Two Out of Three

Two Out of Three

Firstly, if you don't own Meatloaf's Bat out of Hell album, what is wrong with you?

Secondly, how do you know that you’re healthy? What's the right thing to measure yourself by, your Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat percentage, or waist to hip ratio?


Thirdly, why would anyone want to put their health down to a number? Unless it's the number 42, but surely people know whether they feel healthy or not?
 

Body Mass Index (BMI)
 

Body Mass Index (BMI) is way of seeing whether your weight is appropriate for your height. It's quite favoured by the medical professionals GP's and the like, to let you know whether your fat or not. According to my BMI, even though I've lost 5 stone I'm still now overweight rather than being borderline morbidly obese. It recommends that I lose another 20Kg or 2 stone to be healthy. Which when I look at myself I'm not too sure where this would come off from, there's a bit of fat left on my stomach & arms which I'd like to get rid of but I don't think there's 20Kgs of it...maybe there is who knows.

Personally, I don't like the BMI as we all know muscle is leaner & more dense than fat, therefore all of our favourite sports starts would epically fail on this measuring scale & like the rest of us told to lose some weight.

To check your BMI if you want to click here: http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx

 

Body Fat Percentage

Is a little trickier to calculate, unless you have a pair of callipers, which I wish I had.

I sometimes used the weight machines in Boots or at the Gym where is does measure your BMI but also your body fat but sending an extremely small electrical current though your body to measure the fat, whether this works or not I have no idea. Last time I used one of these machines was 2 months ago, where my body fat percentage was 30%.

Also there are measurement systems online where you just need a tape measure here's a link to one: http://www.active.com/fitness/calculators/bodyfat from using this link my body fat percentage now is 27%. It is possible that I've lost 3% in the last two months, with the weight resistance training I'm doing. So with my body fat being at 27% this means for a woman, my age, my body fat percentage is average, however I am working on getting this to the ideal section.

Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR)

 
The waist to hip ratio is an indicator to see whether you’re an apple or pear/hourglass body shape. As people who are more apple shape & carry more fat around their abdomen are more likely to develop heart disease. To calculate your waist to hip ratio you measure you waist & hips in inches & divide. It's simple maths that even I can do it, but here's a link to make it easier: http://www.virginactive.co.uk/active-matters/tools/waist-hip-ratio

Men with a WHR of 0.95 and women who have a WHR of 0.85 or less are in good health and are more likely to be hourglass or pear shaped, however, if your WHR is above this it means you should probably lose some weight due to the risk to your heart.

My WHR is 0.76 which is good; if I did this 3 years ago I think it would have told a different story.

Basically, above is a load of numbers, charts & calculations that are used to figure out whether a person is healthy or not. Now, I personally don't think you should go by just one measuring system, which is why I have demonstrated the 3 above. From these I'm good, average & overweight; which is why I say two out of three ain't bad.

 

A lot of slimming groups will only use one measuring scale usually the BMI, I personally don't like this as I'm currently trying to build muscle & reduce my body fat this scale works against me as muscle weigh's more than fat anyway. Plus by only using one scale I don't think you can get a clear picture of your body. You may find that you have a good WHR but would like to lose more body fat so then you can look into exercise & food changes that could help you achieve this goal. But also don't forget that it also matters what you feel on the inside as a person, as only you will know in yourself whether something is wrong physically or whether new foods/exercise or whatever it is in your life doesn't agree with you. This will be an indication of whether you’re healthy or not...not a load of numbers.

 

 

P.S Sorry for not posting anything sooner, I've been super busy with one thing & another, but will to continue to post regularly as possible. Peace & Love x

 

 

 

I Wanna Do Bad Things....With Carbs

I Wanna Do Bad Things...With Carbs

I'm not gonna lie, I love all things made with white flour, pasta, bread, cake, biscuits...mmm donuts, & all things sugary & sweet, chocolate, sweets & ice cream. So, naturally all of these things should be enjoyed as a treat every so often, rather than everyday, as they're the wrong kind of carbohydrates we need. 

I know what you're thinking, how could some taste so good, be so bad for us? 

Well it's all a case of Simple vs. Complex carbs. The above mentioned yummy foods are unfortunately examples of simple carbs. This means that the smaller molecules of sugar are absorbed & digested quickly into our bodies. This energy is turned into glycogen & is stored in our cells. If it's not used it immediately turns to fat.  Simple carbs have usually been stripped of most of their nutrients & made more consumer friendly, their high glycemic index (GI) will cause our blood sugar levels to rise quickly causing a sugar rush, once this has ended it was cause our blood sugar levels to dip, & then we begin to seek out more sugar.

Complex carbs, are our friends. They may not taste as great & we may not always be in the mood for them, but they are good to us. Complex carbs can be found in a more natural state foods, this means they haven't been tampered with or processed. These foods are high in nutrients & lower in calories. They're also low GI foods which means our bodies have to work harder to break the food down, to get the glycogen which means that our blood sugar levels are more stable throughout the day. 

Before I started changing my lifestyle I used to eat mainly simple carbs in abundance & not worry about it, I'd never really thought about the nutritional value of the foods I was eating before. Now, I realise how much of the simple carbohydrates turn to sugar, & this is is probably one of the causes of my own obesity, from this I have learnt the error of my ways I now eat complex carbs & because not only are they good for you, they're more dense more so you don't need as much as they fill you up. 

From being educated on carbs, I could then implement an eating plan with my training program for results. I've previously blogged about the Team Dynamix Alkaline/Acid eating plan & about Macro counting, because I'm an endomorph & my goal is for fat loss, I limit my carbs throughout they day, I also don't have any carbs with my evening meal on non-training days. However, it is important to stress that you should never cut one food group completely from your diet, the consequences not only physically but also mentally could be detrimental to you. 

As I am determined to reach my goal, & I show great willpower to be able to say 'No' to the simple carb foods, but don't get me wrong I know my history of being an emotional eater, & if I'm having a particularly bad time I could quite happily sit with a cup of tea & smash a whole packet of chocolate hobnobs, no question. But, even then I still don't display this behaviour because I understand my triggers, & willpower is a wonderful thing...

Plus, now I'm in the habit of eating well & looking after myself, I like to save my simple carb treats for something special as I love Italian food or a G&T or wine. 

28 Days Later....

So, as everyone knows I reset myself at the beginning of Feburary on a mission to fight the fat & I've been keeping you all updated with my weekly progress. This week I've not been feeling myself & not sleeping properly which has led me to make poor choices when regarding caffeine...I chose builders tea instead of green, also aunt flow is on her way & unfortunately with this comes some water retention & bloating, plus it's end of the month & I decided that I'd been good all month I think I deserved a few G&T's. 

However, from having such a poor week, my weight is 80.8Kg which means I've gained 0.6Kg (1.3lbs) over the month which I don't think is that bad, I'm also hoping that some of this is muscle (fingers crossed). This week my body fat percentage is still 38.1% which means I've lost a total of 0.4% over the last month,which considering I'm an endomorph I'm pretty happy with that. 

This biggest difference has come with my measurements.....

At the beginning of February                        28 Days Later.                    Difference 

Measurements (inches)

Arm: 13.5.                                                              14.                                  0.5 gain

Bust: 37.                                               37.5 (Hooray for boobies).               0.5 gain

Chest: 32.5.                                                          32.                                  0.5 loss

Waist: 32.                                                              32.                                   -

Hips: 41.5.                                                             41.                                  0.5 loss

Bum: 44.                                                                43.                                   1 loss

Upper Thigh: 26.5.                                                26.                                    1 loss

Lower Thigh: 21.                                                   19.5.                                1.5 loss

So over 28 days I have lost 3.5 inches, by weight resistance training working one muscle group at a time & by eating properly, again this week I've forgotten to take pictures of my food (sorry) so there's no food diary this week. 

This week at PT I smashed my PB on the 45 degree leg press 10 sets of 10 reps at 120Kg, which is over my starting body weight back in January 2012. Over the last month I've become stronger & fitter, I can't wait to see my results at the end of March; besides summer is only round the corner & I can't wait, it's time to get buff! 

Fat Fighters

"Half-The-Calorie Diet' so you can have twice as much"


                                        
"Hello Fatties" 

When you think of joining a slimming club, you think of Majorie Dawes ("I just love a bit of cake, yeah") but honestly it's not that bad, you're with people who want the same goal as you, to lose weight.
I had completed my first step and joined Slimming World. When I joined I was 17 stone and half a pound (238lbs - 108Kgs) & I'm 5ft 6in (167cm) tall, so according to my body mass index (BMI) was obese, if I was 6.5lbs heavier I would have been classed as morbidly obese, I look back now & I'm glad I started when I did, who knows what would of happened too me?
Dust? Anyone? No?

