Katrina and myself have decided to do a weekly food plan. There are many reasons for doing one, especially when trying to lose weight. If you plan your week in advance, it makes sure you only, or should I say mainly, eat healthy and the amounts you planned for. It also can save you money, as you know the exact quantities that you need and wont just buy on a whim.
The latter however is not always the case. It really depends on what the goal of you weekly plan is and in our case it was to eat healthy and lose weight.
The approach we took is to work on our goal and hence plan the week around healthy and 'light' meals. We split the day into 5 meal times. This is to constantly keep the body supplied with what it needs in small amounts. Not only is this good for your body, but also gets you used to eating smaller portions and to make things better we used it to combat the 5 a day issue!*
Showing posts with label Losing Weight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Losing Weight. Show all posts
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Sunday, 11 July 2010
Carbs? Fats? Salt? What and how much is good for me?
I always find myself asking this. I also find a great number of friends asking me this, now that I am on this "Health Trip" as they call it. So, I had a rough idea, but didn't know the exact details. I decided to go on the hunt and found the best site out there to help you with exactly this. Where better to go than to the UK Food Standards Agency Eatwell site?
Now, before you run over to their website and get all the information you can possibly need, be warned, their site is massive and has a huge deal of information, helpful information. You could find yourselves reading for hours. So, what I am trying to do is summaries some of the things, that I think are important to know, whether you are trying to lose weight or not.
Now, before you run over to their website and get all the information you can possibly need, be warned, their site is massive and has a huge deal of information, helpful information. You could find yourselves reading for hours. So, what I am trying to do is summaries some of the things, that I think are important to know, whether you are trying to lose weight or not.
Weigh Day 6: A busy week over
So finally this week is over. It has been really busy, and hence the posts have been bare and lacking.
But as promised, I am working on a new, most probably too long post. Initially this was to just explain calories, but I decided to rather focus on food labels and what those numbers mean etc, but more to that in that actual post.
Well, with no further ado, I would like to announce that I have finally lost another kilogram. I haven't been particularly good this weekend, but have been doing my sport. Either way, I am chuffed!
Anyway, I will keep this post short, as the next one (out in about 30 mins) will be quite long!
Pierre
But as promised, I am working on a new, most probably too long post. Initially this was to just explain calories, but I decided to rather focus on food labels and what those numbers mean etc, but more to that in that actual post.
Well, with no further ado, I would like to announce that I have finally lost another kilogram. I haven't been particularly good this weekend, but have been doing my sport. Either way, I am chuffed!
Anyway, I will keep this post short, as the next one (out in about 30 mins) will be quite long!
Pierre
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
5 Tips that have helped me to lose weight so far
Right, I know I haven't lost a massive amount yet, nor am I anywhere near my target, but I have noticed some things that have helped me so far and thought it might be worth mentioning, especially as I do want to help other people, not just myself!
Tip 1: Eat Consciously
I saw some bloke on TV many months back, who said he could think you thin. In other words, he would drill it into you. He had 3 or 4 rules, I can't really remember, but the one that I thought was the most obvious one and falls in common sense was that you should eat consciously. In other words, eat until you are no longer hungry and not till you are full. This might seem easy, but it is actually really hard. I struggle with this the most and often have to catch myself trying to have second helpings and then have to think: "I actually don't need this". To stop at that point is very difficult, but just doing that, I have noticed I eat way less.
Tip 2: Know what you are eating
Calories and Fats, our friends and enemies. We need both, just not too much of either of them. A few weeks back I wrote a post about this app I downloaded on my iPhone to help me keep track of what I eat and the calories I consume and burn. Well it worked for a week. I am just not organized and disciplined enough to do this. If you have doubts whether you can do it, try it at least for a week. The very least it will do, is make you aware of how many calories and fats are in what type of food. Again, this might seem obvious, but in actual fact is anything but.
For example, a bowl of Crunchy Nut clusters or Kelloggs Frosties has about the same calories as a Big Mac, which is part of proper meal. Same goes for Cerial bars. Mike mentioned to me that the light, healthy bars, like the Special K bar (http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/products/viewproduct.aspx?id=435), are higher in calories than say the Coco bars (http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/products/viewproduct.aspx?id=435).
Fair enough only slightly, but they are the ones you should eat if you want to lose weight?
The point is, look at the labels, see what is good for you and buy and eat wise. Don't count and weigh if you don't want to, just keep an eye out. If there is something with less Cals and Fats, try getting that. Worst case you don't like it and can buy your preferred product next time.
