Attack of the Hello Kitty Chocolate

Eff. Me.

I stupidly wandered into this giant Korean/Japanese grocery store at lunchtime and what did I discover?

Not one but all three of the crazy-ass-delicious Japanese chocolates that set me off while overseas. The choccie-covered almonds that I hoovered on the Shinkansen? Check. The Toppo that I devoured every single day. Sometimes twice. Check. And finally the Pocky, Toppo’s long-lost chocolate cousin, not quite as good, but still mouth-wateringly delicious.

Need I mention this shop is a two-minute stroll (one-minute if you’re REALLY hungry :P) from work.

I repeat: eff me.

The Fat Fighters Chronicles Part 27

I am thrilled. Not just a wee bit thrilled. Absolutely kick-me-in-the-guts-life-is-amazing thrilled.

I lost 1kg this week. I’d like you to imagine 1kg of beef mince, if you will. Yep. Lost it from my body. EFF YEAH.

That brings me to a lovely 62.3kg, a mere 300g from my first personal goal of 62kg. I’m still leaning towards 60kg if possible – but I’m going to keep 62kg as my ideal for now. 300g. As my roommate just laughed: “You could sh*t that out right now”. Charming, yes. (With poo-tastic toilet talk like that, it’s not surprising we get along so well).

Anyhoo, let’s stray from all-things bathroom.

My goals for the week:

1. Drink 3L water every day
2. Go to one two-hour ballet class
3. Complete C25K running program 3-4 times
4. Walk on every work day morning I don’t run
5. Complete 2 x 60-min walks on the weekend
6. Plan all meals

I am, for want of a better word, THRILLED.

Booti’s Bi-Lo Adventure + W/E Discoveries & Confessions

If I don’t have impressive biceps after lugging back the gazillion shopping bags from Bi-Lo this evening, something’s wrong. I bought enough food to feed a small army (with appetites more ravenous than my pre-Fat Fighters days).

Fruit, vegies, dairy, meat… canned goods. Don’t even get me started on the number of canned goods I threw into my shopping trolley. Chickpeas, lentils, diced tomatoes, champignons… I’m a canned-goods fiend.

My fridge and cupboard is bursting with food. My poor roommate is going to have a fit when she sees what’s happened to our vegetable cooler section. My kitchen looks like Bi-Lo has thrown up on it… and god, that makes me happy. A Fat Fighting kitchen without delicious options is… well, shite (and more likely to end up sending the Fat Fighter sniffing around for not-so-healthy-and-oh-so-yucky-KFCesque options).

My week is brimming with yummy possibilities and that puts a big phat smile on my dial. I’ve already whipped up a ham and egg salad for lunch tomorrow, and I have a juicy punnet of strawberries to have with my rolled oats at brekkie. I heart groceries.

PS: I have had a bad week, food and exercise-wise. I’ve gone waaay over my points (cabanossi, brie cheese, jarrah hot choc and ‘low-fat-yeah-whatever’ chips were the poor victims), I’ve been sick for half the week, and I haven’t exercised enough. I’m also popping sugary sore throat lollies and lordy, those babies add up in the points department. Not stressing, just ‘fessing up now so I don’t have to waste time tomorrow night post-weigh-in (hell, I’ll be chowing down something delish) when I will, of course, gain.

PPS: I’ve decided November is MY month. I don’t see the boy for three weeks. I want to be at goal, if not bloody close, when he sees me next. Getting serious.

PPPS: The boy and I took my measurements on the weekend – 34, 26, 38. Not too shabby, not too shabby at all. Rumour has it Marilyn’s teenie-tiny tummy was 22. Doable?

PPPPS: Grocery shopping… completes me.

Ciao, bambinos.

8.36pm

Sitting here sipping a steaming hot mug of hot water with half a squeezed lemon is nice.

The throbbing pains in my throat, tooth and head are not.

I don’t want to be sick, but it’s rearing its ugly head.

Getting my 2 & 5 has never been this important (to the naive aka not-healthy-guidelines-obsessed, that mean 2 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegies every day).

Tomorrow’s goals:
1. Eat up a vegie-tastic storm.
2. Drink two hot water & lemon drinks.
3. Drink plenty of water.

I’m tucking myself in for the night.

The Fat Fighters Chronicles Part 26

100g gain this week.

Pretty darn happy with that, actually. I was a naughty little Fat Fighter on Saturday night, even though I did have aim-for-the-sky-Fat-Fighting-fantastic intentions. Check it:

Party. Party with uni friends. Party with uni friends & eskies of alcohol. Party with uni friends & eskies of alcohol & cupcakes. AND CUPCAKES.

It gets worse.

Rum balls. Big chocolately rum balls. Big CHOCOLATE-SPRINKLED chocolately rum balls.

