Hi and welcome to my blog! This is the first time I have ever blogged (is that a word??) so it is a very exciting time for me! All in all this year has been a time of change, and I just wanted to share my positive experiences. My adventure began when my partner and I decided to pack in our nine to fives and emigrate to rural Bulgaria. Oh yes it was a bit scary but also a marvellous feeling of liberation, no stressful job, no mortgage AND sunshine!
What I have discovered is that this move has brought so many more benefits than I could have ever imagined. Indeed, I have stumbled upon an easy way to lose weight quickly and keep it off without giving up any of my favourite foods or spending large amounts of money on slimming aids. In the past I tried to eat healthily and made a conscious effort to achieve my five a day, but was also partial to the odd take–away (or two!) and, have to confess to sometimes giving in to the temptation of convenience food (readymade curries, pasta sauces etc. etc.) I was also over weight and generally felt unfit, tired & run down.In less than a year all this has now changed and the reason is simple - Healthy Food! I have lost over a stone in weight without dieting and I feel great! I still enjoy all the same variety of meals I used to, but gone are the readymade dinners and take-aways – I eat what I want -but cook it myself using fresh, organic ingredients. I have not given anything up, indeed the meals I am eating now are so much more tasty and satisfying...... but I am eating healthy food!
This mega change in my lifestyle came about after one of my new neighbours knocked at my door with a bag of tomatoes and peppers that they had grown in their garden. That day I ate the tastiest lunch I had eaten for a long time, a beef tomato sliced with a little drizzle of olive oil and a chunk of fresh bread. Believe me it was delicious – and I was inspired. That night I dusted off my wok and made a stir-fry using the peppers and tomatoes, wow, better than any readymade meal I could have bought. Since then my whole philosophy on food has changed. I only buy fresh fruit and vegetables that are locally grown -or those I manage to blag from my neighbours! This means that the food I am eating is really fresh – not something that has been chemically enhanced and stored in warehouses for months, and guess what, it tastes so good. Fresh garlic, chillies to add a bit of spice, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, onions, courgettes and even cabbage (baked in the oven with plenty of paprika) tastes terrific. Hey, I have even boiled and pickled fresh beetroot – this may not seem a momentous occasion to you, but it was truly a revelation to me to find out that beetroot did not only come in jars ready to eat! Oh, and have I mentioned parsnips, par boiled and roasted with a drizzle of honey, the list is really endless. I have been so impressed by taste of home grown vegetables that next year I am going to have a go at growing my own – imagine that!! I am also far more adventurous in my eating habits and have tried food I would never have thought of before. This is partly due to the fact that some things, such as red meat are difficult and expensive to find locally so I have had fun finding and creating new recipes for chicken, fish and vegetables. I am not suggesting you all follow me and emigrate, although it would be good to see you, but wanted to share my find with you as I know how much better I look and feel from this healthy way of living and you too could have the same `benefits by making some changes to your eating habits where ever you live.
Below are some of my tips to help you lose weight quickly and healthily, without the dreaded “Diet” word.
- Never use convenience foods – have you tasted homemade tomato soup? So easy to make & cheap - you'll never go back to tinned. Locally grown tomatoes also make a great base for curries, casseroles and pasta sauces.
- Use fresh, locally grown vegetables that are in season, they will taste wonderful.
- Eat less red meat and more chicken and fish.
- Use olive oil when cooking.
- Throw out your readymade salad creams & mayonnaise – fresh salad needs no more than a drizzle of olive oil to bring out the flavours.
- Use fresh lemon juice in your cooking
- Be adventurous – try something different each week
If you are wondering if this means I have given up alcohol the answer is a definite NO! I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, especially when friends are around. But if you are hoping for rapid weight loss I would certainly suggest that you cut down on your alcohol intake and definitely keep within recommended limits.
Another bonus to my new lifestyle is that I have more exercise. There is nothing I enjoy more than exploring the countryside that surrounds us, Bulgaria really is a beautiful country. The view from my garden is looking towards the mountains and a beautiful lake is less than thirty minutes walk away, of course I want to be out and about! If you also want to improve your health and lose some weight quickly I would suggest that you also try to incorporate some exercise into your weekly routine. Does this mean joining a gym? I would say no! In the past I have tried this but found I was spending vast amounts of money and finding every excuse not to go! Find something you enjoy. Like me, you may discover that you like to walk, or cycle. Swimming is also an enjoyable way to burn off some calories, lose weight and improve your health. These are hobbies that the whole family can enjoy together – cost little and will improve the way you look and feel.
I hope my experience will be of some help to you. If I have, in just a small way inspired you to make some lifestyle changes I will be thrilled. Honestly, I am no fitness fanatic but the change to the way I look and feel is so overwhelming I just had to share! If you are still not convinced I can only say - go on try it.....just for one month. I know you will look & feel so much better there will be no returning to your old ways!
If you are interested in healthy eating and losing weight, the following may be of interest to you:-
Click here for a cooking revolution
Click here for a diet solution
Click here for fantastic Chinese cooking ideas
Bye for now and good luck, catch up soon!
