Healthy Eating Update & Tips I’ve Learnt Along the Way

If you have been following me for a while, you will know about my battle with my weight. I love food and hate exercise, which is the worst combination!

I was recently diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, which is way more than some cysts on your ovaries. It’s a hormonal condition that starts in the brain and has many horrid affects mentally and physically including mood swings, depression, anxiety, acne, male hair growth and much more.

Trying to maintain a good weight helps the keep the symptoms more under control, but unfortunately PCOS in itself is a condition that slows down weight loss and actually can cause weight gain. Sucks right?!

So recently I have had even more of a drive to sort out my lifestyle. After losing my nan last December my exercise and healthy eating took a back step and it has taken a long time to get myself back into it again.

In September I had finally had enough of my size and how it was affecting every day tasks, so I finally got back into a regime. I found some new healthy recipe ideas for meals, dug out some old ones that have helped me in previous years and I also researched PCOS diets.

In three months I’ve lost nearly two stone and have noticed a lot of differences already. I can finally fit into some clothes that I’ve stored in the back of my wardrobe since before I was pregnant eight years ago which is hugely satisfying!

I also have more energy and I am a bit more motivated to complete daily tasks that had started to become a struggle, like chores and walking the dog.

During the last few weeks I have started to struggle again, I think the October half term put me back as I got into the habit of taking my son out for day trips and grabbing food while we were out which wasn’t the healthiest. I also had a lovely meal out with my partner and friends and it was a huge oriental buffet. I struggled for days after as I just craved bad food constantly, which was a scary insight into how processed and sugary foods really can take a hold of the brain!

So for the last couple of weeks I’ve started to get back into the mindset and have set an additional goal of working out three times a week. Last week I achieved this which was motivating, and today I completed my first workout of the week, so fingers crossed I maintain this.

Here is some of the things that have helped me so far, and if you have any tips to help me on this journey please comment below!

Yep… planning really is key. The weeks I’ve had no food plan are the weeks I have deviated and ended up putting weight back on.
I try to have a general plan of the week, but am flexible if things crop up which may mean I swap a meal around from another day as it’s quicker to do.

Breakfast for me at the moment is always the same (Jamie Oliver’s granola dust) as it’s easy to make in bulk, tastes nice and can be put with milk or low fat yogurt.

Seasoning your food can completely change the taste, and it doesn’t increase the calories if you use the right ones!

I love adding smoked paprika to things like scrambled eggs, as it makes the same boring dish that I eat a couple of times a week taste completely different.

I’ve recently found another seasoning that has spiced up a few classic dishes. The Pepper and Garlic Steak Seasoning by Schwartz is a low calorie seasoning that can be added to steak of course (marinade the steaks in the seasoning for a few minutes before frying), but also a few other dishes.

Pepper and Garlic Steak Seasoning works with many dishes

I’ve enjoyed it sprinkled in a beef stew this week, where my treat was the dumplings. It’s a seasoning that goes well with red meats, so my next meal idea with it will be marinading lamb chops with it as I think it will be delicious alongside some red wine and onion gravy… yum. The seasoning can be found in Tesco and it is sometimes part of by two for a certain price offer so it’s worth stocking up!

We Used Seasoning In Stew This Week

Massage Is My Favourite Reward