Larguez vos kilos comme un(e) pro

“Bien manger c’est le début du Bonheur”

J’aime beaucoup ce dicton parce que je suis une grande amatrice de bonne nourriture et il est bien le cas de le dire qu’avoir un bon repas vous fait certainement oublier vos soucis et vous donne un cœur joyeux. Cependant j’aime moins l’autre idée que l’on a tendance à associer bien souvent avec la nourriture : les kilos ! C’est sûr que quand on y pense en voyant un bon plat, ca réduit l’appétit de moitié si ça ne nous le coupe pas. Pour les moins rigoureux on se dit : « c’est que des kilos hein et puis c’est les fêtes ! Après je fais un régime et je fais déguerpir tout ça ! ». On remplit généreusement son assiette et on mange à cœur joie et quelques mois plus tard des collines qui vous sortent du dos (oui oui par derrière la… oui c’est ça les bourrelets), et puis y a aussi les bras qui pendouillent, le ventre qui déborde de tous les cotes dans votre jean mais surtout le rituel de la danse du canard chaque jour pour porter votre Jean. En general ca se termine comme ca :

 Et la vous réalisez que c’est plus grave que ce que vous aviez pensé : un régime s’impose. Il vous faut perdre ces kilos coute que coute c’est alors une lutte acharnée qui s’engage entre vous et cette graisse qui semble assaillir votre corps de toute part et vous pousser à battre en retraite dans les tailles 10, tout en vous remémorant vos moments heureux dans les rayons taille 4. L’issue de cette lutte dépendra de façon capitale de votre technique d’approche et des armes que vous avez à votre disposition pour combattre. J’ai suivi mon premier régime a 13 ans et après plusieurs années passées à jouer au yo-yo avec mon poids j’ai fini par comprendre que mon approche pour perdre mes kilos superflus était plus qu’erronée. Voici quelques leçons qui j’espère vous feront autant de bien qu’à moi et vous permettront de faire la paix avec votre assiette .

#5- Ayez des objectifs raisonnables
certaines personnes se font juste des illusions quant à la durée au bout de laquelle ils veulent perdre du poids. J’en ai vu qui ont voulu perdre 10 livres en 1 semaine et qui l’ont fait. Le résultat était impressionnant mais l’après-régime l’était encore plus ! Elles ont doublées en taille et il aura mieux fallu qu’elles ne fassent pas du tout le régime ! Perdre autant de poids sur une si courte durée est comme se laver les mains pour les essuyer par terre : Il vous suffit juste de manger un cookie et pouf ! Vous gonfler comme un ballon et vous gagnez le double de ce que vous avez perdu. Eh oui… le monde du régime est cruel et plein de fausses illusions. Ne vous y perdez pas : fixez des objectifs raisonnables pour des effets qui résistent au temps. Tenez compte du fait que chaque individu est différent et a un métabolisme différent alors fixez-vous des objectifs raisonnables et soyez patient.

#4- Bonne nutrition + activité physique=efficacité garantie

Certaines personnes pensent qu’il suffit juste de réduire la consommation quotidienne de calories pour perdre du poids. Ça peut marcher mais c’est sûr que jusqu’à la saint glin-glin vous y serez encore ! Faire du sport augmentera la capacité de votre corps à bruler plus vite des calories et par conséquent boostera votre perte de poids. Une alimentation équilibrée, un peu de cardio ainsi que quelques exercices pour vous faire du muscle vous aidera à bruler des calories et vous fera atteindre plus vite mais sainement les résultats que vous désirez. Faites un emploi du temps des jours ou vous faites du sport et pensez à inclure un jour de repos pour que votre corps puisse se reposer.

Efforcez-vous de le respecter et d’incorporer de nouveaux exercices de temps à autre pour casser la routine. Restez loin des pilules amincissantes. Dans l’immédiat c’est une idée qui peut vous séduire mais qui a la longue peut vous causer d’énormes problèmes de santé. Choisissez l’option la plus saine : enfilez vos tennis et aller faire un tour et transpirez un peu ça vous fera plus de bien que de mal.

