So what do you do?

Back in 2014 my journey to better health and wellbeing began. I didn't know it at the time but that desire to simply 'lose some weight' would cause a complete new way of life for me that has evolved, and continues to evolve, ever since. And because of those changes, along with my passion for knowing and understanding more, I often get asked the question 'so what do you do?'...well this is what I do!

Where shall we start? Well let's go with the obvious...food! Back in 2014 I started off with a low carb/keto approach to eating which gave me the weight loss I'd been wanting for so many years, but since then my approach has changed as I learned more and more. So whilst the ethos of low carb/keto is still there I think the easiest way to describe the food I eat today would be to simply say 'real food'. By which I mean we cook whole foods all the time. We avoid ultra processed food (I urge everyone to read Ultra Processed People by Chris Van Tulleken it is eye opening and will put you off packaged foods for life!). If we do occasionally buy any packaged foods then we follow these simple rules...does it have more than 5 ingredients? If the answer is yes put it back! Does it contain ingredients that you have never heard of or that you wouldn't find in a kitchen cupboard? Again if the answer is yes put it back!

So what do you eat I can hear being asked? Well a typical day for me can look something like this;

I'll start the day with a black coffee (fully caffeinated) and will usually have my first meal of the day around late morning/lunchtime which tends to be bacon, eggs and mushrooms (breakfast foods are my favourite!). Dinner is around late afternoon/early evening and will be some type of animal protein (chicken, ground beef, steak, salmon etc) with either green veggies (stick to veggies grown above ground) or salad. To round out the day I will have an evening dessert/snack of greek yogurt & berries (raspberries & blueberries are my go to) with a drizzle of honey. If I do feel the need for a snack at any point then this is where my favourite dark chocolate comes in, I prefer 90% cocoa but will always aim for a minimum of 70%. But other options can include a couple of dates, an apple, small amount of cheese, hard boiled egg, small amount of nuts or deli meats. And for drinks I will stick to black coffee or black tea which after our first morning coffee will mostly be decaffeinated.

A couple of caveats to the above;

Protein (animal based is preferable...more satiating and more nutrient dense) should be your primary source of food, not only does this keep us satiated it helps to maintain our muscle mass which becomes so important the older you get.

Alcohol - I try to avoid alcohol and only have a small glass of red wine occasionally. To be honest I like the taste of red wine but I don't like the effects of over indulging and the less I drink the less I want it.

Treats or cheats - these do happen occasionally and we aim to stick to the rule of 80/20...as in 80% of the time we keep to our regular foods and routines (although I suspect this is probably closer to 90%). Treats may involve indulging in something carb focused like bread or potatoes if out for a meal or maybe having a sweet treat with a coffee (but we do tend to buy just one thing and share it between us!). We make sure to really enjoy any treats that we have while at the same time not letting those treats define us...all too often I hear people indulge in something they know they perhaps shouldn't have which then gives them the green light to throw all their good work away and revert back to their old habits. Have a treat, enjoy it and then get back to what you know you should be doing.

So with food covered let's move onto exercise. Now I need to start this by saying that I have never been sporty; poor coordination, lack of confidence and an aversion to getting sweaty and out of breath always meant that I just simply didn't have any interest or desire to do any sort of exercise. In the early 1990's we started going to a local gym; this was in the days before big franchised gyms, it was relatively small, friendly, supportive and non-judgemental. We made a great group of friends and we sustained going for a good number of years (even during both my pregnancies)...although I would often remark that sometimes the muscle that got the most exercise was my jaw muscle from all the talking I would do! But at that time our diet wasn't great and so all the effort I put in down the gym had very little effect on my weight or body composition.

With the addition of children and Simon working away from home we gradually slipped out of our gym routine. In 2014 when I started my initial weight loss journey I was introduced to body weight exercises - squats, lunges, press-ups etc - and along with my new way of eating I began to see a change in how my body looked and felt. Fast forward to around 2018/2019 and we re-joined our old gym (although by now it was much, much bigger and much busier) and we were even able to enrol the kids along with us. Then the pandemic and all the various lockdowns hit; having no gym to go to we invested in some basic equipment and converted our garage into our home gym, and it was the best thing we ever did - no more gym subscriptions, no more having to drive to get to the gym, no more looking for some where to park, no more having to turn out in all sorts of weather, no more excuses on why we couldn't get to the gym and no more waiting around for machines. 

We still use our garage as a garage but have bought equipment that we can store easily and make the best use of. This means we now workout with weights three times a week for about an hour each time...and the 'non-sporty me' now schedules gym time into our calendar so that we never miss a session! But the other thing that we do is walk; we aim to get in excess of 10,000 steps per day and it is very rare that we don't get outside and get our steps in. It has become an integral part of our routine so much so that the day just doesn't feel right if we have not gotten those steps in. The effects of walking are tremendous; it is low impact, it is free, it keeps you mobile and active, getting outside you get the benefits of sunlight, the therapeutic affect of being outside and the chance to 'blow those cobwebs away' as well as a chance to destress and re-connect with nature. For Simon and I it is a great opportunity for us to connect, to chat about our plans, to have the time to talk and simply be together. Walking in our local community means that we have made connections with local businesses and with people we see on a regular basis, and simply seeing others out and about and saying 'hello' provides those social interactions which are so important.

In addition to food and exercise we try to ensure that our sleep patterns are consistent. I'd like to say that we aim to get good quality sleep but I'm not really sure how you do that and how you would prove it?! As a menopausal woman I will suffer from night sweats (although these are a lot better and much less frequent than they have been!) and these will obviously disrupt my sleep.  But we try and have a regular(ish) bedtime routine and are pretty consistent with the times we go to bed and the time we get up in the morning. 

We are also very fortunate to have our own infra-red sauna and try to use it for 30 minutes every day. We may even use the time getting sweaty to meditate as well...after all we have no where to go so why not multi-task and make best use of the time!

But with all of this the key to success is consistency. Almost 11 years after my initial weight loss I have kept the weight off and continue to learn more and adjust but I keep on going. I keep on doing what works.

