Thursday 12 January 2012

Giving away my old Diet books


On Sunday mornings I have my own radio show.  I do the Kitchen bit on the BBC Radio Northampton Kitchen Garden show every week from 10am to 11am.  I love it.  It’s fun and really pushes me to get out there and chat with people.  During the past year I’ve had all sorts of guests on the show, from the charming Wiliam Sitwell of Waitrose Illustrated to Ms Marmitelover, James Ramsden, the gorgeous Dan Lepard, Rick Stein, lovely Jules from the Secret Supper society and Gary Jones Head Chef at Le Manoir, Bryn Williams, Auther Potts Dawson and Peggy Porschen, Aldo Zilli alongside lots of local people such as Angelina Cupcake,  Waterloo Cottage farm from Great Oxenden, Ondine our very own Northamptonshire Masterchef finalist and our local Adam Grey.  I’ve been out and about to Oundle, Towcester and Northampton Farmers markets, covered the Northamptonshire food festival and chattered with so many people it’s been such a fabulous year.  I adore Kevin Saddington and Johnny Amos .. we make a great team and  I get so many comments every week from people who listen to the show!  That last time I asked about the listening figures I think it’s about 120,000 people locally, give or take a couple!

So as we were talking New Years resolutions last Sunday Kevin noticed that my diet books I had brought into the studio were all unused.  As I explained that I was always starting diets and then giving up in a fit of utter madness I agreed to kevin's suggestion to diet and chat about it in the show.  But not just diet, but stick to a plan and get weighed in each week live .. yes you read that correctly  ..on air.  .. for a whole year with the aim of loosing 1 lb. a week every week.  Even as I write this I am having a mini meltdown .. I must be a lunatic.   Writing it down right now it seems even more insane.  Why after a decade of trying to loose weight would I suddenly decide to say something so  …  well so ..  just so oh..  what have I done?

I spoke to my boss Mark a couple of days after the show.  I explained that despite all the listeners knowing what I had said I hadn’t actually dared to tell my husband. When I finally mustered up the courage it was as I thought ..  he roared with laugher and echoed Mark's response.  Something along the lines of well you’d better do it then!  -   It was a relatively kind response considering that he's seen me fail so many times before. 


I can’t do it alone. So I decided to sign up with my local Rosemary Conely Class.  I couldn’t face the start of the class so I waited until the end.  As everyone was walking out I walked in and went to speak to Gill who runs the class. I introduced myself and then before I know what happened I burst into tears. I covered my face with my hands and wept.  Wept in anger and shame.  Of all the people in the world who should be able to loose weight it should be me. I know more about food than most people yet despite every attempt over the years I fail over and over again. It’s internally humiliating and so I gave up believing. 

Not so long ago a friend stopped  .. well  .. being my friend with no explanation. It really upset me, and I found myself thinking  that if I was slim then she would still like me.  Of course my rational brain says otherwise, but the emotional me says the effect I have on people would be different if there was less of me.  So really I have her to thank for making me feel so low that there was nowhere else to go but up.

At the same time another lovely lady called Rachel sent me a book called Fat girl Slim in the post. It was a random act of kindness, and as I looked at the book I realized Rachel thinks I can actually do it.  As I explained the effect these two women had on me to Gill tears rolled down my face, She nodded, smiled handed me a tissue before showing me photos of herself before she lost 10 stone. Over half her body weight. Amazing.   For my own sanity I didn’t want to know my weight, so Gill weighted me in and gave me a ground 0 start point. There was no judgment just a friendly smile and understanding. So here I am writing a post I’d rather nobody who knows me reads, and yet in some strange way my tears were in part relief.  Relief that I have finally made my mind up to just do it.




So I am having a clear out of my old books. I am keeping the two Rosmary Conely Books, and the Fat girl Slim .. but the others might inspire someone else, so I am going to give the following books away.

The Dukan Diet
Japanese Women don’t get old or Fat
The Paleao Diet
Neris and India’s Idiot proof Diet
Atkins for Life

RULES

Please see competition Rules before entering. This giveaway is open to all readers over 18 with a UK mainland address.  The winner will be chosen using an online randomiser and announced on 1st February 2012 You need to have a profile the allow me to get back in touch however please do not include your email in the actual comment as well.

