There is an expression here in England dusting the cobwebs; it is darling phrase, generally used in autumn/winter/spring aka when people have been forced in doors for some time and then get the opportunity to spend some time in the outdoors or it can be used if someone has been working hard and needs an escape! Today that is exactly what I did.
The day started with a 50 minute swim in my local pool! Upon arriving home I had an unusual breakfast (I’m sure by now you expect nothing less 
)
Can I tell you how yummy my homemade leek & potato soup tasted? It took me about 20 minutes to make and I’ve got 6 portions! Total cost per portion 15 pence!!! I had it with a big glass of water, some Food Dr seed mix, a piece of turkey and an orange! It was yummy!
After breakfast I did something I’ve never been able to do, I sat & watched about an hour of tv! Dare I admit it was a glitsy American soap! Shh don’t tell! Boy are the US soaps different to the UK ones! I was then very blessed to get 2 contracts from my old employer! They payment will be around £500 total and each should take me about 15 hours of work! I plan to get organized and simply devote 4 full work days to it so that I don’t have it hanging on my head. I plan to do 2 of the days next week and 2 the following. Both are writing assignments, academic rather than the free-for-all you find here
Once our planning meeting/conference call was done I decided to make some falafel and was in the mood for what I’d describe as a platter for lunch – a mix of everything under the sun!
Falafel in process….it is seriously yummy stuff!
This lunch was fabulous! I had 2 falafel balls with a spinach, radish & grape salad served with Brianna’s Dijon Honey Mustard dressing. The dressing is seriously delicious but hard to find here in the UK. On the side I had 3 small slices of avocado, baked beans, 2 cherry tomatoes and a cheesy swirl made by a friend of my mums! She’s given me the recipe and I can’t wait to make them – puff pastry, grated cheese & minced onions! These lunches are my favourite as they contain a little of everything which I find so much more satisfying! It was followed by:
Frutapura, now I know you might find this silly, but seriously these are yummy! It is pure apple & pear mixed together – much like the grownup version of apple sauce you can get in North America that you can’t find here!
And then it was time to dust those cobwebs!
First true glimpse of the sea – yes if you follow those footprints it feels like you are going to jump right in!
Often people are surprised to find we have palm trees here in the South West!
I really really wanted to go swimming…really really wanted to!
How lovely would it be to have a house with a view of the sea?
Just look at that sea!
All too soon it was time to say good-bye!
And now, I’m on a mission to grow. I have some seeds. I have some compost. Now I need to know what on earth to do!!! Sarah, Chiots run please help!
So now to the goal!
I have decided to try to get serious about shedding 35 lbs I gained during the hormone mess the last couple of years and like pretty much everything else in my life I’m going to blog about it! I’m not doing anything unhealthy, not taking any pills or skipping meals or drinking special drinks instead of eating, I’m simply going to focus on healthy, wholesome food & lots of exercise. I plan to check in daily with what I eat, how much exercise I do and if there is any loss (or gain) simply to keep myself motivated. I have no set time frame apart from following what my body needs! So, if there is anyone else out there who wants some daily motivation or a weight loss/healthy lifestyle buddy then I’m in!
Day 1 Daily Shed the 35 Tracking
Weight Loss 0/35
Exercise: Swimming 50 minutes, Walk 45 minutes, Run 20 minutes – will complete later this evening!
Finally
A big thank you to all for the eczema support & suggestions!
Please remember any UK bloggers out there who want to come to the meet up, please leave a comment on this post!
And now I’m off to make a lentil & veggie stirfry before my run!
What a full day you’ve had.
Good luck with the weight loss, I’m sure you’ll succeed as you are very dedicated once you’ve made up your mind to do something.
Beautiful photos of the beach.
Thanks for your comment on my blog the other day.
Take care
Lisa
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I am seriously impressed by the amount of exercise you are packing in! I really need to improve my fitness levels (currently shocking) but I’m just not the gym type. Can’t wait for those clocks to change so I can go for an amble after work. Good luck!
Hello! I lost 23 lbs. in just under 6 months by following Weight Watchers and have kept it off for almost 3 years. It sounds like you are following a healthy food plan and exercising (very important). What really helps me is to keep a daily record of everything I eat or drink. This keeps me honest with myself and helps me plan for goodies or indulgences.
You are so disciplined that I know you will succeed!
Great photos!
