Home is where the food is

I put on a kilo in a week. How did I do it? Did I eat my weight in cake? No. I went home for the weekend.

I always go home with the intention of sticking to my healthy eating plan... but did I do that this time? As soon as I entered the house, I ate two big pieces of quiche. Just like that. There's something about being home that makes me want to eat and eat until I'm bursting at the seams... and then eat some more. One major problem is that my great big Indian family often shows love through food. Suppose I went to my grandmother's house and refused to eat the rich delicious meal she lovingly slaved over for hours? The correct answer is: It would not go down well. Each family member you visit expects you to share a meal with them. They bake something special just for you because they know you like it. They want to see the joy on your face when you eat and to know you had a good time with them. This is the joy, and the curse, of being at home.

I realise now that if I hadn't left home, I honestly wouldn't have had the strength to lose weight. Living on my own in Jhb, I have managed to keep a healthy environment. When I do buy junk food, I keep it to single serving portions. The last time I went home, my mom baked a tray of triple chocolate brownies. I pinched a slice every. single. time. I passed the kitchen. When you're in a shared living space, you can't expect other people to ban junk food or to restrict themselves because of you. You have to learn to live with the everyday-temptations and grow your own personal strength.

I failed this time, but next time I go home I'm going to exercise restraint. If I know I'm going out for a big supper, I'm going to have a light lunch. If someone makes brownies, I'm going to have one, not the entire tray. Every day is a challenge, and every good choice is a victory.

One more thing about being home... people exaggerate. Like, a lot. Someone said to me "You lost so much weight, you're the size of your sister now," to which I reply NO! I lost weight, not my damn eyesight! 

8-minute abs

A few years ago, I discovered a wonderful 80s-style workout video "8-minute abs". You know that old-timey workout video... the one with a spandex-clad instructor doing a random workout in an empty park... you know the one. 

Of course, I was always enticed by this video because it promised abs in a pitiful eight minutes (my kind of training!) One day I said to myself, "I am going to do this every single morning before I start my day and I am going to have such a flat stomach!" Needless to say, this resolution lasted a week.

Now that I'm more of a seasoned gym-goer, I've been putting in more effort than a half-hearted eight minutes. This morning, however, something drew me to the old abs video. Maybe it was a sense of nostalgia. Maybe it was the urge to rid my sins of the pie the night before. Whatever the reason, I did my eight minutes, and was pleasantly surprised by one little change.

On the last exercise, the instructor makes you place your fingers on your rectus abdominals (the ab area just below your boobs) while you do a minute of crunches. You're meant to feel the flat sheath that makes up the rectus abdominal muscles, and he says "hopefully you won't have to dig too far for long, gang" (Gang... Good god how old is this video? Who says that anymore?) A few years ago, this statement baffled me. I couldn't feel this "flat sheath" and I most certainly had to dig to feel anything under the blanket of fat. Today, for the first time, I felt the flat sheath... and it felt great.

Wake up!

Recently, especially if I know I have a tough week at work ahead, I've been getting up at 5am to go to gym (The horror! I know). It's really tough, but after the first few times, your body starts to get used to the routine and you'll find yourself waking up early voluntarily. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Get a good night's sleep
When you get in bed the night before, get off Insta and put your phone on silent. You need a good, uninterrupted sleep. In a perfect world, you should get 8 hours, but try to get 6 at the very least.

2. Don't set 30 000 alarms
Don't kid yourself. Letting yourself sleep in for an extra 15 minutes is not going to magically make you chipper and alert. It's a lot easier to have one alarm that you HAVE to get up for.

3. Put the lights on
In summer, get up immediately and open the curtains. It's definitely easier to wake up when you have some sunshine on your face. In winter, just put on the lights - and not just the bedside lamp which is soooo convenient and dim enough to fall right back to sleep - get up and put on the lights.

4. Drink water
As soon as you get up, drink a large glass of cold water. It will help to rehydrate your body and make you feel less groggy.

5. Pack early
You got over the hard part and now you still have to pack lunch?! Oh hell no. Pack your lunch and gym kit the night before. You'll be all set with no excuses.


If all else fails, you'll have to get a partner like me who forcibly removes you from bed.