January 2025 Starters - Onwards and Downwards

[meatyryvita]

Thread 12 right here losers!

Apologies @PenelopesPursuitPrevails ; it sounds like you 'found' my lost weight! But in all seriousness, it just shows how your cancer treatment drugs must've f-ed up your metabolism, no?

Your date sounds lovely @BreezyPeer , he's obviously very well practiced at hiding his serial killer side! 😜

Missed a few posts - @Polkadotdash that does sound truly crap.

My sister loves her soup maker. I've got an instant pot that I use for soup which I just stick in my liquidiser. As I am trying to downsize, additional gadgets are currently banned in case I end up with a tiny kitchen. Lots of viewings on Chez Penny's but no offers at present. The delay does mean that I have seen three more houses that I would consider. Location, character, perfect size, original house is still available too. I am not viewing anything until I get another offer.

My favourite soup cookbook is the Soup Book by Sophie Grigson - highly recommend.

Lovely to see you @mince3point14159265 .

I think you are right @mince3point14159265 , I was only thinking that all metabolisms are not made equal when I replied to @myladyjane . Some of us are so slow to lose.

Anyway, I am very pleased I embarked on this journey so that's positive, another positive is that since I have changed my work my blood pressure has reduced massively. So much that I need to make an appointment to see my GP to have a look at my medication because I think it is too low at times.

@PenelopesPursuitPrevails metabolisms are unfair. Mine is sloth like.

Good news on the BP.

Aaw @jins I’m so sorry but glad he departed peacefully and that you managed to have a little joy this afternoon.

@BreezyPeer hope ds a bit better ( chocolates will help!!) and sounds like you had a nice time, maybe it just needs a bit longer but equally if tomorrows date sparks electricity, there’s your answer!! Def up for judging panel duty here!

for everyone who’s ill, really hope you feel better soon, so many germs around, and the Covid strain sounds awful!

i haven’t watched Celebrity Traitors yet as DS has been busy but we’re def going to watch it in catch up, love Claudia!! Talking of whom, I had my JL personal stylist today and she’d picked me up what I thought was quite a Claudia dress, I would never have picked it out but I loved it, so it came home with me!! Lots of dark colours around atm and as a spring, not my faves, but got a gorgeous charcoal grey pea coat from mango, partly because of the vanity sizing- xs🤣🤣I’m not but it made me feel good!! Some gorgeous wide leg jeans and a couple of Breton tops, one pink and red which cheered me up! I’ve also got details of other things she showed me and I loved from whistles, I’ve left them as know they often have 20% off ( and I’ve found a jumper on Vinted which was £90 for £8!!)
I’ll try to attach a pic of said dress!

That is indeed a fabulous dress. Also a pattern I would not gravitate towards but it works well with this cut. And look how tiny you are!

I’m really sad about your chicken @jins. I know that making tough decisions like that goes with animal husbandry, but I couldn’t do it, so you have my admiration and sympathy. I’m a lifelong vegetarian and a total softy for any creature.

Also been converted to watching the Celebrity Traitors. Not watched any of the non celebrity ones before. Totally hooked on this one. Perfect for the run up to Halloween. Also loving CW’s cape coat. Perfection.

and on the soup thing … this week one of my colleagues confesses he has a phobia of soup! I’m not even sure how that works.

Sorry to make you sad @Polkadotdash but rest assured she has had a long and happy life and has been spoilt with a heater in the coop for cold nights and sweetcorn defrosted every day for her because she loved it. Having a lot of animals is an occupational hazard for DH who brings home a couple of waifs and strays every year and they get treated very well indeed! I hate having to say goodbye to them (and assisting) but I hate to think of them suffering even more.

The duck has got over her initial upset and is currently torn between assuming her role at the top of the pecking order or bonding with another chicken. She’s been in the coop longer than all the others so I’m putting my money on her taking charge.

@2025istheyeari i love the dress, it suits you beautifully and you look very slim 😊
Like the wide leg Jean and Breton look, what a successful day.

Also big fab of Claudia, love most of her looks (agree some of last night I didn’t!). I’d love the cake but it’s ££ Mayve if I lose these last lbs…

Obviously no spoilers, but one of the people I thought I’d like isn’t coming across well at all and one of the people I normally find irritating, I’m finding funny.

*cape

must get bifocals !!!

Morning 🌄 losers!
Jabbed today after 10days. All my socialising will be over by this evening so I can have a solid week, eating mmindfully.

