I recieved an email from my sister asking for dietary help

This morning, my sister (25yr old) emailed me to ask for some dietary help. She asked if I could give her any ideas on "what are some good low calorie/low carb alternatives for potatoes and pasta etc?"

Well, of course this is a simple one for me, as I research nutrition everyday, surround myself with like-minded foodies and I have some of the best Personal Trainers at my fingertips if I ever need help on nutritional needs. But it got me thinking, I am probably in the minority of people who are interested in this way about the food on our plates, and our kids plates.

When I grew up, 'meat and two veg' was a staple diet for us, pasta was a 'foreign' food, rice was something you eat with curry and everything was cooked in lard. What I have learned about nutrients and superfoods, I have had to research and find the information for myself. It's not usually taught from your parents in this way. Therefore, my sister is really at the same disadvantage as I was when I was piling rubbish onto my plate, getting overweight and unhealthy, and going on silly faddy diets that were boring, hard to maintain and just didn't work as a lifestyle change.

So, I wrote her a reply, rather longer than I had originally intended, and probably gave her more than she bargained for, but it really is something I feel passionate about. Why are we brainwashed into thinking of everything in 'calories'. Why on earth is is best for our children to drink milk from a cow? Who thought of the phrase '5 a day', when some recent research suggests you need at least 20 a day to get your daily nutrients? Why are the majority of people on a MAD diet (Meat and Dairy) when it costs so much more to raise livestock for slaughter, than to grow a field of plant based foods? So many questions, and more, I first asked myself when I embarked on my Cambridge Bootcamp Journey, and had to find the answers for myself.

Well, I gave her a long list of foods, including quinoa, pearl barley, buckwheat, corn or rice pasta, brown rice, and buckwheat spaghetti as 'carb replacements'. But I also tried to get over to her that a meal doesn't have to consist of 'carb-meat-veg' to be a satisfying meal. I suggested lentils, beans, pulses, made into salads or spreads. I suggested using sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, squash and pumpkin in the same way as potato for a subtle potato replacement. I also told her to Google vegan, vegetarian and specialist diets for ideas on how to change her way of thinking about how her meals are constructed.

I hope I helped and didn't drown her with information. Tonight, I have concluded to myself that at least my children have the benefit of a knowledgable mum who makes them try different foods and ideas. I hope they can pass it on to their friend's mums aswell, when they go for dinner at their houses!!

Realising the effects of external forces and learning how to deal with them

I was doing so well at my challenge to find my abs. Exersising, running, clean eating, until today.
I had an unpleasant experience yesterday that brought back memories / parallels from my childhood / life experiences and it all went wrong for me today.

I planned to go for a run after the school run, but came home to go to bed instead as I was so drained from churning it over in my head, but not before eating a packet of crisps and a few spoonfulls of chocolate spread out of the jar.

When I woke up to colect the kids, I was still feeling rotten but tried to keep on track. Ate an apple and some grapes, but then had a bread roll :o( My gut is NOT going to thank me tonight!
Charlie Wall then talked me into going to bootcamp tonight as I phoned her to tell her I wasn't in the right frame of mind to attend and explained what had happened yesterday to trigger this all off and she talked me into going after all.

I actually really loved it and am so glad I spoke to her. She's always got great advice to give. Got home and I feel back on track again and more positive about yesterday and trying to look at it from a different angle.
I really have to try and focus on not letting external forces that are completely out of my control, affect everything that should be under my control, ie. diet, exersise and my mental health. I really did embark on a long and difficult journey when I signed up to Cambridge Bootcamps, physically, but more importantly, mentally too.

Letting things slip, then I'm inspired with a new enthusiasm

Lately, I've been sliding into old habits with regards to food unfortunately, and it's starting to show in my measurements and my clothes again :o(
It starts with an odd bit of bread as a snack as I "didn't fancy an apple" or eating wheat pasta because I "couldn't be botheres to find to good stuff" or even just not pushing forward with my running as "I've got pleanty of time til the half marathon".

Well, procrastination and lazy habits have seen my jeans become tighter and my waist a bit chubbier. Must get inspiration, and lo and behold, Charlie Wall comes up with a new exciting challenge. It's as if she knew!!

8 weeks until the Cambridge Bootcamps Blow Out Ball, at a posh hotel, and posh dresses are a must!. So here we have the ABs OFF Challenge, where I have taken measurements (?) and pictures of my flabby torso, and in 8 weeks time, I should have a smiling belly button, looser jeans and a bit more longevity in my running, ready for the half marathon in October.

I've already pushed my run to the nearly 7km mark, which was amazing for me, as the furthest I could ever run, at a push, was 5km. Clean food was bought yesterday, measurements and photos loaded onto the support site, and I have really got a new energetic, optimistic and passionate feeling about this challenge.