Day Off - Back to Basics!

I've had a welcome day off today after working for sixteen hours on Wednesday. I actually slept right the way through until 7am this morning, which is amazing for me, especially after waking up at 3am everyday since I have returned from Asia. I guess the jet lag is well and truly over now and my sleeping pattern is back to normal!

I had a few things to catch up on first thing today, but essentially I have spent Thursday cooking up some meals for the rest of the week - not something I have done in a long while!

In Spain money was tight and I embarked on a cost cutting exercise, cooking in bulk and freezing meals, the most economical way to live. It was particularly difficult to buy ready refection and snacks, especially in the urbanization where I lived. So by making healthy nutritious lunches and dinners myself, I was able to create my own convenience meals, eating a balanced sensible diet, without the need of high calorie and high sodium prepackaged food from supermarkets.

Money is no longer tight, but my busy lifestyle prevents me cooking for myself on a daily basis, so today I went back to basics and began doing what I did best in Spain, cooking hearty meals, to eat quickly in between the two jobs I currently have. Today I made a 'Spicy Spanish Chicken Stew with Pinto beans and Quinoa' and it tasted great and reminded me of my time living in Gran Alacant.

I have to admit, since returning from Spain, my eating habits have somewhat slipped. I have been consuming the most convenient pies, pasties and sandwiches, rather than spending a little time out of my week pre-preparing something a little more salutary. Annoyingly I have put on a few pounds to say the least and was not feeling happy about the direction I was heading in. Today I hope to begin to change that and organise my week more effectively, being able to eat well, without the need to buy high fat food; fingers crossed I keep it up!