I must confess that for at least 7 days I have been doing the wrong things. If I am to blame it on something, it would be the fact that I have had my triggers, stress and finances, in abundance. If I search within myself... I guess I just gave in.
But I'm retracing my steps...
Chili!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Back To The Future!
Hi!
It's been a while, hasn't it? Like I said in an earlier post, I felt myself slipping on this diet thing, and I needed to withdraw and re-strategise, because, believe it or not, this is a war I am on. LOL. The thing is that I finally recognised that my trigger was stress and anxiety. When I am in a situation that seems out of my control, I overeat -I am a bit of a control freak. The problem was that I had no idea what to substitute eating/ binging with. So that's why I needed the break. Thanks, in part, to an online motivator that I subscribe to, I've been able to work through my feelings and feeding, and I have come quite far; but it's still a work in progress.
But damn! I was going to regale you with my fantastic feat today, and the reason behind it, in that order, only to find out when I got home, that my pedometer had fallen off my shoe. (That's what you get for power-walking on busy, dark roads without attaching your pedometer to your shoe straps. Hindsight is 20/20 vision.) So I can't tell you how many km or miles I walked, or how many calories I burned, but I can tell you that I walked 30 mins or thereabouts. And that's a feat for me, cos I hate walking. Or used to.
The point of this post is this: I now totally understand two fundamental issues in weight loss. The first is the idea that, the reason you are overweight, or that you eat indiscriminately, is not just because of food; that there is an underlying, deeper reason - in most people. The second is that you must find exercise that you enjoy, or find ways to make your exercise enjoyable. I realised during my 'retreat' that I will always have issues, problems, challenges that will make me anxious: I just had to find a way to get through them which does not include high sugar or high carbs. Presently, that solution involves a long walk with my ITouch, a nice, cute, comfortable outfit, and my pedometer. As I walk I mull over the issue or I pray- my other method of dealing with my issues. ( Most of the time I am too busy enjoying the music on my IPod, the cool night air, and the adrenalin to remember any issues. I regularly download exotic, and rare music that appeals to me, and the walk is my place to listen to and enjoy them.)
A final thing I have learnt on this journey, is that I can't do everything at once. When I began the healthy living regimen, I dedicated myself to having a cut-off time for my eating (8pm), exercising, cutting out my usual fattening treats, eating healthy food only, taking my daily multivitamins, etc. It worked but I was gradually overwhelmed. I have now learnt to take a goal a week and stick to only that. If it is eating no later than 8pm, dedicate yourself to that for one week, chart your progress everyday, and move onto another one next week. That's what I am doing now. This week's is to exercise everyday, save one. And today I did the excuse- busting workout, and I walked 30 minutes. So;
Day 1
Exercised today
How ya living?
Chili!
PS:
I tried on a previously, VEEERRRY tight, belt today, and it was almost too loose. Yippeee!!!!
It's been a while, hasn't it? Like I said in an earlier post, I felt myself slipping on this diet thing, and I needed to withdraw and re-strategise, because, believe it or not, this is a war I am on. LOL. The thing is that I finally recognised that my trigger was stress and anxiety. When I am in a situation that seems out of my control, I overeat -I am a bit of a control freak. The problem was that I had no idea what to substitute eating/ binging with. So that's why I needed the break. Thanks, in part, to an online motivator that I subscribe to, I've been able to work through my feelings and feeding, and I have come quite far; but it's still a work in progress.
But damn! I was going to regale you with my fantastic feat today, and the reason behind it, in that order, only to find out when I got home, that my pedometer had fallen off my shoe. (That's what you get for power-walking on busy, dark roads without attaching your pedometer to your shoe straps. Hindsight is 20/20 vision.) So I can't tell you how many km or miles I walked, or how many calories I burned, but I can tell you that I walked 30 mins or thereabouts. And that's a feat for me, cos I hate walking. Or used to.
The point of this post is this: I now totally understand two fundamental issues in weight loss. The first is the idea that, the reason you are overweight, or that you eat indiscriminately, is not just because of food; that there is an underlying, deeper reason - in most people. The second is that you must find exercise that you enjoy, or find ways to make your exercise enjoyable. I realised during my 'retreat' that I will always have issues, problems, challenges that will make me anxious: I just had to find a way to get through them which does not include high sugar or high carbs. Presently, that solution involves a long walk with my ITouch, a nice, cute, comfortable outfit, and my pedometer. As I walk I mull over the issue or I pray- my other method of dealing with my issues. ( Most of the time I am too busy enjoying the music on my IPod, the cool night air, and the adrenalin to remember any issues. I regularly download exotic, and rare music that appeals to me, and the walk is my place to listen to and enjoy them.)
A final thing I have learnt on this journey, is that I can't do everything at once. When I began the healthy living regimen, I dedicated myself to having a cut-off time for my eating (8pm), exercising, cutting out my usual fattening treats, eating healthy food only, taking my daily multivitamins, etc. It worked but I was gradually overwhelmed. I have now learnt to take a goal a week and stick to only that. If it is eating no later than 8pm, dedicate yourself to that for one week, chart your progress everyday, and move onto another one next week. That's what I am doing now. This week's is to exercise everyday, save one. And today I did the excuse- busting workout, and I walked 30 minutes. So;
Day 1
Exercised today
How ya living?
Chili!
PS:
I tried on a previously, VEEERRRY tight, belt today, and it was almost too loose. Yippeee!!!!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Friday. 10th April
I'm overdosed on fibre. Jeez
2.30pm
2 cobs of salted boiled corn
4pm ish
1 small piece of boiled beef
5 .01pm
beans cooked in a little oil, onions and pepper,and boiled plantain
7.10pm
The rest of the beans
2.30pm
2 cobs of salted boiled corn
4pm ish
1 small piece of boiled beef
5 .01pm
beans cooked in a little oil, onions and pepper,and boiled plantain
7.10pm
The rest of the beans
Monday, April 6, 2009
Gratitude
Sorry, I just saw these people's comments. Thanks to african weight loss diva and chari for coming to my blog.
Retraction!
You know, I never did anything to the settings on this blog, so I never realised that people were commenting on my blog. I started this blog as a way to hold myself accountable for the successes and otherwise, of my weight and diet journey, and I never imagined that anyone would give two hoots about it, considering the boring menu options. Imagine my surprise today, when I saw several comments from some of my favourite bloggers. Thank you Pam, Uzezi, anonymous gal and Solomonsydelle for visiting.
It occured to me, at some point, that someone, or some people, would be concerned about the time I ate 'breakfast', or how much I ate, but I assumed that if that person did they would ask a question. Apparently, 'they' , or rather Pam did, and I never saw it. So here's the explanation.
For the past 3 months I have not slept earlier than 3.30am. (Mostly, it's by 4 or 4.30 or 5am, but if it's too early it will be 3.30.) The reason is that, in recuperating from my ankle injury , and staying home all day, I had to find all sorts of interesting ways to entertain myself and keep busy. (Moreover, a few things were constantly on my mind, and those kept me up and thinking- but that's a discussion for grey matters and not for this blog.) As a result, the routine that keeps me up till the wee hours includes reading, writing, studying a language and watching TV. Now, I know it may seem that if I sleep by 4 or 3, I should be up by 8 or thereabouts, but I see no reason to, and my body does need its 8 hours or more. And when I wake up, I don't just jump out of bed, I take time to meditate on my day, the mood I desire to be in, and the things I intend to achieve. Also, because I am living this extremely sedentary lifestyle, for now, I have to limit my food intake seriously, hence the small meals.
So, Pam, I know it is wrong to eat breakfast late. As a matter of fact, for anyone who is serious about checking their consumption of food, it is tantamount to sabotaging yourself. It's just that the saying' whenever you wake up is your morning', is a little more than a saying to me. LOL. And I try to get something to eat within 2 hours of my waking up.
Anyway, I'm back. I've sorted out the issues - no, I've learnt to understand the issues - and I'm ploughing right on. Here's my log for today.
1.45pm
100 Skips
2.30pm
oatmeal
1 apple
4pm
Eba (fist size)
egusi soup
1 chicken breast
6.30pm
1 apple, 2 bananas
I ate the meals so close to each other because my craving was for egusi soup all of last week, no thanks to the celebrity chef, but I couldn't wait for the soup to be ready, so I had breakfast first.
It feels good to be back (on track).
Chili!
It occured to me, at some point, that someone, or some people, would be concerned about the time I ate 'breakfast', or how much I ate, but I assumed that if that person did they would ask a question. Apparently, 'they' , or rather Pam did, and I never saw it. So here's the explanation.
For the past 3 months I have not slept earlier than 3.30am. (Mostly, it's by 4 or 4.30 or 5am, but if it's too early it will be 3.30.) The reason is that, in recuperating from my ankle injury , and staying home all day, I had to find all sorts of interesting ways to entertain myself and keep busy. (Moreover, a few things were constantly on my mind, and those kept me up and thinking- but that's a discussion for grey matters and not for this blog.) As a result, the routine that keeps me up till the wee hours includes reading, writing, studying a language and watching TV. Now, I know it may seem that if I sleep by 4 or 3, I should be up by 8 or thereabouts, but I see no reason to, and my body does need its 8 hours or more. And when I wake up, I don't just jump out of bed, I take time to meditate on my day, the mood I desire to be in, and the things I intend to achieve. Also, because I am living this extremely sedentary lifestyle, for now, I have to limit my food intake seriously, hence the small meals.
