Holiday movies for the kids – Why Parental Guidance beats Wreck It Ralph

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Newschick

Movies are always a favourite option when trying to amuse the kids during the long school holiday break. It’s a couple of hours of ‘time out’ – a chance to sit back and relax, take a rest from sibling squabbles, and hopefully enjoy some quality entertainment while stuffing yourself with warm popcorn.

If you’re tossing up which movie to take the kids to see this weekend, then I’d strongly urge you to choose Parental Guidance over Wreck It Ralph – a MILLION times over. And don’t listen to the newspaper critics. While I have enormous respect for them, in this instance, I disagree with just about all the reviews.

Parental Guidance

Ronnie wanted to see Parental Guidance, and despite one prominent critic giving it only ONE star, we headed off to the cinema anyway, because she loves a comedy. She’d also checked out the trailer and was convinced it would be worth watching. She was right. Get a couple of seasoned comedic veterans like Billy Crystal and Bette Midler and it’s hard to go wrong. Their pairing is fabulous and their comic timing – spot on. The script is busting with gags that will appeal to both younger and older generations.

Even if you don’t have kids, there’s enough family conflict and humour to make it relevant to all. I also enjoyed watching the tug-of-war between the grandparents and their daughter over which type of parenting works best for children. Both are a little extreme – cocooning and helicopter parenting, versus the old school – ‘smack them and tell them to shut up’ variety. At least the film isn’t too heavy-handed in terms of trying to dish out a morality lesson. The audience is given the chance to see both sides can be right, and that black and white isn’t the way to look at life when it comes to raising children. The final message of the film probably falls from Bette’s mouth when she tells her daughter to ‘Stop trying to be the perfect parent. Nobody is.’ How true.

Wreck It Ralph

As for Wreck It Ralph, you couldn’t have gotten me out of the cinema more quickly. All four of our family agreed it was possibly the worst movie we’d seen in years. True, our kids are well beyond the age of the toddlers this Disney feature is aimed at, but regardless, we’ve loved all the Toy Story and Ice Age movies of the past and had hoped this movie would live up to the clever scripting and standards already set. Not so. The script is infantile and weak, lacking in magic and charm. I am amazed one movie critic gave it FOUR stars. Really?

Sugar Rush land

The other aspect I detested was the film’s blatant product placement. It’s so contrived, I practically left my jaw on the floor of the cinema. From the Nesquik quick sand, to the Diet Coke lake, to the exploding Mentos, to the Sugar Rush landscape – god help me, if this film isn’t trying to turn the next generation of toddlers into sugar addicts, then I’ll eat a block of Cadburys. And if you’ve been reading my Blog lately, you would know how unlikely that is – being on a sugar-free campaign and strongly promoting the health benefits of a sugar-free diet. So you can imagine how incensed I was when those silly Oreo characters started marching and chanting ‘O-Reo! O-Reeee-ohhh. O-reo! O-Reeee-ohhh!’ Puh-lease….

So there you have it. I’ll stop ranting now. But DO see Parental Guidance. It’s charming, funny and your kids will learn who the amazing Billy Crystal and Bette Middler are. Isn’t that a better idea than turning then into sugar fiends???

Best blow-wave at home – Vidal Sassoon

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Newschick

Sometimes ‘going out’ can be a struggle. When you’re busy juggling work and kids stuff, the concept of actually putting on make-up and doing your own hair for a social occasion seems a bigger challenge than climbing Mt Kosciuszko.

Hats and pigtails - a good solution for a quick hair-do

Hats and pigtails – easy solution for a bad hair day

That’s why I’m also a huge fan of hats. They’re a quick fix for a bad hair day, although sometimes this look doesn’t necessarily work in the evenings…. But generally speaking, a hat is a favourite accessory on holidays when you just couldn’t be bothered lathering up.

But what if you’re going to a ‘special’ function or wedding and you know you have to up the ante? You’re probably going to have to have your hair coifed, teased and sprayed to within an inch of its life at the hairdresser’s. But what if you’re time poor – and who isn’t these days? Who has time for making an appointment and planning ahead, let alone getting there?

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for shortcuts. Tips on how to do your own hair and make it look half decent so you can avoid that hairdresser palaver. Which means I’ve bought lots of junk over the years, looking for a magical solution. And yes, I do occasionally use the GHD straighteners, even though they fry the bejeezus out of your hair and my colourist warns they should be avoided at all costs unless faced with an emergency.

So my latest tip comes from a good friend, Judy, who kindly insisted I borrow her new contraption before buying one of my own. It’s called the Vidal Sassoon Big Hair Styler and it looks like this.

Vidal Sassoon Big Hair Styler

I was skeptical, but agreed to give it a go. I already had another version lying unused in my bathroom cupboard so didn’t hold much hope. It took a few attempts, but – VOILA – it works!! I was impressed enough to run out and buy one the next day, and now I use it almost every time we ‘go out’.

If you want to get one yourself (and I’d highly recommend it) then I do have a few tips for getting the best results.

1. Generally speaking, the Vidal Sassoon Big Hair Styler retails at $99.95. Unless you can find one on sale, I’d recommend buying one from National Pharmacies. If you sign up for their Customer Rewards card, you instantly get a 20% discount!

2. Wash you hair, towel dry and leave it for between half an hour to an hour, before styling. And use a blow dryer to dry off your hair a bit first. If you start using the Big Hair Styler from scratch with dripping wet hair, it will take hours.

Create a top knot with a butterfly clip

3. I’m not a professional hair dresser, so don’t really know how to ‘section off’, so I usually just grab about half my hair from the top of my head and secure it with a butterfly clip to start with. This means I can work on styling the underneath layer first. Yep, it’s a messy look…

4. I use a comb brush to section off a piece of hair that will fit around the brush and then pull firmly to get the best results.

Use the roller button to pull the hair tightly to the scalp

5. I push the roller button to draw the hair in tightly to the scalp and then hold it there for about twenty seconds each time, which seems to work well for creating volume. Because the machine does the pulling for you, it also takes a bit of muscle work out of the job, which saves the aching arms you often get from performing a regular blow wave.

The finished result

6. After the underneath section is done, I release the top half and repeat the same process, working around the head. It takes about two or three goes to get it down pat, so keep trying. In the end, it might not be as good as a result as I’d get at a hairdresser, but considering the time and money saved, I think it’s pretty good.

And sorry, I should have tidied up the bathroom a bit before having photos taken, but hey, remember what I was saying about being busy? Which is why I love the Vidal Big Hair Styler – it really is a fab time saver. Thank you Judy!

Vidal Sassoon Big Hair Styler

Of course, the Vidal Sassoon website has an actual video which shows you more clearly how to style your hair, but given those commercial productions are so fancy and sometimes hard to believe, I wanted to show you my own happy snaps so you could see a normal person can actually come up with a half decent result at home in their own bathroom.

But if you DO want to check out their video, it’s at http://www.vssassoon.com.au/BigHair/StylerVideo.aspx

Good luck!

War Horse Review

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Newschick

When you hear a stage show has won five Tony awards and two Laurence Olivier awards before you see it, you can’t help but have high expectations. We headed off, very grateful, to be invited to the Australian Premier of Warhorse at the Arts Centre on New Year’s Eve. I tried not to get too excited. After all, I’ve been disappointed by several stage shows recently… (not mentioning any names.)

The Australian production of Warhorse

The show is based on Michael Morpurgo’s book War Horse, and tells the story of a young boy, Albert Narracott, and his horse, Joey. The pair is inseparable and share a special bond. Albert has an uncanny knack with horses – a bit like the horse whisperer of pre-war England. But when the First World War breaks out, Albert’s father sells Joey to the army, much to Albert’s distress. What then follows is a tale of heroism, heartache and suspense, as we follow Albert’s journey as a soldier to the trenches of France, in a brave and truly committed bid to find his beloved horse.

Albert and Joey

It’s a bit like National Velvet meets Gallipoli. So you get the special emotional bond between horse and owner that develops from when both are young, plus the stories of courage and loyalty in the face of terrifying, epic battles.

But what makes Warhorse truly extraordinary is that such a wonderful tale is told through a unique combination of artistic staging and masterful puppetry. It’s hard to believe the exquisite beauty of these man-made equine creatures, brought to life by such ingenious puppeteers.

