Hey All,
Like many of you I decided that January would be my ‘clean’
month, which meant no fatty food, massive portions, chocolate, cheese, alcohol,
coffee etc. Unfortunately, this didn’t go quite as planned. I was kidding
myself if I thought I could get through one week without dipping into the
massive bag of goodies left from Christmas! Also, with three big birthdays
in Jan, including mine, how was I possibly going to avoid cake?! The truth is,
I didn't Hence, the month of January was probably just as bad as December, if
not worse!
So, February has become my new January. Over the last couple
of weeks I have felt so tired and lethargic. Not to mention my lack of
motivation for any gym based activities. My hair, skin and nails have been
looking pretty awful and I get depressed every time I try to squeeze into my
skinny jeans, only to fail miserably. I know that every girl out there will
complain about her weight/shape even when she is looking her best, but I know
for a fact that I am not at my best and have every right to complain/cry/refuse
to leave the house because I feel like a hippo! My wonderful boyfriend has been
very patient and loving, but he is now at the point of saying “if you feel like
a hippo, go do something about it because I can’t cope hearing you moan about
it all the time!”. These were harsh, but fair words.
Operation ‘Nicole Shirt-Slinger Body’ is now in full effect!
I enjoy food way too much to do any crazy diets that involve
fasting or eating only cabbage soup… I also can’t cope with calorie counting as it is
way too much hassle and I’m far too busy and important for any of that.
So, this is my plan:
Eat clean. Lots of veggies, lean meat, fish and fruit
Eat only complex carbohydrates. I tried doing the whole ‘no carb’
thing before, but with all the exercise I was doing I just couldn't live
without them!
Introduce smoothies and juices. This is totally new to me
and I am excited to try some of the recipes I have found. I have a board on my
Pinterest page with lots of inspiration. I will try to post up ones I've tried
and how they tasted.
Reduce portion sizes. I am quite aware that my portion sizes are a little out of control! I think this has a lot to do with the size of our dinner plates and bowls. Therefore, from now on I will use a smaller plate and bowl. I know I could weigh everything and count out my soy beans, but I honestly can't be bothered with all of that. Maybe that is something I could work towards?
Drink lots of water. I think the recommended intake of water per day is around 2 litres. I have a 500 ml bottle that I can carry around with me. So if I drink 4 of these, I should be getting enough water.
Reduce caffeine intake. What can I say? I enjoy coffee! I have read many studies about why caffeine is bad and why it is good. I think the killer with coffee is the amount people drink per day and how much sugar/milk they put in it. A guy I work with has 4 teaspoons of sugar!! I'm no nutritionist, but this can't be good! I have managed to get to the point where I don't need sugar in coffee or tea, but if I do fancy a bit of sweetness, I use honey.
No alcohol. This isn't a massive issue for me as I'm not a big drinker. I am partial to a nice glass of red wine ... I'm sure I read somewhere that red wine is good for you on some level?!
Minimum 3 gym sessions per week. I love a good gym session and having an awesome gym buddy that encourages me is priceless! Check out www.bodyrock.tv for loads of fitness inspiration and workouts. I am totally addicted to this site and love their workouts!
These are pretty basic things, but I know they work. I
think if I can manage this for 4 weeks, I should be on the path to a fit,
happy and healthy life! Losing weight and feeling good is obviously the main
goal here, but I want to think about the bigger picture and how I can change my
daily routine for a better life in general. Initially, I know this will be hard, but I'm willing to try. Goodbye sofa, cakes, bread, red wine and all other kinds of
deliciousness! Hello treadmill, lean meats, fish, fruit, veggies and all things
green and full of goodness!
Wish me luck!!
XXX
