Category Archives: No faddy diets just healthy food

Healthy Eating…Obesity around the World…

 

 

Worldwide obesity figures are rising… with the rising of obesity then lifestyle diseases are on the increase and putting a strain on already stretched health services around the world which means longer waiting times to be seen plus as we/I get older I want to preserve my body as well as I possibly can which means I watch what I eat and I am walking more which is my preferred exercise…Sally over at Smorgasbord has been posting an excellent series on Morbid Obesity…Sally is a trained Nutritionist and her posts are very informative and helpful …Please head over by clicking the highlighted link above…I will leave all the important stuff we should know and the many tips to help us be in our best health to Sally as she is an expert…

My aim is to highlight the scale of the problem and to know that we are all part of the solution and are not alone in this…

This series is one I posted a couple years ago when I looked at worldwide figures and how it looks depending on where you live…I am a self-confessed nerd sometimes…smile…therefore I am repeating and updating this series…

But I also believe life is for living…Food is for enjoying… So what I have decided to do is some comparisons …Which wasn’t my plan initially for these posts… I was just reading and researching and saw a link which I clicked and three hours later and many links later this idea was born…

It started with a headline about obesity ...Country by country and percentages and then I got to thinking about the difference in lifestyles and options or just what we have always eaten…But then those stats began to make sense to me…

My diet has changed drastically since I have lived here and it is not just me who has lost weight we all have … Now I know that when it is hot, you sweat more and your appetite diminishes somewhat…You eat less!

But the food is also different and not just Chillies … I have added some pictures to the header picture of food which is on every menu and commonly eaten at home…

Firstly I will just pick out a random mix for the list below….countries where many of my readers come from or live I have also included the top and the bottom country… Just because I can but over the next couple of weeks I will look at what is commonly eaten to see if a pattern emerges.

There are 192 countries in this and I have also added the link just in case you want to see where you fit…

  • 192  is Timor-Leste with a percentage of 2.2% ( of their population are obese.)
  • 147 is Thailand with a percentage of  8.5%
  • 95 is Germany with a percentage of 20.10%
  • 66 is France with a percentage of 23.9%
  • 35 is Canada with a percentage of 28.0%
  • 33 is the Uk with a percentage of 28.10%
  • 31 is Australia with a percentage of 28.60%
  • 19 is the US with a percentage of 33.7%
  • 1 is the Cook Islands with a percentage of 50.80%

If you wish to check your country out here is the link https://renewbariatrics.com/obesity-rank-by-countries/

At the end of this little experiment, I will do a post o the 1st and last and see what the differences in diet and lifestyles are.

Eating habits here in Thailand… Meals are eaten together as a family and the meal could last a few hours as Thais enjoy their food but it is a social gathering… Whether it is at home or eating out you will see family and friends all together eating and sharing.

Much of the fruit and vegetables are eaten raw or very lightly steamed and everywhere you go to eat you will get your food plus a dish of fresh herbs and vegetables. The variety is awesome Thais forage a lot and I have given up being surprised at what is eaten.

Lily flowers ..you know the pretty white ones that generally drop overnight and are collected early morning they are a delicacy here to eat they are lightly steamed then the stamens are removed and the rest are eaten with a spicy fish sort of pate… Just fish pounded in a pestle and mortar with chillies, fish sauce, lime juice, and maybe dried shrimp or shrimp paste it depends.

The banana flower is a delicacy steamed and eaten with a spicy dip. The lotus flower the seed pods which are left when the flower has finished blooming are eaten.

banana flower 1

A Sticky rice pot filled with fresh rice is a staple here and everywhere you will see a pot..the tuk-tuk drivers have their little pots lovingly made by their spouses and the food stalls have some really massive ones absolutely enormous you could feed an army.

