Arabesque

I survived the Christmas overindulgence. Woo hoo. My sisters-in-law & I share the cooking duties & make our favourite things. This year we pledged not to over cater so we wouldn’t have lots of leftovers. 

Looked around the lunch table and saw the plates over full of beef, ham, vegetables, salads & potato bake. My plate was like an after pxt: a tiny piece of ham & roast beef (5cm square), a broccolini stalk & a slice of cucumber. 

Thankfully we had a couple of hours break until dessert for which I had contributed most options. This was my challenge. First time I’ve eaten anything sweet for 8 months. I was expecting massive abdominal discomfort, maybe dumping. I took a thin slice of my steamed marmalade pudding, a dash egg custard, a spoon of jelly and a small piece of my cheesecake with cream & mixed berries. (I refused to make pavlova this year.) I ate a teaspoon of each & gave the rest to my mother. Everyone had seconds & some of my  grown-up nephews had thirds (they’re 6’4” & 6’6” & very slim - so unfair). 

Most importantly I survived. No side effects except a little gurgling &  I was very windy after - lol! Didn’t feel like I was really missing out. Though I would have loved one of my sister-in-law’s rum balls - she more than quadruples the rum. 

Haven’t stepped on the scales but I’m not expecting to see any real change. 

Today I said I’m an XS or size 8 (Aust) at a clothing store. I never thought I’d say those words and say them with confidence. And when I commented a dress was too big on me I was told it was the smallest size. As was the belt I wanted. 
 

I tried on a slim fitting singlet dress yesterday & was shocked to realise the lumpy bits on the dress were my hip bones. I have an hour glass shape so I always had hips but never ones that stuck out on the front of my body! 

I’ve been a size 10 before - for about 5 minutes. While I am now confident about saying I’m an 8, clothes shopping is all still a bit freaky for me. It’s not that I’m focussed on the size on the label. I’m well aware the cut/line of the clothes and the designer’s style will dictate what size I need or if it will suit my body shape. The size is the starting point & it’s starting at an 8/XS/38 which is a big mind set change. It’s thinking a pair of pants will be too small & discovering they are almost too big. 

While I’m still coming to terms with my actual new body shape and size, I’m very happy to be in this new reality. 
 

This morning I had an abdominal ultra sound because apparently my cholesterol keeps rising.

I don’t get it. My cholesterol was always fine & now when I eat less of everything & have lost weight it starts to go up.

My intake of fats & oils has decreased (not that I was a big fried food person before anyway) & not just because I eat way less. Always cut the fat of meats, still don’t eat bacon, use spray olive oil instead of regular oil. Even the tub of butter in my fridge has been there since before May. Lol.

I just don’t get it? Is it because I don’t eat anywhere near the amount of vegetables I ate before? It surely can’t be because I eat a piece of cheese every day which I didn’t before? Are all my hormones screwed up? 
Sigh!