There is one main way to enter and there are 3 more chances to win .. . and you must leave a separate comment for each bonus entry otherwise they will not be counted. 

For a chance to win one of these books please comment and tell me your top diet tip

For a second chance to win please tweet this post using the button below and you MUST comment with your twitter ID telling me you have done so.

For a third chance to win please follow @VanessaKimbell on Twitter and comment below to tell me you have done so.

Please say which book you’d like in your comment!

Each comment counts and an entrance you can make one comment per follow and details of what your top tips are and you may tweet this article daily.  The winners will be picked using a randomizing website.




58 comments:

  1. Oh Vanessa, I am sorry to hear you've been feeling this way. I have been there in the past and really hope you start to feel better soon. There a lots of people out there (including me) who think you are amazing.

    All the best
    Laura

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  3. Thanks Laura .. although now I am day 5 of this plan I feel so positive now. It's an odd feeling but I've commuted to it and I feel great for making the decision.

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  4. Committed even .. gosh my spelling is awful!

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  5. Firstly, I don't want to enter the competition for a diet book because I seem to have enough of my own - equally unused!

    Secondly, I am full of admiration for your honesty, it's incredibly hard to open your heart to everyone both on your blog and on radio. So, I wish you every success with your endeavours.

    Please don't forget all your achievements so far - when you read about how few people manage to get a first book published you did extraordinarily well, although to be fair it is an extremely good book, not just another recipe book either.

    So, I wish you all the very best of luck.

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  6. I agree with Jennifer -no diet book for me - I don't live in the UK anyway - but the one about Japanese don't get old or fat did catch my eye and have to admit I did buy at one time French women don't get fat ...anyway I digress - to expose your demons in public is extremely brave. Good luck and looking forward to reading about your new adventures - who knows there might be a new book in this?

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  7. Vanessa, I am full of admiration and am so impressed with your bravery. I'm sure you can do it, and I think your right, diet books are really no help at all.
    Do remember you are a great inspiration to many of us, and the writer of one of my favourite cookery books:-) Jude x

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  8. Vanessa, lots of luck to you on this journey! I also dont want to enter the competition, I too have too many of these sorts of books! I just wanted to wish you love and luck!

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  9. I could open a diet book shop so don't want to enter the competition.

    I just want to wish you all the very best on your journey - I managed to lose all my excess weight a few years ago, and actually life was better - but that was because I was happier in myself. (I have since put it all back on ++)

    I echo everyone elses comments - you have written a wonderful book (got it on Christmas morning!) and have so so many achievements - well done.

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  10. Vanessa, Gill is wonderful, very kind indeed, I just struggle with the class timings at the moment otherwise I would be back with her - best of luck and make sure to look at her before and after book for all the local success stories! Its not all or nothing, its just consistency and easy thing to write but a difficult thing to accept when you are impatient and hardwired ( like me) for immediate results...Tara

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  11. Vanessa, you will be absolutely fine, I have been with Slimming World on and off for the last couple of years, depending on how strong I am feeling, and the group meetings are really helpful in keeping the impetus going. I have about 4 stone to lose, and my knees tell me about it every day, so do give me a Twitter shout (@josordoni) when you need some friendly support.

    And Fat Girl Slim has some cracking recipes in it, really tasty and real food. Don't look at the fab chocolate souffle (called realistically Sod It...) at the back for a month or do though!

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  12. My Mum gave me Japanese Women Don't Get Old And Fat right after my boyfriend moved to Japan, dumped me and started going out with a Japanese girl.

    Yeah.

    It was actually well-intentioned, something about me liking Japanese stuff and cooking. The timing was just atrocious. And I didn't even need to diet back then, I was almost underweight!

    I'm really sorry you've been feeling like that too, and I also think you're very brave to do this for your radio show! Realise that you could really, really help people with this too.

    Your friend who stopped being your friend? Probably NOTHING to do with you. I'm sure she has her own stuff going on, her own insecurities.

