Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Tuesday 30 June

Struggled to get to the gym to do cardio this morning. Might have to look into some fun DVDs I can do at home, maybe some boxing or kickboxing - Taebo perhaps? Didn't give myself enough carbs after cardio and have been hungry all day - lots of fruit consumed.

S: BCAAs in Vital Greens, pineapple
treadmill hill intervals
B: Banana and blueberry smoothie (w Sun Warrior)
S: apple, coffee with lactose-free milk
L: Vegetable minestrone (w cannelini beans and chickpeas)

S: pear, almonds
D1: Stir-fried chicken with snow peas and mushrooms, apple, 1Tbsp fish oil
D2: Vegetable minestrone, 1 Tbsp fish oil
S: hot protein drink, sunflower seeds

Monday, June 29, 2009

Monday 29 June

Was proud of myself for going to the gym this morning. Had lots of work to do and normally I would stress about it and get into it straight after getting up, and then try to get to the gym later in the day (but not always make it). This morning I decided to put my health and fitness first, so off I went to the gym. And felt a lot better for it.

S: 1 sc Sun Warrior, banana, Vital Greens
training: full body
B: 1 sc Sun Warrior, Brown rice porridge with banana and honey, vitamin B
S: apple
L: chicken salad, 1 Tbsp fish oil
S: coffee with lactose-free milk, almonds, carrot
D: grilled salmon with ginger and soy, bok choy and broccoli, 1Tbsp fish oil
S: hummus, celery, carrot
S: cocoa with lactose-free milk, walnuts

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Sunday 28 June

Measurements are done!
 
Since doing my measurements two weeks ago:
- weight is up 500g
- neck, chest, upper arm girths are all the same
- shoulder, thigh and calf girths are up (which I think is good!)
- waist and hip girths are also up (not so good)
So it seems like I've put on a little bit of muscle but also a little bit of fat. Am aiming for fat to go downwards so need to be a bit more conscious of the quantity of food I'm having (main meals are fine, probably just need to cut down on number of snacks). I'm not counting calories so mostly going by 'feel'. Will try and do measurements weekly from now on.
 
Food today
B: Strawberry power smoothie (with tofu and choc Sunwarrior), vitamin B
S: pear, pumpkin seeds, Vital Greens
walk dog 45 mins
L: Turkey pizza (on gluten-free wrap)
S: coffee with lactose-free milk, apple
D: Lean beef and vege bolognese, 1 Tbsp fish oil
S: pawpaw, hot protein drink, almonds

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Saturday 27 June

After a few tears, I managed to recover my document on Rob's laptop. Fixing my computer isn't going to be as straightforward. As well as having a virus it also has something wrong with Windows. I was contemplating getting my own laptop anyway so now might be a good time.

Had an awesome workout today. Felt stronger on almost everything. Wonder if it was something to do with the Sun Warrior beforehand - I wasn't burping up whey protein all the way through like I normally do. Or it could have been the coffee... Or the fruit and beans last night...

- coffee with lactose-free milk
- 1 sc Sunwarrior, 1 banana
train upper body
- 1 sc Sunwarrior, gluten-free pancakes with banana and maple syrup
- Gluten-free chicken wrap, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- Thai beef salad, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- raw vegan brownies YUM!!!
- Vital Greens, carrot
- raw vegan brownies

Friday, June 26, 2009

Friday 26 June

Not a great day workwise - I found a virus on my computer this morning, so used Rob's laptop to work on today. It obviously has a problem too as the file I was working on all day corrupted at the end of the day and I lost all my work...

On the bright side, I think I have lost some weight. Face isn't looking so round, and pants aren't so tight. Am doing weight and measurements over the weekend so guess I'll know for sure then.

Was a bit pushed for time today so just did cardio. Will do upper body in the morning.

- coffee with lactose-free milk
- apple, omega 3 eggs on refried beans, vitamin B
- pumpkin seeds, Vital Greens
- 'Caesar salad', 1 Tbsp fish oil
- pear, liquorice tea
- coffee with lactose-free milk
machine intervals (3 minutes on any cardio machine, 2 minutes skipping, repeat for 30 minutes total)
- 1 sc Sun Warrior, Power smoothie
- Mexican pizza (low carb wrap spread with refried beans, sliced veggies, salsa and a little cheese)
- 3 fresh dates
- apple, sunflower seeds

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Thursday 25 June

No sleep last night (working) = no workout today.

