Live Healthy Forever

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Reintro: Legumes

So although I have not completed WHOLE 30 in 30 days, I decided to finish it 10 days early. Why? Because I’ll be going to Montreal (my 2nd hometown) where I’ll be eating lots of food!  If I just eat everything there, then this diet would be a waste.  Afterall, isn’t the main point of it to know how each element of food affects our bodies?

I started reintroducing my diet with legumes; in particular, beancurds.  This made my stomach hurt a bit and I got really gassy! Surprisingly, I did not like the feeling of it.  Moreover, I felt tired; although I dunno whether it was the cause of legumes or due to the fact that I had a very busy weekend! Probably, I can do without tofu and beancurd.  I used to eat a lot of it because it was a cheap source of low fat protein.

2 days later, I reintroduced white basmati rice.  No impact in my health.  I’ve grown up eating rice (a Bangladeshi culture), so probably my body is used to it more.  However, I’m not a big rice fan and don’t crave for it.  So in the long term, I’d rather avoid it since I can get better vitamin densed carbs from my vegetables such as sweet potato.  I will however, give into rice whenever I really want it.

After this time, my reintro phases got messed up.  Why? Cuz I got food poisoning. I think I got it from frozen fish that I left out the whole day and cooked it the following day! It was not a pleasant feeling at all and I never want to feel like that again.  Lesson learnt: leave fish to defrost in the fridge!! 2 days went by, and I am still not 100%.  I gained my stamina, but I lost all my appetite.  And guess what? I’ll be flying to Toronto in a couple of hours!! Arghhhh -- I gotta eat there! 

So I couldn’t get round to trying dairy foods - I was looking forward to this the most! I actually got myself a grass-fed 2% yogurt.  it’s just staring at me. For those who don’t know, you cant have dairy when you have an upset stomach.

I jumped into eating bread (gluten food).  This made me feel very bloated, but that’s about it.

Okay doke- gotta get going and catch the flight!  I’m gonna have my dairy once I get to Toronto...ohhh, how much I’m craving for yogurt :)

[livehealthy4ever]

Homemade dressing is the best (homemade mayo, coconut cream and spices)

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#whole30breakfast

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Top: omega 3 egg Bottom: free range egg

[livehealthy4ever]

Egg Yolks: Does the colour really matter

Today I tried frying out 2 eggs: -PC brand omega 3 -Farmer's Market - Free Range Eggs The second egg's yolk was slightly darker in colour and bigger. I've tried other brands of omega 3 eggs and the colour was really light yellow compared to the PC brand! After googling, I realize that darker colour egg yolks are more nutritionous as hens are well fed. However sometimes marigold flowers are added to feed hens so that yolks become darker. This latter fact is quite confusing for me, so id rather believe that the darker the yolk colour, the healthier it is. Taste wise: both the omega 3 and free range eggs are tasty. I guess it depends from farm to farm.

[livehealthy4ever]

Cheated

Yesterday, my hubby and I went to visit a friend.  They served beef biryani, beef kebabs and indian sweets.  I couldn’t have it so I had to explain :) but it isn’t easy to explain others about clean eating because people can’t understand why someone would do a particular diet if the main purpose is not to lose weight! :) I felt hopeless and did not know what to eat (cuz I had to eat something!).  So i took some beef out of the biryani and ate (I must have had some rice as it was stuck onto the beef and was difficult to get off!).  I also had a few beef kebabs assuming that it was JUST beef until..... I asked my friend and she said it’s cooked with chickpea lentils and coated with a thin layer of breadcrumb! OMG - I just cheated and I had no idea.

Shortly after, my stomach churned and was feeling really awkward.  Stomach bloated and I felt there was gas.  It was an uncomfortable feeling.  Maybe that’s how legumes are meant to make you feel. I haven’t read enough about legumes - nope, I haven’t had the chance to read the book “It starts with food”.  All I know is that legumes are meant to cause inflammation and isn’t nutrient densed as other foods.  It also has higher carbs.  

I felt pretty bad that I cheated -I could not fall asleep easily after that. Oh well.  At least I knew how legumes felt in my stomach- so got that part of the whole 30 post testing out of the day.  

