A Unique Birthday Gift

It was my birthday last Wednesday and I received so many thoughtful and generous gifts but one in particular was very unique. I thought I would share with you all what it was in case you are ever in need of an idea for something a little different to give to a loved one.

Firstly a little background to this present. It came from my boyfriend Ryne. In November he is going back over to the US to play rugby. I am staying in Australian and visiting him when I can (flights to America are expensive!).

I was given 3 clues to this present.
1: It was something that still needed to be delivered to his house but I could see it any time I wanted.
2: 'You talk about it at least once a week.'
3: 'You are more beautiful than all of them combined' (He is a true romantic)

I was given the first clue about a week out from my birthday the second clue about 4 days before my birthday and the last clue right before I opened my present. I was determined to figure out what it was!! I joked that it would be a puppy but I had no idea what it was even after the 3rd clue.

I unwrapped the gift and Ryne had bought me a star! As in an actual star in the Libra constellation (that is my star sign). Thinking about it now I do talk about the stars a lot because I am always telling Ryne to look up when ever we are outside. Who can blame me I like sparkly things and they are so pretty. The star Ryne chose can be seen in Australia for 6 months of the year and in America for 6 months of the year which is perfect for us because then one of us can keep an eye on it year round. He named the star 'Bridget's Keeper' because it will watch over me when he isn't able to (soooo sweet).

Certificate from the International Star Registry

The map of the Libra Constellation. The little red circle is my star.

Libra constellation (Source)

Last night we went outside and found my star (I was so excited). It is a gift that I will have forever (Well at least until it gets old and explodes). The information that came with the certificates states 'Generations to come will be able to look to the star named and locate it in the night skies- and that's a beautiful thought.' I agree with this and  feel very luck to have been so spoilt on my birthday.

If you want to look into buying a star visit the International Star Registry website.

If you have any unique gift ideas I would love to hear them!

Bridget xo

A Weekend Away

A few weeks ago Ryne and I had a weekend away in Sydney. I thought I would do a quick recap and share some pretty pictures.

After arriving in sydney the first item on our agenda was lunch. We stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe in Darling harbour. The Sydney Hard Rock Cafe had a beautiful view of the harbour and the staff were really friendly (It felt like American hospitality) but it didn't have quite the same atmosphere as the Time Square Hard Rock (my only point of comparison). In the afternoon we decided to go for a wondered around Paddy's markets checking out the weird and wonderful items for sale. Ryne ended up buying a few t-shirts but sadly I walked away with nothing.

In the evening we headed down to Circular Quay where we were going for a dinner cruise around Sydney. We were seated at a table for two with an excellent view of the harbour. The cruise included an absolutely delicious 3 course meal and a glass of champagne. We treated ourselves to some tasty cocktails as well. As I'm writing this I am kicking myself for not taking photos of the food, it was so delicious. There was live music of the ship and we were able to go out on the deck to take in the views. I can't even describe how spoilt we felt to have this experience and it really made me appreciate the treasures we have in our own country.

On Saturday we weren't sure what fun activities we wanted to fill our day with so we started with a wonder along George street. At about lunch time we decided that Luna park was the way to go. I'm pretty good with most rides but the "Hair Raiser" gave me the fright of my life. On this ride you are taken 50m above sea level and then dropped at 80Km/hour. When getting on this ride I assumed that it was one of those ones where you go up to the top it waits a few seconds and then drops. I was wrong......it went right up to the top and then dropped without hesitation! I don't think I have held on to a harness so tightly in my life.  Other than not expecting the drop it was still a great thrill ride. We had such a fun afternoon and headed home exhausted.

That evening we went along to watch a Rugby Union game which was great. Sadly our team lost but it was a fun experience nonetheless. After a late nigh drink on Darling harbour we headed home to bed.

Sunday was our last full day. We decided to watch a movie in the biggest Imax theatre in the world. We saw How to Train Your Dragon 2 and I thought it was excellent and surprisingly emotional for a kids movie. The rest of the day was spent exploring Sydney and finished with dinner and drinks.