#3 - Surveiller votre tour de taille pas votre balance

Beaucoup font cette erreur et sont souvent déçus de ne pas voir l’aiguille de la balance bouger ou même pire ! Elle bouge mais monte au lieu de descendre. Lorsque vous décidez de perdre du poids et que vous vous mettez au sport vous gagnez du muscle et perdez de la graisse. Sachant que le muscle a plus de densité que la graisse vous aurez l’impression que vous gagnez du poids au lieu d’en perdre. Au lieu de vous décourager en montant sur la balance, fiez-vous à ce que vous dit vos vêtements : essayer de remettre ce jean dans lequel vous n’arriviez pas à rentrer il y a un mois. Si vous y entrez et si vous montez la fermeture éclair sans problème alors vous êtes sur la bonne voie. Si vous n’y arrivez pas il faut revoir votre stratégie mais dans tous les cas ne vous découragez pas.

 

 

#2- Dormez

C’est étonnant n’est-ce pas ? et pourtant des études prouvent que le manque de sommeil peut conduire à une prise de poids. Deux types d’hormones liées a la régulation de la faim sont produites par votre corps: la leptine qui régule le sentiment de satiété et la ghreline qui contrôle la sensation de faim. Durant le sommeil, le corps produit l’hormone leptine en grande quantité pour signaler à notre corps que notre quota d’énergie est atteint, diminuant ainsi la quantité de ghreline produite. Lorsque nous ne dormons pas assez, l’hormone ghreline est produite en grande quantité. La sensation de faim est alors activée par le cerveau et c’est à ce moment précis que notre  corps réclame les aliments les plus calorifiques qu’il store sous forme de graisse. Dormir 8h par jour diminuera les risques de prise de poids associes au manque de sommeil alors prenez votre dose de Zzz

 #1- Mangez sans vous priver

Il y a cette fausse conception qui veut que régime soit égal a privation alors que c’est une combinaison totalement fausse ! Être au régime c’est faire attention à ce qu’on mange, être a l’écoute de son corps : ne pas prendre cette bouchée de trop si l’on sent que l’on est rassasié, être conscient de ce qu’on mange et boit et des quantités consommées. Beaucoup de personnes n’ont pas conscience de cela et c’est bien pour cette raison qu’il est parfois difficile de suivre un régime : on passe plus de temps à penser à ce qu’on a envie de manger et qu’on ne « devrait pas » manger plutôt qu’à se concentrer sur le grand prix, les kilos perdus ! Être au régime c'est savoir se contrôler tout en mangeant ce qui nous fait plaisir (une fois en passant bien sûr): mangez 2 carreaux de chocolats mais pas la tablette entière, une part de gâteau mais pas le gâteau tout entier, un soda une fois en passant mais ne pas en faire une habitude. Une fois que vous comprenez cela il ce sera plus facile pour vous de perdre vos kilos superflus et vous cesserez d’en vouloir au monde entier chaque fois que vous passerez devant une pâtisserie ou qu’on vous invitera à diner avec au menu votre plat préféré.

 

 Bien manger c'est vraiment le début du bonheur!

J’espère que ces conseils vous seront aussi utiles qu’ils l’ont été pour moi et si vous êtes sur le point de vous décourager rappelez-vous que quelque part dans ce monde, il y a aussi quelqu’un qui comme vous fait la danse du canard pour rentrer dans ses jeans alors souriez et prenez la vie du bon coté. 

Transcending gender stereotypes

"Attempting to get at truth means rejecting stereotypes and cliches."

