Apparently it takes only twelve weeks to notice a transformation of your body; only twelve weeks, they say. That's three months. A quarter of the year.
So, I thought I would give it a go. I eat fairly healthily already, and I have started running a couple of times a week, but I want to make the most of what I could have.
Today is the last day of March, just under three months until my birthday, until prom and and 'bikini season'. When else would be the perfect time to start this challenge?
But there is one daunting problem- exams. Everyone has something they do when they're stressed, or bored, or tired- some smoke, others drink, some starve- I overeat. It's not just the case of an extra helping or the occasional dessert, oh no, when I stress I tend to eat all my cupboards out to avoid doing what I should be at all possible costs.
Nonetheless, I have the same amount of hours in my day as Beyonce does- meaning I shouldn't try and make excuses. So here are the changes (specifically not rules!) that I would like to live by, for the next twelve weeks at least:
1. Running three times a week. Usually in the morning, with the eventual aim of being to jog for half an hour non-stop.
2. Not eating fruit after 2pm- this will be a big challenge for me as I love snacking and I love fruit. However, they contain a lot of sugar and it takes a while for the body to digest them. Thus, I will aim to eat any fruit in the first half of the day.
3. Keeping a foodmood diary- not just recording what I eat, but how I'm feeling. This will hopefully help me to cut cravings and understand how my body is working so that I can make wiser choices.
4. Cut down on the carbohydrates, sugar and snacking. Unnecessary, and it makes me feel stodgy afterwards. Food should be fuel for the day, providing energy for all sorts of activity.
There will probably be more along the way- I will update as I go long.
It is difficult to measure this from now as one of my Lenten promises is not to weight myself, but I will judge by how my clothes look and how I feel. I will update this with thoughts/feelings/challenges/recipes and of course food diaries.
You can follow my instagram @taliaflorence for up to date snaps!
Wish me luck,
Talia
