Hey guys,
How is it going? Midweek is here and I am two days away from the end of my second month. I can’t say that the week is going easy. I don’t know if it is the heat, the work stress (which is abundant this week) or may be my body is hitting a plateau, but I feel a bit heavy again. May be I am wrong… We will see in two days time.
My training is going well. Did upper body circuit yesterday and sprints today. Since it is getting closer to the race (just over 40 days to go!) I am now doing 3 road runs a week (Monday, Friday and Sunday), two weight training days (Tuesday & Thursday) and one sprints day (Wednesday).
I have to say… the less of the sprints work I do, the more difficult I find it to be. I mean, a month ago I used to run sprints three times a week. And while it was hard work all along, I never felt I couldn’t do it. In fact, I was feeling stronger after each session and was progressively increasing the speed of my sprints.
Since I started cutting the sprint work down and replacing it with endurance runs, I am petrified from my sprints day and honestly feel like I am going to die half way through.
Jeni, is that normal?
Melissa
Jeni:
Thanks, Mel! That’s quite an interesting subject, indeed…
Should you run sprints or long distance for maximum weight loss?
I am sure that if you googled the question you will find 1,000 opinions, each different to the next. Here is what I know for sure…
Between long distance jogging (treadmill or road) and sprinting, sprinting is the best way to achieve maximum fat loss....especially for those that are overweight and need to lose a lot of fat.
Look at long distance marathon runners and then look at sprinters, such as Usain Bolt. You see the difference? Long distance runners typically have small skinny physiques, and sprinters have very toned physiques.
Why? Sprinting maintains muscle while burning off a TON of fat. So you end up with a product (your body) that has very minimal fat and VERY toned muscle. Long distance running on the other hand does burn off fat, BUT, also burns off muscle.
What about joint problems? Many people suffer serious joint injuries (particularly knees) from long distance jogging. If you are overweight and need to lose a lot of fat, more than likely you either already have joint problems or you are prone to getting joint problems. This is yet another reason to opt for sprinting exercises over jogging for long periods of time.
So, with that said, spending an enormous amount of time on the treadmill is not going to work if you need maximum fat loss. Melissa, on the other hand, only has another 6kg to lose and is currently preparing to run a tough race (The Two Oceans) and therefore has to modify her training for the event.
Bottom line – both jogging and sprinting are better than no exercise, so whatever feels good and makes you happy – do it.
Ciao!
Jeni
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
It's All About Balance
Hey guys,
How did your week start? Mine hasn’t been so great…
Remember my happy, happy post on Saturday? I had broken the 55kg barrier and had all the reasons to celebrate. It started off really well. At the Waterfront. About R2,500 later I was dressed to kill and ready to paint the town red! (Just for the record, everything was on sale and my new pair of Ana Sousa heels made the bulk of the spend anyway!)
So, my friends and I went for dinner (sushi) and then to FTV. Later on I somehow found myself at Cubana and the only other thing I can say for sure was there were lots of capirinhas and shooters.
Long story short, I spent Sunday in bed with a terrible headache. I managed to drag myself out towards the early evening and go for a short run, which helped with the headache a bit, but basically, I needed to get back to discipline.
Today was much better! I had oats for breakfast and smoked chicken salad for lunch with grilled fish and roast veg for dinner. Protein bar and a meal replacement shake were my two snacks. I also went for a run despite the heat and smoke.
Jeni, am I forgiven?
Melissa
Jeni:
I am glad you had a good time, girl! You worked hard for it and deserved it!
Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that this is how you are supposed to reward yourself. The shopping trip alone would have been just fine.
But there come times when one needs to remember why they started on the program in the first place. If your goal was to enter a fitness pageant at the end of March, things would have been different. Mel, on the other hand, wants to lose weight so that she can feel better about herself and to improve her social life. (At least that’s what she said when she started.) Yes there was the goal weight she was aiming for (and still is – 48kg) but the objective was not to reach a certain number within a certain time frame. The goal was to change her lifestyle so she can enjoy the little pleasures of life while being happy with her body.
