The morning after ...

Thank you so much for all your good wished but unfortunately I didn't get the job. Although I was brilliant, there was someone else who was better. I'm gutted. However, check out what happened this morning to cheer me up.

In stones

In pounds

In kilos

Ten things Thursday

Thanks to Laura Belle we have the the brilliant randomness that is Ten Things Thursday ...

1)    This morning the scale said

How lovely is that? And for those of you who don't work in stones ...

 

2)    I have the interview for job 3 tomorrow morning. (The one with more money where the head came to see me teach at my school) Please keep your fingers crossed for me.

3)    I've been a good girl tracking my calories using 'My Fitness Pal' which is obviously paying off.

4)    I have been very very rubbish at exercising this week but I am going tomorrow and from there into my new proper routine. (Monday rest, Tuesday Zumba, Wednesday Body Conditioning, Thursday Gym and Swim, Friday Zumba, Saturday Body Conditioning, Sunday Spinning). Other than the school performance evenings, I am not going to miss any before my birthday.

5)    My cat has been patroling around the lounge. She is on guard as there is a big black cat nearby who like to come into the garden. The other cat can't get in because she has a magnetic collar key tag to use the cat flap so her inside perimeter pacing is more than a little redundant.

6)    My friend and I went to see the filming of a comedy show on Tuesday. It was so much fun.

7)    Sports day today. My group came 2nd. Some of them were really poor sports and it was quite disappointing. :o(

8)    One week tomorrow until the school performance dress rehearsal. We haven't even finished sorting the dance to our second song out but in my defense, it is loooooooooooooooong. Funny but very long!

9)    My fellow country men/women are about to have me shot but England deserved to go out of Euro 2012. We played terribly! Italy were a far superior side and it would of been a crime against football to beat them. There! I said it!

10)   I have my hopes pinned on Andy Murray this year. Lets face it he is probably a safer bet than the England team ever was! I am counting on him making it to the semi finals for the 4th year running and just maybe, this year, he will make it into the final!!!!

It's baaaaaaaack!!!!!!!

 

For one minute this morning, the scale was half a pound lower but when I got off to jump for joy and grab my camera, it left and would not return! I was still thrilled though because ...

Yes I am back in what you non stone weighing people refer to as onederland. My goal today was not to celebrate with cookies or other extreme junk. I didn't exactly succeed. This week has been INSANE at work. I am exhausted and barely holding it together. I had 3 chocolate dijestives (damn you mcvities!) at break and I got fish and chips on my way home at half past 8. I tracked it all and I am still under my "my fitness pal" calorie goal so I don't think I have sabotaged myself quite like last time. I am off to bed, at a reasonable time for once so I am ready to fight my way down the next 3 pounds starting tomorrow. 13 stone x here I come!

Back online again.

So I go to the techie store, practically cry on one of the sales assistants and get him to write me down idiot proof instructions to make it work again. What they (techie geeks) seemed to think of as fairly straight forward I found rather tricky. I even had to call the store whilst trying to follow said idiot proof instructions because I didn't get what to do when it differed slightly from what he had written down.

My fitness pal is so far working well for me. I have even got a few friends on there *waves to Kristin, Amy, Michelle and Andrea*

I have a crazy week at work but not a lot new there really. School finishes on 20th July - 3 weeks on Friday. Very exciting! I can't wait to join Barbie in the no alarm clock club.

Now I don't want to jinx it but TOM is here bang on time but so far crazy craving free! I could quite happily get used to this.

I have been balancing at 200.2 for a couple of days. I have been good. I have not eaten cookies. I want to be 199 again! Maybe tomorrow but I swear on all that is skinny, I will never celebrate with cookies again!

New phone

It's so exciting! I have a new iphone and ... this is big for me ... internet on my phone!!

Just in case you were unfamiliar.

Downside, once I got home, I tried to connect to the internet and managed (in the process of trying to work out what it was) to loose my wireless network passcode. I have been trying for hours and have resorted to lying on my stomach on a hard wood floor with the laptop plugged in at the wall. :o( Tomorrow will involve a trip to see techie types at maplin to see if there is a way to fix it without buying a new internet router. If not, new router for me. Grrrr.

Anyway one of the big reasons for buying the phone was tracking my calories better. What apps do you use to do this? Any recommendations? I've never had much luck with paper and I am hoping my phone will be easier.

Another reason was after blogging for 6 months (yes you have been listen to me ramble on for that long) I cannot imagine being away from blogland for the 2 weeks I'll be in Florida. I mean what if I PB? or get stuck? or have port pain? or trouble after the flight? who will I be able to tell? Well now I have a phone and hotel wi fi, it won't be an issue. :oD Roll on Disney. xx

Oops.

