My exercise philosophy has always been no. Too hard, too boring, too sweat inducing, just no. Until that horrid turning point in my life when my previously fast metabolism decided to be as lazy as I am. All of a sudden I started putting on weight. And it didn't come off.
While I'm modifying my eating to be more healthy, even I have to admit that being active has to be part of the bargain.
A way to a healthy life by Abdullah AL-Naser
I considered a number of options for introducing exercise into my life. Despite the fact that I can't see the logic in working more hours to be able to afford more things to save ourselves time and effort and then paying to exert ourselves, I was even prepared to invest some money in my future health and fitness.
Swimming at the local pool
Good:
- I'm not completely hopeless at it
- Not expensive
- Easy to get to
Not so good:
- Crowded swimming lanes
- Being seen in my bathing suit
- Poo in the pool
Gym near home
Good:
- Not pretentious: low number of posers
- Not ridiculously expensive
- Easy to get to
- My husband and some friends go there
Not so good:
- Gym equipment confuses me
- My husband and some friends go there
- I'd have to get up before 6:00am
Gym near work
Good:
- I could go immediately before or after work, or during lunch
- Lots of nice equipment
- Great, encouraging staff who will show me not to look like an idiot
Not so good:
- Sweaty gym hair at work (ew) or wet hair for the rest of the day (it takes two hairdressers a long time to blow-dry my hair)
- I'd have to take gym gear/makeup/work clothes on the bus to and from work
Jogging or running by myself
Good:
- Fresh air
- Can do it anywhere
- Free!
Not so good:
- How would I stay focussed?
- I have no idea what I'm doing
As tempted as I am to say that the above lists prove that exercise is no good, I did some more research.
Lazy Cat by dougww
I found out about the Couch to 5K program. The program was designed by Cool Running and involves, um, running. The program is a gradual one, progressing from couch level fitness (which is where I'm sitting right now) to being able to run 5 kilometres. At once. Without stopping. It takes about 2 months to get to that point (although depending on fitness level it can be slowed down a bit) and involves a three day a week commitment.
The Couch to 5K website gives you a handy guide for how to progress your running. There is a schedule (I like schedules) prescribing what to do on each run. This solves my problem of not knowing what to do or how to do it.
To keep up the motivation and to make it easy, Robert Ullrey has made a series of podcasts for the program, incorporating music and directions on when to run and slow down during the workout. I found my husband's old ipod and was able to easily load them all on.
To top it all off, you don't have to pay a cent for the program or the podcasts. It is all provided free from the goodness of peoples' hearts. I figure if they're going to do all this to help me get fit and healthy the least I can do is get on with it.
So I checked with my doctor, (which is a very good idea if you're starting a new fitness program, particularly if you have medical conditions, are overweight, over 40 or just hopeless like me) and with her approval I've gotten off the couch.
What you need to start
- Couch to 5K program
- Couch to 5K podcasts
- An ipod, mp3 player or mobile phone that can play mp3s
- 45 minutes, 3 times a week
- Properly fitted running shoes
- Health check-up with your doctor
I'm now at week one - which means we can do it together if you'd like to join me. I'd also like to know what fitness and exercise you prefer and what your health goals are - tell me in the comments below.
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photo credit: bayat
I now weigh 68.3kg. Yes, I weigh more than I did last week.
The most important thing to remember is that good change is gradual. Or as Mae West said, “Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly.”
I'm not aiming for tabloid style fast weight loss. I'm aiming for a sustainable, healthier, better way of living and enjoying food. So I'm ok with the weight gain as long as I can learn from it.
So why didn't I lose weight?
- During the week I went out for high tea for a good friend's 30th and dinner for my mother's **th (deleted to protect the old) birthday. On the same day. I didn't moderate my eating or drinking at all and had fun with friends and family. This is ok in and of itself - but I didn't make healthier choices later in the week to balance it out.
- I ate because I was stressed, not because I was hungry. I was nervous about a review meeting at work and I ate to quieten the butterflies in my stomach. I should have had a few glasses of water or gone for a brisk walk instead.
- I skipped a meal. I went to bed early one night and then woke up hungry at midnight. Hot cross buns are not a nutritious, balanced dinner.
- I used the car when I should have walked. I was lazy. I live walking distance from several fabulous butchers, a good greengrocer, an excellent deli, cafes and more. Yet I relied on the car instead of my feet. I'm not a big fan of organised exercise for exercise's sake. I am however a big fan of reducing reliance on cars and integrating activity into normal routine.
UPDATE: I just came across a fabulous post at Feasibly Fit Mom that gives examples for 5 minute workouts - yes, five minutes. Even I can do that!
There is plenty of room for improvement this week. I'll keep you up to date with my progress.
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]]>Those feelings are normal for many but they're not constructive. Bashing yourself over the head with a sugary stick, no matter how delicious, is not going to motivate you.
photo credit: Christi Nielsen
I weighed myself today for the first time in a long time. I have to admit to an "oh shit" moment and bashing the scales about a bit (just to make sure they were operating properly, you understand).
However, I've decided that I'm not going to cut out the food I love, I'm going to cut out the guilt. Today is the first day of an awesome attitude to food. Eating for pleasure, not sorrow, eating for sustenance, not boredom and enjoying every minute of it.
I have a lifetime of fabulous food ahead of me - I'm not going to waste it on rubbish. Scott from Life Spotlight wrote The Zen of Real Food: Keeping Eating Simple over at Zen Habits and I think this concept is key. You can't go wrong eating fresh, whole foods. Is this perhaps the easiest diet in the world?
I am going to stuff up sometimes. I'm going to pick up a pack of kfc chips in a moment of weakness every now and again. I'll realise I didn't enjoy it all that much and that the calories weren't worth it. I'm going to allow myself not to be perfect - I'm going to accept it and move on. But I'm not going to eat a block of chocolate to make myself feel better for eating chips.