I am very proud of her progress in terms of weight loss. I think she is pretty much on track to hit 48kg by the end of March. And now that exercise and healthy eating are a firm part of her life (as you can see by her blogging), it is time for her to re-introduce those lifestyle elements and learn how to trade off the one for the other so a balance is achieved. A bit stricter dieting during the week, a bit stronger push when exercising and it’s OK to balance it off with a night out. As long as you keep things balanced and in perspective.
Ciao!
Jeni
How did your week start? Mine hasn’t been so great…
Remember my happy, happy post on Saturday? I had broken the 55kg barrier and had all the reasons to celebrate. It started off really well. At the Waterfront. About R2,500 later I was dressed to kill and ready to paint the town red! (Just for the record, everything was on sale and my new pair of Ana Sousa heels made the bulk of the spend anyway!)
So, my friends and I went for dinner (sushi) and then to FTV. Later on I somehow found myself at Cubana and the only other thing I can say for sure was there were lots of capirinhas and shooters.
Long story short, I spent Sunday in bed with a terrible headache. I managed to drag myself out towards the early evening and go for a short run, which helped with the headache a bit, but basically, I needed to get back to discipline.
Today was much better! I had oats for breakfast and smoked chicken salad for lunch with grilled fish and roast veg for dinner. Protein bar and a meal replacement shake were my two snacks. I also went for a run despite the heat and smoke.
Jeni, am I forgiven?
Melissa
Jeni:
I am glad you had a good time, girl! You worked hard for it and deserved it!
Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that this is how you are supposed to reward yourself. The shopping trip alone would have been just fine.
But there come times when one needs to remember why they started on the program in the first place. If your goal was to enter a fitness pageant at the end of March, things would have been different. Mel, on the other hand, wants to lose weight so that she can feel better about herself and to improve her social life. (At least that’s what she said when she started.) Yes there was the goal weight she was aiming for (and still is – 48kg) but the objective was not to reach a certain number within a certain time frame. The goal was to change her lifestyle so she can enjoy the little pleasures of life while being happy with her body.
I am very proud of her progress in terms of weight loss. I think she is pretty much on track to hit 48kg by the end of March. And now that exercise and healthy eating are a firm part of her life (as you can see by her blogging), it is time for her to re-introduce those lifestyle elements and learn how to trade off the one for the other so a balance is achieved. A bit stricter dieting during the week, a bit stronger push when exercising and it’s OK to balance it off with a night out. As long as you keep things balanced and in perspective.
Ciao!
Jeni
Saturday, February 21, 2009
54.7kg!!!
Hey guys,
I have some fantastic news today! I have broken the 55kg mark and my weigh in today made me proud – 54.7kg! I haven’t weighed that in over a year! Plus, I managed to put on my favourite jeans that have been gathering dust in my cupboard for just as long. Life is goooooooood!
OK, the “no food” days are probably the reason why I am progressing so fast now, but luckily I am not losing any muscle mass or water, so it is still “real results”. Well, that’s it from me today… I am too excited to write! I am going on a shopping spree! Yeppy! I deserve it!
Mel
Jeni:
Mel’s results are totally awesome, aren’t they! She is working hard, she managed to get her metabolism back on track and now – she is reaping the benefits! I am so glad for you girl! You are absolutely right – you deserve the reward and there is nothing like a new pair of shoes to make a girl feel special, right! (Guys, you can pick any reward when you accomplish an interim goal, from photo shoot to shopping to trip to London – whatever your budget can allow, as long as it is NOT food.)
Now enjoy your day off and get yourself ready for a hard run and strict eating plan on Sunday and beyond!
Well done!
Jeni
I have some fantastic news today! I have broken the 55kg mark and my weigh in today made me proud – 54.7kg! I haven’t weighed that in over a year! Plus, I managed to put on my favourite jeans that have been gathering dust in my cupboard for just as long. Life is goooooooood!
OK, the “no food” days are probably the reason why I am progressing so fast now, but luckily I am not losing any muscle mass or water, so it is still “real results”. Well, that’s it from me today… I am too excited to write! I am going on a shopping spree! Yeppy! I deserve it!
Mel
Jeni:
Mel’s results are totally awesome, aren’t they! She is working hard, she managed to get her metabolism back on track and now – she is reaping the benefits! I am so glad for you girl! You are absolutely right – you deserve the reward and there is nothing like a new pair of shoes to make a girl feel special, right! (Guys, you can pick any reward when you accomplish an interim goal, from photo shoot to shopping to trip to London – whatever your budget can allow, as long as it is NOT food.)
Now enjoy your day off and get yourself ready for a hard run and strict eating plan on Sunday and beyond!
Well done!
Jeni
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Great Day!!!
Happy Wednesday guys!
It is officially the middle of the week and I have a good feeling about this one! I even sneaked past Jeni today and gave myself a quick mid-week weigh in at the gym, but… I am not going to spoil it for you.
Today was my road running day and I was so totally happy when I looked through the window in the morning and saw the clouds! You have no idea how hard it is to run in the heat. I also have some new music on my iPod, so needless to say, exercise was SIMPLY GREAT today!
Meals were also extraordinary easy since (I think I wrote about it before) I have become so emotionally “dis-attached” to food. (There is no such word, is there?)
I had the mandatory egg whites and toast for breakfast. Protein bar for mid-morning snack and Myoplex Lite for mid-afternoon snack. Lunch was a chicken salad and a peach and dinner – roast chicken and veggies.
How is your diet going? Is no one else willing to share their results and experience?
Mel
It is officially the middle of the week and I have a good feeling about this one! I even sneaked past Jeni today and gave myself a quick mid-week weigh in at the gym, but… I am not going to spoil it for you.
Today was my road running day and I was so totally happy when I looked through the window in the morning and saw the clouds! You have no idea how hard it is to run in the heat. I also have some new music on my iPod, so needless to say, exercise was SIMPLY GREAT today!
Meals were also extraordinary easy since (I think I wrote about it before) I have become so emotionally “dis-attached” to food. (There is no such word, is there?)
I had the mandatory egg whites and toast for breakfast. Protein bar for mid-morning snack and Myoplex Lite for mid-afternoon snack. Lunch was a chicken salad and a peach and dinner – roast chicken and veggies.
How is your diet going? Is no one else willing to share their results and experience?
Mel
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Meal Replacements vs. Real Food
It is only Tuesday and I already feel like the week should be ending! Let me put it another way… I am exhausted! And this heat is not helping at all!
Today was another “no food” day for me with the two solid meals being breakfast and dinner. I had scrambled egg whites and toast for breakfast and 2 pieces skinless chicken, salad and a peach for dinner. My during-the-day menu consisted of two Myoplex Lite shakes and two protein bars. Jeni, please don’t be mad!!!
If it helps, though, I was very good with my exercise routine. Did upper body training in the morning AND went for a run at around 7 pm. I am so proud of myself for that!
The contours of my legs are starting to shape up. My abs are trying to peek from under the belts of fat covering them and my face has changed tremendously. And all of this in just 6 weeks. I am loving this regime!
Melissa
Jeni:
Well done, Melissa!
Weight training in the morning and a run in the evening is quite an achievement. (Although, just for the record, you should do them the other way around, strictly speaking – cardio in the morning, if you can before breakfast and weights in the late afternoon.)
As we discussed in Friday’s post, what I call “artificial food” (protein bars and meal replacement shakes) are cool to have the whole day from time to time and they will help you get small, fast. But remember the FROM TIME TO TIME bit. It is very important. I would say, maximum twice a week and not every week!
