Monday 30 September 2024

Monday evening, 30-09-24

Good evening, everyone!  

I'm really pleased that I have managed to hold off doing a shop until tomorrow - new month, new budget.
I know it is all numbers on a spreadsheet really but it helps to be able to sort of compartmentalise spending - it helps me, anyway.
I went through my cupboards and fridge today, tried to work out what I should reasonably need in October in terms of store cupboard stuff and I have a Little List to work through (and it is fairly little) - but not at Sainsburys as it's expensive.   I'll go to Morrisons for most of it at some point, or maybe Aldi.
So, tomorrow morning, after Groove, I'm off to Sainsburys to stock up on my fresh produce and, main reason for shopping there, to get some items I can't find anywhere else.  Oh, and doing my monthly petrol fill up.
What I ate today

Some of the cherry chia jam in the yogurt and apple from the freezer and it was downright scrummy.
Half a syn for the seeds.

Later on, I had an apple.


I had to change the recipe (which I can't find online, sorry) for lunch.  I didn't have roasted red peppers in oil so I nicked some oil from some sundried tomatoes and I found I didn't have any chickpeas so I used some mixed bean leftovers instead.  And I added some salad leaves.  It was really tasty.
I needed a bit of orange juice for the dressing and I had the rest of the orange for dessert.
Three syns for half a tbsp oil.

I'm afraid I wolfed down some almonds in the afternoon . . . ooops!

Dinner - broad beans with tomatoes and anchovies with baked cod was really lovely.  Going to make that again, for sure.  
Here's the link for the vegetable part.  I used red onion.  

Three syns for oil.  I probably ought to syn the anchovies but I'm not going to.

Dessert was two plums.

Summary:
no healthy extra As or Bs BUT . . .
. . . by the time I count the almonds, it probably sort of balances out.  I am not stressing.
six and a half syns



My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  fruit, yogurt and seeds

L:   soup and croutons; fruit
Using another of the soup bases from the freezer with add ons of what I have in the fridge

D:  mixed beans with tomatoes and anchovies
leek, pea and ham pasta, maybe side veg; fruit

Exercise:  Groove class and the walk there and back (if it's not raining)


No extra bit this evening.  you can have the evening off.  😉


Sunday 29 September 2024

Sunday evening, 06-10-24, seasonal changes and a slow cooker collaboration on YouTube.

Good evening, everyone!  

Isn't it funny how meal plans change as the seasons move on.
I've just been looking for recipes to make in the next few weeks or so and inclinations have changed from loads of salads to warmer, heartier versions like soups, casseroles, etc.  Still similar content (lots of veg, legumes, etc) but in a very different format.
It keeps me interested, engaged, open minded - it all helps to keep me on a healthy maintenance track.

Do you find your meals change significantly in character (if not in balance/vibe) as the seasons change?  

What I ate today

I found a couple of small portions of rice pudding in the freezer so I got them both out, reheated them with some p-lum chia jam, added some yogurt and popped some warmed up chopped apple and a few blackberries underneath.  It felt very cosy and autumnal as well as delicious.

One healthy extra A for milk.  I know because it said so on the freezer pots.  Also half a syn for chia seeds in the jam.

As I said yesterday, after reheating the lamb shank, I took off as much off the sauce (and fat) as I possibly could which resulted in a kind of 'pulled' effect.  I had some of the puttanesca sauce left from yesterday evening so I added that with some leftover chopped tomato instead of making a gravy and it was really nice served with loads of vegetables - runner and dwarf beans (pretty much the last from the garden, I think), broccoli, sprouts and carrots.  I do so love my vegetables.  In the end, I didn't fancy any roasties so I didn't make any.
And later on I had a couple of plums.
I am saying two syns for the meat, right or wrong.  Lean lamb is syn free but there was bound to be some residual fat in the fibres.  


I sort of made the panzanella salad although, to be honest, it probably wasn't a panzanella at all by the time I had finished..  I used the bread (focaccia, not ciabatta) and not-oil spray  to make some croutons, I added some mixed seeds to the salad veg, some 70% light salad cream to the tuna (because I love it) and the inevitable home mixed dressing.  Oh, and one As worth of crumbled feta
So -  one healthy extra A, one healthy extra B, four syns for dressing, one syn for salad cream, and one syn for the mixed seeds.
Not totally Med-healthy, I know, but it was lovely, despite what I said above!
I finished off the day with an orange.  


