Ugly Veggie Scramble and Organic Green Tea.

Fiber time. 1/2 Tbs Psyllium Husks mixed into a cup of water.

Seared Sesame Tuna, Sweet Potato Quinoa Cake, Kale, Cabbage and Cashews.

Spinach and Feta Chicken Sausage with a sugar-free gluten-free Organic Sesame Pumpkin Cookie.

Spinach and Feta Chicken Sausage Stirfry with 1/2 a Grapefruit and 1 Tbs Organic Coconut Butter.

A whole small tub of 2% Fage with 1 Tbs Organic carob Powder.

I put on my creative chef's hat tonight. Kat Eden has invited me to write a guest post for BodyIncredible.com. It's going to be on one or two of my absolute favorite topics: chocolate and coconut. I wanted to invent a new recipe to share with all her readers, so I concocted a low-calorie, all natural organic chocolate fudge to die for. I'll share it in tomorrow's post.

I mention it here as I well and truly licked the bowl! I'm estimating a few calories for that one. I was in coconut heaven when Dave opened the can of full-fat coconut milk without shaking first. Oooooh my lord, then solid cap of coconut cream on top nearly killed me with longing. I had to throw the whole can in the blender to homogenize the fat, dipping my fingers in a few times on the way.

It's the morning after a sugar-fest. Time for detox and clean eating.

Breakfast this morning was a fiber packed Raspberry Green Meanie, a bowl of Wild Atlantic Pink Salmon with Red Wine Vinegar and Baby Spinach, and an Organic Green Tea.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Blend 1 cup unsweetened Almond Breeze, 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, 2 raw organic kale leaves, a handful of organic baby spinach, 5 homemade coconut water jelly cubes, 1/2 Tbs psyllium husk, 1/4 of an avocado, cinnamon and 4 ice cubes. Stick in a straw and slurp away.

Lunch was a Spinach Feta Chicken Sausage Stirfry.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Fry 2 sliced low-fat Bilinksi Spinach and Feta Chicken Sausages in 3/4 Tbs organic butter. Add 3 cups veggies, (sliced mushrooms, green beans, cauliflower, zucchini, green bell pepper, spanish onion). Add 1 clove garlic and dried chili flakes to taste. Dress with coconut vinegar.

1 x Coconut Water Icypop.

Frozen Choc Blueberry Sheep's Milk Parfait.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Mix a small tub of plain sheep's milk yoghurt with cinnamon, 1/4 cup frozen blueberries and 1 tsp dutch processed cocoa. Freeze for 30 mins and serve.

I'm heading to a raw vegan restaurant for dinner tonight, so I ate 3 slices of protein-rich Applegate Farms Oven Roast Turkey an hour before dinner.

I've been reading a bit on Raw Food Diets lately, and came across a passionate recommendation for Pure Food and Wine in NYC. Dave and I treated ourselves to a romantic night out. It was destined to be special thanks to the $$$$ rating on this place. (Ooooeeeee, it was pricey). 

Ignoring the cost, I was pretty darn impressed by what these chefs could do with totally raw, vegan ingredients. It was unbelievable actually. The flavors were intense and complex and the entire meal had a crisp freshness about it.

We opted for the chef's tasting menu in the end, as we couldn't decide between all the enticing concoctions on the menu.

Unfortunately it was all carbs and ended with sugar. I felt unsatisfied without protein to fill me up, and I'm really not interested in sweet desserts. I don't understand how vegans eat vegan 365 days a year. I couldn't do it. They must all be carb-people. I know I couldn't do it. I'd be walking around with an unsatisfied, empty cloud hanging over my head all day.

Amuse bouche .... no idea what it was, but it was good.

King Oyster Mushroom Scallops in a Lemongrass Coconut Broth with saffron chamomile cream, mustard greens, and micro wasabi.

This was Dave's plate. I didn't taste this morsel as it wasn't gluten free, but it was Hazelnut Crostinis with Crimini Mushrooms and Caper Bearnaise with caraway sauerkraut, and local apple cider reduction.

Impressive.

Raw Butternut Squash Soup with some sort of balsamic reduction.

How on earth do they do it?

I had a glass of Biodynamic Sparkling Rose from France.

Pizzette in the Style of Southern Italy with Almond and Rosemary Crust with crimini, basil pesto and kalamata olives.


I went halvies with Dave in this one.

Sweet Corn Guacamole and Cashew Taco with salsa verde, and cashew coconut sour cream.


This was one of my favorites. It tasted exactly like a Mexican meal but 100% raw.

