Cheat Meal

Part of James Duigan's Clean and Lean diet is that once you are established you can have one cheat meal a week.

The idea is that you can have whatever you want be it chocolate, pasta or cake- you name it (but you're still advised to make it from scratch so there are not lots of additives/ preservatives)

The idea is that your metabolism gets a shock from the calories (as you're being so good the rest of the time) that it kicks itself up a gear and becomes better at burning fat. It obviously doesn't work if you eat cheat meals all the time- so once a week are the orders from James.

It also hopefully means I won't get bored or fall off the wagon (fingers crossed) as I can plan my cheating eating!

The advice is to be guilt free so you truly enjoy your cheat meal and of course to savour it!

So I planned one of my favourite meals.

We had steak (which we picked up from Saundersons butchers that morning) with homemade garlic butter, asparagus with Parmesan shavings and rocket with balsamic drizzle- it was delicious!!

For dessert I made homemade chocolate mousse with 25g dark chocolate, 10g butter and 4g sugar per pot. The mousse was really good and my love of chocolate is still intact!

I hadn't eaten any diary or sugar on the 14 week kickstart so my tummy was a little tender after but it tasted so good!

I am really pleased this is built into the plan as I can still bake which is a large part of who I am. So meringue, French macaroons and brownies here I come!!

Week 3 stats

Having completed the 14 day kick start my stats are;

Weight: -10lbs
Fat: -3.7%
Water: +2.7%
Muscle: +1.3%

I am going to limit weighing myself to every two weeks as I want this to be more about how I feel and my general health. I want to lose weight but I don't want this to be my main focus.

This is the first diet where I am not hungry - no doubt due to the protein in every meal. It is also helping me with my portion control so I am sure I will keep losing but better than that I feel I am gaining my health bad.

Clean and Lean convert!!

I am officially converted to the clean and lean eating plan! I feel AMAZING!

On Friday I completed the 14 day kickstart plan and I have lost 10lbs so far!!! (so chuffed!) Best of all I feel brilliant. My energy levels are up and maintained through the day (no peaks and troughs as before)

As well as cutting out the C.R.A.P. (carbohydrates, refined sugar, alcohol and processed food) I have spent the last two weeks off caffeine (I only read on day 4 that I could have had one cup of organic coffee a day on the kick start!!! So I thought since I'd got that far I'd stay off it for the remaining 10 days) Coffee and tea were the hardest for me- I usually spend all day drinking one or the other. I had bad headaches for the first 3 days off caffeine but by day 4 I felt wonderful! I practically sprung out of bed that day!!

I took a trendy thermal water jug we had been given as a wedding present into work and filled it with hot water so I had a supply at my desk all day. I put a sliced lemon in my mug and kept filling it up. I did miss my trips to the canteen and coffee shop from a social aspect- but my wallet was thankful!! So too was my body- I have fancy scales I bought in John Lewis and according to them I am now made up of +2.7% more water!!

The lack of alcohol hasn't been too difficult. We have a regular games night (when we can all squeeze it in our busy schedules) and I was the only one not drinking- it wasn't a wild night so I was okay and with the board game going on it kept my mind off missing a cheeky G&T!!

However this past Friday was harder as it was a good friend's birthday and they had organised pink fizz with berries for everyone to be on the table when we arrived ...and it kept coming... all night!! I ordered water in a tall glass with sliced cucumber so the water tasted a bit like a Hendricks and tonic but without the alcohol!! I number of people at our table thought that's what I had been drinking!

As if the pink fizz wasn't tempting enough then came out pink cupcakes with a candle for the birthday girl to blow out. It took all the willpower I had not to eat the icing from the top of one of these lovely sugary treats! But I refrained!! I have to add that apart from the pink cupcakes and chocolate dessert at games night ( that I also passed on) I haven't craved sugar at all. I think in these cases it was because they were right in front of me- tempting me!! I have been really surprised about not missing sugar as I am a sugar fiend. It has always been my 'energy booster' 'emotional pick me up' and general 'go to' but having read James Duigan's Clean and Lean diet I feel I am learning the negative patterns I have got myself in and they have not been making me feel better or happier. Clean and lean has however made me feel much more positive.

Another surprise for me has been my new feelings towards carbs. I have genuinely not given carbs a thought these entire 2 weeks. I feel a bit like they are redundant in the world. If feels a little strange as toast is a staple of my life- cake and biscuits too. I had a slice of 100% rye bread for breakfast with mackerel on one of the kickstart days and it was tasty but I'd rather have had green veg and a poached egg with the mackerel than bread- what a genuine shock to my usual outlook.

