2022 Reverse Dieting

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

I am back on this space.

I want to keep a diary of my eating and training to keep me accountable.

I am working with the App called CARBON and currently on a Reverse diet till end of March and then start the Fatloss program as I head towards my 60th birthday in June.

I will share my journey so far. It start in April 2021 after gaining 10 kg doing a Vegan diet and not counting calories or macro's. I walked daily but still kept on gaining.

I have now lost a total of 10kg's and have 3 more to go to be at a good weight for my height and age, but I would love to lost another 5kg's.

With reverse dieting there will be no weight lost. Its to up my calories to a good amount for the future.

I am also tired of * dieting * and this is the break I needed.

My plans are still to be in a calorie deficit, to walk as many steps as possible. It used to be 10 000 a day, but with the currents leg issues that I am busy seeing neurologist for my goal has dropped to 8000 a day and even that is hard at times. I want to drink 2L of water a day, and finding that very hard in winter time.

I am going into January doing DRY JANUARY which is going to help a lot as the alcohol really eats in my calories, carbs and fat.

Here I will be sharing photos and my journey to my 60th birthday in Cape Town, South Africa 

Day 17

I mentioned to my Hubby I wanted a tea pot for the bags of loose tea packets I have in my kitchen cupboard as they have been there for sometime and I don't get to use them, I've been drinking teabag tea for the last 8 years, and while out in Frankfurt the other weekend I ordered a Fruit Tea and it came in a cup like this....so when we saw it on Amazon.de, hubby ordered it for me...It arrived yesterday.

 I'm loving the Oats, Almond Milk, chia seeds, flaxseeds and Almond butter for breakfast. I asked hubby who is currently in the UK to please buy me Quaker oats and you cant find it in Germany. He bought me 3 boxes...so with the two boxes of South African Jungle oats I still have and the three boxes I will be fine for a while...I do have 3 to 4 breakfast idea's I like to rotate....

 I've decided to have one meal with a salad and one with veggies....from now on, this way I get all the goodness of greens into my daily menu. Yesterday I had salad with Lettuce, cherry tomato, orange peppers, Avo and feta cheese with a Tsp of salad dressing for lunch.

 For dinner I cut a chicken breast in half and cooked in Ghee and later added a Tsp of herb Cream cheese for flavor......Steamed broccoli and cauliflower...then grilled the broccoli and mashed the cauliflower....I had 46g of red wine with my meal.

I had two snacks

Rice cakes with Almond butter and slice of cheese

5g Almonds

Drank warm lemon water, 1 coffee, 3 teas and 1 1/2 liters of water

Taught a Kettlebell class for an hour...it was hard...we ladies worked up a good sweet in temps of minus 6 degrees. I had to open the door a few times to breath in the fresh air.

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

Catch up post

 I know the last time I posted was on Day 10 and today is Day 17......bad me!

 I have been keeping to under 30g of sugar a day...in fact most days I am around 15g of sugar.

 I had one bad day. When I say bad, I didn't eat anything on my NOT EATING list, I just ate a lot more than I normally do. I had so much stress the day before, which caused a bad night sleep, that day my Hubby left for the UK for a week...we experienced the heaviest snow fall since living here...it all added up to me eating more calories, but still my sugar stayed under 20g for that day.

 Last week I went back to gym to run on treadmill and to do the toning machines....but this week ( Its Wednesday ) I've not been as the roads are not nice to drive on. I did one Kettlebell class today - Cancelled my class last night due to the roads...I did one outdoor run with Hubby on Saturday, in the snow. Not easy to run in the snow as you have to watch how you step as its a little on the slippery side. It was lovely to run in such fresh air...minus 6 degrees......

 I've been without fruit for 23 days now....and must admit besides not having blueberries with my yogurt, I'm managing, but looking forward in adding Blueberries back to my menu after the sugar challenge

I was watching a program online from the Dr Oz Show.....Got some food tips that are GOOD and good for the no sugar plan....going to add a few. 

