I looked through the threads under this topic and did not find a general thread, so here we go.
I went to the doctor Christmas week and was shocked at the weigh-in. I am the heaviest I have ever been in my life and that needs to change. I will not share the shameful exact number, but suffice it to say if I get any bigger there will be no clothes even at Walmart that will fit me!
In the past, I have been really bad about just stopping at a fast-food place to get unhealthy burgers, fries and the like on my way to one job or the other. It has to stop. Somehow I have to find the energy to plan ahead on meals and take things with me to the weekend job that will provide energy and be healthy, as well as being portable and easy to leave and come back to - since I have to eat between customers.
I'm hoping we can all share encouragement and easy to fix meals that either freeze well or make only 1-2 servings. I am really tired of recipes that make 6-10 servings, eating them for 4-5 days running and then just throwing them away because I am so sick of eating them. Taste of Home has a Cooking for 1-2 section and newsletter that I have subscribed to. About.com has a weight-loss email class that I subscribed to also.
Does anyone have any other resources to share on that front? Or even just quick and easy recipes that are healthy and make small portions?
Please, feel free to post anything that others might benefit from on the healthy eating and living front.
I make similar food every day, but it's more that the preparation and general theme is the same, rather than the details so I don't get tired of it.
I make a bit of meat - either in the frying pan (fish cooked in its own oils, or lamb/porkchops cooked with a quick shake of salt or garlic) or in the toaster oven (chicken covered in flour and broiled) or BBQ (any of the above, and beef). I also have a bit of rice or a couple slices of bread, and some steamed veggies (peel them or slice them, and put them in a small amount of boiling water until done - similar to boiling but less water).
Technically this isn't super-quick, but I can usually make the meal in 10-15 minutes (depending upon the thickness of meat and types of veggies) and it's yummy.
Veggies last long enough to be able to vary them, and I buy smaller portions of meat.
My #1 suggestion is this: If you eat a lot of ground beef, or like to eat ground beef, buy ground turkey instead. Ground turkey costs around the same as ground beef and it has a FRACTION of the fat beef has. And you won't be able to tell the difference. I promise.
My hubby and I just got back on Weight Watchers. But we are lucky enough to have gotten all the paper materials for free from my sister. We don't pay for it and we don't go to meetings or anything. I lost 13 lbs on it already and I want to lose more.
Weight Watchers is pretty easy and I recommend it. If any of you are interested in trying it out, here's the info you need. First, determine how many points per day you should be eating. Below is the quiz to use.
1. Are you:
Female? 2 points
Male? 8 points
2. How old are you?
17-26 4 pnts
27-37 3 pnts
38-47 2 pnts
48-58 1 pnt
over 58 0 pnts
3. What do you weigh?
Take the first two digits of your weight and add it to your point total.
(Example: if you weigh 175, add 17.)
4. How tall are you?
Under 5' 1" 0 pnts
5' 1" to 5' 10" 1 pnt
Over 5' 10" 2 pnts
5. On most days, how do you spend your day?
Sitting 0 pnts
Occasionally sitting, but mainly standing 2 pnts
Walking most of the time 3 pnts
Doing hard physical labor 4 pnts
Add up all the points you got from each question and that is how many points per day you get to eat. You also have an optional 35 extra points per week that you can use if you want to. If you exercise you earn points back.
And you may not realize it, but you are not limited to eating only weight watcher frozen meals. You can eat anything you want, as long as you add it to your daily point value and stick to your limit.
Anything that has a nutritional chart can be figured up in points. Using the calculator here:
http://www.webmilhouse.com/pointcalc.php
You put in calories per serving, grams of fat per serving and grams of fiber per serving. Calculate and you get points per serving. For foods that don't have the chart, you can use the points list here:
http://quiddity.cc/rachel/diet/wwfoods.htm
Also, any food that has zero calories has zero points. Including diet soda, crystal light, anything with zero calorie sweetener. Most fresh veggies are zero points. I like to add veggies to other recipes to make it stretch and to fill me up faster.
Hope this helps.
I'm like Ziggy in a way. I usually eat salad for lunch every day but I add a protein to it. Either beef, chicken, seafood, cheese, eggs, etc. Something with some substance and variety so I don't get bored. I also make my own salad dressing every day and it's always different.