So, Pam, I know it is wrong to eat breakfast late. As a matter of fact, for anyone who is serious about checking their consumption of food, it is tantamount to sabotaging yourself. It's just that the saying' whenever you wake up is your morning', is a little more than a saying to me. LOL. And I try to get something to eat within 2 hours of my waking up.
Anyway, I'm back. I've sorted out the issues - no, I've learnt to understand the issues - and I'm ploughing right on. Here's my log for today.
1.45pm
100 Skips
2.30pm
oatmeal
1 apple
4pm
Eba (fist size)
egusi soup
1 chicken breast
6.30pm
1 apple, 2 bananas
I ate the meals so close to each other because my craving was for egusi soup all of last week, no thanks to the celebrity chef, but I couldn't wait for the soup to be ready, so I had breakfast first.
It feels good to be back (on track).
Chili!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Slowly But Surely
I skipped today! Yippeee! I did not think I could do it yet, but I was so bored with doing my regular workout, that I decided to take a risk with the skipping rope. (At this point in time I must give a fantastic shout out to Nike Air's, without which I might have incurred another 3 or so months of immobility. I thought it was all hype, but wearing Nike Air is like walking on air.) Thanks to my former workout I didn't know when I went to 80 skips, in a few minutes, and without pain. The feeling was/is exhiliarating. So much so that I shall begin my diet blog again.
Chili!
Chili!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Yes Retreat, No Surrender
I'm taking a break for a little while to reassess my raison d'etre. if you've been reading this blog you'll see that my diet has been anything but. I need to look inwards, before I relapse totally, so I will stop logging for a while and just write whatever 'the spirit leads'.
Chili!
Chili!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Keeping The Faith
I got this story in my mail and I absolutely had to share. It's an incredible and inspiring story, at least for me, and it makes those of us who just want to lose that 10kg or that 20kg, see that it is not that difficult .
Anyway, here's today's log:
Fat day
1 00pm
excuse-busting workout
2:30ish
eba
okro soup
1 piece of chicken
4:35pm
fried plantain
fried egg
malt
Anyway, here's today's log:
Fat day
1 00pm
excuse-busting workout
2:30ish
eba
okro soup
1 piece of chicken
4:35pm
fried plantain
fried egg
malt
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sunday, 25th March
11: 55pm
excuse busting workout
1pm
oatmeal
2 apples
3ish
one mango
3.30pm
rice with dried fish
one boiled egg
Monday, 23rd March
10.30 am
Excuse busting workout
11.11 am
Oatmeal
1 apple
6.30 pm
Noodles stir-fry
2 cans of malt
10-ish
excuse busting workout
tuesday, 24th March
1.30pm
Excuse-busting workout
2-ish pm
8 pieces fried plantain
Fried egg
5-45pm
eba
Okro soup
2 pieces of chicken
In truth I am definitely not keeping to my diet but I know why. I am going through a lot of stuff now, and like before, food serves as a comfort to me. I know that's what I should be kicking against and trying to overcome, but right now I don't have the energy, interest and werewithal to fight it. I have bigger fish to fry, and fry I must. However, I am still writing down what I eat so that when I am able to retrace my steps I can see where I am coming from. But instead of beating myself up about where I have failed diet-wise, I have decided to focus on the milestones I have recorded on this journey to a smaller me.
The first one would be that I now try hard to eat a healthy breakfast, whatever time I wake up. before I saw it as a sign of strength to go until lunch, but now I realise that that can ruin your whole diet plan. People wonder why I eat oatmeal for breakfast almost everyday. The answer is simple: I love it. The way I eat it is healthy; I don't put any sugar or milk. And I make it very thick. I just love the consistency and taste of the grainy oatmeal in my mouth accompanied by a tart fruit, like apples or pineapples.
I can actually resist coca-cola now. Before that used to be my meal, or my meal accompaniement. I would have it for breakfast, with lunch, as a snack, etc. My joy was unlimited the day I went to a friend's office, was directed to the fridge and I took a bottle of water without a second glance at the numerous varieties of soda in the fridge.
I can also resist choccolates. You will not understand how big a deal this is. when I made a food shopping list chocolates were always a part. and in large quantity. I remember once when my closest friend went shopping for me, and I gave her my list. She thought I was joking when I she saw that I had written chocolate as the first item, and beside it I had written a large amount of money to be spent on it. When she realised I was serious she couldn't believe it.... I no longer put chocolates on my list, and I don't miss it anymore.
