Lunchboxing

My Actual Weekday Lunch Box

I've been a lunch-from-home gal for a few years now, but not every day. With the way I am currently eating, to loose weight gently, I am taking my lunch from home everyday. That way I commit to only eating what is in the lunch box, in any order I like. Once its gone, I'm done till I get home.

Lunch Boxes are easy to do. Truuuust me! Even if you work full time and you are allergic to planning like me!

1. Find a lunch box you really like.
   I use the tupperware one above because I love the size, shape and sections. Find one that fits your portions and foods you actually can be bothered to eat. ie.e don't buy a fancy salad bowl with dual layer freezeable cheese sections and 38 pieces of cutlery attached if you don't eat salad. Sounds like a no-brainer, but in the quest to want to be healthier, sometimes I buy things that I think will make me healthier by magically changing my life. Um. No. 
2. Do your main first.
   I have either a salad wrap with some shaved ham or chicken, or a large garden salad (I bring the dressing separate and add at the last minute, because I have issues). Your 'main' should include a serving of protein. Here is a random photo of healthy looking protein-rich foods:
3. One serve of fruit minimum.
   Whatever it takes, cut it up, buy it in little tubs, whatever floats your boat. Dried fruit doesn't count sorry. If you get hungry in the arvo have another fruit serve in your hand bag. Don't preach at me about the pitfalls of fruit sugar and having too much fruit. Let's face it, does anyone really eat too much fruit? I think not. Go for 2 a day. 
4. One extra serve of vegetables.
   In addition to whatever lettuce, beans, carrot etc that is on my wrap or in my salad, I include either a cut up carrot or cucumber, because I can munch on this in the arvo mindlessly and I feel full rather than peckish for that all-too-tricky-drive-home. That's already 2 out of your 5 recommended serves a day. 
5. Whole grains 
   If I have a sandwich for main, it will be on whole grain bread like 5 seeds etc. I have been eating whole grain for years after being diagnosed with PCOS and insulin resistance, as it is low-gi and easier on the pancreas. You gotta take care of your pancreas. Otherwise I include whole grain crackers - just 2 - don't go getting excited now and putting 38 crackers in your lunch box ok? 
6. Something with taste!I can't go without something tasty. I am a sauce girl ok? So the wrap will have a small serve of whole egg mayo (seriously, if you are going to have sauce don't pouncy around with the fat-free stuff - just have a small (1 teaspoon - yes, get one out and measure it ok? - you will guesstimate larger than a teaspoon - I promise you) amount of the good stuff and call it a day. Otherwise I might have a small tub of light cream cheese for cracker and vegie dipping purposes. Whatever. It can be a small piece of chocolate if you like, just don't add the whole block and don't eat the rest while you are packing your lunch. 

Ok, go find your lunch box and tomorrow I'll let you know how I fit in making lunch every day. 

Gonna Walk All Over You!

Walking Technique

I got walking back!
My physio has cleared me for regular walking again :) Grass/soft surfaces only, but it is very exciting to be able to do some more practical exercise again. Sadly the MRI on my back showed the beginnings of arthritis in some of my facet joints which means that my 'career' in running is over :(  But being able to go for walks again is very encouraging and will hopefully help with the weight loss.

Some funky sites/tools to use for walking

I don't own a pedometer (I'd really like one though - the weight watchers one looks goood!), so these tools would be useful in helping me track my walks for distance.

walkrunjog.net - members upload local walks though Googlemaps. I already found some great walks in our area I'd forgotten about.

mapmywalk.com  - set up a profile and record your walk routes and distances. Also contains healthy eating/weightloss tools

These sites also have iphone/android apps which would be extremely helpful. If I had an iphone phone (I lost mine a week ago...)

These boots are made for walkin' that's what they're gonna do!

Getting It Done Gently Week 5 Wrap-up

So I am half-way through my 10 week challenge to loose the excess weight I have been carrying.

I think I might need to extend this challenge!

