My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard...

... and they're like, "You're not Kelis."

Sigh.

So here's a recipe while I side-step that cringey attempt at humour. I made the best tasting milkshake/smoothie I've never had yesterday, and I want to share it with you!

This made about 3 glasses full (which I didn't realise at the time so I was rather stuffed afterwards! Will definitely reduce the numbers next time).

200g strawberries
50g white grapes
200ml 0.1% skimmed milk
20g banana flavoured protein powder (I use this one)
1tsp ground cinnamon
generous pinch of ground ginger

I'm serious, it was DELICIOUS. I think I found heaven in a milkshake. I'm actually glad it made so much because I savoured every. single. mouthful.

... my photography skills need work ;-)

Be healthy, loves.
<3

*grumble grumble*

Ugh. Being a woman is hard. *whimpers*
Ladies, you feel me.

PROTEIN!! Check.
WATER!! Check.
SLEEP!! ... err, when I get home (" ,)

Be healthy, loves.
<3

Progress, and finally coming good on a promise

Wow, is all I can say.
 
Not just because I'm actually blogging after I've been to my Supernatural convention (remember last year's promise? Oops.) but because of the convention itself and the following days.
 
The good news is that while I was away I managed to lose 4.2lbs (woohoo!)... the bad news is it's back on again (boooo.)
Since I've been back I've had my usual travelling sickness so haven't seen the inside of a gym or had a fast day and I'm starting to feel it.  I'm fasting today so good luck vibes please!

My favourite picture is this one of me and Misha Collins (who plays Castiel on Supernatural).

It was the first time in 5 conventions I'd asked anyone for a pose that wasn't a hug, and he was the first person that morning I had a photo with.  While I was in the queue I suddenly thought that I had to say something to him... so I said "Do your best model pose", and so this is the result.

I swear I'm never smiling in pictures again, I didn't even have to Photoshop it when I got home :P

But wowzers, when I gained weight it seemed to go to my boobs!

So! I promised last year I would post side-by-sides... and here they are.

Yes, they're all of me and Misha :P (he's adorable, funny, and not even my fave character but I always love getting a pic with him)

In 2012 I hated pretty much every picture I had at that convention, it was dark times (and as it turned out, 5 months before my major back relapse) but they've slowly been getting better ;-)

 

I think it goes bigger if you click on it.

One of my favourite actors is Ty Olsson (he plays the vampire Benny). Here are my pics from last year and this year:

*happy, happy sigh* ;-)


Eventually the plan is to get my photos onto my Flickr account, but jings, it's a lot of work!

For the Supernatural fans reading this (if any lol), if you know of Jason Manns - he's a friend of Jensen Ackles and one of his songs has featured on the show - you'll know that he comes over to do a small gig at the conventions on the Saturday night which is a welcome relaxing couple of hours after a hectic day of queues and more queues.
Well, this time I went to see him in a small gig in London after the convention with my friend Trudy - who kindly let me sleep on her couch.

The first thing I noticed was that they didn't have either drink that I like... shocking... but the bartender suggested a butterscotch schnapps with pineapple juice.  I thought 'what the hell'... and it was so yummy! It was like alcoholic Butterbeer! I've found my new drink.  Bless you, unequipped bartender, bless you.
But then the weirdness started happening - Ty Olsson comes down the stairs to see his friend Jason play a gig - I was on a night out and Ty Olsson showed up! Surreal.
He enjoys a drink and a dance and a chat with the ladies, but I was so shy I could hardly say a word (talk about a wasted opportunity LOL) but he was like 10ft away at any one time, it was extremely thrilling.

And then - you won't believe this - JARED PADALECKI came in!!! Lordy I nearly passed out because I was NOT expecting that! I was on a night out and Jared Padalecki turns up with his wife Genevieve (who looked so pretty she made me smile)!!  Their bodyguard (who was a supporting character on Supernatural in season 2 I think) he looked a tad scary so I didn't say anything to Jared or Gen either. I completely fail, fellow fans! I fail. I was trying so hard to be cool and non-invasive and I must have come off as uninterested. Damnit!
But oh dear lord it was the most surreal night of my life. And it was the first time in a long time when I got in at 4.30am - dirty stopout! LOL. The sun was coming up!

In other news - I'm in a couple of June challenges on Facebook and I'm feeling good about it. I'm hoping to lose 5lbs this month, but to be honest I'll take whatever I can get ;-)

Day 11 of my plank challenge today and it was the hardest day yet - 40 seconds has never seemed so long!  

Are you in any weightloss challenges, or are you doing anything like the plank challenge? Let me know how you're getting on!

Be healthy, loves <3

Patience is a virtue!

Ah, patience.

In weightloss (it never happens as quickly as you'd like!)
In love (starting to think I'm terminally single)
In blogging (I'll get better I promise!).

So I was bored at work today for a few mins and put a start of a blog post together. It's a general ramble, and will include pics of my Supernatural convention - and possibly those side by sides I promised in 2013 - but as I didn't have the pics on my work computer I didn't finish the post.

However, I just wanted to let you know that I'm working on getting better at posting, and getting better at losing weight (we'll forget the failed fast day today LOL) and getting better at fitness.

