When travelling for some reason all sense when it comes to food go out the window. There's something about being in a foreign country that makes me think I can eat what I want, when I want and it not have any impact.
There's also the added pressure to try new things and indulge on goodness not available back home. Eating out is done more often than not and so it's hard to try and stick to any sort of diet. For some reason I thought it perfectly ok to come home almost every day after volunteering in Cambodia to have an ice cream and a can of soft drink! Something I never do at home.
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Monday, 25 May 2015
Monday, 25 August 2014
for a letter...
Dear Willpower,
I must confess, I know it's been some time since we hung out but I am writing you this letter hoping that you will come back to me.
You stood by me last year while I was doing Michelle Bridges 12wbt, you helped me achieve my goal weight, but for some reason, not long after that you up and left me. You pop your head in from time to time and then you go again like I don't even matter!
My life is a little complicated at the moment as I juggle living between two residences. Grocery shopping and cooking when you live in 2 places part time is a little difficult. When I go to the supermarket is when I feel your absence the most. I can't seem to walk past Chiccos if they are on sale, and don't get me started about chocolate treats.
Michelle warned us about you...she said that you were just like a muscle and that if we didn't use you, you would leave. It's not like you've left me completely, it's not like I've completely turned my back on all the hard work that we have achieved. I was so happy you showed up at that birthday party I went to on the weekend, man those red velvet cupcakes were screaming my name but you were there to hold me back and I am grateful! I have never really been a bad eater, but you often let me eat way too much. And lately there's been way more snacks and treats than there should have been.
So I have also enlisted the help of another friend but I am still going to need your support. I'm hopeful that the 2 of you will work together...
I've signed up for Lite and Easy. I know some people may think that this is a bit of a cop out, that I am lazy and I shouldn't need this but I am confident it will help you and I get back on track together.
The food arrived on Thursday and I wasn't home to unpack it so my sister did it for me. When I finally got home to see it on Friday night I was so excited! I imagined it to be the same excitement that people experience when their Chrisco Hampers arrive in December! All the food is individually packed in their own little bags for breakfast and lunch and dinner are in little microwavable bowels. Each bag tells you what day to eat it on and so far the food has been delicious!! I am always feeling full and there is more than enough food to get me through the day. I love that I will be able to just pick up the bag and go in the morning and I don't have to think about what to have for dinner or if I am over-eating.
I am hopeful that this will mean my time spent at the supermarket around all those temptations will be limited. For me doing this is for a number of reasons, convenience and knowing I am not over-eating obviously being the main two. So help me out willpower, help me stay on track...come back to me..... I promise to try and not let you down again.
I must confess, I know it's been some time since we hung out but I am writing you this letter hoping that you will come back to me.
You stood by me last year while I was doing Michelle Bridges 12wbt, you helped me achieve my goal weight, but for some reason, not long after that you up and left me. You pop your head in from time to time and then you go again like I don't even matter!
My life is a little complicated at the moment as I juggle living between two residences. Grocery shopping and cooking when you live in 2 places part time is a little difficult. When I go to the supermarket is when I feel your absence the most. I can't seem to walk past Chiccos if they are on sale, and don't get me started about chocolate treats.
Michelle warned us about you...she said that you were just like a muscle and that if we didn't use you, you would leave. It's not like you've left me completely, it's not like I've completely turned my back on all the hard work that we have achieved. I was so happy you showed up at that birthday party I went to on the weekend, man those red velvet cupcakes were screaming my name but you were there to hold me back and I am grateful! I have never really been a bad eater, but you often let me eat way too much. And lately there's been way more snacks and treats than there should have been.
So I have also enlisted the help of another friend but I am still going to need your support. I'm hopeful that the 2 of you will work together...
The food arrived on Thursday and I wasn't home to unpack it so my sister did it for me. When I finally got home to see it on Friday night I was so excited! I imagined it to be the same excitement that people experience when their Chrisco Hampers arrive in December! All the food is individually packed in their own little bags for breakfast and lunch and dinner are in little microwavable bowels. Each bag tells you what day to eat it on and so far the food has been delicious!! I am always feeling full and there is more than enough food to get me through the day. I love that I will be able to just pick up the bag and go in the morning and I don't have to think about what to have for dinner or if I am over-eating.
I am hopeful that this will mean my time spent at the supermarket around all those temptations will be limited. For me doing this is for a number of reasons, convenience and knowing I am not over-eating obviously being the main two. So help me out willpower, help me stay on track...come back to me..... I promise to try and not let you down again.
Linking up this confession with:
Kirsty from My Home Truths (yay she's back!)
Alicia from One Mother Hen
...and I am hopeful that you may find this a little humorous Em from Have a Laugh on Me!
PS..this is not a sponsored post...pretty confident in saying Lite n Easy have no idea this blog exists!
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
for a bootcamp update!
We have just entered week 6 of 8 of our bootcamp and I am enjoying it so much! When I looked back I realised that I haven't done an update since Week 1!
I spoke then about the things that I was going to find a bit of a challenge but seem to be managing them ok. I thought it was going to be a big struggle training so late in the afternoon (we train from 6pm-7pm), as I have always considered myself a "sit-on-the-couch-and-don't-get-up" kinda girl in the afternoons but work has been so busy that I pretty much get home in time to just change and run out the door again, so haven't had time to think about not going.
There's 18 girls in our group, however for a variety of reasons I don't think we've had a session with the full 18 of us, I guess we probably usually average about 10 girls. I will admit to missing the odd session due to other commitments as well - sometimes things just happen.
We have four sessions a week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday nights from 6-7pm and Saturday mornings 6am-7am. We do a wide variety of things which I love, you turn up not really knowing what is in store. I think this is great so that you don't get bored by it. We do a fair bit of boxing but I really enjoy that so I don't mind. I think it's a great whole body workout and have definitely noticed a change in my arms (I not quite ready to claim "guns" status, but am pretty close!).
