is that just an excuse??) but I will try and get myself out for a bit of a walk since the weather is looking up.

Right, I am off to the pub for lunch again (I know I seem to have taken up residency) for a salad and some sunshine. Happy days.

You will be pleased to know after my moaning yesterday I am feeling happier today, after much self berating, I've come to realise that I have a busy social life - which will make it much harder to stay on track constantly and therefore I either:

• give up the social life and become a hermit as I cannot be trusted to make good choices 100% of the time
  
• accept I am a fatso and stop trying to lose weight and get back to my all time mahoosive high and possibly even exceed that
  
• be as good as I can as often as I can and take it one step at a time

So option 3 it is then. Which means at the moment, I am going to take it one meal at a time until it all comes a bit more naturally, like it did last year when I managed to lose nearly 4 stone.

So far so good, I've made it as far as 3pm unscathed and that included meeting a couple of friends for a pub lunch - on a Monday as well, how very decadent.

Off to another friends house for dinner tonight after my Osteopath appointment, but she's a fellow WW-er so I am not overly stressed about that. Perhaps a day on track for the first time in an age?!

Next on the agenda - tackle the exercise demons, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. I am exhausted just thinking about that.

I'm annoyed with myself, I really want to lose weight, yet I continue on this path of self sabotage. The weekend hasn't been horrendous on the WW front, but it's not been especially good either.

Friday was a bit of a stressy day at work as I had a massive upgrade to do - which in a way is good as I don't get bored and go off in search of food. Met a couple of girls I used to work with at the pub for lunch - Jacket Spud for me instead of the burgers and chips they tucked into - so far so good. Matt and I decided we'd stay in on Friday night since we were both fairly knackered. Pizza was the order of the day, but instead of a greasy takeaway, I made some with Low fat cheese and loads of veggies with a salad on the side - so far so good..... Except I then drank a bottle of Cherry Lambrini... (and possibly a few other random combinations found in the drinks cupboard) classy me like.

Yesterday we woke up late so had a brekkie of bacon sandwiches and then I cleaned the flat from top to bottom. I worked up a right old sweat - a sign perhaps that my fitness has gone down the pan since I developed the gym aversion or that the flat was just really blooming dirty? We were off to visit friends last night in Esher which involved a Chinese and Wine and us staying over. Cue trying not to stuff my face with Chinese, but more than making up my points with the wine.... clever me. We got to bed at around 2am to be woken up by a 4 year old and a 1 year old at 630am staring at us in bed..... I think I possibly screamed when I opened my eyes. Nothing like a couple of random children staring at you in a strange house to scare the bejesus out of you! So 4.5 hours sleep and a banging head.

We then went to the gym on the way home - but I was literally so shattered I couldn't function. My gym workout consisted of drinking a skinny latte and reading the paper - but obviously just being in the gym environment was healthy. Ho hum. I am beyond lazy at the minute.

Went out for a lovely 3 course lunch after a minor snooze at our favourite restaurant, Fishcakes, Lamb and Rhubarb Crumble for me - but fortunately I felt fairly full and have had nothing else all day.

It's been a lovely weekend, but I don't actually know from a diet perspective quite how bad it's been. If I am not careful, I'll be putting the whole 3 pounds back on that I've lost this year.

Another new start tomorrow. Watch this space :)

Day one of being back on track - 5 points over. Good work Linz. Mainly due to the team lunch Chinese buffet yesterday and my inability to stop picking at food last night when I got in from work. I was hungry - Chinese does that to me, I feel full and bloated and then about an hour later, ravenous... what is it with that?

Anyway, today, armed with Toast and Marmite for breakfast and a Chicken Salad for lunch, I felt in control, I even allowed myself a little stop at Costa Coffee for a Skinny Latte as a treat, I am so rock and roll. And then the curse of the work buffet. The whole company was in the office today - very rare since most of the sales guys and consulants are rarely here, but we had all been summoned as the CEO was making an appearance from the US so we get to have a jolly question and answer session over lunch. I ate my salad in the vain attempt at filling myself up beforehand - and then I stood in the kitchen with the whole company and tried to console myself with carrot batons and cherry tomatoes... Trying to ignore the piles of Sandwiches, Wraps, Quiche, Spring Rolls, Crisps, Chicken Satay, Samosas, Mini Bruschetta, Cookies, Pastries.... you get the idea.... oh heck, can you tell how hard that was given I can name every bloody thing that was present!?

I caved and had half a Samosa and a tiny Chicken and Stuffing Yorkshire Pudding Wrap - seriously, I am Northern and I could live on Yorkshire Puddings - don't put them in front of me and expect me to abstain! Instead of a Cookie, I took a Banana and then ran from the kitchen as soon as was politely possible. Hard work. I am now left with about 6 points, which would be ok, however, I am meeting a friend in London tonight and the plan is drinks and dinner.

I think I may need to survive on dust all weekend to sort this out.

2lbs on. What a relief. Although any gain is not good, quite frankly, given I was an absolute pig for the best part of 2 weeks, I think I got off lightly. So back to basics for me. I did some shopping last night and the fridge is stocked with healthy, fresh food. I need to get back into the habit of cooking from scratch so I know exactly what I am putting in my mouth. This year has been a diet disaster. I've now lost a sum total of 3 pounds. Useless.

I also need to sort out the exercise demons currenly filling my head. We've decided to change gyms, but the ever helpful David Lloyd require 3 months notice, so we are stuck until September. I need to try some new classes and hopefully that will renew my enthusiasm... here's hoping. If we ever get a summer, I want to play more tennis and am even thinking of investing in a bike. One step at a time though. It's exhausting me just thinking about it.

Today hasn't been the best so far, we've had visitors at the office so we had a team lunch which meant a trip to an all you can eat chinese buffet. I should have just said no and stuck to the salad I brought with me, but I didn't. No overly clever. I didn't actually have too much and stuck to mainly Veg but now I feel fairly bloated. Ah well, I'll just have to had said salad for dinner. Simples.

Right then, coffee is required. Still a bit jet lagged which would probably be more helped by exercise than caffeine but like I say, one step at a time :)

Oh and thanks for the comments on the photos I posted yesterday. Beakerella, you really made me smile, so thank you - the dress is from Dorothy Perkins about a month ago.

Good morning people. Here I am again, back from an amazing holiday and thoroughly depressed! I am exisiting on coffee and Diet Coke this morning to try and get me through the day. Got back last night after a 4 hour delay (thank you Volcano) and a 10 hour flight, plus losing 8 hours and precisely zero sleep on the plane, you can imagine I am not feeling the most rested and my eyes seem to have disappeared somewhere into the back of my head.

I've had the best time - the diet was completely out of the window. I ate too much, I drank too much and just generally did everything to excess, but that's Vegas for you I guess. I got on the scales this morning and almost fainted with the shock, so I am awaiting the official Weigh in on Wednesday before I panic too much - but if I've not gained at least half a stone, then there will be a minor miracle. Cocktails by the pool every day, breakfast buffets, Steaks the size of a dinner plate... you can imagine the damage that one can do!

My only saving grace is that we walked a lot and only had 2 meals a day - I couldn't possibly have eaten any more even if I had wanted to, but what the heck, it was fantastic and I am now firmly back on track...

We went to the Boxing which was really cool, saw a show called La Reve at the Wynn hotel which was amazing, spent time exploring some of the hotels we'd not seen before and ate at some amazing restuarants. All in all, a fab holiday. A few photos below.

Outside of our hotel - The Bellagio


At La Reve


Old Town Vegas


The Paris Restaurant


So back to reality now I guess - the hard work begins. I am off to eat some fruit for the first time in 2 weeks (unless a strawberry daiquiri counts??) Wish me luck at getting back to normality!