IMO, variety is the key to sticking to a "diet" or a new menu plan. My friend always makes fun of me and asks how I can eat the same thing for lunch every single day and I tell her that it's not the same. It's different every time I make it. I understand that not every one enjoys salads so you need to find something you enjoy eating and mix it up!
One of the best things I did was join myfooddiary.com. It costs $9/month, but it has been so helpful in making me see what I really eat. It's basically a calorie tracking program, but you can also track body weight and measurements and calories burned through exercise, etc. And it also ballparks how many calories you should be eating depending on your activity level and how much you want to lose. It tracks nutritional information as well (such as percentage of calories from fat, protein, etc.). There are other programs that are similar out there, like myfitnesspal.com, but for me, the $9/month is well worth it because I prefer the way this one is set up. It was a real eye opener for me to see how many calories I was really eating in a day. Between tracking my food, and working out regularly, I've been able to drop 35 pounds in the last year (with about 35 more to go).
My current favorite food thing to do is to cut up a couple of sweet potatoes, a couple of onions, and a couple of bell peppers (usually red and yellow), toss them with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and then roast them in a 450 degree oven till they're golden brown and delicious! I also usually toss in some broken up asparagus spears (fresh or frozen depending on the season) during the last 10 minutes. I could eat just this for dinner and be happy. I usually get about 4 large servings out of this and tend to eat it along side some skinless baked chicken. I'm not a fan of boneless, skinless chicken breasts though...I prefer to just skin leg quarters and have that instead. I find it much more satisfying.
I also use the leftover roasted veggies to make a yummy fritatta for breakfast. I will take about half a serving of the veggies and heat them up in a non-stick pan. Then I scramble 2 whites and 1 whole egg in a bowl w/ a little milk. I mix that into the veggies and stir until it's set, but still runny on top. Then I pop it under the broiler for a minute or two till it's golden. Super yummy, and VERY filling!
I'm not very good at cooking in small portions, so I do freeze a lot of stuff. I make large batches of chili, soups, or spaghetti sauce and then just freeze into smaller portions. Then depending on what I feel like, I'll just pull something out and make something fresh to go with it. For example, I'll thaw out a portion of the spaghetti sauce, make a couple servings of whole wheat pasta, and mix them together w/ some low-fat cheese and maybe some sliced zucchini in a baking dish. Then I bake that for 20-30 minutes, and it's kind of like lasagna, but in a much smaller, more manageable portion.
Hope this helps a little! I'm looking forward to seeing what other ideas people have.
Vanessa
I have done the substitute ground turkey for beef. In my area, the turkey is up to 1/2 the cost of hamburger (if you want 80% or more lean burger). In fact there are a few rolls of ground turkey in the freezer now and I will use it in some canned spaghetti sauce from the food pantry and I will cook it with some good quality olive oil and italian seasonings and garlic. It really perks up the lack of flavor. Turkey is good for that - adding just about any seasoning and it goes well with it.
I found a place on line for free - spark.com where I can track my daily intake and get points for drinking more water, actually eating breakfast (which I am really bad about skipping) and stuff.
I'm the opposite of NKB - I do best when I eat exactly the same thing every single day. When I'm living alone I even have the same dinner every night, but J. doesn't approve so much of that so I'm flexible...
My favorite meal plan when trying to lose weight:
Breakfast:
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 tbsp. raisins
1/2 c. soy milk and 1/2 c. water
Cook in microwave 2 minutes.
Throughout the day (I don't really eat "lunch" - just snacks during the workday):
3 100 calorie protein bars (there are several brands - Special K, Balance, etc.)
1 hard-boiled egg
1-2 100-calorie fat free yogurts
banana
coffee/tea
Dinner:
Tuna sandwich with: 1 can tuna fish, 2 tbsp fat free/light mayo, 2 slices wheat bread
OR Hard-boiled egg sandwich substituting tuna with 2 eggs
vegetable
late-night snack:
pretzels
It's actually a lot of food but I spend 90 minutes working out and 30 minutes walking every day so it works. I can lose about 1-2lbs/week for the most part doing this, although lately it's slowed to about .5/week or even slower...
I second the Weight Watchers recommendation. I used the online program and tracked my points. Between that and a commitment of running/walking 3 times a week I dropped 50 pounds. I got off track though and while I have not gained anything, I have stagnated.
