Weight Loss

[TooPatient]

Does anyone else do weekly meal prep? We tried this last wednesday, bought a bunch of proteins and vegetables, cooked them all off and portioned them into tupperware containers for easy eating. We portioned out enough protein for 40g per 'meal' and each meal comes in at 500 cals or less. It took a good 3 hours, but has been so worth it. There is no unhealthy food in the house, and if you're hungry theres a plethora of healthy meals that are easy to eat vs driving to get something unhealthy. So far, so good! I see all the body builders I follow on instagram do this, and I see why!

I do it sometimes. Need to get better at doing that!


One thing that really helps is to do stuff that can be easily changed up so each day isn't the same old thing:

Chicken & veggie soup (or beef & veggie) then toss some noodles or dumplings in the next night then thicken a bit and pour in a crust for a pot pie another.

Marinate chicken strips (or beef) in individual meal sized bags but use different marinades -- Do one in soy sauce & ginger for stir fry. Another with onions & teriyaki sauce. One in olive oil, cilantro, and some peppers (I like chipotle) for tacos. You can even do just a basic olive oil (just a drizzle) with white wine (just a bit to prevent spoilage & add flavor) so that you can quickly do whatever with it (or roast/smoke it as is or use in a great Middle Eastern dish or whatever).
Keep bags of veggies pre-cut for each meal (to match what you are doing with the chicken) to make for some last minute prep the day of -- just brown chicken & toss in veggies.


I also make big batches of soups & stews then freeze in meal sized portions. Then I can pull out a few at the start of the week and have them ready to just heat and serve when we want them. (This lets us have a bit more variety without having to cook as many things each week -- just do an extra meal or two of stuff each time and freeze so you can have a few different things that way and fill in with the couple of dishes you prepped that weekend)

 

[iLander]

Since DH has diabetes, we have been making things with as little sugar and carbs as possible.

I've learned this: CARBS become SUGAR in the bloodstream. Who knew? So Carbs = Sugar. Sugar bad.

So this is a lower calorie chocolate pie recipe, which is DELICIOUS, but fairly low in sugar/carbs. If you can skip the crust all together, it's even lower calorie as just a pudding or parfait. We substituted all the low cal and sugar free stuff, the original Kraft recipe doesn't have it as low cal.

1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O SUGAR FREE Chocolate Instant Pudding This stuff is the bomb
1-1/2 cups cold SKIM milk
1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz.) Worst part, can be skipped altogether
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping, divided

BEAT pudding mix and milk with whisk 2 min.; spoon half into crust.

STIR 1 cup COOL WHIP into remaining pudding; spoon over pudding layer in crust.

TOP with remaining COOL WHIP. Refrigerate 3 hours.

This is a great way to get your chocolate fix, very rich taste!

 

[diamondringlover]

I have been really watching what I eat and trying to walk more, I am up to a 9.5lb weight loss...it is going very slowly but at least I am losing weight and not gaining weight. You all sound like you are doing well. Ilander that recipe sounds yummy. I like Jello chocolate sugar free pudding, but I like the cook & serve I found that you can cook it in the microwave in half the time, I like to eat it still warm, it taste more like "regular" pudding then...keep it up everyone.

The holidays will be a challenge, I will try and stay on my diet!

 

[TooPatient]

I have been really watching what I eat and trying to walk more, I am up to a 9.5lb weight loss...it is going very slowly but at least I am losing weight and not gaining weight. You all sound like you are doing well. Ilander that recipe sounds yummy. I like Jello chocolate sugar free pudding, but I like the cook & serve I found that you can cook it in the microwave in half the time, I like to eat it still warm, it taste more like "regular" pudding then...keep it up everyone.

The holidays will be a challenge, I will try and stay on my diet!

Great work!

