The Sex-Life of a Vegetarian

Happy Tuesday everyone!!!

I am nearing the end of my challenge….:( I must say, I am going to miss everything about it: the challenges, the pain, the sense of achievement, the blogging - but most importantly, I am going to miss the support from you guys. The beautiful public.

Therefore, I am opening the floor…or the web space…or whatever…to suggestions! I am prepared to do another challenge and blog about it. I have had some suggestions to do a half marathon – which I am totally up for. However, I would like to see if someone has a better idea. More to the point, I need to know if you people want to keep reading my literal shite talk (Conor, I know your answer already so shush!).

Back to the task at hand.

I had such a bad week last week. I gained about a two stone, suffered a dreadful case of acute acne (the sort where your skin is so greasy you could actually use your face to run a chipper for a night), broke a toe (doctor told me to suck it up - not sure if he meant my toe or the pain - I tried both - no improvement), enjoyed my weight in chocolate, takeaway and beer, and I did my challenge in nothing less than 30 minutes – that’s up from 9 minutes 20 seconds last week.

Needless to say, I woke up sweating and screaming from that nightmare. Yes people, it was a dream.

This week was all colours and butterflies. My motivation, inspiration, self-control and raw desire to continue this challenge right to the end (and beyond) drove my fitness and weight loss efforts last week. I know I said it in the last post, but honestly, I feel like I have such a tight rein of this craic at the moment. It is such a good feeling.

My eating is controlled, but I enjoy what I eat. I am in a routine now. I do not eat anything I don’t enjoy. I keep telling myself that this is a lifestyle change – and not just a change that is going to last until mid-December. Therefore, it is important that I make diet choices that are sustainable for my tastebuds. I’m filling up on eggs, cottage cheese, ryvita & crackerbread (which I actually adore), banana’s, fish (and lots of it), chickpeas, that new ‘Slim Pasta’ stuff I found, green vegetables, and salad until it comes outta my ears. I have also developed a bit of a grá for parsnips. I kid you not. Even though they are a root vegetable, and my time on Tony Ferguson taught me that root veggies are bad as they are full of starch, I did a bit of research on the humble old parsnip.

It turns out that parsnips are high in fibre and lots of other good things, and are better for you than spuds. The fact that they are high in fibre means they will keep you fuller for longer. They also have a peculiarly pleasant sweet tang to them which means parsnips ward off hunger pangs. I roast them in with a LITTLE BIT of honey, pepper and mixed herbs. You may think – honey....sugar….and yes you are right. BUT honey contains vitamins, minerals and amino acids. These all work together to help in fat and cholesterol metabolism, and that helps prevent obesity (in the right amounts of course).

Furthermore, I have to say, I am not eating much meat these days and am contemplating becoming vegetarian (well one of those vegetarians that eat fish!). I have the immune system of an ox at the moment (do ox’s have strong immune systems – because that’s what I mean?).  My notion to turn veggie was accelerated today when I heard Ray D’Arcy discussing recent research which uncovered a favourable finding about vegetarians…ahem…see for yourself here (it should also explain the title of this post) -> *fascinating report!*

My exercise efforts were good last week – I enjoyed Metafit, Kettlebells and dancing. I am also the proud owner of a 7.5kg kettlebell (thanks Ang) as well as a stepper machine. I spend my evenings squatting, snatching and stepping to my heart’s content. We’ll see how long that lasts….

I did my challenge this week too. Shauna kicked me out the front door for a 4km run at 7am on Friday morning. I haven’t run properly in ages and the run was no problem to me so that gave me a great boost. When we got back, I started into my challenge.

The View During my 7am Run

I really tried to give it my all again this week. However, during the whole thing, I felt like I had more to give and I just couldn’t push my body to do it. I cannot even try to describe how it felt. I guess…imagine you were driving a car and the engine was labouring, but you know that it does not usually labour and it is capable of a lot more power. That is how I felt!

After finishing my final lunge, I felt a little deflated. I wasn’t half as fecked as I usually am, and I wasn’t swearing either! I just lay on the mat and gave myself a telling off. Shauna told me that my time was a little behind what it was the previous time. And even though I thought that before she told me, I could physically feel a pit of disappointment form in my stomach.

