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Six by Four

May 8, 2019 by Vicky Leave a Comment

Another quirky task post I saw people completing on Facebook so I thought I would give it a go.

Four Names I go by

  • Victoria
  • Vicky
  • Vic
  • Tors

Four Places I Have Lived

  • Somerset
  • Bristol
  • Darwin
  • Brisbane

Four Things I have Watched on Tv

  • Dynasty
  • The Good Place
  • 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown
  • Riverdale

Four Places I Have Been

  • Tenerife
  • France
  • Bali
  • Egypt

Four Things I love to Eat

  • Chocolate
  • Chips
  • Oats with protein powder, berries and peanut butter
  • Laksa

Four Favourite Drinks

  • Peppermint Tea
  • Coffee
  • Water
  • Juice

Easter 2019

May 5, 2019 by Vicky Leave a Comment

For Easter this year the Aussie and I spent a few days in a town called Canungra which is located in the beautiful Lamington National Park. The Aussie had visited Lamington at the end of 2018 and had gone on some hikes and we planned to do the same.

The forecast before we left was optimistically for rain. This of course was an understatement as it poured down pretty much on and off from just after we left Brisbane until well after we got back!

We stayed in an AirBnB homestay which means you have a room in a house owned by the host. We didn’t know what to expect as we have booked a few AirBnB trips but always an apartment so we had it to ourselves. We arrived and were greeted by the host who was absolutely lovely and quite the character. He had come from a law enforcement background so once we got chatting we had lots of in common stories! He did though wisely say that he didn’t think we would be going for a walk and he was right about that.

We travelled down mid morning on Good Friday and surprisingly we avoided the expected traffic jams. We drove through beautiful rolling countryside and into the National Park.

After arriving and unpacking the rain came down hard so we pottered around for the rest of the afternoon before popping out for dinner at the local sushi bar called Ginja Ninja Sushi Cafe. The Aussie has visited Japan and said the set up was very like a few of the Japanese Bars and restaurants that he visited there. I thought the food was really tasty as well.

On Saturday morning we got up and headed to O’Reilly’s Rainforest Resort with the intention / hope that we could go for a walk as a lot of the walks in the area run from the resort.

The journey there was interesting, being windy roads all the way there. There were lots of parts where only one car could go down the road as well as some traffic lights. When I plugged it into the Satnav it said the trip would take 50 plus minutes but it was only 35km away so I thought the Satnav was having a funny five minutes but it was very accurate!

We stopped of for a coffee in the restaurant which was nice and we watched the pouring rain come down whilst admiring the view from the balcony.

We then decided to take a walk along the Treetop Walk , stopping off to feed the birds en route, and of course the rain came down even harder and my coat which I thought was waterproof quickly demonstrated that it was not! The walk itself was really lovely and I would go back again on a less rainy day to check it out at a slower pace. We also stopped of in the Botanic Gardens which was quite lovely as well.

We decided to head back into Canungra and stopped off for another coffee and watched the world go by for a little while before heading back to our AirBnB.

We had a lazy afternoon and I even had a nanna nap which was very much needed and enjoyed before dinner and bed time!

Sunday we headed back to Brisbane via the town of Boonah. Again the Aussie had visited and stayed here last year with his friend so he wanted to take me there to check it out.

The town is a very Aussie town with old hotel / pubs and the people were so friendly and welcoming it was lovely. After a quick pitstop to eat lunch we drove back home and did our unpacking and trying and failing to get our washing dry!

Monday was Easter Monday and I popped over to Naomi’s house where we headed out on an almost 10km walk. It was wonderful to get out and stretch our legs (and there was no rain!) and catch up with Naomi. We put the world right and made plans for the coming weeks and months.

Our Easter weekend was not as intended but it actually really didn’t matter at all because it was just what we wanted and needed. We were both quite tired from the last few weeks and needed the rest.

How did you spend your Easter break?

What I have been Eating – Part 1

May 1, 2019 by Vicky Leave a Comment

As you may recall I eat food based on a meal plan. Up until recently my Trainer Felicity Neale would set out the meal plan for me which was great as I could give my input about what I liked and she would design the plan for me.

For probably about the last 10 weeks or so I have been having a go at designing my weekly meal plan which has been really interesting for me as well as tricky and also fun!

I thought I would share my meal plans from time to time here just in case anyone who reads the blog is looking for some food inspiration! I won’t share the exact measurements of each component of the meal because they are specific to me and what works for me may not work for everyone else. Also I am trying to maintain my weight with the aim of skin removal surgery rather than specifically loose fat.

For Part 1 I thought I would share my meal plan which ran from 15 to 28 April 2019. I do tend to eat the foods over just 7 days but with the Easter break I stayed on this one for two weeks.

Pre Work Out

Before I work out I always, regardless of the meal plan, have the following:

A teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar diluted in water

  • Vital Greens mixed with Psylium Husk
  • 100ml Apple Juice
  • Scoop of protein powder mixed in water

Post Work Out / Breakfast

For this plan I was lucky as the foods I could eat formed a good breakfast and dessert!

  • Scrambled eggs with a drop of water cooked with some rocket / kale
  • White Rice and Peaches in Juice which I heated up and sprinkled with some mixed spice (as I don’t like cinnamon)

I also usually have a big glass of water and a cup of coffee with / after my food.

Lunch 1

  • Chicken which I cooked in the slow cooker
  • Asparagus
  • Sweet Potato
  • Olive Oil

Lunch 2

  • Chicken
  • Quinoa
  • Green veggies
  • Olive Oil

Dinner

This dinner probably isn’t everyones cup of tea but I really enjoy eating it (which is essential when you are eating the same thing for 7 days in a row) and I look forward to being able to slot it into my meal plan.

  • Lean Beef Mince
  • Cabbage, red onions and mushrooms cooked with garlic and chilli
  • Sugar free jelly (which is great if you have a sweet tooth).

Quantities

Whilst I don’t want to give the measurements for each component of the meal, the above calories added up to about 1686 a day with 138g protein, 65 grams of fat and 95g carbs. I don’t include the green veggies etc in my calorie count

Meal Prep

I pre-cook as much of the food as possible on the Saturday or Sunday otherwise there is a risk I will be too tired from work and that makes cooking pretty unpleasant. The lunches get measured and boxed so I can grab the boxes and go for work etc. The breakfast and dinner components get stored in bigger boxes and are measured out as I go.

My March Faves & Things I have loved in March 2019

April 28, 2019 by Vicky Leave a Comment

It seems like I am always saying how busy each month is but with each one it really does seem they are zooming by!

On 1 March I started a new job which is extremely busy and hectic but I am also loving it. The team I work with is great and it really makes a difference to work when you are in that environment I think.

Here are a selection of my favourite photos from March:

  1. (Left) This was taken at The Boundary in West End at after work drinks with my new work colleagues. It was lovely to get out and let my hair down with them.
  2. (Top Right) This is a gecko that hangs out on our kitchen window most nights. He enjoys the benefits of the light being on as it attracts the bugs aka his dinner!
  3. (Middle Right) This is the view from the balcony at my office over the city. I don’t get a chance to sit out there every day but I love the city view so its nice to have a lunch spot when there is time.
  4. (Bottom Right) The Aussie and I paid a visit to the Botanic Gardens at Mount Coot Tha finally and you can read more about it here.

Things I Have Loved

As I settled into the new job it was a fairly quiet month but we did get out and about a bit which was fun.

MOVIES:

It was a slow month for movies in March but I did manage to watch Greenbook with Naomi which I loved. The music was fantastic from the start and the story which is based on real life events was lovely to see unfold.

TV:

The Good Place I finally sat down to watch this show which was very funny! I have watched the series which are on Netflix so far and I loved how the show twisted and turned and it was not very predictable for me at least. I look forward to the newer series being published on Netflix in due course.

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About Me!

My name is Vicky and I am a Lawyer from the UK who upped sticks and moved to the Northern Territory in Australia in August 2013!

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