- poached eggs on refried beans
- Vital Greens, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, almonds
- 'Caesar salad', 1Tbsp fish oil
- coffee with lactose-free milk
- fresh pineapple; hummus and celery
- green chicken curry with red peppers and cauliflower, 1Tbsp fish oil
- blueberries; chocolate Sun Warrior mixed with avocado and vanilla extract, almonds

Wednesday 24 June

Sun Warrior protein arrived today and it's good! Powdery instead of gritty like other rice proteins. And the woollen underlay is fantastic - soft and warm.

- 1 sc Dymatize Natural, Strawberry power smoothie, Vital Greens, 1Tbsp fish oil, vitamin B
- almonds
- Roast vege salad (capsicum, zucchini, cauliflower) with chickpeas, 1Tbsp fish oil
- orange
treadmill intervals
- chicken, mushroom and snowpea stir-fry, brown rice
- blueberries
- coffee with lactose-free milk (up late working)
- 1/2 sc chocolate Sun Warrior, almond butter, flax meal
- coffee with soy milk (still up)

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Tuesday 23 June

Yesterday I remembered to take my vitamin B, I drank more water, I didn't have any coffe, and I spent less time on the computer in the evening. This morning I woke up feeling better than I have for a while, so will try and repeat from now on.

The 80/20 book is no longer available from the supplier, so my order has been cancelled. Oh well, it's not like I need another recipe book. I did have a few exciting things arrive today though: flexbands, and some natural hair care products. I also picked up a king-size woollen underlay for $99.95, reduced from $299.95 - so I'm hoping for a nice warm bed tonight!

Food
- Vital Greens, 1/2 sc Dymatize Natural, banana
train upper body
- 1 sc Dymatize Natural, Gluten-free apple and bluberry muffin; vitamin B
- Shepherds pie, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- apple, mandarin
- Low carb veg frittata, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- hot protein drink, almonds, red cabbage
- Low carb veg frittata, refried beans

Monday, June 22, 2009

Monday 22 June, Carb Timing

Struggled to go to the gym this morning. Really didn't feel like it and suggested to myself that I could go later. But I knew it probably wouldn't happen so made myself go before work.

Am aiming to eat my most carb dense foods after exercise.
- Vital Greens, 1 sc Dymatize Natural, 1 apple
train lower body
- 1 sc Dymatize Natural, Brown rice porridge with banana chunks and a little honey
- 2 fresh dates
- veggie salad (with kidney beans), 1Tbsp fish oil
- small tin wild Atlantic salmon
- low carb spag bol, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- hot protein drink, apple, cashews

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Sunday 21 June

The first thing I did this morning was... step in dog poo. I went over the road to let the greyhounds out, and stood in it as soon as I got in the front door. Their owner usually lets them out about three in the morning, so Rob went over there about midnight last night and they 'went' then, but I guess they needed to go again before I got there this morning! 
 
Have been enjoying some of Teresa Cutter's recipes out of the May/June issue of Ultra Fit Magazine so ordered her 80/20 Diet book today. Looking forward to trying some more of her recipes.
 
Today's yummy food 
- Vital Greens, soft-boiled omega-3 eggs, 2 slices gluten-free toast
- coffee with lactose-free milk
- apple
- Pumpkin, carrot and sweet potato soup
- Trail mix (almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds)
- Chicken breast with taco seasoning, corn cob, broccoli, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- Cocolo organic chocolate (dark 70% cocoa), hot protein drink
 

Saturday 20 June

Feeling a bit worn out today. All workouts and cardio done for the week. Shopping (with TJ in tow), housework and cooking for dinner guests done by 2pm. Then coffee break, dishes and walk the greyhounds from next door before guests arrived.

- Vital Greens, 1/2 sc Dymatize Natural, 2 fresh dates
stepper intervals
- Power Smoothie, 1/2 sc Dymatize Natural
- Gluten-free chicken wrap, 1Tbsp fish oil
- coffee with lactose-free milk, almonds
- hummus, carrot
- Kek's Lamb saag, rice, 1Tbsp fish oil
- Ultimate chocolate mousse

- Jim Beam Small Batch and diet coke x 2

- gluten-free toast w butter and marmite x 2
- oats, sultanas, grated apple, cinnamon, soy and lactose-free milk, flaked almonds

Friday, June 19, 2009

Friday 19 June

Woke up late again this morning (couldn't get to sleep last night) but felt pretty rested after seven hours' sleep. Blood sugar a little low though (a bit shaky and couldn't think straight when I got up). Had a couple of dates (yum!) as I was unpacking my fruit and vege order, then some extra carbs in my workout drink, so I was feeling pretty good by about halfway through my workout and was really enjoying myself. So will probably do something along similar lines for the next few workouts and see how I feel.

