Update me, won’t ya?!?

Hello hello,

Yes, it has been way, oh way too long, but I’m back.

Let’s go straight to the point: I have lost 31kg and I am loving it! It feels so good! And the best part is that my clothes actually fit me or they are too big. But I made a promise that I wont get much new stuff until I am where I want to be.

I am still going strong without sugar, and in addition, I gave up wheat as well. I still make and eat bread, but without wheat. I dont get that blown up feeling after i eat, and oat flour works wonders in bakes. I have created a really good recipe for a raspberry-pie (sugar and wheat free) and it last me for 2-3 days and then Ill bake another one. Want to learn how to make it? Well here you go….

Sugar and wheat free coconut-nuts-raspberry pie:

100g butter

2 egg

• Melt the butter and add the eggs individually.

4tbls honey

2 “caps” vanilla extract

• Add the honey and vanilla into butter-egg mixture

3dl oat flour (or combine rice flour or what ever you want to use)

1dl chopped nuts (which ever you prefer)

1dl coconut

3tsp baking powder

• Combine all flours together and then add to the butter-eggs mixture

250-500g raspberries

some honey

• Add some honey with the raspberries (can be frozen or fresh). I either add one bag (250g) or two (=500g) and they both work just fine. Depends how much of the raspberry taste you want to have.
• Combine the berries with the rest.
• Bake in 200 degrees for about 35mins.
• READY!

I’ll add pics the next time I shall make it. That will prob be on Monday 🙂

Then to training. I go to the gym 3-5 times a week and I have two programs, which i use in turns.

Training:

• Warm up: running 3-7K (8,6K/h)
• Legs: I either use leg press or deadlift. With leg press I squat down with other leg in front of me (I go straight down). I do that 15 times with both legs. Then back to leg press and this again. Both 3 times. With dead lift I do 12 times  squats with weights. Both 12 times, one after the otehr for 3 tiems each.
• Arms: I either do bench with military press or incline bench press with triceos by using this “string” that you pull down on either side of your body. Each combo 3+3 for 10-15 times.
• Back and abs: pull-ups with the machine combined with back trainer or I lie on the bench and bring my legs up and down one by one combined with curl bar. Onece again, 3+3 10-15 times each.
• In addition: “front swings” with kettlebell + some version of plank or breast rowing in the machine (only using my arms) + “front swings” with kettlebel. Same old, each for 10-15 times and 3+3 all together.
• Stretching.

It takes me around 1,5-2 hours to do the whole set depending on the run. obviously 3K run takes less time than 7 K run 🙂

And what do I eat these days? Well, I often start my day with porridge/toast (wheat free)/piece of the pie and then I have lunch which can be a salad/ salty pie/ omelette/anything really. Later on Ill have a snack or dinner, which is what ever has been cooked but its always sugar and wheat free. I hardly eat potatoes/rice/noodles anymore. I love salmon, quark with berries, salads, pies, self-made pizza (well,everything I eat is self-made and I mean made from the scratch). It is really easy to get comfortable with a new diet, as I did it step-by-step and I am now at the point when I don’t go crazy about sweets or anything really. Food is what keeps my body running, and I want to eat healthy. It is really simple ones you get to the correct mode.

I will post a set of pictures later on, to show how I have changed. But that will take some time, as in the end of the set i want to be at my goal. But it is coming… one day! Hmm, I could post some duo pic of me last Jan and now.. shall look into it.

OK, it wont take nearly as long ’til im back as it did this time around! Hope you found tips from this post!

Ciao,

Finch

My BFF’s.

Hola to all!

It seems to me, that I might have neglegted my old friends, but my new ones will be stuck to me for another year or so. Cant be helped! But I thought I’d share my BFF’s with you to.

