The Rules

Normally I hate diets and plans. In fact, I prefer the definition of the word "diet" to mean the general term for the composition of foods you eat on a daily basis, rather than a strict set of rules and restrictions to follow in times of desired weight loss. I don't find them sustainable and the stigma of a forced perception of beauty bothers me. I have made significant lifestyle changes since taking on a regular yoga practice, and was vegetarian for a year (dating my boyfriend meant the end of that). I believe in moderation, balance, whole foods and giving yourself a freakin break.

I've also starting working out on a steadier basis after my boyfriend showed me his arms, legs, chest/back and abdominal workouts. He goes to the gym every day and I'm in awe of how dedicated he is. In order not to be completely psychotic, he eats what a 195lb guy in his early 20s eats. He's what I'd call balanced :)

The point I'm trying to get at here is simply that I'm going to try to follow this regime as closely as I can, but without becoming psycho about it. I'm not trying to become a size 2 or lose 7 lbs in 7 days or any of those crazy things. I'm just a 26 year old PhD student trying to look happy and healthy and feel good about herself. My hope is that I see results and that this routine becomes just that, routine.

Ok here goes:

What's off limits?
- candy, baked goods, ice cream...basically anything laden with sugar
- pop and flavoured drinks, anything with artificial flavourings/colours
- processed grains, like white bread and white rice
- no eating 2 hours before bed

Breakfast
- 1 serving of carbs, like whole wheat toast
- 1 serving of fruit
- 1 serving of protein, like a tbsp of peanut butter
- 1 serving of dairy, like low-fat yogurt or milk

Lunch
- 2-3 servings of veggies, in salads or raw with hummus
- 1 serving of protein, like chick peas or chicken
- 1 serving of dairy, like low-fat yogurt

Dinner
- 2 servings of veggies, usually steamed
- 1 serving of carbs, like wild/brown rice blend or quinoa
- 1 serving of protein, like chicken or fish

Snacks
- fruit or raw veggies
- almonds
- low-fat yogurt


This diet is pretty straight-forward, and doesn't really involve anything groundbreaking. I followed something like this last year for a formal, and I was successful. A few tips I've learned along the way are as follows:
1. Cheese, pasta and salt are not your friends. Flavour with spices instead and always drink lots of water.
2. Not eating before bed works. Aside from the yucky feeling of being so bloated you can't sleep, I find that I feel more disciplined this way and this gives me confidence to follow my plan the next day. Warm chamomile tea is great for a bit of flavour before bed if you want.
3. PORTION CONROL. Honestly, I think this whole must-lose-weight shebang would be completely irrelevant in 99% of peoples' lives if we just practiced portion control as set out by the Canadian Food Guide. Read the labels on your food and pay attention to how much you eat. In general, we WAY over do it on portions. When you pour yourself a bowl of cereal, you usually eyeball it, and the bowl is pretty full. Match that with a few cups of milk and you've overshot your calorie count bigtime. This wouldn't be such a huge deal if we didn't do this with everything else we eat all day. A portion of cereal is usually around 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup milk. It's small. You'll live.

The Workouts

I alternate days between the following, with usually 1 day off a week:

- 60-75 minutes hot yoga, like a power or flow class
- 30 minutes cardio + arms/legs/chest & back + abs

Cardio: almost always spin. I find that this tones my legs more than an elliptical ever will, and my knees don't do running so that's out.
Arms: 3x 12 reps each of 2 tricep exercises, 2 bicep exercises and 2 shoulder exercises
Legs: 3x 12 reps each of 2 quad exercises, 2 hamstring exercises and 1 calf exercise and 1 glute exercise. Squats are a must.
Chest & Back : 3x 12 reps each of 2 back exercises and 2 chest exercises
Abs: 1 minute plank, 1 minute bicycle crunches, 2 minutes boat pose (1 minute hold and lengthen, 1 minute hold and move arms left and right of legs)

Every morning and every night: 50 crunches, 1 minute plank, 20 pushups


I know the workouts seem like a lot. They are at first. I try to make going to the gym or going to yoga as a form of therapy and stress relief. I always go right after work on my way home. After a few days, I start to look forward to it, and it makes for a nice transition between work and home. On other days, I can't lie, I really want to skip it.



There you have it! I start this whole thing tomorrow, and I'll try to keep a log of what I eat and how the workouts go, as well as some pictures if I remember.

To the Maldives!