Next 13 Days

Tags

exercise, fit, health, middle-east, nutrition, Saudi Arabia, travel, work

Next 13 days are going to be crazy with work and then I go home… so here is what it is looking like…

1 Dec to 3 Dec – Work Travel 
4-5 Two Crazy work
6-7 weekend/get shopping done – fit in work 
8-11 work travel
12 Dec – Back to work 
13 Dec – On the plane home

I have written exhaustively about gym situation in KSA and the anxiety it brings BUT, I have found a hotel which has a storage closet with a treadmill that females can use and I am going to stay at the hotel. 

Now, this is my plan for work out 

30 Nov – Long walk
1 Dec – 20 mins walks in the morning – I can’t make it to the gym
2 Dec – treadmill/leg workout
3 Dec treadmill/leg work out
4 Dec – personal  training – arms
5 Dec – elliptical 
6 Dec – elliptical 
7 Dec – long walk
8/9/10/11 treadmill – I am also going to take my JM 30 day Shed and see what I can do 
12 Dec – elliptical 
13 Dec – personal training – whole body and flight in the evening 

I know it is going to be difficult to fit in all the exercise because of travelling but I will have to do as much as I can 

Back from the Trip and Challenge Updates

Tags

cardio, cardio challenge, fitness, health, nutrition, squat challenge, travel

I am back from my week long trip. Needless, to say that eating was a bit of a mess as I was at the mercy of hotel food. However, now i am back and will need to get back to healthy eating.

I did keep up with my challenges.

In the Cardio challenge, I did 5000 or more steps every day (except yesterday when I was in a plane for 18 hours). I am doing the squat challenge and the arm’s challenge. I think they would have shown more progress if I had kept up with gym some more but you can only do what one can do. 

Back on the wagon starting tomorrow. 

Day 9/7/3: Somedays are better when they are over

Tags

cardio, cardio challenge, chocolates, daily grind, Eating Well, exercise, fit, fitbit, fitness, food, food plan, gadget, health, nutrition, squat challenge, training, travel, weekend, weight loss

It has been a long week with late nights at work, somewhat erratic eating and hit and miss exercise schedule. I am happy to see the end of this week and today as it is the weekend, and now I can finally relax (before I get back on the roll coaster on Saturday evening). I am travelling to S.E.Asia this Saturday, which means my sleeping pattern, eating and exercise will be completely shot. However, I am not going to worry about that at this stage. Right now, I am going to celebrate end of this week and day.

All things considered, today was an ok day. I am not sure why I am eating so much chocolate these days. It is somewhat stress and more importantly, I think, it is the lack of water. I usually drink about 10-15 glasses of water but these I am only consuming 5/6 glasses of water and that is also at the end of the day when I completely parched. I have to up water intake before I get on the plane, otherwise, it would a mini disaster.

So, today’s challenges are all done.

Fitbit Steps: 11,196 (yay!), cardio: 56 mins (divided between morning and evening).
Squats: 85
Pushups: 15, Dips: 15, Biceps curls: 20, Punches: 20 secs (and a bit more).

Cardio Challenge – Day 4

Tags

cardio, cardio challenge, exercise, fit, fitbit, fitness, health, MFP, nutrition, squat challenge

There was nothing in the world that was going to drag me to the gym today. I was just not feeling it. It was the last day of the mini-break, the errands had piled and needed to be done now, and then there was not wanting to spend time in the gym.

I decided that first thing I was going to do was get some groceries. It turned into a 3 hour drama. A friend decided to tag along (she did not need groceries) but I am happy for company. We do the groceries, pack the cart and then I turn around to make a payment. When I turn back ,she and the cart are gone. I call her and she has apparently decided to walked to the car. I go to the car and she is not there. I call her again but allegedly she is standing next to the car.

I tell her to come back to the entrance to the car park. She calls me and says she is there but I can’t find her. I am getting really pissed off at this point. After 30 minutes of madness it turns out she is standing next to the wrong car (and this only when the driver of the car gets in the car) and is in the wrong car park. So, eventually I find her and we load the groceries. I am furious but also think it is sort of funny. She looks completely flabbergasted.

I need some potting soil so we decided to make a stop at the nursery except on our way back we find out that the road to my home is blocked. No reason. no explanation. It is just blocked. We had to detour across half the city to get home.

By the time we get home, I am starving and I reach for Noodles (they have always been my go to meal when I am hungry and in the two minutes they cook, I start to eat crisps (which I should not even have – this is why you don’t take friend’s grocery shopping)).

