'ere we go (yet again)

As I  start writing the launch blog post for my new blog about getting healthy and losing weight while still continuing to enjoy life, I'm cooking nachos. Lazy nachos. The kind where you just open packets and jars, mush up an avocado and slop it all together.  The kind that say 'hey, I don't give two hoots about the nutritional value of the crap I put into my body'.

This is somewhat reflective of how I've treated my body over the last little while. I am now somewhere around  35 heavier than I was before I departed for the UK in 2006 . I don't know the exact amount as I haven't weighed myself for quite some time. I've gained at least 7 or 8 since October 2011. Again, all guesses as it's been some time since I did so. I'm kind of ashamed and somewhat embarrassed, but I accept full responsibility for my actions.

The spanner in the works is my back. To put it politely it's kind of screwed. I have a couple of damaged discs (one is 'dehydrated', as described by a neurosurgeon), there is a tendency for my muscles to tighten and pull things out of alignment and basically pain, lots of pain. When it's good, I can push myself, when it's not I have o wait for it to recover.

In addition have had an unhealthy relationship with food - the problem is I love it all. I like rich, fatty, salty foods, I like crisp salads and fresh fruit. Cheese in all its glorious forms - mozzarella melted on top of a pizza, a wedge of sharp cheddar with onion relish on a wafer, Gruyere lovingly stirred into wine and brandy to make a fondue.  Even tonight's dinner has lashings of (light) cheddar sprinkled over corn chips and salsa. Tummy's rumbling now. Cakes,  pastries, chocolate - you name it, I'd probably eat it. unless it's Maggi.

*more after nachos*

This is all about to change - 2012 is my year of Good Health and Fitness. This is my time to get my shit together once and for all and lose the lard. I have a plan, one that will marry my quest for a healthier body with my love of cooking, recipe creation and (naturally) eating. A plan that will let me eat a nutritious and sustainable way and also recognises that I have a life. I will  out and eat samosas, naan and a rich curry - I will have the odd morning where nothing but Eggs Benedict is going to cut it. The trick is to make sure the meals in between are healthy, low calorie, tasty and filling AND that I get off my giant butt and exercise more than twice per week.


So ... here it is

Penelope's Flab-busting Plan for 2012 (version 1)

• 5 small meals per day. Meals are to be made with a majority of fresh and natural ingredients 
• Exercise - 4 times per week for the first month. Revisit at end of month
• 3 'cheat' meals per week. This may be a chocolate bar for a snack, a take-away pizza or that eggs benny.
• Drinks to be kept to one night a week (birthday week excepted)
• Blogging 3 times per week - Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday will be publishing days.

I start tomorrow. Your thoughts on the above plan would be greatly welcomed.

Wish me luck!!