Monday 26 November 2012

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



6 comments:

  1. soooo skinny!! mount everest next?!

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    1. Thanks Neasa! I think I may try to conquer Croagh Patrick first though!

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  2. Loving the posts Siobhán, so glad to hear that your smashing it every week and feeling great, you're an inspiration (",). As you know, I do some hiking/mountain climbing. I find it great motivation to get my ass out of bed in the mornings to go jogging and to my circuits class before college - it helps me keep up with the guys that I hike with, the Mountain Hares. They call themselves the Mountain Hares because they literally hop up the mountains at ferocious speed leaving me and my lil legs scurrying behinds them.

    Anyway, there's a mountain climbing challenge run by NUI Galway mountaineering club every April called the Maam Turks challenge. You have to cover the whole of the Maam Turks mountain range in one day, kicking off at about 5 in the morning - we finished at 5.30 in the evening last year. Literally one of the toughest challenges I've ever done (physically tougher than Kili). Or maybe the Joyce Country Challenge in July, it's a 20km hike in Joyce Country, it's run by the Lake District Walking Club. I go out with them every now and then and they're awesome people but again, I need to keep up my training to keep up to them ;)

    Alternatively, if you fancy conquering Croagh Patrick or Carrauntoohil some time, let me know, I'd love to climb it/them with you.

    Keep up the good work, love the posts,
    Sinéad xx

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    1. Hi Sinéad,
      You are the sweetest!! Thank you so much for all that info - it is people like you who make my challenge that bit easier!! Thank you!

      I would LOVE to do Croagh Patrick with you - I'm ashamed to say I have never climbed it!Once I have done that I may think about doing the others! ;)

      We should arrange some weekend to do it in the new year! What do you think?

      xxx

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  3. And another inspiring read............. And to answer you question.... I have something for you, it's gonna be for everyone, but you've inspired it so im calling it "the super looser challenge" ;).... It's the next on the list, working on it as we speak, should have it by beginning of next week ;)... Ill keep you posted... you just make sure and keep keeping us posted ;)

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    1. Ah trust you Shauna....I feel more pain brewing....

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Feel free to keep me motivated :)