Morning all. Tired again today but I guess yesterday was stressful.

I’ve made a strawberry variant of my almond milk/fage shake – very nice it is too, that’s breakfast. Lunch will be soup and dinner – hopefully – chicken pie!

So Today is Tuesday -weigh and measure day. 1.5lb’s off this week bringing my total to 20, no inches lost but it is time of the month so maybe next week. I’m still happy with my progress.

Got to go finish sorting out the lunches, hope everyone has a nice day.

Izzy here’s a variation on a pie crust I came across today. http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2012/03/brazilian-chicken-pies-2.html

Thanks Weescotty 🙂 tonights pie was ok I enjoyed it enough but it wasn’t popular with the family so I might give that one a go sometime. I saw in the article something resembling a cornish pastie – now wouldn’t that be amazing! would miss the chunks of potato though lol. When they say cream cheese what do you suppose they mean? I’ve not cooked with cream cheese. I don’t like cottage cheese but I’ve used quark in the past, would that do?

Thankfully today has gone better than yesterday and I had time to eat my lunch and make the pie.

I’m thinking of following your example weescotty and making myself a month long menu plan.

Hi Izzy
Cream cheese = philadelphia cheese
Great seeing all your progress!
Julia

Thanks Julia, that might be my weekend experiment then, trying to make a low carb pastie lol.

Had a longer lie this morning as my childminder has a hospital appointment so isn’t working today and my husband is off so he is looking after our son. It’s meant an extra hour in bed for me 🙂

Just had my breakfast and having my cuppa before I get going.

Breakfast- fage yoghurt and strawbs.
Lunch- pickled egg, salad, crackers
dinner- stir fry pork.

Have a lovely day everyone 🙂

Izzy, sitting having tomato & courgette soup after a day in Edinburgh where I attended my first ‘flashmob’ event- a lunchtime ceilidh at Holyrood. An attempt to lift the EUref mood. It was fun. I didn’t strip any willows but have arrived home with 18200 steps on my pedometer (smug face – all those Edinburgh steep streets/staircases) . I tried the ‘pastry’ as a top for chicken pie. It’s a bit on the sloppy side so would cool in fridge a bit longer and maybe not roll out so thin. Have a bit left so will try again with some beef mince tomorrow. Still tastes of coconut tho’. I used ground almonds as am baulking at buying yet one more ingredient new to me ( flaxseed meal ). Not sure how I would have manipulated it to make a pasty as it was breaking as I touched it. Going to have to be trial and error. Have managed to lose a couple of pounds this week so am happy. Another couple and I will break a ‘milestone’ on the way downwards.

Evening weescotty 🙂 that sounded like a great day you had! I’d have loved to have been there! I love Edinburgh well done on all the steps and weightloss, and thanks for the info about the pastry. I already have some flaxmeal. I think all of these things are trial and error really, You could add some spices to the mix to try to mask the coconutty taste.

It’s been a funny sort of day here…

So this morning at about 1000 – randomly I didn’t feel well. I had stomach pains, a headache and backache, suddenly lacking in energy and wondering if I might have to go home sick. But the yuckiness left within half an hour and I felt fine again. It was very odd and I felt fine the rest of the day, if anything more energised than usual by evening.

Got home and sorted dinner, then whilst cooking a batch of 6 portions for my husband I also got my sketch book out and planned a painting and started by painting the background. It is going to be a fantasy scene from a story I wrote -provided I can actually make it happen. It could be a little ambitious for my novice ability but I’ll enjoy the trying anyway. So nothing interesting painted yet but still. To want to paint and start to paint is a big thing for me, and I also am finding myself thinking more and more about writing too with new ideas for the story I’ve started as well as other ones as well so my creative juices are returning. All good. Izzy is happier when Izzy creates!

I stuck to my eating plan and I drank all my fluids, the only exception being I’d forgotten (again) to take the pork stir fry out of the freezer so we had chicken stir fry instead.

One more day at work and then my usual 3 off woohoo.

I was going to have strawberries and granola this morning but the granola has really gone too soft so I’m going to have to throw it out. It’s a shame as I haven’t even got through a third of it. I like it though so what I’m thinking is next time I’m going to make 1/3 of the recipe and freeze it. The pecan brittle froze well and could be eaten straight out of the freezer so I’m taking a bit of a guess and assuming the granola would as well!

I had fage and strawberries instead and MY TUB IS EMPTY!!! EMERGENCY SHOP TRIP EMERGENCY SHOP TRIP lol but not till after work.

My hay fever is starting to make me snotty grrr and my eyes are itchy. Going to have to start and use my medication for it.

So, strawberries and fage for breakie and I added a tablespoon of seeds.
lunch is cauli and bean soup
dinner was going to be fish fingers but it depends if I buy more fish on the way home as when hubby picked up the shopping he didn’t buy enough. If not maybe it will be egg night.

Have a great day life changers!

Ooo would love some of the granola Izzy – pity you can’t send it across the sea :-)))

Had weird breakfast of salmon and red pepper massive plate of green leaves this morning as was feeling so hungry. Still hungry now though – maybe I need more fat from somewhere (preferably not cake ;-))) though salmon sucks up so many calories it seems to be full of fat!…

Love the planning, I really will have to start making soup. Sparkling water will have to do me until this feeling goes away!

Hi Izzy,

Don’t throw the granola out, you can fix it. All you need to do is bang it in the oven at a low temp for a while and it’ll drive off the water. Chuck it into an oven at 90°C for about 20-30 minutes, just check on it every 10 mins or so to make sure it isn’t burning, but it should be ok. Trust me; I’m a scientist 😉

As for me, this week my weight went up over a kg in a day and decided to stay there for a while. Luckily, it turned round in the past couple of days and as of 7 weeks on the BSD, I’m 14kg down. And for the first time since I was at school, I’m 15 stone in old money (95.4kg). It’s a personal milestone that makes sense in old money, not in kilos. This means I’m only 2.4kg off my goal and I have a week left. If I’m honest, I don’t think I’ll make that goal, but it was an ambitious goal. And the figure on the balance isn’t everything; my BMI and body fat percentage are down and are getting normal (although I have scientific doubts over BMI) and I can fit in all the clothes I bought but could never fit into before.

Looking after a sick stroppy toddler today, so this is going to be stressful……

Have a great day y’all!

Sciencemonkey (ook ook)

Epspecially I’d love to share I made far too much! Hope your hunger pangs faded as well. I love soup I eat it all year round lol. It was a roasty toasty day here today and I still enjoyed my soup!

Sciencemonkey thanks for the info! Are you sure I won’t end up with food poisoning?!… I’ll trust you and try it over the weekend and then freeze it.

Weight does go up and down, I weigh most days but only officially count it on Tuesdays. Who cares if you make the original target you’ve still come a really long way and you can still get that target. What difference does it make if it takes an extra week or two? They say people who make ambitious targets tend to achieve more. Regardless of hitting the target people at least get closer.

I agree about the BMI. 9-10 years ago when I did lighterlife (which I now regret) I lost lots of weight and got down to BMI 25. Then my first husband died and I lost more weight without wanting to. Just another half a stone but it made me look too thin even though my BMI was still 24. I have a moderately physical job so I think I carry some muscle. When I was at BMI 25, just over 9st (I use old money too lol) I felt great, I liked how I looked and I was a UK size 8-10. I think most decent health professionals don’t use it in isolation anymore and take waist measurements into consideration as well. Certainly for me – I don’t want to be lighter than 9 st.

Well today has been a stressy day again, hold ups etc but that’s my week done now. I came across a lady I haven’t seen in a few years who I first met when we did lighterlife together all those years ago, although I have seen her more recently but still about 4 years ago! Anyway we were talking about weight etc as she has regained everything she lost and more and is now working on losing it again. We spoke about BSD and carbs etc. I don’t think she wants to give up all carbs but I think she understands that to at least have less will help her. It was nice to see her and catch up though, but time was limited.

I also have a confession… I DRANK A CAPRI SUN ORANGE JUICE!!!!! I know I know my bad! But it was so so hot and sticky here and the customer gave it to me and it was just so so cold and…. I just thought … OH yes. I want that, so I had it. I added it to my fitbit list, only 72 calories but 17.6g of carbs. It was worth it! Not for the taste although it was nice, and thankfully set off no sugar cravings, but it was just so coooooooool.

Anyway’s I’m having bacon, onion, pepper and cheese ommelette for dinner and my calories for the day are 806, with 51g of carbs, so I’m not going to lose sleep over the capri sun!

Good Morning my lovelies. Well I had my mid-week weigh in – down 1/2lb since Tuesday. At this stage I don’t really mind as long as over a month it keeps going down I will stay happy with it.

I’m about to have a breakfast shake yummy yum. Raspberry today I think.

I’ll be having lunch here today (probably crackers and cheese) and then heading out to pick up my friend, and drop my son off with my niece who is babysitting. Then friend and I are having an afternoon chilling, shopping, and chatting then having our dinner together before attending the theatre to see Footloose. We have these outings now and then she is an awesome friend. We’ve been friends for over 20 years and she has seen me through many highs and lows in my life, continuing to encourage me in everything I’ve ever tried to do. I am very very fortunate to have her.

The downside of days like this is that it would normally involve hot chocolate and cake stops! I will stick with tea instead of the ridiculous calorie counts of cafe hot chocolate. I can’t promise I won’t have a cake, but I can promise to say no to chips, pasta or rice when choosing my meal later. I also won’t be drinking alcohol. So all in all I may end up over calories and I may have a little extra cake but I feel like I can control this and keep it small. Tomorrow I will be back to 100%BSD., and I’m confident all will be well.

After last week allowing myself up to 2 days over 800 calories but in the end only using it one day. I have decided that I will stick to 800 mon-thurs generally, and allow extra calories friday-sunday when I feel like it, keeping within the right BSD foods. I know many weeks I won’t use 3 days so we will see how it goes.

I forgot to say, I plan on spending a good chunk of time today in Hobbycraft. I feel a splurge on all things creative coming on! I want some stuff to paint – I’d like to do a box as a gift for my daughter. A few new canvasses, AND I want to pick up some lace/ribbon/trimming type stuff so I can move forwards with my clothes customising ideas :):)

excited? me? YESSSSS I am lol

I’m wearing a top I bought ages ago that I’ve never worn as I always felt too fat in it. I feel great in it today and as my nails have grown I’ve painted them almost the same colour as my top 🙂

I am so happy for you and proud of you Izzy!!! Happy dance time!! 💜🌷

Thankyou! I’ve had such a brilliant day here!

Picked up my friend and then we went to my nieces house to drop off my son there. We had a nice chat and my son was so at ease when we left it was great!

