No, I have not done as the title suggests and had a rest day.  The reason I mention it is because a friend told me today that I could ‘have a day off my weight loss and have some fun…’  By fun, they meant eat some terrible takeaways!  The thing is, this is not something I can take a day off from, this is is not just a weight loss program.  This is a lifestyle change.  Although people might think it is good to have a day off, the point is, I need to enjoy the journey I am on.   This is a total lifestyle change.  My diet is changing, my nutrition is changing.  I am no longer going to be the fatbird!

No day off for me

Exercise today consisted of walking.  Although there was a terrible storm which could have given me great excuses, I pushed myself out the door.  As my gym is closed on the weekends, I walked and did the stairs twice today, so 70 minutes walking and about 260 stairs.

Food, pretty relaxed today as well:

• Breakfast = porridge
• Lunch = Tuna + lite cottage cheese + wholegrain toast (2) + salad
• Afternoon Tea = Watermelon mmm
• Dinner = Brown rice + salmon + salad
• Supper = protein shake

No, I do not consider myself on a diet.  To me, a diet is where you cut your food intake (there are some crazy schemes out there) in a way which you know is not sustainable.  Usually with diets, the weight quickly piles back on (usually worse) as soon as the diet is over.  I heard an interesting fact – fat cells do not disappear or melt away, they only shrink!  So they stay with you forever!  This is why people put weight back on so quickly when diets go out the window.

For me, it is about healthy eating in a sensible manner I can sustain for the rest of my life.  So in essence, this is a lifestyle change.  And the great thing is, I feel SO much better eating healthy food.  I am more alert, I have more energy, and I have a sparkle in my eye!  So forget the diets, and just start eating properly and exercising.  I think this is the only real way to lose weight.  Sorry, no shortcuts!

My Food Today

• Breakfast = Porridge (I make this with wholegrain oats, as I believe there are more nutrients if the oat is still whole)
• Morning Tea – Yeah right!  Actually, I had a plum.
• Lunch = Dinner leftovers!  Salmon, corn on the cob (half), broad beans, brown rice
• Afternoon Tea = Apple + yoghurt + protein powder + blueberries
• Dinner = Salmon (baked) + kumara + stirfry vege (onion, green pepper, cabbage, zucchini, 1 egg, 1 tsp oyster sauce)
• Supper = protein shake

I am really wanting to hit a big weight loss number this week, but am starting to think maybe I will be on par with last week.  I know any weight loss is good weight loss, but I am impatient!  However, regardless of the result, I will not throw the towel in, as I am committed to losing this weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for a very long time!

My workout today:

• Morning Walk (35 minutes + 144 stairs)
• Walk to and from Gym = 20 minutes (10 each way)
• Squeezeball squats holding medicine ball – 14, then straight into press ups 14,  repeat 3 times
• Vertical Row x 15, repeat 3 times
• Lunges x 16 (8 each way), repeat 3 times
• Flying Dumbbells (stand and flap arms like a bird!) x 10, repeat 3 times
• Steps x 20 (10 per leg) repeat 3 times
• Squeezeball Ab crunches x 15, repeat 4 times
• Lat pulldowns (shoulder press) x 14, repeat 3 times

I must admit I am feeling much better during my workouts, although I am still working up a sweat, and know I am pushing my muscles hard, the rest of my body is not screaming so loudly at me!  The weight loss journey continues to improve…

Diet is a huge part of weight loss.  The biggest change I have made is around portion size.  By following the recommendations made for the 12 week transformation challenge (see portion sizes here), I find I am no longer bloated, nor do I get ‘full’.  However, although I am not bursting at the seams, I am not hungry after I have eaten.  And if I do get a bit hungry between meals, I drink water and voila, the hunger is gone.  Losing weight is a by product of eating properly.  So I expect to see great results at my next weigh in!  I will not be below the yellow line!  Oh wait, wrong program!

Today’s Food

• Breakfast = Porridge
• Morning Tea = skipped
• Lunch = Same as dinner last night (salmon, salad, pineapple rings x 2, broad beans)
• Afternoon Tea = Watermelon mmm + 1 piece of wholegrain toast with avocado (salt, pepper, yum)
• Dinner = Grilled Salmon (yes, I love salmon!) + brown rice (1 cup) + broad beans + half a corn on the cob
• Supper = protein shake

TIP – I always cook enough for 2 meals.  This is why my lunch often matches the dinner from the night before.  I do not require too much variety every day in terms of the food I eat.  I do not need a 7 day menu.  What I do is mix up the afternoon teas, and change up the salads/ veges to add a little variety.  I could eat salmon every day for the rest of my life and not get sick of it.  Lucky I am not too fussy!

