Run Ballarat fun run and meeting Steve Moneghetti

Hi everyone, it's been a pretty hectic couple of days. From Mietta's birthday to my first ever fun run, it was amazing!!!

Here is Adrian and I, ready to rock and roll at 7:30am. Adrian kicked off at 7:40am for his 11km run while I stuck around and went to do my 6km at 8:20am.

Mr Adrian & Mrs Daniela Stevens

Of course, minutes after I completed the run which took me 37 minutes (yes I ran 5kms with a flippin' stitch!!!) I saw Steve Moneghetti's at the finish line and thought here is my opportunity to take a picture with one of the worlds most famous and legendary Olympians!!! I did it just for you, my beautiful blog readers! Most certainly I did it for myself as well. My first official fun run, was most definitely a day I will mark off as being a memorable one!

Olympic legend Steve Moneghetti and Dani Stevens

My beautiful friend Anita made it all the way from Melbourne and she too completed the 11km run with Adrian (he did it in 55mins). I am so proud of the both of them and especially Adrian for doing his first fun run (no training by the way) with me also. The Ballarat Base Hospital raised over $160,000 which is a phenomenal amount, I can't wait to do another one!!!

Anita, me and Adrian

Which reminds me, we got chatting and I think I am going to do a marathon before I turn 40!!!??? That's right people, you heard it here first! Or maybe I wrote it on Facebook, or hang on was it Instagram? Anywho, I am so pumped and really want to do this the year I turn 40. So I figure if I train for the half marathon next year at Great Ocean Road well then that will prep me for the big 40km and run a kilometre for each year I was born. Gosh I am sentimental or rather mental? One way or the other, I am determined and I hope to get this stitch under control otherwise I 'aint running in this much pain, what for?


Oh yes, before I go I must share this huge front cover page of our local newspaper. Can you guess who it is???

The Ballarat Courier Run Ballarat front page featuring Dani Stevens

I was pretty stoked!!! I would like to give a special thank you to all the crew at The Courier, the lovely Serena, Fiona, Jeremy and Andrew the editor, for featuring me in Saturdays newspaper. You're the best!!

Thanks everyone for reading, following and for all your love and support. It means the world to me!!!

Xx Dani

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Run Ballarat I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!

Hello my beautiful people, what can I say?? The fun run is this Sunday and I am a tad excited!!! There are over 3,000 people participating and I just can't wait for the vibe on the day. My gorgeous friend from Melbourne will also be joining me, so I am super excited about that. She is my role model. She just did a half marathon in Melbourne on Sunday and completed her first ever marathon in Paris this year!!! You know who you are number 56184!!! I'm so proud of her!

Maybe one day, I too will complete a half marathon (if I ever overcome this stitch of mine) who knows? Might even complete a marathon. Watch this space.....

Run Ballarat fun run to help raise money for The Base hospital

I am also happy to be doing this run for such a wonderful cause. We are regulars at The Base hospital ER section, if it's not one of our boys falling off a motor bike and cracking his head open, it's the other one falling off his skate board with the same injury. Lucky, they have a tough Mum! 

Workouts

I have been a little slack with my fitness this week. Minor neck issues and keeping motivated have kept me away from what typically drives me and my "no excuses" attitude. I will get over this head space. TRUST ME!! Nutrition has been great, no more cadbury chocolate to report!

I must say the yoga challenge is fabulous and I am loving that movement every day. 

Breakfast

Overnight soaked muesli

Morning snack
Yogurt with fruit salad

Lunch
Fritatta sausage pizza

Ingredients
Eggs
Spinach
Tomatoes
Turkey sausages
Feta
S&P
Parsley

Method
Chop ingredients and start sautéing mushrooms and sausage, beat up eggs, add chopped vegetables, feta into egg mix and pour into frypan. Allow base to cook and then place under pre heated griller until toppings are cooked. Really quick, under 10mins!!!

This is simply our version of a crustless pizza, using the eggs as the base but really it's a combo of an omelette and fritatta but I make it look all fancy like a pizza and the kids love it!!!

Afternoon snack
180 Nutrition coconut protein drink

Dinner
Coconut and split green pea curry with steamed brown rice

This was my take away dinner as I went to the hairdressers this evening.

Ingredients
1pkt green split peas
onion finely diced
2 carrots finely diced
1 can of crushed tomato
2 cans of coconut lite cream/milk
1 fresh garlic minced
spices (curry, tumeric, corriander, moroccan)
Olive oil
S&P to taste

Method
Dice vegetables and fry with spices, add can of tomatoes, peas and cook for 10mins. Add coconut milk/cream and simmer until peas are soft. Serve with rice.

