Damn, I did NOT want to go to the gym tonight. I felt tired and cranky and over it all. The funny thing, I'm starting to find is that those are the nights I work out best. Once I get into the gym, I'm fine. More than fine. I'm dandy too. Maybe it's because I channel all that crotchetiness into my workout.

So tonight I got on the treadmill and ran 5K. Hell, bugger modesty:

I ran 5K!!!!

That's one thing I can cross off my list for this year. I am so happy but so incredibly sore. See, stupid me had a sore ankle from walking home last night. It was fine while I was on the treadmill and fine while I did my weights session afterwards but when I'd showered and was leavng the gym I could hardly walk. What's a shin splint? I think it could be that - the shin above my ankle is really painful and it hurts to bend my foot.

As I limping down Russell St to the tram, past the dodgy amusement places, I was stopped several times by young guys asking if I was right. Their concern warmed my heart until I thought about it. They weren't worried about my wellbeing but trying to sell me drugs! Now that's something that never happened to me before I lost weight. I could go to the dodgiest areas of Melbourne, I lived in Footscray for god sake, and never ever got offered drugs on the street. Oh weight loss, is there anything it can't do? It even helps you get a smack addiction.

You know what one of the biggest drawbacks of eating healthy is? When you have a big cookup to freeze for later, you don't have a ready supply of takeaway containers to use. I have about 3-4 that I've knicked off my housemates and they are all being used. I have a heap of chicken in the freezer that I want to make into something and I have to wait until I have some containers for it. Yeah, I could buy some but that costs money.

Finally, a couple of people asked for my chilli recipe but I rarely use recipes for anything - maybe the first time I cook something new but then I just improvise. So this is my basic method o' cooking:

Cook up some onion and brown some low fat mince (add some stock if you need liquid). Chuck in a tin of tomatoes, more stock, kidney beans and whatever vegies you have on hand and cook up for a while. Oh yeah, and chilli powder.

I like to serve it with sweet chili sauce and a dollop of plain yoghurt and heaps of coriander. I think I chucked a bit of cumin in with the chilli powder last night too.

And the other thing - I dunno if other people do this but whenever I cook anything with mince, I put in a heap of red lentils too - it has a similar texture to the mince and makes it more diet-friendly and cheaper. The first time I did this, Andrew went on about "not eating hippy shit" but he was so impressed that even he (and he is king o'meat) chucks in lentils now.