Coco Powder ( not adding this as have no idea where or how)

Adzuki Beans ( will look for them in the shops on Friday )

Pomegranates ( will see if in season on Friday )

Squash - not easy to find in Germany

Nuts and seeds ( have added those ) 

 I've been drinking 2 liters of water a day, my warm lemon water on waking, 2/3 teas, and cut back my coffee to one a day and not 2 or 3!

I weigh in again on Friday....

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

Day 10

 I HAD A BUSY DAY YESTERDAY....so didn't get to eat both snacks...

Lunch was a gluten free toasted sandwich

Snack - Almonds

Dinner  - Tuna salad.

My Sugar was low yesterday - 10.92grams

I drank lemon water, coffee, 2 teas and 2 liters water...



I went to gym in the morning
Ran on treadmill and did machines for toning
Total 70 mins workout.

Also had a snow photo shoot the afternoon.

Was a lovely day...busy so didnt get to think about food.
I weighed myself this morning...have lost 2kg's (4.4 lbs )

Calories ended at 1 1 35.

Day 9

 I'm not going to break down the sugars per blog entry anymore as I am doing it in my private group and repeating here, and no one is reading this blog...or actually interested in my sugars....

Saying that I will add my snacks and total sugars for the day

Snacks 

1.  15g Almond nuts

2.  3g Pistachio nuts, 2x Rice cakes, 1tsp Almond butter and 1 slice of Goats cheese

Drank Warm lemon water, 1 coffee, 3 teas and 2 liters water

 Yesterday I went to the gym and ran on the treadmill for 34 mins and walked for 6 mins.

Not going to add my distance or times either.....as you all know my goal is to run a half marathon in September with my hubby....we will start training for that when the weather warms up....but for now all I want to do is run.... hubby is still running even in the minus temps and snow.....he is doing 10km in 58 mins at the moment which I think is fantastic considering the weather. 

After the treadmill I went over to the weights circle, did the introduction on Sunday, so my first time doing it alone.

Did the circle 2x...works the whole body, each machine workout lasts for one minute, then you move to the next. 10 machines in total.

Yesterday I was hungry....the afternoon after lunch

I have no idea why, besides having done more training than usual

Research shows that training makes one hungry.....

This was the first day I wanted to eat ....so drank tea and water to help keep myself away from temptations.

I taught The Power Ladies last night so total training for the day was 2 hours....something I dont normally do...

Otherwise a good day.

Sugars ended at 16g for the day

Calories 1 300

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

Day 8

 Breakfast

Warm lemon water and coffee with milk

Oats, Almond Milk, Almond Butter

Total 8.21g Sugar - 232 Calories

Went out with my camera to take photo's of the snow in town....walked around for an hour.

Snack

20g Almonds

0.96 sugar - 116 calories

Lunch

Sardines in oil ( canned )

Salad of Lettuce, tomato's, Yellow peppers, Feta cheese 

1.72 sugar - 284 calories

Snack

2 Rice cakes

tsp cream cheese

1 slice goats cheese

0.90 sugar - 202 calories

Dinner

Chicken pieces 

Steamed broccoli before mixing with food

Cooked onion, mushrooms, yellow pepper and frozen peas together

Add 30g of cream herb cheese

4.02 sugar - 258 calories

Total sugars for the day - 15.81

Total calories - 1, 092

Didn't count the Butter fat I cooked the dinner in

Added 1 Tsp of salad dressing to my lunch.

I didn't train yesterday.....

I am loving Chia seeds

Have been looking for Chia seeds for a few months now and found it on Friday in our Health shop which I have not visited since my holiday to Cape Town in September 2012

Am loving adding it to different meals.

Was the last box, so hope when I go buy another one, they have!!!

