Reboot Day 1-3

Well I'm finally doing it - the big reboot for 2014.  I'm following Joe Cross's 10 day reboot and I'm on Day 4 and so far I am feeling great. 

I am finding that there is so much food that I am having trouble eating it all - but I am trying to as I know that its important.

I have my brothers wedding coming up in February so I have to be looking hot.... I have also purchased a fat cavitation machine to work on myself.  I purchased a package of 13 sessions from a beauty salon and its made such a difference to my body its amazing.  So yesterday I fat blasted (as I call it) and I wrapped myself.

Wrapped Myself - yes!!!!  I have now started selling the It Works Body Wraps.  Yes I was sceptical but I have tried them and they do work - so I will be looking fab come the wedding.

I've been walking every day for an hour - which is really good for me.  I hate exercise - but its growing on me.

So now I'm off to eat my salad.
 

Getting Ready To Reboot

Well this is it - make or break I say..... I've decide to embark on Joe Cross's 10 day reboot - and right before New Year - I figure that Mondays and January 1st are a bad omen to start anything.....

My brother is getting married in February and alot of my school friends are going to be there so I want to look great - and I've been TOLD that I have to get up and do a reading .....TOLD not asked - just great so now I have to look really great..  There used to be 6 months to the wedding now there is only two months - not quite sure what happened to those other 4 months - I must have passed out or something.....

I've done most of my shopping - I will finish it tonight when all the boxing day crowds are gone.

Wish me Luck.....

Day One here we go.......  I will blog daily to make me accountable for what I do - so I need your support yet again.......

Thanks xxxx

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Getting Back Into The Swing of Things

Last week I said I'd fallen off the wagon - well I'm well and truly back on - yipeeeee!!!!!

I joined the gym today and I will be there tomorrow morning bright and early - my goal is to run the 10k in the Gold Coast Marathon next year, I know that its 11 months away but believe me I need the 11mths to train for it.

So I am going to start with the Couch to 5k running program then go on to the Couch to 10k program - now its what it says it is - a program for couch potatoes who have never run before to run 5k/10k - so it fits me to a tee.......

I'm feeling really positive about it and starting to feel great again.  I am going forward in leaps and bounds.  I have moved into my own place, have a  new job and as mentioned last week I have started dating again....big nervous step forward that is - its been a long time since I've been dating.

I love my new house its great - and my mums partner made me this lovely sign to put in my kitchen

Isn't it just fabulous - I love it.  My grandson has one for a night light in his room.  If you'd like to have a look at others he has made just click on this link....

So I'll let you know how I go at the gym and if  - no not if how (positive thoughts)  my first week in the C25K program goes .....  Wish Me Luck!!!!!

This week I'm linking up with Grace from "With Some Grace"  for FYBF.......

I've Fallen Of The Wagon - BIG TIME!!!

Firstly I apologise for my lack of blogging during my detox in Thailand - but in summary it was the best money I have ever invested in anything.  I would highly recommend it to anyone considering a reboot or a change of lifestyle.

I had the best time, met some amazing people - all there for different reasons, made some great steps forward to making a new life for me, and mentally it was great for me also - I was able to concentrate just on ME - what more can I say it was amazing.  So if you get the chance please go - I will be returning for sure.

BUT and this is a big BUT!!!!  I have fallen off the wagon big time.  I am eating all those bad things that I used to eat and I feel like a blimp - I don't think I look like one yet but I certainly feel like it.  I have put on about 4 of those 16 kgs that I lost - so I guess that it not all that bad.

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There have been some amazing things happen in my life since I last blogged.   I have a new job which I love, I have moved into my own place which is fantastic - first time I have lived alone for a long long time.  And since my marriage break up I have made some amazing steps forward as far as my mental health is concerned and I have entered the realm of internet dating!!!!! This needs a blog entry of its own believe me!!!!

I am happier than I have ever been - but the sugar and fat have sneaked back into my diet which I am not proud of - this is how bad it is - I ate a PIE for my lunch yesterday.

So I am back to my blogging to make myself yet again accountable for what I put into my body.  So I need your support and lovely comments again to keep me on the right path.

My mission today is before I leave work I will have joined the gym - I have set myself a goal - get this......I want to run the Gold Coast Marathon next year.  I have 12 months to train for it and believe me I need it.  For anyone who knows me, I have hated exercise all my life and have done anything to get out of it - so this will be a huge thing for me if I accomplish it - but there will be no IFS and BUTS - I WILL DO IT!!!!

Until next time.

Today I'm linking up with Grace from "With Some Grace"

Call Me Crazy - Day 4

Today I woke up and decided to change my program from the Eat Well Program  to the Energy Reset Program  .  The difference between the two programs is the Eat Well has a raw food/smoothie component and only two Psyllium Shakes per day - whereas the Energy Reset has no food and five Psyllium Shakes per day.  So not too much difference but enough of one to give you a different end result - and I'm not talking weight loss I'm talking cleansing.

