All right, this may be a bit of a lengthy post but only because I have made a couple of new decisions, the husband had his interview and life is always changing around us. Okay, so let’s get started!
First of all, I am not sure if I divulged my thoughts on why I had been feeling so exhausted over the last few weeks. I think it was initially caused by the antidepressants. I was feeling also like, when I finally laid down, I could not actually fall asleep. I was getting soo frustrated! And I could not figure out what was keeping me awake. Therefore, I did not take the pill yesterday in hopes of feeling more awake. And I did! Not only that but I slept like a dead person! So am longer self-medicating myself. In the past, I had heard of antidepressants making a person hold on to excess body fat so I am now beginning to wonder if I am not seeing as much stomach shrinkage because of it. However, I have squeezed into a sexy pair of my size nine jeans. It is not an attractive fit around the waistband but at least they are buttoned. *Chuckle*
Secondly, my handsome hubby did have his Air Force interview yesterday. He says that he has a really great feeling about it. We should know something by Tuesday. Exciting, huh?
Aside from all of that, I am feeling better already. I think my sinus infection (or whatever it was) has begun to clear itself up. Thank God. However, I am pretty annoyed that I have not lost more thant I have. I feel like I have absolutely been busting my hump on my elliptical for four weeks and, other than muscular solidarity, I have experienced very little change. So, starting Monday, I’m going to attempt to go back to my pre-wedding diet of pretty much starving the fat off. We’ll see how that goes. But I didn’t work out yesterday, seeing as I spent it off with my honey, so I have no stats for you. I have worn myself out today though so tomorrow’s will be good. Adios, mi bonitas!
This week, I tried something new. Most of my meals over the weekend were restaurant meals, and I basically ate whatever I wanted, with the exception of desserts. Friday night’s dinner was a hangar steak served over polenta, Sunday brunch was a delicious chicken and spinach crepe, and it was all topped off on Sunday night with a delicious fried calamari. Yum! On Monday through Thursday, I ate 200 calorie meals every 2 hours. That’s right, every 2 waking hours, for a total of 1600 calories per day! I really expected to gain a bit. As you know if you’ve been following this blog, I have failed to lose weight on 1200 calories per day. So I was fairly certain that 1600 per day would send me over the edge. I didn’t really put any restrictions on what I ate as long as it was 200 calories, although I tried to stay nutritionally balanced. I ate lots of whole grains and very little processed sugar, although I did not count the sugar grams in regular foods. At least one meal a day was a cup of plain yogurt sweetened with stevia and maybe a little fruit. I did not count carbs at all. My exercise level was the usual moderate; a few walks and a few sessions on the elliptical trainer. I did set the elliptical trainer on the “total body workout” setting, which is a little more interval training.
It really is all in your head
I have been reading The Younger (Thinner) You Diet: How Understanding Your Brain Chemistry Can Help You Lose Weight, Reverse Aging, and Fight Disease by Eric R. Braverman . According to Dr. Braverman, when we have difficulty losing weight it is because our brain chemistry is imbalanced. He explains how different chemicals in the brain affect aging, weight gain and energy levels while outlining how different foods, spices and teas can help to bring these chemicals back into their proper balance. Braverman discusses the brain chemicals dopamine, serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and acetylcholine and explains how imbalances can affect personality, weight management, food addiction and aging.
The book starts with a series of quizes designed to help the reader identify which brain chemicals they may be deficient in. Dr. Braverman also has a modified version of theses quizes on his website to help you get started. The diet itself is sensible and well-balanced, emphasizing lots of vegetables, fruit, herbs and spices. I’ve been following some of the suggestions to boost up the nutritional value of my meals. Braverman’s work on brain chemistry is interesting, and it extends way beyond dieting into overall health, well-being and aging. It’s a good read even if you’re not dieting; can’t we all use a little more balance in our brain chemistry?
Hello and welcome to my blog, Inspired by a word, written words have always inspired me. As I hope words inspire you too and that mine can do the same for you.
I would like to introduce myself to you and share a little bit about myself with you and hopefully I will get to know you as well. I am Gaylena, pen name Nia, or MissInk.
I have a back ground of five years experience and training in network marketing. Raised health conscious and into fitness and exercise, not as easy to keep up with as you get older and busier. More recently trained as a life/soul coach. Of course I am a writer and freelance writer more then anything else and love to write with a passion. I am also into personal development and write on the subject as well.
The subjects I will be writing about here, that I have much knowledge and experience with are: Writing, weight consciousness, gaining and losing it from a skinny lady’s perspective. Self-esteem and self confidence. Having a dream and going for it and having creating the beliefs to support it the dream.
All the above topics, are ones I am passionate about and enjoy sharing my experience with them and perspective on them. I look forward to this journey with you, so here’s to another new journey and new horizons along the way.
I broke it. I had lasted 6 days and then I went and broke it. I weighed myself and had put on the weight that I had lost and thought to hell with the rules. They obviously aren’t working. I hadn’t been to the loo before hand but it was so dispiriting that I couldn’t bear to go on any longer.
When I say I broke it, I didn’t go all out and order fish and chips for lunch but I didn’t do the ‘plan’. Today was meant to be brown rice, veggies and fruit juice. In a horrendous morning of upset and depression, I rushed out the flat without so much as a coffee. Arriving at the boyfriend’s in need of much love and food. Low and behold he didn’t have any brown rice so I thought ‘All Bran’ would do the trick. Being brown and all? Anyway, one bowl turned into two and then I had some little weetabix crunchy things and a whole weetabix. Before heading into Starbucks to get a latte. (It was a buy one get one free offer!)
This is the point where I probably tell you that I suffer from depression which has been linked to eating disorders, currently ‘fine’ I think I am heading for a downer, if not already cruising toward the bottom of one.
I saw it coming weeks, months back but now I am at the crying all the time stage and can’t seem to lift it. My circumstances at the moment seem to be fine, bar unpleasantness from certain colleagues but other wise I would consider everything fine. Boyfriend fine, parents fine, friends fine, weight not so fine, job not so fine. Mental hospital trip is next week and I will have to wait and see what the consensus is. Other than ‘lose some weight you fat cow’.
Yesterday although breaking the GM Diet plan, I didn’t go full belt. Morning was cereal (whole wheat) and milk (skinny), lunch was leaves and cereal, then supper was fruit, tomato soup, couple of slices of bread (one of which was wholemeal), two dairylea triangles (both light obviously) and then a fat-free bowl of yogurt with a smidgen of honey, with a tea to top. It could have been worse. Perhaps over did it on the carbs but it was the ‘carb’ day on the plan and I was aiming for whole meal rather than refined carbs…
Back to day one, it’s fruit and veg. Easy – I still have my fruit from day three last week. Give me strength to continue for a week two and a poo perhaps.
If you’ve never heard of Quinoa get to the store and buy some. It’s one of natures best foods- containing all the essential amino acids- and is as flexible as rice but so much better for you.
This is a one pot wonder. So put it all in-
2.c. rinsed quinoa
4c. low or no sodium organic chicken broth
veggies (broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots)
Desired amounts of sea salt, pepper, turmeric, curry powder, sage, thyme, and basil
simmer covered until broth has absorbed into quinoa and it’s tender, and all the veggies have softened.
enjoy. The below picture shows this meal served with whole wheat flat bread and reduced fat crab and cream cheese wantons.
Many people, including me, struggle with comfort eating, which is sometimes called binge eating (or “compulsive eating”), particularly when it is accompanied by a feeling of being out of control. Although most of us experience emotional eating from time to time, binge eating can be a serious condition. I’ve found a few tips worth sharing, but keep in mind that some folks will need to visit a doctor or therapist in order to manage a binge eating problem.
