Hey dolls,
Most of you know my story and as I'm slowly but surely making my way back down the right road again I wanted to introduce you to someone. I am sure you have hear of Nicola from TheNakedBlondie she is an amazing lady and a true inspiration. I started following her only recently on snapchat (thenakedblondie) and I instantly fell in love with her, she has the most amazing personality and tells it how it is. She keeps it honest and doesn't sugar coat anything which I love. If she is having a bad day or is eating bad she will tell you about it. Nicola has lost a whopping 8 stone and I thought no better woman to have on here and share her journey with you all. She has done incredible. I came up with 10 questions that I thought all of you would want answered and she did amazing at answering them honestly. I'll say no more and let you get into the blog but OMG check out her transformation. It is mind blowing
Most of you know my story and as I'm slowly but surely making my way back down the right road again I wanted to introduce you to someone. I am sure you have hear of Nicola from TheNakedBlondie she is an amazing lady and a true inspiration. I started following her only recently on snapchat (thenakedblondie) and I instantly fell in love with her, she has the most amazing personality and tells it how it is. She keeps it honest and doesn't sugar coat anything which I love. If she is having a bad day or is eating bad she will tell you about it. Nicola has lost a whopping 8 stone and I thought no better woman to have on here and share her journey with you all. She has done incredible. I came up with 10 questions that I thought all of you would want answered and she did amazing at answering them honestly. I'll say no more and let you get into the blog but OMG check out her transformation. It is mind blowing
- What was the turning point or the moment of realisation that you need to do something or change your lifestyle?
My turning point was the realisation that I was becoming a Mother. I could not live my life selflessly anymore. I now had someone that was going to rely on me to be there for them for at least the next 21years and I could not do that at 22 stone. My lifestyle was a shambles, working in a concrete jungle sitting at a desk 24/7, living on takeout and slowly but surely getting bigger and bigger. I had to ask myself what it was going to take for me to cop on and man up to the fact I was a heart attack waiting to happen. When I was pregnant I had gestational diabetes, I struggled to do daily chores that other people take for granted, I broke toilet seats, I could not walk up the stairs without gasping for breath. Life is just too short to be short to be short of breath!
- Why did you chose Slimming World?
- What was your first meeting like and how did you feel when you stood on the scales the first time?
- What was your starting weight and did you set an initial goal?
I stood on the scales to my amazement I weighed 20 stone 12.5lbs. I had lost over a stone since my son was born and it was a great boost to start my journey. But I still weighed over 20 stone which was just to most gut wrenching experience. As I still do I take every 7lbs as they come and work on small goals. If I was to take on a mountainous 10 stone weight loss the 1st week I don’t know how far I would be now.
- How was your first week? Were you hungry?
I knew when I joined I was ready for it, I took every day as it came and concentrated 100% on getting the plan planted firmly in my head. I wanted to learn and I wanted to absorb everything that was going to get me to where I wanted to be. From day one I can honestly say I have never been hungry, because I plan and I make sure that I always have a healthy on plan option waiting for me in the fridge.
- How much weight did you lose in your first week?
My 1st weigh in did not go to plan as I would have liked. I lost 1.5lbs and was so disappointed. But someone advised me that day not to worry or let it throw me off, that at the end of the day all of those pounds add up and they defiantly have.
- How did you feel when you started to look and feel different?
To be the size that I was with a height of 5ft 2, you can imagine I was like PC Plod in Noddy the cartoon, rolling from place to place! When my cousins 21st Birthday came around in April 2014 and I was able to fit into a size 20 top, my elation was just undescribable. It was like winning the lotto. Not only did I look better but for the 1st time in a very long time I felt confident.
- What was the hardest part of your journey?
The hardest part of my journey was accepting that this was not a quick fix. Accepting that this was the way I would eat for the rest of my life. Letting go of old habits and creating new ones. That was the light bulb moment I was searching for all my life, if you cannot accept the above then you will be wishing and dreaming for change for a long time to come.