My goal is to live as long as I can, to be as healthy as I can and to be in the best physical shape I can be. I want to be able to enjoy the life that I have ahead of me in the best way possible for the longest time possible. To live my life to its fullest unencumbered.

So, to sun it all up eat real food, lift some weights, walk, connect with others, sleep well and repeat!

Day 699

Day 699...

Happy Valentines Day!

I thought I'd start this post off on a positive note...as being positive seems to be the order of the day! Yep, you guessed it I've tested positive for the 'you-know-what'...whoop!

How do I feel? Well to be honest I feel fine...it feels like I have a mild cold at best. A slightly runny nose and I sound all 'bunged up' although I don't feel like I am. I think with Simon feeling the way he had over the weekend it was the sensible thing to double check and hey presto here we are.

But onwards and upwards and let's hope I can be all negative by the end of the week so that I can enjoy our half term break properly next week.

So these next few days are going to continue to be rather quiet, although I will be able to get some work stuff done remotely. But we made the most of today by getting a couple of DIY jobs done around the house. First we had some LED lights to put up in our bedroom to give some softer lighting for when we don't need all the lights on but still want to see! Next we had some fixing points to install in the garage; these are to hook resistance bands onto during our gym sessions to further extend our range of exercises.

But the remainder of the day was taken up with jigsaw for me, digital art for Simon and plenty of TV time.

Oh and how cool is this t-shirt that Simon got me for Valentines?

Gotta love some retro Prince!

I love our choice of cards for each other...

...sums us up...Star Wars and keto!!!

OK, well Monday is done so I will see you all tomorrow.
xx

Day 521...Kestival 2021

Day 521...

And today we were off to a festival...a food festival...a keto food festival in fact, called Kestival 2021.

About two weeks ago one of the low carb doctors that I follow, Dr Jen Unwin, mentioned on her Instagram page that she would be speaking at an upcoming keto festival so with my curiosity spiked I followed the link. I then discovered Keto Fitness Club a UK based group devoted to promoting all things keto and fitness and who were hosting a festival near Northampton in August.

Intrigued I visited their website to find out more and booked a couple of tickets for Simon and I to attend during the day element of the festival. We thought at just £10 a ticket each, and knowing that Jen Unwin and her husband Dr David Unwin would be speaking, we'd give it a go. Having bought the tickets I then began a further look into this Keto Fitness Club and discovered a family that wanted to spread the word about the keto lifestyle and subsequently I now follow them on various social media platforms as well as discovering their extensive range of recipes online.

Ordinarily whenever I look up any keto or low carb recipes online I invariably get pointed to US sites with US ingredients and US measurements which is not only confusing but very frustrating. The only website that I have found that I go back to again and again, and in fact am now a member of, is Diet Doctor because not only is there a mountain of easy to understand information but all their recipes are in both US and metric measurements and with links to 'translate' ingredients that for some reason go by different names in the UK and US!.

But with Keto Fitness Club I have found somewhere that talks my language...literally! All the right names for things and all the measurements that I understand and all with handy hints as to which supermarkets or brands to go for that support a keto lifestyle the best. 

So just a 55 minute car journey away we found ourselves spending the day in a very large marquee (thanks to the great British weather being a tad on the wet side) chatting with like minded others, watching cookery presentations, perusing the stalls and eating some fabulous keto food. 

On arrival, just as we were checking-in, I looked over and saw Dr Jen Unwin who waved at me, smiled and asked how we were...the last (and only time) I have met Jen was two years ago at a festival she helped organise called Real Food Rocks...totally amazed that she remembered us. We later got to speak with her and her husband David, who also remembered us!!

We tried some cacao tea (iced) which was rather nice and refreshing; we had a little demo of some essential oils - peppermint and wild orange - which I can still smell on my hands!; we discovered a way of making keto crepes using bamboo flour and then there was food!

Me and iced cacao tea!

Included with the £10 ticket was a 'food token', not sure what to expect we ventured off to find what was on offer. Thinking we would have to choose one thing but no it was a buffet where we could try as much or as little as we wanted...

...we had burger, sausage, tandoori chicken, pulled pork, falafel, salad and coleslaw and it was all extremely yummy and of course all keto friendly. It was so great to be out and not have to worry about finding something on the menu that is anywhere close to being keto.

We then watched a great food presentation by a chef called 'The Spice Guy' who made three very simple and tasty dishes in about thirty minutes. Not only did he cook up some great food but he was funny and engaging to watch.

Later in the afternoon we found ourselves chatting with a young couple about all things keto and low carb and how best to manage that with a young family. We also were able to listen to both Jen and David Unwin speak and answer questions.

Dr David Unwin in full flow

We had a great day and didn't let the weather get in the way. We had a little break in the rain which meant we could sit outside to eat our lunch but the event was so well organised that the rain didn't stop them from doing everything they wanted; a great example of why having a 'rainy day plan' is essential.

We have had a lovely day, that felt more 'normal' than anything we have done for a long while. And are rounding it out with homemade keto pizza which seems to have become our Saturday night go-to meal!

See you all tomorrow.
xx

Day 414...Thursday...

Day 414...

Another day with the morning in work and the afternoon at home, as well as day two of our new flooring being fitted.

So it was up early to be all sorted before our fitter arrived. Just as I was leaving for work I received a text to say that my butchers order had been delivered...now we had not had a knock at the door but I know the last couple of times the delivery company have just left the order on the doorstep and then send through a photo to say it's delivered. I opened the door expecting to see a very big box and there was nothing! Simon and I investigated and found two boxes that had been left by the gates to where we live...no where near our front door. I appreciate that the boxes were on the heavy side, and there was a little bit of a walk from the van to our door but isn't it a delivery company's job to 'deliver' to the door?!

Simon, thankfully, was able to carry the boxes into the house while I dashed off to work. The morning was the usual mix of banking, admin, emails and chatting with staff about the remainder of the academic year. We have leavers celebrations to plan as well as a Summer fundraiser. Ordinarily we would hold a Summer Fair but with some restrictions still being in place and having to wait for the next steps in the 'roadmap' to actually happen it doesn't give us much time to organise anything. So we have decided to opt for another 'virtual' raffle and a special fun week for the children with lots of games and special treats.

