Red face, sweat & pain

The title of this post says it all.

I have been – kinda – jogging these last few days. The “kinda” means that when it rained all morning Sunday until Wednesday I said “oh dear, such dreadful weather, I think I will postpone the exercise.”

Sometimes I believe I hold the world record in making excuses. I mean, a little rain has never – far as I know – hurt anyone, but when I looked out the window and saw those big, fat drops falling I picked up my book and got comfortable on the sofa instead.

Ugh.

But hey, yesterday I managed to kick myself out of the house and do my jog/walk. Thing is, when I exercise I become very red in the face – we’re talking ripe-tomato-red and I sweat. A lot. Not very attractive.

I also noticed those weeks of doing nothing (meaning exercise) really didn’t help: ten minutes into the jog/walk I was panting like a person having an asthma attack, my university jumper was way too hot and my face was bright red. On top of that my right shinbone gave me grief.

My dad told me not to jog, but to powerwalk instead, but see… it just takes too long and somehow jogging tricks me into thinking the road is actually shorter when – in fact – I just do the 2.5 km faster.

After talking to my friend – the one giving me advice about exercise – I realise I have deteriorated since leaving university: while living on campus – 2 mins walk from the gym – I had no trouble working out 6 days a week. Now that I am broke and only have forest walks to my disposal, I find myself deprived of something I sorely need: a gym.

I have promised myself and my friend – and I stupidly told my parents about the idea as well – that I will be able to jog (not jog/walk) 5 km by December 31st.

Besides walking/jogging every other day I have also started keeping an eye on what I eat and trust me, since I got back I have not been very picky when it comes to food. I was s happy being back, eating whatever wanted and looking back I have to say, no wonder I began to expand!

But those days are over! Since I don’t exercise as vigorously as I did at university, I came to the conclusion that I have to be careful.

Strange enough my muscles aren’t at all sore. My guess would be they still haven’t lost all of their strength since May and that’s a relief. I will just have to make sure to continue with the exercise and what I eat and I am sure things will work out.

Until next time.

 

 

 

It has come to this..

I dislike jogging. At school, between the ages of 10-13, we had to jog 2.5km (approx. 1.5 miles) every bloody Friday, rain or shine. Since kids aren’t stupid, we managed to find some loopholes (read shortcuts) and – surprise! – ended up back at the school in record time.

I have never been interested in sports. My brother has always been the sporty one, playing football (soccer, according to some), floorball (stupidest name ever) and a whole lot of running around in the woods. I do like working out, but to be honest I believe I like it mainly because it helps me to lose weight.

Zumba, gym, walks, swimming – all good. But I have never understood jogging.

And yet I have promised a friend I will begin this week – tomorrow, actually – to do just that: jog.

I will start slow, of course, doing intervals jog/walk. I can sometimes look at people jogging or running – the look more often than not envious – and wish I could understand what is so great about it.

Hopefully, come Sunday, I will understand it a little bit better.

So wish me luck and I will update you all on how it went and exactly how sore my muscles are.

Until next time.

Feeling Good

 

I have been working out and counting calories for almost two months now.  It seems longer, maybe because counting calories can sometimes be difficult (sometimes impossible when you’re eating out). But these eight weeks have been good and I have results to show for it!

I have been on a scale once since I began in February and it showed that I had lost about 2 kilos. Not much, but the measuring tape is a bit more optimistic.

Between February 17th and April 13th this has happened:

Waist: -5 cm / Hips: -7 cm / Butt: -8 cm / Thighs: -5 cm

Pretty awesome, right? When I look at those numbers I can’t quite believe it, but of course I do notice a difference when getting dressed – the clothes are a bit bigger. I also feel stronger and – well – healthier.

I still eat pretty much whatever I feel like eating – I just make sure not to eat too much of it and I work out almost every day. Today kettlebells is on the schedule. I can notice the difference during the fitness classes as well; I’m stronger and not as tired when the class ends. I have to come up with something when I go back home – I don’t have a gym or a pool!

