A good old roasting!

Not really felt it the last couple of days I have to say, I think one nights bad sleep has thrown me a little, but am not giving up!

My muscles have felt heavy and its all felt a bit of a chore, it's amazing though how although you don't feel like it, once you get going the endorphins definitely kick in and you soon forget that you weren't feeling it!  But I know I haven't given my best this week.  Tomorrow is another day ... and it will be good! 

 

~BREAKFAST~

 

Today I tried a version of the Hairy Dieters fruity crumpets.  However, for theirs they cook the fruit and mix it with honey.  I just grilled my crumpets, scattered sliced strawberries and raspberries on top and then topped with a fat free tropical fruit yogurt, sprinkled with cinnamon.

It was ok, but I don't think you can beat crumpets with butter, how they should be!

Obviously cooking the fruit first would release juices to soak in, but I just didn't have time for that!

~MID-MORNING SNACK / LUNCH /AFTERNOON SNACK~

 

Combining the three today as no pics I'm afraid, but my snack was a banana and my lunch was a tuna and red onion salad in Nimble wholemeal, with extra extra light mayo and lots of white pepper, yum!  I also had a small snack bag of mixed roasted unsalted nuts.

 

When back from the gym I had some seeded oat cakes with whole nut peanut butter on top and a protein shake.

 

~DINNER~

 

Tonight's dinner was my kind of cooking, just throw it all in the pan and let it cook!  This is my mid-week version of a roast. Chicken thighs wrapped in parma ham with assorted roasted veg.

I was using beetroot today as I had some fresh raw ones in the fridge to use.  These take aaagggeees to roast so first of all I quartered them (don't bother peeling) and chucked them into the roasting tin with a good squeeze of orange juice and the rest of  an orange, and a drizzle of rapeseed oil.  Let these cook at about 180oc for about 45 minutes, then remove the orange.

I then added all the other veg, today I used carrots, parsnips, peppers, onion, sweet potato, leeks and asparagus as they were all in the fridge to be used up!  I then quarted up a lemon and chucked that in so that the juice would help steam as everything else roasts.  The chicken thighs are skinless which is obviously healthier, but also means they can dry out.  So instead I wrap them in parma ham which has very little fat on it and stops the chicken drying out and place them on top of the veg, bung it all in the oven and let it cook for about another 45 minutes, turning the veg every now and then.  Then just dish it all up, easy as and tasty as! 

 

Topped with some mint sauce spooned over, a little habit I have picked up from my husband who puts it on everything ... but on some things it really does work!

 

~EXERCISE~

 



Gym today as I've said but didn't give it my all.  I think maybe I had increased my reps/weights too soon when I did it on Tuesday, maybe am not ready for the next stage yet, so I reduced it back down again today.  It may just be tiredness, but will do the same tomorrow and see how I feel next week before I put it back up again.  But I still did it, and I still ended up loving it, and still walked out with a huge smile on my face, just for the fact that I did it.

 

When I got home I decided to also do a 15 minute kettlebell workout.  Touched on these the other day in my blog entitled kettlebells and lovely kitchen smells.  They really are brilliant and you can really feel the affect on your core.

 

So it's a short one today,

but thanks again for reading

Jo

xx

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

Just some old tart!!!!

I had a really poo nights sleep last night, hardly got any infact.  Mainly because my husband could not get comfortable and was restless, which meant obviously I was not going to get any sleep either!  He can't be uncomfortable quietly, tossing and turning all over the place and then when he did drop off, he snored ..... loudly!!

I love my sleep and I have to have at least 7 hours a night, otherwise I cannot function properly.  I am ok first thing, but as the day goes on I get grouchier and my energy levels hit zero.

Luckily I started off with a quiet morning at work as my boss was out, but then he returned about an hour before I was due to leave and dared to give me a whole heap of work to get done ... bang out of order!  I didn't even get a chance to eat lunch, I just managed to snaffle away a quick banana, I wasn't happy.

So I really didn't feel like swimming to today, it was the last thing I felt like and I very nearly skipped it.  I know it is ok to skip your regime every now and then, but as much as I wanted to skip today, a little nagging voice in my head told me just to get on with it, and I listened.  But I certainly felt the difference.

~BREAKFAST~

 

Today was porridge simply made with porridge oats, water and Cinnamon, topped with fresh raspberries. 

 

I also had the usual shake of almond milk, frozen raspberries, strawberries and chocolate protein powder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~MORNING SNACK~

 

Just a good old banana today as already mentioned!