Plus, keep check of calories when you are doing that. It is quite a danger, as many people assume that since they are not eating or chewing something, they are not adding calories to their diet. You, of course, know that drinks can be extremely “expensive” in terms of calories (coke and Red Bull are prime examples) and your “no food” diet today came up to 800 calories excluding breakfast and dinner! (Just the meal replacement bits.)
And if any of you, readers, decide to go that route – have 1 or 2 solid meals a day and use meal replacements the rest of the time to speed up weight loss, beware of the “transitional phase”. That’s when you (eventually) start eating food again. You might find the pounds creeping right back, cause your body is not used to getting calories this way anymore. In fact, this is the major issue people have with plans like The South Beach Diet. They lose loads of weight in phase 1, but when then change their eating to move to phase 2, they either gain or stop losing. And if you have ever read The South Beach Diet, you will know that phase one is not a very happy space… no alcohol, no starch… not even fruit is allowed in this space.
Has any of you ever tried surviving on meal replacements?
Ciao!
Jeni
Today was another “no food” day for me with the two solid meals being breakfast and dinner. I had scrambled egg whites and toast for breakfast and 2 pieces skinless chicken, salad and a peach for dinner. My during-the-day menu consisted of two Myoplex Lite shakes and two protein bars. Jeni, please don’t be mad!!!
If it helps, though, I was very good with my exercise routine. Did upper body training in the morning AND went for a run at around 7 pm. I am so proud of myself for that!
The contours of my legs are starting to shape up. My abs are trying to peek from under the belts of fat covering them and my face has changed tremendously. And all of this in just 6 weeks. I am loving this regime!
Melissa
Jeni:
Well done, Melissa!
Weight training in the morning and a run in the evening is quite an achievement. (Although, just for the record, you should do them the other way around, strictly speaking – cardio in the morning, if you can before breakfast and weights in the late afternoon.)
As we discussed in Friday’s post, what I call “artificial food” (protein bars and meal replacement shakes) are cool to have the whole day from time to time and they will help you get small, fast. But remember the FROM TIME TO TIME bit. It is very important. I would say, maximum twice a week and not every week!
Plus, keep check of calories when you are doing that. It is quite a danger, as many people assume that since they are not eating or chewing something, they are not adding calories to their diet. You, of course, know that drinks can be extremely “expensive” in terms of calories (coke and Red Bull are prime examples) and your “no food” diet today came up to 800 calories excluding breakfast and dinner! (Just the meal replacement bits.)
And if any of you, readers, decide to go that route – have 1 or 2 solid meals a day and use meal replacements the rest of the time to speed up weight loss, beware of the “transitional phase”. That’s when you (eventually) start eating food again. You might find the pounds creeping right back, cause your body is not used to getting calories this way anymore. In fact, this is the major issue people have with plans like The South Beach Diet. They lose loads of weight in phase 1, but when then change their eating to move to phase 2, they either gain or stop losing. And if you have ever read The South Beach Diet, you will know that phase one is not a very happy space… no alcohol, no starch… not even fruit is allowed in this space.
Has any of you ever tried surviving on meal replacements?
Ciao!
Jeni
Monday, February 16, 2009
Treadmill vs. Stair Master
Today was way too hot! I can’t believe that anyone can exercise in this heat!
I tried, and it was early in the morning and I still suffered. So, if you planned to hit the gym after work, I can imagine how that went!
My plan for the day was to do my intervals running at the gym for 20 minutes, but when I got to the gym I couldn’t bring myself to face the treadmill. You see, the intervals I do are beyond hectic and today… I just didn’t feel like doing that. So, I got on the stair master and did my intervals on it. Felt easier (cause there is no impact) but my T-shirt felt as if I had just taken it out of the laundry by the time I was done.
