Hey guys,
How are you keeping?
I have to be honest with you… My (recently) scarce posts are a direct reflection of my adherence to my training and eating plan (or lack there of) and unfortunately, my body doesn’t lie. The Smirnoff Spins and late night highly caloric snacks have pushed me back to 55kg – the same place I was 3 weeks ago… So, basically, I went backwards.
I can come up with a number of excuses as to why this happened. My work is hectic. I am going through some emotional trauma of personal nature. It is a birthday-heavy month. I can keep going… Bottom line is… I lost focus. And no matter what, where and who, I am the only one who can whip myself back to shape.
So, last night I had a pep-talk with myself (over pizza and a glass of wine, sadly…)! I looked through my Commitment Pledge that I wrote when I started with Jeni and remembered about all the reasons why I was embarking on this journey. And now, I am back (albeit still a bit wobbly…)
This morning I made myself some old flake oats with fat free yoghurt and an apple. This and a cup of black coffee was my breakfast. For snack I had a meal replacement shake and then egg whites with low fat feta, slice of toast and a salad for lunch. In the early afternoon I had an apple and a protein bar but a few hours later, I was really feeling famished and was on my way for a run. So, I had another shake.
I hope to be strong enough to get back to the plan without much hesitation and I will appreciate any support (moral or otherwise) that you guys can provide me with! Sometimes you just need a bit of encouragement!
Have a great week!
Melissa
Jeni:
Welcome back, Mel!
And I mean… welcome to the real world! Where people fall of the proverbial exercise wagon, things don’t always work the way we want them to and setbacks happen just as often as triumphs.
Did you really think that you will never fall off the wagon? That’s about the same as expecting never to make a mistake in your maths test. It just doesn’t work that way. But you are back and that is what matters. You will ace the race and will look gorgeous, I promise.
Falling and getting back up repeatedly (like you have done in the past 3 months) is the quality of a winner. You are one!
Ciao!
Jeni
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Consistency - The Key to Success in Weight Loss
Hi guys,
I am glad to report that I am back on track… mostly!
I hit the gym this morning and did my sprints run. Totally awesome!
Had egg whites and toast for breakfast, protein bar for snack, chicken salad for lunch and another protein bar in the afternoon. Dinner is where I kind of slipped… I had an ostrich stir-fry wrap and a plum, but then about an hour or two later opted to “supplement” my dinner with 3 additional skinless drumsticks…
I will try even harder tomorrow. I really enjoyed seeing the results I saw in the last two months and am going to do whatever I can to get back to them!
Keep fingers crossed for me!
Mel
Jeni:
That’s great Mel! Now remember, the key to the success is CONSISTENCY. You can’t be good for 2 days and “not good” the next and expect results. You didn’t pile the pounds on in 2 weeks and it is going to take much longer than that to get rid of them! But you have to keep at it!
The same with any other worthwhile goal. I mean, imagine you were trying to learn German. Do you think that if you practiced for half an hour every day for a week, then stop for two weeks, then practice again for two days and so on, you will ever get fluent?
Make sure your exercise and meals are consistent and it will take much less than you expect to see your body changing!
Ciao!
Jeni
I am glad to report that I am back on track… mostly!
I hit the gym this morning and did my sprints run. Totally awesome!
Had egg whites and toast for breakfast, protein bar for snack, chicken salad for lunch and another protein bar in the afternoon. Dinner is where I kind of slipped… I had an ostrich stir-fry wrap and a plum, but then about an hour or two later opted to “supplement” my dinner with 3 additional skinless drumsticks…
I will try even harder tomorrow. I really enjoyed seeing the results I saw in the last two months and am going to do whatever I can to get back to them!
Keep fingers crossed for me!
Mel
Jeni:
That’s great Mel! Now remember, the key to the success is CONSISTENCY. You can’t be good for 2 days and “not good” the next and expect results. You didn’t pile the pounds on in 2 weeks and it is going to take much longer than that to get rid of them! But you have to keep at it!
The same with any other worthwhile goal. I mean, imagine you were trying to learn German. Do you think that if you practiced for half an hour every day for a week, then stop for two weeks, then practice again for two days and so on, you will ever get fluent?
Make sure your exercise and meals are consistent and it will take much less than you expect to see your body changing!
Ciao!
