First I was afraid (of the lack of my discipline). I was petrified (if I lost my discipline, a carb overdose was on the cards). Kept thinking I could never live without sticky pastries and cakes by my side. But I spent so many nights (and years) thinking how you'd did me wrong. But I grew strong. I learned how to carry on.
And I just about did. Survive and carry on that is. I had a 1hr presentation to a group of CEOs from the region I will be starting to work with within these 2 days. You would have thought that Id be a little nervous or anxious about this. But no, I was more nervous about what temptations would lie ahead for the next 2 days, out of the office, in an all day conference with the usual and predictable goodies that only Dubai hotels can provide. The amount of food they offer borders on the riduclous, and ridiculous as it seems, everyone succumbs to their temptations every time. Me being first in the queue.
I arrived around 8amish and checked the breakfast temptations on offer before I entered to the room, before I said good morning to anyone. I had to suss out my weaknesses before the black devil takes over my conscious thinking and actions later. I saw a yellow looking custard and cereal thing that was the healthiest option. I was disappointed there was no fruit options. I grabbed an earl grey tea with cold milk - yuck it was full fat milk. Dirrrty! I was happy I had eaten my daily portion of nuts with a bottle of water on the way, at least my tummy was full and wasnt going to lure me towards temptation later in the morning. I had a plan!!
I survived the morning and at the yellow looking custard ceral (and fruit) thing. It WAS a bit sugary but was the better option to the pastries, cookies and croissants on offer. I drank as much water as I could and also had a glass of apple juice. More sugar but was better than the overdose of caffeine beside the juices.
We selected lunch - I chose salad, steak then fruit. All good except the fruit should have been eaten before dinner but I needed some vitamins in the meal. The steak side orders werent going to offer any. I had a few chips and left some - yes I left half the chips on my plate! I ate the few thin onion rings, fried I know but it was only a few slithers. I DID have a small bread roll and butter before - wrong move but it was nice!
Mid afternoon - I confess to eating 3 small cookies, then I felt like a failure. What was I thinking. SO I guzzled lots of water to try and compensate - how exactly, Im still not really sure. Needless to say, all the drinking made for quite a few trips to the powder room. And than good for that too!!
After Mondays OFC Boot camp, I knew I would be suffering, but I didn't think I would suffer more than I had the first week of boot camp. However, it was day 2 of the DOMS! So there I was, at random times through the day, attempting to get up and down from the conference trying to look normal, and try to walk out the door. Once out of the room, I took baby steps, and once I was in the powder room I was holding onto the walls to get into the squat position to try and stretch out the pain. Why was I wearing heels??! A little bit of stretching helped ease the pain for those few minutes and walking back always seemed a breeze. However as soon as I sat down again, the stiffness and pain returned, each time a little worse than the bit before. But I survived and I was able to baby step back to my apartment for my 5 minute change for evening dinner. However, it would have been easier if I had used a wheelchair the entire day ......
Dinner at my CEOs pad on the Palm. Catered by Chef Uwe! I had 2 small pasty nibbles, a chicken satay stick and a spring roll. Naughty but yum. I stuck to 2 juices and the rest of the evening on water. There was BBQ meat veggies and salad. I did have 4 very teeny weeny boiled potatoes and 1 teeny weeny choc mouse with fresh pineapple after. I didnt do TOO badly, no bread, no alcohol, no carb overdose and def no pudding overdose. Day 1 done, time for bed because Im awake in a mere 5.5hours. Eeek. Only a little nervous about my morning presentation but that can only burn calories, right?
Morning Day 2 - I had a an early morning meeting with my UK Boss (I have several bosses ... very confusing and equally frustrating at times). I didnt check the morning temptations. I had eaten my nuts with water on the drive in. I was prepared to resist temptation again. I did, except 2 small glasses of apple juice this time. Lunch was cheese and tomato salad (very nice actually), then chicken on mashed pots with gravy and green beans. It was delicious though I know the mashed tatties were not a great option but it was rude not to eat them. I left a mouthful of them at the end. Pud was meringue with fruits of the forest (clearly I have never identified this forest where my fruits have come from for years and Im really not sure its exists! Whoever invented that nonsense was definitely related to the no-pain-no-gain idiot!). Still, I knew I had eaten sugar, but hey, it WAS low fat!
