Louisa's Weight Loss Blog

As I’ve said before, 2011 is the year for exercise for me! If you sit in front of a computer all day in an office then you are very likely to have what is called a sedentary lifestyle, so in simple terms you aren’t moving around enough!

When you work at a desk all day it is really hard not to want to eat. I personally feel as though my mind is active but my body is bored… so I want to eat, regardless of whether I actually need to or not! In most jobs, it can be very hard to follow a calorie controlled diet as your brain needs proteins and fat (not saturated, good fats!) to fire on all cylinders. If you don’t consume enough calories then you may find it incredibly hard to concentrate and focus properly on your work. Nobody wants their pursuit for health to impact upon their ability to do their job, I am sure!

This is why it is so important to exercise, whether you choose to do it in the morning or in the evening.

The DVD I am reviewing today is Tracy Anderson’s Mat Workout DVD.

This DVD can be done alongside a cardio routine as it focuses on the typical feminine problem areas: arms, legs, bums and tummies.

The DVD aims to help give you a toned body and Tracy is adamant throughout that we don’t want to bulk up, we want to be tight and toned – like a ballerina. With that in mind, I was pretty keen to get started as one of the reasons I have been cautious with targeted workouts in the past is because I absolutely do not want to get big muscles and end up looking scrawny and veiny like Madonna. I have long arms and legs so if I were to bulk up I believe I would look strange and distinctly unfeminine. After watching this DVD for the first time I felt really optimistic about developing slim and toned limbs and felt keen to continue using the DVD.

Using the DVD you will be working smaller muscle groups which Tracy calls “strategic muscle exhaustion”, you’re telling me! The muscle workouts are really hard but they are completely do-able. The arms section is pretty incredible and hurts like crazy but you will get used to it as you use the DVD more often so don’t be disheartened if you can’t hold your arms as for as long as Tracy does in the DVD because you will get there.

You need to wear loose-fitting clothes or leggings as the leg workouts require a certain degree of flexibility. During the legs workout you will need a dining room chair with a high back to help you balance so bear this in mind before you start working out in your spare room. I found my hips clicked and cracked a lot at the start which was uncomfortable so it is a good idea to do a short cardio workout before starting this DVD.

The pros of using Tracy Anderson’s DVD

I thought this DVD was really great, there are loads of sets of movements that you don’t really see anywhere else and I really feel as though I may have made a bit of an exercise DVD breakthrough.

The cons of using Tracy Anderson’s DVD

Tracy doesn’t talk you through the moves enough so when you’re new to the DVD you really have to watch her and this is hard if you’re craning your neck to see the tv screen or if you haven’t tied your hair back. To see the best results, Tracy says you need to use the DVD 6 times a week. It’s really hard to throw yourself into an exercise routine as it is and I really feel that as soon as it becomes a chore you will tire of it and ultimately fail. In my opinion, I think that fitness newbies should build up to the magic six times a week otherwise the DVD will be making its way to the nearest charity shop.

Conclusion

I really like this DVD, it’s hard work but easy enough to follow. I’m not sure doing the DVD 6 times a week to start with is a great idea if you have a short attention span, but over time, it would be easy to incorporate into a daily routine. I feel really positive about the results I might be able to achieve with prolonged use and recommend this DVD to anyone looking to tone their body and look more Natalie Portman in Black Swan rather than Madonna.

Versaclimber - an intensive bit of kit

So I said 2011 was the year of exercise, well here is the device that is giving me a fabulous kick start – the Versaclimber.

Because of the involvement I have with looking into the best weight loss methods, I have been loaned a Versaclimber to use and review.

As I work from home at the moment, it’s been really handy to have an exercise machine kicking around. I’m too busy to trek down to the gym, work out for 30 mins to an hour, shower and trek back.  Realistically, that is going to take two hours out of my day and cost me £50  ($80) a month plus the cost of parking three times a week. Like a lot of people who work hard for a living, that is a lot of time and money to invest in your health and fitness when all you want to do after work is rest of the sofa with a glass of wine (red of course for the antioxidants!) There really has to be other options.

