3 Meals a Day: Week Three

3 Meals a Day Week Three:

Today marks the first time in 7 months that I have broken a diet. Technically it's not much of a break as I have not eaten things I am not supposed to - but that I have missed a meal in this case breakfast - possibly followed by no lunch and dinner.

However I had always sad the only time I would consider a break in diet was if I was unwell - so mark that as a good excuse - I have a stomach bug of some ilk (it's been through max and the kids already - now it's my turn) and food and I are not on speaking terms today.

Still the same weight, 94 kilo range. 3 meals a day and nothing else does not make you hungry and seems to manage a stable weight quite well. I suspect if combined with a more restrictive regimin like Vegan or low-carb it would work effectively to aid loss, but I can pretty much eat anything as long as it comprises one of my meals (and no disguising loads of snacks as a meal).

Going back to bed...

3 Meals a Day - Week Two

3 Meals A Day - Week Two.

I've reached the halfway point of my dieting adventure, with just over 5 months left to go. Not quite sure what will be next on the diet front or if I need to start repeating myself - simple, easily digested diet plans are hard to come by and I have no interest in Aitkins or Dukan or anything that requires much thought.

Week two progresses - the hardest part as expected is remembering to eat breakfast. I feel like I want/need snacks between lunch and dinner, but not at night and not before lunch. So far so good I have managed to eat 3 meals a day and zero else for a couple of weeks now.

Weight remains steady on the 94 Kilos range (depending on the time of the day). But I have also eaten out a few times with a visitor in the house and had wine and cheese with meals - neither of which are in my normal diet.

The picture above refers to me having to buy new clothes this weekend. I was down to one pair of pants that still fit me without falling off (even with the belt on it's last loop). The last size I officially bought was 104L pants (42) and when trying on clothes yesterday I tried 40's (too loose), 38's (too loose) and settled on 36's (92's) which are comfortable but I can still say are not tight. Ineterstingly the cut of the leg made a huge difference. Boot cut and skinny I could not get over my thighs and calves, and the waist was smaller somehow even though I had the same apparent size.

So new pairs of jeans and 6 inches or 12 cms approx different from 6 months ago.

3 Meals a Day Week One

3 Meals a Day - Week One

The rule, must have 3 meals a day and nothing else to eat. So a little more than a simple no snack diet, breakfast must be consumed in some form every day.

This is a challenge for me as I am so not a breakfast person. When Harry is back from School holidays I suspect I will find this even harder as I struggle to get up get the kids ready, get myself ready, get him to school on time and then get to work as well.

But so far so good. Unlike the Vegan diet where I was still snacking, but the food I was eating filled me up less, this diet actually reduces the need for snacks or reduces the desire for snacking.

Sometimes a bit of will power is required, I have a friend visiting and she brought chocolate (Haighs From OZ - yumm-o) and that does not form part of a meal, so Max and the kids luck out there! I'm not overdoing the meals, I've only had dessert the once when the family was over for dinner and it's not a regular part of any meal I have had for years.

I'm not tempted to over eat to compensate, and with exercise burning up extra calories as well, this seems to work as a balanced diet.

Lowest weight 94.3 Kilos, so instead of plateauing or gaining slightly - which I suspected may be a result - I have actually lost a kilo and a half this week - partly from Vegan and partly from changing to this diet.

Very first day off Vegan? Bacon and egg sandwich - mmmm Bacon....

Vegan: Week 4

Vegan: Week Four

Vegan is a very effective if somewhat limiting diet, but it does force you into a pattern of acceptable eating very quickly and has a noticeable and almost instantaneous effect. There is  plenty to choose from and it's not massively hard to find things to eat, but with limited choices you find yourself repeating your dietary choices more often than you would - so the psychological factor of eating loads of lentils, felafels and vegetables is always present and to be watched for.

However despite that it's very encouraging to be losing this kind of weight and not feeling ill effects other than dietary boredom. Often the response I get is "of course you will lose weight, you can't eat anything" which is not true, I still eat meals of a decent size and snack as well, just on a much reduced list of available foods.

The photos above show me at various stages, the fat photo was from May last year I think - and I was close to that in weight (if not heavier as I struggled with even my XXL t-shirts some times) and over 126 kilos (to my knowledge), The middle photo was on the 21st of June when I was 108 Kilos and the last is me in my schmancy new compression gear this week at 96.0 Kilos approximately 30 kilos (probably more than that) lighter than picture 1.

5 more days on Vegan and the to the 3 meals a day and zero snacks diet, which is diet number 7.