Diet Diaries: Look Great, Feel Great – The Challenge

Before we start may I emphasize that I truly hate the term “diet”, as every hair on my body stands on end, my body starts going into panic mode (which includes irrational cravings for chocolate, chips, biscuits, pasta and anything I would not normally eat on an average day) and I can already feel headaches and feelings of exhaustion wash over me. As I read over this paragraph it makes me wonder whether I am in serious need of some counseling.

This new adventure (optimistically speaking) is partially the beginnings of a review on a book written by Joyce Meyer namely; Look Great Feel Great and my desire to lose some extra weight that I have managed to store up in all those God given places only found on a woman – her hips and thighs.  UGGHHH! Not that I have anyone else to blame but myself and the fact that I really love food and when I really love food – well I eat it.  After all isn’t that we are supposed to do?  Eat it?  Or have I missed the point?  Based on my hefty weight addition recently I definitely think I have lost the plot and so in light of this, I thought this would be a good enough time as any to weigh up the merits of this very enthusiastically titled book.  The reason I have decided to share my highs and lows – and I know that things can get really really really low (imagine my voice deepening tragically at each word) – is that I know that there are many of you out there who have the same struggles and maybe successes too, who can understand all too well the yoyo dieter’s lifestyle.  However having started this book already I can see that this is not a diet but a shift in focus and lifestyle change.  Weight loss and a healthier lifestyle that’s not difficult to attain and habits that can actually last a life time.

Weight is not the only issue, there are so many lifestyle choices that I am currently making that are just not healthy or good for my body – including copious amounts of coffee, water intake minimum, exercise …… let’s just say I think about it often, not getting enough sleep, putting myself at the end of the needs list, and just about every other misdemeanor I could inflict on my body.  And so this adventure is not about weight, it’s about looking after me.  For mom’s this is probably one of the hardest things to say to yourself – “I am going to look after me!”  Not selfishly at the cost of all else but the way I should, the way I need to – because when I do it will make the world of difference now and in 40 years time.  So here goes… the adventure begins!  Watch this space next week to find out more.