claire rowe - Single Parent Pessimist

Food Review: 7-Day Boost Your Energy Diet

Claire — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 22:27:00 +0000

Did you know gluten can make you feel tired, bloated and give you stomach pain? Gluten is a glue-like substance that has no nutritional value, and lots of people are sensitive to its effects. When I found this out, I decided to try a week-long gluten free diet to see if I noticed a difference. Here’s how I got on… The lovely people at Ilumi sent me food from their 7-day ‘Boost Your Energy’ diet range. The English company uses chefs and nutritionists to create meals “inspired by world cuisines that are packed full of flavour, but naturally free from gluten”. I was pleasantly surprised when this huge box got delivered to my door, and it was packed full of food to last me a whole week. Meals included curries, stews, soups and even meatball dishes. Every item was gluten,nut and milk free and there were even biscuit snacks and a couple of bottles of organic lager to enjoy! All of the meals are in sealed pouches, and each pouch equals a single portion. What I love most, is that they only take a couple of minutes to microwave, and unlike other ready-meals, these are freshly cooked and very healthy! This is so helpful for me when I’ve had a long day at work and then want to spend some time with my toddler before he goes to bed; I get a low fat, home-cooked meal without doing any cooking! Whenever I’ve tried low fat, diet-type food in the past, they’re usually tasteless, boring and in minuscule portions. I loved that there was a huge range of foods within just the one week, and many of the dishes were ones I had never heard of before, so I got to try new things! The portion size was really good, as I didn’t feel the urge to snack after meals, and none of it tasted processed, which is a rarity in ready-meals, – even the rice had a lovely texture, which can be a hard thing to get right. Least favourite dishes: Pea and mint soup (I only like mint with my lamb or in ice cream!) and the porridge got a bit boring by day three, so I started to put chopped fruit into it to liven it up. Best dishes: I LOVED the Tom Kha Gai soup so much that I want to look at how to make it myself, because the flavours were out of this world! I also loved the Kerala Chicken Curry, and of course the lager with it! In terms of how I was left feeling at the end of the week, I certainly noticed an improvement in my energy levels, and I needed to use a belt on my jeans for the first time in ages, so GREAT RESULT! The best thing about the range, is they’re full of natural ingredients, so are also perfect for my toddler. Ilumi sell this 7-day package for quite a reasonable price in my opinion, the only thing that’s missing for me, is the option to add some smaller pouches for my toddler to enjoy, so then I wouldn’t have to attempt to do a food shop, and cook just for him whilst I’m on this. As well as it being healthy for him to eat, it would also introduce him to a lot of dishes I’ve never cooked, and it would give me more play time with him rather than cooking time! The only downside would be that my cooker may never get used again, unless I take a leaf out of Carrie from SATC’s book and use it to store my jumpers! To find out more about the BYE diet or Ilumi’s other ranges, click here. Follow me on Twitter, Pinterest or Facebook. For the purpose of this post, I was given these items to review. No payment was received for this post, and all opinions are honest and my own.!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);

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Returning To The Dating Game: My Dating Challenge!

Claire — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 21:26:00 +0000

Can you believe I’ve been set a challenge to find three dates in the next three months?! As you all know, I’ve been single since Chunk was 6 weeks old (nearly two year ago…EEK!) and I finally feel ready to try to meet a decent guy for both me and my little man. Online dating company, Just Singles, have set me the fun (but terrifying) task to try three different ways to get dates. One date will be through signing up to their online dating site, and I’ve chosen to go speed dating as the second task, which will give me multiple dates in one evening! I’m stuck on what to do as my third thing though, so any ideas would be much appreciated! My friend found love recently on Twitter of all places, so I want to look into how easy/difficult that would be to attempt. Ideally, I want to do something completely out of the box that people don’t usually think would be a way to find dates. I’m hoping this will force me to get back out into the big, wide world and start trying to rebuild the confidence I lost through my last break up. I’m determined to make this year a positive one for me and Chunk, so getting back into the dating game, and starting to feel like a woman (rather than just mum) makes this challenge worth it; And if I met a gorgeous, lovely guy, that’s just an amazing bonus! To get 25% off when you sign up to Just Singles, click here. To keep up to date with my dating challenge, Follow me on Twitter and search the hashtag #3dates3mths that I’ll be using when writing about it! Follow me on Twitter, Pinterest or Facebook.

