Trinity Operation Transformation Leaders
Paula Dempsey: Student Leader
I'm a new ex-smoker and I am overweight.
I was previously quite fit but two things happened, I returned to education, had very little time to myself and then I was in a car accident in which I hurt my back badly. Then the weight crept back on. Now is the time for me to get back into the fitness saddle.
My family and friends are all behind me in this endeavour, and I'm sure I can inspire them and others around campus to get active every day. I know it will be tough and I will end up with a sore body, but I'll also enjoy it and enjoy getting others involved.
I'm looking forward to sweating my ass off in the name of longevity.
Sports Centre Mentor: Caitriona Dixon, meet for short sessions on Monday, Wednesday
Final update
In typical fashion, I’m sick for this last week. Been struck down with a chest infection. So I’ve not been in the gym at all since last Sunday. This will not deter me and have me return to old habits however. Removing sugar from my diet has been a revelation, I’m not as strict as I have been but I now appreciate how ubiquitous it is in every food we eat and how nasty and insidious it is, so I will keep it to a minimum, removing sugar is the single biggest lesson I’ll take from this journey.
My daily diet still consists of nuts, yogurts, lots of fruit and veg and lean meats, I’ve cut cheese to a minimum and that's a killer for me. I ❤ cheese! Given my current health status I’m on the sweet potato and ginger soup - it's like an internal hug.
For the future, well I’m back loving exercise again, the difference it makes to my mental and physical health is awesome, I do think it should be prescribed by doctors! So I won't be giving it up anytime soon. Catriona has been nothing short of fabulous, both as a cheerleader and as moral encouragement, I don't think I’d be lifting as much weights if it wasn't for her. It's been fun and challenging but I’m going to keep it up. Next up, the mini Marathon in May…
I haven't set foot on a scales since last week so I cannot update you on anymore weight loss, but I can tell you something I can see – no more bingo wings! The guns are back….
Goal Week 4
I’m going to keep on the sugar detox for another week and you never know, it may be a permanent change! I will continue going to the gym 2/3 days per week and keep up the running.
Progress Week 3
3.5kgs down! I’m shocked, cutting sugar really works! I’m in my second week and yes I have fallen off the sugar wagon a couple of times but now I’m tasting it in everything, wraps are gone, way way too sweet, jam – even sugar free jam is making me feel sick and I’m loving clementines! There is a down side, last Saturday I felt rotten, my stomach was in knots and very upset, I had the shakes, cold sweats and generally was unwell. Come Sunday I felt so bad I missed Choir. I was worried but then I consulted the interweb and it would appear my symptoms were consistent with sugar detox and I would get through it in days.
Catriona has been putting me through my paces in the gym I’m lifting weights again and I’m running every time I’m there – currently 2/3 days per week and I’m seeing the result, the inches are still coming off, I’ve lost another half inch off my hips and one off my waist, my arms are getting bigger, but that's muscle. Oh and my bingo wings are now more like chicken wings!
Food wise it's fresh all the way. On Sunday evening I made a massive pot of vegetable soup, that's me for lunches this week, I’m also bringing my little pots of fruit and nuts with me everywhere. Dinners have been a chilli stuffed aubergine ( I used the slimming world recipe I found online), bakes fish with brown rice and veg and omelette pizza ( instead of a bread base its omelette based).
Goal Week 3
I will continue with my sugar detox and going to the gym 4-5 times per week.
Progress Week 2
Having been so ill last week and considering the amount of antibiotics I was on I have decided to detox sugar and general rubbish from my diet. So I did some research and then I did more. Talk about information and disinformation! Eventually I found a blog which did seem to be quite normal and not too stringent.
http://www.katequitsugar.com. So I am going to try to stick to vegetables, fruit, fish and chicken only this week with liters and liters of water.
No sugar, nothing with added sugar or any syrup or –ose. Only naturally occurring sugars, turns out it's quite restrictive to cut sugar completely from your diet.
The week started well. I was alright, hit the gym, worked up a sweat. I’ve been steaming my evening meals, had salmon with dill and lemon, baby potatoes, carrots and broccoli twice this week (the veg was Aldi super saver 49c each!) and Chicken with ginger and spring onion, also steamed. I bring a small tub of almonds everywhere with me and fruit and my bottle of water. Despite being so good I have yet to see a loss above 1kg on the scales, when I saw this last Friday, I broke and went and had a burrito and later a scone!
Before I started this journey I took measurements of my hips, belly, arms and thighs. I had forgotten this in my annoyance with my lack of weight loss, in honesty my goal was never weight loss, I wanted to remember and enjoy feeling strength and stamina in my body and not have bingo wings. I found the measurements last night, my hips have gone down 2 inches, as has my waist, I’ve lost an inch off both arms and off both thighs. The moral of the story? Muscle weighs more than fat, sometimes it might not look like you are getting results from your hard work when you step on the scales, inch tapes don't lie.
Goal Week 2
I'll continue to go to the gym 4-5 times per week. I'll be doing Pilates and Weights and I want to do a swimming session this week. I'll run every night for one hour with Maisie. She's loving Operation Transformation.
Goal Week 1
- I'll be meeting Caitriona on Mondays and Wednesdays.
- I will train three times a week doing running, cross training and weights
- I will prepare lunches for the whole week on Sundays. It takes about 1.5 hours. I'll make 5 sandwiches and soup for 5 days and put them in the freezer so I can just take them out on the way out the door in the morning.
Progress Week 1
I couldn't do a weigh in yesterday because the scales in the Sports Centre are out of action but I think my weight is about the same which is disappointing but I didn't just start TOT to lose weight so I'm focusing on my fat to muscle ratio. I had a dental disaster last week so didn't do much exercise but healthy eating went really well because all I could eat was my homemade sweet potato soup (recipe below)!
I'm meeting Caitriona for two short sessions per week. I do the easy stuff myself and she helps me with the harder work outs. I did pilates or weights with her. I run every night with my dog Maisie.
Long Term Goal
My goal for this transformation is to feel stronger in my body and healthier in general.
Benefits of Being Healthier (Recorded Week 1)
- I will feel stronger in my body
- I will be better able to deal with stress
- Being healthier and more active will improve my mental health
Barriers to Being Healthier (Recorded Week 1)
- I generally do OK for a few weeks but then don't do as well
- Time is going to be an issue. I have a lot of assignments to so I have to make sure I make time to be healthy