I’ve had such a craving for this…

Posted by Dannii on 31 March, 2010

 …but I’ll pick some up tonight on the way home :)

WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT
WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT
WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT
WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT
WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT

 Food Dairy Entry

Posted by Dannii on 30 March, 2010

+ Meal One: Low-fat cereal with dried apples, cherries, raspberries, cranberries, semi-skimmed milk, decaffinated tea
+ Meal Two: Tri-coloured pasta with ratatouille and roasted veggies, 3x water
+ Meal Three: Roasted veggies with a little bit of the pasta
+ Meal Four: Celery sticks, lemon squash
+ Meal Five: Veggie Burger, Chips and 1 slice of banana bread, 2x tea

Dan bought me some decaffinated tea after I felt so unwell the other day from my caffiene overload. I am so glad he got them for me :) I love tea but I really can’t handle the caffiene. Tea has so many health benefits and also really helps to keep me feel full. I recommend having a tea after meals as it really helps stop you wanting to eat more/dessert! I’ve been meaning to buy some Agave Nectar to use as a sweetener in it, sweetened tea is SO amazing!

For breakfast I had one of the boxes of cereal I got free when I ran the Sports Relief Mile earlier this month. To be honest I didn’t really like it, I had to literally force myself to finish it. I only ate it because I didn’t want to waste but I am not a very big fan of cereal in general. The ones that taste good are always packed with sugar and the healthy ones are always really bland, even adding fresh fruit isn’t enough to tempt me to eat them. I think I’m going to stick to my porridge and toast based breakfasts! I wasn’t so good for dinner again, seems like I’ve gotten back into my bad dinner habits but I’m going to try to get out of them again- it took me a few days before but when I finally got it, it stuck to it!

 Eat Like A (Healthy) Mexican

Posted by Dannii on

I absolutely LOVE Mexican food. Enchilladas are one of my absoute favourite meals, but really unhealthy too! So I was so happy when I found this article, now I can eat my favourite foods again and still be healthy!

1. Hello to Spicy Goodness, Goodbye to Sodium

Mexican food is often high in sodium, but with a little culinary creativity, it’s easy to make healthy Mexican food that’s also out of this world delicious. Skip the prepackaged seasonings, and try using the spices in your kitchen cabinet. Staple seasoning in Mexican food include cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder, oregano and pepper. Cilantro and lime juice also provide an authentic Mexican flavor. Hot green peppers are a super metabolism booster, and can be cooled down by removing the seeds. The secret is to start small and adjust the seasonings according to taste.

2. Try a Fish Vegetarian Taco

Fish is a terrific source of healthy omega 3 acids, and a great way to make Mexican food healthier. Almost any fish can be used, but should be broiled or poached to cut the fat. If you aren’t ready to make the change to fish, try skinless chicken or ground turkey, are great alternatives to beef in Mexican recipes. -I am vegetarian so I use Quorn pieces (chicken/beef style) or mince (beef style) as a delicious, low-fat protein alternative.

3. Pile on Those Vegetables

Vegetarian Mexican food is not only delicious, it’s culturally authentic. You won’t even notice the missing meat when you pile on the corn, shredded lettuce and chopped onions. Dice some yellow squash or zucchini, or chop a bit of sweet green or red pepper. Fresh tomatoes add both flavor and color. You can roast the vegetables, steam them just until they’re tender, or use them fresh and crisp. -I like to add on the vegetables as well as Quorn to get as much nutritional goodness as possible!

4. Wrapping up Healthy Mexican Food

It’s hard to imagine Mexican food without tortillas, but you can make Mexican dishes healthier by using whole wheat, corn or even sprouted wheat tortillas. It isn’t necessary to give up chips and salsa, either. They can be made by slicing tortillas into strips. Add a sprinkle of seasoning, bake them on a cookie sheet, and voila! You have deliciously crispy, healthy, fresh-out-of-the-oven tortilla chips.

