LESSONS I'VE LEARNT

I’ve decided to devote this week’s blog posts to the topic above. I’m sure everyone is sick of reading about diet, training, prep blah blah blah (I know I am LOL!!) so here goes with some revelations about myself and what this incredible journey has meant to me. I hope I don’t lose you as a reader.

PART ONE: FOOD

Lesson 1: I like brussel sprouts LOL :-)

My WH detests them so we never had them but in a moment of “I just need something different” I bought some and “stir fried” them in a bit of chicken stock. Well “yummo” I say. After munching my way through a cupful, I felt like I’d actually eaten something substantial and they tasted ok. In my book they’ve been a winner.

Lesson 2: It will be quite some time before I eat plain tuna again.

I see many people at work having tuna for lunch and I always ask them why they’re eating it if they don’t have to LOL. Its not that I don’t like tuna (its ok) but I’m getting well and truly sick of it and have it only for its convenience factor and for some variety.

Having said that I recently bought 2 tins of Sole Mare tuna with beans. Now this is to die for as it has some kidney (I think) beans in it and is packed in oil. Mix it (oops after draining most of the oil off) with some rice and cooked veges and you have a tasty tuna meal….after the comps are over.

Lesson 3: Alcohol isn’t the be all and end all.

In my previous life I was the true party girl. Sin now, pray later. If it tastes good eat it and worry about the weight tomorrow. In a social setting I’d ALWAYS have a drink in my hand, as evidenced by 99% of photos that I’m in.

Since deciding to compete I’ve had very few alcoholic indulgences. Yes I splurged on holidays and at my birthday dinner but at other times I’ve easily and happily had very little or none at all. And I’ve been ok with that. Whats interesting though is how AWKWARD and UNEASY this makes others feel. Funny society, aren’t we??!!

Lesson 4: I still have a lot of work to do to improve my relationship with food after the comps are over.

I’ve had food issues for most of my life. I don’t know how/when/why I became a binge eater but I know I’ve struggled with it for most of my life. My triggers are many and varied, some physical and some emotional, making it all the more challenging to take control of.

As my diet became stricter throughout my comp prep I found it harder and harder to control my binges which suggests that too much restriction = disaster for me. I’ve dealt with it the best that I could, falling over often but not staying down. I remind myself daily that for me this is a “winning situation” rather than “oh I’ve stuffed it all up so I’ll quit”. Previously I would have thrown in the towel and just eaten til I reached the 70 kg + mark (over time) and then had to start all over again.

So what will (food) life bring for me after the comps? I’ve been giving this some thought and am starting to formulate plans / mini goals / strategies for how I want to live (and eat) when I have the freedom to choose. More on this later but right now I just know that I don’t want to throw away all the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am with my weight and body fat. I fully accept that I have to put some weight back on but for me the biggest challenge will be controlling how much.

School’s out for today. Cheers all.

Magda