The Skinny Café Story

When you think about losing weight and eating healthier, what is often the first thing you think of? In this era, probably Nutrisystem, Weight Watchers, Beach Body, or any of several weight-loss promising companies that demand a high dollar in exchange for a diet program that is so easily broken. If these didn't come to mind, how about the Pinterest crazes like the military diet (a diet that requires eating an extremely small amount of food to lose as much weight as possible in a short time), the keto diet (an extremely low-carbohydrate diet), the Paleo diet (a diet that excludes processed foods and generally unhealthy foods), and hundreds more. I have tried a few of these methods, and will post reviews in another section of my blog. However, I am here to show you how to incorporate a healthy way of eating, cooking, and grocery shopping that guarantees a healthy change in your life. These tips extend into the world of fast food, restaurant menus, vacation eating, and more. I have had more success than ever on this personalized plan, and I want to share my advice with the world. 

As a disclaimer, I must admit that my initial inspiration came from the newest Weight Watchers program that uses SmartPoints to measure daily caloric content based on your BMI and personal fitness goals. However, here's my issue with it. I see all of these women and men on Weight Watchers buying expensive Weight Watchers Smart Ones single serving meals and following recipes posted by Weight Watchers themselves. Every time I see this, I just wish I could tell them they could do so much better and lose even more weight. The SmartOnes are frozen small single servings, yet are typically very high in SmartPoints; yet, the patrons still buy them. The recipes include full fat butter, excessive oils, full fat milk, and accumulate to way more points than if they had simply substituted healthier ingredients. But people still solely use Weight Watchers recipes. Why? It's Weight Watchers. It has to be low points and good for you, right? Pro tip: Lean Cuisine often has more food and less points. I could rant for paragraphs about all the better options out there, and I will in other blog segments, but not here!). This leads me to exactly why I created this blog. I want to share these best kept secrets that can slim down your recipes and purchases by incredible amounts.

Here's the long term story. I'll be honest with you. I had been on diet after diet for several years, and never quite found anything that worked the way I wanted it to. As a then young teenage girl who wasn't clinically overweight, but wanted desperately to lose what I deemed to be this hideous extra fat seemingly everywhere on my body. I was never skinny. Even at my smallest, I still desired to lose the very visible excess. I wanted the flat stomach, the slim arms, the ability to wear anything I desired without constantly pulling at my clothes in chronic self-consciousness. Yet despite my heart's longing for the body I envisioned, I found myself time after time failing and cheating at whatever diet I was on at the time. As time went on, so did the diets. It seemed like my weight was a rollercoaster. Unfortunately, I didn't find the right diet until I was 20 years old. While heavily experimenting with a ketogenic diet that restricted carbs entirely, I found myself extremely weak and constantly trying to find new recipes that basically only included meat and cheese. The diet encouraged consumption of fat and salt. Why did I think that was a good idea? I was desperate. The most I could lose on the keto diet was 5 pounds. After getting very sick, I realized I hadn't been nourishing my body. I cared so much about losing weight that I cut out entire food groups including fruit, vegetables, and grains. Never do this. This diet may prove "successful" for some, but it can also be very dangerous and most certainly is not for everyone. At this extreme low point of not knowing where to go from here, my mom called to tell me she was starting Weight Watchers again and asked if I would like to try it with her. Naturally, my skepticism kicked in; yet in that same phone call, I agreed. Within two weeks, I dropped 5 pounds. Not to mention, I suddenly had all of this new energy. I had the urge to go for runs (which I'd always hated and avoided at all costs). When I realized that this program really can help me reach my weight goal, my innovative mind went work on how to make it even better.

Since the day I began this journey, I have been able to cut down almost any recipes' calories (or points) in half. I've researched numerous snacks and treats that are low points and even healthy. I've found countless ways to substitute in for fatty or high calorie ingredients without sacrificing taste. I've found the best ways to budget meals through out the day, even when on vacation or eating at fast food joints. I have food products I buy every time I'm at the store that fit into this lifestyle perfectly. I've made my own recipes for meals, desserts, smoothies, milkshakes, and frappuccinos that are so low in calories or sugar that they barely put a dent in your day. I want to share these secrets with you, and I want you to have the same success I have had! Thank you for reading, and I hope you sincerely enjoy the content of The Skinny Café.

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