Last year, I took the challenge of a one-month low-carb diet with my daily lifestyle. It changed my perspective on being healthy, and I learned a lot from the experience.
This time around, I re-examined my eating habits with a test. When I was given a chance last August to try five days of Balanced plan meals with Dear Diet, I was excited and worried. I even told my officemates about it, and one even commented that I am already thin, so I don't need it. But, I love challenging myself, so let's get it on!
First day (August 1)
Breakfast: Frittata Cups and Ciabatta Roll w/ Pimiento Spread
Lunch: Lasagna
Snack: Homemade Ferrero Rocher
Dinner: Flatbread Pizza Margherita
Thoughts:
I really commended their lasagna! It was absolutely delicious! One of the best I've eaten! I'm not a fan of Ferrero, but the homemade Ferrero Rocher was unreal! I liked it!
Second day (August 2)
Breakfast: Liege Waffles and Fruits
Lunch: Belgian Beef Stew
Snack: Speculaas Cookies
Dinner: Shrimp Croquettes with Potato Fries and Salad
Thoughts:
I was definitely surprised that there was brown rice! Like when I did the Low Carb, no rice at all. The Speculaas Cookies were so good, I wanted to have a bite again.
Third day (August 3)
Breakfast: Singaporean Kaya Toast and Egg
Lunch: Chinese Roast Pork Belly
Snack: Red Bean Mochi
Dinner: Hainanese Chicken Rice
Thoughts:
I had two rice meals and they were alright. My favorite, though, was the Red Bean Mochi! I was addicted to it!
Fourth day (August 4)
Breakfast: Pretzel and Bratwurst
Lunch: Chicken Schnitzel and Rice Pilaf
Snack: Lemon Soufflé
Dinner: Swedish Meatballs and Pasta
Thoughts:
I had a good time with the variations of meals for that day. Probably the one that I liked the best was the Chicken Schnitzel.
Fifth day (August 5)
Breakfast: The Daily Oats' Blueberry Vanilla Pistachio Cheesecake
Lunch: Coq Au Vin
Snack: Cream Puffs
Dinner: Salad Nicose Puff Sandwich
Thoughts:
For the last day of the Balanced Plan meals, the most exciting thing for me to try was the Daily Oats because of how colorful they are. I didn't even want to taste them. Yet the winner for me was the Coq Au Vin. The name might be hard to pronounce, but the dish was easy to satisfy my taste buds.
Outcome and Verdict:
The most challenging part for me of having Balanced Plan meals was not the portion of food being prepared but rather the time of delivering the meals per day. I struggled to wake up at 5 to 6 am, especially on my rest days. Yet, I was grateful to Kuya, who called me up when he arrived in front of our gate and waited for me to get the deliveries.
I learned that you can eat rice (brown and red) even if you are on a balanced meal plan. As you remember, rice was a no-no during my low-carb month.
It was a short but great experience and I would definitely do the Balanced Plan Meals again, perhaps even longer because Dear Diet has different variations every week. Go check out their social media pages and try it for yourself!
