The Diet – days 19,20,21 – highs and lows without sugar, caffeine, alcohol, bread, dairy

Rachel has just measured herself after almost 3 weeks. She has lost 2″ around her waist, and an inch off her thighs – and is beaming, radiant and alive! Now I have to confess a bit of over eating. I found myself not eating much during the days but come the evening being very hungry and so mistakenly having food late at night. My metabolism and brain were certainly working to compensate for a loss of certain foods and calories – things like savoury pastries, rich in fat and white flour.

I am not going to measure or weigh myself until day 30. That said, it is important to remember this is not a weight losing diet – the toning and weight loss is a bonus.

Read this blog about how Scotland is turning green.

We feel good – energised, happy, motivated, alert. Things are seeming to go well and the diet is part of that. This is what I have been eating:

(Day 18 addendum)

Had the indulgence of popcorn late at night – home made with no salt but a bit of butter. Didn’t need it and regretted it, tasty though it was! (With hindsight, I realise how small a quantity of corn it was but still, not good to eat late at night – though I now (writing on day 21) feel the odd treat and rule breaking is ‘healthy’).

Day 19

I think I ate everything today! Started with yoga and went for a walk too, in the rain. Gathered cotton grass – see other post.

• mango and banana
• aubergine (egg plant), spring onions, egg, winter greens, cumin, salt and pepper, stir fried. Tasty.
• crisps - ready salted (potato chips) bought. Very salty.
• Popcorn and brazil nuts – snacked on popcorn Rachel made and couldn’t resist a handful.
• lamb chop with broccoli and borlotti beans with garlic – tasty!
• late night snack – banana and raspberries in left over natural yoghurt.

That is two nights on a row where I ate calories late (after 10pm) when I should have just had a drink and gone to bed – but hey, no one is perfect .

Day 20

I was determined to eat at proper times of the day today – part of the reason for eating late had been being behind all day – working late and not stopping to eat. Never-the-less, I still have avoided the “forbidden foods”. A diet that allows crisps and popcorn and meat and butter is a cool diet in my book – but cutting out wheat flour and sugar pretty much stops casual snacking and fast food, from sandwiches to chocolate bars, cakes to meat pies – all safely out of bounds! (Richard, take note!).

Started with yoga (Rachel was getting bored but as the weather was wet, I insisted)

• mango with porridge and linseeds
• haddock in an egg and gram flour (chick pea) coating, seasoned, with prawns, green beans and garlic
• 2 rice cakes with hazelnut butter
• a pear
• 4 rice cakes with houmous (new batch, very healthy and “garlicky”), and raw red pepper, courgette (zucchini I believe in USA), celery and alfalfa seeds.

How do you spell houmous? Hummus? Homous? Homos? I have seen it many ways, reflecting the different languages of the Mediterranean, I guess.

Ours is made with chick peas (organic, bought dried), soaked and boiled in the pressure cooker with a bit of salt, bay leaf. The chick peas are then blended with a couple of spoons of tahini (sesame), garlic, lemon, cumin, black pepper, olive oil and water (stock).

Day 21

Woo hoo – it goes well. I got up at 6:45 feeling alive and refreshed – that is new – possibly because yesterday was such a good day and possibly because the days are just beginning to get a bit shorter so I can actually sleep at night, it getting dark for a couple of hours!

Not done the yoga yet but plan to.

• Pear and banana with beremeal pancake for breakfast (Bere is a simple form of barley grown here).
• Now about to have 2 rice cakes covered in hummus / houmous and the same vegetables as yesterday: pepper, courgette, alfalafa.

How do I feel?

Great! Slimmer, more energised, healthier. I have a nice pink tongue, clear skin, sparkling eyes, healthy stools or poo if you prefer. I go daily as before. This diet is less of a change for me – for Rachel it is a huge change. What is most different for me? No tea, far less casual eating, far smaller portions, no snacking when out shopping (bargain / reduced price foods – I got fed up being a waste disposal unit for the supermarkets!!!), awareness of what I eat and keeping a diary, of sorts, less salt, more vegetables, less water, less bloated, less farting, more energy, feeling good about myself! Oh, and spending less money!

Next Entry – The diet continues