Another Sunday, Another Essay...

Curse you Tim! No, not really... but I am starting to agree with Dave and think that this essay is a complete waste of time! Here's how food panned out for today... no exercise yet, still with the snuffles, so I'm not going to take any chances!

BREAKFAST
Pronutro
2 Slices of toast with Beefy Bovril

LUNCH
2 Slices of Rye Bread with Pastrami, Kassler Slices, Avo Paste, Tomato & Mozzarella
1 Pear

SUPPER
Braai Morrocan Chicken with Rice and Salad
Strawberries & Fat-free Natural Yoghurt

ALCOHOL
2 small glasses of red wine

It's a Braai and I'll Cry If I Want To...

Ooooh... how embarassing. I don't even want to go into details about what happened this evening. Here's the list so we can just forget about it!


BREAKFAST
Pronutro & Toast

LUNCH
2 Woolies Heat & Eat Panini Rolls with Avo Spread, Pastrami, Mozzarella, Gammon Slices & Tomato

SNACK
Lays Potato Chips

SUPPER
Steak, Potato Salad, 2 Garlic Rolls, Salad with Lemon & Balsamic Dressing, Coleslaw

ALCOHOL
Copious amounts of Vodka & Sprite Zero

Cape Town Fish Market

Went to work with all my sniffles and sneezes, luckily Maggie picked up me at lunch time and took me to Woolworths, otherwise I would have had to spend R20 on parking! No more parking fines for me, and definately not listening to other people's advice on parking in loading zones!

Supper tonight at the Waterfront Cape Town Fish Market was a great surprise. My parents had gone to see Twist at Cinema Nouveau, and so Maggie dropped me off in my sniffly state (I almost walked into three people trying to navigate my way from the parking lot to the restaurant) - but all was well when I got there. I must admit, in my sick state I can't believe I order my calamari grilled, not fried; my mussels in the tomato based sauce instead of their delicious creamy, white wine sauce; and to top it all off - rice and not chips!!!! (Which they forgot to bring with my meal, I might add... I must admit, the portions there are not as good as they used to be - maybe I should ask my folks to try out the Camps Bay one next time!)

BREAKFAST
Boiled Egg & 2 slices of toast

SNACK
Special K Bar

LUNCH
Woolies Club Sandwich

SUPPER
Calamari & Mussels with Rice @ Cape Town Fish Market, Waterfront

ALCOHOL
1 glass of red wine
Vicks Medinite

Sniffles and Sneezes and Bedtime Wheezes (well... almost!)

Sorry for the lack of updates. I am really slipping behind, so before I do anything else, I am going to quickly update the past few days. Plus, bananas are really good for you - they are low in fat, as well as sodium and cholesterol free. They are also a good source of fibre, vitamin C, and potassium! (That doesn't really make up for the chocolate though, but I am trying!!!)

BREAKFAST

2 blocks of chocolate

1 banana

EXERCISE
Rowing - 100 Calories

Treadmill (walking up an incline) - 100 calories

Arm Machine - 50 calories

Decent Circuit Training

SNACK

350ml Kauai Yoga Berry with Slimmer Booster

LUNCH

A heat & eat Woolies Panini roll with Pastrami, Avo spread, Tomato and Mozzarella

SUPPER

Ostrich with Mediterranean Sauce, Potatoes and Veggies

ALCOHOL

1 glass of Red Wine

The Benefits of Chocolate?

So my day started off pretty ok, well until I got my very first parking ticket for parking in a loading zone, sorry - the loading zone that I was told that I was supposed to park in!!! But bugger it... here's a list of seven benefits of chocolate (basically that I searched desperately for in order to not feel so guilty for eating an ENTIRE SLAB of Cadbury's Dairy Milk Mousse Chocolate...

Chocolate also provides us with several vitamins - including B1, B2, D, and E...

Chocolate contain a number of nutrients, and is high in potassium and magnesium...

