So the time that Baby M declined my boobies I was on my way home to Australia for  my 5 week holiday to visit the family and introduce our new son to everyone.

But first I stopped in Dubai for a few days and my friend whom I was staying with, offered to watch Baby M whilst he slept one day so I could go for a quick workout at the apartment gym. I came back 45 minutes later with my sweat on, feeling like it had been my birthday. Really, me, I could disappear for a measley 45minutes to do something for me?

But let’s rewind a little. My first exercise attempts 2 months after giving birth: I had attempted to return to my beloved bootcamp twice – I even packed Baby M up for the class, I found it hard to do vigourous exercise with ginormous boobies, plus I had heard that lactic acid in my scarce milk supply was not tasty for my baby and all I really wanted to do was go for a big walk.

Two options there. Brave the scorching Saudi summer heat (not practical) or pack up the baby and hit a mall to do a few circuits with the pram. The latter sounded more reasonable but with a breastfed bubba in a country that frowns upon women showing their forearms in public, how do you think I would cope with a breastfeeding session? I had already used the public toilets on a few emergency occasions to feed on shopping trips but wanted to limit this as much as possible.

The elliptical that a well meaning friend had gifted me  which now has pride of place in our overcrowded living room, never got a moment of use that exceeded 7 minutes where my baby would need my attention or sleep was more inviting.

Then it was onto Australia.

1. Holidays back home are NEVER holidays – any expat will understand this, they are always a duty to see and do as much as you can, including visiting family and friends and doing chores, like banking, accountants, doctors, dentists etc,
2. A visit home with your new baby means No 1  x 100

So there was even less time for me (what is zero minus zero?) even though I did pack my joggers and tried to do as much incidental exercise as possible but dividing our time between both sets of grandparents houses and trying to bed down a semi routine with our baby was proving challenging, so I decided to give myself a break, enjoy my precious time home with family and wait until I came back to Saudi in September to begin a routine, for both myself, and my 7 month old baby.

My first week home in September, I began a 1.5 hour gym work out each week day: a combination of strength training and cardio which I am still maintaining right now. Now that the Saudi summer has relented, walking has becoming a part of our weekly routine, with some days my walks ending up around 12kms and I love them. So does Baby M.

I also did some research on Domperidone and found that some people struggle to lose weight on it with some people even gaining weight on it. It’s not widely known, but I have been in touch with a few mothers online who gained weight post pregnancy after having lost their initial baby weight – something that happened to me.

Also, people say you lose weight if you breastfeed. Not always the case, but that wasn’t my motivation for breastfeeding.

Some days I look at other mummies who bounce back with their bodies almost immediately and have their abs back to normal within 3 months and wonder how they do it. I guess sometimes it’s genetics, sometimes it’s the full time help they’ve employed to enable them gym and kitchen time – which is very common in our region of the world – I’ve neither. Then I look at my group of mummy friends who are in similar situations to me and we laugh and joke about our insecurities as we support and encourage each other with our Zumba classes and walks and little bundles of people we love so much.

My jeans are starting to feel a littler looser, I have a bit more of a spring in my step. I work out now for how it makes me feel not what it will make me look like, although eventually I know that will be an eventual by product of a healthier me.

I know to some, these posts may have come across incredibly vain or self centred, but honestly, my main priority has always my child first (or my family). But I do think it is very important for new mummies to have some breathing space or rest time or even just some moral support throughout the beginning stages of motherhood, especially if they are doing on their own away from friends and family which is so often the case these days.

I hope you have enjoyed these incredibly candid and personal posts as I too and enjoyed hearing your own experiences and feedback as well. It’s really lovely to learn through your journey too, so please feel free to share in the comments below.

I’ve been overwhelmed and excited by the interest and sales in my debut eBook Travelling in the Raw which launched last week and this was largely the reason for my absence from blogging. Thank you to those of you that have already bought it, I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below.

So I’ve been absent and I promised you kombucha and raw vegan felafel. All I can say is, they are  coming

I find whenever I promise something on the blog, life throws me a curveball and other priorities crop up, and being a mummy to an almost walking 8 month old add to the spontaneity of my life.

In the meantime, I get plenty of requests and emails asking all sorts of questions, and the latest was did I have any pre workout breakfast ideas that are healthy?

Even though I am not a fitness professional, the timing of this question was impeccable as I had recently pulled out of the cobwebs, a book I first purchased for the hubs when he was flirting with the idea of competing in triathlons.

Thrive – The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports & Life, by Brendan Brazier. Brendan is a professional ironman triathlete and the guy behind Vega - the raw wholefoods product line.

As I’ve recently returned to regular work outs again, post pregnancy, I have been paying extra attention to how I fuel my body both pre and post exercise, as my work out routines have been slowly increasing in intensity, as I vow to get my pre pregnancy glow back

Whilst I strive for a mainly raw diet, I do like to keep updated with new research or philosophies to ensure I can feel and look the best I can, now and in old age, but sometimes get confused with conflicting information that bombards our senses.

I was finding my endurance during runs and strength training to be waning, and started to question if I was fuelling myself correctly.

Body for Life tells you to work out on an empty stomach, other training techniques tell you to eat something before you train, so what was I supposed to do? If I worked out on an empty stomach, my workout session suffered, if I ate something light, what should I eat, and was I only then burning off what I had just eaten and not my stored fat I am trying to lose?

Brendan talks about pre exercise snacks in Chapter 4, and breaks exercise down into 3 levels: level one high intensity for shorter time, level two moderate intensity between one and three hours, and level three lower intensity lasting more than 3 hours.

Most of my activity whether it is strength training, running/jogging, walking, home workout DVD’s, is usually level one or two.

Brendan suggests the best fuel is a simple carbohydrate of which the healthiest is naturally, fruit. Dates (which hello hello, grow in abundance here in Saudi) are his favourite choice as they are rich in glucose and once this is consumed it does not have to be converted and is sent straight to the liver for instant energy.

Of course there is fructose which is also present in fruit, has a lower GI than glucose which means it takes longer to start to work once consumed but it burns for longer, giving prolonged energy. He says bananas, mangos and papayas, as well as being high alkalinity are also high in fructose providing both immediate and longer lasting energy – which is why my bananas pre work out snack are ideal!

He also notes that coconut oil is often overlooked as a quick energy source. As it contains medium chain triglycerides, these too, go straight to the liver for an instant power boost.

For level two activities, he suggests bumping up the nutrient ratio in the pre exercise snack to contain a small amount of protein and essential fatty acids. If placed in the right ratio, they will not only digest quickly but also provide sustained energy for a longer period of time, whether your exercise is vigorous or not.

Examples of vegan sources of protein could be hemp , pea protein, brown rice protein powders and essential fatty acids can be found in ingredients like ground flaxseeds or almonds.

So bearing all that in mind I came up with this recipe to munch on prior to my level one training – usually walking or running.

Fitness Fudge

adapted from Brendan Brazier’s Direct Fuel Bites

I have made three versions of this, all delicious. See if you can come up with your own, and let me know how they taste!

Chocolate 

1/2 cup of lightly packed dates

3 tablespoons of coconut oil

zest & juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons of cacao powder

1/4 teaspoon himalayan or celtic sea salt (rocks are best as they give the fudge delicious salty crunch!)

Cinnamon Donut

1/2 cup of lightly packed dates

3 tablespoons of coconut oil

1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice

1  1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder

1/4 teaspoon of himalaya or celtic sea salt (rocks are best as they give the fudge delicious salty crunch!)

Mint Chip – one of my all time favourite recipe flavour combinations

1/2 cup of lightly packed dates

3 tablespoons of coconut oil

1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 teaspoon of peppermint extract

2 T cacao nibs

1/4 teaspoon of himalaya or celtic sea salt (rocks are best as they give the fudge delicious salty crunch!)

