The day of justice has arrived and if you read my last blog you won’t be real surprised about the results. (Especially after Jeni’s wrap-over-the-knuckles comments!) But it is not that bad really. I am 56.5kg today, which is only 0.2 kg lighter than last week, but there is more to it than that!
Firstly, I am suffering from serious water retention. I can’t even move the ring on my finger, which usually slips off by itself. And secondly, my girth measurements have decreased (ever so slightly, but still!)
So, I am moving in the right direction. It is not as fast as I would like it to be, but there are certain things I simply can’t rush, right?
May be I just need to focus on something else… besides the scale. Today, while Jeni was taking my measurements she was motivating me to register for the Two Oceans half marathon. I might just do that…
Melissa
Jeni:
Hi guys,
If you are following Mel’s program, today should be a well-deserved off day for all of you. I hope you all enjoyed it!
Psychologically it does help sometimes when you take your focus away from the weight. Concentrate on a different goal – like running a 10K race, holding a very hard yoga pose for 5 breaths or I don’t know… entering one of Quinton Chong’s mu thai competitions.
The weight will come off. I promise you! But it does take time! And in today’s culture of instant gratification, keeping your eyes on the scale all the time is one sure way to get de-motivated way before you see results. So, think of some new challenge that you would like to concur and let us know what your goal is.
Ciao!
Jeni
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Stop Cheating!
Hey guys,
Happy Friday! Are you behaving yourselves?
I have to admit that today I was not on my best behaviour. It all started well – went to gym in the morning, did my cardio. Actually did better than usual – I raised my speed by 0.5km/h all along. Had oats for breakfast, then a meal replacement shake mid-morning, rye spaghetti bolognaise (ostrich) and grapes for lunch and a protein bar for snack. But then came the end of the work week and in my working environment, this means sundowners. Under the circumstances, I still did OK… I think… All I head was a glass of chardonnay and two slices of pizza for dinner. (Oh, and about 30g – four squares – of sugar-free chocolate.
Well, tomorrow is the day of justice… Let’s see what the scale says…
Mel
Jeni:
Mel,
This is not on! Cheating will not take you anywhere, so the sooner you stop it, the sooner you will reach your goal! Cheat day is on Saturday! Pull yourself together and stop giving in to other people’s lifestyle… unless you want to look like them!
If there is one thing I want you to remember and keep with you out of this plan, it is that YOU and no one else is in control.
You choose how much and what to eat, no matter if you are out or at home.
You choose what to order when the waiter comes and there always IS a good option. (I have never been to a restaurant that does not serve water!)
And no one can ever ridicule you about your choices if you make the first joke about healthy eating… (“I feel exotic tonight, waiter, can I have some sashimi and steamed cucumber please?”)
So stop making excuses (We all know that’s what they are, right?), get your priorities straight and reach for your goals!
See you tomorrow at the scale, Mel!
Jeni
Happy Friday! Are you behaving yourselves?
I have to admit that today I was not on my best behaviour. It all started well – went to gym in the morning, did my cardio. Actually did better than usual – I raised my speed by 0.5km/h all along. Had oats for breakfast, then a meal replacement shake mid-morning, rye spaghetti bolognaise (ostrich) and grapes for lunch and a protein bar for snack. But then came the end of the work week and in my working environment, this means sundowners. Under the circumstances, I still did OK… I think… All I head was a glass of chardonnay and two slices of pizza for dinner. (Oh, and about 30g – four squares – of sugar-free chocolate.
Well, tomorrow is the day of justice… Let’s see what the scale says…
Mel
Jeni:
Mel,
This is not on! Cheating will not take you anywhere, so the sooner you stop it, the sooner you will reach your goal! Cheat day is on Saturday! Pull yourself together and stop giving in to other people’s lifestyle… unless you want to look like them!
If there is one thing I want you to remember and keep with you out of this plan, it is that YOU and no one else is in control.
You choose how much and what to eat, no matter if you are out or at home.
You choose what to order when the waiter comes and there always IS a good option. (I have never been to a restaurant that does not serve water!)
And no one can ever ridicule you about your choices if you make the first joke about healthy eating… (“I feel exotic tonight, waiter, can I have some sashimi and steamed cucumber please?”)
So stop making excuses (We all know that’s what they are, right?), get your priorities straight and reach for your goals!
See you tomorrow at the scale, Mel!
Jeni
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Don't Be Scared to Pick Up The Weights
Hey guys,
How has your day been?
I achieved quite a bit today and my energy has been up there, which is great! I hit the gym first thing in the morning – before heading off to work and let me tell you, that was a good decision. I am getting more and more convinced that I am actually a morning person. Plus, the bonus for my workout today – Mr. Men’s Health Look of the Year 2007 was training right next to me. How is that for motivation!
My body feels a bit bloated today, but the roots of this are hormonal, more than anything else.
Further, I have just discovered DA BOMB of meal replacements! It’s called Myoplex Lite and it is delectable! I mean it tastes awesome! I am in love…
The bad news, of course, (you knew that was coming, right?) is that it costs about as much as dinner at Beluga, but stay tuned for my next body fat measurements and you will see if it’s worth the cash!
My meals and exercise for today:
Gym @ 6:30a.m.
5 min rowing to warm up
Chest – presses with dumbbells, lying on the Swiss ball – 5 sets of 12 repetitions with 11kg dumbbells
Back – assisted pull up machine – 5 sets of 12 with assistance of 30kg
Shoulders – machine shoulder press – 5 sets of 12 with 22.5kg
Triceps – rope pressdown – 5 set of 12 with 30kg
Biceps – cable curl – 5 sets of 12 with 20kg
Note to girls: Don’t be afraid to lift heavy! I am a tiny person with main focus on losing weight (not building muscles) and pushing heavy weights works! Actually, I think the lower intensity of my weight training while I was away has to do with my lack of progress… just a theory…
Breakfast: 3 egg whites, feta cheese and toast
Snack: Myoplex shake
Lunch: Rye taglietelle bolognaise with feta
Snack: Protein bar
Dinner: Skinless chicken with salad
See yall tomorrow bright and early! Virgin Active awaits!
Mel
Jeni:
Thanks Mel!
You are right to some degree – lack of intensity in weight training may slow down your progress, but temporary “easy days” are unlikely to have a long term negative effect on your physique. In fact, the opposite is true. Your body does need to rest some time and occasional (note – this is the key word here!) easing off is actually good for your muscles. Remember, your muscles are rebuilt while you rest, not while you train.
But on the subject of girls lifting heavy… (here I go… someone stop me please… I am very passionate about this issue!)
FACT: Girls will NOT get big/bulky/masculine/whatever-you-want-to-call-it by lifting heavier weights!
Girls, weights are your best friend when it comes to weight loss. Really!
If you build 1kg of muscle, this muscle will consume on average 25 calories per hour every day without you doing anything about it! This means, you can basically eat an extra meal a day and get away with it (i.e. not put on weight) simply because you have muscle!
And this is the reason why you will not get bulky! Let me explain:
25 calories per hour is a lot of calories! Your body (whose main focus is to conserve energy, be efficient and survive) sees this as a big expense and it’s right. Your heart and lungs consume about that many calories themselves. The body doesn’t want to expand all this energy on simply “maintaining muscle” so it tries to resist it. You know… the same way your heart tells you that you absolutely need the red Louis Viutton heels and your mind tries to convince you that you don’t. Your mind sees the shoes as an unnecessary indulgence that is simply too expensive.
Exactly the same way the body sees excess muscle as “expensive” to maintain (think calories are the body’s currency) and will not cooperate with you when trying to “get big”.
In order to get to look like those ladies (if you can call them that) that you have seen in the bodybuilding websites, it takes a lot more than a few training sessions at the gym, I can assure you. I personally squat twice my body weight (which is in excess of 100kg) all the time and continuously get compliments on how lovely my legs look!
Unless you are going to shoot yourself with growth hormone and anabolic steroids, consume humongous amounts of protein AND train like a dog, chances of you getting bigger than you like are slim to none.
Plus, if it’s going to happen, do you really think it happens overnight? I mean, do you think you can go to the gym today, push these really heavy weights around for an hour, go to sleep tonight and wake up in the morning looking like Lenda Murray? What I am saying is, you will see yourself in the mirror all the time. The moment you see something you don’t like – just stop. It’s as easy as that!
But really, if you don’t believe me, you can ask Mr. Men’s Health Look of the Year tomorrow, Mel?
;)
Jeni
How has your day been?
I achieved quite a bit today and my energy has been up there, which is great! I hit the gym first thing in the morning – before heading off to work and let me tell you, that was a good decision. I am getting more and more convinced that I am actually a morning person. Plus, the bonus for my workout today – Mr. Men’s Health Look of the Year 2007 was training right next to me. How is that for motivation!
My body feels a bit bloated today, but the roots of this are hormonal, more than anything else.
Further, I have just discovered DA BOMB of meal replacements! It’s called Myoplex Lite and it is delectable! I mean it tastes awesome! I am in love…
The bad news, of course, (you knew that was coming, right?) is that it costs about as much as dinner at Beluga, but stay tuned for my next body fat measurements and you will see if it’s worth the cash!
My meals and exercise for today:
Gym @ 6:30a.m.
5 min rowing to warm up
Chest – presses with dumbbells, lying on the Swiss ball – 5 sets of 12 repetitions with 11kg dumbbells
Back – assisted pull up machine – 5 sets of 12 with assistance of 30kg
Shoulders – machine shoulder press – 5 sets of 12 with 22.5kg
Triceps – rope pressdown – 5 set of 12 with 30kg
Biceps – cable curl – 5 sets of 12 with 20kg
Note to girls: Don’t be afraid to lift heavy! I am a tiny person with main focus on losing weight (not building muscles) and pushing heavy weights works! Actually, I think the lower intensity of my weight training while I was away has to do with my lack of progress… just a theory…
Breakfast: 3 egg whites, feta cheese and toast
Snack: Myoplex shake
Lunch: Rye taglietelle bolognaise with feta
Snack: Protein bar
Dinner: Skinless chicken with salad
See yall tomorrow bright and early! Virgin Active awaits!
Mel
Jeni:
Thanks Mel!
You are right to some degree – lack of intensity in weight training may slow down your progress, but temporary “easy days” are unlikely to have a long term negative effect on your physique. In fact, the opposite is true. Your body does need to rest some time and occasional (note – this is the key word here!) easing off is actually good for your muscles. Remember, your muscles are rebuilt while you rest, not while you train.
But on the subject of girls lifting heavy… (here I go… someone stop me please… I am very passionate about this issue!)
FACT: Girls will NOT get big/bulky/masculine/whatever-you-want-to-call-it by lifting heavier weights!
Girls, weights are your best friend when it comes to weight loss. Really!
If you build 1kg of muscle, this muscle will consume on average 25 calories per hour every day without you doing anything about it! This means, you can basically eat an extra meal a day and get away with it (i.e. not put on weight) simply because you have muscle!
And this is the reason why you will not get bulky! Let me explain:
25 calories per hour is a lot of calories! Your body (whose main focus is to conserve energy, be efficient and survive) sees this as a big expense and it’s right. Your heart and lungs consume about that many calories themselves. The body doesn’t want to expand all this energy on simply “maintaining muscle” so it tries to resist it. You know… the same way your heart tells you that you absolutely need the red Louis Viutton heels and your mind tries to convince you that you don’t. Your mind sees the shoes as an unnecessary indulgence that is simply too expensive.
Exactly the same way the body sees excess muscle as “expensive” to maintain (think calories are the body’s currency) and will not cooperate with you when trying to “get big”.
In order to get to look like those ladies (if you can call them that) that you have seen in the bodybuilding websites, it takes a lot more than a few training sessions at the gym, I can assure you. I personally squat twice my body weight (which is in excess of 100kg) all the time and continuously get compliments on how lovely my legs look!
Unless you are going to shoot yourself with growth hormone and anabolic steroids, consume humongous amounts of protein AND train like a dog, chances of you getting bigger than you like are slim to none.
Plus, if it’s going to happen, do you really think it happens overnight? I mean, do you think you can go to the gym today, push these really heavy weights around for an hour, go to sleep tonight and wake up in the morning looking like Lenda Murray? What I am saying is, you will see yourself in the mirror all the time. The moment you see something you don’t like – just stop. It’s as easy as that!
But really, if you don’t believe me, you can ask Mr. Men’s Health Look of the Year tomorrow, Mel?
;)
Jeni
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
And We Are Back...
Hey guys,
First things first. Big apology for the sudden disappearance of this blog. There were several factors involved in it – technical glitches, my unexpected emergency trip and Melissa’s business travel. I hope that this “road bump” into our (Melissa’s and mine) journey did not result in a reciprocal move on your side.
You see… that’s the thing about life. You will get going on something, you will make progress, everything will be going smoothly… and then… a curve ball comes your way. Your child gets sick, your best friend gets dumped a month before her wedding, you get a promotion at work and have to double your workload overnight… You know the list.
As much as the fitness magazines try to tell you that “you shouldn’t let these things distract you”, the reality of life is that they will. I mean, how many of you will leave your child alone at home with a fever because the plan was to go for a run at this time and I have to do it, no matter what?
The good news is that falling off the proverbial wagon is nowhere near as important as it is made out to be. Everyone falls off. I have fallen off and I am an ex pro-fitness competitor!
What really matters, though, is how quickly you get back on. That’s what separates the achievers, the winners, the aces from the crowd. So, if you happen to take the break while we were putting out fires – finish reading, dust off your tekkies and set up your alarm for gym session.
Now, let’s hear Melissa’s journey over the last two weeks…
Melissa:
I am so happy to be back! Let me first apologize for storming off without letting Jeni or anyone else know what is going on. I know that I made certain commitments about three and a half weeks ago and I am by no means backing out. But as you might have figured out by now… my work is hectic. I work in the film industry where things change hourly (if I am lucky) and sudden trips during filming season (which ends in 4 weeks) are the norm rather than the exception.
I went on a film shoot in Mozambique for 10 days and unfortunately wasn’t able to fit in the blog with my work load. (I barely made my workout sessions!)
I think I did really well on the trip – under the circumstances (catering companies that don’t offer much choice and very limited exercise opportunities). Exactly 4 hours after I landed back in CT, I had my first session back with Jeni and we did some measurements – just to assess the damage. The results are bitter-sweet for me.
I have gained 0.2kg. I have lost about a centimetre on each of the measurement points. And my body fat is stable – no movement. On the one side, I am happy I didn’t gain (heaven forbid!) but I am also a bit disappointed. You have no idea how hard I worked guys! I did not miss a single workout on the trip! Sometimes I had to modify the routine based on what was available, but I would say I was 80%-90% on plan. The same with my eating… Yes I did have 3 capirinias and 2 glasses of wine on closing night, but overall, I maintained and stuck to the plan pretty much. And I get a 0.2kg gain! I mean, I didn’t expect the same results as what I had in the first 10 days (2.7kg loss) but still…
Anyway, “no point crying over spilt milk” my mom used to say. I am now looking forward and maintaining a positive attitude! I just went to buy myself some more meal replacement shakes and bars and all the healthy stuff that my fridge should host and I will see you all at gym – bright and early!
Mel
First things first. Big apology for the sudden disappearance of this blog. There were several factors involved in it – technical glitches, my unexpected emergency trip and Melissa’s business travel. I hope that this “road bump” into our (Melissa’s and mine) journey did not result in a reciprocal move on your side.
You see… that’s the thing about life. You will get going on something, you will make progress, everything will be going smoothly… and then… a curve ball comes your way. Your child gets sick, your best friend gets dumped a month before her wedding, you get a promotion at work and have to double your workload overnight… You know the list.
As much as the fitness magazines try to tell you that “you shouldn’t let these things distract you”, the reality of life is that they will. I mean, how many of you will leave your child alone at home with a fever because the plan was to go for a run at this time and I have to do it, no matter what?
The good news is that falling off the proverbial wagon is nowhere near as important as it is made out to be. Everyone falls off. I have fallen off and I am an ex pro-fitness competitor!
What really matters, though, is how quickly you get back on. That’s what separates the achievers, the winners, the aces from the crowd. So, if you happen to take the break while we were putting out fires – finish reading, dust off your tekkies and set up your alarm for gym session.
Now, let’s hear Melissa’s journey over the last two weeks…
Melissa:
I am so happy to be back! Let me first apologize for storming off without letting Jeni or anyone else know what is going on. I know that I made certain commitments about three and a half weeks ago and I am by no means backing out. But as you might have figured out by now… my work is hectic. I work in the film industry where things change hourly (if I am lucky) and sudden trips during filming season (which ends in 4 weeks) are the norm rather than the exception.
I went on a film shoot in Mozambique for 10 days and unfortunately wasn’t able to fit in the blog with my work load. (I barely made my workout sessions!)
I think I did really well on the trip – under the circumstances (catering companies that don’t offer much choice and very limited exercise opportunities). Exactly 4 hours after I landed back in CT, I had my first session back with Jeni and we did some measurements – just to assess the damage. The results are bitter-sweet for me.
I have gained 0.2kg. I have lost about a centimetre on each of the measurement points. And my body fat is stable – no movement. On the one side, I am happy I didn’t gain (heaven forbid!) but I am also a bit disappointed. You have no idea how hard I worked guys! I did not miss a single workout on the trip! Sometimes I had to modify the routine based on what was available, but I would say I was 80%-90% on plan. The same with my eating… Yes I did have 3 capirinias and 2 glasses of wine on closing night, but overall, I maintained and stuck to the plan pretty much. And I get a 0.2kg gain! I mean, I didn’t expect the same results as what I had in the first 10 days (2.7kg loss) but still…
Anyway, “no point crying over spilt milk” my mom used to say. I am now looking forward and maintaining a positive attitude! I just went to buy myself some more meal replacement shakes and bars and all the healthy stuff that my fridge should host and I will see you all at gym – bright and early!
Mel
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Importance of Rest
Hey guys,
Today is technically speaking the end of my second week on the plan. I should be having my “off day” (good – eat what I want and no gym; bad – measurements) but I volunteered to keep going till the weekend. It is much easier (socially) to have my off day on Saturday or Sunday.
My day wasn’t great but I did my best under the circumstances. To begin with, work is hectic. I was up till 4am last might working on a deadline and caffeine is what kept me going for most of the day. I made a sad attempt at gym – my interval cardio routine, but at only three hours of sleep, I wasn’t functioning at my best. I survived 15 minutes (out of the planned 20) but simply collapsed after that. Later on I managed to “steal” a 2-hour nap and then went for a walk with my dogs to make up for it…
On the eating front things were better (if you don’t count the caffeine) but I think it’s because my disrupted schedule somehow confused my appetite and I didn’t feel hungry at all. Just tired.
I had oats in the morning, with some cottage cheese and a peach. Then for lunch I had some skinless chicken with greens and the same for dinner. When it was time for my first snack, I had a meal replacement shake and when it was time for my second one – I was sleep…
The strange thing is how much a single all-nighter set me back. It really surprised me! What happened to the days when we used to go clubbing all night and back to work in the morning? I have to go sleep now…
Cheers,
Melissa
Jeni:
Mel, I am proud of you!
Honestly, I don’t know many people who would work all night, go to the office the next day and still try to hit the gym. Your motivation is outstanding and this is what will make you a winner in the losing game!
Now, on the subject of sleep, rest and weight loss, here is the science:
Adequate rest could play an important role in shedding pounds. It might seem like one more thing added to the long to-do list for losing weight, but paying attention to sleep patterns and getting the recommended amount of shuteye might help with reducing the number on the scale.
Sleep deprivation influences two hormones that play a major role in appetite. Ghrelin is a hormone that is responsible for increasing appetite. Leptin is a hormone that lets the brain know when the body is full, therefore decreasing appetite.
When sleep deprivation occurs there is a decrease in leptin (the full hormone) and an increase ghrelin (the appetite hormone). This leads to an increase in appetite overall. It appears that this can result in hunger and increased food intake the day following a night of too little sleep.
Keeping food intake and hunger in check to lose weight is difficult to begin with. When hormones are involved, due to lack of rest, weight loss success might be reduced because of the desire to increase food intake.
Bottom line: establish a good daily routine – one involving (ideally) 8 hours of sleep, daily exercise and clean diet and stick to it. The pounds will melt off. Just stick with the plan and give it time.
Good luck!
Jeni
Today is technically speaking the end of my second week on the plan. I should be having my “off day” (good – eat what I want and no gym; bad – measurements) but I volunteered to keep going till the weekend. It is much easier (socially) to have my off day on Saturday or Sunday.
My day wasn’t great but I did my best under the circumstances. To begin with, work is hectic. I was up till 4am last might working on a deadline and caffeine is what kept me going for most of the day. I made a sad attempt at gym – my interval cardio routine, but at only three hours of sleep, I wasn’t functioning at my best. I survived 15 minutes (out of the planned 20) but simply collapsed after that. Later on I managed to “steal” a 2-hour nap and then went for a walk with my dogs to make up for it…
On the eating front things were better (if you don’t count the caffeine) but I think it’s because my disrupted schedule somehow confused my appetite and I didn’t feel hungry at all. Just tired.
I had oats in the morning, with some cottage cheese and a peach. Then for lunch I had some skinless chicken with greens and the same for dinner. When it was time for my first snack, I had a meal replacement shake and when it was time for my second one – I was sleep…
The strange thing is how much a single all-nighter set me back. It really surprised me! What happened to the days when we used to go clubbing all night and back to work in the morning? I have to go sleep now…
Cheers,
Melissa
Jeni:
Mel, I am proud of you!
Honestly, I don’t know many people who would work all night, go to the office the next day and still try to hit the gym. Your motivation is outstanding and this is what will make you a winner in the losing game!
Now, on the subject of sleep, rest and weight loss, here is the science:
Adequate rest could play an important role in shedding pounds. It might seem like one more thing added to the long to-do list for losing weight, but paying attention to sleep patterns and getting the recommended amount of shuteye might help with reducing the number on the scale.
Sleep deprivation influences two hormones that play a major role in appetite. Ghrelin is a hormone that is responsible for increasing appetite. Leptin is a hormone that lets the brain know when the body is full, therefore decreasing appetite.
When sleep deprivation occurs there is a decrease in leptin (the full hormone) and an increase ghrelin (the appetite hormone). This leads to an increase in appetite overall. It appears that this can result in hunger and increased food intake the day following a night of too little sleep.
Keeping food intake and hunger in check to lose weight is difficult to begin with. When hormones are involved, due to lack of rest, weight loss success might be reduced because of the desire to increase food intake.
Bottom line: establish a good daily routine – one involving (ideally) 8 hours of sleep, daily exercise and clean diet and stick to it. The pounds will melt off. Just stick with the plan and give it time.