Tip 3: Don't replace your favourites
Right, this is a tough one. In the past I have tried a few things to lose weight including some diets. My personal problem with them is that they always say things like: "Avoid Cheese! It is really bad!" and "Red meats are evil!" etc etc. The thing is that this is absolutely not true. Meat is high in protein and cheese is high in calcium and has cultures we need, just to mention a few things. Now, the reality is, that these are the most fatty and calorie rich products you can get (bar nuts, they are quite hight as well, but the average person eats less of these). The thing is, that I refuse to totally cut these out. I simply cut them down. I see cheese more of a treat and add less than I did before as I am not stupid and know it is not the healthiest. Its a difficult balance to keep, but if you do, can keep you happy and let you shed the pounds. So don't stop eating what you like, jsut less and as a reward. And then try not to pig out like I have. :)
Tip 4: Give fruit a chance
Ok, this I know for a fact, is most fat peoples biggest problem. Even thought they say things like "I will eat fruit, but am not a big fan of vegetables..." they lie. Fruit is definetally the least "enjoyed" and/or consumed between the 2. Why? Because vegetables are cooked and you can add salt (That last part is just my personal theory). Again, the problem is that people will eat Fruits instead of a meal. Lunches especially and this is bad! Yes, especially when you start. Your body is also set in a routine and if you suddenly substitute something with something completely different, you are bound to get reactions. I learned this the hard way. I decided to replace lunch with just fruit and well that did not last long. I was starving and oh boy my bowels. Not just did I feel hungry afterwards, but I soon liked the taste and idea of fruit. What I have done this time, is eat fruit with my meals. So have a peach instead of that second sandwich at lunch. Have and apple mid afternoon. So rather than replace anything, I added it in.
Also, try some 'exotic' fruits as most people will eat apples and bananas as these are in season all year round, but seasonal fruit should not be forgotten. Here are some ideas on fruit that I found actually taste quite all right: Appricots, Peaches, Grapes, Pineapple (Chop it up at home the night before), Mango (again prep before hand. It really takes 5 minutes)
Now this might have not helped with the weightloss directly, but surely it has made me healthier!
Tip 5: Publicly humiliate yourself
Now this sounds harsh, but the biggest motivation for all of this is the fact that I have publicly admitted my weight and tell everyone what I consume on a daily basis. This is hard, especially being honest, as at the end of the day you feel like you are being judged and you are openly admitting to your problem. Now, this is something not everyone is comfortable with, but the amount of times, I was about to have McDonald's or a glass of coke or any unhealthy fatty meal and have subsequently thought to myself: "Oh I can't put this on my blog... Sh*t!" and then put decided against it, is now reaching close to a 100 I am sure. The fact is, if you are ashamed or embarrassed, you will either lie or do something about it. So just don't lie and do that something. Once you have admitted you have a problem, it gets easier, as now you can be proud that you know you have a problem and are willing to do something about it and fix it.
Right, if anyone has questions, comment, opinions of any kind or just wants to moan at me, please do so below :)
Pierre
Tip 1: Eat Consciously
I saw some bloke on TV many months back, who said he could think you thin. In other words, he would drill it into you. He had 3 or 4 rules, I can't really remember, but the one that I thought was the most obvious one and falls in common sense was that you should eat consciously. In other words, eat until you are no longer hungry and not till you are full. This might seem easy, but it is actually really hard. I struggle with this the most and often have to catch myself trying to have second helpings and then have to think: "I actually don't need this". To stop at that point is very difficult, but just doing that, I have noticed I eat way less.
Tip 2: Know what you are eating
Calories and Fats, our friends and enemies. We need both, just not too much of either of them. A few weeks back I wrote a post about this app I downloaded on my iPhone to help me keep track of what I eat and the calories I consume and burn. Well it worked for a week. I am just not organized and disciplined enough to do this. If you have doubts whether you can do it, try it at least for a week. The very least it will do, is make you aware of how many calories and fats are in what type of food. Again, this might seem obvious, but in actual fact is anything but.
For example, a bowl of Crunchy Nut clusters or Kelloggs Frosties has about the same calories as a Big Mac, which is part of proper meal. Same goes for Cerial bars. Mike mentioned to me that the light, healthy bars, like the Special K bar (http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/products/viewproduct.aspx?id=435), are higher in calories than say the Coco bars (http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/products/viewproduct.aspx?id=435).
Fair enough only slightly, but they are the ones you should eat if you want to lose weight?
The point is, look at the labels, see what is good for you and buy and eat wise. Don't count and weigh if you don't want to, just keep an eye out. If there is something with less Cals and Fats, try getting that. Worst case you don't like it and can buy your preferred product next time.
Tip 3: Don't replace your favourites
Right, this is a tough one. In the past I have tried a few things to lose weight including some diets. My personal problem with them is that they always say things like: "Avoid Cheese! It is really bad!" and "Red meats are evil!" etc etc. The thing is that this is absolutely not true. Meat is high in protein and cheese is high in calcium and has cultures we need, just to mention a few things. Now, the reality is, that these are the most fatty and calorie rich products you can get (bar nuts, they are quite hight as well, but the average person eats less of these). The thing is, that I refuse to totally cut these out. I simply cut them down. I see cheese more of a treat and add less than I did before as I am not stupid and know it is not the healthiest. Its a difficult balance to keep, but if you do, can keep you happy and let you shed the pounds. So don't stop eating what you like, jsut less and as a reward. And then try not to pig out like I have. :)
Tip 4: Give fruit a chance
Ok, this I know for a fact, is most fat peoples biggest problem. Even thought they say things like "I will eat fruit, but am not a big fan of vegetables..." they lie. Fruit is definetally the least "enjoyed" and/or consumed between the 2. Why? Because vegetables are cooked and you can add salt (That last part is just my personal theory). Again, the problem is that people will eat Fruits instead of a meal. Lunches especially and this is bad! Yes, especially when you start. Your body is also set in a routine and if you suddenly substitute something with something completely different, you are bound to get reactions. I learned this the hard way. I decided to replace lunch with just fruit and well that did not last long. I was starving and oh boy my bowels. Not just did I feel hungry afterwards, but I soon liked the taste and idea of fruit. What I have done this time, is eat fruit with my meals. So have a peach instead of that second sandwich at lunch. Have and apple mid afternoon. So rather than replace anything, I added it in.
Also, try some 'exotic' fruits as most people will eat apples and bananas as these are in season all year round, but seasonal fruit should not be forgotten. Here are some ideas on fruit that I found actually taste quite all right: Appricots, Peaches, Grapes, Pineapple (Chop it up at home the night before), Mango (again prep before hand. It really takes 5 minutes)
Now this might have not helped with the weightloss directly, but surely it has made me healthier!
Tip 5: Publicly humiliate yourself
Now this sounds harsh, but the biggest motivation for all of this is the fact that I have publicly admitted my weight and tell everyone what I consume on a daily basis. This is hard, especially being honest, as at the end of the day you feel like you are being judged and you are openly admitting to your problem. Now, this is something not everyone is comfortable with, but the amount of times, I was about to have McDonald's or a glass of coke or any unhealthy fatty meal and have subsequently thought to myself: "Oh I can't put this on my blog... Sh*t!" and then put decided against it, is now reaching close to a 100 I am sure. The fact is, if you are ashamed or embarrassed, you will either lie or do something about it. So just don't lie and do that something. Once you have admitted you have a problem, it gets easier, as now you can be proud that you know you have a problem and are willing to do something about it and fix it.
Right, if anyone has questions, comment, opinions of any kind or just wants to moan at me, please do so below :)
Pierre
Thursday, 24 June 2010
Day 19: The definition in the leg
So, after a day of working with vectors, matrices and quaternions*, I was quite happy to go to the gym and do my 30 minutes of Cardio and multiple weights exercises.
Luckily I had Frankie Boyles company on my trusty iPhone and could keep me occupied while running 3 km on the boring Crosstrainer. A word of warning, Frankie Boyle is quite rude, right up there with Andrew Dice Clay and Jimmy Carr.
Anyway, during my quick shower between the halves of Germany's great win against Ghana, I noticed my leg. My calf to be more exact. Now let me explain. Being a proud kind of person, I always believed I had strong legs. After all they had to carry all of me around (You try lifting anything above 100kg). My calves always seem to be quite solid, but while bending over in an attempt to get myself clean, I actually noticed some definition on my leg and I don't mean in the shape of a melon (like they used to be), but you can actually see some muscle shape like those guys in the movies that all the girls like.
This might all sound funny or weird, but its small things like this that keep people like me going! You lucky I didn't submit a picture :P
Anyway I need to get back to work!
Pierre
* If these terms are unknown to you or you only have a vague idea of what they are, imagine the worst equation you have ever solved and multiply its difficulty by 1000. That is how complicated it is to grasp these and afterwards they make you feel like an idiot, as you should really know how they work and the headache you have is just due to you being lazy. At least that is how they made me feel.
Breakfast: Muesli
Lunch: Left over Veggie Pasta
Dinner: Chicken Tortillas
Other: N/A
Luckily I had Frankie Boyles company on my trusty iPhone and could keep me occupied while running 3 km on the boring Crosstrainer. A word of warning, Frankie Boyle is quite rude, right up there with Andrew Dice Clay and Jimmy Carr.