The average chocolate bar contains approximately 250 calories - low enough for a dieter to enjoy one as an occasional treat...

Milk chocolate is one of the snack foods that is least likely to contribute to tooth decay, since it contains phosphate and other minerals...

It is not true that eating chocolate can cause acne or make it worse...

Chocolate stimulates the secretion of endorphins, producing a pleasureable sensation similar to the "runner's high" a jogger feels after running several miles...

Chocolate contains a neurotransmitter, serotonin, that acts as an anti-depressant; as well as other substances, such as theobromine and phenylethylamine, that have a stimulating effect...

So, onto my regular list:

BREAKFAST
A decent bowl of Banana Pronutro

EXERCISE
20 minutes of Step Machine = 300 calories
10 minutes of Arm Machine = 80 calories
Some of those ab crunch machines

LUNCH
Woolies Slimmer's Choice Tikka Chicken Curry

SNACK
100g Slab of Cadbury's Dairy Milk Mousse Chocolate *cough*

SUPPER
Wang Thai Duck in Red Wine Sauce with Jasmine Rice

ALCOHOL
1 glass of Stellenbosch Hills Merlot (gross!)

Making up for Monday!

Well, I got off to an early start this morning... 6:20am to be precise. Off I went to gym, arriving just after 7am. It was like walking into Bronx! So much music, so many people! The heat was overwhelming! I couldn't believe how many people were actually subjecting themselves to this atmosphere at this time of the day! I went straight upstairs and found myself a bike - not reclining this time, and not long after I had started one of my mom's acquaintances joined me on the bike next to me! We had a lovely chat about schools, etc., which made the 20 minutes absolutely fly! Then it was off to the arm machine, for another 10 minutes... surprisingly easy! I am quite impressed with myself! I am really starting to notice changes in my body... first it was my legs, then my arms, now my stomach! I think there are actually abs hidden under there!!! This is how today looked:

BREAKFAST

A decent bowl of Banana Pronutro

Small glass of Orange Juice

EXERCISE

20 minutes of Bike = 218 calories

10 minutes of Arm Machine = 86 calories

LUNCH

Kauai Hummer Sandwich on Wholewheat

Small Squeez Banana & Strawberry Juice

SUPPER

Kingklip with potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, peas & carrots in a sauce made with some butter

ALCOHOL

1 glass of red wine

Monday Madness!

So this morning I overslept, and luckily I woke up when I did because if I had left it any longer I wouldn't have been able to go to gym. David wasn't answering his phone, and my meeting with Bertram was at 12, so I had to be quick - luckily I was, and I got to town just a minute late!

BREAKFAST
1 Red Berry Special K Bar - 90 calories

EXERCISE
20 minutes of Step Machine = 258 calories
Quick, but good circuit training

LUNCH
Salad with 85 grams of Tuna, mixed 'free' ingredients, 3 slices of Avo, and 3 Provitas

SNACK

Milky Way Bar - oopsie! (well, not too bad at 3gs of fat, but still... naughty!)

SUPPER

My favourite salad - Verde, with extra fresh tomatoes (not to mention the avo & salad dressing... mmmmmmmm!!!)

An absolutely delicious Posticino Carabinieri Pizza with extra ham, banana & sun-dried tomatoes! (I absolutely refuse to feel guilty about this meal!!! The chocolate, yes - but this, never!)

ALCOHOL

Just under half a bottle of red wine, I think my dad paces me quite well :)

Sunday, Bloody Sunday

Today was a pretty good day, except for the booze at the CityVarsity soccer day - but I guess I can make up for that tomorrow at the gym. So far so good, but I think the most important thing that I have realised so far is that if you don't allow yourself a little leeway, you will not achieve your goals because of an intense feeling of depravation! Also, a little exercise goes a long way, and it is okay to treat yourself once every now and then! I hope that this blog has found at least one other person to be an inspiration to... I know it is certainly helping me reach my goals, and for the first time in a long while, I am really feeling good about myself!

