Maintenance...

So... losing weight might have felt like the hard part BUT I think moving forward the maintenance phase is even harder.  Its finding the balance between enjoying life and eating well - I don't want to live in a world where I cannot have something super delicious from time to time BUT I also want to fuel my body with good food that will sustain my weight loss but that is also tasty.

After losing a total of 30kgs the fear of putting on that weight again is a huge reality for me and I don't want to go back to that again...

Here are a few changes I have made -

1) I tend to lean towards intermittent fasting most of the time - I had to change my whole mindset as I have been told  that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I have always struggled with breakfast. So after doing much research I am ok with not eating breakfast and so far it hasn't been a problem. Having said that I am also being careful to listen to my body and if I wake up hungry (which is very rare) then I will happily eat something.

2) I love to snack, its my downfall. So I have been researching some healthy snacks one being roasting my own nuts. These are cashews roasted with ginger, garlic, chill powder and nutritional yeast.  I have also roasted cauliflower and Brussel sprouts which are very yum! Plain yogurt as pudding also works really well.

3) I am a huge fan of wraps, they are safely my favorite food however I am trying to stay low carb most of the time and a lettuce wrap is a very satisfying alternative to a wheat wrap. I made this for my lunch on Sunday and LOVED it, I was still full at dinner time it was so good! I wrap all my chicken, salad, veg goodness in lettuce, wrap it up and it really is delicious.
I also use yoghurt as an alternative to mayo adding in some mustard and garlic to flavor it.

4) I have been making my own chicken stock to add to my curries and stews. We have at least 1 chicken a week so I keep the bones and make my own stock out of them - I know exactly what has been added to it so I know its 100% safe to eat and so tasty. I have been using my slow cooker a lot lately and really enjoying the ease of it.
I made myself some chicken soup last night and by this morning it was all cooked and smelling delicious - this will be used as my meals or a snack for the next week - I will freeze it in ziplocks and grab one when needed.

I have really  been enjoying finding what works for my body and what doesn't - there is the obvious foods such as wheat and carbs that make me feel bloated BUT there have also been a few surprises that are good to note that my body just does not do well with - this way I know to steer clear of these foods and make a different choice.
I am in this for the long haul and don't want to go back to an unhealthy weight, I love the freedom and confidence of being a healthy weight and a weight that is right for ME (everyone is different).