I hope you enjoyed your little look into my weekend.
Bridge xo

Vegetables- How To Eat Enough Of Them

A question I get asked a lot in my nutrition work is ‘how can I eat all the vegetables I need in one day?’ and I have to admit that it isn’t a simple question to answer. I thought today I would provide some tips and tricks to getting all your serves of vegetables in (and enjoying them).

The Australian Guide to Health Eating outlines the number of serves of vegetables a day that is recommended

	19-50 years	51-70 years	70+ years
Men	6	5 ½	5
Women	5	5	5

 (source)

A serve of vegetables is different depending on the vegetable. A few examples include:

o   ½  a cup of cooked green or orange vegetables

o   1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegetables

o   ½ a medium potato

o   1 medium tomato

I'm sure this is obvious to everyone but the reason why it is important to eat such a large volume of vegetables daily is because they are packed full of nutrients and are really low in kilojoules (calories). 

Are you saying to yourself ‘This information is all well and good but how on earth can you eat all those serves of vegetables?’ here are some tips on how to get your 5-6 serves a day:

o   Try and include vegetables in all your meals and snacks.

o   Always bring fruit and vegetable snacks with you to work (then there is no need to search for the vending machine).

o   Be adventurous. Try new vegetables, recipes or cooking methods. This will stop you from getting bored

There are so many ways to incorporate vegetables into your meals. Below I have listed some of my favourite ideas as well as some links to delicious recipes.

-Tomato on toast wholegrain with salt and pepper

-spinach and poached eggs on whole grain toast

-zucchini slice

-Pizza’s stacked high with vegetables

-Vegetable sticks and dip

-pesto and chicken with zucchini noodles

-Salads (there are so many options! Have a look on Pinterest for inspiration)

-Add grated vegetables to your bolognese sauce (zucchini and carrot are good) 

-Frozen vegetables (obviously heat them up) with tinned tuna and sweet chilli sauce

-Add frozen vegetables to dinners and lunches

-Vegetable Lasagne

-Stir-fry vegetables with soy sauce and garlic

-Roasted vegetables

-Vegetable soup

-A simple salad sandwich
-Soba noodles with stirfried vegetables and honey soy dressing

At the end of the day all you can do is your best to get as many vegetables into your day as possible. I hope you try out some of the recipes linked.

Bridge xo

Myths About Gluten-Free Diets

Today I heard someone say that a particular shampoo was really good because it was organic and GLUTEN FREE! A few weeks ago I saw a segment on Jimmy Kimmel where they asked people who eat a gluten free diet to explain what gluten is (which they had no idea). 

This gave me a little chuckle because this gluten free craze is getting out of control. My aim today is to explain what gluten is and disprove some of the myths surrounding the gluten free diet. I don't talk much about gluten sensitivity in this post because I'm not an expert if you suspect you have an intolerance you need to see a doctor to be tested. 

Gluten is made up for two proteins Giladin and Glutenin. It is found in wheat, barley and rye. The elasticity of dough and the ability for bread to rise and hold its shape is the result of the gluten in the flour. Gluten is also used as an additive in processed foods to do things like thickening a liquid. Another place where you can find traces of gluten is in products that have been processed on the same equipment as gluten containing foods for example oats.

 If you are eating a gluten-free diet there is a very high chance you are paying more for your food when there really isn't a need to. Gluten-free has become a marketing tool that is raking in the big bucks for food companies. It is at the point now where lotions and shampoo are being advertised as gluten free.

Gluten intolerance and celiac disease are both adverse effects to gluten. There are a lot of symptoms associated with these conditions and it effects everyone in different ways.

On to the myths......

Gluten makes you fat
This is untrue, gluten itself doesn't have kilojoules (calories) associated with it so it isn't contributing to your energy intake. The presence of gluten is irrelevant. The other components in the food such as carbohydrates, fat and protein contribute to the energy content of the food and can intern make you gain weight if you are not eating a balanced diet and exercising. Often gluten free foods have more kilojoules in them because extra sugar or fat has been added to make it taste better.

It is possible to lose weight eating a 'gluten-free' diet because it is likely you are avoiding processed foods, pastries and white bread (which are all quite high in kilojoules) and swapping them for more vegetables, fruits. Also when eating 'gluten-free' it would require you to be looking more at nutrition labels and this can help you to make healthier choices overall. The down-side of this is all the nutrients you miss out on by avoiding whole grain foods.

Gluten is unhealthy
Gluten isn't actually unhealthy for you (unless you have celiacs disease). Gluten doesn't really have any nutritional value itself but it is in whole grain products which provide fibre and certain vitamins that are good for your body.Flour in bread is also fortified with folate. If you are avoiding gluten there is a chance you could become deficient in these vitamins. Just because something says it is gluten free doesn't mean it is healthy, a gluten free cookie is still a cookie with sugar and butter.

(Source)

There isn't really a reason to avoid gluten unless you have a form of gluten intolerance (which your doctor can test you for). Eating a balanced diet (including gluten) is much less complicated and more affordable.

I hope you have a lovely weekend!

Bridget xo

The Beginning of More Consistent Blogging (hopefully)| Big Things

It’s been a while since I have written a blog post and I guess consistency hasn’t really been a theme on Beauty Bites and Big Things the past few months. So here I am again with a new goal to commit more to this blog.

Since I last updated you on life in general I was just back from America and ready to take on the year ahead. I mentioned in the first post of the year that I was going back to my old job. Well, my old job didn’t really work out in terms of hours, but when one door closes another one opens. In this case two doors opened. I was lucky to have two job opportunities fall into my lap and both of them relate to nutrition!

First I was offered a position in a gym working as a nutritionist (Yay). I have gained experience in developing my own nutrition business under the guidance of the gym. Currently I am doing some nutrition consulting, information booths and nutrition seminars. The population of the gym leans towards the older adult and I am enjoying getting to know a few of them. Also I can use the gym for free which is a nice little bonus!

The second job is in the public health system where I am in an administration position working with a brand new multidisciplinary service focused on obesity. Even though I’m not actively working in nutrition I am learning so much from the great team I am surrounded by.

Since I have been so busy with work I haven’t been up anything else that exciting. I have been keeping up to date with the latest nutrition news and I'm keen to share some information with you all.

 Who knows what the rest of the year holds so I am sticking to what I said back in January and embracing whatever comes my way.

Prepare yourself for some more consistent blogging!

Bridget xo 

Healthy Banana Bread

I have recently started a new job that just happens to have a lovely café downstairs. The down side is I am trying to make healthier choices when it comes to food so I found myself jealous of Co-workers who take up the $5 coffee and muffin deal. This was the inspiration to try my hand at healthy baking.

When it comes to baking often flour, sugar and butter are the staple ingredients. Well after scouring the internet I have found a healthy banana bread recipe which I baked for the second time in a week yesterday. So here is my recipe.

Ingredients

2 ½ mashed ripe bananas (approx. 300g)

3 eggs

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup olive oil

½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda +1 tablespoon of lemon juice (to activate it)

2 cups of almond meal

¼ cup chia seeds

Handful of walnuts for decoration

Method:

1.      Preheat your oven to 160°C. Lightly oil a loaf tin and coat the inside with extra almond meal to stop the bread from sticking.

2.      Mix together banana, eggs, honey, vanilla, olive oil, cinnamon and baking soda-lemon juice concoction until it is completely combined.

3.      Add in the almond meal and chia seeds and keep mixing until it is incorporated.

4.      Pour the batter into your tin and place walnuts on top for decoration.

5.      Cook in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour.

6.      Cover with aluminium foil if the top is starting to brown too much.

7.      The bread is ready when a skewer is poked in the middle and comes out clean.

8.      Cool in the tin before turning out.

Once the loaf is cooled I like to cut slices and wrap them individually so when I am rushing to get ready for work in the morning all I have to do is pick up a piece and put it in my bag.

Why is the recipe healthy?

