Pumpkin & Feta Sausage Rolls

Makes: 20 portions (2 pieces for portion)

Ingredients:

• 5 mountain bread wraps
• 800g pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2/3 cup frozen peas
• 2/3 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 scoops (60g) pure protein powder
• 1 egg
• 200 feta cheese, crumbled

Method:

• Peel and chop the pumpkin into even sized pieces, simmer in water until cooked through
• Drain well and return to the saucepan and placed back on the heat for 30-60 seconds to ensure all moisture in the bottom of the saucepan has evaporated
• Set aside to cool for 10-20 minutes
• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line 2 trays with baking paper
• Use a fork to roughly mash the pumpkin
• Add all remaining ingredients (except the mountain bread) into the pumpkin and stir until well combined
• Cut the mountain breads into half to have two even sized portions and set aside covered with a tea towel so they don’t dry out
• Divide the mixture into 10 even portions
• Using 1 half of a wrap evenly spread 1 portion of the filling down the slightly off centre down the middle of the wrap in a sausage shape
• Fold the smaller portion over the filling
• Brush the other side with egg wash before folding over to complete the sausage roll
• Place on the baking tray with the seal side down
• Repeat with the remaining mountain bread and filling portions
• Brush the tops of the sausage rolls with egg wash
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the tray before cutting into portions
• Cut each full sausage roll into 4 pieces, a portion is 2 pieces.

Nutritional Value per portion (2 pieces)

• Calories: 82
• Total fats: 1.5g
• Total carbohydrates: 9.4
• Sugars: 2.7g
• Protein: 6.2g

Recipe Notes:

• Store covered in the fridge for a maximum of 3 days

• This recipe is freezer friendly to be consumed within 6 months

• Also delicious served cold

Disclaimer: C4K Kitchen does not hold any responsibility for the consumer using this recipe including the storage guidelines and time frames recommended in the recipe notes. The consumer holds all responsibilities to ensure that food hygiene and safety standards are adhered to.

Hedgehog Protein Cookies

Makes: 18 cookies

Ingredients:

• 200g smooth peanut butter
• 2 scoops (60g) chocolate protein powder
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup high protein milk
• 1/2 cup sugar free dark choc chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a tray with baking paper
• Place all ingredients into a large bowl and mix until well combined
• Spoon the mixture out evenly on the prepared baking tray an press flat with the back of the spoon
• Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to sit on the tray for a further 10 minutes until transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutritional Value per Cookie:

• Calories: 118
• Total fat: 8.9g
• Total carbohydrates: 4.6g
• Sugars: 0.6g
• Protein: 7g

Recipe Notes:

• Store in an air tight container for up to 7 days……if they last that long!!

• This recipe is freezer friendly to be consumed within 6 months

• Protein powder used in the recipe is Protein Supplies Australia WPI Fast Release protein powders

• You can buy online from www.proteinsuppliesaustralia.com.au

• Use the Discount code holly10 at checkout to get a 10% discount

Disclaimer: C4K Kitchen does not hold any responsibility for the consumer using this recipe including the storage guidelines and time frames recommended in the recipe notes. The consumer holds all responsibilities to ensure that food hygiene and safety standards are adhered to.

I have been a little quite on the “When Holly Met Percy” blog front lately so thought that it timely that in check on my progress and where my head is at.

So let’s start with the numbers. There has been 4 weekly weigh in since my last post being losses of 0.3kg, 0.4kg, 0.6kg and a gain of 0.2kg respectively which has taken me to a total of 91.4kg lost since I first started my weight loss journey. My weekly average has dropped to 1.15kg per week which I am over the moon with since I am coming up to 16 months post op. The numbers have substantially slowed as the months have gone on and while it is frustrating because of my lack of patience – I am well aware this is normal and to be expected. I still have another 26.6kg to go to get to goal, this is going to take a bloody long time in these small increments BUT I am committed and determined to get to the finish line.

My BMI, well my BMI has dropped from 68 down to 38 meaning that I have dropped a ridiculous 30 BMI grades…..yet somehow I am still considered Obese Class 2.

Acknowledging BMI is only one measurement of my progress, it’s also important that I consider my body measurements that I do on the first of every month. In the month of March I lost another 8cm off my body measurements taking my grand progressive total to 197cm lost. I mean really universe, could have you NOT given my three more measly cm to take me to total of 2 metres, maybe next month.
My body measurements lost since I started this crazy journey is:
Arms – 9cm
Boobs – 35cm
Waist – 52cm
Ass – 63cm
Thigh – 28cm
Calf – 10cm

So now down to the business about why I have been so quiet on the blog-front. In all honesty, apart from being ridiculously busy with mum, work, family, gym and WLS event planning life, I am feeling a little bit lost and I am struggling.

I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything that has been going on in my life. I am tired and feeling what I am calling process and number fatigue. I am feeling mentally and physically exhausted by the skin drag. Now upfront for the record I am NOT, I repeat NOT making this post for a cry for compliments of how great I am looking, how far I have come or how amazing I am. I am writing this post for me and me alone to reflect and be real about all of the emotions I am feeling and battling with at the moment. Mr McPherson my year 12 chemistry teachers always said to us that if we can’t explain it then we don’t understand it. So this post is purely me trying to explain and therefore understand what I am feeling and in by sharing it may help others to understand and process what they are going through themselves.

So the first thing I want to talk about it process and numbers fatigue….. So I am tired of tracking and counting numbers. Kilograms, cms, BMI grades, calories, protein, carbs, sugar, time spent at the gym, time I haven’t slept that I should of and clothes sizes. I have been counting these things as measures of my progress and using a measure to motivate me to keep working. However after 16 months of counting I need to put all numbers in a “time out” as the drain all of these numbers is overwhelming and I am tired of considering numbers. I am tired of the weight loss process and feeling like I am eternally stuck in the weight loss stage…..admittedly my starting weight was a lot higher than a lot of other people’s meaning my journey was always going to be longer than the average person but after 16 months and still being 25-30kg away from goal weight I am tired of this stage.

How am I combatting this? I will still keep doing my weekly weigh in and my monthly measurements as I know I need them for accountability. However I am consciously not going to even let the other numbers be a consideration in my daily life. I cannot deal with doing food diaries and tracking my macros as well as calories burnt and eaten. I need a break from the numbers, I need a break from the weight loss stage and I just need to live and trust that I have embed positive changes into my nutrition and physical activity to continue as normal without the heavy monitoring I imposed on myself. These number expectations that I am feeling fatigued by are not set by anyone, they are set by me and me alone so I am trying to consciously disconnect with them until I feel ready to actively engage in the weight loss stage…..I’m putting myself into a numbers timeout.

So the second thing I want to talk about is the skin drag…….ah the joys of dreaded excess skin. Now I was well aware that coming into this process that with extreme weight loss I was going to have excess skin and that nothing could be done to avoid or negate this happening. I told myself that I would wear the excess skin proudly as a badge of honour or as a trophy of my achievements of how far I have come and proudly show that this is a result of my hard work. BUT….reality is very very different to what I told myself I would do.

I have people telling me how fabulous I look and how far I have come and yes I do agree……with clothes on. I am looking so much happier and healthier. However without clothes on I look freaking revolting. I have lost 92 freaking kilograms!! I would expect that in my naked form that I would look better than before but in all honesty I think I look worse now than I did before. I sag, I hang, I wrinkle, I rumple and frankly it is not attractive at all. I have shown a few people who are the very closest to me the photos of my skin who assure me that it doesn’t look that bad and it could be so much worse and while I do listen to what they are saying I cannot hear the words because I feel so revolting within my own skin and I absolutely hate what I see and no amount of words of encouragement or positivity can overcome how I feel about the excess skin. The emotional and mental impact of how I look is severely impacting on my mental state and while I am so very much enjoying all the positive aspects that have popped up into my world the mental drag of the skin is real and it is painful.

