Friday, December 30, 2005

Eat, Drink and Feel Good

Allow me to share a story of my battle with the bulge.

I was a fat kid, always. No two ways about it, and I kind of remained that way until around May. I had lost a lot of weight during my University days, but hovered around the 15 stone mark. It wasn't the fact that the food which I ate was rubbish, oh no, lots of fruit and veg for me, but it was the sheer quantities that made me fat. In May I felt I needed to change, and made a concensous effort to lose a bit of weight. It worked, and I dropped to a fairly lean 13.5 stone, and felt pretty good about myself when I returned to Liverpool.

When I returned my lifestyle kind of went down the toilet. I drunk more beer, ate more takeaway food and - although I walked a mile or so to work and participated in more horizontal exercising - I was generally less active. This killed me as I was often full of colds, headaches, and other niggly illnesses. I was sure I screwed over my body, and all my work over the summer went to waste.

When I returned home I weighed myself, I expected my wait to of ballooned. Suprisingly it wasn't the case, and my weight remained even. At least for a little while. When I started eating Christmas food I felt myself get fatter again.

Last night I stepped my turkey laden ass onto the scales in the bathroom for the first time in a week. Suprise suprise, up two pounds.

With that said though, I actually feel a lot better for myself. Maybe it's the week off I've had has made me feel better, but I suspect it's the great food I've eaten.

My mum doesn't believe in certain foods being frozen, least of all at Christmas. As such, all the meat and all the vegetables were the freshest of the fresh. From local places too, which still has a presence on Colwyn Bay high street. Okay, so whilst I overate, I did have a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, and fresh meat (not all of it white though, had a nice piece of gammon from the butchers, which we've had cold). I've only eaten chips twice in the past week, and one of those was a takeaway (it's tradition we need to go to our local every Christmas).

Today also marks the sixth month anniversary since I last went to McDonalds (don't ask how I know that, just accept it) and - even though Subway, KFC, Pizza Hut, Domino's, Blue Mountain and Burger King have all profited in my decision (I just think it's wrong paying for a burger with only 69 pence, what's in it can't be good) - my diet has improved. It also marks the sixth anniversary when I bought "Don't Eat This Book". I remember sitting in McDonalds reading it, and suddenly losing my appetite. I encourage everybody to read it.

So, as far as my New Years Resolution? It'll have to be able to maintain my healthy eating habits I have at home back in Liverpool. Sure, I may put on a bit of weight, but by god I'll feel better for it.

That, and stop biting my nails.