Went camping at Martins bay Holiday Park in the Hauraki Gulf. A Really beautiful place. Nice beach to sunbathe, fish and swim at. Clean and tidy Holiday park. Would love to go again, maybe for a longer weekend. We were joined by friends who ironically enough, drives the same make, model and color car as us, have the same tent as us and have some identical Camping equipment as us.
There are a couple of things that we learned on this trip again, like for instance: The entire Rodney district has a fire ban in place currently. Martins bay Holiday park was once one of the few places that allowed open fire on the beach and in the camp ground, but no more. Snorkeling is not advised everywhere. It is possible to catch snapper from the beach, but be prepared to cast 30 minutes before sunrise.
Tip: before going camping, check out the regional area’s council website for breaking news like this. It can save frustration, humiliation and $100 in fines.
Tip: Not all camp grounds are created equally: A ground cover tarp can be invaluable. Two are even better.
Tip: Not all camp grounds are created equally: Find out whether Hot water showers are free, or coin operated and get coins before hand, if needed.
Tip: Coin operated Kiwi BBQ are not made to BBQ Boerewors. The juices clogs up the drain hole in no time rendering it flooded and useless until properly cleaned! Make sure you have a portable gas BBQ with a Griddle for the Boerie!
Tip: Keep a permanent marker with your camping equipment. Mark all your equipment with your name and phone number. Mark and date any food kept in communal kitchen fridges.
Last weekend we took a short trip to the Coromandel Peninsula with a bunch of our friends. We were 5 families with grandparents, toddlers, babies, parents and all! To say the least, it was a blast!
We started from Auckland around 6am on Saturday morning. With a short stop at the Bombay autobahn and McDonald’s for breakfast, we continued on to Hahei to see the Cathedral Cove. About a 40 minute walk through the bush, to the beach. This beach is breathtakingly beautiful! I now understand why they chose it as one of the sites for the Chronicles of Narnia – Prince Caspian movie. we spent about 90 minutes there before wee started the track back to the car park.
From there we were off to Hot water beach… Another one of this worlds marvels! Hot water actually flows from the sand. People go there, dig holes in the sand and lounge in the calming hot water for hours. When things get too hot, it’s time for a quick dip in the crystal clear, cool water of the pacific ocean. A whelming experience like no other.
After a long day’s travel, Whitianga’s Harbor view Holiday park was just close enough to not be a tiring drive. There we had a place to relax, splash in the pool, a play area for the kids and so much more. Arno’s very innovative BBQ trailer was just big enough to cater for all our Afrikaner appetites, not to mention all the salads and pap and sous that the ladies made. By 10:00 pm everyone was in be after a long, fun day.
The next morning we all had a very nice Valentines breakfast together and by 10:00 am we were on our way to explore the 309 gold miners road and it’s treasures. The first stop was a complete dud. The Honey center on 309 was more like the honey outhouse. This little waste of time is barely big enough to house 2 people standing upright.
Next stop would have been the Kauri tree hike, unfortunately it was raining too much for the hike and all the kids, so on we drove to the waterfall. What a beauty! Too bad only Nicol and I got to see it. Thanks to the very misleading information board, no-one else took on the 1 hour (more like 2 minutes) round trip. The water was freezing.
From there we stopped in Coromandel town for Lunch and then we were off to the Driving creek railway. This is a must see and do for anyone going to the Coromandel. Almost 4:00pm and we hit the road back home. To say the least the drive from Coromandel town to Thames is absolutely stunning.
Tags: cathedral Cove, Coromandel, hot water beach, Whitianga
We went on our first Camping weekend at Waihi Beach. The weekend of November 7th, 2009. We pitched the tent right on the beach, sounded like a good idea at the time, but as the day cooled, the wind picked up, which meant a very sleepless night for the tent dwellers.
Tip # 1: Always pick a sheltered spot when Camping. The Wind in NZ can pick up without warning.
The facilities at the Waihi Beach top 10 Holiday park was excellent, but in hind site, I’d stay in a backpackers cabin next time. It’s only $10 dearer per night, so unless you go for more than a weekend, that would be the way to go.