Oh well, I have three more weeks in campus and I will make sure to enjoy it.

Have a great weekend!

Until next time!

 

Slow Progress

 

Ugh, why does it have to be so difficult to lose weight? It’s not that I don’t like working out, eating healthy (I keep experimenting with food and love it!), it’s just that I lack patience. I want to drop a size – maybe two – after 2-3 weeks. I know, crazy, but damn it annoys me to no end when I get into my jeans and feel no difference whatsoever.

I know things have changed: my hips are 5 cm smaller than when I first started in 17th of February. I know, it’s a lot, but since my waist seems to stay the same – as does my chest – I somehow get into my head that it looks weird.

I did this thing where I could measure and find out what my body type/shape is. Turns out it’s ‘top heavy hourglass.’ I am definitely not complaining – I love my curves. I just want to work my body into being more firm, lose some of that softness. Not all of it – Gawd no – but some of it.

 

I did kettlebells today and I tell you – one of the reasons I do this fitness class is because it is an amazing work out. Reason no 2 is the instructor. Lord, that guy – very young, though – is super cute. He is really tall, dark-haired and ridiculously fit. Not beefy (that’s too much), but lean and sinewy. Why does it sound like I just described a piece of meat?

Anyway, he’s really cute and a bit on the skinny side and I have always had a soft spot for the super tall and  lanky ones. Maybe I’m compensating, being short and round. I tend to steer clear of him since I have a lot of respect for pretty people. I don’t know why, but they scare me. Especially if they’re extremely attractive AND nice. I only see this guy once a week, but something tells me he has no idea he’s dreamy and that makes him even cuter.

Some people just walk in the light, my friends.

Until next time.

 

 

 

Counting Calories

 

I have been counting calories for one week now and I have to say, it’s not as hard as I thought it would be.

True, I haven’t been eating out, making sure to cook my own food, knowing what it is I eat, being able to use my brand-new kitchen scale. But so far I have lost 1 cm from my waist and 3 cm from my hips. Not bad, eh?

And right there, that’s one of the reasons I keep going: I see actual results. The other thing is feeling healthy. I have never been very fond of exercise, but since I got to university and had an actual gym nearby – suddenly I found myself at fitness classes and the swimming pool.

Oh, I went swimming Thursday! And, of course, the day before the whole routine of removing body hair took place. Ugh, it takes forever. But I have to say, properly shaved legs – add some body lotion – are super soft.It’s a nice feeling.

Since I don’t feel comfortable in a bathing suit, I really hated the walk from the showers and into the pool. But thankfully my part of the pool consisted of ladies and gents the age of 60+ and I was relieved.

Not until I was in the water did I realise the fit and lean people (competing swimmers) were on the other side of the pool. I tell you, those people must spend even more time on removing body hair. Those guys – all sporting ridiculous six packs – look to be completely hairless. And I swear some of them also spend time in tanning salons.

I managed 30 mins in the pool and it felt good. Of course, my entire body was heavy as lead walking back to the flat. But it was agood heavy.

Yesterday I did 90 mins of zumba, burned a lot of calories and spent the entire day eating. But I didn’t exceed the 1300 calories I could eat, despite me wanting to eat all the time. Guess it was my body telling me it’s not used to burning 800 kcal.

These days I eat a lot of chicken, fish and meat. I had chicken for lunch yesterday and that one piece contained almost 37 g of protein! That’s brilliant! I do make sure to at least try to eat 90-100 grams every day.

I was allowed to eat a Snickers yesterday and it tasted divine. Since I don’t do candy or soda anymore, when I do treat myself, it tastes so much better. Instead of inhaling it, I savour it. At lunch I put an egg timer to help me eat more slowly. That way my stomach has time to tell me “no more friend, I’m full.”

So things are going well and I can see that pretty graduation dress hovering at the finish line. Let’s just hope it will continue to be a positive and fairly easy process.

