I had the most delicious fruity breakfast: Simple, but sweet – green melon, strawberries and 1 x banana chopped up and tossed. It felt a lot at the time that I was eating it, so I had it in two portions; 1 portion at 08:00 and another portion at 08:30.
Lots and lots of water in-between.
10:30 AM – 1 x green apple and a cup of rooibos tea, plain and yet more water.
Wow, have I gone to the loo!!!! Lots of urine due to lots of water and my stool is still pretty normal, but smelly.
And suddenly I feel like what I’m doing is not right for my body. I smell cheese, bread, chicken, bacon, all sorts of foods that are salty and tasty and suddenly this is all I want, something salty!!! Suddenly I am just really thinking is this what I am doing good and right for my body or is this torture?
My voice of reason has gone haywire and this is greatly emotional pressure that I am adding onto myself.
Of cause this detox is good for me I have reaped the benefits from the previous detox in January this year and I will reap it again, I need to just persevere!
Check out this website: www.juicer-guru.com
“Juices clean away unwanted substances such as chemicals and toxins from the body and leave the body healthier and with more energy. Important nutrients are distributed to better nourish the body and enhance the immune system.
Most people follow digestion damaging habits. When you are detoxing your body is allowed time to repair and recover from the damage caused by your bad habits. Throughout the cleansing process, your body is supported by antioxidants and other juice components like calories and vitamins.
One of the most appreciated benefits is the loss of body fat your body has been storing. Juices eliminate toxins via the blood stream often providing nearly instant results.
It improves skin by flushing out the toxins contained therein.
A general feeling of improved health and increased energy is felt.”
Check out this website: www.bestofjuicing.com/vegetable_juicing.html
“Vegetable juicing provides your body with a very concentrated source of nutrients and enzyme. It also helps to detoxify your body and boost the immune system with high doses of vitamins and minerals that are easy to absorb. Drinking several glasses of vegetable juice daily is relatively easy. Veggies are generally lower in sugar and higher in nutrients and enzymes than fruits, so vegetable juicing is an especially good way to nourish the body especially if you are sick.
Giving your cells a healthy dose of vegetable juice helps to maintain the PH balance of your body. Vegetable juice also provides a concentrated source of enzymes to aid digestion.”
So there we have it, what I am doing is good for me. I just didn’t realise how much toxins I had built up in my system and the headache I am having is proof!
Currently I am craving two things: 1. Junk food!!! 2. Sleep!!!!!
I am not going to have any junk food, but additional sleep is a very good idea as my body clearly needs to do some repair work.
12:45 – lunch – salad with lots of greens, lemon juice, tomato, spring union, etc. It was divine. Just what I need something salty. I did however cheat a bit. I crushed a packet of potato chips into my salad. Not too proud, but man, did it taste good!!!
“Nothing tastes as good as feeling/being thin”
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Detox 2 – Day 1 (sort of)
Yes, I am finally there again – Detox no 2 – here we come!!!!
My first detox was in January of this year, it wasn’t flawless, but it helped a lot to get rid of excess waste matter, clean the digestive system and prepare it for my new lifestyle and also just to speed up that sluggish metabolism!
I prepared myself mentally to do another detox when the seasons changed, but I am about 1.5 – 2 months behind schedule, but I am doing it non-the-less. To me it still feels like winter anyways, it is only now starting to warm up.
I have had quite an emotional struggle with myself and really had to stick my neck out and push myself to get to this step. I had to reach the point where I just get that extra spring in my step and will power to push through! And here I am.
07:00 Day 1 of detox 2 started off with 1 x slice of toast in the morning with margarine and marmite 08:00 followed by 1 x green apple at 8:00 AM
10:15 I had another green apple and one banana.
11:30 At this time I was starving and ranting and raving about it when one of the ladies in my office offered me a carrot which was chomped down.
Up to this point, this is really actually my daily lifestyle at this stage, but because of finances I have not been able to eat as healthy as I want to, but all is back on track now.
13:00 Green, super, super green salad, with some radishes, tomatos etc added. I was naughty and added a little bit of feta cheese. I think this is okay for today as I have literally added an extra day at the beginning of this detox just to get into the swing of things.
I have had 7 glasses of water already!!! And one cup of clear green tea.
15:00 I craved for something salty and had a few potato chippies. Was totally not supposed to have those, but I am sure it’s ok.
The funny thing is this morning when I woke up I woke up with a headache, but by 11:00 the headache had completely subsided.
Looking forward to tomorrow going to have some fruit that I haven’t had for a while (expensive fruit) and even though they are mostly in season now, they are darn, darn, darn expensive!!!!
Will check in again tomorrow and log what all went “down”.
My first detox was in January of this year, it wasn’t flawless, but it helped a lot to get rid of excess waste matter, clean the digestive system and prepare it for my new lifestyle and also just to speed up that sluggish metabolism!
I prepared myself mentally to do another detox when the seasons changed, but I am about 1.5 – 2 months behind schedule, but I am doing it non-the-less. To me it still feels like winter anyways, it is only now starting to warm up.
I have had quite an emotional struggle with myself and really had to stick my neck out and push myself to get to this step. I had to reach the point where I just get that extra spring in my step and will power to push through! And here I am.
07:00 Day 1 of detox 2 started off with 1 x slice of toast in the morning with margarine and marmite 08:00 followed by 1 x green apple at 8:00 AM
10:15 I had another green apple and one banana.
11:30 At this time I was starving and ranting and raving about it when one of the ladies in my office offered me a carrot which was chomped down.
Up to this point, this is really actually my daily lifestyle at this stage, but because of finances I have not been able to eat as healthy as I want to, but all is back on track now.
13:00 Green, super, super green salad, with some radishes, tomatos etc added. I was naughty and added a little bit of feta cheese. I think this is okay for today as I have literally added an extra day at the beginning of this detox just to get into the swing of things.
I have had 7 glasses of water already!!! And one cup of clear green tea.
15:00 I craved for something salty and had a few potato chippies. Was totally not supposed to have those, but I am sure it’s ok.
The funny thing is this morning when I woke up I woke up with a headache, but by 11:00 the headache had completely subsided.
Looking forward to tomorrow going to have some fruit that I haven’t had for a while (expensive fruit) and even though they are mostly in season now, they are darn, darn, darn expensive!!!!
Will check in again tomorrow and log what all went “down”.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
LIFE - PART 2
As I look at and study the lives around me I realise how much there is to learn from others simply by observing their lives. We are all experiencing periods of pain, hardship, difficulty, EXTREME difficulty, adjustments, periods of content, happiness, excitement and JOY in life. We are influenced by these emotions and experiences daily. If we are not, we should become vigilantly aware and wake up from our sleep, because these periods and emotions in our lives is what gives us zest and courage to continue and carry on.
I am now in my own personal phase of spring. Winter has passed.
Winter has truly been a dormant, long, cold period on many different levels for me. It feels like it has been winter for 15 months!!!
I am ecstatic that spring has arrived!!! There is a scent in the air of a new and fresh phase. And I am eager to take on the challenges I am faced with. At the same time I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed and at times uncertain about the future, but there is a soft yet confident voice inside of me that assures me that all will be well.
My biggest challenge in this summer phase of my life is finances. Money makes the world go round!!! And at the same time, money can’t buy you love!!!! Money can’t make things happen for you!!! But lack of money does not make things easier either. Our finances are a bit tight and we have major planning and goals happening currently. My biggest challenge will be to sustain my healthy eating habits. Some statistics to point out my concern.
American Statistics (SA is not far off, I think if we had statistics they would be worse or similar on this subject):
“We tend to blame the obesity epidemic in the United States on people making the wrong lifestyle choices -- for example, eating a Big Mac instead of carrot sticks or Twinkies instead of an apple.
New research shows, however, that the price of healthy food may be too high for many low-income families to afford, and experts say the government needs to step in.”
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/story?id=3807128&page=1
“That’s what University of Washington researchers found when they compared the prices of 370 foods sold at supermarkets in the Seattle area. Calorie for calorie, junk foods not only cost less than fruits and vegetables, but junk food prices also are less likely to rise as a result of inflation. The findings, reported in the current issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, may help explain why the highest rates of obesity are seen among people in lower-income groups.”
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/a-high-price-for-healthy-food/
Fruit & Veg is becoming increasingly expensive by the month in South Africa. It is also becoming more of a challenge to source organic or at least just good quality fruit and vegetables too.
To add onto the price factor the challenge of getting through detox no 2 since I started this project (Project My Body). I will be tackling that soon. Thank goodness for this blog as I will have to check all my notes on the first bloggings to see recipes and ways that I did things, just to make sure all is on track.
Secondly I am faced with a bit of chaos at home and a regularly find my thoughts wondering off, thinking of money and how more of it will solve my chaos problem. IT WILL NOT!!! Only elbow grease, time and lots of effort will resolve half the chaos problems I have. It is simply oversight due to a lack of time.
I will be meditating and concentrating on focusing my thoughts rather on organising, working hard, putting in effort than on buying items that will so called “help me to be more organised”.
EXCUSES ARE CRUTCHES FOR TH UNCOMMITTED.
*sigh*
But spring is in the air, the mood is changing and there is a scent in the air of change and fresh beginnings!
Will keep you posted!
I am now in my own personal phase of spring. Winter has passed.
Winter has truly been a dormant, long, cold period on many different levels for me. It feels like it has been winter for 15 months!!!
I am ecstatic that spring has arrived!!! There is a scent in the air of a new and fresh phase. And I am eager to take on the challenges I am faced with. At the same time I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed and at times uncertain about the future, but there is a soft yet confident voice inside of me that assures me that all will be well.
My biggest challenge in this summer phase of my life is finances. Money makes the world go round!!! And at the same time, money can’t buy you love!!!! Money can’t make things happen for you!!! But lack of money does not make things easier either. Our finances are a bit tight and we have major planning and goals happening currently. My biggest challenge will be to sustain my healthy eating habits. Some statistics to point out my concern.
American Statistics (SA is not far off, I think if we had statistics they would be worse or similar on this subject):
“We tend to blame the obesity epidemic in the United States on people making the wrong lifestyle choices -- for example, eating a Big Mac instead of carrot sticks or Twinkies instead of an apple.
New research shows, however, that the price of healthy food may be too high for many low-income families to afford, and experts say the government needs to step in.”
