The Moiderer

Thinking Slimmer Part 14 - If I can do it, anyone can

I am now into my 18th week on Thinking Slimmer.

Earlier this week I bought a size 14 pair of jeans. They don’t fit yet but they do go over my hips and it won’t be long before they fasten. I had to do something. Most of my size 16 jeans need a belt to stay up – so I guess I’m in that middle ground right now. I am going to be delighted WHEN I fit into my size 14s and even more delighted WHEN I eventually fit into 12s.

Did you realise you need to renew the passport photo on your driving license (if you have a photo one) every 10 years? Me neither. So I trotted off to town this week to get some passport photo’s (In the end the post office did their own but that’s a different story). Always a bit traumatic that eh? Well this time I had a set of photo’s I like. I can’t share obviously because a passport photo doesn’t really help preserve anonymity does it? But on Facebook, friends said they made me look way younger – and they did. Because I’ve lost a lot of weight off my face. Brilliant stuff.

I have downloaded the new Slimpod called “Drop 2 Jeans Sizes” which is far more appropriate for most of us than the concept of trying to drop Dress sizes! I was discussing it with Sandra and it was clear that I don’t exactly follow the pattern that they recommend for everyone while listening to their Slimpod. I am really not good at relaxing while I listen. I have never fallen asleep listening and get right to the end, switch it off, pack my iPod away and get on with whatever I am doing. And yet it still works brilliantly for me. I also never filled in the success log (really sorry, bit of a confession that) because I bought the CD version and somehow missed that. I didn’t get the emails either. And yet, it has still worked. So imagine how much more likely it will be to work and how much more effective it can be if you just follow the simple steps?

I am facing a different problem right now. I am running every day. Me? running? but I don’t run. Well apparently I do. I do it and in my head it’s a habit not a choice. In my head I am going out for a walk to clear my head every day. I just happen to run for increasing distances each day now! If I miss my run I hate it. I am planning the next run a day in advance. As for the running itself, it’s hell. Really hard work. I still don’t enjoy it. But it’s the only exercise I have no excuse not to do. It doesn’t require equipment or money. I just step out of the door and run. On Sunday I ran for 5.7 miles. What’s amazing when I look back is that I was running for 1 hour 13 minutes!!! Oh my gosh – how did I do that! I now run for at least 2 miles five days a week and a long run on a Sunday.

The problem? Well running requires clothes that are suitable. Suitable clothes are ones that fully support (Sports Bras) and don’t fall down as my belly bounces while I run!(running bottoms). So far I’ve been doing ok, but as I tone up and lose weight, I am getting more and more of a problem. Clothes that I have bought relatively recently are now falling down. Sports bras are not as supportive and are rubbing causing blisters. I could go and buy more but I keep getting slimmer. And they are expensive!! I really am not sure what to do right now…

Current status – WEIGHT:

Start weight after 2 weeks :15st 11lbs

Weight after 17 weeks (15 weeks of measuring weight loss): 12st 10lbs

Total weight loss so far: 3st 1lb

Current status – SIZE:

Starting size: 20/22 (don't tell anyone will you I am really in denial on this!)

Size after 17 weeks: 16 heading towards 14

*you can read my whole journey on Thinking Slimmer by clicking the Thinking Slimmer link at the top of the page*

I am so excited

Honestly – I am off the scale happy and excited right now!

A while back, I did the Online Wordweaving Practitioner certification course from the Quest Institute (Trevor Silvester’s training and resource institute for Cognitive Hypnotherapy)

I sent off the certification test with some trepidation, recognising I am not, and never have been, a therapist. But I wanted to do the test to prove I had understood the course.

It was a truly enjoyable and fascinating course to do.

And then I waited.

As you may have read I have also signed up to do a Diploma in Cognitive Hypnotherapy over the next 10 months so I also felt under some pressure for that.

Trevor is very busy and so it took him a while to mark it. During this time I convinced myself that I had totally screwed it up and he just didn’t want to tell me. Then I gave myself a slap and decided to just stop worrying about it and forget it. I sort of managed!

Today I got an email from Trevor confirming I’d passed and I did really well  on it.