~LUNCH~

 

Lunch didn't really happen today as after swimming I had to go shopping and only had 1/2 hr when I got back before I had to go out again to collect Matt, so I had picked up some more peanut butter whilst shopping and just had a peanut butter and marmite sandwich ... you don't need a pic of that!!

 

 

~DINNER~

 

Dinner however is really worth a picture, as the finished dish looked prettier than picture!

I picked up some frozen reduced fat puff pastry the other day and had taken it out the freezer this morning, not really knowing what I would do with it.  Decided after a few days of feasting on meat, a vegetarian dinner was needed, and decided on a vegetable tart.

I lined a shallow baking tray with greaseproof paper and sprayed with fry light, then opened the pastry out onto it flat.  I ran a sharp knife around the edge of the sheet about 1/2" in, then pricked it all over with a fork.

I then spread about 2 tsps of Sacla wild garlic pesto over the base and topped it with sliced tomatoes and strips of red pepper (from a jar in brine, I always keep a jar of these in, they are fab), asparagus spears and low fat mozzarella.

Bunged it in the oven at about 190oc for approx 30-40 mins until pastry was cooked and cheese etc browned and melted.

 

Served a quarter each with a lovely salad of mixed leaves, cucumber, avocado and beetroot, dressed with the usual honey, mustard, white wine vinegar and rapeseed oil dressing.

 

 

Gorgeous!  Still two quarters left, reckon we will snaffle them whilst watching the opening ceremony of the paralympics tonight! ;)

 

~EXERCISE~

 

As already mentioned, was swimming today and I really wasn't feeling it. I am glad I went, but didn't enjoy it as much as I usually do, as I was so tired it felt like a chore, which is never a good thing.  So I decided to do 40 lengths, still half a mile, and then sit and relax in the steam room and jacuzzi for another 20 minutes, ideal!

 

It is important to remember, sometimes you aren't going to feel like it, and it really is ok to miss it once in a while.  Sometimes when your heart isn't in it it can be dangerous as your mind isn't on it and you could injure yourself with a silly mistake.  Just don't let the odd skip turn into a permanent one, it is so easy to do, and so hard to get back into after a long period of absence.

 

I decided as I got in the pool I would only do 40, partly because I was tired, but also partly because I was running late having had to get some bits done at work, so was later in the pool than usual.  Those 40, or maybe the first 35, were very hard going.  I think also because I had pushed myself further in the gym yesterday my muscles were tired.  But as I hit the 40 mark I suddenly got an extra surge of strength and felt I could have done a lot more, but decided for once to just take it easy, 40 lengths after all was better than doing none!!

 

Am now about to sit back and watch the opening ceremony to the Paralympics, and be totally inspired.  These people are true heroes, their strength and courage and commitment is just awe inspiring, if they can do it .... we sure as hell have no excuse not to!!

 

Thanks again for reading

Jo

xx

chick chick chick chick chickpea!!!!

That has always been my problem in the past, if I can't see results pretty damn quick, I give up!  But the thing to remember is, it has taken me years to pile all this weight on, it's going to take some time to get rid of it!

But I am seeing results.  It may not be obvious results to everybody else at the moment, but the changes are happening, my body is getting tighter, firmer, toned.  My ability to exercise has improved, my stamina, strength and my flexibility.  It isn't just visual changes happening, it is changes to my whole body, my whole persona, and I am actually finding that more rewarding! 

It excites me to see the contours and definitions developing as my muscles take shape, my clothes getting loser and not clinging to the wrong sort of bumps, but it also excites me when I can push myself a little further on a machine.

I am a work in progress, and I am still loving every minute of it.

Most people are under the illusion that muscle weighs more than fat, it doesn't, a lb of fat obviously weighs the same as a lb of muscle, as does a lb of feathers!  A lb is a lb is a lb!  But muscle is much more dense than fat, so by volume, it weighs more.  A lb of muscle occupies less space than a lb of fat.  Basically you can fit more lbs of muscle into an area than you can of fat.  Also a lb of muscle burns more calories than a lb of fat, so even at rest, by increasing your lean muscle tissue mass you are burning more calories.  So when people tell you that when your weight loss slows or even goes up slightly when resistance training it is because muscle weighs more than fat, it isn't, you are simply increasing your lean body mass and decreasing your body fat, so even if the scales don't show in your favour, you will see a difference in your shape, measurements and how your clothes fit.

~BREAKFAST~

 

 

It was going to be peanut butter on toast this morning, but I had run out of my beloved peanut butter *gasp*.  So as I only discovered this after cooking my toast, I quickly dry fried a couple of eggs instead.

