Subtle yet effective

The body, and mind, can easily become complacent. Similar to relationships, your weight loss plan needs to be frequently stimulated in order to gain maximum benefit and achieve the greatest results. Simple changes helped me push through that one kilo boundary that was stopping me from moving towards my goal weight.

- Using demerara or raw cane sugar

Rid of white sugar and, if any at all, use demerara. Unbelievably it tastes better too!

- Drinking more water 

YAWN I know but it actually helps! Provides detox, no calories and gets rid of hunger pangs!

- Fruit for breakfast and snacks 

Water fruits, as I call them, such as water melon and dragon fruit fill you up quickly yet contain hardly any calories and virtually no fat. Also controls my sweet tooth!

- Keeping the fridge empty 

Controversial but if there is food around me I will eat it, hungry or not! This helped me to cut down on eating excessively as well as burn a few calories each time I walked to the shop or supermarket - if I could even be bothered at all!

- Diet coke

Not ideal but it is zero on the Weight Watchers points table and helps prevent my calorie consumption when I'm craving something sweet post - dinner!

Subtle changes yet VERY effective! The smaller the changes are, the easier they are to mould into your lifestyle. Start with these simple switches and step closer to success!

Fight the flab - literally

Having conquered the running phobia and achieving distances without struggle, it was time to challenge my body and experience a bit of cultural activity by introducing myself to the world of Muay Thai (Thai boxing).  After having drilled into me that using running as the only form of exercise is “no good for your joints” or “you will tense up” I acted on the advice as assumed it was given for a reason.

Usually the opportunity to surround oneself with half naked male athletes would have me arrive to an event overtly grinning and quite optimistic. Dressed in boxing shorts and stripped of all accessories however, I slowly edged my way into the open space which consisted of a ring, a row of punch bags, a few tires, who knows what for, and a huge mat space. After explaining far too many times I was just here for exercise and did NOT want to fight, the trainer, who was just a little taller than me, weighing about 50 kilos with an estimated 0% body fat, smiled and said “no problem.” Great.

Firstly, I was sent around the block for a sprint session - to warm up! 20 minutes later, hands on my knees, there was no time to catch my breath as I was put in the corner of the ring and told to do 200 jump knees. After being given a demonstration I completed the task and observed that there was no lenience, even for beginners. With my hands bound in wraps and weighed down in a pair of 8oz gloves, an instructor stuck by me the whole time as I was taught to shadow box, use the bag and hit and kick pads. While my technique was terrible, the trainers remained patient yet not naïve to my feeble attempts at trying to catch a breather at any opportunity.

As fans of active rest, after each three-minute round of activity we were granted a one-minute rest period in which press-ups and sit-ups were recommended.  Other trainers came around with water and nods of encouragement as two hours went by. Finishing the session, the group came together for a bit of circle time in which we were each asked to volunteer an abdominal exercise and a stretch before passing out as we were finally allowed to rest.

Considering the amount of testosterone around me as the only female, the regular ladies were having a rest day conveniently, I felt at ease as everyone focused on the tasks set. It felt that if I had stripped naked, the only acknowledgment would have been a disgruntled murmur at the disturbance in their training. 

The dedication from all was inspiring and afterwards everyone continued chatting and sharing life experiences outside of boxing. Training twice a day, three hours each session the group seemed pretty close and seemed to have a great social network, not afraid of letting others in.

Although after my first session I was still able to communicate, I do not think that the intense training schedule of a Muay Thai fighter is for me. I would however, definitely return for an occasional session to increase my heart rate beyond its maximum, and not forgetting the ability to bond with a group of sweaty, cut guys either!

Ignorance is bliss

Resisting temptation was never an option. A whole tub of mint choc chip ice cream to compliment my grilled chicken, boiled potatoes and steamed vegetables every Sunday was a ritual not a choice. The main meal provided my nutritional needs and the ice cream rewarded my great behaviour. 

This logic was soon dismissed as I threw up in the toilet after every Sunday session. My ignorance blaming it on a full stomach was soon ridiculed as a new flame pointed out that I was a sufferer of the much feared lactose intolerance.

Unexpectedly, he hung around however, having known me for five minutes I laughed at these claims and insisted I was just a server of a seventh sin - greed! Still he remained intrigued and began some investigation work. Finally he concluded that as I was not the greatest fan of cheese and only a skimmed milk drinker; the effects, besides vomiting, seemed subtle yet were evident. How naive can one be?!

Moving to Thailand seemed to considerably cut lactose from my diet. Rarely consuming milk, cheese and other lactose products in their local diet meant these items were often imported and therefore came at a price. This proved beneficial for me as I stuck to soy products and filtered my allergy – although still nabbing at chocolate occasionally! 

My constant bloated feeling and troubled digestion had eased and was a great aid in my battle to lose weight. Eliminating lactose made it harder to treat myself as the less I had the more intolerant I became however, the silver lining in my comfort overrode this black cloud. 

Indulging is now a thing of the past and the smooth transition in my diet has now been forgotten. Besides, a sweet chocolate treat chewed slowly still makes me smile and helps me appreciate it that much more! 

The beginning

Everyone has a fatty of the group and yes it was me. However, at 5’0 I felt comfortable, code for in denial, weighing 62 kilograms although I knew I was a “little” overweight. Dancing from a young age, I assumed if I hadn’t grown thin I was genetically built to be bigger; surely a sufficient excuse. I worked out regularly and stayed clear of fast food but my body was content and my weight remained the same. 

I was the fittest of my friends, a qualified studio instructor, dancer / choreographer and the only one with a passion for the lifestyle. Over time, after a few too many surprised reactions at my occupation, I decided it was time to try a different approach and cracked on in this hunt to find a more satisfied self.

I swapped the fridge for a serving of internet raiding and attempted every diet I came across. If I wasn’t distracted by thoughts, smells, even sounds of food then my work patterns were making any efforts fail miserably; I also found it too complicated to monitor portion control by the size of my fist - they were far too small! Still tired and overweight, I left behind the battle of unsociable working hours and head to Thailand, as you do. 

With limited funds, joining health clubs and supermarket stocking was no longer an option. Holding back tears at the thought, I started running outside five times a week and fed on local street food throughout the day. After an eventful three months I had increased my running distance from 3k to 12k, added a few press ups and ab exercises, and the weight was shedding like a dog’s summer coat. I no longer had to grab a bite at any given chance and I had time between my last meal and bed, although I still hadn’t conquered the temptation for a 7/11 sweet treat little and too often!

Now stage one of sourcing the problem is complete, this is where the fun begins - let's start the next chapter!