Menu, Movement and Mind- a Health Journal.

[United Paper People]

Hey everyone.

So... I remember starting a food journal back in February. I was recording all of my food and excercise for the day. Being perfectly honest and keeping it updated with pretty formatting and all that jazz.

But I randomly stopped posting. I TRIED to find the time, but between school, Tae Kwon Do, guitar, learning to drive and excercising... I guess I couldn't. I kept putting off posting here because I was so busy. I was also noticing that a lot of the things I actually wanted to discuss or share, I didn't, because I was flat out trying to record everything I ate.

I do however, believe that keeping a food journal was a really good way to get me started on my healthier lifestyle, and keep myself motivated for the first two weeks, as I always tend to find that time the hardest.

I've still been eating healthier and excercising. Since I first posted here, I've lost 15 kg. I've had lazy moments, and days where I've broken my personal rules, so it hasn't been 'perfect', but for the most part I'm happy with my progress. There are still habits I'd like to eventually change- as they effect my overall health- but none that are effecting my weight loss. But I seriously feel fantastic these days. I had to go shopping because all of my clothes were falling off of me.

At the moment I weigh 65kg. This is a BMI of 23, which within the healthy weight range . However, I still feel as if I have a little bit of excess body weight. My goal weight is 60kg, which would give me a BMI of 21.3- closer to the middle of the healthy weight range.

So I would love to re-open this journal. But I don't think I will be recording everything I eat. I know it works for most people, and it worked for me to begin with, but it isn't at the moment.

I'd like to use it to ask and discuss my eating and excercise in general, aiming to post every few days or so. Without pressure to do so.

Since having neglected this account, and re-visited, I've decided I want to be more active within it agian. A support-buddy would also be welcome. Someone to correspond with, and share progress with weight-loss.

So, much apologies for the long block of text.  

[United Paper People]

Today was pretty good. I hired a 'Biggest Loser Cardio Blast' DVD from the library last week, which I've been doing in the mornings. I had to skip one of the segments today, because we had to leave early this morning, but most mornings I've been doing the whole workout. 45 minutes of the cardio workout this morning though.


One another note. Tea. I never used to like it at all. Green Tea tasted gross to me, and being a major coffee-fan, black tea just seemed like a boring and pointless drink. Since I have limited my coffee intake to one cup per day, I started drinking black tea every now and then. It's warm and lovely and sweet with just the tiniest bit of sugar.

This afternoon I decided to give Green Tea a second chance and I think I could really get used to it. Drinking tea without milk and sugar seems strange at first, but I'm starting to acquire a taste for it :3  

[Stars in my Pocket]

Tea is definitely an acquired taste. Once you start enjoying it though, it's very good, and certainly beats out juices/sodas/sports drinks as far as nutrition and calories go. (:

I'm glad you're back to journaling though. :3 I try to keep my food accurate but it never works out. I find though that since I've been in this guild for about 4 years, it's a nice chronicle of my life because I write about things other than food too. <3  

[Tandahda]

You should try red tea, or Roiboos tea. It isn't bitter, and it's different enough from black tea that you won't be dreaming of coffee when you drink it.  

[United Paper People]

Four years?

Wow, that's quite some time.
Yes, I remember I enjoyed reading your journal when I used to log on to here more often.

I shall try red tea! Maybe drink different tea every day, just to try and mix it up a little?

Okay, so yesterday when I first bought green tea, I bought two. One regular packet, and one of Vanilla flavoured green tea. Though since thne I've been reading around and trying to figure out weather or not the vanilla flavouring subtracts from the health benifits of green tea. I enjoy both the flavoured and non-flavoured. I remember someone saying 'for it to work properly, there should be no milk or sugar added.' So I'm wondering if the vanilla flavour is the same thing? Accrding to the ingrediants, it's 69 percent Green tea, 1 percent Vanilla extract, and Vanilla flavour, which I presume must be thirty percent. Does the vanilla flavoured stuff have no/less health benifit?  

[Sunsway]

Congratulations on losing that 15 kg -- that's fantastic!

So, uhm, tea -- I don't know about the vanilla flavoring, never tried green tea with that. I think jasmine green tea usually contains the actual plant rather than a jasmine flavor though, and it's pretty delicious.

Good luck!  

[United Paper People]

Thankyou ^ ^

Hm... I think I'll buy some jasmin green tea this afternoon.

Friday. Thirteenth of July, Twenty-Ten.

Since we've been in winter, it's been staying darker for longer in the morning. And so I've had to substitute my morning walk with other excercises.

I just did the Biggest Loser Cardio Blast DVD again this morning. I think it's fantastic. But we've had it for two weeks, and I'm going to stop by the library and switch it for another workout DVD on my way home from school.

Last month, I graded to black-tip at Tae Kwon Do. This means I'm invited to all of the black-belt camps and blakc-belt training sessions. Such as the camp I went on earlier in the year, where my friend and I were like the white belts of the camp. Haha.

Anyway, there's a training sessions tonight. I'm a little nervous. Well, I'd felt the same about the camp and it ended up being absoloutley AWESOME. So I'll be going to that, and then to see Inception with the small group from our club afterwards. Which is cool, because I find it hard to will myself to excercise on a Friday arvo/evening, even when I'm home.

I've decided to stop drinking diet coke during the week. I know what chemicals are in it, and it's horrible for my teeth. Yes, I drink far too much of it.

