Losing

Like many fortunate people, I could do with losing a few pounds in weight. Our life styles are so different from others; we work less, we walk less, we eat more, we live in an equitable climate – either outside or inside with air-con or central heating… so I is no wonder that many people have problems not just with a few pounds like me, but with serious obesity.

I was always a chubby child, although when I look back at pictures of myself I wasn’t anywhere near the size that some unfortunate children are thee days. I was also very fit, walking and cycling everywhere, swimming miles and miles, exercising, eating decent home-grown, home cooked meals… However I have always struggled to keep my weight at a healthy level, and so it is again that I’m watching what I eat and trying to exercise more. It is difficult, time, convenience, habit, temptation, all conspire to keep us fortunate people taking in far more calories than we need. We are constantly assailed by images which remind us of how much we like eating; adverts, fast food outlets, food stalls in every shop whether it’s a DIY store, a petrol station, cookery programmes on TV – even though most of those programmes are encouraging us to eat sensibly and healthily.

I have found that exercising on the Wii and following the 5:2 diet has been successful for me, but even so there have been times when I have spent too long sitting here writing, and been lazy about my food choices, or given in to my love of yummy things.

last week we went to spend a few days in Dublin, as my daughter was flying from there for a year’s internship in New Jersey. Before we went I knew I would struggle because of all the waiting around, travelling, eating in hotels and restaurants, so I resolved to try to be sensible, but still enjoy a Guinness… or two! And so I did; I drank my coffee black, I enjoyed my Irish breakfast, I eschewed cakes, biscuits, chocolate and sweets but had one very nice scoop of ice-cream at Dublin Zoo, I enjoyed the Guinness… and didn’t feel deprived, nor too over-indulgent, and came home ready to find that the scales would tell me I had a good few pounds to lose.

It must have been all the walking as we sight-saw around the city, or maybe it was the Guinness, but somehow, I lost 4 pounds… yes, four pounds!

Maybe this could be the new dieting plan, be a tourist, walk lots and drink Guinness!