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

weekend walkabout challenge

The days may be getting shorter and colder, but that's no reason to stay slumped on the couch all weekend.

Personally I love the colder days. Not only do I get to layer my clothes and wear my much-loved scarves, but I don't get hot and bothered so easily while exercising. And that crisp air can be goddamn refreshing.

I love the colder weather!

The change of season also means that footy is back, which means I am now sans boyfriend every Saturday.

So what to do on these chilly days as a lady of leisure?

Set a Weekend Walkabout Challenge, of course!

Over the next six weekends I'm going to tackle six different walking trails. I figure this is the perfect opportunity for me to explore more of Victoria, get active and enjoy some downtime. And it's a great way to make the most of the Autumn weather, before Winter well and truly sets in.

For anyone else that wants to partake in this 6 week challenge, I have devised a little plan that can help inspire your walks, wherever they may be.

My current itinerary looks something like this

20 April - You Yangs Regional Park

27 April - 1000 Steps Kokoda Walk

4 May - Gold Heritage Trail, Warrandyte State Park

11 May - Point Nepean National Park

18 May - Two Bays Walking Track (partial)

25 May - tbd

I might be flexible with the locations, but I will definitely stick the 'themes'.

So what are you doing this weekend?

Want to go on walkabout too?

I know I'm ready for "a spontaneous journey through the wilderness of one's choosing in an effort to satisfy one's itchy feet, a need to be elsewhere, the craving for the open road, that space over the horizon".

- Dani

PS. If you want to enjoy your walks with a canine friend, this is a great guide for dog friendly walks near Melbourne - Walking your Dog in Victoria's Parks

strong

"The world is the great gymnasium where we come to make ourselves strong." Swami Vivekananda

Have you ever thought about the word 'strong'?

It can indicate great physical strength or ability withstand pressure. Strong can even indicate intensity (e.g., a strong smell).

I want to be strong. I want physical strength. I want the strength to resist overeating.

Not only do I want to be strong, I am also inspired by strong, fit people. Particularly strong and fit women, with a bit of brain power thrown in if possible.

These are the kinda women I'm talking about...

This is by no means a definitive list, but these are well-known women that I believe to be strong, fit and inspirational in their own way.

But how can I be stronger?

Recently I read some of my earlier posts and I found them interesting, almost inspiring. But as the months went by, the posts become negative and full of excuses. Now I'm nearly back at my starting weight. Clearly, I am not very strong at moment.

Rather than perpetuate this dialogue of constant disappointment and lack of discipline. I'm am turning this blog (and myself) around. I am not just going to track my progress here, I am going to motivate myself here.

Sharing my set backs and failures has been somewhat cathartic, but I can't keep on making excuses. I can't keep on indulging in this self-pity and acceptance of mediocrity.

So... get ready for an onslaught of motivation, positivity and progress. And if you want more of these new vibes, check out @withaflugelhorn on Instagram.

- Dani

today

Today I was going to write a post about choosing to be strong and fit, about being motivated by strong, independent women. But things don't always turn out the way you plan and today I woke up to news of the Boston Bombing.

While the motivation behind this attack is currently unclear, what is apparent is that these incidents can occur anywhere, at any time.

But in times of great loss, people can also find great strength.

I was in London during the 2005 bombings and though many businesses closed their doors for the day, people didn't retreat. The pubs were full of people contemplating and discussing the day's events, and others congregated in the streets. It brought people closer together.

So instead of aspiring to be strong and fit, today I am aspiring to connect more with those close to me and to live life to fullest.

- Dani

Tokyo

This post is about my time in Tokyo, Japan. It was such a fantastic experience and I feel that if I don't write it down somewhere 'permanent' then I might start forgetting the details. So I hope you don't mind if I share this adventure with you.

***

Japan, land of the rising sun, home of samurais, ninjas and geishas, of temples, towers and (super fast) trains. While Japan has never been at the top of my 'go to' list, I've had a fascination with the country and culture since I was taught Japanese in primary school. 

I can't really remember how it happened, but at some point Dan and I decided that we wanted to go to Japan. So Japan leapt ahead of South America and India (at the top of my current 'travel list'), and we booked flights, accommodation, etc.

Sensei Zucchini (Zucchini wasn't actually her name, but we were young and it sounded similar) was the first person to introduce me to Japan. She was my primary school's Japanese teacher and I was probably 8 years old. Over the next couple of years, Sensei Zucchini taught us Japanese characters, simple words and how to pick up popcorn with chopsticks.

