Mum who has lost 53kgs shares some of the FAQs about her journey plus 7 ways she uses meal planning to save $200 a week

Mum of two Cicily has lost 53kg and constantly gets asked questions about her journey, so she has answered them! Plus she shares 7 ways she STICKS to her meal plan.
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Cicily admits she used to binge on junk food, but over the last two years, she has changed her eating habits (and totally transformed her life as a result).

The mum-of-two has adopted a healthy lifestyle and lost a SPECTACULAR 53kg by following the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

But Cicily says one of the best things she’s learnt through The Healthy Mummy is to have (and stick to) a healthy meal plan.

Cicily’s weight loss journey

Recently Cicily shared with The Healthy Mummy Private Support Group some of the key parts of her weight loss journey with The Healthy Mummy:

Some answers to FAQ’s about my journey:

  • 53kgs lost
  • Six dress sizes gone
  • No weight loss surgery or skin removal surgery
  • Eating over 2,000 calories a day
  • Still going out for dinner every week and getting that burger
  • No “fat shredding” miracle diet supplements
  • Two Healthy Mummy Smoothies a day (with fruit, oats etc. and water), one 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge mains recipe, two 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge snack recipes, two rows of Lindt chocolate for dinner. One cheat day a week where I went over my calories
  • 15-18 months to lose the weight, two years seven months in total on my journey
  • I do have loose skin, but it’s easily hidden and doesn’t affect my everyday clothing. I kind of love it anyway because it shows how far I’ve come. Don’t be afraid of getting loose skin. It’s better than excess fat in my opinion
  • No exercise whilst losing the majority of weight – except a 5km walk weekly SOMETIMES. – After I’d lost 40kgs I started walking four days a week 10kms because I enjoyed it. Now I work as a fitness trainer so exercise five times a week burning about or over 3,500 calories a day
  • No cutting food groups – I still ate the bread! Although I love swapping pasta with Konjac noodles!
  • Drinking coffee the whole time
  • Not really drinking much alcohol just because I didn’t
  • Having A LOT of “off days” but making up for them for being totally on point the rest of the time”

As a final piece of advice for any mums considering this journey Cicily said:

“YOU CAN DO IT! Find what works for you. Meal prep, Healthy Mummy Smoothies, slow cooker, walking, gym, Healthy Mummy Snack Bars, Healthy Mummy Super Greens. FIND YOUR JAM. And make it happen.”

7 ways this mum who lost 53kg sticks to her meal plan and saves $200 EVERY week

Here are seven ways this mama says has helped her STICK to her weekly meal plan and see maximum weight loss result as a result.

1. Eat food that you like!

Cicily suggests choosing recipes on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge that you enjoy eating as part of your meal plan.

“I always put things that excite me on my meal plan,” Cicily says. “If there’s something that doesn’t quite appeal or I’m not sure about, I just customise the plan.

“There are heaps of recipes in the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge hub to choose from. I always find something I love and feel like.”

cicily-1

“Most of the time I’m counting down the days until each meal. And if I’m not – that’s when I’m more likely to lose interest and might pick an option that’s not so great.”

The meal plan on 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is a nutritionist-approved plan that is aimed to help with more than just weight loss. Rather, it is a plan to ensure you are eating the right balance of foods (and different food). That way, you load up on nutrients, steer clear from boredom and feel good on the inside.

recipe_meal_search

What’s more, the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge App is home to 4,000 PLUS recipesmany of which are HEALTHIER VERSIONS of your favourite meals. Think pizza, burgers, spaghetti and brownies. This is awesome for managing sugar and takeout cravings.

2. Keep it easy

Cicily says if you make it hard for yourself, it’s easy to lose motivation. That’s why she opts to keep things nice and simple in the kitchen.

“I try to keep things super quick and easy for myself. I won’t cook a whole lot of different snacks. I’ll pick one or two recipes I love the look of and use them for the week,” she says.

“I always customise my meal plan around what I’m doing that week. If I have a late afternoon, I’ll customise a slow cooker meal for that dinner.

“Or if I have a playgroup in the morning, I’ll take some Healthy Mummy Smoothie mix and water or a snack that can sit in my car for an hour.”

To find out more about our Healthy Mummy Smoothie flavours, click here.

beef-chan-bow

Meanwhile, this Beef San Choy Bow that Cicily made is so simple and easy to make. Get the recipe here.

3. Plan your meals around your veggies

Cicily says she tries to use up her fresh veggies before they go off when she is doing her meal prep.

“I always plan my week around veggies. I hate it when I get to Friday and my bean sprouts are off,” she says.

cicily-fried-chicken

“That can ruin my motivation! I’ll put recipes that have produce that needs to be used quickly at the beginning of the week, and things that last a bit longer – frozen or tinned – at the end of the week.”