Then we went shopping and stopped in at a cafe for the first challenge of the day. I had a nice green tea, and the two of us shared a chocolate pudding thing – it was very nice too! Then back to the shopping. I picked up some nice bits and pieces in Hobbycraft for my forthcoming projects 🙂

Then we went for dinner at TGI Fridays. I had a crispy duck salad, which came with raspberry and chilli dressing which I asked for on the side as I don’t often like dressings and I’m glad I did as I really didn’t like it lol. The meal was lovely without the dressing though. Then we had pudding! I decided that if i was having pudding that the ‘better’ option was an ice cream based one rather than a cake one, so I had a Sundae with ice cream, strawberries and bits of meringue in it – it was so nice!

Now I’m home and feeling a bit hungry and I know what that is – I’ll be out of ketosis and the carbs are trying to lure me back. I’m having a cup of herbal tea before bed and have absolutely no intention of eating anything until breakfast.

All in all I understand that I have been off the BSD wagon today but I feel positive about it. I think I have made reasonable choices whilst enjoying a little splurge without allowing anything to get outrageous. This is control. This is my future. A life where I can follow this way of eating most of the time and allowing occasional days like today. Thank you BSD for giving me this confidence as well as the knowledge that if today does hinder my weightloss, it will only be a matter of a week before it moves again. It’s ok, it’s all good.

Once I was home and had my son settled into his bed (very late night for him but he was just awesome!) I decided to update my diary here and have my cup of herbal, and the heavens opened with rain. I’ve opened the back door as I just adore the sound of rain. Perfect end to a day to be sat here listening to that! We have rain sounds that we play on our ipod every night at bedtime but nothing beats the sound of the real thing.

My son is great haha. He was in bed at about midnight last night but you know what kids are like I didn’t expect him to sleep late in the morning. I went to bed about 0100, and woke up about 0900 thinking… oh he isn’t up yet but I guess he will be soon. I drifted off to sleep again and had some weird dreams involving my husband, a long dead relative, jigsaws and a cow. Yes – a pet cow!

I next woke up at 1145, when my son came into my room! I guess I needed the sleep.

I’ve started the day with an almond milk and strawberry shake nyumnyum, I may have a snack later in the afternoon and then we’re having mince for dinner. So I’ll either have bolognaise with courgetti, or I might make some crackers flavoured with chilli powder to have with some chilli. hmmm choices choices. I’m going to stick to 800 today I think after having what I did yesterday.

The two books I ordered with clothes customising ideas have arrived, already excited having browsed a few pages!

My friend and I are planning to go to The Rocky Horror Picture Show in September 🙂 so last night we decided that we would (or I would lol) make us something individual and outrageous to wear! We were looking at black dresses online that we could add detail too, but now I’m thinking a rummage in the 2nd hand stores is the way forwards. We can find dresses there that we can then adapt and add things to. I should be quite a bit smaller again by then as well! Not sure of exactly the date we are going but it’s 10 + weeks away. I’m thinking even with a slower rate that should be at least another stone gone by then.

Well I’m off to browse online to decide what I should bake today, it’s become a regular weekend thing to stock up on crackers and try something new! mixed in with amusing my son, catching up on the laundry, changing the beds, cleaning the toilets and looking at my new books. Fun packed day for Izzy lol.

Have a lovely day 🙂

So today’s baking experiment was using this ‘pastry’ recipe, if I remember rightly I think weescotty posted it? anyway thanks to whoever it was!

http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2012/03/brazilian-chicken-pies-2.html

I only used the pastry recipe not the filling. For the filling I chopped up and fried chicken then added curry powder, a little tomato puree, and a bit of chicken stock and then simmered it down to thicken. I used dairylea cheese spread, and my efforts looked a lot darker in colour than the pictures in the article but were still nice.

It took a bit of trial and error to get them right, I made two batches and for the second batch I added a bit extra coconut oil. I found that when the dough cools the oil hardens and I think that’s what makes it hard to then work with as it goes crumbly, as well as if you roll it out too thinly. Rolling the dough into a ball in your hands seems to be enough to warm it up a little and rolling it out thicker than you might have thought, adding the filling to the middle and then using the baking paper to fold it turned out to be the best method. These made perfectly reasonable chicken curry pasties, around 160 calories per pastie and 7g carbs. I like them, my son likes them, my husband likes them… My daughter isn’t here but probably won’t lol.

I’m going to see if they freeze/thaw well and if they are any good cold as these would make a good addition to my packed lunch menu if they work. Either way the day’s experiment has been a success woohoo.

I tried this one today too. With a little less success. I modified the recipe slightly to use what I had in the house and the result wouldn’t stick together at all. I used a Corn-ish pasty filling (normal filling of a pasty but with no potato and with added fresh parsley which i have had in a proper Cornish pasty before and really liked), which I cooked anyway having chopped it all up and mixed it together by the time I decided the pastry wasn’t going to be recoverable, in a small casserole with the lid on. My OH had some for tea with a baked potato and pronounced it very good, and I baked the pastry flat in a baking tin sprinkled with a little parmesan and salt and pepper and they made quite successful low carb crumbly cheese biscuits, which I had for my lunch with some nice cheese.

Sorry yours didn’t work mixnmatch but well done for turning it around and still using it successfully! I’ve started to notice that many low carb recipes are a bit fiddly and need a bit of a knack to make them work.

I’ve got a new craft project to add to my growing list. We have some new tables and we haven’t been bothered with coasters in recent times so they are all lost but not wanting to spoil our new furniture I’m going to make us some! I’ve ordered a set of plain wooden coasters to paint on and I’m going to paint on things that mean something to us. eg son likes spaceships, daughter likes mermaids, hubby likes dragons, I like dragonflies and so on. I will think up more soon. I’ve bought 10.