While I didn't have to write any Japanese or pick up popcorn with chopsticks (they use their hands just like us), this introduction proved invaluable. My accent was understandable and our awareness of their culture/traditions helped avoid embarrassment.

There is potential for this post to turn into a bit of thesis, so I'll try to keep things as brief as possible.

Our first day involved: Napping on the train ride from the airport for Tokyo station; exploring Shinjuku by day; exploring Shinkjuku by night; eating dinner in Shibuya; visiting Meiji Shrine during the crazy festivities of Shogatsu; oh and how could I forget, counting down (from 60 - wha?) to the New Year at the most packed bar I've ever been to in my life.

Shinjuku

Meiji Shrine

The end of a ridiculously long count down at a gaijin bar in Shinjuku

Yes, Dan and I arrived in Tokyo on New Years Eve. Most people in Japan go to temples (or a j-pop concert if you're in Tokyo), and there is very in little in the way of big public events (i.e., no fireworks). But we found a gajin (foreigner) bar and it became one of the most uncomfortable moments in my life. It was physically impossible to move from one area of the bar to another. At one point a Japanese lady seemed glued against Dan while we tried to make an exit. It was so packed, she literally got dragged along by the people trying to leave. But I would never take back that experience... it was certainly a memorable night.

Shinjuku on NYE

The rest of our adventures in Tokyo completely won me over. I'm going to say it - I love Tokyo.

From the madness of the shopping districts, to the tranquillity of some of the temples/parks (though the temples have more of a festival feel near the New Year), to the laid-back, jovial atmosphere in the 'pubs'. Tokyo seemed to have everything.

Ameyoko shopping street, Ueno

Roppongi Hills

Yakitori bar in Ueno

Wasabi for sale at Tsukiji Fish Market

Meiji Shine

Ramen at Ippudo

Photos from our visit to a Maid Cafe in Akihabara

Ueno Park

I feel incredibly lucky that Dan and I had a chance to see 'quiet Tokyo' and 'bustling Tokyo'. Let me explain. Around the New Year Japanese people celebrate Shogatsu and during this period many people gather with their families, often outside the major cities. So during our first 3 days in Tokyo, quite a few restaurants were closed, streets were desolate and crowds were at a minimum. Upon our return to Toyko, before our flight back home, we encountered packed trains, crowded markets and activity on every corner. Tokyo was alive and vibrant - it was energising.

A very quiet Ginza on New Years Day

Lively Shibuya

View from our hotel room, Hanzomon

Before my visit, most people told me "you don't need long in Tokyo", but I entirely disagree. If you only want to see temples and museums, then Tokyo might not have as much to offer as say... Kyoto. But there is more to Japan than 'the old world'. Each little area of Tokyo has something different to offer and we didn't even see 10% of it. Furthermore, there are so many day trips you can do from Tokyo.

Dan and I could have spent to the entire two weeks based in Tokyo. But we didn't.
Hopefully there will be a next time.

- Dani

sisterhood

Hello peeps! I hope you all had a fantastic Easter long weekend. I spent the whole weekend with two of my sisters. We cavorted our way around Melbourne and, thankfully, didn't indulge in too much chocolate (yay!), although I probably did indulge a little too much in everything else (comedy, popcorn, Lebanese food, etc).

But let's be honest, you can never have enough comedy, and clearly we couldn't get enough of Hannah Gadsby - we saw both her shows. Yep she has two different shows as part of the Melbourne International Comedy festival and we saw both... in the same weekend.

Pic from comedyfestival.com.au

And do you know what? She was hilarious! So no regrets here. If I was going to recommend one show over the other though, I would recommend seeing 'Happiness is a bedside table'. Her 'Nakedy Nudes' show at the National Gallery of Victoria is intriguing, but not as laugh-until-your-cheeks-hurt funny.

Basically the rest of the weekend was filled with shopping and SingStar, dancing and drinks, family, friends and lots of food. Four full days of rest and frivolity.

Brunch at Le Miel

Driving around

Proof that there was some sunshine

SingStar

Uncle Alan's 50th

My gorgeous sisters

Family lunch

Morning walk to Princes Pier

Easter goodies bag

Sisters

Cheers to the sisterhood!

- Dani