Veganism!

Sorry I have been missing in action lately. I went back to work after a few weeks off and it was all about trying to settle into a routine, but I never forgot about you guys. In fact I have been doing some research on another diet regimen out there that many of you have heard of called VEGANISM!!!!

In a nutshell

No meat
No eggs
No dairy products
No white sugar
No foods processed using animal products
Avoid wearing leather, fur and wool
Life without animal products

Lots of grains
Lots of beans
Lots of legumes
Lots of vegetables
Lots of fruit
Lots of almond milk or soy milk

But surprisingly there are a lot of things you can make and eat on a vegan based diet, even vegan lasagne. A colleague of mine sent me a link to a book she has (let me just mention here that she is a staunch vegan for ethical and dietary reasons). I was thinking this book was going to be a bland tale about a bland diet, but actually it was a really fun read which actually showed just how much choice there really is.

And to top it off it was called SKINNY BITCH IN THE KITCH: Kick Ass Solutions for Girls Who Want to Stop Cooking Crap (and start looking hot)by Rory Freedman. (Can you get a more awesome name for a cook book)Anyway I ordered my copy and I have to say it was really cool to see what options would be if I went vegan. It was choc full of information and recipes and definitely (as the title shows) a really good read. I have put link in this website if you want to check the book out. Don't go by my word though you can actually browse some sample pages of the book on Amazon and see for yourself what I mean.

Although, I have to say I have not completely cut out meat from diet as yet (this folks is  a work in progress) this book certainly provides me with more recipes and information while making the meat free transition!

Interesting places - Scotland

Today's beautiful place is from Scotland! Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye Scotland - Gorgeous

Source: google.com via Carolina on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Carolina on Pinterest

Beautiful places pictures

I am going to start posting pics of amazing places I would love to go. Here are a couple. El Chorro, Spain

Source: amalaga.wordpress.com via Carolina on Pinterest

The Verzasca River in Switzerland is so clean you can see down 50 feet to the riverbed

Source: dailymail.co.uk via Carolina on Pinterest

Holland and Barrett Sale

Guys, I just got this amazing deal emailed through to me from Holland and Barrett. Check out this link. It looks really good! Gonna stop by there tomorrow to stock up. Its  a long link I know, but it gives you an idea of what kinds of deals they have and you can click right through to there site.

One of my favs is the half price whey protein powder.

https://mail.hollandandbarrett.com/pub/sf/FormLink?_ri_=X0Gzc2X%3DWQpglLjHJlYQGlJdzct3zdcRwmsOUrcTT6hWYzcBlrzgzaq9Hk7hVXMtX%3DWQpglLjHJlYQGkkXRNqhDAo8TcTye5DfkWzgvWzaK5zaTL1qyza&_ei_=Ep7ufxo7hKopzwunenErSqFoUaSXDrOBIUfiBQ4QFGEZgb6WmFX3OKmKrYiukpYl4HpKaSVDdT4wseFQbwQcsIA4YBA0zfs4lxoxWOOvZ0KWk9rJ95WlTNLa.

Specific Carbohydrate Diet

Are any of you suffering from digestive problems such as Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's, IBS, ulcers or any other digestive problem? Well, I certainly know a lot of people who are and are taking tons of medications. I for one am not a huge fan of popping pills and am always trying to find more natural ways to cure illnesses. So while researching digestive diseases I came across a pretty interesting diet that seems to work quite well for a lot of people, getting them regular and helping them loose weight. So I did some research.

Here are the details:

1. Lactose free
2. Strict grain free
3. Sucrose free

Goal: Decrease excess sugars in the gut which promote bacterial overgrowth

Principle: Specifically selected carbohydrates that are easy to digest are eaten. People who suffer with digestive problems cannot digest all types of carbohydrates so the undigestive products cause harmful bacteria and products to flourish. When specific carbohydrates are chosen they are able to pass through the digestive system easily leaving nothing behind, thereby decreasing the bad bacteria in the gut and allowing the microvilli in the gut time to heal. No longer needing to be in the gut the mucous producing cells dry up and stop producing mucous. It harmonizes the bacterial flora in your gut!

What you can eat:

Meats: Eggs, Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Fish, Pork, Wild Game, Bacon, Lamb

Vegetables: Fresh or frozen of most commonly eaten vegetables are acceptable (asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, peas, peppers, pumpkin, spinach, squash, string Beans, tomatoes and watercress)

Fruits:  Fresh or Frozen or dried with nothing added are acceptable (apples, avocados, bananas (ripe with black spots), berries of all kinds, coconut, dates, grapefruit, grapes, kiwi fruit, kumquats, lemons, limes, mangoes, melons, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, pineapples, prunes, raisins, rhubarb, tangerines)

Dairy: SCD Yogurt, natural 30 day aged Cow and Goat cheeses (not Kraft), Butter, Ghee, and Dry Curd Cottage Cheese.

Nuts: Almonds, Pecans, Brazil, Hazelnuts, Walnuts, Cashews, Chestnuts (no additives allowed)

Legumes: Peanuts, White beans, Navy Beans, Lentils, Split Peas, Lima beans, Kidney beans, Black beans

Spices: Most non-mixed spices are allowed, but always check for anti-caking agents,

Drinks: Weak tea or coffee, Water, Mineral Water, Club soda, Dry Wine, Gin, Rye, Scotch, Bourbon, Vodka

What you cannot eat:

Grains: Wheat, Barley, Corn, Rye, Oats, Rice, Buckwheat, Millet, Triticale, Bulgur, Spelt, Quinoa

Meats: Ham, Processed Sausages, sandwich meats, bratwurst, Hot dogs

Vegetables: Canned are not allowed due to the usual addition of sugars, processing aids and preservative chemicals.