I can’t even put into words how happy I am with that news (ironic, Wordweaving, can’t find the words he he )

On top of it all the feedback came back from my presentation last week and at least 50% of the respondents listed my presentation as their favourite because it was witty, energetic and informative.

I’m on a roll!

In the battle of Man vs Food…

Last night my friend offered to babysit again so the hubby and I could go out for a meal. This was the 3rd time that we’ve had the opportunity and it is really wonderful that our friend does this for us.

I decided to try a relatively new restaurant in Dundee called Pappa Joe’s.

It was fab. Combo of tex-mex and italian.

Firstly I giggled when I saw this on the menu

Who would order Over Done based on this description??

Hubby ordered a T-Bone (Medium-Well!)

Nom nom

And in the battle of Man vs Food (this is a TV show reference by the way!) Man won!

However

Despite my Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni being delicious, I’m afraid I lost!

We had a lovely meal – even the latte at the end was lovely. We will definitely go back

The Gallery–many memories

The theme for the Gallery this week is “A happy memory”.

Interesting timing. Until just over a week ago I didn’t know what it meant to be happy. But now I do, I have revisited my memories.

The reason I blog, I think I have mentioned before, is two-fold. Firstly I blog for me. As an online diary of my life, the universe and everything. Secondly I blog for the little one. I am aware that at 3 years old, she is unlikely to have any conscious memories of these early years. This blog is a space that we can both look back on when she’s older and remember together.

So my Happy Memory is simply the little one.

When you are considerate of other kids and give them a hug to make them feel better
When you ‘share’ an ice cream with your dad
When you fall asleep on me when you’re poorly and I get a big cuddle
When you say "mummy I need a hug" and give me the best hug ever
When you laugh because you're dads tickling you and say “stop” then “tickle me” again straight after
When you say "no,thank you", "you're welcome" and “please”
When you sit and read a book even though you can’t read yet
When you do something cheeky and giggle
When you say "that was weird"
When you sing and then change the words to the songs
When you sit in the car and ask "mummy, is he a numpty"
When you wave and say hello to strangers in the street making them wave back and beam a smile at you. It’s like you carry a light with you that brightens everyone’s world
When you and I have a Starbucks together on a Thursday and you dip your crisps in your hot chocolate.
When imaginary Lord tumble and Mr tickle come places with us
When you delight because we've clapped you for doing something well
When you come through first thing in the morning and say the craziest things. You say something different every day but are always so happy.

That you are a happy, funny, cheeky and adorable little girl.

I love you and you make every moment of my day a happy memory

This was all put together for this weeks gallery over at sticky fingers where the subject is "A Happy Memory"

There’s a mirror in my hallway

There’s a mirror in my hallway

And sometimes what I see

Is a great big wobbly

Version of me

 

There’s a mirror in my hallway

And sometimes what I see

Is a lovely slim and athletic

Version of me

 

There’s a mirror in my hallway

and what I really know

Is one day I’ll be how I want to be

(Though there’s still a long way to go)

A hatred of fancy dress

This has been updated to enter into TheBoyandMe’s Showoff Showcase where the theme is

The One That Did Do Better (But I Wasn't Expecting It)

This post gets at least 1 hit a day since it was posted. I have no idea why. It is not deep and meaningful. It is sort of a rant but not really a funny one. Enjoy reading and if you can offer any insight into why this is a popular post, please let me know.

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I really hate fancy dress.

I don’t know when this started. Maybe it’s due to a fear of standing out, either for being in a dodgy costume or a good one. I don’t know. I just know I hate it.

I have always avoided fancy dress events. The only time I know I did it was when I dress up as a vampire for work a few years ago. I was the boss of the site and the theme was red, black and white. That worked out ok, maybe because I was the boss.

Anyway, last week I was horrified when the little one came back from school saying they were having a fancy dress event on the theme of Roald Dahl. It’s one thing ignoring it for yourself, it’s entirely different for the little one who actually likes dressing up!

So after suggestions from Twitter (I am not that familiar with Roald Dahl!) I settled on Matilda (the film characterisation). It’s something I could do by adapting what I had. A lovely lady, @mummylion, on Twitter sent me a red ribbon which I attached to a headband and made a bow. I bought some tippex and painted round her black gym shoes to make a Converse style shoe and we already had the dress and top. I considered a wig but decided against it.

