Food: Takeaway

I had envisioned that my health journey would be about me eating fruits and vegetables, drinking water and working out.

However, there will come a time where you are with friends or family and they want to order a takeaway! You can always make suggestions that they ‘cook their own food.’ Or simply remind them that you’re on a diet.

     However, the way of the world means that you can’t expect everyone to avoid certain foods because you are. We all have our own requirements to fulfil when it comes to diet and fitness.

I know that many people will advocate that you prohibit eating takeaway if you wish to lose weight and become fitter. Which is a great thought to have in an idealistic world. However, if you’re anything like most of your peers on this earth, you will

  • Either give it up completely, lose weight and then slowly go back into bad habits and regain most or all that weight back.
  • Give it up gradually.
  • Say you’ve given it up and then order and eat solo so that no one knows your greedy secrets.

Last night I visited family, as lockdown has eased slightly in the UK and they have created a scheme where you can connect with another household bubble.

     I connected with my bubble and the majority wanted to order takeaway. Now, I know many people online will preach and tell you, ‘don’t eat takeaway!’ I’m not here to advocate it.

     However, I know what it feels like to believe you can’t have it again – which means either walking with your meal or preparing something separately.

     I, however, checked the menu and selected something I felt was healthy-ish which in my world wasn’t fried, deep-fried, drowned in butter or smothered with cheese. Definitely, not an easy task when it comes to ordering takeaway with family.

I ordered from a Caribbean takeaway and my meal was constructed with side dishes. Lol! I laughed last night but it was pretty creative and tasty.

  • Rice and peas
  • Steamed Vegetables
  • Jerk sauce (which they have separate to any meat dishes and contains no animals)

I had called ahead to check that they don’t use dairy in anything. As many of you may already know, I gave up dairy last year (with the exception of eggs, when I bake.)

Our order arrived and we all enjoyed our meal together. It was wonderful seeing my family again and even better eating a healthy-ish takeaway.

Please note I’m not saying go out there and gorge on takeaway. I’m simply suggesting that every once in a while, you should enjoy a takeaway with family/friends. Try to stick to a few simple rules when deciding.

  • Most takeaways will add/remove items from your dish. For example, you don’t need to have cheese on your pizza, or you can ask for a different topping like mushrooms for instance.
  • Check the menu beforehand, if you can’t find healthy-ish options in there. Agree to order from somewhere else.
  • Don’t be greedy– we all know exactly when we are ordering too much. We all know what’s not good for us. So rather than having special fried rice, opt for fried rice with no egg and no extras. Also, pick the small portions.
  • Steamed veg is ALWAYS a winner in my mind.
  • When in doubt – DON’T EAT OUT

Finally, if you do succumb to ordering the wrong things. Don’t dwell over it or conjure up negative thoughts about yourself. You’re only human – even certain ‘Health Influencers’ have been caught out slipping.

Whenever I mess up, I allow myself 24hrs to vent, cry or mon about it. Then I move on. The world is still spinning whatever we’re doing, no point in wasting precious time beating ourselves down over a portion of takeaway.

Enjoy your life, eat healthily and when faced with challenges such as ordering takeaway – think smart and #choosehealth

Remember, you are the most important person in your life. If you’re not 100% you can’t expect the world around you to be either.

Remember you’re human! And it’s widely known that from time to time humans fuck up, and it’s okay.

     Learn from your mistakes, own them and move forward. You can’t progress if you remain tethered to moments in life that you regret.

Remember, you are the only version of you in existence! Which essentially means that you are unique. Never forget how amazing you are.