The other aspect of the skin drag to consider is the physical drag of the skin. It hangs low, meaning it pulls causing body aches and pains. It moves A LOT during exercise, particularly during heavy duty exercise that I have been doing making the standard aches and pains even worse, to the point where I have had to stop doing any running or jumping as it just causes way too much discomfort. STOP READING MUM…..The excess skin during special time with hubby gets in the way and can result in old school Chinese burn action abruptly ending any relations. The skin folds cause extreme chaffing, sweating, rubbing that results in slimey films, ooziness, sometimes even bleeding and this lingering funky smell. I can always clear up these reactions pretty quickly but I can’t stop them from happening. I am following all clinical advice that I am given to manage the skin effects but the reality is that nothing can stop any of this from happening except surgery.

Again how am I combatting this?? Simply, I am not. I am not coping, I am not managing, I am simply surviving. I am on the countdown until my next appointment with my chosen plastic surgeon to hopefully get a date for an apronectomy procedure. I have checked that my PHI is sufficient and ready to go so I just need a date. If I have to even consider going to this appointment and not getting a date I can honestly say I have no idea at all how I will react to this, so I’m not even considering it. I would not cope.

So while this has been somewhat of a “Debbie Downer” post, it hasn’t been all doom and gloom over the last month. I have had some pretty amazing things and achievements happen.

The Adelaide WLS event I organised with a couple of other lovely ladies went off without a hitch and was a fabulous night had by all. I feel pretty, I felt confident and hell I even had a shit load of wine!!

I have been working hard at the gym

I am enjoying spending time with my hubby and some of best girls going out for dinner and having a wine

I’ve been laughing at myself when I have an almighty toilet rush and looking like a clothes storm exploded in the mad dash.

I am getting used to seeing pictures (clothed of course) of myself and occasionally thinking wow you look kind of pretty…..from that angle

And the best thing of all I have enjoyed being an active mum who can now physically engage and wrestle with my main motivation.

So there is my last month in a snapshot…..

Some good.

Some not so good.

Always saggy and jiggly.

AND always grateful for the new opportunities that my life has bought my way with thanks to my lifestyle changes supported by my sleeve

White Choc Macadamia Protein Cookies

Makes: 15 cookies

Ingredients:

• 200g cashew butter
• 2 scoops (60g) vanilla protein powder
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons high protein milk

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a tray with baking paper
• Place all ingredients except the milk into a large bowl and mix until well combined
• Gradually add the milk until the mixture balls together into a dough like consistency (the amount of milk may vary depending on the type of cashew butter used)
• Roll the dough into 15 even sized balls and place on the baking tray with 4-5cm between each dough ball
• Lightly spray the tip of a fork with cooking spray and press down onto each dough ball to slightly flatten
• Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to sit on the tray for a further 10 minutes until transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutritional Value per Cookie:

• Calories: 132
• Total fat: 10.5g
• Total carbohydrates: 5g
• Total sugar: 0.5g
• Protein: 6g

Recipe Notes:

• Store in an air tight container for up to 7 days……if they last that long!!

• This recipe is freezer friendly to be consumed within 6 months

• Protein powder used in the recipe is Protein Supplies Australia WPI Fast Release protein powders

• You can buy online from www.proteinsuppliesaustralia.com.au

• Use the Discount code holly10 at checkout to get a 10% discount

Disclaimer: C4K Kitchen does not hold any responsibility for the consumer using this recipe including the storage guidelines and time frames recommended in the recipe notes. The consumer holds all responsibilities to ensure that food hygiene and safety standards are adhered to.

