I've had enough! I declare today that I will never repeat never follow another diet again! This is me done. I don't know why I've put myself through so many diets for most of my adult years when the results I've achieved have been at best, short term.
One thing that came out of Lockdown (well not including the 28lbs I gained in weight) is I plan to live my life having as much fun as I can, because we never know when it's going to end! So depriving myself of anything these days, is a swear word and I'm not doing it anymore.
This possibly sounds fool hardy to some but I do have a plan. I'm going to be cleverer about food. I plan to flip my relationship with food over and form habits that should stay with me forever. I will hold control, not food controlling me.
I have decided to focus on making sure I get the things I enjoy and then fit everything else in around it. Simply put
I will be planning for my failings.
I know I like a few cocktails and a takeaway on a Saturday night or when we're out on a sunny day, an ice cream with the family. I know I like a couple of glasses of wine after a hard day or choosing fries and a dessert when we go out for a meal. So if I know these things why can't I alter the way I eat prior to that, so I can enjoy what I want, guilt free?!
I’ve been on so many diets which start off well. I get the first week down and see some success but then it’s Christmas or my Birthday, or Easter or even just the weekend. There’s always something called 'life' rolling along to put an end to any well meaning health kick!
And honestly I don’t want to be that person who announces at gatherings, 'I’m on a diet' or 'I’m keto or vegan'. Talk about killing the buzz! I’ve been there and done it loads of times and I didn’t like that version of me!
You may say, just eat healthy. Well I’ve tried that too! Even when I have the healthiest food in front of me like a salad, I still want to butter some bread and eat that as well!
So here is new strategy for here on in. If it doesn't work some days well so be it. I tried for the most part to make it work and tomorrow will be when I try again. But this will be the default I will return to. Life is too short to be constantly trying to diet.
New Eating Strategy
From my three meals a day I'm going to decide on a meal which I'm going to call my 'Queen's Feast'.
If you prefer you can call it a King's Feast but ultimately, this is the meal where I can enjoy no calorie or carb counting. Not going crazy but not limiting myself either. I will still need to do some form of calorie and carb counting for everything outside of the 'QF' and I use fitnesspal to help me with that, (more on that later).
I usually choose dinner for my 'QF' but some days it could be my lunch instead. I only get one 'QF' a day, so I choose according to what I'm doing. For example, if I'm going out with the girls for Lunch then I change the 'QF' to Lunch. As a rough guide, in my head, I set aside about 1000 calories for my 'QF' which leaves me, based on my recommended calories and a small deficit approximately 600 calories to eat for the remainder of the day.
The remaining meals, I aim to make as protein rich and low carb, as I can to fit into 600 calories. This, I might add is real food. I don't do fat free or low calorie processed foods - never have! Home prepared recipes with real fresh ingredients helps to reduce the artificial and sometimes toxic components found in processed and shop bought meals. And foods with nutrients will help eliminate waste from the body. There is nothing wrong in batch preparing high protein, low carb foods, ready to grab from the freezer outside of 'QF'. Whichever way my aim is to make the other two meals each day as high in protein and low in calories and carbs as much as possible.
The reason behind this is, if most of us looked at our macronutrients in a day they would find that protein is the one nutrients we always fall short of. It's so easy to overeat in Carbohydrates and fats but protein tends to be forgotten.
Protein is a wonder food, it keeps us feeling full and helps us to maintain and even grow lean muscle. It helps in the repair of tissue after exercise, helps to balance hormones and is also is used in regenerating the enzymes we need to break down food and brings oxygen to red blood cells.
Some great examples of high protein foods are lean chicken, eggs, fish, beans, pulses and some dairy although they are higher in fat which will push our calorie count higher that we want.
This is why I still use MyFitnessPal to track everything but my 'QF'. I can upload and save my favourite foods and recipes and see where I'm falling short on protein. It can be the difference between a cube of cheese versus a chocolate bar, as a snack . I'm still going to eat something but the one that increases my protein and not my carbohydrates is the one I will choose.
As you can see there is very little involved in my strategy. Once I get into the swing of it, I plan to manage my food, in my head! The way it's meant to be!! When I know the protein levels of food I can keep a mental note of my high protein intake in order to enjoy my 'QF' when the time comes around. The mindset switches the 'QF' from a cheat meal to a reward meal that I've planned for and can really enjoy.
So even on the first day, my strategy was put to the test. My Queen’s Feast was chilli and potato wedges for dinner then hubby came back from the shops with Nachos, sour cream, salsa and guacamole. Of course we had to grate cheese on top and grill the Nachos!
Nothing was left from the packet of Doritos or the dips. But I did what I said I was going to do and enjoyed the meal like I’d planned and I was absolutely thrilled to see a half pound loss, rather than a gain the following morning! Knowing that I can have the odd blow out because I've cut down in the day was much more fun than waking up, the following day with regret for what I've put in my mouth.
I also plan to introduce some weight training and HIIT training at home and already share a personal trainer with my son and his wife once a week. Because to me the exercise is really going to push the scales in the right direction and allow me to enjoy the way I choose to live as well as maintaining control. So keep checking back as I will be updating on my progress. If you would like to join me on my lifestyle change or have any suggestions for my strategy then drop me an email and we can learn and shrink together.
Thanks so much for reading and until next time.
Jen