It’s not an easy thing to eat at other people’s houses - difficult to make the right food choices; especially in our culture where food consists mostly of rice, legumes and curries (sometimes cooked with yogurt).

Only 11 more days left.  I know that this is only temporary - so let’s see.  It’ll be interesting to know how my body reacts to dairy and sugar after the program!

[livehealthy4ever]

Sick again - but less to some extent

Today, I am feeling sick again. It started after going for my morning swimming class and this is not the first time. 

I wonder whether it is because of the pool (germs etc) or due to lack of sleep the night before swimming.  Whatever it is, I got some cold symptoms.  Honestly, I believed in whole foods so much that I thought I would not get sick :) But then somehow I did.  I still however feel in control and feel better than when I was sick last time e.g. some ability to walk etc.

Food and cravings

I am enjoying what I eat every day.  Every time I eat, I think of the fact that I am FEEDING my body; providing what it needs; rather than just eat anything for the sake of filling my stomach up.  The food is interesting too.  However, eating out is a bit of a pain.  Almost everything has sugar in it.  On the positive side, we’re spending less on eating out.

I don’t have any long-term cravings i.e. I crave for chocolate for a minute and feel it’s easy to take my mind off it.  It comes and goes a lot.  My biggest craving is diary - mostly thick, organic yogurt and sometimes cheese.  That’s a great thing because yogurt is great for you! As soon as I get off this plan, I’m gonna dig into a tub of organic 2% yogurt!

[livehealthy4ever]

Pre-workout/ Post workout snacks

Day 11

Ever wondered what you should eat before and after a workout?

WHAT you eat before and after workout can make a huge difference in your ability to perform well in workouts and recover quickly!

I used to think a banana was sufficient.  Now after reading the whole 30 book, I followed their advice:

Pre-workout snack 15-60 mins before workout: portion of protein and healthy fat

Post-workout snack within 30 mins after workout: complex carby veg such as sweet potatos and protein.

One day I went with just a banana and I could not do interval training for more than 5 mins!  Another day I worked out with whole 30 approved snack.  I had a turkey burger (homemade) and avocado.  This made a huge difference and I was able to perform longer! In fact, healthy fats make you perform longer.  I also experienced less muscle soreness from having my post workout snack of sweet potato and meat.

Finally, I realised the best snack for me (which does not consist of protein powder)! Yey!

[livehealthy4ever]

Day 7

I haven’t written for days....and today I finally am..cuz I’m sore and in bed (and it’s my day off!).  Few pointers about my feelings/cravings lately:

- I’ve been craving for greek yogurt so badly :) I’ve always been a yogurt fan since I was a kid - just plain yogurt.  One thing I’m looking forward to having at the end of the month!

- Cravings for fresh/real ingredients ice cream has kicked in.  I’ve been thinking of the ice cream I had in Italy - really miss that

-Chocolate cravings? - I get that once in a while. It comes for a second, then it leaves. I realise that I can easily get chocolate off my mind. But what makes it hard is that it keeps coming into my head like around 10 times a day! Whether it’s chocolate or cakes.  That’s what makes it tough.

Mind you, I had the biggest torture of my life: the evening when my hubby had a chocolate bourbon cake right in front of me. It looked so good.  My cravings are a little higher this week - perhaps cuz of my PMS?

Overall, I’ve really been enjoying my food without feeling guilty; my scrambled eggs and salads in particular.  Home made mayo is just amazing! Will post some pics shortly.

I’ve been feeling in control and feeling better about myself.  It’s great to know about how our body works and our required nutrition.  This makes us to make the right choices in life.  Finally I’m starting to get to know my own body and it feels good.

[livehealthy4ever]

Day 2

It was a rainy, cold morning again and at first instance I thought “I need a treat”...urghhh... I wasn’t hungry at all, nor was I really craving. I realise though that around 10 times a day, I think of “treats!”.  Actually Sunday evening, I thought “treat time” after my dinner :D I think there’s a voice in my head that say these words.

Apart from that, I realise that my health is feeling better.  Last few weeks, I’ve had the virus (flu/cold).  But I’ve been sneezing a lot less since day 1! More energy too! 