One point they reinforce here is that this is not a weight loss centre its a health and wellness centre - if its weight loss you've come looking for then this is not the place for you - obviously weight loss is an added bonus if you do lose.  But its designed around promoting a healthy and new you.  Its great on a physical, spiritual and mental level.  Every day I go wow can this centre get any better.

So as I write this post I have had three of my five shakes  and so far so good- I am not feeling hungry at all - the psyllium powder really fills you up.  Oh and I forgot to tell you the most important piece of info - there is another colema added into this program except this one is infused with garlic - which is to help kill any parasites living in your colon - if you missed my post about the colema you can read it here...

I am about to head off for my second colema of the day - I take a book with me to take my mind of the whole thing - it usually takes about an hour.

For dinner tonight I will be having a lovely bowl of broth - which is not bad actually - they do have lots of little condiments that you can add to it to give it a bit more flavour.  Here is a picture of my lunch yesterday - a gorgeous beetroot salad - it was delicious.

Tonight we will have dinner and then head to the resort next door where a former guest that we met is now staying - we want to soak up the atmosphere of sitting around a bar in Thailand (like your supposed to when you holiday here) but we will all be drinking water!!!!!

So thats all for today - see you all tomorrow......

Day Three

Today was really just a repeat of yesterday -we have a set timetable for each day with little extras thrown in on different days.

This mornings exercise was a walk around the most gorgeous lake - it was such a beautiful spot for a walk - its obviously a favourite amoung the expat community here as there were loads of people walking there.

We then took a short stroll up the road to the beach - Ni Harn - another great spot but not today, the surf  was really dangerous and huge waves - great if you are a surfer I guess.

The rest of the day was pretty routine.  Thought I'd get a chance to sit by the pool as I had a 3hr break - but not long after I had been out there - a big storm rolled in.  So I do not think that I will be going home with a tan from this break.  Usually at this time of year I holiday on the island of Koh Samui which is in a different part of Thailand and its hot and lovely and sunny - but unfortunately its the good ole rainy season here in Phuket - but not to worry there really is no time for sitting around due to the timetable we have.

Dinner tonight was a lovely green salad with a Japanese dressing which was great.  We ended up having a rather late night (well late as far as detox goes)  2230 -- LOL you say.  Usually we are all in bed by 1930.  A small group of us enjoyed a good ole girl talk session - great fun and laughs.

See you on Day 4.....

Day Two - Lets Talk Colema!!!!

Day two is almost over and I'm feeling pretty awful today - guess thats what the detoxing is all about I suppose.  Having done a three week juice fast back in February I am all to familiar with these detox symptoms - I remember on day 3 feeling like I was going to die.  Thankfully today I don't feel like that.

I started my day with a Zumba class which was fantastic - so much fun to do - but it made me realise that I'm not as uncoordinated as I thought I'd be - mind you it was a very easy class, as they do try to not over exert you here - as you really do not have the energy to do so.

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But when it came time to down my shake of Psyllium Powder/Magnesium Oxide Powder and Bentonite Clay I almost threw up along with swallowing my six supplement tablets...  But I kept it down thankfully - unlike many who are on the program.

There are 16 of us here at the moment and everyone has formed such a great bond its fabulous - you feel like you have known each other for years.  Most are from Australia/NZ and then theres people from Dubai/Kuwait/Germany so a real mixture.  We all pass each other in the day as everyone has different timetables - but at 1800 we all sit at the dinner table around the pool and eat dinner or broth - so its a truly great atmosphere - and the owner joins us at the table and he is around all day - which is great.

The staff here are amazing - so friendly and professional, I cannot fault a single thing - well maybe the pillows!!!!!  But seriously its great.

Now yesterday I posted a comment on my facebook which drew some interesting comments - I had my first colema -  so I wrote on my status:  I just put 15 litres of coffee/apple cider vinegar infused water up me bum!!!!!!  I used to work in Gastroenterology  assisting with colonoscopy/endoscopies so I knew that my GE nurse/Dr friends would not approve -this is a very controversial topic amoungst the medical profession for many a reason (of which I will not go into) 

 So whats a colema you may ask - its basically a bowel washout using a tube that gravity feeds water into your colon.  Now that thought may freak you out - but its not all that bad.  The room is all set up for you and away you go - noone else is in the room with you, and there is music playing and candles lit - not that that makes the whole process any better.  But it makes for a more relaxed environment..

Heres a picture of what the room set up looks like:

Now let your imagination run wild.  You lie on the colema board with your butt right up against the chute and you insert a little tube into your rectum which is then attached to another piece of tubing which then allows you to control how much fluid you put into your bowel.  You only put in as much as you can tolerate and then you clamp the tubing and hold on as long as you can and then you let it all go.......and after a while it sure all goes.  AM I CRAZY your probably saying right now - well I have in the past had colonic irrigations done (which are slightly different to this and have an operator) so no I don't think I'm crazy - but many of you will think so.

