SmarterFitter Daily

Bananas, grapes, apples, oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, yogurt, splash of milk.

A brief return to the sweet breakfasts but not for long. All that fruity stuff makes my stomach feel funny. 

Icy cold banana whey protein smoothie (brrr). Cup of decaf to warm up afterwards.

Breakfast: Strawberry and banana smoothie; sourdough toast with almond butter; coffee

Breakfast: Bircher muesli for the win. Made with oats, flax seeds, dried sour cherries, and raisins. Topped with banana, toasted pecans and yogurt. Served with coffee brewed from fresh home-roasted coffee beans.

Lunch: Salad nicoise with egg, tuna, anchovies, fresh basil, sundried tomatoes, hot read chillies, sugar snap peas, red onion, little gem lettuce, balsamic vinaigrette, salt and pepper. I think this is the last of my traditional, tuna-based salad nicoises. I feel somewhat skeptical about tinned tuna, even the so-called "sustainable" varieties. 

Snack: Apple and a cup of decaf tea. Laster a few nibbles of farinata to get me through a work assignment without being distracted by hunger.

Dinner: Tofu scramble with a side of perpetual spinach from the garden, sourdough toast and avocado. The scramble comprised one of my favourite medleys: onion, fennel seed, garlic, red bell pepper, corn, broccoli, lots of fresh basil, and tofu of course (also works well sans tofu, or with chickpeas or lentils). A couple wedges of orange to cleanse the palette at the end.

I had intended to go for a swim this morning, but when I woke up at 6:30am (a sleep-in for me) I felt the morning already escaping, and my tummy already rumbling. So I opted for a walk around the farm. I've been wearing a support bandage around my knee (called a "tubigrip"). It helps considerably but I'm trying to ween myself off of it so kept it off this morning. The walk was significantly more difficult. But I got through it and no harm done (hopefully a bit of good, instead).

I wore the tubigrip on a post-lunch walk this afternoon in the glorious hot sun. You will never hear me complaining that it's too hot in England. I'll take it every chance I can get.

Today was not caffeine free, but it's my third day in a row without booze - a minor miracle these days it seems. I'm feeling good, that I can't deny I felt a strong craving for a cold glass of white wine this evening - something to wash down the end of a long, sunny day. But all in good time. The week needs to be about getting stuff done, building my businesses, being focused, energised, creative. I'm not so fussy about the weekend, but even then, it's still about making choices that make me feel as good as possible. 

There's a time and a place for cold glasses of white wine, a time and a place for swimming, a time and a place for writing... and on and on. The only universal thing for which there's always a time and place is kicking ass and taking names. Onwards towards tomorrow.

Breakfast: Banana and strawberry smoothie, sourdough toast with almond butter, decaf coffee.

Lunch: Epic salad nicoise with "Fish 4 Ever" tuna and anchovies, leftover pink fir potatoes from yesterday, tomato, red onion, sundried tomato, olives, raw broccoli, leaves and french beans from the garden, balsamic vinaigrette.

Snack: Apple, yogurt, a few walnuts.

Dinner: Grilled tofu, pepper and onion kebabs with salsa cruda and more leftover pink firs, plus some salad leaves and avocado.

So August is here. Part of me thinks that these notions of kicking off a lifestyle change at the start of a new year, month, or season is completely arbitrary and pointless. But at the same time, I can't help but feel a sense of renewed motivation this month. It began well. I didn't drink on Sunday evening and had a terrific sleep. I went to the gym. I got a walk in. I ate well. I felt good. The only hitch was caffeine. I really made no intentions to quit caffeine (though I think about it occasionally). However, for lack of caffeinated coffee in the house, I stuck to decaf. I was fine all day but had a killer headache in the evening - so I went to bed with my book and a few ibuprofen.

The gym was good and the knee is coming along in leaps and bounds (okay, more like longish strides and faint hops). I did 20 minutes of walking on a very steep incline and didn't feel at all awkward or strained. I followed this with some bench presses, rows, deadlifts, crunches, and TRX bicep curls and chest presses. There are days when I go to the gym and I feel absolutely exhausted before I even get there. Today was not one of those days. It felt great.

I also got my daily walk in during the afternoon at lunch. It was sunny and hot today in England - glorious weather - and I decided on my stroll to have a bbq that evening. Something clean, whole and vegan. Tofu kebabs. I'm loving the salsa cruda we had at Sunday's cookery course, and I majorly scored by being given the leftovers. Tomatoillos, tomatoes, chilli, spring onion, coriander, lemon juice, a dash of sweetener. Delicious. It makes me want to do more with fresh salsas and sauces.