Hi Izzy,
You are so cute with your crafts! Wish we lived closer to do some together!
Great idea re your slow losing and getting to another stone. It works so well for you!
💜

I’m happy for it to be slow, because I really do believe that BSD works for me and that I can not only live with it but enjoy it, so if it takes a few months to get to my target that’s fine because I have the (hopefully) years ahead to enjoy it. I’m enjoying the journey 🙂

I made toast with cheese for my son this morning and the smell of toast is still an awesome thing haha, but ya know the smell of toast is better than the taste of toast – or at least that’s what I’ve managed to train myself to remember. However I’m going to get all sorted out soon and go to the shop and see if I can pick up a cauliflower, I saw an article where the person had made cauliflower cheesy toast , using a cauli pizza recipe. Might try it for lunch, with tomato yum yum.

In the afternoon there is a classic car rally in a nearby town so might head along there with the kids as it is a lovely day here today 🙂 Although I will probably complain about it being too hot! Us Scottish people are no use in the heat.

sat here watching my kids play together. There is 7 years between them and they do have their negative moments but on the whole they get on well and adore each other. They are being super cute just now anyway. Well I best go and find some clothes to wear as I’m still in my PJ’s!

my breakfast was a strawberry almond milk shake, dinner is going to be roast chicken.

I’m ready to go to the shop and I just had to check in because I’m super excited…

So I have 3 size 12 skirts, long A-line casual ones. One is denim, one is beige and the other green (think dull camouflage green) they each have their own details and I like them all but haven’t been able to wear them for years. I’m wearing one now and it fits really well. These are ‘big’ 12’s I’m under no illusions but still. It’s definite progress and a few new additions to my wearable things without having to go and buy any lol.

I like how I look today. That’s a great feeling. I have a waist and everything!

Hi Izzy,

Well done you on the progress 🙂 I tried various cauliflower pizza recipes and lolow carb pasta or noodles, low carb pastry etc and I have to say I was disappointed by the results and annoyed by how much they cost (either bought or the ingredients to make them). I think that deciding not to make those and to go for new meals with plenty of veg was one reason I managed to stick to the BSD plan (give or take a couple of indulgences with nuts). I’m on the last week and I finish on Thursday and I’ll let you know what the final score is. But I have already discussed it with my better half and we’ll have a small celebration; a glass or two of wine and a nice curry to celebrate. After that we will shift onto a 5:2 based on the BSD; much the same food, but more calories per day and, once or twice a week, some carbs (brown bread, or noodles or couscous etc).

Hope you’re all having a great weekend 🙂

Sciencemonkey (ook ook)

PS Izzy, did drying the granola work out ok?

Hey Sciencemonkey it doesn’t really matter how you do this so long as you’re doing what works for you and your partner 🙂 I look forward to hearing your final results!

I had a small tub of ice cream today at the car rally. I could have had a cone and a flake but I thought no. I’m having a small treat and just the ice cream is enough. I’m currently sat at 560 calories for the day and 39g of carbs so I’m by no means a lost cause! Roast chicken and veg for dinner so at worst I won’t be much over. I’m happy I still feel in control. After Friday’s treats and today I know that although I’m allowing extras it is still within limits and not ‘off the wagon’

BSD has taught me to consider what I’m having and how much and how often. Tomorrow is Monday and I will be on 800 for the following 4 days.

I forgot to do that to the granola! But I still haven’t thrown it out either…

In other news, I’m hatching a plan… I want to be able to set up my sewing machine and have craft stuff left out.

I might be able to do this by getting a pull down loft ladder and a fold up table that fits in the loft. I floored it about a year after I moved in and although there is some stuff up there it isn’t rammed with stuff. There is no natural light but I could get one of those craft daylight bulbs for up there, and it would be cold in the winter but we have a few electric heaters stashed that we keep for emergencies.

I’m quite handy and I know I can fit the loft ladder myself. I just need to have a look up there and decide if it’s do-able or if I’m kidding myself!

Recently I’m noticing many things about myself. My old survivor self is returning. I feel capable – of many things again whereas I had started to feel less able. I’m finding my brain full of ideas and solutions to things, as well as feeling confident of what I can do, and feeling like I have the energy to do it.

I have books to write, clothes to make and paintings to paint. A garden to sort out as well as my usual work/kids/husband/life.

I’m alive again, in ways I had lost. Growing back into the person I recognise, the person I wanted to be and used to feel like I was. She is different of course – changed by life experience, but no less worthy and no less able to take on the world!

I’m not attributing all of this to BSD, I’m saying I think I am healing from my depression. BSD will have played it’s part in helping me get here though. I know I’m probably not ‘cured’ but I’m getting there and I’m sure there will be days when everything seems unachievable again. I’m human, but I’m on the mend, and that is something to celebrate.

Hi Izzy,
Ignore this if you want but I want to share that for 800 calories a day we have to be very careful to be eating the most nutritious foods and not empty calories. So please be careful how often you are including “treats” as your body needs all the nutrition possible on these few calories.
I have about 23 clients on the program now and several doctors are recommending it as well.
Just be careful as your higher protein and nutrition on this is what keeps you healthy and with a higher metabolism.
Although we could eat 800 cal and 50 carbs of treats those would not maintain our muscles and give us fuel at the best energy type our bodies need.

Said with love for you my friend across the waters. 💜

I feel the love and good intent Happy 🙂

I’m not too worried because I know the rest of what I eat is good. Friday was a special day and won’t happen often. A day out with the kids and a single ice cream won’t happen often either. Well the days out will happen but not the ice cream!

I’ll be having my roast chicken soon with cauliflower and carrot and I’d rather go a little over calories than miss the nutrients there. It is one of the things I never liked about weight watchers – you could live on chocolate really so long as you didn’t go over target there wasn’t really anything to ensure a healthy diet.