Method – same for each recipe above

Place all ingredients in food processor and process with the S blade until it rolls up into a sticky ball. You may need to knead the ball down and process a few more times to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly mixed and almost smooth. You still want a slight texture but want it to resemble fudge as much as possible.

The mix will be almost a caramel consistency and very sticky once fully combined.

Place the mix onto a piece of cling/plastic wrap  and gently shape into the thickness and size of a block of fudge.

Wrap up and place in the freezer, where you will store it. It should take half an hour to firm up.

You can slice off bite size pieces direct from the freezer prior to your work out, but I’ll warn you, you might just want to eat them anytime of the day!

Celebrating being the mama to this cheeky little fella

And for all those other mothers out there, including my mother, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY. I now understand why this is such an important day.

As a kid I remember asking my mum why kid’s don’t have their own day, and mum said “it’s everyday?” She was so right.

Nonetheless I love my little munchkin and that he’s made me a  mum (mom).

So yesterday I started the day off with a detox juice.

Beetroot, Turnip, Carrot, Celery, Green Apple, Parsley, Green & Red Cabbage, Lemon & Ginger

Whoa it’s been so long since I’ve been able to hit the kitchen for one, but Manus had a sleep so I was lucky to get in there and pump out about about a litre for the next 3 days.

What about spoiling/oxidisation? Isn’t it best to drink your juice immediately to ensure no spoilage and maximum enzyme/nutrient hit?

Sure but for those busy people (and people that hate the juicer clean up every morning) there is a solution.

If you store the juice correctly, you can actually store it for up to 3 days without too much damage.

So here’s what you do:

You will need

A glass jar/s of some kind (large enough to fit you juice) canning jars with 2 piece lids like Ball are great.

STEP 1:

Fill the jar ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP with even a little overflow (you want this airtight)

STEP TWO:

Place first part of lid on top. You want to create a vacuum seal. Best to have a little overflow of juice to make sure. If you don’t have a 2 part lid system, you will then want to cover the juice with cling/plastic wrap but ENSURE there are no air bubbles

STEP THREE:

Cover with 2nd lid and secure tight. If you are using cling/plastic film, then place your only lid over the top.

Voila. Then I had two serving sized juices for next 2 mornings. Ready to store in the fridge.

Later in the day I was so excited as I was heading back to see my good old friend

BOOT CAMP

Wasn’t sure how I’d do, especially with Manus in tow, but he loved the music and didn’t really give me too much of an excuse to jump out of working out if he cried.

I got hammered. First time back is always hard, but gosh I felt good afterwards.

So did he

Pre workout fuel was one of these (2 others for my pals who gave me a lift there)

Half a nanner with raw cashew butter. Never tried the cashew butter before. Not quite fond of it on it’s own, but delish on a ripe banana.

Tomorrow night I’m headed back for my other old mate, Boxercise.

Read this: My friend Kate Quinn, founder of Living Raw Magazine writes about the practicality of being raw. See what you think here

Watch this: Another pal, who’s father is beating cancer, put me onto this thought provoking film on healing cancer from the inside out.

Come back: Tomorrow to check out my biggest giveaway yet!

I’m just back from my first spin class in a little while as my friend Michelle has just become a spin instructor so I took the parentals along to her first class.

But first we broke out the package that arrived for my mum in mail yesterday!

And I showed her how it’s done!

I made both the olds my favourite smoothie to christen the machine.

They were demolished so quickly that I’m sorry no pics were taken, but here is one from the archives

Strawberry Seduction

Then I showed mum how to make almond flour out of the almond pulp that was left from the almond milk I made the other day. If you missed my how to video, check it out here. We are going to use the flour later this week for some desserts.

Then we hit the road for spin. This is us about to enter the Gateway Bridge which as a kid used to really scare me!