My personal goal is to eat only when I am hungry and to keep emotional eating to an absolute minimum. The first step, for me, is paying attention to my eating. If I decide to have a snack, am I really hungry? If not, then I’m probably emotionally eating.
Here are a few simple ideas:
Find out what’s really causing you to overeat. People who binge or compulsively overeat are often driven by painful emotions that they do not want to face. Eating disorders are symptoms of deeper issues, so heal the pain that is driving the behavior. Depending upon your underlying problems, this could be as simple as finding an effective meditation or relaxation technique, or you might need to see a therapist. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor for help with this! It may feel a little embarrassing, but think of how wonderful you’ll feel after you get through it!
I also like to remember that I am not “denying” myself anything when I refuse to binge eat… I am taking care of myself. Stopping the binge is an act of love, not an act of deprivation.
Find an alternative behavior to replace bingeing. I like to keep in mind some pampering activities that I can use to sooth myself without food. You might like a hot bath or shower, or a walk or drive in your favorite neighborhood or park. How about some good music, candles, flowers or a message from a loved one, a massage machine or, if the budget allows, a professional. Try calling an old friend!!
It may sound counter-intuitive, but some experts suggest that it is hard to focus on weight loss and stopping binge eating at the same time. Try focusing first on ending binge eating—you specific weight loss goals can be revisited in the future.
Eat when you’re hungry. You have probably already discovered that starving yourself is a good way to cause another binge. Give yourself a break: starvation will likely not stop the binging.
Focus your thoughts on something other than food. We give our cravings a lot of power when we think about food. Instead, try thinking about things that make you happy, like family or fun times, or things that make you feel good about yourself, like accomplishments or things you’re good at.
Use a cooling off period. When you have a craving, tell yourself that you are going to wait 15 minutes before you eat. During that 15 minutes, use your tools, including the other thoughts listed here, to manage your emotions. After 15 minutes, you may still feel the desire to eat. For me, this means I am actually hungry, so I eat!
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Easy does it. If you find yourself bingeing or overeating, do not beat yourself up (which for me would lead to more bingeing). Take another cooling off period; the urge is likely to go away.
Before I sign off, as always, I want to encourage you to visit HealthyWage, which provides health incentives for everyone. Incentives make accountability fun, and studies show that incentives increase your odds of success. Check it out! Best wishes everybody!
Today has been like heaven, if heaven were free. I mean, movies, polite husband, friends, happiness, dogs, food shopping & beautiful rain!
No money made today, no calls about my ad, no lessening of the stress which is coming on the first of the month when I’ll be up shit creek…but a nice Sunday anyway. =)
This morning I sat down and typed up my blog notes from the night before…and I put off doing Jillian #3 as long as possible. Eventually I went down and did it. Oy vey…I’m on day 28, which means that when I wake up it will be Day 29.
Day 29 is important for a couple of reasons. First of all, it’s a “Weigh-In” day, so I am a little bit apprehensive about that. But Day 29 is also one day away from Day 30. So tomorrow is all about planning what I am going to do on Day 31, and making a plan of attack.
Day 30 is a bitch. The only good thing about it will be that it is the last day of Jillian #3. I will be moving into other, more comprehensive workouts after the first 30 days. And I will also be doing Cardio & Weights only 5 days a week/each, instead of 6 or 7.
But Day 30 isn’t difficult because of a routine change. Oh no…it’s much more insidious than that. Day 30 is a milestone.
Day 30 is a marker that says “Do this 11 more times, and you’ll reach your goal.” Day 30 says, “You’ve made it an entire month, you’ve graduated. Time to slow down buddy, you deserve it.”
Day 30 has always been awful, no matter what I have done, it’s been a sense of letting myself down that moves into my brain. Day 30 has traditionally been the end of me.
Of course, I haven’t blogged about Day 30 before…and now I have that tool, which I DO believe will make all the difference.
On Dr. Oz the other day, there was a guy who lost over 100 pounds, and he talked about how he blogs every day to help his weight loss. He says that the blog keeps him accountable for his recovery, and it has helped him a lot, and has given him a lot of support from other people.
It was amazing. I heard myself right there, on National Television. Dr. Oz asked if he’d be willing to blog for Dr. Oz.com. I haven’t looked for him yet, but it was great to see him at the end of his journey talking about blogging. If it worked for him, it can work for me!
I’m not jealous! Shut up….jealous…what-ev-er!
Well, like I said, today was a great day. I hung out with best friend Billy…he’s going through kidney stones….so he’s on a LOT of Vicadin. Wee! We went grocery shopping, and he also wanted to go to Costco. So, I ended up going grocery shopping at Costco.
I’ll repeat myself: I went grocery shopping at Costco! AHH!!!!
It was cool. I mean, BOY did I get a lot of oranges, and celery, and carrots, and tomatoes, and apples, and a thing of Cottage cheese that is as big as my HEAD! LOL….I spent less than usual, and really did well…
I want to write about how overboard I feel, and how out of control I am…and then I want to talk about how all of this baking that Hubby is doing is driving me crazy, because he’s making all this white bread and biscuits and stuff.
But I can’t write something that isn’t true.
I’m shocked, I’m worried, I’m concerned and confused…but I’m not having a hard time with all of this food. I feel fine. I feel…dare I say? Normal.
I don’t want the warm, white bread rolls that Hubby toasted in the oven today and then put butter all over. It’s even my favorite bread (one of them) called “Pan de sol”; it’s Filipino bread.
And all of the food in my refrigerator gives me a nice feeling because I know I’m set for a while, but I don’t want to dive nose first into all of the good stuff…I’m not having my normal fantasies about bingeing on all the food I bought today.
It feels like I am cringing, bent over, because I’ve just been shot at point blank range…but then I realize I’m not dead, so I stand up, and start looking for bullet holes…but there are none.
Another gunshot, and Ah! But then again, I stand up, smooth out my shirt, and think “What the hell?” Either this dude is a lousy shot, or I’m suddenly bullet proof?
My emotions are evened out, I have constant energy (mostly), I am losing weight, sleeping well, not sweating for no reason, becoming a little “loosened up” all around, and smiling a lot.
I’m scared mentally, that I’m not emotionally scared at all….not even of the fact that I’m not mentally scared really, I just have to say I am, because I’m aware of this immense oddity that is my relative saneness.
I know I’ve done an awful job capturing this feeling I’m having, but it’s very important for me to try. My entire identity, in the past, has hinged on my addicted behavior, and my emotional swings. To be without my old crutches is a miracle to me, and yet not unexpected.
I have been in “food recovery” before. I know that whatever I’m doing to myself chemically, by eating the right things in the right amounts (No white flour, sugar, red meat, poultry, egg yolks or processed foods (except some soy products), always works.
But it has never been so easy.
And that brings me back to Day 30. This is the gate at which whatever system I’m using at the moment fails. Day 30, in the past, would be where I say “Enough of this restricted eating crap! I want peanut butter jelly waffle sandwiches and mayonnaise/ketchup/cheese white rice bowls topped with burnt ground beef by the pound!”
And yes, that made my mouth water. But only the thought of foods like that are attractive. The emotional memory is what is still pulling at me here and there. If it were in front of me, I feel like my body would say, “Hmm…smells good. I don’t need it though, thanks anyway. I feel amazing without that crap.”
Oh, I saw the movie “Frost/Nixon” tonight. It was pretty good. It’s raining outside, so I just looked at the clock while I was watching the movie, and I jogged in place for 30 minutes in front of the TV. It was amazing because the first 10 minutes went by so slowly! But then the next 5 minutes went faster.
