Tuesday's Change Week 25 - Revision Time

Like in previous weeks I've given you all a week off to catch up, refresh and re-focus on the previous changes. So this week you'll be doing just that.

Here is a re-cap of the changes made over the last few weeks.

Gratitude - Click Here

Green Tea - Click Here

At home Fitness - Click Here

Chia Seeds - Click Here

Sweet Potatoes - Click Here

Meditation - Click Here

No drink with meals - Click Here

Was there something you feel you should give another go? Or try harder with? Is there one you just didn't really understand and need to ask me a few questions? I'm here to answer or help whenever you need me.

Best of luck and enjoy revision week!

Tuesday's Change Week 10 - No Complaining

This week's change might sound simple but do you think you can do it? It is possible, you just have to try! As the week goes on it will seem easier. You can do this.

All it is is try and go the whole day without complaining. Once you achieve this try and stretch it out to last the week and hopefully, without realising it, it will become second nature!

Here are some motivational quotes to set you in the mood!

Have a positive, wonderful week.

Tuesday's Change week 8 - Avocados

I used to HATE avocados. The taste, the texture even the way it felt on my hand I hated all of it!


But then I realised just how amazing they are for you. I started experimenting with recipes and flavours and how to eat it and now I try and have a couple a week. They are just so good for you and the taste and texture has really grown on me.

Check out this excellent article here on all the benefits they can have on your life.


This includes:

Super Brain Food

All Avocados are GMO free and the hard skin naturally protects them from pesticides, therefore, they have less chemicals sprayed during growth. Still buy Organic if the budget allows!

Can increase the absorption of other nutrients in your meal by up to 5 times.

Excellent for stroke prevention

Can reduce cholesterol by up to 17% in less than a week!

Protect your eyes and eyesight

High in fibre

High in good fats which protect the heart, lower blood pressure and reverse insulin resistance

Natural source of folic acid - integral for healthy pregnancy

Brimming with Vitamin E excellent for anti-ageing 

So this weeks challenge is to eat more avocados! It really is that simple. 

I've included some interesting recipes here to get your started.

Paleo Chocolate Mousse

Eat Clean Guacamole Bruschettas

Or alternatively you can:

Add half an avocado to your daily salad

Add an avocado to a soup to thicken it instead of milk or cream

Slice avocado on your bread with your eggs in the morning

Add guacamole to your burgers

Use guacamole as a dip for carrots and celery

The possibilities are endless! Try and eat 3-4 Avocados a week. You will not gain weight or make yourself fat. This is good fat, brain fuel and one of your 5 a day. You really can't eat enough!

Best of luck and keep changing!

We are all changing, even Jeanie!

So in the midst of me launching Tuesday's Change I was in the middle of making some life changes myself.

I have just moved to Germany, my husband will be working here for the next 18 months (maybe more!) and so I took the plunge and decided to leave my 'Big Girl Job' (more on this post here) and follow my dreams! I went to India and trained to become a Yoga Instructor and now I'm here and setting up my own classes. It has been a lot of hard work and at times very unsettling but I'm here and loving it and it really is such a great big adventure.

So Lifestyle Jeanie will now become Lebensstil Jeanie....nah just kidding! I'm still going to blog, I'm still going to recommend good places to eat and train in Ireland (most of my followers are there) and still give you great advice on how to #EatClean #TrainDirty and #LiveEasy. Just from a bit away!

So I decided to put together a little list of the things I find amazing about my new home and things that also will take a bit of getting used to! Just to give you all an insight into my life at the moment!

Great things in Germany:

Diesel is only €1 a litre! Jackpot

The vegetables are all un-sprayed, mainly organic and so cheap. They last only a few days but that just shows their freshness and lack of chemicals.

Everything works and is on time. Like Everything!

The supermarkets sell anything you can imagine. I spent 2 hours doing the supermarket shop on my first day. There was an entire aisle of different types of Olives. Fact

Everyone speaks English and it's getting embarrassing at this stage. German lessons here I come.

The walks and outdoor areas here are beautifully preserved and brilliantly accessible for everyone. They lead a healthy, outdoor life here!

The kids, as young as 5 or 6 all walk to school on their own. Dressed in their onsies and hats and scarves, all wrapped up they can be seen toddlng along the street to the bus or train. No messing or running away. Just well behaved and adorable and totally unsupervised!