5. Top it Off Right

You can make low-fat Mexican food by keeping an eye on your toppings. Limit the guacamole and stick to low-fat sour cream. Although it’s hard to imagine a Mexican meal without cheese, keep it to a minimum and choose low-fat white cheeses instead of yellow cheeses for a healthy dish full of flavor. -My favourite cheese to add is low-fat mozzerella

Source

 Food Diary Entry

Posted by Dannii on 29 March, 2010

+ Meal One (9am): porridge with golden syrup (I ran out of honey)
+ Meal Two (12:30pm): tri-colour pasta with ratatouille
+ Meal Three: roasted veggies (carrots, courgettes, mushrooms, dwarf beans)
+ Meal Four: celery and cheese
+ Meal Five: Wholegrain veggie & bean burger, chips, mushy peas and garlic bread, a couple of biscuits and chocolates – not good!

I was really stressed today and not in the mood to cook when I got home. I just wanted the easiest thing I could find so I ended up cooking rubbish and lots of it. I felt bad straight away. I noticed that the portions sizes that I used to eat are just too big for me now. So I’m glad I’ve actually got used to eating much smaller amounts. I can’t believe I used to eat this way everyday, no wonder I felt so sluggish and tired all the time! Dan said even though he used to love this kind of food, he couldn’t eat all his because the portion size was too big for him- looks like he’s got used to having smaller portion sizes too. He also said that it tasted so bland and horrible (this used to be one of his favourite meals) and that he much prefers the healthier food I’ve been making recently because it’s so full of flavour and made with fresh ingredients.

So although I was bad, binging out, I have learnt from it. The smaller portion sizes, 4-5 meals a day and healthier ingredients really has been making a difference. This snapshot into how we used to eat has shown me how far I’ve come so far and that I must must must carry it on! I love my new healthly lifestyle, it’s made such a difference in my life!

I’ve worked out a few things to help me keep on track for future bad days:

• Go food shopping AS SOON AS we start running out of food- when the kitchen’s full of delicious, healthy food it makes me WANT to cook right and makes choosing what to make SO MUCH EASIER. When I get lazy and don’t shop often enough it’s easy to get tempted to make rubbish/meals without enough vegetables.
• Always have a healthly meal that can be made quickly available (e.g. FREEZE an extra portion for EMERGENCIES). So if I come home after a bad day/really late for some reason and don’t want to cook, I can still eat a healthy meal.
• ALWAYS keep a healthy snack in the kitchen (e.g. celery and low-fat cottage cheese) so if I come home and need food immediately I can snack on something healthy to give me the (mental) energy to cook properly.
• Once all the unhealthy food has gone from the kitchen (e.g. chips, biscuits) DO NOT replace it. Dan has said although he needs his sweets, biscuits etc. occaissonally he will try to buy things he knows I don’t like/can’t eat or at the very least put them in a high cupboard out of view so I won’t be tempted.
• No matter what, drink 8 glasses of water a day. It makes me feel more full and when I don’t drink enough I am much more prone to stress.

 Weekend

Posted by Dannii on 28 March, 2010

Food wise, this weekend hasn’t been great. I’ve had a lot of junk food but I also did a strenuous aerobics class. I was already tired before I started it, so it really exhausted me, I ended up falling asleep on the couch really early! I think that might be why I was craving high calorie food so badly! I did at least have a healthy breakfast and lunch yesterday, so it’s not all bad.

I’ve had a very busy weekend taking my cat to the vet, going to aerobics, going to a baby shower, going to church, going to the driving range. I think the driving range definatley counts as exercise, my arms and abs are still sore from it! So I’m not all that surpursied that I’ve been so tired this weekend, I was really tired earlier in the week after my workout and I’m eating a lot less calories than I’m used to. I guess it will take a few more weeks for my body to get used to it. It’s just frustrating having to wait, I really want to up my exercise now but I really can’t handle more than 2-3 times a week at the moment.

