New Year... New Start - onwards and downwards.

[MinnieMel]

I'm doing 4 packs a day. That's what Aaron is doing so it's what I've even doing. Before I did a mix of 3 and 4.

Caroline you're tall -- 5'9" -- if you were on CD they'd give you the option of four not three packs. Both you and Aaron could do five packs. But that's pricy - I'd do four and add a little protein to a pack.

Your post from you blog made me tear up. I've worked hard to keep my children from having food issues. My mother was weird about sugar and restricted in ridiculously. So we saw it as contraband and spent all our pocket money on sweets and soda.
I've never banned anything and my son used to trick or treat without the bucket because he didn't want the candy! My DD like sweets more than he does, but I throw most her candy out. Her chocolate reindeer and Santa are untouched and she gave most her selection box treats to a friend.

I once had a friend comment on how much junk food was in my cupboard. I felt kind of bad about it -- then the next time she was over she asked, "Is that the same package of Oreios that was there two weeks ago?". And I said, "Yes,." Then she said, "You have junk food in your cupboard because you don't eat it! Mine doesn't make it out of the car!" And I thought, "oh yeah - how many times have I had to throw out stuff because it got stale.". Knowing it is there if they want it is enough. DD might have 2 Oreos after dinner, but a bag last weeks.

SO you can break the cycle.

 

[Viva La Diva]

Caroline, Mr D is an uber geek ,lol, he works in IT, (long title, but basically he is a global Manager ) so he has people in the US, UK and Europe etc , meetings over a lot of timezones !!! Not unusual for his working days to start at 5.30 a.m and not finish until 7 p.m !!!

Diva x

 

[Caz]

That's the thing that I've realised. I can break the cycle, it's not this impossible thing, it's not written into my fate that I have to always be like this and that I have to pass it on. The most important part for me, I think, is realising that there is a cycle and it needs breaking. I've tried to talk to my mum about how she is recently but it doesn't really work. It's not that she doesn't listen or care, she just doesn't really realise how she is or what it's like. Every time she makes a comment about someone on TV or someone that we know, saying how they've put on weight or how great they look now they've lost weight or how great they WOULD look if they lost some weight, it makes me feel not good enough. Thankfully she doesn't do it so much lately or maybe I've learned to ignore it, I don't know. Either way, it's something that's stopping here.

Wow Diva, Mr D sounds like his job is just as bad as mine! Those are horrible hours. Back to school this morning and I'm completely dreading it. I'm probably making it even worse the more I think about it but I feel like it shouldn't be like this. I should look forward to going back, not spend half the night unable to get to sleep because I'm thinking about it and how I don't want to go back. I just know that when I go back the workload is going to hit again and so is the pressure, I've got to handle it better than I did towards the end of last term and not let things get behind so much, which means I need to work better and, if I'm honest, more effectively. I'm hoping that things will get better and it's just the fact that it's a difficult first year and that it was such a long Autumn term but I am looking at Plan B options. I'll finish the year but if it doesn't get better, I don't think I'll carry on after that. I know I'm not the only one thinking like this at the moment, not sure whether that makes me feel better about it, thinking that it's normal and will pass, or whether that just shows how truly bad a time it is to go into teaching, which everyone seems to keep telling me.

 

[MinnieMel]

Caroline the first couple of years teaching are the most difficult. Then you learn time management, can reuse a lot of your planning, and what works and what doesn't. By the third you -- you have it well in hand. Hang in there baby.

 

[Squeezyweezy]

Hope you have had a nice easy transition day back into work hun. x

 

[Caz]

We do a creative curriculum here, everything is based around a topic so all this planning will be useless next year! Everyone just seems so negative about teaching at the moment, think it's rubbing off on me. This morning's inset/training didn't much help but I'm feeling more positive now, getting my head around all the planning and what I'm going to do this term. At least it's a short term! 6 weeks until half term and then 4 weeks and 4 days until Easter!

I've decided to set myself some new years resolutions, I never normally do this kind of thing.

#1 - Get healthy
This year I want to get healthy, so that means losing the weight I want/need to lose and getting myself into a lifestyle that'll help me stay that way.

#2 - Get organised
I'm going to be more organised, particularly when it comes to school stuff. No letting things pile up and get on top of me. So I need to prioritise and battle through things.

