Anyone that started in the "obese" range would like to share some of their favorite meals?

Options
2»

Replies

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    I was obese when I started (my original goal was 100 lbs, I started logging here when I had 80 to go, now I have 9.5 left, at least to the original goal), and my diary is open. I was doing about 1250 (plus exercise calories) when I started (March through early summer, probably) and then 1400 (plus exercise) and now I do 1600 (I did 1700 for a bit in the fall when I was working out somewhat more).

    I tend to mostly cook from whole foods (well, I go through periods where I buy lunch a lot), and I find it usually easier to log the components of my meals rather than my recipes, so if you wanted to look you could see what I used to cook with, but would have to figure out how they went together. I also usually don't bother with herbs and spices. It might give ideas, though. I'm something of a speed cooker in that after work I usually just pull something together from the foods I have on hand (including whatever meat I decided in advance to take out of the freezer).

    Anyway, if that isn't helpful, I also recommend (in addition to the good ideas you've gotten) a site called 101 cookbooks. Lots of healthy recipes, lovely photos, and very vegetarian focused, with vegan recipes too. I flip through just to get ideas sometimes.

    Oh, and I also do eggs most mornings--typically a 2 egg vegetable omelet, but I vary my vegetables and sides. When I get bored I either do something with oatmeal or have leftovers or some other more dinner like food. For a while I was doing a salad for breakfast about once a week, since I like salad and don't really like messing with taking one to work.
  • k2mexox
    k2mexox Posts: 72 Member
    Options
    carnivalnights wrote: »
    My absolute favourite healthy food blog is skinnytaste.com like the above user stated. And I am always inspired by using Pinterest to find new recipes. On Pinterest you can follow tons of healthy food boards and never run out of ideas. :) For breakfast, there are tons of ways to mix up overnights oats so I'd highly recommend that as a staple. It's full of protein. In mine I use rolled oats, chia seeds, milk, Greek yogurt and either fruit or nuts, and sometimes things like vanilla extract or shredded unsweetened coconut.


    I've tried overnight notes a year ago and it made me sick but I'm interested in trying again? How do you portion and know nutritional content such as calories?
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    Options
    k2mexox wrote: »
    carnivalnights wrote: »
    My absolute favourite healthy food blog is skinnytaste.com like the above user stated. And I am always inspired by using Pinterest to find new recipes. On Pinterest you can follow tons of healthy food boards and never run out of ideas. :) For breakfast, there are tons of ways to mix up overnights oats so I'd highly recommend that as a staple. It's full of protein. In mine I use rolled oats, chia seeds, milk, Greek yogurt and either fruit or nuts, and sometimes things like vanilla extract or shredded unsweetened coconut.


    I've tried overnight notes a year ago and it made me sick but I'm interested in trying again? How do you portion and know nutritional content such as calories?

    Hats off to everyone in this thread for their fantastic losses! Wow!

    As for this question, if you have a food scale, you weigh the container/use the recipe builder to input your ingredients/weigh again/subtract the container/input the number of servings/weigh your share.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Options
    +1 to Velum! I want to try some of those.

    k2m, I made a recipe using MFP in a mason jar marked it as two servings. I take half a jar at a time. I suggest if it makes you sick again don't bother. Refrigerator oats may not be for you.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    Options
    obscuremusicreference wrote: »
    k2mexox wrote: »
    carnivalnights wrote: »
    My absolute favourite healthy food blog is skinnytaste.com like the above user stated. And I am always inspired by using Pinterest to find new recipes. On Pinterest you can follow tons of healthy food boards and never run out of ideas. :) For breakfast, there are tons of ways to mix up overnights oats so I'd highly recommend that as a staple. It's full of protein. In mine I use rolled oats, chia seeds, milk, Greek yogurt and either fruit or nuts, and sometimes things like vanilla extract or shredded unsweetened coconut.


    I've tried overnight notes a year ago and it made me sick but I'm interested in trying again? How do you portion and know nutritional content such as calories?

    Hats off to everyone in this thread for their fantastic losses! Wow!

    As for this question, if you have a food scale, you weigh the container/use the recipe builder to input your ingredients/weigh again/subtract the container/input the number of servings/weigh your share.

    Is this true? Sounds like a lot of work. People were telling me how much easier this was then using a measuring cup/spoon.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    Recipes and flexibility. Allrecipes.com is fantastic. Library has cookbooks. I love the library for cookbooks. :)

    Magazines are so freaking cheap these days. I got three recipe magazines and three free gifts for a year, for a total cost of $6.00, lol.

    Remember to think flexibly when you look at them. Can't have nuts? Use raisins. Don't like broccoli? Use some other green veggie. Be willing to try new things! Especially if you're just starting to eat healthy, there may be a world of fruits and veggies you haven't tried, much less tried different ways. Try new foods and try them different ways. There's a lot of good stuff waiting for you! :)
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    SuggaD wrote: »
    obscuremusicreference wrote: »
    k2mexox wrote: »
    carnivalnights wrote: »
    My absolute favourite healthy food blog is skinnytaste.com like the above user stated. And I am always inspired by using Pinterest to find new recipes. On Pinterest you can follow tons of healthy food boards and never run out of ideas. :) For breakfast, there are tons of ways to mix up overnights oats so I'd highly recommend that as a staple. It's full of protein. In mine I use rolled oats, chia seeds, milk, Greek yogurt and either fruit or nuts, and sometimes things like vanilla extract or shredded unsweetened coconut.


    I've tried overnight notes a year ago and it made me sick but I'm interested in trying again? How do you portion and know nutritional content such as calories?

    Hats off to everyone in this thread for their fantastic losses! Wow!

    As for this question, if you have a food scale, you weigh the container/use the recipe builder to input your ingredients/weigh again/subtract the container/input the number of servings/weigh your share.

    Is this true? Sounds like a lot of work. People were telling me how much easier this was then using a measuring cup/spoon.
    Weighing every ingredient is a major pain in the asp, IMO. But if you want to weigh, it's a necessary evil.

  • MOOSE2X
    MOOSE2X Posts: 23 Member
    Options
    If you like tuna and snap peas, I have something for you.
    Tuna Snap pea salad - 4oz Select Albacore Tuna, mixed 2 tblsp of spicy guac and 2 tblsp of ranch dipping sauces, on 2 oz of Snap Peas, 6 oz's total. 295 cals / 32g protein
    You need low cals and high clean protein to lose weight, this helps
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Options
    fitchlets wrote: »
    nicsflyingcircus wrote: »
    Wanted to add, some of my favorite meals are scrambles/omelettes. Eggs are cheap and easy and can be infinitely customized, plus they contain good nutrients and fat and protein.

    Yes, I'm loving eggs in the morning. I fry 2 in coconut oil, roast a small sweet potato and lay the eggs on top and top with a little salsa. That by far is a meal I won't get sick of. I keep trying to convince my vegan husband that he needs to start eating eggs again. He is missing out for sure.

    My dad broke 10+ years of veganism while vacationing in Spain - the seafood got him.

    Taco salad is a staple for me. It's SO easy to make it low-cal enough to eat tons and tons. I make it with extra lean ground beef and I mix regular taco seasoning mix with Penzey's salt-free "Arizona Dreaming" blend to keep the sodium reasonable. I use full-fat sour cream and make 'dressing' by mixing it with good salsa. And avocado, it must have avocado.
  • kellycasey5
    kellycasey5 Posts: 486 Member
    Options
    Wahoo you are off to a great start! The only tips I can offer: stick to it, and use the logging. Logging works! And friends....nothing motivates me like seeing a feed of people running, walking, biking, p90x-ing, snow shovelling, 15 minutes of zumba-ing, etc. I figure I might as well get on my bike a little and watch a netflix while I pedal. If you have had such success in 8 days, your body likes the whole foods and exercise and you know what to do because you are already doing it!
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    Options
    I started out @ 290# morbidly obese. I am now "normal" weight for my height. I have totally, substituted fresh ground turkey for ground beef, I am pretty sure that I have not purchased any ground beef in over 2 years. I make homemade soups every weekend. Grilled chicken breasts. Pork and turkey tenderloins. I prep everything on the weekends, veggies, fruits, meat etc, and make enough for meals to last the week. Rarely go out to eat anymore, but if we do I always check the restaurants menu on line to help make healthier choices.
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    Options
    SuggaD wrote: »
    obscuremusicreference wrote: »
    k2mexox wrote: »
    carnivalnights wrote: »
    My absolute favourite healthy food blog is skinnytaste.com like the above user stated. And I am always inspired by using Pinterest to find new recipes. On Pinterest you can follow tons of healthy food boards and never run out of ideas. :) For breakfast, there are tons of ways to mix up overnights oats so I'd highly recommend that as a staple. It's full of protein. In mine I use rolled oats, chia seeds, milk, Greek yogurt and either fruit or nuts, and sometimes things like vanilla extract or shredded unsweetened coconut.


    I've tried overnight notes a year ago and it made me sick but I'm interested in trying again? How do you portion and know nutritional content such as calories?

    Hats off to everyone in this thread for their fantastic losses! Wow!

    As for this question, if you have a food scale, you weigh the container/use the recipe builder to input your ingredients/weigh again/subtract the container/input the number of servings/weigh your share.

    Is this true? Sounds like a lot of work. People were telling me how much easier this was then using a measuring cup/spoon.

    It's not easier, but it is more accurate. I prefer this method for that reason.

    But like someone else suggested, if you're going to be eating the whole recipe yourself, just log it all and make sure the number of portions you consume match the number of portions you put in the builder. Then you would only have to weigh once, when you cook.
  • gladelilly2
    gladelilly2 Posts: 2
    Options
    Hey there! Congratulations on starting your adventure. I love making crazy salads that are anything but boring. They are so customizable depending upon my mood. Here's a favorite: 1 c spinach greens chopped dime size, 1/8 c walnut pieces, 1 tblsp. freshly chopped parsley, 1/2 of a small nectarine sliced thin, 1/4 c feta cheese, 1 tblsp olive oil, 1 tblsp red wine vinegar. Then just a pinch of cracked black pepper. Toss that around in a bowl and voila! Lessen the feta if you're not a feta lover. The parsley and black pepper make the salad too. I substitute Pink Lady apples instead of nectarines when nectarines are out of season. When peaches are in season, I use those. Good luck to you and remember; every day is your day. Live it!
  • ng_jenice
    ng_jenice Posts: 25
    Options
    I prep my meals for five day all at once. I keep two to three day then I freeze the the rest . It helps me eat clean .
  • fitchlets
    fitchlets Posts: 58 Member
    Options
    wow, i am love all of the tips and support. thank you all SO MUCH! I had 3 kids in 3 years and I'm so ready to get healthy for these beautiful babies I have :)
  • jamesbhynes
    jamesbhynes Posts: 24
    Options
    Mango salsa, I make it to go on shrimp tacos and it's delishious. I can have 3 tacos 8 inch tortillas with 4 shrimp on each and the mango salsa and a little bit of spicy mayo plus a small side salad for around 500 calories. Basically dice up 1 mango in about 1/2" chunks, 2 fresh jalapeno peppers seeds removed and minced pretty small, 2 or 3 green onions (scallions) diced and 1 pickled roasted red pepper diced and a little lemon juice to moisten it all up. Good topping for fish and pork also.

Categories