Having a Versaclimber at home means I can take 5 minute breaks throughout the day and have intensive bursts on the machine. I find it re-vitalises my mind and helps me to re-focus on my work. It also doesn’t take up too much room which is handy as we live in a modestly sized house with very little space to spare.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be blogging about my training programme and the effects working out on the machine has on my body. I won’t be using any other bit of gym equipment as I’d hate to skew the results.

Aloe Vera Plant

If you’re a bit squeamish about bathroom visits, probably best to give this post a miss! I won’t be graphic but I know not everybody is comfortable discussing it!

I don’t mind admitting I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). It must be a family thing as we all seem to have it! Anyway, about 2-3 weeks ago, somebody suggested I start taking aloe vera tablets to help ease my symptoms e.g. bloating, cramps, constipation etc. The results have actually been fantastic and I was benefiting soon after taking my first tablet.

I have been taking the high strength tablets (one a day) and at first, I’ll admit I was skeptical – you put aloe vera on your boo boos, not in your mouth! I’m going to the toilet daily instead of twice a week, my stomach is flatter because I’m not bloated and uncomfortable after lunch and I don’t appear to be retaining water like I used to. This is a common complaint for women, particularly at ‘that time of the month’.

I can’t make any promises that this is for everyone and if you are already on medication for other ailments then do speak with your doctor before you take any supplements.

All I can say is that Aloe Vera tablets have made a massive difference to me. I didn’t change my diet and I’ve not done any exercise in the last 2 months as life has been rather busy! If only I had considered earlier that my final few lbs to lose were down to IBS and it could be counteracted with a simple table, I would have tried this yonks ago!

Funnily enough, I was able to wear my ‘target weight’ jeans last Friday with no gross hip and belly over hang. This I consider to be a small victory and I fully intend to continue taking the aloe vera tablets for as long as I see the benefit.

I am a firm believer that when you are dieting to lose weight, you need to have a little of what you fancy – studies have shown that people who can’t sustain weight loss are those that are constantly denying themselves the smallest of tasty pleasures. Bear in mind they all add up but part of dieting is learning what works for you, whether it is cutting out carbs, going vegetarian or taking certain vitamin supplements.

One of my little pleasures is marmalade on my toast. I saw this news article this morning  and thought I’d write a little blog post about my love for marmalade. It is yummy and my favourite treat to spread on toast. Yes, I know it is high in sugar but a teaspoon of marmalade is all you need for a slice of bread and you certainly don’t need to butter your toast before spreading a small teaspoon of marmalade!

When it comes to calories, choosing the right marmalade is a bit of a minefield! I’ve seen some that are 20 cals per teaspoon and some that are 80 calories so always check the label if you are trying to save calories but bear in mind that the sugar-free stuff invariably tastes rubbish and fake.

At the moment, I am LOVING grapefruit marmalade. I have searched for ages for the Tipton grapefruit marmalade (pictured) but with no luck.

I bought the Marks and Spencer’s Ruby Red Grapefruit marmalade (£1.55) today but it’s a bit sugary and doesn’t taste very sharp or fruity which is a complete let down to me but I’m sure others may feel differently. I’ll leave it in the fridge at work and invite colleagues to help me get through the jar as I’m hardly about to waste it!

So come on then readers, what do YOU like to spread on your toast as a treat?

Joe as a fat kid - Aged 13 (source: News of the World - Click Image to Visit)

Joe McElderry lost significant weight before competing in the X Factor 2009

The winner of 2009′s X-Factor was Joe McElderry, an 18 year old boy who lost over 2 stone before entering this years  X-Factor.

Joe has an amazing singing voice and never faltered over the 10 or so weeks of constant singing in front of millions watching British T.V.

When his past was revealed it showed that Joe was once very overweight which is still evident in his cheeks but you would never notice it unless it was pointed out to you or you saw his old pictures from a year ago!

Was this sudden weight loss for the show? Or was it that Joe hit the wall and said “enough is enough” a year ago whilst looking in the mirror?

