Chapter 18 - Holiday Miracles

Miracles sometimes happen:

1) I am back from two weeks all-inclusive and didn´t put on any weight.

2) I am not hungry

3) I am back writing on my blog

Under normal circumstances I would return from an all-inclusive Caribbean holiday gaining more weight than my baggage allowance. The last two weeks in the Dominican Republic were unusually very weight friendly. I spent the first week wondering if I had misinterpreted “all you can eat” for “all you can shiteat”. I got plenty of sport running to the toilet with Eat & Run syndrome. This was topped off with my British genes yearning for a suntan too soon and experiencing a bit of sunstroke. It´s not a nice feeling when its 35 degrees and you´re lying freezing wrapped in blankets. I had a liquid diet of tea and water for a couple of days, which obviously helped the days to follow, where I tucked into the meat, mojitos and melon – oh and more meat. Some photos are at the bottom of this post.

Now I´ll go back to miracle number two. I am not feeling hungry and blame this on my jetlag. Jetlag has not only messed with my bodyclock, leaving me wide awake until 5am this morning, but – as always – it makes me feel sick and takes away my appetite. I guess that’s why all the supermodels are so thin – flying New York–Paris-Sydney-Milan and not feeling hungry.

Now before I shout “”Eureka”” thinking jetlag could become a new trend diet I have to think practical. Neither my bank balance, job, or holiday allowance allow this to be a permanent diet solution. However – my next flight is already on the agenda – Friday night to London. But the meagre one hour time difference and the smell of a Fish & Chip supper upon arrival seem more lucrative than any jetlag trip around the world diet. 

I´m back and I´m brown. Well brownish – or rather sunkissed. Early last week I could have been mistaken for Neopolitan ice cream with my skin resembling the chocolate, strawberry and vanilla colours.

My friend Vic always told me told me her mum used to tell her people always look better with a suntan – just like lamb chops always look much better when cooked and brown. Well I am cooked and brown but still look fat. But I feel better. That’s all that counts for now.

The Good
Fruit and Salads

The Bad
Meat feasts and chocolate dessert

The Ugly
Fried Ice Cream and Bingo Wings drinks CocoLoco

Chapter 17 - Missing in Dissatisfaction

Those of you visiting regularly will have noticed I´ve been missing for a good few weeks. Okay, I confess - I´ve been hiding offline behind baggy shirts. 
After my tummy bug I was rather euphoric that I had lost a few kilos, but I slipped back into some old tricks, fooling myself that I should be happy that food stays down in my tummy. I suppose I interpreted being well again as an "All you can eat" ticket. Early April I was away for a few days with work and counting points had suddenly jumped to the back of my mind again. The hot April weather also marked the start of our ice cream season  - all lovely excuses to avoid weight watching. 


I was avoiding the scales. Until we spent the weekend before Easter in Vienna.  During a city walk a pair of golden scales beckoned me to jump on. 20 Seconds and 20 cents later I was feeling a bit guilty and disappointed with myself again. Rather than moping around the whole weekend I decided to enjoy the weekend and start again when I was back in Cologne. Three more days weren´t going to make a difference........or were they?

Vienna is a beautiful city which is accompanied by beautiful food. The whole cafe culture beckoned us to enjoy Melange coffees, delicious pastries, apple strudel and mouthwatering gateaus. The beergarden was perfect accompanied by sunny skies and Schnitzel. Tasting the local wine and enjoying Vienese cuisine in a laid back Austrian atmosphere was wonderful. 
 

I was hit by another tummy bug after returning from Vienna, but was fit enough to murder a chocolate bunny and eat some chocolate eggs on Easter Sunday.  Now - post Easter I am back to being good - at least until the next obstacle arrives - or I come across some very large golden scales.  

Chapter 16 - -2.5 Kilos in a day

It sounds like the most unbelievable diet ever. But believe me,  I would prefer to run a marathon or eat nothing but lettuce for a month to get the same result. 

On Tuesday morning around 3am I was hit by the dreaded upstairs-downstairs virus and became a permanent resident of the bathroom.

The very same virus had knocked my DH for six on Sunday. He´d been up all night cuddling the white porcelain and had nothing left inside that he ended up almost unconscious and I had to call an ambulance. Not knowing what had gone on all night, he was just lying there, cramped up in the hallway. It looked like a stroke or something. So after the big fright, the drama of an ambulance, a helicopter with emergency doctor and police at our door, a few hours in hospital on a drip he was halfway back to normal and looking less green.

Forty hours later I was looking very green, or maybe white is a better description.  I guess that’s true love. You share everything with each other.

Source: (c) gocomics.com

The scales really showed that I lost 2.5 kilos in a day, despite drinking loads of water and tea. In the past 24 hours I´ve managed some Brandt melba toasts, a dry bread roll, some potato mash and today – a whole slice of toast.

Dieting is far away in my mind. I hate being ill. I hate missing work, even more so because there is a special gathering today with a party. And everyone knows how much I like partying.  Roll on better days….. at least my green face is a tribute to St. Patricks Day today. 

Chapter 15 - The Party is over

Enough is enough.  I´ve been “Absent without Leave” around here for a couple of weeks, busy with work, travelling and too busy living the good life to think about dieting. The last six days have been the highlight of living in Cologne – it was the annual carnival celebrations. This involves partying non-stop, dressing up in fancy dress and having a great deal of fun and an awful lot of alcohol.