-It doesn’t have any refined flour in it. Instead it has almond meal which is full of unsaturated fats that are good for your body. Almond meal is also packed full of protein.

-Olive oil is another ingredient which is made up of healthy fats!

-Only a small amount of sugar (honey). The bananas provide natural sugars so that it isn’t necessary to add a whole lot of white sugar. Bananas also have vitamins and minerals that assist in keeping you well. As if the bananas weren’t doing enough already they also help to make the banana bread moist.

-All the wonderful benefits of chia seeds. For more information have a look at this post here.

I like to toast my bread and eat it warm.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and that you have been inspired to try healthy baking yourself.

100 Happy Days Update

I just thought I would throw together a fun little post for you. I mentioned previously that I had taken up the 100 Happy Days challenge. Well today I have put together a little update with a few of my favourite pictures so far. I’m currently up to day 54 and I have to admit I am having to think a little harder to a) remember to take a photo and b) think of something that made me happy that day (that isn’t something that I have already used on a previous day). I see both of these challenges as a good thing because it means that I am forced to purposely do something or find something to be happy about. It also means I am learning to appreciate the little things that I am so lucky to have.

1. Day 2 I took the time to paint my nails nicely and I was happy with the result for once.

2. Day 8 I was puppy sitting for my sister’s little dog. He is the cutest (and cheekiest) pup around.

3. Day 9 Spending time with my Handsome boyfriend who makes me feel like the happiest and the luckiest girl.

4. Day 13 I’m a list person and organisation makes me happy. I am much calmer when I have everything written down.

5. Day 26 this was a bonus picture (I had already posted that day but it was too pretty not to share). Ryne and I drove to the top of a hill just for the view.

6. Day 29 I baked this delicious slice to serve at afternoon tea with a few friends.

7. Day 40 This is one of the places I run regularly. I’m so lucky to live in such a beautiful city.

8. Day 46 Spending a sunny afternoon with some friends at the driving range. Just to be clear I have no golfing skills whatsoever.

9. Day 53 This was the cute little beach Ryne and I found to have a quick dip before heading home from the coast.

The pictures aren’t the best quality because they are from my phone. I post a photo on Instagram every day. If you are interested in checking out the rest of my 100 Happy Days Challenge find me on Instagram @BridgetSpokes.

I hope you enjoyed my 100 happy days progress report,

Bridget xo

How To Make Yourself Want To Exercise

I promise there is a point to this blog post but I wanted to tell a story first. From the age of 8 till the age of 22 I danced and that was my exercise. I didn’t have to think about when I would fit it in or what I was going to do. I knew that I would have classes this many times a week and I would have to do my own practice on these days and there was no option not to do it. When I finished dancing it made me realise that it wasn’t so easy to exercise regularly when I didn’t have this structure. In the last year I wouldn’t say that I have been inactive I just haven’t exercised as much as I would like to. I have been going on runs and I joined a gym but nothing was consistent. I would be feeling enthusiastic for a week and then do nothing the next week.

In the last few weeks of being in the US my boyfriend organised a membership at the gym he was working for and he wrote up a program for me. Even with all of this it took an immense effort for him to actually get me into the gym. I would make excuses not to go, be sluggish and hard to get out of bed, convince him that it was too cold for us to go (granted it was -20°C outside) and just be a general pain in the butt. I think it was because I had in my mind that I didn’t like exercising in the gym. Them main reason for that I realise now is because I had no idea what to do with the majority of the machines and weights. Well when I was shown how to use the gym equipment and started working out I enjoyed it. It felt good to be doing something.

A similar thing happened when we got back to Australia. I resisted getting started back in the gym for the first week but since I have been back into routine exercise I feel happy with myself and I’m loving exercising again. I am excited to be getting stronger and fitter.

After that long winded story it brings me to why I wanted to write this post. I want to share what I have learnt about exercise over the last few months.

-The hardest part is getting there. Who hasn’t heard this? But it is so true. Once I was actually at the gym I was excited about exercising. A quote I have seen pop up on Pinterest sums this up.

