We’ve got six weeks left of winter. Six weeks to ensure those winter rolls don’t stick around as spring rolls! Well I do, at least. I’ve fallen into the winter trap of carbs and comfort food and it’s time to get my ass into gear.
We all have different ideas about how we want to look in summer and what’s acceptable and not. For me, the rolls are not acceptable and must go. I fell off the wagon a few times these past cold months but I know that by returning to my low carb high fat (LCHF) lifestyle, I’ll get there. These next few weeks are going to be very hard to resist the warm comfort food (it’s 10 degrees outside as I write this) but, with a few adjustments and ensuring that I never feel starved or deprived, it is possible. I’ve done it every year and now I just need to get back into the right mindset.
I’m going to share my process with you below.
It all comes down to eating style, self perception and exercise.
Eating style
Note I’ve said eating style and not a diet. I associate the word diet with deprivation and cravings and feeling hungry all the time. I might just kill someone if I felt like that every day.
My eating style is minimal carbs and lots of healthy fats.
I’ve had to adjust the LCHF lifestyle to suit my preferences. I’m not the type of person who’s happy to eat bacon every day. So I switch out the bacon fat with healthy fats in nuts, seeds and avos.
I’ve learnt from my battle with anorexia and having put on over 25kg in each of my four pregnancies that sugar and I don’t get along. Well, actually we get on too well when we’re in a relationship. I can’t get enough. I can’t have just one piece of chocolate or a handful of fries. I keep going until everything is gone. And then I realise how much I hate sugar and break up with him.
When it comes to carbs and sugar, it has to be all or nothing for me. This is why the LCHF lifestyle works for me. It takes a while to get over the sugar cravings but I always feel satisfied, full and not at all deprived.
I’ve tried low GI diets, I’ve tried starving myself. But I kept going to back to my abusive relationship with sugar.
After a lot of research and experimenting, I finally found my rebound partner in LCHF. I have to be strict though. As soon as I combine high fat with high carb, I end up with more rolls than a puppy. Not a good look.
Self perception
This is a highly subjective and sensitive topic and one that only you will find the answer to if you’re honest and open with yourself.
For years, I had a very distorted self perception, which manifested in my eating disorders (let’s chat offline if this is something you’re struggling with).
It’s taken years of self searching, finding strength, focus and meditation through Pilates for me to finally be comfortable in my own skin and to not cringe when I stand in front of a mirror.
A healthy mindset is as important, if not more important, than a healthy body and lifestyle. If you’re not happy in your head and your heart, no amount of exercising or binging is going to change that.
The tools that worked for me were daily journaling, meditation and affirmations. It was a long journey to find positivity but I promise that’s it’s worth it.
And if you don’t believe in yourself, come to me for a pep talk. I believe in you – you might just need a nudge in the right direction.
Exercise
The type of exercise you choose to practice will depend on your goals, your current fitness level and your personality.
Pilates has a bit of everything – cardio, strength training and focused breathing. But it’s not for everyone and that’s totally fine. If you read my last blog, you’d know that I hated Pilates and avoided it for years before I realised that it was the best exercise method for my mind and body.
Experiment with different exercise forms and intensities. When it feels like you’re not really exercising but are having fun, then you’ve found your tribe.
Start with why you’re exercising in the first place. That will help you figure out what to try.
Accountability
All this is easier said than done but if you’re not accountable to yourself then nothing will change and those winter rolls will still be there next year.
If you can’t be honest with yourself, find someone you trust to confide in and keep you in line. Find someone who will push you out of your comfort zone and encourage you to try new things. I’m pretty good at that, by the way 😉
Follow me on social media for free workout videos and inspiration. And if you need some personal help, reach out over mail or Whatsapp – I’d love to work with you.