Good luck!
Jeni
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
My Relationship wtih Food
Hey guys,
Today was a great day for me… overall. Once again, I did not get up at the first ring of my alarm (I wonder if I will ever get back into the early morning mode) and there were no leftovers to pack for lunch. My meals, therefore, consisted of canned pilchards and canned peas. Now, I know that if you are even halfway paying attention to my dabbles, you wouldn’t be able to move past the grossness of this. But hear me out.
Since I started this plan (almost) two weeks ago, I had to drastically change my eating habits. I am a person who consumes vast quantities of food and honestly, most of my day was centered around “what am I going to shove up my mouth next”. Clearly, this wasn’t going to work on the plan as I had to:
a) eat at very regular intervals
b) eat very specific (less than exciting) foods
I had to come up with a strategy to deal with this and my solution was to focus on other stuff. Basically, keep myself busy, so I don’t have time to think about food. (Well, I still HAVE TO think about food cause if I don’t plan in advance I am in trouble, but you get my point!)
Food has now become just a “chore” of sort for me. I no longer eat for the taste or to get full or anything. I know it’s time for me to eat (I have an alarm), I eat my meal and then I keep going. No emotion whatsoever. It takes a bit of time to get here, but guys, when you get to this point – it is so much easier!
Here is a list of my meals and exercise for those of you that follow the plan:
Breakfast: 2 egg whites, 1 egg (scrambled) and a slice of toast
Mid-morning: ½ can pilchards with ½ can peas
Lunch: exactly the same plus an apple
Mid-afternoon: 1 small protein bar
Dinner: 2 skinless pieces chicken, salad and 1 peach for dessert
Legs workout routine:
Squats – 5 sets of 12 followed by a set of leg extensions
Deadlifts – same sequence, followed by lying leg curls
Standing calf raises – 3 sets followed by 2 sets of seated calf raises. All 12.
Stomach crunches – I had 10 minutes to do as many repetitions and variations of crunches as I could!
Till tomorrow!
Melissa
Jeni:
A person’s relationship with food is the single most critical factor that will make or break your weight loss plan. And it is ALWAYS a complicated one!
We eat to sustain ourselves but there is so much more to it. We eat when we are happy. We eat when we are sad. We eat when we are lonely. We eat to celebrate. There is virtually no human emotion that can not be associated with a meal occasion. We have birthday dinners, graduation meals, wedding receptions… even wakes… where others eat once we die!
Not that there is anything wrong with eating to commemorate certain occasions, but the problem is that food has been pretty much removed from its basic primary function – to sustain our bodies. And just like Melissa discovered – once you get to the point where you eat out of necessity, your weight problem will be solved. (Even if you just eat carbs!) Do you need some guidance how to get there? Write to us!
Ciao!
Jeni
Today was a great day for me… overall. Once again, I did not get up at the first ring of my alarm (I wonder if I will ever get back into the early morning mode) and there were no leftovers to pack for lunch. My meals, therefore, consisted of canned pilchards and canned peas. Now, I know that if you are even halfway paying attention to my dabbles, you wouldn’t be able to move past the grossness of this. But hear me out.
Since I started this plan (almost) two weeks ago, I had to drastically change my eating habits. I am a person who consumes vast quantities of food and honestly, most of my day was centered around “what am I going to shove up my mouth next”. Clearly, this wasn’t going to work on the plan as I had to:
a) eat at very regular intervals
b) eat very specific (less than exciting) foods
I had to come up with a strategy to deal with this and my solution was to focus on other stuff. Basically, keep myself busy, so I don’t have time to think about food. (Well, I still HAVE TO think about food cause if I don’t plan in advance I am in trouble, but you get my point!)
Food has now become just a “chore” of sort for me. I no longer eat for the taste or to get full or anything. I know it’s time for me to eat (I have an alarm), I eat my meal and then I keep going. No emotion whatsoever. It takes a bit of time to get here, but guys, when you get to this point – it is so much easier!
Here is a list of my meals and exercise for those of you that follow the plan:
Breakfast: 2 egg whites, 1 egg (scrambled) and a slice of toast
Mid-morning: ½ can pilchards with ½ can peas
Lunch: exactly the same plus an apple
Mid-afternoon: 1 small protein bar
Dinner: 2 skinless pieces chicken, salad and 1 peach for dessert
Legs workout routine:
Squats – 5 sets of 12 followed by a set of leg extensions
Deadlifts – same sequence, followed by lying leg curls
Standing calf raises – 3 sets followed by 2 sets of seated calf raises. All 12.
Stomach crunches – I had 10 minutes to do as many repetitions and variations of crunches as I could!
Till tomorrow!
Melissa
Jeni:
A person’s relationship with food is the single most critical factor that will make or break your weight loss plan. And it is ALWAYS a complicated one!
We eat to sustain ourselves but there is so much more to it. We eat when we are happy. We eat when we are sad. We eat when we are lonely. We eat to celebrate. There is virtually no human emotion that can not be associated with a meal occasion. We have birthday dinners, graduation meals, wedding receptions… even wakes… where others eat once we die!
Not that there is anything wrong with eating to commemorate certain occasions, but the problem is that food has been pretty much removed from its basic primary function – to sustain our bodies. And just like Melissa discovered – once you get to the point where you eat out of necessity, your weight problem will be solved. (Even if you just eat carbs!) Do you need some guidance how to get there? Write to us!
Ciao!
Jeni
Monday, January 12, 2009
Planning
Hey guys,
How are your efforts paying off so far?
I am getting quite used to my plan now with what I used to call “rabbit food” now forming the base of my menu and the televised thread mill – my new BFF. Like most of you, I was on leave till last week, but despite today being my 6th day in the office – I am still struggling with fitting my meals into my work day. And by the looks of today – it is only going to get tougher. 2009 will definitely by a kick-ass year!
The problems I experienced today was, in retrospect, caused by lack of foresight and contingency planning. I have gotten used to my five meals a day and the split amongst them and the scheduling and the so forth. But what happens when you feel a bit hungrier than usual or the afternoon meeting gets a bit longer than expected and you have no “back up meals” in your bag? You have two choices – either starve (bad in the grand scheme of things) or eat something that you shouldn’t (equally undesirable). I was in such a situation today and chose, what I considered, an amicable in-between solution.
So, what happened is: I had my breakfast (oats, yoghurt and fruit) and hit the gym before work. When I got to the office I had my “second meal” – protein bar and then – my carefully packed lunch around 12. (Ostrich meat balls and green salad with reduced fat feta cheese.) Mid-afternoon, I had my meal replacement shake and was ready to go home to cook my delicious (slimming) dinner around 5. Unfortunately, it was not to be. I was stuck in a meeting till 6:30 and seemed like I was going to get a “homework assignment” to bring to the office in the morning. My solution was to sneak in a slice of toast during a “bio break” from the meeting around 4 o’clock, which kept me alive (figuratively and literally speaking) till I could get to dinner – skinless chicken & peas.
Now, I have to go work…
Good night!
Mel
Jeni:
Mel put it down so perfectly… I am not sure if there is anything more to say!
Having a slice of toast when you are in “crunch time” at the office, really was a marvellous solution. While your muscles, heart and organs can use carbs & fat or protein for energy (although they prefer carbs), the brain cannot use protein. Thus, if you are involved in a highly cognitive activity (e.g. brainstorming, business meeting, etc.) the added carbs (from the bread) will go straight to fuel the brain’s activity with no negative consequences to your waist line.
Just remember that the brain only needs 100-150 calories at the time, so stick to one slice of toast.
Ciao!
Jeni
How are your efforts paying off so far?
I am getting quite used to my plan now with what I used to call “rabbit food” now forming the base of my menu and the televised thread mill – my new BFF. Like most of you, I was on leave till last week, but despite today being my 6th day in the office – I am still struggling with fitting my meals into my work day. And by the looks of today – it is only going to get tougher. 2009 will definitely by a kick-ass year!
The problems I experienced today was, in retrospect, caused by lack of foresight and contingency planning. I have gotten used to my five meals a day and the split amongst them and the scheduling and the so forth. But what happens when you feel a bit hungrier than usual or the afternoon meeting gets a bit longer than expected and you have no “back up meals” in your bag? You have two choices – either starve (bad in the grand scheme of things) or eat something that you shouldn’t (equally undesirable). I was in such a situation today and chose, what I considered, an amicable in-between solution.
So, what happened is: I had my breakfast (oats, yoghurt and fruit) and hit the gym before work. When I got to the office I had my “second meal” – protein bar and then – my carefully packed lunch around 12. (Ostrich meat balls and green salad with reduced fat feta cheese.) Mid-afternoon, I had my meal replacement shake and was ready to go home to cook my delicious (slimming) dinner around 5. Unfortunately, it was not to be. I was stuck in a meeting till 6:30 and seemed like I was going to get a “homework assignment” to bring to the office in the morning. My solution was to sneak in a slice of toast during a “bio break” from the meeting around 4 o’clock, which kept me alive (figuratively and literally speaking) till I could get to dinner – skinless chicken & peas.
Now, I have to go work…
Good night!
Mel
Jeni:
Mel put it down so perfectly… I am not sure if there is anything more to say!
Having a slice of toast when you are in “crunch time” at the office, really was a marvellous solution. While your muscles, heart and organs can use carbs & fat or protein for energy (although they prefer carbs), the brain cannot use protein. Thus, if you are involved in a highly cognitive activity (e.g. brainstorming, business meeting, etc.) the added carbs (from the bread) will go straight to fuel the brain’s activity with no negative consequences to your waist line.
Just remember that the brain only needs 100-150 calories at the time, so stick to one slice of toast.
Ciao!
Jeni
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Consistency
Today I had a 10 out of 10 day! I did my exercise – and my arms are still burning! I ate my five meals at even intervals and dodged all the temptations. I am so proud of myself!
Here is how the day went:
Breakfast was oats, fat free plain yoghurt and one peach. (I know… I am falling into a “breakfast rut”… thankfully, it’s a healthy one!) Oh, and of course my daily cup of coffee (which I am proud to announce is all organic). I then hit the gym to do my upper body resistance exercise. That was hard work! Gosh! The workout starts with 5 min warm up, which today was the elliptical trainer. Then I had to work chest. For 4 sets I had to use the heaviest weights that I can do 12 presses with (which for me is about 10kg dumbells) and then, follow the last set with a set of flyes till my chest are “on fire”. A two-minute break until we repeat the sequence, this time involving back exercises. Once my back was burning, we went to shoulders, then biceps and triceps. The whole thing took about 45 minutes, but I was really burning after that. My second meal was a small protein bar which I had on my way back from the gym.
Then, for lunch I had some eggs with a slice of toast. I went out to the movies with my buddies in the afternoon. I didn’t partake in the “coke and popcorn” thing, so I brought my meal replacement shake to the cinema. This way I felt like I was part of “the group” and no one was asking me why I am I not buying coke. It’s very inconspicuous and much easier to avoid the “coke and popcorn” rush when you have a dark bottle (with unknown contents) in your hand. You can even joke it’s alcohol!
Dinner was meat balls with salad and a small apple. And of course… litres and litres of water.
Good night!
Melissa
Jeni:
Mel is doing really great. It is her 10th day on the plan and even though I have been dissing her and telling her she can do better (that’s what trainers are for, right?) she has been very consistent and very dedicated. And that, guys, is the key to losing weight for good. Consistency!
