follow me to fit

your cake is a wonderland; for my grandma’s birthday :)

This confection involves raspberries, belgian-style waffles, crushed white chocolate and cream. Mmmmmm.

Banana + milk smoothie.
Walk with the lovely Stephanie to catch up and feel fit.\
Green tea.

First, I’ll attach photos from today later. 

It’s that time of year again, where I over-indulge and end up as sweet and plump as my favourite puddings. Most especially, it’s becoming harder to retain a healthy eating plan, with so many Christmas and work parties, catching up with the girls and the numerous glasses of wine.

Today started out with vegemite toast and a banana smoothie, but only because I knew I had a food-filled day ahead.

Lunch at Crown’s ‘Conservatory’ restaurant with the girls was calorie and delicious-ness rich, with complimentary wine and champagne, as well as the unlimited food self-service. Ooof. Not hard to see where all that Movenpick vanilla bean icecream went..

Straight from lunch to work, not that I worked any of those kJ’s off. Then off to work’s Christmas dinner at Blah Blah’s in Mordialloc. Free meal = kaching. Even though I was late, I managed a healthy serve of nasi goreng with chicken. 

Reckon I’ll go running tomorrow.. so fat right now.

Recently returned from my AWOL days. Don’t know what the hell happened to me these past weeks, or to my plans to get fit. 

Haven’t done buckley’s in the past days except reduce my carbohydrate intake where possible.

I’m finding working all the time is both a trap and a treasure: its an excuse to avoid food, but at the same time provides temptation for me to munch on unhealthy snacks later.

Yesterday:

Mango
Some olive panino with a smattering of butter
A chocolate teddy bear biscuit, coconut macaroon, Tim Tam
200g berry yoghurt
Okonomiyaki
Cinnamon donut
Chicken hotpot
Chocolate pudding (unfinished)

Eating at my boyfriend’s place, there is always heaps of food. And they do deserts, just because I’m there. -sigh- 

Today is set to be a warm day, with the sun already blazing into my room at 6am, there’s not a lot I can do about the heat except turn on my fan and make myself a fruit smoothie.

Today’s recipe:
1 ripe banana
3 or 4 apricots, halved and pitted
Half a dozen strawberries, halved and with the stalks removed
Apricot nectar, orange juice as necessary.

This was a bit of an experiment - we’d run out of yoghurt this morning and there wasn’t a lot to work with. The apricots came in their own nectar, and are pretty much pure sugar - they added most of the sweetness and I thought it was foolish to add more (plus honey would be weird). The banana provided the substance of the smoothie, and the strawberries added an interesting element.
I put in orange juice to help my blender cope with the fruit better, though it also made the smoothie lighter than it otherwise was going to be.

Feeling suitably impressed with my creation, I tested out my energy levels with a quick run/walk/interval on the beach. I intended to just run a few km’s, but in the end ran along the sand, walked on the sand, lunged along the pier and used the beach walls to stretch and push-up from. The stairs down to the beach also made an excellent heart-pumping interval, as well as providing a place to do some step ups.
Was down there for about an hour. 

I feel goooooooooood today!

First, the remains of Monday.

I had a pseudo-study day today. Amidst all this, I came across some ‘mini’ chupa chups, and proceeded to much down three.

Lunch was home-made vegetable hot pot with brown rice.

This was followed swiftly by a pear (which are in season and totally delicious!)
Dinner was pasta that was thrown together - both my parents had meetings so there wasnt anything spectacular. All washed down with mango sorbet.

Saturday, 8.27am

I thought I’d share this with you all, as my friend Steph commented on how yummy it looked. This was my breakfast last Saturday. Possibly the biggest breaky I’ve had in ages, purely because I worked till midnight on Friday, then had to be at the bakery for 9am. I needed my energy.
To clarify, this was apricot wheaties (1cup) with 100g low-fat vanilla yoghurt and Goulburn Valley apricots. Um numnum! 

Now to today’s efforts! I’m finding that with all the wierd hours I’ve been working/studying/ away from home, its tricky to follow a regular and healthy eating pattern. This week begins again. I havent exercised in more than a week, now.