Anyway, during my quick shower between the halves of Germany's great win against Ghana, I noticed my leg. My calf to be more exact. Now let me explain. Being a proud kind of person, I always believed I had strong legs. After all they had to carry all of me around (You try lifting anything above 100kg). My calves always seem to be quite solid, but while bending over in an attempt to get myself clean, I actually noticed some definition on my leg and I don't mean in the shape of a melon (like they used to be), but you can actually see some muscle shape like those guys in the movies that all the girls like.
This might all sound funny or weird, but its small things like this that keep people like me going! You lucky I didn't submit a picture :P
Anyway I need to get back to work!
Pierre
* If these terms are unknown to you or you only have a vague idea of what they are, imagine the worst equation you have ever solved and multiply its difficulty by 1000. That is how complicated it is to grasp these and afterwards they make you feel like an idiot, as you should really know how they work and the headache you have is just due to you being lazy. At least that is how they made me feel.
Breakfast: Muesli
Lunch: Left over Veggie Pasta
Dinner: Chicken Tortillas
Other: N/A
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Weigh Day 2: My new Weight, the World Cup and ThinkTank
Right, it is Weigh Day 2 and the results are in! I have lost a whopping... *drum roll here* ... 1 kg. Not much, but its a progress, especially as I am just starting out and figuring out what to cut out. Also, the whole story about when you exercise you initially gain weight etc, can be true. I never thought it would be, basically it was used as an excuse. Having done some research however, it seems that it can happen. So I have decided to start measuring myself as well. That way I have 2 methods of keeping track of my weight.
Right, Secondly, sorry about the delay in post, I have been quite busy. Friday with the world cup and yesterday I helped Katrina with her cubs at the ThinkTank museum in Birmingham.
Firstly, well done Bafana Bafana! I am really chuffed. You nearly walked away with the victory and are very unlucky. I think this is a prime example of what playing in your home country can bring. You fought hard and well and maybe, just maybe, with that amount of support you have a chance to progress. Maybe even further than the 2nd round? :)
Also, regarding England. Well, shocker. I admit, I thought you would thrash USA, but the finishing!! Still many matches to come. All I need now is Germany to win!!
ThinkTank! A Science museum in Birmingham. I had to help Katrina and the other leaders take the 46 Scouts, Beavers and Cubs to this museum. Boy can I tell you, compared to the kids, the football on Monday was a walk in the park. They where so excited and had so much fun. Personally however, I found the museum a little disappointing. Even though there where many buttons to push, none of them where geared at us adults that want to see things really happen. Most contraptions where there to show concepts, which on larger machines is ok, but on a button making machine that is the size of an oven? Can't see it actually making buttons. Also, the amount to see there was to little. At least I think so. Maybe it was more a lack of things I am interested in and in the end it is geared for kids to young adults. All in all though, I did have fun. So thanks Scouts, Beavers and Cubs.
Lastly, re the food. Yesterday was pretty good, especially as I did LOADS of walking. I think though that I need to be a little tight on portion control and will start experimenting with healthy recipes I find. It is going to be a struggle, as today we get a roast dinner. Less gravy I spose and at least we don't have crackling.
Anyway, this is quite a long post and I don't want to bore you with my life any longer, on this last day of the weekend.
Pierre
(This is for Saturday)
Breakfast: Muesli (I got some! How cool am I?)
Lunch: Cheese and onion Sandwich x 2 (made by the lovely Katrina)
Dinner: Half a portion of Chinese Chicken Chow Mein + King Prawn Dough Balls
Other: Banana, Mueller Rice
Right, Secondly, sorry about the delay in post, I have been quite busy. Friday with the world cup and yesterday I helped Katrina with her cubs at the ThinkTank museum in Birmingham.
Firstly, well done Bafana Bafana! I am really chuffed. You nearly walked away with the victory and are very unlucky. I think this is a prime example of what playing in your home country can bring. You fought hard and well and maybe, just maybe, with that amount of support you have a chance to progress. Maybe even further than the 2nd round? :)
Also, regarding England. Well, shocker. I admit, I thought you would thrash USA, but the finishing!! Still many matches to come. All I need now is Germany to win!!
ThinkTank! A Science museum in Birmingham. I had to help Katrina and the other leaders take the 46 Scouts, Beavers and Cubs to this museum. Boy can I tell you, compared to the kids, the football on Monday was a walk in the park. They where so excited and had so much fun. Personally however, I found the museum a little disappointing. Even though there where many buttons to push, none of them where geared at us adults that want to see things really happen. Most contraptions where there to show concepts, which on larger machines is ok, but on a button making machine that is the size of an oven? Can't see it actually making buttons. Also, the amount to see there was to little. At least I think so. Maybe it was more a lack of things I am interested in and in the end it is geared for kids to young adults. All in all though, I did have fun. So thanks Scouts, Beavers and Cubs.