Saturday mornings are usually a little different from the usual training sessions. Saturday just gone we ran the 10km track from the recent Peak2Park event in Toowoomba (a 'fun run' held each year to raise money for different local charities). I was stoked when I finished with a time under an hour!
The halfway point of bootcamp came at a very emotional time for me. My eating had really gone by the wayside for a few days so I wasn't really looking forward to what the scales and measuring had to say. The scales show a loss of 1.2kg (not great after 4 weeks but better than nothing.. or worse still..a gain) and measurements a loss of 9.8cm from various parts of my body, my waist being the most which is a little exciting! It seems that I may have had a slight increase in the measurements of my thighs, but I am trying to tell myself it's because I am building muscle... (That would be right wouldn't it???)
Two other things that I am trying at the moment to improve my overall health and well-being are:
1. Oil Pulling
what the..? you may ask! So did I when my sister mentioned it. She saw an article shared on Facebook and was intrigued. So was I, so I turned to my trusty Google and Pinterest and came across a plethora of articles discuss this technique. One of the main ones I read was from a blog written by The Wellness Warrior. Basically the idea is that first thing in the morning you put a tablespoon of Coconut Oil in your mouth and swish it around for 20 mins. The oil pulling has a detoxifying effect on your mouth and rids it of toxins and bacterias. I am not claiming to be any type of expert but if you click on the link above you can read more about it. I have only just started and can certainly report that my teeth feel a lot cleaner, not sure they are whiter but will continue to do it and see what happens. I have noticed a few other changes in myself that are listed as benefits of oil pulling but as I am trying a few different things it's hard to know which one is having the effect or if it's a combination of a number of healthy changes.
2. Green Tea Extract
Linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT!!!
I spoke then about the things that I was going to find a bit of a challenge but seem to be managing them ok. I thought it was going to be a big struggle training so late in the afternoon (we train from 6pm-7pm), as I have always considered myself a "sit-on-the-couch-and-don't-get-up" kinda girl in the afternoons but work has been so busy that I pretty much get home in time to just change and run out the door again, so haven't had time to think about not going.
There's 18 girls in our group, however for a variety of reasons I don't think we've had a session with the full 18 of us, I guess we probably usually average about 10 girls. I will admit to missing the odd session due to other commitments as well - sometimes things just happen.
We have four sessions a week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday nights from 6-7pm and Saturday mornings 6am-7am. We do a wide variety of things which I love, you turn up not really knowing what is in store. I think this is great so that you don't get bored by it. We do a fair bit of boxing but I really enjoy that so I don't mind. I think it's a great whole body workout and have definitely noticed a change in my arms (I not quite ready to claim "guns" status, but am pretty close!).
Saturday mornings are usually a little different from the usual training sessions. Saturday just gone we ran the 10km track from the recent Peak2Park event in Toowoomba (a 'fun run' held each year to raise money for different local charities). I was stoked when I finished with a time under an hour!
 |
| Us after our run! So damn proud of all the girls! |
Two other things that I am trying at the moment to improve my overall health and well-being are:
1. Oil Pulling
what the..? you may ask! So did I when my sister mentioned it. She saw an article shared on Facebook and was intrigued. So was I, so I turned to my trusty Google and Pinterest and came across a plethora of articles discuss this technique. One of the main ones I read was from a blog written by The Wellness Warrior. Basically the idea is that first thing in the morning you put a tablespoon of Coconut Oil in your mouth and swish it around for 20 mins. The oil pulling has a detoxifying effect on your mouth and rids it of toxins and bacterias. I am not claiming to be any type of expert but if you click on the link above you can read more about it. I have only just started and can certainly report that my teeth feel a lot cleaner, not sure they are whiter but will continue to do it and see what happens. I have noticed a few other changes in myself that are listed as benefits of oil pulling but as I am trying a few different things it's hard to know which one is having the effect or if it's a combination of a number of healthy changes.
2. Green Tea Extract
This is something that our trainer has told us about. I am a bit fan of green tea and usually try and have a cup every morning but this takes it to a whole new level! Each sachet claims to be the equivalent of 20 cups of green tea which, as we know is full of antioxidants and other healthy goodness! The website claims that the product may increase metabolism, increase your energy levels, detox the liver and kidney and is full of trace minerals and vitamins C & D. It is also sugar free, gluten free and diabetic friendly - gotta be happy with that! It comes in different flavours and I bought the 'starter pack' which contains 30 sachets in total - 10 Original, 10 Raspberry and 10 Tropical Flavours. Again I have only been on it for a few days so time will tell..
Overall I have been happy with my progress with the bootcamp. There have been times that I have slipped up with my diet but for the most part it has been good. I am definitely a sucker for chocolate. It is my weakness.... I can forgo sweets, cakes, biscuits all of that, but put some chocolate in front of me and I can't resist.... I wonder what my progress would be like if I could but then we need to have some pleasures in life!
Linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT!!!
Tuesday, 6 August 2013
for a 12wbt wrap up!
Sunday I officially finished my second round of Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation! Even got the certificate to prove it!
If you want to read about my progress then check out here..... and here..... and here....or just check out my archives for all the updates!
To be honest I've been completely customising my meal plans for the past few weeks now and in a sense 'going it alone' so I decided not to sign on for another round. It became easier for me to be organised in advance by freezing meals and just grabbing what I felt like at the time rather than following the meal plan to a T.
That was one of the biggest light bulb moments for me.....being organised is definitely the key, especially the way my work and general lifestyle is at the moment. I have always lead a relatively healthy lifestyle but this was just that extra bit of education and motivation I needed to get it right. Another big learning curve for me has been portion size. I always cooked and ate more than I needed to but I think I have that sorted now!
The thing I found with the 12wbt was that while it was all good and well to think that you HAD to follow the nutrition and meal plans exactly as prescribed then I think you would be doomed for failure and disappointment. I continued to live my life and didn't deprive myself of the things I loved and the events I wanted to go to. You have to be realistic and give yourself a break if things go a little astray from time to time.