Consistent meals – One of the most important things that you can do with your weight, and your health in general, is to keep a nice even keel with respect to your blood sugar. When you eat a choc-chip muffin and coffee for breakfast and then nothing until lunch then you will get a big blood sugar spike and then a drop soon after and be just dragging your way until lunch. If you eat consistently small but evenly spaced meals every couple of hours during the day then you will not have blood sugar problem and eventually – no weight problem.
Consistent meal sizes – If you make sure that you eat 200 – 400 calorie meals then this will go hand in hand with the point above. Having even sized meals will mean that you are not bloated after one meal and then hungry after the next. Of course unless you are a dietician (or have spent a long time on Weigh Less) it is difficult to know how many calories are on your plate. So, here are the simplified rules: a protein serving (e.g. chicken breast) the size of your open palm and a carb serving the size of your clenched fist. You can measure that, right?
Consistent exercise – I know the gym is not exactly the “coolest spot” to hang out at, but exercising regularly IS very important in your weight loss efforts. Make a plan to do something on a daily basis. And if you don’t like the gym, that’s cool. Walking the dogs is just as good. So is gardening, shopping (as long as you keep moving all the time) and dancing. Pick something you like or come up with something fun to do with your friends on the beach next weekend – frisbie, beach volley ball, soccer…
Consistent rest – Rest is as important to your well being and weight loss as exercise itself. Go to bed the same time every night (as best as you can) and get 7 or 8 hours of zzz to reach your full potential. Besides… slim, toned and tanned legs and bags under the eyes do not go well together!
As we get deeper into January and new year’s resolutions become less and less vivid (more of a distant memory, actually), we get back to work and daily stuff interferes with the best of intentions, other priorities find their way into our to do lists. We sometimes tell ourselves that we can skip the workout today and work doubly hard tomorrow. You know the drill, right?
It doesn’t work. Remember that consistency is the key.
Till tomorrow!
Jeni
Here is how the day went:
Breakfast was oats, fat free plain yoghurt and one peach. (I know… I am falling into a “breakfast rut”… thankfully, it’s a healthy one!) Oh, and of course my daily cup of coffee (which I am proud to announce is all organic). I then hit the gym to do my upper body resistance exercise. That was hard work! Gosh! The workout starts with 5 min warm up, which today was the elliptical trainer. Then I had to work chest. For 4 sets I had to use the heaviest weights that I can do 12 presses with (which for me is about 10kg dumbells) and then, follow the last set with a set of flyes till my chest are “on fire”. A two-minute break until we repeat the sequence, this time involving back exercises. Once my back was burning, we went to shoulders, then biceps and triceps. The whole thing took about 45 minutes, but I was really burning after that. My second meal was a small protein bar which I had on my way back from the gym.
Then, for lunch I had some eggs with a slice of toast. I went out to the movies with my buddies in the afternoon. I didn’t partake in the “coke and popcorn” thing, so I brought my meal replacement shake to the cinema. This way I felt like I was part of “the group” and no one was asking me why I am I not buying coke. It’s very inconspicuous and much easier to avoid the “coke and popcorn” rush when you have a dark bottle (with unknown contents) in your hand. You can even joke it’s alcohol!
Dinner was meat balls with salad and a small apple. And of course… litres and litres of water.
Good night!
Melissa
Jeni:
Mel is doing really great. It is her 10th day on the plan and even though I have been dissing her and telling her she can do better (that’s what trainers are for, right?) she has been very consistent and very dedicated. And that, guys, is the key to losing weight for good. Consistency!
Consistent meals – One of the most important things that you can do with your weight, and your health in general, is to keep a nice even keel with respect to your blood sugar. When you eat a choc-chip muffin and coffee for breakfast and then nothing until lunch then you will get a big blood sugar spike and then a drop soon after and be just dragging your way until lunch. If you eat consistently small but evenly spaced meals every couple of hours during the day then you will not have blood sugar problem and eventually – no weight problem.
Consistent meal sizes – If you make sure that you eat 200 – 400 calorie meals then this will go hand in hand with the point above. Having even sized meals will mean that you are not bloated after one meal and then hungry after the next. Of course unless you are a dietician (or have spent a long time on Weigh Less) it is difficult to know how many calories are on your plate. So, here are the simplified rules: a protein serving (e.g. chicken breast) the size of your open palm and a carb serving the size of your clenched fist. You can measure that, right?
Consistent exercise – I know the gym is not exactly the “coolest spot” to hang out at, but exercising regularly IS very important in your weight loss efforts. Make a plan to do something on a daily basis. And if you don’t like the gym, that’s cool. Walking the dogs is just as good. So is gardening, shopping (as long as you keep moving all the time) and dancing. Pick something you like or come up with something fun to do with your friends on the beach next weekend – frisbie, beach volley ball, soccer…
Consistent rest – Rest is as important to your well being and weight loss as exercise itself. Go to bed the same time every night (as best as you can) and get 7 or 8 hours of zzz to reach your full potential. Besides… slim, toned and tanned legs and bags under the eyes do not go well together!
As we get deeper into January and new year’s resolutions become less and less vivid (more of a distant memory, actually), we get back to work and daily stuff interferes with the best of intentions, other priorities find their way into our to do lists. We sometimes tell ourselves that we can skip the workout today and work doubly hard tomorrow. You know the drill, right?
It doesn’t work. Remember that consistency is the key.
Till tomorrow!
Jeni
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Discipline
Following a healthy weight loss plan in Cape Town summer is an immense task. I would actually dare to say impossible, although I am sure the bunch of toned, tanned and gorgeous models that live at Gardens Virgin Active every day between 4 and 7 p.m. will disagree with me…
I followed the plan as well as I could today, but a glass of wine found its way to my food diary, something that Jeni was less than impressed with. What happened was: I got u in the morning and had my breakfast – bran flakes, fat free milk and a fruit. I took a bit of time to get myself to the gym, so only rocked up there at about 11:30 for my killer aerobic session. 20 minutes of pure torture! I was planning to take a shower at the gym and then go home for lunch, but I just didn’t realise how long the pitter-patter in the morning took me, so by the end of the session, I was famished. Starved. Dying. I had to go and eat!
I was rather proud of myself that despite the hunger pangs, I didn’t give into the temptations around me (Salushi, Sinns, Knead) but drove back home for a fatless egg whites omelette and a slice of toast.
The problem came in the early afternoon, when a good friend of mine who is permanently leaving the Mother City next week came to visit with a bottle of Chardonnay. It is rather hard to say “I’ll have water instead. You drink on your own.” So, I had a glass of wine…
Later on I had two more very good meals – skinless chicken & roasted veggies.
I am not proud of myself not having the willpower to say no to a glass of wine, but given my past behaviour (of constant partying all summer long), I think this is progress. Right?
Mel
Jeni:
Melissa brought up a subject that all my clients aiming for weight loss encounter at some stage or another – discipline. Yes, it is hard to incorporate “slim eating” (and drinking) to a busy social calendar. Yes, summer is a very social time in Cape Town and most of our entertainment is held around over-flowing tables. And yes, you can say no to all of it!
Such an ugly word, I know, but discipline is a part of successful weight loss and just another way of saying self-control. Think of how you practice self-control in the other parts of your life. Each day you fulfill your obligations to work and family, even when you'd rather just lie in bed and sleep late. That takes discipline. The same can be true of exercise and eating right. Of course, it's easy to make yourself go to work because there are consequences if you don't--you won't make as much money or you could lose your job. But if you don't workout, the consequences aren't as immediate, are they?
I am sorry to tell you guys, but it takes three things to lose weight and discipline is one of them! (In case you are wondering, consistency and honesty with yourself are the other two!). If you know you can’t resist certain situations or people, then make a plan to avoid them. You can’t do the same thing as before and expect different results! And you can’t be “good” for a week, then go back to partying full steam for another.
I am not saying you can never have a glass of wine. Just keep things in balance…
Here is a strategy: Make a list of all the consequences you can think of from veering off your plan. Just like “not brushing your teeth leads to cavities” you can make your own list.
“Skipping a workout will set me back slightly in my weight loss efforts.”
“An extra slice of pizza will neutralise the good of my morning workout”
And so forth…
Then, when presented with a choice – a second glass of wine with my friends or a glass of water – (and it always IS a choice) go through the list in your head and make a conscious decision. Good luck!
Jeni
I followed the plan as well as I could today, but a glass of wine found its way to my food diary, something that Jeni was less than impressed with. What happened was: I got u in the morning and had my breakfast – bran flakes, fat free milk and a fruit. I took a bit of time to get myself to the gym, so only rocked up there at about 11:30 for my killer aerobic session. 20 minutes of pure torture! I was planning to take a shower at the gym and then go home for lunch, but I just didn’t realise how long the pitter-patter in the morning took me, so by the end of the session, I was famished. Starved. Dying. I had to go and eat!
I was rather proud of myself that despite the hunger pangs, I didn’t give into the temptations around me (Salushi, Sinns, Knead) but drove back home for a fatless egg whites omelette and a slice of toast.
The problem came in the early afternoon, when a good friend of mine who is permanently leaving the Mother City next week came to visit with a bottle of Chardonnay. It is rather hard to say “I’ll have water instead. You drink on your own.” So, I had a glass of wine…
Later on I had two more very good meals – skinless chicken & roasted veggies.
I am not proud of myself not having the willpower to say no to a glass of wine, but given my past behaviour (of constant partying all summer long), I think this is progress. Right?
Mel
Jeni:
Melissa brought up a subject that all my clients aiming for weight loss encounter at some stage or another – discipline. Yes, it is hard to incorporate “slim eating” (and drinking) to a busy social calendar. Yes, summer is a very social time in Cape Town and most of our entertainment is held around over-flowing tables. And yes, you can say no to all of it!
Such an ugly word, I know, but discipline is a part of successful weight loss and just another way of saying self-control. Think of how you practice self-control in the other parts of your life. Each day you fulfill your obligations to work and family, even when you'd rather just lie in bed and sleep late. That takes discipline. The same can be true of exercise and eating right. Of course, it's easy to make yourself go to work because there are consequences if you don't--you won't make as much money or you could lose your job. But if you don't workout, the consequences aren't as immediate, are they?
I am sorry to tell you guys, but it takes three things to lose weight and discipline is one of them! (In case you are wondering, consistency and honesty with yourself are the other two!). If you know you can’t resist certain situations or people, then make a plan to avoid them. You can’t do the same thing as before and expect different results! And you can’t be “good” for a week, then go back to partying full steam for another.
I am not saying you can never have a glass of wine. Just keep things in balance…
Here is a strategy: Make a list of all the consequences you can think of from veering off your plan. Just like “not brushing your teeth leads to cavities” you can make your own list.
“Skipping a workout will set me back slightly in my weight loss efforts.”
“An extra slice of pizza will neutralise the good of my morning workout”
And so forth…
Then, when presented with a choice – a second glass of wine with my friends or a glass of water – (and it always IS a choice) go through the list in your head and make a conscious decision. Good luck!
Jeni
Friday, January 9, 2009
Lifting Heavy Weights
Well, my off day is over and it is back to the kitchen and the gym for me! Sadly, I overslept this morning and had no time to prepare anything “to spec”. However, I didn’t want to fall into the old trap where I used to promise myself that “I am going to wing it” and land up eating slap chips with salt and vinegar. I had to resort to plan B – canned food…
Luckily, I had enough oats left over from yesterday, so that was my breakfast. A can of salmon and a can of curried mixed vegetables formed my second and third meals for the day (I know!!!) followed by a meal replacement shake in the mid-afternoon. When I got home, I roasted some skinless chicken and made a salad and believe me – this felt like the tastiest meal I have ever had! I look forward to tomorrow, when I can actually prepare something good again! Jeni has given me a bunch of recipes that look amazing, and I am dying to try them!
