Tuesday, March 22, 2011

What Karen did to lose 50 kg's

Hi fellow weight loss friends :) I posted this at the very beginning of our weight loss challenge, but since then I have had alot of people ask me what I did to lose 50kg's, so I thought I would post it again for those who have just recently joined us.


To begin with though, I really feel I need to mention that I am in NO WAY a weight loss professional, The diet I chose to follow isn't entirely what the 'professionals' would recommend, so if you decide to follow what I did, you need to be aware of that., and in some cases, even speak with your doctor prior to starting, which is reccomended with any weight loss programme.

I chose to lose the weight the fastest way possible. I was 50 kg's overweight, and I didn't want my weight to take 2 years to come off, I wanted it FAST. So I set myself a calorie limit of around 900 calories a day ( again, be aware that this is less than the weight loss professionals recommend) I bought a calorie counter book, and went from there. Please note, that because I am eating such limited calories, I also take a multivitamin, and a calcium tablet daily.

I have been on just about every diet known to man, and then some, so I took bits and pieces from each, and kind of formulated my own plan... One really good diet I was on once upon a time was 'ultra lite' It was a very low calorie, low carb diet, and I started my weight loss by following along with their plan to a degree. Then as the months went on, I changed things around to suit me.

I have chosen to avoid most carbs, especially pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, and most cereals other than porridge, and light cruskit biscuits.

A typical day for me would go something like this:

Breakfast: 4 cruskit biscuits ( the light, lower fat ones) topped with low fat packaged turkey breast and about 100 grams of flavoured cottage cheese. ( I like the chive and onion one, and the gherkin one isn't too bad either) I would love to say i don't drink coffee, but, umm, I do have 1 cup in the morning, with saccharine, and skim milk. If I'm still hungry, some days I will have a low fat fruit yoghurt too. ( I buy the nestle diet brand)

or:I will sometimes have porridge for breakfast as a change, about 1 cup, cooked, with skim milk. But do prefer the cottage cheese and cruskits, as its a good source of protein. sometimes I will have 2 eggs for a change also. Just remember not to have the toast with them :) but you can have a small amount of trimmed bacon ( fat cut off LOL)


Lunch: about 100 g of a low fat protein source. Chicken breast, turkey, fish, tuna, prawns, egg.....I try to avoid processed deli meat as much as possible ( other than my turkey slices) I have that with a salad of lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, mushrooms, carrot. (any salad veggies are OK) I dont use salad dressing as most of them are full of fat, but sometimes will have a tiny bit of 97% fat free mayonaise. balsamic vinegar is a good dressing when trying to lose weight, but I dont like it :)

Dinner: again, I would have about 100g serve of protein. steak, fish, etc, with around 100-150 g veggies, or salad. again remembering to avoid the high carb ones such as potato
(pumpkin, peas and corn are also quite high in carbs) I also try to avoid sauces and gravies, as these are high in calories.

Snacks: I try to keep these to a minimum. But if I really want something, or am feeling like my blood glucose is a bit low, I will have a little tub of weight watchers fruit, of a tub of yoghurt. Another favorite is stewed apple, I don't add sugar when cooking it, I use 'sprite' DIET lemonade ( make sure its the diet one) too cook my apple in. It give me the sweetness I sometimes crave, without any of the calories. yum !! and for an extra treat, I will have a little bit of 'nestle' diet yoghurt on the top....

If I am out, I usually take some cruskits and a little tin of tuna with me ( make sure its not in oil) but if Im stuck, and have nothing with me I will have a "Subway" wrap, with one of the 6g of fat or less fillings, with lots of salad. yum !!!

Drink: usually I just drink water. ( I try to have 2.5 ltrs per day) But sometimes, I will have a 'coke zero' as a bit of a treat. Oh, and my coffee in the morning :)

Ok, thats enough info for now... Hopefully I have answered some of your questions. There's nothing magical about this diet, unfortunately, I wish there was. Some days its hard not eating the foods I love. Some days I get so tired of fish and salad :) But, I want to be thin, and healthy, and finally realised, this is the only way I can do that. My heath is more important to me than a chocolate bar, or an icecream :)

I will be back in the next little while to share some of my recipes with you all. Take care my friends,

Karen

11 comments:

  1. Yes Ive been on the Ultra lite plan too!! haha.
    This looks good and kinda similar to what i have been thinking about fast weight loss. Alot of scrappers are having surgery and then only 1 cup of food 6 times a day. Thats how they looose so much weight so fast. A day in Gunnedah has lost 4 kilos in 6 months, eating 1 cup of food 6 times a day. So i might try this idea.
    Thanks Karen

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  2. Wow, I hadn't heard of that before. Did anyone else see the weightloss story on the Today Tonight show the other night? It was about non-invasive liposuction - seemed to work but I'm not sure its for me? Surely you would have to eat sensibly too or you'd just put it back on. I have no idea how it works or if its safe?

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  3. NO I didnt see it Nerrida... but sounds interesting... would it get rid of fatty bits that wont go away with diet ( hmm, I have some of these !!) how can it be non invasive, how do they get at the fat ???? so does that mean it doesnt hurt ??

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  4. LOL JOdi, you remind me of me... been on that one, and yep that diet too... I tried everything... but nothing worked long term, until I decided in my head I was going to do it... I was always looking for 'the miracle diet' and really did try all of them !!! but the truth is there is "unfortunately' no mairacle. Its all hard work, and you really do have to change yourself from the inside, before any diet will 'work' ......

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  5. It didn't look like it hurt but the story is still on the website if you want to know more.

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  6. I am on a very similar plan to you (just started yesterday). Most mornings I'll have oats for breakfast (I have 3 cruskits with turkey and a tiny bit of cream cheese for morning or afternoon tea). Some mornings I have eggs with 1 slice wholemeal toast...do you think I should cut the bread out all together for faster weight loss?

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  7. how much weight did you loss in 5 months

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  8. Karen how much weight have u loss in 6months.. Am 50 kg overweight.. Think i should try ur diet

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  9. I admire what you have done here. I like the part where you say you are doing this to give back but I would assume by all the comments that this is working for you as well.
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