So i'ts 2 weeks until my holiday and although I know I'm not going to achieve the ultimate beach body I do know theres enough time to at least loose a few pounds. Usually I just cut out a food group or just eat fruit and veg or sometimes I even just drink liquids however this time I took a different approach. As I have recently started doing 'Insanity' I thought I'd take some inspiration from the nutrition plan they provide. So, as I selected some of the items to eat I constructed a shoppping list however when I got to the supermarket I realised just how uneducated I was when it came to food!!
So usually I go shopping when I'm hungry and although intend to bring home fruit, veg, cereal etc 90% of my trolly consists of micro curries, pizza and doritos! This time however I was all set with my list and entered Tescos feeling pretty positive. However 5 minutes later having not written my list in any type of order I was bumping into people every 2 seconds as a result of staring at my list totally clueless.
So there I am standing in the middle of the isle googling things such as 'cantaloupe' (which I just had to type into google again to spell!) and 'melba toast' as I realised I didn't even know what type of food they were! Then after walking from one end of the shop to the other and back again repeatedly finding the items on the list, I then find myself serching google images for 'whipped cream cheese' and 'low fat swiss cheese' as not being able to find them I thought I'd try and match the illustrations. After looking for Swiss cheese in what I realised was the Polish section for about 5 minutes (assuming I was being silly as Swiss cheese is from Switzerland??) I decided the remaining items musn't be in stock and tottered off to the checkout. When I got there I was impressed by my shop but then reaalised I'd been in the shop for over and hour!! (That was without my usual saunter around the magazines, toiletries and clothes section).
So with my shopping completed with items such as cantaloupe, wholemeal pitta bread, wholegrain crackers and cottage cheese I cant say I'm as excited about eating it as a spicy chicken pizza but at least I'll not be bloated and hopefully loose a few extra pounds before my holiday!
Lisaloo x
For me, I'm lazy and use the drive through to buy fast food 99% of the time and have never really considered what the service is like on the inside of any of the fast food chains. I am always pretty satisfied by the quick efficient service of the drive through especially from both Mcds and BK however, my experience of my recent BK visit was somewhat anexperience and felt it deserved a weeeee bit of a rant!
Just to note this rant is based on my visit to the Stirling branch and I have no idea what it is like in any of the others.
As a child my dad used to take me to BK every Saturday afternoon and I remember it was always very quick, a friendly atmosphere and the food was enjoyable. Having not visited the inside of BK in numerous years I was surprised by what was occuring. As we entered the place was very clean and pretty quiet (it was weekday) so we found a place to sit and two of us went to ordrer. We were second in the queue at this point and 10 minutes later we still hadn't been served and a lengthy queue was starting to form behind us. I was surprised as there appeared to be quite a lot of staff on but I'm pretty patient so I wasn't too bothered.
While standing in the queue my cousin and I were just stood observing what was going on when we spotted something somewhat of a shock. One of the employees who had just finished emptying the bins in the eating area, bare handed notices the queue and and heads towards the counter. My cousin, who admittedly is a bit anal about hygiene, spotted this and watched the girl leave the bin and walk straight onto the counter and start serving without washing her hands!!!! Now I do not wish to appear a drama queen but surely when you are physically handling food as part of your job simple tasks such as washing your hands is a basic rule and would be instinctive?? Luckily we recieved another server however my cousin was still pissed off and had a quiet word with our server who happened to be the manager. She explained what she had seen and in response the manager firstly said he would ask her if she did wash her hands (even though we witnessed she never) however made clear they had a strict hygiene policy and dealt with the situation discreetly.
When ordering we were informed some of the items we wanted to eat were out of stock, which as a restraunt worker myself I understand, but as it was promotional items I would have expected them to be in stock. Then when we paid I seemed to find the price pretty high in comparisson to other fast food chains..anyone feel the same?? I knew the prices would have went up a bit over the years but for what we actually recieved and the quality of the food I was pretty surprised!!
Finally, the speed of service I would have to question as there appeared to be a lot of staff but from when we entered and were second in the queue it took close to 20 minutes to complete our order...whats fast about that? Also they didn't even have to make drinks as that is now something the customer does themselves. Plus once finishing our meal (which was actually pretty decent, which may have been due to extra germ seasoning [jokes] ) and leaving there was still people in the queue who were there before we started eating...and I myself am a pretty slow eater!
