Sorus's Mulled Wine Musings

[Sorus]

Good to see you're still around Ozzie! Yes I've put you forward for honorary membership of the extremely exclusive 'Truckers Club'. Hope you don't mind.

I'm just back from having a load of needles stuck in my face. Can't believe what we (I) do for vanity. Started having Botox about 4 years ago cos my face was disintegrating at a fast pace of knots. I still feel 18 inside and when I look in the mirror I can't understand why I don't look it. It doesn't make sense!

About a year after my first injection of Botox I realised I hadn't had any migraines in that time. Previously I'd had one every 2 or 3 months. And they were beyond hellish. Nothing would touch them and I would bang my head against a wall - literally - hoping to die. I prayed to the patron saint of vomitting cos once I'd thrown up that's when the pain started subsiding.

I had a top up every 6 months and the fact the Botox zapped my wrinkles as well almost became a secondary benefit. But this winter I've been a bit strapped on the cash front so it's been 9 months since the last lot. Then last Friday I had a migraine. First one in 4 years. Vile, vile, vile. And I realised I would willingly pay ten times what Botox cost not to have another migraine.

So I've been zapped. The last time I went (had fillers as well that time) the Botox lady looked at my face whilst filling various chasms and crevices and said, 'gosh, I could just go on forever with your face.' Bless. Today she said, 'hmmmm.... your wrinkles really are very ingrained aren't they?' Not sure whether to kill myself now or wait till after tea.

Speaking of food - as we tend to do on this forum - I stuck to plan 100% yesterday and made sure I had fewer carbs. Feel better (as in lighter!) today though determined not to weigh myself again till official weigh day, next Tuesday.

For breakfast I had bacon, eggs, Joe's pork and apple sausages and tomatoes. For lunch I will be having left over mustard beef, baked sweet potato, carrots and broccoli. For tea I think I'm going to make a stewy soup or a soupy stew, depending on how much meat I decide to put in. Think I'll just put a little bit of meat and loads of veggies. I love putting sweet potato in stews - it seems to thicken a stew beautifully and gives it a really rich flavour.

Next week I'm in London for a couple of days. Daughter has an interview for university. Need to plan how the heck I'm going to eat sensibly!

 

[OzzieMoz]

Ooh hello! I saw that you had put me forward for the Truckers club and I don't mind at all - do I have to be a stereotypical trucker and be big and hairy and drink copious mugs of sugary tea? *No offence to truckers real or imaginary intended* I knew you would like CyberRuby's diary - I've been an avid reader for a while but an absent poster! I like her style! .... I must go post and tell her this As I was reading it though, I was thinking Sorus would like this! God, I'm good! .... and smug! ... and now apparently, big and hairy .... *no offence intended to truckers real or imaginary* .... ooh just had a thought *no offence intended to big and hairy people either* - dammit, perhaps I should just shut up!! I might have to resign from the Truckers club before I'm formally inaugurated

Botox - eh? You gave me a good giggle with the somewhat hurtful comments made by the Botox lady, you do have a way with words! To shamelessly steal an old joke, is her name Phyllis McCracken?

See if I were still in London we could have met up for tea and cake ... but without the cake. I want to go to London - waaaaaaaah :cry:Maybe later in the year or next year! I'm hoping :fingerscrossed:

Anyway, good luck with sticking to plan for the week! I always love the sound of what you're cooking!

Keep on Truckin' :character00182:

 

[Sorus]

Yes it is a pre-requisite I'm afraid - to be big and hairy for the Truckers Club I mean. I am big (ie lardy) and I am hairy (in that I have mad hair that usually looks like a bird's been nesting in it overnight.) The only thing you don't have to do is eat a Yorkie bar every 5 mins. It has to be a Muller light instead.

Had another 100% day yesterday. Actually I nearly always have 100% days when I'm at home. Don't think, apart from say Christmas, that I've ever had a day when I go over syns. I don't allow myself to get hungry enough so I'm tempted.