My exercise today was focused on the lower body – stomach and legs. Jeni put me on one of these “basic” programs where you do very basic exercises – squats, lunges, the likes – and you work your butt off… literally! I worked really hard and was actually amazed at the heavy weights Jeni put me on. Like most girls, I am somewhat suspicious of heavy weight lifting as I do not want to look big and bulky, but I am sure she knows what she is doing!
Mel
Jeni:
Heavy vs. light weights has been a debate going on for decades in the fitness community. Generally, it has been going in the following fashion:
Trainers: If you want to lose weight, you have to add resistance training to your routine in order to build some muscle.
Ladies: I do not want to get big and bulky.
Trainers: There is no danger of you growing as big as a bodybuilder by lifting weights marginally heavier than your groceries.
Ladies: I do not want to get big and bulky.
Trainers: …
Ladies: I do not want to get big and bulky.
You get the point…
Truth is, you WILL NOT get big and bulky by just lifting weights. Definitely not that quick! Do you really believe you can pick up 10kg dumbells a few times and wake up in the morning looking like Cory Everson? I mean, if it was that easy don’t you think there would be a lot more body builders around? Even guys, who have enough testosterone going through their system, can’t stimulate such muscle growth overnight, let alone girls! Unless you are lifting weights in excess of double your body weight AND are shooting growth hormone injections every other day, you will NOT grow big. And even then, it still takes years of hard work and protein-heavy nutrition to get the mass. So, stop with the excuses and pick up the barbells!
Muscles are metabolically active tissue which means that muscles burn calories just to stay still. Your metabolic rate (the rate at which you burn calories for energy) will increase three-fold in you add some muscle to your frame, and I do not mean muscles the size of Dwayne The Rock Johnson. Plus, you still look in the mirror every day. If you don’t like what you see, just reduce the weights! But please stop fooling yourself with those colourful dumbells at the gym. Even my daughter (who just turned 6) thinks they are for babies!
Ciao!
Jeni
Luckily, I had enough oats left over from yesterday, so that was my breakfast. A can of salmon and a can of curried mixed vegetables formed my second and third meals for the day (I know!!!) followed by a meal replacement shake in the mid-afternoon. When I got home, I roasted some skinless chicken and made a salad and believe me – this felt like the tastiest meal I have ever had! I look forward to tomorrow, when I can actually prepare something good again! Jeni has given me a bunch of recipes that look amazing, and I am dying to try them!
My exercise today was focused on the lower body – stomach and legs. Jeni put me on one of these “basic” programs where you do very basic exercises – squats, lunges, the likes – and you work your butt off… literally! I worked really hard and was actually amazed at the heavy weights Jeni put me on. Like most girls, I am somewhat suspicious of heavy weight lifting as I do not want to look big and bulky, but I am sure she knows what she is doing!
Mel
Jeni:
Heavy vs. light weights has been a debate going on for decades in the fitness community. Generally, it has been going in the following fashion:
Trainers: If you want to lose weight, you have to add resistance training to your routine in order to build some muscle.
Ladies: I do not want to get big and bulky.
Trainers: There is no danger of you growing as big as a bodybuilder by lifting weights marginally heavier than your groceries.
Ladies: I do not want to get big and bulky.
Trainers: …
Ladies: I do not want to get big and bulky.
You get the point…
Truth is, you WILL NOT get big and bulky by just lifting weights. Definitely not that quick! Do you really believe you can pick up 10kg dumbells a few times and wake up in the morning looking like Cory Everson? I mean, if it was that easy don’t you think there would be a lot more body builders around? Even guys, who have enough testosterone going through their system, can’t stimulate such muscle growth overnight, let alone girls! Unless you are lifting weights in excess of double your body weight AND are shooting growth hormone injections every other day, you will NOT grow big. And even then, it still takes years of hard work and protein-heavy nutrition to get the mass. So, stop with the excuses and pick up the barbells!
Muscles are metabolically active tissue which means that muscles burn calories just to stay still. Your metabolic rate (the rate at which you burn calories for energy) will increase three-fold in you add some muscle to your frame, and I do not mean muscles the size of Dwayne The Rock Johnson. Plus, you still look in the mirror every day. If you don’t like what you see, just reduce the weights! But please stop fooling yourself with those colourful dumbells at the gym. Even my daughter (who just turned 6) thinks they are for babies!
Ciao!
Jeni
Thursday, January 8, 2009
2.6kg in 7 Days! Yeah!
Hey guys,
I am so excited, it is beyond words… I knew I have lost some weight, but I really did not expect the reading on the scale: 56.5 kg! I have lost 2.6 kg in 7 days! Wow!
Today is my “free day”. That is, I am free to eat anything I want and can skip the gym. I am going to do just that! But not because I am allowed… Just because a great old friend of mine is coming to town and I want to spend some quality time. I didn’t restrict myself, but still did pretty good. I head a healthy breakfast at home – oats, yoghurt & a fruit. For midday snack I head some scrambled eggs with a slice of whole-wheat toast. Di (my friend) and I went out for lunch and I ordered a vegetarian pizza – I ate half of it – and a chocolate brownie. Then for supper I had some egg whites with feta cheese on toast with a glass of white wine. I didn’t have time for the gym but overall, I felt good about my progress and am excited about the week ahead. Are you?
Melissa
Jeni:
Melissa’s results are simply amazing! Her body is responding very well to the plan and she is a living proof that you don’t have to be severely overweight to lose a large amount of weight in a short period of time. But don’t be fooled that it has been an easy ride. She has worked harder than you can imagine. And you can do it too! How are you progressing?
Hugs,
Jeni
I am so excited, it is beyond words… I knew I have lost some weight, but I really did not expect the reading on the scale: 56.5 kg! I have lost 2.6 kg in 7 days! Wow!
Today is my “free day”. That is, I am free to eat anything I want and can skip the gym. I am going to do just that! But not because I am allowed… Just because a great old friend of mine is coming to town and I want to spend some quality time. I didn’t restrict myself, but still did pretty good. I head a healthy breakfast at home – oats, yoghurt & a fruit. For midday snack I head some scrambled eggs with a slice of whole-wheat toast. Di (my friend) and I went out for lunch and I ordered a vegetarian pizza – I ate half of it – and a chocolate brownie. Then for supper I had some egg whites with feta cheese on toast with a glass of white wine. I didn’t have time for the gym but overall, I felt good about my progress and am excited about the week ahead. Are you?
Melissa
Jeni:
Melissa’s results are simply amazing! Her body is responding very well to the plan and she is a living proof that you don’t have to be severely overweight to lose a large amount of weight in a short period of time. But don’t be fooled that it has been an easy ride. She has worked harder than you can imagine. And you can do it too! How are you progressing?
Hugs,
Jeni
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
And the Week Is Gone...
And before you know it… the week is gone! Tomorrow is time for my second measurement. I am actually looking forward to it! I can see some changes in my body already. Some good, like the shrinking of my stomach to about half its “might” a week ago, and some – not so much, like my face going through its worst breakout since high school. But overall I feel good and I am sure the measurements are going to show a positive shift.
I had a great day today – no cravings, no hunger pangs. Well, I again conceded to a second cup of coffee, but it is really difficult to only have one cup when you are at work… My exercise session was as tough as it gets, but I did feel invigorated after it and having my meals in a cooler bag next to my desk is a real saver!
Tomorrow I get measured AND it is my day off! Apparently, I can eat anything and everything I want – no restrictions, no rules! Bring it on!
Mel
Jeni:
Melissa is getting accustomed to the routine and this, of course, is excellent news. Her body is really looking different already – muscle definition is starting to show on her thighs, abdominals and shoulders. I am very proud of her! I wish she had let me take photos of her on day one, but she was too embarrassed!
Her meals today looked amazing! She had made the most colourful chicken stir-fry I have seen in my entire life and because there was no starch with it she could afford to have quite large portions at lunch and dinner, without packing the calories.
Don’t forget to log in tomorrow to check out her stats!
Ciao!
Jeni
I had a great day today – no cravings, no hunger pangs. Well, I again conceded to a second cup of coffee, but it is really difficult to only have one cup when you are at work… My exercise session was as tough as it gets, but I did feel invigorated after it and having my meals in a cooler bag next to my desk is a real saver!
Tomorrow I get measured AND it is my day off! Apparently, I can eat anything and everything I want – no restrictions, no rules! Bring it on!
Mel
Jeni:
Melissa is getting accustomed to the routine and this, of course, is excellent news. Her body is really looking different already – muscle definition is starting to show on her thighs, abdominals and shoulders. I am very proud of her! I wish she had let me take photos of her on day one, but she was too embarrassed!
Her meals today looked amazing! She had made the most colourful chicken stir-fry I have seen in my entire life and because there was no starch with it she could afford to have quite large portions at lunch and dinner, without packing the calories.
Don’t forget to log in tomorrow to check out her stats!
Ciao!
Jeni
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Giving into Temptation
Hey,
Today was my first cheat day since I have been on the plan and I am both mad and proud with myself. I am mad because there was no reason for me to give in, really. I am proud because unlike cheats in the past, I did not go into a self-destructive eat-all-you-can mopping tirade. (Jeni’s encouragement at the precise time helped with this, admittedly…)
Well, here is what went down:
I had a very small bowl of oats, about 3 spoons of fat free yoghurt to it and about half a nectarine. The breakfast was small cause that’s all I had left from the last time I made oats and I really didn’t feel like cooking this morning! I convinced myself to hit the gym before work (good idea!) and needless to say, by the time I got to the office – I was starved. I ate a protein bar (yum!) but again by 10:30 my attention span was dwindling. I tried all the diversions in the book – drink water, go to the balcony for a breath of fresh air, talk on the phone, but really… when you are hungry, you are hungry. At 11:00 I ate my lunch – chicken & roast vegetables but thankfully, I felt quite sustained after that. Only at 14:30 did I reach to the now-tollerable meal replacement shake. And my first slip – I just HAD TO have a cup of coffee! Then came trouble number two – there was a mini-party at the office and the pizza they had really smelt divine… I had a slice…
I wasn’t hungry and no one was “encouraging” me (you know how the office ladies can get some time – “Have some, come on. Start the diet tomorrow again”). There was none of that. I don’t even know why I did it. I immediately felt horrible about myself and the feeling of failure was overwhelming. Once again, I was sure I can do nothing right and I might as well stop trying. I am not fooling anyone after all.
But then, I called Jeni and told her about it. I know it feels ridiculous now, but I was on the verge of crying! And she put it all in perspective for me!
I ate a delicious “clean” dinner – chicken breast and vegetable stir-fry and prepared all my meals for tomorrow. I will do great then!
Melissa
Jeni:
How many of you have never cheated on a diet or fallen off the exercise and healthy eating proverbial wagon? This is, of course, a rhetorical question.
Believe me, even body builders and fitness competitors veer off course from time to time. That is not really important. Yes, I will say it again: THIS IS NOT IMPORTANT!
What IS important is how fast you get back with the program. That’s what makes a winner and that’s what it takes to reach your goals. It is not possible to get it right all the time. It is not possible to never have cravings, especially for us girls who have to battle all these hormonal roller-coasters in our system. It is not possible to NEVER give in to them. And that does not make you a loser!
