Nathan's Insights

So week 7 of my 26 week health and wellbeing challenge was the hardest yet. Starting with foot blisters, moving onto a highly disruptive work pattern, then a cold and finally some detox symptoms.

It’s now been 42 days without any fast food except 1 chicken classic subway in week 1. Over that time I’ve gradually been replacing other foods with health alternatives, usually fruit based. My meat intake has been reduced to almost nothing now. Thanks to a work colleague I now have homemade vegetable (morning) and fruit (afternoon) smoothies.

I think this triggered a detox that had my temperature all over the place, 1 minute needing air conditioning 30 minutes later needing a heater. I think this also triggered my cold. Apparently I can look forward to various detox symptoms over the next 30 months as I burn the ‘bad’ items in my stored fat and it gets replaced with healthier substances. Now this I didn’t realise, but the impact will vary so hopefully this was the worst week.

Despite these problems and a general lack of energy for the most part I pushed though. Granted I only went to the gym twice this week but I still managed to average 20,000 steps each day and I didn’t go back to comfort food. I still managed to push myself out the door for a walk even though I really didn’t want to. I still went to work each day including a terrible long day trip to Canberra on Tuesday. I got over the feet pain earlier in the week.

Hopefully my subconscious is on board and the willpower is here for the long term. I feel optimistic as week 8 starts and I head off for Saturday afternoon tennis and a settled work pattern.