Food :)

Tomato & Fresh Basil Soup (Pea Protein added) & Toast 11:30
This was surprisingly very tasted with the Pea Protein stirred in, it made the Soup very thick plus it helped to boost the protein by 18g...perfect. 

Tilda Egg Rice & Quorn Chilli with Mixed Vegetables @ 2:30, 3:30 & 5:30
I made a large pot and served portions in a small bowl to control my hunger pangs.  It worked out quite well staggering this meal.  I had uncomfortable bloating and gastro pains from the Quorn Mince (this is something I will be noting for further reference).

 

Omelette with Red Pepper & Spinach - 400 cals

Scrambled Eggs with mixed Veg & Spinach - 157 cals

Cauliflower & Bacon with Cos Lettuce - 447 cals 

(next time will have 100g of Bacon to reduce cals)

One of my favourite Gluten Free Snack options  9Bar- 223 calories of pure goodness :)

Noodle & Egg Medley with fresh Coriander and Thai seasoning ...302 cals (Protein 12g)

Delicious Turkey Salad, a  Protein Post-Workout meal

Pan-fried and combined with freshly picked herbs & salad from my vegetable garden...yummy - 400 calories.

I made some delicious Protein Cheesecakes following this website. Great results and helped to cure those sugar cravings!!

http://mealsandmovesblog.com/2012/02/03/pumped-up-protein-cheesecake/

Ham & Asparagus Strata

4 English muffins, torn into pieces

2 cups cooked ham

2 cups fresh asparagus, cut up

4-6 oz Gruyère cheese, cubed

5 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups milk

2 Tbsp onion, finely chopped

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

• Grease a 2 quart casserole dish. Spread half of the english muffin pieces on the bottom.
• Top with ham, asparagus and cheese cubes
• Top with remaining english muffin pieces
• In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, milk, onion, mustard and pepper
• Pour this mixture over casserole dish, coating everything evenly
• Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours
• Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 60-65 minutes

I will try this with wholemeal pittas instead, it looks like a quiche which I really enjoy eating.


Protein Pancakes
http://mealsandmovesblog.com/meals/protein-pancakeswaffles/


(I will be making these Pancakes in the next few days)..and here they are..yummy.  I added in the sugar with the egg whites to stiffen, then combined them with the rest of the ingredients.





Pilau Rice & Dhal Lentil Delight - packed full of protein - calories are around 450.



Mixed Salad Leaves & Beans with Feta Cheese and Sundried Croutons - delicious and fresh...herbs and salad/spinach picked straight from my Herb Garden




 
Homemade Gelato made with Frozen Cherries, sliced Banana, 1 tbsp of Almond butter, and just a splash of almond milk..
Sprouted grain sandwich with spinach, tomato, tofu, cucumber, avocado, caramelized onions, and lemon garlic “mayonnaise.”

Motivation

Dropping the Fat Tips

21st May 2013

You are in control, not the food - my daily Mantra



Eat slowy, put your fork down between eat mouthful...it really helps to keep you in the moment and appreciate the food your eating.

Drink a glass of water before and after each meal.

Bad Gasto Symptoms
Addictive foods cause cravings, and sometimes gas, bloating and discomfort. Observe which foods you might be addicted to, and substitute other foods or distract yourself to avoid them. It usually takes 3-5 days to completely flush addictive foods from the body to relieve cravings, making weight control significantly easier.

Portion Size does Matter
One of the easiest and most effective ways to control portion size, is to reduce the size of the plates, bowls, cups and glasses that we use on a regular basis. A smaller plate, containing a reasonable amount of delicious food, is often perceived as being more satisfying than an over-sized plate with the same amount of food. Research suggests that our judgement of what constitutes a reasonable portion is dramatically affected by the relative size of the surrounding dish ware. Read this recent article if you're interested: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/04/19/portion-size-controlled-by-plate-size/

Oatmeal
In general, modern diets in many developed countries are too high in sugar, salt and fat. When we make a breakfast staple like oatmeal from scratch, we need between 2-6 ingredients (oats, water, cinnamon, milk, butter, syrup/honey). Here is the ingredient list of a popular brand of instant oatmeal: WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, SUGAR, FLAVORED AND COLORED FRUIT PIECES (DEHYDRATED APPLES [TREATED WITH SODIUM SULFITE TO PROMOTE COLOR RETENTION], ARTIFICIAL STRAWBERRY FLAVOR, CITRIC ACID, RED 40), CREAMING AGENT (MALTODEXTRIN, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, WHEY, SODIUM CASEINATE), SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, GUAR GUM, OAT FLOUR, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CITRIC ACID, NIACINAMIDE, REDUCED IRON, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, FOLIC ACID. Need I say more?

Occasional Treats (homemade is best)
In moderation, everything can be part of a healthy diet, but especially when desserts are prepared at home, using whole, "real" food ingredients (like eggs, butter, flour, etc) they can be a memorable way to celebrate a special day. The key: deprivation is hard to sustain for long periods of time. Nobody should feel deprived of "treat foods", so serve them occasionally in small portions and enjoy, knowing that they can always be a part of your family's special days and celebrations!

Homemade Pasta Sauce...the real stuff

Many store bought pasta sauces contain additives like corn syrup and maltodextrin that are used to increase shelf-life or improve the "mouth-feel" of a product that is less fresh than its homemade counterpart. Homemade tomato sauce can be made in approx. 10 minutes, using fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and a few simple spices like salt and pepper (or paprika) for flavor. In addition, you can add basil, mushrooms or sauteed ground meat to make variations on your pasta sauce. Warning: if you make your own pasta sauces for a few months consecutively, your children may refuse to eat the kind that comes out of the jar.

What's in your Pasta?
quinoa pasta is higher in protein that regular pasta. Brown rice is higher in fiber, magnesium and zinc than white rice. In the last option, whole wheat pasta would be a healthier choice for most people than plain pasta as it is also higher in fiber. For people with gluten intolerance, there are some delicious pastas made out of quinoa, potato and soy, corn or rice.

Keeping an Eye on the Prize :)

Workout Days -  1900 cals
Non-Workout Days - 1700 cals
Fast Days - Mon & Thurs - 500+ cals

Starting Tuesday 21st May 2013

21May
Compound Lifting & Cardio
Ate healthy but ate a whole loads of biscuits, sweets and glass of wine. Not enough water!!

22May
Rest Day..will go for a 30min Walk later today
1700 cals

Breakfast 213cals/13g Protein/28g Carbs/4g Fat

Breakfast 213 calories
Tilda Wholegrain Pilau
6 Tbsp Liquid Egg Whites
20g Wild Rocket

Lunch 257 calories
Same as Breakfast (minus the Egg) but added in 33g of Feta Cheese.

Dinner 703cals/34g Protein/40g Fat/54 Carbs

Dinner 703 calories (packed with Protein)
Pan-fried Chicken with Sweet Potato Chips & Salad.
Fat content was high, will have to re-adjust for next time by halfing the quantities of Oils and dressing. Very satisfying Dinner. I cooked the Potatoes in my Philips Actifryer using 1/2 tsp of Olive oil, they can out great.

Dessert 456cals/8g Protein/18g Fat/63 Carbs

Dessert 456 calories
Mixed fruit salad with Coconut Greek Yoghurt (sprinkled with Chia Seeds)

This will need some tweaking, I did'nt really need this much and I added way too much yoghurt 130g - 60g would have been sufficient...this needs some tweeking.

Snacks
4 Brazilian Nuts & 4 Dried Apricots.

Water
Water intake was okay but could be better.

New Challenges - Now - May 2014

Learn to play guitar/ukelele
I have researched some good YT videos and learnt a few chords but I need to pick up from where I left off.

Dressmaking
I have a sewing machine and a great book regarding sewing etc.  I will be dusting off the machine and start sewing in the evenings....helps to stop the snacking also.

French
I did a module as part of my Degree and I was really quite good...I have been learning on and off for years, it is time to get to grips and stop messing around...plus we go to France quite often when Sailing.

Knitting
I have knitted two great jumpers in my lifetime..one was emerald green with baubles all over them and the other was a navy blue chunky cable knit jumper.  I started knitting again when I was pregnant and have not continued.  It is very theraupetic too.

Crochet
I have always wanted to learn..at the moment I am teaching myself, watching YouTube videos and bought some books. I have done a few samples..

Dropping the FAT!!11

Upon my return from holiday, I decided that I needed to consume more fruits,vegetables and water and cut out the excess emply calories.  I still have fat to lose (30%) at present and I really need to get back on track.  I have started IF on Sunday and all is going well...apart from the ice-cream at the beach after an afternoon stroll.  All in all I feel fine and have continued to increase my weight training and minimise the amount of Cardio, which wasnt much anyway (2 sessions per week).  I will include a swimming session to my workout regime.

19May13
I wasnt to sure about IF, everytime I plan to do it, I read conflicting messages about eating breakfast first thing in the morning.  I have read great posts from people that have found IF really successful. Maybe I should just do it for a month and not be swayed.

Anyway, I have gone back to Compound Lifting and have been lifting 25kg which has been quite intense.  I intend to up the weight each week and still throw in the odd HIIT on the bike occasionally.

I took some pictures this morning after my lifting session..I jumped on the scale first: 11.11st - 30%bf - 32.6% mm

11.11st - 30%bf  MAY13

11.11 - 30.7bf & 32.7% mm JULY13

Need to work on thighs, hips, waistline and abs. My upper body has always looked well toned and

JULY13

build muscle very easily.