Do you think David Beckham scores every time he kicks the ball? And despite that he is pretty good at his game.
And that’s what I want you to do. Believe in yourself! OK, fine, you slipped. So what? Don’t make this your excuse or your license to go on a binge. That’s the attitude that will take you to the top! Good luck!
Jeni
Today was my first cheat day since I have been on the plan and I am both mad and proud with myself. I am mad because there was no reason for me to give in, really. I am proud because unlike cheats in the past, I did not go into a self-destructive eat-all-you-can mopping tirade. (Jeni’s encouragement at the precise time helped with this, admittedly…)
Well, here is what went down:
I had a very small bowl of oats, about 3 spoons of fat free yoghurt to it and about half a nectarine. The breakfast was small cause that’s all I had left from the last time I made oats and I really didn’t feel like cooking this morning! I convinced myself to hit the gym before work (good idea!) and needless to say, by the time I got to the office – I was starved. I ate a protein bar (yum!) but again by 10:30 my attention span was dwindling. I tried all the diversions in the book – drink water, go to the balcony for a breath of fresh air, talk on the phone, but really… when you are hungry, you are hungry. At 11:00 I ate my lunch – chicken & roast vegetables but thankfully, I felt quite sustained after that. Only at 14:30 did I reach to the now-tollerable meal replacement shake. And my first slip – I just HAD TO have a cup of coffee! Then came trouble number two – there was a mini-party at the office and the pizza they had really smelt divine… I had a slice…
I wasn’t hungry and no one was “encouraging” me (you know how the office ladies can get some time – “Have some, come on. Start the diet tomorrow again”). There was none of that. I don’t even know why I did it. I immediately felt horrible about myself and the feeling of failure was overwhelming. Once again, I was sure I can do nothing right and I might as well stop trying. I am not fooling anyone after all.
But then, I called Jeni and told her about it. I know it feels ridiculous now, but I was on the verge of crying! And she put it all in perspective for me!
I ate a delicious “clean” dinner – chicken breast and vegetable stir-fry and prepared all my meals for tomorrow. I will do great then!
Melissa
Jeni:
How many of you have never cheated on a diet or fallen off the exercise and healthy eating proverbial wagon? This is, of course, a rhetorical question.
Believe me, even body builders and fitness competitors veer off course from time to time. That is not really important. Yes, I will say it again: THIS IS NOT IMPORTANT!
What IS important is how fast you get back with the program. That’s what makes a winner and that’s what it takes to reach your goals. It is not possible to get it right all the time. It is not possible to never have cravings, especially for us girls who have to battle all these hormonal roller-coasters in our system. It is not possible to NEVER give in to them. And that does not make you a loser!
Do you think David Beckham scores every time he kicks the ball? And despite that he is pretty good at his game.
And that’s what I want you to do. Believe in yourself! OK, fine, you slipped. So what? Don’t make this your excuse or your license to go on a binge. That’s the attitude that will take you to the top! Good luck!
Jeni
Monday, January 5, 2009
Meal Planning
Hey,
The days are getting progressively better and going back to work today helped me a lot! So much to do that I almost forgot to eat! As opposed to continuously obsessing with the “next thing I can shove in my mouth” when I am sitting in front of the telly. But I also learnt an important lesson: MEAL PLANNING. It is very difficult to follow my meal plan, unless I have prepared and brought food with… Funny, I never realised how much junk food is consumed in my office. No wonder I packed up 10kg in this environment. It’s like freshman year at Varsity!
With that in mind, here is my day’s account:
Breakfast was a bowl of fruit salad and a cup of black coffee. And after this colourful and delicious start of the day, I marched off to the rat race… When everyone was having their morning coffee, I was gobbling glasses of water (still miss the coffee fixes). And when everyone was having another cup of (delicious) latte, I drank my less-than-impressive-in-taste (albeit now tolerable) meal replacement shake. For lunch I had my meat balls and salad leftovers – something I had to beg my boyfriend to bring along on his trip to the city! My mid-afternoon meal was undoubtedly the most delicious of them all – my chocolate latte protein bar. By home time I was ravenous, so good thing I cleaned out the pantry cupboard before I started. I had 2 lean viennas and a bowl of watermelon. Then for dinner I cooked free range chicken quarters (no skin) and a roasted vegetable mix of sweet potato, butternut & pumpkin – all organic. I hope it is going to undo all the horrible things (whatever they might be) in the viennas…
I also did the hectic 20-minute cardio program during my lunch break. Not a great idea! My face looked like a roasted turkey for the next 2 hours! Gosh, it’s hard work!
Melissa
Jeni:
Hey guys,
Melissa is absolutely right. Planning is absolutely essential for success in weight loss. Really, how many of you could say that your boyfriend/husband/flatmate/etc. would have brought your leftovers for lunch to the office? Chances are, you would have been stuck with nothing to eat and you would have “gone with the flow” and ordered the garbage (sorry, I think in your language that’s called burger & chips).
I know… it takes a lot of time to prepare those meals and it is a bit embarrassing to take your containers to work and so forth. Well, let me ask you this: Is it any less embarrassing to walk into the office bursting out of your clothes like a roasted sausage? Weight loss requires work and dedication. Planning and preparing your meals in advance is part of it. Trust me, the little effort is worth it and it does go a long way (excuse the cliché).
Good luck!
Jeni
The days are getting progressively better and going back to work today helped me a lot! So much to do that I almost forgot to eat! As opposed to continuously obsessing with the “next thing I can shove in my mouth” when I am sitting in front of the telly. But I also learnt an important lesson: MEAL PLANNING. It is very difficult to follow my meal plan, unless I have prepared and brought food with… Funny, I never realised how much junk food is consumed in my office. No wonder I packed up 10kg in this environment. It’s like freshman year at Varsity!
With that in mind, here is my day’s account:
Breakfast was a bowl of fruit salad and a cup of black coffee. And after this colourful and delicious start of the day, I marched off to the rat race… When everyone was having their morning coffee, I was gobbling glasses of water (still miss the coffee fixes). And when everyone was having another cup of (delicious) latte, I drank my less-than-impressive-in-taste (albeit now tolerable) meal replacement shake. For lunch I had my meat balls and salad leftovers – something I had to beg my boyfriend to bring along on his trip to the city! My mid-afternoon meal was undoubtedly the most delicious of them all – my chocolate latte protein bar. By home time I was ravenous, so good thing I cleaned out the pantry cupboard before I started. I had 2 lean viennas and a bowl of watermelon. Then for dinner I cooked free range chicken quarters (no skin) and a roasted vegetable mix of sweet potato, butternut & pumpkin – all organic. I hope it is going to undo all the horrible things (whatever they might be) in the viennas…
I also did the hectic 20-minute cardio program during my lunch break. Not a great idea! My face looked like a roasted turkey for the next 2 hours! Gosh, it’s hard work!
Melissa
Jeni:
Hey guys,
Melissa is absolutely right. Planning is absolutely essential for success in weight loss. Really, how many of you could say that your boyfriend/husband/flatmate/etc. would have brought your leftovers for lunch to the office? Chances are, you would have been stuck with nothing to eat and you would have “gone with the flow” and ordered the garbage (sorry, I think in your language that’s called burger & chips).
I know… it takes a lot of time to prepare those meals and it is a bit embarrassing to take your containers to work and so forth. Well, let me ask you this: Is it any less embarrassing to walk into the office bursting out of your clothes like a roasted sausage? Weight loss requires work and dedication. Planning and preparing your meals in advance is part of it. Trust me, the little effort is worth it and it does go a long way (excuse the cliché).
Good luck!
Jeni
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Mental Toughness
Hey guys,
At the end of day 3 things are starting to get better. However, if you had asked me some time during the day, you might have received a very different answer! I have been feeling light headed, somewhat shaky and quite irritable for the last couple of days. I am more inclined to think this is caused by the caffeine withdrawal rather than the measly portions of food on my plate, but it might actually be a joint effort. It is amazing how little a portion of protein “the size of your clenched fist” actually is!
On the bright side, I made it to the gym and did my lower body resistance training as per my plan. Once again, it is unbelievable how many people were at the gym on a Sunday afternoon! (All the dedicated ones, though… I think I was the most out-of-shape person there.)
The other type of “withdrawal symptoms” I am experiencing is from getting on the scale. I am the weigh-yourself-every-morning type and find it excruciating to get into my bathroom every morning and not get on the scale. I can hear it call my name, beg me to get on … practically shouting at me. But no. I am not allowed on. Why, Jeni?
And in case you are following my menu, here is what I had to eat today:
Breakfast was egg whites and toast, again later than it should have been… At lunch (which was about two and a half hours later) I had some leftover meatballs and salad. Then, mid-afternoon-ish, on the way to the gym, I had a protein bar. (These taste like cardboard compared to Bar One and heavenly compared to the meal replacement shake!) For dinner, we were having a braai, so I had 2 pieces of sausage and a salad made out of green beans, feta cheese and vinegarette. Tasted pretty good. Then I had a few slices of watermelon for dessert. Is that cheating?
Till tomorrow,
Melissa
Jeni:
Hey guys,
Melissa, I am really proud of you so far. You are doing really great!
The truth is that the light-headedness and irritability are in fact caused by both calorie reduction and caffeine deprivation (in the case of a confirmed coffee-addict). And while I am absolutely confident you will feel much better in another couple of days, I also understand the mental toughness required at this point. In fact, studies confirm that most diets and eating plans crash down between days 3 and 4 – right at the hardest part of the cycle. (The body adjusts and things get progressively easier after that until about the end of the third week when the new “plan” feels completely natural.)
Unfortunately, if you want to get truly shredded and you're not a naturally lean person, then it simply comes down to overall mental toughness. It’s called discipline and it's the number 1 factor which will separate you from all the others out there that want a lean physique. The truth is that it takes a lot of hard work and mental discipline to attain a six pack of washboard abs. If it was easy, everyone in the gym would be jacked up looking like Leonidas and the rest of the 300 Spartans. The reality is hard and most people don't want to hear about the amount of work it takes to really succeed. The question you have to ask yourself is how bad you really want it. You need to know what you want and more importantly, what it takes to get it. You can have the best 6-pack abs workout and fat burning meal plan but if you don't have the mental toughness to stick to the program, you will never achieve the results you truly want. This should light the fire under your butt to get serious and put 100% into your goals.
Have a great week!
Jeni
P.S. To answer your questions:
Why am I not allowed to weigh myself in every day?
Weight takes time to come on. It also takes time to come off. You didn’t go to bed and wake up 5kg’s heavier and you are not going to wake up 5 kg’s lighter either. The desire to constantly weight yourself comes from the culture of instant gratification – “I ate good for a day and I want to see the result”. The problem is that the “result” will be quite miniscule in the grand scheme of things and the only thing you are going to achieve is losing your enthusiasm. So, forget the scale and focus on the process. The journey is just as important as the destination!
Is eating fruit in the evening “cheating”?
Yes and no. Fruit, especially water melon, is high-glycaemic and can send you on a roller-coaster carb-craving journey. We also tend to wind down in the evening, using less energy, so it is easier for the body to store the fruit as fat. On the positive side, fruit does come “pre-packaged” in the perfect serving size, so eating the right amount is that much simpler!
So, eating fruit at night is NOT going to help your weight loss efforts, but if you are experiencing a strong craving and can’t resist it – rather have fruit than a candy bar!
