It’s about three weeks into 2012 and normally by this time most resolutions made at the start of a new year, although made in good faith, have fallen by the wayside. I heard recently that after three weeks into a new year the majority of people have abandoned their goals. I’m sure that most people are motivated and inspired to reach new goals for the first two weeks but by the third week the reality that some effort needs to be applied to achieve a goal might just be a bit much! The good news is that since today is the start of Chinese New Year, it offers another opportunity to revive those abandoned resolutions! Woo hoo!

Fortunately I did not make a resolution as to how often I would post about my real Food resolutions for the year, as it’s taken me a while to write a post about my progress. Basically, I have been avoiding the issue. Avoiding the issue won’t get me anywhere though so this post I’m going to share (even though it’s painful) how I’m going.

Just to recap on my real food goals for 2012:

• Any food purchases will be made at local shops and markets rather than big chain supermarkets for the next 365 days.
• I will only eat food that is prepared at home (unless I’m going out socially!).
• I will not diet, try to lose weight or weigh myself for the next 365 days.

So how am I going with the above three goal? I’ll start with the good news first.

I have not stepped into a supermarket for the past three weeks! I have not suddenly realised you can only buy a certain food item at a supermarket. I have been buying food mainly at farmers’ markets and my local organic food store. I was told at the start of the year that I was crazy for thinking I could go a year without buying food at a supermarket and it could not be done. So far it’s been extremely easy and I’m thoroughly enjoying the shopping experience!

The other good news is that I have not succumbed to any “maybe dieting will actually work and I should try it one last time” type of thinking. Although my weight scales haven’t been thrown out, they certainly haven’t been used and I feel the better for it! I was speaking to someone recently about why I wasn’t going to weigh myself this year and they said they liked to weigh themselves for health reasons. I have to question whether a measurement on a scale is really a good indication of someone’s health.  Apart from temporarily deteriorating my mental health (that number on the scale can significantly impact on self-esteem!) it’s not going to say much about what’s happening physically. Surely being in tune with my body and listening to any indicators of poor health is a more effective method of monitoring physical health than stepping on a scale?

So finally I get to the goal I’ve been struggling with – preparing food at home. I think I was a little bit too optimistic when I set that goal! I really did not take into account how difficult it is to sufficiently get myself organised so I could take my own lunch to work! I’m sure many people have no problem achieving this whatsoever but as I’m not a naturally organised person I really struggle with this one. I’m not a morning person and tend to be too slow in the morning to prepare something for lunch. Getting myself ready is hard enough! By the evening my mind is on relaxation not preparing food for the next day! I’m not going to throw in the towel of this one though and will keep going until I can find a way of how I can effectively save money and save health by preparing my own food.