After the diet...

Well this is what I've been waiting for... real food!!

The first few days I found it really hard to know what to eat.  I could only eat small portions so I ate very little.  I really didn't want to put it all back on again or return to my old eating habits, I just felt a bit confused what to do.

Jon and I were blessed with a night away just the 2 of us, being us again, and I think this really helped me get re-acquainted with food.  No cooking - just eating out and champagne.  It is not something that happens often for Jon and I, so when it does we like to make the most of it.  I was worried, I'd be really worried about eating but surprisingly it was fine.  I couldn't actually eat a lot anyway.  I chose the low calories options from the menus and I didn't have room for pudding. It was such a treat just eating!  Foods not something to be scared of, its something we need to survive and God has given us taste buds to enjoy it.  I didn't feel guilty at all.  Whilst away I made sensible choices.

The first week off the diet, I'm afraid I didn't really stick to stage 4 like I had hoped.  Whilst away I was fairly controlled but when we came back it was really hard.  I had my wisdom tooth out and then came down with a horrible bug, which also coincided with my time of the month.  I didn't know what I wanted to eat but it would seem nothing healthy.  The more unhealthy stuff I ate the more I wanted.  I didn't feel like eating or cooking, so it was much easier to grab something quick ie chocolate than put time and effort in thinking about what to eat.  Also with Christmas just round the corner there was lots of accessible treats in the house.  I wasn't binging or over eating just making the wrong food choices.  I started to realise how quickly old eating habits could return.  I started to notice how I was looking to food to make me feel better.  I had enjoyed eating lovely food at the beginning of the week and was trying to re-create this in just eating treats during stressful situations.  I was being destructive, as I obviously didn't feel better (a bug just has to run its course) and actually eating healthily would have been far better.  In hindsight I should have planned my meals better so I  could make healthy choices.  Although you can't plan for being ill, I think some quick easy stock cupboard meals or frozen meals are a good thing to have just in case...

Once I realised my downfalls I planned our menu choices and did some healthy food shopping.  I have since made much better food choices.