Pre Season Round 1 - Jan 2013 End Round 2 - August 2013
Weight = 68.3kg Weight = 60.4kg
Arms = 30.2cm (r) 29.7cm (l) Arms = 27.6 (r) 27.3 (l)
Chest = 82cm Chest = 76cm (noooooo! lol)
Waist = 82.8cm Waist = 76.5cm
Hips = 110.8cm Hips = 101.5cm
Thigh = 60.3cm (r) 60.2 (l) Thighs = 51.5cm (r) 51.0 (l)
Quite happy with that! Obviously this is not the end of my journey and I am sure I don't have to point out my target areas! Lol....Must get on to a few more of those squat challenges I think!
During my first round my 1 month goal was to run 5km without stopping, if you have been following with this journey you'll know that almost all of my running has been done on a treadmill, my 12 month goal has always been to run a half marathon... So I reached my milestone in March running 5km on the treadmill with a time of 42:45mins. Since then I have improved that time and 2 weeks ago again ran 5km on the treadmill but this time in a time of 35:27mins! So stoked!
Have been working on a few plans that will change my lifestyle and how I can go about my training and once the weather warms up a bit more I am looking forward to testing my running speed outside.. Stay tuned for that one!
This is by no means the end of my health and fitness journey, in fact I feel like it's only really just the beginning. Doing the 12wbt wasn't just for a short term, reach my goals, fix, it was a lifestyle change that I intend on honouring for the rest of my life. Have there been times where I've slipped ...absolutely... have I reached for the chocolate/wine/pizza/cake/lollies/hot chips from time to time....absolutely, but I didn't beat myself up about it, I saw it for what it was and moved on.
One of the downfalls of this process though has been how much it has cost. While you can't put a real price on your health I'm not going to lie, it has cost me. Losing weight is a wonderful feeling and Friday I learnt the value of a plaited belt! lol....
I have so many beautiful clothes that no longer fit me and while I'm not really complaining I know that I kind of am, about the money it is costing me in replacing them...
If you have been considering joining the 12wbt journey...JFDI!!!
Linking up this Tuesday with Essentially Jess for IBOT
If you want to read about my progress then check out here..... and here..... and here....or just check out my archives for all the updates!
To be honest I've been completely customising my meal plans for the past few weeks now and in a sense 'going it alone' so I decided not to sign on for another round. It became easier for me to be organised in advance by freezing meals and just grabbing what I felt like at the time rather than following the meal plan to a T.
That was one of the biggest light bulb moments for me.....being organised is definitely the key, especially the way my work and general lifestyle is at the moment. I have always lead a relatively healthy lifestyle but this was just that extra bit of education and motivation I needed to get it right. Another big learning curve for me has been portion size. I always cooked and ate more than I needed to but I think I have that sorted now!
The thing I found with the 12wbt was that while it was all good and well to think that you HAD to follow the nutrition and meal plans exactly as prescribed then I think you would be doomed for failure and disappointment. I continued to live my life and didn't deprive myself of the things I loved and the events I wanted to go to. You have to be realistic and give yourself a break if things go a little astray from time to time.
Anyway, here goes for my stats..... Apologies in advance for the photos you are about to see! Lol.....
Pre Season Round 1 - Jan 2013 End Round 2 - August 2013
Weight = 68.3kg Weight = 60.4kg
Arms = 30.2cm (r) 29.7cm (l) Arms = 27.6 (r) 27.3 (l)
Chest = 82cm Chest = 76cm (noooooo! lol)
Waist = 82.8cm Waist = 76.5cm
Hips = 110.8cm Hips = 101.5cm
Thigh = 60.3cm (r) 60.2 (l) Thighs = 51.5cm (r) 51.0 (l)
Quite happy with that! Obviously this is not the end of my journey and I am sure I don't have to point out my target areas! Lol....Must get on to a few more of those squat challenges I think!
During my first round my 1 month goal was to run 5km without stopping, if you have been following with this journey you'll know that almost all of my running has been done on a treadmill, my 12 month goal has always been to run a half marathon... So I reached my milestone in March running 5km on the treadmill with a time of 42:45mins. Since then I have improved that time and 2 weeks ago again ran 5km on the treadmill but this time in a time of 35:27mins! So stoked!
Have been working on a few plans that will change my lifestyle and how I can go about my training and once the weather warms up a bit more I am looking forward to testing my running speed outside.. Stay tuned for that one!
This is by no means the end of my health and fitness journey, in fact I feel like it's only really just the beginning. Doing the 12wbt wasn't just for a short term, reach my goals, fix, it was a lifestyle change that I intend on honouring for the rest of my life. Have there been times where I've slipped ...absolutely... have I reached for the chocolate/wine/pizza/cake/lollies/hot chips from time to time....absolutely, but I didn't beat myself up about it, I saw it for what it was and moved on.
One of the downfalls of this process though has been how much it has cost. While you can't put a real price on your health I'm not going to lie, it has cost me. Losing weight is a wonderful feeling and Friday I learnt the value of a plaited belt! lol....
 | |
| This GAP belt that cost me a small fortune used to fit me! |
If you have been considering joining the 12wbt journey...JFDI!!!
Linking up this Tuesday with Essentially Jess for IBOT
Tuesday, 26 March 2013
to review Week 6
WE ARE HALF WAY DONE!!
It's hard to believe that we are half way through the 12wbt! It does not seem like 6 weeks but it has been great! I am not the sort of person who has gone all gung ho on this program, to be honest I don't get involved in all the forums and rarely get on the website, except to get my meal plans and dowload recipes. This is about ME! It is my journey! I don't need to read all about other people's problems, stresses etc. There are some awesome blogs out there that are both inspiring and motivating and these are the ones that I draw my inspiration from. I must admit I half heartedly watch the weekly mindset videos as a lot of what Mish talks about I feel doesn't apply to me (for various reason but don't think I don't think she's great because I do!)....Having said all of that, would I recommend the program to anyone else.....ABSOLUTELY!