But when I eat out - that's the problem area for me. But being on plan 100% doesn't necessarily lead to weight loss for me. I have to watch the carbs as well, even though I know technically we're allowed vast portions of potatoes, rice, pasta etc, should we want them. Might have worked for me in my 20s but doesn't work now. So the past couple of days I've made an effort to cut down on those things a bit. And feel better for it.

Last night I tried a Pilates DVD. I ordered it in a panic cos I'd been humping furniture earlier this week and was astonished at how weak and pathetic I've become. It was a struggle lifting a sofa bed. With my OH I might add, not on my own! But still - I'm not quite 50 yet. I shouldn't be that incapable yet.

So Pilates DVD was ordered and my daughter and I moved the furniture back and did an 'easy' one. All you do is stand there and wave your arms about a bit. What could possibly be difficult about that? Well after ten minutes I noticed it was 8 o'clock and Masterchef was on so even though I record Masterchef on series link and can watch it whenever I want it suddenly seemed vitally important that I watch it right then.

So waving my arms about a bit was ditched in favour of watching a programme about food. There's no hope really.

 

[CyberRuby]

But when I eat out - that's the problem area for me. But being on plan 100% doesn't necessarily lead to weight loss for me. I have to watch the carbs as well, even though I know technically we're allowed vast portions of potatoes, rice, pasta etc, should we want them.

I relate to this SO much. I pretty much know that if I have a meal out, no matter how good the choices I make I will either not lose or I'll put weight on. So frustrating. The only exception I have found to this is going to my fave sushi place - I *love* sushi, and a plateful of raw fish and salad plus a bowl of miso soup hits the spot every time. My friends all know that I favour Japanese food now, so they'll usually oblige if we're going out!

Dear Ozzie - thank you for your lovely endorsement! You are so sweet.

I would like to apply officially for Truckers membership. I am thinking of changing my avatar to a pic of some 'truck nuts' - those plastic fluffy-dice equivalents that US truckers hang on the front of their lorries - but I'm afraid that might get me kicked off the site! ;-)

 

[Sorus]

Ha! You gave me the idea for my avatar CyberRuby. Thanks! I am now officially a hairy Trucker. I was going to have a Yorkie bar for my avatar but decided that would be too cruel and would only lead me to raiding the choccie drawer everytime I logged on. Yes I do actually have a choccie drawer. My dear son has to eat 200% more calories than a 'normal' 16 year old due to his CF - and he still remains distressingly skinny. So my house is always awash with Snickers bars, Kitkats, crisps, chocolate muffins, coffee cake and roast potatoes cooked in lots of fat (his favourite). I deserve a bloody medal for not being about 25 stone now I think about it.

Yes eating out is my downfall too. But I refuse to not go out. That would be defeating the whole point of, well, just about everything in my opinion! Would rather be a bit overweight and have a good healthy social life than stay at home just to avoid food. Can't see that that's going to teach me anything long term. The holy grail which I guess most of us on here are aspiring to is to find a balance.

So I tend to have a fairly sensibly chosen starter and main course, eschewing any bread that comes wafting in my direction and don't have a pud. Try to leave at least some of the potatoes that come with the main course. Unless I'm on a week's holiday of course in which case all the above is a load of rubbish and I completely ignore my own advice.

Wine is most definitely not eschewed if it is wafted in my direction. On holiday or otherwise. Especially if it happens to be a fine Shiraz.

Today I have had 42gm Bitesize Shreddies for brekkie (HexB and 2.5 syns). Had a Babybel light with a skinny cappo for elevenses. Have just had left over stew made with loads of veggies for lunch. (Delicious btw, must make this more often cos it hits the spot for zero syns and there's tons of it.)

For tea will be having rump steak with salad, mushrooms and SW chips. But not too many chips!

9 o'clockses will probably be a banana and/or FF yogurt.

 

[OzzieMoz]

"Eschewing" is now my word of the day. What a tremendous word and not one I hear/read every day. Marvellous!

