Among many other plans and soon-to-be bent resolutions, the New Year starts for many with a promise to lose weight and get healthy. Which is exactly what two members of team Abu Dhabi Week decided to do ...
For four weeks we’re at the mercy of Slim and Lite, a health and diet food service that will deliver meals to our door – a total of 24 boxes, six days a week, containing three main meals and at least two snacks daily.
Before that, though, the programme starts with a thorough nutritional assessment and a body composition (BMI) analysis. Breakfast, lunch, dessert plus fruit and snacks are chosen from a menu; the dietician advises on portion control.
It’s also recommended that we drink at least 1.5 litres of water a day, and that we stick to the contents of the box – including the carton of milk for all teas and coffees (there goes our daily latte). We are allowed one day off, though we’re reminded that this isn’t for binging – it’s to help us learn to eat healthier.
Week one goes fairly well – except for a couple of, ahem, small glitches.
Charlie
The dietician says she’s never come across such a low BMI before. I can safely say I do not need or want to lose weight. But I’m set to run a marathon in late February, and the long office hours mean I don’t always eat as healthily as I would like. I do want to maintain my figure – and to avoid pizza and ice cream.
Because I’m so used to eating what I like I do struggle in my first week. On the first morning I trade the healthy-looking but dull baguette with cucumber in favour of my regular chocolate croissant, and midweek I don’t quite manage to resist a couple of biscuits in the office. I have no willpower.
But I do like the rest of the food supplied. I’m surprised by how generous the portions are – the lunch salad alone fills the plate and is more than I would normally consider serving myself. This changes in the evening; a tuna roll and minestrone soup leave me wishing I could have swapped the food around.
I make it to the gym in my lunch hours as usual; and the food is mostly finished and enjoyed.
Chris
With the New Year underway my goals, as always, are to lose weight, exercise more and establish sensible food habits. Unlike other New Years, this time I was determined to act rather than talk.
Day one of the diet I was a bit surprised by the portion sizes. Surely I had been sent a child’s lunch box by mistake?
There was no mistake, and the first couple of days of sticking to the food box left me feeling hungry. But I am now eating breakfast regularly for the first time in a long while – my working day leaves little time for regular meals and breakfast is one that I often skipped.
Exercise is usually skipped too, but regular exercise is essential for the food plan. So I signed up with a personal trainer to educate, guide and motivate me. Alongside the diet, I manage three to four hours a week workout of both cardio and non-cardio exercises.
It’s a surprisingly good start and I’m feeling more energetic and alert. I admit to letting slip on one evening; however I found I couldn’t eat the entire portion for being too full. I’m feeling optimistic about the next three weeks; I’m enjoying all the food, and apart from a couple of menu muddles, I’m really enjoying it and feel driven to achieve satisfactory results.
Next week: A follow up consultation with the dietician and the results ...
Slim and lite delivers free to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. A food package for four weeks costs AED 2,300. Information: 02 446 4462 or 03 767 6852 www.slimandlite.com
