A long day driving today we did not get much walking done, Reg still wore his pedometer. I tried to make every driver break work to the maximum by doing press-ups over the car bumper and jogging around the car. This worked in keeping me feeling fresh. 

I tried to use my driving time to do seated pelvic floor and abdominal muscle exercises, I m sure these are working :-).

Aside from a healthy pre packed breakfast and lunch, I drank lots of water, nibbled 10 almonds x twice a day as my snacks, stopped and bought a low fat large coffee once to 'freshen me up'.
 
Knowing I would most likely be tired when I arrived and tempted to grab something, anything, rather than eat well, I preprepared and I had ratatouille, already cooked, waiting to add some fresh green beans too, heat and serve with slivered pepper cheese and a dollop of low fat, unsweetened yogurt.  Dinner was delicious and fast. J

I am in the Marlborough Hoteltonight and using the hotel lounge as an office with my own wireless internet and paying them $2. for the electricity and $5. a person to park the caravan around the back . Good old-fashioned country pub hospitality J

These are the situations where it would be great to have a small notebook computer like an Acer Aspire, that you could just pull out of your handbag and use wherever you found yourself.  i got Reg to help carry the assortment of cords, power boards 2 meter internet antenna (which I needed) and the wireless router and the laptop computer over the lawns in the dark to set up.

I have until 9.30 mp, pub closing time to get all the chatting/blogging done that i want to then I have the treat ahead of me of a huge old-fashioned country pub bathtub and hot bore water  for my first bath for a couple of months.  I will enjoy. J

Tomorrow we drive further north and hope to get near Bowen, by tomorrow night, eager to reach our destination of the Flying Fish Resort.

 

Apples have a pH of 8 or are moderately alkaline. The human blood should be slightly alkaline ( 7.35 - 7.45 ). Unfortunately, the western diet tends to be highly acidic and this in turn is part of why osteoporosis, is seen in increasing numbers in up to 50% of western society women by age 60, due largely to the excess acidity of their diet. Diet drinks with artificial sweeteners are extremely acidic and those high protein low carbohydrate diets pushed by the diet industry are very harmful to the natural healthy pH balance of the human body. It is no wonder, that osteoporosis, is sometimes, called, the ‘dieters disease’.

 Below or above this range means symptoms and disease.  A pH of 7.0 is neutral.  A pH below 7.0 is acidic.  A pH above 7.0 is alkaline.

An acidic pH can occur from, an acid forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen and other nutrients.  The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals.  If the diet does not contain enough minerals to compensate, a build up of acids in the cells will occur.  Calcium which is an alkaline mineral can be drawn out of the bone, into the blood as the body needs calcium available for essential body functions. When you drink a diet coke, you are effectively depleting your bones of calcium and it takes more than consuming more calcium to correct the balance, our need to start by correcting the acid, alkaline balance by eating a healthy balanced diet that included plenty of alkaline forming foods and no excess of acidic food.

An acidic balance will:  decrease the body's ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it's ability to repair damaged cells, decrease it's ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness.  A blood pH of 6.9, which is only slightly acidic, can induce coma and death.

The reason acidosis is more common in our society is mostly due to the typical western diet, which is far too high in acid producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low in alkaline producing foods like fresh vegetables.  Additionally, we eat acid producing processed foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks.  We use too many drugs, which are acid forming; and we use artificial chemical sweeteners like NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet 'N Low, Equal, or Aspartame, which are poison and extremely acid forming.  One of the best things we can do to correct an overly acid body is to clean up the diet and lifestyle.

To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods.  To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.

Generally, alkaline forming foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts.

Generally, acid forming foods include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes.

Shifting Your pH Toward Alkaline...

This chart is for those trying to "adjust" their body pH.  The pH scale is from 0 to 14, with numbers below 7 acidic ( low on oxygen ) and numbers above 7 alkaline.  An acidic body is a sickness magnet.  What you eat and drink will impact where your body's pH level falls.  Balance is Key !!!


This chart provides information that shows the contribution of various food substances to the acidifying of body fluids, and ultimately, to the urine, saliva, and blood. In general, it is important to eat a diet that contains foods from both sides of the chart.

Allergic reactions and other forms of stress tend to produce acids in the body. The presence of high acidity indicates that more of your foods should be selected from the alkalizing group.

The ideal diet for most people, is 75 percent alkalizing and 25 percent acidifying foods..

