Week 5, Day 7

Arivind: Was working on a photo shoot today but managed to keep the eating regime which was great.

Breakfast (5.30am):
1 orange
1 piece of wholemeal toast, lightly buttered

7.50am: 1 cup of 1%milk

Snack (12.35pm):
Handful of roast almonds

Lunch (1.20pm):
Half slice seeded batch brown bread with salmon, cucumber & spinach
Half slice seeded batch brown bread with chicken, a slice of bacon, tomato & spinach

Snack (3.10pm):
1 banana

Dinner (9.00pm):
2 egg omelette with onions, 2 turkey sausages and chilli paste

Sam: Last day of Week 6, woo hoo! Woke up at 5.30am today for work, which does NOT come naturally to my body.

Breakfast (6.30am):

2 rye crispbreads with bits of smoked salmon

1 baby avocado

1 glass decaf green tea

Snack (10.30am):

1 orange

Snack (12.45pm):

1 banana and a few almonds

Lunch (1.30pm):

1 Muffinski's gluten-free blueberry muffin

1 cup Muffinski's fat-free frozen yoghurt blended with frozen mango

Tea/Early Dinner (4.15pm):

1 1/3 turkey sausages (in tomato casserole with petit pois and baby corn)

Bit of brown basmati rice

Tea/Early Dinner II (4.45pm):

1 thin slice wholemeal bread

2 eggs

1/2 cup decaf green tea

Snack (9.30pm):

Large bowl edamame

Handful of almonds

1 glass decaf green tea

Week 5, Day 6

Arivind

Breakfast (7.37am):
3 weetabix with 1% milk

Snack (10.15am):
Bit of fish curry with turkey ham

Lunch (2.20pm):
2 2/3 turkey sausages (in tomato casserole with petit pois and baby corn)

Brown basmati rice

Dinner (7.00pm):
2 eggs and brown rice seasoned with a dash of soy sauce and chilli oil

7.30pm: 1 cup decaf green tea

Snack (8.35pm):

Handful of roast almonds

Sam

Snack (1.15pm):

1 thin slice wholemeal bread with smoked salmon

Lunch (2.30pm):

1 1/3 turkey sausages (in tomato casserole with petit pois and baby corn)

Brown basmati rice

Snack (5.30pm):

Handful of roast almonds

Dinner (6.45pm):

2 eggs with a bit of leftover fish curry

Small portion brown basmati rice

7.30pm: 1 cup decaf green tea

Snack (8.30pm):

2 tbsp non-fat cottage cheese with sprinkling of currants and almonds

1 apple

1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

Week 5, Day 5

Frozen Strawberries and Bananas (defrost for 20-30mins to soften)

Had to take an extra day off this week due to exhaustion + Sam not feeling too well, so Week 5 is going to close with just 4 active days in total. Then we're gonna pull a 6 day Week 6 and wrap this challenge up!

Arivind
Breakfast (8am):
2 pieces wholemeal toast, lightly buttered
1 cup 1% milk

Snack (10.55am):
Plain low fat yoghurt with vanilla essence, cocoa powder & almonds

Lunch (12.15pm):
3 egg omelette with 3 thin slices turkey ham and chilli paste
Reggae Reggae Sauce
1 orange

Snack (5.55pm):
Handful of roast almonds

Dinner (6.15pm):
Bowl of salmon & tuna curry (with baby corn, onions and aubergine, no coconut milk)

7.30pm- 1 cup decaf green tea.

Samantha
Breakfast (8.30am):
2 egg omelette with 2 thin slices turkey ham and 1 tsp cottage cheese
1 orange

Snack (11.00am):
1 banana
Handful of toast almonds
1 tbsp cottage cheese with 2 tbsp plain low fat yoghurt

Lunch (12.15pm):

Small chunk roast beef with handful of petit pois

2 rye crispbreads

1/2 frozen banana and 1 tsp crunchy peanut btuter

1 cup decaf green tea

Snack (4.30pm):
1 thin slice wholemeal bread with smoked salmon

Dinner (6.15pm):
Salmon & tuna curry (with baby corn, onions and aubergine, no coconut milk)
Small helping brown basmati rice

7.30pm: 1 cup decaf green tea

Snack (8.50pm):
5 frozen strawberries
1 cup decaf green tea

Week 5, Day 2

Arivind : Wow, week 5. Only another week after that and then it's D-Day. Anyways, here's todays meal rundown. I ate 7 small meals today!