As the boys skulled beers and the ladies dabbled in ‘woine toime’, I sat. As everyone smashed cake and chippies into their gobs in front of me, I nibbled on rice crackers. Around 11pm, I even discovered a pineapple, so took it upon myself to eat it (with the help of some party fiends, of course). We were all v. healthy (and even used the pineapple carcass for a not-so-clever game of ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’… was especially proud of my imaginative use of the pineapple skin halves as old-school roller-skating knee pads. Hot). Anyhoo. Then I (consciously) decided I was happy being sober while everyone was piss-roaring hammered, but I needed a rum ball. So I did. Then I needed another one. So I did. X 6. Brilliant stuff.

Fast-forward hours later, and I’m getting ‘loose at Moose’ (a club, to those lucky few who haven’t experienced Canberra’s mecca). Had a few shots. And a sneaky couple of pizzas circa 5am. And about four handfuls of bf’s cashew nuts before crashing asleep.

Gotta say… totally worth it. I had a lovely week of eating out every night, no dancing, walking in the mornings and relaxing. I’ll be on better behaviour this week, but I tell you what – sometimes a girl has got to lash out.

Goals for the week:

1. Drink 3L water a day
2. Complete Week 2 C25K program (Wed, Fri, Mon)
3. Complete one two-hour ballet class (Wed)
4. Stick to the 21 non-Core points allowance
5. Go on two 40 min planned walks (Thurs, Tues)

Feeling good. Am now 1.3kg from goal. I got this.

No means no!

I just said NO to a dark/milk/white marble whopper of a cake. I deserve a freaking gold medal for that effort considering my insane cravings.

PS: HOWEVER, I had a flashback re: naughty food I ate post-drinking in the wee hours of Sat night. Oops. Rum balls, pizza, chips, anyone?

Deliciously Dirty Daydreamin’

Just thinking about what I’m about to write is making me salivate. In fact, I don’t know how I’m going to get to the end of this blog without punching out a few workmates in a hasty effort to get to the vending machine. Last Friday, I dreamt something truly wonderful… now it’s all I can think about.

A bathtub filled with liquid chocolate (the deliciously rich and oh-my-god-I-want-some-now-for-the-love-of-god-why-am-I-torturing-myself-like-this kind). The sort that tips me over the edge and makes the trees chirp and the birds sway. The sort that tastes so unbelievably amazing I could just cry. The sort that complements strawberries and pink and white fluffy marshmallows. The sort that I would give up my savings for… if I could indulge in just one spoonful right now.

Friday was painful. As thoughts of lowering my naked self into this glorious tub of chocolate that would make poor Augustus Gloop sick with envy filled my head, I didn’t know how I could possibly go on. So the daydream continued, quickly evolving into a GIANT pool of chocolate (skinny-dipping in chocolate, oh my!) and I would use giant marshmallows as airbeds and strawberries to play with.

I shared these gory deets with the bf, who nearly tipped me over the edge when he said the liquid chocolate could be a particular type I had in a to-die-for fondue a few months ago (long-time readers will know this particular fondue set me off on a four-day binge it was so incredible). Creamage of jeanage galore.

Not sharing my lust for the cocoa bean, the bf preferred my preliminary idea. A bathtub filled with lollies. This could work too… although I did imagine myself attempting this only to overdose on jellybeans (aka Japan-style) and the results were far from sexy.

So, to quote Ross in a classic Friends episode: “I honestly don’t know if I’m hungry or horny”; to which Chandler replies: “Well, stay away from my freezer.”

With such sordid bathtub thoughts on the brain, it’s a good thing I’m a shower girl.

The Fat Fighters Chronicles Part 25

You couldn’t drag me off my Fat Fighters soapbox tonight if you tried.

I’m disgustingly basking in the afterglow of a fantastic weigh-in, food and exercise week, and to make things even better, my dinner (a delicious Vietnamese feast post-meeting) is brewing away in my contented belly. Ahhh. Bliss.

I lost 0.8kg tonight which brings me down to a fabulous 63.2kg. Awwwww yeah. Being this side of 65kg feels noice, very very noice, folks.

Seriously, though, what a week. I was a Core machine. The only non-Core food I dabbled in was chomping down almonds (healthy!) and low-fat cheese (treated myself to grilled cheese and vegemite on toast, as well as popped some on a freakin’ sensational steak burger on the w/e). I had two mini sugar cravings throughout the week, but instead of trying to ignore them I gave into them and had fresh dates (instead of handing over a wallet’s worth of coinage to the vending machine, like the bad ol’ days…). I really listened to my tummy this week (a big part of Core), and you know what? The little bugger had a lot to say. I only ate until I was satisfied, never eating until I was stuffed. Quite a difference from needing to unbuckle my belt or take off my pants after every meal since the age of 13 – if you weren’t gasping for air post-meal at the Booti household, you hadn’t eaten enough!

This weekend promises to be more of a challenge. I’ll be away visiting my dear boy, but I am still aiming to kick some Fat Fighters booty. I am scared though… I always get a bit more freaked-out when I’m not in my own kitchen. Hello, control freak!

