Wow...I just realized I have written nothing, NOTHING, since April of 2012. So much has happened since then! In my last post, I had just really started my diet. Now, eighteen months or so later, I have lost the astounding amount of fifty pounds. FIFTY pounds! That's the weight of an airline approved checked bag. We went home for the summer to Arkansas (more in a different post later!) and as I was packing my suitcase for the return trip, I kept picking up the suitcase to weigh it to make sure it wasn't going to be overweight. I'm shocked that I used to carry that much weight on my body and was able to schlepp it around on a daily basis. No wonder I stayed tired!
Since my last post I have started decorating cakes from my own home, finding a passion and joy I never knew I had within me. True, I've always loved to cook and bake, but this was a challenge I started tackling and keep learning and growing with every day. Because of my new hobby and my determination to clean up my diet, and therefore the diet of my family, I managed to make the entire experience even more rewarding. I've even managed to sell a few cakes (mostly just to cover ingredients) this past year.
We also added a new family member. Wait! Don't jump to conclusions, he's a really furry, very big German Shepherd we rescued from the animal shelter. I nicknamed him Groofus as a combination of his name and the fact that he really is a goofy dog. This past November, right before Thanksgiving, my husband and I started playing around with the idea of getting a second dog to keep Furry Child company. When we discussed this, we always assumed it would be at least six months before that would happen. My mother happened to be visiting for Thanksgiving at that time and agreed it was a good idea to do that...in the future. In my excitement, I went to the website for the local animal shelter to research how much adopting a dog would cost, what it entailed, and to see if I could be put on a mailing list or newsletter to receive information. And there he was. He was an emergency case, he needed a home and he needed a home RIGHT THEN. His elderly owner had gotten Groofus as a puppy when the man turned 82. Seven years later, he died suddenly (okay, yes, he was 89, maybe not so sudden, but for Groofus, it was sudden). The owner's family lived in a big city and could not keep a dog that size with that energy level, so they put him into the city animal shelter. Groofus, grieving and unhappy, started starving himself. This beautiful animal only weighed about 65 lbs. when I first went to visit him. I did so with a skeptical mind, telling myself not to fall in love at first sight with those big brown eyes.
That first day, he was newly neutered and was still groggy from the anesthetic. He drunkenly sniffed my hand and licked at it. That was it, folks, I was in trouble. Over the course of that week, I came by with Furry Child (who let Groofus know she was the boss and he would respect her by not engaging in childish games and goofy tactics) to introduce the two and to walk him on a daily basis. My mom kept wondering aloud where I was disappearing to during the mornings. I kept Groofus to myself before I was sure he would be a good addition to our family. When we did decide, I took a t-shirt of mine and took it to him to put in his bed. We brought him home that weekend and the rest is history. It took patience and love to make him feel secure; that and a load of tennis balls. He can open doors, back talk, put soccer balls in his mouth, and generally love you to death. He's up to 72 lbs., a good weight for his frame and build. Furry Child tolerates him and gets even by hiding in the bushes and biting him on the butt when he goes past her hiding spot. A chase usually occurs right after until she goes inside to sleep.
I would like to say I saved him but, in a way, he's been such a joy and blessing to our family that I feel like he did us the major favor. He drools too much, sheds a lot, is expensive because he eats a ton...but in light of that, he's already a member of our patchwork family.
I fully intend to write more. Life is hectic, so very hectic, with two children, two dogs, a social life, a husband, and a house to upkeep. Living in a foreign country adds a new level of difficulty to every day life. Going to the grocery store can be frustrating, even now, nine years after living here. Here's to more updates from this southern belle/steel magnolia. Happy Friday, everyone!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Monday, April 30, 2012
Too Hectic to Write, Enjoy a Recipe!
So, things have been over the top busy here in the Denglish (Deutsch-English) household. I will update sooner, but, instead of a rant, observation, or tons of dry humor, I am posting my recipe for strawberry pancakes with vegan options. Enjoy!
