Random things from vacation

 For the first time in the last 5 years or so, we managed to spend amazing vacation without work bothering us. And we had such a great time!

We spent three days in Bourgogne, visiting around some historical sites (Cluny and Beaune mostly) and relaxing by the pool and drinking fabulous wine. I had booked a room in this place, which turned out to be awesome

Then we went to Amorgos, my dream island. Although it's quite different in August with the summer crowd, it was still awesome and lovely. One day a local fisherman took us to a uninhabited small island and we managed to spend the day alone and naked at a beach, laying in sun, snorkeling and reading. What an amazing time!

We're back at work, but honestly we both feel so.. recharged if that makes sense!

Finally, Husband went on all summer saying that he really really wants a cat, so we're going to go and chose it on Saturday and then it will come home with us at the end of September once it's old enough. We're picking one from a litter of Siberians, they's mostly white although some have a grayish tail. I'm so excited about this!

Random thoughts

 The level of pollution is so high that I'll have to manually clean the leaves of the evergreen trees/plants I have on my terraces over next weekend. I assumed there was something wrong because they were all so spotted with dark freckles, but I thought it was a fungus or some mistake from me (over/underwatering). Instead, it's simply smog.

Disgusting, but not unexpected in the end: it has barely rained from the beginning of the year, and pollution is always very high in this region during winter.

On a different note, I have started studying modern Greek a while ago, but I never expected it would be this difficult. I ended buying a notebook like the ones used by kids to teach them writing, as my writing of the Greek alphabet is so bad that I have trouble myself distinguishing the letters I have written. And the trouble is that for me, looking at a written word, works best in remembering the sound and the meaning. This is strange and weird because the same was true when I moved to France and learnt French: I need to see the written word to really learn it, and still I have a hard time writing. Even today, reading or speaking Italian or French is the same for me, but I can only type in French with a software that corrects me (like Word). With pen and paper, the result is a disaster - go figure...

Faithless

The fact that waking up at 61.3kgs (135pounds) and finding it's the lowest weight I've been over the past two years or so is freaking depressing.

The fact that I've dropped 6.4kgs from the beginning of December is a bit more cheering

The fact that Hubby has dropped 4 kilos without trying since Monday is fucking depressing. Poor Hubby had nose surgery on Monday and he's bee living on ice cream since. Had I done that, I would have gained 4 kilos instead of dropping LOL

However I'm overall on a good path. I've set up a routine that is, overall, relatively easy to follow.
I have protein shake for beakfast
skip lunch
eat chicken and veggis for dinner, or tuna and veggies. Sometimes I throw in some tzatziki.
I avoid wine unless on Fridays
I binge on saturday night and sunday lunch and than go back to routine

I still look and am fat. I hope to reach 59kg before vacation (3 weeks from now). Since I'll spend one week working from my parents' place all alone, maybe I'll manage (I have to stay there when they are on vacation, to be easily within reach of my grand mother and take care of her in mornings - she's 97 and lives on her own, but when parents are away it's up to me to shower her and shop for her).

I know how idiotic this sounds, but if I manage to drop 2kg in the next three weeks, this may kind of restore a little bit of faith in myself. Over the past 6 months, I haven't believed for a single second I can achieve anything in life anymore.


Lastly, I changed hair color, having it faded from bronde on the crown to caramel blond, with blond highlights in front. Still unsure about it, but IF I drop the desired weight I might post pics from my vacation

gone

I flew back from Greece on Sunday morning, landed happily and got a call.
From a former coworker.
He said "Look I don't know how else to say this, Vivien died"
I actually asked him if this was a bad joke. Vivien, 42, beautiful, healthy and lovely cannot be dead
Vivien, who adopted a troubled, orphaned teenager last summer
Vivien, my friend, who could be trusted to always make sense
Vivien, the kind one, who talked too much and who everyone loved

Vivien drowned last Saturday

Vivien was definitely not the sporty kind, but one thing she could do was swimming. Born and raised by the Mediterrean, swim she could.