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  13. PS I'm not entering either I'm afraid! My new food resolution is to eat lots of fruit and veg, pulses, wholegrains, nuts, and oily fish. Cut out refined flour, sugar, alcohol and processed food. And keep that up for as long as I can (hopefully until I lose 4kg, although getting food poisoning last week gave me a real head start on that). I'm not going to restrict calories because I know I'll be a real dunce at calorie counting and it would just take me too long. I'll just see how that works out combined with upping the exercise a bit.

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  14. Hi Vanessa,
    Like some of the other ladies I've got bookshelves buckling with the amount of 'diet' books on them - most of them read but not acted upon. I know I should get back to my formerly slim self, not just for my self-esteem but by the evidence my body is giving in the form of health problems. I already follow you on twitter (@Perky1508) and was very impressed by your replying to me with a nice cheery message when I followed you! I just happened on this site today when I followed your link re Beetroot Soup recipe. Looking forward to trying it and exploring your site further. Keep us in touch with your progress on twitter and it might keep me on the straight and narrow too with my healthy eating plan when I'm being weak-willed. Best wishes, Marie

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  15. Wow! you are SOOO brave. I've just ordered The Primal Blueprint which I hope will take me off the constant dieting treadmill. However, public committing to it could be just the catalyst we all need . Good luck (I will be following avidly)

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  16. so sorry you're feeling like that...I understand as I am too. I've decided to try and lose 1lb a week with you!

    I would be interested in the Dukan diet as I've heard lots about its success but have no idea what it involves.

    My diet tip is that if you only buy food in its original form (fruit, veg, unmarinated meat etc) and prepare it yourself, you are much more likely to lose weight...and enjoy tastier meals too!

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  17. I am entering!

    I have read the Japanese women one and it introduced me to healthy Japanese dishes which expanded my cooking repertoire in a way I don't regret.

    I've never looked at the others so why not!

    @12kazuko12

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  18. I have tweeted as @12kazuko12

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  19. I’m following you on Twitter as @12kazuko12

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  20. If I won I'd love the 'Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat' book.

    My diet tip is to have a snack, mid-morning of a small bowl of mixed, unsalted nuts. You'll get a variety of goodness whilst helping to stop snacking on bad things.
    @maisietoo

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  21. I have tweeted.
    @maisietoo

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  22. Following @VanessaKimbell on Twitter already.
    @maisietoo

    (Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat book)

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  23. I never eat when I'm too hungry by sticking to regular meal times. The hungrier you are, the fattiest the food you choose will be!

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  24. Organisation is definitely the key - plan ahead, make sure you have a day for shopping even if it is online... if you dont have the food in you need, youll use this as an excuse! I also find writing it down helps. Like you I have hung myself out for the slaughter and started my very own diary on www.chatterzone.co.uk and at the end of my 1st day of the cabbage soup diet - ive struggled! I too have tried diets like the GI, and slimming world but give in too easily... doing my blog for all to see, and writing it down makes me adament to achieve my goal! I need this! I have interest in finding out more about other diets as the cabbage soup diet is 1 wk only, and i plan to follow slimming world but i know i tire of this easily and so would love to read more about other plans available so these bookos would be well used for my partner and I on our weight loss journey to a healthier family! You can get hold of me on twitter @emzispeers or info@chhatterzone.co.uk - even if just to chat about how we are getting on x

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  25. I have tweeted and following you too @emzispeers - as i say in the above competition I have a huge interest in all diets and so any of the books would be a welcome addition... a friend in passing mentioned the dukan diet which i had never heard of... she didnt go into detail about what it entailed tho so a little intrigued! I am looking for a diet which is real, which is simple to a degree, which can fit in with family life as well as my own desires!

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  26. Diet, well as veg, i have an advantage, but, i lovesalads in summer, and pasta /veg dishes, but loose weight!!! never, but i love cooking, and welcome more cook books for my collection

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  27. oldwalshy
    posted on facebook

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  28. oldwalshy
    posted on twitter

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  29. Good luck Vanessa - and everyone else trying to find their true body. Since giving up smoking, I've piled the weight on and feel so rubbish about myself I comfort eat - totally vicious circle. My best tip is to write down EVERYTHING you consume - if you have to own up to each mouthful,even if it's only to yourself in black and white, it makes you question whether you are actually that hungry. I'd like to be included in the draw, but won't choose a book - if I'm lucky, maybe a surprise will be more help than my (so far) epic fail.