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Working Single Parents: I NEED YOU!

Claire — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 15:10:00 +0000

As it’s a new year, I thought I would spruce this blog up a bit by featuring some interviews from you lovely people! I’m looking for working single parents for a new monthly post I’m calling, ‘Single Parent Spotlight’. I want to find out how they manage work, children and a social life, highlight the difficulties there can be, and champion fellow lone parents! So if you are meet this criteria, or know someone that does, please contact me with your contact details on here. I would love to talk to people with youngsters, teens and adult children- the more the merrier! Follow me on Twitter, Pinterest or Facebook.

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Learning To Love Your Body: Guest Post by Body Confidence Campaigner, Leyah Shanks

Claire — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 23:48:00 +0000

Cosmopolitan UK have featured an article about a body confidence campaign in their Feb 2014 issue, which got me thinking about how little I feel about my own body at the moment, and that dieting won't necessarily be the complete answer to my problem.

The gorgeous Body Confidence Campaigner featured in the article is Leyah Shanks from Scotland. Leyah's kindly agreed to write this guest post, to convey how she battled with her self-esteem and body image over the years, and how she then overcame this;

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The Lead Up To Xmas…Diet’s On Hold!

Claire — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 15:23:00 +0000

10 day until Xmas… where has the time gone?! Like most people, I prefer the lead up to Xmas rather than the actual day, which is over quickly after boring TV and too much food. Now I have Chunk, Xmas has much more meaning to me, and it’s so hard to believe that this time last year he was a 9-month-old who had only just learnt to stand up against furniture; Now he’s a walking, running, jumping, climbing toddler maniac that understands everything I say, but refuses to always listen! My diet had been going so well, but in the lead up to Xmas, I’ve been far too tempted by all the amazing goodies in the shops- those damn chocolate coins have got me this year! For some reason I have been in Xmas mode all month, as opposed to just during Xmas week, so have been thinking it’s ok to eat what I want all the time! Big mistake, because now I feel the size of a house- I caught my reflection yesterday and got the shock of my life! Rather than my lovely, curvy bum, it’s just big and fat, and don’t get me started on my tum and thighs! For some reason I just cannot get motivated, and I’m assuming it’s because I’m surrounded by luxurious Xmas food whenever I go shopping; It’s like surrounding an alcoholic with wine for me at the moment! Despite this, I am going to sort it out (broken record!) as I am sick of embarrassing myself on here and to my family! My old clothes need to be worn, especially as I’ve now done a brave (or stupid) thing, by resigning from my job to go freelance- I can no longer afford new clothes! Any tips on re-motivating myself to lose weight would be much appreciated- will keep you posted! Follow @vampybear !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);

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CSA Charging Single Parents to Claim Maintenance: Sign the Petition to STOP THIS!

Claire — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 21:58:00 +0000

It’s hard enough trying to cope with your ex not financially supporting your child, and there’s even more stress when having to use the CSA to try and get this money from them, but now the government want to charge us single parents for doing this! Lots of single parents rely on the Child Support Agency (which is changing it’s name to the Child Maintenance Service) to get their ex-partners to pay money towards their child. I’m struggling to provide for my son; I work, but childcare costs make it difficult to pay the bills, but I have no other choice. His ‘father’ is choosing not to work currently (unless it’s cash in hand work), and refuses to pay a penny towards him. I went to the CSA in a bid to try and get some money and all I get is £2.50 per week! This doesnt even buy a packet of nappies! So now the government want to charge me for receiving this pittance?! Single parents will be made to pay a one-off fee of £20 for approaching the CMS, and they will then take a 4% cut of all maintenance given. This is despite the fact that single parents who use the service will be doing so out of NECESSITY! The only parents exempt from the £20 fee are those who had abusive partners, but they still have to pay the 4% everytime they are paid. Single parent organisation Gingerbread want to stop these ridiculous charges, so have set up a petition which they will be taking to the government. If you’re against this as I am, please get your friends and family to sign the petition ASAP! Click here to sign it now. Follow @vampybear !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);

