What I eat in a day

Hi Guys,

So most of you have had a baby know that it is hard to fit in exercise with a newborn on top of EVERYTHING else that we do in a day.  However in order to get in the right frame of mind to be able get healthy we need to start in our kitchen.  Now I have never been a skinny girl, but I maintain that I have been healthy throughout my pregnancy and life, whilst carrying a little extra weight.  I have now found a great daily eating routine, that gives me enough energy during the day to keep up with my chores, produce enough milk to breastfeed Amalia whilst keeping to around 1200 calories per day.

Breakfast:

At the moment while I am on maternity leave I am having breakfast around 7:30 after I fed Amalia.

She sits in her highchair whilst watching Youtube Kids shows.

Porridge:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 lactose free milk
1/2 water
and I pop it in the microwave for 90seconds

Then I sprinkle cinnamon and some honey and also chop up some strawberries and banana to go on top.  I also make sure I have a nice cold bottle of water that I try and drink before I finish my breakfast.  And last but not least I have a coffee. My husband knows that if I don't have this for breakfast he has no hope in me being productive that day.

Morning Tea:

I am one of those people that if I don't eat regularly, I become HANGRY (hungry+angry) not a good combo.  To make sure that I am not grabbing something unhealthy, I make sure that I have a muesli fruit bar with me, ones that don't have any added sugar or even a snack pack of almonds.  Just something so that I am not indulging in that fresh piece of chocolate cake.


Lunch:

Sometimes if I am out I grab a Brown Rice Sushi Roll or a Salad, but most of the time I try to eat at home, because 1. It saves us money and 2. I know whats going in the food that I am eating.

Today I have made a salad, a go to for me, it's quick and healthy,  Sometimes I cook up some Quinoa or Cous Cous to go in it or add some nuts as they have added protein. Today however I had some roast chicken left over so I added that in for the added protein to keep me fuller for longer. Usually though I add a tin of Tuna.  Quick easy and cheap!  The dressing is just a pinch of salt a table spoon of olive oil and some balsamic vinegar.

I always make sure I have a big bottle of water around to make sure that I drink it all day.  I have two of these litre bottles that are in the fridge.  I have one for my morning after breakfast and one for the afternoon. I also have one that fits in my car and pram if I am out and about, because I hate buying water.


Afternoon tea:

This is usually when my chocolate craving hits me and yes I used to indulge too much however I have found a better alternative.  I'm not going to say healthier because it still has calories however not as much.  It's a hot chocolate pod from Aldi, made with my lactose free milk and two mashmallows.  Yummy and warm for these cold winter days that we are having here at the moment.  I may also have an Apple or mandarine as well depending on how I am feeling.


Dinner:

This goes back to my Savvy Mummy Post depends on what I am having for that day.  I do try to limit my carbs at night so that I am not going to bed on a heavy stomach.  I do have 3/4 of a plate of vegies, whether that be potato and pumpkin with peas or salad.  I make sure also that we have lean protein and on Friday nights we have a nice piece of fish.

Dessert.

Sometimes, like on date night we will have an ice cream, or some cake however usually it's some dark chocolate to curb those sweet cravings.  I buy the little packets of individual blocks from Aldi, so that you feel like you have eaten a whole block but you really haven't.  Mind of matter people.

And just to wind down for bed, I have a cup of herbal tea.  I am loving the French Earl Grey Tea at the moment from T2.

If you guys have any questions, or want me to talk about anything in particular, please leave a comment and let me know.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic day and  stay positive people.

xoxo Marissa

The Savvy Mummy!

Hi guys,

So I am wanting to start a new series called the Savvy Mummy.  This post today will be about groceries and new recipes and how I organise our meals for the week.

1. Sit down with your family and talk about what they like and dislike.
For this my husband and I do this on date night.  Before we get "into" the evening.  I take out my table and recipe books and see what he feels like, because there is nothing more frustrating for me to have bits and pieces in the fridge and it's 5:30pm on a Thursday night and have no idea what to cook. So to help I make sure I have a meal plan.  I count out how many meals we will need for the week, taking into account both family dinners and any nights out we may have.  Then I make a list of all the ingredients, taking out what I already have in the house from the week before.  I then add some basics for our lunches and breakfast and I am good to go.

2. Go to fresh produce markets.
Yes, I know the last thing you want to do on a Sunday morning is to get out of your nice comfy warm bed and get dressed and go to the markets but trust me it is worth it.  The fresh vegies and fruit taste so amazing to the stuff you buy the grocery stores.  I spend on average about $30 for the week on fresh produce and that lasts us for the week with some stuff left over.  Now, my husband hates his vegies, but I make sure that there is at least half a plate with every dinner and I eat a salad almost everyday for lunch, so we actually get a lot out of this.

3. Shop wisely.
While doing lists, make sure you also take into account what is in season at the moment because buying a Cauliflower just because it is in a recipe for $6 does not fly with me. Become creative. I had cauliflower on my list to make mash however it was WAY to expensive so instead I made Potato and Pea mash. Still healthy and cost about $2. WIN!!

I know this stuff is common sense but hopefully someone out there will find it useful.  You don't need to have anything fancy.  See my list for this week below.
 




Hope this was helpful and if you have anything that you would like me to write about please leave a comment below.

Have a great day and stay Positive.

xoxox Marissa

Quick and easy make up for mums in 5 easy steps

Hi there,

Let's be honest, we would all love to get up every morning and look glamorous like before we were mums, but more than likely we have been up three times in the night for either feeds, nappy changes or just cuddles, but I have found a little routine, that is quick, easy and makes everyone think you are sleeping 8 hours every night!!!!

1. The key for me is having a great base too work with and that comes From your skin are routine, which I will be posting soon.

2. Know what foundation works for you. Whether, it's full coverage a BB cream or a little foundation, know what your skin wants.  I am combination skin, oil T zone, but dry in other places. I have always used MAC Studio Fix Foundation it looks great on my skin and they have the range of shades that I need as I am darker than most of the foundation you can get at Priceline. I am also trialing the Estée Lauder double wear foundation. It definitely lasts all day but is quite dry on the skin. Not sure if I like it yet, but will keep you posted.

3. Conceal don't feel, don't let it show. No, I am not just quoting Frozen, but a quick bit of concealer around the eyes to hide those circles is the key. I have used for a while now the Maybelline Fitme concealer in medium.  It is a shade lighter just to help brighten up underneath the eye area.  Then after that I use MAC Mineralize skin finish to set everything in place.

4. Eyebrows. Quick and easy to fill in and shape. The easiest step and can transform your whole face I seconds!!!!!MAC Eyebrow Pencil works great.

5. Blush and mascara. Blush to add some colour in your cheeks and looks like you have out more effort in then you actually have. The Clinique Pop Blushes are amazing, a little bit  And mascara to add definition to your eyes. There are more steps hat you can do to your eyes but let's be real, you have to be there in 15 minutes and your baby just tarts crying.  A quick spritz of a finishing spray, I use MAC Fixplus and your good to run out the door.

A quick and easy look that makes your look put together in 5 steps, and that with a little bit of practice you can nail in 5 minutes. 

Next thing to master is the messy bun do, that looks oh so chic in 5 easy steps, put on some cute studs and your favourite necklace and you are good to go.

 Altogether, the whole routine, hair, makeup and jewelry takes me about 10 minutes. It's ok to take this time out in the morning to make yourself presentable, as it raises your confidence and self worth. Please don't think that I am saying you have to look "pretty" to a be amazing trust me I walk out the door with no make up on and not brushing my hair at least twice a week but I know I feel better about myself after putting a little effort in. If your kids are crying, just let them, you know they are safe and fed and clean so 10 minutes won't hurt.

If you have any tips or tricks that you would like to share that help you get ready in a hurry please leave a comment, I am always looking for new things! 

Hope your having a great day xox 

My Labour Story...

Hi Guys,

So when I initially started this blog, I had just met my husband but then boyfriend and I wasn't sure where that relationship was going. I wanted to talk about makeup and decor because that's what I was interested in. However, I am now married, a housewife with a one month old, so needless to say the theme of this blog has changed. I hope some one out there will find it interesting.

And just as I start the juicy stuff she is crying...

So my husband and I were married in 2014 and I went off the pill as I had been on it since I was 16 (for medical reasons). The plan was to start trying in Europe, where we went on our honeymoon, which was booked for the end of 2015, however in June 2015 we found out that we were expecting our first child.

So we traveled to Europe 5 months pregnant...

The pregnancy was amazing, apart from a bit of morning sickness it was great and I was truly lucky that I didn't have any complications.

So... On the 18th of March, I went to bed and felt a bit funny, but thought nothing of it as being nine months pregnant is uncomfortable. On the 19th I woke up at 1am and went to pee (pregnant ladies do this a lot!!! ) and there was some bleeding. I decided to wake up my husband, and go to the hospital. 

I was having contractions about 20 minutes apart when we got to the hospital. When I was having the contractions though her heartbeat would drop. The doctors were concerned so they decided to break my waters and induce me. I never ever thought that I would have so many hands in my vagina at once.

So I was induced and was in labour for 14 hours before I had the epidural, which only ended up on working on my left side.  At about 7:00 I had these pains, and my body started pushing by itself, but I was only 6cm dilated and was devastated. 

But at 8pm I was ready to go!!!!!! My words were "Thank f@*k".

And at 8:49pm our little Amalia Rose was born.

My first words were that she was "ugly" and I thought to myself is that it.  For some reason I thought that once she was here I would feel totally different within myself.  But I felt more like myself than I had in months just with more love to share with this creature that I had created.  I was excited to get to know her and her personality and see how I would cope with this new venture in my life.

So many mixed thoughts and emotions in those first few minutes with your new baby and your partner.  Can I do this? Do I want to do this? What is going to happen? and now I know the answer is that you have no idea the answer to any of these questions, but just take one day at a time and you will be fine.

More on my first month with my baby to come.

Leave your labour stories and experiences down below so that we can compare stories.

Xoxo