The title of this post is somewhat deceiving. I'm actually writing this to tell you what NOT to do.
Now, its very, very rare that I'll suggest to someone that they shouldn't work out. Its only really in cases of illness, pain etc. that working out can be a BAD idea. However, as I mentioned in this post, the "No-Excuses Jump-Start" Plan is a VLCD and because of this, you need to take it easy.
What I will suggest, is getting into a routine. Once you start exercising every day, you body adjusts and you begin to actually crave it. So set a time, or two, and do a little something each day. Then, when you become comfortable with that, add a little more to your existing routine. This way is so much gentler than what most people do, throwing themselves into full, hardcore routines straight away.
This is what you're going to do. Every day, go for a walk. Just ten minutes. I don't care where, I don't care how fast, I don't care if its pouring and you have to walk around the house. Ten minutes, walking, everyday. I promise, you DO have ten spare minutes (if you want, you can do more, but I wouldn't do more than 45-60 minutes).
The next thing? Stretching. As soon as you wake up. Get up, go to the bathroom, then stretch. No coffee first, no getting dressed first, nothing. If you're completely frazzled and busy in the morning, that's fine, but really try to make time. You can do any kind of simple stretching, but I personally recommend yoga. There are a ton of websites that can show you some soothing beginners poses that won't take more than 15 minutes.
So there. Less than half an hour a day, spaced out if you need too. Setting little, achievable goals is the key to staying motivated, and that's what this is about. When you don't dread your workouts, you'll keep doing them until its second nature and you feel 'off' if you don't do them!
Stay happy!
Love,
Me.
xo
Here she is. Go get 'em.
Links go to actual recipes and a * means there'll be a rough guide down the bottom of the post.
PS. If you're curious about the actual calorie content of the meals, let me know and I can email you the full calorie breakdown of each day/meal/recipe.
Monday
Breakfast
Apple Pie Porridge
Snack
23 almonds
Lunch
Rice Paper Rolls
Snack
1 cup air popped popcorn
Dinner
Char-Grilled Vegetable Stack
Tuesday
Breakfast
Avo Toast (Two slices of wholegrain toast with 1/2 small avocado, mashed, salt and pepper)
Snack
½ an apple with 1 tbsp peanut butter
Lunch
Epic Salad (2 cups mixed leaves, ¼ cup carrot, grated, 1 tomato, sliced, 3 inches of cucumber, sliced, ¼ cup roasted red pepper, sliced, 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, ¼ cup canned chickpeas, ¼ avocado, diced)
Snack
100 calories worth of your favourite yoghurt
Dinner
Bangers and Mash
Wednesday
Breakfast
Cereal (1 cup puffed rice, ½ cup multi-grain cheerios, 1 cup puffed wheat, ½ small banana, 1 cup light soy milk)
Snack
20 large grapes
Lunch
Hearty Sandwich (2 slices wholegrain bread, 2 tbsp hummus, ¼ cup shredded carrot, 1 handful baby spinach, 5 sun dried tomato halves, thinly sliced, 4-5 rings of red onion)
Snack
100 calories worth of your favourite yoghurt
Dinner
Taco Salad
Thursday
Breakfast
Smoothie (1 banana, frozen, 1 cup soy milk, ½ cup strawberries, plenty of ice, ½ tbsp honey)
Snack
23 almonds
Lunch
Soup with roll (Vegetable Soup, tinned/homemade/bought, max 200 calories, with a small wholegrain roll)
Snack
1 cup air popped popcorn
Dinner
Two-mato Pasta Salad
Friday
Breakfast
Avo Toast (Two slices of wholegrain toast with 1/2 small avocado, mashed, salt and pepper)
Snack
2 5in stalks of celery with 1 tbsp of peanut butter each
Lunch
Chunky Vegetable Pasta
Snack
1 small apple, sliced, sprinkled with cinnamon
Dinner
Vegetable and White Bean Stew
Saturday
Breakfast
Simple Pancakes with Strawberry-Almost-Compote
Snack
1 large orange
Lunch
Brown Rice and Vegetable Salad
Snack
Cucumber-hummus bites (1/2 cucumber, sliced into coins, dipped into 3 tbsp hummus)
Dinner
Super Simple Stir-fry
Sunday
Breakfast
Coconut-Banana French Toast
Snack
100 calories worth of your favourite yogurt
Lunch
Baked beans on toast (2 slices wholegrain bread, toasted, topped with 3/4 cup baked beans)
Snack
1 apple
Dinner
Burger with Sweet Potato Fries
So
What do you think?
Stay happy!
Love,
Me.
xo