Have you ever had a colonic or colema and what did you think????

This is the bucket of fluid that needs to go in and YES thats 14Litres of coffee/apple cider vinegar infused warm water.  The coffee stimulates the liver and the apple cider vinegar is alkalysing.  The whole process can take up from 45minutes to 1hour...

And heres the little tube and the all important KY Jelly.....

There you have it...... Not all that bad - REALLY!!!!  Seem as we are all going through the same thing the conversation at the dinner table is all about food and poo...... And yes they do encourage us after Day 3 to place a basket in the loo and to look at what we pass as they say we will begin passing all sorts of interesting looking things - so stay tuned....ONLY JOKING,  I'll keep those pictures to my family album!!!!!

As Day 2 comes to an end - I am having a fabulous time and know that I will not want to leave - see you tomorrow......

Day One - Raw Food Cleanse

So its finally arrived Day One of my Raw Food Cleanse - but I did sample a Raw Pizza last night and it was really good - I was surprised.  I'm not actually sure what the base was but it was good.  It had a cashew 'cheese' sauce, olive tapenade, and a marinara sauce on it.  Very tasty.

Raw Pizza

The day started at 0700 by the pool for 'breakfast' as they call it, which was a shake which consisted of Psyllium Powder, Bentonite Clay and Magnesium Oxide - sounds gross well it wasn't pleasant but it was drinkable.  I have to drink this twice daily.  All these ingredients help to "get things moving" as they say......

My morning shake ingredients

It was then time for yoga and meditation and orientation to the program.  I am more than impressed at how professional this centre is.  The timetable is very comprehensive but with some free time in different parts of the day.  There is going to be no time to get bored here thats for sure.  Because I am on the Eat Well Programme I was given a lovely plate of papaya to eat - along with my daily detox supplements..... 19 per day...... plus a shot of colloidal silver and a Blood Pressure reading.

Papaya

Daily supplements - minus the morning ones which I had already taken..

Now comes the fun part - a colema  - of which I will perform every day while here.  I will talk about this in another post.   But I certainly feel like I have nothing left inside of me thats for sure.

The rest of the day mainly consists of smoothies/salad for lunch then a Massage along with a session in the Thai Herbal Steam Room, dinner and more supplements.

 My First Green Smoothie of the Day

 Salad for lunch with hommus

The view from the restaurant - raining and windy

Overall - even though I am only half way through my first day I feel ok so far - a little bit of a headache, which is to be expected.  We will see what the rest of the week brings.  So stay tuned......

Today I'm linking up with Essentially Jess  for team#IBOT

The Day Before...

Here I am arrived safe and sound at Atmanjai - all ready to start my Raw Food Cleanse tomorrow morning at 0700 - this is one holiday that won't be allowing me a sleep in!!!!

It sure was a hard stint walking around the airport smelling all the lovely asian food, and the not so lovely western processed food - but I took myself off to the Fish Spa and let lots of little fish nibble away at my hands and feet - it really is quite a nice feeling.  I also thought I was indulging in a lovely neck and shoulder massage - but after I felt like I had been assaulted!!!!! But it took my mind off all those lovely smells of food.  Its always when you know you can't have something you really want it and when you can you don't......

I was given such a lovely welcoming (as you always do from the Thai people), my room is great, and the raw food menu looks amazing.  Think I might indulge in a raw pizza tonight...sounds interesting thats for sure....

My room at Atmanjai

Excited isn't the word that I would use to describe how I feel about starting the program tomorrow but it will do for now.  Maybe tomorrow I will be wishing I was lying on a beach somewhere else in Thailand sipping cocktails with a gorgeous man lying by my side......

Speaking of men - this trip to to Thailand via Singapore was harder than I expected it to be.  This was supposed to be our (my partner and I)  trip to Thailand that we take every year - right down to the exact flight and all.   So the whole beginning of the trip was bitter sweet to say the least.

But the feeling of "I should be travelling with whats his face" soon disappeared when I was seated next to a gorgeous man on the plane.  Shame he was married - but what a great guy - we laughed and laughed all the way.  What a great flight it was - the things we talked about and we're total strangers - lordy lordy......  Internet dating  (now thats another post all on its own - so keep a look out for this one) So that was one hurdle out the way.

Now the next hurdle........ I  specifically chose a different hotel in Singapore for my overnight stay - but I got upgraded to a suite which was just lovely but I could not help thinking I should be sharing this with someone other than me, myself and I.  So I went shopping then came back and indulged in a bubble bath - just devine......

So now the next part of this holiday is for ME and only ME - I am over the past and have not thought about the past for a long long time - (this is where the internet dating comes in to the equation)  so watch this space for the intimate and not so intimate details of my raw food cleansing journey.....

