Well, this is a complete change from my usual blog content! It seems to be a bit of a bleak time of year for creatures in our garden! Lots of garden spiders, which I love to see and to photographs, but little else at the moment!
SO! As it a little while since I have posted anything new I thought I would share a little about a recent lifestyle change!
For many years we have enjoyed a very balanced lifestyle. We don't spend hours (or even minutes) sat watching sports, we dont smoke and on a 'heavy' binge drinking week, we put away maybe 3 or 4 glasses of wine.
Our free time is spent walking in the forest, purbecks and other local beauty spots and generally enjoying the outdoor life with our family. Our holidays, for over 10 years now, have been in some of the most exotic locations on this beautiful planet and are extremely active.
Our diet is varied - we LOVE food! Although we have always eaten plenty of good healthy fare, we also love rich currys, fricasees cakes (especially me) and biscuits (my BIG downfall). Indeed, if anyone tried to take away my full English breakfast, they would probably never walk again!
So, you may think, that is better than most peoples lifestyles? Why change?
Well! 3 Years ago, I found that my blood pressure was just a little high, as was my cholesterol level. Just a little, not a panic, but it was there.
Just over a month ago, another checkup showed a very slight improvement (despite no effort on my part), but both were still a little high.
Coupled with this, we have just booked our most strenuous trip yet! 2 weeks in Nicaragua. Not staying in one place for more than a night we will be travelling to Dry Forest, Rain Forest, Cloud forest, Up a volcano, into a very remote area with no roads or even tracks - reached only by river. All to photograph bugs, snakes, birds, monkeys etc! Crazy? Maybe a little.
SO! The desire to correct my slight medical issues coupled with the need to be as fit as possible by December persuaded me to set a date and change my life completely!
This is not as easy as it sounds! First and foremost, you have to do it safely! The body needs enough of all of the basic essentials to function correctly. Cutting out meat, dairy, fried food, creamy curries is good, but the body needs essential fats and those wishing to reduce their cholesterol levels need more of the right type of fats!
As exercise is also important, time has to be found in an already very full life to dedicate to a progressive regime!
Our diet now, and followed rigidly for exactly one month, consists of fruit, cereals, beans, pulses, brown rice, cous cous, tomatoes, all manner of vegetables. Fats come from fish, nuts, seeds, Extra Virgin Olive and rapeseed oil. Our 'treat' is a small portion of chicken shared between the 2 of us with one of our meals each week.
Our only vice at present is 'real' coffee at weekends. Rest of the week is decaff!
Now, going shopping is a real learning experience! Every label is studied for the fat, salt and sugar levels. Those high in saturated fats are left behind as are those with high sodium/salt levels.
Between meal snacks consist of fruit, muesly, or for 'nibbles' - it is walnuts!
Recently we had a family celebration meal in a local restaurant - and after spending years commenting '...can't understand why people would order THAT in a restaurant', I ordered 'THAT' in a restaurant. A plate of smoked mackeral on a huge bed of salad. No chips, no batter, no onion rings, no sauce and most astonishing of all.....NO PUDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To all those who know me, I can promise you it is me writing this! I am not being held hostage in a middle eastern country being forced to spout propaganda...I am doing this of my own free will! lol.
On top of the diet, exercise is now a normal part of our daily routine. This is maybe a tougher challenge than the diet. It requires us to find between 90 and 150 minutes a day on at least 5 days a week for brisk exersize. At the moment we are managing an average of just over 90 minutes a day (average includes the 2 rest days - so the average just on actual exercise days is quite a bit higher).
Our exercise is mostly brisk walking and cycling, with the more strenuous efforts coming from running (me) and working out in the Gym (Gerry). On top of a working day, and the extra time spent on choosing, buying and cooking foods, the new regime is now a major part of our lives.
EXTRA - While writing this, an advert on TV has just played - showing how it is possible to achieve 150 mins per WEEK gentle exersize! We are managing about 630 mins a week!
This does NOT include the walking we do every weekend with family or during the normal day. All this (amounting to several hours) goes unrecorded.
Is it all worth it?????
Without a doubt - YES!
We are blessed in being a family that knows our way around a kitchen. With our knowledge of spices and cooking styles from around the world, coupled with hints and tips from family and friends (Thanks Amanda - that veggie stew was lovely!), we are enjoying tasty, spicy, and incredibly varied foods (I can promise you it is not the usual expectation of a vegetarian chewing on a piece of cardboard and saying 'Yummy'. This food really can be fantastic.
In the last month, we have not eaten a single cake, biscuit, piece of chocolate, slice of bacon (mmmmmmmmmmm bacon!), anything battered or fried, cheese etc etc etc.
And, best of all, after using moderate exercise to prepare myself for one month, I went for my first 20 minutes run and can honestly say it was actually easy! The next day I did one 20 minute run at mid-day and a 25 minute run in the evening and this was on top of 45 minutes cycling. A little sweaty, but pulse only 110 and nothing ached. I have also lost 9 pounds in a controlled and steady way and expect to reach my goal of just under 12 stones within the next 2 weeks.
So, to repeat myself - it is definately worth it. It is not boring, and while I do miss some of my treats, coping is a lot easier than I expected.
I am also blessed to have a wonderful wife, who is not only supporting me, but has embraced the regime with me. I am not sure I could stick to it quite so rigidly without her support! (Her reward is that I now spend a LOT of time cooking the majority of our meals. I have always enjoyed cooking and done so regularly, but now the kitchen is almost my second home!
When all targets are reached we are going to continue the lifestyle, but introduce a 'Treat' day when we will have one of our favourite meals - and Lord! will we enjoy it!
So, to all those who have considered a change like this and have though they could not manage it, or would find it boring, be assured - you CAN do it and it can be a great experience. The exploration into new tastes is fun and exciting. Try it!
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