Eliminating processed food has been an easy one- I have LOVED preparing and cooking this nutritious, colourful and tasty food. All the love I usually pour into baking and making for other people (I am that woman in the office who bakes cakes and treats and brings them in to share or makes the cakes for family birthdays) well it feels like for once I am spending that energy on me but instead of showing love with sugary carb filled treats I am making my body truly happy.

Whilst I have been changing my eating in these last two weeks I have kept up with my Hot Yoga and Pilates classes. I have been attending Pilates for a year and have been doing both since the end of January. I had felt more toned but had not lost any weight over Feb/March. However my new energy levels has given me extra drive and the last two weeks classes have produced real results- my abs are becoming visible ( underneath a layer of chub!) and my flexibility at yoga has gotten much better- perhaps it is because I am pushing myself more and have renewed enthusiasm.

All in all I have had a successful first 2 weeks and can't wait to keep going, try new recipes, do more exercise, try new products, visit new local producers and generally enjoy this experience. Clean and Lean really is the eating plan for foodies- I feel reawakened!!

Hot Yoga

It is safe to say I have a lot of weight to loose.

I have struggled with my weight for a long time. I was the thinnest I've ever been back in 2001 but I wasn't healthy or happy.

Since then I have gone up and down but mostly up. I lost weight for my wedding 2 years ago but piled it back on having twisted my pelvis last year (I'm not quite sure how). So I can't do anything with lateral movement or high impact.

In January this year I started attending Hot Yoga in Edinburgh. Run by Johanna and Riku it is the best exercise I have ever done. My body really likes it- as does my mind.

I think this has been part of the reason I want to eat healthier as I can feel my body toning but I am still carrying too much weight due to my diet.

I have bought a monthly yoga pass and am trying to go on a Wednesday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday (if we don't have plans) I also try and make a second class on Saturday- Hot Yin which is floor mat stretches and really helps my pelvis, hips and back.

Most of all I love the nature of hot yoga- you sweat loads (and I have never really done sweaty sports before!! golf, tennis, skiing and swimming are my type of thing)

I'm not competitive so it suits me- it's about you and practicing so you become better in yourself- outside and in.

I hope this becomes a life long practice.

Day 1 highlights

I loved the food on day 1!

I feel really energised and excited! I tweeted all about my new eating plan and I even got a tweet back from Mrs Clean and Lean!!

I had to text my two friends Emily and Zara after I got Christiane Duigan's message as they were the lovely friend's who put me on to this eating plan.

My husband, Nathan also ate the meals with me and really enjoyed them.

The only down side was that I need to be more prepared. I had Hot Yoga from 12-1:15 and then Hot Yin from 1:30-2:45 on Saturday so I didn't get home till after 3 and missed lunchtime.

So no sea bass for me!- although we watched the Grand National at 4:15 and Katie Walsh was riding her aptly named horse! She sadly didn't win though.

So lessons so far- preparation is key and drinks lots of water!

Planning clean and lean

In James Duigan's book he outlines a 14 day kick start plan.

I thought the best thing to do would be to order what I needed online. There would therefore be no temptation to deviate from my planned purchases as I would have perhaps experienced if I was at the supermarket.

My grocery shop arrived and I was really excited to start! I had to take a picture of all that lovely green!

There is no fruit for the first 14 days but loads of veggies.

I tried to buy organic where I could afford to but my budget doesn't stretch to all organic. I figure I'm making moves in the right direction though!

So for the next two weeks I will be getting rid of the C.R.A.P (Carbs, Refined Sugar, Alcohol and Processed Food) from my body!

So here goes.......

Fresh start

I have been blogging on and off since 2008 and I love it.

I like looking back and reflecting on my online journal and past experiences and the little details I have since forgotten.

In the last 2 years facebook, twitter and instagram have taken my attention away (as well as a lot of new personal responsibilities.)

This past weekend I started 'Clean and Lean' the diet by James Duigan and have been posting pictures of my food on instagram with lots of encouraging comments and likes from friends.

It made me think that setting up a new blog would be the best way to keep a track of my progress and having everything in one place including my favourite recipes.

I am a major foodie. I love to bake (which will be put on hold for a wee while) and I adore preparing food- especially for others. I feel this diet is going to be right up my street- a diet for foodies- and is what my body has been craving for a long time.

I need to be healthy and have a happy mind and body.