Today, Thursday 8th January 2009

Exercise today:
Nia class. WOW it was truly amazing. I have blogged in the past about my experience of the workshop at the Yoga Show. Even though that was months ago, I today kept my promise to myself to find a class and try a class. I booked it in my diary before Xmas, and invited some colleagues. I told them I would shout them to the class as their Xmas present (I didn't do much Xmas shopping this year). Anyway, we went tonight and it was SUCH good exercise. Really gentle (i.e. you don't jump up and down like 1980s aerobics) but wow, you use those deep muscles, and you use your core muscles, and you feel so graceful and so feminine, you don't even realise you are working so hard. And the movements are so mindful, you concentrate so hard, that you feel like you are in a meditation, and breathing correctly feels more important than looking at a colleague. I think it was 20 mins into the class before I looked over at anyone.

Meditation:
None

Meals today:
Breakfast again was Hot Granola from Pret a Manger.
Lunch was at Boots (for those not in UK, it is a chemist), where I got a browm bread sandwich with tofu, rocket etc... in it plus a small packet of vegetarian sushi.
After Nia one of my colleagues wanted to chat about something so we went to a Tapas bar. I ordered tapas and a pineapple juice, as the one thing I really have stuck to this week is no alcohol, as well as no coffee. THEN her sangria arrived and I have never seen anything like it. The minute I saw it I said I am having one of those. So as I knew I had so many deviations this week (even today, sandwich! I don't eat bread when on a true detox), I ordered the Sangria and enjoyed every delicious mouthful.
I was just posting this post and remembered, on the way to Nia, my 3 colleagues wanted to stop at a sweetshop and I got a bar of chocolate. I ate it and it gave me a headrush - NOT a nice feeling at all. That told me 2 things. (1) it will be easier to resist the next temptation of chocolate as I now (in NLP style) associate it with a BAD memory (good) and (2) it means my body is already a little cleaner as it is only when I am detoxing that chocolate gives me a headrush. That's probably the benefit of a few days without caffeine.

Weight today:
Didn't weight

Gratitude journal:
For the Nia. Was special and great exercise,

Fit Bug steps (in MBTs):
Lots of MBT steps but the Fit Bug still not set up.

Learning point:
That I will not beat myself up for doing this half and half this week. I will get there. I know I will.

Confirmation of nil consumption of latte or cappuccino:
Proudly I can confirm this. And feel better for it too. I actually feel tired when I should as I am NOT wired on caffeine.

Liska Life x

Wednesday 7th January 2009

The Daily Declaration

Exercise today:
None I am afraid

Meditation:
None

Meals today:
Porridge, take away, from a cafe near work again. (I know, I must start getting up early enough to make it at home).
Lunch (okay this WAS naughty). Me, our Bookkeeper and our Credit Controller went on a kind of team lunch, to celebrate something and we ended up in Wagamamas. BUT I had the vegetarian Katsu curry, and a raw juice (includes carrot juice etc...). So it wasn't the unhealthiest of lunches.
Then I promised hubby I would come straight home to have a lovely evening together, now that we have the flat to ourselves again. He has had Wednesday, since he was little as "chips day". His Mum's idea. SO he arrived home with chicken and chips for me and I ate it............
So I think I can safely say I am starting this detox properly next week.

It is funny, I have STUCK to the no lattes, just because of that picture I did on the blog of "my last latte" so between now and next Monday I need to publicly list on here what I am not allowed, so I feel some accountability to stick to it. Years ago, I was soooooooooo good at detoxing. One of the reasons I have put on so much weight, is because I haven't done a proper detox since Summer 2006.

Weight today:
Didn't weigh.

Gratitude journal:
The lovely lunch we had at Wagamamas. I am grateful for some wonderful colleagues :-)

Fit Bug steps (in MBTs):
I go everywhere in my MBTs but still haven't sorted out the Fit Bug.

Learning point:
That I will be up and running next week and that this week is a dry run.

Confirmation of nil consumption of latte or cappuccino:
With great delight I can confirm that I have stuck to this every day.

Byeee, Liska Life x

Tuesday 06th January 2009

The Daily Declaration.