 ~ Harold Evans

I just love that quote because it is just so true in every sense of the term. We have been raised in a society that was mostly based on stereotypes even though until these days people still refuse to acknowledge it. Stereotyping is present everywhere and is developed from young age unfortunately. Is it because we are wired that way or is it because the society is forcing it on us? Or maybe it is a combination of the two? From our early years we are told to behave a certain way, we are told what to do, what not to do. Gender stereotypes are the one thing that has done much more harm than good to our generation: preventing so many people to live the way they would want to live and thus preventing them to be the successful individual they are meant to be.

Women once upon a time were taught and required to be as invisible as they could possibly be. They had to behave like women would do, they had to be nice, look nice, stay in the kitchen, eventually get married, have kids, take care of the house and the family. There was that idea that women needed a man to be accomplished and it was some kind of self-verification that was needed by women from the society. We used see it everywhere: in movies, in the media, in real life but at some point there has been a 3-point turn that made people think and be like: “wait… this isn’t true… this isn’t fair. Why should some people behave that way and some other not? Why should they have all the privilege and why should we just shush it and keep quiet in the kitchen while the word is waiting for us? Why should we depend on a male whether he is an alpha, beta or even omega male to be happy? Something has got to change” and literally things have shifted around.

They are entering man-dominated workplaces as well as field of study and they are just some women out there doing a fine job. I just love how women have claimed their independence and the ownership of their own happiness. I have recently watched Frozen and it is just a magnificent art of work in every sense of the term. It is just amazing how it deconstructs the stereotypes we have always been exposed to with regard to women and how it gives young women great life lessons as we train them to be leaders tomorrow.

#5 – Don’t be afraid to be yourself

Elsa didn’t want to let her power show because she was afraid she would hurt someone but more because she was afraid of was people would think of her. She was trained by her parents to be the “good girl” she knew she could be and it involved keeping her power as a secret. Most of the time we show people the side of us we think is closest to what they wish we would be because we are afraid to be judged, labeled and because we don’t want them to walk away. so we just play along forgetting how exhausting it can be, forgetting how disappointed they will be when they find out the truth about us. People who truly love you will accept you the way you are, without judging you. So just be yourself and don’t be afraid to let it show

*weird. Gotta love those kids :)

#4- People are not always who we think they are

it is so important not to judge people just by the way they look. We don’t really know people until we get to know them really and it takes time. And sometimes when we think we know them, it turns out we don’t. the prince Elsa was about to marry seemed to be a nice guy but it turns out he was an evil, black hearted nasty little person (ah! Went for the full thing here! Lol)
at the same time you can’t pretend to know someone you have met only two days ago and say that you love that person because you have “so much in common” which brings me to the next point

#3- Love vs. infatuation

People make that mistake often, rushing into relationship only to realize that it wasn’t true love. Of course it wasn’t! you guys met a week ago and two weeks later you are exchanging texts where you say “I Love you” to each other, every 10 minutes and I am like:

Love is much more than sharing common interest with some random person you met a day or two ago. Falling in love doesn’t happen in the course of a day or a week. It is a long process in which you get to know the person in front of you. You get to know the bad as well as the good sides of that person and you commit to love that person no matter what happens. While infatuation is something delusional, kind of unreal, Love is unconditional and is the real deal you want to settle for no matter what the price is. You can find more information about the difference between love and infatuation here.

#2- If you want it to be done do it yourself

Usually, in Disney movies when someone disappears, the men go wherever they have to go to find that person while the princess/queen (or whatever) waits at the castle. Princess Anna just took down that stereotype: she wanted to find her sister so she went after her to find her. By herself. She got everything done herself no matter what difficult it would be (and I don’t think she knew it was going to be that difficult). She took the lead and had to courage to step forward and say “I will go”. We can see a lot more into that than just a woman doing something by herself on her own: it is a call for women to be leaders. It empowers women to take the lead, to step forward and make great things happen. Because after all, “it is okay to be ambitious” and if you want to get something done you have to do yourself. Period.

#1- You don’t need a man to be happy.

