healthy lifestyle

Goodness Gracious Energy Balls

I seem to be craving sweet, nutrient dense foods frequently in the afternoons.

A cup of tea with something sweet around 3-4pm seems to be just what I need. I used to have a sweet, commercial cookie to dip in my tea, but that is way behind me now!

Something that I love about switching to a healthier lifestyle is that I have found I don’t have to compromise on taste or treats – I just need to find a way to make it tick some healthy boxes.

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And, if it’s quick and easy to prepare a batch that I can then have waiting for me in the fridge or pantry – even better!

These little energy balls tick all the boxes and then some!

They are sweet, slightly salty, substantial, economical and so fast to make.

To throw these together, I only used ingredients that were already in my pantry and that are always there.

The goodness and simplicity of oats, combined with favourites such as honey and peanut butter, (I can not get enough of the stuff!) coconut, linseeds (flaxseeds) , plump raisins, tahini and vanilla extract. So simple, so delicious!

A recipe like this is so adaptable too, you can put in whatever healthy ingredients you have on hand that you think will work.

*Change the linseeds for sunflower seeds.

*Add some chopped nuts to the mix.

*Switch honey for maple syrup or other natural sweetener.

*Switch the raisins for craisins, chopped dried fig, chopped dates or sultanas.

*Add in some chopped, dark chocolate.

*Dip half of each ball in some melted dark chocolate.

Goodness Gracious Energy Balls

Healthy snack balls that taste amazing!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10

Servings 14 serves

Ingredients

1.5 cups Quick or rolled oats
0.5 cups Dessicated coconut
2 tbsp Linseeds (whole)
3 tbsp Raisins
2 tbsp Peanut butter
3 tbsp Tahini
2 tbsp Honey
2 tsp Vanilla extract

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. I find it easiest to get my hands into the bowl and squeeze everything together. Once well combined, squeeze and roll into balls and store in the fridge.
*Note – if your mixture is a little dry, add more honey
** If you want to make your balls a little more decadent, add some chopped, dark chocolate!

Keyword bliss ball, healthy treat, healthyfood

If you try out this recipe, I’d love to hear if you enjoyed it!

My weight loss journey – the first four weeks

by Kelly 14 Comments

Four weeks ago I embarked upon a new health journey. And no, it’s not the first time, but I do hope it’s the last.

Since my teenage years I’ve been a classic “yo-yo dieter”. It has taken me a long time to get used to the idea that if I want to be healthy and of a moderate weight, it has to be a permanent commitment. Just 3 years ago I was at my ideal weight, but I let things slip and found myself with all that weight stacked back on, plus a few extra kilos for good measure.

Isn’t it funny how it often takes reaching a crucial (or even a breaking) point before we’re willing to do something positive and take responsibility for our own health? Four weeks ago I was exhausted, feeling physically awful and trying to avoid the scales that showed me what I didn’t want to admit every time I stepped on them.

As I’ve advanced in years I’ve realised more and more how important health is and how things change as you age. I can’t just get my weight down fairly easily like I could in my 20’s and 30’s. Losing weight after 40 for me has been very challenging indeed!

But, I’m happy to say that after 4 weeks of adopting a new mindset, I’m seeing positive changes. The first noticeable change was that I was feeling better. More energy and stamina. Better self esteem because I’m actually doing something and being proactive about my health. So far, I have lost 4kg (almost 9 pounds) and feel confident that if I continue to do what I’ve been doing, the weight will continue to drop.

Whenever there is a weight loss discussion, the first thing people want to know is “how did you do it?” It’s a fair question, but I think there are so many people out there (I’ve definitely been one of them!) who think there is some magic solution that will melt their pounds away. But that is a pipe dream. There are no two ways about it. Being healthy and losing weight is hard work. It’s a daily choice and commitment to keep going and stay strong. It is hard! But it’s achievable.

So, let’s have a look at the main changes I’ve made to my lifestyle.

Exercise every day.

And by exercise, I mean whatever you are capable of that gets you up and about and moving. For me, it’s usually a daily walk of 20 – 30 minutes with the dog. If I can’t get out for a walk, I will try to do a gentle workout (I enjoy walking workouts like this one). Previously I had been walking about 3 times a week, but going daily really helps me keep motivated and I can feel that I’m getting fitter. And as a side benefit, it has helped with my back pain.

2. Portion control

This has been absolutely key! I actually had a pretty healthy diet before, I love good food but I just ate way too much. Getting serious about portion control means that I have almost cut my food intake by half. Sounds extreme, but that just shows you that I was eating portion sizes that were unreasonably large. I started by checking recommended serving sizes for all kinds of the foods that I like to eat. It was sobering to say the least! This has probably been the hardest change to get used to, but I am gradually growing accustomed to not having to feel full all the time.

3. Balance

I’m not a fan of fad diets or eating plans that are heavily promoted commercially. Without going into specifics, I don’t believe that extreme food group elimination is healthy. I’m trying to eat a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vegetables and fruits. I find combining these varieties helps me to feel satisfied for longer.

4. Know your triggers

I have figured out by now that the single biggest reason for health derailment for me is over tiredness. It works two fold – I feel tired, can’t be bothered cooking, feel like healthy eating is too much trouble, perhaps I feel a little bit down, which makes me feel inclined to “treat” myself with something unhealthy and then end up feeling even worse because I haven’t stuck to my plan. And the second part is that I genuinely seem to be hungrier when I’m tired or run down. If you know your trigger/s, you can format a plan to combat them ahead of time. Which brings me to the next point.