Breakfast (7.30am):
2 x Weetabix with 1% milk
1 cup 1% milk

Snack (8.45am):
Half an orange

Lunch (12.15pm):
1 piece wholemeal toast
1 stringhopper
Cottage cheese mixed with homemade roasted chilli paste
4 slices lean turkey ham

Snack (3.45pm):
Small handful roasted salted peanuts
Half glass of 1% milk

Snack (6.15pm):
1 orange
1 cup decaf green tea

Dinner (8.00pm):
3 large slices roast beef with onion gravy
Mushrooms and petits pois with garlic, olive oil and herbs

Snack (9.40pm):
Small handful roasted salted peanuts

1 cup black coffee

Sam: Tomorrow is the one day I am making an exception for this diet, due to Hari Raya (Eid) celebrations and the open house party being held by one of our good foodie friends, where there will be copious amounts of food that would be rude not to eat. Worked myself to the bone today not just with our exercises but a knackering audition this morning, and will work extra hard on Sunday as well to make up for it.

It's Week 5, can't believe the finishing mark is so close! Abs are looking nice although still nowhere near as dramatic as the magazine picture.

Breakfast (8.30am):

2 scrambled eggs with cottage cheese

1/2 an orange

1pm: 1 cup carrot-apple-celery-pear juice, freshly made

Lunch (2pm):

1/2 Pret Tuna Nicoise sandwich (1 slice wholemeal bread with tuna, bit of mayo, hard-boiled egg, spinach, tomatoes and olives)

Lunch II (3.15pm):

1/2 Pret Tuna Nicoise sandwich

3 strawberries

Snack (5.45pm):

Small handful roasted salted peanuts

Snack (6.30pm):

Small handful roast almonds

1 cup decaf green tea

Dinner (8pm):
Roast beef with onion gravy
Mushrooms and petits pois with garlic, olive oil and herbs

Snack (9.30pm):

1 cup decaf green tea

1/2 frozen banana and 2 frozen strawberries

Handful roast almonds

Week 4, Day 6

Arivind: Food failure. Today's work schedule really got in the way of having the six meals and I ended up having four. Bugger!

Also, no video round up from us this week because... well, it's been a mundane week really. Nothing interesting happened, we just got through it. So rather than subject you all to us rambling about nothing we figured the post would be sufficient.

Breakfast (8.00am):
2 eggs

1 cup decaf green tea

Snack (2.45pm):
5 small thin squares of cheddar
1 cup black coffee

Lunch (3.20pm):
Slices of roast turkey in jerk marinade
Broccoli & petit pois

Dinner (8.10pm):
1 orange
A bowl of edamame

Sam: Had a REALLY late night last night (so late I watched the sun rise) due to some work I had to sort out, hence waking up in the afternoon today and having my first meal only at 4pm. As you should be able to tell by now, Arivind is the normal between the two of us when it comes to sleeping patterns.

Sam

3pm: 1 glass cold decaf green tea

Late Lunch (4pm):

Chunks of roast turkey in jerk marinade

Broccoli and petit pois

Small helping brown basmati rice

Dinner (8.30pm):

Handful of edamame

2 rye crispbreads

1 baby avocado

Bits of roast turkey and smoked salmon

Snack (9pm):

Small helping of brown rice with sprinkling of petit pois

1 egg

Bits of roast turkey

Snack (10pm):

1 tsp crunchy peanut butter

Week 4, Day 5

Sam: We ran out of snacks, so I ended up somehow with breakfast, lunch, and 2 almost identical evening meals.