Food and time to eat food are very important here… We learnt very early on that you didn’t ask staff to leave their lunch and serve a customer… A definite no-no it could cause a mass walkout and if a Thai is hungry…Look out! You do not want to cross a hungry Thai…

The world stops here for food be it a bus or any form of transport… The foot is to the floor and every shortcut is taken …

If you break down what Thais eat there are few carbs, lots of raw fresh herbs and vegetables, Lots of eggs in various forms, lots of BBQ meats chicken, fish in salt, kidneys, sun-dried beef, pork and fish eaten with Som Tam( Papaya Salad) which again comes in many variations but with lots of tomatoes, beans, dried shrimp, chillies, peanuts, maybe some crab…

Thai Platter

A typical Thai meal of Som Tam, Mushroom soup, mushrooms just sliced and steamed with a very hot spicy dip some fresh vegetables, crispy pork scratching and sticky rice. Sometimes this will be served with steamed fish or just as it is…

This platter is slightly more substantial with the fish.

Mixed Thai Food

Out for the evening and a little more…

Thai platter in Phuket Town

This plate has rice noodles and some thick rice noodles, a little chicken, Som Tam, vegetables and herbs, bitter gourd and crispy garlic but if you look at all three they are very similar…A large percentage of the food is fresh raw vegetables or plain steamed noodles… Not too much fried or high in carbs quite natural …Not high on processed foods either…

I do think over the next few weeks when I explore other diets we will see where and how much the diets vary from country to country…most of this diet I did eat in the UK as we had a large Thai community near where we lived plus my daughter in law taught me how to cook Thai food and also to enjoy my food in its raw state rather than processed and cooked to death… Not too many nasties on those platters of food.

In Thailand food is to be enjoyed, It is fun and food is savoured, enjoyed and time is taken ..No rushing and bolting down of food but pure enjoyment and if full they talk and laugh and then eat some more… a meal can and does last for a few hours and then in no time at all the next meal is being planned…

I do hope you have enjoyed reading about the food I eat and how much my diet has changed but also how much my health has improved and I no longer eat food just because it is good for me …I eat because I love what I eat.

Thank you for joining me today as always I look forward to your comments which I will respond to when I return from Bangkok we are having a few days away x

Healthy Eating and not so Healthy eating…That is the question!

lady holding veggies

There is so much written about what we should eat and what we shouldn’t eat, how much sugar or salt foods contain, how much of this, how much of that…I can’t blame anyone for feeling like ..What do we eat then?

This small list is not exhaustive but it covers a few of the main food groups things most of us eat or cook with on a regular basis and often there are so many choices for alternatives that we at loss as to what we can replace our regular food with. I hope this makes it a little easier for you.

I am also not going to bombard you with statistics and ingredients we can all look at a bottle or a can to see what is in it…If we don’t know ..google it… ask…question…we should all know what we are eating and feeding our families…It is then our choice as to whether we change or continue.

Sugary drinks: Unhealthy:

soda beverages-3105631_1280

When we enter a supermarket, restaurant or corner shop we are met with chilled cabinets and shelves full of enticing drinks all screaming at us to buy me or the kids are….and that is the difficult thing saying no to your kids or grandkids when the drink bottle shouts Miss Kitty or the latest fad or you have just watched your favourite TV personality endorsing a drink. We all know or should by now know just how much sugar is in them and that is without the other nasties like colouring even the ones that scream I am healthier than the bottle next door..buy me!  They are lying!

Freds with blue tongue

What does this say…???? Is that blue tongue because of something healthy? I think not…

Healthy Drinks:

Expensive I hear you say ….no it is not… Most of what we eat is taught to us…we teach our children, our parents taught us…some folks when they grow older make their own choices…That’s fine…but make an informed choice and try an alternative you may like it.

Water is healthy. Coffee and tea are healthy it is maybe what you put in it which is NOT.

Soda water with ice and lime or lemon is a nice refreshing drink. Freeze some fruit orange slices or pomelo, and pop it in the glass with the soda water..very nice and refreshing.

