Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 26

Yay Saturday!

Early start off to the gym to help with relocating the gym to Petone to a bigger place!  Firstly on coffee duty with Faye to Shine Cafe in the Hutt.  Never knew this cafe existed!   Looked pretty good - will be going back to try their food! Coffee was also pretty good :)

Helped with moving then unloading and putting stuff where it belongs.

Breakfast was the last of the first breakfast slice - all good :)

Lunch was a couple of rashers of bacon and eggs - yum!

Dinner was out with friends - Indian - not paleo exactly but did my best - had only water, but some onion bhaji, lamb, and chicken for entrees.

For mains we shared curries - I had only the curries with limited sauce (unfortunately I could taste the sweet sugar in a couple of them) and no naan or rice.  What was good was that while the others were stuffed afterwards - I was just content.  Like I said not perfect, but Im not going to be one of those people who don't go to see their friends for dinner because they can't have the food.  Im just not like that sorry!

A lovely herbal tea and some taboo pictionary with friends afterwards.  Good catch up!

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 13

owwww!  My arms ache!  Muscles are achy everywhere - must have definitely done a decent workout yesterday.

A bit of a lazy morning today - lovely day too. 

Breakfast was free range bacon and eggs - yum!  With a plunger black coffee - Cafe L'affaire - good coffee.

One of my favourite things is going to the hair salon - and today couldn't come soon enough.  I always find it relaxing. getting to read all the mags and doing very little for a couple of hours.  Plus on the bonus side - always come out looking better than I go in.  Also today - got compliments on my ankles - weird, but I took the compliment :)

Lunch was a Thai Beef Salad and water at The Empire - It is my favourite dish there, and once again did not fail to impress!

Dinner was Steak and salad - same as last night but oh so good.

Had some blueberries and almonds for snacks - no bananas :)

Lots of water, some coffee and some herbal tea for drinks.  All good.

A fairly quiet day on my front - but was nice - actually watched some tv and DVD's - don't get to do it that often!

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 10

My last full day in Dunedin with the family before I return to Wellington to my other family :)  The visit seems to have gone quickly but I also miss my husband and fur-babies, and my so called 'normal' life.  

Today involved a lot of socialising and eating out.  It's tough, but someone has to do it.

I always look forward to catching up with my friend Julie and her girls - Charlotte and Madeline with Frances.  Today another school friend Rachael also joined- so was good times.  I first met Julie when I was at Uni doing my Anthropology degree and her, Frances and I did a couple of papers together, then also graduated with out BA's together as well :)  I have seen her daughters grow up.  Madeline now 14 was only a baby when I first met her, and Charlotte now 16 was only 2!  While that is very cool - I'm starting to feel old! :)

Anyway - met for Brunch at Starfish in St Clair right beside the Esplanade - on a truly beautiful Summers morning - absolutely stunning!

I started today's food with a Thai Beef Salad - nothing on the breakfast menu appealed - either too much bread, too bigger meals or things I can't digest like pancakes.  It - along with the now common long black were delicious!

A lot of catch ups and comments on how much I have changed since I last saw Julie and the girls 9 months ago.  I suppose it is true - I just am with myself everyday so don't see it much.  It was lovely and slowly Im learning to take compliments.  Amusing compliments included:  

Your boobs look bigger and more pointy (he he he).  

You sit more flatter than you used to - you used to be rounder.  

Your eyes have opened up a lot more - those eyelashes need some mascara now :)

You have collar bones now (I think I always have just quietly - just more hidden)

Look at your feet - they have shrunk too!

Your face is way more narrow than it used to be.

I found some older photos of me and Frances with the girls - just for comparison (and I know Julie you read the blog so just to see how we have all changed through the last few years)

 2006

 2006

 2007

 2007

2007

 Mid 2010 

April 2011 - Post-op

 January 2012 - Post Op

And a few other photos.....

 Me and Rachael 

 Otis enjoying his fluffy!

Also caught up with little bro and his girlfriend again - and had lunch consisting of smoked salmon on a salad with a kumara cake - quite nice, but kumara cake a little dry so took that one slowly with a sauce they had on it (not creamy) - didn't get a pic - would have explained it better - plus water and a long black (of course) - pretty good.

From there a little shopping then home to spend time with the parents.  A lovely salmon dinner was had (salmon - twice in one day - score!)  The salmon was grilled with lemon and lime on it and serve with salad - soooo good!

Had a few walnuts for a snack but that was my food - lots of yummy things - can tell Im still on holiday!

Exercise - none - too much else to do today.

Whole9 30 Day Challenge Day 9

A beautiful sunny day in Dunedin today - Summer may be back hopefully for a bit longer than previous stinks over the last month.

Customhouse Quay with the cafe to the right.

I took Mum and Dad out to their favourite restaurant/cafe for brunch today.  I do find with all the catch ups that I do when I visit - eating out definitely increases!

Ma and Pa :)

Another long black - not bad, but not my fave.  I'm finding with this challenge I am definitely drinking more water - that has to be good right? I may even be getting properly hydrated now as Im pretty sure before I was not. 

For brunch - I got squid with pepper and other herbs and spics on it and salad - see below.  YUM!  Truly some of the best squid I have tasted and completely Whole9 OK!  

A great time was had by all - a good way to spend time with the parents.  From there, I caught up with my bestie, and we hit the shops sans children.  Again a fabulous time by all and we both got some fabulous bargains!  I seem to definitely be a 2XL now and it might not be too long until I'm in size 18 jeans (all NZ sizing).  Also interesting being with my friends and listening to others in the changing rooms is not matter what size we are - even if petite or what others consider 10/10, there seems to always be something we want to change.

With this way of eating - no bloatedness, and everyday feeling more energetic and alive.  It surprises me constantly how much food plays a part in how we feel and that some of the things we have for treats (or used to pre-band) are actually poison to us and make us feel blah.

Anyway - found another cafe and another long black - this was done on recommendation from a fellow Dunedin coffee drinker - called Modaks - and it did not fail.  Awesome.  And their long black had a twist!
Served with it was a small piece of lemon rind - the purpose you may ask?  To neutralise some of the bitterness of the coffee - GENIUS!  And of course for me being a Science teacher - I said ooohhh a brilliant Acid/Base reaction - I am a geek ;). But it worked a treat!

Random humping dinosaurs on the coffee table

Lots of shopping led to dinner - another Turkish meal (third one down here) - but again very good and this time being a different place the chicken was very tender and moist and super easy to eat.  We had a mixed grill. I left the pasta, tabouli, pita, and sauces but ate the salad and meat.  Yum!  Finished off with Turkish Apple tea :)

So the food has pretty much been summed up - I had a banana and a plum first thing, and some raw nuts as a bit of a snack.

Drinks - coffee and water

Exercise - walked the dog around the quay, and hit the pavement for a couple of hours while shopping - not hard core at all - but something.