They say love is a journey, not a destination. I guess I could use the same analysis for losing weight. In fact, if shedding the pounds is a journey, I wish there was an accompanying road map with a direct route to the ultimate hour glass figure, with regular pit stops at all you can eat venues, while bypassing the gym!
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My campaign to transform into a ‘Victoria’s Secret supermodel’ has been a hard slog so far and there is no end in sight. Previous half hearted attempts at fighting the flab only resulted in a measly two kilos being shed over a twelve month period! The worst part, I quickly regained the weight, and managed to pile on a few extra pounds. Based on my progress so far, the quest to trim down will be nothing short of a saga, longer than the Biggest Loser series. Queue the violins!
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According to Carol Montgomery, “married people don’t have to exercise because our attitude is, ‘They’ve seen us naked already, and they like it’”1. I can relate to this view. Ever since I found a wonderful man to share my life with, I have managed to gain some excess baggage. It was as if finding relationship bliss was a green light to letting my figure go like the Goodyear blimp. It doesn’t help that I too now share in my partner’s passion for all things sweet, especially dessert. That’s in addition to my addiction to greasy fast food. It’s enough to clog up the arteries. No wonder I’ve got so much junk in my trunk (sadly my booty is nothing like Kim Kardashian’s)!
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Luckily the better half loves to exercise – me…not so much! Since we’ve met, my weight has fluctuated as much as the Australian dollar, and continues to rise or fall as I go through spurts of dieting and exercising. Each time I reach my goal weight I become complacent and fall back on old habits by cutting back on work outs and spoiling myself by raiding the pantry and snacking on chips, chocolate, donuts, cakes, biscuit slices – hence, the never ending vicious cycle.
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Despite my newfound commitment to running, according to the scales, the fat hasn’t budged. We live in a world where we’re driven by instant results, but in this instance, a positive outcome hasn’t been forthcoming which is disheartening. It doesn’t help that running builds up my appetite and all I want to do is head towards the Maccas drive through for a chocolate sundae after a jog. This raises another issue, I want ready to eat healthy food (or at least easy to prepare food) that tastes good – it comes down to convenience.
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Everyday I’m bombarded on television by one stop diet solutions that claim to slim down your figure and melt the tummy fat away without the need to hit the gym. I’m sceptical of these so-called ‘comprehensive weight loss systems’ including diet shakes, supplements and pills. Besides, I don’t want to deprive myself of one of life’s most simple pleasures….food!
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So what do I do??? My plan is to continue to jog and work up a sweat; it’s a medium intensity work out that I’m beginning to enjoy. The next stage for me is to do a complete overhaul on what I eat and how much I consume. The aim is to cover the five food groups, eating more fruit and vegetables and taking focus away from the food positioned at the top of the food pyramid – goodbye Coke, Krispy Kremes, baked New York cheesecakes, sticky date puddings, burgers, pizzas (truthfully, it’s enough to make me cry, but it’s got to be done!).
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I’m realistic about my goal. I’m well aware that losing weight is hard work and will involve regular exercise and striking a balanced diet with the aim of eating healthier food that tastes great (which is my idea of a ‘happy meal’). This adjustment won’t happen overnight and will require changing a lifetime of bad eating habits and routines. The cravings will continue and I’ll be honest, I’ll still have weak moments but it’s about exhibiting some self-control and discipline over what and how much I consume going forward. I can feel it in my waters, the path to getting in shape will be a long and winding one. The journey is a lifestyle change!
Source: McMeel, A “Wild words from wild women”, Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, Kansas City, 2009 (2009 Calendar)
Citation: McMeel, A “Wild words from wild women”, Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, Kansas City, 2009 (2009 Calendar)
THE VIBE 101 
Awesome, I’m glad you’re not giving up food! I think I would die 😛
You and me both! I love food:)
Feeling guilty since I was eating a bag of m & ms while reading this. I would like to say your post inspired me to stop but truthfully I ran out of M & Ms. Hope this is going well — enjoyed the post!
Lol!!! I have a habbit of eating donuts while watching exercise programs like The Biggest Loser!
