Exercise is fab .... period!!

 

 

A lovely leisurely day off today, first days holiday from work since May this year ... shows how much I love my job!

 

However Mother Nature decided to kick me right in the gut and menstrual cramps meant I spent most of the morning lying on my bed in lots of pain feeling very sorry for myself and wanting my Mum, sometimes you just hate being a woman!!

 

I desperately wanted to get to the gym and was so disappointed thinking I wouldn' be able to.  I didn't feel guilty like I had before, I have overcome that, but I just wanted to go, simple as!  It has become a huge part of my life and my routine and I knew if I didn't get there I would miss it, I would miss the feeling I get whilst training, and the feeling I get afterwards.  Luckily, by early afternoon they had worn of and I went to the gym, yayy.

 

To be fair, exercising is meant to be very good for menstrual cramps, as much as you don't feel like it at the time, it is meant to help.  It is said to ease premenstrual tension and menstrual cramps.  I have to say, since starting my healthier journey back in May this year, I haven't had the usual lead up to my periods that I used to have.  For at least a week beforehand I would be psychotic, I would get skull crushing headaches, a faceful of spots and just not be nice to be around, my poor poor husband!!  That all seems to have disappeared!  Infact, so much so, I am always surprised when I do come on because I have no warning for it anymore.  And as painful as the cramps still are, they are nothing compared to what they used to be, and only last a couple of hours rather than a couple of days.  I went into the gym still feeling a bit 'mehhh' but came out on a total high again, all menstrual tension and cramps gone, fabulous.

 

~BREAKFAST~

 

Oh today's breakfast was simply .... AMAZING!  Inspiration again taken from the fabulous Danni at Hungry Healthy Happy , using my usual french toast recipe which can be found on this blog, I made my favourite sandwich of wholenut butter and banana, dipped it in the egg and cinnamon mix and 'fried' it in a hot non-stick pan, no oils or butter used.  I served this with the rest of the banana, some strawberries and papaya and a grilled half grapefruit.

A fabulous start to a day off!!  Filled me up so much I had no mid-morning snack.

 

~LUNCH~

 

It took a while to warm up here this morning, and feeling the way I did I needed something really nourishing for my lunch, and really fancied something full of flavour.  So I made a pot of my Moroccan chickpea, sweet potato and spinach soup.

I added a teaspoon of coconut oil to a large pan and heated it till it melted, then added a chopped onion and 4 crushed garlic cloves and sauteed till softened.  I then added a teaspoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of paprika and cooked out for a couple of minutes,  I then a cubed sweet potato and again cooked for a couple of minutes. 

Then added a can of chickpeas, a carton of chopped tomatoes and about 200ml of chicken stock (can use vegetable stock) and then just let it simmer.  It needed a sweet touch so rather than add sugar I added a couple of chopped dried apricots.  When it had reduced down a little I added some fresh spinach and let it wilt into it.  I then lightly blitzed it so all the sweet potato and some of the chickpeas were blended but there were still some whole chickpeas in it.  Warmed it through again then served with a dollop of 0% greek yogurt, a couple more chopped dried apricots and a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds, and made one of my flatbreads to go with it.

 

 

It was so delicious, and so filling, once again I had no need for an afternoon snack, this saw me through, and there is enough left for tomorrow's lunch too, and the flavours would have developed more overnight! Happy days!

 

~DINNER~

I had already chosen to keep it vegetarian today, I like to try and do it at least once a week, to give myself a break from meat.  I could happily be a vegetarian but my husband loves his meat and I refuse to cook two different meals.  Luckily, he doesn't mind the odd vegetarian meal and likes Quorn too, so I made my Quorn Bolognese and Wholewheat spaghetti.


Delicious.



~EXERCISE~

 

So as I said, today was gym day and that meant resistance training.  I didn't actually bother with any cardio machines today, just some little warm up stretches and then straight on with it.  I must admit I didn't feel I had the energy and strength I usually do, but I didn't let it stop me and pushed myself that little bit harder, and it felt great.  It totally lifted me.  I love to sit on the machines and actually feel my muscles working for me, or looking down and seeing them flex, it gives me such a kick, strange isn't it, but seeing my body change and respond is such a reward.

 

 

 

Thanks again for reading

Jo

xx