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Today was cardio day, and with my goal to lose at least 6.6 pounds this week (3 kg), I decided to push myself hard.  Sure, 12 days ago, I got sweaty from a 10 minute walk to join the gym.  But today, I pushed hard.

First up, my morning walk, which I have begun to enjoy.  A little bit longer today as I did my lap of Victoria Park and then went to a nearby supermarket to pick up some oats.  Ended up buying salmon and tuna + some other odds n ends, so the return journey home was with a little extra weight!  And of course, the stairs at the end.

Then at 1.15pm, the gym had an intermediate SPIN class.  Given I did a beginner class last week, I figured I deserved a promotion to the intermediate.  WOW.  If I did not lose some weight today, I will be gobsmacked.  I could literally wring my shirt out after the ride.  It made the beginner class look like a downhill stroll.  Still, I completed it (although I didn’t dial the full intensity, my poor legs!).

Spin Class = fat burn!

This evening I went for another walk as the sun was setting.  Walking is definately good exercise.  So this was 35 minutes long plus a stair climb at the end.

So today, over 100 minutes of walking and an insane SPIN class.  Yes, I can feel the weight fading away!

Given I do not eat poultry or land meat, finding variety in my diet takes a bit of thought.  I do eat seafood, and Salmon is by far my favorite food.  I am starting to realise the importance of putting the right stuff in my body.  I feel better, I am more alert, and honestly, good fresh food does taste very good!

Eat good. Or deal with me!

Food today:

• Breakfast = Porridge
• Morning Tea – as if I am up early enough to have morning tea AND breakfast before lunch!
• Lunch = Left over dinner last night (salmon, broad beans, Salad, brown rice)
• Afternoon Tea = Smoothie (strawberry, boysenberry, 2 x scoop protein powder, plain yoghurt, super trim milk)
• Dinner = Baked Salmon + salad + pineapple rings (x2)  + steamed kumara
• Supper = Protein shake

I also have been drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day and started taking a multi-vitamin tablet.  Starting to notice the weight loss, and diet indeed seems to have a large part to play (70% according to Steve, my personal trainer)

Starting my day off with the now habitual morning walk through the city and Victoria Park, I noticed how much better I am feeling these days.  The homeless people were enjoying themselves, if being drunk in the morning can be considered enjoyment.  Walk was 35 minutes, followed by the stair climb (144 steps).  My heart rate is returning to normal a lot faster than it used to after that little climb.

Not so afraid of the stairs now!

Later on, it was time for my gym workout.  It went along the lines of:

• Warm up – 3 min on cross trainer
• Squeezeball sit ups (ball against wall) x 14 then pressups (on knees) x 15 straight away.  Repeat 3 times
• Pull ups x 14 – repeat 3 times
• Lunges x 16 – repeat 3 times (my official most hated exercise)
• Sitting Row x 14 – repeat 3 times
• 3 minutes on the exercycle
• Box Steps x 20 (10 each way) – repeat 3 times (you really feel this one!)
• Shoulder Pulldowns x 15 – repeated 3 times
• Ab Ball situps x 15 – repeat 3 times

I may have done more than that, but it was 10 hours ago and I forget   Finished it off with some stretches, then walked the 10 minutes home.

Note – as far as gyms go, I thought they were not my thing.  This gym really lives up to its motto ‘where you belong.’  The staff are so nice and friendly, it really has changed my opinions of gyms!

So today is day nine of the program.  And I have not eaten a single bad thing and only had water and protein shakes to drink.  Even the protein shakes are made from water, not milk!

Today’s food:

• Breakfast = Porridge
• Morning tea = No chance.  Skipped.
• Lunch = Tuna + salad + brown rice
• Afternoon Tea = Plain natural yoghurt (unsweetened) +handful of blueberries + 2 scoops protein powder mixed in.
• Dinner = Salmon (baked) + broad beans + corn on the cob (half) + brown rice
• Supper = Protein shake (2 scoops mixed into water)

So far, the food has been easy.  I have not had any real temptation or cravings.  Guess I really am stubborn  I have set a weight loss goal and I fully intend to achieve it!

Went for my walk as soon as I was up this morning.  About 35 minutes, and went my usual route through Victoria Park.  Seems the homeless people have again made it their own – it is strange seeing people drinking at that time of the day!  Climbed the 144 stairs on my return.

