"Love Weight: Weight accumulated due to being content with your relationship, thus letting yourself go and indulging in the sweet things in life, usually with your significant other: sugar, carbs and cuddles. " - La Chichi Mambo
Let’s just get into it shall we? I’ve been sipping on nectar and holy water from a 6 foot tall dark ebony transplant from Igbo land. My sisters, if you had this same tree in your backyard and you tap into it, the fatness in your cheeks and hips will be evidence of the love you’ve been collecting in the shadows. So when my people greet me with “you’ve gained weight”, in the manner rude aunties do, I tell them “a man did this to me”. Try it, their embarassment will save you from suffering their rude remarks. in the future lol. Long story short, in the past few months I have accumulated 16 pounds of happy weight/love-weight, and a cheeky physique to show for it.
While in your twenties, you might be able to survive your first few months of happy weight, making soulful meals, sipping on the nectars and fat of the earth etc, without gaining a pound, I doubt this would work in your 30’s, and up, with a slower metabolism.
While I found that a moment of poor eating and little exercise can be salvaged by a week of cleansing, I’ve realized that shredding love-weight without a solid plan and discipline, is a fool’s game. That said, I started on my action plan. My plan of attack went as follows: I checked my current weight (166 LBS I’m 5, 7 inches) checked into a gym with facilities I actually enjoy using (LA Fitness because while their staff is pure trash, their pool is legit) meditated on my decision (because truth be told I need the gods on my side) and went on a vegetable and seafood spree with the person responsible for my love-weight woes, because if you think I’m carrying my grocery bag of atonement on top of my newly acquired 16 pounds...alone? You lie!
Now to my diet, because forget the exercise, you are not loosing love-weight on the same love-eating habits, do not let a soul fool you. Peppersoup, ice-cream and chocolate will not shred off in the gym alone. So what does being pesca-vegan mean to me? It means going on a diet based on sea-food, vegetables and no land animal based products. It’s been 7 days since I’ve been on this diet this, so this week I focused on cleansing and gaining more energy. I recently discovered that a higher chlorophyll intake translates into an incredible increase in my energy levels, so to maximize my productivity and weight loss, below are the five things I did and will continue to do.
Increase in my fruit and chlorophyll intake by 40%
This means 300 ml of green juice every morning One lime/lemon in the morning, after lunch and before bed More citrus snacks (Tangerines, strawberries, orange) Homemade banana pudding and almond nuts (Snack) Fogers cashew yoghurt when my sweet tooth strikes
Decrease in carbohydrate intake by 50%
This means no bread, no heavy roots (yams), white pasta etc. Replace with a low intake (3 times a week) of Sweet potatoes, or pumpkins
Decrease my processed sugar intake by 80%
Which means little to no nut milk creamers in my morning hot beverages, no sugar in my teas, no beers, 1 bottle of wine bi-weekly or per month (special occasions). Dates or banana to substitute for artificial sweeteners
Increase in my water intake by 60%
Drink a gallon of water a day. PerodT!
Increase in my fitness mindful meditation by 60%
Meditate for 5 minutes before getting out of bed in the morning, and before going to sleep at night. Work out a minimum of 6 days a week, 4 being at the gym. If you’re wondering why meditation keeps appearing as part of my diet plan, it’s simple, clean eating doesn’t come natural to many, and while I thoroughly enjoy vegetables and seafood, I love my carbs and I was raised on animal products, hence discipline and mental preparedness is crucial to my success in this weight loss diet and pesca-vegan lifestyle.
Le Manifesto: Everything I Endeavor To Do
I try to be mindful of what I eat, and think of going animal free as being one step closer to a cruelty free lifestyle. I offer gratitude before consuming everything, and I avoid wasting anything I consume. Sometimes I fail, and this is okay, I try not to beat myself up too much, rather, I try to fail better or win next time and keep it moving. What’s most important is discipline, mindfulness and gratitude. Respect the process!
While vanity and mindfulness are my primary motivation, I reckon anyone who starts their weight loss journey on a low carb pesca-vegan diet will not have to give up taste to be healthy and thoroughly satisfied with the foods they consume.
If you’d like to try this diet plan with me, do so and let me know what the outcome is for you. I’ll update you on my weight-loss journey on Instagram. Follow: @SaltandCulture