a weighty issue

I always get sucked into reading people's comments on news articles, I just can't help it. Often these opinions make we squirm in my chair. "How can people think like this?" I wonder. But I never do anything about it.

Today is different though, today I want to share my opinion.

James Adonis' article in The Age delves into the impact of our ever increasing waistlines on workplaces, based on a report by Deloitte.

But it's not the article I want to respond to, it's the comments. As with any article about obesity there tend to be two major types of responders:

• The fatty-haters that seem to think fat people are lazy, stupid and disgusting
• The fatty-sympathisers that often make excuses for our current trend of constant expansion

Obviously there are responses that don't fit into these two categories, but you get the gist.

Now I'm not going to make excuses about being fat. Yes, sometimes working a 12-14 hour day does stop me from exercising. Yes, sometimes the unhealthy food in the office kitchen does tempt me. But it is my choice to do this job, if I wanted a job that was more flexible or demanded fewer hours, I could probably find one. And no one forces a Freddo into my mouth, I make the choice to eat it. (Although an office fruit bowl could offer a sweet alternative - hint hint.)

But... contrary to popular belief, not all fat people are stupid or uneducated or "unable to be educated". And some of us are well aware that 1kg of broccoli costs less than a bucket of KFC. And! Can you really generalise that a fat person is lazy purely because they are fat?

I am not proud of the situation I am in with my weight, but I am proud of almost everything else about my life. My weight is only one factor that determines who I am. Being 88kg and 164cm, I am technically obese, but I am also much more than that.

There are three big things the "fatty-haters" keep bringing to the forum that really bothers me.
1. Fat people are disgusting
2. Fat people are lazy
3. Fat people are stupid

Firstly, if you are disgusted by fat people, it is you who has a problem not the fat person. You can be concerned about the health and well-being of a fat person, though that can seem condescending, but you shouldn't be disgusted by them. Being disgusted by fat people (or disabled people or people with physical abnormalities) is completely superficial. So as I said before, you are the problem not the fat person.

Also, why do you let it bother you? I personally don't like tattoos and I think a lot of people will regret them in the future, but I am not disgusted by someone because they have chosen to ink their body.

But there are disgusting people out there. Do you know who is disgusting? Men who treat women like a punching bag. Paedophiles. And Collingwood supporters - ok that one is a joke. But you get the point. People should be judged by their actions, not their looks.

Now I can see why people might assume that fat people are lazy, but let's be honest, it is all about priorities. If I am hungry and there is no food in the house, I am not a lazy person, I am a determined person who is going to leave the house to get food.

You couldn't even generalise that all fat people are physically lazy, as there are an abundance of fatties out there that are more active than their thinner counterparts. So it really does come down to balance and priorities. At some point a fat person has ingested more energy-laden food than they have burned, and they haven't done the reverse.

Ah, now the last point is the toughest one for me personally, because a little part of me thinks that I am stupid. (Yes stupid, but not uneducated or unintelligent). Because I have all the knowledge I need to lose weight. In fact, I had this knowledge before I gained the weight. But I have continued behavioural patterns that encourage weight gain. (It does seem a little stupid.)

So this issue doesn't seem to be about smarts so much as it is about capability. Knowledge is only half the battle, you need this willpower to put it all into practice.

Lastly, I know that a lot of these commenters' views are often based on prejudice but there is also some truth to them. Some fat people are lazy and some might be stupid. The same could be said of nearly any subsection of the population. And the statistics might even support these views. But how is that going to help anyone?

So, to the all the fatty-haters and concerned friends/family, thank you for noticing us but your criticism is not very helpful. Here are some suggestions to turn your negative views and concerned thoughts into useful actions.

