The Results Are In….

So, after 12 (gruelling?) weeks of early, cold, dark mornings, weights training sessions a week, additional cardio sessions and an dietary over-haul, I know you're hanging out to find out whether it's all been worth it. 

You know from my posts that despite being totally over-whelmed in the beginning (at one point I just wanted to cry forever because I felt like I was either shopping for groceries or preparing them and never to set outside the kitchen again!) I have been extremely happy with the programme. Happy enough to want to continue this as a life-style change, plus follow the next round of 12wks of training.

It has taken me 12 full weeks to succumb to the fact that I actually no longer need to eat snacks. Ever. 

I simply eat another complete meal. Maybe it's all in the wording, or simply in my head but in the beginning I really struggled with this. The food I believed I needed in between my meals has always been known to me, and the rest of the non-MP world as 'snacks'. However, just the other day I came home from work thinking "ooh it's around 3 hours since I last ate (formerly known as lunch), it must be meal time again" *insert happy face here as eating again is always so exciting*. Having consumed this meal, I then quite happily go on to consume my evening meal (formerly known as dinner), which would be meal # 5 or 6 for the day. One could be forgiven for thinking that it would be virtually impossible to lose weight/body fat in this manner. Friends & loyal readers,  I am here to tell you otherwise. I consume more (in volume) now than ever before. My weight has not changed. (I do know plenty of people that have successfully lost lots of weight on this programme, but this was not a goal for me). I no longer count or feel the need to count calories. In fact the only counting I do is to make sure I have at least 6-meals per day, more if I have the time. It's kind of like feeding a new-born every three hours. I can highly recommend it.

Felicity - thank you - you are an inspiration to work with and made the early mornings so incredibly pleasurable. 

Lynn - my training partner - having a partner in crime halves the pain and doubles the gain. Thank you! 

I'm really looking forward to training with both of you again soon.

Patrick - my amazingly supportive husband - thank you for throwing me in at the deep and and then backing it up to support my cause by getting the kids organised and to school on time on these early mornings. I trust you can continue with this new routine.

My readers - that's all of YOU - thank you for keeping me on track, keeping me accountable and allowing me the self-indulgence of blogging about ups and downs these past weeks.

So, without further ado (I've always wanted to have a reason to say that) I really am very excited to share these results with you. My ever awesome Metabolic Precision Trainer; Felicity O'Meara, Vikara Body Transformations (did you spot the subtle plug there?) has compiled this fantastic report for me, rather like an end of term school report ;)

Results

Strength:

BB Squat:                           20kg (bar)  to  42.5kg OVER DOUBLE

BB Deadlift:                       29kg  to  50kg

BB Split Squat:                  15kg (bar)  to  27.5kg

Lat pull down:                     Level 4  to  Level 7

Seated row:                          22.6kg  to  32.2kg

BB Bench press                  15kg (bar)  to  35kg OVER DOUBLE

Dips:                                    Blue band  to  small orange!! (next level is unassisted!)

Body Composition:

Believe it or not, there is officially 25.5cm less of me now! No change in kilograms on the scales so it just goes to prove how much denser and leaner muscle is when compared to body fat.

Aside from the very pleasant results, I also notice changes in my general posture. The photos show how it is straighter and stronger in my upper body now. 

Shoulders: Lost 1cm

Chest: Lost 1cm

Arm: Increased 1cm (I have biceps now!)

Narrowest Waist: Lost 3cm

Navel Measurement: Lost 9cm 

Hips: Lost 12cm

Glutes: Increased 0.5cm (Non-surgical butt-lift right here!)

Thigh (saddlebag): Increased by 0.5cm (but visibly less fat)

Thigh: Decreased 0.5cm

Calf: Decreased by 1cm

Goals reached:

  Reduce navel by 4cm (over double what I aimed for!!)  - Nailed it!

û    Reduce hips by 4cm (something to aim for next program) 

 Dips with the red band - Nailed it!

  Dips with the orange band - Nailed it!


Here they are - the before & after photos

The Beginning of The End?

Wow! That's the end of week 11 already. How time flies. I seriously cannot believe that this 12 week programme is nearly at it's end. The fact that I've managed to get up at 5.30 (ok, it's been stretched out to 5.40 of late) twice a week for a 20min drive, in cold, dark and often wet conditions, for 45minutes of self-inflicted-punishment, is a miracle in itself. Particularly for one that really does not like driving in the dark and/or rain. 