That obviously wasn't the best advertisement for people wanting to sign up for the 12wbt but I am loving it so far. As I said this journey has been about me and I need to do this for me! Not because a trainer on a video told me to, I can see that some people would need this type of motivation and I applaud EVERYONE who is giving this their best shot!
I have joined a few Facebook pages for support groups for people in my area but I am rapidly finding they are becoming more of a whinge group. I am sorry to say that they frustrate the shit out of me. It seems all people want to do is whinge about how they have 'fallen off the wagon'... 'just ate some ice cream and I feel so guilty'... 'oh my I haven't exercised for a week and now I feel bad'...there was even a "I'm so drunnnkk!' posted close to midnight one night! And it's like they want validation or acceptance or the it's OK from someone, who knows....
I don't read them often because I know this is my issue but occassionally there is some really helpful advice on there.
I don't read them often because I know this is my issue but occassionally there is some really helpful advice on there.
The way I see it is this, I have decided that I am still going to live my life. I have made this lifestyle decision but it is not going to rule my life and I am not going to miss opportunities to live it. For example, On Thursday I had an extremely emotional day, I picked up my brand spankin' new car (excited much!) and found out my Mum's Uncle had passed away (sux big time) all within the space of an hour. So when a friend of mine suggested we catch up for Friday afternoon drinks to celebrate the pending end of term, I didn't bat an eyelid! Off we went, 2 bottles of wine and a deep fried tasting platter later I was heading home feeling better! I didn't/don't regret it (although I did have a slight headache and tummy ache during the night), I didn't feel the need to get on a forum or on a FB group and beg for forgiveness instead I got up, got on the treadmill smashed out a run and got on with my day. I am confident I will get to my goal weight and have lived and enjoyed the journey and learning new things about myself along the way.
The reaction I have gotten from some of my friends and colleagues along the way has been varied. Most people wonder what the food is like and ask if we actually get to eat real food! A friend had a look at my folder of recipes and was shocked "Oh my god it's actually real food!" I was warned before I started by someone who knew someone who knew someone (you get the picture)who had done the program to "stock up on chickpeas coz that's all you get to eat"
So I am here to bust some myths! YES it is real food! YES it is delicious! YES there are options and you can change your meal plan if it doesn't suit! YES there are options for Vegetarians, Gluten Intolerant, Pregnant ladies and all other manner of needs. I can assure you, you do not need to have a healthy appetite for chickpeas to enjoy the meals with this program, I have had to use them in 1 recipe and didn't even notice! If you do have an appetite for fresh vegetables and herbs then keep reading!
Here are some pics of some of the amazing recipes! (mostly breaky ones sorry..)
Yep, that's pasta! and bread! omg......Truth be known, I swear I have eaten more carbs on this eating plan than I have eaten in the last 5 years of trying to lose weight on my own and this is working! If there was one bit of food advice I could give anyone considering this program it would be to start a herb garden now!
I have had to cut back on my exercise due to my back and neck issues and I emailed the 12wbt support crew and they told me to do what I could, heed the advice from my Chiropractor, keep it low impact if need be but that diet was more important for weightloss anyway... My gym put this picture up on their Faceook page and I thought, besides it being a bit cute, it is SO true! I think for once my attitude is right, my eating is right and my exercise is as good as it can be at the moment!
Now if you are really brave and want to scroll down a little more I have finally decided I am brave enough to share some pics of me! I was really starting to notice the difference in my clothes this week and while the scales remained exactly the same as last week I am not disheartened because I have had to start a "no longer fit me because they are too big" pile of clothes in my bedroom! So I decided that seeing as we are half way through I would do a pic and compare it to my 'before pic'.... Feel free to press the red cross in the corner now if you do not wish to see it! I know I still have a ways to go, but it is such a good reminder of where I've come from and keep me focussed on where I'm heading...... here goes...
So if you have been wondering if you should do this, then my advice would be DO IT! What have you got to lose?
Because it's Tuesday of course I am linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT
Tuesday, 12 March 2013
for IBOT
Because it's Tuesday of course I am linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT
So this week I have decided not to bore you with another round up of my 12wbt week as it pretty much mirrors all the others. Some good days, some ok days, weigh in day looming tomorrow and wondering what the result will be given that I have had 2 days of no exercise and a day off work due to an excruciating headache.....
This week I want to talk about diets in general and something that has been bugging me for a few weeks now. Before I do I want to assure you that I am not a doctor, I have not researched anything in writing this blog post and these are my opinions based on my observations...Sorry if I offend anyone but it is not my intention.
So here goes.....,
I am fortunate enough to not have a big weight issue. I have never been what anyone would consider overweight and I joined the 12wbt just to feel fitter and stronger and better within myself. I am in awe of the people who made the decision to join because they were in fact overweight and have a lot of weight to lose. They inspire me to continue on my days when I think it is all getting a bit too much for I figure if they can do it what have I got to whinge about! On the forums on the website you see so many before and after photos of people who have lost massive numbers by following the program and I can't help but say WOW each and every time.
What frustrates me though is, as a school teacher who teaches 6 and 7 year olds I can already see the children who are going to struggle with their weight their whole lives and it saddens me. I have students in my Year 2 class that can barely sit on the carpet, let alone cross their legs. Ones who struggle to walk up the stairs, ones who look so uncomfortable sitting on parade in their school shorts because they are too small. Students who are picked on by other students because they can't keep up in the race or because they are bigger (and NO I don't condone it). It breaks my heart because it is not their fault they are the way they are. :'-(
Often when this subject is raised by the media, or social media, I feel the finger is pointed towards the wrong people. The finger is often pointed at teachers because we don't educate the students about healthy eating. The advertising companies for creating advertisements and gimmicks to 'suck' children in to pressuring their parents for the product. The fast food company for giving away free toys and what not if you buy from them.....HELLO.......Does anyone else see anything wrong with this!