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/story?id=3807128&page=1
“That’s what University of Washington researchers found when they compared the prices of 370 foods sold at supermarkets in the Seattle area. Calorie for calorie, junk foods not only cost less than fruits and vegetables, but junk food prices also are less likely to rise as a result of inflation. The findings, reported in the current issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, may help explain why the highest rates of obesity are seen among people in lower-income groups.”
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/a-high-price-for-healthy-food/
Fruit & Veg is becoming increasingly expensive by the month in South Africa. It is also becoming more of a challenge to source organic or at least just good quality fruit and vegetables too.
To add onto the price factor the challenge of getting through detox no 2 since I started this project (Project My Body). I will be tackling that soon. Thank goodness for this blog as I will have to check all my notes on the first bloggings to see recipes and ways that I did things, just to make sure all is on track.
Secondly I am faced with a bit of chaos at home and a regularly find my thoughts wondering off, thinking of money and how more of it will solve my chaos problem. IT WILL NOT!!! Only elbow grease, time and lots of effort will resolve half the chaos problems I have. It is simply oversight due to a lack of time.
I will be meditating and concentrating on focusing my thoughts rather on organising, working hard, putting in effort than on buying items that will so called “help me to be more organised”.
EXCUSES ARE CRUTCHES FOR TH UNCOMMITTED.
*sigh*
But spring is in the air, the mood is changing and there is a scent in the air of change and fresh beginnings!
Will keep you posted!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Life . . .
Life. . . . It’s this and it’s that, it’s up and it’s down, it’s black and it’s white, it’s right or wrong . . .
Sometimes we get so caught up in life that we lose focus on our overall goals, after all we have goals in every aspect of our lives which we work towards daily, weekly, monthly, annually; We have businesses/career goals that we are working on daily, we have goals to spend X amount of time with our family, we must keep a balance between work and play and attend social events and spend time with friends, then we have our very personal goals that we are working on such as weight management, time with our creator, working on our character and daily behaviours, our children and how we raise them, moral dilemmas and support – and the list goes on forever!!!!
So, yes, my conclusion is that it is absolutely normal to wonder off and to get side tracked from time to time as there are just so many things to concentrate on – BUT – there is a big difference between wondering off and losing hope, losing faith and losing courage.
On an emotional level I have some friends and family who want to give up on goals, they are just so tired of trying and so tired of doing that they just cannot continue, but yet, what other options are there, life goes on and regardless; we continue to eat and put food into our mouths and nourish OR clog up our bodies. It is a choice to either change or lifestyle, yes, the accent on LIFESTYLE – OR – to diet and through lack of nutrition or adequate energy levels, headaches and severe tiredness run yourself into the ground because you cannot sustain it and continue with dieting long term. Yet I know people personally that diet on and off for a lifetime – they are still overweight. You will feel like you are just chasing wind and you will take strain from putting your body under pressure constantly to do things that are taking a toll and not a natural, easy lifestyle to live.
These are just things that I am encountering in my daily life. I try and encourage, support and help by sharing of knowledge, but yet most people that I talk to still prefer their pill, drop, shake and what ever else their diet book says they must do.
During the course of my project (which has been running for 10 months now) I have had times that I have felt tired, mostly due to overwork and not a result of my eating habits. In fact during the busiest time of work I performed best when I made time to still eat my nutritious, healthy and raw foods. The times that I started eating “normal” food, I felt strain. Thus I do not feel like my body has taken any strain with the lifestyle choices I have made and implemented into my life since December 2010, I have truly reaped the reward of weight loss, sustained energy throughout each day, major achievements in my personal life on various levels both emotionally and physically due to the lifestyle change with regards to the food I take into my body.
But, I too am only human and have had so many ups and downs in this period. So many things have happened in my life on a work, business and personal level, so many changes and so many additions and so much growing that I almost feel overwhelmed.
I have most definitely wondered off a little in the last month (Aug-Sept 2011). When I say wondered off I am specifically referring to my project (PROJECT MY BODY) and lifestyle. To mention some examples: I have not been eating raw for most of the day, there has been bread, starches and all sorts of food in my diet. I have had cravings that I have given in to. I have not started exercising again, although I theoretically have the time in the mornings to do my yoga now, I just feel like I do not have the energy (I am sure it is due to the bad eating habits). I feel disorganised and it just feels like life is a bit chaotic, with too many things happening at once and I just do not find the time to sort things out. We have moved and the house is still partially in boxes and we are on month 2 in the new house, going onto month 3!
Adding everything in life, I feel like a higher power is talking to me and giving me guidance to go in a healthier more organised direction, but at the same time I feel frustrated as I am not too sure how to go about doing it. One step at a time, but I am going to get on top of this, one step at a time.
STEP 1: DETOX DETOX DETOX
I know that the seasons are changing and so the foods are changing that is naturally available and I should at this point do another detox, 10 months after my first. This should clean out my digestive system of any unwanted waste and will kick start a faster metabolic pace and allow my digestive system to accept the summer foods and pull all nutrients out of it.
My preferred method of detox is natural and include raw foods and juices for a 7 day period – refer to Dec2010/Jan2011 on how I did it previously. But I will cover it again once I start the detox. This is however very challenging at the moment as the new house have really taken quite a chunk from my budget! Organic fruit and veg is very expensive and I will need lots of it for a 7 day detox, especially for the juicing. I will probably go the alternative root, normal fruit and veg, lots of it and lots of scrubbing to ensure no toxins backpack into my body.
STEP 2: RISE UP MY CHILD, RISE UP
I need to rise at least 1 hour earlier in the morning and retire at the end of each day 1 hour earlier.
If I can get into a habit of doing this, I should have enough time to have 15 minutes for waking up properly, 30 minutes for Yoga light exercising and another 15 minutes for devotion.
I believe that if I can achieve this my mind and emotions will feel less rushed in the morning and I will feel like I have a head start on my day.
They say it takes only 21 days to break a bad habit or 21 days to learn a new habit / lifestlyle. So I need about a months’ worth of working days to do this.
If it doesn’t work, I have an alternative plan B, and this is to change my working hours. I can go into work one hour later than what I am currently working, which will give me the time to get up at the same time as usuall and just go into work 1 hour later and leave work one hour later. But this is not first prize for me, because if I get up at this hour, so does the rest of the household! Husband, doggy, beardie and it may not end up being me time or feel like I am having me time, it will be interruption after interruption. So this is really plan B, it is not the optimal solution, but if the first fail, this could save the day and is still a better option than no exercise time and no devotion time.
STEP 3: ORGANISE THE HOUSE
I feel like the fact that the house is not getting sorted out is also causing chaos in my mind… does this make any sense?
In this sense, I truly believe I am an extravert, I am drawing on the energy around me and the boxes and undone things in our new home is really starting to work on my nerves.
There’s only 1 way to sort this out and that is a lot of “elbow grease” and with that “time”. I do not have plenty of time, but I have elbow grease. So I will take on the challenge to make some time and to start sorting things out.
I am also contracting a Malawian man who is already working in our garden 1 day a week to help me in the house as soon as a second day becomes available, and this will be in the next month somewhere. I will again have to make myself available to train him on how I like to have things done, but this will help as my husband and I spend most of our time and work and just do not have the time to get to everything at the end of each day.
So there’s my plan. 3 simple steps????
I am not going to make a mountain out of a moles heap, things will get better and will get sorted out and I will certainly again get back onto track!!!!
I am grateful for the patience I have with my body. I do not want to rush any further weight loss. The weight I have lost so far has been absolutely natural weigh loss that has stayed off (10kg)!!!! Wow, what a difference it makes!!!! And I am not going to go into a frenzy to force my body to lose more if it does not want to or can not.
So if anybody wants to join me on the detox – contact me and we’ll do it together and support each other. I think it will be much easier if one can share your emotions and feelings daily.
I will try and make time to check in regularly to make a record of how things are going.
Sometimes we get so caught up in life that we lose focus on our overall goals, after all we have goals in every aspect of our lives which we work towards daily, weekly, monthly, annually; We have businesses/career goals that we are working on daily, we have goals to spend X amount of time with our family, we must keep a balance between work and play and attend social events and spend time with friends, then we have our very personal goals that we are working on such as weight management, time with our creator, working on our character and daily behaviours, our children and how we raise them, moral dilemmas and support – and the list goes on forever!!!!
So, yes, my conclusion is that it is absolutely normal to wonder off and to get side tracked from time to time as there are just so many things to concentrate on – BUT – there is a big difference between wondering off and losing hope, losing faith and losing courage.
On an emotional level I have some friends and family who want to give up on goals, they are just so tired of trying and so tired of doing that they just cannot continue, but yet, what other options are there, life goes on and regardless; we continue to eat and put food into our mouths and nourish OR clog up our bodies. It is a choice to either change or lifestyle, yes, the accent on LIFESTYLE – OR – to diet and through lack of nutrition or adequate energy levels, headaches and severe tiredness run yourself into the ground because you cannot sustain it and continue with dieting long term. Yet I know people personally that diet on and off for a lifetime – they are still overweight. You will feel like you are just chasing wind and you will take strain from putting your body under pressure constantly to do things that are taking a toll and not a natural, easy lifestyle to live.
These are just things that I am encountering in my daily life. I try and encourage, support and help by sharing of knowledge, but yet most people that I talk to still prefer their pill, drop, shake and what ever else their diet book says they must do.
During the course of my project (which has been running for 10 months now) I have had times that I have felt tired, mostly due to overwork and not a result of my eating habits. In fact during the busiest time of work I performed best when I made time to still eat my nutritious, healthy and raw foods. The times that I started eating “normal” food, I felt strain. Thus I do not feel like my body has taken any strain with the lifestyle choices I have made and implemented into my life since December 2010, I have truly reaped the reward of weight loss, sustained energy throughout each day, major achievements in my personal life on various levels both emotionally and physically due to the lifestyle change with regards to the food I take into my body.
But, I too am only human and have had so many ups and downs in this period. So many things have happened in my life on a work, business and personal level, so many changes and so many additions and so much growing that I almost feel overwhelmed.
I have most definitely wondered off a little in the last month (Aug-Sept 2011). When I say wondered off I am specifically referring to my project (PROJECT MY BODY) and lifestyle. To mention some examples: I have not been eating raw for most of the day, there has been bread, starches and all sorts of food in my diet. I have had cravings that I have given in to. I have not started exercising again, although I theoretically have the time in the mornings to do my yoga now, I just feel like I do not have the energy (I am sure it is due to the bad eating habits). I feel disorganised and it just feels like life is a bit chaotic, with too many things happening at once and I just do not find the time to sort things out. We have moved and the house is still partially in boxes and we are on month 2 in the new house, going onto month 3!
