WE DID IT!!! 2 whole weeks without sugar (PLUS tummy after shots)

Pretty good effort if I do say so myself :-))))) the no sugar thing.... Here are my before and after tummy pics.....do you think it made a difference? Just a little, I reckon.

a. Front view day 3 b. Front view day 15 c. Side view day 3 d. Side view day 15 

Kids back at school this week, Noah today and Oscar at Kinda tomorrow. It's been a busy couple of weeks including paint making today.... you can find it on my Pinterest under the kids board.

1. Foam art 2. baking 3. UNO card game 4. face painting by yours truly :-)

1. Pour 1 cup flour, salt & water into bowl 2. Mix until smooth 3. Add some colour 4. Paint away!!

Breakfast
yogurt with fruit

Pre work out drink


Workout today was my 50/10 circuit and seriously I struggled with the reverse crunches but managed to do my interval training 60/30 x 10 combination of heel, knee kicks and star jumps!!!

This is week 4 of the Fit Yummy Mummy 6 week Summer Transformation Challenge (it's Winter here in Australia) so I am really proud of myself for sticking to a personal goal of no sugar and never missing a workout. YAY! for me!

Post work out drink/green smoothie
scoop of vanilla protein powder, 1 banana with 1/2 cup of spinach and 300ml water

Lunch
Smoked salmon, egg, tomato and spinach salad served with olive oil, vinaigrette S&P

Afternoon snack
Frittata slices and wholemeal brown rice crackers with hummus

Dinner
Minestrone soup

I always make a different recipe each time. It all depends on what I have but it always has the staple ingredients. This was my version tonight...

1. dice vegetables 2. drizzle olive oil & saute vegetables 3. clean & rinse soup beans mix 4. simmer away

Ingredients
1 smoked hock
olive oil
1 onion
3 celery sticks
2 zucchini's AKA courgette
4 carrots
1 broccoli
1 tsp paprika
3 bay leaves
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
2 litres of home made chicken stock
handful of basil leaves
bunch of spinach
extra water
lemon juice
wholewheat macaroni pasta

Method
Dice and saute all veggies ( I typically cut close around the green zucchini skin and leave the inside for later with the broccoli). Wash beans thoroughly (I soaked mine overnight) and throw away any odd looking ones! Add paprika and continue to stir, 10 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves and hock allow to boil, then gently simmer.

I left my pot to simmer until we came back from school pick up approx. 2hrs. The meat just fell apart. Such a tasty dish!

Before serving add spinach, basil and I squeezed half a lemon for some zing!!!!

NB: I typically rinse the smoked hock (remember a post where I mentioned, my Mother told me to do that?). Well her story is, they smoked a lot of their meat back in the Serbian village days, so she knows that dark soot isn't what you should be tasting. That black carbonaceous substance is impure. I only cook this dish a few times over winter as I typically avoid all this kinda stuff that leads to cancer etc...

I hope you are all well as are we and I look forward to touching base with you again tomorrow XxDani

BTW anything exciting happening this week you'd like to share? Adrian AKA the love of my life, is taking me to the movies Gold Class style (for my overseas peeps, this is where you have those recliner chairs and eat dinner and have drinks while watching the movies) this Thursday night to watch Ted. I can't wait!!! I've heard it is H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S

Day 4 - no sugar

NO SUGAR

Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing sensational. Yes to all those participating on this sugar free challenge and those just stopping by ;-) How are you? Leave me your comments, I would love to hear from you.

I have woken up with the sorest RHS tonsil and ear. Will go to the docs as I think they are truly infected!!! ANYWAYS enough about my pain.....

My day today will be filled with glorious domestic bliss, I have 4 lovely loads of washing to fold and more washing and drying as I type ;-) followed by a school holiday catch up with a combined group of new friends, Noah's primary school and Oscar's 4yo Kinda friends at 2pm. Really looking forward to it. In fact I have strawberry muffins with no sugar baking in the oven as I type. We do not want to get tempted by the lollies and other sweet stuff that these party play house centres have...WORK THE PLAN and then THE PLAN WORKS for you.

So my plan of attack is....day of rest no actual workout (besides this tonsil/ear pain has completely drained all my energy!!!) however as I am on my feet all day, I feel that I am moving my body and not just sitting behind a computer like I did back in my "paid" working days ;-)

Breakfast
Bircher muesli (love the stuff, already pre made for me!)

Morning snack
Yogurt with fruit salad

Lunch
TBA as my throat is so sore when I swallow

Afternoon snack
Green smoothie (spinach, yogurt, protein powder, banana & chia seeds) I'll whip this up before we head out to our school holiday catch up.
Tea at the play centre of coffee and possibly a bite off my kids strawbs muffin ;-)

Dinner
Pumpkin soup

Picture 1 peel & roast pumpkin Picture 2 fry onions with spices & fresh ginger
Picture 3 Add roasted pumpkin & stir Picture 4 Add chicken stock and allow to boil 

This was a super quick version of my pumpkin soup tonight, I'm sure you have your favourite spin. I typically just throw in whatever I have in the pantry. Tonight I put Moroccan spices eg: cumin, coriander etc... along with turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg with freshly grated ginger. DE-JOUR!!!!!

