Food Rules v Food Rules

I have lost weight, which is fantastic. The first few of many kilos. After 2 sessions this week, I am aware that I am also improving on my fitness levels. Two weeks ago I could have never run as I did today nor done the push ups on Monday. At home, this means I can easily run up the stairs and run up the garden steps to the car, which I couldn't have done a few weeks ago without losing my breath. Yesterday I had a dynamic day doing the washing and ironing and I was speed pegging and speed ironing, sucking my tummy in as I did!

Yesterday after school I went for a walk with Julie and the kids. She had a back operation not long ago and walks twice a week, so finally we managed it together and walked a new route for her round Mapleton. She walks fast which is good for me, but her little boy was exhausted! At least all the kids slept well last night.

On Monday I was on my own with Bianca and she worked me very hard. 1 on 1 is more intensive but I gave it my best and was even able to chat while we did some of the exercises. Again, this is a vast improvement on two weeks ago, when I couldn't have spoken a word whilst doing anything. Phil took todays session and there were three of us. We ran, crab walked, did press ups, lunges, step ups, ran again, ran again backwards up a hill and pumped up down and round about with our powerade bottles filled with sand. My arms ached and my legs wobbled, but bizzarely, it felt good!

One thing I noticed at the weekend, is that I stopped craving bread and I am not missing it at all. On the eating plan, it is one of the things you replace with rye bread or wraps. With three kids and packed lunches to organise, scoffing on toast and eating sandwiches was just part of my daily routine.

So now my day consists of eating along these lines and I am actually enjoying it.

Breakfast: Oatabix, a bowl of Allbran or poached eggs or rye bread + somethimes a protein shake
Snack: tuna with rice cakes or home made hummous with veges and a mandarin from our tree
Lunch: is a mixed bean salad, a wrap, or rice and cooked chicken with salad
Snack: cold meats or a protien shake and some nuts
Evening: Salmon stir fry, savoury mince in lettuce wraps, fish wrapped in foil with herbs, veges and lemon.

When I have tried other diets before, I have still always craved something whether it be alcohol, biscuits, cheese, chips. I am surprised I have felt none of this. It must be the combination of exercising and the determination to do well, but in this early stage of the challenge, food no longer seems to be ruling me. In fact a couple of times, I have forgotten to eat and realised it was mid afternoon and I hadn't had lunch.

It is hard making such a change to your lifestyle, and I believe I am being reasonable with myself not expecting to be able to do everything form the day I start. You can't go from being a lard arse, sitting about all day and overeating to suddenly exercising everyday until you collapse, changing your diet so drastically. It takes time to learn everything and introduce new things to your daily life. So I am setting myself mini challenges and last week was to drink more water. I managed it about 50% of the time, so I need to continue with that this week. This week I am also challenging myself to make sure I exercise on the days I don't go to a session.

So more water + exercise everyday + keep eating healthily are what I have to keep at the forefront of my mind.

My aim is to be a size 12 again and I know will be there in time for the summer!!