The Sleep Diet

Have you heard of The Sleep Diet?  I have been reading up on the connection between sleep and exercise lately as I have had the dilemma of not enough sleep.  Working full time night shifts and getting to bed at 1am has been making me wonder if I have been getting enough rest to allow my body to recover.  I have been working very hard with my exercises routines and I must say I am loving it.  Being over tired and lack of sleep has been the "norm" in this household.  Just having kids will do this for you, but adding work and intense exercise in the mix, does it spell disaster?

Is it true about the sleep diet, this diet which suggests you can loose weight while you snore?

I would like to quote Michael Breus PhD, he is the author of 'Beauty Sleep' ;

 

“It’s not so much that if you sleep, you will lose weight, but if you are sleep-deprived, meaning that you are not getting enough minutes of sleep or good quality sleep, your metabolism will not function properly,”

 

On average, we need about 7.5 hours of quality sleep per night, I am lucky to get 5 on a good night.  I can't sleep in anymore as I need to get the kids off to school, and catching a nap during the day is far and few between.  So obviously I am worried about this, as my main goal here is to loose weight.  The fact that I have been doing this and the numbers continue to drop is such a fantastic thing, however am I putting extra stress on my body?

 

When it comes down to weight loss its a science, so too is this theory of sleep.  We have hormones in our bodies called Ghrelin and Leptin, these hormones are the key to weight loss.  Ghrelin is the hormone that tells you when to eat, and Leptin tells you to stop eating.  Apparently when you are sleep deprived there is a decrease in Leptin, now I don't know what your thinking but I'm definitely for the Leptin.  I want more of this hormone called Leptin, if only it was bottled.  More ghrelin plus less leptin equals weight gain, plus you are eating more, plus your metabolism is slower when you are sleep-deprived.

 

This does not sound good does it, how much sleep do you get? 

 

So I googled Leptin in a bottle and sure enough there it was, ready for a consumer such as myself.  Wow you can get anything in a bottle these days.  I truly believe that this is a scary concept, and lucky I take things lightly.  I would do so much more research before I decided to put this down my throat. 

 The one thing I have found with this 12WBT program is that it's not a quick fix, its not in a bottle.  You have to put all your effort into making it work!

 

Lets Keep The Taste Not The Calories

Food food food I haven't eaten so much food since I started this 12wbt journey. I have been cataloguing everything I've eaten since I started the program. I just want you to take a look at the yummy meals that are available to 12wbt clients. They are delicious and also inexpensive.   I must admit it has been difficult to over come old habits and I have fallen off the rails a few times. I mean no ones perfect hey and this journey for me is all about self respect and honesty. I am straight forward and direct with other people, and its extremely easy to be critical of myself.  I have always been the person who can stand outside their comfort zone. I feel as though I need to push myself past that and except nothing but 110%

 

I want results and I am getting them. It's only taken me 10 years to get here!

I had to weigh in today and I was jumping for joy. We are in week 3 and I have lost 4.9 kg to date. Yippee what an achievement I can't begin to put in words how I am feeling. When I first started this program I didn't expect to much I had heard good things ... no I had heard great things of it, but there was still that doubt nagging in my subconscious. You know that little voice that tells you it's to good to be true?  I really did think yeah yeah just another diet, another gimmick on Facebook. What I didn't know when I was handing over my last $200 and feeling increasingly guilty as I really couldn't afford to spend money on a program. I didn't even have anything at that stage to show Rod (my partner) what I bought. I just had a computer screen to show him well not much really because the program hadn't even started. I wasn't working at the time so money was scarce, plus I had just joined up to the gym which was more money. Then I realised I had no gym clothes ...... Even More Money!

 

So I spent all this money and had nothing to show for it. But I can confidently stand here now and say its worth it, every last cent. It might be week 3 now but I started way before three weeks ago. The process involved and where I am standing now is nothing short of amazing. The Michelle bridges 12 Week Body Transformation has started to change my life in many ways. So if you're reading this thinking yeah I would like to have a go I assure you, no I implore you to do it. If it helps you just a fraction of what it has done for me than you are blessed.

Attack of the Chocolate Easter Bunny

Sharing my journey with people has been a huge challenge for me, talking about it with family is one thing but to be so open to complete strangers, work colleagues and Internet surfers is a little daunting.   I have always been taught that people don't want to hear all about 'you' all the time, and since this blog is all about me well you see where I am going with this.  This has been a process I have to slowly get through, as the more people I tell the more I feel I can't quit.  I don't want people to look at me and say to themselves 'well she hasn't really lost any weight!'  To think this way is so frustrating, as I am meant to be doing this for myself and no one else.  Why do we seek approval for the things we do in life? 

