What I ate to lose 90lbs
Weight Loss is 80% Nutrition
That’s just the truth.
You really can’t out-train a bad diet. But you can usually get away with not exercising regularly if your nutrition is solid.
Nutrition is often made to be much more complicated than it needs to be. Once you understand the basics of nutrition and what’s actually supported by science, meal planning can be pretty straightforward.
I recently posted my 90 pound weight loss journey, and today, I want to start going into detail and share the specific meals that supported my weight loss.
I do plan on talking a lot more about nutrition in the future, but today I want to keeps things simple and just show what I ate to lose 90lbs. I didn’t follow any specific diet. There was no extremely calorie restriction, and I had PLENTY of cheat days. I mainly just worked to improve the quality of my meals to include a variety of real, whole foods, but without sacrificing enjoyment… because frankly, if you’re going to make lifestyle changes, you better make sure they’re changes you actually enjoy.
Fortunately, I’m a creature of habit. I eat a lot of the same meals every single day. This means that sharing what I actually ate over the past year 1/2 will be pretty easy. I mainly rotated through the same 6 meals.
What worked for me may not be what works for you. Your journey is your own and trial and error is inevitable. Still, I hope me sharing these recipes can give you some ideas.
I’m sharing 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners.
Breakfast 1: Peanut Butter & Banana Oats
This is a staple meal for me. It’s is nutritious, tastes amazing, and keeps me full all morning. It’s easily customizable- you can add any toppings/protein you desire!
Chocolate Strawberry Banana Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Rolled Oats
- 1 tsp Chia Seeds
- 1 tsp Liquid Sweetener
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1-1 1/4 cup Vanilla Almond Milk (can use any milk of choice)
- 1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder (I use Vegan Chocolate Brownie by Innosupps)
Instructions
- In a small pot, add the oats, chia seeds, liquid sweetener, vanilla extract, and milk. Cook on medium heat until the oats reach your desired consistency (usually about 5-8 minutes)
- While the oats are cooking, prepared desired toppings
- Remove oats from heat and stir in 1 scoop of the protein powder
- Pour into a bowl, add toppings, and enjoy! Best if served immediately, but will keep fresh if refridgerated for 3-4 days.
Breakfast 2: Green Protein Smoothie
In the warmer months, I usually like a lighter breakfast, and this smoothie was what got me through my earlier workouts last spring/summer. I like using the Innosupps Vegan Vanilla Birthday Cake protein for this recipe, but you could really use any protein flavor you like.
Cake Batter Green Protein Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup Vanilla Almond Milk
- 1 Banana, fresh or frozen
- 3-5 Ice Cubes
- 1 cup Fresh Spinach
- 1 tsp Chia Seeds
- 1 tsp Liquid Sweetener
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 cup Rolled Oats
- 1 tbsp Peanut Butter
- 1 Scoop Cake-flavored Protein Powder (I use the Innosupps vegan brand)
Instructions
- In a high speed blender, add all the ingredients and blend on high for about 45-60 seconds. Best if served immediately.
Lunch 1: Avocado Toast with Eggs
I really did eat this every single day for about 8-9 months. I never got sick of it. It’s super filling and simple to make. You can prepare your eggs however you like them.
Avocado Toast with Egg
Ingredients
- 2 Slices Whole Grain Bread
- 1/2 Avocado
- 2 Eggs
- 1-2 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Toast the 2 slices of bread to your preference
- While the bread is in the toaster, scoop out half an avocado into a small bowl and mash it. Add lemon juice, garlic, pepper, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Cook your eggs according to preference. I usually opt for sunny side up.
- Spread avocado mixture evenly onto the 2 slices of toast. Top with egg and enjoy! Best if served immediately.
Lunch 2: Brown Rice and Kidney Bean Veggie Burger
While I do not subscribe to any specific diet, I really do enjoy vegetarian/vegan food. This veggie burger is really easy to make and tastes amazing! One of my favorite lunches.
