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Step update:
Thurs - 7,061
Fri - 8,425
Sat - 10,239
Sun - 8,777
Falling a little bit behind target at the moment, but a couple of good days and I'll meet my 70,000 steps a week. I'll be in the car for a lot of today though so I'll have to move a lot tomorrow!!
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Evening Crackers,
Have a super break LMV. Hope you have good weather and get to do plenty of hill walking to burn off any excess calories - champagne drinking that may come your way... I'm assuming you are not attending a WW class this week for a weigh in. I've been in the garden again today chopping bushes and then I walked down to the post office and trotted around the village with my friend 12,039 steps. I didn't get to bounce around tonight but I WILL tomorrow.
Be good Crackers!0 -
Morning Crackers,
Had a beautiful day yesterday so got out in the fells for a lovely walk. Pouring with rain today so not so good. Our friends celebrated their silver wedding this year so we are going out to a rather posh restaurant at lunchtime today to extend the celebrations so I suppose it's a good day for the rain.
My weekly steps totalled 69,170 so I fell just short of my 70,000 target. I'm pleased with that for my first week back exercising. We really did spend all day in the car on Monday as we were caught in the aftermath of an accident which closed the M6 and caused chaos for hours. The journey took us 8 hours so it was straight out if the car and into the pub for dinner - no walking at all that day!
No weigh in this week MITM. I knew that would be the case when I joined, but at least I was good last week so hopefully that will mitigate any holiday gain and I'll stay the same next week.
Hope you are all being good.
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Evening Crackers,
I have a confession to make - I still have NOT 'maxed out' this week so I'm looking forward to you returning and joining me LMV! I'm blaming the beautiful autumnal weather we are experiencing, as I've been out in the garden working very hard as there is still so much to do before winter and then after walking with my friend each afternoon, I'm shattered come the evening. That sounds very feeble to my own ears!
However last week's effort 'maxing' has paid off as I have lost a pound of my holiday gain and the jeans I've been wearing to garden in feel very loose around the waist. I'm impressed LMV that you joined WW knowing you were going away. Many a person would think, oh I'll wait and join once I'm back and eat, eat, eat in the meantime! Hopefully the weather will improve again for you tomorrow.
BM I hope you are well, did you go away for your birthday? I have to say I missed hearing about Bracken's Thanksgiving this year and I do hope she will return. When I think of Bracken I think of Nellie and the wildlife in her garden. Yesterday I saved a kitten. There are lots of wild farm cats around here and this little kitten was playing in my garden when I suddenly heard a splash and realised it had fallen into one of our water barrels and was furiously dogging paddling and squealing unable to get out. Fortunately I had a bucket to hand and scooped it out, it looked so funny - poor little thing! The lids are now firmly back on the barrels.
Right well change of plan, I am now going to do a quick session with Rosemary confessing all has inspired me to up my game!
Be good Crackers!
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Well done on the pound off MITM, good work!
The meal we went out for today was rather wonderful. We went to a restaurant called L'Enclume which has two Michelin stars and is owned and run by a chef called Simon Rogan. He has a 14 acre farm up the road where he grows the produce to supply the restaurant. We had the seven course tasting menu with matching wine and the food was to die for, one of the best meals I have ever had. I didn't realise our friends were taking us somewhere quite so upmarket to celebrate their anniversary! What a treat. We were there all afternoon and they even took us to see the kitchen. I count myself very lucky to have been somewhere so wonderful.
Not many steps today, maybe I'll get some in tomorrow if the rain lets up. I'm looking forward to starting the Max programme when I get home.
I'm glad you saved that poor kitten MITM, it would have been awful if you had found it too late. I don't think we have missed Thanksgiving as I believe it is celebrated towards the end of November and my recollection is that BM's birthday is in November too, but I might be wrong. I know I don't have a leg to stand on given how long I've been away, but I'm looking forward to hearing from them both when they feel ready.
Hope you had a good time with Rosemary!
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Evening Crackers,
A very quick pop in - where has the day gone to?!
LMV - Simon Rogan was born in Southampton (he escaped too!) and started his career at 17 as an apprentice in the New Forest at Rhinefield House. I worked as a receptionist aged 18 at the Forest Park Hotel next door at the same time although our paths did not cross! What a delightful way to spend a rainy afternoon eating and drinking wonderful food. And you are quite right about BM her birthday is in November, however Thanksgiving day in Canada is celebrated on the 2nd Monday in October. I remember Bracken telling us last year - it has nothing to do with shopping like in the USA (although I have seen on the news that a lot of 'malls' are closing for Thanksgiving in November as Black Friday just gets bigger) and everything to do with celebrating the Harvest Festival.
I'm glad I had my session with Rosemary yesterday as today I have not found the time. My step count is a pathetic 6,857 but had I strapped my pedometer to my arm it would have been a different story, as I have continued raking leaves, leaves, leaves... Tomorrow I am helping my husband (reluctantly) preparing for another function for the national ski team in Innsbruck on Saturday. The last one was such a success that I know there are even more people invited this time which just means many more vegetables for me to peel. If you saw Celebrity Master Chef when Ulrika was complaining about peeling I think it was carrots to a particular shape and size - that is what my husband is like.... I shall be gritting my teeth and keeping my head down!
So I should be in bed - be good Crackers!
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P.S. As Black Friday marks the start of the Christmas shopping season in the USA I thought I would just add there are 72 days until Christmas!!! I know far too early to mention the C word!0
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Evening Crackers,
Friday as I suspected would be the case was not a 'fun' day. I spent many an hour cutting peppers in half making sure each half had half a stem attached... and then scooping every single pip out.... That was easy compared to scooping with an ice-cream scoop too many mounds of this 'mixture' made with the stuff of the sponsor who was employing my husband, into porridge oats ready for frying... My husband packed the car at 10pm ready for his 2am departure. As it had been an ongoing all day session, in the past it's been a mad evening dash, I was able to clear the mess up as we went along. So when I got up in the morning at least I knew I didn't have to start washing up.
Instead I spent Saturday painting. There are 2 walls in the hallways beneath the staircases which have wooden paneling which I have detested for ever. After all my various shades of creams throughout the house and then my break through of blue/grey in our bedroom I have now gone over to the dark side and been seduced by Farrow and Ball's Hague Blue! The husband who has only ever known houses to be painted white.... was a little (a lot!) worried by this decision but I was convinced it would go so well with all the terracotta colouring in our tiles and rust door curtains and picture frames so went ahead and ordered! I needed him out of the house for the first stroke which yes, was a moment of oh my goodness, which quickly turned to no it's fine! And the husband who arrived home from Innsbruck in the evening as he came up from the basement, stuck his head round and said 'well that's a very nice surprise - I like it.' That's good as I'm doing the wall on the floor above next week and I intend to do the basement door also! My brother-in-law collecting schlipfkrapfen tonight, said 'you've been painting' 10/10 for observation, he's very much a white only man!!
Today I have spent the morning cleaning all the revolting containers which the husband brought home last night having left them to soak overnight. Thank goodness we have 2 kitchens as I just covered the floor. Then this afternoon in this glorious autumn weather we have done our weekly hike which has taken me to 10,636 steps. Washing up doesn't involve much movement alas. So once again no 'max' exercise but because of the heat the climbing involved on the walk was a real effort. Hopefully it helped to burn off the Nigel Slater banana and chocolate loaf I should not have made with the over ripe bananas my husband gave me....
Tomorrow I'm starting the week afresh. I am going to make exercising my number one priority and make the time to do 3 sessions at some point. Hopefully LMV your DVD has arrived and you will motivate me to get my exercise gear on!
Be good Crackers!0 -
Evening Crackers,
Well I've had a productive day; steps 14,531 and I did a 'max' in the afternoon as I knew I was working tonight. How has everyone else been?
Be good Crackers!0 -
Morning Crackers,
We had a wonderful time in the Lake District even though the weather was rather wet and dismal. We got a few walks in, but also visits to tea rooms! We travelled home yesterday and the weather got wilder the further south and west we travelled. By the time we got home it was blowing a gale - our heavy wood swing seat had blown over and broken0 -
Oh no........most of my post has disappeared and only the first few sentences have been posted. What happened there? I haven't time to write it all again so brief highlights:-
Steps - 68,878. Just short of 70,000 target.
DVD arrived. Will open it and "max" this morning.
Phone message from Bracken left first day I went away. Said she would call again so hope she hasn't given up as I was away all week.
Glad introduction of colour hasn't been too traumatic for your husband.