I went out for dinner with my Dad. My mummy is away for the weekend so he was feeling all alone. I said I would go over for dinner and when I turned my nose up at his planned chilli from a tin, he insisted on a curry. I had 2 spoons of rice and 3/4 of my chicken. I spooned the chicken out onto my plate and left 80% of the sauce. If I pray hard enough, I might not have sabotaged myself too badly.

I didn't get job 2 but after my interview and teaching the class, I had pretty much decided I didn't really want it. I want job 3. Fingers crossed for that interview next week.

TTT!!!!!! whoop whoop

Brought to us by Laura "the courgette/zucchini grower extraordinaire" Belle

1)   I forgot my lunch today. I ate 2 club biscuits instead. 124 Kcal each.

2)   I went for a job interview with the very good looking other teacher. I didn't get it but I kind of went off him a bit after I found out his name is Giles.

3)   The observation by the headteacher from the other school went really well, I think.

4)   Petrol prices suck £1.38 / litre! Daylight robbery.

5)   One day I shall be reading back through my blog and wondering why I was moaning about £1.38 / litre when it is £2999 / litre in the future. Cost of living future self! Cost of living.

6)   This week we discovered my mum was a teacher at the secondary school my current head went to for 3 overlapping years. Crazy woman is now being really nice to me. I don't get her at all.

7)   I am now a pampered chef rep type person. I only did it to get the bargainous starter kit but I am hoping I could make a bit of money. Bad news though if I do start making money, I am going to have to do my own tax self assessment junk. It'll probably end up costing me more than I make then.

8)   I love my little gadget which tells me where people have viewed my blog from. I mean seriously, so many different states in the US, Canada and Australia. I am fairly sure I know who my regular Paris reader is and my West Sussex reader (hey girls) but I have other followers in the UK too (Hello York and Sheffield people).

9)   I am meeting one of my friends this weekend. It will be the first time I have seen her since her wedding was called off. I am looking forward to seeing her even though I know it is likely to be painful. I have been needing to hug her for so long.

10) The chillies are playing a huge concert not very far from my house on Saturday night. The traffic will be a nightmare Saturday but I will be able to listen from my lounge. :oD

This time no self sabotaging

This morning the scale looked like 

This is the lowest it has been since the wonderland cookie celebration.

Today I have eaten 1 portion of Belvita breakfast biscuits (they are more like crackers) 200 kcal
200 g king prawns 134 kcal
3 tsps of seafood sauce 70 kcal
1 1/2 wholemeal pitta 210 kcal
caramelised onion houmous 140 kcal
1 low fat chicken kiev  282 kcal
1 corn on the cob 44 kcal
1 small knob of low fat spread 60 kcal

I have drunk plenty of water but no exercise as getting ready for a lovely headteacher coming to watch me teach tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Are you proud of me?

Is it fill time? and other news.

Just when I had given up on job 1, I got a letter in the post asking me for an interview on Wednesday. Keeping my fingers crossed for the other two though. One interview does not a new job guarantee.

I went to The Making of Harry Potter studio tour yesterday with my wonderful mummy and 2 of my good friends.

Being a total idiot, I forgot to bring my camera. My friends took tons and said I could have copies but since they haven't emailed them yet, I can't show you. It was incredible though. I am a HUGE HP fan. Devoted as I am to the books, I enjoyed the films and really loved seeing all the details that they used to make them come to alive. The tour is supposed to take about 3 hours. We were there for 5 1/2! We took in everything we could. It was incredible. Anyone in the area, who likes HP, should go and if you want company, email me. I would be delighted to go again.

I have been wondering of late whether or not I could do with some tightening. I don't want to be too tight because I know that is counter productive. At last fill I had 7.8 ml in my 10 ml band. That was back in March and I was quite tight post that fill. Could I have lost some? I still eat slowly. I still chew like there is no tomorrow and sometimes I can't eat very much. Other times, I can eat loads!!! Friday night I had the best part of 2 fajitas. Last night, when we go back late from the tour (8.45 pm) I was ravenous and ate 1/2 a chip shop portion of chips and 2 battered sausages! Yes, pre band, it would have been so much more but it was enough to scare me. Today I have had 2 pancakes (big French ones not little American buttermilk ones), 3 ryvita crackers, and a medium sized jacket potato with beans and cheese. Not too bad but when you throw in it is 3 pm and I am already considering what to have for dinner tonight ... So I can see you all giving quizical looks at the screen, why not have a fill? You  must be crazy, packing all that away means you clearly need more restriction but I do sometimes get stuck and of late what I get stuck on mostly is ... milk. Yes, milk. That white, creamy liquid. The white stuff as the TV adverts used to say. Too cold? Too big gulps? Who knows but it just makes me think ... should I be any tighter?

