The Lazy Mum Health Plan

The Lazy Mum Diet and Health Plan is for people who don't like being told every single thing to do, who find it too hard to count calories and who like to be relaxed about things - like me. It's what I came up with after researching and reviewing heaps of womens diets and health and fitness plans and working out the best elements of each diet.

• Stop counting calories.

  Logically, you lose weight if calories in (food) is less than calories out (exercise). But although I'm analytical by nature, I'm also lazy and refuse to waste time measuring and counting food and exercise. Basically, eat healthier and exercise well. Stop eating when you're full. Relax about the numbers.

• The Lazy Mum Food Plan

  Similar to most, and I probably won't be able to live up to it, but:

  • Eat lots of vegetables. Especially colourful orange and green ones
  • Lots of fruit
  • Wholegrains instead of processed bread,flour,rice
  • Lean protein: chicken, beef, lamb, fish, eggs
  • Snack on nuts, seeds
  • Low-fat dairy
  • Good oils - omega 3 & 6
  • Consider coffee and alcohol as treats, not daily entitlements (sob)

  Isn't it strange, that in any other context, telling people to toss the whites and keep the coloureds, may be thought of as rascist? Of course, not with fruit, vegetables and carbohydrates.

  In practise this means my average day might go like this:

  • Breakfast
    Orange juice. Muesli with berries and milk.
  • Morning Tea (also known as breakfast part two. or Elevenses.)
    Toast and vegemite. Hot drink.
    On the weekend it's scrambled eggs and bacon.
  • Snack
    Almonds, pumpkin seeds, bananas or other fruit.
  • Lunch
    Tuna and salad. (Share the tuna with Spike)
  • Afternoon Tea
    This is my weak spot. Try to make it the same as snack. Stay away from the chips!
  • Dinner
    A weak white Cosmopolitan pre-dinner drink. Surely the antioxidants in the white cranberry juice will cancel out the miniscule amount of vodka? With carrot sticks or cheese if I can't wait for dinner.
    
    Lean meat and vegetables. Although the only meals my kids seem to like are home-made pizza, fajitas, spaghetti bolognaise or roast chicken, we'll try to throw some good stuff in.
    
    Giving up the daily ice cream each night was the main thing that caused me to lose weight. So if I'm really weak, it's a piece of dark chocolate, rich and slowly savoured.

  Have lots of clear liquids. Water and juices. Lemon juice and cranberry mixed with water (not in the same drink) are particularly stimulating to the old liver, apparently.

  If you're still hungry, fill up on more vegetables, checking out the low-GI carbohydrate list. Most people can't eat enough green vegetables to stuff themselves.

  Consider vitamin and mineral supplements if you feel your diet is not covering all the bases, if you still seem tired and need a boost. Visit my Health and Wellness site if you need a place to get some.

  If exercising a lot, more carbs would be required.

• Exercising.
  • Jog on the spot for a few minutes before getting into the shower in the morning.
  • Take Spike for a walk after breakfast.
  • Remember to get up and stretch every 15 mins at the computer.
  • Do face exercises when bored.
  • Do butt clenches, pelvic floor squeezes and tummy tucks when bored.
  • Chase the kids and the dog up and down the stairs every so often.
  • Swim each week.
  • Learn more about exercises for specific parts of the body.
  
  
• Calm Down.

  Try meditation, pilates, or yoga to get balance in your life.

  Get enough sleep.

  Live life the best way you can, doing the right stuff, so you can look at yourself in the mirror and know you're going in the right direction. Forgive yourself and others for not being perfect.

  Have fun. And shock the next person you meet by smiling at them for no reason.

That's enough for anyone to remember.