I came home via a local supermarket; I went in for about five items and must have come out with about fifteen. One of the benefits of lockdown had been relying on just one grocery shop per week but I have slipped back into the habit of just 'popping' in to my local when really we could have survived till the next shop. Oh well, best get back into my new habits rather than pick-up the old ones that caused me to spend more money than I should!

Once home the floor fitting was in full swing and although we have a couple of issues it is going remarkably well. Simon's work area is a little awkward and has lots of nooks and crannies to work around so that has taken a little more time than anticipated but now we are onto the two main rooms so things should be a lot easier. Although there was a moment when we suddenly remembered about laying the wire for our speaker system under the floor...thankfully we remembered just in time!

My main job this afternoon was to sort the butchers order out into meal sized portions. We had delivered; 5kg chicken, 6kg steak mince, 20 burgers, 100 sausages, 4.5 kg bacon and 4 packs of steak. It must have took me well over an hour to bag it all up, sort out the freezer and get rid of all the packaging, but we are now good to go for the next few weeks. Adopting a keto/low carb, almost carnivore, lifestyle means that all our meals are focused on protein and fat. Cooked breakfast every morning with lunch and dinner being focused around a meat based protein, lots of black coffee, small glass of red wine and some lovely extra dark chocolate to enjoy. No bland carbs, no beige fillers just great tasty, and filling, food. It will be seven years in a few weeks time that I adopted a low carb lifestyle; I lost the weight, dropped the dress sizes and most importantly have maintained those losses. See my page 'Eating Well, Staying Healthy' to find out more about the changes I made.

And talking of good food dinner was a late one tonight as our floor fitter worked as late as he possibly could; bless him he has worked so hard and although we have a couple of issues that need sorting he is on the case. So we are having a quick dinner this evening of steak, burger and bacon with maybe a few fried veggies on the side and cheese on top!

Take care out there.
xx

Day 311

Day 321...

So today was split into two halves; the morning was work focused and then I had the afternoon off.

I worked from home this morning as I had a 'leaders and managers' online briefing to attend. An hour and a half meeting to be brought up to date on the current happenings within early years.

I was also able to get some other work completed either side of the meeting; keeping up to date with emails, a little banking, some cash flow forecasting and inadvertently the re-organising of my 'bookmarks'!

As my morning finished we ventured outside for a walk and ended up taking a longer walk than we had intended. Ordinarily on a work day we try to be out for no more than about forty minutes but today we took a different route to normal and managed just over 3 miles in an hour.

The afternoon saw me finishing off a piece of work I'd started just before lunch as I wanted to make sure I knew where I'd gotten up to. Then there was a little online shopping to complete before I grabbed a half hour or so to start on my latest book: The Case for Keto by Gary Taubes.

Back in 2014 I read another book by Mr Taubes called 'Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It' and found it fascinating and at the same time confirmed how I'd managed to lose weight a few months earlier. 

In June of 2014 I embarked on a new diet that was being run by my daughters karate teacher (see my pages 'Getting Real' and 'Eating Well, Staying Healthy') which involved looking at the proportion of fat, protein and carbohydrates that I was eating and adjusting them to his recommendations. It was very evident from what I was presented with that I had to cut back my carbohydrates in a big way going from around 230g a day to about 70g! Well suffice to say I did as was recommended and lost the weight and that's when I read 'Why We Get Fat' and learned the science behind what I had done and everything just fell into place.

Six and a half years later I have maintained my weight and still eat 'low carb high fat/keto' and have no intention of changing. I am always looking to learn more about this way of eating and those that know me know how passionate I can be about it so I can't wait to get into this book and find out more.

Our day was finished off with a little gym workout and on a very rainy evening Simon was very glad he only had to venture out as far as the garage! I stayed in the warmth and dry of the living room and watched a documentary on Disney + while I did my exercises - how civilised!!

Whatever you are doing, wherever you may be, take care.
xx

Day 255

Day 265...

A day in work today and the focus was on cashflow forecasting - whoop!

The morning was taken up with the usual admin tasks, updating the banking, responding to and sending out emails before putting figures to paper as we begin to look forward over the next few months.

These are interesting times for early years care and education as we have seen a dramatic reduction in the numbers of children attending which we surmise is a knock-on effect of COVID. Parents may be struggling financially, or working from home and so don't need the childcare or simply haven't thought about sending their little one to pre-school. 

Our usual way of life has been disrupted and therefore the chain of events that would lead a parent to sending their child to us have simply not happened. All the usual places where parents of young children meet and chat like parent and toddler groups, soft play centres and parks haven't been open or have had restricted opening. So missed conversations has meant that parents, especially new parents, haven't given pre-school a thought or may not even know about pre-schools.

But the knock-on effect means that a lot of other pre-schools have struggled and some have even had to close. Thankfully that is not the case for us but we do need to make sure we are prepared and plan for whatever the coming months may hold.

Once home I had a little more work to complete before I turned my attention to baking...not something I do very often as following a low carb/keto diet means that cakes and sweet treats are a thing of the past, not that I actually miss them. But there was a reason for baking which will become apparent tomorrow!

Interestingly, talking about low carb and keto diets, there is a lot of evidence now emerging that poor metabolic health and high blood sugars are not conducive to contracting COVID and impact on the ability to fight the virus and recover from it. Our modern day western diet is so full of highly processed foods and sugars that we find ourselves running on the wrong fuel which in turn is affecting our ability to combat illnesses. Our bodies are supposed to run on protein and fats...put the right fuel in and the body is in a better position to run smoothly but load it up with too many carbs, sugars and highly processed foods and it's going to find it tough going.

Check out my page 'Eating Well, Staying Healthy' to find out why I changed my diet, how I did it and more importantly how I am still doing it.

Take care out there,
xx

Day 126

Day 126...

Well today I was determined to not spend too much of the day doing pre-school work...but...

All the tablets that we use needed software updates and their storage cleaning up and as these hadn't been used since March there was quite a lot of updates to go through! I then had a mixture of phone calls from new parents looking for places for their children as well as emails from current parents requesting changes to their children's sessions. 