Tip # 2: Find out what facilities are available, it could greatly reduce your stress and the amount of packing space required.
Tip # 3: If there are no indoor cooking facilities available, ensure that you have a well ventilated, but wind-proof cooking area available.
The Beach was great. 9km of sand and the surf was not bad either, just too bat the water was so damn cold. The wind at that time of the year was too gusty to enjoy kiting, although I saw a guy on his blow-cart enjoying the wide open space. Anrika enjoyed the sun and the sand quite a bit.
See the full Gallery here: Waihi Beach
Things to do and see
Waihi – New Zealand’s heart of gold. A very nice little town with a great history. There are a couple of Museums and old buildings and churches to see. The most attractive part of the town is the open grove gold mine and the historical sites around it.
Paeroa – The home of Lemon and Pearoa. It’s worth stopping to see the giant L&P bottles and to take a couple of pictures. There is also a couple of farmers markets (weekends only) and a couple of nice parks, for the kids. So remember Paeroa on your way to and from Waihi and Waihi Beach.
Ngatea – Have a break and something to eat at the Copper Kettle Cafe, right there in the main drag and go walking through the water gardens, where you’ll be greeted by the tame ducks, geese and peacocks (have you ever seen a white peacock? They have two!). Enjoy the Tinny Museum, with drink cans from all over the world.
See the Paeroa and Ngatea Gallery here: Paeroa & Ngatea
Coromandel or Tauranga? – waihi beach is known as the gateway to the Coromandel, but it is exactly half way between the Coromandel peninsula and Taurange, so it makes a great base when exploring those areas.
Tags: Camping, Ngatea water gardens, Paeroa, top 10 Holiday parks, Waihi Beach
SO HOW DO WE MAKE THIS BILTONG?
Every person likes his/her Biltong in a different style. Some people like it wet (not completely bone dry), some people like it Bone dry. Some people like spicy biltong sticks (also known as chili-bites) and other people like me enjoy thick and long pieces with a bit of fat on the side, that you can sit and slice with you own pocket knife.
You are the only person that will know what kind of biltong you like. Think ahead a bit. When you go to buy meat, and when you slice the meat, know exactly what you expect to get out in the end. If you want biltong sticks, then you might as well buy minute steaks (as cheap as possible) and rip a couple of lines through them with a peering knife. If you like dry Biltong, then cut your meat into slices of between 1 and 1.5 cm. Also don’t make the strips too wide as this will drag out the drying process. You could also remove the fat before hand, if that is your preference.
This is the process that I prefer to use.
Meat
I prefer to use Rump Steak or Top Side roast (Also known as Silver-side Beef, please don’t get corned silver-side), depending on the price and the availability. I find that buying a big chunk of meat (3-5kg), usually costs less per kg than buying smaller amounts. Fresh meat works best, what’s not used for Biltong can be frozen and use for steak or other dishes.
Ideally when cutting Meat for Biltong, its best to cut the meat across the grain of the meat so depending on the size of the strips that is required, look for Meat that is longer grain, rather than wider grain.
Cutting
As I mentioned above. It is best to cut across the grainof the meat. The reason for this rule is two-fold.
- It increases the outward flow or blood and moisture from the meat.
- It allows the meat to absorb more spices into the grain.
Ideal slices would be between 2cm and 4cm thick and between 5 cm and 10cm wide. Remember that the drying biltong loses roughly 50% of its weight, so theoretically that should be the same for the size. In practice its more like 20-30% loss in size.
Spicing
For spicing the meat, you will need a container that is large enough to hold all of the slices, packed in layers. If the container is air-tight and can flipped over, it s even better.Now, if you have everything ready, follow the process as explained below to make your batch of biltong:
- Start with a sprinkle of Worcester sauce as a base, then a thin layer of spices on that. Make sure that the Sauce and spice covers the bottom of the container.
- Lay the first layer of meat on this. Make sure that there are as little open space between the slices as possible.
