Official Food Diary 'Clean eating' FAQ's!

Thank you for all of your support on my Official Food Diary

 I just wanted to answer a few frequently asked questions to clear the air.

How did you start eating clean and what research did you do?
The night before I was walking past the mirror on the way to the kitchen and noticed my arms were looking rather large and couldn't believe it was my arm. It looked so soft and out of shape. I did no research, and created '@officialfooddiary' on Instagram and promised myself to post everything I ate. At first I was going to keep it a secret but obviously couldn't keep it to myself. I luckily already had some knowledge on clean eating thanks to my husband who has been eating clean for years, but deep down inside nobody needs advice and we all really know what's good and bad for us. You don't need any books, just google something if you are confused.

How tall are you, and how much weight have you lost?
I'm 165cm (5'5") and my start weight was 145lbs, and I now weigh 126.6lbs and my goal weight is 120lbs (55kg) and to be toned. (All of this is in the profile) I'm on day 98 so it's been roughly 3 months since I started this journey.

 Why do you eat so many eggs whites? 
This has honestly been the most entertaining question. Eggs are one of the best sources of quality protein and also the cheapest. When eating just the whites, it's practically fat free, very low calorie and high in protein. It also keeps me full and therefore I have no problem eating as many as I wish.

Why don't you eat the yolks and what do you do with them?
I have nothing against egg yolks but choose to avoid them when trying to lose weight due to the calorie, fat, carb & cholesterol content. I do eat the yolks once in a while but generally avoid them as I'm trying to lose weight. Once I reach my goal weight, I'm sure I will sneak in the yolk a lot more as it's really good for you. Furthermore, I do not do anything special with the yolks, I do not secretly guzzle it down and turn it into a magic potion. I sometimes give the yolk to Esra, but generally bin them. I am aware you can buy egg whites in a carton, but I choose not to as they have been filtered, have other stuff in them and are more expensive.

Where can I buy chia seeds from?
I got mine from whole foods, but Holland & Barrett, and other organic shops sell them too, or if you want to entertain yourself google it.

Where can I buy Nakd bars from?
Tesco's, Sainsburys, Holland & Barrett and probably every organic/health shop you see.

Do you count calories?
No, as when I do I am left hungry. Although calorie counting does work so I would recommend it if your at a plateau. I do however count my carbs. I'm not strict about it but am conscious of what I eat and try to keep it between 70-100g per day.

Where did you buy your watch from and what model is it?
My 'heart rate monitor' watch is the 'POLAR FT7' and I purchased it from amazon. I'm sure you will find other places to buy it if you google it. The watch comes with a chest strap which monitors the heart rate and gives me an accurate reading of the calories I have burned according to the details I input on initial setup. The gender, age, height & weight is easy to adjust at anytime, it also gives me a reading on how much of my workout was 'fat burning' and my average and highest heart rate.

I would definitely recommend it as it's been a huge source of motivation to see how much I am actually burning. I am not an expert on all Polar watches so your best bet will be to google what suits you.

Are protein shakes good for weight loss?
No. A protein shake is a supplement and not a 'magic drink'. I use 'Syntha6' protein powder which I mix with water and generally the 'chocolate milkshake' flavour as it's high in protein but low in carbs and sugar. It also tastes the best and I actually enjoy drinking it. I have tried a few thanks to my husband as he's probably tried everything under the sun as he does body building. I am also not an expert on protein shakes, however I can tell you that protein is essential particularly after a workout to ensure you build and repair muscle. The aim is more muscle less fat. And just incase you were wondering I want to tone up and have some definition in my abs, not too much but enough to know there is no fat down there.

How often do you drink a protein shake and where's your protein shaker from?
Generally after each workout if I'm not going to eat a protein packed meal straight after. The protein shake is by 'smart shake' and I got mine from amazon.

How often do you workout?
I don't have a set routine as I have Esra to look after but go to the gym whenever my husband or mum can look after her which is generally 2-3 times a week, but sometimes I go more and sometimes only once a week. However, I have some workout DVD's that I do at home if I need to.

What do you do at the gym?
I generally do cardio, sometimes I do steady running to improve my fitness and sometimes I do intense interval training with 1min30sec walking and 30sec sprinting so fast you can't see my feet move. I also do speed walking on an incline, love the different types of cross trainer, and hop on and off machines if I get bored but I always break a sweat. I can't stand it when I see people at the gym leaving looking like how they came it. As they say "if you still look pretty at the end of a workout, you didn't train hard enough" and that's so true, because I always leave looking like a wreck LOL. I also work my legs doing the leg extender, leg press and adductor. I'm also experimenting with a few machines for my arms, I do squats once in a while but trying to figure out a short routine I can do everyday or every other day with dumbbells which I will share once I figure out what works for me.

Where did you get your trainers from?
I got my trainers last year from a website called 'pro running direct' but they are sold out everywhere but I am told you can get a similar one custom made on Nike's website.



FYI...
I want to finish off by saying I am not a nutritionist but am a lot more educated about the food and types of food that I eat. I am not perfect and not every meal is amazing and of high nutritional value but I do what I gotta do to keep the day rolling. I also, don't drink any alcohol whatsoever and am a non smoker. Also, I am not perfect and have a cheat meal and cheat dessert once a week. I didn't when I initially started but am not too hard on myself now as I am closer to my goal weight. I also plan on doing a 'getting started' on clean eating post with a recommended shopping list and tips and advice to beat those sweet cravings.

Good luck if you decide to love your body and start eating clean too! 
Any questions just ask below and I will answer them in my next fitspo post. xx