I have been doing the PINK Method exercise and nutrition program since January 22nd. I lost the weight I wanted to lose in the first two months and have basically been in PINK Preservation ever since in order to maintain my weight. I could make my own menus if I wanted to, but I enjoy having everything planned out for me, so we’ve been mostly doing the PINK menus this whole time. I was really starting to get bored with the repetition and simplicity of the food, though, so I was looking to change something up on the food end of things.
When the PINK online access went away at the end of August, I started using My Fitness Pal to track m
y calories and exercise, as well as my water intake. It’s really an amazing FREE program, and you can use the convenient app on your phone or iPad, as well…available for both Apple and Android. It has the most extensive food database I’ve ever seen, so it’s easy to pull up everything you eat and log the nutrition data that’s already there 99% of the time.
With that program, I set myself up to maintain my weight at 125, and after entering my height and weight information and other variables, it allotted me 1,400 calories per day, plus extra calories to balance out whatever exercise I enter. I’ve been using it for almost 2 months now, and it has really helped me stay on track, even when I want a treat! It keeps a count and lets me know how many calories I have left for the day.
When I started looking for ideas on different menus, it dawned on me that I already owned the whole set of Comfort Food Diet cookbooks from Taste of Home, and that used to be its own online weight loss subscription program, but it was discontinued a few years ago. Anyway, in the front of each cookbooks is a free sample of 6 weeks of menu plans using the recipes in the cookbooks that equal 1,400 calories per day…which is exactly what I’m allotted at My Fitness Pal. So I got to thinking that this might be just the thing to change up our menus without getting off track. I dug them out of my cookbook cabinet and sat down to take a look. It seemed totally doable, so I started it on Sunday of this week. I’m on the third day now, and I have lost weight every single day! And what’s more, I’ve eaten pasta, homemade bread, bagel, cheese, and dairy products, which are all things I didn’t get on PINK. I also have had dessert every single night! And you know what? I’m stuffed full. Sometimes, I can’t even eat all the food. And I haven’t taken advantage of any of the allowed snacks at all. To be honest, I haven’t even found myself thinking about snacks, because I’m so full and satisfied after every meal! The first night, I made these super rich layered ice cream desserts that my kids were crazy for…they had caramel, chocolate, mini ice cream sandwiches, chocolate sauce, etc., and it was so rich! Last night, we had chocolate peanut butter parfaits, and they were SO yummy, and only 130 calories!
My total calories yesterday barely broke 1,000, and yet I was SO stuffed. I had spaghetti and meat sauce, a salad, and that parfait for dessert. I had a fabulous salmon chowder for lunch with a homemade wheat roll with butter and grapes. I had a delicious crustless spinach quiche for breakfast with toast and jam. It’s been so yummy!
I’m amazed. I’m down to 123.2 today, and that’s my lowest weight this year! I’m down a total of 16 pounds since January 22nd, which means I’ve lost 11.5% of my body weight this year! I have stuck with the PINK workouts religiously, and I’ve completed the program 3 times through this year. I just started round 4 yesterday.
So if you are stuck in a food rut, you’re trying to lose weight, you’re trying to maintain your current weight, or you just want to healthified versions of comfort foods that leave you feel satiated after every meal, then I highly recommend that you check out the Comfort Food Diet Cookbooks! Collect them all so you can get the free menu plans in the front of each book. But it’s easy to put together your own plans with the cookbooks, as well, because the recipes are separated by meal category and then indexed in calorie order in each section. Easy peasy!
Check them out!
2. Comfort Food Diet Cookbook - Family Classics Collection
3. Comfort Food Diet Cookbook – Quick & Easy Favorites
Enjoy! Feel free to share your weight loss journey in the comments. Here’s to a healthier you!
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