Further insights...

10lb weight lost!

Today I had a chance to weigh myself and the scales show that I have lost ten pounds in weight. Thats quite impressive for thirteen days of "lemonade", although as my mum succinctly pointed out, it is hardly surprising that I have lost weight when I havent been eating for thirteen days!!

Part of me is feeling that I have tricked my body into going beyond a ten day fast and my body was complaining a little yesterday. I also didnt have quite so much energy on the bike today . Mind you , I think that is partly because Ive started forgetting to take the "lemonade" As thats my only food, its a bit of a silly thing to do.

Carrying on

Im still intending to carry on until the 17th though, for several reasons
-because I said I would
-because Im loving the weightloss and I still have plenty to lose
-because Im too busy to start eating properly again and doing the necessary shopping and preparing of the food
-and because Im still receiving insights.

Fussy Eater

I realised this week that if I chose to adopt the X Factor diet, I would risk becoming one of those nightmare dinner guests who won't eat mashed potato or rice, for example.Horror of horrors, I would overnight become a "fussy eater". We dont "do" fussy eating in our family!! Then I thought a little more about that statement. What is wrong with being fussy about what we put into our bodies? We are what we eat. Is it really OK to let other people decide what we eat ? So often in the past I have eaten what everyone else was eating because it was convenient to do so. It didnt rock the boat. It kept the peace. I learnt as a small girl to eat everything on my plate to keep the hostess happy. Anything less was considered an insult, Maybe it is time to take more responsibility for what actually goes into my body.

Saying "NO"

I walk around the supermarket aisles to find my lemons and maple syrup, and whilst there I check out all the other foods on offer. When I see something tempting, I remind myself that I am committed to my goal and I ENJOY saying "no" to the temptation. One friend that I bumped into in the supermarket recently exclaimed "Oh, I dont know how you can do a fast and still come into the supermarket! I couldnt do that!" But to avoid food all together is a hopeless quest. We have to eat and we will continue to be surrounded by food, particularly unhealthy food. Just think of buying your newspaper or your petrol, and the array of goodies displayed to tempt you. No, the trick is to be focused on what you want and to practise saying "No". Of course, it might get harder when Im actually eating again....

Finding Joy

I have always loved eating food. I eat when Im happy, I eat when Im sad and I even eat when Im ill. Have you not heard the phrase "feed a cold"?! I find joy in the shopping , preparation and eating of food. No wonder that it was an important part of my life. Now that I have not been eating , I am having to find joy elsewhere. In the past when I felt hungry or tired, I would go and cook myself something. Now I run a beautifully scented hot bath and take to it with a good magasine and a cup of tea. Or I grab my bike and go and enjoy some fresh air. Or I have a good chat with a friend over the phone. Or I lose myself in a good book. I might even do some housekeeping or ironing. Occasionally, I might indulge in an hours television if there is a specific programme that I want to see. Thanks to this exercise of going without food, I am finally discovering that food is not always the answer. The phrase "you'll feel better with some food inside you" has lost some of its meaning for me. I feel that I am starting to let go of my addiction to food and in doing so I am discovering so much more joy in my life.

Marie-Claire