I had oats for breakfast and hake with salad for lunch. Snacks were the mandatory protein bar and Myoplex shake. Then for dinner, I was in no mood to cook, so I had some left over skinless chicken and some grapes! I know… not the most delicious combination you ever heard of, but I didn’t even feel like making a salad!
Melissa
Jeni:
Hey guys,
Happy Monday! How is everyone?
Just a word of clarity to start off with – for those that haven’t been following the blog from the start: I am a weight loss coach who works with clients on one-on-one basis and develops nutritional and exercise programs for each client to help them achieve their goal weight. Melissa is a client of mine whose goal is to lose 10kg and who agreed to blog about her experience, so she can give you a taste of what it is like. Melissa is given exercise and nutrition directions on a daily basis and is currently preparing for the Two Oceans Half Marathon in April. Since the beginning, 6 weeks ago, Mel has lost 3.5kg and a total of 22 cm around her lower body.
On the subject of doing stair master in stead of running:
Stair climbing is an excellent workout and minute for minute it delivers the same aerobic benefits as running. It is really great for the quads (the front part of your legs) while the high knee lift motion stretches the hamstrings (the backs of the legs) and helps extend your stride length – a nifty side benefit for runners. In fact, stair climbing is not too dissimilar to running hills, but most people would brave the stair master way before they consider running up Constantia Nek. Plus, the fact that you are never really airborne significantly reduces the pounding on your legs and the jolting of the knees!
Now, if you are looking for a great calorie-burning routine, don’t hold onto the rails. You’ll get much better workout (and promote better running form) if you avoid leaning forward and pump your arms as if you were running. Try to keep your feet flat on the platform; running up on the balls of your feet can strain your Achilles tendon or aggravate the arch of your foot.
And never feel like you are getting off easy in comparison to running! If you maintain proper form (hands off the rails), consistent speed and a reasonable resistance level, you might be burning even more calories than the old-faithful treadmill!
Ciao!
Jeni
I tried, and it was early in the morning and I still suffered. So, if you planned to hit the gym after work, I can imagine how that went!
My plan for the day was to do my intervals running at the gym for 20 minutes, but when I got to the gym I couldn’t bring myself to face the treadmill. You see, the intervals I do are beyond hectic and today… I just didn’t feel like doing that. So, I got on the stair master and did my intervals on it. Felt easier (cause there is no impact) but my T-shirt felt as if I had just taken it out of the laundry by the time I was done.
I had oats for breakfast and hake with salad for lunch. Snacks were the mandatory protein bar and Myoplex shake. Then for dinner, I was in no mood to cook, so I had some left over skinless chicken and some grapes! I know… not the most delicious combination you ever heard of, but I didn’t even feel like making a salad!
Melissa
Jeni:
Hey guys,
Happy Monday! How is everyone?
Just a word of clarity to start off with – for those that haven’t been following the blog from the start: I am a weight loss coach who works with clients on one-on-one basis and develops nutritional and exercise programs for each client to help them achieve their goal weight. Melissa is a client of mine whose goal is to lose 10kg and who agreed to blog about her experience, so she can give you a taste of what it is like. Melissa is given exercise and nutrition directions on a daily basis and is currently preparing for the Two Oceans Half Marathon in April. Since the beginning, 6 weeks ago, Mel has lost 3.5kg and a total of 22 cm around her lower body.
On the subject of doing stair master in stead of running:
Stair climbing is an excellent workout and minute for minute it delivers the same aerobic benefits as running. It is really great for the quads (the front part of your legs) while the high knee lift motion stretches the hamstrings (the backs of the legs) and helps extend your stride length – a nifty side benefit for runners. In fact, stair climbing is not too dissimilar to running hills, but most people would brave the stair master way before they consider running up Constantia Nek. Plus, the fact that you are never really airborne significantly reduces the pounding on your legs and the jolting of the knees!
Now, if you are looking for a great calorie-burning routine, don’t hold onto the rails. You’ll get much better workout (and promote better running form) if you avoid leaning forward and pump your arms as if you were running. Try to keep your feet flat on the platform; running up on the balls of your feet can strain your Achilles tendon or aggravate the arch of your foot.
