Working on our waistlines.

So as you all know I have lost 2 inches off my waist - which I am really happy about and have been feeling really comfortable within myself again...

Here is an exercise to help you shed the inches and trim your waistline, demonstrated for you, by Will at The Club and Spa.

Must be a better wife...

Don't worry my husband hasn't demanded this, but I have demanded it of myself. 

Elsie is 3 months old, I have worked continuously through it and now I have got those two elements of my life in order, it is now time for me to concentrate more on my husband and my home. 

So I have researched lots of recipes that need pre preparation, so that when I get a spare minute from Elsie I can prepare tea to throw in the oven later. 

Here is one I made earlier - it is once again from my Vegan collection as that diet is very close to the Paleo Diet and another steal from Naturally Sassy.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burgers

(What they are supposed to look like)

INGREDIENTS

Makes 8 burgers

3 sweet potatoes 2 tins black beans (3 cups) 1 cup sweet corn 2 red onions, diced 1 cup brown rice flour

2 tsp cumin 1 tsp salt 2 tsp ground oregano 1 tsp chilli powder

METHOD:

Preheat your oven to 190c Peal and chop the Sweet potato into small cubes, drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and cook for 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile rinse and drain your beans and place in to a large mixing bowl. With a masher mash until roughly half the mixture becomes a paste.

In a frying pan add the onions and cook until caramelised. Place in mixing bowl with the spices and sweet corn.

Once the sweet potato is done, mash well before adding to mixing bowl, Mix well. Add the brown rice flour to bind and continue to stir.   Shape into 8 large patties and place in the fridge to cool.

To cook: in a frying pan, drizzle olive oil and fry the burgers for 3 minutes on each side, place on a baking tray and cook at 190 degrees for a further 10-15 minutes until crisp.

- See more at: http://www.naturallysassy.co.uk/recipes/sweet-potato-black-bean-burgers#sthash.Xyj0yxLe.dpuf

What mine looked like:

So as you can tell - mine needs a little more work and a lot more sweet potato. 

But I am trying and I am determined. So watch this space, the newest Delia Smith is on her way to a computer screen near you. 

Chocolate Cravings and Vegan Cuisine

The paleo diet has beaten me... I had to get my chocolate fix so I gave in and treated myself. Then I treated myself again and again and again.

However, because of my strong need to still have chocolate in my life I then stumbled along this vegan blog www.naturallysassy.co.uk she has lots of amazing vegan recipes as well as a vegan chocoholic ebook... its amazing and I believe her when she says her dishes are amazing.

Unfortunately, when I attempted to make mine the result was far from delicious... and further from chocolatey.

Here is the recipe that I tried:

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake

What it's meant to look like.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups oats (can use gluten free oats)

1 cup pitted Medjool dates

1 tbsp water

1/2 cup cashews

2-4 tbsp cacao powder

*Note, to make the crust completely raw substitute the oats for 1.5 cup of cashews.

Peanut butter layer

1 cup peanut butter

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1 cup almond milk

1/3 cup pitted medjool dates

Chocolate layer

1 ripe avocado

1 banana

4 tbsp melted coconut oil

1/3 cup pitted medjool dates

1/3 cup cacao powder

Garnish

1/3 cup peanuts

a pinch of salt

THE BASE

Blend the cacao, cashews and oat to a crumb in your food processor. Pour into a bowl. Then add your dates and a tablespoon of water, blend until a smooth paste has formed. Add the date paste to your bowl and totally combine so it easily sticks together.

Place into the bottom of a spring form cake or tart tin. Spread, and form the base evenly. Place in the fridge.

PEANUT BUTTER LAYER

Blend the dates, peanut butter, coconut oil and the milk until completely smooth. Spread on top of the cake base, place in the freezer. (This will harden it up quicker than in the fridge).

CHOCOLATE LAYER

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Once its been in the freezer around 15 minutes it should be hard enough to pour the chocolate mixture over it. Spread the chocolate evenly and then place in the fridge. Leave in the fridge for at least two hours before serving. Garnish with toasted peanuts, roasted in a pinch of salt!

- See more at: http://www.naturallysassy.co.uk/recipes/peanut-butter-chocolate-cheesecake#sthash.l4soI1Om.dpuf

What mine looked like:

Hahahaha! 

Boxercise / Anger Management

Will and I often have little boxercise sessions with one another, and it really gets the heart going. I absolutely love it. He had me running around the studio chasing him and trying to punch the pads, there were a few near misses, but he was asking for that as my co-ordination is horrendous.