Opinions please.

A really lovely day out

I just don't have time for Ten Things Thursday this week. Boo. Hiss. :o(

We had a lovely day today on our trip to see Her Majesty The Queen. The children were really excited and well behaved. They loved the train ride but the walking was a bit much for some of them. Despite the terrible weather we have had this year, the sun came out a bit today and it warmed up. Most of us grown ups have caught the sun so I hope the children were all ok.

 

Her Majesty planted an oak tree at Hatfield House to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee. Hatfield House was the childhood of Queen Elizabeth I and it was here, under and oak tree, she found out her sister Mary had died and she had become Queen herself. The original oak was destroyed but our Queen Elizabeth planted another in its place. After she had lunch inside with many important local people, she left by helicopter. Given half the children hadn't been on a train before, can you imagine how exciting they found this.

Hatfield House has been in the Cecil (Marquess of Salisbury) family since the early 1600's. (Lord Salisbury was the organiser of the jubilee river pageant). It is used for all sorts of filming and is partially open to the public. Schools can take trips around the old palace which dates from the 1400's.

What a week it is ...

I am having a HORRID week.

My plan for Monday did not work out. Simply, my lovely cleaner, locked me out of my own house because she left her key in the back of the door, twisted in the lock. I had to call a lock smith, wait 45 minutes for him to arrive and it cost me £95 to get back in! It took him all of 2 seconds. Can we all say EASY MONEY! I am going to become a locksmith.

I have applied for 3 new jobs.

Job 1 has a seriously HOT teacher in a parallel class.

Job 2 headteacher asked me 3 times to apply when I went to look around. He was friendly and the school seems well supported.

Job 3 is my favourite. The headteacher was really nice. It is still quite a small school but the job is a bit of a promotion and more money than I am on now.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Tomorrow we are going to see Her Majesty The Queen. Hopefully the rain will hold off and we can stay dry. We have a "designated area" on the grass to wait in. Then the children can sit on their bin bags for the long wait (between when we have to arrive and when anything actually happens) and read their books. I am so nervous about eating in front of so many people with no easy to run to toilet but despite my Sunday evening "no I do have restriction post," I am definitely not tight. More on that next blog though.

Also 50 shades of grey is very compelling. I am having trouble getting any work done.

Comedy night out

This isn't going to be a long post because it's late and I am tired but I wanted to share that I have just been on a fabulous night out with my friend Clare.

I apply for a lot of "free tickets" to see TV shows being filmed. They hand out more than they actually have so  it's first come first served and if they run out, you usually get a priority pass for another night. Tonight's show was a stand up comedy show of 4 comedian's. We got there 2 hours before the doors opened collected our tickets and headed off to starbucks for a bite to eat. Of late, I have been thinking I have been a little loose. I eat a lot of rubbish because I am a naughty girl but even proper food seems to be going down quite quickly and my portions feel gigantic. So my friend had a chicken pasta salad 275 kcal and I had a tuna panini 493 kcal. I couldn't even eat half of it. I probably ate 3/4 of my half. I took a photo I was so impressed with myself.

So it was less calories than the salad and I can have the other half tomorrow because I took the left overs home in my handbag.

Back to school tomorrow. Boo! My aim for the day is to stay away from the biscuit tin. As a bonus, I will go to the gym.

BYOC

The one and only Drazil has brought us our own round of Friday craziness ...

Like the rules of haircare, the rules of BYOC are simple and finite, copy, paste and change the answers for your own.

It’s time for BYOC – Bring Your Own Crazy! We answer 5 little questions to get to know each other better and to give our blogging brains a break! Copy to your own blog and enjoy!!

1. Do you know your credit score? Do you check it regularly? Does it matter to you?

No. No. Yes but not in any sense that I worry about it. I pay my bills on time. I have money on a credit card but I make all the payments. I have student debt but most graduates my age do. I don't think it's as big a deal in the UK.

2. What’s your go to “water-cooler-off-er” each summer? Small kiddie pool, “real” pool, sprinkler, public pool, hotel pool, or stay inside in the air and never don a bathing suit ever?

I live in the UK. In the height of summer, to cool down, I may take off a jumper. It's June and 14*C here today. Whoop dee doo!