Love

Unique Fatso

A Random Dish: Vegetarian Spring-rolls, Mashed Potatoes & Sesame Seeds

📸 by Unique Fatso

I know I very rarely post a meal along with, this is how to do it! Instructions. That’s because I make up meals as I go along. The only thing I read for instructions on, is baking.      A few days ago I went shopping with my mother and I bought a bag of potatoes. I hadn’t realised until I arrived home, that the bag was indeed 5kg in weight. (lol)

📸by Unique Fatso

So yesterday for lunch I was like? I really want vegetable spring-rolls, but I can’t make the potatoes go to waste. That’s when I came up with this dish. I’ve mashed the potatoes with a smidge of plant-based butter and Alpro soya milk!

Don’t get me wrong, I do own a few cookbooks and I do find inspiration from the amazing recipes I find inside. However, I feel we should all be confident enough to whip up our creations in the kitchen and feel proud that we did just that.

     After all, I’m no Nigella Lawson or Rachel Ama. But I am a woman that is on a journey of health and I like to cook in my kitchen. I feel more satisfied with the meals that I prepare myself.

I implore you all to make something amazing and share it with the world! Honestly, you don’t need fancy cameras or lights to showcase your meals – Simply take a photo and upload it. I do enjoy seeing beautiful meals on Instagram, but in my reality,  I don’t eat like that unless I’m dining out lol.

For now, have a wonderful weekend!

Love

Unique Fatso

Focus: It’s Okay

I’ve been feeling blue along with my fellow peers on this earth. So much has happened and all seems to be hitting us at once! Well known people dying this year, COVID-19 making the whole world stop and those common feelings of self-doubt and restlessness. Then the spotlight on the murders in police uniforms – I admit, in the past, I’ve watched those videos that circulate our world with #NameofDeceased But I did not click onto the video of George Floyd’s murder.

     It hurts to see such events reoccurring in the year 2020. I’ll never understand why anyone would hate their fellow beings on the bases of their skin-colour. I can’t comprehend the logic!

  • If you were born blind, you would not see any colours.
  • All humans’ origins have been scientifically traced back to Africa!

My heart hurts when I see those hashtags when I log into any of my social media platforms and it seems like everyone is sharing the same horrific clip of the murder of an innocent person by a member of the police.

It’s okay not to view such aspects of our corrupt world. It’s okay not to click on the hashtags and view disturbing images and hear traumatic sounds. It’s okay to tune out of your social media and give your mind a break.

  Your mental health is important! And while I’m aware of what horrendous things happen in our world, I’m also aware my mental health can’t cope with the constant negative highlights. I wholeheartedly support the fight for equality and diversity and the right to not receive such hate based on your:

  • disability.
  • gender reassignment.
  • marriage and civil partnership.
  • pregnancy and maternity.
  • race.
  • religion or belief.
  • sex.

We must all remember to look after our mental health.

When I noticed I was being affected by everything going on, I did the following:

  • Turned off all social media notifications.
  • Silenced specific trends/people I follow – So when I was logged into social media, I would not receive an influx of stressful trending topics.
  • Left my phone in a drawer in another room, placed it on flight mode or do not disturb.
  • Advised people who were constantly talking about topics that made me feel low, that I can’t discuss it with them.
  • Silenced/Left Group chats on WhatsApp that just appeared negative or were sharing those traumatic videos.

It’s okay to do that.

I was feeling so overwhelmed with being lockdown due to COVID-19 and then finding out a black person was murdered for being black. I felt like I was losing my mind and so I took the actions above and although I never felt 100% happier – I felt like my mind could cool down for a moment and process everything at my own pace. (I read a few articles on events occurring around the world and the movement that has sprouted from the tragic loss of George Floyd’s life.)

I reiterate its okay for you to put your mental health first and take some time to repair.

The year is 2020 and we as a world haven’t found equality amongst all. We haven’t valued black people as we do non-black. It sometimes feels like we are in some realistic nightmare and while we all know what needs to be done, the ignorant ones slow us down and continue to bully, mock and murder people based on race, disability, religion/belief, age, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment.

I long for the time we transition into a world that is 100% equal and diverse and a world that remains equal until the end of life.

