Diet Blog

I'm going to start a diet blog soon with my view on my life permanently on some form of weight loss programme and how I think I have found the trick to losing weight without dieting. I'm going to give tips that I've picked up over the past 30 years of watching my weight and detail foods that can actually cause you to lose weight.

It's something I have been thinking of for a while as I have collected so much diet and weight loss information over the last 30 years and also tried every diet, slimming club, pill and health farm in the book.

When I eventually finish it I would obviously love to get it made into a diet book suitable for a whole family, no matter what age, and even the dog can use my tricks if weight loss is needed for it. So, do keep your eye on this blog and I will let you know when I get it up and running.

Chocolate Week mmmmm yum,yum

In case you didn't know it - it's chocolate week this week so it's a good excuse to have that extra bit. I've been searching the Internet on where the free tastings are but they are mostly in London and as my daughter works on Oxford Street, I have given her the details on the one at John Lewis which is on between 12 - 2pm in the food hall with demonstrations and tastings so do let me know what it was like if you get their.

I'm off with the girls tomorrow ( there are 12 of us) going to Harrogate for the day and I'm bitterly disappointed that there are no free chocolate tasting going on for chocolate week so I've been out and bought us all some lush chocolates to eat on the coach and printed some details off about the Hotel Chocolate Tasting Club. If you haven't heard of this before, basically you join the club and are sent a collection of new chocolates to try every month.Every month founder Angus Thirlwell and his team create a completely new selection. They are made in separate ultra-fresh batches exclusively for the Club. Of course it's not free they just hope that you will choose one to taste each month. I got most of this from their website http://www.chocs.co.uk/ and boy did I want some chocolate when I finished looking over it.

BLACK MAGIC COMPETITION

Have you seen how much I've written on my blog today. I just love writing but some days I could just write and write and write and today is one of those. The trouble is my neck will be terrible tomorrow, but hey! nothing new their then.

I've just written a 1000 word article for our local glossy magazine on how I lost my weight through hypnosis but I won't post it on here until its been published.

I've also entered the Black Magic Competition that was in the Daily Mail to become an official chocolate taster for them. My sister spotted it in the paper and rang me to give it a go. You have to write 50 words on why you should be a taster for them so I have done a poem with exactly 50 words. Wish me luck. Can you imagine if I won it mmmmmm chocoholic or what !!!!!

I'm gutted I can't give blood !!

I'm really gutted I can't give blood. It was one of my New Year Resolutions this year that I would give blood, lose weight, and learn to speak Spanish. So far, I have achieved my weight loss and started learning Spanish at home with a private tutor. Everything was going hunky dory until I needed to cancel some lessons due to some family commitments ( Dad had his knee operation). My teacher was then off for Maternity leave and although she is now back working again I have not booked any more lesson as I just cannot commit myself to "anything" at the moment until my brother-in-law is back home and settled.

After my last spinal operation (some 9 years ago) I had to have a blood transfusion and ever since then I have vowed I would join the list of blood donors. Then after hearing that my brother-in-law also needed a blood transfusion after his operation it promoted me to finally get it sorted. So, off I popped yesterday, eager to give my blood at last when the nurse gave me the bad news that I couldn't give any. "Why?" you say, well its all because I have had a blood transfusion 9 years ago and it is possible that I could be carrying Variant CJD from it.

It wasn't until December 2003 that evidence came to light that a blood donor may have transmitted vCJD to a patient via a blood transfusion. Scientists are not 100% sure that this is the case as it is still possible that both donor and patient separately acquired vCJD by eating contaminated beef. Even so, in the light of this case donors who have received blood in the UK since 1st January 1980 ( the date BSE became present in the UK food chain) to stop giving blood. People who have received blood since 1980 now belong to a large group that together has a potentially slightly higher risk of exposure to vCJD than the general population. At the moment they are saying it will be OK to give blood after 20 years have passed since my transfusion or if a test comes out that can see if you have it.

What this has meant is that many thousands of blood donors will have to stop giving blood for the time being. Over the coming months and years, this will add up to an enormous number of donations that will be desperately missed. (Medical Fact file August 2004 - National Blood Service)

So, you lot out there - if you haven't given blood yet then please do, you never know when you might need it.