• Dine together at restaurants or cafes with predominantly healthy options
• Instead of catching up over coffee suggest a walk in the Botanical Gardens
• Don't focus on physical attributes - yours, theirs or anyone else's (we all need to feel more comfortable in our bodies - one of the biggest issues I deal with is constantly feeling uncomfortable in my body, especially during exercise - our bodies are amazing and useful (no matter their size) and should be treated as such)
• Start a social sport team and ask all your friends to join
• Be less obvious - this applies to both disgust and concern - constantly telling someone how concerned you are about their weight really doesn't help
• Focus on the positives - we all have skills and talents, and these should be recognised

Please note that I think people should strive to maintain a healthy body and that being fat shouldn't be considered the 'norm'. But there are plenty of things worse than being fat - let's get some perspective people.

- Dani

time out

Hello to anyone still out there, I am amazed you have stuck around.

I'm writing to let you know that I am feeling very little love for this blog at the moment. Writing about what I eat and when I exercise has started to feel trivial.

It's pretty easy to eat healthier and exercise regularly, but alas I have failed to make these changes. Whether I achieved this or not though, it doesn't deserve front page news. So why should I dedicate a blog to it?

I thought a blog might be a way to motivate myself, to be accountable. But instead of being a motivator, it has often left me angry and frustrated, particularly when I haven't achieved my goals. And when you are the ultimate editor, it's too easy to leave out the 'naughty' behaviours.

In fact, I am currently at my heaviest weight ever. That's pretty conclusive evidence that this blog has not contributed to me achieving my healthy and fitness goals. Now obviously I'm not blaming the blog for gaining weight, that is entirely my fault, but the blog hasn't been a useful tool in helping me to steer myself in a different direction.

So, where does this leave us? My Instagram account will still heavily feature fitness and food related pics and I will probably still write a post every now and then, but it won't be exclusively about health and fitness. Often I feel the need to share my thoughts or opinions about a number of issues, so they'll probably feature a little more often.

I hope you've enjoyed sharing this journey with me, but for now I'll say "see ya later". It's time for a time out.

- Dani

rice paper rolls

Um... why didn't anyone tell me that making your own rice paper rolls is WAY better than buying them?

Ok, some of you probably did tell me that and thanks to an impromptu Asian supermarket trip with my sister, I finally made them!

Delicious and light, rice paper rolls will be a regular feature during lunch from now on. Oh and the best thing about making your own, is that YOU choose the ingredients. I know... it's amazing!

- Dani

lean in

Lean In is a women's empowerment foundation established following the release of Sheryl Sandberg's book Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead. I haven't read this book yet, but I have genuinely enjoyed reading some of the content on the Lean In website. (Check out the 'Letters from Dad'.)

One of the projects started by Lean In is 'What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?', which is based on the following premise...

Studies show that even after college, women are less ambitious than their male peers. They avoid leadership roles. They are afraid to speak up. 

Why do women harbor such fear? Why are they afraid to raise their hands? 

...and it got me thinking.  What would I do if I wasn't afraid?

At first I thought "I'm not afraid", and in the conventional sense, I'm not. But then I realised that there are subtle fears shaping my life. For example, I would love to travel more, but with only 4 weeks annual leave a year, I would probably have to quit my job to truly pursue that goal. And while I really like my job, which is the main reason I haven't just packed and left, I'm also afraid that a prolonged period of travel could negatively effect my future career prospects.

So here is brief list of some of things I would do if I wasn't afraid.

1. Travel the world for 12 months or so

2. Talk to my parents more openly

3. Believe that I can (do anything)

Which then leads me to the question... what would you do if you weren't afraid?

- Dani

cut

While my 'feminist views' tend to focus on the education of women and breaking down social expectations and stereotypes, I felt the need to share with you this confronting video about domestic violence.



Please note that domestic violence does not only occur to women. Many men in Australia are physically assaulted by their partners.

- Dani

starved of love?

Hello,

I'm still alive but both the blog and my health & fitness journey have been starved of love lately.

Never fear, I will be back with gusto soon.



Dani

mini veg frittatas

I recently rediscovered my food processor, and I have to admit, I'm in love.

It can slice, grate, chop... tuck me in bed at night. Ha! Ok, not quite. But it does a lot and what is there not to love about that.