Even though I had some unhealthy food (cake, biscuits and pizza) I’m glad I managed to keep my portion sizes fairly small. Usually I would have completly binged out! I find it so hard not to eat unhealthily at social events. Tonight, I’m going to make pasta with ratatouille and roasted vegetables for dinner to get back on track for next week.

 Food Diary Entry

Posted by Dannii on 26 March, 2010

+ Meal One: 2x (White) toast with spread, tea (really helps in the morning!)
+ Meal Two: Amazing rainbow salad!, a couple of brownies/shortcake pieces
+ Meal Three: Same as above & a banana
+ Meal Four: Small jacket potato with cheese & beans

We ran out of milk this morning so I couldn’t have my usual porridge and honey (which has been really helping control my hunger this week!), I couldn’t even have cereal or eggs. We’d even run out of brown bread (we really need to go food shopping!) so I ended up having to use up some white bread I had leftover in the freezer from before I started my change in diet. I’ve got two slices of it left, which I’ll have tomorrow, and then white carbs will be banished from our kitchen! Dan isn’t *trying* to lose weight, but since I’m the one who makes his food, I’ve switched him over to brown carbs and reduced his portion sizes slightly. So we’re both eating a lot healthier than we were :)

I need to make a mental note of some groceries I need to pick up:

• wholegrain bread
• eggs
• milk (I need to somehow convince Dan to switch to skimmed- which will be near impossible!)
• salad stuff
• cous cous/quinoa (I really want to try these in salads Tiffany style!)
• low-fat curry sauces
• onions
• veggie mince

Lunch today is an amazing rainbow salad I made last night. I wanted to use up all the leftover salad bits so made a HUGE one that Dan and I could have for both lunch and dinner tonight (as we go out straight from work on a friday, so have to taker dinner to work). It’s so colourful! It’s got lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, sweetcorn, spring onions, red kidney beans, quorn pieces, brown pasta, carrots, (a little bit) grated cheese, extra light mayo for Dan and balsamic vinegar dressing for me! NOM!

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I had a stressful day at work (not helped by the fact I’ve had too much caffeine over the past few days- I’m highly sensitive to it) which messed up the timings of my meals a bit. This is why I craved comfort food for dinner (jacket potato) but I kept the portion size small so kept below my calorie limit :)
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 Beautiful.

Posted by Dannii on 25 March, 2010

Dan and I found these amazing gardens. There’s a river, ducks, flowers bed and a tropical greenhouse with a pond. It’s so beautiful, I absolutely loved walking around it and took loads of pictures (see my flickr). I definately want to come back here for picnics and to just relax.


I’m been MIA for so long! I am really sick of this layout and want to get a new one up ASAP. I’m not going to want to blog much until I’ve changed it, I just know it. I need a new layout to inspire me! I’ve got so much to write about and so many photos (check out my flickr). We have now moved into our new house, are all unpacked and settled, and we love it! There are plently of photos on flickr, I may even do a vlog tour soon! Anyways, until I get a new layout up I doubt you’ll be hearing much from me! Hope you are all well.

P.S. I have a new fitness blog to help me in trying to stick to my new, healthier lifestyle. If you want the URL email me or leave a comment on this post :)

 Food Diary Entry

Posted by Dannii on

+ Meal One: Porridge with Honey, tea
+ Meal Two: Vegetable Soup
+ Meal Three: Potato and vegetable red thai curry with brown rice, a few pieces of brownies & chocolate caramel shortcakes
+ Meal Four: Mashed potato, baked beans and some grated cheese

I got up really late today because I was exhausted. I think yesterday really wore me out, a lot of concentrating and a LOT of walking! I was thinking of jogging tonight but have decided against it and I need to let myself rest. I had already upped my exercise a lot and don’t think I should anymore for a little while. The past few days have been great. I’ve noticed that when I eat and drink healthily and at the right times + an appropriate amount of exercise, I am so much happier and calmer. I feel good, I work better and I get less stressed, I’ve had the energy to be more organised with the housework! I definately want to keep this up as it has made so many improvements in my life and made me so much happier with myself (I often suffer from depression/aniexty). The past few days have been an amazng blessing and I hope it continues!

