Today's my original goal-weight date

After I started the Sleekgeek Reboot programme on 8 Jan this year, and saw the rate at which I was losing weight, I set two goals:  to lose 10kg by the Jazz Festival (CTIJF), and to lose a total of 15,7kg by 30 June 2018 - TODAY!!

The good news is that I exceeded the interim goal by a little bit, which blew my mind! I'd lost 10,2kg in under three months, and I was convinced I'd have no problem losing the remaining 5,5kg within the next three months.

So, here we are, it's 30 June, and I am 3,7kg from my goal weight. And how do I feel? I feel just fine! My weight loss has slowed down, and I'm simply continuing, because this is my new normal, and not a temporary thing. So at this stage, I'm continuing with my programme and won't be too hooked on the date. All I know is, I WILL achieve my goal weight, just on a different date. :-) 

The really cool thing is that this journey was originally about tackling one area of my life in which I felt stuck, in order to start liberating myself in other areas. How's that going? Really well. Am I learning principles and techniques that would serve me well in other challenges I'll be tackling? Indeed!

What is the biggest lesson about NOT having reached my goal weight by the goal date? It is that  some of the trimmings we attach to goals are not nearly as significant as the many other wonderful lessons we learn along the way and the longer-term, more lasting changes we undergo when we take a leap of faith and choose to break patterns that no longer serve us.

Will I reach my goal weight by the end of July? August? Before my birthday, in September? I don't know.

What I do know is that, for as long as I am able to choose my thoughts, I will wake up every day, uttering this affirmation: "It's a new day, and I commit to healthy choices - just for today."

                                       Healthy food choices for my day at work - June 2018

Thinking about parties

Today, a group of people who'd worked together in a different office until recently, threw a surprise birthday party for someone in the group. We all had to be in the venue before he got there, obviously, to shout SURPRISE, so we made our way to the room and waited for him. This was round about lunch time and for the previous hour I'd been literally salivating at the thought of connecting with my healthy lunch that I'd made last night - my yumscious chicken, my salad and my sweet potato chips. But I had been called to the venue with no time to heat my lunch, so off I went, to celebrate the life of a really cool colleague.

The table was laden with cake, cake and more cake, Oh, and some sweet pastries and some biscuits. And to drink? Fizzy cooldrinks. I had a dilemma - I wasn't interested in anything on offer, but I didn't want to look like I wasn't part of the party. It took me just a few seconds to get over the dilemma - which wasn't a dilemma after all: I just didn't eat or drink anything. I was at peace with my decision (which was more of a realisation than a decision). I chatted here and there, and a few people commented, thinking I was too shy to dish. Eventually people realised I wouldn't be eating anything, and they quickly got over their concern.

But something I gathered, from certain comments, was that the impression most people had was that I was standing there, craving the cake with all my might, but that my will power was so strong, that I could say no. That's not it at all. I was just not interested. I have, in fact, achieved a very important personal goal, and I am super chuffed: I am switched off those kinds of things. It's like being offered something I'm allergic to.

Don't get me wrong - I have indeed partaken of the mighty Oreo (my daughter's favourite biscuit) in recent weeks; the bigger picture is, I like my routine, it makes perfect sense to me, and when I'm hungry, I don't want to eat anything other than my healthy food. Besides, it's always so lekker, man! :-)   

It got me thinking about alternative ways to cater for a party. Hmmmm......

Facebook post at breakfast time

"It's a new day, and I commit to healthy choices - just for today."  Trudy Rushin :-)

My breakfast of choice, as I revise my way of living, and move towards things that make more sense to me: oats, cooked with some chia seeds (protein-rich), a few dabs of butter, a few slices of banana, a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and a small drizzle of honey. 

You may be surprised that I look forward to this meal - I celebrate the new day, and give thanks that I am fortunate enough to eat breakfast every day and that I have a choice.

Peace to you all.