 

Returning to work and sharing my journey with colleagues is difficult, as I am the manager on duty and as much as I want to relate to my staff, I do need a certain degree of separation.  Finding this balance can be a challenge, and earning the respect of people at work is important.  I feel that I am fair, and thank the staff for their efforts constantly.  It has been recently that I have found my willingness to come forward and share my journey is great success.  Not only do I have their support, but am thankful for their efforts.

 

Working in any supermarket has its challenges but the biggest one of all for me is EASTER!  I am responsible for the Easter displays and point of sale, so this week I have been handling that much chocolate it not funny.  Really its not funny!  Opening box after box, pallet after pallet, picking each individual chocolate bunny up and placing it on the shelf on display.  Opening each box is like Augustus Gloop diving into the chocolate lake!  I'm suffocated by the sweet smell, while temptation is whispering in one ear and Michelle Bridges is yelling in the other.  Time after time I pick up that chocolate bunny that's broken and put it aside in a box.  When the job is all done and those bunnies are standing up straight like solders ready to attack, I am craving them and just want to break a little bunny head off!!! 

 

 

So now I have this box of broken chocolate not fit for sale, and I reward my staff for their efforts and give it out to them.  Mostly all broken and in pieces I can't tell you how many times a wanted to pick up the small pieces and eat it.  So hear I am walking around the store and EVERYONE is eating chocolate! ARGH!!! Finally Michelles' shout became a whisper and I picked up a piece, just one small piece.  I could hear myself saying this is going to make you feel sick, all the while my hand moving towards my gob.  It was like a dream in slow motion, then I heard the words.

 

"Don't do it ...... You don't want it ......... It's disgusting ......... Don't do it!"

 

It was like a gun went off and I woke up!  Looking over at my ever so supportive staff I put it down and said " You're right I don't want it"  and walked away.  Then I heard the most encouraging words of all "Well done the self control"  It was like I was in a stadium with a huge crowd clapping just for me.  I had done it I defeated the attack of the horrid chocolate Easter bunny, with the help of my colleagues. 

 

The realisation that Easter is not around the corner, and that I have to do this 5 nights a week is well ...... depressing!  I do not have these temptations at home but at work they are everywhere.  Not just the chocolate, but EVERYTHING!  You name it ........

 

chocolate

lollies

chips

soft drinks

pastry's

cakes

 

ice cream

iced coffee  

donuts 

pizza 

danish 

speciality breads 

croissant's

candy bars

sweets

 

 

 

 

 

You name it and it's there at my finger tips, ready and waiting. (quietly chuckling to myself) I thought my biggest worry was going to be lack of sleep. HA! So far I have fought off the nastiness, as I have all these at my disposal I also have some of the freshest produce too. So ts a choice isn't it? A choice is what I have, its all I have when you really think about it. Break it down to

one

                                single

                                               choice!

That's all I have to do ....... we shall see :)

 

Back To Work

The one main excuse I used and hear it time and time again is TIME! Finding the time to fit in exercise, a healthy lifestyle and all the other stuff we feel is important in life. I'm not sure if I mentioned I have three children.

Jasohta 9yrs and Xavier 4yrs and Riley 6months.

 

Finding time to fit everyone in is a tight schedule, I have Jasohta's Karate, school commitments, Xavier started preschool this year, and he wants to start Karate too.  Then there is one on one time, with each child, homework, and not to forget trying to get time alone to spend with my partner.  All my family commitments and I found the time to fit in exercise. I just had to say I WILL.

Keeping myself busy all day while the kids are at school, and I'm not talking about housework. I run art and craft workshops for kids.  Sew in my spare time and make sock monkeys and other toys for children which I sell online and at the markets when the season runs. All this and I managed to join the gym and go out every afternoon running when my partner comes home from work.  Who says I cant make the time easy peasy.


My Beloved Monkeys you can find these at www.facebook.com/bornathome

The12WBT started on the 11th February 2013. This was a particularly troubling date for me as it was the date I was to return to work after having 7months off on maternity leave.  Now it's not that I was worried about the time, I would have during the day to fit in exercises around my already busy schedule.  Really it was the lack of sleep I was to have going back to work. Yes I am back to working NIGHTS!!!

