Mulling...

I’ve been mulling over the last few days. Not making major changes, just tightening up and allowing thoughts to float around in my head as to my next steps. I’ve been thinking about my diet and working out what is wrong with it and what can be changed. I think I have come to eat too much bread and carbs. They tend to come accompanied with butter and other goodies and make me feel bloated and uncomfortable which itself mitigates against exercise and activity. After a bread-based meal I often feel sleepy and have an uncomfortable tummy.



I’ve been thinking back to times when my diet has worked for me and when I found losing weight relatively easy. (Obviously NOT thinking about the time I gave up food altogether and existed on chemical dust and lost 9 stone because I’m NOT going to do that again!! Not that I regret it mind, just it is not the solution for now!)



Landing onto the fertile ground of my vague mullings, one lightbulb moment came when I read Lovecat’s blog and she listed what she eats most of the time. This was especially inspiring bearing in mind that, after a long time treading water, she has really made strides recently and has now hit the magical 12 stone zone!! Big congratulations Lovecat, I’m in awe.



But, back to what I was saying, her list of food was very protein, vegetable and fruit based and light on the carbs. Like a sensible version of Atkins or a red day based Slimming World. Now, thinking back to my chequered history of dieting, these were the times when I lost weight in the past and, crucially, had loads of energy for exercise and didn’t feel hungry. Before I ignite the red touch paper, I know Atkins itself was too extreme and not healthy but I do think a sensibly modified version has merit. I also think the kick-starting for a couple of weeks was a good thing as it got you through your sugar-cravings.



Looking back, I realise that my everyday diet has moved quite a lot over the last year. From muesli with fruit for breakfast and sushi with fruit/yoghurt for lunch to cereal for breakfast and 2 sandwiches for lunch. Much more carb-y and less healthy which might explain why a) I’ve gained weight (bread leads to more bread in my experience so toast has been creeping into my breakfast repertoire as well and as an evening snack!) and b) less energy so harder to make myself go swimming at lunch and running in the evenings.



So – I’m going to ban the bread for a while. Breakfast will be either bacon and egg, or omelette or muesli and fruit (high GI and not carb-y in the same way). Lunch will be cold meat or fish with salad and coleslaw/mayo as required. Suppers will be the same as I presently have but either with no spuds/rice/noodles or dramatically smaller portions of the same and extra veggies. I will change beer to wine or water or less calorific option.



I will also continue what I have been doing recently re exercise to make sure that I get plenty of this. Swimming, running and personal training are all crucial I believe.



My fridge is not currently set up for the new lunch regime so this will start on Monday (as is traditional I believe) but I’m going to knock the bread on the head straight away. I’ll also reinstate the daily weigh-ins which have lapsed to “intermittent” and report weekly on progress. There WILL BE progress. If progress does not happen by itself on this regime I will go to Slimming World and follow a modified version of the regime under their supervision. I know I can lose weight but it is the keeping on keeping on that I struggle with so that is what I’m going to focus on. Funny, Lovecat’s list of things which made a difference also mentioned this.



Frequent blogging and mini-targets will also make a reappearance.