My Healthy Appetite

I know I’m going to do it this time. Its taken a lot for me to get to this point of confidence and determination to endure, like I have always wanted to lose the weight but only been giving half hearted efforts to do it, now I want it. I’m not certain what it is that has changed in me but It might have to do with my trip swimming last night with my friend Amy. I haven’t been swimming for about a year- before then I went swimming everyday. So it was my first time swimming in Denmark. I got a bit of a surprize when I discovered that it was completely open changing area and that you had to have a pre-swim shower without your suit.. completely open showers. I’m european but it’s definietly not the norm in britain. I am not very shy about my body but I am also not happy with it. Good motivation for me. I’m thinking I should go swimming daily again, be good exercise for me and I enjoy it so much.

I’m looking at getting a ‘fatboy’ ;p the name makes me laugh, I’m surprized that they can get away with calling it that with todays regulations. Fatboys are a little pricey and I wondered if there was a cheaper imitation around and figured it could possibly be called ‘fatgirl’ (we girls often get the reputation for being cheaper than boys don’t we!?)I had some pretty interesting finds.

A banned painting which was titled fatgirl from a clearly talented artist entering a competition because somone had found it offensive. Maybe they felt sensitive about the subject but I can think of much more offensive art I’ve seen in competitions.. Is it less offensive to have pictures of girls who make themselves ill and are malnurished but are seen as conventionaly beautiful?! Gar Would you like to write a letter to the girl in the image and ban her from walking the street for somone finding her image offensive.. what are they thinking!!?!!

I also came across a film review that sounds interesting for a film origionaly named ‘For my sister’ which has been titled in English as ‘Fat Girl’. I don’t know if it was because of the storyline being about sexual maturation or that the ending is based on something that was seen on the news.. or the sensitivity of the subject of obesity- the film was banned in Ontario.

fatgirl (for my sister) film review 

I didn’t stick to the plan so closely but it helped a lot. It was a good guide for me. I feel good about making the effort too which is nice. Here’s what I actually had and here’s my (guide) plan for tomorrow.

Friday is bread and danish (breakfast) morning at my work so I will have to take that into consideration and try to eat just a little danish- crazy high points, about 10 for one danish.. arh! hm. maybe I should try avoid altogether- they are so more-ish! yikes. And then I usually come home to my husband and join him for the same. hmm.. this is the real test for me. I haven’t done to my full points because I just wanted an idea of how I could work this.. my day is all haphazard friday and I have much ‘brunching’ - for most of the day!.. I’m usually so brunched out I don’t feel like dinner!

Preperation day.

I just read my own post from 24th May and feel inspired to go to the shop right now to buy frozen yogurt!! I have a friend coming over tomorrow who is trying to eat healthy.. and we always like to have a treat together… I think guilt free frozen yogurt and strawberrys it could be.

here’s my plan for tomorrows meals: I don’t usually need to plan my meals ahead, but I’m so out of the swing of things that it helps me buy ‘good’ stuff.. while my hubby clears out the cupboard of the other stuff!

I feel confident about making good healthy choices for all my nibbles today! The fruit of the season certainly helps. I have a notion for some juicy melon.. I have a ‘healthy’ appetite anyway

I’ve changed my blog header name, I think it’s apropriate to my goals. Having a healthy appetite not just about what I eat but even more importantly on the attitude I have concearning food. I’ve noticed a few things lately that have helped define to me the importance of my attitude along with attempts to ‘lose weight’, maybe I should first ‘lose some of my negative attitude’..!? I’d never thought very much before about the psychology of eating, and its given me quite a surprize.

I was thinking while I was working today, about my  dieting- healthy eating weight watchin (whatever you want to call it!) Thinking of my reasons for wanting to lose some.. I know that it is going to be easier for me to do my work if I have less weight on me.. (I have a cleaning job, very convenient as I don’t speak the language here yet) I know if I lose some weight I will have more energy. I do also verrry much like the idea of the ease of throwing on any clothes without having to assess how I feel/look in them! Of course for my husband, I want to give him my best self. I’ve also been thinking about the benifits to our future children and maybe their children.. but I wouldn’t say that how big (or small) the size of my hips are determines my security and feelings of self worth as an individual- the thought of people feeling that way makes me sick (and we know there are too many sporting that weight loss method already)

My new goal already- to have a more healthy attitude and relationship where food is concearned. I love food, I’m not ashamed to admit that- its yum! I know that it is important to my well-being to eat healthy.. it effects my life so dramatically yet my early seeded habits, and lack of knowledge/ self discipine… is like an addiction that only I can for my self overcome. I think that ‘healthy eating’ and overcoming unhealthy eating habits may be becoming the nations most widely practised religion today.