London Fashion Show in aid of Breast Cancer Care supported by Swarovski

This is our second trip to this fantastic fashion show held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, on Park Lane, London. Six of us went down for the day and although we arrived thinking we had plenty of time to get to the Hotel their was a terrible wait for taxi's at St. Pancreas so we were towards the back of the queue. The trouble with that is that when we got into the function suite most of the tables with prize envelopes to buy were sold out and all we managed to get were some raffle tickets for the Marsha Varrow "BELIEVE" bracelet and a real leather Alexander McQueen handbag. With this raffle you buy a Lucky Combination Code and if your combination has the winning four digits then you have a chance of winning the prize with Champagne for the runners up.

We could see it was much busier than last year and will remember next year to get an earlier train. It didn't spoil the afternoon for us which was presented by Fiona Phillips with all the Models in the Fashion Show either recovering from breast cancer or being treated for it, including two gentlemen that had it. It was a real tear jerker as you can imagine.

After the Fashion Show we had a lovely afternoon tea although this year's was no where near as good as last year's. They just appeared to be short of staff which resulted in us getting the tea before the milk so it was cold when we put the milk in and getting the scones and jam before the sandwiches but we enjoy it so much we have already decided we will go next year.

The best bit for me is meeting my daughter for a couple of hours afterwards in Debenhams. We all then walked along Oxford Street and found a lovely Restaurant for some Pasta before getting the train home.

I'm on a run now writing my blog !!!!

I saw my pain consultant the day before we flew to Spain and as usual he was extremely understanding and sympathetic with me and has now decided on a plan to get me more pain free (yipeeeeee) I am starting off with another injection into my neck but in the side of my neck this time in the hope that it will leak down my arm to help my arm pain.

I am then having a lumber epidural which he is putting above my syn cage in the hope that it will leak down to my prolapsed disc. If I have no success with the pain relief of either of these then he wants to send me to see a Neurosurgeon to see what he thinks about my spinal stenosis.

Finally, if all else fails then we are going to try me with an implant !!! I felt tons better after I had seen him. I know its a long term plan but my back is a long term problem and at least I have a plan now.

I should be having my first injection in the next four weeks but with all the postal strikes goodness knows when the appointment will come through.

Harrogate Fashion and Gift Fair

I had a lovely day out on Saturday with my close friend Ann. We went to the Harrogate Fashion and Gift Fair at the Great Yorkshire Showground. The weather was very kind to us and we had a good run out to the show and back.

The show was fantastic with lots of individual designer knitwear and accessories to die for. There were not that many gift stalls but there was so much choice from the other stalls that it didn't really matter.

We made a conscious decision at the very beginning that we would go round twice before we bought anything and it was a good job we did do that otherwise we would have been broke before we had seen it all.

This was our first visit to the Autumn Show although last year the same company held one in the summer which was also a terrific show. We know for next year that we will not buy any new Autumn knitwear until we have been to this show. It has got us both wanting to take up knitting again !!!!

I got a few Christmas presents while I was there and they were really different but I can't tell you about them on this blog as that will give the game away to the people who I have bought them for.

Talk on Hypnosis for Pain

My hypnotherapist that helped me with my weight loss got in touch with me recently to see if I would like to go and have a chat with her husband who has been on some new courses on" helping pain with hypnosis" which she thought I might benefit from. Well, I've tried everything else so there was no way I was going to miss an offer like this so off I went to have my first meeting with Clem. We went through all my back problems and what I am taking for pain relief at the moment and also what I have tried for pain relief. Clem then explained about the type of hypnosis he thought I would benefit from but before he can try anything with me he wants to speak to either my consultant or my doctor to confirm I cannot cause more harm by ignoring certain pains so although I didn't leave feeling any benefit yet, I certainly felt that maybe there is something he could do for me in the future so I am quite excited about the possible outcome.

We have got loads done today.

We had a decorator in last week patching up the hall paper where we had a leak from the toilet earlier in the year. As we didn't want to change the paper and only had a little bit left of the original one, it's been a mission trying to find the same one. We didn't manage it but have managed to get the exact colour in paint of our paper and its looks perfect. We also got the decorator to paint over all the dark wood on the stairs and dado ( it was fashionable when we did it originally) and that has really made a big difference. The hall looks so much bigger now.

