It’s Wednesday and I’m linking up with Lindsey from The Pleated Poppy for some fashion inspiration.
I’ve been on the lookout for a pair of lighter wash skinny jeans–so when I saw these {half off} at Anthropologie, I splurged–and then brought them home and wore them for the next three days straight. I love a good pair of jeans.
Jeans, J brand, Anthropologie. Black ruffle top, Anthropologie {a couple years ago}. Polka dot cardigan, Old Navy {a couple years ago}
Boots, Anthropologie {a couple years ago}. Rosette Necklace, Allora Handmade. Molded heart bracelet, My shop.
Same new jeans, Anthropologie. Flowy top, H&M {a couple years ago}. Similar gray sweater, Target.
Black wedges, Payless. This is love necklace, My shop.
* * *
I’ve had a lot of comments and emails asking if I’ve lost weight–and the answer is yes! I keep meaning to tell you about it but the days skip by. Since July I’ve lost 20 pounds. It’s crazy to even type that–I wasn’t unhappy with my weight but we’ve really changed the way we cook and eat–and as a result the pounds have come off. And I feel great! I’ve got more energy and my moods are more stable.
Our new{ish} approach to eating started with The South Beach Diet. We think it’s a really great, healthy way to eat. In a nutshell it’s a low sugar, low carbohydrate diet with lots of lean meats, cheeses, eggs, veggies and fruit.
Once we had that down, we started to cut out artificial sugars and packaged foods. We try to avoid things that are modified to be low fat or low sugar. We drink whole milk now, use real butter and cook with coconut oil. We still splurge once in a while, but we try to eat real food–like fresh meats, vegetables, fruits, cheeses, creams and nuts. Here’s a typical day’s menu…
Breakfast. A slice of Ezekiel whole grain bread with real butter, scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese.
Snack. An orange or a handful of cashews.
Lunch. Leftovers from dinner the night before or a big salad with chicken.
Snack. String Cheese or cottage cheese with banana.
Dinner. Homemade ground turkey lasagna {using zucchini instead of pasta} and a salad.
Dessert. Small scoop of sugar free ice cream or popcorn.
Since I’m a big sweet tooth, I try to avoid sugar {I can’t stop once I start} and I’ve found things I love to replace it–like sweet potatoes or fruit. Of course, I should qualify, that if we’re out of town for a few days or at a friend’s home, I bend the rules quite a bit and I enjoy myself.
Let me know if you have specific questions about how we’re eating, etc. and I’ll try to answer them in the comments section. Happy Wednesday friends!
you’re looking good, ll! i’m trying to eat more whole/real foods, too . . . let’s hope it produces weight loss like yours! 🙂
Hi Lisa, you always look beautiful and I love your encouraging spirit! Congratulations on your new focus on healthy eating; its something I’m trying to work on myself. Would love to hear about some of the dinners you make regularly that are a hit with your family. Thanks for all the great style inspirations too, I love WIWW!
I’m glad to hear you lost weight with whole milk. I recently made the switch, and have not been too sure about it being a good idea. I don’t drink much of it though. I love whole milk plain Greek yogurt. It’s as yummy as sour cream.
Hi Lisa- you look great! Can you tell us what jeans they are? Looked online and can’t seem to find them. Maybe only in store? Thanks. Love WIWW.
Did you happen to see this on 60 minutes? http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7403942n&tag=contentMain;cbsCarousel I thought it was really interesting. More motivation to cut back on sugar!
Wow, that is awesome! You look fabulous (but you always have!)
Hi Lisa,
I have been meaning to come to your site for awhile. I just got my This Is Love necklace & the jumble of charms necklace with my nieces and nephews names on them. I’m delighted in how great they look and i know I will get so many compliments, as I do with every piece I have ordered from you. Its so personal, so unique, so special.
I have always thought you were a gorgeous woman. Great job on the weight loss. I love love your style in clothing and accessories. I need a lesson or 2 from you.
You have a beautiful family and you are indeed blessed.
Keep up the fabulous work.
Joanna 🙂
You look fantastic, Lisa! WAY TO GO!
Well done on the weight loss. FYI, I had a patient who switched to coconut oil for cooking and it made his cholesterol was considerably worse. You may want to check yours.
wow! good for you! that’s an impressive, albeit intimidating, diet.
Love your outfits & layering! Just recently picked up book w/ similar eating tips, also some great exercise! Drop 10, the editor of Self magazine. Very informative, good whole foods, better eating & some exercise. Nothing magic, limited sugar, processed foods. Thanks for sharing w/ your readers!
Hi Lisa! I found your blog via The nesters blog. She raved about you so much that I had to come follow your blog! So excited to be following along. I love your outfit btw. =)
Alesha <3
Hi Lisa, I hope you’re still commenting on this blog…first off you look amazing!
