Weight Loss Diaries – Week 6 | Cheat meals and wearing shoes again

Find out more about this project and my weight loss goals here

Six weeks in, and I am approaching 10 pounds lost! This project isn’t getting any more difficult as time goes on, and although I felt like I was on a plateau for most of this week, I still lost over and above my goal. I’m counting that as a win!

Anyway, let’s get into week six’s ups, downs, learnings and statistics…

This week’s stats

Weight loss goal: 0.5kg
Weight lost this week: 0.6kg
Current weight: 95.1kg
Weight lost total: 3.9kg

Daily calorie goal: 1,750
Average daily calories consumed: 1,643
Water goal: 14 litres
Water consumed: 11 litres

Step goal: 35,000
Steps achieved: 46,497
Distance walked: 26.48km
Heart points achieved: 289
Longest walk: 3.34km

On the menu

The cooking and eating portion of this diet is starting to feel a LOT easier. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve settled into a routine, finally understood the limits of how much time I actually want to spend in the kitchen, or have cut down my decisions dramatically by trying to use what’s in the fridge and freezer – but either way, this week’s food felt easy, delicious, and kept me super satisfied.

On my plate

I keep forgetting to take pictures of my food – probably because I’m always too excited to eat it…! I did however discover this week that mushy peas are pretty high protein. Who knew?!

I was craving mashed potato this week, so we had that with hache steaks, gravy and tenderstem broccoli. I’ve been surprised to learn that potato is actually pretty good for you during this diet – even mash, if you are conservative with the butter and milk. We add a little cheese and mustard to give it a bit more flavour.

I’m dead impressed with the protein range available in Aldi. This delicious breakfast comprised two of these Protein Pancakes, microwaved and topped with strawberries, blueberries, greek yoghurt and a little maple syrup. It’s almost a dessert. Yum!

Cheat meals

I hadn’t had a cheat meal (unless you count being on holiday – I don’t) throughout the whole 6 weeks so far – but I did this week. I went out for my friend’s 30th birthday, which was mixed tapas – various meats in sauces, pizza, salads and the like. Even though I’m on a diet, I don’t believe in using it as an excuse to duck out of social events. Life goes on, right? I didn’t bother trying to count calories here, and actually didn’t put any weight on following this meal… maybe there is something in the occasional cheat meal?

How I’m feeling

At the start of the week I was limited to only wearing sandals, thanks to the wound on the back of my foot, which slightly hampered the joy of daily walks (socks and sandals worn with a winter coat aren’t a great look). However, after rigging up a plaster-and-bandage combination, my foot was sufficiently protected to heal nicely, so I was pleased to be able to wear shoes again at last!

I was getting frustrated at being stuck on the same weight for almost the entire week – flitting between 95.2 and 95.4kg, despite knowing for a fact I was well into a calorie deficit. I was on my period this week so I’m attributing this plateau to additional water weight cased by hormones – but I won’t lie, it was a bit soul-destroying. When I got on the scales on Sunday to see my weight drop down below 95kg for the first time, though… the relief I felt! I must have been still losing fat all week, but the additional water retention had been blocking the number on the scales changing.

I also saw my mum for the first time since I started this weight loss journey, and she specifically commented how well I look and that she could tell I had lost weight. I know compliments during a weight loss process can’t always be trusted to be factual, but it is really encouraging to hear other people can see a difference! I see myself every day, so it’s harder for me to see the little changes than others who don’t see me as often.

‘Til next time,

Alli xx

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