- Cover the meat with Worcester sauce and a thin layer of spices.
- Repeat step 2 and 3 until all the meat is packed in the container.
- After 5 – 6 hours, turn the meat over. Repeat every 5 – 6 hours.
- After 12 – 24 hours, depending on how spicy you like your biltong, it is time to hang the biltong and start the drying process.
- When hanging the meat, make sure that there is sufficient space between the individual slices to allow for proper air flow (5- 10 mm will do).
- Check on the meat after 3-4 days. When ready, the biltong will be firm to the touch.
Enjoy!
Welcome back. This is part 2 of my article on how to make Biltong. In Part 1 we covered some of the basics, in this part, I will explain how to build a simple drying case, one that is effective for making 1-2kg of biltong at a time, right there in your kitchen.
Building a drying case
The basic idea is to build an enclosed container wherein the airflow and temperature or rather the moisture can be controlled. Let’s start of with the main component, the Box.
Any cubical or cylindrical container would do the trick, the important thing to consider are:
- Size – Is it big enough to hold 3-4kg of fresh meat, hanging in vertical strips, with at least a 1cm clearance on all sides, you will need at least 1200 sq cm or more. That’s 30cmx40cm, for the mathematically impaired.
- Durability – How long do you want it to last? I know of people who use cardboard boxes as disposable biltong cases. Personally, I like doing something once. Wood, Stainless steel or Aluminum is always a good material.
- Appearance – Not so important, it you are leaving it in your garage. For the kitchen bench top, it’s a little more important.
For a cheap and effective solution, I suggest getting a prefabricated melamine cupboard, preferably with a door that can open and close. I used one from Bunnings that cost only $15 and that had the following dimensions: 400mm(W)x400mm(H)x300mm(D).
OK. Now that the box is sorted, we need something to circulate the air through the box. I found that another cheap solution is a computer case fan. These fans are designed to function under pressure, and to displace large amounts of air to create enough cooling airflow to cool down electronic equipment. There are generally 2 types of case fan, Low voltage (12v) or high voltage (110v/220v). If you decide to use the 12v version, remember that you need to power it and that you will require a transformer to supply 12v output to the fan. I prefer the slightly more expensive high voltage model. Mainly because it simplifies the building of the biltong box.
Thirdly, you need a source of low heat. A standard incandescent light-bulb should do the trick. Depending on where you live, this might not be necessary, but in NZ, where humidity ranges between 75% and 100%, it is certainly needed. Remember that light-bulb needs to be in a proper fitting in order to supply it with electricity. Also remember that you need electrical cable and a wall plug to source the electricity for the biltong box from you local energy provider.
So. Now we have the basics. The rest we will see as we go along, but for the eager shoppers out there, we will need some wire to make hooks and horizontal hanging rails (preferably stainless steel or galvanized). We will need some aluminum or stainless steel sheet metal to make a cover for the light-bulb and a drip tray and we will need some extra wood screws.
As far as equipment goes, we will need a drill, a screwdriver, and a circular hole cutter fitting for the drill. The diameter of the hole cutter should match the size of the fan.
Cut a circular hole in the top of the box, for the fan. Fit the fan over the Hole, on the outside and fasten with 4 screws. Ensure that the blades of the fan is free and clear and that the direction of air displacement is outward. This will be indicated by an arrow on the side of the fan.
Cut another inlet hole in the lower part of the box. Whether it is in the bottom or in the side, doesn’t matter. What matters is that it must be free of obstruction and in such a position that the light-bulb can be fitted over it on the inside of the box. That is then also the next step. Fit the light-bulb on the inside of the box, over in newly cut inlet hole.
Now connect the Light-bulb and the fan to the cord. If you are unsure of the wiring then consult the documentation that accompanied the fan and or the light-bulb. Below is a rough schematic of what the wiring should be like. Before continuing with the case, make sure that the light and fan are both functioning when electricity is supplied.