Papaya,Banana,Lime smoothie

Smoothies using fruit and vegetables that are in season..let the kids help, choose their fruits, make up little bags and freeze the fruit and then they can just pop it in the blender and make their own, it’s fun and healthy, no added sugar just natural sugars. Use fruit in season and add a slice of carrot, tomato, or beetroot it makes a lovely drink with no nasties. It also encourages them to eat their veggies…

Pizza: Unhealthy:

pizza-2530172_1920

Pizza is one of the most popular foods on this planet it comes in many guises savoury and sweet and the majority of the fat in most pizzas is saturated fat. If you eat too much saturated fat, you increase your risk for heart disease. Many frozen pizzas also contain trans fat, which is the most unhealthy kind. It raises your cholesterol levels, which can lead to heart damage.

Pizza: Healthy:

pizza-346985_1920

Does that mean you can never eat Pizza again…No!

Make homemade pizza instead ..Let the kids help… Make your own pizza sauce by pureeing cooked, peeled tomatoes with oregano and fresh garlic  Use low-fat mozzarella cheese so that your child gets plenty of calcium from his slice without all of the saturated fat. Skip the pepperoni and high-fat meats and add some chicken or prawns and add their favourite vegetables.  If they like olives even better add black olives for some heart-healthy unsaturated fat. One of my grandsons absolutely loved olives from the age of about one and a half, instead of sweets I used to buy olives…

Make your own base…I have made a cauliflower base and it is lovely, Portobello mushrooms, a sweet potato base..there are so many options for bases but that is another post…..It is all about experimenting and playing with flavours food should be fun and especially Pizza because it really is a fun food ..isn’t it???

You can never second guess a child and what they will like.  Encourage them to help prepare their food…They are more likely to eat what they help prepare.

White Bread and Rolls: Unhealthy:

white-bread-3279815_1280

White bread is made from refined, bleached white wheat flour and most of the white bread sold in shops and supermarkets is tasteless, sticky and not nice.. it has no real nutrients and converts to sugar in your bloodstream very quickly. You can tell I don’t like shop bread, can’t you ?…. I love good bread.

White Bread: Healthy:

appetite-1239259_1920

If you love white bread, opt for a brand that is made with unbleached white flour. Or try the bread with 100% whole grain unbleached wheat flour–

Or treat yourself to some of the lovely artisan loaves of bread available or make your own..with rapid, instant yeast it is now much easier and there are also so many recipes for sourdough starters…

Also, there is nothing more satisfying than making bread…It is great when your mood is less than happy a bit of kneading that dough works wonders…lol

Fruit Juices: Unhealthy:

bottled juice-19628_1280

How many of you have bought a bottle of fruit juice and when you read the ingredients it is little more than sugared, flavoured water…Hands up!

Even my favourite coconut juice has been ….. I can’t think of a printable word but…It’s just wrong… Leave my juice alone…

Fruit Juices: Healthy:

kaizen-nguy-n-274069

Photo by Kaizen Nguyễn on Unsplash

Coconut juice nothing else just juice and yes I know I am lucky… Or just fresh fruit in soda with ice ..don’t they look pretty?

A lot of the pomegranate and blueberry juices are as yet untouched…give them time…

And water…H2o…Nice and cold there is nothing better.

My advice before you buy read the ingredients or better still take your drink out with you…

Cooking Oil: Unhealthy:

empanadas-592352_1920

  • Canola Oil?… I have put this at the top because I have in the past agreed canola oil is one of the worst…but like everything that tends to change(I won’t)say with the wind…but it now seems that maybe it is not the villain.
  • Corn Oil.
  • Soybean Oil.
  • “Vegetable” oil.
  • Peanut Oil.
  • Palm Oil
  • Safflower Oil.
  • Cottonseed Oil

Are all highly sensitive to oxidation and cause oxidative stress in the human body…my advice is to check out the oil you use from a few reputable sources and make a decision as it seems to change the more research is completed…

Cooking Oil: Healthy:

food-2288443_1920 (1)

  • Extra-virgin olive oil. …
  • Pure olive oil. …
  • Coconut oil. …I use it but every so often research suggests it maybe not be as healthy as we think or thought.
  • Avocado oil. …
  • Butter…should be on the worst list but used in moderation and if it’s grass-fed plus it helps your olive oil from burning.

