Today

Well yesterday arvo didnt go so well, but I was ok after that. Today has been good (so far)

B - egg, english muffin, apple, soy milk (was going for an early mornign walk)
S - 1/2 up and go and Be natural trail bar (116cal, fruit and nut, yummy and chewy)
L - Super yummy salmon and extra-light cream cheese wrap, with rockmelon
S - Apple, cottage cheese and maple syrup (yum!!)
D - Lamb and veggies in oyster sauce, on cucumber and mushroom cous cous (simple but yum)
S - Mango gelato (callippo) yogurt (calcium boost. I want something to flavour it up tho) wheylite.

Today

I've been going shocking. There's no point lying
I am both an emotional eater, and not one. See sometimes I amangry/upset and aet. But other time, everything is there set up for me to fail and I dont touch the food. Its not comforting. Last night was from column A. I coudlnt find my student ID and looked EVERYWHERE. I just kept on running into food on the way. I'd had a filling healthy dinner, but that didnt stop me. How horrible is that?!?

So yesterday
B: Peanut butter toasted wrap with soy milk. Feeling a little seedy from last night. Still had a marshmallow in chocolate foundue and a lot of fruit. Decided to give myself free fruit for the day. Didn't help
L: Leftover hokkein noodles bulked up with HEAPS of veggies. Yum. v8juice
S: Natural yogurt and a Be Natural fruit and nut bar.
D: Baked salmon (YUM) with mashed cauliflower made like mashed potatoes, with asparagus and garlic roasted brocolli and salad with beetroot and cherry tomatoes.
S: Hooked into gourmet chocolates x 6. Raisin toast and low fat marg. Felt horrible. Told the boyf.
S: Before bed = Milk and molasses as I was short calcium

*sigh* How do you beat the urge to eat. I cant look at chocolate now. Makes me sick (literally too) but it goes away.

And for real today, I'm being healthy, so its
B: Soaked oats with soy milk, with banana and slivered almonds and bran
S: Grapes and crunchy muesli bar
L: Brocolli & garlic pasta (wholemeal) with cottage cheese and cherry tomatoes. v8 juice
S: Yogurt, apple and cinnamon
D: Rosemary and Garlic kangaroo steaks with sweet potato mash, snow peas and salad.
S: Meringue nest with yogurt and grapes. Wheylite drink

Fingers crossed I don't screw it up.

Calcium

I'm no doctor so don't quote me. Often I'll eplain things to make the easier to understand using laymens terms that arent 100% correct such as salt leeches the calcium out of your bones. Well it doesnt LEECH, but it does effect the quality of calcium in there through a chemical reaction. So no whinging if I'm not 100% correct. This is all what I have learnt and understood.

Often overlooked by dieters, in particular women, is the importance on calcium. Many people cut out dairy as its 1. high fat, 2. seemingly unnatural (cow juice) 3. Seems calorie loaded for one glass, but why be skinny if you're bones are breaking anyway? I'd rather have padding and puddin' then break my legs when I'm old.

"Calcium is an important component of a healthy diet. A deficit can affect bone and tooth formation, while overretention can cause hypercalcemia (elevated levels of calcium in the blood), impaired kidney function and decreased absorption of other minerals" Thanks Wiki!
How much a day?
It depends on your age/gender/country. I aim for 1200mg, but am happy with 1000mg. I usen't to get enough calcium and am trying to get more now, whilst I'm absorbing it efficiently (slows after 30) It also depends what else you have - things can help and hinder absorption, from vitamin D, which helps to iron, caffeine, over-exercise and salt which inhibit absorption or leech the calcium out.

So where do I get it?
Well you're heard the ads - a glass of milk, a slice of cheese a tub of yogurt. Do this and you're ahead of MANY others, even tho its not 1000mg. Here are some ideas...

Skim milk has more calcium than full cream. If you're desperate try the ones with extra calcium, such as Boost.
Yogurt is a good source too. I like the natural yogurts, such as vaalia and no fat greek as they are versatile and have more calcium/100g than the diet ones, but if you're cal cutting, the diet ones make great alternative. Try Nestle Blissful fromage frais as a way to get calcium, without eating 'boring' yogurt.
Cheese. Yep. Fatty, but a slice of 50% light cheese has over 200mg for 50 cal. Just dont LIVE on the stuff. Even laughing cow has a little
Bones. Heh. Canned salmon WITH the bones is high in calcium (come on, you're EATING bones) If you can't stick the bones, mash them up or make patties with them. Also see sardines.
Nuts. Have some calcium, but for the cals, not THAT worth it.
Leafy greens .esp your dark spinachy, chinese brocolli ones
Suppliments