Breakfast (11.30 am):

2 scrambled eggs with crumbled tofu, soy sauce and white pepper

Lunch (1pm):

4 rye crispbreads

3 tbsp coleslaw

Few slivers smoked salmon

1 glass cold decaf green tea

Dinner (6.45pm):

Small helping brown basmati rice

Fish sambal with okra and spinach

1 glass cold decaf green tea

Supper (9pm):

1 mango (quite unripe)

Small helping brown basmati rice

Fish sambal with okra and spinach

Arivind: Everything seemed a little tougher today save for the run. Annoyed that I did not get the 6 meals in. Also discovered that any kind of carb, including the brown rice really makes me bloat for some reason.

Breakfast (7.35am):
1 Weetabix, Shredded Wheat with 1% Milk & Cocoa Powder

Snack (10.30am):
2 boiled eggs with a touch of Reggae Reggae Sauce

Lunch (12.00pm):
Petits pois, baby corn & tofu stir fried with a touch of chilli oil & soy sauce
1 cup green tea

Dinner (6.30pm):
4 tbsp brown basmati rice with touch of Reggae Reggae sauce

2 tbsp fish sambal with okra and spinach
Low fat plain yoghurt with vanilla essence, cocoa powder & flaked almonds

9.50pm: 1 cup green tea

Week 4, Day 4

Sam

Snack (12.20pm):

2 rye crispbreads

1 baby avocado and few slivers smoked salmon

2pm: 1 cup decaf green tea

Late Lunch (3.45pm):

1 low-carb almond pancake

Large scoop homemade vegetable & red lentil curry

1 tbsp leftover dry mutton curry and small chunk jerk pork (fat removed)

Handful steamed broad beans

Dinner (6pm):

1 low-carb almond pancake

Large scoop homemade vegetable & red lentil curry

Handful steamed broad beans

1 mango

7.30pm: 1 cup decaf green tea

Snack (9pm):

1 small chargrilled apple and sprinkling flaked almonds

1 tbsp low-fat cottage cheese and 3 tbsp low fat yoghurt

Arivind
Breakfast (9.00am):
3 weetabix with 1%milk

Lunch (1.15pm):
Tablespoon of mutton, 1/4 jerk pork chop, tablespoon of shredded coconut fried with chillies, vegetable curry
1 cup decaf green tea

Snack (2.25pm):
4 squares of dark chocolate

Snack (3.40pm):
3 tablespoons of low fat yoghurt with vanilla essence, cocoa powder and flaked almonds
1 cup decaf green tea

Dinner (5.35pm):
2 pcs string hoppers with vegetable curry & tablespoon of cottage cheese
1/2 a mango

9pm: 1 cup decaf green tea

Week 4, Day 2

Crustless Spinach & Tofu Quiche (Low-Carb and Gluten-Free)

Click here for the recipe

Sam: Spent all night from 3.30pm onwards at the Coldplay/Jay-Z/Girls Aloud/White Lies concert extravaganza today, only got home about 12.30am so the meal plans were officially screwed!

Sam
Breakfast (11.00 am):

1 slice crustless spinach & tofu quiche

1 tsp coleslaw

Handful roasted peanuts

Snack (11.45am):

1 banana

2 slices rye crispbread

Sips of pink grapefuit juice*

Lunch (3.00pm):

1 slice crustless spinach & tofu quiche

1 orange

Snack (6.00pm):

Handful of roasted peanuts

Late Night Snack When We Got Home Cold and Starving (1 am):

1 large bowl homemade miso soup with bit of tofu

Arivind
Breakfast (7.00am):

1 slice rye bread

2 eggs with bit of cottage cheese & cayenne pepper
Small glass 1% milk

Snack (10.00am):

1 orange

Snack (11.30am):

Peanuts

Lunch (2.00pm):

1 slice crustless spinach & tofu quiche

1 tbsp cottage cheese with Reggae Reggae Sauce
1 cup of chai (no milk no sugar)

Snack (6.00pm):

Handful of roasted peanuts

Late Night Snack (0.40am)

Low-fat yoghurt with cocoa powder and sliced almonds

Week 4, Day 1

Low-Carb Almond Pancakes (Gluten-Free)

Click here for the recipe

Sam: All hail the beauty of ground almonds! :) Loving our latest delicious discovery- fluffy, tasty, high-protein pancakes with not an ounce of flour in sight.