Lets take a look of my friend who said “Kiss-my-butt” to sugar 🙂

Its Stevia! Stevia can be bought in the form of powder, liquid and little tablets. Stevia is from a plant and its SUPER sweet, so be carefull

when palying with it! If you would normally use 1dl of sugar, you can replace it with 1/7 ts! So one bag will last a long, long time! But its

a good thing – at least for me, as I have a sweet-tooth like there’s no tomorrow, and I don’t think I could do this without my treats. But I

have made my treats healthy, like my sugar-free apple pie, and Stevia gave me the oppotunity to create more good treats without

sugar and with less butter consumption. Me likey!

 

 

 

 

The next friend keeps me on track, she lets me know every little detail about my workouts and even wakes me up in the mornings, when needed – love her!

It’s my Polar-baby! I bought mine from Ebay and aaI can’t recall the exact price but it was not bad – around 50€.

The good thing with this one is that is shows me whether Im burning fat or improving my fitness.

That is of course not the only good thing. This one also shows me what my current pulse is (during my workout) and after

how many calories I have burned so far. After a workout the summary tells me how many calories I burned in total, what

my average and max pulse was, how long I spent burning fat and how long for improving fitness level of my body.

 

 

 

 

Then we have few things, which go down my throath and give me the energy I need for my days.

The Health-trio!

Avocados, nuts & salmon!!!

I’m in heaven – and with and with good fats! Great!

And last but not least…

WATER! My love forever! And I keep showing how I feel by drinking around 5 liters of it per day. Could not be without –

BUT when you drink a lot of water you should remmeber that all the little mineral excape your body faster than normaly.

There for it is super important to keep eating extra vitamins and to keep your salt levels where they should be at.  Salt

can easily eascape, at least in my case, as I do not just drink a lot, but I sweat a lot too. And I learned this the hard way. My

calves crampped so badly that I had to go and see a doctor. For two days I was unable to walk much and when ever I stood

I felt this annoying preasure with some pain. Two days solid like this is not much fun. During the third day the cramp let go

a bit by bit, and during the evening I was back to normal. But I spent the two days previously eating salt, with almost

everything – even drinking it down with water 🙂

These little buds of mine are holding my hands during my hectic schedule of work and sports. But they are such a good company that I have nothing negative to say 🙂

Remember to stay focused, let it slip a tiny bit every so often, laugh, respect yourself and share your story, as you might find out that babes, you are not aone int here!

Ciao,

Finch aka Laura

Pictures taken from:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/avacado.htm

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/easy_grilled_salmon/

http://everyjoe.com/health/nuts-and-health-272/

http://www.tajunta.net/2012/06/11/tutkimus-kasvit-kommunikoivat-omalla-kielellaan/preserve-water/

Workout schedule

– I should say that I had no time to read this thru, so don’t get too annoyed with all the typos, will be improved a bit later on –

When I first started my journey, getting rid off this extra weight, I met with a personal trainer (SATS, Finland). We had two (free) session and she made a training schedule for me.

http://www.sats.fi/

I also took part in this thing called 12 Week Body transformation. 12WBT is desinged by an australian trainer and what she offers is everything you need for 12 weeks when thinking of getting fit. Michelle Bridger, the trainee, has differend level for people, and you can pick, which ever you feel like. This can be changed later on. She then gives you detailed excercise schedules and a shopping list for each week – items on that list are the only ones youare allowed to buy when entering a store. She also gives you receipes for all your meal during those 12 weeks (different options for vegetarians, etc.)

http://www.12wbt.com/

What I did was a lot of combination. I made my own mix based on these two sources and excercise wise it was something like this:

GYM

1. 20-30 mins of running/cross tainer: I was NOT able to run when I startes. Not at all. Not even a bit. The first few weeks I simply walked and everyday i walked a bit faster than the day before. Once I reached the speed of 6.8km/h i changed my schedule. i walked for a minute (6,8km/h) then ran for anotmer minute (8.1km/h). i continued this till the end. Once this was easy I made the running part a bit longer, walk for a minute and ran for 2 minutes (8,2km/h). Once this was ok to do I ran for 3 minutes (8,3km/h). Thn one day I had walked for the first minute and ran for the next 3 minutes and I felt ok. So I kept on running and I was able to run 3K. I was so, so, so happy! These days I warm myself up with a one-minute walk and then I start running. I run as far as I can, and then i walk a bit and continue running. I won’t stop before 3K, but I am everyday aiming for more.
2. The following excercises followed.

• Try to keep yourself in the position for at least 30sec (at the beginning) and 1 minute later on. Then 1,5minutes, etc.

 

• Lay on the floor, out your arms straight behind you (excercise ball between your arms). Lift the ball up (arms straight) and at the same time lift you legt up (legs can be bend – easier).  Move the ball from you hand between you legs, and come down (ball is not between your legs (or “knees”). Repeat 3×15.

• This is then followed by some weight lifting. I started with2,5kg x2 and I now use 6kg x 2. Stand with your legs appart, knees bend a little bit. Squat down while holding the weights behhind you head/ sholder height.

• I combinated the three above into a circle. I did each ones, and then the other followed by the third and stater again from the beginning. Three rounds and it’s done!
• Then I leave my body at the mercy of the machines themselves.
• First I kick it off by saying hello to my abs. The machine is called total abs (at my gym) and I crunch down with my upper body, while I pull my legs up. At the beginning my weigts were around 20kg and now they are 47,5-50kg. 3×15.

• Then its time for my back. I have no idea what the machine is called, but includes no weights. I use my own body. The machinge hods my lower body still and I then lower my upperbody and raise back to where I started from. The position before lowering looks similar to the position in the following picture, but the picture shows how the same thing is done with an excercise ball. 3×15.

• Then I let my arm do some work. When I started my weights were 10kg and now I pile 30kg for my arms. Simply hold to the sides and push upwards. That is all. Works like a wonder and has transformatted my décolleté to something it has never been like before. Thumps up! 3×15.

• And what comes after arms? Legs, legs, legs. As I do squats at the beginning and I run, this is the only machine I use simply for my legs – and only for the inner thights. Machine is pretty self exploratory.3×15.

• Then its time for upper  body and some work for arms as well. I have two machines, and each time Im at the gym I use one or the other. Which ever happens to be free.

• That is the end of the scond round. Easy, eh? 2/3 done, so sweat is not an unknow fact anymore at this point.

    3.  This is the time for streching. How this part is done, is up to the each person. I strech my arms, legs, back and neck. Sometime go back to the beginning and run for 5-10 mins or use the cross trainer for about 10 minutes. All together my workout takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and half. And it also depends how long I have when looking at this last run/cross bit. My pace is pretty fast and my breaks are pretty short. This is due to keeping my pulse as high as I can. I normally spent around 500-800 calories during my workout. i think is pretty good as at least it has worked for me.

I hope this gave someone a feeling that they can do it, no matter what someone might have said. Believe in yourself is all you need to make this happen. Im sorry for all millions of typos in this post, but I had no time to read it thru – that I will do later on. Bear with me!

Ciao,

Laura aka Finch

Pictures I used for this post were taken from internet and all the links to these pictures can be found below:

http://patrol.inoob.fi/patrolfi/keho/voima/keskivartalon-tukilihasten-harjotteita/

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20385798_3,00.html

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/07/08/why-you-need-squats-in-your-workout-and-how-to-do-them-right/

http://www.123rf.com/photo_12343670_fitness-center-senior-woman-exercise-abs-muscle-on-gym-machine.html

http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/825949/5-exercises-to-a-perfect-posture/page:2

http://www.fullfitness.net/exercises/shoulders/machine-shoulder-press

http://fatlossunscrambled.com/tag/inner-thigh/

http://www.fullfitness.net/exercises/back/machine-lateral-pull-down

http://www.bigheadfitness.com/ExerciseLibCategoryView.aspx?id=27

Situation analysis

 

I have to post this one, as I pretty happy about what I have achieved so far! I will go deeper into my exerzice schedule in the near future, as well as, post new receipes, which aren’t bad for your health. And i will share my measurements in the future as well, but this is what I noticed today:

• I have lost 15kg in 4 months

During the first month (February) the only thing I did was that I say godbye to sugar. Since 1st of March I have been exercising 4 to 6 times a week (at the gym). As mentioned before, I will go deeper to this topic in the future, but i tought myself how to run. I only started this a month ago, and I started it by simply walking on a dreadmill. Then when that felt easy I started a new routine. walk for a minute, run for a minute, walk for a minute, run for a minute, etc. When that was an easy task I changed it a bit: walk for a minute, run for 2, walk for 1, etc. Today I was going to walk for a minute, and run for 3 minutes, but after I had been running for 3 minutes, I did not feel tired or out of breath so I kept going. So today I:

• ran for 20 minutes, which meant around 3Ks – wohoo!!!

My walking speed is 6,7k’s an hour and my running speed is 8,4k’s an hour.

Im off to bake another apple pie, and Im kinda starving 🙂

 

The beginning

Changing a life style is not an easy step. It need courage, desire and determination to survive. But most of all, it needs you to believe in it and stand proudly behind it. Excuses can be forgotten before you even come up with one. Only you know, if you are truly in it. And if you are not, then why even try out?

I started mine with a “simple” rule. No sugar. None. Except of course the fructose in fruits, but no added sugar or sugar lsited as an ingrediant. This was 30th of January 2012. The next two weeks i suffered from the most horrible headache. A true killer. But that was simply my own body screaming for some sugar. Yelling! That is how addicted i was to it. It was mind blowing to see how strong of a hold sugar had on me, and how strong I was to cut it lose.

You don’t even realize how much sugar is in EVERYTHING we eat. Try going to the grocery store and not purchasing evything, if it has sugar in it. Frustration might be the feeling you have while doing it. It is not made too easy, not at all. But believe me, there are plenty of things without it – you just have to find them.

I continued with my no sugar style and after 4 weeks I was in control. And it felt good! Being without sugar had made me stop eating anything greasy as well – it was sort of an side affect – so my plates of food were damn heathly. And once you get use to it, its a smooth ride.

I cut of:

• sugar
• butter (except on bread)
• oil
• syryp (not that used it more than once a year)
• mayonnaise (even tho i never really used it to begin with)
• white bread

I also stop using anything that was not natural. By this I mean that I did not touch margarine, as the bits of butter i ate were then to be the real thing. I didn’t buy anything 8even if it had no sugar in it), if it included Exx or other weird “made” substances. I went back to basics.And I started to cook my food. I made my own lunch and stopped eating at the cafeteria.I made my own juice (as the one in a shop has lods of sugar in it).

Juice:

• Squeeze some apples
• Add fizzy water

I also started to make my own cereals. Which is easy and SO much helthier than the ones in a shop.

• Mix together some flakes (which ever you fancy)
• Throw in some honey and mix well
• “Pour” the mixture on an owen tray (covered with baking paper)
• Let it sit in the owen (high temperature) until golben brown
• Let it cool

I did not spent that much efford thinking what was left for me to eat, as I ate everything, which did not inlude the before mentioned things. I tried to eat more salmon, avocados and nuts, as all these have good fats in them. As i love chicken and minced meat I cooked them often. I also create my own sugar-free banana bread and apple pie, which i will share later on (once i get pictures to include to the posts).

Just the change in food changed my weight. It came down 4kg in 4 weeks. This was my February. Beginning of March brought in sports, but that will be covered in the next post. The reason for this was that I wanted to change my life in parts, not in one go, as I needed time to get use to the new things taking place in my life. Therefore the first part of my journey was to change the inside of my fridge.

For all to see.

Mustikankukka is a finnish world meaning the flower of blueberry. Some might say that blueberry does not even have a flower and the flowery part of it turn into the berry, but for me mustikankukka is a piece of beauty, which we all could see, but hardly anyone does.

Something else we all could see but some many look past it, is inner beauty. And because of this I decited to change the way I look outside to see, if it makes easier for people to see who I really am. I don’t think it does, but what is a life without some mountains to climb?

This is my journey. My journey to bring my inner beautly for all to see. My journey to lose all my extra weight, while changing my lifestyle. My journey to find me.