Sayonara Sugar...

Via

If you have been hanging about this blog of late you would know that I recently gave sugar the flick. I purchased Sarah Wilsons IQS 8 week program at the start of the year after considering the prospect of sugar quitting for months. After purchasing I decided to put it off until after my honeymoon in May as there were far to many social happenings in the months leading to this date in which sugar intake management would have prove far to difficult.

In New Zealand I indulged in fresh fruits and desserts. Coming home I was eager to bid adieu to the sweet stuff. Keep in mind as I talk about sugar I'm referring to Fructose. After constant research, it was quickly brought to my attention that I was possibly falling victim to an array of sugar induced side effects. I was racy, moody, bloaty, cranky, restless. Always craving my next sweet treat.

Of course I never pinpointed sugar as the main aggressor, nope! Not until the facts were screaming in my face.

Watch this video to make sense of the whole sugar as poison deal.

I naturally assumed I ate very little sugar as a whole for I don't drink soft drink, snack on lollies or derive sweet satisfaction out of biscuits. Junk food doesn't appeal to me. The truth is I never took into account all the so called healthy sugars I was consuming on a far to frequent basis. As in 2-3 serves of fruit per day, dried fruits, honey, maple syrup oh and let's not forget my beloved dark chocolate.

Bottom line I was eating packets of the stuff.

My approach to quitting sugar has an investigation into myself. Did I need to quit sugar? Not sure. Do I have anything to lose by quitting sugar? Hell no! Surprisingly so quitting sugar has been relatively easy. Weeks 1,2,3 breezed by opting for full quittage from day dot. Weeks 4 & 5 were tougher, especially week 5.

My skin broke out, headaches were prominent. Tink = Cranky mess, losing her cool quickly. Turns out sufficient shut eye as-well as upping the therapeutic fat intake would have worked wonders for me at this stage. Light exercise, music and a weekend of total rest soothed me back to my true self. Also it's important to remind yourself that nasty side effects as such are positive sign. The bad stuff is coming out, slowly but surely.

Cravings hit me hard last week too. I wouldn't go as far to say I'm actually craving the sugar, more so I'm craving the experience. The social bonding over sugar, the fitting in part, the "croissant" at the coffee and croissant date. My hubby put me to the test last Sunday I got through it by ordering gluten free toast with smashings of fresh butter. Craving curbed instantly.

I'm now sitting pretty in week six. This is the week to play around with sweetness of the non sugar kind. Vanilla, cinnamon, stevia, rice malt syrup. I'm thinking sugar free buckwheat cupcakes for a weekend treat. This week is fun, more me. I don't want to give up the treating or the afternoon tea parties. I just want to make them healthy.

A helping hand along the way:

♥Get enough sleep. Uber importance here!!

♥The more you move your body the better you will feel

♥I started drinking Apple cider vinegar water before meals to aid the detoxification process

♥Coconut cream & cacao are your best friend
♥I drink coffee on weekends to fill the void

♥Equip yourself with all the research you can get your mittens on. A nice reminder as to why you started this in the first place. David Gillespie books Sweet Poison & Sweet Poison Quit Plan are my armed resources.

Since Quitting I've noticed:

♥Vegetables, milk & yoghurt tastes all the more sweeter
♥I don't crave fruit at all
♥I'm calmer. I've stopped riding the emotional roller coaster of highs & lows
♥My thoughts are clearer, concise
♥I'm snacking less

Have you or are you considering quitting sugar? How do you feel? What's working for you?

Sunshine & Sweetness
Tink xxx

This Vegetarian Ate Chicken...

Via

Boy do I have a shocking tale to tell.. I’ve been deliberating over this post for a few weeks now. To post or not to post? Should I put a clever spin on it? No joke I sat with myself for an hour wondering how best I could throw this piece of information to the world. Then I thought, “ahh stuff it” this is my story, my way. I thought it and here I go saying it. The other day I felt like chicken, so I ate it. 

