Learning positive "food tude" I: The cognitive phase

Food, food, glorious food! I love food, obviously, I didn't become overweight by hating food! I have the attitude towards food that we need to eat to sustain life, so why not enjoy it! This has gotten me into trouble though, which is why I joined the 12WBT, to learn to change my "food 'tude" and make it a bit healthier.

Having good food tude is something the 12WBT has taught me, though I am still mastering the skill. Athletes and coaches are all familiar with the concept of the three phases of skill learning: cognitive, associative, and autonomous. In physical education and skill training, we apply these to a gross or fine motor skill, but they can also be applied to a thought process, or an attitude towards a particular activity. Today I'll be addressing the first phase of learning, the cognitive phase.

Exhibit A: A common phase one mistake in learning good
food tude!

The cognitive understanding phase (as it is fully known), is the first stage in which you find yourself having to concentrate and contemplate every particular part of the skill. As an example, say you are learning to juggle. In the cognitive phase of learning to juggle, you will find yourself actively thinking about what direction to toss the ball, with which hand, where you need to put the catching hand, and how long you have to do all of that. It's the phase where it's all a bit daunting and sometimes frustrating, and you'll probably struggle more often than not, and even make more than a few mistakes, but that's normal! The mistake I made far more often that I'm really willing to admit was, like our friend in the burger meme, rewarding myself with bad food for doing good things. Word to the wise: don't do that.

So how does this apply to new attitudes? Well it's no different to learning a physical skill. In the first few weeks of a new health or lifestyle regime, you will find yourself thinking about everything that goes in your mouth, you will find yourself needing to plan out your meals, track your eating, and actively stop yourself from making mistakes in the form of bad food choices.

In the first few weeks of my first round of 12WBT, I was obsessed with food and what was going in my mouth. I was obsessed with logging my calories in My Fitness Pal, and hitting that 500cal/day exercise goal. I would actively have to fight my 'inner teenager' on a daily basis to stop myself from turning into McDonald's or not grabbing that iced coffee from the dairy aisle in Coles. I would also have to force myself to stop at one serve, or stick to the allocated serving size, and of course to stop eating once I had spent all my daily calories. My obsession and inner struggles then began to result in, well, results! This meant my understanding of the process and how it was working had increased, and with practice I found myself needing to think less about the tiny little details of each and every meal, and not having to fight so hard, then before I knew it I found myself in phase 2.

The cognitive phase is imperative in learning, not only so you can learn the motions, but also so you can get a proper understanding of why they work to put the overall skill together, and why the skill is worth learning. Speeding through this first phase of learning is an easy way to shoot yourself in the foot, and while it may seem to take forever for some, one day you will wake up and move onto phase 2 without even realising, and it will make the entire journey that much easier. 

So if you're in phase one at the moment, be patient and give it time, and you will be grateful to yourself in the end. Then you'll be ready for phase two, which I'll discuss next week!

To be continued!

xx

Sunday 10: Style Icons of the Moment

Everyone has their style icons. People they look to for the latest trends, and stars who maybe have the same body shape as us who we can look to for tips to flatter our frame.

These are my top 10 style icons of the moment!

10) Jennifer Lawrence. A girl who wears what she wants and works it! Jennifer always has stunning make-up, so she is one of my make up go to girls. She also goes from soft looks to edgy in the blink of an eye and isn't afraid to take risks with her look - plus she's just so freaking humble and cute!

9) Zooey Deschanel. The queen of quirky geek chic. I love how everything she throws on looks so effortless and cute, and she makes being a nerd cool which wins her big points in my book! She does bold colours really, really well too and seeing as it's such a huge trend this summer she is one to watch.

8) Sofia Vergara. I give Sofia props for knowing what works and not being afraid to stick with it! She cops some flack for seeming to just wear the same cut in different colours but if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

7) Audrey Hepburn. Audrey is always in my top 10, regardless of current trends, or who else is around.  I love the way she would put together the cutest outfits, and how I can look at things she wore in the 60s and still see how I could wear that now. Her mastery of tailoring and clean cut lines is my favourite thing about her style, and the easy way she bought it all together. She's my forever icon. 