Exercise today:
Walking to and from station on way to and from work. That's a total of 34 minutes walking, and in MBTs.
But the highlight is that Catherine and I went to AQUA AEROBICS in our lunch break. It was truly awesome and amazing. A 45 minute session in Virgin Active. We expected the regular aqua aerobics like I did in Malta, but this was full on. Our arms hurt, our bingo wings hurt, our legs hurt, tummy muscles hurt, AND we were out of breath. This was hardcore and I am aching today, which means tomorrow I will be more sore........ but we LOVED it, and aim to go again. It is so so so good and the instructor uses load of props including these foam dumbells that look like liquorice allsorts which is not good when you are trying to take your mind off food :-)


Meditation:
Again none :-(

Meals today:
I had a scone before I left the house - there was one left that my Mum did not eat - oooops.
I add the following sentence on 8th Jan: I have just remembered that when I got to work I bout hot Granola (with soya milk) from Pret a Manger.

Due to doing aqua aerobics in my lunch break, I did not have lunch. Lack of prep meant I did not have lunch with me (ooops). So at 4.40 I could not take it anymore and was so hungry I had to dash out to Pret a Manger. The only thing that had kept me going till then was a yoghurt from a colleague and a satsuma from another colleague - thanks mates. At Pret I was supposed to get a salad but hunger meant I fell off the wagon and got a swedish meatballs wrap. I knew I was so hungry it would not fill me up, so I also got popcorn. Now this was funny. I wanted crisps but thought NO! I am meant to be on a detox, so I told myself popcorn is healthier. I looked at the sweet one and thought sugar is more deadly than salt, so got the salt flavoured one and fair play to Pret it did not taste greasy at all so I would think it is very low in calories.

Then I met my husband and friend from University at 8.15 p.m. that night and we ended up in Momos (London, just off Regent Street). I always drink alot with that friend so I thought THIS is the true test. I could not find alcohol free cocktails on the menu, so tentatively asked the waitress. Yes, we do Virgin cocktails she said, and I was delighted. I had 2 and can't remember what they were called, but they looked as green as a Mohito, but weren't limey like that. Truly delicious and it meant I didn't look like the odd one out drinking water, orange juice or coke. BUT we had mezze, and it included little sausages and pitta bread, but I made sure I ordered falafel also. Anyway, I am normally hardcore when I am on a detox, but I have not done a decent one since 2006 and it SHOWS. I do not eat meat when on detoxes, so I am clearly not in the zone yet.......... Preparation is the key and I think that's been what has been lacking..... so I have to get rubbish out of my cupboards and get some good things IN.

Weight today: N/A as did not get near a scales.

Gratitude journal: Thankful for the aqua aerobics and Catherine's HUGE smile every time I looked over at her. We had so much fun. Oh and the instructor was thoughtful, helpful, fun and fab.

Fit Bug steps (in MBTs):
STILL haven't charged the FitBug yet - sorry.

Learning point:
That I clearly needed to build into this. Which is VERY ironic, given that I bought Holland & Barret's magazine Healthy on Saturday, and there was a bit about spending 2 weeks gradually giving up things in the build up to a full detox. I read it with arrogance and thought that's not me. I will start on Monday 5th Jan full steam ahead.......... hhhhhhhhmmmmmmm life is NOT always THAT straight forward :-)

To those reading, good luck. If you have found me, you are probably on the same journey.

Liska Life xxxxxx

Monday 5th Jan 2009

The Daily Declaration.
Exercise today:
Only walking to and from station to go to work I am afraid.

Meditation: None :-(

Meals today:
Got frozen on the way to work (a 40 minute journey took 2 hours - long story).

So, the minute I got to work I had to buy porridge as a breakfast to warm me from the inside out (so that put non-dairy out the window). All I had at home before I left was a half glass of cold water and lemon juice and a half mug of hot water and fresh lemon juice. That did revive me though.

Then lunch was a goat's cheese salad, with drink as carrot and apple juice.

Home for dinner was the problem. Hadn't been food shopping and prep is everything!
So I had to go to a kebab shop and buy salad in pitta bread!
Was delicious but did not fill me up.

So here are my honest sins:
I had 2 brioche rolls - they were winking at me, and left over from Xmas (Mum doesn't like them anymore).
I had 2 bags of these special wholewheat baked crisps (healthy but not really detox food).
That was it I think, but that felt naughty enough!

Weight today:
N/A as did not get near a scales.

Gratitude journal:
Thankful for the train friends who kept me company at the station while we waited IN THE SNOW on a cold platform for 1 hour 10 minutes waiting for a train.

Fit Bug steps (in MBTs):
Haven't charged the FitBug yet - sorry.

Learning point:
That it doesn't all happen 100% straight away as hard as you try.

Confirmation of nil consumption of latte or cappuccino:
YES! Top of the class :-) During the day at work I had 2 peppermint teas, and a green tea. Then at home that evening I had a further green tea.