198/365 Emergency walnut to the rescue

I was on the doorstep with my keys in one hand and a list of things to do in the other when I knew exactly what I needed. 

A nut. 

A walnut. 

Right now. 

So I unlocked the door and hurried to the baking supplies cupboard. Moments later, having scattered prunes, ground almonds and various lurid sprinkles, I found them. And they were still in date. So I ate two halves and carried on with my day. 

No, I’m not pregnant… I’m doing the 5:2 diet. 

Other than the walnut emergency, it’s gone surprisingly smoothly. And I’ve still got 50 calories in hand. 

The diet is simple – you eat 500 calories or fewer (600 for men) on two days a week and what you like the rest of the time. And apparently it works. There’s some complicated sciencey reasons why, but, to be honest, I skipped those pages. 

As a few folk have shown polite interest, I thought about listing everything else I ate but then I remembered something. 

Nearly thirty years ago when I was a student I had an evening job at Aberdeen Journals phoning people up to persuade them to have the paper delivered. And if they did they might get a free pen or calculator.

Not the most taxing job, I’ll admit. All the tele-sales gals would meet in the Lang Stracht canteen a few minutes before our shift. The only thing that most of the other women talked about was exactly what they’d eaten that day, how many calories and the progress (or otherwise) of their weight loss. It was the most tedious 15 minutes of every day and I promised myself that I’d never, ever get obsessed by the – evidently pointless – totting up of lettuce leaves and Ryvita. 

Therefore, I’m not going to tell you about the sugar-free jelly, the half pack of ready meal cannaloni and salad, the soup or the yoghurt. Nope, not me. I’ll only say it wasn’t as hard as I’d feared but I’m rather pleased I’m not doing it again tomorrow.