Protein Banana Bread

Makes: 10 portions

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup
• 3 scoops (90g) vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• Pinch salt

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and prepare a loaf tin by spraying with cooking spray and lining with baking paper
• Break the bananas up into even sized pieces and mash with a fork or potato masher
• Add in the eggs, sugar free maple syrup and milk mixing until well combined
• In a second mixing bowl combine the protein powder, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt mixing until well combined
• Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and fold through until well combined
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes in the oven
• Cover loosely with alfoil and cook for another 20-30 minutes until a cake skewer comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutritional Value per portion:

• Calories: 100
• Total fat: 1.6g
• Total carbohydrates: 11.6g
• Sugars: 6g
• Protein: 10.1g

Recipe Notes:

• Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days
• This recipe is freezer friendly to be consumed within 6 months
• Protein powder used in the recipe is Protein Supplies Australia WPI Fast Release protein powders
• You can buy online from www.proteinsuppliesaustralia.com.au
• Use the Discount code holly10 at checkout to get a 10% discount

Disclaimer: C4K Kitchen does not hold any responsibility for the consumer using this recipe including the storage guidelines and time frames recommended in the recipe notes. The consumer holds all responsibilities to ensure that food hygiene and safety standards are adhered to.

Yesterday was a big day for me. I didn’t just celebrate a little win. I celebrated a gigantic non scale victory and achieved one of my goals that I set out for myself.

One of my main goals as a part of my reasoning for having WLS was to be an active and participating parent as opposed to watching on for the sidelines.

Yesterday was Lachlan’s sports day at school. Last year in personally couldn’t deal with going so Jamie went with him to help and support him during the day. This year I went with him to support and help him participate.

I was shocked and delighted with the photos and videos my mum took throughout the day without my knowing she was taking them. I looked happy, healthy and active and even a little bit athletics.

I didn’t even recognise myself in some of the photos!!

We ran together

https://c4kkitchen.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/img_6483.mov

We kicked the ball together

https://c4kkitchen.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/img_6464.mov

We shook the parachute together.

We used the hopper ball together (well when I say used the hopper ball I mean I cleaned listed him and the hopper ball off the ground to make him bounce hahaha)

https://c4kkitchen.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/img_0440.trim-1.mov

And at the end of the day we sat comfortably on the ground and had a cuddle together!

I was in awe of everything I participated in and was very consciously aware of how much things have changed for me. I noticed that there was a lot of larger mums that were there watching from the sidelines looking awkward and uncomfortable. I am not my any means judging these mums as I was one of them but it broke my heart knowing that this was me and I didn’t know how much I was missing out on. It wasn’t until I could participate that I realised how much happiness and joy is brings to myself but most importantly the happiness it brings to my little man!

It’s Easter long weekend so we are away for the weekend heading back home to the Riverland for the long weekend.

When we got back and I was unpacking the car I had a complete “holy crap” moment when I stopped dead in my tracks in shock and awe of my own shadow. I know shadows are sometimes flattering elongating your body BUT the shadow can’t lie and distort a fact that this is a distinct thigh gap that I have never had in my adult life before. Is shocked me so much that I had to stop and take a photo of it!

My Good Friday started in the best possible day.

Back in my family home with some of my favourite people.

Sitting outside for breakfast in the fresh clear country air.

Having a cheeky protein pimped coffee.

Sitting with my legs crossed.

And sitting in a chair that my bum comfortably fits in.

The numbers are only one measure of the success of my journey. While the numbers are great nothing and I mean NOTHING can possibly compare to all the non scale victories that I have celebrated in the last 24 hours.

I wanted to become and active participating parent and I can now proudly say…. I AM!!! And I am so freaking proud of myself that I can be the Mum that Lachlan deserves.

One word I hear talked about very often within my social media networks for not only those within the weight loss surgery community but just in general has been bothering me for some reason.

This one word is also a word that I personally use regularly and regularly suffer from this awful feeling……..

“GUILT”

As my regular readers would know in the last week my excess skin has been causing me a tirade of physical problems and pains.  As a result of this I had somewhat of an epic meltdown last night, which I regretfully took out on hubby by snapping his head off about something completely insignificant and irrelevant to the issue at hand.  While this small trivial thing was the final straw that broke the camel’s back for me what I realise now is that what underpinned my meltdown was one thing…guilt.

In this particular moment I am feeling guilt in regards to my commitment to going to the gym.  I know that I not only need but also want to go the gym as this is a pivotal part of my new healthy active lifestyle and also an important part to help me keep losing to achieve my goals that I have set for myself.  BUT, I also know that my body is physically struggling to sustain the high intensity and high impact exercise that I have been doing at the gym.

