Can I do 12wbt if ....

I've been around the 12wbt world for a while now ... and every round I get asked the same question ... in a different way.

A beautiful friend Rae asked my advise on if 12wbt will work for her on my facebook page today.
Her situation is more complicated - but my answer is the same whether you are asking me ...

Can I do 12wbt if

• I am vegetarian
• I am coeliac
• I am dairy free
• I am injured and cannot exercise
• My family has specific food allergies
• My husband works busy hours

Over and over my answer is yes ... BUT

• you will have to do just a little bit more work
• you may need to think creatively
• and most importantly - YOU NEED TO DO YOUR PRESEASON TASKS!! You see - you have many more reasons excuses why 12wbt won't work for you. You need to nail them now. You need to write down your reasons excuses when Mish asks you to, and you need to make SURE that you have concrete answers as to how you WILL overcome them!

Rae asked me today if 12wbt will work for her as her family is eating

low sacylilate, low amine, preservative free and colour free. 

She is also determined not to be seen as "dieting" in front of her kids - and cooking separate meals for mum because she is on a diet.

Can 12wbt work for her??

Rae - the answer is a big fat (qualified) yes!!!

I commend you on not dietiting in front of your kids. Let's face it - there are so many places in our world that our kids are smashed with unhealthy food, diet, exercise and body images. Our home is where we can protect them - and the best way of teaching them how to be healthy is to live it in front of them! (and that included the dads too!!!)

The reason I know 12wbt can work for you ... is it's not rocket science. It's maths. You eat 1200 calories. You exercise. You lose weight. Oh - and most importantly - you work on your mindset. Over and over again. 

12wbt is going to rock for you! Most of the meals are healthy unprocessed whole foods and quick delicious recipes. In our household there is no such thing as a kids meal. we all eat the same (although I may cut down the spice in Miss 7's at times!)

Some foods you are going to have to swap. The tomato based meals like Nat's lasagne are out for you ... and a lot of the wraps have deli meat which is high in amines. BUT ... there is a recipe index where you can look for alternate recipes (all meals are around 300 cal so can be swapped) and you can use a little fresh chicken, or tuna etc in the wraps. There are a lot of soups in the menu in winter too - so you can choose meals such as pumpkin soup based on the veges that you like!

Another option is to freeze some of the meals that your family cannot eat, and take them for your work lunches. That way you get to experience them too!

I've faced a similar dilemma as hubby is a coeliac and also training for marathons. So every meal that we share must be gluten free, and I need to adapt to make sure he gets a LOT more energy in. 

Some of the simplicity of 12wbt goes ... I can't just use the ready made shopping list. But every week when the eating plan comes out I print it and grab my trusty pen. I cross out what we won't be eating, swap the meals from the recipe index ... and off we go!

Somehow I think, if you are used to working out menu plans that suit your family, this is going to be an easy exercise for you! 

You need a calorie counter (calorie king australia is a free ap on iphone) and it will allow you to make equal substitutions.

But 12wbt still will provide you with a heap of new recipes, great support, exercise plans to challenge you and great mindset videos to help shape the way you think about food and training.

For my other readers ...

If you are vegetarian your life just got easier! Mish now has a fantastic vegetarian menu plan!

There is an info sheet on many food substitutions available ... you just need a little time to plan and substitute.

Mish also now has a specific breastfeeding and pregnancy plan (and can I say they are great!)

Life does get in the way sometimes. If you are injured you will need to work around it as best you can. But this is 80% nutrition. Eat right - and chances are you will lose weight anyway!

The key is - you do NOT LET YOUR reasons EXCUSES get in the way of your successes. There is a way around it - and if you can't find it ask around. The forums are an excellent place to get your questions answered. Many seasoned 12wbters continue for successive rounds just to pay it forward. And Mish has a team of fitness professionals and a dietitian to help you find the answers you need.

The whole premise of the 12wbt nutrition program is whole, fresh food. Substitutions can be tough - but they are worth it. And when you find a recipe that works for your family - feel free to swap it.

Or adapt what you are already eating - keeping a close eye on calories.

Hopefully this helps! If it doesn't - feel free to message me on facebook or leave a comment. I'll do my best to come through for you!