{Cravings}

The problem

As soon as you tell yourself you can't have something, then why is it that that's all you can think of??

I demolished the last of the Easter eggs over the Bank Holiday weekend whilst I painted!

I'm trying my best to get back into the way of healthy eating. Since my Crohn's flare-up and starting steroids, I've put on another 7 lbs!! So I now have over a stone to lose. I'm really annoyed at myself for letting the situation slide...I should have got it under control ages ago. But I keep telling myself I was ill & blaming the drugs too (they do apparently cause weight gain)... But now I have no excuses. I've got a fortnight of steroids left to take, I'm on a lower dose & thankfully things in that department seem to be more like normal again. Well, as normal as can be for someone with Crohn's I guess!

This week I went out and did a 5K after work. Boy was it tough, but I at least got back out there. My plan is to run again on Sunday & Tuesday whilst the kids are with their dad and I have an opportunity to pound the pavements. It will be good for my mind too - some time to think and clear my head.

After my 5K!

I desperately need to get the eating under control through. I tend to be good in the morning...breakfasts I've been enjoying a small portion of muesli with plenty fresh fruit which is exactly what I had when I was under the watchful eye of my personal trainer a few years back.

For lunch I've been having soup and/or salad. The more colourful the better. As long as I'm prepared, I'd happily eat salad every day. I've been throwing chicken, prawns, feta cheese, beetroot, pine nuts etc into lettuce, cucumber & tomatoes. Yum! I also had a massive bean salad which I made at the weekend as part of the #MorrisonsMum campaign & it lasted me my working week too. This week on one of my days off I was at a soft play with the kids & chose their homemade lentil soup & even managed to resist the bread!

I'm trying to snack healthily too... I have rice cakes, oatcakes, peanut butter, dried cranberries and mixed nuts in my drawer at work. 

It's the evenings that get me though, particularly when I have the kids with me. I find myself picking at their leftovers as I hate to see food wasted. Today they had pasta and I had a salad with feta, chorizo, falafel & olives. But I must have had 3 or 4 mouthfuls of their cheese loaded pasta that they didn't finish.

We also baked a banana bread from the Three Sisters Bake cookbook, with chocolate chips in it, as you do! Which would be fine, apart from that I've eaten the majority of it myself in the space of one day!!!! I just cannot resist sweet things especially cake. 

Banana bread ready for the oven

The kids are currently fast asleep and I have a cup of tea in my hand. I'm craving something sweet and wish I had bought something nice whilst at the supermarket earlier today. Instead I have grabbed a handful of dried fruit and some Food Doctor roasted bean mix. It's not really hitting the spot... :-/

The plan

Here's my five-point plan... I'm starting small with a hope that I'll stick with it.

1. Start meal planning again
2. Shop online, it will help me avoid the temptation to grab naughty cakes and sweets
3. Get out for at least one run each week
4. Drink more water
5. Avoid white bread and pasta

The reward

I desperately need some new clothes for work. I've been wearing the same dresses for ages now and I'm getting so bored of them. My reward when I get back to 11 stone 7 lbs (half way to my target) will be a couple of pieces of clothing for the office. I already have my eye on a few things (more on this in a separate post).

If by some miracle I manage to get to my target of 11 stone before Brit Mums Live, which is now just 6 weeks away. Then my next reward will be a new outfit for the event.

Right, that's it now in black and white. No going back...