Before I knew it lunchtime had come around and it was time for Simon and I to have our daily walk. Timing was perfect as I had information to post out for the new parent enquiries so we took a slightly different route to ensure we walked past the post box. We managed 1.8 miles in about 38 minutes and despite a few spots of rain when we started out it stayed dry and surprisingly warm.

I also spent sometime organising another shop with an online butchers. We have found a very reasonably priced one based in Scotland and have been very impressed with the quality and they now have a much quicker delivery turnaround. So coming next week will be burgers, sausage, mince, steak, bacon and chicken - anyone would think we are a bit of a carnivore family!

Then I made some golden sesame keto bread just because I can and because it is so yummy...I also came across a recipe for low carb peanut butter cookies which I thought Simon might like as he is a big peanut butter fan.

Having cleaned the outside of both our cars at the weekend I decided that the inside really ought to be brought up to par so spent an hour or so armed with glass cleaner, cleaning wipes and a hoover. Both cars now look too good to drive, although as we are thinking about going down to a one car family it won't hurt to have them looking their best.

By the time I had finished it was time to take Molly over to her outdoor karate lesson which was a bit shorter than normal so I parked up, did a little reading and some internet searching until she was finished. When we returned home I could smell baking...Simon had found the cookie recipe and made peanut butter cookies, and very nice they are too even though peanut butter is not my thing usually.

But before eating cookes we had dinner of steak and eggs - yum! The advantage of following a low carb/keto diet means we don't have to bother with the bland, beige carbs of potato or pasta or rice but can just enjoy the best parts of a meal!

I seemed to have avoided the news for the last few days, I am aware of what is going on but I think part of me is trying to avoid it on purpose because it can be just too depressing and frustrating. Listening to what is happening in the US with the rising number of cases and deaths and never mind their idiot of a president really makes me feel for all my American friends. The lack of leadership and his apparent lack of compassion is just astounding, and don't get me started on his approach to law and order or his take on postal voting for the election. I just hope he is not voted in again and has the good grace to stand down but I fear that there could be strange times ahead. And don't get me started on our lot...signing trade agreements that put the future of our amazing NHS in jeopardy, brexit plans that no-one really understands and the handling of the virus that just leaves more questions than answers.

Right...moan over...where's my glass of red wine?

Take care, stay safe, look after yourself and wear a mask.

xx

Day 107

Day 107...

And the last day of the working week for me, and the second of my two days actually in work this week. Could someone please tell the weather the month is July and that it's supposed to be warm and sunny?!! Because at times today it was blooming freezing!

My work day was pretty straight forward, a few emails, little bit of accounts, and some more prep work ready for the new school year in September.

Once home it was shower, change and have a coffee before sitting back at my laptop to respond to a few emails and add to my grocery shop that is due to be collected on Monday.

I then made some keto bread for the weekend; this is a fab recipe from the Diet Doctor website called Golden Sesame bread and goes great with pate, cream cheese or simply butter! And it's keto...yum!

So here in the UK we are about to enter the next stage of our lockdown restrictions easing which sees pubs, bars, restaurants, hairdressers and others being able to open their doors from tomorrow. They will have to operate as 'COVID secure' (whatever that means) and the social distancing rules can be relaxed down to one metre with mitigation. This basically means that if you can't keep two metres apart then you need to be wearing a mask...or at least I think that's what it means?!

To be honest the messaging from the UK government at times is less than clear; there are a lot of 'recommendations' rather than 'must do's' and the whole message around masks is somewhat vague. Apparently if you are on public transport then you must wear a mask, but if you are out and about and might struggle to meet the two metre distancing, then wearing a face covering is probably a good idea and, if you can, try and sit/stand side by side and in a well ventilated space.

So as our pubs and bars open tomorrow it is going to be interesting to see what going to a pub in this new way is going to look like and will it be anything like what we are used to experiencing? For me personally, and I'm not trying to sound anti-social, but I really am in no rush to go out to a pub...to mix with people I don't know, that I don't know where they have been and to have to queue to be let in or only be allowed to sit outside, and if I want to meet friends we need to be at least a metre apart and should really, probably...maybe...wear a face mask - sorry but that doesn't sound like a fun night out...I think I can wait a bit longer.

I would much rather have a few friends around to sit in my garden, socially distanced, and have a few drinks, at a fraction of the price, in a much safer environment and enjoy the experience. I am sure over time as things improve and get to be more 'normal' (although I think normal as we knew it is a long way off at the moment) I will venture back out into the world at large but for the time being I will keep on doing what I have been doing as that seems to work for me and mine.

And I will still say that while I appreciate the economic need for these businesses to be able to open their doors and start earning, it does feel rather cruel that we still can't hug people that we care about and haven't been able to see or spend time with over these last few months. I would much rather spend quality time with those I care about than sit in a bar worrying that I might go home with an uninvited guest!

Whatever your plans are this weekend, wherever you decide to go please just do it safely, follow the guidance, wear a mask and most importantly stay safe.

xx

Day 46

Day 46...

Well today we should have been trooping at Emcon in Nottingham with our EMG (East Midlands Garrison) Star Wars cosplay family but instead we are staying home and trying to do our bit to keep the country safe.

Simon has been busy adding more, and more, layers to his new helmet mold while also doing some artwork for a retro gaming magazine. We are extremely fortunate that this lockdown hasn't really affected Simon's normal day job making video games nor has it affected his ability to create props or complete artwork commissions. In fact we had wondered if requests for helmets would be quiet this year or whether the lockdown would give people the chance to focus on projects that would otherwise have been sidelined. Or perhaps the knock-on financial effects would cause people to think twice before spending or would it free up cash for some? Then sure enough today someone has contacted Simon to say he can now afford a helmet because of the money being saved on petrol by working from home!

Silicone mold completed and ready for next stage tomorrow

Simon has also got a project underway to build a storage unit to house the trunk we use to store his stormtrooper armour in. This has so far involved us salvaging some wood, cutting to size, washing and then leaving to dry in the garage. The wood has now been brought inside so that it can dry out completely at room temperature...

