I know that I have been eating a lot lately, but put that down to an increased appetite from breastfeeding, and no will control due to chronic lack of sleep (thanks Ioan). But only by trying to restrict my food intake have I realised how many snacks and treats I have been putting away, and my goodness it’s hard to curb those little nibbles (if you can call a family sized Toblerone “a little nibble”?). I have spent the last week in what feels like a perpetual state of hunger, even though I am eating well and therefore not really hungry.
With my return to work looming in just a couple of months, I decided that I really ought to try and cut down on the treats and shift some pounds before having to invest in an entirely new wardrobe. This week has been largely successful in meeting that objective, although my sweet tooth has been grumbling about it almost as much as my tummy has.
When I am eating healthily, upping the quotient of veggies always helps to bulk out a meal and makes me feel fuller. Then there is the added incentive of being told by those in charge that we should eat 10 a day instead of 5 a day. So with my pork chop on Tuesday I baked it on a bed of onion, tomato and peppers, and served it with jacket spud (which doesn’t count as one of your 10 a day), peas and spinach. The photo is of Andrew’s plate, as I was so hungry I started on my dinner before remembering to take a picture. So there was no butter in my spud as the sauce from the chop was enough to moisten the potato.
Next up was some homemade chicken and vegetable soup, which has become a firm favourite of Ioan, and the recipe of which I will be sharing during the week.
I also had some mussels with chips (okay not a diet food, or one of your 10 a day, but a tasty midweek treat).
I popped out to Edith’s House in Crouch End for a long walk and brunch, and had an unusually presented eggs on toast (or eggs on chopped up cubes of toast in a mug!). It was tasty, although I really wanted cake.
This week I need to improve my daytime meals so that I can indulge more in the evening with something sweet, so I think porridge will be my breakfast friend (I am going to introduce Ioan to it, although he adores plain natural yoghurt for breakfast!). Salad for lunch, fruit for snacks, and hey presto I’ll be fitting back into my work outfits in no time (possibly not).
Meals for the week are planned as follows:
- Meat free Monday – Gnocchi with veggies
- Tuesday – mussels with pasta and spinach (with chips for Andrew!)
- Wednesday – Prawn curry with brown rice
- Thursday – Lamb stew
- Friday – I am very excited to be going to visit friends for a Friday night dinner!
- Saturday – Roast beef and all the trimmings because we’re out and about on Sunday (but we can have cold roast beef if we are around for a meal)
What do you have planned for the coming week?