Dave and I also went halvies in this one.

Spanikopita with Spinach, Almond Feta, Cucumber Yogurt with local cauliflower and white grapes.


Half for me, half for Dave. (Talk about small portions for big bucks!)

Porcini Ravioli with Truffle Cream Sauce, Baby White Asparagus with pickled ramp, parsley salad, and porcini oil.


Half each. (This was hard to split). 

Bear in mind, these plates are small. They may look huge in the photos, but by this stage we were still starving and our waiter told us it was our last savory dish before the dessert course. We discussed a trip to WholeFoods after dinner for some deli meat. How ridiculous after a $200 meal! Craving protein like you wouldn't believe.

Pomegranate Ginger Sorbet.

Tiny, (golf ball sized), but tangy and refreshing. I'd have been happy with this as dessert and nothing else. Unfortunately our chef's tasting came with another dessert course ....

Trio of Dark Chocolate Coated Indian Spiced Ice Cream Treats. Chocolate cardamom coconut ice cream cone, pistachio gelato ice cream sandwich, and chai tea creamsicle.

I was more impressed with the appearance of this plate than the taste. I mean, they were all amazing, but I've been anti-sugar for some time now so when I do get a taste of the White Death it tends to overwhelm all the subtleties of flavor. Dessert was also served with a hefty dose of guilt. My Treat Meal for this week was last night. I didn't plan on eating sugar tonight and I didn't want to. I was kinda forced out of sheer hunger and the race to get my money's worth at this overpriced raw palace.

I tried to eat only a bit of each treat, but I'm a sugar addict. Once my body gets a taste, it automatically reaches for more, whether or not I want it.

This was my plate when Dave ripped it out from under my nose to polish it off himself.

And here was Dave's dessert. I didn't have any as it contained gluten. Apple Tarte Tatin with apple cider caramel, horchata ice cream, and maple candy.

I had a little dip into the icecream, thinking that would be fine. When I got home I googled 'horchata' and realised it's made with barley. Damnit. No wonder my belly has a little fire inside it. 

Half an Organic Pear with a stick of Part-Skim Mozzarella String Cheese.

This tasted sooooo much better than that dessert platter. Simple, clean and delicious.

Organic Sweet Potato Chia Crumble with Strained Greek Yoghurt and an Organic Green Tea ....

Green Tea is a wonderdrink in terms of weightloss. It speeds up your metabolism and gives you more energy to work out without the jittery effects of coffee. It also has a wealth of health benefits advocated with gusto by Dr. Jonny Bowden, including anti-cancer activity. How good is that?

I used to drink decaf black tea, but I needed to douse it with milk. I'd pour in about 1/4 cup of milk with every tea and it would start to add up the calories and lactose (sugar) very quickly. Green tea is the perfect antidote. Sugar-free of course.

.... and I added a piece of sugar-free Chocolate Fudge. I take no responsibility for this choice. It was the PMS-Rat.

My breakfast went over calorie and carb budget, but I'll deal with that at morning snack time.

For now I have to psyche myself up to to a hefty HIIT session.

I got through that gruelling HIIT workout - just. It was infused with an intense hatred for the whole damn experience. It is so insanely hardcore that my whole body screams out for it to stop. I don't care that it's only 29 minutes long. I really don't know how I can possibly keep this up for the long term. I don't enjoy it a single bit, (other than the 1 minute rest periods between each round).

To be honest, I would much prefer to walk for 2 hours every single day than to put myself through this physical and mental hell for 29 minutes 2-3 times a week.

My overreaction this morning is possibly a PMS issue though, so I'll give HIIT another go next week. But to calm my jangled nerves I ate another piece of Chocolate Fudge (and swallowed an Evening Primrose Oil capsule).

A cup of Wild Sweet Orange Tea ....

.... a Hard Boiled Organic Egg + 1 Egg White ....

.... and a sugar-free gluten free Sesame Pumpkin Cookie.

Beef and Raw Beet Salad.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Fill a large bowl with all sorts of organic chopped greens. (I used baby spinach, kale, basil, parsley, green beans). Add some chopped baby carrots, purple cabbage and grate 1 raw small beet. Dress with 1/2 a lemon juiced, 1/2 Tbs balsamic vinegar and 1/2 Tbs red wine vinegar. Cook an organic grass-fed 4oz beef burger and slice over top of salad.

I added half a Grapefruit to my salad too.

Are you ready? It's a big one. In fact, I may as well call it an 'afternoon meal' rather than a snack.

