Dbee Robinson Artist - The Fat Struggling Menopausal Artist

Feeling a bit lazy today and not very happy with myself. I have been quite busy painting a special  70th card for a friend and finishing a design for a new t-shirt, but I haven't managed to do 10,000 steps. In fact I haven't managed to do 10,000 steps for a few days now which isn't good when you are trying to not only loose weight, but reduce body fat and lower cholesterol.  I cooked a rich casserole using venison (Im sure it wasn't Rudolph lol) Its a low fat meat but needed slow cooking to ensure it was not only tender but not too dry. I added some lentils and beans as I believe they help lower cholesterol.  Found this website today HeartUK.org  which I am hoping will help me on my journey.  Looking back at what I have eaten in the past my weight only began to blossom while I was in Malaysia for 5 years. Everything was cooked with Palm Oil or included it as well as coconut oil. According to this site Palm Oil and Coconut Oil are both bad for chole

Sometimes I paint peoples pets, favourite car, bike or church they got married in, I don't earn much   but it is something I enjoy. Recently I offered to create a personalised 70th birthday card for a lovely lady I know, Im hoping it will keep my mind occupied as I'm a little annoyed and confused at the moment.  Its been a couple of weeks since I started this 'Healthier Me' project so though I would jump on the scales to see if there has been any developments. I say JUMP but actually like most of us I tentatively crept onto the scales one toe at a time hoping if I did it gently enough it would be kind to me. NOT! I'm confused!!!! My weight has gone down by ..... drum roll ....... 200 grams, BIG DEAL! Not quite what I was expecting after all my efforts, in fact Im a little angry. I was hoping for a little more than that. And my fat percentage .... big drum roll ..... has gone up by 0.1% which is more than annoying, its worrying.  I was hoping t

Feel Good Foods Its surprising how many delicious foods are actually good for you and help you feel good too. I think the eggs should only be eaten in moderation as the yolk is high in cholesterol, but its a great protein hit. Berries, Nuts, Legumes, Avocado its all easy to prepare food and so delicious to eat. This just may help me keep on track of my new healthier me project. Breakfasts are always difficult for me. I love jam on toast, especially my home made jam. But now my favourite is my breakfast of Avocado and Tomato on brown toast, sometimes with an egg on top.  I found this recipe  on line, but I prefer my own which is just chopped avocado and tomato with a spring onion if I have it, some lemon juice, salt and pepper just popped on top of some of my toasted home made brown bread which is usually full of nuts, seeds and sometimes sultanas. And of course a splash of Worcestershire sauce.....Delicious!! I mentioned in an earlier blog post I have had f

Well its been over a week now and I have been logging my food, exercise (long walks) sleep patterns and how I feel. My weight hasn't really moved but I must say I feel so much better. This FitBit really has motivated me to watch what I eat and how much I move. Yesterday I did just over 22,000 steps. It included a long walk and finishing the garden. I slept well and this morning feel rested. Looking back at what I would normally eat, I was all to lazy and would reach for a biscuit when peckish but now I hold off and eat fruit. I would always have cake when I was out and about having a coffee, now I just have a coffee. I would all to easily reach for a bag of crisps in the evening, now I have a small handful of nuts and I don't deprive myself, I may even have a Port! I think the trick is not to diet, but to change your way of thinking. Im off to make breakfast, a healthy one and quite delicious!! Love and light peoples  dbee x

Hubby is taking some well earned holiday at the moment so we drove up to Salisbury to see The Terry Pratchett exhibition. I must say it was wonderful although I did feel quite sad Sir Terry is no longer  walking this Earth amongst us but, like the painting, is playing chess with DEATH and possibly winning? If you haven't visited the exhibition yet, do go if you can. Not only is it quite interesting on his life and work, its great art that is so detailed you can walk back past them more than once as I did and still see things you had missed. Oh to be as talented at Paul....one can only dream! The journey to Salisbury was, as always, bitter sweet. It brings back memories both happy and unpleasant. I spent some time in Odstock Hospital just outside Salisbury to rectify my cleft palate. Skin and bone grafts eventually gave me a face with a smile and a mouth able to take a new prototype brace. Thanks to my Dad I was lucky enough to have one of only 5 prototype braces in the U

For me its very difficult to paint when feeling low, worried or in pain as I have been recently after facial surgery. An exhibition with my art group last month encouraged me to finish a few paintings to show and create this years christmas card, but other than that my creative MoJo has sort of Moved on, so I'm concentrating on Christmas. And Christmas is just around the corner (....oh my where did this year go) Im making a list and of course checking it twice, mustn't forget anyone. This year it is relatively easy as all the children are getting one of my Doodle T-shirts. After spending over a year sourcing a decent local printer I am please to finally announce I'm now selling my lovely designs on ETSY. Its very difficult to get started as with no previous customers I have no reviews to reassure potential buyers.  I have Original Paintings, Prints and my T-shirts but not many views and only one sale. Struggling yet again. Why not have a look and let me k

So now I have this FitBit I am very conscious about what I eat and how much I move, (or don't move some days.) I'm even monitoring my sleep pattens to see if what I eat, how much I exercise I do or even when I go to bed affects my quality of sleep. To get a good rounded experiment it will take quite a few weeks but its been interesting so far. I am hoping it will help me understand how to get a good nights sleep so my body can recharge my immune system and fight off winter bugs! My Husband is mainly focusing on the amount of steps he takes and is constantly annoyed I am beating him with how many I take. Its not difficult considering he works at a desk, and even though I sit when I am painting etc, I am also doing housework, cooking and doing other little jobs around the house while he sits in his chair in the evening looking at photos he has taken, waiting for his food to arrive like a little bird in his nest waiting for the next juicy worm! When ever I was pass his chair

According to some sources, the Full Moon for November is named after beavers because this is the time they become particularly active building their winter dams in preparation for the cold season. Other names for the November Full Moon are Frost Moon, Trading Moon, and Snow Moon or Oak Moon. Traditionally, the last Full Moon before the winter solstice has also been named Mourning Moon. What ever its name is, my Husband insisted it was called the Beaver moon and decided we would each get a present to celebrate this special event. In order to help my quest on loosing Fat and Pounds he surprised me with a Fitbit. I’m currently enjoying logging all I eat and drink and stepping my way to a healthier me…… well thats the idea. Watch this space and see, dbee x

Sitting painting doesn’t really burn the calories does it? It just helps spread the ….well, middle aged spread I guess. So having the grand kids is such a bonus. Not only are they great kids who are fun to be with, but the things they do or say can be hilarious. Running round after them burns quite a few calories, however I always fancy a drink after they’ve gone so any calories burned are soon added to. lol Anyone else feel like that? dbee x

Like many people I have a few struggles in life. Not only am I a struggling artist, but I’m also a struggling fatty. Some unwelcome fat seems to have attached itself to my lower half since the Menopause came visiting. So in order to help focus my attention on the two I thought I would keep a daily journal….. …..I say Daily in a loose sense of the word as I have never been very good at keeping a diary. But Hey Ho, one can but try! Feel free to join me on my journey of Paint, Plumpness and Perspiration. Love and Light dbee x