Weight loss Archives - Babblewell.com

Category: Weight loss

11
Apr
2016

To go or not to go to the gym?

categories: family, My babbles, Tips, Weight loss, Working out

Should I go to the gym or not…? How many times have you made excuses not to go to the gym? Let phase it. Once you come home from work, made dinner and did all the household chores most of us feel too exhausted to go the gym. When you decided to go the gym how many of you have to hurry to get in time for the gym because that class you wanted to attend will start in seven minutes. And if you decide not to go to the gym, there is always this guilty feeling for not going, which raises your stress levels, sounds familiar? Going to the gym is about lowering your stress levels right? Stressing to go the gym can’t be good for our health, especially if we didn’t want to go in the first place.

So what can we do about it? If you really don’t like to go the gym, stop going to the gym. Start doing any form of exercise when it suits your agenda, do what you love and when you are relaxed and not in a hurry mode, which makes exercising more fun. An incredibly easy form of exercise is walking. Just put on your sneakers and start walking for half an hour. The fresh air will do you good. If you don’t like to walk alone, ask a friend or colleague along (why not walk during your lunch break). In a few weeks you will be able to walk for an hour without any stops and you will be addicted to walking. (Yes, you can get addicted to walking, I know several “walking addicts”) But whatever you do don’t forget to listen to your body. Why not make walking a family activity during the weekend? It is an easy, fun, cheap and a great way to spend quality time together, away from all the hustle and bustle at home.

And if walking is your “thing” don’t forget to cancel your subscription at the gym. You no longer have to ask yourself the question: To go or not to go to the gym.

14
Mar
2016

Sugar the hidden fat-maker

categories: My babbles, Recipe, Tips, Uncategorized, Weight loss

Are you one of those people who just love to buy a hot steamy drink at their favourite coffee chain on their way to work? There is nothing better than to sip a hot chocolate or a steamy fancy “chai” when it is cold outside, don’t you agree? By the way do you avoid sodas because they contain quite a lot of sugar? Well I got news for you. Fact alert: your hot drink might contain even more sugar then the sodas you banned from your daily diet? This is an eye opener isn’t? Are you “craving” for the facts here are some details:

Starbucks: Hot Mulled Fruit (Grape with Chai, Orange and Cinnamon), Venti – 25 teaspoons

Costa Coffee: Chai Latte Massimo – 20 teaspoons

Starbucks: White Chocolate Mocha with Whipped Cream, Venti – 18 teaspoons (was my personal favourite, not anymore, 18 teaspoons of sugar!)

For full details please visit: http://www.actiononsugar.org/News%20Centre/Surveys%20/2016/170862.pdf

Our food is “poisioned” with hidden sugar. We consume it daily without even knowing that we are having it. A few examples are: bread, sauces like ketchup or barbecue sauce, your healthy fruit juice, your favourite pasta sauce or your favourite fruit yoghurt. Are you buying low fat products because you think it might be healthier? Well I got another fact alert for you. In order to hide the bland taste of your low fat product they “just” add some extra sugar. All the “healthy” granola bars widely available nowadays may seem healthy but do contain a lot of sugar, most of them contain dried fruits, honey or another sugar in disguise which you as a consumer are not aware of. Sugar makes our food taste better and we are addicted to the taste without even knowing it.

How can we avoid the intake of hidden sugars? The easiest ways is, let’s call it the first option, to limit the amount of processed food and make our own food. But how can we make this happen with the limited amount of spare time we have. Due to our busy lives most of us are pressed for time. The second option is awareness, read ingredient labels. The third option is a mix of the first and second option. For example you could make your own fruit yoghurt by adding fruits to plain yoghurt or make your own pasta sauce. You even could make your own bread if you have time for it that is or are willing to make time for it.

Once you’re used to making your own food you will notice how much better it tastes and you know what you are eating. If you have some spare time left maybe you would like to try to make your own bread. Here’s a video from The Bread Kitchen of how to make your own bread, Titli has some great bread recipes!:

https://youtu.be/SVSPKkDxXBg

Happy baking!

15
Jan
2016

Food cravings after the holidays

categories: Food, Recipe, Tips, Uncategorized, Weight loss

The second week of January 2016 already, time flies doesn’t? Did you make any new year’s resolutions or did you already chuck them in the bin? Well if you did, it is never too late to get them out of the bin or later this year when you are ready. It is never too late.

It is never too late to pick up your studies, never too late to call that dear friend, never too late to lose those extra pounds. Speaking about those extra pounds, don’t you have cravings for some extras and we are not talking about carrot and celery sticks here. Well I know I do. I always try to “satisfy” my cravings with healthy options like a fruit salad with a little dot of whipped cream for example, or some yummy walnuts and almonds.

The other day I was craving for something more. What recipes did I have to satisfy my cravings? It had to be a recipe which was a healthy one and quick to make. I decided on making an oatmeal crumble apple pie, a low fat version, but yummy enough to satisfy my cravings only 120 calories per serving (estimated). This recipe is not for people who are on a carb and/or fat free diet….