Nope that was not a typo; you can pick your jaw up off the floor. Yes this former vegan gone vegetarian had herself some pasture fed organic free range chicken. I never ever saw myself reverting back to an omnivorous diet. I just assumed eating meat would tear me apart, turns out that’s not the case. This wasn’t planned. Six months ago I was sitting towers high on my high horse. Tegan the vegan, vegan tofu eater. Even when my wellbeing was dire, I was stuck on making the vegan thing work totally oblivious to my failing health.

Over the past six months my body & I stopped fighting. We threw down our boxing gloves and shared a heart to heart. In turn our understanding of one another got better. I listen to my body therefore I respect its wishes. There were a handful of definitive reasons leading up to my decision to incorporate chicken into my diet, upping my lean protein intake for fertility for instance. Truth be told the deal breaker was far simpler. 

“I was no longer repulsed by the sight & smell of meat, it actually made me hungry” Soon I recognised myself craving a fullness I hadn’t experienced in a long time.

I made slow cooked traditional Chinese congee. It warmed my insides and tasted delicious. I anticipated guilt, it never came. Precisely at that moment I knew I had made the right decision for me on a personal level, a comforting pat on the back letting me know all was good.

Of course as with everything dietary I’ve built my own little philosophy around my chicken consumption. I only eat pasture fed, free range Organic chicken. We buy a whole chook and ration it out. We eat the whole thing, drumstick, wings, breast, skin. I believe if you’re going to eat an animal, you best not be wasteful. Food wastage is a pet hate of mine & I’m not a fan of the I only eat the breast picky type of attitude. We freeze our chicken in small portions. All in all we would eat chicken 3-4 times per week max (this is great if your on a budget). Lastly I don’t eat a serving size larger than the palm of my hand.

I’ve adapted to this way of eating over the past 3 weeks in this time I’ve noticed significant changes...

♥I'm eating less overall

♥I'm less inclined to snack. My metabolism is regulating as I’m eating three solid meals per day.

♥I'm less tired, more energetic.

♥My pulse is the strongest it’s been in six months!

♥I'm eating more veggies, less grains.

To sum it all up: The addition of healthy lean protein is benefiting my health. Obviously it’s not for everyone but it’s definitely a step in the right direction for me.

Note on protein: I am aware of the vegetarian protein sources out there however my gut rejects the majority of them. Beans, lentils, pulses ensue a stomach that descends into never never land & chronic pain that can last for days. Soy is detrimental to your fertility & I wish to consume limited amounts of dairy products.

I'm sharing this story because I don’t feel guilty about my decision. I can no longer think it is wrong to eat animals. Please don’t take this as if I no longer care for animals, I do. I’m completely opposed to animal cruelty, testing, factory farms, the whole caper. The fact of the matter is my health comes first. I know some of you follow Tink Simplicity for my vegetarian recipes & lifestyle choices, trust me this will still be an important part of Tink Simplicity’s makeup but if for one reason or another you decide Tink Simplicity no longer serves you I get it, no hard feelings. Fingers crossed we can still be friends.

Sunshine & Sweetness

Tinkxxx

This Week I Fell Flat On My Face...

Via

I have had one of those weeks, you would know the type I'm referring to. 

The stressful "every moment is a challenge" kind. 

I overworked, overcommitted & under slept (a recipe for disaster). At the start of the week I assumed the role of superwoman powering through jobs like a pro, alas I came unhinged. Needless to say I crashed and I burned. Add sugar detoxing and rapidly changing hormones to my mixed bag of woes & you've got yourself one impatient, irritable, fired up lady! 

The problem with crashing & burning is the negative cycle that ensues. Over commitment causes frenetic behaviour, frenetic behaviour leads to sleep deprivation, sleep deprivation inhibits brain functionality- when you're tired you don't think rationally, you fail to slow down because your brain's not interpreting your bodies signals properly, you don't receive your wake up call. 

By the time the cycle eases the guilt has already reared it's ugly head. Did I really say that? What was I thinking? I hope he will forgive me for snapping so quickly! Heaviness sets in, it tastes bitter and it hurts...

How do I get myself out of this pickle?

♥Stop, take stock. You really don't have to be everything all at once.

♥Lighten up love. Don't take yourself so seriously

♥Throw away your "to do lists" & have a loved one hide your diary until you are back to your true self again. Give yourself some credit, do you really think you'll forget to call your bestie?