This is what it looked like 2 years ago, when they closed it down for the first time in 23 years! So you can see why it would freak me. It’s quite high and steep! Plus it never used to have high railings on either side so plenty of bridge jumpers used to favour it

Years ago, I ran across it as part of the Bridge to Brisbane 12km fun run.

Then it was time to work it on the bike.

Michelle and I used to fly together as flight attendants and Michelle has recently clipped her wings also, to concentrate on her Personal Training and Spin Instructing.

It was a really good class, but I feel that I really didn’t work that hard, as I was so focused on not overheating and keeping my heart rate down due to my pregnancy. Better to be on the safe side. But both mum and dad worked their socks off!

Michelle is teaching spin at Achieve Personal Training at Hawthorne here in Brissie. If you are local you should go check them out, all their bikes are brand spanking new.

I’ll be back later with a Green Smoothie Recipe. For most raw foodies this is a no brainer, but one of my friends commented the other day that he thought it was rather odd I didn’t feature on my recipe page. So I promised I’d post a special one for him!

Seriously, until recently, the weather has been way too humid to even venture outside for any kind of activity, but of late, the heat has started to abate and I finally braved the golf course circuit on my compound for a serious walk.

I think Lucy was pretty happy!

I regularly used to jog the circuit most evenings with my own veggie dog in tow, but because it has been since March that I have done the circuit I thought I would take it a bit easier and just walk it. 430pm is a good time to start the walk as it’s just before sunset and the weather is at it’s coolest. Plus I like to get my exercise in before dinner.

Have you ever wondered what a golf course in the desert would look like?

Usually this walk/jog would normally take me around 45minutes, but this evening it took me almost 1 1/2 hours – and my HRM told me my heart rate was up as high as what it used to be running.

Man I am outta shape. But as @theveganlisa said on Twitter, “growing a beautiful baby takes some work”.  But I am concerned about keeping in shape throughout my pregnancy so I want to continue my walking and also get to the pool for some gentle swimming. I’ve heard by keeping it shape will not only assist with healthy and steady weight gain (and subsequent loss after delivery), but will also help with an easier labour.

Does anyone have any advice on safe and healthy exercise for preggy ladies?

After I stumbled home a little sore, and VERY hungry, we headed out to our favourite place for dinner in Khobar.

The Grill.

Our friends own the restaurant and were hosting us and another couple to congratulate us on our new marital status.

This is the table we arrived to….

But unfortunately no photos of the BANQUET we indulged in! Sorry guys, but I DO LOVE their Fattouch Salad.

Such a fun night and made us feel very spoilt indeed.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more fun eats…btw I am loving living off smoothies right now! Do you have a favourite smoothie recipe you’d like to share?

Thanks for your comments on what intimidates you at the gym! Nice to know that we are all normal eh?

Any plans for this weekend? For those of you that follow me on Twitter, you will know that I had been toying with a road trip or a flight to Vegas to visit my pal who is here for a month also, but it looked to be too expensive a journey for such a short time so I am kicking Oklahoma style this weekend and it’s quite nice here. Yoga tomorrow morning (it’s been a while) and then an extra class at 105 degrees on Plant Based Beauty which I am totally looking forward to. I have been researching more natural beauty treatments and products for sometime (coconut oil as a make up remover spring to mind) but it would be helpful to gain more conclusive info. Then maybe I can sample a cocktail or two off the menu as it’s the weekend right?

Today at school we made almond flour out of our dehydrated almond pulp from our almond milk yesterday.

This will be used for a recipe at a later time.

Then we had a lesson on seaweed.

And soaked some ready for later. I chose Arame (my fave), Kelp (only because I love kelp noodles) and some dulse.

Then we learnt how to make a sour cream base

And mixed our own add ins:

I chose a Tzatziki style of garlic and cucumber. There were variations like basil and garlic, cucumber & jalapeno and lime, and avocado with cumin. Great with crudites.