So what to do about my new found love? Get slicing and grating, of course!

Mini veg frittatas
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 carrot, grated
1 zucchini, grated
1/2 brown onion, grated
3 eggs
25g cheese (parmesan, cheddar, ricotta... whatever suits you)
Optional - I added chilli, but you can add herbs instead, just something for a touch more flavour

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a 6 hole muffin pan with paper cases.
2. Cook grated carrot, zucchini and onion (and optional chilli/herbs) in a fry pan for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables soften. (Note - you might want to add some water to assist this process)
3. Lightly whisk three eggs in a bowl and add cooked vegetables.
4. Divide egg and veg mixture evenly between paper cases and sprinkle cheese on top.
5. Bake in oven for approximately 10-15 minutes.

You can serve immediately, keep as a great snack or even a quick breakfast. And you don't need to stick to the recipe, you can use any mix of veggies! (Although I personally love the texture of the shredded carrot and zucchini.)

I used cheddar and chilli in this batch, so each mini frittatas was approx 70 calories.

- Dani

running

Last night I went for a run.

Now this should be a fairly ordinary, regularly occurring sentence. But it isn't.

I used to run a lot. I used to like it.

But I don't particularly like running any more, well not long distances. Put me in a 200m sprint and I'm all smiles, get me to sustain a moderate pace for more than a minute and you've lost me.

The reason I struggle with running is also the reason I try to persist with it. Yes I can go to the gym and do a more varied workout for the same result. (Though my strength is pretty average these days too.) Yes I can do classes. Yes I can do interval training. But I continue to run/jog because it is a mental challenge for me.

Last night though, it was almost too much. I jogged approx 3.5km with a few sprints and walk down thrown in. By the end, the pain in my chest (I'm an asthmatic) nearly brought me to tears. If I'd been able to breath more clearly, I might have cried. Instead I wheezed my way to the bathroom floor and stayed there. I can laugh about it now, but it was a horrible, horrible feeling.

This is why I'm not a 'runner'. This is why fitness and daily exercise are not easy things for me to accomplish, and certainly aren't positive aspects of my life.

If I reach a PB, I feel a sense of accomplishment, of pride. But physically, I always feel wrecked. Mentally, I always feel dejected and disappointed. I know that physiologically we're all supposed to have endorphins, but goddamn where are they?

I'm not using this an excuse, it is something I've pushed through since I was a young girl. But as time becomes more precious and priorities changes, it's easier to push aside the unpleasant things.

So what now?

I'm going to continue to push myself. To keep running.

- Dani

childhood memories

I have been wanting to go back to Point Nepean ever since I first visited those fascinating, albeit slightly haunting, tunnels during a school excursion. So I finally went for what was my fourth Weekend Walkabout.

Point Nepean is surround by water and has loads of history, and could easily have been an appropriate walk for many of the Weekend Walkabout Challenge "themes". But my memories there as a teenagers are still vivid, so childhood memories seemed the perfect fit.

Starting at the Quarantine Station, I had intended to hike up to Fort Nepean and back. However, the thrill of exploration was too great - I find the history, the stories, the remains at Point Nepean fascinating - so by the time I reach Fort Nepean I had already been walking for over 1.5 hours, and I knew I didn't have time for another 1.5 hours. Lucky for me, there is a transporter bus that shuttles people between the major sites. And nothing reminded me of being a child quite like being back on a bus.

I walked 7.73km with an elevation of 341m in 1 hour and 38 minutes. As previously mentioned, I was extremely distracted by the historical sights, so it wasn't a hike so much as an exploration.

The Mornington Peninsula is a beautiful part of the world and I will definitely head back to Point Nepean for future walks - it really has a bit everything (good tracks, interesting sites along the way, beautiful landscapes).

- Dani

just add water

It is good to be flexible every now and then, so when I was asked to drive to Seafood on Saturday, I decided to go with it. This meant that instead of visiting the Gold Heritage Trail at Warrandyte State Park for 'a touch of history', I headed to the Seaford foreshore.