Strawberry Pancakes a la Denglish
Dry Ingredients:
¼ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup either flaxseed meal, bran, or grinded oats (old fashioned oats that you have thrown into the food processor)
½ to ¾ cup whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
1 egg OR ¼ cup soy yogurt (the beauty of this, you can use either vanilla or berry flavored)
1 cup milk (I use almond milk)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1-2 Tablespoons Vanilla extract or sugar free vanilla syrup (make my own and used that)
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries that have been thawed
Mix together all dry ingredients, making sure you get them evenly mixed so the grains aren’t formed in one area. Reserve some of your flour to the side. Mix together wet ingredients. Add wet to dry and stir, adding in additional flour if needed to thicken. Stir in strawberries and let sit a few minutes. When heating your skillet, keep on medium heat to prevent the strawberry pieces from scorching. If using a griddle pan, use your best judgement. Add to hot pan in ¼ cup increments.
Note: I also threw in dried blueberries. If you want to use an egg, put in the yolk, beat the whites into a meringue, and then stir the meringue into the batter, to ensure fluffier pancakes.
Guten Appetit!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
The Adventures of a Southern Daughter-in-Law
Whew..hear that sound? It's the sound of me sitting down for ten minutes before running to the next task. Thingss have been veddy veddy busy in the Southern Gal household. Herr Hubby started his new job, the girls went back to school after Spring Break (and THAT was the sound of my happy heart skipping a beat at being home alone again in the mornings), and my mother-in-law fell while walking in the forest, breaking her arm near the wrist. After an emergency operation to put a nice titanium plate in there, I picked her up last week and brought her home.
I actually don't mind helping and, thankfully, all this running around has taken my mind of the fact that there is chocolate in my house and I am not allowed to eat it. Between cooking my meals, cooking meals for the kids and hubby, and cooking a meal every other day for my in-laws since my mother-in-law is one handed, I'm kind of cooked out. So, what do I do? I bake, naturally! Granted, they were pear bran muffins that went into the freezer upon cooling, but it was a bit of therapy for me to turn my stress into a tangible object my family can enjoy. Pooch is recovering nicely, in fact, she's giving me a very dirty look from her bed; apparently the clacking of the keys on my keyboard is disrupting her post-walk beauty sleep.
I have managed to knock off twelve pound using South Beach, to which Greenie replied, "Oh. I can't tell you've lost any weight at all." Hmmm...the rather nasty side of me held back from saying, "Yes, dear, and you're stomach is protruding as well." That, however, could be due to the fact that she's currently got a kid growing in there. What? Oh, didn't I tell you? Oh yes, she's reproducing, again. This should be fun.
I do feel great though. Apparently a new diet and a bit more exercise has helped my skin, my weakened back, and my energy levels. I now use that extra energy at MIL's house. She is grateful for all the help but I somehow feel as if I should be wearing an apron, my hear in a severe bun, and curtsy upon entering. Perhaps a faux British accent just to mix things up a little bit. I really think it has to do with the whole "southern hospitality" thing I have going on. I feel like I really, really need to help someone out when they need it. Not out of guilt, but out of genuine curtesy. The result? A very tired gal.
Okay, off to grab a cup of coffee and get on my next bout of DIL duties for the day. Herr Hubby and I have our eighth wedding anniversary next Monday and will be spending Sunday in a hotel suite with just the two of us. I have a feeling once we get there and the excitement wears off we will be figuring out what's missing. Perhaps it will be the mental image of Wild Child swinging around the room like a monkey, or Girly Girl asking a million questions about how things work. Regardless, this little mini vacation is exactly what this girl needs. Have a good week, y'all.