Meet Matilda

Apparently there were a few Matilda’s and she was instantly recognised as one so it can’t have been that bad. There were also a few parents that had gone to town with foxes and crocodiles, so much so that they had to leave instructions on how to get the kids out of the costume when necessary!

Meanwhile it sounds like all had great fun at an event that was raising money for Roald Dahl’s kids charity. The little one came home with a face and dress covered in chocolate. Although she did say she’d eaten grapes as well!

Che Guevara aka The Little One

This post was written by the hubby.

This morning while trying to enthuse the little one about getting ready for school I said, ‘you want to play with the sand pit at nursery don’t you?’

She gave me a look of pure disdain and said ‘X (the teacher) put the top on it’

When I got to school I mentioned this to the teacher.

Teacher: ‘Did little Che Guevara here TELL you why I put the top on?’

I shook my head.

Teacher: ‘I’d told them that they could put one bucket of water in the sand to make it workable’

Oh oh... the little one’s top two things... pouring water and sand.

Teacher: So they put the one bucket in, the little one whispering to them all, then the little one comes and hugs me saying ‘I LOVE you X. While she was doing this the others got another bucket of water and poured it in the sand. The little one let go of me and whispered to two of the boys who promptly ran out of the class so I had to chase them down the corridor. When I got back, the little one and the girls were putting ANOTHER bucket of water into the sand which was now nearly overflowing. That’s why I had to put the top on. To stop your little revolutionary leader from flooding the classroom.’

Oops. I didn’t stop laughing till I got home.

Oh my god the hills!

Today is Sunday and therefore it’s my “big run” day. Today I wanted to make it to about 5 miles. As you can see, I exceeded it somewhat! Oh but the hills on this route were awful…I don’t think I want to run that route again. It’s 9.17km by the way (almost 10k wow!)

Unfortunately I returned home to find the little one barfing. I sat down and after 1 more barf, she fell asleep on me for an hour or so and has been absolutely fine all day. At least I had a chance to rest after my run!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

This is apparently the recipe for a Gluten Free carrot cake from the Good Food magazine. It was sent to me by the lovely Sian (@fishfingers4tea)

After making it – I would add the Xanthan Gum (have modified the recipe) because it is way too crumbly! But it’s delicious. I didn’t have any chopped nuts in the house but would have added if they’d been available!

 

Ingredients

140g unsalted butter, softened
200g caster sugar
250g carrots, grated
140g sultanas
2 eggs, beaten
200g GF self raising flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp GF baking powder

1 tbsp Xanthan Gum
50g mixed nuts, chopped (optional)

For the icing
75g butter, softened
175g icing sugar
3tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment

1. Beat the butter and sugar together until soft and creamy then stir in the grated carrot and sultanas.
2. Add the eggs a little at a time, mixing well with each addition.
3. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and most of the chopped nuts and mix well.

Tip the mix into the loaf tin and bake for 50-55 mins until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10-15mins and the cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter in a large bowl until very soft. Add the icing sugar and cinnamon and beat until thick and creamy. When the cake is cool, spread the frosting on top and dust with a little more cinnamon and the remainder of the chopped nuts.

Saturday Snapshots

The hubby and I have decided that this was just about the little one’s dream day.

Firstly I decided it was about time to do something about the swimming situation. The little one loves swimming and we normally book an hour in a local hydrotherapy pool but I can only do that when I’m off (and remember!) I’ve been meaning to take her to the public pool but I’m not brave enough…

So I cancelled my DW sports gym membership (not used for about a year!) and signed myself and the little one up with the local David Lloyd club which is far better for families. Which means we can go swimming regularly – I’m thinking a new Saturday routine here.

So we did and then she went in the soft play area in the gym while I had a coffee

I think I tired her out

Then we made a Gluten Free carrot cake – I’ll do a separate post with the recipe.

Then there was the game of pouring water in the sink

Then lots of laughter

And then hanging out with Spud who spent all day sleeping as it was such a yukky wet day outside