Diet Update - May

It is 1:03 pm as I'm typing this post and just had my breakfast! Let me explain, I didn't have anything important to do so I overslept, and started my exercise session a bit late. This week I've added another extra half hour to my sessions. I'm going on two hours and a half now. By the time I was done, showered and prepared my one slice egg salad sandwich with a cup of black coffee. Yes, it has been four days now since I gave up milk *Sniff*. I love my lattes but unfortunately I feel bloated the whole time and I don't like Soya milk. So I just have to give it up. I've added another 20-30 min in the evening… it is either cycling, dancing with the boys or a little bit of toning moves. When it comes to food, I'm eating sensibly but in small portions. I had a little rice and marag with a big piece of chicken breast and veggies this week, however most days I tend to stick to low carb meals. Then it hit me the portion I had on my plate, so much less than what I used to eat. I guess my stomach is getting smaller. I did sneak some chocolate a couple of times. But I'm not over eating. At 9pm when my stomach starts to growl I feel soo happy. I know I'm doing something right. For body toning I'm doing basic moves such as sit-ups, push-ups and squats. Every other day I do light weight upper body toning. I still have a bulge and some flab, which will only go with a nip'n tuck. Yep, I'm soo considering a procedure! But not now, of course. A couple of my friends went through it few months ago and they look so great that for the first time in my life I feel soo jealouse ;p Tip to beat Craving : Ice water. Keep a bottle of ice water next to you and sip when you feel cravings hit you late at night. I sometims add crystal light flavoring to my water. Tip on Exercising: On one of the health shows I watch on TV had a tip today about having better results and buring more fat while cycling. Here is the formula : 3x a week - 2o min. - 8 seconds sprint - 12 slow cycle Now its 3:37pm... I usually don't take that long to type a post, but between checking emails, replying to calls and other distractions I just finished :s

Revamping my Living Room

So the time came to revamp my living room. Every year I say this year I'm going to make some changes and for some reason or another I have never got around to do it. I have reached the last straw. My boyos haven't left anything without being stained, torn or scratched! It is so embarrassing that I stopped having friends over. Not even to forget the overflow of books I'm facing. I have to give up some of my books. (anyone interested in romance books?) I love colors and I get drawn to them very easily, making me forget my objective in finding something stainproof and durable, for at least the next five years. Like the other week I was in Thajeej to get my computer checked when I passed by Midas and decided to stop and have a look. I've been there only once, and several times at their other branch in Shuwaikh, although I like some of their furniture and accessories they haven't had new items since they opened and some are really overpriced. I had my cam with me and wanted to snap few pictures but a sales person told me I wasn't allowed. Still I managed to snapped some pics with my mobile like a thief. So I apologize in advance for the quality of pics.

If I buy this sofa... I will need a disco ball and

Go Go Boots to go with it ;)

Nasty!

This is a tacky LV imitation coffee table.

I found this terrace round tent lounge chair.

Not sure what's the technical name.

Price tag KD600

I just love vibrant colors! Sometimes I go to extremes with

colors but not this time. I'm going to take care of

what I'm going to chose and be very cool about it.

*Sigh* Sooo beautiful cabinets and consol and mirror.

I love this parrot folding partitions.

This table and matching chairs are amazing! I can just imagine it

in my dinning area.

Still I'm going to stay away from these. I need something sturdy and within a realistic price, 3ashan ma at7asar if my monkies inflicted some damage on the furniture pieces.

Diet Update - March

The inevitable happened. With the craziness of last month I slacked in my exercise routine! My exercise schedule is on and off. Once a whole week passed by and I haven't got on the treadmill. Last weekend bada3t bel akel! Now I have to take a deep breath (inhale and exhale) and focus. The kilos won't shift on their own. Right? I have to make the extra effort to make up for the lost time. The past months I had incentives. I know it is wrong, and I should think my only goal is to be fit and healthy. Yet, it is more exciting when I have an incentive, something to look forward to when I have results. I know it is no excuse. Hopefully April would be more relaxed for me. Although it is the beginning of the High Season for Gelato Italiano, but everything is under control. I'm back on the treadmill this morning, and I feel the better for it. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed. :)

A Walk To Remember for Autism

The walk aims to spread the awarness of Autism.

Registration is at Marina Mall, near Virgins store, from 5.30pm - 9.30pm

until the 28th Feb.

Hurry and participate!

Fahad cracked up laughing at me this morning when I told him I wanted to participate

in a walkathon. I don't blame him. Every year I tell him I'm going to participate in some kind of race and I never do. I went anyway and signed up my name!

First it is for a good cause, spreading Autism awareness.

Second, it's a good incentive to stick to my exercising.

Third, it will be a 2010 achievement I'd be proud of.

As I said, 2010 will be a different year for me ;)

So make it different for you too, make a difference and participate :)

Dear February

Dear February, I hope you'll be nicer to me than Janruary. For in Jan, I was very sick which has put me bed for almost a week, I fell and sprained my ankle (it still hurts) and couldn't exercise as I should. I know it's cold now and I just want to cuddle in a warm blanket and forget about my chores, but Feb. if you're good to me I will promise I'll achieve these feats.

• Finish cleaning the clutter in my dressing room.
• Complete the new project for Gelato
• Work hard for the walkathon
• Embrace hunger and lose 5kg or plus ;)
• Work on 5 new recipes for this month
• Check out new materials to revamp my living room
• Get out more
• Read all the books on my TBR for this month
• Spend less time on the net
• Stay sane ;p

Yours

Um 3azoz

Creamy Herbed Chicken Pasta

When you diet, sometimes you crave restaurant style food, or food that is full of flavor and texture. Food which makes you fat! Yet you don't want to sabotage your diet by eating something high in fat. I own a lot of cook books, actually hundreds of them. In one of them there is this favorite recipe I always make. Sometimes I use regular ingredients, but now, because I'm dieting, I swapped them for low fat alternatives and the result is the same and even better "Guilt free" YUM!

Creamy Herbed Chicken with Spinach Tagliatelle

4 Chicken breast fillets, sliced

2 teaspoons of sweet paprika

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

250g packet of cream cheese (I used light philly)

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese ( I used the reduced fat which I found at Carfour)

1 cup of water

1 small cube of chicken stock (I used Maggie low salt chicken stock)

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint

40g butter (I used Lurpak light)

500g of spinach Tagliatelle (Or any other pasta. There is gluten free pasta available at Dean & Deluca which I also use sometimes for my pasta dishes)

- This is very easy to make. Mix the chicken, paprika and pepper in a bowl and set aside. (I usually let it marinate for half hour at least, sometimes more)

-Blend or process the cheeses, the water and the stock cube and herbs until well combined. Heat butter in pan and add chicken. cook stirring over high heat until well browned. add cheese mixture, simmer for 5 minutes.

-Add pasta to a large pan of boiling water, boil uncovered until just tender. Drain.

- Serve pasta with creamy chicken.

Diet!

Since November I started dieting by closing my mouth and eating sensibly and exercising. So far I lost around 15Kg. Which is really really good, and I still have a long way to go. Although I know and have all the tools for dieting, I still went to a nutritionist. It was like having a teacher looking over your shoulder and you have to do the work or you'll be in trouble, besides she gave me some supplements to jump start my weight loss. Now, I haven't been to her in a while, but I'm still following her guide lines.

However, yep, I have somehow fallen off the wagon! It started when the kids were on vacation. I started waking around 9am instead of 6am, and getting too lazy to exercise, and what follows are good sugary fatty foods I've been indulging in. I love food! who doesn't?

As my new year resolution, I want my old body back! Yes! this year I'm serious! I'm going to cause murder if I'm not whipped back in shape! I want to feel fit and healthy, I want to look and feel good about myself, and summer is coming very fast and soon we'll be shedding the many layers of heavy dark clothes for beautiful sheer and light fabrics.

I will keep you posted, inshallah, and I will post some yummy guilt free recipes and tips for you to try ;)

2010 Resolutions!

2010 started with a bang! We celebrated the New Year with our kids! Yes, for the first time I let them up past midnight. Seeing the joy on their faces was worth any parties we might have attended. We had fireworks, popguns and cake. Fifteen minutes after midnight, they brushed their teeth and were tucked warmly in bed and sleeping soundly. Of course, most of us have resolutions and for the first couple of months we do our best to keep up with the resolutions we made, but then slowly we start making excuses, "Maybe not today… I'll do it first thing Saturday morning." By the end of the year we forget all about them. I can't remember all the resolutions I made for 2009, but I do remember one of them "Losing weight!" It is the number one resolution around the world! And it's been my resolution every since I can remember! I sat this morning at home by myself making a long list of stuff I want to do or attain by the end of this year. Here it goes: 1- Lose 20kg! Be a little more selfish and take better care of myself. (it's been my resolution for the past 10 years) 2- Build lasting memories with the kids. (I'm still trying to figure out how.) 3- Resume swimming and be serious about it. (Best body shaper exercise) and introduce a new activity. I was thinking squash. (if anyone of you knows a good instructor please feel free to mention him/her) 4- Do a new artistic activity, pottery, painting, piano. (Again please feel free to mention a place or a class which might give something of that sort) 5- Declutter my dressing room (It is a nightmare and I think I should work on it this week). 6- Redecorate my living room. (I've wanted to do it for the past two years and I still don't know what's holding me. Another nightmare I want to wake up from) 7- Get more serious in the kitchen. Maybe work on a cook book. 8- Concentrate on improving the business.

I have strong belief 2010 will be a good year, inshallah. Think positive and get away from negativity. I will keep you update about my efforts in realizing this list. For those who have resolutions of their own, I say, "Good Luck!"