Saturday 28 January 2012

Day 7 Skinny Jeans Diet... the verdict

Finally Day 7 of Skinny Jeans diet is over... I've made it through, the first few days were tough having to restrict myself to 3 main meals a day and one snack only, no sweets!

Here's a recap of Lauren Conrad's 7 days to Skinny Jeans diet. I've highlighted in green the options I chose.

 
The Rules
  • Commit. Keep your eyes on the prize (a.k.a. those darn skinny jeans) and if possible, enlist a partner in crime. It’s always easier when you have a buddy for support!
  • Drink lots of water! At least 8-10 glasses a day.
  • Pick one exercise to do every day (save one day for rest).
  • Pick one meal from each category for each day.
  • Pick one snack for each day. (I like to have a snack between lunch and dinner, but the timing is really up to you.)
  • If possible, try to sneak in your exercise before breakfast. Otherwise, just make sure you squeeze it into your schedule. This is the important part!
Breakfast Options
  • Greek yogurt topped with walnuts, a handful of berries (or sliced banana) and a light drizzle of agave nectar
  • Steel cut oatmeal with 2 tablespoons of dried apricots, 2 tablespoons of slivered almonds and a splash of almond milk
  • Veggie omelet with a slice of whole grain toast
  • Breakfast smoothie
  • Half an avocado stuffed with cottage cheese and a side of sliced tomato
  • Ezekiel toast topped with 2 sliced up hardboiled eggs served with half of a grapefruit
  • Breakfast Quinoa
Lunch & Dinner Options
  • Whole-grain pita filled with chicken, arugula, sliced tomato a teaspoon of crumbled feta and a drizzle of olive oil; serve with a side of grapes
  • Grilled Bruschetta Chicken with a small side salad (use a mixture of lemon, olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the dressing)
  • Zucchini “Pasta” with a side of quinoa
  • Two slices of cauliflower crust pizza with a side of steamed vegetables
  • Sesame-Tofu Stir-Fry 
  • Beet, Orange & Fennel Salad with a side of quinoa
  • Healthy Chicken Salad served over lettuce or on a slice of whole-grain toast
Snacks
  • 1 medium apple with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
  • 1 cup of red grapes and a low fat string cheese
  • ¼ cup of almonds
  • ½ cup of bran cereal (or Grape Nuts) with milk and a few berries
  • Raw veggies with 3 generous tablespoons of hummus
  • 1 hardboiled egg with a few whole-grain crackers
  • Celery with a tablespoon of almond butter and a few raisins
Exercise Options
  • 30 minutes of cardio (running, kickboxing, elliptical, swimming, step aerobics etc.)
  • 1 hour of yoga or Pilates
  • Intervals: run for 60 seconds, walk for 90 seconds (repeat 8 times)
  • Circuit: 100 jumping jacks, 20 crunches, 20 squats, 10 push ups, 25 bench dips (you can do this using a chair), 60 second wall sit, 60 second plank (repeat two times)
  • 1 hour hike with steady incline
  • Quickie: 20 lunges, 50 jumping jacks (or swap out jumping jacks for jumping rope for 2 minutes)
  • Semi-Quickie: 15 minute jog, 20 squats, 20 sit-ups


Kerancia's Verdict.
The ones highlighted in green above, were the options I chose to alternate between over the 7 days. The first 2 days I was really hungry as having one snack of 1 apple and a tablespoon of peanut butter really does NOT hit the spot. By day 3, I had gotten into a pattern of having 3 main meals and 1 snack. I did 6 days straight of exercise varying between 30 minutes run, the quickie workout and the semi-quickie workout. Day 7 was rest day. Surprising after the initial hurdle, my energy levels were up and I was feeling motivated to complete the 7 days skinny jeans plan.

Pros: If you've been slack with your eating lately, this plan gets you back into a routine of healthy eating - 3 main meals and a snack. Simple tasty recipes to follow take the guess work of figuring out what to eat.

7 days is short enough to commit to, and I felt motivated. By the end of the 7 days, I had lost 1kg - felt less bloated, and my skinny jeans were more comfortable!!! Great way to kick start committing to a longer term fitness regime!

Cons: Don't expect miracles. It’s not going to make you lose a lot of weight. I lost 1kg. But I felt heaps better at the end of the week.

No comments: