The 5 Day Turkey, Berry & Yogurt Diet

If you’re like me, and every other woman on the face of this earth, you get a bit squeamish as swim suit season approaches. I don’t know about you guys, but, for me, trying on swim suits is one of the most horrifying experiences, ever!

Well, I certainly don’t have all the answers to make swim suit season more enjoyable, but I definitely have a way to help you shed a few pounds while promoting healthier eating habits for the future: The 5 Day Turkey, Berry & Yogurt Diet.

Sounds delicious right?! Yeah, it actually is! I mean, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t ready to head to the nearest forest to punch every turkey square in the face around day 3, but it worked like a charm, and the results are long lasting.

The Rules

Here’s what you do: for five days, all you’re eating is turkey, berries and yogurt. Now, there are some modifications allowed. For example, I added low fat, organic granola to my yogurt, and added spinach leaves and sun dried tomatoes to my turkey. This just made it less blah and made me feel like I was actually eating normal meals.

There are requirements about the turkey that MUST be followed in order for this to work. Your turkey has to be low fat (the lowest possible) and very low sodium. I’d highly recommend getting turkey that is cut fresh at the deli, rather than pre-packaged turkey in the lunch meat section; you’re going to have a lot more to choose from the deli, and they allow you to sample before you buy :)

As far as the berries go, there are no rules. Go crazy here! I used blackberries, but I think the next time I do it, I’ll add a medley of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. For the yogurt, I used Yoplait LightVanilla Yogurt. As an added treat, I decided to combine the yogurt, berries and granola and eat them together as a parfait.

 How it Works

You’re probably wondering how this works, right? Well, all three of these ingredients provide your body with everything it needs, and nothing it doesn’t. Basically, you’re living on basic essentials, thus ridding your body of built up junk. Be sure to drink lots of water during this diet, as it will assist you in releasing toxins.

Also, I didn’t mention this earlier, but water is all you’re allowed to drink. No coffee, no diet soda and no juice… I know, I know… the thought of going without coffee is enough to drive me crazy too. But, just keep in mind the end results, and I promise, it’ll be totally worth it.

The Results

During this five day diet, I lost five pounds; which was so great, but that’s not even close to being the best part! The best part about this diet is the lasting results. By tricking your body into surviving on only the essentials for five days, you’re shrinking your stomach. This makes you feel fuller, quicker and puts a stop to overeating and binges.

Before starting this diet, I was eating around 1700 calories a day in order to feel full and satisfied. Since finishing the diet, I feel full after consuming only 1300 calories per day; that’s 400 calories a day, people!

I did this diet a couple weeks ago, and was waiting to blog about it so that I could get a real feel for the long term results. I can safely say that I am amazed by the results of this diet; it’s so great! I plan to do this diet once every 6-8 weeks to keep my body healthy, cleansed and satisfied.

Happy Swim Suit Season!

A Journey, Indeed

A Constant Struggle

I’ll never forget the day I started my first diet. I was nine years old, and weighing in at a plump 126 pounds. As I stepped on the scale at my pediatrician’s office and watched the scale reveal those horrifying numbers, I quietly dabbed my tears on the sleeve of my Tweety Bird sweatshirt. If someone would have told me then that I would struggle with my weight for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t have believed them.

Nonetheless, my weight struggles and body image issues followed me around my entire life. After several months of dieting and strict limitations by my parents, I lost a measly 11 pounds and reached 115 pounds; a size nearly 40 pounds heavier than all of my friends.

It was then that I realized that I would forever be different. Now, let’s not forget that I’m 5’9” (this, of course, was always my favorite excuse for why I weighed so much), so I'll always weigh more than those cute little petite girls that I’ve always wanted to look like.

As I entered middle school, I was still a bigger girl, but not nearly as big as the “fat” girls in my school. These poor girls were much bigger than I, and had serious self-esteem issues. I wonder if they knew that someone half their size was going through the same torment as they were? Probably not.

Even in my early years of high school, I was bigger, but still a cute girl. I wore about a size 13 and “large” shirt size, so I could still squeeze my way into the trendy junior fashions.

Losing Control

It wasn’t until the summer between my junior and senior year of high school that things took a turn for the worse. During that summer, I gained about 30 pounds, putting me at 210 pounds. Think that’s bad? Just wait, it gets worse. As my senior year continued, I packed on an unsettling amount of weight.

At my high school graduation ceremony, I crossed the stage at 251 pounds, and honestly believed that I looked good. It wasn’t until a month and a half later that I woke up and faced reality.

One afternoon, I was walking to my bedroom at my parent’s house, and caught a glimpse of my body in the bathroom mirror. It was then that I finally saw myself, or whoever that giant girl was. I was shocked. I locked myself in my bedroom, and cried myself to sleep at 5:30 p.m.

The next day, I decided it was time to transform myself. I started an intense diet and exercise program that would yield me unbelievable results. In only 45 short days, I dropped 40 pounds, and started my first day of college at 211 pounds.

Throughout college, I gained and lost steadily; my weight ranged anywhere from 211 pounds to 175 pounds. Upon graduating from college, I was 195 pounds and ranging between a size 14 and 16. 

Where I'm at Now

Now, nearly three years later, I am 100 pounds lighter and wearing a size 6, but still not satisfied with my body image. I know what you’re thinking, what more do I want, right? Yeah, I often think the same thing. I wish it was that easy to see the progress I’ve made, but I suffer from a psychological condition called Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).

This condition is very prominent among those with eating disorders, as well as young people whose bodies undergo a total transformation. With this condition, you only see the way you really look, sometimes. Other times, I look in the mirror and see that sweaty, 18 year old, 251 pound girl.

However, with regular reassurance exercises, I’ve managed to live a healthy, normal life with this condition. Although BDD sometimes gets the best of me, I usually feel back to normal the next day. In a way, I hate BDD, but in another way, I love it; it’s almost like a really annoying trophy of the success I’ve made.

Now What?

Now that I’ve gotten my weight to a healthy place, I’ve been focusing heavily on exercise and nutrition. I work out about 4 times per week, and cook healthy recipes that I spend hours searching for on Pintrest, and pin to my Nutrish & Delish board. You can view all of my favorite recipes and workouts that actually work right here on my blog!

My goal for you, and myself, is to live each day to the fullest. By getting your mind and body in the right place, you can do just that.