It's as complicated as you make it

Something that many people ask for, when they start out on the Sleekgeek 30-Day Reboot eating plan, is a meal plan. (The Sleekgeek team are happy to supply you with one. Just ask.) Personally, I love the freedom to check out the Allowed and Allowed-in-moderation lists and come up with my own interesting and tasty combinations. I think it's because I'm easily bored, and yes, ''creative''.

I can assure you that ALL my friends and family reading this are thinking, "But wait.... aren't you the one who hates cooking?!" Guess what - not anymore!

So, one of the things I do every evening is prepare the next day's lunch and snacks. I eat what's allowed (with a few minor exceptions*), and I have fun - I love different textures and colours, and even temperatures.

I make sure my lunch has protein, then I add salad, and occasionally a hot veg. For my morning snack, I have nuts (protein = brain food) and when money's too tight for nuts, I must admit, I snack on Salticrax*. Plain, and not the whole box, asseblief!

My afternoon snack, which I usually eat in the car on my way home, is sliced fruit.

By the time I get to work, I look like I'm about to give  a Tupperware demonstration.

So, here's my stuff for tomorrow:

Top left - salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber and yellow pepper). Top right - sliced apples and oranges.
Bottom left - oven roasted sweet potato chips. Bottom right - Yumscious Chicken!

Tonight I did a small variation on a theme, to produce my Yumscious Chicken:
1. I melted coconut oil in a pan. (We cook with coconut oil most of the time.)
2. I made a smoortjie with garlic, red pepper and tomato. Seasoned with salt.
3. I set the smoortjie aside, leaving a bit in the pan.
4. I sliced two chicken breasts (enough for two meals) into little strips, and seasoned them with salt, pepper and a dash of sweet chili sauce.*
5. I  added more coconut oil to the pan, turned the heat up, and tossed the chicken in.
6. When the chicken looked nice and happy, I put the smoortjie back in the pan, and added some chopped fresh dhanya and a little bit of coconut milk. Voila! Yumscious Chicken!   

Remember I said one of my 6 rules was to enjoy every day of my life? Well, can you see why?
It's as complicated as you make it. I really can't wait to eat my lekker lunch and snacks tomorrow.

(Oh my word, I feel like a food blogger!)

How I lost 12kg in 5 & a half months

As with any change that anyone succeeds at implementing, there are many factors that contribute to  successful weight loss. Even when a number of people follow the same plan/programme, the participants could all have different results, because of these factors.

I will share my story with you. And that’s all it is – my story. If any part of it sparks something in you, to tackle a challenge you’ve been considering, that’s very cool.  

1.       I’d been feeling dissatisfied with my weight for a while, and knew I’d reached an all-time  low, when I started dreading looking at photos of myself.

2.       I watched, throughout 2017, as a friend who had changed her eating habits, steadily lost 33kg in one year. (Her name is Chantel Erfort Manuel.)  

3.       I admitted to myself that I needed to make a DRASTIC change, to address my situation.

4.       I acknowledged that I needed HELP.

5.       I approached Chantel to be my COACH; she was someone I TRUSTED, and someone who’d been through what I was about to embark on. She’d basically proved to me what was possible.

6.       I decided to try the same programme she had successfully used - no need to reinvent the wheel.

7.       I started with the Sleekgeek 30-day Reboot programme, to rewire my brain and body.

8.       Within a few days, I started feeling the benefits, and I knew that this was right for me. 

9.       The enjoyed the foods on the Allowed list, and realised that I could actually sustain this way of eating.

10.   I also realised that I needed to ‘’Trudify’’ it a bit, to make it something that I could stick to for the rest of my life: I basically included a few items on the Not Allowed list, because I believed I could still be healthy eating/drinking them: I ate oats for breakfast, legumes as my main source of protein and I added milk to my coffee.