I actually love eating healthy. I cringe when the only option I have is to eat something unhealthy. I feel happy when I am eating something healthy primarily because I know what it is doing or will do to my body. That's also how I manage to stay away from unhealthy choices. I go online and google any food I eat to find out about its nutritional value and calorific content.
I exercise more now. and I am beginning to like and accept my body
Chili!
11: 55pm
excuse busting workout
1pm
oatmeal
2 apples
3ish
one mango
3.30pm
rice with dried fish
one boiled egg
Monday, 23rd March
10.30 am
Excuse busting workout
11.11 am
Oatmeal
1 apple
6.30 pm
Noodles stir-fry
2 cans of malt
10-ish
excuse busting workout
tuesday, 24th March
1.30pm
Excuse-busting workout
2-ish pm
8 pieces fried plantain
Fried egg
5-45pm
eba
Okro soup
2 pieces of chicken
In truth I am definitely not keeping to my diet but I know why. I am going through a lot of stuff now, and like before, food serves as a comfort to me. I know that's what I should be kicking against and trying to overcome, but right now I don't have the energy, interest and werewithal to fight it. I have bigger fish to fry, and fry I must. However, I am still writing down what I eat so that when I am able to retrace my steps I can see where I am coming from. But instead of beating myself up about where I have failed diet-wise, I have decided to focus on the milestones I have recorded on this journey to a smaller me.
The first one would be that I now try hard to eat a healthy breakfast, whatever time I wake up. before I saw it as a sign of strength to go until lunch, but now I realise that that can ruin your whole diet plan. People wonder why I eat oatmeal for breakfast almost everyday. The answer is simple: I love it. The way I eat it is healthy; I don't put any sugar or milk. And I make it very thick. I just love the consistency and taste of the grainy oatmeal in my mouth accompanied by a tart fruit, like apples or pineapples.
I can actually resist coca-cola now. Before that used to be my meal, or my meal accompaniement. I would have it for breakfast, with lunch, as a snack, etc. My joy was unlimited the day I went to a friend's office, was directed to the fridge and I took a bottle of water without a second glance at the numerous varieties of soda in the fridge.
I can also resist choccolates. You will not understand how big a deal this is. when I made a food shopping list chocolates were always a part. and in large quantity. I remember once when my closest friend went shopping for me, and I gave her my list. She thought I was joking when I she saw that I had written chocolate as the first item, and beside it I had written a large amount of money to be spent on it. When she realised I was serious she couldn't believe it.... I no longer put chocolates on my list, and I don't miss it anymore.
I actually love eating healthy. I cringe when the only option I have is to eat something unhealthy. I feel happy when I am eating something healthy primarily because I know what it is doing or will do to my body. That's also how I manage to stay away from unhealthy choices. I go online and google any food I eat to find out about its nutritional value and calorific content.
I exercise more now. and I am beginning to like and accept my body
Chili!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
I realised that I always speak of the excuse-busting workout but I never quite said what it was. Well, this is another thing that I am indebted to Oprah for.
I actually hate exercising, but I realise how important it is. There have been times that I wake up feeling very overwhelmed with the problems that I had but after exercising I had a 'can-do' feeling. Also, I am scared of growing older and finding that I have this illness or that illness, just because I neglected my well-being. While exercise is not the 'cure-all' for all illnesses, its effects and benefits are undeniable. And that's not even counting the aesthetic gains.
But despite knowing all these I still had several reasons not to exercise. One of them was the fact that I could not afford the time - and sometimes the money- to join a gym. Also, I love, LOVE to swim but I have been to some nightmare swimming pools that had no running water in the showers and were unkempt, that I was put off. Imagine making the long drive to the club only to find that you cannot swim that day. Then I bought a skipping rope, and I would have used it had I not had the ankle injury, so I never exercised, but I knew I needed to.
Enter, Oprah Winfrey and Dr Oz, with some show on 'extending your warranty'. The idea was that a few changes in your lifestyle can make you live a longer, healthier life. Part of this plan was the excuse-busting workout. For me it was a dream come true, because it busts all excuses. It takes just 20 minutes ( you can extend it if you like), requires no equipment, and strengthens you. I actually credit it for the rapid healing of my ankle, as it contains some ankle strengthening exercises. Check it out here and see if it's for you.