ALKALIZING FOODS

VEGETABLES
Garlic
Asparagus
Fermented Veggies
Watercress
Beets
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chlorella
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Eggplant
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Dulce
Dandelions
Edible Flowers
Onions
Parsnips (high glycemic)
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Rutabaga
Sea Veggies
Spirulina
Sprouts
Squashes
Alfalfa
Barley Grass
Wheat Grass
Wild Greens
Nightshade Veggies

FRUITS
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana (high glycemic)
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Currants
Dates/Figs
Grapes
Grapefruit
Lime
Honeydew Melon
Nectarine
Orange
Lemon
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
All Berries
Tangerine
Tomato
Tropical Fruits
Watermelon

PROTEIN
Eggs
Whey Protein Powder
Cottage Cheese
Chicken Breast
Yogurt
Almonds
Chestnuts
Tofu (fermented)
Flax Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Tempeh (fermented)
Squash Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Millet
Sprouted Seeds
Nuts

OTHER
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bee Pollen
Lecithin Granules
Probiotic Cultures
Green Juices
Veggies Juices
Fresh Fruit Juice
Organic Milk
(unpasteurized)
Mineral Water
Alkaline Antioxidant Water
Green Tea
Herbal Tea
Dandelion Tea
Ginseng Tea
Banchi Tea
Kombucha

SWEETENERS
Stevia

SPICES/SEASONINGS
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Mustard
Chili Pepper
Sea Salt
Miso
Tamari
All Herbs

ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
Maitake
Daikon
Dandelion Root
Shitake
Kombu
Reishi
Nori
Umeboshi
Wakame
Sea Veggies



 

ACIDIFYING FOODS

FATS & OILS
Avocado Oil
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Flax Oil
Lard
Olive Oil
Safflower Oil
Sesame Oil
Sunflower Oil

FRUITS
Cranberries

GRAINS
Rice Cakes
Wheat Cakes
Amaranth
Barley
Buckwheat
Corn
Oats (rolled)
Quinoi
Rice (all)
Rye
Spelt
Kamut
Wheat
Hemp Seed Flour

DAIRY
Cheese, Cow
Cheese, Goat
Cheese, Processed
Cheese, Sheep
Milk
Butter

NUTS & BUTTERS
Cashews
Brazil Nuts
Peanuts
Peanut Butter
Pecans
Tahini
Walnuts

ANIMAL PROTEIN
Beef
Carp
Clams
Fish
Lamb
Lobster
Mussels
Oyster
Pork
Rabbit
Salmon
Shrimp
Scallops
Tuna
Turkey
Venison

PASTA (WHITE)
Noodles
Macaroni
Spaghetti

OTHER
Distilled Vinegar
Wheat Germ
Potatoes

DRUGS & CHEMICALS
Chemicals
Drugs, Medicinal
Drugs, Psychedelic
Pesticides
Herbicides

ALCOHOL
Beer
Spirits
Hard Liquor
Wine

BEANS & LEGUMES
Black Beans
Chick Peas
Green Peas
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Lima Beans
Pinto Beans
Red Beans
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
White Beans
Rice Milk
Almond Milk
 
http://www.essense-of-life.com/moreinfo/foodcharts.htm 

 I had never heard of Ratatouille, until a month ago when I bought my Michelle Bridges cook book.  It took me three weeks to get around to making the dish as I never liked cooked tomatoes but I now try to serve them regularly as they are recommended as men's health food and I am keen to do the best I can give Reg the best of health through his food.

Being an eclectic cook, I would be prepared to use any vegetables I think would suit, and not follow directions strictly.  I used two onions and two garlic cloves, sautéed in one teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, in  non stick pan. Then I sautéed the diced eggplant, for 5 minutes. I added the remaining chopped vegetables, celery, red capsicum, parsley, zucchini and a 400 gram tin of low salt, no added sugar or fat, chopped tomatoes  and I rinsed the can out with 1/4 cup of water and added that to the mixture.  I brought it to the simmer, turned it down low and left it for an hour, stirred and served a quarter of the stewed vegetable mixture with it's juices, in bowls and served with garlic rubbed toast.

It was unbelievably filling and tasty.  I would prefer it as a side dish as I found the after taste strong.  It would have been perfect with a glass of red wine to wash it down but I am not drinking alcohol now.    It was an easy, one pan dish to cook.

Reg appeared to enjoy it.

From Wikipedia:-
Ratatouille (pronounced /ˌrætəˈtuːiː, ˌrætəˈtwiː/, (rat-a-too-ee); French: [ʁatatuj]) is a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice. The full name of the dish is ratatouille niçoise.

The word ratatouille comes from Occitan ratatolha and the recipe comes from Occitan cuisine. It is also used in French (touiller, also means to toss food). Ratatouille originated in the area around present day Occitan Provença (French: Provence) & Niça (French: Nice, Occitan: Niça); the Catalan "xamfaina" and the Majorcan "tombet" are versions of the same dish

This is my idea of 'Fast food'. :-).

An egg, a mushroom, some greens a 1 second sprey of EVOL and one slice of Lin Soy, Burgen bread, toast.  All my favorites. 

Sometimes I microwave the greens.

Until I joined the Michelle Bridges 12WBT, I used to use 1 teaspoon full of carefully measured out olive oil per person in a pan cook up.  Until I have lost my excess body fat, I will use the spray and save myself a few calories, that way.

A few calories trimmed off my already healthy eating habits in ways I do not even notice in the final taste and satisfaction of the meal, are helping me move out from my weight stall. :-) . 

This isn't in the meal plan of the 12WBT but it is in the spirit of it, being close to the 300 to 350 calories per meal range.   I had a peach  for my morning tea, a little while before I made this lunch.

