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The Year Of Buying Nothing

This year we have vowed not to buy anything other than food & really essential things.
This also stands for both of our birthdays, so we've got to be creative.
Mine's coming up soon & I've asked Sime to write me a story & make me a meal consisting of several courses. Though saying that, I'm not sure whether I could eat several courses anymore... Maybe it would have to be tiny courses!

What we hadn't contemplated - is that our vegan diet would make us lose weight...
The trousers I've been wearing today are now a couple of sizes too big & hanging off me, so because I really don't want to go down the road of buying more - Sime has sewn a couple of tucks in them for me tonight. Where has that flesh gone to? It's not like I'm working out - though I suppose we are more active.
When I first became ill with Graves Disease, I lost about 3 stone & looked dreadful (as everyone kept telling me). The disease causes muscle wasting, which left my skin just hanging... It was awful!
This time things are different, I am so aware of feeling much stronger & it's quite a novelty. We are both really proud of what we are doing & the fact that we have given up oil, butter, chocolate, cheese & eggs. We've also quit sugar & alcohol at the moment, though we do have a teaspoon of molasses in our porridge every morning because it's high in iron & b-vits. Sime has an extra snack of muesli with nuts & dried fruit every night, but I don't bother. Occasionally, we talk of having something nice to eat, but we know that those foods will make us feel bad now.

Why is it that we can have willpower to do some things? And other times we will fail miserably... I've said before how my willpower is pretty crap, but now & again - a light bulb switches on & I just get on with it. Sime's very self disciplined & I really admire him for that. Our change of diet isn't about denying ourselves or a temporary measure to lose weight, it's about eating what we feel happy about eating. Animal products are something we've felt uncomfortable eating for a long time, but illness just got in the way.

Although we're not buying things this year, we are buying lots of vegetables... We buy the biggest veg box each week & although there's only 3 of us - we eat the suggested amount for 6 people!
 I think I've said before - our taste buds have come alive, everything just tastes wonderful & each day we eat more & more raw vegetables, salads & beansprouts along with puréed pulses.

Life is very simple, we don't need to go out & buy lots of stuff. 
Our rubbish has also been reduced too & we've got it down to a swing bin liner a month - though we hope to improve on that too & aim to not have any rubbish at all eventually...

Our challenge will soon be here - holiday let bookings are flooding in & that will be the crunch. Will we have the stamina to continue doing everything we're doing now, as well as working long hours? Our plan is to work out menus each week & have a day making food, so there'll always be something for us to take with us & a meal easily prepared on our return home. I'm sure with some determination - we can do this.

Anyway, tomorrow we're off to Falmouth...

To catch up with our little buddies...
Who we've not seen for 6 weeks!



Kay & Sime xx

Comments

Kath said…
my willpower is pretty crap,

mine too, that's why I am full of respect for the changes you have made and that you are sticking to.
I get so confused with all the dietary advice in books and articles. But your plan seems fairly straightforward. I would love to know more.
Scarlet said…
J and I don't buy each other birthday or Christmas presents. Our birthdays are 6 days apart so J usually books a day off work and we go out for the day and take a picnic. This year was an exception - we used J's small tax refund to pay for a weekend at the seaside as it was his 50th- we got a really good deal on Groupon.
It's great to hear that you are feeling so much better due to changing your diet.I felt the same when I was going to the gym 5 times a week- if I could afford a new membership I would be there like a shot. Some people see it as a waste of money - it changed my life for the better. I lost 35 pounds and have kept it off, having spent a lot of my life as a yo-yo dieter and the last 10 years or so feeling I would never lose weight.I have lost a lot of the fitness aspect that came with the gym though- I just can't replicate the weights and intensity outside a gym.
Catherine said…
Good for you two for your determination of healthy eating and for not buying in excess. I must admit, it would be very hard for me to not want to go buy some new knickers if mine were falling off due to a good weight loss. LOL! You are lucky your sweetie is handy with a needle and thread! :)
xo Catherine
Karin said…
Well done on the weight loss, Kay - if you lose any more you'll have to remake all your clothes a few sizes smaller, not just take in tucks.

It sounds like your willpower is strong at the moment, but we all have a certain amount and it can get overstretched, especially when we are tired or hungry - we need energy to exercise willpower, just like any other exercise.
Unknown said…
Sounds like you're in a really good place.

You sound so healthy and contented.

-Have true appreciation of life.

Sft x
just Gai said…
The key to healthy eating, as I've discovered to my cost, lies in forward planning. It's when I wonder round the shops with no clear idea of what I want to cook that I reach for the quick, and generally both unhealthy and expensive, fix.

You sound determined to make your new diet work. Give it your best shot and resist the temptation to beat yourself up over the occasional fall from grace.
Thank you everyone - such lovely comments!

Kath - I will write a post in more detail, I promise...

Scarlet - Wow losing 35lbs is impressive, even more so keeping it off. Well done!

Catherine - I think knickers would have to come under the essentials list if that happens!

Karin - Sime thinks I should just get some braces!

Sft - I am, we are & it's good!

Gai - Planning meals ahead is something we haven't done for years, but we think it's the only way we'll cope during the summer...

Thanks again!

Kay :)
Anonymous said…
I have no willpower at all. I am so inspired by what you are doing. Keep up the good work.

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