And never feel like you are getting off easy in comparison to running! If you maintain proper form (hands off the rails), consistent speed and a reasonable resistance level, you might be burning even more calories than the old-faithful treadmill!
Ciao!
Jeni
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Cheat Meals Are Good For You!
Hey guys,
I am finally able to bring some good news! Not too sure whether the (circumstance-imposed) fast on Friday has something to do with it or not, but I have finally lost some weight!!! I am 55.6kg this week, which is 1.1kg lighter than last Saturday! Isn’t this awesome?
But (like a 9 a.m. TV infomercial) … THAT’S NOT ALL! I have also lost on average of centimetre from each of my measuring points (waist, hips, thighs, legs), which brings my centimetre loss since Jan 2 to a total of 22cm.
I feel like I have won the Olympics!!! Yeah!!!
As my attitude to food has changed completely, my “free day” (yesterday) is not really as appealing to me as it used to be. You see, the first two weeks I used to plan my free day for the remaining 6 days. All I could think of, was what I am going to eat on Free Day.
Now, though, things have changed. My meals during free day are in no way different to my meals during the week, unless there is a special occasion that I am attending. Guess what? Valentine’s day qualifies as one of these.
So, I ate pretty clean the whole Saturday except for dinner when hubby and I went to a cool new restaurant called Gold, promising “Opulent African Cuisine”. I did eat quite a bit – things I wouldn’t normally eat, and had 2 glasses of wine, but after all, this is the objective of the weight loss exercise, right? To enjoy life… a little bit.
I am already back on track this morning with my egg whites and a protein bar for snack and am planning an extra long run in the late afternoon to re-start the fat loss engine. I hope it works!
Mel
Jeni:
Mel,
Your progress is phenomenal! I know you were getting quite disheartened in the last few weeks. You had hit a plateau (which by the way happens to everyone at some time or another) and you were completely disillusioned. Finally, you have broken through the barrier and are now on the next level.
How can I explain this? It is like growth spurts in babies. If you have ever had a baby, you will know that for the first 3-4 months or so, you religiously go to the baby clinic every week and monitor the weight gain of your precious little bundle. It is a big drama when your baby stays at 4.3kg for three weeks in a row! (As if anyone ever remained that weight!) You worry, change the formula brand and do all sorts of stuff to no avail. Then suddenly, the next time you go to the clinic, your little angel is suddenly 5.1kg and you start breathing again.
What I am trying to say is, plateaus are a completely natural part of the weight loss journey. It is simply a period of re-adjustment for your body. Your static weight is NOT an indication that nothing is happening and you will see the results, if you are only a tad bit patient.
On the cheat meal subject, I want to calm all of you down. DON’T PANIC!
Cheat meal is actually good for you! As long as you stick to 1-2 of them a week!
Cheat meals have both psychological and physiological benefits for you.
On the psychological side of things, it acts as a reward and a keeping-you-sane tool. After all, we are all human and everyone will be in a situation where they feel like something different from time to time. If the eating plan is so strict as to not allow that, chances are that at some stage, the plan will get abandoned. And this is where those 95% of dieters that never keep the weight off (that we always read about) get it wrong. Dieting is a lifestyle change, not a temporary measure and if you are going to change your eating habits for a short period of time only – don’t bother. You will see NO lasting results.
And as much as we try to break away from the notion of “food is a reward”, it is a difficult thing to do and it will take time. After all, it is something that has been “engraved” in your brain and sensory perception since birth. The fancier the food, the fancier the party, right?
But the physiological effects of cheat meals on your body are even more important! I have said this before and I will say it again: Your body is the most intelligent computer currently in existence. You may be able to fool it for a short period of time, but in the long term – it will outsmart you!