Good luck with the weight loss, I’m doing it by myself (apart from the dh) and in three weeks have lost 15 pounds and thats only with cutting out the sugar/butter and eating more balanced evenly spaced meals. 6 pounds left to go now.
Looking at the stuff you eat you are already eating quality food, just keep your eye on the calories (marked on the back of the pack).
I remember being very surprised to see a palm tree in my grandparents’ garden in Cornwall. “I thought palm trees only grew in warm places!” My grandpa explained that it was because of the warm North Atlantic current that flowed alongside England. I love the south of England…such wonderful memories.
What a great day you had! I’m doing my best to enjoy mine, even from my cubicle. I’m right there with you on the quest for healthy weight loss. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, just that things are moving in healthier direction. The key is finding a method that works for you and it sounds like you have a great plan. I track my calories (food and exercise) with http://www.fitday.com but not everybody needs to do that. It’s just what works for me. I’d love to check in with you here as well to stay accountable. Here is where I stand for today (I started January 7th):
Weight Loss: 11.2/63.7
Exercise: 60 minutes of yoga, 30 minutes brisk walking on the treadmill.
Thanks for the inspiration, FT! And I’m so impressed with your running. Have fun
I just wanted to encourage you in all your goals….
I won’t be able to come to the UK meet up…..all our money this year is going into the new house.
Gill in Canada
LOVE the way you’re now living! congrats, it took you a lot of hard work/determination/SOUL to get to this point! and faith … let’s not forget your faith beyond yourself.
we have tons of brianna’s here in the US i’d be happy to ship them to you anytime! and What, no applesauce in the UK? well, i must admit … i’ve been tempted to buy some yummy-looking baby stuff, too.
one thing you do have that we don’t is marks and spencer …. i loved that place when i lived in paris!
Have you shared your falafel recipe before? If not, would you? I tried to make them once and was seriously underwhelmed- I don’t think I’ve ever made anything as bland- very disappointing- I’d love to try again.
I have only a few pounds to lose but would love to get healthier and fitter- I think you’d be great at keeping a few of us motivated! My SO is trying to lose about 15-20 pounds and I promised to help so any info you have to share would be great.
lol Karen I have to admit I too love M&S aka marks and sparks! It just sells quality everything! That’s so kind of you re the dressing.
You are very right it is about faith, both in my own abilities and in God’s provision!
Looby – yes I will share the recipies this weekend, I have a few in fact!
Carolyn, Sherie, Healthy Amelia – well done on your weight loss!
For anyone who wants some motivation etc why don’t we put up our weekly weight loss? Perhaps every Tuesday?
Great post! Lovely lunch and FABULOUS photos
I’d love to live near the sea, there is something both soothing and invigorating in the sound of the waves and the smell of the sea.
Ah falafels, seriously yummy. Yours have turned out much more professional-looking than mine ever do. Good luck with your weight-loss plans – that’s something I could seriously do to start but I know how much I love my food so it just ain’t gonna happen anytime soon for me.
Hi Hun,
I have never tried falafels – I really must give it a go! I have always dreamed of living by the sea – what stunning photos you took! I especially love the footprints in the sand – which reminds me of the verse
You have a very healthy view on how to go about loosing weight! I’d say I’d be your buddy but I have ALOT more to loose…lol But we can still be buddies
I have been tracking everything into calorie king and find it really helps. Have you herd of it?
Could you please share your recipe for falafel?
you’ve picked the veggies I don’t grow lol! planning on trying leeks (maybe baby ones) for the first time this year, and kale/chard, but both are experiments so we’ll have to compare progress.
I go on http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/ under the name sez. (there’s a fab seed swap section!)
are you not gonna try tomatoes or salad leaves?
salad leaves especially I would have thought you’d try as theyre SO easy and so much cheaper than the supermarkets.
radish: throw em on, cover them with a thin sprinkle of soil, water gently. when they start popping up ‘thin’ them (I use a highly un-scientific method and pull out odd ones til it looks like they have enough room to reach radish size
. they grow very quickly 
– usually they start to be visible above the soil but if not just poke around with a finger to see if theyre ready.
oh yes and how do you cook your falafel? I have two boxes of the mix in the cupboard but they say just to deepfry.. can you bake/grill them?
Is that Exmouth? Aww, I miss home!
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Your meals make me so hungry.
And I am normally not a fan of soup but that looks amazing.