Eggs

If you want something quick and easy and tasty and full of goodness for dinner (or lunch or breakfast), I highly recommend this: Baked Eggs. Damn fine. I changed the recipe around a bit – I put a layer of rocket and spinach on the bottom, then the eggs, then tomato and leek and parmesan on top.

It was damn fine. I think this will be a regular item on my menu. I had it with pumpkin and carrot mash and a slice of soy linseed bread. It also gives me a chance to use my pretty red ramekin that I got myself as one of my weight loss rewards (and have never used since).

Blood

I had my blood tests this morning. Damn it though, I had to wait in pathology until almost 10 o’clock and couldn’t eat until they’d sucked my blood out. I got out and ran into the cafe next door for a plate of scrambled eggs. How do people skip breakfast?

Tonight I had some of my writing workshopped in class. Usually I enjoy this – after all, it’s all about me – but tonight it was blah! My teacher always seems to stuff up photocopying my work. He’s stuck in some early part of the 20th century and doesn’t understand new fangled technology. Then everyone said my chapter was better *before* I rewrote it. I don’t agree so I’m sticking with my changes but it’s disheartening to hear that. I guess it’s because the changes work better within the context of the whole novel but they don’t what comes next. Still, it’s the first chapter so I want it to be perfect.

Lately I’ve been craving fish which is wack because I don’t eat fish, ever (well except for deep fried and battered flake). I might try some for lunch tomorrow. The fish shop near work does scallop kebabs. That could be yum. Just have to check out the fat content.

Focus

I’m totally focused today. I have goals and things… and have made me some decisions.

Firstly, Michelle got me all inspired with her talk of the Sydney City to Surf. I’d been thinking about this earlier in the year but then put it on the back burner. Now I’m all fired up and ready to go (pity it’s not until August cos I might be a bit early). Hopefully I’ll be able to get a cheapo flight next week and I’ve organised my accomodation (thank you, sister).

I’ve also been thinking of another race – the Melbourne Marathon. Not the whole thing, just the Half. I’m not crazy. I figure it’s not until October and I can do it.

So that’s the plan. The City to Surf in August and the Half Marathon in October. I wanted to go down to Tassie for the Burnie 10 (and to see my mummy) but it’s on the weekend after the Melb Marathon so I don’t think it will be happening. I also want to do a couple of shorter runs in between. Woohoo – I love having something to work towards and I really want to complete the City to Surf in under 100 minutes.

I had my first personal training session today – it went well but I’ll see how I feel tomorrow. Mainly we chatted about my goals and issues and we are going to work mostly on weights (that’s the area I slack off most in) but my trainer has done some marathon training so I’ll be picking her brain about that as well.

She did pick up on one interesting thing – I have this weird thing where I can’t open my legs very wide. Kinda stupid and embarassing but I didn’t think any more of it. She thinks it might be the cause of my back pain last year – when I walk my hips and back take most of the load rather than my glutes. I’m going to get the doctor to check it out next time I go.

Sunday

I got on the scales this morning – egad, up to 2 kgs! I nearly died then I remembered my sister and I made some very salty popcorn last night. I’ve been trying to drink buckets of water today to flush my system out.

I went for a run today. It always takes me so long to get motivated on Sundays – I sit around thinking about it for ages when I should just get out and do it. I guess having a lazy Sunday morning doesn’t hurt though.

For a while I debated going into the gym but the weather was so nice I wanted to run outside, plus it would waste an hour plus getting trams on a Sunday. Instead of my normal, boring track, I decided to run along the Merri Creek towards Collingwood (about 8.5 – 9 km). I haven’t done that in ages and had forgotten how many hills there are!

I couldn’t really get into it today and kept stopping to walk. I really had to push myself. I guess I’m still getting back into it after being sick but I expect myself to be able to be better than ever. I don’t think all the squats I did the other day helped either.

On the way, I found a public toilet that had real toilet paper in it. Woohoo – doesn’t take much to make me happy.

I felt really washed out and exhausted – I hadn’t eaten much so I think that’s why.