Overall I feel based on this experience BK has went a little downhill and if this is the way the service is now, I dread to think what it will be like in the summer holidays. I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon but I am sure the girl behind the counter won't forget to wash her hands again in a hurry!
Lisaloo x
Does anyone else find Sundays the mos akward dont know what to do with yourself kind of day?
For most people its a lazy day with or without hangover and a time where lots of pepople will eat there body weight in junkfood with the goal of 'Im going to start healthy eating tomorrow' when really they know thats not going to happen. For the lucky ones who are still students or dont have work on a Monday its a crazy ass Sunday sesh that only has the effect of being totally uncontrolable on a sunday (i.e. its impossible to get that drunk or to be as random any other day!). For me I really miss when I was a student and every Sunday was a Super Sunday football supported by a 12 hour drinking session.
As I have a job where my shifts vary each week I dont tend to benefit from the build up to looking forward to the weekend, the 'Friday feeling' ot the dreaded Monday shift creeping upon me however I do find Sundays ridiculously boring!
Anyone else wake up on the Sunday with a hangover and lie in bed all day feeling sorry for yourself then come Sunday night think 'What a waste of a day'? Or how about when you don't go out and you wake up feeling fresh as a daisy but then are that bored you wish you had a hangover as an excuse for doing nothing. Every now and then I am required to work a Sunday, mostly Sunday nights, and I genuinly cant wait to get to work for something to do!! Then regret feeling like this half an hour into the shift as the pub rapidly fills up with numpties that have been drinking all day or neds that cant handle their drink. Anyone who works in a pub will probably agree that Sundays attract the most random of clientele and can deteriate a good mood quicker than the time it takes to neck a shot!
Despite the number of people who have asked me to go out and do something today I have successfully not even set foot out of the flat all day! It is now almost 10 oclock and due to lack of motivtion and any physical movement I can already tell I'm going to have a crappy nights sleep!
So to conclude a bit of a pointless rant....how boring are Sundays!!
Lisaloo x
Its been a while since I last had a wee rant but there are sooo many things I moan about on a daily basis I think I will start again just for the sheer craic!
So, not many of you will agree with my view on films but it really really frustrates me that I hate to watch them! As I am writing this I have a film on in th background but I'm really not interested and apart from myself I have yet to find someone who agrees!
Currently living with my dad who has a 50" tv and a cupboard with about 500 films you would think that I would often or even occasionally sit and watch a film, but no, I look in the cupboard dont find one film appealing and go back to watching some reality show on the tv. When I was younger and did watch films I addictively watched numeorus chick flicks which I could still probably recite word for word for example, Bring it on, John Tucker Must Die and Clueless but even to watch them now is a mission.
I very rarely visit the cinema and would dread the thought if I was to go on a date and end up there (But I'm sure that's one thing people would agree with me on, what a very antisocial and unthoughtful place to go on a date eh!!). I do envy those who enjoy watching films as my lack of enthusiasm has resulted in me never watching one single twilight film, never reaching the end of the harry potter films and finding myself in akward situations when people are talking about popular actors/actresses and I have no clue who they are so subtly have to google them on my phone so I dont look completely retarded!
I have however concluded that my lack of interest is majorly down to my very very short attention span. If I dont understand the film within about 5minutes I loose complete interest and if I do manage to sit and watch a full film I fall in and out of daydreams so by the end I dont have a clue what the film was about!
Although many people may not share my views surely I can't be the only one??
Lisaloo x
Recently I've been having quite a time with my lenses and the thought has occurred that I may in 20 years time STILL be wearing them...what a thought! It has been several years since I started wearing them and the only benefit I can seem to find from them is that I don't have to wear glasses!
Firstly who sat down and thought lets put little bits of clear plastic like material on our eyes and everything will be hunky dory?! To be fair I've had them several years and they have saved me the hassle of trying to coordinate a pair of glasses with every outfit and prevented me from being blind whilst trying to play a sport or go for a run. Even prevented me from injury (probably) as I probably would have smashed my glasses and had glass in my eye!