Looking back over the past weeks I'd really like to take this opportunity to re-cap on some of the key strategies I've adapted to and changes that have happened because of them.

Mind Over Matter - It goes to prove just how the power of the mind can really be the make or break of practically anything/any goals you want to achieve. If the mind is in the right place, the body will follow. After all, the body (in most cases) will only do what we tell it. Good in = good out or vice versa.

Stepping out of the Comfort Zone - To achieve results it's almost always necessary to step out of that comfort zone. For me, at the beginning of the programme, that was simply about actually attending  PT session twice a week and lifting weights, of any proportion. As the weeks have progressed, so have the weights increased every week, I've been pushed, just that little bit more, out of my comfort zone. 

Re-programming - To re-programme the body (metabolism) meant re-programming the mind. To do this, my food consumption took a pretty decent over-haul, which also meant re-programming the mind to purchase, prepare and consume nutritionally balanced meals at consistent and timely intervals. This in turn also meant re-programming my body to be able to consume these new volumes of healthiness. Thankfully this was done with a steady progression, despite my impatience to 'have it all down pat' in week 1. 

Shop 'n' Chop, Prepare, Grab 'n' Go! - There is no doubt in my mind that one key factor that has made this programme work for me, is the necessity in thinking ahead. When those veggies are 'shopped', get them home to be 'chopped'. Portion them, prepare them and they are then ready and waiting for the 'grab n go.' A couple of extra hours in the kitchen twice a week has certainly saved me hours of preparation and cooking each and every night. This has to be, without a doubt, the best new habit I've formed. It's a keeper.

Less is More, More is Less - Remember that one? Less exercise, when properly structured can actually give better results. Gone are my weeks of excessive output or hard exercise 5 or 6 days a week. Two 30min weights-sessions  a week plus a couple of 30min cardio sessions thrown in for good measure and I'm done. As for the More is Less, well, that's about the food. This has been the common thread throughout all of my posts. More food! Eat more often! Load the plate with veggies! Protein at every meal! I could go on, but I won't I think you've got the picture by now.

Challenging Times - Certainly there have been challenging times, weekends away, meals out, no snacks/meals to hand, and of course slip-ups have been made. I most certainly have not been 100% compliant the whole 12 weeks. In fact, at a guess, I'd say that the first half I was only about 50% there, on a really good week I've been 96% compliant. On average, I'd say I am now about 90-95% compliant, most of the time. I've been through bouts of hunger when my body thought it was never going to be fed again, my colleagues and family have suffered a fair few HISSy fits (Hungry Irritable Sarah Syndrome) because I wasn't getting my food proportions quite right. There was the uncomfortable bloating and gassiness issues whilst my body re-adjusted to the new vast amounts of fibrous veggies. And not to forget the awful skin break-outs whilst my body was detoxing. 

However, all this said and done, the programme has been an extremely positive one for me.  So, is this the beginning of the end? Not at all, it's the continuation of a whole new beginning. I'll be keeping the new food habits, this way of eating really suits me. Gone are the 3pm slumps. Gone are the days of counting calories.  Gone are the hungry mood swings (when I get it right of course). Now, if I'm hungry I know it's because my body needs food. Good nutritious food. So I eat. Don't worry, if you feel like inviting me to dinner at your place, I will not feel the need to BMO (bring my own), I'll happily consume and enjoy any meal you choose to lovingly prepare and even help you enjoy the wine that goes with it.

What's next? Well, next week I'll be posting the final results of my transformation, including before and after photos. Be excited! I am. 

After that, well, I've decided to continue with the training programme and committed to starting the new round that begins mid August. Yes! You heard it here first. I really am enjoying the results. I feel  so much stronger and healthier. And this can only be a good thing.

Photos from my latest training sessions

Week 10 - I thought this week I'd simply show some photos of my weight training sessions. This is what I've been getting up at 5.30am twice a week for. And yes! I do think it's worth it. 

I do upper-body weights one session and lower body for the other. Each session takes about 30-45mins to complete. I usually train with one other woman so we get a small rest in between each set. (the only photos missing are the sets of row-pulls.)

I'm particularly proud of the Lateral Pull Down exercises as I've never had lean visible back muscles before. Plus, overall I'm lifting weights that I never imagined yet not walking around looking like The  Incredible Hulk!

It's good for me to see the progress, particularly now as this weekend (just past) would/should have been my full-marathon debut on the Gold Coast. I did feel a bit sad when hubby text me to say that he was in the start-shute and the atmosphere was fantastic. There's still a part of me that wants to run. I haven't been running much at all, only what I really need to do for my cardio sessions. This has amounted to not much more than 4-5km once or twice per week. So much less than I ever used to do. However, I am still struggling with calf-injury issues (the other calf is playing up now that the first one has healed), so I know I just have to give it time. Lots of time.

Lateral Pull-Down. Level 6. 8 Reps x 2. 

Bench Press 30kg. 8 Reps - x 2

Dips - Thin Red Band. I think I managed 5 reps (out of 8) x 2. It got a bit messy in the middle. I'm pretty happy with these though as I have well-exceeded the band level that we had set as the 12-week goal.

 Dead Lift - 45kg. 6 Reps x 2. 

Barbell Squat - 40kg. 
6 Reps x 2 

Uni-lateral Lunges. 27.5kg. 6 Reps x 2 (each side)

Food Prep and Other Stuff

For anyone that missed my mini-post on Facebook on Sunday, here is a photo of this week's prep session.   

Having shopped for groceries the previous day and not having enough room in the fridge to store all the fresh goodies, I had no choice but to knuckle down and get cooking. 

Here is a list of what was prepared:

Minestrone Soup (sans pasta)

Meatballs

3 x salad blends

Bolognaise/Con Carne hybrid 

Chicken Thigh Bake

Sauted Chicken Thigh Fillets

Brown rice, quinoa & bowls of chopped veggies to be used as add-ins

Now, this was all started well and good. It felt fantastic knowing that I'd barely have to touch a pan for the rest of the week, once everything was portioned into lunch/dinner containers.

However,  in my excited eagerness to get all of this done, I omitted to eat whilst preparing all this yummy stuff. The cooking marathon somehow took me over 4hrs and by the end of it I was literally a quivering, super grouchy,  blob of jelly as my blood sugar levels had plummeted to an all time low. I'd overstepped my eating-window/hunger thresh-hold big time. Oh the irony!!! 

The other 'problem' was when I went to portion it all we ran out of containers, but that was easily solved by sending hubby to buy some more. Now I just need a bigger kitchen with more cupboard space to keep them all. Oh and believe it or not, the cooler section in the fridge is still bursting at the seams with unprepared veggies ready for the next round!!

I was also asked this week what a typical day of eating looks like now, so here is a summary. You can also take a look at my post from a couple of weeks ago, which included food ideas & recipes (It's all about the food - recipes & more 18/6/15)

7am Breakfast -  eggs/tofu with veggies
10am Mid morning -  protein shake* with fruit/veggies
1pm Lunch -  a protein (meat or fish) with veggies
4pm Afternoon - protein shake* with fruit/veggies
7pm Evening Meal - a protein (meat or fish) with veggies
9pm'ish -Yoghurt with fruit

*protein used in a shake might be a protein powder or simply a dairy source of protein such as almond milk and/or yoghurt.

To all of these meals I would add a source of Omega-3 

If I am training I simply add grains/pasta to the relevant meals.

Sometimes, believe it or not, I might even add in an extra 'meal/snack' somewhere. This usually happens when I cannot eat my meals at regular intervals (feeding every 3 hrs like one would feed a baby ;) - this is where having those quick snacks to hand is very important. Seriously, If I don't eat this regularly I get massive blood sugar level dips and end up much like I did when doing this weeks food prep.

Of course, all of this is done in accordance with my strength & cardio training sessions (3-4 a week). I do not know how this would look/affect me if I wasn't training. I am sure I my body would be grateful for the clean eating & truck loads of veggies and would surely be losing body fat,  but I wouldn't be gaining the lean muscle at the same time. It's a two-way street. One certainly goes hand-in hand- with the other.

"Is it Hard?"

"Is it hard?" - this has to be the most frequently asked question I been asked over the past couple of months. Closely followed by "How is the food?" or "Arn't you hungry all the time?". Oh and "What happens at the end of the 12 weeks?"

