Environment can affect weight loss. I'm screwed right?

I have been trying to lose the weight I put on after high school because of injuries and no longer swimming competitively. I have tried a few things but none have really helped, or have helped but only for a short period of time. But the most notable thing I have found is the environment you put yourself in can totally alter your diet and physical activity. How I act at home changed from when I was living with my parents to when I moved out and started living with my boyfriend a year and a half ago. 

Environment 1: My parentals abode

Buff on my parents balcony

My parents are health freaks. My dad is a tank who the other day ripped out the clothes line out of the ground with his bare hands (much to the amusement of Mum and I, when he looked pretty damn proud of himself and started doing muscle man poses). My Mum has struggled with weight loss since giving birth to me 22 years ago and the copious amounts of injuries since she was in a cyclist vs motorbike accident when she was 16 or so (she was the cyclist). Even though she isn't as thin as she wants to be, she could probably out cycle anyone, knock out a massive dude and has the healthiest diet out of anyone I have ever met. They go to the gym quite a few times a week and when they aren't doing that they take a walk. On the weekends it's almost impossible to get them before midday because they are probably at a cycle class or going for a massive walk. So being in that environment is motivation enough to hit up the gym when they do or go for a walk with them.

Environment 2: My apartment with my +1

The boyfriend works from home full time and is a computer genius who is studying for his Masters degree full time. He likes to drink lots on weekends and eat delicious salty foods whenever he can. I signed him up for a gym membership because I was getting worried about how much he was sleeping. We walked into the gym and had no idea what anything did, I was baffled considering growing up my after school care was in the upstairs of a gym where I did toddler boxing. Unfortunately he has now cancelled his membership (due to fainting spells and lack of motivation to go) so now I go alone which allows me to procrastinate like a boss. He can cook (quite well, his risotto is still my favourite thing to eat and is what he cooked for me on our third date) but he doesn't. I cook every night that I don't have night shifts, and I cook healthy things. But he is very convincing when I am tired and don't feel like cooking that delicious take out places of  pizza/chinese/kebabs/thai/african/subway places around our house are a dinner option. If it's not that, whack on some gnocchi or pasta. He doesn't like a lot of veggies so I am limited in what I can cook for him too. 

Mojitos on my apartment balcony with city views
(no seriously they are there I swear!)

So what can I do?

Unfortunately I can use this all as a massive excuse right? Well that's not good enough. If you are faced with challenges and bad habits, get over it. There is a way to do what is best for you and your health. Even though the boyfriend doesn't really do physical activity, he acknowledges that I need it to do it to feel better about myself. I'd love a workout partner, but either the people who are willing to do it don't live near me AT ALL or the ones who do don't have enough money/time to do it. Exercise improves my moods and less likely to use my toddler boxing lessons on my boyfriend so he tries to motivate me the best way he can. My parents aren't perfect all the time, they do have weekends where Dad will have some beers or bundy and coke while watching NRL or Cricket and Mum can't workout for weeks because her back/knees/shoulder/wrists are giving out on her. They also will go out for dinner every so often and eat delicious foods and get me to pick them up because they've both been drinking. I figure if I am as good as possible during the week, I am allowed to have a day where I drink a bit too much or eat naughty foods. Moderation and self control can help you break out of your bad habits and environmental influences. A great help I have had for this is an app called MyFitnessPal. I know a friend of mine has been using it for over a year; he has lost a bunch of weight and is machine now. He also has some epic self control whenever we go to some takeout place or a party has loads of fatty finger foods. I started using it and lost 4kg in 2 weeks. I gained around a kg back because I threw my back out last week then went out drinking for an entire weekend, but I am sure if I stick to what I am doing I will get rid of it all soon enough!

Now off to the gym with you! I have done a workout today, have you?

Unrelated hilarious photo I took at Big W.
Iseewhatyoudidthere.jpeg

15 minute fat burning workout!

Yes it is true! I have found a workout you can do in 15 minutes! So if you have a workout buddy like mine who is all "but i'm tirreedddd. Can we go nowww?" you can smash this out and feel good about what you have done!

This is a High Intensity Interval Resistance Training. So instead of just doing weight reps which increase your strength, this one includes a cardio workout which helps ward off fat gain! Be warned that if you gain weight it is most likely muscle and let's face it; we want to see ourselves physically shrinking. Common myth is that a woman does a large amount of weights she is going to look like a body builder. Unless you are training to be a body builder, you will not look like one. Because woman have a higher percentage of body fat then men naturally we end up looking FINNNEEEEEEEE if we do high weights with low reps. This is my program for you! This is being preformed as a circuit, intergrating both resistance training exercises and high intensity cardio. The mission is complete as many rounds of the circuit as you can within 15 minutes

• Rowing machine x 150m
• Kettle ball swings x 20reps
• Rowing machine x 150m
• Push ups (knees or toes) x 10 reps
• Rowing machine x 150m
• Alternating weighted lunges x20reps

When choosing a weight for the kettle ball swings and the lunges, make sure you don't go so high that you will hurt your back. Start on low weights and keep working your way up. If you can't get hold of a rowing machine, I did 50 skips or do 150m worth of running up and down stairs.

This is a kettle ball swing by the way

Image from www.thefitnessworkout.com

Now by the end of this you should be ready to puke. You need to go as hard as possible because it's only 15 minutes. I like going for a bit of a gentle walk afterwards just to settle my heart rate down.

Don't forget to eat before and after going to the gym! Obviously wait a bit before going to the gym so you don't feel sick and avoid milk based products. Stay hydrated! 

This great new magazine has been launched called Women's Fitness, I bought a copy the other day while grocery shopping and it is amazing. Suggest you go get your subscription while it's discounted! Wanted to get a subscription but I might be moving to NYC just after Easter 2013 so there is no point. It's okay, I am more than happy to spend the extra dosh!