Yesterday's lunch was even faster. Almonds, walnuts, strawberries and a pear, eaten as 'trail food', during rest breaks between bush walks :-).  All I have to do there, is count and account in calories, for the nuts, not just graze unaware of how much I am eating.  In this respect, it's no different than being aware of how many drinks you have at a party and knowing when you have had enough to satisfy and fulfill my needs, but not enough to do myself any harm as in over consume. As I have always been able to count to two drinks, I surely can, now learn to never exceed a standard meal size of calories, even when it is in a source of easy to graze on easy to over consume, as I have done in the past ` nuts. :-). 

I  know I have gained a lot of self understanding of where I can do a lot better in my weight management, without any loss of enjoyment of my eating pleasure, through my participation in the Michelle Bridges 12WBT.  You could say I am a HUGE FAN :-) as I am of anything I am learning from and knowing I am benefiting from participating in.

Yesterday was my second day ot the 12 week body transformation program I an doing.

This photo was taken alongside our camp.

Today I did part of my fitness assessment.

Instead of doing the 400-meter jog, planned as my 'final burst', for the day I did a timed one-kilometre run.

This was supposed to be timed on a flat surface and done at the same place ever four weeks and I am in the mountains, there is now where flat in Tarra Valley or surroundings, so I took the last timed trial I did as my starting entry level.  I recorded an 8.8 kilometres for 1 kilometre last November, on the flat, pushing myself as hard as I possibly could.

I also did my ‘’how many push ups could I do in one minute test and I disappointed myself by collapsing in a heap after 15 push ups from the knees and 35 seconds

The caravan step and those adjustable weights were my main exercise equipment for day two.

 

100 to 150 calorie Snacks x two, Morning and afternoon tea: 
Morning Snack was:-Fresh summer harvest juicy white flesh, peach and a few seseme seeds and the skim milk powder I add to my morning coffees. 
Afternoon snack, (see photo) was an assorted salad with my favorite measured quantity, Paul Newman, Classic Salad Dressing on it and the skim milk in my afternoon cup of teas.

Contrary to advise for most people, I have the lxury of drinking tea and coffee with my meals to block iron absorption, as I absorb too much iron.

300 to 350 calorie Lunch was 2 slices of toasted Burgen Lin Soy bread. with low fat ricotta cheese topping, carrot, tomate, spring onion, rocket leaf and capsicum, sprinkled with extra sharp parmisan cheese and freshly grated pepper.

300 to 350 Dinner 
Thai Curry at Tarra valley.
It was too hot for my taste, so Reg ate the larger serve of it, I had about 1/3.  Reg he loved it. :-)

Tarra Valley ~ Thai Curry

Brown in a non stick sauspan, 200 gram lean minced meat, carrot, capsicum, onion, add I packet of fresh bean shoots and 1 tin of Valcom authentic Green Curry (Gaeng Keow Wan).

Contents, Cocout extract, Bamboo shoots, Eggplant, Chilli, Shallot, Lemon grass, Garlic, Galangal, Sweet basil, Kaffir lime, Shrimp paste, Coriander sead and things I don't like but will accept as a once in a while inclusion for convienience. 

 

We finished a perfect day, in bed together, in the caravan, all three of us, Reg, Indigo the poodle and I, watching 'CATS', on DVD. :-). 

My weekly shopping

I have planned our menu a week ahead based on simple, nutrition’s and easy meals I can prepare in the caravan and  I have brought a new recipe book to try out, the Michelle Bridges, Crunch Time, cookbook.  

My diet is high in multi coloured vegetables and fruit. Low in refined highly processed carbohydrate, it contains neither added sugar nor white flour products. I do not buy processed food like muesli bars; I do eat fresh unsalted nuts and seeds.

I add low fat dairy, usually powdered skim milk (powdered because of our caravan lifestyle), low fat cheese and unsweetened natural live culture yogurt.  

 

  I include animal, poultry and fish, in my diet in moderation along with plant protein sources, legumes, nuts and seeds.  I value the plant proteins in my diet as the high vegetable-based diet helps maintaining a pH conducive to protecting bone density.

There are many reasons I try to avoid processed food. I have read that the high heating of cereals to make breakfast cereals and biscuits renders these carbohydrates carcinogenic over time. I also find that a great deal of commercially processed food will have refined dead nutrient value sugar, salt, very unhealthy corn syrup or saturated fatty acid, added in the processing. Not the healthy way I want to eat. So-called health foods, and breakfast cereals marketed for their added nutrient value have things like mineral iron, added which is frankly TOXIC for some people, including myself.  Yes, some people need extra iron.

Mineral iron is not, the best way to get extra iron if your reserves are low, so much better to get it by eating the foods it occurs naturally in like red meat, sardines, apricots, plus not drinking tea or coffee close to meal times. You further aid the absorption of iron, by having some high Vitamin C foods with your naturally iron rich foods, I actually do the reverse of that advice as I have an iron overload.