A NEW EATING PATTERN

Photo source

 Wow! This just sums up how life should be. Free. Adventurous. Simple.

Yesterday I went to see a Minister at my church regarding a reference for my job application. I have met him in passing and know him to have a brief chat to.

My Church

It all went very well. He was aware of some of the things I do, so that made it easier. I feel very positive- not necessarily that I will get my old job - but positive that something is going to turn up.

This morning I took Jasper for a walk again. It was lovely walking in the sunshine. I spotted a pretty camellia tree.

Camellia tree

Camellia

I have changed my eating patterns again after reading The China Study by Campbell and Campbell.

 

This book was very compelling, citing numerous studies. The conclusion it reached was that a plant based diet is most healthy. So I am going to try a plant based diet. I am not going completely vegan. If I am out somewhere I will eat what is available. Every Wednesday night I have dinner at my mother's and have fish which I love so I am not changing that. But at home I have changed to soy bean milk, and dairy free margarine. I am also trying not to consume foods which have more than 3 grams of sugar per 100 grams. This was based on the I Quit Sugar book by Sarah Wilson.

Some of this is different of course to the Primal  Diet which is based on animal protein. I tried this last year. I am looking for a way of eating healthily where I can lose some weight and not be hungry.

I have bought a book which looks useful - The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions by Celine Steen and  Joni Marie Newman

It has a lot of interesting substitutions such as Basic Tofu Sour Cream  and Basic Homemade Sorta Yoghurt. I shall be interested to see how these work.

Of course, buying a book means getting rid of two books so I have chosen the following:

Both these books are over 20 years old - published before broccoli and blueberries were reputed to be super-foods. These were amongst the books I culled from my recipe books during my  tidy up a few days ago. As you can see I have been researching food and diets for a long time. I never give up hope. One day I am going to find the right diet for me - healthy and not hungry.

Interesting sites

1.

Photo source

 Half the world lives in houses made of earth. Click here to read more


2.

Photo source

 Click here to find out more about punch-hole clouds.

3.

Photo spource

 Click here to see some really incredible hanging hotel pools.

A WET DAY

 Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it will elude you. But turn your attention to other things, it comes and softly sits on your shoulder.  

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Sometimes I stop and think, "Yes I am happy this moment." 

Sometimes it is at times when I am not especially looking for happiness.

It is usually in quiet moments that I feel happiest.

 

Backyard trail

It has been very wet today but I ventured down into my backyard. 'Ventured' is the word. Many of the paths are overgrown and slippery and I was definitely expecting leeches.

I stayed on the top level of my yard and took some random photos in the rain.

The first is the view down the back to the old cubby house.

Cubby house

Below is a view down to the back of the yard. There is a drop of rain on the lens.

View to back of yard

The rain made the leaves very green and glossy.

Plants in back yard

This tree trunk is covered in syngonium or butterfly plant.

Syngonium growing up tree

These wet Lilly Pilly blossoms below are still beautiful.

Wet Lilly Pilly flowers

Food

My brother G was listening to the radio and heard an interesting discussion by Sarah Wilson about types of sugar in our diets. He bought and printed off the eBook for me.

It seems that fructose is the villain - even in Balsamic vinegar which I am very fond of. And many skim products are higher in sugar than regular products. The book was very interesting and I intend to give it a try, as soon as I stock up on some cider vinegar and full cream milk. It is very similar to the Primal Diet but not as restrictive. One day soon I am going to hit on the right combination of foods, where I can lose some weight and not be starving and have a headache. I am too busy to have a headache.






Interesting sites

1.

Photo:Let me be inspired

Click here to visit an interesting house in Brazil


2.

Photo:Cuded

 Click here to see some cute illustrations by Nabhan Abdullatif.

3.

Photo:Reuters

 London zoo has a stock-take of over 16 000 animals. Click here  to see some great animal photos.

CHINA STUDY

 Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.

Henry Van Dyke

Just for a laugh

Photo credit

    



                       
Reading

I am currently reading The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell, PhD and  Thomas M. Campbell II, MD. I have seen this advertised and promoted on TV and on the internet. It is about nutrition. On the front cover it suggests that it has 'startling implications for diet, weight loss and long-term health.'

I am always reading about diets. I am on the ultimate quest to lose some weight without too much pain.The tricks that worked when I was younger just don't seem to work any more. I just want to lose some weight without feeling tired or having a headache. It doesn't have to be rapid. Just a nice little eating plan that keeps me trim and feeling good or at least not feeling bad. I currently stick to a routine that is pretty healthy - virtually no bread, cereal, pasta, ice-cream, cakes, lollies, dairy. Nothing fried. Everything low fat. What is left you might ask? Not a lot.

I am only a short way through the China Study (page 63 out of 417 pages) and am anxious not to misquote any body, but so far it is pointing to plant based protein as being the best. I  am already eating nuts and lentils and drinking soy milk, but I am having some tuna and occasionally other lean meat. I have quite a lot of fruit and vegetables, although the last book I read, and must re-read,  The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferris, suggests fruit should be avoided. So I gave up eating frozen blueberries and yoghurt which I had really enjoyed.

