The End May Actually Be in Sight...

RoaringTwenties

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

:T:T:T Congratulations on hitting your WL target :T:T:T

You and HDK are really inspiring

Tilly x x x

Thanks Tilly, the feeling's mutual - on lots of levels :beer:

Crumpets

Well done RT :T enjoy your cake

XSpender

Congratulations on your amazing weight loss:)

RoaringTwenties

Thanks Crumpets & XSpender (welcome to my diary XSpender too )

Thanks all for your congrats! For anyone who's interested, this is what happened - when I decided to lose the weight I planned to get to 9s 0lb & then see how I felt. I was 7s 13lb between DS & DD which I accept was too thin, I had no shape & was a bit obsessive looking back, scale checking etc. I'm 5' 5 & a half " so had a BMI of around 18 I think. I'd always been slim but I think losing to that point had been a bit of an extreme reaction after having DS & feeling my body was possessed by pregnancy & baby weight! I was over 12s when I'd first had DD & 10s 10b by the time she was coming up 2 at the end of this summer & it just didn't feel like it was my body anymore. Something other than my belt had to give

I can't do half measures - cutting down a bit here & there, eating Lean Cuisines etc - it just doesn't work for me, I lose focus cos I love my food so much. And without carbs & I would either be done for murder or find myself in the divorce courts :rotfl:. So basically I just massively cut down my breakfast & evening meal portion size, had fruit for lunch, & cut out all sweet things. I had a glass of pure juice with breakfast & after that only water to drink. I have felt hungry during the day but I quite like that weirdly as I knew it meant it was working! I also couldn't be bothered cooking separate meals for me & the family so this seemed the best way. And it's worked! I feel like me again.

I'm trying to reflect on the kind of person I am & the fact that I could easily become a bit number obsessed so have decided to just go on how I feel in my clothes rather than having a panic if I get to 9s 3lb on the scales - if I'm eating fairly healthy & my backside isn't bursting out of my jeggings that's good enough for me

One thing that has entertained us though is how I've been complaining about the cost of groceries, esp over the last 18 months since DD started weaning, I've been wittering about the cost of food, how much more two kids cost than one, how do big families do it, thank goodness for Aldi etc - till it dawned on me that our bills have been significantly lower since I've been dieting . Turns out it was me stuffing my face that was pushing up the old budget

I think I might give a variation on the fasting thing a go for maintenance, maybe one day a fortnight, or maybe just randomly when I feel I've over-indulged or would benefit from a detox. I've learnt I can manage well on 1000 calories a day & can cope at 800, but I think 500 might be a stretch. And I don't really need to be extreme for maintenance. But everyone I know is on the 5:2 & they're all losing weight on it so there must be something in it...

Anyway back to MSE! Not much to report, it's more spending than saving at the mo but that's largely due to Xmas & is all budgeted for. The trick at the mo for me is to get the best out of the Xmas budgets, for the kids especially. I got a mahusive Iggle Piggle for DS in the Argos sale half price, he only wants one cos his sister got one for her birthday (& his has to be bigger than hers apparently ) so I didn't want to spend a lot as he'll prob only look at it twice! Also got Belgian choc biscuits for DS' teachers & box of chocs each for cleaner & gardener for Xmas, all in M&S half price. I love M&S for offers like that. I'm also putting together an Xmas hamper for the food bank, so far I have Xmas pudding & custard, am going to buy some mince pies & a Yule log as soon as the Best Before's allow it! Going to put stuff in for kids too, so far I have some choc coins & a Thom Tank & Peppa advent calendar. Selection boxes next on the list!

I did have a mini-splurge in the shops yesterday after my M&S hot choc, got a jacket from Per Una (or as it's known round here, 'Pruna' :rotfl:), a top in Wallis & a coat from New Look. I did wonder whether the latter shop would throw me out for being too close to 40, I probably increased the average age in there by about 10 years I made the mistake of saying to the sales assistant that the coat was just like I used to wear in the eighties, I thought she was going to pass out. In terms of timescale I suspect the 1980s to her are the equivalent of the Regency period to me :rotfl:

Thus far we are holding off dipping into the MOS [STRIKE]by the skin of our financial teeth [/STRIKE] so signature is staying the same. After Xmas I really want to get back to OPing, might OP the gardener money as he's pretty much finished for the winter now.

I'll sign off cos I've got to stop it with these long posts!