 

I also made my morning protein shake with my chocolate whey protein powder but with the addition of frozen raspberries, fresh strawberries and almond milk ... makes it so much more appetising!!

 

Also really filled me up so didn't bother with a mid-morning snack!

 

~LUNCH~
 

 

Had some fresh sweetcorn in the fridge yesterday, and some tins of crab in the cupboard, so with some extra ingredients decided to knock up a crab and sweetcorn soup for my lunch today!

 

First of all I stripped the corn off one cob and whizzed this in a blender till it became 'corn cream'.  I then cooked this out in a hot pan, along with some chopped spring onions, finely sliced red chilli and fresh ginger cut into matchsticks.  I then stripped the other corn off the other cob and added this to the pan along with two drained tins of crab.  I then added some water to loosen it all up, some fish sauce and some soy sauce.  Let it simmer a while, then mix up a teaspoon of cornflour with a dash of cold water and add to the pan, stirring as it thickens slightly.  Break an egg into a cup and give it a good beating, then add to the pan and stir so it cooks into tiny ribbons in the soup.  I also had a tin of water chestnuts in the cupboard and I love these, so for a bit of crunch and texture I chopped a few of these up and threw them in as well.  Finished it off with some chopped up coriander and a good dose of white pepper and let it cool.  This morning I just ladled it into an airtight dish to take to work and then heated it up in the microwave, absolutely delicious!

 

 

~AFTERNOON SNACK~

 

 

One of my magical energy bars today, followed by a bowl of strawberries with  a fat free peach yogurt on top, om nom nom!!!

 

~DINNER~

 

My fabulous harrisa chicken and chorizo today which both myself and Matthew love.  I normally make in a casserole pan on the hob, but made it today in the actifry.

First of all I chop up 3 chicken breasts and a couple of mini cooking chorizo sausages and chuck them in the actifry to brown, followed by the onion which is quartered and then separated into leaves.  I then stir in two large teaspoons of harrisa paste and cook for another couple of minutes.  (I use Belazu rose harrisa paste, it is gorgeous, rose petals are one of over 40 spices in it, amazing flavour).  I add chopped up peppers ,a small tin of chickpeas, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and a chicken stock cube made up with some water and let it cook for another couple of minutes.  Then add a tin of chopped tomatoes and some chopped up dried apricots and cook again for about 10 minutes.  Leave to stand for an hour or so for flavours to develop then stir in some chopped coriander before reheating again.  I served this with some Ainsley Harriot Spice Sensation cous-cous, easily made by adding some boiling water, covering and leaving to stand for about 10 minutes whilst it absorbs the water and fluffs up.  Top with a dollop of fat free greek yogurt .. and enjoy!

 

 

Chickpeas are a brilliant, healthy addition to any diet, naturally low in fat, high in dietary fibre and rich in vitamins and minerals.  Including them regularly in your diet can help you manage your weight, lower cholesterol, boost intestinal health and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.  As well as a good source of protein the carbohydrates in these and other legumes, are digested slowly, reducing the blood sugar peaks and drops that can contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes.

 

~EXERCISE~

 

Gym day today and I loved it, as always.  I upped my game and on many of the machines either increased the reps or the weight.  I really concentrated on my breathing today and it definitely made each exercise easier.  

 

When exercising, your muscles signal to your brain for more energy.  To deliver more oxygen your heart beats faster and your lungs try to draw in more air.  To maintain your performance, it is important to control your breathing to ensure your muscles receive a steady stream of oxygen.

 

When resistance training, the proper way to breathe is to exhale slowly while you lift or pull the weight, inhale as you return it to its starting position.  So 'exhale on the exertion' is an easy way to remember it.

 

Holding your breath when exercising can be incredibly dangerous as it can raise your blood pressure and heart rate and cause you to become dizzy or light headed.  Instead breathe through the entire movement in  a steady, controlled manner.

 

Thanks again for reading

Jo

xx

 

 

A little porkie!

I had a thought this morning whilst driving to swimming, you wouldn't fill your car's petrol tank with rubbish and still expect it to work for you would you, yet that is what we do with out stomach's, and then we moan and wonder why our bodies don't behave as we expect them to!

Keep filling it with crap, and pretty soon it is going to give up on you, feed it with goodness and you will reap the benefits.

Pretty simple really isn't it!

~BREAKFAST~

 

Was up early this morning for a bank holiday to go for a swim, so just made myself up a big version of the Little Pot of Loveliness, porridge oats, mixed seeds, fresh raspberries and mango and a fat free peach and passion fruit yogurt, all mixed up, delicious!