I did oversleep today but I think that’s due to the fact that I am so tired. I’m going to try to eat properly today (as I always want junk when I’m tired!) and I think that will make me feel better. I need to remember to take it slowly! I don’t want to make myself ill again!

I ended up having a not-so-healthy dinner because I wanted something quick. I was going to have a poached egg until I realised we’d ran out! So I ended up having what I called a ‘jacket potato without the skin’. I think I still managed to stay under my calorie limit today, despite being unable to resist the cakes Dan bought at lunchtime! But a least I only had a few of them and managed to resist having anymore after dinner! I was helped by the fact that when I turned my back for a few seconds, on the ones I had put out on a plate, I found my cat had started eating one of the brownies! lol.

 Food Diary Entry

Posted by Dannii on 24 March, 2010

+ Meal One: Porridge with Honey
+ Meal Two: 1/2 my pasta salad with ceaser dressing
+ Meal Three: 3 little sandwiches – mozzerella & tomato (white bread), carrot & hummus, cream cheese salad
+ Meal Four: rest of my salad, small amount of cheese & celery
+ Meal Five: potato and vegetable red thai curry with brown rice (good portion size!)

Today I was on a course in London and then breifly went to see Dan’s mum’s flat (also in London). I ended up getting home from work a little earlier than usual but I was really tired. My fitness is starting to improve so I’ve been doing a little more exercise. On saturday I did the bums & tums class, sunday I walked around London and ran the Sports Relief mile and yesterday I did a workout DVD. Today I was still sore and tired from yesterdays workout + waking around London all day. When I got home I had to help my flatmate life his two (very heavy & akward!) wardrobes up two flights of stairs- so I’m counting that as exercise too! haha.

Today was a good food day apart from the sandwiches I ate at lunch time. I didn’t realise the course I went on included lunch so I had bought my own (and was eating it at my usual times to keep my blood-sugar levels steady). I didn’t resist them though as I was so exhausted I decided to up my calories slightly today.

I didn’t take a photo of my dinner again tonight but I wish I had because it was amazing and looked really pretty! lol. I’m going to try to start taking more photos to put on here because otherwise I sometimes struggle to remember what I have eaten. Also, I’d like to at some point put up the recipes of some of my favourite things that I’ve been eating recently.

 Food Diary Entry

Posted by Dannii on 23 March, 2010

+ Meal One (9am): Porridge with Honey
+ Meal Two (12:15pm): Lettuce, cucumber, mushroom and tomato salad with ceaser dressing
+ Meal Three (15:30pm): Brown pasta with low-fat pesto
+ Meal Four (5:45pm): Low-fat Granola Bar
+ Meal Five (8pm): Brown rice stir-fry with egg and vegetables and a salad with extra light mayo

Lunch:

Afternoon Snack:

I had a nice walk in the sunshine, just before lunchtime, whilst I was waiting for Dan. I love being outside so I’m happy it’s getting warmer :)

[edit]
In the car on the way home I had my granola bar which gave me the perfect amount of energy to exercise before dinner. I did a workout DVD I used to do a lot but I found it pretty challenging! It included a warm-up, dance cardio section, combat cardio/toning section – a LOT of squats!, high intensity cardio/toning section -even MORE squats and lunges, pilates cool-down/arms/stomach toning section. It was a great workout :)

I didn’t take a photo of my dinner but I wish I had as it was so yummy! We had leftovers from the stir-fry Dan made yesterday (it’s one of his favourite meals), and I added soy sauce, ginger and corriander to mine to give it an oriental twist! so good! :)

I’m really happy because today was a perfect food day! I stuck to five meals, all were healthy and I didn’t go over my calorie limit. I felt absolutely amazing (but very tired after the workout!). I didn’t feel hungry at all today and was in a really good mood, this is all down to managing to eat healthily and spreading my food out consistantly throughout the day. I’m so proud of myself for sticking to it!
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