When I record the food, it transpires that I have eaten my entire day calorie intake except 20 calories. No dinner, you say? I agree.

In the evening, I decided to go for my usual walk. However, I decided I will take another route and picked a landmark as a marker from which I’ll turn around. The landmark is way further than I originally thought and my legs are still to hurt a lot. Any sane person would have turned around. But, not me. It turns into 1.5 hours walk instead of usual 30.

Nothing, and I mean nothing, is going according to the plan today!

But, I have met the steps goal, and I also did my squats challenge (I will do a post tomorrow to explain what is going on here).

Fitbit Steps: 14642

Squats: 55

Butterscotch Pumpkin Curry

Tags

daily grind, Eating Well, food, health, inspiration, nutrition, recipes, weekend, weight loss

This is the recipe I adapted from my grandmother’s old recipe. She would make it in winter months. It is not winter here yet but since I am getting flu due to alleged weather change. I decided it was time to make fall food.

I usually have this curry with boiled brown rice or Basmati rice.

Ingredients

380 grams (2.5 cubes Pumpkin – peeled and seeded (1″ cubes)
2 tbsp Onion chopped
4.5 g (1 tsp ) Fresh Chopped Garlic
0.5 tsp black pepper
2 raw green Thai green chillies (I like spicy food and don’t de-seed mine. Please vary according to taste)
2 tbsp chopped raw coriander
0.5 tsp Black mustard seeds
0.13 tsp cumin seeds
0.5 tbsp canola oil
1 cinnamon stick (about two inches long)
2-3 bay leaves
0.5 tsp salt
0.5tsp Turmeric Powder
1.5 cups Coconut Milk (Unsweetened) (You can reduce the amount of coconut milk according to taste. I have used just 3/4 cup before and its tastes as good and reduces calories further).

Method

Saute onion until golden brown, add black pepper, salt, garlic, green chilli, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and turmeric powder and “fry” it for 3 to 5 minutes until the spices are well mixed in the oil. Add water if the mixture is too dry. Add pumpkin cubes and let them cook until they slightly change colour. Add water if the mixture is too dry. Once the pumpkins changes colour. Add coconut milk and let it cook for a while and until pumpkin is soft. In the end, put some coriander, mix and enjoy.

Makes 1.5 cups. Average serving size 0.5 cup. Calories per serving 140.

Pumpkin Lentil Stew

Tags

daily grind, Eating Well, fit, food, health, nutrition, recipes, weekend, weight loss

This is not a quick recipe.

This is the kind of recipe, which you start in the morning and enjoy at night. It gets tastier with storing and next day tastes better than on the same day. I usually put it on the stove in the morning to cook on low heat and enjoy it in the afternoon/evening. It is also something I usually make on the weekends. It is great for the days when you are feeling under the weather and want comfort food. I usually skip yogurt if I am not feeling too well.

I started making this stew after a search on Pinterest for healthy Pumpkin recipes. The recipe is for Pumpkin, Chickpeas and Red lentil Stew.

The first time I made this stew, I did not have red lentils. A couple of years ago, I would have either trekked to the supermarket to get the lentils or would have made something else. But, now I am wiser and more resourceful. I do not get scared of changing the recipes and that is what I did with this recipe.

Recipe as Adapted by Me

Prep Time: 25 to 30 minutes (there is a fair bit of chopping)
Cook time: min 5 hours but the longer you cook on low heat, better it tastes.

Ingredients

• 380 gms pie pumpkin or winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup boiled chickpeas (I buy dry chickpeas, boil them and freeze them)
• 3 medium carrots (approx 300 gms, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 cup chopped onion (160 gms)
• 1/2 cup yellow (moong or mung) lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup green (moong or mung) lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 large tomato (210 gms) chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 maggi stock cube
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon almond oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Plain nonfat greek yogurt (optional)

Directions

Saute onion in oil on low heat, and set aside. In a big pot add approximately 4 liters of water and add the Maggi stock cube. Once it has dissolved, add pumpkin, chickpeas, carrots, onion, lentils, tomato paste, ginger, lime juice, cumin, salt, turmeric, red chilli, smoked paprika, bay leaf and pepper. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Top each serving with peanuts, cilantro, and if desired, yogurt.

The recipe has been copied and amended from Better Homes and Gardens. I did not rewrite the entire recipe. I just amended it based on my own additions and subtractions.

