I've been trying out a new meal replacement smoothie to shift my lockdown podge!

#AD This is a sponsored post but all views are my own and, as you know, I only work with brands that I genuinely like, approve of ethically, that I would buy anyway and that work. (And I have actually bought this one myself!) You can also get a 15% discount on your first CollaSlim order with discount code: SUZI-15

You also know that I don’t believe in diets or dieting and have practically banned the word from my vocabulary. Nor do I worry about what the scales say. It’s how my clothes fit and how big my middle-aged spread looks rather than the pounds I may have gained during our various lockdowns that matter to me. We all know that extra fat around the middle is a bit of a warning sign if you have heart disease in the family (my Mum died unexpectedly at 63 from a coronary) so I am very aware of how much fat I am laying down and constantly strive to keep it at bay.

Just in time for my summer of fun and freedom, So Body Co sent me their CollaSlim meal replacements to trial. As I have worked with them before, I couldn’t wait to try it. You’ve probably seen my blog extolling the virtues of their Peptigen Collagen powder, for better skin, joints, nails & hair. Click here.

So it was a no-brainer to give this new CollaSlim Fast Simple 800 Plan a go to see if I could lose a bit of fat around my middle before hitting the beach and, more importantly, keep it off for the change of season around the corner. But first some homework……

Anyone who is on medication or suffering from health issues such as diabetes should please seek medical advice before embarking on any form of fasting or a dramatic change in diet.

And if you want to follow this plan, you may like to buy or download a calorie counter app. It will make your life much easier as a little calorie counting is involved for your main meal of the day.

SO HOW DID IT GO…….

It’s been a good summer of festivals & fun in the sun but I did want to lose a bit of flab in time for my last staycation in Jersey, in August, (blog coming on that trip soonest). All I did for a few weeks was to replace two meals a day with two shakes: a scoop of CollaSlim (40g) with 400 ml of almond milk, whizzed it up in my blender, followed by a light nearly 400 calorie meal early in the evening. The smoothies, including the almond milk, totals 206 calories each drink. (Other milks may contain more calories.) Total = just over 800 calories a day.

I’m sure you’re aware that 800 calorie plans are really popular at the moment for fast but healthy results so I’m glad to say that CollaSlim’s Fast, Simple 800 calorie Plan, makes it really easy. I only needed to count the calories of my one meal a day, the rest was done for me!

You can also take it slower and just replace one meal a day to maintain your weight if you don’t want to go the whole hog. I do this to maintain my happy “weight” as I love a smoothie for breakfast anyway.

With my nutritionist’s hat on, I can also confirm that the ingredients of the CollaSlim shakes give your body every nutrient, vitamin and mineral it needs. Plus, and this is a big plus, you are also getting a measure of collagen in every smoothie so you’re looking after your skin at the same time, as well as your joints, nails and hair! Two shakes a day will deliver all the collagen recommended by So Body Co for a wonderful skin.

THE RESULTS?

I lost about 6 pounds, which is all I needed to lose but, more importantly, I could see my abs again. Here are the Before and After shots. But there’s a much better Abs After on the Video!

Of course, at any age after 45-50 you have to exercise more AND eat less to lose weight. I was told this by a top endocrinologist way back and have never forgotten it. So let me walk you through my day to see how I have incorporated the CollaSlim shakes, and what I do in the way of exercise to stay fit and trim……..

MY DAILY REGIME

You probably know by now that I am a big fan of intermittent fasting so the 800 Fast, Simple Calorie Plan is just perfect for me.

I have 2 shots of black coffee in the morning and 2 big glasses of water. I don’t “eat” breakfast till about 11.00 a.m as I have never enjoyed eating first thing. And I’ve always loved a smoothie for breakfast: it’s easy, it’s quick and a great healthy way to add whatever supplements I’ve been advised to take. You can also add half a banana or some berries or you might even like to add a bit of coffee to yours! I then pop it all in a blender along with almond milk (you can use any milk you like but check the calories for 400 ml.) I like the chocolate CollaSlim but really LOVE the vanilla version so haven’t needed any extra sweet stuff so far.

I’ll then have another smoothie at about 3.00 pm and this will keep me going till my main meal at 7.00 pm.