Previous contestants of talent contests such as Michelle McManus and Rick Waller have been heavily criticised for their weight with Michelle’s career going no-where after she won the talent show Pop Idol.  This showed a need to be attractive as well as talented on such singing contests as with so many other areas of entertainment in the modern world.

So whether Joe lost the weight to increase his changes of winning the X Factor or he just did it for himself I say well done Joe and I wish all the best for the future!

Boy that little fella can sing……..

UPDATE 2010 – WE WERE RIGHT!!!!!

Joe has spoke publicly about his weight loss, claiming to have lost 2 stone through plain good eating and exercise. Knowing that the weight was the one factor holding him back for the contract with Simon Cowell he shed the weight in just a year to reveal his squeaky clean handsome looks

Here’s Daily Mail’s take on our story

The South Beach Diet is considered to be one of all the healthier of the weight loss diets available today. Consisting of lean meat, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains

The South Beach Diet is considered to be one of all the healthier of the weight loss diets available today. Consisting of lean meat, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. The purpose of the South Beach Diet was originally a means for heart patients to improve their LDL cholesterol. It has caught on in a big way for overweight and obese people who are desperate to find a healthy way to lose weight.

For a bit of background about the diet, it is divided into three phases.

Phase one – It’s a bit of a shock to the system! This phase should last two weeks and the dieter will restrict their food intake in a way that will seem quite drastic to someone who is used to eating over 4000 calories a day! South Beach dieters will be eliminating all sugar, processed carbohydrates, fruits, and higher-glycemic vegetables as well. This phase usually results in significant weight loss but this is just the beginning…
Phase two – This stage will last for as long as you need in order to lose weight. After the initial two weeks, most South Beach Dieters can add fruits and most veggies back into their diet along with most whole grains. Dieters are expected to begin exercising (in accordance with doctor’s orders of course!) and weight loss should slow up but continue at a much steadier rate if the diet is followed properly.
Phase three – After you have lost all the weight you wanted to lose, dieters can eat what they want – within reason! Graduates from the South Beach Diet are expected to continue with the basic principles of the diet which are:

• low in fat so no trans-fats and choose foods low in saturated fat
• high in fibre
• high in omega 3 fatty acid
• avoid processed foods which are more likely to be simple carbohydrates that leave you hungry sooner after eating.

The South Beach Diet isn’t a low in carbohydrate diet like Atkins although it is often mistaken as a low-carb diet. On the South Beach Diet, dieters are not expected to limit or even weigh their carbohydrate intake, but simply consider their source e.g, are they complex or simple carbohydrates? Brown rice is a complex carbohydrate as your body has to work harder to break it down. In fact, the vegetarian version of the diet is quite high in carbohydrates.

One blogger who has been following the diet and has seen a considerable change in his health as well as his appearance is Steve – but you might know him better as South Beach Steve.

Steve has lost a huge amount of weight. He now weighs in at 187.5lbs but last year Steve weighed 259lbs. Back in August 2007, he weighed in at a whopping 283lbs! This means that Steve is healthier than ever and well on his way to losing five stone from his starting weight of 259lbs! Well done Steve!

To help those who are considering following the South Beach Diet, I asked Steve a few questions about his diet so make yourself comfortable and settle down for what I hope will be an enlightening blog post.

Steve used to be very big...

Look at Steve now! He's slim with defined muscles thanks to the South Beach Diet and hard work

Questions to South Beach Steve:

1. People are really feeling the pinch at the moment, is the SB diet
cheaper to follow than your old unhealthy diet?

One thing I have always heard about the South Beach Diet is that it is
expensive to follow.  I don’t really think that we have seen our grocery
bill rise that much, so it doesn’t appear to be the case with us.  A few
things are at play here.  First, if we are eating healthier foods, it
usually takes less to fill us up.  On the other hand, if you eat a meal
heavy in processed white-flour or sugars, your blood sugar spikes, then
drops, which leaves you feeling hungry sooner, thus you eat more.  In
short, it looks like it should be more expensive, but I have personally
not found that to be the case.