I had the yummest dinner tonight – I made Suzy’s Chicken Kiev recipe – which totally rocks. I didn’t roll it in breadcrumbs (oops) but it really didn’t need it. And I used ricotta instead of Laughing Cow cheese. The parmesan on top is a real winner. My fave thing to do with kiev is chop up some potato into thin slices and cook it in the same tray. I also steamed some carrot and spinach but forgot to check the bottom water and burnt my saucepan.

I definitely feel better with all that protein in my belly.

Pumpkin Sage Pasta Sauce

I made my favourite pasta sauce tonight and thought I’d share it if anyone wants the recipe. Ages ago, I got one of those pasta sauces in a jar and it was magically delicious but when I read the ingredients, I realised it would be so simple to make myself so this is my version:

Saute some onion, garlic (heaps) and capsicum (I do this in stock) then add a heap of chopped pumpkin, grated carrot and a can of tomatoes. I usually use enough so my frypan is full (that’s about as technical as I get). Sprinkle dried sage over the top.

Cook until the vegies are really soft. You can blend it if you have a blending thing or keep it lumpy. Tonight I just have it a bash with the spud masher. Add in a tablespoon of low fat ricotta per person. Serve over pasta – I use and recommend the homemade pumpkin gnocchi from Preston Market.

Is it wrong to have a pumpkin sauce with pumpkin gnocchi, cos if it is, I don’t ever want to be right.

Last night I wore my sexy new dress. I didn’t pick up but I think I got a few ogling looks. We took even more photos (the memory in my sister’s new photo is now full) but we still haven’t worked out how to get them off the phone. It was my sister’s birthday last night – the real reason we went out although showing off my dress was reason enough.

We wanted to go to dinner but weren’t sure where, then on the tram on the way home from the gym, I got a brain wave. FAJITAS!

There’s a Taco Bill nearby so we went there. Luckily we didn’t realise it was margarita happy hour until we were leaving or I’d still be in a coma. I think I’m going to make my own fajitas this week – they are so easy and delicious.

Then we went over to St Kilda, more drinks (cosmopolitians = yum) then off to the Prince to see the Beasts of Bourbon. Oh boy, were they great! Tex Perkins cracks me up so much.

I think I’m going to quit drinking now for the next few weeks though. Those booze calories soon add up. Luckily I did a killer session at the gym before I went out – running on the treadmill with some HUGE hills. I also did leg weights and realised the reason I get sore in the wrong muscles when I do leg curls is that I have the weight set too low – I end up using the momentum and get sore calfs instead of gluts. I also did a heap of squats with those killer pulses. I love to torture myself.

I made a workout plan for the week yesterday and today’s exercise was a long run. What was I thinking? After all those hills and squats yesterday, there was no running to be done today. I didn’t want to go into the city to the gym but was feeling like I needed to exercise so ended up at the pool for a swim. I haven’t been swimming in months. To be honest, swim bores me. But I decided to have race laps against myself to make it interesting. I’m not going to post my lap times because I’m the slowest swimmer ever – it would be humiliating.

Tonight’s plan is Buffy dvds and maybe some popcorn. I’ve been trying to think of interesting popcorn toppings. I found a recipe that used pizza seasoning so I’m going to get me some of that for next time. Any other good ideas?

Speaking of Buffy, since my reward when I get to goal is the complete Buffy box set, today while I was swimming I decided to make motivational posters. These are some of the ideas (bad pun warning):

- Get Buff
- Become Willowy
- Spike those kilograms…
- Be a calorie Angel…
- Do you really need those kilo-Giles?
- Resisted the chocolate. Good Anya!
- Have Faith that you can do this!
- Keep that food out of your (hell)mouth!

All with appropriate pictures of course.

Weigh In – 72.3

Damn it, up 200 grams this week. I think that was caused by my boozing last Friday as well as going out for a pasta dinner on Monday. Next week I’ll be in the 71s.

