Thought for the Day

Complete Body Fitness.... its not a lie

I am back from my first bootcamp with Complete Body fitness.  I am pooped... as I said earlier, I tried so hard to think of some valid reasons not to go - hayfever, sure I can't be in the pollen.  Ah but the class is in doors. In door's you say?  Sure aren't I allergic to dust! Eh, no your not.

I had an internal monologue such as the above for about 20 minutes. In fact I'd wager I burned half tonights calories just thinking of reasons not to go - such was the energy I put into it. Eventually I got up and went. Thankfully I was clever enough to avoid the couch altogether or I'd have never made it out.

I got to the class and felt all shy and unfit, as you do.  Especially when all these waif like ladies were hopping about the place. But, in all fairness, Alan the Complete Body Fitness boss, was really lovely and welcoming.  It also turns out that one of the waifs was really nice to me and buddied up with me to do the cuicuts. And she's being doing it for a year so here's hoping she was like me when she started out and I end up like her!!!

That's where all the nice stuff ends. 

Oh sweet devine baby jesus... thats what I kept saying over and over throughout the whole thing. And I am pretty sure that his clock and timers are wrong. There's no way that hour was a real hour.  It had to be some sort of vodoo hour cause it was long.

I was sweating in places I didn't even know I could sweat. My sweat was sweating.  At one point he told us to get a drink - I couldn't hear him over the sound of my blood pounding in my ears... at another point we had to sit on a trampoline holding our legs up and a weight at our chest. Lets just say if it wasn't a trampoline I don't think I'd have got up. I used the springs to get some momentum going to propel me to my feet!!

The class was good. Even if I do know that I will be hardly able to move tomorow.  Himself has promised to run me an ice bath tomorrow evening.  For the first time in my life that actually sounds delightful!

Here's to feeling the burn!!!!

Week 4; Day 3

It's week 4 and Day 3. Today is the day that I start my bootcamp.  I have spent the last 2 hours trying to think of reasons not to go. So far, I can't actually think of any reason that doesn't make me look lazy. Because the truth of the matter is, even though I know exercise is a way of being healthy, I sure wish it wasn't!

I will take my measurements this evening and at the end of my two classes a week for four weeks I will retake them and see if theres any changes...

Feel the burn!

In Memory of my Godfather

On the 27 June 2007 my Godfather was diagnosed with a fatal brain tumour. We were told that he had 12 to 18 months to live.  Two weeks later, they told us that he had six months to live. 

He took his last breath on the 18 July 2007.

Our family lost a character.  He wasn't perfect, by any stretch of the imagination.  He was flawed but he was beautiful.  He had weaknesses, namely the horses and the drink, but he was wonderful in his own right.

My Godfather was never a constant presence in my life.  He would come in and out of it from time to time, always leaving me with the feeling that he was proud to be my Godfather.

I would love to say that he is in my thoughts and I feel the loss of him every day since he passed, but that would not be true.  Just as it was during his life, he comes in and out of my thoughts and I feel the loss of him randomly.

In the weeks leading up to his death we all, as a family, tried to spend as much time with him as we could. Some of my favourite memories of him are of us laughing in Beaumount at one thing or another. Mostly at my Godfather and Himself joining forces and slagging me off.  One of his favourite things to say to me was "what did I ever do to deserve a godchild like you"... depending on what had happened in the previous moments depended on whether he meant it in a good or not so good way!!

His death was one of the saddest things that has ever happened in my life. Even now, 6 years on, I feel an ache in my heart when I think of that time. His funeral was the day before the release of the last Harry Potter book. It was the first time in years that I hadn't gone to a late night book store and bought a Harry Potter new release at mid-night. I bought that last book the morning after his funeral. I read that last book quicker than I have ever read any other book – it took me 10 hours in total. When I bought the book, I got into bed and told Himself that if anyone rang for me, called to the house or wanted to speak to me I was not available.  I was sick, out of action or whatever it was he wanted to tell them. I lay in my bed and avoided the reality of his death by immersing myself in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. And when I woke the next day, I hid in that book again. And again. And again. The thought of trying to face the reality of his death was just too hard to take.