2. Having done my research, it seems as though the SB diet requires a
lot of effort with fresh food prep. Does it take ages to prepare your
food and do you need to go shopping every day?

To do the diet right, it does take a lot of food preparation.  Even the
meals marketed toward the diet do not really fit the guidelines Dr.
Agatston has previously defined.  This is a real challenge when it comes
to food preparation.  I tend to fix larger portions of food, then eat
from the leftovers for several days.  I also freeze certain things like
vegetable beef soup or chili.

We also don’t have to shop every day, although we do go at least twice a
week.  It is hard to keep fresh food that is edible longer than a few
days.  Fortunately, one of our favorite grocery stores is on my way home
from work.

3. I gather you’re quite busy with your job and family life, how does
your diet fit in with your lifestyle?

I really thought this was going to be one of the greater challenges.  I
eat a lot of “work” lunches and dinners, which are not geared toward my
diet.  I also travel a lot, which isn’t conducive to this type of diet.
For me, I didn’t allow that to be an excuse.  Basically, if you know you
have to find workable options, you look harder.  There have been times
that I just haven’t eaten the work meals, and there have been times when
traveling that I have bought my food at a grocery store instead of a
restaurant.

I am fortunate in that my wife generally cooks dinner, and it is ready
before I arrive home (the rest of the family eats dinner much earlier
than when I arrive home).  This helps keep the evening preparation to a
minimum, which I am thankful for.

4. Be honest, do you prefer the SB diet to your old diet?

I don’t know that I can say I prefer it when speaking of taste, but I am
equally happy with it.  Sure, there are foods I miss, but not many.  The
food I now eat is tasty and filling, which is all I can ask for.  The
largest challenge is snack foods, which are very limited.

5. I find that fatty and unhealthy foods turn my stomach now, how long
did it take for you to stop wanting the old food you used to eat?

I would say that it was probably six months or so.  I don’t recall the
moment where I realized my taste buds had changed, but I do remember
noticing it.  It was like a light went off in my head, realizing I had
finally reached a new level of success.

6. Can you describe what you used to eat in a day?

A typical day might have consisted of one or two bowls of some
sugar-laden cereal for breakfast.  Sometimes I would go out for lunch,
when I did it was a double cheeseburger, a large fries, and a large
drink.  While that wasn’t everyday, it was typical.  I often had an
afternoon snack, usually a bag of chips, a bag of popcorn, or a Snickers
candy bar.  Dinner was often a large helping of lasagna with bread, or
some kind of meat, lots of mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn.  The real
kicker was I wasn’t done at this point.  I would often have another bowl
of cereal or ice cream before bed.

7. And what do you eat now?

Breakfast is often an apple with 2-4 tablespoons of natural nut butter.
Lunch is typically a large salad or a chicken breast accompanied by
steamed broccoli.  Dinner is usually a lean meat and a couple of cooked
vegetables.  That being said, salads are always a welcome food.  I still
snack on occasion, sometimes a late evening apple or a late evening bowl
of a whole grain cereal.  I try to keep this to a minimum though.

8. Can anybody do the South Beach diet?

I think most anyone can do the South Beach Diet.  The two exceptions that could still
do it, although it would be tough, are total vegetarians or vegans.  The
premise of the diet is eating foods that have less of an effect on your
blood sugar – proteins and fats are better at this than carbohydrates.
The fiber in vegetables and fruits helps with this, but not as well as
the protein and fats.

9. What benefits have you noticed other than weight loss?

I have been told that I look healthier, although I am not sure if that
is a result of my skin or what.  I have more energy, which is nice.  Of
course, the greatest benefit is my health, which has improved tremendously.

10. Is it easy to stick to the diet when you go out for dinner with family?

With family it is easy.  My family is very accommodating, so we usually
go somewhere that is agreeable with my diet.  This usually means
somewhere with good salads.  Believe me, I count myself lucky here.

11. How important is portion control with the South Beach diet? Can you gorge yourself silly on all the good foods until you’re full?