So here we go. I'm not going to make any excuses about water retention or the fact my ringletty hair is almost down to my waist and weighs an awful lot. Today I weigh 67.9 kilograms. That gives me a BMI of 24.9 which means I'm in the healthy bracket by the skin of my teeth. That also gives me plenty of room for improvement on my small frame.
I'm using free website Calorie King to track my weight and progress. It also has useful features to check the calorie and nutrient values of a range of foods (including commercial products). I'll also check in here every week to keep myself accountable. You're welcome to join me.
Check in soon for some low calorie, minimally processed, healthy meal ideas, or offer your own suggestions in the comments.
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]]>The dangerous combination of gluttony, complacency and marriage has resulted in a recent expansion of my hips and thighs. While I'm not quite contending with the likes of back fat and a muffin top, I'm on a buttery slippery slope.
If you're a fellow food lover with a bit more jiggle than you'd like, here are some tips to help you get back into shape without resorting to diet foods or meal replacement shakes.
1. Lose the guilt: If you come home from work exhausted and you have no energy to cook, don't feel sorry for yourself and pick up tasteless takeaway. Take the opportunity to go out for dinner or pick up something that you will enjoy instead.
A fabulous seafood risotto may be calorie laden, but you're more likely to be satisfied and thus less likely to snack in the evening after a proper meal as opposed to a burger and chips.
2. Learn a new cuisine: Start attending cooking classes or hit the library for some books and teach yourself how to cook different foods.
If you get out of the food rut and learn something new, you can shake up your metabolism and enjoy lower fat alternatives. You might want to try the delicate balance of Vietnamese or get yourself a tagine for moist but no-fat-added Moroccan style cooking.
3. Eat better but less: Trade in the supermarket milk chocolate for a few squares of Belgium's finest. There is something ultra-luxurious about fine dark chocolate and a tightly pulled ristretto.
4. Make it worth it: Cut out the easy calories first. If you're going to go high-calorie, make it worth your while. Substitute the stuff that doesn't matter to you (mineral water instead of soft drink, for example) and enjoy the things you love. Low fat cheese makes me cry.
5. Track your progress and celebrate success: It is hard to be motivated unless you monitor your weight loss. Keep a diary and weigh yourself weekly, at the same time of day.
6. Bonus! Check out 17 Arse-kicking strategies to stick to your diet and get fit over at Zen Habits for more sustainable weight loss tips.
You're welcome to follow my progress as I attempt to follow my own rules. Tomorrow's post will be my first weigh in. Please keep me accountable and subscribe to my feed!
Your comments, tips and suggestions are appreciated.
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]]>This is the bit where I get all accountable. I had some small wins. I haven't been snacking just for the hell of it. I have however been snacking for sheer pleasure. When I'm not hungry. So while that isn't perfectly ideal from a health perspective, it is totally ok from a greedy pleasure perspective. I think I've enjoyed my snacks more too - because I'm thinking about it more. I also really know which likely over-processed snacky treats I will NEVER GIVE UP:
- Cadbury drinking chocolate. While Five Senses has an awesome premium drinking chocolate range yes, I said RANGE - that includes white chocolate(!) and Bannister Downs has excellent iced cafe au lait and chocolatte that makes me weak at the knees, there will always be room in my heart (and on my nose) for the cadbury classic.
- Cascade Ginger Beer and Sparkling Apple Juice. Ooh my lovely non-alcoholic friends. When you have the alcohol tolerance of a mosquito sometimes it is handy to be armed with something non-alcoholic. These two float my boat and look beer-ish enough to stop people pointing at the loser who isn't drinking. And no, I WILL NOT BE THE DESIGNATED DRIVER. One or two glasses of wine is probably enough to make me hurt Mr Kerb and Mr Silly Overpriced Car Rim Wheel Thingos and we don't want that do we?
- Lindt Lindor Balls (dark chocolate or mint). Need I say more?
I have no idea whether I have lost any weight or not because I was too gutless to weigh myself. I still don't pass the last year's jeans test though.
I have also been swimming which could almost count as exercise if there was a bit more lap swimming and a little bit less lazing about on an oversized blue thong. Yes. Thong. For those in the US I mean a giant flip flop. Yes I understand that still doesn't make any sense. Um. Anyway. I promise there is a giant inflatable blue thong and I DID NOT IMAGINE IT.
At any rate I am making an effort and (hopefully) not turning into a carrot-bore.
BTW: lovely happy grateful thanks to the very awesome Flying Taco who satisfied my salty cheesy craving with sheer awesome enjoyment in mere minutes without having to resort to a drive-thru or a second mortgage.
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]]>I want to get rid of my pot belly but don't want to give up the pork belly. I also have no intention of quitting being a grumpy old cow, so here comes the compromise.
credit: Bev (SugarBloom Cupcakes)
Smaller portions. Eating slowly. Enjoying every mouthful. No diets, shakes, pills or powders. No sacrificing pleasure for righteousness. But pleasure has to be the key. No idle snacking. No bland, boring food for the sake of eating. If it isn't going to give me pleasure, I'm not eating it.
So here's my challenge. I have six months to settle into a rhythm of only eating for pleasure and sustenance. With any luck my body will also settle into its own healthier rhythm.
I had already pre-planned meals up until Thursday this week. Tonight we are due for..erm. Honey roast duck salad with rocket, semi roast tomatoes, and red onion with chilli jam. I can serve the duck without the skin, leave the sweet cherry tomatoes alone and fresh instead of roasting them in olive oil and accompany it all with a crisp sparkling water instead of the wine. Small steps.
Will it work? Feel free to let me know in the comments. I'm starting now and I need your help to keep me accountable.
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