The Rat is killing me. My appetite is through the roof and I'm in the worst mood ever. So stressed.

I ate an Organic Hard Boiled Egg ....

.... and then another one ....

.... 1/4 Tbs All Natural Almond Butter ....

.... 12 Red Grapes ....

.... 2 Vegan Choc Coconut Cookies ....

(the last of the batch). Oh no! I love these things. But it's a good thing they're gone now. One important fact in the quest for weight loss is this:

You Must Vary Your Food Intake.

Otherwise your body adapts, just as it does with the same exercises day after day, and you end up stalling your weight loss efforts.

.... and I had 1/4 cup of Blueberries to finish off.

Now I am full, but no less stressed. I have a headache and I want to go home.

As it stands, I won't make my 625 deficit today. I've eaten too much and it's raining so I can't walk home. I'm also not in the mood to exercise anymore today. I'm hating today. Everything about it. (This is not like me). Uuugggghh. But I know I shouldn't put pressure on myself to be bubbly and happy and positive all the time. Nobody is. It sure would fell a lot better to be stress-free right now though.

At 4:30pm I had a Decaf Tea with Half and Half.

And I have made a decision. Tonight will be my Treat Meal night. Instead of stressing about getting more exercise in and fighting a losing battle against my hunger to simply put off my Treat Meal until tomorrow night, I'm going with the flow and listening to my body. I have the day off work tomorrow too, so I'll be able to eat clean and green and exercise freely.

Hmmmm, what to have?

I was a bit naughty tonight. I headed to WholeFoods at 5pm to stock up on treats. I swear PMS-mode is the wrong time to shop for sugar. But at the same time, it's almost impossible not to. I become so miserable in my attempts to fight the sugar urge and be 'good'. 

I grabbed 2 types of cookies, a cake and some chocolate. I also picked up some Applegate Farms Roast Turkey Breast for protein. And a couple of Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese Sticks.

Here's where I was bad. I knew I should take all this stuff home, delay gratification and spread it out on a plate before diving in. 

But I just couldn't. 

Shamelessly, before I'd even made it back to the office from WholeFoods, I was out in the rain ripping open my turkey package. I ate a snack-sized 2oz serve, then tackled the 2 types of cookies. Both were pretty sweet to my sugar-free tastebuds, but just what the PMS-Rat ordered. I then broke off 2 squares of that sweet sweet chocolate and melted into oblivion. The crazed chaos of New York rush hour dissolved into insignificance around me. Sugar is like a drug in my body. When I imbibe, nothing else matters.

Here's my Treat Stash.

Now, from a gluten-free product aficionado, let me tell you these products are the best. So many gluten-free cookies on the market are crumbly and floury-tasting whilst being overly sugared. But not these. 

'Enjoy Life' make a range of gluten-free cookies, all of them spongey and chewy and fruit-sweetened. 

'Pamela's Products' also stock some serious shelf space with a multitude of gluten-free cookie flavors. This was my first taste and I wasn't disappointed. The shortbread was pretty much identical in taste and texture to the real wheat laden thing. Buttery, crumbly, good.

'WholeFoods Gluten Free Bakehouse' make a freezer-full of goodies. I've only ever tasted this Carrot Cake and it's so good I recommend it to every Celiac I come across. It's plain and ugly but the most delicious thing you could eat. I fed a buttered slice to Dave tonight and he agreed. There'd be no telling it's gluten free, (and he is the toughest critic to please).

'Vosges Haut-Chocolat' is one of the best brands of Chocolate in the world. I grabbed a Red Fire Bar. This stuff is d-i-v-i-n-e. Mexican ancho y chipotle chillies + Ceylon cinnamon dark chocolate. Too good. Vosges was founded by a Le Cordon Bleu chef, Katrina, who worked alongside the great Adria brothers of El Bulli (the World's #1restaurant for many years). She travelled the world to study foreign cuisines, thus fueling her concept to 'Travel the World through Chocolate'. She seeks to draw awareness to indigenous cultures through a 'sustainable luxury chocolate experience', and boy, does she succeed. The layers of flavors from obscure herbs, spices, fruits, roots, nuts and flowers feeds a chocolate line like reads (and tastes) like a fairytale. She even makes a Chocolate Bacon Bar to die for.

I ate some more Turkey and my 2 String Cheese Sticks on the way home from work, before continuing my feast.

When I got home I mocked up my feast for this photo and added 2 thick slices of that ugly gluten-free Carrot Cake.

