Why I'm No Longer Weighing Myself

Let's talk about The Scale. Argghhh nooooo. Stay. Stay. I promise it's not that bad.

 

Are you a slave to the scale?  How often do you weigh yourself?  

 

Way back in May I started a Shape Up For Summer feature in which I weighed and measured myself each week in a bid to get my 'bikini body'. After a few weeks I decided to stop the whole shape up for summer idea. I don't want to shape up for summer. I want to be fit, healthy, eat clean, enjoy exercising for life, not for summer. 

 

What do I need for a bikini body? A body. Check. A bikini. Check. I already have a bikini body and so do you. Is it the best bikini body I could have? No. Do I love the idea of walking around in a bikini for all to see my lumps and bumps? No. But that's kinda ok.

As women we all have body issues/hangups/things we'd like to change. I am currently the heaviest, most out of shape I've ever been in my life and I don't like it and I'm consciously making an effort to change that. 

We give the scale so much power. Getting on a scale and seeing that number alters how I feel about myself. My mood, my happiness, hell even my self worth. The crazy thing is it doesn't really matter what the scales say - I'm never happy with it. I have never been a body confident woman. I scoured through my personal facebook and old photo albums and could find only 2 photos of me in a bikini.  In these photos I was 116lbs (I know that because I weighed myself everyday). Was I happy when I stepped on the scales and saw 116lbs? No I wasn't. 

They were taken 4 years ago on my annual summer holiday to our family villa in Spain. I was around 30 lbs lighter in these photos than I am now and hell, I look ok in my bikini. I vividly remember that holiday and period of my life. I was still trying to deal with a relationship breakdown, I'd quit my job, I was desperately unhappy, had incredibly low self esteem and, if I'm honest, really hated myself. I looked in the mirror and saw a big, fat whale of a woman.

My point being, rarely do we look as bad in a bikini as we think we do.

No longer will I allow that number on a scale to dictate how I feel about myself. I will wake up every morning and take little steps towards being a healthier me.

I want to be the best version of myself I can be.

Do I want a flat stomach, inner thigh gap and lean, toned arms? Of course I do. But most of all I want to be happy, I want to laugh with friends and family, I want to enjoy every precious moment with my son and I don't want to be a slave to The Scale.

Even Healthier Jacket Potato With Beans

I love a jacket potato with beans, sometimes I add grated cheese to make it even more yummy, but I'm on a bit of a health kick at the moment (see my Fitness Friday posts and my What I Ate Wednesday posts) so I'm trying to find healthier ways of cooking the food I love to eat. 

I discovered sweet potatos a few years ago and I love them. They're full of fibre and a really good source of vitamin A,D and B6.  I'm unsure if they're necessarily healthier than normal, white potatoes, (there's more info on Precision Nutrition if you're interested) but I do like the slightly caramelised taste you get when you bake them.

Ingredients for the 'beans'

Serves 4

 

400g tin cannelini beans in water drained

400g chopped tomatoes 

1 onion chopped

1 courgette chopped

1 chilli chopped

1 bell pepper chopped

Cup peas

4 cubes frozen spinach

These are the ingredients I used today but realistically you can use whatever veg you have in your fridge.  I tend to empty my salad tray once a week and whatever veg needs using I throw it in.

Before you prepare your beans place your sweet potato in a preheated oven at 180C until cooked (mine took an hour)

1. Chop all the vegetables into small pieces.

2. Heat your pan and pour in some oil.

3. Sauté your onions on a medium heat for 5 minutes.

4. Add the courgette, bell peppers and chilli and cook for around 6 minutes or until your veg have softened.

5. Add the cannelini beans, chopped tomatoes, spinach and peas.  Leave to simmer on a low heat for 8 minutes.

6. I added some worcester sauce and tabasco sauce to add a bit if a kick as my chilli wasn't hot but you can leave this out if you prefer.

7. Spoon your beans over your jacket and ENJOY!

Any leftovers I spoon into one of these handy freezer bags and pop it in the freezer so next time I want a quick, easy meal I can just grab one of these and heat it up.

Let me know if you cook this, I'd love to see any variations of different veg you come up with.

 

Shape Up For Summer Progress {6.6.14}

Naughty me missed last weeks SUFS. I had guests for a long weekend & an adoption party to host so, as I'm sure you'll agree, real life comes before internet life.

On the plus side, I have 2 weeks to update you on. I feel indifferent towards the last 2 weeks to be honest. One week was school holidays so I was off work which meant I was out of my routine which always throws me sideways.  We get up later, eat later, socialise more...  I definitely feel good about my eating. As I've said in my What I Ate Wednesday, I don't want this to be about being on a diet, I want to change my outlook on food. I've eaten some sweets here and there and an odd packet of crisps but that's ok. I do struggle with telling myself that it's ok though and that's something I'm working on. 