I actually don't mind helping and, thankfully, all this running around has taken my mind of the fact that there is chocolate in my house and I am not allowed to eat it. Between cooking my meals, cooking meals for the kids and hubby, and cooking a meal every other day for my in-laws since my mother-in-law is one handed, I'm kind of cooked out. So, what do I do? I bake, naturally! Granted, they were pear bran muffins that went into the freezer upon cooling, but it was a bit of therapy for me to turn my stress into a tangible object my family can enjoy. Pooch is recovering nicely, in fact, she's giving me a very dirty look from her bed; apparently the clacking of the keys on my keyboard is disrupting her post-walk beauty sleep.
I have managed to knock off twelve pound using South Beach, to which Greenie replied, "Oh. I can't tell you've lost any weight at all." Hmmm...the rather nasty side of me held back from saying, "Yes, dear, and you're stomach is protruding as well." That, however, could be due to the fact that she's currently got a kid growing in there. What? Oh, didn't I tell you? Oh yes, she's reproducing, again. This should be fun.
I do feel great though. Apparently a new diet and a bit more exercise has helped my skin, my weakened back, and my energy levels. I now use that extra energy at MIL's house. She is grateful for all the help but I somehow feel as if I should be wearing an apron, my hear in a severe bun, and curtsy upon entering. Perhaps a faux British accent just to mix things up a little bit. I really think it has to do with the whole "southern hospitality" thing I have going on. I feel like I really, really need to help someone out when they need it. Not out of guilt, but out of genuine curtesy. The result? A very tired gal.
Okay, off to grab a cup of coffee and get on my next bout of DIL duties for the day. Herr Hubby and I have our eighth wedding anniversary next Monday and will be spending Sunday in a hotel suite with just the two of us. I have a feeling once we get there and the excitement wears off we will be figuring out what's missing. Perhaps it will be the mental image of Wild Child swinging around the room like a monkey, or Girly Girl asking a million questions about how things work. Regardless, this little mini vacation is exactly what this girl needs. Have a good week, y'all.
Friday, April 6, 2012
It's Not You, It's Me!
No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth after imbibing in a fall off the wagon carb extravaganza. I've just been busy somewhere in the confines of Mommyland. I'm in the groove with South Beach but, to be perfectly honest, am now giving my kitchen dirty looks every time I go in there now. I make two breakfasts and lunches every day. One for the kids, one for me, and then we all eat the same dinner. I am seeing results, however slowly I feel that might be. I hate surprises and am the "turn to the last page of the book to see who the killer is after having read two chapters" type of girl, so you can imagine how painful it is for me to wait. I want the weight off NOW but it took me longer than two weeks to put that weight on, so it will take me longer than two weeks to take that weight off.
My mom, god bless her soul, sends me my favorite things in care packages. You cannot get Reese cups here unless you are willing to pay the equivalent of $3.00 for a package, which I'm not. So, she sends me Reese cups. Germans aren't big on peanut butter. Nutella, yes, peanut butter, not so much. My husband, who thinks cold pickled herring wrapped around a dill pickle is a delicacy, claims PB to be "disgusting". You can see why he's not allowed to cook (that and he usually completely forgets he's cooking and the kitchen fills with smoke). I've been eyeballing my Reese cups, hearing them call out sweetly to me. I had to have "the talk" to them.
"Listen, my chocolately peanut buttery, sweetheart, it's not you, it's me. You are an addiction. I love you so much that I can never, never get enough of you and, because of that, my ass and hips have reached epic proportions. I need a break from you for a while until I can get my priorities in order. It won't be long! I promise! Don't call me, I'll call you."
It's also been Spring Break here in the land of the cows (I call my village that because sometimes I feel like the cow to human ratio is frightfully close) and Girly Girl has been home now for a full week. Her first day off we made Easter Nest cookies from the recipe I got off of penniesonaplatter.com, which, along with annies-eats.com, have THE BEST recipes on this side of the universe. I ran out of regular white flour so I substituted the rest with whole wheat flour and am told by Girly Girl they turned out "super duper yummylicious". I also made bunny and chick cookies from the same dough and the girls decorated the bunny and chick cookies and I decorated the nest cookies. Great fun was had by all and I am proud to say, I did not eat one single cookie or drop of frosting. Great joy was had by friends and neighbors and Herr Hubby's co-workers as I passed them out to get them out of the house, we had somewhere along the lines of fifty cookies. My one year old nephew loved the buttercream frosting so much, he scraped it off the cookie with his teeth, green smeared all over his face, while looking around frantically for more green goo to hype up with.
Other than that, I have been trying to keep Girly Girl busy with lots of mom and GG type activities. Yesterday we went to a bistro to meet up with other ex-pats to proofread the articles for the upcoming issue of the magazine our club puts out. I was editor for this edition and Girly Girl really enjoyed being around tons of grown women, feeling the relaxed atmosphere as we all chatted and proofed at a leisurely place. Girly Girl rarely gets to go to downtown HH anymore and thrives on the whole adventure of Mommy finding the perfect parking space and then walking along quaint, tree-lined streets while we go about finding our destinations. She also loved the fact that we parked near a station house for policemen and stopped to tell them, "We parked right there. Can you watch our car?" Which was sweet, but the meter only let you pay for an hour at the time, which meant I had to creep about Mission Impossible style to get back to the meter to feed it or face a ticket. Bless her heart, she was so proud of herself for making sure our car was safe.
We also attented a tradition that I still don't quite understand but find fun anyway, the Osterfeuer, or to translate it, the Easter bonfire. Our village gathered up plenty of dry kindle and started a blazing bonfire, well, the volunteer fire department did. Tents were set up for hot chocolate, Glühwein (spiced wine warmed with a shot of rum), beer, Stockbrot dough (wrap around a stick and rotate over fire, a different version of roasting marshmellows) and plenty of hot dogs and what not. Wild Child went on a mission to find as many rocks and sticks as possible and Girly Girl found friends and went about baking her bread over the fire. After a while, Wild Child ran up and asked if we could go home. So I drove her home and Herr Hubby stayed with Girly Girl. It was a nice way for our little family to get out and for me to get a change of scenery.
I look forward to seeing what the Easter Bunny will bring the girls (ahem, meaning I have to get the stuff out of my locked closet) and going on an Easter egg hunt out in the wild with the family here. I hope everyone has a relaxing Easter and manages to enjoy themselves in whichever way possible.
My mom, god bless her soul, sends me my favorite things in care packages. You cannot get Reese cups here unless you are willing to pay the equivalent of $3.00 for a package, which I'm not. So, she sends me Reese cups. Germans aren't big on peanut butter. Nutella, yes, peanut butter, not so much. My husband, who thinks cold pickled herring wrapped around a dill pickle is a delicacy, claims PB to be "disgusting". You can see why he's not allowed to cook (that and he usually completely forgets he's cooking and the kitchen fills with smoke). I've been eyeballing my Reese cups, hearing them call out sweetly to me. I had to have "the talk" to them.
"Listen, my chocolately peanut buttery, sweetheart, it's not you, it's me. You are an addiction. I love you so much that I can never, never get enough of you and, because of that, my ass and hips have reached epic proportions. I need a break from you for a while until I can get my priorities in order. It won't be long! I promise! Don't call me, I'll call you."
It's also been Spring Break here in the land of the cows (I call my village that because sometimes I feel like the cow to human ratio is frightfully close) and Girly Girl has been home now for a full week. Her first day off we made Easter Nest cookies from the recipe I got off of penniesonaplatter.com, which, along with annies-eats.com, have THE BEST recipes on this side of the universe. I ran out of regular white flour so I substituted the rest with whole wheat flour and am told by Girly Girl they turned out "super duper yummylicious". I also made bunny and chick cookies from the same dough and the girls decorated the bunny and chick cookies and I decorated the nest cookies. Great fun was had by all and I am proud to say, I did not eat one single cookie or drop of frosting. Great joy was had by friends and neighbors and Herr Hubby's co-workers as I passed them out to get them out of the house, we had somewhere along the lines of fifty cookies. My one year old nephew loved the buttercream frosting so much, he scraped it off the cookie with his teeth, green smeared all over his face, while looking around frantically for more green goo to hype up with.