LittleOzMoz made me laugh this morning as she came out to see me, bursting with excitement at an idea she'd just had ... "mum, mum, I've just had a brain blast!" so much nicer than a brainwave!

But I'm digressing - pretty much as per usual Loved your story about the pilates especially abandoning it in favour of Masterchef of all programmes!

Hope you're having a splendiferous weekend with evil included but in moderation. I want you back on the path of true goodliness! I have a theory, you may not be surprised to hear that I've got another one.... and it's a very worrying theory. You and I are in opposite hemispheres, you in the North, me in the South. If I lose more weight than you, then the world will rise .... if you lose more than me, then the world will sink! We will affect the solar system - dammit - there could be a catastrophe! We need to stay in balance man! It's a theory!

And on that bewildering note, I'm off!

 

[CyberRuby]

"Eschewing" is now my word of the day.

That is a truly splendiferous word!

Hope you're all doing okay - Sorus has gone quiet of late. Enjoying herself, I hope!

 

[Sorus]

Lol - yes I'm still here and still doing lots of eschewing. Of food my body doesn't need! Glad you're ok Ozzie even if it does sound like it's by the skin of your teeth!

I've been really busy but have stuck to plan pretty well. A cancelled event Sat night helped enormously. The event was going to be a bit of a carb-fest by the sound of it, but as it was cancelled last minute I roped the OH and the kids into making some low syn curries instead and they were gorgeous! Can thoroughly recommend stirring some microwaved sweet potato chunks into a heated up tin of Asda chick pea dahl for an incredibly quick curry. Took 5 mins in total I think! And everyone raved about it! Tonight I was mega stressed and didn't have time to cook so I had a Morrison's lamb shank in red wine and redcurrant sauce out of the freezer. Bought it by mistake thinking it was syn free but of course it's not - that's the ASDA one. Anyway it was absolutely vile and made me feel sick so haven't even thought about food (and I tend to do an awful lot of thinking about food) all evening. Couldn't even face my normal 9 o'clock yoghurt. So now I'm feeling fairly saintly and hoping for a reasonable loss when I weigh - ever so early - tomorrow.

Have to get up at 6 - groan - cos am going to London. Which means I will put yet more weight back on as will be eating in cafes etc for 3 days. Talk about 3 steps forward, 2.9 back at the mo! I'm starting to wonder if I'm ever going to get below 163 pounds, which is what I was just before I went on holiday. Oh well. It's a case of trucking on trucking on. As ever!

Normal service - posting wise - will be resumed at the end of the week hopefully. Hope everyone's doing well and feeling chilled.

 

[OzzieMoz]

Yo dog! <---- I've been watching American Idol and that is my Randy Jackson impression. It's really very unimpressive, but that's not going to stop me!

Hope you had a great time in London! You must tell me some London stuff and type in a London accent so I can feel all wistful and stuff - ahhhhh bless! Spare some coppers for a cup o' rosie, guv'nor?! I think my impression of Randy Jackson was better!

I know what you mean about the 3 steps forward 2.9 steps back, but to be fair you've had some events over the last couple of months that only happen once a year, like Christmas (thank god it's only once a year, actually, it would be thank god .... oooh I made myself laugh there!) and your Dad's birthday, and your walking group annual dinner thingo, and your holiday and now this beano up to London. As I've said before, you know full well, that when you do follow the plan, the weight comes off. If you can get a few straight weeks of just your usual socialising, which I know is important to you, then hopefully you can get ahead again with losing the poundage!

I can't find chickpea dahl here, I'm going to keep looking though as I've seen it mentioned a few times.

Anyway, hope you had a good pre-London trip WI and will catch up when you get back

 

[Sorus]

Yo dude! Yes am back from London with SW hat firmly back on in place. We had a fabulous time - daughter was almost sick with nerves for her interview but we heard on Friday that she's been offered a place! There were 600 applicants for 40 places so she's done terrifically well!

