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
Thursday, January 8, 2009
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
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