11.   My coach created a WhatsApp group for the 13 people who'd started on the same day, 8 Jan 2018.

12.   I joined a Facebook support group (Sleekgeek Reboot Support), where people on the programme shared their recipes, experiences, challenges and successes. Never underestimate the power of photos!!!

These groups became an important part of my journey. I liked the fact that I could check in with other people, read their stories, and still pursue my authentic journey. I liked the fact that I didn’t have to GO anywhere – everything was just a click away. But the hard work was still up to each of us, as individuals.

13.   I loved being free to tailor-make the Sleekgeek programme to my unique preferences.

14.   I made a conscious decision to ENJOY EVERYTHING I ATE, so I prepared meals with INGREDIENTS I ENJOYED EATING. (I still do, and I look forward to every meal. This is a great approach, I find. I have NO intention of suffering!)

15.   I did the mental exercises I needed, to keep myself motivated and inspired.

16.   I watched motivational Youtube talks.

17.   I read inspiring books. (Am busy re-reading The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron.)

18.   I WROTE ALL THE TIME, reflecting on my achievements, talking myself through my challenges, and setting new goals. (Writing/journalling has always been my best way of processing life’s ups and downs.)

19.   I shared my success story with whomever was interested. I share the Sleekgeek website  (http://www.sleekgeek.co.za/reboot/) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/SleekgeekREBOOT/)  as often as I can.

20.   I have taken PHOTOS, throughout my journey, to keep track of my progress. (This is very important, because you will plateau and you will be tempted to think you’re a failure – that’s when you need to look at your pics, to get some perspective.)

6 Jan 2018: 84,7kg

9 June 2018: 72,6kg

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I’d like to add these three points:

- I’ve been clear, from the start, that THIS WAS JUST ONE AREA OF MY LIFE WHERE I HAD BECOME STUCK. I chose the most difficult one, to prove to myself that I was capable of making meaningful change in my life, and that I could do so while remaining true to myself. I didn’t have to become someone else. I believed that if I could nail this one, I could tackle other parts of my life where I felt stuck; I would just apply the same principles.

- Even before I started the Sleekgeek lifestyle, I used to read people’s weight loss stories, and something saddened me: many people, despite having lost weight, or even having reached their goal weights, still had very low self-esteem, and carried the scars of the years of ridicule and discrimination they’d endured, as a result of being overweight.  I told my coach my view on this: I believe that a parallel process of psychotherapy is necessary, when on a weight loss programme.  If not psychotherapy, then a similar process that helps the person re-align the self-image/esteem with the physical changes. Things change, and you need to be comfortable with who you are becoming, as you lose weight. (On a deeper level, losing weight will not make you happier if there are serious emotional/psychological issues you need to work through.)

- Thirdly, and most importantly, the way we feel about our bodies is a very personal matter. I chose to lose my excess weight, gained over 24 years, because I was not comfortable. I do not want this to be confused with fat-shaming. This is my personal choice for myself. As my friends and colleagues will attest, I never criticise other people’s bodies or meal choices. It’s inappropriate.

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This is my list of 6 Trudy Rules, since 08/01/18:

1.       Eat a low-carb, sugar-free diet, with a focus on fresh food and a move away from  processed foods.

2.       Drink lots of water and green tea.

3.       Exercise three times a week. (I dance in my room for +- 45 minutes.)

4.       Do the mental work to support the physical activity of eating healthily. (I do Mind Power exercises, watch motivational videos and read inspiring articles and books.)

5.       Write, throughout the process.

6.       Enjoy every day of my life.

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TWO important things that help me stay on track:

i) Eat five meals a day, roughly three hours apart.

ii) Be prepared – I shop with a plan, prepare my meals ahead of time, and take a healthy snack with me in case I’m delayed somewhere. Every night, I prepare my lunch for the next day at work.

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A typical day’s meals:

Breakfast: oats cooked with some chia seeds, eaten with a few dabs of butter, sliced banana and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. Ok, I sometimes add honey (Not allowed!).