One thing I will say is to check your oil if you are cooking at high temperatures because there are varying pieces of advice about some of the oils you can then decide for yourself…oil is a bit of a minefield regarding info…I think if you don’t fry often then what oil you use isn’t a problem however if you are eating fried food every day then therein lies the problem.

 Margarine: Unhealthy Fat:

butter-1920670_1920.png

Margarine is an imitation man-made fat used for cooking and spreading which is loaded with trans fats. Even the margarine that claims to be “made from natural ingredients” isn’t really natural at all once they have been so heavily processed and heated at high temperatures that the oils have oxidized (which will actually contribute to inflammation in the body, rather than being “heart healthy.”) The debate lingers on still… But tests have been carried out and even rats and ants don’t touch margarine…Doesn’t that tell you something?

Butter: Healthy Fat:

bread-and-butter-1758669_1920

Butter, on the other hand, is a traditional food that our ancestors have been eating for generations. Butter is a simple, natural food that doesn’t require any heavy processing at all. You could even make it in your own kitchen if you wanted. And, unlike margarine which has only oxidized oils and other ingredients that you probably can’t even pronounce, real butter from grass-fed cows has enough nutrients that it could be called a superfood. (And some ancient cultures actually revered butter as a sacred, life-giving food.)

Butter from healthy, grass-fed cows raised on pasture is an excellent source of nutrients.

Gluten-free junk food: Unhealthy:

Is high in sugar, unhealthy oils, and refined grains. I think that it is abhorrent that manufacturers make foods which they know that many people with a gluten intolerance buy and that are actually very unhealthy. Some people choose to take the label “gluten-free” to mean the same things as “healthy,” which is not accurate.

Gluten-free foods: Healthy:

cauliflower-rice-pork-thai basil-recipe

Cauliflower rice...

Naturally, gluten-free foods include beans, pulses, milk, yoghurt, cheese, fish, shellfish, fruit, meat, poultry, nuts, seeds, butter, and oil.

I hope this has been of help when you are deciding which is healthier to eat and it doesn’t mean expensive foods it generally means fresh either home-grown or bought from local markets, food in season or food you have made in your own kitchen where you can count the chemicals.

Until next time stay safe, have fun and laugh a lot as you have heard me say it is free, no nasties but watch out it is catching…lol

Eat Smart! Eat Healthy…Breakfast is a good start to the Day!

Hello and welcome to another healthy eating post…I am gradually getting through rescheduling older posts to combat these pesky scammers who invade my space…  I hope you are all well and although I think it is still too early for the Christmas tree it’s time to get organised for the weeks ahead no one likes a last-minute dash do they? it is such a busy time of year coming up and sometimes we don’t have time to eat or eat on the run…which is never good for our digestion…

Today I am going to post some breakfasts which I hope will help sustain you until lunch and that you can prepare really quickly…

Firstly…Porridge…

If you don’t know already I have six children and a dog and a snake and a parrot and a horse…Get the picture….lol…no longer all at home but I do appreciate how busy it can get when you are juggling all those balls and forget about yourself…

Breakfast time was ALWAYS busy when all my tribe was at home…My slow cooker was a lifesaver during the cold winter months …I put the porridge on at night before I went to bed and come the morning it was ready and waiting…So easy…Hubby was first out of the door having had his bowl of porridge and as the kids appeared they could get theirs as it was always fresh and hot…

You can serve porridge with honey, fruit compote, fresh fruit or even a sprinkling of brown sugar which was an occasional treat for me…

Other toppings:

  • Mango and toasted coconut
  • Bacon and maple syrup
  • Peanut Butter and grapes
  • Fruit Compote

I cannot pick a favourite out of these as I love them all…

 

How about some nice wholemeal Toast with peanut butter and sliced banana maybe a sprinkling of cinnamon and /or honey.

Or slice some strawberries..anything goes really or some mashed avocado and a hardboiled egg roughly chopped… Quick, easy and nutritious…

Love Peanut Butter ?

