Food, Men and The Weekend...

By David Shankbone

I love food. In fact, I eat nothing else–and that's my problem. When I was growing up, there was a strict hierarchy in our family which meant the men ate first and children were at the bottom of the food chain. Then I got married. That was when the trouble started.  I was in charge of my own kitchen - stocking it with food, then preparing and cooking it. I went from being hungry all the time to eating what I liked, when I liked. 

That was fine while I was galloping about after livestock and children, but as time went on, things changed. An underactive thyroid coupled with a period of illness (and the fact I'm not twenty-one any more) meant the weight started going on faster than I could run it off. I had to lose it - but how? I'm living proof that yo-yo dieting doesn't work, so for the past six weeks I've been trying something new. I'm not dieting as such, but modifying my usual intake of food rather than alternately starving and bingeing. Luckily, the greenhouse is full of vegetables in all shapes, sizes and colours, so I can still enjoy a chicken sandwich now and again by halving the amount of meat, replacing butter with a smear of low-fat mayo and filling the gaps with salad. I take smaller portions, drink more water and try not to eat anything at all between our last meal of the day and bedtime. That last one's the real killer for me. I love to nibble while I'm watching TV. It's made me the substantial woman I am today, so be warned... 

I am losing weight, although it's a slow process. That makes it dangerous. With over a stone still to go, will I get fed up with feeling under-fed before I reach my target weight? I'll let you know.

This week's man is an amazing guy who deserves every bit of his success... go, Alwyn!

I'll be spending my weekend putting some distance between me and the microwave. What's your favourite healthy meal?