Be good all
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Afternoon Crackers,
Right MITM, this morning I did the full max. I didn't look at the DVD first, I just set it to play for the full workout and got on with it. It is extremely doable as you suggested and I found at times it was easier to follow Lorraine as she does the steps/arms with smaller movements which gives you time to catch on and keep up. Nothing really that new for those of us who have done Rosemary and Gillian, but I quite enjoyed it. Like you, I will try and do the full workout three times this week, so one down and two to go. I am actually feeling quite pleased with myself that I could do the full hour. I am definitely way below my normal fitness levels so I thought I might struggle and be unable to complete it. I also liked the fact that there was a normal class in it with people that look like me!
I have my WW meeting this evening so I will have to weigh in after my holiday. There was cheese, there was wine, and there was a lemon cake with blueberry compote from Nigella's new book which we made on a rainy afternoon. There was also an exceedingly good pie shop and they had to be sampled.........this could be painful, but I'll draw a line under it and get going again on the healthy eating. There are lots of fabulous new recipes in Hugh's book to try which are meat/dairy/gluten free and therefore full of lovely veg, pulses, nuts and rice etc. Just the sort of food I love at the moment. I don't have many social engagements this week so I can plan my food and try and stick to it. I'm hoping to make this week a good week.
I'm going to have another good look for Bracken's phone number now to see if I can call her back but if I can't find it, I'll have to hope that she calls me again.
Bye for now
xx
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Very Early Morning Crackers,
I'm just off to bed but a quick pop in... LMV I'm so pleased that you 'quite enjoyed' the max! There is nothing to dislike - no nasty Jillian! I too like the fact there is a normal class doing it of all shapes and sizes although if you watch carefully there are some who disappear... But they know the steps and seem pretty fit.
I hope the WW meeting went well but whatever you had a good holiday. My weigh in is tomorrow and I'm not looking forward to stepping on the scales as I've had a few moments. Namely the banana loaf which I should not have made and a couple of days when I was tired so overate, so I'll be drawing a line tomorrow also and hoping for a good week ahead.
Steps: 9,751 but without exercise or a walk.
Right to my bed!
Be good Crackers!
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Very early morning from me too Crackers,
Steps. 10,602
Weigh in 1.5lb off. I'm delighted with that considering I was on holiday for a week. I clearly did well the week before which mitigated any gain from last week. Feeling enthused now to keep working and get the excess weight off.
Let's get cracking Crackers,
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Ps just missed Bracken today. As I picked the phone up, the line went dead. I tried calling back but I just got a message saying the call was from a prepaid card and to hang up
I hope she calls again 0 -
Morning Crackers,
Well done LMV - so pleased for you and now you are up and running again - not literally! I gained 0.6lb which I'm happy to accept as I did not have my dieting head on most of last week, so I've got away lightly - literally!
Fingers crossed third time lucky with Bracken.
I have a busy day ahead of potatoes, leaves, walking and hopefully a 'max'.
Be good Crackers!
P.S. 9 weeks to Christmas...0 -
Morning Crackers,
I went for a walk yesterday as my exercise and plan to do a max today. Had a good food day (no sugar) and did some more recipes from Hugh's More Veg book, Nutty quinoa with roasted Greek salad and yellow split bean hummus. It was mostly delicious but I now know that I am definitely not a fan of roasted cucumber. For me it turned a lovely fresh tasting cucumber into something soggy and bitter. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Bad luck on the gain MITM. On the positive side you are still 0.4lb down over the last fortnight! Put last week behind you and move on from it. I hope you managed to get your max done.
Steps yesterday 15,631.
So, for our WW meeting next week we are focusing on evening snacking and we all have to take in something which we might snack on for others to try (no chocolate). In WW terms it must be only 4 or 5 points which probably equates to about 200 / 250 calories. I tend to go for something like a couple of oatcakes with very light Philly topped with smoked salmon and a squeeze of lemon juice or if I have enough calories grated strong cheese. What does anyone else turn to when they have the evening munchies?
Frightening that Christmas is so near. My original Cracker dress doesn't go near me at the moment and I think I am unlikely to lose enough weight over the next nine weeks to get into it. Toning up will make a big difference so I want to concentrate on getting some exercise every day between now and then. Do you remember Operation Pencil Skirt MITM? I think exercise played a part in helping you slip into that skirt. Do you still have it and does it fit?
Must get on now. I have to return some reading Group books which I had forgotten about to the library.
