Tell Me All Your Secrets

I am constantly in a bulge battle. A year ago, I lost 65lbs on the zone diet and have been in maintenance mode ever since. I have seen myself slip in my vigorous workouts, and my love of dining out has crept back into my weekly routine.

I am a believer in hard work yielding fabulous results, however when life is so busy that you cannot make it to the gym for a 2 hour sweat session, or you just don't have it in you to make a 4 oz piece of salmon with brown rice and broccoli, you have to make smaller and easier changes.

I have just discovered my new life saver! (sorry for the loooow quality photo)

I was recently scouring the fridge for a simple healthy meal- knowing darn well that no such meal existed, when I spotted a Kirkland brand (costco) "Weight Loss Shake." At first I questioned such an easy meal. Would it fill me up? Would it taste good? I decided to give it a whirl!

I am delighted to report that I know find these to be a staple item, and rejoice when it is time to drink it at lunch. My plan for the past week has been as follows:

Breakfast: Activia yogurt and a piece of whole wheat toast with minimal butter (the real thing!)

Lunch: A weight loss shake and a piece of fruit (as you can see, today's fruit was a potassium filled banana)

Dinner: Almost anything I want...just a smaller portion.

Snack (2 a day): Either 1/2 a shake, or cottage cheese.

So far the results have been impressive. I lost 3 lbs so far, and have have only done it for 5 days (6 including today.) I don't feel hungry, I have immense energy- so rare for me, and I am losing weight.

Now before someone tells me this is not a healthy way to lose weight, I have done some research. The nutrients in these shakes far surpass what most people consume in an average meal; I think this may be why I have so much energy. Calorie wise, they are a little less than what most nutritionists believe a person should have at any given meal, and that is why I am supplementing the shakes with fruit or a vegi (if I have it on hand.) With a banana, my total calorie intake for lunch is about 330.

I love this new, extremely easy plan. I have been out to eat several times since I started this, and I have still lost. Not many plans really allow for eating in restaurants, so this is very exciting to me!

Now you tell me, what are your easy maintain/lose weight secrets? I would prefer they do not involve fasting or drinking strange master cleanse concoctions...I don't really believe that is a healthy, safe, or effective way to maintain or lose weight. Buuut any other secrets or tricks are welcomed!

Hope everyone is have a good Thursday!

~Holly~