It’s amazing how much can change in the space of the year! 2013 had rocked up, slapped me in the face and scarpered off into the past laughing while I stood bewildered. But as they say, “it ain’t over til the fat lady sings”. And I was ready for a full on rendition.

For years I walked around with excuses “…well I’ve had 2 kids”. “It’s post pregnancy weight that I can’t shift”…. blah blah blah! The good Lord knows, I really couldn’t keep blaming my gorgeous boys for my indulgence. My youngest son was going to turn 5 in February for goodness sake. Lol!

No, it was time to forget 2013. It was 2014 and the year of my 10th Wedding Anniversary. I had a determination like no other and I decided to turn my excuses into motivations. I now had 2 main goals to work towards.

I frogmarched my husband down to the travel agents to book what I referred to as our second honeymoon. I didn’t care where we went and didn’t know how we would afford it. But I was certain that this was going to be my year. I’d lost myself overtime… stopped caring. Now I was ready to find me… to love me again and not feel guilty for wanting to look after number 1#.

I set myself realistic goals. I knew how much weight I wanted to lose and then broke it down into a managable time frame. I had a plan and one that seemed achievable. I needed to lose 1lb per week (4lb per month). Sounded easy enough, right? The truth is… giving up is easy. The hard work was now about to start.

I decided to cut down on carbs. I cancelled my gym membership and made use of the mountain of exercise equipments I had bought. I also used my home spa which the hubby had bought me for Christmas after numerous hints.

Things were going well and I was losing weight slowly and steadily. However a friend’s post caught my eye. They had lost 3 stone and looked amazing. Curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to know what they were doing. After enquiring, I learnt it was a meal replacement shake plan. Not one I had heard of before so I was sceptical but it sounded great and I signed up.

I can hear you asking already… Did I get the results I wanted? Of course not!! I did shift some weight, just not the amount I expected. However, hand on heart, it was because I was not strict and did not follow the plan as instructed. After all, it comes down to will power. Admittedly the shakes are delicious and packed with nutrients. To date, I still use the product and it is probably the only one I would recommend due to the fact that it promotes a healthy lifestyle change and not just a quick fix.

You’ll know my thoughts on quick fix gimmicks from my previous blog so I’ll try not to rant on. But if it’s as simple as just buying it in a bottle, wouldn’t the many of us so desperately trying to lose weight be “skinny”? I will reiterate what I said because I feel strongly on the matter… “you get out what you put in it!” It is not realistic to think you can just sit back and change your body image from popping a few weight loss pills. However when combined with exercise and a balanced diet, you could be onto a winner. I am by no means an expert but my opinion is that to get the results you desire you cannot have one without the other. Therefore as a long time goal, you are more likely to lose and more importantly, maintain the weight loss if done correctly. I will continue to say it time and time again; the journey to weight loss isn’t just about shedding pounds is a lifestyle change and about getting fitter and stronger both mentally and physically.

By April of 2014, I had lost close to a stone from changing my diet, drinking the shakes and exercising. I also sweated it out with the occasional home steam. I was no longer on track because my weight has plateaued. Still, I was happy to be moving in the right direction and determined I could achieve my goal by my holiday in September with a little more effort. I just had to persevere.

But then I was asked by my employer if I would travel to the UAE in June for 3 months. Immediately, the ghost of India popped up and rared its ugly head. I thought if I travelled now, surely I’d be taking two steps backwards. I suddenly had a million reasons why I should stay in the UK. Ok… ok, not a million reasons but three very good ones. I had promised my older son he could have a party for his birthday in July, then there was my cousin’s wedding, followed by another wedding of my good friend. It all seemed to be happening in 2014 and I wanted to be part of it.

I expressed my thoughts to the hubby. However he was most encouraging. I guess he had more faith in me then I had in myself. So I accepted my 3 month posting. But what happens when I travel to Abu Dhabi? Would it be a repeat of India?

Continue to follow me my story to find out what happens next.