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

Day 7

 Sunday morning I had greek yogurt, 40g Muesli, 1 tsp Almond butter and Chia seeds
With my morning coffee with milk my sugar added up to - 5.15g for breakfast

Lunch  I ate  ate Crab with salad made with 43g Avo, 20g Cherry tomatoes, 25g Yellow peppers, lettuce and Tsp salad dressing

Sugar was 2.28g

                                                              

 Dinner I made 2x scrambled eggs, sprinkle of cheese, 16g cherry tomatoes, 15g Spring onions
Sugar was 2.78g
Snack - 20g Almonds - 0.96g

Drank 1 coffee, 2 liters water, 3 teas without milk.

Went to gym and ran on treadmill for 20 mins and then did an induction course to the new weights circle - once to get my position and strength on my card and then once circle to be shown how it works.....

Total sugars for Sunday ended at 11.17
Calories 1 256

Day 6

 Breakfast - 2 fried eggs on gluten free bread, sprinkled with Chia seeds.
Warm lemon water and coffee

Snack -  I shelled 10g of Pistachio Nuts

Lunch - I had left over chicken and salad

Snack - String cheese and 1 tsp Peanut butter

Was invited out for dinner.

Had carrot and blood orange soup

Cheese in swiss cheese fondue. ( as Gluten free I didn't eat the bread )

For dessert I had a fruit tea....( the rest had fruit salad and ice cream )

Am not sure how much sugar or calories in the dinner....

Worked out without the soup my sugar ended on 12.21 grams and calories on 1 041

I didn't train as was busy with shopping.

This morning am down ONE kilo....

I'm thrilled as 50.....in Menopause....trained for 2 hours and still managed to lose!

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

Day 5

Breakfast

 On waking I always get my half lemon squeezed in warm water and a coffee in bed!!
Breakfast was Jungle oats, 100g Almond Milk and 1 tsp Almond butter
Total - 7.96g sugar

Snack - 15g Almonds - 0.72

Lunch was leftovers veggies with pesto and feta
46g Avo and 41g Tuna
Total -  2,30g

Dinner was 135g skinless chicken
10g Avo
2 cherry tomato's
30g Feta cheese
Total was 2.19

As calories and sugar was very low I had a snack about 2 hours after dinner
100g Greek yogurt
15g chia seeds
1 tsp Almond Butter

Total sugar for yesterday ended at 14.73g
For those interested in calories - 1216

Lunch

Dinner

Did no training yesterday....was busy with grocery shopping, house cleaning and washing........

Day 3 and Day 4

 Oats

1tsp Almond Butter

100ml Almond Milk 

( need to buy the unsweetened version, will go to health shop as none in normal super markets, only this version )

Wild Salmon

Salad with Feta and Avocado 

2 cherry tomato's

Snack

15g Almonds

Chicken cooked with Baby spinach, Mushrooms, onions, yellow peppers, Quinoa and 30g Cream cheese

With small salad

Drank liter and half of water

Warm lemon water

Coffee and 3 teas

No training.

Total sugars - 16.48

Calories - 1258

Greek yogurt and muesli 

Lunch was 145g of left overs from dinner the night before.

Chicken with pesto and feta cheese baked in oven

Veggies

Two liters water

Warm lemon water

Coffee and 2 teas

Trained for one hour.

Day 2 of 30 Day Challenge

On waking I drank warm lemon water and a coffee

 My breakfast yesterday was 2 eggs scrambled with 1 mushroom, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes and spring onion in 1 tsp Olive oil.

Had no snack

Lunch was 4 Gluten free rice cakes with 30g of Herb cream cheese spread on all four rice cakes and eyesocked smoke salmon....with tea

Snack I had 80g Greek yogurt and 1 tsp Almond Butter

 Dinner was cooked wild Salmon covered with half onion, mushroom, frozen peas and baby spinach

1 cup green salad with feta cheese, tomato, cucumber, avo and lettuce.

I ended with 18.95g of sugar

Drank over a liter of water.....1 coffee and 3 tea's

Have been grumpy as the weather is so depressing...

