5 weeks countdown

What a week has just been.

Off the back of an all-nighter in Liverpool, got back to London on Sunday to prepare for a week long PRINCE2 foundation and practitioner course  .... heavy going.  But wanted to push through and finish it, it will be a valuable skill on the CV if I'm to get one of the jobs I need to meet my dreamline target.

On top of that - had the movers in on Tuesday to empty the house and relocate it to Australia - so spent Monday night finishing the packing. Knackered by 10pm when finished so ordered in as slow carb as possible Chinese for dinner (stir fried prawns and veg - no rice or noodles etc... avoiding sweet sauces) and did some wall presses for damage control. Now living out of a suitcase, kind-of.

On Tuesday night had a paper to write to meet a reporting deadline for work.

On Wednesday night wrote the first draft of a job application ... Finished it and submitted it on Thursday night .... as well as fitting in all the PRINCE homework.  Exhausted, so got in another meal - Indian this time, went for dry chicken (tandoori), no rice, and lentil dahl.... couldn't help but nibble on the popadams though - wish I'd seen them sneak in the freebies and I would have refused in order to eliminate temptation.

Rest of the week stuck steadfastly to SCD - eggs and ham for breakfast, salad for lunch (Pret Tuna Nicoise etc - ignore the potatoes), chicken or steak and spinach and veg for dinners, red wine and dark chocolate.

Have introduced the Pareto PAGG this last fortnight - until then had been buying each component separately but got sick of the faff or ordering each online and decided the extra to have it delivered in 1 tab was worth it.

Net result = achieved more in this week than imagined.
Lost 2.3kg.

(that's a bit more than my average loss per week - but I'm still clearing out a bit of my Christmas/New Year extravagances)

Target for this coming week:
1. Hit lowest ever weight by Saturday morning weigh in.
2. Apply for another job

Dreamlining Part 1 - A place to live

I've been considering this for the last 8 months or so; but had not done anything to pull the trigger.  I live in London, have done for 12 years, I used to love it, but now the cold and the wet and the dark are starting to get too much.  I thought long and hard about when I'm at my happiest - and it is when I'm on summer holiday. Each summer I head to the south of France for a week near the beach and the pool and with consideration, it's not just the holiday aspect that makes me feel so positive - it's in a large part due to the sun.  So part 1 of my dreamline is to channel summer holidays ... permanently (or for more than 1 week per year .... a girl can't live 51 weeks to enjoy just a single one).

The place I choose to live must have beach; must have good food - seafood and steaks and good happy salads; must be at least in part a bit cosmopolitan as I couldn't live without some good pubs and clubs nearby.  Not so expensive that I have to compromise and live a hike from the waves - I want to see them.  So I'm moving (back) to Australia.

This is what I want to wake up to:






or this....



And it's possible ... it just means that I have to gun for a promotion when I take my first job there.  When considering my options moving to the beach, I considered taking a sideways step careerwise, just to put my foot in the door ... and even a step backwards just to ensure I can get an income.  But NO, if I stayed in London I am ready for promotion and would be taking a new job any time soon (despite the economy) ... so I will insist on nothing less in this move.  Dreamlined. Costed. Possible.

And what's the worse that can happen? I might end up dossing in Mum's spare room until I can find suitable employment, but I don't think that will happen.  Positivity breeds success.  And I'm feeling great. 

I resigned.  I have a 12 week notice period to serve in London.

I have 46 days left before I fly out.  The countdown has begun.

(and for the 4HB followers - the lifestyle works - I have the beach body - now just need the beach -updates on the meal plans and exercise over the next few posts)

(and for the 4HWW followers - my plan is not yet 4H - but that's OK - I'm working on it)