How did you go without sugar 4 days in a row? Also would love your feedback with my pictures especially the body ones, too much? I recall someone saying I was very brave to post my body pics like that, or referred to me as a proud person. I really just want to keep things real and tell the honest truth of the journey I have had when it comes to body transformation after having 4 kids. Hopefully it will give some women hope that they can get their body back after having babies. My goal is to show it in a healthy & fit way!

Have a superb, fun-tastic and sensational day!!!! Hang on let me just double check which pill I just popped, this sounds like one of my happy pills ;-)))))) ha ha ha NAH! THAT'S JUST HOW I ROLL XXX

Day 3 - no sugar (includes tummy shot)

GOOD MORNING MY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE. How are you on this sun shining day??? It's winter here in Australia for those that are enjoying the beautiful summer time your part of the world ~ excluding my Sth African friends ;-) My Mum went to Serbia last week as she chases the heat for her chronic arthritis which she has suffered most of her life, so she is enjoying the massive heat wave they're having in Europe.

Okay so how are we all doing? Yes you! Fruits of life crew Celeste ~ how was bootcamp this morning, Tel, Shaboo ~ how are those walks along the beach going? Anita ~ checking your labels today? Kia ~ hope your neck is ok today Music Monkeys, Navita and Jana....hope I haven't missed anyone? Oh yes can't forget my darling children Noah, Oscar and Mietta. They are seriously freaking me out with this no sugar stuff and being so determined to support me all the way!!! I love them to death!!

What about my sugar-less babes Kelly ~ how's the toilet training coming along ;-P Jess and Michael ~ did M end up drinking the lemon cordial? Nicole, Sheri ~ good luck with your new FB page, Michelle ~ hows my fav vegetarian/slowly eating meat girlfriend??? Karen and Kathy from FYM land ~ I'll be there soon xxx

It's been pretty good here I must say. As long as I am creative with the smoothies, jams (no cane sugar) and various fruits the kids and I don't seem to miss it much. It's more the sugar that's loaded in general foods like our tomato sauce AKA ketchup, flavoured tin tuna cans, breakfast cereals etc....

Drop me a line to let me know how you are going.

So far I did my Transformation Challenge Kit workout and it got my blood pumping. Seriously how does a back step lunge with a kick give you so much perspiration??? Then I had my post workout drink and breaky as Adrian had to go to work and I planned for my 15 minute interval training when the kids had their mid morning bath! You gotta be creative when managing 4 kids under 6 years over the school holidays to fit in your workout. I can find a million excuses not to work out but that old Dani has long gone now....

Breakfast
Home made bircher muesli (simply soak oats overnight with grated rind of lemon/oranges, I squeezed the juice as well) cinnamon, seeds of any kind, sultanas and any extra milk if required)

Morning snack
Mandarin with almond

Lunch
Chicken & vegetable pasta (wholemeal) soup and kids had English muffins toasted with Vegemite and
the others with jam. Yes they're still sticking to their no sugar challenge as this is fruit (which is allowed) and has no added cane sugar!!!!

Afternoon snack
Cherries with yogurt

Dinner
TBA either pumpkin soup or tuna, spinach, olive, feta and sundried tomato concoction :-)))

I'll be back to post my tummy shots (even though its already day 3). I just want to see if there is a difference eliminating sugar in my day to day meals?

Off to our a general wear and tear Chiro visit and play in the park with the kids this afternoon xxxDani


* * * * UPDATE * * * *


Okay I am back!!! Had an unexpected play date/visit at my cousins (Adrian's side of the family) after our chiropractor check up this afternoon. Came home at 6pm so whipped up dinner in 15 minutes!!
All good at the Chiro although my back was twisted on my lower disc & muscle pinching the nerve blah! blah! (hence the bad lower back pain last week and no run as I thought it may have been the high impact). The DR said it shouldn't stop me from running and suggested I top up on magnesium which will also help me with my stitch next time I run ;-)))) I had to tell her about that, she laughed as I showed her how I ran with my hand held to the side and the other arm straight up in the air!!! Classic!!

Okay....remember how I said dinner was either going to be pumpkin soup or something spinachy, feta-ish etc....well this is what I had in the fridge (sliced mushrooms, eggs, spinach, tomato, feta & eggs). So what did I make that was quick and easy and very appealing for my family?

An omelete pizza ;-))) AKA frittata

Simply fry up bacon, mushrooms and spinach. Mix eggs, feta and chopped tomato. Pour into bacon mix once brown and allow base to cook. Then place under the griller. All these ingredients are under $10 so it's a pretty affordable and nutritional meal for a family of 6!!!

Oh yes, just wanted to compare what my tummy will look like post the 2 week "sugar free" challenge. I know it's Day 3 already but it will be interesting to see the changes.

4 July 2012 day 3 sugar free challenge ~ front

4 July 2012 day 3 sugar free challenge ~ side

Sorry if I offend anyone with all my body pics but I thought I would show real life pictures rather than airbrush or magazine cover girls.

Let me know if that's ok with you? To share my pics or not to share? That is the question.....