I D A R E Y O U !

As for many, 2013 for me, was a combination of extreme highs and lows. I guess most years have their ups and downs, but personally I think 2013 takes the cake. It was the biggest roller coaster I’ve been on in my 26 years on earth. And as most roller coasters go this one had to start with a boy. I was so in love and had so many plans. Regardless the fairytale was just that and the bit Hollywood usually leaves out of the rom-com played out like a slap in the face. Many tears later I can now stand tall, with a slight wobble :) and say we were obviously not meant to be. 

The year also ended with some amazing resolve and 2014 started with a magical union of my best friend to her best friend/partner, the rediscovery of old friends and the making friends of acquaintances.

There are such amazing people in this world, people who have the greatest capacity for love, care and compassion. Thank you!

So I can now step forward, new years resolutions, NO, to do list! in hand, ready and excited to do new things, make changes, study hard, work hard, dance, travel, take chances, smile and maybe even love.

May your 2014 be a year like no other. Tomorrow is another day, but if you're always putting things off till then, today is constantly wastes! 

Get out there and do your worst :) 

I   D A R E   Y O U !

30 Day Challenge - follow up

Today my 30 Day Challenge comes to an end... 

Am I happy with the results... honestly off hand I'd have to say no. 

Like anyone that sets off and tackles a challenge, one hopes for the optimum results. I haven't lost much weight, and thats actually what I wanted! But me being the eternal optimist has to focus on the positive and look at what this challenge has resulted in.


1. I haven't bought a chocolate in 30 days, so I've saved money :)

2. I have eaten chocolate maybe 3 times in 30 days... which is HUGE because I was having chocolate and sweet things almost everyday before. My cravings have almost completely disappeared and I can say NO! (and it feels good)

3. I've developed a different mind set. I often tell myself "how bout I don't and say I did". What this does is fool myself into thinking I've had a chocolate or whatever... not really, but what it does is make me realise that the craving that I think I have is all in my mind, I don't really need it, it's not contributing to my well being, and I'm going to have to work harder to burn the energy and avoid the weight gain by eating it.

4. It has made me realise that I comfort eat, which is a classic case of avoidance, and it's not healthy! Deal wish your feelings - don't eat them!

5. I've become more aware of how I fuel my body and more conscious of how I feel when I eat whatever I eat. I actually read labels now. It's like putting petrol in your car, your tank is only so big, if you want to put more in you're going to have to start putting fuel in canisters and storing it in the trunk which inevitably slows you down and is just down right dangerous.

6. I've started exercising again, and even though I haven't yet found the sustainable activity that will keep me trim and happy, I now actually want to try things and find it!


Soooooooo... my 30 day challenge was more about breaking bad habits, forming some good ones and becoming more conscious about what i eat and focussed on continuing a healthy lifestyle. If you're in the same boat, don't loose hope reframe and learn from your results and keep at it!

It's my birthday weekend coming up so healthy eating and exercise will take a backseat till next week, but soon I'll report on the next challenge! 
xxx

30 Day Challenge

Sunday night, on the couch, just before starting "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", soaking up the heat from the heater, Cadbury Bubble chocolate right and ready for devouring! Very subtly, the words are uttered... "last chocolate for a month, ok?"

dum, dum, dum! 

Last chocolate for a month... 

Last chocolate for a month? 

Last chocolate for a month.

What does that even mean?!!!

Without pause, I hear myself saying, "ok" (casually, without any fight).

Last chocolate for a MONTH!!!!! but but but... 

This is what started my 30 day challenge. 

I'm a true believer in accepting one's body, but in the same breath I believe it's important to feel comfortable with your body and your weight.

comfortable = feel good = confident = attractive

At the same time, I know that I need to exercise, because 1.) I love food (have a sweet tooth), 2.) my body type (sporty), looks stupid with extra weight (I don't develop sexy curves, I just put on fat everywhere, which sucks, because it takes a while to notice it, but once you do, it's like "dam, when did this happen") and 3.) ultimately exercise makes me happy.