Hubby and I were discussing earlier that I must spend more time back in South Africa over the winter times.....I do plan to go to Abu Dhabi next month for 1 week of sunshine with my daughter and then to Dubai for 1 week with my bestie!!

I taught The Power ladies a LI class...we did a 15 mins warm up, Low Impact Dance and then toning and stretch.

Was good to be back.

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

My menu

 Breakfast

Warm lemon water on waking

Coffee

100ml Almond Milk

1tsp Almond butter

Oats

Snack

15g Almond nuts

 Lunch

Forellen Filets

Salad with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, Orange peppers, avocado and dressing

Snack

80g Greek yogurt

1tsp Organic peanut butter

Dinner

Chicken without skin

Salad with all of the above 

52g Sweet potato

Salad dressing

My total sugars for the day was 20g's

Calories 1330

I'm posting this as I know a few of you want to see what kinds of food I eat during the sugar challenge

As you can see I eat a healthy portion of foods

Clean and no processed

I drank one coffee, 1 lemon warm water, 3 fruit teas, one bottle of water

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

Challenge starts today.

Today I started the 30 day 30grams sugar challenge...

Yesterday I ended on 15grams of sugar and under 800 calories....not good, but it was just one of those days that ended with three meals and no snacks.

Today its all sorted out and I'm back to eating correctly.

Yesterday I did a 10.45km run with hubby and now today am so stiff I can hardly bend down to pick up anything without moaning about my sore butt. It was my first 10km run since September last year....

Hubby bought me a new pair of trailer running barefoot shoes for Xmas, and asked me to walk around in them to feel if they were okay, today I remembered, and happy to say they fit perfectly, but do feel weird as I've gotten used to my normal running shoes.....I want to start wearing the new one's once Spring arrives and I can get into the forest as they not road running shoes.

I took photo's of all my main meals today....

My sugar ended at 18.97grams

I did an hours training.....cardio and toning with intervals.

OH, yes I did weigh myself this morning

65kg's and am normally 61-62kg's

So am going to aim at losing 4 kg's

Hubby told me again this evening when I discussed this with him, that he prefers me this weight, he says my face is not too thin.

I told him I like to be 62 cause then I have a few kg's to play with when on holiday.....If I stay at 65, I will be 68 and then 70....so its good to be at a weight where you still feel okay when you gain.

So all in all....Today was a good day for me.

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

Day 5 and 6 of detox

Yesterday I went to Frankfurt with my husband and met up with two South African ladies I'd met at the South African Braai ( BBQ ) in Frankfurt towards the end of last year....we all wanted to keep in touch after our first meeting....
The one lady with the purple top is a runner....has run many marathons...she said the Berlin Marathon was the best so far and she has run many around the world. What amazed me was that she goes running in the morning before work. As a South African used to the warm weather I find that impossible to do, so did find she inspired me a lot. Loved chatting to her about running, hearing all her experience as a runner. I did ask her about my sugar detox for 30 days starting tomorrow and what effects it would have on my running.....I hit a very bad sugar low while running in Cape Town in September - The Gun Run....that was the weirdest experience I've ever had...was told cause I cut back on my sugars - need to learn how to be a fat burner when running and not sugar!
The other lady wearing the brown top ( dont want to mention their names on the internet ) is very into healthy living - she has been living the healthy way for a few years now and also had so much info to share. She and I spoke about my sugar detox program....I also spoke to her about my stiff finger joints I'm suffering from and she gave me a website and some product to drink which should help.

Yesterday I made sure I stayed within my goal of 30grams of sugar...ended up at 25g's so happy.

Today....I went with Hubby for a 10.45km run....my first 10km since September and first run for 2013
I did it in 1hour and 10 mins...slow...but did have to walk a few times and there were more hills than flats in this route.
I did try drinking one of those running gels at the 5km mark ....its got 5g's of sugar...so after that had to make sure my eating was good as I don't want to go over the 30g allowed.
I ended with my sugar at 15 grams today.....
Only having one coffee a day now instead of 2 or 3....drinking tea without milk the other times.

