Friday, November 30, 2012

Week 5, Friday.

Week 5 of the Eight Week Challenge is nearly over and once again I am not doing as well as I planned.  Maybe because I didn't plan good enough, maybe I just thought I wanted to get the points up and that they'd get up by themselves without me having to do anything.  Well it doesn't work that way and if I want to get anywhere then I have to put in some effort.  Just not sure what is wrong with my head that it doesn't kick in and stay in.

The eating so far this week has been OK...except when it hasn't been...if you know what I mean.  Too many off the list stuff has been consumed but I am still having a daily green smoothie so the veg are being had with no problems.  Apricots are ripe so maybe too much fruit, depending on who you ask.  It's fresh, unprocessed and better than bread and cheese...if only I remembered that this afternoon!

Friday's Food.
Coffee  5.30
Green Smoothie  7ish 
Fish.   8.30
Eggs x 2.  11ish
apricots x 3 
icecream, still too easy to get.
Vitabrits.  1pm
coffee
bread and cheese  3.00
Green smoothie  4.30ish.
I should have had oatmix first thing then the eggs for lunch and the fish for tea.   Not having the oats just made me want to eat all day.

Thursday.
coffee,
eggs
coffee
green smoothie  10am.
liver and veg for lunch
icecream.  Hmmm, not hidden well enough.
green smoothie
banana
Fish 8pm.  Later than usuall but can't remember why.
milo.
Fruit and veg in the smoothies so didn't need the banana.

I haven't been writing the food down every day so of couurse no points for that on those days.

Points so far this week:
Mon - 40
Tues - 30
Wed - 35
Thur - 32
Fri - 25
Sat -
Sun -

Moving is down.  I blamed the storms for a couple of days then decided that the exercise bike that is right here in the middle of the room would be good enough.  I have been uising that and the stepper but nowhere near the 45min to get bonus points.

Friday, Again...

Fridays seem to come around all too often nowadays and I am never ready for them when they get here.  There hasn't been all that much moving this week, not sure why, but I don't think that I am any fitter than last Friday and it makes me cranky with myself.  It's another week wasted.   I now have only 4 months to get fit enough for the big hill climb. 
I'm off to make, and drink, my first green smoothie for the day, then a bikeride, just to get it out of the way.

Are you fitter than you were last Friday?  Will you be fitter than today by next Friday?  I know I will be.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Week 5, Day 1.

Todays food.

Coffee  5.30am.
Green smoothie  7ish.
eggs x 2.  With cheese.  Bugger!  10.30am.
meat with veg soup.  1pm
Green Smoothie.  1pm
Spoon of Peanut Paste. 3pm
Peanut paste off a spoon, again.  I wanted cake!
Meat with veg soup 7ish
2 Minties 8ish
Coffee 8.30pm

The green smoothies were nice and an easy way to get some veg in.  Each one had a serve of fruit and a couple of serves of veg and were made with water kefir.
Didn't get the extra 15min moving.

Eight Week Challenge, Halfway Mark.

I'm into the second half of the 8 week challenge that I joined over at Simple Savings and hoping that I do better than the last half.  After 4 weeks I don't think anything has changed but I think it is because I didn't change anything.  The things on the list are things that I am always aware of and trying to improve so as always, some days were great and I scored high points but on the not so great days the scoring was lower. 

I'm glad I'm doing it as it has shown me that there are too many low scoring days which means too many days of not having 5 serves of vegetable, too many days of not doing 45min moving, too many days of eating crap food.   I know what I need to concentrate on for this half of the challenge.  

*I know that drinking 2 litres of water/fluid is a non issue.  That's what I drink, not cordial, cooldrink, alcohol...I drink water.  Coffee is not counted so lucky I don't need to but I do count the water kefir.  The stinging nettle tea could probably be counted if I needed to.  What do you think about counting that?
*I don't eat after 8PM so the 9PM stop eating rule is always achieved.
*Eating 2 bits of fruit each day is easy and it is a rare day that I don't have at least that.
*Posting is easy as I am on the computer any day that I am home.
*Three serves of veg, usually achieved but lately getting the 5 in has been hit and miss.  I need more hits there and I'll get them with the green smoothies...if I keep to them.

This week I am going to concentrate on getting a min of 5 serves of vegetables and I'd rather not have to eat to count potatoes.  It should be easy enough without them especially if I continue with the smoothies.

Green Smoothies.

