2014 Health & Fitness Challenge: Week 7 – A Dress

I haven’t worn this dress in years! Year! So it felt awesome to wear it the other day. Whoo hoo! 

In the recent years, I’ve made small sustainable changes to the way I think, eat and move.  Following on from that, at the start of this year, I started a challenge with my group PT instructor (Lauren from Phyzique if anyone is interested) to help me take it to another level, especially with my fresh food intake and moving past a plateau (and trying to lose some of the weight around my waist that has stubbornly sat there since the birth of my – very large – fourth child and son). 

Progress So far (cm lost)

Arm: 1cm

Waist: 2.5 cm

Gluteus: 2.5 cm

Thigh: 2 cm

Chest: 4.5 cm

(this is great for me because I am broad shouldered and tend to carry some weight in my back)

Dressing Up

I go through phases of dressing up — even for school pick up because I feel like it — and especially when I have a wider range of my wardrobe to play with.  In terms of make-up,  I love wearing mascara and I like trying different brands and often.  A swipe of mascara and some lip gloss is enough to make me feel all girly and fun.  

I was recently gifted with a Max Factor Excess Volume Mascara to try and it’s fabulous! I decided to do a mini review here for other mascara lovers out there.

Max Factor Excess Volume Mascara (mini review)

What I like the most about this mascara is that, for volumising mascara, it doesn’t look clumpy.  So you get that dramatic look without that too-thick lashes look.  I think it’s because there are two steps to the process (and two brushes).  The first brush adds volume and the second formula smoothes and adds that extra gloss. Love.

From the packet

BASE COAT – EXTREME VOLUME: A super-thickening formula includes wax, dark pigments and volumising spheres to create a high quality finish with an abundance of high impact volume.  This, combined with our biggest brush ensures maximumvolume. 

TOP COAT – INTENSIFYING LACQUER: The jet black lacquer finishing coat is thinner than the volumising base coat, allowing it to flow across the lash surface. Because of the volumised micro texture of the base layer, the finishing lacquer coats lashes   from root to tip, meaning that you get an intensely black, glossy finish without removing or destroying the volume layer underneath. The gel-based formula further thickens & seals the lashes, instantly smoothing them and increasing the volume for a truly excess lash look that lasts. 

Week 7 Food

Notes:

• Try and have have either fresh fruit or vegetables at most meals. 
• Make carbs count: wholegrain – avoid white everything if possible.
• Good fats…doing a bit more cooking with coconut oil.
• Want to book a appointment with my GP to check my iron levels (because I have a history of low iron plus I don’t like red meat very much).
• Getting into a bit of a groove with food but need to look at some other ideas to keep things interesting.

Day 42

Breakfast: Porridge with sunflower seeds & berries

Snack: Green apple & sunflower seeds

Lunch: Quinoa & White bean pattie, tuna, spinach, beetroot, cottage cheese

Snack: Date & Oat Ball

Dinner: Tofu & vegetable soup

Other: 1 Piece of 70% cocoa chocolate

Day 44

Breakfast: Berry & Banana smoothing (with spinach)

Snack: 1 x Ryvita with all-peanuts peanut butter

Lunch: Tuna, broccoli, carrot, kidney beans, tomato & cottage cheese

Snack: Carrot with Date & Oat Ball

Dinner: Tofu & vegetable rice

Other: 

Day 45

Breakfast: Porridge with apple, almonds & linseed

Snack: Beetroot, carrot, celery & ginger juice

Lunch: Chicken, avocado, alfalfa, carrot + natural yoghurt with strawberries

Snack: Carrot & Pumpkin seeds

Dinner: Quinoa, broccoli, tomato, tuna, soy sauce drizzle

Other: 2 x protein balls

Day 46

Breakfast: Porridge with small banana & sunflower seeds

Snack: –

Lunch: Quinoa with tomato, chicken and snow peas

Snack: Date & Oat Ball

Dinner: Wholemeal pasta with broccoli, tomato & tofu

Other: Gingernut biscuit

Day 47

Breakfast: Porridge with sunflower seeds & a nectarine

Snack: Date & Oat ball

Lunch: Rye Mountain Bread wrap with turkey, sprouts, tomato, cottage cheese + natural yoghurt with wheat-germ

Snack: Gingernut biscuit

Dinner: Chicken breast & leaf salad & carrot

Other: –

Day 48

Breakfast: 1 High-bran weetbix with natural yoghurt & sunflower seeds

Snack: Pistacho nuts

Lunch: Rye Mountain bread with ham, spinach, carrot, tomato

Snack: Strawberry yoghurt

Dinner: Quinoa with spinach, carrot & tofu

Other:  

Day 49

Breakfast: Porridge with strawberry yoghurt

Snack: Date & Oat ball

Lunch: Wholemeal pasta with tuna, broccoli, carrot, soy sauce drizzle

Snack: Carrot

Dinner:  Turkey & salad with cranberries, pistachio nuts, spinach, carrot & cottage cheese

Other: 

Exercise

• 3 group PT session
• 1 x  6k run
• 1 x 8k run

This year has been a whirl for me in many ways, and family life is busier than ever with all the kids at school, growing up and doing more extracurricular activities. I have to say, that eating well and being consistent with exercise has helped me stay motivated and to keep up the pace.  It’s an investment that gives back!  And that is what motivates me to keep going.

Other Posts in this series

Week 1: 5 years in the making

Week 2-4: Write it down

Week 5-6: Keep Asking Why 

Week 7: A dress