How I Ate Food and Lost Weight (20 Pounds in 3 Months!)

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Eat less? Bite me.

 

You’ve heard it before. Eat less, move more and you’ll lose weight. I hate that advice. I tried that advice. After a whole day of being good and “eating less,” I would put my kids to bed and stuff my face. Because I. Was. STARVING!! 

When I had finally had enough of being overweight, I did a lot of research. After looking at Paleo, Whole30, Veganism and even a diet where you ate basically whatever you wanted on some days and starved yourself on other days, I was confused and overwhelmed.

 

 

Choosing My Own Path

Deciding to listen to my own gut, I chose to take what I liked about each diet plan and ignore the rest.  I started eating less processed foods and shopped just the outer edges of the grocery store. I stopped eating dairy because the calories were too much and I could eat MORE of something with fewer calories and feel full. After a few weeks, I ended up eating mostly eggs, vegetables, fruits, and lean meats. I lost weight quickly and without much effort. I was pleasantly surprised that the new diet was working and that I wasn’t feeling hungry at the end of the day.

What I Eat

I eat about 5 meals a day. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and two snacks. I aim for a balance of 35% Carbohydrates, 30% Fat and 35% Protein for the entire day, eating most of my carbs before lunch. (I track the percentages in a fitness app.) I’ve never been a big breakfast eater, so sometimes I will have a “snack” first thing in the morning and my “breakfast” later in the morning. Lunch is usually a salad, my afternoon snack is almost always veggies or protein and my dinner is usually lean protein and vegetables.

Breakfast/Morning Snack Ideas (These can be eaten interchangeably)

  • Overnight Oats (DamnDelicious.net has yummy recipes here.)
  • Egg White Muffins
  • Avocado Toast
  • Yogurt and Fruit
  • Green Smoothies

Lunch/Afternoon Snack Ideas (Also Interchangeable)

  • Chickpea of the Sea (Think Tuna salad sandwich with no fish. Seriously yum. The recipe is all over the internet.)
  • Salad
  • Veggie Wraps
  • Black Bean Burgers with Romaine Lettuce “Buns”
  • Veggies and Hummus
  • Hard Boiled eggs with an apple

Dinner Ideas

  • Fish with roasted vegetables
  • Lentil Tacos
  • Vegetable Stir fry
  • Sheet Pan meals with lean protein and vegetables (You can find these recipes all over Pinterest.)

 

After 3 months, my face is so much thinner and I’m starting to look like myself again!

The Next Level

As the weight fell off, I looked for a new challenge. I found Tone It Up and saw that the nutrition plan was basically the same as how I was already eating! I began to follow Tone It Up (TIU, for short) girls on Instagram and found a community of women (and some men!) who were losing weight, toning up and encouraging each other. It. Was. Awesome. It motivated me to work harder and so I joined the Bikini Series (read about that here).

The Bikini Series is an 8 week program of eating right and working out and it starts on April 24th. In order to stay on track, I created a “Weekly Meal Plan” so that I can keep track of all of my ‘Booty Calls’ (they’re what the TIU community calls their morning workouts) as well as my evening workouts. I can plan for my whole week and grocery shop and meal prep accordingly. IT’S A LIFESAVER!

Free Weekly Meal Plan Printable

Here it is. Print it out and fill it up! When you start out planning meals, it’s OK to repeat the same meals over and over. I almost always have the same 3 things for breakfast or eat the same salad a couple of times a week. Keep it simple and don’t feel like you have to fill every box with a different recipe!

Click on the photo below to begin your FREE download!

 

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