So tomorrow is weigh in day for me as we officially start the 30days 30grams sugar challenge.
I've done the detox now.....so am positive with my mindset I will last the 30days...
As you know I have decided not to eat fruit for the detox and challenge period, but will go back to one or two servings after that.

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

Day 4

I've been on the sugar detox for 5 days today...and so far besides a craving for food yesterday morning only 2 hours after breakfast and a slight twinge in my head today....all is good.

My mood is so much better, I feel happier.....I woke up this morning with a desire to train...Now if you know my situation the last 2 months, you will know I have struggled to get out to teach my classes, let alone my own personal training...so when I had this desire today it make me feel happier as I felt the OLD me was starting to return...

I cycled for 20 mins while listening to an interview on Youtube regarding health and fitness

When finished I did toning with weights and 7.5kg Kettle-bell for a further 40 mins...so in total I trained for an hour..

I never train longer than an hour as I know that if you train well for a short period its ample. Too many people over train....never get results or get injured then give training up totally....I believe its all about balance. Finding the balance in life.

Today I went to do next weeks grocery shopping.....was amazed at how expensive it was without buying fruit....I did buy Hubby's Apples and Pears...but not the usual amount of fruit I buy weekly.

Before going I to the shops I put a grocery list together ( left it at home ) I was going through Tosco Reno's clean eating meals for ideas....was surprised how high most of the dishes where in sugar....so ended up buying the types of food we like that have less sugar in them...

I am enjoying Oats for breakfast at the moment with a tsp of Peanut butter....and cooked in normal 3.5% milk....The sugar for all of these is just over 5g's

Today I bought Almond butter and Almond milk....lower is sugar, so going to cook my oats with Almond milk tomorrow morning - am hoping it tastes good as I bought 2L of Almond milk.

I stocked up on fish for my lunch meals.....Sardines, Tuna, Eyesock Salmon, and some other fish....evenings will be chicken and veggies( once a week we have Salmon )...Lunch time is Fish and salad. I have Rice Cakes with goats cheese and Greek yogurts for snacks

Will basically be eating the same thing most days.....I will have eggs one day for breakfast and Oats the next.....

Will log in my menu here as well as my group...

BTW...am doing well with drinking water....having 2 teas and only 1 coffee now...

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

Day 3 and all good

Our Christmas Eve dinner.....

Am told its fattening due to the cheese....but to me cheese is sugar free and fat is not my enemy!

Yesterday I asked a friend to take my measurements:-

R + L upper arm 32cm

Breast 93cm

Under Breast 84cm

Across Belly button 76cm

Hips 89cm

R + L upper leg 60cm

I'm going to hunt down my last measurements and compare....

I will be weighing in on Monday morning when the 30 Day 30g Sugar per day challenge begins.

I have stopped fruit while I go through the sugar detox - Today its Day 3...

I am doing the sugar detox before the sugar challenge begins as I want to start my training again and know while going through the detox period I lack energy...so this is me getting myself ready for Monday.

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

I'm back....and ready to go!!

I got back from Cape Town the 18 November and have not stopped eating and drinking since...

Oh I did have my days during the week where I was on track....sugar was good.

Then the last week of this year I just let go, totally let go

I ate whatever was going and had a glass or two of wine every night.

I woke up on New Years day with such fog brain.

I have been eating sugar, dairy and wheat.....( no aspartame foods ) and not drinking my lemon water or drinking enough water.....to be honest if it was 2 glasses a day it was good.

I did run 14km with hubby who was on leave last week.

I went to the gym 2x

Taking a break from teaching - we start again next week.

So that was then...

Today I took all my measurements

Yes, they up a bit....

