Showing posts with label weight gain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight gain. Show all posts

Friday, 31 March 2017

My Current Exercise Regimen

Remember i said my Motto for the Year is 'Just Do It'? Well i have keyed into that and it has been working out great so far. I'm sure y'all are loving how semi-frequent i'm posting, its as a result of sticking to my motto and its the same with me adopting an exercise regimen. I pray i can keep it up for the rest of  the year.
This motto is good for me 'cos i'm an expert procrastinator, there's always a perfect excuse to not do something right at the moment i should and with exercise i can manufacture excuses forever!! Luckily i'm also a practical person so once something has passed a stage of negligence and almost gotten out of hand or in cases of extreme laziness, i let it get out of hand, i immediately suck it up and don the needful to get whatever it is sorted or to the right state ASAP. 
I let myself enjoy the holidays (it started even before the hols to be honest) way too much and slow and steady the weight crept up on me. I couldn't fit into my shirts and pants and had to stick to loose fitting gowns. I was 'suddenly' a Size 10. My frugal self was not ready to shop for a new wardrobe (especially in this recession) and i quite like being a Size 8, that was the wake-up call i needed.
No more waiting till i register at a gym i probably won't go to or till i get proper workout clothes/shoes or start eating healthy or till i print out a blank workout calendar. 
NO MORE EXCUSES!
Once i had mentally prepped myself the rest was easy. I dug out my 'Ministry of Sound Move It Loose It' Workout Videos and went on YouTube and downloaded more workout vids. My Goal was to go back to a Size 8 and become fit and flexible. I already know my favourite type of exercise is anything that involves dance moves, so i focus on those kind of workout videos and get extra videos for Flexibility/Stretching, Cardio, Toning the body. 
It's best to have a defined goal of what you want for your body before you start exercising (Tone, Strength, Flexibility,etc.) and then figure out the kind of exercise you enjoy (Dancing, Jogging, Swimming, Power-Walking,etc.) to make your start-up easy until you find a routine that works.
I dusted my Skipping Rope, Yoga Mat and Weights, Printed blank workout calendars and Pics of Teyana Taylor Showing off her Abs (She's my Body Goals, her Abs post-baby is all i want!!! Have you seen her in Kanye West's Fade Video?? I can't mahn).
It was hard and painful starting out but i have been there before(i had proper abs and was more fit & flexible back in Uni-i could easily do Chinese bends), i know the pain passes, i just had to power-through.
I started with the Ministry of Sound Workout Videos to get me in the zone and on days i did not have a lot of time, i would do a YouTube Workout that was 5-15 mins. On super-lazy days, i'd skip rope at least 200 times to get my heart pumping and make sure i stayed active
I track my workouts using a calendar where i write out my daily exercise so its easy to know when i'm being lazy and shape-up asap (See all the -- in January mehn).
I noticed what i struggled with most was waking up early enough to get in a proper workout and be at work on time so i switched things up. Who says you can only workout in the morning?? 
I started working out at night whenever i couldn't meet up with my morning workouts or if i just felt like it. I like doing flexibility/stretching and dance routines (esp Soca) at night and this leaves me feeling good after i shower which results in a good night sleep.
You can check out these YouTube Channels for Inspiration & Workout Videos:
So get up and get to work, no more excuses! 
You have to put in the work to get the results you want instead of daydreaming and 'goalsing' other people's bodies. If you don't have a Yoga Mat, use a towel; you don't have weights, use bottles of water or workout with videos that don't require any equipment; walk, swim, etc. I'm sure you get my drift, don't wait till your body feels heavy for you to carry (also being skinny does not equal fitness) before you take action.
Eat Healthy (i tryy) & Stay Active throughout your day; walk around, climb stairs,etc.
Check out my posts on 'How i gain weight' and 'How i lose holiday weight'.
This post is also for my 'future self' if i start getting lazy, what matters is i don't stay lazy. 
Toodles!XooX

Sunday, 29 January 2017

How I Gain Weight

I know most people that read this will probably be like "Seriously! We need a post on weight loss mahn not weight gain! You have no idea how much weight i put on during the holidays".
Well i gat u, i already wrote about how to lose the holiday weight fast and i am personally finding it useful currently. Can you imagine that i moved from a Size 8 to Size 10!
Woe unto small chops & cakes!
Majority of my clothes did not fit after the holidays and i'm definitely not ready to accept this new size and change my wardrobe. Nope!
I have started working out, eating really healthy, snacking mainly on watermelons, counting my calories and i'm currently on a 40 day church fast. Fasting is not only a spiritual exercise it also helps detox the body when done properly and combined with a healthy diet. Thankfully i'm almost back to my regular size and i won't stop till i get my Teyana Taylor bod😁 *fingers crossed*
Anyway enough of my stories ba, this post is about how to gain weight not how to lose weight.
There are people who struggle with weight gain and for a variety of reasons either because of stress, eating too little, high metabolism, burning more calories than is consumed, etc. I recommend the Superskinny vs Supersized show for anyone facing this challenge. You will definitely learn a thing or two about how to improve your diet. I typically lose weight when i'm really stressed with work and extra-curricular activities.
Being skinny does not always mean you are healthy/fit. We need to always find a balance, if not you end up fatigued and burned out very easily.
Food is Fuel for our Body.
I'm no professional but this is how i gain weight somewhat healthily:
  • Know your Body Mass Index (BMI)
  • It goes without saying that you will need to eat and not just eating your regular portions. 
  • You will need to increase your food intake even if it is slowly and more times a day 'cos it will take a while for your stomach & body to adjust to not getting full quickly. Try to eat at least 3 proper meals a day and increase it from there
  • Accept that it may take some time to add the weight
  • Accept that you may add weight in places you don't want to except you are also on a good workout routine (e.g thighs, stomach) 
  • Balance your workout with a proper diet- It could be with smoothies and fruits before you can access a proper meal
  • Eat a balanced diet- It should include good fats & oils, protein & carbs at the very least. You want clean calories
  • Eat coconuts, avocados & dates
  • Drink full-fat yoghurts (I recommend Habib Yoghurt) esp with Fura (ground millet)
  • Dairy & Whole Eggs are great for weight gain
  • Drink Water only before or after your meals not during
  • Do not keep climbing the scale to see how much u've gained-You will be disappointed, instead measure ur weight loss by how ur clothes fit or by using a tape rule
  • Meal planning you can have a timetable, make a list and cook from it or prep ur meals for the 3days-1week ahead. Planning ahead helps you if you are not one who enjoys cooking or has time to eat out.
  • Diligently keep a daily food diary/calendar (click here) to account for how well you eat daily (You can take pictures of what you eat as a photo diary)
  • Involve a close friend or family member to help you on your journey and keep you accountable
  • Switch up your meals every once in a while. You can go to restaurants or find new recipes online to spice things up
  • Take Multivitamins especially the ones that improve your appetite
  • Stock ur fridge, freezer and pantry with the good/healthy stuff and snacks (Fruits, Veg, Nuts, etc)
  • Find useful resources online
  • Get enough sleep, rest or downtime especially when stressed
  • If your case is serious you may want to consult a nutritionist or dietitian to recommend a n effective solution for you.
I hope this helps someone out there that has been struggling with weight gain.

 Toodles!XooX