Rhubarb and asparagus - 10 / 10 club sparkly Spring thread

[FrannyandZooey]

All welcome - for anyone who wants a boost to their general health. The suggested goals are:

EAT 10 PORTIONS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES EVERY DAY - if you don't usually eat much fruit and veg I would build up gradually or you could upset your digestion.

DO (AT LEAST) 10 MINUTES OF EXERCISE EVERY DAY - can be yoga, stretching or something more energetic. The plan is that the idea of doing 10 minutes is not too daunting, and having started you may well find you want to do more.

There are no restrictions on what you eat, so long as you get your 10 fruit and veg as well. The focus is not on weight loss, but on improving our energy levels and hopefully our general mood and well-being. Sign up below and post here to tell us how you're getting on and how you are feeling.

Basic guidance on what constitutes a portion of fruit and veg here and you can download more detailed information here (follow the link at the very bottom of the page)

Oh and I aim to please Frangipani

Ooh that is a new one

v good

Can I pop in too?

Yes you can, all are welcome,

i LOVE fruit and veg just don't eat as much as i should.most days i have 3-4 per day.
i was saying to F&Z on another thread i'm not doing to bad on the exercise front lately.i'm a member of a gym although only manage to get there about 4-6 times per month so we have just hired a treadmill for a few weeks(try and lose a little weight for our hols)and now the weathers picked up(although raining today)we pop the kids on their bikes and go for a bike ride most days.

Sounds good Ash, we need some more people who are doing well on the exercise front, as although there are some on here, I think they can be a bit outnumbered.
Exercise is where I struggle I'm afraid

In the summer i can be a size 12 and look really healthy and feel good about myself.come the winter though the weight creeps on,i end up a size 16(i don't believe in weighing myself so go off my clothes) and i'm miserable.
i've been off anti-depressants for 6 months now and really trying to stay healthy,both physically and mentally.

Physical and mental health are intrinsically linked I know, well hopefully a new food regime will be rewarding for you

hello Ash and Gyscrym, pull up a chair
I am snacking n cooked carrots left over from ds's tea. My heart craves cake but as the weight is piling on, (phantom pregnancy or years of matabolic jamminess cathcing up on me...?)I'm am being steely.
Roast chicken and salad tonight - salad will contain lettuce, watercrss, cucumber, avacado, celelry, olives, carrots, sweetcorn, apple, red onion so that ought to do it. had leeka nd watercress soup for lunch followed by raspberries so am on course for a perfect 10

off to nosey at F&Z's dress....

I know I need to eat more fruit and veg. I have a lot of fresh juices but won't be getting everything from the fruit doing this. I work shifts and feel very lethargic on nights. It's so easy to eat a bag of crisps or some biscuits as a snack. I need to stop taking money to work with me as it's too easy to visit the vending machine.

Hiya Gscrym (well done Overrun, I knew they wouldn't get past the door without being frisked). Good luck to you and Ash with eating this way etc, just ask if you think we can offer ideas or anything. We tend to just post about what we are eating each day and then the chat kind of takes over...

FMF that does sound like 10, teacher's pet award for the day to you

I have just made a salad of spinach, lettuce, black-eyed beans, beetroot, cucumber, tomato, feta and avocado. I can't wait to eat it.

have been snacking on apples and plums, reckon I will easily make 10 today

do you use a drssing on these uber salads of yours then? I love a splash of balsamic but I'm open to new options...

Gscrym protein foods will help you feel more awake - you could try nuts or seeds, or take in things like a tub of pasta or rice salad with beans in it, or hummus with breadsticks or chopped veg.

Apricots, bananas, and oatcakes are also good snack foods IME

FMF I am rather partial to mayonnaise

I have just bought some organic balsamic dressing that was reduced in Sainsbo's so am having that tonight

agree just balsamic is nice, or I have a soy sauce / sesame oil / balsamic one that I sometimes use if it is a beefy enough salad

ah i don't know what to have for my tea.kids have eaten at the after-school club and hubby is at the gym until god knows what time.the haagen daz is shouting my name from the freezer-i can hear it.
i've done half an hour on the treadmill today so thats the exercise thing covered oh and got friendly with DH this morning-does that count??
food wise-i've had apple for breakfast and a ww yoghurt.srambled egg on wholemeal toast(no marg) for lunch.mango,melon and pomegranite to snack on.4 glasses of water and 2 cups of tea.
am i doing ok so far?

That's 4 portions of fruit I think ash - pretty good. Sounds like you need something big and vegetably for dinner - what have you got in the house?

(Overrun and lots of others here are really great at recipe suggestions)

Plus I am in shock that you managed to have time to have sex with your dh in the morning

ah sod it i'm going to have a weight watchers micro meal for one and do some steamed veg with it.carrots and green beans and i'll open a tin of sweetcorn.after 27 years,8 of them as a mother i realise cooking is just not for me!!
kids slept in until 7am,we were awake at 6.50 so it gave us plenty of time for a quicky!!even managed to have a shower before they woke too!!

ten minutes for sex and a shower, blimey. More like being mugged than having sex I reckon, but I'm probably just jealous

oh it was nothing to be jealous of F and Z!
my husbands not a man who likes to take his time LOL!

Is it me or are these newbies really bringing the tone down?

oh i'm sorry,back to the veg..........

ash..if only a little longer could've counted towards exercise today!
gscyrm..how do i say that?

hi and welcometoo!

stopped in my tracks real life interrupts...

....sorry my crumble instructions no good have never pre cooked it 40 mins in hot oven is enough to have any fruit surrender!.....also anyone know if rhubarb has nutritional value?someone told me no....

i am silking a bit at my total inability to juggle both life and this thread...

better go and bath the babies tho, before they all melt down...