Sam

Brunch (12.15pm):

3 tbsp soya yoghurt and 1 tbsp low-fat cottage cheese

1 small white peach

Handful of roasted almonds

Few sips pink grapefruit juice*

Lunch (1.45pm):

2 low-carb almond pancakes

Chunks of roast turkey and small spoonful leftover fish curry gravy

Few sips pink grapefruit juice*

Snack (3.30pm):

Handful roasted peanuts (unsalted)

1 glass iced green tea

Snack (4.30pm):

1 small red apple

2 tsp crunchy peanut butter

Dinner (8.30pm):

1 small slice crustless spinach and tofu quiche with a few strips of turkey

2 slices rye crispbread

1 baby avocado and few strips smoked salmon

Sips pink grapefruit juice*

9.30pm: 1 cup green tea

Arivind
Breakfast (7.35am):
2 Weetabix with 1% milk

Lunch (1.30pm):

2 low-carb almond pancakes

Chunks of roast turkey and small spoonful leftover fish curry gravy

Handful of roasted peanuts (unsalted)
Large glass of orange juice*

3.10pm: Large mug of chai (no milk no sugar)

Dinner (8.30pm):

1 small slice crustless spinach and tofu quiche with a few strips of turkey

9.30pm: 1 cup green tea

Week 3, Day 7

*Apologies for the late update for the past 2 days- our internet connection died on us!

Fabulous Indian lunch cooked by Arivind's aunt this afternoon. No coconut milk, sugar or excessive oil or salt was used, and we stayed away from the white rice.

Arivind
Breakfast (8.20am):
2 Weeetabix with 1% milk

Snack (12.15pm):

1 slice rye bread with 6 thin slices chicken ham

2 tbsp cottage cheese

Lunch (2.30pm):

1 tbsp brown basmati rice

Seabass and vegetable curry (with okra and aubergine)

White cabbage and carrot stir fry (with onions, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil)

Spicy prawns (with dried chillies, oyster sauce and chilli powder)

Red lentil dhal

3.45pm : 1 small glass Diet Coke

Dinner (9.15pm):

White cabbage and carrot stir fry

5 spicy prawns

1 large glass tropical juice*

Sam

11.30pm: 1 sip pink grapefruit juice*

Lunch (2.30pm):

1 medium bowl brown basmati rice

Seabass and vegetable curry (with okra and aubergine)

White cabbage and carrot stir fry (with onions, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil)

Spicy prawns (with dried chillies, oyster sauce and chilli powder)

Red lentil dhal

Snack (3.45pm):

2 tsp low-fat cottage cheese

2 tbsp soya yoghurt

1 white peach and a sprinkling of almonds

4.45pm: 1 cup green tea

Dinner (6pm):

2 slices rye crispbread

1 spoonful seabass and vegetable curry

1 spoonful cabbage carrot stir fry

1 spoonful red lentil dhal

Few spicy prawns

6.30pm:

1 banana with 2 tbsp soya yoghurt, 1 tsp low-fat cottage cheese and sprinkling almonds

1 cup green tea

10pm: 1 cup green tea

*All juices are 100% not-from-concentrate, no sugar added

Week 3, Day 6

*Apologies for the late update for the past 2 days- our internet connection died on us!

Sam: Forced ourselves to do our 10-minute run today in the face of extremely wet and windy conditions. Shitty British weather is no match for our dedication.

Both of us ended up having a very late dinner out at 10pm due to visiting relatives. Delicious and managed to stay low-carb, but for some reason both of us are now suffering from indigestion and a general queasy discomfort in the tummy area. Hmm... bad idea to order seafood so late in the day perhaps? :S

Arivind
Breakfast (6.56am):
Cornflakes & 1% Milk

Snack (10.15am):

1 slice rye bread with 6 slices of thin chicken, cottage cheese & home made chilli paste

Lunch (3.00pm):
Brown rice with lean turkey mince curry (with baby corn and petit pois)

Snack (5.00pm):
Yoghurt

Dinner (10.00pm):
Salmon fillet marinated and baked in soy sauce, with shitake and button mushrooms served on chargrilled pak choi

Sam

Brunch/Snack (12.15pm):

6 thin slices chicken ham

3 tbsp soya yoghurt with a few almonds

Snack (1.30pm):

1 white peach

Lunch (3pm):

6 tbsp brown rice

Lean turkey mince curry (with baby corn and petit pois)

1 glass green tea

Snack (3.30pm):

Soya yoghurt with sprinkle of cocoa powder and sweetener

Handful of almonds

Tea (5.30pm):

Small bowl homemade miso soup with 2 tbsp brown rice

Few thin slices chicken ham

3 small tsp crunchy peanut butter

1 banana

1 apple

Sips of pink grapefruit juice

Dinner (10pm):

3 seared scallops with red peppers and bacon

Crab with 1/2 avocado, creme fraiche and salad leaves

Week 3, Day 5

Chargrilled pear and apple with almonds and non-fat yoghurt

Arivind : Went to work on a ad shoot today so had a very early start. Luckily I wrapped early so will be able to complete today and stick to the meal plan, but am exhausted and only managed 5 meals.

Breakfast (5.30am):
Cornflakes with 1%milk

Snack (10.00am):
A few almonds

Snack (2.00pm):
Handful of almonds

Lunch (3.00pm):
3 Egg omelette with mushrooms, garlic and 1/4 red onion
Grilled salmon fillet with homemade chilli-lemon paste
Handful of almonds
Half medium glass of tropical juice

Dinner (9.25pm):
2 tbsp non-fat yoghurt

Sam: Had a really late lie-in. Noticing also that we are munching our way through buckets of almonds way too quickly- after all it is one of the few easily portable, crunchy tasty high-protein snacks we're allowed!

Snack (1pm):

Handful roasted almonds and chickpeas

1 cup hot green tea

Snack (1.45pm):

1 chargrilled pear

1 chargrilled small apple

4 tbsp non-fat yoghurt

Sprinkling of almonds

Late lunch (3pm):

2 egg omelette with mushrooms, garlic and 1/4 red onion

Few sips pink grapefruit juice

Handful of green grapes

Snack (5pm):

Handful of roasted almonds

Dinner (6pm):

1 salmon fillet, cut into chunks and served in

1 large bowl homemade miso soup (plain, without tofu/seaweed/spring onions)

Week 3, Day 3

Roasted Spicy Chickpeas (with garam masala and cayenne pepper)

Sam: Have discovered that too much fruit makes me bloat. Dammit, I love fruit!

Arivind
Breakfast (9.00am):
2 scrambled eggs on rye bread with low fat cottage cheese
1 glass iced green tea

Snack (11.40am):
3 tablespoons non-fat yoghurt with cocoa powder

Lunch (1.30pm):
1 grilled banana and 1 grilled apple with low fat cottage cheese
1 glass iced green tea

Dinner (5.45pm):
4 scrambled eggs with low fat cottage cheese
1 tin mackerel in spicy tomato sauce
A handful of roasted almonds & chickpeas
1 glass green tea

Snack (8.25pm):
3 tablespoons of non-fat yoghurt

Sam

Lunch (1.30pm):

1 Japanese mixed leaf salad with chicken slices and sesame dressing

3 tbsp low-fat cottage cheese with sprinkling of roasted almonds, dried peaches and currants

Sips pink grapefruit juice

2.30pm: 1 cup green tea

Snack (5.50pm):

1 white-flesh peach and a few grapes

4 tbsp non-fat yoghurt

Snack (7.15pm):

1 cup green tea

Handful of grapes

Dinner (8pm):

3 scrambled eggs (with soy sauce and white pepper)

1 tin tuna chunks with homemade chilli-garlic-lemon paste

Snack (8.30pm):

1 small apple

1/2 large mango

Handful grapes

1 cup decaf green tea

Week 3, Day 2

Arivind: I don't have much to say today, save for the fact that if doing 6 days this week don't feel too bad, I might try doing 7 days a week once the challenge is done with. Plus, I have made a cheesy workout playlist. Includes KISS, Journey & Yngwie Malmsteen!