There is lots of talk about the great health benefits of Green Smoothies and while I think they could benefit a person they are not something that I make for myself though I do like the ones that L makes when I am at her place.   Those ones would have a weeks worth of goodness in one glass...OK, maybe not a weeks worth but they have so much different stuff in them they'd be like a vitamin pill but better.

This morning I decided to make myself a green smoothie so as to get more veg into the days eating but on walking around the gardens I can see how slack I have been as there was hardly anything to pick to add.    I found some siverbeet leaves that the bugs had decided weren't nice enough for them...after eating holes in them all, how rude!  A bit of a rinse and a blast from the blades and you couldn't see the holes so all good there. 

No recipe, just pick/use what you have and blend it all together. For this one I used water kefir, strawberries, silverbeet, avocado, comphrey, sweet potato shoots/leaves, chocolate mint leaves.   I could have used more of everything to up the serves and will next time.  I have more kefir that needs using so will make one up to have with some eggs for lunch.

I can't have blended it for long enough as the mint leaves didn't get chopped up at all so they needed chewing and it wasn't *smooth* like a normal drink but it tasted pretty good and it is an easy way to get some vitamins and minerals and much better than juice because the fibre is still there.  I have a cheap stick blender so wouldn't try some of the harder fruits or veg but I think a strong blender that will do anything might have to go on my want list. 

I must admit that though I have had 1 serve of fruit and at least 2 serves of veg in that breakfast drink I don't feel like I have eaten so will want some real food soon but at least I know that my day is off to a good start and as it's something that is easy enough to do most morning I will be having them again.

Do you do smoothies at all?  Any tips for a smoothie newbie?

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Week 4 Ending Soon...

We're coming into the last 2 days of week 4 and all I can say is "so what"  Nothing has changed, I haven't lost any weight, clothing seems to fit the same, some days I feel fitter but others I still cannot be fagged doing anything...

I'm going out the beach this weekend so there won't be much crap food eaten while there, there will be beach walking and I will need to walk up a steepish hill to get back to the caravan...I know none of it will make any difference because it never does.
Points will be down as there is no fridge out there, the 'van has limited cooking facilities and I *forgot* and didn't cook up any veg to take...We'll be eating eggs, oats and cold meat I think.  I will have a 5 year old with me so walking will be slower but there will be more walks down to the beach...then back up that hill!
We're going to a fair today so there might be crappy food bought for lunch...if there is a hot chip van I can basically guarantee there will be some bought.  But after that - clean eating all the way and back on track with the challenge when I get home.

I am looking forward to Monday.  The husband will be away for a couple of days...or a week...but even if only 2 days I will put all his crap food out in the shed freezer, cook up a big pot of veg, make up a BIG bowl of salad, cook up some boiled eggs, some chicken or fish and some Liver for lunches...The fridge will be full of easy to grab proper food so there will be no reason to not grab that instead of pizza, icecream, bread and cheese...
Now, I better go find a decent pair of shoes to walk in, pack the esky, feed the chooks and chickens, water what needs watering... So much to do in the next hour I better really get a move on.


Thursday, November 22, 2012

Week 4 Day 3 and 4.

I wasn't home Wed but took my oatmix to have for breaky, had fruit, a biscuit, and some nuts all before lunch of Baked Beans, vegetables and veg soup.  Daughter T brought out a lovely bowl of salad and some sheppards pie for my and her daughters tea so at least a couple of serves of veg there.  Much better than cheese on bread!  Thanks T.  Three km 42minute walk before work with some stepping to get it up and over 45 minutes.
Thursday.  Up early and had an orange while outside then oatmix before I was picked up for a day out..  A banana around 11 and a snack of sheppards pie around 2 when I got home.  Fish, egg and big salad for tea then a milo.  Early morning 5km bikeride with some walking to make 30min but nothing else.  Not enough water today.

Challenges. Points each day.
Daily check in1 W. Th
Drinking two litres of water:3W    -
Stopping eating before 9pm:6 W.  Th.
Two servings of fruit:3W  Th
Three servings of vegetables:5W   Th.
+ 2 more servings of vegetables5 -
No sugary treats: 6 days only5 -  Th.
Keep a food journal:5W  Th.
30mins exercise 5 days only 5  -  Th
45mins exercise: 5 days only7W  -
 Max daily points 40  30  30

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Week Four. Day 1 and 2.