I haven´t dared to step on the scales yet. I don´t want to see the damage 100+ Kölsch (the local beer) has done to me in the past few days.  I didn´t count the drinks or points – but I´m sure the quantity is correct. Tomorrow I will start again – the beginning of lent marks another new start in my Auf Wiedersehen Fat journey.

Goodbye beer. Goodbye breakfast bubbly. Goodbye bratwurst. Hello smaller costumes next year. 

Chapter 14 - Willpower in Weimar

This week I´m spending four days and nights in a hotel on a business trip with all day meetings.  Tempation is all around me.  It´s staring me right in the face as I type this. A Toblerone and milka bar in the glass cabinet mini bar of my hotel room.  The plate of fruit somehow doesn’t have the same level of excitement, but I will try and focus on the grapes and apple if temptation comes my way.

So far I haven´t had much willpower in Weimar.  My first naughty stop was the Thuringer sausage and beer which welcomed me to Weimar after a motorway breakdown on the way here last night. I wasn´t in the mood for calorie options or being choosy  – I was just plain starving and pleased to get to this beautiful former East German town in one piece after freezing my ass off on the motorway. Unfortunately, freezing ones ass off doesn’t really result in loosing a few pounds from ones bottom. What a shame. I sure felt like I deserved it being stuck on the side of the motorway in minus 8 degrees.

I successfully ignored the mini bar and woke up to a wonderful breakfast buffet. I avoided the bacon and eggs and went for the brown roll with turkey and cucumber, low fat cheese, fruit salad, but then I had a weak moment and gave in to a pancake. Oh well, you can´t win them all…..

Next test of temptation was lunch. After salad and vegetables and a wee piece of meat I was tempted by a little glass of lemon yoghurt mousse.

Next stop was coffee break.  Next fail! A blueberry muffin made its way into my mouth and I tried to cancel it out with some pineapple, passion fruit and then a pot of tea.

At seven it was time for dinner. After antipasti and soup I couldn’t face meat or pasta so went for some green cabbage and potatoes. Not too bad I suppose. A couple of glasses of wine went down too……and after an hour or so….I just had to go and check out the desert buffet and came back with panna cotta, figs and a tiny piece of chocolate cake. Goodness knows how many points I ate today. I didn’t count and won´t count them.

It sounds like a non- stop all you can eat feast day. I have to watch out.  I have to find some willpower from somewhere. Tomorrow will be a challenge.  If I go on like this for the next three days I will be sure not to just have a flat tyre on the car journey home, but some more spare tyres around my waist. Wish me luck!  

"I will not eat the Toblerone out of the mini bar - I will not eat the Toblerone out of the mini bar - I will not eat the Toblerone out of the mini bar - I will not eat the Toblerone out of the mini bar" ............ 

Chapter 13 - Valentines Love Heart

Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet and so are you………  this brings back memories of valentines cards in my school days. Today is the 14^th February  - Valentines Day. A special day where hearts jump and florists, restaurants, chocolatiers and jewellers potentially make lots of money. Potentially, meaning if people now follow the somewhat commercial driven tradition, which actually dates back to the year 496AD from a Christian martyr named Saint Valentine.

My husband fell for the commercial trap. Maybe he didn´t want to risk the emotional pressure and my sulking if he hadn´t bought me anything.  I got home to find some beautiful flowers and a special valentines cake. It reminded me of a miniature version of our wedding cake. Very romantic. Very calorific. Very delicious.

We went out for dinner and I opted for a salad with roast beef and pineapple and came home for desert – the special heart shaped strawberry cake. I LOVE cake. I LOVE my DH. I HATE my diet today. But who cares? 

Life is for living and loving!

Chapter 12 - This little piggy went to market......

... remember the nursery rhyme? It was one of my favourites as a baby and involved lots of tickles to make me smile. Perhaps thats where my fascination for food markets began.

Anyone who drops by will notice my kitchen is literally full of fruit and vegetables at the moment. Even more so after our weekly shop and trip to the vegetable market yesterday. I love the buzz of markets. It takes me back to my childhood in the summer holidays where I spent Tuesdays with one Grandma, going to the local shops and visiting the local market, then Wednesday with my other Grandma in her town also at a bustling fruit and veg market. I remember getting juicy cherries and fresh furry peaches. There were other things too. I remember getting excited about getting jumping beans which jumped around on my hand, new ribbons for my hair or a baby doll which wet its pants.

Even whilst on holiday abroad, I drag DH along to the local markets to experience the hustle and bustle and admire the beautiful presentations of vegetables. I suppose he should think himself lucky that my shopping problem spreads into all areas and doesn´t just stop at shoes, clothes, jewellery, scarves, cups and scented candles – but also for fruit and veg, or maybe just food shopping in general.  Perhaps it’s the marketing side of me which likes to admire Point of Sale presentations and see what brands and new products are instore, or in market terms see whats outside on the counter or in boxes. Or is it really my shopaholic side?  Maybe the whole "have to find a bargain" attitude? Whatever it is, I feel better about the whole fruit and veg market experience. Maybe my photos from around the world let you know why. It´s somewhere where retail therapy has a different meaning and fortunately  - usually healthy (if you ignore a few things from the British markets).

UK & Ireland

Greece, Thessaloniki

Cape Verde Islands

Mallorca

Switzerland, Carouge, Geneva