Grandpa

(My grandpa and I in 2009 – we both dread getting our pictures taken so love that I share one of his traits)

My grandpa has been diagnosed with Cancer on the 24 November 2011.

This has been a really bitter pill to swallow - As we lost my Granny 16 years ago to CANCER and know that this is not going to be easy as he is much older and weaker than my Gran was when she was initially diagnosed.  So I thought as I was drying my tears of all the things I am truly grateful that relate back to my Grandpa;

·         My dad would not have been here if my Gran and Grandpa only wanted to have one son.

·         I would not have had the loving Godparents, parents, cousins and sister if my Grandfather didn’t have children.

·         I would not have had those wonderful memories of December holidays in Bloemfontein, these holidays where filled with sunshine, swimming, swinging (my grandpa made each grandchild their own swing), slip-and-slides, days out at the zoo, driving in his car, videos, hanging from the washing line and spinning around and most of all the great big hugs.

·         My Grandpa is a GENTLE SILENT GIANT – Gentle as a lamb, with great big arms that could crush you but never did.  He is silent and always listens, he is not the life of the party, but the one that always you could sit and talk to for hours.  He always gave the best advice and would give you his last pennies if he knew it would help you. He is someone I have literally looked up to my whole life.  Tall enough to have to bend when he walked into the caravan, doors and tents on trips. 

·         Grandpa is the one that would always have a hanky for your scrapes or tears.

·         Grandpa always wear those awesome shirts, he has had them for ages and they are so soft from all the washing.

·         Those tall beer glasses and always cold beer, famous in my Grandpa’s house – you will never go thirsty.

·         Breakfast in bed – He makes a mean scramble eggs in the microwave.

·         Holding Hands, this was a thing that Grandpa would always do, if we were walking with him you would have to keep up (he walks fast) and always hold his hand.

 

I’m all teary eyed today, guess the fear, disbelief and hurt has set in.  I don’t want to loose this amazing person that has truly been so special to me.

Little Tips for Weight Loss 2

·         EXERCISE -  The hard truth is that no weight loss will be effective in staying off without some sort of exercise.  My advice is to do something you like and do it with MUSIC.  The right music will have you running faster, or breathing more deeply etc.  Never force yourself, but go ahead even if its just 15 minutes.  Take a walk in the park, dance to a song or two in the kitchen, do some home chores, walk the dog, run to the gate and back.  GET UP AND MOOOOOOOVE!  Funny thing is that you might get addicted to moving it!

 

·         PLAN PLAN PLAN -  Plan and pack lunches to ensure that you dong have the “HUNGER BRAIN” – a brain that is hungry will tend to go for bad foods, if you have the snacks packed you will be saving yourself from extra calories.

 

·         PRO & CONS – This is brilliant to see why your goal is important to you and what it would take to get there.  You might have “Ill be able to wear that Little Black Dress, Ill be able to run in the garden with the kids or something as simple as I will walk up the stairs without feeling out of breath.  YOU CAN DO IT!

 

·         DO NOT SHOP WHEN HUNGRY -  I have found that I will buy the wrong / bad foods and want to get out of the store ASAP.  Have a snack like apples handy to just get you by while shopping – DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF!

 

·         CHART YOUR PROGRESS -  This can be on Excel or hand drawn – show yourself the chart to keep you motivated!  It shouldn’t look like a rollercoaster and more like a easy slope down a hill! *THINK SKIING LESSONS!

 

HOPE THESE TIPS CAN HELP YOU ON YOUR WAY TO A HEALTHIER & HAPPIER YOU!

TOP TIP

If you want to cheat on your diet do it before you exercise!

Trust me you will feel allot better on having that “piece-of-chocolate” after you have ran some of it off.  Now buy exercise I mean get up and raise that heart rate and break a sweat!

Little Tips for Weight Loss (Its worked for me)

·         NO CASH - No Cash in my wallet for me this has helped I am not tempted to order take-away or go to the tuck shop.

Also the tuck shop person should know not to let you buy on credit either!

 

·         FLAVOURS UP YOUR WATER - Cut up limes, lemons, berries or oranges and freeze them in ice-trays – this adds a nice flavour to your water when you pop it in.

 

·         FROZEN FRUIT DESSERT -  Frozen fruit can also  double up as dessert in summer on skewers or smooties.

 

·         FREEZE YOGURT - We all buy those 6 pack of mini-yogurts, I never seem to finish mine so I pop the ones close to expiry date in the freezer.  Its perfect if you are tempted for ice cream to have yogurt in the freezer as alternative.

 

·         START A CLUB - I started a salad and weigh in club at work.  Its fun and making salad in turns keep you motivated in a team.  Weigh in club is a little harder, we have a weigh in once a week, if you gain weight you pay a fine (agreed by team) and the winner (most loss) after set time will win all the money.

 

·         EMAIL - I like to email out tips, that I have read in magazines or online, to a few friends and we see how it works.

 

·         DON’T FOLLOW FAD-DIETS -They are not personalized at all an will only hurt you in the long run!

 

·         YOU DON’T HAVE TO BUY NEW EQUIPMENT – I think allot people want to spend money on buying a excersice ball, weights, clothes etc.  You can use things around the house to save money and recycle.  (2l Milk Bottles can have water or sand added in to make weights – choose the ones with the handles for easy lifting.  Tins of food can be used as barbells. Skipping rope can be made with some ski or towing rope. Stairs / Chairs can be used for leg and arm exercises.  4 Towels placed on each other can replace buying a exercise mat.)

 

HOPE THESE TIPS CAN HELP YOU ON YOUR WAY TO A HEALTHIER & HAPPIER YOU!