After 15 minutes, getting to 20 minutes was only 5 minutes away, and then I only had 10 minutes left! That’s 2/3rds done! And the next 8 minutes just flew by like nothing! Those last 2 minutes were the slowest 2 minutes of my life though…isn’t that amazing?
There’s something in quantum mechanics that would explain that I’m sure.
Well, I don’t want to stop typing, because if I do, I have to face going to bed at some point, and that will only lead to waking up tomorrow morning, which I don’t want to do because that will only lead to more worry, stress, and another tough workout that I’m becoming testy about.
But I suppose I must do what I must do. Thanks for allowing me to rant and vent on here.
And for once my ranting wasn’t about my marriage! Imagine that!
Well…perhaps I’ll go crazy after Day 30, and stir up a whole bunch of drama in my life…but let’s hope not. I don’t need it or want it.
The doggies are doing well…Max keeps having accidents on the carpet. He doesn’t want to climb up the stairs anymore…he’s visibly slowed down yet again…I may be doing a lot more writing on here soon, if he dies or worse yet, is put down.
Hubby thinks that if his back legs go, we should put him down…(lump in throat.) That’s a whole other topic to be avoided until the last possible moment, I suppose. I’m certainly not going to deal with it right now…just putting it out there.
Anything else to say about today? Oh…well, I guess I should chat about my perceived week of weight loss. I think I did pretty good. I’m feeling slimmer every day. I wish I was at my goal all ready, but that’s nothing new.
I feel like I’ve lost weight, and I’m guessing 3-4 pounds perhaps. I’d be absolutely thrilled with 6 or more. I never know how to slim down the hours before my weigh in. Should I drink less water? More water? Not eat for 12 hours before weigh in? Exercise harder?
Well…I went with the moderate approach today. I simply did my Jillian, ate my calories (up til 7p), and did moderate cardio. I figure that any genuine weight loss will reflect over the weeks anyway.
The only weird thing about today was my 2 hour nap after breakfast. I’m not sure what caused it…I was just out like a light, and felt groggy and awful for several hours afterwar……..ds……….I KNOW WHAT DID IT! I took a Zyrtec! That’s what did it! It has to be! I took that allergy pill, and 20 minutes later I HAD to sleep!
How weird! I never noticed that throw me before…but I’ve been all pure and pristine for almost a month now, no pills or additives, etc., so no wonder! Hmm…okay, that’s a good thing to realize about medication and me.
My “Why” has emerge from the darkest corners of my mind. It was lurking in the shadows staying hidden from the fear, failure, and sorrow that had cast it away long ago. When I found my why it was painful, I hurt deeply realizing I have fallen so far from the path I was once on as a young man and as a boy with a dream. Today, I confronted my why and gained control of my mind once again.
So here it is…
I want to be the Man my Dog believed I was, the light at the end of the tunnel, I want to inspire others to believe in themselves and to believe there is still good in this world. I want to be the Superman that as a boy I believed I would become one day. My why is to do my best at everything I attempt and to finish it, to not make excuses for my folly’s, and to learn from my mistakes, failures, and losses. My why is to exist as me and cast a shadow that will still be here long after I am gone. My why is to make a difference.
I have been eating very healthy for the last few months, in order to lose weight and be generally healthier. Its been going well, and I’ve noticed the difference.
But since last weekend in Mosselbay, I have been struggling to get back on track. Been eating junk, and refined food again. Pizza last night… and again for lunch… well my body has had enough. I feel so sick today from all the rubbish. My stomach hurts, and I feel nauseous and bloated. Added to which I picked up 200g in the last week… So from NOW its back to all healthy, natural fibre-filled goodness.
Check out Naturally Knocked Up, Passionate Homemaking and Keeper of the Home for recipes and tips on healthy eating.
Lost another 2.5lb this week taking my total to 5st 9lb (79lb) so I am really happy with that considering I had a couple of bad food days on Friday and Saturday last week. Aysia was in work so unfortunately I have nothing to report for Aysia’s weight update but she is very close to her 50lb certificate.
Speaking of certificates I received my 75lb certificate last night which has given me a boost. I know it’s cheesy but getting something physical that shows how well I have done over the last six months or so really helps with the motivation levels.
Weight Watchers 75lb Certificate
The next target for me is another 6lb to get my second 10% of my weight lost and then after that it’s the 100lb certificate. It’s strange to think that by the time I get to my birthday in June I could be 100lb+ lighter.
Slightly pessimistic for this week though as Saturday I have a pub lunch with my Dad who I haven’t seen since Xmas followed by a video games/take away night with my mates. Suffice to say I al going to be super healthy for the rest of the week to counter act this.
I just got a call from my doctor’s office about the results of my blood tests done yesterday after my physical. Blood pressure, temperature, and heart beat were all normal in yesterday’s examination. I was told that my cholesterol was 202, up 3 points from 2 years ago, and that the doctor recommended I lose weight, go on a low-fat low-cholesterol diet, and begin aerobic exercise. All the other tests showed I was fine. Now to begin the journey I’ve been trying to embark for years. The path to losing the excess weight I carry with me.
I watched the Dr. Oz show on my DVR this morning, well at least half of it, and what I’ve learned is amazing in it’s own right. I will be posting the video that really explains just what an overweight individual experiences in terms of joints and waist size when being overweight and the fact that the body heals itself as the weight comes off.
Weight loss and diet management is a challenge for millions of people around the world. Globally, more than 1 billion people are above an ideal weight. The affects weight has on life-threatening or life-altering disease are devastating. Diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer all have links to being overweight or obese.
Increasing education efforts, accessible weight management plans and foods, and a growing desire to be physically desirable have fueled this market in more recent years. More than 100 million people in the United States are actively involved in a weight loss or weight management plan at any one time throughout the year. This suggests a demand for products and services which will continue for years to come.
This Kalorama Information report – Obesity, Weight Loss and Diet Management Markets – focuses on five key segments of products, treatments, and services:
Diet Foods and Drinks (Drinks and powders, Bars and Snacks, Meals, Desserts)
Weight Loss Drugs (Prescription Drugs, OTC)
Natural Therapies for Weight Loss
Surgical Interventions (Gastric Banding, Other)
Weight Loss Programs (Revenues from Delivered Food, Revenues From Program Fees)
The report includes statistical information for obesity and higher body mass worldwide, with special emphasis on the U.S. and Europe. The market segments provide an overview, description of products on the market, market estimates and forecasts, and trends in the industry. Trends discussed in the report include:
Weight Loss Incentives in the Work Environment
Healthy Lifestyle and American Cancer Society
Outlook for a Healthier U.S. Population
Childhood Obesity
Inadequate Levels of Sleep, Technology, Caffeine, and the Affect on Adolescents
Weight Loss Camps and Schools
Factors that Affect Weight Among Adolescent Girls
‘Smart Choices Program’
New Developments in Pharmaceutical Weight Loss
New Developments in Weight Loss Surgical Devices
Trends in Bariatric Surgery
Obesity Trends During Socioeconomic Changes
Discontinued Weight Loss Drugs
The information for this report was gathered using both primary and secondary research including comprehensive research of secondary sources such as company literature, databases, investment reports, and medical and business journals. Telephone interviews and email correspondence were the primary method of gathering primary information.
For the purpose of this study Kalorama Information conducted interviews with key industry officials, consultants, health care providers, and government personnel. These sources were the primary basis in gathering information specifically relating to revenue data presented in this report. All market data pertains to the world market at the manufacturers’ level. The base year for data was 2009. Historical data was provided for the years 2006 through 2008, with forecast data provided for 2010 through 2013. Compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) are provided for the 2006-2009, 2009-2013 and 2006-2013 periods for each segment covered.