I used Slimming World for about 18 months I was using their extra easy plan, which was extra easy to follow; you have super free & free foods which you can eat in abundance and healthy options A & B you pick one of each a day & you had 15 syns a day to be naughty if you wanted to use them. The recipes online & in the magazine are really tasty & get people back in the kitchen & cooking using fresh ingredients, that makes loads of dinners & I took the leftovers for lunch at work the next day. It also encourages you to keep a food diary so you know what you've eaten. I never stayed for the actual group as I got back home from work late, if I had stayed at the group it wouldn't have been 9pm before I had any dinner, so I'm not sure what they do at group (it could be a cult, for all I know!?)

I've never tried Weight Watchers or Rosemary Connolly so I'm not sure how they compare. For me Slimming World felt like the right platform for weight loss, it was simple & easy to follow, and it helped me gain control of what I was eating & the portion size of what I was eating & re-educated me about what I was putting in my body & I was enjoying all these fresh fruit & vegetables. I've never been so full in my life, that first week I was on slimming world I thought I would burst, before I started the plan I had cut my meals down in size in an attempt to lose weight, I now know that this is considered an extremely bad move, as it slows your metabolism down & mine is slow enough as it is! I would definitely recommend Slimming World to anyone who wants to loose weight as a starting platform. 

Towards the end of my time on Slimming World, I had lost about 3 stone (19Kgs) my weight loss had started to plateau & I wasn't seeing the results I wanted when I had been good with food all week, and been to the gym 3-4 times a week, so it was time for a change, I saw that by this point that Slimming World would no longer help me to achieve my goals & that it was just making me loose pounds in my bank account. It was time for something more dynamic...

Eeeek! My First Blog

In the Beginning...

...well January 2012 to be exact.

There I was one cold January evening in a community hall, with other women like myself, waiting to have my turn on those scales, which would reveal years of abuse & self loathing that I had put myself through subconsciously. I had agreed to go to this first meeting with, my mother; who is as cunning as fox had used reverse psychology in tricking me to go with her for support, when in fact it was the other way round. 

Then it was my turn, I placed my feet on the scales & watched the number rocket up to 17 stone & half a pound (238lbs - 108Kgs) it was then I realised that I was officially heavier than my parents and anyone I'd ever known.

From that moment, I hadn't realised how heavy and big I was, or how I looked (when I graduated I was a size UK18-20). I've never been one for actually looking at myself in the mirror, or weighing myself. I just didn't care about me, I had low self esteem & low confidence and had inhibited a downward spiral of uncontrolled eating & making poor choices for myself; being surrounded by people that also inhibited this lifestyle making me think it was ok or being surrounded by people who made me seem worthless so that I didn't care anymore. I just used to drink most weekends, smoke & eat what I wanted when I wanted regardless of the consequences on my health & well being. 

Time is a Great Healer...

Over the last 3 years, I have completely changed my lifestyle, I've tried & tested various "diets" & fitness routines. My confidence & self esteem has sky rocketed (I even had the balls to go around India travelling on my own) & I'm generally a happier, healthier person. On the return from travels last year I weighed my lowest a week after I returned home, which was also my birthday so I was super chuffed, I was 12 stone 1lb (169.5lbs - 76.9Kgs), however, with the lack of training & proper nutrition whilst I was away meant I had lost definition & strength, which I have built back up. 

My Aims...

I want to use this blog to inspire others who are on the verge of taking the plunge to change  their lifestyle & those who have just started. To those already on their journey that they are not alone when times get hard, and for me, to help me stay motivated whilst I continue my journey as I'll be sharing my progress with you.

From Christmas & throughout January I have felt a little lost, and not sure about the next step to take regarding my own fitness, but today I feel more positive and refocused, and ready to take the next step which will be to develop my body to be stronger, leaner & fitter by using weight resistant workouts only which is something new to me as I've never done this before...a bit like this blogging malarky.

Current Stats

Dress Size:UK 12-14

Weight: 12 Stone 12lbs - 180lbs - 81.9Kgs

Body Fat: 36.7%

Measurements (inches)

Arm: 13.5

Bust: 37

Chest: 32.5

Waist: 32

Hips: 41.5

Bum: 44

Upper Thigh: 26.5

Lower Thigh: 21

Thank You's
Thanks to my Mum, for taking me to my first diet group & starting me on this journey, as I never would of done it without your support. 

To all my friends & family that have supported me during this time, it means so much!

Thanks to my lovely beautician Kolaine for telling me I should start a blog and tell my story (you can visit her blog here http://kolaine.blogspot.co.uk/ ).