Health & Fitness - The Midnight Run

I am still in pain from a short run on Saturday night.
I underestimated the length and I though 'Ah 8km. I could do that in my sleep' but I was wrong!!!
It did not help that I hadn't eaten properly throughout the day and I didn't run with water as I normally do. The weather on the other hand was amazing to run in. Not too hot and not too cold.
Believe it or not, I had to drag my sister out of bed to do this run but she was one of the first to finish it.
I came first - backwards (Which means I came last)
There was only about 20 of us so not a big group at all. We started running at 11.45pm with stops here and there. We started of on Old Street and went through some of the iconic sights in London.

Stop at Smithfield Market

I did really well and kept up to pace with the group. The pace was faster than I had thought it would be but the stops we had allowed me to catch up with my breath. We had the pace makers run with music so it was pretty fun.

At around 6km, I felt my right thigh cramp a bit, but I thought NO SALMA!!! Do not stop.
Then my right calm cramped a bit and then my left. Before I could take another step, I actually had to sit on the ground and was uttering as follows 'oh F*** f*** S**t'. One of the guys had to come and stretch me out.

Stop at Tower Hill

I managed to jog a few more hundred metres before my legs gave in again. We were actually not so far from the finish
line which was back at Old Street. Unfortunately, I had to walk the rest of the way.
The problem was, I had not stretched out properly before I had even started and due to not regularly running or exercising, my body was not used to the sudden long distance (which by the way I am not bad at).
Even though I was not struggling with my breathing, I don't think my muscles were getting oxygen hence the build up of Lactic Acid.

If only you could
see the pain I was in

I felt so disappointed in myself for not being able to jog the last kilometre or so but this has motivated to try and do the next midnight run and to keep up with running.
To be honest, I think the London Marathon runners who ran 26.2 miles on Sunday, have recovered faster than I have.
Other than the cramps, the pain and the struggle of walking down the stairs, the run was fun and
London is a beautiful city at night.

Pre-Stretch, sort of

The run finished at around 12.45am (1.15am for me) and let me note the importance of stretching. STRETCHING IS IMPORTANT!!! there.
While I was in bed, after the run, my foot cramped up along with my calfs and it is bloody scary. I thought I had to amputate my leg but all I needed to do was stretch more.




It turns out the run was not just 8km but 9.86km. Neearly a 10km.
I would do this run again! (It happens every month by the way) and I would recommend ya'll to do it.

Peace out!

Follow my personal and social Instagram pages for pictures and updates.

SalmaKhatun95

SalaamSalma

More blog posts will be coming your way soon. (Next one will be on acne)

Health & Fitness Day 18 & 19

Friday!!! (Well Saturday morning now. I did say in one of my previous blog posts that I am a night blogger)
It is my last blog post on my 'healthy eating/ no carbs/ low carbs' journey.
(slash junk food journey)

It's been easy yet hard and challenging. Easy at the beginning which was three weeks ago and it got more challenging as I ran out of creative ways to cook and eat.

An overview of my past three weeks:
Week 1: (Days 1-7) No carbs at all!!!
Week 2: (Days 8-14) Some carbs and a bit of junk
Week 3: (Days 15-21) Some more carbs and a bit more junk

Though I have been eating carbs, I have tried to substitute white colours with brown such as brown rice and... that is the only main carb I have had to be honest. Oh and sweet potatoes (and when I have been totally weak, a few chips/fries). I have had a fair share of chocolates but I have stayed away from crisps. (I have forgotten what cheese and onion crisps taste like)

I have felt healthier than previously and more energetic. I have always been sporty but a kinda lazy sports person. I have done a half marathon previously and I know I can push my body to doing at least 9 miles without stopping but my lazy mentality stops me from doing more than two laps around the park which is less than 1km.

Tomorrow night there will be an 8km night run and I am going to challenge myself and try finish it without stopping. It is a pretty last minute thing so I have done no training for it whatsoever.
People normally do 5-10km in the gym but I remember the days when I used to actually train for my 5km runs.

Anyway, without further ado...
Day 18 (Thursday)
23.05.2015
Breakfast
Porridge & a cuppa tea. (Nothing new there)

Lunch
Cod fish in batter (which I grill) with a side of Salad. (Again, nothing new)
I did say, I have run out of creative things to eat. However, I did add something different.
The usual, cucumber, tomato, sun dried tomato, feta cheese, beetroot and something a little different.
I added sunflower seeds which are high in magnesium and vitamin E and some other nutrients which are good for you. I also added a herb called Za'atar which is often used in Arab cuisine. So a twist to my Salad. I suggest you try it.

Dinner
Four fried chicken wings. Getting my typical London fast food in there. (Just kept to the protein. LOL. As if that is any healthy)

Day 19 (Friday)
24.05.2019

Breakfast
Low fat Greek yoghurt with kiwi and honey topped with Milled Linseed which is a nutritious and wholesome cereal topping but I am a rule breaker!!! Oh yeah! (and a cuppa tea).

Lunch
Due to be being up in my room doing my 2500 words essay I didn't realise how fast the time went. So I missed lunch. (Often when I miss a meal I claim that I am wasting away but really and truly, the amount of food in me, I could last a whole year without eating - maybe... I should try it one day)

Dinner
Fried chicken breast on a bed of Salad made of rocket leaves, spinach, feta cheese and sun dried tomato. I had onion chutney sauce which was quite nice.
So, Fried chicken two days in a row after a whole month.

That's that. The end of my blog posts. I have day 20 and 21 to go through. We'll see how that goes especially knowing that I will be doing a night run.
My body image has not changed but my health certainly has. It's not all about the numbers on the weighing scale.

As a kid, I suffered heavily from asthma especially during the winter when the cold would make it harder for me to breathe. I found it hard to run and do sports as I would run out of breath really quickly. The doctors had to write out prescriptions for two inhalers- a blue one which is a reliever for when I felt my chest would tighten and a brown inhaler for which would help decrease the risk of having an asthma attack. (Luckily I have never experienced a severe asthma attack.)
But from the age of 17 till now, my asthma has cleared up a lot as I have been doing more exercise. (Even though I have barely moved for the past year). The doctors have even stopped prescribing me from getting inhalers.
There are certain illness which we often think we cannot get rid off but with a healthy lifestyle, we can actually fight it. Even diabetes. I have heard of many cases where adults have actually managed to fight diabetes completely by exercising and having a good diet. I wish my parents could do the same but rice and curry dominates in their lives.

I have received some feedback from people on FaceBook and Instagram and I really appreciate the positivity and motivation. It is not always easy talking about health and fitness to an audience but my readers have made me feel confident in doing so. So thank you for all your support.

My blog posts will not stop here. I will give an update on how the run went and how well or bad I did. If I 'hit the wall'. I will post about other health issues such as acne, which I have suffered from and a few general posts. So do follow my Instagram page for updates.

This is Salma Razia Khatun and this has been my journey through health & fitness. (This sounds like the end of a documentary)

Peace Out

Check out Day 16 & 17
http://salaamsalma.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/health-fitness-day-16-17.html

Instagram:

SalmaKhatun95

SalaamSalma

Health & Fitness Day 16 & 17

My second to last blog post on this 'healthy eating' attempt.

I am a family person and I do spend a lot of time going out and dining. Times like these are hard because everyone chooses their meal easily 'a burger and chips' or 'a pizza with some cool toppings'. I have actually become rather bored of Salad and the colourful plate doesn't excite me as much as it did 2-3 weeks ago so I try not to go with salad when I am out. 

Day 16 (Tuesday)

21.04.2015

Breakfast & Lunch

After downing a cuppa tea for breakfast and going to the Sky Garden on Fenchurch Street, which by the way gives you an amazing close up view of London, we went to eat out in a not so expensive yet tasty place on Brick Lane - Jungle Brai. When I first went there, I fell in love with the beef steak. It is not so thick and just enough to fill you up. (sorry no pics. I got caught up in eating) While I tucked into my steak and roasted potatoes, I could not help but stab my fork into a few chips on the plate next to. Bad Salma! 

Dinner

It has been a very long time since I have had brown rice. Yes it is still carbs but much better than white rice which is actually very sweet. I realised how a handful of it was enough to fill me up. A handful of rice, pasta or any food is actually recommended but in Asian households, one handful of rice is never enough. People go for seconds and thirds. (Guilty) 

Day 17 (Wednesday)

22.04.2015

Breakfast

Boiled egg, salmon, feta cheese avec sun dried tomato. Oh and a cuppa tea.

