Help me i'm Seriously Struggling

Fit4me78

I'm in need of some serious help as I feel that I'm Struggling with my diet and I need to change that now as I don't want to become unhealthy and etc. I have great support at home as both myself and my Husband both have lots of weight to lose and were both planning on going swimming 2 to 3 days a week and I'll be hitting the gym the other days. The other thing I'm having trouble with is my Diet and the food we eat I need help with ideas and etc. Please feel free to add me as a friend and I will do the same.

pmaia

I was looking for great food ideas and joined the group swap recipes..I got a lot of ideas for filling breakfasts that are high protien and around 300 calories.

Liftng4Lis

Eat what you like, only in moderation, at a deficit. There is a great recipe section here that will give you ideas.

pstegman888

I'm sure others can chime in with recipes & other tips, but I can say that for me, I need to keep things simple (due to physical challenges and also because I just do better without having to fuss a lot). So I just roast a few chickens a week (or pick up a few rotisserie chickens) so that I always have chicken to add to dishes, throw on top of a salad, make sandwiches etc. I keep high-cal snacks out of the house, and re-seal any opened bags of snacks, crackers etc with my vacuum sealer, so I won't go digging into the bag every time I walk by. I cut up veggies ahead of time so they are ready to eat as raw snacks, salads, or add to a recipe. I pre-cook a half&half mix of rice & quinoa so it's ready to add to any dish, hot or cold (I flavor it with a little low-cal dressing if I don't feel like fussing with herbs). Above all, weigh & measure accurately and log honestly. If you feel like making big changes is too stressful at first, make smaller changes to your meal routines, then change something else the next week. I always save some of my calories each week for a little splurge, but I always log it and enjoy it! You won't be sorry, just be consistent and determined!

daniwilford

I see by your profile that your husband is a diabetic. Limiting carbs can be a great way to start. Use MFP to the fullest degree. Look at how many calories it gives you and stick as close to that goal as possible. Use a digital kitchen scale to measure all solids. Choose USDA or labels to verify the entries for food on MFP listing. Experiment with what helps you stick to that calorie goal and remain satisfied. Aim to meet or exceed your protein goal and stay below the carb goal due to diabetes, then lower carbs, and or raise or lower fat to feel satisfied within the calorie allowance. Load up on lean protein, low fat dairy and vegetables to meet your calorie goals and keep your husband's carbs low. It looks like you have some great fitness goals.

azulvioleta6

Are you making too many changes at once? For a lot of people, working on one or two goals or new habits at a time is a better approach. Master a couple of small changes and then add some more.

Going from zero to working out every day of the week is a BIG leap.

Skinny Taste has a lot of good recipes.

Orphia

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

Eat what you like, only in moderation, at a deficit. There is a great recipe section here that will give you ideas.

^Yes to this! Eat what you like within your calorie limit.

Here's the link to the recipe section:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/categories/recipes

pstegman888

Also...the grocery store salad bar and the crockpot slow cooker are absolute life-savers!

runwithtoppa

Maybe if you look for foods that will help you with your swimming, it will help to re focus your mind?

You need certain foods to help you maintain your stamina and energy for swimming, and you need to swim to help keep fit/lose weight. So it makes sense to fuel your body correctly for swimming.

This is what has helped me stay on the right track when it comes to my eating habits.
I set myself a goal of running a mile non stop, so to achieve that goal, I want to fuel my body for running. Eating large heavy meals, or not getting the right nutrients will result in me failing my goal. I want to run a mile more than I want to binge out on take away food. And I know running a mile will help me succeed in getting fit, so it's a double win for me if I stay on track with healthier eating habits.
One example being, I used to drink way too much cola. But it gives me heart burn when I run, needless to say, I only drink cola once or twice a week now, and never when I know I am going to be out running! Instead I drink more water, as I need to stay hydrated.

I can't help you with recipe ideas as I am still trying to find things I like myself... but I did recently discover just how much I love tuna salad!
whole wheat pasta, once it is cooked, drain the water and stir in the following - can of tuna - chopped up carrot, cabbage, cucumber and red/yellow peppers - sprinkle with ground flaxseed - add a handful of mixed green/red leaves.
I had convinced myself it would be bland and boring (especially as I didn't add any seasoning/dressing), but I was pleasantly surprised. Such a simple dish and it filled me up nicely after a run
It might be the sort of thing you could try after swimming. I know swimming gives me a massive appetite afterwards and if you're anything like me - that is when I would be most likely to eat the wrong things in large quantities in my ravenous search of food!