The forecasted market analysis for 2010-2013 was based on probability of drug approval and sales of products in late stage development, future trends in current product demand, obesity statistics and trends, product marketing, and relevant demographic trends.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
CHAPTER ONE: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overview
Scope and Methodology
Defining Obesity
Size and Growth of the Market
Trends Affecting the Market
Leading Competitors
CHAPTER TWO: INTRODUCTION
Overview of the Industry
Industry Definitions
Weight Management
Statistics and Trends in Weight
Global Obesity Statistics
Indicators and Causes of Weight Gain
Genetics
Environmental
Socioeconomic
Lifestyle Changes Promoting Weight Gain
Changes in Physical Activity in the United States
Changes in Food Consumption in the United States
Nutrition Analysis
Carbohydrates
Proteins
Fats
Vitamins
Minerals
Complications of Excessive Weight Gain
Diabetes
Gallbladder Disease
Heart Disease and Stroke
Hypertension
Osteoarthritis
Sleep Apnea
Cancer
World Demographics
CHAPTER THREE: MARKET SEGMENTS
Overview
Diet Foods and Drinks
Diet Drinks and Powders
Diet Bars
Low Fat/ Low Calorie Frozen and Convenient Meals
Diet Desserts—Puddings, Ice Cream and Cookies
Drug Therapy
Prescription Pharmaceuticals
Over-the-Counter Pharmaceuticals
Natural Therapy
Surgical Interventions
Restrictive Surgery
Combined Restrictive and Malabsorptive Surgery
Weight Loss Programs
CHAPTER FOUR: MARKET ANALYSIS
Summary
Weight Loss and Diet Management Market by Product Segment
Diet Foods and Drinks
Weight Loss Drugs
Natural Therapies for Weight Loss
Surgical Interventions
Weight Loss Programs
Weight Loss and Diet Management Market by Geographical Region
CHAPTER FIVE: MARKET TRENDS
Overview
Weight Loss Incentives in the Work Environment
Healthy Lifestyle and the American Cancer Society
Outlook for a Healthier US Population
Childhood Obesity
European Childhood Obesity Surveillance
United States Childhood Obesity Surveillance
Inadequate Levels of Sleep, Technology, Caffeine, and the Effect on Adolescents
Weight Loss Camps and Schools
Weight Loss Destinations
Wellspring Camps
Green Mountain at Fox Run
Camp Shane
Camp La Jolla
Weight Loss Schools
Wellspring Academies
Factors that Affect Weight Among Adolescent Girls
Healthy Options in Fast Food and Fast-Casual Restaurants
People need more variety in their diet to ensure that they get everything their body needs for effective anti-ageing. The general guidelines for the anti-ageing diet are: keep your calorie consumption and saturated fat intake down; eat plenty of wholegrain, oily fish and fresh fruit and vegetables and cut down on salt and sugar.
Read below for a meal plan:
Breakfast
1 cup Non-fat cottage cheese (120 calories)
23 nuts/Almonds, raw (160 calories)
1 cup Strawberries…
read more http://www.sevafrica.com/modules/health/article.php?newsid=250
I found this in my inbox and thought it was so cute, I had to share. I don’t know who wrote it. I would love to give them credit for it. Hope you enjoy =)
Twas the month after Christmas,
and all through the house,
Nothing would fit me,
not even a blouse.
The cookies I’d nibbled,
the chocolate I’d taste
and the holiday parties
had gone to my waist.
When I got on the scales
there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store
(less a walk than a lumber),
I’d remember the marvellous meals I’d prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,
The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I’d never said, “No thank you, please.”
As I dressed myself in my husband’s old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt…
I said to myself, as I only can,
“You can’t spend a winter, disguised as a man!”
So, away with the last of the sour cream dip.
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip.
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.
I won’t have a cookie, not even a lick.
I’ll want only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won’t have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie.
I’ll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.
I’m hungry, I’m lonesome, and life is a bore…
But isn’t that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good diet.
Since the age of 11, I have obsessed over numbers. The number of digits, the averages and ideals with which I compare them, the charts, the graphs and the calculations performed with those numbers has made me crazy. I have nightmares of giant slot machines where I keep throwing money away, trying to make the numbers add up:
height, weight, number of chins, caloric intake, heart rate, cholesterol, number of girls at the gym who are fatter than me, my dress size, fat grams, carbs, sugars, hip measurement, waist measurement, hip to waist ratio measurement, real age, metabolic age, blood pressure, number of crunches I can do in a minute, number of minutes it takes me to run/walk a mile, how many miles I walked, bra size, ring size, body fat percentage, number of laps I can swim, number of times I fell while trying to attain downward dog pose, number of formal dresses that didn’t fit, how many stairs I can climb, my insulin level, first day of my last period, last time I saw my hoo-ha without the use of a mirror, number of calories in my morning latte, number of times I ate fast food this week, the number of my favorite meal at McDonald’s, the number of people who think I should go on a diet, number of binges I’ve had this month, number of diets I’ve tried, total $$ spent on gym memberships and diet-related paraphernalia, number of people who are actually reading this blog…
OMG…are you exhausted? I am just after typing all of that. And to think that I’ve spent 2/3 of my life with these numbers floating around my head! I think that should have at least gotten me some extra credit in 7th grade pre-Algebra. That C was a little low, in my opinion.
At any rate, if these numbers are useful to you in your life…by all means, keep using them. I, however, am not sure if they are useful to me, or if they simply create more anxiety and waste floating around my head. The jury is still out on that one.
Interestingly, I had been working on the idea for this post for several days when I picked up “Thin is the New Happy”, a memoir by Valerie Frankel. In Chapter 6, I was intrigued and inspired by an experiment she tried. While trying “not-dieting”, Valerie purchased a clicker, which she then proceeded to click every time she had a negative body image thought. On one day, she “clicked 263 distinct instances of negative thought…including random barbs and assessments while looking at (her)self.” Wow! Over the course of 4 days, she also tracked thoughts related to sex, family, work, and money. On page 96, she sums up her results: “The cumulative four-day total of thoughts about sex, family, work, and money was only a bit higher than my one-day total of negative body image blips.”
In the remainder of Chapter 6, Valerie goes on to tell how she started learning to redirect her thoughts. Her epiphany moment came when she found herself walking right past a mirror without looking at herself. Instead, she was looking into the eyes of her daughter, who was smiling up at her. Her experiment led to the following realization as stated on page 99:
“Yes, counting negative thoughts on a clicker had come to this. I’d found the big idea, and I aspired to live by it from that moment on the street with Lucy forever forward. Simply put, I wanted to be a better person. And that, as I understood it, had absolutely nothing to do with the bulge of my belly.”
I am so grateful to Ms. Frankel for writing this, as it really helped me to grasp a very abstract concept. Perhaps the key to thinking thin, feeling thin, and getting healthy has more to do with changing the way you think, rather than attaining some numeric ideal. Perhaps the only numeric measurement I should worry about right now is to track my own negative thoughts and learn to redirect them. After all, negativity (at least for me) not only leads to binges, but also makes it so difficult to rebound from setbacks and plateaus on a weight loss journey. I think I just might head out and buy myself a clicker!
Another rush job at the end of the night. I apologize folks…just living my life too much and not writing about it enough, I suppose. There are 14 things to tell you, I’m going to go fast, so fasten your seatbelts.
