Hello there!

Thanks for taking an interest in my story! I am really excited to share with you my experiences with weight loss, and in the rest of this blog I will share with you some of the best tips and rules I have compiled through the past 6 months of my diet.

So first, before I launch into stuff about what to do and what not to do, I just need to explain my situation briefly, and tell you about where I've been.

Starting in around June of last year, I started noticing drastic hair loss. Every time I took a shower, clumps of hair would just fall and gather in the shower drains. At first I didn't think much of it - June in New Zealand is winter, so naturally less sunlight exposure means less healthy hair/nails, right?

Wrong: after 10 months of passively waiting for my hair to grow back, I finally went to my doctor in April this year, and got a series of blood tests done. Something like 7 tubes of blood samples later, I was told I had serious deficiencies in this and that, and very likely suffered from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

Basically, my ovaries weren't very healthy, and in order to clear out my system I needed to start eating clean and exercising regularly. Otherwise, I could suffer infertility in the near future.

So then with nervousness, I booked a session with a dietitian recommended by my doctor. I didn't really know what she could do for me, because it felt like either way I was going to die with a rotten uterus anyway (melodramatic, now that I look back), but I still went because my mother pushed me to cling onto any advice thrown my way.

This month is my 6th month after following her guides, and along the way I've discovered some useful tips for people dieting. I've managed to go from 82kg to 72kg, thus why I am sharing with you now how I got to my -10kg milestone. So if you suffer from PCOS too, heads up! Because it's not all over yet! If you're just going through puberty and your body feels gross, or your hormones are often a bit crazy, or you just want to change the way you look/live, read on, and hopefully this will give you a few goals to work towards.

DISCLAIMER: I live an incredibly sedentary lifestyle, and due to pcos I am also pre-diabetic and must snack constantly to keep my sugar levels consistent. You should at least aim between 1100-1600 calories per day, depending on your height, weight and lifestyle.

In no way am I a trained doctor or dietitian or fitness trainer. This is simply my weight journey and see it as a diary rather than an instruction manual. In other words, take the advice with a grain of salt. If you think you know better/want to add something, comment politely thank you.

1. EATING CLEAN

So this idea of detoxication is actually quite popular at the moment (thankfully) because as living standards rise around the world, people begin to realise the harm processed and packaged food can do to the environment and their own bodies. Generally, you want to eliminate all snacks high in sodium, saturated fat, and sugar. Carbohydrates (that's noodles, rice, pasta, bread, potatoes) are also bad for those wanting to shed pounds, because although it's a great source of energy like sugar, it's easily built up if you live a sedentary office/school life like most people in the city these days.

My typical day (the 3 main meals) you can switch these around depending on your timetable, eg. if you live in a country with higher temperatures you will need more calories and I would recommend fruits for breakfast. If you live in a cold country you'll probably naturally consume more meat, nuts, dried produce etc.

Breakfast - 1 egg (poached, boiled, whatever). Cook in small pot (or prepare heaps in one go and microwave 1 serving each morning) 2 tablespoons oatmeal, 200ml milk/milk powder, a handful of beans/lentils. Drink within 2 hours of waking up.

Lunch - Anything. Try to stuff yourself with leafy green, red meats, fish...generally things high in protein and fibre. I don't really limit myself much for lunch, because in the afternoon I usually hit the gym and I need the energy. Just make sure you don't eat more than 450 calories and you're feeling FULL not BLOATED.

Dinner - 2 pieces of fruit, preferably apples and GREEN kiwifruits, not golden (too sweet!). 200g of greek, unsweetened yoghurt. Mixed together as fruit salad. If you have fresh berries throw in a handful of those too. Have anything else you want, as long as it's not sugary or carbohydrate-based.

For snacks I either take a handful of nuts or some crunchy vegetables/fruits.

So I limit my sugar intake in a day to under 30g and they're pretty much all natural sugars. Carbohydrates under 150g, and fat around 40g. Lunch I don't try to eat less, because you want to make sure you get enough fat and protein to not feel hungry for at least 2-3 hours. Olive oil is a blessing, and you'd rather drench your salads in oil than eat a whole bowl of pasta. Carbs are just unfriendly. If your stomach is constantly growling, then trust me your body is not going to keep the weight off even if you manage to lose it for a few weeks. So don't stave yourself.

2, EXERCISE

Okay everyone knows starvation is not the way to lose weight healthily, right?

For people like me that suffer from hormonal problems, you want to do some fast, aerobic exercises that tire you easily. Try to get your heart rate up, and don't sit back down until you've at least soaked through your underwear (heh sorry that's a bit gross to imagine, but it's true).

You should aim to gain a little bit of muscle mass, but because girls tend to not want to look too buff, you don't need to lift weights for hours on end. Don't train your muscles without sweating first. If you don't mind being a bit more toned and stronger, then do some squats and sit-ups to train thigh and abdomen muscles AFTER you've done some cardio stuff. Arm muscles are the small muscles in your body, so training your biceps doesn't burn as much fat as thigh/abs.

My typical workout:

Jogging 9.2km/h for 2 to 3km (roughly 15~20mins)

Walking uphill at level 3 or 4 (I assume treadmills are the same with this setting) for 500m

Bicycle to cool off, usually aiming for at least 10 mins

Last but not least, SLEEP. Try to sleep before 11pm, and if that's too early, then at least before midnight. Sleep for at least 6 hours. If you can, aim for 7 or 8 or even 9. Ideally you should have 12~14 hours between dinner and breakfast, so I usually eat dinner at 7pm, sleep at 11.30, wake up at 8am, and eat again at 9am. Make sure you eat at least 3 hours but preferably 4 hours before sleeping, and eat within 2 hours of waking up before your body goes into starvation mode.

Because of my condition, not only do I need to lose weight, but I have an increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, not only are the above tips good for people trying to lose weight, it's actually the best guide towards what a healthy lifestyle should look like. If you've got the guts, then try working towards it. In terms of cost, I am spending around an extra $10 a week, because even though I'm buying fresh produce which is generally more expensive than packaged stuff, I'm also eating LESS so it balances out.

That's all from me for now, feel free to leave comment and questions!

<3