It's taken us all day to get straight as I needed to wash it all down and give the doors a good clean. We had also bought some new curtains for the guest room which originally had expensive Sanderson flowery print curtains with swags and tails pelmet. We took a chance on the ones we bought and also got some new lamps but its come together and looks really great. If I get chance tomorrow I will take a photo and put it on line for you.

I'm so excited about how well my eBay items are going this week. I put a load of slimming and weight watchers books and magazines on as I know I will never use them now that I have the hypnosis tapes and I've had bids on all my items and have 11 people watching the weight watchers calculator !! The best thing is while sorting out the other day I have found another more recent calculator which I never used as it was just so complicated so I am going to put that on after the others have finished on Sunday.

My extra housework has played havoc with my back today but I just get frustrated if I can't help so I just got stuck in and then suffer the consequences. As I have my first session of hypnotherapy for pain next week I just thought what the heck!! The biggest problem for me is that I love doing things in the house and find it very hard to hold back but the end look is just what I want so that's all that matters.

I have an amazing Doctor

I saw my Doctor today - my usual 8 week check up and chat. As I arrived at the surgery I was given a survey to fill in on what I thought about the surgery, the doctors, and waiting lists etc. I've never had any problems with waiting myself as I have such a good Doctor that I feel its not that important if you are delayed as the most important thing is that the Doctor has not rushed seeing you and missed something important.

I was the last appointment of the day and my Doctor knows all about my back problems and just likes me to keep her up to date with what I am having done. She could see I was in a mess with my walking and was as disappointed as me that my last epidural had only lasted 6 weeks. She always has the time of day for me and genuinely seems interested in how I am coping with it.

She could tell I'd lost weight and wanted to weigh me to see how much I'd lost and has booked me in for another lot of blood tests to check everything is going OK with my liver because of all the drugs I take.

I know I'm lucky to have a Doctor who has the time for you as they are such busy people but it isn't half appreciated when they give it to you.

The McCanns

I don't know about you but I am now soooooo confused with everything to do with the McCanns that I am getting to the point of being sick to death of hearing about it.

That poor child still has not been found and it's just turned into a slagging match with the Portuguese Police and the McCanns. Every time I open the paper another headline has popped up and every time I turn the TV on another story pops up. Someone is certainly making a fortune out of it all , that's for sure.

They are obviously good parents as the twins never ever seem to be stressed out with all the going's on. Even as young as they are it's the classic age of tantrums yet they both look very content and happy which must be coming from the love and attention being given at home.

I just wish all the allegations were not plastered over everything until they have more proof or at least until they have found Madeleine.

Debenhams Club Competition

I've entered the club into a competition within Debenhams so do click on the link and vote for us as the more people who vote for us the better chance we have of winning.

It's a bit of fun really but you know me and my computer. I am always finding something to write about !!!

http://clubs.debenhams.com/Club.aspx?clubID=91

Bill Wyman on the table next to me !!!!!!!!

Chris and I had a terrific day out on Friday on another day filled with clear blue skies and beautiful sunshine. We went to Leicester to visit some friend's at there new shoe showroom and offices in. The offices were quite something, very modern with hundred upon hundred of samples of ladies shoes laid on on the shelves. I wanted every pair and that's no exaggeration !!

We then went for lunch at Kilworth House Hotel in North Kilworth in Leicestershire. What an amazing place situated within 38 acres of beautiful rolling parkland at the end of a long tree lined approach and looking out across its massive estate www.kilworthhouse.co.uk We had our lunch in the Orangery Restaurant which has beautiful views over the estate and quite obviously a hide out for the rich and famous as who was sitting on the next table to us but Bill Wyman and his entourage, how about that !! Lunch was lush, I had a crab and avocado souffle to start and a ceaser salad for my main course and finished it off with some yummy petite fours. With it being such a lovely day we sat outside in the worm sunshine for our coffee watching the cows grazing lazily. I know we will be back to Kenilworth House in the not too different future as they have lots of events at the Hotel which also has its own theatre.

