Last week Belle turned 10 and we celebrated with the now customary combination of pug-related gifts and cheesy crackers.

There was also a stuffed llama, marshmallows and a Shirley Temple.

She is easy to please although we all know if she was given an actual pug and an actual llama, she would explode with joy.

I’m not sure why I’m holding back, we already have two cats, two bunnies, one guppy, one fighting fish, two grown-up angel fish and 999 angel fish babies. (That’s not really an exaggeration, pop over to social media and I’ll show you what’s happened in the fish tank!)

Fortunately, we’re at home a lot more these days so the pets get lots of attention. I’m not sure what they’ll make of it when the kids go back to school. I’ll miss all the time at home with them but, oh my word, I am ready for the start of the school year. Just need a little routine in my life rather than flying by the seat of my pants on a daily basis! Who else feels the same?

It’s funny, when Covid-19 came along most of us had more time on our hands than ever before. In theory, our houses should be spotless, all the cupboards organised.

My clients used to say, “But I don’t have time to cook!”

No one says that any more. We all have time! The uncomfortable truth is …. Do we have the will?!

After all, where there’s a will, there’s a way!

Last week I shared a little bit of advice, “Do it because you want to, not because you have to”.

It really is the secret to permanent lifestyle change. My diet is by no means perfect, but it’s pretty good most of the time.

And it’s not because someone told me I had to, it’s because I genuinely want to. I don’t eat Doritos or drink Diet Coke because I really don’t want them. And if you don’t want them …. it’s easy!

So how did I get to that point?

To start with, I was pushed. I was terribly unwell, massively underweight, a nervous wreck and constantly exhausted. I tried every conventional route and eventually ended up at the door of a nutritional therapist.

I’ll spare you the details but her advice was amazingly life-changing, my health improved radically and I was hooked. I then went on to study nutrition for four years (postgraduate) and found that the more I understood the way food impacted my body, the more I wanted to get it right. And the more I did get it right, the better it felt … so I just continued!

Ultimately, education was key. It’s one of the things that influenced the structure of my six-week nutrition programme, Nutrifit. I wanted to share why the guidelines were in place. When my clients understood why, they were more compliant and the habits tended to stick. That’s a good combo!

So, finally, after a pause for Covid-19, Nutrifit is back! Pop on over to natural.bm to check the dates. There’s a complete six-week programme coming up and also a refresher for anyone that’s done the programme before but needs a few friendly reminders.

When I said those habits stick, I meant it, but there’s nothing like a pandemic to throw you off your game.

Nutrifit is a real-food only programme. There’s no weird bars or shakes, no injections or starvation or avoidance of carbs. It’s just healthy food, in good portion sizes, in a way that’s designed to optimise blood sugar balance. Blood sugar balance isn’t just a diabetes thing, it’s also connected to better energy levels, balanced hormones and improved body composition. Who doesn’t want that?!

Although they have been popular, I thought it was about time I switched up the meal plans and recipes. Here’s a quick preview of what’s coming. This recipe has become a firm favourite in my house. It’s super quick and easy. You do have time to make it!

Healthy fried rice (with salmon and broccolini!)

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice, uncooked

1 bunch broccolini, bite-sized pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

4 small cooked salmon fillets, skin/bones removed, flaked.

1.5 tbs sesame seeds

Low sodium soy sauce or tamari to taste

salt and pepper to taste

1 lemon

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

parsley to serve

Light olive oil

Method

1, Cook the brown rice and steam the broccolini above. Remove the broccolini when tender and pop to one side while the brown rice finishes cooking.

2, In a sauté pan, over a medium heat, soften onions and garlic in light olive oil and add 1 tbs water.

3, Add the rice and broccolini, along with 1 tbs tamari/soy sauce and toss together. Throw in the salmon last minute and heat through gently.

4, Before serving, season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Serve in bowls topped with the tomatoes and parsley. Add extra greens on the side.

• Catherine Burns is a qualified nutritional therapist. For more details: natural.bm, 505-4725, Natural Nutrition Bermuda on Facebook and @naturalbda on Instagram