Adding everything in life, I feel like a higher power is talking to me and giving me guidance to go in a healthier more organised direction, but at the same time I feel frustrated as I am not too sure how to go about doing it. One step at a time, but I am going to get on top of this, one step at a time.
STEP 1: DETOX DETOX DETOX
I know that the seasons are changing and so the foods are changing that is naturally available and I should at this point do another detox, 10 months after my first. This should clean out my digestive system of any unwanted waste and will kick start a faster metabolic pace and allow my digestive system to accept the summer foods and pull all nutrients out of it.
My preferred method of detox is natural and include raw foods and juices for a 7 day period – refer to Dec2010/Jan2011 on how I did it previously. But I will cover it again once I start the detox. This is however very challenging at the moment as the new house have really taken quite a chunk from my budget! Organic fruit and veg is very expensive and I will need lots of it for a 7 day detox, especially for the juicing. I will probably go the alternative root, normal fruit and veg, lots of it and lots of scrubbing to ensure no toxins backpack into my body.
STEP 2: RISE UP MY CHILD, RISE UP
I need to rise at least 1 hour earlier in the morning and retire at the end of each day 1 hour earlier.
If I can get into a habit of doing this, I should have enough time to have 15 minutes for waking up properly, 30 minutes for Yoga light exercising and another 15 minutes for devotion.
I believe that if I can achieve this my mind and emotions will feel less rushed in the morning and I will feel like I have a head start on my day.
They say it takes only 21 days to break a bad habit or 21 days to learn a new habit / lifestlyle. So I need about a months’ worth of working days to do this.
If it doesn’t work, I have an alternative plan B, and this is to change my working hours. I can go into work one hour later than what I am currently working, which will give me the time to get up at the same time as usuall and just go into work 1 hour later and leave work one hour later. But this is not first prize for me, because if I get up at this hour, so does the rest of the household! Husband, doggy, beardie and it may not end up being me time or feel like I am having me time, it will be interruption after interruption. So this is really plan B, it is not the optimal solution, but if the first fail, this could save the day and is still a better option than no exercise time and no devotion time.
STEP 3: ORGANISE THE HOUSE
I feel like the fact that the house is not getting sorted out is also causing chaos in my mind… does this make any sense?
In this sense, I truly believe I am an extravert, I am drawing on the energy around me and the boxes and undone things in our new home is really starting to work on my nerves.
There’s only 1 way to sort this out and that is a lot of “elbow grease” and with that “time”. I do not have plenty of time, but I have elbow grease. So I will take on the challenge to make some time and to start sorting things out.
I am also contracting a Malawian man who is already working in our garden 1 day a week to help me in the house as soon as a second day becomes available, and this will be in the next month somewhere. I will again have to make myself available to train him on how I like to have things done, but this will help as my husband and I spend most of our time and work and just do not have the time to get to everything at the end of each day.
So there’s my plan. 3 simple steps????
I am not going to make a mountain out of a moles heap, things will get better and will get sorted out and I will certainly again get back onto track!!!!
I am grateful for the patience I have with my body. I do not want to rush any further weight loss. The weight I have lost so far has been absolutely natural weigh loss that has stayed off (10kg)!!!! Wow, what a difference it makes!!!! And I am not going to go into a frenzy to force my body to lose more if it does not want to or can not.
So if anybody wants to join me on the detox – contact me and we’ll do it together and support each other. I think it will be much easier if one can share your emotions and feelings daily.
I will try and make time to check in regularly to make a record of how things are going.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Getting closer to my target, but am I reaching my goal?
I have hit the 63 marker and now way 63.7!!! I have + - 3 kg’s to go and then I am there.
I ask myself – how do you feel about that? And I am not too sure… I still feel pretty fat sometimes and sometimes it feels unreal that I have actually lost 10kg since I started PROJECT MY BODY! I am however very EXCITED.
Tonight I looked at the photo’s I took on the day I started my project and committed to changing my lifestyle. Not all too pretty. I am not really comfortable for putting the photos on the web. But looking at them I realised that I have to get into my bikini and take the same photos again and then compare the photos! That is the only way that I would be able to see the difference.
I am getting closer to hitting my target weight, but am I reaching my goal?
I think back on my reasons and desires that I had for setting out on this journey of discovery, of moulding and shaving away of fat, bad habits and bitter things in my life
And I remember this…
… I want to be healthy …
…I want to be FIT…
…I want more energy …
… I want to weigh a healthy weight…
…I want to be more…
I am NOT yet there!
I realise my short comings. Although I celebrate and am happy for the weight lost, I also realise that I need to work on my fitness levels and I need to tone up. Currently one can almost see where fat has fallen away and no muscle have replaced it or jumped up and then there are other lumps of fat that still remain.
*sigh*
It has been a hard winter… long…. And cold….. but there are signs everywhere that buds are pushing out, greenery will come soon and spring is on our door steps!
This spring, I will dedicate at least 30 minutes in the mornings to yoga and I am committed to carry this through into the summer and I am hoping into the next winter to come brrrrr – don’t even want to think about next winter, but I have to exercise more!
So, you ask, what else have you been doing? My reply is simple: Discipline, dedication – I found something that worked for me and I just kept on doing it.
Lots of raw fruit and veg up until 15:00 weekdays. Healthy cooked meals at night, weekdays. Moderation above all things and little junk food every now and again to keep me normal – whatever that word normal means.
So if you’re thinking about doing it. Stop thinking and rather make a decision to either take that step or to continue thinking about it until you are ready. There is no fence sitting and no easy way out. Weight loss is hard work, commitment and dedication.
I ask myself – how do you feel about that? And I am not too sure… I still feel pretty fat sometimes and sometimes it feels unreal that I have actually lost 10kg since I started PROJECT MY BODY! I am however very EXCITED.
Tonight I looked at the photo’s I took on the day I started my project and committed to changing my lifestyle. Not all too pretty. I am not really comfortable for putting the photos on the web. But looking at them I realised that I have to get into my bikini and take the same photos again and then compare the photos! That is the only way that I would be able to see the difference.
I am getting closer to hitting my target weight, but am I reaching my goal?
I think back on my reasons and desires that I had for setting out on this journey of discovery, of moulding and shaving away of fat, bad habits and bitter things in my life
And I remember this…
… I want to be healthy …
…I want to be FIT…
…I want more energy …
… I want to weigh a healthy weight…
…I want to be more…
I am NOT yet there!
I realise my short comings. Although I celebrate and am happy for the weight lost, I also realise that I need to work on my fitness levels and I need to tone up. Currently one can almost see where fat has fallen away and no muscle have replaced it or jumped up and then there are other lumps of fat that still remain.
*sigh*
It has been a hard winter… long…. And cold….. but there are signs everywhere that buds are pushing out, greenery will come soon and spring is on our door steps!
This spring, I will dedicate at least 30 minutes in the mornings to yoga and I am committed to carry this through into the summer and I am hoping into the next winter to come brrrrr – don’t even want to think about next winter, but I have to exercise more!
So, you ask, what else have you been doing? My reply is simple: Discipline, dedication – I found something that worked for me and I just kept on doing it.
Lots of raw fruit and veg up until 15:00 weekdays. Healthy cooked meals at night, weekdays. Moderation above all things and little junk food every now and again to keep me normal – whatever that word normal means.
So if you’re thinking about doing it. Stop thinking and rather make a decision to either take that step or to continue thinking about it until you are ready. There is no fence sitting and no easy way out. Weight loss is hard work, commitment and dedication.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Weight loss TRICKS that really work
The subject of this post is some what misleading. The fact is that the "TRICKS" below will help you change your lifestyle, your bad eating habits and any other obsessions you may have with food!!!
Enjoy your food
Food that is eaten mindlessly is neglected food. When you pay attention, you are satisfied in a deeper way.
Keep away from junk food -- It's Addictive
Junk food can affect your brain in ways similar to drug abuse.
Structure meal times
Long stretches without food make people crave energy-dense snacks, which can make healthy choices difficult.
Satisfy your body -- especially at breakfast
A protein-rich breakfast leaves you less hungry for the rest of the day. Some fat in the meal can help, too.
Favor foods closer to nature
Favoring whole fresh foods over processed ones will naturally optimize the healthiness of your food choices.
Change your environment
Altering your food environment -- whether this means using smaller plates or keeping seconds out of immediate reach -- can help you lose weight.
Avoid or Minimise Sugar
Sugar, sugary foods and especially soft drinks, processed fruit juices and beer. The carbohydrates in most sugary foods and drinks are called empty carbohydrates, and are stored as fat.
Enjoy your food
Food that is eaten mindlessly is neglected food. When you pay attention, you are satisfied in a deeper way.
Keep away from junk food -- It's Addictive
Junk food can affect your brain in ways similar to drug abuse.
Structure meal times
Long stretches without food make people crave energy-dense snacks, which can make healthy choices difficult.
Satisfy your body -- especially at breakfast
A protein-rich breakfast leaves you less hungry for the rest of the day. Some fat in the meal can help, too.
Favor foods closer to nature
Favoring whole fresh foods over processed ones will naturally optimize the healthiness of your food choices.
Change your environment
Altering your food environment -- whether this means using smaller plates or keeping seconds out of immediate reach -- can help you lose weight.
Avoid or Minimise Sugar
Sugar, sugary foods and especially soft drinks, processed fruit juices and beer. The carbohydrates in most sugary foods and drinks are called empty carbohydrates, and are stored as fat.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
I am down to 65.7kg (144.5 pounds). From December 2010 till now, June 2011, I have lost 8 kg (approximately 16 pounds).
It really is not a substantial amount of weight when you think about it, but to ME it is a huge amount of weight. I can honestly feel a big difference on every level in my daily life.
I am no longer getting onto the scale every day. When I started this journey I sometimes use to get onto the scale twice a day. It was almost like an obsession. But I believe a healthy obsession. Because when I got onto the scale this morning, I felt so overwhelmed – I couldn’t believe that I am still losing weight. It is a slow process, but a totally safe, healthy and natural way that I am going about it. And suddenly it hit me!!!!
A revelation…
I AM NO LONGER EMOTIONALLY CONNECTED TO FOOD the way that I use to be.