But that was 6 years ago now. The ache is still there, but not as raw. When I gave his eulogy, I said that a family is a chain, each person a link that makes it stronger, but now that chain is broken. And that is the truth.  My family and I are blessed. We are lucky enough to still have our beautiful, strong (physically, mentally and emotionally) Grandmother (or Mother, or Great-Grandmother, depending on where you come in the family!) still with us at the grand old age of 85.  She is made of the stuff that role models should be made of and she is the kind of woman I want to be when I grow up.  My Godfathers death made me realise how quickly everything can change. Literally in a heartbeat. And it made me appreciate the family I have and the time we get to spend with one another.

Today, I think of my wonderful Godfather and I smile. I smile at his memory, I think of how much he would have loved to see me get married. I remember how he promised he would be there on my wedding day. I hope that he was.

Some people have a specialness about them that allows you to forgive them and love them unconditionally. He was one of those people.

Godfather, if I could have just one more day with you I would make you steak and chips, I would have one more drink with you and I would ask you, what did I ever do to deserve a Godfather like you?

Thought for Today

I need to remember this. ..

Week 3 - The Result

This weeks result... funny story really. I, eh, sort of chickened out of going to my class.  I have discovered this weekend that I am an almighty scardey cat who sometimes cannot face things head on. The Soul Crusher being one of them things I cannot face. Now in my defence, a rather weak defence but a defence nonetheless, I am not feeling very well. The hayfever has taken a bit of a turn for the worse and I appear to have developed a cough that you could liken to a cough of a 60 a day smoker. Feckin pollen will be the death of me.

Pathetic defence, I know, but I just didn't have the heart to go through with a weigh in.

As punishment for my lack of commitment I have signed up to a 2 nights a week for 4 weeks bootcamp. Every Monday and Wednesday for the next 4 weeks I will be putting myself to work!

Week 3 was a washout but week 4 will be amazeballs

Week 3 - Weigh Day

It's weigh day. Once again I consider the point that having my weigh day on a Monday is not really helping me behave at the weekend and is actually contributing to high stress levels! I was very good all week, except for the occasional slip and indulging in the odd ice cream here or there. I mean, it's hot, very bloody hot and one needs to cool down with ice cold treats! But the weekend came along, and while I was good with food, I was brutal, and I mean brutal, with drink.

I had my wonderful friend over for dinner on Saturday night. I made us the diet coke chicken, fast becoming a signature dish, and syn free fried rice. I also made a skinny eton mess for dessert and, even if I do say so myself, it was all very tasty. So far so good. But then I had some wine and the booze hound in me came bounding across country, ears flapping in the wind, howling and foaming at the mouth. God I love the wine. It was a lovely Merlot I was having. Delicious, and convenient too because you don't have to go to the bother of chilling the stuff. Sure if it took your fancy you could happily drink it from the bottle off the shelf in the store. This is obviously not deemed socially acceptable behaviour and you would most likely be arrested, so I wouldn't encourage you to do this – just because you could, doesn't mean you should.

 

After a couple of glasses of this fine wine the good girl in me up and left and in her stead was the master of the booze hound, The Muncher! I wasn't as bad as I usually am, but I did make my way through a lot of nachos and salsa dip – could have been worse. It could have been the spicy cheese dip…

 

I awoke on Sunday morning feeling surprisingly fresh, with a tongue coated in tortilla chips and a thirst on me that would slay a dragon. I think the heat (of course it was the heat) had me dehydrated. I must have drank about 3 litres of water before breakfast!! Awaking Sunday morning did not send the booze hound back to her kennel… oh no! She was free and roaming around unsupervised and getting into all sorts of trouble.  I was going to see Mumford and Sons in the park and myself and himself headed off into the city centre to watch the Dubs beat Meath (GAA football teams to those who don't know! Don't ask me anything else about the GAA, because I know nothing!) and sure we had a few drinks while we were there. And fish in batter. And chips. And no veggies at all at all. And when we went to the concert, sure there were a few more drinks had. As well as a mighty fine time!

I did try to prepare for my weekend. I went walking a couple of times last week. And I like to think that all the buck leaping around the place last night burned at least some of the calories off. I mean, surely it counts for something? But nothing, and I mean nothing, could prepare me for the dirty big beef curry and fried rice that I got from Charlies 3 on the way home from the concert.  I went in to that place and I knew that I wanted chicken and blackbean sauce and boiled rice.  That's what I decided on before I got there, that's what my lips formed to say but then BAM! Out of my mouth pops the words "beef curry and egg fried rice please"… I had to run away and let himself pay for it because I could feel the words "and a spring roll too" escaping my wayward lips.