Severed by Simon Kernick - Richard and Judy Summer Read

I just had to tell you about this fantastic book which I picked up from the list of Richard and Judy Summer Reads 2007. It is absolutely wicked, an adrenalin filled fast moving plot that is full of chases, police, kidnappers, villains and violence.

It starts with Tom, who is happily married with two children who has his life turned upside down when he receives a phone call from an old mate and hers him being killed while shouting out his home address to his attackers. Tom then panics and puts his children in the car and drives them to his mother-in-law then goes to find his wife who is working at the University.

She isn't there, but a knife-wielding villain is and from there on everything just goes down hill with evil henchmen, bent coppers, unfaithful bi-sexual wives, paedophile rings and dodgy judges ...........................................

You won't want to put this book down - get it from amazaon www.amazon.co.uk

Just love the "WEE" games!

What a wicked night we had last night with some good friends of ours. We went to "Ye Bridge Inn" pub in Oxton, Nottinghamshire and had a lovely meal then retired to the recently redecorated bar area of the pub which looks sooooooo cool, and started playing "WEE" games.



I'd heard of these games before but never seen them played . What fun we had playing tennis and then bowlingon the big screen. How clever is that, whatever will they think of next !!!!!



As I write this my blog is still locked and I am now getting a little frustrated that I cannot do anything to unblock it. I've sent a few emails to "blogger" in the hope someone can tell me how to prevent this happening again and also how to fix it. I will keep you informed of how I get on.

They couldn't do the epidural - boo !! hoo !!

Can you believe it -I've been waiting for another epidural in my lumber spine to help with the pain, for quite a while and although they are not nice I was looking forward to it in a strange sort of way as I knew the outcome would be good.



So there I am in my theatre gown and name tag on, in the day case unit waiting room surrounded my men who are also in theatre gowns with name tags on (do you get the picture !!!) when the doctor comes to me with the consent form and starts to explain the procedure. It's only then that I mention that the last lumber epidural I had was done in theatre and I was put to sleep.



The look of shock, horror on her face said it all!! They had nothing on the notes about my four previous spinal operations and nothing about the fact that I have a cage in the bottom of my back!! They decide I need an x.ray to see if it is possible to have the injection and after a great deal of thought about how dangerous it could be if the needle hit the cage and also the risk of an infection it was decided it was toooooo risky to take the chance.

I'm not sure whether I just felt relief that I had mentioned my previous epidural or upset that it could have gone ahead and something awful could have happened. Either way I am just glad I brought it up and although I'm a bit gutted I can't have one in my lumber, I am still pleased with how it has helped with the pain in my arms by previously having the one in my cervical spine.
However, I can't help but think "what if" ............................................................

The dreaded epidural !!

Well that time has come around again and I am off for another epidural in my lumber spine. I think my back knew it was coming as I was just shaking my pillow this morning and something went !!!! I've been in agony ever since so ready for anything this afternoon.

The blue skies are deep blue here this morning with the sun shining bright but there is a definite chill in the air and a feeling of Autumn drawing in. When I let the dogs out this morning they both came back with wet feet from the dew on the grass.

I'm looking after my friend's miniature poodle at the moment (mine is a toy - and yes, smaller than the miniature !!) and she is as mad as a hatter and jumps up to about 4ft to get your attention. She is only one year old and could really do with being sent to boot camp as she really needs to start learning the meaning of "no". We covered our small pond outside with trellis fencing but she has jumped on that and broken it (trying to catch a wasp) so we have to keep our eye on her all day. But they are such fun to have around and we are constantly giggling after she's got up to more trouble.

I know I will have to rest after the epidural this afternoon so I'm hoping she will behave later on !!

Cumbria Lakes, Barcelona and Eden Hall Health Spa

I've also had some other holidays this year. We went to Lake Windermere in Cumbria for a romantic valentine few days complete with snow and beautiful views over the lake.

The apartment we rented was really nice with flat screen tv and a beautiful modern kitchen and bathroom. I can give you all the details of this if you want them.