 

 

~LUNCH~

 

We popped over to see my youngest niece this afternoon as it is her 13th birthday this week, and we took her a box of cupcakes as a treat ........ well, would have been rude to say no to one!!!

Seriously though, I had a banging headache so really didn't fancy anything else to eat for lunch today.

~DINNER~

 

Ooooo today's dinner was good, one of my absolute favourites.  I absolutely love pork and fennel together, it goes amazingly well.  And my pork, apple and fennel burgers are totally to die for, even if I do say so myself.

Using a lean pork mince, I simply add a couple of teaspoons of apple sauce from a jar and a teaspoon of fennel seeds and mix it all together.  I then form into burgers and place in the fridge to chill and firm up for an hour or so.

I then cook on a hot griddle, no oil, for about 8 minutes or so each side until cooked through.  Today, as this was our only main meal, I served them in wholemeal seeded rolls spread with more apple sauce and dijon mustard spread on them, and a salad of spinach leaves, tomatoes, beetroot, cucumber and avocado with a dressing of rapeseed oil, dijon and wholegrain mustard, cider vinegar and honey.

Normally I serve them without the rolls, and no-doubt the anti-bread brigade will shoot me down for having two rolls, but as I said, it was our only main meal today, we were hungry, they did the job!

Pork often gets a bad reputation as a fatty meat, but when you take away the crackling (yes I know its the best part but hey!) and outer fat, you are left with a very lean meat which as well as containing plenty of essential vitamins, such as thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, riboflavin and vitamin B12, it also packed with high levels of minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc.  As well as that, because pork requires your body to work really hard to digest it, lean pork allows greater fat burning.  How good is that, eating it helps you burn fat!!!

 

~EXERCISE~

  

Despite it being a bank holiday Monday, I was determined not to let this interfere with my fitness regime, so as already said, was up early to go for a swim. Unfortunately though it seems everybody else had the same idea!!  I thought it would be empty... it was packed.  And mainly packed with erm ... the retired generation!!  Now we all know how frustrating they can be on the roads ... imagine what it is like with them in the pool!

I managed 20 lengths dodging in and out of them and avoiding slamming into them when they just suddenly stopped for a gossip mid length, and was ready to give up when luckily one of the 'roped off' lanes for 'serious swimmers' became free, so I nipped in there and did another 40.

I'm not begrudging them being in there, I think it is brilliant and totally admire them for keeping up their fitness however they can, plus it is also a social thing for them, but it is a tad frustrating when you are trying to swim, in what is meant to be a fitness pool, and it becomes more like a social club for the oap's ;)  Luckily it seems most of them use it in the mornings, there are a few when I go in the afternoon, but not many.

  

I found it harder doing it in the morning too, I usually go in the afternoon and I guess all my muscles have warmed up by then, this morning was hard work and the first 10 lengths or so were like wading through mud, but I still enjoyed it.

 

I do the breaststroke, but I hate having my head in the water, have never learnt to breathe properly under water and it panics me.  So I do the breaststroke but with my head, well nose, above the water.  But looking around, so do most people in there!  It is my mission however to try and overcome this and practise my breathing, I can then move on with the front crawl.

 



Well back to work tomorrow, so I now have a pile of ironing to tackle, oh I know how to live.

Ooooo, before I go.  I have mentioned my friend Jen Mayes before, she really is one of my main inspirations for my new found healthy lifestyle, a lovely, amazing woman.  Anyway, she has now qualified and set herself up as a Personal Trainer and is based in Braintree, Essex.

So, anybody in the Braintree / Chelmsford / Witham and surrounding areas who is looking for a good, decent Personal Trainer, who totally understands the struggles of trying to get yourself into shape, please check out her website. Amazing Fitness .  Believe me, she has been there, her own fitness journey is truly inspirational. 

Thanks again for reading
Jo
xx

Food is fuel ... not therapy!!!

I am a happy person, I genuinely am.  Anybody who really knows me will tell you that, and it isn't a cover up or a shield.  I am happy.  I love to laugh, and I love to make others laugh too.

I always see the best in life, I don't tend to let things get to me and get me down, I deal with things, I don't stew on things and make more drama out of them and make everything about me. I rarely argue (although I do nag!). 

If I don't like a situation, I will remove myself from it, if somebody hurts me or lets me down, I tend to leave them out of my life.  I don't like to feel used, so I won't allow people use me. 

I don't surround myself with lots of 'friends', I don't need to.  I have a very very happy and secure relationship with my husband, he is my best friend and the one person in the world I can truly be myself with. He simply gets me and I love spending time with him.