Mid-morning snack: A handful of nuts & seeds from Allowed list. I sometimes add raisins, sultanas or dates.

Lunch: Stir-fried chicken strips (in butter, with spices of my choice), on a bed of salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, yellow pepper, dhanya, whatever). At work, I re-heat the chicken and toss it with the salad veg. Oh, and I add a bit of mayo (Not allowed! I need to learn to make paleo mayo).

                  Lunch: hot chicken,  bit of smoortjie and a basic salad. And mayo! Mmmm!

Mid-afternoon snack: Sliced fruit. I prepare this the night before - usually apples and oranges. I’ve been getting really hungry in winter, so I often take a banana to work.

Supper: Can either be exactly what I had for lunch (depending on how much chicken I prepared) or some other kind of protein (sautéed chickpeas, for example), a smoortjie ( I love!) and hot veg. I have grown to equate healthy-meals-that-make-me-happy with salad, so I eat salad with lunch and supper.

                         Supper: salad, chicken strips, smoortjie and roasted butternut strips.

I drink water throughout the day, and enjoy hot drinks as well.

I am not enjoying winter, and can’t wait for it to end!!! 

And that’s that!

Don’t say I keep things to myself! 😊

Goodbye to a matriarch

Three days ago, the oldest member of my extended family passed away. My mother’s eldest sister, Aunty Helen, passed on to the next realm on 9 June, at the age of 90. Three weeks earlier, we’d all got together to celebrate her milestone birthday. My aunt leaves behind four children, four grandchildren, and two greatgrandchildren. No matter how old you are when you lose a parent, and no matter the parent’s age, it’s a devastation like no other. I feel so sad for my cousins, Jenny, Pam, Pat and Andy Wrankmore.

In recent years, Aunty Helen’s health deteriorated, and she became like a different person. Unlike the chatterbox I’d known her to be throughout my life, she became very quiet. You could see she loved being around the family, but her days of actively participating were over, as she silently watched and listened to everything around her. 

In the 1970s, my aunt played a big role in our lives, when she gave us accommodation, in the garage of their Bo Kaap home, for almost four of my high school years. We had electricity, but no running water, so we shared their bathroom. My mom used wardrobes to divide the space into a bedroom and a kitchen, and we used a plastic basin for washing up. And that’s where we stayed, until my mom could afford to rent a place somewhere else. I remember how excited my sister and I were to have a bedroom! That was in Std 9. We moved twice that year, because the first landlord was a con artist: we stayed in his place, in Wetton, without electricity and water for three months, before my mom accepted that he’d had no intention of honouring his word! People can be really despicable!

I didn’t realise it at the time, but my aunt and her family helped us through one of the toughest times our family had experienced.  The interesting thing was, because my mom was such a nothing’s-gonna-get-me-down kind of person, it always felt like an adventure to me, at best, but at other times, just normal.

While we lived there, the cousins who were still in the family home became like siblings to us, and up to today, that’s a bond that can’t be broken. My cousin Andy will always feel like a brother to me; we’re the same age, and he always made me laugh with his slapstick sense of humour.  My cousin Pat, was like another big sister. Even though she’s just five years my senior, I remember hanging around her, watching her get ready to go out, putting on make-up and getting all dressed up. She was a primary school teacher, and she often brought marking home. She had cool friends who were all young teachers, and I remember wanting to be just like them. 

Three weeks ago, when we all gathered to celebrate Aunty Helen’s life, two of her daughters made speeches, sharing the complex emotions they felt whenever they visited their mom at the nursing home. My cousin Pam said, “’The most important thing is, even though Mom doesn’t know who we are, we know who she is.”

As my own mom, aged 88, loses her bearings in the blur of Alzheimer’s, those are words of wisdom on which I should anchor myself.     

    Standing, L-R: Wendy (my sis), me and Aunty Helen. Seated is my mom. Christmas Day 2010.