Next fit 4 to 5 parallel hanging wires in to the top inside of the case. Space them 2 to 4 cm appart. Then build in a cover for the light-bulb to prevent the fresh meat from dripping on the bulb. Optionally you may build a drip tray for the rest of the open bottom of the case.
that’s it for now. You’re done! Check back for part three where we will be making biltong.
For an alternative to building a biltong case, have a look at BiltongBox, to buy one.
Ahhhh…. Biltong!
Or as other nations know it: beef Jerky, only better! (This is actually an insult to our beloved South African delicacy/tradition/main-source-of-protein-and-cholesterol)
This simple snack, can be the topic of conversation between biltong lovers at many a braai. Anything, from where to buy the best to who has the best recipe.
When you have moved to another country, like we have, the marvelous taste and smell of biltong and the chatter that usually goes along with it, is sorely missed. Sure, Auckland has many shops that sell biltong, but at an overinflated price, who can enjoy it?
The only logical thing that remains, is to make our own Biltong! This is a how-to, on How to make Biltong in New Zealand.
WHAT DO WE NEED
Well. If I we were in South Africa, it would have been simple… Meat, spices from the corner cafe and a cool dry place to hang it… Fortunately, we’re not in South Africa, so it’s a bit more difficult.
This might sound funny, but firstly, the meat is not exactly the same here in New Zealand as it is in South Africa.Sure, the cuts are supposedly the same, but the major difference is the price and the availability. For good measure, we’ll use either Rump or Silver-side beef. They are roughly the same price in NZ and they make the best Biltong. Any reputable butcher or meat market should sell larger whole pieces of either.
Secondly, the air in New Zealand is much too humid, for this we need a device normally used only in butcheries, called a Biltong drying case. This is nothing more than a wooden or steel box, with a heat-source and a fan. Depending on the size of the box, an element heater or a light bulb would work perfectly as heat source and any case fan would work. The Fan is after all only to provide circulation so that the meat doesn’t cook from the heat source. the heat source is there to dry the air a little bit. So the meat is essentially air-dried.
The third and final piece of this delicious puzzle is the ever so wonderful and mysterious spices. This is usually where countless arguments and ‘cock-fights’ (for lack of a more descriptive word) usually start. Many people believe that salt and pepper mixed with balsamic vinegar and raw sugar is the ideal spice for biltong, but any biltong expert would know that the only secret ingredient in ANY biltong recipe is Timing. Timing to know when to stop adding salt to the spices. Timing to know how long to marinade the meat for, timing to know how long to hang it, and timing to know when is the best time during the rugby game to introduce the “good stuff”. The rest of the recipe should be developed over time, by means of trial and error.
Biltong recipes are so valuable, to some people, that they will share them with no-one, in South Africa. Luckily, we are in the digital age, where we can find anything on-line. Even Bilton recipes. I found that pre-mixed spices from the SA Shop works well, as a good starting point and to quench the craving quickly.
For some other good recipes, have a look at these:
Boerekos.com (for the Afrikaans speaking)
Do check back for part two.
We recently made a day-visit to Waiheke Island. Now, I’ve seen a couple of beautiful places in my life. Although I haven’t traveled through the entire New Zealand, I have to admit that Waihele Island is one of the most picturesque, and naturally beautiful places that I’ve ever seen. It is certainly worth the time and the effort to go and see the island.
Getting there
Waiheke is an Island off the coast of Auckland. It is too far to build a bridge to it and too close to fly an airplane to. As far as I know, the various ferries services that run to and from Waiheke along with 2 helicopter services, are the only method of transport to get there. For more information about the island, please click here
Why go there
That all depends on what you like to do. I experienced Waiheke as one of those places where you can have a perfect holiday, with the entire family. There is something for everybody. whether you like hiking, camping, fishing kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving or just to relax on the beach with a nice glass of wine. It’s also the perfect place to visit if you’re a keen bird-watcher. A defnite must-see or must-visit location for anyone living in NZ or just visiting. Whether you go for a day or a week, doesn’t really matter, as long as you go! Who knows. You might see a couple of other interesting things while you are there…
To see some more of my photos of Waiheke, please view my gallery.