BREAKFAST
1 serving of Bokomo Peaches & Cream Instant Oats

2 slices of toast with Strawberry Jam

LUNCH
2 Oatcakes with Mozzarella & Tomato, and 2 slices of Bacon with fat cut off
Apple

SUPPER
Maggie's famous Roast Chicken with peas, beans, 2 baby potatos, sweet potato, onion & carrots
Strawberries & fat-free Natural Yoghurt

ALCOHOL

2 Brutal Fruits @ the CityVarsity Soccer Day

3 glasses of Red Wine - oopsie!

The Weekend is Here!

Well, I dragged myself out of bed this morning and plodded off to gym. Another braai tonight means, exercise exercise exercise to compensate for possible booze consumption!

BREAKFAST
1 small serving of Banana Pronutro
Half a pawpaw with orange juice
1 slice of toast with marg & Beefy Bovril

EXERCISE
20 minutes of Step Machine = 288 calories
Really good circuit training

LUNCH
2 thin slices of Wholewheat Bread with Avo, Pastrami & Tomato
Half a tub of low-fat Chunky Cottage Cheese with Chives

SUPPER
1 Pork Chop & 2 Pork Bangers
Sweet Potato
Salad with feta

ALCOHOL
Half a bottle of red wine, and I lost count of how many vodkas & Sprite Zeroes I had... not to mention some nibbling of chips, a Marie Biscuit or two, and some fat-free popcorn...

Almost Didn't Make It...

I am so tired! But I am forcing myself to write this all down because I know if I don't, I will be on my way to losing this routine, so here goes nothing!

BREAKFAST
1 serving of Bokomo Instant Oats, Peaches & Cream flavour
1 Kauai Cranberry Muffin
350ml Kauai Strawberry Stinger with Slimmer Booster

EXERCISE
20 minutes of Arm Machine - 122 calories
20 minutes of Recling Bike - 167 calories
Pretty good circuit training

LUNCH
5 Provita biscuits with Avo and Gherkins, 3 pieces of Ham
Half a tub of low-fat Chunky Cottage Cheese with Chives
175ml Woolies fat-free Cranberry & Litchi yoghurt

SUPPER
Spaghetti Bolognese
Salad

One week over! 7 weeks to go!

So this morning I really had trouble with my get up and go... it was all get up and no go!!! But thanks to some miracle, I finally managed to drag myself off to the gym, with my splitting headache, and what do you know... I managed to burn off more calories than ever before! I think I definately needed my jam fix this morning though... pity I had to take Neurofen on top of the Lemon Diet stuff... I still think it's a placebo - hehe... well, I'm a great believer in the power of the mind... Here's how the day looks so far...

BREAKFAST
2 slices of toast, 1 slice with Tropical Peach jam, the other with Beefy Bovril
1 banana

EXERCISE
23 minutes of Step Machine = 300 calories
12 minutes of Reclining Bike = 100 calories
Light circuit training (just a few machines, and 100 sit-ups)

WEIGH-IN no. 1
77 kgs

LUNCH
2-egg Omelette with Spinach, Tomato & Garlic
175ml fat-free Youngberry & Black Cherry yoghurt

SNACK
1 Kelloggs Berry Special K Bar

SUPPER
1 Chicken Breast and 1 & a half Woolies Peppadew Chicken Sausages
2 Spar Garlic Braai Rolls
Salad with Feta & Woolies Coleslaw

ALCOHOL
2 Whisky & Coke Light
3 Glasses of Red Wine

Bev Finally Called!

I can't believe it. After months of waiting, and basically deciding that this producer was never going to phone, what happens... she phones! And just at the right time too... I don't have any deadlines at the moment... well none that I can't handle (which reminds me, I need to find out what day Tim's essay is due for)... and so far, my exercise regime is looking good! I went to gym by myself this morning, since David was too sore, and managed to do a good session of cardio, and had a decent go at the circuit. Here's how today looks!

