Day 3 in beautiful Kingscliff

A better sleep last night, and having my sweet Dad stay over made today much more bearable- so much fun showing a doting granpa his adorable newest granddaughter. But I still just wanted to stay in bed when he left in the morning and not go to church with hubby. Then I remembered why I'm doing this blog, decided to take some pain relief -something I dislike doing, put my glad rags on- the ones that still fit at least, and go to church. Surprise, surprise, I came home in a great mood and had a brilliant morning. The pain was and is still incredibly hideous, but my outlook is far more cheerful. 

I am a bit excited that spring is almost here. Today was just stunning- warm, not hot, a fresh breeze, gorgeous blue skies. Perfect for a much needed pram walk with my sweet Arabelle. Gentle exercise, here I come! 

My little girl blissfully unaware of how beautiful the scenery beyond the pram was today.

Such a stunning day to end winter on. Glad I motivated myself to walk. The struggle to exercise is worth it with views like this. I don't ever want to take living here for granted-it's the best hour I've spent in a while just appreciating my home, and getting some great exercise.

Now, today's diet was a bit interesting I have to admit. However, it was portion controlled and sugar free, so that at least counts for something. I hope!

On waking: Hubby brought me up a large, milky coffee, around 6am.

Breaky: 3 small battered fish bites and several prawns at 7am. Odd, but quite yummy leftovers with my hubby and dad.

Lunch: Soaked oats and small portion of nuts at 12:30.

Afternoon tea: Rye Mountain bread wrap, no dressing, heaps of salad with 3 sliced olives for bite at 3:30pm.

Dinner: Easy quiche (recipe below) and simple salad at 6pm.

Before I give you the quiche recipe, as promised, my dreaded measurements. And may I say how horrified I was to realise that part of me measures over a metre! Considering I'm 1.5metres tall, that was a bit confronting!!! This was far scarier than the scales, but again, it's a positive step to moving forward. So, here goes...

Waist : 81.5cm

Upper thigh: 63cm

Hips: 103cm

Bust: 93cm.

Sigh. It's out there now. I can only improve from here on, cause I sure as anything not going backwards.

Now onto pleasant stuff. Here is my Easy Quiche Recipe.

Dice about 3-4 shortcrust bacon pieces and an onion. Saute- low to medium heat- in a little olive oil and butter. 

While bacon and onion cooks, place I defrosted sheet of puff pastry in a lightly greased quiche dish. I prefer olive oil or butter to grease.

Add mixed veggies of choice to bacon and onions. Here, I used broccoli, carrots, steamed sweet potato, cauliflower. Add herbs of choice. I used curry powder, white pepper, paprika, salt.

In a bowl, crack 4 eggs, add 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup grated cheese and 1 heaped tablespoon of polenta. Whisk roughly.

When cooked, place veggies into quiche dish. Tear some parsley leaves and scatter on top.

Pour egg mixture over veggies. Use a fork to help mixture distribute evenly. Cover with a small amount of parmesan cheese. Place in a pre-heated oven at 200-220 degrees celsius. Cook for approx 30-40 mins or until golden.

While cooking, prepare a basic salad. It's the weekend before payday, so veg is limited, but a simple bit of shredded lettuce, a red capsicum and parsley dressed with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper works a treat.

The finished product. Easy, cheap and satisfying. Serves 6.

My portion size. Just what I needed to end the day on. Feel good food without the guilt :)

Hope that satisfied you all. I am not sure what tomorrows post will look like after a huge day at Seaworld, but I shall fill you in anyway :)

What A Day!

Day 2. What can I say except blurrgh! After a pretty awful attempt at sleep, I was perhaps a little snappy and sooky today. I think I had a case of the man flu 'cause I didn't seem to be coping so well. Bubby must have had a touch too, though hers did seem to be post vaccination related. On a positive note, normally when I am this down or unwell,  I eat sugar. Lots and lots of carby naughtiness. However, today, until dinner, I was a good girl. Actually, I surprised even myself. Considering I went to a school fun day, can't believe I didn't sample anything. At all. By evening, when my dad came down and shouted me a belated birthday dinner, I further impressed myself by declining pavlova and ice cream cake. Ok, I ate some chips and fried food, but one battle at a time! 

After all of that, todays eating went like this...

