A Quickie

Down 1.4kgs - happy about that! Total is now 6.4kgs. Im happy to report a consistent downward trend.

Swam 1.6km today. I am a bit broken, I can't lie!

It's usually like this

Usually my diets look like this around about day 15 :)

 

Not this time though! I am still on track and life is very very good. I saw such a lovely post today on facebook which really gave me some hope:

So we will apply that to our mindset. Tonight Im making almond and cranberry cookies and some oopsies - carb free bread. I need some bread and marmite, so I wanna see how these work out.

So excited for Sunday to see what this week has resulted in. Ive eaten way less in the way of calories this week - sometimes no dinner, just because I am not hungry and I am trying to train myself to eat when hungry and not because society says we have to. Its hard to break habits that have been entrenched for 35 years.

Good weekend ahead - spa day tomorrow, lunch with a friend (checked the menu online and gonna have a halloumi salad with extra bacon - yum!) and then movies with another friend - Sunday - just chilling! Cant wait to get started on this weekend, I am quite tired this week.

Havent been to gym today - bad Kath - because I have a black eye and I cant put on goggles. Eish. I will go on Sunday, but I wish I could go today - maybe I will just go kick in the pool for an hour, no goggles needed for that.

Where did I get the black eye? My dog ran head first into my eye with his boney head. So sore, I cant even explain. Ouch!

Have a safe weekend - chat soon
Kath xxx

Quick update

I've been quite silent this week - work is picking up and I am vehemently defending my morning swim sessions by coming in a little later (I cant swim at 5am - I just cant) and leaving a little later.

Happy news - we can report a total cm loss of 16.5cm. 3cm off hips and 13.5cm off waist. Its very good news indeed.

Ive also shifted 11 pounds in 2 weeks - which is just so good.

So we are doing well, feeling good and lowering our portions.

If I can do a kg a week I will be happy - making the end of this year 50kgs down would be phenomenal.

I have a chemical diet, which kick starts your metabolism and which is what they use for patients awaiting gastric bypass to get their weight down quickly, so I may consider that for Monday - Wednesday next week if I don't see some results on Sunday.

Do what I can - the goal is there and I am fighting to get to it!

Have a super week xxx
Kath

Down some more

Lost 3cm on my hips - which is fantastic news! I like to do my measurements mid week and my weight end of week. I hope Ive lost some more - would be good to make it to the 10kg mark by the end of my 50 days - if I can lose 10 every 50 days I would be happy!

So today in traffic, I was sitting at the robot and I looked to my right and there was quite a lovely looking man in the Isuzu bakkie next to me. He had these lovely square rimmed glasses on, was tall and solid - just how I like them (I sound like a predator). He had a nice face and he smiled back at me.

We then pulled off and travelled together down the road, at a lovely pace. As we neared the next robot, he started to roll down his passenger window, I saw him looking for something in his centre console - a business card - and in that moment I felt a wave of panic - a complete and utter wave of thoughts... "Im not good enough", "Im not ready", "Im not perfect", "He will be so disappointed at the reality of me". It was jarring to feel that - to have that wash over me. I think I am strong, I am brave, I can take over the world, I am great - what a catch. But I don't really think that.

I think Im not enough as I am. And yes, I am doing loads of work on myself from a physical perspective but what became immediately clear was that I need to do some serious internal work - because as long as I hold these beliefs I will never be open to being with another person. And that is sad.

So we parted ways, I didn't get his card, I lost an opportunity. And I burst into tears at the thought that I am so completely not brave enough. Why couldn't I take the chance? Whew - this book on vulnerability is really an eye opener - I am not gonna get anywhere without being vulnerable.

True.

Daring Greatly

I am busy reading a fascinating book by Brene Brown called Daring Greatly which is all about the power of vulnerability. The book covers what it is to be wholehearted and to step up to the plate and take charge of your life and to lay it all out there - warts and all - for everyone to see. Its based on this speech by Theodore Rooseveldt:

 

 

I watched the TED Talks video on the Power of Vulnerability and there Brene talks about what the wholehearted and the people who acknowledge their vulnerabilities embrace, and it bears some thinking about.

 

They:

• Have the courage to be imperfect
• Treat themselves and others nicely
• Authentically connect to others
• Understand that what makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful
• Believe vulnerability is necessary for self actualisation

Vulnerability is thought to be always the core of shame, fear, struggle and worthiness, bit is also the place where joy, creativity, belonging and love are birthed. The problem is when we numb the fear, shame and struggle, we also numb the joy and love. So what happens is that you end up living a really vanilla life - with very few highlights and low lights - you just exist, a human being - not a human doing. We perfect, we pretend, we make things that are uncertain certain. And we don't live.

