Wow, another week of the 12 week transformation challenge draws to a close. Soon I will be starting week 6, so nearly half way through the program. Weight loss this week is looking up – a quick revision of my diet has helped. By cutting down about 15-20% on my food intake, I have noticed I am a little more hungry at times! However, I still seem to have the energy needed to work out like there is no tomorrow! I have added 20 min per day cardio to my workouts – so cardio days (Tuesday.Thursday) have gone from 45 minutes to just over an hour. I add 30 minutes cardio to my workouts on Mon/Wed/Fri as well.

More Cardio for me!

My trainer wanted me to jump on the scales today, midway through my one hour session with him (on that note, get personal training if you want to see results, its better than working out alone). So on the scales I leapt, and he couldn’t quite believe the results. Almost 2kg (4.5 pounds!!)) since Monday at 2pm. Wow. Given last week I barely lost a pound (0.5 kg), it looks like my body has stepped up a gear. I so know what it must feel like for contestants on the Biggest Loser when they hit a wall. And when they burst through it and pull out the big results. So looks like weight loss is well on track meaning no yellow line for me! hehe.

I feel really good this week, even if slightly hungry. It is nice walking down the street and not feeling self conscious about my weight. I no longer feel people are looking and me and silently passing judgement. Ah, the paranoia of the over weight. How I miss it…NOT!

Take Care out there, and if you have started a program, stick with it, it gets easier every day.  Eat well, it helps!

I hate that the gym I go to is closed on the weekends.  I know my pass allows me to use any of their other gyms, but I guess I like the one I go to and won’t feel comfortable in another gym…or is that just an excuse?  I don’t think it is an excuse, as I have no issue going to the gym 5 days a week.  Anyway, I enjoy the weekends as I do more walking – today I walked a total of 70 minutes and included a couple of stair climbs in that.  Weekly weigh in is on Monday, so hopefully I can maintain the weight loss, I know I have worked harder this week than any other week previous.

As for my diet – food on Saturday was a bit under what I should have had because I went out on Saturday after I had afternoon tea and came home far too late for dinner, so I skipped dinner *GASP*  Hope that doesn’t upset my metabolism, which seems to be humming along at a great rate of knots!

Saturday’s food:

• Breakfast = Porridge
• Morning Tea = skipped
• Lunch = Tuna + salad – 2 x sandwiches (4 x wholegrain bread)
• Afternoon Tea = Apple
• Dinner = OH DEAR….
• Supper = Protein Shake

Isn’t Friday night meant to be junk food night?  What a stupid rule that is.  I have come to understand that food really does have a massive impact on our lives.  It isn’t just the weight you put on when eating bad.  Nor is it the guilt after a quick short term pleasure binge where the negative emotion afterward far outweigh the brief ‘pleasure’ gained.  It is more fundamental than that.  We are indeed what we eat.  And eating poorly affects your mood, your skin, your state of mind, your level of happiness, your outlook on life, your motivation.  I feel so good right now.

Something inside me has changed.  The idea of ‘treating’ myself to bad food seems crazy to me.  Why would I want to pollute my body and go back to feeling the way I did?  Overall, I feel much better now than the fake pleasure (comfort?) from eating bad.  I guess before I was stressed, worked very long hours, and eating was a pleasant distraction.  Now, I am relaxed, happy, and see food for what it is – life.  And the quality of that life depends entirely on the quality of that food.  So no more bad food!

no more bad food!

Food today:

• Breakfast = porridge
• Morning Tea = banana + protein shake (after gym workout, need protein!)
• Lunch = Tuna (canned) + 2 x wholegrain toast + lite cottage cheese
• Afternoon Tea = Apple + low fat plain unsweetened yoghurt mixed with protein powder
• Dinner = Baked Snapper + brown rice + salad
• Supper = Protein Shake

Food was:

Breakfast = porridge

Morning Tea = SKIP

Lunch = Salad + 2 x wholegrain bread + Baked Salmon

Afternoon Tea = Apple

Dinner = Baked Salmon + Brown rice + brussel sprouts + broccoli + salad

Supper = was going to be protein shake but I forgot!  GASP.

As mentioned in my previous post, I really felt like I hit a wall today (and blasted through it!).  I wonder if it was because I went to bed so late the night (morning!) before – 3am, so I got up late which blew my usual routine/timing out of the water.  So I had breakfast just before 11am.  However, despite that pushing all my meals back a little, I finished the day not too far behind schedule and still managed 5 meals.

Maybe I should get one of these...

• Breakfast = Porridge
• Morning Tea = what morning?
• Lunch = brown rice + stirfry vege + egg x 2
• Afternoon Tea = Apple + banana
• Dinner = Salmon (baked + stirfry + brown rice (yes, left over from lunch!)
• Supper = Protein Shake

I have SPIN class at 1.15pm tomorrow so better eat at normal times so I don’t die on the bike!

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

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)

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!

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!

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!

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!

Breakfast = Porridge

Morning Tea = SKIP

Lunch = 2 x Wholegrain bread + lite cottage cheese + tuna + plum

Afternoon Tea = Banana, Blueberries, Salad

Dinner = Grilled Fish + Stirfry Vege + 1 cup brown rice

Supper = Protein Shake

Getting six meals a day is a huge challenge!  Before starting this 12week transformation challenge, I would just eat whenever, usually whatever was quick and convenient.  Now, I struggle to get 5, let alone 6 meals in.

I must admit, six meals a day is hard when you are eating the right food.  So far I only seem to be able to manage five.  I guess I could get up earlier, but where is the fun in that?!

Breakfast = porridge + 1 scoop of protein powder in water

Morning Tea = Two x wholegrain toast with cottage cheese (lite) and canned salmon (yes, I love salmon!)

Lunch = 1 cup of brown rice + salad + can of tuna

Afternoon Tea = missed this one …

Dinner = 4 eggs (only one yolk) scrambled + baby carrots  and green beans (raw)

Supper = Protein Shake (2 scoops in water)

I know the importance of eating enough to fuel the body while it burns fat, but it is a challenge.  Perhaps I should plan my meals ahead a little more.  Still, I am not overly hungry, and feel pretty good at the moment.

Breakfast = natural muesli + natural yoghurt (1 cup of each).  No coffee for 3 days – slight headaches.  Guessing they are from lack of coffee given I used to drink it every day!

Gave up coffee as part of challenge. Was tough!!

Lunch (yes, I skipped morning tea because I slept in!!) = salad + can of tuna

Afternoon Tea = watermelon.  Probably not the greatest but damned nice on a hot day!

Dinner = baked Salmon (mmm) + broccoli + green beans + kumara (steamed).

Supper = Protein Shake

Interestingly, I found myself getting full at dinner before I had finished, and the portion size of my meal was significantly less than what I am used to.  So I take this as a good thing!  Yesterday I was hungry, today, I haven’t felt hungry at all (except when I first got up).  Lets hope it stays like this!

Oh yes, had about 10 glasses of water today!