Healthy, Strong,Happy.

So you may recall that last post  was having a whinge about being hungry when I was trying to eat less calories. I did discover that eating low calorie could be a Very Bad Idea if I wasn't keeping my blood sugar on an even keel because;hangry.

 Shortly after this I discovered that sitting on my chuff and eating cakes didn't actually lead to a sense of overall well-being either(quelle surprise!) So I started eating a bit healthier again.Then the Lovely Kate Young chose me as the winner of a three month program from My Blackmores where I can track my eating, exercise,measurements, get exercise ideas, recipes access a naturopath basically its holistic health program online. The approach is sensible and healthful and not fanatical so I am more than happy because its healthy (and free for me!). I think it is $19.95 a month which seems reasonable given what you have access to.They also offer free two week trial if you were interested in checking it out yourself. 

I am still carrying a lot of extra weight from my pregnancy at the moment and the baby in question is nearly ten months old..
I didn't have this problem with my other two pregnancies, the weight fell off but a postnatal depressive diet of tea and the occasional biscuit coupled with lots of walking and anxiety attacks is a very slimming regime!
But of course I was horribly depressed, (there is always something isn't there?) It goes almost without saying that chubby and stable is better than slimmer and depressed (almost without saying, but some poor unfortunate people really would rather be battling the black dog than have a bit of extra weight on due to an obsession with fat phobia).

So my wanting to lose this extra weight is nothing to do with wanting to 'snap' back into shape like so many heavily-promoted celebrities do after giving birth but more to do with the fact my frame is a bit too small for the super squishy curves I am carrying and my roller-skating knees would be happier with more strength and less mass. So far the eating well and exercising are making me feel good but I must stay on top of the sudden blood sugar drops! 

Have you ever used an online program to increase your health/lose weight?

Autumnal Wonderings and Wanderings.

Today the "footy" was on (although how it can be called Football when the ball is ovoid and there is far more jumping than foot contact is still beyond me) which means our street was packed and the honking of the siren at the stadium echoes through our yard so we had to find solace elsewhere. We went for an epic stroll with a shaky stroller (should have taken the pram- it was my fault I thought the stroller was a good idea) through the "Forest" which is a really the old rubbish tip site with trees and playgrounds. the Autumn sunshine is perfect for this and very recharging.

There is a small pond amongst the twisted willows with watercress growing in it and the sounds of frogs and even though it is near the football ovals (real football, where one kicks a round ball) and there are many dog walkers around with ridiculously fluffy canine friends the tranquility is amazing.

 We eventually made our way to the playground and the boys had a lunch of tiny felafel I made from an instant mix and little tomatoes and carrot sticks with tahini watered down for dipping. the lunch went down a treat and was so simple and quick to make and healthy so it gets a thumbs up from everyone.

on the way home the littlest man fell fast asleep. It was a huge walk but it was a good, healthy family day for free in the sunshine so it was worth all the walking.

I have started using Facebook again, mostly for business reasons initially, but have found that there are many options now for blocking ads and applications (like those infernal games so many people seem to like-do you really have to pay for them? You couldn't pay me to play them...well at any rate my price would have to be high!).

I have found that this time round I have been able to make Facebook work for me much better since a few upgrades and changes have been made and consequently it is going towards helping my "social" life such as it is and I feel less isolated now. I do see people getting sucked into abysses of their own making an arguments they shouldn't be having and wasting time they don't have but I suppose to be fair there are many other places on the 'net to do this too. I have had a massive rush on friends from the Selfsufficient'ish forum which is wonderful and I think I have nearly doubled my friends list. It is a shame that most of them are asleep when I am awake and vice versa but at least I can stay in good contact with Facebook and the forum!

Redeeming Features cookery!

Well, life is always full of challenges big and small isn't it!
Sir Talks A lot is displaying "challenging behaviour" at present which can be quite exhausting especially when little brother Master Me too is copying everything.
Poor Little Sir Talks A lot (AKA Beany) has a recurrent middle ear infection and this always results in a burst ear drum- the Dr refuses to take my word for it and little man is on the second course of his strong Antibiotics but I don't think they are working, last time this happened he needed cortico steroids and a different anti B. I have told the Doc this but he doesn't believe me so we have to let him find out for himself.. in the meantime we have a cranky defiant little man at home whose behaviour is no doubt worsened by having a painful, smelly, gunky ear. At least he loves the outrageously artificially raspberry flavoured medicine!
I have pulled out two of the courgette plants as they weren't producing and they were getting too much powdery mildew.
Working on plantings for Autumn as it is just around the corner- well the day after tomorrow to be precise! Gardening is a humbling experience and I have so much to learn, not just from my voracious research and question asking but just through painful experience and failure too...ahhh I guess that is life in general too!
I have cleared out some of my less loved clothes and they will be picked up by a freecycle member tomorrow, so far I have moved on a chair, two tyres and a bread slicing guide.. oooh it is addictive to pass things onto people who really want them!
I have had two culinary victories with my "redeeming features" cookery.
"White Dip Bean Dip" as named by Beany is actually just this recipe here from Andrea Meyers: http://www.andreasrecipes.com/2008/04/24/cannellini-bean-dip-with-herbed-pita/
but we had ours with home grown cherry tomatoes, beans and toasted fingers of homemade bread which had been collecting in the freezer awaiting being turned into breadcrumbs (they were drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with homegrown garlic)
Beany made it with me when Master Me Too was napping and we had much fun ands enjoyed eating it with me, Master me too gobbled up the leftovers when he got up

Tonight we had vege rolls which were a (surprising) hit with the little men.
I was making it up a bit as I went along but roughly:
two sheets of puff pastry
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 "portion" frozen spinach (approximately 1/4 cup)
1 small potato diced.
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 small tsp stock powder
(cook the ingredients so far in a microwave proof bowl for about 5 mins until potato is fairly soft)

Add 1/2 cup grated courgette
4 tbsp (ish) cottage cheese(creamed not low fat)
a couple of handfuls of rolled oats
one handful of sultanas
a handful of mung bean sprouts
1 egg
Mix together thoroughly

Cut each pastry sheet in half and place 1/4 filling in centre of each piece of pastry, form into rolls, place seam side down on baking tray and bake at 200c (fan forced) until puffed and golden brown.
I am sure that I have had more blog worthy happenings than a couple of meals and a burst ear drum by proxy but the migraine I have had in response to a surprise thunderstorm has left me little vague and scattered...
Hope I make a modicum of sense!