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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