The combination of night shift, lack of sleep, 3 children, gym classes, fit box, school, karate, washing, cleaning, and all the other errands of life made me feel very anxious.  Not to mention that our household hadn't been the most stable of families, kids at a new school and our confronting issues that needed to be dealt with in our lives. Which I might add had me in a snow storm at one stage, the pre season tasks in the 12WBT are nothing to take lightly.  Returning to a full time job the same day I start the 12WBT I couldn't get much more of a challenge there.  Or so I thought.

The day before the big event I was organised.  Washing all done kids had school uniforms and mine came out of hibernation. Meal plans sorted groceries in the fridge ready to be transformed, exercise plan worked out and times written in the diary.  The schedule was complete and everyone was on it. I had already started following the meal plans and was excited about the coming week. I had decided that I can do it all of it and I was dancing on my toes. I felt like I was getting there finally, after ten years of yoyo dieting and weight problems. Then I read the message.

My 12WBT buddy who was to support me through this tells me she no longer wishes to continue on this journey with me.

 Heart Broken :(

As I was reading the message these good feelings I had vanished. I wasn't just reading that I was rejected as a 12WBT partner but reading exactly what she thought of me as a person.  As my heart sank so did all my aspirations for the coming week. Just like that, everything I had worked on in pre season gone!  I didn't know what to do or say so I cleaned, I scrubbed the bathroom, toilet and anything else I could just so that I didn't have to stop and think!  Eventually I did have to stop though because there's only so much you can clean in a three bedroom home.  Here I was back at the start again, what was I doing ?

I turned to the people who mean the most to me my family. 

They gave me all the support and love I needed to get through it.  I believe that everything happens for a reason, and this is what was to be.  No one else to lean on, no one else to hold me back, no one else to think of just ME!  After all this is a journey I have started for myself is it not? 

 

These are the people who inspire me and believe in me even when I doubt myself.  I have posted about a weekly surprise in the 12 WBT in a recent post, about a inspiration board.  LOVE is what inspires me love for my family and most of all love for myself. 

So its a week later I started writing this post 5 days ago, and I have accomplished so much in just a week.  I completed every task on my exercise plan, made all the meals and stuck to my calorie intake, and the biggest one of all my own challenge I set for myself.  Now this really makes me smile because I am really proud of myself.  Saturdays is to be the biggest workout of all week, so I rode my bike to the gym instead of driving this was a 20km round trip and I DID IT! Not only did I do this but also had an hour session on the weights.  Yes this makes me smile :)

Returning to work has been excellent, just like ridding a bike, I know my job and I do it well.  So all round ending this week I am a more confident, happier person who is excited to see what I can do at the end of 12 weeks.

My Inspiration

Week 1 done and dusted! This is a snippet of what my first week was like and what inspired me to get through the week. I entered this into a competition on 12 WBT Forums wish me luck.

 

Big Old Cake Eater

Last weekend we celebrated my sons 4th birthday, what a great day we had with our dress up theme. We made a play tent with underwater decorations, invited a heap of kids over and had lots of fun.

 

These are my kids with Xavier's costume my friend made for him. We reminisced the whole comic strip mags. The kids loved the cards with their special powers, and we chuckled about the speech bubble with "pow". The whole day was magic and the kids loved it.  Parties always come with lots of horrid food that I particularly didn't want to eat. So we made sausage rolls with lots of veges, zucchini and ricotta cheese mini quiche, cut sandwiches and as a treat I also baked some chips.

The kids loved the food and not one of them complained about no "party" food. Which brings me to the cake!

This was the most delicious cake I have eaten.  Vanilla Cake mmmmmmm

 

 

You know 10 weeks ago I would have eaten the whole darn lot and licked the plate clean. Ewww! Who does that .... Smiling and nodding ain't you?  :) Meeeeee

 

NOT ANYMORE

 

I'll tell you all I could smell was SUGAR.  It's a very strong sweet smell and I was amazed I could smell it.  Being a mother of 3 kids I've had my fair share of smells let me tell you, but it was like I smelt sugar for the first time.  Unreal.

 

Our bodies are so amazing in just this short time I have discovered new smells, emotions, and muscles I didn't even know existed!  I am feeling so great and motivated this feeling I never got from eating cake.  So now I can say that I'm not the big old cake eater I used to be, and my ass is showing it.