The Art of Tereré

Whenever my mum, my brother and me are together we sit with some "tereré rupa" (paraguayan version of tapas or snacks meant for before and during the rounds of terere) and our tereré passing hands back and forth...

Tereré is the paraguayan national beverage. It's a cold infusion of yerba mate that is served in a "guampa" which is like a jug or cup  usually made of a cow's horn or wood where cold iced water mixed with all sorts of medicinal plants is pour over the yerba mate and is drank through a "bombilla" which functions as a straw with a filter. The person in charge of serving the tereré will pour water into the guampa and pass it around in a circle to any visiting participants. Nobody worries about sanitation here; everyone drinks from the same "bombilla" or straw.

Doesn't matter your age or social layer... tereré is for everyone

Even children drink tereré.
Photo from Abrilespy

The art of drinking tereré is something every single paraguayo masters, and I might say that before Facebook, Twitter or blogs existed, the "tereré" time was the place to go to chat, meet friends, and learn all the freshes gossips in town, who was dating who and what were the latest news in the surroundings. Tereré time is the "Hangout" of the paraguayans and it is common to be offered a tereré while visiting a house. You could also use tereré time as a psychiatric consultation where to try and solve your most inner troubles or just chill out and talk about football (futbol).

Photo from Abrilespy

It is a social art.

If you ever visit Paraguay you will see the ubicuos "tereré" everywhere. If you want to try it out you just need to ask anyone and you would be welcome to join the "tereré" circle. It links friends, family neighbors, colleagues and strangers. When you have Tereré, life is good. When you have tereré everything is "tranquilo".

.. the most important thing is that refreshing hand that is extended
from man to woman, from father to son, from grandfather to grandson and back again.
Without regards to classes, genres or age, because the tereré is a bond between people.
Photo and text translated from Abrilespy

The "tereré" is refreshing, it is welcoming, it is cool, it is amicable, it is relaxed like most paraguayans. If you have a word to describe paraguayans it would most likely be "tranquilo". " Tranquilo" is not simple to translate... it would be something like relax, no worries, no hurry, be at ease. Tranquilo is not just a word; it’s a state of being, it is Hakuna Matata.

One sure sign to spot a paraguayan anywhere in the world is the sign of the "termo" and the "guampa" that goes to every place a paraguayan goes. If not, ask any paraguayan you meet. It doesn't matter if it is in the United States, in England, in Australia, in Brazil, Colombia, China or the Caribbean.... the tereré will be there with them.

Want a tereré mi cuate?

http://www.ozy.com/good-sht/terer-paraguays-social-tea/1453.article

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Okey. I has been a full month since I have started my #NSNG journey and I can report that so far it has been the best choice I've ever made towards health improvement and checking my food log I've come to realise that apart from the bread and pasta, what I'm eating now is very similar to what I ate when I was a little girl.

If something resonates to your brain as a logical thing, then you have to try it in order to either confirm the fact or refute it. In my case, the postulate that fats are bad for your health and sugar and grains are good it's something I grew up with because it was taught to us in school, the doctors always preached the same thing and you ended up believing it because everyone else did so. But coming from a country with an extraordinary yet not very famous cuisine where meat is ubiquitous and a meal is not a meal unless it has meat in it, I grew up on a healthy and nutritious diet, even though we had sugar and grains in it, they weren't the majority of the diet and we had our fair share of healthy fats and proteins every day.

The benefits I've been experiencing since following the #NSNG regime (it is not a diet, it's a way of life... or so they like to say) are fantastic and there in plain view.

On the physical side:

- I have lost 5.6kg in a month without hunger and discomfort. The biggest weight loss happened when I took away milk from my diet and replaced it with almond milk or coconut milk. I didn't replace all dairy, only pasteurized milk, I still eat cheese, butter and single and double cream.

- I have more energy and I feel satiated longer after a meal.

- My vegetable intake has been greatly increased. I even have vegetables with breakfast now!

