Day 10 - no added sugar challenge

Did someone just say 10? WOWZA! Well done everyone, what a superb team we are. I am so happy to read all your comments and glad we have each other for support. Another 4 days to go!! We can do this!!!

Today was a fun filled day with the kids and Adrian. We try to do as many kids activities together as a family over the weekend as during the week we are pretty time poor as it gets late in the evening when Adrian arrives home and it's time for the kids bed routine.

Another sun shining day and I took this picture to showcase how I utilise my time whilst supervising and having fun with the kids, along with blogging and working on my weekly planner.

Today was my day of rest but managed to do a little practise with my headstand (you may remember my handstand pose last month). I am really loving my yoga stretches pre and post workouts. I do want to take it to the next level and actually go to a class. Until then I practise and self teach myself at home.....

Headstand (Shirshasana) yoga pose

Headstand (Shirshasana) is often referred to as the king of all yoga poses. Here are some reasons why headstand should be practiced everyday. 

1. Improved circulation occurs with a headstand practice. Because the heart constantly has to pump blood upward to the brain, the headstand gives the heart a rest and reduces unnecessary strain. In addition, while in headstand de-oxygenated blood is able to flow more easily from the extremities to the heart.

2. A headstand simulates a “face lift” by letting your skin hang in the opposite direction (which is always a good thing!) By reversing the flow of gravity, the inverted position of a headstand also flushes fresh nutrients and oxygen to the face, creating a glowing effect on the skin. We all love beautiful fresh and youthful looking skin :-)

3. Some yogis say that it will even convert grey hair back to its natural color! So I'm doing these every day since I have no colour pigmentation in my hair! Headstands increase nutrients and blood flow to the scalp, decreasing onset of grey hair.

4. Increases your sexual hormones, so you can expect better sex with a consistent headstand practice. Headstands stimulate and provide refreshed blood to the pituitary and hypothalamus glands. These glands are vital to our wellbeing, and are considered the master glands that regulate all other glands in the body (thyroid, pineal, and adrenals). 

5. When the adrenal glands are flushed and detoxified with headstands, we create more positive thought. Depression will decrease, as going upside down will almost always put a smile on your face. 

6. Once you have perfected these you can do a headstand at the next party you attend. Your friends will be extremely impressed!

7. Strengthen deep core muscles. To hold a straight headstand for an extended period of time, the practitioner must engage the obliques, the rectus abdominus and the transverse abdominus. To really engage and strengthen the core, pike the legs by lifting and/or lowering both legs at the same time when coming in and out of the pose.

 

Please ensure you learn a headstand from a qualified teacher, these should be avoided if you have neck injuries, extremely high blood pressure, ear and eye problems, if you are menstruating, or have acid reflux.

Our food today;

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with bacon, feta and spinach

Clean eating scrambled eggs

Ingredients:

8 eggs (serves 6 people)

5 slices of rindless bacon

1/2 cup of feta cubes

splash of milk

minced garlic

spinach leaves to serve

Method:

Cook bacon with garlic until golden. In the meantime whisk eggs, add milk, feta in a bowl and pour into frypan on a gentle heat. Swirl and stir until cooked to your liking. We served ours on a bed of spinach and sundried tomato pesto. Real quick, kids had a second serve.

Morning snack

180 Nutrition chocolate protein drink

1 banana

1/2 cup berries

250ml milk

NB: please take up the exclusive 10% offer when ordering your next 180 Nutrition protein powder and bars. Simply quote promo code 264464 at checkout.

Lunch

Chickpea and 3 mix bean vegetable salad

Afternoon snack

Corn thins with laughing cow cheese

Vegetable sticks and cherry tomatoes 

Dinner

Prawn salad with tartar sauce

Clean eating tartar sauce with prawns

Tartar sauce

1/3 cup of plain yogurt

1-2 tbsp of dijon mustard

3 diced baby pickles 

5-6 diced capers

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp of lemon juice

Mix all these together and enjoy a guilt free dipping sauce!

Dessert

Watermelon with ricotta cheese

I hope you had a sensational weekend and are looking forward to finishing off strong this week with the no added sugar challenge. Have you found the Sarah Wilson I QUIT SUGAR ebook helpful, do you think you will kick the habit after 14 days as well? Let's see how we go. I would like to try and perhaps incorporate some indulgences throughout our week so we don't go out and binge. But hey! That's just me.  

Any plans for Valentines Day?

♥ Dani