Silent Sunday

After Eights

Having been doing 5:2 for 8 weeks now, I thought it was time for an update.

I’ve now lost 8lb (weighing in at 10st 4.2lb) and have lost an inch from around my chest, waist and hips (3” in total) with my thigh staying the same.

I’m still finding it easy enough to stick to. On the actual fast day I may occasionally think I could really do with eating more than 500 calories but then think, I can do that tomorrow – which is enough to keep me going.

The weeks I find the hardest, more in terms of mood and tiredness rather than feeling hungrier, is the week after my period. My periods, post Millie, are heavier than before so I imagine my grumps and tiredness are primarily linked to a lack of iron. Theoretically, I probably eat a higher quantity of iron since I’ve been doing the 5:2 so it’s probably doing me some good but it’s hard being tired & grumpy and not being able to fix it immediately with food! Although, typically, I’d be grabbing for the chocolate so not an ideal energy food.

My body fat on my scales does some weird things. As my weight goes down, my body fat goes up, although still hovers around the 16-17% mark. I’ve just looked at some charts and apparently I don’t have enough body fat!!! Odd – I can certainly see fat bits…I’m not sure I understand it…how can I tone, be healthy and have a healthy body fat level????  I need to investigate this more.

Overall, I’m excited that I have less than half a stone to lose to get to my intended goal (9st 12lb). This is my pre-Callum weight and I have been there once since having Callum. Its when I’ve felt most comfortable in my skin/bikini since having children. I am already starting to feel much better about my body and am liking more what I see in the mirror! I’m also starting to fit in clothes I couldn’t fit in before I started this and I have bought my first size 12 Jeans since forever a go! SIZE 12!!!!! I’ve been a 14 for a long time! The downside? I’ve lost my pregnancy/breastfeeding boobs!! Oh well, I was expecting it!

The health benefits I assume I’ll only really notice after more time.

Debbie’s Damn You Autocorrect for Red Nose Day

For a couple of years now, I’ve wanted to do a day for charity where, for the whole day, I do not correct when autocorrect changes  what I write or where I type incorrect words. You may have heard of ‘Damn You Autocorrect’? If not, you’ve got to take a look. I’ve spent many a spare 15 minutes cheering up a miserable day laughing my head off to other people’s autocorrect blunders – laughing until I cried! It’s great therapy. So this could go very badly…but hopefully will be very funny. So what other more suitable cause is there other than Red Nose Day?

Now the rules to this are going to be difficult to clarify but here goes:

1. This will take place on Red Nose Day, 15 March 2013
2. This will only cover tweets and texts
3. I must reply to every text or tweet I receive where that text or tweet requires a response.
4. If autocorrect changes a word automatically I must leave it.
5. If I notice during the word I have mistyped it, I can edit it but once I’ve ‘accepted’ the word by typing a space or clicking on a selection word, I must stick with it, no matter what.
6. If the correct word appears in a selection, I can choose it. If it doesn’t, I must select the first suggested word.

If you can think of any ‘loopholes’ that need closing or any further rules that should be applied, please comment and I’ll add them in.

In return, I would ask if you could please sponsor me on my Giving Page. No amount too small – every penny will make a difference to the people that Red Nose Day helps in the UK and in Africa.

Now, none of you will be sending me texts and tweets in an attempt to try to have a laugh at the expense of my poor typing skills would you?…would you?

Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday, a photo by Deborabora on Flickr.

Silent Sunday

Keralan Style Fish & Butternut Squash Curry

Serves: 2
Calories: 319 per serving (with my exact food weights)

(sorry, not a great photo)

This dish is like a fish chowder but with a good kick of spice and very aromatic. I love Keralan dishes, especially with fish.

As with my previous recipe, I have rounded up or down the measurements but have also included in brackets, if different, the exact measurements I used for the calorie account above.

If I was to award this dish a number of chillies out of 3 to indicate spiciness, I’d probably go with 2 but you can easily adjust the level of spice to suit your own tastes.

I also used frozen haddock but you can use any firm white fish (skinned & boned), frozen or fresh. King prawns would also be nice. If you use fresh fish, just hold off adding it to the dish for a further 5 minutes and for prawns, I’d recommend using raw and adding 5 minutes before the end.

Ingredients:

250g Frozen haddock (not smoked) cut into inch size chunks
200ml reduced fat/light coconut milk (we used Kingfisher – different makes have different calorie count)
330g Butternut squash, peeled & cut into bite size chunks (328g)
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 green chilli, seeds removed & finely chopped
1 flat tsp/10g of easy ginger paste (can use fresh ginger)
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp dried curry leaves
1/2 tsp chilli powder
flat tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
8 sprays of sunflower fry-light
Cup of spinach (sorry I forgot to weigh it)
10 spears of asparagus

Spray a saucepan with the fry-light and, when hot, add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop add in the curry leaves, shallot, garlic, ginger and chillies. Fry while stirring until shallot is soft then add the butternut squash.

Tip: you need to keep stirring if you are using fry-light and on a lowish heat otherwise the oil evaporates and the ingredients burn

Mix the chilli powder & turmeric with a little water to form a paste then add to the pan. Stir for another 3-5 minutes then add the cherry tomatoes, the coconut milk then the fish.

Tip: I poured the coconut milk into the vessel I used to mix up the paste to not waste any of the spices

If the sauce is a little shallow add some water, I added approx.. 100mls.

Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes or until the squash is soft.

Stir in the spinach then serve.

I served with the steamed asparagus (included in the calorie count), mainly because it was in the fridge and needed using but it worked together quite nicely. Feel free to substitute for your own preferred veg if you wish but remember to check the calorie count. If not keeping to a calorie controlled diet, you could probably share this between 3 and add rice.

If you try this dish (whether dieting or not, I’d love to hear how it went so please comment).

Silent Sunday

Silent Sunday, a photo by Deborabora on Flickr.