You can feel the burn all over your body, with the combination of high intensity repetitions and the speed in which you do it. It is also fabulous form of anger management.

The Amanda Holden arms have to be coming along, and with all the high kicks I can feel it trimming my waist as we do it. 

I would definitely recommend for anyone to pop along to their local boxercise class - or just ask your husband to be your punching bag for an evening.... it could probably help a few marriages. lol.

Enjoy x

Success I've 6lbs in 7 days.

So far, my paleo diet has been going very well (with the exception of a glass of wine here and there) I have lost 6lbs in 1 week. I thought that I would miss chocolate so much more than I have been... so I am a happy girly at the moment.

This diet does however make exercising harder. Eggs and bacon, although delicious don't seem to give me the same energy boost as some toast did in the morning. So I am working harder, which in turn should make me burn more fat... maybe?

And seeing as sweet potato is allowed, I am going to make a delicious spicy sweet potato cottage pie this evening. (I will be leaving out the butter and ketchup and normal potato as they aren't part of my plan.

Here is the recipe if anyone would like to join me:

Spicy cottage pie with sweet potato mash

• Preparation time:20 minutes
• Cooking time:60 minutes
• Total time:1 hour 20 minutes  

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, diced
2 medium leeks, thinly sliced
450g Waitrose Aberdeen Angus Beef Lean Mince (10% fat)
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
4–5 tbsp chopped, flat-leaf parsley
500ml beef stock
750g floury potatoes, peeled and cubed
350g sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
30g butter

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the onion, carrot and leek for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the mince, break up with a fork, and fry for a few minutes until lightly browned. Stir in the paprika, cumin, ketchup and parsley. Add the stock and seasoning and bring to the boil. Simmer, half covered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a 2-litre shallow ovenproof dish.
2. While the mince is cooking, put all of both types of potatoes in a pan with cold water to just cover. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10–15 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly, then return them to the pan and mash with the butter and seasoning until smooth.
3. Spoon over the top of the mince mixture. Rough up the surface with a fork. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden. Great served with peas or broccoli.

Injections :(

Elsie had her first injections last week, and they may as well of swapped my child for another. My once peaceful, calm and smily baby was gone. In her place is a grumpy, whiney and angry little girl.

When she initially had her injections, she was soooo brave. She cried a little with the initial pain, but not for long and then settled nicely... it was the days to follow that proved to be more difficult. 

I wonder why it is that this happens. She didn't get a temperature or anything but from reading online forums it sounds very common. A week after though, I am wondering when she will return to her happy self and I feel awful that I can't do anything to help. 

Paleo Diet

So I am attempting the Paleo Diet - I don't know how I will get on, I know it will be very difficult.

Here are the basics.

So cutting out sugar and alcohol is going to be very very difficult for me, but when Danny did this for Lent he lost so much weight very quickly. As long as I am giving my body enough fuel for the gym I should be fine... 

However I am already thinking about the chocolate I won't be able to eat. But my darling husband has offered to do it with me to help me stay focused and committed. (Note - I have never committed to a diet for longer than 3 days.) I hope it doesn't cause us to divorce as I read an article recently that would suggest it is a possibility. But hey at least I will be thin. 

Through this journey I will share recipes, hints and tips for anyone else that would like to start it. 

Making Progress!

So I had my first weigh in after 6 weeks of Personal Training at The Club and Spa

My original stats were:

Waist 82cm
Hips 96cm
Weight 60.4kg

They are now:

Waist 77cm
Hips 96cm
Weight 60kg




That is 5cm (2inches) off my weight... I am so happy!!!! I could see it decreasing, I just need to get serious about my diet now (she says feeding her wine hangover with a wok n go) from seeing that we are making progress it has spurred me to put the chopsticks down and get running more.

So Sunday I start the Paleo Diet, Hubster did it for lent and lost over a stone and a half in 6 weeks. I have 6 weeks till holiday and Elsie is sleeping much better so I am committed.

Side Boob Arm Flab

Pregnancy creates something called Stubborn Fat, in Stubborn areas. Stomach, legs and arms.

One of my stubborn areas is my side boob arm flab, you know the bit between your boob and your armpit. It looks gross, and it ruins the look of summer when my arm overflows into my breast.

So Will and I have been working on this area and I thought I would share the exercise with you.

Tomorrow is the weigh in. Wish me LucK !!!!!