Back to the seaweed – we learnt about Irish Moss as an addition to recipes (great as a setting agent once blended with water to form a paste)

Then it was onto raw maki rolls.

Here’s a video on how to make raw sushi with Russell

And dessert was yesterday’s icecream

This was the highlight of my day…and we all shared our own creations. Mine was choc mint (the one on the far left) with a vanilla, blood orange & ginger, another chocolate and my favourite, the mint choc chip.

After a big clean out of our training kitchen, we were dismissed for the weekend. So with the sun shining and the blue sky beckoning (I hardly see the blue sky in Saudi – it is more like dust coloured!) I took off for a jog/walk around Lake Hefner. And look what I found! The Kiter Boy back home would be uber jealous!!

Then I may have had a cheeky wine spritzer to end my week at sunset. What an end to such a glorious week! And my excuse for the wine was to celebrate the impending nuptials of one of my best pals, Katie to her groom, Ben in 2 hours time (in Australia). I wish I could be in two places at once However Katie has promised me she will don her dress again for me on my return to Oz with a celebratory drink or 2 of course

See you all tomorrow

Share on Facebook ]]> http://girlonraw.com/2010/04/day-5-seaweed-kiters-and-wedding-bells/feed/ 12 http://girlonraw.com/2010/04/day-4-lce-cream-and-coconuts-whats-not-to-love/ http://girlonraw.com/2010/04/day-4-lce-cream-and-coconuts-whats-not-to-love/#comments Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:06:20 +0000 GirlonRaw http://girlonraw.com/?p=1302 more »]]> Hey what’s up peeps? Guess what? It’s almost Friday…wahoo!!! Well I actually wish the week wouldn’t go so fast as I am loving this course! This morning I woke up a little late so I grabbed a Larabar and headed out the door.

I’ve since found out through a pal on facebook who has contacted General Mills (who purchased LaraBars in June 2008) that the following bars are still raw:

The following bars are still 100% raw with no sugar…
Apple Pie
Banana Bread
Cherry Pie
Cinnamon Roll
Coconut Cream Pie
Ginger Snap
Pecan Pie
Pistachio Bar

The ones with peanuts are roasted, the the cocoa is heated. The cashews use heat to extract the nut.

Good to know!

Today at 105 degrees class was pretty jam packed and we didn’t even notice how quickly the day went. Just the way I like it! First up was dominating these babies. Regular readers will know these are one of my all time favourite. Young coconuts.

The result of all my hard work. Young coconut meat.

And my reward. I adore this coconut water.

Then it was onto Ice-Cream making.

We had free reign to decide on our flavours. I went with a childhood favourite. Choc Mint. Of course I taste tested it

Before the ice-cream maker….

After the ice-cream maker.

How could you not LOVE eating raw when you get to eat this kinda stuff?

Then time to make nut milk. Sorry no pics but we did some dehydrating of the leftover nut pulp ready for another recipe.

Then nut milkshake recipe time. I love it when we can be creative and make our own version.

I went with nutrition packed spirulina, nut milk, coconut meat, coconut butter & a banana and whizzed it up.

And I ordered a cafe Kale Caesar Salad to accompany it. Don’t ya just love the pine nut parmesan and rosemary croutons?

We also learnt different types of tomato sauces and different uses for them which was fun and tasty

I raced home after school, got changed and headed out the door for a workout at the gym. I intended to give the Cardio Box and Zumba a try (I love my salsa and have been dying to try this out for ages) but when I got to the gym the class looked quite ALOT different to the one I do back home so I chickened out and stuck to an hour jog on the tready. Is there something in particular that intimidates you at the gym so much so that you won’t even try it? I’m afraid I am a creature of habit, but I do like to try out new classes now and then. Today I was a scaredy cat.

Quick stop at the supermarket to pick up some breakfast goodies after the gym (bananas etc) and home to do some washing and now it’s bed time.