Me Giving Out To Myself. Note: Shauna has a shakey hand

Shauna made her way over to me with my piece of paper with my time. I was about to tell her to shove it up her pert little backside – and then she said 8 MINUTES 30 SECONDS!

I was absolutely dumbfounded! That is 50 seconds better than last time. I am well on the way to HALVING my time since the first day of my challenge – which is a feat in itself! I was so shattered from beating myself up that I didn’t even have the energy to do my victory dance; I was dancing inside! :)

Aside from everything else, I feel great! People are noticing that I am becoming slimmer, which is great! I went to visit a friend of mine who I hadn’t seen in months and he looked shocked when I got out of the car; he followed up with a ‘you’ve got so small’ comment….which was great! Thanks Ant!

That is all for now. I have two more weeks…pedal to the metal right to the end! I know it is not about weight, but I could lose four pounds in two weeks which would be super! I am hoping to do my challenge again on Friday, followed by a 5km race dressed in a Santa hat on Saturday! 

Finally, to all the people in the last week who have told me I have inspired them and kept them motivated - keep it up! Stay with me! You help me too! 

I shall keep you updated…

Love S x

Ahoy Matey...Treasure!

Hello my good people!

Happy Tuesday one and all……I was going to be really annoying and start with a big fat juicy HAPPY CHRISTMAS (see Lorna, I have reinstated the Christ!), but I decided I did not want to lose any of my beautiful loyal followers at such a late stage of my journey! I was listening to the radio today and the DJ kept saying ‘Merry Christmas & Happy New Year’ to people on air and I was like ‘IT’S FLAMING NOVEMER…let’s get over movember first!’  Sooooo annoying!

Anywho, I have had a really exciting week this week. I am suffering from terrible insomnia at the moment…yawwwwn. At night time, I have started rooting through the back of my wardrobe. I have found treasures in the form of clothes from my….ahem….youth which I thought would never fit me again.

Now when I say youth, I mean like last year! I was never much of a skinny mini as a teenager, apart from that time I contracted campylobacter or some other exotic-sounding food poisoning which left me addicted to pethadine (yes the stuff they give women in labour) and weighing in at about 7 stone 3lbs. Wonderful time of my life which lasted about a week after I starting eating again!

The first of these treasures was a pair of uber flattering stonewash-grey jeans from La Boutique de la New Look (very posh and exclusive). These jeans are about 6 years old and are my most favouritist jeans ever when they fit me. And when they don’t fit me they are the worst jeans ever. They are what I call my ‘indicator’ jeans, that is, they are the jeans that tell me if I’ve got fatter or skinnier. They are very worn at the bottoms, and my mother keeps telling me they are only fit for the bin. The last time they fitted me (definition of fitted: closing without the existence of a ‘muffin top’) was last September. This time 3 months ago, they would not even close on me, which is what led me to wind myself up into a Hurricane Sandy-like rage and dispose of them to the back of my wardrobe.

On Saturday, my owlish tendencies led me to try them on. This is how they looked:

Not only do they fit me, but for the first time in 4 years, they are actually LOOSE on me!!! I ached to run around the house screaming in a non-drug induced ecstasy, but I value my life far too much (mom would have gotten the wooden spoon to me).

My second feat happened last night at approximately 2am (Irish time). Again, I a pottering about fuelled by my unnatural nocturnal energy. From the back of my wardrobe, I pulled another treasure…a size ten dress that a bought during my first week back from Australia last year. I got it in Swamp to wear to my good friend Rob’s epic birthday bash. It is the only night I wore it, as I reignited my love of Irish Cider in the weeks after and was always to bloated to wear it on nights out.

With caution, I tried it on. The zip went up seamlessly without me having to squeeze myself into sexy spanks, or indeed suck myself in til I felt ill. BINGO!!! My waist looked nice and trim in it…DELIGHTED! I could still afford to lose a few lbs in order for it to look magnificent, but hey…SCORE!!!!! Christmas dress SORTED!

I am so happy right now…it is the BEST FEELING EVER!!! This is the point in the weightloss process where it becomes addictive. Though I don’t think it is the act of losing weight that is addictive, but rather the FEELING it gives to you.