Schnitzel. Mmmmmm

They sell Kerrygold butter!

You can get a train to anywhere in Europe!

It's great craic trying to guess what items are in the supermarket. Cooking them and realising what they actually are!

There are cycle lanes everywhere, it's all flat and easy to use. They don't have lanes that just end for no reason or lead you into a pole (what's that about Cork?)

Eating out is cheap and relatively healthy.

The Germans know how to party!

Things that will take a bit of getting used to:

They drive on the other side!

Their supermarkets don't sell drinks there is a separate shop for all beverages attached to the shop! Bizarre!

You could have a green light at junction but pedestrians will have one too. So you need to be on the look out at all times!  

Listening to the radio is like being in a permanent Eurovision Contest! Great fun

Cheddar cheese here is about 3-4 times more expensive than other cheese! Edam it is then!

All shops close about 3 pm on Saturday and no where is open Sunday! Like nowhere!

So that's been my life for the last 3 weeks. Getting the house set up (thank you Ikea) and exploring and getting lost in this wonderful city. Meeting new friends and joining groups. I think we are going to like it here!

Spinach Pesto

Spinach Pesto

I love Pesto and let’s be honest there aren't many dishes that don’t taste better with a little (or a lot) of Pesto. It is typically made with basil leaves and basil is a brilliant antibacterial agent but to help increase my intake of Spinach I substituted the basil for spinach instead. This recipe can be made with Spinach, Kale or Basil or a combination of all 3. It is made in 5 minutes and keeps in the fridge for 3-4 weeks (sometimes longer) so I usually make a batch and store it. It’s so handy to have it prepared and ready in the fridge for those days you are in a rush and want some instant falvour.

Ingredients:

2 – 3 cups of Organic Spinach (packed) – can use Kale or Basil or combination of all 3

1/2 cup of Cheese (parmesan works best but you can use what’s in the fridge!)

1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive oil (I used the one I brought back from Italy – Delicious!)

1/3 cup of Pine nuts

3 large Organic Garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Using a blender/nutribullet/mixer blitz the spinach and pine nuts until they form a paste. Add the garlic and chunks of cheese and blend. As the mixer is on slowly add the olive oil ensuring it is evenly added. Using a spoon (or your finger!) taste the mixture and add Salt and Pepper until it is seasoned to your liking. Enjoy!

Prep Time

3-5 minutes

Equipment needed

Blender/Mixer/Nutribullet

Dietary Information

This recipe is:

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Paleo

Vegetarian (Can be made Vegan if you leave out the cheese)

Sugar Free

Contains good fats

One of your 5 a day

Garlic is antibacterial and antiviral – good for colds/flus and infections

Spinach is high in fibre, chlorophylls, Calcium and antioxidants

Pine Nuts are high in good fats and protein

Storage Instructions:

Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 weeks. Can keep longer depending on the quality of your oil.

Serving suggestions

I use this pesto with pretty much everything! Here I used it as a topping for some Salmon darns. Just baste it on top and bake in the oven!

It can be used on pasta, rice noodles, to coat or stuff in chicken, as a topping on soups, on garlic bread, as a dip for carrot or celery sticks, in salads and on canapés with sun-dried tomatoes (drool!) and anything else you typically use pesto for.

Send me in any suggestions or pics of how you used it. I’d love to hear from you!

Keeping Hydrated Top Tips! Tuesday's Change Week 1

So it's 6 days into Tuesday's Change Week 1 - Drinking more water and I hope you are all feeling the benefits! Here is the link if anyone missed it.

I have put together some top tips to help you keep going with the challenge. The plan is to stick to it for the 7 days and then it should become a habit and part of your daily routine.

1) Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. Put it out beside the bed the night before.

2) Drink a glass just before you go to sleep (after you go to the toilet!)

3) Drink a glass before each meal

4) Drink while driving - the only time you are allowed drink drive! Keep a bottle in your car and sip every time you are in traffic or cruising along the motorway.

5) Sip while watching TV. Chug at every add break!

I always like to know why I'm doing something. So here are some great reasons to drink more water!:

It aids digestion which aids fat loss

It boosts your metabolism

It is good for your skin

Helps you think better

Helps you work out better

Prevents headaches

Helps aid detox

Helps all your internal organs and systems function better

Helps you sleep better

Now surely you don't need any more reasons than that?

