Easter

This week is Easter. It is a tough time for all who are trying to lose weight and/or trying to be healthy. Why not set a new tradition to swap healthier gifts for Easter, because in-fact the holiday is not actually about chocolate, it’s about Jesus. So for someone like me who doesn’t want that horrible sweet crappy chocolate or Jesus, I have chosen to bake some hot cross bun inspired oatmeal cookies.

Here they are….

Link to the cookie recipe: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=155610

I added some mixed spices to make them taste more like hot cross buns and substituted half the honey (1/4 cup – 2 Tbsp) with blackstrap molasses which you can get from the health 2000 store.

Here are a couple of links to some healthy Easter recipes that you may be able to use and share instead of a ton of chocolate!

Hot Cross buns:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/hot-cross-buns-50400000120213/

Easter egg cookies:

http://www.styleathome.com/food-and-entertaining/recipes/recipe-easter-egg-cookies/a/30288

 

Remember it’s all about balance, if you do receive chocolate there are some options…re-gift to one of those bastards who can eat anything and never put on weight or control your portions; look at the serving sizes and control yourself. Put the stuff out of sight and when you do go to eat some, first drink a huge glass of water or enjoy some herbal tea (peppermint aids digestion and green tea boosts metabolism), wait at least 10 minutes, and if you still want that chocolate then have a serving size and savor it!

Finds of the week:

• ·         Dark chocolate raspberry M&Ms from the English food store on Riccarton Road.
• ·         Salt and Vinegar almonds from Pak’n save Riccarton – cancels out cravings for salt and vinegar chips, adds healthy fats, protein and vitamins to your diet. However, watch your portions as these are moreish. They are high in sodium so try to have no more than 10-15max a day.

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My Journey

After talking to many people, I have been motivated to start this blog. Here I will post all of my healthy lifestyle tips, recipes and sources of motivation.

All my life I have struggled with my weight. I used to say that I could just look at a block of chocolate and miraculously, a kilo gram or two would appear on me! My low self-esteem led to behaviour that just exacerbated the problem. Surrounding myself with friends who had bad habits and using self-deprecating humour to justify my actions and defend myself against others comments. My mother fed me well with delicious home cooking and glorious muffins on a Sunday morning,which may have been a wonderful gesture. However, all that food has to go somewhere and my lack of portion control and secret snacking on top of my mum's glorious meals, led to an overweight teenager.

I can't say what triggered the change specifically. I feel that the universe provided a series of events and encounters with the right people which motivated my lifestyle changes. As soon as one reaches the precipice between overweight and obese, it is obvious that you have lost control. Control of my thoughts and behaviours were non-existent.

The most important thing to remember when trying to change your life and/or health is that it all starts with you. Your brain - your thoughts - is the sole determinant of your success. Whether your mother is an amazing cook, whether you are so busy and overwhelmed with life, your state of mind and energy you exert into the universe is controlled by you. You have the power to think yourself healthy! All you need is concentrated pressure over time and you will see results. Make a commitment to never ever quit and you will lose weight. However, that is easier said than done as i have tried and failed numerous times, and I'm still scared of slipping so easily back into bad habits. The only solution is to make it your life goal to be selfish and put your health at the forefront of your priorities.

Everyday i search from more information on health and fitness. It consumes my day, but i love it. It stops becoming a drag and instead becomes your passion and what helps you get up every morning.

Before you pick up that bag of chips, think to yourself...do i remember what these taste like? Yes! Well, then picture it, move on and then grab some carrot sticks!

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