Seaford Pier - the starting location

Though the Seaford foreshore walking track doesn't have the most alluring scenery or challenging elements, it was a suitable substitute.

It is very flat and fairly sandy, and unfortunately very close to a main road. But there a couple of information signs with facts about the area, which keeps things a little educational.

Rather than walk up and down the same path, I crossed the Nepean Highway and headed back along the Kananook walking trail, which runs along Kananook Creek.

The Kananook walking trail is also lacking a little edge, but there were ducks aplenty, which entertained me greatly (much more than it probably should have).

I covered 8.35km in an hour and a half, but due to the flat terrain, only burned approx 700 calories.

As was evident by the number of locals walking/jogging along the foreshore, this walk demonstrates that you don't need to drive out to a National Park to find a reasonable walking trail. And while I am currently enjoying exploring new areas, this is probably not sustainable in the long term (at least not every weekend).

So get out there, enjoy the outdoors. I cannot express how happy I am that I set this challenge for myself. It is pushing me to do more outside and I'm really enjoying it. Sometimes it is nice to do something just for fun.

- Dani

learn your macros

I know this post is going to have about... 0% impact on this problem, but I might feel just a little bit better if I get this off my chest.

Please people, do not use the word "carbs" generically. 

There are three primary macronutrients: protein, fat and carbohydrates. These are the basic building blocks of all food.

Macronutrients can be further categorised, for example, the two main forms of carbohydrates are sugars and starches. (There is, of course, more molecular detail you could delve into, but for the purpose of this argument I'm keeping it simple.)

So when anyone posts a picture of vegetables and says that they are having a "no carbs day", they are lying. While vegetables are a mix of carbohydrates, fat and protein, from a nutritional perspective, they are predominantly carbohydrates - all of them.

Furthermore, perpetuating the idea that one macro should be removed from your diet completely is ridiculous. We all need a combination of all three.

Rant over.

If want to learn a bit more about carbohydrate intake (specifically for athletes) - read this.

(I do not endorse a low-carb diet, but if you want 'low-carb' veggies, choose ones with a high water content.)

- Dani

matters of the mind and the heart

As I have mentioned on Instagram (@withaflugelhorn), mental health is just as important as physical health. So here is a little piece I have written for those that might be facing a few personal challenges in the romance department.

Matters of the mind and the heart are often very complicated. It's part of what makes us human.

Of course I am talking about the metaphorical heart, our 'emotional centre', not the cardiac organ beating within our chest.

While logic might dictate one pathway, often our emotions lead us down another. This seems most common in the pursuit of romantic love, although platonic love (the love we have for our family, etc) can also lead us astray.

But let's face it, a world completely dictated by logic would be fairly dull. The arts would surely be less captivating. I cannot imagine Shakespeare's plays would have had quite the same effect. And without his many mistresses, would Picasso have still created such memorable paintings?

Most TV series rely on a heavy dose of emotion and drama. And it is pretty hard to find a pop song that doesn't have some reference to love, loss or heartache.

Admittedly, knowledge that emotions and love are an integral part of our lives doesn't necessarily help us when things go awry.

So what should we do when issues arise or when someone we thought we'd spend the rest of our lives with, turns out to be a total douche?

Here are a few suggestions...

• Remember that there is nothing wrong with you. These types of things happen to lots of people, for any number of reasons.
• It's ok to be upset. People seem to have forgotten that we can't always be happy. So let yourself be upset for a while, just don't let it overrun your life.
• Talk to others, especially those that know you best. Not only can it help to talk to someone else, to formulate and articulate your ideas and feelings, it can help you gain an outsiders perspective and maybe even some advice.
  (Please note - if you don't feel that you have anyone talk to, there are a number of telephone and online counselling providers out there.)
• Don't act out on your anger or frustration. You might feel like a raging bull, but don't let yourself do anything that you would regret later.
• Remember to learn from this experience. One of the many wonderful things about being human is that we can learn from our experiences (whether they are mistakes or not).
• Focus on the positive relationships in your life. Don't let one bad relationship poison the rest.
• As difficult as it might be, keep yourself busy. While you might want to take time off work or study, it is best to continue your regular activities, and being busy can help you take you mind off everything else.
• Depending on the situation - talk to your partner. If you are experiencing a problem in your relationship that could be fixed or resolved, then it is important to communicate this. (Remember that your significant other is not a mind reader.) You never know, together you could find a solution.