Summary:
two healthy extra As
one healthy extra B
eight and a half syns
Quite a traditional, old fashioned Slimming World day really.
My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  fruit, yogurt and seeds

L:  Spanish chicken and chickpea salad; fruit

D:  mixed beans with tomatoes and anchovies

Exercise:   circuits at Shimmy Studio

The Extra Bit

Some of my favourite YouTubers have taken part in a collaboration called Cooking Things Slow - each YouTuber showcased one slow cooker recipe and they all went live at the same time.

Some really nice recipes which are adaptable.  I already have a few thoughts.  :-)

Anyway, here's the links, starting with Kim's, who 'hosted' the collaboration. Do click over to YouTube and take a look, maybe like and subscribe . . . it is free to do so (but you do get ads!)

Kim's Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Pork  

Roe's Giambotta   





Saturday 28 September 2024

Saturday evening, 28-09-24, bits and bobs and Roe's YouTube channel.

Good evening, everyone!  

There's a bit of a conflict between me and the contents of my freezer at the moment.  There's too much meat and I'd really like to reduce the freezer down a little bit with the aim of getting a smaller one at some point.
Ah, well - no complaints.  Meat is costly and the less I have to buy the better really.  But I do need to do another audit and give some thought to where it can all fit in, don't I?

Changing the subject entirely, yesterday I learned that two parts light creme fraiche (one and a half syns per level tbsp), one part Greek yogurt and some lemon juice makes a very acceptable substitute for soured cream.  Who knew, eh?
Not me.

And another change - this morning, I chopped, stoned and cooked a couple of -plums with a bit of Christmas Spice skinny syrup (you could use sugar, honey, whatever sweetener) , added chia seeds and it made a very delicious 'jam'/sauce.  I am enjoying experimenting with different fruits.
What I ate today

Same breakfast, served a little differently.   Orange segments one side, apple segments with a sprinkle of cinnamon the other side and yogurt with gingerbread syrup and seeds in the middle.
I dunked!

Two syns for seeds.

Later on, I weighed out some walnuts for a snack - and they were enough - just.  That's good.
One healthy extra B

My favourite lunch - a cheese and chutney toastie.

One and a half healthy extra As, one healthy extra B, one and a half syns for chutney and two syns for dressing.

Dinner was from the Good Food Mediterranean Diet book ( https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/storecupboard-spaghetti-puttanesca ) and was an absolute doddle.  I used chilli flakes instead of paprika as I only have ordinary chopped tomatoes and I added some mixed beans, partly for more protein and partly because I have some to use up.  Oh, and the cheese was cheddar.
Dessert was a plum.

Three syns for evoo and half a healthy extra A for the cheese.


Summary:
two healthy extra As
two healthy extra Bs
eight and a half syns
My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  rice pudding with plum chia jam, fruit on the side, if needed.
Ringing the changes a little bit because I have some rice pudding in the freezer that ought to be used up.  Not strictly speaking Mediterranean in spirit but the fruit and the chia jam will help.

L:  lamb shank, roasties and veg
It's one of those frozen ones from Aldi and I'm really not fond of the sauce it comes in since they changed the recipe so I intend cooking it, taking off as much of the sauce as I can and making a simple mint gravy instead.  
That should lower the syns too but I will have to make a sensible guess on that one.

D:  tuna and caper panzanella; fruit

Exercise:  rest day

The Extra Bit

Another call out, this time to my lovely friend, Roe (who has commented here from time to time) who has a You Tube channel called 'It's Just My Weigh'.

Roe uses Slimming World and also a plan called Body Slims which I have never come across before but which, as far as I can tell, is a ten week program that emphasises a complete mind and body approach to weight loss and fitness.  Google it if you'd like to more.

Anyway, Roe lives in New York so some of the ingredients she uses are not available over here but her recipes and meals look really good.  Also she is such a caring and kind person who really empathises - and she is a founder member of our lovely Slim Wins Facebook group.

Use the link to take a look . . .  



Friday 27 September 2024

Friday evening, 27-09-24, Eat-Your-Syns-Friday fakeaway and chia seeds

Good evening, everyone!  

It was weigh-day today, of course, and I lost one and a half pounds.
Now, I am not looking to lose (or gain), just to maintain but it's nice to have a few pounds in the SW bank before our break at Center Parcs.

And looky-look!

Very happy about that.  xx

Another victory, not scales based - I tried on my swimming cossies this morning, preparatory to some time at Center Parcs next month and, my goodness, how my shape has changed in the last five weeks or so!  Far less fat round my middle and the tops of my legs, indicating that, scales to the contrary, I really am losing body fat.  And I actually have a waist - a proper waist with nice concave lines each side (if you know what I mean) so, sometimes, depending on what I am wearing, I don't have a muffin top.
And when I do it is more a mini-fairy-cake top now.

I'm chuffed with that.



What I ate today:  remember, it is EYSF!

Eating started at group today as Jen gave me one of the new Gingerbread Hifi bars to try.  Very nice it was too.
So that's three syns to start with.

Breakfast fruit was an apple and a plum for a real autumnal vibe and I had more of the cherry chia jam in the yogurt (underneath).  I'm going to go for apple and plum chia jam next as, when you warm apple and plum up, they do release liquid which is what is needed for the seeds to soften, expand and thicken.
Half a syn for the chia seeds and one syn for some mixed seeds sprinkled on top

I had six syns-worth of mixed nuts and really enjoyed them.

I'd saved a bit of the roasted veg from Wednesday so I popped them in a pan with a little pot of my own chicken stock from the freezer, some red lentils, some chia seeds (I wanted to see how they are in savouries) and a bit of old bay seasoning plus some mixed beans from a can.  When it was all ready, I stirred in some Greek yogurt.
OK, so I know it looks like a muddy pond (or worse) but it was really tasty!  Very filling too.
Dessert was a plum and later on I had another plum and an orange.

I'm counting one tsp evoo for the pre roasted veg (it wasn't much) and half a syn for the chia seeds as well as six syns for bread (not a B, I'm using both my Bs for dinner).  The rest was SW speed or free.

I decided that, as it's Eat-Your-Syns-Friday, I would splash out on a fakeaway and went for chicken fajitas and all the trimmings - guacamole, soured cream (sort of), salsa, tortillas and grated cheddar.  It took a bit of synning but I managed it!
The spice mix was a commercial one because I have some so ought to use it but I also had all the ingredients for a home made mix, should I have needed them.
The cheese was two healthy extra As and the tortillas two healthy extra Bs.  The guacamole was four syns for 60g frozen avocado, the chicken was three syns for evoo, the salsa was speed/free and the soured cream was really a mix of Greek yogurt and two tbsp half fat creme fraiche (which worked really well) for two and a half syns.
Very delicious and, for future reference, half of all this would have been perfect.  It was a LOT.  I was stuffed and really couldn't have managed anything else, not even a grape!

Summary
two healthy extra As
two healthy extra Bs
twenty four and a half syns (out of thirty as it's one of my days for double syns as well as EYSF - I don't usually have the other higher syn day I could have as a target member)

My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  the usual!!

L: cheese and chutney toastie, side salad; fruit

D:  storecupboard spaghetti puttanesca, maybe salad; fruit

Exercise:   SET class online.


The Extra Bit

As I seem to mention them every single blog post, I thought I'd focus on chia seeds in The Extra Bit today.

Chia seeds are the tiny, black seeds from the salvia hispanica plant, a member of the mint family and originally from Central and South America.
A particularly useful quality is the ability to absorb liquid to form a gel, making them very useful for thickening sauces, used and an egg replacement and to make a sugar free jam.

Their benefits may include: (note, it says MAY - more research is needed really) . . .

1. Rich source of bone-healthy calcium, promoting bone health
2. Help to lower blood pressure although it needs to be accompanied by a change in lifestyle and a decent amount of exercise.
3. Useful for balancing blood sugar levels, shown in observational studies of both animals and humans.
4. Healthy choice for those with diabetes; as they are rich in polyunsaturated omega 3 fatty acids, they can help to stabilise blood sugar levels although there is no conclusive evidence to suggest chia seeds can directly reduce the risk of diabetes.
5. Packed with fibre.  A handful of chia seeds (25g) supplies almost 9g fibre which makes a healthy contribution towards the daily recommended intake of 30g. Adequate fibre in the diet is important for digestive health and for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. A diet rich in fibre lowers the risk of a number of diseases and also reduces all-cause mortality.
(this last copied straight from BBC Good Food site)

It also says - and I can testify to this - that on the whole chia seeds are well-tolerated, however, consuming too many in one sitting may cause abdominal discomfort, constipation and bloating. For this reason, it is important to drink adequate amounts of water, especially if the seeds have not been pre-soaked. They are not so helpful for those with inflammatory bowel diseases

It also warns that you are on medication for high blood pressure or diabetes you may need to moderate your intake of chia seeds because they may enhance the activity of your medication and suggests that you defer to your GP or dietitian for guidance.  I didn't, ooops, but there seem to be no negative effects.