- Did you have many setbacks or big gains? How did you feel and can you see what triggered it
I had a continuous loss for 22 weeks, then I had my 1st gain, I thought to myself that’s it now it’s all over I am going to fail AGAIN! Was it? Absolutely not, I picked myself up, brushed myself off and had another amazing week. Sometimes the scales is not your friend but that’s ok because if you keep the faith it will all add up in the end. The scales do not measure, fitness, inch loss, beauty and they certainly do not measure how amazing you are inside and out. This is a journey, not a race to the finish line. Life gets in the way sometimes, you have to live your life and enjoy yourself. This is most certainly not a dress rehearsal and you have to remind yourself that you will cross that line!
- If you could go back to the old you what would you tell yourself and how would you motivate yourself
I am not one for living in the past but if I could go back and have a conversation with my 20 year old self, who lay in bed all day and lived to eat, I would tell her to stop looking for a quick fix, and to just have the confidence to believe in her self-worth. After all Life is Journey and you hold the Map! Nobody can do this for you, only YOU!
How amazing is her story and doesn't she just look incredible. I am so glad I found Nicola, her blog has amazing recipes and lots more. Check it out here
All of Nicolas social media handles are @thenakedblondie so get following her.
I hope you liked this post.
Stay healthy & happy!
Love Grace xox
Hey Dolls,
You will most likely have seen this picture I shared yesterday of my latest progress picture. It reached over 100K people ahhhhh what the hell!!!!
Anyway, as it was my birthday last weekend I completely fell off the SW bus and went wild. I ate so much crap (but delicious crap haha) I was dreading my weigh in this morning. UP 2.5lb!!!! But I thought to myself, it's not the end of the world, you had an amazing week, enjoyed every bite of cheese covered goodness and every cocktail.
On top of my birthday, I also had my bestie finally come home from her 2 years stint in Australia (the Eddie Rocket ritual was a must) and a number of events to attend, where they force tropical cocktails, beautiful cupcakes and sweets down my throat! No, I know, no excuses! No one forced me into it but I wanted to enjoy it all and it just goes to show that I can't overindulge like that. My body doesn't cope with bad crappy junk food. It just doesn't like it as much as my taste buds do!
To be honest I do feel sluggish and have no energy and I haven't been sleeping right the last couple of nights. That was an extremely long intro.
Long story short, I ate crap and gained weight haha.
So after my class today, and the amazing feedback and support I received from all of you, I had an idea to share my overall weight loss since last summer and compare it to the weight gain I had this week. I wanted to share with you that a little gain is ok, don't beat yourself up. Look at the bigger picture and learn from your mistakes. Every day is a second chance.
***** WARNING VEGETARIANS LOOK AWAY NOW*****
I asked a butcher to weigh out just how much I have lost in the year and compare it to the 2.5lb gain I had this week. He looked at me like I had ten heads and then found it hard to find enough meat to match what I had lost haha. He also said he'd never done anything like this in his life before!!!
Welcome to the mad mind of FacesByGrace!!!!
Welcome to the mad mind of FacesByGrace!!!!
So in June last year I weighed a whopping 14 stone 4lb. I lied when my mam asked me if I had gained weight after my holiday. I was too embarrassed to admit I had. I was at my all time heaviest of 201.6lb!!!!!! Last week I got down to 155.4lb which meant I had lost 46.2lb!!!!!! Bare in mind I am tall, 5;6 and my excuse was I weigh heavy because my heart is so full of love!!! hahaha that is probably the cheesiest thing I will admitt to
Here is a look at what 46 pound looks like! Shocking isn't it!!!
Here is the 2.5 pounds I gained today!
In the grand scheme of things it wasn't a huge gain but it's the last cheat week I will have for a long time. I'm back on it and going to try cook more adventurous, clean healthy meals, lead an extremely active lifestyle and just be happy and healthy!
