This is apart of a series of articles written by Jackson Trout. To read previous instalments,
click here: Introduction , Getting Started, The Bike

You Do Make Friends with Salad

After the first few weeks of adding the exercise bike into my routine, I began noticing the kgs beginning to drop. I went from 112kgs to 111kgs, then 110kgs, and onwards.

As I watched this positive change happen, I also began to wonder what other alterations I could include in my weight-loss program to assist me even more.

That led me to reconsider my diet. I began to investigate to see if there was any room for improvement.

As I’ve noted before, I initially planned to stick to a very strict intermittent fasting regime, where I would only allow myself to eat between 12:00PM to 8:00PM. I also set out to reframe from the usual suspects – sugary drinks, fast-food and sweets – the unhealthy top of the food pyramid.

However, while this strategy was effective in helping me avoid unhealthy foods, it didn’t necessarily ensure an explicitly healthy diet either. I still found myself eating high-carb foods which, though not as bad as processed fast-food or sugary treats, wasn’t necessarily the healthiest alternative either.

I started to cut down on high-carb foods such as white bread and pasta. I started incorporating more vegetables into my meals, which led to a newfound appreciation for vegetable soups and salads (see recipes below).

The change was noticeable.

I saw my weight dropping at a faster rate and I also began noticing other positive effects. I was feeling better about myself. I had more energy and had a more positive outlook overall, which made it easier to accept the new changes. It worked as the perfect incentive.

My Weight Loss Journey: Part 4 – Diet and Nutrition

However, as I began to lose more and more weight each week, I started to get a little nervous. My newfound diet and exercise program was working… maybe a little too good in my opinion.

To be continued…

Recipes

Asian Salad 

You’ll need:

  • A large, mixing bowl
  • 1 cup of spinach leaves (thinly sliced)
  • 1 cup of red cabbage (thinly sliced)
  • 1 cup of green cabbage (thinly sliced)
  • 1 cup of shredded carrots
  • 1 large Spanish onion (thinly sliced)
  • 1 small tin of corn kernels
  • Salt to taste
  • Dressing of your choice (I use honey Dijon)

Optional: Any extras you wish to include e.g., roast chicken, heated frozen squid, etc.

Method:

  1. Add all ingredients into a large mixing bowl
  2. Mix until satisfied
  3. Enjoy!

Vegetable Soup

You’ll need:

  • A large, steel pot
  • Olive oil
  • 1 large brown onion (chopped)
  • 3-4 Garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
  • Carrots (chopped)
  • Green beans (chopped)
  • Zucchini (chopped)
  • Spinach leaves (chopped)
  • Sweet potato (chopped)
  • Potato (chopped)
  • Pumpkin (chopped)
  • Any extra vegetables you have (chopped)
  • Soy sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 liter of beef stock
  • 2 sachets of bouquet Garni (still in the sachets)

Optional: Grain bread rolls with some butter. Cheese, roast chicken etc. for toppings.

Method:

  1. Preheat the pot at a mid-high temperature
  2. Add a slurp of olive oil
  3. Add onions and garlic – stir until golden
  4. Add all vegetables, beef stock, then the Garni sachets (make sure the sachets are not torn throughout the process)
  5. Add a dash of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce into the mix, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Stir to perfection and wait until it starts boiling.
  7. Once boiling, turn down heat to mid-low and let it simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
  8. Carefully remove the Garni sachets from the pot
  9. Once vegetables are soft, turn off the stove. You can either puree the soup if you would like too.
  10. Add any additional toppings, such as cheese or roast chicken

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