♥Take a nap or maybe three. Sleep my pretty & wake with a clearer head-space.

♥Get over yourself sweetheart. Your priorities are of no more importance to another than what theirs are to you. Cut them & yourself some slack.

♥Pat a dog. Honestly they think you're the bomb, they also have a knack for taking each moment as it comes. Refreshingly true:)

♥Lay on the floor, raise your arms & legs and shake out your frustrations. I learnt this fabulous trick at Kundalini yoga.

♥Make a pot of tea an take it outside. Watch the sunset, feel the temperature change, embrace the suns warmth upon your skin. Remember you're only human after all.

♥Music, Music, Music! The language of music is universal. In some form or another music has the ability to make light of any situation, to motivate you, to get your heart thumping. Live Lady Gaga did the trick for me- inspiring, empowering, entertaining.

♥ Paint your nails a soothing colour like purple or blue. The pop of colour is pretty & mind nourishing.

♥Detox from technology. Real life exists beyond the computer screen & it's craving your undivided attention.

♥And after all is said & done laugh ridiculously loud at yourself. Because laughter is the tastiest medicine.

Note: I'm taking my own advice. Switching off to switch back on. I'm going to turn off my phone, shut off the computer & reconnect with my hubby. I'll be responding to emails & such on Monday. Have a lovely challenge free weekend.

Sunshine & Sweetness

Tinkxxx

Loving Earth Giveaway Winners....

Via

Happy Friday lovelies!

I sit here snacking on my coco-nutty Granola excited for my day ahead. Starting the day grateful/happy is always so blissful. I've got a stack of wonderful things going on today so I'll keep this short & sweet.

The winners of the Super Loving Earth Giveaway are:

Ashlyn

Bethany (via facebook)

Vanessa

Yay for you lucky souls! I'll be contacting you via email shortly! Go celebrate. Your Amazing! Thanks to everyone who entered. I wish I could give send all of you a cup full of goodness.

Sunshine & Sweetness

Tinkxxx

Work It Out...

Source

This year has been highly productive for me both physically & mentally. Slowly, steadily I've been piecing my body puzzle. Caring for your whole-self can be tough stuff (especially on the time front). Some days difficulties do present themselves, it can be hard but it's undoubtedly worthwhile. 

Personally it's been about letting go of negative habits that have over my 22 years of life deeply engrained themselves within me and replacing them with positive/beneficial lifestyle choices. In just 6 months I've undergone massive changes, and I smugly say "I'm reaping the benefits"! 

Here's a few:

- I've lessened my workload

- I treat myself kindly, practice forgiveness. I'm gentle with me now

- Treating myself to regular acupuncture

-I've learnt how to No comfortably & let go when I need to

- I'm committing less & relaxing more

- Meditating more frequently,creating my own special solitude practices

- I read fiction again... this is truly wonderful!

- I'm breathing deeper & focusing on the present tense

- I've started listening to my body, following it's cues and eating accordingly. This has meant: cutting down on grains, legumes & wheat products. Adding eggs & full fat dairy into my diet & more recently quitting sugar

I'm reaching that pivotal point in which loose ends are tieing and I can feel myself transitioning into a healthier happier person. There is unfortunately one key component missing, hence the point of this post. After food, regular exercise is totally essential for super wellbeing and this right here "EXERCISE" is where I'm lacking. In complete honetsy my exercise regime has been lack lustre for the past 12 months. A walk here, some yoga there, a bike ride or two... nothing routine, no regularity. It's taken its toll on my both my thighs and my frame of mind.

What happened? What's my excuse? I'm actually not an exuses fan. I will however say this, I've let everything else come first. I've been busy (not an excuse) just saying is all. Spending more time within, re-calibrating, gaining a better understanding of my insides.It's taken priority over physical fitness and now my balance is off kilter. The funny thing is I don't dislike exercise, in fact I love getting sweaty, cycling & building muscle. I've just taken preference to curling up with a book & a herbal tea instead.

It puzzled me at first, how am I going to get back into the swing of the things? All of sudden (quite literally) this great idea sprung upon me. If I set a challenge then turn said challenge into a regular feature on Tink Simplicity the motivational juices will flow.