The finger should be pointed right at the parents! I once heard one TV Personality say that we should educate the kids on healthy eating so they can educate the parents and tell their parents to buy healthy food! Yeah right! What 6 year old is going to say 'no Mummy I don't want that chocolate bar, I want an apple!' (if you have one that does WELL DONE to you!)
My school recently had a visit from the Life Education Van and the children attended a lesson on healthy eating and healthy bodies and for the most part the students, to their credit, knew all the answers to the questions about what food we should and shouldn't eat but at the end of the day, they are not the ones doing the grocery shopping or packing the lunchboxes! (I will say though that one student was devastated when told Coco Pops is not a healthy cereal option!)
And there brings me to another point! Lunch boxes!!! Or should I call them "Pre-packaged food heaven!!". On playground duty we (the teachers) carry the bins around for the children to throw their rubbish in, saves them from wondering around during eating time when they are meant to be sitting eating. It just about brings tears to my eyes to see the amount of absolutely CRAP (sorry no other word for it!) food that children bring to school. So much pre-packaged food it is beyond a joke! We can encourage families to send sandwiches and fruit to school for their children but as soon as you throw in a couple of packets of chips, some nutella, a chocolate bar...well... no prizes for guessing what gets eaten first and what gets tossed in the bin. I have a student who has an ice coffee milk for lunch every day! Every day! Ice Coffee! 6 years old! Why.......????
As mentioned I am a teacher, I am not a parent so I can't imagine how difficult it must be for parents to maintain a healthy lifestyle for their kids but don't we owe it to them to at least try? And look I'm not saying that if I do ever get the opportunity to become a parent that I won't shove a lollypop in my child's mouth to keep them quiet at one stage or another but what I am saying is that we need to have, as a society, a long hard look at ourselves, our fridges, our shopping trolleys...
As a society I know that we are getting bigger, again I stress I have not researched that fact but am sure someone has if you want to google it! I just hope somehow we can start to reverse it for our kids sake, and our kids kids sake.....
Rant over......
(but sorry couldn't help post this ecard...bit funny!)
So this week I have decided not to bore you with another round up of my 12wbt week as it pretty much mirrors all the others. Some good days, some ok days, weigh in day looming tomorrow and wondering what the result will be given that I have had 2 days of no exercise and a day off work due to an excruciating headache.....
This week I want to talk about diets in general and something that has been bugging me for a few weeks now. Before I do I want to assure you that I am not a doctor, I have not researched anything in writing this blog post and these are my opinions based on my observations...Sorry if I offend anyone but it is not my intention.
So here goes.....,
I am fortunate enough to not have a big weight issue. I have never been what anyone would consider overweight and I joined the 12wbt just to feel fitter and stronger and better within myself. I am in awe of the people who made the decision to join because they were in fact overweight and have a lot of weight to lose. They inspire me to continue on my days when I think it is all getting a bit too much for I figure if they can do it what have I got to whinge about! On the forums on the website you see so many before and after photos of people who have lost massive numbers by following the program and I can't help but say WOW each and every time.
What frustrates me though is, as a school teacher who teaches 6 and 7 year olds I can already see the children who are going to struggle with their weight their whole lives and it saddens me. I have students in my Year 2 class that can barely sit on the carpet, let alone cross their legs. Ones who struggle to walk up the stairs, ones who look so uncomfortable sitting on parade in their school shorts because they are too small. Students who are picked on by other students because they can't keep up in the race or because they are bigger (and NO I don't condone it). It breaks my heart because it is not their fault they are the way they are. :'-(
Often when this subject is raised by the media, or social media, I feel the finger is pointed towards the wrong people. The finger is often pointed at teachers because we don't educate the students about healthy eating. The advertising companies for creating advertisements and gimmicks to 'suck' children in to pressuring their parents for the product. The fast food company for giving away free toys and what not if you buy from them.....HELLO.......Does anyone else see anything wrong with this!
The finger should be pointed right at the parents! I once heard one TV Personality say that we should educate the kids on healthy eating so they can educate the parents and tell their parents to buy healthy food! Yeah right! What 6 year old is going to say 'no Mummy I don't want that chocolate bar, I want an apple!' (if you have one that does WELL DONE to you!)
My school recently had a visit from the Life Education Van and the children attended a lesson on healthy eating and healthy bodies and for the most part the students, to their credit, knew all the answers to the questions about what food we should and shouldn't eat but at the end of the day, they are not the ones doing the grocery shopping or packing the lunchboxes! (I will say though that one student was devastated when told Coco Pops is not a healthy cereal option!)
And there brings me to another point! Lunch boxes!!! Or should I call them "Pre-packaged food heaven!!". On playground duty we (the teachers) carry the bins around for the children to throw their rubbish in, saves them from wondering around during eating time when they are meant to be sitting eating. It just about brings tears to my eyes to see the amount of absolutely CRAP (sorry no other word for it!) food that children bring to school. So much pre-packaged food it is beyond a joke! We can encourage families to send sandwiches and fruit to school for their children but as soon as you throw in a couple of packets of chips, some nutella, a chocolate bar...well... no prizes for guessing what gets eaten first and what gets tossed in the bin. I have a student who has an ice coffee milk for lunch every day! Every day! Ice Coffee! 6 years old! Why.......????
As mentioned I am a teacher, I am not a parent so I can't imagine how difficult it must be for parents to maintain a healthy lifestyle for their kids but don't we owe it to them to at least try? And look I'm not saying that if I do ever get the opportunity to become a parent that I won't shove a lollypop in my child's mouth to keep them quiet at one stage or another but what I am saying is that we need to have, as a society, a long hard look at ourselves, our fridges, our shopping trolleys...
As a society I know that we are getting bigger, again I stress I have not researched that fact but am sure someone has if you want to google it! I just hope somehow we can start to reverse it for our kids sake, and our kids kids sake.....
Rant over......
(but sorry couldn't help post this ecard...bit funny!)
Tuesday, 5 March 2013
for week 4
I came across this little quote about weight loss which I think is so true...(Hopefully you can read it)
If you look at me you probably would not even notice but I know that I am feeling so much fitter and stronger even in such a short space of time.
Week 4 is mini milestones week and so I looked back to what I wanted to achieve 4 weeks into the program. My goal was to be able to run 5kms without stopping. Given that the weather has been so shite here (we have just clicked over 9 days straight rain I think!) and that I am more of a treadmill runner than an outdoor runner, Sunday morning I thought I would test my goal! I am SO pleased to say that I did it!!! I set the treadmill at 7.0 which I know is not very fast and I shouldn't call it 'run' but jog, but I didn't change the speed, in fact I changed it up at the end for a big finish, and jogged the entire 5kms! So my goal now will be to try and do it that bit faster next time.
Week 4 also meant that we had to re-do our fitness test and measure. This I was a little more nervous about but it really wasn't that bad. I improved in every area and have lost centimetres off everywhere as well. Not much, but the numbers are certainly heading in the right direction! YAY!
I have gotten into a bit more of a routine with the eating that seems to be working better. I spend an hour or so on a Saturday morning (after a good workout!) sitting down and going through the meal plan set down for us and then altering whatever I need to and chosing recipes from the oodles of recipes in the recipe index to work out my own version of a meal plan. Then I only buy what I need for the next 3 days and then make another trip later in the week. I am making sure I work with what I already have in the fridge/freezer/pantry and select meals that can be reheated or frozen for later use. I am finding that this is saving me so much more food and I guess money as I am not throwing out so much food.
Thanks to everyone who has been commenting on these posts. Your words of support and encouragement mean a lot and I am glad you are reading! Keep 'em coming...
Fingers crossed for weigh in day tomorrow!
Because it's Tuesday of course I am linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT but also Dear Baby G for a fitness blog
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
for week 3 weigh in...
Tomorrow is weigh in day for the 12wbt and I am not feeling too bad. I feel like I have had one good week this last week, there were a few things that challenged and tempted me (Staff morning teas, a student giving me a Mars Bar as a "thanks for teaching me" gift) which I calmly and proudly refused.
I learnt from my lessons in the previous week and sat down over the weekend and got super organised for the week ahead. I studied the menu guide carefully and re-worked it to suit me and my week and will hopefully minimise some of those issues I was having! I even weighed and measured out little snack bags of almonds so I know exactly how much I'm eating.
On Friday I had a PT session at my gym. I am not going to make it a regular thing at this stage as I feel that I am doing well on this and there really isn't anything that she can offer that I am not getting from Mish. She did remind me of the fact that muscle does weigh more than fat so I am not expecting big things in tomorrow's weigh in. I know that I don't have a lot of weight to lose so expecting big numbers is unrealistic. I think the true test will come next week when we measure. I don't know how I am going to go, it is still early days but I do know that I am feeling great! I don't have that 'full in the belly' yucky feeling.
Saturday was my first SSS workout and I must admit I was a little perplexed by it all. The SSS, for those not in the know, is the Super Saturday Session. It's where we are meant to push ourselves to burn at least 1000 calories. I decided to work through the 'At Home' version that Mish has on the website. I printed if off Friday afternoon and studied it well so I knew what I had to do. It involved A LOT of push ups, different styles and actions. It was interval type training with knee ups inbetween sets of pushups.... I am certainly not known for my upper body strength (if you've looked at pics of me closely you've probably already figured that out..lol..) so the thought of all of these push ups did not excite me but I went into it determined! So Saturday morning I woke up early, hooked up my brand spanking new Heart Rate Monitor and got to it! It was killing me, I was puffing and sweating and making sounds that would make a beached whale proud and was determined not to give up... I will admit I didn't finish all the sets and skipped the last 2 but instead jumped on my treadmill and did some interval sprints. I felt like I had given it everything I had, was sweating more than I ever had. So I pulled up stumps after 48 mins and checked my calories burnt.... 320.....WTF??? I could not understand it. How could I have worked that hard and only burnt that many calories... I jumped on the facebook page for some advice and support and to ask if theis seemed right. I guess I would have thought that since it was the program that Mish had written then it would burn the calories she expected us to burn... another lesson learnt. Feedback from my post was that most of the girls found they needed to exercise for about 2 hours to get to 1000 calories..... :-/
A little disheartened I had breakfast, showered, cleaned and then got ready to go to Body Balance, which I desperately needed. I decided to continue to monitor my calories to see if I had any hope of burning more. The best way to describe Body Balance is a mix of stretching, yoga and mediation and after an hour long class I managed to burn another 236 calories.... I am still a little confused as to how I could burn that much in quite a relaxing slow paced class but only 320 with an average heart rate of 142 earlier when I was huffing and puffing like there's no tomorrow. Anyway I am not going to dwell on it but it is again a lesson learnt and I will know what to expect and prepare for for next week.
Saturday also meant treat day. If we skip snacks and keep our calorie intact down we can have a treat meal Saturday night. I had saved 600 calories by dinner so got myself a burger from a fave burger place in town. I had been thinking about it and looking forward to it all day! I was so hungry by the time my sister arrived with it that I feel like I enhaled it! And afterwards had that "full in the belly yucky" feeling :-( Not sure I'll bother with a full treat meal from now on as it's amazing how your body gets used to eating well that the moment you don't, you regret it.
Anyway as I said, I feel ok about tomorrow and looking forward to seeing what it brings.....
Stay tuned...
Linking up today with Essentially Jess for IBOT
I learnt from my lessons in the previous week and sat down over the weekend and got super organised for the week ahead. I studied the menu guide carefully and re-worked it to suit me and my week and will hopefully minimise some of those issues I was having! I even weighed and measured out little snack bags of almonds so I know exactly how much I'm eating.