Can you talk, just a bit, about your portion sizes? Last year I tried to eat all whole foods, like you’ve been doing, and I gained a bit of weight. I’m wondering if I needed to greatly decrease my portions. Just wondered what your thoughts might be on this…thank you!!
Hi Kristen! Everything I’ve said says, ‘don’t worry about calories” but I still keep loose track of how many calories I eat. I try to keep it under 1800/day. Most days I stay around 1500-1600 and I feel satisfied without feeling hungry. I think it’s important to eat enough and not overeat–and it can be hard to figure out where that line is. Good luck!
thank you, Lisa!!!
Oh, and, that Revlon lip stick in “In the Red” must be a west coast thing. I’ve looked and looked and looked here and can’t find it. Such a bummer.
Lisa, you look great and you did before weight loss too!
I always applaud your Anthro jeans finds because I get so overwhelmed by their jeans. Nothing is consistent and that sale area is always so crazy. Bravo for braving the hunt! I have no problem with the rest of the sale room but the jeans totally overwhelm
You look amazing!
Awesome job on the weight loss. I recently started Weight Watchers, and I’m learning to eat healthier foods and control my portions. I was really curious to know how you prepare the apples and sweet potatoes. That sounds like something I’d love to have on hand to eat.
Also, great new jeans!
Hi Michele! I peel the sweet potatoes {usually 3} with a potato peeler and slice them into discs. I use a apple corer-peeler-slicer for the apples {usually 2}. Then I put all the sweet potatoes and apples into the crock pot with a full stick of butter, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. The pepper might sound strange, but it really brings out the flavor!
You look fabulous! And…I LOVE your newest necklace!! 🙂
I love those light jeans! And way to go on the weight loss…you are gorgeous my friend!
hi lisa! great outfits as always and thank you for sharing your weight loss/diet – its a great reminder and some inpiration I have been needing!
xoTiffany
p.s. i started a blog – finally – would love it if you have a minute to stop by!
We had the epiphany about REAL food not long ago ourselves. And we all began to feel much healthier too. It’s amazing what “getting back to basics” can do! (You look fantastic btw!)
That is a great way to eat! Very similar to the Belly Fat Cure by Jorge Cruise….low sugar, low carb.
I would love for you to do a post on the lasagna also! Sounds so yummy! Any other dinner recipe ideas that you make frequently. Oh, and I read on your blog that you go to CPK and chipolte once in awhile. What do you order? Love your style Lisa. It’s inspiring!
Great job on the weight loss – you look great. Sound like you are doing it the right way too – healthy food and enjoying life! That’s always my goal with my clients – to be healthy AND happy!
a great fitting pair of jeans is sooooo important! they look awesome on you! congrats on your weight loss, you are beautiful!
Thanks so much for sharing this with us, Lisa. You do look FAB!! I am always struggling with menu planning and shopping ahead of time. I love it when you blog about your weekly menu! I was wondering where you find your South Beach Diet recipes? They always sound so yummy. Thanks again!
Hey Lisa! I’m in search of ways to change up what we’re eating at our house and the Lasagna using zuchinni sounds very interesting… could you explain that one?
Thanks!!
Hello lisa! You look fantastic…always! Would you be willing to share your recipe for the zucchini lasagna? It sounds delicious! Love your jewelry! You are super talented!
Hi Megan! Maybe I’ll do a blog post on it–but it’s basically layers of sliced zucchini, homemade low-sugar marinara with meat sauce {I used ground turkey}, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese.
Love the outfits!!! I have a curly question too! Where do you get your hair done?? I’m in desperate need of a hair cut, the curls are getting a little out of control!
I get my hair done at Hepkat Salon on Higuera here in San Luis Obispo. Anita is the best!
you look fantastic no matter what you weigh! you have the cutest style and I love your hair too! I am a curly top too! Can you tell me what products if any you use on your hair? Also since your style is so fantastic, I would love to see your closet and accessory organization! Thank you
here is a video where I explain how I do my hair: http://vimeo.com/18537876
Lisa, You look amazing! I love your style. You have inspired me to try adding different elements to my wardrobe and I have started dressing in layers, which I love. I also want to thank you for sporting your curly locks! I too, have curly hair and had been straightening it daily for years. Recently, I had my hair cut into an inverted bob and have been wearing it curly. I feel so much lighter and it literally takes me minutes to fix, which gives me more time to think about my outfits. Thank you so much for the inspiration! Now, I’m off to clean up my diet!
Gorgeous! Congratulations on the weightloss C:
Sounds a lot like Nourishing Traditions with the whole milk, butter and coconut oil. Yum! Congrats.
You might really enjoy reading up on the Weston A Price Foundation. http://www.westonaprice.org
Its all about real traditional foods and the wonders that happen when we embrace real food!
Thanks for the tip–I’ll check it!
You look AMAZING!!! I love your style and how you always have a GLOW to you!