Was busy with dog duties today. Had to pop next door to check on Ollie, the West Highland Terrrier puppy, and also look after the two greyhounds across the road, Angel and Collette. And our dog, TJ.

A higher carb day today
- Vital Greens, 1/2 sc Dymatize Natural, 2 fresh dates
Train upper body (1/2 sc Dymatize Natural, 1 sc Gatorade)
- home made baked beans, 2 slices gluten-free toast
- pear
- tuna salad, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- apple
- coffee with lactose-free milk (was ready for a nap but had three dogs to walk and dinner to make)
- dory crumbed with polenta, sweet potato chips, salad greens, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- hot protein drink, apple, pear

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Thursday 18 June

Have needed 10 hours sleep the last two nights running, so did an (almost) lactose- and gluten-free day today (inspired by the food intolerances planner in the May/June issue of Ultra Fit Magazine). Felt more alert during the day and didn't need a coffee this afternoon like I usually do, so am going to continue to eat like this for a while. Have ordered some chocolate Sun Warrior rice protein, which should be here next week, so am looking forward to trying that. I've had chocolate Ladybird rice protein but I don't really like the flavour, and the sweetener in it (sucralose) repeats on me. The Sun Warrior is sweetened with stevia, so I'm hoping it will be better. I think I've tried just about every other non-dairy protein available in Australia, and am slowly coming up with a few favourites, but they're not cheap!

Found leg training a bit harder today than on Monday. Possible reasons:
- had lots of starchy carbs Sunday night, none last night
- used legs a bit in circuit yesterday afternoon
- wore Skins when training legs on Monday but not during yesterday's circuit or today's training.

Food today
- Vital Greens, apple
Train legs (1 sc Dymatize Natural, 3/4 sc Gatorade)
- 1 serve Max's WPI, gluten-free apple and blueberry muffin
- large orange
- Low carb veg frittata, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- mixed nuts
- last night's kangaroo mince, peas, coconut cauliflower mash, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- goji berries
- tuna and avocado mash, carrot
- almonds, cashews

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Wednesday 17 June

Slept in this morning so hit the gym late this afternoon instead. Was going to do some treadmill intervals today, but felt a bit nauseous doing them so gave up after a couple of attempts and did a circuit in the boxing area instead, which was 'awesome'.
 
- Vital Greens, Maple Walnut Apple Oatmeal
- Peanut Crunch Bar, coffee with lactose-free milk
- Tuna Salad Wrap, 1 Tbsp fish oil
circuit (skipping, speedball, skipping, ball toss, stair shuffle, speedball)
- apple, protein shake
- Low carb kangaroo bolognese, cashews, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- Peanut Crunch Bar, carrot
 

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Tues 16 June

One good thing about training early in the morning is that I'm pooped by about 9.30 at night. If I train in the evenings, I'm often awake until about 1.30am.

Have been trying to concentrate on keeping my elbows in while doing bench press. It feels so much easier and I can feel my chest and front delts working more.

Today's food:
- Vital Greens, Maple Walnut Apple Oatmeal
Train upper body
- Maple Walnut Apple Oatmeal
- curried kangaroo sausages, red cabbage, cashews, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- Tuna Salad Wrap
- Peanut Crunch Bar, coffee with lactose-free milk
- beef pattie, cauliflower, cheese sauce, 1 Tbsp fish oil
- Peanut Crunch Bar, carrot
- almonds

Monday, June 15, 2009

Monday 15 June

- Vital Greens
Train Lower Body (1/2 sc Dymatize Natural, 3/4 sc Gatorade)
- Apple Maple Walnut Oatmeal 
- Curried kangaroo sausages, broccoli, cashews, 1 tsp fish oil
- Peanut Crunch Bar, coffee w. lactose-free milk, 5 fish oil caps
- Curried kangaroo sausages, silverbeet, cashews, 1 tsp fish oil
- Beef pattie, cauliflower, cheese sauce, 5 fish oil caps
- Peanut Crunch Bar, carrot, 5 fish oil caps

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Measurements Taken

Did weight, skinfolds, girth measurements and photos today. I'm currently the heaviest I've ever been in my life and I think 'round' is how I would describe myself at the moment. Being that time of the month doesn't help. It's a starting point anyway.