Lunch

Vegetable curry with brown rice. And chicken curry. 

You see, a vegetable curry sounds all healthy but when it is cooked in a South Asian house, there is nothing healthy about it! Yes it can have up to five vegetables, even ten, but it is cooked with spices (not bad) and like a truck full of oil (bad) and all the nutrients in the vegetables actually vanish. So where we may be thinking we are eating our five a day, we are probably only eating the nutrients equivalent to half a vegetable. 

Tip for the future: Do not have south Asian food if you want to go on a healthy diet. (Western food can be bland but be creative with it and it will actually be healthier for you).

Dinner

I went for a swim, the only bit of exercise I have done after my first week aside from walking around. But walking is hardly exercising. (Unless you're speed walking). Normally when swimming, I get tired and out of breath after my first lap which is 25 metres (I think) which is nothing! The last time I went swimming two weeks ago, my shoulder blades were in pain but this time, I managed to do nearly 10 laps or more and I felt like I could go on forever. I do not feel any aches or pains and I was not out of breath much today.

For dinner I had a grilled vegetable burger with a bed of Salad (yay...)

And a glass of white (Shloer - Grape & Elderflower). I actually try and avoid drinking fizzy drinks with my meals. Not only does it fill me up faster, it also leaves me bloated and heavy. We should not actually drink while eating as our body cannot digest two things at once but if we really need to, water is ideal. And a warm drink after our meal to help digestion especially if we have eaten meat. (Chinese people often drink tea after their meals hence why they are healthy and have a nice physique.)

To end the evening, my amazing mother cut up some fruits as she does time to time because we are too lazy to go through the effort outselves. Mango, oranges and kiwi - which actually has more vitamin C than an orange.

So that's my past two days. Only 2 more days until my last blog post on this journey.
Before I end this, I'll throw in a bit of honesty. I had a Snickers bar and some Maltesars today. But lets not concentrate on the less important things in life...

I hope ya'll enjoyed this. 

Peace out 

Check out days 9-15

http://salaamsalma.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/health-fitness-day-9-to-15.html

Instagram:

SalmaKhatun95

SalaamSalma

Health & Fitness Day 9 to 15

Bonjour
I am back from my two days away in Paris and I just have not had the time to post anything on my blog.

Let me just say, I was not a good girl in Paris and I ate whatever I wanted to. *cries*
To be honest, I did not go all crazy but as I walked, I snacked on chocolates and snack-a-jack crisps.
I broke my no carb diet thats for sure. I broke it before I even went.
(again I have not really taken pictures of my food but you will get a glimpse of my Paris trip)

Day 9 (Tuesday)
14.04.2015
Breakfast
Seeing as I was going to the zoo on Tuesday, I thought porridge would be a good idea and I was right. It kept me full for a long time up until around 3pm.

Lunch
Being out and about I did not get the chance to pick up lunch so I snacked on yoghurt coated peanuts and sweet chilli thai crackers... (These are actually not very healthy)

Dinner
Mince meat with some spaghetti and sweet potato. (I BROKE MY NO CARB DIET) But this was the week I was introducing my body to carbs again. I had white spaghetti which isn't too good. I even felt somewhat bloated after eating dinner.

Day 10 (Wednesday)
15.04.2015
Breakfast
I woke up at 5am in the morning to go to a daybreaker with my sisters so a cuppa had to last me till 9am. I actually do not like very early breakfasts as I feel sick. (I am sure a lot of people feel the same)
After dancing like crazy, breakfast was from Pret. White bread baguette with egg and sun dried tomatoes. Yes I know! Not good!
I did not feel too good having this though.
Already I was able to see the difference my body was feeling after going back on carbs.

Lunch
Snacks. Peanuts, Snack-a-jacks & chocolate. I was on the train on my way to Paris with my friend and we actually forgot to pick up lunch.

Dinner
After going up and the down the Eiffel Tower and appreciating the city of Love, we finally went to have dinner which was full of carbs. Chicken Kebab in white bread roll and fries.
I just ate the meat and a few fries. I felt disgusting.
Day 11 (Thursday)
16.04.2015
Breakfast
It doesn't get any better. A chocolate and almond croissant.