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My Weight Loss Journey: Week 2

Claire — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 22:12:00 +0000

This week I was my usual, unorganised self, so didn’t manage to download my shopping list or the recipes for the menu plan before I did my weekly shop. However, I just pretty much stuck to the previous week’s plan, because I had some leftover ingredients, and I quite enjoyed what I got to eat! Unfortunately, work has been MANIC, so every night consisted of me continuing to work before I went to bed, or feeling so drained that it was hard even lifting a cup of tea to my lips, so fitness DVDs remained on the shelf! Despite this, I managed to get a nice surprise, losing 2 pounds! I am trying to be more organised this week, but already I have been to a child’s Halloween party, where sausage rolls and cakes begged me to eat them, so anticipating a nasty surprise for week 3’s weigh-in 🙁 Week 2 Stats Weight loss: 2lbs Waist inch loss: 1inch Weight left to lose: 3 st, 10lbs **To enter my competition to win one of FIVE 12-week diet plans with Porridge on Tuesday, click here.**Follow @vampybear !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);

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Competition: Win One of Five 12-Week Diet Plans!

Claire — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 21:28:00 +0000

When I was pregnant, I ate like an elephant; An ADULT elephant. I then had the baby and have spent the last 19 months in a sleep-deprived haze, using junk food as a quick energy fix and alternative to planned, time-consuming home made meals. This now has to stop, as my “baby weight” excuse wears thin, and my waist bands keep tightening, so I’m doing something about it, and now so can you! Last week, I started my diet plan (and writing about my diet journey), courtesy of Porridge on Tuesday, and I lost 3lbs in my first week! The plans are easy to use, you can plan and swap meals around to fit in with your lifestyle, and the food is GORGEOUS, which is always a bonus for me. I’m giving away FIVE Porridge on Tuesday 12 week healthy eating plans, (worth nearly £60 each!) which will include the following: -A full menu plan with breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks -Recipes for all meals -Personal weekly shopping list -Suggested Exercise plan, including exercise videos on their website -Online support via a private Facebook group To win one of these pound-shedding plans, use the form below. Good luck! See what Porridge on Tuesday is about. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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My Weight Loss Diary: Week 1

