Losing Weight in the Land of Chocolate and Cheese!

AHaha yeah, what a trial. ;)

No flowers in my hair.... yet! I've gotten into doing this cute French braid across the front though, though, which would make it easier to poke in a couple of daisies here and there :)

I'm waiting for the San Fran magic to hit me. Occasionally I see really cool things here and there, but most of the time I am just terribly saddened by the enormous number of homeless people. It seems that pretty much everywhere I have been so far, almost 20% of the people I walk past on the street are homeless. I just can't turn a blind eye to this, and it really distresses me a lot. This is one of the ways that Zurich has made me so sheltered to real life problems, I suppose. I know a lot of people that say that giving the homeless money is a bad idea because they'll just go out and spend it on booze, but I look at our life and the life of our friends, and what do we spend our money on? Well... for me, it's going out for lunch, but for so many others, it's BOOZE! So why should I judge! And if there's a chance it will help that person to have a better day, I see no problem with taking a dollar out of my 160Franc jeans and giving it to them.

Life in a hotel room is strange... it is very odd to have no option but to go out for every single meal. Tuesday night, for instance, my man got back from work at 6.45pm and he was SOOO tired. but we have to go out! *First world problems* I know... Sometimes there is nothing nicer than just vegging out in front of the tv having a cuddle and eating some pad thai or curry or something else I've whipped up. We go out to dinner with our friends pretty much every night that we and they can (so far every night except Tuesday) which is awesome, and keeps things pepping along. The jet lag is pretty huge, actually, what with a nine hour time difference. It amazes me that a thirteen hour flight here gives us a nine hr time difference, whereas a 22hr flight to Perth, Australia, is only a 6 hour difference. There's a lot of north-to-south movement there though, where as this pretty much has none..,.

I do feel a bit guilty (okay a lot) that my man is having to work so hard, so I deal with this guilt by also working hard. Which does KIND of fix it, but not quite ;) I mean, my work is FUN! And loving your 'work' as much as I do is surely not equal...

FOOOOOOOD had been terrible. I've just been trying to not eat very much of anything, that's all. On this trip, my new mantra is PORTION CONTROL, seeing as I am often struggling with finding healthy options.

YESTERDAY'S FOOD
Breakfast
- small cup of bread pudding with loads of berries and peaches. OMG YUM
- milk coffee
Snack
- green tea
Lunch
- 'snack plate' of smoked gouda, three baguette slices, 4 olives and 4 cherry tomatoes
Snack
- rooibus tea
- small brioche
- 1 Reese's peanut butter cup (holy cow. Can't have too many of those. They are incredible)
Dinner
- shredded smoked beef (YUM) with smoky bbq sauce, with a side of smoky beans and wilted spinach.
- 1 root beer (first time ever!),
Snack (going out to a bar afterwards)
- 1 ginger beer.
 
AThat's what I don't like about hotels as well. Which is why I'm going to definitely get a house exchange for my next holiday. Its nice just having the option of eating home cooked meals, even tho it must be lovely going out to dinner all the time.

Even living in London, I haven't become immune to homelessness. Its awful. People can't help the cards they get dealt in life. Although there was one homeless guy I bought food for, and I even gave him a dog (I found a stray, the police wouldn't take her), anyway, he raped someone after. I hope the dog is okay. But still I think that most of them deserve the benefit of the doubt. They are human beings, and they are treated as absolutely nothing by other people, and I don't get it. I don't give homeless people money, but I buy them food and a drink (not alcohol!), ask them what they want in particular first then top it a little bit. Obviously I can't do it for every homeless person I see, but the ones near shops and supermarkets get lucky :) I'm sure that something could be done about it. I think a good idea would be to build a huge free hostel, which is sort of like a prison in the way it works... People do 6 hours or so of unpaid work each day there, get food and a bed and a shower in return. Maybe they should have to go to groups or classes to help them help themselves as part of the deal as well. Or something. I know that hostels fill up straight away and there just isn't enough hostel places for everyone, and there should be! There should be more beds than homeless people.

Oooh, bread pudding and berries for breakfast sounds gorgeous! All your food sounds lovely actually.
 
AI really love your approach to the homelessness problems in London. I think I might try that. It kills me when I walk past dozens of people every day that are collapsed on the street, and perhaps they are dying, or have had a stroke or heart attack, and no one checks. Me included. It's tragic.

I am definitely enjoying myself though - there are some really gorgeous parts to this city! I'll attach a pic of the 'What I Love' wall. :) http://weight-loss.fitness.com/image/id/285509/width/350/height/700
I went op-shopping and got two pairs of shoes, a cute navy jacket and a GORGEOUS new skirt - looks kind of like a 50s rock-n-roll skirt. Green - gorgeous! I'll try to get my man to take a pic. :)

FOOOOD yesterday was BAAD.
- bread pudding with fresh plums and berries
- 2 milk coffees (1 decaf)
- white bean dip and 1 slice olive-oil toasted bread, with small green leaf salad
- 6 smoked almonds
- 1/2 packet of light pringles (at least I chose the light ones)
- 2 chocolate peanut butter cups
- 5 fries with truffle salt (stole some of my man's)
- roasted cauliflower topped with cheese (I chose an entree as a main course) and a little green salad
- alcohol free beer
- 2 mini chocolate truffles

Eating out every meal totally screws the diet, ...but it's fun ! I'm walking eVERYWHERE though, so hopefully I'm not blowing everything out too much...
 