I was feeling a little sleep-deprived, so I craved a bread-y start. This is just a slice of my bakery’s Pane di Casa loaf with peanut butter on top.

After the pane, I followed with my usual smoothie. I didn’t put the honey in it today though - I just wanted the fruity sensation without the extra sugar. I’ve found that lately, after eating 3+ pieces of fruit at uni for the past 3 months, I cant go without any fruit at all. This is good! Craving apples over chocolate is good anyday. I’ve been eating a lot of strawberries though - my body screaming for antioxidants, perhaps?

This was morning tea with my nephew around 10.30 this morning. I had a vanilla chai latte and a coconut macaroon, he had chocolate biscuits and cheesesticks (and milk). Plus a little home popping corn that mum made when she came in. I got this pic totally by chance - he usually moves to quick for me to catch him in the act of being a grub.

Work again tonight; a cocktail party for a bunch of architects who think they’re God’s own gift to design. Paahhhh.

If you could see my Kit Kat Chunky right now, you’d be jealous. And I dont even CARE how many calories it has in it! How’s that for a healthy attitude? ;)

argh.. 10.11am.

I really didn’t want to be awake now. Sleep would be infinitely more preferable. I’m so tired. Sleep is a fundamental weight loss and healthy-lifestyle tool, with most people requiring between 8-10hours each night to function at optimum levels. But if you sleep too long, the result is overtiredness, general fatigue and sluggishness. 

I dont remember when I last posted.. Tuesday, I think. I guess since then I’ve had an exam, and worked a full day at the Crown Oaks. Subsequently, food has been on the down low, and I’m feeling sluggish as a result.

I had my usual banana smoothie today. I added a dash of vanilla, too. 
I’m not up for a run, because I have study to do. And quite possibly work tonight, so there’s no time.

Last night after coming home ~9pm, I had some of mum’s hotpot, which is about the best thing I’ve eaten in days.

I’ll be back soon.. I need vegemite. 

7.02pm.

The Best Spaghetti Pom You’ll Ever Eat.

Made tonight by my favourite mother feat. black olives, tomatoes, home-grown basil, capers and lashings of chilli. Mmmmm. It tastes kind of like a matriciana, without the bacon, but with all the yummy flavour.

Aside from the overall delectable-ness, chilli has a number of little-known health benefits.

1. The main chemical component of chillies is capsaicin, which gives chillies their heat. Capsaicin, it has been found, may lower blood sugar levels significantly, resulting in a decreased need for insulin after meals in diabetics. The insulin required may be up to as much as 60% less than when not eating chillies.
2. Capsaicin contains a neuropeptide which is recognised to aid low-level and arthritic pains without decreasing mental alertness. The potentials for capsaicin in the pharmaceutical pain-relief industry are enormous, and may result in new developments that would erase negative chemical side effects in over-the-counter naprogesics.
3. Most people already know that along with the heat-ful sensation in the mouth, eating spicy food helps to decongest their throat and nasal passages, and aid breathing (once the running nose has subsided).
4. Capsaicin has also been involved in a number of cancer-tests, and has been found to limit the spread and growth of some cancers. In particular, prostate cancer cells were noted to initiate suicide procedures following the introduction of capsaicin to the environment.
5. Chillies also aid the metabolic rate, increasing it by up to 23% for as long as 3 hours. This assists in fat-burning, and can improve success in weight loss. It is also known to lower cholesterol levels and the amount of fibrin in blood (fibrin is a cause of clotting). 
   (Most of you will have seen those drinks that hard-core dieter girls drink, concocted from chilli flakes, lemon, hot water and god knows what else. The speedy metabolic rate is what they’re after.. but oh my golly those drinks taste like sh*t, and too much lemon can damage the enamel on your teeth. Dont go there.) 

Sorry folk for the temporary leave of absence. My healthy-eating and exercise plans have gone AWOL amidst all the work yada yada that I’ve been doing. 