Well, let me dispel any worries over this that any of you may have.

1 - No. It is not hard. At all. Not in the least little bit.

However - it does take planning, forethought and preparation.

The principles are so basic that I can't imagine why it's taken me all these years to get here. It makes me wonder why more people don't adopt this style of eating, especially anyone looking to make changes to a healthier diet. I've certainly been guilty of hopping on the bandwagon of many food 'fads' or diets over the years, All resulting in somewhat short-term fixes in one way or another. 

The 'hard' part is being prepared, having lots of fresh veggies chopped and ready to use. Snacks to go. etc etc. A classic example is me coming home from work and looking for a snack. I was pondering the fridge and pantry and really all I wanted was a quick fix (cheese & biscuits or something, that I knew in reality would not last me until dinner.) Instead I quickly made an egg white omelette with ham, mozzarella cheese, sprinkled some flaxseed meal over and added some salad. It took me about 3 minutes to prepare.

2 - The food is great. The food is whatever I want it to be. Yes. Really.

I love the fact that I can skip so many aisles in the supermarket these days. My trolley is pretty much full to the brim with fresh veggies, fruits, eggs (don't forget the eggs!), dairy and meat. I still buy tins of tuna, salmon, tomatoes & legumes for convenience. Gone are the packets and as for the dreaded cereal aisle - well I think they must've taken a downturn in profits (I used to buy about 6 different varieties a fortnight!). This could easily be done on bags of pre-chopped frozen veggies too. So, again, it doesn't have to be hard.

3 - Hungry? Umm yes of course, but nothing that can't be easily fixed with a quick meal, liquid or solid.

It's ok to eat/consume (drink) multiple times a day. 6 times or more is recommended. It's not ok however to miss meals (have less than 6). This sends the wrong messages to the metabolism.

You should see the amount of food I take to work with me these days - and I only work a 5hr shift!!

I will admit that for the first 2-3 weeks, before I fully adjusted to the new habits I was hungry and cranky, as I wasn't quite getting the food options & timing quite right. However, after whinging to my PT about this, she helped me find solutions that work for me. Everyone is individual. That's where this 'programme' is so great.  Anyone can make it work and fit it into their lifestyle!

4 - The way I see it, it's no longer a 12 week programme. It's a lifestyle.

New and good habits have been formed. My body (digestive system) feels better than I can ever remember. I no have bloating or abdominal discomfort. I can satiate my hunger at any time as I am not starving myself to eat 'controlled portions'. Yet, I am losing body fat and gaining muscle tone. In fact, I've lost another 2cm of body fat this at this weeks measurements! Plus, my sugar cravings are virtually non-existent these days. It's a Win-Win I say!

Of course there are meals that I 'cheat' on. And yes, I still enjoy my red wine and dark chocolate. Coffee even. I am not virtuous. I won't let food rule my life.  But, the way I see it, if I eat like this the majority of the time, I don't have to feel guilty about the indulgences.

It's All About the Food - recipes & more!

This week I thought I'd share with you some of my easy peasy 'go to' foods & recipes (my own as I can't/won't share the published ones), plus a couple of hints on keeping it easy. When I started out I felt like I was either shopping or cooking ALL the time. Now that I've got it sorted, I'm actually spending a lot less time in the kitchen. Yay to that!

When I first started this programme, everything seemed quite daunting; what sort of foods to eat & when to eat them, what I could/should have vs couldn't/shouldn't etc and most of all, how on earth was I going to get 6 meals in a day. Preparing so many was going to be a mammoth task itself, let alone eating them! Well, I'm pleased to say that I seem to have got it pretty much down. I'm sure there's room for improvement/fine tweaking, but on the whole it's really not that bad at all. In fact, it's really very good. None of this is rocket science. Just simple back to basics (how my Nan used to cook) kind of food.

Everything here is for standard non-exercise days. When I exercise I simply add high energy carbs (in the form of grains/pasta/rice/potatoes/bananas/dates) to the relevant meals. Otherwise my diet is high in protein and plants (veggies & fruits which are the low energy carbs). Meals are consumed approximately every 3-hours throughout the day. Six meals are the required minimum, more is encouraged (!). There is some allowance for 'cheat meals' too. 