Jeni
Monday, March 16, 2009
Weight Loss and Alcohol
Hi guys,
Once again… it’s been about a week since my last post. And yes, you guessed it, I haven’t been doing too good. In fact, I have picked up 1.5kg!
This is quite depressing since I have stuck with the running routine (almost) to the letter. I mean, running 5-6 times a week, went to gym once or twice as well… I just had a few too many parties lined up the last week and I lost count of the number of Smirnoff spins I had…
Mel
Jeni:
Hey,
I have bad news for Mel and anyone else who is trying to mix the party scene with the weight loss program: Partying and weight loss is not the same as gin and tonic. They don’t mix!
OK, I don’t mean that you can never go out and have a drink when you are trying to lose weight, but as Mel figured it out this week – one needs to establish some boundaries. You can’t drink too much and you definitely can’t drink more than one night per week. (Even that – may be OK when you are trying to maintain the weight you have lost, but for actual loss… not recommended!)
Here is what happens to your body when you drink alcohol:
1. The calories in alcohol (and the mixers that go with it) add to your total caloric intake. But you knew that, didn’t you? Alcohol has 7 calories per gram (compared to 4 cal/gm for protein and carbs and about 9 for fat). So, a double spirit drink (double vodka, whiskey, you name it) has about 130 calories. Then, we add the coke, orange juice or whatever it is that you mix the drink with and we are easily looking at 300 calories per drink! Those of you drinking Cosmopolitans… don’t fool yourselves! Only the girls in Sex in The City can drink that much and stay so thin!
2. Then, there is the metabolism of alcohol. Normally, the liver metabolizes fats, but when alcohol is consumed, alcohol takes preference. The liver breaks down alcohol for energy first, causing a build-up of fatty acids. What this means is that the body uses the calories supplied from alcohol before it is able to expend the calories from fat. This characteristic is referred to as "fat sparing," meaning alcohol's presence spares the fat from being utilized for energy.
3. And thirdly… Alcohol also stimulates appetite in many people. In the best of cases, even if your appetite doesn’t go up, your self-control definitely goes out of the window. So, those pastries and bad-for-you finger foods on the platters that you were avoiding before the first drink… suddenly seem to call your name and cannot be refused, right? This may thwart your weight loss efforts even more.
So, to make a long story short... No, you can’t drink and lose weight! A glass of wine on your off-day is perfectly fine, but Smirnoff Spin parties four times a week… you knew that, didn’t you?
Ciao!
Jeni
Once again… it’s been about a week since my last post. And yes, you guessed it, I haven’t been doing too good. In fact, I have picked up 1.5kg!
This is quite depressing since I have stuck with the running routine (almost) to the letter. I mean, running 5-6 times a week, went to gym once or twice as well… I just had a few too many parties lined up the last week and I lost count of the number of Smirnoff spins I had…
Mel
Jeni:
Hey,
I have bad news for Mel and anyone else who is trying to mix the party scene with the weight loss program: Partying and weight loss is not the same as gin and tonic. They don’t mix!
OK, I don’t mean that you can never go out and have a drink when you are trying to lose weight, but as Mel figured it out this week – one needs to establish some boundaries. You can’t drink too much and you definitely can’t drink more than one night per week. (Even that – may be OK when you are trying to maintain the weight you have lost, but for actual loss… not recommended!)
Here is what happens to your body when you drink alcohol:
1. The calories in alcohol (and the mixers that go with it) add to your total caloric intake. But you knew that, didn’t you? Alcohol has 7 calories per gram (compared to 4 cal/gm for protein and carbs and about 9 for fat). So, a double spirit drink (double vodka, whiskey, you name it) has about 130 calories. Then, we add the coke, orange juice or whatever it is that you mix the drink with and we are easily looking at 300 calories per drink! Those of you drinking Cosmopolitans… don’t fool yourselves! Only the girls in Sex in The City can drink that much and stay so thin!
2. Then, there is the metabolism of alcohol. Normally, the liver metabolizes fats, but when alcohol is consumed, alcohol takes preference. The liver breaks down alcohol for energy first, causing a build-up of fatty acids. What this means is that the body uses the calories supplied from alcohol before it is able to expend the calories from fat. This characteristic is referred to as "fat sparing," meaning alcohol's presence spares the fat from being utilized for energy.