You know, I can hold a (shaky) plank for 35 seconds now! Woot to me!  The extended arm one, not the one with the elbows on the ground.  I'm doing a 30 day plank challenge with a friend and we are extending it to 60 days because my core is suuuuuper flabby.

Planning on going to the gym tomorrow so if the blog post doesn't get posted from work (don't tell my boss!) then it'll be this weekend. But it's coming! :D

Be healthy, loves.
<3

Well, woo hoo to me!

:) Hello sweeties!

So, since last we spoke things have been moving - and rather surprisingly - in the right direction (weeee!). I'll update the weigh-in page later on as I'll need to figure out how to display it eg: do I keep the old weights and measurements or do I just start fresh from when I 'started over' again at the beginning of April?

Anywhoo... that's made me quite chirpy.

I've started a new plan called 5:2 - or intermittent fasting - where for two days a week you eat 500 calories in a day (600 for men) and for the other five days you just eat normally. Thankfully there's hardly any calories in vegetables! I had a very large salad the other day with tuna and a little cheese and it only came to 262 calories!
I'm finding it a lot easier when I fast at work which is odd as I used to eat out of boredom, but I can't do it at home as I live by myself so there's no one to distract me or tell me to put down those waffles! LOL. *sigh* One day I'll get the hang of weekend fasting, one day.

So far (I only started last week) I'm down 1.4lbs, so I'm pleasantly surprised by the change. Especially as even if I had started this last October I doubt it would have worked with that medication I was on so I'm feeling good that I'm on the right path now. It's been a long time coming and I intend to make the most of it!

I'll still be keeping up the gym after my few days away next week - and I'm going to start going to Yoga classes to help my back (I've been scared in the past that I would over stretch and completely do myself a disservice... I still have that fear a wee bit). I won't be going to the gym on a fast day - I don't know how people can do that!  If I'm burning 700+ calories I do not want to be passing out on the treadmill! LOL, not attractive.

Do you ever have moments where you just feel like your life is changing?
I'm starting to get that butterfly feeling and it's exciting! :D
This time in 4 months I will be in Orlando - let's do this thing!

Be healthy, loves. <3

Suitably embarrassed.

I realise it's been FAR too long since I posted.... it's almost that time of year again where I go to my Supernatural convention, and I haven't even posted the photos from last year! 
I suck. I'm sorry.

But I think posting them now would make me feel pretty bad as I've somehow managed to put back on 12lbs (was a bit more but I've lost a few!) and I'm feeling very shameful, as I should.

*TMI warning*
I started taking a new birth control pill last October (not for that reason) and it increased my appetite so much that from November to March I basically ate everything in sight. It was horrific, I can't believe I let it go on for so long but it made me slightly depressed. Okay, a lot depressed and last winter was the worst I've ever experienced. 
However now I am over my denial (I was still fitting in the same clothes... just) and I am finally on a different pill which has decreased my appetite somewhat so I am now able to go more than 2 hours without eating a kitchen.  It has given me the potential for losing weight and I am happy about that.

So stay tuned folks, let's see if this year I can finally get this chub OFF!  I'm going to Orlando in September for the new Harry Potter themepark expansion - DIAGON ALLEEEEYYYY!! - and I want to be able to fit into the rollercoaster seats and feel like I can fit in them comfortably without having the (usually super cute) staff have to force the bars or harnesses down... again.

LOL how's that for a non-scale goal ;-)

Be healthy my lovelies!  I'm slightly more active on my Twitter account, you can find me at @RunRaineyRun :)

p.s... maybe I'll post side-by-sides of my convention pictures from the past few years... depending on how they turn out this time lol!

Be careful - don't break your own heart!

So I'm finally getting round to what this blog was meant to be about; running.

Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, jogging. ;-)

After being sick last week, and losing a bit of weight in the process, I've started jogging this past weekend.  Nothing major, just a half hour walk/jog in the early morning whilst the sun was out and not many people around to see me. I really enjoyed it actually.  

The only thing that concerned me was my heart rate. They say that your maximum heart rate is 220 - your age, so for me my maximum heart rate is 189bpm, but my heart rate monitor was telling me that I was getting up to 99% of my heart rate quite a lot, and you're not meant to go above 90%.  

I wasn't even jogging fast or anything! Man, I am out of shape. It'll come down as I get better with my cardio and fitness, but it did make me think of how often I strain myself without even thinking about it, it's kinda scary. I don't want a heart attack before I'm 50! (or at all, if possible, kthnx)

But, good points this week: 
- I have a new heart rate monitor and I love it! I have the Polar FT7.  
- I actually went out jogging and didn't die
- I went out jogging twice!
- I gained weight this week (well, I *am* and athlete now! LOL.) but I did lose some inches which is awesome!
- I'm feeling chirpy, which always helps in whatever situation
- I can now fit into size UK16 trousers! And one recent top purchase was a (albeit stretchy) UK14!
- I won £5 on the Euromillions lottery, LMAO. Gotta start somewhere, right?

What are your good points for the week?

P.S... an off-topic post about the Supernatural weekend will be coming soon with some photos and side-by-side pics from last year and this year. It's quite the eye-opener (or at least it was for me!)