December 31st
Dec. 31st, 2015 01:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
misguidanceI thought I'd make an update. It seems like a fortuitous time to do it, and I suppose this is the kind of thing that is a bit much for a simple Facebook post. I'd say I'm doing this more for myself than for anybody else, but at the same time I very much appreciate everybody's posts and concerns. ^__^ You guys are awesome.
My year has not ended the way I wanted it to. I was looking forward to heading into 2016 with a good job, confident about my life and where it was heading. I am now signed off from work, and facing a serious medical condition that is not quite under control (although I am feeling better, so the medication must be working!! ^__- ) I don't really know what 2016 will bring, but I am trying to remain philosophical about it all. And it hasn't been all bad. I do love my job, and even if my health problems force me out of it for a while, I now have a skill that will make it possible for me to move anywhere in the country to find another position. I have great friends (you guys included!), and next year my family will be increasing in size. All of these are very awesome things. So, even with this set-back, I am in a good position to have a fantastic new year.
Can't ask for much more than that.
Oh, and I'm still waiting to hear back about the outline of my novel that I sent off as part of the Hodderscape open submission period. I don't know if I mentioned that at all on here, but basically, they are giving it a second reading. They will probably end up saying no, but I take it as a great thing that they are taking the time to read it twice. Not bad for a first go!! ^__-.
Diet Stuff:
My fitness tracker arrived yesterday, along with a giant hamper full of pre-portioned and calorie-controlled meals from a company called Diet Chef. I'm sure people will have a lot to say about this kind of diet- yes, it's expensive, and yes, I could probably do it myself..... but I don't have the time to do it myself, and I most certainly don't have the energy and willpower. This is a short-term thing, which I will do for a few months until I am out of danger and can reconsider. After that, I will most likely go back to Slimming World (where I had my best success) and begin cooking for myself again.
I suppose what I'm saying is, I'm not looking for suggestions or opinions about this diet. I know what I'm doing, and what I am doing is trying to save my own life while retaining my (limited) sanity.
Having said that, my impression of Diet Chef so far is pretty good. The portions are small (well, probably average sized, but small compared to what I am used to eating) but they taste good, and have a reasonably low salt content, which is good. The only stuff I need to add to it are fresh fruit and veg, and the odd jacket potato if I fancy it. Everything else, including snacks, is included. This made it hilarious to carry up stairs after the box arrived. An entire month's worth of food weighs a fucking ton, but at least I don't have to worry about shopping while my health is so fragile.
Also, they sent me a free smoothie blender as an introductory offer. Dad bought me one for Christmas, so I'm not sure what to do with this one. I will probably sell it. There is a limit to the number of smoothie blenders one needs in the house, after all......
My year has not ended the way I wanted it to. I was looking forward to heading into 2016 with a good job, confident about my life and where it was heading. I am now signed off from work, and facing a serious medical condition that is not quite under control (although I am feeling better, so the medication must be working!! ^__- ) I don't really know what 2016 will bring, but I am trying to remain philosophical about it all. And it hasn't been all bad. I do love my job, and even if my health problems force me out of it for a while, I now have a skill that will make it possible for me to move anywhere in the country to find another position. I have great friends (you guys included!), and next year my family will be increasing in size. All of these are very awesome things. So, even with this set-back, I am in a good position to have a fantastic new year.
Can't ask for much more than that.
Oh, and I'm still waiting to hear back about the outline of my novel that I sent off as part of the Hodderscape open submission period. I don't know if I mentioned that at all on here, but basically, they are giving it a second reading. They will probably end up saying no, but I take it as a great thing that they are taking the time to read it twice. Not bad for a first go!! ^__-.
Diet Stuff:
My fitness tracker arrived yesterday, along with a giant hamper full of pre-portioned and calorie-controlled meals from a company called Diet Chef. I'm sure people will have a lot to say about this kind of diet- yes, it's expensive, and yes, I could probably do it myself..... but I don't have the time to do it myself, and I most certainly don't have the energy and willpower. This is a short-term thing, which I will do for a few months until I am out of danger and can reconsider. After that, I will most likely go back to Slimming World (where I had my best success) and begin cooking for myself again.
I suppose what I'm saying is, I'm not looking for suggestions or opinions about this diet. I know what I'm doing, and what I am doing is trying to save my own life while retaining my (limited) sanity.
Having said that, my impression of Diet Chef so far is pretty good. The portions are small (well, probably average sized, but small compared to what I am used to eating) but they taste good, and have a reasonably low salt content, which is good. The only stuff I need to add to it are fresh fruit and veg, and the odd jacket potato if I fancy it. Everything else, including snacks, is included. This made it hilarious to carry up stairs after the box arrived. An entire month's worth of food weighs a fucking ton, but at least I don't have to worry about shopping while my health is so fragile.
Also, they sent me a free smoothie blender as an introductory offer. Dad bought me one for Christmas, so I'm not sure what to do with this one. I will probably sell it. There is a limit to the number of smoothie blenders one needs in the house, after all......
My health tracker thing is fun. It's a Fitbit- basically a more fancy pedometer, which tells me all the usual things like distance and steps taken, but also links into an app which I can use to track my food and even the amount of sleep I have each night. It sort of makes tracking things more fun, and certainly more convenient because everything is covered by one app. It also syncs itself automatically with my PC whenever I get near to it, which is kind of cool. When I get a bit fitter, I can also use it to set daily targets and things like that. It's not the kind of thing I would usually choose to own, but needs must, and if having a gadget will help me stay interested in what I am doing, then that's what I am going to do. >_>;
So yeah.... tentatively optimistic about all this stuff at the moment. We'll see how it goes.
