January 2025 starters - it's our anniversary!

[HeidiLite]

new thread, losers!

Hello all, checking in for weigh in day - today I'm at 70kg bang on, having been somewhere in the 69s all week. I had a minor procedure in hospital on Thursday though and even though it was minor, I've been absolutely whacked since and constipated (probably from painkillers). it's also meant v little exercise this week. Back to normal next week, hopefully.

Happy birthday @meatyryvita ! 🎂 🥳

I've been trying ALL WEEK to find a holiday to book, I don't know why it's such a bloody trial to find anything. I do - it's because DH hates spending money and we have to do this ridiculous thing where he wants a 5* holiday for 5 people in the summer but only wants to pay a couple of hundred a head for it AND THEY DONT EXIST. So I find lots of holiday options that he rejects cos they are too expensive, he finds completely inappropriate ones that are cheap but not what we want, then finally comes around to the ones I suggested which are usually no longer available 🤦‍♀️ 😭

Happy birthday @meatyryvita!

I have a friend like your DH@MJalltheway. So now they have agreed that husband books all trips and she doesn't see the invoice.

Come to think of it, I book all the travel for us, DH is an airport princess who has a vague idea where we are going. I sometimes allow him to hold his own passport.

@Zempy well there's not much else here but yes certainly very safe. No harassment like in Egypt or Turkey. We come to see my sister in Abu Dhabi (she's a diplomat) and drove here for the weekend. Would recommend Abu Dhabi as well, much more chilled than Dubai.
I am not a massive fan of the region, but it is guaranteed warm and sunny in February, shortish flight and yes super safe

I hope you feel better soon @MJalltheway.

I love researching and booking holidays. My XH was like @HeidiLiteDH. One year he told all his friends and family we were going to Lanzarote. We weren’t. He paid zero attention, but to be fair he never complained about the cost.

Pyjama day for me today I think.

All this talk of holidays has made me start thinking about my dilemma. We are looking at another year of no holidays again. Depressing. Anyway, my lovely sister is obviously feeling sorry for us and has invited us to share their holiday to Denmark in the summer. We would just need to cover flights. I looked up what it would cost and it’s about £600 for us. I’m in a real ‘ah sod it, add it to the debt pile’ frame of mind but my DH has said no. He’s right of course, but the thought of another year with no travel is a real drag. I’m torn between just booking them anyway and trying to sell as much shite as possible to cover it and being sensible and saying ‘thank you, but no’. What should I do? I mean, I could stop spending £150 a month on WLI to cover it as well. But do I really want to do that?

Hope you had a lovely birthday @meatyryvita 🎂 🎈 🥂

Enjoy your pyjama day @Zempy

@26inprogress i used to skip breakfast when I was IF, but decided to go back to breakfast when i started MJ in order to get the protein in. For me, an egg in the morning really does help keep me full until lunchtime.

@Thelittlestranger you are an amazing example for keeping the weight off post-MJ. As hard as it is with the food noise, the fact you’re able to balance it out with exercise is good to know. Sounds like you’re lifemaxxing!

@PrepossessingPenelope how’s the anhedonia now you’re two weeks post-MJ? Have you had a renewed zest?

@HeidiLite lol at ‘airport princess’ 😂

Must also get on with booking next holiday!

Jab day today which takes me to 8 weeks on 2mg. Lost a load of water weight overnight and am now 58.3kg. I’m thinking about moving down to 1.75mg next week instead of 1.25mg. I went from 2.5mg to 2mg so I’m wondering if I should reduce more incrementally to not upset this good balance I have.

I feel your pain @Polkadotdash. It’s all getting a bit tight financially here as well since DH dropped a day at work. As we’re older and retired/semiretired holidays are on our priority list but we’re having to make cuts elsewhere. I don’t think there’s a right answer to the dilemma.

Supposed to be heading to York but DH woke with ‘norovirus’. Luckily I didn’t call to amend the booking as he’s better now. Still looks a bit pale but good enough to go so we’ll head off in an hour or so.

@Polkadotdash I'd be with you on the sod it approach but Denmark is an expensive country so you'd also have to factor in the cost of food, activities etc as well.

Had a terrible night, up most of the night feeling extremely uncomfortable from the constipation. Thankfully feeling better this morning and have done a really challenging yoga class which felt great.
Plan for the rest of the day is to do some baking, bit of a jigsaw and basically relax before work tomorrow. DD is starting a fodmap trial diet tomorrow so I'm making some suitable snacks for her. Bit of a steep learning curve!