I hope this post is helpful and inspires those of you who want to do it, to stop thinking and start doing. Nothing tastes as good as happy and healthy feels :)
I love you all
Grace xox
Hey dolls,
I get asked so often how I stay motivated and what pushed me to join Slimming World. Today I am going to share just that with you all and hopefully it will motivate you if you have lost your drive or even give you that push to starting.
So basically just after Christmas I said I was going to loose weight and get fit and healthy. Half the population in Ireland probably said the same thing. I had joined the gym in late November but it wasn't really doing anything for me and I wasn't really in the right frame of mind.
The week after New Years my mam suggested I join Slimming World or Weight Watchers. I looked at her as if she had ten heads and was extremely disgusted that she would even suggest such a thing, haha. My reply was ''I don't need to join something like that mam, I'm not THAT overweight!"
I had never joined such an organisation so I was very quick to pass judgement on it and dismiss the idea immediately. I'd the image in my head of very overweight people with serious health problem in these sorts of clubs. How very wrong I was!
It was only after my good friend Nikki joined and lost 5 pound in her first week that I really started to think about joining Slimming World. I toyed with the idea for a week and eventually promised Nic I would go with her the following Tuesday.
Tuesday came and I had planned to go with her that evening, but in the back of my mind I was thinking how will I come up with an excuse not to go. Long story short, I ended up going and during the "New Members" meeting I got a burst of excitement when I started to learn what Slimming World was all about. All it really is, is healthy clean eating, that is what I was used to from past diets and it was the journey I wanted to take myself anyway. I was excited to begin and haven't looked back since.
My starting weight was 13.3 and I set a goal 10 stone. I have since changed my target and you can read about that in yesterday post here I am now a happy size 10 and currently 11stone 4.5 pounds.
Here is a look at some of my before and after pictures -
I am still on my journey and will forever be. I will stick to this healthy and clean eating now for the rest of my life.
I was shocked by the types of people in the group, it ranged from kids to older men and women, every age, shape and size in between. What really struck me was the openness, understanding and motivation of everyone in the class.
I know it can be a very daunting situation and joining on your own can be a bit nerve racking but everyone is so helpful and friendly. Everyone is there for the same reasons! To lose weight and be healthy. You're not alone and no one will judge you.
The thing I love about my group is my amazing consultant Miriam. She has been on her own incredible and inspiring journey and lost a massive amount of weight. So too have so many of the members. It really is a happy and motivating place and I always leave feeling so much better about the coming week, whether I lost, gained or maintain!
I hope this give a little insight into why I joined and what Slimming World is all about. I highly recommend it and have had a huge amount of people tell me that they've joined because of me. There is nothing more rewarding and fulfilling then knowing my weight loss journey is inspiring you to start your own. Slimming world is open to anyone. You can set your target as high or as low as you want. It is your journey at the end of the day.
I get asked so often how I stay motivated and what pushed me to join Slimming World. Today I am going to share just that with you all and hopefully it will motivate you if you have lost your drive or even give you that push to starting.
So basically just after Christmas I said I was going to loose weight and get fit and healthy. Half the population in Ireland probably said the same thing. I had joined the gym in late November but it wasn't really doing anything for me and I wasn't really in the right frame of mind.
The week after New Years my mam suggested I join Slimming World or Weight Watchers. I looked at her as if she had ten heads and was extremely disgusted that she would even suggest such a thing, haha. My reply was ''I don't need to join something like that mam, I'm not THAT overweight!"
I had never joined such an organisation so I was very quick to pass judgement on it and dismiss the idea immediately. I'd the image in my head of very overweight people with serious health problem in these sorts of clubs. How very wrong I was!
It was only after my good friend Nikki joined and lost 5 pound in her first week that I really started to think about joining Slimming World. I toyed with the idea for a week and eventually promised Nic I would go with her the following Tuesday.
Tuesday came and I had planned to go with her that evening, but in the back of my mind I was thinking how will I come up with an excuse not to go. Long story short, I ended up going and during the "New Members" meeting I got a burst of excitement when I started to learn what Slimming World was all about. All it really is, is healthy clean eating, that is what I was used to from past diets and it was the journey I wanted to take myself anyway. I was excited to begin and haven't looked back since.