Switching to either wholemeal or multi-grain bread next week, too.

All of the excercise I've done this week has just so happened to be very leg-orientated. They're rather sore.  

[United Paper People]

Sunday. First of August, Twenty-Ten.

Eheh.

The training session was great. Despite how sore my legs were. Thing is- and I only noticed this a little afterwards, was that becasue we were short on time, we cut the stretch a little short. Then we all crammed back into the car, got the theatre just in time, and sat down still for a two-and-a-half-hour movie. Which, by the way, was in my opinion an incredible film. But I walked out even sorer.

I got home at about one, and probably should have stretched some more, but I went straight to sleep.

An intelligent thing to do would have been to spend the next day stretching, but it was as if I was completely unmotivated to do anything. Were anyone reading this they would be sick to death of me complaining about being sore, but my left leg specifically, it's been hurting like hell to lift past a certain point.

Today I went with some friends to an open day for a University I'm considering next year. It was a good day. On the weekends I tend to eat differently- not always necessarily more, or less, but differently- to what I do during the week. And so I'm concerned I may have over-eaten today, though I don't know. Not chronically, or anything.

Anyway, this evening I did a Zumba video I found on Google, as well as a little bit of running and star-jumps I decided to do before the cool-down. Mostly so that I could go through a decent stretch afterwards, which I did. Feeling like it did me a lot of good. Looking forward to getting back into my regular eating-and-excercise pattern tomorrow morning. And, wishing I would write shorter journal entries. :3

On a final note, Green Tea with Jasmin is delicious.  

[Sunsway]

United Paper People

On a final note, Green Tea with Jasmin is delicious.

YES!!

So, all this training etc that you keep mentioning is all for Tae Kwon Do? I've no idea how these clubs work, or the belts or anything... sweatdrop But it sounds like fun, especially if the people are friendly and sociable enough to go to the movies with.

Dropping the coke is a great move. It may not be easy, but not being full of bubbles is a great feeling. =)  

[United Paper People]

Yes, it really is a good feeling.

Well, I'd also been doing a workout DVD throughout the week, but yes, the training sessions are for Tae Kwon Do. Our club normally trains twice a week. The Friday-night session an added one. Every month or so is an all-ranks training session, hosted by one of the clubs, for all the clubs around the region/area to come together and train. The Friday night before that training session is a black-belt session open to black-belts and black-tips across the same area. And these days they're really encouraging black-tips to go along as well.

Generally, the people are friendly. Most of the instructors are also friendly. They all have different sorts of attitudes and personalities, so they're an interesting... amusing... inspiring and highly nerve-racking bunch.

Monday. Second of August, Twenty-Ten.

Good Morning Gaian Losers.

Seven O'clock in the morning and a pleasent day so far.

The couch-to-5k programme I keep reading about sounds like it's really worth a try. I've been reading some of the journals on here, and I think they're amazing. I plan to go on a journal-commenting-spree when I get home, because I have to leave soon.

I'm going to be spending a lot of time this afternoon at school, editing my Film and TV assignment, so I think I might walk to school... :3  

[United Paper People]

Friday. Fifth of August, Twenty-Ten.

Evenin'

I'm fairly tired, and a little bit stressed at the moment. Stress will end, however, on Saturday afternoon, as I have a long weekend ahead of me.

Tae Kwon Do has been more technicle, and not so physical lately, as we're preparing a demonstration to enter into the tournament. So for the past few weeks, the focus has been more about choreographing and rehearsing the self-defence and kicking demo, which is amazingly fun, but I also know that excercise-wise, I haven't been working as hard. Tournament is next week though, and we should be straight back into it after that.

Also, after reading Stars in my Pocket's journal, I've decided that starting next week, I'm going to make one last attempt at writing a plan to manage my time. Because time management is just a skill I've always lacked, somewhat.

Going out for dinner on Saturday night, also. I'm going to make sure not to eat too much that day. :3
 

[Sunsway]

Haha, I've been eyeing those daily plans as well!

So, any plans to do that C25 program? I hear it's very trendy with the locals. smile  

[United Paper People]

Bwaha, me too.

Yes, I even told my Mum about it (she excercises with me in the mornings), and she wants to start it up as well. It's beginning to get lighter in the mornings again, so not next Monday, but the following Monday, we're going to start the C25.

Where abouts in Australia are you from, if you don't mind my asking?  

[Sunsway]

Awesome! I couldn't get my mom to run if I paid her.

I currently live in Perth (hot, dusty, excessively shiny), but I'm originally from Ukraine. I've also lived in the US for a while before I came to Australia. And I've got my eye on Canada. wink

Are you somewhere in the US? That's an awesome place to be because it has a large range of climates to pick from. I would love to live in Calorado somewhere, it's so gorgeous!  

[United Paper People]

Bwaha.

Whoah, Perth. And I complain about the heat HERE in summer.

Wow, that sounds amazing. Canada is defineately on my excessively long day-dreamt list of places to travel one day. Right after the whole of Europe. :3

No, I'm actually from Australia myself. Queensland. I've seriously lived here my whole life. I mean I've visited Japan and New Caledonia, but I've never lived outside of this state, or even, very far from this particular town. Haha.

I imagine it would be refreshing to experience living in different countries like that. How old were you when you moved to the US?