It's 6:30 in the morning and I have just completed my very first FBW (Fat Burning Walk). I woke at 5:30 and hit the pavement! Wow! Do I feel the difference. No kids, no hubby, just me and the open road!

This is something I have never done because I never put me first. Now I've completed my walk and am home waiting for the kettle to boil so I can have a lemon water, and no one is none the wiser. I have t interrupted anyone's day! Wow, it is possible. Everything else is just an excuse. 

I need to lose weight and not because I want to wear a bikini or because someone laughed at my jiggly bits, but for my health. I can do this, I can make this change! 

I hope this doesn't sound like a new year resolution, because it's not! I don't like resolutions! This has to be legit. I have to make this work for me to stop my health dwindling, I've been told time and time again, so here I go! 

 

 

Here's my starting digits. I hope that by the end of the month this will be very different! A lot of you may remember my fitness journey, well, I know I can do it ... this is part two! 

Making bread crumbs yourself is no hard task. I believe that most people can make them in minutes! I didn't use to do it, because the thought of bringing down the food processor was a drag! We have one of those all in one, do it all machines that means you have to wash nearly everything in your kitchen when you're done ... until now!

Just so you know, this isn't a sponsored post!

I recently came into the possession of a handy little kitchen mate ... The Kambrook Mix & Store Stick Mixer. Oh. My. Goodness! This thing is amazing!

So, one night when cooking some chicken schnitzel, i realised that I had run out of bread crumbs (as I always do) and just as i was throwing a tantrum in the kitchen because I have to go to the supermarket again -with four children in toe, right at dinner time with every other mum in the area- I had a brain wave ... I'll try the stick mixer on the old bread I have ... and wouldn't you know it, it worked a charm!

I believe making bread crumbs yourself is a much healthier way to go, plus no more wastage on the old bread that would usually see the bottom of the bin! I like to season my crumbs too for a little variety, using some dried herbs you can spice things up with some chilli flakes, or be a little more subtle with flavours like garlic or rosemary.

Home Made Bread Crumbs

Ingredients

Old bread (watch for mould!)
If you wish to season your bread crumbs, add desired seasoning.

Method

 1. Take your bread and remove the crusts, unless you like your crumbs chunky!

2. Tear apart and place in your jug from the Mix & Store.

3. Take out your anger on the day old bread until at the right consistency.

4. Add seasoning if you so desire, I like a combo of dried rosemary and garlic salt.

The master tool for every kitchen! Easy to assemble and easy to store!

Green Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients

100ml coconut water        

150mL water

1 large celery stick   

1 cup baby spinach

¼ cup parsley 

100g strawberries 

1 tbsp lime juice

1 small nodule of ginger (around the size of a thumbnail)

Smoked Salmon & Strawberry Carpaccio

Ingredients

400g Smoked Salmon     

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Pinch salt and pepper

1 tbsp capers

½ cup rocket 

1 cup fresh strawberries 

Method

1. Arrange salmon onto a flat plate, distribute capers, salt and pepper and olive oil over the salmon.
2. Slice strawberries into halves of quarters, and distribute around salmon pieces.
3. Sprinkle rocket evenly over the centre of the salmon.
4. Serve, and enjoy! It also tastes great with poached eggs – just be sure to add them to the carb count!

Serves 4

2.5 grams of carbs per serve

For details about the Atkins Nutritional Approach log onto www.atkins.com 

Coconut & Vanilla Bean Pikelets with a Buttery Berry Coulis

Ingredients

Pikelet mixture:

1/3 cup coconut flour

1/3 cup almond flour

4 eggs

1 ½ cups coconut milk

5g vanilla bean

1 tbsp butter

Berry Coulis:

1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries

1tbsp butter

½ tsp vanilla

¾ cup coconut oil

Ok, bring on February! 

I am so pumped and motivated at the moment! I am ready to create a new me. 

So here's the thing, I have been on my Fitness Journey for a while now. I have lost 8 kgs, but of late I have been lacking motivation.I wanted a hot to trot bod by summer, I wanted to run 5-10kms and I wanted to be confident. All I achieved was a love of rolly bits and a possible bike ride 5kms. Not quite the achievement I anticipated.

So here I am, I thought a fresh start in the new year would get me going. Nope. I blame the kids. The kids and school holidays. But no more excuses! I am making a stance and will start living better. I am not waiting until Feb, I have started already, but that is just in preparation for the month to come. 

With only a week to go I have enrolled myself in two fitness and healthy eating challenges to make me keep in line. I want to create a better lifestyle for me and the kids so that we can live healthier lives. I have also been suffering from migraines again so here we have it, I have to take charge and make the change. (Sounding like a MJ song ...)

My first challenge; The Forage 4 Week Challenge

This is great, this is what I have been waiting for! This challenge sets out a four week meal plan for breakfast, lunch and tea,cereal teaches you about portion size and what to eat and not eat. It is also a sugar free, so it is everything I need to help kick my butt (and other flabby bits) into gear and get myself healthy again. I'm really excited to be apart of this and I know it will be interesting to see how the kids react to it too!

The best part of this challenge is it's free! Yes, you join up, buy their cereal and the rest is free! I would be buying breakfast anyway, so what is the big deal if I change brand? Makes sense to me!

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My second challenge; Blogilates Hot Body Challenge

If you have followed my Fitness Journey then you will know my love of Blogilates. I have been rather slack of late but I am back and super excited. This is such a great way of getting your body fit and strong and combining it with a healthy diet (or the above challenge) I am expecting great things.

This challenge however is more like motivation of the dollar kind! Yes, you pay $30 to participate and if you can lose 4% of your starting weight then you win a share in the pot. Depending on the amount of winners depends on what you win! That is motivation enough for me!! 

Of course, I would love it if you would join me on my new journey. I have so much motivation at the moment, but if I have people jump on board with me, I get the feeling that I will stick it out as I wouldn't want to let you down! You can sign up for the Forage 4 Week Challenge at their website and the Blogilates Hot Body Challenge can be found here, be sure to follow this link so they know I sent you! 

Thank you all again and here's to an awesome month of health, fitness and a stronger, better you! 

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I had the most amazing opportunity, one of my biggest highlights since creating my blog. I had a chat with Rachael Finch, about all things fiber, being the All Bran Ambassador and living healthy. 

What a chat that was ... I started out all fan girl! I was like, I am a total fan *cue blushing cheeks* I follow you on Twitter and Instagram ... blah blah ... I wish I could edit phone calls!