Rather than buying store-bought peanut butter which is full of nasties, it is easier and it is very quick to make your own.

It is the quickest easiest recipe to make ever, the kids can help blitz it and as well as being tasty it has no nasties.

Let’s Cook!

  1. Take 500 gm of raw peanuts. Put in oven on a tray and cook on high for 10 mins.
  2. Take out of the oven and reserve a few (if you like crunchy peanut butter) like me.
  3. Put the remainder of the nuts in a food processor and blitz at 1 min intervals scraping down the sides. Do this for 4 mins or until smooth.
  4. Add 1tsp of salt,1 tbsp oil and the remainder of reserved nuts if using. If you want to add honey, Nutella or another flavouring, of your choice then add now.
  5. Blitz again for 1 min and put it in a suitable container. Stores in fridge for 3/4 weeks.

IT’S DELISH!

Eggs are always a good way to start your day…

Softly scrambled or poached…they are one of my favourite things. Hubby has bread with his eggs I just eat scrambled eggs on their own sometimes I grill some tomatoes as I really love eggs and tomatoes.

Here is a lovely video on how to poach an egg something that many including me have problems with…I struggle to get the perfect poached egg… And if everyone wants a poached egg this man shows you how to do six eggs at once…

Yoghurt is a great option if you don’t have time to eat it at home put it in a mason jar with a lid and eat it when you get to work…

 

What I love about these jars is you can take them you and any fruit of your choice you can layer it or just top the yoghurt with it.

Easy to make oats to top your yoghurt or porridge.

Quick crunchy Oats…

  • 1 cup of uncooked oats…
  • 1/4 cup of brown sugar…
  • 3 tbsp butter.
  • 1 tsp cinnamon powder ( optional)

Let’s Bake!

Mix all 3 ingredients together and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes stirring  I love to add a bit of cinnamon…

Allow to cool and top your porridge or yoghurt.

What is your favourite breakfast?

Thank you for reading I hope some of these breakfast ideas have made your tastebuds zing xxx

And just because I can…The 1st Christmas Advert 2022…I always love the John Lewis Christmas Ads and this year it is about “loneliness” which can affect anyone, any time of the year but is always more poignant at Christmas time…x

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a great week xx

Healthy Eating…How to eat great tasty food and lose weight…

 

Summertime and the living is easy by Ella Fitzgerald or a little more upbeat… In the Summertime by Mungo Jerry…

I love those songs they both epitomise sunny days. leisurely eating with friends and family… What are your favourite summer songs??

It also means enjoyable food and drinks…Food and drinks which are tasty and fun to eat… which when you have eaten leaves you pleasantly full but still able to play ball…stroll around the park in the sun or just be…

I love a nice iced tea…Green tea with a splash of fresh orange or lime juice, muddle some mint sprigs add some ice and top with sparkling water… Refreshing and healthy…

iced green tea

Or cucumber and mint is a lovely combo with sparkling water …

Fresh Coconut juice…One of my favourites… there are so many lovely drinks which are so easy to make either for one or make a jug full… Play with your flavours …Freeze some orange, pomelo, lemon or lime slices and just drop in your sparkling water…

Puree some lovely fresh ripe mango, pineapple, papaya and top up with ice and sparkling water with some lime juice anything goes …Have fun and create…

Not sweet enough add a little honey…

Now to food...What to eat… Take some lovely zucchini noodles…

zucchini- noodles

Stick some chicken fillets on the BBQ or under the grill and add some pesto …quick, easy, tasty and healthy…Below are my recipes for a green or pesto and some lovely light dishes using fresh herbs…

One of my favourite things is roasted lemons… the taste is sublime and cannot be beaten for me anyway it just sings of sunny days…

Roasted lemon and tomato salad

lemon-1187658_1920

Ingredients:

  • 1 lemon, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, seeds removed
  • 1 tbsp thinly sliced fresh sage leaves
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • ½ tsp ground allspice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ pounds mixed small tomatoes halved
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves with tender stems
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves

Let’s Cook!

