Getting Started

With a new year come resolutions and these are generally adhered to for a few weeks and then get ignored for the rest of the year. Last year I did pretty well but this year I intend to excel!

I started on Weigh-Less just over a week ago and I shed 2kg, even though I was away on site visits and there were a few birthdays I attended. I feel that is a fantastic motivator to continue!

But to feel better here are 7 simple rules to get you kickstarted. They don't involve a detox because detox diets out there are more likeley to do you harm than good. And they are quite simple methinks.

1.       Cut coffee down to 1 a day and drink more herbal tea.

2.       Drink ginger tea. It’s really easy to make at work and you can drink it all day, it’s a lovely metabolism booster and body cleanser. Or make your own ice tea without sugar (if you need the sweet use xylitol or stevia).

3.       Cut out all junk food (that includes soft drinks). You can do it! It’s actually quite awful stuff. Mostly made of cardboard with seasoning and oil.

4.       Buy fresh ingredients and make your own salads and veggie dishes. You can add some lean protein on the side. And eat fruit twice a day.

5.       Leave out the carbs at supper time (or keep them to an absolute minimum, like a crumbed chicken breast or crumbed fish). It’s simple: you just don’t need an energy injection a couple of hours before you lie down to sleep.

6.       Try not to drink alcohol during the week and do some exercise. These go hand in hand for me. I always feel so great after I’ve had a spot of jump-up-and-down, I don’t feel like drinking... most of the time. And on weekends when you want some alcohol stick to a light white wine. A pinot noir is a very nice option. There’s a gorgeous one from Simonsig (available at Woolworths only) that will not make your wallet cringe.

7.       Water water water! Still or sparkling. Don’t go for flavoured as it’s full of sugar and other nasties. You can add mint, lemon verbena or lemon to your water for a refreshing flavour. And avoid fruit juices as they’re sugar traps. Get yourself a 750ml bottle for work and make sure you drink 2 of those while at work. Have a few large glugs every time you think you’re hungry. You’ll find that you probably only thirsty.

It’s all about breaking the habit. Try the 21 day rule. If you can break it in 21 days, you’ve done it. And then stick to it for the rest of the year!

Ginger Tea

This makes 2 cups

2cm fresh ginger

2 wedges of lemon

Peel the ginger and chop it into thin slices. Place the ginger and lemon into a container and fill with just boiled water. Let it steep for five minutes before drinking. You can make a large jug and keep it in the fridge once it has cooled, but make sure to make a fresh one each day.

Fitness and Weigh Loss Challenge: Week 12

Twelve weeks down and 10kg lost! 

I am really very happy. It's been a very tough 12 weeks I have to be honest, but the reward is immense. I think the worst part was the plateau. It was extremely difficult to remain motivated when not seeing the kilos shift. But I persevered and here I am, with quite a weight loss. I am not really "seeing" it physically, but I am noticing it in my clothes. I was joking with my mom that my one pair of pants have become elephant pants: all baggy around the bum. 

What is really assisting me is all the exercise. I'm at gym three times a week (although I do aim for four times) and I have Pilates once a week. I am also going to start walking longer distances on a regular basis. There is a monthly 5km or 10km walk at the Zoo, which I plan on doing. And I will be doing the 8km 702 Walk The Talk in July! This will really get me fit for my UK trip.

So here's to the next 20kg! In small increments of course :-)

Fitness and Weight Loss Challenge: Week 8

I have not blogged much regarding the challenge this month. Why? Well, there is nothing to report really. I lost 1 kg at the start of the month (I am now down to 92kg) and I have not lost a gram since.

I have hit my first plateau and it just SUCKS! It’s utterly demotivating to be eating really healthily and exercising and not having anything to show for it. I am at a loss of how to get past it. I do a variety of exercises at gym to prevent my body from getting used to routine. I’m following the Weigh-Less eating plan as closely as possible, but I just cannot eat the quantities of veggies that I should (400-700g/day). I get full so quickly. So I try and eat “heavier” veggies to hit 200g in one sitting, but that is not always possible. I was logging what I was eating on MyFitnessPal, and it clearly showed that I am under their recommended calories for weight-loss. It’s possible my body is rebelling against me and hoarding fat. So I’m working really hard at eating more, but the quantities just make me feel nauseous.

