Happy Tuesday, collegiettes! I am in an awesome mood today. Yesterday I received some amazing swag from Her Campus AND bought my very own scale to track my weight loss! It’s pink and super adorable so I actually get excited about weighing myself (smart, right?). I’m not going to lie, y’all: I was worried to step on it. I admit to not eating as cleanly as I should have this past weekend while my sister was in town, but I am ecstatic to say I’ve lost more weight! When I was home for spring break in mid-March my “morning weight” was at 178… and this morning it’s at 167.4!! Although this journey for me is more about being healthy than being a number, but it’s still very exciting to see proof (there is also room for error with digital scales and between weighing yourself in the morning and at night, so keep that in mind)! I can’t wait to keep working hard and see more results. Shout out to everyone doing the “Lose the Freshman 15” challenge on DietBet! Having a community to discuss the diet with keeps me motivated and inspires me to try new things daily. Thanks, ladies!
Although I strayed a bit from SELF’s Drop 10 diet this weekend – I have a weakness for tater tots, I’m sorry! – I did make better choices overall while eating out than I would have pre-diet. I tried shrimp and tilapia tacos at the Mexican restaurant we went to (shrimp/tilapia, onions, tomatoes and cilantro wrapped in a tortilla with fresh lime juice) and made adjustments like asking for dressing on the side of my salad instead of having it already drenched. I’m still trying to find a balance with eating out and following the Drop 10 plan, but I’m getting there. Making small changes might not seem significant enough to help you lose weight, but trust me, those little things add up!
As I’ve mentioned before, I like to only stock my fridge and pantry with healthy options to avoid temptation. I also really love going grocery shopping probably more than the average person. Yesterday my mom mentioned something Katie Couric talked about on her talk show recently: reading food labels. Reading labels in the grocery store has become a big part of staying on track and making healthy, positive changes to my diet. I’ve gotten into the habit of eating Greek yogurt for breakfast or lunch, but it’s important to compare the sugar content of different yogurts before buying. Most fruit-flavored yogurts contain more sugar and calories than plain or vanilla (plain has the least!), so I like to stick to non-fat vanilla with fresh-cut fruit and a handful of granola or some cinnamon on top. Indulging in whole-wheat pasta once or twice a week is also a must to keep me happy. If you don’t have time to make the delicious sauce used in SELF’s penne margherita, jarred sauce isn’t out of the question. The Muir Glen organic pasta sauce I’ve been using (in Italian Herb) has less sodium and sugar content than a jar of other “light” pasta sauces, and more protein and vitamins. Its true – reading labels is a bit more time consuming than grabbing just anything off the store shelf. But remember that putting in the effort now will save you some work later!
Follow me on Twitter @ms_mojohnson for daily updates and good luck this week with staying on track! Let me know how your Drop 10 is going!
Xo,
Morgan