Hello everyone,
I hope you are all safe and well. This week I want to tell you about my weight loss journey and the changes it took for me to feel the healthiest I have ever felt.
Four years ago, I decided I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I researched as much as I could about gut health and weight loss. Having a sensitive gut, myself, I was keen to give anything a go.
I took processed sugars out of my diet along with processed and fatty food. I literally went cold turkey on all the nasty food groups. I chose to cut alcohol right down to a couple of drinks a week. The sacrifice paid off. I lost 17Kgs in 8 months and felt the healthiest I had felt in many years.
I managed to maintain this way of life until my sweet tooth got the better of me eighteen months ago. I have become lazy and tend to buy food out rather than cook at home and I have stopped saying no to sweet treats. Once again, I am sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.
I am now setting myself up to manage my sweet cravings. I am happy to cut out the take-out foods, but there is something about sweet treats. The trick is to go back to eating the right ones and trying to make them at home (stay tuned for the outcome).
I have noticed that my food choices have affected my health. I have noticed over the past twelve months the same side affects I had felt before I changed my habits, so this is proof enough to me that what I was doing was correct. I recommend you make the switch; you will feel a difference. If you are consistent with the changes and give them a fair amount of time, you will feel and look healthier (Do you see the changes in my photos? – They are in chronological order. The last photo was when I was two kgs away from my goal weight of 68Kgs).
I hear you ask; How do I start making the switch from processed sugars/foods and fatty foods? This is entirely up to you. If you have a strong will power and can go cold turkey, make all the changes below, straight away. If not, take it one step at a time and incorporate the changes in your own time. - It does not matter how long it takes you. All that matters is that you keep moving forward.
- Swap white/brown/raw sugar for a mild and organic honey. You can get large tubs of locally sourced honey from your local weekend markets. Ask to taste test them, as you need to think about whether you would enjoy the taste of it in not only your hot drinks, but in your baking and cooking also. As honey can have a strong taste, use half your usual amount, then reduce it by half again once you are accustomed to the lower sugary taste.
- Swap white sugar for maple syrup in your baking. Start by using half the recommended amount in the recipe, then reducing it by half again once you are accustomed to lower sugary taste in your baking.
- Swap vegetable oil for coconut or olive oil. Preferably coconut oil as it does not destabilise at high temperatures. There is a myth out there about coconut oil being high in fat. However, there is a big difference between healthy fats and saturated fats.
- Swap butter/marge for a plant-based alternative. I use; Nuttelex – Coconut oil.
- Swap white bread/flour for multigrain alternatives.
- Swap cheese with avocado or use a vegan friendly option.
- Swap your cows milk with a plant alternative, I use coconut milk of course! LOL!
Many people say how expensive it is to eat healthy. However, I believe it is more expensive eating wrong. Fatigue, weight issues and general aches and pains cost more mentally and physically then it does to eat right. I chose to cut down alcohol consumption and cut my take-out meals to one meal a week. Your health is worth every healthy change you make. I know this for a fact and this is the reason why I can prepare myself to grab a hold of my health and weight before it gets out of hand.
Follow me and take the plunge to control your own health and wellbeing too! XO
The beginning - 2018
Reaching my goal, slowly but surely - 2018
My dream weight 6 months later - 2018
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