Would also be interested to know whether you have also upped the exercise during this time, and if so by how much? I have started swimming as well as the dogwalking but am waiting for the pesky few pounds to drop off!Also are you very strict about portions?
Have you tried coconut milk ice cream? So good and Coconut Bliss brand uses agave instead of sugar. I have been eating paleo for 6 months so similar to the way you are eating. So, glad you are enjoying whole real food. You look lovely!
Oh yum–I’ll have to try that!!
I vouch for that good Coconut Bliss, too, especially the chocolate! Lisa, I have watched that weight come off of you on your WIWW post for months and months, and you really inspire me because I have an enormous sweet tooth, too (and I am a baker on the side…oy!); sometimes I am appalled when I think about all the sugar I eat in a day. But if you could give it up, maybe I could, too. Thanks! You look great! Wish I could scoop up all the clothes of yours that don’t fit anymore! 🙂
you look fabulous! & many congrats. so many of my favorite bloggers are inspiring me lately to just lose the weight. stop toying around with the last 15 pounds and just do it. so thank you for your inspiration! and i LOVE these two outfits. layering in a whole new way!
I love the first outfit! And your beautiful yard, haha.
You mentioned that you try to avoid things that have been modified to be low in sugar. What kind of sugar free ice cream are you eating? I’m curious, because ice cream is a weakness of mine.
I think it’s Dreyers no sugar added ice cream. Vanilla bean. Just a scoop really satisfies my sweet tooth.
You are beautiful inside and out! Congrats on the weight loss!
I’m so glad to hear the South Beach diet works for you! I’m on it right now and thrilled with the results! It’s so easy and I love the foods. I feel better and healthier and I have lost weight. Congratulations on your new healthy life style, you look wonderful!!
You look amazing! Your sense of style is awesome, as well :).
And I meant to say darling outfits, too! 🙂
You look great, Lisa. Glad you are feeling well, too. Darling necklaces. 🙂
Congrats on the healthier lifestyle! You look great! I’ve been trying to lose the 60lbs I gained with my son almost two years ago. I was wondering about what kind of dressing you use on your salads? Also any other ideas for lunch? I’m not a huge salad eater and I’m afraid I’d get bored and be tempted to eat fast food. Okay that’s all I’ll ask I promise!
I’ve been making Hidden Valley Ranch but instead of mayo I use plain greek yogurt–it’s really tasty. I also love balsamic viniagrette-but only a small amount.
Lisa, I’m happy that you’ve lost weight and have more energy. But you might want to re-think all that meat, cheese and butter–check out the movie “Forks Over Knives.”
Good for you! You have always looked beautiful and I’m glad you feel better now :). Do you stay full eating these foods? Any other snack ideas? I already eat nuts, cheese, yogurt, fruit, air-popped popcorn, etc.
Hi Sara! Most days I feel super satisfied. Around my period I tend to get more hungry–so I’ll eat more. Other healthy snack ideas–I love to keep sweet potatoes and baked apples on hand {I use the crock pot with butter and cinnamon–no sugar}. Homemade low-sugar granola with berries and plain greek yogurt. Sugar free pudding {I use milk and heavy whipping cream to make it extra creamy}.
You look beautiful, happy and always fashionable! I really need to drop some pounds but haven’t found my motivation.
Wow, that is great!! Just goes to show making healthy changes and eating more of how our bodies are meant to eat can result in weight loss. You always look adorable!! I love your eclectic mix of clothes!! 🙂
I just started to cut out sugars from my diet 2 1/2 weeks ago. I also am eliminating flour as well. The first week was tricky, especially the sugar part. I have to say I feel so much better without them both. Still trying to figure out what is going to be ok to eat & not gain weight, so I was glad to see your example of your meals. It is getting easier as the days go by and I feel so mug better. Thank you for sharing your story! By the way, you look great! Keep up the great work you are doing with our jewelry, it is all beautiful!
Kara
Lisa, my biggest question is did you lose the weight via only diet or did you exercise, too? The change in eating I could probably do, but finding the time to exercise may prove to be a bit of a challenge. So, do you exercise religiously?
I don’t exercise. I really should, but I guess it’s not a priority. So i’ve lost the weight through diet alone. That said, I’m pretty active–chasing and carrying David around.
You look fabulous! And those jeans are supercute!
lisa, you look great! but of course, you looked great before as well. i love how you layer your outfits. you inspire me to branch out! one question about your diet….you mentioned cooking with coconut oil…do you also use olive oil? or no?
p.s. i love your flower cross necklace.
Hi Mary! Yes, I use olive oil as well. And I also use Pam to coat pans {for scrambled eggs or baking a cake} because it’s so great for a non-stick coating. I try to stay away from Pam when I can, but I use it when I need to!
Lisa, I always thought you were beautiful, but the fact that you feel so good now is awesome! You are such an inspiration…thank you. xo