2014 Health Challenge (week 2 – 4)

My daughter came up to me the other day, and told me how proud she was of me: of my determination & commitment to health and fitness.  Sometimes I forget how being an example, living it out, is the best way to teach our kids, and I felt so encouraged by my daughter’s words.

I recently shared how my health has improved slowly over the last five years.   To kick the year off well, I’m doing a 10 week challenge with my PT, Lauren Phillips from Phyzique.  I have a good fitness plan in place now, after doing group PT sessions with Lauren and running for over a year now, but I needed support (and accountability) when it comes with food choices. Mainly, I want to get more fresh vegetables into my diet and less sugar and refined carbs.   I’m still working it out as I go along but I’m happy with the progress I’m making in this area. Keeping a food diary has been a huge help and I’ve set out some of my notes below.

Likes: wheat germ, sunflower seeds, berries, avocado, mountain bread, Ryvita, baby spinach, cottage cheese, almonds (and all nuts)

Not-so-likes: kale (I eat it when it comes in our fruit & vege box but I find it rough and tough), boiled egg, psyllium husks, red meat (not a big fan)

Week 2

It was a bit tough this week, and I found myself craving something highly sweet.  I ended up enjoying a brownie, because I love a good brownie. I think I’ll need to   enjoy something like that approximately once a week (but I’m looking for healthier alternates if I can).

Day 8

Breakfast: natural yoghurt, blueberries, wheat germ, sunflower seeds

Snack: almonds

Lunch: triple quinoa with kale, carrot, tomato and cottage cheese

Snack: oat and honey slice (no added sugar)

Dinner: grilled chicken, spinach salad with pasta

Other: brownie

Day 9

Breakfast: kale and berry smoothie

Snack: —

Lunch: pumpkin salad

Snack: almonds

Dinner: quinoa & white bean patty with raw beetroot, snow peas and tomato 

Other: apricot & oat ball

Day 10

Breakfast: Natural yoghurt, raspberries, wheat germ, almonds

Snack: nectarine

Lunch: quinoa & bean patty, grilled chicken, raw beetroot, cucumber, cottage cheese, chilli sauce

Snack: 2 dates and almonds

Dinner: 1 piece of peanut butter toast on multigrain toast

Other: —

Day 11

Breakfast: plumb and almonds

Snack: nectarine

Lunch: omelette (cooked in coconut oil), bok choy, parmesan cheese, tomato

Snack: 1 apricot oat ball & 1 date oat ball

Dinner: nachos (lean mince with baked beans and spice – no cheese)

Other: almonds & carrot

Day 12

Breakfast: Porridge with sultanas, sunflower seeds & small juice

Snack: almonds & dates

Lunch: tuna, raw beetroot & carrot, lettuce, quinoa & bean patty

Snack: nectarine

Dinner: 3 grain quinoa, snow peas, carrot, grilled chicken

Other: 2 ginger nut biscuits

Day 13

Breakfast: Oats, wheat germ, blueberries, raspberries

Snack: almonds

Lunch: brown rice sushi with tuna and avocado

Snack: —

Dinner: chicken salad (lettuce, carrot, avocado, capsicum, cucumber)

Other: date

Day 14

Breakfast: 2 high-bran weet-bix with sunflower seeds

Snack: 1 date and coconut ball

Lunch: wholegrain wrap with ham, spinach, and beetroot & Cashew relish

Snack: natural yoghurt with strawberry and pineapple

Dinner: smoothie with spinach

Other: macadamia nuts

Exercise

3 group PT session & 1 run

Week 3

The challenge for me this week was to keep variety up.  There are staples foods I will continue to use often because I enjoy them, like wheat germ, sun flower seeds and almonds.  I also enjoy berries & avocado so they will frequent my meals often too.

