Something new...

No food tracking today. A bad thing on my part. But although I have eaten more then I should have it has all been (mostly) healthy stuff.


Good news!
I bought the NoMeatAthele Marathon roadmap to help with my marathon training!

It is a PDF pack with tonnes of info about running on a meatless diet (I am thinking about removing fish again, but it needs more thought). I have run into a problem of paying for it and not being directed to the download page so I don't actually HAVE it yet. Though I have emailed the site and hopefully this will be sorted out soon!

Onto other exciting news...

I have never been nominated for anything before but Amie over at Running On Healthy has nominated for me for the Liebster Award.

Here's what needs to be done (taken from Running On Healthy):

• When you get the award, you post 11 random facts about yourself and answer 11 questions from the person who nominated you.
• Pass the award onto 11 other blogs (make sure you tell them you nominated them!) and ask them 11 questions.
• You are not allowed to nominate the blog who nominated you!
• Make sure the blogs you choose have 200 or less followers.
• Include a link to the person who nominated you & let them know about your post

Unfortunately, I don't have enough followers to send it out to 11 people, but I will send it to who I can.

So, 11 random facts about me:

• I have a weird obsession for pokemon and unicorns. Don't judge.
• I HATE lateness. I always try to be early by at least 10 minuets. Something I think is important in the nursing profession.
• I would love to be vegan but I need to have the motivation to cook more.
• I am REALLY shy/ a naturally quiet person. I am getting sick of people telling me this so I am working on it.
• I love 'weird health foods' as my other half calls them.
• I am not musical at all, I have tried guitar a few times and it has never worked out.
• I love sitting in with good food and a movie
• I love cooking and baking - i just wish I had more time!
• I am a final year student mental health nurse = lots of working and writing!
• I luuurve cupcakes! Mostly to look at, they are soo pretty (and yummy too!)
• I love neon colours

My 11 questions:

1. What are you reading currently?I could be a pain in the bum and say this...
   But no, I am currently reading The Hunger Games number 3.
   
2. Do you have any embarrassing old screen names from email or MSN?My old Myspace name was FingerLickin'Good. OH.DEAR.GOD.
   
3. What is your favourite summer time memory?I used to do Viking re-enactment and one time we went to Holy Island (or Lindisfarne) in Northumberland and we swam in the sea and saw the most amazing night sky. Because the area was so dark and the sky was so clear, we could see everything.
   
4. Blackberry, Android, or Iphone?None. I have a blackberry look alike from Samsung. If I had to choose I'd choose Android.
   
5. Favourite food to cook?Anything that looks good! I recently made a thia coconut curry which looked and tasted amazing. I would also love to get into more vegan cooking.
   
6. Favourite workout?Don't know if could pick one. The top ones are Running, Spinning and Yoga...Oh and maybe Zumba too!
   
7. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go and why?I would really like to go to Iceland or Australia. They both look like beautiful places to go.
   
8. What is your biggest pet peeve?Lateness and loud eaters. *Shudders*
   
9. What is your favourite quote or mantra?The one I use during my running is 'Pain is temporary, Pride is forever'. My Sister saw it during the Great North Run and she said it kept her going, so since then I've kept it.
   
10. Have you ever climbed a mountain? Which one?I have done the Yorkshire 3 peaks. I have also been up others in the Lake District. I'd love to do more!
    
11. Favourite outdoor activity?Camping and walking! (of course running too!)

My Nominees

Sarah at ramblingmadhatter

You are the only one! Lucky you!
Other blogs I have, have been inactive for around a year. This is something that needs updating!

My Questions to you!

1.  What is your favourite colour?
2. If you were stuck on an Island what 3 items would you take?
3. What is your favourite exercise?
4. What is your favourite item of clothing?
5. Your current favourite song?
6. Best thing about you?
7. Most embarrassing memory?
8. Favourite pass time?
9. Favourite food?
10. What new activity would you like to try?
11. Best thing you have baked?

Day 4. Feel like a zombie.

