Need to catch up?
Check out Part 1, here.
It's all about exercise and the simple and low-intensity approach I'm taking to get wedding ready... and beyond. Pro tips too.
But it's never just one thing, right?
You've heard it before...
"You can't out-run a bad diet."
"Abs are made in the kitchen."
"It's 80% diet, 20% exercise and genetics."
What's most annoying? IT'S ALL TRUE. Ugh.
I've experimented with it all.
Paleo. Gluten-free. Vegan. Dairy-free. All that horsesh*t.
In the spirit of full transparency, I was constantly bloated, eating too much of everything, spending too much money on everything, and believing every f*cking thing I read on the internet.
GAH. TO BE YOUNG.
And then you know what I *finally* did?
I LISTENED TO MY MOTHER.
She told me to keep an eye on portions, and to eat any and everything I want. Including booze. (Drink responsibly kids.) Nix the crazy workouts that had me on the brink of exhaustion and building LOTS of unwanted muscle (sorry, not what I want aesthetically) and go for a head-clearing yet metabolism boosting walk complemented with barre or pilates to lengthen and stretch the muscle I do have while maintaining a healthy tone.
What a concept. What a cost-saver. What a SANITY CHECK.
It's been 10 weeks of this.
I started eating bread, cheese, pasta, wine, you name it on just about a daily basis.
I've lost 11 POUNDS.
And I'll be incredibly real with you, the walking/barre helps, but it's ALL DIET.
Calories in, calories out friends.
You need to create a 3,500 calorie deficit to lose ONE POUND. That's a lot of excess calories.
So how to get started?
Write down exactly what you eat, for a couple days. The serving sizes too.
Like me, you likely don't need to be eating that much. EVEN the 'good for you' stuff.
Actually weigh yourself. We've never owned a scale. We got one.
The human body fluctuates like 4-5 lbs throughout the day. I think it's incredibly interesting to see how my weight can fluctuate (water, wine, salt, time of the month, etc) in a matter of hours and also how men can drop like 8 lbs overnight. (SERIOUSLY HOW?)
It's an accountability tool and frankly, I geek out over the metrics and data.
Reality check?
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you don't need to eat an entire avocado with your scrambled eggs. 1/4 does the trick.
A serving size of peanut butter is 2T. That is a pathetic amount, I KNOW. Pretty sure I was dumping on double that any time I had my favorite food in the world.
Also, your favorite 200+ calorie protein bar? Again, if you're looking to lose weight, you don't need it while you sit at your desk all afternoon. Nosh on a hard-boiled egg or a few almonds instead.
Watch your portions and your serving sizes (I don't when it comes to lean proteins, legumes, fruits or veggies as an FYI.)
A day in the life
Truth be told, my meals are pretty simple these days, and incredibly consistent. Once a week we go out for what I've dubbed, a 'sanity meal'. Or ANYTHING I DAMN WELL PLEASE. Like a burger, fries, a couple glasses of wine and some dessert. It's so freaking satisfying.
I made a joke on Instagram about how I eat the same breakfast every single weekday, and honestly, it's true. But it works. All those little "add-ons" truly do "add-on" excess calories that, for me to reach my aesthetic goals, I don't need.
So what's it look like?
Pre-workout:
[If needed] 1/2 Banana, 1t PB (just to break the fast and give me a little energy)
Breakfast:
WEEKDAYS: 0% Fage Greek Yogurt, 1c berries, 1/4c granola, cinnamon, drizzle of honey
WEEKENDS: Soft scrambled eggs, avocado toast with sea salt and red chili pepper flakes (bonus if it's on farmer's market sourdough bread which is my new thing to get), everything but the bagel seasoning
Lunch:
SALAD: 1/2c quinoa or rice, greens, lean protein, mix of veggies, 1/4 avocado + EVOO/red wine vinegar
OR
SANDWICH: Turkey, spicy mustard, greens, Dubliner cheddar, avocado on a wrap, whole wheat bread or sourdough; always toasted or grilled! (If we have any veggies that need to be used up I'll add 'em too)
Apple
Snack:
Rice cake with 1T peanut butter and 1/2 banana
Dinner:
Sometimes a glass of wine.
Salmon Burgers with Jalapeno Peach Salsa
Roasted Veggie, Protein, Grain Bowls
Pizzas (with this insane homemade dough)
Spaghetti and Meatballs (with whole wheat pasta and freshly grated parmigiana)
Dessert:
Dark chocolate, always. We buy 100% cacao that is mixed only with vanilla bean and love it.
Post-Dinner:
Air popped popcorn, every night
That's really it. It's not super fancy, but it works frankly. I want to be my best self at our wedding and on our honeymoon.
It's not cutting our food groups or over-emphasizing a particular macro-nutrient. It's not spending a fortune on boutique fitness classes.
It's creating a caloric deficit. It's moving my body every day for 45-60 minutes and toning 3x a week.
3 months until I do.