- My migraines has stopped, not a single migraine during these 30 days.

- Even though I have reduced my workout time and sessions due to busy schedule, my weight loss hasn't been affected.

- No acne or chin breakouts anymore. Skin is not oily anymore.

- Hair is looking good and lustrous.

- Almost no sugar cravings and when I do give in is with berries and plums.

At Pearl Jam's concert in Milton Keynes (July 11th, 2014)
Happy because I was looking forward to this concert and
because I now fit back into a "S" t-shirt! 

On the psychological side:

- Lots of energy that translates in productivity and feelings of accomplishment.

- Not so moody anymore. Apart from some PMS symptoms that have actually decreased since I started #NSNG, mood swings are been rare which makes me a more tolerant person, which is great for the people around me... :)

- No comfort eating. No comfort drinking. Now I eat because I need to and I drink because I enjoy it, not because I need it at the end of the day.

- More confident dressing up now, not feeling the need to cover up all the time.

- More conscious about what I eat. I find myself checking the labels of everything and making smarter choices regarding food and drinks. Before I thought that because something was expensive it was usually better, and it turned out not to be so.

- More educated, because I needed to find out the truth about this thing that is making me feel better than I did in years which took me to read a lot of books on health, hormones and nutrition.

Happy with my raw coconut water in Covent Garden #NSNG

So, the 30 days are over but now it is not a challenge anymore and it is becoming a way of life. I like it and it does good to my body and mind, even my DH is beginning his challenge into the #NSNG after seeing the results and he is liking it as well.. and my little brother has started taking away sugar from his diet (he is keeping the grains in for the time being) and also seeing the benefits of saying no to added sugars.

I'll keep you posted on this.

Baci per tutti!

Leti~

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Weight loss Wednesday: NSNG Week 4

Weight Loss Wednesday Report

Now I'm beginning Week 4 of my “No sugar, no grains” (#NSNG) month and I've been logging my  food diary  everyday. It is getting easier with the cravings (not many really) but it’s getting a bit more complicated not to get bored with all the meat and cheese, so this week I began submerging myself into the “Paleo Recipes World” and my, oh, my, it is a big world.

I’m not following a paleo diet, paleo admits sweeteners, honey, agave and maple syrup whether #NSNG doesn't, and #NSNG let you have milk and cheese and paleo doesn´t. I think that when I finish my #NSNG I will naturally go towards paleo but I think I will try to stick to the No-Sugar as much as I can.

I've been reading a LOT about the NSNG concept and I cannot recommend you enough to read these two books ”Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease” by Robert H. Lustig, and “Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It” by Gary Taubes. I can bet they will change the way you look at food after reading them.

Give them a go. They won't disappoint you.

This is my week report:

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How far along? 3 weeks, beginning the 4th

Weight up or down? I was 3kg down with the previous regime, kilos I got back during my surgery rest. Weighted myself this morning and since beginning the #NSNG (22 days ago) I have lost 3.5Kg and I went down a pant size.

Total weight loss: 3.5Kg

BMI: 25.7

Clothes: down one size in pants.    

Sleep: I’ve downloaded the “Sleep as Android” app that tracks and monitors your sleep patterns. Been using it for 5 days but I still don’t really get all the date it provides. So far I get that whenever I sleep around 10:30 pm– 11:30 pm it seems I sleep way better than if I sleep later, even if I get the same hours of sleep…

Skin: radiant and clear. No spots or break outs..

 Exercise:

Cardio:  My friend and I began walking up the mountain again but due to the summer heat we changed our walks to 8 am – 8:30 am every day.

Walks: Three times this week with an average of 8km per day.

General circuit training: only 1 time this week so far. Tomorrow I begin week 2 of P90X.

Happy faces after an 8km walk

 Food

Food plan: No Sugars, No Grains. I began diminishing my dairy intake as well and got some delicious Coconut Milk and Almond Milk to help. Only dairy I had this week is cheddar cheese. Not giving up on cheese.