Hi there.
This is a simple little list that I composed of things we can change in our everyday lives, that will make a difference on the bill totals at the end of the month. Those of you living in NZ, would have seen shows like “The Money Man”, where Ex-marine and tough-talking financial trainer Brendon Johnson, puts willing candidates through a boot camp on how to save money and get rid of dept. This is nothing like that, but kudos to the TV show, they have some great Ideas. The difference between this and the show.. You can decide whether you want to follow the tips and no one is going to make you eat uncle Tobey’s oats for breakfast! OK, Here we go! (feel free to post some good ideas, if I missed anything…)
- Light bulbs: an ordinary 100w light bulb uses, well, roughly 100w per hour that’s if it is on. So switch of the light when you leave the room. This Will make a difference to you electricity bill. When that ordinary 100w bulb eventually dies, replace it with a 40w energy efficient fluorescent bulb. Sure, these bulbs cost a bit more, but, as the watt rating suggest, they use less power. Now here is the tricky part. Florescent bulbs actually use less power, the longer they’re illuminated. No not really, but they DO use slightly more power to “start”, when they are switched on, than ordinary bulbs. so think ahead a bit. If you are using fluorescent bulbs, don’t switch them on and off all the time, you’re wasting energy and money! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamp http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=turn-fluorescent-lights-off-when-you-leave-room
- Dryer: Clothes dryers, although they are very helpful (especially in NZ), can use massive amounts of electricity. To save some money, where washing is concerned. Try to wear clothes twice before washing them. This will reduce the amount of washing that you have to do and when you do wash, try to air-dry your washing, instead of throwing everything in the dryer. When it is absolutely necessary to use the dryer, set it to a lower setting, so that it uses less electricity.
- Services: When times are tough, like they are now, governments try to save money and increase income. Privatized companies realize this and capitalize on that knowledge by maintaining or even dropping their prices. Services, like water and electricity, Telephone and Internet, etc. can be acquired at a lower monthly rate by selecting another provider. I’m not saying that the government owned companies aren’t always the cheapest. I’m saying that in countries like New Zealand, where competition is the norm, it is certainly worth it, to shop around for a better price a bit. I found, for example, that I could save $40 per month, by joining Orcon, in stead of Telecom. Likewise, we save some money by getting our electricity from Genesis, in stead of Mercury. There are also some other providers to consider. Depending on your needs, you may decide to choose a different provider. and a different package.
Mercury Energy Telecom NZ Contact Energy Orcon Genesis Energy Telstra Clear Meridian Energy Slingshot Broadband - Food: This is one of our larger expenses. On a weekly basis, we used to spend between $350 and $400 per week to feed 3 people. To fix this, we made a shopping list of cleaning and sanitary products that are needed. Then we made a menu of meals needed for the week. We subtracted the products that we have in the pantry and conclude a list of food items needed for the week. Finally we have shopping list of items that we need for the week. When we finally finished the shopping from the list, we had only paid $280. We had saved between $70 and $120. We have followed this recipe continuously for a number of weeks. with a very similar result. We now budget only $300 per week in stead of $400.
- Sell,sell,sell!: Everybody I know, has some stuff lying around their houses, that are no longer used. Some of these “white elephants”, are worth some money, if you know what you’re doing. For such items there are many on-line selling solutions, like Trade-me and e-Bay. Some important points to remember when selling items on-line:
- Be Honest and realistic. Note all damages and features and the proper condition of the item and don’t reserve $50 for an item that is worth only $20. You’re only frustrating yourself and potential buyers.
- A picture is worth a thousand words, so 10 pictures should be worth 10 000 words, right? Make sure your pictures are in focus.
- Remember to post a comment, on every sale, about the buyer. It will help you build credibility and trust in the on-line community.
- Shop around before buying: Before buying anything, ask yourself: “Do I REALLY need this?” and if the answer is yes, then ask yourself: “Can I get it cheaper else-where?”. Most often, this answer will also be yes. If it is something that costs a bit of money, say more than $50, then take a day to sleep on it and to check for a better deal on Trade-me.