It was fab being back in London and although I seemed to spend an awful lot of time researching the finest tuna melt paninis the city has to offer I also did loads of walking too (I love walking in London) so I came back not feeling too humungous. Scales verify that - had only put on about a pound which is actually quite good for me!

Proper weigh day is tomorrow so will update stats then.

Just as I was thinking that my galivanting is over for a bit which means I can get my head down diet-wise along came a letter for my daughter from York university inviting her for an interview. Now she really, really wants to go to London, and as I said above she has a place - but I do think (and she agrees) that she should at least attend the inteview in York just to make sure she's making the right decision.

I could make her go on her own but part of me quite enjoys spending time alone with her while I can but on the other hand it's yet another 3 days away from home and diet (living in Cornwall means everything is a 2 or 3 day trip...) and it's also bleeding expensive! Any more interviews and I'll be bankrupt!

But that's a couple of weeks away yet so I'll worry about it then. Meantime I'm back to sticking to plan. Had shredded wheat for breakfast, and a bowl of pasta, tomatoes and taco beans for lunch. Tea is going to be I think lasagne which means rather a lot of pasta in one day. Oh bum. And tomorrow is weigh day. I usually try and avoid too many carbs the day before weigh day. That is seriously bad planning now I think about it!

But my son asked for lasagne for tea and as he has a maths GCSE exam today his wish is my command. It'll be a SW friendly one. Have bought garlic bread for him to go with it. Aaaargh!

 

[Sorus]

Morning world. Weigh day today and I am weighing exactly the same as last week. Which - I might add - I am dead chuffed about! Because last Tuesday I registered a 3lb loss and this last week I've been away for 3 days. I am still not quite back to where I was before my holiday though!

So now I'm on a push to get to 162lbs (I am 164.5 at the mo) which will mean I will have lost exactly 20lbs. And we humans do love our round numbers!

Still not sure if we're going to York or not in a couple of weeks. Part of me really hopes we're not (have just checked bank statement...) so that I could then have a Big Push till Easter. But then when I start thinking like that I realise I'm losing the plot. Life is too short and having time away with my children is far more important than losing a couple of pounds slightly quicker than I would have if I hadn't gone. IYKWIM.

Meanwhile will at least start the Big Easter Push. Today I have had a Joe's sausage for breakfast with bacon, eggs and tomatoes. For lunch will have left over lasagne and salad (BritMum's recipe but minus the sweet potato - was absolutely yummy) and for tea am having chicken with garlic and lemon (another BritMum recipe!) with veg and SW roast potatoes.

Feeling incredibly lethargic today. Was yesterday too. Don't know what's wrong with me. Could quite happily crawl back to bed despite gorgeous sunshine. Don't like feeling this way. I need a massive kick up the backside. Haven't had any proper exercise for ages - that's probably it. Have got out of the habit somehow. Need to change that pronto. Might go for a brisk walk/jogette. If only I could summon the energy to get off my fat arse.

 

[Sorus]

Feeling a bit fed up at the moment. My own fault - I've not been trying any new recipes and consequently have become a bit bored. Yesterday - shock, horror - I succumbed to a cream tea. Well it was rude not to. Had just walked 8 miles with my walking group and one of the members was 70 (he looks younger than me which is a tad disconcerting) and he laid on tea and cakes for everybody. God that scone with jam and cream was totally divine.

I seem to be totally stuck round about the 165 pound mark. Again - all my own fault. Have lost that newbie enthusiasm. Need to get some from somewhere.

But - I have signed up to the Sport Relief Run a Mile thingy. Even I can just about run a mile! It's Eddie Izzard's fault. I followed his run on Twitter last summer and was totally in awe of his achievement then. Now, to see it on telly is even more awe inspiring. So I thought blinking heck - he's only 2 years younger than me and he ran over 1000 miles in 49 days. Or something like that. Surely I can run a mile!