Obviously, the ultimate goal is continue living a varied and wonderful life. But this is harder for some of us.

One thing that I learnt during my psych days at uni, and that I still use as an indicator today, is to ask myself 'Am I functioning as contributing member of society?'.

If you are in such a position that you can't go to work or look after your kids or feed/clean yourself, then your answer would be 'no' and thus you should seek additional help.

For a lot of us though, our answer would be 'yes' as we can continue to do all those things. And as with the good times, we acknowledge that bad times are part of the colourful and sometimes unpredictable mosaic of life.

I am no history buff, but I can assure you that without mistakes and setbacks, we would not have learned, nor progressed, as much as we have. So consider this part of your evolution.

- Dani

challenge yourself

It wasn't easy, but I did it. I climbed the (approx) 1000 steps at the Kokoda Trail Memorial Walk.

After such a lethargic week - I'm not sure what is wrong with me, but my energy levels are low, low, low - it wasn't easy to get pumped up for my second Weekend Walkabout Challenge walk, but I am so glad I did.

See, I'm smiling!

Despite the throngs of people, many of whom passed me, I did feel a sense of accomplishment once I'd climbed the 1000 steps, so much so that I wasn't ready to stop (or go back down). So I continued on to One Tree Hill and then took a detour back to the carpark.

Wandering on my own along the Tyson Track was a truly blissful experience. Crowds have never been my caper, so once I was alone, with the sun shining and my legs walking, I began to sing.

Yep, I sang an awful rendition of It's a Wonderful World, but it felt fantastic! This is why I walk/hike - the enormous sense of calm, of adventure, of independence. I know a lot of people frown upon those who walk alone, but I feel such inner peace when I am bushwalking on my own.

Overall I walked 7km, with an elevation of 379m. My pace wasn't particularly great, but having struggled immensely with my breathing (being asthmatic and hayfever-ish) it isn't a surprise. Most importantly though, I got out there, saw something new and challenged myself.

Given the crowds (there are a lot of people there and it can be difficult to get a car park, but the crowd did seem to 'thin out' later in the afternoon), I'm not sure I would head back to the 1000 steps/Kokoda Trail Memorial Walk any time soon. For those interested in learning more about the Kokoda Trail and paying homage to the fallen soldiers though, it is worth a visit.

The greatest thing about this Weekend Walkabout Challenge so far, is that I am enjoying it. It is exercise, sight-seeing and down time all in one. I don't even feel like I am working out (although my polar watch says otherwise).

It really goes to show that if you find activities you enjoy doing, you're more likely to keep at it.

I haven't confirmed the location for my next walk, but given the theme is 'A touch of history', I'm considering checking out the Gold Heritage Trail, Warrandyte State Park.

- Dani

weightloss vs hunger

I once read that the amount of money spent on dieting and weightloss products could actually stop world hunger. Of course this is just a figure and doesn't factor in the political and logistical issues regarding stopping world hunger, but it got me thinking.

Then I stumbled across the Stop the Hunger website, which goes a step further into comparing dieting and world hunger. The page is a constant stream of live stats regarding the world population, the number of undernourished people, the number of overweight people, etc. What is perhaps most astonishing is the comparison of the dollars spent on weight-loss programs in the USA today (~$97m) and the cost of feeding the hungry today (~$18m).

In Australia, it is estimated that people will spend $827m on counselling services, low-calorie foods and shakes, diet cookbooks, weight loss guides, dietary supplements and surgery in an effort to lose weight throughout 2012-13.