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  31. You should drink a glass of water before each meal, it makes you feel full so you don't eat so much

    I would like Rosemary Conley Eat Yourself Slim please

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  32. I have also tweeted - @bloomingfox

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  33. I am following @VanessaKimbell on Twitter - @bloomingfox

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  34. Tracey Mse Wright21 January 2012 at 12:09

    I have found if i put my food on a smaller plate/bowl i have manage to cut my calorie intake down . before i tendend to fill the plate with food even if it was huge .

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  35. follow @VanessaKimbell on twitter
    @emmav6

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  36. ffollow @CuisinartUK on twitter
    @emmav6

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  37. Hi, I too have wept in a slimming class- slimming world and spent numerous amounts of money at weight watchers too and my new year resolution was no more diet classes for me and to read about nutrition and actually understand a bit better the effects of what I put in to me as opposed to syns points calories etc, so I am currently trying to eat a low gi plan made up by me!!! I have no diet books, so given my new obsession with reading about nutrition , these would be great... I wish you lots of luck with your quest and can empathise
    karen x

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  38. Give yourself a "Naughty 24" - 24 hrs (ie 6pm Friday - 6pm Saturday) when you can eat what you want.

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  39. Tweeted the message @Isis1981uk

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  40. I'd like to win these books. Perhaps I can learn something from them :)

    My top tip would be to always keep a well stocked kitchen. My downfall often is that I am hungry and there is so much tempting food in my kitchen, when I know I should make the effort to get something healthy, but I lazily pick at rubbish.

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  41. So sorry you've been feeling so rubbish. You can absolutely do this and I wish you loads of luck! Also - people who stop being your friend for no reason are IDIOTS!

    I managed to lose 3 stone a couple of years ago, but since getting married a few months ago I have put a stone back on, so could probably use a diet book!

    My best tip is to write down everything you eat so you can see what you're putting in your body and keep track of how much!

    I think the Idiot-Proof book would probably be best for me LOL! Although I love Japanese food too so I would like either :)

    @Laura_Cookies

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  42. I've tweeted @Laura_Cookies
    https://twitter.com/#!/Laura_Cookies/status/164564439029387264

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  43. Am following you on twitter! :-D
    @Laura_Cookies

    (you can prob tell from my twitter name why the weight is going back on lol!)

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  44. My diet tip is... ditch the diet... if someone is 'on a diet' it means they will eventually come 'off the diet' so ultimately they don't change psychologically and the weight lost will come back on again... I prefer to think of general healthy eating with lots of fruit, veg and wholemeal foods combined with exercise... loosing weight with exercise like dancing or zumba is much more fun than starving ourselves. Good luck everyone xxx

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  45. Forgot to say... I am interested in entering for a Rosemary Conley book for the exercise tips... also following @VanessaKimbell on twitter xxx

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  46. and have tweeted comp xxx

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  47. My diet tip is to drink lots of water and to get off the bus a stop or two earlier

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  48. I have tweeted the comp as foxyowl

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  49. I am now following you on Twitter (as foxyowl).
    You can send any of the diet books my way

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  50. I think you're incredibly brave to go public with your diet. I don't think I'd dare!

    My top tip for dieting is to make sure you drink loads of water. Not only does water fill you up and make you less likely to snack outside mealtimes but it will also help flush out those toxins!

    Good luck! @piperanddaisy

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  51. I'm already a twitter follower @piperanddaisy (by the way, any of the books would be great - do any of them suggest a good diet for a gluten free veggie?)

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  52. Get your husband to shop for you. They never buy treats!

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If you are reading my blog I must warn you that I am not impartial. I want to influence you. I want to make you stop for just a moment and consider the effect of a lifetime of seemingly insignificant decisions and how making small delicious choices can change the world.

I believe that we can change the world one bite at a time.

It's a delicious revolution.