Overnight Stop Over In Singapore

Well I'm officially on my way to Phuket to begin my Raw Food Cleanse.  I have an overnight stop over in Singapore - no chance to get to Orchard Road tonight (but on the way back for sure).

To start my journey I had pre-ordered a Raw Vegetarian Meal on the plane - and yes it was actually quite yummy (the yummy guy next to me did not think so...lol) (shame he was married he was just devine and oh so funny) Anyway back to the meal - I really enjoyed it - but it was enough for me to last the flight - I could not eat the next snack that they bought out to me - that was real rabbit food....

I was very disciplined and did not eat the butter or the bread roll.

I checked into my hotel Capri by Fraser  - first time I have stayed here.  Usually I stay at another hotel close to the airport (which shall remain nameless due to the teriible last two times I stayed there).  The Capri is also close to the airport and runs a free shuttle bus to and fro.  I am really impressed with the hotel - its bright and fresh and smells nice, staff are great and I got upgraded to a suite which was great (shame I have noone to share it with but hey such is life).  Love the room - huge big bed - nice deep bath (of which a bubble bath was a must) and its right next door to a shopping mall which also has loads of places to eat - shame I could not eat the food.

So check out their website as its a great transit hotel - I highly recommend it.

My bubble bath in the making

So tomorrow I head off to Phuket for a lazy day in the sun before I start my raw food cleanse on Monday.... I'll keep you posted.

One Week To My Raw Food Cleanse.

Well as you know I ventured into a sugar free lifestyle way back in January of this year - and I've done really well to stay off the sugar - which is amazing for a huge chocoholic like me!!!!   But I will admit that I have had the odd piece now and then.

I have lost 16kg in the process and I feel amazing.  Its been so much fun shopping for new clothes.  So to top it all off I am going on a 8 day Raw Food Cleanse in Thailand.  This is something I have wanted to do for such a long time and given what has transpired in my life over the last 18 months it is now time for ME!!!!  This will be great for me physically, mentally and spiritually.

I will be leaving behind the wet and cold Gold Coast for the hopefully sunny but warm Phuket next Saturday.  I'm on the countdown now......

I will be going to Atmanjai which is located in Rawai, Phuket.  I chose to do the Raw Food Cleanse rather than a full on fast as I thought it would be must easier to transition back to "normal".

My preparation (which I have started) is to eliminate all of the following:  carbs/sugars/alcohol/coffee/dairy/fish/meat/poultry, so basically everything except raw fruit and vegetables, which as you can imagine is very hard to do seem as its so cold at the moment.  But I am managing quite well.  I have to be totally raw for four days before I start - but I will go raw on Monday so it will be 8 days out - Wish Me Luck!!!!!!

I will blog on a daily basis so you can see how I'm progressing.  I'm hoping to come home with a wealth of knowledge and to be feeling even more fantastic than I do now.

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Today I'm linking up with Grace from "With Some Grace"

Is Yoga Making Me Feel Sick???

Well I was supposed to join the gym  - but instead I bought myself one of those Cudo vouchers for a three month pass to unlimited yoga all for the amazing price of $29.00.  So since I have always wanted to try yoga I thought that I would buy one of the vouchers.

So off I go to the first class of which I chose a beginners class.  The setting is just amazing on the waterfront looking at the glistening water as you get yourself into positions that I am sure the body is not meant to ever get into.  But I came away feeling quite exhilarated...

I have since been to four more classes each of varying levels - and as the studio is brand new and they are trying to build up their business they are catering for all needs and are very open to suggestions of what people want out of a class - how good is that.....

But the last two days I have been feeling really unwell - dizzy, headaches, aching/burning legs and just so tired.  I have tried eliminating food groups that I thought were contributing to my symptoms but with no relief.  So I've begun thinking is the yoga  releasing all the toxins throughout my body.  I can't think of anything else that would be making me feel so awful (I don't ever get sick (touch wood))

Has anyone else experienced similar effects after doing yoga - or am I being a drama queen?????

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Today I'm linking up with Grace from "With Some Grace" for FYBF

Anzac Day Parade 2013

Today my mum and I drove to Brisbane for the Anzac Day Parade.  We left home (the Gold Coast) at 0815 in hope of finding a park in the city close by - and we were just so lucky, we got a park just down from the Sofitel Hotel and took the escalators down to Anne Street and we were right at the foot of the Shrine of Remembrance - how lucky was that.

Because we had such a good run in with no traffic on the road we managed to get a place on the street right in the front row.  This was my first Anzac Parade and it was just amazing. It was a very humbling experience.  It brings everything back home and sure makes you appreciate what these amazing people did for us.  Next year I will be going to a dawn service.  It really was a great day.

Hope you all had a great Anzac Day.

