The Recovering Diet Addict

Hurrah! It is almost time for one of the highlights of the television year; The Great British Bake Off is back!! It is also time to admit one secret:I LOVE to cook but I am NOT a baker. Before this blog post, I had to go to the shop and buy flour, baking tins... the whole shebang. I didn't even own a mixing bowl. When watching the contestants produce their impressive creations, I become increasingly aware of my lack of baking prowess. But I am finally on the summer holidays and therefore able to do something that I have always wanted to learn how to do: I am going to bake. Now, I  have often been heard to say: "If you are going to do something wrong, then do it right." If I am going to "be naughty", I am not wasting my time with "lighter" or "diet" versions. But who said that baked goods had to be wholly bad? I have recently been thinking of ways of getting extra vegetables into our diets (and those of my vegetable-avoiding nieces), so I

Chicken is fantastic source of protein and has lots of health benefits. It is also incredibly versatile, making it a staple for dinnertime. However, chicken can get a bit boring after a while as we tend to cook the same dishes time and time again. So this week I have been experimenting with some new, filling (always important for me), healthy and, importantly, tasty chicken dishes to liven up dinner time! Moroccan Chicken with Sweet Potato Mash (serves 4) This tasty dish is surprisingly quick and easy to cook, injecting a taste of Morocco into you mid-week meals! Tonight we fancied a lighter dinner so had it alone; bulk it up by serving with a big helping of green beans (or alternative). Adapted from BBC Good Food! 1. Peel and boil 1kg of sweet potatoes in a pan of salted water for 15 minutes (or until soft). 2. While the potatoes boil, take four chicken breasts and coat in a spice mix (1tsp cinnamon, 1tsp cumin, salt and pepper). Heat up a pan with 1tbsp of olive oil (or p

A friend of mine recently introduced me to Bootea's 'Teatox'. Bootea is a UK based company with 100% natural products, they claim that the tea will 'kickstart your healthy lifestyle'. They promote the product with some pretty impressive before and after photos; I thought that I would give it a go. So, not being one to do things by halves, I ordered the 28 day teatox and waited eagerly for my delivery! Who wouldn't want to see results like this?! Now, importantly, this is NOT a diet. You are encouraged to eat healthily and to consume two cups of the tea a day: the 'Daytime Detox'  (Chinese Oolong tea,  Maté leaves, Ginger root, Fennel seeds, Lemongrass, Dandelion leaf, Ginseng root, Gotu Kola leaves, Nettle leaves)   first thing in the morning, and the 'Bedtime Cleanse. ( Senna leaves, Peppermint leaves, Fenugreek seeds, Liquorice root, Burdock root, Hawthorn leaves, Valerian root, Psyllium seeds)   just before bed, every other night. Sound

It's amazing. I have spent years battling my demons with food and many times I have felt as if I really had things under control. The truth of the matter is that when you grow up with an unhealthy relationship with food, there is no overnight fix. I have had to come to terms with the fact that just as an alcoholic will always be an alcoholic (even if they are sober), I will always struggle with my diet (even if at times I have things under control). Yes, I know that this seems extreme, but when your life revolves around something and it feels like you are fighting a constant battle, there are many parallels that can be drawn. I haven't posted in a while; I haven't had much....inspiration. Work hasn't been great, I haven't been recovering from my ankle injury as quickly as I had hoped and I seem to have got myself into a bit of a rut. I think that many people can empathise with this: you get home late after a long, stressful day and your mind is filled to the bri

One of the things that I found most confusing about being on Slimming World, was that I was encouraged to limit my consumption of healthy fats such as nuts and avocados (both have a high "syn" value), whilst diet fizzy drinks, full of artificial sweeteners, were considered a "free" food, and you could consume as much as you want of them... Sorry Slimming World, but I just don't agree. Avocados are incredible! Full of healthy fats and lots of goodness (yes, this is the scientific term); they can improve your skin, cardiovascular health and even HELP you to lose weight (if eaten in moderation - not a word that I am usually familiar with). One of my favourite ways to eat an avocado is on its own with a spoon. As this is not the most innovative recipe, I thought that I would share 3 recipes to incorporate this versatile fruit into your diet. From breakfast to pudding, you are sure to find something to suit your taste: Avocado Baked Eggs As a healthy break

Anyone who knows me can testify to the fact that I am the most accident prone person known to man. Over Christmas, I managed to break my toe whilst putting a bed together, then I severely sprained my ankle after falling down the stairs. Last week I managed to cover myself in bruises after an epic fall in the bath, and on Monday I face-planted the pavement whilst running, once again spraining my ankle in the process! Now, I am currently on my second day off of work, with my leg elevated and dosed up on ibuprofen (it is pretty difficult to spend a full day in a classroom when you are struggling to weight bear on your leg). I admit it, I am feeling pretty sorry for myself. There is only one way to get out of the doldrums and that is exercise! I'm not sure if you have ever tried to workout with a sprained ankle - it's pretty hard. So, I have knocked together a quick tabata-style workout, focused on upper body and core, that won't put any pressure on my injury. Tabata-styl

Yesterday I ate 12 biscuits. There would have been a time when I felt completely sorry for myself and thought "Well seeing as today has already been ruined, I may as well have another and then follow it up with a tub of Ben and Jerry's!" But I refuse to punish myself. You see, as someone who never has anything "naughty" in the house, when a generous colleague brings two packets of M&S chocolate biscuits in, it would be rude not try all of them....twice! Yes, I admit, it was a tad excessive and I did NOT feel well afterwards. But rather than make myself feel guilty, I asked myself why I felt the need to constantly reach for the packet. The answer? This week I feel like snacking. Sue me. Should I be snacking on Mark and Spencer's delicious chocolate biscuits? I'm sure that one or two wouldn't have hurt, but the obvious is answer is no! Recently I have been pretty rubbish at getting myself organised for work and preparing proper lunches. So tod

Breakfast! The most important meal of the day (and by far my favourite). It is genuinely the first thing that I think about it the morning, and I often go to bed thinking about what I will have for breakfast the next day. If you have no idea what I am talking about then clearly you have not discovered the wonders of this magical meal: 30 minutes peace and a plate/bowl of good food before the chaos of the day begins! My main issues with breakfast include cost (hello £3 box of muesli that I could finish in two bowls) and not feeling full (see previous aside). Take a look below for some of my favourite breakfasts that are good for the waistline (and purse strings) and will keep you full all morning: Healthy Banana Pancakes (for one "hearty" appetite)  Guilt free pancakes? Need I say more? Get inventive and experiment with your toppings. Enjoy! 1. Blitz together two eggs, one banana and a scoop of your favourite protein powder (this makes my preferred consistency. If

Hurrah! The sun has arrived! This means only one thing: time to dust of my running shoes and head outdoors. This time last year I was a keen runner (not that you would know it to look at me now); I even took part in half marathons and crazy running challenges for charity.  Me running 100km in 10 days (2013) for Cancer Research UK. To say that I am out of shape at the moment....well....it would be a little bit of an understatement. I have been caught in that awful trap of not heading out because I know how hard it would be, then getting worse because I'm not running.  Today was the day to stop feeling sorry for myself and crack out the iPod. "But can't it wait until next week? It is always better to start something new on a Monday!" I heard myself thinking. I needed motivation. Today it came in the shape of a small bundle of fluff: Bear - my 6 month old Collie X Kelpie. With these little eyes staring up at me, desperate to get outside and explore, who w