The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl

Monthly Check In: January 2012

Each month I'm checking in with my 2012 plans.

A month is a most excellent unit of time. Long enough to make things happen, but short enough to correct your path if necessary. I was trying to convince Gareth of the merits of the Monthly Check In when he said, "I have done feck all this month."

"Bullshit!" I declared, then rattled off half a dozen things he'd done, including taking his Etape training up a notch, entering his first homebrew competition and going to see the Turner in January exhibition. Sure we just walked into the Gallery, peered at half a dozen paintings before simultaneously freaking out, "Arrgh! Too many people!" then absconded to the pub. But the point was, he had a good January.

Mine was pretty good too:

January highlights

• Starting a TRX suspension training class - wonderfully tough! The tricep move in particular burns like no other tricep work I've ever done. And it seems I can do squats with the TRX without irritating my knee. Lunges are out though.
• Going back to BodyPump - I can't do the squat or lunge tracks at all (any substitute ideas?) but the back/hamstring and upper body tracks are bloody awesome
• Bagpipe yoga - at the end of yoga class, right after the relaxation bit when the lights were off and the mood was mellow and silent, our teacher said her Quote of the Week which was something about the serenity and joy of life when... BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRHH! A bloke down the hallway started blasting away on his bagpipes. I love Scotland, I do.
• Two pounds down on the scale

January lowlight

• Knee news - I hurt my knee in 2005 and it has been a bastard on and off ever since. Mostly on, but I have tried to spare you from too much of the whining around here. I finally took the osteopath's advice and got a referral to the orthopedic specialist bloke. After much poking and scanning the verdict was osteoarthritis. Great, my knee has a real age of approximately 85.
  
  There is not much to be done for that. All I can do is not make it worse. So the "plan" of the past few years - denying, ignoring, gaining a shitload of weight; doing exercises that make it worse - has been tossed.
  
  Orthopedic Man said I am a long way from needing surgery, so I need to be sensible and be so very very careful. Kickboxing, running, squatting, lunging and other high impact stuff are out. I am going to skip Zumba for now - the twisting and turning always makes it hurt for days afterward. Spinning is my main cardio. Maybe I'll get a punch bag. You don't need good knees to punch, right? And I will keep working on slowly losing this extra weight.

I gotta say I have been really bloody emotional about this knee verdict. It is hard not to beat myself up for all the things I did to get to this point. I am seriously mourning squats and roundhouse kicks.

But I must let go and focus on what I can do. So onward to February! My aims are: kneehab,  continue the astoundingly consistent exercise routine, and be more disciplined with the food diary.

The Winners! - 11th Birthday Sell Out

Once again the Random Number Generator has spoken. Here are the 11th Birthday Sell Out Winners. I've put the commenter number beside the name as some commenters share the same name and we don't want any trouble!

1. 'An Honest Kitchen' magazine
   92 Ellen K, 62 Krista, 67 Catherine, 12 Hannah, 52 Sarah, 37 Paula, 36 Gabby, 14 Donalda Bint, 79 Tessa, 75 Carol
2. $100 Cathe Downloads voucher
   42 Lizz
3. Weight Loss Resources three months membership
   21 Anne
4. Less Bounce £45 sports bra voucher
   77 Mandy Kohlfeld
5. MizFit's My Trainer Fitness cards
   10 Andrew
6. Total Greek Yogurt + Zest mag subscription
   27 kelly
7. Cardio Coach MP3 workouts
   Grand prize: 63 MelShoe. Runners up: 43 Nerida, 87 Rosemary Riveter, 32 Brenna, 8 Abby, 1 Tanja Kuttig, 3 Andrea, 28 Jennette, 11 Penny, 25 Miss Lynn, 26 Cassidy

Winners have been notified by email. Don't forget if you missed out this time, there is still a 25% Cardio Coach discount available.

A huge thanks once again to all the Sell Out prize donors for your generosity. Thanks everyone who entered and cheers for reading!

Easy Blueberry Oat Pancakes

Oats + cottage cheese + eggs = pancake? I was very suspicious when I spotted this recipe in Red magazine yesterday. But it was Sunday morning and all that watching Rafa Nadal's sexy legs at the Australian Open was making me hungry.

I was surprised at how tasty these babies were, considering the modest list of ingredients. And since you blast the ingredients together in a food processor until they're totally smooth (except the blueberries) they didn't taste at all cottage cheesy or eggy, which I'd feared. You might make them and think that ain't a pancake - for one, they're not as fluffy as the traditional floury kind. But speaking as as a non-connoisseur of pancakes they tasted good and Sunday breakfast-y to me. Stupidly quick to make, a healthy balance of ingredients and very filling. WILL MAKE AGAIN A++.

Easy Blueberry Oat Pancakes

from James Duigan's Clean & Lean Diet Cookbook, via Red magazine, March 2012.

Serves 1 very generously, or 2 with more restrain than I.

50g/1.75oz rolled oats
100g/3.5oz low fat cottage cheese
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
50g/1.75oz blueberries

1. Blend all the ingredients except the blueberries in a small food processor until smooth
2. Pour a ladleful into a heated non-stick pan, and cook for two minures each side (I just poured it in straight from the food processor bowl, then pressed in the blueberries, cooked for two minutes, then flipped over)
3. Eat while observing epic feats of athleticism on the telly.