I've managed to rope my OH in too. I don't think he has ever run anywhere in his life, even as a small boy. So this should be, um, interesting. Is Falmouth ready for the flab fest that will be wobbling through its streets a week on Sunday?

 

[Sorus]

I have made myself a star chart. Embarrassing as it is to admit I do seem to respond like a 5 year old to a nice orderly star chart pinned up in the kitchen. In my case though it's actually a tick chart as I don't have any stars.

And on this tick chart are 3 catagories: 15 mins Pilates, a one mile run and 15 mins writing. Per day. The first one is because I am seizing up. My joints aren't doing what they're supposed to do half the time. This is a panic situation cos if I'm like this now wtf am I going to be like when I'm 70? 80?! It's scary.

The 2nd one is because I've signed up for the Sport Relief thing. I ran one mile on the treadmill yesterday - which for me, because I run at the speed of an arthritic tortoise, is equivalent to 3 tracks on the ipod. The running is for my sanity. Vigorous exercise keeps me - just about - this side of being locked up under Section 28 of the Mental Health Act.

And the writing? Well it's all drivel but for some reason that helps keep me sane too. I have to force myself to do it but when I do it I enjoy it. Much like exercise really! Why do we avoid doing the things we love doing? I've never been able to work that one out!

Yesterday I had 2 poached eggs on wholemeal pitta for brekkie, beef and veggie stir fry for lunch and a huge chilli (sans rice - am trying to cut down on carbs a bit) for tea. Snacks included Activia FF yoghurt, apple, banana and the odd nibble of M&S deli chicken strips.

Today for brekkie I had shredded wheat bitesize (HexA and 3 syns cos I need an amount - visually - that does more than merely cover the bottom of the bowl) and for lunch I have had left over chilli. I always put tons of peppers and pulses in my chilli so the meat is actually quite a small proportion.

Tonight I am having dinner out to celebrate my daughter's offer from City uni (any excuse basically) and will be eating more or less what I want but without a pudding. Life is too short to order lettuce for starter with a main course of more lettuce and a side of lettuce. In my opinion.

 

[OzzieMoz]

I want a star chart now! I'm feeling green with envy ... actually, since I'm starting a few red days, I should try feeling red with envy - it doesn't really work though! Thinking about it, I'm also feeling like the incredible hulk today... again a green thought .... maybe green is really my colour!

You don't write drivel incidentally, you write words of wisdom. You might like to take this statement with a pinch of salt though as it's me that's making it and what do I know about wisdom, and you know I know heaps about drivel! Could drivel be a specialist subject on mastermind? We'd wipe the floor with the other contestants!

Hope you enjoyed your dinner out with your girly and I totally agree with you about eating out. My OH just isn't one to go out to dinner so it's never really an issue for me. I would sacrifice dessert for a yummy starter .... mmmm! I want to go out for dinner now .... although technically as it's not yet 9am, it's a bit early for dinner! I've not even had brekkie yet ....

Anyway, now is the time where you usually do well because I'm doing badly, and when you don't do so well, is when I succeed. Strange that! So by my reckoning, you should have a good loss this week! Yayy!

Keep on truckin' :character00182: Parp! Parp!

 

[Sorus]

Thank you Ozzie, for your words of encouragement! Badly needed at the mo!

Fed up. Really really fed up. Weight not going anywhere that even vaguely resembles a downward direction. All my own fault. I'm just fed up with the diet at the moment. Don't know why. I know I've got to try different things. Maybe do what Ozzie is doing - ie trying red for a bit.

Yesterday my daughter cooked a gorgeous meal for Mother's Day lunch. Now normally I'd relish the main course and would just about manage to avoid the pudding. But not yesterday. I just didn't fancy anything savoury. Just wanted something sweet. The opposite of how I am normally!

Well this morning I have the reason why. I woke up with a really bad sore throat and feel rubbish, so my craving for something sweet was because I had a funny taste in my mouth due to coming down with a bug.