Other than that, I have been trying to keep Girly Girl busy with lots of mom and GG type activities. Yesterday we went to a bistro to meet up with other ex-pats to proofread the articles for the upcoming issue of the magazine our club puts out. I was editor for this edition and Girly Girl really enjoyed being around tons of grown women, feeling the relaxed atmosphere as we all chatted and proofed at a leisurely place. Girly Girl rarely gets to go to downtown HH anymore and thrives on the whole adventure of Mommy finding the perfect parking space and then walking along quaint, tree-lined streets while we go about finding our destinations. She also loved the fact that we parked near a station house for policemen and stopped to tell them, "We parked right there. Can you watch our car?" Which was sweet, but the meter only let you pay for an hour at the time, which meant I had to creep about Mission Impossible style to get back to the meter to feed it or face a ticket. Bless her heart, she was so proud of herself for making sure our car was safe.
We also attented a tradition that I still don't quite understand but find fun anyway, the Osterfeuer, or to translate it, the Easter bonfire. Our village gathered up plenty of dry kindle and started a blazing bonfire, well, the volunteer fire department did. Tents were set up for hot chocolate, Glühwein (spiced wine warmed with a shot of rum), beer, Stockbrot dough (wrap around a stick and rotate over fire, a different version of roasting marshmellows) and plenty of hot dogs and what not. Wild Child went on a mission to find as many rocks and sticks as possible and Girly Girl found friends and went about baking her bread over the fire. After a while, Wild Child ran up and asked if we could go home. So I drove her home and Herr Hubby stayed with Girly Girl. It was a nice way for our little family to get out and for me to get a change of scenery.
I look forward to seeing what the Easter Bunny will bring the girls (ahem, meaning I have to get the stuff out of my locked closet) and going on an Easter egg hunt out in the wild with the family here. I hope everyone has a relaxing Easter and manages to enjoy themselves in whichever way possible.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
The Mystery of the Missing Muffin Top
"Hi, my name is Southern Gal Abroad and I am a Carboholic. It's been two days since my last confession. I...have a guilty conscience. I couldn't help it, honestly. I ate..half a muffin..and I hate it too! I was nauseous from not enough dinner combined with my morning thyroid meds and had to eat something. No other cheating though, I promise!"
Okay, so I cheated. I am human after all. The fact that I have not divebombed into the chocolate section of the local grocery store speaks of strength I did not even know I possessed! But, seriously, I am enjoying South Beach so far. Aside from the headaches (I cut back from three cups of coffee a day to one) and nausea (yeah, no clue, stupidity on my part), and the general eerie feeling of deja vu I had while pregnant in my first trimester with both girls (NOT PREGNANT NOW! Similar feelings), my energy levels have increased. Yesterday I made Herr Hubby take the car into the city (and park far, far away from anything that might remotely hit the car on accident) and used the rare beautiful weather to walk around 2km to get Wild Child from kindergarten and Girly Girl from the bus stop. After a small break, I walked another 1km with girls and Pooch to let them get some fresh air and the dog to get some exercise. Of course my calf muscles hurt today, but another 1km walk this morning with Pooch and our visitor, Dumbkopf (my in-laws dog, she isn't actually named Dumbkopf, she's actually very sweet, just, well, dumb) to let them get some air before it started pouring down rain. Upon putting on a pair of my "mommy jeans"(you know, the ones that are really high waisted and supposed to slim you but really just give you a wedgie and a muffin top?) when I realized something was different. Okay, still had the wedgie issue, I always have it when wearing boyshort cut with them, BUT my muffin top was gone. I looked down, around, under the bed, and "poof!" it was gone. Hunh. Okay, Girly Girl did tell me yesterday I looked thinner, but I just thought she was trying to sweeten me up to get ice cream (which I have not touched, so, ha!). Today will be an inside day so I'll have to get on the exercise bike for twenty to burn off some calories. Soon I can have a morning snack (Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedge with some celery, actually good combo) and then see about planning the rest of the day. Cravings are subsiding and I can't help but feel a giant sigh of relief on that one! Tchüß, y'all!