I don't care. It was worth it.

So weigh day is here.  Animal Control have found the booze hound and locked her up, for now. I am eating fruit and veggies like no body's business.  I know that the weekend I am recovering slowly from is not going to make me happy when I approach TSC (the soul crusher).

Wish me luck…

Poking Fun at it All

Thought for the day

Actually it is more like wish for the day...

This is the cruise ship called "The World" and it has 130 permanent residence apartments on it. And I want one.

So if anyone wanted to purchase me one of these apartments I would be ever so grateful!!! No? Guess ill just have to dream

Thought for Today

Week 3 day 1

I have made an appointment to see the doctor.  The time has come. I have spent the last three days of this glorious heat wave hidden in doors, with curtains drawn and windows shut for fear of the outside getting in. I can literally see the pollen banging the door down demanding entry so that it can attack my senses! Sure I ran down to the bin this evening and I was covered in the feckin stuff.  Now as I go to bed I am sneezing, wheezing and snotting all over the place! Lets just say himself isn't seeing me at my most desirable!

So instead of taking advantage of this wonderful weather to go walking or even sitting on the balcony overdosing on Vitiman D, I sit inside like a snotty vampire. ..

Week 3 has gotten off to a good start.

The plan this week is to move more. Once I get my doc to hit me up with some decent anti histamines ill be laughing all the way around the park!!!

Thought for Today

Week 2 - The result

I actually nearly backed out of going to the class today.  That's how badly I thought I did!!! But it was actually ok, not great, but ok. I didn't loose anything and I didn't gain anything. That my friends is ok...

So I shan't be winning slimmer of the week this week but next week I will! I just need to be extra good this week and have a good idea of how I am going to make it through next weekend which is filled with catching up with my buddy and going to see Mumford and Sons in the Phoenix Park with himself!!!

Any tips, please fire them this way!

Week 2 - Weigh Day

I think help is definitely required for tonight's weigh in.  As usual, all day long I'm feeling confident with what I have achieved, but as soon as I am a couple of hours away from getting up on TSC (the soul crusher) my nerves kick in, my confidence runs away screaming like horror film victim and I morf into Doubting Thomas.  Every glass of wine, bottle of beer and fizzy cola bottle that I consumed this weekend comes back to haunt me. And I mean every one of them...

I was at my cousin's wedding on Friday.  It was the first wedding I have been to since my own, exactly 3 months to the day! It was very exciting. Extra exciting because I remember how she felt at every stage. Plus, I am a fairly over excitable individual so my knowledge of how one feels the morning of ones wedding culminated in my being awake at 6am wondering if I could change my hair appointment to 8am.... It was a wonderful day. She was utterly gorgeous, as were her bridesmaids and the groom, of course! My cousin has a wonderful understated elegance about her at all times, and this was present in bucket loads on Friday.

Shame I can't say the same for her booze hound cousin... the booze hound being me. I really don't believe that I deserve the hangover I got from the wedding.  I was very well behaved, by usual standards anyway! I only had two glasses of wine with dinner, which I watered down with diet 7up.  And I stuck to beer the whole day.  I spent much of the night dodging another cousin of mine who has a tendency to lead me astray, the 'astray' path usually being copious amounts of Jagermeister, tequila, sambucca... you get the picture!  Regardless of my careful avoidance of this favourite of my cousins, I ended up with a hangover from hell.  I am pretty sure that this came from Satans Pandora's box of hangovers.  I lay on the ground at one point and pleaded for a bullet / rusty knife / bludgeon to the head - no one was kind enough to oblige.  But I was given a bag of fizzy cola bottles which helped immensely!

And to make matters worse, sure hadn't I only gone and opened my big bloody gob during the week and invited my in-laws and parents for dinner on Saturday. Oh sweet divine Jesus it nearly made me cry.  I swore to them all that the hangover was going to take me, so they might as well just go on ahead and order in something from the Chinese and if, by some small miracle of God I was still alive, order me a three in one! That was the plan... I went for a wee Nana nap, to see how things would go.  I awoke from the Nana nap possessed with a cooking power like no other! I made them roast potatoes, garlic potatoes, roasted carrots, green beans and two, yes you read that correctly, I said two, meats! They got roast beef and corn beef. And as if that was enough to tantalise their taste buds, I made gravy from scratch. Not a bisto jar in sight! I can only assume that my body decided to counteract the hangover by moving, constantly. And having a couple of glasses of wine...