Monday to thursday will be normal 800 BSD and this weekend I stuck to 800 on Saturday as well so only 2 days over.

Phew!! I feel better now Izzy and won’t worry about you. I know we have worked so hard to get here! 😍
We are going walking today around a park and I will do the exercise bike also.
I am wearing my way too big new shirt I bought a month ago cuz it’s super cool
being gauze material. It literally wraps 1.5 times around me! Or more! It has dolman sleeves so I will take it I after today.
Hugs girlfriend!
💜

Hee hee no I don’t think you need to worry about me. I feel I have learned some degree of control that I didn’t previously have! I’ll keep moving forward hopefully in every way 🙂 I feel like I’m on a roll!

Yay for clothes getting too big!

I know that difficult days are not so far behind me, I don’t need to go too far back to find some hard days in my diary. However right now I just feel like everything is right and I could achieve pretty much anything I want to. I’ve missed this feeling – the strength and lust for life. I’m not sure how long it’s been missing when I think of it… I wasn’t sure I could have it back.

I know difficult days will come and go, but this shows me that even if I lose this feeling, I can get it back again.

There are so many things I want to do now, my only problem is time! For the moment though it is time for sleep. Sweet dreams Happy, and all x

Good Morning lovelies 🙂

I was very lucky not to sleep in this morning, I thought I set my main alarm but I didn’t and as my back up alarm on my mobile went off the battery died so I only had a few moments of music lol. However I’m up and breakfasted and lunch is made for myself and my son so no harm done. Usually my mobile is plugged in over night but I had gone to bed without the charger and thought it would be ok!

For the next 3 nights my husband will be on late shifts so I will hardly see him, but it does mean that as I’m here on my own with nothing else to do I can focus on my projects. I think I’m going to have a quick look in the loft to remind myself what it is like up there so I can see what I am going to need to do to use the space. It won’t need to be pretty and will stay loft like.

I’m also going to try to write a chapter or two, continue my painting and begin my first customising project. I have 2 in mind at the moment, well 3 but 2 involve the same items. I need to start using my creativity now that I have it back. I have missed it so!

The great thing about having so many projects and ideas and none of them expected by anyone but me is that I can flit around. I can do bits of each or concentrate on one thing. If I can’t think of the words for writing I can put it down and paint instead etc. No pressure, no deadlines, no limits. Just my own freedom of expression and escapism.

I’m far too busy for this ‘going to work’ nonsense, haha I wish I could stay home all day and craft/write – my ultimate dream.

Everything seems really positive in your world Izzy, its uplifting to read your blog! I can concer on the stay home and do crafting rather than work, welcome to my post retirement world! It has much to recommend it,

What sort of writing do you do?

Loft sounds great Izzy! Hope it’s a good and productive week. I hear you on the no work and staying at home making and creating things instead!! Can’t even dream of retirement as is sooooo long away and by the time I get there there may be no such thing :-))))) Still, I guess I do have every evening and weekends and will get back into knitting and making cards and photography. Good look with the writing!

ps skirts feeling good wahhooooooo :-)))

Thankyou Bissell I hope the positivity is contagious! However I’m well aware that although I’m on a high I have also been very low and we never know how far away a low is. I’m trying to capitalise on my current high! Do you find yourself busy in retirement? My parents say they don’t know how they ever had time to work!

Writing – well… I’ve written a childrens fantasy novel which is going to be part of a trilogy. I have ideas for many other stories though including a horror. I’m not a published author, but it’s been a lifelong dream that until a year ago I assumed I would never see. Then after a period of unrest I took it upon myself to make time to write a story and managed to complete my first one. I’m going to do a second draft of it and then try to get it published but as long as my daughter enjoys it I’m happy.

Epspecially I’m a long way off retirement as well, but we’ve spoken about trying to work towards me being at home. It won’t be possible for a few years at least but it’s something to aspire to and dream about. I do have evenings and weekends too but I need to work around my kids as well.

So tonight when I got home from work I fed the kids and then we headed out to the garden. They played and so did I a bit, but mostly I cracked on with some of the work that needed doing out there, there is still much to do but it feels great that I have started!

I’ve been up to my loft for a look and the floored area I’m thinking is not as spacious as I would like as well as being near the hatch so a safety consideration. There is a larger space at the other side though, currently unfloored. I sat up there for a good 10 mins visualising it…

I’m thinking… floor the area. Whitewash the back stone wall and paint a design on it. Then for the sides as I’m not planning any proper building work to make it feel more like a room I will attach fabric to the joists. I’m thinking maybe looking for cheap 2nd hand curtains to do this with, or perhaps even sewing together a patchwork of old things to make the coverings. Bright and cheerful is the idea. Across the back wall I can make a table for the sewing stuff and there will be room for my dressmakers dummy that currently resides up there anyway lol, and painting things etc. I’d also add a pull down ladder but that might be the last thing to get as I can manage with my current ladder so don’t want to overspend.

I’m excited! none of this will happen overnight but it is certainly achievable, and within a short time I can be starting it all 🙂 It will be my sacred space, I can’t wait to start it.

I’ve still to sort dinner as I’ve got carried away with the garden and loft so I won’t be doing much else tonight but I feel like today has been productive. Changed dinner to stuffed courgettes as they needed eating sooner.

Good Morning 🙂

Well after yesterday’s gardening work I thought I would sleep really well but I did not… I suspect due to excesses of pollen making my hayfever yucky. First things I did this morning were to blow my nose and put eye drops in lol. I may have to take all my hay fever meds more often. My main alarm clock did not go off again this morning showing me that clearly it is busted 🙁 Oh well. Despite my lack of sleep I still feel ok this morning.