 

 

So what we need to do is let ourselves be seen, love with whole hearts even though there is no guarantee and practice consistent gratitude and joy and above all else, believe we are enough. NOW.

 

 

Im on that journey now - I have created facades of perfection all around me - people think my life is fantastic. And in many ways it is. But in many ways I also tend to allow things to be ok that are not - I act like they do, like Im not bothered. I am not always real - with very few people am I raw-ly real. I am not partnered - I want a partner. I am not thin - I want to be thinner. I am not healthy - I want to be healthy. I am not being creative - I want to be creative. I am not majorly stimulated at work - I want to be stimulated. I am not happy with some friendships - I want to be discerning with who I spend my time with.

 

So in order to move from my current to my desired I have to be vulnerable. I have to lay it out there. I was going to keep my Paloe / LCHF a secret - tell no one, then just effortlessly reveal that I have mastered my eating and that I am now a size 8 (will never be a size 8 but you get my point). But that cannot work for me. I cant hide behind my vulnerabilities and insecurities - I have to embrace them. I have to own them. And take charge. And I cannot do that hiding behind the perfection I create and portray. I have to embrace all elements of me and I have to open myself up to people and friends and love.

 

And that friends, is more terrifying than the idea of never eating cake again!

 

Let us do it! Let us dare greatly!

 

Kath

Quick update

Had an ok day today. Dealing with some depression - next week is my mums birthday and around her birthday and anniversary I always go through these dips.

Usually I eat chocolate - and lots of it. But I had 2 spoons of my almond butter | cocoa powder | coconut milk and Im sated.

Lets hope I start to rise out of this dip soon :(

Kath

Week 1: Results

What a week!

Firstly I did 24 lengths of my 2,014 lengths by my birthday swim challenge, so I have 1,990 to go.
Secondly, I lost 8cm around my waist.
I haven't lost anything around my hips - but I think that will come now that I am swimming.
And weight wise, I have lost 8.32 pounds (sound so much nicer than kilos) - thats 3.8kgs.

Not bad for week 1 that included an injury and a few days of hunger.

Onto week 2 - lets see if we can do 20 pounds by the end of January!

I am elated!

Kath
xxx

Day 7

Its a week today since I made the choice to change my eating. And its been a good week. I am not weighing - although I am dying to know what Ive dropped (definitely know I have dropped some weight as I can feel it in my clothes, my knees and my energy.

Maybe I will concede today at the gym when I go for a swim.

Its been an easy week - a good week. I am not hungry - haven't been since Thursday which is the weirdest feeling for me - because I am usually hungry and peckish all the time. I can eat 3 bread rolls and be hungry an hour later. Here I am not hungry at all. Which is so weird for me.

Im embracing it though, and drinking loads of water - but I can't shake how weird it feels to be eating correctly and not being hungry.

I am thinking of going to see a nutritionist and explaining the LCHF plan I am on and asking for some support to help me ensure my diet is balanced etc. Whats gonna be a real challenge is to find a LCHF friendly nutritionist - because most dietitians are against a controlled carb plan - but lets see if I can find someone. I will ask on the phone whether they support LCHF eating - because I don't wanna waste my cash going to someone who is gonna insist I eat bread / pasta / rice / potatoes.

A good day all round - chilling and relaxing with some exercise later. Hope it kickstarts some appetite.

Kath xxx

C H O C O L A T E ... I need C H O C O L A T E

I don't really have a huge problem with carbs - bread, pasta, potatoes, they don't really make up a lot of my diet. My downfall is sweets and chocolates and cakes and cookies. I love them - all of them! And I want to make them my friends inside my tummy.

And I do.

Often.

Which is why we are where we are.

So I recognise that chocolate and sweets are gonna be a huge challenge for me. So I needed to find a solution. And I did. I made my own almond chocolate fudge happiness.

Almond, chocolate, fudge - hardly LCHF! But my version is - because its got no sugar in and its so rich you really only need like 3 tablespoons and youre good to go.

Recipe for this deliciousness

1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup 100% cocoa powder
1 tin of coconut milk

You can add 1/4 cup raw honey if you want, but as I am doing 50 days reboot, with no sugar and no carbs, I left out the honey - still delicious (could maybe add a spoon of vanilla extract for some additional depth)

Spectacular. And it made me so full. Which was even more spectacular.

