Tipperary wobbles into 2024

[Cavegirl21]

Hi @tipperary Hope you have got yourself back on track now.
Did I hear your restrictions are being lifted now?
Seems like a life time ago we first had this Covid and now fingers crossed we are coming to the end of it. Althou it will still be around but we just have to live with it. Can't lock us away for ever. We need to get back to some sort of normality.

 

[Halley]

Hey @tipperary hope you’re doing ok.

 

[Cavegirl21]

Come on @tipperary where are you?

 

[tipperary]

Morning all, well yes I've been MIA again. Nothing major, just busy with family and work. It's like I hibernate in the winter. Off to do a catch up and will be back to chat.

 

[tipperary]

OK, I'm back, I've run around and caught up with most of you, you have been a busy bunch.
Last time I was here I was getting ready to go swimming every day and back to a good eating plan, well that fizzled out quickly. Too much information but I had a really bad period that really knocked me about and I haven't felt comfortable about going swimming. I'm 54 so not surprising that things are changing but it just set me off sync. My hip has also been quite bad and I haven't been moving at all, literally driving 7km to work, park in wheelchair spot and 20metre walk to my desk. Driving home is painful and then lay on the couch for the evening and taking Nurofean going to bed and getting about 4 hours sleep. So I decided not to stress myself out with food or weighing. I also get very demotivated in the dark winter days, so while not necessarily a self pity party I have been MIA by choice just taking it easy.
I also mentioned a small getaway was cancelled which bothered me as I was looking forward to a break. Work has also been hectic, the weeks after Xmas always are and we have had huge absences due to COVID and the days have been maniac trying to cover everything. On top of that I decided to apply for a promotion. I thought I had messed it up when I didn't confirm the interview appointment on time but got that sorted. It was an online interview which I didn't enjoy. Anyway, I did so much preparation for it, spent about a week researching. While I did need the info I had I needed so much more, it was the toughest interview I have ever had and I failed it totally. I'm glad I did it but I feel I lost a week of my life to it, a bit dramatic sounding I know.

 

[tipperary]

Posting in bits as sometimes they get lost

 

[tipperary]

So things are changing now, why?? Simple the daffodils are out and they always make me smile. February is nearly gone and it's Spring, we can see the days get longer and it's not dark when I leave work.
I had a small procedure on my hip on Friday, I've to take no pain relief at all and call him in two weeks to see how it is. So far the inner hip part is fine, I have no pain or "catching" in it. But my leg is still painful and driving was uncomfortable yesterday. But I did manage to spend a good part of the day in the kitchen cooking, at least double what I have been managing so some improvement.
Getting up soon and going to weigh in and check my waist, I need to know what damage I have done and give myself a starting point. Then hoping for a clean eating day, lots of water and herbal tea. Low carbs and lots of veggies.
I want to go for a walk, a short walk, probably 1.5km at the most. Because I haven't been mobile at all any little bit of fitness I had has gone and I'm out of breath and heart jumping after just 100m, I need to get on top of that straight away.

 

[tipperary]

Food wise the plan as always is keto approach and intermittent fasting. Hopefully swimming at lunchtime (body allowing me) or if not a walk and two good meals a day. A colleague is also doing keto and was a great encouragement. I don't like a lot of meat but also don't enjoy filling up on salads, I like foods with texture and crunch. I've found an Instagram page with interesting vegetarian keto recipes so today I'm making pumpkin gnocchi, vodka sauce (it's actually a tomato and cream sauce, the vodka is burned off but keeps it emulsified) and baked "ravioli"of courgette, mozzarella and tomato. I've some aubergine to cook and also have chicken thighs to make soup.

On top of all of that today I also want to do a room reshuffle. My office is also the playroom for the little kids and well it's just not functioning as both. So I've had a brainwave, we have a lovely storage space under the stairs which is perfect child height. So I'm going to turn that into the play area and moved the storage into my office. I think it will function better that way. When I say office I mean the desk I work at when at home, my sewing and craft room, where the unused exercise bike is, the storage for all the DVDs and CDs we never use are but no one will let me throw out, 50 years worth of photos and most importantly where Zara our Husky lives and the 3 cats when they come indoors.

 

[tipperary]

Finally two occasions coming up that I need to aim for.
Number one, dinner out with two old friends March 16th. I would like the dress I bought for Christmas to fit, I imagine the belly area too tight now. Two weeks to get into it. Due to restrictions we haven't met up since last summer.
Number two, we have finalized our Easter break away. We are taking the 3 smallies to France for two weeks. 4 adults and 3 children so I will be driving. I was very apprehensive as it would have been a four hour drive to our holiday let, never mind driving on the right...I haven't been able to drive 10 minutes for over a year now. However that let won't be available to us so we have found a holiday let in Roscoff a five minute drive from the ferry, perfect for me. I'm really looking forward to bringing the little ones, they have never had a holiday. Well Oscar has as a baby but doesn't remember, he is 6 now and really excited about going to France. The house is by the beach, well a strip of sand on an inlet. Lots of digging for the kids but not much swimming as it's very tidal and normally no water. Wheather will be less dependable than if we had gone further south as planned but it's a holiday and hopefully a good break for us all

 

[tipperary]

Ok that's me all caught up, bet you're sorry you asked now

As usual when I get started back expect multiple updates through the day, I'm going to start by braving the scales, taking some supplements, some herbal tea and then tackling the kitchen and start making the pumpkin gnocchi. I still had two pumpkins left that I grew so baked them yesterday in preparation.