I made the most amazing breakfast… I put 1/3 of a banana and 1/2 cup frozen raspberries with 1.5 cups almond milk and a few ice cubes in the blender along with a little sweetner and vanilla extract. I left out the fage yoghurt this morning and blitzed it. It came out like a slush puppy except with a creamier taste. It’s yummy.

I know we’re not supposed to eat bananas but there are good nutrients available in a banana so I thought that to have a little wouldn’t hurt. Previously I would have enjoyed a whole banana as a snack and to eat 1/3 of a banana wouldn’t really sit well I’d want to eat the rest, so to use a small amount like this in a breakfast shake is ok I think. Moderation chip activated lol.

Today is weigh and measure day 🙂 I’ve lost 1.5lb’s this week and after being out on Friday and also having the ice cream on Sunday I’m very pleased with that. I’ve lost an inch off my bust, and I do see and feel the changes in recent weeks. This ends week 10 and I’m happy to continue this way, two weeks of allowing a few extra calories at the weekend and although the weight isn’t dropping off in the way it does for some it’s enough to keep me motivated and happy with the progress. I know I could go lower carb, I know I could be more regimented, but as a lifestyle change I think this balance works for me.

21.5lb’s gone in total.

Lunch today is squash and cashew soup, and some pancakes I froze last time I made them.
Dinner will be hunters chicken and courgetti or caili rice.

If the weather holds tonight I plan on being out in the garden with the kids and get a bit more done out there. I’ve not had this level of energy for a very long time. I hope it is the depression lifting properly and that it continues. Then once the kidlets are in bed I plan to try to write a little before an early-ish night.

Hope everyone has a lovely day.

Evening all 🙂

Well another day almost done. Managed to get an hour of garden work done earlier and feeling pleased with that.

Ran out of the pull up nappies my son wears to bed so decided that we should just try no nappy. Wish me luck that I’m not up stripping beds in the middle of the night!

I keep having more ideas about what to do in my loft 🙂 I’ve looked at prices for flooring and a lamp, I have an old table I can utilise and a chair I can put up… I think £80 is all it will take to do enough to get me up there able to use the space. £80 and a bit of freetime anyway lol the latter being the more difficult to come by. I can’t be sawing and drilling when my son is in bed so might try to book a one day holiday to try and get the flooring down.

I’ve been making an amazon wishlist with all kinds of crafty things on it, jewellery making stuff being my latest addition as I’ve not tried that yet, and it could be used to make my own embellishments to add to clothing too.

My inner creative self is making the biggest push for freedom that I have ever seen!

Now I need to pop to the shop, and have a shower then I’m going to attempt a little writing before sleeping.

Night all.

Hi Izzy,
I hope all goes well with your son tonight.
Your plans for the loft area sound brilliant. I’ve also been getting back into creative things – currently counted cross-stitch on linen. I have a few ideas for other things but I must focus on completing one thing at a time. You must let us all know how the loft works out.

Hi Izzy

fingers crossed for not having to wash sheets at silly o’clock
I love sewing and would love to do more craft and art as well – but my flat is warehouse style, so although it’s large, nowhere to shut out helping paws other than the bathroom, which seems really mean! Have fun with your loft space.

No wet sheets woohoo!

thanks you guys I’m so looking forwards to getting started on the loft!

I do cross stitch sometimes too but it takes so long that it puts me off lol.

I’ve had a strawberry almond milk shake this morning – shakes seem to be evolving into my breakfast of choice this week lol.

I’m having cheese salad and crackers for lunch

for dinner I’m going to see how the frozen chicken curry pasties turn out 🙂

It is overcast and rainy here today so not sure if I will be gardening tonight or not! We will see later. The weather here can change a lot throughout a day.

I was thinking as those skirts are fitting I might have a rummage through my clothes pile again tonight and see if anything else fits yet, it’s been a while since I’ve done it now I think at least 1/2 stone ago.

I also bought a hair dye yesterday. I was booked in for a haircut and colour but I had to cancel as I had booked the wrong date, so now I’m going on Friday afternoon but they could only fit me in for a cut. I have very dark hair with a bleached bit each side at the front that I used to dye pink or blue but I haven’t kept up with it recently so it’s just blonde and dull lol. Anyway as they can’t fit me in for the colour I thought I’ll just buy a home dye and save the money – put it towards getting my loft flooring! I have a lot of grey hairs these days as well as my daughter likes to show me lol.

This is the colour I bought
http://www.beautyspin.co.uk/loreal-paris/casting-creme-gloss-hair-color/?item=97786

The plum will be very subtle in my hair and it will even out my grey and take out the blonde so I might do it tonight. Then before Friday I need to decide how to cut it. I used to have long hair but I got it cut into a short inverted bob a few years ago which I loved and have enjoyed. It’s overgrown just now and just downright messy. I’ve been pondering letting it grow again. So I might get her to even up the length and tidy the layers to grow it out, or I might get it cut back in short – decisions decisions lol. I was thinking if I keep the length I might do a hair wrap for a while, not sure if that is the right word for it… My mother in law showed me how to do it a few years back and I’ve not had one since my hair was shorter… this kind of thing…

http://www.thecollegetourist.com/the-cheats-guide-to-hairbraiding/

It just adds a little excitement. I rarely wear make up and I’m a low maintainance kind of chick so this sort of thing is funky and you can leave it in for weeks until it starts to grow out.

