Back at the beginning of 2020, before the virus when the world was the right way up, I bought the Hello Nutritarian Power Prep Programme

I followed it for a short time but then with a combination of lockdown and general pandemic chaos, it fell by the wayside.

However, nine months later, almost a stone heavier, and inching closer to the next big birthday, I’m really beginning to feel my age. Whether that’s poor diet, stress at the state of the world, increasing age, weight gain, or most likely a combination of all those things, I don’t know. But I do know I hate feeling like this and want some energy.

Plus I’m couture sewing this jacket, and need to shift a few pounds so it will fit!

So, I’ve re-read Eat to Live and printed out the Hello Nutritarian food prep sheets, and I’m going to give it another go.

What’s different this time?

I know from the first try that the food prep plan is delicious…but the quantities are vast! So I’ll be scaling them back a little

I also know I need satisfying meals. So I’ll be cooking lots of soups and stews and roast veg traybakes. November in England is too chilly for salad.

I’m also going to do it dirty and add a little fish/chicken/cheese. I aint got the time or inclination to make separate food for my family, so they are going to have to eat what I eat for the next few weeks.

What I’m hoping to achieve

• Losing pounds and inches, of course
• Increased energy. Everything is such an effort.
• Fewer aches and pains and headaches. I get so stiff after sitting for even a short time.

I’ll review how that all goes after the first few days.

Breakfast day 1

• 30g jumbo oats
• chopped apple

Lunch

• Redpepper and sweet potato soup
• Salad box (tomato, coleslaw, salad leaves)
• Thin slice of homemade bread and a scrape of butter

Dinner

Black bean and butternut squash chilli from Simple Veganista

Snacks

• Banana
• Milk in tea (slowly changing over to decaf)