Goodluck! Sounds like you’re headed in the right direction. Ease into it and have patience, keep active, and you’ll definitely find more healthy foods that will work for you! 🙂
I’ll need all the luck I can get:)
I started a “diet” in march and have lost 35 lbs. No one wants to be hungry. Eat mostly protein and eat small meals (snacks) every 3 hours. Of course, lots of water should be included. This really works. Good luck and you will succeed.
Wow, that’s an awesome result! I just need the discipline to eat small meals.
Self discipline is important in order to have a good body figure. I can’t help but eat lots of sweet foods like ice cream and cake. But now I start to change it slowly by disciplining myself and I now also do Zumba as my workout.
Zumba looks like fun. I have a few friends taking regular Zumba sessions. I can’t help but eat sweets too, it’s my weakness!
Self-discipline and moderation!!
The question is: Who doesn’t like to eat?
We keep on trying and time will tell.
Getting enough sleep is also key to weight loss. 🙂 http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/lack-of-sleep-weight-gain
Funny, Mrs Sensible tries to make me eat proper food ie veg and fruit. When I fly back to the UK I hit the take-aways and indulge in Indian curries, KFC, etc.
Oooh……..!!! Such a relief to know that Im notthe only onewho goes on and off over thediet-exercise thing. I already (re)started mine……..!!!!!!
Wish you good luck……..!!!!
“Ever since I found a wonderful man to share my life with, I have managed to gain some excess baggage. It was as if finding relationship bliss was a green light to letting my figure go like the Goodyear blimp. ” haha i can totally relate.. ^^ not like the Goodyear blimp though..not yet, at least ^^ but i’m working on losing a couple of inches..it’s so hard! but i think moderation and developing a taste for healthier food is the key. ^^
It is hard! Whenever I manage to lose some weight, I quickly gain the pounds back on. I’m struggling with sticking to a healthy diet. I have a weakness for junk food:(
same here but i make most of my own food now… it’s healthier than fast food..my own fries, my own mayo, my own potato chips..i cook them in olive oil so its healthier. my problem though are desserts. they’re like my kryptonite. lol ^^
Oh I hear you. Dessert, I love dessert. Yum Yum Yum
Before you can lose weight and keep it off, you need to boost your metabolism. Metabolism is muscle. The more of it you have, the more calories your body consumes, 24hours a day. Resistance training coupled with a high protein diet increases muscle mass all over the body,thus burning more calories resulting in a reduction in bodyfat levels. A calorie controlled diet alone simply stimulates the body to consume its own muscle and lowers metabolic rate still further, which is why diets without exercise (especially resistance-based exercise)are doomed to failure. Sorry if I’m teaching Granny to suck eggs here, but I feel it’s important to point it out to people starting out on the rocky road.
In Sweden right now a diet called LCHF, Low Carb High Fat, is very popular. I have gained 2 kilos every year last couple of years. I have tried being healthy, exercise etc. It didn´t help. But eating fat and protein actually does. It goes slow, 0,5 kilos a week, but it keeps you full and satisfied and it is not really a punishment eating creamy sauces. But…you have to skip the carbs almost completely. Fat & carbs together will do the oposite. I have lost 5 kilos now, will continue another four and the switch to GI as a lifestyle. I feel really good, no hunger, no cravings and a happy belly.Good luck 🙂 Like your blog!
Thanks for visiting…it has allowed me to discover your blog.
Great writing!
Thank you so much. Ditto!
You’ll make it happen. Fitness is 80% the diet, and I am living proof! I still love junk food too, but you’ll find that once you start eating the good stuff most of the time, you tend to crave that instead of the junk! Good luck
I can relate myself to this post sooooo much. I would love to see your goals be achieved! If you find a specific workout program that you like and you see results it would be a good idea for me!
It’s just so hard. My weakness is food. Food is a thing of beauty! I need discipline….
But discipline is the hardest part! Personally, after a LOT of studying I gained some extra weight and a nice belly 😀 but now I started working and I am trying to convince myself that it is a matter of health and self-confidence to go back to normal.