The last few weeks have I made few couple of adjustments to my diet, and I feel all the better for it. I have cut out grapes and started drinking sparkling water. I have always been good for drinking my two litres of water, but since I started drinking sparking water I have been eating less. I have also been diluting it with a little Lime cordial which is warding off any sugar cravings I get from time to time. Other than that, I am eating plenty eggs, lean meat and veggies! 

Exercise-wise, I did not do my challenge last week but plan on getting to Galway later this week to do it. I am still doing my Metafit (thanks Roisin & Gerry for putting out extra weights), kettlebells, dancercise, sean –nós dancing and jogging.  

I am most definitely on the home straight now WOOOOHOOOO!!!! There is part of me that wants to hop on the scales, but I am a bit afraid in case my weight doesn’t reflect how much smaller I feel – that would drive me crackers!

Here’s to another great week!!! 

P.S. Can’t thank Shauna (and Gareth!!!) enough for all the support!!! You guys are awesome! 

Tasty Dreams and (un)Constipated Frogs

Hey guys!

So here we are...embarking upon yet another delightful week in windswept, rain-drowned, recession-ridden Ireland. Woohoo!!!

As you all know from my last post, I saw last week out on an absolute high after completing my challenge in 9 minutes 20 seconds.

On Thursday evening, I went to Dancersize. The class was taught by the lovely Maria O Connor and it was the quickest 60 minute class I've ever taken part it. It was so much fun and really go my heart rate up! We did some salsa-style, jazzy-style and zumba-style routines. What I absolutely loved about the class was the fact that we learned a complete routine and did it a couple of times. Most of the Dancersize classes I have just flown through a routine once before moving onto the next one. I love learning new things, so this class suited me down to the ground.

Even though I loved the class, I am sure I was a funny sight. There was one move and I just could not do. It involved alternating your left leg and right arm with your right leg and left arm. I just could not do it not matter how hard I tried! I can be so uncoordinated at times! Nevertheless, I am sure I was entertaining for anyone watching a frustrated little me, and I can assure you that I am more than ready to provide top class entertainment for our next family wedding!!

For dinner on Thursday, I had a real treat! Despite loving pasta,  I NEVER eat it -  for the simple reason that it just bloats me like constipated frog. I am not joking. After 3 mouthfuls of pasta, I look about 6 months pregnant - God forbid. I had some time to kill in Westport on on Wednesday, so I wandered into the health food shop on Bridge Street. Sitting on a shelf in front of me, glowing like a coin fresh from the coin-maker people and shouting 'buuuuuyyyy meeeee!' at me was this.....

A tasty dream...

It is a little steeply priced at €2.99 but it made me very happy! I cooked it with a little bit of tomato-based pasta sauce and tuna. It STUFFED me like pasta, kept me full, and didn't give me a food baby. It's the answer to one of my life problems. It's WONDA-FUL!  There are noodle and rice varieties too...so I am going to do a beef stir fry next time.

On Friday, I was expecting to be crippled from DOMS after having worked out so intensively all week. However, I woke up feeling GREAT! I was full of energy, and even managed to get shrinking booty out for a brisk walk.

I had decided Saturday would be my rest day from my exercise. It was a friends birthday (HB Brown Siobhán!), so I had planned to go out with a few friends (including Amy, the Pumpkin-pie maker person). My eating and exercise were so good last week that I decided it would be a shame to ruin it by going on a bender, drinking loads of beer, and garnishing it with chips, burgers and sandwiches come the end of the night. So I drove, drank sparkling water and lime, and danced the night away. Plenty shite-talking too!

Happy Birthday Brown Siobhán! Despite holding two bottles, I was not drinking! I fought all temptation! 

Despite not drinking, I did not wake til 11am Sunday. Not only that, but I woke to a text from Miss Pumpkin Pie who had been drinking the night before. Furthermore, she had sent the text at 9am. Crazy person. After lunch, I went to for a walk on the beach with a friend from my college-going years (so long ago!), who came to visit Achill for the day (good to see you Danny!). I finished Sunday with an hour long Sean-Nós dancing session - thankfully I think I was a little more co-ordinated!

Overall, my diet was great over the weekend! I've really got to grips with my eating, which is wonderful! Shauna from SMC Fitness  has me filling out a food diary this week, so I think that is why I am super-focused. Also, it's only SIX WEEKS 'til Christmas....jingle bells...jingle bells.....well hopefully there will be not bodily jingling this Christmas!

