Love your body, or the struggle to realistic expectations

Pursuing a weight loss/fitness journey can be both rewarding and depressive at once.

Today I will try to guide you towards the healthy way of handling a body transformation:

Rule#1: Every body is different

Every person has a different metabolism, different body structure and different starting point. You should not expect to look like someone specific ( your yoga instructor, the personal trainer at the gym, the 16 year old runner…) as some factors cannot be changed ( initial weight, initial body type or built, age, initial level of fitness…).

Rule#2: You will cheat

No one can live on a low carbs diet, and high frequency and intensity sports regimen forever. There will be setbacks (a vacation, a stressful month at work, some life event, or just being famished). When it happens, and it will happen, just realize that it is not the end of the world, and you will be back on track tomorrow. Instead enjoy the good food and the rest, and move on!

Rule#3: ditch the scale

The scale can be both your best ally and your worst enemy. As a rule of thumb, if your clothes are still too tight, you aren’t losing weight, even if the scale says otherwise! And vice versa. Focus more on an infrequent body composition tests, to know how are your muscle and fat mass evolving, and trust your clothes, if you can fit in your favorite tight dress, it means it’s working.

Rule#4: set long term goals

Don’t make of your wishes expectations. Losing weight or getting fit takes time to show. So if you are sticking to your plan, just give it a few months before becoming cranky. Getting out of shape took some time, just give yourself as much time at least to get back in shape.

Rule#5: love yourself

Your biggest enemy on this journey is you. When everyone sees changes in your body, all what you see is the things that didn’t. Be your biggest fan, and encourage yourself daily instead of bringing yourself down. Acknowledge your success before someone else points it out.

Rule#6: you are not running for a fitness competition

Unless you are a professional athlete, keep in mind that you are not running for the Olympics. You do not have the time, nor the resources to reach the body of a professional athlete. Some things will still giggle; some things will look bloated someday. As long as you are moving towards the right direction, you are doing great. Stop comparing yourself to people who earn money out of their physique.

cellulite: a long term enemy

Most of us women, suffer from cellulite. No matter whether or not we have excess weight, if we are not blessed with amazing genes, we have to deal with the orange skin.

The good news is that you can minimize its appearance by changing some of your lifestyle habits:

#1: drink a lot of water:

you need to drink no less than 2 L of water per day, and minimize or even avoid alcohol as much as possible.

#2: decrease salt intake:

avoid adding salt to your food, as well as avoid salty food items such as canned products, salted nuts, chips, ready to eat foods and sauces.

#3: avoid high fat foods:

such as fried foods (breaded, fries, deep fried…), high fat dairy (aged cheese…), and heavy dressings and sauces (mayo based)

#4: exercise regularly:

by exercising several times per week, you will decrease the amount of fat in your body, boost the lymphatic circulation, and help reduce cellulite.

#5: regulate the blood and water flow:

raise your legs on a wall 10 to 15mins per day, and seek the opinion of a physiotherapist for drainage massages.

Move it lose it: about sports and weight loss

Sports will definitely help you lose weight and keep it off for long. And here is why:

1  #!:Working out on a daily basis helps you burn more calories per day, and in turn use more energy and lose more fat.

2 #2: Working out helps you building your muscle mass. And it is the muscles that do actually burn calories. So when more muscles, more calories burnt per day

3 #3:   The benefits of long term exercising go beyond the workouts performed daily. Your body becomes more efficient even when you rest, watch TV or sleep.

4 #4:   Your sports regimen should ideally include both cardiovascular activities (such as walking, running, swimming, cycling…) and strength exercises (weight lifting, yoga, Pilates, TRX…) to help you burn the extra fat on the short run, and increase your metabolism on the long run.

5#5: Dieting become easier when you are working out regularly, as you can have a more lenient diet and still lose weight.

c  #6: BUT, Don’t ignore your diet just because you are exercising daily, you cannot outrun a bad diet.

My 6 slimming secrets

1- I always work out

The only reason I wouldn’t work out regularly is if my doctor orders me not to. Even though I have long working hours, I have set specific times for working out on weekdays, and I try to find some time for one workout session on weekends (that one doesn’t always pan out!). However, I only do the types of sports that I enjoy, which in turn, keeps me motivated. Since I only engage in types of sports that I love, it always feels like I’m doing something fun, like hanging out with friends, or shopping.

2- I have vegetables with every meal

I have vegetables with every meal; whether it is cucumbers and greens in my morning sandwich, or a big salad bowl or cooked vegetables at lunch or dinner. Apart from being a good source of vitamins and minerals, it helps me feel full quickly. This way, I eat smaller portions of the rest of my meal, and tend to consume fewer calories than I would have without my salad.

3- I only eat foods I like

I only eat foods that I like, but in small quantities and in a healthier form. For example, I am big pasta lover; I have it several times per week. My personal secret is that first I start my meal with a big bowl of salad that fills me up, and I opt for a healthy sauce. If I am cooking at home, I use light cream and light cheese alongside some Parmesan for my creamy sauces, or go for a light tomato sauce. If I am out, I try to share my plate with someone, or if I really indulged in a big heavy plate of pasta, I would eat lighter for the coming couple of days. Having my favorite meals more often helps me not get frustrated, and rids me the inverse reaction of overeating whenever someone goes on a diet.

4- I plan my meals around my social events

As a newlywed couple, we are frequently invited out for dinner, be it at somebody’s house, or at some restaurant. Therefore, whenever I know our schedule ahead of time, I do my best to eat lighter on all the other meals throughout the week. This way, I don’t have to worry about eating a bit more than planned on social events.

5- I pick my drinks wisely

When it comes to alcohol, it is always extra empty calories, and the more elaborate the drink, the more calories you end up taking in. I tend keep it simple, such as wine or beer, and would only have heavy cocktails when my husband is preparing something at home for our guests. I also keep the number of drinks down to an acceptable level, and hydrate with sparkling water in between drinks. 

6- I take action fast

Last but not least, I keep track of my weight. After my honeymoon, I gained 2kg, which some would say is not much, but, if not accounted for, those 2kg could turn into 4 before Christmas, and to 6kg by new year’s eve. Keeping track of your weight helps you detect the weight gain patterns early on.