This week of induction is REALLY taking it out of me. In fact its doing it to all of us on this weeks induction course, its just so full on, with tonnes of information (all useful though).

I have been feeling the pressure lately with all the stuff going on, I don't know how I am going to do it all!

To the fooooood!

Breakfast: Matcha and apple juice as always.
Banana and date muesli with coconut milk
Tea with almond milk.
Note the ultra cool mug that was a Christmas present to myself...

Mid morning: Banana
Lunch: Low fat peanut butter and jam sandwich
one falafel ball
orange and blueberries

And instead of a cheesecake pot I got a natural yog and mango puree with granola pot :) Felt better after that and it kept me going through till dinner!

Dinner: Simple and tasty spag bol. Never fails.

Pudding was a vanilla and chocolate sprinkles fat free yog.





...then off to ZUMBA!

Really enjoyed my zumba class. It was my second time at a 'proper' class (not on the wii) and first time at this particular class. Really good, enthusiastic instructor and a good workout! Made all newbies feel welcome and we all had a good time!

Anyway, I wanted something so I made a protein shake with...
Some natural yoghurt
Banana
3 frozen dates (this didn't really work since I only use a hand blender)
1 tbsp cocoa power
1 scoop of soya vanilla protein power
few drops of natural vanilla extract
1/2 can coconut milk
Best protein shake I have made so far!

...also had the last 'protein' bun.


Only a half day on induction tomorrow.
Oh and it will be weigh day in the morning. YIKES.

Day 3. Unwise decisions.

Today on training we were taught about using the Mental Capacity Act when on shift. One of the 5 main aspects of this was being able to allow someone to make unwise decisions, when they have capacity to make them, as we all do it and are entitled to it.

Today I made an unwise decision. Not a serious one. But an unwise one nonetheless.
I had another cheesecake pot.
Did I enjoy it? YES
Did it make me feel good after? Felt too full and a little sick and an odd taste has stayed in my mouth.
Will I have one tomorrow? NO
Will I ever have another? Quite possibly!

So today's eats...

Breakfast: (Started with matcha and aplle juice) Apple and cinnamon porridge pot with a tablespoon of cocoa and berries flax seeds. This added a nice chocolaty flavour without being too sweet.
Tea with Almond milk.

 Mid morning: Nutri-grain bar
Lunch: small avocado, feta cheese and quorn ham salad with peas and a pear.
Also this is where the cheesecake incident happened again...
Afternoon snack was a choc orange Nakd bar but was still full from the cheesecake!

Dinner: Mozzarella and pesto quorn escalope with sweet potato chips, peas and a tomato with a little BBQ sauce.
Very yummy and simple.

Pudding: Yeo Valley peach and apricot yoghurt. Very nice!








Unsure of tonight's snack...
Maybe a banana or some blueberries. Of course there will be teapigs tea :D

No exercise today, sat with a bandage on my wrist because we have no supports round the house and an ankle support on that I bought at the weekend, which will hopefully help the pains I have been getting during my runs.

Day 2...Keep me away from cheesecake

Today has also been a fairly good day! Another full day of training/induction, today involved an afternoon about basic life support and it was really good to get a detailed update to add not only to this job, but my nurse training too! :D

Oh and before I go on, last night I had a square of dark chocolate before bed to get rid of some cravings and hunger pangs followed by lemon and ginger tea. :)

Onto the food!

 Breakfast: Started off with some matcha and apple juice (not in photo)
Then 2 slices of wholemeal toast and reduced fat peanut butter. I'm new to the reduced fat PB, I'm not sure how I feel about it, its smooth for one and I usually get crunchy, but we will see where that goes.
Toast was followed by tea with almond milk.

Mid morning: Nutri-grain, strawberry. Very yum.
Lunch: Smoked salmon, falafel x2 and feta cheese salad. Odd mix but I was just using things I found the the fridge! Tuned out to be quite tasty! Followed this with an orange.
Then....
I bought a cheesecake pot....
It was a tub of  cheesecake 'filling' with a tub of biscuit crumbs. Sooo good! I was full in the afternoon so I didn't eat the banana.
But did have 2 small chocolates when I got home.