Fruits: Canned and most fruit juices are not allowed due to the common addition of sweeteners, preservatives, and processing aids.

Legumes: Soybeans, chick peas, bean sprouts, mungbeans, fava beans, garbanzo beans

Dairy: Commercial yogurts, milk of any kind, unnatural cheeses, cottage cheese, cream cheese, Feta, Gejetost, Mozzarella, Neufchatel, Primost, Ricotta, Processed cheese spreads.

Starches/Tubers: Potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, arrowroot, parsnip, cornstarch, tapioca starch

Spices: No Curry powders and a lot of onion and garlic powders are filled with anti-caking agents. 

Drinks: Instant coffee, juices, milk, soda, sweet wines, flavoured liqueurs, brandy, sherry

Do not use sweeteners, sugars, agave. Honey is fine to use in small quantities. 

If any of you out there have tried this diet or are currently on this diet I would love to hear from you. I am going to try it out and see how I do!


I found this awesome book about the diet which goes into much further detail, providing recipes and detailed lists. I picked it up on Amazon. If you want to get a copy too I have put the link in below. 

RunnersWeb Athletics: Grandma's Minnesota Mile Registration Opens

Hey guys check this out from Runners Web. Common motivate your grandma's!

RunnersWeb   Athletics: Grandma's Minnesota Mile Registration Opens

Olympic Fever!

The Olympics have finally come to an end with the culminating ceremony celebrating British music. I have to say that I was definitely sad to see it all end. The excitement leading up to the games and during the games was overwhelming. I did find that all the worries that were expressed regarding transport and safety were unfounded as the games seemed to run exceptionally smoothly. 

The slogan "Inspire a Generation" really seemed to stick in the minds of people around England. In fact I find myself getting meshed into the fever and being inspired. The one thing that did stick out to me was that no matter who you are, what background and no matter what experiences you have in life if you are inspired to do something and you really push yourself, you can achieve anything.

Therefore lets use these Olympics to inspire ourselves, set high standards and achieve goals we always dreamed of. Lets not let the slogan be said in vain and instead embrace it to the fullest and always remember the triumphant spirit of the London 2012 Olympic Games!

Inspirational positive quotes

Right so today I thought I would post some inspirational quotes for those of you who need a little boost. I know that certainly reading these sometimes helps me to start my day on a more positive note. 

"The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend youf life running up and down the field and never score." - Bill Copeland

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” - Milton Berle

"Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today." - Benjamin Franklin

”Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” - Mark Twain

“People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” - Apple Computers

”Remember that happiness is a way of travel, not a destination.” - Roy Goodman

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” - Abraham Lincoln

 “Don’t go through life, grow through life.” - Eric Butterworth

“Positive anything is better than negative thinking.” - Elbert Hubbard

 “Don’t let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was.” - Richard L. Evans

 ”A mind is like a parachute, it doesn’t work if it isn’t open.” - Frank Zappa 

 “If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up.” - J.M. Power

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”- Robert Brault

 “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”- Albert Einstein

"The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be" – Marcel Pagnol

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" – Lao Tzu.

Health, Wealth and Well-being!: Fruit Lollies for hot days.

Health, Wealth and Well-being!: Fruit Lollies for hot days.:

Fruit Lollies for hot days.

Okay so today its what we Londoners would like to call hot ( which means around 80F or 26 C) and no we are not wimps, its just that going from 60 to 80 overnight is a big jump and hard to get used to.

Anyway, do you find that when its hot its harder to eat much. In fact I always find I lose weight whenever I travel to a hot climate, but I feel weak and tired and don't have a great deal of energy. So I created a recipe for a cooling ice lollipop that keeps me hydrated, cool and full of energy. Try it out and tell me what you think.

16 ounces of pressed apple juice
1 ounce of cold water
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
sugar or sweetener to taste
Slices of fresh fruit.

Directions: Stir all of the liquid ingredients well and add in the fresh fruit slices. Mix and then pour or spoon into ice lolly containers. Freeze and then once frozen - enjoy this wonderful treat.

Sometimes I also add in powdered multivitamins or I will substitute the apple juice with fresh fruit yogurt.

Royal Parks Half Marathon

So I find that I am constantly trying to find new ways to get fit, but the one I seem to always come back to is running. Ahh my good and trustworthy friend. Its the only way that costs no money and always leaves me feeling great afterwards. So in tribute to my old friend I have decided to run the Royal Parks London Half Marathon and raise money for Tommy's.

The problem:  Training for a half marathon with 2 young kids and full time job.

The solution: I am often reminding myself that by running not only am I doing myself a world of good, but I am setting a great example for my kids. Therefore, although I may not have been able to put in hours and hours of great training I am still doing something that will be a positive step in not only my life, but my children's life as well. So the solution is to stay positive and keep on going, don't look back, you will not regret it.

Good night folks, 6:00 am run in the morning!

P90X

Okay so who has heard of P90X, pretty much everyone right and if you haven't its time you did. Its basically this amazing work out video that literally kicks your @**! No joke. I know what your thinking, another workout video, but just try this one, its incredibly motivating. I have a large group of friends who twice a week after work got together to do this and trust me they are now in amazing shape. Has anyone else out there used it before and have a before and after story to share?