Day 2

January second, 2025.  The sun is shining, birds are singing, and actually it’s cold.  We have returned early from a less than glamourous Airbnb where our dreams of bringing in the new year in a bubbly hot tub were hampered by the hot tub being tepid and mainly self-made bubbles.  But here we are.  Facebook has reminded me it’s diet season and I don’t have many ‘friends’ in the real sense of the word, and that reminded me that I have decided I am writing a blog.

So, here I am.  Website not quite complete but mind and fingers raring to go regardless.

Trigger word – diet.

And do I really think I know it all?

Having watched my mother go through countless diets yo-yo-ing between overweight and stick thin, I have taken the different approach of ‘don’t do that, you will only end up putting back on 20% of your previous weight, each time’.    ‘Don’t do that, you have to learn to eat normally’.  How has that helped me?  I have stayed a consistent 3 stone overweight for the past 13 years – but it’s been consistent.  The battle, however, which is mainly in my head and with the scales, has intensified since hitting menopause.   I am surprised I’m not now stick thin if only because I continuously run hot – surely that’s a calorie burner?

However, after watching a BBC archive music show on New Years morning, just after Jools and Ruby had reminded me that I need enjoy myself while I’m still in the pink, and seeing all these slim pop-stars I wonder if the battle is now hopeless.  We didn’t all end up fluffy by mistake, and we can’t all blame the sedentary life-style either.   Are we now addicted to the food we eat which is designed to be addictive?  And what are the diet industries really offering now?  And how come, if they work so well, most of us aren’t skinny or the NHS hasn’t prescribed each and everyone one of us to join?  But equally, what if I have got it wrong after all this time?

As a nation, we are obese.  Overweight parents raising overweight children, shortening our lives and increasing our risks to all sort of nasty diseases.  It’s the shortening our lives bit that’s the problem as we really won’t live forever.  As we get older, I’ve found, each decade, year, week, moment, becomes more and more precious.   As we get closer to the end, we begin counting roughly how much time we might have left – that this could be significantly shorter with the risks that carrying too much weight bring.  And what happens if, as you get closer to the end, you’re having too much of a good time?  That would suck wouldn’t it?!

So, here are my pledges to myself for 2025 in regard to me and the scales.

1.         I will exercise at least 5 days a week (but aim for 7)  – even if it’s just a walk.

2.        I will watch my portion control.  A portion size is a lot less than we think.

That’s it.

I’ll let you know how I do!