Ps- if you are interested in more information regarding the meal replacement shakes I used, feel free to send me a message and I will put you in touch with the distributor.

via Nicole’s Weight Loss Journey- Part 4 | secrettouchinspirations.

So here I am post India. I had admitted defeat and I was ready to try again. And although I really wanted to shred the pounds, not even I was convinced it could be done.
My sister had just bought some workout DVDs called Insanity, which she said we should try. Immediately, the hubby piped up in the background… “Yeah I’ve heard about Insanity. Let me workout with you!” he said with excitement in his voice. I looked at these two with raised eyebrows (yeah, you know the signatory Rock eyebrow) like they were crazy. I mean who the hell gets excited about working out?

The name Insanity alone, made me put up resistance but hay ho, I’ll give anything a try once. “Fine”, I’ll go change my clothes”, I said. Within the first 5 minutes of the DVD rolling, I wanted to throw in the towel. Now I know why this Shaun T fella named it “Insanity!!!” I was smiling through the pain but really I was thinking “What the f**k?”

My sister and hubby were still going and I felt like I was playing Keeping Up With The Kardashians. I remember feeling a sharp pain and attempted to sit down only for the hubby to shout… “C’mon!” encouragingly. I persevered and followed the modified version for a bit longer before saying enough is enough! For me, that workout was a killer.

The next day I noticed I couldn’t stop hiccupping. It was relentless. I ignored it, however over the next few days the hiccups turned into burps. Unattractive… I know!! If there’s an excuse to be made out of a situation, trust me, I’ll find it! So as far as I was concerned that was my first and last Insanity workout.

I eventually got an appointment at the doctors. He asked “if I was stressed and sleeping well?” Of course, I was damn stressed! I was a woman on a mission. But to his question, I simply replied… “I don’t feel stressed”. He went on to explain that it appeared my diaphragm had shifted or the muscle has tensed up, which resulted in the hiccups. I corrected him and said… its burps! He corrected me,” no, its hiccups”. Whatever!! I thought. He wrote a prescription that would relax the diaphragm and promote deep sleep. Sadly, the medication didn’t work.

I put it down to the Insanity exercise. It was an extreme form of exercise and I in my reluctance to say no, had jumped right in. As a result, it had sent my body (or more importantly, my diaphragm) into complete shock! Lol!

This was bloody great!! Here I was insecure about my body and now I had constant burps on top of it. I was failing miserably. I wanted to stick to fingers up to the world. Arghhhh…. I give up!!!!! AGAIN!!!

But deep down, I didn’t want to give up. I just wanted to be my former, happy me.

I love Zumba® and decided to take it a step further, by training to become an Instructor on 1st December 2012. Despite my fascination with this trending exercise, I had done nothing with my new skill. So, I decided to go back and train as a Zumba® Kids and Zumba® Kids Jr instructor. In my mind, it made sense to start off by teaching children. Hopefully they wouldn’t see my lack of confidence. However, following completion of my training, I was still didn’t feel confident. I mean…. “who would want some overweight person teaching them about keeping fit?” Besides, I could just about get through one song. “How on earth was I meant to teach a full 1 hour class?” This new brain wave of mine was a non-starter!

Over the next few months I invested in quite a number of exercise equipments. Every time a new box got delivered, my husband he would just shake his head disapprovingly. He would ask “where you going to put that?” “There’s no more space and you don’t even use the stuff you have already brought!” “Yes but I will”, I’d reply. I don’t know who I was trying to convince more. Me or him? I was starting to clutter the house. I was know the proud owner of a cross trainer, rowing machine, leg magic, ab circle, sit-up machine, body toner and 5 mins abs to name a few. I wanted to be healthier… I wanted to lose weight. So why couldn’t I just leave the custard cream biscuits and cheesecake alone??? Because my mindset was more dominant than my desire to lose weight. After every meal, I needed something sweet to satisfy my craving.

The closer it got to Christmas, the easier it was for me to say “I’ll start again in January”.

