15 MAY 11 TALK..........

G'day,

Short update time here.

Firstly with ankle, - it's nearly good again but I'm still a bit tentative with it. Yesterday morning I did a 12km hilly run with it. I didn't push myself as hard as I possibly could because of ankle and the fact that 12km is a reasonably long distance. When turning corners or on uneven surfaces such as gravel I slowed down to watch every stride. I stood on a big rock at one stage on run and for that split second felt my ankle but it was fine thereafter. However my slower comfortable running pace has seemed to increase. I averaged 6 min km or 10km/h at that run where I wasn't really pushing myself to full and lots of uneven surfaces and uphill was included so I'm happy with that.

I did intend on a sprint 5km this morn............slacker Pippi didn't get organised and didn't get up and do it early!

BF's Mum picked me up today late morning to attend BF's cousins baby shower. It was a great fun day, a beaut spread for lunch was had by us. BF's cousin is due in 3 weeks. The party was at her sisters and she is an awesome cook, - always has been!

All her mains and salads are beautiful. However........if you are having dessert she's the dream! Wbatever type of cake, slice or dessert you are having, - she seems to make it better than any shop/cafe ever and it's presented in an immaculate manner. Over the past 3 years I've tasted and have eaten a few of her delicacies. Her fruit cake is laden with fruit, brandy stuff and is MOIST! Her choc mud cake as I had her make for my 30th last year is so moist and rich! I had a bit of her lemon meringue cake today and the lemon flavour was bursting, - the best lemon meringue cake I've ever had and I've tried a few! Awesomely tangy! Her cupcakes are moist, fruity with tangy icing.

With my mission of fatloss/fitness gain/weight loss or maintenance I generally try to now keep away from all sugary stuff on a general day to day basis. When in the mindset it's not that hard. I knew today would be a special occasion and did budget myself to indulge with a 'reasonable' amount of sweets from the sweets table! They did taste awesome! Particularly after a beaut lunch with champers!

Now the Pippi challenge begins. I'm not worried about what I ate at lunch. I didn't binge. I had a moderate plateful of healthy choices at lunch and a small bread and butter plateful of fresh fruit and a few but moderate amount of bite sized delicacies for dessert. I've had a couple of extra glasses of champers this evening and 2 slices of wholegrain toast with small amount of low fat cottage cheese, slither of avocado and vegemite with chopped fresh tomato and cracked pepper. Am now on water.

I'm not physically hungry but am in mood morso than for a while for chocs and mini cupcakes from today in fridge, thickly cut cheese and icecream in large quantities. However I know I will be happiest if I don't go there and won't do it. Instead I will do some resistance work, drink water and get to bed at decent hour for a Sunday. Then normal brekkie, lunch, snack, training and tea tomorrow.

I did get on the metal monsters this morn and was shocked but stoked to see the number 65.8kg! I had 3 glasses of wine yesterday evening, - otherwise trained hard and was on track food wise. I know if I eat and train well but don't drink any wine, (just more water) the day before I'm often a few hundred grams heavier haha!

Unbelieveably I'm wearing awesome size 10 Just Jeans mid blue jeans with a slight stretch in them today and wore them out. They fit great just now. In 2006 I slipped into the 66's for a day or two before a huge slip up and bought those jeans then. So today is first day of wearing them since. I will note today is the first time since 2002 that the 65's have been seen! Infact at the moment I'm proud to say I have no items at all in my wardrobe that are too small for me. Either clothes fit perfect or they are slightly big but I wear them anyway or they are far too big and in a bag at back of wardrobe! My winter coat from 2003 is a size 14 when now I'd get a 10-12 depending on shop However I cinch it in with a stretch size S womens belt! That works nicely over cocktail dresses to show off a waist too. (Me wanting to show off a waist is saying something!)

So I definitely need to keep under the 68kg for mark for good. I've always said 60-62kg is ultimation. I don't want to push myself to un-natural or unsustainable measures to reach ultimation. I do want and need to maintain a fit lifestyle, am happy to watch how clean my diet is along with portion control but don't want to take it to precise hardcore standards on social occasions and want to feel whatever I do can be maintainable.

I'm looking at starting a distance learning course with Cengage Education over the next few years. Maybe a sports nutrition certificate or nutrition certificate or retail pharmacy certificate or dental assistant cert 4 or a business or tourism/travel course. I've done no study since the 90's and can't afford to leave full time work. But gaining new skills would be great. Will let ya know the outcome.

Talk soon

Pip :-)