Lunch
Even though we were walking around a lot going from one iconic sight to another we actually did not eat proper food. We snacked and indulged in the Macaroons Paris had to offer.

Dinner
Pizza with Salmon and cream. This tasted lush. Who can resist pizza?!

Day 12 (Friday)

Mosquee De Paris

Our last day in Paris. We went to the Grande Mosquee De Paris and I must say it did not feel like I was in a European country. To me it felt like I was in Morocco.

To get to the Sacre Coeur though, we did climb an awful load of stairs at the station and we walked up hill so that was cardio out of the way.

Sacre Coeur

Once again we did not eat healthily and the area in which we were staying was crowded with fast food places. So I took out a kofta in white bread roll with fries.

Day 13 & 14 (Saturday & Sunday)
I have not been good this weekend. I have had donuts, I have eaten carbs and more chocolate. I went out to eat Turkish food. The grilled meat selection was healthy but I guess I ruined it by eating the rice and bulgar wheat.


Day 15 (Monday)
20.04.2014
Although I told myself I would start a healthy diet today, I woke up and had a cuppa tea and caramel crunchy nut cereal.
I have half heartedly enjoyed a Solero ice cream. This is what happens when I am home alone, I pass time by eating.
Dinner consisted of white basmati rice and my mums amazing lamb curry which I have been avoiding for two weeks!!!

I will hopefully get back onto track this week.
I may have indulged in the foods which are bad for me, but as said in my previous posts, everything can be consumed in Moderation. We should not restrict ourselves from something completely or else our body and mind will crave for it more. Be in control.
'I can have it but I choose not to have it'.

This will be my last week blogging about my health and fitness so only two more posts to go.
I hope ya'll have taken an interest in my journey for the past two weeks.
I will be blogging about different things throughout the upcoming weeks so keep an eye out.

For now
Peace out

Check out my last blog post on Day 6, 7 & 8
http://salaamsalma.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/health-fitness-day-6-7-8.html

Instagram:

SalmaKhatun95

SalaamSalma

Health & Fitness Day 6, 7 & 8

So after the past week of no carbs, I have felt and seen some changes on my body. Maybe not the shape or size of my body because come on, a week is not exactly enough to get a bikini body figure.
But, I have seen external changes. I am already prone to spots and suffer from Acne (in my earlier teen years I was hideous but thank God it has cleared up, I will be doing a blog post soon on my acne years) and often have outbreaks.
After the first few days of no carbs, I started breaking out in more spots over my face and neck.
After asking some people why this was happening, I was told that this was the way my body was getting rid of the 'crap' stuff because my body was detoxing (from carbs).
I've been snacking on nuts which are actually oily foods and can make the skin greasy so this could actually be the reason why I have been breaking out in spots.
I have been walking to a lot of my destinations (because I cannot afford travel) so this has been some sort of fitness.

Day 6 (Saturday)
11.04.2015
Breakfast
I had scrambled egg, beans and spinach for breakfast. This was disgusting as I kept biting into egg shells because I have yet not mastered the art of cracking eggs. Normally this breakfast is not so bad. I had a few spoonfuls of blueberry yoghurt which made me somewhat satisfied.

Lunch
This was at Nando's and where I always get my self a portion of chips, I had to settle for just peas and chicken with the sauces. It was not so bad but I have realised I get hungrier faster but I do not feel bloated or disgustingly full.

Dinner
Fish, peas and beans.
FUN!

Throughout the day I had a bottle of water with lemon juice and mint leaves which I kept refilling. Lemon water has a lot of benefits and so do mint leaves and it tastes lovely.

Day 7 (Sunday)
12.04.2015
The last day of the no-carb diet! Wooh. I have actually missed my carbs and I have found that at times I do get a bit annoyed when I'm hungry and when the food is not done on time.
Where we always have a supply of cooked rice and nice curry dishes which my mother takes her precious time in cook, it was rather difficult finding and making something different to eat every day. However, compared to my normal plates of food, this past week, my plate has been looking very colourful. I have been forgetting to actually take pictures of my food :(

Breakfast
It was a beautiful day and I thought about going to the park for a jog but I could not be asked. So I did a 20 minute workout at home and I did sweat! I did a 10 mins 100 squats challenge, a 5 mins ab workout and 5 mins arm workout.
I had a smoothie made of banana. raw nuts, milk and a slice of pear. It was good

Lunch
Salmon and Salad
(I am getting a bit bored of salad... but it's so simple to make)

Dinner
Chicken pieces which were marinaded in jerk chicken flavouring, salad! beans and sweetcorn.
After dinner I did have a few pieces of chocolate with my cuppa tea.