Can you gorge yourself silly?  Yes, you just won’t lose any weight.
  Seriously, most of the time I feel satisfied on the amounts I eat.
Does that mean I eat all I can eat?  No, but I do eat until I am full.
I am rarely hungry, and when I am it is intentional.  I think part of
the benefit of a low-hypoglycemic index diet, like the South Beach Diet,
is that we recognize being full easier.

12. If you could only give one piece of advice to people thinking about
going on the South Beach diet, what would that be?

Learn the diet.  This is one of the most misunderstood diets out there.
It is not a traditional “low carb” diet.  I prefer to call it a healthy
carb/healthy meat diet.

If I were to offer a second piece of the diet, I would add that you
should not feel that you have to follow the meal plans in the books.
These are just examples, that is it.

13. Do your kids eat the same diet as you now? What do they think of
their new slimline daddy?

No, my kids do not eat the same exact diet.  They do eat many of the
foods I eat, but they still have some foods I do not eat.

One of the best memories I have so far in this journey to healthiness is
my youngest son being so excited that he can actually put his arms all
the way around me when he hugs me.

14. That’s absolutely fantastic! How long did it take for you to see results?

I saw weight results immediately, but the funny thing was that no one
seemed to notice until I had lost 30 pounds.  At that point it was as if
everyone’s eyes were opened.  That was about six months into it.

15. Is this something that you can approach ‘half-hearted’ or do you
have to be really determined and dedicated from the outset for it to
even stand a chance of working?

I firmly believe this is a diet that one must be committed to.  The
eating program that you follow is not well-suited to “cheating”.

16. At what point did you realise you needed to diet? Did you try any
other diets or did you strike it lucky with finding the South Beach diet first?

I have known that I needed to diet most of my life.  I made the decision
last July though.  I was laying in bed and it hit me that I was a
walking time-bomb.  I knew that I would never live to see my children’s
children if I didn’t change something immediately.  That was the night
before I began changing my health for the better.

I had tried other diets.  At one point in my adult life I lost several
pounds on a low fat diet.  It was relatively easy for me, but I became
bored with it quick.  I also lost a great deal of weight on the Atkins
Diet.  I still have a fondness for that diet.  I felt good when I was on
that diet, and I lost an incredible amount of weight very fast.  I
always looked at it as a diet though, not a lifestyle change.  That is
the difference.  When it came time to change for good, I knew I wasn’t
ready to do the Atkins Diet again.  I wasn’t that committed yet.  But I
knew I could do the South Beach Diet.  Furthermore, I felt the South
Beach Diet was a lifestyle diet for me.  I wasn’t sure the Atkins Diet
could ever be that.

And the most recent picture of Steve – in his brand new suit that has sent lots of well-deserved compliments his way…

Slimline Steve

This last week has been difficult to say the least! My car died and I was terrified that the time had come to scrap my 13 year old corsa. Firstly because I love her, secondly because I can’t afford to replace her. As always, Jonny and I persevered and I would drop him off at work on my way to work. Inevitably, he would make me late but beggars can’t be choosers – he was letting me borrow his car so that I could get there in the first place. Anyway, the difficulty lay in that he was working 14/15 hour days last week as his company are launching a new product this week. On the Tuesday, he worked 12 hours and I sat in his office waiting for him. Clearly, that is very impractical to bother with for more than one day. The following two days I had to go back out to his work to get him. On the Thursday, I stopped at the supermarket to pick him up something microwavable yet healthy. He got salmon and new potatoes. That was alright for him!

You see, my father and I have a difficult relationship at times. He is extremely temperamental and we’ve had monumental arguments in the past. We still do to this day. However, if I need him, he will whinge and generally make a pain of himself but he does always come through for me. He demonstrated this last week by driving 100 miles from Gloucestershire to where I live (Nottinghamshire) to fix my car. So (back to the original point about Jonny being lucky to have salmon) I decided to make him a home-made sausage casserole  for me and dad as cooking is not one of mum’s strong points. Unfortunately, my efforts were rubbish! I had lost the recipe and I tried to memorise it but clearly to no avail. Anyway, in spite of my poor show in the kitchen which resulted in the breaking of a glass measuring jug and an equally innocent wine glass, dad fixed my car in less than 40 mins. He even looked at Jonny’s car and fixed my phone as I had dropped it the previous night. We are currently liking my dad.

