Food

losing weight… the old fashioned way

07.02

Losing Weight | The Style Scribe

I rarely get super personal on here, just because I want The Style Scribe to remain a light, fun place for you to be inspired and get insight into the things that you love – whether that’s style, travel, beauty, or whatever. Today however, I’m mixing things up!

If you’ve been a longtime follower of the blog (it’s been nearly 5 years since I launched this baby!), you probably noticed my weight has fluctuated quite a bit. It’s certainly not something I intended to happen! When I first started my blog, I was definitely under what I should have weighed at 5’9 – I was hovering around 125 lbs. See here for an example. At the time, I was still on the ADHD medication that I’d been taking since grade school. Focusing was something that was very difficult for me as a child (ask anyone I know), and I continued to need that medicine all the way through college. After I started the blog and began working at a job that I loved a few years out of school (looking at you, rewardStyle!), I realized I no longer needed that extra push from the medicine to get me to focus because I was so interested in what I was doing.

Getting off the medicine is where the trouble started. If you know anything about ADHD/ADD medication, you’ve probably heard it suppresses your appetite. Because my appetite was nearly non-existent, I could eat whatever I wanted (but only ate once a day). Not so good for the metabolism. When I moved to Dallas and got off those meds, my appetite was back with a vengeance! Unfortunately I hadn’t really thought it through, and instead of eating healthy meals to compensate for eating more throughout the day, I just ate whatever I wanted three times a day (and snacks!). That led to me gaining 30 pounds in about a year.

Working out has never been my favorite activity, but it’s always been something I’ve fit into my schedule. Even when I was working at rewardStyle and the blog at all hours of the day and night, I still managed to fit in spin class or some form of exercise early in the morning (5am, usually). I figured that if I could maintain working out (and work out harder), I could still eat whatever I damn well please. Well folks, that just didn’t work for me. After struggling for almost two years with various workout routines, juice cleanses, and short-term diets to get me back on track, I finally found a way to get the weight off.

You’re probably not going to like what I’m about to say, but I did it the old fashioned way. When I returned from my trip to London in October, I decided it was time to put my foot down and really commit to eating healthier. I’ve completely cut out processed foods, dairy, complex carbs and most animal fats. I also try to restrict any drinking to the weekend. My diet consists mainly of vegetables (raw, roasted, grilled, or otherwise prepared – i.e. salads), fruit, a variety of nuts (I LOVE cashews!), and the occasional lean meat. Every once in awhile I’ll take a day or two off for special occasions (hello, vacation!) or if I’m really feeling like I need a cheat day – I’ll let myself order that sinful grilled cheese and tomato basil soup, or have an extra glass of wine (or two). But mostly, I stick to this rhythm.

Because I’m sure you’re thinking, SHE’S CRAZY!, I wanted to share some of my favorite healthy recipes and snacks that I love to eat/make at home that are both super easy to prepare and really, really delicious.

Breakfast

If I’m working out in the morning, I mix up a scoop of this Vega Protein Powder in Choc-A-Lot with water or almond milk (get it at Whole Foods, Central Market, or HEB). It’s purely vegetable protein (19 grams per serving!) and only 90 calories. Depending on how rigorous my workout is, sometimes I’ll throw it in a blender with a banana, some almond butter and ice for a yummy smoothie.

If working out is not on the agenda, I love to whip up egg whites with some cheese, and eat them with fresh berries or another fruit. I eat fruit a lot (I have a major sweet tooth), so sometimes I’ll just make a fruit salad with seasonal options. Just depends on my mood!

Lunch / Dinner

Kale Salad – I’ve made this salad a lot this summer. It’s refreshing and full of flavor! I’ve added and removed ingredients depending on what I have at the house and what sounds good to me. For example, more times than not I don’t include the goat cheese because it’s pretty caloric, but if I’m feeling famished, I use it. I also prefer to use dried cherries instead of cranberries, and I remove the radishes (not a fan). PS – the dressing in this recipe is FANTASTIC! It’s perfect for drizzling over any salad that contains fruit.

Spiralized Zucchini & Yellow Squash – this one is fun to make and takes zero time. I picked up this spiralizer at Sur La Table (only $25!) earlier this spring and have been using it like crazy! After spiral slicing my desired amount of zucchini and/or squash, I sauté them in a pan with just a dab of olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Don’t wait too long, or they’ll get soggy! Most of the time I just sprinkle with salt and some parmesan cheese.

Roasted Cauliflower Marinara “Pasta” – this one takes a little longer to make, but it’s the thing I make the most. I posted the recipe here. I make this recipe at least twice a week when I’m home! My fave! PS – this is my favorite marinara sauce to use. You can find it at Whole Foods or Central Market! SO GOOD!

Mixed Roasted Veggies – to break it up so I’m not just eating cauliflower every day, I like to buy a selection of mixed veggies and roasted them all together. My favorite mix includes tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, brussel sprouts, zucchini, yellow squash and… cauliflower. Chop it all up, toss in olive oil, then roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. When it’s done, I just sprinkle some parmesan cheese on it!

Avocado and Tomato Salad – this is another simple recipe that’s also easy to modify. Consider it a lighter caprese. Sliced up one large tomato and half an avocado, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. If you need/want more than that, try adding a few slices of turkey or grilled chicken (instead of that burrata that popped into your head).

Spaghetti Squash – this one takes a little more effort, but is so good! Take a whole spaghetti squash, wash it, and then poke 5-10 times with either a fork, skewer or a knife. Cook it in the microwave on high for 10-12 minutes, rotating it and turning it over every few minutes or so to cook evenly. Once the outside of the squash feels soft to the touch, remove it (carefully – it’ll be super hot!), and set aside for a few minutes to cool down just a tad. While it cools, prepare marinara sauce. You can use whatever sauce you like (I love Cucina Antica!), or create your own by sautéing tomatoes, garlic, onions, olive oil, salt and pepper for 5-10, stirring constantly. Once the sauce is ready, remove from heat. Now cut the spaghetti squash in half (long ways), and scoop out the seeds. Once you’ve done that, grab a fork and scrape the inside of the squash to get those “spaghetti” strands. Place them right into a bowl and top with marinara!

Snacks / Desserts

A few snacks I like to eat throughout the day include apples (I love HoneyCrisp!), popcorn (check out LiveLovePop! and 479 Popcorn), fresh pineapple, cut-up zucchini with light ranch dressing, watermelon, half an avocado sprinkled with salt/pepper/red pepper flakes, cherries, and jalapeno cashews (I believe they are by AustiNuts?).

A few of these fruits work for dessert too, but I love popsicles. All throughout the year. I love the basic coconut ones you can just buy at Whole Foods or Central Market. The GoodPops brand is also really yummy – particularly the Banana Cinnamon, Chocolate Milk and Coldbrew coffee flavors. Also, if I’m craving something creamy, I’ll take blend 1 1/2 frozen bananas and some almond butter together. So yum!

To summarize, I’m just cutting out the bad stuff. People are always talking about it, but it took me a while to talk myself into actually doing it – it’s just something you’ve got to decide for yourself! At first it’s pretty difficult, but once the bad stuff is out of your house and you’re not buying it all the time, you stop thinking about it and craving it. I’d still like to lose another 7-10 pounds, and as I’m sure you know, those last pounds are the most difficult to shed. The benefits of cutting out the bad stuff have been great – I almost never feel bloated, I never feel super hungry because I still get to eat throughout the day, I have more energy to work out harder, and I’m really noticing results from all those months at PureBarre! I’m stronger, my legs are leaner, my core is always active and I’m just a few more pounds away (hopefully) from a sculpted behind.

For more healthy recipes, be sure to follow my “Healthy Eats” board on Pinterest!

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