One other challenge is that whenever we have our meals, we should focus solely on the food (i.e. no watching tv while eating).  I find this so boring...it makes me not wanna eat :) especially if I eat alone. So sometimes I feel like to delay my food because I have other things to do, but on the other hand I get excited to eat something different!  However, I feel every bite, taste and really enjoy the food.

Overall, I realise that my “treats” were not actually tied to my cravings, nor was I hungry.  Certain environments trigger my sweet treats such as: watching TV, rainy or cold weather, weekends, “because I deserve it” after a hard week etc. Occasionally? Yes, it’s ok to have a treat. However, I made this a daily habit depending on the above circumstances and this sugar addiction can be detrimental to my well-being in the long term!

Going forward, I have to remove the relation between my environmental behaviours and sweet treats; and replace my sweet treats for something else.

[livehealthy4ever]

Whole 30: Challenge

So the day before yesterday, I read the whole book “whole30″ in one day. I just wanted to see what it’s all about.  Then it hit me when I read the word “no more sugar addiction”, more energy and the reduction of health issues.  I wondered “shall I try the 30 day challenge?”.  Maybe it might not work, but WHAT IF it does work? What if I gain all my energy back and manage to lose my addiction to sugar…or to some extent, control it? So I started it the following day.  So what is the diet? You eat protein, veg, fruits, healthy fats and nuts.  You avoid legumes, dairy and rice/flour, and also you avoid baking goods even if it avoids the “forbidden” ingredients.  Why?  Cuz it wants to teach us not to think of foods as “treats”. i.e help me to get rid of my sugar cravings.  Okay, so let’s talk about my day 1 of the challenge. I started the day with a 3 egg spinach omelette, grapefruit and half an avocado.  While I was driving to drop my hubby at work, I noticed the sky so grey and dull.  There was light rain too.  In one quick second, I thought “ohhh this is the perfect day for a TREAT! Just some cake and tea”.  Then I thought “ohhh- I’m not even hungry!”.  In fact I was so full! The day went, and by the afternoon, I was craving for real food - chicken (Nandos)- but that’s cuz I didn’t have time to each lunch. I was busy doing groceries.  Luckily I had a couple of boiled eggs with me (which I normally don’t carry!).  I did a light workout and ate 2 egg whites with potatoes (as advised in the book) “post workout snack”.  It allows pre and post workout snacks as an addition to the 3 meals per day. By evening, I actually had Nandos…but I did not study the ingredients too hard.. I technically should have asked them if it’s marinated in any milk products or anything that contains sugar.  I didn’t want to know!  I had a chicken salad; and normally I’d eat half chicken with garlic bread, corn and rice!  I was really satisfied that I did not have any sugar craving and was not starving.  I felt I had a bit more energy than I normally would have. 29 days to go! 

[livehealthy4ever]

Groggy

Have you have woken up feeling groggy? Sure you must have! Today's the day for me. Yesterday my hubby and I went to Banff for a day trip and we got home late at 12:30am. So I'm just lying down reflecting why I'm groggy today and realize the following: 1) sugar - we had croissants n 3 scoops ice cream yesterday. Hardly drank water. Sugar is the main cause for a large energy slump later on. Also dehydration causes tiredness. So what does that mean? I gotta avoid sugar and drink up, especially today! 2) sleep timing- I'm used to sleeping at 10pm daily; so sleeping past midnight really interfered with our body clocks. This made me groggy. There where possible, it's important to sleep around the same time every day of the week. 3) speaking of diet as #1 above, I gotta eat good quality nutrient densed foods- including lots of veg/fruits n good quality meat! So let's get this started. Oh! And today is day #1 in avoiding sugar (my constant enemy). If you have a weakness, it's better to avoid that item altogether. Happy Monday!

[livehealthy4ever]

My Confession: Sugar Addiction

I have not written for a while, but I needed to tell you this: I am a sugarholic.

I am a person who loves to workout: swim, weight train, run, dance - whatever it is. I love challenges!  However, when it comes to food, I just can’t say NO!

Yes I generally eat healthy throughout the day: a big breakfast (mainly of eggs), wholesome lunch and dinner (packed with proteins) as well as snacks (mostly nuts and fruits).  Yet still every day I feel like “I deserve” some treat...

