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:

• XOriginals{SocaSweatSeries}
• Superherofitnesstv
• Keaira Lashae
• Blogilates
• POPSugar Fitness
• Icon UK
• Shameless Maya
• Lyzabeth Lopez

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

How I Lose my Holiday Weight ASAP!

First thing anyone that knows me and reads this post will say is What!! Which Weight!! Please leave us that have weight issues with our struggles oo. lol. I totally understand where they are coming from though, to them i look like the perfect weight, majority of my friends beef me that i'm a foodie and never pile on the pounds. haha. they say it's the person wearing the shoes that knows where they pinch and hurt.

me tryna compress the CHEEKS

Honestly i rarely have issues with my weight, as far as i'm concerned, my BMI (Body Mass Index i.e the ratio of your weight to your height) is perfect. My weight is usually between 50kg (lowest)- 59kg (highest), it fluctuates depending on my meals, diet, stress, etc. I have discovered that my weight almost enters the 60s on the scale, in fact i'm sure it enters this range during the holiday season (Christmas/New Year/Sallah/Easter), i just refuse to climb a scale during this period and remain blissfully unaware of the numbers *wide grin*
When i do add the weight it starts showing first on my face especially my cheeks (note i already have naturally full cheeks) and chin!!! and these parts are the ones that get to me! that's when u see me taking all my pics at angles!lol; then slowly my clothes get really tight and since i have no plans of changing my wardrobe, the weight gats to go. 

Last year i got kind of an early start on piling on the 'holiday weight' when we went for our honeymoon in Zanzibar, Tanzania. We had booked our hotels online and they were 'All-Inclusive' i.e the room rates included meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, room service, etc). Oh my days!!!!! I ate like a glutton and piled on the pounds mehn!! Before i could say jack i had a double chin and full rosssyyyy cheeks (people started asking if i was preggers). Funny thing is before we went on this vacation, we had done serious workout to get in shape and have 'beach bodies'.

post-holiday fuller cheeks

Post-Zanzibar round face

Anyway enough of my stories ba, here is how i get rid of the weight ASAP after the holidays are over:

• Accept that it'll take some time to lose the weight
• Accept that you'll loose some goodies in the process (i.e. boobs, ass) *tears*
• Get ur family/friends on board-they'll motivate u n help/correct when u wanna cheat 
• Join a support group (mine was SYTYCC fitness group); you can also use an app for this
• Do not keep climbing the scale to see how much u've lost-You will be disappointed, instead measure ur weight loss by how ur clothes fit or by using a tape rule
• Stay Motivated by all means (it helps to work towards a goal weight or a dress you wanna fit in by a certain time, etc.)
• Meal plan, you can have a timetable or just make a list and cook from it. Planning ahead helps you not just reach for snacks,fast food or eat out so much
• Track your Meals-You can keep a food diary or picture log
• Stock ur fridge, freezer and pantry with the good/healthy stuff and snacks (Fruits, Veg, etc)
• Snack addict (snack healthy-carrots,tigernuts,dates,cucumbers, plain popsorn, etc.)
• Cook more instead of eating out especially veggies n protein meals
• Eat less carbs (Rice, Pounded Yam, etc). Take smaller portions and take more of the Veg and Proteins
• Cut out Soda & Fizzy drinks
• Portion Control (I use small bowls to help measure what i eat, white plates also help after a while ur eyes can guage what is ok for you)
• Eat smaller portions more frequently (easier for ur body to digest, don't overdo it) instead of one large portion that will send u to woonderland
• Eat fruits
• Don't overdo it, pace yourself and slowly but surely your body will start to adjust accordingly
• Use the white house (toilet) regularly
• Shower at night after eating (for me i feel more refreshed after a shower and get a few more hours awake for my food to properly digest)
• DON'T go to bed IMMEDIATELY after eating
• Drink lots of water (before and after a meal especially-you will visit the loo more often however)
• Exercise;know what works for you-power walking, dancing, moving around doin diff activities(climb staircases), skipping, stretches, squats, situps, legups, house cleaning (that sweat is calories being burnt, don't underestimate it)
• Keep a Workout Timetable (whatever ur form of exercise) to track your activities
• Be active (move around more). Having a pedometer or smart band to track your steps keeps you motivated
• Watermelons are your friend
• Detox once in a while
• Fasting (usually church prescribed but works for me)
• Facial Exercises (supposed to help us with full cheeks; thank God for 'contour' sha)

'Regular weight' face

'Perfect wedding weight'{After 100day church fast}

I watch a lot of 'Fat Shows' on TLC and i learn from them, the habits to cut and how to be aware and control what you eat in order to reach/or maintain your desired weight instead of fighting to lose weight. Weight loss is hard especially after a certain stage, it is better to work towards not even reaching such a stage.
I maintain my current weight by cooking what i eat, portion control, indulging my sweettooth once in a while, being active and very little exercise (mostly walking, house cleaning and dancing).

Slow and Steady wins the race, just keep at it and eventually you will see results (clothes start getting loose, etc.). Hope this helps anyone that overdid 'small chops' during the Easter.

Toodles!XooX