Today I'm linking up with Grace for FYBF  at  "With Some Grace"

Happy Again.....

Well I finally feel "normal" again after my relationship breaking down and moving out of the home we shared and having to start my life over again.

I try not to think of what could have been - as mentally I cannot afford to do that.  I have not seen him since I left the house, we have had a few conversations and thats it - but nothing to give me a clue as to "WHY"......

But thats ok - I have now accepted the fact that its all over and there is no going back.  So time to move on with my life.

I now no longer cry over what "could have been", and nor do I cry about the past and how he hurt me so bad - and thats a big plus for me - I never realised that I could cry so much, I'm sure I could have ended the water shortage they were having in NZ....lol..... (See I can laugh now)

I have finally realised that my relationship was the casualty of a long distance disaster.  We lived in two different countries for almost four years - at the time it all seemed good and appeared to be working well (in my eyes), but I do remember him telling me one day that he had become somewhat independent and got used to living on his own - what an awful thing to say to someone you have been with for 10years.

If I am honest with myself  when I look back things probably had never been right for the last 14 months.  We had been living as friends (with no benefits), quite like flatmates really.  And it was not until I began living on my own that I finally realised how miserable my life had been.

So  hooray for me for moving on and at last feeling good about me (I have lost 16kgs in the process)  and being happy at last.

Today I'm linking up with Grace from "With Some Grace"  for FYBF

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Big Blowout!!!!!!

Oh no I can't believe what I did today and then again tonight - what was I thinking!!!!!!

As you all know I was on a quest to "ditch the sugar" which I have successfully done - yay for me, its been a few months now and I feel and look fantastic - wow I just suprised myself by saying that, I never praise myself or say anything good about me..... but since my no sugar quest and my relationship failure I have dropped a whopping 16kgs.  I have never been able to lose that amount of weight before!!!!

BUT wait!!!!!!  Last night the ex dropped off a box and left it on the doorstep with some of my belongings in it - no knock on the door or anything - it was done under the cover of darkness - I expected half as much so it should not have been a surprise to me at all.

I have been so good since the break up (well not the first couple of weeks) and I have not even thought about him or the past (can't afford to - mentally) and I have begun to get on with my life - even started dating - I'll leave that for another post.

Well obviously it affected me more than I thought - the box drop that is.  So today I ate an easter egg that one of my patients had given me - and then OMG can't believe that I did this - I had two pieces of toast with peanut butter on for my dinner.  What a major blowout!!!!!!

And now I feel absolutely rotten - headache, lethargic, sore tum, and just utterly miserable......now that will teach me for eating something that I shouldn't have..... my body is going into shock!!!!!

Back on track tomorrow - I'll probably have to swim to NZ and back to burn it all off........

I know we all have blowouts but are yours as bad or worse than mine?????

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How To Change The Name of Your Blog

Well I think I have my mojo back as far as blogging is concerned.

Yay for all my followers, thanks for sticking with me through my rough patch.  Your support and comments were very much appreciated and welcomed.  Its nice to know there are so many lovely fellow bloggers out there - thank you, thank you, thank you.

Now I need your help with a blogging issue  - is it possible to change the name of your blog and still keep your followers???

I wish to keep blogging about my "ditching the sugar" journey but I also now want to share other things in my life.

Any help that you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

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Just a Bit of Light Humour

Well my regular readers will know that I have entered the world of singledom - not by choice of course!!!!  Still no answers as to why - so I just have to begin to crawl out of the hole that I have found myself in and move on.  Have my first counselling session tomorrow - reluctantly of course - but I need it - I am 42 and have a "Mental Health Plan"  just great...........

Anyway onwards and upwards as they say.

I now have this on rear window of my car - those of you who live in Australia will have seen these stick figures on many cars around town (not sure if they are in any other countries)  but you can buy these little stickers for your car and choose the ones which best depicts your family members.  Now obviously you can't buy the new sticker (well not that I know of)  that is on my car (a family member made it for me) just a bit of light humour.

Made me laugh anyway....

Detox Health Spas Anyone????

I started my Sugar Free Journey and journey to a better me back in January and have been very successful in staying off the sugar - Yay for me.  And those of you who read my blog on a regular basis know that I have been going through a very stressful time of late (and stayed off the sugar), so I have decided that now all I have to think about is ME - I am going to take some ME time.

I booked a flight with some airpoints to Singapore (Mr H and I were supposed to be going on our yearly trip to Thailand but obviously that is not going to happen any longer), so I have decided to still take the holiday and a Detox/Weight Loss Retreat is something that  I have always wanted to do.

Reading some blogs I have some ideas in my head of retreats available.  They range from the very $$$$ to the not so $$$$$.

Has anyone been to a retreat before?  What was it like?  Did you feel good after?

Any suggestions or first hand experiences would be greatly appreciated.

I'm linking with Grace from With Some Grace for FYBF...