Day 8 (Monday)
13.04.2017
The day I start introducing carbs to my body. I do not think I did this the right way as the carbs I had were mainly Snack-a-Jack BBQ flavoured rice cakes. Other than that and the chocolates I indulged in throughout the day, I did not have any other carbs.

Breakfast
Banana, natural yoghurt, milk and honey smoothie.

Lunch
Nuts, BBQ flavoured snack-a-jacks, celery with lemon and sea salt.
I did not have a proper lunch today and I would not suggest this to anyone because I did actually feel rather tired and less energetic.
My brother was supposed to cook dinner (which is actually defrosting and grilling sausages) but he was not home... so in came Salma to the rescue.

Dinner
This was a late dinner around 11pm whereas for the past week we've had dinner rather early. For some reason, in my household, lunch and dinner time happen whenever we feel like it. 4pm could be lunch time for us and 10pm could be dinner time.
Dinner consisted of lamb sausages, lightly fried red and white onion, peas, sweetcorn, salad and gravy.
Then fresh mint tea to wash that down.

So thats that. 7 full days of no carbs. I have felt good, healthier and food choices have gone wider. I have enjoyed being in control of what I have wanted to put in to my mouth and being strong to not always give in and satisfy my bad cravings. (I did give in here and there but managed to pull myself back together)
I will be going off to Paris this Wednesday and I do not want to stop myself completely from enjoying the goodies and treats out there like their amazing croissants but moderation is key.

My next blog post will be up around Saturday (maybe!!!) and I will update ya'll on what I had in Paris.
I hope I do not come back an 'oompa loompa'.
But I hope to carry on with exercise and good healthy eating when I am back and through the rest of my holidays.

Peace Out

Check out my last blog post on Day 4 & 5
http://salaamsalma.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/health-fitness-day-4-5.html

Instagram:

SalmaKhatun95

SalaamSalma

Health & Fitness Day 4 & 5

It's Friday!!! Which means it has been 5 days since I started this 'No Carb diet'.
I'll be honest, I have not been completely healthy but I have avoided the blatant carbs like white bread, pasta and rice.
My parents live by rice. Apparently, if we do not eat rice at least once a day, we will not be 'healthy' - Dr Parents.

Let me get straight to it.

Day 4 (Thursday)
09.04.2015
Spontaneity is the best way of life. Now that the warm days have arrived it is easier to be spontaneous especially when you have time off. (Like I do from Uni)
Living in London has its perks. Our tourist sights are often a train ride away and although I am a Londoner, I still have so much to see.
So off I went to Tower Hill to enjoy the sun and to sit in a coffee shop to do work. This was a big test as everything was cake, cake and more cake.

Breakfast
After sipping on a toffee cooler at Costa, I was starting to feel hungry. It was only so long that my
breakfast, porridge topped with banana, could last me from 11am to 3pm. Out came an orange, banana, apple and strawberry flakes.
My normal habit is to snack on biscuits, crisps or chocolates and enjoy the few minutes of satisfaction then regret it almost instantly. Not this time! (Just for the record, chocolate is not on the list of food I want to avoid)
Fruits are a good way of satisfying sugary cravings. It is not the same but it does the job.

Lunch
After walking from Tower Hill to Stepney Green, still hungry, I snacked on a peanut bar and a Twister Ice cream. (It was warm and... I actually cannot make an excuse as to why I indulged in this)
Lunch at home was cod fillet fish (frozen) with a side of stir fry, fried in organic olive oil and a side of corn on cob.
Simple and filling.

Dinner
Lunch was a late one so for dinner I was not so hungry but I did get myself a few spoonfuls of Lentil soup (which my mother makes so well) and a few pieces of celery with a drizzle of lemon and Himalayan pink sea salt.
Et voila. Tres fantastique. (I am going Paris next week so it's good practise)

Day 5 (Friday)
10.04.2015
Breakfast

Smoked Salmon, mushroom, cherry tomatoes, spinach, baked beans & avocado. Simple yet filling.