Claire — Sun, 20 Oct 2013 19:20:00 +0000

As you all know, I’ve been trying to wean off junk food and snacking in an attempt to have a healthier way of life. I still have a lot of baby weight (well that’s what I’ve been calling it), but he’s nearly 19 months old now, so it’s more like lazy-mum weight! My old, gorgeous clothes keep staring at me from behind the fat jeans I now have to wear in my wardrobe, and with my ever declining bank balance, it would be beneficial to both my health and finances to shed these pounds! I attempted a slimming club when I first gave birth, and what with lack of sleep and the rollercoaster daily routines, I soon gave up with having to plan everything each day, so I then went onto just trying to cut down my food intake. Again, I got bored of snacking on fruit and salad leaves, and doing it alone I soon lost motivation. To give me a kick start, I went onto slimming shakes, but feeling sick with hunger all day did not a happy mummy make! So after all these attempts, I decided to find someone to plan my meals and exercise for me, to see if this would be more successful. Having an expert plan my meals would ensure I ate all the nutritionally-balanced things to keep my energy up, and it would give me a solid plan to work with that would hopefully not leave me hungry or bored! I did some research, and came across a lovely lady called Elaine, who works with people in exactly my position! Elaine runs a website called Porridge on Tuesday, that gives you personal, healthy eating and exercise plans, and even offers support through it’s Facebook group. Signing up was easy, I just completed a 5 minute questionnaire, and then crossed off all the food types I didn’t want in my plan (e.g. alochol, nuts), and also chose my weekly shopping cost preferences and even my cooking time preferences. I then entered the weight I wanted to lose, some body statistics and was given a meal plan for the week. If there’s any meals you don’t like the look of, you just swap them for another dish, and there are SO many to choose from which is really handy. Once I had swapped a few, it then let me print off a shopping list of all the ingredients needed for the week, which again is great for a lazy lass like me! This week has on the whole been quite good. I’ve been impressed with all the different recipes I’ve been able to try, which have all been quick to prepare, which is a must on days I come home from work starving and wanting a quick fix whilst giving my toddler his mummy time. I was surprised with the types of food I got to eat too: – bacon sarnies for breakfast, chicken wraps for lunch and even mini cheesecakes for snacks, which is my idea of heaven, not dieting! I’ve tried lots of new things, including garlic and lemon flavoured pork with purple mash, which is beetroot and chickpeas- there’s no potato in it! At times I have wondered if me swapping some of the dishes was a good idea, because I’ve ended up with two bread dishes per day, but it didn’t seem to stop me from losing weight. But saying that, I will avoid doing that this week just in case it helps me lose even more pounds. I did waiver a couple of times and had one or two extra snacks than what was in the plan, but all you do is log in and add the snacks you have had, so it can work out the total calories you have had that day. You can then also talk to others on their support group for ideas on how to minimise having more snacks than you are supposed to. By day 3 I had more energy and I strangely I started to enjoy my stomach not feeling so heavy and bogged down with my usually-huge portions. I then wanted to start exercising, so I have dug out my workout DVDs (cheaper than the gym!) and been doing them when Chunk is in bed. This has really helped take some of my stress away, so I’m only regretful that I didn’t work out the rest of this year, as the endorphins really give me a nice buzz! I’m very happy to continue with my eating plan, and am going to keep posting with updates on how it’s going. My goal is to lose 4 stone slowly over the year, and here is the stats for this week: Week 1 Stats Weight loss: 3lbs Waist inch loss: 1inch Weight left to lose: 3 st, 12lbs **To enter my competition to win one of FIVE 12-week diet plans with Porridge on Tuesday, click here.** Follow me @vampybear

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Weaning Off Junk Before My Diet Starts: My Healthy Snack Search

Claire — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 19:46:00 +0000

I’ve been attempting to wean myself off my bad (but oh so good) foods in the last week, in preparation for my attempt at a professionally created diet, which starts next week. During my weaning, I’ve been frantically researching healthier things I can eat to keep me from reaching for the bread, cakes or cereal I love so much. One of the snacks I’ve found is a new drink that’s full of goodness and nearly empty of calories. Upbeat is a high protein, low fat and nutritious drink, made with whey. which contains the 9 essential amino acids our bodies need, but cannot create on their own. Protein keeps you fuller for longer, and each drink contains the same protein you would find in a chicken breast or 4 eggs, so is ideal for me when I’m trying to reduce my sugary cravings! The drinks, which come in two flavours, Mango & Passion Fruit, and Strawberry are full of calcium, and are only 150 calories. My favourite is the strawberry one, and they have been brilliant in keeping my cravings at bay. My worst times of day tend to be mid-morning and late afternoon, so I have been having them mid-morning, and have found I have been able to go longer before lunch, which in turn has helped me avoid wanting a late afternoon snack too! One of the reasons I have been having rubbish snacks lately, is down to bad organisation- I tend to always be in a rush when trying to leave the house, as something is always keeping me and Chunk from getting things done on time. This means I tend to grab the easiest snack I can find to take out with me, like crisps or cereal bars. These bottles are just as easy to grab from the fridge, and far healthier, so I’m feeling far more confident at being able to sort my post-baby body out now! Upbeat have even given me some great things to give away on this blog as my very first competition! Enter my competition here. Upbeat can be found in most Tesco and Holland & Barrett stores. Follow me @vampybear !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?’http’:’https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+’://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);

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