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Just Bought A Kettlebell....

Going to try this workout

My New Favourite

For the  regular readers of my blog  you will know that my all time favourite smoothie is the Joe Cross Goji Berry Smoothie - well I now have a new favourite.

I am a bit weird when it comes to some food flavours - I am one of these people who love the fruits apricots and strawberries (fresh) but anything that is flavoured strawberry or apricot forget it - I just cannot eat it - now thats weird I have been told.

But the lovely Robyn from Girl On Raw has turned me with this amazing Strawberry Seduction Smoothie - it is to die for....  So good that I made two in one day....

All ready to blend 

A glass full of yumminess

So there you have it - the one thing that I will drink that is flavoured strawberry.....

So Proud Of Me

I am so so so so proud of me this week, and right at this very moment in time - why?????

Well I have successfully managed to stay away from processed foods, sugary treats, alcohol, coffee, soft drinks and basically all things that are considered "bad" for you in some form or the other.  But the reason I am so proud is due to the fact that I could have very easily caved in this week - due to being rather stressed out of late.....

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Without going in to detail -I am having a bit of a rough trot here at home and things are tense to say the least - and I'm not to sure there is a solution coming any time soon.

So you see I could have very easily fallen off the wagon so to speak and pigged out on all those yummy bad things.  But I have been strong and have not done so.

Today feels like the world is going to end - but its not!!!!!!  I have been strolling the isles of the local supermarket looking for all the bad things that I could come home and pig out on - and guess what I came home with nothing in tow- how good is that......

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So now you can see why I am so proud of me..........

Today I am linking with Grace for FYBF

Discount Day

Today is the first Tuesday of the month and our local health food store Go-Vita  has 20% off  everything in store for  its members so it was my first stop of the day.

I purchased:

1)  Coconut Magic's Coconut Oil
2)  Chia Seeds
3)  Cacao Powder

I also found these chickpeas at Woolworths...

They are very tasty, have very low fat content - but are a little salty for my liking.  But they are a good alternative for  a chocolate bar I think.  Find out more info about them here .

Amazing Chocolate Snack

Wow was browsing the internet the other night (as you do)  well facebook to be precise.  And as I am trying to discover more about raw foods I stumble across all sorts of great tips and recipes.  But I found this amazing Chocolate Recipe - so I decided to make it.

I got the recipe from here.

 Mine did not turn as out dark as what is pictured the on the facebook page as I did not obviously put enough cacao powder in it - but due to the coconut oil it is so smooth and delicious.  I use Coconut Magic's Coconut Oil  .  And the good thing is it does not make alot so you don't have to feel guilty about eating too much.

End of The Road

Well today is Day 30 - I've made it.  For the last 30 days I have been trying real hard to change my eating habits - as they were not the best.  My snacking was the biggest problem as chocolate is my downfall - BIG TIME.

Over the last 30 days I have had:-

No Alcohol (that was not hard)
No Coffee (that was sort of hard)
Very Little Sugar - when I did eat it I got major headaches
No Rice/Potatoes (not hard at all)
Lots of fresh fruit and vege
Lots of fruit and vege juices
Tried out new raw foods

Overall I have lost weight which is great - not a huge amount but enough for people to notice and enough for me to fit into clothes that I have not been able to for years.  And enough to make me feel a little more confident about my body image.

Your comments and messages have been so motivating and to know that I have also provided inspiration to others is just great.

As I continue on this journey I won't be blogging as much - as I am not a cook or have no inspiration when it comes to creating dishes in the kitchen.  So I can't post yummy recipes here that I have created - I do get my recipes from other sources (of which I always give credit to)

I will continue to juice for week long detox's and eat raw food (and some cooked)  but I will not fall back into my old habits of buying chocolate every time I visit the supermarket (which is every day)

But I do need to start exercising - I need a major kick up the backside to get me going.  And I will let you know when I stumble across some extra yummy recipes.

I have decided to concentrate a little more on my other blog which you can read here - I have been neglecting it....

Thanks for following me over the last 30 days - its been great.

Day 28

Missed posting yesterday due to the bad storms we had here in Queensland  - we were not badly affected like a vast majority of Queensland.  Thankfully we live on the 5th floor as the houses around us had water coming in to their homes.

This morning I started with a green smoothie - spinach/mango/water/banana.  Nice and bright green.

Lunch I had raw crackers with tomato which made a nice change from the last two days as we have been having my husbands yummy carrot and coriander soup.

For dinner we will have chicken (grilled) and cauliflower mash.

Feeling good so far

Pros and Cons of Summer Here In Oz

Well its week two of Listmaina and the prompt this week is to list five things I love about my current season and five things I could live without .  So as I live in Australia it is summer here.