So the questions are; how do I find the balance in doing what I want and need to do without actually causing further physical pain and discomfort? And how do I allow myself to get the rest and recovery periods I need without guilt?

I also regularly experience a lot of food guilt.  Am I making the right choices? Am I eating too much? Am I eating too little? Am I going the stretch and break Percy? Yes I am eating Pringles…why are you eating Pringles you blob you know you shouldn’t be doing that?

So the question is; how can I develop a relationship with food where I can enjoy food for what it is?

So I have decided after going some research and reading I am going to start doing 3 new things in my life to help me work through and overcome these unnecessary and VERY undesired feelings of guilt that can sometimes plague my thoughts.

These are the 3 things I am going to do….

1. Check my expectations

Realistically the only reason I am feeling guilt is because I am not meeting my expectations.  Not my surgeon and support teams expectations.  Not my family’s expectations.  Not my peer’s expectations.  Not even societies expectations.   These are 100% MY expectations that I am imposing on myself.  So I am going to try and pose this question to myself each time I feel these feelings of guilt, what advice would I give to someone else if they were in the same situations?  And this answer becomes blisteringly revealing that the expectations that I am imposing on myself are too extreme.  The pressure that I am putting on myself to succeed is too great and that by setting my expectations at a ridiculously high level that is almost un-achievable that I am setting myself up for failure.

I do not want to fail.  I will not fail.

What I will do is try to be more reflective at these times of feeling guilty to understand are my expectations unreasonable.

From an exercise perspective………why am I expecting to physically push myself to go to the gym when in all honestly I can barely walk without being uncomfortable and in pain?   That is just ridiculous to put myself under that pressure!  I need to check my expectations of needing to go to the gym 4-5 times a week and I need to acknowledge what my body is telling me and I need to rest and recover.  It’s time to re-frame my expectations.  My new exercise expectation is to that I will continue to physically push the boundaries to exercise BUT ensuring I listen to my body and allow it the time it needs to rest and recover.

From a food perspective…..why am I expecting myself to be perfect 100% of the time with food choices?  Again this is ridiculous expectation.  I am human, I am not perfect.  I am also NOT on a diet or a fad health kick.  I have chosen to make a lifelong commitment to living an active and healthy lifestyle and this needs to be about balance and moderation.  It is OK to sometimes have food that has less nutritional value that your normal selection, and it’s OK to do this without guilt as it’s about finding the balance between living and deprivation.  As a part of my lifelong commitment I will not deprive myself of enjoying my life and participate in life.

It’s time to re-frame my expectations.  My new food expectations is that I will continue to make wise nutritional choices that will provide my body with the fuel that it needs to function BUT I will ensure that I do not deprive myself of living life and I will not feel guilty about enjoying the life I have worked so hard to extend.

2. Be present

I need to be present in life and remember to reflect on the bigger picture of my life.

At that exact moment of time this may be the end of the world (melodramatic I know, but you get my point)……but in the grand scheme of things, the sun will still come up tomorrow and life will continue.  I need to stop and appreciate the life I have worked hard to create, I need to step back from the pressure and stress that I am putting on myself to meet these unrealistic expectations.

It’s time to be present and enjoy the moment.  I need to stop and smell the roses and enjoy the sunshine instead of charging full steam ahead focusing on the future.  I need to enjoy how far I have come instead of focusing on how far I have left to go. I need to acknowledge the fact that I am doing things physically and making choices that I have never been able to do before.

It’s time to re-frame my thinking and stop rehashing the past, the past has been and gone…… I can’t change it no matter how much I focus on it.  I need to move out of the past and live in the moment.  It’s time to re-frame my thinking and stop focusing on the future.  Why am I wishing my life away to get to all the tomorrow I have in front of me?  I am here now and the present is a gift that I need to appreciate and learn to enjoy more.

From a gym perspective…..I need to reflect that I am now fitter and more active that I have been in my entire adult life and what an amazing gift that is.  Why am I feeling guilty about this achievement?