Davros paid for a 3 month membership to the YMCA for me and I just went tonight and got my id card and signed up for my orientation. Monday morning at 8:30 I go through the whole facility with a personal trainer and learn to use the machines. I saw a spinning class happening while I was there and I am pumped to give it a try!
I need to work on my alcohol intake and my late night snacking. My day usually goes well for food, a typical day looks like this:
Breakfast
Tea
Smoothie made with fruits, fat free plain yogurt, some juice and flax seeds
Toast with natural peanut butter,a low fat breakfast cereal or oatmeal with fruit
Lunch is always leftovers from dinner the night before and I do make an effort to eat healthy dinners- whole wheat pastas with light sauce and tons of veggies, wraps stuffed with veggies and lean turkey, chicken breasts with brown rice and veggies, etc.
Alas, my sweet tooth usually rears its ugly head after dinner and I go hunting for anything we may have in the house to satisfy it. *sigh*
I am excited for this thread and will post after my orientation.
Oh, YMCA offers aquafit, has anyone tried it? It's on my "must try" list but I wonder how much of a work out it actually provides.
"Oh, YMCA offers aquafit, has anyone tried it? It's on my "must try" list but I wonder how much of a work out it actually provides."
It is unusually beneficial for those who have joint issues so you tend to have classes full of older people, but if you can get into a class for younger folks then definitely give it a try. The water provides more resistance to your movement so it can be quite an energy-draining (and yet unique) way of getting exercise.
I gave up indoor swimming when I read that you eat a lot more after a swimming workout than a regular workout and that people who swim usually take in enough calories to offset any gain they are making by swimming. That really resonated with me - whenever I was swimming I'd feel STARVING afterward. It's something to do with your body's reaction to being cold in the water. Now I avoid indoor pools like the plague.
I had my YMCA orientation today and it went well. I had two women guiding me through, one of them was shadowing as she is training to do orientation. After a quick tour, I did a little warm up on a bike and then we went through a circuit routine on weights.
The only machine I absolutely disliked was one for bicep curls, it was haaaard. Also the ab machine didn't agree with me, so I did crunches on an exercise ball instead. I'm really excited about making this a part of my routine, and I told the trainer that I am challenging myself to go three times a week. She said she would call me in two weeks to check my progress.
Oh and she said I could book another orientation if I outgrow my circuit routine and want some help making a free weights routine.
My current plan is to do the circuit once or twice a week and supplement with a class. I'm aiming to go in the mornings before work, because I am good at talking myself out of going after a long day at work. I think I will skip tomorrow and on Wednesday take the Core Challenge class at 8:15. It's 40 minutes of core work, which I could use-weak core! Then on Friday, I can go and do my circuit and 30 minutes on one of the cardio machines.
Is it better to run through my weight circuit and then do cardio or vice versa?
Glad the Y sounds like it will work for you. Planks are great ab exercises, too.
The Core Challenge sounds great. I would love to take something like that!
The experts say to do weights first and then cardio. I'm half asleep still when I get to the gym so I do cardio first - also so I can watch the local news, which ends at 7AM... but optimally it's the other way around, so they say.
Definitely go to free weights after a month or two of machines. You won't make near the progress on machines that you will with free weights, plus free weights are a LOT less boring. It always bums me out that gym personnel seem to drive new people (especially women) toward the machines - they just don't want to take the time to show people how to lift free weights I suppose. But if you can get the basics down and then watch what others do you'll be all set.
There's a really cheap book you can get through Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Cory-Eversons-Work...roduct_top
It's old but provides soup to nuts for lifting weights.
OH how I wish we had a Y nearby. When I was growing up, after we moved back from Mexico, the Y was 3 blocks from the apartments we lived in. It was great to run over there at the drop of a hat for a class. Now, the nearest is 40 miles and makes me miss living in a big town even more!
Thanks for the advice CNK. I was given the option of starting on free weights or the machines and I wasn't sure what to choose. My trainer did point me in the direction of the machines until I get comfortable with the facility as the free weight area can be somewhat overrun by musclebound morons... but she put it in a much nicer way.
I'll let you know how Core Challenge goes on Wednesday, that is if I'm not in too much pain to drag myself to the computer.
I second the idea of switching over to some free weights when you're comfortable. I LOVE lifting weights, but I get really bored with a lot of the machines. I still use them for half the stuff I do, but almost all of my upper body lifting I do with dumbells or barbells. (Or using my own body weight.)