3. And thirdly… Alcohol also stimulates appetite in many people. In the best of cases, even if your appetite doesn’t go up, your self-control definitely goes out of the window. So, those pastries and bad-for-you finger foods on the platters that you were avoiding before the first drink… suddenly seem to call your name and cannot be refused, right? This may thwart your weight loss efforts even more.
So, to make a long story short... No, you can’t drink and lose weight! A glass of wine on your off-day is perfectly fine, but Smirnoff Spin parties four times a week… you knew that, didn’t you?
Ciao!
Jeni
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
I Love the Changes of My Body
Hey guys,
We are one month away from my first big race and I am starting to prepare! Running up the hills of Suikerbossie every evening and going to the gym two or three mornings a week.
My eating has become pretty much extinct – I eat breakfast (egg whites or oats) and dinner and the rest of the time I survive off meal replacement shakes and protein bars. I have to admit, though, that the reason for that is more the heat (I don’t know how anyone can eat solid food in this heat) and the convenience of not needing to prepare anything, rather than sound nutritional principles, but it works! You can see the formation of a six-pack starting to emerge (if you have good enough imagination, that is!). My legs are looking much slicker and leaner and my back is my pride and joy. It is magnificent!
How about you? Are you seeing any changes in your body?
Mel
We are one month away from my first big race and I am starting to prepare! Running up the hills of Suikerbossie every evening and going to the gym two or three mornings a week.
My eating has become pretty much extinct – I eat breakfast (egg whites or oats) and dinner and the rest of the time I survive off meal replacement shakes and protein bars. I have to admit, though, that the reason for that is more the heat (I don’t know how anyone can eat solid food in this heat) and the convenience of not needing to prepare anything, rather than sound nutritional principles, but it works! You can see the formation of a six-pack starting to emerge (if you have good enough imagination, that is!). My legs are looking much slicker and leaner and my back is my pride and joy. It is magnificent!
How about you? Are you seeing any changes in your body?
Mel
Sunday, March 8, 2009
How to Increase Your Metabolic Rate
Hey guys,
How is your weekend? I had a surprisingly good measurement session this week, considering that the week itself has been so busy, that I hardly managed any exercise and my meals have been … how can I say… less than perfect. Anyway, I am now 53.8kg, and my total weight loss to date is 5.5kg. Pretty good, hey?
The new week, on the other hand, didn’t get off to a great start. I missed my exercise session today. Partly due to the vast amount of work I had to get through for Monday and partly, to a pounding headache from too much partying the night before. (Again!) It is now over, however, no more parties, no more birthdays, just serious work on getting the next 5kg off and preparation for the big race.
Mel
Jeni:
Well done Mel! Your results are totally awesome!
Melissa is now reaping the benefits of her hard work over the last two months and thus, is able to steadily drop the pounds, even though (as per her own admission), her program has taken a bit of a knock during the week. The reason behind all that is that she has now managed to increase her metabolic rate and her body is using more energy to basically “do nothing” and hence, is burning up the excess calories she is consuming.
For those of you who are new to this blog (and the whole weight loss science thing), metabolic rate is the rate at which the body burns up calories. A body that consumes 2500 calories a day, and burns 2500 calories a day will stay at the same weight. A body consuming 2500 calories daily but burning only 2000 will gain weight at the rate of about half a kilo a week. This explains why that ‘lucky’ person across the table from you doesn’t get fat from all that junk food. And this is also what is helping Mel shed weight in her third month of training and proper nutrition.
Before I give you the low down as to what can you do to actively increase your metabolism, I will try to explain the basic principles surrounding your metabolic rate in the least scientific lingo I can master.
All the food you consume (from steamed vegetables to candy bars) provides your body with calories, which it, in turn, burns to sustain itself. Your body burns calories to provide energy for three main functions:
1) Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
This is the amount of calories you burn just by being alive – even when you are lying down, doing nothing (you know … your lungs breathing, your heart pumping and your body maintaining its own temperature is very “expensive” calorie-speaking). BMR accounts for approximately 60% of the calories burned for an average person.
2) Activity
This is the energy used during movement – from brushing your teeth in the morning to cleaning the windows to doing a Tae Bo class. This accounts for approximately 30% of the calories burned by an average person.
