Cooking Adventures

One of the things I have loved the most about moving to London is the groceries. I know that sounds weird, but the local produce in Kuwait was of questionable quality, and the imported goods were rather expensive. However, more than the cost, imagine how much freshness is lost after the produce has been packaged and shipped from abroad -- by the time it has docked in the ports, been cleared through customs, and shelved in the supermarket, you can imagine the state it is in …

Here, I have 4 different supermarkets within a ten minute walk. I have a local butcher just a few minutes away. I am thrilled!

Now I know that all the labels and marketing - fresh! no preservatives! 100% natural! organic! - can be misleading, but I finally have so many items to choose from. All the labels are in English and the nutritional values are clearly marked. It's been fab!

Here are a few things I've cooked for dinner recently - recipes to hopefully follow soon:

simple chicken stir-fry 

chicken breast, onions, a variety of bell peppers, and peas 

almond crusted cod with roasted vegetables

(a recipe to add to my whole life challenge stock)

my post-workout omelet with tomatoes and half an avocado 

this is my favorite dinner so far -- baked salmon with broccolini, carrots, sugar snap peas, and mushrooms stuffed with tomato ratatouille 

I'm having so much fun grocery shopping and cooking these yummy meals! I think I need to start trying some new fruits and vegetables. There are quite a few things in the produce aisle that I've never tried. It's time to be adventurous -- and keep it healthy!

Back at the Gym!

How is it Thursday already???

It has been a busy, busy week - more furniture deliveries, more appointments, more errands ... but my biggest achievement this week was finally joining a gym!

As I mentioned a couple of times in my recent blog posts, there's a little gym close to my house. It's nothing fancy at all, but it's got everything I need.

What makes me happiness is that the first thing I see when I enter is a couple of boxing bags and several tires -- how perfect for me!

So, on Monday and Tuesday I went to the gym early in the morning. Early mornings really do work best for me, especially because at the moment I'm not working so I have no job to anchor my daily routine. It's so darn easy to just get stuck on the couch watching episodes of Come Dine with Me and Hoarders (2 shows that I've been watching a bit too much lately!). Anyway. On those two days I kind of just warmed my body up to doing exercise again - dynamic stretches, weights, some cardio, and then a cool down. I did my usual weights routine but with lighter weights than normal. It just felt good to get back in the gym.

Although I had my basic routine, I wanted something a bit more - so I decided to meet up with a personal trainer. I had my personal training session today. When I told the trainer about my normal routine, she was a bit unsure as to what to do with me. She said that I already had a good routine and that I looked like I knew what I was doing (which is the same comment the owner of the gym made the first day I went to workout). I told her I did know what I was doing, but I wanted something a bit more. I feel like she was a bit hesitant to give me something too challenging. I know she was getting to know me and she really didn't know my background so she needed to be cautious, but when she handed me a 4 kg dumbbell I had to kind of giggle as I handed it back and told her that I needed something heavier.

My main goals at the moment are to build up my strength so that it's back to where it was when I was doing CrossFit. I know it'll take some time, but I need to be sure I'm working in an environment that will support my desire to lift heavy (eventually). They definitely encourage weight lifting so that's not an issue, but I have a feeling that if they saw me load up the squat rack with 80 kilos (175 lbs), they'd freak out. Anyway.

She gave me some new challenging exercises to do and I'm happy to incorporate them into my routine. I was a bit surprised that she only gave me one routine - I'm used to doing 2-3 different routines a week partly to keep challenging myself but also to keep me from being bored. I think I'm going to take what she's given me and continue my own routine.

In addition to joining the gym, I went and checked out London Shootfighters - one of the top MMA gyms in London. Wow! I was so impressed. I didn't join them, but I did hang around for a couple of hours and watch a class plus watch some of their fighters train. Seriously jaw dropping amazement at the calibre of these fighters -- and this was just practice! The trainers were great - very warm and welcoming. I had such a great time.

