Diet Chef Diary - Week 3

Today something really nice happened-someone noticed that I had lost weight!  It is such a boost to your self esteem when you know someone has noticed the results of all the hard work you have put into dieting.  I was so pleased.

I have lost another 3 lbs, bringing the total to 10lbs lost in three weeks on the Diet Chef plan.  I feel better and more confident and I feel like I am back on track with healthy eating.

Ian has noticed a difference in my attitude to food.  We have been away for a weekend and had a meal out in a restaurant since starting my Diet Chef plan.  Usually, these are the sort of events that would see me either getting upset because I would be worried about what I could eat, or I would simply go off the rails and stuff my face with whatever I could eat and then feel guilty about it afterwards.  This time was different.  I chose healthy options from the menus, drank water and actually left food on my plate when I was full. I didn't feel the need to eat between meals and had no desire for junk food or anything sweet. I feel that the diet plan has re-educated my system and seeing results has strengthened my resolve.  It was really easy to pick up on the Diet Chef meals on my return home.

There is no magic formula to the Diet Chef meals.  They are simply, good, well prepared ready meals that are calorie counted and portion controlled.  They are quick and easy to prepare and take away all the stress and anxiety that can accompany a diet.  It is a great way to kickstart a diet, providing structure with varied and enjoyable meals.

I have really enjoyed having my meals for the week all pre-planned and ready to eat.  The rest of the family still need feeding which means I am still cooking for them.  But as my meals are already prepared, I don't need to then cook something separately for myself too.  It makes juggling being a mum and a dieter much easier.

I haven't eaten the snacks as I just don't want to eat anything sweet like a cereal bar or biscuits.  I find that stopping the sugary foods takes away the cravings I used to have.  Going cold turkey on the sweet treats works for me and I don't see any benefit from eating between meals if I'm not hungry.  This has meant that on some days my calorie count may have been a little low but I've added vegetables or rice to my main meals to make sure I stay within the realms of healthy dieting.

Overall, I still really like the Diet Chef concept and the food is good and doesn't contain any nasty additives. Once the plan is over, I will continue to eat meals taking the portion size and calorie content of the Diet Chef meals as a basis for what I prepare. With my hunger and cravings under control, I think I will be able to continue on a 1200-1500 calorie a day eating plan for another few weeks.  This opportunity came at a perfect time for me, when I was feeling a bit low, fat and frumpy.  Now I'm well on the way to feeling fabulous!

I definitely feel more confident and am excited at the prospect of slimming down, looking better and feeling healthier.

At the moment you can sign up to a month's plan for just £4.64 a day, which provides all meals and a snack for each day of the week, delivered free to your door. Find out more at dietchef.co.uk.

Diet Chef Review

Diets can be a very complicated business as you try to choose suitable food, count calories, negotiate tricky recipes, cook separate meals for yourself, measure out portions and try to keep your meals interesting.  It's easy to get bored, begin obsessing about calories or feel like you are missing out on something. No wonder so many diets fail!

Diet Chef is an online company that does all the work for you so you don't have to worry about the numbers or even think about what you need to cook.  Providing a calorie-counted, portion controlled breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack everyday, they take all the effort and thought out of dieting. You just need to pick your meal choices from over 100 dishes on the website which are then delivered straight to your door in a monthly hamper.  At just £6.43 a day, a Diet Chef plan costs little more than grabbing a latte and a muffin at a coffee shop or buying lunch out.  

Diet Chef wants to make busy mums across the UK feel good about themselves and their bodies by providing a nutritious, healthy affordable and convenient meal plan. When I was offered the chance to trial a month of Diet Chef meals as a way of giving me a boost this summer, I was all too happy to take part. I have struggled recently with my weight as I was eating a lot of high calorie foods in an attempt to boost my energy and keep me awake.  I was permanently tired and lethargic and after a bad dizzy spell and some bouts of breathlessness I went for a blood test which showed I had anaemia.  I've been given iron which has improved my condition.  I am no longer feeling exhausted all the time and I have energy again.  However the result of eating rubbish and doing nothing for months has taken its toll on my body. A month long diet plan is exactly what I need to feel good about myself again!

As a vegetarian, I wondered how appropriate the Diet Chef plan would be to me, but I needn't have worried.  There are lots of veggie options for both lunch and dinner including soups, shakes, curries, pasta dishes, salads, risotto and chilli. It was easy to pick out 28 breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks.  The variety will ensure I don't get bored eating the same thing everyday. I was honestly impressed by the range.

Ordering is easy and I found the customer service by phone and email to be good and the delivery quick.

The food is all prepared by their chefs and comes in long life packaging which means they do not need to be refrigerated.  This makes it easy to pop a lunch into your bag to take with you if you are away from home. It's all very convenient, when it comes to the meals, you simply heat and eat.

Breakfasts consist of granola, a breakfast bar, muesli or porridge.  Pink Apple and Cinnamon Granola or Vanilla and Banana Porridge make the day start well!  I add low fat yogurt to the granola. Lunch can be a hearty soup, a shake or a pasta salad.  I was extremely impressed with the varieties of veggie soup: Minestrone, Butternut Squash, Carrot & Butternut or Parsnip and Chilli to name a few.  The variety of dinners really impressed me.  Trays or pouches of calorie counted and portion controlled Macaroni Cheese, Veggie Korma, Mushroom Stroganoff, Spelt Rissoto or Tarka Dal will keep me very satisfied.  I just add a portion of vegetables, rice or salad to bulk out the meal.  It's so easy.  So far I have had two days of meals and everything has been very nice and tasty.

I'm not a big one for snacking when I'm on a diet but to know I have some cereal bars, popcorn and oat bite snacks on hand in case I ever get the urge is very reassuring.  A portion of fruit, a handful of nuts or some carrot sticks are also good for snacking.

If you follow the plan you consume 1200 calories a day (plus any extras for the vegetables, fruit, salad, drinks etc. that you add.)  This will lead to a healthy 2 lb a week weightloss.  The health benefits of even a 10% weightloss are enormous.

I really like not having to think about my food.  It's all here, ready to eat.  I know that if I stick to the plan I'll be half a stone lighter by the end.  It really is very easy and a good way to lose a few pounds ahead of a special occasion.  Diet Chef literally does all the work for you making it easy to diet however busy you are.

I'll keep you posted on my progress!

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