At the end of day 3 things are starting to get better. However, if you had asked me some time during the day, you might have received a very different answer! I have been feeling light headed, somewhat shaky and quite irritable for the last couple of days. I am more inclined to think this is caused by the caffeine withdrawal rather than the measly portions of food on my plate, but it might actually be a joint effort. It is amazing how little a portion of protein “the size of your clenched fist” actually is!
On the bright side, I made it to the gym and did my lower body resistance training as per my plan. Once again, it is unbelievable how many people were at the gym on a Sunday afternoon! (All the dedicated ones, though… I think I was the most out-of-shape person there.)
The other type of “withdrawal symptoms” I am experiencing is from getting on the scale. I am the weigh-yourself-every-morning type and find it excruciating to get into my bathroom every morning and not get on the scale. I can hear it call my name, beg me to get on … practically shouting at me. But no. I am not allowed on. Why, Jeni?
And in case you are following my menu, here is what I had to eat today:
Breakfast was egg whites and toast, again later than it should have been… At lunch (which was about two and a half hours later) I had some leftover meatballs and salad. Then, mid-afternoon-ish, on the way to the gym, I had a protein bar. (These taste like cardboard compared to Bar One and heavenly compared to the meal replacement shake!) For dinner, we were having a braai, so I had 2 pieces of sausage and a salad made out of green beans, feta cheese and vinegarette. Tasted pretty good. Then I had a few slices of watermelon for dessert. Is that cheating?
Till tomorrow,
Melissa
Jeni:
Hey guys,
Melissa, I am really proud of you so far. You are doing really great!
The truth is that the light-headedness and irritability are in fact caused by both calorie reduction and caffeine deprivation (in the case of a confirmed coffee-addict). And while I am absolutely confident you will feel much better in another couple of days, I also understand the mental toughness required at this point. In fact, studies confirm that most diets and eating plans crash down between days 3 and 4 – right at the hardest part of the cycle. (The body adjusts and things get progressively easier after that until about the end of the third week when the new “plan” feels completely natural.)
Unfortunately, if you want to get truly shredded and you're not a naturally lean person, then it simply comes down to overall mental toughness. It’s called discipline and it's the number 1 factor which will separate you from all the others out there that want a lean physique. The truth is that it takes a lot of hard work and mental discipline to attain a six pack of washboard abs. If it was easy, everyone in the gym would be jacked up looking like Leonidas and the rest of the 300 Spartans. The reality is hard and most people don't want to hear about the amount of work it takes to really succeed. The question you have to ask yourself is how bad you really want it. You need to know what you want and more importantly, what it takes to get it. You can have the best 6-pack abs workout and fat burning meal plan but if you don't have the mental toughness to stick to the program, you will never achieve the results you truly want. This should light the fire under your butt to get serious and put 100% into your goals.
Have a great week!
Jeni
P.S. To answer your questions:
Why am I not allowed to weigh myself in every day?
Weight takes time to come on. It also takes time to come off. You didn’t go to bed and wake up 5kg’s heavier and you are not going to wake up 5 kg’s lighter either. The desire to constantly weight yourself comes from the culture of instant gratification – “I ate good for a day and I want to see the result”. The problem is that the “result” will be quite miniscule in the grand scheme of things and the only thing you are going to achieve is losing your enthusiasm. So, forget the scale and focus on the process. The journey is just as important as the destination!
Is eating fruit in the evening “cheating”?
Yes and no. Fruit, especially water melon, is high-glycaemic and can send you on a roller-coaster carb-craving journey. We also tend to wind down in the evening, using less energy, so it is easier for the body to store the fruit as fat. On the positive side, fruit does come “pre-packaged” in the perfect serving size, so eating the right amount is that much simpler!
So, eating fruit at night is NOT going to help your weight loss efforts, but if you are experiencing a strong craving and can’t resist it – rather have fruit than a candy bar!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Exercise and Appetite
Yes! I have done it again! I have finished my second day on the plan with no deviations! I know you probably think that’s not much to brag about but I did face some major temptations today…
I started off with a strange (to me) combination of oats mixed in with cottage cheese and a chopped up apple. (I know, yuck!) But it wasn’t really that bad! The cottage cheese has no flavour so all it does is make my oats creamy – something they were lacking since I had to skip the butter and the milk. Once I got past the idea of eating cottage cheese with oats, it was actually rather tasty.
Two and a half hours later I had a slice of toast with 3 egg whites and a portion of low fat feta cheese. I was feeling rather light headed and thought the toast will fill me up, but clearly, my stomach has much more potential than what a measily slice of toast can fill! By 1 o’clock (an hour and a half later) I was starved and facing the gym with some scary cardio workout. So, I made myself drink one of those horrible shakes again. Except this time it tasted better. I don’t know if I am getting used to it or it was my deprived senses, but I found it much more palatable.
My workout was short – 20 minutes. But believe me, it was a killer. I would much rather do an hour of slower type exercise… I was grasping for dear life after it. Basically, I had to warm up for 2 minutes and do 4 intervals of 4 minutes each where the speed or incline gets progressively higher. I chose the elliptical trainer today (cause I was still a bit dizzy) and just increased the levels every minute for 4 minutes. On the 5th minute I go back to the lowest level and then up again. After I completed the 4 sets I had to do one more minute on one level higher than my highest level so far. “Come on” Jeni says “It’s only a minute”. Guys, you have no idea how long a minute can be! And then I had a cool-off minute before hitting the stretches and a cool shower. As I re-read the last paragraph I realise that the description is no match for the impact of the workout. You guys have to try it to understand what I am talking about.
The good news, though, is that by the time I finished I no longer felt the hunger. Strange! But it is time to eat (on this plan I have to eat every 3 hours) so I had 2 ostrich sausages and stir-fried veggies. Yes, you guessed it – last night’s leftovers. I am not much of the cooking type…
After a three hour gap I had the last leftover portion and then for dinner I had meatballs with salad. I had to measure the olive oil that I put in my salad and let me tell you a teaspoon is an awful little bit of oil!
So, a second star on my chart for today and a cup of rooibos tea for bed (the green tea did not agree with my desire to have an early sleep last night!)
Melissa
Jeni:
Melissa is feeling a little “light” which is quite natural in the first few days of a plan that restricts starch consumption. She only eats two servings of starch per day (e.g. oats and a slice of toast) which is not quite as extreme as the “fashionable” Atkins, Pritkin’s and South Beach diets but is a significant reduction and will speed up her weight loss efforts.
The interesting concept for me today was the perceived drop in hunger levels after her exercise session. Interestingly, a study was published in December 2008 by the American Physiological Society, measuring just that – effect of exercise on appetite levels.
They found that aerobic exercise has a dual action on the endocrine system. It suppresses the production of a hormone called ghrelin (which stimulates appetite) and increases levels of the hormone peptide YY (which suppresses appetite). These hormone effects apparently last for a few hours in the body after a cardio exercise session.
Weight lifting, or resistance based exercise, has similar but milder results. It suppresses gherlin levels but has no significant effect on peptide YY levels.
So, next time you feel you are really hungry and can’t make it till the next meal – head for the treadmill… or the Promenade…
Till tomorrow!
Jeni
I started off with a strange (to me) combination of oats mixed in with cottage cheese and a chopped up apple. (I know, yuck!) But it wasn’t really that bad! The cottage cheese has no flavour so all it does is make my oats creamy – something they were lacking since I had to skip the butter and the milk. Once I got past the idea of eating cottage cheese with oats, it was actually rather tasty.
Two and a half hours later I had a slice of toast with 3 egg whites and a portion of low fat feta cheese. I was feeling rather light headed and thought the toast will fill me up, but clearly, my stomach has much more potential than what a measily slice of toast can fill! By 1 o’clock (an hour and a half later) I was starved and facing the gym with some scary cardio workout. So, I made myself drink one of those horrible shakes again. Except this time it tasted better. I don’t know if I am getting used to it or it was my deprived senses, but I found it much more palatable.
My workout was short – 20 minutes. But believe me, it was a killer. I would much rather do an hour of slower type exercise… I was grasping for dear life after it. Basically, I had to warm up for 2 minutes and do 4 intervals of 4 minutes each where the speed or incline gets progressively higher. I chose the elliptical trainer today (cause I was still a bit dizzy) and just increased the levels every minute for 4 minutes. On the 5th minute I go back to the lowest level and then up again. After I completed the 4 sets I had to do one more minute on one level higher than my highest level so far. “Come on” Jeni says “It’s only a minute”. Guys, you have no idea how long a minute can be! And then I had a cool-off minute before hitting the stretches and a cool shower. As I re-read the last paragraph I realise that the description is no match for the impact of the workout. You guys have to try it to understand what I am talking about.
The good news, though, is that by the time I finished I no longer felt the hunger. Strange! But it is time to eat (on this plan I have to eat every 3 hours) so I had 2 ostrich sausages and stir-fried veggies. Yes, you guessed it – last night’s leftovers. I am not much of the cooking type…
After a three hour gap I had the last leftover portion and then for dinner I had meatballs with salad. I had to measure the olive oil that I put in my salad and let me tell you a teaspoon is an awful little bit of oil!
So, a second star on my chart for today and a cup of rooibos tea for bed (the green tea did not agree with my desire to have an early sleep last night!)
Melissa
Jeni:
Melissa is feeling a little “light” which is quite natural in the first few days of a plan that restricts starch consumption. She only eats two servings of starch per day (e.g. oats and a slice of toast) which is not quite as extreme as the “fashionable” Atkins, Pritkin’s and South Beach diets but is a significant reduction and will speed up her weight loss efforts.
The interesting concept for me today was the perceived drop in hunger levels after her exercise session. Interestingly, a study was published in December 2008 by the American Physiological Society, measuring just that – effect of exercise on appetite levels.
They found that aerobic exercise has a dual action on the endocrine system. It suppresses the production of a hormone called ghrelin (which stimulates appetite) and increases levels of the hormone peptide YY (which suppresses appetite). These hormone effects apparently last for a few hours in the body after a cardio exercise session.
Weight lifting, or resistance based exercise, has similar but milder results. It suppresses gherlin levels but has no significant effect on peptide YY levels.
So, next time you feel you are really hungry and can’t make it till the next meal – head for the treadmill… or the Promenade…
Till tomorrow!
Jeni
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Pros & Cons of Caffeine
Hey gang!
Melissa here. I have survived my first day and am promptly on line to share my experience. I hope it motivates at least one person to set their own goals and go after them, just like me!
My day started kind of late, due to the particularly long party I attended the night before. It was a very good friend of mine’s birthday and since I knew I was starting my new life today, I had to exit the party scene with a bash. Effectively, I slept through my first meal, so only managed four for the day.
Other than that, I did great. I am patting myself on the back as I type this.
The instructions were quite simple:
- I had to eat 5 times today
- I had to drink 2 litres of water (tick!)
- I had to have a serving of protein and a serving of carb for each meal (where each serving is the size of my fist or the palm of my hand) (tick!)
- I had to do my exercise routine (tick!)
So, you see. I did pretty good. Only one missing tick and it was my first day!
Breakfast was egg whites and a slice of toast. Not quite the same as scrambled eggs, but I think I can get used to it. For my second meal (lunch) I had left over bolognaise sauce with green peas and cheese (low fat). Then, in the afternoon, on my way to the gym I had a meal replacement shake. And for dinner I had 3 ostrich sausages with stir-fried vegetables.
The meal replacement shake was by far the worst part of the day! It looked, smelled and tasted like baby vomit, yet the sales guy at Wellness Warehouse assured me that “this is the best tasting shake on the market”. I dread to know what the worst tasting one is like!