@DGmaintaining not sure, I am doing more but I have told myself that I must do more ifswim. One day at the weekend must be doing something. Is it the lack of MJ? Is it the lack of rain, is it feeling like I am missing out on life? No idea whatsoever.

Today does not count, I am under a blanket feeling knackered reading my book, next week is as busy as last week as I wrap something else up at work, I have also got to go to London .... twice fgs (from 'oop north'), how the heck did that happen.

I haven't booked a pre starting my new job holiday yet, it looked staggeringly expensive when I looked (I do pay for three adults mind you) and I lost my steam on it as I have been so busy. I've also looked for a nice cottage in the UK for one week recently, not in main school holidays .... £2600 for something that sleeps 4 - crackers - again I pay for the whole thing to allow student DS to have a room and I share with student DD.

Actually @DGmaintaining I am not sure I feel that much different yet as just writing about holidays gives me a cba rash. 😂

@MJalltheway commiserations, I hope you feel less uncomfortable very soon.

Have a good Sunday everyone.

We were planning to go to America but don’t feel like we should/ want to as much. I do enjoy principled boycott….

Whereabouts in the U.K. @PrepossessingPenelope

@MJalltheway hope you feel better soon.
@Polkadotdash I would go if costs can be absorbed by selling:cutting back

@DGmaintaining you’re doing so well.

I also have to work in London twice next week 😞. Having said that, one of these is a national staff conference where I will meet colleagues who haven’t seen me for over a year and will hopefully heap compliments upon me!!

I really want to plan a trip to Bucharest, but there’s nothing suitable from my local airport which means adding in the faff and expense of getting to Heathrow. I think it will be worth it though. I want to see the Carpathian bears. 🐻

Going to syringe dose tonight. I completely fucked it up last time and medication spurted everywhere.

Highlands @BlueLimes .

I’ve a Cornwall recommendation but wrong direction !

I did stay in Cameron house pre DC (and fire) but I suspect that’s £££

I spent all afternoon researching holidays and forgot to eat lunch!

@Zempy if you need an AI travel agent…I’m trying out Claude instead of chatGPT and it recommended Madeira, with Malta a close second. Really helped give me some ‘immediate actions’ and then links to browse. It got a few things wrong - I wanted a Heathrow destination but most of its recommendations were cheaper flying out of Gatwick; and it recommended some excursions that weren’t available on the suggested day.

@BlueLimes agree, I actually wanted to visit my cousin in Portland but I also don’t want to go to the US given the appalling treatment of tourists by ICE. So I think we’ll save that trip for if/when politics calms down…and she hasn’t already found a way to emigrate.

But result for Easter! Have booked flights to Funchal and a sea-view villa near Calheta with heated pool (and everyone gets their own room), plus booked a whale watching excursion. Apparently have to book the walks too, so will take a look at those and see what’s suitable for DH and his recovered knee. Looking forward to pretty villages, gorgeous nature walks and swimming in our own pool.

@PrepossessingPenelope I think travelling to London (despite me living in it) is knackering enough to take the edge off anyone’s zest. One ‘doing’ day at the weekend is a good aim, I think. I had planned on no ‘doing days’ this weekend following Italy and the shoot. I’m hoping for another non-doing weekend next week too.

@PrepossessingPenelope I’ve just looked at the lodges - which are lovely. Not strictly highlands though. DH now keen to book so that’s one of our half terms sorted 😊

@DGmaintaining we were really looking forward to going but we’ve much distaste/ horror - I feel dreadfully sorry for people over there who don’t support any of this. Good work on Easter - sounds ideal.

@DGmaintaining I don't miss commuting in London😫. I have had a lovely day doing not very much, I have ironed my shirts for the week, polished my boots and shoes, packed my work bag. Pleased with my day although I did eat too much at dinner tonight.

I have found a lovely cottage on Skye that I think I am going to book😊. Really lovely, I just need to send it to DC to make sure that they're happy with the location/what there is to do nearby, although this will be a reading week and a bit.

Good news re Funchal.

@BlueLimes I wouldn't travel there either atm despite the millions of sane residents, the lunatic is very much in charge of the asylum isn't he.