Lastly, re the food. Yesterday was pretty good, especially as I did LOADS of walking. I think though that I need to be a little tight on portion control and will start experimenting with healthy recipes I find. It is going to be a struggle, as today we get a roast dinner. Less gravy I spose and at least we don't have crackling.
Anyway, this is quite a long post and I don't want to bore you with my life any longer, on this last day of the weekend.
Pierre
(This is for Saturday)
Breakfast: Muesli (I got some! How cool am I?)
Lunch: Cheese and onion Sandwich x 2 (made by the lovely Katrina)
Dinner: Half a portion of Chinese Chicken Chow Mein + King Prawn Dough Balls
Other: Banana, Mueller Rice
Friday, 11 June 2010
Day 8: World Cup Fever
Its time people! The World Cup is here! The opening concert was amazing according to all my friends, sadly I missed it, but am sure to see it as a repeat soon. The first match is this afternoon and I can't wait to see it.
GO BAFANA BAFANA!
Re the 8th day, all went well, bar working a little late and hence not going to the gym. I will rectify this by going this afternoon, before the match.
Re the blog. I am not going to go into detail on how the dieting went every day, as mostly I just try to eat less and nothing much really happens. So unless it is a major development, I wont mention much about it. I will rather post about other relevant matters and I will also try to test some of those tips and mention more of them. I am guessing most my posts will be about the world cup for the next month or so, with progress as it happens! I will still post what I eat on a daily basis though.
Pierre
Breakfast: Crunchy Nut Clusters (its finished now!)
Lunch: Left over Bangers and mash, small portion!
Dinner: Mousakka (was nice :D, highish on calories, but I was still 1000 under maintenance amount)
Other: Nudda!
GO BAFANA BAFANA!
Re the 8th day, all went well, bar working a little late and hence not going to the gym. I will rectify this by going this afternoon, before the match.
Re the blog. I am not going to go into detail on how the dieting went every day, as mostly I just try to eat less and nothing much really happens. So unless it is a major development, I wont mention much about it. I will rather post about other relevant matters and I will also try to test some of those tips and mention more of them. I am guessing most my posts will be about the world cup for the next month or so, with progress as it happens! I will still post what I eat on a daily basis though.
Pierre
Breakfast: Crunchy Nut Clusters (its finished now!)
Lunch: Left over Bangers and mash, small portion!
Dinner: Mousakka (was nice :D, highish on calories, but I was still 1000 under maintenance amount)
Other: Nudda!
Monday, 7 June 2010
Day 5: Football pain
I am always amazed at how unfit I am. I can run on a cross trainer for 30 minutes (ok maybe jog), but put me on a football field and 2 or 3 rushes to the opposing teams goals and back and I am so out of breath, that I can't wait to be put in goal or am happy to defend for a while. Although, that said, we need to learn to defend, we got totally annihilated. Lost 5 - 1.
I have been watching what I eat using my new iPhone app and am quite shocked how certain things actually contain quite a large number of calories. All I am saying is, thank god I had football or else this day would have gone into the worst day sofar. And no, it is not due to me eating that bad, just what I ate. Spaghetti bolognese is way higher on cals than I thought and I had 2 helpings! Thank god the hour football countered them, but from now on I really think I need to have a better look before we eat. I suppose not all home-cooked meals are good for you :).
On another note worth pondering, Katrina just mentioned I will have to start to save money. I ask her why and she pointed out that once I lose all this weight, I will need new clothes. I never actually thought of that. Now, either I find someone who can shrink my t-shirts, as there is enough fabric or I should start saving. I think I will do the latter. £25 a month enough?
Anyway, now that my legs are in pain, I will have to retreat for the night!
Thanks again for reading,
Pierre
Breakfast: Crunchy Nut Clusters
Lunch: Wholemeal Roll with cheese
Dinner: 2 portions of Speg Bog (BAD BOY!)
Other: Yoghurt and Banana (just a half though, it was half off. I hate when that happens, ruins the whole experience!)
I have been watching what I eat using my new iPhone app and am quite shocked how certain things actually contain quite a large number of calories. All I am saying is, thank god I had football or else this day would have gone into the worst day sofar. And no, it is not due to me eating that bad, just what I ate. Spaghetti bolognese is way higher on cals than I thought and I had 2 helpings! Thank god the hour football countered them, but from now on I really think I need to have a better look before we eat. I suppose not all home-cooked meals are good for you :).
On another note worth pondering, Katrina just mentioned I will have to start to save money. I ask her why and she pointed out that once I lose all this weight, I will need new clothes. I never actually thought of that. Now, either I find someone who can shrink my t-shirts, as there is enough fabric or I should start saving. I think I will do the latter. £25 a month enough?
