Tag: reflections

Week 2 Reflections: The Real Talk About Diet Setbacks

A Note About This Delayed Post

I know it’s been weeks since my last update, and I’ve been putting off writing this reflection. Honestly? I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to share this story. I needed time to process what happened and gain some perspective before I could write about it authentically.

I needed the space between my experience and the sharing.

When Life Happens to Your Perfect Plan

It’s Friday, 5:30 PM, and I’m staring at my meal prep containers that have been sitting untouched for two days. The week that started with such good intentions has completely derailed. Sound familiar?

I had it all planned out. Seven days of perfectly portioned meals, every calorie counted, every gram of protein calculated. But then life happened. Family commitments, unexpected plans and suddenly my beautiful meal prep felt more like a burden than a blessing.

The Slippery Slope

For two whole days, I didn’t touch my planned meals. I told myself it was fine – I’d just eat within my calorie goals and focus on protein. How hard could it be?

Day one went okay. I managed to stay somewhat on track, making decent choices even without my prep.

But day two? That’s when things got interesting. I spent time with family, and we went out for a nice meal. I ate what I wanted and finished with a nice ice-cream. It felt good in the moment – freeing, even.

The Harsh Reality Check

By day three, the scale delivered its verdict: up 3 pounds. Three. Entire. Pounds.

All that progress from the previous weeks? Gone. Just like that.

I won’t lie – I was furious. Frustrated doesn’t even begin to cover it. There was this overwhelming sense of failure, like I had let myself down in the worst possible way.

And then came the most dangerous feeling of all: rebellion. I felt angry at my diet plan. Like it was the enemy. Part of me wanted to challenge it by eating even more, just to prove some ridiculous point. Thankfully, I didn’t act on that impulse, but the feeling was real and intense.

The Heart-to-Heart That Changed Everything

It was during a conversation with my coach that everything clicked into place. I was ready to give up, convinced I was a failure at this whole thing.

But my coach helped me see the bigger picture. He reminded me that this journey – especially the calorie deficit phase – requires commitment and discipline. Not perfection, but consistency.

“Think of it this way,” he said. “Right now, you’re changing your body composition through exercise and nutrition. This phase requires focus because you’re literally rewiring your habits and changing your metabolism. Once you reach your goal and these habits become second nature, you’ll have the freedom to be more flexible.”

The Real Learning

This setback taught me something valuable: the goal isn’t to never have off days. The goal is to not let off days become off weeks or off months.

Those 3 pounds? Mostly water weight from restaurant food and higher sodium. Not the end of the world.

The anger and frustration? Normal responses to feeling like I’d lost control.

The desire to rebel against my own goals? A sign that maybe I needed to build in more flexibility from the start.

Moving Forward

I’m choosing to see this as a learning experience, not a failure. Here’s what I’m taking away:

What I learned:
– Meal prep is helpful, but I need backup plans for busy weeks
– Family time and food enjoyment matter too – I need to plan for them
– My emotions around food are still something I’m working on
– Small setbacks don’t erase previous progress

What I’m changing:
– Building in one flexible meal per week
– Having simple backup options for crazy days
– Focusing on getting back on track quickly rather than being perfect
– Remembering that this is a journey, not a sprint

The Reality Check

Even though I’ve gotten back on track these past few days, I’ll be honest – the weight is coming off more slowly than I’d like. Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s how my body responds, maybe it’s a hundred other factors I can’t control.

But here’s what I’ve decided: I’m going to focus on what I can control. How I fuel my body. How my body feels. Staying consistent with my exercise, whatever I can manage that day.

The scale will do what it does. My job is to show up consistently for myself, trust the process, and celebrate the wins that aren’t measured in pounds – like having more energy, sleeping better, and feeling stronger.

Week 1 Reflections

One week down, and I’m genuinely surprised by how good I feel about this whole thing. Having my meals planned and ready made everything else feel easier – I suddenly had more headspace for work, my workouts and just living my life.

Weight Check-In

I’ve been weighing myself every morning right after I wake up and use the bathroom, before eating or drinking anything. That’s when you get the most accurate reading.

I stepped on the scale yesterday morning and I’m down about 3 pounds from last week. But honestly, the number on the scale isn’t even the best part. I could see the weight dropping a little bit each day, which kept me motivated to stick with my plan.

How I Actually Feel

This is what surprised me most – I feel healthier. Not just physically, but mentally too. I have more energy throughout the day, and I feel lighter in a way that goes beyond just the weight loss. The bloating I was dealing with felt better.

There’s something about knowing exactly what I’m going to eat each day that takes so much mental stress away. I’m not constantly thinking about food or worrying about whether I’m making good choices.

What Worked (And What I’m Keeping)

Everyone needs to find at least one meal that feels like a comfort food but still fits their goals. For me, that comfort spot is my masoor dal with toasted bread (I add just a tiny bit of ghee for more flavor on the bread) and a boiled egg on the side.

The egg muffins were honestly a risk I wasn’t sure about – I’ve always felt eggs do not taste good when reheated. But I’m so glad I tried them! They saved me so much time, and I love that I’m getting vegetables right in my breakfast without even thinking about it. They really do taste like masala omelettes, just more convenient.

I also discovered I really love the simple things – crunchy celery and carrots as snacks, Greek yoghurt with berries and my hot oatmeal with walnuts and berries has become something I look forward to in the morning.

These are going to be my “anchor” recipes – the ones I’ll probably include every week because they make me feel satisfied and happy.

Looking Ahead to Week 2

I’m feeling positive and committed to keep this going. I spent some time this week researching new recipes for Week 2 because I want to add more variety while keeping my favorite dishes from this week.

I’m planning to do my grocery shopping today and start cooking tomorrow. I learned a lot about what to freeze and when, so I think I can do even better with keeping things fresh throughout the week.

My Biggest Lesson

My biggest lesson? Taking time to plan and cook for myself is about respecting my body’s needs. I used to feel mentally drained after work and would then focus on cooking for my family first – making sure they were all taken care of. By the time it was my turn, I’d just throw together something simple without thinking about calories or protein.

Even though I was eating less, I wasn’t getting enough protein – the same mistake I made in my previous weight loss attempts. But when I started putting that same planning and care into my own meals, everything shifted. Now I can cook for everyone else with an understanding of better nutrition and not having to think about what I need to make for myself saving me mental stress and helping me focus on other important things.

If You’re Thinking About Starting

Find that one meal that feels like a hug – something that satisfies you and makes you feel good about eating it. Build your plan around including things you actually enjoy, not just things you think you “should” eat.

For some people, it might be a perfectly seasoned soup. For others, maybe it’s a protein smoothie that tastes like dessert. Whatever it is, make sure it’s in your regular rotation. You might discover something unexpected that becomes your favorite, like I did with these egg muffins!

I’m excited to share Week 2 with you all. The recipes, the prep, and hopefully with more good results.

What’s your comfort food that you’d want to include in a healthy meal plan? I’d love to hear what makes you feel satisfied and happy when you eat it.