Later on I went to the gym for my measurements, then decided to test myself on the treadmill.  My personal trainer suggested I would be better off doing short bursts on different machines on my cardio days.  EG: 15 minutes treadmill, 15 minutes biking, and 15 minutes cross training.  I could also mix it up by substituing one of them for the rowing machine.

So did I follow the advice?  Not today.  But only because I needed to see if Fatbird could run!  So I spent the whole time running on the treadmill.  Interestingly, at times I felt like giving up.  So I thought about my legs – they were sore but certainly could keep going.  I thought about my breathing and internal energy – sure enough, I could keep going.  Yet I had this urge to stop.  It dawned on me that the weakest part of me while I was running was in fact my mind.  And I refused to give in to a weak mind, so kept running.  9 days ago, I was a bit puffed just walking (flat, no hills) to the gym.  Today, I ran for 35 minutes – over 4km (2.5miles), and burned over 500 calories.  I felt pretty awesome!

Run Fatbird, Run!

However, as the day progressed, I noticed a blister on the sole of my left foot and the dreaded sweat rash as my thunder thighs had been rubbing together merrily the entire 35 minutes.  Still, better to have run and got sweat rash, than done nothing at all!

This blog really is designed to help other people on their journey of weight loss by showing you all the ups and downs of my journey.  This means telling you about things like sweat rash etc!  Thanks for reading.

Had 30 minutes with my personal trainer, who took the same measurements that we did at the start of the program.  While I managed to take 2cm off my chest, I only took 1cm off my waist.  Oh dear, the tummy fat is going to be stubborn!

I just want a smaller tummy!

However, the rest of my measurements were quite a shock, especially body fat %.  Here they are:

• Blood Pressure  WAS 130/100 NOW 125/95
• Stomach   WAS 116cm (45.7″)  NOW 115cm (45.27″)
• Chest   WAS 118.5cm (46.25″)  NOW 116.5cm (45.8″)
• Upper Arm   WAS 36.5cm (14.37″)  NOW 34.5cm (13.58″)
• % of Body Fat  WAS 35.3%  NOW 25.7%

Wow.  Body fat from 35.3 to 25.7  -  it is very hard to believe!  I know I pushed hard, and feel like my body is responding well, but that is a huge number.  I will put it down to maybe an incorrect reading the first time, OR, I simply nailed it in the last 9 days.  Either way, I am stoked with the overall results.  2cm off my chest is fantastic.  Looks like the weight loss was not the only positive result from last week!  I feel as if my body has moved out of the sluggish gear it was stuck in and now the machine is in top gear and going smoothly.

Today has been a good food day again. Still, only got the 5 meals in, but seems to be OK.  What has surprised me the most is the lack of cravings.  I thought I would crave more bad food, but so far, nothing serious!  I do miss my morning coffee, but that is more the habit rather than the actual coffee.

Thankfully this is not me!

• Breakfast = Porridge
• Morning Tea – not for me!
• Lunch = Grilled Fish + kumara + baby carrots + broccoli
• Afternoon Tea = Banana + Protein Shake (was after my work out)
• Dinner = Brown Rice + Tuna + Salad.
• Supper = Walnuts!

My Salad Ingredients:

• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Cucumber
• Green Pepper
• Sprouts x 3
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Sunflower Seeds
• Pinenuts
• AND NO DRESSING AT ALL!

Week Two has begun!  With only 5.5 lb / 2.5 kg weight loss, I really want to push a little harder this week.  Having said that, even if I maintain this weight loss each week, I will arrive at my target weight.

Went for a walk this morning, beautiful and sunny.  Finished it off with the stairs, which are less daunting every day!

This afternoon I was off to the gym.  Started with a warm up, then did the following exercises:

• Squeezeball sits then reverse sitting push ups on bench – super set, 14 of each, repeat 3 times
• Sitting Row Machine – 10 reps x 2 then 14 reps x 1
• Steps 10 + 10 (each leg), repeated 3 times
• Shoulder Pull Downs – 15 reps, repeated 3 times
• Treadmill – a few minutes walking
• Ab Ball – 20 sit ups, repeated 3 times
• Lunges with medicine ball- 8 then 8, no repeats
• Back raises? – lie front down on a bench and lean over (so head aiming at floor) then lift back up, nothing supporting above the waist, feel it in the lower back!  12 reps, repeated 3 times
• Obliques Medicine Ball – 10 reps, x3
• Dumbells (3kgs), hands from my side up to horizontal out (like flying), 14 reps, repeated 3 times.
• Elbow Knee Raises (rest on elbows/forearms, lift up knees to sitting position and back down) 12 reps x 2

Then, to top it off, I hit the treadmill and RAN for 11 minutes.  Yes, RAN.  The fatbird actually ran. And it burns calories MUCH faster than the biking – 130 calories in this time!