Anyway, now that my legs are in pain, I will have to retreat for the night!
Thanks again for reading,
Pierre
Breakfast: Crunchy Nut Clusters
Lunch: Wholemeal Roll with cheese
Dinner: 2 portions of Speg Bog (BAD BOY!)
Other: Yoghurt and Banana (just a half though, it was half off. I hate when that happens, ruins the whole experience!)
MyNetDiary iPhone app
I purchased an app on my iPhone last night. I was browsing for apps to help me with my goal and my work outs. I stumbled across this app. It basically helps you track what you eat and what exercise you do and works out roughly how many calories you are burning etc.
Normally I wouldn't go for an app like this at all, but it is so easy to use and a real eye opener. It gives me a good idea on the amount of input vs output. The main feature being that you can enter your goal and it gives you a recommended target calories you need to save per day. Also, it flags warnings when you over do other substances such as saturated fats and salts and such. These are just a few of the options, plus the food database is huge and should some food or recipe not be in it you can add it. You can even combine items to make new recipes.
They have a full web service that you get access to, but for its full functionality you need to pay monthly. For me, the iPhone app will do.
All in all I find it really cool and when I say easy to use, I mean it. Plus I love stats!
Pierre
Normally I wouldn't go for an app like this at all, but it is so easy to use and a real eye opener. It gives me a good idea on the amount of input vs output. The main feature being that you can enter your goal and it gives you a recommended target calories you need to save per day. Also, it flags warnings when you over do other substances such as saturated fats and salts and such. These are just a few of the options, plus the food database is huge and should some food or recipe not be in it you can add it. You can even combine items to make new recipes.
They have a full web service that you get access to, but for its full functionality you need to pay monthly. For me, the iPhone app will do.
All in all I find it really cool and when I say easy to use, I mean it. Plus I love stats!
Pierre
Sunday, 6 June 2010
Day 4 - Weigh Day
So, today is the first Weigh Day and as expected nothing has changed. I say nothing, I have quite a few pains from the gym yesterday. Seriously though, my weight has changed but only by a few 100 grams and as we all know your body weight can change up to 2 kgs in the course of one day. Hence I will not be updating the weight section unless its more than a kg. My goal is to at least lose 1 by next Sunday :).
On a brighter note, Katrina and myself have resisted the urge to eat unhealthy. After only having had a break fast and no lunch, we where very tempted to just grab a take out (McD's of all) to have while we watched SoccerAid. I am however, happy to announce that we overcame the urge (even if I had to prise the car keys from Katrina's hands, just kidding) and we had a salad and a roll instead! I have to admit though, that we each had a handful of jelly beans later in the evening, but I am never the less proud of us!
Other than that, we had quite a relaxing day and are ready to face work tomorrow! I think!
Anyway, I will keep this a short post and say good night now.
Pierre
P.S. Congratulation to the Rest of the World team for winning SoccerAid! Go Woody!
Breakfast: Bacon and Egg Samis (2 of them, but open)
Lunch: N/A
Dinner: Salad and Whole meal roll
Other: Popcorn, Jellymeans (handfull)
On a brighter note, Katrina and myself have resisted the urge to eat unhealthy. After only having had a break fast and no lunch, we where very tempted to just grab a take out (McD's of all) to have while we watched SoccerAid. I am however, happy to announce that we overcame the urge (even if I had to prise the car keys from Katrina's hands, just kidding) and we had a salad and a roll instead! I have to admit though, that we each had a handful of jelly beans later in the evening, but I am never the less proud of us!
Other than that, we had quite a relaxing day and are ready to face work tomorrow! I think!
Anyway, I will keep this a short post and say good night now.
Pierre
P.S. Congratulation to the Rest of the World team for winning SoccerAid! Go Woody!
Breakfast: Bacon and Egg Samis (2 of them, but open)
Lunch: N/A
Dinner: Salad and Whole meal roll
Other: Popcorn, Jellymeans (handfull)
Saturday, 5 June 2010
Day 3 - The programme
Hey!
I actually managed to get to the gym on time (even got my car washed before) and I was ready and fit to get a programme for the coming weeks/months. NO ONE told me that I would actually be taken through some of the things I have to do!!
The trainer was quite nice, but I feel bad as I, for the life of me, can't remember his name! He was very friendly, a bit young though and I kind of got the impression he was intimidated by me (the way a youngster gets intimidated by an adult :/). We went through the goals, likes and dislikes etc... Then he suddenly says, "Right, warm up on the Cross Trainer while I write up a programme for you...". Ten minutes on the Cross Trainer and sitting on 5 or 6 Weight machines (pushing weights clearly meant for strong fat people) later, I was the proud owner of a programme (one that I had to leave at the gym and hence can't remember the names of the weight machines, I will have to take a picture of it so I can post them there).
