The Recovering Diet Addict

I am a firm believer that if you can't chew it, it isn't a meal. That being said, I fail spectacularly at the mid-week lunch: I don't like sandwiches and no mater how much time and effort I put into preparation, lunch always looks a little unappetising when it has been sat in tupperwear all morning. I am also lazy and, with a pretty good school canteen, recently my mid-week lunches have been focusing a little more on convenience rather than nutrition. In a bid to overcome my big lunch problem, last week I embarked on a week of liquid lunches (non-alcoholic...unfortunately) to see if I could finally get organised and stop overspending on pre-prepared stodge. The rules were simple: each smoothie must include a portion of veg, I could bring fruit for break-time and one savoury snack such as oatcakes (I meant it when I said that I had to chew)! I researched some recipes and stocked up on smoothie ingredients. Mission Do Not Eat out of Polystyrene Trays was a go: My favour...

Two weeks ago, disaster struck: there was an avocado SHORTAGE in my local area! I desperately searched the shelves of our local shops every day for a week but nada! I was furious. My husband was furious. It was then that I knew we had a problem (a first world problem at that). You see, the humble avocado (along with almond milk) is the staple of our daily smoothies. They have become so ingrained in our day to day lives that it has taken "The Great Avocado Shortage of '16" (I'm sure that it will catch on) to make me realise that, perhaps, it is time to shake things up a bit. But, hey, let's share a few of my favourites first: Nourishing Chocolate Milk Adapted from Deliciously Ella Every Day This recipe goes down well with everyone in my house! Throw all of the ingredients in and blitz until smooth (Frozen princess cups are optional): 1 banana 1/2 avocado 1 heaped tsp of cocoa powder A good squeeze/heaped tsp honey Top up with almond milk ...

When watching those documentaries where people have put on so much weight that they have had to be cut out of their houses by the emergency services, I have had so many conversations where I have debated: how do people let themselves get to that stage? Surely there has to be a point BEFORE then? Perhaps when they have had to go up a clothes size? When they can't ride a roller-coaster? Or when they have to buy two plane seats? How do they let it get to that stage and at what point does someone realise that enough is enough? I had my "getting cut out of my house by the firemen" moment last week: I ripped my jeans (well, they were really my favourite White Stuff jeggings but let's not get bogged down in semantics). I had been in denial for weeks. I could feel the painful 'tug' that was hinting at was about to come. But just like the guy who was finding it harder and harder to get out of the house each day until one day he couldn't anymore, I pretended it ...

Very often we see health and fitness Instagram and Facebook pages full of humour and inspirational quotes and pictures/videos of "fitness goals", but is this glossy presentation of life realistic? I refuse to acknowledge that these people have never had a bad day at work, come home and consumed an entire bottle of wine, a microwave meal and/or a disgustingly gluttonous desert. They never show that, do they? Life has been pretty tough this year and what used to be a rare occurrence (grabbing quick and easy food on the way home from work) has started to become more and more regular. How is it possible to eat healthily when you can't even face a visit to the supermarket? I firmly believe that a healthy diet  =  a healthy mind, and that exercise is one of the best ways to improve mood and wellbeing. Nonetheless, when even the thought of opening a tin of soup is overwhelming, preparing three healthy meals a day (plus snacks) seems lik...

My life was turned upside down last year. Overnight, our family went from two to four when we agreed to care for our nieces for six months. I can now assure you that it is true what they say: NOTHING can prepare you for having children. I used to think that I had a busy life but now I have experienced "the dark side", I will never complain about being busy again! The first thing that I started to neglect was my exercise regime. When you are up at 5.30am and in work by 7.30am, a morning workout is not the most appealing. Similarly, with my husband at work most evenings, by the time we have done some chores, the reading, cooked, bathed the children and put them to bed, I don't sit down until 8pm - never mind trying to fit in the dog walks and the vast amount of school-work that I need to take home every night! If I ever get five minutes to myself, I want to read, I want to watch television, I want a glass of wine, I want to SLEEP. Not only do I have a new found respect fo...

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...

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...

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 ...