I'm going back to training in the mornings as of tomorrow (for consistency's sake), and will post what I do each day in my sidebar, so I can keep a running total of the amount of exercise I do each week.

Might blog what I eat each day too.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Changing My Habits

It's that time of year again. But instead of going on a 'diet' or counting calories, I am going to focus on changing my habits. Hopefully focusing on 'behaviours' rather an 'outcome' will lead to long-term success.

Habits I need to work on
- eating at night when I'm not hungry
- doing less than four hours a week of structured exercise
- eating meals in less than 20 minutes
- regularly 'dieting'
- having irregular sleep patterns
- drinking my calories (flat whites, alcohol)
- eating processed/refined grains
- spending two or more hours a day on the computer and/or watching TV
- surrounding myself with unhealthy people
- eating while doing other tasks (TV, reading, computer etc)

This gives me an initial idea of how to structure my goals.

My top 3 priorities
- create food that's simple, healthy and tastes great, so that I look forward to eating each meal
- do exercise that I enjoy, and make it an integral part of my life
- take it slow and find a strategy that works for me

'All-or-none' thinking
My 'all-or-none' mentality hurts me. I need to remember that nutrition and exercise are not black and white, they're on a spectrum. Life is going to get in the way of my best intentions, but there's plenty of grey area to take advantage of (do the best I can in the situation - it doesn't have to be perfect).

Measures to help me reach my goals
The only measures I've been using lately are how my clothes are fitting. I know I'm moving away from my goals because my clothes are getting tighter in all the wrong places. I will try other types of measures (photos, bodyweight, girths, skinfolds) to help me reach my goals; however, the aim is to prioritise health, and let my body composition fall into place.

Outcome-based decision making
I've tried to use outcome-based decision making in the past, but I get distracted by other food and exercise plans instead of measuring if what I'm doing at the moment is actually working. I need to choose something and stick with it for a couple of weeks, then measure to see if it's working. If it is, keep going. If not, adjust the plan, try for a couple more weeks and measure again. And so on.

Success Transcends
Elsewhere in my life I have been successful at completing a university degree and a diploma. The qualities required to complete these were perseverance, dedication, planning and focus. I can take those qualities and apply them to nutrition and exercise. This will leave no room for anything but success.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

How Safe is Your Fish Oil?

From a Smart Publications e-newsletter by John Morgenthaler

After reading this newsletter, you'll understand how important fish oil is to your health and it is just as important to understand the serious quality issues involved in manufacturing, and choosing a safe and pure fish oil supplement.

High quality pharmaceutical grade products are tested for heavy metals, pesticides, including PCBs, DDT, dioxins, and peroxides. But that's only part of the story. Even the purest fish oil can produce harmful by-products due to bad processing. Not adding the proper antioxidants like rosemary extract, ascorbyl palmitate, and natural tocopherols at the right moment will lead to an unstable product that produces peroxides and turns rancid. The problem is that most manufacturers don't check peroxide levels and these result in free radicals that harm your health. Also, using the wrong equipment can lead to heavy metal contamination that will also damage product stability.

Does all this really matter? YES! It makes a difference in your health! Fish oil that contains contaminants, the wrong ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 acids, and/or peroxides will harm your health instead of protecting it!

When you shop for a fish oil, make sure you look for a product that has:

High levels of EPA and DHA per capsule

Low peroxide levels

Low level contaminants such as lead, mercury, pesticides, PCB's and dioxins

Antioxidants such as rosemary extract, ascorbyl palmitate, and natural tocopherols

Check the expiration date on the bottle, and cut open a capsule and taste the oil. If it tastes and smells like fish that's gone bad, don’t eat it! It is rancid oil. Even good oils will be fishy and oily but will not have that sharp, bitter, fishy smell of rancid fish oil. It is possible, however, to find a superb pharmaceutical-grade product that is SO GOOD, you can chew it down and won't mind the taste!

