Campbeltown Loch I Wish You Were Chocolate

Dreaming of anything chocolate....

OK so going without chocolate was harder than I thought.  I refrained from alcohol (nearly 2 weeks now) and drank the detox tea religiously but by the weekend I just couldn't cope without any chocolate!!  And do you know what, I don't really care - I love chocolate!!   I do feel better for my detox, lighter and healthier but I just can't live without chocolate.  I was moody and grumpy without it and all I could do on Friday night was think about it!  I've had a stressful week with work, painting the house at all hours (where everything just went wrong) and fitting in training (not the most successful either) and running has helped me de-stress and unwind but it can't beat chocolate.  If only Campbeltown Loch were liquid chocolate and I'm sure I wouldn't have a problem diving in!

It might seem a lot but my weekend treat (s) included kitkats, slice of chocolate fridge cake, square of dark chocolate and a curly wurly.....  I would've probably had more before so at least I've cut down.  I did plenty of exercise over the weekend so I reckon I deserved some chocolate - I think everyone deserves some chocolate in their lives, it just makes me happy.  If it makes me a few pounds heavier, oh well, I'm not giving it up!

For my Arranman (IRONMAN 70.3) training, Alix and I attempted to do some open water swim training on Saturday in Campbeltown Loch.  I say attempted as I was bleeding useless!  I think I managed to swim about 200m but I felt dizzy, freezing and disorientated.  Even afterwards I struggled to stand up never mind walk in a straight line.  Cue - panic!  Since then I've now swam up to 76 lengths in the pool which is the swim distance (I can do this comfortably) but unfortunately in the open water it's a different story for me.  I found it really difficult and well, a little unpleasant to put it mildly even though I have swam in 2 open water triathlons before.  

It was much choppier than I imagined as it was a beautiful morning.  However, I am now putting that down to the eclipse and weird tide fluctuations...  Panic!  How am I ever going to complete this Ironman??  I'm slow on the bike and running too - will they allow me to do it if it takes me all day?  Will I be the one that gets fished out the water and doesn't even get to complete the other sections?!  Hmmmm.... I'm going to re-evaluate this event's training over the next few weeks to see if I'm really up for this challenge!  Might as well open that Easter egg then....

Spring has sprung!  Breakfast on the decking overlooking the Loch that 'looked' calm

Apart from chocolate - one of my favourite meals this week - grilled salmon with lemon and coriander, veg and noodles

Time to Teatox

It's been nearly a month since my return from Italy and I had promised myself that I would start eating and drinking less.... however, that hasn't happened!  I'm normally pretty good midweek but at the weekends I am just outright greedy! With weekends away for races (eating out at Tony Macaroni's, Starbucks, Frankie and Benny's and Wagamamas to name but a few) and even just at home - Mother's day at Muneroy's for Frances's famous meringues, 3 course meals at the in-laws or out to dinner with friends at the Old Clubhouse. I have struggled to 'be good'!

Contrary to what some people might think, I can't eat what I want because I exercise a lot - this is unfortunate news for me too!  I always need to be careful of my diet as I put on weight really easily despite my mileage of 50+ miles a week and exercise classes.  I've put on a few pounds since Italy and returned a bit bloated (too much bread and pasta!) so in order to kick start my healthy eating regime again I've decided to go on a week's detox.  

Unfortunately Muneroy Meringues will not be on my detox diet....

My love of tea has made me decide to try one of the many Tea-tox's.  There seems to be loads on the market - skinny mint, mint tea tox, Bootea, juice garden and many more.  They all follow a similar principle - not fasting, just 3 healthy meals and 1-2 snacks throughout the day (no chocolate or wine!) adding in a 'Morning tea' when you wake up that normally contains green tea, a little caffeine, mint, lemongrass, dandelion root, ginseng and some other herbs/spices to boost the metabolism.  You also drink an 'Evening tea' before you go to bed that some contain liquorice root, peppermint, nettle leaves and may also contain senna to aid digestion and flux out any unwanted toxins.  Some of the teatox's can last up to 28 days but I know I couldn't resist chocolate or wine for that long so 7 days it is for me!

After a bit of research online I opted for the Burnfatea 7 day plan.  A lot of the detox plans are expensive but this one, with very similar ingredients to the dearer versions, was only £7.99 - bought on Ebay in an instant and delivered the next day.  No excuses now..............

A typical week day food intake will be something like below:

Breakfast:     Slice toast with honey.  Small fat free natural yoghurt with handful of fruit (berries usually)  Glass of water with vitamin C tab.  Now adding a detox tea!

Snack:     Green tea

Lunch:  Low fat houmous pot with oatcakes.  Fruit (nectarine or plum or orange or apple!)

Snack:  3 crackers with chopped banana.

Dinner:  Grilled salmon with mushroom risotto & rocket

Snack:  Chai tea and 2 tea biscuits (replaced now with detox tea and NO biscuits)

I don't particularly like the taste of the tea but it's not offensive.  I prefer my other green teas with lemon or jasmine.  I hope it helps me kick start my healthy food regime again, I feel the more I eat the more I want.  Tesco selling half-price easter eggs does not help me!  

My usual breakfast with an addition of a Morning Detox Tea!

The teatox plan also advises to take regularly exercise and that isn't a problem for me as you probably know.  This Saturday also includes our bootcamp session - a 1.5 hour session of combat, piloxing and High Intensity Interval Training.  This will hopefully boost my teatox even more and by next Monday I will be a few pounds lighter and my urges to eat the entire biscuit tin gone (reduced).  However, I have to admit I was too tempted by my own home baking for the 'Sun Eclipse Breakfast' I had a nibble of chocolate Thursday night - doh!  But I'm still drinking my tea.... let's see next week if it works!!