WIAW #36: importance of a healthy breakfast

After a fab and fun weekend I was sooo hungry on Monday.  Whether my body was catching up from the 4 hour Jamathon or if it was a change in the clocks that set me back, I don’t know.

Perhaps I was eating the wrong breakfast??

I was reading this week about the importance of a good breakfast.  Now, that’s nothing ground breaking, all Healthy Living Bloggers know the importance of a good breakfast.  It’s like healthy living 101 – you know that you start your day right, and the rest is bound to follow.

Now, I’m against cutting out a food group or ingredient just because someone else said it worked for them, and I don’t want to go down the food guilt path – I’ve spent faaar too much of my life lost down there, but perhaps some of what James Duigan suggests is worth considering.

WIAW 36

MIMM: Jamathon and celebrations

Healthy Diva Eats

It’s Monday, and therefore I’m going to do a recap of my Marvelous weekend. A bit like a diary, I love this chance to reflect on my weekend at the start of the new week.

I was given this bag on Monday morning when out shopping – it pretty much described my state of mind for most of the weekend 🙂

On Saturday we had a 4 hour Jamathon – Les Mill’s BodyJam for 4 hours! With a pink theme for Breast Cancer Campaign.

Do you like out matching outfits? So proud of Ben for getting into the spirit.

I iced my knees when I got home, followed by a soak in the bath with magnesium salts.  I wasn’t sure it would help – but the next morning when I got up, everything was sore and stiff, APART from my knees – WIN for the ice!!

Can you spot us?

The Leisure Centre really got into the spirit 🙂 And we raised over £1000 for Breast Cancer Campaign.

The event was sponsored by Martial Arts 4 Fun TAGB Tae Kwon-do.  The pink themed food also went down really well in the breaks – got to keep the energy up somehow.

When we got home, I transformed myself into a human again for a 40th Birthday party at a friend’s house – the theme was slippers and sparkles a very well considered theme after the day’s exercise.

I took a ‘chop salad’ (makes me think of pork chops – but in fact chopped veggies) to add a healthy element to the bring and share.

The clocks went back an hour overnight, which gave us an extra hour in bed – oh thank goodness for that!!!

I was up in time to ice the chocolate cake I made the day before to take to a post-dedication party.

I woke Ben, he went off to get the car from the previous night, and we were on our way to church.

Have I explained myu first visit to Exeter Vineyard three weeks ago? I went not knowing anyone or what to expect, and who should I see in the congregation but a girl I went to school with.  We are ‘friends’ on Facebook, along with most of my year at school, but I hadn’t seen her since GCSEs at 16 years old.  She was there with her new husband, and 9 month old son.  Well, Ollie was dedicated this weekend – and we were kindly invited round for sandwiches afterwards.

They put on a good spread – sandwiches, meats, olives, tomatoes and feta, along with strawberries and blueberries, some pastries, and lots of food that kept coming out of the oven.

As I mentioned, I took my now famous chocolate cake – simply decorated with white chocolate.

I knew that another guy from School was going to be there with his wife and son – only when I saw them did I realise that I went to college with his wife.  It’s amazing how small the world seems sometimes.

We had a lovely time, and left on the promise of a proper catch up soon.

Ben had to work early on Sunday night, so I decided to get to work on stripping the wallpaper in our living room.  Now, normally I wouldn’t do this until I had decided on a wallpaper to replace it – but for some reason I decided I was just going to get stuck in!

You can just about see that I have revealed the message ‘love you Marlon’ – I suspect there is an ‘I’ that is yet to be revealed.

Here is a snapshot of some of the other food that I have eaten this weekend – a breakfast bagel with egg and cheese – inspired by Kath Eats.  A protein chocolate and banana smoothie to power me through the Jamathon; tea and a Quest bar at the end of the Jamathon to stop me from eating the entire kitchen; a small bowl of salad and smoked salmon to fill a gap before our party; a soya cappuccino I had before the Jamathon.

What did you get up to this weekend?

What sporting things have you done for charity – marathons, danceathon etc

Favourite Quest bar flavour?

MIMM: a wolfie birthday and giggles

I wasn’t going to write this post as I was a bit tired, and just couldnt’ be fussed – but then I read about Lucie’s amazing weekend, and it spured me to recollect and consider the amazing weekend I had before I launch myself into a new working week.

Healthy Diva Eats

I can’t even remember Friday, so I’m going to launch into Saturday. I started the day with a plate of french toast. I went to the gym early and got in a few abdominal circuits before I met Ben for Combat, and thankfully I felt well all the way through – so I guess it wasn’t the French toast that made me unwell before.