6) Kelly Osbourne. As host of E! show Fashion Police, Kelly has to be on the ball with the latest trends, but she always brings a quirky twist to it, and isn't afraid to admit she shops at the mall like the rest of us! She has a great knack for making sure all her garments flatter her shape and are tailored properly. I also admire how hard she has worked for the body that she has, and she is not only a fashion inspiration to me, but also an inspiration when it comes to my weight loss journey and bettering my health.

5) Khloe Kardashian Odom. So you may be wondering why just Khloe, why not Kim and Kourtney too? The thing I love about Khloe is that she is a tall curvy girl who doesn't let her height stop her from looking fabulous. So many tall girls shy away from great heels because it will make them look too tall - newsflash, you're tall anyway so just go with it! Or they shy away from bright colours thinking it will draw too much attention, or make them look bigger, but she goes there with no fear, and looks great every time. She also knows what colours and cuts suit her and flatter her shape, unlike Kim and Kourtney who seem to forget that things like thigh high boots, capes, and swamping big boobs in fabric are not going to do us shorties any favours, so bravo Mrs. Odom!

4) Emma Stone. I could not love this girl's style more if I tried! I look to Emma because we have the same colouring, so in particular for colour palettes for both clothing and make up, I have a look at her latest look and test it out on myself! We also have a similar face shape, so when it comes to hair cut styles she's always in my top 3 choices.

3) Nicole Richie. As a designer herself she has a lot of fashion know how, but I look to her for her use of texture and colour, as well as when I want a simple chic look. Nicole is not afraid to push boundaries when it comes to colour, and different textures like lace, velvet, and leather, and she is always at the forefront of the next big thing in fashion. 

2) Christina Hendricks. This woman knows how to work her body right! With boobs like that you know it's not easy, but by channelling her inner pin-up girl, she never disappoints. The epitome of sex kitten and not afraid to be sexy, Christina does her thing, and dresses for her body. Even if it's not bang on trend, she makes it look amazing anyway and that is why I love her, and look up to her for that courage to go against the grain when I need to.

1) Blake Lively. Hands down the most fashionable young woman in Hollywood right now. I don't think there is anything this girl can do wrong. She has a hand in everything she wears, including all of the costumes for her character on Gossip Girl, and does not have a stylist! She knows what works, she knows what shoes go with what dress and what hair goes with which cut - maybe it's all lessons from her pal Karl Lagerfeld I don't know, but whatever "it" is, she has it. My absolute favourite thing about her though? She has cellulite, and wears her cute swimsuits anyway, not giving a rats who sees it - and that includes hubby Ryan Reynolds! Ladies, if he doesn't care about a little cellulite, chances are your bloke won't either. Embrace your wobbly bits, everyone has some somewhere!

So there you have it! My top 10 of the moment. Some have been on this list for years, others only a few months, but they all have given me inspiration in some way to change my look, or do what I need to do to look great.

Next week: 10 ways the fashion industry could make our lives easier!

xx

Congratulations Sailor Vee!

So the results are in and the wonderful Bella (a.k.a. Sailor Vee) is the Round 3 blogger champion! For anyone who hasn't been to my links page and found their way to her blog, please do take the time to pop by and read it. It is so wonderfully witty, and funny, and makes me think "Oh my god I do that too!" or similar things and it always makes me smile. Her writing style is so effortless and easy to read and you will find yourselves in stitches I promise you, so please pop over to Sailor Vee and do yourself a favour and have a read!

Of course I would have loved to win, but I was just humbled and honoured to be nominated in such good company. All of the Round 3 blogger nominees deserve a huge pat on the back for keeping up blogging and putting it all out there for the world to see this round. I hope whether or not we are doing Round 4, we all keep blogging, and keep sharing, because I think the more everyone shares their ups and downs, their wins, their losses, and their hang ups and insecurities, we can change the way people think, change society's thoughts on health and body image, and maybe even change lives, so keep blogging everybody!

Once again, huge congratulations Bella, well deserved indeed! And everyone check out Bella's blog RIGHT HERE!

xx

"Curvy" and plus-sized are two VERY different things!

So this is something that pisses me off beyond belief - the notion that 'curvy' and being 'plus sized' are synonymous. I am telling you right now they are NOT.

Team Curvy: Kardashian and Hendricks

Kim Kardashian is curvy. Kim Kardashian is not plus sized or overweight. Oprah is curvy. Oprah is plus sized, and has been overweight and healthy weight, retaining her curves regardless of her size. Christina Hendricks is curvy, but clearly a bigger size than Kimmie K yet smaller than Queen O, but they are all still curvy. You see what I'm saying?

"Curvy" is having a bust and hips that measure significantly bigger than your waist, and which are obviously larger than your waist to look at. "Curvy" is a shape. Not a size, or a category for anyone who doesn't fall under the category of "super model." It is also independent of age, Helen Mirren at age 63 has rocking curves that I will never have, but that is how she was made.

Brick/Apple shaped Kesha just doesn't
have the same shape as hourglass Kim.

Conversely, I am plus sized, but my hips are, have been, and always will be, smaller than my waist. I am not curvy, but I am plus-sized...for now. Plus sized or not, I have never been curvy, I never will be curvy, it's just not the shape of cookie cutter the universe used when it cut me from the dough.

Kesha is not curvy, when she's thin or not, she's just not curvy because that's not her shape. Just like me. Shailene Woodley is a gorgeous slim girl, but she's also got that athletic build that just doesn't lend itself to curves. Not being curvy doesn't mean we don't have a waist, it just means it's only very slight when compared to our more hourglassy friends.

My point is that "curvy" should not be used as a nice way of saying someone is overweight or plus sized because not everyone who is overweight or plus sized is curvy, and vice verser. How would you feel if you were Blake Lively with your cute little waist and bountiful hips, getting lumped in with a pre-weight loss Dawn French? Wouldn't feel good would it?

So don't do it. Curvy is not another word for plus sized, or overweight, or fat. It means curvy, it is a shape, and a completely separate concept!

xx

12WBT Round 3 2012 is done! But what about my Round 4 commitments?

So today is of course our final weigh in for Round 3 of the Michelle Bridges 12WBT and what a transformation it has been!

• I have lost 40.6 centimetres - for good outside of future pregnancies if I have any say in the matter - and 17.9 of them were off my waistline alone!

• I have lost 10% of my initial body weight

• I am 8kg lighter.

• I am almost completely free of back pain 

...and lord only knows what my fitness test will show me I have achieved! I had aimed to get into the 60-69kg bracket but I think I did pretty awesome - only 1.1kg away and to be honest, if I work hard I might even get there yet before the start of Round 4!

I feel like it's year 12 graduation all over again, and that all this time of studying, learning, and applying is finally culminating - until Sunday that is! I have seen physical results but nothing compares to what I have learnt. The things that at the beginning were so hard that are now just autonomous habits. Like having to fight the urge to drive past a McDonald's when now after 12 weeks I hardly even notice if there's a Macca's there! Getting used to tracking my calories and actually thinking about what I'm doing before I fill my face. Saying no to my husband when he offers me some of his potato chips - being able to have potato chips in the house and ignore them! All of these things were just a dream to me 12 weeks ago.

Looking back to my preseason tasks from Round 3, my commitment was to get into a routine of healthy eating and regular exercise, which I am proud to say is a commitment that I have kept with. So what is my commitment for Round 4?

Firstly to keep with the routine I have fallen into during Round 3, but also to push myself a bit harder with my workouts. To be honest I did get to a point of going through the motions with my workouts towards the end of this round, and I want to be more gung-ho about it, and I know I will get better results if I can manage that.

So there you go, a simple commitment to give my workouts a bit more oopmf!

I am a person who tends to not trust anything, to lose faith quickly both in others and myself, and who to be honest tends to be a bit lazy more often than not, and yet here I am after 12 weeks with proof that putting my trust in Mish's program, and putting a good amount of stock in myself and my own abilities really is worth it.

This program works, but you have to work for it in return. 

Anyone who is considering signing up for Round 4, or wants more information about the 12WBT visit www.12wbt.com  and check it out. The great thing about it is that you can participate anywhere in the world if you have an internet connection which is all of you out there reading this! It's not just for weight loss too, if you want to be fitter, stronger, or eat cleaner, this program will work for you too, so please everyone check it out!