As much as I would like to immediately jump in and join, I'm not 100% sure about it at this time. There are a few issues - particularly the commute there. Plus I'll be traveling soon so I don't know if I want start paying only to miss 3 weeks ... but it's something that I'm seriously considering. At least I checked it out and I know what I want to work towards -- very exciting stuff :) In the meantime, check out this fight featuring Michael Page (one of the guys I watched train at the gym) -- amazing!

One Size Does Not Fit All

Eat Clean? Paleo? Gluten Free? Everything in moderation?

CrossFit? Run? MMA? Yoga?

The Internet is incredible because there is so much information out there. With that much info, inevitably you're going to run into ones that say X is good for you and others that say X is bad for you. There are arguments for all sides - things you should/shouldn't eat, exercises you should/shouldn't do -- there's no one right answer.

Just like years ago I had to make peace with the fact that my size 0 best friends could eat burgers and fries and not exercise and still not gain weight -- and I couldn't, I have made peace with the fact that not all food and fitness suggestions will work for me.

When people ask me how I managed to lose weight (mainly due to weight lifting/CrossFit plus doing the Whole Life Challenge - no dairy, no sugar, no preservatives etc.), they react in horror thinking that it's all too extreme.

I have a friend who eats clean (includes dairy and legumes) and only walks, but walks regularly and vigorously, and she manages to lose weight and keep it off.

Another friend of mine follows a Paleo lifestyle (no legumes, no sugar, no dairy) and runs (no weights). She is also very healthy and is able to maintain her weight loss.

Yet one more friend eats whatever she wants in moderation and does general aerobics exercise and still manages to lose weight.

We're all different. We have chosen to follow an eating method that suits our bodies and to do exercises that suit our interest levels as well as have a positive impact on our body.

Following the Whole Life Challenge guidelines work best for me -- however, even though legumes are allowed, I found that legumes don't suit me well at all -- therefore, I have practically eliminated them from my diet. I found that dairy doesn't bother me, so I am ok with having a bit of milk, some Greek yogurt, and even some cheese (not Paleo or WLC friendly, but alright under 'eating clean' guidelines).

As much as I would love to run, it just hurts my knees too much. However, intense weight lifting and MMA suit me just fine.

I find it amusing that more people react negatively to CrossFit than they do when I mention MMA training - I would think that being punched in the face would be more alarming on the injury scale than doing heavy squats -- but everyone has their own opinion and their own preference …

In the end - one size does not fit all.

You have to figure out what works best for you. What decisions are you going to make for your health and fitness that will allow you to comfortably include them in your lifestyle as an actual lifestyle (vs a diet or a phase)? What will you enjoy doing so that the tasks don't feel like a bore or a chore?

These decisions are all up to you.

The articles out there are often interesting and informative, but I would strongly caution about following something blindly and expecting the results to work with universal success. Build your knowledge base. Be patient through the trial period. Find out what works for you -- and don't judge others for what they have chosen to do.

Stop the Freak Out

I've been meeting up with a few friends here and one question that they've all asked me is: Have you found a place to train yet?

The answer is No.

There is a small training place close to my house - it's got everything I need, a free weights area, some HIIT/CrossFit style classes, and a few cardio machines. It's conveniently located and it is affordable. Most likely I will be joining them very soon. The only reason I haven't done so is because I've been a bit disorganized with my time. The move has kept me very busy - and the furniture delivery has kept me relatively housebound. Still, things are falling into place so I really don't have an excuse not to join and start really burning those calories. All the walking has been great, and I totally see a difference in my legs, but I know the lack of resistance training and really pushing myself with regular intense workouts is having an impact on my overall flab factor! I need to change that.

One thing that I have noticed is that I haven't freaked out about not going to the gym. In the past I would be so obsessed with my schedule and making sure that all the timing and planning falls together perfectly that I would often overwhelm myself to the point where nothing really happened.