Pre-heat the oven 325F 160C

Add the lemon slices to a saucepan of boiling water and blanch for 2 mins…This removes the bitterness…Remove from the heat and pat dry.

Gently toss the lemon slices with the sage, sugar and 1 tbsp of olive oil then spread out on a baking tray lined with parchment and bake until lemons are dry and lightly coloured about 15-20 mins then set to one side to cool.

In a large bowl whisk the pomegranate molasses, allspice and 1 tbsp of olive oil season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Add the lemons, onion, tomatoes, parsley and mint..if the mint leaves are large then tear and toss gently to combine…

Taste to check to season and add more salt and pepper if required.

Enjoy!

Stuck for a tasty dressing this one is quick, easy and delicious…

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp chopped mint
  • 3 tbsp chopped basil
  • 1/2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp capers.

Lets mix!

Measure all your ingredients into a bowl and gently muddle the herbs and capers to release the flavours…Season with freshly ground black peppers and use to season your favourite salad…

Lovely over a salad topped with some grilled sliced chicken or sliced grilled steak…

grilled chicken

This is such a brilliant way of tracking weight loss and no I haven’t seen it before ( I DON’T GET OUT MUCH) although I am sure some of you have…I just loved it!

https://tuesdayswithlaurie.com/2018/07/17/losing-your-marbles/

I hope this has given some ideas for some lovely fresh summer eating…What are your favourite summer recipes ??? Please tell me in the comments I love to hear from you.

Now…let’s not forget our friends whose temperatures are slightly cooler or heading that way …the tune that springs to mind is “Oh the weather outside is frightful. But the fire is so delightful. And since we’ve got no place to go. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…

When the weather turns cold we want soups and jacket potatoes, stews and warming curries and chilli con Carne…

Let’s make them just that little healthier but we won’t skimp on the taste…

Baked potatoes are the ultimate comfort food—starchy, warm and filling, they’re the perfect antidote to a chilly autumn night. It’s amazing how something so wholesome, so available and inexpensive could be so delicious too. But it’s true. And baked potatoes are also healthy…yes they are its what we load them with that may not be…

Swap your sour cream for Greek Yoghurt my choice anytime as I just love greek yoghurt…and not the low fat I go for the full-fat greek yoghurt,,, the difference per 100gms low-fat (59) calories and full-fat (95)calories…

Soup…when it’s cold outside there is nothing like a bowl of hot warming and tasty soup…personally although I eat meat I have never even as a child liked meaty soups I just love vegetable soups with my all-time favourite being a bowl of tomato soup…you can use any vegetables you like add some stock and to thicken your soup just take some of the vegetables out and give them a blitz and then add the mix back to your soup and viola you have a thicker soup if you make a batch and keep some in the fridge it will last for at least 5 days then whenever you are peckish or cold just make a cup of soup…

I love soup, most soups but my all-time favourite is tomato soup... Preferably made with fresh tomatoes but I also and this is a hankering back to my childhood love canned tomato soup and very occasionally I treat myself to a can of tomato soup…

Ingredients:

  • 8 or 9 tomatoes, cored and quartered
  • 3 red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
  • 2 small yellow onions, cut into wedges
  • 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 5 cups homemade vegetable broth
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • olive oil

Let’s Cook!

Tomato and Red Pepper Soup.

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C

Grease two baking sheets and place tomatoes skin side down on one, then lightly coat the peppers and onions in olive oil and place on the other baking tray also throw the unpeeled garlic into the tray…Pop it in your preheated oven for about 45 minutes.

When the tomatoes and peppers are roasted heat your vegetable stock in a pan big enough to take the tomatoes and peppers. Add your roasted tomatoes and peppers to the vegetable stock and simmer for 15 minutes.

tomato-soup-482403_640

Allow your soup to cool slightly and then either using a stick blender or your liquidiser blend to your desired consistency… I prefer mine a little chunky. Taste and season.

Serve with a swirl of cream or natural yoghurt if liked…

 

Enjoy your week, and be happy and mindful xx

Eat Smart, Eat Healthily…Live longer…

 

Welcome… This week will be slightly different I have not jumped on the scales but I am very pleased with my 12lbs that I mislaid…lol

However...Healthy eating should be the priority and the habit of a lifetime…No fads, no weighing every day or week and then beating yourself up because you haven’t lost anything.

It is about being aware of what you are eating and knowing if what you are eating is improving your health. It is not about removing whole food groups from our diets we need a healthy well-balanced diet to be at our optimum health.

What really matters is Our well being, Our Blood Pressure figure, Our cholesterol, Our blood sugar, Our inflammation markers.

Believe it or not thin people are NOT exempt from any of those … I know people who are as thin as thin and boast about how many doughnuts they eat in a day…

Does that mean because they are thin they do not have high Blood pressure or cholesterol or problems with their blood sugar?

NO, it damn well doesn’t!

Of course, you will probably lose weight if you improve your eating habits…That is a bonus and a great one…

BUT…the true tests for your health and wellness…

How many of these can you say a resounding yes to??

  1. I sleep better
  2. I can walk faster and further
  3. I can walk up and down the stairs without getting out of breath.
  4. I can play ball with my kids
  5. I have clearer brighter skin
  6. 1 have an increased sex drive
  7. I have less or no joint pain
  8. I have more money
  9. I feel less stressed
  10. I have more energy

These are all benefits of healthy eating… Your aim should be to feel better, to be able to play with your kids or grandkids any weight loss is a bonus.

But how do we feel when we try to cut out or down we feel yuk! But it is a habit and a dependency on Junk food… We are Junkies.

What is a junkie? A person with a compulsive habit or obsessive dependency on something.

I am now going to talk about Junk Food. 

fast-food-154556_640 (1)

When you stop eating sugar-laden food or processed foods you will get withdrawal symptoms you may experience sadness, irritability, tiredness, cravings…

Similar feelings to what anyone who tries to give up cigarettes, alcohol or drugs…You will experience Sugar Withdrawal and the first few days are always the worst …

It will get better!

I haven’t eaten Haribos or digestive biscuits(graham crackers) to some of my readers since I began my healthy eating drive… I even walk down that aisle now and can stop, look and walk on… It was hard the other day as they had those bright red strawberries and I did pick up the pack AND put it back…but if you really want that packet of sweets then have it BUT don’t feel guilty and see if you can limit how much of the pack you do eat…share it! that’s a good idea it means you feel good and eat less of them…Try it!

I gave myself a pat on the back and thought about what I really fancied which would also be good for me…All the food which is good for our health is not tasteless like cardboard there are some really nice, tasty alternatives… There really are maybe try and make a list of what you really like and think about what you also like that you could replace it with…

Food should be enjoyable no one will stick to any eating plan if they don’t like what they eat… We are all different what I love you may not and vice versa…

We are in this together so let’s help each other out…

Interestingly I read the other day that after all these years Weight Watchers has changed its name to …WW

Wellness that Works!

Will this be a complete and utter overhaul?

My question is are they no longer having weekly weigh-ins? Will, there be no slimmer of the week, month, or year?

Will they be using BP and cholesterol as markers?

I will be watching with interest because Wellness is different from Weight Loss…

Have we got any WW here who would be able to explain that to us??? We would love to know…

I hope you have found this interesting and I love to read your comments…So please let us know what you find easy or difficult…

Lastly, are you keeping those food diaries? Does it help? Struggling?

Compare this picture and be honest what would you rather eat? This or the Junk food above I don’t mind if you say the junk food…But what do you want to enjoy that burger or can of coke or be healthy??? Even if you feel healthy and know you eat a lot of junk do me a favour and get yourself a health check sometimes we need that call…

pasta and pesto

Pasta and Pesto

Pasta cooks really quickly and pesto keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

A quick tip…To stop the basil from turning brown Blanche the leaves in some hot water and then into cold…

A quick pesto recipe:

To make the pesto, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

So take some rocket or other greens a few tomatoes and maybe a shallot finely chopped, top with some pasta and pour over some pesto…

Quick and easy and tasty.