Three men are required to make each horse move. When I first heard this, I thought it would look clumsy on stage and distract the audience from the story. Not so at all. After just moments, you forget the shadows moving deftly under the horses’ frames. The puppeteers are also responsible for the horses’ noises – neighing and snorting – and their portrayal is so convincing, I swear you will fall in love with these magnificent animals, believing them to be real.

Three puppeteers bring each horse to life

The book’s author, Michael Morpurgo, says he wanted to convey how war looks through the eyes of an animal – to highlight the universal suffering brought about by war. The stage show definitely perpetuates this message, with strong imagery, music and effects. But there’s still a dash of comedy – surprisingly brought about by a single puppet – a goose! I won’t say anymore, but he’s a very funny bird.

Topthorn and Joey

There’s also a deep connection that develops between two of the warhorses – the strongest and most competitive – who are of course, Joey, and the masterful black Topthorn.

It’s been described as a ‘story for everyone’, and on that level, I agree. It obviously resonated deeply with Hollywood film director Stephen Spielberg who saw the show in London, then made it into a film, which was nominated for six Academy awards, two Golden Globes and 5 BAFTAs.

As fate would have it, we ended up seeing a DVD of the movie, Warhorse, the night before the theatrical event. As a person who likes to know the endings of books before they arrive, I was happy to learn the outcome before it a happened. But you might want to wait till after seeing the show. I’m just not good with suspense. I enjoyed comparing the two and found the stage show provided a deeper emotional understanding of the love between Albert and Joey.

The cast of 33 is strong, and while the show is produced by The National Theatre of Great Britain and Global Creatures, it’s predominantly made up of Australian actors. Twelve of them are puppeteers. Sydney-based newcomer Cody Fern takes on the role of Albert, and puts in a fine performance, full of earnest fervour. A strong debut for his first major production.

Actor Nicholas Bell

Others who shine include Ian Bliss, as Albert’s father, Ted Narracott and Natasha Herbert (seen in many an MTC production) as Albert’s mother. UK born actor Nicholas Bell plays Albert’s Uncle Arthur and is a standout. He’s long been a familiar face in Australia, having moved here many years ago and appearing in countless theatrical, film and television productions.

Overall, I’d have to see there’s something quite beguiling and beautifully magical about War Horse. It’s hard to nail exactly what makes it so compelling and I really don’t think I’ve done it justice with my words. You really will just have to go see it for yourself. Even with high expectations, I’m sure you WON’T be disappointed. You’d better hurry and buy tickets though, as the show heads to Sydney on March 16th. Let me know what you think!

Science Validates Sugar Free Challenge – advice alert for cancer survivors

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Newschick

Chocolate – I miss this the most…

Is it just me, or is the whole world turning it’s eyes to the sugar-free movement right now? Even Liz Hurley tweeted only the other day that she was starting up a ZERO SUGAR health kick. I’m hearing it being talked about on radio, TV and even in films.

Of course, I’m more conscious of the cause, because of my New Year’s Resolution to take up the sugar-free ONE LINE RULE diet, but I do believe it’s becoming a trend.

A well-timed mission too, with a new research study just out that validates everything that’s been said in recent blogs about the health risks associated with sugar. In particular, this study, by the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, focuses on cancer survivors and what foods may help or hinder their chances of staying healthy.

Sizzling steak…

Results from the study, that was published last November, show that patients who ate more red meat and sugary products, had an 80% higher risk of a recurrence of cancer. 1011 people with advanced colon cancer were included in the research group.

Of the group, 343 had a recurrence of cancer and 262 died.

The good news is that other cancer survivors can learn from these facts and hopefully, improve their chances of preventing the cancer from returning.

Overall, the study found that the patients who had the highest ‘glycemic load’ and carbohydrate intake, were twice as likely to have their cancer return.

Chocolate brownies

The Study’s author Jeffrey Meyerhardt, MD, a gastrointestinal oncologist, said the patients were observed for six months, with their diet, exercise and weight all taken into account. Those who ate refined grains, red meat and high-sugar content foods were much more likely to have cancer return than those who at more fresh fruit, vegetables, poultry and fish.

He said, ‘We theorize that factors including a high glycemic load may stimulate the body’s production of insulin. That in turn may increase the proliferation of cells and prevent the natural cell-death process in cancer cells that have metastasized (spread) from their original site.’