On the exercise front all I can say is I've. been. hula. hooping. I'm amazed.  Completely amazed! I bought this hula hoop from Amazon and I was quite sceptical (I remember my childhood of trying to hula & never being able to) but I've got to say I'm amazed at how easy I've found it. That's not to say the first time I tried it didn't just immediately fall to the floor, despite me wiggling my hips like I was having some sort of fit.  I have what I affectionately name war wounds, otherwise known on bruises on my belly.  I've been doing 20 minutes a day for past 4 days and I definitely feel the benefits.  

 

I am proud to say, after not that much effort, on Thursday I did 10 minutes 39 seconds non stop hooping.  That's 10 minutes 39 seconds hooping!! Wowsers.  It amazes me that it stays up but somehow I manage to do it.  I can only go clockwise at the moment.  I've tried anti-clockwise but it deflates me as I can only do 1 turn.  That's my project for next week - learn how to hula anti-clockwise.

 

 

  Weight - 165lbs   {-1lbs}

Waist - 36inches {-1inch}

Hips - 42.75inches {-0.25inch}

Bust - 35inches {same}

 

 

I'm disappointed with the numbers to be honest.  I do feel like since I've started hooping I'm becoming more 'sucked in' for want of a better phrase.

 

Don't forget to tweet me any pics or useful hints & advice using  #Sparkly1WeightLoss & I will see you guys next week when hopefully I can hoop anti-clockwise.

 

Hasta Luego Sparkly1s

Gemzicle Sprinkles

xoxo

 

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Shape Up For Summer Progress {23.5.14}

So I'm one week in to my Shaping Up For Summer.  I've not weighed or measured myself yet but as a whole I fell really good about how the last week has gone.  I posted my What I Ate Wednesday on Wednesday (obviously!!) & that's the kind of food that I've been eating all week so I'm quite happy that my diet has been good.  I did slip up on Thursday & ordered a Dominos pizza.  I didn't even want it but Mini Greenoid wanted one.

The exercise part I've found difficult this week.  I got off to a good start on Monday by getting up at 6:15am, slipping on my dusty running shoes & pounding the pavement for 20mins.  It actually felt really good & although I couldn't run for the whole of the 20 mins it was a good feeling just getting moving.  But Tuesday, I didn't wake up in time for the run, so I kinda stopped it for the whole week, which was silly really!  I find that if I don't exercise first thing in the morning I don't do it at all. 

I did find an awesome You Tube channel with some great little workouts though called Blogilates.  The instructor is Cassey Ho & she also has a blog which I've yet to check out but if it's like her videos I'm sure I'll love it!  Go ahead & check it out & let me know what you think?  I particularly liked her Ab Workout playlist & I tried this video a few times.  Phew!!! It was hard work!!! But, less than 10 minutes long.

So, the numbers for this week are

Weight - 166lbs   {-2lbs}

Waist - 37inches {+1inch}

Hips - 43inches {same}

Bust - 35inches {-0.5inch}

 

I tend to not pay that much attention to numbers in all honesty.  For me, it's about feeling good & healthy & happy with my body. 

Hopefully, next week I can try & be much more consistent with my exercise as if I want to lose the weight it's gonna have to be done!

Don't forget to tweet me any pics or useful hints & advice using  #Sparkly1WeightLoss & I will see you guys next week when hopefully I've been exercising more!

 

Hasta Llego Sparkly1s

Gemmy Sprinkles

xoxo

 

 

Shape Up For Summer

If you've seen my All About Me post you'll know that I used to be a gym instructor.  I used to teach Spin, Aerobics, Body Conditioning everyday.  I was pretty fit & weighed around 120lbs.  I left that job around 3years ago & since then the weight has been piling on.  It's not rocket science - I used to do intense cardio & weight training 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. I stopped & didn't do anything.  It's no wonder the weight piled on!  I've just stepped on the scales & am horrified to see it's crept up to 168lbs! The heaviest I've ever been!!
I'm determined to do something about it.  Like a lot of women, I struggle to find time to work out.  I'm a single mum who works full time, has a Minecraft YouTube channel & creates a Blog.  I'm definitely going to dedicate 20 minutes a day for fitness whether that's going for a walk/run, sticking an exercise DVD on, watching a YouTube workout or simply dancing around to my fav music.  What are your favourite ways to work out? 

Weight - 168lbs

Waist -  36inches

Hips - 43inches

Bust - 35.5inches

Those numbers are scary to me & I don't like it!  Wish me luck with my first week & make sure you check back next week to see my progress.  If any of you are on  weight loss journey at the moment I'd love to hear about it, you can comment below or you can Tweet me any pics using #Sparkly1WeightLoss.  It would be fantastic if we could support each other through this & provide each other with any tips, inspiration or words of encouragement.

 

  Hasta Llego Sparkly1s

Gemmy Sprinkles

xoxo