Hey all!
Well we're nearly through January now, aka the diet season! On the 1st January 2012, millions of people once again made their vows and wrote out their New Year Resolutions. A very large proportion of resolutions will have been to go on a diet, to lose weight or to get healthy. Will they be kept? Well, perhaps a few but certainly not the majority. I know, I'm one of the statistics that fail to keep their resolutions! But why is this?
I would imagine that most people (maybe you too?) will try one of the latest and greatest fad diets; perhaps they'll try little pills guaranteed to lose them weight; what about the Atkins diet, weight watchers, Tesdo diets, Sainsbury diets or the Cambridge diet, etc. etc. Whilst many will fail to lose weight, usually through not sticking to the diet coz it's so boring and they're always hungry, many may indeed stick to the plan and actually lose weight. But out of those who do manage to lose weight, how many actually put the weight back on as soon as they stop? And, for heaven's sake, who wants to be on a diet for the rest of their life?!
So, what is the answer?
Ditch the diet - it doesn't work!
Well first of all you have to really WANT to lose weight and become fitter and healthier. Yeah, yeah I know you really want to, but there are different levels of "want". Stop making all those excuses and start NOW.
Next, ditch the diet! WHAT??!! Yep - we all know that diets DON'T WORK! Come on now, be honest, how many different diets have you tried? Let's face it the word "diet" brings mortal fear into our lives. NO CHOCOLATE! NO CRISPS! NO BREAD! COUNTING CALORIES! You're gonna be hungry all the time! AARRGGHH!
Plan it! Make a sensible plan that you will follow
The way forward is a step at a time and PLAN. After all, what's the rush? Well, unless you have a wedding to go to in two weeks time and simply MUST get into that dress that is one size too small!
First of all you must be honest with yourself. If you are overweight something is wrong - either you have a health problem causing it or you are eating too much and/or not getting enough exercise or just eating the wrong sort of food. "Oh, I don't eat much", I hear you say. So first off you should keep an HONEST food diary. In it put everything down that you eat or drink, even if it is only a glass of water. Do this every day for at least a week. You may be surprised to find that you either eat more than you think (did I really have 2 bags of crisps on Monday?!) or you'll find that you are eating types of food that will ensure you keep putting the weight on!
Next, plan a menu for a week - breakfast, lunch and dinner, and snacks too if you feel you need them. I shall be putting recipes and suggestions up on this site, and I'd love it if you would send me your own recipes to share! Don't make your menu too strict because if you do you simply won't stick to it. If you love pizza then make sure you have it occasionally but just watch what the topping is. If you enjoy a glass of wine (which I do!) then have a glass, but stop at one and don't end up drinking half a bottle every day!
Finally is the dreaded word, exercise! But there really is no need to be frightened of it! Yep, I know you have a busy schedule and just don't have time for it. Yep, I know it's boring. BUT I'm going to be writing about exercises that aren't really exercises (urrmm what?). You will find that you do actually have the time to do them and once you get started you'll actually enjoy it. OK, I'm not saying that everybody will enjoy everything I write about, after all we all like different things! But I will say that I am sure I will find a way of exercising that you will enjoy 
OK, so that's enough blah blah for today - let's get started!