Further reading

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Eat to ease inflammation

By: Amy Dusseldorp, Nutritionist, originally posted at The Food Coach website

What is inflammation?

Inflammation is described as the body's basic response to injury, a protective process used when tissues are injured. Inflammation can be obvious, such as a swollen knee or itchy rash, however, internal inflammation occurring within the body on a smaller scale can lead to disease later in life. For example, continual inflammation of the vessels around the heart may contribute to stroke or heart disease, or prolonged irritation of the microvilli in the bowel may lead to inflammatory bowel disease. Even a simple headache indicates that certain blood vessels in your body are inflamed, causing them to throb and swell, resulting in pain such as a migraine. Even obesity is an inflammatory disease, with fat cells acting as inflammatory markers in the body.

Naturopath and Food Coach contributor Leah Hechtman says "It is very common for patients to present in clinic with generalised fatigue, aches and pains, headaches and aggravation of musculoskeletal complaints." This is inflammation on a minor scale and can often be helped by avoiding certain foods and increasing consumption of others.

How to prevent inflammation

It's impossible to prevent inflammation entirely as there are always bodily processes occurring that may lead to illness or injury, however, we can do our best.

Hechtman states "Research suggests that many common inflammatory conditions may be affected by certain food allergy, intolerance or sensitivity reactions that contribute to inflammatory symptoms. Removal of these foods from one's diet has been shown to significantly reduce common inflammatory symptoms & improve an individual's general health & well-being."

Foods that increase inflammation include sugar, alcohol, caffeine, high fat and processed foods and animal products high in saturated fats such as red meat. Luncheon meats and foods such as bacon, ham and salami often contain nitrites, which have been linked to the incidence of colorectal cancer by the World Cancer Research Fund.

Another possible source of inflammation comes from the Solonaceae family, otherwise known as the Nightshade group of foods. The chemical alkaloid solanine can trigger rheumatic pain in some people, who should try to avoid potatoes, tomatoes, capsicums, eggplant, chillies and tobacco.

Foods that prevent inflammation

Omega 3 fats help to produce hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which help regulate the inflammatory response. Foods such as salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil and walnuts are all great sources of Omega 3 fats and should be included regularly in the diet.

Garlic is a powerful anti-inflammatory food, containing compounds that inhibit lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase, (the enzymes that generate inflammatory prostaglandins) thus noticeably reducing inflammation. Fresh garlic is better to consume in this case.

Vitamin C has also been shown to reduce inflammation, as a recent study at the University of California in Berkeley demonstrated. Researchers showed that Vitamin C can lower levels of C-reactive protein, a biomarker of inflammation that has been shown to be a powerful predictor of heart disease and diabetes. Vitamin C-rich foods include kiwi fruit, capsicum, tomatoes, broccoli, citrus fruits and berries.

A study by the Journal of Nutrition in April 2006 showed that cherries can significantly reduce inflammation, especially when eaten every day. Cherry juice in particular has been shown to reduce the pain of gout-associated inflammation as well as ease suffering for arthritis-related aches and pains.

Turmeric has been used for centuries as a medicinal tool in India and China to treat bruises, menstrual pain, flatulence and more. The pigment which colours turmeric yellow-orange, curcumin has been shown to have anti-inflammatory actions comparable to potent pharmaceutical drugs.

Ginger contains potent anti-inflammatory compounds known as gingerols, which have been shown to improve symptoms of patients suffering arthritis and osteoporosis. Ginger also promotes circulation, which may help further reduce inflammation as the blood is able to move freely around the body and bring nutrients to affect sites of inflammation.

Not technically a food, water is important to mention as it carries nutrients to and hydrates our cells, it detoxifies the body, regulates the metabolism and cushions the joints. Without enough water, the body's cells can't function properly - so eight glasses a day is essential for preventing inflammation. Tip: the next time you have a mild headache, try drinking one or two large glasses of water before popping a pain pill - chances are you're dehydrated and the headache will hopefully disappear.

