After a bad experience in the sea last Sunday, I have been anxious about getting back in.   However, I did not want one bad moment to ruin something I love so much so I was determined to go again. The sea has been so rough this week I was unable to go back to the sea with my swimming companion, Rebecca but this morning I knew the sea was calm.

High tide was at 08:23 so I got down to West St.Leonard’s  by 8am.  I wished I had someone to go in with but I didn’t.  There was so much seaweed and so many shells on the beach, washed up from the stormy seas earlier in the week.Milton would have enjoyed the mussels.I find the colours and patterns on the beach very lovely.I haven’t seen such pink seaweed before on these beaches.Time to get in.  The water was so calm there was no reason not to so in I went and it was fabulous.  The air temperature was 13 °and the sea temperature was 16 ° so it was actually warmer in the sea than out!  I swam backwards and forwards between the groynes 6 times.  It felt great and I was so glad I went in. I also met another swimmer out there, who swims all year round and she suggested I join a local sea swimming group on Facebook.  So I have done that and can see there is a swimming event annually from the harbour arm to the pier and back again;  I hope to be able to do that next year.Back at home I had a hot bath and then a large bowl of fruit with 150 g Alpro vanilla yogurt (2 syns).  I added the yogurt and banana as I was hungry and knew I wasn’t having lunch until 2:30.I drove up to Surrey to have lunch with my Dad and step-Mother and was delighted Lara joined us as well.  Dad took us to Zizzi’s which I like as they have a really good vegan menu.

I resisted wine (easily done as I never drink alcohol when I have to drive on a motorway)  and instead had a lime soda (3 syns).  As a starter I had a small bowl of spiced nuts.  It was mainly chick peas so actually not many syns.  I can’t find any Zizzi dishes on Slimming World Online but a member of my SW group helpfully sent me a link to the calories.

Zizzi spicy nuts = 241 caloriesAs a main I had the broccoli salad and some herby potatoes.  The salad was very tasty and low calorie but the potatoes were very calorific.  They tasted great though.Green Goddess Salad (broccoli) = 256 calories

Herby potatoes = 338 caloriesI should have then just had a black coffee but I didn’t because Zizzi does the most amazing vegan dessert;  sticky chocolate torte with a scoop of coconut and chocolate ice-cream.  So yummy it’s hard to believe it’s vegan.

Sticky Chocolate torte = 539 calories

Coconut and chocolate gelato = 112 caloriesTotal Zizzi calories = 1,486.  Wow !!!!!  So high but it was all very enjoyable and it was great to spend time with my family.  But I think next time I need to resist the torte and ice-cream and then I would only have had 835 calories.

In the evening I had a small portion of vegan shepherd’s pie I had left over in the fridge.

I intend to swim again in the sea tomorrow morning and eat extremely sensibly.