Green Day

Today, we will be eating our greens!  Try if you can to have around 3-4 cups of green tea – you can have flavoured ones if the real thing is too bitter for you.  Don’t drink on an empty stomach as it can cause nausea in some due to its strong properties – and these are what we are looking for – high in antioxidants and even some research indicating that it helps increase metabolism and therefore, potential to speed up weight loss.

Breakfast: - Green grapes in Greek yogurt with some pumpkin seeds on top, or, Spinach (make sure it is squeezed dry) with poached egg on top – see picture which also has ham.  Or porridge with sliced kiwis and honey

Lunch: - Rocket salad with chicken breast, parsley, peas and some butter beans and some raita (yogurt with mint and cucumber).  Wholemeal Pitta bread stuffed with tuna, salad and endame beans or Broccoli soup with wholemeal bagel (to make soup, sweat an onion with a carrot and even a piece of celery if you have it. Add a whole head of broccoli and a handful of rice. Cook in a litre of stock for about 30 mins. Blitz (you can add a bit of stilton cheese if you want at this point). Store in fridge and it should keep for a few days)

Supper: - Roasted courgettes with grilled halloumi cheese sprinkled with chilli if you wish, add some and chopped cherry tomato salad, or Green lentils (sweat onions with some rosemary and garlic, add 250g lentils –green or puy – cook in 1 litre stock in the oven for one hour. Add some oil and vinegar (about a tablespoon) when finished. Leftovers can be used in salads during the week) and have with salmon or other fish and some green beans. Or have the broccoli soup as above with some toasted Pitta bread and small amount of cottage cheese.

Snacks: - one green apple with handful of pumpkin seeds or a kiwi with some almonds, Greek yogurt with pear and runny hunny

Exercise- get outside in the greenery if you can! So 20 mins walk before breakfast, lunch and tea – run if you want, but the key here is to prime the metabolism with a moderate level of exercise before eating. Add in 100 sit-ups – can be done in 4 sets of 25.  Or do one long walk - about 10K.  Walking or running outside has been shown to have a positive effect on mental well-being as well the physical benefits – so get out of the gym if you can J

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raita

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/cucumberandmintraita_67787