LAZINESS

I am embarrassed that the last time I wrote something was March 12 and even then I was sharing something I saw on facebook.

Lets get down to business, why have I been quiet? Well I have been kind of depressed lately about my weight gain and all my clothes not fitting. I thought to myself but, Ntsiki you preach that health and fitness is just as important for curvy girls as it is for slimmer ladies, how have you reached this point of having to wear leggings because there is no way I am buying size 46 jeans.

I decided to get up off that misery chair and do something about the weight gain if it bothered me to the point of not even being motivated to do my photography which is my first love. I even had an enjoyable photo shoot with one of our previous fashionistas Nelile (see pics below).. but I never even wrote about it.

 

 

Speaking of Nelile, she has managed to cut down on the bulge and says she couldnt be happier. She did it all through diet and exercise. She has also been an inspiration and has given me hope that I can lose the weight I gained (slowly but it can be done). These are the pics that were an inspiring surprise:

 

So my journey began on the 10th of April 2013 at 92kg, I unfortunately have not been taking photos of my progress but I will take some tomorrow morning. Today is day 16 and I have been doing ridiculous diets (thanks to desperation) and I do cardio 4 times a week and a lil bit of strength training once a week. Here is an example of what I have been up to the past 16 days (I know a lot of you reading will feel like judging and expalining how its not healthy, but url will be preaching to the choir) Right now all I want is for my clothes to fit again, which is slowly happening because I now fit into my size 44 jeans and have a little room for movement left.

 

I weighed myself last week Saturday and I weighed (that is 10 days after starting my diet) 87kg... My tummy is much much smaller and I have loads of energy. I do not know when I will weigh again because the scale and I are not the best of buddies but I will post as soon as I do.

 

Diet Basics

The first seven days are often recommended to be oatmeal only, however, following this plan, you’ll still make a significant calorie deficit, and will likely find it easier to stick to the diet if you can still have some ‘real’ food. Whole oats are the best choice on the diet. Instant oatmeal is fine in a pinch, but is processed and includes a variety of chemicals that you don’t find on the ingredient list in whole oats. The diet should last 30 days, so be sure to switch it up! Stave off boredom with different toppings, varied proteins, and eating the balanced meal at different times of day.

Two Oatmeal Meals Per Day

Twice a day, you’ll have oatmeal. Breakfast is the most appropriate, but you can decide, day to day if lunch or dinner will work better for you. You may find that you have more staying power if you make your lunch your balanced meal, but either meal is just fine. Choose one of these for each of the two meals, and it will taste new every time.

• Oatmeal with Berries: 1/2 cup of dry oatmeal will yield 1 serving. Put your oatmeal in a bowl and top with cinnamon. Add blueberries or sliced strawberries and enjoy!
• Oatmeal with Almonds: Top your 1/2 cup serving with a sprinkle of chopped almonds for a different texture and crunch. A few berries, sliced banana or a sprinkle of stevia (an herb-based sugar substitute that only has 5 calories!) will round out the flavor
• Peaches and Cream: Nectarines and peaches are at peak freshness at the end of spring, and are candy sweet. Chop one up and toss it in with your oatmeal, adding a splash of skim milk for creaminess.

Snacks

Cut up a bunch of different vegetables and leave them in the fridge. Try to have a rainbow of veggies for your snack, such as red and yellow bell pepper, carrots, celery, broccoli and cauliflower. This will please your eyes even before it pleases your stomach! Put a few of each on a plate, along with two tablespoons of light salad dressing, or, better yet, 3 tablespoons plain yogurt mixed with 1/4 tsp each of salt, dill, garlic powder and dry minced onion.
A piece of whole fruit can replace the veggies. Steer clear of the more sugar-laden fruits like melon and mango. A crunch apple or sweet orange is your best bet.

One Balanced Meal

Grill 4 oz of a lean protein choice, like chicken, fish, shrimp or tofu. For extra flavor, marinate it in a mixture of lemon juice and thinly sliced white onion. Fill half of your plate with a hearty green salad topped with tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper and a variety of greens. Serve with 1/2 cup of corn or peas, which can replace your usual starchy side dish.

I do admit to cheating especially on weekends and I did not follow the recommendations but I stuck to the basics of the diet. I will hopefully soon be sharing healthier ways to lose the weight, that I trust will be useful to anyone trying to shed kilos gained this winter because a salad on a cold day is tough to pull off... I am challenging myself to lose the weight I gained during the December holidays and continued to gain up until I decided to do something about it.