I am frustrated today.  Yesterday I did all my exercise, I couldn’t have eaten much less if I wanted to be healthy, but still I gained 4 ounces today.  I mean,  I know it’s not much but I was really expecting to see it move a few ounces the other way.  I drank 96oz of water, to replace what I lost through sweat and then plenty extra.  I am just despondant.  I’m using my grace days for exercise today because I was sick this morning and have cramps so I just did my BWW and will do everything else tomorrow.

Work was looooong.  It’s a horrible day today, and also the week before payday for most people so I spent 8 hours of doing very little!  I took in a delivery for an hour which passed the time, lifting boxes up and down stairs, lots of heavy lifting etc. (good exercise!) but other than that - nothing!

I was annoyed after step going up to 156.2!  Yesterday I was 155.2 and today I was 153.8lbs, which I was a lot happier with!  DP is making me a meal tonight and we’re having a movie night, so it will be nice just to snuggle in and relax

I’ll update more thoroughly soon, but just wanted to let you know I wasn’t dead!

Well obviously given that I have more revision to do, procrastination is my preferred option right now.  I am not particularly hopeful for tomorrow’s exam.  I do know pretty much all my notes (apart from what I’m learning today) but while this is the layman-friendly baby subject the lecturers are harsh with their questions and even harsher with their marking.

I had a better weigh in today (= happy Mango!) and can’t wait till tomorrow afternoon!  All my classmates and I are going to Magdalen Green, a big wide open park to have a BBQ and play rounders :)  And I am going to be super active doing a MAJOR overhaul of this flat.  I tell you, biohazard suits should be worn at the moment - this is what happens when I don’t have time to do the cleaning, bf’s “picking up the slack” is little more than, well… nothing really!  AND now exams are over I will be earning super stars WOOHOO!  Gym when it’s rainy, walking when it’s sunny or playing rounders or just tossing a ball about I’ll be able to be outside again rather than stuck in learning stuff!

Weight Today: 154.2lbs (-0.6lbs)

Brunch: 2 slices of reheated veggie pizza

Afternoon snack: two plums

Tea: chilli con carne with brown rice, petit filous for pudding

Water: 86oz

Exercise: 35 minutes walking to post office and around town

Ok so updating then…  It’s 11.05pm on the night before the exam and I can tell you I am officially down-and-out terrified.  I know I know, there’s no more learning I can do now, I’ve done the best I can in a short space of time, it takes a hell of a bad answer to fail.  Regardless, I am TERRIFIED.  I can tell you now ladies, tomorrow will not be an OP food day, I am going to Tonic for my lunch (my favourite lunch-style bistro/restaurant) because I haven’t been there since February and it is a huge treat.  Also, I will probably be having some cider or what not because I will be *shell shocked*.  But there will probably be quite a lot of walking as well, so not to worry.

If you don’t hear from me tomorrow, I’m not dead, I’m probably just passed out in a hibernatory state.  See you on the other side chicks; let’s hope I’m the same person…

Mango x

Weight Today: 154.8lbs (+0.2lbs)

Breakfast: oat cheerios with semiskimmed milk and heaps of raisins

Lunch: one slice of wholemeal of bread (yup, just on it’s own!)

Afternoon snack: small sweet cinema popcorn

Tea: two slices of veggie pizza and one slice of garlic bread

Water: 72oz

Exercise: 35 minutes walking around the Tesco carpark over and over…. lol

No chocolate at all-go me!

Mango x

My mood is resembling the weather - overcast!  There’s a culmination of factors involved; being up on the weigh in this morning, stucking studying again (2 more days to go…), feeling sore and in the end not being able to do more than half hour of partner stretches which won’t count towards an exercise star.

Bummer.  I’m hoping I’ll feel better tomorrow, I just have to keep loading in the ibuprofen and fluids.

Weight Today: 154.6lbs (+0.6lbs)

Breakfast: none

Lunch: raspberry jam sandwich, Crunchie (one piece of chocolate for the day!), 2 jammy dodgers

Afternoon snack: lightly salted kettle chips

Tea: sausage and tomato pasta (grilled sausage cut up in pasta with a homemade tomato, garlic and mixed herb sauce)

Water: 64oz

Exercise: only 30 minutes of partner stretches

I really want to start doing Weight Watchers again.  I did them for a while a year or so ago and didn’t really stick with it long enough to see positive changes, but so many people are having good experiences with it, it makes me want to give it a go again.  I find it easier than calorie counting.  I shall have to wait till we’re in better financial climates though - it’s not cheap on a student budget!

Weight Today: 154lbs (+/- 0lbs)

Breakfast: very small bowl of leftover risotto

Lunch: 65g of pasta with tomato and oregano sauce, pinch of grated cheese on top

Afternoon snack: small sweet popcorn at the cinema

Tea: miniature chicken pie, two potato croquettes and mixed vegetables

Water: 64oz

Exercise: 1 hour yoga

Ugh today has not been a good food day!

My exam went quite well though (finally - one exam I don’t feel sick about!) and I am studying later for the next one; Developmental Psychology.  I’m also making headway about gaining clinical experience.  A psychologist on the clinical psychology forum I’m a member of got in touch saying a 14-25hour vacancy is coming up in my area.  It’s a lot of hours, but an incredible experience, so even the interview would be a really good opportunity for me.