My starting weight was 13.3 and I set a goal 10 stone. I have since changed my target and you can read about that in yesterday post here I am now a happy size 10 and currently 11stone 4.5 pounds.
Here is a look at some of my before and after pictures -
I am still on my journey and will forever be. I will stick to this healthy and clean eating now for the rest of my life.
I was shocked by the types of people in the group, it ranged from kids to older men and women, every age, shape and size in between. What really struck me was the openness, understanding and motivation of everyone in the class.
I know it can be a very daunting situation and joining on your own can be a bit nerve racking but everyone is so helpful and friendly. Everyone is there for the same reasons! To lose weight and be healthy. You're not alone and no one will judge you.
The thing I love about my group is my amazing consultant Miriam. She has been on her own incredible and inspiring journey and lost a massive amount of weight. So too have so many of the members. It really is a happy and motivating place and I always leave feeling so much better about the coming week, whether I lost, gained or maintain!
I hope this give a little insight into why I joined and what Slimming World is all about. I highly recommend it and have had a huge amount of people tell me that they've joined because of me. There is nothing more rewarding and fulfilling then knowing my weight loss journey is inspiring you to start your own. Slimming world is open to anyone. You can set your target as high or as low as you want. It is your journey at the end of the day.
I will leave you there and hopefully you will give it a thought!
Love
Grace xox
Hello my lovelies,
I hope everyone is taking full advantage of the warm weather. I am currently chilling in my garden, baking in the heat.
Here is a little progress picture. There is a year in the difference. A size 14 to a size 10.
Today was Judgement Day.
As much as I wanted to loose the pound and a half to get my 2 stone award, in the back of my mind I had doubts. When I stepped on the scales and my weight had remained the same, I have to admit, I was gutted. In saying that, I had a funeral this week on top of a lot of events where there was yummy eats and treats. I hadn't been as strict on myself this week as I had in previous weeks. I think this was the kick up the butt I needed to make me see that I still have to work hard and not allow myself as many Syns as I have been.
One big problem I have is coffee. I am obsessed with flat whites, cappuccinos and lattes. This week I vow to steer clear of them and to make better food choices.
Another update from me is that I have changed my goal. When I joined SW 13 weeks ago my initial goal was to drop 3 stone 3 pounds which would make me bang on 10stone. After the weeks passed and my weight dropped, I reevaluated my goal and changed it.
Now I want to be 11 stone or just under that. When I set my goal I didn't really think about it. I just pulled a random number out of my head and said it. Now I fit comfortably into a size 10 top and bottom I feel that if I went to 10 stone I would be too thin. I am tall at 5:6 and am very curvy. I have an hourglass figure and I am very happy with how I feel now at my current weight.
All I want now is to get fit, continue to be healthy and tone up. From here on in it is more of a healthy and clean lifestyle I want to lead. I want to get into nutrient more, research and understand the types of food I eat. I want to lead a balanced life where I am able to have the odd takeaway or bar of chocolate but never go back to the way I was. I am so much more happy & confident now and have so much more energy and drive then before.
I love that my journey has inspired you all to do it too and thats what pushes me to go further. If you would like to keep up with my daily schedule, stay motivated and inspired then follow my snapchat - Facesbygrace23.
I will leave you with some healthy food ideas from my week.
I hope everyone is taking full advantage of the warm weather. I am currently chilling in my garden, baking in the heat.
Here is a little progress picture. There is a year in the difference. A size 14 to a size 10.
Today was Judgement Day.
As much as I wanted to loose the pound and a half to get my 2 stone award, in the back of my mind I had doubts. When I stepped on the scales and my weight had remained the same, I have to admit, I was gutted. In saying that, I had a funeral this week on top of a lot of events where there was yummy eats and treats. I hadn't been as strict on myself this week as I had in previous weeks. I think this was the kick up the butt I needed to make me see that I still have to work hard and not allow myself as many Syns as I have been.