(Yep, I remembered to use the small plate this time!)

I had 2 cups of Decaf Tea with 2% Milk ....

.... a Coconut Lime Chia Slice ....

.... and this was my plate at the end of it all. Once again my eyes were bigger than my stomach. Thankfully my hubby-to-be is a garbage disposal unit on legs. 

I am now over full and feeling disgusting. I much prefer to eat healthy.

Stupid Treat Meals. Such an enticing concept but so regretful once I'm done.

I never want to eat sugar again. 

I had a negative deficit today. I know I'm not supposed to look at the numbers on a Treat Day, (or ever if you believe the new ways of the health and fitness industry), but it still hurts. I feel like I've failed myself today and I can't wait to get back on the wagon tomorrow.

The super filling protein breakie. French Scramble. Same as yesterday, but with only 1/4 of a Grapefruit this time.

Mmmmm chocolate.

I'm so proud of myself. I've had this chocolate sitting in the fridge since my Treat Meal last Friday. The old me would never have been able to keep a sweet treat in the house. I had to gobble any naughty treats ASAP to get them out of sight. But now my insulin is more regulated, I'm no longer addicted to sugar and I can choose to enjoy a bit of delectable rich chocolatey goodness without going crazy.

Today is that day.

I'm loving this brand of chocolate, by the way. Republica Del Cacao. They source their cacao from Ecuador and it tastes really smooth and well-rounded. Apparently the source of the cacao bean has massive impact on the taste, combined with the cacao bean variety. Criollo is the finest bean variety, Forastero is the lowest quality, and Trinitario is a crossbreed of both. A fourth common variety is called Nacional.

I've tasted all three lines of Republica Del Cacao now, and the Organic was by far the most amazing. I've recently learned that the chocolate making process produces hundreds of toxins in the final product and you should always go Organic where you can. Although given the small amounts of chocolate ingested, I'm sure a good quality non-organic chocolate is also fine once in a while.

My protein source was 3 slices of Applegate Farms Smoked Turkey Breast ....

.... and 6 Red Grapes.

Organic Grass-Fed Beef Salad with Balsamic and Red Wine Vinegar Dressing ....

.... and half a Grapefruit ....

.... and 4 Red Grapes.

I left it too long between lunch and gym, so I grabbed 7 raw Organic Almonds ....

.... and half an Organic Green Tea.

After my weights session I ate an Organic Hard Boiled Egg ....

.... 4 Strawberries and 1/2 cup of Blueberries ....

.... and 1/4 Tbs All Natural Almond Butter.

This snack was too heavy on the carbs and light on the protein. An hour later I was hungry again.

I had 3 slices of Applegate Farms Smoked Turkey ....

.... 2 Vegan Choc Coconut Cookies ....

.... and 6 Red Grapes.

I feel like the luckiest girl in the world today. Actually, make that every day. But today especially. Dave arrived home with a gorgeous bouquet of pinkish-white roses as a surprise. So lovely!

I wanted dinner fast tonight, so I ate a horrible Pickled Herring, 1/4 cup of Pink Salmon, an Organic Brown Rice Cake with Organic Butter and Salt, a handful of Organic Baby Spinach and 2 Sundried Tomatoes. I topped it off with a small packet of Smartfoods White Cheddar Popcorn ....

.... and a Coconut Water Icypop.

I'm craving chocolate and sesame pumpkin cookies big time, but I won't make my 625 deficit if I eat anything else.

I'm gonna need a pre-bedtime snack, I can just feel it. So I'll do some hand-weights and lunges to burn off a few more calories. Uugghhhh. Too much food today.

Check out Roman's latest video on Final Phase Fat Loss. He gives the exact workout tips to tackle the 3 specific fat storage areas on your body linked to the 3 hormones. (I talked about these yesterday).

Here are his secrets in a nutshell:

* Lose Lower Body Fat due to Estrogen by increasing Testosterone through Density Training. (Choose a circuit of exercises like Overhead Press, Dumbbell Row, Squat with Bar. Lift as many reps as possible in 1 minute for each exercise. Then repeat but slightly increase your pace and weight for the second circuit).
* Lose Love Handles and Lower back Fat due to Insulin Resistance by increasing IGF-1 through Dynamic Training. (Do combination exercises like Squat/Overhead Press or Clean-and-press in one swift movement. Focus on speed and teach your body to move dynamically. Body pump classes are great for this).
* Lose Gut Fat due to Cortisol by increasing Human Growth Hormone through Lactic Acid Training. (Increase the concentric/positive speed and decrease the eccentric/negative speed. Lift fast and lower verrrrry slowly over 4-6 seconds). Sleep also produces HGH so get as much as you can!