FYI, my presentation went well. I kept telling myself (calm, confident and brilliant) and I was. I expected some resistance, opposition maybe some heckling but there was none. So Im now even more excited to move into the next phase of the new job - South Africa (Cape Town, Johannesburg and soon Durban), St Petersburgh and Moscow I hope will be next, Czek and Slovakia to follow (summer and winter and some beer ploise!), Poland for sure, Hungary a must too but seems to be less a business priority. Roll on my travel adventures and gold Skywards thank you please!
Mid afternoon, I had my 2nd to last temptation to avoid. I had a coffee in the morning to keep me awake - that lasted 2hrs and 20mins (I timed it from my first sip to my next yawn). In the afternoon I had another, least I knew it was going to be a reasonably early finish around 5pm. YAY, there was fruit in the afternoon. I didnt even look at the cakes and pastries and cookies, I can even tell you how many there were and I didnt feel the need to make a physical and mental effort to resist temptation.
I was however still in pain. It was the 3rd day. It was starting to improve, a few more squats and lunge type moves in the powder room and things were improving. By the time dinner arrived, I had forgotten alllll about the pain and walked at speed through Souk Al Bahar ready for dinner. I was early, they were all up the BK (Burj Khalifa, though those 2 letters usually refer to Burger King - what a great idea, they would have BK up the BK!!). Rivington Grill bar, with my pink grapefruit juice, eyeing up the menu, panicking as there was NOTHING remotely healthy, low fat etc on the menu. I cant have more red, chicken or fish would have been ideal. The choice was removed from me - we had a set menu - choice of 2 starters mains and puds. I had garlic mushrooms on toast (oops white bread, but only a small thin crispy slice). I choose the veggie option over the (soon to find out massive) steak. I had butternut and something veggie tart. Bugger I forgot about the unhealthy pasty. Oh well, it was delicious anyway. Lots of water to drink, avoiding the 20 bottles of red and white wine that was demolished by the other 10 - there was only me and the CEOs EA not drinking. Amusing to watch but didnt feel part of the team as I was not getting delirious and laughing hysterically like the others. Sobriety is an interesting state, especially when with work colleagues, senior work colleagues at that. Thankfully I was at the top of the table and had freedom to escape anytime. I still enjoy the dancing fountains, they still make me feel all snuggly and cosy inside, and sad when its over. Day over, I headed home.
It wasnt a perfect 2 days, however, they werent a complete disaster either. Compared to the old me, I was disciplined, I didnt demolish the carb overdose singlehandedly, and I stayed sober reducing the temptations anymore. So to all those bad carbs, to all those hotels that oversupply and have tempted me in the past, to my little devil with the big black out curtain, I have a mere few words to you all :
Go on now go
Walk out the door
Just turn around now
'cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye
You think I'd crumble
You think I'd lay down and die
Oh no, not I
I will survive
Last point to add - an interesting one. A few years ago, I used to start my day with a redbull and drink 1.5l of diet coke (minimum) through the day, often more at weekends. I cut down and eventually more or less cut out that nonsence a few years ago however, since reading Jason Vale Juicemaster books I have realised HOW bad this stuff actually is for the body, for me. Its nasty, chemical crap that can change hormone balance and damage every internal organ and tissue in the body. Not can - DOES! My UK boss is addicted to this stuff, she had 3 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon and I think even one with lunch. Im going to give her a copy of Jasons book to read in 2 weeks when she is in town again. I started to think about the crap I have put in my body over the years, how I have never looked after this "home" Im living in (see Jason Vale!). What a truly lucky girl I am that I dont have any major health issues. As I said to my mum last week, if the only thing I have as a result of this poor lifestyle, eating habits and lack of exercise is high blood pressure that I have to take meds for the rest of my life, then so be it! I think Ive survived THAT well more than anything else. Im seriously a very lucky girl. The diet coke addiction brought my old life back to me, and I dont want it any more. It is so hard making the changes but IM liking this new me who is emerging.
For example, im planning my 3 day trip to Singapore next weekend - Ive already discovered there are a huge number of inline skating shops there - perhaps I will get my roller skates there or maybe I will brave it and buy some inline and just go for it! I have am image of me skating along the Singapore streets in the morning. Im also trying to chose a hotel that has some nice areas to run/walk in the morning and has a good fitness centre. The old diet coke m wold never have been thinking like that.
All I know is that I today will be shopping for my 7lbs in 7 days week ahead (thank you JV!), so that I can lose some kgs before Singapore, so that I can enjoy the SQ treats, but knowing that I will also be exercising to ensure my metabolism keeps improving. next week is my juicing week. I have exactly 2 weeks until my ball and that fave dress is going to fit me comfortably. Its in my sights. I just need to pick things up no.