BREAKFAST

A bowl of Special K with fat-free milk

1 small glass of orange juice

EXERCISE
20 mins of Step Machine = 280 calories
13 mins of Arm Machine = 80 calories
Pretty good attempt at circuit training

LUNCH
1 Tuna Salad with Lemon Juice, Balsamic Vinegar & Origanum dressing

SNACK
1 Banana

SUPPER
Lamb Stew with Tomato, Onion & Aubergine; Broccoli and 3 small Potatoes

Lemon Diet?

So today I went to the Waterfront and picked up a box of Lemon Diet Quik6 and Lemon Diet Lipobind... it's apparently a product that contains "powerful fat-burning herbs, micronutrients and minerals" that "are designed to revitalise the body's natural fat burning processes while at the same address the body's phsyical imbalances that contribute to weight gain, sluggish liver, poor digestion, slow elimination and slow metabolism". Big words for such small capsules. "With optimally functioning cells, Lemon Diet Quik6 will direct the body to utilise stored fat for energy, increasing energy levels, and assisting in creating a slimmer, firmer body." It does however state on the box, in small print I might add, that a kilojoule-restricted diet with exercise is recommended... well doh! So we'll see - will it help, won't it - I think the main thing is for me that it wouldn't matter if these capsules were placebos, because they are at least making me look at my lifestyle, and to be quite honest, I have been to gym 5 times in the last 6 days, and done a relatively decent workout each time - more than I can say for the whole year, if not even the past five years!

BREAKFAST

1 bowl of banana Pronutro

5 large strawberries 350ml

350ml Kauai Yoga Berry Smoothie with Slimmer Booster

1 Kelloggs peach & apricot Special K Bar

EXERCISE

20 minutes Step Machine = 273 calories

10 minutes Arm Machine = 62 calories

LUNCH

1 Tuna Salad with Lemon Juice, Balsamic Vinegar & Origanum dressing

1 Black Cherry Soya Yoghurt

SNACK

A few Woolie's Wine Gums & fat-free Salted Popcorn

SUPPER

Morrocan Chicken with Spinach, Sweet Potatoes & Rice

I have also invested in some "Supashape Wine Gums", a local product since I recently discovered that eating too many Smints can cause a laxative effect... hmmmm...

Making It Up!

So today was a pretty good day, food-wise so far and definately exercise-wise. I managed to get David to come to the gym with me after dropping Maggie off at college. I still can't believe what has happened to her car, and now all this about her phone-line being cut and Lena wanting to take away the microwave! I think maybe I should start a personal blog... these stories will have people shell shocked... but that's another story... Oh, I picked up a cartridge of Smints today, Wild Berry flavour, so things seem to be looking up - NO MORE JUNK FOOD!!!!

BREAKFAST
3 slices of toast - 2 with Bovril, 1 with Tropical Peach jam (must stop eating this sugary stuff and try and eat Pronutro or Kellogg's Nutrific or Special K instead!)
350ml Kauai Yoga Berry Smoothie with Slimmer Booster

EXERCISE

20 minutes on Reclining Bike - 185 calories

16 minutes on Arm Machine - 100 calories

An attempt at circuit training, not bad - but not going near those steps!

LUNCH
Half a tub of low-fat Chunky Cottage Cheese with Chives
1 Banana

SUPPER
1 Pork Chop with Apple Sauce
Cauliflower & Broccoli with White Sauce & Parmesan Cheese
Two small Potatoes
Carrots

ALCOHOL
A small Whisky & Coke Light

A Rocky Start...

Well, all I can say is that I feel really grody about what I ate today. Here is the damage - the usual Sunday binge...

BREAKFAST
Bokomo Instant Oats, Peaches & Cream flavour
(a few Starburst fruit chews whilst watching "Touch of Pink")

LUNCH
2 Sandwiches with Ham, Cheese, Avocado, Tomato & Onion

SNACK
Cadbury's Cappuccino Mousse Chocolate & Starburst Fruit Chews (WHERE ARE THE SMINTS??!!)

