Body issues, what I'm learning about food and tons of pics

love this pic - it's so me - grey skies, cold weather and warm clothes - LOVE!

walking through a cemetery in Scotland

no Photoshop - the grass at the Blarney Castle is really that green!

beautiful street in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland - isn't it quaint?

me in Scotland (just for you, Roz) - down one of the side streets off Princes Street, Edinburgh

in England somewhere - love the colours

my 2nd bloggy meet-up in Scotland - the lovely Suzanne, my organising buddy :)

D & me at the Blarney Castle grounds

me in Chester, England - love this kind of gorgeous little street

I answered in the comments of that torso pic :) but wanted to quickly write it here in case you don't go back and read comments (I know I don't).

Contrary to perception, I really don't have body issues.

I'm happy with what I look like, even the 5 kg overweight version :)

The thing is... I know what my body is capable of and I really hate to see it not living up to its potential.

Confession - I hate seeing any person not living up to their potential.

I want to run up two flights of stairs and not be out of breath.

I want to chase Connor around the garden for hours on end.

Etc. etc.

And I want to be toned and athletic :)

I can dress to camouflage the bad bits... somewhat... but I just want to be the best possible me.

Does this make sense or do you think I'm talking rubbish?


So this time around Weigh-Less is teaching me a couple of things that I'd forgotten, and some new things.

1. Two herbal tea bags in a litre of water plus two sweetener is almost as good as water. I make a jug and drink from it the entire night so that I don't drink endless cups of tea (as I normally do). Delicious. Also helps you get to the water quotient in winter.
2. I have almost gone off normal tea because I'm being intentional about my calories and that extra quarter spoon of sugar (I take 1 equal sweetener (Canderel is too sweet!) plus a 1/4 spoon of sugar in a mug of tea) is just not worth it.
3. I really, really, REALLY look forward to my real cups of tea/ coffee these days because I can only have 3. Sometimes I don't even make it to the 3rd cup!
4. Other than the tea/ coffee, I really prefer to eat my calories rather than drink them. I can easily turn down milkshakes, smoothies, juice, etc.
5. I choose proteins that have the least amount to eat since this is the one I really battle with. So feta cheese over lean ham :)
6. Soup is my friend
7. When I'm organised, I'm much happier (I now carry a herbal teabag in my handbag and to meetings so I'm not tempted by our delicious cappuccinos) and cheat less.
   

And some things I'd forgotten:

• To not buy food I normally don't eat (like those darn Finn's rye biscuits - gosh, they're like cardboard)
• How much I love baked beans and tomatoes!

So how do you feel about your body? Do you have body issues?

And have you learnt anything about your relationship with food lately?

PS there's no reason for the pics - I just felt like looking through some of them and thought you'd enjoy them too :)