Before we had kids, Fran and I tried lots of different types of diets, fitness plans etc.
Everything we tried we could make successful. We both worked in the fitness industry and supported each other.
Then our kids moved in.
As they say in boxing – ‘All plans go to sh!t, when you get hit in the face’.
We naively thought we would maintain our eating plans, the kids would fit in to our style of eating.
Then we didn’t get any sleep, our kids were / are energy grenades, the house was / is destroyed minutes after tidying up.
Sleep was the biggest factor that affected and still affects my ability to make good choices on food. When I feel exhausted, I appreciate the salad that Fran has prepared but I also wanted a bag of crisps or a bar of chocolate to go with it.
What we soon realised was that a diet doesn’t have to be 100% perfect to be effective. Especially if you don’t follow it.
In the 100% days, we didn’t focus on tracking calories much at all; only really as a last resort. Mainly because when you mainly eat vegetables with some protein and monitor your carbs, you tend to be in a deficit anyway.
Now, I follow a more flexible approach. I simply track what I’m eating and if I have space for crisps etc I have them, if I don’t I’m good at being disciplined.
The result is that I’m sliding along my belt again and K asked me what the lines on my sides (ribs and oblique muscles) were last week. I’m no cover model but I’m heading back toward my old fighting weight.
The same is true of exercise, it’s more important to find something you enjoy doing and can stick to. Rather than trying to run, box, hike, cycle, kettlebell etc because it burns more calories.
Any exercise only works if you do and you do it consistently.
That’s why our Lockdown Bootcamp group have been so successful. Our members have been turning up to their sessions, which we try to keep fun and challenging; if they don’t make it, we send a message and they can catch up with one of the recorded sessions.
If you are tired of constantly starting and stopping your food and fitness plans, give us a try – www.achievebootcamp.co.uk
Darren ‘far from perfect’ Checkley
