Time for a re-boot!

I have spent the day travelling home from Devon - and now am the proud owner of a new boiler and a working shower in the upstairs en-suite.  It was lovely to come home to find that everything had been done - and avoid the stress of workmen being around - particularly with my dogs!

Driving home - around 7 hours all in all - gives you time to think.  I am just 27 days from the end of my first year of retirement and, whilst the walking aim is achievable, the weight loss is pathetically not!  Its nice to have lost nearly 2 stone in the year and I should celebrate this loss, but I could have done so much better.  The trouble with any diet, or healthy eating plan as they all call themselves now, is that the longer you do it the more bored you become.  Undoubtedly Slimming World works - but I have not focussed and so weave from being good to feasting out in an unhealthy way.  My very wise mother said that I should just ignore all diets and eat "normally" but when you've become used to a certain regime then "normally" is a strange measure.

Some time ago a friend of mine, a healthy and fit lady who had little weight to lose but was interested in the health benefits, embarked on the 5:2 diet.  For those who are unaware of this, it is a way of eating that combines 2 days of fasting (500 calories for women and 600 calories for men) with 5 days of normal eating.  I say normal - they reckon 2000 calories / your personal TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).  My TDEE is, apparently 2600 which seems far too high!  The research seems to suggest that not only will you lose weight (although they are at pains to say that this is not a quick fix) but your body will start to reap the benefits - including holding some diseases such as Alzheimer's, at bay.  I have therefore decided to give this a go - and am pledging to trying this out until my next holiday at least - ie until June 11th!!

I am planning to use the app My Fitness Pal to count the calories both during a fast day and a non fast day.  Let's see how this goes (takes a deep breath - Ive said it now!!).  The original programme is here if anyone is interested in joining me!

By the way my friend lost half a stone - and felt fantastic!