However, I do believe that balance is important too. You’ve got to live, enjoy yourself, indulge a little and have some fun, right? So yes, that sometimes involves having some chocolate, I’ll have a couple of drinks most weekends (I can’t handle more than a couple these days) and I’ll have a little treat if we go for a coffee sometimes too. I also refuse to be the person that says no to the birthday cake (despite cake not really agreeing with me) because, well, it’s someones celebration… eat the cake!

Last week though, I decided to try a more consistently ‘clean’ way of eating. After buying The Happy Health Plan by the Flynn brothers, mainly to broaden my plant-based recipe options, I thought I’d actually give their plan a go to see how it made me feel. The idea is to stick to plant-based wholefood and avoid animal products (no problem), stay away from processed or refined food and any oils… and no calorie counting or portion control! I was definitely up for the last one – as I mentioned in a previous post, using calorie counting apps have definitely proved useful and interesting for me but my goodness, it’s laborious and time consuming!! So, the theory is that if you stick to the rules, you can eat as much as you like. Hmm, is this really such a good idea??

I started on a Monday (because, obviously – that’s when all ‘diets’ start) and quite honestly, by Tuesday I felt amazing!! I think this was partly due to feeling rather smug about only putting healthy, super nourishing stuff in my body but I genuinely felt more energised and ‘well’ straight away. As the days ticked by, the feeling good continued but I also realised that I wasn’t eating loads despite being allowed to and I was only craving healthy food. I wasn’t actually interested in refined foods, I didn’t even crave my evening chocolate treat – just a banana and some moon milk for me thank you very much! Not only that, last week was the week before my period was due, a week when normally chocolate is a staple and sugary treat foods are just part of getting me through the week. To top it off, I had virtually no PMT symptoms or cramps and hardly felt any of the wiped out sluggishness I usually have this time of the month. It also turns out that it’s really easy to cook without oil and, in turn, the lack of oil in my food definitely left me feeling much better and not at all bloated after meals. Bonus – I actually lost a few pounds in weight too.

So, to summarise, my ‘clean eating’ experiment was a resounding success! Feeling this energised, healthy and generally well gave me such a buzz that although I will still have days when treats are included, I fully intend to stick to this way of eating. Surely anything that makes you feel this good is going to be pretty easy to stick to. Thanks Happy Pear – you are legends!

“Where do you get your protein” is the age-old question asked of many people on a plant-based diet and I’ll admit to worrying about getting enough sometimes too. However, making sure that I include plant-based protein in all my meals seems to be sufficient and I can always fall back on a protein shake if I feel the need. I also need to focus on having a better relationship with carbs, not seeing them as the enemy when it comes to my weight and concentrate on getting enough energy to train…. or even just to get through a busy day of working and parenting! I’ve had far too many days when I feel wiped out and dizzy and realised it’s due to restricting my carbs too much. And of course, when I’m low on energy, those pesky sugary snacks call even louder!

On the whole, not being an expert, I think I eat a healthy diet. I stick to natural, whole foods as much as possible, try to get a good balance of macros, eat lots of veggies and drink plenty of water. My typical go-to foods include nuts, seeds, oats, sweet potato, grains, tofu, beans, pulses, milk and yoghurt alternatives, lots of veggies and fruit. I love a bit of good quality peanut butter and generally stick to 70-90% dark chocolate. That said, “Friday Night Pizza Night” is non-negotiable for our family. We make the bases at home and include veggies in the toppings but having a bit of a blowout night once (maybe twice) a week is so important for relaxing, enjoying food with my family and also maintaining balance – something I want my son to learn as he grows up. And yes, I have a Friday night beer with my husband most weeks too.

This week, I’ve been experimenting by having slightly smaller meals with a couple of healthy snacks in between and also trying to mix up my recipes a bit so food isn’t just a calorie focused, monotonous necessity. It’s been a success so far and the berries and yoghurt or apple and PB snack have definitely kept the afternoon sugar craving at bay. Spreading out my nutrition and calories throughout the day instead of just having three main meals seems to help me feel more energised and more likely to make healthy choices. I think I’ll need to look at speaking to a qualified nutritionist closer to my challenge to make sure I fuel myself well for the event but it’s fun playing around with different foods and ideas myself for now.

I’ve used My Fitness Pal a lot in the past and it’s been really interesting to learn more about the food I eat, understand portion sizes and judge my calorie intake against what my Fitbit tells me I’m burning. However, I’m aware the information isn’t always accurate and that we are all different in the way we metabolise foods so although it was initially useful, I’ve moved away from logging food – the knowledge does NOT make up for the hassle of weighing every flipping carrot and lentil I eat each day! One thing is certain, I won’t be trying any of the fad diets. I truly believe that understanding what ‘healthy’ means and eating a sensible diet that works for you as an individual, so that it can be maintained as a long-term ‘normal’ is the way forward. Denying myself certain foods and even knowing I’m ‘on a diet’ just makes me focus on food more and crave what I can’t have – a recipe for disaster if I’m honest!