Five Things I Love About Summer

1.  I love that I live five minutes from the beach and I have an amazing view when I go walking.

2.  The smell of cooking on the BBQ - the only thing that beats the smell of someone BBQ'ing is when my husband BBQ's.

3.  Eating healthy food and feeling lighter because I am doing so.

4.  Wearing maxi dresses and lovely flowy skirts - nice bright colours and feeling pretty.

5.  Drinking freshly squeezed juices and making yummy smoothies.


Five Things I Could Live Without During Summer

1.  Sweating - my job involves spending alot of time driving around in my car and visiting people in their homes - so I am in and out of my car all day.  So each time I get out of my car it gets hotter and hotter and becomes my very own mobile sauna - hence my pants stick to me, my shirt sticks to me and I feel like I am melting all day long.

2.  Storms - as we live in QLD we are prone to storms of varying degrees - like last night and today.  This is the radar last night.

3.  Getting dark so early on a summers night - I want day light savings, I love day light savings.  Bring it to QLD.

4.  Mosquitos - nothing worse than sitting outside at night time and a few hours later realise that you look like one big mosi bite.

5.  Sunburn - my husband I are usually very careful - but a few weeks ago we were at the beach and I had purchased the new clear spray on sun protection.  We were applying it at the beach and it was windy - so you guessed it we did not get even coverage - and boy did we pay for it the next week.

So what are the pros and cons of your season - where ever you are .  Link up here and join in Listmania.

Day 26 - What A Day

Today has been almost cyclonic conditions here on the Gold Coast - it has not stopped raining all day and the winds have become stronger by the hour- and they say the worst is yet to come.  Thankfully we live in an apartment on the 5th floor so we will not get flooded - but we have had to bring in some items from the balcony just in case they turn into flying missiles.  So stay safe if you are living in Queensland.

Breakfast today we had a great juice - I got the recipe from here - it was so good.

For lunch I convinced my husband to make his awesome Carrot & Coriander Soup - wow it was amazing.  It has carrots/coriander/chillis/ginger/onion/spinach/garlic and dried apricots and vege stock.  It was spicy and sweet at the same time.  And he made enough to feed an army.

Tonight for dinner we are having chicken - I can smell it cooking now - it smells like the Middle East in my kitchen as the recipe has cardamon in it - which is a popular spice which the arabic use primarily in their coffee - of which I am not a fan but I do love the smell.

Day 25 - Wet and Windy

Image courtesy of a google search

Happy Australia Day to all my Australian readers - hope you have all had a great day.  Unfortunately here on the Gold Coast it is pouring with rain and windy, so most of the celebrations here have been moved indoors.  We were planning on a beach weekend but I don't think thats going to happen.

This morning I had a white egg omelette with tomatoes and mushrooms in it - bit of a change from a juice/smoothie.  But it did keep me going for a long while.

Lunchtime I made us a smoothie:  spinach/cacao powder/tahini/rice milk/frozen banana - yummo...

So how did we spend our wet Australia day - we have been watching the new series of Greys Anatomy (my fav) and Revenge - not very Australian, but what else to do on a wet rainy day.

Tonight we will have steak (my first bit of red meat in three weeks - so I really think that I need some) and some sweet potato chips.

So how did you spend your Australia Day????

Day 24 - Feeling Much Better

Thank goodness today I have woken and feel much better.  Certainly feel like I have much more energy anyway and the headache has gone.

Today I did not eat breakfast as I was fasting for blood tests - so after the test I snacked on some of the Quintos that I spoke about in a previous post.  I got home about lunch time and made a Jason Vale Smoothie - with rice milk, tahini, manuka honey, cacao powder and a banana.  Wow what a fantastic combination of flavours - it tasted like a chocolate peanut butter banana milkshake - really it did.  But a little sweet.  Try it.

I spent the afternoon making cacao balls - this is where I get my chocolate fix from, and they don't send me on a sugar high like the processed chocolate bars do.  And then I cut up all my bananas to put in the freezer - I use these for smoothies.

Tonight we are going to go out for dinner to a local Vietnamese restaurant that we found a few weeks ago.  I have the menu so I have already chosen what I will have.

1)  Tofu Roll - Rice Paper
2)  Green Papaya Salad

At least I know I can go out for dinner and find some healthy food.  So I'll let you know what its like.

Oh PS:  I have a flourless orange cake in the oven - hope it turns out ok.

Day 23 - Ketosis

Woke this morning and felt sooooo tired - I could have slept on for the day.  Thankfully I did not have a big work load today.  As while I was visiting a client I began to feel like I could not function.  Have not felt this tired for a long time.

So I took myself off the the Doctors as in the past I have been B12 deficient so thought I should get some bloods done again.  But on a urine dipstick she told me that I was in Ketosis and as there was no sugar showing in my urine she turned to me and said "You are starving".  I certainly do not look like I am starving but obviously am in Ketosis.

The definition of Ketosis is:  Ketones build up when the body needs to break down fats and fatty acids to use as fuel. This is most likely to occur when the body does not get enough sugar or carbohydrates.

So this could explain why I am feeling this way.  I would be interested to know if anyone else on a juice fast is in Ketosis.

What did I eat today:  Green Smoothie for breakfast.  Kitz Crackers with tomato and a small tin of salmon in springwater.  Dinner was cajun grilled chicken with coleslaw (homemade).

So lets hope I wake and feel better tomorrow.

Listmania One - Currently I Am

I can't live my life without lists as my memory is like a sieve with really big holes, I go everywhere with lists of all sorts.  So when I found Listmaina created by Deb from  Home Life Simplified via a blog from IBOT - which is the acronym for I Blog on  Tuesdays - I thought that this was right up my alley.  So each week I will add in a Listmania Post.  So this weeks List is:

Currently I Am:

Reading:  Trailing by Kristen Louise Duncombe - this is the blurb about the book taken from Amazon

Recently graduated American psychotherapist Kristen Louise Duncombe moves to New Orleans to begin her work life, but those best laid plans go awry when she meets and falls in love with an Argentinian doctor.  They marry and end up overseas because he works with the Doctors Without Borders (in French Medecins Sans Frontieres).  They make their first home in Nairobi, Kenya, then move to Uganda and finally to Paris.

I love these sorts of books as I have lived in the Middle East so I enjoy hearing and reading about others adventures.

Listening To:  My washing machine - just put a load of washing on, and the birds churping outside

Laughing At:  Simon Baker making Kookaburra Noises on the Ellen Show

Swooning Over:  Still swooning over Novak Djokovic taking his shirt off after his tennis match the other night.

Planning:  to take a holiday sometime soon

Eating Lots Of:  Fruit and veges as part of my 30 day juice/raw food journey

Feeling:  the worst I have in a long while - so tired today that I feel like I can barely function (except to write this list)

Discovering:  new recipes and foods as I try to become healthy

Looking At:  the threatening grey clouds outside hoping for a storm tonight

Wearing:  A pair of black pants that are almost two sizes to big for me now and that makes me happy

Cooking:  Cajun coated chicken on the BBQ tonight

Wondering:  If tomorrow morning I will wake up and feel like running a marathon

Trying Out:  My first  Personal Training Session next week - oh dear I'm in trouble well my body will be anyway.

Well there you go List One complete - how about creating yours and sharing it on Listmania

Day 22 - Discovered New Gadgets

Well it was weigh day today - so I reluctantly stood on the scales expecting a BAD result - but I was the same as last week, which I suppose is a good thing.  I have been slowly adding food to my diet as well as still juicing/making smoothies - and I have not been exercising (bad I know) so its pretty good really.  Over the last three weeks I have lost a total of 3.2kg (7lbs) so I am happy with that result as I think losing a little at a time means that hopefully it will stay off - and they do say that 1kg a week is about right.  Exercise will feature in my routine next week.

Speaking of exercise when I was at the Food and Wine Expo over the weekend I entered a competition to win a months free personal training - well I got the phone call today - and no I didn't win but they offered me a weeks free personal training as well as being able to take a weeks worth of classes.  So my first session is on Feb 4th - hopefully this will kick start me in the right direction - might very well kill me but lets hope not.

Started the morning with a bit of a naturally sweetened smoothie:  rice milk/banana/cacao powder/dates - so it was a bit like a chocolate milkshake and oh so yum.  Got the recipe from the lovely Robyn at Girl On Raw from her book Smoothies and Juices for Newbies..

Then I snacked on some chocolate at about lunchtime and now I am suffering - headache, dizzy, and overall feeling like rubbish - so removing the sugar from my diet really is a good thing.  So no more!!!!!

Made another smoothie which was really nice and made heaps to - so I have saved some for later.  Water/banana/blueberries/avocado/spinach and some Coconut Magic's Coconut Oil - this really is the best coconut oil I have tasted- I use it for all sorts of things.

Tonight for dinner we will have homemade coleslaw and grilled chicken.  But the cool thing for me is that I discovered a new gadget in the kitchen.  First let me explain that I am no cook - never have been never will be, my husband describes some of my cooking as the three B's - Boiled/Burnt/Buggered.  I can cook basic and thats as far as it goes.  I am willing to give it a go but thankfully my husband loves to cook and is really good at it.

But we have been watching Jamie Oliver and he uses the plastic attachments in the food processor to make coleslaw (did not know what all these attachments were for ....honestly) so I decided to give it a go - and here is the result.....

How cool is that - lol you are probably laughing at me by now  - but I really did not know what all those bits were for.  So I have a new friend in the kitchen now...

Bananas were on special today - so I will leave them out for a few days and then freeze them for my smoothies.  And if you live in Australia a great place to buy spinach from is Aldi -they have these big plastic tubs for only $1.99 each.

So today was a good day....