Until next time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Far So Good

It hasn’t been too difficult, this weight thing. Yes, I had a little speed bump Friday (too many calories), but yesterday and today have both been fine.

I talked to my dad – he knows these things – and according to him I should eat between 1200 – 1300 calories per day (to lose weight). And a lot of protein. He looked at my BMI (btw, that is one thing one’s dad shouldn’t know) and those numbers told him I must eat 100 grams of protein every day.

It’s a struggle, but since I have protein bars and eat a lot of fish and chicken, so far so good.

Do I crave chocolate and the occasional peanut butter cup?

Hell yes.

But – like I wrote in another post – I try to steer clear of the sugary objects and eat fruit instead. Or crisp bread with a little butter.

True, fruit contains a lot of sugar. I had a banana and hey, suddenly I was up 90 calories.

Oh well.

I did zumba for 45 mins yesterday and it was obvious I’m out of shape. It was kind of embarrassing with the panting and sweating, but thankfully I wasn’t the only one.

So today I got up early and did the laundry – I love walking across campus when everyone else is sleeping – and I told myself I was going to start with my school work, but the TV shows were calling my name, so tha’s what I’ve been doing all day.

Besides cooking, spending some time with one of my flatmates – I am pretty sure she thinks I’m crazy with my sudden interest in counting calories – and later in the afternoon I went out for a 1 hour walk.

Now I’m drinking a Herbalife vanilla shake and waiting anxiously for my sister to text me – she is having “The Talk” with the guy she’s been seeing.

“The Talk” – in this particular situation – is about whether or not he’s playing her, or actually wants to be with her, as in a relationship-be-with-her.

I am thinking no, he doesn’t.

Why?

Because he’s an idiot.

What can I say, I’m her sister. I’m allowed to be bitchy.

Until next time!

 

 

 

 

Dream Bods

Since my body will always be curvy because of my build (hips, ass, thighs, skinny waist) I have always liked these two ladies, because they are super hot.

Dream/goal body:

Kim Kardashian

Beyoncé

So when I hear that Snickers calling my name, I’ll just think of these two amazing ladies, grab an apple and focus on that sexy (yet classy) graduation dress I want to buy.

Miss Healthy Starts… Now

I went to the gym today. Yes, it was hard  – I haven’t really done any exercise since I left university in December last year – and even though I wanted to stop after 15 mins (cross trainer), I didn’t quit until I could read the lovely numbers of 30.

True, my legs were a bit shaky when I walked to the changing room, but it also felt really good. I have made a timetable for my workouts, it is as follows:

• Monday: Gym (30 mins cross trainer + 20-30 mins treadmill)
• Tuesday: Body sculpt
• Wednesday: Yoga
• Thursday: Swimming
• Friday: Kettlebells
• Saturday: Zumba

Sunday I will rest, maybe go for a walk if I feel like it. I have started a workout book; there I will try to remember to write down what I eat, how my body changes and how I feel. I’ve always kept a journal, so this shouldn’t be too hard, I hope.

See, I love swimming, it’s just that there is so much work behind getting ready for the pool. At least for girls.

I don’t like wearing any kind of bathing suit and definitely not a bikini. Before jumping in the pool and getting a good exercise, you have to make sure you don’t display too much body hair.

Ergo, the day before you have to shave your legs, armpits and – do not forget – the bikini line. I don’t shave my legs every week during winter, mainly because it’s a lot of work, but also because I don’t have to: I’m single and during winter we tend not to walk around barelegged.

Hair removal is such a chore.

Anyhoo.

I talked to my sister earlier. It was nice hearing her voice; we didn’t spend that much time together when I was home for the holidays. She is busy with her work and friends, and there is this guy she’s been seeing. Sometimes I feel as if she’s distancing herself from me on purpose, because she knows I’m not planning on returning after graduation.

I will let y’all know how things work out, try to keep you updated. I have decided to use the measuring tape that’s been lying around gathering dust, so every week I will check and see if there has been any changes.

Until next time!