I'd love to hear from you so send me on your top tips or things that you feel work well. Sharing knowledge is what it's all about!

Keep a look out for Week 2's change announced this evening!

#EatClean #Train Dirty #LiveEasy

Week 1. Tuesday's Change. Drink more water!

It's the first week of my 'Tuesday's Change' series and for most people this week will be based around returning to normality, routine and work. For that reason I have kept this week's change simple!

All you have to do this week is drink more water. That's it! Sound easy? Well it's all about detox this week and helping the body slowly get back into ridding all the toxins and bad food consumed over the last few weeks. 

Check out my post here entitled 'Are you taking the Piss?' where I outline the benefits of proper hydration for not only detoxifying the body but also to allow proper daily function of all your systems. 

We all need different amounts of water depending on how our body operates, what physical activity we do, how well our body is functioning and how good old genetics have decided to make us. So I can not sit here and tell you the exact amount you should drink everyday. 

The guideline of 8 glasses a day is a good one but like I always say we are all different so there is no one rule for us all.

A good marker to check your hydration is your urine. Yes it's true, you have got to start looking at your pee!

So here are 4 easy steps to help you drink more water!

Step 1: Monday - measure how much water you ordinarily consume naturally in a day. You can do this by filling a water bottle of known volume and seeing how much you drink. Note down the volume. Do not include teas or coffees or milk and juices. Just water!

Step 2: Tuesday - Make the change! Decide to slowly increase your consumption of water. Make it an extra 500ml a day (or more) to begin with until by Friday/Saturday you should be up to at least 3 litres or as much as you need so your urine is comparable to levels 1-3 on the above chart! You'll eventually begin to get really thirsty as the body starts to realise it is now being adequately hydrated and it will begin to look for more. Yes, you will have to go to the toilet more but eventually your bladder will adapt. And remember every time you go to the toilet you are ridding the body of more waste! Winning!

Step 3: Begin carrying  a reusable water bottle with you. Everywhere I go I bring one. This is a handy way to ensure you can always have water and you aren't wasting money or damaging the environment with bottled water. I got my bottle here and it was worth every penny. Try and get BPA free plastic or a glass bottle if you are concerned about chemicals leeching into the water.

Step 4: If you are finding it hard to drink just plain water then feel free to add fruit slices or herbs to the water. Just nothing with sugar! My favourite (and best for detox, health and flat belly - winning!) is pictured bellow. Make it up the night before and bring it with you for the day.

Super Valu have trays of fresh ginger at the moment for 89c. You can't get cheaper than that!

So that's it guys. More water. Simple. Stick it out for the week and I promise you'll be feeling amazing in no time. 

Running a body dehydrated is like trying to run a car with low oil. Yes it works but things start to break, creak and just don't work as well. 

I know with the current water charges in Ireland this might be the last thing you wanted me to say but remember it's your health and body. Look after it. It's worth every penny!

Keep drinking and keep looking at your pee pee!

Tuesday's Change. 7 days to enhance your life.

No one likes Mondays right? So I always try and start new things on a Tuesday. As my good friend John says 

"Tuesday is the day we choose"

So I will be running a series of posts each Tuesday with one suggestion to try that week. The challenge is to implement that change into your every day life for the next 7 days. With the aim being if you can do it for 7 days it will hopefully become part of your routine and you won't even have to think about it any more!

They will all be small and easy changes ranging from trying new foods to exercises to positive thinking and lifestyle changes. Just think one change a week, every week for the year you can transform yourself and the world!

I want you to look at this challenge as a positive step. You are not limiting yourself, going on a diet or restricting yourself from having things. Instead you are choosing to introduce better food into your day, doing more exercise and being more relaxed and positive. If you are constantly thinking of all the things you can't have you will go insane! 

I will host regular question and answer sessions live online each week where you can comment and ask questions, get support and tips from other people taking part and myself. A little community of people all doing the challenge. It's only 7 days right?!

Tuesday's Change. 7 days to enhance your life!

To take part all you have to do is share this post and tag a friend or friends who you think would also benefit from this challenge. It is statistically proven that friends who partake in a challenge together, whether it is diet, exercise or lifestyle changes, will be more successful as they have that support network!  When one is weak the other will be strong.

Make 2015 a year for you. A year to enhance the amazing person you already are!