There have been a few changes afoot in the CC household over the past few weeks. We were entering a sluggish rut after Christmas and the usual January health kick wasn't working: change just didn't seem achievable. Work was getting busier every day and we barely had time for each other, never mind time to spend thinking about eating well and exercising. Luckily for Mr CC, his job is physical and so he exercises everyday, but despite standing for a long periods of time in my job, I am not so fortunate - exercise is something I have to find the time for. With a wedding dress fitting scheduled for Easter, summer on the horizon, and a general feeling of continuing lethargy, it was time to take action. Here's what we've decided...
- Eat more grains. Pearl barley, buckwheat, quinoa; you name it, it's healthy and cheap, and anything that reduces our monthly spend is good news in my book. Hopefully choosing grains will reduce our reliance on white pasta and rice which currently permeate much of our diet.
- Choose organic fruit and vegetables wherever possible. This has been something we have been striving to achieve for a while, but now our conscious efforts are transforming into firmer decisions. More on our reasoning for this later in the month.
- Plan ahead and make energy boosting snacks to prevent 3pm hunger strikes and biscuit cravings. Not eating in order to lose weight is no fun at all; we want to use food as a fuel, just as nature intended, and this means eating the right sort of snacks (seeds, nuts, dried fruit) rather than avoiding them entirely.
- Eat less red meat. We've never been averse to eating vegetarian foods and choosing fish instead of meat, but we're now saving red meat for special occasions rather than eating it regularly. This should also have a positive effect on our bank balance!
- Use honey as a sweetener instead of sugar. Mr CC's experience as a beekeeper has been a contributing factor to this decision, but health has also dictated the change, as we are trying to eat more natural products rather than refined sugars.
- Use extra virgin olive oil more in cooking and on salads. Mr CC informs me that olive oil can actually reduce cholesterol and is full of good fats; I'm sold!
On a personal level, I am also trying to introduce a more regular exercise regime at home, with a range of dance, pilates and toning DVDs / online videos.
Are you focusing on healthy living too this month? Any tips or advice?