I was never obese, just a little over weight. But how do you get to being obese? You firstly become a little bit over weight, then more over weight and more. And eventually one day when you see yourself on a photograph you just won’t recognise yourself.
And I may be on a wild goose chase, but I think the number 1 reason woman get obese or even just a little overweight is their emotional relationship with food. Food that makes us feel better, but that is not at all good for us.
The best way to test yourself is to keep a diary. A record of when you eat and your emotion when you eat and before and after you eat and what you eat. I did this when I started out my journey and I really just needed to do it for a week or two. Once I could see and analyse my eating patterns and behaviours I quickly realised that I have bad habits that I have to break before I will be in charge and in control of what goes into my mouth. And then it takes a lot of discipline to change habits. Research shows that it takes approximately 21 days to undo a bad habit or even to learn a new habit (a good one), bad ones can be learnt overnight! So, just stick it out for 21 days, after that it will come naturally!!!!
Hold thumbs for me. I have another 5 kg to go to get to my goal weight!
It really is not a substantial amount of weight when you think about it, but to ME it is a huge amount of weight. I can honestly feel a big difference on every level in my daily life.
I am no longer getting onto the scale every day. When I started this journey I sometimes use to get onto the scale twice a day. It was almost like an obsession. But I believe a healthy obsession. Because when I got onto the scale this morning, I felt so overwhelmed – I couldn’t believe that I am still losing weight. It is a slow process, but a totally safe, healthy and natural way that I am going about it. And suddenly it hit me!!!!
A revelation…
I AM NO LONGER EMOTIONALLY CONNECTED TO FOOD the way that I use to be.
I was never obese, just a little over weight. But how do you get to being obese? You firstly become a little bit over weight, then more over weight and more. And eventually one day when you see yourself on a photograph you just won’t recognise yourself.
And I may be on a wild goose chase, but I think the number 1 reason woman get obese or even just a little overweight is their emotional relationship with food. Food that makes us feel better, but that is not at all good for us.
The best way to test yourself is to keep a diary. A record of when you eat and your emotion when you eat and before and after you eat and what you eat. I did this when I started out my journey and I really just needed to do it for a week or two. Once I could see and analyse my eating patterns and behaviours I quickly realised that I have bad habits that I have to break before I will be in charge and in control of what goes into my mouth. And then it takes a lot of discipline to change habits. Research shows that it takes approximately 21 days to undo a bad habit or even to learn a new habit (a good one), bad ones can be learnt overnight! So, just stick it out for 21 days, after that it will come naturally!!!!
Hold thumbs for me. I have another 5 kg to go to get to my goal weight!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Hitting your weight ceiling
So, is there really such a thing as a ceiling when it comes to losing weight? You’ve lost weight up to a point and now you are just sitting there on the same two digits and soon it will be a month or even two, still the same two digits.
That is how I feel!!! Like I have reached the ceiling and I just can’t get past it.
I am doing this Project My Body with lots of rules set out for myself. And my first rule is simply this – no matter what – I WILL NOT STARVE MYSELF! It is important to me, if not more so important to me that I am healthy firstly. To be healthy you have to eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. I refuse to do anything that will push me past this point.
So what do I do???
The answer to that is another question, what have I been doing???
I have religiously been following a 80% raw food consumption 5 days a week. On weekend I eat anything I feel like in moderation, whether it is raw or cooked. In general it is healthy food anyways, but just no necessary raw.
I have however been slacking with my exercise. In fact I can actually report that I have stopped exercising all together. My job has been consuming my life, trying to get on top of things and working long hours and long meetings…. Very looooonnnggg meetings.
It is also winter now, the sun comes up late, the sun also sets very early, this rules out the daily walks my husband and I usually take, because it’s dark and cold. He will still gym, but I am just to tired at that stage.
And so, through questioning ourselves, we will realise that we put a lot of effort in, but not as much effort as this project deserves.
With a small pat on the back I must however say that I am amazed at how much more energy I have since I have been eating more raw foods. Less stomach cramps (IBS), less bloatedness! I no longer need to live on supplements to support my busy schedule, I manage on healthy energy rich foods. And I have lost a bit of weight. And every morning or the evening before I carefully pick the fruit and veg that I plan on having for the day, wash them with care, chop a bit where it’s needed. Pack it all ready to go into the lunch box for the day. It takes a bit of preparation and planning which is extra time out of the day, but it is so worth-it!
I can at least say that I weigh about 3 kg’s less then what I was weighing 3 months before I got married almost two years ago. So in 5 – 6 months I have reversed 2 years worth of bad eating habits! Not too shabby.
So, if that is possible, then surely it is also possible for me to change my lifestyle a little more and to include exercise amidst it all.
I am working on formulating a plan to get some exercise into my daily routine. And perhaps therein lies the key – routine! Ones the your routine gets into shambles due to demands made on you, all order flies out the window. And it’s kind of difficult to focus if there is no order! Routine is so important, especially when you’re working towards a serious goal in your life. Discipline, routine, hard work is what is needed.
That is how I feel!!! Like I have reached the ceiling and I just can’t get past it.
I am doing this Project My Body with lots of rules set out for myself. And my first rule is simply this – no matter what – I WILL NOT STARVE MYSELF! It is important to me, if not more so important to me that I am healthy firstly. To be healthy you have to eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. I refuse to do anything that will push me past this point.
So what do I do???
The answer to that is another question, what have I been doing???
I have religiously been following a 80% raw food consumption 5 days a week. On weekend I eat anything I feel like in moderation, whether it is raw or cooked. In general it is healthy food anyways, but just no necessary raw.
I have however been slacking with my exercise. In fact I can actually report that I have stopped exercising all together. My job has been consuming my life, trying to get on top of things and working long hours and long meetings…. Very looooonnnggg meetings.
It is also winter now, the sun comes up late, the sun also sets very early, this rules out the daily walks my husband and I usually take, because it’s dark and cold. He will still gym, but I am just to tired at that stage.
And so, through questioning ourselves, we will realise that we put a lot of effort in, but not as much effort as this project deserves.
With a small pat on the back I must however say that I am amazed at how much more energy I have since I have been eating more raw foods. Less stomach cramps (IBS), less bloatedness! I no longer need to live on supplements to support my busy schedule, I manage on healthy energy rich foods. And I have lost a bit of weight. And every morning or the evening before I carefully pick the fruit and veg that I plan on having for the day, wash them with care, chop a bit where it’s needed. Pack it all ready to go into the lunch box for the day. It takes a bit of preparation and planning which is extra time out of the day, but it is so worth-it!
I can at least say that I weigh about 3 kg’s less then what I was weighing 3 months before I got married almost two years ago. So in 5 – 6 months I have reversed 2 years worth of bad eating habits! Not too shabby.
So, if that is possible, then surely it is also possible for me to change my lifestyle a little more and to include exercise amidst it all.
I am working on formulating a plan to get some exercise into my daily routine. And perhaps therein lies the key – routine! Ones the your routine gets into shambles due to demands made on you, all order flies out the window. And it’s kind of difficult to focus if there is no order! Routine is so important, especially when you’re working towards a serious goal in your life. Discipline, routine, hard work is what is needed.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Good foods that are bad for weight loss...
You can run on the treadmill until the soles of your sneakers are flat, but that's not going to help much if you're still snacking on drinks and fast-food (yes, even the salads). Get smart about your diet by eliminating these foods from your regular rotation and saving them only for special occassions. You might be surprised: After a while, you won't even miss 'em!
Juices and Fruit Punches
You probably drink several servings at a time without realizing it (25 calories here and there add up). Buy 100 percent fruit juice and drink a serving of only three-quarters to one cup. Or mix even less juice with seltzer for a fun fizz. Better yet, go for the whole fruit: An eight-ounce glass of OJ has 120 calories, while one whole orange has only 60 to 70 calories, plus fiber.
Energy Drinks
They're packed with more sugar and calories than juice, and there are usually at least three servings in a bottle (we bet you treat one bottle as one serving -- wrong!). If you need a pick-me-up, have a glass of plain cold water. Sometimes you feel slow because you're dehydrated.
Fancy Flavored Coffees
Whole milk and added flavorings turn a benign coffee into a decadent indulgence. Cut the fat from your coffees by ordering the smallest serving with skim milk; skip the flavored sugary syrups. Instead, sprinkle some cocoa, vanilla, or cinnamon powder on the frothy milk. It's cute and much better for you.
Soda -- Even Diet Drinks
The jury is still out on whether or not diet soda may actually cause you to eat more calories or if people simply use it as an excuse to indulge in other foods. Either way, there's no nutritional value to any soda, and regular soft drinks are how many people get their extra calories. Instead, go with unsweetened iced tea with a squeeze of lemon, 100 percent fruit juice or vegetable juice (just 1 cup = 2 fruit servings for the day), or plain water.
Fast-food Sandwiches
That made-to-order sub you get each Saturday is probably prepared on a six-inch hero -- all that bread is about four servings (you only need about 7 to 10 servings of bread each day; having four at lunch will likely cause you to go over 10 by the end of the day). Skip the chips and cookie or get a smaller sandwich on whole-wheat bread. Leave off the cheese and choose leaner deli meats like roast turkey and roast beef instead of tuna or chicken salad. Load on the veggies and avoid mayo and honey mustard (which is often made with mayo).
Fast-food Salads
They're healthy in theory, right? But when your greens are topped with crispy chicken, cheese, bacon bits, croutons, and dressing, you're looking at 30 grams of fat and 500 calories. That's more than a regular-size hamburger, a garden salad with vinaigrette, and low-fat milk! Stick with the grilled chicken but leave off the bacon, use half the cheese, and pour on only half of the dressing packet.
Juices and Fruit Punches
You probably drink several servings at a time without realizing it (25 calories here and there add up). Buy 100 percent fruit juice and drink a serving of only three-quarters to one cup. Or mix even less juice with seltzer for a fun fizz. Better yet, go for the whole fruit: An eight-ounce glass of OJ has 120 calories, while one whole orange has only 60 to 70 calories, plus fiber.
Energy Drinks
They're packed with more sugar and calories than juice, and there are usually at least three servings in a bottle (we bet you treat one bottle as one serving -- wrong!). If you need a pick-me-up, have a glass of plain cold water. Sometimes you feel slow because you're dehydrated.
Fancy Flavored Coffees
Whole milk and added flavorings turn a benign coffee into a decadent indulgence. Cut the fat from your coffees by ordering the smallest serving with skim milk; skip the flavored sugary syrups. Instead, sprinkle some cocoa, vanilla, or cinnamon powder on the frothy milk. It's cute and much better for you.