There is a reminder in the study that changing your diet in NO WAY is a substitute for standard treatment. All these patients were already undergoing chemotherapy and surgery. This information is purely advice for improving survival AFTER treatment.

Doctors are also unable to say whether the findings will apply to other forms of cancer.

If you’d like to read the article if full and learn more about the research results, go to this link: ow.ly/gxCTQ

ONE WEEK ON – Have I Kept My FIVE New Year’s Resolutions?

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Newschick

So it’s ONE WEEK since I bared my soul and told the world my FIVE New Year’s Resolutions. Yes, even the embarrassing admission that I really had to give up playing time-wasting games – like DRAGONVALE of all things – on my I-Phone…. (Can someone else out there please confess so I don’t feel like a total loser!!)

To keep myself accountable, I promised weekly updates – which I’ll do until I feel I’m beyond temptation and have conquered my issues, or that I’ve broken so many of them, I have no choice but to thrown in the towel.

Here’s how the past week went:

RESOLUTION UPDATE
(1) Sugar free challenge (apart from wine) – to stick to the ONE LINE RULE diet.
So far so good. Despite all the temptations at this wonderful holiday location, Lorne, I have not eaten ONE lolly, cake, biscuit or ice-cream. The family haven’t been any help whatsoever – continuing to order muffins and crepes in front of me… so much for support. Just an hour ago, they bought smoothies and I was hit with a huge case of food envy. It was driving me nuts, so I relented and ate two pieces of sugar-free dark chocolate. Which is not great as that just perpetuates the craving for sweet treats. At least it wasn’t REAL chocolate!

I don’t think I’ve necessarily lost weight, but that’s not the real goal. Emma Dumas, the queen of the anti-sugar campaign (see Blog post December 19) insists the weight will come off, but says the health benefits are more important.

I will persist! And yes, I get a tick for keeping to my ONE LINE RULE diet for the first week of the year.

Forbidden Fruit…

(2) Not to play I-Phone Games.

Dragonvale

DAMN! I sort of broke this resolution yesterday… When I say ‘sort of’, I mean I didn’t play a game on my I-phone, but I DID play a game on Fletch’s I-pad!! So definitively, I did keep my resolution, but specifically – in terms of playing electronic games – I broke the rule. What happened is that Fletch had gone out on a VERY early morning photo shoot. When I woke, I noticed his I-Pad was on his bedside table, so I reached for it, to check the weather forecast. Unfortunately, I hadn’t deleted the Dragonvale game from his desktop, (as I had with my I-phone) saw the Icon, and without thinking, opened it and started playing. Naughty, naughty me!! A big bad cross for breaking this resolution. I will now go and delete the game from his I-Pad. Sorry.

(3) To tidy my office before the end of March.
Well of course you know I’m on holidays, so that just isn’t going to happen this week, is it????

(4) To go to the gym at least 3 times a week.
The disclaimer on this resolution, was “except for when on holidays” , so again I can give myself another tick for this one without thinking. Although I have done a decent bush or beach walk every day while here, so I think I’m doing okay in the exercise stakes.

(5) To NEVER smoke another cigarette again.
I really gave up smoking last year, but there were several occasions, maybe half a dozen? – (alcohol was usually involved) where I DID light up. I don’t want to have even ONE hiccup this year. So far so good. A big tick for Resolution Number Five in Week One.

Overall, checking the scorecard – that’s four ticks out of five at the end of week one. And I only played Dragonvale once. I promise. But next week I’m aiming for five out of five. After all, it’s not like I’ve set the bar extraordinarily high… How have you done with your New Year Resolutions this week? Let me know – I’d love to hear your stories.

Why my husband goes missing for hours on end…

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Newschick

Some women might get suspicious. Imagine the scenario. You’re on holidays with your husband and then suddenly he disappears for hours on end – mostly unable to be contacted. This happens again and again. Mostly in the evenings and sometimes you wake in the mornings, and he’s no longer in bed. Vanished again, for God knows how long…

Me though, by now I’m pretty used to it. And there IS a reasonable explanation.

Actor Benji McNair who played Mal Kennedy on Neighbours

Fletch has long held a passion for photography. In fact, some of you may not know it, but well before and during the first few years of working on Neighbours, Fletch also worked as a professional photographer, taking head-shots of other actors.

