A new series, a new start to a weight loss journey!
Background:
I am a UX designer, food photographer and blogger.
As I don’t work in a coal mine, I sit at my desk for a big chunk of time. During weekends I cook, photograph for the blog. As you can imagine weight gain is quite normal if you are doing what I am doing. So I gained about 20 pounds in last 2 years since I started Story of Cooks. I was upset mentally but more importantly it was causing a bit physical problems. My doctors recommended me seeing a dietician and weight loss specialist.
Now let’s crunch numbers.
I am 5 feet 3 inches and currently weigh 122 pounds. I was 102 pounds in 2012 & 2013, 105 in 2014. It’s probably not possible for me to go back to 102 pounds as I am over 30 now (31 is the exact number). But I would prefer to have my weight close to 105 pounds.
So I decided to start a diet and workout regime. Now, I always gain weight when I exercise. So I did not enroll myself in a gym or started walking/running.
How was it going?
Week 1: I did not lose a single pound. I was eating at home, but not exercising. After week 1, I checked my diet plan and realized I am not moving. Also I was consuming a lot of calories.
Week 2: I started cleaning and stretching. I am maintaining a food journal where I am writing what I am eating (which stops me from binge eating at night). But end of the week, we were at Brimfield, so I had to eat out. But I tried to eat more greens and less fried food. I lost 4 pounds.
What I am doing?
Exercise Plan: I stopped my cleaning lady to come. In addition to stretching few times, I am doing vigorous cleaning for 45 minutes a day. It has two benefits – my home is spotless and I am getting good exercise.
Diet: I am controlling what I eat. That means – no take outs, no frozen food. When we are out, I am sticking to a green salad with avocado.
The problems I faced and solved
But clean eating is not that easy. I realized that telling Matthew to bring groceries every day is not going to work out. He hates that btw. So I started working on a meal plan which will help me to shop ahead and prepare when I want.
Rather than cooking everything at once, I decided to cook 3 times a week – only for 40 minutes.
It also helps me to stop over spending at Whole Foods. I make a master list. Then I make 3 lists for 3 stores – Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Shaw’s (a local MA Grocery chain). It helps me to finish the grocery on time and budget.
Once I bring them home, I cook a meal which can last 3 dinners (means 6 servings for us). Once we finish that, on the 4th day I cook a meal for 2 dinners (4 servings) and on 6th day another meal for 3 dinners. In that way I have food for 7 days. Now these are dinner meals. So what happens to the breakfast and lunch?
I eat tomato salad for breakfast and drink a cup of tea.
For lunch, I eat some left overs. That means I cook 2 servings extra for each meal. So 6 becomes 8, 4 becomes 6 and likewise.
It’s important to plan your meal when you’re on diet. I am not sure about others, but it’s helping me.
I posted this on Facebook and any so many of you supported me. I started doing diet 3 times this year, but I did not stick to ‘homemade food’ so I failed. This time, I am doing with you guys, together so hopefully I will stick to this and lose that stubborn 15 pounds I aimed.
Stay tuned folks!
3 meals I loved last week ~ All these meals are inspired from Cooking Light Magazine.
2. Chicken thigh curry + Pomegranate mint raita (V) + Green onion and peas pilaf (V)
3. (V) Black-eyed pea cakes + (V) Tomato corn salsa
V: Vegetarian. They all are gluten free except the Herbed bulgur pilaf.
That is,awesome ..
Look forward to that
I am not big adviser but my dr. told me stop dairy, wheat, rice , corn and corn products, I am losing weight right and left. Instead of Roti, I eat besan chilla, no rice or rice products. For rest I am using romaine lettus
as a base
Loving your weight loss plan.That chicken thigh curry and cakes are calling my name.
I love your dedication towards story of cooks, Dolphia! It’s so very heartening to see! I’m also following a similar diet plan now. Trying to stick to only home food. I generally lose a kilo over the span of a week and then something or the other comes up by which I’m almost forced to eat out/eat outside my plan and the inevitable happens. Case in point, I have a cousin living with us for a few days now, and two others are arriving on Wed to stay till the weekend. So you know, good (by which I mean calorific food) especially desserts, become mandatory. 🙁 Like you, what has helped me a great deal is planning my meals in advance and tracking my calorie intake. Every time in the past that I’ve lost weight, this has been a major influencer. Numbers are powerful, trust me! Looking forward to more of these posts to come!
Beautiful post and yummy dishes.. definitely gonna try it as I need to loose weight too. Thanks for sharing!
Lovely. Do you heat up the food since you are cooking on alternate days.
Yeleena,
I always do that 🙂
Thanks Pritha! I absolutely know what you mean. Hopefully I can stick to this diet too.
Very nice..
Looking forward to see more receipes for weightloss!
My kind of food! Everything looks delicious and healthy.
I always shop ahead, but rarely make meal plans. I’m a very spontaneous person, so I just make sure that I have a great selection of vegetables in my fridge and lots of different staples in my pantry…
Cheers,
Rosa
Great plan dolphi. I m exercising for the past 2 years, I have only inch loss, not even a point on the weighing scale. But I do stick to a clean eating plan. home cooked meals, fresh food, Soups and salads for dinner. I m no longer worried about weight,but concentrate on healthy eating and workout!!!
I love that raita, pilaf and tikkis.
Wishing I all the best on this journey will watch this space for delicious meals!!!
Psss, if possible share ur vigorous house cleaning routine, need it definitely ????
I was thinking about you, Rosa while preparing this! <3
In my next post I will share that as well!