I have been badly hurt by too many friends in the past, it stays with you, so I find it hard to trust others and tend to keep most people at arms length.  I was bullied growing up, first of all in 1st year seniors, so I moved schools and it happened again, and both occasions were by jealous girls who 'fancied' boys who apparently fancied me.  Not my fault, but girls can be very malicious, and vicious and cruel, and jealousy is an ugly, ugly trait.  I may sometimes feel a little bit envious of something somebody has or has done, but I am not a jealous person.  I make my life, I am responsible for it, if I truly want something, I will make sure I work hard to get it, I don't expect anything to fall into my lap and I don't think anybody owes me anything.

I come from a loving family with parents who I have always known love me and each other, have always had security,  I am very, very lucky.  I knew I could go to my parents about the bullying, and I knew they would sort it for me, and they did, and it stopped, and I enjoyed the rest of my school life.  But it still stays with you.

We have had some hard times as a family, like most people.  The hardest being when my elder sister Lynn died at the age of 26 from a brain tumour, she had fought it from the age of 18/19, I was 24 when she died and still living at home, amongst it all.  To lose somebody close to you like that devastates you, it really does, and it stays with you all your life.  Life does go on, but it is always there with you.  I wouldn't say it gets easier, you still miss them dreadfully, you can't help but wonder every now and then 'what if', but you learn to live with it, and without them.  I still hear in my head the noises she made on the night she died.  She knew her time had come, and she wanted us around her, she hadn't been able to speak for months, but she found the strength to muster up this noise that called us to her.  I still hear that noise.

I am telling you all of this because I believe it is these 'situations' that have led me to be a comfort eater over the years, as so many people are.  However, so many people think that comfort eating is a result of unhappiness, it isn't so.  It can be for a number of reasons, it is a crutch, a way of coping.  As happy as I am with my life, I still have issues which will always be with me, and those issues every now and then rear their ugly heads and grip at my stomach.  I have always made them go away by filling it with food.

But then that becomes an issue in itself, because as a result, you put on weight, and that becomes another demon.  I don't need therapy to tell me that, I know that.  Eventually however you have to ask yourself, is the food helping?  And you know it isn't, you have always known it hasn't, but finally you wake up to it and face it and decide enough is enough.  It takes away your confidence and your self-worth.  So you have to decide, are you going to let it continue, or are you going to take control?

I finally, at long last,  decided to take control.

 

~BREAKFAST~

 

I am not a tomato lover.  My Mum loves them and eats them like sweets.  I put some everyday in Matthew's lunchbox, luckily he loves them too.  I read once they can help fight against cancer, that is why I give them to him, he hasn't got cancer ... so I guess it must be right!! ;)

Joking aside, they contain lycopene, a very powerful anti-oxidant that helps in the fight against cancerous cell formation as well as other kinds of health complications and diseases.  When they are heated, the benefits of the lycopene actually increases.

But despite knowing that, I am still not a lover.  I cannot eat the core of a tomato, it makes me gag, even just the thought of it.  So I will always thinly slice around the tomato and leave the core, its just one of my many weird traits!

But this morning, before heading out on a lovely long walk, I really wanted fresh tomatoes on toast ... so that is what I had, with a little salt and a lot of white pepper, and it was good!!

~LUNCH~

 

We ignored the weather warnings and went out for a nice long walk today, and the sun shone all day.  Was going to take a picnic but just decided to take a couple of Magical Energy Bars with us which were very welcome at the end.

 

When we got back home I knocked us up a smoothie of sorts.  This was simply some fresh strawberries, frozen raspberries, frozen yogurt and almond milk.  Blitzed it all together with a hand held blender and hey presto!!!


Delicious, filling and so refreshing.  Even Matthew loved it, not normally a smoothie lover, nor am I to be honest, but this was more a fruity shake!!

Smoothies get a bit of a hard time, it depends on what you put in them, but what can be better for you than all the freshness that went into this one, no added sugars, all natural goodness, well, probably some sugars in the frozen yogurt, but I only put a tablespoon in so not going to kill me!!!

~DINNER~

 

I very rarely do a roast dinner on a Sunday, we normally have one mid week sometime but never really feel like one on a Sunday, but when shopping on Friday I spotted a lovely rib of beef on the bone in Waitrose and it was reduced, so snapped it  up!!

We love our beef rare, still moo-ing, and I usually find it hard to get it spot on, but today was good.  I crack some black pepper over both sides of the beef and then sear all sides in a very hot dry pan.