However the mundane task of poking myself in the eye every day is starting to really get on my nerves. I don't even really seem to benefit much these days. For example yesterday I was driving in the dark in the rain and as we'll as the wipers making my window blurry my lenses doubled the effect causing me to drive like a crazy old lady. This effect I can only assume was due to makeup on my lens as they were new lenses but I refuse to stop wearing makeup. Then I made a salad for lunch today and after chopping an onion thought it would be clever to put my lenses in...baaaad times!! In addition there's the inconvenience of not carrying solution at all times, the random head aches that come at inappropriate times or ripping them and its only the beginning of the month! I'm not sure those with daily contacts will have the same issues but having monthlys definitely a chore!
Luckily I've never had too bad an experience with them (touch wood) but does it not just seem such a horrible thought to have the daily task for the rest of your life! Maybe have to invest in some laser eye surgery, might even save a penny or 2 in the long run!
Lisaloo x
So I havn't ranted for a while...not because i've not had anything to rant about (theres always something!) i've just not had as much time!
One thing that is driving me craxzy right now is my washing pile!! It never seems to get any smaller! Since I moved home I have yet to buy a proper washing basket so use a corner in my room as a substitute. Every day I look at it I find some excuse not too put one on i.e. it looks like its going to rain, theres not enough wind it will never dry, the machine wont be finished before I leave so I wont have time to hang it out. However the real reason is that doing the washing is such a long winded chore (probably me just being a drama queen!).
Firstly I'll note I do not separate my load into colour, black and whites, my method consists of picking up a random assortment from the top of the pile and throwing it in the machine (unless I have a new item I havnt washed yet then I would separate) first step of laziness. On the way to the machine I drop half of it so have to go and pick bits up. Then I take about 10 mins to set the machine as every time I forget how to put it on! And somtimes still I forget to put in the wee capsule so have to attack the machine to get it to stop so I can pop it in! Then comes the worst part, hanging it out!
When I was at uni it was a pain as we didnt have an outdoor space to hang it up so instead it floated around my room or somewhere in the flat on a screen where I would constantly fall over it and my clothes never dried properly. Luckily now I can hang it outside however it always feels like a mission. Anyone else?? 9/10 I drop the peg basket which is a pain then takes me like 15-20 mins to hang it out. It just seems like a pointless task! What really annoys me is, thanks to the Scottish weather gods, 50% of the time just as i've hung it out the rain comes on resulting in taking the washing back in and rehanging it therefore doubling the task! sigh! By this point I usually abandon my mission and my dad kindly brings in my washing where it lies in the basket for days until I wear it again because I simply cant be bothered to put it away again.
Firstly I'd like to point out I am aware that I may be slightly dramatic and secondly does anyone else think that your mum does it soo much better? Mines definetly makes it look much more easier than I'm sure I make it. If only I had money to buy new clothes everyday and I wouldnt have to wash anything...
Lisaloo x
Exactly as the title says...i hate cooking! This is a post which less people may relate to but apart from the fact that I can't cook I just absolutly despise it!
Firstly I don't understand why back in the olden days one of the main priorities of the day was to cook the dinner which did seem to take the whole day...whats the point? Unless your me (as I seem to take an age to eat anything) its gone in 5-10mins!
When I'm hungry, I want to eat there and then. I wait until I really really need to eat before I do so I dont want to stand and cook for the next half an hour!! This usually leads to my dietry intake being not the healthiest. However even if I did decide to cook, its a huge stress! Apart from the fact I am utterly useless in the kitchen I find it boring and unnecessary.
My biggest hate about cooking, is cooking programmes (apart from Gino D'Acampo, could watch him all day :P). They all say quick meals that are simple and easy to make yet every two minutes there talking about vegetables youve never heard off, throwing spices around left right and centre and require utensils that noone owns! As from my recent post 'making porridge' you can see that I'm not the most natural cook however even when I do try it may be edible but its not the best thing youve ever tasted.
For example, tonight I attempted to made a stir fry. Not rocket science I know. Fry the chicken, add the stirfry the noodles and the sauce. Yet somehow Im not sure it was 100% cooked properly as I got bored of waiting and by the time I'd finished the kitchen looked like the stirfry had exploded everywhere (probably because the pan wasnt big enough). It wasnt fun, tasted just OK and then I had to do the dishes whereas I could have made a toastie in 2 seconds, no hassel or mess!
Ive already been targeted at work for cookery lessons and I know I should probably give in and learn to cook as theres many years to come of cooking but if I had the choice I really wouldnt like too. For people who enjoy cooking I envy you...please share your spirit!
