Shopping Challenge November 2nd shopping

Took a little longer to do the shopping today, around 20 minutes, but it is the weekend.

Spent 115,07€ that included a jar of piment d'espelette which was incidentally the most expensive item on the list at 12,65€!

Here's what we will be cooking and eating this weekend and early next week:

Beef Bourguignon ( made earlier this week for tonight)

Magret de Canard En Saumure, Roti au Miel ( duck breast with honey)

Carrot, Tomato & Feta Soup

Home-made Pizzas

Roast Chicken with vegetables ( going to the market Sunday morning)

Chocolate Creams

Apple & Pear Cake ( to use up the fruit the children have not eaté from last week) 

*bought some artisanale (craft) sausage meat too for a meal to cook and freeze for next week.

Hitt Rowing - Day 3 & 4

Yesterday was hard and I did less than on day two (3210 m).

Just 3210 m in 15 minutes. 

Today was better though with 3235 m, which is my new record. More sweaty than the other days too.

Alain has not had time to do much, but he does ride his scooter (trotinette) home every night from the traiin station which is 4,5 km and half up hill!

Hitt Rowing - Day 2

I had to push myself to beat my score and I just did it. 3330 m in 15 minutes so 20 seconds faster.

Alain has his first go this morning and did 3220 m.

Shopping Challenge November 2015

We have started to make our own bread again after several years of procrastination. We are also trying slowly to cut out as much processed food as possible but we need time... No ready meals thought, this is something we just don't eat.

Today shopping took a record 15 minutes after dropping MK off at college at 9:25. Last time I shopped was Friday. 

We will be eating this week the following meals in no particular order:

Beef Bourguignon (have enough beef to make two meals, so one for the freezer)

Blanquette de Veau à la Vanille ( family favourite " Veal Ragout with Vanilla")

Gratin Dauphinois

Croque Monsieur (children Wednesday lunch)

Chermoula Aubergine (Alexis and MK dislike aubergines so just for three). Aubergines bought on Friday

The shopping cost 73,02 euros which is really good for good quality food (organic, label rouge, aoc...) tortilla crisps and white bread for Croque Monsieur not inluded. 

Here's the receipt so we can keep track of prices now for the future.

Hiiit Rowing - 1st session

I thought I could do 20 minutes 20 seconds intensive and 40 seconds rest, but no way. I managed 15 minutes at the same rate as above and I am pooped. I grabbed the Ipad to take a photo to show how did for record. The clock was still ticking but I did 3201 m... sure if this is bad or ok.

Tomorrow and all week I will keep to this routine and see how it goes. Alain will have a go tonight and we can compare, he will be fatser though for sure!

WaterRower 8 Week Hiit Challenge

A little over four years ago, Alain and I started doing sport and changed the way we ate. Doing 12 to 20 minute intense Zuzana workouts over five months then trail running we lost over 20 kilos each! However all was not good as weighing became a bit of an obsession, especially for me and I was frustrated if and when my weight didn't drop each time I stepped on the scales.  Over time my weight dropped to less than 57 kilos (I was taller and lighter than my 16 year old daughter at the time) and my BMI was no longer deemed heathly. With help from my family, I stopped weighing myself, ate more, started a new job, the down side was is that did less exercise because of the job and put on weight again.  Over three years my job slowly consumed me, I worked long days without breaks, to come home at 7 at night to work again when the kids were in bed. Working till after midnight and waking up four or five hours later to start the whole process again. Even at weekends or while on vacation, even during a 80 kilometre hike, I had to connect, answer mails, work.  Without going into all the details now, this September I was diagnoised with an acute Burn-Out was told that I needed complete rest and since then, I have been at home. I will talk about this sometime soon, but not now, as the situation is complicated.  

Anyhow the reason for this post is for me, to challange myself to get fit again and to take care of myself. I know I am heavier than I was a couple of years ago and I not going to become a slave to the scales, however I would like to fit back into my jeans again, so I am starting an eight week Hitt rowing challenge which basicially means I will row most days for 20 minutes using high intensity intervals that will be built up over the weeks...I need to work out the exact program based I my fitness level now..

My goal is (apart from the jeans) is to start trail running again in January!

Halloween part 2

                             

Alexis just arrived home weighed down by a a big bag of sweets and very happy.

For the fourth year running he stayed overnight a Jeremy's house and this year they had a special Halloween menu prepared for them.  You would have to have a good imagination to decipher le menu, but what a great idea and such fun, I love it.