This is one of the most powerful messages that were transmitted to the future generations of young women being raised. This is such a huge stereotype that has prevented so many women from being happy. We used to think that happiness was all about achieving great things in life and have that great man that will just tie the knot and you will be happy ever after. Isn't what we usually see in movies? The princess marry the prince, the guy gets the girl and makes her happy and all other kind of crap we know of. Frozen is about love but filial love. Although there are some traces of romance, Anna is just rolling solo at the end of the movie. Yes that’s right! She is on her own and so is her sister Elsa (The Queen). “Happiness is an inside job. Don’t assign anyone else that much power over your life”. take the ownership of your happiness, don’t wait for a man to make you happy. As a matter of fact don’t wait for anyone to make you happy. And if people ask you why you are still single just tell them you are just too damn busy being awesome on your own ;)

Life at it's awkwardness...

Caution: do absolutely not attempt to read this post if you are in a library, at work and especially not if you are eating. You might end up choking and I decline all responsibility as, I myself, upon writing this article almost choked twice on what I found and was few seconds away from peeing myself on the third time.

Ever had one of those awkward life moment that makes you want to burry yourself at first but then makes the best stories ever to talk about during dinner or when chilling with friends?

Well I’ve found a few of them and made a ranking of my five favorites and I hope you guys like it and don’t laugh to hard

5- Awkward greeting moment: the Hugshake

This has actually happened to me and I know most of us can relate to that: one of those awkward moment you meet someone you haven’t seen in a while and as you get close to each other you feel that anxiety come up and in your head you are trying to figure out if it is going to be a handshake or a hug. You figure out it’s been a while so a hug would be a good way to appear friendly. But the other person thinks well… it’s been a while so a handshake would be best. You reach for a hug, the other person is reaching for a handshake. Thought process screen showing: no match found! And that’s how you end up with an unexpected hugshake people!

I totally relate to you girl… And really this is the best that can happen to you rather than reaching for the handshake and your hand actually reaches for some other, very awkward places... hmmm. Gross… let’s proceed lol

4- High five awkward moment

We’ve pretty much all had that one and this has especially happened to me a couple of times with elders trying to get into the youth vibe. And believe me! There is nothing wrong with that! I find it actually cool that elders try to tune in to the youth adults but that awkward high five is one of those moments that totally throw you off. You reach for it and woops… missed it lol: congratulations! you just high fived the air. The worst is when there is actually a miscommunication somewhere along the way: you reach for a high five the old dude is reaching for a fist bump: five bump! You are just like wut? And then they want to try again and you are just like… let’s just revert to the ol’ ways: handshake sir! Thank you J

(Case is also valid for friends! Lol)

3- Wrong apartment

Ever happened that you are so tired, after a long night on your papers that you literally try to get into the wrong apartment after getting an important parcel from the mailman? Well sign me in!

This was one of the scariest days of my life. See, I couldn’t think straight that morning and after getting picking on my mail and climbing the stairs to the first floor, I just opened the main door and since on my floor my apartment is the first one, obviously I tried to open the first door I found, not even looking at the door number. After trying all the keys on my key holder I got upset, started to knock (loudly please…) on the door and called my roommate being like “please open the door”. All the sudden the door opened and I was horrified to realize this was not my roommate and even better! It was definitely NOT my apartment. Oh my GOD… my heart dropped in my stomach. I was so scared that I could actually feel my face getting pale. My neighbor was soooo upset I couldn’t even say a word… this was so awkward that I went straight back to bed in hope that some sleep will get my ideas straight. Starting your day at the police station is certainly not the first thing you would think of when you wake up. Thank god this didn’t happen to me. Man…. That would have been weird…