In fact, when I was writing for newspapers but wanted to break into the world of electronic media, I booked in with Fletch to take a headshot of me. This was before we’d even started dating. Funnily enough, we never did THAT photo shoot as a newspaper photographer I worked with kindly offered to take my headshot for free, so I cancelled my session with Fletch – not knowing that in the future we would end up married.

– Sunrise on the top of Mt Batur, Bali – 1989

Then, after dating for more than a year, we planned our first overseas trip and went to Bali for three weeks. Little did I know that Fletch had decided if we could also travel well together, he’d propose. I think he wanted to test me for patience too. Patience with putting up with his need to pull over the car at any moment to set up his photography gear to take shots. That took FOREVER. Like when we climbed to the top of Mount Batur for a sunrise shot about twenty-three years ago… I didn’t mind that so much. It was the daggy mustard-coloured photography vest he wore that drove me insane. I hated it. Threatened to throw it out several times but he’s still hoarding it. Ewww….

These days, it would take a lot to get me out of bed at FIVE AM. I’d usually say the same for Fletch, but on holidays, he’s as keen as ever to conquer new photography heights.

Here in Lorne, I must admit he’s taken some beauties. This is my favourite so far:

Lorne sunset 2013

Then there’s a sunrise…

Lorne sunrise 2013

And a stunning snap of the Cora Lynn Cascades.

Cora Lynn Cascades

Just for fun, I thought I’d tape a quick interview with Fletch. In all our years together, I’ve never interviewed my own husband. The concept amused me. Here’s how it went:

Jen: So what do you love about photography?
Fletch: I love many things about photography.

Jen: But what keeps your out there for hour after hour? Don’t you get bored?
Fletch: No, because particularly with nature photography, you’re communing with nature and connecting with nature as well. You’re not taking photos the whole time. Often you’re just absorbing the scene and working at how you feel about it.

Jen: But for hours and hour and hours?
Fletch: Yes, it can take hours and hours and hours because sometimes the sun is at the wrong angle and you have to wait for it to change. or someone arrives and puts their body in the scene and you have to wait for them to leave, or you have to experiment with different filters and exposures. And of course you need to wander around and play with your compositions as well.

Jen: And it’s also weather dependent…
Fletch: It’s extremely weather dependent. It requires a lot of patience.

Jen: And as you said people can get in the way, like when we were at Erskine Falls yesterday and you needed the platform to be completely still and tourists kept jumping on it. That must be so irritating. Did you want to hit them?
Fletch: No. Everyone is entitled to go to these beautiful places. The idea is to go to these beautiful places when not so many people are there.

Jen: Are you going to have an exhibition of your works?
Fletch: I’m not planning one.

The photographer at work.

Jen: Well what’s the point in taking so many thousands of photos?
Fletch: Well, you can develop a reputation as a photographer commercially without having exhibitions. And there’s a deeper satisfaction. It’s like fishing. Some people fish just for the thrill of the catch and then thrown the fish back while others make a living out of it. I’m more like the fisherman who throws the fish back. I do it for the love of it.

Jen: Do you think you might one day be better known as a photographer than an actor?
Fletch: Yes, that’s possible because people have very short memories. As an actor I’ll probably fade away quite quickly.

Jen: Rubbish. Dr Karl will never be forgotten.
Fletch: Perhaps. (laughs)

Jen: Where’s the reward with the photography then? Is it when you get that zinger shot?
Fletch: Of course.It’s exactly the same as for a writer.

Jen: So self-satisfaction is all you need?
Fletch: There’s all sorts of satisfaction. There’s commercial satisfaction when someone buys what you’ve written, but there’s also the pure joy of creating something yourself. Like for an artist – a pure piece of pottery or jewellery. For me, it’s a photograph that is purely my interpretation of a moment in time that contains your heart and soul.

Jen: Maybe you could ask the story-liners to write photography into the Neighbours scripts – that Dr Karl becomes a photographer and then you could show off your real photos on Neighbours and also become well known as a photographer?
Fletch: That sounds a little manipulative to me. I’m already doing music on Neighbours.