Regarding allergies, although nut and seed allergy are well-documented, allergy to chia seeds is rare.

Here's some links to recipes:


(the only one I have tried is the jam)
If you Google chia seed recipes UK, there's quite a lot out there.


Thursday 26 September 2024

Thursday evening, 26-09-24, cherry chia seed jam and Stephanie's vlog.

Good evening, everyone!  

I'd finished off the chia seed jams I made so I decided to try a different one.
Yesterday I got some frozen cherries, warmed them up with a splash of water, some sweetener and a bit of skinny syrup, mashed them down a bit and then added one and a half tsps chia seeds.
It's now in the fridge, the seeds have thickened the mixture nicely and it was lovely in this morning's yogurt.

Weigh day tomorrow.  Now, I wonder . . .

What I ate today

The cherry chia seed jam was lovely!  So this was strawberry and apple with the chia seeds and some Greek yogurt
Half a syn for the chia seeds.
I had my friend round and I made a feta and olive crustless quiche and a salad.
Now, this photo isn't what I had, it's leftovers - I was too busy chatting to remember to take a photo.  It's also far too complicated to syn/count but I am absolutely sure I won't have gone over.

Very similar to lunch - just a bit more salad added.

No summary tonight.  Back to normal tomorrow, hopefully.  



My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  fruit, yogurt and seeds

L:  butterbean and roasted veg soup, focaccia for dunking; fruit

D:  I've got chicken fajitas on the planning but might possibly go for steak and chips.  I don't think I have had red meat since I started the Mediterranean diet and you can - just not loads and loads.  I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Exercise:   rest day but I will do some strength stuff at home.

The Extra Bit

I think I'd like to start some call outs to some of my lovely Slim Win friends who have YouTube channels that are slimming related and I am going to start with the lovely Stephanie from Stephanie 1975_sw.

When Stephanie started at SW in January 1918, she was nearly 17 stone.  A year and a half (roughly) later, she hit her target weight of ten stone and she is now on  a 'maintain journey', food optimising following Slimming World at home.

Stephanie is - well, just lovely!  

Things aren't always easy for her - she is a full time carer for her husband, for a start - but she is unfailingly supportive, kind and cheerful, looks on the bright side and goes for the middle road.  As she says, 'moderation in all things'.

She usually posts once a week on a Tuesday evening, talking about food, exercise, family, life in general, plus her weekly weigh in update - lose, maintain or gaintain, which is a gain but still within her target range (what I call my Happy Zone)..
Calling it a gaintain kind of normalises it for me and emphasises that it's nothing to stress over, very helpful when one has been on a weight loss journey and now needs to modify one's expectations.

Do pop over and take a look.

Wednesday 25 September 2024

Wednesday evening, 25-09-24 and SW Kitchen

 Good evening, everyone!  

After a bit of thought (didn't take long), I have decided not to use the Slimming World Kitchen delivery meals any more.  They were very good, it's not because I was dissatisfied, but they no longer work with the way my eating needs to go now.

I did have the option to defer every four weeks but you know how that goes - one month you just don't remember in time and then you find a delivery box on your doorstep with meals you didn't order, may not like and have to use up regardless of plans and circumstances.
Yes, I could adapt them but they're not cheap and the whole point is that they are there to just use to match Slimming World.  

I'm glad I gave them a go though and, maybe, at some point, I will use the service again.

What I ate today
The camera is definitely refusing to connect with my PC (and my laptop) - such a nuisance.  I will be using my mobile for a short time until I replace the camera but I'm not nearly so confident with the mobile.  Wish me luck.  

Breakfast was the usual.  Apple and blackberry this time and I finished off the raspberry chia jam in the yogurt

Half a syn for the chia seeds.

Later on I had some watermelon.

The sun had come out by lunch time but I didn't fancy a salad anyway so I fried some tomatoes and mushrooms in evoo to have with the gratin leftovers to which I added some pulses from the freezer
(and the sun disappeared again anyway!)

One and a half syns, a bit of an A and half a B for the gratin and three syns for evoo to cook the tomatoes and mushrooms.

(The photos are OK really, I think.  Loads better than nothing at all, for sure.)

Later on I had a pear and a plum
A very simple dinner of pasta with roasted vegetables (onion, butternut squash, sweet potato, pepper, mushroom, baby corn, tomatoes and some pulses with some cheddar sprinkled over.
Afters was an apple.