- Budget: Set up a weekly or monthly budget, depending on how often you get paid and when your greatest expenses are paid. Our greatest expenses are food and rent, which are both paid weekly and our salaries are paid fortnightly, so a weekly budget will work best for me. It sometimes helps to use a tool to help with the budgeting, something like MS Money or even MS Excel. And if you’re like me and you prefer not to support Bill Gates and his mates, then there are many open-source free-ware options available: Open Office.Org, Sorted.org, Freeware Downloads. Personally, I prefer to build my own budget sheet in a spreadsheet application, like excel. The important thing here, is that you determine how much money you can move to your save on every pay cycle and to then move that money to a separate savings or investment account, before you have a chance to spend it. Note that no-one gets it right the first time around. It sometimes take one or two cycles.
These are 7 simple steps that will make a difference. I’m certain that there are many other ways to save, but as of yet, I’ve not thought of them. When I do, I will add them to the list, but in the mean time, if you have any ideas, please comment and I will gladly add them to the list. Until then, happy saving!
Being an Ex-South African, I was used to eating all sorts of weird an wonderful things, that normal human beings find disgusting, revolting and absolutely unbelievable. I am of course talking about things like “Biltong” and “droewors”. We are raised on that stuff! There is nothing better for a teething baby than a nice piece of dry “Billie” (yes, I do apply the same logic when it comes to my own daughter).
Me with my "Braai"
Except for the very well known SA Delicacies. Afrikaners in general are in love with rich food and are absolutely addicted to eating. Things like 1kg+ rump or T-bone steak, or milk tart or “koeksusters” and not to even mention “Pap en Wors” (maize porridge and beef-and-pork sosages) are but a few favorites. I believe that this disorder is started with the words that struck fear and respect into every South African child’s heart at one point or another: “Jy sal eet wat die pot skaf” (loosely translated:”You will eat what is prepared”) and “If you don’t clean your plate, you will not get desert.” or if there is no desert: “You will sit here until your plate is empty… Children in Ethiopia are starving and you don’t want to eat your food…”
Now, I agree that this kind of thing isn’t bad for a child. I mean children, (at least when I grew up) are physically, a lot more active than adults. They are also still growing. The problem is that at some point it’s not fun to play or run any more and they stop growing, but they DON’T eat any less… PROBLEM!
This problem usually surfaces it’s ugly head around the age of 20 to 24 years. At 18, I was a very fit, lean and strong athlete. I was Provincial Judo Champion in my age and weight class. I was 1.83m tall and I weighed a mere 78kg. For some bizarre reason, I stopped exercising and continued eating. At age 22, I was a Large 98gk. I was still fairly fit, but the little exercise that I was getting, didn’t match up with my out of control eating habits. I Joined a gym to exercise and get some proportion back, but all that happened is that I grew a lot of muscle and I sped up my metabolism (Bring on the food!). When I eventually quit the gym, it caused a downward spiral. I gained weight again.
South African greeting card
In January 2009, a mere matter of months before my 30th birthday, I pushed the scales to a very scary 122kg. I have decided then and there that I was going to change my ways and lose some weight. I now had a baby girl that was depending on me to be around, as well as a high cholesterol level and a bad habit of over eating and under-exercising. A very bad combination.
Right around the end of January my wife showed up with some books and charts that she had borrowed from a friend. This lady had lost 9kg in 9 weeks and was still going strong, without exertion or any starvation. She was on the weight watchers program. When I heard that, I was jealous. I had, at that point, already lost 3.2 kg (by excretion, starvation and attempted drowning), since the shocking weigh-in. This was a matter of 4 weeks in which I took a 2km walk every morning, with our yellow lab, Austin (Powers), 40 crunches and 20 push-ups. I was about ready to loose it again. I was hungry and grumpy and my muscles where constantly aching.
