That Weird In-Between Time
Hi and welcome to another weekly instalment of what’s on my plate, health and nutrition updates and some positive smile-provoking experiences…
What’s New
…It’s been a weird couple of weeks – hard to keep track of the day and time. Consequently, I’ve slipped into late nights and lay-ins. Despite that, I’ve usually managed to get the recommended hours’ sleep[1], except on New Year’s Eve – I didn’t get to bed until about 3 am (after late night snacking), sleep was disrupted and I was up again (eating crisps!) around 8 am.
Alcohol
Okay, so talking about New Year’s Eve – I should mention this was the only time I consumed alcohol this week. But, I’m ashamed to confess it was a big binge (with everyone else) and the next morning I was ‘hugging the toilet’ and felt terrible! And when I could finally keep food down, I was ravenous – I ate a massive bowl of pasta and a whole garlic baguette! (This doesn’t sound at all good so far does it?):
Dry January:
However, I turned this unfortunate booze incident into positive action, as it convinced me to do Dry January[2]. I can proudly report that when I went to a couple of pubs at the weekend, I didn’t drink any alcohol (and didn’t snack when I got home). Unfortunately, the alternative drinks were either loaded with free sugars (juice, sodas) or artificial sweeteners (sodas). And, I feel cheeky just drinking soda water in a pub, although next time I must at least include a couple:
Food and Nutrition
So, let’s have a look at what food was on my plate, the healthy and not so healthy choices and identify any tweaks I could make to improve my nutrition…
Christmas Left-overs:
Food-wise, it’s been a week of trying to finish the Christmas leftovers – I’ve eaten loads of cashew cheese on crackers in various guises! I was craving broccoli, so decided to have the last piece of Wellington and sprouts with broccoli, cauliflower and carrot cheesy bake using some of the leftover cashew cheese. I had my My Typical Salad with the last of the stuffing and coleslaw. Also, I’ve eaten too much of my fudge and chocolate (presents) – my intention was to work my way slowly through it – instead I’m in danger of forming a habit! Disappointingly, I’ve only eaten fruit once – papaya with freshly squeezed lime – it was delicious and I’m craving more:
Dinner: Eating Out:
I had one meal out – it’s ‘Veganuary’[3] after all, so loads of extra choices for me! I chose the healthiest looking option on the menu ‘Jerk’ – Caribbean black bean and jerk jackfruit with rice ‘n peas, mango salsa and plantain chips – it was lovely! I couldn’t resist the chocolate brownie and salted caramel ice cream, so the compromise was sharing it with a friend – I’ve had it before, it was just as amazing as I’d remembered it being:
Exercise
Towards the end of the week I did three sessions on the exercise bike, totalling two hours – not as much as usual, but better than ‘nowt’. And, I started back at circuit training – it was tough but, felt good to get back on it – I ached loads the following two days though! I was pleased to include the boxing pad work for the first time in ages. But, sadly, it’s off the cards again, as my wrist gave way when I was simply getting a container out of the fridge (ridiculous!) – #hypermobility challenges[4]:
Weight, BMI and Fat Results
So, what were the results of this abnormal week? Well, not too bad really. I was dreading getting on the scales – I was certain the numbers had gone up, but as it was, they pretty much stayed the same. Quite frankly I was relieved!:
Yep, I’m still classified as obese and progress is slow, but I’m confident I can move forward this year, especially after we get through these gloomy Winter months. I’m actually looking forward to the challenge…
I hope you enjoyed this week’s ‘What’s on Watson’s Plate’. Please feel free to follow my bite-sized updates on Instagram or Facebook. See you next Wednesday for another catch up.
References
1. National Sleep Foundation, 2015. National Sleep Foundation recommends new sleep times [online]. Available from: www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need.
2. Alcohol Change UK, Ca. 2019. Dry January [online]. Available from: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/dry-january.
3. Veganuary, 2019. Veganuary [online]. Available from: https://uk.veganuary.com/.
4. Hypermobility Syndromes Association, 2017. What are hypermobility syndromes? [online]. Available from: www.hypermobility.org/what-are-hypermobility-syndromes.
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