Lunch
The same as yesterday. Fish and stir fry. I am actually starting to run out of things to make.
I was very bad today and consumed loads of sugar. The Egg 'n' Spoon chocolate x2 was not the best way to end a nice meal but I did it. I lost control but by tomorrow, I will be back on track. Let's just call this my cheat day.

After going to Tesco to buy bits n bobs for dinner, I ate two pieces of that new Cadbury chocolate bar. I did not even enjoy it and I felt guilty. This means two more extra sit ups tomorrow as punishment. I struggle to do ten anyway.





Dinner
All those ingredients put together, my sister made an amazing chicken tom yum soup. It was amazing and had all sorts of vegetables.  If you ever have a cold, this soup will do wonders. If you are ever hungry, this soup will fill you up!

5 days done, I have fought temptation, controlled myself and at times I have given in.
But when you are changing your diet, you cannot give certain things up completely. Even carbs, who says they are all bad? Or who says you cannot have it but in a moderate amount. Everything can be eaten in moderation.
2 more days to go on this no carb trend and then I will slowly introduce my body to the good kind of carbs.
Well done to my sister who has been strong throughout and my brother also (he's only had a few pieces of chips here and there and oh pitta bread... but apparently this doesn't really count)

Peace Out

Check out Day 2 & 3
http://salaamsalma.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/health-fitness-2.html

Instagram:

SalmaKhatun95

SalaamSalma

Health & Fitness Day 2 & 3

I am a night time blogger so when I say I will post something on Wednesday, it will either be in the evening or after the clock has struck past midnight, which means I have actually posted on Thursday.

But it is not a new day until you fall asleep then wake up right?

So carrying on from my Monday post about my 'No Carb' intake. 

Day 3 has just passed and I must say, I have not suffered at all. 

I thought by day 2 I would be having a meltdown, breakdown, mid life crisis, all sorts, but I am glad to say 'I am fine!'

Day 2 (Tuesday)

07.04.2015

Breakfast

After a short jog around the park on Monday I woke up on Tuesday morning unable to move without pain. After all, it has been a long time since I've put any of my muscles to use. The pain was a good kind of pain like a 'pain equals to gain' kinda pain.  

Breakfast

This was porridge with cashew nuts & almonds. 

I attempted a 10 minutes ab- workout but died a little after the first 2 minutes. (I made up for it by cleaning my room all evening)

After this 'workout' I downed a small cup of fruit and veg smoothie: Celery, Cucumber, ginger, lemon, spinach leaves (and a few other things which I have forgotten)

My sister told me as she made this 'it's not about the taste, think of the benefits of it'. 

Smoothie

I was no PopEye but it felt healthy. 

Lunch

A simple tuna salad: Tomatoes, lettuce, spinach leaves, onions, celery, lemon, sea salt and tuna. 

Dinner

When my brother did the meat shopping (The big boy shopping), he bought chicken, lamb and a packet of frozen kebabs in case we had a relapse. 

It was only day 2 but we dived into those kebabs as though we had suffered enough. The sides were not so bad though: Corn on cob, peas and surprise surprise, Salad!!!

Tuna Salad

Nonetheless. Day 2 went rather well. 

Day 3

08.04.2014

Breakfast

More like brunch as I was out in the morning and did not have time for breakfast. 

This was an omelette with mushrooms, onions and sweetcorn.

Lunch 

I decided to walk to Stratford where the Olympic Park is from home. This walk is 2.3 miles (according to google maps). Once we were there, lunch was at 'The Grill'. I love eating out and I always get my main with a side of chips or rice, but not this time. 

Lamb chop, chicken, chicken wing & sausage. Not bad ey? I just watched the people around me indulge in the chips and carb loaded naan bread and not once did I feel tempted. After walking around, window shopping, chilling at the Olympic park it was time for the 2.3 miles walk back home again. 

Once home, I decided to go swimming. After doing a few laps, I felt it was enough and my shoulder blades are actually aching. But the good kinda pain.

Corn on Cob Cake

Dinner

SALAD!!! with Mackerel fish. This isn't dinner material so in came the corn on cob an hour later.

All in all, Day 3 went well. 

