So, how’s it going? Have you got your copy of the book yet? Perhaps you’ve had it a week or so already and are well underway, or perhaps you are still waiting for it to arrive? I am getting a few frustrated messages about delayed deliveries! Whether you are 10 days into the 4-Week Plan (if you started on Monday, Jan 4th as I suspect many people did) or not, don’t worry, just start when you are ready. Do a little, do a lot, just do what you can!
To give you a bit of real-life inspiration let me introduce you to Jodi. Now, for full disclosure, Jodi and I go way, way back. To 1994 in fact, when we both turned up fresh-faced in our sharp-shouldered suits (I think mine might have been C&A!) at our Accenture ‘indoctrination’ training. I knew we were destined to be friends when she told me she had been on Blind Date (respect!) and I’ve since seen the clip – she rocked a bright yellow dress and full-on perm and scared the crap out of the poor bloke doing the choosing!
We also both absolutely ADORE skiing – and when I say skiing I mean backcountry, deep-powder, ‘whoop until your cheeks hurt’ kind of skiing! I am absolutely NOT an adrenaline junkie and am terrified of most things involving height or speed, but when it comes to skiing I’ll take on pretty much anything (as long as it doesn’t involve a big drop – the knees aren’t what they used to be!). Jodi is about the only other of my midlife mates who is still happy to come with me on these madcap adventures. This is us touring in Japan pre-pandemic!
So, why am I giving you a potted history of Jodi? Well, as well as being a great mate she has agreed to be a Midlife Method guinea pig for me this month and I thought it might be helpful to share her progress with you. Jodi is actually pretty fit already – a Zumba queen and always posting impressively long bike rides on FaceBook - so she’s not starting from zero. And she’s not exactly massive, like most of us she is just struggling with some softening around the middle! She is little though, 5 foot precisely, so when she talks about her ‘happy weight’ bear that in mind as it will seem ridiculously light to taller folk.
Right over to you Jodi for your Week 1 summary:
“I managed to get through the 6 Light Days in Week 1 OK, basically days 1-4 easy peasy, day 5 harder, day 6 very tough. I have discovered that Light Days are far easier on working days when I am busy in Zoom meetings all day. So, when I'm in maintenance mode (doing 1-2 Light Days) that should be super easy. (Absolutely expected! I designed the 4-week plan to front-load the Light Days for two reasons, one, so you get some speedy initial results which will keep you motivated to continue and two, because our enthusiasm for any programme of change is greater at the start, so by going in hard and making the weeks progressively easier it works with that psychology – Sam)
I've also reset my happy weight window to 7st 11 to 8st 4 (as opposed to 8st to 8st 5) because when I tip over 8st 5 I don't like the way I look and feel. And if I hover too close to 8st 5 all the time it means I'll always be pinging into correction mode, which will feel punitive and tiresome. (Excellent point Jodi – choose a healthy weight range that enables you to feel good about yourself but gives you a bit of room to manoeuvre – Sam)
It's a regular day today, so I’m having the Chicken Chasseur with the family. (Yum, that’s an absolutely delicious recipe. It’s fine to be flexi with the recipes as long as you are roughly sticking to the 800/1600 calorie thing overall – Sam)
I’m using my Fitbit app to help track calories. It also gives me my daily macro breakdown. You can customise food types so I can programme in recipes and snacks from The Midlife Method. (This is a great way to become more ‘calorie-aware’. Some people find it useful and motivating, some find it a task too far. I have used the ‘My Fitness Pal’ tracker in the past but now I can estimate in my head the calories I am consuming pretty easily, so don’t really need to do it! - Sam)
Weighing day tomorrow...even if I've not lost much, it is so good to be eating well and not drinking. Seedlip and Light Fevertree Mediterranean Tonic tarted up with frozen grapefruit and frozen orange and ice was how I managed the Friday night booze craving. (That’s fantastic. If you stick with it the weight will shed but it might be slow at first. It can take two weeks to see a real step down. Booze is definitely my Achilles heel and I know it is for many of us, but it is so important to moderate as you get older. I am not drinking on Light Days but having a glass of red on Regular Days - Sam)
So, a big thank you to Jodi for sharing her Week 1 progress and we'll check in with her again next week. In the meantime, if you have any questions or feedback let’s get the Midlfe Method Forum going – it would be lovely to hear how you are all getting on.
Sam x
P.S. If you don't already, please follow me on Instagram @midlifekitchen where I’m posting all things Midlife Method this month, and hello to all my new followers who have recently subscribed here.