FUEL FOR THOUGHT: VB6

I don’t eat meat. Not to object from animals not having the right to live but merely because I don’t really like it. I never have. When I was a child I’d pick at chicken and Billy Bear luncheon meat (hands up if you would eat the ears, eyes, mouth first and then the face?) but that was about it. I became a vegetarian in my teens then tried meat again in my first year at University before slipping back into being a non-meat eater a year later.

I do however eat fish. I love fish – especially salmon, tuna steak and swordfish. I feel healthy when eating it and it is a key source of iron and Omega 3, which are vital nutrients that play an important role in my training.

Last year, I felt a bit podge. Not fat but definitely a bit heavier than normal and with my best friends wedding fast approaching where I needed to fit into a rather tight bridesmaid dress, I opted to try out VB6 for six weeks.

I’d read about VB6 (Vegan Before 6) in the late Zest magazine and then found it was featured in all sorts of women’s titles so it was obviously becoming the latest diet craze. It’s written by American food critic, Mark Bittman, who after learning he had developed diabetic and heart disease symptoms, founded the VB6 method for effective weight loss.

Mark was advised to become a vegan by his doctors and as a successful food journalist, this must have been a hard thing to hear. So, he decided to adopt a part-time vegan lifestyle by following all the rules during the day and then by 6pm, switching off and enjoying what he wanted in the evening.

I LOVED the idea of this. I could be healthy and strict at work and then go out after 6pm and indulge in evening meals out with friends, or hearty homemade dinners with my boyfriend. Also, being a non-meat eater, this sounded like an easy ride. So, I purchased Mark’s book, gave myself six weeks and got stuck in.

I’m not one to follow recipes in books. I am a skim reader so I read about Mark’s story and consumed all the scary facts about food (if you want to learn the harsh reality of some foods– you should also read Skinny Bitch) and then wrote up my own straightforward plan. This consisted of the following:

Breakfast: Oatibix with soya milk OR home-made granola with soya yoghurt

Lunch: Carrot sticks, cucumber and radishes with red pepper hommous

Snacks: fruit, fruit and more fruit OR nuts

This I found really easy to adapt to, as I like all of the above. It was also easy to prepare for work and cost effective. At 6pm, whilst I was craving vegetarian lasagne smothered in cheese, I did try to restrain from ‘binging on crap’ to put it bluntly. I made sure I ate a source of carb, whether it’d be salmon with new potatoes or quorn based spicy fajitas. I also made sure I treated myself to curb sweet cravings so hot chocolates or Angel Delight were normally my options.

By the time the six weeks was up, I must say I did feel amazing. I felt lighter, detoxed and definitely more energetic. My skin also was incredible – not a blemish in sight! More importantly, I fitted in my bridesmaid dress and felt bloody fantastic in it!

This program WORKS and that is coming from someone that can barely last a week on diets (I didn’t even get through two days on 5:2 which I attempted to support my Mother). I find VB6 a safe, healthy and manageable weight loss option. I didn’t actually lose a huge amount of weight (only 4lbs if I remember) but it was enough to get that zip up on the dress. I reckon if I had chosen to continue and make VB6 a full time eating plan, it would definitely be a successful weight loss journey.

At this present time, I feel like I have slipped back into my 'podge mode'. I recently took part in Insane Terrain and was snapped by the events photographer on the course. I did have a good gawp at myself in these pictures yesterday and did wince slightly at the rounded tum that has recently formed.  After also coming back from a short 5K run this evening, I even felt heavier and well, a tad sluggish.

I’m stocky and muscular but that’s my natural shape so nothing I can do about that. Despite this though, I know I can ensure this is maintained in the best way possible and that, for me, has to be through VB6. With my own wedding a year away, I may as well start as I should mean to go on - just in case the dreaded jammed zip happens with my own wedding dress!

Best go munch on a carrot then.

Purchase VB6 HERE.

Lipstick Runner.