3) Digestion
Believe it, or not, digesting the food you just ate is quite a calorie-expensive activity too. Proteins generally take more calories to get digested than carbs and fats, but overall, about 10% of your meal goes into its own digestion.
These three things together make up the overall amount of calories you burn daily. The trick, then, is to figure out how much that is and balance it with the amount of calories you consume. If the two are in perfect balance, you will not lose or gain weight. If the calories going in are more than the ones going out, you will accumulate a “calorie bank account” around your hips, thighs, stomach and other unsightly locations. And, of course, if you eat less than you burn… you will lose weight.
Now, how do we do that? There are a number of things you can do to speed up your metabolic rate and I am not talking about using pills!
1) Build Muscle
Increase the amount of muscle in your body. For every extra pound of muscle you put on, your body uses around 50 extra calories a day. In a recent study, researchers found that regular weight training boosts basal metabolic rate by about 15%. This is because muscle is ‘metabolically active’ and burns more calories than other body tissue even when you’re not moving.
Training with weights just 3 times a week for around 20 minutes is enough to build muscle. Not only will you be burning more calories, you’ll look better – whatever your weight.
2) Aerobic Exercise
As well as the actual amount of calories burned during exercise – studies have shown that sustained, high-intensity exercise makes you burn more calories for several hours afterwards. Try 30 minute sessions of heart rate raising exercise, such as walking up hills, jogging, tae bo class, cycling or swimming, 3-4 times a week.
3) Move More
Although the average person burns around 30% of calories through daily activity, many sedentary people only use around 15%. Simply being aware of this fact – and taking every opportunity to move can make quite a dramatic difference to the amount of calories you burn. The trick is to keep the ‘keep moving’ message in mind. Write the word ‘move’ on post-it notes and put them in places you’ll notice them when you’re sitting still. You’ll find lots of opportunities for burning more calories if you remember that you’re looking for them! Keep thinking ‘keep moving’.
4) Eat Little and Often
Eating small, regular meals will keep your metabolism going faster than larger, less frequent meals. There are two reasons why meal frequency may affect your metabolism. Firstly, levels of thyroid hormones begin to drop within hours of eating a meal, and metabolism slows. Secondly, it may be that the thermogenic effect of eating several small meals is slightly higher than eating the same amount of calories all at once.
Mel’s success in her weight loss endeavours is a direct result of the combination of all these four strategies. Now you have the rationale, the proof and the motivation. Are you going to join the weight loss revolution?
Ciao! Enjoy your week!
Jeni
How is your weekend? I had a surprisingly good measurement session this week, considering that the week itself has been so busy, that I hardly managed any exercise and my meals have been … how can I say… less than perfect. Anyway, I am now 53.8kg, and my total weight loss to date is 5.5kg. Pretty good, hey?
The new week, on the other hand, didn’t get off to a great start. I missed my exercise session today. Partly due to the vast amount of work I had to get through for Monday and partly, to a pounding headache from too much partying the night before. (Again!) It is now over, however, no more parties, no more birthdays, just serious work on getting the next 5kg off and preparation for the big race.
Mel
Jeni:
Well done Mel! Your results are totally awesome!
Melissa is now reaping the benefits of her hard work over the last two months and thus, is able to steadily drop the pounds, even though (as per her own admission), her program has taken a bit of a knock during the week. The reason behind all that is that she has now managed to increase her metabolic rate and her body is using more energy to basically “do nothing” and hence, is burning up the excess calories she is consuming.
For those of you who are new to this blog (and the whole weight loss science thing), metabolic rate is the rate at which the body burns up calories. A body that consumes 2500 calories a day, and burns 2500 calories a day will stay at the same weight. A body consuming 2500 calories daily but burning only 2000 will gain weight at the rate of about half a kilo a week. This explains why that ‘lucky’ person across the table from you doesn’t get fat from all that junk food. And this is also what is helping Mel shed weight in her third month of training and proper nutrition.
Before I give you the low down as to what can you do to actively increase your metabolism, I will try to explain the basic principles surrounding your metabolic rate in the least scientific lingo I can master.
All the food you consume (from steamed vegetables to candy bars) provides your body with calories, which it, in turn, burns to sustain itself. Your body burns calories to provide energy for three main functions:
1) Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
This is the amount of calories you burn just by being alive – even when you are lying down, doing nothing (you know … your lungs breathing, your heart pumping and your body maintaining its own temperature is very “expensive” calorie-speaking). BMR accounts for approximately 60% of the calories burned for an average person.
2) Activity
This is the energy used during movement – from brushing your teeth in the morning to cleaning the windows to doing a Tae Bo class. This accounts for approximately 30% of the calories burned by an average person.
3) Digestion
Believe it, or not, digesting the food you just ate is quite a calorie-expensive activity too. Proteins generally take more calories to get digested than carbs and fats, but overall, about 10% of your meal goes into its own digestion.
These three things together make up the overall amount of calories you burn daily. The trick, then, is to figure out how much that is and balance it with the amount of calories you consume. If the two are in perfect balance, you will not lose or gain weight. If the calories going in are more than the ones going out, you will accumulate a “calorie bank account” around your hips, thighs, stomach and other unsightly locations. And, of course, if you eat less than you burn… you will lose weight.
Now, how do we do that? There are a number of things you can do to speed up your metabolic rate and I am not talking about using pills!
1) Build Muscle
Increase the amount of muscle in your body. For every extra pound of muscle you put on, your body uses around 50 extra calories a day. In a recent study, researchers found that regular weight training boosts basal metabolic rate by about 15%. This is because muscle is ‘metabolically active’ and burns more calories than other body tissue even when you’re not moving.
Training with weights just 3 times a week for around 20 minutes is enough to build muscle. Not only will you be burning more calories, you’ll look better – whatever your weight.
2) Aerobic Exercise
As well as the actual amount of calories burned during exercise – studies have shown that sustained, high-intensity exercise makes you burn more calories for several hours afterwards. Try 30 minute sessions of heart rate raising exercise, such as walking up hills, jogging, tae bo class, cycling or swimming, 3-4 times a week.
3) Move More
Although the average person burns around 30% of calories through daily activity, many sedentary people only use around 15%. Simply being aware of this fact – and taking every opportunity to move can make quite a dramatic difference to the amount of calories you burn. The trick is to keep the ‘keep moving’ message in mind. Write the word ‘move’ on post-it notes and put them in places you’ll notice them when you’re sitting still. You’ll find lots of opportunities for burning more calories if you remember that you’re looking for them! Keep thinking ‘keep moving’.
4) Eat Little and Often
Eating small, regular meals will keep your metabolism going faster than larger, less frequent meals. There are two reasons why meal frequency may affect your metabolism. Firstly, levels of thyroid hormones begin to drop within hours of eating a meal, and metabolism slows. Secondly, it may be that the thermogenic effect of eating several small meals is slightly higher than eating the same amount of calories all at once.
Mel’s success in her weight loss endeavours is a direct result of the combination of all these four strategies. Now you have the rationale, the proof and the motivation. Are you going to join the weight loss revolution?
Ciao! Enjoy your week!
Jeni
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Mid-Week Update
Hey guys,
I am sorry I have been so haphazard! I know I promised results!!!
Well, my body fat is down! To 17%! But not my weight or my girths! The only measurement that has gone a bit down is my waist at 64cm. Well, I guess I just need to work that much harder! I have achieved much more in the past 2 months than I have in the year before, so I guess it is good, after all. I have lost 5kg and 6% body fat in two months. And you?
My week, on the other hand, is not going well at all! I have been under immense pressure at work. Hardly had any time for workouts and when I do – they are short-ish and not as extreme as before. But I will get back on track next week. For now, I am just trying to minimise the damage.
Eating wise, it is not any better either… Yesterday I even had a drink with my lunch… Oh God, I shouldn’t have said that out loud!
Mel
I am sorry I have been so haphazard! I know I promised results!!!
Well, my body fat is down! To 17%! But not my weight or my girths! The only measurement that has gone a bit down is my waist at 64cm. Well, I guess I just need to work that much harder! I have achieved much more in the past 2 months than I have in the year before, so I guess it is good, after all. I have lost 5kg and 6% body fat in two months. And you?
My week, on the other hand, is not going well at all! I have been under immense pressure at work. Hardly had any time for workouts and when I do – they are short-ish and not as extreme as before. But I will get back on track next week. For now, I am just trying to minimise the damage.
Eating wise, it is not any better either… Yesterday I even had a drink with my lunch… Oh God, I shouldn’t have said that out loud!
Mel
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