Hope all are well xx

RoaringTwenties

Just read further up & seen posts by Gg & Crumpets that I missed - sorry! Crumpets DD has had the Ben & Holly scooter but the Happyland & ITNG puzzle are for Xmas. She loves Happyland, she calls them her "people"! Thanks for clarifying re: eBay Gg, that is a pain isn't it. I must say eBay seems quiet as a grave at the mo, I've stuck some really good quality seasonal stuff at great prices on & not a single watcher! I might list some linen trousers, summery swimming costumes & an Easter egg, they'll spark a bidding war at this time of the year, eBay is barmy IME

And thanks both for your good wishes re: DLA, it's a strange one as we don't *need* it really but he does have a recognised disability at the end of the day & if we get it it'll all be spent on him & making his little life better

RoaringTwenties

Hello all! Seems an age since I was on here, I don't know where the time goes!

Still no OPs from me, oh the shame Money seems to have been disappearing recently, from boots for DD (£39 for a 2 year old :eek:[STRIKE]but they are very cute[/STRIKE]) to school photos (absolutely awful images but still a must for family for Xmas ) to new smaller brassieres for me [STRIKE]damn that diet[/STRIKE] :mad: :rotfl:. I have exhausted the kids Christmas budget but they are going to be beyond thrilled on Xmas day, I got some major bargains by shopping round, 70% off in some cases & these are things that are currently popular, not things that have gone out of fashion & into clearance - some shops like Argos & Asda have been brill recently :T Just got to order my best friend two pressies I've found that will ostensibly be from the kids - one is a mug that says "I'm the crazy aunt everyone warned you about" & the other is a bag that says "That's cute...now bring your auntie some wine" She's going to *love* them

Our income is about to go down by 25% unless an amicable solution is reached at ACAS if you get my drift. Trying not to think about that really, am hoping everyone will talk sense & move things forward...

Other than that not much to report, hope everyone is well, will try & get on here a bit more often & do more than lurk!

RoaringTwenties

Finally a bit of time to post!

Well I've made a bit of wonger on eBay recently which has been nice. Twice now I've gone into All Selling on my eBay to find out how many of my 20 free listings I've got left to discover I've been given 100 more, but that they end that day! It happened the day before yesterday so I whacked a load of stuff on. I had to press a button to activate it, think that's new too? I've decided I'm not clinging on to stuff forever now though, I just don't have the storage space, so if it hasn't gone in a few listings it's heading for the charity shop. As per usual there's already interest in the summery things & the winter/Xmas stuff had zero watchers Also bizarrely I have sold several things to a number of women all with the same name as my daughter, & at least half of it has gone to the Scottish highlands & islands!

I smashed the ceramic dish of my slow cooker last week . I had a Crock Pot, bought half price in Sainsys sale last new year, think it was around £17.50. It's been a life saver - couldn't be without one - but as I am [STRIKE]a clumsy dingbat [/STRIKE]a bit tired at times decided I wouldn't pay full price for another Crock Pot only to smash it again, so I bought a ten quid I branded one from Argos. It's rubbish! The low heat is far too low & the high is far too high :mad: Clever old Mrs RT had the brainwave to just use the ceramic dish from the new one in the old cooker, & it worked! From now on I'll just buy the cheap ones for the dishes as & when I smash them

Nearly done on the Xmas shopping, & have got a good hamper made up for the food bank. Got a stack of toys from Sainsys in their 70% off sale for the toy bank too. Just debating whether to stick to M&S for my Xmas pud or try Sainsys this year, they have one with extra cherries in the middle on a 342 with chocolate bombe which I know the kids [STRIKE]and I [/STRIKE] would love. Decisions decisions

Industrial action is confirmed at OHs work, looks like we'll have to pull money out of the MOS for a while, so the signature will be going up not down. At least the employer has revoked their previous position of retaining 100% of pay for action short of a strike. Hey ho etc (ooh sounding Christmassy already) :rotfl:

gallygirl

When my last crock pot cracked I bought THIS one - fab because you can brown on the stove then cook in it :T. Maybe worth thinking about next time you smash one .

RoaringTwenties

gallygirl wrote: »

When my last crock pot cracked I bought THIS one - fab because you can brown on the stove then cook in it :T. Maybe worth thinking about next time you smash one .

Thanks gg, that looks like a really good one :beer:

Goldiegirl

Ooh, I love eBay coincidences, like when I sell to people with the same surname as me. I have a fairly common surname, so it happens often enough to amuse me. There's a whole conspiracy theory about geographical cluster selling. The theorists reckon you are only viewable to certain areas of the country. I don't think that is true...... But there are strange coincidences. A few months ago i had a sale every week to various people in Staffordshire. Considering I was only selling about 4 things a weeks at the time, it was a bit odd.

My favourite ever selling coincidence was when I sold a book on Greenmetropolis, to my second cousin.

I have a real fear of breaking the ceramic dish of my slow cooker - it's reassuring to know there's a solution to the problem

Hope the work issues are sorted out - it must be very unsettling.