A glass of 2% Organic Milk before bed.

I am procrastinating big time. This morning is HIIT day but I'm in so much pain form the last session I'm too scared to do it again.

But I must. If I dip out now I'll never go back.

Breakfast was a kick-ass filling protein rich French Scramble, half a Grapefruit and an Organic Green Tea.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Fry 3 cups veggies with 4 egg whites and 1 whole organic egg. Add 1/4 of an avocado, basil, fresh parsley and dress with coconut vinegar and tabasco.

I did it! I did that crazy-damn-hard HIIT workout again. Nearly died. Then felt less sore in my muscles and walked halfway to work.

I was so late today. An hour late, but my exercise is priority on the Skinny Bride Mission.

I guess I ate breakfast later than usual too, as I didn't need a morning snack today. (This is possibly also a result of the good old egg breakie).

Lunch was the last of the Lamb and Greens Stirfry with Avocado ....

.... and 1 gluten-free sugar-free Organic Sesame Pumpkin Cookie.

I headed to the gym for a lunchtime cardio session, then came back at 3pm and ate:

.... a Carrot, (just one from the bunch!) ....

.... a Hard Boiled Organic Egg ....

.... a handful of Mushrooms ....

.... 1/3 of a cup of Salsa ....

.... and 2 gluten-free sugar-free Vegan Choc Coconut Cookies.

I was really hungry by the time 5:45pm rocked around, but I wanted to pre-empt the horrible mood-swinging starvation mode I enter midway home from work if I don't eat a snack first.

So I ate 7 Raw Organic Almonds.

I walked halfway home from work and decided to have a light dinner tonight. No cooking. I had to get rid of half a Fage and some Cottage Cheese before they went off, so I made myself a Pumpkin Cheesecake Fruit Platter.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Mix 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese with 1/2 small tub of 2% Fage strained Greek yoghurt. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg to taste, and 1 Tbs unsweetened desiccated coconut. Serve over a bed of fresh baby spinach. Top with 1/3 cup raspberries, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 of a pink grapefruit and 4 pecans.

I read the most eye-opening article today by Dr. Jonny Bowden. He talked about berries as superfoods and all the scientific proof of phenomenal impacts of eating them daily. Blueberries reduce aging, improve vision and help neuron communication, (are they the new 'brain food' surpassing fish?). Raspberries act like a natural Ibuprofen, strawberries protect memory and all fight cancer and protect against debilitating diseases like Alzheimer's. A surprising fact: 1 cup of raspberries contains 8 grams of fiber, (which Dr. Jonny says is more than most people get in a day).

I obviously had berries on the brain when I planned tonight's dinner.

2 x Coconut Water Icypops for dessert.

The more I research final phase fat loss, the more I become a convert of giving up cardio. Shock horror! I've been cardio-ing for the last 15 years and never questioned why I didn't achieve the results I dreamed of. 

John Romaniello (Roman), a New York trainer and fitness model, has developed a system which determines your primary personal fat storage hormone and uses particular exercises to blast away the final fat stores.

If you have hip and thigh fat, Estrogen is your problem hormone.
If you have love handle and lower back fat, Insulin is your problem hormone.
If you have belly fat, cortisol is your problem hormone.

The one fact that really struck a chord with me was this. Roman used to be a fat kid. He pigged out on all manner of junk for years on end, causing his insulin levels to spike and crash and spike and crash. (I swear I could have been talking to a mirror). According to Roman, the immediate effects were physically noticeable, (he became a wide load), but even more concerning are the longer reaching effects. He's been in shape now for years and years, but even when he's at his peak with a washboard model set of abs, he still holds a little in his love handles. His past bingeing has caused a massive permanent insulin resistance. As a result, his body cannot handle carbs anymore and probably never will.

Wow. To think, all the damage I've done to my own system over years of bingeing and sugar addiction. Nasty stuff.

I realized something about myself today. Dairy makes me hungry. When I go dairy-free, I eat far less calories throughout the day without even trying. Am I so sugar sensitive that the lactose in milk affects me like a Mars Bar?

I could never give dairy up for good. I love it too much. But perhaps it's best to keep it for night time.

According to the British Cheese Board "Cheese & Dreams" Study, eating cheese before bedtime enhances dreams, and choosing certain varieties of cheese can allow you to dictate the type of dream you have. Apparently cheddar evokes dreams involving celebrities. 