Food journal: logged my food journal every day in MyFitnesspal.com.

Food cravings:  bread. Any sort of bread. My brother has been eating sandwiches next to me and the bread was what I miss the most this week

Any sin? Wine, as usual.

Top right: coffee and coconut milk with banana and cinnamon pancakes.
Top left: Tuna salad and aubergine and zucchini gratin
Bottom right: Bacon, egg and tomato breakfast
Bottom right: octopus with ratatouille and cauliflower mash 

Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy. I've been back to sunny Spain this week and the Summer heat is hitting us intensely.

Best moment this week: Getting back to Málaga and having the most lovely welcome home from Bilbo.

Bilbo running...

Worst moment this week: Having to go to Málaga for some legal paperwork and having to go through the bureaucracy machine on a Summer day.

It's been hot... hot... hot...

Miss anything?  My hubby and some bread.

Looking forward to: Pearl Jam concert next week.

Until next Wednesday!

Baci per tutti!

Leti~

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Delicious No Flour Banana Pancakes

I'm just beginning week 3 of my #NSNG challenge and I was totally craving some sweet treat, to be totally honest, I was dreaming of having butter and honey on toast with my coffee while driving back home. I think that my current craving state could be due to the lack of proper sleep last night and the fact that today it is really hot, mind you, it's one hell of a hot afternoon today. 

So coming back to the cravings, I wasn't planning to indulge them so I began searching for something sugar-free and grain-free to have with my afternoon coffee and found this recipe. To be completely honest, if I wasn't desperate for a solution I would've doubt about this one, but after trying it... it was a Godsend.

It doesn't taste exactly as your normal Sunday flour + sugar pancakes, but if you do it right texture and flavour are great. It taste a bit like bread pudding in the middle (depending on how thick you want them, I prefer mine thin, crepe-like). Keep this in mind so you won't have "hotcakes" sort of expectations.  They take only a couple of minutes to make and they only have 22 calories per pancake, so it's sugar-free, grain-free, low-carb, high-protein and taste great. 

Iced Coffee and cream with the banana pancakes
Total calories: 125

Sugar-free, Flour-free Banana Pancake Recipe

Original source unknown, tutorial by Our Best Bites

Ingredients
1 large banana (about 1/2 cup, mashed)
2 eggs (medium size)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder (optional but recommended)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon depending on how much you like cinnamon* (optional but HIGHLY recommended)

*Cinnamon helps curve down sugar cravings and also makes the pancakes taste totally like dessert.

Instructions

- Heat a frying pan or skillet on the stove to medium heat (too hot and you'll burn the pancakes).  
- While pan is heating, add the banana, the eggs, the baking powder and cinnamon into your blender or food processor and pulse a couple of times until you get a smooth batter.
- If you don't have a blender or food processor you can mash the banana with a fork making sure you get it smooth and with no  lumps, and then mix in eggs, baking powder, and cinnamon. 
- When frying pan is hot add a bit of butter or spray it with non stick spray (butter taste way better).  Pour 2 full tablespoons of batter at a time and cook until bottom appears set (30-60 seconds) flip with spatula and cook additional minute or less.

- Serve warm with butter or eat them cold with fruits on top.  

- You can get about 10 or 11 pancakes.

Why don't you give them a try and let me know what you think...

Leti~


Nutritional Info (per pancake )
Cal: 22  Protein: 1.3 g Fat: 0.9 g Carbs: 2.4 g

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Weight loss challenge: NGNS week 3

Weight Loss Wednesday Report

I have abandoned this section for a while. I have forsaken my weekly account of this challenge so basically you can say I kind of lost the challenge?... not really...  some circumstances (surgical procedures), a lot of travelling, finishing projects  and a change in my eating habits are to blame for this, but I’m back.