I did the occasional 10 minutes on the cross trainer or Wii Zumba and closet ate my way into 2014. Sadly, I had become a depressed, overweight, burping hoarder. Yeah, I think that pretty much sums it up!

I think its fair to say 2013 was a write off! I had lost the odd lbs but nothing significant. And whilst my journey was slow off the starting line, I eventually learnt the secret in 2014.

My weight loss tips (so far)

• There is no quick fix! If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.
• Learn to importance of saying no
• Burn more calories than you consume
• Find a workout that suits you. Our bodies are all built differently. (Insanity was not the right exercise for me but one that my hubby thoroughly enjoys)
• Stress and lack of sleep are 2 factors that can prevent weight loss. Get your 8 hours in!
• If you’re tired of starting over, stop giving up!

Nicole’s Weight Loss Journey- Part 3 | secrettouchinspirations.

Nicole’s Weight Loss Journey

 

 

Nicole Weight Loss Journey: Part 2

 

It really irritates me when I see a post talking about losing a large amount of weight in short periods of time. We’ve all heard the saying, “If it’s too good to be true then it probably is.” Please do not feed into such hype! After all, the journey to weight loss is more than just shredding pounds, it’s a mental journey about yourself and the relationship you have with food. Do you know of any smokers who managed to quit smoking on their first attempt? Smokers have mental barriers to overcome, as do people trying to lose weight do. The point I’m trying to make is, there are no “quick fixes!” So if you think this blog is about another “quick fix” gimmick, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Please feel free to click off now… however if you want to know the truth… the cold hard truth, then continue reading and I will share with you all the tips that I’ve learnt along the way.

 

My first serious attempt at weight loss dates back to 2013. Like most people, it started with a promise aka “New Year’s Resolution”. I was pumped and ready to do this! I bought healthy foods for my weekly shop and so my weight loss journey began. However, no sooner had it started, did it come to an abrupt stop. On 12th January 2013, I receive the news that my grandfather passed away. I was hurting. And there it was… my first excuse of many to come. “…I am mourning”.
I had my comfort food to find solace. It felt like I was on a roller coaster ride I couldn’t get off of. Everything was moving rapidly. By February, I was on intensive training at work. I finished my training on 1st March and by the 2nd March, I was on a plane to India for 3 months. Suddenly I was thinking, “How the hell did that happen?” “Did I make the right choice?” Too late for questions now I thought, because I was sitting on the plane, panicked by the thought of being away from my family. And there it was again… my second excuse presented itself… “I was homesick”.

 

Before I left the UK, I had made sure to pack workout clothes. The hotel where I was staying had a decent enough gym and I wanted to make the most of my time there. Eventually, I got myself into gear and made my way up to the rooftop where the gym was located. I zoomed in on cross-trainer because I knew it was a recommended all over body workout with low impact on the joints. Midway, the personal instructor which I had done a good job at ignoring thus far walks over and attempts to make conversation. I pretended that I couldn’t hear him due to the headphones plugged into my ear. However, it’s pretty impossible to ignore someone standing right next to the exercise equipment. Lol!

 

I pulled out the headphones, “…sorry did you say something?” as if I didn’t know what was coming next. “Would you like me to help you?” I wanted to scream” no!” What came out of my mouth instead was, “…eh, sure”. I thought to myself, Nicole you really need to work on saying no. Learning to say “no” will help you greatly on your own personal journey in so many ways. Trust me!

 

He insisted that I start off by weighing myself. Now why on earth would I want to do that??? Honestly, all I really wanted was for this man to go away. Reluctantly, I stepped on and tipped the scales at 82.6 kg (13st). I was almost the same weight as my husband!! I wanted to run back to my hotel room and cry. Somehow, I managed to maintain my composure and did as I was told. I let him put me through the paces because I suddenly had the fight. I told myself I was going to shock my husband by returning home looking slim and trim. I could do it, right?