I am a mozzarella fan. I wonder what that's linked to? Buffalo mozzarella in particular. Mmmmm, creamy balls of heaven.


Anyway, after all this talk of cheese I had to grab a String Mozzarella before retiring for the night.

Yesterday's breakfast was so good I had to give it a second run, (with a twist). Today it was a Blueberry Basil Green Meanie with 3 slices of Applegate Farms Turkey Bacon.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Blend 1 cup unsweetened almond breeze, 3/4 cup frozen organic blueberries, 5 homemade coconut water jelly cubes, cinnamon, 1/2 Tbs psyllium husk, 3 raw organic cashews, 1 kale leaf, 1 collard greens leaf, 3 fresh basil leaves, a handful of baby spinach and 4 ice cubes.

By the way .... Guess what?! This morning I weigh 129 lbs! I lost another half a pound after my insane HIIT workout yesterday. Oh, and I am in so much pain. Muscles are aching in places I didn't know existed. But it's a good pain, you know what I mean? Everytime I feel a twinge I pat myself on the back for doing such a hard workout.

Also, I think the PMS Rat is in town. That explains my insatiabel craving for chocolate last week and a few frantic mood swings the past few days. I swallowed an Evening Primrose Capsule this morning, (aka: Rat poison), and I'm getting ready for an increased appetite this week.

I had a cup of Wild Sweet Orange Tea at 10:30am.

At 10:45am I ate 3 slices of Applegate Frams Smoked Turkey Breast ....

.... and 2 sugar-free gluten-free Organic Vegan Choc Coconut Cookies.

Leftover Lamb and Greens Stirfry with Avocado ....

.... and a sugar-free gluten-free Organic Sesame Pumpkin Cookie.

My veggie serving in the stirfry was quite small, so I added some more carbs in the form of 4 Strawberries and 1/4 cup of Blueberries.

Kat Eden blogged about an article by Jonny Bowden entitled "The 9 Habits of Highly Healthy People". It was full of so many great tips I just had to re-share it here. The more people that can read this article, the better.

I strongly suggest you read the original article as it explains the why's in detail. In a nutshell, Jonny's tips include:

1. Eat 9 serves of vegetables a day for disease fighting phytochemicals.
2. Take fish oil capsules daily, (even while pregnant), for brain and mood enhancement as well as other benefits.
3. Connect with others socially to extend your life and increase energy and happiness.
4. Get 10-15 minutes of sun 3 times a week for mood enhancement and longevity.
5. Sleep 7-9 hours a night.
6. Walk 30 minutes every day to grow new brain cells and live longer. (Jonny notes "our Paleolithic ancestors traveled an average of 20 miles per day").
7. Practice gratitude daily to focus on positives and reduce stress.
8. Drink red wine or eat red grapes for resveratrol. It promotes life extension.
9. Cut out sugar, Enemy #1 in terms of hormones, moods, immunity, weight, and possibly even cancer.

I love reading this kind of stuff. With so many life-enhancing natural foods available, I honestly can't believe how most people stuff themselves with processed chemicals. Even more important is the mind-body connection and the importance of minimizing stress and cultivating a positive outlook in life. If you do so, you'll reap untold riches.

Kat Eden adds to Jonny Bowden's post in her Body Incredible blog entitled: 'Did You Know? Eating More Of These Foods Speeds Up Detoxification And Fat Loss!' 

In Kat's own words:

"As if that’s not convincing enough for you, I’ve also heard Dr Jonny say that the most important supplement for fat loss is fiber. More veg = more fiber, yes? And this is the key to detoxification, because when you lose body fat it’s actually toxins which are being dragged out of your fat cells and into your blood. Fiber is what swooshes those toxins out of the body, which I really think is a far better option than leaving them in there".

This is very interesting food for thought. Being gluten intolerant, I am forced to avoid a lot of potential fiber (wheat, rye, barley, bran and multigrain products). I guess this means it's even more important for me to eat extra vegetables and fiber supplements like psyllium husks.

Half a 2% Fage ....

.... 1/2 Tbs Almond Butter ....

(by the way, my Almond Butter is roasted, but I've recently learned that raosting nuts ruins their goodness and turns their good oils to bad. My next jar will be raw nut butter. I'm daydreaming of pecan butter now. Yum).

.... 1/4 cup Blueberries ....

.... and to pay homage to Jonny Bowden's #8 tip, I grabbed a handful of Red Grapes.

