22F 5ft8 SW: 161lb CW: 144lb GW: 128lb
Gone from BMI 24.5 to BMI 21.8 in just under 2 months, just another 16lb of weight loss to go and then I'm going to start trying to tone up properly 💪 I know I am lucky in that I don't have much to lose, and my journey is likely a lot quicker than many others, but these last 2 months have entailed the biggest change in mindset I've ever had. I'm no longer making excuses for myself and spiralling into self hatred and I feel so motivated and capable!
My routine:
Firstly, I worked out my TDEE. For reference, my maintenance calories are approx 1800-2000 calories, depending on how active I am that day.
Ultimately, I made lots of small alterations to my lifestyle. My calorie intake varies, I have weeks of sticking around 1200-1300, with some days more around 1600-1800. I'd say my average intake and the one I try to stick around is 1400, putting me in a daily average 400-500 calorie deficit.
I do exercise more now, too. I used to walk a lot when I was at University, now I'm unemployed and in a pandemic my steps still aren't so great most days. But I now do pilates and yoga, lots of stretching and I do work outs with small weights, including HIIT once or twice per week. I know that once I'm in a job and a proper routine the added steps will help me sustain my weight loss.
The most important thing for me was cutting out snacking calories. I was a massive junk food vegan, and the bulk of my intake was my dinner and all the snacks I'd eat afterwards. I'm talking a full pint of vegan Ben & Jerry's, a a full pack of Jammy Dodgers, a multipack of 6 packs of salt & vinegar crisps & 3 packets of strawberry laces in one sitting, after eating a full, big portioned dinner. I knew this food had to go, I was just eating out of boredom, tbh, and it was most nights, not occasionally, as I'd tell myself.
I started accurately counting my calories every single day using Myfitnesspal, using a food scale and measuring cups. I began to start streamlining my meals to improve my macros, switching from fatty oat milk to protein-fortified soya milk, from frozen curly fries to home-cooked sweet potato wedges, from regular fusili to wholewheat etc.
Breakfast:
Instead of having my morning coffee with oat milk and flavoured sugar syrup, I now whisk a quarter cup of soya milk in with coffee granules and a scoop of vanilla protein powder, microwave for a minute and then mix in boiling water.
I cut out bread for the most part, and began eating oatmeal with nut butter and fruit. If I have regular breakfast cereal on lazy days, I will measure out exactly 30g and have with a quarter cup of soya milk. I also sometimes go for Paleo granola (grain free, mostly nuts) and alpro yoghurt and fresh fruit.
Lunch:
I often used to skip lunch, but now I like to have small meals like a tofu or avocado salad, or avocado on one slice wholewheat toast, or pesto pasta salad, or use leftovers from previous dinners. I like to dress up my lunches with lots of hot sauce, balsamic vinegar, flaxseed, nuts, dried goji berries, nutritional yeast etc.
Dinner:
As a prolific evening eater, I knew I'd probably want to save most of my calories for my evening dinner. I generally have 600-900 calorie evening meals, whereas my breakfast and lunch rarely ever exceed 300 calories per meal.
I've been trying new recipes, like Vietnamese Pho, which is one of my new favourites, broccoli and cauliflower cashew cheese bake, roasted vegetable tart. I'm really enjoying trying out new methods of incorporating whole foods in my meals! I still eat a fair amount of carbs, but far far less than I used to, and I aim for 45:25:30 carbs to protein to fat. Not the best, but more easily achieveable for me with my vegan diet as there aren't as many lean protein sources available to me.
I've started using more protein sources, like lentils, seitan, tofu and quinoa. I used to have very heavy carb meals, for example, I'd have a vegan "steak" with chunky chips and potato cakes and peas, or veggie sausages, mash and beans with an unholy portion of buttery, creamy mash potato. Now, my meals mostly revolve around vegetables and a protein source, with perhaps a few starchy vegetables or a smaller portion of couscous.
Snacks:
Snacks during the day are mostly small quantities of fresh or dried fruit or a few nuts. I try not to eat mindlessly as I know snacks do add up. Sometimes I do still snack on biscuits, but the important thing is I rarely eat more than 2 rather than demolish the entire packet.
If I want a evening snack, and I have enough calories left, I'll measure out a serving suggestion of low calorie ice cream like Alpro Mango & Passionfruit, or Halo Top Dairy Free caramel, and rip up some dried banana to top it, or get a single pack of salted pretzels and eat with a low fat cream cheez dip, or a small pot of houmous.
I'd love to be at my goal weight by New Years, but realistically I know the last few pounds will take longer than the first few. I don't care when I get there, but I'm so happy to be well on my way! I actually feel like my choices are sustainable! Even though sometimes I do endulge in an occasional takeaway, I still eat ice cream frequently, and maybe have one two many beers once a week or so, I feel like I am better able to balance these indulgences with a healthy diet, and it is no longer the case for me that one binge means I keep bingeing.
Thanks for reading! If anyone has any further suggestions I am super open to hearing them. My focus now is on further upping my protein and trying to eat more iron, as its the one thing I am consistently deficient in.
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