Keep stepping
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Good Evening Crackers,
Yesterday I managed 12,235 steps and I did fit in a max, walk but I didn't rake many leaves. Today I only did 8,909 steps as I didn't go for a walk, but I did max and I've raked and raked and raked...
Having just finished work (schlipfkrapfen) once I've cleared up I always have an evening snack! If I'm hungry then it's 2 slices of brown bread, marmite and lots of chopped cucumber 170 calories (did I understand correctly you roasted a cucumber - whole or sliced and for how long?) If I'm in need of something sweet then I have 2 oat biscuits which are 51 calories each which I break up and cover with 4 tablespoons of plain yogurt 150 calories - it does the trick for me! And if I'm just peckish and want to eat for the sake of it, then I have these dinky individually wrapped packets of crackers containing about 5 which are olive flavoured 139 calories, which I will top with cottage cheese and sliced tomatoes so in total under 200 calories. Tonight the snack of choice was a marmite sandwich.
Ha ha, I do indeed still have my pencil skirt hanging in the wardrobe! To fit into it I had to be 9.10 and yes Rosemary played a big part in slimming my thighs down from 10 stone. And it does still fit as amazingly I haven't been any heavier than 9.10 for over a year now I think and it's been 2 years since I last saw 10 stone. Becks has completely brain washed me!!!! Plus the support of my other group which started as a challenge group 2 years ago and got me back to target in time for Christmas 2015 - they keep me accountable as I always weigh in weekly with them. So although I haven't much weight to lose 1.8 pounds to get back to my target, as my summer was spent very much housebound working (due to the husband's finger accident) I don't feel as fit as usual. So my goal for Christmas if it were possible I'd like to be 2 pounds under target, which I will find a struggle as I am very happy eating as I eat but if I increase the exercise then it's doable and that then allows me to indulge over Christmas, but I really want to increase my fitness levels and tone up again - use it or lose it!
The daughter has just sent me a text message she fancies an ice-cream! When you are out and about late at night and there are 2 ice-cream parlours just around the corner from your halls there is no hope. If I wanted an ice-cream as there is none in the freezer no can do thank goodness!
Be good Crackers!
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CORRECTION - I just looked at my chart and I actually hit 9.11 for a week in May of this year tut tut but the last time I was 10 stone was April 2015.1
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Morning Crackers,
I'm glad you still have the pencil skirt and it seems you can slip into it whenever you please. Well done you!
I too am a marmite girl - it always packs a big punch of flavour which is important when every calorie counts. The recipe I tried was roasted Greek salad, so it was cucumber, tomato and red onion tossed in a little olive oil and red wine vinegar and roasted in the oven for about 40 mins. The cucumber was quartered lengthways and cut into about 2cm chunks. The tomatoes and onion were delicious but I disliked the cucumber0 -
Oh no, not again.......lost a big chunk of my post.
Steps yesterday 13,667 which included a max. Intended to get up early and max this morning before getting my car to the garage at 8 o'clock for its service. However, at 6.30am the wind was howling and the rain lashing down so I stayed in bed. I will now have to either fit in a long walk or a max late this afternoon.
For the moment it is back to apples. I am sick of apples0 -
Oh no, half of this post went too! What's happening? No time to redo again.
Have a good day all
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ps it's Andy's 65th birthday today. Thought you might like to see this picture of her
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Afternoon Crackers,
Well if there was ice-cream in the house I'd probably eat the whole tub right this moment! But fortunately there isn't so it was 2 biscuits and a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt to sooth my frazzled nerves!! It's the bi yearly collection HOUR in our village for electrical items, old medicine and paint etc. I no longer have a car since my husband rolled it down a ditch and squashed it and he has decided much to my annoyance to work for a friend over this hour. I wasn't best pleased as he only told me late last night. It was a last minute decision but having gone through 'part' and I mean a tiny little section of the loft 2 weeks ago, I had come across lots to go. Plus in our downstairs 'pantry' which actually just resembles a wasted store room of unwanted rubbish, there is an old huge microwave over twenty years old and a broken industrial coffee machine taking up 2 whole shelves. So I wanted those to go too.
Anyway not to be out maneuvered my best friend has kindly taken the stuff. So as my husband has just whizzed through I casually remarked the stuff has gone. Of course he wanted to keep the broken coffee machine and the microwave! We have a built in microwave in our kitchen and he is anti microwaves and NEVER uses it. The one sat on the shelf was his Mother's and when we took over the kitchen below to work in, I removed it so it has not been used in 6 years. The coffee machine he had for nearly twenty years, an ugly unsightly machine ruining our kitchen which was finally replaced this Easter. He could not mend it any longer but oh how he tried before he gave in and bought a beautiful machine which not only makes super coffee it blends in.
I do apologise for ranting on and on but I am so cross and frustrated, if only you burnt calories when you raged! And no doubt my husband is equally as cross with me - if not more so!
Anyway do tell us more about the lovely photo of Angie - Happy Birthday to her and still looking very hot at 65! Is her husband now okay? What is she up to these days?
Be good Crackers!
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Evening Crackers,
I have calmed down! But I just wanted to let you know against my better judgement I rescued the coffee machine as the husband was so adamant he could mend it, since it was just a part (rubbish) but the microwave still went. I believe that is called compromise!
However I was equally adamant it was not returning to the pantry to collect dust, so I decided to put it in the cupboard under the staircase in the basement, where I discovered to my surprise the industrial coffee machine graveyard - 2 more beasts sat in the darkness. I rest my case. The pantry meanwhile I have sorted and rearranged all his many lentils, pastas, porridge it looks like a little health shop.
Steps 12,042 and I have raked 2 more sack loads of leaves.
P.S. There will be no further mention of coffee machines or microwaves!0 -
In my rage (maybe because my husband is called Andreas and I call him Andy) I see I typed Angie instead of Andy! Apologies.0
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Morning Crackers,
MITM - I can feel your frustration at the coffee machine/microwave situation henceforth known as microcoffeegate! How many machines does one person need?! It's always difficult when one person is a hoarder and the other is a clearer outer. I think your compromise was a good one and hiding them away an even better one. If he hasn't looked in the cupboard under the stairs by the time of the next collection I would quietly remove at least the two beasts he has forgotten about already and probably the one you rescued as well! I must confess microcoffeegate made me giggle too - did you flounce? I felt the situation deserved an almighty flounce! I certainly would have done.
Andy looks great doesn't she? Her husband got the all clear sometime last year. She's very involved with her grandson and granddaughter and is still doing some work but I forget what now as she changed job. Mike has retired and I think she is planning to soon.
Yesterday's steps 12,856. Did a max, but only the first two sections with the warm up and warm down as I ran out of time. That's three done for this week.
It's blowing a hooley here as Storm Brian hits. Our estuary made the news weather warning this morning ......... We're supposed to be going to the footie this afternoon but I might decide to sit tight and give it a miss.
I need to get going as on the spur of the moment last night I invited a friend for supper this evening. She's just said she'd love to come round so I need to sort out something to eat!
Have a good week-end Crackers
xx
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Ps missed another call from Bracken. So frustrating that I can't call her back.0
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Evening Crackers,
Steps 9,668 without a walk or max (but I too have done my quota for this week) it was 6 hours solid in the garden raking and cutting. You know how you said you were sick of apples - I'm sick of leaves! Living in a religious area the one good thing is Sunday is a day of rest. There is certainly no gardening - you'd be stuck down if you got the lawn mower out!
Alas as my mother-in-law is no longer with us, we will be working indoors instead behind closed curtains, so I have spent the evening preparing potatoes and I'm shattered! Still tomorrow we have rain forecast, the first day in 3 weeks after endless sunshine and blue skies. Perfect schlipfkrapfen making weather.
So much for 3rd time lucky with Bracken!
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Morning Crackers,
Still very blowy here as Storm Brian continues. I braved the elements yesterday to go to the football. Got soaked in the rain and Swansea lost so it really wasn't worth it.
Steps only 8,945, but I think I have enough in hand from other days to reach my 70,000 target this week. I can't see me doing many steps today given the wind and rain. I think I'll settle down with my knitting and watch a good film. That makes me feel very lazy knowing you are working hard on your schlips MITM. I suppose I shall have to do some more apples. I don't eat deserts very often but I did make an apple crumble last night as our friend came round and it was very nice - the apples are tasty so worth preserving.
I hope Bracken decides Sunday is a good day to try and call as I should be in all day today.
BM I hope you are well.......as I've come back, you have disappeared. I hope the two aren't connected?
Stay warm and safe Crackers
xx0
This discussion has been closed.