Enjoy!

Thank you for joining me today as always I look forward to your comments x

Healthy Eating…No to Diets…Walking…is the new gym and it’s FREE!

 

Welcome once again to Carol’s boot camp…So how is it all going?  Talk to me in the comments and let me know… I love hearing from you 🙂 I am in the process of rescheduling and updating my earlier posts(not)before time I will add and I have been prompted into this because of all the spam I am getting therefore I am taking Hugh’s great advice on rescheduling and updating older posts in the hope that I can reduce the spam I am experiencing plus any new followers may not have read these posts…

As you know my favourite form of exercise is walking you don’t need any fancy, expensive equipment or extortionate gym fees because it is FREE now who doesn’t love a freebie? particularly one which is simple to do, with no bouncing about a room with lots of other sweaty bodies…Although of course if that is your thing and you enjoy it then carry on…each to their own…smile…

Walking keeps you fit and is a great aerobic exercise if you walk at a brisk pace, feel warm and slightly breathless then you are on the right track as it raises your heart rate and burns those calories.

I am on a new mission as every year now I am one year older and as I only have one body I am determined to get it as fit as I can…I now start at 7am every morning come rain or shine and walk to one of my local markets and back..the only time I don’t walk back is when I buy rice and that is too heavy to carry although it is a great reminder of how much 5 kilos weigh when your body is even 5 kilos overweight…

Already I have noticed a great difference as my daily step count is up and I have increased my daily goal, I feel healthier and have now started timing myself on my outward walk and I am getting much quicker …there and back to the market is about 8.5km…I then do the same in the late afternoon but to a closer market and my average daily steps over the month are 14,033(64.78km) so far this month which I am more than happy with…

Did you know??? If you walked briskly at 4 miles an hour for 30 minutes then it would burn approx 150 calories…

You may feel slightly tired for the first week or two but you will soon notice the difference and have much more energy as all those endorphins will be released and give you a natural high.

But I don’t have time?

Come on…You can walk to work, to the station or the bus stop if you take your car then park a little further away and walk.

Take your lunch to the park and then go for a walk around the park.

Walk to the shops which is what I do and if I have too much shopping then I get a bus or taxi back home.

Instead of taking the lift walk up the escalators or take the stairs.

Meeting a friend for a coffee and a chat?  get a takeaway drink and go for a walk and chat…

It goes without saying that if you have a dog then give him a walk or borrow a neighbour’s dog…

Do you have an elderly neighbour who loves to get out? then take them along…

All things which will certainly make you feel good and we all love to feel good …Don’t we? The bonus is you will get fitter and lose some kilos as well.

Treat yourself to one of those Fit things which count your steps and calories lost or check if your phone has free fitness apps so no excuses you will be surprised with just a few little changes how much fitter and better you will feel.

I love to walk because I see more, people say hello and that makes you feel good…

children-450925_640

Kids love to walk so if the school is within walking distance …Then walk to pick them up and walk home …It gives you time to chat about what you see, and ask how their day has been and makes everyone that little bit healthier.

NOTE: Always check with your doctor before you start any new exercise regime.

However walking is proven to reduce your risk of many health conditions including reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure and strokes and it is low-cost and low-impact exercise.

Just 20 minutes a day and you will see a difference in yourself and you can fit it in anytime…so

No-diets-No-excuses

Who do you cheat??? Yourself!

I can’t go without giving you a recipe ..can I? So I will hand you over to the lovely Dolly who will be guest posting in a few weeks on here as she knows more about tofu than I do… So without further ado, I give you Penne Tofu with impostor alfredo

Enjoy!

I will say that from someone who hasn’t yet tried tofu that this does look very nice so on my next trip into town I am going to see if I can get some tofu…So watch this space…

Thank you for reading this I hope you enjoyed it and found it helpful if you did please feel free to share your tips on getting moving xxx