On Friday I had a PT session at my gym. I am not going to make it a regular thing at this stage as I feel that I am doing well on this and there really isn't anything that she can offer that I am not getting from Mish. She did remind me of the fact that muscle does weigh more than fat so I am not expecting big things in tomorrow's weigh in. I know that I don't have a lot of weight to lose so expecting big numbers is unrealistic. I think the true test will come next week when we measure. I don't know how I am going to go, it is still early days but I do know that I am feeling great! I don't have that 'full in the belly' yucky feeling.
Saturday was my first SSS workout and I must admit I was a little perplexed by it all. The SSS, for those not in the know, is the Super Saturday Session. It's where we are meant to push ourselves to burn at least 1000 calories. I decided to work through the 'At Home' version that Mish has on the website. I printed if off Friday afternoon and studied it well so I knew what I had to do. It involved A LOT of push ups, different styles and actions. It was interval type training with knee ups inbetween sets of pushups.... I am certainly not known for my upper body strength (if you've looked at pics of me closely you've probably already figured that out..lol..) so the thought of all of these push ups did not excite me but I went into it determined! So Saturday morning I woke up early, hooked up my brand spanking new Heart Rate Monitor and got to it! It was killing me, I was puffing and sweating and making sounds that would make a beached whale proud and was determined not to give up... I will admit I didn't finish all the sets and skipped the last 2 but instead jumped on my treadmill and did some interval sprints. I felt like I had given it everything I had, was sweating more than I ever had. So I pulled up stumps after 48 mins and checked my calories burnt.... 320.....WTF??? I could not understand it. How could I have worked that hard and only burnt that many calories... I jumped on the facebook page for some advice and support and to ask if theis seemed right. I guess I would have thought that since it was the program that Mish had written then it would burn the calories she expected us to burn... another lesson learnt. Feedback from my post was that most of the girls found they needed to exercise for about 2 hours to get to 1000 calories..... :-/
A little disheartened I had breakfast, showered, cleaned and then got ready to go to Body Balance, which I desperately needed. I decided to continue to monitor my calories to see if I had any hope of burning more. The best way to describe Body Balance is a mix of stretching, yoga and mediation and after an hour long class I managed to burn another 236 calories.... I am still a little confused as to how I could burn that much in quite a relaxing slow paced class but only 320 with an average heart rate of 142 earlier when I was huffing and puffing like there's no tomorrow. Anyway I am not going to dwell on it but it is again a lesson learnt and I will know what to expect and prepare for for next week.
Saturday also meant treat day. If we skip snacks and keep our calorie intact down we can have a treat meal Saturday night. I had saved 600 calories by dinner so got myself a burger from a fave burger place in town. I had been thinking about it and looking forward to it all day! I was so hungry by the time my sister arrived with it that I feel like I enhaled it! And afterwards had that "full in the belly yucky" feeling :-( Not sure I'll bother with a full treat meal from now on as it's amazing how your body gets used to eating well that the moment you don't, you regret it.
Anyway as I said, I feel ok about tomorrow and looking forward to seeing what it brings.....
Stay tuned...
Linking up today with Essentially Jess for IBOT
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
for week 2
So week 2 of 12WBT has begun...
Week one ended with quite a few red flag days as I flew up to North Queensland to help one of my best friends celebrate her 30th birthday party.
Generally speaking I think I was pretty well behaved. There was no exercise involved in the weekend but I did try and eat as healthy as possible and limited the cocktails and drinks as much as socially acceptable (it was her 30th afterall and will only happen once!).
Am not expecting big numbers this week and wouldn't be surprised if perhaps my numbers go up slightly. I am mentally preparing myself for this.
Week one has also taught me a few lessons that I need to sort out as I go deeper into this program..
First and probably the most important is that I need to get more organised (I can hear Mish saying....durrr I told you that!). I feel like I have been pretty organised but since starting I have realised I need to look closer at the meal plans and perhaps make a few adjustments. Last week I went gung ho and bought all the stuff on my shopping list without really giving it much time and thought. The result was I ended up with far too much food that went off before I got a chance to cook it and then had to go re-buy stuff.. Felt like such a waste of time, food and money (none of which I can afford to lose right now). I don't want to have to go to the shop every afternoon so I think I need to really study the meal plans and maybe re-jig things around so they suit timings better. Lesson learnt..
Am also considering a herb garden of some description. It was something that Mish talked about in pre-season but I thought it easier to just buy what I need when I need, however that failed me last night as I went to the grocery store and they didn't have any fresh basil! Lesson learnt...
The other thing that is grating on me a little is the fact that I am doing this solo and all the recipes are for 2 serves. In some cases this is great as it means I can cook the 2 serves and have one for lunch the next day, fantastic! In other cases it's slightly annoying and another reason I need to look closer into the recipes. Last nights recipe called for 200g of Pumpkin (so 100g for me), now you can't buy 100g of pumpkin so what to do with the rest when no other recipe this week calls for pumpkin.....Lesson learnt... Time to get organised!!!
I also had yet another fail in the exercise department both yesterday and again this morning. Turned up at 5:55am for my 6:00am PT session yesterday only to have no PT arrive! Annoyed doesn't begin to describe the feelings I was having. I was SO tired from only arriving home from my weekend away at midnight but thought JFDI and dragged myself out of bed. So I got on some cardio machines and gave it a good crack but feel so disappointed it wasn't the workout I had planned or hoped for. Even more disappointed that I left a message for the trainer to find out what happened but they never got back to me. Today I turned up at 5:25am for the 5:30am Body Pump class only to find it had been cancelled, apparently they put something on their website...Lesson learnt, check website the night before! On both occassions I could of done with that extra half hour sleep in!
So I think I will play catch up this week, learn from my lessons and as I have no plans for this weekend I am determined to smash out a big SSS, get organised and give week 3 my all!!!
Today I am linking up with Essentially Jess
Week one ended with quite a few red flag days as I flew up to North Queensland to help one of my best friends celebrate her 30th birthday party.