Monday.
Outside for a lot of the day so snacked instead of cooking proper meals.
Breakfast was an Allbran type cereal, then throughout the day I ate chicken, bread and cheese, orange, salami, more bread and cheese...Gosh, that looks bad.  Husband is home so the already grated and too easy to use cheese is in the inside fridge.  I must put it back out in the shed freezer.  Lucky it's still early and I have time to make myself a big salad for tea.

Tuesday.
Out today so it was oats for breakfast, handful of almonds, biscuit, Baked Beans for lunch, pear...Was wanting something when I got home so had cheese and sausage pizza!  Insane.  I did give it to husband after 2 slices so I wouldn't just keep eating it and had some fruit and a coffee instead.  I made eggs and salad later.  I should have done that first.  I will be so glad when he is back at work and all the cheese and crap is gone.
Moving was good, water was good.  I wont take the points for no sweet stuff as I count all crap food in that so 30 points again.  A long way from the maximum of 40 that I have been aiming for.

Challenges. Points each day.
Daily check in1 M.T.
Drinking two litres of water:3 M T.
Stopping eating before 9pm:6 M.T.
Two servings of fruit:3 M T
Three servings of vegetables:5 M T.
+ 2 more servings of vegetables5 -
No sugary treats: 6 days only5 - -
Keep a food journal:5 M T.
30mins exercise 5 days only 5
45mins exercise: 5 days only7 M T
 Max daily points 40  30 30

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Week Three Ends.

Today is the last day of week 3 and am I so glad as this week was not very well pointed at all.  I had low points most days and I didn't even bother keeping a record of points or food.  I'm a bad Eight Week Challenge challenger.
This week has been a complete write-off for me but I am looking forward to getting back into doing everything for week 4.  I will draw up a new chart  and stick it somewhere where it will be seen more often...maybe this monitor, seeing as I am here too often throughout the day that might work.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Sat, Day 6, Week 2.

What a day.  Husband is home, the house is full of crap food and today he bought more...I know I don't have to eat it but I do.  Stupid!!

I managed to score 27 points today, out of a possible 42 so not good.  I did hours of mowing so am counting that as my exercise but I ate crap, more crap then just for good bad measure I had some more. 

Husband is a crap eater, he buys crap food so when he is home temptation is everywhere.  Today he called into a bakery for a pie...while there he bought other stuff, brought it home, offered it to me and little Miss DumboGreedypants here eats it.   Chocolate, icecream, sausage roll, cakes.   I put the sweet bun in the freezer and am hoping that I forget about it but the sausage rolls are in view in the fridge, handy for him...too handy for me.

I did have liver and veg for tea instead of another sausage roll and that is about the only redeeming feature of the afternoon/evening.

I do think I am fitter this week, I am wanting to do more anyway so I think the Iron from liver eating is starting to work but now I need to eat less so as to stop the Cholesterol going up again but keep eating enough to keep the Iron levels up.  It's hard getting the balance right.

Bring on tomorrow, it has to be better than today.  It WILL BE better than today!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Protein Notein.

Husband came home a day early so that put my second day of only protein off.  I did after all have to feed him and that meant cooking vegetables so of course I had them too. 
I'm not too fussed though as I like my fruit and veg and though I know that protein only days does get some weight off I don't believe it is a good way to eat longterm.  I was hoping that a day or do may have done something with the fat but I believe that I am better off to keep eating fresh unprocessed food and moving more.

He has brought home opened bags of lollies and chocolates and gave them to me with *permission* to eat if I wanted to.  I must have wanted to because I did. Not all, but too many.  Dumb!   He has also bought icecreams.  They are in the shed freezer but I know I will end up eating too many.  I can go without the crap forever if it is not here but when it is here and opened...I just seem to want it.

I mowed and whippersnippered this morning but not for the 45 minutes that would have given me the extra points so today ended up with 35points.  Tomorrow I am going to try for full points.  The hard part will be not eating the chocolates but that's why it's a challenge isn't it?  I'm up for it.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Protein Only Days. Day 1.