It’s really hard to remain motivated at a time like this. Now of course this week my body is screaming blue murder for all the things I should not eat. Thanks PMS. I love you too. So it’s a double challenge: to stay motivated and to not reach for food for that instant comfort.

We’ll see in two Saturday’s time what my cholesterol levels are up to. I was supposed to go this Saturday but the clinic is only open every second Saturday. I admit I am nervous. It should have dropped. I have lost some weight, exercising regularly and eating healthy. But with my luck nothing will have happened.

So yes, feeling utterly miserable right now. Sorry for the whine and whinge.

Then again, as I am learning in the "Living Your Potential" course (more on that in another blog): THIS TOO SHALL PASS. I just need to be patient.

Weight Loss & Fitness Challenge: Week 2

I have survived my second week. I have lost 1 kg and am not getting cravings of any kind, beside coffee. I have to admit that I am over the moon these two starter weeks are over so that I can have my morning coffee. As I am writing this I’m sipping on some good coffee. Bliss! I did buy a pomegranate flavoured Rooibos tea that tastes lovely (I firmly believe Rooibos has to be flavoured with something to make it decent), but as nice as it tastes it just doesn’t replace that feeling that coffee gives you.

This past week has been a challenge. I was being naughty, checking my scale every second day instead of once a week, annoyed that that damn kilo was taking it’s time to shift. I think that’s why dietitians recommend weekly instead of daily weighing. I will try and be god this week and only weigh myself on Saturday. And I will measure myself once a month only.  I'm also keeping track of what I eat with a food diary. It helps to not deviate too much and to ensure that I am eating the recommended portions.

Sarai came to visit me for lunch on Friday and we went to a Greek restaurant and had mezze. The nice thing about mezze is that you can have a variety of nibbles. We were really good and got the healthier stuff. But somehow, after almost 2 weeks of eating healthy, I actually did not enjoy the mezze as much as I expected. They felt very heavy on my stomach. We didn’t even finish our platters and took home the rests. My share I gave to Lindiwe as I couldn’t face eating them.  There was one Mezze dish though that was really nice: Chickpeas with Fennel. I am definitely going to try and make it when I can find fennel bulbs.

I have started having Jungle Oats for breakfast. Apparently oats have a fibre that prevents the body from absorbing cholesterol thereby helping to reduce the existing levels. Please keep fingers crossed that the oats, combined with my healthy eating lifestyle, exercise and Omega 3’s will help drastically drop my cholesterol levels.

Kelly-May told me about a NIA class at my local gym. On Thursday I went and had an absolute blast. NIA stands for Non Impact Aerobic. It’s based on a mix of dancing, martial arts, yoga and aerobics. I love that you can go at your own pace, that there is no right and wrong and that you listen to your body. I felt like a bit of a clunky elephant compared to the lithe graceful instructor, but I can see that NIA will teach me to get in tune with my body again. After 1 hour of non-stop exercise I came out of there quite exhausted and sweaty but very happy. I am definitely going to be doing it weekly. I cannot wait for next Thursday’s session! Poor KM could not make the session due to nasty tonsillitis. I hope she gets better soon so that we can start our walking sessions too.

My word, I can't believe I'm actually saying this: I am enjoying exercising!

So week 3 here we come! I am totally winning this challenge!

A Step In The Right Direction

Friday I boldly went where I have not gone in a very very very long time: The Gym!

I am finally in a frame of mind where I am feeling enthusiastic for the future and I've decided to start exercising again. I do pilates once a week, but that's for spinal rehabilitation, and I need to be physically more active.

So off I trundled to Planet Fitness. I was planning on going to Virgin Active which is literally opposite work. But when I found out the monthly fee (with discount) I almost had a heart attack. R400/month! Seriously? Apparently they give you a hot towel and there's a fruit and juice bar and all sorts of flimflammery. I don't care. I just want to exercise.

Thank goodness PF was a fraction of the price. And they had an awesome special of 4 months free Personal Trainer classes. That way I can learn lots of exercise without hurting myself. Phew!

It is my aim to go most weekdays after work to avoid the traffic. Should be feasible. Friday I walked, cycled and did that cross-trainer machine thingy. It was a great feeling!

So here's to a leaner better me!

PS: Of course it helps to stick to a healthy diet. That's the next hurdle. Fruit as snacks need to be implemented (reaches for the diced papaya and strawberries)