I had Metafit again tonight (Monday). I really was not in the mood for it tonight...I was lovely and cosy beside the fire watching online tutorials on HTML. But of course Katrina came to the rescue again (superwoman-style), and gave me a reason to go. It was challenging tonight as we did a new set of exercises! Another enjoyable class - and there were so many people there too!! Definitely glad I went! I did spend much of the class pulling up my tracksuit bottoms though, so apologies to anyone who got a picturesque view of my behind. It made me happy though (the fact that my trackies are falling down, not that I'm showing my ass to the world)!

That's all for now folks...I will be doing my challenge on Friday so I shall be updating you guys then! Fingers crossed I smash 9 minutes this week!

Sin é...laters! :) xx

A Machine in the Making...

Hello!

Thanks to everyone you emailed/text (some of you who I don't even know) over the last 2/3 days wondering where my blog posts were!! Sorry I have been busy working, exercising and making life choices!

Overall, I have probably had the best week since I started this challenge - eating and exercise-wise! Here is the lowdown....

Weekend

To be honest the weekend was a bit of a non-event. Apart from a really short jog (it was cold and wet) on Saturday, I stayed in my PJs all weekend and watched an about five hundred episodes of Come Dine With Me, as well as The XFactor (both nights), The Xtra Factor (both nights) and The Xtra Factor - Best Bits. Promise, I don't have a problem!

Eating-wise, I did OK. I always try to get some red meat into me at the weekend, so I had my grilled steak and filled up on my salad. However, because both my siblings were home at the weekend, the fridge was full of grapes and orange juice - two weaknesses of mine. You may be thinking 'Big Wow Drama Queen - it's fruit.' However, I did over-consume. One must remember that both grapes and oranges are full of sugar. So while they are fine on moderation, a binge can be quite destructive. Grapes in particular have been tooted has being one fruit which is particularly high in sugar. 

I did have an extreme high at the weekend, however!!! I fitted into a dress which has not fitted me since I came back from Australia. I must say, there is plenty of room in it too!!!! SCORE!

Monday

Monday, as always, meant starting afresh. I am very in control of my eating habits during the week, thankfully, so my focus was on staying active.

I had Metafit on Monday night with Roisin and Gerry. Again, we did the circuits first, and then the metafit workout. I was sweating afterwards, which is a good sign. I was paired with my good friend Katrina this week, so it was great to have someone to motivate me and to have someone to motivate also!! Over the past few weeks, I have learned that about myself - I engage in far more productive exercise when I have someone along side me that I can compare myself to. So I guess I pushed myself more this week and made sure to do that 'hard versions' of every exercise. 

I still wasn't 'absolutely fecked' afterwards, but it was a great start to the week nonetheless! I was pacing myself for a strenuous week! 

Tuesday

On Tuesday, I went to Galway. I accompanied Shauna to her training session with Gareth at Body Dynamics. We started off with some warm up squats before starting into a five-point circuit  all involving weights. Again, I did my 60kg squat lift, step-ups using a weight in each hand, reverse ab crunches, and a dumbbell exercise on a bench where we had to lift the dumbbells over our head. Oh, as well as another exercise where we lay on the ground with a bar over us, and we had to lift our bodies up with the bar - basically lifting our own weight of about, in my case, 63kg. We did that circuit three times!

For some reason, this week I could not bring myself to do the step ups. My body just seemed to have a block to them!!! I have not been sleeping very well lately, and only got two hours sleep on Monday night. So perhaps that was the reason my muscles felt so exhausted. I did as many as step ups as I could, and beat myself up over the ones I could not do. 

We also did some boxing - which I ADORE, and we finished with some sprinting. I have not sprinted in ages, so it was a good variation to the work out. 

After the work out, I went to visit a few friends at the university. I had a few cups of green tea, which has loads of benefits for weightloss including: 
* It is a metabolic stimulant
* It suppresses the appetite
* It is low in calories

I went back to Shauna's house for dinner. She made a yummy healthy Shepherd's Pie made with turkey mince and turnip (yes, I thought EWWWW at first, but it was really tasty!). 

