I have Shin Splints, which is a broad term for lower leg tendonitis (where the muscle comes away from the bone) and I am currently incapacitated. I cannot walk, let alone run. I did a 13.5k run on Monday, then a 5k on Weds and that's when it hit. I went to A&E on Thurs, as I was worried about a sprain or tear. The doctor diagnosed Shin Splints, and to rest, with no exersise, until I am completely pain free, which will be 4-6 weeks. Then when I am pain free, to work up my exersise gradually, about 10% per week.
Goodbye Half Marathon on Oct 9th. I have been so down and sad because of this, but also as I was just starting to see minor changes in my calfs and thighs, due to the running sculpting my muscles. I've been resting, limping and self pitying for the last couple of days.
Last night, I was agitated and fidgety, and couldn't settle as I was worrying about my leg and how long it will take to heal. Therefore I didn't get a good sleep. This morning, I woke up with a stye in my left eye and a swollen sore throat. I can only think my current state of mind has not helped with my immunity and I need to buck my ideas up, pick myself up off the floor and get on with it.
So, after a healthy juice of carrot, ginger, lemon and celery, I had a couple of pancakes with lemon and agave, finished off with a cup of Teapigs "popcorn tea" (Green tea with toasted rice in it).
Today I will start to strengthen my muscles by gentle "proper" walking around the house (trying not to limp) and slow ankle rotations and stretches. I have broken the habit of a lifetime, and not replaced the batteries in my scales, so I don't know how much I weigh, or how much I will put on through no exersise, but I don't care!!!
Today, I will turn a new leaf. No self pity or worrying about things I cannot control. Gentle, non-damaging stretching for my leg and looking forward to when I am out training again, rather than being down about being sofa-bound.
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Friday, 9 September 2011
My recipe for Raw Carrot Cake
I was ploughing through online recipes for raw carrot cake, and couldn't find anything that sounded easy, tasty, or "right", so I thought I'd just get on and do it!! After all, the beauty of raw food is you can taste it as you go, without the "cooking" process altering the flavour.
For the base...1kg carrots, juiced. Use the pulp.
150g walnuts
100g sultanas
100g dates
3 Tbsp dessicated coconut
1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp all spice1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1...In separate bowls, soak the walnuts, sultanas, and dates in clean water for an hour. Drain and rinse.
2...Put the carrot pulp into a large bowl. Using a mini chopper or a blender, pulse the walnuts until ground. Add to carrots
3...Blend the dates and sultanas, with the coconut oil, to a paste. Add to the carrots and walnuts.
4...Add the coconut and spices and mix well. Use your hands to get it really well mixed.
5...Spread the mixture out in a dish measuring approx 20cm x 20cm x 7cm, pressing down well to compact the base in, levelling as you go.
For the topping
300g raw cashews
2 tsp vanilla extract
juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp agave nectar
1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
little water
1...Soak the cashews in clean cold water for 1 hour, drain and rinse.2...Put all ingredients in a blender and pulse to a "creamy" consistency, adding a little water if needed.
To assemble and serve the cake
1...spoon the topping over the base, level off and refrigerate for 2 hours. I topped mine with a few crushed walnuts and the zest of an orange.
2...Cut into 20 pieces and serve.
My family's verdict, was as follows....
Lucas took a huge bite and promtly spat it out. My husband gingerly nibbled at it and said the flavour is nice, but it's a bit wet for me. Noah had his slice, finished off Lucas', and asked for another one.
Oh well, you can't win 'em all!
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Back in the UK with a bump
We had a lovely 10 days in Greece. My husband's family are from Greece and my in-laws live there for part of the year, so we stayed with them. The Greeks are well renouned for their healthy appetites, in particular, their love of meat! I decided to bite the bullet and live, eat and drink like a Greek.........so it was red meat, fish, pasta, cheese, salami, wine, beer, sugar, honey, fried foods etc all holiday for me. The only thing I managed to stick with, was black decaff coffee, as I truely do hate the taste of milk, and fruit for breakfast. Portion sizes were a problem too, as everyone seems to eat 3 HUGE meals a day, but I'm more of a 'grazer', which meant frequent trips to the fridge for me, which made me look like a greedy cow!First Bootcamp for 2 weeks last night, and BOY! was it tough! it's only week two of the current block, so I should of been able to handle it. Burpees, resistance band exersises, bear crawls, skipping ropes, line jumps, prison get-ups and press ups.
