I {heart} salad

One of my fave foods has always been salads. When I was a kid my mum would make yummy salad rolls for our lunches. I think the main reason I love salads so much is the fact that they are just so versitile. You can make it with anything from lettuce, tomato, roast capsicum, onions, avacados, zuchinni, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, spinach, beetroot - really ANYTHING! Im a big believer in eating the colours of the rainbow and I will toss a whole heap of colourful vegies and salads things together and make yummy new creations. And then you can add whatever kind of meat or veg protein you like. We add thai marinated lean steak, grilled chicken breast, salmon, tuna and tofu. My boyfriend loves adding salad dressing but I tend to steer clear of them and opt for extra virgin olive oil to increase my good fats intake.
Other colours of the rainbow foods we eat loads of is blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. We seriously eat LOADS of them. And im especially proud that my 4 year old loves healthy foods too :)
I have learnt that eating healthily does NOT have to be boring :) Mix it up!

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New direction = happy days!

Sometimes a new perspective on things can make all the difference. There is no denying I am a carbohydrate lover. I crave sugar and strachy carbs. I have been learning how to curb cravings and I would say 80% of the time I am fine and go on to do other things once the craving has passed. But since starting the low carb my mind set changed and I kept telling myself I COULDNT have those things I wanted. A friend suggested I look into what is called carb cycling. I googled it and found some very informative pages on it and it sounds perfect for someone like me who can manage low carb for a few days but then the carvings kick in again.
I can cycle 3 low carb days then have a higher carb day. But I have promised myself that on a higher carb day the carbs have to be from clean, complex carbs. Not sugars. I am alot more happier now and I can see myself sticking to this to lose the bulk of my weight. :)

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Struggling

Tonight I am struggling to deal with my emotions. Everything just kind of mish mashes into a ball and tumbles on top of me (or so it feels like). I have sooo many friends right now that have either just had babies or are pregnant. I am happy for them. All of them. But something pangs me inside my heart and hurts. It fills me with sadness and I start to question myself. Having PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) is a bitch. A.real.bitch.
Not just dealing with the symptoms but the feelings that come with it. Thats partly why I started this blog so I could have kind of an outlet for my feelings to help me cope in a healthier way. To get it out there, and to let go of the negative thoughts and frustrations that sometimes get me down...
Because of PCOS, I have very irregular cycles. Which makes it so hard to fall pregnant. My daughter is 4 and I long for another baby. Just one more is all my partner and I want. My hormones have been on a roller coaster for about 2 years now and for 2 years Ive been trying to get myself "normal". Thats all I want, is to be normal. Ive tried accupunture, western herbs, chinese medicine, standard western treatments, ive been to endocrinologists, doctors and womens health nurses.
While some treatments work to varying degrees, others do not. Or they make me so sick that im on the bathroom floor doubled up in pain. Im trying to do this the natural way. I want to regulate my cycles and lose weight so I can enjoy my life to the max and hopefully have another child.
But right now. Tonight, it all just seems so hard. Hopefully I ll be in a better headspace when I wake up tomorrow. Xx

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Back on the wagon!

Ive had so many emotions and feelings run through my head the last week. Ive had so many things go wrong with our big move it wasnt funny and I have to say I fell off the wagon... I had 2 very bad days where I was an emotional mess and turned to chocolate on both those nights. Im not happy about it, and I have eaten my share of carb ladden, not so healthy choices in the last week but I am ready now to move on and pick myself up. It's a brand new week and Im feeling positive again. :)

See you on the other side!

Tomorrow is going to be a mad mad rush to get last minute things organised and final packing done. Our net and phone are being disconnected very soon and I will have a million other things to get done so see you on the other side :)

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Inspiration and Motivation

Today was hard actually. Its been really hot, I am busy packing and cleaning and some days I just cant be bothered. This morning I was up early before my little monster and did some Wii jogging, aerobics and abit of boxing. After that, combined with the heat its so easy to get side tracked and start comfort eating or sucking down the icy poles just cos its hot!
So I made myself a cup of green tea and sat down to think and re assess myself. I missed watching The Biggest Loser premiere on Sunday night so I watched it via the catch up tv on Tens website.
Well enough said really, I was totally motivated again and the cravings for something sugary had well and truly passed. Those contestants deserve serious recognition for their courage to get on national tv and do what they are doing. I have lost nearly 19 kgs in the last year and it is bloody hard so I know they have a long road ahead of them but I think I will tune in this season!
As I have been typing this I am sitting here with a face mask on (a seaweed one today) and drinking yet another cup of green tea. :) My thoughts also go out to the people of Queensland dealing with not only the floods but Tropical cyclone Yasi. Xxx Stay safe out there!
                  