The exercise routine was focused on upper body today. I had to do free weights exercises for my chest, back, shoulders and arms. It has been a good few months since I last visited the weight lifting room. For some reason, I remember it as much more boring place than what I experienced today. May be because my instructions were strict: “No chit-chat between exercises. Get it. Do your work. Get out.”
I also really missed my coffee today. I was only allowed one cup and I am a self-confessed caffeine addict. I am nursing a cup of green tea as I write, which is also supposed to be high in caffeine, but believe me, there is no kick. I think I will just go to bed…
Melissa
Jeni:
Thanks Melissa! You really did great today! Be proud of yourself!
Today I am going to tell you a little bit about coffee and the controversy around it, since Melissa mentioned it in her blog-inside-the-blog…
Coffee has been getting both positive and negative press for the longest of times and many of my clients are completely lost as to the benefits, or lack there of, associated with their favourite brew. Here is the low-down:
There is no simple answer as to whether coffee is good or bad for you. Reason being: coffee consumption can help you achieve certain goals (for example, improve fitness performance) and it can be detrimental for other (e.g. weight loss). It also affects things like bone density (due to calcium depletion) and water retention (due to its mild diuretic effect).
In terms of weight loss (which I assume is the key consideration for readers of this blog), I have bad news for coffee lovers. Yes, it is one of the main ingredients in thermogenic fat-loss pills, but the reason why it’s in there is caffeine’s diuretic properties. Basically, the pills make you pee a lot (amongst other things) so that you can appear lighter on the scale. And some people pay good money for that stuff!
Unfortunately, though, coffee consumption leads to increased production of stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol causes the body to store fat, particularly around the midsection and it also incites a wave of undesirable ageing effects on the body. As you can imagine, a cup of coffee a day is not really going to do that much damage, but consuming up to half a dozen cups (as in Melissa’s case) is a bit much.
Having said that, if your objective is to workout harder for longer at the gym, coffee is your new BFF. Why? Cause it stimulates the central nervous system and basically “masks” feelings of fatigue so an athlete can push himself a bit further after a cup of coffee. It is also well known for its mood enhancing properties, protection against gallstones, liver disease and type 2 diabetes.
Bottom line: Have coffee if you like it, but remember: MODERATION. Medium roast is better than light or dark roasts (the roasting method used protects the antioxidants in the raw coffee beans best). Unfiltered coffee (as in espresso, boiled or French-pressed coffee) is better than filtered (i.e. instant). Organic is much better than commercially farmed (with pesticides) beans.
Enjoy that morning java!
Ciao!
Jeni
Melissa here. I have survived my first day and am promptly on line to share my experience. I hope it motivates at least one person to set their own goals and go after them, just like me!
My day started kind of late, due to the particularly long party I attended the night before. It was a very good friend of mine’s birthday and since I knew I was starting my new life today, I had to exit the party scene with a bash. Effectively, I slept through my first meal, so only managed four for the day.
Other than that, I did great. I am patting myself on the back as I type this.
The instructions were quite simple:
- I had to eat 5 times today
- I had to drink 2 litres of water (tick!)
- I had to have a serving of protein and a serving of carb for each meal (where each serving is the size of my fist or the palm of my hand) (tick!)
- I had to do my exercise routine (tick!)
So, you see. I did pretty good. Only one missing tick and it was my first day!
Breakfast was egg whites and a slice of toast. Not quite the same as scrambled eggs, but I think I can get used to it. For my second meal (lunch) I had left over bolognaise sauce with green peas and cheese (low fat). Then, in the afternoon, on my way to the gym I had a meal replacement shake. And for dinner I had 3 ostrich sausages with stir-fried vegetables.
The meal replacement shake was by far the worst part of the day! It looked, smelled and tasted like baby vomit, yet the sales guy at Wellness Warehouse assured me that “this is the best tasting shake on the market”. I dread to know what the worst tasting one is like!
The exercise routine was focused on upper body today. I had to do free weights exercises for my chest, back, shoulders and arms. It has been a good few months since I last visited the weight lifting room. For some reason, I remember it as much more boring place than what I experienced today. May be because my instructions were strict: “No chit-chat between exercises. Get it. Do your work. Get out.”
I also really missed my coffee today. I was only allowed one cup and I am a self-confessed caffeine addict. I am nursing a cup of green tea as I write, which is also supposed to be high in caffeine, but believe me, there is no kick. I think I will just go to bed…
Melissa
Jeni:
Thanks Melissa! You really did great today! Be proud of yourself!
Today I am going to tell you a little bit about coffee and the controversy around it, since Melissa mentioned it in her blog-inside-the-blog…
Coffee has been getting both positive and negative press for the longest of times and many of my clients are completely lost as to the benefits, or lack there of, associated with their favourite brew. Here is the low-down:
There is no simple answer as to whether coffee is good or bad for you. Reason being: coffee consumption can help you achieve certain goals (for example, improve fitness performance) and it can be detrimental for other (e.g. weight loss). It also affects things like bone density (due to calcium depletion) and water retention (due to its mild diuretic effect).
In terms of weight loss (which I assume is the key consideration for readers of this blog), I have bad news for coffee lovers. Yes, it is one of the main ingredients in thermogenic fat-loss pills, but the reason why it’s in there is caffeine’s diuretic properties. Basically, the pills make you pee a lot (amongst other things) so that you can appear lighter on the scale. And some people pay good money for that stuff!
Unfortunately, though, coffee consumption leads to increased production of stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol causes the body to store fat, particularly around the midsection and it also incites a wave of undesirable ageing effects on the body. As you can imagine, a cup of coffee a day is not really going to do that much damage, but consuming up to half a dozen cups (as in Melissa’s case) is a bit much.
Having said that, if your objective is to workout harder for longer at the gym, coffee is your new BFF. Why? Cause it stimulates the central nervous system and basically “masks” feelings of fatigue so an athlete can push himself a bit further after a cup of coffee. It is also well known for its mood enhancing properties, protection against gallstones, liver disease and type 2 diabetes.
Bottom line: Have coffee if you like it, but remember: MODERATION. Medium roast is better than light or dark roasts (the roasting method used protects the antioxidants in the raw coffee beans best). Unfiltered coffee (as in espresso, boiled or French-pressed coffee) is better than filtered (i.e. instant). Organic is much better than commercially farmed (with pesticides) beans.
Enjoy that morning java!
Ciao!
Jeni
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year! Write Your Motivation Today
Happy New Year everyone! The time for renewed resolutions and vows for healthier and happier life is right here. Don’t wait! Take the leap and let’s kick butt this year!
As I promised you, my new client Melissa has agreed to document her journey with me for the next 90 days. I hope her experience motivates you to also reach for your best body ever and to empower you with some very valuable information I will post here interlaced with Melissa’s journey.
Her first task was to write down the exact reason why she is embarking on the program and her expectations of what will change in her life (along with her dress size). Here is what she wrote:
I am NOT happy with myself. It is not that I am morbidly obese or that if I don’t lose weight I am not going to be around for my kids’ graduation. No, not at all. I am 11 kg overweight; size 10 (but mentally size 6) and I guess I would be classified as “normal” according to Jeni’s fancy body fat scales.
But I am NOT happy. I am not happy because I feel I no longer am in control of my life. Because I feel weaker than the box of cookies in the cupboard and I succumb to their calls day in and day out.
And this is why I am doing this program with Jeni.
I want to reclaim my life. I want to be in charge of what happens to me once again. And I am starting with my weight, because to me, it is THE hardest one to get right. It requires patience, time and consistent effort and I am a true 21-century-citizen, hooked on instant gratification and easy-to-get things in life. The next 3 months are going to be hard for me, but by doing this I will once again sit in the driving seat of my own destiny. And I look forward to sharing this experience with all of you.
I pledge to be consistent with the program for the next 90 days.
I pledge to do my best and put all my effort into this.
I pledge to complete the program.
Wish me luck!
Melissa
Well, here are her stats:
Weight: 59kg
Height: 1.65m
BMI: 21.7 (Normal)
Chest: 88cm
Waist: 69cm
Hips: 102cm
Thigh: 59cm
Upper knee: 41cm
Body Fat: 23.5% (17:11:30) (Average)
Melissa would like to lose 11kg, trim down her waist to 60cm and her hips to 90cm.
She comes from a very active background. As she said herself, she is not a severely overweight person. She has been exercising (admittedly, on and off) for many years and eats relatively good… Except for night time. Late evening snacking is her downfall and this is what we will need to work on in the next 90 days.
She is starting tomorrow with a resistance-based upper body workout and will be following a 40:40:20 diet plan. This means that 40% of her calories will be coming from carbohydrates (vegetables, fruit, starch, potatoes, bread, etc.), 40% from protein (meat, egg whites, soya, etc.) and 20% fat (you know what that is, right?).
Log in tomorrow (and every day after that for the net 3 months) to share her experience and feel free to post any comments or questions you may have.
Ciao! Have a prosperous and successful year ahead!
Jeni
As I promised you, my new client Melissa has agreed to document her journey with me for the next 90 days. I hope her experience motivates you to also reach for your best body ever and to empower you with some very valuable information I will post here interlaced with Melissa’s journey.
Her first task was to write down the exact reason why she is embarking on the program and her expectations of what will change in her life (along with her dress size). Here is what she wrote:
I am NOT happy with myself. It is not that I am morbidly obese or that if I don’t lose weight I am not going to be around for my kids’ graduation. No, not at all. I am 11 kg overweight; size 10 (but mentally size 6) and I guess I would be classified as “normal” according to Jeni’s fancy body fat scales.
But I am NOT happy. I am not happy because I feel I no longer am in control of my life. Because I feel weaker than the box of cookies in the cupboard and I succumb to their calls day in and day out.
And this is why I am doing this program with Jeni.
I want to reclaim my life. I want to be in charge of what happens to me once again. And I am starting with my weight, because to me, it is THE hardest one to get right. It requires patience, time and consistent effort and I am a true 21-century-citizen, hooked on instant gratification and easy-to-get things in life. The next 3 months are going to be hard for me, but by doing this I will once again sit in the driving seat of my own destiny. And I look forward to sharing this experience with all of you.
I pledge to be consistent with the program for the next 90 days.
I pledge to do my best and put all my effort into this.
I pledge to complete the program.
Wish me luck!
Melissa
Well, here are her stats:
Weight: 59kg
Height: 1.65m
BMI: 21.7 (Normal)
Chest: 88cm
Waist: 69cm
Hips: 102cm
Thigh: 59cm
Upper knee: 41cm
Body Fat: 23.5% (17:11:30) (Average)
Melissa would like to lose 11kg, trim down her waist to 60cm and her hips to 90cm.
She comes from a very active background. As she said herself, she is not a severely overweight person. She has been exercising (admittedly, on and off) for many years and eats relatively good… Except for night time. Late evening snacking is her downfall and this is what we will need to work on in the next 90 days.
She is starting tomorrow with a resistance-based upper body workout and will be following a 40:40:20 diet plan. This means that 40% of her calories will be coming from carbohydrates (vegetables, fruit, starch, potatoes, bread, etc.), 40% from protein (meat, egg whites, soya, etc.) and 20% fat (you know what that is, right?).
Log in tomorrow (and every day after that for the net 3 months) to share her experience and feel free to post any comments or questions you may have.
Ciao! Have a prosperous and successful year ahead!
Jeni
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