#3 - Get effective
I need to start using my time more effectively so I'm going to stay at school until 5-6pm every day. I end up going home with the intention of working but I know that I work better at school. More focused and it's a better set up with a PC and everything I need here.

#4 - Get a work life balance and get happy
I'm going to stop stressing about the little things that really don't matter, or least try to. I'm going to try and stop guilt tripping myself every time I have an evening or weekend off school. I'm going to make the most of my free time and just try to enjoy things more.

Hopefully they'll work out. I think they're all achievable and I know what I need to do to achieve them which is the most important thing really.

 

[xsarahx]

Hi Caroline,

Stick in there! I always think of how positive and enthusiastic you are about teaching! My boyfriend is an NQT too and I know he feels the same sometimes with the planning and timing etc, the workload is huge, especially as an NQT. But... stick in there! You won't be at that school forever I'm sure, and so may end up elsewhere with a more standard curriculum where you will find the planning easier.

Staying at school sounds a good idea - when on placement, I know I do much more work if I do it in school than if I try to do it at home!

 

[Squeezyweezy]

They sound like fabulous and very doable resolutions Caroline.

 

[Aymz]

I really like your resolutions. They are very positive and achievable too. Might need to borrow some ideas from there lol.

 

[trisha]

I like the resolutions Caroline.

 

[Caz]

They're definitely doable and I'm going to prove it by doing them! Had a pretty productive afternoon, got home around half 6 and didn't get much done after that, though I planned to, due to some stuff going on. Will get it done tomorrow though.

H&M order came today. Remember I said about ordering the same pair of trousers in each size down to where I want to be? Well seems I should have ordered them all a size bigger! I didn't look at their size guide other than to see what a S/M/L was in sizes for a couple of other bits I ordered. A 12 there is like a 10 in Next and New Look, other places too. A 14 is really a 12 and so on. Needless to say the 18s that are really 16s aren't even close to fitting yet!

 

[MinnieMel]

H & M does run small. Can you order one size up?

Great resolutions! I'm glad you got loads done after school.

 

[Caz]

I could but I'd have to repay for postage. Long way off the biggest size now, is frustrating!

 

[MinnieMel]

I could but I'd have to repay for postage. Long way off the biggest size now, is frustrating!

When I did LL I didn't change sizes for ages (more than a stone off), then I whizzed through them. I went from a UK18 to a UK 8/10 in three months. But, it took five weeks on the VLCD before I dropped one trouser size. So, you'll get there.

 

[Caz]

Oh I know. I will get there. Eventually. Just wanted a pair that I was not far off fitting as motivation. Think the other few bits I bought will have to be goal clothes considering the small sizing.

School was actually ok today. Stayed til 6 and got a lot of marking done. Feeling a lot more comfortable driving these days, even in the dark, so don't really mind driving back later.

Weigh in day in tomorrow. Hope it goes well and this week has been worthwhile!

 

[MinnieMel]

Oh I know. I will get there. Eventually. Just wanted a pair that I was not far off fitting as motivation. Think the other few bits I bought will have to be goal clothes considering the small sizing.

School was actually ok today. Stayed til 6 and got a lot of marking done. Feeling a lot more comfortable driving these days, even in the dark, so don't really mind driving back later.

Weigh in day in tomorrow. Hope it goes well and this week has been worthwhile!

Fingers crossed for both of us!

 

[trisha]

Good luck for the WI tomorrow Caroline

 

[Caz]

Just a very quick post this morning as I'm running a little late! Will catch up on diaries tonight. I really struggled to get up this morning, managed to accidentally snooze my alarm for half hour, so tired! Looking forward to the weekend already lol

WI day today. Switched to lbs rather than kg now, that's what I usually work in but Aaron's scales were kg but he's changed them to lbs too.

Last week I weighed 256.3lbs

This week I weigh.... 246.2lbs!!

So that's a massive 10.1lbs that I've lost this week, far better than the 7-8lbs that I expected! Aaron still needs to weigh himself this morning (when he wakes up!) but he had a sneak peek last night and was only 0.2lbs above that so looks like he's maybe only a couple of lbs ahead of me. Has definitely made the past week worthwhile and reminded me that S&S is worth sticking too. Will be a small loss next week, always is, but still, I'm pleased with how it's going.

Right, must get dressed and off to work. Have a good day everyone.

 

[Squeezyweezy]

Massive well done Caroline. What a great result xxx

 

[Viva La Diva]

Well done !! That's a big loss !!


Diva x