Wednesday

After a really energising slumber, I got up at 9am to do my challenge. As always I got very nervous before hand. Shauna got me to warm up by doing some Sean Nós dancing (secretly I think she just wanted to laugh at me). Once warm, I started into the challenge. 

I guess the main reason for my nervousness was the fact that I did the challenge on my own last week and I was afraid that I would not do as well and then it would look as if I did not do the challenge at all (paranoid much?). That made me even more hungry to do well at the challenge this week. As with the previous few weeks, followed my 10-10-10-10-10 strategy. The first three rounds were easy peasy. I am really starting to notice how much fitter and stronger I am getting. I got a bit frustrated doing my get-ups as Shauna wouldn't count my first five as I was doing them wrong. I did not realise I was doing them wrong as I had forgotten the technique, so I got really frustrated. I couldn't stop to ask her what I was doing wrong as talking would just eat into my time! Eventually I copped on and got them right. Knowing I had wasted about ten seconds there  made me even more motivated to push myself right to the end. 

By the last set of ten back lunges, I had tears in my eyes. My legs ached and my tummy felt as if I had been vomiting constantly for a week (that is the only way I can describe the pain!). Usually when I finish, I lie on the exercise mat and tell Shauna to hurry up and tell me what I got. However, I could not even speak this week. I had to get up and go outside for some fresh air. I was in pieces. 

When I got my wits about me, I went back inside. Shauna's pokerface gave absolutely nothing away. I genuinely did not know whether I had beat my last time of 11.06 or not. All I knew was that I gave it everything and had absolutely pushed myself as far as I could go. 

9.20. 

That was my time. Nine minutes and twenty seconds!!!! I nearly collapsed in sheer shock. So did Shauna, I think. 

And do you know what the awful thing is? All I thought about was....HA, I BEAT SHAUNA!!! I thought I had overcome my competitive streak.

In the space of one minute, Shauna's competitive streak revealed itself. For the record, she is JUST as competitive as me - and she makes me out to be bad!!! She threw the timer at me and set off to beat my time. I could tell she was nervous. As she set off to into the circuit, I sat in awe of her technique. She moved from station to station so fluidly. She is in such fantastic shape as well. I promise Shauna, I was not perving on you but I would kill for your arms and tummy! See what I mean....

Shauna from SMC Fitness

I could see Shauna gave it everything and by the end of it she wanted to puke. However, she definitely put me back in my box with her time of 8 minutes and 8 seconds. Biatch. 

O well....something else to aim for!

I returned home to Achill on Wednesday afternoon and went straight to bed. I was just really tired again. I really don't know what is up with me these days. I signed up for a Kettlebells class last week and the first night of it was last night. I was not in any humour to go. However, I knew at the back of my mind that I would feel so much better if I did go. I text Katrina again (the one from metafit - she also signed up for kettlebells) and asked her for some motivation; this is what she replied:

'I am aching as well. No pain no gain. We won't get fit sitting on our bums. Xmas is coming up and we need to look hot in our dresses so stop being lazy and come to kettlebells. You will feel great after as well.'

With that, I got out of bed, got changed, and hopped in the car. I am so glad I did now. The class was not too fast-paced. I have not done a kettlebells class in quite a while, so it was a nice way to ease myself back into it. We had a 4kg or an 8kg kettlebell to chose from. I had the 8kg for most of it (see Shauna, I can chose the hard road sometimes!). And again, I used Katrina as motivation (thanks Kat!).

Me pre-kettlebells all cosy and stuff....

Thursday 

I was half expecting to wake up unable to move this morning. But I feel fine! I was awake at 7am and buzzing off the walls! I can tell I was exercising obviously, but I can walk! That is not to say DOMS won't invade my body tomorrow....

I feel a little bit nauseous today, and have not been able to eat anything yet (and it's lunchtime). I hope I can stomach something soon as I want to go to dancercize this evening. However, I won't be silly about it; if I am still not right, I will stay at home! 

So that is my week in a nutshell. I am definitely fitter, stronger and skinnier. I feel great (apart from the tiredness). I have surprised myself so far, and am excited to see how far more I can push myself...I may be machine-like yet! My legs are developing more of a shape, my waist is becoming more defined, I think I may have possibly dropped a bra size, and you can see my biceps becoming more pronounced. WHOOP!

