Losing weight and gaining wellbeing is not a one off, one size fits all miracle diet event. All of you who have tried all the diets over the years know this to be true.  What I’ve learned  is that its about changing the way we think, therefore the way we feel and therefore the way we act. It’s about creating the sort of environment that supports our desire to be the sort of person we really want to be. And all of this takes place over time – not overnight. Finding what works for you - or for me - takes time. In the book, the Tortoise Diet Method, I talk about giving yourself a gift of a year to get it right. I am giving myself this year to reach my goals and stay there. The Tortoise Diaries will follow that journey and you are welcome to follow along if you wish. I have thought about doing this for ages so am finally - on Day 41 of 2026 - taking actions on it. You can share the ups and downs, the ins and outs, probably some random insights that will end up as stories - but you will hear it first on my instagram posts in all its raw and real way. Starting here.

I often debate with myself about which is the most important of the 12 steps of the Tortoise Diet Method. I find it depends where I am in life at the time. So right now, my favourite step, and one which distinguished this Method from so many others is, Guideline Number 12. Which is to Stay in the Race.  

So lets take a look at our lives now. Who is overwhelmed by too many things, too much to do, too many projects begun but never finished, toxic people, feeling stretched too thin and never seeming to have enough oxygen to breathe into the sort of lives we really want.  That’s what an unpruned bush or tree is like and now is as good a time as any to put some thought into our changing that.  What do we want in our lives and what fruit are we looking for? This is an act of simplifying life.  Getting down to what is important to us in any branch of our life, cutting out what we no longer want, or what’s draining us, pruning back unnecessary stuff so our lives can spring forth into life, and we can start to see over time, the fruits of our labours rather than the round and round sameness of the lives many of us leave.