Try setting low goals in the beginning. Instead of saying in 3 months I should look like this, plan how you will look in 2 weeks. That’s slightly more motivating 😛
Appreciate you stopping by foodforfun–thanks:-) Have enjoyed reading your posts–this one, especially. Gotta say that–in my experience anyway–discipline is less of an issue than caring for yourself as you would someone who love dearly. Instead of playing drill sergeant (discipline!), take good care of you. Sleep well, dine well (eat what you’re hungry for when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full), do things you enjoy doing. I’ve found that it’s not so much about cracking the whip as it is about really listening to yourself. Wishing you well on your journey:-)
Thank you for liking my recent posts. This post reminds of how Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love decided to stop counting calories and just enjoy food (:
I loved that sequence in the book too.
You voiced my thoughts precisely on the whole food thing, I used to hate exercise so much but I didn’t wanna one of those people that always find an excuse for everything. The simple truth was that I was fat and carrying on the way I was wasn’t gonna solve anything. So I learned to at least like running. I still eat rubbish from time to time but when I do, I know I have to exercise more. It’s just about getting the balance right.
I hope it’s all going well for you. You don’t see results for a long time but I see it like things are happening inside more body that I can’t see. My body’s basically sorting out he havoc I’ve caused with all that junk food. So it needs to be sorted out from inside out. Goodluck with it and you’ll get what you’re working for 🙂
It’s really hard. It really comes down to making a lifestyle change. I envy those women with the perfect supermodel hour glass figure – how do they do it?
It’s a lifestyle change. I made mine several years ago. I started to run and pounds just came off. By running, my craving for sweets is out and healthier food is in. Workout helps to suppress cravings. The beginning is always the hardest part but the first step is the most important step. From there on, it will be a piece of cake. Good luck!!! Support you in spirit! 🙂
Thanks for visiting my site!
I found your post very interesting. Do you find that you crave sweets all the time? If so, you might need to look into how you can manage your blood sugar through diet. The easiest way to do it is to include good quality protein and healthy fats (e.g. avocado, coconut oil or olive oil) at every meal, and fill half of your lunch and dinner plates with non-starchy veggies like broccoli.
Eat to nourish yourself!
(PS caffeine can also be terrible for blood sugar so try to drink only one a day and stop drinking all sugary drinks like soft drinks and even supermarket juices – too much sugar!)
I crave anything that’s not good for you – sweet, greasy, salty food! Bad combination. I find that when I try to eat healthy, it’s never as satisfying and the cravings continue. I’ve cut down on the soft drinks.
Aaaah, I identify so much with your post!!
Oh it’s tough. Sticking to a diet is hard:(
Cheering you on! I know you can do it!
I think the best advice I can give it to search out your local farmers markets =0)
It’s so fun to go each week and choose the most beautiful produce and then enjoy all the colors on your plate.
The other thing I know for sure is that Paleo eating is a truly wonderful way to still eat to your heart’s content, while slimming down.
Awww, thank you so much. I love food, hence my addiction to reading food blogs. I start to salivate just looking at the pics! Thanks so much for the advice.
I’m getting married in March, and I’ve been trying to lose a few (or a lot) of pounds, and it is just not working.
The worst is that cooking is a hobby for me, hence the food blog. Dieting is like giving up not only food, but my favorite past time, too. Besides, I don’t know what else I can give up to lose weight! I’ve already ditched bread, potatoes, sugar, alcohol (big loss), dairy… And I still have a tire around my waist! I’m living off of grilled chicken, lettuce, and grapefruit! I should be SKINNY!
But you’re right, he likes how I look now, so I should be happy. It’s the idea that everyone will be looking at me on our wedding day that irks me the most. That and the double chin I’ve been sporting. Our photographer will have to take all of our pictures at a downward angle from above, or with me sticking my chin out to hide the turkey neck.
Thanks for the rant. And good luck to you! I”ll think of you when I make attempts at exercise and keeping myself from raiding the fridge!
I love food as much as you do. Reading food blogs gets me inspired. I start to salivate just looking at the mouth watering food pics.
Yep, worst thing to do is give up real food. Eat real food and lots of it! Don’t consider it a diet, make a lifestyle. A healthy way of eating doesn’t mean dropping eating dry skinless chicken breast with a salad that lacks olive oil.
Just a thought but if you’re not so inclined to eat bread or things containing grains, giving them up and replacing them with more meat and veggies along with some basic exercise might do you a whole world of good.
Oh and don’t forget, keeping junk food in the house is calling for trouble.
If we are what we eat then I can’t remember eating Sexy Beast this morning! Ah if only. Weight has always been an issue for me. I lose it, I find it again in addition to all the friends it made while it was away….over and over and over again. Good luck with your mission!
I’m so much like you. My weight goes UP and down and UP & UP again.
I’ve got a lot of friends who are runners. They’ve given up hope I’ll become one of them because every time I get the urge to run, I sit down until it passes.
I wish you luck and the wind behind your back.
Lol!!! I know exactly how you feel. Thanks for the well wishes.
Good for you! I have a couple of friends who did this — not an extreme tv diet, but small changes here and there. Adding a couple more vegetables and a little less carbs, and exercise does it! It definitely takes small steps but in the end, you’ll see results! Best of luck! I look forward to more posts!
Thanks so much. Baby steps…but I’m heading in the right direction. I’ll need all the luck I can get!
Love your honesty. Being able to talk about this with such humour means that no doubt you will annihilate your goals if you haven’t already:) Enjoy the journey, I hope you had a few cheat meals over the Christmas break.
It’s such a merry-go-round. The Festive Season makes it tough…it’s all about drinking and eating. I’m going thru another ‘happy phase’ where you let the diet slide a bit. Vicious circle…
Same.. the best thing is that after the ‘happy phase’ usually comes a discipline phase:)
Christmas and New Year is tough b/c the ‘happy phase’ never seems to end:)
I tried the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet a couple of years ago, although I don’t like to call it a diet because it doesn’t really cut anything out or deprive you of anything, it kind of just teaches you how to eat healthily. Following it loosely for 3 months I lost 10kg without doing any extra exercise, and even when I stopped following it I lost another 4 kilos over the rest of that year. I did put those last 4kg back on over the last 3 years while I was travelling and eating whatever I wanted (so I didn’t miss out on any delicious foreign treats!) but that original 10 never came back. (And on top of all this, I only set out to lose 8 in the first place!) Anyway, quite a few of my friends and colleagues have tried it as well and all they all lost weight. You do have to be prepared to do a lot of cooking, and and your food bills may go up, but it was otherwise an easy and painless experience, so I’d recommend checking it out!
Lots of people have raved about the Total Wellbeing Diet. It sounds good, esp the ideal of not cutting out anything. I hate depriving myself and I struggle to keep on top of exercising. That’s the downside of healthy eating, food bills increase.
I can relate to you on this topic, I have gained 10 kilos since quitting smoking 5 months ago and I’m trying to get back into shape. I love food and loathe running so it’s a slow and difficult road ahead! Good luck with your healthy future!
I’m totally with you! I love food and running is oh so hard! I’ve lost my weekly routine since Christmas! The hot weather doesn’t help either, I struggle exercising in the heat:(
I just moved to Germany from Australia so it’s freezing here. And I keep saying ‘it’s too cold to exercise!’
I’m the same during winter;) It’s raining, it’s too cold, blah blah blah lol!
I recently downloaded Nike Training Club on my phone which has motivated me more. When I get bored of running, it’s like doing an aerobics class by yourself. And you can do it at home, I use canned soup instead of weights 🙂 Also, there are 15 minute ‘focused’ exercises so even when I’m feeling lazy, I try to do one of them. Better than nothing at all right?
Oh my gosh! I’m gonna have to look into that. I’ve lost my running mojo again. Maintaining that momentum is so hard. The idea of working out at home sounds great, especially during our hot summer right now:) Thanks so much for the tip!!!!