Mutton & Lamb – Monday Made

“Among famous traitors of history one might mention the weather.” ~Ilka Chase

This changeable weather is starting to annoy me. I’m all for cool changes, but the level of coolness is getting so extreme up here in the mountains that I have to bust out my winter gear every third day!! Helloooooooo? Summer??

Normally, not such a big deal as I’m not one of those people who store all there winter gear away in vacuum bags to make way for their awesome summer wear collection. I just don’t have that many clothes. BUT, having lost 7 kgs in the last 3 months has left me with a whole heap of clothes that don’t fit!!

In winter 2010, I have just given birth to my second child and was wearing a whole lot of large stretch winter items. Some of which were stretched out of shape during the last coule of weeks of pregnancy due to a cold snap. So, in winter 2011 I was still kind of wearing these clothes because I had it in my mind that I would be a really good girl and drop a couple of hundred kgs in between. But I didn’t and so I didn’t get to buy new winter gear but instead wear stretched out, slightly big post pregnancy rejects.

Now that I have actually started losing some kg’s, my winter wear well and truly does not fit. But I keep having to put some of it on because it’s too cold. Even some clothes I got at the start of spring are oversizd now. I can get a pair of my jeans off without undoing them! YIKES!! Dosen’t sound like a bad thing, right? Have you ever had to constantly wear oversized clothes? They don’t look too good. They don’t feel too good either.

I’m not buying new stuff yet, despite this. I am looking forward to next April, going shopping and getting some nice new SMALL clothing. Hopefully by then I will be another 7kgs down. I’ll be all about the skinny jeans then. WATCHOUT!!

Remind me, people, not to go insane, though. Not to confuse clothes that flatter and slim atheletic build with just Supre trash. Not to accidenly end up looking like MUTTON dressed as LAMB. You know what I mean? I’m looking at you, Samantha from the 2nd Sex and the City film!!!

 

Festive Peril – Monday Made

“No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop after eating one peanut.”  ~Channing Pollock

It’s that time of year. When every weekend and every night gets filled up with Christmas parties. Work, friends, playgroup, family- everyone wants to celebrate in the lead up to Christmas!!!

This makes exercise and eating clean and lean TRICKY. Let’s face it, all the “best” Christmas foods are not clean or lean. Egg-nog, Mulled Wine, Shortbread, Fruit mince pies……..AAARRRGGGHHHHH HEEEEEEEEEELP!!!

I love Christmas. I love making all the traditional European foods. I love the smells they make in your home. I love sharing food and wine with friends and Christmas time is all about it!!! So how can I keep on track during this very social time of year?

On the weekend I hosted a Christmas party with some of my favourite peeps and their children. We met almost 4 years ago at birthing classes. The birth of our first children brought us together and the bond has remained strong. All 7 couples love to have long lazy arvos eating home-made food in the backyard while the kids go crazy. So get togethers can be a little indulgent. But I was prepared on the weekend. Here are some of my methods for minimising the “Christmas spread”:

• If you are bringing food to a party, make sure it is something YOU feel comfortable eating. Like a simple salad (that is not covered in creamy dressings) or a fruit platter for dessert. I know that sounds like common sense, but if you aren’t the one to bring it, you can’t be sure it will be there.
• Have a glass of wine!! Don’t deny yourself or you will be more likely to lose the plot and eat an enormous bowl of Aunty Meg’s famous trifle!!
• Play with the kids! Not the whole time, but have a little game of run around. It’s a nice distraction from tables laden with cake and dip. And you might actually get your heart rate up a bit.
• Drink some water. No, drink a lot of water. Always have a glass on the go, and when it is empty, go refill it!

Back to the weekend just gone, in between savoury and dessert I suggested a walk down to the playground. The walk back involved a large hill (my poor unsuspecting guests!!). I took the opportunity to challenge myself a bit and piggy-backed a toddler up it. I found it surprisingly easy!! When I first moved here I used to struggle up that hill. REALLY STRUGGLE.  I love it when real tangible evidence of progress presents itself like that!

Last week I gained 400grams after the big family weekend away. I put it down to lack of water consumption and the complete absence of exercise!!! HA! I wasn’t disheartened because I could see exactly where I had gone wrong. I’ll try to keep that in mind this week when I attend 3 different christmas parties!

Eyes on The Prize – Monday Made

“To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are” ~Unknown

Let’s start this off with a recipe!! I just made this for dinner. It was inspired by something I ate at a place called Chin Chin last week.

Tofu with Asian Slaw (serves 2, approx 290cal per serve)

• 1 x 250g bag of beetroot slaw (from Coles)
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 bunch coriander roughly chopped
• 1/2 bunch mint roughly chopped
• 1 long red chilli thinly sliced
• 1 inch fresh ginger finely sliced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp light soy
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 lime
• 1 x 200g pkt Soyco Tofu (Thai)

Mix the slaw, coriander, mint, chilli & ginger in a bowl. Dress with soy, vinegar & oil. Serve on a bed of baby spinach leaves with tofu on top with lime wedges.

 

Just a (very) short post today about how at the start of week 10 I need to keep my eyes on the prize. The prize being ME feeling good about ME. Not ME wanting people to say “Hey, Katie, you look really good. Have you lost weight?”

I don’t need that. It’s not about them. It’s about ME.

Watch out, this video is a bit foodie!!