I then make a 'trivet' in the roasting tin of carrots, parsnips and onion and place the seared beef on top.  Then put in a pre-heated oven, about 180oc and for this joint I cooked it for about 55 minutes.

Whilst that was cooking I par-boiled some potatoes and sweet potatoes, gave them a good shake to rough them up, then put them in the actifry for 30 minutes, no oil, just the hot air to crisp them up.  I had been given some more runner beans from my colleague at work so shred them up with a runner bean shredder and let them simmer away whilst everything else cooked.  When the beef was ready I took it out and let it rest, and put the roasting tin back in the oven to let the trivet of veg cook a bit longer.  You can't have roast beef without good old yorkie puds.  These weren't handmade by me, but I did pick them up from a local farm shop, so had been hand made by somebody!!

Once everything is cooked and served up, I made the gravy with the runner bean water.  I should say I make all the gravy from scratch using all the juices etc, and sometimes, very rarely, I do.  But normally, and today, I just use some good old low salt gravy granules and stir till thickened!!

See, it doesn't have to be laden in fat, a roast can be as healthy as you like, and a little addition like the yorkie pud makes it feel naughty but nice!

A lot of people hate their beef rare, I have always loved it and all I would say is, why would you pay out for a good joint of meat only to cremate it and lose all its natural juiciness and tenderness.  Cooked like this, the knife goes through it like butter, and you appreciate the full flavour of the meat, don't knock it till you try it!!

~EXERCISE~

 

Matt and I love walking, it hasn't always been so, I used to find any excuse not to, even driving down to the local shop which is about 15 houses away from us!  But now we love it, and we love photography, and wildlife, so we combine all 3 whenever we can.

 

Today was a gorgeous day, so we headed on out to a local nature reserve called Chigborough Lakes.  We have never been here before and it was beautiful, I love being near water anyway.  Sitting down on the grass bank with Matthew, next to a huge lake, with nobody else around, watching nature at its best, dragonflies, damselflies and other such critters, you can't help but smile at life.  We walked for about 2 hours on and off, with the sun on our faces, feeling the stresses just ebb away with the water, a fantastic day.

Thanks again for reading
Jo
xx

Get your skates on!!!

I said I probably wouldn't get to do a blog today .... I lied!!

But will just be a very quick one.

We attempted to go out for a walk today, but as suspected, the weather put its own dampeners on that!!  We managed half an hour or so, then the heaven's opened, so instead, we ended up in the cinema watching Bourne Legacy, which was fab!!

As I have said before, there is no real structure to my eating at weekends, we just eat as and when we feel like it and usually breakfast see's us through most of the day.

~BREAKFAST~

So this morning we had our usual weekend breakfast out and once again I had scarmbled eggs on granary toast, forgot to take the IPod so no picture I'm afraid, but take my word for it, its lovely and even better when you don't have to make it yourself.

~LUNCH~

 



Not the healthiest, but hey, I cannot go to the cinema without having some Ben and Jerry's!!!  They had the chocolate brownie fro-yo which is frozen yogurt, just a little healthier than the normal ice cream but just as delicious .... I enjoyed every single mouthful ... then remembered to ask Matt if he wanted some after it had all gone!! :)

~DINNER~

 

Today was my favourite, Skate.  I love skate, it is my most favourite fish to eat, so delicate, so meaty and just delicious.  Matt's Dad used to be a trawlerman in Devon and catch these regularly so we ate them a lot when we lived down there.  Now Matt hates me buying them as they are so expensive, and we used to get them free, but as a treat every now and then it doesn't hurt, he had his steak last night, I had my skate tonight!

I cook mine in the oven in a tray lined with foil, I then just grate some lemon zest over each wing and drizzle wih rapeseed oil and a couple of twists of black pepper, then cut the lemon into wedges and throw them in too, bung it in the oven at 180oc for about 25-30 minutes, depending on their thickness.

To go with these I made a fabulous mango salsa inspired by my friend Natalie Guyan and adapted from a recipe on her facebook page Eating 4 2.  This is a brilliant page for anybody who is pregnant or planning on being so, offering fantastic advise on health and nutrition to enable you to enjoy your pregnancy and get the most out of it, give it a visit.  (I'm not by the way, nor have any plans to be, but she does have some fab recipes on there!!).

I use pre-chopped mango and then just chop it up finer, mix it with chopped avocado, finely cut spring onions, finely chopped red chilli, chopped coriander and a big old squeeze of lime.  This salsa is amazing, goes with so many things, I have had it before with griddled lamb, chicken and other fish, it is beautiful, so fresh and vibrant. 


