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How small eating changes led to significant weight loss

18 Mar

We all know that our eating habits are related to our weight. What most people do not realize is just how important nutrition is a contributor to body weight. You can exercise for 2 hours every day but if you do not pay attention to what you are eating you will not get far towards your weight loss goal.

You need to monitor the quantity and the quality of your food as well.

I will show you how I changed my eating habits for the best. These are not general ideas, these are actual facts which allowed me to go from average Joe to fit in a matter of months.

One more fact before beginning: My new eating habits have been holding on for 18 months now and I do not feel hungry.

My typical day before:

BREAKFAST

  • one bowl of popular adult cereal such as Raisin Bran, Special K or Just Right, with 2% milk and one heaping spoonful of white sugar
  • croissant with strawberry jam or chocolate croissant
  • double cappuccino
  • one tall glass of orange juice, from concentrate
  • banana

MORNING SNACK

  • one chocolate chip cookie or occasional boxed chocolates
  • black coffee (make it two to go through the morning)

LUNCH

  • bagel, with peanut butter spread and one slice of processed cheese
  • one handful of crackers, either Wheat Thins or Golden Fishes
  • fruit juice, passion fruit or grape
  • yogurt cup, fruit at the bottom, 4% fat
  • 3 chocolate chip cookies, store bought

AFTERNOON SNACK

  • black tea
  • fundraising chocolate bar
  • apple

DINNER

  • complete dinner, home cooked, either meat, pasta or fish
  • occasional wine glass
  • dessert, either home made or store bought, could be nanaimo bar, cake, …
  • one glass of milk
  • occasional coffee, black or cappuccino

LATE NIGHT SNACK

  • half a pack of Premium Plus crakers
  • one tall glass of apple juice OR
  • occasional drink, hard liquor, with fruit juice – especially if I had more than 5 cups of coffee that day

My typical day NOW:

BREAKFAST

  • within 20 minutes of waking up, ice cold chocolate protein shake, 30g protein, 160 calories
  • one bowl of select cereal, rich in fiber and proteins such as Nature’s Path Optimum Power, General Mills Oatmeal Crisp Triple Berry or Kellogg’s Mini-Wheats centres, with 2% milk
  • two tablespoons of milled flax seeds on top of any of the above cereals, kept in the freezer

MORNING SNACK

  • one cup of black coffee

MORNING SNACK, closer to lunchtime

  • a handful of roasted almonds, plain (about 20)

MORNING SNACK, at typical lunchtime

  • banana

AFTERNOON SNACK

  • select crackers, rich in fiber and proteins, for 90 to 120 calories
  • vegetable juice, one shot, such as V8

AFTERNOON SNACK, 30 to 60 minutes after previous snack

  • pistachios, sunflower seeds, soy seeds
  • green tea

AFTERNOON SNACK, mid afternoon

  • fat free, 35 calories fruit yogurt
  • one home made cookie, either flax seed or chocolate coconut, about 100 calories
  • probiotic drinkable yogurt, such as DanActive
  • one apple

DINNER

  • complete dinner, home cooked, either meat, pasta or fish
  • on rare occasions, a glass of wine
  • about 5 pieces of chocolate covered coffee beans
  • one day out of 2 or 3, home made dessert, fruit / wheat flour based

LATE NIGHT SNACK, right before bed

  • generous portion of fat free, vanilla Greek yogurt with berries, fresh and frozen, plus one golden kiwi

Although it was not indicated in the above list, I also drink water all through the day. A little less before, more now.

This was a long post, but I wanted to give you a detailed breakdown of my eating habits so that you can see how you can make similar changes to your own habits.