Another site I have discovered is this great recipe site. Now there are any sites that give you recipes but this one is very practical because apart from breaking down the nutritional content, including the calorific content, of the meal, you can actually type in how many people you want to serve the meal and it gives you the measure of ingredients you need to use. Also- and this is my favourite thing to do- when you have certain ingredients and have no idea what to do with them, you can just type them into the 'search' area and you are given up to 10 000 ideas. It's brilliant especially if you like something exotic, once in a while. Here's a link to the site.
Bon Apetit
Chili!
I actually hate exercising, but I realise how important it is. There have been times that I wake up feeling very overwhelmed with the problems that I had but after exercising I had a 'can-do' feeling. Also, I am scared of growing older and finding that I have this illness or that illness, just because I neglected my well-being. While exercise is not the 'cure-all' for all illnesses, its effects and benefits are undeniable. And that's not even counting the aesthetic gains.
But despite knowing all these I still had several reasons not to exercise. One of them was the fact that I could not afford the time - and sometimes the money- to join a gym. Also, I love, LOVE to swim but I have been to some nightmare swimming pools that had no running water in the showers and were unkempt, that I was put off. Imagine making the long drive to the club only to find that you cannot swim that day. Then I bought a skipping rope, and I would have used it had I not had the ankle injury, so I never exercised, but I knew I needed to.
Enter, Oprah Winfrey and Dr Oz, with some show on 'extending your warranty'. The idea was that a few changes in your lifestyle can make you live a longer, healthier life. Part of this plan was the excuse-busting workout. For me it was a dream come true, because it busts all excuses. It takes just 20 minutes ( you can extend it if you like), requires no equipment, and strengthens you. I actually credit it for the rapid healing of my ankle, as it contains some ankle strengthening exercises. Check it out here and see if it's for you.
Another site I have discovered is this great recipe site. Now there are any sites that give you recipes but this one is very practical because apart from breaking down the nutritional content, including the calorific content, of the meal, you can actually type in how many people you want to serve the meal and it gives you the measure of ingredients you need to use. Also- and this is my favourite thing to do- when you have certain ingredients and have no idea what to do with them, you can just type them into the 'search' area and you are given up to 10 000 ideas. It's brilliant especially if you like something exotic, once in a while. Here's a link to the site.
Bon Apetit
Chili!
Thursday, 19th March
1pm
medium bowl of quaker oats
1 medium apple
3 10pm
slightly large (for a diet) bowl of rice
2 pieces of chicken
7 02pm
rice
2 pieces of chicken
ps.
my fridge has broken down so I've had to fry what can't keep (chicken), and cook everything else. And even though I have given out food to my maiguard and everyone else who comes in contact with me, i still have a lot sitting on my cooker. Also , I'm not exercising right now because I am on my period and I feel like the flow is more when I do. Just so you know why my diet sounds so 'un-dietlike'.
Chili!
medium bowl of quaker oats
1 medium apple
3 10pm
slightly large (for a diet) bowl of rice
2 pieces of chicken
7 02pm
rice
2 pieces of chicken
ps.
my fridge has broken down so I've had to fry what can't keep (chicken), and cook everything else. And even though I have given out food to my maiguard and everyone else who comes in contact with me, i still have a lot sitting on my cooker. Also , I'm not exercising right now because I am on my period and I feel like the flow is more when I do. Just so you know why my diet sounds so 'un-dietlike'.
Chili!
My Still Small Place
I am so ashamed to tell what I ate for breakfast. I will say it eventually, but I cant now. Anyway, the good news is that I have found out why I was craving sweets and food so much. My period is imminent. But on another note I need to go into that still, small place soon, to resolve some lingering emotional issues. I am noticing that I am negotiating with some personal issues that I should have let go.
As a matter of fact, this post will be about how I came to begin this journey of healthy eating, and why. It's a journey I must retrace because I have to plot the route ahead.
This was the last post I wrote before my computer crashed. But I just realised that even though my resolve to lose weight does seem to be waning, I can almost certainly say it's because my period was approaching with alarming, hormonal alacrity. LOL. Well, deo veolente, I will start afresh tomorrow. I feel better now, and I really would love to reduce my dress size.
So where was I?
Yea. I was going over the reasons I decided to embark on a diet, apart from the obvious. I was watching- or was I reading?- an episode of Oprah, when she spoke about the fact that she had gained weight again. Now, I'm not one of those who bow down in worship when Oprah is on the air, but I do have a healthy respect for her achievements and the depth of some of her topics, so I take advice that I like from her show, on board, from time to time. So, anyway, she had lost quite a lot of weight a while back, I think about two years ago, and she was looking quite svelte. She actually celebrated this because it seemed ahe was finally free of the struggle. But ccome this yearr, and all the weight just came back, in full force. To get back on track, she decided to work through the issues that were making her eat, with the help of her friend, and nutritionist, Bob Green. She made this walk paticipatory by turning the sessions into a series of interactive webcasts. Now, I always heard that over eating and weight are external signs of an internal problem, but I never really took that seriously. I mean, if the thing you overeat is delicious what other problem could you possibly have? However, Oprah's resolve caught me at a time when I was aching for a physical, emotional and psychological make-over. So I signed up for the webcast and attended. And oh!, what an epiphany.
