Before and After - 60 lbs loss

Before Pictures -Summer of 2011

After 60 lbs weight loss - Summer of 2013

I met my goal weight in approx 2 years. I will admit that it was not easy. It requires motivation, determination and a little discipline. I eat everything that I like. And friends, I am not dieting at all. Its a healthy life style that I have adopted.

What worked for me?

1) Eat right portions.

Measure Measure Measure everything that you eat. Stop mindless eating. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and kitchen weighing scale are my best friends in the kitchen. Take a look at the serving size on the package to decide on the portion you will eat.

2) Never stay hungry. Eat minimum 5 times in a day.

3 meals a day - Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

Minimum 2 Snacks

Breakfast Ideas -

i) Egg whites omelette, 1 bread slice, Tea/Coffee with 1/4 cup of 1% or 2% milk
ii) Cold meats - Reduced sodium (Deitz and Watson) black pepper turkey (2 slices)
    or Oven Roasted Turkey, 2 slices of bread
iii) Vegetarian Sandwich -  Laughing Cow reduced fat Cheese wedge (1), some red peppers/cucumbers/tomatoes between 2 slices of bread

Lunch Ideas -

1) 1 serving of Chapati (Indian bread made with wheat dough) and 2 cups of vegetables
     (any curry like cauliflower or spinach mushroom or eggplant potato or Okra made with
      a teaspoon of  olive oil). Eat a fruit or a snack (listed below) if you are still hungry.

2) Any lean meat sandwich with whole grain/wheat bread with little or no cheese. If you
    order it in your cafe at work ask for more lettuce/tomato instead of cheese. This is
    just one way of customizing your lunch to make it less calories.

3) Salad with lot of greens and grilled chicken in it. Easy on dressing please :)

Dinner Ideas

Eat dinner latest by 7 PM

1)  1 serving of grain or wheat spaghetti  with 99% fat free turkey meat balls (4-5 meat balls)

2) For vegetarians, add lot of vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, peas, green beans. Good thing  is that you can add vegetables in any quantity. Be mindful of vegetables like corn, peas as they are little high in calories than other veggies like carrots, cauliflower etc

Snack ideas

Eat a snack an hour before lunch and dinner . Buy small plastic containers. Pack you snacks in advance. Eat 3-5 fruits a day

Below are some of the ideas

i) Baby carrots/lettuce/cucumbers with a tablespoon of reduced fat dressing of your choice
ii) An Apple
iii) An orange
iv) A banana
v) A pear
vi) Non fat flavored yogurt (90 calories)
vii) (8-11 pieces) Cheez -it or Chex mix
viii)  Fiber -one brownie.
ix) 1 cup of cut pineapple
x) 1 cup of grapes

Important tip

I prefer to drink hot green tea after half an hour of lunch. It helps to distract me from mindless eating. I drink green tea 2 - 3 times between lunch and dinner depending upon how stressful I am with work. Sometimes you tend to eat under stress or when you are bored. I either drink water or drink green tea to avoid eating unnecessarily.