Watch out tho! It can inhibit absorption of iron (and vice versa) so dont have a big glass of milk with your evening beef and brocolli!
What if I dont "do" dairy?
Many people don't have dairy as a part of their diet, for phsyical, health or moral reasons. Getting calcium nowadays is a little easier than it was before. Here are some ideas, in particular some aussie-specific
* Soy milk - make sure its fortified with at least 300mg/cup. So good essential packs in 375mg plus other vitamins/minerals. Use in place of milk or as another drink all together. Dont try and trick the kids, telling them its just like milk. Its not. Just like a strawberry milkshake doesnt taste like milk. Its a different flavour. Try with the banana soy milks first if you're trying to get the kids used to it, or heat it up and add honey and cinnamon. Dont mix it with things they're used to, like milo or on cereal, unless they like it.
* Calcium fortified foods - P&N do a breakfast and calicum juice (200mg/cup) Weetbix crunch cereals are fortifed, as are light n' tasty and cocopops. Aldi and coles do a calcium fortified bread (as does mighty soft, but its more $$$) Tofu is often fortified too.
* Dairy based products - like hunts fat free snack pack contain some calicum(40mg), tho not that much, so dont live on these
* Fruit, veg, grains and beans- contain some, so the healthier your diet is, little by little, it'll all add up. Take strawberries - 90 cal of strawberrise = 40mg of calcium and a full tummy. (270g of strawberries)

For more info see here

Today

What I ate/planned today for those of you wanting ideas...

Breakfast: Yakult, psyllium husk in lemon tea, Crunchola (its a low fat granola with apple and blueberries pieces) mixed with greek yogurt and mixed berries, two strawberries, soy milky lite
Snack: Carrot, popcorn made in the microwave drizzled with 3/4 tbsp sugar free maple syrup and cinnamon
Lunch: 9 grain english muffin (bread) with egg, pineapple, beetroot and salad and v8 melon burst juice
Snack: Vaalia lime cheesecake low fat yogurt with green apple
Dinner: Kangaroo meatballs in tomatoy sauce, with mashed cauliflower (tastes like mashed potatoes) and vegetable cous cous.
Snack: Have chocolate tasting, in which I cant eat any, so a milo afterwards. Short on calcium

Will need to have more snacks as I'm running around today, hence the milo rather than plain milk.

Chocolate!

I'm hosting a chocolate tasting night tonight, so I'm in the mood for some CHOCOLATE.

A few myths to bust:
* Chocolate doesn't make you fat - too much of anything makes you fat
* Chocolate doesn't give you pimples
* Chocolate doesn't make you high - you'd need to eat a LOT of chocolate to feel the effects of the caffeine
* Dark chocolates isn't a health food - contrary to what the doctors seem to say, you cant eat dark chocoalte guilt free. If you look at any statement from a research professer, its the cocoa that really is the healthy part - the fat and sugar are just vessels. And they always say watch your portions. So eat a while block of lindt 85% isnt that much better than eating a block of normal lindt - dont fool yourself. But if you must have a small portion regularly then there is some benefit of higher cocoa over normal. Some more info

The best ways for a dieter to have chocolate is in cocoa form, or portion controlled high quality. Think the lindt mini bars that come in a pack. Nick the high cocoa ones and enjoy ONE per day. Cocoa is a very versatile product - not just for adding to muffin mixes. Here's my fav chocolate busting recipes/ideas-
Hot choconana - Yes, Boost makes one and I liked it UNTIL I MADE MY OWN. Much better, didn't even need to add sugar, very thick, and surprisingly creamy. I add about 1 tbsp of cocoa (after assing 2 tsp water to make it a paste) to 1 c warm skim milk and stir well until dissolved, whizz up about 40g of banana in a blender, add the milk, whizz whizz, pop it in the micorwave until hot and watch it froth up, and enjoy. I sometimes add a little sweetener, but unless you'er a real sweet tooth you dont need it. To lower cals, use Vitasoy soy milk lite (70 cal per cup), a little less banana, 200mL of milk. To up cals, use more of a banana, use some milo, add honey or sugar and have with a biscuit.
Chocolate syrups - there's plenty of low fat syrup recipes, like this one, or this one, but I haven't tired them yet. If you use splenda, use half sugar, and dont cook with the splenda - stir it in at the end. And to use up the syrup...
Chocolate Milkshake - here
Add cocoa to... oats! Honestly! For dessert i had cocoa oats with a few dates (and had to add sugar/splenda) Really yummy! Also try adding them to muffin recipes, instead of chocolate. You can even make dinner with it!
A little goes a long way - learn to properly taste chocolate, rather than eat it. Enjoy your mini treats with a big cup of hot water, so you stay full but still get the sweet hit.