Soda -- Even Diet Drinks
The jury is still out on whether or not diet soda may actually cause you to eat more calories or if people simply use it as an excuse to indulge in other foods. Either way, there's no nutritional value to any soda, and regular soft drinks are how many people get their extra calories. Instead, go with unsweetened iced tea with a squeeze of lemon, 100 percent fruit juice or vegetable juice (just 1 cup = 2 fruit servings for the day), or plain water.
Fast-food Sandwiches
That made-to-order sub you get each Saturday is probably prepared on a six-inch hero -- all that bread is about four servings (you only need about 7 to 10 servings of bread each day; having four at lunch will likely cause you to go over 10 by the end of the day). Skip the chips and cookie or get a smaller sandwich on whole-wheat bread. Leave off the cheese and choose leaner deli meats like roast turkey and roast beef instead of tuna or chicken salad. Load on the veggies and avoid mayo and honey mustard (which is often made with mayo).
Fast-food Salads
They're healthy in theory, right? But when your greens are topped with crispy chicken, cheese, bacon bits, croutons, and dressing, you're looking at 30 grams of fat and 500 calories. That's more than a regular-size hamburger, a garden salad with vinaigrette, and low-fat milk! Stick with the grilled chicken but leave off the bacon, use half the cheese, and pour on only half of the dressing packet.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
SICK, SICK, SICK, SICK…. UUUGHHH
I have been soooooo sick this past week. It feels to me like I have really just been sick this year!!!! I remember extreme highs and then lows when it comes to my immune system. Times when I felt so fit, so strong and then times like this last week when my body is just so weak. I hope and pray that a balance will come to me. A happy medium of strong immunity and vitality, fitness and health!
Some good news: I am finally past 68 and one teeny tiny step down to 67.4 kg!!!!
It truly feels like a victory after sitting at 68.whatever .whatever .whatever for the last 4 weeks.
I’m hoping to resume exercising this week. Maybe just 30 minutes yoga every second day – have to start somewhere. I am still on anti-biotics for the next 5 days after a nasty bacterial infection. So, will have to see how it goes. Anti-biotics in general really makes me feel even more sick.
I just know that if I can get into an exercise routine again and build my fitness up again that I will definitely be able to go into my second stretch of quest for health, fitness and weight loss that will hopefully come with it.
Again, just to reiterate, I am not on a diet and won’t be going on one. I don’t believe that starving the body is the right option. But instead I believe that eating healthy sustainable foods loaded with protein and essential vitamins and minerals along with the right amount of exercise is really the solution to weigh problems. Always ask yourself, how did I get here in the first place. Reflect back on your past and see and feel how you got to where you are emotionally and physically. Once you understand this, you can focus on the road ahead and be strong, because you know exactly what it is that you need to fix. Whether they are serious emotional behaviours causing you to overeat or simply bad habits that you’ve been too lazy to address. Face it head on, because your true strength in the road ahead lies therein!
Some good news: I am finally past 68 and one teeny tiny step down to 67.4 kg!!!!
It truly feels like a victory after sitting at 68.whatever .whatever .whatever for the last 4 weeks.
I’m hoping to resume exercising this week. Maybe just 30 minutes yoga every second day – have to start somewhere. I am still on anti-biotics for the next 5 days after a nasty bacterial infection. So, will have to see how it goes. Anti-biotics in general really makes me feel even more sick.
I just know that if I can get into an exercise routine again and build my fitness up again that I will definitely be able to go into my second stretch of quest for health, fitness and weight loss that will hopefully come with it.
Again, just to reiterate, I am not on a diet and won’t be going on one. I don’t believe that starving the body is the right option. But instead I believe that eating healthy sustainable foods loaded with protein and essential vitamins and minerals along with the right amount of exercise is really the solution to weigh problems. Always ask yourself, how did I get here in the first place. Reflect back on your past and see and feel how you got to where you are emotionally and physically. Once you understand this, you can focus on the road ahead and be strong, because you know exactly what it is that you need to fix. Whether they are serious emotional behaviours causing you to overeat or simply bad habits that you’ve been too lazy to address. Face it head on, because your true strength in the road ahead lies therein!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
KEEPING WEIGHT LOSS RESOLUTIONS
It was weigh-in time this morning. Weigh-in is important as it gives you an indication of the bigger picture, where you’ve been where you are and where you’re going!
I must be honest though, for the past month I have been sitting at 68 kg!
This concerns me and there is obviously a part of me that feels like I’m failing and that I’m just never going to get there. I think it’s a normal thing to feel a little bit like that. Then there’s the realist part of me which is saying that I have just not exercised enough, with work commitments, social functions and balancing life in general, I have honestly not been exercising as much as I did when I started out on this quest.
I’m realising that I need to up my game back to what it was, I must find a way to make more time so that I have time to exercise every day. I am still very committed to my Yoga classes, but that is just 30 minutes and 30 minutes + - 3 times a day is just not enough for someone that needs to lose a bit of weight, if I was just maintaining my weight, it seems I could get by on that, but I have officially another 9kg to go!!!!
So, I’ve had a look to see what the world out there says about how to keep weight loss resolutions. I know where I am failing on my part, but maybe I’m missing something:
Each New Year's day thousands of people make weight loss resolutions. This is amongst the top resolutions made each new year and 2011 has been no different. The New Year's Eve parties are over, the holiday shopping and eating are done and you've decided it's time to shed a few kilo’s and created a resolution.
The first week you were right on track, eating healthy foods, drinking your water and you even dusted off the treadmill. The second week went well also but you skipped a day of exercising - no big deal. The third week you were starting to grab a potato chip or maybe you were craving some french fries or chocolate. Now your into the fourth week and you are losing all motivation, have forgotten about your resolution or you just don't think you are losing weight fast enough.
If this sounds familiar, don't panic. This is a common phenomenon that happens to many people. But just because this happens to many people, don't give up hope on your weight loss resolution. Tips from to experts to keep you on track and help you reach your goal to lose weight.
Tip 1: Break your bigger weight loss goal into smaller goals. This way you can see progress as you go and keep your motivation to reaching your resolution. These goals can be in terms of losing pounds or inches, dress sizes or even habits changed.
Tip 2: Write it down and post it anywhere and everywhere. Perhaps when you made your New Year's resolution you wrote them down. Nows the time to write it down again in big bold letters that you will see each day. Repetition is the key to helping keep your resolve going. Read these notes each and every day to remind yourself of your resolution to lose weight
Tip 3: Reward yourself along the way. Remember you don’t have to reach your weight loss goals overnight. So as you lose a few pounds or inches, or even if you had a successful week eating healthy and exercising, give yourself a pat on the back and buy something new. STAY AWAY from rewarding yourself with food. You don’t want to get in the habit of treating yourself with the wrong foods as this may lead to unwanted pounds or slowing down your goal.
Tip 4: Track how you are doing. In addition to re-writing your weight loss goal, tracking your progress is another way to stay constantly reminded of your resolution. So grab a pen and paper and track your progress weekly. Your tracking tool doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but if you want something more electronic, use this weight loss tracking chart.
Tip 5: Try again and again and again. Like the old saying goes, if at first you don't succeed......try again! Don't beat yourself up if you stopped your diet or exercise routine. Just make a new resolution and start again. January 1st is not the only day to make goals and resolution. So if it's May and you want to get back on track, start over again - make your resolution - and start losing weight.
Tip 6: Don't let guilt get in the way. If you are starting to have major cravings or you slipped and ate something you shouldn't have, don't let your guilt stop you from reaching your resolution. Just chalk it up to a bad day and get right back on track
REMEMBER you are making a lifestyle change and experts say that it takes about 21 days for a new change to become a habit and 6 months for it to become part of your personality. Your healthy eating and exercising are now becoming a habit. Keep it up and in a short time it will be part of your lifestyle and personality.
I must be honest though, for the past month I have been sitting at 68 kg!
This concerns me and there is obviously a part of me that feels like I’m failing and that I’m just never going to get there. I think it’s a normal thing to feel a little bit like that. Then there’s the realist part of me which is saying that I have just not exercised enough, with work commitments, social functions and balancing life in general, I have honestly not been exercising as much as I did when I started out on this quest.
I’m realising that I need to up my game back to what it was, I must find a way to make more time so that I have time to exercise every day. I am still very committed to my Yoga classes, but that is just 30 minutes and 30 minutes + - 3 times a day is just not enough for someone that needs to lose a bit of weight, if I was just maintaining my weight, it seems I could get by on that, but I have officially another 9kg to go!!!!
So, I’ve had a look to see what the world out there says about how to keep weight loss resolutions. I know where I am failing on my part, but maybe I’m missing something:
Each New Year's day thousands of people make weight loss resolutions. This is amongst the top resolutions made each new year and 2011 has been no different. The New Year's Eve parties are over, the holiday shopping and eating are done and you've decided it's time to shed a few kilo’s and created a resolution.
The first week you were right on track, eating healthy foods, drinking your water and you even dusted off the treadmill. The second week went well also but you skipped a day of exercising - no big deal. The third week you were starting to grab a potato chip or maybe you were craving some french fries or chocolate. Now your into the fourth week and you are losing all motivation, have forgotten about your resolution or you just don't think you are losing weight fast enough.
If this sounds familiar, don't panic. This is a common phenomenon that happens to many people. But just because this happens to many people, don't give up hope on your weight loss resolution. Tips from to experts to keep you on track and help you reach your goal to lose weight.
Tip 1: Break your bigger weight loss goal into smaller goals. This way you can see progress as you go and keep your motivation to reaching your resolution. These goals can be in terms of losing pounds or inches, dress sizes or even habits changed.
Tip 2: Write it down and post it anywhere and everywhere. Perhaps when you made your New Year's resolution you wrote them down. Nows the time to write it down again in big bold letters that you will see each day. Repetition is the key to helping keep your resolve going. Read these notes each and every day to remind yourself of your resolution to lose weight
Tip 3: Reward yourself along the way. Remember you don’t have to reach your weight loss goals overnight. So as you lose a few pounds or inches, or even if you had a successful week eating healthy and exercising, give yourself a pat on the back and buy something new. STAY AWAY from rewarding yourself with food. You don’t want to get in the habit of treating yourself with the wrong foods as this may lead to unwanted pounds or slowing down your goal.
