Be your best self.

Feeling fat and sassy? I have tips for you, little kitten.

Feeling fat and sassy? I have tips for you, little kitten.
Carly Jacobs

I know we are mid-way through March already this year but I feel like this is the month when the year really starts. Let’s face it, January is a bullshit month it’s all talk and no action. The holiday parties are over now poppets, so there’s no excuse for not getting back into your health routine. Here are a few tips to get you kick started.

Time for some fitness

 

Write down everything you eat

Okay I know this sounds like eating disorder territory but trust me it works. Use an online service to figure out how many calories you should be consuming in a day (based on your weight and activity levels) and start adding up what you are eating. Including wine. I mean it. Calorie King is fantastic for Australians because it has all our food brands and you can look up something like ‘apples’ without having to scroll through ten thousand kinds of apple pie/treat/snack/candy unlike some other online services in other unnamed countries*. It sounds a little manic but I think we all need a gentle reminder every now and then how much food we should be consuming and compare it to how much food we are consuming.

Food diary

 

Rock out when you work out

Load up your iPod with several different playlists to motivate you while you exercise. I need entertainment at the gym like I need oxygen to live. I’ve been known to abandon a session five minutes in because my headphones broke. True story. Another cheeky thing I’ve been doing lately is watching trashy TV shows on my iPad, while jogging on the treadmill. Two episodes of your favourite comedy will give you a 40 minute workout. It’s practically criminal.

Whilst at gym

 

Mix it up

Don’t just stick to the gym. Get out into the fresh air and go for a run. Meet a girlfriend for a swim and spa session. Go for a really long walk. Play a team sport. Go dancing at a club. Just move.

Major gym procrastination.

Dress like Lara Croft

I wear a lot of black when I exercise. Not because it’s flattering but because it’s tough. Would Angelina wear baggy grey tracksuit pants and a Nirvana t-shirt to the gym? I don’t think so. It’s all about black Lycra. The tighter the better. And do pretend that your training for the invasion of an ancient Egyptian tomb. Imagine your whole workout as a movie montage. It will make the time fly by. I promise.

Nike designers are awesome

 

Get over it

Obviously there is no way that you can never eat chocolate or bread again. That’s just stupid. All I’m asking is that you own it. If you eat a whole block of chocolate (we’ve all done it!) just deal with it and eat well for the next week. Also exercise hurts. And it’s boring. It’s also extremely necessary. It’s 45mins out of your WHOLE DAY and it makes you look and feel amazing. I understand the issues that people have (believe me, I have them too) but just do it. It’s like cleaning the bathroom. Or paying your car insurance. Bad things happen if you ignore them.

Gym

 

But also relax…

Honestly it’s SO BORING watching your weight all the time. Be realistic and flexible. Eat well most of the time and track it in your diary but if your man brings you home an ice cream treat for the pair of you to share just enjoy it love! If you’re going to indulge in a cheeky wine night with your ladies savour every mouthful and maybe skip dessert.

Wine, Cheese, Berries, Chocolate

* Yes USA. I’m talking about you.

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12 Comments

  1. Sarah Rooftops 12 years ago

    I tracked my calories and nutrition for a month recently and I found that I basically eat about right – what pushes me over the limit is snacking when I’m bored. The obvious solution is to quit my job, but my boyfriend didn’t fancy paying all the bills by himself. *sigh* Totally unreasonable.

    It WAS helpful to actually see it all written down, though, and recognise that habit in  myself.

  2. Stephanie Betancourt 12 years ago

    before I was even halfway through this post I was on dailyburn logging my meals for the day! And yes, I had to scroll through a page of grilled onion burgers to get to just plain grilled onions.

    Thanks for the motivation, miss smaggle!

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      No worries lady! Happy logging! 

  3. kforkarli 12 years ago

    A very timely post. I’m going to get on to tracking for a while just to get me motivated and thinking before I eat. I couldn’t ever be too strict, chocolate is just too good. So just time to get back on the exercise track!

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Oh me too! I wrote this for myself as well as I’ve only hit the gym twice this week! Bad Smaggle. 

  4. Sig 12 years ago

    I love your advice – being healthy doesn’t have to mean living with rules but knowing what’s best for your own wellbeing. It IS helpful to see things written down especially when mindless snacking and those BLT’s (bites, licks and tastes – which btw, when I first heard that term it WASN’T in the context of food :P).

    My favourite mantra – just DO it. Seriously.

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      BLTs are my undoing EVERY time. 

  5. Tara 12 years ago

    Amen to all of that – I have lost kg and cm in the last month by tracking calories and upping the exercise.  The simple things really do work, even if it’s bloody hard work.  The big trap for me was the one little glass of wine of an evening turning into ‘we may as well finish the bottle’.

    The only thing I’m really struggling with is getting bored of my iphone playlists during my exercise sessions – I run outside so ipad TV viewing is not an option.  Any hot tips to share on music that inspires you?

  6. Grit and Glamour 12 years ago

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post! This is exactly where I am right now too. Your advice is awesome and invigorating! Gonna share this everywhere.

    My husband and I—who have resolved to get fit(ter) together—are using the My Fitness Pal app on our iPhones. It’s not my fave…I prefer Lose It…but this is the one my trainer uses with the majority of her clients, so we’re going with it. The reason I mention it, is you can have “friends” on the app that you can share (or not) your food diary and status updates. I’ve found it’s more fun and I personally stick to the plan better when I have to share with others exactly what I’m eating, etc. If you are so inclined, I’d love to be your friend there so we can encourage each other. Plus, it’s fun to leave snarky comments., I must admit. And the great thing is you can scan the barcode of all your Aussie foods so tracking stuff is a no-brainer!

    If you want to look me up, I’m gritandglamour, natch.

    Keep kickin’ a** babe! You can do it! 

    • Ashe / Ash in Fashion 12 years ago

       I prefer Lose It — and you can have friends on it too! This way when the Beau & I put in a recipe, we can share it with each other. (Then I do the work and it makes him more likely to use it.)

      Ms. Smaggle– this post is great. It’s pretty much the motto I’m learnin’ to live my life by.  No cutting out the fun things, and I always think the cardio bike is a lot better when I think zombies are chasing me.

  7. Jessie 12 years ago

    Love this! Would also recommend the Calorie Count app as an AWESOME stateside electronic food diary.  Sounds very similar to yours and has been a HUGE help to me. 🙂

  8. Fifi 12 years ago

    I am a massive fan of exercising while watching TV. I find intense action movies starring Matt Damon very motivating (I pretend I’m Franke Potente and I have to run away from the bad guys). Also, any kind of dance movie is awesome – the chicks always have fantastic inspiring bodies and there are lots of sweaty montages. 

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