Monday, 29 April 2013

Day 2: I survived my first day of fasting! It was not easy but I was lucky that it was a beautiful day and got into some gentle gardening which made me forget me tummy and ken for undiscplined sugar transfat laden yumyums. By evening I was not really interested in food(!) and was happy with 2 small pieces of bread and a small banana. I probably went over my 500 kjs but not by too much.
So this morning I woke up and I'm not starving and wanting fried eggs and bacon or pancakes and bacon or a bacon samwitch. I warmed up some of yesterdays left over rice (nb rice goes off very quickly - don't eat 2 day old rice) cracked a soft boiled egg in it and topped it with sweet chilli sauce. A poor copy of congee, but satisfying. Funny that I'm pushing towards Asian foods. When you consider there are not many overweight Asians (except for those adopting a western diet) it makes sense. Perhaps I am also craving the salt in place of the sugar. Also funny that this is a 5 day and I can eat "Normally". Now instead of writing this I should be taking the dog for a walk or something... Check in tomorra and I'll come clean.

By evening, although not craving, I was a bit cranky and uncommunicative. Warn your loved ones before embarking on this that you may need some cossetting or at least a blind eye when you first start fasting. Truly, my new body and lack of snoring will be worth my moodiness! Feeling okay mood wise today, and not quite so anxious about the next fast day which will possibly be tomorrow or Saturday depending on work schedule.

Sunday, 28 April 2013

5:2 Diet

So I've made a snap decision to embark on the 5:2 diet. Some stats I am 45; 163cm when standing tall (rarely) and 14 1/2 stone (or 93 kg) (or 205 pounds).  When I felt good I weighed 70 kg or 154 pounds or 11 stone. So I want to lose (AT LEAST) 23 kg, 51 pounds or 3 1/2 stone. I think. Maths is not one of my strong points. So not a lot. Eminently doable. But I've been here many times and still the scales go up and up and still my girth goes out and out.

Health Issues: Sleep apnea, insomnia, anxiety, stress, mood swings, depression, extreme tiredness, varicose veins, heel spurs. I'm hoping that most of these will reduce or disappear with better diet and reduced weight.

Day 1: Monday 29/04/2013
Fasting day to kick off. I am not working today (hence the blog) so can loll around and do a rapid clean up prior to the family coming home (as usual). Apparently when fasting women can consume 500 kj and men 600. Lucky men. Bastards! Fight you for that piece of bread! These kjs can be consumed as one meal or as several over the day. I NEED SOMETHING for breakfast so I thought I'd have some miso soup. Easy, something, and healthy. Until I read the packet. My Hikari Instant Miso Soup Wakame ingredient list is: Soybean paste, Water, Alcohol (!), Salt, Sugar, Mineral Salt (508), Flavour Enhancers (621, 627, 631) Wakame Seaweed, Dried Bonito Powder. The Flavour Enhancers turn out to be MSG (of course) Disodium Guanylate and Disodium Inosinate. None are recommended for children or those suffering gout, heart or breathing issues. So I had my Miso, survived, and will now go in search of a less additive laden miso if possible. (My face is itchy - goddam MSG!)

What I haven't mentioned is the exercise component. I know that I need to move, but really don't relish exercise. What I tolerate is swimming with my kickboard occasionally at the local pool, a sedate walk very occasionally, a 15 minute stint on the exercise bike occasionally (after sweeping off the cobwebs), housework occasionally. I have a pedometer, and usually average 6000 steps when working, bugger all when not. I know I should try to get up to 10 000 steps but my heel spurs start to pain something severe - at least that's my excuse - so will need to sweep the goddam bike off or fork out $5 + for a pool venture.

What I also haven't mentioned is that I will also try to stop drinking alcohol for a time. I enjoy a few glasses of red wine while cooking dinner and throughout the evening, and I know that I use it to destress. Apparently red wine can interfere with sleep which I don't need; and I know that it is NOT a diet food. Or drink. So tata red wine - this will be difficult. And hello green tea. Wish me luck!