On it like a car bonnet - True Story!

24th April 2012

People don't resist change. They resist being changed! Peter Senge

Well so far so good  ;-) one day down, totally on track, no booze before bedtime last night and feeling good this morning. 

If the negative outweighs the positive then that behaviour needs to change.   That’s what crossed my mind yesterday after I’d finished writing my blog, because yes I really do enjoy sitting there having a few drinks at night but I don’t enjoy watching the scales tell me I’ve gained weight and alcohol is the major contributor to that.  I also know I would run easier if I didn’t drink, and that my health would no doubt be better too, maybe not so noticeable now because I am quite healthy, but in the future it’ll keep me fit into old age.

So I asked some leaders to convince me yesterday to get on track, here are a few of the questions they asked which you may want to ask yourself!

-          Why do you want to lose weight?

-          Is it important to you?  If it is then what’s stopping you?

-          Why don’t you like being the weight you are?

-          What would be the difference to you if you saw the weight you wanted on the scales and a slimmer trimmer you in the mirror?

The conversation was finished with

-          I want you on it like a car bonnet!  You know you can, we know you can so prove it. End of sermon x

-          So Bev you have every reason to lose weight and no reason not to.... Get on with it girl

-          So if you don’t like that feeling Bev then it is down to YOU to do something about it!

  OUCH, as you can see none of them were beating around the bush and all of them were absolutely correct.  So as said, I’m on it like a car bonnet! True Story ;-)

Yesterday I walked Alfie for 45 minutes, then after my meeting I ran with my mate for 30 minutes then we walked another 3 mile too, so I earned around 12 ProPoints which is great.  I did eat more ProPoints than I’d have liked because I’d already got a cooked dinner left from Sunday and I had some walnuts on my salad which maybe excellent for your health but boom they’re also 19 ProPoints per 100g, that’s higher than chocolate!  3 walnut halves = 2pp, I shall be using them sparingly in the future because I obviously had more than 3!

I’ve already got today planned in my head, thinking a banana & yogurt smoothie for breakfast, beef and ale casserole with sweet potato mash for my main meal then a salad for tea followed by an early night because it’s a 12 hour work day for me from beginning to end, I do get an hour inbetween which I plan to run in as long as it’s not raining.

I was reading a magazine yesterday which said, according to new research the nations favourite meal is now the healthy stir fry.  If put together correctly it can be really healthy and packed with vitamins but just one slip – overcooking the veg, adding too much oil or drowning it in a fatty sauce and you’ve changed all that.  Here’s how to make your stir-fry the healthiest ever;

Serves 2 - 16pp each, so maybe it could serve more!  I reckon 4 servings at 8pp each easily!

1tbsp rapeseed oil. (4pp) (It has half the saturated fat of olive oil and a higher smoke point – the heat at which the oil starts to degrade and it becomes bad for you – this makes it idea for stir fries.

2 diced chicken breasts (8pp) – low fat protein curbs your appetite for hours.
1 deseeded, finely chopped red chilli – revs your metabolism and boosts immunity.
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger – similar properties to chilli, combine them for a maximum nutrient hit.
3 chopped cloves of garlic – it’s an antibacterial that fights off bugs
1 sliced onion – works with the garlic for an even bigger antibacterial blast.
125g chopped cabbage – helps protect against cancer and jam packed with fibre.
8 sliced mushrooms – they’re full of energising B vitamins to support your nervous system (Heave ho yr stress)
1 sliced yellow pepper-  with immune-boosting skin-protecting vitamin A
Juice of half lime - rich in vitamin C
2 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce (1pp) – better for you than it’s super-salty cousin
200g rice noodles (19pp) – wheat & gluton free, so they’re easily digestible (stop the bloating!)

1.       Drop the rice noodles in a pan of boiling water and leave to simmer.
2.       Meanwhile, heat the oil, and add the chicken, ginger and chilli.  Stir fry for 2 minutes, add veggies and stir fry for another 2 minutes before adding the lime juice and soy sauce.  Stir for a further 30 seconds.
3.       Drain the rice noodles, then mix into the stir-fry and serve.  Wash down with a large glass of smugness ;-)

Stir fry swaps;

If you’re bloated swap cabbage for courgettes.  Cruciferous veg are gas inducers (think granddad after the Christmas sprouts).  Add an easy-to-digest courgette instead.

If you need an energy boost swap onions for kidney beans (1tbsp = 1pp) they are a good plan source of energising iron, which the vitamin C in other veggies will help your body to absorb.

If you’re veggie, swap chicken for tofu (50g = 1pp) and cashew nuts (10g = 2pp) chicken cotains all 9 essential amino acids, but by combining these, you’ll achieve a full set the meat-free way.

If you’re hitting the gym, swap rice noodles for soba noodles (8pp per 100g) which are made from buckwheat, which helps enhance your body’s uptake of muscle-toning protein when working out.

If your skin needs a boost, swap rapeseed for avocado oil, it has a high smoke point, so is perfect for stir frying and is also packed with skin-nourishing vitamin E.

Mmm need to be making a stir fry soon I thinks, right I’m off to walk Alfie, have a fabulous day, keep up the good work. xx