Happy weekend everyone : ))))
And I just about did. Survive and carry on that is. I had a 1hr presentation to a group of CEOs from the region I will be starting to work with within these 2 days. You would have thought that Id be a little nervous or anxious about this. But no, I was more nervous about what temptations would lie ahead for the next 2 days, out of the office, in an all day conference with the usual and predictable goodies that only Dubai hotels can provide. The amount of food they offer borders on the riduclous, and ridiculous as it seems, everyone succumbs to their temptations every time. Me being first in the queue.
I arrived around 8amish and checked the breakfast temptations on offer before I entered to the room, before I said good morning to anyone. I had to suss out my weaknesses before the black devil takes over my conscious thinking and actions later. I saw a yellow looking custard and cereal thing that was the healthiest option. I was disappointed there was no fruit options. I grabbed an earl grey tea with cold milk - yuck it was full fat milk. Dirrrty! I was happy I had eaten my daily portion of nuts with a bottle of water on the way, at least my tummy was full and wasnt going to lure me towards temptation later in the morning. I had a plan!!
I survived the morning and at the yellow looking custard ceral (and fruit) thing. It WAS a bit sugary but was the better option to the pastries, cookies and croissants on offer. I drank as much water as I could and also had a glass of apple juice. More sugar but was better than the overdose of caffeine beside the juices.
We selected lunch - I chose salad, steak then fruit. All good except the fruit should have been eaten before dinner but I needed some vitamins in the meal. The steak side orders werent going to offer any. I had a few chips and left some - yes I left half the chips on my plate! I ate the few thin onion rings, fried I know but it was only a few slithers. I DID have a small bread roll and butter before - wrong move but it was nice!
Mid afternoon - I confess to eating 3 small cookies, then I felt like a failure. What was I thinking. SO I guzzled lots of water to try and compensate - how exactly, Im still not really sure. Needless to say, all the drinking made for quite a few trips to the powder room. And than good for that too!!
After Mondays OFC Boot camp, I knew I would be suffering, but I didn't think I would suffer more than I had the first week of boot camp. However, it was day 2 of the DOMS! So there I was, at random times through the day, attempting to get up and down from the conference trying to look normal, and try to walk out the door. Once out of the room, I took baby steps, and once I was in the powder room I was holding onto the walls to get into the squat position to try and stretch out the pain. Why was I wearing heels??! A little bit of stretching helped ease the pain for those few minutes and walking back always seemed a breeze. However as soon as I sat down again, the stiffness and pain returned, each time a little worse than the bit before. But I survived and I was able to baby step back to my apartment for my 5 minute change for evening dinner. However, it would have been easier if I had used a wheelchair the entire day ......
Dinner at my CEOs pad on the Palm. Catered by Chef Uwe! I had 2 small pasty nibbles, a chicken satay stick and a spring roll. Naughty but yum. I stuck to 2 juices and the rest of the evening on water. There was BBQ meat veggies and salad. I did have 4 very teeny weeny boiled potatoes and 1 teeny weeny choc mouse with fresh pineapple after. I didnt do TOO badly, no bread, no alcohol, no carb overdose and def no pudding overdose. Day 1 done, time for bed because Im awake in a mere 5.5hours. Eeek. Only a little nervous about my morning presentation but that can only burn calories, right?
Morning Day 2 - I had a an early morning meeting with my UK Boss (I have several bosses ... very confusing and equally frustrating at times). I didnt check the morning temptations. I had eaten my nuts with water on the drive in. I was prepared to resist temptation again. I did, except 2 small glasses of apple juice this time. Lunch was cheese and tomato salad (very nice actually), then chicken on mashed pots with gravy and green beans. It was delicious though I know the mashed tatties were not a great option but it was rude not to eat them. I left a mouthful of them at the end. Pud was meringue with fruits of the forest (clearly I have never identified this forest where my fruits have come from for years and Im really not sure its exists! Whoever invented that nonsense was definitely related to the no-pain-no-gain idiot!). Still, I knew I had eaten sugar, but hey, it WAS low fat!
FYI, my presentation went well. I kept telling myself (calm, confident and brilliant) and I was. I expected some resistance, opposition maybe some heckling but there was none. So Im now even more excited to move into the next phase of the new job - South Africa (Cape Town, Johannesburg and soon Durban), St Petersburgh and Moscow I hope will be next, Czek and Slovakia to follow (summer and winter and some beer ploise!), Poland for sure, Hungary a must too but seems to be less a business priority. Roll on my travel adventures and gold Skywards thank you please!