And for those of you who hate cooking, my fav pre-made chocolate snacks -

Hunts Fat Free Chocolate pudding - I always have this micorwaved (in another bowl) and either dip in strawberries, or swirl through a tsp of reduced fat peanut butter, or half a scoop of ice0cream on top. Damn you Americans who have sugar and fat free pudding in every flavour
Wendy's chocollo - a low fat, low cal ice-cream you can get at hte shops? 90 cal per serving (approx) and made from grapes! Dont double the cals with a cone - get it in a cup. Also see Colombo's soft serves and New Zealand natural's low-fat chocolate (not zilch, unless you're a low carber) Its hard to find now, but VERY nice. Also you can try Baskin and Robbin's NAS chocolate, but higher cals.
Slim Secrets bar - Choc nut caramel decadence (tastes like plain chocolate), Mint, Cofee - 135 cal or so for a 40g bar. Check them out here!!! A great site too. A bit like a rice bubble bar smothered in chocolate. High protein and satisfying. See also Pria bars in cookie and mint flavour - 119 cal and 200mg of calcium! Yummy healthy chocolate bar switch!! A little expesive. There's also a white chocolate and raspberries one. I dont like mint but the caramel nut isnt very caramel and nutty.

For some people chocolate can trigger sugar cravings. Hence why I stick to cocoa when I can! I seem to have a bottomless put for chocolate, and always regret it later!

What are your fav pre-made chocolate snacks? What do you do when a craving hits?

Today - meringue nests, asparagus

Guess I'd better start with today :)
This is day one of my 2 weeks of healthy eating challenge. For me, healthy eating is basing the majority of foods on superfoods and foods on the whfoods.com website, with treats on the side. I have a treat a day and if sucessful, another bigger one per week. I ruin a day if I binge (eat things that I'm allergic too, eat without control, "mindless" eating, eating until I'm full and then keeping on, eating when emotional instead of hungry) Often I have two treats, but as I'm trying to gain weight and eat pretty healthily, I dont mind as long as its controlled and justified (worked hard, was hungry, needed calcium, would stop a binge)

Hopefully this blog will help both dieters and healthy people alike.

Before you freak out, I'd better say I eat pretty low fat, and unless you have health reasons you should add some more healthy fats in (I'll do a post on fats) and cut down on the grains and protein. I'll talk about low cal, and maybe make it sound like I think its healthy. Yes and no. I dont think eating sugar free jelly every day is healthy, but for most people, they eat too many calories, and cutting back whislt maintaining health is good for them. For me, fat is very calorie dense, so often my foods are low-cal. I just stock up on the grains etc. I eat diet foods not because I want to lsoe weight but because they suit me, eg. weight watchers is often low fat, Slim Secrets bars are high protein and hit my chocolate craving, pria protein bars are high calcium


Breakfast: Vanilla, date and fig porridge with flax seed (oatmeal for you americans :P) with Soy Milky Lite (I'll do a post on my fav brand foods). Yakult, psyllium husk in hot water.
Snack: Slim Secrets Snack Attack Bar and skim milk. Then I was really hungry and had an Uncle Toby's nut crumble bar, 100healthy calories bar and rice snacks.
Lunch: Really full so had it late. Multigrain Tuna, pineapple, tomato and 50% light cheese toasted sandwhich (only just been able to eat this) and v8 Melon burst mixed with diet lemonade.
Snack: Sip of lemonade. Too full. Ate a LOT at morning tea
Dinner: Leftover noodle box (mongolian beef and shrimp, but I ate the beef yesterday, leaving friday red meat free) bulked up with veggies and leftover frozen salmon. About 1/4 of the box. Ate about 1/3 last night and froze the rest for Bento :) SO yummy!!!!
Snack: Meringue case with vaalia lime cheesecake yogurt. Milk (calcium time!)
Excercise: High-intensity circuit (using med balls, running, push-ups etc.) about 30 mins and waterpolo (relaxed) 30 min.
Today's treat:
Verdict: Not the most healthy day I've had, but no binge, and ate wholegrains for 50% of my grains + Usually I have 2 serves of fresh fruit a day, and missed out today. Too full to eat more, depite being under cals. Should have less diet soft-drink but its SO hot. Pass! One day down, 13 to go.

Daily Tip: Enjoy dessert the healthy way, every day
I don't think anyone can be 100% healthy all the time. But why waste your daily snacks on a tiny amount of unhealthy food if you can find a tasty dessert, leaving more room after you reach your health goals for a decadent treat? Bulk up your dessert with low-fat dairy and yummy low cal fruit. Think of it this way. You'd happily spend $3 on an drumstick ice-cream that can impact your healthy way of life, or buy a punnet of strawberries for that much, and have it last longer (albeit with other ingredients...) Healthy doesnt have to be expensive. A banana costs the same as a chocolate bar, but can go a lot futher (now with choclates at $1.80 and bananas at $3.kg its even cheaper!)

For example, for a low fat, low cal dessert, try buying meringue nests and filling with yogurt or fromage frais and topping with fruit. The nests are only 35 cal and quite big and the yogurt provides some calcium. Easily under 100 cal if you need, or you can bulk it up to 150.
Ideas:
* No-fat Greek yogurt, strawberries and a tiny drizzle of honey, or sprinkle of splenda (about 90 cal for a decent serve)
* Diet mango yogurt with thin slivers of canned mango on the top
* Diet cheesecake yogurt with 1tbsp passionfruit pulp
* Cottage cheese mixed with splenda and lemon juice, topped with blueberries
* Light whipped cream, apple pie filling and cinnamon
* Yogurt and crunchola/low-fat baked muesli
* Low fat custard pre-prepared with gelatine, topped with strawberry halves, kiwifruit slice, canned mandarin and halved grapes
* Sprinkle on flaked almonds, crushed walnuts, hazel nuts or macadamia nuts for good fats and extra energy. Also try drinking chocolate powder
*A little chocolate can go a long way. Melt 70% dark chocolate and just drizzle a tiny bit over your berries.
*Sub full-fat cream and ice-cream for low-fat yogurt, fromage frais, light whipped cream, ricotta cheese (sweetened) or look up some great recipes
* Sugar-free jelly is a great vessel for fruit, and an easy way to get kids to eat up their fruit. If they dont like the chunky bits, puree it up when you make the jelly! Also look up recipes like this, that incorporate dairy. Sneaky-sneaky :)

Vegetable of the Week: Asparagus
Its my IT food at the moment. I used to HATE it and still can't stand the canned stuff, but cooked correctly makes a delicious healthy low cal side.
Why?: High in vitamin K, folate, fibre to name a few, great for your heart and tummy!
Good for: Bulking up without adding fat, giving a fancy twist to a plain dinner,
Try it in/with: Risottos, salads, stir-fries, omlettes, baked chicken (in the last 10 min, cook it in the natural chicken juices or grill), kebabs with salmon and mango, as a side with a packet cheese sauce. Try the other colours for a fun twist!

Welcome

This is my fourth attempt at blogging
This time its a mix of the last few - both personal and public
I plan to blog my experiences with health, food, nutrition, fitness and life in general, and add things like tips, recipes and reviews to make it more interesting for you.

So I guess a quick into about me?
You can call me Red
I'm a uni student, struggling to balance frugality and health, as I have some mysterious sickness (IBS they say) which stops me from eating fat in huge quantities. I'm a lot better now, usually I just get cramps and smell bad, but before I was everything from sick to malnutritioned (and lost 15kg, and lots of muscle, so trying to gain back healthily and slowly) and physically injured, although this was unrelated. For a while I hated food. I couldn't eat anything and wanted to and kept "poisoning" myself with high fat foods, trying to break my intolerance. I'm still struggling with it, and sometimes succumb to a chocolate bar, but I pay for it the next day. Now I'm trying to set my body up for life - I was always the runt of the litter phsyically, and avoided exercise as much as I could. Now I can't hide any more and want to be healthy and happy, so I've got to overcome my unco-ordinatedness and push my limits. I guess I sorta had an eating disorder, if you define that as having problems with food, and if you count my occasional "binge" on bad foods (which could be 3 tim tams for me, or it could be half a kg packet of raw muesli, depending on me) then I do. But I'm, getting rid of it. I dont make myself spew, I NEVER starve myself. If anything I'm too anal about health: wholegrains, lean protein, and dairy are my vices (esp Iron) as before I abused my body with junk and I'm paying for it now.

So welcome and hope you enjoy your time. Some of you may recognise my old recipes from mini-spoons. :)