This Pineapple and Chicken Fried Rice recipe (pictured above) doesn’t need any fresh produce and is a great recipe to make at the end of the week.

To get this recipe, click here.

4. Keep track of what you’re eating

Cicily makes a list of all the recipes she’s made. She says this helps keep her motivated and that way she knows what she likes or what variations she’s made.

“I record all of my meals and snacks as I go in the 28 Day Challenge App. I check them off, and add anything extra I’ve eaten or ingredients I’ve added into the recipe,” she says.

“I find tracking keeps me super motivated, maybe more than anything else as I can see how I’m actually doing.”

favourites-hub

You can save your favourite recipes on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge and view them under the ‘favourites’ section. 

5. Use vision boards and goal charts to keep motivated

Cicily has a goal chart and vision board in her kitchen to keep her motivated and remind her why she is on this weight loss journey.

“I always look at the bigger picture. Sometimes I want to cave in and just eat my kid’s salami sandwich. But I’ve been doing the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge long enough now that I know if I stick to my plan, I WILL see results,” she says.

vision-board

“I know it works.

“All I have to do is follow my plan as well as I can. Watching other women’s stories has helped me trust this. They’ve done it, I know I can! I know if I just stick to it I can reach my goals like them. I have goal charts and vision boards stuck on my kitchen cupboards to stop me unnecessarily snacking.”

6. Don’t eat on impulse

Cicily says if she’s craving something she tries to hold off and really think about it before she jumps in and eats it. A lot of the time she’s just feeling hungry and not actually craving the bad food.

“I try to NEVER eat out of impulse.

“If I really want something, I’ll try to sit on it for a day or two. I think about how it will affect my journey, and decide whether I’m okay with that. I don’t have a problem with having a cheat meal, I have them often if I feel like it. But never out of impulse,” she says.

dining-out

“I often go out for dinner with my family once a fortnight or sometimes even weekly, but I make sure I made healthy choices. I think doing that keeps me focused on the rest of the time. I really don’t feel like I’m missing out. I treat this as life, not a diet. Do I want to be a person who can go out for dinner? Yes, I do! So I happily work that into my week.

“I don’t restrict myself. I live how I want to live the rest of my life. If that means it takes me a bit longer than others, I’m okay with that! In the long run, I will still get there and I’m enjoying every step of the journey.”

7. Make cooking fun

Cicily says get your kids involved and make cooking fun with them. This way she feels less likely to order in takeaway.

“I make it fun! I love having pancakes with the family on Sundays, but in a healthy way. I love having Chinese, but I make it from scratch,” she says.

“I love baking cakes with the kids & the joy that gives them! Always enjoy the food you cook.”

chocolate cake1

Cicily says she was easily spending at least $350 on food per week but now only spends $100 a week – and that includes extras like coffee.

“Now on food I only spend about $100-$150 a week including any extras like coffee at a cafe or out to dinner,” she says.

“I think now I save at least $200 a week, probably more when it’s all added up just from following the plans and cutting out the takeaway.”

More on Cicily’s INCREDIBLE 53kg weight loss story

Breakfast for Cicily was usually bacon, eggs and sausages or something late at the shops, food court style. Lunch would be fast food like KFC in massive quantities and fast food again for dinner, or an excessive meal like spaghetti bolognese with heaps of pasta and cheese.

What’s more, the portion would be so large Cicily would eat until it made her sick and then eat more.

But Cicily says if this is you, you CAN turn your life around!

“I’ve lost a lot of weight with The Healthy Mummy. But that’s not the great part about it. It’s not the number on the scales that makes me happy…it’s walking past a mirror and not hating what I see,” she says.

“A lot of the time I’d eat organic and heaps of veggies, fermented foods etc. It was kind of like I was trying to hide it from myself and everyone else? I honestly don’t know what was going on in my mind. Denial. I was in such a deep, toxic place. Pretending I was okay but really I was a huge mess.” 

But now, Cicily is happier and healthier than ever. 

“I’ve completely transformed my life and that honestly still shocks me. I can lose weight and still eat chocolate, burgers, pizza etc. I’ve just learnt to do it in a healthy way by following the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge,” she adds.

“The 28 Day Challenge is honestly the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. It makes my life incredibly easy and has given me knowledge soo valuable that I never would have understood otherwise.”

Cicily remembers feeling like it was such a daunting task…but she’s done it and we couldn’t be prouder!

Join the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge!

If you are inspired by Cicily’s weight loss story and want to take care of your health and weight then you need to check out our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

 

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