The Ninja Diet #13: More "mir" (peace) please!

While Russia was celebrating the Peace day with a great parade yesterday, I was reflecting over Sweden and World War II.

We officially  never took side during the war but did let the Germans use our railways traveling to and from invaded Norway, transporting soldiers and war material.

Sweden covered about half of Germany's iron ore needs during the war.

American and British soldiers emergency landed in Sweden and where smuggled back to Britain with Swedish help.

Sweden spend more money on the Winter war in Finland than in it's own defence budget 1939-40.

1200 Swedes were fighting the Russians in Finland.

 Sweden was neutral... Well, at least the country was kept out of war.

It's 201 years since we last was involved in a conflict. Of course this is forming the Swedes.
We are not patriots. We are peace lovers. We don't have generations of people destroyed from wars: mentally and physically.

When Europe was in ruins, we build up a well fare country with benefits for all people.

There are no problems with corruption in Sweden. And if something occur, journalists are investigating the businessmen, politicians, and even the king.

During a seminar yesterday arranged by the Russian community here, I took part of stories from Russian people born in German prison camps in Norway. Returning home they where secluded from society. The man and the women telling their parents stories where more than 70 years old.

If Sweden would have been involved in the World War II, my dad, born 1926, would have been a fighting soldier. How glad I am he wasn't.

In Luleå almost 25 000 Russian soldiers and civilians passed by on their way home 1945. Some waited in camps outside Luleå for the return trip. A memory stone was raised the other day and I paid it a visit.

While we are celebrating 70 years since WWII ended, there are more people escaping from wars in the world than in many years. I hope they reach our countries safe and get welcomed. Everyone has a right for protection. Every human being has the right to peace. More "mir"!

The Ninja Diet:
1. Meal plan: More planning. Food has to be ready after a long day. I am bringing as much as I can on the go. When the Russians of Luleå invited me for a chocolate cake, I ate two hard boiled eggs instead.
But too much to do today made shopping and dinner late. Cranky...
2. Inspirational reading: not much...But inspired of what I heard about the children of war.
3. Meditation: No
4. Exercise: 10 kilometer on the bike in rain...
5. Life changing:Volunteer work for Save the children

The Butterfly Battle Blog: one month today!

The 29th of march Natasha and I published our first posts here at our Butterfly Battle Blog!
One week earlier we were attending a conference in Oulu, Finland: the Barents Press annual meeting.
Journalists from Norway, Finland, Russia and Sweden gather annual for brother hood over the boarders.
This year I got a new sister, Natasha from Russia. She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw I had lost 27 kilos since the last meeting in Kirkenes 2014.
-Join me, I asked her! She said yes at once and suggested: Let's start a blog!
For one month we have been publishing 79 posts this included. We have had more than 9000 visitors mainly from Russia, Sweden, Finland and the US but also from all over the world. Kerry is reading our blog in Australia, Heidi in Germany, Yasser in Spain.

Soon I realised it's not possible to break this wove. Too many people are watching us now! Here at the Butterfly Battle Blog, at Facebook, in the streets of Luleå, Sweden and Petrozavodsk in Russia.
We have to continue until we meet next time in March 2016 in Sweden for next Barents Press meeting.

Natasha is a true talent entertaining with her charisma in funny videos (You haven't missed the bread fitness movie from 21st of April I hope) but she also talks about her true feelings regarding over weight.

I have learn a lot this month. I have opened up more about my thoughts about the weight loss fight.
Before there were few people I could talk about it with. It always ended up in tears. It hurts being fat.
Not only the whole body moving around all kilos but in my heart.

My sons are worried about my health. Elisha, the oldest, studied to be a Personal Trainer at SATS Sweden. He has shared his knowledge with me. He got me stay away from sugar and fat in sweets and snacks for 16 month. He has been composing a meal plan to reduce my weight. The love from my children helps me on the way.

But also the cheering, support and pep talk from my friends. It gives me power to keep on struggling.

Natashas stories here at the Butterfly Battle Blog has been inspiring. She started the Samuray way about two weeks ago with five goals to reach everyday.
I have followed her in my Ninja Diet also with daily goals.

It hurts me when Natasha says it's not possible for her and other Russians to spend so much money at healthy food. I am not rich, but I live in Sweden and that makes a different.

When I grow up,  our greatest threat was the cold war and possibility of a war with nuclear bombs.
I lived some years in Berlin in the 80ies. Happy to see the Perestrojka  coming to Russia and the Berlin wall fall.
For twenty years east and west have come along pretty good. We don't like everything about your politics. Not the last year regime.

Yesterday I heard on the news that Sweden will prepare for eventually attacks from Russia.
What's happening?
It makes me sad. I am so happy over the sister hood we have created here at the blog. I get greetings from Russians women I never had met. My friends love Natasha.
Why must we start fearing each other again?

Good friday equals good food

The ButterflyBattle is a fight against overweight without boarders.
Please join us wherever you are in the world.
In a few days we had 901 views from 10 countries.
Natasha and I belong to a group of journalists from Norway, Finland, Sweden and Russia united under the name Barents Press.
I am Swedish. Natasha is Russian.
In this challenge Norway and Finland has a important role.
The Norwegian salmon is one of the best choices for weight loss.
It makes you intelligent, slim and beautiful. If it's full of poison or not I can't tell, but I am still alive.
The Finnish bread is world-leading.
I start every morning with Ruispalat,  rye bread. If I during the day need a snack, I grab a Finncrisp or Ruisnappi; crisp bread.
The norwegian salmon is in the oven.
The Easter feast is starting!
You don't have to starve to lose weight. It's all about making the right decisions!

Russia vs Sweden

It's a week since Natasha and I decided to start this challenge. We were attending the annual Barents Press meeting i Oulu, Finland in company with more than hundred journalists from Sweden, Russia, Norway and Finland.
Actually everything started in April 2014 at the conference in Kirkenes. I asked Natasha to bargain down the price on a coat sold by some Russian women.
-It doesn't suit you. It's too small, Natasha said frankly.
-But I will lose weight, I answered.
-That's what we always say. It never happens...

I left Norway without the coat, but you can see it above in the picture.

Natasha was surprised when we met this year.
I had lost 27 kilo.

-Join me, I asked my Russian sister and she agreed to the challenge.