All meals also need a serve of omega-3 so add a sprinkle of flax seed or a fish oil tablet on the side.

Breakfast:

Eggs in some form - scrambled or omelettes are best as I'd use one whole egg to 3 or 4 egg whites. Throw in a couple of generous handfuls of ready chopped veggies and breakfast is ready in a few minutes.

Scrambled Tofu - I'm not a huge tofu fan, but this serves a great purpose when I run out of eggs or can't be bothered to separate. Cook like scrambled eggs with added veggies. I usually add some soy sauce and/or sweet chilli sauce for flavour.

Lunch/Dinner:

I've put these in the same category as lunch is now usually the previous night's leftover's. I've got into a habit of preparing enough food for about 6-8 serves and this gives enough portions for various meals at a later stage. 

Chicken/Beef/Pork - diced or minced, cooked with desired flavours/herbs/spices and yes, you guessed it - throw in those veggies! Portion into containers and serve. Mince is great as this can be easily turned into a chilli con carne, bolognaise or even mini muffins for snacks etc.

Slow-cooker - I am in love with my slow cooker. Simply take any large joint of meat, add some herbs/spices for flavour and the work is done for me whilst I am well, working! By the time I get home, I have a house smelling delicious and meat tender as can be. Add this to my choice of veggies and voila! 

A big slow-cooker fave in our family is bbq pork. I make up about a cup of bbq glaze (see recipe) rub it all over a pork shoulder and cook for 6-8 hours. by the time it's ready to eat it it's just like pulled pork and totally delicious with a fresh coleslaw salad.

So, this gives me 3 of my meals per day. The others could be any of the above, there are no rules. I just find that with life on-the-go I need other solutions that create more of an quick fix or grab & go snack type meal. Here are some of my favourites:

Egg-Muffins (see recipe)

Meat Muffins (finely process 500gr raw mince with about 4 cups of veggies, add herbs/ spices, combine with one whole egg and oven bake for about 12-14mins in muffin pans. Makes about 12).

Canned Tuna/Salmon/Herrings with veggies (I'm happy to eat most chopped veggies raw but you could pre-cook the veggies if you wanted)

Cottage Cheese - flavoured as you like (red onion, paprika, green onions, pineapple, sweet chilli sauce etc etc) with carrot/celery/cucumber/zucchini sticks

(Protein) Smoothies - Remember Glenda? - Well 'she' is an absolute god-send in our house and gets used to create 2-4 smoothies a day now. Usually one for mid-morning and often again for mid-afternoon. Two of my favourite and commonly used combinations are listed below.

MY RECIPES

BBQ Glaze

1 cup bbq sauce

2 green onions chopped

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp soy sauce

1 clove garlic chopped/crushed

salt & pepper

Egg Muffins (I was given this recipe by a friend, I simply adapt it to whatever I have in the fridge for the fillings) It's more of a 'chuck in whatever you've got' than a recipe. Yummy warm but I usually eat these cold.

For 12 muffins: 

Combine 2 whole eggs + 10-12 egg whites 

Add about 5 handfuls of any mixed chopped veggies. 

Add salt, pepper, paprika (and any other herbs/spices to your liking), and about a tablespoon of flax seeds. 

Mix together well and divide into muffin pans. 

Sprinkle with a little mozzarella cheese. 

Cook on about 140-160 for 10-12 mins. 

They will rise when warm but flatten once you take them out of the oven. 

Tips: - The silicone muffin pans do not need any oil at all as they just 'pop out'. I found that they stick to even my non-stick pans, even with a bit of spray oil. If the veggies are finely chopped in a blender/mixer they cook more evenly, but it also works with randomly chopped pieces too. - purple cabbage is good just don't be put off by the 'mouldy' colour this gives to the muffins, as the colour leeches out! 

Veggies I commonly use: capsicum, kale/spinach, broccoli, zucchini, tomatoes, a little onion (red or white is good as not so strong), cauliflower (if finely chopped/grated), leeks. 

Other good combos/ingredients: - jarred & drained sundried tomatoes/capsicums with feta or soft ricotta cheese I guess you could also add ham, tuna, salmon etc. I've not tried them so feel free to do so and let me know how it tastes.