Love,

Unique Fatso

Breakfast Time: All About Oats

📸 by Unique Fatso

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I only endorse products that I use personally and have something positive to share with you all.

The image above is a photo of the breakfast I had a few hours ago. I’ve been eating a lot of seeded toast and drinking smoothies lately. I thought it would be nice to go back to a good bowl of porridge.

As usual, it was utterly delicious!

What’s your favourite dish to have for breakfast? Let me know in the comments below!

Love

Unique Fatso

Book: Plant-Powered Beauty

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

📸 by Unique Fatso

The reason I started my blog, was to document aspects of my weight-loss. However, I have come to recognise other benefits and that is plant-based beauty. I’ve gone through life buying products that promised to clear my skin or made it seem like I ‘needed’ it in my life.

So here I’ve discovered this amazing Plant-Powered Beauty Book – suitable for plant-powered people.

I appreciate the imagery, detailing and information on the ingredients to use within each recipe. I like the details provided to get you off to the best possible start, by creating your own beauty products. I’m going to create my body scrub and share it with you soon.

Hope you enjoy this book as much as I am.

Love

Unique Fatso

Greggs – Vegan Steakbake

Tips & Tricks in the Kitchen

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I only endorse products that I use personally and have something positive to share with you all.

These brilliant ingredients by Very Lazy, are available via Amazon – Very Lazy Ingredients

What’s In My Fridge?

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I only endorse products that I use personally and have something positive to share with you all.

Some of the items in my fridge are available below *Click on the item for further information

Alpro Oat-milk

Alpro Soya-milk

Oatly Chocolate-Milk

Very Lazy Ingredients

Highland Spring Water

Sanpellegrino Water

Enjoy

Unique Fatso

Lunch: Ackee & Fried Dumplings

Prepared by Unique Fatso

Ackee is a Jamaican fruit and forms a part of the national dish of Jamaica: Ackee & Saltfish

It’s light and delicious!

I was going through my cupboards making a list for shopping. And I came across a tin of ackee!

So I made some fried dumplings and enjoyed my meal 😊

  • Fried Dumpling
  • Ackee
  • Yellow Peppers
  • Onions
  • Mushroom
  • Sesame Seeds
  • Black Pepper

Ackee just needs to be warmed up in a little bit of oil. (I’m awful at giving advice.) I’m posting this to inspire you to eat plant-based meals and enjoy tasting new fruits and vegetables. Since giving up meat 10 months ago I have to say I feel somewhat renewed. It’s like every time I eat fruits and veg, my body is happy!

I’ve found it challenging learning new recipes, but it has also been very rewarding! It’s weird not having to cook things for so long (with meat, I was sometimes cooking for hours.) However, with veg, I spend more time chopping and rinsing than I do cooking them.

For me, going plant-based has enhanced my life for the better and I look forward to learning more recipes and trying more fruits and vegetables – there’s so much more for me to taste.

I do hope you’re enjoying your food as much as I do 😊

Unique Fatso

Dinner: Jackfruit 🌱

My dinner on 07.06.2020

I’m not one for writing down instructions and recipes, this was created by adding veg to a pot.

  • Jack-fruit
  • Red pepper
  • Asparagus – thin tipped
  • Pilau rice
  • Carrots
  • Tomatoes
  • Onion
  • Black pepper
  • sesame seeds

This was delicious!

I always feel happy when I prepare my own meals, I know exactly whats inside and I never feel guilty if I eat too much – it’s all veg and prepared in a healthy way.

They often say that weightloss starts in the kitchen and I do believe that is true! Jack-fruit is becoming a kitchen staple for me and I’m excited about what I’ll make going forward.

Hope you are all enjoying your time in the kitchen too.

Unique Fatso

Stairs & Stomping

During my daily walks, I encounter hills and while I enjoy walking down them, walking up frustrates me. Because at that point I’m tired.

However, as my body needs this I will walk up the hill, but I walk up stomping. Not like in an angry way, but in a way where my strides are longer as I hope to get to the top of the hill quicker.