Okay, so I cheated. I am human after all. The fact that I have not divebombed into the chocolate section of the local grocery store speaks of strength I did not even know I possessed! But, seriously, I am enjoying South Beach so far. Aside from the headaches (I cut back from three cups of coffee a day to one) and nausea (yeah, no clue, stupidity on my part), and the general eerie feeling of deja vu I had while pregnant in my first trimester with both girls (NOT PREGNANT NOW! Similar feelings), my energy levels have increased. Yesterday I made Herr Hubby take the car into the city (and park far, far away from anything that might remotely hit the car on accident) and used the rare beautiful weather to walk around 2km to get Wild Child from kindergarten and Girly Girl from the bus stop. After a small break, I walked another 1km with girls and Pooch to let them get some fresh air and the dog to get some exercise. Of course my calf muscles hurt today, but another 1km walk this morning with Pooch and our visitor, Dumbkopf (my in-laws dog, she isn't actually named Dumbkopf, she's actually very sweet, just, well, dumb) to let them get some air before it started pouring down rain. Upon putting on a pair of my "mommy jeans"(you know, the ones that are really high waisted and supposed to slim you but really just give you a wedgie and a muffin top?) when I realized something was different. Okay, still had the wedgie issue, I always have it when wearing boyshort cut with them, BUT my muffin top was gone. I looked down, around, under the bed, and "poof!" it was gone. Hunh. Okay, Girly Girl did tell me yesterday I looked thinner, but I just thought she was trying to sweeten me up to get ice cream (which I have not touched, so, ha!). Today will be an inside day so I'll have to get on the exercise bike for twenty to burn off some calories. Soon I can have a morning snack (Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedge with some celery, actually good combo) and then see about planning the rest of the day. Cravings are subsiding and I can't help but feel a giant sigh of relief on that one! Tchüß, y'all!
Monday, March 26, 2012
It seemed like a good idea at the time...
I must be going nuts. Started doing South Beach, which is actually quite lovely. I had a wonderful breakfast, figured out during snack time I hate the taste of raw celery but choked it down anyway, and managed a fabulous lunch of broiled fish on a bed of blanched spinach with a bit of homemade balsamic vinaigerette thrown in. Why am I crazy? Here's the thing, the German culture is immersed in bread. I'm serious, breakfast usually consists of Brötchen (think dense dinner rolls with seeds and nuts baked in, very good) with whatever meats, dairy, jams, etc. you want on them. Then you would typically have a warm lunch, usually with potatoes as a dish, and then have Abendbrot for dinner. Abendbrot is bread for dinner with meats, raw veggies, and what not thrown in on the side. Granted, America is the land of the wraps and sandwhich, but I generally think we aren't as bread dependant as other countries are. We Americans, and Southerners, usually have three warm meals a day, which is time consuming and can be expensive when using fresh produce. Here, the convenience of quick cooking is not a concept that has really caught on. When I moved to Germany, I taught myself how to bake from scratch, learned to cook without using soups as a staple for sauces, and threw myself into the kitchen whole hog. I would like to think I have managed to merge both cultures into a nice way of cooking.
That being said, this no carbs for two weeks thing is the pits. So is the no sugar. I tried to be sneaky this morning, no sugar or sugar substitute in my coffee, just low-fat milk. My brain threw the brakes on that pretty quickly. I could feel my inner child putting her put down and saying, "but I want it and I want it NOW!" I have had a headache, apparently a sign that your body is recognizing lack of carbs. Lots of water is going into my system, still requiring me to have a mental picture of where all bathrooms are at all times. I should be proud of myself, withstanding the urge to stop at the bakery in town this morning and drool over the morning selections. Instead I had a friggin celery stick that made me gag. Seriously..I gagged.