May 2013

I gained 7lbs whilst on holiday in April and my stomach needs some serious work.  Also if I slimmed down my thighs and worked more on my booty (as you can see, its not that defined) I'd have a better physique. We received our new mattress last week and it has really helped with my posture and aches and pains when sleeping - Silent Night mattress :)

Post-Pregnancy Nov2010

MAY 13

JULY 13

 This picture doesnt look too bad. I have the shape but needs more dedicated and consistent work! Not bad for a 40year old :)


The picture below was taken early last year 2012...my waist and lovehandles have reduced down nicely...It is so important to take pictures to encourage you to stay on track and stay as healthy as possible.

Start of Locs Journey May 2103

I have decided to loc my hair, I have given this some thought for a long time, off and on….I have thought about sisterlocks, freeform locs & original locs.  After visiting the Island of Grenada in April 2013, I decided the time was right to get the journey started.  I really couldn’t face the idea of braiding my hair again (which I have done for years).  My hair is now completely natural and free of chemicals, and has been for the past 5 years.

So, I decided to start the journey with the two strand twists using Aloe Vera gel.

A couple of my brothers used to have long locks and they looked really good, so given that we share the same DNA (i.e. hair pattern), my hair should lock up really nicely and quickly.  My hair pattern is 4c and is very dense and extremely coily.

I am also trying to improve and grow my hairline hence why I use Castor Oil daily and slip with a satin headscarf to protect my hair. My next update will be next month 9 June 2013 .

These are just a couple of links which I particulary like to read as well as other youtube videos. 

www.mydreadlocks.blogspot.com

www.monica-rose.co.uk
www.naturalocs.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.justlocs.com/blog/

Re-twist

Tonight, I re-twisted my hair for the first time.

Halfway stage, which took about 40mins

This is the completed re-twist, total time was about 80 minutes.
I used the Organic Twist & Lock Gel.

Styled the next morning with side bangs and alice band.

2/6/13
I decided to retwist my locs as they were not tight enough.  It really stretch my hair alot and looks more defined and curly at the ends, which I like.  I counted my locs and I have 180 so I'm going to round the number up to 200 or a little more. I have a fairly small head so I think that amount should be adequate for me.  I had to pull some of the locs apart to retwist, therefore the locing process was happening, more so at the back than the front.  I happy with the process so far and like the fact that i dont have to do too much with my hair.

I do spritz my hair wth water/glycerin and Jamaican Black Castor Oil combo.  I also use JBCO on my edges, I have been doing this for about 4mths now and I have seen good results.

14 June 13 - update:

My hair is looking fine, I had a bit of shrinkage after washing but nothing to bother me that much.  I use Black Soap to wash my hair and then added in a Bantu Shea Butter leave-in treatment, my hair felt lovely, I sat out in the sunshine to let it dry naturally.  I have been thinking about Sisterlocks, I braided a few strands then changed my mind.  The process of interlocking seems very labourious and after braiding for years previously, it just felt like I would be reverting back when having to maintain the stlye.  I am well and truly hooked on my locs!! I have a few that have budded in the back but overall the process is quite slow...however, its only be just over a month, patience is key in this process :)

18 June '13 - update:
After doing some research, I decided that my locs were too thin in....I read that in some cases this can cause the loc to thin and break.  I re-twisted my hair again and made the sections slightly larger.  I am now fully satisfied with the outcome and happy in the knowledge that my locs will look better overall.
 

29 June 13 - Update

I re-twisted my new growth and plus the additional fizz. It was looking fluffy, which didn't really bother me, I wanted to see if there was more growth. Because I work out 5 times a week, my hair gets wet and so I wash it once a week. I normally wear an Alice-band but I will start putting my hair in a ponytail instead as I don't think my hair is locking due to the amount of sweating I do...so maybe tying my hair up in-one when exercising might help. My re-twist took me 1hr to do whilst watching TV.

Update:4 July 13

I have noticed that my hair is growing slightly in length.  I am still enjoying the process and waiting for more budding.  I need to be more adventurous with my hairstyles as I wear the same "do" everyday (in an alice band) however, I do think that my hair is thanking me for the rest from the normal routine of braiding and combing etc.

Update: 11/7/13

Retwisted my hair using homemade flaxseed gel. I was impressed by the hold and how quickly it dried, with no flaking. My clips came a day after I ordered them off EBay :-)  

13/07/13
Loving my locs :-) 
 









 


Update: 21/7/13

Retwisted my hair again, it gets so frizzy as I work out 5 days per week. However, it is gradually locking in places and Im still enjoy the transistion phase and what it will become.

Update: 15/10/13

My hair has finally loc'd :-). I can put in a small ponytail but I only every keep it in one style (Alice Band). I never play in my hair, I just let it be. I'm washing roughly about 3 times per month.  I do a hot-oil condition and wash out then re-twist with grape seed oil or 100% aloe very gel.

These are just a couple of links which I particulary like to read as well as other youtube videos. 

www.mydreadlocks.blogspot.com

www.monica-rose.co.uk
www.naturalocs.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.justlocs.com/blog/