A while ago, before I joined the 8 week challenge, there was talk about doing a few protein only days as a bit of a kickstart to losing some fat...This week I agreed that I would join someone in doing 2 days of it.  Two days of protein only, today and tomorrow.  It would mean forgoing the fruit and veg points on the 8 week challenge but the hope is there that I will gain some points with weight going. 
Is coffee protein?  Allowed?  Probably not but that didn't stop me from getting up and making myself one...and then drinking it.  Fail 1.
I thought that an egg milkshake would be a nice protein drink for breakfast  but on reflection I don't think milk counts as it has sugars.  The chicken and fish count, only protein there.  The orange that I had because I wasn't thinking *protein* doesn't.  The toast with Vegemite and cheese, another fail and the orange I had just now...another fail.
I have liver in the fridge ready to be heated for my tea...but it does have some veg added.  Because it's better to have vit C with meat for the iron absorption.  So not plain protein.

It's nearly 6pm here and I will soon have the Liver (and veg) and that will be it for the day.  Worth tring again tomorrow seeing as today had so many fails?  Probably can't hurt too much so will see.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Day 2, Week 2


I was out today but took oatmix for breakfast and a container of liver and cabbage for lunch. 

Todays food. 
coffee
oatmix
nuts
banana
bread with jam and cream.  I know!!   I have this 3 or 4 times a year, Yum and  no regrets.
liver anf veg   Too much so divided it into 2.
liver anf veg 
orange
orange
coffee

Not sure of points today and can't be fagged working them out...I don't think I missed anything though so full points, maybe...
Didn't get as much moving done as I wanted to today but put some music on tonight and bopped around the house then did 15 min on the exercise bike so all up way over the 45min.   Hot and sweaty so went to have a shower and...no hot water so the OK mood that I was in has gone...a cold flannel wash will do that   haha.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Week 2 Day 1.

Mondays Food.
coffee
toast, honey and cheese.  1 slice, decent bread.
2 coffees
pear
liver and veg.
liver and veg
kefir smoothie
banana

Didn't ride or walk but put some cool music on this morning and again this afternoon and bopped around the house for an hour or so.  Was low on the water but topped it up with some kefir.  Doesn't look like I ate much but I feel like I have had enough.

Total possible points 42. 
My points today 37  Didn't get 5 serves of veg so lost points with that.





Sunday, November 4, 2012

Week 1 Ends.

One week down in the Eight Week Challenge and nothing here has changed.  No loss of fat or weight, no feeling more energetic, no healthier.   So worth doing?  Seeing as we are only 1 week in it is, of course, too early to say but it probably is as anything that gets me thinking more about what I do and don't do is a good thing.  And reporting in on a daily basis here and on the SS forum is more motivating than doing things by myself. 

The maximum points we could get for week 1 is 240 but! it's complicated.  I can't just add up all the points I get each day as exercise points are only counted 5 days. (Is it worth doing every day then?)
there are 5 points for not eating sweet stuff (lollies, cake, crap...) each day but we don't get them 1 day as we are *allowed* them 1 day a week.  So if they are allowed why not have them...even though I normaly wouldn't.  So I had an icecream tonight.  If I could have claimed those 5 points I would not have had this.
I am not much good at numbers and have trouble thinking what's allowed when and getting the points right.  I'd rather all points were the same every day but it's not about me!  And I need to stick to the same rules as everyone else that is doing it.  I will mostly get the points for eating the fruit and veg limits that are set.  And the water.  The exercise is what I want to do better with and there is room for for that.  I need to exercise even on the 2 days that no points are allocated.  And not eat the crap on the days I lose those points for not. 

With the challenge there is big points for losing weigh, 10 I think for each 1/2 kilo.  I didn't get any of those this week, will be happily surprised if I get them at all during this 8 weeks as it doesn't seem to matter what I do or don't do I hover around the same number and have for years. 

Maximum points possible for week one = 240
My points for Week 1 = 216
Hmmm, that's not good but lots of room for improvment.

Day 7.

I was wrong about getting all the points for yesterday and today while away...I missed out on the exercise points for Saturday.  Did a bit in the morning before I left home but only 20min and nothing while away.  Did try and go for a walk but we took 2 dogs with us and one is psycho at the best of times, add in kangaroos jumping across the road in front of him...L got a workout though, restraining him.  I had the good dog so though he pulled he listened and lay down when told.  They were both toey though so we cut the walk short and went back to the house.  Now I could have then gone by myself after hat but I didn't.  Not sure why...too lazy?  Too tired?  Too couldn't be bothered!  (turns out there are points for exercise only 5 days so I didn't actually *lose* these.  They weren't there to get.  I should still have made more effort, for myself)
And I had pizza for lunch when I got there instead of the salad I planned.  And pizza for tea as well.

