MACROS – Everything You Need To Know

Psychologist and nutrition expert, Kirsty Britz, shared her wealth of knowledge about macros and body image health on this week’s Big Sister edition of Sisterhood Saturday.

Here is a little summary of what we learnt about macros and how to get started.

Below are links to calculating your macros, the macronutrients in individual foods, as well as Kirsty’s own unique macros menu in pictures.

Remember: if you decide to try the macros nutrition model – yours will be different to hers; this menu is suited to her unique body make-up and health/fitness targets.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CDWNaf6JtLZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Example of What Kirsty May Eat In A Day

What are macros?

Macronutrients are made up of three major food groups: protein, carbohydrates, & fat.

• The macros nutrition model is calculated uniquely and individually.
• You choose your targets, and what you want to eat based on your individual body make up.
• You can eat anything, provided it fits in with your daily macro count.
• You count your macro’s rather than your calories, or restricting food groups.
• It may seem tedious at first while calculating, but after that it is easy, nutritious and effective.
• A lot of people only stick to their macro counting 5 days per week.

“There are no bad foods. Only ‘sometimes’ foods, and ‘all time’ foods.” – Kirsty Britz

MACRO CALCULATORS

MACRO IN FOOD CALCULATOR

NOW WHAT?!

Once you have your unique macros – take an hour or two to create your own meal plan.
Enter each food into the calculator above and calculate the nutrients in the food you are going to eat this week!

You will now know that your body is getting all the healthy nutrients it needs in your daily diet, and you will be in control of what you eat, working toward your own unique goals, steadily and healthily.

If you feel you may have an unhealthy relationship with food, Kirsty recommends you seek a nutritionist/expert before starting a new health journey so that it does not become unhealthy and obsessive.

Below are links to eating disorder helplines – reaching out and talking to someone is sometimes the first step to a lifetime love affair with your body and food.

EATING DISORDER HELPLINES

USA HELPLINES

Hopeline Network: 1-800-442-4673
Crisis Textline: Text CONNECT to 741741
Overeaters Anonymous: 1-505-891-2664
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and
Associated Disorders: 1-630-577-1330

SOUTH AFRICA HELPLINES

Imani: 27 (0) 21 761 0740
Eating Disorders South Africa: (27) 12 338 2543
Twin Rivers: 27 (0)82 863 3159

UNITED KINGDOM HELPLINES

Beat Eating Disorders Helpline: 0808 801 0677 
Eating Disorder Association NI: 02890 235959
Eating Disorder Support: 01494 793223

Visit Kirsty’s Instagram for more Health Tips:

https://www.instagram.com/kirst_fitfood/

https://www.instagram.com/kirst_fitfood/

https://www.instagram.com/kirst_fitfood/

https://www.instagram.com/kirst_fitfood/

https://www.instagram.com/kirst_fitfood/

https://www.instagram.com/kirst_fitfood/

Staying In-Tertainment: The Little Social Distancing Handbook for the Girl Who Just Stays In

Advice, Activities, Exercises, Style Ideas & Recipe To Keep You Sane and Entertained During Partial and Full Quarantine.

100% of the profits are going to the charity Gift of the Givers.

Coronavirus, the Internet and the notion of ‘togetherness’ in the 21st century

Coronavirus. COVID19… The Invisible Enemy. It’s changed ours lives for a time. It’s catapulted us from our seemingly stable paths, into uncertainty. Into a place where we have to contemplate that which most of us put to the back our minds …the fragility of our existence. The certainty of passing on.

A very real element of danger is now at our doorsteps. And it’s pushing us in. Into confined spaces. Into the spaces of our minds.

It is interesting to think that a large amount of us spend a large portion of our times in the nether region of an in-between reality, which is largely made up from the consciousness of our minds.

The Internet.

The worlds created in this world, that now almost rule our own tangible spaces. Taking the togetherness of being together apart. Taking part largely in a new domain. Now, because of the pandemic, this is largely our only domain to be together in, (and yes, I use the word ‘domain’, tongue-in-cheek), fragmenting the word ‘together’ into new meanings.

Conflicting are most of our opinions of this world in-between. Is it disruptive of our tangible world? Does it shrink our relationships in the touching, feeling, seeing, right-here, world? Or does it deepen them? Does it save time and productivity or does it waste time, and shorten our concentration spans? There are so many questions. The only certainty is technology is ever-evolving, and as the rise of the radio and the TV forever changed human existence, society norms, pop culture, and globalisation, so too will this.