South African greeting card
My wife read through the booklets and laid out a new eating plan for us. We weighed and measured and calculated. At first I thought that I would never be able to survive on the recommended food allowance, and that I would have to starve myself again to get the results that I wanted. Boy was I wrong! The first 3 days, I wasn’t able to consume all the food that I was allowed. After the first week I couldn’t wait to get on the scale! I was feeling great. Of-course I had reduced my walks to 3 per week, due to the rapid seasonal change taking affect, So I weren’t expecting a miracle. At weigh-in I was pleasantly surprised to have lost a massive 3kg. The guys and gals at weight watchers know a thing or two about the human metabolism.
Week 2 on the program didn’t go quite as well as the first week, I only lost 1.5kg and in week 3 I los another 1.5. By end of week three I had completely stopped my exercise routine. I now only walked the dog over weekends and the occasional good weathered day. Daylight came to late in the mornings and in the evenings there was not enough time. With the exertion level now at nil and my metabolism redefining my feeding cycle, I started losing less per week. It had dropped to a steady loss of between 400g and 1.2kg, depending on how much I cheated over weekends.
Now after 3 months on the program, I am much more relaxed. If I don’t cheat too much, I will actually loose weight. At this point I have realized that losing weight is not a race and it is not something that happens over night. You have to work at it if you are to exceed. I have now lost a total of 10.2kg. I am feeling great. I actually had to go and buy new pants for work, because my old ones were falling down, even with my belt tightened to the new extra notch. I have actually dropped my pants size from a 42 to a 38.
Unfortunately I am not allowed to disclose the details of the Weight Watchers diet, like the formulas that are used to calculate how much food you may consume in a day, or the formula to calculate the points total of an Item of food. What I can do though is point you to a couple of websites that Have the formulas published. I can also publish my eating plan. Please see the bottom of this post for some useful links.
The following menu should only be used, as is, if you are Male, between 25 and 35 years old and weigh between 100kg and 130kg. Also, please consult your GP before following any diet-, or exercise program.
Eating Plan:
Breakfast [7:00 am]: A bowl of cereal(Preferably Weet-bix or Pro-Nutro or Bran or Oats) . Measured to the portions as stated on the box (preferably with skimmed milk, but if your like me and you adore milk and dispise milk flavored water, ordinary milk will do too) OR Scrambled eggs (made with 2 eggs and skimmed milk and NO butter. You have a non-stick pan, don’t you?) on dry loast. Both options can be had with water or tea or coffee or juice.
Morning Snack [10:00 am]: Two fruits (Apple, banana, peach, kiwi, mandarin, etc.) and a small tub (150g) of light yogurt. Add a glass or two of water.
Lunch [12:30 pm]: 4 Rice cakes and a small tin of tuna, salmon, or chop-chop chicken. Add some water (preferably in a glass or cup)
Afternoon stack [3:00 pm]: A muesli or nut bar, preferably the ones WITHOUT the yogurt or chocolate trim.
Dinner [5:30 pm]: (Whatever the wife makes.) Check it against the Points matrix to see how much it will “cost” you. Usually, we would have Tuna salad, or smoked chicken wraps. Salmon on rice with veggies are also good (watch those portions). Don’t forget to chase the food down with a glass of water… or two!
Did you know: You can have as much vegetables (The green and yellow ones, like broccoli, cauliflower, grean beans, peas, carrots) as you want. As long as they are steamed or lighty boiled and seasoned to taste (NO SUGAR OR MAYO!)
Supper [7:30-8:00]: If the remaining points allow, A cup of coffee or tea with up to 2 malt biscuits. Add another glass of water.
That’s it. There are no other tricks, or hidden secrets to it. If you ad some exercise to the program, you’ll get even better results, but that is entirely up to you. Remember that no one knows you better than you. If you have the will to use this program to change your life, then the information is out there. If you feel that you need some help with this, then I suggest that you join the on-line program or even one of the meeting groups from weight-watchers. And if you feel that you are happy with yourself just the way you are, then GOOD FOR YOU!
Whatever you decide. Good luck to you and good day!
Kiwianer
healthyweightforum.org/eng/articles/weight_watchers_points
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