I also boiled some new potatoes in their skins and this was the finished result:-

 

A.M.A.Z.Z.Z.Z.Z.I.N.G!!!!!!!

 

Am now off to knock up some magical energy bars now to take on a picnic tomorrow, weather permitting!!!

 

Thanks again for reading

Jo

xx



Mad Cow!!!!!!

Back in May, when I first took the steps to join them gym, I would walk in with my head down, practically clinging to the walls trying not to be noticed, not make eye contact, feel like I didn't belong, an imposter and certain everyone was laughing at me behind my back.
 
Today I walked in and realised my head was held high, I met peoples eyes, I smiled an awful lot and I strode over to the machines, I felt at home, I felt comfortable, and I felt like I belonged.

New people were joining today and I looked up as they entered in the same way as I had, and I didn't judge them, or laugh at them behind their back, I smiled broadly at them, and remembered how hard those first steps were, maybe if I had of held my head up back then, I would have seen people smiling at me too!  I admired them for taking those first steps, and knew how hard it would have been for them, and am sure everybody in that gym who happened to see me join that day, would have felt that way once too.

~BREAKFAST~
 

A liquid breakkie this morning, following on from the shake I had yesterday afternoon, inspired by my friend Jen, I added a banana today and made it thicker.

So it's almond milk, banana, frozen raspberries and chocolate protein powder, whizzed together.

I love it, was very refreshing and surprisingly very filling.

~MID MORNING SNACK~

 

 

Today was again just another handful of almonds and some dried apricots.  I keep a little pot on my desk at work as a standby by snack.

 

 

 

 

  

 

~LUNCH~

 

As it was a double day at the gym today I always try and leave work around 12ish if I can, which means I don't want anything really heavy before I leave.  So today the little pot of loveliness was changed into a big pot and eaten about 11.30, enough time for it provide the energy without sitting heavy in my tummy.  Added mango today, so good!

 

 

~AFTERNOON 'SNACK'~

 

I had to go shopping after the gym to restock the fridge etc for the weekend, and then I had to go and pick Matt up who finishes early on a Friday, so that only left me 1/2 hr.  Was no point going home, and nobody was at my work (I work next door to Matt), so I picked up another tub of crab and a small seeded wholemeal roll in Waitrose and took it back to my office to eat whilst I waited for Matt.

I had actually picked up a so called 'low calorie' sandwich first of all, and a prawn salad, and a packet of Mcoys crisps, cos I was hungry and just shopping with my eyes.  Half way round I changed my mind and put the sandwich and salad back ... and found the crab! .....Kept the crisps though!!! ;)

Crisps have always, always been my downfall.  Have never been able to have just one bag, so today was a big test for me as I have now just cut them out.  I can honestly say, I didn't enjoy them, I found them really really salty, so I left half of them.  Result!

 

~DINNER~
 

Rump steak was on offer in Waitrose today, and its Matt's fave, so I thought I would treat the boy!!!

 

Didn't bank on it being an actual cow though!!!

 

HUMONGOUS!!!!

 

Beef is the No.1 food source for protein, vitamin B12 and zinc.  Is also a good source of iron.  Great for after the workout I had today.

 

So I cubed some potatoes and sweet potatoes and cooked them in the actifry.  Made a little salad of spinach leaves, tomatoes, red onion and cucumber and drizzled it with a dressing of rapeseed oil, wholegrain mustard, dijon mustard, honey and white wine vinegar.

 

I then preheated the grill and grilled both the cows to our liking ..... still moo-ing!!
 

Finished with a grating of lemon zest over the steak and a dollop of good old English mustard, and served with a small glass of red wine ... a great Friday night dinner, although have to admit, I didn't eat all the steak ... decided I was mad enough!!

~EXERCISE~

 

So today was double whammy day, meaning an hour in the gym followed by an hour swimming.  I won't elaborate anymore on it today, suffice to say ... I was shattered, but buzzing!!l

 

Oh yeah, I know this is sad, but how about this for a sickeningly healthy fridge following today's shop:-

 

 

I love it .. looks very pretty.... we can't eat any of it, it's just for show ;)

It's Friday night and I feel I should be giving my husband some attention.
May not get a blog tomorrow as we are hoping to be out and about walking, but if the weather is pants, that may change, hope not!

So thanks again for reading
Jo
xx

 



pppppp.....Porridge, prawns, protein and pecs!!!!

You know, as much as I am really loving the exercise, there are still days when you just aren't feeling it, when you think about just giving the gym a skip for the day and go home and chill, after all, whose going to tell?

But you have to ask yourself if it's your body talking and asking for a rest, or your mind just not on it today.  And even if nobody does tell, you are doing it for yourself, and you will know!