I want to do a three week blitz. My friend’s party is in three weeks time and I want to be at my goal (70 kg) by then. It’s going to be tough but I reckon I can do it. For the next three weeks I’m going to:

* Do at least 5 cardio workouts a week – try to do these in the morning.
* Do 3-4 weights workouts a week
* Increase incidental exercise – walk to or from work every day (weather permitting).
* Do 1-2 yoga workouts a week

* Stay within my 1250 calorie limit
* Stick to healthy snacks
* Cut back on carbs (I’m eating far too many carbs at the moment)
* Drink more water and green tea
* Cut back from a large morning cofee to a regular (was going to cut this out but I can’t)
* Eat less at night

* Go to bed at a reasonable time

Also, I’ve booked in to see a personal trainer on Monday. I’ve been thinking about it for a while and, last night at Spin, the instructor said if anyone wanted to talk to her after class she’d organise a comp session. Woohoo! I’m not sure if I’ll like her as a PT though – she’s American and very ra-ra. It bugs me in Spin class but I’ll see how I go.

I’m off to see the Beasts of Bourbon tonight. I’m wearing the pretty new dress. I went shopping last night to get a new bra to wear with it and ended up having a bit of a spree. I got a new moisturiser and hair dye, some long sleeved tops and a nice, warm, snuggly cardigan.

My sister took heaps of pics of me in my new dress last night. I’ll post them as soon as she works out how to get them off her new phone.

Dress

I picked up my dress off layby today. It’s so hot. I never want to take it off but I think I should to cook dinner. Photos to follow.

Tonight I did my first full on gym session since I got sick. It was good to get in there and get all sweaty. I did intend to stick around for boxing class but decided picking up the dress was more important.

When I got home, an invitation had arrived for my friend’s birthday. He’d emailed me earlier in the year – kind of a pre-invitation notice. We have hardly spoken in the last four or five years so it’s going to be a weird night. Pity I don’t have a hot date to drag along with me.

Stuffed

My sister was in town tonight from Sydney so we went out to dinner – me, both my sisters and my son. Ended up at the Spagetti Tree on Bourke Street. It was delish and I had a relatively healthy dinner but just ate too much. My belly isn’t used to all this food.

After dinner, my sister complained because she can’t eat much any more without feeling full. Then she remembered she’d had a late afternoon tea – 2 donuts and croissant. Mmmm, funny that she could only have an entree for dinner.

I’m going to try to get up early tomorrow and go for a run before work. If I don’t manage that, I’ll walk to work. I’m getting so frustrated with the lack of opportunities to exercise at the moment but I learnt something good today. I never go to morning classes at my gym cos they are on at 6.15. Screw that – I can’t start work before 9.00 so I’d have heaps of time to kill even if I managed to get there that early. But, Melbourne Central has 6.45 classes. I reckon I could manage that. Maybe.

Love

On Friday night my sister and I had to wait around for a tram to the city so we browsed through some of the local shops. I found a dress I loved – red with white polka dots – and decided I’d go try it on later this week when I got paid.

Today, on my way home from the city, I couldn’t wait. I went in and tried it on. It is the most fantastic dress and I fell totally and utterly in love with. Since I have no cash, I popped it on layby. No one else is getting their grubby paws on MY dress. I can’t wait until payday now.

The rest of Friday night rapidly descended into debauchery. We went to see a friend who works at a bar in the city and the shooters flowed freely, in all senses of the word. The rest of this week, I’ll be in damage control mode. I don’t want to think how many calories can be packed into one of those tiny glasses.

ps. I went back to the gym today for the first time in over a week. I only did a half hour hill run on the treadie at a slighly lower intensity than I normally use. I thought about doing some weights as well but figured it was better to leave feeling like I could have done more than getting all sick again. I ended up walking most of the way home afterwards so I had a pretty good workout.

I don’t know when I’ll get back in there again – I have dinner with my sisters tomorrow, writing class on Tuesday plus I have to do some extra work at a second job this week. I might try for some morning sessions or walk to work to make sure I’m burning some calories.

I need to get to goal – I have the complete Buffy collection to buy!

Weigh In – 72.1

Woohoo, lost 1.2 kgs this week. That leaves a mere 2.1 kgs to go. It’s within my sights now. I can’t believe I lost that much when I haven’t been able to exercise all week but I have been extra careful with what I’ve eaten. I think too that for the past few weeks I’ve believed that I *can’t* lose weight without going to the gym so I’ve not been focused whereas this week I changed that around and decided to do the best I could. No extra treats, no biscuits, no snacking at night.

One thing I want to do this week is cut out the diet coke. I’ve been getting stomach pains and I think it’s the diet coke that is causing it.