Rethink "Diet"

As soon as I mention I lost 7 inches in 3 weeks, first question every woman has been asking me "What diet are you on?"Well, simply put, it's not a diet: it's just being a healthy, clean eater.
Luckily for me, this new plan works perfect for two reasons:
1. Overeating and waiting to eat one or two big meals a day makes me sick to my stomach. 5 small meals is perfect for my stomach.
2. Eating unhealthy, rich and cream dishes makes me sick to my stomach! Clean and simple eating has made my stomach much more happy with me.

So, simple enough, here's my plan.
1. Eat 4-5 meals a day, consisting of 200-300 calories.
2. NEVER workout on an empty stomach.
3. No alcohol.
4. No dairy except yogurt
5. TONS OF WATER! No juice, but I have been having coffee (with almond milk and cinnamon of course)
6. Always having my meals ready and prepared so no excuses!!

So, my basic day looks something like this!!!

Meal 1: 1 cup almond milk, 2/3 cup blueberries, 1 tbsp protein powder (spirulina at the momento!)
Workout: 10 min skip warmup, 45 min weight training, 10-15 min stretch (the yogi in me needs this!)
Meal 2: 1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup cut up apple, 2 tbsp walnuts, 1 tsp honey ORRRRR better yet (my favorite) 1 cup Kashi go-lean crunch (SO GOOD!!!), 1 tbsp flax seeds, 1/2 cup blueberries (frozen, no sugar added), and 2/3 cup almond milk.
Meal 3: whole grain pita with sliced turkey (no additives, natural), romaine lettuce or spinach, cucumber, mushrooms, tomato, peppers, mustard, onion
Meal 4: nutrition bar, mixed nuts, apple, or something else smaller
Meal 5: grilled chicken salad with oil & balsamic vinegar: walnuts or pecans, cucumber, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes...basically any veggies I have on hand OR something like grilled salmon and sweet potato or asparagus.

The "Diet"

Hey, it's Been a While...

Hey guys! I know it's been I would say way over a year by now, but I'm back... and more active than ever! Sorry I took a short time off from the world and spent the last while over in Asia- Muay Thai boxing camps, yoga retreats, surfing...you name it!
Since I returned to Calgary, Canada,  I have been focusing on a NEW sort of fitness challenge-
modeled after the expression: if you want something you've never had, you have got to be willing to do something you have never done. And what's that for me? Honestly stick to a "diet" and strict workout plan for 3 months. In order to do that I really needed to ask myself what is it that stops me from working out and sticking to the plan? For me, it's simple: I don't see the desired results. But, the problem with this is, day to day you are always changing and sometimes our eyes deceive us. So, what I have done is keep track of EVERYTHING. Once a week I do full body measurements and weight measurements. Each day, I track weight lifted, time for workout, etc. Has it helped? Absolutely! After 3 weeks in, I was convinced my biceps were huge and manly and I had to stop immediately. But, 3 weeks in a row showed 0 change in the size of my biceps. Yes, they are defining in muscle but not getting giant. Am I actually getting stronger? Yes. By recording my weights and reps, I am constantly climbing and by a lot. With a pre-existing past of knee and shoulder injuries, I am taking weight add-ons with caution but they are there all the same. Half way through week 5 and going strong except a minor incident with a roll of cookie dough this past weekend. More info and photos to come!