Breaky: soaked oats/ latte at 6am

Morning tea: chia smoothy at 10am

Afternoon tea: 125g steamed salmon (forgotten freezer score!) and another cuppa at 2:30pm

Dinner: 1 plate only small battered fish bits/ chips/ prawns and water to drink (not the coke my dad bought) at 6:30pm. 

I feel very satisfied, & a bit stoked that I have gone 2 days without sugar and being very aware of what I'm consuming. Tonights dinner was a treat,  and I won't beat myself up for enjoying a great family get together over fried food. Secretly glad that this will be the last birthday splurge for a while though! 

Tomorrow, I shall ad my measurements to the post. If I can do scales, I can do the tape too!

Until tomorrow

Day 1

Here I am at day 1. And what a day it's been! The Dr visit this morning included needles for a sweet little girl, and some good news for her mumma. My shoulder ultrasound pinpointed a fairly simple issue that diet and strengthening exercise should alleviate a bit. I was also given the green light at last to commence core exercises. I'm actually a bit chuffed about this!  Except that I have a raging head cold, I'm feelin' pretty good about the next 30 days. 

Today also included a trip into town as my teen had a job interview. There was a visit from my in laws, and a quick trip out to the shops, as well as a full bed change, washing, folding 3 loads of washing...! What I am so glad about is this- preparing food in advance. 

To start on the right foot, I had a fairly clean eating day yesterday. It helped my head was so blocked, I didn't feel hungry. And, I prepared these; soaked oats/ nuts/ cherries for breaky, nuts for snacks, beetroot/ chia smoothies for lunches. 

To make these, place 1/3 cup oats in a glass. Add enough whole milk to cover. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Add a layer of pepitas, then frozen cherries, or berries of choice, a heaped tablespoon of yoghurt, a nutty garnish, then store in the fridge. Seriously delicious and perfect for breakfasts.

I don't get too hung up on exact portion size/ weights. These containers are small and the portion satisfying. I use whatever nuts I have available. 

Hubby thinks these are gross, but in my defence, he hasn't tried one yet.  It's my beetroot/ chia smoothies :) Grate  raw beetroot- use about 1/2 a large one for 2 serves. Add 50gms soaked chia seeds, 1/2 cup whole milk, cinnamon, water and blend. Top with a dollop of yoghurt. Seriously satisfying! Lasts for 2 days in the fridge.

Having such a busy day, it's vital to have healthy foods to grab and go. Especially as I weighed myself this morning after an eternity of pretending I didn't own scales. It was dark, but sadly, I could see that horrible, unnerving machine under the chest of drawers covered in more dust than my swimwear. I could also see that evil number, even in the dark, glaring up at me like a possessed neon sign.  I would rather stand on anything in preference to scales. Seaweed- that scares me. I'd rather stand on that. And seriously, I would rather not share it with the world. But here it is. The number was too close to 70. That means, gosh darn it, that I am still 10kg's over my pre-pregnancy weight. At 156cm tall, I am overweight- according to BMI calculations for my frame (medium). It's 27.94. I would like it to be in the safe zone again. I hear many people bag these calculators. Ok, at times, lean bodybuilders rate in the overweight category, but for the most part, they are quite accurate, if you follow the ones set out for frame size. I am not a featherweight, nor do I posses any muscle tone to boast of. What is being measured is all me. Now who regrets that extra piece of birthday cake. Oops- I said I wouldn't mention that!

Todays Meal plan went like this: 

Breaky: Soaked oats followed by a latte.

Morning tea: Chia Smoothy.

Lunch: Small tin sardines and a Rye Mountain bread wrap made with roasted veg (yesterdays leftovers), whole egg mayo, salad veg, parmesan. Pictured below.

Afternoon Tea: Snack size nuts. Another cuppa to help keep me going.

Dinner: Carb free rice, left over veg, parmesan, egg and splash of soy. (Friday nights are sometimes 'help yourself dinner nights'). 

Another issue was being in rather annoying pain most of the day. It down right burns. My arm made holding my bubby extremely difficult this morning too. I was naggy, snappy wife. But, it isn't my hubby's fault, so I chose to apologise. No one has done this to me. I have to deal with my cranky pants in a healthy way, not attack people. So, so glad I can focus on this 30 day challenge, and now that I'm allowed to add some real exercise- still gentle- but strengthening routines to my week- I'm happier all the more. Now, all I need is for my sweet little girl to keep sleeping well like last night....please!