Some of you may be wondering what happened to the Primal Diet  I was trying. Well basically I am still on it. Except I have stayed on low fat foods.But I have added lentils and soy bean milk. I did this as a result of reading the 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferris. This book also suggested having one day a week where you eat anything you like, so I make this Wednesday when my mother cooks me dinner. I have also stopped eating eggs because I couldn't face them any more.

And how is all this dieting and self deprivation going? Well I haven't put on any weight. According to my clothes I may have lost a little and to do this over the holidays isn't too bad. Once school goes back next week and I am in more of a routine I will find it easier.

And exercise? My daughter R and grand-dog Jasper and I, are walking again in the afternoons.

Walking with Jasper

Interesting sites

1.

Photo: Inhabitat

This sparkling snow church rises in Germany each year. Click here to read about it.

2.

Photo:Kelly Clark

  Click here to see some more watercolour pictures of birds by Kelly clark.

3.

Photo: DIY Tiny House

Click here to see a video of a tiny house built for under $3 500. You will need to scroll down the page to the video.

BOAT AND PELICANS

 God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

  Serenity Prayer

The days are flying by. I have tried to make my holidays as full as possible, but possibly as a result have not done as much around the house and the yard as I had planned.

I have begun taking the Christmas decorations down and am looking forward to New Year's Eve.

In 2010 my main achievements were spending 4 weeks in London; buying my daughter R a car; and buying a caravan with P:-). In 2011 I feel I have made an achievement different in nature from the year before but still important. Starting my blog was my achievement for 2011.  By the end of 2012 I want to be fit and healthy - or at least fitter and healthier - and I will be happy if that is my achievement for 2012.

I have read very widely on the topic, but have to remember my age. A couple of years ago I bought a Zumba Fitness Kit and that was the beginning of my knee troubles. I think I was just too old. I think I will have to make a more gentle approach.

I am currently reading The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferris, which has a lot of interesting ideas in it, backed up by scientific studies. The problem is that Ferris stated that you can't change something if you can't measure it, and I am not particularly interested in measuring anything  as far as my body is concerned. I certainly don't want to measure my weight. I am thinking I could measure my various body parts with bits of string and then just measure the decrease. I shall have to give this some thought.

If you are wondering what happened to the Primal Diet - well nothing really. I am still sort of half on it but I never quite got my afternoons organized. I was all right on a handful of nuts until around 2 o'clock, when I became extremely hungry and found having portable protein was not always easy. The 4-Hour Body seems to be very similar to the Primal Diet except that legumes and beans are allowed, which will make life much easier.

Out in the boat

Today P:-) and I decided to take the boat out. We haven't taken it out for quite a while and we just wanted to check everything before we go to Davistown on Sunday. Lake Illawarra was quite rough so we really couldn't go out past the area protected by the breakwater.

 

 

Everything checked out OK, and a couple of photogenic pelicans added some interest.


Interesting sites

1.

 This beautiful house just opens up and opens up. Click here to read about it.

2.

This strange building is the Tusen Restaurant in Sweden. Click here to see more of it.

3.

This structure above is for a projected sea-tree with levels for different habitats and animals. It looks very interesting. Click here to read more.

SUNNY SATURDAY

It was a lovely weekend with lovely sunny days. I took this picture on Saturday morning out of my lounge-room window, beautifully cleaned to sparkling by P:-).

Sadly this is not my yard. It belongs to my next door neighbour. Daughter R bought me the blown glass decoration several years ago for Mothers' Day.

P:-) and I spent Saturday afternoon visiting the house of his daughter M and son-in-law B. It is about 20 minutes away from Wollongong - half way up the expressway towards Sydney.

 

M and B's house is a coal miners cottage in Helensburgh. It is about 100 years old.

 

It is a cute little cottage, which M and B virtually gutted before starting renovations.

 

They are gradually replacing the walls and the floors. 

There is a big backyard which needs a lot of work but M and B have great plans for it. Part of it will be taken up with house extensions. In the centre of the yard is a tree covered in blossoms which we are guessing is peach, but it will be interesting to see which fruit eventuates.

On the way home P:-) and I bought lattes and sipped them in Helensburgh Park as the sun set.

 

For dinner we had tuna bake. Unfortunately pasta is not part of the Primal Diet . Cauliflower made a great substitute. I cut the cauliflower into small pieces and blanched it before mixing it with the tuna and sauce and baking it in the oven. I think the key is not to over cook the cauliflower. I used a commercial sauce - Leggo's spinach and garlic tuna bake, which is very tasty, but plan to make it from scratch next time.

Finally, I have just read an article entitled  You Must Resist the Urge to Quit. I found it quite inspiring. Sometimes things just seem so overwhelming. This article gives 6 tips on what to do when you feel like giving up. Hopefully, you may never feel this way, but if you do this article may be worth reading.