Start your day with a pint (water that is!)

11th September 2015

Don't be pushed by your problems be led by your dreams.

Yesterday afternoon I went really tired, my energy levels really dipped and suddenly I was craving chocolate, I rarely do that, I'm not a massive chocolate lover, so I was a bit shocked.  I'm trying so hard to stick to Filling & Healthy this week that I didn't want to give into the craving so I thought about it and remembered my bestie always asks me if I've drunk water when I tell her I'm tired, so that's what I did, went and had me a pint of water and guess what, within ten minutes my energy levels lifted, I wasn't tired, I was thirsty!  So in future when you start feeling tired, drink a pint of water, did you know the most common cause of fatigue is dehydration!  Dehydration can cause: problems focusing, mental fogginess, impaired short term memory, dizziness and fatigue.  Don't forget the average human body is 75% water, we need to keep that topped up!  Lack of it can cause all sorts of problems including weight gain - yeah you read that right, when dehydrated, cells are depleted of energy which causes people to eat more because they are tired when in reality the body is thirsty.  Joint pain or stiffness is another side effect of not having enough water as is constipation and lots of other things, so make sure you get that water down you, even on a cold day.

I'm enjoying eating F&H meals but I need to lose the warburton thins, I shan't buy anymore, I know when I put them in my basket I shouldn't be doing, I'm a bread head, if it's in my house, I grab it and eat it rather than thinking about better choices.  Also I'm not sure if you can eat too many eggs but I had them with every meal yesterday - oops!   Breakfast was egg, beans, mush and a thin, dinner was egg and chips then for tea I made egg fried rice.  They were all delicious though, I do like an egg, particularly liked the egg fried rice, just brown rice, frozen veg (I used peas, sweetcorn, peppers, mushrooms), bacon medallion and egg stirred through at the end, so easy.

I'm hoping this week will balance out my appetite, but to do that I do think the thins need to go, I'm sure there's something in them to make me addicted, they're like the cocaine of bread products!

I know I need more planning, I need to make delicious foods using the good stuff I bought, I'm going to have smoked haddock for my breakfast today, and yes there will be an egg involved.  If my besties still gonna make it over, I'm going to do us steak, I'll have mine with mash and veggies, she can have hers with chips if she wants.  I just fancy mash, then I won't have the egg like I would with chips!   I'll then only need a light tea if any at all.

I wash just thinking of cooking more of that egg fried rice and freezing it as a quick microwave meal, then I remembered this recipe, it's so nutritious and tasty.  I'm not sure if it's freezable but it's so satisfying on a cold day, you won't want to freeze it.  If you're doing Filling & Healthy, it's free as long as you use your healthy oil allowance for your portion;

A POT OF LOVE (32pp total)
Try this delicious one-pot meal with lentils, a rich source of iron to boost your energy and love you up.

1 tbsp olive oil (4pp)
2 onions, chopped
3 crushed cloves garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp curry powder
½ tsp cinnamon
4 sliced carrots
100g dried lentils (8pp)
200g  brown rice (20pp)
500ml  stock
1 diced apple (unpeeled)
4 sliced spring onions

In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat; cook onions, garlic, cumin, curry powder and cinnamon, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in carrots, lentils and rice; cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Pour in stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice and lentils are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the apple and spring onions, then cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until the spring onions are heated through. Serve with a dollop of live yoghurt.

That's my mission for the weekend, when I'm chilling in the living room with mom, I'm going to find me a few new recipes to try, have a flick through my cookbooks and magazines.  Yeah I need to get back to taking this weight loss journey seriously.  I'm getting there, I'm still filling in my journal, 10 days in 73 days to go ;) on that note, let's start another day, first pint of water drank, I'm ready for a second. 

I read a quote on pinterest yesterday which said, "don't live every day the same and call it a life", I have to disagree, if you enjoy doing the same thing every day then it's a worthwhile life in my opinion.  I've done so much in my life, travelled a lot, had some great experiences, these days I just don't feel the need, I love being at home, spending time with my mom, I enjoy my work, love my garden, I feel blessed and yep every weeks very similar and it's all good.  So BeYOUtiful do you love your life, if not - change it!

Have a great day.