One big problem I have is coffee. I am obsessed with flat whites, cappuccinos and lattes. This week I vow to steer clear of them and to make better food choices.
Another update from me is that I have changed my goal. When I joined SW 13 weeks ago my initial goal was to drop 3 stone 3 pounds which would make me bang on 10stone. After the weeks passed and my weight dropped, I reevaluated my goal and changed it.
Now I want to be 11 stone or just under that. When I set my goal I didn't really think about it. I just pulled a random number out of my head and said it. Now I fit comfortably into a size 10 top and bottom I feel that if I went to 10 stone I would be too thin. I am tall at 5:6 and am very curvy. I have an hourglass figure and I am very happy with how I feel now at my current weight.
All I want now is to get fit, continue to be healthy and tone up. From here on in it is more of a healthy and clean lifestyle I want to lead. I want to get into nutrient more, research and understand the types of food I eat. I want to lead a balanced life where I am able to have the odd takeaway or bar of chocolate but never go back to the way I was. I am so much more happy & confident now and have so much more energy and drive then before.
I love that my journey has inspired you all to do it too and thats what pushes me to go further. If you would like to keep up with my daily schedule, stay motivated and inspired then follow my snapchat - Facesbygrace23.
I will leave you with some healthy food ideas from my week.
Until next weeks update, stay healthy, stay happy and stay focused. Only you can change you.
Love
Grace xox
Hey dolls,
Can I just say thanks again for all the lovely comments that have come my way since my last post. I'm so glad my journey is inspiring you. You might want to turn away now though!
I know it's not massive and I was practically on two weeks holidays so I am glad is wasn't a bigger gain.
Anyway, today is the start of Week 11 and I'm back on track. No excuses and no holidays planned, for a few months anyway haha. So as Easter approaches I wanted to give you all the heads up when it comes to how many Syns are actually in the eggs.
These are not the free type of eggs we at SW are used to, so beware! They have a massive amount of Syns.
It's holidays like these where we need to be on our toes and be well equipped so we don't fail and undo all the good that we have done so far.
Believe me I was as shocked when I saw the Syn value in some of these.
Let me start with my favourite chocolate. The Lindt Bunny! Without fail I get one of these for Easter and Christmas and for all other occasions when Lindt decides to make a glorious chocolate mould of any animal! But I will be rethinking my chocolate choices after today.
56 Syns is almost 4 days worth of Syns! Is it really worth it? I have asked my mam not to buy me any Easter eggs this year, that way I don't even have the option of having any. I told her to pick me up the mini bunnies if she can, that way I know I am only having 3 syns per bunny :)
Can I just say thanks again for all the lovely comments that have come my way since my last post. I'm so glad my journey is inspiring you. You might want to turn away now though!
Week 10 and I gained half a pound! haha
I know it's not massive and I was practically on two weeks holidays so I am glad is wasn't a bigger gain.
Anyway, today is the start of Week 11 and I'm back on track. No excuses and no holidays planned, for a few months anyway haha. So as Easter approaches I wanted to give you all the heads up when it comes to how many Syns are actually in the eggs.
These are not the free type of eggs we at SW are used to, so beware! They have a massive amount of Syns.
It's holidays like these where we need to be on our toes and be well equipped so we don't fail and undo all the good that we have done so far.
Believe me I was as shocked when I saw the Syn value in some of these.
Let me start with my favourite chocolate. The Lindt Bunny! Without fail I get one of these for Easter and Christmas and for all other occasions when Lindt decides to make a glorious chocolate mould of any animal! But I will be rethinking my chocolate choices after today.
Take a look
56 Syns is almost 4 days worth of Syns! Is it really worth it? I have asked my mam not to buy me any Easter eggs this year, that way I don't even have the option of having any. I told her to pick me up the mini bunnies if she can, that way I know I am only having 3 syns per bunny :)
I don't want to turn you off chocolate but I just want to make you all aware of how much sugar and fat is in these eggs! I couldn't believe it so had to share it with you all too.
