Shocking News - I may actually have a strategy! - Then again...Maybe not.

I thought I figured it out yesterday. I figured out how to get through the rest of this vacation food-wise.

At least I thought I had by the afternoon. In fact when we got home around 5pm I wrote half of today's blog in advance and the title was simply: "Shocking News - I may actually have a strategy!"

It certainly wasn't a weight loss strategy, nor was it a "mantenance" strategy. I thought of it as a "minimize the damage" strategy, and it was surprisingly simple.

Don't get me wrong. I haven't completely dismissed the strategy. It just isn't as simple as I thought.

It basically boils down to this: If it is fattening and I can easily get it in Canada...say "no thank you". If it is fattening, is appealing, and I can't easily get it in Canada....enjoy it but stop when I start to feel full.

So simple.

Yesterday morning I had a slice of whole grain toast with Strawberry Jam and fruit for breakfast.

It was perfectly filling. Exacly what I needed.

We then went off into Bournemouth for a day of shopping. I have to tell you this place is beautiful.  The central area is for pedestrians...no cars allowed on the street so you can wander freely at will. Only a few minutes walk away are the Winter Gardens and right by that the Beach. I have yet to see any part of Bournemouth I didn't like.  Although the men do dress funny.

At lunchtime I absolutely had to try the "Traditional Cornsh Pastry". Yes, it was fattening but it was worth it. Totally scrumptious and nothing like the meat filled pastries we get in Canada. It was absolutely packed with meat and other flavourful goodies. We also had a "flat white" coffee which is basically steamed milk and espresso.

I came real close to ordering Ice Cream later in the afternoon ( I was actually standing in line to get it) and I also came close to buying Chocolates, but both times I stopped myself and said...."I can get this in Canada". In retrospect I am so glad I did. Ice Cream and Chocolates after a Cornish Pastry would definitely put me on the wrong track.

After we got home I had a nice cup of tea, but declined the offer of a slice of apple pie or lemon cake even though I know they would both be delicious.

So my strategy seemed to be working. I would simply eat British foods only. I even wrote the last line of today's blog in advance which said "I have been told we are having a proper English Breakfast this morning. I am guessing it will be quite fattening and thoroughly delicious. I intend to enjoy it :-)".

The only thing left for me to do was have dinner, take a few pictures, post them with some text, and then the blog would be ready to post for this morning.

Dinner...unfortunately, was the problem. The delicious problem, but the problem nonetheless. It showed the strategy wasn't really fool proof.

It started out well enough. You can see below we all settled in for a great time at a great restaurant:

I then started out really well and ordered Thai Prawn Salad. A healthy choice...not British, but healthy, so it still passes:

That is when it kind of fell apart. It was delicious, it was fun, but it was still fattening.

First I ordered the SMALL size Steak and Ale Pie. Of course they brought me the large size. It was ok because it was British though right?

The pie above came with potatoes and vegetables. The vegetables were good additions of course but the rest was deliciously fattening.

Dessert that followed was delectable Treacle Sponge Pudding with Custard.

That was dinner but I also managed to slip in two pints of beer. Not regular beer of course, but authentic British Beer.

It was a great night and I don't regret it for a second...but my waistline might.

Tomorrow I still have the big English Breakfast scheduled and then we are going to a Birthday Party in the afternoon.

I still want the Big English Breakfast (which I know is a dangerous thought in itself) but I will do my best to be healthy at the party.

Wish me luck!

Below are a couple more pics of our day in Bournemouth. One of Jamie and me, and one of Jamie with our friend's Paul and Kimee (Father and Daughter).

Be healthy!


Alan