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
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