Tip 4: Track how you are doing. In addition to re-writing your weight loss goal, tracking your progress is another way to stay constantly reminded of your resolution. So grab a pen and paper and track your progress weekly. Your tracking tool doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but if you want something more electronic, use this weight loss tracking chart.
Tip 5: Try again and again and again. Like the old saying goes, if at first you don't succeed......try again! Don't beat yourself up if you stopped your diet or exercise routine. Just make a new resolution and start again. January 1st is not the only day to make goals and resolution. So if it's May and you want to get back on track, start over again - make your resolution - and start losing weight.
Tip 6: Don't let guilt get in the way. If you are starting to have major cravings or you slipped and ate something you shouldn't have, don't let your guilt stop you from reaching your resolution. Just chalk it up to a bad day and get right back on track
REMEMBER you are making a lifestyle change and experts say that it takes about 21 days for a new change to become a habit and 6 months for it to become part of your personality. Your healthy eating and exercising are now becoming a habit. Keep it up and in a short time it will be part of your lifestyle and personality.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
WEIGH-IN RECORDS
Sometimes life happens and everything is just so hectic.
One thing to remember is to not let yourself go! To not stop focussing on eating healthy and exercising moderately when possible inbetween.
So I just haven't had time to post, but have been doing all the right stuff inbetween work and social life. So just for my own records I'm posting my Weigh-in chart.
I was a bit disappointed last week when I didn't lose more than .2 kg! Shocker for me and then this week as well, I lost but not that much! After pondering over this some what I realised that it is such a good thing after all. I am still losing, I am not exercising as much as I should, so I can’t expect miracles and I won’t be having any stretch marks, how awesome is that.
One thing to remember is to not let yourself go! To not stop focussing on eating healthy and exercising moderately when possible inbetween.
So I just haven't had time to post, but have been doing all the right stuff inbetween work and social life. So just for my own records I'm posting my Weigh-in chart.
I was a bit disappointed last week when I didn't lose more than .2 kg! Shocker for me and then this week as well, I lost but not that much! After pondering over this some what I realised that it is such a good thing after all. I am still losing, I am not exercising as much as I should, so I can’t expect miracles and I won’t be having any stretch marks, how awesome is that.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
EXERCISE!!!! AND The 10 Biggest Fitness MISTAKES
I have spoken to so many people about weight loss, but not just weight loss, also fitness and health along with weighing what you should. And mostly it came down to EXERCISE!!!! It is such in important part of the process. Don't be fooled by the advert that tells you you don't have to exercise at all, just drink this little pil or these drops! It has been proven that a good and varied exercise routine and healthy lifestyle (eating, sleeping, relationships and work) are the two main characters in this movie of getting into shape!
So here are some thoughts on the 10 BIGGEST FITNESS MISTAKES that can actually make you FAT!
Mistake #1: You don’t work out because you’re afraid it will make you super-hungry -- and eat more.
Actually, the opposite is true. Exercise has actually been shown to act as an appetite suppressant. Translation: Regular trips to the gym can actually help you stick to your diet. Yes, seriously intense sweat sessions (think: marathon training) can increase your appetite, but that's because your body is burning an enormous amount of calories and needs lots of nutrients to recover. But few of us train that hard on a regular basis. So if you're hungry all the time, don't blame the gym -- blame your diet. See, your body kinda has a mind of its own, and if you're not feeding it all the nutrients it needs, it will just crave more food (and often bad food) until it gets them. Maybe it's rebelling -- who knows? -- but the point is, as long as you're eating nutritious foods (and you're not using a trip to the gym as an excuse for a junk-food fest), you won't negate your hard work, even if you eat a bit more.
Mistake #2: You make a point to exercise first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, to burn more calories.
Research has actually shown that training later in the day can help you burn more calories than working out earlier in the day, since your muscle strength and body temperature peak in the afternoon, meaning you can work out harder with less effort. Plus, you've eaten more, so you typically have more energy. But it's really an individual preference: Just like in college when you might have studied during the day while your roommate went the all-nighter route, some people are morning exercisers and some feel more motivated at night. The key is consistency, so you'll get the best results by choosing whatever time of day you can stick to. If you do go the before-work route, just make sure you have a little something to eat (like a piece of fruit) 30 minutes before your workout. Like a car, your body needs fuel to run efficiently, so when you exercise on an empty stomach, you can't train as hard (or burn as many calories).
Mistake #3: You’re a crunching queen -- hey, it’s the way to get rock-hard abs.
Crunches alone will not give you a flat stomach. The fact is, if you want a killer core, you need to train all the abdominal muscles -- the rectus abdominus (muscles typically associated with a six-pack), the transverse (muscle that wraps around your stomach, acting much like a girdle to shrink your waist) and the obliques (muscles that run along the sides of your tummy and help with twisting motions) -- along with your lower back. These muscles all work together to provide stability and strength. A good way to hit them all is through functional movements like lifting, throwing, etc. But wait! There’s a part two to all of this: Building ab muscles isn't going to do you any good come bathing-suit season if they're hidden under a layer of fat. No matter how many sit-ups you do, without regular bouts of cardio (at least 20 minutes, four to five days a week) and a healthy diet, you're never going to sport a six-pack.
Mistake #4: You spend two-hours-plus at the gym to max out your workout.
It's not about how long you spend working out; it's about how hard you work out. So you have permission to spend less time at the gym. The catch is, you have to kill it while you're there. You can easily burn the same amount of calories in half the time by increasing the intensity of your workouts: An hour of zombie-style training is less productive than 20 minutes of high-intensity, focused exercise. Bonus: By working out at a higher intensity, you'll continue to burn more calories for hours afterward.
Mistake #5: You have your routine down.
Unfortunately, what works, works only for a short period. Just like your mind has to work extra hard to learn something new, your body kicks into overdrive when you start a new exercise program it's not familiar with. If you do the same routine for too long, your body will adapt -- and soon what used to "work" no longer will (at least not as well). The key to seeing results is to constantly challenge your body and practice variety in your workouts so you don't plateau. Typically a routine "works" for up to two weeks before it needs to be tweaked. So change it up -- the tweaks don't have to be big. For example, change a barbell squat to a dumbbell squat, or swap dumbbells for kettlebells or sandbags. Or instead of your standard 30 minutes on the elliptical, do the elliptical in reverse for 10 minutes, then hop on the rowing machine for 10 minutes and finish with 10 minutes on the treadmill. Then reverse the order in your next workout.
Mistake #6: You stay fit by working out 30 minutes a day, three times a week.
There is a big difference between being active and being fit. The above guidelines are the bare minimum for keeping you active, which means you're basically just avoiding some of the negative effects (read: too much junk in the trunk) of a sedentary lifestyle. Being fit, on the other hand (and losing weight, or just maintaining it), takes more work. That means at least four to five sweat sessions a week of hard work.
Mistake #7: You stick to cardio and avoid weights so you don’t bulk up.
Sure, lifting weights can bulk you up (the Arnold didn’t get those biceps at Zumba class), but only if you specifically train to add mass. If you train to tone, you’ll tone. You have total control over the effect weight lifting will have on your body. And guess what? The size of the weight has little to do with muscle mass. The size of your muscles is determined by three main factors: Genetics (were you born with the structure for large musculature?), gender (men have a greater potential to put on size) and type of training (it’s not the size of the weight but how you lift it). In general, if you use light weights (three to eight pounds depending on your strength level) and do more reps (like two sets of 12-15 reps), you’ll get sleek, lean muscle. Up the weights, slow it down and maximize the squeeze to bulk up.
Mistake #8: You don’t feel any payoff unless your body hurts.
Some discomfort or soreness at the beginning stages of a workout routine is normal, since your muscles are adjusting to the new activities. It means you're challenging your body, which, in turn, means results. But chronic soreness doesn't mean you're getting an awesome workout every day. It means your body's not recovering -- which is bad since you get stronger and develop muscle while your body recovers (not while you're beating it to a pulp for the umpteenth day in a row). Safety alert: Make sure you're not confusing muscle soreness with joint pain. Joint pain may mean you did some damage -- see your doctor.
Mistake #9: You climb off the treadmill when it says you’ve reached your calorie goal.
Hate to break it to you, but the calorie calculation displayed on most of those machines isn't accurate. Many pieces of equipment are built to show you what you want to see. And the assumptions needed to validate the machine's calculations (read: You’re as jacked as Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and are putting your full weight on the machine) are seldom met. So use the counters as a light reference, but know that those numbers are anything but reliable. Instead, do your own calculations. If your thing is, say, running a 12-minute mile for 20 minutes, use a calorie -counting tool like this one from LiveStrong.com to find out how many calories per hour a person of your age and weight burns doing exactly that, and divide by three. (Then compare it with what the treadmill says you burned -- and you'll see how inaccurate it really is!)
Mistake #10: You’re envious of celebs, who apparently all won the genetic lottery and don’t have to push it as hard as you do.
According to our experts, who have worked with quite a few celebrities, most celebs work hard (just like you do) for their bodies (albeit, most of them under the guidance of a trainer, a nutritionist and a personal chef). So stop cursing their DNA and start making exercise and nutrition priorities in your life. Of course, what makes it a little easier for celebrities is the fact that looking good is basically their job -- and a paycheck is major motivation not to slack off. Whereas your livelihood depends more on sometimes skipping the gym to make an early meeting, prep for a presentation or network at a happy hour. But you can do it!
Resource: THE NEST
You can do it!!!! And if you feel like you can't and you need advice, mail me, I can put you into contact with some awesome fitness freaks who will gladly work out a stunning exercise routine that you can enjoy!
So here are some thoughts on the 10 BIGGEST FITNESS MISTAKES that can actually make you FAT!
Mistake #1: You don’t work out because you’re afraid it will make you super-hungry -- and eat more.
Actually, the opposite is true. Exercise has actually been shown to act as an appetite suppressant. Translation: Regular trips to the gym can actually help you stick to your diet. Yes, seriously intense sweat sessions (think: marathon training) can increase your appetite, but that's because your body is burning an enormous amount of calories and needs lots of nutrients to recover. But few of us train that hard on a regular basis. So if you're hungry all the time, don't blame the gym -- blame your diet. See, your body kinda has a mind of its own, and if you're not feeding it all the nutrients it needs, it will just crave more food (and often bad food) until it gets them. Maybe it's rebelling -- who knows? -- but the point is, as long as you're eating nutritious foods (and you're not using a trip to the gym as an excuse for a junk-food fest), you won't negate your hard work, even if you eat a bit more.