Yesterday I went back to my usual way of eating.

Tracking my foods

Cutting out sugar and wheat...

This afternoon I am beginning to feel the fog brain feeling lift...

I ordered a book last night about sugar detoxing....will share with you in my next entry.

My group of ladies and I have a 30 days 30 grams of sugar challenge starting on Monday...now we all preparing for this challenge.

Personally I want to be sugar free for a lifetime and not only 30days, but we have to start somewhere and this way we can all motivate each other....

Today was DAY 2 back on track for me.

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

Last update till November

I've not blogged here for a while....I've been receiving so much spam....stupid promotions that I am beginning to hate this space......why I love my private blog...no spam what so ever.

I have been following the No sugar plan of eating since I started it a few months ago...
I do enjoy a glass or two on Friday and Saturday evenings...
But not touching Gluten, Grains, Chocolate or lots of sugar...
I'm maintaining my weight....not losing or gaining at the moment...which is fine cause I am satisfied with where I am and that I finally have found a way to maintain my weight after years and years of yo yo dieting and weight loss and gain.

I teach 4x a week and try run 2x.....or do my own indoor training...

Am off to South African in a weeks time, and only return the 12 November, there I am doing the famous 10km Gun Run ( not the half marathon ) with my sister and friend....so am taking my running shoes with to keep training for this event.

Will be updating again once I am back .......

Thursday's update

I've been continuing with the NO sugar in my eating plan....

As I said before....this is very much the way I eat....and did learn a few things with this challenge so am  happy to continue eating this way....

So far this year I have lived without Gluten, Grains and Processed foods

Always been aware of sugar...but now even more than before.

This year I have learned a lot regarding foods that are healthy for one's body.

No, its not been a struggle

No, I have no cravings

Its a choice I made in October last year ( nearly one whole year ago )

Because I chose this lifestyle, and was not told I cant have certain foods anymore

I think it why I am managing without struggles to do this.

I have run a lot more this week as our weather has been so good.

Monday - 10km

Tuesday - 9.78km

Thursday - 10km

I have taught 3 classes so far and have one this evening so that takes me to 4 classes this week.

Am not sure if I can run tomorrow as I have a photo shoot in the morning and its suppose to rain at some point.

The weekend I wont be training as got the yearly South African Braai in Frankfurt and Soccer photo's on Sunday....

Am happy with my training this week and my weight is 61kg's

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.

Day 50/50

So....today is the last day of the 50days no sugar challenge.

I can say I did it between 90 and 95% for the 50days.

I did have white dry wine on a Friday and Saturday night....

2 glasses the most.

I did have 2 TSP of Organic Ice cream earlier this week...

But with eating the ice cream I still stay within 30g of sugar allowed.

And that was where I feel I was not on plan 100% as the plan suggest NO alcohol for the 50 days.

Today I broke free.....and am okay with it cause tomorrow I will be back to my usual eating staying within my 30gs of sugar a day.

When I woke this morning I ate a Banana....14g's of sugar

I was going for a 8km run with my friends and didnt want to eat a big breakfast before...

Then I came home and later ate breakfast and see the new Greek yogurt I bought says that it has 4.9g of sugar per 100g....which is fine...but tub is 200g's and the sugar is 9.8g's

Thats's 24g's of sugar

Then hubby said...* LETS WALK TO TOWN FOR AN ICE CREAM *

I said * YES *

it was 38 degrees outside...we were lying in the sun all day...and I was HOT.

WE walked down...

I ordered a scoop of yogurt ice cream and Lemon ice cream

So had two scoops of what I thought would have the lower levels of sugar...

So know with the ice cream I am over the 30g of sugar on my last day.

I lost the 3kg's I gained.

Since that loss I have maintained my weight at 62kg's...

I am satisfied with the weight I am ...

I remember at 40 weighing 72kg's...

So 62kgs at 50.....I like!

The way I see it, isn't necessarily the way you see it.