The rest of the day was just a nice relaxing day, having a real braai (barbecue) with friends. Regarding the food, I did good. Everyone else had éclairs and trifle I had a bag of cherries. You gotta love cherry season!
Other than that, nothing too mayor to report. I have however decided to make Sundays the weight day. I will weigh myself every Sunday and put up a special post etc about it. So, tomorrow we find out if I have gained or lost any weight. I doubt much will have changed in these few days, but we will see.
That's all for today, cheers!
Pierre
Breakfast: 2 slices of toast and COFFEE!
Lunch: Braai, 2 pork chops, 1 Sausage, some salad, pap and bredie (a South African thing, made from maize, similar to polenta, served with a tomatoe based sauce)
Dinner: Left over stir fry (not exciting, but I hate waste)
Other: Bag of really expensive cherries (I swear the price tag at M&S said £3.00 not £5.00, but they where damn nice), 2 x Strongbow
I actually managed to get to the gym on time (even got my car washed before) and I was ready and fit to get a programme for the coming weeks/months. NO ONE told me that I would actually be taken through some of the things I have to do!!
The trainer was quite nice, but I feel bad as I, for the life of me, can't remember his name! He was very friendly, a bit young though and I kind of got the impression he was intimidated by me (the way a youngster gets intimidated by an adult :/). We went through the goals, likes and dislikes etc... Then he suddenly says, "Right, warm up on the Cross Trainer while I write up a programme for you...". Ten minutes on the Cross Trainer and sitting on 5 or 6 Weight machines (pushing weights clearly meant for strong fat people) later, I was the proud owner of a programme (one that I had to leave at the gym and hence can't remember the names of the weight machines, I will have to take a picture of it so I can post them there).
The rest of the day was just a nice relaxing day, having a real braai (barbecue) with friends. Regarding the food, I did good. Everyone else had éclairs and trifle I had a bag of cherries. You gotta love cherry season!
Other than that, nothing too mayor to report. I have however decided to make Sundays the weight day. I will weigh myself every Sunday and put up a special post etc about it. So, tomorrow we find out if I have gained or lost any weight. I doubt much will have changed in these few days, but we will see.
That's all for today, cheers!
Pierre
Breakfast: 2 slices of toast and COFFEE!
Lunch: Braai, 2 pork chops, 1 Sausage, some salad, pap and bredie (a South African thing, made from maize, similar to polenta, served with a tomatoe based sauce)
Dinner: Left over stir fry (not exciting, but I hate waste)
Other: Bag of really expensive cherries (I swear the price tag at M&S said £3.00 not £5.00, but they where damn nice), 2 x Strongbow
Friday, 4 June 2010
Day 2 - Pizza :/
Well day 2 has passed and well so far progress in not visible, but what did you expect?
I must admit, today was quite a bit less healthy. I had, what I consider a normal breakfast (cereal) and lunch (cheese and ham Sami + Cup of soup). The problem will have been the dinner. We decided on pizza! But alas, before you all have a go at me, it was all home made and I made sure it was not over loaded as I have done in the past.
I am sure I could have done better, but as I told Katrina, I don't want to starve myself straight away. I want to concentrate on eating healthier and more active and then I will work on the quantities (odd treats allowed or?). I am sure that tomorrow I will get some more tips at the gym.
Talking of tips, thanks for all your help. Quite a few of you have given me some tips, from only eating salad for a year (my gran) to drinking cold water within 30 minutes of getting up, as mentioned below by Neil. Some I will obviously try and some obviously not! There are also some that I would like to research. I think I have a good understanding of healthy foods and what is good for you and what not so, as well as how the human body works. I am no expert, not by a long shot, but paying attention in school paid off and some common sense goes a long way.
That said, I will research more (thanks to my good friend Google) and should I find anything worth mentioning re health and weight and such, I will post it here. Either by just adding a link and mentioning it in a post or if important/interesting enough, write a whole post about it.
I think once I find a good article on fats (saturated fats, health fats etc) I will post it here (on the right). I fear many people avoid fat in meats and foods like the plague, but like with most things, in moderation it can be good for you.
Anyway, its late and I am tired and I have to make the gym by 11 a.m. after getting the car washed!
Thanks for reading so far,
Pierre
Breakfast: Cereal (Crunchy nut clusters - Lisa, I know they are not as good as muesli, but they got to go!)