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Point and Shoot - Giggle Time!

Saturday afternoon giggles from my daughter! :) Play point and shoot at Fat Mum Slim! This is my first week but I hope to be playing along every week after my net is re connected after moving house! :)

Hot Weekend and moving house!

Well what a HOT weekend! 40 degree heat isnt my idea of fun, especially when all you have for fun is house to pack! We are moving later this week and have been busily cleaning out wardrobes and packing and everything else that comes with moving. Foodwise weekend was good, but I did have one slipup - Saturday night we had some icy poles left in the freezer and I had one while we watched a movie. It was so hot and the icy pole was just so refreshing. But its ok. Im not going to beat myself up about an icy pole lol! This week I lost 600 grams, which isnt much but still a loss. :)
Im hoping to put in a huge effort this week and to lose a bit more next week. So Im off for some Wii jogging! :)

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Juicing

So I am a juicing fanatic. Not the stuf you buy that's sometimes weeks old at the supermarket. Im talking beautiful vegies and fruit that you juice yourslef at home. My boyfriend brought me a super cool juicer a couple of years ago and it was love at first sight! I love colour, so watching the pink from the beetroot, the orange from carrots and the green from whatever green vegie I put in from spinach to asian vegies!
I know its not exactly low carb but this is one thing which I dont worry about the carbs as I feel the benefit far outweighs having a few carbs!
Juicing is so good for your health. It can help you detoxify, lose weight etc and I have seen the benefits in my own body so I am a believer lol :)

These pics are of the juice I did this morning! I put in carrots, cucumbers, beetroot, celery, some Chinese leafy greens and an apple. I love the colours!

Yum!

I used to juice a few times a week but now I am low carbing I think I ll only juice once a week. Enjoy! :)

My favourite shoes

I have loved Converse shoes since I was a teen and I just keep finding ways to wear them! My latest buy was a pair of high top ones (you know the really high tops!) and they are the same candy pink as in the above pic. The other thing I love is decorating Cons. I was at my local spotlight a few weeks ago and they were having a sale on those iron on applique patch things, so I got quite a few they are cool candy and lolly ones and I intend to decorate my new cons with them. Oh when I can finally dig out my iron from the linen press! I will post some pics when they are done :) I just have to find some cool coloured laces longe enough for them now hehe! Xx

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Friends!

I always love catching up with friends and today was Aussie Day so I caught up with one of my good friends for a coffee and chat. Im the kind of person who can really sit and talk for hours and I was child free today (yay! thanks mum :) ) so I literally did sit for hours and talk! Was great for the soul and it took my mind of craving carbs. :)
I couldnt survive without my friends :)
Xxx

Fresh Start

                                 
So tomorrow morning when I wake up, Its D day. The first day to start making the right choices and forgetting about (but still learning from) the bad ones Ive made..

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My goals for 2011.

So, my goals for this year are pretty simple. Im keeping them simple because I know if I set myself for something too hard, when the going gets tough I may not be able to keep it up. So here they are!

*Cut out all refined sugar (lollies, soft drinks, biscuits, cake etc) and white starchy carbs (aka crap!)
*Exercise. Everyday! Except on Sundays :)
*Look after myself better in general. Hot baths to relax, a pedicure every fortnight, drinking lots of water kind of looking after myself.
*Eat lots of salads, vegies, lean protein and good fats at every meal. And try to stick with low gi foods.
And last but not least I have allowed myself one treat for the week. On a weekend I am allowing myself to have a treat. Whether it be some dark chocolate, a junk food meal, or a danish and a latte for morning tea. Once a week, Im allowed too. The reason for this is because in the past I have said no to everything. And we all know that spells diaster!