Woke up, had sex. Again. What the hell is getting into me? (Bad choice of words…oh dear)
Did Jillian #3! Here’s my quick review: Good, but too much jumping for us fatties with bad knees. The plank stuff wasn’t hard, in fact most of it was fine…even easier than the other stuff…just the jumping was bad for me. I didn’t work out as hard as I could have because I didn’t want to hurt myself.
Oh, the evil move of the workout though?….scissor abs. You lay on your back, take your heels 2 inches off the ground, and then just cross right over left, left over right, over and over and over and over…my uterus almost fell out! Oy vey!
Went to Ikea with Hubby, and had a great time! You know the best part, actually? The best part was feeling worked out, slightly sweaty with glowing skin and a sense of health and cardio still pumping through me, and walking out to the car with my cottage cheese and fuji apples in a bowl! I was eating healthy (and for the first time that morning)…I just felt FINALLY amazing and right!
Like this feeling is going to be the regular feeling from now on. I’m going to walk around feeling toned and energetic, and eating wonderful healthy food, and it was sunny, and did I mention I’m getting prettier by the day? Whew! There’s my snapshot of that moment.
Watched some figure skating Olympic stuff when I got home. That was nice.
Went to a wrestling tournament with my massage table in the afternoon, and didn’t get very many takers…but I made a few bucks from the ones that tipped me! Wee! Gas money! Hubby used to belong to the group, and so I go whenever they have a tournament, and the guys always ask if I’m going to be there!
Then I took a nap. Yes, there is still a God.
I went to the Wrestling Party tonight, and had a blast. I worked on about 20 more people, 5-8 minutes each, made some more tips, which I REALLY need, and even booked two full massages for tomorrow! That’s cool! Of course, they’re from out of town, so they won’t be back until next year….damnit!
Because the first appointment is in the morning, I had to get over to the office tonight, and put all the stuff back. That’s the reason I’m up so damn late. It’s four minutes to midnight, and I have to wake up at 8am. That means I have about 3 ½ minutes to get to sleep. Yeah, right!
Hubby INSISTED that, on the way to the office to drop off my stuff, he needed to stop off at a sit down restaurant and eat, because he hadn’t eaten all day. I sat there and watched him eat right in front of me. All my food was gone by 5pm, and I have worked all night. Weigh in is in the morning, and I am not going to go over my calories….it was absolute torture. Not only that, but while we sat there with the clock ticking away, I could have gone to my office and put everything back, and come back and picked him up….I was a little annoyed tonight. He’s not evil, he just didn’t want to eat alone. Then again, I may have to stand up for myself next time. That was NOT fun sitting there smelling everything around me.
So, I’m generally feeling good, I can’t WAIT to lose the rest of the weight…my face is pretty, so now I just gotta keep going on the rest of me!
Oh, NO CARDIO today! Godamnit! I really wanted to get the Last Chance workout in today! That means that I have done 5 days of cardio out of 7! I compromised yesterday about doing 6…but 5? I am NOT at maintenance yet! I don’t have the luxury of taking TWO days off from cardio a week! AAAHHHHH!!! And with the “weigh in” just hours away! Well, wish me luck.
In any case, that’s my day, it’s midnight, I gotta go to sleep now. Tomorrow’s schedule:
Despite the abundance of food in most developed countries, our diets today are still sadly lacking. One key power nutrient missing? Omega-3, an essential fatty acid. And more studies are showing that increasing omega-3 in our diets can pay off in significant health benefits, from weight loss to decreased risk of heart disease.
Essential fatty acids are vital to the body’s normal development and function, especially for the brain and eyes. Memory, performance and behavior are all affected by omega-3 intake. If your body doesn’t have enough essential fatty acids, it can cause reduced growth, infertility, impaired wound healing and decreased ability to fight infection.
Deficiencies in omega-3 — specifically DHA — during pregnancy and in babies can cause developmental problems in the nervous system and vision. That’s why some baby formulas now include a DHA supplement.
Not getting enough omega-3 may also lead to many health problems including heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, certain cancers, osteoporosis, premature birth, depression, asthma and diabetes.
Symptoms that you may have an omega-3 deficiency include extreme tiredness, poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression and poor circulation.
No Fishing Required for Good Nutrition
While fish, especially salmon tuna, is a good source of omega-3, you’ll also find this important nutrient in leafy greens and olive, canola, flaxseed and walnut oils.
The following Reliv products also include omega-3: Reliv Now® for Kids and ReversAge®.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Reliv products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Katrina van Oudheusden Independent Reliv Distributor
SOURCES:
Diabetes Self-Management, Jan/Feb 2008, p. 8-14, Alisa G. Woods, PhD
University of Maryland Medical Center: www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega–3–000316.htm
“Coenzyme Q10,” University of Maryland Medical Center, umm.edu. Medical Review Board review date: April 1, 2002.
Tunde, a trainer at my gym, offered to measure my body fat with his caliper. I bet there aren’t many women out there who can say a man offered to measure her body fat for free! As much as I was dreading the results, I took him up on his offer. 39% body fat – I am officially obese. Not that I needed a caliper to tell me that!
Now Tunde wants to measure me every 2 to 3 weeks and record my progress. Of course, there was a threat inserted into that offer – there better be progress! That didn’t bother me, though, because the results of everything I’m doing will show. I’m scared enough of that caliper – and Tunde – to make sure of it!
Captain Phil Harris (April 28, 1956 – February 9, 2010) F/V Cornelia Marie – Kodiak, Alaska
I didn’t know the man personally, but, as many people around the world, I did follow a portion of his life on Discovery Channel’s “The Deadliest Catch”. I, like many, have been touched and marked forever by Phil, his sons, and his crew. It was pretty obvious that he didn’t put on an act for the cameras, as seems to happen with others, and he certainly didn’t hold back the punches, so to speak. There were many qualities that I can imagine were endearing to viewers, but, as for me, I found there to be many parallels to my father. Though my father is not, nor has he ever been, a professional fisherman, he embodies many of the apparent work ethics and sensibilities. Thankfully, my father is in better health than Phil was, my father quit smoking many years ago and has slowed his pace, somewhat, from what it has been my entire life so far. He has a love for me that may not always present itself in a touchy feely kind of emotional outpouring, but, the fact that he has a deep love and devotion to his son and wife is not lost on anyone. I have no doubt in my mind that, just as with the late Capt. Phil, everything my father has done in the past 33 years has been to assure my mother and I had a good, and mostly comfortable life.
You see, Phil Harris was born almost exactly a month before my father, this were another parallel comes in. His passing has really forced me to confront an undeniable fact, and that is, that my father will be gone far sooner than I will ever realize. I am not saying that he is on his way out, and yes, I know that all of us can go at any time, but, that aside, I don’t think any of us are really ready to lose a parent, as inevitable as it is. This fact makes it all that much more important to make the best of the time that we have with our loved ones, and yes, this ties in to my weight loss and changes in lifestyle. I am not a father, a husband, or even boyfriend (at the moment anyway), but I could be one or all of those things in the future, one never knows. My point in saying that is to illustrate the fact that my health is important to me most of all, but, if I intend to be anything to anyone, it is important that I be there as long as I can, and that means taking care of myself, hey… get your mind out of the gutter!
Every time Capt. Phil motored out of Kodiak, headed to Dutch Harbor and beyond into the Bering Sea, he knew that there was a very good chance that he and his crew may not return. I think that it’s safe to say that, above his own safety, he was more concerned about his crew, especially his two sons. I have never been there or done the work that they do up there, but, I understand that there is a deep respect for each other, above and beyond the competition that is very evident, and even when life is lost when ashore, it is a great loss to the community. My most sincere sympathy goes out to the Harris family and friends and all those who have been touched by the life cut way too short of, Captain Phil Harris.