I have to be careful with grapes. They are super sweet and set off my sugar sensitivity. I often find myself sneaking back to the fridge for 'just one more'. Grapes taste like candy to me. Ooooh I love them, especially frozen on a hot summers day.

To increase my fiber intake today I mixed 1/2 Tbs Psyllium Husks into a cup of water.

I made some Creamy Salsa Dip and cut up a Carrot and 4 Mushrooms for dipping.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Mix 1/2 small tub 2% Fage strained Greek yoghurt with 1/2 cup D.L. Jardins Cilantro Green Olive Salsa.

I followed it with 6 Red Grapes.

What did I tell you about my grape obesssion?

Aaaah, sweet, sweet grapes.

No more!

I also had 7 Raw Organic Almonds to balance my snack with some good fat.

I met a mate for a few drinks after work today, (a few seltzers in my case), and I didn't get home until 9pm. 

Dinner had to be quick. 

The old Eggplant Bean Moussaka has reared its ugly head. Once again I felt hungry and off-kilter afterwards as I swear livestrong.com calculated the calories incorrectly. I added 2 slices of Applegate Farms Turkey Bacon for protein, 1 Tbs of Olive Tapenade for fat, and a handful of Organic Baby Spinach and Basil  ....

.... I then ate 2 Coconut Water Icypops.

But half an hour later I was still really hungry. I figure the Moussaka has far less carbs and calories than I calculated, so I had ....

.... a slice of gluten-free China Black RIce Bread with 1/4 Tbs All Natural Peanut Butter and 1/4 Tbs 100% Blackberry Fruit Spread.

This morning I whizzed up the most delicious Green Meanie Smoothie ever. Strawberry Basil and Avocado.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: Blend 1 cup unsweetened Almond Breeze, 1 leaf collard greens, 1 leaf kale, a handful of baby spinach, 8 strawberries, 6 homemade cubes coconut water jelly, 1 tsp fresh ginger, 1 tsp psyllium husks, 1/4 of an avocado, 2 leaves fresh basil and 4 ice cubes.

Absolutely delicious. The generous recipe filled 1 1/2 of my small glasses, (pictured).

For my protein, I had 3 slices of Applegate Farms Turkey Bacon. Salty goodness.

By the way, I was checking out the nutrition information on the side of my Knox Gelatin packet. It appears there isn't as much protein in there are livestrong.com calculates. Each of my coconut water cubes contains about 1 gram of protein, (not 4 grams as I previously thought). 

As promised, I attempted my first HIIT session today. Oh man, it was h-a-r-d. It lasted only 25 minutes, involved 5x5 sets of easy-looking 1 minute exercises with a 1 minute break in between rounds.

I nearly died.

But then it was over and I felt fine .... until an hour later. I can now hardly lift my head I'm so exhausted. And my legs feel like tree trucks: solid, heavy and rooted to the ground. No wonder the experts only recommend HIIT 2-3 times a week.

Here's my workout care of Craig Ballantyne's Turbulance Training:
25 minute workout.
5 rounds of 5 exercises.
1 minute rest between each round.
1 minute for each exercise.

ROUND 1:

• Jumping jacks
• Bodyweight squats (hands out in front, parallel to ground. Squat like sitting into a chair).
• T-pushups, alternate sides (push up on feet, then twist onto side of feet and reach one arm into air in T).
• Vertical jumps (hands on head and jump high. For low-impact version, do Total Body Extensions instead, as in Round 4).
• Prisoner lunges (hands on head and lunge one foot forward, then the other).

1 minute rest

ROUND 2:

• Regular pushups.
• Prisoner squats (hands on head, squat like chair sitting).
• Squat thrust (squat on hands, fling feet out into pushup position, jump back in, then out, hands always on the ground).
• Duck unders (chest up, wide stance, imagine ducking under something. Squat to side and maneuver body under and up, then back to other side. Hold hands in boxing position in front).
• Burpies (down into pushup, jump feet back in and jump up into air with arms up, then back down, jump legs back into pushup, then in and jump up into air)

1 minute rest

ROUND 3:

• Seal jump (goofy looking version of jumping jacks. Jump out, then cross legs in and cross straight arms, then out, and back in swap cross sides).
• Spiderman climb (or mountain climbers if you want. Push up position, walk one leg forward in line with hands still on ground. Walk leg back to pushup position, then other leg forward. Hold abs in)
• Get ups (30 seconds one side, the switch. (Or alternate if you want). Hold one arm in air, lie flat on back with same side leg bent. Get up to a standing position, always keeping arm in air. Can lean on other hand, push non-bent leg through and under body to kneel and push to stand. Reverse back down).
• Side step (Squat low with legs together, extend one leg out to shuffle sideways 3 shuffles, bringing feet back together between shuffles. Arms in boxing position. Shuffle back to other side).
• Shuttle sprint (run in place with high knees).