Pile of wood now sitting in my hall!

...this does mean that I now have a pile of wood sitting in my hall...along with an R2D2 and mouse droid works in progress...that's what everybody else has in their house, right?

We took a longer walk out today, managing just under 4 miles in an hour and 20 minutes and despite the grey skies we encountered quite a few people but everyone was keeping their distance and everyone said hello and smiled.

This afternoon I baked a low carb blueberry and yogurt cake which came out pretty good; I left out the sweetener (not a fan of artificial sweeteners as they can often leave a weird taste or texture) but added some vanilla instead. I think next time I will add some cinnamon as well.

I have also made a keto chicken curry pie for the first time today. The pastry case is one I make quite regular for a meat pie recipe and uses ground almonds, sesame seeds and coconut flour as it's main ingredients. The filling is chicken, mayonnaise, eggs, cream cheese, green pepper, cheese and some seasoning...I even made my own curry powder!

Keto Chicken Curry Pie - yummy!

I will admit to feeling quite anxious today and am worrying about when we all have to go back to work and whatever the new normal will be. I am not sure that I am actually ready to go back any time soon and am having difficulty understanding how we can all just go back when this virus is still out there. I appreciate that everyone has work and financial considerations but I am struggling to get past the bigger consideration of health and life. We all have people in our lives who are vulnerable to this virus, we all have lives that we would like to live out to our fullest and get to do all the things that we have dreamed of or have planned and surely holding out a bit longer will enable all those things to happen. Personally I just think if we take it slow and steady and plan and re-engage with the outer world in a methodical and planned way it will be so much better and curb the chances of this thing coming back and hitting us harder a second time around. Let's beat it now rather than be living in a perpetual state of uncertainty.

Take care all,
xx

Day 31

Day 31 and this must be the first grey day we have had in a while, in fact we had rain for a good chunk of the morning and it seems an age since it last rained.

While Simon tinkered about with his droid building projects I decided to go through my cookery books and have a bit of a sort out. Over the years I have collected recipes out of magazines or printed them out from online and have stored them in a crappy orange wallet; so I thought I would go through them all and see just what I had got. Well suffice to say about 75% of it went straight in the recycling; most of what I'd kept went back a lot of years I was throwing stuff out from 2007!!

And most of the recipes were simply for things that I would no longer cook as they wouldn't meet the specifics of either low carb or keto that we follow now. Although I will confess to keeping some of the cake recipes and quite a few cocktail ones too...well they might come in handy for a special occasion!

I even threw out complete cook books after I'd gone through them and torn out any recipes that I thought I might attempt one day! Suffice to say the whole activity took me way longer than I'd anticipated and resulted in a complete re-organisation! From this...

 ...to this...

Two folders organised into sections...I just need to keep them that way now!

So the consequence of this lockdown malarkey is that I've completed a task that I hadn't really thought about doing, that was one of those 'if I ever have the time' jobs...guess what I had the time! And while it may seem a trivial task I at least completed it and feel as though I have achieved something and made the best of the day and I suppose that is all that we can do at the moment. Seize the day and make the best of it in whatever way we can no matter how trivial it may feel.

xx

Day 26

Day 26..

Well today had a very lazy start with breakfast becoming brunch!

Having managed to secure another click and collect grocery shop for this time next week I started looking at other online alternatives. There are lots of smaller companies, and local ventures, out there offering delivery services that I would never have looked at normally and I think I will be giving some of them a try. Although they tend to be more expensive than the supermarkets I am tempted to try them and support these small businesses and who knows perhaps I may discover better products, cleaner products and better quality.

I suppose the test for these companies going forward is whether people like me who discover them now will continue to use them in the future. It's a difficult one because looking for different options online gives you a massive insight into the bulk buying power of the supermarkets and the prices that they can offer and how we are all so used to finding the cheapest option that we can.

This also has an effect on the quality of the food in particular that we consume. Being an advocate for keto and low carb lifestyles as well as eating 'real food' rather than highly processed convenience food it is all too apparent why the vast majority of people still adhere to the standard western diet of high carb - it's simple, convenient, easy and cheap. Yet by adopting a 'real food' approach and ditching all the highly processed, high sugar, beige and bland foods can be such a liberating experience, never mind all the health benefits. Cooking real food from scratch means a satiated appetite and the need for constant grazing on 'snacks' disappears which in turn can reduce the amount that is spent on needless foods.

More and more evidence is pointing towards a diet that is void of highly processed, carb laden foods to not only manage your weight more effectively but is key to reducing and eliminating metabolic illnesses along with improving your immune system. We have all become too accustomed to quick, easy food options, to treats being an every day occurrence and forgetting how to cook. I will freely admit that until 6 years ago that was me, I always used to say that I never 'cooked' I just 'reheated'. I just did what was easiest and quickest but all the while adhering to the low fat mantra and keeping calories low and I thought I was doing what was right.

Flashback to six years ago and watching a film by Joe Cross called 'Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead' followed by a conversation with Molly's karate teacher and our way of eating changed for good - see my pages Getting Real and Eating Well, Staying Healthy. I can't recommend this way of eating highly enough and I now enjoy cooking everything from scratch, with real food, every day.

During this time of 'lockdown' it is now more important than ever that we look after ourselves both physically and mentally. It would be all too easy to comfort eat and over indulge and then when we get to the other side of this and it's Summer (hopefully) regret not being able to fit into those shorts from last year! But equally we need to stay mentally strong, we need to be able to express ourselves and talk openly and honestly and admit when we're having a bad day. But we also need to use this opportunity to spend time on ourselves; doing whatever it is that makes you feel good about yourself.

On a lighter note this time 10 years ago Simon and I renewed our wedding vows in Las Vegas at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Blue Hawaii style. We had a limo, we had my parents with us, we had Simon's best man join us from New York, we went for ice-cream after and then played glow-in-the-dark crazy golf; it was an amazing experience...

...and this was also the vacation that we got stranded in San Francisco because of the Icelandic volcanoe ash cloud!

Until tomorrow,
xx

Day 24

Day 24...