This is yet one more reason to stop putting off until tomorrow what you can start right now! Celebrate every day you have with the ones you love and try to make those days as many as you can. Figure out what you can do to improve your health and happiness, make a plan, invoke that plan, and stick to it! You can do it, we all have unlimited power within ourselves to make our lives what we want them to be, it is all a matter of determination and perseverance. I believe in me, I believe in you, the question is, do you?
Thanks to all of you for your continued love and support.
As always, take care and remember…
More people than ever are affected by being overweight, noticeably enough that obesity is now recognized as a worldwide epidemic by the World Health Organization. In the United States, obesity is the most common chronic disease, affecting one-third of all Americans, including children, and its prevalence has been steadily increasing for the past twenty years. In Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and the remaining portions of the Americas, the occurrence of obesity is increasing, reported to be between 10 and 20 percent.
Being overweight or obese increases the risk of many diseases and health conditions, including:
• Hypertension • High Cholesterol • Type 2 Diabetes • Coronary Heart Disease • Stroke
• Joint and Bone Pain • Sleep Apnea • Respiratory Problems • and some cancers
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Sometimes there’s so much to do in a day it is really hard to squeeze in exercise. Especially when you’re still exhausted from the previous day’ workout. That day was yesterday.
Breakfast: bagel with lt butter and fruit spread, Egg McMuffin with just egg and cheese, coffee with milk.
Lunch: baked skinless chicken breast, banana, apple, and salad with lt. dressing.
Dinner: baked turkey breast, coffee with creamer.
During pregnancy a normal women would gain around 25 to 35 pounds. So right after they’ve had their baby, mothers are very eager to lose weight. But in many cases, these women just couldn’t. So here are some weight loss plans after pregnancy.
Now just because you’ve had a baby doesn’t mean that you have to remain fat all the time. Mothers can lose the weight they’ve gained in 6 months, if they follow the proper weight loss plans. Just follow a few simple steps.
The first would include not rushing. If you are a mother who is not breast feeding try not to rush and start dieting immediately. But then the important thing is that you should breastfeed. You actually lose weight if you do. More on weight loss can be found at Fett Verbrennungs Ofen review.
Along with this, breastfeeding help the baby and will prevent you from getting cancer and will reduce the amount of post partum bleeding. You can also go for a very low fat diet. This wont hurt your milk supply but you have to make sure that you have at least 1800 calories per day. You should also ensure that whatever food you have is nutritious and not junk food.
Now after this come the part where you have to exercise. You can only go this if you get the final approval from your doctor. Exercising won’t affect the breast milk so you have nothing to worry about. Just walk around a lot or go on the treadmill or to the gym. Try not to opt for any harsh exercises but also try and push yourself a little if you want to lose fast.
You should also remember that, you need to look after your body. After all it is very tired and exhausted after giving birth, so you need to make sure that it gets all the important nutrients. You can make a diet chart.
Find out about the things that you need to have and that you need to exclude form your doctor. You can even search for it online. You will get plenty of sites which tell you about diet charts. Just make one which you think will benefit you the best.
You have to stop yourself from going on any crash diet because you also have your baby to think of. You also need to be very patient as it will take sometime to come off. So just follow these, weight loss plans and you can shed off the weight that you gained during pregnancy.
For more information, visit Fett Verbrennungs Ofen.
This weekend has been a doozie! We were pummled by about 30 inches of snow in the DC Metro area, and we are still digging out. Guess what? Another 5-10 inches are coming Tuesday/Wednesday. As much as I love snow, this is just out of control. We are 35″ above our annual average, and its only the beginning of February. This is going to be a long long winter. Fireman was out with the kids all weekend so I had a lot of alone time, which is both fabulous and not so great all at the same time.
The good news is that I’ve been racking up the activity points with shoveling. Did you know that 3 hours of shoveling when you weight approximately 275 pounds is 16 activity points? Yeah that pretty much rocks. I’ve been keeping up with Rubenesque Ladies Running and am on track to finish up Week 6 on Thursday of this week. The bad news? I’ve been making horrendous eating decisions most days. Being stuck inside has weakened my resolve, I have been tracking, but the scale is up. I am out of Flex Points and have dipped into my activity points, which I try to not to do. I havent been making smart choices, I’ve been making really bad choices. I have earned a record number of activity points this week (47!) but I don’t think thats going to make up for the bad food choices I’ve been making. I’m a bit worried that the scale is going to be up this week due to my poor choices, because that’s what happens folks. You eat poorly, you gain weight.
One of the big plusses of having this much snow and being stuck inside are the number of wedding projects that I’ve been able to work on! I’m about 75% done with our invitation assembly, I spent almost 10 hours cutting tissues paper for the tissue pomanders (ugh, it was a LOT of cutting!) All of these things were nice to work on! Puts me a little ahead of schedule, which is nice.
So what is the change? I can feel myself pulling away from Weight Watchers, which I do whenever I start to get bored and unfocused. I’ve decided to switch over to Sparkpeople.com for a while to track my calories. I’m hoping changing how I am tracking will help me to regain my focus. Between that and starting the Beck Diet book this week, I am making some smart changes. I will continue to email my journal daily to Bella to help keep me accountable, it will just be in a different format (calories instead of points.)
I’ve also started a new page, which you can link to over on the right (see the chick eating the apple), called Scale Warfare Eats where I will post my daily food journals. Feel free to check it out starting on Wednesday February 10th, since that is when I am making my switch to Sparkpeople.com I will continue tracking my Weight Watchers points until then.
I have looked for years for something to help with my muscle spasms. I get them constantly, but most notably, and most annoying, at night when I lay down for bed. They start in, jerking my legs up toward my chest, causing me pain and sleeplessness. I have been told massaging them helps, drinking tonic water for the quinine, and so many more so-called “remedies” that have never really worked. Lately, I have noticed they are not as prevalent, so I did some research and this is what I have found:
What is Chamomile?
Chamomile is an herb that comes from a flowering plant from the daisy family. Both the fresh and dried flowers of chamomile have been used to create teas for centuries to cure a number of health problems. The active ingredient in chamomile essential oil is known as bisabolol, which has a number of anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties.
What are the Benefits of Chamomile?
Chamomile can be used topically or orally to treat a number of everyday ailments, such as:
•Insomnia and other sleep disorders
•Anxiety and Panic Attacks
•Muscle twitches
•Wounds, burns, and scrapes
•Skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, chickenpox, and diaper rash
•Stomach problems such as menstrual cramps, stomach flu, and ulcers
Uses of Chamomile
Home Remedy for Stomach Cramps
Chamomile has been found to contain fairly strong antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory constituents. Therefore, it has been found to be effective in treating stomach and intestinal cramps. Simply prepare a cup of Chamomile tea following the directions on the package and drink it twice a day until while symptoms are present (one cup first thing in the morning, and one in the evening).
Home Remedy for Insomnia
Chamomile is wonderful remedy for sleep disorders such as insomnia. Simply make a chamomile tea 30 to 45 minutes before going to bed to treat sleeplessness.
Home Remedy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Chamomile reduces cramping and pain in the bowels and also helps to relieve excessive gas and bloating in the intestines. Therefore, a simple remedy is to drink a cup of chamomile tea to help relieve irritable bowel syndrome, nausea, and gastroenteritis or stomach flu.
Home Remedy for Migraine Headaches
Chamomile is a wonderful cure for migraines. Take a cup of tea when you start noticing the symptoms of a migraine headache. It works best if you take it before the headache actually gets severe.
Home Remedy for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Menstrual Cramps
Drinking chamomile tea has been found to be beneficial in treating PMS and Menstrual Cramps.