Now, with a pandemic at our doorsteps, many of us have found solace in the world in-between.

Is it quite ironic that we dove so deep into these technological worlds, only to become stuck in them to an extent?

Almost like the hand of Whoever Is Out There, saying ‘…you wanted your cake, now eat the whole thing’.

Or maybe it is the opposite – maybe it is a back-fired attempt at compression of worlds and our visions to the The Right Here.

And so, what will this new compression of space produce – an embracing of the new medium as something special and creative or something that sucks allofyou in? Or will we turn off and tune in to the other realm more? Will we be present in the 3D form, turning off the extension of ourselves, the mind-made-matter.

I argue that life has now become expanded through and of our Consciousness, and now a new entity simply Is.

The ever-growing, catapulting force of this entity drives politics, drives decision-making, drives fashion, drives our very idea of our Selves.

Maybe it is not good, nor bad, of itself. Maybe it simply is what the user makes of it …just as it is one’s own choice how much TV/chocolate/cigarettes/fruit/newspapers one consumes every day, and the collective demand will negate the collective supply.

So we are forced into confined spaces by an invisible threat; and now we open these spaces by jumping into invisible places.

TREAD-SETTERS: FROM DESIGNER TO HIGH STREET TO FINDING YOUR FIT

THE HIGH STREET CUT

For the girl who walks. From affordable to treat-yourself: The Tread-Setters.

Aldo – Dokter

London Hub Fashion Razor Heel Shuffle Boots Black

Zara – HIGH-HEEL LEATHER BOOTS

Dolce Vita Montreux Boots Rose Gold

Zara – Leather Cow-heel Boots with Ankle Trim

Zara – HIGH HEEL STRETCH LEATHER ANKLE BOOTS

Pretty Little Thing – NUDE HIGH BLOCK HEEL POINT ANKLE BOOT

Pretty Little Thing – WHITE KNEE HIGH BLOCK HEEL SOCK BOOT

Pretty Little Thing – BLACK THIGH HIGH SOCK BOOT

Pretty Little Thing – NUDE THIGH HIGH STILETTO BOOTS

THE DESIGNER CUT

Some beautiful shapes for you to feast your eyes on this morning, and day dream through your first hour of work – sorry… These were meant to be my knee and above collection of loves, but I couldn’t resist adding two or three ankle boots too.

Gucci – Platform boot with G rhombus

Gucci – Ribbed fabric platform boot

Gucci – Leather ankle boot

Jimmy Choo – Toni

Miu Miu – Leather Booties

Givenchy – Storm Over-The-Knee Sock Boots

Balenciaga – Embellished Knife Thigh High Boots 80

Alexander McQueen – Tread Lace Up Boot

Yves Saint Lauren – OPYUM LEATHER ANKLE BOOTS WITH BRONZE SNAKE HEEL

Yves Saint Lauren – 76 OVER-THE-KNEE BOOTS IN SMOOTH LEATHER

Yves Saint Lauren – 76 OVER-THE-KNEE BOOTS IN LEOPARD-PRINT SUEDE

Dior – ECRU NAUGHTILY-D BRAIDED CALFSKIN HIGH BOOT

Dior – BLACK NAUGHTILY-D FISHNET AND SUEDE HIGH BOOT

Louis Vuitton – Podium Platform High Boot

Louis Vuitton – Podium Platform High Boot

Louis Vuitton – Silhouette Ankle Boot

Louis Vuitton – Silhouette Ankle Boot

Louis Vuitton – Silhouette Ankle Boot

Louis Vuitton – Silhouette Thigh Boot

FINDING YOUR FIT

I’ve had a few conversations with women recently, and we all have had similar issues and I think, before we’ve spoken about it, we’ve all felt like we are the only ones with this problem: that boots… no… clothes(!) …don’t always fit! They may fit on the foot but not the calf, or the thigh but not the foot, or the waist but not the legs or the boobs but not the tum etc. etc., you get the point.

In short, we are not the problem.

The problem is that mass-produced, ready-to-wear garments are fitted to an average, a calculation that is, at best, neeearly right, for most of us. I repeat, at best. The human body is unique, like our DNA, like our fingerprints, and, suffice to say, it would be mad to think we all have the same ratio in calf size to thigh size to foot size etc etc.

But …we make do, because most of us are loath to fork out the couture figures $$$$ and sacrifice eating out (or just eating at all) for figure-fitting cloth.

Before I begin, just letting you know that I haven’t spoken in terms of size as a number, just because I really feel like it can be triggering for a lot of us, and can even make us rate ourselves according to some nonsensical idea of self-worth-to-size ratio… Made up by who? The media, and even by the fashion houses we all know and love …and then consumed, hungrily, by none other than …ourselves. Sadly.

Anyway, here we go. This is a quick quick guide to online shopping for boots!

APHRODITE’S

You may often find it hard to get the zipper up, maybe when it gets to the top of your calf, or your ankle. Look for a wider, stiffer material, especially ones that are made to have a gap at the top of the boot, these will be the snuggest, most comfortable fit for you. Stretches could be a bit tricky especially in PVC, but, again, trust your intuition, and look at the picture.

https://www.zando.co.za/public-desire-public-desire-thriller-boots-black-patent-166733.html

ATHENA’S

You may often find that thigh high, or even knee-high boots slide down your legs, or the shape looks a bit odd because your legs don’t feel like they are encapsulated properly in the fit, and maybe the sides of the material bulge out, and not in a good way… For you, the best bet would be to look for stretch fits rather than stiff material, as these are made on the less bulky side. Always take into account the picture on the model and assess by eyes, we usually know ourselves better than we think. Also, have a deeper dive into product details, they may even have measurements included if they are really On, and then it’s up to you to get your tape measure out!

https://www.zando.co.za/ego-ego-addicted-stilleto-long-boots-black-17721.html

Always check the returns policy, and the small print, just in case, and factor in the postal, to return if they don’t fit right.

And, if all else fails, ankle boots usually work for all of us 😉

Next blog: Hottest Boots Online (Right Now) For All Budgets

XOXO

JJ

Mauritius …impressions

Sometimes it’s easier to write in hindsight, when your view is clearer, and you aren’t still giddy from the swell of it.

Mauritius,

To begin with, the first thing I noticed was how clean you were. How hot and humid the air was. Taking me back to my childhood. To the first time I stepped off a plane onto Hong Kong soil.

You felt exotic. Like potential. Palm trees of every species perched precariously from concrete blocks in well-lined islands of the sterile airport.

You felt like a place where one could walk freely and calmly around brightly-lit areas at night.

Safe.

This was a new feeling, having spent a year back home, in South Africa, where, unbeknownst to the conscious mind, one is always aware of what’s around the corner.

We began our journey at night, through the windy sea-hugging roads in deepest-dream darkness.

We chose to stay in a lesser populated side of the island, having heard and read a lot, and wanting to find morsels of ‘authenticity’, whatever that means, and to feel the island’s beneath.

The things I remember most are:

The Water – the temperature, oh so heavenly, rocking you like a lullaby, as you lay back in shades of turquoise-green. The colours changing so shockingly as the sun dips in and out, and the days turn over and the weather lazily chooses whether it will be cyclonic storms or shady clouds or postcard blues.

The Animals – the wealth of fauna took me back to the seaside town I was born in and flashed memories I’d forgot I knew about, bringing up a nostalgia and childhood longing. The big croaky frogs on the humid steps at twilight greeted us like Faraway Tree creatures, with the childlike feeling that fairies might be peeking out mischievously from a nearby glen. Snails …everywhere. Just like in Hong Kong. So many that we spent the beginning of a before-the-rain evening picking them up off the gravelly, rural roads. Bats. Wide-winged, high-flying, moonlit creatures of the night, swooping across sunsets, and the sea. These are the things that coloured my stay in shades, no, feelings of warm, bright, orangey-pinks.

The Villages and The Community – late night festivals alongside the sea with brightly coloured tents and aromatic spices lingering in the air. Washing, and plants, still in their plastic cases, happily bobbing out of windows and hanging off balconies of paint-peeling primary-coloured houses. And everyone coming out at night. And the lights being off at night. All the houses gone blank, only one or two TV screens, glittering hazy pictures through roughly-curtained windows. And the blockades next to the beach, littered with people soaking up the evening’s rays. And picnics galore, not on the sand, but on the grass, under the umbrella of tall fir trees. And Tupperwares, everywhere, with what looked like hearty curries spooned into them, cooked from scratch, no doubt with sweat and love. And babies, galore. And little children running about. And laughter. And an atmosphere of celebration, every evening, as the sun’s rays crept down the sea.

The Dolphins – One of the most astounding feelings I’ve ever felt was diving into a pod of dolphins as they submerged in a triangular formation, ebbing rhythmically through crystal spheres of light, getting darker and darker as they plummeted into the depths of the sea. I can’t put it into words, but it felt something like being part of the beginning and the end and the in-between… Maybe it was the way they danced in unison …maybe it was the colours… Maybe it was something to do with a primal feeling, in deepest waters. I don’t know. It belittles it, but the closest I can get is… It felt like my heart and soul had overflowed into the sea.

Hope you are having a beautiful Thursday!!!

XO

JJ

MY TOP 3 PICKS OF BOOTS RIGHT NOW – SS20 & Beyond

AKA These Boots Are Made For Worshipping

Right now, from the Saint Lauren runway to Balenciaga and beyond …it’s all about The Boot.

I’ve been feeling The Boot for a while now (again).

…My foot fetish began with a little white cowgirl kick that set my wardrobe on fire, and got the compliments coming in from passersby at airport pickups to grocery lines to cocktail joints, to me wanting to take them off and hit them with them …jokes (But it was a small percentage of the conversation-sparker that you get when your dog is a puppy and everyone suddenly develops real Before-Social-Media social skills).

And lo-and-behold, my semi-premonition was confirmed by SS2020 runway picks, all the way from London to New York – and with Cape Town’s crossover weather, paired with The Boot’s innate versatility – everything is telling me it’s time to take a stand (in The Boot, ofc).

…And these are the ones I want to stand all over in!

Just like the old Clint Eastwood film, I feel that your wardrobe will be well-balanced for any kind of stand-off in these 3 showstoppers :

The Good …The Bad …& the Ugly:

1. THE GOOD – WHITE LEATHER/PLEATHER NUMERO

@love_jessicajane

Paired with your favourite jeans, or a balmy summer’s night LBD, or some classic Daisy Dukes + T… This completes …no, makes(!) the outfit.

A little white ankle boot in leather or a good solid pleather, possibly with finely etched patterns or a buckle detail, or simply a block colour… Whichever way you go …this is a fresh, bold statement.

A bit of fun, a bit of wild, a bit of “I don’t take myself too seriously. Or do I…? Mwaha”.

Captivating. Unusual. I love it.

2. THE BAD – THE LITTLE RED DEVIL

@AimeeSong

I’ve been seeing Red all over the runways (and all over my Google Play list …But that’s another story (ilyyy Taylorrr)) and I think it’s all going to come down to one thing: a cute red ankle boot.

Again, it’s a similar idea to the above, but ends up playing a totally different song.

Speaking of Song, have a look at Aimee Song’s take on it above.

It’s all about the sheen, it’s all about a chunky heel or a sweet stiletto that you can really Paint The Town … Red …in.

3. THE UGLY – SNAKESKIN THIGH-HIGH

I say Ugly, but I joke, snakes are beautiful too. On a boot. I joke again (although I do have a substantially ingrained “I-threw-off-my-night-robe-tonight-while-writing-this-cos-the-tie-swished-against-my-leg” fear of the poor innocent creatures…).

Anyway, I digress…

The snakeskin thigh/sky-high (yes, the longer the better), is very relevant right now.

In fact, all thigh-highs are very very relevant now. And I have to, again, reiterate: It really is the longer the better.

Some of the heels clinking the London FW SS2020 runways almost seemed like trousers they were so long.

And they looked good. Real good, not just runway good.

Anyhow, these aren’t everywhere, but they aren’t too hard to find if you look, and, when found, add sophistication, elegance and oomph to any outfit.

A great way to wear them, giving you a little bit of mystery, is peeking out from just-below-the-knee skirts and dresses.

But, again… Go wild. Have fun.

Eat. The. Apple.

Happy Wednesday, we’re almost there.

XO

JJ

PS: Look out for a little post on Friday in which I will detail online shopping links to beautiful boots, and talk a bit about how to find the right fit, at a glance, to your gorgeous and unique legs.