3. Describe your phone cover…if you have one.

I have an old samsung thing. It has no cover. It still has a keypad and no internet. I am considering upgrading to a phone with internet because I honestly don't know how I will be with no blogs for the 15 days I am in the US in August!


If I did have a phone cover though, I may have bought a nice patriotic union jack for the jubilee to be shortly changed for a London 2012 one. Followed closely by a Disney one while I am away. Who knows.

4. If you ever had a wedding, what were your colors or theme? If you aren’t married – but plan to be some day – what will your colors or theme be?

I'm not married. I have no significant other ATM so I cannot really answer this because I think weddings need to be about the couple getting married as a couple. For example, when I was with Ed (Heaven help me if he ever reads this - or any future partners for that matter!) he took me to the seaside when we first got together and we went a couple of times later so a seaside theme would have been lovely. Think sand and shells in centre pieces with a few flowers, and twists of rope. Grey bridesmaids dresses and suits with pale blue and sandy coloured accents. Sticks of rock as wedding favours. You get the idea. But that was about us and our relationship so I doubt it would transfer when Mr Right bothers to turn up.

Ultimately, I will wear a pretty white dress, with lacy bits and sparkly bits and a long veil and I will drink champagne (band will have to cope, I am only getting married once) and it'll be one of the happiest days of my life.

5. Repeat question: summarize your week.

I love half term but I have done bugger all with it. The jubilee was great but British weather sucks. I can't wait until school is over for the summer. I have been preoccupied with numbers this week but they are mostly doing good things. I need to stop sabotaging myself by eating crap.

Ten things Thursday - the weekly commandments edition

Thursdays seem to mean one thing in blog world (and a great thing it is too) - ten things Thursday introduced to us by super spider slayer Laura

1)   Thou shalt not celebrate weight loss by eating biscuits - even if they were on special offer in Sainsburys.

2)   Thou shalt not be surprised to see the scale do nasty things after eating nothing but junk for an entire day - stupid scale.

3)   Thou shalt work extra hard in the gym this week to get back to onederland - permanently

4)   Thou shalt not become even more attracted to men with girlfriends who work in fish shops - if it is meant to be, he will make it happen.

5)   Thou shalt not spend any more days pining away for rubbishy ex boyfriends - it has been a long time and it is time to move on - but not with someone with a girlfriend!

6)   Thou shalt not read books just because all the cool kids bloggers are doing it - 50 shades of grey arrived this morning :o)

7)   Thou shall not feign being a helpless girlie to get male friends to come put up the new kitchen blind - even if at first it does seem particularly impossible.

8)   Thou shalt not have post jubilee depression - it was a lovely celebration and now there is the Olympics to think about.

9)   Thou shalt not change the brand of cat food suddenly - cats have sensitive babylike tummies and are then prone to farting, leaving extra smelly presents in the litter tray and throwing up all over the house.

10)  Thou shalt remember to water the window boxes - even when it is raining because they don't actually get wet!

There must be something wrong with my scale ... and dietician update.

I have not seen any significant scale movement since March. MARCH I say! I track, I eat more protein, I reduce my calories, I exercise more and nothing. NOTHING. Then finally on Saturday a ray of hope appeared. I was down 2 more tiny pounds. I loved them so much. I was so thrilled. But apparently dear readers pounds on this fat girl are like buses (at least UK buses) where you get nothing show up for ages and then 6 turn up at once.

This is the 3rd pound I have lost since Saturday!!!!!! It's not like I have been a super good girl either. Normally I loose a little and the scales jump about for a bit before settling but this has just been down, down, down. I don't want to sound like I am complaining because I am thrilled but I am not quite sure how this happened.

I said as much to the dietician today. She said (and this here is a direct quote) "scales can't add up" I was genuinely shocked. Not that I actually thought the scales could count but the point she went on to make was that it is the trend that is important. Sometimes it takes a while for things to register but as long as calories stay low and exercise is being done, the numbers will go down. She looked at my food diary and didn't tell me off for some of my indiscretions. She said I was doing well with the protein. I expressed my concern about the amount of protein and lack of carbs because I don't stay sated and she said it was fine as long as they are the right texture ie 1 piece of wholemeal toast is ok as is wholemeal pasta, pitta or rice as long as it goes with some protein. We discussed the Don't eat if you are not hungry philosophy which she dislikes but seems to be working better for me than trying to force food down my throat just because it is x o'clock. She made it clear she dislikes my daily weigh ins but I made it clear I find them helpful and that will not be changing. We went around in a circle with her saying why it is bad and it can be demotivating and people even subconsciously change their behaviour because of it. I said I did change my behaviour because of it and that was why I did it. I don't put on weight when I get on the scale everyday. I have another face to face appointment booked for when school breaks up in July but I am to call if I have another plateau.