This recipe is a keeper. It would go well with a dot of vanilla ice cream and some whipped cream, if you would like to turn it into a not so healthy version. But hey it is January and I have been sampling quite a lot of yummy stuff during the holidays, I am sticking to this healthy version for now that is. I would only make a few changes to this recipe. I would decrease the amount of sugar with 2 teaspoons. It was a little bit too sweet for me. And I would use more apples, a mix of sweet and tart apples.

Here’s the link for the recipe: https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=11935

Happy baking!

01
Dec
2015

It is that time of the year, the holiday season

categories: family, Food, My babbles, Tips, Uncategorized, Weight loss, Working out

Yes, it is that time of the year, December. It is holiday season! Don’t you just love the holiday season or do you think it is overrated?

For me December is watching lots of Christmas movies and picking up my crochet projects from last year, family, baking, cooking and eating. And since four years we also have a Christmas tree. When our little Maharadja turned two he also “wanted” a Christmas tree of his “own”. I don’t mind setting up the Christmas tree but taking down the Christmas decorations and the tree….. But I guess that nobodies favorite part.

I know many people who love the holiday season but dread the extra calories. It’s a fact, during the holiday season we tend to eat more. I know I do (but in moderation). And how can we resist all the yummy things which are presented in front of us? Someone took the time and effort to create the yummy goodies so it is our “obligation” to sample every single item. And the trick is doing this without feeling totally stuffed. You know what I am talking about, don’t you?

Hmmmm……. Is it not a good idea to prepare our body for the holiday season? Before, we indulge ourselves in all the goodies. And by prepare I do not mean to eat something extra each day, so that our tummy can get used to al the extras we are having a week before and after Christmas. Although that would be a great idea wouldn’t it?

Why not prepare our body by eating in moderation and doing some extra work outs two weeks before it “all” starts? (Like going for an extra walk or whatever works for you.) Why not eat some more vegetables and fruits to prepare our body for the” upcoming” goodies we are going to have in a few weeks time.

But on the other hand why we do eat so much during the holiday season? Do we have a green card to go “bananas” during the holiday season? Isn’t our body our temple? Or are we looking forward to eating lots and lots of food which will lead to extra weight and lots of frustration in January, for some of us.

What plans do you have for the holiday season?

03
Nov
2015

Weight loss is big business

categories: My babbles, Uncategorized, Weight loss

Have you ever paid to lose weight? Paid for a consultant, coach, a book, special diet food, diet drugs… or any other form?

The weight loss industry is big business; 100 billions of dollars are made in this industry. People who are battling their weight problems for several years’ maybe even decades are easy victims. They hop on and off from one diet to another diet. If you are battling with your weight, claims that you will lose weight in just a few months with a specific diet will sound like music to your ears, right? If you look at diets like these you can file them under category short term solution. You will definitely lose weight but what happens when your past the “expiration date”?

The other day I was talking to a mom about weight loss. She told me that a friend of hers was on a special diet which cost her about EUR 80 per month. She had to follow that special diet for four months. So this diet would cost her EUR 320 for four months. So after the four months you are on your own, I asked. No said the mom, her friend told her that after the four months you could take a subscription for the next few months. So actually to keep the weight off you have to be on a weight loss subscription your entire life which will cost you annually EUR 960. Suppose the lady who sells that specific diet has 3 clients, who are willing to pay that amount. She will have a passive income of EUR 2880, annually. I told you so, weight loss is big business!

People are willing to pay to lose weight. I know many of them and I haven’t seen any of them succeed in keeping the weight off. But all of these diets have burned hole in their pockets.

How many Euros or dollars have you paid in total to lose weight?

11
Jun
2015

Weight loss and a fall back

categories: Food, My babbles, Uncategorized, Weight loss, Working out

Does this sound familiar to you? You are so proud about your weight loss journey and then there is this one day that you crave for some chocolate, candy maybe even a hamburger or something else which is not that healthy. And then before you realize it yourself you just can’t stop eating. At the back of your mind you know that you should stop eating but you just don’t stop. You are just filling your mouth with all the yummy goodies. Then after you had your, let’s call it “eat attack” you feel guilty and think that you have ruined everything you have worked so hard for. And therefore you start going back to being your old you.

If you ever have one of this “eat attacks” please do not go back being the old you. Instead go ahead with what the new you was doing before the “eat attack”. One eat attack won’t ruin what you have worked so hard for. Let me tell you, there will be more of these kinds of “eat attacks”. We are humans after all. The most important thing is “pick yourself up” after such an “eat attack” and keep yourself in control for the next few days. Doing some extra workouts and watching your diet carefully like a hawk. You will shed the extra calories you consumed in the next few days, don’t worry about them. And don’t feel guilty or think you have failed, you haven’t at all!

During your weight loss journey many events will take place, there will be holidays, birthdays, weddings, vacations or other special occasions. At all these events there will be lots of yummy food which you should absolutely enjoy, in moderation that is. You can’t be on a strict diet all your life that is just impossible. Enjoying the food at all these occasions can prevent “eat attacks”. Discipline yourself to shed the extra calories after such an “eat attack” and you will just be fine.

The most important part is, is to be nice to yourself :).

When and where was your last “eat attack”? Please do share with us.