I can’t believe week 1 is almost done. I hope it doesn’t go too much faster. See you tomorrow with more goodies FOR SURE.

People have been asking me if 105 degrees has a cookbook/recipe book available for sale and apparently not at the moment, but possibly in the future. However Matthew Kenney (Director of Culinary Arts & Operations) does have 3 Raw recipes books – I have all 3 of course) and so far I can tell the dishes on the menu have his flair. You can find very similar recipes in these until a 105 degrees book comes out. (here’s hoping!)

I am at the end of my trip and will be heading back home soon enough but before I do, I thought I’d share the some of the rest of the goodies I have picked up whilst being here in the States:

On Saturday I mentioned I hit up Katy Mills for some outlet shopping and I was happy to snag some goodies from the Nike store:

(Don’t ya just love the hotel room carpet?) With some of my buddies from Boot camp and Boxing class singing the praises of the Nike Tempo shorts I thought I’d better get me some to try out. And to be honest, it’s been a while since I actually bought some new’ish workout gear, usually opting to just wear old t-shirts and tank tops with 3/4 pants when I work out, but I really needed some new threads. And  I am really impressed with the cut, fit and style from Nike. I tend to stick to Asics trainers (runners) so I’ve not really gotten on the Nike bandwagon, but I really like their workout clothes, sweat-wicking and all. Do you have a favourite brand for workout clothes? I’m really happy I may have just found mine!

Also something I’ve wanted for sometime is some Mason Jars for storing my seeds and nuts and powders and Ryan reminded me on her blog that I needed to get me some (the last lot I ordered from Amazon never reached my hotel in time so they got lost in the dead letter office I’m sure). This won’t be the last you see of them….

Today I couldn’t believe my luck, when channel surfing, to find Ellen interviewing the writer of a new book called Eating Animals, Jonathan Safran Foer. I hadn’t even heard of this book before so of course when I went to one of my favourite places in the world this evening (Borders) I just had to get me a copy. And I found this little gem next to it:

I suspect living in Saudi Arabia has turned me into a hoarder big time. When I get let out for trips I tend to go a little nutso on picking up things I feel I am missing out on having access too. So my plan when I get home is to make sure I get stuck into these books

Has anyone else read these?

Well it’s way past my bedtime, so I am off to pack up the last of my supplies and start to get ready for the big haul back home. I am looking forward to seeing 3 faces (2 furry & maybe 1 human!) and I have to get home in time to bid farewell to Becci as we take her over the causeway for the last time as she takes off for her new life in Europe.

Edit: Go on and check out Chic Runners blog on running shorts here

Happy Friday EVERYONE! Indulge me in your plans for your weekend because for those of you that have read me for a while you will know that my weekend is officially over now

This weekend has been pretty full, with meeting up with some fellow Aussies that have just moved out to this part of the world, to a Salsa infused Haiti fundraiser (wish I had taken pics but I was too busy catching up on Casino Rueda, Sombrero and Setenta learnt on our dance holiday to Cuba in 2009), to hitting the beach for some kitesurfing action.

No I don’t kitesurf (yet!). But we went out to a local beach to watch the boys, and both Becci and had a go at a trainer kite on the beach, so needless to say we are both eager to get out VERY soon and try the real thing!

Becci getting some Vitamin D

Becci giving the trainer kite a go! Go Becci (and Lucy!)

Dishing out the green smoothie (Frozen bananas, frozen strawberries, a whole head of romaine lettuce and filtered water)

Enjoying the Green Smoothie

And here is me having a little lesson on the trainer kite! (and check out the power)

Here, I do a little bit better!

Then time to head home

I’ve been eating loads on the run but here is a snack I had along the way that was quick, easy, delicious and 100% raw. Lemme know if you make it too.

My Soul Sista’s Kristen Raw’s Sun-dried Tomato Pesto. If you haven’t tried it, you totally must! It is crazily addictive and great as a dip, spread or on top of a salad!

cucumbers, peppers (capsicum) all rolled up in a romaine lettuce leaf. Too good.