The biggest lesson that I learned with my fitness was just learning to let go. If you've been reading my blog for the past year or so, you know that there's been a lot going on. I've accepted that my life is chaotic and things always come up -- that is my norm. So, the only choice I have is to go with the flow. Accepting that reality has made such a big difference.

I've come to realize that being healthy doesn't depend on a certain time, place, or circumstance.

You're either making a healthy decision or you're not. The choice is mine and the consequences are mine. I understand and accept that the choices I make will have an impact on my health/my weight/my life.

The bottom line is that I will not freak out.

I am confident that I have developed a healthy lifestyle. I am ok in knowing that I still have work to do. I realize that I have to deal with life on a day to day basis. Taking it one step at a time has been so helpful. It keeps me from being overwhelmed and losing focus on the bigger picture.

Finding My Footing

I've been in London for just over a week now. I'm quite familiar with London because I've come here many times for vacation and stayed for an extended period of time. However, it's completely different now that I'm actually living here.

The past week has been spent getting to know my new little neighborhood, unpacking, getting the house sorted, figuring out where to buy things for the house, and getting over the general exhaustion from travel/packing up in Kuwait.

In addition to that, I've got to figure out my training and eating schedule.

In general things are falling into place; however, I don't have a set routine yet. Looking back at my blog posts I find that this has always been the downfall to my summer holidays. Even though I have plenty of time, it seems to get lost amidst the lack of structure (and of course the travel).

I still haven't found my footing.

One of the good things is that I've been doing a LOT of walking - much more than I would have normally done in Kuwait. I'm not driving here, so that means that I have to walk everywhere - grocery store, errands, etc. Of course there's public transport which I'll use when I'm leaving the neighborhood, but in general, I'm on my feet and I'm loving it.

The main thing that has thrown me is the weather. It is much colder than I was prepared for and it is rainy. Yes, I know that these two things are typical of England, but still - my Wellington boots and my sweaters are all in my cargo (which arrived today incidentally, but going through the 100+ boxes to get my warmer stuff out will take some time).

In any case, I'm working on my plan and I hope to start following it soon. I really do need to join some sort of gym for my strength training. I'm totally dreading starting over again, but I hope that with the right schedule and with discipline I'll be well on my way.

Saying Goodbye and Saying Hello

The past few months have been a total blur. So much has been going on in my life, but I'm happy to say that it's all been going well.

After living in Kuwait for the past 14 years (and for 27 years in total), I finally packed up my bags for my big move to London.

Aside from being very stressful, hectic, and emotional, I ended my time in Kuwait on a high note -- here are a few pix of my last few weeks in the country I called 'home' for most of my life.

Emptying my gym locker and returning the keys felt so strange! 

My final workout at the gym -- I was still really sore from my last Kajukenbo class so I ended with 10 km on the cross trainer.

Saying goodbye to my Hummer was hard!! I loved every minute of driving it! 

I had a lovely farewell do at work -- can't believe I worked there for 14 years! 

Certificate of appreciation from Kuwait University

Lots of farewell gatherings -- I'm so happy that I'm smiling in these photos as they really were wonderful times. Many of these pictures were followed by hugs and tears, but it's all because of the great love I have for my friends. 

Now here I am in my new home -- Hello London!

Surreal

Wow. I don’t even know where to begin in terms of describing what I’ve been up to and how life has been for the past month.

The one word that I’ve been using most frequently to describe the events that have been going on in my life – SURREAL.

There has been SO much going on that it has felt impossible to keep up. I’ve literally just been putting one foot in front of the other and trying to move forward. I’ve definitely been in survival mode – just do what needs to be done. No time to overthink (which is a good thing), no time to get too emotional (though there have been many teary breakdowns), no time, no time, no time.

Yet, things are getting done. Somehow, I’m making progress with whatever task I’ve got to do for the day. I guess that’s the bottom line, isn’t it. You’ve just got to put your head down and get on with it.

I won’t spend much time dwelling on the past few weeks since so much of my efforts to lose weight and get healthy has to do with moving forward, so let me just give you the highlights and then move on:

What has Been Happening

•  Ever since I had my car accident, I haven’t felt like myself. All of a sudden I found myself unsure of things (particularly driving) that I have been doing naturally/without question for the past decade. I lost a lot of confidence. It really shook me up.
•  The lack of confidence wasn’t just on the road. It had an impact on everything, even in my martial arts training classes. I found myself hesitant and scared. It was terrible.
• The fear led to a huge emotional breakdown during one of my classes where I just couldn’t respond to an attack. That took me back to my breakdown last August – which made me feel like a total failure. I felt like I hadn’t progressed or achieved anything. I felt like I was a fraud. It was devastating.
• Somehow, despite that breakdown, I showed up to the next class (despite wanting to run away), and I trained. I knew that the only way to get past the incident was to show up and work on it. So I did – I’m happy I did, but it was tough.
• In my quick summary post a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned a family crisis and a impromptu trip to Bangladesh. Long story short – my brother suffered from some sort of viral attack that led to inflammation around his spine which caused a loss of sensation in his lower extremities (he wasn’t able to move either leg from the knee down – no walking, no standing, no control of movement). After a hellish day (which incidentally happened to be the day before my packers were coming to prepare everything for the cargo container) involving ambulances, hospitals, and an incredible amount of stress, taking my brother to Dhaka was the only option for proper treatment. We just weren’t making headway at all at the hospitals here in Kuwait. So, after the packers left the house with all the furniture, books, kitchenware etc. etc. boxed up, I got on a plane with my brother and flew to Bangladesh to drop him off with my parents and to receive treatment there. I was in Bangladesh for less than 40 minutes before getting back on the same flight and returning to Kuwait – to find the cargo people already working to put all the boxes etc. into the container.

Yes, it was surreal.

Update on my brother

• He’s improving.
• He couldn’t walk at all for about 10 days.
• He still does not have much sensation in his feet, but he is able to walk a very, very short distance with assistance.
• He’s got a long road to recovery.
• He’s going through both a physical and mental battle right now.
• It’s been a devastating and scary experience, but we’re all just thankful that he’s improving.

Life

• I leave for London in less than a month. My cargo is already on the way. Almost all my furniture has been sold. I’ve still got a room full of knickknacks that I need to take care of, but other than that, I should be good to go.
•  The packing process has been both stressful and cathartic. I really tried to get rid of as many things as possible (including over 100 pairs of shoes), but I know I still need to work on letting go.
• I will still be working until mid-May. The semester is winding down, but there’s still work to be done. I’m sure I’ll feel a lot more relaxed once that is over.
• Despite making progress with packing, errands, etc. there is still SO much to be done. It’s overwhelming so I try not to think about it too much. I kind of just pick a few errands to complete for that day and do them. There’s nowhere to hide now!

Fitness/Food

• Over the past month my exercise dropped to 3-4 times a week.
• I haven’t lifted weights in over a month. I really miss it, but I just haven’t had the time to fit in that with everything else that’s been going on. My weight lifting has involved lifting boxes and moving them from room to room!
• My workouts have only been MMA (Kajukenbo and/or Muay Thai).
• I’ve squeezed in the occasional walk/workout at home.
• My yoga/stretching has been non-existent, and I am desperate to get back into it.
• My weight went up a few kilos and now it’s on it’s way down again. More than anything, I’m just not happy with how I feel. I feel flabby. I know that getting back into the weight room will help take care of that.  
• My food has been so-so. I’ve tried not to eat my emotions (and boy have I been emotional!!!). Despite sticking to mainly eating clean, the few bready and/or sugary foods I’ve eaten have had an impact. I know better.

So that’s the basic update from me.

Although there is a lot to do, I will have much more time on my hands, and I plan on spending that time at the gym and in the kitchen!