I've always had a tainted philosophy; "I exercise so that I can eat what I want." Well, when your lifestyle changes and exercise doesn't happen so often, you sure as hell need to look at what you eat.

I don't "diet", crash diets lead to binge eating, and with my personality, I'd crash, binge, crash, binge, crash, binge. So no dieting, rather making a lifestyle change.

So I've found a eating plan and I'm changing.

My 30 day challenge consists of the following:

No chocolate

No bread/wheat/pastry etc

More water

More exercise

I've broken this down into 3x 10 day cycles (Day 1-30). After each cycle I increase my daily water intake, exercise and do a "weigh-in". Today is day-3... and so far so good...

If I'm brave enough I'll reveal my progress at day-10.

Here goes nothing.

remember to blog

Master procrastinator - I have an exam coming up and instead of using every conceivable free moment to study i have rediscovered my blog, wahahahahaha.

this one is called - force yourself to think

When things are just, not quite right, my classic behaviour is to keep busy, avoid avoid avoid.
and seeing as I wear my heart on my sleeve, my smile is bright and my frown is neon and flashing. so i might be avoiding but everyone around me knows somethings up.

so every now and then, when keeping busy gets to much, and i just kind of want to collapse, i eventually do the only thing that helps.... force myself to think.

Now guys, i believe you commonly keep quiet (find a rock to sit on), and get that real sexy, intimidating pensive look, and you think. Us girls know (but don't always act like we do) you need to be alone, you're thinking, you'll talk about it when you're ready, maybe never, if you don't think it's worth discussing (so frustrating), but us girls.... hehehe.... we word vomit (well i do anyway). 

I blab and just say everything thats on my mind and in the process i'm actually rationalising, answering my own questions, posing some more, bringing up things that i didn't even know bothered me and so on and so on, until finally, eventually when all you hear is "kriek kriek" you realise whats bothering you. And on the odd occasion you still have no idea, but just feel better for having blabbed. (Ladies beware - you need to be around someone who loves you when this happens).

Anyway, what i'm getting at is - force yourself to think.
through being conscious and having the strength to listen to yourself (i know that sounds stupid), we clear out the fuzz and crap in our minds and make for a happier you.

In my case i've realised that i need to re-inspire myself and hopefully in the process inspire you.
thus - this time my answer is - remember to blog

haas

Cape Town Places I'd like to visit...

haas coffee - BoKaap Cape Town
http://haascollective.com

i've only ever driven past "haas" (rabbit in english) and from what i could deduct, this is a trendy coffee shop. 
when visiting their website i learnt that they are a design exhibition planform (if i could call it that)... they exhibit various artists', paintings, photography, graphics, sculptures, ceramics, jewellery and interior items. this makes for local exposure and pedestrian enjoyment (and hopefully spending). I've seen enough online, I have to go.

Truth Coffee HQ - want to go

 So here's a new(ish) spot in Cape Town I spotted on Pinterest (via Visi magazine's posts).
Truth Coffee HQ, 36 Buitekant street, Cape town, South Africa. 
This is the type of thing that inspires me & makes me so so proud of being South African.It looks amazing, a Coffee Cafe (Truth Coffee's HQ) and Retail Outlet, owned by David Donde and designed by Haldane Martin... wow! I'll be making a mission there, drool over the gorgeous interior and have a fab cuppa joe...

  














PHOTOS Micky Hoyle 
(www.visi.co.za & www.truthcoffee.com)


 

Sunscreen by Baz Luhrman

(thank you to the friend that reminded me of this one)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering experience…I will dispense this advice now. 

 Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh never mind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked… You’re not as fat as you imagine. 

 Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blind-side you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you. Sing. Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with
people who are reckless with yours. Floss. Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself. 

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…

The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. 

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. 

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. 

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you should hold on. 

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. 

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out. Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth. 

But trust me on the sunscreen… 

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI)