Food Planning for the Unexpected...

We all know that planning is a great tool when embarking on a healthy lifestyle, it helps us to keep on track, and can help make doing all those things we are supposed to do a little easier.  It's when we get tired, don't plan or find life getting in the way that our planning can fall away and sometimes we do to. 

But there are things we can plan for, for when our plans fail us.  That's a mouthful or an oxymoron, but it's true, we can be prepared for the unexpected.  A little research can turn a nightmare situation into an opportunity to enjoy ourselves but not ruin our efforts.

There's a lot of too and for arguements against fast food and "healthy" fast food options as to whether they really are the better options, all I can say is do a little research for yourself, have a stock pile of options that YOU know will work for you and your goals so when you find yourself with no other choice, well we all know that in reality there is always a choice! ;)  These still might be considered as sometimes foods in Elmo's world, and yours, but you don't have to pick the greasiest, fattiest sometimes food, that leaves you feeling like crap or worse still hungry afterwards!

Elmo Says...

I know it might seem odd, but I was listening to my morning radio show in the car one morning and they were interviewing Elmo... you know from Sesame Street.  It was something to do with encouraging kids to eat healthy all the like.  He said in his squeaky little voice Elmo says Cookies are a sometimes food and Apples are an everyday food.  It really hit a chord with me.  It was then I made the decision (and yes it is a choice and a decision) to stop viewing food as good or bad, or naughty and boring all those connotations that send us spinning into that All or Nothing Attitude if we have the bad or naughty food. 

A healthy diet is about balance.  Sometimes this balance has to be learnt, but their is no denying that if you completely deny yourself you are likely to return to old habits quickly and efficiently.  Now a days I don't feel bad if I have my cake and eat it too, I just don't have it every day.  I'm mindful when I eat it, and I stop when I am full because I know I can have some again another time if I want to.

I've quickly discovered that the longer you eat well, and eat enough the more of everyday foods you want.  Recently I thought I felt like some KFC so off I went and had some and when I was finished I thought... is that it?  The joy and pleasure I thought I used to get out of it, was gone, the shine and polish rubbed away, I'd much prefer a nice mango and some yoghurt or a yummy steak with a pile of salad.  Sometimes I'm not sure who this new me is but I like her!  She's much more enjoyable to be around.

See if Elmo says it simply enough for kids to grasp why is the concept not good enough for us adults?  I've decided it's simple enough for me...  what about you?

Why diets don't work...

Food.... mmmmm.  Just gotta love it!  I'll let you in on a little secret, DIETS DON'T WORK!  There whew I got it out, I know this because I've been dieting for years and managed to reach 130 kg not really a great testimonial! 

I mean well here's the thing, they do work.... in the short-term, and then we go "off" them and we put the weight we have lost back on and usually more.  Here's the thing Diet usually equals Deprivation, either through calorie restriction, food group restriction of some sort, or just deprivation in general, this often plays havoc with both our body and our minds.  Isn't it interesting that the the multi billion dollar diet industry is mostly a farce, it's set up so that you will fail and you will go back time and time again and spend more money!