Using Chamomile to Treat Burns and Scrapes
Chamomile oil is very useful in treating bad burns. Simple rub a small amount of oil gently across the burned area once a day. For scrapes and burns you can also brew a strong concoction by adding 3 tea bags to one cup of boiling water. When the water cools, dip a cloth into it and use it as a compress on the wounded area.
Lightening Skin Using Chamomile
Chamomile has been found to be advantageous for lightening your skin tone. Simply bring two quarts of water to a boil with 2 chamomile tea bags in it. Then place your face above the steaming pot of chamomile tea. A bath in water mixed with chamomile tea works too.
Reducing Dark Circles Around Eyes
Chamomile tea has been found to help relieve eye fatigue and dark circles. A simple remedy is to dip 2 chamomile tea bags in warm water. After 5 minutes, remove the tea bags from the water and let them cool to room temperature. Then place them on your eyes at night as a compress.
What are the Side Effects of Chamomile?
As with all herbal products, moderation is the key to avoiding adverse reactions. Some of the potential side effects of chamomile include drowsiness, so use it with caution if you are driving or operating machinery. High doses of chamomile can also cause vomiting and/or skin reactions in some individuals. If you are allergic to ragweed pollen or have hayfever, you may have difficulty using chamomile.
Using chamomile during pregnancy is not recommended, since it is considered to be an abortifacient (a substance that induces abortion). Chamomile is also not recommended if you are currently taking blood thinners, since chamomile contains a substance called coumarin (which is also a blood thinner).
Where and How to Buy Chamomile
Chamomile can be bought as dried flower heads, an infusion (tea), liquid extract, essential oil, tinctures (concentrated in alcohol), and in creams and ointments. Tea bags are the most common form and can be found at many mainstream grocery stores and pharmacies.
Went on the treadmill for an hour again today and have done pretty well with my protein intake and my water intake for the day. I think tomorrow I will try and mix up my workout a bit and add in some kickboxing and maybe the stairmaster too. So far I haven’t eaten any junkfood today – bonus!
I’ll try and do some ab workouts later today as well All good things!
At 41, the man better known to the world as Jay Z is living the American dream, but he isn’t quite done yet. Shawn Carter knowles co-owns The 40/40 Club and the NBA’s New Jersey Nets and is also the creator of the clothing line Roca wear. He is the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings, one of the three founders of Roc-A-Fella Records and recently, the founder of his new venture Roc Nation. His successful musical career consists of endless platinum selling records and Billboard numbers ones. At one stage MTV ranked him at #1 on their list of The Greatest MCs of All Time and together with Beyonce Knowles have been voted as one of the world’s wealthiest couples. So what maketh the man?
Our heart is a very vital organ in your body, and without it you can’t possibly survive. It controls all the blood pumping to different regions of your body. You need to take extra care of your heart as research has proven that heart disease is a major cause for death, consider changing your lifestyle and overall health, mental social as well as physical. And live an elongated life without any fears of a heart related diseases!
1. Grill a steak. You may think its bad for your heart, but you’d be wrong. Beef contains immunity-boosting selenium as well as homocysteine-lowering B vitamins. And up to 50 percent of the fat is the heart-healthy monounsaturated variety.
2. Run indoors on misty days. Researchers in have found that exercising outside on hot, hazy days when air pollution is at its worst can cut the supply of oxygen in the blood, making it more likely to clot.
3. Dive in the pool. Researchers found that if you burn just 50 calories a day in strenuous activities like swimming and hiking are 62 percent less likely to die of heart disease than people who burn nearly seven times as many calories — 340 per day — during less active pursuits like walking and golfing.
Well the results are in for this week and I have loads of excuses in my head for not hitting my target. As I mentioned earlier in the week, I was aiming to be under 120Kg today but I didn’t manage it. I weighed in at 120.1Kg. Not far off, so it is still a good achievement in 3 weeks, but still a little disappointing. On the plus side, it does put me under 19 stone for the first time in a long time which I am happy about.
In other good news, I have got under the 31% fat barrier. I am now 30.4% fat. I still need to lose at least 10.5% to get me between the ideal 10 and 20% range. I now aim to be under 30% fat in 3 weeks time. And I also tried out some running in the gym today after my 30 minute walk on the treadmill (it increases and decreases the incline so it isn’t too easy) to see if I could manage to do 1.5 kilometers. I managed it in what I think is a pretty good time of 4 minutes 55 seconds and though I was tired when I finished it, I had recovered by the time I wiped down the machine and walked to the weights section of the gym. Not bad for someone who couldn’t run half a mile without getting a bad back and out of breath as little as 3 weeks ago.
So in light of my almost, but not quite, hitting my target my excuses are as follows: last week was somewhat of a break from the norm at the back-end of the week (I posted about that earlier in the week), I did extra weights yesterday so it is muscle growth from all that, my food is getting put out on the normal plates again, not the small ones (and that is going to change, I shall be having words), and I had my lunch 2 hours late today so it was still weighing me down.
There we have it, those are my rubbish excuses. Time to move on…
…So after talking through my weight loss and body fat loss with a PT at the gym who took my readings, he said that what I had achieved in 3 weeks (see my weight tracker page) was something to be proud of, that I shouldn’t worry about missing out on my goal by such a narrow margin and that I am obviously doing something right.
Which leads nicely on to what I am doing to get these results:
Cutting my sugar intake – I drink Pepsi Max instead of Coca-Cola, eat less chocolate, less sugary cereal, less cakes etc.
Eating more fruit and veg – I used to take an apple and a banana to work, I now add an orange to that. I have fruit juice in the morning with my breakfast, veg with evening meals every night and I will have grapes or raisins about an hour before bed.
Drinking more water – I have about 2 liters when I am at the gym anyway, but on top of that I have 2 or 3 tall glasses a day with some Robinsons no added sugar cordial
Instead of having butter on my toast on a morning, I use Philadelphia light spreadable cheese. This is only 3% fat compared to around 80% for butter, and also provides me with some protein at the start of the day.
switched from regular mayonnaise to the extra light variety, totally skipping the light one. Same great taste.
Go to the gym and work out for at least an hour Monday to Thursday – I’ll post my gym routine in a later post
Play two hours of badminton on a Friday
Not only those above, but I also allow myself a treat every week so I am less tempted by things at other points in the week.