Mistake #2: You make a point to exercise first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, to burn more calories.
Research has actually shown that training later in the day can help you burn more calories than working out earlier in the day, since your muscle strength and body temperature peak in the afternoon, meaning you can work out harder with less effort. Plus, you've eaten more, so you typically have more energy. But it's really an individual preference: Just like in college when you might have studied during the day while your roommate went the all-nighter route, some people are morning exercisers and some feel more motivated at night. The key is consistency, so you'll get the best results by choosing whatever time of day you can stick to. If you do go the before-work route, just make sure you have a little something to eat (like a piece of fruit) 30 minutes before your workout. Like a car, your body needs fuel to run efficiently, so when you exercise on an empty stomach, you can't train as hard (or burn as many calories).
Mistake #3: You’re a crunching queen -- hey, it’s the way to get rock-hard abs.
Crunches alone will not give you a flat stomach. The fact is, if you want a killer core, you need to train all the abdominal muscles -- the rectus abdominus (muscles typically associated with a six-pack), the transverse (muscle that wraps around your stomach, acting much like a girdle to shrink your waist) and the obliques (muscles that run along the sides of your tummy and help with twisting motions) -- along with your lower back. These muscles all work together to provide stability and strength. A good way to hit them all is through functional movements like lifting, throwing, etc. But wait! There’s a part two to all of this: Building ab muscles isn't going to do you any good come bathing-suit season if they're hidden under a layer of fat. No matter how many sit-ups you do, without regular bouts of cardio (at least 20 minutes, four to five days a week) and a healthy diet, you're never going to sport a six-pack.
Mistake #4: You spend two-hours-plus at the gym to max out your workout.
It's not about how long you spend working out; it's about how hard you work out. So you have permission to spend less time at the gym. The catch is, you have to kill it while you're there. You can easily burn the same amount of calories in half the time by increasing the intensity of your workouts: An hour of zombie-style training is less productive than 20 minutes of high-intensity, focused exercise. Bonus: By working out at a higher intensity, you'll continue to burn more calories for hours afterward.
Mistake #5: You have your routine down.
Unfortunately, what works, works only for a short period. Just like your mind has to work extra hard to learn something new, your body kicks into overdrive when you start a new exercise program it's not familiar with. If you do the same routine for too long, your body will adapt -- and soon what used to "work" no longer will (at least not as well). The key to seeing results is to constantly challenge your body and practice variety in your workouts so you don't plateau. Typically a routine "works" for up to two weeks before it needs to be tweaked. So change it up -- the tweaks don't have to be big. For example, change a barbell squat to a dumbbell squat, or swap dumbbells for kettlebells or sandbags. Or instead of your standard 30 minutes on the elliptical, do the elliptical in reverse for 10 minutes, then hop on the rowing machine for 10 minutes and finish with 10 minutes on the treadmill. Then reverse the order in your next workout.
Mistake #6: You stay fit by working out 30 minutes a day, three times a week.
There is a big difference between being active and being fit. The above guidelines are the bare minimum for keeping you active, which means you're basically just avoiding some of the negative effects (read: too much junk in the trunk) of a sedentary lifestyle. Being fit, on the other hand (and losing weight, or just maintaining it), takes more work. That means at least four to five sweat sessions a week of hard work.
Mistake #7: You stick to cardio and avoid weights so you don’t bulk up.
Sure, lifting weights can bulk you up (the Arnold didn’t get those biceps at Zumba class), but only if you specifically train to add mass. If you train to tone, you’ll tone. You have total control over the effect weight lifting will have on your body. And guess what? The size of the weight has little to do with muscle mass. The size of your muscles is determined by three main factors: Genetics (were you born with the structure for large musculature?), gender (men have a greater potential to put on size) and type of training (it’s not the size of the weight but how you lift it). In general, if you use light weights (three to eight pounds depending on your strength level) and do more reps (like two sets of 12-15 reps), you’ll get sleek, lean muscle. Up the weights, slow it down and maximize the squeeze to bulk up.
Mistake #8: You don’t feel any payoff unless your body hurts.
Some discomfort or soreness at the beginning stages of a workout routine is normal, since your muscles are adjusting to the new activities. It means you're challenging your body, which, in turn, means results. But chronic soreness doesn't mean you're getting an awesome workout every day. It means your body's not recovering -- which is bad since you get stronger and develop muscle while your body recovers (not while you're beating it to a pulp for the umpteenth day in a row). Safety alert: Make sure you're not confusing muscle soreness with joint pain. Joint pain may mean you did some damage -- see your doctor.
Mistake #9: You climb off the treadmill when it says you’ve reached your calorie goal.
Hate to break it to you, but the calorie calculation displayed on most of those machines isn't accurate. Many pieces of equipment are built to show you what you want to see. And the assumptions needed to validate the machine's calculations (read: You’re as jacked as Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and are putting your full weight on the machine) are seldom met. So use the counters as a light reference, but know that those numbers are anything but reliable. Instead, do your own calculations. If your thing is, say, running a 12-minute mile for 20 minutes, use a calorie -counting tool like this one from LiveStrong.com to find out how many calories per hour a person of your age and weight burns doing exactly that, and divide by three. (Then compare it with what the treadmill says you burned -- and you'll see how inaccurate it really is!)
Mistake #10: You’re envious of celebs, who apparently all won the genetic lottery and don’t have to push it as hard as you do.
According to our experts, who have worked with quite a few celebrities, most celebs work hard (just like you do) for their bodies (albeit, most of them under the guidance of a trainer, a nutritionist and a personal chef). So stop cursing their DNA and start making exercise and nutrition priorities in your life. Of course, what makes it a little easier for celebrities is the fact that looking good is basically their job -- and a paycheck is major motivation not to slack off. Whereas your livelihood depends more on sometimes skipping the gym to make an early meeting, prep for a presentation or network at a happy hour. But you can do it!
Resource: THE NEST
You can do it!!!! And if you feel like you can't and you need advice, mail me, I can put you into contact with some awesome fitness freaks who will gladly work out a stunning exercise routine that you can enjoy!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
WHAT TO DO WHEN … HITS YOU?
Do you feel that there is always that something that get’s in your way. Like the insurance advert for MiWay: “It just jumped in front of me!”. With your weight and your general fitness and health, do you feel that there’s always that something that just “jumps in front of you”, something that stops you in your tracks and that derail you completely off the very good track you were on. You felt so positive about things and then suddenly there’s that dip.
I felt like that when I just got into my exercise routine and on time is the menstrual cycle. The things we should be grateful for as it indicates everything is in check. But it has been a set back for me everytime in the past. As if my menstruation = The physical fitness reset button. And back to square one I am!!! So I decided this year, this is one of my biggest challenges, to dismantle my reset button and to find a way to continue with my physical fitness plan despite pain, discomfort, etc. I think my mind was so set on getting past this that the first cycle was a piece of cake, there were 2 days that I couldn’t exercise, but what is 2 days out of a week, that is still 5 days of exercise for that week, gentle breathing, stretching and toning through yoga exercises. Cycle was over and I was completely back into the swing of things the whole week last week.
In the early morning hours of Friday (this past Friday) morning I woke up with an intense pain.
I knew this pain, I have had it before – it is definitely a urinary track infection. I was also hot and feverish, so I decide to get out of bed and to just go and lie down in the lounge or somewhere cooler than in the bed. The pain was so immense I started to groan! After a while I realised praying that I will fall asleep is not working, maybe I should take some panado, just so that I can sleep till morning to get some meds.
I took two panado’s – stayed on the coach till they started working – which took a good 30 minutes. And back to bed I went. The next morning it was panado’s again, a shower and off to the chemist. I decided to go the natural route, because the only treatment for a bladder or urinary trackt infection is anti-biotics and I was not about to go that route at this stage of my journey. I got some citric-soda which has Cranberry extract in it. So it treats symptoms, but the cranberry treats the infection and aids the body with the healing. I also got a homeopathic drop which is specifically for bladder irritations and infections as well as a homeopathic anti-inflammatory (yeah, maybe went a bit overboard). I started dosing straight away!!!!
How many more set backs am I going to have to face, next it will probably be a cold or worse the flue.
I also got some cranberry and other berry juices as this helps a lot. I started drinking a cold pressed berry juice, which has a pear base, straight away. BIG MISTAKE! Not even 30 minutes to an hour later I started having diarrhoea. Oh dear, just when I thought it couldn’t get worst!!!! I was on and off the loo the entire afternoon. Luckily I decided to keep on drinking lots of water in-between to stay hydrated. By the afternoon my hubby picked up some carcoal tablets for me and that helped a lot to sort out my stomach, though I had gas the whole weekend, sometimes quite painful. The normal cranberry juice I could still drink, thank goodness.
So this past weekend has really not been a lot of fun, I was quite sick still Saturday. Sunday I was better and yesterday I was just about back to my old self again.
Yesterday afternoon we managed to take a 45 minute walk after work.
Today it was 30 minutes advanced yoga and it felt great!!!
Although, at some point I really didn’t see where I was going to find the energy to continue my exercise programme I did.
One of the things that pulled me through was my weigh-in on Sunday morning. I was so excited to be + - 1kg down!!!! It lifted my spirits and inspired me to just keep on going, no matter what. To harness the POWER OF FOCUS. And to just keep on focussing on what I need to do just for today to get through it all, one thing at a time!
We all go through it! We all have those things that just “jump in front of us” and we feel like we’re not in control, like we can’t just swirf out and swirf back onto our original path, but perhaps we can, if we can just get our emotions and our mind to focus on the goal and to take into consideration the bigger picture.
Looking forward to hopefully AM yoga tomorrow morning! If not, we will turn it into PM yoga! But Yoga it will be.
‘A mind once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.’
What is it that usually leaves get's in your way of doing what you would like to?
I felt like that when I just got into my exercise routine and on time is the menstrual cycle. The things we should be grateful for as it indicates everything is in check. But it has been a set back for me everytime in the past. As if my menstruation = The physical fitness reset button. And back to square one I am!!! So I decided this year, this is one of my biggest challenges, to dismantle my reset button and to find a way to continue with my physical fitness plan despite pain, discomfort, etc. I think my mind was so set on getting past this that the first cycle was a piece of cake, there were 2 days that I couldn’t exercise, but what is 2 days out of a week, that is still 5 days of exercise for that week, gentle breathing, stretching and toning through yoga exercises. Cycle was over and I was completely back into the swing of things the whole week last week.
