Food diary, day 2.

Yesterday, I did pretty good -- but, not perfect. Today I'm incorporating intermittent fasting and an addition of dietary supplements. I've already had these supplements in my room, I just haven't been using them consistently. Time to put myself to the test!

I received this bottle of coffee bean supplements a while ago from my mom when I was actually doing Herbalife shakes. I was taking this while I was working on days I didn't drink coffee in order to boost my energy. Caffeine is also a supplement for weight loss as it helps you burn fat, but drinking coffee often comes with a bunch more calories with adding sugar and milk! The directions state to take 1 twice daily 30mins before a meal with 8oz of water, so I started at 11am.

This Multivitamin is also something I bought when on Herbalife and I never finished taking them. This contains 22 essential vitamins including C, B, and E. The directions state to take 1 three times daily with meals. I honestly have some kind of aversion to taking these just because they have a smell that is unpleasant to me, probably because they also have a blend of herbs infused. I'll take them, anyway.

Next, I took my Vitamin D3 and B-12 I initially bought while I was still in college. I'm supposed to be taking 1 tablet of each daily, but I've been slacking with this as well. While I was in college, I was extremely ill for 2 years and it was very difficult for me to perform regular tasks. After a few diagnoses and a bunch of testing, my doctors told me I was highly deficient in both of these vitamins. Vitamin D3 aids in absorbing Calcium for healthy bones. Since this was during the winter, I wasn't getting much sun hence the deficiency. B-12 promoted Heart and Nerve health by formulating red blood cells and increasing energy metabolism. B-12 especially great for seniors and vegetarians and will help me as I journey into becoming plant-based!

These Protein World supplements are about to become my new babies. I originally bought these in March for around $67 and they're now $53! One of the perks of this business is that you save money when you subscribe, so that'll be $45 as a member. As of now, I'm not a member and I'm waiting to see results before committing. I've been using these inconsistently over the past few months and even not at all until today. Today I started with 1 capsule of the Fat Metaboliser, 2 capsules of the Hunger Buster, and 2 Carb Blocker Capsules. These are all: vegetarian, halal, gluten free, lactose free, and soy free -- which helps those of us with dietary restrictions. See how it helps us lose weight and directions on how to use here. Shout out to my BFF Keirys for introducing me to these!

CLA will probably be the last supplement I will be using throughout the day. I started with the maximum dosage, which is 3 softgels 3 times daily with meals. This supplement aids in weight loss since it is a fatty acid that helps us digest quicker. To be honest, sometimes this also works as a cleanse (if you know what I mean) since it tends to speed up your metabolism. Unfortunately, this product contains gelatin and would deem it not halal. However, it is GMO free and derived from nature!

Wow, am I really going to take 8 vitamins throughout the day daily? Only time will tell. I have also decided to incorporate ACV into my routine. I initially bought this at a local black-owned shop to have a natural vinegar for my salads and to use it along with my Aztec Clay Mask (which works wonders, btw). I've also known for quite some time that consuming ACV is beneficial for weight loss, but I wasn't interested in incorporating it in the past. This morning along with my supplements, I drank 3 capfuls of ACV diluted in 24oz of water. Research shows many health benefits such as fighting bad bacterias, lowering blood sugar, increasing satiety, lowers cholesterol, and may even reduce the chances of cancer!

At 2:30pm, I ate some leftover salad from yesterday. How does this salad aid in weigh loss? Tomatoes reduce water retention, inflammation, and reverses leptin retention. Spinach is a great leafy green since it contains a bunch of antioxidants and it's so low in calories, you actually burn more by eating it! Avocados contain healthy fats and keep you fuller longer. Onions are great for substituting into lower calorie diets since a cup usually contains less than 35 calories and they add flavor without the dressing. Cilantro is similar to spinach, but it also helps you detoxify. Lastly, tofu and chickpeas contain protein and fiber aiding a plant-based diet and helping healthy digestion.

This combination mixed into a salad makes sure I get enough nutrition in a meal while also focuses in on my goal of losing weight. I tried to eat slowly (8 minutes) as eating slowly lets the communication from our stomach to our brain travel before we overeat. After eating, I drank 12oz of water with another Multivitamin bringing my daily water intake to 36oz. I'm already at one-third of my goal of at least a gallon a day and it's 4pm! Now, it's time to get ready to go to the gym.

The gym isn't far from my house -- it's just an eight minute walk. I spent 53 minutes on the cycling machine staying above 80 RPM, which is the amount of pedal revolutions per minute. My heart rate was pretty consistent staying between 140 and 150. I managed to burn 260 calories, which I assume is way above the amount I've consumed so far. In addition, I made sure to drink 32oz of water during that 1 hour period -- bringing my water intake to two-thirds of my at least a gallon goal! My post work-out consisted of the same shake I had yesterday: spinach, strawberry, banana, and soy milk (featuring a customized cup courtesy of a dear co-worker of mine). I drank my shake along with 3 CLA pills, 1 fat metaboliser, 2 carb blockers, and 2 hunger busters.

Before going to the gym, I defrosted 2 veggie patties so they would be ready for when I got back. I cooked both of them for 3 minutes on each side on a skillet with a drop of olive oil. I cut up some romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, purple onions, and half an avocado in the meantime. I like my wholewheat taco tortillas toasted, so I put it on the skillet until it reached my desired taste (yeah I like it almost burnt lol). To prepare my taco I just threw everything together. Lastly, I seasoned with a cap full of ACV and a few sprinkles of cayenne pepper. After my meal, I drank 24oz of water along with another Multivitamin and 3 CLA pills. I finished my dinner at 8pm on the dot taking exactly 10 minutes to eat and I met my water intake goal!

Will I count calories?

For now, no. My focus will be picking healthier food choices and trying intermittent fasting by avoiding eating during the 8pm-1pm time frame.

Why don't I season my food?

I'm not about to be #SaltBae since seasoning may actually reverse the effects I'm looking for. A bunch of the seasonings POC use (i.e. Adobo) are extremely high in sodium, which affect our health negatively. I will be mainly using low-sodium, natural, and zero calorie seasonings.

What are my fitness goals?

Mainly, I want to lose weight and and body fat. I would also like to build a bit of muscle so I can become stronger and I can reduce my amount of jiggle lol. So far, I've lost 3 of the 6 pounds I gained in Vegas and it's only been a week -- which I think is really great considering I didn't have a strict inflexible diet.

How will I use what I learned today moving forward?

I need to be less harsh on myself. I have lost 20 pounds overall from my heaviest weight, which means I've been making progress. I am beautiful the way I am, but I want to be healthier for my future as I continue to age. I also think I've been sleeping too much, which leads to me being sluggish and lazy. Starting tomorrow, I will try to wake up at 6am for an early workout and eat only between the hours of 12 and 7pm everyday. I will also try to remain consistent with taking my supplements as they will help me with my now vegan diet.

Tell me what you think in the comments below! If you have any suggestions regarding recipes and/or workouts to try please send them my way. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for tomorrow's food/fitness diary.