New Year, New Start

Well, it seems I let this lapse in Oz, and never brought it back to life. Let's make a second attempt.

I won't say the last six months have been completely disastrous for my eating, but particularly in the last month, I have not been doing too well. Part of it was my gran dying unexpectedly, which threw me completely off track. Plus there's the usual Christmas season issues - even though I don't celebrate it, I was in Germany on research and then in Prague, and two cuisines which are based on bread, cheese, booze and sweet things are not good for the waistline.

Actually, the damage isn't that bad, based on the scales, but I feel rather icky. So here's to a new year, and a new resolution.

Weight: 70.9 kg. Will be checked once a week, on Monday morning. If I can get to and stay at 65kg, I'd be extremely happy. So there's not much to lose, but given my medical condition, it's not going to be as easy as all that. Plus there's the dreaded exercise issue. I'm not a fan. And the weather up in Scotland at the moment makes outdoor activities seem like a fate worse than death. (I had planned a walk today. But it's freezing, and very wet. I'll wait till the gym opens again tomorrow.)

Jan 1st

Breakfast - 1 bowl porridge with semi-skimmed milk, frozen rasberries, two spoons single cream and 7 white chocolate dots. This may seem an odd way to start a 'diet', but I didn't want a miserable beginning to the new year. The additions added less than 100 calories, and a lot of flavour. Not to become a habit, but definitely worth it for me. (And it's definitely healthier than the porridge van's version of same!) Plus 2/3 glass fresh orange juice. Eaten to the accompaniment of the Vienna Phil's New Year's Day concert. Most enjoyable.

Lunch - somewhat late, after a nap. I haven't really felt properly awake all day. Anyway, I had a plan involving salmon and salad, but Tesco had sold out of spinach yesterday, so I had to improvise. 1/2 a tail piece of hot smoked salmon, mixed with a teaspoon light mayonaise and a small piece of cheddar. Served with a chunk of bauernbrot (I think this is my new favourite) and some broccoli I rescued from the freezer. Plus a banana and a large mug of water.

Oh, and two teaspoons chocolate mousse while I was making it for dinner. My neighbour is cooking, and I wanted to contribute something.

Dinner - vegetable pakoras, freshly made (small, had about six?) plus basmati rice with chickpeas. Dessert - four tablespoons pakistani rice pudding, 2 tablespoons mousse (which turned out very well, although I only used single cream). Plus a mug of berry tea.

And all tablets present and accounted for.

Tomorrow will involve many errands, doing the washing, and the like. Fun for all. But I must fit in some exercise.

I also need to buy quite a few groceries to make some bigger dishes to have ready. A sort of non-commercial ready meal I can yank from the freezer. Plans include some homemade pizzas (I've got a good base recipe), some vegetable pies, and a pot of sausage stews.

We'll see how all this pans out.