Saturday.
Coffee
Chicken and veg stew
pear.
banana
pizza  Thin crust, veg topping, some cheese.
biscuit.  Not bought muck but a home made by L, full of good stuff bickie.
slice bread   Yummy stuff from Nannup Bakery.  Plain though, no topping of any kind.
Raw home made by L, full of good stuff bickie mixture, quite a bit!  Maybe 5 or 6 bickies worth.
pizza  Thin crust, veg topping, some cheese.
Points  22   Lower points because exercise doesn't count today and not enough water.


Sunday
Coffee
Oatmix
slice bread with honey.  Grainy bread, no butter...
Sm green brown! smoothie,  Nice though.  Full of *everything* including Hemp oil.  How healthy will I be!
chicken and veg stew.  At home
Pikelets  Home with Grandkid who likes to make this stuff.
custard. 1/2 cup.  Both were healthyish though with added goodness.  Custard made with eggs.
coffee
Salad, BIG bowl of. 
Icecream, sm cone.
Fried takeaway that the daughter left here.  I wasn't going to, it was here, I did!!
Points  26  Lower points because exercise doesn't count today and no points for not eating crap not enough water.

Because there were no points for exercise I didn't bother with it at all on Sunday.  Stupid!  Where will that thinking get me?  Not to the top of a big hill that's for sure.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Day 6

I'm going out soon and wont be back until tomorrow afternoon but know I will get all my points even with the planned pizza for tea tonight..  Organic vegan/vego household, lots of yardwork and hilly roads to walk...

Tomorrow is the last day of week one so I will be able to write how well I did, or didn't, do. 

Breakfast this morning was chicken and veg stew, I have a big bowl of salad for lunch with maybe a sm tin of sardines, a pear, a banana and carrots to snack on.  Pizza for tea but it will be covered in vegetables, no meat.  The kefir water is full of strawberries.

Sun.  Oats for breakfast,  then a pear.  Salad and sardines for lunch.  There is a bowl of chicken and veg in the fridge ready for when I get home.   Kefie smoothie somtime to get the other fruit in.

I will report in sometime tomorrow afternoon.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Day 5.

coffee
egg and veg slice
pear
coffee
pear
salad.x 2 cups
egg and veg slice.
kefir fruit smoothie.  So nice!
bread and cheese.  no reason, it was there...I wanted to.  Wish I hadn't.
And again!! bread and cheese.   This is now out in the shed freezer.
kefir fruit smoothie. 
coffee
chicken and veg.
milo


Mid afternoon and I still hadn't walked or ridden.  Tired again and should have had a sleep instead of the bread and cheese.  Need to make more of an effort but keep thinking "what's the point"  The point is, I want to get fitter so I can climb a mountain!    Five PM and still no moving as such.  A bit of gardening but not enough...
OK, Done finally!  A slow 35minutes but I'm taking the 5 points for it.
All up today, 34points.  So much for 37 x 5 days, that's not going to happen this week now but is something to aim for in week 2.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Day 4.

Up early but couldn't be fagged!  Better go somewhere somehow later...But it's windy and not nice outside...*should* go now so it's done with...Finally went walking.

Food today.
coffee
few strawberries
egg and vegie slice.
coffee
milo
more strawberries
chicken and salad soup.
pear
chicken
milkshake, big cup, banana and chocolate
chicken and salad soup.
custard, made wih eggs and cornflour

The chicken and salad soup sounds strange but turned out quite nice.  The *salad* I added to some chicken was made up of silverbeet, cabbage, carrot and suchlike.   With grated cheese.  But cooked up all together it was OK.  Daughter brought out some salad she made so I am right for tomorrows lunch too.

At half past 12 I had already had lunch (the chicken and salad soup) and a pear and more chicken but I really wanted something sweet.  Husband suggested icecream but No!  wasn't having that...what else...OK, milkshake.  I wanted something sweet all afternoon, eventually went and had a sleep and woke up feeling better and not craving sweet so much.    Had more soup earlyish but husband wanted something sweetish so I made some custard.  The soup was quite thick so very filling.

I cooked up a couple of roosters today and made up a batch of *Becky's Soup* (from SS forum)   Husband doesn't like it, says it's too weak so I will work on that tomorrow so as to have soup for next week.  I have rooster meat over the next couple of days but will be away over the weekend.

34 points.  Really going to try for the 37 tomorrow.