Also, DP finally kicked his butt into gear!  He’s got out of his funk and cleaned up a little, thank goodness.  Anyway, I’m off to make tea in a minute.  The cheesecake below was ridiculous! I was subsumed by “aaaaaah chocolate!” hormones, and couldn’t in any good conscience claim an OP food day! I am adding another contingency - only one piece of chocolate a day.  I don’t know what possesed me today, I’m just glad I reasserted self control before I ate the whole damn thing.  Naughty mango…

Weight Today: 154lbs (+/- 0lbs)

Breakfast: none

Lunch: tuna sweetcorn baguette on wholemeal with mixed peppers, plus a caramel slice

Afternoon snack: slice of cheesecake - around 540kcal, oh dear!

Tea: homemade risotto

Water: 104oz!

Exercise: 45 minute walk, 50 straight sit ups, 20 left side twists, 20 right side twists, 60 reps of 17.4lb weights

I love my risotto. I have a full-fat recipe (the original one I concocted) and a lower-cal one that I adjusted.  Instead of chicken I use extra lean turkey, red peppers and green peas.  I changed out the 35g of butter for 20g of low-fat margerine and change the richer italian cheese for a smaller amount of parmesan.  It is DELICIOUS and my token dish.  I am proud of it

Mango x

My DP that is, though the “dear” is a bit of a stretch at the moment.  He’s been in a pissy mood all day because his PC’s broken down again, which I can understand and I appreciate this adds to the money worries etc. but his attitude irritates the hell out of me.  Rather than be proactive he just sits and moans and wallows in self pity.  Which I can do as well, I know, but I have enough to deal with having an exam tomorrow and doing studying today, I don’t need to be holding him up as well!

He was meant to be going to Taekwondo tonight, which I said would help vent some frustration, produce endorphins etc. and make him feel better but he couldn’t be bothered. He has a testing at the end of the month so it’s his own damn fault if he doesn’t pass. I am trying to be patient as I realise one of us has to be the adult, hence the rant here, I am just fed up of the apathy.  He will need to grow up sometime, but apparently isn’t ready to take the plunge just yet.

Studying has taken a lot out of me today; a lot of facts and figures and given the general bad mood vibes in the house I haven’t been able to take over the living room to exercise (don’t get me started on the mess he’s got sprawled out in there!)  It’s a petty excuse I know, and I will need to make up for it to earn some more stars but today I’m just all out of enthusiasm.

Weight Today: 154lbs (-0.4lbs)

Breakfast: none

Lunch: 75g pasta with tomato, basil and crushed garlic sauce with a small amount of grated cheese

Afternoon snack: 10 small chocolate coins

Tea: spaghetti bolognaise with lean mince and tomato and oregano sauce

Water: 64oz

Exercise: none as yet

Too much carbs, not enough exercise.  It’ll get better.

Mango x

Hi guys!

I experienced an unexpected turn of events last night that stopped me from blogging - let me put in my stats and I’ll fill you in!

Weight Today: 154.4lbs (-0.6lbs)

Breakfast: cornflakes with semiskimmed milk and sunmaid raisins

Lunch: 2 tuna mayo toasties with extra light mayo and wholemeal bread (made on the George Foreman so no added grease!)

Afternoon snack: one maryland cookie (small)

Tea: fajitas with lean chicken, peppers, sweetcorn, extra light salsa, cheddar and small tortilla wraps; healthy living chocolate mousse for dessert

Water: 48oz

Exercise: 30 minute walk, 20 reps of 17.6lb weights

Yeah so more exciting stuff!  While DP was making tea last night he was looking out across the gardens of our flats and the flats of the parallel road.  (For clarification, there’s two streets in parallel with flats on them, and the gardens are back to back, so we can see their gardens and they can see ours).  Three suspicious characters climbed over the fence into the garden opposite and DP switched off the kitchen light so they wouldn’t see him watching.  The moment the light was off they hopped over the wall into our garden, broke open the window of one of the ground floor flats (thankfully unoccupied) and DP called the police straight away.  Within 5 minutes they were here but it was too late - they’d already scarpered, but there were sniffer dogs, crime techs and undercover detectives! DP made a statement, but sadly, we don’t think they’ll catch the guys.  What drama to have before an exam!

Anyway, I need to do some more studying right now, but I’ll definitely write about today later!

Mango x

My brain is currently enforcing an embargo upon any study-related activities.  How irritating.  I have an exam on Tuesday and while reasonably well prepared I still need to refine my knowledge.  Partly it is my fault for cutting it far to close to the wire to start studying, but at least I have learned from my error for next year.  However, when I am sitting here thinking “I need to learn this” and my brain just wont compute it is annoying.  I don’t have time to take breaks, but apparently my body has run out of adrenaline and cortisol to produce to get me into gear.

The embargo doesn’t cover anything else though, so I am still feeling highly motivated!  DP is at work until 9.45pm, so I am making chilli con carne for tea and eating mine early.  Once he’s scarfed down his (because no matter what I tell him he simply refuses to eat slowly) we are going for our walk. Not sure where, just a wee wander probably.

I took my starting weight today - 155lbs. I hate the 150’s.  I’ve been in them for a year!  And normally around the 155 mark too so it seems tantalising close to the 140’s yet so far away.  I am going to work hard to break that barrier down soon!

Thank you inkheatmeg for your comment, well done you for sticking it out!  I am hoping my boyfriend will continue to muck in and do his bit, but I have learnt that it takes 90 days to establish a habit, so as long as we make it to that point I’ll have established that habit by then!

Weight Today: 155lbs

Breakfast: wholemeal toast with raspberry jam

Morning snack: mini Twirl bar (140kcal)

Lunch: tuna steak and a pear

Afternoon snack: two maryland cookies (small)

Tea: chilli con carne made with lean steak mince, chilli kindey beans, chilli sauce and brown rice; with a pinch of grated cheese on top

Water: 64oz

Exercise: 30 minute walk (up hills!) and 20 reps of 17.6lb weights