Christmas Menu

Seasons Greetings dear readers. Hope you all had a splendid Christmas break.

Well i have been meaning to blog but my days have been so jam-packed, filled with events and work do etc.

As the season approached I thought to myself what am I going to cook for my family that is healthy....well fairly healthy. This is because I absolutely love cooking, especially trying out new recipes.
I finally decided to substitute the regular ingredients for healthier versions.
- I used brown rice and basmati rice instead of the regular white rice.
- used olive oil in place of vegetable oil
- used wheat pasta instead of white pasta
- used oyster sauce instead of soy sauce
- I Also cooked small portions to prevent over eating.

My Christmas menu consisted of basmati rice, shrimp sauce, chicken curry sauce, jollof rice, jollof pasta, salad,roasted chicken,fried chicken and pudding. Which was washed down with champagne,wine and baileys(didn't drink this thou).

One thing I know is strict dieting and the festive season don't mix(straight face), but ama kip kip trying! Am in this to WIN !!! Therefore quitting isn't an option. #gbam

Due to popular demand here is the recipe for the shrimp sauce

Ingredients
1 teaspoon veg oil
2garliccloves
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 red and 2 green bellpepper, thinly sliced in strips
3carrots cut into strips
Frozen shrimps
3 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)

Heat d oil in a large fry pan,add d galic &ginger. stirfor a min. add d veggies n stir fry till they are tender. Add d shrimps&cook 2 to 3 min,untill they are pink n cooked. Stir in d soy sauce & sesame oil. Pair wit steamed rice.

Can't wait to cook something special and healthy for New year.

Xoxo

What's been up with me.

Trust me its hard keeping to my diet this season. There is so much going on and keeping track needs much more effort . Enough of my ranting, I'll look on the brighter side of the season (gifts). I already Got a nice hamper and a wristwatch( I expect more, keep em coming ;) . Funny enough the hamper is a really nice one with so many goodies, but luckily for me not only edible things are in the hamper and a few healthy things are in it.
I have also found the perfect Christmas gift for myself -INSANITY(the 60 days total body conditioning workout plan), Jillian Michael's 30 days shred and Jillian Michael's shred it with weights DVDs yah!!!! Am so excited, can't wait to try them out. I'll keep you post.

Xoxo

How do i survive this festive season? HELP!!!!

Christmas is here again and its a season of parties, events and social gatherings. And in Lagos, Nigeria there is never a dull moment. How does a young girl like me (hehehe) trying to lose weight stay on track? It's going to be so hardddd!!! I have been reading other blogs with useful info on how to scale through successfully. Some of the tips I gathered are

-Do not attend a function with an empty stomach. Make sure that you have a healthy snack before you leave the house; this will prevent you from over indulging on unhealthy food.

-Keep away from the fried and oily looking foods

-Dressing and dips should be kept on the side, if possible avoid them altogether (or opt for mustard)

-Go for the food that has been boiled, grilled or baked

-Opt for lean meats such as: Chicken, Turkey and Fish, avoid Beef, Pork etc

-Fill your plate with lots of Vegetables or fresh salad!!

-Avoid food that has been drenched in oil and butter

-If there is food that you must have then why not have a small bite instead of a meal size portion?

-Don't eat something for the sake of eating it

-When you are full listen to your stomach!

-There will probably be plenty of alcohol floating around, if needs must opt for a small glass of red and stick to water for the rest of the evening.

-Instead of opting for the party bites i.e nuts, crisps etc why not opt for bite size raw vegetables with hummus or light dressing

-It is okay to say No

-When you attend a work do it is okay to take healthy snacks with you, its the fact that you attended that matters.

-You do not have to attend every function! So make sure you prioritise!

-Do not throw your workout regimen out the window!

You can read more about it here - http://bunmilosingit.blogspot.com/2012/12/staying-on-track-during-holidays.html?m=1

Anyhoo, I intend to enjoy myself regardless of my diet. I am just going to find a balance and am gonna stay on track .