So happy to have found this treat - my world is in a happy place now.

Kath

A step change noted...

Lunch today was quite delicious... baked aubergines with lamb mince spiced with Morrocan spices and a fun side salad.

I only ate half the salad, and I am still quite full at around 4:30 - yesterday I don't think I ate enough fat, because I was hungry at 5 and I was then desperate and ready to eat anything.

Perhaps we are making a change, perhaps things are shifting.

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps...

Kath

Sneaky cheat

So I had a moment - I have decided to only weigh myself at the end of my 30 day reboot ( 4 February 2014) - which is a HUGE thing for me - because I really wanna see how I am doing like RIGHT NOW.

But I will stick to that - but I did cheat and measured my waist - 3cm down in 3 days - that's not bad. I can live with that.

So I will take those measurements and hopefully now that I have finished killing my knee, I can go to the gym and swim and that will accelerate all my efforts.

On the subject of telling people...

I have decided to keep my plan relatively close to me. I don't really want to advertise it. So I am just playing it down at work and with friends and we will see how that goes.

Some motivation for you who are trying to make headway:

Cauli Rice - I love you!

Last night I made cauli-rice for dinner - rice made from Cauliflower. Cauliflower is so good - only 5g of carbs per 100g, so a perfect meal substitute for starch.

You can make it into rice and into a mash. All good and hearty. And of course healthy. And the best part... its so simple.



Cauli-Rice Recipe

Makes enough for 2 - 3 people

1 head of cauliflower
1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter

1. Place the olive oil in the pan and heat.
2. Grate the head of cauliflower on the biggest grater setting you have.
3. Sauté the garlic until glassy and then add the grated cauliflower.
4. Add the butter and lightly toast in the pan for around 5 - 10 minutes.
5. Serve warm with a stew or even with roasted meats.

A small hurdle, but nothing will get me down!

So yesterday I wasn't paying attention and I tripped up the stairs at the shops. I managed to land on a step with my left knee and its in quite a bit of pain.

This is absolutely not ideal. I wanted to start some exercise today but will now need to wait it out a bit. I may do a light walk this evening, if its not too sore.

It made me realise though, how much we take our health for granted and how it can be swept away in the blink of an eye. And how lucky we are to have everything functioning. It also made me realise that its our responsibility to keep it healthy and right and that is what I am doing now.

Yesterday was a success - I didn't have a cheat once, no craving and I ate 10% less than the calories I allowed myself.

So all good.

This morning I made some Egg Frittatas for breakfast.

 

Easy to make and a nice supply to have in your arsenal for when you dont feel like making breakfast or when you are running late. You can keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

 

Egg Frittatas

Makes 10 - 12

 

Ingredients

6 eggs

50ml milk

Salt

Pepper

 

5 slices of Bacon

5 mushrooms

1 yellow pepper

1/2 red onion

10ml olive oil

 

Method

1. Slice the bacon, mushrooms, pepper and onion and sauté in a little olive oil - add some chilli

2. Combine the eggs, milk and salt and pepper and beat lightly in a bowl

3. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray

4. Place the sautéed vegetables into the muffin pans - splitting between them evenly

5. Pour in the egg mixture up to half way - they soufflé, so you don't want to overfill

6. Bake at 180 degrees centigrade for 20 - 25 minutes

7. Serve warm with watercress or rocket for extra spice and texture

 

 



Paleo with your food? Thats an interesting title...

So where did Paleo with your food...that's an order come from?

Its quite a sweet story actually...
In November, a friend and I did a cooking demonstration with Franck Dangeroux, he is the head chef at one of the most incredible restaurants in the world - Food Barn in Noordehoek. I say the world, because Oprah, Leonardo Di Caprio and Barrack Obama have said its spectacular.

Anyway, he did the cooking demo and I bought his book, Feast at Home, which has the most incredible recipes (yoghurt pannacotta and granadilla crème brulee just to name a few that I have tried) and he signed it for me.

And he signed it "Dear Katharine, Play with your food - that's an order! Love, Franck"

And I thought the play on words would suit this journey and honour one of my most favourite chefs.

Happy feasting xxx

Kath

Day 1 - Rebooting!

So we are on day 1 and its going reasonably well. Had a super breakfast - eggs, bacon, salad - it was delicious. I do need to add something to that though as I am feeling a bit hungry now - so maybe some cheese or yoghurt or something.