We also went on a Royal Caribbean Taster Cruise in May with some friends and stayed in Barcelona for two nights before joining the "Voyager of the Seas" cruise. We stayed on the cruise ship for four nights and called at Nice and Palma, Mallorca. We had a great trip and really enjoy the taster cruises as they are such good value for money and not too long. Unfortunately we booked to stay in Barcelona the weekend of the Grand Prix and so I really struggled to get us a Hotel which in the end wasn't much cop at all so not worth mentioning but we did find one we want to stay at next year which had been recommended to us so we booked a meal there and its was wicked. Hotel 1898 on La Rambla which is where everyone wants to stay http://www.nnhotels.es/ . We also had a terrific meal at one of the many fish restaurants in the port of Barcelona called Restaurant Emperador. You have to book to get a table at this one but it's worth it as the food is delicious and the atmosphere electric especially the weekend we went as I was full of personnel and celebrities who were to do with the Grand Prix. Its our second visit to Barcelona and we loved it just as much as the first with so many places you need to see that it's too many to mention but just ask if you want any info.

Finally Eden Hall is a Health Spa in Newark, Nottinghamshire and I usually go for my birthday with my daughter for a day at Ragdale Hall Health Hydro but decided on a change this year. The weather was glorious so we were able to lie outside in the pretty garden but I must admit had the weather been bad I would not have enjoyed it as much as I do at Ragdale which has more relaxation rooms and a much nicer swimming pool but all in all we had a lovely day. The websites for both those are http://www.edensoa.co.uk/ and http://www.ragdalehall.co.uk/ oh! and don't expect to lose any weight as the food at them both is out of this world. !!

Edinburgh 10K Marathon and Battersea 5K Marathon

I know I joined this blog after these two marathons but I just thought you might like to know about how good they were and where we stayed etc.

Our first marathon was the Edinburgh 10K which my son and his girlfriend decided to run on Sunday 6th May ( first May Bank Holiday) I decided right from the beginning that I wanted to stay in an apartment so that we had the freedom to come and go as we please and also so that my son and his girlfriend could come to after the race and have a shower and clean up before there flight home as they were only staying the one night and would have to vacate there room at the usual time.

The apartment was brilliant. I found it on http://www.the-edinburgh-apartment.com/ and Trudi Cueto looked after us on arrival. It was very comfy and minimalistic in style which suits a weekend away. We had a nice quiet night in the first night as it had taken us nearly 8 hours to get there and then we decided to hit the shops on the Saturday. The weather was dry and pleasant and I found Edinburgh city to be very pretty with plenty of different shops and a very good department store. My son and his girlfriend arrived after lunch and were staying at Le Monde Hotel right in the city centre. The Hotel has its bedrooms themed around different parts of the world from Los Angeles, Paris, Tokyo, New York, Milan, Dublin, Sydney, Barcelona, Shanghai, and Vienna and they both thought it was really different and terrific value for money. Take a look at there website and see for yourself http://www.lemondehotel.co.uk/

It was my son's girlfriend's first marathon and they both did it together in good time. The weather was kind although rather windy for the uphill climbs (which this marathon had plenty) and just as they finished the heavens opened but we were as proud as punch seeing them running it.

After getting the running bug our daughter then decided that she wanted to have a go but went for the 5K Marathon in Battersea Park in London on Monday 28th May (last May Bank Holiday). We stayed in London as we wanted to see a show with our daughter on her last night and then I was getting a train home on the Tuesday. We booked to see "We Will Rock You" which was absolutely terrific. I would highly recommend it, it was very entertaining and a truly brilliant show. The weather was no where near as kind for our daughter and her friend as it poured with rain the whole day ( and I mean poured) but I just get such a kick out of seeing my two doing these marathons ( London was the first we saw) and enjoy the atmosphere so much that I think we would always try to travel and see them. It was also my daughter's first marathon and although had no problem in finished it, she didn't enjoy it as much as our daughter did who has now got the bug and wants to enter a 10K next.

Diet and Hypnosis

As you know I have been away for the past two weeks in Spain and the Isle of Man and had just finished a course of hypnotherapy sessions to help me lose weight. Well the good news is that even though I've been eating out for the past two weeks I have still managed to lose a total of 16 lbs in 8 weeks. Isn't that amazing, it truly works. I have tried every diet in the book, joined every slimming club and been to most health farms and years ago even tried the diet pills but this is so different from all the others as you are not "on a diet" as such as it teaches your subconscious how to feel full on less.