Lunch: Cheese and Ham Sami - non toasted + Cup of Soup*
Dinner: Home made Pizza
Other: Yoghurt, Banana, Jam Doughnut (I blame Giles for bringing them into the office and Rich for giving me one)
* If you ever want a good cup of soup, get the Ainsley range. They just amazing! Avoid the French Onion though! Like most things French, it isn't very nice! (http://www.ainsley-harriott.co.uk/)
I must admit, today was quite a bit less healthy. I had, what I consider a normal breakfast (cereal) and lunch (cheese and ham Sami + Cup of soup). The problem will have been the dinner. We decided on pizza! But alas, before you all have a go at me, it was all home made and I made sure it was not over loaded as I have done in the past.
I am sure I could have done better, but as I told Katrina, I don't want to starve myself straight away. I want to concentrate on eating healthier and more active and then I will work on the quantities (odd treats allowed or?). I am sure that tomorrow I will get some more tips at the gym.
Talking of tips, thanks for all your help. Quite a few of you have given me some tips, from only eating salad for a year (my gran) to drinking cold water within 30 minutes of getting up, as mentioned below by Neil. Some I will obviously try and some obviously not! There are also some that I would like to research. I think I have a good understanding of healthy foods and what is good for you and what not so, as well as how the human body works. I am no expert, not by a long shot, but paying attention in school paid off and some common sense goes a long way.
That said, I will research more (thanks to my good friend Google) and should I find anything worth mentioning re health and weight and such, I will post it here. Either by just adding a link and mentioning it in a post or if important/interesting enough, write a whole post about it.
I think once I find a good article on fats (saturated fats, health fats etc) I will post it here (on the right). I fear many people avoid fat in meats and foods like the plague, but like with most things, in moderation it can be good for you.
Anyway, its late and I am tired and I have to make the gym by 11 a.m. after getting the car washed!
Thanks for reading so far,
Pierre
Breakfast: Cereal (Crunchy nut clusters - Lisa, I know they are not as good as muesli, but they got to go!)
Lunch: Cheese and Ham Sami - non toasted + Cup of Soup*
Dinner: Home made Pizza
Other: Yoghurt, Banana, Jam Doughnut (I blame Giles for bringing them into the office and Rich for giving me one)
* If you ever want a good cup of soup, get the Ainsley range. They just amazing! Avoid the French Onion though! Like most things French, it isn't very nice! (http://www.ainsley-harriott.co.uk/)
Thursday, 3 June 2010
First day down, 364 to go!
Well the first day is over. Only a slight change in weight, but I decided I will only update the stats once it is more than a kg.
So far so good, I didn't eat any more than I needed too, even though my helping for dinner was probably much larger than it really needed to be. I think it was quite healthyish.
Also went to the gym as planned with Simon (my gym buddy and motivator). Did the usual CrossTrainer-Stretch-Row-Weights-CrossTrainer routine we seem to have been doing. I did however ask to see a trainer at the gym to work out a programme for myself. It is Saturday 11 am. Someone remind me.
Other than that, a normal real busy day at work.
Breakfast: Large bowl of Crunchy Clusters
Lunch: Cup of soup with Riveta crackers (5 of them)
Dinner: Large (sadly) plate of home-made stir-fry with Chinese egg noodles ( I need to check how good these are for you, they sure taste nice)
Other: Yoghurt, Banana, smallish block of cheese (I was hungry ok?)
Thats about it,
Pierre
So far so good, I didn't eat any more than I needed too, even though my helping for dinner was probably much larger than it really needed to be. I think it was quite healthyish.
Also went to the gym as planned with Simon (my gym buddy and motivator). Did the usual CrossTrainer-Stretch-Row-Weights-CrossTrainer routine we seem to have been doing. I did however ask to see a trainer at the gym to work out a programme for myself. It is Saturday 11 am. Someone remind me.
Other than that, a normal real busy day at work.
Breakfast: Large bowl of Crunchy Clusters
Lunch: Cup of soup with Riveta crackers (5 of them)
Dinner: Large (sadly) plate of home-made stir-fry with Chinese egg noodles ( I need to check how good these are for you, they sure taste nice)
Other: Yoghurt, Banana, smallish block of cheese (I was hungry ok?)
Thats about it,
Pierre
It all starts here
Well,
I have just published the blog and am officially starting now. I will send this link around to friends and family in a second, so no backing out now!
Please check out the "What is this all about?" and "The Plan" Section.
I will most probably post more than once in the next few days, you know, new blog syndrome. Should I slack off, let me know!
Pierre
I have just published the blog and am officially starting now. I will send this link around to friends and family in a second, so no backing out now!
Please check out the "What is this all about?" and "The Plan" Section.
I will most probably post more than once in the next few days, you know, new blog syndrome. Should I slack off, let me know!
Pierre
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