I just need to be more aware and (remember to) make better choices on the type of properties foods contain that I fuel my body with on a regular basis! I lost a lot of weight before and I wasn’t what I’d call healthy, either was the reason I decided to gain it again.

happy living.. and untill next time- eat plenty of fruit and veg x

;D

Serves 3

7 points per serving made with chicken (5.5 points with prawns)

Ingredients

spray lite cooking oil

1 onion- finely chopped

1 teaspoons Thai Red curry paste (or 2/3 teaspoons for a hotter curry)

2 cloves garlic- finely chopped

1 cup lite coconut milk

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 tin drained finely sliced bamboo shoots or 1 medium courgette

1 large red bell pepper seeded and sliced

1 cup Jasmine rice

6 oz uncooked skinless chicken breast fillets—cut into bite-sized pieces /or 6.5 oz raw peeled prawns

1 tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour) mixed to a paste with 1 tablespoons water if a thicker sauce desired (we like it runny!)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 large fresh basil leaves—finely sliced

HEAT the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. ADD the curry paste and garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute. ADD the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, sugar and salt, then bring to the boil. ADD the red pepper and courgette/bamboo shoot slices, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 12 minutes. WHILE curry simmers, cook the rice. ADD the chicken/prawns to the curry and simmer, covered, for a further 8 minutes. ADD the cornstarch paste and stir continuously until the curry thickens, shortly before serving stir in the lemon juice and basil (or the basil goes soggy and the lemon tastes too cooked..) SERVE on a bed of rice. You can also use a variety of different meats, fish and vegetables, we enjoy it also with zucchini (courgette)  Be flexible and adapt the recipe to make the most of seasonal produce. Yumma!

I have a competitive streak… I think that waking it could be the motivator to keeping me on track! I am sooooo glad for Jennifers comment going to my mail inbox, otherwise I would have forgotten (I know!!) to come in here and follow through! Yikes! And for the inspiration she gave me! I’m not the only one struggling here to get back on track… and so here’s my idea.. let me know if you have any to!

I love games and competitions… I’m thinking of a ‘4 in a row’ type game. Whoever loses most weight in the week gets a counter their colour to position on the game- first to get 4 in a row horizontal, vertical or diagonaly wins.. (but this would only work for two people?) For more it could be just whoever gets the most tolkens.. this worked for me as a kid with sticker starts to remember brushing my teeth!) The winner should be sent some sort of prize.. maybe even a postcard?  It should be something that we will enjoy doing that keep’s us engaged with our efforts and aware of each other. Anyone in? Please!?

today so far..

11.11

Being good at the weekend! Thats my goal for today and tomorrow..

Its only two days, I should manage that. I’m finding it harder than expected to form and keep to good habits. I’ve decided to make myself write here OFTEN and be very honest and open. So far today I’ve had a microwave thai chicken curry at 9 points and I’m right now having a peanut and caramel chocolate bar craving, which I’m no way wanting to go off track so soon and eat all those calories so I’m substituting it with my favourite fruit this season- big sweet juicy black cherries! 1 point a cup (5.5oz- thats a lot of cherry!) in comparison to 8 or what points for the candy… cherries it is going to be!!!

I just read my last post- ‘I’ll see what the damage is tomorrow’ ! Well.. that ‘yesterday’ was quite a while back!

I’m running out of time to reach my goal- really. I want to get back to being my more svelt self before I turn 30.. I turn 29 NEXT month. I’m not sure what happened that I didn’t return.. maybe I got bored.. actually I think it was my TOM- always puts me off! can’t say I’m not persistant tho

The few ‘odd’ times that I happen to get curious and weigh myself I just can’t believe how much I weigh. I weigh more than I ever have before- and I should stop saying it because then I weigh even more the next time! I have a new job that keeps me very active and I eat fairly healthy so it really bugs.

I’m back! Knowing this is my last chance means something too. I want to say goodbye belly- and hello (in preperation for) healthy baby- my husband and I plan to have in the next couple of years..

So.. here’s the plan for tomorrow!

… + lots of water. So good to use that tool again! Thanks Ron!