That's a long way of saying I had 4, yes 4, pieces of the incredibly delicious orange and almond cake my daughter made for pudding yesterday. With caramel and Grand Manier syrup. Flambeed. There is still some left. It is staring at me. Calling to me. It knows my name.

Jeez - I've got to get a grip. I am STILL not down to the weight that I was before I went on holiday. A month ago!

Think I'll go and read some food diaries and get some inspiration. Thought I might try a homemade pizza tonight using the base as my HexB. With lots of salad. Now is that meant to be on the plate or on a side plate for the diet to 'work'? And should I leave a third of my plate empty where the salad should be if I have it on a side plate? Should the side plate be 6" or 8"? Patterned or plain? Should I have the salad before, during or after the pizza? What if there is some chopped apple in the salad? Does that mean it doesn't count towards my third superfree because it's fruit? Will I have ruined the diet?

I am so loving that thread!

 

[OzzieMoz]

OMG - I sometimes eat out of a bowl - what does that mean? have I ruined everything - won't someone please think of the children?!?!? It's an entertaining yet somehow frustrating thread.

I've almost finished my 2nd red day - still slightly flummoxed by it but I believe it's working. I haven't weighed myself but I have a good feeling about it all. My system just needs a shake up. Maybe you're right and should give it a whirl.... and then you can tell me what you eat and I can copy you

I think it's frustrating that it was much easier to lose weight when I was younger, don't know if the same was true for you. Now it's a real slog. I enjoy the food I'm eating, so that isn't the problem, I think it's the fact that I have to be so aware of food all the time, that I'm finding a bit tedious after 5 months of this. But I did the crime, so I must do the time! We'll get there Sorus, slowly but surely we'll get there. We'll probably have some mad interludes along the way but we'll recover from them. That is my belief. Here endeth the lesson for today. Amen.

Incidentally, that dessert sounds lovely! I want some *stamps foot*

 

[OzzieMoz]

Actually, just realised by strange and painful coincidence I too developed a sore throat yesterday evening and it's worse today. Feels like sandpaper and broken glass in my throat. Just ignoring it and hoping it goes away!

 

[Sorus]

A bowl? You put your third superfree in a bowl?! You do realise the diet won't work at all now, don't you Ozzie? I really think you need to rethink things.

 

[CyberRuby]

What's this epic thread of nonsense I have missed?!

And where can I find this home made pizza recipe of which you speak, Sorus? I do get pizza cravings quite regularly.

Hope your throat is better this avo.

x

 

[Sorus]

The home made pizza recipe was a thread somewhere on the main forum. I think the gist of it is you can use 57g of wholemeal bread bake mix to make the base and use as 2 HexB's. Then add loads of free toppings. Wish I felt like cooking cos it would make a change and I quite fancy a pizza too.

The epic and entertaining thread was just that - very entertaining! Did you know that you have to have your third superfree on a separate plate for the diet to work but if it's 3 days either side of a full moon it's ok to have it on your plate? Or something like that.

I have been in my sick bed today. Feeling utterly rubbish. Sore throat, temperature, yuk, yuk, yuk. CR informed me via Twitter (thank god for iPhones et al when you're stuck in bed) that it was OK to eat ice cream when your throat's sore. In fact it's the law. So I did.

It was my weigh day today and I did stagger out of bed for that. To be informed by my annoyingly accurate scales that I've put on half a pound. Not overly surprised, I have to say.

So I'm a tad fed up at the mo. Fed up with feeling sh!te, and fed up with being on about week 1037 of a plateau. Maybe I need to relax for a bit. I agree totally with Ozzie who says she's fed up with always thinking about the diet. Sorry, plan.

Yes, EE is very, very easy. (If you ignore certain threads...) But you still can't get away from the fact you can't just eat what you like. That would be defeating the whole object and is how I got fat in the first place. But it would be nice to have a couple of weeks off plan. Not off off plan, if you see what I mean, just slightly off plan. ie not worrying about it, not thinking about it, just being sensible.

Maybe I'll try that. After I've finished the tub of ice cream.