Psychgrrl

For work food, I keep it simple. Frozen proteins and veggies, with some carbs (quinoa, mashed potatoes, black beans) sometimes. I put small servings in a pyrex and microwave it. I also make chicken breasts on the weekend and snack on the protein during the week. Also, jerky and cheese sticks. My macros are 35/35/30 (protein/carbs/fats).

But I don't deny stuff if I want it.

mndazhang

Try to cut down on starches and eat more fruits/veggies instead. To motivate myself to eat more fruits and veggies, I try to keep them readily available in my fridge/kitchen. For instance, maybe try prepping some healthy meals and snacks so that when you are hungry and ready to eat, you won't be tempted to get fast food/unhealthy snacks because healthy food is only a couple of steps away.

Also, as other people have suggested, try to consume lots of protein. While eating lots of fruits and veggies instead of starches is healthy, it won't be very satisfying if you don't have some substance (protein). If you are still hungry after eating fruits, veggies, and various forms f proteins, then consider ways to get healthy fats into your diet (avocado in salad is pretty tasty!).

Good luck~~~~

afatpersonwholikesfood

What others have said is true - maintain a calorie deficit. You can do that by eating anything that you like and lose weight. However, you said you wanted some food ideas, and you said you wanted to be healthier, so I thought I would give you a bit more advice. You don't have to be perfect, but it can be a good idea to change around *what* you are eating instead of only your portions, especially if you tend to like a lot of volume. Also, I don't get the point of losing weight but not caring what you're fueling your body with. Disclaimer: I'm not a dietitian.

It's often easier to add things in than to take things out. My husband and I started adding in these things months before I started actually counting calories and working on my weight. Small steps! You can start that way, and limit foods that you have trouble moderating or that take up too many of your daily calories if you feel you need to do so. I personally have a hard time staying in a calorie deficit if I am eating too many simple carbs, and I have a hard time moderating sweets, so I don't keep them in the house (but I do eat them occasionally).

Combine macros in your meals. Don't just eat fruit for breakfast. Have some protein with it. Don't just have a green salad for lunch. Throw some avocado in there. It'll help you stay full.

I would focus on adding in these things:

Lots of produce! Fresh is good, but canned and frozen are good options if they are more economical for you. Have you heard of eating the rainbow? It's a good idea. Produce is the lowest calorie way to bulk up meals without adding a ton of calories. You can add veggies to all kinds of things.

Lean proteins. Fish, pork, chicken, lean cuts of beef, eggs, etc.

Healthy fats: nuts, nut butters, seeds, avocados, olive and similar oils. We need fat! Don't be scared of it. Just make sure you weigh your food.

Whole grains. Look for bread that specifically says "whole wheat" as its first ingredient. Same for pasta. Try out brown rice or quinoa.

Beans and similar things. Black beans are pretty tasty. I like them in rice or in salads or just as a side.

Dairy. You can do fat free or full fat depending on what fits into your daily calorie target better. I like Greek yogurt because of the protein. Consume enough dairy to meet your calcium needs.

If you find you are spending too many calories on the following foods or having trouble with feeling full, I would limit:

Simple carbs - white flour/added sugar (especially since your husband is diabetic). Simple carbs spike your blood sugar. You don't feel as full. They don't have as many nutrients.

Highly processed foods. Choose plain yogurt and sweeten it yourself with fruit and even a weighed amount of sugar vs. Yoplait; buy plain oatmeal and flavor it with peanut butter ground at the grocery store. Avoid stuff in the freezer section. I personally like Stouffer's and Tyson Chicken patties and whatnot, but we only eat things like that when time is a real issue. A reasonable amount of real butter is better than margarine. Little things like that. Eat more whole foods, but it doesn't have to be 100% or even 75% or every single day.

Saturated fats that aren't coming from your reasonable servings of dairy or meat, though there is some talk now that natural saturated fats aren't the devil we once thought they were. If you're filling up mainly on the list above, you probably won't be going over your saturated fat limits anyway, even if you stop at McDonald's for one meal. And yes, you can have fast food; you just need to look up nutritional information before you go and log it.

And finally, try new things! Make an effort to try vegetables that you haven't had before. Look for recipes. Try them in different ways, BUT don't eat things you just don't like and can't see yourself eating long term.

P.S. My diary is open, but it's not exactly a model of perfection. There are some good days, and there are some really not-at-all-what-I-just-told-you days, lol. I'm a work in progress. Also, eat your calorie target. I have some days where I have been too low on calories, and that's not a good thing.

snowflakesav

Check out the Skinny taste web site for some recipe inspiration. Stock up on very lean meats at Costco.