This week is Pancake Day ( Shrove Tuesday) which is when traditionally you used up all the ingredients classed as “rich foods” which include eggs, milk and sugar before the Christian fasting period of Lent which lasts 40 days. this is to mirror Jesus’ 40 days of fasting and temptation in the desert. It is a time to practice self-reflection, penance, fasting from food, habits or luxuries, as well as almsgiving ( acts of charity)
Many people DO decide to give up something they like, which is usually very specific ie; alcohol/chocolate/biscuits. But as we all know saying we can’t have something usually makes us want it more and we often end up eating more than we would have normally!
Pancakes are in fact an ancient food and the word first appears as early as 1430!! Neolithic humans used einkorn wheat and ground it into flour. It was then mixed with a birds egg and goat’s milk and the mixture was then poured on to a heated rock!!
The traditional topping was lemon juice and sugar.
Nowadays the toppings are wide and varied and include fresh fruit, maple syrup, nutella and cream. Do be mindful that this type of pancake is a DESSERT – A little something AFTER your meal – NOT THE MEAL!! However you can also make them savoury. Contrary to popular belief, basic pancakes are NOT highly caloried, however the toppings may not be!! To Toss…. Or Not To Toss??
So let’s have a look at what could we give up for lent that would help us lose weight and be healthier?
- Expecting overnight miracles
- Making excuses
- Missing meals
- Not exercising
- Being disappointed with a weight loss
- Not making healthy choices
- Being negative and Saying I can’t – give up “T” and it becomes I CAN! The person who will succeed is the one who doesn’t say I can’t but how can I.
- Being bored – then try something different – hobby, recipe, ingredients.
- Not taking advice – there is a big difference between hearing what is being said and listening and taking it on board and putting it into action
- Not checking portion sizes
- Putting off till tomorrow what you could do today – Tomorrow never comes.
- In short give up Giving up.
If you give up making healthier choices for Lent it will be so easy to be back to square one feeling like a failure again! All too often we throw away our future success because of the disappointment in ourselves usually due to unrealistic expectations of what 1 good week yields on the scales. The image below IS ½lb of fat!!!!!
A healthy weight loss is anything from 1/2 lb up to 2 lbs a week and with 40 days of Lent (Nearly 6 weeks) to go lets think about the possibilities.
If you give up giving up then by: –
- Easter you could be between 3 lbs and 12 lbs lighter
- Spring Bank Holiday you could be 7 lbs – 28 lbs lighter (2 stone)
- August Bank Holiday 13½ lbs – 54 lbs lighter
- Bonfire Night 18 lbs – 72 lbs (that’s over 5 stone)
- And finally…..Christmas 21½ lbs – 86 lbs lighter (that’s over 6 stone)
But if you give up trying then the odds are you won’t be any lighter at all
Don’t forget that in order to lose 7lbs you first have to lose ½lb and if you are disappointed with your ½lb and give up then you will never lose the 7 lbs.
The person who will successfully lose 86 lbs is the person who has accepted that in order to lose that amount of weight they first have to focus on not giving up and losing that first 1 lb and in some cases ½ lb!
“Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”
Vince lombard
Success Lies in Mind 