30-day One Big Meal Challenge - Day 9

Morning Weight: 54.2kg (119lbs)

Easing up on the diet a little bit today because the deficit has been killing in these last few days. I heard the binging beast knocking on my door, so I guess I'd better refuel myself before I completely lose control and stuff all those bad food down my throat.

But I manage to make a big meal which I eat with other small meals and stay within maintenance. I give myself credits for that.

Back to the plan tomorrow!

30-day One Big Meal Challenge - Day 8

Morning Weight: 54.2kg (119.5 lbs)
Measurement:
Waist 25.5 (0)
Hip 35.5 (-0.5)
Thigh 19.5 (-1)
Calf 12 3/4 (-1/4)
Arm 9.5 (0)
Total Inch Loss:  1.75"

I can't say how incredibly delighted I am when I see that my thighs and hip, my problem areas, are the first things to go. They are usually stubborn. In the past I eat low-calorie junk to diet down. I learned what many trainers said that eating clean makes the body drop the fat at the right place. I mean once sugar, refined carb, processed food go out the door, the junk in the the trunk also goes.

You know what inspired me to eat this way? When I was in Thailand I got most of my food from the market where it's all fresh, non-processed, or locally processed. No plastic, package, artificial flavor, additives, preservatives, and other chemical. I found it incredibly easy to lose fat when I was at Thailand. But here in the US with all these processed junk + corn syrup I eat every single day, I can drop some pounds but I'm so addicted to junk that I can't maintain the weight loss. They do research on genes, body mechanism, and others, trying to understand why obesity is an epidemic here. What they don't understand is that when they rip all the nutrients from the food they eat, leaving empty calories, the body will sure react horribly.

Menu: Carrots/Hummus Apple and Grilled chicken. Simple and delicious.

Nutrition:

Water: Still 4 bottles but I will try harder!

Big Meal Challenge - Week 1 Check-in

Morning Weight: 54.4 kg. (119.5)!! [down from 122.5]
Total Weight Loss Week 1: 2.5 lbs
Alright!! I eventually go sub 20s. And I'm half way done to my 5 lbs goal -- in 5 days!!??!!

Average Calorie (5 days): 1050 cal
Average Macro (5 days): Protein 110g (right on!) Carb 93g Fat 23g

Pictures:

I really like it. Look at my thighs! They are smaller compared to last week. What I want to get rid of is the love handle. They are bothering me! Any suggestion?

Some of my meals this week:

  

You can tell how much I love Broccoli!

What I Love about this Challenge: I didn't expect to lose 3 lbs in 5 days! I set 5 lbs for the whole 30 days. And I didn't set any formal exercise. However, I am very active during the day, carrying my laptop and tons of books up and down the hill and walking everywhere on campus. Maybe I should increase the calories a little bit? What do you think?

It is easy. Almost effortless. I don't have to think about food at all. If it's my big meal, I eat. If it's not, I say no. How can it be simpler than that? Most importantly, eating this way is cheap. I spent $5-8 for one big meal.

What I Hate about this Challenge: Clean up. Cooking big meal is a mess. I was used to buying food from the cafe's/restaurants or eat processed packaged food. So cleaning up is a new challenge all by itself. Another thing is I'm not (yet) a good cook. Some days my big meal tastes (and looks) horrible, but I manage to add or twist to make it tolerable.

Goal for next week: More water. It's getting cold so it's hard. I have to remind myself to drink even when I don't feel like.

30-day One Big Meal Challenge - Day 7

Morning Weight: 54.6 (Chicken Dance!) (120lbs) -> Why do I lost .8kg overnight? I don't even know. I guess it's because TOM has gone or just swing water weight. I'm happy regardless.

Menu: Soup! Inspired by Leigh's recipe. But I have no time at all pulling all-nighter to finish stuff. So I pour a low-sodium campbell soup, a bag of veggies, some muchrooms, and ground turkey. I'm good for another day! Thank god.

Nutrition:

Item Name	Qty	Serving	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Fibre	Protein
Frozen veggies	1	bag	250	55	0	10	10
Turkey	8	oz	320	0	16	0	44
Mushrooms	1	can	14.56	2.11	0.3	1.14	1.74
Soups	1	can	160	30	2	4	6
Fish Oil	4	cap	40		4
Multi-Vitamin	1	cap	5	1
Chicken	8	oz	249.48	0	2.8	0	52.37
Total			1039	88.11	25	15.14	114.11

Water 4 bottles
Feel hungry craving sometimes. I start to eat a lot earlier in the day. I think the change is obvious. When there's the deficit I can feel it. When I did crash diets in the past it happens much faster though. Like I can't stick to my diet more than a few days. Binge will burst. Now it happens gradually and I can feel the change.