Conclusion

You may not have heart disease, diabetes or osteoporosis but inflammation can affect everyone in some way. Whether it's a headache, acne or a persistently sore shoulder, consider the factors above and think about reducing your consumption of inflammatory products and increasing your intake of foods which may benefit your body

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Common Sense

from an article by Jen Hamilton at Lean Bodies Consulting

I have witnessed far too many women looking their very best around their competition time, only to find them in a semi-depressed, out of shape condition a few short months later. What happened? First, we are not merely defined by how we look on competition day or the routine we perform. Each and everyday of our lives we shape who we are. If you find your self worth in those few weeks each year, then I urge you to step out of that bubble. Life itself is meant to be enjoyed. So back to the post competition “blues” (as I have heard it termed). I find too often in the fitness industry women supporting other women with the notion that is is OK to rebound. No it is not.

Think of it for a moment. You had a dream once. You did everything you could possibly could to reach those goals. Judgement day came. Wether the outcome of what those judges thought was to your liking or not, you still reached YOUR goals. Does it make much sense to you to take that dream and crush it with nonsense after you get where you wanted? I dont think so. While maintaining that competition-day-look is not healthy, staying in shape is.

If someone told you “you can never have a piece of cake again”, how would you feel? I’m going to bet you would think about the cake a lot. You would start to notice cake everywhere. You would crave it. Do you feel a sense of power when you deny yourself? That is false power. A short time later you find yourself laden in guilt for over “indulging” in not just one piece of cake but several. Here’s the thing, cake will always be there. Food, in our nation, is plentiful for most. That piece of cake should not define you or have the power to make you feel weak or strong.

After my competition period each year, you will find me eating cake. Not everyday, but yes I will enjoy it without guilt. If something is causing you guilt and you do not have a sense of peace about how you feel about something, then its time to make a change. Balance is a necessity, not a luxury. If you keep spinning your wheels year after year, you will never truly be satisfied with who you are and the life you are living IN THE MOMENT. While keeping a vision on your dreams is important, your now-life should not have to be sacrificed as a result. What good is reaching your dreams if you didn’t enjoy the journey it took to get there? If you can’t, then maybe its the wrong dream you have conjured.

My point is you need to find that happy medium now. Not later. Trust in your body, trust in your inner voice - that common sense. You know you hear it, don’t let it be drowned out anymore.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Skins short-sleeve top review


I bought a short-sleeve Skins top at the end of Feb, then I had about three months of almost non-existent training so didn't really get to wear it. Over the last couple of weeks I've been back in the gym training shoulders and back with Rob. I knew I would be going pretty heavy, so wore my short-sleeve Skins top each time. I trained in the evening, wore the top to bed, then got up the next morning and showered.

Pros:
- I don't get the usual ache in the shoulder-blade area from my old skiing injury.
- It keeps me nice and warm.
- It's pretty tight, so I can feel my muscles pressing against it as I get a pump in the gym, which is kinda cool.

Cons:
- It's pretty tight, so I don't feel comfortable wearing it on its own at the gym, especially since it's white. I always wear a t-shirt over it.
- It's pretty tight, so I look forward to taking it off after sleeping in it.

Summary:
- Worth it for me, as I don't get the usual injury-related aches.
- I'd probably go for a darker colour next time.

***

It's a beautiful day so I'm going to sit outside and proofread the cookies recipe book I'm working on. It has a section with wheat-free recipes. Rob is already making hints. Hmm...

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Eating Seasonally

Just placed my fruit and vege order with Greenline for delivery tomorrow. Items on the specials list included avocadoes, green capsicum, cauliflower, dried apricots and pumpkin, so I decided to use these to form the basis for my meals next week. Lunches will be beef burger patties with garlic mashed cauliflower, and I'm going to do three different things for dinners:

- chicken fajitas in the crockpot (using the capsicum and avocado)
- Kek's Casablanca Chicken (using the dried apricots and pumpkin)
- Lamb & Chickpea Tagine (from the latest Coles brochure)

I'm getting the rest of my groceries delivered by Coles Online on Saturday, including organic meat and poultry.

On Saturday morning I'm planning to do some housework while waiting for the Coles delivery to arrive (there's a four-hour window for delivery), then once it's all packed away I'll head off to the gym. On Sunday morning I'll put the crockpot on with a double batch of one of the dinners mentioned above, and make up the lunches for the week.

Rob does great poached eggs (his contribution to the cooking!) so will probably be having those for breakfast most mornings, on top of refried beans - yum!

Other snacks during the day will be pretty simple to minimise cooking time and dishes (no dishwasher and I'm getting sick of facing a huge pile of dishes each day).

Gotta head off to the gym now. Legs!