For dinner was Thia coconut curry with quorn chicken bits and veg. Very yum. The recipe is from the Hairy Dieters book. I have herd mixed reviews but its nice to have a cookbook from the UK since all my health ones have American ingredients in that can be a pain to get a hold of.
This was served with 1/2 cup boiled rice.

For pudding was a Shape chocolate dessert. Again, YUM.









I am feeling a little on the peckish side so there will be a snack tonight, but I am not sure what. I think maybe an options hot chocolate and an apple or banana. No workouts today, my wrist is suffering from all the press ups when doing the Xtrainfit dvds and the chest compressions on the dummy today, and I felt more pain in my ankle so I am letting things rest tonight.

Loose estimate of calories today is about 1750 so far before evening snack, after will be around 1890.

Night! :)

Day one of taking a closer look...

Well, knowing that what I ate today was going up on here defiantly made me re-think my food choices, helped with that 'second thought'.

So overall today has been a good one, I was a little worried this morning as it was my first day of training as a Bank Support Worker, (getting in some experience before I become a real life nurse! Ek!) it is a week long induction and I didn't know what there would be in terms of food/temptations. So I made my own lunch and stuck to it, even though they had cheesecake pots and that seems to be my current weakness.

So onto the fooood!

Breakfast: Matcha green tea (from teapigs ) with apple juice
Bowl of date, coconut and banana muesli with almond milk
Tea with almond milk

I usually struggle with cereal based breakfast as I am usually hungry within 2 hours, but this stuff seems to do the job fine and the natural slow energy release from Matcha tea really helps!

Morning snack: Apple - it was huge! (also a small coffee before training started)
Lunch: Quorn ham and Philadelphia sandwich on wholemeal bread, a pear and some blueberries (another small coffee - they were tiny)
Mid afternoon snack: Nakd Banana Bread Bar - These things are yummy!
Lunch seemed to keep me going till three (even had it before 12, I never do that but I was so hungry!)

 After I got in just before 5 I was hungry...again. I wanted something small but would leave me feeling O.K. until tea was ready so I had one of the protein bun things I made (they were really dry, this always happens when replace some flour with protein powder, do I need more moisture in the mixture?)

Dinner: we made chilli, veggie version for me and mince for Nick.
In the veggie one went onion, courgette, red pepper and Morrison's meat free mine, along with other typical chilli bits and 1/2 cup of boiled rice.

Pudding: Yeo vally yog. YUM. I tend to get low fat yoghurts but this time I got these...soooo yummy. It was only 127kcal for the pot which isn't really that bad for a creamy dessert. After washing up I let the food settle before going to do some core strength yoga.

Supper: After yoga I had planned to have a cookie and cream kitkat and a option hot chocolate, but, I felt nice and healthy after yoga and I didn't really want to spoil the feeling so I snooped in the fridge and got a large carrot and a serving size pot of hummus. Worth it. So Nice!




Followed by another teapigs tea (they are tasty!)
This tea was superfruits, as you can see they use whole bits of fruit and leaves so you get a full taste (thought I'd add in that teapigs has not had any involvement with me writing this, they just do genuinely good tea!)

 This was the result. YUM.








So, good day I think. I have felt good about my good all day and because I had planned it the night before I felt more in control!.
I totted up the calories for the day (I'm still not 'offically counting') but it came to around 1700 and that is including drinks. So well done me! Ha!

I will be back tomorrow! :)

Taking a closer look

Over the next week I plan to take a closer look at what I am eating, to give me that window where I can ask myself 'Do you really need that oreo?'.

Every day I will try and post what I have eaten (maybe pics too!), how I feel and what workouts I have done.

I am not aiming for that amazing six-pack bikini body. I am looking for MY body. The one I feel comfortable and good in.

So, I will see you all tomorrow <3>