30-day One Big Meal Challenge - Day 6

Morning Weight: 55.2 Yippy! (121.5lbs)

Menu: HUGE tuna salad with light sesame giner dressing

Got some picture today.

Nutrition

Item Name	Qty	Serving	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Fibre	Protein
Dole Salads	1	bag	60	12	0	4	4
Tuna	1	can	147.9	0	1.1	0	32.53
Albacore	1	package	140	0	1	0	28
Three Bean Salad	0.5	can	148.93	33.5	0	5.58	5.58
Eggs	2	medium	129.36	0.68	8.8	0	11.07
Chicken: Breast	3	oz	93.56	0	1.1	0	19.64
Fish Oil	4	cap	40		4
Multi-Vitamin	1	cap	5	1
Broccoli	1	lb	136.45	21.8	0	10.9	5.46
Newman's Own Sesame Ginger	4	serving	140	20	6	0	0
Total			1041.2	89	22	20.5	106.28

Water 4 bottles
Thought: Start feeling the deficit more and more. I am hungry sometimes especially when I stay up late at night. The challenge gives me no option but fat loss!

30-day One Big Meal Challenge - Day 5

Ahh, I skipped to day 5 to catch up with other people in Leigh's 30-day One Big Meal Challenge but it's my day 8 for the old eating-clean challenge. Whatever. My day count is so messed up and it's not important. I will make this habit stick forever eventually. It's the rest of my life, no matter what day this is.

Morning Weight: 55.4 kg. (122lbs) Down one lb from yesterday. Thank god!

Big Meal: A cluster of whatever left in the fridge and 3 apples. Chicken, turkey cabbage, carrots, egg, FF cheese and so on. Seasoned with pepper, ketchup, and paprika. No salt.

Nutrition

 

Item Name	Qty	Serving	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Fibre	Protein
Apples	3	small	165.36	43.9	0.5	7.63	0.83
Turkey Ground	4	oz	162	0	8.1	0	22.28
Chicken: Breast	6	oz	280.67	0	6.1	0	52.77
Eggs	1	large	73.5	0.38	5	0	6.29
Cheddar, Fat-Free	3	slice	93.24	8.44	0.5	0	14.18
Cabbage	6	oz	40.82	9.49	0.2	3.91	2.45
Carrots	1	lb	189.17	37.8	0	10.8	0
Fish Oil	2	cap	20		2
Multi-Vitamin	1	cap	5	1
Ketchup	4	tbsp	60	16	0	0	0
Total			1089.76	117	22	22.4	98.8

Water: 4 bottles [Water is difficult. It's so cold here :(.]

Note to self: Don't forget to take fish oil at lunch and dinner!

Thoughts: I was wondering why deficit didn't bother me at all. I am not hungry or craving things. Today I eat more calorie-dense food (ketchup, cheese, apples) instead of high-volume food (broccoli, lettuce, other greens.) I feel hungrier than the other days. So, back to broccoli and salad tomorrow!

30-day One Big Meal Challenge - Day 2

Morning Weight 56kg (123lbs)

Menu: Grilled Flounder with Veggie Sauce (or stew..whatever.) I tried to make a healthy version of my mom's all-time-favorite Fried Fish with Chilli Sauce. It doesn't turn out as I thought. Tastes horrible but edible lol. This is a commitment of Big-Meal Challenge. Eat your meal all day even when you cooking skill sucks.

 

Item Name	Qty	Serving	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Fibre	Protein
Egg	2	large	147	0.77	9.94	0	12.58
Flounder	16	oz	412.78	0	5.4	0	85.46
Tomatoes	1	can	81.55	19.57	0	6.52	3.26
Spinach	4.5	serving, 1/2 cup	135	18	0	9	9
Fish Oil	1	cap	40.59	0	4.5	0	0
Frozen Vegetable Stir-Fry	1	package (1 lb)	142.19	23.7	0	9.48	4.74
Vitamin	0.3	cap	5	1	0.13
Tomato Ketchup	2	tbsp	30	8	0	0	0
Apple	1	small	55.12	14.64	0.18	2.54	0.28
Total			1049.23	85.68	20.2	27.5	115.32

Water 4 bottles

Thoughts/Note to self: 1100 calories is a LOT of food if I eat the right thing. I eat 4 meals and feel completely full every meal. Sometimes I'm even a bit guilty that I eat even when I am not that hungry. Eating clean rocks. Yo!

Other: After weighing in the morning I eliminate waste by cleansing with lemon, salt, and water. And I'm down .6 kg (more than 1 lb.) On day 3 I will reduce sodium in the diet and increase water intake to flush the excess salt from cleansing.

30-day One Big Meal Challenge - Day 1

Big Meal

Chicken broccoli with green beans. I added some fish souce, soy souce, garlic powder, pepper, and some other fat-free sauces. I leave 60 cal for them. I also leave some rooms for my afternoon hot chocolate-coffee combo. Love it! I can't believe I can eat 3 lbs of food without going over the calorie!

Measurement Waist 25.5" Hip 36" Thigh 20.5" Arm 9.5" Calf 13"
Nutrition

Item Name	Qty	Unit	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Fibre	Protein
Turkey	8	oz	324	0	16.2		44.55
Broccoli	32	oz	273.25	43.72	0	21.9	21.86
Fish Oil	6	caps	60.89	0	6.75	0	0
Chicken	6	oz	187.11	0	2.11	0	39.28
Cocoa	1	tbsp	12.37	2.93	0.74	1.79	1.06
Coffee	3	tsp	18.95	4.01	0.01	0.03	0.5
Vitamin	1	caps	5	1	0.13
Green Beans	1	lb	116.15	23.23	0	11.6	5.81
Cabbage	6	oz	40.82	9.49	0.2	3.91	2.45
Total			1038.54	84.38	26.1	39.2	115.51

6 bottles of water.

Note: After eating clean for 6 days, I feel healthier and thinner already. But my weight is still up. I know it's the waste built up from tons of fiber without enough water. I will have to deal with it within a few days.

30-day One Big Meal Challenge - Day 0

My profile
Name: Warasa
Age: 23
Occupation: Very busy college student.
Ethnicity: Asian! I'm from Thailand :). That means you have to bear with my English (and watch out for my oriental big meal!)
Stat:
Weight 55.6 kg (122 lbs) (PMS Bloating)
Height 163 cm (5'4'')
30-day goal weight: 5lbs
Ultimate Goal Weight: 110lbs

On to my low-quality picture with a little PMS Bloating. Sorry my camera broke. I have to use webcam instead. Man, it's not easy!

My Version of the Challenge
Calorie 1100 (this is quite low for me. My maintenance is 1600 cal since I don't have exercise plan set in at this point yet.)
Macro Protein 110g: Fat 27.5g: 103 carb
1. Prepare one big meal every night.
2. 6 fish oil, 1 vitamin every morning.
3. Water start with 4 bottles a day. (20 floz each.) I will eventually end up with 6 bottles.
4. Update goal completion daily. Update picture and weight every Saturday.

I haven't figured out what I am going to do with the exercise. I just don't want to change my whole routine dramatically overnight because that's the recipe of failure, at least for me in the past. The deficit I have to bear here is pretty tough already.

 And...

My first big meal was prepared tonight! - Chicken Broccoli with Green beans! (This is just HALF of it. I don't have a big pan.)

 











More details in Day 1 update!

30-day Eating Clean Challenge Day 5

Tomorrow I will switch to 30-day Big Meal challenge. I think joining a support group will smooth my journey.

Today - Severe bloating because of PMS. I finally have my period today after suffering the PMS symptom for more than a week! This is very unusual. I think part of uncomfortable feeling comes from changing my diet. And it's good thing. My digestion and bowel movement seem to improve tremendously and I get used to eating clean now.

I'm so excited to start the challenge tomorrow!

30-day Eating Clean Challenge Day 4

Good News: I'm getting used to this lifestyle and it can totally be something I do for the rest of my life. Tons of clean food!

Bad News: My bloating and digestive system in general is crazy. Maybe too much veggies and fiber or just a detox symptom. I have to give my body a chance to adjust and recover.

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Challenge for day 5 - Learn to tolerate mild hunger. I don't have to have super willpower. Just stay calm when the cravings or hunger is not too strong. Wait for a little bit before having a bite.

30-day Eating Clean Challenge Day 3

Start getting used to it. I don't want to go back even though sometimes there is a flash of thoughts in my mind of eating muffin and cookies again but I don't really care even when they are laying in front of my face. I couldn't care less.

One thing that is not so good is that I eat so much. I really eat a lot. Like every time I crave sugar I pop something in my mouth. I eat small things but eat frequently. I eat when I feel like but I don't wait until I am very hungry. I think that habit will come a little bit later in the challenge. I just have to familiarize myself with new set of food that I adopt. Also I still eat fruits since it relieves my sweet tooth so well. Maybe I should buy bulk fruits because buying them individually (with the fear of overeating them) is very expensive. I'm learning it.

Another challenge that I am trying to manage is to keep things clean. Especially to wash the dishes often and don't let them pile up too much. I have been doing that since the first day of the challenge and it's going very well.

Sometimes I have a flash of thought about fasting too. I'm not doing it. I'm not changing the plan until 30 days are over. I can make it better but I won't collapse this plan and go for the new one, I won't.

The next 7 days or so I will have new challenge -- not reading, listening anything about weight loss. I think this is a very good one.

When 7 days (25% of the challenge) are up, I will add another diet challenge. I think I will do limited eating time. Like 8am-8pm only - try not to eat after 8pm. It will be interesting.

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I notice a small moment of motivation decline. I am sure this happens, especially when I am hungry. Suddenly the idea of doing 'balance' diet (means give me some bad stuff) sounds very tempting and going back to old habit wasn't so bad. I don't give in no matter what happen, for real. I will do whatever I have decided. This is the first step of everything, accountability! I have to be able to pay respect to myself, maintain my integrity. I will do it. For the next few days, I know it won't be too hard because I will eat whenever that thought comes up. When I'm full, my diet mentality is intact.

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Tomorrow (Saturday) I will do an experiment

1. Reduce sodium!
Hope it gets rid of this bloated feeling.

2. Eat 5 small meals at most. Mostly veggie and egg soup + some fruits? (8a,11a,1p,4p,7p)

3. Drink tons of water. Or even coffee.

Salad does not work as good as soup, I discover. Well, maybe raw foodism is always harder any day.

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Mental note
Anti-estogenic veggies - asparagus ,collards,mustard greens(bok choi),chard,and broccoli rabe, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage

30-day Eating Clean Challenge Day 2

Still going strong?

I notice a slight drop of motivation. I read a lot about raw food diet these few days and feel like it is a good diet that I want to try sometimes. The fact that I am very early in my own challenge is making me feel slow and sluggish. I have to just take it one day at a time.

And there're a lot of work too. Sigh...

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Today is a little tough. I overate Rostissie chicken a little bit and also too much hummus and carrots. Not way way too much but I shouldn't eat every hour especially if the meat is not so lean.

I feel the need to lower calories otherwise the weight will not come off. I'd better write another email to myself, encouraging myself a little bit.

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1. I crave for SWEETS!! How did I get pass it? I eat carrots. I whine like a baby, make a joke, dance, just interrupt the pattern.
2. I'm about to have my 4th bowel movements.
3. I think about changing plan. Do fasting! Do very low calorie! I'm not giving in. I will train my body to know what's right for it. I might not be thin by Thanksgiving, but I will be thin forever.

30-day Eating Clean Challenge Day 1

I keep thinking about the benefit of this diet I'm going to adopt and I feel so great. Today I feel lethargic upon waking, feeling like I have no energy whatsoever to carry on my life. I mean, really? No energy? I freaking eat almost the whole fridge yesterday. Why am I still tired?

So this new diet will sure get rid of that problem. There is no question in my mind that I am going to do that. This is escaping the misery, something organisms are driven to do.

After every meal, I can feel the fat is slowly dropping off of my rear. It's amazing.

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The most joyful Okeshield experience ever!
I'm full. I'm vibrant. Wow. Today I have 1.5 plate of salad, a cup of coffee with soymilk, and 2 pieced of lean pork loin. Tons of artichoke hearts, some chick pea, hummus, tuna, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar. What a joyful way to eat really. Why don't I eat like this long time ago? The best part is that when I come out of the dining hall, I still feel like a human. I don't feel tired and go straight to sleep as when I stuff myself with sugar-rich dessert. I actually have no desire whatsoever to stand in the line for chinese food and grab a piece of brownie. I look at how other people eat and I feel like I am more intelligent and special to choose this diet. I'm going for a long-term behavior change here, for real. This is a good reinforcement.

And it's cheap compared to having statler salad or incessant snacking throughout the day. This way I can eat until I'm full and stop thinking about food. I can grab a lot of fruits which will be my dinner. All of these are covered in 7 bucks. Can you imagine that? Wow, it's great!

Okay. Keep doing what I am doing. It is a joyful transition.
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I was okay until almost 4pm. I started getting hungry again. So I ate a banana. I don't think fruits work well for me. Because after banana I reach out for apple and another banana and another apple. After taking them all down I still feel like eating something. I gotta be careful about sugar now and maybe stop eating fruits. The thing is fruits are very convenient to take out from dining hall. If I don't take out fruits I feel like I'm wasting money (even though the whole meal + coffee + unlimited salad are already pretty cheap.) I wish I could just take a plastic box with me and get all the veggies out lol.

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Day 1 Summary
8am Tom Yum veggie soup (small)
11am Okenshield 1.5 plate salad, 2 pieces roasted pork loin
3-5pm 2 bananas 2 apples
8pm Rotissie chicken + soymilk

Congratulations! You do it perfectly today!

30-day Eating Clean Challenge Day 0

Yeah! I'm so excited to start this 30-day eating clean challenge. I will post a short blog everyday to keep myself accountable for this challenge but seriously I want to make it a life-long habit rather than a short-period thing. So I won't make it too fancy.

Basically I will eat clean for 30 days. My diet consists of lean meats, vegetable, and occasionally fruits. I will get rid of processed food, sugar, and refined carb. Do it for just 30 days. I need that 30 days mindset to keep myself motivated, but I'm sure after a while it will become my eating habit. Let's get started!