I can't quite recall everything I learnt there right now, but I remember the 'circle of life'. Bob asked everyone to draw a circle and then section it into at least 6 segments, kind of like a pie chart. Then, we were to label each segment, according to the areas of our life, eg, health, finance, romance, career, etc. if you are doing good in any area and you were satisfied with how it was going you were to put a '+' sign in it. If you were doing bad, you were to put a '_' sign. At the end of the exercise, check those areas that you have the '-' sign aand write at least one thing that you can do to make it better, everyday. I tell you, that exercise opened my eyes to what I was really battling with, and in dealing witn them I have begun to eveolve into a person I actually like.
Other than that, I felt very unhealthy and unattractive. I was addicted to chocolates and sodas, I was just not living out of the centre of myself. I knew I had more to offer, to myself and the world but I felt I was being hindered by my weight. (I now realise that my weight was just a reflection of how messed up I was, inside.)
It's not over yet, but now I am more conscious of why and what I eat, it's the when I am still fighting to contain. i also deliberately,and happily make healthy choices not for cosmetic reassons but because I like myself enough to do that. And I can forgive myself, when I have slipped up.
If you think I'm speaking gibberish, maybe you should read the transcript of the webcasts, to get a better perspective. I hope you get as much illumination as I did, or even more.
Chili!
As a matter of fact, this post will be about how I came to begin this journey of healthy eating, and why. It's a journey I must retrace because I have to plot the route ahead.
This was the last post I wrote before my computer crashed. But I just realised that even though my resolve to lose weight does seem to be waning, I can almost certainly say it's because my period was approaching with alarming, hormonal alacrity. LOL. Well, deo veolente, I will start afresh tomorrow. I feel better now, and I really would love to reduce my dress size.
So where was I?
Yea. I was going over the reasons I decided to embark on a diet, apart from the obvious. I was watching- or was I reading?- an episode of Oprah, when she spoke about the fact that she had gained weight again. Now, I'm not one of those who bow down in worship when Oprah is on the air, but I do have a healthy respect for her achievements and the depth of some of her topics, so I take advice that I like from her show, on board, from time to time. So, anyway, she had lost quite a lot of weight a while back, I think about two years ago, and she was looking quite svelte. She actually celebrated this because it seemed ahe was finally free of the struggle. But ccome this yearr, and all the weight just came back, in full force. To get back on track, she decided to work through the issues that were making her eat, with the help of her friend, and nutritionist, Bob Green. She made this walk paticipatory by turning the sessions into a series of interactive webcasts. Now, I always heard that over eating and weight are external signs of an internal problem, but I never really took that seriously. I mean, if the thing you overeat is delicious what other problem could you possibly have? However, Oprah's resolve caught me at a time when I was aching for a physical, emotional and psychological make-over. So I signed up for the webcast and attended. And oh!, what an epiphany.
I can't quite recall everything I learnt there right now, but I remember the 'circle of life'. Bob asked everyone to draw a circle and then section it into at least 6 segments, kind of like a pie chart. Then, we were to label each segment, according to the areas of our life, eg, health, finance, romance, career, etc. if you are doing good in any area and you were satisfied with how it was going you were to put a '+' sign in it. If you were doing bad, you were to put a '_' sign. At the end of the exercise, check those areas that you have the '-' sign aand write at least one thing that you can do to make it better, everyday. I tell you, that exercise opened my eyes to what I was really battling with, and in dealing witn them I have begun to eveolve into a person I actually like.
Other than that, I felt very unhealthy and unattractive. I was addicted to chocolates and sodas, I was just not living out of the centre of myself. I knew I had more to offer, to myself and the world but I felt I was being hindered by my weight. (I now realise that my weight was just a reflection of how messed up I was, inside.)
It's not over yet, but now I am more conscious of why and what I eat, it's the when I am still fighting to contain. i also deliberately,and happily make healthy choices not for cosmetic reassons but because I like myself enough to do that. And I can forgive myself, when I have slipped up.
If you think I'm speaking gibberish, maybe you should read the transcript of the webcasts, to get a better perspective. I hope you get as much illumination as I did, or even more.