Generally speaking I think I was pretty well behaved. There was no exercise involved in the weekend but I did try and eat as healthy as possible and limited the cocktails and drinks as much as socially acceptable (it was her 30th afterall and will only happen once!).
Am not expecting big numbers this week and wouldn't be surprised if perhaps my numbers go up slightly. I am mentally preparing myself for this.
Week one has also taught me a few lessons that I need to sort out as I go deeper into this program..
First and probably the most important is that I need to get more organised (I can hear Mish saying....durrr I told you that!). I feel like I have been pretty organised but since starting I have realised I need to look closer at the meal plans and perhaps make a few adjustments. Last week I went gung ho and bought all the stuff on my shopping list without really giving it much time and thought. The result was I ended up with far too much food that went off before I got a chance to cook it and then had to go re-buy stuff.. Felt like such a waste of time, food and money (none of which I can afford to lose right now). I don't want to have to go to the shop every afternoon so I think I need to really study the meal plans and maybe re-jig things around so they suit timings better. Lesson learnt..
Am also considering a herb garden of some description. It was something that Mish talked about in pre-season but I thought it easier to just buy what I need when I need, however that failed me last night as I went to the grocery store and they didn't have any fresh basil! Lesson learnt...
The other thing that is grating on me a little is the fact that I am doing this solo and all the recipes are for 2 serves. In some cases this is great as it means I can cook the 2 serves and have one for lunch the next day, fantastic! In other cases it's slightly annoying and another reason I need to look closer into the recipes. Last nights recipe called for 200g of Pumpkin (so 100g for me), now you can't buy 100g of pumpkin so what to do with the rest when no other recipe this week calls for pumpkin.....Lesson learnt... Time to get organised!!!
I also had yet another fail in the exercise department both yesterday and again this morning. Turned up at 5:55am for my 6:00am PT session yesterday only to have no PT arrive! Annoyed doesn't begin to describe the feelings I was having. I was SO tired from only arriving home from my weekend away at midnight but thought JFDI and dragged myself out of bed. So I got on some cardio machines and gave it a good crack but feel so disappointed it wasn't the workout I had planned or hoped for. Even more disappointed that I left a message for the trainer to find out what happened but they never got back to me. Today I turned up at 5:25am for the 5:30am Body Pump class only to find it had been cancelled, apparently they put something on their website...Lesson learnt, check website the night before! On both occassions I could of done with that extra half hour sleep in!
So I think I will play catch up this week, learn from my lessons and as I have no plans for this weekend I am determined to smash out a big SSS, get organised and give week 3 my all!!!
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
to begin the 12WBT
So it has begun!
Michelle Bridges 12 week body transformation. If I was a brave person I would put up my before photo so you could see what I'm working with.... but right now I am not that brave.
Yesterday was day 1 and I must say, so far so good. Banana Bruschetta for Breakfast, Yoghurt for Morning Tea, Roast Beef, Avocado and Cottage Cheese Wrap for Lunch and it was meant to be Grilled Fish for Dinner but not being a fish fan I looked through the tonnes of substitute recipes and made Asparagus and Sweet Potato Soup (YUM!). Also thought this would be good to have in the freezer for those nights when I get home and don't feel like cooking (I know they will happen!)
I was so strong at morning tea as it was a staff members birthday over the weekend so there was cake everywhere! But I held strong and sat away from it and munched down on my yoghurt.
The lunch was delicious although it was made at about 6:30am and not eaten until about 1:15pm it was a little soggy! Another downfall of being a teacher..
My difficult time is always that stretch between when school finishes and dinner and today I will say I was starving! I got home from work and had a couple of slices of the Bega Light Cheese that is on the allowable snack menu before changing and heading off to the gym for a Zumba class....or so I thought...there lay my first fail. I turned up an hour late! On the class sheet they gave me it has that Zumba was a 5:45 so I turned up at 5:30 only to discovered that it had just finished. :-(
So instead I jumped on the tready and the bike and tried the best I could. I know that I would not have burnt as many calories as I would have doing the Zumba class but I like to think of that saying "Even if you are walking you are lapping everyone sitting at home on the couch!"
So it's early early days but I am feeling good, fingers crossed I can keep it up!
Today I am linking up for the first time with Essentially Jess for IBOT
Michelle Bridges 12 week body transformation. If I was a brave person I would put up my before photo so you could see what I'm working with.... but right now I am not that brave.
Yesterday was day 1 and I must say, so far so good. Banana Bruschetta for Breakfast, Yoghurt for Morning Tea, Roast Beef, Avocado and Cottage Cheese Wrap for Lunch and it was meant to be Grilled Fish for Dinner but not being a fish fan I looked through the tonnes of substitute recipes and made Asparagus and Sweet Potato Soup (YUM!). Also thought this would be good to have in the freezer for those nights when I get home and don't feel like cooking (I know they will happen!)
I was so strong at morning tea as it was a staff members birthday over the weekend so there was cake everywhere! But I held strong and sat away from it and munched down on my yoghurt.
The lunch was delicious although it was made at about 6:30am and not eaten until about 1:15pm it was a little soggy! Another downfall of being a teacher..
My difficult time is always that stretch between when school finishes and dinner and today I will say I was starving! I got home from work and had a couple of slices of the Bega Light Cheese that is on the allowable snack menu before changing and heading off to the gym for a Zumba class....or so I thought...there lay my first fail. I turned up an hour late! On the class sheet they gave me it has that Zumba was a 5:45 so I turned up at 5:30 only to discovered that it had just finished. :-(
So instead I jumped on the tready and the bike and tried the best I could. I know that I would not have burnt as many calories as I would have doing the Zumba class but I like to think of that saying "Even if you are walking you are lapping everyone sitting at home on the couch!"
So it's early early days but I am feeling good, fingers crossed I can keep it up!
Today I am linking up for the first time with Essentially Jess for IBOT
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