Ain't No Mountain

Oooh! The other day I had the best breakfast in ages. Total 2% Greek Yogurt, strawberries and a splodge of honey. It's a wonder the strawberries made it to brekkie, when I bought them the night before I opened the punnet and POW! The scent of summer smacked me in the nose. Is there anything more scrumptious than berries this time of year?

And that Total 2% is the business. I've waxed lyrical about the 0% version before, but I only really use it for cooking - like a dollop in some pumpkin soup or on a bean burrito in place of sour cream. And the full fat version is ace, but it's sooo thick and sturdy you could probably smear it on the ground and build a house on top that would last 100 years. Then recently someone blogged about a 2% version but can't remember who it was! If you were the 2% yogurt blogger, please let me know so I can bow down to you! (ETA: Taylore blogged about it!)

It's the perfect yogurt compromise! Especially with good old Australian Capilano honey mixed in. There's a lot of poncy honey on the market today, derived from all sorts of exotic trees or bushes, but I like Capilano coz it makes me think of home. Every time I squeeze that bottle I sing the old jingle... Capilano honeeeeey makes the difference every tiiiiime!

(Do they still have that jingle? Sniff sniff. Holy homesick, Batman.)

Anyway. Berries! Summer! Sunshine! But there's no need to be jealous, all you Southern Hemispherians in the throes of winter - it was only 2 degrees cooler in Melbourne yesterday than it was here. Sultry! Gareth and I decided to get out there and walk up a hill. In fine Scottish tradition it was rainy and misty and you could barely make out the view. But it was refreshing nonetheless!

I finally tested out my brand new walking pole thingies. Normally these are reserved for creaky old people but the lovely Babs mentioned them on this old entry and they seemed great for someone with a dodgy knee and a Fear of Descents. I made Gareth walk in front of me, so he could suss out any impending obstacles. He said the climb was like being chased by a pack of blind people because all he could hear behind him was TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP!

But today my knees are thanking me and it was much less scary when I could stab the ground with a pole. I still HATE descending - I whinge and whimper and it took me longer to get down than climb up! But I'm sure it's character building, right?

You can see the blinding Scottish summer sunshine below. And some very sexy high-waisted walking trousers! (That weird bulge around my middle is the bulky waistband, not a sprawling belly roll, hehe) And you can see those golden poles. I am thinking of carrying them at all times, just to poke people who don't shuffle up quick enough in the Post Office queue.

And finally, thank you kindly for the comments on the last entry. It wasn't so much about what the Bra Lady said - I totally agree it was simply off-the-cuff Retail Banter - but my utterly wounded reaction to it. I thought I'd developed this tough skin lately, feeling confident and foxy, but I was really disappointed at how instantly deflated I felt, how one little comment made me question everything. But I guess it just takes time to build up your self-belief, to trust that you genuinely feel good just to be you. The more I stop obsessing about diet stuff and just start doing things like climbing up hills... the more I really believe it :)

Comments

[1 · Posted by FatBlokeThin · June 20, 2007 at 08:04 PM]

Glad to see you are seeing things in a positive light - get up them hills girl!

[2 · Posted by taylore · June 20, 2007 at 08:19 PM]

Hrm, I posted about the 2% total yogurt:

http://ttb2.wordpress.com/2007/03/20/lately-i-cannot-live-without/

As you can see, I simply cannot live without it. ;-)

[3 · Posted by Ellen K · June 20, 2007 at 08:22 PM]

YEAH! I love when you post! I love fage 2% yogurt!!! I found out about fage from you so I should bow to you. Hmm for some reason I thought you used the 2%. I just love it b/c I love sour cream and it tastes just like it! You look fab in the pic!!!

[4 · Posted by dg · June 20, 2007 at 08:25 PM]

wah-hey! that mystery was solved mighty quick. cheers Taylore :)

And Ellen - you are so right. i have used it in every recipe i've used sour cream and it's fab. it's also good where you'd use whipped cream - like to top a pavlova. OH BABY.

I'd only seen the full-fat and 0% here until recently, then suddenly the 2% appeared. joy!

[5 · Posted by anji · June 20, 2007 at 09:03 PM]

Interesting! Twin Peaks... Mountains... I'm sensing a pattern here :D

[6 · Posted by Chris H · June 20, 2007 at 09:16 PM]

Awesome views, love the poles, I need some too!

[7 · Posted by Joey · June 20, 2007 at 09:39 PM]

Shauna, you look amazing! Great picture, and you are really high up! I used to climb hills before I got lazy and busy, but with a lovely bloke who used to carry my rucksack when I moaned about it...aren't these mountain goat type blokes awesome?!

kudos on the pic, you are looking fab!

[8 · Posted by Laura · June 20, 2007 at 09:42 PM]

Ditto what Joey just said. You look amazing in that picture. So trim and fit--what a tiny waist you have! And that smile says it all.

