THE QUEST- EATING TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED RESULTS

August 13^th 2013

Dear Journal,

Having mastered the exercises, I have also started making adjustments to my food. What this means is that I have decided to cook my own meals with healthy recipes from around the world and eat moderately to get the desired effect. According to Vanessa, I have to eat five to six times a day. Small portions, no more than a handful and not that 3 meal plan that everyone think is best. Of course, when she said that, I almost wrung her neck! Didn’t she understand that I was trying to achieve a perfect figure? But common sense got ahead of my emotions and I asked her to explain better.

In a Vanessa like way, she said “what happens is the ‘three times a day’ thing is crap and you end up snacking on crap in between because the body needs nutrient. When your body senses it’s being starved, it goes into starvation mode, hoards calories, and when you starve more, it hoards more”.

Having this knowledge, I decided to up my fruits and veggies, take more water; a glass before and after my meals and more in between to be precise. I have almost cut out processed foods after ‘the talk’ with V (fond name for my fitness coach, Vanessa). I have learnt that my body do not know what to do with all processed foods and usually moves it to the usual areas of fat deposit which for many is the stomach. The trick is not to completely give up all the junk now so one can stick to the plan as eating junk on occasion might even be ideal!

 I have also found that drinking a protein shake before going to bed is good practice. It is common knowledge that when one sleeps, one is fasting and one’s metabolism slows down but protein shakes help to keep it going. It is liquid, easy to digest, it’s protein so it’s going to your muscles, not to the fat cells. My favourite is Complan protein shake in strawberry and chocolate flavours! *grins* no advert intended.

When I started to think of scrapping dinner entirely, I was advised against it by Vanessa. She suggested that I write a list of things I know are healthy, good to eat and accessible to me so I can plan my meals before-hand as I am more likely to stick with it that way. Fruits, veggies, plantain (preferably boiled and roasted), and eggs (preferably boiled or fried with only enough oil to grease the pan). Knowing my love for wheat bread and sandwiches, she also suggested that I become creative and come up with exciting mixtures like putting fruits like bananas, nuts, tomatoes and apples in my sandwiches.

So far, I have consistently made sure that I have a cucumber or banana to snack on before lunch after a healthy breakfast of whole wheat bread or whole grain pasta with eggs. I have also made sure that I don’t run out of nuts in my house as I have noticed that they help to fill me up.

This whole fitness regime has got me spending less money on junks, curbing my craving for sugar with fruits like apples and carrots that I now snack on and making see the importance of veggies in giving me the perfect body (especially my tummy *winks*)

I hope you have learnt as much as I have. I will keep you all posted on my progress still. Until then, Danke sehr!