In sharing I'm held accountable to "be my message".

This is what I'm doing:

 -Hitting the gym with my hubby. Weights, classes, cardio

- Committing to regular yoga class. A minimum of two classes per week

- Walking my pooch Lolly daily

This is what I'm achieving:

- A sexy toned body

- Boundless Energy, vitality & strength

- Increased levels of fitness (Bali trekking here I come)

- Regulated hormones & a balanced mood

- Relaxation, beautiful sleep & dreams

- A healthy body, mind & spirit

- Insatiable self confidence

Today is day one. I'm working it out in my own way. Right here I invest in myself for the long haul. Want to join me & get your body moving? Have any great fitness tips to share? How do you balance your time?

Sunshine & Sweetness

Tink xxx

Want to Guest Post Here?

Since day one Tink Simplicity has always been a personal journey of self discovery for me. A small slice of myself on a platter, my ongoing journal of thoughts. Blogging this way has been lovely however it no longer serves me. I’m approaching yet another intersection. Veering right will have me continue to travel down this same familiar straight road but, if I am to turn left I’ll be steering Tink Simplicity in a different direction...

My inner voice is clear & concise she isn’t deliberating nope, she’s vying left. In taking a leftie Tink Simplicity will be focusing on holistic living (health, happiness, spirituality, sustainability) in more of a guidebook kind of way. I'm talking recipes, tips, how to’s & action inspiring posts. A little less “I did this over the weekend” a little more “ I'm healing with this practice”. 

The doors to Tink simplicity are opening up. I'm receptive to excitingly new opportunities. With this openness comes a proposition. Would you be interested in guest posting on Tink Simplicity? I’d love to vacate a chunk of space for your beautiful words.

Topics I'm interested in:

♥Self love

♥Living Simply- food, style, fitness, beauty etc

♥Sustainability

♥Natural/ Holistic health therapies

♥Natural Fertility

Email your thoughts to me tinksimplicity@hotmail.com. I’m so thrilled to share my space & connect with you. Happy writing!

Sunshine & Sweetness

Tink xxx

Sugar Free Chocolate Nut Treaties...

Flick through my baby photography albums and its plain to see I was born with a serious sweet tooth. Page after page you see a miniature me covered from chin to chest in rice bubbles & chocolate coated biscuits. The sugary stuff has had me wrapped around its delicious fingers my whole life.

I could easily devour a stack of pancakes coated in lemon & sugar, cupcake baking became my forte, chocolate was to be eaten row by row not piece by piece. Eating out has never quite felt like eating out without dessert to me, it’s just the way I am. I love sugar and rightly so, the taste is unreal. 

When I first made the decision to become the healthiest version of me I knew my sugar habit needed to be kicked. Sugar has defeated me on numerous occasions. A life without the sugar didn't seem all that sweet to me until I came across these Chocolate Nut Balls in Sarah Wilsons I Quit Sugar CookBook . 

Faith was restored. I tapped into this sugar free universe and treated my sweetest of senses. I just altered the original recipe to work with the ingredients already existing in my pantry.

Delicious, nutritious, simple!

♥1tbs maca

♥1/2 jar almond spread

♥1cup walnuts

♥1tbs psyllium husk 

♥1/2cup raw cacao powder

♥3 handfuls of shredded coconut

♥11/2 sticks of butter

♥1 handful of goji berries

♥1-2 sprinkles of cinnamon

1. Throw all ingredients into a food processor and blend.

2. Use a spoon to scoop out mini mounds. 

3. Pop them in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden up. 

4.Savour every bite!

Note: Leave out goji berries after week three on the IQS program

Don't forget to enter my Loving Earth Giveaway here! 

Sunshine & Sweetness

Tink xxx

A Tuesday Giveaway + Superfoods I'm Loving Right Now!!!

Hint: Go straight to bottom for giveaway goodness!!