NB: I washed and soaked my peas overnight with 1tsp of bicarb soda, this helps quicken the cooking process

So sorry for the rushed recipe process and steps, I really can't wait when I have more time to document my passion for food. I will endeavour to link as many recipes to what comes close to mine as possible (just for those that need measurements etc). Thanks so much for coming past, it means the world to me. Even more when you leave a comment! So please, don't be shy!

Have a sensational week and as always, can't wait to touch base with you again.


Xx Dani

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ROCK-tober!!!!! CHIN UP challenge! You in?

Busy! busy! busy! The last few days, WHOOSH!!!! I need to relax and breathe......aaaahhhhhh....all good and coping well, kinda, sorta. The neck is still not 100% so going to get it checked out again in the morning.

1 week down of school holidays (well 2 really as Oscar has 3 weeks!) and 1 to go! Many activities and things booked in so we are on the go! Constantly!!!!!

Anywho!!!!

WHO CAN DO CHIN UPS????

I can't do ONE so my challenge for the month of October and would love your participation, is how many chin ups can you do in ONE MONTH????? It starts today and it doesn't matter if you do one today and then 5 tomorrow, add them all up and let's telly them at the end of the month. What do you think????

Here is my new $13 investment which I purchased at Big W on the weekend and fits on any standard door!!!!

Chin up bar

My little champions, were the first ones to experiment and loved every minute of it. I didn't push myself as I still have my neck prob however I did give myself a little lift but being an amazon of nearly 6' I can simply reach my hand up on the bar and just hop up on it! So I will need to really lift or bend my legs when I start getting serious on this. I am very excited and nervous at the same time.

I am still on my mission for my dumbbells, so I will let you know how I go there as well.


Breakfast
Apple cinnamon porridge with fruit salad

Workout
Completed my FYM workout and this week my workouts change in the Transformation Kit  as we approach our 5th week in the challenge, it's a 5-8 week TRI SETS program!!! I love them!!!! They keep me really challenged especially the close grip push ups as I am hopeless at those, hoping the chin up upper body strength building will help me with my personal challenge.

Running "Run Ballarat" fun run update 

Didn't get a look in this weekend with my Mum staying, so I will make more of a conscious effort this week to build that part of my fitness regime. The run is 3 weeks away, which reminds me I HAVE 2 BIRTHDAYS to plan as well!!! What da? Yes, Mietta turns 3 on the Saturday before the fun run and Adrian turns 37 the day after the run!!!! Told you we have a ROCKING month ahead of us!!!! 

Morning snack AKA PWOS (post workout shake)
180 Nutrition coconut protein shake
1 banana
milk

This is the most filling protein drink I have ever had, you just feel the fullness after tasting all the natural ingredients in your mouth. I need to add a splash of water into my cup to rinse out all the goodness in my mouth and not just wash it down the sink!

We were out and about with the kids this morning and came back home for some lunch only to head out again.....busy.....busy.....

Lunch
Avocado egg and tomato club sandwiches

Any sandwich that has a toothpick in it, my kids love to refer them to club sandwiches. It's hilarious! They love eating what I eat so I simply make it just fun for them. My 2 sandwiches looked like this...

I added some feta cheese with mine as well and kept munching on fresh cucumbers as well.

Afternoon snack
Fresh fruit salad
Almonds

For those that ask how I plan my meals for the week. When I buy our fresh fruit and veg, I quickly wash them and cut them up so they are ready to rock and roll when we need to go somewhere. Here is an example of how this weeks fruit has been washed and prepped up:

I buy these large tubs from the Reject Shop for $2 as they lay flat and stack ontop of each other in our fridge nicely. My others are filled with washed and sliced veggie sticks and can't forget our Popeye mate Spinach. However I will make another post about meal plans and how to save you time throughout your week.

Dinner
BBQ salmon with seeded mustard and steamed vegetables



I typically buy salmon when it's on sale, hence the few packs I bought this time around. We then have it the next day for lunch in a salad.

Method

I simply wash my salmon thoroughly under cold running water, drain in a colander and then on a paper towel and pat dry after seasoning with salt and pepper. Squeeze some lemon juice and you don't need anything else when this fish is barbecued!!! It is such a tasty fish and one of my favourites! Not so much for Adrian, he's a flathead white fish fan!

I hope you had a fabulous weekend and are geared up to rocking it with me in ROCK-tober!! Especially with my chin up challenge. I have to raise the bar (get it?) since my neck slowed me down with some workouts and choices in food last week. I am hopeless over the weekend too and over indulge in certain foods.

So I need to make the change this month to get the results I want to achieve. I am the only one that can make this happen. YOU TOO need to make the change. I hope you can join me. Let's eat clean and exercise!!!!

Xx Dani

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