The First Step...

What gives you the impression I am stalling with the pictures of my body..... I promise they will be posted soon.

But, in the meantime I need to share a secret with you. I do NOT believe in diets! None of them, no low GI, no no protein, no negative calories, NONE.... I'm I making my point clear here. I've seen so many people dieting and losing weight only to put that same weight and some more back on. Our bodies are simply not designed to be deprived of anything.

Having said that, we are also forced to put an enormous amounts of chemicals and synthetic vitamins into our bodies in the foods we eat. Even the water we drink is not healthy.

Years ago I made some changes to my diet, permanent changes that have become a lifestyle. These changes resulted in me dropping kilos, not 1 or 2 but 15. I didn't diet, I did no exercise, and I didn't deprive myself of anything. In the beginning it was difficult to get used to the changes, but now if I go back to any of these items they taste strange and my body reacts violently.

Before I start though, I want you all to know that I have a very deep passion for food. I love everything about it, the smell, the taste, the texture. Every aspect of food thrills me and I've often said I could go without very many things in my life, as long as I have a descent kitchen, stove and oven, cooking utensils and a fully stocked pantry. I am a business owner and I work from home, my husband and step son work with me and as you know we have a small baby, so our meals are quick to prepare, usually don't contain strange ingredients and are done 3 times a day. Anyone can do it.

So, here are those changes, don't do them gradually, make them all at once and bear with the strangeness, within a week you won't even notice them.

1. No more white sugar. Substitute it for brown sugar instead. It's far less refined. Once you've had brown sugar for a while, try the white and feel how your body reacts. White sugar will taste metallic and you will sugar rush and burn.
2. Start cutting down on the coffee, or drink decaf. I drank anywhere between 5 and 10 cups a day, if I drink 5 cups a year now, it's a lot. Large quantities of caffeine causes the body to hold water and fat. Again, try a cup once you've eliminated it from your life and feel how violently reacts.
3. Try to keep you tea consumption to a maximum of 3 cups a day. I still struggle with this, but it's well worth it.
4. It goes without saying, keep your water intake up to 2 litres or 8 250ml glasses a day.
5. No more full cream milk, 2% or skim. I find that skim is a little to bland for me, so I use 2%.
6. No more white bread, it doesn't fill you up, it is full of refined sugars and flour and it's generally not good for you.
7. Eat breakfast every day, you need to kickstart your metabolism. I hated breakfast, now I can't go without it. 2 slices of toast will do, maybe a bowl of muesli or cerea, but eat when you wake up, it's important.
8. Balance your meals. I will post our daily meals for the next two weeks. Feel free to steal any ideas or ask for ingredients if you like.
9. Try to differentiate your body's pangs. Hunger and thirst pangs feel the same but, if you really pay attention you will learn the difference.
10. Most importantly, never deprive yourself of anything. If you feel like chocolate, have it. You don't need a whole slab, just a regular size chocolate will do. When we deprive ourselves, our bodies crave that particular food more. I have a particularly large issue with crisps. Ask yourself the question, do I want it because I see it, or do I need it because my body needs it.

Here is what we've eaten as a family;

BREAKFAST: 2 slices brown bread toast, one with Bovril and one with Strawberry Jam, and a cup of tea.

I've had a banana in between because I got peckish.

LUNCH: Good 'ol sandwich, with lettuce tomato and cheese. Salt and pepper to taste, and I can't live without my Mayo. Cup of tea

I'll probably get snackish at about 15:00 and grab about 5 Provita or salty cracks, or if I feel like something sweet Maries.

SUPPER: I pre cooked an Indian beef curry yesterday, and will switch the stove back on tonight and heat it. We'll have some rice and I will chop some onion, tomatoes and banana's to serve with it. Cup of tea.

Water, as much as possible.

Tomorrow I will share the ab secret, but I'll have to get hubby to take some photo while I do it.