Dizzy Dee

I feel like I’ve been blogging about the wedding, and setting up house till infinity already. I’ m sorry if I’m boring anyone of you, but this is just what’s going on in my life at the moment, and I suppose it just takes up so much time that I struggle to think about anything else.

Well, today I’ve decided to enlighten myself with something completely different.

I’m a pear body shape, as you might (or might not) know. And though this might have upsides, I’m a real female, and I usually see only the downsides. After searching the internet for ‘what to wear’ for my body shape, I came up with nothing substantial. So I’ve decided that it doesn’t matter WHAT body shape we are, we’re usually unhappy with it anyway. I’ll wear clothes in which I am comfortable, and I’ll try to maintain a healthy body, as in shape as I can possibly manage, and for the rest I’ll have to try and make peace with it.

I was particularly inspired by The Pretty Pear blog. The author, Colleen, is also a pear, and she’s is totally at piece with it. Its just really amazing to find someone who has made peace with the way they look, but also admits that its not always easy.

It got me wondering though, are guys also sensitive about their body shape? Do they also feel like they would’ve rather looked like ’so-and-so’? I guess they don’t talk about it as much if they feel the same way!

In my line of work, its quite important to see well. One of the downsides though is that sitting in front of a computer screen eight hours a day does NOT really do my eyes any good. I need to go for an eye test soon, and I suspect I might have to get prescription glasses. Glasses are such a schlep, and sometimes really uncomfortable, but my eyes are way to dry for contact lenses. *sigh* I know I should just go… but really. I just can’t get myself so far. I found Great Discovry:$ 8 Prescription Glasses From Zenni Optical, maybe those will be easier!

I get health tips every day in an e-mail. This was today’s - just too gross to think about!

Your bed is crawling with life: 10 000 dust mites call it home. They live off the half litre of moisture you sweat out every night as well as bits of shed skin.

Take action:
Mites cause allergies. Use clean bed linen as a barrier between you and the dust mites and wash bedding every week at 60 degrees Celsius. Regularly air your mattress in the sun.

I’m desperately trying to lose some weight - just one dress size! I can’t believe how hard it is. I’ve been going to gym, eating less, drinking a lot of water, and still NOTHING.

Maybe I will consider the magnetic weight loss programs which I found online - LOL.

Not that I can explain how they work, but if it helps, who cares!?

One very bad habit I have is to slouch. I suppose it came with the office job where I sit in front of a computer screen 8hrs per day (and sometimes an extra 3hrs at home).

Since I started gyming I found it easier to maintain a healthier posture, but still I find myself slouching at times - specially when I’m walking. Its strange how these things change - at school I never had a problem with my posture, as I had modern dancing classes where they print it into your mind that you have to stand up straight with your shoulders back.

Why am I making such a fuss of this? First of all it gives me terrible back aches, and sometimes these turn into headaches. And secondly, it looks really sloppy. I’ve seen people who slouch so badly that they can no longer straighten up - their muscles kind of shrunk? Of course this can be changed over time, but it takes a lot of stretching, and a lot of concentration to keep yourself straightened up.

There are quite a few exercises that can be done to enhance your posture, so either Google it, or check with your trainer at the gym! Make sure you have a good chair if you are one of those who spend the majority of your time in front of a computer screen. And lastly, STRETCH - take breaks at work, and concentrate on holding a good posture!

I joined the gym this week! Since I work practically next door to it, I decided that now is a good time to join. That, and the fact that I hear horror music in my imagination when I picture myself in a bikini - seasons are changing to summer in SA.

I went yesterday for the first time, very conveniently in my lunch, and felt sooo good afterwards. Though I am unfit, I completed ten minutes on cardio - that’s A LOT for me I did a bit of muscle exercises, and then had a lovely shower.

The bathrooms are really clean, and that is a strange thing in SA. These ones were particularly nice. I was however shocked when I was joined by an oldish lady starting to undress right there in front of me. I realize that I was after all in the change rooms, but still - it was a shocker. She walked around there in her knickers!! Weighing herself, going to the steam room, and eventually to take a shower - the whole time parading like she was a show horse or something. I was there long enough to see all this, because I myself was still getting dressed, and doing make up and all, but still, I don’t walk around butt naked :O

Anyway. Hopefully I will get into a gym routine, and I will be ready for my bikini before the summer is over. Wish me luck

“PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A STICKY POST WHICH WILL REMAIN AT THE TOP UNTIL THE ROOIBOS TEA COMPETITION IS OVER [31 OCT 2007], AND NEW POSTS WILL ONLY APPEAR BELOW THIS ONE!!!”

After Beth mentioned that there was Rooibos tea for sale on e-bay, I had a I decided to send out some Rooibos tea to my international fans (just kidding). But really now, I will send three readers from abroad a packet Rooibos tea each. I won’t send to South Africa, or neighbouring countries, as this is senseless. The whole point is to give the international readers the opportunity to try Rooibos. I will pay for the shipping, but you will be responsible for import tax if applicable, as this is only charged when the parcel is picked up from your post office (works that way in South Africa in any case). The winners will be selected randomly by myself on the 31st of October @ 6pm GMT+2, and the winners will be announced shortly afterwards. The parcels will be sent out a.s.a.p. after that - depending on how quickly you provide me with your mailing address. Your real name, mailing address, and any other personal information will be kept confidential.

