100 days sugar free!

Sugar - what are the benefits of sugar?  Yes sugar becomes glucose and we need glucose for energy, but WHERE you get your sugars from is key (fruits & vegetables provide sufficient levels for the body). Refined sugar and other products cause more chaos in the body than good. Spiked insulin levels, mood swings, cravings - it is a drug and addictive.

A friend of mine started a 100 day challenge page on Facebook a while ago, great concept to commit to achieving your goals or giving up something for 100 days, perfect timing to start creating a new habit or delete a bad pattern/addiction from your lifestyle.

Focusing on creating new habits will help achieve health & fitness goals. Being aware of what I am currently doing daily/weekly food and exercise wise is a way to track my progress, keeping a journal is great to reflect back up on on some struggle street days.

So my challenge is go without sugar for 100 days.  I have done the no alcohol for 3 months last year and it was awesome, so I know how great this challenge will be.  Sugar has no role in MY lifestyle. Yes it tastes good and everyone enjoys a cupcake or brownie or lollies but for me it is a weak point, a habit and for those who know me, I don' t need any chemical that will make me MORE hyper than I naturally am.  

For those who suffer moods swings and sugar cravings, you are addicted.  You do not NEED sugar, yes it tastes nice and good to have as a treat now and then but your body is addicted and knows it will get it's daily dose because you have created a habit. (this is the same as drinking, coffee, drugs etc) so if you feel like you need a change or have a habit you WANT to break, I would suggest a 100 day challenge. It is enough time to form a NEW habit, and learn about how your body responds without your vice that you THINK you neeeeeed!

NO SUGAR, let me breakdown MY no sugar guidelines:

* Natural sugar only - fruit in small amounts is fine, it is natural. I love blueberries or strawberries with  my oats and enjoy a baked apple or apple with my almond butter etc.  No honey or stevia or sweetener.

* Tracking my daily sugar intake - processed foods have sugar added (pasta sauce, sauces, tinned goods, pre packaged foods, soy milk etc) my daily intake is between >20-30g a day and predominately from fruits/vegetables.

* Tracking my mood changes - am I hungry, tired etc.  Eating more protein, vegetables and healthy fats during the day to keep my insulin levels stabilised (I don't get the 3:30pm hunger pangs unless I haven't eaten enough good foods).

* No wheat or dairy. The odd soy piccolo on the weekends because they are scrumptious and life is short. Reducing lots of processed foods from my diet. 80% fresh foods to be digested, which I have been doing the last few months.

* Ensuring I eat adequate meat, eggs, vegetables, nuts and seeds daily. 

* Limit alcohol intake.  No soft drink mixes - soda water if having spirits (vodka).  I do enjoy a nice glass of red with dinner.  Again life is short.

I have learnt so much from some great authors, lots of healthy food recipes and reasons why sugar isn't good for me/us/everyone.

Sarah Wilson
Natalie Carter 
Livestrong
7 Harms of Sugar

Back to basics training.....

So on my quest for fitness (and superwoman status) I decided that obviously the training I have been doing isn't working for me to achieve my goals, yes I am fit and strong but have a LONG way to go to achieve my TO DO list.

Knowing that my body has so many issues, niggles and out of whack muscle programming going on that I knew I had to entrust in someone who can reprogram my muscles to function how they should, in the right order.  So first PT session last Wednesday night was a great little session, just seeing what shape I was(nt) in.

My entire Ferrari needs reprogramming, muscles are taking over and not letting the others ones play, which is causing me lots of pain and grief.  Hip flexors seem to be ruling the show which then affects the entire lower region.  Back seems strong but chest is pretty weak (even though I can do push ups on my toes right?). SO much work to be done but I am excited to get this body re programmed, fit and strong.  

So stabilisation homework is to be done. Lots of it. To get the synapses burnt into my brain!!

To paleo or not to paleo?!

So many health buzz words out there all saying that they are fabulous & THE best thing ever for you to follow & be healthy!

I say do what works for you & trust your gut! If you follow paleo 100%, awesome, knock your socks off! I have learnt so much more about food thanks to you truly die-hard followers, thank you for re-opening my eyes to common sense.

My gut (literally) prefers me not to eat any wheat or dairy, my body functions the best when I eat primal foods most of the time. Primal for me is foods that are readily available with limited processes been done to get it in your belly! My body responds to fats & proteins well & fuels my muscles better than any "bread or cereal" would!!

The "healthy food" pyramid doesn't make sense to me at all! Having worked in dietetics & nutrition I have also worked with dietitians who believe this theory is incorrect. So much dense processed foods to give you energy when you can get so much more from fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts & seeds etc. Not really brain science & considering most of us have desk jobs we don't need to eat that much!

Knowing where my meat comes from is a biggie for me, as we have do many people to feed on this planet now and the odd goat or cow aren't going to go far in our "village" I like to know how the animal I am about to consume spent its last days. I prefer to spend more money on this, that is my choice & after a summer walking over dead chooks in the Tom Price chook farm with Judy collecting eggs I always choose my products wisely!

So I eat primal foods & enjoy some ad hoc products that are processed from time to time (Greek yoghurt, wine, chocolate, coffee) because I like them & enjoy life, enjoy trying different foods & don't feel the need to say i am paleo - i respect the paleo way!

Eating fresh foods daily will help you be fit, healthy & ward off diseases (heart disease, obesity, type II diabetes, cancer etc) rid over-processed foods (white products) limit processed/packaged food.

Cottage cheese thighs & size 10 shorts..........

Being a little superficial but getting rid of my lumpy thighs and fitting back into my fav shorts is my goal.  Obviously there are a HUGE list of goals I want to achieve but this is my visual mantra to get me training like a mad woman and eating like a clean mean fat burning machine.  My visual mantra - to rid of my dimply thighs and to get back into my sexy Country Road size 10 shorts. Yes it seems a little dramatic.. but that is me!  My dexascan put things into perspective and now it is time to smash it up!


Today I am sore all over. It feels great. I have been a little hit and miss with my full body training of late and I felt like I had lost a little of my fitness mojo - I was still doing some good solid sessions in the gym, but my overall outlook had taken a bit of a back seat - I had lost confidence in myself. I had relaxed on my nutrition (blame winter, weekends, my love of wine, chocolate and pizza) was irregular with my training and the results do show on the scale and dexascan - some muscle gain and also some lots of bodyfat gain.  I know I am strong I am 55kgs of muscle & can do push-ups on my toes, but I am also storing more fat than an otter.  Need to shed about 9kg of fat.I am tall, have a big frame, I hide it well, in clothing.

Gaining muscle is great, means I am still challenging myself and doing some training well.  The fat gain is purely not watching what food goes into my gob (or just watching it as it easily glides in). Just reminds me that no matter what if you take your eye off the prize you find you have bigger thighs (and ass and tummy in my case)! But I am not thinking I have gone backwards, it is just another little hurdle in life that I will scale over! *pun intended*

SO many goals, so many things to do - as per my mini-bucket list!  I have so many things I want to achieve and am on the road to achieving them ALL.

Watch this space. The fire is back. Starting with the Blackmore Bridge run, raising money for Inspire Foundation, coming up in 13 days I am pumped.