The body’s main mission is to preserve itself. That’s why it stores fat. So, when the time comes that food is not forthcoming, it can use the fat reserves.
By reducing your caloric intake to a certain level (not too much, cause then the body goes into starvation) you force the body to use stored fat in order to make up for the difference in calories between what it needs and what it’s getting. But eventually, it gets used to it. It figures out that “this is how much calories I will be getting going forward, so I need to make a plan and learn to function on them”. It’s like you, budgeting your income. You can live on R20K a month and if you were to lose your job and take another one, at say R15K a month, you will eventually figure out how to make your lifestyle fit your new income level. Otherwise, you will bankrupt!
So, by following a strict eating plan, you train your body to survive on less calories. That’s a good thing. Having a cheat meal works as a “shock” to the system and essentially, convinces your body that it will be getting more, so there is no need for it to learn to function on less.
You may experience a temporary weight gain (may be even a kg or two) after a cheat meal. Don’t panic! It’s not all fat! Chances are, your cheat meal had a bit too much salt or grease than what you are used to and your body is holding some water to process this “junk”. Just increase your water intake the next day and things will be back to normal. (In order to add a kg of fat to your body, you need to consume 9,000kcal, which is quite hard to do in one meal!)
Having said that, having too many cheat meals WILL sabotage your efforts. That is why, I advise my clients to have all their cheat meals in one day. Saturday, in Mel’s case. If you were to have a cheat meal on Wednesday, another one on Friday and so forth, I can guarantee you that by Sunday you will have forgotten that you cheated on Wednesday and you will have way more cheat meals than you think. Therefore, by combining all your cheat meals in the same day, it is easier to keep track. If you have a “bad” breakfast and a heavy lunch, chances are that you will pull yourself together by dinner and will not overindulge. But I your cheat lunch was on Tuesday, do you think you will remember that when your colleagues invite you for sundowners after work on Friday?
To make a long story short, what I am saying is: Cheat meals are good for you and have a definite place in your diet. However, if you are eating 35 meals a week (i.e. 5 meals times 7 days) you need to make sure that at least 31-33 of these meals are “clean” and in line with your goals. Then let go and enjoy the rest!
Ciao!
Jeni
I am finally able to bring some good news! Not too sure whether the (circumstance-imposed) fast on Friday has something to do with it or not, but I have finally lost some weight!!! I am 55.6kg this week, which is 1.1kg lighter than last Saturday! Isn’t this awesome?
But (like a 9 a.m. TV infomercial) … THAT’S NOT ALL! I have also lost on average of centimetre from each of my measuring points (waist, hips, thighs, legs), which brings my centimetre loss since Jan 2 to a total of 22cm.
I feel like I have won the Olympics!!! Yeah!!!
As my attitude to food has changed completely, my “free day” (yesterday) is not really as appealing to me as it used to be. You see, the first two weeks I used to plan my free day for the remaining 6 days. All I could think of, was what I am going to eat on Free Day.
Now, though, things have changed. My meals during free day are in no way different to my meals during the week, unless there is a special occasion that I am attending. Guess what? Valentine’s day qualifies as one of these.
So, I ate pretty clean the whole Saturday except for dinner when hubby and I went to a cool new restaurant called Gold, promising “Opulent African Cuisine”. I did eat quite a bit – things I wouldn’t normally eat, and had 2 glasses of wine, but after all, this is the objective of the weight loss exercise, right? To enjoy life… a little bit.
I am already back on track this morning with my egg whites and a protein bar for snack and am planning an extra long run in the late afternoon to re-start the fat loss engine. I hope it works!
Mel
Jeni:
Mel,
Your progress is phenomenal! I know you were getting quite disheartened in the last few weeks. You had hit a plateau (which by the way happens to everyone at some time or another) and you were completely disillusioned. Finally, you have broken through the barrier and are now on the next level.