 

The next day my body ache like someone had beaten me up. In my head, I cussed that damn instructor and his workout routine. The fight I had yesterday was gone. Instead, I got defensive and shut down. I can do this on my own! I’ll go to the gym but try to avoid him. Over the remaining 2 months I did avoid him for most of the time. He would ask how I was progressing, in return I would smile innocently and say, fine thanks. Truth be told, my clothes felt tighter but didn’t dare step on the scales in his presence.

 

At times, I can be so straight laced. I had never travelled alone before and in a place like India where you are advised to only eat at hotels, I did just that. I wasn’t trying to get no “Delhi belly” as they say. Lol! However I had no control over the way my food was cooked and even with some of the healthier options, the food was often greasy. Needless to say, 3 months of eating hotel food took its toll.

 

It was nearly time to return to the UK and I wanted to surprise the hubby. So off I went to the shopping centre. Asian women are so beautiful and petite. I wondered from stall to stall, noticing along the way that none of these outfits would fit me. So I’d moved on to the next stall only to be shouted after “…we have big size for you over here, what you want?” I know they meant well and was just hustling to make a living but that was the last thing I wanted to hear. As they say, the truth hurts.

 

On the 1st June 2013, I was back in the UK. I think I literally jumped out of the car before the chauffeur even had time to pull up the handbrake. Lol! Disappointingly though, the reaction I got from the hubby wasn’t what I had expected. Of course, he was happy to see me but I had openly declared that while I was away and was going to work on losing weight. It was one of those scenarios… “I know that he knows that I know”. You know what I mean. lol

 

I was fooling myself thinking that no one would notice in the nice dress I was wearing. I was busted! Despite working out regularly, I now weighted 84.3 kg (13.3st), which leads me to my 3rd tip to successful weight loss. Burn more calories than you consume. Yes, I was exercising but I was also having waffles for breakfast and lovely Indian cuisine for lunch and dinner. Not to mention the far too many cocktails which are packed with sugar and sweeteners.

 

I am fortunate to have an incredible supportive family because I was in trouble. Nothing was going as planned. In fact, I seemed to have been peddling backwards. No amount of money in the world or personal training will help you achieve your goals until your mindset is right. My sister and hubby agreed that they would help me by exercising together.

 

And so my battle to losing weight continued…

 

My weight loss tips (so far)

• There is no quick fix! If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.
• Learn to importance of saying no
• Burn more calories than you consume

Every day, when I check Facebook, there’s an ad on the side of the screen promising, “one crazy trick” to six-pack abs, packing on muscle, or dropping fat, and that “I won’t believe it!” You might see these ads, too, and hopefully you’re are just as skeptical I am. But I started thinking about it and there is a crazy trick to reaching any and every health and fitness goal. It’s simple. It’s easy. It works. And it’s free. Everyone who is successful relies on it, but no one talks about it in magazines, because the industry doesn’t want to you to know how great this secret is…

It’s having an accountabilibuddy!

You know and I know that change happens in dedicated communities. AA, the Marine Corps, book clubs, and gym buddies are all examples of people who come to together in order to support and keep each other accountable to a new, higher standard. It’s FREE and it works. In fact, it works in our community, too: MyFitnessPal members who share their food diary with friends in the app lose twice as much weight as users who don’t share.

I stopped training people one-on-one a year ago in order to create small, dedicated communities that keep each other accountable and share the daily fight that comes with changing when change is hard—and my success a coach has sky-rocketed! I want you to find people to share that fight with you! Here are my tips for finding an accountabilibuddy.

1. Find the Arena You are not the only one struggling to put yourself out there and make hard choices. There are others out there just like you. People in the MyFitnessPal forums, your friends who are all sick of the endless yo-yo dieting, you can find the communities with the people “whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds,” to quote Teddy Roosevelt.

2. Let go of perfect Because it doesn’t exist. I’m going to get this out of the way now—you’re not going to be perfect. You’re going to struggle. “When we spend our lives waiting until we’re perfect or bulletproof before we walk into the arena… we squander our precious time. Perfect and bulletproof are seductive, but they don’t exist in the human experience,” says Brené Brown.