[9 · Posted by Kek · June 20, 2007 at 10:50 PM]

And they call THAT summer? *chortle* The only way I'd leave the house yesterday was all snuggled up in my European-warmth parka. And I seriously thought about adding a scarf and gloves...

[10 · Posted by Michelle · June 21, 2007 at 12:43 AM]

You look so skinny! The honey ad now in Australia for Capilano honey goes "Squeeze me honey honey squeeze me, squeeze me honey honey squeeze me. Squeeze a little or squeeze a lot, Capilano"...then something else. It's for the squeezable bottle! Just thought you'd like to know that!

[11 · Posted by babs · June 21, 2007 at 01:34 AM]

So glad they worked for you! Now I suppose _I_ should try hiking, eh? Reminds me of the sign on my friend's desk: Take my advice...I'm not using it.

[12 · Posted by Celia · June 21, 2007 at 04:55 AM]

wowee you are hot in that pic! time for progress pic updates.
xo
celly

[13 · Posted by Celia · June 21, 2007 at 04:58 AM]

p.s. wowee#2: you are a real computer techie! donno how you're so adept with such things as programming anti-robot password tests for posting comments, but chapeau mon amie.

still a pleasure as always to read everything you post. i understand, though, about the occasional self-consciousness thing w/respect to readers! just stay the saaaaaaammee, i love it.
cel

[14 · Posted by Lizzy · June 21, 2007 at 07:20 AM]

Shauna, you are looking wonderful. A shame the weather isn't the same for you:)

[15 · Posted by Joc · June 21, 2007 at 07:31 AM]

Those poles are tres sexy! ;-)

It might help your homesickness abate a bit, if I tell you that our top temp yesterday was 10 degrees celcius here in chilly Canberra !! And that happened around 11am, then it was all downhill from there.

[16 · Posted by Nic · June 21, 2007 at 08:53 AM]

Heehee! Now you bee-hive yourself....

You look fantastic, girl! What a great shot! :D

[17 · Posted by Joey · June 21, 2007 at 09:03 AM]

Joc, it might help, but last week it was 10 degrees in edinburgh! actually i'm on holiday in the sun just now, but i flew from glasgow 5 days ago where it was 8 degrees celcius and raining buckets!

time to move to the southern hemisphere i think, if 10 degrees is your winter!!

[18 · Posted by Tracy · June 21, 2007 at 09:33 AM]

Hehe, Re: The Bra Lady: I was having a blood test taken the other day, and the Blood Test Lady told me to lie down on a hospital bed after the operation. I assured her I was fine, and she said to me: "Yes but you are so heavy, you'll hurt yourself badly if you fall!" I was upset and amused at the same time - I'm sure she meant well but the words came out all wrong :)

[19 · Posted by dg · June 21, 2007 at 09:34 AM]

cheers, you groovers!

babs - i tells ya, they are a revelation! It's like having four legs! Hehe.

Joey - I hear ya buddy! I was in Edinburgh on Saturday and I had my winter coat and hat on! Hasn't been much of a summer yet has it?

But Joc, my sympathies... those Canberra winter days can be sooooo gloomy. That is when I'd hide in Tilley's with a hot chocolate :)

Celia - Oooh I had no idea I had the robot password thingies! Maybe the TypePad service does it automatically. That's definitely beyond my skillz :)

[20 · Posted by dg · June 21, 2007 at 09:47 AM]

btw i really should come clean - the only reason i made it up and down that hill coz we were going back to Ben Ledi Cafe afterwards for fish and chips. If I didn't have that incentive I would have given up halfway up... mwahhaha :)

[21 · Posted by Steph · June 21, 2007 at 10:08 AM]

It's cold & rainy here in Melbourne, and around much of Australia, so I wouldn't be feeling too homesick if I were you! (Am sitting here in ugh boots and feeling very sorry for myself!) :)

And what a gorgeous photo... Would it make me sound like a completely horrible person if I said I was jealous when I saw it? You look fab, and healthy, and athletic, and I can practically taste the cold fresh air in my lungs when I look at it. :)

Hmmm... maybe jealous isn't the right word, let's call it inspired instead.

Am off to find a hill to climb!

Steph

[22 · Posted by Cat (NL) · June 21, 2007 at 01:42 PM]

Hotness! I'm jealous of your gold poles, mine are shiny blue but now i want gold ones! oooo and green, red, purple...maybe a different pair for each day of the week :D some of that Scottish summer might be a bit refreshing about now with the heat & humidity! have a happy day lady

[23 · Posted by Donna · June 21, 2007 at 02:37 PM]

You look fabulous. And I'm with you on the decline... I'm that way with stairs! Up is a (slow) breeze, down is terror X 2!

[24 · Posted by Loretta · June 21, 2007 at 03:06 PM]

i have been reading everything days late...RSS on this site isn't updating in my bloglines anymore:( i removed you and added you back to my list....we will see if that solves it! Anyone else having problems?