Now I'm not saying that all of this is a waste of money, but surely someone is trying to link the money spent by the overweight with the needs of the hungry. (Although I imagine that there are plenty of people in the healthy weight range that also spend money on diet products.)

A short google search later and I find out that Zumba started a Great Calorie Drive. Basically, you use the Zumba Fitness app to donate the calories you have burned to people struggling with hunger (through The United Nations World Food Programme).

Unfortunately, this seems limited to calories burned in Zumba classes exclusively.

There are a few bloggers that have encouraged people to eat one bowl of rice for one day (per year) and donate the money they would have spent on food or encouraged people to donate a pound of food for each pound of weight they lose (which seems based on a similar promotion by Subway).

Of course there are other initiatives aimed at reducing hunger, such as Outnumber hunger and P4P, but this is unrelated to the weight loss industry.

I am most interested in turning dollars that would be spent on weight-loss programs or unused gym memberships into dollars for the hungry.

Does anyone know of anything like this in the market already?

- Dani

explore the unknown

The Weekend Walkabout Challenge has kicked off!

Week 1 was all about exploring the unknown. Having chosen a park I'd never been to before, in a region I'd never visited before, I'd say the unknown was certainly explored.

Despite my desktop research about the various walks in the You Yangs Regional Park, on the day I decided to 'wing it'. By which I mean, I parked at a random location and chose a spontaneous route from there on.

Please note I would not use this approach in a park without clear walking tracks and signage.

With one hydration backpack (filled with icy water), one phone, a few dog treats and one dog, I set off.

From the Big Rock picnic area we headed towards The Saddle along Rockwell Rd. Now at this point I have to admit, I didn't chose the best walk. At least 2-3 km of our walk was along a dirt road and walking along a dirt road isn't particularly interesting. Ah well, it was nice being spontaneous.

Once we reached The Saddle, things got a little bit more interesting. There were a number a smaller, more interesting paths to choose from. There was the East walk, West walk and Saddleback track.

Intrigued by the Bunjil geoglyph, we took the Saddleback track, which was predominantly a dirt track heading straight down.

I dislike walking downhill at the best of times. Add an impatient young canine and it was bordering on painful. Luckily we managed to reach the bottom without too much skidding and sliding, and it was a pleasant walk from there to the geoglyph.

The geoglyph was somewhat interesting, but does not need to be seen up close. If you want to see it in its entirety, I recommend walking to the lookout on the Flinders Peak track. (Of course, I didn't know this til later.)

Now it was time to head back up the hill. At this point I was planning to head straight back to our starting point, but... when we reached Turntable picnic area and I saw groups of people heading up to Flinders Peak I thought "challenge accepted".

At this point we'd been walking for 1.5 hours, but I was there, in the moment, with energy to burn. So 450 steps and steep gradients seemed a logical thing to do. Besides, you can't go somewhere and not reach the top, right?

So Maple and I bounded up the Flinders Peak track at a cracking speed. I was feeling fit and energised. Despite all the extra weight I was carrying (being overweight and all), I felt like my old-self again. The sporty, adventurous lass that I used to be. It was great.

The view at the top was pretty good, but the feeling of accomplishment, of having pushed myself and risen to the occasion, was even better.

But that wasn't enough for Miss Maple. She stepped it up a notch on the way back down from the peak and I ended up running the rest of the way. (Who would have thought it?!)

Eventually, 2.5 hours after we'd started, we were back at Big Rock picnic area. Tired, a little sore, but grinning stupidly.

Using the app, MapMyHike, I was able to track where I walked, how fast I walked and the elevation throughout my walk. Pretty nifty.

So there you have it, 11.37 km hiked over two and a half hours (during which I burned over 1500 calories). A fantastic adventure, so much better than spending the day pottering around the house.

I strongly recommend any of the walks at the You Yangs. There is enough variety to suit most fitness levels. And if you are very fit, you can always run instead.

Now I am thrilled about next weekend. What better way to challenge myself than the 1000 steps Kokoda Walk!

- Dani