French toast

Sorry, it’s out of focus, and it looks like I couldn’t resist a nibble before I took the photo. Must have more self control.

After Combat it was home for a quick bath (my Saturday treat) and out again for a special birthday brunch. This time Ben and I made the cake – it was an awesome chocolate cake, themed for our friend Wolfie (short for his nickname Wolverine).  I didn’t ask if I could use his photo on the blog, so here is Ben bringing out the cake:

A Wolfie Birthday

Jon is just the sweetest smiliest guy you could hope to meet, so I could have served him a plate of cake-mush and I swear he would have been over the moon – but this X-men themed cake hit the nail on the head 🙂

In the evening Ben and I were out to see Alan Davies in his latest stand up – Little Victories. No photos allowed unfortunately.

Alan Davies Little Victories

Saffy learned a new trick this weekend – climbing up on top of the cupboards in the kitchen. I’m assured cats are agile and resilient – I sure hope so!!

She looks like she’s glaring – which she might well have been, but I think it was the flash from the camera at 6.30 in the morning.

I tried to foam roll my legs on Sunday morning – Saffy wanted to play ‘under the bridge’  Not helpful!

We were up and out to Church in Exeter, we saw an old school teacher there this week (Ben and I were at school together) – we did NOT go and say hello.

As is part of the deal, if Ben goes to church he gets Carvery.

My plate, a child’s portion, and even then I didn’t finish the meat:

Ben made the most of it:

Nom nom nom.

The afternoon was for shopping, cleaning and chillaxing.

What did you get up to this weekend?

What is the best birthday cake you’ve ever had.

Fitness Friday: False Modesty

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to take a compliment?

You probably know by now that I like a good exercise class.  My favourite used to be an advanced step aerobics class until they replaced it with a new class 😦

The instructor would start the class by saying that while it might seem hard at first, you would get used to it, and it would be easier. A typical response was “No, it’s always hard”.  A few friends and I would stand at the front, and when new people joined they would be encouraged stand behind us so they had someone other than the instructor to copy.  Regulars and new people would say that we were good.  But it was typical to reply “No, I’m not that good, I mess up loads”.

Our comments were meant well, just modesty about abilities.  However, my concern was how that would influence other people.

“Modesty: the quality of not talking about or not trying to make people notice your abilities and achievements”

“False modesty: behaviour in which a person pretends to have a low opinion of their own abilities or achievements”

I don’t think it was false modesty in the sense that people ‘pretended’ to have a low opinion of themselves, I think you forget how hard it is at the beginning and don’t realise how good you’ve gotten.  I’ve seen how off-putting it can be to new-comers thought.  I think we need to be able to recognise and own our strengths and achievements.

WIAW 35: Incidental snacking

Happy What I ate Wednesday.

I’ve got a bit of a focus to my WIAW today: thinking about incidental snacking – you know that teaspoon of peanut butter you eat while you are waiting for your toast, or that chicken nugget left on your kiddie’s plate that would be a shame to throw out.

It all adds up you know.

Now incidental snacking is my worst habit (apart from perhaps biting my nails – Ben, if you’re reading this, no comments please). My meals are healthy, but when I’m hungry and impatient for dinner I find myself with hands everywhere shovelling whatever I can find into my mouth.  Can anyone out there say ‘AMEN’?

The trouble is, then we forget about these nibbles here and there – it’s commonly known as FOOD AMNESIA.  Just consider for a moment how it adds up:

• 1tsp peanut butter while waiting for the toast = 30 calories
• 1 wrapped chocolate from a box that’s doing the rounds at the office = 50 calories
• 3 finger dips into a pot of hummus = 95 calories
• 2 tbsp leftover cheese sauce scraped from the pan = 16 calories
• 1 tbsp leftover cake batter wiped from the bowl = 16 calories
• 3 tsp bolognese ‘to taste’ = 48 calories
• 1 small boiled sweet = 20 calories

source

So, I’m trying to fall into better habits, and avoid mindless nibbling.

I used to be sooooo good at this, but that was in my ED phase – everything I ate went into the food diary, a crisp from Ben’s packet, a bite of his sandwich.  Then I stopped eating it because I would have to write it in my diary, and God forbid I filled a page with a day’s eats.  Then I became fearful of extra bites.

I could test myself by going into places where there would be free food – markets, church (tea and biccies afterwards), I would pass the cakes at work and know for certain there was no way they were going anywhere near my mouth.

MIMM: weekend antics

This weekend didn’t go to plan, and it’s funny how a weekend can turn from the worst to the best!