How can I explain this? It is like growth spurts in babies. If you have ever had a baby, you will know that for the first 3-4 months or so, you religiously go to the baby clinic every week and monitor the weight gain of your precious little bundle. It is a big drama when your baby stays at 4.3kg for three weeks in a row! (As if anyone ever remained that weight!) You worry, change the formula brand and do all sorts of stuff to no avail. Then suddenly, the next time you go to the clinic, your little angel is suddenly 5.1kg and you start breathing again.
What I am trying to say is, plateaus are a completely natural part of the weight loss journey. It is simply a period of re-adjustment for your body. Your static weight is NOT an indication that nothing is happening and you will see the results, if you are only a tad bit patient.
On the cheat meal subject, I want to calm all of you down. DON’T PANIC!
Cheat meal is actually good for you! As long as you stick to 1-2 of them a week!
Cheat meals have both psychological and physiological benefits for you.
On the psychological side of things, it acts as a reward and a keeping-you-sane tool. After all, we are all human and everyone will be in a situation where they feel like something different from time to time. If the eating plan is so strict as to not allow that, chances are that at some stage, the plan will get abandoned. And this is where those 95% of dieters that never keep the weight off (that we always read about) get it wrong. Dieting is a lifestyle change, not a temporary measure and if you are going to change your eating habits for a short period of time only – don’t bother. You will see NO lasting results.
And as much as we try to break away from the notion of “food is a reward”, it is a difficult thing to do and it will take time. After all, it is something that has been “engraved” in your brain and sensory perception since birth. The fancier the food, the fancier the party, right?
But the physiological effects of cheat meals on your body are even more important! I have said this before and I will say it again: Your body is the most intelligent computer currently in existence. You may be able to fool it for a short period of time, but in the long term – it will outsmart you!
The body’s main mission is to preserve itself. That’s why it stores fat. So, when the time comes that food is not forthcoming, it can use the fat reserves.
By reducing your caloric intake to a certain level (not too much, cause then the body goes into starvation) you force the body to use stored fat in order to make up for the difference in calories between what it needs and what it’s getting. But eventually, it gets used to it. It figures out that “this is how much calories I will be getting going forward, so I need to make a plan and learn to function on them”. It’s like you, budgeting your income. You can live on R20K a month and if you were to lose your job and take another one, at say R15K a month, you will eventually figure out how to make your lifestyle fit your new income level. Otherwise, you will bankrupt!
So, by following a strict eating plan, you train your body to survive on less calories. That’s a good thing. Having a cheat meal works as a “shock” to the system and essentially, convinces your body that it will be getting more, so there is no need for it to learn to function on less.
You may experience a temporary weight gain (may be even a kg or two) after a cheat meal. Don’t panic! It’s not all fat! Chances are, your cheat meal had a bit too much salt or grease than what you are used to and your body is holding some water to process this “junk”. Just increase your water intake the next day and things will be back to normal. (In order to add a kg of fat to your body, you need to consume 9,000kcal, which is quite hard to do in one meal!)
Having said that, having too many cheat meals WILL sabotage your efforts. That is why, I advise my clients to have all their cheat meals in one day. Saturday, in Mel’s case. If you were to have a cheat meal on Wednesday, another one on Friday and so forth, I can guarantee you that by Sunday you will have forgotten that you cheated on Wednesday and you will have way more cheat meals than you think. Therefore, by combining all your cheat meals in the same day, it is easier to keep track. If you have a “bad” breakfast and a heavy lunch, chances are that you will pull yourself together by dinner and will not overindulge. But I your cheat lunch was on Tuesday, do you think you will remember that when your colleagues invite you for sundowners after work on Friday?
To make a long story short, what I am saying is: Cheat meals are good for you and have a definite place in your diet. However, if you are eating 35 meals a week (i.e. 5 meals times 7 days) you need to make sure that at least 31-33 of these meals are “clean” and in line with your goals. Then let go and enjoy the rest!
Ciao!
Jeni
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