Goals for the week:

1. Drink 3L water
2. Complete 3 x C25k days (Wednesday, Friday, Monday)
3. Track all non-Core foods – don’t go over the 21 non-Core foods allowance
4. Go on two planned walks (Thursday, Tuesday)
5. No chocolate or lollies – reward for sticking to this for two weeks – Jarrah Hot Choc o’lait sachets (the art of moderation)

Hot diggity damn. Vietnamese food is amazing, I can’t say it enough. If you haven’t thrown yourself head-first onto a plate of fresh rice paper rolls, or waded through a piping hot bowl of fish hot and sour soup, you’ve been missing out.

800g – yippee!

Booti, out. xx

Cue… tears!

As a rule of (fashion) thumb, I don’t wear black and brown at the same time.

It’s just one of ‘my things’. Don’t analyse it, just don’t be surprised if I gag if you’re donning them both simultaneously in front of me. Megan Gale could strut out in a sexy black dress with brown boots and I’d be reaching for the chunder bucket.

One of my other rules for myself is not wearing light-coloured pants. I’ve done it before and always found the results to be disastrous and oh’so unflattering. I mean, why draw attention to thunder thighs?

Ahhh, the times they are a’changing (thanks, Dylan).

I was given a pair of hand-me-down-yet-still-in-perfect-condition cream pinstripe pants from Cue today. Size 10. My roommate left them neatly folded on my bed and it took me six hours to try them on. The result?

Absolutely sensational.

I almost cried with happiness as I easily did up the zip and admired my shapely booti. I kid you not. These are the kind of pants I have avoided for the last eight years – cream and fitted being the main culprits. But, oh my, I was a classy beast. And damn… my booti looked perfectly in proportion.

I think I’m finally ready to blow my entire Savings account on an amazing new wardrobe for myself. Clothing stores, hold onto your size 10s… missbooti’s coming!

PS: Seriously… I wish there was someone to hug me right now. Chuffed!

Running Scared, Angelina Ballerina & Operation Powerwalker

As I’m sure you’re all v. aware of by now, I am a geeky goalsetter. Nothing gives me the same buzz as typing up a nice, long, clean list of things I want to achieve and ticking them off, one-by-one (well, I usually end up just scribbling them out as they’re completed with different coloured pens and pencils, but you get the idea).

I have (scarily) discovered how much I DO enjoy exercise. Of course there are days when I can’t be shagged but as I discovered a few weeks ago, if my day doesn’t kick off with a nice, fast walk (amongst Newtown’s finest drug addicts prowling the streets at 6am) the rest of my day will inevitably turn to shit. You don’t want to meet me on a morning when I have blown off my exercise. Trust me, I’m a bitch on a good day. Steer clear if I’m not brimming in post-jog perkiness.

Anyway, I have a new goal. Yes. Another one. This one is exercise-based and I am so excited.

It has three parts which I have aptly named Running Scared, Angelina Ballerina and Operation Powerwalker. Check it.

1. Running Scared (aka the Couch to 5km Running Plan http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml)
To sum up, this two-month program takes a gal from couch-potato status to Cathy Freeman wannabe. It’s broken down into three weekly 20-30 minute sessions that gently push you from walking, to walking and jogging, to walking and running, to running. There are podcasts to listen to on your iPod so you know when to walk and when to launch into a run… so Tony Robbinsesque but saves me having to look at my watch every two seconds. http://www.podcasts.ullreys.net/

Kick-off date: Monday, October 15.
Goal: To run around Lake Albert (5-6km) when I am back in Wagga over Chrissie break.

2. Angelina Ballerina
Ballet used to be my life. From age five until the sulky angsty age of 16, it was everything to me. Leotards, rehearsals, pointe shoes – you name it. After spending the past year shaking my booti at afro-american contempory dancehall classes, I am ready for a change. I’m going to stick to one dancehall class a week, ditch all the others I was unhappily dragging myself along too, and start an adult ballet beginners’ class with a chica from work. I am so excited I could throw on a leotard now and pirouette around my bedroom. But I won’t. ‘Cos I’d hurt myself. Here ’tis: http://www.adultballetstudio.com.au/

Kick-off date: Wednesday, October 24.
Goal: To attend one class a week. Keeping this goal v. simple for now. Will readjust later.

3. Operation Powerwalker
I am a crazy walker. I can’t get enough. I walk everywhere, anytime. I don’t drive and avoid public transport where possible (I’m always the unlucky sod who ends up squished under someone’s filthy armpit), so walking it is! I think I owe a massive chunk of my weight loss and toning to walking. I heart it. This is a continuing goal. As I will be doing Running Scared 3 x a week and Angelina Ballerina 2 x a week, I aim to go on 2-3 planned 40-min powerwalks a week. I also walk to work and back every day (20 minutes each way) and walk to and from dance class, Fat Fighters, dinners with friends etc, so as long as I stick with my current walking sitch, I’ll be A-OK!

Kick-off date: As of NOW.
Goal: 2-3 planned 40-min walks. Will do more (and longer powerwalks) if in Sydney on weekends.

Little Miss Exercise, out. xxx