Day 15

Breakfast: Porridge with kiwifruit, macadamia nuts and psyllium seed husks

Snack: —

Lunch: salmon & bean salad

Snack: date & oat ball

Dinner: rice broccoli, mushroom, tomato & soy sauce

Other: —

Day 16

Breakfast: Egg, spinach, tomato, beetroot & cashew relish

Snack: —

Lunch: green smoothie

Snack: almonds

Dinner: 3 grain quinoa, baby spinach, tomato, lemon tuna

Other: 1 x gingernut biscuit

Day 17

Breakfast: multigrain sour dough with avocado & lemon

Snack: carrot & celery sticks

Lunch: chicken breast slices, 3 grain quinoa, kale, tomato, beetroot & cashew relish

Snack: almonds & 2 dates

Dinner: pita bread chips (multigrain), baked beans, snow peas

Other: —

Day 18

Breakfast: Natural yoghurt, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, blueberries

Snack: wheat bites

Lunch: quinoa & white bean patty, tuna, kale, zucchini, corn

Snack: raw carrot & date ball

Dinner: lean mince, onion, lettuce and beans

Other: natural yoghurt with wheat germ

Day 19

Breakfast: ginger, pineapple, apple & carrot juice

Snack: cashew nuts

Lunch: 1 piece of 9 grain bread with spinach, tomato & ham

Snack: 1 apricot & oat ball

Dinner: corn chips, lean mince, onion, baked beans, avocado, tomato, spinach.

Other: brownie

Day 20

Breakfast: Porridge with blueberries, sunflower seeds & wheat germ

Snack: —

Lunch: ham with raw beetroot, carrot, broccol & cashew nut salad

Snack: raw carrot & date ball

Dinner: tuna, baked beans, tomato, spinach, a little cheese

Other: 2 x gingernut biscuit

Day 21

Breakfast: natural muesli with greek yoghurt & blueberries

Snack: —

Lunch: wholemeal pasta with veges & salad

Snack: energy nut & fruit mix

Dinner: Ryvita with avocado & cottage cheese

Other: —

Exercise

2 group PT session & 2 runs

Week 4

This week I’ve noticed a difference in how my clothes fit (in a good way). I wore a dress I haven’t worn in years! So that felt awesome.

Day 22

Breakfast: Sultana Bran

Snack: raw carrot & date ball

Lunch: warm chicken salad

Snack: Ryvita with vegemite & cottage cheese

Dinner: ham and spinach salad

Other: —

Day 23

Breakfast: Pear

Snack: raw carrot & date ball

Lunch: Ryvita with avocado & lemon juice

Snack: a carrot & pretzels

Dinner: tuna, quinoa & spinach salad

Other: natural yoghurt, blueberries, wheat germ, sunflower seeds

Day 24

Breakfast: blueberry & banana smoothie

Snack: raw carrot & date ball

Lunch: multigrain sandwich with ham, cottage, spinach

Snack: almonds and crackers

Dinner: chicken & spinach meatballs in soup with tomato & bok choy

Other: —

Day 25

Breakfast: avocado on Ryvita

Snack: raw carrot & date ball with celery sticks with cottage cheese

Lunch: quinoa & white bean patty with spinach and ham

Snack: energy fruit & nut mix

Dinner: lean mince, rye mountain bread, broccoli, tomato — natural yoghurt, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, dried pear

Other: 1 gingernut biscuit, yoghurt with blackberries

Day 26

Breakfast: banana & mango smoothie

Snack: gingernut biscuit & a teaspoon of hazelnut spread

Lunch: rye mountain bread, spinach salad, raw carrot ball

Snack: natural yoghurt with wheat germ, dried apricot, sunflower seeds, almonds

Dinner: porridge with honey

Other: 1 small piece of ham and pineapple pizza  (in a weak moment – ha!)

Day 27

Breakfast: 2 x high bran weet-bix with sunflower seeds

Snack: —

Lunch: rye mountain bread with tuna and salad

Snack: dried pear

Dinner: chicken & salad (olives, lettuce, jalapeno chilli, carrot, capsicum, cucumber)

Other: gingernut biscuits with hazelnut spread

Day 28

Breakfast: pear

Snack: —

Lunch: 1 sausage with lettuce, tomato, onion and a little cheese

Snack: almonds & dried pear

Dinner: quinoa & white bean patty with raw beetroot, carrot, broccoli & cottage cheese

Other: natural yoghurt with wheat germ

Exercise

2 group PT session & 2 runs and a group fun bonding outdoor challenge

First month down, 6 weeks to go.