The conditions for entering are as follows. Each person can enter as many times as they like. You can:

a) leave a comment, [1 entry]
b) do a short post about me giving away rooibos tea (provided that you link back to this post) [3 entries]
c) refer a friend, the friend can leave a comment or do a post with your name in the comment or post.(also provided that you link back to this post) [comment = 1 entry, post with link back = 3 entries, referral = 1 entry]
d) adding my blog to your Technorati favourites [2 entries]

Please note that you MUST notify me about your entries either by commenting, or e-mailing me. If I am not aware of your entries, I cannot include them in the draw.
Because I want to treat every person fairly, I may change the rules or add rules at any time, should I see fit. I may also disqualify any person should I believe that they didn’t comply with the rules as stated above.

Like Green Tea is for the Chinese, so is Rooibos Tea for South Africans.

For those of you who are not from South Africa, this might be very interesting for you too - and strange at the same time. Aparantly Rooibos Tea isn’t readily available abroad, but still is - so if you can afford to pay the price, you should give it a try

The taste might be a bit strange at first, but its quite nice, for me in any case (I grew up with it though)

Here are some Rooibos Tea facts which might fascinate you like it did me…

With its many positive attributes, Rooibos Tea is a great choice of drink for health conscious people.

Rooibos Tea contains no colours, additives or preservatives, making it a natural beverage. It contains no caffeine. According to studies conducted in South Africa and Japan Rooibos Tea has been shown to aid in health problems such as insomnia, irritability, headaches, nervous tension, and hypertension.

Studies also show that this tea contains anti - spasmodic agents, which can relieve stomach cramping and colic in infants. Rooibos Tea in South Africa Rooibos has been used to treat allergies such as hay fever, asthma and eczema very effectively .

It is also used to treat irritated skin. Rooibos Tea is brewed and placed directly on infected areas. Rooibos Tea contains anti - oxidants which can help slow the ageing process and boost the immune system.

Rooibos Tea is a great thirst quencher and is an excellent beverage for active people, including children. Most kids will drink Rooibos Tea without added sugar or sweeteners.

This tea contains almost no oxalic acid, making it a good beverage for people prone to kidney stones. Rooibos Tea contains the following minerals: copper, iron and potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc, manganese, alpha- hydroxy ( for healthy skin ) and magnesium (for the nervous system) are also components of this tea. In South Africa pregnant women and nursing mothers drink Rooibos Tea because it contains no caffeine.

Source: AfricanTea

Often I have felt that it is extremely unfair for people who smoke. They get to have smoke breaks all the time, while non-smokers have to work. It might seem a bit strange for a non-smoker to stand on the balcony just for the fun of it, but if its a smoker, its OK.

I suppose its better that way, and I really wouldn’t want them smoking inside, but it would be nice to be able to have a break every now and then, but then people can call you inside any time. However if they see that you’re smoking, they understand immediately that you NEED YOUR BREAK. Suddenly they find nothing wrong with it that you spend so much more time doing nothing that the rest of us.

To get a bit technical, suppose a smoker smokes 6 cigarettes a day (at work) - which I have found to be average for the people I know? Help me right if I’m wrong - they would typically spend 7 minutes outside for the whole little procedure (5minutes is just too short, and 10 too long). That would mean that smokers have 42 minutes which they spend, tending to their dirty little habit - while the rest of us are working!

I’m not jealous of smoking though, and I suppose they do need their perks too - besides, they will live shorter than the rest of us, so maybe I just need to understand too. And let them have their little breaks. While they can still enjoy it

Almost everyone I know has been, or are, at that place in their lives where they try to lose weight. Its winter, and we all know how easily the extra kilo’s gather with all the cozy snacks.
Its so much nicer to cuddle under the duvet, watching a DVD, with a cup of hot chocolate and some popcorn, instead or having a glass of water and celery sticks. Most people use the excuse that they use more energy to warm their bodies during winter.

This is a very convenient argument, and we’ve probably all said it to ourselves when we wanted to buy our favorite chocolate bar, or potato crisps, or pizza… and the list goes on. The problem is this: if your input is more than your output you will gain weight.
If you don’t exercise at all you’re burning very little calories. In turn you’re probably eating more than you’re burning.

A friend of mine recently told me that she started a new diet, and after three days she hadn’t lost any weight, so she quit. LOL. I just laughed at her, and told her that these things take time. The weight she wants to lose didn’t gather around her hips in just three days. She’s been building on that for nearly a year.

Little exercise is definitely better than none at all. You’re burning more calories than you would’ve done if you didn’t exercise.
Exercise doesn’t ONLY burn calories, it strengthens & tones your muscles, and one of the most important muscles being your heart. Cardio exercise does wonders, but I hate it. I hate the burning in my chest & the sweat and all that. I don’t mind stretching, and weight training so much, but cardio is a real drag for me.

I found a BMR Calculation which is quite helpful it tells you how many calories you burn just by being alive - doing no exercise.
Keeping in mind that exercise is essential to keep you healthy, thus saying that you shouldn’t just cut out calories and expect to feel better.
Eating exactly the same as you’re doing at the moment (given that you’re not gaining weight) and just doing (more) excercise should cause you to lose weight.

This doesn’t always work though. A lot of people struggle because their metabolisms are slow, or due to other medical reasons.
Speeding up your metabolism is a whole different story. Some people start their day with drinking warm water & lemon juice, others swear by a fiber rich diet. I think for each person the recipe is different. You have to find what works for you. You’re not likely to follow a eating program consisting of foods you don’t like. You have to find foods which you like, but are healthy at the same time. Same with exercise. Find a sport or exercise which appeals to you. You’re most likely to continue that in the long run. For myself I have running, but I love a cross trainer. For this very reason I will not join a gym. I find it more convenient to exercise at home, and given that I have a cross trainer, I know I will stick with my exercise program.

Its very important to make both your eating plan, and your exercise program a habit. This will ensure that your weight is steady. Its OK to have a chocolate bar every now and again. And its OK to eat out one a month or so. What is important is that it doesn’t become a habit.