[25 · Posted by Catherine · June 21, 2007 at 03:40 PM]

You look TINY in that picture!

[26 · Posted by Joey · June 21, 2007 at 04:22 PM]

Shauna, I think we had our summer in April this year - remember that fleeting week where the sun shone and it didn't rain for a few days in a row?! I think that was it! Blink and you miss it!

Makes it easier to gear up to do exercise though, heat is not condusive to exercise!

[27 · Posted by ThickChick · June 21, 2007 at 05:04 PM]

Hiya Shauna!
Holy moly - we haven't seen progress pics in awhile and I must agree with everyone above - looking FIT and TRIM and SEXY high waisted walking pants or not!

I too have sung the praises of Fage 2%, in a similar 'recipe' in fact - but I use fresh apricots, walnuts and honey. Practically dessert.

BTW: Thanks for your comments yesterday re: private binging/shame, etc.

[28 · Posted by anji · June 21, 2007 at 09:29 PM]

Hey - we had SNOW last week, can you believe that? Then like, 3 days later it was back to 35c.

Heh.

[29 · Posted by anji · June 21, 2007 at 09:30 PM]

oops - yea, I forgot to say, that was in Ontario, Canada... I guess I just assume everyone on the planet knows where I live, hahaha...

[30 · Posted by Alyndabear · June 22, 2007 at 08:46 AM]

Yum! I love Greek Yoghurt, sounds gooooood. *wishing it were summer* It's freezing here in Sydney right now.

You look fantastic in that picture, Scotland is so gorgeous with its views. I miss it. :)

[31 · Posted by Brooke · June 22, 2007 at 09:46 AM]

I think you look utterly gorgeous Shauna :o) Even without the 'before' pics to compare with.

xoxo

[32 · Posted by gill · June 22, 2007 at 10:14 AM]

Glad the poles are helping mate. I hate the descent more than the climb, you can see where you're falling then!!

p.s we got our visas this week, finally...*curses* immigration services *curses*

xox

[33 · Posted by Cal · June 22, 2007 at 10:37 AM]

Hey hey, Catherine said was I was going to - you look tiny in that picture.

And re. the bras - can I seriously beg you to stop buying M&S ones, save your pennies (and you'll need to save them) and invest in at least one bra from the amazing Rigby and Peller - you may have to chop off a limb to pay for it but it will be seriously worth it. The difference to your shape and how you feel and the in the support it will give will be instantly noticeable.

I find M&S bras now just don't cut the mustard in terms of support and quality. Though some of them are stunningly pretty.

[34 · Posted by LaLa · June 22, 2007 at 11:03 AM]

Ooh, I love those sticky things. So handy for jabbing irritating people.

[35 · Posted by Dani · June 22, 2007 at 09:11 PM]

Hey! no problems here, but I do love Greek Yogurt and honey!! Not to mention berries. I rarely have the enrgy to slice strawberries till dessert after dinner so my breakfast usually involves blackberries or blue. Oh, i love the summer!!! Found you through Bloger's CHoice Awards you should tottally add a brag badge so more people can vote for you for "Best Health Blog". http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/632 :) Best of luck!

[36 · Posted by Isabelle · June 23, 2007 at 11:33 PM]

Goodness, I discovered poles just this last weekend. Took me nearly 57 years, but I'm a fan.

I look like an ancient person who can no longer climb hills unaided, however. You look WONDERFUL.

[37 · Posted by Katie · June 24, 2007 at 04:50 AM]

I'm all about the Fage yogurt. I really like the full fat version, but the 2% is pretty good, too. Seeing as you like it with honey, you should check out the honey pot split (there's fruit pot splits that are pretty yummy too). Perfect when you want to take it to work.

http://www.totalgreekyoghurt.com/site/TOTALHoneySplitpots_188.aspx

[38 · Posted by Katherine · June 24, 2007 at 03:47 PM]

Just had to say you have been looking incredibly happy in all the pictures you have been posting. Nice to see!

[39 · Posted by Lady Rose · June 24, 2007 at 10:59 PM]

Sounds very yummy. I've never had Greek yogurt. I did just recently see a show on the Food Network that had it though and it was very yummy sounding on the show too. Lady Rose (80 lbs lost so far, only 60ish more to go.)

[40 · Posted by Jules · June 25, 2007 at 12:02 AM]

I'm freezing my tits off here in Canterbury, New Zealand. Neg 2 degrees yesterday morning. And a might high of 7 degrees. WTF!! Thank god for woodburners, wheat bags and your fiance's trackies!!

I must say that those walking poles look rather spack!! But I'm sure they did the job they were intended for but please don't walk around the streets with them. People will start talking about you as the "Pole Lady"!!

[41 · Posted by ombites (mary) · June 30, 2007 at 11:22 PM]

How cool is that photo of you and the walking sticks!! It reminds me of when I tried Nordic Walking but we didn't have that kind of gorgeous scenery. Walking poles give you such a workout hey. They definitely increase upper arm tone!