Hello again!

So it's an anniversary of sorts... a year (and a bit) since I completed the Garden Diet programs and got me some 'afters' to be proud of. I remember the experience with (mostly) pleasure, but it's also a bit of a blur in my mind. I remember that it was hard sometimes to be organised and have raw food when we were out, and that eating at other people's houses required forethought, planning, explanations, and bringing my own food. It was really great but also quite the challenge at times.



So a year on I've pretty much gone back to a 'normal' Western way of eating, with a few extra raw recipes thrown in. I had a few half-hearted and failed attemptes to re-do the Garden Diet programs, but they generally got to about day 3 or 4 before lack of motivation derailed me. I eat generally healthily, but too much sugar for sure. I'm addicted to sugar! I also eat at odd times and seem to be hungry a LOT! There's sometimes not a huge distinction between morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea - just a trail of snacks taken every half hour or so. It's easy to lose track of what I'm eating, and often it's whatever the kids leave behind. The kids, unfortunately, also eat less well when I do.



Improvements in my 'wellness' have also plateaued in a big way, despite several attempts to get some forward motion happening again. I'm still not particularly fit and I've got a few remaining kilos of 'post-baby weight' to which I'd love to say goodbye. I get frustrated by my failed attempts to improve my lifestyle - Starting again, always starting again! Every darn week I seem to start again. Feelings of deprivation are a big hurdle for me – I'll 'start again' at breakfast, brand spanking new beautiful healthy lifestyle plan in place, only to revert by 11am because 'it's all too hard and I just don't have the emotional energy at the moment and, quite frankly, I'd feel so deprived and sad if I didnn't eat that (insert name of unhealthy snack here)...'



I'm not sure why I feel that this time will be different, but I know that during the Garden Diet program blogging seemed to really help me stay on track. It's a great reflective tool and the knowledge that someone might read this keeps me a teeny bit accountable.



So what's the plan?



I'm basing my new habits on the Garden Diet's three-fold strategy: Diet, exercise and 'happiness'.

The exercise bit is easy to formulate. Three times a week I'll do a program of strength exercises that I have - it's quick, challenging, and doesn't need any equipment. I can do the exercises during the kids' half hour of tv... oh, who am I kidding, I'm not a perfect Mum and they have at least an hour of tv time most days into which I can schedule a few squats and lunges! Three times a week I'll do something aerobic - running, cycling, boxing (there's a boxing gym near my house and I'm itching to give it a go), swimming, windsurfing, kayaking, whatever I can get to. Running will probably be my staple - it's quick, easy to do from home, and I can take the kids along.



The diet part is pretty much worked out. After years of experimentation I'm putting into place what I've learned works best for me. Breakfast is a glass of water with lemon juice, then a plain glass of water, then two glasses of freshly squeezed vegie juice. I know, it sounds really lame and model-starvation-y and not like a meal at all. 'I need to chew', etc. But I've been doing this for several weeks now and to my astonishment it keeps me full and happy till about 11:30am. It's the one meal of the day that I really feel I've nailed. Then another vegie juice fills the gap till lunch. Lunch and dinner will be a combination of raw meals and small portions of the cooked food that my family eat, including eggs, dairy, very occasional meat. Yes, meat. Variety. Lunch and dinner will include homemade fermented foods - I'm a dab hand at sauerkraut and look forward to expanding into kefir, kombucha, kimchi and more. Lunch and dinner will also include greens. Greeeeeens! I do love eating leaves. And sprouts. Babies of goodness. Snacks: I'm really trying to take my snacking in hand and get over the need to be constantly eating. I've begun to build the habit of snacking on iskiate: Chia seeds, water, lime juice and a dash of maple syrup. Looks like pond scum, tastes divine. Hydrates, cleanses, fills, and has the zinginess of a Mexican cocktail. What's not to love? Iskiate is my new snack-attack friend. I'll make a big batch every morning.



The biggest change and challenge: quitting sugar! I blame Sarah Wilson for this: www.sarahwilson.com.au
She's big into the quitting sugar thing and backs up her convictions with some compelling arguments. I have her ebooks - two of them. I don't agree with everything she espouses, but vive la difference. I agree with a lot more than I disagree with, and anyone can see that the SAD (Standard Australian Diet) contains waaaaaay more sugar than it did only a generation ago. And it really can't be good. Keen to give that stuff the heave-ho. I expect withdrawals and cravings and feel some trepidation, some fear of failure, but whatever. Suck it up sunshine and reap the benefits.



The 'happiness' part of things is more of a challenge for me to decide on. I don't really know what questions to ask myself, what exercises to do, how to get this part of my self-designed program up and running. So I'm starting with something basic - five minutes of meditation a day - and I'll take it from there. I'm sure that as the days progress I'll find inspiration and direction in this area.



So, here we go. Sugar free, mostly raw, hold onto your hats. 'Before' pictures coming tomorrow.