I decided it was just my mind, and chose to ignore it, and went to the gym....and am really glad I did, and my body, and even my mind, thanked me for it.

Its amazing how much a good workout really does make you feel good, alive, and glowing.  Better than any prescribed medicine!  So even if you go home afterwards and just slob for a little while, you know you earned it!!

~BREAKFAST~
 

I woke up this morning and really wanted porridge ... so that's what I had.

 

I make mine just with water, about 3 tbsp of porridge oats, enough water to just cover, and a good tsp of cinnamon.

 

I cook in a pan on the hob and stir until water is absorbed and oats have gone creamy, then topped it with fresh raspberries and mango chunks and another sprinkle of cinnamon.

 

It was damn good! 

 

Cinnamon is brilliant, as well as tasting gorgeous it has so many benefits too, can help lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugars amongst so many others things.  I even have lipstick that has it in it, is supposed to make your lips fuller, don't think it does, but certainly makes them tingle!!!!

 

~MID MORNING SNACK~

  

Today's snack was just a handful of almonds (skin-on) and some dried apricots.  I say just, almonds are awesome little things with sooooo many benefits I wouldn't know where to start in listing them ... so just take my word for it ... they are good!!!

 

~LUNCH~

 

I have a real thing about beetroot at the moment, love the stuff.  Today's lunch was a salad of mixed leaves, beetroot, feta cheese and a few green olives.

I made a dressing of rapeseed oil, wholegrain and dijon mustard, squidge of honey and squeeze of fresh orange juice.

Awesome!

~AFTERNOON SNACK~
 

Today's snack was inspired by my lovely friend Jen Mayes.  Jen is a real inspiration to me, she has turned her life around following the same beliefs as me regarding food and exercise and has even become a PT trainer.  Amazing women....and she has 6 kids, total total respect!!

 

The shake is made from blending some almond milk, some frozen raspberries and some of my chocolate protein shake ... gorgeous, very filling and very refreshing.

 

Also had 2 slices of Nimble wholemeal topped with peanut butter and marmite, yummy!!

 

 

 

   

~DINNER~

 

Today was a real what can I make with what's in the fridge and freezer job!  I had some frozen raw king prawns, peas, a lemon and some spring onions ... and a half bottle of wine!  Looking in the cupboard I found some risotto rice and hey presto ... a lemon, pea and prawn risotto it was!

I decided to give it a go in the Actifry, after all a risotto needs constant stirring, and the actifry does it for you!

So, first of all I put about 120g of the arborio rice in the Actifry, with a half teaspoon of rapeseed oil and the onion, chopped, and let it cook for 10 minutes to toast the rice and soften the onion.  I then added a glug of the wine and cooked for another minute to cook the alcohol out, then made the chicken stock up to about 400ml and added 300ml of it to the pan, letting it cook again for another 10 minutes.  I then added the remainder of the stock and cooked for another 10 minutes.  I then added the prawns, peas and grated in the zest of the lemon and cooked again for another 5 minutes.  I then grated about 20g parmesan cheese and some frozen shredded basil and cooked again for another 2 minutes to let it melt in.

I served it with some smoked mackerel fillets on top and some brown shrimps which needed using up ... was very fishy ......... but god it was good.  Probably one of the nicest things I have eaten in a long while! 

Matt is not a lover of risotto, but he ate it all, so think that said enough!

~EXERCISE~

 

As already said, gym day again today.  Started off with 20 minutes on the bike and then the same routine, just mixed about a bit, as normal.

Will tell you about the Pectoral Fly / Rear Deltoid machine today .... I LOVE THIS MACHINE!!!

I start off facing towards the machine, straddled over the seat with my chest against the back rest with the arms adjusted to forward position, with your arms holding the grips in the middle almost in front of you, you then push them to the side, away from each other.  This works the rear deltoids as the primary muscle. Also works your biceps.

I do 3 sets of 20 lifting 28kg.

I then switch round so that my back is against the back rest and I am sat facing away from the machine.  I adjust the arms, so that I can now pull them together, not away from each other.

I again do 3 sets of 20 lifting 28kg

This works the pectoral muscles (chest muscles) and also again, the biceps in reverse.

Although I am very large chested, the difference in the support is amazing since I have been using this machine, it has really lifted them, which is fantastic. One of my biggest fears about growing older has been having my boobs sitting round my ankles!!!!


Tomorrow is double day, gym and swimming, so I am going to get myself an early night, ready to take it on!!!

So night night, and thanks again for reading
Jo
xx