Day 1

So, despite my new regime for positive change I am also a realist, and I realise that I have never stuck to a diet in my life. Hence the reason that I am not going on a diet, I am changing my food and exercise habits. Nothing is going to stop me wanting a chinese takeaway and a beer at the weekend though and therefore I am including the flexibility to allow for treats such as these, as well as time to just slob around if I want to in my new regime. Therefore, Five Day Fitness is born and my guidelines are going to be as follows:

1. Healthy and nutritious eating five days per week with a focus on made-from-scratch meals with natural ingredients.
2. Exercising for 30 minutes, five days per week (or 2 hours and 30 minutes per week total) as per NHS guidelines: Physical Activity Guidelines For Adults
3. For two days a week I can have a break and include treats for myself if I want to. I see this as a necessary part of the plan in order to keep me on track and sane. After all, a Dominos pizza is a wonderful thing, as long as it kept as an occasional treat and not a regular habit!
4. To keep a record via this blog of my progress (not of weight, I have ditched the scales and will be focusing on health and wellbeing) but of my eating and exercise habits.

Day 1

• I got up this morning and did a 10k cycle on the exercise bike, which took me 20 minutes. I also did 10 minutes of leg pilates and went on a 30 minute walk. 
• I made a week's meal plan and went to the supermarket to buy the ingredients.
• Dinner tonight will be shredded chicken salad in a wholemeal wrap.

It's not a perfect start; I'm not at work at the moment so lunch today was a tin of macaroni cheese. For what it's worth, it made me feel awful anyway and tasted like creamed crap so if anything, it has given me even more of a kick up the bum to start my new way of life. The exercise and shopping for fresh fruit and vegetables made me feel really good today, and I'm genuinely excited about the new recipes I am going to try out. I've also bought myself a kick-ass new lunch box with loads of compartments for fresh fruit, veggies, nuts and other healthy goodies to take to work and keep me away from the staff canteen! 

Paleo shredded chicken recipe for dinner tonight (it will be served with lettuce, avocado and wholemeal tortillas.) Unfortunately I've taken my photo halfway through cooking so it doesn't look great at the moment but it smells awesome!