AOkay, just putting it out there. It wouldn't surprise me if I came home after three weeks and had put on about four kilos. That's my estimation.

Period's not here yet... it could arrive anytime between yesterday and probably Thursday - yes, I'm pretty sporadic with these things. So trying not to think about it or get too excited yet. Though everytime I get a teeny bit grumpy about soemthing, my man says I must be preggers. haha. I don't FEEEL any different, so i don't really think so. We'll see! My new plan. though, is that if I'm not, then I'm going to HAVE A BLOODY GLASS OF WINE! It's been three months with not a drop of alcohol.

Missing my mummy today for some reason.
 
ADouble posted. Don't know how to delete, so I'm just filling in this space instead. Technologically incapable woman, married to a googler. That's me.
 
AI was thinking about you and whether you were preggers yesterday....I am due on but have no idea when and i was trying to figure out when you are......I have everything crossed for ya sweetie but if it isn't this month then YAY a glass of wine....I might join you in one of them!!!!

Have you found a nice place to do some writing?
 
AI live in a very small town and we are very sheltered from the real world also.....the homeless problem always takes us by surprise when we travel...we are not exposed to it very often..and I have to admit while I feel horrible we never do anything to help... the best I can say I have done is donate items to a "moms place" for unwed mothers ...wow I feel horrible for it now after thinking about it! :(


I seen in your food log you tried Root beer...so did you like it??? ....that is my favorite soda/pop....I allow myself one Diet Mug brand Root Beer a day with dinner.....I use to have 6 diet sodas a day...so limiting to one is a big big deal...for me at least!! :p
 
AOooooooh! :D I'm excited for you! Part of me rrrreally wants you to be preggers, but part of me wants you to wait another month so that you can treat yourself to that glass of wine! It must be really hard for you going to restaurants with friends and not drinking.

I love that "things I love fence" :D Did you put the things you love on it?

Looking forwards to seeing you in that skirt, it sounds lush.

Don't worry too much if you gain, it sound impossible not to. Just try to maintain x
 
I"ve just caught up with your diary again. I'm touched by your concern for the homeless too. I'm lucky where i live as there are no homeless but i've certainly had to face it in india where i used to often give them money. but here in Australia in Sydney for example, i always viewed it differently and probalby as i learn more my feelings are changing. if i think someone has a mental health problem and many do, i give them money. But once a schizophrenic banged me on the head after i'd given him some money. A bit funny but i wasn't phased because i understood what happened. I"d probably be quite sympathetic to some of the youngest people now where as in the past i was less sympathetic. I don't think its that easy for people to fix their problems. So yeah i hope i'd be willing ot give something to anyone i meet nowadays.


I wonder if you realise how much butter goes into a brioche? I would think you would given you live in Switzerland.


What about takeaway food. Can you not buy that so you can relax in your hotel? I know people in your situation who find a restaurant htey like and eat all their meals there. Ideally it should be somewhere close to your hotel.
 
AKate - hiya! Well, still no period... so we'll see! I actually don't FEEEL any different, and I'm moody as hell, so I reckon it's PMS... but I'll let ya know! And yeah, I have found two great little writing spots - thanks for asking! Both have no wifi, so that is PERFECT for me! :)

Tete - I LOOOVE the root beer! It's probably a good thing it's not available back in Switzerland, haha. I've never been a soda-drinker, but it's a good substitute when everyone is having REAL beer!

Rainbow - I know! I think my backup-wine plan is great, because I won't be too disappointed if it doesn't happen. I'm kind of with you - if it doesn't happen, then I get to go out and have wine! So it's not too disastrous ;) See how I trick myself? so sneaky... :) And I didn't put anything on the fence, because everyone has used baggage tags - so I have to go get one! My friend suggests I write dunc's name, his phone number and email address haha.

Andrea - Our friends who live here say that you just develop this skill to not see any homelessness after a while. That makes me sad - that this problem just becomes completely invisible. Switzelrand isn't really the land of brioche or bakery goods (morelike chocolate and cheese!) but YEAH I know! I know I know I know! Crazy... but so much of travel for me is experiencing different foods, so... the idea of sitting in my hotel room and eating the same stuff from the same restaurant while I look out the window is not really for me! It's okay, I'm on holiday. So I'm trying to experience special foods for this area that I can't get anywhere else. It makes me sad to think that I wouldn't be able to do this,. so I'm okay with having to deal with the repercussions when I get back home.
_______________________________________

Dunc and I hired a car yesterday (sunday) and went for a drive. The biggest thing for us was that we went to see the BEACH! Like actual real OCEAN!! It has been a long time for us, when we are used to having the ocean pretty much every day... So we had a great time there, despite the horrific weather. Dunc took some funny pics of me without me noticing (WOW that water was cold) and afterwards I looked at them and, instead of thinking 'ugh I am fat' I though 'ooo I don't look too bad! I look kind of normal!' which is bloody awesome.

