Diet v fun

Now, where were we?

There is too much going on at the moment, it is making for a stressful dieting time.  So, the family evening out was not too bad – and thank you all for your interest/concern!  I managed to get to the far end of a rectangular table, next to my lovely sister-in-law and opposite my nieces – as far away from the evil SIL as possible.  She sat with my two brothers either side of her and flirted with them.  She was delighted with where she was.  It obviously all went too well, as my brother has invited us all to his for Christmas – and then chased when I hadn’t responded in a couple of hours.  Quite apart from it being FAR too early to talk about Christmas, you can imagine my horror!  This is one I absolutely have no intention of being bounced into, Arctic Cloudberry!  I think he’s trying to avoid having his wife’s family over as they are all appalling.  Last Christmas they – including his mother-in-law - all danced on my brother’s glass dining table, screaming at the tops of their lungs.  And broke it.  And as the chav-in-law HAS to surpass anything her sisters could do (which, to be fair, she is quite open about), each Christmas gets more and more over the top.  My brother has to redecorate, Fortnum hampers were bought for everyone attending and enormous trees were bought and tensions ran very, very high.  The girls were screamed at and reduced to tears (they begged to go to my mum’s), my brother was screamed at and huge fisticuffs broke out.  It sounds exactly what I never want to experience.

Anyway, we had my stepson and his girlfriend over for dinner on Saturday.  I drank very sparingly (and was proud of myself) but I ate too much.  I am not sure whether the band played a part – I’m assuming so, as it wasn’t huge amounts and I felt very, very unhappy and ill and full.  The band is hard to work out though as this is the only time I’ve felt anything from it.  But I’m taking that as a salutary warning as we descend into outright hedonism by this time next week.

My weight had gone down a pleasing amount, but I put on 3lbs over the weekend.  Meaning my loss for the week was 1lb.  I’m still not back to the weight I was at this time last week.  Sigh.

Tonight we are going to P’s cousin’s surprise party.  I definitely find that the more people there are at an event, the more stressed I feel about going.  Neither of us is particularly looking forward to this, admittedly, and by Friday we’re both pretty tired out.  We have to go south of the river in rush hour, which is going to be torturous, since we can only get there by car – it will take about an hour to travel what should be a 20 mins journey, but we have to be there in place by 7pm latest.  And it’s in a football themed venue.  Lesley will guess how thrilled I am about this.  Anyway, we’re going and will do so with good grace (outwardly at least!).  We won’t be drinking – and, if I can help it, I won’t be eating either.  I imagine there will be a buffet and this would be hard to calculate, calories-wise and not something worth postponing weight loss for.

Then on Sunday we’re going to friends for a barbeque.  This will be nice – and shouldn’t be too bad in terms of calories (it won’t be burgers and sausages, I understand it’s smoked chicken.  And salads) but I’ll be being careful.

Next week various birthday things start.  I’m really trying hard not to let it be the start of an avalanche, continuing up to the holiday (in 4 weeks’ time- but you know how these things can deteriorate if you (I) don’t keep a grip).  I have a lunch with a friend (and managed not to make it either dinner and cocktails or afternoon tea, so I’m quite pleased with myself, relatively), dinner at my mum’s on Thursday which will be her super-sharp lemon meringue pie and then we hit the weekend.  Friday we’re going for cocktails and dimsum at Yauatcha.  Saturday we’re going for tapas.  Sunday we’re going to the seaside and will have fish and chips (not sure how this might affect the band – will be a small portion).  Monday (my actual birthday) we’re just having local dim sum.  Dim sum and tapas are easier to have smaller portions of – there is some method here.  But, let’s face it, I’m going to put on weight.  I’m looking forward to the celebrations, but I’m determined to be disciplined in all other meals next week, to minimise the damage.

I’ve been meaning to post about clothes.  Will do that next week.

And yes, Arctic Cloudberry, family is what you define as family: this is a refrain of my husband’s – that it’s him and me and (mumbles) and sometimes my mum, depending on how she is behaving and how generous P is feeling.