Absence, bread and a moment of reflection on self confidence..

I have been absent from this blog for some time now, starting a new job and moving apartments has kept me pretty busy and away from my blog, not to mention over 9 hours a day spent at a computer may have something to do with coming home and not wanting to switch on my laptop. However I have let it go far enough, although I still don’t have a working camera, I’m going to make a conscious effort to try and update this blog as regularly as possible, please excuse me for not showing pictures or ones that are used from other sources, I will get back to photography as seen as i can. Lately I have had many food adventures and I’ve been introduced to a variety of traditional Moroccan cuisine, however at home I am still keeping it pretty simple, that will be changing soon, thanks to a nice new equipped kitchen..i can’t wait to start using the oven again. I’ve been able to experiment a lot with just a stove-top, from quick stir-fries to slow cooked pasta sauces. I am also making an effort to eat a little more healthily and cut down on too much meat consumption, although my sweet tooth is still alive and well, I’ll never give up dessert! Living around the corner from a patisserie is pure bliss and trouble all at the same time, the aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries has lured me in many times for a petit pain au chocolat and mille-feuille. Weekend breakfasts are not complete without buttery croissants and petit pain, (perhaps on weekdays too, I confess) and the wonderful selection of wholemeal Moroccan breads complete a lunch time or evening meal. That is one of the bonuses of living in a city like Marrakech, fresh bread is not hard to find at all and doesn’t come wrapped in plastic, lying on a shelf for who knows how long, it’s baked fresh early every morning for breakfast and lunch and then another batch baked mid-afternoon for dinner. I used to be someone who was taken in by the ‘carbs are bad for you’ diets, and stay away from bread as much as possible. It did me no good, deprivation only made me crave it more, and I was missing out on essential ingredients needed in my diet and for my body that carbohydrates can provide. I am now thoroughly enjoying good bread and everything else, including sugar, I would say ‘within moderation’ but I have come to realize that everyone has there own definition of what moderation is. I like a little bit of everything in my day, including coffee and black tea and a little square of dark chocolate to end the meal of course! Fruit, vegetables, legumes, wheat and pro-biotic yoghurt have become a big part of my diet, as has regular walking and exercise; I hope I can keep this up! I’ll admit that I do get guilty pangs every now and then if I’ve eaten a full meal and topped it off with a creamy dessert. That is down to a mind set since the age of 14 of carefully watching every calorie consumed and thinking about body weight numerous times a day, I think that is something that many women can relate to no matter how extreme or little. I don’t know if the media, fashion or celebrities are to blame for our obsession with women’s bodies, weight issues and food, but I do know it affects us all to varying degrees at some point, however I will not point the finger at anyone, it can be a very personal journey for some. I know my own has been a hard one to acceptance and love, but I think I have discovered my happy place, I’m not saying it’s the end of the journey, I’m sure there will be many road bumps along the way, but in this moment I am happy and confident in my own skin and proud of my attributes and I’m enjoying my food! What I believe has been key for me to understand is that healthy living starts with a healthy mind.