Lisaloo x
I have recently attempted to make porridge and after epically failing and asking a few people about where I went wrong I had the mickey taken out of me big time. I however don't think this is fair!
Everyone keeps telling me porridge is good and sooo easy to make so I decided to make some myself. I got the wee 2 min sachets and with only short instructions I thought how hard can it be! First it told me to add milk to the sachet but it didn't say how much so after reading the box like 10 times I decided to just take out the sachet where I ended up seeing a pour line! But as I poured the milk in the sachet got wider and I didn't know if I was supposed to maintain the shape by squeezing it or let it get fat! After deliberating, I just decided to cook it.
However when I tried to put the sachet in the microwave I was faced with the difficulty of trying to make the sachet sit upright which didn't work but as I tried to lay it down the milk was pouring out! Eventually I decided to put it in a bowl but after being cooked it was ridiculously watery. I thought it was because you are supposed to cook the porridge in the sachet as the wee sachet thing was made of weird material like it was supposed to go in the microwave (if you know what I mean).
So after a failed attempt I queried with some friends about where I went wrong and got the piss out of me! However, nowhere on the instructions does it say 1. The amount of milk to put in the sachet or 2. Pour it into a bowl! In future I feel the cooking instructions on quickmade meals need to be made more clear asjust because its quick doesn't mean we will guess how to cook it. In addition I'm sure I'm not the only one who's had this problem...
Lisaloo x
An issue for me, that only becomes an issue once every now and then but when it does its a BIG issue is when I need a bunch of everything all at once.
The thing I think most people will relate too (girls probs more) is when you somehow run out of makeup or hairspray etc all at once. Its always an issue spending money on makeup but when youve got it it tends to last a while. However there will be a day your sitting thinking I need new foundation its going to run out soon, this goes on for a week and all of a sudden you run out and you wish youd bought it sooner. Its fine with mascara though because you never throw them away, makeup bag full of empty tubes! Anywyas you get to Superdrug or wherever to get a new foundation and realise you need new eyeliner and then a new mascara and before you know it you realise you need facewipes, faketan, hairspray, deoderant, facewash, shampoo... £60 later! Every time!
The issue this time though is buying new clothes. I may be a girlie girl but I despise shopping! I'd rather repeatedly jag myself with a pin or shit in my hand and clap (as charlotte g-shore would say!) than go shopping, asides from the fact its extremely dull I always realise I'm somehow gaining weight! However the time comes when you know your going on a night out and not only do you need a new dress, you need a bag, shoes, jacket... why cant we just buy things gradually! For me I end up spending a fortune as when I finally drag myself to the shops I just try on what I like without looking at tags and without fail its always the most expensive thing that looks nice...but I buy it so I can go home!
I know the maority of people may not share this mindset especially with shopping but why do I not own enough money where someone can bring me clothes and all I have to do is wear them? Or even be that little bit more organised where I buy things as I run out so i dont have to buy half the shop everytime I'm there?!
Lisaloo x
OMG! So last night I had an early night and used sky+ to record 3 programmes I was planning on watching. So this morning when I got up I sat down with my breakfast to watch them but they were all episodes I had seen before!!
I have great appreciation for sky and all the channels thy have on it but honestly how annoying is it when they play the same thing over and over again!!! Often I've heard people ranting about the movie channels saying they just repeat the same ones for like a month but not having these channels I never really thought about it. However, it turns out pretty much every channel is doing the same thing. Before sky+ it was handy to have something repeated so if you missed it you could catch up but we are able to record it now...why show it again?!
A huge annoyance for me for a while was when I used to get into bed to watch Family Guy and American Dad every weekday night and not only did they repeat episodes, often they would play the same ones from the night before! Or after an episode of Geordie Shore, they play the exact same episode not just once but every night at the same time until the next episode.Why?!
Its got that ridiculous that they actually have to put 'new episode' infront of the programme title so you know its not a repeat. And even at that you cant wait until the episode is finnished because they play the advert for it at every single interval for the whole week (you dont even actually need to watch the episode as the adverts have played so much).
This rant may have you mentally screaming 'Lisa get a life, stop watching so much t.v!'. The thing is...I dont even watch that much t.v and yet it still annoys me that much!! I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Lisaloo x