2- Wardrobe malfunction

There are some days where everything feels right, almost perfect except your wardrobe. You wake up fine this morning and let’s say you ran a little being on the time that was allotted to you to get ready. So of course, as a commuter, you rush a little to make it on time to work. you get out of your house and walk to the bus stop. Ride all the way to the stop in front of the train station and cross the street to catch the train. You take the train and get to work, go to your board meeting at nine and then do whatever you have to do. And then you go to lunch with you coworker and as you finish passing your order, you turn around and realize they are all in a circle, talking and glancing at you at time. Then one of then finally walks up to you and says: “dude, your d*ck is showing”

And you just go over your entire morning, all the looks you got from the random people you met on your way and even your coworkers at your meeting, thinking it was because you looked so sharp and your hair was so damn sleek! Man… It was about your thingy not being in the right place rather than you looking so fine… awkward moment…

1-     Autocorrect

This one is my absolute favorite ever! It is so sad at the moment and so awkward especially when some wrong words are not meant to be in that message and your boss or a coworker is supposed to get that message.

Example of a very unfortunate case:

“you coffee is on my d*ck

I meant D*CK

DESK! DESK! I meant DESK! Oh my god… I am going to go kill myself right now”

The friend or relative versions of the autocorrect fails are definitely the most valid ones!

Bwahahaaa I was totally dying laughing about those unfortunate autocorrect fails and I have selected a few of them I will leave you on. You can find more here if you ever want to choke yourself while laughing or make people think you are totally mental because you laugh and cry both at the same time in your cubicle, on the train or in the library. Enjoy J

Aimer, le reste on s'en fout

Vivre sa vie au quotidien, chacun avec nos habitudes, nos passions, nos occupations et bien sur  nos préoccupations. Et puis un jour, croiser son regard. Echanger un sourire, un rire, un moment qu’on n’aurait jamais pensé vivre et dont on n’a pas le souvenir de l’avoir vécu.

 

Apprendre à connaitre la personne en face, à partager les sourires, les joies, les peines sur lesquelles jusque-là on n’avait jamais réussi à mettre des mots. Etre constamment entrain de penser à elle, réaliser que son entrée dans notre vie a  « foutu un beau bordel mais a apporté tellement de stabilité ». La côtoyer et se dire : « je lui ouvre les portes de mon cœur, soyons fou et misons tout ce qu’on a… après tout qu’est-ce que j’ai à perdre ? »

 

Faire le grand saut, dire cette phrase qu’on rêverait tous et toutes d’entendre. Cette phrase si courte mais qui veut dire tellement de choses. Cette phrase si douce a l’oreille et au cœur mais qu’on a tous peur de laisser échapper. Dire juste JE T’AIME pas qu’avec les mots mais aussi avec le cœur.

Décider de se lancer dans une relation, un partenariat pour le temps que durera le bonheur, une équipe gagnante pour le temps ou viendra le moment de l’épreuve. Avoir pour leitmotiv : « Never let someone behind » dans un tandem ou l’issue du combat dépend de la profondeur, de la sincérité et de la force de ce sentiment qui vous lie.

 

Faire de cette personne le centre de gravité de votre bonheur. Passer le cap ou même le son de sa voix vous accroche aux lèvres ce sourire béat, vous fait quitter la terre et planer sur un nuage.

Malgré le bonheur subsiste quelque part un doute, une incertitude, une multitude de questions. Se demander ce que serait votre vie sans elle ? Si demain tout s’arrêtait qu’est-ce vous deviendriez ? Est-ce que vous pourriez surmonter cette dure épreuve ? Vous en relever ? Chaque minute qui passe réaliser combien cette personne a de l'importance à vos yeux, un matin juste réaliser que ce n’est plus un locataire  dans votre cœur mais rien d’autre que le nouveau propriétaire que vous le vouliez ou non.

 

On ne choisit pas d’aimer, on ne choisit pas qui aimer mais « we can decide to make things happen ». L’amour c’est difficile, on prend des coups au cœur, on a les yeux rougis, on passe des nuits blanches à se poser des questions : pourquoi ? Comment ? Où ? Depuis quand ? Mais cela n’a pas d’importance si c’est pour passer chaque jour, heure, minute, seconde avec la personne qu’on aime et pour qui on pourrait tout donner.

