Eating plan

The following is based on the Blogilates lean out mini meal plan, and I will switch between options every 3 days. Each day equates to around 1250 calories. My goal is to avoid refined carbs and up my protein intake. I also tried to think of fall foods!

I tend to work out after breakfast, and have the morning snack afterwards.


Option 1

Breakfast: Apple pie smoothie. Recipe located here. I'm modifying it to include a scoop of vegan protein powder (Sunwarrior Vanilla) and switching coconut milk for almond milk. And of course I'm adding spinach!

Morning snack: 1/3 cup egg whites (I sprinkle on salt, pepper and paprika and microwave them). Banana.

Lunch: Chicken soup. Made with canned chicken, canned tomatoes, stock, celery, carrots & onion.

Afternoon snack: Homemade sweet potato fries & edamame.

Dinner: 4oz Pork loin w/ onions, green beans & broccoli.

Evening snack: Pistachios.

Option 2

Breakfast: Pumpkin pie smoothie, containing spinach, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 frozen banana, Sunwarrior protein powder and 2 tbsps pumpkin butter. I made the pumpkin butter from this recipe.
Morning snack: 1/3 cup egg whites.

Lunch: 1 can tuna in water, mixed with 1 tbsp light mayo w/ romaine lettuce, red onion & cucumber. Drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Afternoon snack: 4 celery stalks w/ 2 tbsps peanut butter.

Dinner: 4oz Honey-glazed chicken w/ baked sweet potato.

Evening snack: Almonds & raisins.


Option 3

Breakfast: Peach & ginger smoothie. Recipe: spinach, 1/2 cup coconut water, 1/2 cup coconut milk, 3/4 cup frozen peaches, 1 tbsp fresh ginger.

Morning snack: 1 banana, 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup almond milk cooked in microwave.

Lunch: Sweet potato & turkey sausage skillet.

Afternoon snack: Lemon tofu dessert (recipe here) with Honey Graham crackers.

Dinner: 6oz Shrimp w/ asparagus & cauliflower mash.

What are your thoughts on the meal plan?

Workout plan coming soon. :)

So. It's been awhile.

Fall is my favorite time of year, especially in the South. All through winter, spring and summer, I dream of clear skies, red foliage, pumpkin everything and, of course, saying adieu to humidity. I eagerly await Labor Day, Hallowe'en, Guy Fawkes Night, Thanksgiving and the run up to Christmas. (I love all these extra holidays we expats get, too.) But it also means food. So much food.

But my wedding is in a year! I have to get back into shape. Pronto.

Last time I posted here, I was feeling good about my progress. Unfortunately, I slipped up big time in the last few months: between thesis eating, moving to South Carolina (and with a boy!), adjusting to a new routine, HOT weather, no gym membership, spending a summer chasing after children, and a lot of situations that involved eating out... I gained weight. I like to do these things properly, so of course I went so far away from my regular number that I couldn't fit in any of my clothes.

I've been doing better in the past month, though. My running shoes and I got reacquainted, I started tracking my meals, and my blender is getting plenty of attention again. I'm feeling much more positive and productive, but it hasn't translated to weight loss because I haven't been all that consistent. I marvel at the Jodie of spring, who resisted delicious things like beer and cake, and worked out every morning, sometimes even going to Zumba as well! I would erect a statue in her honor if my budget could allow such an extravagance.

Anyway, I'm setting myself a challenge to work really really really hard for the next 3 weeks. I like manageable periods of time like that. My goal is to develop a routine, be consistent, and hopefully lose 5 lbs. I will share the results with you here! But first, I will share my plans. Look out for them in forthcoming blog posts!

Missing In Action

WARNING: This is a little bit long. A little bit.

I'm sure it hasn't gone unnoticed that all three of us have been missing in action for a wee while. I can't speak for the other girls but for me, once the excitement of a new project wore away and we steadily crept nearer to gradation deadlines, my motivation disappeared as fast as a hamburger in my hands.

I did somehow manage to keep off the 2 kilos I lost during the start of our Expat Pact endeavors even though I stopped exercising. However, my cholesterol was even worse at my last check up, even though, whether I went out to eat or cooked at home, I still made sure I didn't choose the cheesiest fattiest foods even when they were so tempting

That blood test was a big kick up the bum for me. I'm not sure why that worked when nothing else has, but I've been making some serious changes in two aspects of my routine: Diet and Exercise.

"How boring, Eleana. That's what all the doctors and fitness gurus tell us to do."