Well it's a beautiful Easter Saturday, clear skies, plenty of sunshine and lovely and warm...and I'm feeling just a bit lost today.

Really struggled to find my mojo early on today. Had a slow start to the day which was lovely but then I was at a bit of a loose end and didn't really know what to do with myself. Decided to make some golden sesame keto bread and looked up a recipe to make keto naan breads ready to make for dinner this evening. Simon has been working on his R2D2 model and has been busy assembling all the parts.

Golden Sesame Keto Bread - fresh from the oven

We made it out for another 2 mile walk again today and this time we walked to my dad's and back and spent 10 minutes chatting with him through his living room window to make sure he's doing alright. And although we did encounter other people out and about everyone was very sensible and we all kept our distance as well as smiling and saying hello - what a nice and pleasant change!

My dad lives on his own since my mum died 5 years ago but is used to going to the pub each day for his lunch and seeing his friends at the gym three times a week. He has been able to nip out in the car to the supermarket when he's needed to and is fortunate to have a corner shop literally just around the corner from him that stocks most things. So at 76 years of age he is doing as he's been told and staying home as much as possible, which is at it should be and is an example to all the idiots out there who think it is perfectly acceptable to meet up with family or friends. I am fed up of reading Facebook posts moaning about next door neighbours or whoever, meeting up for social gatherings and BBQ's and goodness knows what. It really is very simple - stay home, don't go anywhere other than a shop when you need to and for a bit of exercise. I have friends and relatives who work for the NHS, police, supermarkets and in education and I want these people to be safe and well, so it is unfathomable to me why anyone would want to run the risk of causing these people and the rest of us any harm.

I finished the day by making keto naan bread for the first time...in fact first time making any sort of naan bread and I have to say I was pretty pleased with my efforts...

So what started out as a day where I was feeling a bit lost turned out to be quite productive and I managed to make the most of the time that I had.

I am thankful to be staying at home with my family, the people that are my world. I'm thankful to have friends on the end of the phone to 'whatsapp' with and chat to. I am thankful to have this time to appreciate those around me and to stop living life at a hundred miles an hour and to simply stop and absorb all that is in my life.

xx

But I couldn't give up...

Oh, but I couldn't give up....

This is one of those phrases that creeps into the conversation whenever I tell people that I follow a low carb/keto way of eating.

OK, so let me make a confession - ‘My name is Jayne and I follow a low carb/keto way of life and I apologise’.

But why do I feel the need to apologise? Why is it that I’m made to feel like some sort of weirdo or freak because I don’t eat carbs?

I have friends who are vegetarians but to the world at large that’s perfectly fine.

I have friends who are vegans and again to the world at large that’s perfectly fine.

But when I say ‘sorry no potatoes for me’ I’m made to feel like there’s something wrong with me!

I can go out and about for coffee or for meals whether that be in a small local cafe, a city centre restaurant or even when visiting friends or family and there are numerous concessions made for diets. Plastered on menu boards everywhere is ‘vegetarian friendly’, ‘vegan this or that’, ‘gluten free’ or ‘lighter options’ but never anything to say ‘low carb’ or ‘keto’.

Now OK I am a big girl and actually following a low carb/keto way of life is pretty straightforward; I have no problem asking a restaurant to substitute in some extra veggies or salad instead of the potatoes or asking for cream when ordering coffee. And to be fair there is now more and more places that will have on their menus (although often hidden at the bottom somewhere) that burgers can be ‘bunless’ or that rice can be swapped for salad.

But I do still feel that what I’m asking for is considered to be a bit weird, often met with a questioning ‘so you don’t want the potatoes?’ Well that’s what I’ve just said!!

I’m really not looking for any special treatment or a special menu just an acceptance that it’s perfectly normal to not want the beige and boring carbs!

Now don’t get me wrong I am aware that we are beginning to see some companies and small businesses that are catering specifically towards the low carb market; often providing a low carb alternative to those ‘western diet’ favourites of bread and sweet things. These items are not necessarily the cheapest but at least it’s good to know that this ‘low carb thing’ is beginning to get recognised. For me personally I am a bit wary of these low carb alternatives as I’m not a lover of the artificial sweeteners that can be used but I think it’s great that options for those that want them are appearing.

At ‘Real Food Rocks’ back in July I was able to try some low carb pitta bread (Low Carb Food Company) and some low carb dark chocolate and raspberry brownies (Deliciously Guilt Free) which were both delicious. And for both of these I would personally consider them an exception to my usual way of eating. In fact if I fancy ‘a treat', something that I would not ordinarily consume, like a cookie or a piece of cake then I will allow myself to indulge. But this is only a rare occurrence and often I will find that sharing a piece of cake or just having a couple of bites is enough to satisfy any ‘craving’ I may have. A phrase we like to use in my home is ‘rare and appropriate’ (a term coined by Penn Jillette during his weight-loss); so for example when I reached the end of my radiotherapy treatment I figured it was appropriate to mark the occasion with a coffee and a nice piece of ‘full on’ cheesecake! So I had a piece of ‘proper’ cake and enjoyed it and that was that!

So let’s get back to what I started with at the top of this post...but I couldn’t give up…

I think this happens to everyone who follows a low carb/keto way of eating as soon as we begin to explain what it means we have the standard response ‘but I couldn’t give up...’ followed by one (or all!) mention of potatoes, bread, rice, pasta. Interestingly the ‘naughty’ foods of cakes or cookies are never mentioned because everyone knows that these are not good for us but the complete indignation that can be met should I dare suggest that perhaps pasta is not all that great is really rather surprising.

For those of us that have found low carb/keto and have experienced the benefits, whether that be weight loss, general health improvements, skin improvements, better mood or reversal of type 2 diabetes and more, we find ourselves wanting to spread the news. I know that I have done a lot of reading and continue to do so. Names like Gary Taubes, Gary Fettke, Tim Noakes, Dr David Unwin, Ivor Cummins, Nina Teicholz to name but a few are commonly spoken about in our house. We actively seek out new information, podcasts and websites. I absolutely love dietdoctor.com for the vast amount of information delivered in an easy to understand way along with a collection of recipes to suit everyone’s budget, tastes and cooking ability.