Re: holidays -- can you do some extra veggie dishes? I did that for Thanksgiving and it really helped. Maybe some veggies you like but don't have often or a new recipe to make it a bit more exciting?
Oh.... I also used a shallower pan for the pecan pie so the pieces were a bit thinner (so less calories) but still the usual 8 pieces per pie. Even DH didn't catch that trick

 

[diamondringlover]

I tend to eat everything during the holidays, but I only had a tad of this and tad of that so that I at least get a taste of it, but I try not to eat much of anything..I do try to eat more of the turkey or ham more than anything else! my latest obsession is the Ghirardelli chocolate squares...I only eat 1...they have 70 calories and 7 grams of carbs

 

[TooPatient]

Had a salad for breakfast and another for lunch. Lots of veggies with beans and a bit of cheese for protein.
Dinner was b/s chicken breast with lots of peas and a bit of rice. (cooked in wine, so there went a bunch of calories but it balanced out with the salads)

Managed 2.2 miles this morning at a slightly faster pace than we have been going.


No walking tomorrow. Will do yoga instead.

 

[TooPatient]

Walking had to be cut short at 1.2 miles due to flying soccer balls and people standing on the track. I love to see other people using the track/field but I wish people would have a little courtesy towards others who are also trying to use! Nothing huge... just stand to the side to chat rather than across the entire track.

As of this morning, I was up to my starting weight. I suppose that isn't too bad given I was up 4 pounds (above my starting weight) last week. I know weight fluctuates so I'm recording my weight every day or two so that I can see the overall trend rather than one good or bad day.

 

[treysar]

One thing that always helps me - those frozen steam bags of vegetables. I add them to EVERYTHING to bulk up a meal. For example - those little diet frozen meals? I add an entire bag of broccoli. I know those aren't the healthiest meals but realistically that's what I eat from time to time when I'm in a rush.

I pack a bag of snacks for work every day. Apples, carrots -CRUNCHY things taht make me feel like I can chew chew chew. It keeps my mouth busy.

I also started drinking a decaf tea before I eat snack - I find that i'm thirsty when I think I'm hungry.

 

[TooPatient]

Swapped to balsamic vinegar drizzle on salads instead of dressing. Lots fewer calories and really yummy.

How is everyone doing?

 

[TooPatient]

The step tracker I got never worked right after the first day.

Love/hate my New phone. It has a good step tracker built in. The hate comes from it demanding my weight and then telling me how much I should weigh (20 pounds less than my goal) and that I should be doing 14,000 steps per day...

May be achievable. Got over 8000 so far and still counting.

 

[missy]

Hi TooPatient and everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I am keeping up with the exercise though the last 10 days I have not been able to do the Pilates Reformer as we are at our beach house and no reformer here sadly. However still walking on the treadmill trying to increase my ankle ROM as best I can and doing my elliptical every day too. Eating healthfully has been pretty easy so far as we don't have any candy or cake etc at the beach house and we have been eating lots of salads, vegetables and fish.

The question however is how will we do eating wise when we return home to NY in the next day or so (not sure when we are returning yet) as we have a lot of "bad" food waiting for us there. I know some gifts will be waiting filled with candy and chocolate (thanks a lot ladies and you know who you are lol) and I am not sure my willpower will be firm but we will see.

Anyway I wish for all of my PS friends much good health and lots of happiness this year. You can do it! (((Hugs))).

 

[Lady_Disdain]

2014 was not a good year for my weight. I have never been heavier, in fact. Between the cross country move, getting married, setting up the new studio, my mother's illness, etc, etc, etc, I got a serious emotional eating issue. Chocolate eating issue, as a matter of fact. I always loved chocolate but it has tipped over into addiction the last 3 years and it got a lot worse last year. Since chocolate and sweets are my main trouble areas, I am going to go low carb for some weeks and then reintroduce whole grains and beans.

I also started Tai Chi Chuan. I am liking it a lot: beautiful movements, serene but you also get a good workout (my leg muscles are really feeling it). I hate gyms, loud music, most exercise moves so this is really right up my alley.

 

[manderz]

Well, on the plus side I didn't gain any weight over the holidays! I didn't eat anything I wanted, but I wasn't super strict, either. It was a little tough to keep up the exercise routine, with gym closings because of holidays, and family visits and the like. It's about to be back on, though! I still need to order a new bathing suit, as I wore mine out.