Have some chocolate this Easter, just don't eat 5 eggs to yourself haha. Have a great week what ever you're doing and I'll catch you same time next week with a new update!
If you want to follow me on snapchat for daily food ideas and funny videos feel free to add me :)
My username is Facesbygrace23
Thanks for stopping by and Happy Healthy Eating
Love
Grace xox
Hi my loves,
Firstly let me say I am soooo happy that my journey and weight loss has inspired some of you to do the same. You have no idea how amazing it is getting comments, tweets and emails telling me I am the reason that some of you have joined Slimming world or began your own personal journey to weight loss. It makes it all worth while knowing I am helping others to achieve their goals. It's what pushes me to do better myself knowing that I have all of you behind me pushing me on.
So a quick update - As some of you may know, if you follow me on my social media, I was in Malaga last week on a hen party. I was not very positive last Tuesday as I queued up to weigh in but I said to myself "Feck it Grace, you were on your holidays and you enjoyed the last couple of days away!" I would have been ok with a gain as I had consumed a lot of alcohol and really enjoyed the food I ate, but I also made healthy choices when ordering and drank a lot of water in between drinks. I was so shocked when my consultant told me I was down 3.5lb. I literally couldn't believe it and to top it off I won Slimmer of the Week for a second time :)
I was sooo thrilled and proud of my achievements. I just wanted to get home so I could post a picture and share it with my amazing followers because I knew that picture would help some people who needed a bit of motivation.
Sometimes I even question how I am losing weight so fast but then I know I'm making better choices and it's reflected on the scales. You can't eat 10 packets of crisps and 10 chocolate bars a week and expect to have a loss! It just won't happen. I have my treat when I really want it and when I know I have been good and deserve it but other that that I stick to the plan. I don't ever eat Syns for the sake of it, I save them for occasions when I know I will need them.
For my 10th week in Slimming World I will do a Q&A post. For those of you who want to ask me anything, feel free to tweet me, comment on my Instagram or email me. I will leave all my social media links below.
To those of you reading this, you are reading it for a reason! You either are on your own journey to a healthier you or you want to start! I always say why not start today! What are you waiting for?
Thank you to everyone for their continued support! You have no idea how much it is helping and motivating me to keep going. It's not the easiest of things to do but believe me it is the most rewarding. I haven't felt this confident and comfortable in my own skin in years!
Firstly let me say I am soooo happy that my journey and weight loss has inspired some of you to do the same. You have no idea how amazing it is getting comments, tweets and emails telling me I am the reason that some of you have joined Slimming world or began your own personal journey to weight loss. It makes it all worth while knowing I am helping others to achieve their goals. It's what pushes me to do better myself knowing that I have all of you behind me pushing me on.
So a quick update - As some of you may know, if you follow me on my social media, I was in Malaga last week on a hen party. I was not very positive last Tuesday as I queued up to weigh in but I said to myself "Feck it Grace, you were on your holidays and you enjoyed the last couple of days away!" I would have been ok with a gain as I had consumed a lot of alcohol and really enjoyed the food I ate, but I also made healthy choices when ordering and drank a lot of water in between drinks. I was so shocked when my consultant told me I was down 3.5lb. I literally couldn't believe it and to top it off I won Slimmer of the Week for a second time :)
Here are some of the awards I have received over the last 9 weeks and my lovely bag of fruit for winning Slimmer of the Week
I was sooo thrilled and proud of my achievements. I just wanted to get home so I could post a picture and share it with my amazing followers because I knew that picture would help some people who needed a bit of motivation.
Sometimes I even question how I am losing weight so fast but then I know I'm making better choices and it's reflected on the scales. You can't eat 10 packets of crisps and 10 chocolate bars a week and expect to have a loss! It just won't happen. I have my treat when I really want it and when I know I have been good and deserve it but other that that I stick to the plan. I don't ever eat Syns for the sake of it, I save them for occasions when I know I will need them.
Here is a little progress picture and I am so happy with the changes in my body.
 |
| Week 1 Week 9 |
For my 10th week in Slimming World I will do a Q&A post. For those of you who want to ask me anything, feel free to tweet me, comment on my Instagram or email me. I will leave all my social media links below.
To those of you reading this, you are reading it for a reason! You either are on your own journey to a healthier you or you want to start! I always say why not start today! What are you waiting for?
Thank you to everyone for their continued support! You have no idea how much it is helping and motivating me to keep going. It's not the easiest of things to do but believe me it is the most rewarding. I haven't felt this confident and comfortable in my own skin in years!
Thanks for taking the time to read my posts! I love you all.
Love
Grace xox
Instagram - https://instagram.com/facesbygrace23/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/FacesByGrace
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/facesbygracexx
Snapchat - Facesbygrace23
Now that I have your attention, Let's get real. There are no secrets. Its all about what goes into your mouth and how much you move your body.
In the last few months I have let my diet go and decided that as it is the new year I will try lose some weight (how cliché of me) When I say some weight I mean about 2 stone (15kg) and get back to my old body and feel confident in myself again.
I have had some health issues in the past that have made me gain some weight but now I am in a happy state of mind where I want to begin this new healthy lifestyle and keep it going.
Food is the number 1 factor that will either help or hinder you on this weight loss journey.
I have decided that every friday I will post about weight loss, healthy eating and fitness.
In the last few months I have let my diet go and decided that as it is the new year I will try lose some weight (how cliché of me) When I say some weight I mean about 2 stone (15kg) and get back to my old body and feel confident in myself again.
I have had some health issues in the past that have made me gain some weight but now I am in a happy state of mind where I want to begin this new healthy lifestyle and keep it going.
In todays post I want to share with you the biggest attribute when it comes to weight loss and that is FOOD
Food is the number 1 factor that will either help or hinder you on this weight loss journey.
The rule to weight loss is as follows
Many people believe if they continue eating as normal but exercise that they will lose weight. That is not the case. When it comes to weight loss diet is the most important factor.
You must consume a clean healthy diet in order to lose weight and exercise comes second to help stay fit, tone the muscles and also lose weight.
I wanted to share some of the food I purchased this week and give you an idea of what you should be eating. This is not everything I will be eating but it is a lot of my staple things to get me through my week.
I like to stock up on a lot of fruit and veggies to make salads, to have with dinner or to snack on with hummus or cottage cheese. Cottage cheese is extremely low in fat but very high in fibre and if you can get past the mushy consistency you will love it. I love it with these Nairns oat cakes with are a slow release in energy and low in sugar.
I am a huge peanut butter fan and before I knew any different I would pick it up in my local supermarket off the shelves. That was until I discovered it was highly processed and full of bad fats. I now opt for almond butter or natural peanut butter which is far healthier. I love to have this on bananas or apples and it is so delicious it is a treat for me and feeds my sugar craving.
Speaking of sugar, I have mentioned it before, ( here )mbut sugar is your worst enemy. It is in almost all processed foods and does nothing but turn to fat once consumed. You wont believe how much sugar producers put into food to make it taste better. Even foods you consider somewhat healthy contain grams and grams of sugar. Take a blueberry flavoured yogurt. It could contain up to 14gm of sugar, a can of coke, 23gm the list is endless.
Next time you are in a supermarket take a look at the sugar contain of the foods you are picking up. You will be shocked.
When grocery shopping it is best to keep to the outer aisle of the shop as they contain most of the natural non processed foods i.e fruit, veg, dairy etc. the inner aisle are packed full of processed crap that our bodies don't want or need.
When planing meals it is important to think of what you are actually eating. Each meal should contain some sort of protein i.e meat, chicken, eggs, nuts and should contain some fruit and vegetables.
Try cut out most white processed carbohydrates i.e white bread, pasta, rice. They contain nothing but sugar. Instead substitute them for good carbs like sweet potato or quinoa ( a super food, grain high in protein)
Eat smaller meals more often to avoid binging. Snack on fruit (preferably in the morning and before noon as they are high in natural sugar which takes longer to digest) Almonds are extremely high in protein and release energy fast, veggies and hummus.
Keep it simple and clean, add in some daily exercise and you are flying.
Trust me, I have been there and done it. Now I am doing it for the second time and this time its gonna last.
Let me know what type of healthy posts you would like to see.
Love
Grace xox
Since putting up pictures of my weight loss journey on my Instagram I have been inundated with people asking me what I have done and if I have any tips for them.
I have planned to do a video of my weight loss and all the measures I have taken to lose the weight. To date I have lost 26lb/ 11.5kg and that was through a clean balanced diet.
I must admit I haven't done much exercise at all to lose weight but I have an active lifestyle and work on my feet 40 hours a week.
Many people ask me what exactly a clean diet is. Basically if it doesn't grow on the ground and is processed by man it is not clean. All things natural are clean, anything else that has been processed you may as well be eating rubbish. Much of the processed foods (white bread/ cereals/ noodles/ sodas etc) are full of sugar which in turn turns straight into fat.
The image below always stays in mind and before I think of drinking a can of coke or a bottle of fruit juice I think of this
I have planned to do a video of my weight loss and all the measures I have taken to lose the weight. To date I have lost 26lb/ 11.5kg and that was through a clean balanced diet.
The rule of weight loss is simple - 80% clean healthy diet 20% exercise.
I must admit I haven't done much exercise at all to lose weight but I have an active lifestyle and work on my feet 40 hours a week.
Many people ask me what exactly a clean diet is. Basically if it doesn't grow on the ground and is processed by man it is not clean. All things natural are clean, anything else that has been processed you may as well be eating rubbish. Much of the processed foods (white bread/ cereals/ noodles/ sodas etc) are full of sugar which in turn turns straight into fat.
The image below always stays in mind and before I think of drinking a can of coke or a bottle of fruit juice I think of this
Rethink Before You Drink
Up until last year I never realised the huge amount of sugar that is in most of the food and drink we consume. One can of coke has 23grams of sugar which is a scary amount if you are gulping back a can a day. Sugar has no nutritional benefits it is just stored as fat, causes diabetes and causes cellulite.
Sugar is found in nearly everything and even in foods that you may consider healthy like yogurts and granola. They too have a large sugar content so stir clear of them and try natural yogurt, greek style yogurt or my new favourite soya yogurt. It contains the lowest sugar and fat count and is delicious too. I substitute granola for oats and chia seeds and mix that over some berries in the morning.
Here is a look at a basic daily meal plan for me
Breakfast
- mixed fresh berries covered in soya yogurt and topped with raw porridge oats and chia seeds
- water/ tea or coffee
Snack
- piece of fruit ie banana or apple
- a handful of nuts (almonds are best)
Lunch
- homemade soup
- Scottish oat cakes with hummus
- green tea
Dinner
- lean meat or fish
- quinoa
- mixed veg
Supper
- dark chocolate rich cake & a cup of tea
This is just an example of one day but I try to mix it up during the week so that I don't get bored. I will often have salads or an omelette for lunch or dinner. I do let myself have treats every now and again and I do indulge in a take away once in a while, if not I think id go completely bananas.
For me this isnt a diet it is a new lifestyle that I will be taking with me through out the rest of my life. I have cut out almost all white carbs and foods containing high sugar and fats and opt for healthier clean options.
Also another measure I have taken while on this weight loss journey was using belly and chin wraps and I feel they worked amazingly for me as you can see in the pictures below. You can read more about them and purchase them here
I also have been drinking a detox tea from a brand called Your Tea. You can read more about them here - YourTea I was using the tiny teatox which aids in weight loss and helps with bloating. I found it excellent and will carry on drinking it as part of my daily routine.
If you have any more questions leave them below and I will answer them in my upcoming video
I hope you all will join me on this new clean and healthy lifestyle journey
Love Grace x
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