Blister in the sun

Yesterday morning instead of my cardio which featured Christmas music from ReFit Dance Fitness group from YouTube, I went for a walk with my sister-in-law. I didn't mind the walk but what I didn't like was a huge blister I got on the back of my heel!

I suppose it was good timing because we had decided that I would try to get me eyes checked at SpecSavers and get my feet done at Athletics Foot yesterday as well.

So now I have a nice pair of runners that I'm frightened of wearing because of my current blister and any future ones.

Hip to be

The other day I worked out my waist-to-hip ratio. It is an indicates that you are susceptible to heart disease among other things.

I got mine worked out here - http://www.mydr.com.au/tools/waist-to-hip-calculator

My result was 0.86 but the cut off point is 0.8 for women. So looks like I still have a little bit more work to do if I want to reduce my chance of a heart attack.

Goals

I'm kind of sick of seeing 'before' photos of girls that thought they were fat when their 'before' is my goal - haha!

It seems that every one has a goal weight. I don't have scales so I have no idea what I actually weigh anyway.

I loved reading this article the first time round, but dug it up recenently when I thought about my goals.  My goal is - shock horror - to be average.  Size 16 women's would be a lovely first goal.

Chia Seed Experiement 6 - Pasta Salad

Carbs? Bring it on!  The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating shows that a 1/3 of your food should come from bread, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles etc.  I love pasta and rice.  We have switched over the brown rice for most things lately which is really yummy, but pasta is a little harder.  Wholemeal pasta just doesn't exist for our town - the closest I can get is Soyaroni.  I actually like the flavour.

This is a cold pasta salad which is pretty yummy and keeps for a few days in the fridge.

Ingredients

Pasta (I used half a bag for three meal sized serves)
1 carrot
Mayonnaise
Pine Nuts
Chia Seeds

Method:

1. Cook pasta, drain and cool
2. Put pasta into large bowl with a fitted lid
3. Grate carrot and add to pasta
4. Pour  mayonnaise onto pasta - I used low fat Praise but it is too sweet next time I will use the Japanese Kewpie Mayonnaise and stuff the low fat option.
5. Mix and store
6. To serve, sprinkle on pine nuts and chia seeds

I also use this Soyaroni in a tuna salad - which I haven't made with chia seeds yet but here is the recipe:

Ingredients

Pasta
1 can of chick peas
1 can of tuna
Kraft Salad Dressing
Chia Seeds

Method

1. Cook pasta, drain and cool
2. Put pasta into large bowl with a fitted lid
3. Drain chick peas into a strainer and rinse
4. Add tuna to the strainer and drain as well
5. Add chick peas and tuna to the pasta
6. Pour dressing onto pasta 
7. Mix well and store
8. To serve, sprinkle with chia seeds

Chia Seed Experiment 5 - Yogurt

Okay, so this wasn’t really an experiment, as this was the original suggestion that came from “Eat Yourself Sexy”. Chia seed + yogurt = good.

If you add the seed, stir and eat straight away the seeds add a little crunch.

On to another nice thing – this morning I got my husband to poke me in the stomach to feel my muscles. He agreed there is definitely some definition going on under my pudge.

Week 3

What's Motivating Me This Week?
http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
When will my new exercise bra arrive? I usually purchase my bras from Big Girls Don’t Cry Anymore, although they have a great range of bras they have to be ordered in because they don’t keep a big stock in my size. I hope it comes next week.

What's Bugging Me This Week
My sore and cracked feet – time for a pedicure

How my measurements fluctuate. This could be because I’m measuring differently each time, that I was wearing different bra etc. Although it really does seem as though my hips keep getting smaller, even without knowing the measurements.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 
Feeling thinner, wearing slim-fit jeans and feeling sexy in yellow heels.

What's the Plan?

Some fun dance workouts this week to celebrate the first week of holidays.

Motivation

There are so many blogs that just show heaps of images of skinny girls and text blocks. I don't want this blog to turn out like that, but I think they are great to look at, some of them are motivational.  This website it great.

No Diet Talk

I think that there are a few types of fat people, these are not limited to the following;

• People who have fat and are proud to be called 'fat'
• People who have fat and lose their fat to be healthier
• People who have fat and lose their fat to fit in with the mainstream - whatever that may be 
• People who have fat and try to lose weight using fad diets rather than just a healthier diet
• People who have fat and hate being 'fat' and do nothing about it

I've been all of these before and the others I no doubt left out.

So where am I now?

I think I'm at 'People who have fat and lose their fat to be healthier'.  You won't find me going on some crazy diet that I've seen in a book or on TV. I'm just trying to follow the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. I'm trying to increase my physical activity. I'm trying to reduce my thighs so that I don't suffer chaffing.

Sure, if I lose weight and I end up looking better as well, that's a bonus. But if I don't become a six pack lean machine and keep my woobly bits I will still be proud of my body and the journey it has taken.

Definatalie posted this last month, and I loved the idea of the badge she created. So although this is a weight loss get fit blog, I'm putting it out there that this blog has no diet talk. I will talk about healthy eating because despite what I look like I did study this at Uni and teach it at school - but no FAD diets.

Splurge

Today was a bit of a splurge. I had my doctor's appointment you see, so as I waited anxiously all morning, I ate half a large packet of M&Ms and salt and vinegar chips.  I don't really mind, because it's not as though I'm a diet. The blood tests showed that my thyroid is fine and everything else was good. Only my cholesterol was a little bit higher than it should be,,, well dah.

This morning was my second time doing the pilates video.  My legs and tummy caned so much afterwards, thank goodness tomorrow is just normal cardio again. I don’t think I could do two days straight!

I ordered some more fabric so that I can make some more leggings.  Over the weekend I actually made a pair that has a skirt over it – great for swimming in and for workout. No more camel toe worries – hmm.

Chia Seep Experiment 4 - Vanilla Coconut Pudding

I have such a sweet tooth at times.

For one thing, I love Pepsi Max - it's so sweet and lovely. I'm trying to go cold turkey off it for a little while, the first few days were awful with headaches etc. Last night I broke down and bought a Diet Coke (because there wasn't any Pepsi Max) but karma kicked me in the bum because when I got home and opened the bottle,,, it was flat and off.  Oh well. That's what you get for trying to cheat yourself and from buying it at the dodgy corner store.

I saw this recipe from Delighted Momma, and thought I would have a go. I did have to change it because I don't have almond milk. I really don't think we would be able to get it here, but I did find some recipes for it that I would like to try. Unfortunately I don't have a food processor - yet - I've been saving up for a Kitchen Aid one.

Anyway, it was okay. Not exactly the pudding I am used to, but it was sweet and filling with a little bit of texture.


So here is my recipe:

1 cup of milk
1 tspn artificial sugar - maybe a little more
1/3 cup of chia seeds - maybe a little more
1/2 tspn of vanilla essence
1/4 cup shredded coconut

1. Mix the milk and the sugar together until sugar dissolves.
2. Mix all the ingredients together
3. Stand for 5 minutes
4. Stir and stand until totally thickened

Edit: On second and third attempts to eat this, I've decided that it's actually pretty bad.  The texture!!!

This was me:

Today was the my first POP Pilates for Beginners workout. I was going to woose out and do some yoga instead but then I remembered this:

I will be very sore tomorrow.

Fact Sheet: Chocolate

There are a lot of wives tales about foods. Sometime people say you can, others say you can't eat a certain food.

I thought I would keep myself up-to-date and share my findings.

So first off the rank is Chocolate!  My friend says that chocolate fixes everything, but it's one of my most craved for foods.

Without further adieu:

Chocolate Fact Sheet

Week 2

What's Motivating Me This Week?
Trying to feel better

What's Puzzling Me This Week?
Will I be able to exercise while I’m on holidays? Trying to pre-plan my exercise plan.

What's Bugging Me This Week
How hard it is to find plus sized exercise clothing. 

Do they make the assumption that just because you’re big you mustn’t work out? Maybe it’s that sports brands just don’t want their clothes on bigger people as they want to be aligned with fit and trim rather than slow and fat?

Luckily I can sew. I’ve made a pair of knee length leggings - ah-hem - yoga pants.

What's Encouraging Me This Week? 
The fact I’ve lost 3cm on my waist, and 1cm each off my hips and thighs. I know that it’s only the start and I usually loose pretty quickly,,, as first,,, but I’m still excited.

What's the Plan?
Pick up the pace on weekends with two things to do. And an intro to pilates – gotta say I’m a little scared.

Week 1 down!

Okay I just finished week 1 of my own workout plan.

Things I found out,

• I actually look forward to exercising - I am always amazed at this. In fact I find by the afternoon I want to do more - but I'm holding back because I don't want to overdo it.
• Dance Dance Dance - I put this on my plan for a bit of laugh, but after just completing it I realised it was really fun. A bit of a light cardio.  I started with this: Dance Dance (warm up)  then did Dance Dance Dance Fitness  then I slowed my march down until my heart also slowed and then did some stretches much like in the Dance Dance (warm up) video.  Definitely staying as my Saturday routine.
• I need more stickers
• I need a folder to store all my workout stuff
• iPad's don't play music and videos at the same time. Lucky I have two iPads then.