Food fights!

I’m beginning to realise that starting my Facebook fast and a diet in the same week was a tad ambitious.

I’m a self-confessed comfort eater; I eat when I’m frustrated, when I’m bored, when I’m fed up, when I’m on my own (or with a baby that won’t judge me) and simply when there’s nothing else to do. I eat healthy food and junk food; homemade food and shop bought food; my food and the kids’ food (when they leave it on their plates or when they’re not looking).

And for a child who wouldn’t touch anything other than cheese and crackers until the age of five, I eat a big variety of foods; from hearty English fayre and spicy curries, to exotic seafood and garlic snails. I’ll also eat sushi, chips, cheesecake and pasta at any opportunity.

But much as I love food, it is rarely a friend to my hips. Pregnancy has always given me a ‘Get Out of Dieting’ free card that I’ve enjoyed so much that I now have four kids. But shifting the baby bulge is never as fun. Breastfeeding certainly helps. I know, I know….I would say that wouldn’t I, but it’s bloody true. The downside – breastfeeding makes me hungry.

Dieting, like Facebook, can leave me feeling jealous of my nearest and dearest, particularly those who can polish off multiple Krispy Kremes without a second thought (“Let’s buy The Dozen. It’s much better value” – grrrrrr!). The friends blessed with miracle metabolisms and tiny appetites are difficult company to keep when I’m daydreaming of Mars bars every five minutes. Even mealtimes with the kids can challenge my weight loss willpower. All too frequently I find myself stood in the kitchen, clearing away their dinner plates and finishing off their unwanted pizza. And our weekly trip to the sweet shop is starting to feel practically masochistic. Thankfully, my chocoholic brood are selfish sweetie eaters so only on the rarest of occasions am I able to scrounge a square of Dairy Milk.

Even when I’m trying my hardest to keep track of the calories, I unwittingly scupper my efforts. Its the ‘Chips off Another Person’s Plate’ principle. When grating cheese for a sauce, a handful or three will inevitably end up in my mouth but subconscious calories don’t count, right? When making sandwiches for lunch boxes, eating the discarded crusts wont matter surely? But my biggest downfall is drinks. We’re constantly reminded of the fattening effects of a lush lifestyle and no one wants a beer belly or pinot paunch. But as well as the odd pint and cheeky vino, I am also a bit of a Coke Head (fat coke that is, diet coke is for wimps) as well as a Starbucks addict. My world was recently shaken when I discovered that Chai Tea Lattes are a staggering 300 calories a cup! Sad face 😦

It’s been a week since I started my Facebook fast and I’ve already lost the weight of my obsession. It feels great! But in the meantime, as I look for new ways to occupy my time, I now need to condition myself to stay away from the fridge.

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