Well friends, that's because it makes the most difference unless you're willing to go under the knife (which I'm not). Losing weight is not some crazy secret that thin people are holding out on so the rest of us can't do it. It's super simple. And I think I've finally got it.

Here are the changes I have made:

Meals

Breakfast - Erm... nothing. But I'm currently not working so I don't wake up until lunch time. When I get back into my routine of work I will be having cereal.

Lunch - Cereal (Crunchy Nut Cornflakes)

Dinner - Salad (Iceburg lettuce, chicken, ranch and balsamic dressings)

Exercise

Walking - 2-3 times per week (aiming to do more)

Swimming - 1-2 times per week


Now, I can eat the same thing over and over again and it doesn't bother me, so this is what I eat most days. Not every day. Sometimes I will mix up the dinner to have something more hearty with vegetables or a pasta treat. Perhaps you would think that this isn't satisfying enough and I must go hungry all day, but you'd be wrong. Surprisingly, I'm really not hungry between meals. If I go out for a meal, I choose a meat and substitute potato for veg. And I know not everyone is happy with the eating cereal twice a day thing, but it worked amazingly for me when I lived abroad so I've gone back to it.

It is amazing how much difference something as simple as walking can do. Rachael and I have taken to walking a trail at a quickened pace (but still definitely walking pace) for about an hour each time. This used to keep off additional pounds back in the day when I would walk to university or walk to work and back. Because we live in Mississippi now, after an hour in the humidity, we tend to find a dip in the pool is just what we need. Even if we aren't actually doing strokes and just having a chat, we make sure to tread water or do knee ups under water to keep ourselves moving. Little things make a difference!

"And is it making a difference?" I hear you ask. (Not really, but I am imagining it).

YES

When I took a break from the pact, my weight would fluctuate each day: 68.5kg, 68kg, 69kg, 68.5kg etc. After committing to my diet and exercise plans for two weeks, I now firmly weigh 66kg. I haven't measured myself again yet, but that is next on my list for Monday when I start back with keeping up the Expat Pact blog. I am very ready to reach my first weight goal of 64kg, which I really think is achievable in the not too distant future.

Cheers to getting back on the right track!

Jodie's Weekly Check In

I don't mean to make a habit of checking in on Wednesdays... I WILL be better next week and do it Monday!

April 4
Weight: 122.6 lbs (+ 0.8)
Body Fat: 23.4%
Measurements: Waist 25.5"; Hips 37"; Thigh 20.75" (+ 1")

Unfortunately I have gained some weight, but this is entirely deserved as I haven't been putting in my best effort recently. Now that the main bulk of thesis-writing is done I'm committing to eating better and finishing Ripped in 30. I joined Jillian Michael's DietBet for an extra dose of motivation.

I would still like to reach my goal weight (115 lbs) by graduation, but 118 lbs might be more realistic. I am going to try really hard to keep checking in here, log my meals every day and get regular exercise.


It's so hard to get back into it after a lot of slipping up, but I am determined! I will finish my thesis and I will lose the remaining weight. I am trying to visualize myself in my graduation dress feeling good about everything.

Eleana's Weekly Check In

• Weight: 68 kg (- 2 kg)
• Body Fat:
• Waist: 30" (-2.5")
• Hips: 42" (-1.5")
• Thighs: 23 (- 0.5")

Let me start of by saying, this is no April Fool's joke... I am actually back on the right track again.

Hurrah! So nice to be seeing those numbers going down instead of up. I got a bit of an early April Fool's surprise by my weight on Sunday when the scales informed me I was 67 kg! I was back up to 68 kg the next day, but I SAW IT I SWEAR!

Anyway, my efforts to cut down on diet coke and other soft drinks is going surprisingly well! I haven't "slipped up" so to speak from being desperate for a can of the good stuff. I had one on purpose the other day to celebrate the fact I just turned in my graduation portfolio. Since then, nada. My addiction was clearly not as bad as I feared. It was much worse last year for sure when I was clawing at vending machines when I gave it up for a week.

I have not been eating out very much which has helped massively because I am always lured into buying those 1,600 calorie meals. I am still doing well with my water and I am also doing well by not having dessert after every meal (although I've had a couple brownies in a mug).

Now that it is finally warming up in Mississippi I need to get my running shoes back on and do some more exercise which I have roped my boyfriend into doing with me for company... and competition.