From a food perspective….I need to reflect that I have come some far with the nutritional choices I am making.  Why should I feel guilty about enjoying the present point of time in my life with a piece of chocolate, in reflection this is still a much better nutritional choice than an entire family sized block of chocolate on my own.

It’s time for me to enjoy you.  Not all the yesterdays that have been and not all the tomorrows to come but I am going to start living and focusing on all the todays.

3. Be a little bit selfish

I need to live my life for me MY WAY.

I need to stop focusing and comparing about what is going on around me and what everyone else is doing.   I am a unique amazing individual and my life and my circumstances are completely difference to every other amazing unique people in my life…..so why do I think it is OK to compare my life and situation to someone else’s.  It’s time for me to be a little bit selfish and spend less time worrying about what everyone else is going and start focusing on what I am doing.

Yes, this other person may have less of a tummy that Bertha is.  Yes, this other person may be running for longer on the treadmill than you.  Yes, this other person may be eating a smaller portion that you.  But what bearing does that have on my life?? None what so every.  The decision of other people have no impact on my life, my outcomes and my results…..unless I let them have an impact!!

From a gym perspective….I need to reflect instead of comparing that someone else is doing more than me, they are fitter than me, they are more toned that me.  I need to be selfish and compare me against me.  Compare the fact that when I started exercise I couldn’t even walk 10 minutes consecutively without feeling like I needed and  ambulance or oxygen tank to where I am now that I am averaging an 800 calories burning workout several times a week.  Why am I feeling guilty about that? That is freaking amazing and I need to be selfish and acknowledge that!

From a food perspective……I need to reflect instead of comparing that someone else is eating differently in either food choices and/or volumes to me.  I need to be selfish and once again compare me against me.  Compare the fact of what my nutritional food choices and portions are now compared to before.  I am not eating deep fried food in epic proportional anymore, I do not have a car full of take away and chocolate rubbish, I have succeeding in changing my life.  Why am I feeling guilty about making a huge transformation in my life to making amazing choices the vast majority of the time? I am kicking serious goals and I need to be selfish and acknowledge that!

I need to re-frame my think and at the end of the day it’s time to be selfish and stop comparing my life to the lives of others.  This is my life and I need to compare my life against the only equal comparative…MYSELF!

So I guess in a nutshell this is much easier said than done but this is such a huge part of my mental journey that it needs to be worked on.  I’m not perfect and I know I will continue to feel guilt along the way and you know what.  That’s OK, guilt is a normal and natural emotion BUT I will not let it consume me, I will not let it control me, I control me.

So how am I going to do this?

• I am going to be realistic about my expectations;
• I’m going to live in the present; and
• I’m going to live my life for me in my terms!

Fruity Oat Bar

Makes: 10 bars

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple purée
• 2 eggs
• 3 scoops (90g) vanilla protein powder
• 1 cup quick oats
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• Pinch salt

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and prepare a brownie tin by spraying with cooking spray and lining with baking paper
• Peel the banana and roughly break up into even sized pieces and mash using a fork or potato masher
• Add in the apple puree and egg mixing until well combined
• Add in the remaining ingredients and stir through until well combined
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared tin
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and set
• Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
• Cut into 12 even sized pieces

Nutritional Value per portion:

• Calories: 122
• Total fat: 1.8g
• Total carbohydrates: 16.4g
• Sugars: 5.7g
• Protein: 10.8g

Recipe Notes:

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a maximum of 5 days
• This recipe is freezer friendly to be consumed within 6 months
• Protein powder used in the recipe is Protein Supplies Australia WPI Fast Release protein powders
• You can buy online from www.proteinsuppliesaustralia.com.au
• Use the Discount code holly10 at checkout to get a 10% discount

Disclaimer: C4K Kitchen does not hold any responsibility for the consumer using this recipe including the storage guidelines and time frames recommended in the recipe notes. The consumer holds all responsibilities to ensure that food hygiene and safety standards are adhered to.