I'm thinking of picking up a book called The New Rules of Lifting for Women. (There's a website:
Clicky) I've heard really great things about it, but haven't read it yet, so I can't really fully endorse it. It's been very popular on a fitness board I'm on.
I'll also second what CNK said about doing cardio after your weights. That's what my trainer has us do, but I honestly have a difficult time making myself do that. I usually only do 15 or 20 minutes, but he wants us to do 30 (with a heartrate of at least 150). I just don't often have the energy left after the rest of my workout. But he says it's much more efficient and you burn more fat by doing it after.
Vanessa
What an interesting thread. I just switched to regular gym membership. I was with Curves. Boy, Curves is so pansy compared to the group classes. I've done one called BodyPump which uses free weights for an hour. I also liked the yoga class. I have to make an appt to see a trainer (I get two sessions included with signing up). I was doing cardio before the BodyPump class, but now I will try to do it after. I am down about 35 lbs since July or so. I've got another 45 lbs to reach a normal BMI which is the goal.
I've also been monitoring my carbs. I am borderline diabetic and take meds. I am to keep my carb intake to 45g for meals and 15 g for two snacks...but I've been keeping it at about 20-30 g of carbs for meals and my blood sugar numbers are very good now. I also eat way less than I used to. With all the exercise, I am just not as hungry as I used to be.
Congrats on the weight loss, Opilies - that's terrific. Great that you left Curves for a real gym. Curves is really limiting.
Weight rooms can have jerks in them but often the guys can be cool - a lot depends on time of day and the tenor of the particular gym. Some of the nicest guys I've met at the gym are HUGE. You can never tell.
Vanessa - I just checked out sample pages of that book on Amazon - it looks GREAT!! Anything that tells women to put down the stupid colored weights, quit "toning", and pick up the real iron is right-on!
Vanessa, that link led to me to the forums for the book which has led me to be totally engrossed in hundreds of fitness blogs... damn you!
LOL! Sorry about that bellis_coldwine! If it makes you feel better, I've been reading all the book reviews on Amazon.com since I posted that too. I'm probably going to buy the book this week. It's only $11, so I figure it will have at least some useful info to make it worthwhile. I checked my library, but their only copies are out w/ holds till practically summer! (So that kind of makes me think it'll be a good purchase.)
Vanessa
Not only did I survive Core Challenge this morning, I stayed and immediately did the Rep Reebok class afterwards!
Here is my overview of both classes:
Core Challenge
-about 10 people, everyone with a mat and a foam roller. Picture a short, very thick and dense pool noodle.
-the foam roller is a vile thing. We balanced on it, pressing our lower backs down into the roller and proceeded to do crunches and leg lifts and all manner of evil things.
-we balanced the foam roller on our calves in a tabletop position and did crunches. My legs were shaking so badly it looked like I was seizing.
Honestly the class is just a blur... it's freaking HARD. I met a girl named Katie and had my mat next to hers. She goes almost every week and said that this particular class was harder than usual. She also told me that most people stay to do the Rep Reebok class right after, so I decided to give it a shot.
Rep Reebok
-LOVED this class, it's huge, almost everyone from CC stayed and a good 8 or so people showed up
-everyone has a step set to whatever height they want (mine was 2), a mat, two sets of hand weights in a small (mine was 3 lb) and large (mine was 8lb) range and one barbell with chosen weight (I did 15 lbs)
We do 4 sets of 4 exercises in the classes. In each set we run through all 4 exercises, emphasis on the left side doing 2 time and singles.
Next rep we do the same but emphasis on the right. Final time we run through doing all singles. Repeat for all 4 seats of exercises.
We did squats, lunges and bicep exercises with the barbell. Pushups, back extensions, tricep dips on the mat/step. Hand weights were used for flys and some other moves I have forgotten.
I feel like a pile of jello right now, but in a good way. I've never worked out in the morning before and it is so energizing!
I bought myself a wall calendar and am scheduling my gym "appointment" and tracking when I go/how much weight I am using in class. I'm a chart kinda girl and this will keep me motivated.
Tomorrow is a rest day and then Friday I am heading back for 8:15 to run through my weight machine circuit and 30 minutes of cardio.
And before I wrap up this ridiculous novel of a post, what do you folks eat after a workout? I just nommed on some almonds and two hardboiled eggs but I'm curious what other people do.