Saturday 5 September 2015

Eat Clean : Train Lean

You might think by the title that my blog and body have been taken over by someone else. I am now reaching 42 (2 weeks to go) and suddenly my body is not the same as it always has been. In clothes I know I look the same, the benefit of having thin arms and legs. But my middle is just swelling each week. I know what the problem is - WINE. I love wine, I genuinely love love love it but drinking every day has now started to take its toll. The wasted calories and how they are making my tummy wobble and I've gained some great love handles! I know I am slim, I am a size 10 but TO ME it's all about keeping in control of what you've got and I'm starting to get a bit out of control, so time to reel it in.



A good friend and blogging buddy Trea from Treasures N Pleasures has set up a (closed) group on Facebook called Eat Clean : Train Lean. I joined when she first set it up 6 months ago but then left because I wasn't ready. I am now. Clothes are tight, I have to wear baggy clothes around my middle and enough is enough. As I'm entering menopause territory I need to do something.

What am I doing?

  • Cutting out wine unless we're out/occasion at home calls for it
  • Swapping white rice and pasta for brown
  • Introducing more salads to my life and cutting out bread
  • Introducing some VERY LIGHT VERY BASIC weight training


I cook from scratch most days anyway so there is no need for me to think about cutting out processed food. I only eat sweets and biscuits occasionally (once a week maybe if that) and I don't ever really eat chocolate (I know shoot me now!).

It's well documented that when you hit 40 your metabolism changes. It's taken me 2 years to realise this! I just searched and found this quote:

After the age of 40, the human body is susceptible to gaining, on average, one pound a year. When women reach the menopause, this average weight gain is likely to increase because of hormonal and physical changes which take place at this time.

Meals for next week to help me (trust me I'm not doing this 100% as I have a family to feed also and I'm not cooking for the children, for me and then the husband so I have to adapt for my situation)

Asian quinoa stir-fry
Pork, Bean and Sweet Potato Chilli
Pulled pork with salad, corn and sweet potatoes

I also have a new toy to play with for cooking and salad dressing, I'll be writing about that in another blog post soon.


Eat clean and train lean - what do you think?

Fiona
xoxo

10 comments :

  1. Visualise each glass of wine as a doughnut because the calories in each are the same. 'Sometimes' works for me!

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    1. Thing is, I don't just drink one glass, it's many glasses. Spent last night drinking water so that's a first in I can't tell you how many years - perhaps even over a decade!!!!!!!!

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  2. Ha ha! I've been doing this for some time now. I've lost nearly a stone and I feel great. Good luck! Lynne xx

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    1. Blimey, a stone? I don't need to lose weight, I just need to tone up what I have and the only way to do that is a little exercise sadly (for me)!!!

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  3. Good luck Fiona! Even small changes can make a difference. I can honestly say that since switching to eating clean I have never once had that horrible sticky-out stomach thing that used to have me dragging out loose tops to cover up the bloat! xx

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    1. You're one of the people that inspired me Becky to try it!

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  4. I have been doing this for sometime now and agree with Becky re the sticky out tummy thing and experimenting With the recipes has been fun. ...I have fallen off the wagon this week catching up with friends for coffee and cake and can really feel the adverse effects ! ( sticky out tummy for one !) xx

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    1. Once I'm back in control I'm sure I'll 'see' the benefits - tummy being my main issue. Well done on doing it too!

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  5. I will be watching with a keen interest. I know exactly how you feel. Trust me on the sugar and wine, you will loose the belly if you can kick the wine out and be careful of hidden sugars. 80% is what goes in your' mouth the rest is exercise. I still recommend short bursts of interval training ( along the lines of Jillian Michaels) as boredom sets in too easily if you slog away for an hour at a time. Good luck, you can do it. H xxx

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    1. 'an hour at a time' - are you kidding me? I'm doing 5 mins here, 5 mins there! I am cutting BACK on wine and eating well :-)! I'll give it 3 months!

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