(Protein) Smoothies

Green - Kale, celery, kiwi, pear all finely chopped in Glenda (you really need a very powerful blender otherwise the kale remains very fibrous and unpleasant). Sometimes I'll throw in a small handful of almonds at this stage as well.

Add in protein of choice (natural unflavoured protein powder or egg whites are my favourites) and top with liquid. I particularly like coconut water in this. Blend (Glend?!!) until smooth. Today I also added a few prunes to the mix which made it a bit sweeter.

Choc Berry/Mango - Blueberries and/or mango, almond milk, protein of choice (I often use chocolate protein powder in this one, yoghurt (natural, mango flavoured or even cacao natural). Sooooooo delicious.

So there you have it. Six serves of all this. Every day!

To make things quick & easy I now buy frozen blueberries & mango pieces in large bags (much more economical) and egg whites by the carton (I hate separating eggs and never really know what to do with the left-over yolks.) And, the biggest time saver of all - when I buy my veggies, once or twice a week, I immediately chop, dice or grate them and put them into containers or bags in the fridge. I make up containers of mixed veggies that I can use in any of the above combinations plus I keep some separate that I know I'd like to eat/use on their own (broccoli, carrots) sometimes. This way they are to hand whenever I need them. 

Six Weeks = Halfway = Check-in & Measure-up!

Wow! That six weeks has flown by in a blink of an eyelid. Seriously, I cannot believe I've been 'on the game' (hmmm might need to re-phrase that one) that long. AND that the half-way mark is done & dusted which means the countdown to the end of the programme begins. So, I guess it's time to come clean with just how things are really measuring up for me, on all counts, at this crucial halfway mark.

To re-cap, at the start of the programme, body parts were measured & photographed. Measurements included bust, waist, hips, thighs, butt, calves & upper arms. This programme did not include a weigh-in but I did this (and will forever do this) myself anyway. Curiosity just gets the better of this cat. You'll also remember that I posted pre-programme photos. These have also been been re-done, and I promise you they have not been photoshopped or air-brushed in any way. Such technical skills are way beyond me and sadly not included on the MP Programme.

Here goes;

Weights: - I have been consistently lifting heavier weights on a regular & consistant basis. I don't know what all of them are but the exercises are as follows. 

All exercises started with a base of 12 reps. At the 4wk mark we upped the weights and dropped to 10reps. I heard a rumour that this week starts the 8rep rounds. This surely means that the weights will be increased again...

Upper Body: - Lat-Pull Downs, Seated Row, Bench Press & Dips 

Lower Body:- Squats with Barbell, Dead-lifts (bent leg) & Split Lunges with Barbell. 

This may or may not mean something to you. Whatever. All I know is that I successfully dead-lifted 40kg (yes, 40!!) this week. And, as I've mentioned once or twice, my dips are coming along nicely (despite being THE dreaded exercise of each and every week).

Measurements: - I'm not going to give numbers for each (or any for that matter) body-part. BUT what I will say that all totals added together and compared with the originals I am in fact 12cm smaller/leaner than I started out. 12cm!!! Yay! Impressed? Shocked? Yeah, me too! But seriously, that happy dance is going on, right here right now!

Weight:- I've said from the beginning that this programme was, at least for me, never a weight-loss journey. For others it is. Good thing too or I'd be a bit disappointed at this stage. I, as most (females especially) have a constant weight fluctuation of a kilo or so. This makes it pretty hard to get a grip on any loss or gain unless it's significant. In my case, despite there being 12cm less of me (in case you missed it) my weight hasn't changed at all, at least nothing I can relate the programme to. This means, happily, that I have a decrease in fat and increase in lean muscle. Double Yay! 

And now for the photos. Always confronting, but I promised so I will deliver. It's a bit hard to see much change in photos, especially considering there's mostly only a 1cm difference in lots of areas (What? you can't see that I've lost a centimetre on each calf??) I think however, you can see the biggest change in the belly-fat area. This is where the biggest reduction has been made so far.

Couldn't resist flexing those new-found back & arm muscles ;)

Finally, further to my last post, I'd also like to add these photos to show that just one week later, good clean eating and an amazing facial (at the ever fabulous Endota Spa) my head is now almost clear of those ghastly break-outs. Patience really is a virtue. Catch up again soon!