Zara’s Fitness Journey

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My fitness journey has definitely been a learning curve. I’ve been underweight, overweight, strong, weak. I know right…?

About six years ago I was at what I thought my ‘strongest’ and ‘healthiest’. I was doing that thing where you eat clean Monday to Friday then pigged out on a box of krispy kremes to yourself on the weekend. It didn’t work… All it gave me was a five minute sugar high before I crashed out for the rest of the day in front of the TV. – Not really the model example for health and fitness.

My Addiction

I was tired ALL THE TIME. My mood swings were all over the place and I was in a never ending state of “bloatedness” – Ladies, you feel me? Enough was ENOUGH!

I researched all sorts of diets, but nothing was appealing to me cause they were all so ‘faddy’. However I came across a book about a “Sugar Free Lifestyle”. Lifestyle… I liked that word. I guess the reason why ‘Sugar Free’ appealed so much to me is because I knew it was my weakness.

As a kid (hell, even into my 20s), I was a SUGAR ADDICT. I know, I know, we all love sugar… But I bet you didn’t have a LOCKED drawer full of sweets that only YOU had the key to? I did…  You know the saying “Like a fat kid loves cake?” I think that was written about me. Haha!

Going Cold Turkey

Anyway, for about a month, I researched thoroughly into a sugar free life. I wanted to know all the details before I committed 10 weeks to this experiment. I’m not going to lie, I binged on all the sugary things I could get my hands on and the next day, I went sugar free cold turkey! The plan was: Week 1 – 6, no natural or refined sugar. Week 7 – 10, introduce natural sugars back. Week 10 + introduce refined sugars back, but only as a treat.

The first three weeks were the hardest. Not only because I was so desperately craving a chocolate bar, but also figuring out that EVERYTHING shop bought has sugar in it (even plain ass boiled chicken from M&S). Most of all, the social difficulties were tough…

Social Challenges

My gosh, if another person tells me that “A little bit of sugar is good for you”, I’m going to loose my sh*t. Socially, this was the hardest thing I have ever done. I had just got a promotion and I was constantly at social events, work parties and travelling to a different city everyday. I became that annoying person that changed everything on the menu and cheers’d with a glass of sparkling water instead of prosecco, ruining that classic boomerang (you know the one) *insert rolly eye emoji*. My mum and sister were so fed up/worried about me because I was so obsessed with doing everything to the book and not consuming even a drop of sugar (go hard or go home I say). It’s fair to say I was not invited around for a while haha. I was over consumed with this lifestyle, but I don’t regret it for a second.

Results

Now the part you all want to hear. Did it work? ABSOLUTELY! The results were amazing. My weight and bloat had dropped dramatically. My energy was through the roof , my skin had never looked so clear and glowy in all my life (coming from someone who had sever acne) and my fitness levels were up. Best of all, I had NO mood swings – not even during that time of the month. I was so impressed with the results that 6 years later, I’m still refined sugar free!

Why P&P

My love for knowing what goes into my body is the reason for starting Protein & Pantry. After meeting Giuliano and being educated on his knowledge in fitness, I had a better understanding on living a BALANCED lifestyle. I am now at the happiest and healthiest stage of my life. – Of course there is always things to work on! I guess my biggest learning is that being healthy shouldn’t feel like a chore, it should be a lifestyle. Enjoy treating yourself now and then and don’t take it too seriously. Like our snacks, life is about balance.

Zara x

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