I drove back home for the MOT on Friday night sans Jonny. It was easier that way as I needed to be up early Saturday morning for the aforementioned MOT. Surprisingly, my car PASSED! Don’t worry about congratulating me, I have already celebrated – with one solitary glass of wine.Have you not noticed, I am trying to diet but had no time to exercise and prepare decent meals. This week, it’s about damage limitation.

Anyway, since my return from The ‘Shire, I have been massively tired and completely incapable of writing anything carefully constructed. In fact, this has been a stream of consciousness which I expect to read back tomorrow and think HUH?!

It’s not about self-discipline, it’s about being in the right frame of mind to make dieting work otherwise the stressful aspects of your life suddenly magnify. There is self-discipline, there is knowing when to stop eating… and then there is knowing when to give yourself a break. Losing weight is a lifestyle choice that needs to revolve around you. When you start revolving around your diet and stop doing the things you are MEANT to be doing (meeting friends, lunch with a colleague etc) that is when you need to ask yourself if you have a problem.

Over the next few weeks, I hope to cover the issue of taking dieting too far and why it is better to be slim rather than thin.

It was about time! I’m always on facebook so it’s about time I combined my two internet loves, Facebook and Total Chunk!

Find the Total Chunk Facebook page here:

They seek me here, they seek me there – Oh! I’m a dedicated follower of fashion! - My version of The Kinks’ song,  Dedicated Follower of Fashion.I’m singing it in my head right now and no, I’m not mad, I’ve added a new category to my blog!

I’ve been quite down what with being unemployed so I’ve not really been even looking at clothes because it’s torture not being able to buy them. This is all changing now as I start a new job on Monday (YAY!!!!) so I’ve decided to start looking around and sharing with everyone the clothes that I’d like to wear when I hit my target weight. I’m no fashion expert but I know what I like and what I like is standing out!

When you’re trying to lose weight, you are more likely to be successful if you aspire to a particular goal. I fully encourage all ladies out there who are looking to lose weight to step outside their comfort zone and think about how amazing you’re going to look in fashionable clothes you wouldn’t even consider wearing now; you will have no excuse not to give new fashions a try when you’re slim!

This isn’t just me trying to be a fashionista, I’m going to say which clothes I think are suitable for which body shapes. I also want to indicate the areas they’ll accentuate and the sins the clothes I showcase could hide. Yes, losing weight is about your health but there is also the looking good aspect to it and you should enjoy feeling and looking fabulous. You’ve worked so hard to lose the weight so reveal the new sassy you to the world and say “Hello, I have arrived!”

Marshmallows contain virtually no fat

These are marshmallows. Scouts impale them on sticks and toast them on a roaring camp fire. I shove them on a kebab stick at BBQs and enjoy the melted goo. Jonny isn’t the biggest marshmallow fan which means more for me, yay!

What do marshmallows have to do with dieting? They’re made from sugar and gelatine so they must be sent from Satan to keep us fat.

Anyone who has successfully lost weight and kept the weight off will tell you that you must not feel like you are being denied the foods you enjoy otherwise you will resent your diet and are less likely to stick to it. The answer is to factor in up to 200cals a day out of your daily allowance for treats a few times a week.

• A two finger kit kat has 106 calories
• A small glass of red wine has about 100 calories
• Marshmallows are 157 cals per 50 grams and contain very little fat. 50g is roughly 7 or 8 marshmallows.

Total Chunk Top Tip: Do not deny yourself a regular small treat, factor in little things like a 2 finger kit kat or a few marshmallows into your calorie allowance. You will feel in control by being able to say no to eating most of the packet and you won’t feel as though your diet is stopping you from having the things you like. If you don’t feel like you can only eat a couple of marshmallows from a packet, ask a friend or your partner to help ration them until you get used to eating smaller amounts. It’s all about portion control and there is no shame in asking for help!