Liam's 6th Birthday

Wow, they grow up so fast!
Liam had his 6th birthday yesterday, and his party last Sunday.
He received a Toy Shop worth of presents from his friends - which are now scattered over the house, and I made a brilliant cake! (Even if I do say so myself!)
He's a huge Angry Birds fan, so I just had to have a go at making an Angry Birds cake. I made everything except the candles, and the Flake chocolate that the King Pig is sitting on.
Actually, I'm pretty proud of myself for a first attempt!

Weight Watchers is working!

Well, I decided not to be trendy, and opted for Weight Watchers instead. I'm such a conservative, traditionalist!
Regardless, I have been doing it for 8 weeks and have lost 8.6kg!

I cannot believe that it can be so easy! Basically, nothing is off limits, but you do have to stay in your Pro Points count each day, so you actually start making healthy choices so that you don't go hungry.

For example, a banana is 0 points, but a Mars Bar is 7, so, makes sense to go for the banana! Though if you really wanted the Mars Bar you could have it. So far I have resisted serious temptation, but still managed to have sausage rolls and birthday cake at Liam's 6th birthday party. (Not to mention, the huge quantity of icing that I had to 'taste' while I was icing the cake!)

Moment of truth tomorrow when I go to weigh in!

Does this mean I'm Trendy?

Well, after a year of inaction (has it really been that long?!?!) I am taking action!

I am tired of being an ungainly lump who can't sit on the floor to play a game - well I can, I just can't get up again!

I am going to do something about it.

I have spent the past few months with a chiropractor getting my back aligned and next week I go to the podiatrist.

Yay! I will soon be able to walk again - no excuses now!

Today I bought another Wii, so that I can use my Wii Fit in the bedroom and not have to compete with the 5 year old who wants to play Star Wars Lego or something.

I made enquiries about Lap Band surgery, but that is going to be a last resort. I refuse to believe that I cannot do it myself!

I am also seriously considering the Dukan Diet - Yes, Yes, I know. Everyone is doing it - well maybe that's a good thing! There are a lot of success stories out there - why can't I be one as well?

Because of my intolerance of a lot of fibre products, raw fruit, etc - maybe Dukan is the way to go!

I've never really considered myself a big meat eater, but when given the choice, I think it makes sense. There would be no danger or my body going into famine mode if I was filling it with meat!

As much as I love my breads and pastas, I think I love being thin more, so it will be a worthwhile sacrifice for a while. I'm hoping that if I go without for long enough I will break the habit and not rely on them so much.

Here's Hoping!

My Weakness

Well, I've only been at it for about 10 days, and I thought I was doing really well. I was planning my meals and actually enjoying eating good healthy, wholesome food. Well, today I discovered my weakness. Something that I cannot resist even though I know I shouldn't eat it.
KFC chicken skin!
Hubby wanted KFC, so I thought I'd be good and take the meat off a breast piece and make a salad with it. I resisted the Chips and Gravy but do you think I could bring myself to throw that skin in the rubbish?
No Way!
I would rather eat the skin and throw the meat away!
Is there some trick to it?
Will finally being able to throw it away mark a turning point in my life and set me on the righteous path to inner health and an awesome bod?
I'll let you know if I ever actually manage to do it!

How low can you go?

Well, another successful day on my new eating plan has passed.
After spending many years with eating disorders, I am determined to lose weight the right way this time.
I am trying to develop an eating regime that I can live with ... not a temporary diet ... but a lifestyle change.
But my efforts keep bringing back memories of past episodes of weight loss when I went too far and became skeletal. I distinctly remember a photo I had taken for a Visa to travel to South Africa, and my face looked like one I had seen in a brochure designed to scare school kids off drugs! My face had sunken cheeks with bony cheekbones and dark circles under the eyes - and I won't even start on how bad my skin looked!
When I reached Customs, they almost wouldn't let me in because I looked nothing like my passport photo!
I cannot believe that women seriously want to look like that! I suppose you'd call it "Size Zero Syndrome", but I was nowhere near a Size 0! I would have to have bones removed to fit into a Size 0 dress! I didn't have an ounce of flesh on me and my BMI was seriously low, but I still couldn't get below a Size 8 Australian. (US Size 4).

Anyway, I have decided that I would be happy to get back to a Size 12. I need to be realistic these days. I'm middle aged, its not so easy for me to lose weight any more, and my metabolism is shot due to my dietary abuse over the past 20 years.

I'm not a celebrity, I don't make a living out of my looks, so I'm going to be happy just not worrying if I'm going to break a chair!

Honesty is the Best Policy

Well, I went to see Julie & Julia on Monday, and thought it was wonderful! It combined so many things that I like - food, cooking and someone who has great potential but never finishes anything - a bit like me!

So, Julie Powell, thank you, you have inspired me!

Over the past 9 years I have actually put on 40kg (88 lb). How did it happen? Hmmm, probably the result of too much food and cooking - much too much - and a dislike of exercise. Well, not really a dislike, just a short attention span and abhorrence of all things boring. I have yet to find any form of exercise that inspires me to do more, and to do it for more than about 5 minutes. I get bored out of my brain!

So I've decided to blog my current attempt at weightloss based on the theory that making it public will keep me honest!

So, I'll be looking for support, handy hints, recipes and anything else that you think might help me in my quest!

I've been at it for 1 week so far and have lost 3kg (about 7lbs) but have another 37kg to go, so am going to need all the help I can get!

An oldie but a goodie - no, a greatie

Well, who would have thought that it would take something like this to stir me out of my blogging block and inspire me to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) again.

I'm very sad to say my 17 year old cat died in her sleep, and we found her looking very peaceful under a bed yesterday.

She had a good long life, but it is still incredibly sad when someone you have shared your life with dies.

She's been with me longer than my husband and my son, was with me for the death of my father, brother and last husband, moved house multiple times, and has always been there for me. After my last husband died and I was single she slept on my bed every night curled up next to me. When I remarried, she returned to sleeping in her basket next to the bed. I hope she knows what a comfort she was to me in my loneliness.

Its very hard explaining to a 4 year old, why a someone that has always been a part of his life won't wake up, and the other two cats are a little confused wondering where the cranky queen of the house is.

We will all miss our silent, peaceful, dignified companion.

Well, she's off to the crematorium and in a week or so will be back home.

RIP Silver Premier of Premiers Sardross Cordon Bleu - or, as we lovingly know her, Stilton, the best British Blue in the world.