In the early morning hours of Friday (this past Friday) morning I woke up with an intense pain.
I knew this pain, I have had it before – it is definitely a urinary track infection. I was also hot and feverish, so I decide to get out of bed and to just go and lie down in the lounge or somewhere cooler than in the bed. The pain was so immense I started to groan! After a while I realised praying that I will fall asleep is not working, maybe I should take some panado, just so that I can sleep till morning to get some meds.
I took two panado’s – stayed on the coach till they started working – which took a good 30 minutes. And back to bed I went. The next morning it was panado’s again, a shower and off to the chemist. I decided to go the natural route, because the only treatment for a bladder or urinary trackt infection is anti-biotics and I was not about to go that route at this stage of my journey. I got some citric-soda which has Cranberry extract in it. So it treats symptoms, but the cranberry treats the infection and aids the body with the healing. I also got a homeopathic drop which is specifically for bladder irritations and infections as well as a homeopathic anti-inflammatory (yeah, maybe went a bit overboard). I started dosing straight away!!!!
How many more set backs am I going to have to face, next it will probably be a cold or worse the flue.
I also got some cranberry and other berry juices as this helps a lot. I started drinking a cold pressed berry juice, which has a pear base, straight away. BIG MISTAKE! Not even 30 minutes to an hour later I started having diarrhoea. Oh dear, just when I thought it couldn’t get worst!!!! I was on and off the loo the entire afternoon. Luckily I decided to keep on drinking lots of water in-between to stay hydrated. By the afternoon my hubby picked up some carcoal tablets for me and that helped a lot to sort out my stomach, though I had gas the whole weekend, sometimes quite painful. The normal cranberry juice I could still drink, thank goodness.
So this past weekend has really not been a lot of fun, I was quite sick still Saturday. Sunday I was better and yesterday I was just about back to my old self again.
Yesterday afternoon we managed to take a 45 minute walk after work.
Today it was 30 minutes advanced yoga and it felt great!!!
Although, at some point I really didn’t see where I was going to find the energy to continue my exercise programme I did.
One of the things that pulled me through was my weigh-in on Sunday morning. I was so excited to be + - 1kg down!!!! It lifted my spirits and inspired me to just keep on going, no matter what. To harness the POWER OF FOCUS. And to just keep on focussing on what I need to do just for today to get through it all, one thing at a time!
We all go through it! We all have those things that just “jump in front of us” and we feel like we’re not in control, like we can’t just swirf out and swirf back onto our original path, but perhaps we can, if we can just get our emotions and our mind to focus on the goal and to take into consideration the bigger picture.
Looking forward to hopefully AM yoga tomorrow morning! If not, we will turn it into PM yoga! But Yoga it will be.
‘A mind once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.’
What is it that usually leaves get's in your way of doing what you would like to?
Friday, January 21, 2011
LIFE
We have choices!
We should exercise them!
I have a body and I AM adjusting my lifestyle to look after it well - better and longer!
We should exercise them!
I have a body and I AM adjusting my lifestyle to look after it well - better and longer!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
WHAT'S IN MY PLATE?
The last 3 days I have not had a breather to write in my blog, so here goes, a quick summery of the last 3 days. The main purpose of my blog is really to keep a record by posting what I am doing on a daily basis. At the end of my project I can look back and reflect on all the crazy things I’ve tried and then I’ll also be able to see what did work and what didn’t work for me. So here goes, the last 3 days in a nutshell.
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
First thing in the morning on an empty stomach, my alcalising supplement
Followed by 1 hour of exercise: 30 minutes mild yoga, 30 minutes cardio
Then came breakfast. Today I decided to try something new. Because of my IBS I can’t eat any roughage in the morning, I can really only have half a slice or 1 slice of white bread, lightly toasted. Any whole wheat or brown bread or whole wheat cereals give me cramps like mad and the whole IBS just flairs up again. So, today I’m trying a Low GI Linseed and Soy bread that is really a white bread, but a very healthy one I hope. I added very little marg and a micro waved poached egg. Now, I still needed something "live" on my plate and decided to add half a avo.
Here’s a close-up of the bread’s texture
Unfortunately for me, it did effect my IBS. So will try and do it differently tomorrow.
For lunch I had a vegetable soup with a chicken it. I’m not calling it chicken soup, because there is so little chicken in there. For my recipe, please visit my I LOVE food page on facebook.
For supper we had mash potato’s and green beans with a green salad on the side (my usual lunch salad showed in previous posts). I had very very little mash and LOTS of salad.
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
First thing in the morning on an empty stomach, my alcalising supplement
Followed by 1 hour of exercise: 30 minutes mild yoga, 30 minutes cardio
So, despite the gas and cramps yesterday morning I decided to add just half a slice of the linseed and soy bread. Great idea!!! It worked really well! No gas and no cramps. The rest of my plate was thin asparagus with lemon juice and salt, alfalfa sprouts (quite a lot of them) and 1 poached egg made in the microwave!
And on the side – Leef in God se Liefde (Live in God’s Grace / Love)
Such an enspiring and loving piece for the day, it actually energised me to jump right into the day from there.
Lunch was the usual green stuff salad.
Supper: We decided on green vegetables stir fry and a little bit of chicken added. On noodles.
I fried some unions, flash fried the small chicken pieces/strips and added little by little as I washed and chopped: peas, green peppers, green beans, baby spinach, spring unions, cabbage, parsley, water, very little sweet chilli sauce, salt to taste and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. I added some portugese chicken spice to the chicken before flash frying. The water I added made it’s own sauce with all the delicious flavours from the veg. It was so yum, so green, so simple, but so yum.
It seems I’m going GREEN this year on demand of my body!!!!
Thursday, 20 January 2011 – today.
First thing in the morning on an empty stomach, my alcalising supplement
Followed by 1 hour of exercise: 30 minutes mild yoga, 30 minutes cardio
1 poached egg, half a slice of linseed and soy bread, asparagus with lemon and salt, very little alfalfa sprouts, just enough to put onto the half a slice of toast. Trying to use the alfalfa sprouts sparingly as I don’t have lots left from the batch I made, I eat it with every meal!
Started making a new batch of alfalfa sprouts this morning.
Lunch came very late. I got so carried away with work, only made lunch at 14:45. I was naughty, I had 2 slices of white bread with the following on: very little marg, alfalfa sprouts, watercress leaves and rocket leaves, thinly sliced cucumber and half a avo.
It tasted like more!!!!!!!
I have had lots of water inbetween meals, a multi-vitamin supplement during or just after breakfast. I have had some coffe, weak coffee with only 2 t sugar (big improvement for me). Overall my IBS is not too bad. I had some effects from the lindseed bread at first, but it was like a shock response and now I can eat it again.
Supper tonight? Not sure yet, still have to make it, but it may include some green stuff and some artichoke!!!!
Feel free to comment on WHAT IS IN YOUR PLATE and to share what you are eating if you are trying to work on your body.
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
First thing in the morning on an empty stomach, my alcalising supplement
Followed by 1 hour of exercise: 30 minutes mild yoga, 30 minutes cardio
Then came breakfast. Today I decided to try something new. Because of my IBS I can’t eat any roughage in the morning, I can really only have half a slice or 1 slice of white bread, lightly toasted. Any whole wheat or brown bread or whole wheat cereals give me cramps like mad and the whole IBS just flairs up again. So, today I’m trying a Low GI Linseed and Soy bread that is really a white bread, but a very healthy one I hope. I added very little marg and a micro waved poached egg. Now, I still needed something "live" on my plate and decided to add half a avo.
Here’s a close-up of the bread’s texture
Unfortunately for me, it did effect my IBS. So will try and do it differently tomorrow.
For lunch I had a vegetable soup with a chicken it. I’m not calling it chicken soup, because there is so little chicken in there. For my recipe, please visit my I LOVE food page on facebook.
For supper we had mash potato’s and green beans with a green salad on the side (my usual lunch salad showed in previous posts). I had very very little mash and LOTS of salad.
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
First thing in the morning on an empty stomach, my alcalising supplement
Followed by 1 hour of exercise: 30 minutes mild yoga, 30 minutes cardio
So, despite the gas and cramps yesterday morning I decided to add just half a slice of the linseed and soy bread. Great idea!!! It worked really well! No gas and no cramps. The rest of my plate was thin asparagus with lemon juice and salt, alfalfa sprouts (quite a lot of them) and 1 poached egg made in the microwave!
And on the side – Leef in God se Liefde (Live in God’s Grace / Love)
Such an enspiring and loving piece for the day, it actually energised me to jump right into the day from there.
Lunch was the usual green stuff salad.
Supper: We decided on green vegetables stir fry and a little bit of chicken added. On noodles.
I fried some unions, flash fried the small chicken pieces/strips and added little by little as I washed and chopped: peas, green peppers, green beans, baby spinach, spring unions, cabbage, parsley, water, very little sweet chilli sauce, salt to taste and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar. I added some portugese chicken spice to the chicken before flash frying. The water I added made it’s own sauce with all the delicious flavours from the veg. It was so yum, so green, so simple, but so yum.
It seems I’m going GREEN this year on demand of my body!!!!
Thursday, 20 January 2011 – today.
First thing in the morning on an empty stomach, my alcalising supplement
Followed by 1 hour of exercise: 30 minutes mild yoga, 30 minutes cardio
1 poached egg, half a slice of linseed and soy bread, asparagus with lemon and salt, very little alfalfa sprouts, just enough to put onto the half a slice of toast. Trying to use the alfalfa sprouts sparingly as I don’t have lots left from the batch I made, I eat it with every meal!
Started making a new batch of alfalfa sprouts this morning.
Lunch came very late. I got so carried away with work, only made lunch at 14:45. I was naughty, I had 2 slices of white bread with the following on: very little marg, alfalfa sprouts, watercress leaves and rocket leaves, thinly sliced cucumber and half a avo.
It tasted like more!!!!!!!
I have had lots of water inbetween meals, a multi-vitamin supplement during or just after breakfast. I have had some coffe, weak coffee with only 2 t sugar (big improvement for me). Overall my IBS is not too bad. I had some effects from the lindseed bread at first, but it was like a shock response and now I can eat it again.
Supper tonight? Not sure yet, still have to make it, but it may include some green stuff and some artichoke!!!!
Feel free to comment on WHAT IS IN YOUR PLATE and to share what you are eating if you are trying to work on your body.
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