Chili!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Tuesday , 10th March
12-ish
excuse busting workout
1:23pm
oatmeal (fistful) with 3 tablespoons evaporated milk
2:46pm
1 carrot
4:08pm
Rice (about 1 cup)
stewed vegetables and chicken (made by frying chopped chicken breast in very little oil and adding carrots, green pepper, red pepper, tomatoes and onions with a little chicken broth, to simmer)
7:43pm (sue me)
3 little cubes of sweet potato
remaining sauce from lunch
10-ish
excuse busting workout
If there's anything I've learnt it is to eat wide. before my diet consisted of chocolates and soda (coke) but now I've healed that. And I learnt that confronting your eating issues starts with confronting your issues. I may not have lost a lot of weight physically, but believe me I have lost baggage mentally, and counting. Once my ankle heals, I'll up the exercise, because I also realise that I cannot totally embrace hunger, until about 8pm.
excuse busting workout
1:23pm
oatmeal (fistful) with 3 tablespoons evaporated milk
2:46pm
1 carrot
4:08pm
Rice (about 1 cup)
stewed vegetables and chicken (made by frying chopped chicken breast in very little oil and adding carrots, green pepper, red pepper, tomatoes and onions with a little chicken broth, to simmer)
7:43pm (sue me)
3 little cubes of sweet potato
remaining sauce from lunch
10-ish
excuse busting workout
If there's anything I've learnt it is to eat wide. before my diet consisted of chocolates and soda (coke) but now I've healed that. And I learnt that confronting your eating issues starts with confronting your issues. I may not have lost a lot of weight physically, but believe me I have lost baggage mentally, and counting. Once my ankle heals, I'll up the exercise, because I also realise that I cannot totally embrace hunger, until about 8pm.
The thing is I like food. My favourite channels are cooking channels. I love to cook and to taste different foods. How will I lose weight? And I don't understand why I should stay hungry. I know, I know, I'm making excuses for the crap I ate today. But when you have nothing to do all day at home, what do you do? I found this delicious food blog, quite by accident a while ago, Nigerian chef, and a lot of Nigerian food. You can check it out here.
here's today's rundown
12-ish
Excuse busting workout
3pm
Beans (made with ground peppers, onions, crayfish, dry fish and little oil)
8 pieces of fried plantain
1 bottle of malt
2 pkts of butter bread biscuit
here's today's rundown
12-ish
Excuse busting workout
3pm
Beans (made with ground peppers, onions, crayfish, dry fish and little oil)
8 pieces of fried plantain
1 bottle of malt
2 pkts of butter bread biscuit
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Sunday, 8th March
12-ish
excuse-busting workout
1:00pm
small bowl of oatmeal
1 apple
5:00pm
1 pkt noodles with 3 carrots, 1/8th onion, half a green pepper, 3 chilis (was gonna do beans but it got late)
1 large drumstick
6:00pm
1 medium apple
9:00pm-ish
excuse- busting workout
930-sth pm
one large slice of watermelon
excuse-busting workout
1:00pm
small bowl of oatmeal
1 apple
5:00pm
1 pkt noodles with 3 carrots, 1/8th onion, half a green pepper, 3 chilis (was gonna do beans but it got late)
1 large drumstick
6:00pm
1 medium apple
9:00pm-ish
excuse- busting workout
930-sth pm
one large slice of watermelon
Friday, March 6, 2009
Ok, I now realise that I maay be eating healthy but I am certainly not on a diet anymore. I cant seem to starve myself anymore. I eat to fill my hunger. And my back fat is the better off for it. I have to retrace my steps
10: 00 am
1 apple
2pm
Excuse-busting workout
6pm
Stir-fry noodles with carrots, green pepper, chilis, onions and prawns
1 large drumstick
1 amstel malta (c'mon it has only 198 calories, and no sugar)
10: 15pm
half an apple
I've been binging for days, I don't know why. There's definitely no psychological reason, that's for sure. I think that I need to eat earlier as when I eat late I eat anyhow. But the problem is that I sleep late and I wake up late. I'm a bit of an insomniac. I guess I should try to sleep earlier, that would be the solution. And oatmealwith fruits for breakfast will help keep me in check. If I cant exercise as much as I want to I can still reduce the junk I eat.
On a brighter note, I've discovered sweet potato! I always knew about it but I dismissed it cos I thought it was just another source of carbohydrates. Turns put it is packed full of nutrients and it has much, much less calories than yam, and, it can be used the way you use yam. (Well except for pounded yam anyway, which I dont care too much about.) And for those who can't stop boiling their yamm with sugarr this tastes like the effect you want to achieve. So here's to sweet potato which will now be in my salads, alongside my beans, with vegetables, etc. Yay!