 

[CRYSTAL24K]

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving! I had our daughter last Friday, so I am over the moon thankful! And I lost 6 lb 13 oz

I don't know if this has already been said, but here's a thought: It's ok if you decide to splurge during the big meal but make the decision to only splurge on that ONE meal. After all, even if you ate every single delicious casserole, smothered your dark meat and mashed potatoes with gravy, and had a huge piece of pecan pie with ice cream, one pound equals 3500 calories. So that one meal is only gonna cost you a pound, maybe two. It's the leftovers that get us!! Do not go back for seconds,graze all day, or eat it all again for dinner and tomorrow's lunch. Treat yourself with no guilt, and then return to your good habits!

Congratulations on your daughter! How exciting to have a newborn around the holidays!

 

[CRYSTAL24K]

I had my last holiday meal this weekend- date night with hubby at a Steak House.

Now I am prepared to lose the last 15 pounds from having the twins (they are 3 now) and the 5 or so pounds that I gained over the holidays. I generally work out 2 days a week and just lost a day as hubby has a class this semester on the night that I take yoga. (He works full time and goes to grad school at night.) I stay at home with the boys and am totally guilty of grazing. I need to find something to do to replace my missing yoga class and make some other changes regarding diet.

So far I have just started making sure that I am doing the following things daily:
Drink 8 Glasses of Water (Makes it harder to eat things that I am not supposed to)
Eat a salad
Eat yogurt

This is a great thread. I have been inspired by everyone who has commented on this post!

 

[iLander]

Yogurt is not what it was when I was young, in the 1970's. Today it's full of sugar (which instantly kills the beneficial probiotics) and fat. If you want to aid digestion, go to a health food store and get some probiotics out of the refrigerator section. It's an EXCELLENT idea to improve your digestion, Crystal24K, and a probiotic pill is a much more effective way to go.

For everyone, not just Crystal. Our diet has completely changed because of the diabetes, and I've lost 6 pounds in the last 2 months, without "dieting". I wasn't looking to lose, but now that we're low sugar, low carb, low fat, high fiber it kinda happens anyway. DH has lost 5 pounds, but he's working out and he's putting back the muscle that the diabetes stole. It's remarkable how diabetes gradually sucks away muscle instead of fat, and you don't notice.

Here's last night's meal, as an example:

Microwaved sweet potato (poke hole in it, microwave 5 minutes, done!), plain
Costco rotisserie chicken, white meat, no skin
Brussel sprouts steamed, 1 tablespoon butter to cover 3 servings,
Mini stuffed baked peppers with bismati (never short grain) rice and fat free cheese

After all that, you're stuffed.

Start reading the labels, especially pasta, and you'll be shocked how much sugar is out there. Measure out a "serving" of pasta some time, it's TINY!! Pasta is basically just sugar which will become fat if you don't burn it off. If you have to have pasta, get black bean spaghetti or high fiber pasta. But still, the servings are so TINY!

I blame Olive Garden for making America fat.

 

[CRYSTAL24K]

iLander- I never even thought about looking for probiotics in the refrigerator section. Great suggestion!

 

[iLander]

iLander- I never even thought about looking for probiotics in the refrigerator section. Great suggestion!

Yeah, in the health food store. They have to be kept in stasis to keep them alive and the cool air does that. My DH takes them whenever his stomach is upset and says it works. I'm not sure they work that fast, lol, but they do keep him happy and off the Tums which cause kidney stones.

 

[missy]

I am so happy you and your dh are doing well iLander! And all the other lovely PSers here too!

Just wanted to post this fyi. Another great way to get good bacteria and a better balance into your system is to eat fermented/cultured vegetables. In fact according to my doctors and my research this is even better absorbed than probiotic pills. Here is what I order.

http://www.immunitrition.com/Organic_Cultured_Veggies.html

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I started on a low carb diet and it works really well for me. I don't get a lot of cravings, I eat plenty of meat and eggs, tons of vegetables (spinach, watercress, rocket and all those wonderful dark green leaves, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, green peppers, mushrooms, leeks, etc), nuts and cheese (for dairy), as well as some fat sources (cream, olive oil, peanut butter). I feel satiated and I can make some really delicious meals.

I started tracking my meals with FoodTracker (this is really amazing) and I found three problems. First, I was low on some vitamins (easily solved with a supplement). I was quite low on iron, despite all those dark green veggies, and this was more worrying, since I have a tendency to anemia. I solved that by substituting chicken and pork with red meat (I prefer white meat but I need that iron) and cutting back on tea, since caffeine can leech iron.