 

[tipperary]

Just weighed and measured. Weight is 84.6kg and waist 113cm so about a 2kg increase and 3cm. I'm definitely feeling the 3cm, I'm feeling very bloated. Not going to change my stats and see where I am on Friday.

Have had a litre of water already and supplements, magnesium, vit b, vit c, vit d, turmeric and a detox shot. Drinking tea now, mate green, green tea and spices including cardamon. Finishing this, then going to make the gnocchi and leave it in the fridge while I try a short walk.

 

[ChilliQueen]

Good luck with the restart, fingers crossed the hip procedure helps longer term, holiday sounds wonderful

 

[tipperary]

Thanks Chilli. I've spent the morning in the kitchen and just having breakfast now.
I've made the pumpkin gnocchi, about 8 portions of it. It's a bit dry on its own but perfect with a sauce. I've made the vodka tomato sauce, it's amazing and perfect with the gnocchi. I've made a sausage casserole and the ravioli became a lasagne, easier to assemble. So layers of courgette, tomatoes, mozzarella and a tomato sauce topped with some parmesan, 4 portions of that.
I've had sausage casserole with gnocchi just now, it's was lovely. I have some no bean mince chilli in the fridge and might have that for dinner on lettuce boats. I still have lots of pumpkin left and not sure what do do with it, I'm not mad on just mashed pumpkin, it's a bit bland. Maybe soup, not sure

 

[ChilliQueen]

All sounds lovely. I was supposed to be doing roast chicken but forgot to take it out the freezer

 

[Cavegirl21]

Good to hear from you @tipperary
Hope your procedure helps and you will be pain free.
I don't like salad during Winter but as I haven't had it for a while the last 2 weeks of having it was refreshing from lots of bread etc,

 

[tipperary]

I do like salads, I just find it hard to eat enough of then to fill up on.
Did more cooking yesterday and felt it was a good prep day, ready to roll for today. I ate good meals but also had some bad food including bread, toast and a Wagon Wheel.
Going to be strict today.

I never did get for my walk yesterday but did get lots done and now the little ones have the perfect playroom, they tested it out and love it. My office on the other hand is a mess.

I'm working from home today, I wasn't sure how I would be after Friday so organized to work from home in case I couldn't drive. We have agreed I'm clocking in for the minimum hours I can ( we have flexi time) and doing 5 hours online training that should have been completed months ago. So I should get an hour or two sorting in the office.
Haven't checked the weather but hoping for herbal tea, a short walk, more tea, 3 hours work then a proper lunch which will be either chicken and coconut soup or the mozzarella lasagne. Two hours work, two hours office sorting, dinner and then TV or more office sorting. A simple Monday plan. I'm sure a child or two and maybe even an adult will invade some of that time.

 

[Cavegirl21]

After having salad for a couple of weeks I need a change but don't want to go back to bread or wraps.
Going to search internet to see if I can find something I fancy.
I haven't had a wagon wheel for years. Hope you enjoyed it.

 

[tipperary]

I haven't had a wagon wheel for years. Hope you enjoyed it.

I only had it cos it was the end of a multi pack and I needed to get if of it. As usual it was too sweet and synthetic tasting.

Got a short walk in this morning, only 2km but more than I have been doing.
Early lunch about 1145 was chicken and coconut soup with cracottes n cream cheese.
Dinner at 1630 was the courgette and mozzarella lasagne, some cheddar and slice of ham.
I've had 2 large squares dark chocolate, 2 teaspoons chia seed in water, about 2 lites water and 4 mugs herbal tea.
Lots of clearing up in my office, brought lots to the recycling bank and charity shop but it's still a total mess. Did lots of shredding and sorted out my yarn collection. Ive a set of drawers full of craft stuff to sort out, I reckon over half of it can go. Will get that done next weekend.

 

[tipperary]

Tired now and a bit sore, hopefully will get a good night's sleep. Chat tomorrow

 

[tipperary]

Morning, I've had a very disturbed night's sleep. Heart jumping all over the place and felt like my neck was choking me all night. Hoping it's just the beginning of keto, the heart thing has happened numerous times, it's like an adrenaline overload and causes me to become weak and dizzy and also like I have to constantly move. When I listen to Susie describe her restless leg syndrome I sometimes feel it's restless heart syndrome, I have to constantly move while I'm lying down to reset it to normal. It should settle after a day or two, it doesn't scare me like it used to.
Bringing the rest of the mozzarella lasagne to work for lunch but think I'm going to bring some chicken soup for late breakfast too. I'm tired, cold, breath stinks and have a headache, a sign that ketosis is starting ( I never go into full ketosis) so something warm like soup around 1130 would be nice then have lunch around 1430. Not going to go back swimming for a few days but might walk down town at lunchtime, could be a year since I did that.
Chat later and welcome to March everyone. If you are having pancakes I hope you enjoy them.