11 more days to go... Will I manage!? Next blog post will be on Friday (night)

Peace Out

(And thank you to all those who have been supporting me and advising me. I really do appreciate it and it motivates me to do stay determined and not lose focus on my goals)

Check out my blog post from Day 1

http://salaamsalma.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/health-fitness.html

Instagram:

SalmaKhatun95

SalaamSalma

Health & Fitness

I am back again!

This time with something a little different. No politics, no poetry, no opinion posts.
I am here with my journey through health and fitness.

Background
Everyone has a relationship with food and fitness. We either love it or we hate it.
As a a child I was really active and ran around endlessly but by 2002 I started becoming a 'chubby bunny'.
I was not lazy but I had a romantic relationship with food!!! I loved it!
I always thought 'When I grow up I will become slim by going to the gym' because this is the change I saw with one of my sister's. I come from a sporty family where all my siblings take part in sports and one is a fitness instructor. But my lack of determination to make a healthy change has got me no where.
Having fast food joints on my way home from school where I would indulge in the deep fried chicken wings and chips did not help! Especially with it being really cheap.

Growing up, I have tried cutting out the junk food from my diet but I could not go on for too long. I was weak! During secondary school I was sporty but hid myself in baggy clothes thinking it would hide the fat. But nu-uh. It made me look bigger.
The only time I lost three quarters of a stone within a week was in 2009 when I had the swine flu. This is when I plucked up the courage to buy my first ever skinny jeans.
Since the beginning of secondary school I have done runs (as I am pretty decent in long distant running) with my first being a 3k kids run which I beat my sister in. I started doing 5ks and by 2010 I had done a 10k.

During college, my fashion had become a little better and I was wearing clothes which fit me. This helped me look a little better. I also joined the gym and was there for  two years. Though I had not lost much weight, I saw the change my body had gone through. I was starting to develop a womanly figure. Jumpers which fit me really well during the first year of college started to fit slightly loosely by second year. I even needed belts to keep my jeans up.

First half marathon with the sisters.
(Not the most decent image)

In my second year I did a half marathon (the worst run I have done due to the weather). I ran the first
9 miles without stopping then walked and jogged the rest. I have not done a run since.
After the first year of uni I stopped hitting the gym because I could no longer afford it. I thought I would stay active by doing exercise at home but I had no motivation. I tried doing squats every once in a while but my lazy attitude got the better of me.

I've just come to the end of my second year of uni and I have realised, I have not been to the gym properly since last year July. My bingo wings, third chin, wobbly thighs are making an appearance and I am afraid I will be developing kankles soon if I do not do anything about it.


No Carb diet
I have tried the no Carb diet for a few days before and have seen some changes but I have not carried on with it long enough. I lose momentum really fast.
My brother, sister and I have decided we are going to go two weeks without carbohydrates; the bad kind.
Carbs often turn to sugar and if not used, it stores as fat. Huge intake of carbs can lead to Diabetes (as many Asians can relate to) and heart diseases and often it leaves us feeling bloated or heavy.

We are going to get rid of foods such as: Bread, Pasta, Rice, Cereals, Biscuits, Potatoes and replace these with proteins and high in vitamin foods such as: meat, fish, chicken, vegetables and salads.
Even if I do not see the pounds drop off, I hope it will make me embrace a healthier lifestyle.

Day 1
06.04.2015
Day 1 was not so bad. My day consisted of exercise, eating, sleeping and working.


For breakfast I had a smoothie with: banana, prunes, cashew nuts and almond mik.
I went for a jog in the park doing two laps and half a lap cycling.






Lunch consisted of a salad: spinach, gherkins, olives, sun dried tomatoes, cashew and pistachio nuts and cucumber with a boiled egg.


To end day 1, dinner consisted of grilled chicken breast with mushrooms, onions and blue cheese with a side of corn on cob and salad.

I was tempted to dive into the cake and custard which was teasing me after dinner but I stayed strong. Will power!!!
(To be honest, my weak side got me having the custard but with fruits, so I didn't fail completely)



Only 13 more days to go with a no carbs. (I will try the first seven days then see if I can manage the second week)

Follow my journey through the next two weeks. I will be posting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Remember one thing, before making changes, learn to love and appreciate yourself.

Peace out!

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