Unless you’ve been living under some rock surely you would have heard about Loving Earth. Loving Earth is a go to health food haven for wellness warriors, conscious vegans and anyone who fancies raw chocolate. Basing their products on three core principles: healthy, sustainable, fair, Loving Earth is a personal favourite of mine. Situated in Melbourne Loving Earth is close to home & bursting at the seams with organic & wild crafted functional foods sourced from all over the world in an ethical, sustainable style.

They say…

“We believe that increased awareness of the food we eat improves our health and leads to happier more fulfilled lives”

I say “Amen to that!!”

Loving Earth sufficiently cater to my super food needs. Coconut oil, raw cacao, activated nuts, maca powder. Check, check, check! I could go on forever as so do the health benefits. Shopping at Loving Earth is a treasure hunt of uber goodness where you are enticed by every which direction. If you think I’m over exaggerating visit the store yourself, I’ll be waiting here patiently to tell you “I told you so”!

My awesome foursome that I’m loving right now…

~ Raw Activated Buckininis: made from Buckwheat (a fruit not a grain) these babies are gluten free, alkalising, rich sources of protein, rutin & manganese.

~Mesquite Powder: hosting a myriad of health benefits. This powder is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron & zinc. Helps maintain stable blood sugar with its low G.I content. It also tastes distinctively sweet which means it’s perfect for sweetening up raw treaties.

~ Luvju Superfood & Chocolate Snack Bars: These ridiculously cute heart shaped snack bars are the equivalent of superfood simplicity. Loving Earth do the hard work for you creating raw treat bars chockers full of protein & delicious to boot. And as for the chocolate luvju.. well they’re just divine!

~Raw Cacao Nibs: Crushed up cacao beans. Great as for a sugarfree chocolate hit. Full of antioxidants, iron, chromium, magnesium & happy mood enhancing properties.

To celebrate this healthy addiction of mine. I'm giving away a healthy dose of wickedly decadent organic raw chocolate & superfood Luvjus to three lucky readers. No cane sugar (sweetened with organic evaporated coconut nectar), no dairy & all the antioxidants you need to give you a kick up the butt over the winter months.

To enter simply like Tink Simplicity on facebook & leave a super sweet comment entailing what food you’re loving right now! Pop in your email to & I’ll be announcing the winners on Friday 15^th June!

May The Month That Was...

What a month was May. Momementous, marvellous, magical. May started with a bang and finished with a rainbow. May was wild fun & I’d have no qualms about doing the whole month all over again. It’s been joyously busy. I’ve neglected Tink Simplicity but here I am back again to inspire you to have a sweet, healthy totally awesome winter. 

But before we get to that lets wrap up May; the month that was.

♥I married my best friend. Read our surprise wedding story here.

♥Finally I Began the IQS program (I purchased the book months ago). This week marks number three. I’m tired & grizzly but anything beneficial to me health is completely worth it. I’ll be sharing some of my sugar free recipes on Tink Simplicity over the next month.

♥Treated myself to these two lovely new Ebooks IQS Cookbook & Zen & The Art of Being A Work At Home Mama (not just for mamas) .

♥Travelled New Zealand for two amazing weeks. Check out our photographs & my little black book for the Hawke’s Bay region here.

♥Visited my parents for a blissfully long weekend on the South Coast. Strolling the towns of Kiama & Berry, browsing op shops, eating a scrumptious breakfast here and hitting the dance floor with mama.

♥Signed up for my first ever E-course The Become A  Business Goddess E-Course. Leonies site is bursting with inspiring life & business tips. Pop over to her blog here! 

♥Made life changing decisions. I’m diving heart first into the unknown. In erasing all the energy stealing work, people and commitments from my life I’m leaving space for juicy goodness to fill my cup. Watch this space!

♥Sent restrictive thinking packing! Nathan and I amidst developing our dear little business. We’ve always shared a fantasy of owing our own space and we've now reached that point in our life/relationship in which we are confident in our abilities to make it happen! I'm excited about working hand in hand with my husband. 

Chasing our dreams, encouraging each other along the way. We’ve never been fond of leading separate lives. I don’t want to only see my husband on evenings & weekends. No not us we thrive in each others company. We kill it as a team!

Thank's May for rocking my world. Bring on June & further transformation!

Let's dive straight in lovelies!

Sunshine & Sweetness

Tink xxx