Mid afternoon, I had my 2nd to last temptation to avoid. I had a coffee in the morning to keep me awake - that lasted 2hrs and 20mins (I timed it from my first sip to my next yawn). In the afternoon I had another, least I knew it was going to be a reasonably early finish around 5pm. YAY, there was fruit in the afternoon. I didnt even look at the cakes and pastries and cookies, I can even tell you how many there were and I didnt feel the need to make a physical and mental effort to resist temptation.
I was however still in pain. It was the 3rd day. It was starting to improve, a few more squats and lunge type moves in the powder room and things were improving. By the time dinner arrived, I had forgotten alllll about the pain and walked at speed through Souk Al Bahar ready for dinner. I was early, they were all up the BK (Burj Khalifa, though those 2 letters usually refer to Burger King - what a great idea, they would have BK up the BK!!). Rivington Grill bar, with my pink grapefruit juice, eyeing up the menu, panicking as there was NOTHING remotely healthy, low fat etc on the menu. I cant have more red, chicken or fish would have been ideal. The choice was removed from me - we had a set menu - choice of 2 starters mains and puds. I had garlic mushrooms on toast (oops white bread, but only a small thin crispy slice). I choose the veggie option over the (soon to find out massive) steak. I had butternut and something veggie tart. Bugger I forgot about the unhealthy pasty. Oh well, it was delicious anyway. Lots of water to drink, avoiding the 20 bottles of red and white wine that was demolished by the other 10 - there was only me and the CEOs EA not drinking. Amusing to watch but didnt feel part of the team as I was not getting delirious and laughing hysterically like the others. Sobriety is an interesting state, especially when with work colleagues, senior work colleagues at that. Thankfully I was at the top of the table and had freedom to escape anytime. I still enjoy the dancing fountains, they still make me feel all snuggly and cosy inside, and sad when its over. Day over, I headed home.
It wasnt a perfect 2 days, however, they werent a complete disaster either. Compared to the old me, I was disciplined, I didnt demolish the carb overdose singlehandedly, and I stayed sober reducing the temptations anymore. So to all those bad carbs, to all those hotels that oversupply and have tempted me in the past, to my little devil with the big black out curtain, I have a mere few words to you all :
Go on now go
Walk out the door
Just turn around now
'cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye
You think I'd crumble
You think I'd lay down and die
Oh no, not I
I will survive
Last point to add - an interesting one. A few years ago, I used to start my day with a redbull and drink 1.5l of diet coke (minimum) through the day, often more at weekends. I cut down and eventually more or less cut out that nonsence a few years ago however, since reading Jason Vale Juicemaster books I have realised HOW bad this stuff actually is for the body, for me. Its nasty, chemical crap that can change hormone balance and damage every internal organ and tissue in the body. Not can - DOES! My UK boss is addicted to this stuff, she had 3 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon and I think even one with lunch. Im going to give her a copy of Jasons book to read in 2 weeks when she is in town again. I started to think about the crap I have put in my body over the years, how I have never looked after this "home" Im living in (see Jason Vale!). What a truly lucky girl I am that I dont have any major health issues. As I said to my mum last week, if the only thing I have as a result of this poor lifestyle, eating habits and lack of exercise is high blood pressure that I have to take meds for the rest of my life, then so be it! I think Ive survived THAT well more than anything else. Im seriously a very lucky girl. The diet coke addiction brought my old life back to me, and I dont want it any more. It is so hard making the changes but IM liking this new me who is emerging.
For example, im planning my 3 day trip to Singapore next weekend - Ive already discovered there are a huge number of inline skating shops there - perhaps I will get my roller skates there or maybe I will brave it and buy some inline and just go for it! I have am image of me skating along the Singapore streets in the morning. Im also trying to chose a hotel that has some nice areas to run/walk in the morning and has a good fitness centre. The old diet coke m wold never have been thinking like that.
All I know is that I today will be shopping for my 7lbs in 7 days week ahead (thank you JV!), so that I can lose some kgs before Singapore, so that I can enjoy the SQ treats, but knowing that I will also be exercising to ensure my metabolism keeps improving. next week is my juicing week. I have exactly 2 weeks until my ball and that fave dress is going to fit me comfortably. Its in my sights. I just need to pick things up no.
Happy weekend everyone : ))))
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