Vivien, who a couple weeks ago, when I bailed out of drinks (explaining I had to be at my grandmother's place as my parents were on vacation on the premises I would stay with Granny who's 94) wrote me "I'm thinking of giving up"

We spoke afterwards and she said she was a bit overwhelmed with her kid, but the thought is there

Goodbye my friend. You were awesome. I don't believe in an afterlife. But I do belive you left a sign. So many people were crying at your funeral. We miss you already


Did I disappoint you, or let you down?
Should I be feeling guilty
I'll let the judges frown

And as you move on, remember me, remember us and all we used to be
Goodbye my friend

Not making any sense

At the gym this morning - at the fourth km, almost passed out. Had to stop running.
Jogged 20km last Sunday with Husband and two friends. It was a slow jog, on a trail (with lots of ups and downhill), we took it easy and completed in 2h30'.

Weight is plateaud
whatever.

Allergy is taking over me.
8 days and I'll be in Crete.
Falasarna, Elafosissi, Samaria Gorges. Can't wait.

The word Falasarna is so ancient its meaning is lost; civilization existed there so long ago it's not even Greek. Yet, today, it's almost wild, inhabited. to me, Falasarna means paradise.

Also, found out the Spain thing is all a misunderstanding.

Falasarna

Elafonissi

This point of the Samaria Gorge is called Sideroportes (The Iron Gates). Makes me thing of Moria gates

Don't forget your vitamins, your water and your km to run. And say goodbye to Grandfather

My Grandfather finally passed away yesterday.
There's nothing there to be said, besides that at least he went in peace.

I've been good with my training program. I'm running 21km per week (gonna increase that progressively, but I don't think I'll get above 25km). Basically I run 5 to 7km twice weektime early in the morning and 10km on Sunday afternoons. On top, I do pull-ups, abs and lounges after running, and I do the 30days shred by Jillina Michales twice during the week. (Basically it's 3 circuits, each with 3min strength, 2min cardio and 1min abs, but it is intense).

S is gonna be in Rome for the next two weeks; I expect a significant upside for my restricting, although I will join him next weekend and man, Roman food is the most exquisite in the world, so that may be dangerous.

On Saturday I went shopping and refused to purchase trousers - until I lose a lot of weight, that is.

I started 2014 at 140.4lbs (63.7kg, BMI22.3) . SHAME ON ME

I'm currently at 135.6lbs (61.5kg, BMI 21.5).

On April 6 I'm running a 10km run with my boss. My goal is 55 minutes. My weight goal is to be 57kg by then, and 55kg bu May15 (when I'll go to Crete on vacation).

This is achievable. It is. So yes, water, vitamins and training.

Blogger on vacation

If you look for me

I'll be here

I'll be fine
Actually, I'll be doing great.
I should be back by June 10, unless I decide not to come back ;-)

xoxoxoxo

Fitspo porn - 30days challenge

Since I can't seem to lose weight I decided to embrak in something I've already managed in the past.
I'm leaving for Greece (=bikini) on May 28, so I started my 30 days challenge, bu which I mean that I have to train at least 25 times in 30 days.
Training in this case means:
- running 4 to 5 miles AT LEAST three times a week (5 to 7km)
- the remaining training can be taken from www.benderfitness.com from her month 1 bikini challenge, using 20 reps for each set, and going throuhg each workout twice.

I can do it.

In the meanwhile, as the lovely Peri says, fitsporation is my porn, so here we go...

Laminaria

So I finally got the infamous Laminaria Digitata.

Started taking it yesterday, after waking up at an infamous 62.2kg (137.1lbs), gaaaaaaaa disgusting.

I'll weight on Friday before leaving for Greece... my fat friend has been on this stuff for 3 weeks and lost weight for the first time in her life.. I really need a miracle.

Also, I called my grandmother on Monday, to wish her a happy 88th birthday, and she started crying on the phone. So not our style (we tend to never show emotions, in the family). I kind of panicked. I feel so sorry for her, but there is very little that I can do. She cried because she knows she's 88, she never gets to see people anymore (because they live in a tiny village of 18 inhabitants, and also because Pops has argued with every acquaintance over his life, since he's like that), she never gets to leave the house, she can barely walk on her own, and well, I guess this is enough to make anybody cry, isn't it?

As for the promotion, well, nothing's official yet, and I don't want to jinx it, but I've unofficially been told that I'm on the wagon :-)

Love you all

I survived Easter gaining 1kg.

I guess it could have been worse, but this leaves me with 32 days before bikini time in Greece.

My new favourite thinspo is:

So yeah. Embarassing AND pathetic.

So it's really time to gather our strenghts, ladies. Summertime is coming, and there will be no forgiveness.