Lite n' Easy Week 1

So I've passed my first week of trying Lite n' Easy, the weight-loss oriented meal delivery service, and it has been such an interesting experience. I feel lighter, more alive and most importantly happier. I do feel my body is detoxing or perhaps even having withdrawal symptoms from not eating the large quantities of carb/fat-loaded food I was previously eating as I've been feeling pretty tired and weak. This is not because of a lack of food as I am eating 1500 calories a day which is perfectly healthy for my age, body and lifestyle. I can really relate to the song 'Feel Again' by One Republic as I am more conscious of things now. There's just an openness to my mind and I'm feeling extremely optimistic. Before trying this meal plan I would literally use food like some people do alcohol - to forget everything and feel numb to the rest of the world. I would purposely go into 'zombie-mode' and eat a whole pizza plus bowls of whatever I could put together from the kitchen and then fall asleep to Days of Our Lives on the couch. I actually noticed during my first week I spent a lot less time on the couch and watching tv.

Lunch: beetroot hamburger

I'm beyond impressed that I didn't stray off the eating plan, the only extra I really had was a bit of tomato sauce with one or two of the dinners. The small portion sizes were a little scary at first but as they were so small I HAD to slow down otherwise they'd be gone in a flash. I've found that within a week Lite n' Easy has helped train me to be satisfied with smaller portions.

I had literally gone from binging EVERY SINGLE DAY of the week prior to then eating a healthy portion-controlled meal plan the next. The main reasons I believe I was able to successfully stick with the food provided are:

- Having a big breakfast. I only ordered the lunch and dinner program(to reduce expenses)but I closely studied their breakfast menus and saw that the portions were really big relative to the amount of calories consumed in the day.So I replicated their items myself and increased the sizes of my breakfast; now I can have THREE weetbix, HALF a cup of oats(instead of a quarter) and TWO pieces of toast!

Breakfast: muesli with greek yoghurt, chia seeds & strawberry preserves

- Having food to look forward to.  The lunches provided were always quite small but knowing I had a sweet treat or two for afternoon tea made everything better(apple and cranberry muffin, date and walnut slice, mini muesli cookies, popcorn, raisin toast with butter, citrus and sultana oat biscuit, etc.).

Snack: mini muesli cookies

- Starting a new project. I've had way too much free time on my hands with the THREE MONTH(!) summer break from university and the supermarket where I work hasn't given me any extra hours so I've found a little side job. I'm helping develop an app, Lost on Campus, which is an interactive map for Australian university students of their campus. That sounds really fancy but basically I'm an editor for my campus and have to go round taking photos and writing descriptions and upload them to the database for the new students coming in this year who will be clueless as to where their first lecture is. Being busy with this has helped take my mind off of food. If you're stuck in a food rut I'd recommend trying a new hobby to draw the focus in your life away from food. Start a blog, learn how to do some fancy braiding/hairstyles, try a new type of exercise, volunteer, organise your paperwork/photos/filing systems or make a Youtube channel(something I'm considering myself for the near future).

Dinner: salmon, calamari & squid ring pasta

- PHOTOGRAPHING MY FOOD! If you've been following me on instagram(likely you are as that's probably how you've found my blog) you will know I've been photographing most of my Lite n' Easy meals, minus a couple of the dinners because they're frozen meals and hard to transfer from the cardboard container to a plate without it looking like an ugly mess. As a result of my food snapping I've started to plate up my meals much more nicely as well. This photography/presentation process takes a little time before I get to eat but that's helped me to relax before I eat instead of wolfing it down straight away. It's made me appreciate my food so much more and makes the eating experience so much more special. If you don't want to turn your instagram into a 'foodstagram' then get the free app, The Eatery to record your meals for your own pleasure.


Unfortunately I forgot to order in time for the next delivery of Lite n' Easy so I've had to fend for myself this week. At first I was so scared and thought all my hard work in week one would go down the gurgler when I was left to my own devices but so far so good. After this week I'll do an update on how it went.

Stay classy, stay healthy.

Instagram: @MissShivi

Snack: apple & cranberry muffin with green tea