Tuesday 28 June 2011

Can cake really make everything better?

So, I didn't get the job.
I was really quite upset, but 2 LARGE glasses of wine helped to ease the pain. The woman who called me to let me know how the 2nd interview went said that it was nothing personal and if there were 2 jobs she would give it to me (pah! whatever) BUT I had no previous charity experience & would be in charge of a lot of people, something I'm not used to (but was willing to do) UGH...must move on.

So this morning, I anticipated that I would feel crap so first thing I did was exercise. I finished day 7,level 2 of the 30 Day Shred then went straight onto No More Trouble Zones...was glad I did it, although I thought it was going to melt - the wether was hot yet rainy. Perfect weather for.....a storm!! Which kicked in not long after I finished my workout.
I did some washing, cleaned the kitchen, did a lot of job hunting (back on the horse as they say) and baked a cake.

 Was pretty sure i'd screwed up the frosting...I'm not ashamed to say I shed a few tears when I thought I had. The damned stuff was a bit too watery, I was sure it wouldn't 'set'.
But hey-presto! after some time in the fridge..it was fine & actually tasted pretty good. I used a new recipe I found online..not my usual triple chocolate cake recipe.

After cake, I went back to job hunting. So depressing...I need to find something..anything ...soon. I know I will but am feeling kinda defeated today.
Onwards and upwards as someone said, and as my Dad would say 'Don't let the bastards get you down' so it's with steely resolve that I carry on the job hunt....and probably a bit more cake.

xoxox

Sunday 26 June 2011

MUST stay out of the kitchen during times of stress...

I'm due to find out if I got the job I've interviewed for tomorrow. I am obviously worried & or stressed about it because today I am not (totaly am) ashamed to say I've not stopped eating ALL day! I haven't eaten this much in so long..it's out of control people!
Let's review:

Breakfast - 1 slice of homemade cherry pie
AND a peanut butter & jam sandwich         
It's worth mentioning that I had a 3 hr derby practice today, I'd normally eat a big bowl of porridge....but not today.

Skipped lunch as I was at training but the pie & sandwich from earlier helped me stay full BUT when I got back home after practice I ate the following:

1 HUGE bowl of homemade vegan chili with rice
half a garlic baguette
a second slice of pie with a scoop of ice cream
THEN
lots of mint chocolate
a bag of crisps
a 3rd slice of pie (I can see a pattern forming..can you?)

I would normally never dream of eating that much. It amazes me how I used to eat that much and more on a daily basis when I was a big fat fatty....oh yea, but that's another post for another time.
Point is....I'm stress eating. It's just as well I did 3 hrs of skating today or I'd be feeling a whole lot worse!

I really want this job, I'll be pretty gutted if I don't get it but am trying my best to stay positive. I'm also in a fair amount of ..yup you guessed it..neck pain.
It never seems to bother me when I'm training but straight after it aches like a mother! So am full of painkillers. Going to have an early night with a movie in bed & a herbal tea.
Fingers crossed for tomorrow...........................................and I MUST stay out of the kitchen for the rest of the night.

xoxox

Saturday 25 June 2011

It's all about cherry pie..

I make the best goddamn cherry pie....no really, I do!
Now, I know it may not be the best looking pie..I'll give you that BUT it tastes amazing and of course it's vegan and nothing goes better with cherry pie than a scoop of ice cream. I chose the raspberry flavour of Swedish Glace one of the best vegan ice creams out there and just a squeeze of some dark chocolate sauce.

I have decided to share with you lot out there...if indeed anyone does read this, which I doubt but it's a great sweet shortcrust pastry & so simple to make. So here you are :

Vegan Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

125g/4½oz Plain Flour 
55g/2oz icing sugar
55g/2oz soya margarine


Sift the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl and add the soya margarine.

Use your fingertips to rub the fat into the flour until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of margarine remaining. Try to work quickly so that it doesn't become greasy.

Bring the mixture together to form a dough, adding extra flour if the mixture is too wet, or some water if too dry, a teaspoon at a time.

Wrap the dough in cling-film and chill for 10-15 minutes before using.

See? simple and so tasty!

I remove the stones from the cherries, sprinkle sugar over them & then pop them in a pan on the hob, medium heat & wait till he cherries have softened & the sugar has melted creating a lovely sweet syrup. This is your pie filling..lovely :)

Whack it in the oven at around 150-180degrees & bake for 25-30mins then hey presto - a delicious cherry pie baked with your own loving hands.
* serving suggestion : have it Twin Peaks style & enjoy a slice of pie with a nice hot cup of coffee.