My final problem is that I am not eating enough calories! I am quite amazed at this - I ate a tuna omelet with cream and cheese for breakfast, chicken stir fry (with cheese thrown in as well) for lunch, hazelnut and almonds for snacks and finished off with a nice salad with a creamy dressing, grilled pork tenderloin and mushrooms for dinner. I even forced myself to eat an extra half serving of the pork and I still came in at around 1100 for the day. I am looking back this week and I seem to hover around 1000 calories per day, which is much too low.

I need to up calories without carbs but I don't want to force myself to eat, as that is a very unhealthy habit I don't want to develop. I am making some pot de chocolat (with cocoa powder instead of chocolate with hazelnuts for some sweetness and just a dash of sweetner to cut the edge) to try to make up calories, even though cutting back sweets is one of my primary goals and I really dislike artificial sweetners (stevia is even worse). Any suggestions?

I also get a tiny little thrill when I see the low calorie count at the end of the day, even though I know it is counter productive in the long range.

 

[telephone89]

I was avoiding this thread over the holidays because I was so unhealthy haha. Between xmas (2 dinners in 1 day!), leftovers, and NYE there was way too much food, drinking and NO exercise.

My partner and I started up a little bet, on who can workout/eat healthy/drink less for the next 3 months haha. So we are doing the insanity fitness program, which is nice because it is only 30m a day (I really can't stay motivated for much longer), but 6 days a week. We are cutting down alcohol to 1 or 2 days a week (vs a beer or 3 every other night), and eating much healthier nutrient dense food. It should be interesting. Cash incentive seems to be working so far!

 

[TooPatient]

Missed exercise every day this week but walked a lot. The first week of the quarter so no time. But... It is 0.25 miles from where I park to the classroom so I get 1/2 mile going to/from calc5 and another 1/2 for diff eq. and on other 1/2 for mechanics (once per week for that one, daily for the others). Toss in walking to the library building and i've been getting about 2 miles per day just at school.

Starting yoga class tomorrow. Two hours once per week.

 

[diamondringlover]

I fell way off the diet wagon during the holidays and gained a pound, but I am back at it again and I have lost the pound I had gained plus another 1/2 a pound I am trying to eat a little healthier and trying to drink less wine..and walking at least every other night sometimes everynight

 

[TooPatient]

Yoga left me hurting. Ouch! Friday was my first class in almost 9 months. "Just" an hour of her taking it easy on us...

Managed 2 miles at the track yesterday and again this morning plus an additional half mile at school yesterday and 1.2 miles today.

Full yoga class Friday. Should do some pushups and stuff tomorrow to help my arm muscles.

 

[marymm]

I started on a low carb diet and it works really well for me. I don't get a lot of cravings, I eat plenty of meat and eggs, tons of vegetables (spinach, watercress, rocket and all those wonderful dark green leaves, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, green peppers, mushrooms, leeks, etc), nuts and cheese (for dairy), as well as some fat sources (cream, olive oil, peanut butter). I feel satiated and I can make some really delicious meals.

I started tracking my meals with FoodTracker (this is really amazing) and I found three problems. First, I was low on some vitamins (easily solved with a supplement). I was quite low on iron, despite all those dark green veggies, and this was more worrying, since I have a tendency to anemia. I solved that by substituting chicken and pork with red meat (I prefer white meat but I need that iron) and cutting back on tea, since caffeine can leech iron.

My final problem is that I am not eating enough calories! I am quite amazed at this - I ate a tuna omelet with cream and cheese for breakfast, chicken stir fry (with cheese thrown in as well) for lunch, hazelnut and almonds for snacks and finished off with a nice salad with a creamy dressing, grilled pork tenderloin and mushrooms for dinner. I even forced myself to eat an extra half serving of the pork and I still came in at around 1100 for the day. I am looking back this week and I seem to hover around 1000 calories per day, which is much too low.

I need to up calories without carbs but I don't want to force myself to eat, as that is a very unhealthy habit I don't want to develop. I am making some pot de chocolat (with cocoa powder instead of chocolate with hazelnuts for some sweetness and just a dash of sweetner to cut the edge) to try to make up calories, even though cutting back sweets is one of my primary goals and I really dislike artificial sweetners (stevia is even worse). Any suggestions?