Today, I don't feel great. My whole body's aching and I have headache and a fluffy tongue. I don't know if it's a bug, or aches from the exersising or from suddenly switching to a detox after my holiday. Or all 3!!!??
Anyway, I'm willing myself to stay positive and trying to do fun family activities with the boys, so I don't load my body with the bad toxins that arise from stress and unhappiness. I'm sticking to a juice and plant based diet, and exersising when I can, so hopefully it's just a blip and I'll be back, fighting fit in no time.
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Thinking outside the box and appreciating what my mentor has given me
I said I'd do a blog concerning family meals, making them healthier and keeping them low cost. I won't go into recipes and what-nots, just try to give you a little food for thought and encourage you to expand your culinary skills beyond chicken and potatoes.
Since I've got to know Charlie Wall, of Cambridge Bootcamps, she's always been inspiring and supportive. She gives me nutritional advice, mental strength and the confidence to change myself for the better. I now automatically think of my food in terms of vitamins & minerals, how it will benefit my body, the quality of my food and also to use my imagination and not be held back by traditional views and menus.
So, we all know that good quality fruits and vegetables cost a lot of money. Well, yes they do, but if you are putting quality food into your body, you're less likely to feel hunger between meals, thus saving on chocolate/crisps/fizzy drinks etc. Also if you are getting the correct amount of minerals into your diet, you will find you don't have as many cravings for chocolate, or wine etc. I found a quote not so long ago, that says something along the lines of “So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health.” There are many versions of this saying, but it really is true and has inspired me daily to make the right choices for myself.
With regards to specific foods, like legumes, pulses, grains, beans and seeds, the world is your oyster. Just pick a bag of something from the wholefoods section of your supermarket and Google recipes when you get home. Tinned foods are good, like kidney beans for a quick chilli, or cannelini beans for a stew, and tinned chickpeas are great for a quick hummus. Dried beans require a little more planning, as they need a soak overnight and longer cooking time, but are cheaper and keep longer (in their dried form they keep for about a year!!) and lentils are brilliant, especially the yellow or orange ones which can go from bag to table in as little as 20mins.
I make Chilli con Carne with soya mince (dried, then rehydrated at home) and tinned kidney beans. Vegetable and adzuki bean lasagna (I whizz the cooked beans with a hand blender so they resemble meat).
Just think of a good family meal that stretches and that the leftovers can be taken to work the next day, and substitute the meat for something else. Buckwheat Bolognaise, Stuffed Peppers with Lentils, Lentil Soup, Mixed Bean Stew, Quinoa salad, Brown Rice Risotto.
Some of my favourite foods are Chicken Nuggets (made from chicken breast, coated in seasoned polenta then baked), Adzuki Bean and Quinoa Croquettes (whizz beans and quinoa, bind with an egg, roll into croquettes and coat in breadcrumbs, then bake), Home Made Baked Beans (made with tinned haricot beans).......the list goes on!!
The only limits to your family meals, is your imagination and your thoughts on "what makes a meal?" There is more to a meal than meat, as I've found out, and I hope this has encouraged you to blend a little more "wholefood" into your diet.
Since I've got to know Charlie Wall, of Cambridge Bootcamps, she's always been inspiring and supportive. She gives me nutritional advice, mental strength and the confidence to change myself for the better. I now automatically think of my food in terms of vitamins & minerals, how it will benefit my body, the quality of my food and also to use my imagination and not be held back by traditional views and menus.
So, we all know that good quality fruits and vegetables cost a lot of money. Well, yes they do, but if you are putting quality food into your body, you're less likely to feel hunger between meals, thus saving on chocolate/crisps/fizzy drinks etc. Also if you are getting the correct amount of minerals into your diet, you will find you don't have as many cravings for chocolate, or wine etc. I found a quote not so long ago, that says something along the lines of “So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health.” There are many versions of this saying, but it really is true and has inspired me daily to make the right choices for myself.
With regards to specific foods, like legumes, pulses, grains, beans and seeds, the world is your oyster. Just pick a bag of something from the wholefoods section of your supermarket and Google recipes when you get home. Tinned foods are good, like kidney beans for a quick chilli, or cannelini beans for a stew, and tinned chickpeas are great for a quick hummus. Dried beans require a little more planning, as they need a soak overnight and longer cooking time, but are cheaper and keep longer (in their dried form they keep for about a year!!) and lentils are brilliant, especially the yellow or orange ones which can go from bag to table in as little as 20mins.
I make Chilli con Carne with soya mince (dried, then rehydrated at home) and tinned kidney beans. Vegetable and adzuki bean lasagna (I whizz the cooked beans with a hand blender so they resemble meat).
Just think of a good family meal that stretches and that the leftovers can be taken to work the next day, and substitute the meat for something else. Buckwheat Bolognaise, Stuffed Peppers with Lentils, Lentil Soup, Mixed Bean Stew, Quinoa salad, Brown Rice Risotto.
Some of my favourite foods are Chicken Nuggets (made from chicken breast, coated in seasoned polenta then baked), Adzuki Bean and Quinoa Croquettes (whizz beans and quinoa, bind with an egg, roll into croquettes and coat in breadcrumbs, then bake), Home Made Baked Beans (made with tinned haricot beans).......the list goes on!!
The only limits to your family meals, is your imagination and your thoughts on "what makes a meal?" There is more to a meal than meat, as I've found out, and I hope this has encouraged you to blend a little more "wholefood" into your diet.
Monday, 1 August 2011
4 nights in Scotland for my cousin's wedding
I had a fabulous time in Scotland. My cousins are brilliant, my Aunt and Uncle are so hospitable and made us right at home and it was a lovely break for me and JohnWe arrived late on Weds, went to bed, then went into Stirling to pick up our kilts, which after a little confusion over the sizing, turned out good in the end. We went shopping for a bit and had lunch at McDonalds. (sorry!!!)
Friday was the wedding, it was beautiful. It was in Albert Halls in Stirling. Helen and my other cousins looked amazing, and after the service, the Bride and Groom went up to Stirling Castle for some photos while the guests drank champagne and ate canapes in the sunshine. Then we had the meal, and that was so good!!! Just perfect. Then it was the party, where it was just a good old knees up and let your hair down night. Blow up guitars for the air guitar tunes, like 'Sweet child o' mine' and 'Summer of 69', and glow sticks for dance tracks and upbeat stuff. There was a chocolate fountain with marshmallows and strawberries, a selection of cheeses, and hot stovies, which was yummy. We had such a good time. Saturday was our trip to Stirling Castle, and that was so educational and humbling. Sunday we came home. It was so nice to see my family and catch up with everybody and I miss my cousins already.
Now, only 10 days til our holiday to Greece to see Johns family.
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
I recieved an email from my sister asking for dietary help
This morning, my sister (25yr old) emailed me to ask for some dietary help. She asked if I could give her any ideas on "what are some good low calorie/low carb alternatives for potatoes and pasta etc?"
Well, of course this is a simple one for me, as I research nutrition everyday, surround myself with like-minded foodies and I have some of the best Personal Trainers at my fingertips if I ever need help on nutritional needs. But it got me thinking, I am probably in the minority of people who are interested in this way about the food on our plates, and our kids plates.
When I grew up, 'meat and two veg' was a staple diet for us, pasta was a 'foreign' food, rice was something you eat with curry and everything was cooked in lard. What I have learned about nutrients and superfoods, I have had to research and find the information for myself. It's not usually taught from your parents in this way. Therefore, my sister is really at the same disadvantage as I was when I was piling rubbish onto my plate, getting overweight and unhealthy, and going on silly faddy diets that were boring, hard to maintain and just didn't work as a lifestyle change.
So, I wrote her a reply, rather longer than I had originally intended, and probably gave her more than she bargained for, but it really is something I feel passionate about. Why are we brainwashed into thinking of everything in 'calories'. Why on earth is is best for our children to drink milk from a cow? Who thought of the phrase '5 a day', when some recent research suggests you need at least 20 a day to get your daily nutrients? Why are the majority of people on a MAD diet (Meat and Dairy) when it costs so much more to raise livestock for slaughter, than to grow a field of plant based foods? So many questions, and more, I first asked myself when I embarked on my Cambridge Bootcamp Journey, and had to find the answers for myself.
Well, I gave her a long list of foods, including quinoa, pearl barley, buckwheat, corn or rice pasta, brown rice, and buckwheat spaghetti as 'carb replacements'. But I also tried to get over to her that a meal doesn't have to consist of 'carb-meat-veg' to be a satisfying meal. I suggested lentils, beans, pulses, made into salads or spreads. I suggested using sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, squash and pumpkin in the same way as potato for a subtle potato replacement. I also told her to Google vegan, vegetarian and specialist diets for ideas on how to change her way of thinking about how her meals are constructed.
I hope I helped and didn't drown her with information. Tonight, I have concluded to myself that at least my children have the benefit of a knowledgable mum who makes them try different foods and ideas. I hope they can pass it on to their friend's mums aswell, when they go for dinner at their houses!!
Well, of course this is a simple one for me, as I research nutrition everyday, surround myself with like-minded foodies and I have some of the best Personal Trainers at my fingertips if I ever need help on nutritional needs. But it got me thinking, I am probably in the minority of people who are interested in this way about the food on our plates, and our kids plates.
When I grew up, 'meat and two veg' was a staple diet for us, pasta was a 'foreign' food, rice was something you eat with curry and everything was cooked in lard. What I have learned about nutrients and superfoods, I have had to research and find the information for myself. It's not usually taught from your parents in this way. Therefore, my sister is really at the same disadvantage as I was when I was piling rubbish onto my plate, getting overweight and unhealthy, and going on silly faddy diets that were boring, hard to maintain and just didn't work as a lifestyle change.
So, I wrote her a reply, rather longer than I had originally intended, and probably gave her more than she bargained for, but it really is something I feel passionate about. Why are we brainwashed into thinking of everything in 'calories'. Why on earth is is best for our children to drink milk from a cow? Who thought of the phrase '5 a day', when some recent research suggests you need at least 20 a day to get your daily nutrients? Why are the majority of people on a MAD diet (Meat and Dairy) when it costs so much more to raise livestock for slaughter, than to grow a field of plant based foods? So many questions, and more, I first asked myself when I embarked on my Cambridge Bootcamp Journey, and had to find the answers for myself.
Well, I gave her a long list of foods, including quinoa, pearl barley, buckwheat, corn or rice pasta, brown rice, and buckwheat spaghetti as 'carb replacements'. But I also tried to get over to her that a meal doesn't have to consist of 'carb-meat-veg' to be a satisfying meal. I suggested lentils, beans, pulses, made into salads or spreads. I suggested using sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, squash and pumpkin in the same way as potato for a subtle potato replacement. I also told her to Google vegan, vegetarian and specialist diets for ideas on how to change her way of thinking about how her meals are constructed.
I hope I helped and didn't drown her with information. Tonight, I have concluded to myself that at least my children have the benefit of a knowledgable mum who makes them try different foods and ideas. I hope they can pass it on to their friend's mums aswell, when they go for dinner at their houses!!
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Realising the effects of external forces and learning how to deal with them
I was doing so well at my challenge to find my abs. Exersising, running, clean eating, until today.
I had an unpleasant experience yesterday that brought back memories / parallels from my childhood / life experiences and it all went wrong for me today.
I planned to go for a run after the school run, but came home to go to bed instead as I was so drained from churning it over in my head, but not before eating a packet of crisps and a few spoonfulls of chocolate spread out of the jar.
When I woke up to colect the kids, I was still feeling rotten but tried to keep on track. Ate an apple and some grapes, but then had a bread roll :o( My gut is NOT going to thank me tonight!
Charlie Wall then talked me into going to bootcamp tonight as I phoned her to tell her I wasn't in the right frame of mind to attend and explained what had happened yesterday to trigger this all off and she talked me into going after all.
I actually really loved it and am so glad I spoke to her. She's always got great advice to give. Got home and I feel back on track again and more positive about yesterday and trying to look at it from a different angle.
I really have to try and focus on not letting external forces that are completely out of my control, affect everything that should be under my control, ie. diet, exersise and my mental health. I really did embark on a long and difficult journey when I signed up to Cambridge Bootcamps, physically, but more importantly, mentally too.
I had an unpleasant experience yesterday that brought back memories / parallels from my childhood / life experiences and it all went wrong for me today.
I planned to go for a run after the school run, but came home to go to bed instead as I was so drained from churning it over in my head, but not before eating a packet of crisps and a few spoonfulls of chocolate spread out of the jar.
When I woke up to colect the kids, I was still feeling rotten but tried to keep on track. Ate an apple and some grapes, but then had a bread roll :o( My gut is NOT going to thank me tonight!
Charlie Wall then talked me into going to bootcamp tonight as I phoned her to tell her I wasn't in the right frame of mind to attend and explained what had happened yesterday to trigger this all off and she talked me into going after all.
I actually really loved it and am so glad I spoke to her. She's always got great advice to give. Got home and I feel back on track again and more positive about yesterday and trying to look at it from a different angle.
I really have to try and focus on not letting external forces that are completely out of my control, affect everything that should be under my control, ie. diet, exersise and my mental health. I really did embark on a long and difficult journey when I signed up to Cambridge Bootcamps, physically, but more importantly, mentally too.
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