Friday 24 June 2011

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

I think I'm becoming Jillian Michaels bitch! I've been doing her 30 Day Shred DVD. You do 10 days at level 1, 10 days at level 2 and then 10 days at level 3..I'm on day 4 of Level 2 and I'm still loving it!!
I even got a copy of her NO More Trouble Zones and managed to complete it in one go, it was tough but I was proud of completing it.
I feel like since I've been out of work I've been trying to stay positive & exercise has been a huge help. I feel so proud of myself after completing a workout. When I lost a lot of weight a few years ago I was exercising by walking so I never toned up..but I feel like while I have all this free time to myself I should use it wisely. Let's face it when we work it's so easy to make excuses to not exercise..too tired, not enough time etc

I've been calorie couting, like I used to. I write everything I eat & drink down in my food journal & I've really been trying to keep my calories maximum at 1500 a day. Some days I go over, some days under but to be honest I know that my real problem lies with the keeping active not so much my eating, so if i go over I'm not over the moon about it but I really try not to beat myself up over it.

Soooo, I had my 2nd interview for the job I want. I had to spend 2 hours in the ***** shop & see how the back office runs etc It went really well but I'm not going to find out if I got the job or not till Monday-ish. I hate the waiting..but I guess I should look at it as teaching me to be patient for the things I want. That's SO not me! My god..am I growing up?!

xoxox

Wednesday 15 June 2011

Positivity

Ok , so I've just completed day 6 of Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred & I'm LOVING it!!!
I've found that the workout is getting a little bit easier each day but not only that the workout seems to fly by now..I feel like even though I'm sweaty and breathing hard..i ould carry on for a bit longer. Am sure I'll change me mind about that come day 1 of level 2. I skipped ahead yesterday after my workout just to see what level 2 was like.....I'm scared!! haha

The 30 Day Shred has been so enjoyable so far that it's really made me have a serious think about Open University courses etc
Being the coach for my roller derby team is a big deal for me and I'd rerally like to have some proper sports, health and fitness knowledge behind me. I'd like to make our warm ups even better than they already are.
Courses and training is expensive though :( It kills me whenever I think about the skating coach course I was booked to go on that got cancelled earlier this year. I really hope they organise it for another time.

I think for now I'll just try to educate myself on health and fitness as much as I can. There is a lot of conflicting advice out there so I'll need to find the best possible resources and try to study it as much as possible.

I havn't done much crafting recently, although I have crocheted two hats since I was made redundant. Have spent every day looking for work and I have an interview this .(fingers crossed!!) Job hunting is pretty soul destroying, my lovely husband keeps telling me that not getting an interview is no reflection on me and i've only been out of work for 10 days but..I hate it. I hate knowing that I'm not getting paid at the end of the month, I miss the books, I miss getting out of the house every day.
I just have to remain positive and KNOW that I will get a job soon and hopefully it'll be worth the wait.

"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."  ~Herm Albright, quoted in Reader's Digest, June 1995

xxxxx 

Saturday 11 June 2011

30 Day Shred

Well bugger me..I found my mojo!
I don't know if it's a reaction to being out of work and now having a lot of time on my hands but I've been a lot more active and have started writing down what I'm eating again.
I also started the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred and I LOVE IT!! I'm only on day 2 of level 1 but hey, we all have to start somewhere..and I really want to lose the half a stone (7lbs) I've gained recently.

My muscles ache..and I mean EVERY muscle in my body, how I'm going to cope with a 3 hour roller derby session tomorrow I really don't know..and I have to work in the shred on top of that too - madness!!
I really hope I stick with it, I feel so good after doing the DVD.

So, last night I hooked up with a girl I've only met once but she had a spare ticket to see Dylan Moran, the highly amusing Irish comedian :) So we hooked up and went together.
I normally feel a bit anxious when meeting up with someone I don't know very well (hell, who am I kidding it happens with people I know really well too) but it didn't happen. The girl is an alternative model and as it turns out we know A LOT of the same people & local (ish) bands. I had a great night, only had 3 drinks and managed to work them into my calorie allowance for the day :)
Have made plans to meet up for a drink again sometime soon.

Today has been great so far except my neck is still giving me problems. I had my first session of physio last week and by god it was BRUTAL. The woman who I saw gave me some exercises to do and she told me she wasn't concerned, no nerve damage blah blah blah BUT I've been in a fair amount of pain today, since I woke up. I also forgot to pick up my perscription today so if I get any sleep tonight it will be a miracle!
I havn't taken any painkillers for my neck is quite a while but I'm very tempted to tonight.

xxxxx