Comments welcome. I would love to hear from others, your struggles/ stories.

Until next time!

The next 30 days

Yesterday was the big day. And now that my birthday has come and gone, we shall never speak of what transpired in the culinary department. It's a new day. I like new days. And now, I am planning on having 30 new days. 

I am currently a larger version of my 'comfortable in my own skin' self. My hubby thinks I'm smokin' hot, which is sweet, but I  admit, I am not feeling it at present. However, I will cut myself some slack. I am 45 and almost 4 months out from my third caesarian, suffering chronic pain and a bit of nerve damage, and readjusting to life with a little person whose night time sleep routine doesn't often include the 8-8.5 hours in a row I would like. I won't put myself down as of today, call myself fat, or belittle me in front of my daughter. I will remove labels and emotions, and simply focus on choosing to consume healthy, whole foods, and gently exercise when I can.

I have been on many diets. Many are successful, but few are sustaining, or ultimately healthy. I am at the conclusion that real food is best, not powdered, processed, packaged stuff- though at times, they have their place. I am also convinced that low fat/ high sugar foods are pure evil and completely unnatural, unless you are consuming fibre and vitamin rich fruit. Sugar is not a food group, it's an additive and Western cultures consume way, way too much. 

I don't support low fat. Of course, if I have consumed too much rich food, a day of lower calorie veggie soups, fruit, salads etc is acceptable. But fat is important for our bodies normal, healthy function. And it's way more satisfying.

I am also not anti wheat, grains or dairy. I am not allergic to any of these so I won't eliminate them from my diet. I will choose instead to try to consume the less processed option. I'm also not opposed to dried fruit in moderation. I like a little in my morning soaked oats sometimes. But for me, it's an occasional food. High sugar foods and me don't mix. I don't have a very good cut off switch with them. Also, as I'm not running a marathon, higher carb foods aren't something I need a lot of at present.

I am a bible believer, and since early on, we have eaten fruits, nuts, grains, animals, olive, breads, spices, dairy, yoghurt, honey etc. The only main thing I can see emphasised is portion control, or how gluttony is wrong. That basically sums up my eating preference. 

I am quite a fan of the 50 Days No Sugar Challenge, and Sarah Wilson's 'I Quit Sugar' books/ blog. I like these in particular as they focus on real food. And with a family who doesn't quite share my views, I can still make satisfying meals that don't leave them feeling deprived. Though I am not on a Paleo diet, I also quite like some of the recipes used, and will include them too.

Below is an example of my breaky this morning.

5 button mushrooms, 2 small slices of rind-less bacon, sauteed in a pan lightly coated in olive oil. Add two roughly beaten eggs and a heaped tablespoon of shredded parmesan cheese. Cover with a lid and turn the heat off. Leave a minute longer. Gently roll onto a plate, cover with  3-4 green, pitted olives, a few parsley leaves and black pepper. 

A sustaining breakfast in under 10 minutes.

Follow me for the next 30 days as I post my daily recipes, triumphs and struggles as I work on bringing healthy back. And yes, I will suck it up and weigh myself-with a photo- so that we will all know if this kind of eating with limited exercise is successful or not. 

Until next time :)

The best chicken stock ever :)

As promised, the best stock ever. What makes it so good? It's simple, cheap, and uses whatever ingredients you have lying around in the fridge and pantry. Left over roasts (the ones with lots of bones) can also be used. This stock is a great base for many soups and meals. 

I made this big batch yesterday.

Chicken frames: Remove from the bag, drain excess liquid, place in big stock pot.

Whatever veg you have available. Don't peel, just roughly chop and add. I had parsley, carrots, brown onions and cabbage left over. Waste not! I also had two cloves of garlic, but as hubby is a bit allergic, I remove the green centre stalks to reduce their nasty effect on his insides.

Seasoning: mustard powder, chilli flakes, white pepper, paprika, cloves, salt. I have also used curry powder, bay leaves and black peppercorns in previous stock.

Cover chicken with around 4 litres of water, add chopped veggies, spices and stir. Turn on stove to high. Wait 'til boiling, then simmer for minimum 2 hours, but 3+ is best. Chicken should be falling off the bones.

When cooked, allow to cool for approx 30mins. Then, using a large container with a colander inside, strain the soup in batches. Remove excess meat and keep if you want. Why waste? 