10: 00 am
1 apple
2pm
Excuse-busting workout
6pm
Stir-fry noodles with carrots, green pepper, chilis, onions and prawns
1 large drumstick
1 amstel malta (c'mon it has only 198 calories, and no sugar)
10: 15pm
half an apple
I've been binging for days, I don't know why. There's definitely no psychological reason, that's for sure. I think that I need to eat earlier as when I eat late I eat anyhow. But the problem is that I sleep late and I wake up late. I'm a bit of an insomniac. I guess I should try to sleep earlier, that would be the solution. And oatmealwith fruits for breakfast will help keep me in check. If I cant exercise as much as I want to I can still reduce the junk I eat.
On a brighter note, I've discovered sweet potato! I always knew about it but I dismissed it cos I thought it was just another source of carbohydrates. Turns put it is packed full of nutrients and it has much, much less calories than yam, and, it can be used the way you use yam. (Well except for pounded yam anyway, which I dont care too much about.) And for those who can't stop boiling their yamm with sugarr this tastes like the effect you want to achieve. So here's to sweet potato which will now be in my salads, alongside my beans, with vegetables, etc. Yay!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
I have to write down the reasons why I embarked on a this diet and exercise program cos I'm running out of steam.
Coke made me addicted, bloated, eroded my teeth, gave me a cough and of course made me fat.
My real age test added 10 years to my present age!
I developed a large, potruding, ugly stomach
I can never find clothes my size
My feet became swollen
I am tired and lazy all the time.
I am angry and moody
My nails were brittle and cracking
3.30pm
1 pear
5:09pm
A few spoonfuls of rice
1 chicken wing
half chicken breast
1 apple
8:10pm
1 50cl coke
1 pkt of Butter bread biscuits
Coke made me addicted, bloated, eroded my teeth, gave me a cough and of course made me fat.
My real age test added 10 years to my present age!
I developed a large, potruding, ugly stomach
I can never find clothes my size
My feet became swollen
I am tired and lazy all the time.
I am angry and moody
My nails were brittle and cracking
3.30pm
1 pear
5:09pm
A few spoonfuls of rice
1 chicken wing
half chicken breast
1 apple
8:10pm
1 50cl coke
1 pkt of Butter bread biscuits
Monday, March 2, 2009
Monday, the 2nd
I did my excuse-busting workout at about 12 noon today, and then had what is supposed to be my meal for the day:
Time: 1.05 pm
Meal: 21/2 ladles of jollof rice
1 liver piece
1 piece of goat meat
Time : 5pm
1 whole roast plantain
Time: 6:03pm
2 cherries (agbalumo)
Time: 7:00pm
Half cob, boiled corn
Time: 7:1opm
the other half, boiled corn (I read that corn is nutritious)
Time: 9:50sth pm (i know,i know)
1 small cherry
Time: 11pm
1 ear of boiled corn
Observations
If I am not full I cannot shut down at a certain time (8pm as I promised myself). I will do well to practice my former, one meal a day technique cos I don't measure the things I consider snacks, and that's not good. Also, the trick I used to practice before of telling myself I would eat whatever I craved tomorrow, doesn't seem to work anymore. I wonder if it is because due to my present circumstances I do not believe I will have it tomorrow.
I wish this leg would heal. I could skip and go swimming. On the plus side I actually am excited at the sight of fruits now. It's unbelievable. I feel the same rush I used to feel over chocolates and coke. Plus I instinctively make healthy choices now. I wish I could find a recipe that makes beans taste like rice to me. LOL.
Time: 1.05 pm
Meal: 21/2 ladles of jollof rice
1 liver piece
1 piece of goat meat
Time : 5pm
1 whole roast plantain
Time: 6:03pm
2 cherries (agbalumo)
Time: 7:00pm
Half cob, boiled corn
Time: 7:1opm
the other half, boiled corn (I read that corn is nutritious)
Time: 9:50sth pm (i know,i know)
1 small cherry
Time: 11pm
1 ear of boiled corn
Observations
If I am not full I cannot shut down at a certain time (8pm as I promised myself). I will do well to practice my former, one meal a day technique cos I don't measure the things I consider snacks, and that's not good. Also, the trick I used to practice before of telling myself I would eat whatever I craved tomorrow, doesn't seem to work anymore. I wonder if it is because due to my present circumstances I do not believe I will have it tomorrow.
I wish this leg would heal. I could skip and go swimming. On the plus side I actually am excited at the sight of fruits now. It's unbelievable. I feel the same rush I used to feel over chocolates and coke. Plus I instinctively make healthy choices now. I wish I could find a recipe that makes beans taste like rice to me. LOL.
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