Actually I think I’ve decided. let it grow.

Right gotta go and get the boy ready and go to childminders byeeeeeeeeee

Congrats re the dry sheets Izzy! I love your hair color choice! I hear UK has much healthier hair dye than we have here. Much stronger rule on things that would hurt your body.
Good luck with the loft. Sounds like you are on a mission which is always fun as you progress.
Have a happy day!
💜

Brilliant news with the sheets!
Nice colour – I stopped colouring mine years ago – I used to work with someone who had the most amazing white hair, it was stunning. We were both in our 40’s, and thought mine would look as amazing as hers. – It didn’t, It doesn’t, ten years on it’s still ‘badger’ – still dark in the centre!
But – I had brazilian blow dries for years, which worked brilliantly, then almost a year a year ago I had one that went very wrong, and my hair got even frizzier and broke off a lot in places. I’ve finally found a new shampoo/conditioner combo that seems to be working – only two washes in, and a lot better today, so fingers crossed.
I decided today that when I get to or near my target weight, and crucially no longer have a fat face, I might get it cut very short all over (not shaved, just short)! Have fun deciding on your new style.

Hi Happy! I didn’t know that about the hair dye I guess you could have some posted from the UK if you wanted some though!

I am on a bit of a mission for sure and I keep having more ideas about how to arrange the loft and what to create up there. I wish I could get it done straight away but it won’t be too long I am sure. I am so full of ideas I am so looking forward to having a bit of the house that is just mine. i also got a bot more done in the garden this evening 🙂

As for my son his nappies are 50/50 in the mornings sometimes dry and sometimes wet so we were lucky last night!

my frozen chicken curry pasties were nice I just warmed them in the micro but I don’t like them cold so no lunchbox addition of those, but it’s good to know I could make a batch and freeze them.

Frog you had me lolling at ‘badger’ hahaha I know what you mean though some shades of grey look amazing! I hope the new hair products work out for you 🙂

Well that’s my hair dyed 🙂 woohoo turned out nice. Hot drink and bedtime for Izzy. Night all.

morning 🙂

OK for summer mornings on work days, my favourite breakfast is definitely a shake. I’ve stopped using fage in it mostly but not always, and sometimes add ice sometimes not, sometimes a chunk of banana sometimes not, etc so it varies it up a bit.

In other news I forgot to report the other day… I have a bottle of agave, which I had seen used in many recipes. It’s a natural sweetner and less processed than the other sweet substitutes we use. I found it in Tesco the other day when I was stocking up on my herbal tea bags. 1tsp is 14 calories so it’s very useable and you don’t need much. I didn’t expect to find it in tesco! You can use it in baking or drinks etc, I had a tsp in my shake this morning.

I’m still liking my hair in the morning light, looking forwards to having it tidied up a bit tomorrow though, and perhaps at the weekend I will add a colourful wrap with a bead. I bought some from hobbycraft last week 🙂

Tonight I have the doctor and will discuss how I’m doing with my depression, perhaps even see if it’s time to come off the tablets. However I’m not worried if I need to stay on them for the moment either.

My food plan has ended so I’m not sure what is for dinner lol. Need to get sorted with a longer one. I was going to but was distracted at the time. Lunch is cauli and bean soup.

Tomorrow is my daughters last day at primary school! We are invited to her leavers assembly in the morning and then lunch at the school – my daughter asked me what I liked in sandwiches and I reminded her I don’t eat them anymore, she said she would ask them to get crackers. I’ve decided that for tomorrow I understand the effort that both the staff and kids are going to, to provide us with food! I will eat a little and probably only when my daughter is looking lol.

I’m excited and nostalgic but not sad to see her grow, it’s interesting to see who our children become.

Well I gotta go get my son sorted. Tomorrow is FRIDAY YAYAYAYAYAYAAAAAY

oooh. I might go and get loft flooring tomorrow…

Funny sort of day. Work was ok and then arrived at the Doctors to find that my appointment was yesterday and not today so I felt kinda bad about that but they’ve booked me in for 4 weeks time as it isn’t urgent.

However my husband has taken our son out so I’ve had a chilled evening so far. I had an amazing dinner just by creating a mishmash in a pan…

Fried 3 slices of bacon, added onion and garlic and a mild chilli, some sugar snap peas, some cherry tomatoes and courgetti, allowed it all to cook together, generous sprinkle of black pepper and a small amount of cheese. It was yummy. 360 calories

I’m off to have a shower and get some stuff sorted out.

Hello all 🙂

Well my mid-week weigh in is suggesting a plateau, how dare it!?!? Oh well I don’t care because all is well in the world of Izzy. I had a minor wobble last night with some invasive negative thoughts but I managed to chill a bit with my husband and they passed again.

Today we attended the leavers assembly to see my daughter and her classmates perform the last assembly of their primary years. Lots of people cry at these things and I confess to having a lump in my throat at one point but in all honesty although I am nostalgic I’m really just more excited for her, to see her continue to grow and evolve. Then it was lunch at the school – the kids made the sandwiches yesterday and she told me that she didn’t make me one as she told her teacher I would bring my own lol. She didn’t want me to eat the wrong things when she knows I don’t eat bread anymore, so I took some crackers and cheese and tomato with me and enjoyed my munchies when everyone had their sandwiches. My son did steal some of my cheese though!

After that it was onwards to the hairdresser for me. I did decide to let it grow so it’s all nice and tidied up now, and with the colour I put on the other day it’s looking good. I noticed at the hairdresser – ladies will get this- when you’re sat there after having your hair washed all trussed up with the towel on your head, we all look pretty rubbish. I always hate that moment, seeing my face staring back at me, naked and unframed by the pulled back hair. Today however I see the difference in me. I’m definitely less chubby in the face as well as the rest of me. I still wasn’t stunning with my hair in the towel but definitely a better sight than I once was lol.

