singing_girl's Journal

Ick
Dec 04 2009 12:53

I've had a near-constand pounding headache for the past 2 days.  And my eyes are so tired and dry feeling I don't even want to try putting my contacts in.  I'm just having one of those days where you feel awful but there's no real cause.  I'm not ill. I'm just ick. I also have the meanest case of the hungries. I want to stuff myself with food.

I went into London yesterday with my friend Crystel, and went to her singing lesson with her to meet her teacher.  She was really lovely, very friendly.  I talked to her about re-starting lessons and she said to give her a call in the new year, and that she was intrigued to hear me after I'd told her a bit of background [I have a Mus.B(Hons) in voice].  I haven't had lessons in quite a while and it's something I DO need to get back to.  I don't want a boring crap office job.  I want to freelance as a singer.  So I need to get my A into G and get good enough to audition for some post-grad courses at the end of next year, 

About 3.30pm yesterday we went and had a late lunch at a pub.  I had a burger and fries.  There was so much meat on the burger, about half a pound I'm guessing.  That's more than twice as much meat as I would ever eat in one sitting.  At the best of times I'm not even a big meat eater.    I didn't even finish the whole thing and felt crampy and nauseous and bloated afterward until about 9pm that night.  It's weird, the older I get the more my body lets me know when I've eaten something it hasn't appreciated.  I can't eat chocolate the way I used to either. 

I'm gonna go find more food to snack on.  Damn hungries...

edit: oh wow.  I was feeling ick.  I just napped for 3.5 hours.  That's insane!  It's got rid of my headache though

Dec 02 2009 13:31

I had a bit of a bad morning this morning.  Had to get up at 7.30 to take BF to the train station, which was ok, but when I got home I couldn't get in!  The lock in the front door has been acting up for a while and my key just wouldn't go in the lock.  I was worried I wouldn't be able to get in so got BF to leave the backdoor open just in case, but the side gate was locked and the fence is about 2m so I just couldn't get over it.  ARGHHH.  15 minutes later in the FREEEZING cold weather I manage to get inside and am verrryyy annoyed.  I turned the heating on full blast to warm up.

I only did 13 min on the exercise bike today but that was a stretch as I had to absolutely force myself to.  I have been good though.  I'm usually doing at least 25 min per day, and then we usually go for an evening walk as well.  Upping my exercise means I can eat 1800 and still have about a 700 cal deficit.  I'm soooo less cranky eating 1800 than I was on 1500.  It's AH-MAH-ZING!  I'm definitely hoping for a nice big loss this week.

Ooooooh I made ciabatta bread for the first time ever today!!! You have to ferment a mixture overnight and then add more ingredients in the morning.  I let the breadmaker do all the dough making, but I've punched it down and stretched it into ciabatta shape and will bake it in the oven soon.  I'm just waiting for it to do its final rise at the moment.  Let's hope it's a success!  YUM!

A few recipes
Nov 30 2009 20:29

Just thought I'd share some recipe love with these two pretty healthy recipes.

I made this cous cous with chorizo and chickpeas  tonight for dinner and served it with a generous side of tenderstem broccoli.  It was absolutely delicious.  A few notes though.  I left out the oil and just dry 'fried' the chorizo as enough oil comes out of it anyway.  I doubled the paprika as it was too bland with just 1tsp.  Oh, and I didn't have any chickpeas so I used butter beans.  I'd just go with whatever white beans you have in the cupboard.  I also let the stock simmer for a while to reduce it down by quite a bit.  Oh, and 50g of cous cous is more than enough per person.  LOL - BUT after all of that - I definitely definitely recommend this recipe! I will definitely make it for dinner again some time soon.  YUM!

The other recipe I haven't actually made but am definitely keen to try because it looks soooo good.  It's a warm potato salad with bacon.  Personally, I don't like blue cheese, so I would sub for feta.

Nov 30 2009 12:29

I finally made a breakfast cookie!  I used this recipe, which cellophane_star linked to in her journal.  My banana wasn't overly ripe so I did add a little splenda just to sweeten it up a little.  If the banana had been riper I don't think you'd need the extra sweetness.  I don't have any protein powder, so just left that out. Overall, definitely a big thumbs up and omg SO filling.  I can't wait to try the cinnamon apple version. Yum yum!  I put it into the recipe analyzer and it has a whopping 44% of your RDI of fibre and 25% iron.  Wow!  I've made it twice now, and definitely think it will become a firm breakfast favourite.  It feels so naughty to eat something so chocolatey for breakfast!!!   Thanks cello!

Another half lb to lose and I will be losing 'new' weight.  Defintely looking forward to that.  I'm aiming to lose 7lbs by the end of the year.  Fingers crossed.

Edit: just did half an hour on the exercise bike and burnt 236 calories! Woo!

Nov 27 2009 12:59

Oh Man.  I've never gonna say I've had a deficit again until the day AFTER.  We were still up at midnight last night and BF made nachos and I succumbed and probably ended up about 100-200 cal under maintenance if I was lucky, or bang on maintenance if unlucky.  Sigh.

