I've changed blogs

http://time2start.wordpress.com/

Tweaking the Carb, Protein, Fat ratios

When I do it, I use http://www.sparkpeople.com/ to track my food intake. I am vegetarian (verging on vegan) and very "anti-Atkins" in my approach to food. Loads of fruit and veg and whole foods. Only problem is with portion sizes! (and chocolate if I let it!) The Spark thingy is quite a good tool. Only problem was that with my style of eating I was always over with the carbs and under with the protein and fat. So it was really only of use for tracking calories. Then I read it properly(!) and realised I could tweak the ratios to that more akin to "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell recommendations. Now I've got a more accurate plan to work towards, helps me see if I am eating the way I feel is right for me. I'm ever so pleased.

Ooops! Where are the chocolate biscuits??

Thought I'd resurrect a long unused recipe. Spiced fruity bran buns. Easy-peasy recipe .

• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup tea (I use green tea, but any sort would do) if you prefer you can use milk instead. (Next time I might try soya milk so it'll still be dairy free.)
• 1 cup all-bran cereal
• half cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice

Put that lot in a bowl and stir then leave til squidgey. (15 minutes or so)

• Add 1 cup self raising wholemeal flour. Mix thoroughly. Spoon into greased muffin tins or silicone cake cases (easier as you don't have to grease them) Bake medium oven til cooked. (15 minutes or so)

Great, tasty and pretty healthy.

Unless of course you put them in the oven and forget about them - like I did yesterday. Came back into the kitchen after around 40 minutes and the place was filling up with spicey smoke. How I didn't smell it and how the smoke alarm didn't go off I don't know. But not only were the buns like canon balls - my dinky-brightly-coloured silicone cake cases were all discoloured. Though they kept their shape amazingly. Better luck next time... Where are the chocolate biscuits??

Edit Sunday 31st May 2008

Tried again using soya milk instead of green tea

(it needs to soak for a bit longer before you add the flour)

More importantly - kitchen timer at the ready!!

Here's the result:-

Yummy, even though I say so myself!

The forest trail again

Having had a successful ride in the forest earlier in the week, we decided to go again today. It was marvellous, this is the life!! Disturbed a deer grazing at the side of the path. It very obligingly stood just long enough for us to get a photo.

Hubby saw a fox running across our path. I didn't, as I'm not yet at the stage of looking too far ahead of me! And it was way too fast to photograph!

Don't know how far we went - probably only around 6 or 7 miles maybe - but still a fair distance for me! I do feel myself gaining confidence and (a little) ability each outing we have and am enjoying it so much more than I imagined I would.

Here's our bikes at the start of the trail.

Let's hope it's not raining tomorrow...

and again....

Wednesday off we went again. This time round the back lanes. It was very quiet, just one or two cars and they all slowed down for us. Marvellous. Tootled along quite the thing. The lanes are fairly hilly, but I managed not too badly.Couple of sections walking but that was all. Came back, puggled but pleased as punch, 8 miles or so later. Pulled up in the drive and promptly toppled sideways. Luckily plenty padding and gentle fall so no bruises or worse! Still smiling! Thursday planned to go out, but things went wayward and ran out of time, so Friday we headed off round the lanes again, same route. This time, however, the maniac drivers were out in force and that unsettled me. I have a problem slowing, stopping and getting off. Wee legs, higher saddle, need to practise. So the cars passing really give me the spooks and make me realise I need to get better quick. BUT I managed to cycle all the way, the hills didn't defeat me. So it was a pretty successful week. Next time out though I think we should go to the forest trail again!

Small achievement - big grin!

It was a very silly time to start cycling with the onset of winter weather, my feardie-cat nature & my complete lack of skills and fitness (any excuse really!). So apart from a few 3 or 4-mile rides round the back lanes (an achievement in itself - for me!) have done next to nothing over the winter. Then this week the weather changed dramatically and it was time to start… Tuesday past, we loaded the bikes on the trailer & set off for a forest trail just north of where we stay. Was super-brave & raised my saddle - as many on the marvellous bikeforum.net and my husband had suggested. What a difference, not as scary as I thought, until it’s time to stop, (but that’s another story - please tell me someone else was once as hopeless…?!) The track was wide (thankfully) & dry but loose & gravelly. That was OK, but the thing that got me was the hills (little inclines most people would probably sail up). It really sunk in that I should have worked more on my fitness & weight-loss over the winter. It was hard going at times – had to get off a time or two and walk (particularly when I’d made a mess of my gear changing, very much the beginner) but I felt less of an eejit than I thought! We managed about five miles, but this time last year that would have been beyond my wildest imaginings. More soon...

A woman of leisure now that's me...

I've quit my work and I'm happy as can be!

The job itself was much the same as it's always been - it demanded lots of patience, dealing with the public - but I could deal with that, in fact I enjoyed that. My colleagues were more like comrades, we're all in it together, fighting the good fight, trying to give our long-suffering customers the best possible service. BUT the management wouldn't know valuable staff members if they trod on them, and they frequently did!

So I've had enough hassle and I'm out of it now. A huge weight has lifted from my shoulders. Now I need to try and shift a huge weight from elsewhere on my person!!

I've been a bit preoccupied with leaving work, turning 50 and trying to work out economising strategies (even after nearly 30 years in the job the pension at 50 isn't that much!) that all else has been sidelined. The eliptical machine is dustier than it should be, and the bikes are similarly gathering stoor in the garage. I'm hoping that getting back to blogging, traineo-ing and bike forum-ing will spark me into action! The fridge is full of healthy food just waiting for me to turn it into healthy meals for me and hubby. It's soup-and-hearty-stew weather just now, so that's the plan...

Seven moggies snuggling...

As promised - some of our moggies! Proof that it's nonsense when people say cats don't get on with one another in large groups.

No longer approaching 50........ I have arrived!

Well it's been and gone, my 50th birthday, and I have to say I don't feel any different, but (and it's a BIG BUT) it enables me do things I couldn't before. I can take early retirement from my work and concentrate on living The Good Life and that is a BIG THING!

Things at work have been so grim this last 9 months or so (someday I will tell all I promise!) and whereas before I always thought I'd retire as soon as possible IF we could afford it, things have become so overwhelming there that I'm leaving whether we can afford it or not.

I've worked there for almost 30 years so will have a pension (of sorts) and if needs be I could get a part time job nearer home - I'm sure I'm still employable! If we cut our cloth a bit and tighten our belts (hopefully!!) we should be OK. We don't live an extravagant life style, so as long as we can pay the household and vet bills we'll be fine - she says optimistically!

I'm looking forward to....

• Having more time to spend with hubby without having to worry about work.

• Having the time and motivation to cook from scratch (healthy veggy soups, etc)

• Get fitter for, and with, the cycling.

• Also having time to indulge in hobbies and things that need doing round the house

• and last but certainly not least - have more time with our moggies....

(Looks a bit like our cats only not the right colour combinations and they wouldn't stand in lines!!?) Must input a photo of them next time.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wishing everyone a peaceful, healthy and happy 2008.

Glad to say the dastardly bug has gone and I feel more "normal". Weirdest thing not wanting to eat for days!! Not sure that's ever happened to me before in my (almost) fifty years. Was blaming it on gluttony, but there is a bug doing the rounds here, so I suppose it's not altogether my fault. Hubby and I were both were ill, though thankfully not at the same time, so were able to look after one another.

So, New Year, New Me? We'll see....

PS Hubby used the elliptical today for the first time - must go and try to keep up!!