My Workout/Diet Regimen Part 1♥

Hi everyone! 

Oddly enough my workout/diet regimen has been effect, so I'm going to make a little guide on how I've been losing weight 

I want to say this up front, your diet is more important than exercise. I've learned this through many trial and error regimens, but healthy eating is what really helps you lose weight. Exercise tones your muscles which is also nice, and will be mentioned in pt. 2. 

Ok so I started dieting roughly last Wednesday (a full week), and have lost a total of 6 pounds. I've cut out all bread, soda, sugar (aside from stevia) and red/processed meats (aside from natural cut ham from the deli.) 

As far as food goes, these are my dieting essentials that fill you up but aren't full of calories

-Hard boiled eggs. I know not everyone likes them but they're really nice with a slice of ham or a bit of olive oil based mayo. They're 70 calories, but the calories are burned up while being digested so it's basically calorie free food. 

-Natural Stevia sweetener. This is a life saver. It's a calorie free food, and isn't made out of chemicals like splenda or the other ~sugar free~ sweeteners (don't use them they cause cancer!) You can buy stevia packets at places like Walmart, or you can buy a concentrated liquid at Whole Foods, it's $20.00 a bottle tho :-( 

(Pro tip: I don't recommend using honey that you buy off of grocery shelves. It's basically sugar. It contains very little honey and is high calorie! Switch to raw honey or pure maple syrup (buy at Whole Foods, Market Street, or Trader Joe's))

-Canned Tuna. My favorite lunchy food. Mix some up with tomatoes, capers, green onions, and olive oil based mayo. Enjoy on stalks of romaine lettuce. It's to die for! 

-Broccoli/Cauliflower. Broccoli is my favorite vegetable! It's full of vitamins and minerals and it tastes lovely. There aren't many calories per serving either. Cauliflower is that same but it's kind of tasteless. What I like to do is sprinkle garlic powder or dried herbs to add a little something something to it. 

(Pro tip- don't flavor things with salt anymore, it makes you bloated which makes your weight fluctuate) 

-Tilapia Fillets. Thankfully my house mates like this, but when I lived with my mom it was hard to make her buy it, so yeah. If you do try it, bake it in the oven with lemon, garlic cloves, and italian herbs. It's amazing!

-Green apples. These are my dessert. I like the green version because they have more nutrition in them versus the red variety. They're 20 calories per apple, and are very yummy with almond butter!

-Old Fashioned Oats. Do not buy the packets of oatmeal they have added sugar and powdered milk which you are trying to avoid. I like to smush a banana with a tablespoon of almond butter, a tablespoon of natural cocoa powder, and a teaspoon of honey for dessert, or breakfast! 

-Almond Butter. A staple in my diet. Try not to eat too much of this stuff because it is kind of fattening. I buy mine from the machines in the bulk foods section of Market Street and Whole Foods. It's cheaper than normal peanut butter and more delicious in my opinion. On cheat days I add a little squirt of honey roasted peanut butter, it's soo yummy! 

-Hummus. A very low calorie food made out of chick peas, sesame seed paste, and garlic. It's very healthful and delicious! It's about 70 calories but the serving is a nice size. You can buy this at walmart in the deli section (buy Sabra it's the best) or dm me on twitter for a recipe. ~Also~ For the best results don't eat this with pita bread or chips. Stick to veggies like carrots and celery. 

-Quinoa. A grain similar to oatmeal, you can make many dishes out of it with minimal calorie consumption. It's very healthy for you and promotes healthy skin and nails, as well as cleansing your organs. Don't buy this in the box at the store! It's way more affordable to buy it in the bulk foods section at Whole Foods, Market Street, Trader Joe's, and I think Kroeger. 

Pro Tip: When preparing quinoa soak it for at least 20 minutes. The outer coating is poisonous! 

-Fruit. This is vague, but all fruit is good for you as desserts or snacks. Go easy on bananas though, they're a bit more fatty than normal fruits. My favorites are mangoes, tangerines, strawberries, and grapes.

-Beets. I wanted to mention this as a dinner option. When you grate it up with a whole carrot, and squeeze an orange it creates a very fresh, light, salad that's low calorie and is delicious! Pig out on this stuff, guilt free!

-Blue Bunny 20 Calorie Popsicles. I don't know the real name of them but they're really good on cheat days.  It's not really cheating but yeah~

If you do want to eat bread, chose sprouted bread, or sourdough. I don't recommend buying manufactured loaves. Buy something from your stores bakery to ensure that only natural ingredients are used! 

If you have any suggestions, or want recipe ideas @ me or send me an ask on tumblr! 

-Zoe