Day date today, coffee and a walk so that sounds good, and not too food heavy. DS was feeling better last night so hopefully he will be going to watch some football and I will be spared the mum guilt of going out twice in one weekend.
@2025istheyeari that is a beautiful dress! Very unusual and you look so slim 👗
@Jins sorry about your chicken. I would bet the duck goes straight in at the top of the pecking order!

@BlueLimes I think I will see him at least once more. Its very pleasant and I am a big fan of being 'friends first ' but something more will have to happen if its going to turn into a relationship.
Weirdly, this is putting a lot of pressure on date two this afternoon. He has no idea he is acting as a new benchmark 🤣

I will report back to the judgy panel later today, xx
Have a lovely Sunday everyone 😊

Have a fab day @BreezyPeer , I hope your DS is feeling better and yes, I will look forward to sitting on the panel later.

It is an absolutely beautiful day here again. I had to take DS to the train station at 6:40am so have used my early start wisely and have been working since 8am. Just stopped to make a cup of tea. I think I will cut it off at 11am and get my watercolours out or do something else moderately creative.

Weight down by 1lb this morning, not enough to wipe out last week’s gain on fresh air and soup but it is a start I guess.

Happy Sunday everyone.

Morning all,

Friendship is often underrated @BreezyPeer - Being able to just hang out with someone and feel comfortable with them is a good test.

@PenelopesPursuitPrevails fingers crossed the 1lb off is the start of a downward trend.

Maintenance week 20 - WI 58.5kg - 200g loss this week, counting that as a successful maintenance number.
I’ve jabbed approx 2.5mg this morning. I say approx because needle didn’t prime itself as usual so had to prime after counting 30 clicks and not quite sure if I replaced the clicks used. Have also found the last four jabs have been quite painful going in. Skin more sensitive as it’s tightened up?

Off to the gym today as I had friends for lunch yesterday. Found a lovely de-alcoholised sparkling wine from a S. African brand called Lautus. Recommend for those of you who miss wine, but don’t process the alcohol well now on MJ or much lighter.

Morning all,

I’m ready for the judging panel but so far I’m liking the sound of second date guy. Being comfortable in someone’s company is very special.

I’m back down to 9st 0.4 compared to yesterday’s 9st 2.2 which I didn’t commit to writing in case it stuck. The gluten incident has turned the corner. I honestly can’t believe I was so stupid not to check the label with glasses on.

Food last night was prepared and served by DH and it was rank. 🤮. He did some vet work for a farming friend on Friday and was given a shoulder of lamb. We’ve had meat from this friend before and the general consensus is that DH needs to politely refuse or if he can’t do that then take it to the surgery for the clinical waste collection. I absolutely hate wasting meat, I believe that if an animal has died then at the very least it should be eaten rather than binned but OMG that sheep was possibly older than me. The smell in the kitchen knocked me sick and I wasn’t tempted by the oversized courgette based side dish. DH pretended to like it but I know him well enough to know that he didn’t.

DS2 is cooking tonight thank goodness.

Hope the rest of your weekend is fabulous.

ooh hope today goes well @BreezyPeer and glad ds feeling better.
Hopefully a move in the right direction @PenelopesPursuitPrevails but still v annoying.

We had friends for dinner last night which was lovely, realised we’ve not had people round for ages and I’ve missed it! I’ve been for a swim in the lake this morning and omg it was ❄️. The board said 13 degrees but I’m not so sure! Managed 200m before I turned to ice, have had bucketfuls of tea and a v hot shower and still cold! Other than that, feeling good for it though!

Enjoy your Sundays!

@Jins your lamb story reminds me of an experience I had a few years ago, I bought ¼ lamb from a farming friend, rare breed, extremely well kept animals. I remember cooking it and thinking that actually, breeds had developed for a reason, every bit of it was much too fatty, never again.

That does sound like a good maintenance week @DGonMJ .

@2025istheyeari wow, that's a cold swim. It was 3 degrees here when I went to warm up the car at 6:30am. I made myself porridge for breakfast for the first time this autumn when I got back, couldn't eat it all (40g portion) but I really enjoyed it.

I think I am going to make celery and stilton soup for the fridge for the week ahead shortly. Cod puttanesca for dinner which is a firm favourite here.

ugh that sounds horrible, @Jins Even when I still ate meat, I never liked lamb much.