Three syns for evoo and one A for the cheese.

Summary:
one and a bit healthy extra As
half a healthy extra B
eight syns, seven and a half for evoo so I am managing around a tbsp oil each day which is fine.


My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  Fruit, yogurt and seeds

L:  I have a SW pal round for lunch and I am doing crustless quiche with feta and olives, a side salad and fruit for afters

D:  butterbeans with tomatoes and anchovies

Exercise:   SET class online
I showed Lindsey the results of my weigh on the app and she said what I said - pinch of salt but let's work on increasing muscle mass a bit while holding weight steady.  So that's what we are doing.  It is so helpful to have a personal trainer.  



The Extra Bit

I thought I would just give a call out to three YouTube channels I have found very helpful in my exploration of the Mediterranean way.
The links take you to their 'Home Pages' from where you can access their videos, shorts, etc


The first is Dr Anna Pleet's channel.
Anna is a medical doctor in the USA who trained and lived in Italy and believes that the Mediterranean lifestyle is an extremely healthy
She was the first YouTube channel I 'discovered' and her videos are accessible, easy to understand and helpful, not complicated or over technical in any way.




The next is Mediterranean Living.  Bill Bradley is an American dietician and his videos cover a range if related subjects.  He also has a web site but I won't post a link because my anti-virus thingy didn't like it!
I find his videos informative, certainly, but perhaps not broken down quite as clearly as Anna's.




I wasn't sure what to think about this channel at first.  Caroline is, to my British mentality, quirky and maybe a bit 'twee' in her presentation, but what she covers certainly helpful and I got used to her after a while.  She is a big believer in the healthy Mediterranean diet and gives information, healthy recipes, tips and guides for how to follow it.




A bonus link, closer to home, not a whole channel but a podcast from the Zoe channel that I found extremely helpful and informative.  I think I have mentioned this one before but it's worth repeating.
It's long, can feel maybe a bit heavy but, if you want info, it's good.  

Tuesday 24 September 2024

Tuesday evening, 24-09-24, the mackerel recipe and a bit about visceral fat

Good evening, everyone!  

I meant to post the link to that mackerel recipe yesterday but, for some reason, didn't, so here it is now.

I didn't do the Jasmine rice.  I softened some finely chopped shallot and some yellow pepper in a bit of evoo, rehydrated some bulgur wheat (love that stuff) and mixed in the onion and pepper plus a bit of salad dressing from the tomato salad I made to go with it.

Really tasty and as healthy and, I think, as Mediterranean as you can get - ancient grains, evoo, veg, oily fish so healthy fats and loadsa flavour.
(and it was dead easy)
What I ate today

Plum and strawberry today and I used up the last of the strawberry chia jam in the yogurt with a few mixed seeds sprinkled on top

One syn for the chia and other seeds.

Just look at this colourful deliciousness.  A very basic salad with my dressing, smashed avo on toasted bagel and griddled asparagus with a splash of lemon juice at the end.

One healthy extra B, four syns for avocado (a bit more than I usually have and I think I will cut it down again next time - it was quite a lot - and five syns for evoo in the dressing and a spray for the asparagus.

I'm quite upset that my camera seems to be having a wobbly and is refusing to connect to my desktop and to my laptop so no photo of dinner.  A shame, because it was nice.
I changed my mind about having a salad in the evening as the garden gave me a small number of beans and I had some broccoli to use up.  And it felt a bit chilly outside too.  
The fennel and tomato gratin was surprisingly tasty although I think when I make it again, I will add some onion and maybe something like a bit of bacon or chorizo for extra flavour.
I quartered the amount and it still made enough for two portions so that is lunch tomorrow sorted.  I think I'll add some pulses - I have a few in the freezer.

One and a half syns for evoo, a bit of a healthy extra A (let's call it half) and half a B

Summary:
half a healthy extra A
one and a half healthy extra Bs
eleven and a half syns (all for heart-healthy oils/fats) 

My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  fruit, yogurt and seeds

L:  the other half of the fennel and tomato gratin, salad; fruit

D:   roasted veg pasta, maybe side salad; fruit

Exercise:   personal training

The Extra Bit

Visceral fat

Visceral fat is a type of body fat that lies deep within your abdominal walls and surrounds your organs. Some levels of visceral fat are healthy and help protect your organs. 