5. Preparedness

Have a plan. Write down some goals and figure out ways to achieve them. Decide ahead of time what you’re going to do when you feel tempted to break away from your plan. It could be something like “I will take a walk instead” or “I will call a friend or sympathetic ear to encourage me”.

A huge part of planning for me has been having the right kind of foods in my house and ready to go. So, if I get back home from an outing later than planned and I’m starving, I have a big container of pre prepped salad in the fridge that I can grab a couple of handfuls of, some already cooked brown rice and chuck a hard boiled egg (also pre prepared) on top. Drizzle with a healthy dressing and you’re ready to eat in 1 minute flat!

I also take food out with me which not only saves on money but ensures I stick to my plan. It is very difficult to find fast food that is actually good for you!

I plan each morning what I will be eating for the day. I love doing this. It allows me to not have to worry about what I’ll be eating and when, gives me yummy mealtimes to look forward to, and ensures that I stick to my plan. I can also make adjustments to the day’s plan depending on how I went the previous day or how hungry I’m feeling.

A “fruit” cake I made for my daughter’s birthday once. Made almost entirely of watermelon!

6. Eat really good food!

Good food can be more expensive. But, because I’m eating less food overall, I’m not spending any more than I was. Because I’m not eating as much and because I’m trying really hard not to eat the cakes, biscuits etc that my family can eat, I want to make sure that my meals are really tasty! Healthy food, close to it’s natural state is delicious anyway (in my opinion) but assembling the right ingredient with the right flavours and with the right balance feels like treating myself for every meal. And I don’t just feel like I’m eating. Because I’m choosing nutrient dense, fresh, good quality food I really feel like I’m fuelling my body and doing the best I can for my health.

7. Write it down

From the beginning, I have been recording everything I eat. I don’t want to be obsessive, but I really feel like it helps to keep me on track by keeping me accountable. It’s also a part of my experiment on myself to have a record of what I ate and how my weight corresponded at different times. This will help me long term to know how much I can adjust what I’m eating and still maintain a healthy weight. Because this is going to be different for every person, writing down your food intake (you could record exercise also if you wanted to) will help you to tailor your individual plan.

Are you doing any of these things? Are they helping you? Or do you think you may try any of these strategies? Let me know where you’re at with your health journey. What are your biggest struggles? Have you had any recent achievements?

Leave me a comment and we can chat and encourage one another!

Healthy lifestyle plus a recipe for you

by Kelly 10 Comments

If you follow me on social media you will already know that I’ve embarked on a healthier lifestyle. It has been just over 2 weeks and I feel like I’m adjusting – it was very hard initially!

I’m not the sort who copes well with small changes – I’m more of an “all in” kinda girl, so it was important for me to make major changes.

Although I’d like to share my thoughts in more detail with you as I go along, for now I’ll just show some examples of what I’ve been eating. It’s actually been pretty easy to put together healthy meals for myself, even though this seemed daunting at first. I thought it would be too difficult and too expensive to not always eat what the family was eating. It turns out that this was just one of many excuses I’d been storing up in my head!

I have lost a little weight, which has been encouraging.

So, here is a snapshot of what my healthy eating has been looking like. Most of these are pretty simple, throw together, low cook dishes without a real recipe. Just how I like it.

Lets start with sweets. (Also just how I like it!) Chia vanilla pudding with peanut butter banana. It looks sloppy and not all that appetising but as an afternoon snack, it is THE BOMB!

I can’t take credit for the delicious Quinoa and corn salad, my husband made that (he is an awesome cook). Thrown together with some chopped raw zucchini and tomato and voila! Lunch!

Baby spinach and chickpea salad with lemon and yoghurt dressing. Another light and easy lunch.

There is a bed of brown rice under the tomato, spinach leaves, red salmon and walnuts. Topped with low fat yoghurt and low fat mayonnaise.

Salmon and salad pita wrap.

Half a chicken breast, drizzled with sesame oil, seasoned and baked in foil in the oven and served with a bulgur wheat, tomato and cucumber salad. Squeeze of lemon juice and done.

OK, here comes the recipe, because, if you’re like me, one of your biggest challenges is your sweeter than sweet tooth.

Lets call them my

Rustic Banana Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats, blitzed in a food processor

2/3 of a cup of rolled oats extra

2 large, very ripe bananas

1 small egg

1 tablespoon peanut butter

50grams dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (350 F). Blitz your 2 cups of rolled oats in the food processor until fairly smooth.

Mash your bananas, stir in the peanut butter. Whisk in egg with a fork. Add both batches of oats and mix well. Add the chocolate, mixing all ingredients together.

Place scant dessertspoon full of mixture in blobs on a tray lined with baking paper. Press tops lightly with a fork.

Bake for 12 minutes or until browning. Cool on a baking rack.

Perfect for a healthy afternoon snack with a hot cup of tea.

Bon appetit!

I have made a Facebook group so that I have a place to share information and support others (as well as get some much needed support myself!) Please join if you would like to be involved!

Did you like this post? Would you like me to share more of my healthy journey? Let me know by leaving a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts!