I think I’m currently driving my husband a little bit crazy. And by a little bit I mean a lot. I keep on finding all these fad diet trends and I keep chopping and changing as to which one I am following. Or even which particular part of that fad diet I am following.
After all I’m the main cook in our house and always have been. I enjoy it, especially baking, and I love to eat. So far all good right?
Yet I keep getting my head turned and trying out new ” fad diets” on us all in a bid for health. You name it I’ve come home and decided that for one day I am so going to do this. And then I don’t stick to it. Because I find it unsustainable.
I shelled out for the Body Coach plan, an expensive mistake for what was essentially a recipe book with huge quantities of food. I would have been much better off buying the Lean in 15 books, for a fraction of the price. You’d think that would be lesson learned, no more faffing around trying to force myself into some kind of diet?
Nope. Next up, with the reduced carbohydrate plan favoured by so many I jumped on board. Carbs were the enemy, goodbye bread, potatoes and rice. Hello Quinoa. To be reminded time and time again by my husband that carbs are NOT the enemy. That if I was running then I needed fuel in the tank and of course that does not mean more cake to be eaten, just that you can have potato at tea time without worrying too much.
So I did. And potatoes made it back to my plate.
Stuffing my diet with “superfoods”
So how can I get healthier? Adding benefits, vitamins and minerals from superfoods naturally!
I am all over the superfoods, chia seeds, flaxseeds, beetroot, turmeric. All have found their way into my kitchen, onto my plate. Chia seed pudding? On it. Flaxseed mixed in overnight oats? All over that. Beetroot salad? Yum (OK so I actually do love beetroot and didn’t realise it was a superfood). Turmeric latte? Pour me that golden milk.
And you know, plant based maybe…
I have hopped on board with the idea of Meatless Mondays, forgetting that my husband an avid vegetable hater also hates beans and all their ilk, rendering most meals somewhat lacking and an overdose on lentils. Alongside a very disappointed face when I served up the (most delicious) sweet potato and lentil chilli burrito rather than a beef mince one.
With the children claiming that it was too spicy for them, maybe I need to try something else. Or maybe that’s something I need to continue on my own…
How about fasting?!
I’ve never, EVER, been on board with the idea of a 5:2 diet, not seeing how restricting yourself so severely would help. I toyed with the idea of intermittent fasting, then couldn’t work out a time slot that suited me; though I might come back to the idea once again.
I can see how I may be driving him a little bit crazy, chopping, changing, serving up slop.
Then he asked me a question as to why.
Was I unhappy with my weight? No, not excessively. I mean I’d like to drop a couple of pounds but not enough to actively diet.
Was I feeling unhealthy? No, not particularly. My blood pressure is stable and I am running (when not injured) three times a week.
Was I looking to drive him crazy? Well, maybe. But that’s not food related.
The key is a balanced diet
Then I looked again at the whys, the hows, the wheres. And I realised the reason I am doing it is to be healthy in order to live longer. To encourage the boys to eat a wide variety of foods. And to be happy when I cook and eat.
And at that point I realised what I was doing.
I was in a rut with cooking, with meals and with food. I was looking for ways and excuses to break the rut rather than to serve the same food every night.
And that a balanced diet was key.
One stuffed full of nutritious and delicious food. From leafy veg to carrot cake, all ends of the spectrum. So yes whilst a turmeric latte may not be appearing during my morning coffee break, a chia seed pudding in the fridge is no longer unheard of. Carbs may not always make it to my evening plate but that doesn’t mean that they’ve not featured in my diet that day. I will keep on going with meatless Monday – but I won’t make everyone else join me!
And there is always time for a little sliver of cake. Because it makes me happy.
And isn’t that what food is meant to do?
Cake always makes me happy! (but not when I step on the scales at slimming world and I’ve put on, oops!)
Oh dear, I feel your pain. I tend to try something for a few days and realise it’s ridiculous. The one where we only ate fruit and vegetables for a week with no carbs or caffeine was probably the worst! You’re so right that a balanced diet is the only way to go.
Nat.x