Weight weight weight...go away!

Before I go on with this post, let me just say that this is one of those topics that are considered senstive. I don't mean to insult or embarass anyone. This post is solely based on my own personal experience. The activities I do or food I eat might not be suitable for your needs. So please read with caution...ha! ha!

These past several months, I have been approached by several people on numerous occasions about what my diet looks like and how I manage to stay this "thin." I know in their minds, they must think that I probably starve myself. But please before you say anything to judge me, I am not thin. I am just perfectly proportioned(and I definitely eat plenty and I can just easily do 10 pull ups, wink wink).  How would one define thin anyways? There is no way I am going there. Don't want to stir up trouble:-).
 

See, how chubby my cheeks were? lol. I can't believe this picture was taken about three years ago. At least, I was still looking fab. he! he! 


Even if you care or not, I am going to share with you what meal plan looks like (if you read my blog, you will see that majority of my food posts are pretty healthy). You are more than welcome to follow, ignore, or even consider this for yourself. And you can also tailor it according to your dietary needs. Let me just say that I am not, in any way, a dietician or nutritionist. I just like to educate myself with things that I care the most such as food. And I really really  really try to consciously choose food that are good and have long lasting health benefits. And I can guarantee you, if you feed your body with the right nutrients, your body will reward you. All that little problems (such as fatigue, sinus allergy, athritis, etc.) will slowly diminish. You just have to  be committed.

I'm sure, by now, you are wondering how did I get into this type of lifestyle. All I remember is that it started about two years ago around the time I was planning my wedding.  Ofcourse, what bride wants to look chunky? Certainly not me. HAHA! Joke! Joke! I have always been active ever since I was young. Played sports. Worked out. Hiked. Jogged. Name every activity out there and I probably did 75% of it. Sure, I was active, but there was one thing that I thought was not in sync.  I could not maintain my weight! I never was a healthy eater. Heck, I never liked vegetables growing up. I have to be spoonfed if I recall.


And if you know me, once I get obsessed with something, I won't stop researching about it over and over and over. And I know losing weight is not hard at all. It's all in the state of mind and having the motivation and dedication to do it. All I needed was something to motivate and push me harder. I guess it was my wedding and I really wanted to look GREAT! and super fit...so while I was at the gym, they introduced this new class called the Metabolic Effect, which is a high intensity rest based training that only last for 30 minutes, which is designed to increase ones metabolism at a higher rate, while burning fat and sugar.  

"The Science behind the Metabolic Effect (ME) incorporates the latest understanding in endocrinology, health, fitness, strength and conditioning research. ME is a science-based program focused on changing the fat-burning hormonal response to exercise and diet. By changing hormones, rather than simply eating less or exercising more, the body naturally regulates fat burning, appetite, and mood so that motivation for exercise is enhanced while cravings for food are reduced." -- taken from their blog

And ofcourse, being obsessed that I am, I got hooked and it lead me to purchase their Metabolic Effect book. It really changed my perspective towards diet and excercise. To make story short, engaging in high intensity training while taking short rests, eliminating carbs, increasing protein and vegetables in your diet is the way to go. Can you imagine once I started doing this religiously, I immediately dropped 10 lbs? I became stronger and started seeing muscle definition that I have only dreamed ofbefore. LOL! It was hard at first but once I started eating clean, my cravings for sweet and junk slowly went away and I have maintained it up to this day. I still have the occasional cheat meal once a week where I can eat whatever I want. Otherwise, my mind would just go insane. And it has now become the lifestyle that I have been accustomed to...

Here is my typical meal for the day:

breakfast - eggs, spinach, and grean tea

mid morning snack - raw almonds or blueberries

lunch - a big green salad with grilled chicken and balsamic dressing or fat free balsamic vinaigrette

mid afternoon snack - a small sugar free protein bar

dinner - baked salmon with a side of veggies and a little bit of sweet potatoe

How simple is that? If I can do it, you can too.....

Now here is a new and improved me..hahaha..some pics from my wedding.

I hope this motivates you to transition into a healthy lifestyle.

Happy Wednesday. Bisous, Contessa