I enjoy lamb, but not chewy lamb.

@2025istheyeari that is a cold swim - are you in a wetsuit??

Good luck with your date @BreezyPeer - comfort is nice, but a few fanny flutters are also required....

Just did a 10.5km run. Can't believe it. Longest I've done in years, and since taking it up again this year. Just went and did it, and enjoyed it - across the ranges, just me and one of the dogs. Now eating eggs and toast.

Enjoy your Sundays all

@BreezyPeer I agree re a bit of a flutter down below is needed but I would say with the current Mr Jane I had no idea that flutters would occur until a drunken night out ended in a very unexpected snog in an alley (which I then had to rapidly test wasn’t a one off in my bedroom within the hour - ah youth!). Genuinely would have said mates only but here we are almost 30 years later. So I agree comfortable is a huge positive.

@Jins urgh but I did laugh at sheep older than you.

@2025istheyeari Christ that is cold. Brave

@PenelopesPursuitPrevails ohhhhhh I’m making celery soup today too! I love it so gonna have for tea today/lunch in the week.

@HeidiLite you are a bad influence. I just got some semi cured gel wraps and will be trying them a bit later - have gone for a dark red.

also @HeidiLite- am I right to say you rate Korean skincare? Do you have any recommendations for acne prone skin (dd1 suffers and I think she’s being a bit harsh with it so wanted to get her some bits to try. I have really benefited from some for my skin but I’m at the wizened old crone end of the spectrum obvs).

I have been quite productive today - took some parcels to be posted, did a long walk with dh at his pace and finally booked my style appointment. Got a bit downhearted at the photos as I just looked a bit saggy and dowdy but hey go, that is kinda the point isn’t it. Cold is better and I’m off to do a bit of yoga, an everything bath and then nails then book.

@BreezyPeer I agree you want both, but I knew DH was the one exactly because I could just be myself, it was so relaxing.

@myladyjane yes I'm a big fan. What I would recommend:
if she wears make up, double cleanse. Dr.Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm plus a foaming cleanser like Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam.
Then for acne, something with BHA, there are a ton of products out there. I like medicube - Zero Pore Pad 2.0, and Some by Mi has a good 30 day miracle range.
And also a good gentle skin barrier repair moisturizer, Dr. Althea - 345 Relief Cream or Purito SEOUL - Mighty Bamboo Panthenol Cream

@HeidiLite id like to try Korean skincare but as I’ve not got 2x advents, I think I should refrain for a bit.

Been to gym, supermarket and tidied the garden.
Roast in oven, I need to stop faffing round this week and focus on moving the scales again.

Just an observation from my drinks, I feel
so much happier thinner.one of the ladies I work with has lost 6 stone this year, has completely transformed, such a game changer.
Ticket inspector said you look like you’ve had a good night 😳

@HeidiLite you star, thank you

@BlueLimes glad you feel happier. It really is ‘a weight off’.

New PB at the gym today! Did 50kg on the barbell back squat. Last time I maxed out at 45kg, today PT snuck some heavier plates on so thought I was doing 45 but he told me afterwards it was 50! Feeling powerful!

A vat of bolognese is simmering on the hob, half to go into another weekend lasagne, the other half to go into the freezer for easy pasta nights. Also going to do a mushroom, lentil and brown rice soup to add to the selection.

That’s super impressive @DGonMJ hmm really fancy bolognaise now rather than roast !

I did have quite a few wines but even before my wine coat, I just felt more like the old me.

@Thelittlestranger wow go you on the run, that’s amazing. It was a flipping cold swim, no wetsuit! Crazy or naive, I can’t decide which 🤣

You’ve all been much more productive than me today! Well done @DGonMJ thats impressive, wow!! Your mushroom, lentil and brown rice soup sounds amazing, would you mind sharing the recipe?

I really fancy a roast now but we’ve not got anything in for it and I cba to cook it!!

@jins oh god on the lamb! I eat meat but I’m really allergic to lamb, poor DH!!

@BlueLimes I’m def happier slimmer too! So glad you had a great night!!

@HeidiLite would you have any recs for someone who’s recently developed perioral dermatitis? I think from retinol/ too many acids? So annoying and I can’t shift it.

Glad you’re feeling better @myladyjane , interested to hear how the nail wraps go.

@PenelopesPursuitPrevails 3degrees!! It’s definitely more autumnal and getting much colder isn’t we had our wood burner on last night!