Healthy Eating Weight Loss

I was inspired to write a healthy eating post after a little while ago I was astonished to find I’d lost a couple of inches from my hips and waist, just by changing my diet for a few weeks. I'll set the scene by describing my old lifestyle. Throughout the day I would munch my way through packets of crisps, chocolate bars, chocolate eclairs, anything easy to eat that was bad for you. On a really naughty day I'd scoff down countless numbers of packets of crisps and chocolate bars and polish off a whole box of eclairs. I hang my head in shame at what a glutton I was!

Therefore I grazed my way through junk food throughout the day and had a main meal in the evening, which usually consisted of just a whole lot of carbohydrates. For the most part our meals consisted of white rice and chicken, with no vegetables or a huge load of pasta (again no veg). After eating I would feel hugely bloated. My waist expanded and my stomach swelled up (not a nice image, I apologise) and I would look a bit pregnant. It was very uncomfortable and I hated looking at my mid-section after a meal.

On top of this I was very inactive. I’ve never been one for exercise; sweating, getting out of breath and my heart hammering away inside my chest is not for me! Although I do realise if I exercised regularly none of that would happen! I have never been one to weigh myself either, instead I prefer to take measurements of my waist and hips occasionally. I find this an easier guide to how my body has/could change. I was still slim and a size 8/10 (thank you fast metabolism!), but I felt sluggish and bloated a lot of the time, and hated how big my waist got. I swear I was also beginning to see cellulite on my stomach, something I didn’t even know was possible! Eventually I told my boyfriend we must stop buying junk food. I have no will power, if it's in the cupboard, I'll eat it. Therefore it had to be gone completely!

And so my healthy eating lifestyle began! I now eat bran flakes for breakfast, a tuna and cucumber wrap for lunch and a healthy evening meal. We loosely base our meals on the pyramid method, which consists of the majority of the meal by being made up of vegetables or salad, then protein, and finally a small amount of carbs. I think portion size had a lot to do with me losing a few inches. We like the portion measurement method whereby you use your hands as a measurement; making a fist illustrates how big the portion of carbohydrates should be, and the serving of protein should be the size of your palm. When you first do this it does look tiny (it did compared to the huge portions we used to eat) but it's amazing how quickly what first looks like a small portion becomes an amount of food that fills you nicely.

So whilst I’m still incredibly lazy and don’t do any exercise (I am toying with the idea of starting running, but it may just remain a fantasy), I did actually lose weight. I dropped around 2 inches off my waist and 2 inches off my hips. Since eating healthily I feel so much better in myself. I no longer feel like a bloated pig after eating (hooray!) and feel less sluggish. The thought of a carb-laden meal now makes me feel queasy. We used to eat two hot dogs, chips, baked beans. Bleugh! And pasta actually makes me feel physically sick because it’s so stodgy. I used to love rice but the thought of it now is not appealing. I much prefer munching on a crisp, fresh salad!

It's amazing how only a month or so can transform your views towards food. We do still have the occasional naughty treat. We’ve actually developed a bad habit of buying a box of 5 doughnuts every time we go for our weekly shop and eating one in the car before we go home! But instead of feasting on junk all day, it’s now become a treat, which is how it should be.

Our meals now basically consist of the below with some variations!

-Salmon salad (with yummy bits of avocado and feta in) with marie rose sauce & hash browns
-Coronation chicken & couscous (made from low fat mayo) with salad

We love our couscous and salad! We get the Ainsley couscous which is yummy and so easy to do, just add boiling water and stir! And it forms a great base to a meal. For healthy snacks we like carrot and cucumber sticks with houmous, yummy! So that is my new healthy eating lifestyle. The best part of losing the inches in when you place the tape measure around you at the number you used to be and have all that gaping space! Any other healthy meal ideas would be appreciated!