For my my 400 calorie evening meal, I’ll have loads of vegetables, NO OTHER CARBS, and a small piece of grilled chicken, fish, tofu, a vegan burger or an egg white omelette. (So many foods, such as vegan burgers, now show the calories on the back of the packaging taking out even more calorie-counting work for you) I also cut alcohol and sugar right out during the week, as much as possible, and always have at least one treat day at the weekend to stay happy and sane. Personally, following this regime for five days a week, with increased exercise, really worked for me, as you can see.

For snacks, drink plenty of water and hot drinks throughout the day (watch the calories if you drink milk). A glass of room temperature water usually sorts out any hunger pangs. A cup of miso soup is only 25 calories so is also a good, healthy filler if you are feeling low in energy.

But everyone is different and my way of doing this plan might not suit you. Some people prefer to eat a proper breakfast and replace their lunch and supper with a smoothie. Some need a snack of a banana or boiled egg mid-afternoon. You have to find what works best for you to avoid getting hAngry! There’s some really useful information to help you on this link, Click here.

And there are loads of 400 calorie meal suggestions on-line, so have a Google. So Body Co is also producing a book of suggested recipes in a couple of months so I’ll alert you when it’s ready to order.

Meanwhile, I’m sharing this recipe with you as an example, as it’s so filling, healthy and low in calories. But you can basically do any vegetable stew-like dish with whatever you have in the house!

RATATOUILLE

Hot or cold this yummy meal is easy, peasy and will give you well over your quota of five veg a day. Packed full of vitamins and minerals this quick meal is perfect for a 400 calorie meal. It’s only about 200 calories for the veg so you can make it into a proper meal by adding a piece of chicken, fish or a vegan option.

INGREDIENTS

I aubergine

1 yellow, orange or red pepper

1 courgette

1 clove of garlic

I small red onion

A tin of tomatoes or, even better, 3 fresh chopped tomatoes plus a little water

Herbs & salt for personal tast

A dessert spoonful of olive oil

A dash of balsamic vinegar

Cut all the veg into small pieces (no need to sweat the aubergine nowadays), fry the onion & garlic in the olive oil for 3-5 minutes, add all the veg and seasoning plus a little liquid if you need to and are not using the tinned tomatoes. That's it: pop a lid on, and cook on low heat for half an hour or so. Yummy cold or hot and can be frozen easily.

EXERCISE

I’ve covered my daily regime in detail (with my daily 10 minute work out to follow!) on the You Tube Video, link below. But, again, it’s a case of finding what you really love doing and doing more of it. I ate absolute rubbish at a 3-day Festival recently: loads and loads of carbs and a fair amount of alcohol. But we were doing something like 23k steps a day (instead of my usual 10k steps a day) and dancing a lot. So I didn’t put on an ounce. I was just a bit more bloated than normal but it soon went once I got back home and into my CollaSlim shakes twice a day! I often do this for just 2 or 3 days after a period of excess and it always works like a mini fast without the torture. Click here for CollaSlim.

So whether it’s yoga, pilates, walking, jogging, cycling or swimming, whatever you enjoy, try and do more of it each day and just watch the transition in your body. I now jump on a rebounder 3 times a day and dance. I’ve incorporated more tummy exercises into my morning routine, and I walk Jack (he’s too old now to do 10k steps in one go) twice a day doing around 5k steps each time. But some experts recommend brisk walking three times a day as being far more effective than walking 10k steps in one go. So, again, it’s finding out what works for you and your busy life. But if you’re a beginner, start slowly and build up. And of course use the stairs rather than the lift/elevator, park further from the supermarket, get off the bus a stop early and do all those things we’ve been told to do to burn more calories. (I love dancing for 3 minutes to a good music track on the radio, so try and do that 3 times a day!) All of this will help keep your body healthy and your engine revved up to keep you fit, trim and strong!

I do hope this has helped and inspired you and please let me know if you try CollaSlim and have the same success I did. As always, I love hearing how you’re doing when I’ve suggested something to try. Don’t forget to use discount code SUZI-15 for 15% off your first order with CollaSlim.

And for more on my daily regime, here’s the latest Vlog.

See you soon, Suzi x