WHAT I ATE DAILY TO LOSE 30 LBS (IN 12 WEEKS)

WHAT I ATE DAILY TO LOSE 30 LBS

In this post and video, I’m going to show you what I ate in a day to lose 30 Lbs in 12 weeks.

I’ve lost more than 40 Lbs, but I lost the first 30 Lbs within 12 weeks (at the start of following this type of diet, after not being able to lose weight for years previously). I’m going to be sharing some of the meals that I loved to eat most when I was losing the 30 Lbs, and that I’m really into again at the moment.

I always say this, but everyone is different – eating like this worked for me to lose weight, but I’m 5’2. If you’re taller, have a higher starting weight, or are super active, then you may need to eat more in a day to lose weight.

On this kind of day, I ate just over 1400 calories – but not too much over. But I’d generally have eaten 1200 to 1400 calories a day to lose weight – sometimes more in a day if I was very active, or if I was very hungry that day. But take out the snack and you’ve got closer to 1200 calories.

These recipes are well balanced, and include good protein, healthy fats and good whole carbs. These recipes are also all dairy-free and refined sugar-free, and you can easily make it all gluten-free by choosing a gluten-free bread for lunch.

I hope you love these recipes and meals as much as I do!

Liezl Jayne XO

FREE 3 DAY EATING PLAN

To give you an example of what a balanced weight-loss diet can look like, I’m currently giving my 3 day eating plan away for FREE – But won’t always be. Make sure you grab a copy!

WATCH ME MAKE THESE RECIPES: Watch me make these easy recipes in the video below!

BREAKFAST TIME

CHOCOLATE COFFEE BANANA SMOOTHIE

INGREDIENTS:
-2 frozen bananas
-1 Tablespoon unsweetened nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew)
-2 Tablespoon dry rolled oats
-1 teaspoon ground instant coffee powder/ grounds (unsweetened)
-2 teaspoons cacao/ cocoa powder (unsweetened)
-1/2 cup water (or as needed)
(SERVES ONE)

THE METHOD:
-Slice and freeze ripe bananas overnight (in a re-usable zip lock bag)
-Blend all ingredients until smooth, can add ice cubes if needed
-Serve in a glass/ to-go cup, drink chilled & enjoy!

CALORIES PER SERVING:
-roughly 350 calories per serve

LUNCH TIME

BLACK BEAN & TAHINI SALAD SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS:
-2 slices *wholegrain bread (roughly 100 cal each)
-1/2 cup black beans (cooked/ canned)
-1 Tablespoon tahini (unsweetened)
-1 medium tomato
-Fresh lettuce/ baby spinach/ arugula
-1/2 teaspoon onion powder
-Fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
-Sea salt & black pepper
(SERVES ONE)

THE METHOD:
-**In a bowl, roughly smash up the black beans with a fork
-Add the tahini, lemon juice, onion powder, sea salt and black pepper
-Mix it all together
-Using 2 slices, add the black bean & tahini filling to the bread
-Top the sandwich filling with tomato slices, fresh lettuce and black pepper
-Or alternatively, add all the black bean & tahini filling to one slice
-Then use the 2nd slice of bread to close the sandwich
-Serve on a plate/ or in a lunch box container
-Eat and enjoy!

CALORIES PER SERVING:
-Roughly 400 calories per sandwich, excluding tomato and lettuce toppings (although this will hardly add any calories)
-This calorie guideline is based on each slice of bread being roughly 100 calories

*I use wholegrain rye and flax bread. You can use wholegrain, rye, Ezekiel, or gluten-free bread. Just try to get as wholegrain as possible (meaning less white/ processed flours), and if possible try to get sugar-free bread!

**The black bean & tahini filling can be meal prepped ahead of time, just use lots of lemon juice to keep it fresh – and store in an airtight container in the fridge

SNACK TIME

EASY CHICKPEA AVOCADO DIP

INGREDIENTS:
-1/3 medium-large avocado (or 1/2 small)
-1/3 cup chickpeas (cooked, canned)
-2 to 4 Tablespoons water (to blend)
-1/2 to 1 teaspoon onion powder
-*Fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
-Sea salt and black pepper
-Chili flakes (optional)
-**Raw low calories vegetables of choice
(SERVES ONE)

THE METHOD:
-To a blender/ Nutri-bullet/ food processor add the chickpeas and the avocado
-Then add the fresh lemon juice, onion powder, sea salt and black pepper
-Add 1 to 2 Tablespoon of water before blending
-You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender between pulsing
-You may also need to add another 1 to 2 Tablespoons of water to blend as you go
-This will depend on how high powdered your blender is
-***Once blended add to an airtight container and save for snack time
-You can add a small sprinkle of chili flakes on top (optional)
-Pack your sliced/ chopped raw veggies into a separate lunch box container or re-usable zip lock bag
-Take with you to work/ school
-At snack time, dip the veggies into the chickpea-avocado dip!

CALORIES PER SERVING:
-Roughly 200 calories for the chickpea-avocado dip, not including the calories from the raw vegetables (although these kinds of vegetables are not high in calories)

*Using lemon juice is pretty important for this recipe – it adds flavor, but it’s also going to help to keep it fresh

**For raw low calorie vegetables I usually choose 2 or 3 veggies such as cucumber slices, carrot sticks, green snap peas, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower florets, celery sticks, broccoli florets (only if you like raw broccoli)

***Depending on how high powered your blender is, your chickpea-avocado dip may be smoother or not quite as smooth. However I quite like it both ways! So either is good!

DINNER TIME

SPICY CHICKEN SWEET POTATO BOATS

INGREDIENTS:
-100g chicken breast meat (skinless)
-1 medium-large sweet potato
-1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms (or portobello)
-1/4 to 1/2 onion (finely chopped)
-2 Tablespoons chopped spring onion (optional)
-2 Tablespoons pure tomato paste
-1/2 to 1 teaspoon cooking oil
-Fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
-1/2 teaspoon onion powder
-Pinch chili powder (optional)
-Sea salt and black pepper
-Broccoli florets (or zucchini)
(SERVES ONE, Simply double for more servings)

THE METHOD:
-Preheat oven to 180 C/ 360 F
-Place your sweet potato on baking paper on a baking tray
-Poke a few holes in the potato with a fork to pierce the skin
-Bake for 60 minutes (or as needed, until it’s soft inside)
-Finely slice the chicken meat into small pieces (as small as possible)
-In a pan add the chicken, cooking oil, tomato paste, mushroom slices, onion, spring onion (optional), fresh lemon juice, onion powder, sea salt and black pepper, and chili powder (optional)
-Cook over a medium-high heat on the stove for a few minutes until the chicken is cooked
-You can add a splash of water to the pan if it’s getting to dry
-Steam your broccoli in a steamer for roughly 10 minutes
-Once fully baked, remove the sweet potato from the oven
-After it’s cooled slightly, you can handle it and slice it in half
-Use a fork to slightly smash up the inside of each sweet potato half (to make it easier to eat)
-Serve the cooked chicken onto each sweet potato halve
-Garnish with fresh spring onion (totally optional)
-Serve the steamed broccoli
-Eat and enjoy!

CALORIES PER SERVING:

Roughly just over 400 calories, based on the sweet potato being 180 calories, and the chicken being 160 calories

FREE 3 DAY EATING PLAN

To give you an example of what a balanced weight-loss diet can look like, I’m currently giving my 3 day eating plan away for FREE – But won’t always be. Make sure you grab a copy!

Photos, video and recipes by Liezl Jayne Strydom – for liezljayne.com