Healthy Diva Eats

For months I had it in the back of my mid that we would go to visit Ben’s Nanny this weekend as it was her birthday during the week.  However, the boy didn’t get around to organising it until it was too late and she had guests.

Lucy came to visit her baby (and us) on Friday, and we tried out a new Indian takeaway that has opened in town.

Actually, I think it’s the same takeaway but rebranded.  I couldn’t decide what I wanted so I decided to make my own – baked curried salmon on top of kale chips. I did nab the salad though.

I bought some treats at the market – which inspired my post over the weekend: Is that cake? A rant.

Is that cake? A rant

Ok, so, where to start?

Have you ever had someone telling you what you shouldn’t be eating?  Of course you have.

“are you sure you want that piece of cake?”

“naughty, naughty”

“a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!”

source

I think it’s become such common practice that people don’t even realise they are doing it.

One such incident always sticks with me.

WIAW #34

So, I teased you on Monday with hints of coffee shops and all you can eat buffets.  I think I have kept you salivating waiting long enough.

What I ate Wednesday #34

As always with Saturdays I started the day with a BodyCombat class at 9.00, so I needed to fuel myself well when I got up.  I made eggy bread with some melted cheese, and half a banana with cinnamon raisin peanut butter.

London Baby! Part 3

So, I guess I had better finish my tale of our anniversary trip to London.  Where was I?  We went to find Inspiral in Camden, and hunted down Deliciously Ella.

From Raw Press we decided we would go and visit Harrods.  I love it.  The food departments mainly, of course.

We walked around to take it all in.  Harrods isn’t like some of the expensive shops where they take one look at you and won’t let you in.  Everyone is treated like a welcome customer, whether you are spending £1 or £1,000 (well, I’ve never spent £1,000 in there they might be even more welcoming then 🙂 ).

We debated what Ben was going to buy for lunch – it takes a while to take it all in.  He debated a pie, or some of the sandwiches.  I eyed up the sushi platters, but Ben was more interested in the sandwiches.  In the end he went back for a chicken tikka naanwich and we ate on the benches outside.

We then went on to Whole Foods Market. I’m familiar with bloggers who visit Whole Foods regularly, and remembered a past experience visiting, so I knew what to expect.  Ben hadn’t been before so it was a new experience for him.  We enjoyed looking around and decided we wanted to go back the next day and get a lunchbox from the salad bar and hot food bar.  And we did.

Salad bar: spinach, grilled pepper, carrot and aubergine, sweetcorn and roast butternut

That actually lasted me all day.  I ate half for lunch, and topped the remainder with a tin of tuna in the evening.

But back to Monday.  We still didn’t know what we were going to do for our Anniversary dinner.  I suggested we go back to our room and swim in the pool, and discuss it.

source

That’s when Ben had a great idea.  We would get roomservice, and stay in and watch a film.  It was a perfect anniversary dinner.

Anniversary Meal

I had a small greek salad with steamed vegetables on the side.  Ben ordered a meaty pizza with a charcuterie plate.  I checked and it was cheaper to take the champagne out of the mini-bar than order it room service (yes, I checked what was best value – does that ruin the romance?)

I don’t even remember what film we watched.  Perhaps Ben will remind me.  It was still a great night.

Ben finished up with a zebra doughnut from harrods

zebra doughnut

While it was nice, Ben did think the added sugar was overkill.

I think that takes us to the end of our Anniversary holiday – sorry it took me so long to get it completed.

Have you been to Harrods? Or to Whole Foods? Have you ever eaten from the minibar or ordered room service?

MIMM: weekend celebrations

I’ve just had a marvellous weekend catching up with my school friend, so I had to write my Marvelous in My Mondays post – reflecting on a weekend with great friends.

Healthy Diva Eats

Saturday kicked off as always with BodyCombat. It was a haaard session, we pushed it to the max.  Back home for a quick shower before we were on our way to Bristol to catch up with my very good friend from school.

We spent some time chatting and catching up with all the gossip in our lives before we took a walk into town.  We stopped at this fabulous little cafe on St Nicholas Street called the Playground Coffee House.

Playground coffee house

As you can see we sat on swings suspended from scaffolding poles.  There was a stash of board games on the side of the table and we had a round of Dirty Minds while we drank our tea and coffee.

Dirty Minds

The coffee was good, and the tea was looseleaf –  but you’ll have to wait until Wednesday for that.

We decided that we would have a look round the St Nicholas Market before we headed back to get ready for a night out.

Bristol with friends

You wouldn’t believe I’d been woken by the rain the night before, would you?!