Screenshot from weightlossresources.co.uk.

All sold out

Thanks everyone for all your Sell Out entries thus far! Entries close this Tuesday 31 January at 9PM GMT, so if you've not checked out all the groovy prizes there's still time to do so. Here's the complete list:

Day 1 - 'An Honest Kitchen' magazine

Day 2 - $100 Cathe Downloads voucher

Day 3 - Weight Loss Resources three months membership

Day 4 - Less Bounce £45 sports bra voucher

Day 5 - MizFit's My Trainer Fitness cards

Day 6 - Total Greek Yogurt + Zest mag subscription

Day 7 - Cardio Coach MP3 workouts

Back with a new post tomorrow. With just words. No prizes, alas.

WIN! Cardio Coach audio workouts - DG 11th Birthday Sell Out Day 7

The prize:
One lucky winner will receive all eight volumes of Cardio Coach high intensity interval MP3 workout downloads. Ten runners up will each win a copy of Volume 2.

Available to readers from: Worldwide

What the heck is it?
Cardio Coach™ is a downloadable audio high intensity interval workout programme for any MP3 player and you can use it for just about any cardio activity - treadmill, elliptical, stepper, rower, cycling, jogging, walking). Cardio Coach has a patented levels and zone system which means you can make it work for you no matter your fitness level, from beginner to advanced.

Why I dig it
I'm dead chuffed that the Cardio Coach folks were up for a third appearance in the Sell Out. I'm still a huge fan and in the past year have introduced some of my Up & Running pals to the delights of Sexy Sean, as he's become known on the forums.

I remain a non-lover of cardio and Sexy Sean makes it sooo much easier to bear. I still can't describe it any better as I did way back in 2007:

.. a dude called Sean O'Malley with a rather sexy voice tells you exactly what to do; suitable for any piece of cardio equipment. When to go fast, when to go slow, when to stretch; it really does make the time go faster! I have conversations with Sean in my head. I hate you Sean. Oh we're almost there? Fine then. I'll do it. Only for you. Fetch me another bottle of water Sean. You're the best Sean. HIGHLY recommended.

Your coach, Sean O'Malley

To be in the running for the Cardio Coach prizes, simply leave a comment on this blog entry . If you're reading this post via an RSS feed, Facebook or Goodreads, you need to click through to the Dietgirl blog. Entries close Tuesday 31 January 2012 at 9PM GMT. Winners will be drawn at random. Click here to view terms and conditions of the Sell Out.

BONUS! If you don't win this time, all Dietgirl readers score a 25% discount off all workouts until 14 February. Just enter the code dietgirl at the checkout.

WIN! A month's supply of Total Greek Yoghurt + Zest magazine subscription - DG 11th Birthday Sell Out Day 6

The prize:
One lucky winner will receive a month's supply of Total Greek Yogurt plus a 12-month subscription to Zest magazine, courtesy of the Total Greek Yogurt folks.

Available to readers from: UK only. Sorry!

What the heck is it?
Total Greek Yoghurt is delicious, thick, creamy yoghurt that leaves all other yoghurts whimpering in the aisles, cursing their inferiority. This of course is just my opinion... dinnae sue me, hen. Zest magazine is a leading UK health and fitness magazine.

The lucky winner of this prize can linger over their magazine while enjoying the following yoghurt bonanza:

- 2 x 500g tubs of 2%
- 2 x 500g tubs of 0%
- 4 x  0% Greek Yoghurt Split pot (blueberry, honey, tropical fruits and strawberry)
- 1 kilo Classic Greek Yoghurt

Whoever you are, lucky winner, I am SPEWING with jealousy already.

(Total lasts for ages in the fridge so the winner should be able to get through it all, otherwise they can share it with your pals. Or me!)

Why I dig it
If you've been reading awhile you'll have heard me bang on and on about this yoghurt. My Greek goddess friend Argy introduced us in 2005 and the love affair has been going strong ever since.

It's more versatile than Meryl Streep:

• excellent sour cream substitute - dollop onto soup or chili
• great whipped cream substitute - love it in Healthier Eaton Mess or Nigella's Chocolate Berry Pavlova
• mind-blowing when blasted up with frozen berries to make Instant Frozen Yogurt
• lovely just with fresh fruit and/or a splodge of strong honey

Total have just launched a new website with lots of recipes and useful info from their TOTAL Living Team, consisting of TV Chef Paul Merrett, nutritionist Martin Macdonald and Daybreak Fitness expert Dee Thresher. They’ll be hosting live Q&A sessions, providing video content, recipes, meal and exercise plans, news and competitions. You can check it out at totalgreekyoghurt.com

There is one Greek Yoghurt + Zest prize to be won, courtesy of TOTAL Greek Yoghurt. Simply leave a comment on this blog entry to enter. If you're reading this post via an RSS feed, Facebook or Goodreads, you need to click through to the Dietgirl blog. Entries close Tuesday 31 January 2012 at 9PM GMT. Winners will be drawn at random. UK entries only.  Click here to view terms and conditions of the Sell Out.