‘I feel quite sexy really, which is a much better feeling than the frumpy feeling I had before’
I am certainly not a perfect eater and had been dragging an extra 5kg around for the last 10 years. I am a busy mum with 2 young children, working full time and it was too easy to eat erratically, or to constantly graze and pick. I was always going to lose my 5kg “tomorrow” but of course tomorrow never came. When I heard there was a program for “real” people with “real” bodies that had a sensible approach, I was in. This was my opportunity to shed those 5kg and to fit back into size 10 pants. I also wanted to be fitter, stronger, and have lots of energy and vitality, and finally stop thinking “one day I’ll lose those 5kg”.
I am so pleased with my strength and fitness now. Although I had always walked regularly, it wasn’t getting me fit or giving me any muscle tone or strength. By doing a more effective exercise routine (that actually takes less time than my walking used to!), I now have visible changes in my muscle tone, strength and fitness. I can actually see my bicep muscles, so no more soft arms for me. I have gone from struggling to do 1 ‘man’ push up to now being able to do 12. I spend 25 minutes on my cardio routine 4 times a week, and I am able to run comfortably. When I started exercising, I could only do 8 squats or lunges before my thighs felt like they were going to snap, but now I do 3 sets of 12. I feel great inside and out and really love my exercise, especially the fact that I can do it at home without needing to have any fancy equipment or pay expensive gym memberships.
As for my eating, I’m actually eating more food now (good healthy food) than I did before I started the program and I weigh less! I feel so much better following a sensible balance of protein, carbs and good fats at each meal. At the start, the idea of eating 6 meals a day seemed like too much, but now it is easy; my tummy grumbles every 2 hours to say feed me! It just takes a few minutes at the start of each day to plan ahead what to eat and what to take to work. I also love the “realness” of having a couple of wines on my 2 nights off or full day off each week. I still drop the ball occasionally with my eating but rather than beat myself up when I do eat the wrong things, I simply look forward to the next day of good healthy eating.
The Real Body recipes are simple to follow and have given me really good ideas. I have recipe books galore, but these recipes let me easily mix and match so I can adapt them to suit my food preferences or what is in the pantry or freezer. The recipes also quickly teach you about the right quantities to eat. I have a few favourites I use over and over again because I love them – who’d have thought you could have a cooked bacon and egg breakfast when you want to lose weight! The Banana Smoothie is my favourite, quick, yummy and the kids like it too.
All in all I have to say that I feel great. I love the changes to my body shape, my strength and fitness, and how my clothes feel. What a buzz when I looked in the mirror the other day and saw biceps and back muscles! I feel quite sexy really, which is a much better feeling than the frumpy feeling I had before. Because I am stronger and fitter, it makes everyday activities (like running after kids, household chores, lifting bags at airports, running up and down stairs) so much easier. I feel much more confident with my body image, which can be really constraining, and a whole new level of vitality and confidence has opened up (not to mention a whole new range of clothes!).
Whilst I have fallen off the ‘food plan wagon’ on a few occasions, the program still worked and so I will to continue to follow the Real Body principles and recommend it to everyone. I will also continue to have either 1 full day or 2 evenings off a week to eat and drink what I like so that it fits around my social life. I don’t want food or exercise to be a full time pre-occupation, but want it be a part of every day life. I want to lose another 2kg so that I can get to 59kg, plus some more strength and muscle definition. I wonder what I will look like in another 3 months!
I am so pleased with my strength and fitness now. Although I had always walked regularly, it wasn’t getting me fit or giving me any muscle tone or strength. By doing a more effective exercise routine (that actually takes less time than my walking used to!), I now have visible changes in my muscle tone, strength and fitness. I can actually see my bicep muscles, so no more soft arms for me. I have gone from struggling to do 1 ‘man’ push up to now being able to do 12. I spend 25 minutes on my cardio routine 4 times a week, and I am able to run comfortably. When I started exercising, I could only do 8 squats or lunges before my thighs felt like they were going to snap, but now I do 3 sets of 12. I feel great inside and out and really love my exercise, especially the fact that I can do it at home without needing to have any fancy equipment or pay expensive gym memberships.
As for my eating, I’m actually eating more food now (good healthy food) than I did before I started the program and I weigh less! I feel so much better following a sensible balance of protein, carbs and good fats at each meal. At the start, the idea of eating 6 meals a day seemed like too much, but now it is easy; my tummy grumbles every 2 hours to say feed me! It just takes a few minutes at the start of each day to plan ahead what to eat and what to take to work. I also love the “realness” of having a couple of wines on my 2 nights off or full day off each week. I still drop the ball occasionally with my eating but rather than beat myself up when I do eat the wrong things, I simply look forward to the next day of good healthy eating.
The Real Body recipes are simple to follow and have given me really good ideas. I have recipe books galore, but these recipes let me easily mix and match so I can adapt them to suit my food preferences or what is in the pantry or freezer. The recipes also quickly teach you about the right quantities to eat. I have a few favourites I use over and over again because I love them – who’d have thought you could have a cooked bacon and egg breakfast when you want to lose weight! The Banana Smoothie is my favourite, quick, yummy and the kids like it too.
All in all I have to say that I feel great. I love the changes to my body shape, my strength and fitness, and how my clothes feel. What a buzz when I looked in the mirror the other day and saw biceps and back muscles! I feel quite sexy really, which is a much better feeling than the frumpy feeling I had before. Because I am stronger and fitter, it makes everyday activities (like running after kids, household chores, lifting bags at airports, running up and down stairs) so much easier. I feel much more confident with my body image, which can be really constraining, and a whole new level of vitality and confidence has opened up (not to mention a whole new range of clothes!).
Whilst I have fallen off the ‘food plan wagon’ on a few occasions, the program still worked and so I will to continue to follow the Real Body principles and recommend it to everyone. I will also continue to have either 1 full day or 2 evenings off a week to eat and drink what I like so that it fits around my social life. I don’t want food or exercise to be a full time pre-occupation, but want it be a part of every day life. I want to lose another 2kg so that I can get to 59kg, plus some more strength and muscle definition. I wonder what I will look like in another 3 months!
