I’ve managed to keep the weight off (usually at 158#), but my body fat has been fluctuating a lot because I cheat on my meal plan here and there when I travel and….well, I just love french fries and bread 😦  I’ve gotten as low as 156#, 24.1 BMI and 26.9% body fat, but that’s when I was juicing and eating lots of leafy greens…booooring!

Here’s what I’ve learned along the way:

1. Eat lots of leafy greens (for BM): baby kale and swiss chard are my favorites. Saute’ them in a pan with onion, garlic, a little salt and pepper or Mrs. Dash
2. Eat 4-5 oz. of chicken or fish (to curb hunger): the rule of thumb is to eat as much meat as the palm of your hand (where the “palm” is the lower half of your open hand under your thumb).
3. Drink at least 10-8 oz. cups of water (for BM and hydration): Think of water as oil for your body to help keep your muscles hydrated, which in turn, keeps them from cramping up.  It also softens your stool to keep it from becoming a brick…things just “come out” cleaner if you catch my drift 😉
4. Eat fiber-rich foods (for BM): Include a tbsp of chia seeds into your morning oatmeal.  I also got some psyllium husk drink mix  (it tastes citrus-y) and some pro-biotic gummies from Target. Here’s a great fiber 101 article on Livestrong.
5. Portion control is everything (for weight loss): This is a MUST. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve eaten a bag of chips and salsa in one sitting and felt gross afterwards.  That’s why I try not to deny myself a taste of something…but I do keep it as a taste.  I try to think – what is it about the food that I like?  For example, with chips…I like the salt and the crunchiness of it.  So, I substitute a handful of almonds or some crunchy cucumbers and hummus.
6. Take time to chew your food (for digestion): I still fall into the habit of not chewing enough and swallowing large chunks of food. But think about it…if you chew something up really well, it breaks up into small pieces which is easier (and faster!) for your stomach to digest.
7. Always think about your macros (for weight loss): Calculate how much protein, carbs and fat you should be eating to reach your goal. Here’s a handy macro calculator.  Log your food (and workouts!) in MyFitnessPal.
8. Learn how to cook (for weight loss): I’ll be sharing some of my “so easy a rock could cook” recipes. Some recipes I have so far. You’ll notice that when you cook at home, food from some restaurants won’t taste as good to you – either too salty, too buttery, etc. I used to never be able to resist pizza – no matter how bad it is! – but now, when they order it at work, I’m totally fine not eating it.

I still have cravings and eat what I want (french fries! Texas toast!), but then I try to be good the next week. Just don’t be too hard on yourself. It’ll definitely get easier as you create a meal plan for yourself.  Make it simple to follow and alternate between two daily menus every other day.