Things are moving in the right direction though. I joined Weight Watchers a month ago and have been hard at work trying to figure out how many 'points' my food intake is each day. So far so good.

Last night's weigh was the true test - I had been struggling to get started with only small losses and even a tiny gain. I just wanted to loose one kg. Just one! I was thrilled when the lady told me I had lost 1.3kg!  [insert happy dance here]. This is possible! I can do this!

I have a bit more than 5 weeks to go on their plan (try 9!) so I weigh in each week and post my results. For some inspiration - why not check out The Imperfect Housewife's post on the same subject - what awesome work!

Getting It Done Gently. Week 4 Update

Dear Readers,

You may have noticed some quietness from me on the weight loss front. Don't despair, I haven't given up! I have really struggled with managing my own weight loss without help, despite having all the knowledge and tools available.

So two weeks ago I joined a reputable weight loss program and I am working on the information that I have been given. So far so good, but the change over meant I am being measured on different scales, so my numbers do not add up at the moment. Next week I hope to post a proper update with more info on what I am actually working on at the moment.

You can catch up on my journey so far here:

The Starting Line
Day 1
Week 1 Wrap Up
Week 2 Wrap Up

In Fitness and Health,
Lordgirl :)

September's Reading Plan

Desiring God ~ Dr. John Piper

Meditations of A Christian Hedonist

The Blurb:The great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying him forever. Discord between duty and delight doesn't exist: delight is our duty. Piper stuns us again and again with things we saw in the Bible, but never dared to believe. Join him on this dangerous quest for maximum joy in God. But beware, it may cost you your life. Never mind - "the steadfast love of the Lord is better than life" (Psalm 63:3).


My Thoughts So Far: This is a new concept for me and a challenging read that is really making me think and question aspects of what I hold on to. An excellent intro in to Piper's work, that I think every Evangelical should read. 

Married For God ~ Christopher Ash

Making your marriage the best it can be

The Blurb:The author examines the Bible's teaching on marriage, while remaining firmly earthed in the twenty-first century world where messing up, heartbreak, divorce and intimate chaos are distressingly common. Starting with God's grace applied to our pain and failure, the author centres on God's plan for intimacy and marriage, one of service.


My Thoughts So Far: You know when you first get a book like this, how you turn straight to the bits that apply to you right now? Twelve months ago I did that and never actually read the rest of the book. But now I will. 

The Power of A Praying Wife ~ Stormie Omartin

The Blurb:See more here

My Thoughts So Far: Picking this up again after a few interrupted weeks. I'm up to chapter 9 - how about you? I'm going to be sensible and hope to finish this in September as best I can. 




What are you reading this month?

The Pre-Holiday Flap

Stock photo

Thought I'd get this one in well ahead of the weekend, just in case you want to get a head start on yourself!

Last weekend, we travelled to the mountains with some friends to a conference.

One of the most awesome things about preparing for the weekend was the pre-holiday house clean. I like to come back to a relatively tidy house, clean fridge and no massive Mt. Washmore. Its just a thing I have. Go with it.

I usually flap around for days before a weekend cleaning and getting organised so I can feel relaxed while I'm away. Four days cleaning for two days away sounds normal right?

Here's the thing. This time, I didn't have to.

This is how long it took to get the house 'holiday-ready':

An hour and 15 minutes.

Oh. Yeah.

In that time, I caught up the washing, changed the sheets, vacuumed, washed the dishes, cleaned out the fridge, straightened and packed my gear for the weekend. Oh and I took 10 minutes out of that time to quickly sew myself a shoulder bag for the weekend too.

How? How am I, the least organised person ever, becoming... well, organised?

If you haven't checked out the ridiculously difficult to navigate but completely helpful FlyLady site yet, I strongly suggest you do.

Changin' my world.

Stock photo

[no, I don't get any benefit from referring you, or for plugging the site. I am just sharing what works for me in the name of being a full time worker/wife :)]

Seeing the Big God in the Little Things.