Sunday, June 19, 2011

Day 20

Today is the last day of the new foods challenge, I didn't quite make 10 new foods. My next challenge is supposed to be to eat vegetarian for 10 days. Although, since I'm not prepared to start that tomorrow and I have some meat in the fridge to consume first, I think I might make the next 10 days the challenge to eat 2 different fruits or vegetables at each of my big meals, so that I reach 6 servings a day and of a variety of vegetables and fruits. In the mean time I'll prepare for the vegetarian challenge by looking for meals and trying out some recipes.

So far I have the following for vegetarian meals:
Quiche (with vegetables, I'm thinking bell peppers, tomatoes, spinach and cheese)
Black Bean quesadillas
Vegetarian chili
Vegetarian enchiladas (with the leftover chili or quesadilla filling)
So I just need 6 more meals. I do have a vegetarian cookbook, so I should be able to find some there, I just don't like cooking with lentils, beans and tofu are OK.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Day 13

So I've done OK with the 30 day shred, except today I was interrupted mid workout by a baby poo emergency, or at least hubs swearing loudly and a lot and baby screaming. So I went to assist.

As for the new foods I'm adding to my diet here's what I've tried so far and my personal opinion. It's more likely an opinion on how well I can execute new recipes (i.e. no well).

Swiss Chard - the stems were boiled in a chicken stock then added to the frying pan with the leafy portion. The stems were good the leafy portion was bitter and gritty (maybe I didn't wash it well enough).

Dragon Fruit - good mild taste, it has the texture and watery-ness of a water melon and the taste of a kiwi

Parsnips - not bad, much like a potato, I roasted it with thyme. All the veggies in the roasting pan were dry, including the carrots. Next time I think I'll add a little chicken stock to the roasting pan.

Acorn Squash - good, sweet, a little dry again, probably due to the recipe, which was the same recipe as the parsnips.

On the docket still to try and in my fridge already: Rutabaga & fennel. I need to go shopping for 4 more new foods. I'm thinking one will be quinoa.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Day 11

After the first 10 day challenge I've lost 5 pounds, or 2.34% of my body weight. For measurements I've gained 1/2 and inch in all measurements, I'm thinking PMS is to blame :)

I purchased a 10 pound Shred book that has exercise and meal plans for 31 days, so I begin it today. This will be my exercise challenge for the next 31 days. My eating challenge for the next 10 days will be to follow the meal plan, but also to eat a new food every day of the meal plan, so it will require some food replacements.

Today I'll be replacing some of the vegetables in dinner with Swiss chard.

Other vegetables and fruits I'll be trying over the next 10 days:
Dragon fruit
Parsnips
Rutabaga
Swiss Chard
Artichoke
Spaghetti Squash
Acorn Squash
Pomello

I need to find a few more options, squashes are something I don't have a lot of in my diet so that's an easy replacement. I might also try the following which are rare in my diet: kale, avocado, sweet potato. Although I really want to try things I've never had before.

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Days 7 & 8

Still working on the first challenge, I've pretty much given up on the exercise portion of the challenge. Today has been particularly hard as I'm craving sweets right now.

Interestingly, I've given up many grains other than rice and corn, and I find myself a lot less "windy". Victoria has the same issue when she's eating wheat and oat cereals, but she's fine on rice cereal.

Sunday, June 05, 2011

Day 5 & 6

Well the weekends are harder than the weekdays to manage my intake. Saturday I didn't get my leafy green again, but Sunday I did get the leafy green and the orange vegetable.

As for exercise, none Saturday, but Sunday I intend to walk to the videao store and bank, so that is at least 2km. No running though, it hurts my joints too much. I'll have to figure out some new exercise challenges that are easier on my joints and can be accomplished at home or at least with the baby. Ultimately I'd like to achieve the 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every day that is recommended by ParticipACTION.

I did weight myself yesterday, although I think I should wait until the end of each 10 day challenge. I've lost 1.5 pounds so far, we'll see where I'm at on Friday morning which begins the next challenge.

Friday, June 03, 2011

Day 4

Well, still no exercise today and the eating was pretty good considering the amount of temptation I was presented with today. Friday's are coffee and goodies with the ladies from my baby classes there are about 6 to 10 that meet regularly, but there must have been 15 of us today and everyone brought goodies to share! There are actually 35 of us in the group all together, and it keeps growing because we invite other mom's we meet at other groups. Hubby and I also went out for breakfast, and to a movie tonight. Here's what I ate though.

Breakfast: Coffee with sweetener 2 milk, 1 cream and an omelet with ham rolled into a crepe and grilled like a panini. Also 1/2 a large plate of fresh fruit.
Snack: 3 dried apricots
Lunch: Nothing - big breakfast
Snack: 1 vegan bliss ball about the size of a large marble, 2 sips of a frappaccino
Dinner: Chicken salad with cheese and blackberries and asian sesame dressing
Snack: 1/4 bag of small movie popcorn and 6 gulps of a small movie cola
Water: 5 bottles

I might have something overnight. Last night Victoria was waking me up every hour until 4am when I gave up and took her to bed with me (where she tossed and turned for 45 minutes). I had a yogurt as I was pretty hungry at 3am after giving her a bottle. I think I might have had either cashews and dried cranberries too, or more dried apricots, but my memory from last night is a little fuzzy.

My next challenge is going to be 10 new fruits and vegetables, I have a recipe for roasted veggies that has 3 vegetables I've never had before, so I haven't decided if I get 2 days off from something new or if I should aim for 12 new items. Ultimately I'd like to try something new every day, but at least I have a little leeway.

Thursday, June 02, 2011

Day 3

Not such a good day today - no walk/jog with the dog. I also had an extra coffee and an alcoholic mixed drink.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with peach yogurt, and 1 hard boiled egg white coffee with sweetener and skim milk
Snack: 2 coffees - 1 with cream and sugar, the other with sweetener and skim milk
Lunch: Pineapple chicken with red peppers on brown rice
Dinner: Beef noodle back with spinach and green peppers
Snack: 6 apricots and alcoholic drink
Water: 5 bottles

Made the orange vegetable goal today (twice), but only 1/2 the leafy green.

On the upside, at least I didn't eat the donut my in-laws brought for me.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Day 2

Pretty much the same today as yesterday. I did 7 intervals with the dog, and house cleaning.
Breakfast: Cereal with skim milk, coffee with sweetener and skim milk
Snack: Yogurt
Lunch: Salad with chicken, cheese and 15 blackberries
Dinner: Pineapple chicken on brown rice
Snack: Coffee with cream and sugar (while out walking the dog)
Water: I don't remember, but probably 6 or 7 like yesterday, I do drink a lot of water at least.

Tomorrow hubby has to work late, so I'll be having leftovers for dinner tomorrow. Tomorrow I also plan to start the baby on egg yolk, so I'll be having the whites with the centres filled with unsweetened applesauce, which is apparently called a sweet tooth round in one of the recipe books I have.

Jogging was difficult tonight, my calves and shins really hurt with every step, but I pushed through. I'd like to have 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous exercise that is recommended for children, so that I can make sure my daughter is getting the right foods and exercise for her body when she's old enough to start doing that.