Sorry about the long, wordy post - but it makes up for me being slack all week!

Now to face the weekend.... 

Lessons from Nike: Just Do It!

Hey everyone! 

Such an amazing week this week!! For those of you connected to me or SMC Fitness on Facebook, you will know that this blog passed the 2000 views this week. I am over the moon :) Thank you! 

I was as high as a kite when I wrote my last post - not on drugs, before ye start spreading rumours that I'm a crack head or, worse, reporting me to the guards! I was so proud of myself after lifting such heavy weights, more or less keeping up with Shauna at training, and also because my eating was going so well. 

I woke up yesterday and I felt pretty stiff. My upper arms, tummy and outer thighs were the main areas affected. It was a good stiffness however - I get such a kick out of being in pain after exercise as it feels as if I have done something. Shauna was feeling the same kind of pain, and she told me she had gone out for a brisk walk to ease the stiffness a bit (refer to second blog post: A Remedy for Ouchiness). I did the same, and I felt elated when I got back.  I thought I had overcome the stiffness surprisingly quickly. 

That was until this morning. I woke up at 9am with every intention of getting my ass to Metafit. But I couldn't move. I felt like I had been hit by a rockbands doubledecker tour bus (containing singers, luggage, amps, a drumkit  - the works). 

I am not partial to swearing too often - I save it for extreme circumstances. However, all I could muster was 'F*** You DOMS.' For all of you who do not know what DOMS is, I have covered it in some previous posts. I had a run in with it after my first challenge. DOMS refers to Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and is simply that pain that nearly everyone experiences after intense or unfamiliar exercise, often peaking as long as a day or two later. I have read a couple of articles on it and it has been aptly referred to as 'natures little tax on exercise.' 

Anyways, as well as waking up today feeling like crap, I was also greeted with a text from bloody Shauna which she sent at 08.03:

'Morning...don't forget your comp is today, yeahhhhhhhhh :) :) xx

Needless to say, she also got a 'F*** You Shauna.'

At 6.30pm, i began to feel human again, and decided to do the challenge. It was so difficult to find the motivation to inflict such pain on myself on my own. Think about placing your hand on a carpenters workbench, getting a hammer, and trying to talk yourself into hammering your hand. That is how it felt. 

 This was the first time I would be attempting the challenge without Shauna. I set up my room with a blanket box (those super sophisticated ones that Supervalu gave away centuries ago with about 500 stamps and £19.99) for my tricep dips and half mountain climbers; a semi-solid sofa cushion for my get-ups, and my yoga mat for my toe touches and ab crunches. I warmed up to Moves Like Jagger, with a funky warm-up routine drilled into us by Rowena and Paula from my Irish Dance Class, Fitness Fusion. 

I set my timer and off I went. There was no one around to time which was unfortunate, but I followed a pattern of the exercises so I was sure not to miss any. I thought it would be really hard to keep going on my own without Shauna throwing me daggers, but somehow I managed to push through and keep going. I think I was extra motivated as I skipped my challenge last week and still feel bad about it. Saying that, I felt much stronger than I have done in previous weeks. Usually my stomach and legs are burning my the end of the challenge. However, whatever about my legs, my tummy muscles are definitely strengthening. I only felt like throwing up for five minutes after the challenge, rather than fifteen. 

I don't have any mirror in my room. That is one thing that I find very useful at Shauna's studio in Galway - I can keep an eye on my back lunge and squatting techniques. Therefore, I can not guarantee my lunges were as good as they should be, but they felt good! 

I finished my last toe touch and lept for my stopwatch.....

......11.06!!!! Not has big an improvement as other weeks, but I didn't expect to keep improving at the rate I was. I am pretty happy with that. 


Shauna is DEFINITELY timing me this week, so we will see how accurate my time was. 

Here's a picture of my red face to prove I did it :) 

Now to face the weekend, a full fridge and tonnes of temptation. The box of roses is still looking at me from beside the Saorview box, but it has not bothered me this week. Just goes to show that your mood really has a big part to play in your eating habits. I am SUPER HAPPY this week, and I see it's knock-on effects in my eating and training. 

Moral of the story.....

That is all for now....wish me luck for the weekend! 

Siob xx