Jen: Yeah, you’re right. Maybe I should take up photography too, so we could see more of each other?
Fletch: That would be a good idea. Photography and golf.
Jen: That might be a bit much.

Well let’s see if I have any natural talent. Here’s two shots of the same scene – one by Fletch and one by me. Guess who took which shot?

Erskine Falls (2)

Erskine Falls (1)

Yep, I bet you picked it. Fletch’s shot is the winner on the right. Guess I’ll stick to writing. And ask him sweetly when I need new photos for the Blog.

Going ‘sugar free’ is tougher than it sounds…

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Newschick

As you know, this New Year challenge means my diet isn’t COMPLETELY sugar free – it’s just a phrase I use because I’m practically sugar-free and if I had to explain the ONE LINE RULE diet every time, this Blog would become very boring.

In fact, I AM getting a little bored with being sugar free. It’s tougher than I thought – especially being on holidays. I even asked the ice-cream parlour lady yesterday if they sold a sugar free variety (they do at Chadstone Shopping Centre) because I was desperate to satisfy my craving – but alas, no luck…

My next best option was to find sweet treats that meet the ‘less than 5% sugar’ criteria. I’m not saying it’s a great idea to devour these by the bucketload, but these are good stand-by emergency treats if you can’t hold out any longer…

Here’s my favourites:

Anti Ox Chocolate – Goji flavour

1. Ant Ox Chocolate – Goji
Sweeted with Stevia, this chocolate contains only 4.6% sugar. The Goji berries increase the sugar content compared with plain chocolate, but I think make it more satisfyingly sweet.

Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Bar

2. Single Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Bar – 0.2% sugar
Not as good as the ‘real deal’ but a good substitute.

Slim Fruits – Peach Melba flavour

3. Slim Fruits – 0.2% sugar
These are a good substitute for jubes. And a tip – the Peach Melba flavour is far preferable to Watermelon.

BSC Lo Carb Bites

4. BSC Lo Carb Bites
Strawberry and Cream – 5.8% sugar. These are slightly above 5% sugar so I wouldn’t recommend eating more than one a day!
Swisse Chocolate flavour – spot on 5% sugar. Again, only eat one at a time. I prefer these as well to the Strawberry and Cream.

Extra sugar free chewing gum

5. The ever reliable sugar free gum!
At ZERO % sugar, this truly is the best sugar free alternative.

At least dining out isn’t proving too difficult. At Frangos and Frangos restaurant last night in Lorne, I kept to the sugar free challenge by ordering a steak and salad, with a roasted beetroot side dish. But yes, I did also knock back more than a couple of chardys…. As I said previously, I’m going to deal with that alcohol rule back in Melbourne.

Half the gang…

…and the other half, at Frangos and Frangos

An excellent evening – both service and food at Frangos and Frangos get a big gold star from me. Not to mention the company, which was first rate. If you’re making a trip down Victoria’s surf coast, be sure to make a booking on 03 5289 1896. The address is 150 Mountjoy Parade, Lorne.

OH NO – A Hiccup in the Sugar-Free Mission….

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Newschick

Apologies folks, It’s only Day Four of my ONE LINE RULE challenge, and already I’ve broken one of my own guidelines. I haven’t strayed from the ONE LINE RULE when it comes to food – just drinking… But I have a fabulous justification. Really, I do!

I blame my girlfriends. Because of them and their persuasive ways yesterday, I’m not going to be able to meet my three alcohol-free-days quota this week.

It started out as a simple beach outing. There we were – sitting on the sand, happily enjoying each other’s company and keeping an eye on the kids splashing in the surf. We chatted about the perfect weather (unlike today’s stinker which has forced most on us indoors) and how wonderful it was that all four of us could be in the same holiday spot at the same time.

Lorne beach yesterday

But after that, the wine came out. Now, of course I could have said ‘NO’. And I did. Well, for the first half hour at least… But then the questions began. ‘Oh come on, Jen, you’re on HOLIDAYS! Can’t you have ONE drink?’ ‘You’re being too hard on yourself, aren’t you?’ ‘Isn’t it more important to have a great time with your friends than sit there and be a wowser?’ It didn’t take long to twist my arm… Because, quite frankly, I can’t imagine another time when all four of us will be in such a magical spot at the same time and it’s not so much that I needed the wine, but didn’t want to spoilt the moment by that even being an issue. As one of the girls said, it’s always best to bend the rules on holidays, have fun and get back on track when you’re home.