I actually ran!!!!

I should not forget the 10 minutes each way of walking to the gym.  It all counts!  Undecided if I will go for a walk tonight, it is good to let the body rest and recuperate!  Tomorrow is cardio day, I might do some more treadmill!

The day has come at last!  Time to get on the scales!  And the result?  5.5 pounds or 2.5kgs!  I was a little disappointed, but Steve, my personal trainer, was very surprised and his initial reaction was “too much!” NEVER! hehe.  Perhaps I watched too much of ‘The Biggest Loser’ before starting this program (one series in a week!), so got used to seeing ridiculous numbers on their weigh ins.

Weigh in time!

However, any weight loss is good weight loss, so I will take the 2.5kgs and step up a little harder this week.

Starting Weight        265 pounds / 120 kg

Week One                 259.5 pounds / 117.5 kg         ( – 5.5 lb / – 2.5 kg)

As I like to sleep in (and hey, it is Sunday!), I skipped morning tea again!  However, I have learned the importance of breakfast!

Breakfast = Porridge (I actually enjoy my morning porridge now)

Morning Tea = Not again fatbird!  Yes, missed it again!

Lunch = 2 x sandwiches (tuna, lite cottage cheese) on wholegrain bread x 2 + plum + banana

Afternoon Tea = Natural unsweetened yoghurt with blueberries added + also added 2 x scoop protein powder.  MUCH tastier with the protein powder.

Dinner = Grilled Salmon + kumara + baby carrots + broccoli + brussels sprouts

Supper = Protein Shake.

All in all, I feel good about the food I am eating.  If diet plays such a huge role in weight loss, then no chocolate for me!

Day Seven.  One week.  Without having had any coffee or sugar, I had some headaches on days three and four.  During the week I felt very ill as well.  I wonder if it was my body going into withdrawal!  Today I have noticed another odd thing – I have broken out!  Pimples.  It is like being a teenager all over again.  Sure, my skin is naturally oily, but this is not usual.  I guess all the bad stuff inside me is coming out, which is great!  It is like the ugly duckling, about to transform!  We just need the transform part now…I have eleven more weeks for that!

mmm adult pimples

Also today I have noticed my first injury.  My elbow on the left arm is very sore when I fully extend my arm.  Not the tip of the elbow, it feels like the muscle that runs alongside my elbow.  It just feels tight, so think I may have pulled that when my arm slipped while doing an exercise where I put my weight on my arms, leaning against the backrest, pulling my knees up.  Great ab workout I am told.  A while before the ab flab is gone though!  Wonder how much weight loss I need before I can work my abs into a sixpack.

I better go post my food diary for today!

Today I slept in again.  In my defence, the neighbours had a very loud party until 3am.  First thing I did was go for my daily morning walk to and around Victoria Park.  Once again, no homeless people in sight, as the park was full of cricket games!

I push myself pretty hard on the walks – aiming for a brisk pace.  Soon I will replace walking with running (hopefully when I wobble a little less).  I noticed the stairs seemed a bit easier today.  Maybe my fitness is starting to improve.

I am only one week into a 12 week program.  With my goal to get to a weight of 200 pounds (90kgs), I need to lose a total of 66 pounds (30kgs).  Weekly then, I need to lose 5.5 pounds or 2.5kgs per week.  I think this should be easy, and i am sure I have reached my desired weight loss this week.  Tomorrow will reveal all!

Steve, my personal trainer, tells me that 70% of results will come from diet, 15% from exercise and 15% from personal training.  Yikes.  I should take food more seriously!

OK, maybe not too seriously!

Breakfast = Porridge

Morning Tea = I just get up too late      Missed it again.

Lunch  = Fish Sandwich (salad + grilled fish from last night) between 2 x wholegrain bread

Afternoon Tea = Avocado on toast ( 2 x wholegrain)

Dinner = Same as last night (I have simple tastes!) Grilled fish + brown rice + stir-fry vege

Supper = Protein Shake

It isn’t until I write my food diary that I realise how bad I am at getting these 6 meals.  And I am not 100% sure if I am eating exactly right, but I know I am not eating too much.  On Monday, I will spend my time with Steve discussing nutrition and diet, and the best way to approach this.  Whoever thought weight loss could be so complex!