Stroud News
Stress leads to a sudden addiction to comfort food for SNJ editor Sue Smith
1:00pm Tuesday 7th February 2012
WHAT is it about a diet that immediately triggers off an obsession with eating?
I know my Zest4Life is not a diet, more an education into sensible eating forever but as soon as I started thinking about it I wanted to gnaw the hind legs of a donkey – several times a day.
The Zest4Life programme, based on the work of Patrick Holford, founder of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition is a good, no-nonsense approach to healthy eating.
There is plenty of food on it and what’s more plenty of the sort of food I like.
Followers are meant to eat every three hours so no danger of staring longingly at a solitary lettuce leaf until dinner.
So what is the problem?
Mainly I have been stressed. And that means an instant addiction to comfort food – mashed potato, cream of chicken soup and pasta.
It has been cold. That means all of the above plus lashings of hot buttered toast.
I have not been organised enough to make a proper shopping list and fill my fridge with healthy options.
I know. I know. I know that is not the way to success. My brain has almost gone into over-drive trying to get me back on the right track.
But I seem to have mislaid my trusty loyal old willpower somewhere and can’t seem to get it back at the moment.
It is now week four of Susanne Rosch-Iles free diet trial at the Cotswold Health Centre and everyone who has followed the course so far with results will no doubt be signing up for the remaining seven weeks.
I want to stay on the course and will be attending the meeting this week with my head held in shame and have to admit I didn’t even manage any exercise last week. But at least that is better than skipping the meeting and going home to comfort on a plate.
I will get there. I am determined to be slim by the summer. For more information on Zest4Life contact Susanne on 0776 018 7912 or email: susanneroschiles@zest4life.com