The turning point was definitely, when the talking scales told us both to get off!
My annual fitness test was looming, bringing with it the memories of the previous year's attempt. At the time I had vowed to take positive action, no more treats for getting through the day!
Every weight loss program I had looked at, appeared to have been tested by catwalk models, who are full after a spoonful of fresh air, washed down with a water biscuit!
This time, I was going to be determined and started to seek out my healthy eating program. No more balanced diets of a Snickers and Diet Coke!
To add to the mix was my family history of Diabetes, Strokes, High Blood Pressure and Gout. Now that is some list, a long line of finely tuned athletes brought up on a diet of Pies and Chips!
Speaking with a couple of Nutritional experts, Tommy from the Chip Shop and Sunny from the Taj Mahal Curry Emporium. I concluded that perhaps the weekly intake of their finest dishes, was not the best approach to my new diet.
Undeterred, I relentless researched my large library of books on food, Gordon, Jamie, Delia and Ainsley all had a similar topic throughout their books. Fresh Vegetables!
Now do not get me wrong, I love my veg, especially on a Sunday with copious slices of a Beef Joint. However, Sunday Dinner would not be right without a Fruit Crumble!
After looking at my weekly intake, it was obvious the Fruit and Veg portion did not meet the 5 a day total. This came as a shock, I had bargained on my glasses of fruit juice and grapefruit segments bumping up the tally. It was also sad to hear that Fruit and Nut chocolate bars did not get a mention!
So the writing was clearly on the wall, I needed to include a healthly portion of Fruit and Vegetables in my daily intake. A quick search on Google and a couple of books came up, about 1,235,786! Well I would cut out all the rubbish food, just by reading all the books.
The search criteria was narrowed, and a couple of books fitted the bill. Fruit and Vegetables that help reduce the risk of Diabetes, Strokes, High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease and High Chloresterol.
I was starting to feel ill just looking at my families ailments, it was no wonder Tommy from the chippie could afford his brand new Merc and Russian Bride, that was just from our weekly diet!
Something very strange happened to me, being partial to a plate of meat and the token vegetables, I was confronted with a bowl of salad. It actually looked quite tasty, plenty of variety, bright colours and topped with a punchy dressing. Not a bad start I thought, but just like a dish by Terry(I am sure that is not his real name!) from the Lonely Wok, I was bound to be hungry after an Hour.
I watched an entire evening of Football First, without any hunger pangs. My only interlude was to have a bowl of fresh fruit with a yoghurt. Brilliant, I did not feel as though I had missed out on my essential body fuels to get me through the evenings footie.
The true test was to come though, work and its renowned canteens. How was I going to be able to combat the breakfast ritual of Fry Up, Tea and Toast! This was a sterner test of my commitment, consulting the book, I devised a breakfast feast, combining Fruit and Yoghurt. Comparing prices of my usual breakfast 'high' energy diet with my new 'high' energy diet, I was surprised to see a considerable reduction. The myth of healthy foods being more expensive, appeared to have been dismissed at the first attempt.
Being the professional sceptic I was, this new diet needed to get me through the week. Several recipes tried from the book, were surprisingly tasty and filling. Even my colleagues had started to comment on my new diet, not to mention the side effects of fresh fruit and vegetables!
Then it happened, my creditability as a rough tough straight talking alpha male went out of the window! A female colleague said to me in front of all my groupies, "What moisturiser do you use, your skin looks so smooth and clear?" I nearly choked on my fresh pineapple chunk! When all of the hysterical screams of my groupies had subsided! I explained that my skins complexion was purely down to my new diet of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables. Did she believe me and more to the point did my cronies believe, did they heckers like!
In a more reflective moment, I recalled the mentally scarring events of the day. My skin was smoother and felt clean. Not to mention my waist line was not putting my trousers under constant pressure. This was only after a week, what if I could maintain this lifestyle, I had even forgotten about the impending fitness test. My trips to the gym appeared to of been more energised. Was I turning into a new age man? No!
I could see my new physique squeezing into that pair of Peter Stringfellow signed Speedo's on our next expedition to Spain, what a treat for the ladies!

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