Now, hit me with your best shot Round 4, I am ready and stoked!

xx

TUBESDAY: Kids and Body Image

So my second ever vlog is of course as promised, about talking to and teaching your kids about body image. Now I'm not an expert, so this is coming from my personal experiences and the things I wish my mother would have done for me to make my life easier. Teenagers are going through enough without being cut down or made to feel worse or more conflicted about their bodies by their parents. A parent is a teacher, a cheerleader, and a safety net to catch them when they fall, not the one that pushes them. Also, I apologise for the animal noises courtesy of my dogs and cat, and the constant clanging of my bangle on the table - next week I'll remember to take it off!

So there you have it, my advice on kids and body image. As with all advice, take nothing as a must and everything as an option, the only person who knows what's best for your kid is you.

Next week: my conversation with a man about women!

xx

The history of beauty: putting it all in perspective

You've probably heard people say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and other things along the same line of thought. In the last 40-50 years though, it seems that beauty has been in the eye of the editor, the designer, or the film and television studio. Today I want to remind everyone that this was not always the case.

Rembrandt's Bathsheba

Prior to the late 50s early 60s, to be thin was not a good thing. For thousands of years, the bigger you were, the more beautiful you were. In many primitive cultures, a thin woman was seen as an ineligible mate because her body did not show she was fit for child bearing, and was thus undesirable. In ancient Rome, a big woman was a symbol of sexiness, health, and wealth - the bigger you were the more money you had, the more food and better access to medicine you had, so the healthier you were. In Han dynasty China, big women were celebrated and adored, lusted over, and the ideal picture of beauty. Moving forward into the Renaissance, artists like Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Raphael, and Michelangelo all painted full figured women, finding beauty in their soft feminine curves. The Mona Lisa, if you look at her, would at least be a modern day size 14, and she is still recognised years later as a great beauty, same with the Venus in a Shell.

The dangerous curves of the late Jayne
Mansfield

Towards the turn of the 20th Century even, it was more about the shape of a woman than her size that dictated attractiveness. The curve of the waist, big child bearing hips and ample bosom - all accentuated by corsets of the time - were all markers of a sexy lady, whether she was a size 8, or a size 28. The 40s bought tailored suits for women, accentuating and creating curves in a more modern way, and by the 50s the emergence of the pin-up girl solidified the hourglass shape as being sexy, regardless of the size of the hourglass. 

The waif herself, Kate Moss

However it all began to turn in the 60s with the discovery of models like Twiggy, and suddenly thin was in.   It began with the designers and the fashion world, but soon because hip clothes were being made to look good on thinner frames, many women found themselves unable to keep up with the latest trends, starting the thought process that you had to be thin to be beautiful, to fit into the beautiful clothes that were coming out of Paris and Milan. This notion was reinforced again in the 90s with the waif look of Kate Moss taking catwalks by storm. Women had gained independence from men, and had made steps into becoming equal with men, but as soon as one battle was over another had begun - the battle of body image. With the growth of visual media women were being bombarded with images of thin being beautiful, desirable, the be all and end all of being woman. 

It is now inescapable. It is everywhere, billboards, TV, movies, magazines, catalogs, and of course the big bad web. Half the ads on the television are for diets, diet products, exercise machines and other weight loss aids, and many fashion looks are almost impossible for the everyday woman to pull off without some temporary nipping and tucking by their handy dandy shape wear.

What I want to point out here is that the ideal beach body now has only been the ideal for 50 years. 50 years, versus 5,000 years. I'm not saying thin isn't beautiful, I am saying that women are beautiful, no matter what their size. Historically speaking there is no reason why a size 18 woman should be regarded as any less beautiful than a size 8 woman, because for thousands of years she was beautiful already, so why should that have changed? I want the 21st century to fix the mistakes of the 20th, and remember that big women have always been beautiful, and realise that thin women are beautiful too. 

So ladies, next time you look in the mirror and question your body, criticise your body, or think you're not beautiful because of your size, remember that somewhere, at some point in time, no matter how big or small you are, there would have been someone at your feet begging to hit that!

xx