SUPPER
Ostrich Steak in a Morrocan sauce with Butternut, Cauliflower & 1 Potato

ALCOHOL
1 small glass of Sherry
1 glass of Red Wine

I am sitting eating Starburst sweets as I type this... I don't know if it's the pressure of going to back to college for my final term, or what, but this is not good. At least I have been making the effort of going to gym, ok, except for today... as long as I go to gym regularly and definately tomorrow I don't think I should feel too bad about the sweets and stuff... but this is not the way things should be going. I can't give up and fall short so soon! I need to buy some Smints tomorrow and get rid of all this junk food tonight! It will be worth it in the end!

Braaivleis & Boerewors

I am starting to feel like I'm failing this before I've even started :( The day started off so well with the exercise & the Smoothie, but slowly deteriorated...

BREAKFAST
350ml Kauai Yoga Berry Smoothie with Slimmer Booster
2 slices of Toast with Tropical Peach jam

EXERCISE

20 minutes of Step-Machine & Medium Circuit Training

LUNCH
Mushroom Soup
2 slices of Rye Bread with Ham, Tomato, Cheese, Avocado & Onion

SUPPER (Braai at Maggie's... )
Steak & Salad (with feta & dressing), 3 Garlic braai rolls, followed by Chutney Simba Chips, Niknaks, Starburst sweets...

ALCOHOL
Vodka & Bacardi Binge

The Crazy Monkey Movie is Released!!!

BREAKFAST
1 bowl of Pronutro
1 slice of toast with Tropical Peach jam

EXERCISE
20 minutes of step-machine & light curcuit training

LUNCH
Toast with Scrambled Eggs and Baked Beans
1 Apple

SUPPER
Went to the Cape Town Fish Market and had Mussels & Calamari combo with rice, taking care to have the calamari grilled, and the mussels in a tomato-based sauce

ALCOHOL
1 glass of Red Wine
1 double Bacardi & Coke Light

Here We Go!

So here I am. I am not sure if this is going to work, but here's the plan. This blog is to be used mainly as a space for me to focus on something that has really been bugging me for the past couple of years, my weight. I can see a lot of people moving towards the little x at the top of the screen, but wait for a second and hear me out. Perhaps what I am about to undertake is going to make a bit of sense - well, I hope it will!

My aim is to track everything that I eat, and how much exercise I am doing, in order to lose 10 kgs. I hope to lose at least 5 kgs by summer, that is, by December - beach time in Cape Town. I will list my meals, and whether or not I have been to the gym or not, and exactly what I have done, and also track weekly progress. I am not sure how this is going to develop, but it is mainly to track my progress and serve as an inspiration to me to keep on going and try harder! I will update the look of the blog as I go along, so be patient, the default look won't last for long! This is my first blog, so bear with me!

I will soon upload some pictures of the parts of my body that upset me the most, and also inspirational pictures and the like. "The Smint Diet" is so-called, because my primary aim is to eliminate my cravings for snacks like chips, chocolate, and sweets that are high in sugar, by rather spending my money on sugar-free Smints. This blog has got nothing to do with Smint, or Chupa-Chups, and I hope there are no legal implications for me using their product name.

BREAKFAST
1 bowl of banana Pronutro
1 slice of toast with Tropical Peach jam
1 cup of coffee (2 sugars)
1 small glass of orange juice

EXERCISE
15 minutes of the step machine (btw level 4 & 6)

LUNCH
350ml Kauai Yoga Berry Smoothie with Slimmer Booster
Kauai Thai Chicken Salad

SNACK
A few bites of a BP Cheese Burger Pie

SUPPER
Kingklip with Woolies Mediterranean Sauce, Mixed Wholegrain Rice with Mushrooms, Peas and Mielies, and Green Beans

SNACK
Strawberries with Castor Sugar
A few Pretzels and fat-free Popcorn
De-caf coffee

STARTING WEIGHT
79 kgs