fashion friday fail

September 19, 2011Leave a comment

So it occurs to me that I made a mistake on Friday and never uploaded Sal’s fashion feature, what makes it even more sucky is that it is actually a kind of deam board for how I want my hair to look soon! and I didnt share it with you guys on Friday like I hoped, but hey better late than never . . .

What I wore…almost all the time

September 17, 20112 Comments

So I haven’t done an outfit post in a while and now I’m going to share why…. Thing is, recently I have been quite sick so my dressing gown has become my favourite “outfit”. It’s warm and comfy and my ideal saturday morning wear 🙂

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DEADLY DEADLINE

September 15, 2011Leave a comment

I’m having such a hectic day so no update today, well nothing interesting and this is why:

Banish the bloating, please!!!! :(

September 14, 2011Leave a comment

I’ve been struggling with hectic bloating recently and it made me think of an interview I did last year sometime, I spoke to a dietician about helping woman get in shape and she gave me some good advice on getting a flat tummy and banishing bloating. For the article we did the basics, but she told me much more than I could put in story, here is everything she had to say about bummy tummies.

Muffin top. Every women’s biggest fear. We spend a lot of time looking for a quick fix to get rid of our extra fat – especially around the tummy area. What we do not know, is that there are several factors that contribute to an ironing board tummy. You cannot do one without the other. These include eating healthy, decreasing your stress levels as well as exercise. Unfortunately, we tend not to balance the three as we should, sometimes resulting in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The symptoms of IBS may include alternating diarrhoea and constipation, abdominal distension and discomfort, flatulence and bloating, just to mention a few. Your tummy will look bigger than what it actually is, due to winds and gas building up. Constipation may also add extra unnecessary kilograms to your weight.

Adding fibre to your diet will help you to achieve regular bowel movement. Start your day off with a high-fibre breakfast like oats, yoghurt and fruit or a slice of wholegrain bread with an egg or peanut butter. You need to eat at least 4-5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily to achieve the desired 25-30g of fibre per day. Always choose foods that are wholegrain or whole wheat. Brown rice, lentils, humus, soya, whole wheat pasta and beans are very high in fibre. Snack on popcorn or whole wheat crackers like Provita rather than potato crisps.

Fibre must be introduced slowly to your diet as it may cause bloating if you do not drink enough fluids. It is important to remember that fibre acts like a sponge, absorbing a lot of water. This is why it is necessary to increase your fluid intake as well. Water, tea or coffee, juice and cold drinks contribute to your fluid intake which should ideally be 20-30ml/kg per day. Optimal fluid intake can prevent constipation.

Try to avoid too much caffeine. Rooibos tea does not contain caffeine and is a better alternative to normal tea or coffee. If you need your daily dose of caffeine, limit it to three cups per day. Unfortunately, chocolate and certain cold drinks also contain caffeine, so be aware of these and choose better alternatives.

Avoid excessive dietary fat and limit your sugar intake. It is true that too much fat makes fat. That is why it is important to choose the better fats like avocado, olive or canola oil, nuts or peanut butter instead of butter or cream. When you eat sugary foods like sweets or chocolates, your blood glucose levels will rise very quickly and you may feel great at first, but this feeling will only last a few minutes before your blood glucose levels will suddenly drop and leave you feeling cranky and exhausted. This is where the low GI foods come in.

When you eat food that has a low GI, you will feel fuller for longer. You can keep your blood sugar levels steady by eating low GI foods because the sugars are absorbed more slowly into the blood stream. A lot of the high fibre foods have a low GI as well as certain fruit and vegetables. You can lower the GI of your meal by adding a protein like an egg, yoghurt or low fat milk to the meal.

Eat a balanced meal consisting of carbohydrates, protein and fat. Do not exclude a certain food group. Try to always opt for the low fat options. Regular small meals are preferable if you struggle with IBS. Also, research indicates several benefits for your gut if you supplement probiotics to your diet.

Manage your stress and anxiety levels. You tummy will feel so much better and less bloated. This is why exercise is so important. One of the many benefits from exercise is decreased stress levels so by doing regular exercise, you will keep the blues at bay.

It is best to avoid excessive use of laxatives, because it can replace the natural function of your bowel causing your body to get dependant on it. Always try to manage constipation with healthy eating and exercise before you take drastic measures.

Abdominal fat is a risk factor for certain chronic diseases like heart disease. When you eat healthy foods, engage in regular exercise, manage your stress levels and have regular bowel movements, your tummy will not only feel better, but also look flatter which will result in a happier you.

Written by Lize Bredell RD(SA)

Information on the dietitian.

My name is Lize Bredell (neé Norval). I am a registered dietitian and obtained my BSc Dietetics degree from Stellenbosch University in 2006. I’ve been in the Eastern Cape since 2007 when I had to establish a Dietetics Department at Humansdorp Hospital. I am also doing some private work on the side and serve on the Eastern Cape branch of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA) with my portfolio being communication and public relations. Please visit www.adsa.org.za for more details. I only recently got married and in my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and living life.

Tuesdays are Shoesdays, blogger alert: I’m embracing style

September 13, 2011Leave a comment

Today I’m showcasing one of my all time fav bloggers, Anthea from Embracing Style. I love her because she is not a designer or a fashion writer just this really cool chick who loves fashion and knows what she’s talking about.

Here is what she had to say:

1. You are:

Anthea from www.embracingstyle.co.za

2. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

About 40 pairs

3. Why do you think a great pair of shoes has such an effect on women?

I think it is because shoes are much easier to buy than clothing. It can sometimes be so hard to find the right dress to flatter you and cover your wobbly bits. You can always find a gorgeous pair of shoes and not worry if it is making your bum look big.

4. Which shoe are you still searching for?

I’m still searching for Swedish Hasbeens or look alikes!

5. Which shoe can’t you believe you actually wore

There was this crazy pair of platform boots I wore when I was 15. They were so risque at the time. I was trying to be different.

6. Fav shoe/style quote

“Tights are not pants!” by Blair Waldorf (Gossip Girl)
Anthea’s shoes….

So what did you get up to?

September 12, 2011Leave a comment

This weekend, I went to a fun kiddies party, then stayed to help clean up, then went to a Rocker Billy themed birthday party with some good friends and woke up on Sunday morning to go out for a picnic lunch with my husband.

NO I DID’NT

That was the plan, but it ended up with me waking up on Saturday morning looking like I was four months pregnant (yes I often exaggerate, but you can ask any of my family members-I LOOKED BAD!) I was bloated so much nothing fit me, and the clothes that did fit, actually hurt because it was just that tight.
I knew that the new meds the doctor has me on (I’m on this seven day intense thing to try and rectify what the last set of meds messed up) would have side effects, I just didn’t know I would end up looking like a beer loving middle aged man with a thing for rugby.

I went to the kiddies party though because I felt ok, just looked odd. It was a big Spongebob SquarePants’ party and had the works, bubble machine, jumping castle and loads of food, the kiddies (including Taylor) were in HEAVEN.

The party was for my buddy, Hein’s son (yes, that, Hein) Riley. Riley is just the cutest little thing, such a pity I couldn’t stay long, I had a snack actually I had loads of snacks, but one of the snacks got into an argument with my already moody tummy and I was forced to go home early, I felt and looked so awful, so I left and couldn’t go to the rocker Billy party for Karen that evening 🙁 even though I had the cutest outfit picked out 🙁

But hey I’m feeling better today and I’m hoping against hope that when I go to the doctor for my check-up later this week, everything will be ok, seriously not liking the being sick thing, it’s sooooo last year.