1 minute rest

ROUND 4:

• Split shuffle (one leg back, one arm up forward. Kind of running slow motion but jumping into each position alternating sides).
• Side to side jumps (knees up, jump side to side as if over a rod).
• Side plank (30 seconds each side. Only static exercise).
• Total body extensions, (like jumping up into air, but feet don’t leave ground. Arms push up into air and stretch, up on tippytoes, then down into squat with arms down too. Can do these instead of vertical jumps in round 1 too).
• Running in place (knees up, arms pumping up).

1 minute rest

ROUND 5:

• Seal jump.
• Close grip pushups (hands underneath shoulders, elbows tucked into sides).
• Lateral lunge (side down and out, drive back up. Arms in boxing position).
• Mountain climber (like spiderman but legs don’t come up so far. Behind hands rather than in line with and beside hands. No jumping, just walking legs up and back. Abs tight. Don’t have hips piked up in the air).
• Side shuffle.

Before heading out the door today I had 1 Tsp Psyllium Husks mixed into a cup of water. 

Bring on the fiber.

6 Raw Organic Brazil Nuts.

We went to Emporio in SoHo for Sunday Brunch. I ordered the Grilled Chicken Antipasti. It came with about 1 oz of chicken, 1/4 of an avocado and a few paper-thin slices of tangy parmesan. So good.

 

For a little more protein I ordered 2 Organic Poached Eggs on the side.

Dave ordered a Gluten-Free Pizza with Proscuitto, Parmesan and Buffalo Mozzarella. I stole a piece. Hey, how often do I get a chance to eat gluten-free pizza?

I regretted it soon afterwards and started beating myself up about it, but I ordered a Decaf Fat-Free Latte from La Colombe after lunch. I really didn't need all that milk and it tasted bitter and dry in my mouth afterwards. Don't get me wrong, the coffee there is awesome. Far above the Starbucks calibre, but I just didn't need the extra calories. Besides, a coffee should be creamy and full-fat to be worthwhile.

I'd taken Dave there to grab a real coffee. I had a few sips of his to try and wake up as I literally couldn't move to get myself home after lunch. The real coffee tasted so good, I ordered my own decaf on impulse. Silly, silly.

Dave's caffeinated coffee didn't even hit the sides. I was still a zombie for hours afterwards. (Usually a sip of coffee will get me all jittery and keep me awake all night).

Lamb & Greens Stirfry for Dinner ....

.... and a sugar-free gluten-free Organic Sesame Pumpkin Cookie.

Despite popular wisdom stating that 25 minutes of HIIT 3 times a week and a few short weights sessions is all you need to lose weight, I'm still committed to my 625 daily deficit. I feel uneasy dropping below, even if weights and HIIT produce an afterburn effect that increases your metabolism. I don't like how it's immeasurable. Once I hit my goal weight I'll be more comfortable dropping down the exercise to maintain.

I did a Tracy Anderson Method mat workout followed by a sad attempt to keep up with her dance cardio for half and hour.

It earned me a pre-bedtime snack. Tonight it was back to the Fage for a Blueberry Parfait.

Skinny Bride Mission Recipe: 1/2 small tub 2% Fage strained Greek yoghurt mized with cinnamon and psyllium husks, 1/3 cup fresh Organic Blueberries and 1 Tbs slivered almonds.

Woo-hoo! There is cause for celebration. I have made it past my glass floor and hit the 120's. Yeeeehhhaaarrrr!

I now weigh 129.5 lbs. Hallelujah to the Treat Meal night followed by a day of Greens.

My weight dropped 2 lbs this past week, and I lost about 1/4" off all my measurements. It looks like weight-lifting and less cardio is the key afterall. My next challenge is to get into HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) for maximum fat loss.

I also feel incredibly happy and bubbly and excited. All this healthy eating and exercise is filling my mood with hot air and sending me sailing across blue skies.

The thought of my impending wedding day used to fill me with dread. It was like a ticking time-bomb with my 'diet starts tomorrow' mentality. But now I am motivated, seeing results and I can already picture myself galavanting around on a Fiji beach in my new Freya bikini.

I can't wait for the Big Day to arrive!