During this hiatus I gained a kilo or two (during the pause period due to the surgical procedure) but as soon as I began to exercise and move about again I lost them but losing weight began to be difficult even though I was exercising an average of 2 hours a day. So by my doctor’s recommendation and some research I began a challenge of not only losing weight but also a challenge to changed my eating habits and that’s how I began my “No sugar, no grains” (#NSNG) month. If you want to know more about this, read my post “No sugar? No grains?”

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How far along? 3 weeks

Weight up or down? I don’t know for sure... been in London for a week now and had no scale no check. I began this #NSNG with the same kilos I left before surgery.

Total weight loss: 3 Kg before I began #NSNG.

BMI: 26.5

Clothes: clothes are feeling better and more comfortable even though we've been kind of feasting with the new eating regime.    

Sleep: sleep pattern is better. Only change is that somehow I wake up earlier in the morning now, doesn’t matter how late I went to bet I’m up at 6 – 6:30am most days.

Skin: radiant and clear. No spots or break outs lately..

According to the professional opinion of my DH my skin is looking "radiant" :)

Exercise:

Cardio:  Only walks and more walks.

General circuit training: only 1 times this week

Walks: every day on average I’m walking about 8Km a day and on the weekend we walked about 12km each day.

  

Some of my breakfasts during this week #NSNG

  

Food

Food plan: No Sugars, No Grains... Yeap.

Food journal: logged my food journal every day in MyFitnesspal.com.

Food cravings:  none really.

Any sin? Wine and cider... several times this week.

Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy – happy. Getting better at this “London” thing. I’m still doing some decoration DIY in the apartment making it look cosy and pretty and I love doing that sort of things.

Painting the new shelves for the bathroom

Best moment this week: Our first real and complete “Tourist Day” in London. We've been to Tower Bridge, The Big Ben, The London Eye and we cruised our way from Greenwich to Westminster on a boat... beautiful day.

Our "Tourist Day" in London

I love this caption we got of The London Eye.

Worst moment this week: This morning... I’m going back to sunny Spain today so we had a great dinner with lots of wine last night so my stomach wasn't feeling very good this morning.

Great Dinner at Kew Grill

Miss anything?  My Bilbo!!!!!! and some nice Italian bread.

Looking forward to: complete my first month of #NSNG and to go back to P90X workouts.

Until next Wednesday!

Baci per tutti!

Leti~

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No Sugar? No Grains?

Back in April I was doing fine with my weight loss challenge... or so I thought. I've lost about 3 kilos on the diet and exercise but even though I was training as if I was about to compete in a marathon, the kilos (or pounds) wouldn't go away as one would expect. I got comments such as "You are gaining muscle, that's why you don't see much change in the scales" and the, oh, so typical, "Maybe you have heavy bones"... heavy bones???????

In May I also got a surgical procedure to remove a couple of lumps, so doctor said I should stop my walks and training for at least 10 days to 15 days in order for the stiches not to come loose... so I stayed away from my daily training and walks but continued with the same diet.

Nice close-up of one of the "stitches"

During the pause period, some of the weight lost came back... of course, even though I was eating healthy and according to the plan (you can check my weekly reports here and on Instagram)... After the two weeks pause I began to exercise again and got back to where I have left it but again the weight wouldn't go away with the same combination of diet + exercise, which got me thinking and as I had a doctor appointment in the beginnings of June I've decided to ask my doctor, and oh, my, was this enlightening!

I consider myself a smart, well-read, well-fed person. I'm very active, especially now that I left the "office life" to try and improve my life. I have always had a interest on health and nutrition even though sometimes what I eat does not always reflect what I know is best for me, I do know the difference between good and bad food. 

Most diets out there focus on cutting calories and the simple math of ‘calorie in, calorie out’ instead of changing the kinds of foods you eat and getting people to really exercise. That is, focusing less on calories, more food quality, and activity. 

After telling the doctor about my predicament, he suggested to try something new, he suggested me to go "No sugar, No grains" for a month (#NSNG). He said that this could help me balance my hormones and help not only with the weight loss but also with some allergies I had recently, so I went home and begin my investigation into the "NSNG" eating style.

