This update is a little behind (I'm currently on week 5 of my deficit) but I wanted to detail how I was feeling at the end of week 3!

Okay, I'm 3 weeks in and I have to say, I'm feeling really good. Not in a "everything is perfect" kind of way, but in a this is actually sustainable kind of way, which is honestly so much better.

To start, I've been getting a lot of questions about my calorie deficit, specifically whether I'm doing it on top of all the FASTer Way strategies like macro tracking, intermittent fasting, and carb cycling. The short answer is yes, and here's what that actually looks like:

The FASTer Way is my foundation. I'm still following the same framework I always do and doing the FW workouts daily. That part hasn't changed, though I will say I've been experimenting a little. Right now doing a 12-hour fast instead of a longer window, and I've been skipping low carb days so I can keep my meals on auto-pilot and not have to switch things up throughout the week. Sometimes simplicity is the strategy.

I'm 100% still tracking macros, but my macros are now set to have me in a deficit, which means I'm eating a little less than I'm burning each day. My calorie goal and macro targets were calculated by my coach (Hi Ana) and are based on my recent DEXA scan. It's nothing extreme, just a small adjustment to my portions so my body is in fat-burning mode while still being fully fueled for my workouts and daily life.

Think of it this way: the FASTer Way sets up the structure, and the calorie deficit is the dial I'm turning down a little for a few weeks to lose a little fat I gained last year.

Here's something worth knowing if you're a client of mine: if you came into the FASTer Way with a goal of fat loss, your calculated macros were likely already putting you in a calorie deficit, we just don't talk about it that way. As your coach, I intentionally keep the focus on what you're eating (whole, real foods that hit your macro targets) rather than giving you a specific calorie number. Macro tracking and being in a calorie deficit can absolutely be one and the same — the macros are just a more useful and empowering lens to look through.

And if you're following the FW you may have already noticed low macro days built into your meal plan some weeks, that's intentional! It's another tool we use to bring you into a deficit in a way that feels manageable and sustainable rather than restrictive.

The key is that I'm not slashing calories or cutting anything out I'm just being more intentional about portions and hitting my protein goal (130g/day) so I hold onto muscle while losing fat. That's why tracking and pre-logging my meals has been so important during this time.

This isn't something I do year-round. It's a short-term focused phase (I'm aiming for 8-10 weeks total) before going back to maintenance. It's also something I only recommend doing from a place of consistency — meaning you've already got the FASTer Way habits dialed in first and you've been tracking so we have that data as well as your bio-feedback to make decisions.

Okay, now that I've explained that, let's hop in!

What I've Been Eating

Breakfast

Still going strong with my protein plate for breakfast - I do the Trader Joe's protein pancakes with peanut butter and chia jam paired with scrambled egg whites and an Applegate Farms turkey sausage.

Oh, but I did film my protein crepes recipe this week so that actually switched up breakfast for a couple of mornings which was a good change of pace.

Last thing about breakfast that I'll share... based on how many packages of the Trader Joe's protein pancakes I've been eating lately I have decided that I need to make a copycat recipe so stay tuned for that!

Lunch

Keeping it simple with grilled chicken salads/bowls most days. I do a bed of greens with my air fryer chicken, a roasted sweet potato half and lots of high volume veggies like cucumber, tomatoes, radish, pickled red onions etc. I've been testing a green goddess dressing that I LOVE (excited to share soon) and also reaching for the Bolthouse Farms honey mustard Greek yogurt dressing when I need something quick.

Dinner

This is where I've been mixing things up the most. We had this hot honey chicken sheet pan meal for two nights and then another two nights we had Lillie Eats and Tells beef fried rice. Love that the portions are super generous for the macros. One night we tested a new recipe for my site and the other two nights we ate out!

Snacks

Keeping things simple here too:

• I filmed my banana cottage cheese pudding this week and honestly had to make it twice because I ate the first batch two days in a row. It's that good.
• Fage 0% yogurt with Lovebird cereal, berries and basil seeds as my afternoon snack
• Usually having at least 1 Spindrift a day
• ​LMNT electrolytes - either a packet mixed in my water or one of their sparkling drinks (which are so good!). Use my link for a free sample pack with your order.
• ​Beam Dream before bed. It's my favorite nighttime routine and the brownie batter flavor literally tastes like hot chocolate. Use code BIRDFOOD if you want to try it.

Eating Out (real life)

This week I had two social events and I navigated both without stressing about it.

We went to a fundraiser for Commonwealth Autism one evening. It was a cooking competition so I ate dinner there and had two glasses of wine. I planned for it, tracked it, enjoyed it, and moved on.

Then we went out after Olivia's ballet performance (so proud of her! 🩰) and headed to our favorite Vietnamese spot. Same order as last week: make-your-own spring rolls with shrimp. At this point the folks at this restaurant know my order before they even come to our table.

Workouts

As I mentioned before, I am still following the FASTer Way workouts so I'm doing 3 strength training days a week, two HIIT workouts and two active recovery days. My goal is 10K steps each day but I'd say I'm averaging around 7K! Overall, feeling really good with the workouts and focused on progressive overload so I keep my muscle while in this fat loss phase.

Honest Moment

I'll be real, there were a few days where things weren't perfect. A few extra bites here, feeling a little hungrier than usual there. That's normal. Consistency over perfection is the whole point, and overall the two weeks have been a win.

What's Working

• Same breakfast on repeat = zero decision fatigue
• Prepped protein ready to go for easy lunches
• Dressings and sauces that actually taste good
• Planning ahead for nights out

Results So Far

I'm down about 3 lbs total now. Week 1 was mostly water weight and inflammation dropping, and things have been slower and steadier since, which is exactly how it should work. I'm not giving power to the scale but I am weighing a few times a week and using it as data.

More updates to come. Let me know if you're following along and finding these helpful!