Extreme Fat Smash Diet Update - Week 3

Week 3 has led me to believe that I'm not quite cut out to eliminate fatty foods from my daily diet :)

Haha, okay just kidding. During week 3, I definitely exercised more discipline and stayed closer to the diet restrictions than week 2. I splurged on the weekend and kept my 60+ minutes of cardio for 5 days this week.

I've lost 1 pound, since my last weigh in!

I know I need to make better decisions about what I eat and how much of it in order to stay under my calorie intake goal of 1200 calories a day. (Seriously, I blame the weekend on amazing Chinese food...again!) I have to admit, I didn't follow the daily meal instructions exactly from the Extreme Fat Smash Diet, but I've noticed that I've built a habit to eat 4 small meals a day alternating between the same couple meals that the diet requires and allowing around 3 cheat meals throughout the week. 

Here are the foods I alternate between that pretty much sum up the entire diet:

Meal 1 - yogurt, oatmeal or cereal with one cup of coffee

Meal 2 - yogurt, fruit, smoothie, or small salad

Meal 3 - chicken or fish, vegetables, brown rice, or chickpeas (two items each meal)

Meal 4 - chicken or fish, vegetables, brown rice, or chickpeas (two items each meal)

Workout - 60 minutes of cardio and some days adding 15 minutes of weight lifting

I definitely feel like I'm on the right track and know that my dream of losing 12 pounds in 3 weeks with my habits is completely unrealistic (a girl can dream, right?). But, I am hoping to stay on the right track and reach my weight loss goal of 10 pounds by the end of May - averaging 1 pound a week. 

Update y'all next week!

Ta ta!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar is a product made from pulverized apples which is then fermented into alcohol and eventually into vinegar. Known for it's various uses such as an ingredient in salad dressings to a number of home remedies, Apple Cider Vinegar definitely grabbed my attention - and I wanted to try it out!

Some more popular benefits include balancing your pH alkaline levels, clearing acne, treating warts, aiding in weight loss, use as an aftershave, teeth whitening and so much more.

Can you guess which two sounded great for me?

 I, am SO excited that my skin is actually more prone to acne now - long after I've passed my teenage years where I was blessed with rare cases of acne. I really don't understand it. Even after switching up my daily facial regimen nothing has really helped!

With weight loss, and understanding that with my height and my BMI - I need to be 10 pounds lighter to be at my ideal weight. With that said, I am by all means not expecting natural remedies like Apple Cider Vinegar to do the trick, but I figure that it can't hurt as a layer on top of a better diet and consistent exercise.

I wanted to share with you my journey so far with ACV. I bought Trader Joe's Organic ACV, and have also seen the majority of women use Bragg's ACV. The way I integrate ACV into my daily routine is by mixing:

1 tablespoon of ACV
8 ounces of water
1-2 teaspoons of honey or agave

I drink that concoction about 30 minutes before eating lunch and dinner. Everyone cringes at the thought of ingesting ACV, but honestly it tastes like sour apple juice. You do have to be careful in fully diluting the ACV with water or tea because remember - it is acidic and will burn going down the hatch.

I started this routine about 2 weeks ago, and for the first couple days felt slightly bloated, and seemed to need to pee more often. After that, I have seen my weight lighten up an average of 1-2 pounds, which may be due to the running I've been doing to train for my marathon (I hit 10 miles this weekend! :)) - BUT, I haven't made any changes to my diet. I'm going to keep at it for the next 2 weeks to total a month, and will let you know how this goes! :)

I haven't started using ACV as a facial toner, but think I will start. The general directions are mixing 1 part ACV with 2 parts water and dabbing it all over your face with a cotton ball.

Want to hear how else you can use ACV? Check out some articles here, here, and here.

Has anyone else had success with ACV? Please share!! I'd love to hear your experiences!

I do want to warn that as with any natural product, all of the uses are considered home remedies and you have to understand the risks of consuming anything in excess- so make sure to be safe with ACV 
and any product!

Ta-ta!