And the award goes to... ME!

Woohoo! I just ate a meal without getting stuck after every bite. And it wasn't because I chewed the crap out of my food, I think my restriction has gone down... for this moment anyway. I have been so tight that lunch at my desk, while studying, usually takes about 1.5 hours to eat. I. Kid. You. Not. I feel like I eat constantly because I eat so incredibly slowly which is probably a good thing, yet slightly annoying.


I haven't blogged since Tuesday because I basically haven't had much to report band-wise other than the getting stuck issue, which really isn't an issue, because I think this is just the way it is suppose to be. I've got a ring around the top of my stomach! What did I expect? To be able to gulp down massive amounts at lightning speed? Gees, Louise.


Yet, the lunch/dinner whatever it was I just ate at 5pm, went down fine. This morning I couldn't even get my yogurt and melon down I was so restricted, yet now I just ate two rye crispbread with avo, Hank's Chilli Jam (to die for!) and ham very easily.


Now I made a commitment (apparently *sarcastic tone here*) to eat well and exercise with my Getting Serious diet a couple of weeks ago and of course, I did not stick to it. As I said in my last post, I lasted five days and was rewarded with a 1.9kg loss, which is great and should have been motivation to stick to what seems like a winning formula. But this week I have been pretty good, but not as good (see Hank's Chilli Jam ref above). Tomorrow I am still hoping for a loss. Hoping for 1kg down... at least. I'm just dying to cross off that next weight loss goal on my list. I'm so close!


One problem that still persists is the lack of exercise in my routine (I use that word loosely... I'm not a 'routine' person). I went to the gym once last week and did forty minutes of cardio - 15 minutes on the rower and 25 minutes on the treadmill. I enjoyed it too but I just haven't been able to get there since. That's not to say I haven't been active. Chasing after a two year old boy is certainly not work for the faint hearted.


The gym in my building is not very busy but on Thursday, when I was there for my workout, a bloke came in who was not hot, but OK looking and very fit. That was enough for me to want to get out of there as soon as I could. He was doing a workout with big muscles lifting big weights with grunting and sweating and god... it was enough to intimidate me away from the there. Does anyone else get like this? I wouldn't have minded so much if it was a chick working out with big muscles but a man? Totally embarrassing. And I know this is completely stupid and irrational and he probably didn't even notice fat ol' me sweating away on the treadmill but still, embarrassing.


Argh! Enough of that sweaty man talk, and on to my award. The Outback Bandit over at All That Razzberry has bestowed me with a Stylish Blogger Award. I thank her very much for it.

The rules of accepting this award are: Thank the person who gave you the award, reveal seven things about yourself, and nominate 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered or love. Then leave a comment on their blog letting them know they've been nominated..


Seven things about me. With 26 January this week, I've compiled the list with Australia Day in mind.


1. I'm not fond of the beach. Despite being Aussie, having been raised going to the beach all summer, I find the whole experience quite frustrating and annoying. All that sand, sun and seaweed! Yuck! Give me a council run local pool any day.


2. I'm not a full on Aussie. I was born in New York City, New York, USA. I have duel citizenship and it is actually harder for me to prove being Aussie than it is being an American, despite my true blue Australian accent. There is a spelling mistake in my Australian citizenship papers which I have not been bothered to fix yet so I'm currently not an official Aussie. 


3. I crave Vegemite. If I haven't had some for a while, my body craves it like a drug. I like it on sourdough toast with lots of butter, or on a crispbread with just a scrape of marg, I'm easy, as long as there's heaps on there.


4. When I lived in London I would stock up on Cherry Ripes, Caramello Koalas, Cottees Cordial and, believe it or not, Napisan, whenever I came home for a visit.


5. My all time favourite Aussie band is Powderfinger but I've never seen them live... and won't get to now they've broken up.


6. My favourite Australian novelist is Peter Corris. He writes a series of detective stories which I have been reading since I was about 14. The first one was published in 1980 of which I have a first edition. I met Peter at a book signing in 1996 and he signed all the books I had at that time. There are 35 books all up which are set in and around Sydney. I am currently reading the most recently published Cliff Hardy novel, Torn Apart. Cliff Hardy, the main character, is getting pretty old so as each new novel comes out I get more and more nervous it will be the last. I know Cliff can't got on forever, but I will miss him terribly when he's gone.


7. Australia Day 1988, when we celebrated our Bicentenary, was one of the best and proudest days of my life. I was 13 and my family and I spent the day on my uncle's yacht. We sailed out to the heads to join the Tall Ships as they reenacted the First Fleet coming into Sydney Harbour. My ancestor was a convict on the Scarborough and it felt amazing to be doing what he did (albeit in vastly different circumstances) exactly 200 years later. Breathtaking stuff!


OK, there's seven things about me, to do with being Australian! Now, in keeping with this theme, I nominate the following Aussies for the Stylish Blogger Award:

Candid Bandit

Josie at My adventure with my lap band

Alycejo at My rescue is possible

Ash at Seeing in colour

Bec at My lapband journey
Sam at Banded for me

Bye for now.
V.