I find myself feeling quite passionate about this way of eating, especially knowing that the traditional diet of low fat, eat less and move more simply doesn’t work and is actually completely wrong. We have been ‘fed’ information over the past 30 years, and more, that was wrong, that was never tested as it should have been and has never been corrected despite evidence to the contrary.

So when people do ask me about losing weight, or keeping the weight off or simply ‘what is is that you eat?’ I want to tell them as much as I possibly can. But I am constantly surprised that most people seem to stumble as soon as they hear ‘no bread, no rice, no pasta, no potatoes’.

Perhaps I need to change my approach and tell them about all the lovely things they can be eating; all the cheese, meat, bacon, eggs, full fat yogurt, cream in their coffee, green veggies, some berries and my favourite extra dark chocolate!

Everyone knows that cakes, cookies and anything sugary is bad for them but what they don’t understand is that some of our food ‘staples’, and foods that we have been led to believe are ‘good for us’ are actually also full of sugar. I can’t recommend Dr. David Unwin’s infographics highly enough where he equates those staples of our diet to the amount of sugar in them, such an easy and surprising way to get the message across.

Infographic courtesy of  phc.org

I also tell people to try eating the rice, the pasta, the potatoes or the bread just on its own with no sauce or seasoning to see how bland they actually are. These are after all bland and beige and I’ve never known anything that is bland and beige be ‘good for you’!

So ditch the beige and embrace tasty, satisfying and filling foods.

Eat the right foods and your body will do the rest. There is then no need to worry about ‘how much’ or ‘how many calories’ or feeling hungry. Listen to your body, eat when you are genuinely hungry and eat foods that will leave you feeling satiated and full of energy. You will turn your body into a fat burning machine and you will never look back.

Five and a half years ago I took on a challenge to lose a bit of weight, little did I realise back then that I would be able to keep that weight off, drop 2 dress sizes and feel great. I have learnt so much since then and I just want to be able to give those who want to listen and are prepared to give something a chance all the help, advice and encouragement I can.

Taken Summer 2013 - Standard Low Fat Diet
150lbs

Taken Summer 2019 - 5 years low carb
131lbs

 Please go back and read my other blog pieces about how I discovered this way of eating and how I've managed to stick at it for five and a half years.

Eating Well, Staying Healthy
What's Wrong with Real Food?
Four Years On
Eating Healthy and Proud of it
One Year On
90 Day Challenge

Four Years On

And if any of this gives you cause to think then I urge you to just give it a try and you never know what might happen!

Real Food Rocks

If you've read any of my blog before you will know that along with my passion for Disney and tattoos I am also passionate about the way we eat.

My own personal story can be found in these previous posts and pages;

Eating Well, Staying Healthy
90 Day Challenge
Four Years On

But suffice to say I am now a strong advocate of the Low Carb High Fat approach to eating. As a family we eliminated carbs and sugars from our diet just over 5 years ago. We no longer have bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, flours, processed foods, grains or sugars in anything that we eat. Our cupboards and fridge are stocked with yummy cheese, butter, cream, meats, fish, green veggies, berries, greek yogurt and some very high cocoa dark chocolate.

I have lost weight and dropped dress sizes and have been able to maintain it. My skin is better and hopefully I am doing everything in my power to avoid the modern day diseases of diabetes and heart disease; both of which have affected my family directly in the past.

Whilst we do have the odd occasional treat; these are what we describe as 'rare and appropriate', I do find that the longer that we follow this approach the less I look for those treats...which as someone with a self confessed sweet tooth I never thought I would say!

I think the 'kids' find this way of eating the most tricky out of all of us; not because they are fussy eaters but I think simply because they are faced with a society that seems to revolve around social eating and drinking and one that means making good choices are tricky to find.

This past weekend Simon and I had the pleasure of spending a day at Brathay Hall, near Ambleside in the Lake District with about 800 like-minded people at a festival called Real Food Rocks.  This was a festival organised through an organisation called the Public Health Collaboration whose mission is to improve the nations health by changing the way we eat through adopting a low carb approach.

The event was organised by Dr Jen Unwin and was supported by a number of doctors, health care and fitness professionals. There were also plenty of stalls showcasing businesses who promote the use of real food, with real ingredients while also supporting a low carb approach.

Throughout the day there was the opportunity to listen to a number of experts talk about all aspects of a healthy lifestyle. We started the day listening to Dr Michael Mosley and his wife Dr Clare Bailey who strongly advocate the use of fasting, and a Mediterranean style diet incorporating fermented foods. Next we listened to Ivor Cummins the biochemical engineer and author of the book 'Eat Rich Live Long' who spoke about the modern diseases of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease and the positive effects that diet can have on all of these conditions.

Dr Michael Mosley

Ivor Cummins

We than had a short break where we tasted some delicious low carb beef curry served with low carb naan bread from The Low Carb Food Co, followed by a coffee from The Little Blue Pig and a gorgeous chocolate and raspberry brownie from Deliciously Guilt Free.

Beef Curry & Naan bread by the Low Carb Food Co.

Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Brownie by Deliciously Guilt Free

Then it was back to listen to some more speakers. We heard Dr Peter Voshol from the Netherlands speak about his success with treating patients with Type 2 Diabetes through diet. We then heard from nutritionist Jenny Phillips as she spoke about the types of food we should be eating which resulted in me buying her latest cook book! After that we came upon Bridgette Hamilton who unknown to us is based not far from where we live; she specialises in helping people kick their sugar addiction and lose weight through her Breakthrough Weightloss program. We ended the day with Dr David Unwin who is a GP passionate about low carb and using lifestyle interventions to help patients fight obesity and diabetes and is one of the leading voices on this here in the UK.

It was so great to spend a day with people that all think the same way as we do. Time and time again it can feel almost alienating to follow this lifestyle. People who choose other lifestyles like being vegetarian or vegan can walk into shops, supermarkets and restaurants and are able to find all sorts of products on offer for them (although these are often highly processed and very far removed from being 'healthy' alternatives).Their friends accept their choice, they will make allowances for them when socialising and may even defend their choice...but choosing low carb does not always cause the same reactions.