I just paid penance by doing half an hour on the exercise bike today.  Oh boy was I sweaty.  Annoyingly, my F11 HRM told me I only burnt 214 cal in half hour, which is only 175 cal once I've added it into my activity log.  Grr.  Is that crap?  I'm fat fs.  Surely I should burn like a million cals per hour. 

I can't believe christmas is so soon. 

Oh by the way, I have noticed Grape Nuts have just seemed to make an appearance at our supermarket over here.  Opinions?  Are they worth trying?

Nov 26 2009 21:49

Sticking to a deficit is tough.  Especially when you have been really half a**ed about it lately.  While you were all chowing down on Turkey, I had a snacky dinner of Fruit, Feta and Fat-Free Frozen Yogurt.  Fantastic.  

Thankfully, deficit of 650 today.  That is what I am thankful for.

Birthday presents!
Nov 24 2009 21:49

I was thoroughly spoilt yesterday.  Here's a rundown of the birthday loot. 

BF: Gourmet Hot Chocolate + Mug + little whirry milk frother thingy.  2x books.  1x DVD. Cute as bichon beanie (because I keep whinging about wanting a bichon puppy). 1 x rather large and tasty box of chocolates. Lovely silver hoop earrings. 

Mum (and sister by proxy): Cute calendar with photos from my graduation in May.   Super cute pyjamas with cupcakes on.  Goooooorgeous rabbit fur wrist cuffs (like sleeveless gloves).  She knows I'm a sucker for fur.

BF's parents: Book about herbs and what to do with them.

Aren't I lucky?   It somewhat eased the pain of turning another year older.  Haha.

Now, as for diet front. Oooooh BAD.  I am feeling incredibly bloated and yuck at the moment.  Mostly from too much birthday pizza and chocolate.  I have a huge grocery order getting delivered tomorrow and am madly craving fruits and veges so the following are on their way:

Fruits - Granny smith and Jazz apples.  Bananas.  Grapes.  Pomegranate.  Melon.  Pineapple.  Strawberries.  Grapefruit.

Veges - Tenderstem broccoli.  Leeks.  Mushrooms.  Onions (red and white).  Carrots.  Potatoes.  Stirfry mix.  Frozen veges (assorted).  And later on in the week I'll pick up some cabbage and other bits and pieces. 

I foresee some rockin' fruit salads and stirfrys on the horizon. And some rockin' weight loss.  YEAH!

PS - feeling too lazy to upload a pic properly but here are all the reasons I want a bichon!!! (I miss our bichon at home like crazy).

Bakin' up a storm
Nov 19 2009 15:29

I've been busy in the kitchen today and have a lemon drizzle cake and a banana choc chip cake in the oven as we speak.  We had bananas and lemons that were  past their prime.  I have a feeling we'll be paying a visit to Nic's parents to unload a whole lot of baking!

I'm still trying to keep up a positive attitude.  No negative self talk allowed!

In other news.. it's my birthday on Monday.  Eeeek.  26.  Old.

Nov 18 2009 21:11

I've decided I need to be nicer to myself.  I am sooo my own worst critic and I need to stop the negative self talk and cut myself a break or two.  I need to appreciate not only how faaaaabulous I am, but also thank my body for gettin' me around each day.  And sure I don't have a job at the moment, but that's because no-one realises how greeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaattt I am, and what they're missing out on.  Aren't they all silly? 

I'm great.

That is all.

PS - How much of an AWESOME holiday idea is this.  Why must it be so stupidly expensive.

Back from NL
Nov 15 2009 10:35

Well I'm back from my little trip to the Netherlands.  It didn't quite go as expected as I developed a cold half way through. Ick.  I'm not *too* bad but it did put a bit of a dampener on the trip.  We didn't end up going to Amsterdam because it was just going to be too much of a mission.  Luckily you can always find reasonably cheap flights so no doubt I'll be back. 

Oh, one of the best parts of the trip was getting an awesome pair of boots that had been €45 for €13! They are 3/4 boots (just above mid calf), so I was very happy that they actually fitted!  I also got a goooorgeous scarf  (for €2.50!!!) in stunning autumn (fall) colours (browns/reds/golds etc).  I love bargain hunting.  I got home to another 2 pair of shoes I had bought online before I left: these in black and these in grey.  I find that over here I just don't tend to wear heels as much as I did at home.  There's just tooooooo much walking involved in Europe for heels.  Sometimes it makes me sad!   Anywho, some pics are here if you want to have a look.  All the pics with windmills and old houses etc are in the Dutch Open Air Museum, which was a convenient 5 min walk from Crystel's apartment.

I've read through everyone's journals but there's too many pages to comment on!!!  (Moogie: Good to hear from you! It's been ages, and I've been wondering how the new job was going!). 

Now I'm off to find something tasty for breakfast, although we've run out of bread.  Does that mean I'm allowed to make pancakes?!?!