Anyway, the point of this story is that I drank a lot and I ate a lot over the weekend and now I am in fear of the scales and what is going to be said to me!

Feckin should have learned from WW.... don't have your weigh day on a bloody Monday!

Wish me luck!

Hayfever.... Nature's Revenge

Oh jesus the pollen count is sky high and it's breaking my heart. I have taken a weeks worth of anti - histamines today but I am still sneezing and my eyes are burning like they are being boiled in the fires of hell by Satan himself.   If only eyes were detachable.  I could pop them out, give them a wash, whack them in the fridge to cool down and then pop them back in right as rain.  And as for the sneezing? I don't just sneeze once, it's normally about 5 or 6 times
Sometimes I barely have a chance to catch my breath.  Which is difficult enough if your say, standing at a bus stop.  But you try doing that while booting down the road at 120km per hour.  Suffice to say it's not safe!

And the itch in my nose. God it's so bad that my whole face is itchy! I am like a lunatic rubbing my whole face!

I haven't been able to put a screed of mascara on in days. Everytime I do my eyes leak and I wind up looking like an auditionee for a really bad K.I.S.S tribute band. So I am wandering around with tiny red squinty leaky eyes and look tired and about to burst into tears... I've to be extra smily in work in case my new colleagues think I am unhappy!

Hayfever is the reason people doubt the moon landing.  It is hard to believe they can drop a person on the moon but can't find a way of stopping bloody flowers and grass rendering some of us red eyed leaking messes for 4 months of the year....

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Week 1 - Weigh Day; The Results

It is weigh day. The week flew in. 

I have been quite apprehensive about this weigh in. Mainly banother skjnI am still in my WW head space and not entirely sure that I have this plan down.  Also because I went out for dinner on Friday night and all my good intentions went out the window the moment I sat my ass at the dinner table...

We went to a wonderful Thai Restaurant, Siam Thai. It is my all time favourite place to eat. The food is just gorgeous in it... I had planned to have something like boiled rice and stir fried vegetables. No starter. But you know what they say about the best laid plans? Willpower sneaks in and shoots them to hell, that's what happens!! I ended up ordering a starter, but I shared it with himself, which is most unlike me. I believe that food is much like underwear, never to be shared with anyone!  I ordered Beef in red wine sauce and boiled rice - at least I didn't go for the fried rice. But in all fairness, that was nothing to do with being Slimming World savy and more to do with the fact that there are peas in the fried rice and if there's one thing I hate more than sharing my food, it's peas in food.  It was totally worth it though. It's three days since I had that meal and I'm still thinking about it. Every pepper I have stir fried since makes me wanna go back there.

Saturday I was a little bit better. I had my wee Bestie call over to play guinea pig for me and my cooking skills. I made a quiche for lunch and then the Diet Coke Chicken for dinner.  Quiche is something I have never had, so needed her to be the judge on whether it was right or not.  Have to say, quiche is nice. Bit like baked scrambled eggs if you ask me, but nice all the same. Diet Coke Chicken is amazeballs. It's really tasty and very easy to make. My guinea pig headed off in to the night with a very happy and full tummy, and kindly left behind some flowers and (not so kindly) some chocolates which I have been force feeding to himself, give or take one or two!!

Himself is loving this new way of life because he is getting to taste all sorts of new things. For dinner on Sunday I made a duck stir fry.  Love a bit of duck I do, but man it's a b!tch to prepare. I got duck breasts and had to take the skin off.  There has got to be an easier way to skin a duck than how I did it.  Bloody hacked my hands to bits with a knife and then nearly stabbed myself in the foot with a scissors I tried to use (slippy hands = dropping scissors on to bare foot). Thankfully all my efforts were worth while cause it was delicious.

So how'd the weigh in go I hear you ask....

Well, I am delighted to report that I have lost 1.5lb this week!!! I Cant believe it. I have never eaten so much in my life.  And haven't had to miss out on things like chocolate and starters!!!

I'm feeling a lot more confident about surviving the wedding I am attending on Friday!

Here's to another skinny week!

Thought for the day