Share on Facebook ]]> http://girlonraw.com/2010/02/learning-to-kitesurf-and-tasty-lettuce-wraps/feed/ 16 http://girlonraw.com/2010/02/my-day-of-pampering/ http://girlonraw.com/2010/02/my-day-of-pampering/#comments Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:52:02 +0000 GirlonRaw http://girlonraw.com/?p=850 more »]]> Hiya everyone!!! Wow a few days can pass by and you don’t even expect it! Sorry for the absence, but I’ve had some lovely times since I’ve been gone.

First of all I have been dabbling with the idea of the 811 diet  (you can read more about it here) or sometimes called Low Fat Raw Vegan. Still not 100% convinced I can stick to it, but as most raw foodies will attest, after a while of eating a high raw diet, your food choices tend to become a little more simplified and the more gourmet creations tend to be a little over the top for your tastebuds when all you want to do is sit down to a large plate of fruit, or a whole melon. Seriously.

So on Tuesday all I ate were bananas, pineapples, and coconuts after my massive shop at Lulu! That place rocks for all you Saudi readers. Seriously! I have found more stuff there than I have in Dubai and Bahrain put together, so no more complaining about all I lack! I think I will still need to get to Geant at Bahrain now and then for my super special items like coconut oil etc etc, but I think the FOOD revolution is coming to SAUDI!! Yay!

After my tropical island diet on Tuesday I felt great, but it was hard to keep up with that as I had to work on Wednesday but I ordered the usual green smoothie from the caterers so that got me through for most of the day.

Thursday I was taken to Bahrain for a surprise! I had no idea where I was going or what we would be doing, but I was spoilt big time!

For all of you local readers, have you heard of La Fontaine? Well I’m not going to give it all away (some things have gotta be kept secret ya know , but if you haven’t been there and want to be pampered, THAT’S THE PLACE TO GO. That’s all I’m gonna say on that one

Afternoon tea was at my new favourite Veggie Restaurant Anand Bhavan (Thanks Voracious)! Was sooo hungry I forgot to take any piccies except for this heart shaped Veggie Cutlet haha.

Dinner and a pre dinner aperitif was at another great place that I had not heard of or even been to, but I really enjoyed sipping on my cocktail surrounded by amazing décor, seductive lighting and impressive service at Bushido.  It reminded me a great deal of Buddha Bar in Lebanon, and from what I hear, this was originally meant to be a Buddha Bar, but for some reason or another the idea was not approved. Still a great place and although we didn’t stay til late, the waiters told us at around 11pm the place gets pumping with a uber cool dj box visibile from the ground floor. I see a visit in my future for some dancing and cocktails.

Bed time wasn’t too late as Friday was Duathon Day! Well not for me, but I went along to support. After last weeks 10 mile run, I really wanted to give it a go, but I wasn’t too confident on the bike transition so I went along to support the man, and see if it is something I think I could give a try someday. Plus I don’t have a racer bike, just a get around camp kinda thing, but ya know what, it’s all about the participation right?

Took the puppy along to support too.

The distances were 3km run – 20km cycle – 3km run. I reckon next time for sure. You should have seen some of the kids competing, I was really impressed.

Anyway time for me to get ready for another flight, got a busy week of flying ahead so I had better get organised. Stay tuned for tomorrow, when I will announce another great giveaway! It’s pretty exciting! Also I have some great news for those of you that have been asking me all about the best ways to get into RAW or how to improve your way of eating! I have some pretty exciting stuff to share with you so make sure you stop on by! Sorry I haven’t responded as quickly as I would have liked lately to your many emails. I didn’t think I was going to be this busy but I guess that is what you get when one of your team has left and you are still looking for her replacement!

PS What do you think of my new’ish layout? I wanted to make it a little easier to read and navigate, so stay tuned whilst I try and iron out some more kinks and of course, pass on any feedback