I saw Margaret Turner who is the wife of Clem Turner www.clemturner.co.uk who are both fully qualified hypnotherapists but Margaret specialises in weight loss. After six sessions with her I came home with four cd's to listen to and listen to them I have, every day without fail. After listening to one for a couple of days I would change to 2, then 3, then 4 and always fell asleep while listening to them. The weight loss has dropped off with 2lbs a week which is what they want you to lose simply by my subconsious stopping me from thinking about food all the time. Whenever I went on a diet before, all I did was think about food, the points I'd used up and what points I had left etc but with this weight loss programme (not referred to as diet) you carry on as normal except that somehow I never think about food anymore and when I have a meal I am always full with half what I ate before. While I was away I never once managed to finish my main course and never managed a sweet simply because I felt full. I'm so excited about the whole concept of hypnosis that I am now going to read as much as I can on doing it for pain management with the help of CLT.

Ask me any questions you want about it as I'm sure I can answer them. It is definitely worth it, all I would say is that you really need to be in a mood to want to lose weight to be strict with the listening of the tapes for it to work properly and think of it as a long term commitment and if you stop listening to them you will probably need to go back to them in the future, especially if you have been a serial dieter like me !!

My back pain !!

Oh! forgot to tell you all how my back has been since my epidural before I went away. Well it was truly awesome as the first thing that went were my pins and needles in my fingers and then to my amazement which I'm still not sure how it happened, but my heel pain went almost immediately as well. That has made such a big difference in my day to day living in that I can now walk around without this terrible pain which is still there first thing but goes very quick and I honestly do not now know how on earth I managed to cope with it before.

I've not been able to reduce my painkillers yet as the arm pain is still there and I still need cushions to prop up my arms when I read but you know me I just get on with it.

My next epidural is in the lumber spine and is next week when I know it sounds weird but I am actually looking forward to as I am expecting miracles with this one so lets hope I am not disappointed.

Holidays and more holidays

Well my hair cut went sooooooooo well - I just love it and it has been so easy while on holiday in Spain. Just love it very short again.,

We had a lovely holiday in Marbella - we actually had the cheek to complain about the heat one day ( the cheek of it) well it was 35 degrees !!!!!! It was also lovely to catch up with the kids and take them all out for a meal etc. We came home with a lovely tan and left Marbella with 36 degrees and arrived to 12 degrees !!!!!! We stayed at the Hotel Melia Marbella Dinamar which has been refurbished last year and although only a 4* has the makings of a 5*. The rooms were beautiful and large with two double beds in them and we arrived to a chilled bottle of champagne in our room. The view (side) was terrific as we could see the Hotel pool and also the beach. It was about a 15 minute walk from our hotel to Puerto Banus which was great. We used to go to a different beach restaurant for our light lunch as the Hotel Buffet was to die for but just a little bit tooooooo much for me. We got a taxi into the Port every night as it was only 6 Euros and as I always wore a slight heel at night I knew I would be in a mess with my back if I walked in. We were celebrating our pearl wedding anniversary and had a week at the Hotel which was a real change as we normally self cater.

Now we are off to the Isle of Man tomorrow to see my sister (twin) and I just can't wait, can't wait as its months since we have seen each other. So until I sign in again soon bye for now folks ............

New Hair Style

Hi - not been here for a week as I've been busy with my daughter home and enjoying every minute of it ( I do miss her) but it's all back to normal again now and I only have a few days before we are off on our hols (brill)

What a change in the weather - too hot last night ( aren't I quick to complain) but you can't escape it at home like you can on holiday. Anyway my hair was cut a couple of weeks ago and for the second time running the sytlist has made a real mess of it and I mean a real mess - I just feel such a reck that I have been saving it until last minute to get it restyled.

Well, I'm off to Keith Hall's in West Bridgford tomorrow for a short back and sides(haven't got much for him to alter anyway) so I'll be back again to let you know how I went on. By the way the website is http://www.keithhallhairdressing.co.uk/ and they are at 14-18 Central Avenue, West Bridgeford, Notts.