Brekkie (6.45am):
Bit of granola with 1% Milk
1 medium glass apple juice

Snack (10.55am):
2 tbsp non-fat yoghurt
Handful of roasted chickpeas

Lunch (11.45am):
1 small chargrilled lean steak
Boiled petit pois and mushrooms
1 Egg (in a touch of olive oil)
1 Egg White (made into sugar-free meringues)
Half a large mango

Snack (5.10pm):
Handful of roast chickpeas
1 cup green tea

Dinner (7.15pm):
2 scrambled eggs with a light drizzle of Reggae Sauce & some wholegrain mustard on rye bread
1 cup green tea.

Snack (22.05pm):
6 thin, 3 thick pieces salmon sashimi with carpaccio dressing

Sam

Breakfast (7.45am):

1 banana

Handful cornflakes

1 tsp crunchy peanut butter

Sips of pink grapefruit juice

Snack (10.30am):

1 white-flesh peach

Few roast chickpeas

1 tsp crunchy peanut butter

Lunch (11.45am):

1 small chargrilled lean steak
Boiled petit pois and mushrooms
1 Egg (in a touch of olive oil)
1 Egg White (made into sugar-free meringues)
Half a large mango

Snack (4.30pm):

1 banana

Few chunks mixed fruit

5pm- 1 cup hot green tea

Dinner (8pm):

1 small portion Japanese seaweed salad

1 mixed leaf salad with sesame dressing and salmon chunks

12 thin and 9 thick slices of salmon sashimi (with soy, pickled ginger and carpaccio dressing)

Snack (9pm):

Handful roast chickpeas

10.30pm: 1 cup Tru-Dtox tea

Few sips pink grapefruit juice*

*All juices are 100% not-from-concentrate, no sugar added.

Week 3- Day 1

Sam: No more swelling of the ankle so decided to just go for it today and save the precious one day off this week for later! Am getting better at the exercise wheel, rolling pretty far out now (though still nowhere near as flat as the guy on YouTube) and can comfortably manage 2 sets of 12.

Am typing this close to midnight- my last meal was about 4 hours ago and I am now STARVING. I have concluded that I am by nature one of those naughty night-time nibblers.... unfortunately we've run out of almonds, peanuts, eggs or any high-protein snack in the kitchen so I can't go nibble on anything now anyway. Sigh... will just have to go to bed and wake up to restock at Asda.

Just realised that by the end of this week we'd already be halfway through the entire challenge! Hmm no real noticeable difference in either of our abs yet. Tsk tsk... FHM, it's not looking good!

Arivind

8.30am- 1 glass orange juice*

Snack (11.10am):

Small bowl of granola with no milk

Lunch (1.45pm):

Lots of homemade roast chicken, skinless

Few florets broccoli

Handful of granola

4pm- 1 glass orange juice*

Dinner (7.15pm):

1 low-fat turkey sausage

1 sunny-side up egg (in a touch of olive oil)

Few slivers of roast chicken

1 cup green tea

Sam

Breakfast (11.45am):

1 banana

2 tbsp frozen non-fat yoghurt

Handful of salted peanuts (unfortunately we're out of unsalted almonds)

Snack (1pm):

1/2 a small mango

Lunch (2pm):

Roughly 1/4 roast chicken

Few florets broccoli

1 1/2 egg whites (or rather, my failed attempt at sugar-free meringues... must try again)

1 cup green tea

1 pear

Sips of pink grapefruit juice*

Snack (4pm):

1 cup green tea

Handful salted peanuts

1 small white flesh peach

Dinner (7.30pm):

1 low-fat turkey sausage

Sunny-side up egg (in a touch of olive oil)

1 small mango

1 cup green tea

*All juices are 100% not-from-concentrate, no sugar added.