- Exercising with a friend or having a trainer helps to keep you accountable and motivated. I didn’t realise how much I missed exercising with people around like friends or my dance teachers. They were the people who made me turn up to dance class.

-Have a goal. It doesn’t matter what it is but if you have a purpose to exercise for it gives you a reason to schedule it into your life.

-Work out a structure that works to you and stick to it. Try planning out what exercise you want to do a week ahead and write it down so you are expecting it.

-Remember that exercise doesn’t have to be in a gym. It could be walking, running, yoga, dance class, boxing, rowing. There are so many options I don’t think anyone can say they don’t like to exercise because exercise is such a broad category. One of my sayings is that it is better to do something than it is to do nothing. So if all the exercise you can fit in that particular day is a brisk 20 minute walk then that is better than sitting in front of the television for 20 minutes.

-Buy yourself some new exercise clothes something that you feel comfortable in and that makes you feel good. If you have exercise clothes that you love to wear maybe it will mean you put them on more often (I was lucky to get some new exercise clothes for Christmas).

I hope that I have actually given some valid points that aren’t just the same old things you hear every day. These are the things that have worked for me over the past few months so hopefully they can work for you too.

Bridge xo

Mental Tricks To Help With Healthy Eating

As I'm getting a few nutrition resources organised for myself to use I thought I would do a short (hopefully helpful) blog post with a few mental tricks that can be useful when being conscious of healthy eating. These are just a few suggestions that work for me so hopefully they work for you too.

-Have a big glass of water and wait 10 minutes before snacking. Your stomach can sometimes confuse thirst for hunger.

-Think before you eat. Are you actually hungry or are you bored, sad, angry etc.

-Don't eat in front of the television or computer screen. You aren't concentrating on how much you are eating or if you are feeling full.

-Take time to enjoy what you are eating.

-Before having a second helping wait 20 minutes and have a drink of water. Your brain needs time to register if you are actually still hungry.

- Have your fridge and cupboards stocked with healthy foods and make sure that they are the first thing you see when you open the door.

-Use a small plate because visually it looks like you are eating a lot more than you actually are. This can make you feel full sooner.

Let me know how you go with these tips.

Did they work for you?

Bridget xo

2014 Already | Big Things Update

It has been almost 2 months since I have written anything for my blog and what a lot has happened in the last 2 months! Let me give you a quick update.

The biggest change is probably that I am no longer in America. Ryne and I made the big trip back to Australia and arrived home on Christmas day. We are home earlier than expected. This is good in some ways and not so great in other ways. Sometimes things don’t turn out the way you thought they would and you are forced to make big decisions that were never in the plan. But I believe that everything happens for a reason! While I was in the US I made so many lovely friends who I wouldn’t have otherwise met. I also got to experience living out of home being a big girl looking after myself. I ventured out and saw some of Minneapolis (click here for the blog post I wrote on my adventures) and I got to experience snow and lots of it!! Coming home to Australia we have friends and family around. I have the security of going back to my old job and saving some money again. We were lucky enough to leave right before the horribly cold weather that restricted movement around Minnesota and caused the cancellation of many flights. We enjoyed an extremely hot Australian Christmas and new year with lots of friends and family around.

Now that I am back in Australia and the new year has begun I am excited to embrace whatever comes my way. It might be in the form of a new job or work experience or it could be planning a new trip. I am excited to get stuck into my blog and hopefully write some posts that you will find interesting. In the end of the day writing my blog makes me happy. It is my space on the Internet and it forces me to keep my nutrition knowledge up to date.

To begin 2014 with a happy perspective I have taken up the 100 Happy Days challenge. It involves taking 1 picture every day for 100 days of something that makes you happy and using the hash tag #100happydays. I am 5 days into the challenge so if you want to keep an eye on how I go follow me on Instagram. By doing this challenge it will help me to realise all the things that make me happy day to day. It you would like to register for the challenge check out the link here.

I hope you continue to enjoy reading these posts through 2014. I would love to know if any of you take up the 100 Happy Days Challenge. What makes you happy?

Happy New Year,

Bridget xo