gaining momentum

I'm happy to report that I'm having a good week so far! I wasn't sure how difficult it would be to just starting "being good" again. Turns out cold turkey is the way to go. In the past I've tried to ease my way back into things but it never works. As long as there's an option to eat badly, I'll take it! So this time I woke up Monday morning and a dodgy diet was no longer an option. Clean eating is where it's at and despite ongoing stress & exhaustion, I've been smashing out some good gym sessions too. Tick.


Sooo, prep week. I was concerned that having a week to achieve more results would mean getting a head start on the competition and therefore disadvantage me... But when I weighed myself on Monday I realised I managed to put on 1.5kg during my couple of weeks of blatant bingeing and therefore this week will be just getting me back to my previous start point. Wow - shows just how quickly your hard work can be undone! Lesson learnt. Cheat MEAL not cheat MONTH.


So while we're on food, I'll take this opportunity to post my meal plan for the next 8 weeks. Keep in mind that it's only a guide - some things I'll definitely stick to every day but others I'll be trying to find a close equivalent. Interestingly enough, I've been reading lately that a lack of variety in food can be very helpful when it comes to losing weight. The more flavours & textures in front of you, the more you're going to want to eat and there's a much higher chance of going back for seconds! Same goes for snacking... If you have a cupboard full of every snack under the sun, you're never going to get bored and always find something else to eat. If you have a huge supply of just one or two foods however, you're more likely to get a snack based on hunger rather than boredom/cravings.


Breakfast Rolled oats w/ cinnamon & sugar, hot Milo, 1 kiwi fruit


Snack 1 banana


Lunch Sandwich w/ tinned salmon, light mayo & salad


Snack 1 orange, hot Milo


Dinner Lean meat w/ vege or salad & small serve of starchy carb


Snack 3 hard boiled egg whites


The breakdown: Approx 1350 calories total - I am aiming under what I should be eating in a day because I always end up eating more than I plan for. Anything up to 1600 a day is fine for the time being but I may drop lower towards the end of the competition. It's a fairly high carb diet to begin with (180-200g a day) but if I'm going to drop carbs I'll need to do it gradually or I know I'll crash. I definitely need to increase the protein intake (80g a day to start) but I've always struggled with protein so it'll have to be a work in progress.


Now let's get one thing straight. There are better diets out there with more protein, less carbs, yada yada. That's not what this is about. I am looking for a diet that can of course achieve results, but more importantly, keeps me satisfied & not feeling deprived and is therefore maintainable not just for the 7 weeks but for life. Of course if I'm a couple of weeks in and the results are happening too slowly, I'll make some tweaks but I would rather be realistic and eating food I enjoy than just turning into a robot who eats grass for 7 weeks then binges at the end and puts all the weight back on.


That's all from me for now. Still to come: gym plan, goals & affirmations. 5 days to go!!