Winter cravings management

It’s coming up to a year (20/02) since I decided to attempt a body detox. The only one I had was because I have always been too impatient to wait for results. I’ve reached that point in my life when I’m ready to achieve them.

Charlotte's irresistible choc' cookies

So, following all of the Christmas chocolate, cheese and wine binging it is now time to get back on the health wagon. I gained 2kg and want them off (and a couple more off won’t do me any harm). I have been very conscious of what I’m eating and stuck to some ground rules. Yes, I have abused the cookies. And no I don’t regret it, because now I know how far I can go.

Ground rules I kept:

• Water (to have at least one litre/day, ideally two)

• No milk (most dairy fat reduced)

• No white bread

• No white rice

• No white pasta

• No fried food

• No sugar (stevia sweetener instead/sweetened syrups, etc)

• Caffeine, only in the morning (before 1 pm)

• Localized exercises 3, to 4 times a week (before breakfast, while everyone is still asleep is the perfect time for me)

• Weekly weighing (every Monday morning, first thing)

This has become more than a ritual, it has truly become more of a lifestyle (lol). It’s no chore to cook my meals, they are still full of flavour and I left my comfort zone to try new food (and food combos) which I have been mentally blocking.

Nutritionists will tell you not to follow other people’s diets. They say it’s a diet tailored to suit a person’s height/weight and lifestyle, and it is. But mostly it’s because it means they will lose a client that way, let's be honest, not quite the same as when the doctors tell you not to take someone else's prescribed medicine. There is a well-being (even death) risk in the latter.

No point in clicking. I'm not sharing it :)

When considering following someone else’s diet, if you don’t feel confident enough in taking the self-diet route (if you don’t know your body cycle well, are not sure about what nutrients your body needs, or have ongoing health issues) then DON’T DO IT without consulting with your GP.

Sticking to my ground rules has been proven crucial to prevent going mental over the winter (especially Christmas), as appetite tends to increase when our bodies feel cold. Discipline and distraction do the job.