There’s always going to be aspects of fitness that I’m never going to like that much. Or at all, like burpees! My word, I can’t stand doing them and I admit, I try to avoid them as much as possible – haha! I know it’s not the best thing to do, but I do the workout, I will do star-jumps or another suitable exercise.

The point I’m expressing here is that to improve on your fitness, you must continue to work out and eat healthily. Even when you don’t particularly enjoy walking up that arduous hill, stomp instead! As long as you get there, it doesn’t matter.

There have been days when I don’t feel like getting up and going outside, this is for a variety of reasons. Lately, it’s the increase of people outside and the fact COVID19 is still alive and spreading.

Nevertheless, I do recognise that I must continue for the sake of my mental health if nothing else.

Benefits of walking (stomping) uphill:

  • Tones legs.
  • Burns more calories.
  • Helps strengthen the heart and lungs.
  • Fat burning.

I’m sure there’s many more, but for now, those are the ones I’ve noticed.

Weight loss is a journey, different things work out for different people. Don’t allow someone else’s success to put you off your progress.

Feel free to share your walking advice below 😊

Unique Fatso

Welcome June 2020: Fitness Plan

This is my plan for June 2020 and what I aim to complete each day!

Thought I should share it with you all.

I’m going to find cycling most challenging, as I’m a novice cyclist and lack confidence. However, I aim to complete every day!

Hope you find some inspiration from my fitness plan for the month. Remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel – Unique Fatso https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHCdszKdG1DlDVWlTe9dAQw

uf-june-2020-planDownload

Focus: A May Since Passed

A May Since Passed

Once upon a May, I ate meat like every day, fried, boiled, roasted it never stopped or went away.

Everywhere I frequented, junk food poured my way – ‘Fat for sale! Come get your heart-attack, buy one get one free.’

Coronary heart disease

Obesity

Who cares?

Not society, as it benefits from the fried food it bares.

I thought about it from time to time, what I’m eating the life I’m feeding and who will fall when I do.

99p bargains for all, including me too!

I was once an avid consumer of animal-based sausage rolls.

A person being belittled and betrayed by the powers that be.

I was once a weaker version of the Unique Fatso you now see.

Today, I stand tall by a myriad of amazing people.

I’m thankful.

If I hadn’t taken that first step to heal myself and move forward, I wouldn’t be here today.

I removed the pressures life bought to my attention, I moved bad vibes away, far away.

A May since passed I was shattered into a million pieces, the goblins, ghouls and fake friends continued to stomp on the deceased me.

Start today!

Trust me, things do change, it just takes a bit of time.

I now cook jackfruit curry, with rice and peas.

Today I drank a dairy-free smoothie, filled with pomegranate seeds.

Water consumption is up, meat consumption is non-existent.

My general health is improving and my legacy will bear witness.

Stay focused.

Choose you, always choose you!

Unique Fatso

Food Glorious Food

For years and I mean years, I found solace in food.

Whenever I was sad, happy, bored or relaxed I found eating food made me feel? Different each time.

Preparing the food, I salivated – I knew I was making something I ‘really’ wanted to eat.

     Rather than having 2 bacon rashers, I would have 4. I would scramble 3 eggs and fry a whole tin of beans. These large portions came from not eating much the night before, ‘a justified treat.’ Well, that’s what I told myself…

I remember during menstruation, I would eat chocolate because I had read somewhere that’s what women do. There were numerous times I used to sneak back into the kitchen and have another plate of dinner. Spaghetti had been my thing.

I worshipped the food! There was nothing better.

I used to dream about the people who first created recipes I love with 100% adoration!

Food was my only friend.

If I ever have children of my own, I will teach them to eat for good health. It’s taken me years to start to understand food and what food is good for my health and wellbeing. During this time, I’ve avoided events, socials and any sort of major gathering. I knew my eating and lack of exercise was causing me to gain weight, I also knew that our society prefers to look at people in good health. So for the good of the world, I remained in the shadows; even wearing black the majority of the time.

