For someone who has always struggled with their weight, lockdown has been a nightmare.
Normally, Son, Daughter and I would all be at school during the day – we’d have our main meal at school, prepared by our amazing school dinner team, and I’d know that it would be filling and that there would be plenty of healthy choices. Tea (yes, I’m from Up North) would be 5pm prompt as the kids couldn’t wait any longer, and would be something light and normally relatively healthy. Son and Daughter always have a pudding at school, so I don’t make anything sweet during the week.
Exercise-wise, as a teacher, I’d be on my feet all day, having done at least 7,500 steps before I get home at night. An evening dog walk and a bit of tidying up, and I’ve reached my 10,000 without too much extra effort.
And so, although I’m always overweight, my weight is stable.
And then lockdown hit…
I remember lots of jokey warnings on social media at the beginning of lockdown, warning that we’d all be coming out of this as either a ‘hunk, drunk or chunk’. I invested in elasticated lounge pants, stocked up on wine and gin, and braced myself for the inevitable fallout. Probably not the best idea .
All of a sudden, Son, Daughter and myself where all home-schooling. I was sat in my home office all day, teaching via zoom and using two screens at all times. Because our school was doing loads of ‘live’ lessons, and the kids have different lunchtimes to me, it was often a bit of a struggle to get out during the day. I think that I got seriously out of the habit of just moving.
Add to that trying of spice things up by getting snacks in for the kids, pandering to their tastes more than usual, getting Hello Fresh, Gusto, Simply Cook boxes for the first few months (delicious, but not many low-calorie family meals), baking like a crazy woman to give myself something to do, and then rewarding myself at night for a drink – virtually every night – and I’m now looking at going back to work in September a dress size bigger.
The solution?
So. I’m going to have a go at kick-starting my metabolism and shifting some of the belly fat over the next few weeks. Apparently, it’s possible to lose a stone in three weeks. Yippee!
As usual, I’ve ordered the book, and announced my intention to take on a new project without really thinking it through properly. I’m now realising that the next three weeks are likely to be pure hell for me and everyone around me – yes, hanger is a real thing – and that I haven’t got a clue what I’m doing.
I’m going to start on Monday – I WILL start on Monday – in the hope that a the first three days, which are apparently the worst, will be over before we go on a four-day caravan holiday at the weekend. It’s not ideal timing, but it’s never going to be a great time, so I’ll be taking my 3200 calories with me for the holiday (oh God!) and will just have to see how I get on.
For now, I’ve watching the first two episodes of the Channel 4 three-part series ‘Lose a Stone in 21 Days’, and have ordered Michael Mosley’s ‘8 weight blood-sugar diet’. The food that he and wife/GP Claire prepare on the show looks palatable so I’m hoping that their recipes may inspire me a bit, and I like the idea of a 5-week follow-up to the initial 3 weeks.
Have you ever tried this diet, and if so, how did you get on?
Does anyone want to join me on this journey? I’d appreciate the company!
Seen ‘Lose a Stone in 21 Days with Michael Mosley’? Watch it here on All 4:
You can buy Michael Mosley’s book here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/8-Week-Blood-Sugar-Diet-reprogramme/dp/1780722400
Wordy Witterings 