I read a lot and came across a book called "Fitness Confidential" written by Vinnie Tortorich, trainer for the stars in Hollywood, that got me to listen to his podcasts and reading more books written by the nutritionists trainers and doctors that Vinnie interviews in his shows. His approach is to simply say, “don't eat foods with sugar or that are made from grains.”

http://vinnietortorich.com/fitness-confidential/

I've also read about the Whole30 program which estates that certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it and challenges you to go a full 30 days stripping them from your diet. The main claim they do that caught my attention strongly is their talk about the hormonal disbalance caused by what we eat, so after listening to Vinnie and reading about Whole30 I decided to go for it and try it myself.

I didn't go for the Whole30 approach, I still have a glass or two of wine on the weekends and some dairy in my meals, thought it is full fat and if possible grass fed but I have cut out all sugar and grains for three weeks now and went into what is called a "ketogenic" type of diet.

And I'm loving it.

Yes, it is incredibly difficult to adhere to a NSNG diet, especially if you are the only one in the house doing it but once you get on track, the improvements you'll feel and see in your body and mind are incredible. After a week I could feel a significant difference in how I felt mentally and physically. I wasn't bloated anymore and after the first three days craving sugar (yeap, like a drug addict) I was just fine.

On the physical side I'm not bloated anymore, I feel lighter, my muscle tone has improved and my exercise endurance as well. My allergies are all gone (nope, I'm not having my usual cetirizin pill a day and I'm just fine), my skin is looking great, no more chin acne but a healthy radiant glow according to my DH. And I've lost weight... oh, yeah... I haven't check the scales yet (I'm not supposed to until the 30 days are over) but my clothes are fitting loose and well again and I have a lot of energy all day long.

On the mental side I don't feel sluggish, the surplus of energy is doing wonders to my productivity and also for my mood.

Just after a workout

And with a bit of production...

So far all is going well. After the 30 days are over I'll get a blood check up to make sure everything is good and if it is (which I'm pretty sure it is anyways) I can see this becoming a habit not an exception. I don't say I will never eat a muffin again in my life, of course I will, but sure as hell I will be cutting out any unnecessary processed sugars and grains whenever I can. By all means, visit Vinnie Tortorich web page and/or listen to his podcasts...

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Flat hunting in west London: we did it.

The task of finding a flat that would accommodate us and Bilbo at a reasonable price has proved to be very, very difficult because of the area we will be living at, that’s why we called it searching for “El Dorado”. DH visited several agencies and saw so many flats and studio flats that he was about to give up until he found one that seemed to tick most of the requirements so he put an offer on it.

It’s not a fancy or spacious flat but is 5 minutes walking from his office, has the bedroom separated from the living room /kitchen and the would accept dogs on conditions, of course. 

I went to London in April to see my DH and check out the flat. DH was pretty much nervous because he thought I would dislike the flat and wouldn’t give it a chance, but, even to my surprise I didn’t completely dislike it. Yes, it is smaller than any place I’ve ever lived in before. Yes it is a third floor flat with no elevator. Yes the living area and kitchen are in the same room. Yes the bathroom is smaller than the cupboard below the stairs at our house in Spain. Yes to all of that. But... It is on a main road with bus stop in front, train station and Gym and sports centre across the street, tube station 5 minutes walking, 5 minutes walking to DH office, Kew bridge just 200m away, huge park for Bilbo and River Thames on the back. Really not bad to begin our London adventure. 

The flat doesn't look like anything special but it is a beginning (first picture make it look bigger than it actually is). With the right kind of furniture and some smart decor it can look homey and nice, just like this “Fresh Home” reader of has done with her apartment in Belgrade (http://freshome.com/2012/06/21/51sqm-readers-apartment-in-belgrade-how-do-you-find-it/). 

The layout of the living area of the flat is very similar to the one that our flat has but for the windows and is a very nice inspiration for when we get to decorate the flat. 

What do you think about it?

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