Many factors contribute to an individual gaining weight:

  • Unhealthy eating
  • Lack of exercise
  • Emotional abuse
  • Physical abuse
  • Online abuse
  • Horrified looks from society
  • A plethora of media (books, magazines, art, photography. Etc.) sending subliminal messages that shout, ‘you should be thin!’
  • Lack of support

However, many will disagree and state that the person eating, is to accept 100% that they did this to themselves! I mean, I’m thankful I had never turned to drugs, alcohol or even suicide. Society (especially online) often bands together to bully and belittle people who differ from their ‘ideal vision.’

Being Unique Fatso – is taking ownership of the name members of my own family labelled me with, ‘Fatso!’ I no longer speak to those people that constantly dragged me down to depths of hell. If Dante’s Inferno were in 2020 form, ring 1 would be negative family members that bullied me.

Our society contributes to the health of every person living in that society.

My love for food has been a rollercoaster of information, in an age of #Fat

If the information I now know was funnelled my way back then, I would’ve embarked on my journey sooner – I’ve no regrets! However, I know that I want to be there for everyone on their weight-loss & health journeys. If only one person sees my blog and finds it helps them, then I have achieved my goal! If many people view my blog and feel it positively helps them, then I will have accomplished my goal ten-fold.

I’ve been the:

  • Chubby baby
  • Average child
  • Fat teenager
  • Flabby young adult
  • Overweight woman (my current status)

I know exactly what it’s like to have a society or loved ones brand you insensitively. I share many memories of eating too much and working out too little.

My blog is to serve as a reminder that we are all on a journey, and part of giving back to society is giving good advice and sharing your story. I can only share with you what I did, what I’m doing and what I hope to do. I can’t say that my words will help you, but I know that if you too are on the same journey, a lot will resonate with you.

I hope you find the courage to start your journey of good health today and trust that you can stay focused and keep going, even when society tries to throw negative bags of nothingness at you.

Love

Unique Fatso

The Daily Walk

I’ve not been running/jogging much lately, though I’ve been walking each day – not really on Sundays.

I’ve increased my walking from 20 minutes to 45 minutes, minimum per walk. It’s been an experience getting the know a bit better the city I live in. From the roads that are covered in dust, to streets that have runners pounding them with their quest to get fit or stay fit.

Some of my friends often state, ‘Unique, it’s so expensive to lose weight.’ In theory, you only have to spend time! It costs nothing to put some old clothes on, trainers and fill a water bottle and get out there and go for a walk.

As humans, we tend to come up with ‘common excuses,’ to justify our actions – putting off exercise. In reality, that’s not a valid reason.

My daily walk is not solely for weight-loss/fitness, but it is for clarity of my mind. The daily walk helps to clear my mind and reflect upon my time. I’ve learnt a lot about myself during this global pandemic.

  • I’ve learnt that while the majority of the food I eat is healthy, some of my portions are large.
  • I spend a lot of time worrying about loved ones – COVID19 has heightened my levels of anxiety tenfold.
  • Infrequently, I reflect upon the past – I’ve come so far!

Even on the days that I walk up and don’t feel like doing anything, I get up, get dressed and go for my daily walk. I’m thankful I’m alive and I’m here today writing to you, I decided I’m not going to waste time moping around at home. Don’t get me wrong, I’m an advocate for rest days! However, I need to stay active, stay focused and eat healthily.

#ChooseHealth #ChoosePlantBased #ChooseYou

Unique Fatso

A Bowl of Good Health

Dinner last night

The Corset

Many years ago, back in the days where I had family members calling me Fatso! I had read an article in a magazine, it spoke about a woman with a tiny waist – She credited her svelte figure to her consistent use of corsets.