Health for the Skin

In this week's check-in I mentioned that I was experiencing bad skin. I have extremely sensitive skin so I easily suffer from eczema and acne. Now that I've moved to the South I also have to tend with sunburn, mosquito bites and even a lashing from a Carolina jellyfish. How did all the Scots-Irish people survive here for so long?!

I'm writing up a few things that I'm trying to do in the hopes that it will help anyone else who struggles!

Nutrition
In order to have good skin, it's important to have an overall healthy diet that is low in saturated fat, sugar and sodium, with a range of fruit and veggies as well as enough protein and fat. In addition, there are foods that are particularly helpful if you are trying to improve your skin.

Here are some foods that are great for skin:

• Nettles, peppermint, fennel, burdock
• Berries, acai, red grapes
• Lemon
• Nuts (especially pumpkin seeds and Brazil nuts)
• Watercress, kale, broccoli, alfafa sprouts, spinach, avocado
• Beetroot, tomatoes and garlic
• Brown rice, legumes and tofu
• Salmon, mackerel and oysters

Step 1 for me is always to make a green smoothie. One of my favorite combinations is spinach, banana, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, vegan protein powder and coconut water. (People argue about whether or not coconut water has any benefits, but personally I find it refreshing and I've seen a difference in my skin from when I didn't drink it.) I will occasionally switch the greens to kale but I find it harder to blend and stronger-tasting than spinach. I've also done a mint/cherry combo in the pasta which is a way to include peppermint.

I eat a lot of these foods regularly, but next week as I am focused on improving my skin I will be making meals of salmon and broccoli, a tomato pasta sauce and edamame fried rice for lunches. It's simple to see that just by having meals like smoothies, salads and soups, and snacking on fruit and veggies, it's easy to incorporate many of these foods.

Hydration
I bug y'all about getting your water intake up so regularly that this need not be said anymore. Obviously, drinking lots of water will help with skin as it flushes out toxins. In addition to drinking cold water, I also replace cups of tea/coffee with hot water and lemon. I could even go crazy and put some nettles in there... but I'm not confident our grocery stores stock it!

Lifestyle
General health is important too, and if you're anything like me stress and lack of sleep will show up on your face. I've become a lot more responsible about getting enough sleep. Still working on the stress thing... At least grad school is almost over?! I've also heard good things about investing in a good quality pillowcase (i.e. silk) and keeping towels that are just for your face. I've recently started taking a multivitamin on advice from my hairdresser as my hair is thinning/not growing well, hopefully that will help with skin too.

Beauty Regime
I wash my face twice a day with Clinique cleanser, followed by Clinique mild toner (I am lazy about using this... must be better), then a combination of LUSH's Skin Drink moisturiser and Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil. I discovered the oil last semester when I was desperately trying to find a solution for my eczema. It didn't really work for that but it made my overall complexion much brighter. I will probably continue to buy it for the rest of my life! I also use LUSH's Ocean Salt exfoliant once or twice a week. I take care of the skin on my face pretty well, but I am trying to exfoliate and moisturise my body more regularly. Oh I hate getting old!

With my sensitive hair and skin, I'm making an effort to no longer blow dry my hair or wear makeup unless it is a special occasion. I'm not sure how well I can stick to it once I'm working in the bookstore, but I know it will help so I must try.
 
Hope this is helpful - I'm off to do Ripped in 30!

Jodie's Weekly Check In - late again!

Somehow Wednesday is turning into my check-in day... I WILL post next Monday!

March 26
Weight: 121.8 lbs (-1.6 lbs)
Body Fat: TBC
Measurements: Waist 25"; Hips 36.5"; Thigh 20.75" (no change)

I didn't exactly get back on the wagon this past week. In fact, it was one of the least healthy weeks I've had in awhile as I had some cake at Lusa, a few meals out and I didn't find the time to exercise. It's not showing up in my weight or measurements, but my skin has been terrible, so that is definitely a motivation for me to return to my green smoothies. On the plus side, I am much further along with my work. I hope I can find some balance this week.

I never did get back to Ripped in 30 so this week I'm going to start Week 3, and hopefully get to a Zumba class. It's always hard to return to healthy habits after indulges like cake and extra sleep but I know that after just a few days it feels natural to eat salad and work out. I try to tempt myself with healthy food I really like, such as banana pancakes. Next week I am going to hit it hard and get back on track, extra exercise and excellent nutrition. (It will help to have payday, too - I am living off soup!) We've got just over 6 weeks until graduation and I would really like to reach my goal weight by then.