FRICK’N FANTASTIC FRENCH TOAST (for 2):
4 pieces of very grainy bread
2 whole eggs
2 egg whites
Cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries or any other fruit you adore
1 banana
Cooking Spray (free from trans fats)
Beat eggs with egg whites
Soak bread in the mixture
Fry on both sides in a non-stick pan with a little cooking spray
Meanwhile, Fry the banana on both sides until brown and caramelised
Serve with a spread of cottage or ricotta cheese and pile fruit on top
OH MY ZUCCHINI OMELETTE (for 2):
2 eggs
1 zucchini
30g grated tasty cheese (3 tbsns)
Cooking Spray (free from trans fats)
Whisk together eggs, zucchini and cheese
Heat frypan over medium heat
Spray with cooking spray
Add mixture and cook for 3 minutes with lid on
Fold over and remove lid to finish cooking
Serve with a cooked tomato if desired on a grainy piece of toast
BOMBSHELL BIRCHER MUESLI (for 1):
4 tbsn rolled oats
1 grated apple
1 small tbsn raisins
¼ cup walnuts (daily dose of omega 3)
Splash of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of sunflower/pumpkin seeds mixed
2 tbsn yoghurt
Grate Apple, squeeze some lemon juice over it, add oats, stir
Pile and serve with milk, enjoy
FLUFFY CORN SPLATS (for 2):
425g can whole kernel corn OR frozen corn OR better still straight off the cob
4 egg whites
2 tablespoons cornflour
1 tbsn chopped parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pieces of bacon
Cooking Spray (free from trans fats)
Drain corn
Beat egg whites to form soft peaks
Fold in corn, cornflour, parsley and pepper
Cook spoonfuls in a frying pan until golden on both sides
Serve hot with bacon and 2 tspns of maple syrup
FLUFFY FRUIT SPLATS (for 2):
3 egg whites
1 tbsn cornflour
1½ cup of soft diced fruit (berries, peaches, plums, banana)
Cooking Spray (free from trans fats)
Beat egg whites to form soft peaks
Stir in the cornflour
Add fruit
Cook in a pan with cooking spray like fritters
Serve with yoghurt and a handful of raw nuts for your fat serving
STRAWBERRY PROTEIN PIKELETS (for 2):
125g cottage cheese
⅓ cup milk
½ cup self raising flour
1 tbsn sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch salt
2 egg whites
Cooking Spray (free from trans fats)
80g lite ricotta cheese
250g strawberries
Mix cottage cheese and milk until smooth. Mix in flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt
Fold in beaten egg whites gently
Cook like ordinary pikelets (about 6)
To serve, divide the pikelets spread each with ricotta and top with the strawberries
Drizzle with 2 tspns maple syrup and serve immediately
Simply eating less is no guarantee of weight loss, nutritional medicine specialists from Munich have found while treating seriously overweight people.
Writing in the bimonthly German medical journal Aktuelle Ernaehrungsmedizin (Current Nutritional Medicine), the specialists said that dieters who were not sated might break off their diet. They therefore advised changing eating habits drastically.
General rules for dieting are not helpful, the authors said. What, how much and how often a dieter eats is an individual matter. Some dieters prefer to reduce the number of days on which they eat a particular food but not the amount, others the amount but not the frequency. It is important in any case to keep calorie counts in mind.
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been careful to photograph everything I eat — even if it doesn’t make it into the bloggy — so that I can track what is working and what isn’t working. I’ve discovered a few interesting things.
uncooked coconut milk, like in a smoothie, upsets my stomach. coconut milk as an ingredient in a sauce is fine.
I’m most hungry in the afternoon, between the hours of 2-5.
Eating sugar makes me crave carbs.
I haven’t lost any weight, so that prompted me to look to last week and see what was going on. I basically found that I was eating a lot of bread (regardless of how healthy and sprouted it was) combined with nut butter and chocolate chips. Clearly the chocolate chips need to go. I was also using agave sweetener in my smoothies, and I think the sugar is definitely not helping me out. In addition, I’ve had a few processed goodies (i.e., the Indian food loot!) and I could tell those didn’t exactly settle well with my tummy. Since HTB is gone until Thursday, I have a few days during which I don’t really need to “cook” per say, so I’ve decided to eat as clean and simply as possible for this week and see if I realize any positive changes.
I’m switching to Truvia in the smoothies instead of agave, and tossing the chocolate chips. I’m also going to keep a list of my eats each day with an approximate calorie count, just to see how much I’ve been eating.
I started off today with a smoothie: papaya, almond milk, hemp protein, and 1 tsp coconut oil. I took a picture, but it was incredibly ugly and brown — I will save you from that. I did my Wedding Workout — today was lower body and cardio, and lemme tell ya… My legs are feeling those squats and lunges! For lunch, I had this:
Which was delicious. Sauteed mushrooms, black beans, corn, and crushed cashews atop a bed of quickly sauteed kale with red pepper flakes, topped with a few slices of avocado. I made a nice sized batch of this to munch on later. Just a little while ago I tried out my new purchase, Amazing Meal by Amazing Grass supplement powder. I was looking for something other than my hemp protein, to add variety, and this stuff, while $$$, has amazing ingredients like wheatgrass, brown rice protein, hemp, goji, acai, kale, in addition to much more. It’s also vegan and raw. Scoooore.
I made a very simple smoothie, with just almond milk and the powder, so I could get a good grasp on the taste. Over all, it’s drinkable. It’s not incredibly delicious as is, but has a good consistency and was very filling. Have any of you tried it before? Or in the chocolate flavor? I got a little sample packet of the chocolate to try out.
I’ve been suckin’ down the water and all in all, I feel very good today, very energetic. Unfortunately for me, I have to hole up here and read for my science class tomorrow. Sigh.
I hope everyone’s Monday is starting to wind down nicely!
Geocaching and having a giggle. Haven't tried geocaching? Google it, It's super fun.
I took things up a notch this week. I am using a system called U-turn from u weight loss, it consists of a kinda yucky shake (they warned me it would be yucky) sort of tastes like I might imagine infant formula tastes. I am also taking their kickstart product which is a supplement that helps the body flush toxins. I have to admit my energy has been much improved. I have also been much more diligent about taking my calcium, omega, vit D, and fiber as well. Is it annoying to take these supplements? Yes in a way but it is much more annoying to have no energy, be depressed and worry that an airplane seatbelt might not fit.
I don’t think that I will be taking these things forever. I will find the right balance of vitamins, minerals, supplements that work for me health wise, financially, time management.
My eating has been right on track. I am following the U turn recipes to a T. I am following a certain schedule and calorie level for the week and then I will gradually increase my calories over the next month to six weeks until I am at a maintenance level. Hopefully my weight will stabilize and I will be able to eat a normal, healthy amount of food while being active. I really am loving these recipes. I am running the risk of turning in to a chicken again so I am balancing it out with some shrimp too.
Exercise has been off the hook!
Monday: Spinning
Tuesday:Masters swimming (didn’t really like it but I did it)
Wednesday: Working days, walked to work
Thursday: Spinning at noon (testing day,hard!) Met with Olly and set up some triathlon coaching.
Friday: Rest day, thank goodness because I worked nights last night and tonight too
Saturday: 90 min swim with the tri group (never, ever thought I could keep swimming that long)
Sunday: 45 min run with Mark, good a bit achy but not too bad once warmed up, geocaching with the girls FUN!
This chick is gonna be busy. I am going to have to make friends with 5:30 am to get my short run in during the week. I do not like getting up earlier than 6:00.
I am hoping to be at my new goal weight by the end of Feb. I lost 7 lbs the first week which I am sure was lot of water weight but at least it is off my body. I am going to weigh in tomorrow so I will let you know.
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Another week, another 0.5 lbs gone!
People need more variety in their diet to ensure that they get everything their body needs for effective anti-ageing. The general guidelines for the anti-ageing diet are: keep your calorie consumption and saturated fat intake down; eat plenty of wholegrain, oily fish and fresh fruit and vegetables and cut down on salt and sugar.
Despite the abundance of food in most developed countries, our diets today are still sadly lacking. One key power nutrient missing? Omega-3, an essential fatty acid. And more studies are showing that increasing omega-3 in our diets can pay off in significant health benefits, from weight loss to decreased risk of heart disease.
At 41, the man better known to the world as Jay Z is living the American dream, but he isn’t quite done yet. Shawn Carter knowles co-owns The 40/40 Club and the NBA’s New Jersey Nets and is also the creator of the clothing line Roca wear. He is the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings, one of the three founders of Roc-A-Fella Records and recently, the founder of his new venture Roc Nation. His successful musical career consists of endless platinum selling records and Billboard numbers ones. At one stage MTV ranked him at #1 on their list of The Greatest MCs of All Time and together with Beyonce Knowles have been voted as one of the world’s wealthiest couples. So what maketh the man?
