Is it me?

I just recieved a magazine of photos from our Christmas party. I looked through it for a picture of me (I knew there'd be one as I was talking the photographer for a while). I couldn't find it - I had to look through again and then realised I'd been looking for my "old" face!

I'm still not used to this one, even though I see it every day somehow it doesn't feel like it belongs to me and I don't recognise it as me (unless it's in the mirror and I know it's me).

It's a very strange, disconnected kind of feeling - and it's even worse if it's my whole body and not just my face.

I wonder how long it will be before my head catches up.

Breaking the rules

How scared of that pancake do I look?

Love this photo, it seems to capture the moment.

Last night was the first time I broke a key one of my new diet rules - eating mindfully and slowly whilst sitting down. Normally, I don't eat on the run or stood up anyway, so it's not a hard one to keep - but pancakes are different. They have to be eaten hot from the pan, and you have to make them all in succession.

So the tradition in our house is to make a pancake and then eat it stood up in the kitchen whilst watching the next person make theirs. It makes for a very convivial evening, especially when things go wrong, but it does mean that you eat your pancake stood up (can't wait to get a table in the kitchen, then perhaps we could sit during the watching bit!).

Although having said that, I'm sure someone once told me that food doesn't count if you eat it stood up *myth alert*

Pancake Day

Pancake day is always celebrated in our house - although we don't always manage to get the date right! This year though, we did manage to do pancakes on the right day - this is me tossing a pancake for dessert.

At 85 calories each (with lemon and sweetener) I limited myself to 2, and skipped having any carbs with my dinner (which was just chicken and veg). So I still came in below my limit for the day, whilst still partaking in this great tradition.

Pandamonium

Just watching the program that was on last week about pandas (my favourite animal) and thought I'd share this old photo with you too!

This is in Chengdu panda sanctuary in China, back in 2002. The moral here is not to wear a white T shirt when having your photo taken with a panda - they're not really black and white at all, but a dirty creamy-grey. This panda loves apples, and was kept happy with this apple while I stroked him behind the ears.

It's just a shame my backpack wasn't bigger, or the two pandas in Edinburgh wouldn't be the only ones in the UK!

Old picture

I've just borrowed David's phone to download the picture of me from last night's caberet event and found this!

According to the date stamp, this is August 2010. To be honest, I didn't recognise me! Can't believe the size of my chest - it's no wonder I always got food down the front of my clothes!

Rubbish Week

This week has been rubbish - a real mix of highs and lows. On Monday I had a colleague up from London, so went out for dinner (Albert's Shed - how did you guess?). It was lovely, as ever. Reasonably on target too, since I had salad for lunch.

Then Tuesday I woke up with a banging migraine. So a day spent between bed and the sofa, with not much to eat other than a sandwich or toast. Wednesday I felt a bit better, so went to work, but felt just as bad by lunchtime so had to come home again. Thursday was a repeat of Tuesday. It's surprising how I fall back on straightforward carbs when I don't feel well. Partly because a sandwich is so comforting, but also because it's convenient and easy when you don't feel like cooking.

Started to perk up on Friday, and was out for dinner on Friday night. Cafe Rouge this time, and have to say I completely went off plan. A small salad for starters, but then steak and chips and a sundae. Totally naughty, but just what I felt like - which I suppose is OK as long as it's not too often.

On Saturday we had a family get together - it's big sister's big birthday next week, so a family lunch was the order of the day. This time though I did manage to stay close to plan - although I did have a few drinks. It was a lovely day, and I really enjoyed it. Then it was off out, to the Lowry for a caberet night - fabulous!

However, the scales are showing that the week was not good - so some work to do now to get back below target. Hey ho - that's what happens when you take your eye off the ball.

above and beyond

I got weighed this morning and I'm about 4 lb over my target weight - a combination of a week of feeling poorly and miserable (and relying mainly on carbs for food) and then a couple of days of very social activities - too much good food!

So, it's back to a lower calorie limit for a few days until I'm back below 12 st 4 - 1200 calories a day for 4 to 5 days should do it.

So as a start, tonight's dinner was a veggie chilli - weiging in at just 212 calories - that should get me back on track!