Lorne Ice-creamery

So here’s the revised game plan while in Lorne. To stick to the ONE LINE RULE and continue with the sugar-free diet – which means not eating anything with more than 5% sugar content. No lollies, cakes, ice-cream, pancakes, biscuits etc… and worry about that drinking rule when I’m back in Melbourne. Oh and dinner last night was grilled fish and a handful of potato chips. That’s all.

Some people have raised the question – why try the ONE LINE RULE diet and profess to be sugar free if you’re still drinking wine? For me, after giving up smoking last year, I know that facing TOO much deprivation will only lead to failure. This is a good start. I know that if I raise the bar TOO high, I’ll crash and feel defeated. One step at a time.

I paid my penance this morning though, stepping out early with Fletch for an hour’s bush walking before breakfast. A quick cafe latte on the way home, then here’s how today’s ONE LINE RULE diet worked:

Strawberry Jam

Breakfast: One poached egg on toast with butter. I was craving my usual strawberry jam on toast but guess what? That’s SIXTY-FIVE PER CENT sugar!

Snack: I small tub Yoplait Classic Cheesecake flavoured yoghhurt – 4.6% sugar

It’s a tuna wrap… with a BEYOND Coconut Water

Lunch: I impressed myself by making a wholemeal tuna wrap with a spoonful of hommous, tabouli, and chopped tomato.

Wholemeal Wattle Valley wrap – 1.8% sugar; Black Swan Skinny Hommus – 1.2% sugar: Sirena basil infused tuna – 0% sugar and Beyond Coconut Water – 3.6% sugar. The coconut water is a great alternative to soft drink and has wonderful rehydrating properties for a scorching hot day like today!

Cruskit and light cream cheese

Snack: A Cruskit smeared with smoked salmon.

Arnott’s Original Cruskit – 3.6% sugar; Philadelphia light cream cheese, smoked salmon flavour – 4.6% sugar.

The dinner report, as per usual, will be filed tomorrow. In this heat, all I want is a fresh green salad… Oh, and maybe one glass of chardonnay?

A good tip for alcohol-free days and staying sugar-free while on holiday

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Newschick

Ah, the pros and cons of trying a different dietary lifestyle while on holiday… On the plus side, you’re not at home being taunted by a pantry and fridge full of temptation. On the downside, holiday destinations are jam-packed with luring treats. We’re on Victoria’s surf coast, staying at the township of Lorne – an idyllic spot nestled among mountainous hinterland encompassing Erskine Falls and the Great Ocean Road, about two hours out of Melbourne.

Lorne beach today

Like most holiday spots, Lorne is also over-flowing with enticements, begging me to abandon this crazy, sugar-free mission. There’s al fresco dining along the main shopping strip, quirky cafes, humming beach kiosks and even the pumping local pub screaming at me to sample their wares. And let’s not even TALK about the ice-cream parlours.

Afternoon tea in Sydney last year

That was always a regular family treat on a hot day – an afternoon cone with two gourmet scoops. Or what about a splash-out afternoon tea where we all get a different piece of cake smothered in whipped cream and share? Not this week, sunshine.

Although last night I relented when Tom pleaded for a tub of Ben and Jerry’s chocolate ice-cream so he could feast away while we watched a DVD at home. Of course, on my sugar-free challenge, I went without.

Drinking alcohol has also definitely been a regular part of enjoying our holiday experience. It’s an indulgence – part of relaxing and having fun with friends. With no work to prepare for the next day, why not have fun? But my sugar-free goal is to have at least three alcohol-free days a week. Last night was one. Here’s my tip to make those nights when you feel like a drink, a tad more bearable while still remaining sugar-free.

Licorice Legs Tea from T2

The idea is to think of SPECIAL TEA as a specialty drink!!! (sorry, corny…) Okay, it might take a bit of self-convincing but it can be done. First of all, you buy the tea from one of those trendy tea shops where everything is packaged beautifully and comes in pretty boxes with fancy names. The best sugar substitute tea is LIQUORICE TEA. Some say it also works as an appetite suppressant. I love it because it tastes sweet and fulfils my sugar craving without making a sinner of me.