So anyways, I am thrilled with my little weight loss roll that I seem to be on this week. I am off to the gym now but for those of you who do not do weight conversion maths ...

check out my other number ...

Sorry. Is that a bit hard to make out?

Yes, my friends, I have made it to one-derland. Fingers crossed, I will never see the other side of 200 again.

Start as you mean to go on.

Another 3/4 lb off! Check me out, I am Sarah the Super Slimmer all of a sudden! I am being really careful with my food choices at the moment, only eating when  I am actually feeling hungry and stopping eating after 20 minutes as an extra portion control measure. Today for example, I got up at 8 (it's a special bank holiday here, for Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee!) and didn't eat anything until half 12, when I had cheese on 1 slice of wholemeal toast. I had some ravioli at about 6 and some crackers around half 9. I know my dietician will say (when I see her tomorrow) that this is too carbohydrate heavy but I am sated and meeting the government recommendation so will shall have to see. 

I went to visit my parents this afternoon and they spent a fair chunk of my visit trying to drive me round twist. They have a special water filter and I use the water from it for my aquarium. I love that this makes me go and see them but every time, my dad starts on why won't I use a trolley to carry the jugs of water. I see it as part of my exercise. He sees it as me being difficult and refusing to use his trolley which won't go up and down the 5 steps out the front of the house anyway. It causes arguments when he is in the mood for a fight. Today add to the mix that I did not want to eat pancakes at 4 pm and you have a lovely family get together.

I had a car full of water bottles and was feeling really drained so I didn't go to the gym on the way home. Stupid move really, I should have known I wouldn't go out again. Tomorrow. I will go and work extra hard.

Finally for those of you not in the conversion maths frame of mind 14 st 4 is 200 lbs. I am hoping to be in one-derland by the end of the week. Watch this space.

So after eating cookies

For those of you who missed yesterday, I celebrated my weight loss by eating a pack of Maryland cookies.

Today, I saw another loss. Only 1/4 lb but I am very confused. Maybe I should eat more cookies?

New targets

Well now that my friend Ali's wedding is over with, I need a new mini goal and today marked a good day to set it.

 "Why today Sarah?" I hear you all cry ...

Well, my friends, today is a good day because I woke up to ...

And for those of you who don't know, those are my toes (in all their unpolished glory) on my scale with my number which today is 2 stone lower than on the day of my surgery. 28 lbs off in exactly 32 weeks after surgery. Not amazing but I am proud none the less. I celebrated by watching the Queen's diamond jubilee river pageant, painting my toe nails (because I hated them in this photo) and eating a pack of Maryland cookies.

So today I have decided that since I am leaving for

in just 10 weeks, I am going to aim for another stone (14 lbs). That is a big ask for someone who hasn't done so well up until now but I am hoping showing all you lovely people my big scary number (you'll keep it a secret won't you?) will keep me a bit more accountable. (read away from the cookies)

In other news, fish shop guy and I are both feeling very guilty. I have decided he needs to dump his girlfriend and shower me with flowers and gifts sweeping me off my feet and we can head off into the sunset ... la la la.

So for those of you who don't know ...

I have a crush on a guy who works in an aquatics (fish) shop where I go to buy stuff for my beautiful aquarium. I have been going there for a couple of years. He has worked there the entire time. We have always got on well and I have had this crush on him since I first started going. So much so that I NEVER go to this shop without make up on or my hair done nicely. I do not go in wearing old clothes or something that I have just chucked on. I make an effort when I go there. For him essentially. I even kept going when another guy who worked there started following me around the shop (probably thinking the hair, make up and nice clothes were for his benefit even though he was old enough to be my dad!) He sheltered me from said creepy guy and talked me into making a complaint (which I did and creepy guy left!) Since I upgraded my tank in October, I spent A LOT of time and money there and after a while he asked me to add him as a friend on facebook. I did but the next time I went in, he complained about the lack of photos of my tank so I sent him some and then the messaging started. First via facebook and then via text. Then back in March, we decided we were going to watch a scary film together. He was coming here so he could see the tank in person. It took us long enough to get a date but today was the day.

Well ...

It turns out he likes me too :oD Apparently he has liked me for ages but didn't know if I liked him too. He knows now. Such a shame he has a girlfriend :o( He said I was beautiful though. That's made me smile more than anything else has done for a long time. The fat girl inside me will never really get used to being told that.