I generally try to keep my posts uplifting, positive and inspiring….today is not one of those posts. Today is all about realness!

To start with I will get the statistics out of the way. At Wednesday’s weigh in this week

This week – 1.1kg

Total – 90kg

90-freaking-kg LOST. Wow just wow….I can’t even fathom!

So coming to the realness of today’s post. Today my body is not enjoying the by-product of extreme weight loss!

SKIN…..

My normal Saturday morning routine is to get up early and head to the gym for my biggest and largest workout of the week. I always look forward to my Saturday morning session at the gym.

Today I did not go. Today I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t endure the pain and discomfort that I have in my body at the moment. My lower back is very badly aching from the “shake rattle and roll” effect of the excess skin during exercise. My belly button has flared up again and is at the point of bleeding again and the rash under my apron is red raw and beyond painful when anything brushes against it let alone making it endure the intensity of exercise.

I knew heading into surgery that I would have excess skin and I knew that it was going to cause problems. I said to myself I would be ok with the skin and I would wear proudly as a badge of honour or as a sign of my achievements. I can honestly say that I have tried to do that but I can’t. So let’s have a snap shot of where I am at with my skin……

MENTALLY – I am ok with the skin mentally as I knew it was coming and I know it’s only temporary until I can have it removed. Even though I’m impatient as hell and I want it gone now I know that it took me 30 years to get to the point I was pre-surgery that it’s not going to instantly be resolved overnight. Mentally I’m in transient mode knowing that it’s only short term

VISUALLY – with clothes on and when it’s sucked and tucked into my spanx the skin doesn’t bother me hugely. The shape of Bertha bothers me but again I know it’s temporary and I’m trying to learn to dress and work around the beast that Bertha is. Without clothes I am officially a horrific beast, I look revolting. I was expected that once I lost weight I would look better, but in all honesty I feel like I looked before before when my skin was full and my skin was smooth.

PHYSICALLY – as I have already mentioned I am struggling with the pain. I have tried every cream and every remedy that has been recommended to me. Which at least count is 23 different things and not one manages the clear and manage the rashes, discomfort and pains that I am living with.

I am so very grateful for my new lease on life and for me being a happier healthier and more active person. I am so very grateful for my sleeve being the tool I needed for me to make the life style changes I have made.

But I need to be real, the extreme weight loss does have some unintended consequences that for realness and being true to this journey I need to talk about it. Having said that even with these down sides I wouldn’t change things in a heartbeat. How on earth can I be unhappy with the fact I am no long heading towards an early grave due to morbid obesity.

Sticky Date Protein Muffin

Makes: 10 muffins

Ingredients:

• 200g pitted dates, chopped
• 100g Walden farms no added sugar caramel dip
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 scoops (90g) pure protein powder
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Method:

• Chop the dates into even sized pieces and set aside
• Place the eggs, caramel dip and milk into a mixing bowl and whisk together
• Add in the chopped dates and mix well
• Stir the protein powder, coconut flour, almond meal and baking powder together and mix until well combined
• Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture and set aside
• Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and spray a silicon muffin tray with cooking spray
• When the oven has come to 180 degrees remix the batter so it is well combined then spoon evenly into 10 muffin wells
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden or a cake skewer comes out clean and dry
• Once cooked allow to cool on a wire cooling wrap before enjoying

Nutritional Value per muffin:

• Calories: 162
• Total fat: 4.9g
• Total carbohydrates: 18.5g
• Sugars: 16.1g
• Protein: 11.4g

Recipe Notes:

• Store in an air tight container for a maximum of 5 days
• This recipe is freezer friendly to be consumed within 6 months
• Protein powder used in the recipe is Protein Supplies Australia WPI Fast Release protein powders
• You can buy online from www.proteinsuppliesaustralia.com.au
• Use the Discount code holly10 at checkout to get a 10% discount

Disclaimer: C4K Kitchen does not hold any responsibility for the consumer using this recipe including the storage guidelines and time frames recommended in the recipe notes. The consumer holds all responsibilities to ensure that food hygiene and safety standards are adhered to.