It is like a rollercoaster ride.  Once I start having something sweet, I keep craving for more, then more and more.  It takes me days of mental strength to stop sugar and when I do, I don’t crave.  Yet there are voices in my ears that says “Roxy - you deserve something sweet!” Ha-ha!  So I get tempted into it and make myself something sweet.  The fact that I love baking does not help. I enjoy for a minute until after, I feel so crap!  No wonder, despite all the training I do, I still have that belly!

First, I have to really try hard as to what causes it? Perhaps, I’m drinking lack of water, not getting enough sleep, not eating the required amount of protein, carbs and veg.  I have decided to use FitnessPal and actually track my macros, which compose of eating 40% carbs, 20% fat and 40% protein each day.

Although it’s been many years of struggling with sugar addiction.  I want to call this (13th April 2016) as day 1 of combatting my sugar addiction once and for all.  First step is to identify that I have an addiction and identify the causes of it. Let’s start!

[livehealthy4ever]

It’s that time of the year again...

Are you feeling achy, sleeeeeeeeeeeeepy and coughing,sneezing etc?  Then the chances are that you may have a cold.  After coming back from my 1 month vacation, this is the last thing I want...just when I wanna start into my healthy routine back again!...but the last thing u can do is beat yourself about it; take rest, recover and get back..Here are the golden rules to flight the cold!

1) Sleep and take rest - if you want to sleep for 12 hours, then sleep for 12 hours! Just make sure to hit the bed earlier than usual

2) Have chicken soup - chicken gives you the strength to fight the cold and garlic helps get rid of it as well as the hot water.  Making it spicy helps too!

3) Stay away from sugar - when I have a cold, i always turn to chocolate...but really you shouldn’t.  Sugar slows down the process of fighting the virus.  Instead, have fruits.

4) Stay warm - don’t be in chilly environments; if you are, then wear a sweater or a scarf around your neck

5) Avoid caffeine - this has been a personal long life battle for me. Every time I have coffee, I get sick (due to being caffeine intolerant).  But truly caffeine is the enemy.  When you have a cold, you must drink a lot of fluid, but caffeine dehydrates you and does not aid the process. So stay away from it.   I recommend homemade lemon ginger tea.  Boil water with ginger pieces (with its skin on), cloves, black pepper and cinnamon.  Boil it and then simmer it for about 15 mins at least.  Then pour it into a mug with a squeeze of lemon and some honey... it is the best drink - certainly it’s my 911 to cold :)

Get well soon!

[livehealthy4ever]

Cravings I realise that when you have a random craving (especially when it's not meant to be your cheat meal), it's better to make it on your own and attempt to modify it to make it healthier. I already had 2 cheat meals over the weekend (which I wasn't meant to): yes: a cupcake, doughnut and a cookie!! :) so still I had a craving 2 days later. I made this pan cookie using the following recipe: 2 tbsp wheat flour 1 egg 1 tbsp cocoa powder Pinch of salt 1 tbsp agave nectar A few chocolate chips Mix it all up Then on a non-stick pan, just fry it over coconut oil (just like a pancake) and voila! Not only it was easy peasy, but it was satisfying without tons of calories :)

[livehealthy4ever]

So true

[livehealthy4ever]

4. Reward Yourself

I lacked motivation..I have been eating cookies, muffins and all kinds of sweets even though I’ve been working out.  And guess what? My stomach has been growing and the distance between me and achieving my goal has also be moving further away.

Sometimes having a long term goal is not enough...yesterday however, I decided that I should treat myself to some clothes (work clothes in particular) if I lose at least a cm from my waist in the next 2 weeks! And guess what? That was a huge motivation for me!  So this morning I worked out before work (knowing that I had other plans in the evening) and did not have a single muffin or cookie. It is because I had that short term goal of 2 weeks in my head..that is something that I look forward to.

The point is, set yourself small goals and give yourself small rewards along the way (rather than 1 big goal 3 months away).  In this way, these tiny little rewards will make you closer to achieving your big, main goal! Yey!  Losing weight and getting some new clothes! 2 for 1! :)