On a closing note, I leave you with this quote "If you think that just because you're on a fat-loss quest your diet must take priority over everything else in your life, I kindly recommend that you take a step back and regroup. No diet is worth losing relationships over—ever"-unknown

Do you have any other tips for me? Please do not hesitate to share.

Xoxo....

Meal diary update

The ability to be creative is what keeps me going. I do not feel left out when I get creative with my meals. I am all about creating healthy habits and not restrictions .
I try to eat 60% protein,20% carbohydrate, 10% fat and 10% fiber each day. It is a proven fact that protein keeps you fuller for longer and builds muscles. So I try to eat more protein to keep me fuller, hence preventing a binge. This is a good reason to eat more of what I like - chicken and turkey:). Other sources of protein includes sardines,tuna,soy,beef,salmon,eggs etc

Tip: cook with olive oil

These are some of the meals I had recently

Much Ado about nothing

This post is about my fears........

-I fear I'll fall off the wagon
-I fear I"ll over eat and cancelled the exercise I worked so hard on.
-I fear I might lose the willpower to win this weight loss battle.
-I fear I might not be able to loose weight no matter how hard I try *sob*
-I fear I might relapse especially during the holidays.
-I fear I might be consuming more calories than I think.
-I fear am obsessed (yes am obsessed!!) just for the moment and might eventually burn out.

Ways that snaps me back to reality
- I read success stories.
- I pray .
- I remind myself that I didn't add this weight in 1month therefore how do I expect something drastic to happen within a month or so.
- I chant one of my mantras "slow and steady wins the race".

Mind Over Matter: How Your Attitude May Affect Your Weight Loss

The phrase "mind over matter " and it's connection with weight loss has been ringing in my head for the past few days so i decided to look into it. Here are my findings
The mind is very powerful. It creates 'reality' in a sense, because what we think determines what we can and can't see or do.
If we 'put our minds to it' we can overcome many obstacles, including physical ones.
Though diet and exercise are certainly important factors in any weight loss plan, a positive attitude is what makes such lifestyle changes possible. As evidence that ones mental state is just as important as physical activity when trying to lose weight, many people have already found that it is much harder to make the lifestyle changes required for weight loss if you don't believe those changes can happen. The mind is very powerful, It creates 'reality' in a sense, because what we think determines what we can and can't see or do.
If we 'put our minds to it' we can overcome many obstacles, including physical ones.
Visualize yourself as thin. Picture yourself in that dress that is now two sizes too small. Imagine stepping onto the scale and being pleased with the result. Visualize yourself saying “no” to that piece of chocolate cake or that plate of Fried rice and chicken topped with fried plaintain.
These mind exercises can help to spur you onto weight loss.
Through such a method, you can “think your way” to a healthy weight.

In addition, it is critically important that you maintain a positive attitude. Be forgiving of yourself. If you veer off your diet plan, simply get back on course with your next meal. Don’t spend precious time “beating yourself up” over your failures. Instead, celebrate your successes-in a non-fattening way. For instance, when you reach a milestone-say you’ve lost ten pounds-reward yourself with a trip to an art museum or to your favorite coffee shop (but skip the cream and sugar). Marking milestones will give you a sense of accomplishment, a sense that you are triumphing over food.

Another helpful technique can be prayer or meditation. Some support groups even offer Bible-based weight loss programs that use scripture verses to help inspire. Taking stock of your life and handing your weight loss problems over to a higher power can be cathartic( permanent relief of the condition) and may give you a sense of peace about your weight difficulties. It has been said that a clear head leads to a healthy body. Try praying or meditating ten minutes at the start of your day. Chances are you will feel refreshed and ready to tackle the weight challenges that come your way.

Mind over matter is not just a clever saying. It can actually be the solution to your weight loss problems. By using your brain power, you can develop the techniques needed to make healthy food choices. When your mind and your body are both healthy, you have the best of both worlds.
Learn to use these abilities to aid weight loss. Visualize your ideal weight and believe you can do it.

Your Thots?

P.s. Am also speaking to myself.

Credits: http://www.selfgrowth.com