 

L’amour est bien plus qu’un sentiment, qu’un état d’esprit c’est un équilibre qui est régit comme tout autre par les lois de la nature.

Peines, tristesses, colères, larmes, doutes mais comme toute médaille elle a un autre revers ou on peut lire : joie, rires, bonheur, paix intérieure, sourires, confiance and self-confidence.

Aimer c’est être malheureux pour être heureux, c’est comprendre que l’amour c’est difficile, c’est complique mais que dans le fond, on ne peut vire sans

Qu'on soit maso ou accro peut importe, On aime et le reste on s'en fout!

 

 

 

"J'ai découvert un bonheur tout simple, c'est juste qu'on aime être ensemble
On ne calcule pas les démons du passé, on n'a pas peur d'eux
Moi si un jour j'suis un couple, je voudrais être nous deux"- Grand Corps Malade

  

Carry on!

                Sometimes all you wish for at night when closing your eyes is for tomorrow to bring you something that will make you smile, something that will give you the strength to overcome those storms raging in your life. Unfortunately, not all wishes come true and most of the time, things do not turn out the way we would want them to. Lately, I have been through some very tough times. It is just as if issues and heartaches agreed upon choosing me to be their best buddy. You know the one you want to see everyday, chill with, do stuff with and so one. Except that in my case, having the company of heartaches and personal issues is something I could have passed on but…  things happen you know.

        So like I said… it's really been tough lately and I have been going from disappointment to disappointment. In the beginning I was just you know trying to find ways to keep myself motivated but then after a while of things not changing, it got harder for me to see the positive side of things not working out. It started to get difficult to see the good behind having to fix your heart over and over again, crying with your head under your pillow every night and making sure every morning that you have a supply of Advil in your bag because your head hurts from the crying the night before. I started to fall apart emotionally and psychologically as I felt like life was beating me up and really all I thought I could do was lay down on the couch and have some ice cream in hope that it would soothe my pain away.

              One day that I was ranting in my mind about all the things that went wrong, I realized that it was even more depressing and that I needed to change that attitude of mine and do something about all that. Other people managed to make things harder than the ones I have been through workout perfectly fine so why wouldn’t it be the same for me? What was I doing wrong? What wasn’t I doing? What should I or should I not be doing to be successful?  I am a firm believer that God plays a big part in someone’s success but the remaining part that is also important is the amount of effort we put into being successful. Because see, God can help you and He will but if you are not doing what you are supposed to in order to be successful in whatever it is that you are doing, chances are you will not succeed. And even if you do, it will not be as often and as rewarding as you would want it to be. Following that line of thoughts, I went online and start looking for good habits to develop in order to be successful. Out of all the propositions that came out, I randomly chose this blog and I was just blown away by what I read.  Basically, it says that the more challenging things get, the more you have to invest yourself and the more you invest yourself, make efforts and sacrifices, the more successful you will be. 

              It is easy to do things that are not challenging but the minute you encounter a challenge on your way, you should not bell out. You should confront it and find ways to make things work, to deliver instead of giving excuses on why things didn’t work. Shake things up a little bit, stop playing on the safe side and walk on the side of the road that is a little bit riskier. Most importantly, don’t let failure stop you from getting where you are supposed and meant to be: fall and get up. Understand why you fell, why it happened what you could have done differently and try again and again and again. Try plan A, if it doesn’t work try plan B, C, D, E, all the way to Z. Try until it works because that’s how you become successful. Keep running that race to success even though you are out of breath, even though you have had too many failures. A lot of people give up the fight too early and some other people fight and give up when they are just seconds away from winning it. And believe me there is not greater failure than to give up when victory is near. Next time you are about to give up on something you have worked so hard for, think about that and carry on :)

"Life is easy when you live it the hard way and hard when you live it the easy way"

Carry on !