‘Corsets!’ I shouted out within the company of a bowl of cold cornflakes. I went to sleep that night, dreaming about my new slim figure, produced by a simple corset.

I visited the city centre and looked around until I found a shop that sold corsets, eureka!

I went in and asked the Store Manager (it was a small boutique store) for help and I remember saying, ‘Could you show me your corsets please, as I want to get a slimmer waist!’ She looked me up and down and said, ‘a corset can’t help you!’

I informed her about the magazine article I had read and she responded, ‘a corset can’t help you.’ I then said I’ll come back another time and left the store.

The above came about after reading an article in a magazine that heavily suggested, you can get a slim waist by using a corset. People create things without care toward, ‘the aftermath of their input.’ I’m sure I wasn’t the only person that read the article in that manner. When you’re young and out of shape a ‘fatso,’ you look into anything that can help you feel accepted again in society. I struggled to eat healthily, my portions were beyond gigantic! All I needed was to read a positive piece about nutrition and exercise. But all I found were pieces that told me I could lose weight fast! I could be a model and eat burgers and I won’t be fat.

I even read blogs that advised to eat bread and drink water etc. I tried many things. All of which were wrong and harmful to my success. I wish there was more awareness of social-responsibility back then, especially when it comes to the influence people have on teenagers/children. I went through most of my life not feeling good enough because I looked nothing like the girls in the magazines. And those around me highlighted how my body isn’t what it should be – ‘You should be slimmer.’ My mindset was weak and so I ate more food, convincing myself that the taste makes me happy.

I hope that everyone who visits my blog for whatever reason takes away something positive and meaningful.

I’m in my own lane on my health journey – it’s one that will last until the end of my days.

Unique Fatso

A Random Smoothie

So refreshing

Pomegranate

Cherries

Pineapple

Cranberries

Speak With Unique: Plantbased Food Shopping

Speak With Unique: Challenges & Changes

Power Walk, with ankle-weights

About an hour ago

Wednesday Wisdom

The statement above resonates with me on so many levels, as I find when I don’t feel like something is going to be a challenge, I slack off.

There have been a few days during Rona’s Rampage, where I don’t feel like I’ve done enough – I get back home and think? Hmm, I should’ve done an extra 10 minutes.

Now when I’m out and about I try to add on a few more minutes to the walks. I have to admit that I have been feeling slightly demotivated lately, due to this whole lockdown period. I miss my family and friends. Although, I understand the importance of life over death.

My biggest challenge is eating at home, because I’m now indoors a lot more than usual, I eat more but I don’t feel bad about it, as I don’t have any junk food. However, I’ve noticed that I’m mindlessly eating and I know if I wasn’t working out daily, my weight would be on the increase.

I’m learning that if my body does not feel tired during my workout, then I’ve not worked out enough. If I’m not perspiring or generally a bit breathless, then I’ve not done even to promote healthy changes.

My weight loss journey was never going to be easy, so I’m not going to dwell on any of the above. What I will say though, you must stay focused and remember your end goals!

  • Lose weight
  • Become a healthier version of myself

All journies have flat roads and mountains, it’s more about your navigation as opposed to your method of travel.

Take care.

Unique Fatso

Book: Juicing

I found this while having a clear out yesterday.

Textual Pep Talk

To Dance or Not to Dance? That is the Question!

As a teenager, I went clubbing every now and again, but I never became someone who wanted to visit nightclubs often. When I was around 18 I felt amazing in my short, black mini dress. I’ve always been curvy but that night I felt beautiful. I used to dance the night away and dancing in heels is a workout! My calves would feel tight and tired but I would continue dancing, it didn’t matter how I danced as long as my body moved no one cared much.

As the world turned, I grew fatter and with that came the moments I squeeze into that same dress, sucking in my stomach and remembering how sexy I once looked. Needless to say after that moment, I made my excuses and never went back to a nightclub ever again.