Pour into microwave containers and freeze when cooled slightly. I ended up with around 3 litres of stock. I have some in the fridge I will be using tonight, and the rest I just defrost when needed. You can use ice cube trays for using in stir fries etc when just a tiny amount is needed. I go the 'family size' option.

Enjoy :)

Welcome to my world and the new normal

Welcome to my world! I live in beautiful Kingscliff, far northern NSW, just a stones throw from the QLD border. It's a pretty nice place to reside. Ok, it's an incredible place to live. The beach is an easy 7 minute walk from our home, which is a fairly small 3 bedroom, middle townhouse with a neat little courtyard out back. In this townhouse lives myself, one hubby, a cute bubby, two teenagers, two goldfish and two budgies. The hubby and bubby are of course mine. One teenager is mine, the other is on loan from Germany until December. The goldfish and one budgie are not mine to claim, but without my cleaning/ feeding abilities, they would have ceased existence forever ago. 

So, here I am, half way to 90 by mid week. I had a horrid realisation the other day; I- Am- Middle- Aged. Uuugh! When did that happen?! Other than pondering what product works best on wrinkles, I was a tad reflective over the past. You know, regrets, triumphs, goals, dreams, that sort of stuff. A big triumph; raising two relatively sane girls mostly alone. Ok, I'm the one who turned out relatively sane. They are both gorgeous gals, all grown up at 24 and 19. One lives five minutes away and the other is still at home. Both are great daughters and even better big sisters.

Another plus was meeting an amazing, creative, gentle, loving man at art school 3 years ago. After close to a decade of being single, I had given up meeting anyone again and was set on pursuing my dreams. Now, here I am married (1 year on Sunday 17th!), with a beautiful, healthy, chubby, 15 and a bit week old  bubby girl, Arabelle. *Sigh*. I am so incredibly blessed. 

This blessing is also a huge challenge. I prefer to be ordered, and, I confess, dislike noise, waste and mess. The internal footprint on our home is equivalent to bigfoot staggering through a cluttered room at night after someone shone a torch in his eyes. In our home, things are forgotten, like advance notice of upcoming appointments. They eat junk food, love sugar and processed treats, and eat and keep eating, or complain about no food when clearly, there is enough to feed a small nation- you just have to *gasp* prepare it yourself! They leave lights on, cups everywhere, talk loudly through all TV shows and DVD's... insert another sigh here. I am fighting a losing battle. But since I kinda like having them around, maybe the problem may quite possibly be with me. I'll have a fresh outlook and a new perspective to go please.

As this is my blog, I'll cry if I want to. I was quite fit before falling pregnant. I assumed I would sail through the pregnancy, unlike my unfit, younger self. Wrong! It wasn't as smooth as I had hoped. I fell into letting my moods dictate my diet more than I care to mention. I couldn't exercise like I wanted, but again assumed once bubby popped out, I'd be back to my healthy, energetic self. Breastfeeding would also help me shed excess kilo's and I'd be my ideal weight in 5 minutes. Oh dear. Wrong again. Read on...

When my bubby was born, I sustained nerve damage, which I was warned could happen. Thanks, sciatic nerve.  Now, my right foot is numb, feels weird, sometimes hurts, or randomly spasms at night. The other foot must be jealous because the symptoms are spreading there too. Other than being a pain in the neck (sorry hubby!), I have one. Pretty bad actually, and it often spreads down my shoulder and arm, making mothering almost unbearable at times. I can't exercise like I want, breastfeeding wasn't successful, and again, I have often been eating for convenience and emotions, not always for health. But, I've had my cry, chucked my tanty, and now, I'm ready to move on. I really can't stay in a place of pain, or dietary disappointment in my head. I would rather shift the focus to bringing healthy back.

Having a baby at this age is such an incredible privilege. I absolutely adore my little girl and can't believe how amazing it feels to be a mum again at this stage of my life. Arabelle is my inspiration for this blog, clearly. I would like the view she gets of this world to be a good one. Since my actions will shape her perception, I choose to focus on good food, sensible exercise and keeping myself grateful daily. It's time to bring back the balance, accept the new normal, focus on healthy recovery, non naggy mothering, gratitude, laughter and of course, lots of yummy recipes. My aim is to show that challenges don't have to be limitations to recovery. 

Stay tuned. The next post will be quite possibly the best homemade stock ever.