I did manage to get on the exercise bike last night and will do that again tonight. I hope to throw in some yoga (yes I do think of Wii Fit Plus exercises as being yoga!!) in the morning to get my blood flowing. Wild Child was eating a piece of candy a bit ago when we dropped Girly Girl off at a friend's house and then looked at me, chomping down on her candy, before saying, "This is soooo good. *sigh* Too bad you can't have any!" And then she grinned, she grinned. She's so very evil. Okay, so she's four, but still, signs of impending doom are there, right? Off to drink another glass of water and hope that tomorrow will be easier than this one. Getting to a lower weight is a b****.
That being said, this no carbs for two weeks thing is the pits. So is the no sugar. I tried to be sneaky this morning, no sugar or sugar substitute in my coffee, just low-fat milk. My brain threw the brakes on that pretty quickly. I could feel my inner child putting her put down and saying, "but I want it and I want it NOW!" I have had a headache, apparently a sign that your body is recognizing lack of carbs. Lots of water is going into my system, still requiring me to have a mental picture of where all bathrooms are at all times. I should be proud of myself, withstanding the urge to stop at the bakery in town this morning and drool over the morning selections. Instead I had a friggin celery stick that made me gag. Seriously..I gagged.
I did manage to get on the exercise bike last night and will do that again tonight. I hope to throw in some yoga (yes I do think of Wii Fit Plus exercises as being yoga!!) in the morning to get my blood flowing. Wild Child was eating a piece of candy a bit ago when we dropped Girly Girl off at a friend's house and then looked at me, chomping down on her candy, before saying, "This is soooo good. *sigh* Too bad you can't have any!" And then she grinned, she grinned. She's so very evil. Okay, so she's four, but still, signs of impending doom are there, right? Off to drink another glass of water and hope that tomorrow will be easier than this one. Getting to a lower weight is a b****.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Dieting is not in my vocabulary...normally.
Okay, so, I need to go on a diet. I'm short, only 5.1 1/2 and that extra half an inch is the love of my life. I also have back problems with four of my upper vertebrae being open. I had to have this surgery towards the end of my pregnancy with Wild Child, resulting in temporary paralysis and a slew of health problems that have mostly been resolved. However, I have been warned that having extra weight on my frame will cause lower back problems, making my upper back even weaker. Sooooo...I've been feeling gravity pull at me and I don't like it. So..gasp..I'm going on a diet. I'm going to try the South Beach Diet. Have ordered the book on my Kindle and the cookbook, which should get here tomorrow. Though I plan to "start" tomorrow, I have started pre-starting today. Meaning..oh lord...never thought I would say this..no chocolate, no sugar, no bread, no pasta, no rice. And, you know what? I'm hungry..and bitchy. Sigh. It's for the greater good, I know, but I'm still hungry. I've had my 30 pistachio nuts for a snack and a piece of turkey wrapped in low-fat cheese. Okay, so I had one teeny-tiny Reese hearts because my mom shipped them to me and not eating them would be like throwing money away. What's that? Give them to my kids? Are you nuts? Lost your mind? I could but chocolate for Wild Child is like crack at a rehab clinic, not GOOD. She runs around the room, pupils dilated, mouth flapping ninety to nothing, leaving a trail of paper and Legos in her wake. I usually also find a few Barbie shoes underfoot the next morning before I've had coffee, not a good start, folks, not a good start. Okay..so I'm going to eat an early dinner tonight, drink another glass of water with a slice of lime (already had a liter and a half and all I do is peeeeeeeeee!) and when I want to snack while watching NCIS and Mentalist with Herr Hubby, I will make myself a cup of tea with no sugar instead and sulk in silence, leaving Herr Hubby to think, "What did I do now?" More reports to come as I South Beach my way to a better, healthier me. Although, Lord help a world with me in it without me having chocolate...just warning you.
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