However, too much visceral fat can be dangerous for your health. Visceral fat is sometimes called “active fat” because it plays an active role in how your body functions. Too much visceral fat can lead to serious health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, dementia and so on.

The best way to reduce visceral fat is through losing weight (if you are above a healthy weight range) and maintaining a healthy diet. Regular exercise is especially effective in reducing visceral fat and preventing it from coming back.

Even though you cannot change your genetics, hormones or your age, you can reduce your risk of disease by:
being physically active for at least 30 minutes most days
eating a healthy diet
not smoking
avoiding or reducing your consumption of sugary drinks
getting enough sleep

(copied wholesale from various sites via Google)

So now we know . . . (assuming we didn't already, obv.) . . . and I am really thankful my levels seem to be OK.

Monday 23 September 2024

Monday evening, 23-09-23, nuts as snacks and body fat

Good evening, everyone!  

Yesterday, I mentioned about not having nuts and I think I need to clarify that, given I'm doing my best to eat to (my interpretation of) Mediterranean principles.
Ages ago, I worked hard to deal with my evening snacking which was really not helping the weight loss.  Adopting the 16-8 intermittent fasting habit really helped to knock that on the head and I proudly announced that I no longer snack.  
That, of course, is nonsense.  
I have a snack between each meal so two snacks in total and, occasionally, something like an apple before a fitness class.
I no longer snack in the evenings but I do snack between meals.  Fruit - just fruit - is what I aim to snack on, specifically speed fruit such as apples, pears and oranges.
Recently I started having a few nuts to snack on instead and this has proved to be a bit of an issue.  Nuts are a healthy extra B but in pretty small, carefully measured amounts.
As a snack, a healthy extra B amount does not satisfy me completely.  As part of a full meal, it does.  So I am not avoiding nuts, far from it, as they are great for protein and healthy fats and full of good stuff.  I'm just avoiding them as a snack and I am going to stick to fruit.

(This is just how I apply Med/SW principles - you may find different things work better and that's OK.  We make these things work for us, we don't work for them; they are not tablets of stone.  You go with what works best for you.  😊 )
What I ate today

The usual with raspberries, a nectarine and a kiwi.

One syn for a tsp chia seeds.  I love how the seeds make the yogurt go all thick, almost like whipped double cream.

I mashed up leftover mixed beans with onion, pepper and seasonings to make this quesadilla with some grated cheese.
Afters was a nectarine.
One healthy extra A, one healthy extra B and three syns for evoo.

Later on, I had an apple.

Mackerel may be an oily fish but it is free and protein on Slimming World.  I went to Morrisons to get one and was faced with whole fish - head, eyes, guts - the lot.  Oh, no!  However, the nice fishmonger said if I came back later, he would get one ready for me so that's what I did.  Very reasonable too, I thought.  I'm definitely getting some more for the freezer.
Well, what can I say?  It was absolutely delicious and here is the recipe.  I used maple syrup instead of honey and bulgur wheat instead of rice and sliced some garden tomatoes for speed and wow!
Both fillets was a lot though - next time I will just have one unless it's very small.

Afters was a couple of plums and you know what - I think spiced plums would be really nice with the fish.

One syn for maple syrup, one syn for some evoo in the bulgur wheat and two syns for some dressing over the sliced tomatoes.

Summary:
one healthy extra A
one healthy extra B
eight syns, six for evoo
My meal plans for tomorrow:

B:  fruit, yogurt and seeds

L:  avocado on toast with asparagus and a side salad; fruit

D:  fennel and tomato gratin, maybe a salad; fruit
A completely new one to me.  I got some fennel in my last shop so I will find out if I like it, won't I?

Exercise:   Groove class and the walk there and back


The Extra Bit

I looked up about body fat and found this:

What is a healthy body fat percentage for women? A range between 16% (I wish!!) and 33% is considered healthy for women, depending on age. As you age, body fat increases.
(to be fair, numbers differed depending on where I looked - this range is Joy-friendly!)

Mine read as 35.3%  Bearing in mind I am not tall, this is definitely an area to be aware of so I think I'm on the right track in these next three months - well, a bit less than two now - if I want to go for optimum health.  However, the aim is to build muscle as I reduce body fat (if that is possible) while keeping my overall weight pretty stable.

A healthy diet and regular exercise, including cardio and strength training, is the best way to burn fat and build muscle says Google.   Tick, tick, tick says Joy.

Nothing to stress about though . . . it is still the bad cholesterol reduction that is the main focus.