FOOOOD yesterday
- 1 sesame bagel with low fat cream cheese
- 1 banana and 6 cherries
- 1 egg, 1 slice wholewheat toast with a little scraping of butter, 1 thick slice ham
- 1 bowl strawberries (I TOOOTALLY NEEEEEEEEDED them. The restaurant put it together for me. MUST be preggers, hahaha)
- grilled chicken burger with no mayo- only had half the bun. Green salad on the side instead of all the other options.
- A magnum ice cream. Yup. Really. It happened. THE LUNACY! After all that fruit and being GOOD!


Okay... photos are taking forever with this crap internet so you may have to wait. ;)
 
AWHYYYY can't I just edit stuff easily anymore?!?!? I can't just go and add photos to old posts without it creating a whole bloody new post! A replica! GRRRR NEW FORUM!
 
AYou look gorgeous :D I love your beach photos, you look so happy! It's good that they aren't fake and posed, you can tell your happiness is genuine :D

And I'm really glad that you can look at pictures of yourself and think- I look normal without criticising yourself.

And I'm so happy to hear that your moody as well lol.... I got exceptionally moody at the beginning of my pregnancies :) Will be checking up on you all the time now :) Are you going to do a test now do you think or wait a few more days to see if you come on?

I like your locket, have you got photos inside it? Note to self: Get a locket.
 
A:) YAY! You were moody as hell too! I'm feeling a bit sorry for my man, but he is a star about it all. I'll wait at least until Friday and then might... do... it... EEEK!

http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/filigree-locket-necklace - my necklace is a little bit like this. But it's better. haha. I LOOOVE IT! My best best best friend gave it to me just before dunc and I left Australia, and inside it I have a tiny shell that my mum picked out, and a tiny shell that my sister picked out. I love it sooo much. It's like all my three most important girls are always with me. I also like that I've got shells in it instead of pictures - it's nicer, I think, to have something that has more meaning.
 
AI agree with rainbow..... your photos show such joy!! ..you look awesome and happy!! what a great combo!!
 
AThanks Tete!

FOOOOOD TODAY
Sooooo hungry.... went out to dinner with some GREAT friends who just TODAY moved from australia to San Fran! FLUKE!

- sesame bagel with lite cream cheese
- 8 raspberries
- tom yum soup, and thai chicken salad (no carbs)
- 6 cherries and a mini raspberry muffin
- 6 corn chips with guacamole, pork stew with black beans
- 1 root beer
 
AAww sweetie.......Loving the photo's, You look so happy and of course, skinny!!!

Glad you found some cool places to write, hurry up and finish it will ya, i'm desperate to read it. I will be happy to read it before it's published, You know, like a proof read :) (she say's cheekily cos she is impatient to get her mitts on it!)
 
AHaha, thanks KatieHotBoobs! Well don't get too excited yet - I still have a fair way to go! But you guys will certainly all be kept updated with my progress! What kind of stuff do you usually read, by the way? I had a great writing day yesterday where I pounded out almost a whole subplot! Well not quite, but definitely on the way! I have had this character in my brain and couldn't figure out how he really fits in, or how he will get into the story - I just knew what would happen once he was already there. So that's all sorted now, and written in an awesome grotesque 'perfume' style fashion (have you read that book?). Loving it!

Now, I know Rainbow will tell me off, but one of the reasons I decided to put up those pics (all except the last one of me and hubby) was that you can't see my 'barbie' waist and it's a more accurate picture of how I see myself. And my legs, goddamn those legs. BUT that's where rainbow will yell at me to stop being a beeatch to myself and just be happy. Yeah yeah. So says the woman with the thighs that don't even TOUCH anymore.

Been trying on jeans and getting depressed about my body again.

OHHH STRANGE SELF REALISATION I looked in the full length mirror yesterday (can't walk in or out of the bathroom without going past it) and thought I looked alright. Then I ate that mini raspberry muffin and the next time I went to the bathroom I thought I looked fat. IMPOSSIBLE, obviously, that I would change body shape in just an hour or two, but it's strange how eating crap makes me feel crap about my body. Like I said, 'self-realisation'.
 
AOooooh, could be this FRRRRIDAAAAY!!!!!! Arrgggghhhhhhh! Not that I am excited or in suspense in any shape or form lol. I feel bad for getting excited just in case you come on your period. I don't want it to be a let-down specially considering you've only just started trying!

Its amazing that your friend moved to San Fran the exact time you went out there! Crazy!!!

And yes, I AM YELLING AT YOU to stop being a beyatch to yourself! Save the bitchiness for someone who deserves it! Like the woman who decided bikini waxes were a good idea.

Who wrote perfume? Think I shall read that. On the subject of books, have you read cloud atlas? Its very strange, but amazingly well written in different styles. I love it. And I also like that you are using a different sort of language in your sub plot. Glad that man found a way to elbow himself into the book :)

I have those swings in perception of how fat I look. When I'm out I feel slimmer and uglier, when I'm indoors I feel oaf like, but prettier. I hope that if I stand in my front the doorway for long enough I will feel both skinny and pretty lol.
 
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