Whilst shopping is straightforward as you simply only buy those products that you know are right i.e. real food! But dining out can sometimes be problematic and usually involves having to ask for 'insert name of bland beige carb' to be removed and replaced with veggies or salad but only to be met with a funny look and a question 'so...you don't want...?' Friends struggle to understand what being low carb means and the standard response is 'but I couldn't give up potatoes...bread...pasta...' Then throw into the conversation the 'wish I could lose weight like you', followed by me offering to explain but yet again to be faced with the 'but I couldn't' statement.

I know this way of eating is healthy, enjoyable, satisfying, yummy and easy to do and I just want to be able to help people to follow along and see the same weight and health gains that I have. But when everything that we have been brought up to understand about what is and is not healthy to eat is the complete opposite of eating low carb it is all too easy to understand why people have a problem grasping how this could be healthy.

I am angry that I spent the majority of my life following the 'official guidelines', doing what people in white coats told me or what was published through various media to then find I, along with everyone else, had been misled. It is so frustrating that the 'powers that be' are unwilling to change the dietary advise, that influence from the sugar, cereal and processed food industry is too entrenched with our governing bodies. That pharmaceutical companies need us all to be reliant on medications to keep their profits expanding and they have no interest in getting us healthy 'naturally'!

So I am determined to keep on doing what I am doing; sharing my knowledge, offering help where I can, continuously reading and researching more, learning more and then hopefully lead by example. I will continue to write blog posts about all that I am passionate about and hope that somewhere along the way I can inform and potentially change things for the better.

What's wrong with real food?

Well I haven't wrote a post for a while and to be honest time has been an issue and that's a poor excuse...I really need to start 'making' the time to write.

So here we go as something today sparked in me the desire to write...well OK perhaps more of a moan...but well here goes!

Scrolling through Facebook while waiting for my nails to dry...as you do...and I see one of those sponsored posts by a UK supermarket chain promoting one of their food products.

The product in question is a Blueberry Muffin Fibre Bar - I mean what the heck is that supposed to be! Now on the Facebook post people were raving about this and celebrating the fact that there was even a chocolate brownie flavour. So my intrigue was sparked...knowing full well that this was likely to be more processed food rubbish.

So the bar is being promoted as low calorie (86 cals per bar) and high fibre (5.3g per bar) and described as 'Blueberry muffin bars with a white vanilla flavoured drizzle' Sounds appetising...not! It would appear that the supermarket chain in question has sent some of these new bars out to bloggers etc who seemed to be 'wowed' by them and very quick to point out that they are only '2 syns on Slimming World'. OK shall we talk about how each bar contains 13g of carbs of which 7.2g is sugar never mind how full of rubbish these bars actually are...

This is the actual ingredient list - 'Wheat Flour , Inulin , Sugar , Wheat Fibre , White Vanilla Flavoured Drizzle (7%) [Sugar, Palm Kernel Oil, Emulsifier (Lecithins), Salt, Flavouring] , Fructose , Dehydrated Sweetened Blueberries (6%) [Blueberries, Sugar, Sunflower Oil] , Palm Oil , Humectant (Glycerol) , Sunflower Oil , Egg White Powder [Egg White, Yeast, Acidity Regulator (Citric Acid)] , Milk Powder , Modified Maize Starch , Flavourings , Raising Agents (Sodium Carbonates, Sodium Phosphates, Calcium Phosphates) , Citric Acid , Emulsifier (Soya Lecithins) , Salt , Stabilisers (Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum)'

I really don't know where to start. Just reading this list is making my stomach turn, how can eating all of that in one bar be good for you? Just look how many different vegetable oils are in there, how much wheat product and never mind the sugars and all the ingredients I can't pronounce.

Anyone that has read my blog will know that I now follow a Keto/Low Carb High Fat lifestyle but in my past I would have jumped at something like this. On the face of it, and how it's presented to the world at large, it looks and sounds healthy and the majority will think its 'probably better than having a cookie or a chocolate bar'. But with what I know now I don't even entertain the idea of eating anything like this, in fact I feel quite offended that products like this exist, in fact I'm quite angry that the food industry is still duping innocent people into eating stuff like this on the pretence that it is healthy and good for you.

These bars are full of carbs and sugars that you don't need, they are full of wheat products that you don't need, they are full of vegetable oils that you really don't need. In fact there is nothing in these that you do need. A 24g bar is not going to satisfy any hunger pangs, you will be left feeling hungry very shortly afterwards and either resort to eating another bar or heading for the sort of foods you were probably trying to avoid by eating this in the first place.

They are packaged and promoted as being the 'answer' you've been looking for. They fall in line with the 'low fat' model that has been pushed at us all for way too long now. They are made to sound 'healthy' and 'good for you'. The marketing line from the chocolate brownie version reads as this 'Enjoy these bars of chocolatey indulgence when you fancy something a little sweet in your day. High in fibre & less than 90 calories per bar? Delicious!' - UNBELIEVABLE.

They are providing the 'easy' way out to a population that has been poorly informed over the last few decades. When will the message get through that we have all been fed a lie and that is why we are all struggling with our weight and most importantly our health. These should come with a 'health warning'!

If you eat a diet that is full of protein and natural fats then there is no need for items like this. You will get the energy you require from real foods that will keep you fuelled throughout the day. Sure we all feel like a snack now and then or perhaps even a treat but there are better ways of doing it. Most people following a keto or low carb diet are able to listen to their bodies better and recognise when they are 'actually' hungry rather than just eating because 'it's that time of day'. As someone who used to love the sweet snacks in between meals I can honestly say that I no longer crave those snacks. If I do get peckish I simply opt for a chunk of cheese or perhaps a slice of cold meat. Occasionally I may have some full fat greek yogurt with a few berries and I will confess to a little 85% dark chocolate most days.

So let's ditch these 'fake', processed 'foods' and just eat real foods that taste great, are satisfying and keep us looking and feeling great. Simple. No fads, no gimmicks just honest food.