Woohoo! In the fastest ever recovery from ‘norovirus’ we are settled in York. Managed to get a spacious pitch and the heating has been on full blast since arrival so the caravan is cosy. The plan for a Bettys breakfast has been postponed.

I too have put a ban on travel to the US for a while but seeing as we’ve never been, or wanted to go, it’s no hardship. I’ve stopped my biannual trips to Costco which will really hit them hard and try to avoid using Amazon but it’s hard to dodge all US services. Like @BlueLimes i love a principled boycott - I’m still boycotting Brexit promoting/supporting companies and Boots for buying up all our local independents and shutting them down.

Madeira has been on my wish list for a while but it didn’t work out for this year so will try again next year. We’ve got cheapie weeks in Turkey and Crete booked for May and June then Malta in September. We have festivals and a steam fair booked with our friends with caravans for July and August so it’s a good year.

Hope everyone has a great week. Don’t envy those with the London commute. Didn’t enjoy it when I had to do it but it was partly to do with the partner in the Mayfair office who suffered us provincial oiks with distaste. My managing partner and I used to dig deep for our scouse accents on those occasions and I won achievement of the week in our office for my pronunciation of chicken. Which was stellar if I say so myself.

I have managed to avoid London a lot this year as my job winds down. It really is the most laughable end, but I'm enjoying the downtime, less stress and anxiety gone. I keep on veering between a range of complete change of career directions, and then worry about not having the spare income.

We have Mexico booked for July, and I've got the fuck its, and have persuaded OH that we should go on a road trip around Europe in August (because when else will we able to take that time with the youngest) But then I change my mind and think we need to save all we can - in case of said career change. It's exhausting!!

Good day planned today. Lunch with friend, body balance at the gym, dog walk. Work.

Snuggled up in York sounds marvellous @Jins

@DGmaintaining thank you. I'm feeling proud of myself. While panicking that it could all change quickly.

@MJalltheway good luck with the Fodmap stuff. Has your DD done it before?

I’m supposed to be going up to 5mg MJ today but the pen I ordered over a week ago from Get a Drip still hasn’t arrived. First time I’ve ordered from them and they are slooooow. I do really need to get on the higher dose. I’m eating like the Hungry Caterpillar at the moment. I need to stop. Hoping that now half term is out of the way I can get some structure back. Spent a lot of it clashing with my DD who suddenly wants to live like she’s an adult who can do what she likes. She’s 11. It’s breaking my heart because I don’t want to battle against her, but I still think that a full face of makeup and a skimpy, strappy vest are not suitable for her age or the bloody weather. Boys are so much easier at this age.

I weighed in today. I'm currently sitting at 13lbs above target. I'm hoping some is water weight. My jeans fit, although they are tight so I will see what a week of eating healthily can do.

I spoke to my ADHD prescriber, she has said many people still binge eating on the medication. I didn't ask her if I'm better off going back on mj. My next review is in 4 weeks. I will ask her then.

I commute a couple of times per week into London, it's a nice balance for me.

@Polkadotdash IMO with two girls and a boy, boys are easier at every age 🫣

@tinyemmy be kind to yourself. You've just got back from skiing, and started new medication. New week, new structure - you can do it. Can you take the ADHD medication and MJ at the same time?

I was originally told I had to come off mj and as if maintained on 2.5 for 7 months I thought it would be ok.

I think once I'm stable on the ADHD medication it will be fine to go back on mj if I want to

@Polkadotdash i have a 10yo DD who drives me absolutely bonkers on hourly basis. Commiserations.

Agree with everything @Thelittlestrangersaid, and would add @tinyemmythat some of it may well be water retention, I always weigh a few extra pounds after I’ve flown. You can and will do it.

Loved reading all the holiday plans. We went to the highlands and Skye twice during lockdown and had a fab time, enjoy @PrepossessingPenelope. I’ve also heard great things about Madeira, Easter will be lovely there @DGmaintaining. Agree with everyone else, no US visits for us, I also like a principled boycott @BlueLimes!!!

Hope you’re feeling better @MJalltheway.

Been so lovely to see the sun for a bit today, but not feeling brilliant so cancelled reformer tonight and I’m in my pjs in front of the fire. I’ve been getting hot armpits, waking up hot, catastrophising about things and not sleeping well for the last few weeks so I’ve got an HRT review tomorrow, think since losing nearly 6 stone it may need a change hopefully that’ll put things right!