3. Be open Being accountable and being ready to change means being open. It means being open to eating new foods, trying new activities, and trying really hard to do something amazing in full public view. But that is the only way change happens. So be open to new friends. New ways of thinking. New ways of looking at yourself, your body, and your choices. “Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing,” says Helen Keller.

4. Prepare for adventure Risky, courageous, bold, and new, the journey you will take with your Accountabilibuddies will not be comfortable, but it will be well walked. Millions of people every year choose to change their health and lifestyle choices, and there are 65 million of them here on MyFitnessPal. “We have not even to risk the adventure alone, for the heroes of all time have gone before us… and where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world,” says Joseph Campbell.

5. Offer to be someone else’s accountabilibuddy The scariest part of asking for help, for most people, is the fear of being vulnerable or appearing needy. So instead of asking for help, offer it. You don’t have to be a genius or a professional to be helpful. You just have to be a good person going through the same thing as someone else. “Docendo discitur [One learns by teaching],” says Seneca the Younger.

You’ve probably noticed that most of the suggestions I have made for finding your Accountabilibuddies are not external, but internal. That’s because I’ve noticed that most of the friction in finding people to help keep us accountable does not come from other people. Most people are more than happy to help, and we know where to find other people who share our struggles (hint: a lot of them have downloaded this app and will comment on this post… scroll down!). Much of what keeps us from finding the help we need, is that we simply never ask.

By Coach Stevo

via My Fitness Pal How to Find an Accountabilibuddy ‹ Hello Healthy.

Mediterranean diet keeps people ‘genetically young’

By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News online

Following a Mediterranean diet might be a recipe for a long life because it appears to keep people genetically younger, say US researchers.

Its mix of vegetables, olive oil, fresh fish and fruits may stop our DNA code from scrambling as we age, according to a study in the British Medical Journal.

Nurses who adhered to the diet had fewer signs of ageing in their cells.

The researchers from Boston followed the health of nearly 5,000 nurses over more than a decade.

The Mediterranean diet has been repeatedly linked to health gains, such as cutting the risk of heart disease.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

These results reinforce our advice that eating a balanced and healthy diet can reduce your risk of developing heart disease”

Dr Mike Knapton of the British Heart Foundation

Although it’s not clear exactly what makes it so good, its key components – an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables as well as poultry and fish, rather than lots of red meat, butter and animal fats – all have well documented beneficial effects on the body.

Foods rich in vitamins appear to provide a buffer against stress and damage of tissues and cells. And it appears from this latest study that a Mediterranean diet helps protect our DNA.

Telomeres

The researchers looked at tiny structures called telomeres that safeguard the ends of our chromosomes, which store our DNA code.

These protective caps prevent the loss of genetic information during cell division.

Telomeres cap the end of our chromosomes Telomeres cap the end of our chromosomes

As we age and our cells divide, our telomeres get shorter – their structural integrity weakens, which can tell cells to stop dividing and die.

Experts believe telomere length offers a window on cellular ageing.

Shorter telomeres have been linked with a broad range of age-related diseases, including heart disease, and a variety of cancers.

In the study, nurses who largely stuck to eating a Mediterranean diet had longer, healthier telomeres.

No individual dietary component shone out as best, which the researchers say highlights the importance of having a well-rounded diet.

Independent experts said the findings were interesting but by no means conclusive.

Dr David Llewellyn, senior research fellow in clinical epidemiology at the University of Exeter, said: “All observational studies have the potential to produce misleading estimates, and we should not assume that the association with telomere length is necessarily causal.

“That said, this large well-conducted study is consistent with the hypothesis that dietary interventions may lead to substantial improvements in health.”

The British Heart Foundation said: “These results reinforce our advice that eating a balanced and healthy diet can reduce your risk of developing heart disease.”

via BBC News – Mediterranean diet keeps people ‘genetically young’.