A final slice of summer.

Porthmeor beach. St. Ives. 

This is the life.

Freshly ground coffee. Cornish morning sunshine. Knitting. Perfick. 

Happy Fathers Day

We love you Dad. 

My lovely home town.

Enjoyed strolling through my home town last evening. The boys were on scooter and bike. I was on foot which is uncommon for me. It was nice just to stop and stare awhile. 

We have some beautiful buildings....

And some stunning views too. 

As well as England's last temperance bar....

I love where I live. 

My low carb high fat experiment update.

Well, it's the end of my first week and I have lost 4lbs. I am now a mere 17stone 13 lbs. (sounds better than 18 stone something don't you think?)

It could have been better but I fell off the wagon big style at the weekend and consumed a whole flagon of Henry Weston's Old Rosie vintage cider (the stuff dreams are made of.) As well as some home made carrot cake and oaty biscuits, a Belgian bun and a double decker. So all in all 4lbs is a pretty damn good result. 

Anyhow, here are my findings of the experience:

- I wasn't hungry at all on the days I followed the plan

- I slept better 

- I didn't crave any foods at all

- I didn't burp once and trumped a lot less (huge bonus)

- I was generally satisfied with everything I ate

- I didn't feel deprived at all (a first for me when on a "diet")

- but the biggest surprise of all for me was a dramatic reduction in catarrh which has plagued me all my life. 

- I did miss the 1 spoon of sugar I take in tea so mainly did without tea. I will tackle it by gradual reduction I think. 

All in all a pretty amazing experience. Took my boys for haircuts tonight and got onto the subject in the barbers. A fat undertaker waiting for his haircut was very interested and shook my hand as I left. There is going to be a revolution I think. Onwards and upwards. 

Tomorrow is the start of Lent and I am attempting no alcohol for 6 weeks. Can't believe I just said that! So on with the sackcloth and ashes. 

Thank you to the girls who commented. It is great to have some encouragement. 

Sated

2 eggs, 1 slice of bacon, 6 Brazil nuts, 1 pint of freshly ground coffee with double cream for breakfast. 

Perfick!

My low carbohydrate high fat experiment.

I have lately been reading a lot about low carb and high fat eating. In particular Professor Tim Noakes' take on the whole concept. It makes credible reading. Apparently several of the Aussie cricketers have adopted the principals and I personally think that has contributed to the thrashing they served us in the Ashes. So I am about to try it out for myself.

I have been fat, nay, OBESE, for most of my adult life. I have successfully lost several stones on more than one occasion, usually with weight watchers.  But I have never successfully maintained the loss once the diet has stopped. In the last 27 years I have yo-yo'd from 11 stones 13 lbs at my lightest to 20 stones 8 and a half lbs at my heaviest. 

This is me now at almost 49 years old. 

5 feet 7 inches tall. 

18 stones 3 lb. 

Vital statistics, are you ready for this?....

54/48/55 (bust/waist/hips in inches)

If you knock 20 inches off each I could be in the Miss World pageant!

My legs and buttocks are not fat per se, but I have an abdomen the size of a small ocean and an amount of back fat that would be positively alluring if I was a Minke whale in season!

I am beginning to feel the come hither of potential diabetes and worn out hip joints. And as I approach my half century over the next year, I want to give them the two fingers and walk in the opposite direction towards improved health and vitality. 

Here's the plan....

- eliminate as much carbohydrate as I comfortably can from my diet.

- eat fresh whole foods, i.e. vegetables, all kinds of meat protein including offal bought from my butcher, oily fish out of tins (very cheap) eggs, real butter, cheese (full fat), Greek yoghurt (full fat), coconut oil, olives, almonds and Brazil nuts. 

- fruit will be limited to berries (probably frozen as cheaper in the winter) 

- double cream for in coffee. 

That's about it, apart from what I anticipate to be the hardest part of all, giving up the grog! As those of you who know me will know my penchant for a drop of vintage cider, followed by late night foraging for fodder!!

I plan to weigh myself weekly on a Monday at work on calibrated NHS scales. So wish me luck. I can do this. 

Tea for One

Picked up a gorgeous little Meakin part teaset for a snip today. It was on a second hand stall at my local market. 

Only a single teacup but perfick for indulging oneself.....