Diet a key ingredient in Fittest Loser writer's weight-loss plan

I'm a decent cook.

Occasionally, the smoke alarm cheers me on, but I've managed a few tasty dishes.

During the course of the Fittest Loser Challenge, I've experimented with a variety of new foods and recipes. My eating habits have definitely changed.

I've added lots of fruits and vegetables into my diet and eliminated junk food, breads and pasta. My new diet calls for eating a certain combination of proteins, carbs and fats with each meal. At times, this has proved challenging or at the very least created a funny combination on my plate.

For breakfast, I recently snacked on a boiled egg (protein) with peanut butter (fat) and a few slices of mango (carb). Another time, I had a pork chop (protein) with half a raw green pepper (carb) and almonds (fat). If I don't plan ahead, my meals can turn out odd.

Smoothies and protein shakes are another new addition to my diet. I've become a big fan. My personal trainer, Joshua Stecker, owner of Push Fitness in Schaumburg, recently wrote a column about green smoothies. I fell in love with his recipe for a spinach smoothie. It calls for a handful of fresh spinach, ½ of a banana, ½ of an avocado, ¼ cup of frozen berries and a few ice cubes — with an optional scoop of protein powder. It was creamy and delicious.

That got me thinking and I started experimenting with smoothies. Sometimes I followed a recipe — like for a chocolate spinach smoothie. I mixed protein powder, cocoa, oats, flaxseed, vanilla extract and ice in a blender. It tasted pretty darn good. Other times, I made up my own recipes.

Such was the case when I decided to invent a new spinach smoothie. Unfortunately, I was out of fresh spinach that day. I searched the pantry and found canned spinach. I told myself that while it's not ideal, it's still spinach. How bad can it be?

So I threw it in the blender along with a few chunks of pineapple (to sweeten it up), chocolate whey powder (for the protein), broccoli (for extra nutrients), a spoon of coconut oil (seemed like a good idea) and some ice.

The first thing that hit me was the smell. It was like being smacked in the face with a musty dishrag. But I gave it a try, hoping that it tasted better than it smelled.

No such luck. I created a vomit-flavored smoothie that was slimy, sour and somewhat rancid. Since I was in a hurry, I plugged my nose, held back my gag reflex and gulped it down anyway. Feel free to recommend this recipe to your enemies.

During the course of this challenge, I've also tried a variety of foods that I normally wouldn't buy. One is quinoa milk, which is an excellent source of protein. But I was expecting it to look like milk. Since it looked more like urine, I was a bit turned off. I immediately Googled quinoa milk and discovered that some types of this milk are white. Figures! Leave it to me to buy the yellow kind. Still, the taste wasn't bad (like milk but with a little bit of a nutty flavor). I used it as an ingredient in my smoothies.

Another new addition to my diet has been coconut milk, coconut water and coconut oil. For the most part, I've switched to cooking with unrefined coconut oil. I enjoy sautéing my veggies in it and love the way it makes my eggs taste. I do not, however, recommend it to sear a steak. I've seen recipes that encourage it, but I don't enjoy the subtle taste of coconut on my steak. I could have sworn I heard my filet mignon scream in protest.

In addition to experimenting with new foods, my dietary habits have changed in other ways. I've tried to cut out processed foods — though I still put refined sugar in my morning coffee.

But probably the biggest change in my dietary habits has been how often and when I eat.

I don't eat after 7:30 p.m. Also, I try to eat five to six times a day — my biggest challenge.

Since I can't make a convenient stop at a fast-food restaurant, I have to plan ahead. However, it's become easier to plan my meals. I've learned to look at food in terms of carbs, fats and proteins. In the beginning of the competition, I'd stand in front of the refrigerator with my Push Fitness handbook, trying to figure out what's what. It definitely got easier over time.

In the past 10 weeks, I've come to realize that exercise alone will not make you lose weight. Diet is a huge part of it. I'm thankful for all that I've learned throughout this challenge and plan to use that knowledge even when the competition is over.

• Kat Zeman is a freelance journalist who enjoys experimenting with food. Occasionally, she even manages to make a tasty dish. She lives in Darien.

By the numbers

<span class="fact box text bold">Starting weight: </span>163

<span class="fact box text bold">Current weight:</span> 153

<span class="fact box text bold">Total weight lost:</span> 10 pounds, 6.1 percent