I also get a tiny little thrill when I see the low calorie count at the end of the day, even though I know it is counter productive in the long range.

I admire your healthy meal choices! I wonder if you could add more nuts/seeds to meals/snacks? These are nutritional powerhouses and even used sparingly should help add good calories. Like, add peanuts to your chicken stir fry; sprinkle sunflower seeds or pine-nuts on top of your salad; add macadamia nuts to your snack? As an alternate afternoon snack, quarter a hard-boiled egg and layer each egg quarter into doubled-endive leafs, add a dollop of hummus, some grated carrot, and maybe a sprinkle of cheese and/or walnuts?

As you are choosing to eat low-carb, probably dried fruit is not an option, but how about legumes? Maybe you could add a half-cup of lentil or split-pea soup to lunch or dinner every couple of days?

I'm realizing I need to cut back on my empty carb intake so I've pretty much eliminated bread and cut out candy (but keeping dark chocolate); the next step is more daily activity which for me is the harder thing but also the most effective - aargh, I wish reading and playing on the Internet burned more calories!

 

[azstonie]

Checking in.

November, I declared my problem on this thread.

Did not gain anything over Thanksgiving.

Lost 5 pounds in December.

Have lost 5 pounds thus far in January so at 10-pound weight loss total mark.

I have been following kind of the DASH diet, its an antihypertension diet in that it limits the sodium you take in via diet. For example, if you're over 51 you should not be eating more than 1500 mg per day. If you are under 51, your limit is 2500 mg sodium.

LOL, the beauty of the DASH diet is that it takes a person about 24 hours to realize you CAN"T eat processed foods any more, too much sodium. Of course, they also have too much sugar and too many additives as well.

So as I was counting sodium mg, I swumg myself off processed foods.

I saw Dr Perlmutter on Kelly and Michael this morning, grains and carbs create inflammation in the body which in turn causes cardiovascular disease, dementia/Alzheimer's, cancer, you name it. Grains/carbs are a relatively recent construct for humans, it came from the growth of agriculture---grains, dairy products, etc.

I love me some carbs. I'm willing to wean myself off them now.

 

[madelise]

In 2014, I lost 30 pounds.
During the holiday season and whatnot, I put back about 5.

I started going to an acupuncturist the beginning of this week, and have already lost 2.


My 2015 goal is to lose another 30 pounds
I want to be nothing but T&A and a bobble head when I'm done.



Just kidding. I have the 30 to lose, and will still be in the higher end of 'normal' BMI.

 

[jordyonbass]

I wish I had the same dedication to maintaining my weight and diet that some people here have! I'm an Aussie guy who is about 5'11 tall but has yo-yo'd between 160lb and 250lb+ in the last ten years. Some friends call me a 'humorph' as my body reacts very rapidly to changes in diet and activity. For example, I've used my boat every weekend for a month and dropped 25lb from the extra physical activity. I'm still about 20-30lb heavier than I want to be though.

Someone give me the inspiration to eat lean and trim down permanently! Quick!

 

[diamondringlover]

In 2014, I lost 30 pounds.
During the holiday season and whatnot, I put back about 5.

I started going to an acupuncturist the beginning of this week, and have already lost 2.


My 2015 goal is to lose another 30 pounds
I want to be nothing but T&A and a bobble head when I'm done.



Just kidding. I have the 30 to lose, and will still be in the higher end of 'normal' BMI.

Ha this made my laugh...the bobble head comment..thanks for the chuckle

 

[Wednesday]

I've been using a Fitbit and the app as well as My Fitness Pal and these have been extremely helpful to me in pinpointing where I can improve activity and nutrition. I am hoping to join you all in your success soon.

Someone above mentioned weight fluctuation. I find that to be the most maddening part of this! I usually weigh myself once a week (after I wake up, before eating or drinking anything) for tracking purposes. Yesterday I weighed myself and the number was a little higher than I expected. But, I recorded it. I weighed myself again this morning and I was a pound and a half lighter! That's the amount I'd like to lose per week. But who knows what I *really* weigh. I guess you can tell progress after a month or so, or after a 5+ pound loss?