Missing Blog

This is the blog I was going to post before I decided to tell you about the saga with the alternator and the bike, so here goes.

Oh before I do, I’m away to France next week for a couple of weeks, got some grass to cut, also got an interesting email from Jean Pierre a few weeks ago re some property, but more of that later for now here’s the missing blog.

Now for first time readers thinking “oh here we go another health nut blog promoting diets and whatever” stay with me.

I weighed in Christmas 2010 at 208 lbs, those of you who were with me on my old site will remember I had to replace my wardrobe with clothes prior to going away I’d put on that much weight. So when we got back in the new year I decided to do something positive about this weight issue, I was, on the BMI scale, obese, I only stand 5’ 6½“.

So first 6 months of 2011 and where am I?

Last weigh in Friday (29 July 2011) I was at 173.4lb, not bad hey? Total loss of some 34 lbs I’m well pleased, only problem is, if there is a problem, I find it real hard to keep to any sort of diet in the summer as with visits to France regularly interrupting my routine, its not easy, main point is I can’t take the gym with me so have to make do with a bar and some weights, no treadmill, squat rack or bench press, so exercising slows while I’m away and BBQ’s increase. The usual pattern is loose a little weight in UK only for it to go back on in France, very disheartening, however on a positive note this year I’ve managed to actually loose a couple of pounds on my French trips as well.

The first ¼ up to me going to France I’d lost 26 lbs averaging about 2lbs per week, now that’s the sort of weight loss it’s good to see, not to fast, just about the right pace. Then I went to France and managed to loose another couple of lbs whilst there, given I was there for three weeks it wasn’t at the rate I was doing, but still a loss. Then back home and again back on the exercise and diet plan, first week I didn’t loose any weight, second week ½ a lb and third week another ½ lb, but hey I’m still losing so not too despondent and this diet is easy to follow in fact I’d say a dodle, takes a little will power but given you only have to follow it for five days out of seven it doesn’t drag on, it also doesn’t allow your metabolism to slow as it gets a boost weekend, as long as you eat sensibly weekends that is and don’t pig out, I’ll share my weekend with you, slow smoked pork shoulder and my take on cowboy beans was one we did last week for James (seventeen year old son and friends) went down a treat and I enjoyed my share.

The reason I think my weight loss has slowed is because muscle weighs more than fat and since returning from France I have altered my weight training from cardio to high resistance so am now building muscle, will explain more in another post.

So what’s the diet?

It consists of basically three meals at the moment mainly vegetable with a little white meat (chicken). I make these meals up once a month and freeze them; I’ll give you one recipe per post if you want to try it.

First one is the Mexican stew, and let me tell you even if your not dieting this stew makes a great meal and is very moorish.

Mexican stew

About 8 to 10 servings

2 onions, diced

4 garlic cloves, crushed (I use a lot more, maybe a couple of bulbs but love the stuff)

drizzle of olive oil

4 chicken breast cubed

2 pkts taco mix (I make my own up but packets fine)

2 tins cut tomatoes

2 tins kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 tins whole kernel corn, drained

6 large green chillies

500 grm mushrooms

I cup chicken broth

Cook onions and garlic in oil in large pan till tender

Add chicken, taco seasoning, tomatoes, beans, corn, chillies and mushrooms

Keep it moving and add broth.

Slowly bring to boil reduce heat and simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally,

And that’s it serve on a bed of rice (browns good) with a tortilla, forgo the forks and get stuck in.

I freeze this in portion bowls, defrost and reheat, makes weekday cooking a breeze.

Breakfast is brown bread toasted, lunch again brown toast with maybe sardines, fruits ok if you get peckish and I also take the odd handful of dried raisins to take of the edge, oh and keep the fluids up (water) save the beer for weekend.

Next week it’s Mediterranean veg with a twist, oh and I’ll share a Saturday night treat with you.

So it’s away to France for a couple of weeks, maybe got a property deal on the horizon, will tell all when I get back, sure to be more stories, never been on a trip where I didn’t have a story to tell after, going to try the night/early morning crossing again, get to see the sunrise as we drive down, nice.

So be back in two weeks, y’all take care now, ya hear.