Another tip – it’s best to make a pot so you can refill your mug several times while watching something on the tele. That will fill you up too!

Today was Day Three of the ONE LINE RULE diet and here’s how it’s gone so far:

Breakfast – like yesterday, The Muesli, with 1/2 cup of Pura Lite Start Millk (5% sugar) and two dollops of Gippsland Dairy natural organic yoghurt and a dozen blueberries. I piece of toast with Vegemite. (which was probably a bit much but I was starving!)

Snack – Handful of raw pistachio nuts. Another handful of blueberries to complete my fruit quota for the day.

Lunch – Half a Mediterranean roasted vegetable Baguette. I checked the sugar content of roasted Mediterranean vegetables on the web and generally they’re about 4.6% sugar so I think I’m in the clear there. And the baguette is 1.6% sugar, so all good.

Snack – 1 Cafe Latte with Equal sweetener.

Dinner is yet to come. I’m thinking it will be another alcohol free day as they’re usually easier early on in the week, but we will see… I’ll report in tomorrow.

Sugar-free food update – a surprise revelation!

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Newschick

DAY TWO of the sugar-free ONE LINE RULE diet, and I’m doing okay. Just to recap, if you’re not up to speed with this challenge – the idea is to only eat food that contains less than 5 % sugar. So it means checking the nutrition labels on all food packaging and only eating that which meets the criteria. Once you start checking the labels on processed foods, you’ll be amazed at how much sugar is out there!

Here’s how today panned out, including one very surprising revelation!

Uncle Toby’s Antioxidant cereal

Breakfast: The Muesli (97% sugar free) with half a cup of skim milk, two dollops of Gippsland Organic Natural Yoghurt and a dozen fresh raspberries. I’m allowed one serving of fresh fruit per day, so my raspberry intake was equivalent to half a piece of fruit.

Sadly, I can no longer enjoy my favoured Uncle Toby’s Anti-Oxidant cereal as it’s packed with TWENTY-TWO per cent sugar!!!

Morning Snack – Handful of raw pistachio nuts

Drive down to Lorne – I did well, drinking only water and keeping the mouth busy with sugar-free gum. We stopped along the way for Tom to buy a home-made bakery meat pie. I resisted, but the mouth-watering aroma in the car as we continued along our way had me breaking out in a cold sweat. Now I might have been able to eat that meat pie, but the bakery staff couldn’t assure me of the sugar content, so sorry, that means the pie gets a big fat cross. Who knows what sugar content was in the pastry or the sauce? Unlikely to be more than five per cent, but you never know…

Sambel Olek

I waited till we unpacked and then had a can of tuna – and you must buy SIrena – so much nicer than other brands (I usually opt for the basil infused flavour) – and a couple of Cruskits.(3.4% sugar) In the past, I’ve also added a dollop of my favourite Sweet Chilli sauce, but after discovering it’s full of more than FORTY PER CENT sugar, I’ve had to find an alternative. And here it is! Sambel Olek is fantastic for those of us who love a bit of spice in our food – a great chilli flavour and ZERO sugar content – YIPPEE!!!

Afternoon tea – half a cup of blueberries

Dinner – Now we’re on holidays in Lorne, it’s going to be tricky to stick to the three alcohol-free days a week rule, but I’m going to give it a shot. Tom and I had dinner at Kosta’s Greek restaurant in Lorne tonight and the food was sensational. My grilled barramundi was top class and Tom’s lamb souvlaki was superb. Guess what I drank? WATER!!! Yes, water – can you believe that? Damn, a chardonnay would have been great with the fish, but I did it…

Kostas Restaurant – Lorne

My surprise revelation today came from two readers who commented on yesterday’s blog (thank you ladies!) who reminded me to check the sugar content of the milk I use.

MILK? Are you kidding?

Seriously, I must be dumb but I’d never even considered milk having ANY sugar content – but yep, you check out your brand. Some low-fat varieties are actually MORE THAN five per cent sugar!! Thankfully our brand is spot on five per cent, so I could breathe a sigh of relief, but it’s definitely a fact worth taking on board for those of you who are also keen to stick to the ONE LINE RULE.

Milk – who’d have thought ???

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