Hello readers! While I was on hiatus this summer, I really focused heavily on taking better care of myself and my body. I haven’t felt this energized or felt comfortable in my own body since I was 19. I’m now 27.

What does my diet look like?

I have definitely been eating cleaner since summer began and I am more conscious now of what is on my plate. Every morning I wake up and drink a bottle of lemon water that I’ve let sit overnight. My next meal is usually a spinach smoothie. I have so much fun finding new recipes that work for me, experimenting with fruit and veggies that I normally wouldn’t reach for.

My first solid meal has been oatmeal recently. I still can’t eat it plain so the brown sugar is my go to. Around noon, I’m hungry again and I have a “carb-wise” spinach wrap with spring mix, turkey slices, and nonfat shredded cheese. Someone at work once asked me how I can eat it without dressing or mayonnaise. Honestly, I enjoy the taste of the wrap plain. With the wrap, I have about a cup of fruit, my favorite being green seedless grapes. Or cotton candy grapes, if I can find them. And yes they really taste like cotton candy.

My last big meal changes as my cravings change, but I always make sure that I have a meat and plenty of vegetables. Depending on the day, and of course if I’m craving hardcore because of my time of month, I might grab a snack or make another small meal before I get ready for bed.

Do I ever feel like I’m starving myself?

Absolutely not. I eat when I’m hungry and I make sure that I’m drinking plenty of water. Being more conscious to the amount of calories I’m taking in as well means that I am choosing low calorie options. Making simple substitutions with the food I normally eat ensures that I can still have my pasta and ice cream if I want. Higher calories equals less food. Lower calories equals more food.

Do I cheat on my diet?

I do cheat on my diet at least once a week. If I want a cupcake, I’m going to eat that cupcake. If I want to pig out on ice cream, you better believe I’m getting me some. Reaching for these “treats”, however, is not the norm for me anymore. But letting myself have a snack every now and then kind of keeps me sane and keeps me from falling off the wagon.

Have I lost weight with such a “loose” diet?

This is probably the question you are all wondering. Hearing that I still have a cupcake here and there on my diet probably makes one think that I’m not making progress by not being more strict with myself.

As I sit here typing this, I’m grinning from ear to ear. Because I have lost weight, and quite a bit. At the beginning of July, I weighed 194 pounds. This was about the time that I had really cracked down on what I was eating. I weighed myself again at the beginning of August. I’m now 185. Yes, I’m still overweight. I’m well aware of that. But I’m making progress and I’m doing this for me, no one else.

Thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoyed this little update and I will see you all in my next post!