Today, I’ll play my favourite tunes on my smart device and connect it to my Bluetooth speakers. I’ll dance around in shorts and an old t-shirt (House clothes.) I’ll sing into a hairbrush, twirling around, like I’m the best dancer in the world! I feel each bend and stretch within the unpracticed choice of movements. Sometimes I get thirsty and slow down for a glass of water…

No mini, black dress. No onlookers and no negative feelings about my body. I dance and my thighs jiggle, my stomach wiggles and my ass is flat so it does nothing. Dancing at home feels wonderful.

As the world spins, I’ll spin too.

One day, I’ll put on my heels and spin around everything new. I look forward to my future confidence, I know she’s a tiger waiting to pounce – on the dance floor that it.

I’ll wear a mini, blue dress with mustard coloured heels…it’s important to dream and believe that YOU CAN.

Remember, I’m here with you, using the same path.

Unique Fatso

About Tonight: I Love Mushrooms

Book: The Green Roasting Tin

From the shelf of Unique Fatso

Midday Motivation: 11/05/2020

Food: Why I Buy Chickpeas, Lentils and Mushrooms?

It’s no secret that nearly all my meals contain one, two or all the above! I enjoy meals I create with them and I’m always surprised at the results – the dishes I’ve created taste amazing.

I began to incorporate mushrooms more into my diet a few years ago, after being told by my GP that my vitamin D count is low. Vitamin D is absorbed naturally from the sun, however, upon reading literature around food that contains vitamin D. I learned that chestnut mushrooms are good for those trying to increase their intake on this unique vitamin.

     I was adding mushrooms to the gravy and other dishes I ate when I was a meat-eater. However, since going plant-based, I add mushrooms to nearly every meal because I love the texture and how full they make me feel. Hmm, I guess my favourite dish would be mushroom rice! 😊

Which chickpeas, I tend to add them to curries, stews, and soups. They’re a healthy plant-based source of protein and if I ever go wild eating extra, I don’t feel bad because its good for my body. Those of you that have been following me on Instagram will see the multiple times I post a dish that contains chickpeas or my appreciation posts of hummus.

Finally, lentils!

Now, with lentils, I like different types depending on the meal in question. For instance, when I make soup, I prefer to use red lentils in soup, curry and some rice dishes (I use red lentils more than anything.) I only need to rinse them, but they don’t need soaking like other kinds of lentils.

     Again, they’re filling and full of fibre! I go regularly these days. But I do recall back in the days I consumed meat, I often went a day or two without any bowel movement. I never thought much about it then. I used to have a bowl of Weetabix for breakfast to get some fibre into me. I didn’t think my poor bowel movement was anything to be worried about.

In a society/world life that churns out ‘food’ and tells you to eat all your dinner. You just eat, that’s all I did for many, many years. I wish I understood the importance of eating for good health. Not eating for the sake of it.

Today, I mainly buy fresh fruit and veg. However, for the items that I buy such as vegan pizza by Chicago Town and vegan butter by Flora, I always read the ingredients and ask myself, ‘what does this mean for me?’ If the answer is no bowel movement or something negative for my health and wellbeing, I simply don’t buy it!

Monday Motivation

About Tonight: Vegan Katsu Curry

Fitness: Why I Chose Running?

I was asked recently, ‘What made you choose running?’ and after thinking about it, I responded by explaining that running chose me. I had signed up to a fancy gym that had all the amazing first-class facilities to use. All classes included in the membership and 30 minutes worth of personal training, at no additional cost.

     However, due to the anxiety I felt at the time I never really went; I think I visited around five times in the 12 months my membership lasted. Eventually, I started walking around the block alone, in the early hours of the morning. I liked the streets almost empty and the freedom to workout, without eyes on me.

I have no regrets, only additional goals now set in place – run more and eat more veg!

Thank you all for being here with me on my health journey 😊

Unique Fatso

Q&A: I Keep Eating During Social Distancing