Brown Rice and Kidney Bean Burger
Ingredients
- 1 cup Brown Rice, uncooked
- 1 can Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Egg
- 3-5 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 Whole Grain Hamburger Buns
Instructions
- Cook 1 cup of brown rice by adding 2 cups of water to a small pot and bring it to a boil. Add the rice, lower the heat, cover, and let the rice cook for about 35-45 minutes, until the rice absorbs all the water. Once cooked, preheat the oven to 350 Degrees
- Add the rice and kidney beans to a medium bowl and mash with a spoon or potato masher until combined
- Crack an egg into the mixture and stir until combined
- Add 3-5 tablespoons of the nutritional yeast and stir until it forms a firm, but sticky texture. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take a handful of the rice and bean mixture and form into a patty shape. Repeat for the rest of the mixture. This recipe shoule yield 4-5 medium-sized patties. Place each patty on the sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
- Once burgers are done baking, they are ready to serve or can be kept in airtight container for about 5-7 days. Add any desired toppings and enjoy!
Dinner 1: Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles with Shrimp and Broccoli
I love this dinner so much, I still eat it regularly. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour, making them an excellent complex carb. I like using shrimp, but I do understand that it’s on the pricier end, so feel free to use whatever protein you prefer. Chicken works well, and so does tofu or tempeh.
Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles with Shrimp and Roasted Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Fresh Broccoli Florets
- 2 oz Dry Soba Noodles
- 10-15 Medium Shrimp, shells removed
- 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce
- 3 tbsp Sriracha
- 1/2 tsp Lime Juice
- 1- 1 1/2 tbsp Peanut Butter
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 2 tbsp Sliced Green Onion, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 Degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the broccoli onto the sheet. Add oil or any seasonings if desired. Place in oven and roast for about 17-19 minutes
- While the Broccoli is roasting, Place a Large Pot on Medium-high heat, as well as a lightly-oiled medium saucepan on medium heat. After allowing the medium saucepan to heat up for 2 minutes, add the shrimp, and season them with the garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip the shrimp and cook for another 2 minutes. Add more seasoning if desires. Remove the pan from heat. Set aside.
- Once the large pot comes to a boil, add the soba noodles and lower the heat. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Place the noodles in a strainer and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, sriracha and lime juice. Whisk in the peanut butter.
- Once the broccoli is finished roasting, remove it from the oven and add the broccoli and the soba noodles to the medium bowl, and stir into the sauce until combined. Add the shrimp.
- Serve in a bowl and top with green onion if using. Best if served immediately.
Dinner 2: Vegetarian 3-Bean Chili
We all need a solid slow cooker recipe. This vegetarian chili is SO satisfying and comforting. Plus, it’s made with such nutritious ingredients. I highly recommend this recipe. It is adapted from the Minimalist Baker Cookbook.
Vegetarian Three-Bean Chili
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 cups Vegetable Broth
- 1/3 cup Tomato Paste
- 1/4 cup Sriracha
- 1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can Red Beans, drained and rinsed
- 10 oz Cubed Sweet Potatoes (I used a bag of frozen potatoes and thawed them)
- 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- In a slow cooker pot, add the vegetable broth, tomato paste, and sriracha. Whisk to combine
- Stir in the Sweet potato, beans, corn, and red bell pepper
- Add the cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, peper, and salt and stir to combine
- Set the slow cooker to high, and cook for about 2-3 hours. Alternatively, you can set it to 'low' and cook for about 5-7 hours
- Serve with any desired toppings, such as avocado, tortilla chips, cheese, etc. Can be stored in airtight container in the fridge for about 4-6 days
Of everything I ate throughout the weight loss journey, these 6 recipes stuck around the longest because 1. they taste great and 2. they supported my progress.
I believe all of these meals are very weight loss friendly for many people (but of course, practice trial and error to figure out what works best for you).
Currently, I am working less on weight loss and more on body recomposition, so my diet has changed accordingly. My next post will be all about what I currently eat in a typical day.