If I do that, then it may last a little longer. I did enjoy it though - the fact that on a new eating plan I can have a delicious and substantial breakfast. And the best part? I actually sat down and ate it - it was just so perfect - normally I eat breakfast over the sink - but today, I honoured the meal.

Its been 5.5 hours since breakfast and I will do lunch now and then have a 6 hour wait to dinner.

I don't want to live life waiting for the next meal - but I do need to keep my kilojoules down, so its all part of the process. I know I will adapt and I am actually not starving, but when you are a grazer as I was - its hard not to feel deprived when you don't have something in your mouth.

Its the first day back at the office as well - so a good day to start taking charge of life!

Took a photo today of myself in my underwear. Holy hell, it was frightening. When you take a picture of yourself like that you really look at yourself. And its scary.

Anyway, onward and upward - it can only improve. Have a splendid day, I intend to :)

Kath

Let's get this party started

So tomorrow is day 1 of Paleo. I've read so much and prepped myself with everything I need to know and now its just up to me. I certainly wish I was 1 week older, in the rhythm and on track.

I'be decided to join a couple of online forums - local ones, so I can see what people around me are dealing with. One of the forums I've joined is the http://www.facebook.com/sleekgeekreboot - the Sleek Geek movement in SA is gaining momentum and Ive heard lots of people talking about it.

Sometimes its just nice to have some support around your eating plan and the reality is that your friends are very often not those people. They mean a lot but unless you're on the same page, its hard to really connect with them on this.

So Im gonna give Sleek Geek a go and we will see how we do there.

Prof Tim Noakes, who wrote The Real Meal Revolution which is a book I am basing a lot of my eating on, has this to say about going Paleo:

I love the idea of conscious eating. I don't really know how much we do of that. So I am going to see what I can do to bring that to life every day that I am changing my life. I think its the little things, like eating lunch at your office desk or in front of the TV - thats not conscious eating - what you have to rather do is set time and place aside for eating and enjoy your meal - really taste it. 

I'm thinking that if I do that, then I will have a better enjoyment of my meals and thus, feel more satisfied. 

Well - thats the philosophy anyway. 

Tomorrow is day 1: a big day, with lots of conscious eating and listening to my body. Excited but nervous. I have so much laying on this lifestyle shift - so very very much. 

Wish me luck!

Kath xxx

A brief introduction

It's the 4th day of 2014 and its time to take back my life! I have battled with my weight since I was in school - always the biggest girl in the class, always taller than everyone else, always different. And I didn't mind being different - I have had so many experiences because I am slightly left of centre. And I love it and I don't intend to change that aspect of my life.

But I have also been doing some significant thinking about why I do the things I do, why I am so driven to always be different, to stand out from the crowd and to make my mark. And after much reflection, I have realized its because I don't think Im good enough as I am. And that was a very sad realization - but it also made me realize that its the reason why I protect myself so deeply and don't open myself up to things I desperately want - finding love, being real with friends, stepping up to my life, living - really living. 

So this year, I have decided to make myself good enough - to take charge of my life, my eating and my living. And to make myself absolutely accountable to myself for all that I do. Its time that I really take charge, that I embrace myself and in the words of Berren Brown - that I dare greatly and make myself vulnerable. 

So this blog is about my adventure into this and my journey into the paleo / LCHF way of life (not diet) - driven by an article I saw in the You Magazine about this man that followed the Tim Noakes diet to loose 84kgs in 7 months. I looked at the diets I have followed in the past and realized that I have always relied on grains and low fat / low GI items to loose weight and it hasnt worked. The flavors didn't appeal to me and I always felt deprived. Now I am on a journey with LCHF which appeals to me - I like butter and cream and steak and flavor. This way of living and eating sounds like something I can do. 

I've read a lot, I've prepped my cupboards and I've stocked my fridge. It's time to take charge and its time to be vulnerable and accountable. 

So here are my goals:

Current Weight:          160.0 kgs (352.00 pounds)

Goal Weight:              100.0 kgs (220.00 pounds)

Total weight loss:         60.0 kgs (132 pounds)

Weight loss per week:    1.2 kgs (2.53 pounds)

Current measurements:
Waist: 139.5cm
Hips:   171.0cm

Another goal for me is to swim 2,014 laps of the gym pool - 25m by my birthday - 5 June.
Thats a distance of 50,350 meters - 50.35km

There it is! I've laid it out!

Let's do this!

Kat