Makes about 10.6 cup. Serving Size: 1 cup. Calories (without peanuts and yogurt): 124 calories

Cardio Challenge – Day 6

Tags

cardio, cardio challenge, fit, health, nutrition

Fitbit steps: 3,358
Ozeri: Didn’t record

Easy Comforting Recipes – Roasted Aubergine

Tags

food, health, nutrition, recipes, weight loss

It has been a really busy, crazy week.

Every morning, this week, I have woken up at 4:00 am. I am not sure why. I would like to get at least one more hour of sleep before getting up. Five just seems so much more respectable than four in the morning.

After the disastrous work travel, I have been kicking myself into habit of going to the gym again. The aim is to go everyday until the coming Saturday.    

I have also kind of gone off meat and chicken (I go through phases where I don’t want to eat a particular thing). I am generally not a big fan of red meat. I am happy with steak once in a couple of months and a burger once in a while. And, now I am tired of eating chicken in salad and as main dish.

This has meant in me turning into an inspiring cook and incorporating as many vegetables as possible in the meals.  One of the easiest and most convenient things to eat is aubergine. It cooks really rich and creamy. You can eat it in all forms – grilled, roasted, baked and as part of a number of dishes.

My favourite (and the least time-consuming) form of eating aubergine is oven-roasted aubergine. I pretty much follow this recipe when I make it as it is so easy and convenient. I don’t use 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. I just used one teaspoon of oil. The herb-spice mixture  included oregano (1 tsp), basil (1 tsp), black pepper (1/2 tsp) and pinch of salt. I just sprinkled lemon juice on top (complete recipe is at the end of the post)

I ate it as a side dish with leftover Courgette Cauliflower Cake Fritter, added it to my salad and had it as a snack. I also mashed it and used it as a spread in a sandwich. It is versatile and fun.

Recipe

Ingredients

2 lb. eggplant
pinch of salt
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
Lemon wedges or a vinaigrette for serving (optional)

Method

Tip: Wipe the aubergine clean and slice them in half lengthwise. With the tip of a knife, score the flesh deeply in a diamond cross-hatch pattern by making two or three long cuts, cutting at a steep angle, and then rotating the aubergine to make another set of similar cuts. Press on the edges of the halves to open the cuts and sprinkle salt (1 to 1-1/2 tsp. total for all the halves) over the surface and into the cuts. Set aside, cut side up, for 30 min. Heat the oven to 400°F/210°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Over the sink, gently squeeze the aubergine to extract the salty juice and wipe them dry with a paper towel. Mix the herbs in the olive oil mixture. Brush each half thoroughly with olive oil and herb mixture. Arrange each half, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Roast for 1 hour. The aubergine will collapse and the bottoms will be a deep brown caramel color. Let cool considerably before handling, at least 20 min. Gently turn the cut side up. If serving as a side dish, serve with a lemon wedge for squeezing or drizzle with vinaigrette. If using in other recipes, scoop the flesh from the skin with a spoon.

Adapted from Fine Cooking. In the interest of full disclosure, I did not rewrite the whole method again and just included my changes in the method.  

The Makeshift Recipe

Tags

food, nutrition, recipes, weight loss

I started out to make Courgette Corn Pancakes for lunch but then when I was mid-way in the process my partner decided he was not going to be home for lunch so I needed to change the recipe to something that I could store.

Also, I had added some flour to the recipe so needed to switch to something that would still work.

I (as usual) also did not have some of the ingredients (like corn). You would think not have corn would be a deterrent and I would make something else. Nope.

I ended up doing what I am calling Courgette Cauliflower Cake Fritters. 

Makes 10 (Each Cake is about 139 cals)

Ingredients

4 eggs
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dry basil
1 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp peri peri chilli
2 tsp flax seeds
1/2 cup avocado
1 cup cut cauliflower
3  cup shredded courgette
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup amaranth flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees.

Whip the eggs, salt, black pepper, basil, oregano, peri-peri spice, flax seeds and avocado. Add cauliflower,  courgette and cheese and mix it with egg-avocado mixture. However, the genius that I am added the flour first. And in the end, add the flour and mix it together.

Make pancakes-fritters of approximately 8 cms/3 inches diameter and bake in the oven until the fritter turn golden brown.

Yogurt Dipping Sauce

I also made a dipping sauce with greek yogurt. It is based on the sauce I saw a friend make to eat with falafel

Ingredients

1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 tbsp chopped dill
1.5 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp white ground pepper
1 clove crushed garlic

Mix it all together and you are good to go.

Preview: The Makeshift Recipe

Tags

food, health, nutrition, weightloss

Greek Yogurt Dipping Sauce