So Sunday was nothing extraordinary - I had work at the chocolatier in the morning. This is an automatic diet fail because just being at work makes me unhealthy. Plus, the new mint jaffas we have in are too amazing to resist.
1. Banana smoothie
2. Mint jaffas
3. Slice toast with peanut butter
… I forget the rest but I had roasted pumpkin and leek ravioli in a pumpkin sauce last night. My family went out for dinner with my grandparents to the Knox Club, as it was grandmama’s birthday. What a very appropriate choice. 
I had a really nice evening after that too. My boyfriend picked me up and we went to see The Social Network, which was a great movie. But not as great as snugging into bed afterwards.

Today, Monday, I’ve had a mixed day. I had to train it home from la boyf’s place, but by the time we got up, it was around lunch time. I hate missing breakfast. I had a slice of toast with vegemite and a bunch of grapes at his place around 12.30, and a punnet of strawberries that I bought yesterday on the train around 1.30. I came home past the supermarket, splurging on Maltesers, Shapes, Starbursts and Timtams because I couldnt decide what I wanted for lunch. So far I’ve had a couple of Maltesers and some Shapes.

We’ll see how that goes later.
I haven’t done any exercise since last week and I’m feeling fatty. -sigh- 

6.41am. Wake up. Shower. Dress.

Food:
7.21 - Banana, yoghurt and milk smoothie. We’re out of honey. 
8.42 - Apple, munched whilst on the bus to uni.
10.13 - Museli bar that I bought from Aldi yesterday as I leave the uni library.
11.15 - Tuna and crackers at Huntingdale Station.
11.21 - Miniature banana chupa-chup.
11.24 - Second museli bar from Aldi. Currently on the train to Flemington.
15.28 - Cheese and salad sandwich, courtesy of work. 
16.42 - 2 milk chocolate Lindt balls from Coles, 139g of seedless grapes.
18.02 - Home.

Today has been chaotic. It is hot and sticky with the storm rolling across from Adelaide, and making my way to Flemington on a non-race day was just painful. The unfortunate consequence of this is the lack of regular food that I’m so used to. The positive is that I drained my 1.5L water bottle within a few hours of getting up.

One of the most significant diet tips out there is small, regular, protein-rich, low-GI meals. I clearly haven’t stuck with this today, though I usually try. Work always keeps me distracted enough to forget about lunch for a little while.. until the clients eat. 

Good evening lovelies.

I hope you’ve had a lovely day out there in this sunshine we’ve had - I spend most of today running around and totally ignoring my motivation for wellbeing, electing to have chocolate, instead.

Began this morning with a swim at the local pool. I went with my sister’s boyfriend, which was kind of motivating because he’s sort of a swimming star, and kept pushing me. We were there for about an hour or so.. so I guess cutting out the chit chat, say 40minutes of swimming.

I love swimming on days like today - I always feel really invigorated and refreshed. And the bonus is the solid workout for all the muscle groups. Wheew!

Breakfast was a yummy home-made banana smoothie again, this time with a sprinkle of cinnamon on the top. Added to a slice of high-fibre toast with avocado, tomato and cheese, I think I’m pretty gourmet.

After my swim though I didnt have much time for lunch (slaps on wrist). I had an epic shower to eliminate the chlorine smell, and grabbed an apple and an oatmeal bar on my way to Chadstone for a trial shift at a new job. I also had a sneaky little killer python in there to boost my confidence. Sweet!

Snacks today were a small tub of yoghurt from Entice, and a handful of mint balls that I bought from Darrell Lea. Absolute fave at the moment. I probably shouldn’t have bought the chocolate… but at least my family finished them off quick smart when I got home.

Dinner tonight was quite at odds with the weather - honey and mustard marinated rack of lamb with roast vegetables. Not that I minded. Rack of lamb has to be one of the most divine meals on earth: not only tasty, but packed full of protein and long-lasting energy, not to mention iron which is essential for women’s health. Accompanied by the usual vegies, you get a mega-blast of nutrients with every delicious mouthful!

(I had another killer python after dinner! But its okay - I went for a walk/jog along the beach for an hour :) )