I’m wearing another of my size 12 skirts today as well and feel very comfortable and like I am growing back into myself. I like my hair, I like my clothes, I like my creative inner child who is gradually escaping. I like myself. I’m calmer, nicer, more patient. All of the things I felt I had lost during the worst of my depression.

My pack of wooden coasters for painting arrived so I may well do some of that over the weekend although I have about 6 million projects now haha! I love it, I’ve not been for loft flooring yet I’m going to wait until I can pass one day when I’m working as it will be easier to fit it into my van. Although I am impatient I also recognise there really is no need to rush. there is plenty I can be getting on with before I have the loft done.

In other news, I asked at the hairdresser today if they had a beautician appointment to get my eyebrows tidied up, I’ve really felt much more conscious of them since I got my glasses. So I’m getting that done tomorrow morning.

Busy busy busy!

so, I had an almond milk shake for breakfast, crackers and cheese for lunch, not sure about dinner yet.

Dinner was chicken and cashews with cauli rice, very yummy it was too 🙂

I shut myself away in my bedroom for a few hours earlier and left my husband on duty lol. I added a bit to the painting I started recently but the colours are not right I will need to paint over again. It’s one of the things I love about painting you can take as many chances as you need to get it right just keep painting over it!

I also base painted my 10 coasters and have started painting designs on 3 of them, it’s going well so far 🙂 I might do some more over the weekend.

Good Morning BSD!

well here we are, my son and I snuggled in bed. He has an apple and is watching minions, I have a cup of herbal tea. I’m keeping twinings in business as I drink ridiculous amounts of the stuff!

I’ll need to get up soon and find clothes, not normal to need to on a saturday morning but I have to be there at 10 for the eyebrow torturing. lolling at myself, it’s only taken 40 years for me to become ‘girly’ but I’ll always be an inbetween. I like being able to do practical things too much to be a properly girly person. I wear makeup about 3 days of the year but I keep thinking maybe I will wear it a little more often, and never quite get around to it.

I’ll probably have a shake for breakfast, and then I fancy having cauli pizza for lunch as I riced up a cauli yesterday. Dinner will be decided later, but we have mince, chicken and stir fry pork all in the fridge waiting to be munched up. Need to make a plan and put some of it in the freezer.

My weight is still plateau’d but I’ve been here long enough to know it will move again when it is ready I’ve stuck to 800 all week so far without any days being over so I know I’m doing it right, I haven’t eaten anything I shouldn’t and I’ve kept my liquid up. It’s just a matter of sitting it out and letting it happen, which it will.

Today I think I will make a batch of salt and vinegar chick peas as I haven’t had any in ages.

The agave I bought the other day I have discovered is quite high in carbs although lower calorie, so I won’t be using it for drinks but I think it will still be a reasonable addition for baking. I’m going to see if my daughter likes it in porridge as she will only eat porridge with syrup in it. Agave would be a much healthier addition for her than syrup.

Today I think I will have another go at making chicken curry pasties and maybe something else… need to look at all my saved internet pages! Although I might just make pasties and crackers as I still have carrot cake in the freezer that I haven’t eaten yet. This is a great thing because it shows me I have so much more control over these things than I used to. No way would have carrot cake survived this long before I would have had it defrosted and eaten weeks ago.

Curry pasties, crackers and chickpeas. Yes that will do I think!

I’m on my last packet of Almond flour however…

My husband who I’ve mentioned before is very lean and does weight training, finds it difficult to gain weight and he eats a lot of nuts, I eat some nuts and use them in recipes. We spend a lot nipping to the local shop for them. So having browsed the website I buy my almond flour from – most of the nuts are cheaper to buy in bulk. So we’ve ordered 1kg each of 6 types of nuts along with another 4kg of almond flour and a couple of other things. £130 worth but it should all last us a couple of months so although it’s an expense all at once it should actually save us a bit over the next two months.

Well I best go and get dressed and get on with my day.

Have a great weekend BSD-ers 🙂

Hi Izzy,
Absolute luxury for you to have your eyebrows done – good on you.
After reading about your plateau I just want to tell you what I’ve been trying lately. (Remember I’m currently doing BSD 5:2.) I’ve been making sure that I have a minimum ‘fast’ of 12 hours between dinner and breakfast the next morning. One day this week I stretched it out to 16 hours because I just wasn’t hungry at breakfast. I still drink herbal tea of an evening and I’ll have coffee of a morning but I’ve been reading about this and find the 12 hours easier to achieve. It’s been contributing to a decreasing waist measurement.
Izzy, that’s the other thing – it’s handy during a plateau to get out your tape measure and write down your body measurements – sometimes when the scales don’t move, your measurements still shrink.
By the way, brilliant idea to buy in bulk and save money.
Best wishes.

Izzy you are becoming a girlie girl! What’s funny is I am wearing some makeup now and then as well!! Around twice a week input on eye shadow and mascara and a little blush. I always wear lipstick or lipgloss.
Guess female confidence makes us more girlie feeling. It’s a good thing!

On another note Izzy, I was thinking about your down periods and how you are now having fun projects and an upbeat attitude as well as pulling yourself quickly out of a funk recently. Wondering if you are away that it’s been reported gluten can cause depression in some people. Since you are off it for long now wondering if that’s helping you? I hope so!!

Here’s to your girlie self girlfriend!!

💜