Eating only pre-packaged food to lose weight???
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janejellyroll wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »If it's really below 1200 calories, you will lose weight, but it doesn't sound healthy. I don't understand avoiding fruit for the carbs, and then flavored(?) yogurt is ok? No snacks, and then you'll eat a snack anyway?
This. OP did you ask why no fruit?
From OP's post: "Yes, doctor said no fruits as they have too many carbs."
Sorry I missed that post. Thanks!
Still I don't understand why yogurt would be ok since many of them contain as many carbs as fruit.1 -
You're in a difficult and complex set of circumstances, and I'm not going to challenge you about them. It must take great strength for you to do what you are, and I admire that. It tells me that you can succeed in your quest to be healthier.
If you are hitting your macronutrient targets in MFP (especially enough protein and fats), and adequate calories, that's a great foundation, and more than I see in a lot of food diaries I've looked at here. Kudos!
Like others, I'm concerned that you might be low in micronutrients and other beneficial phytochemicals (such as antioxidants) that many of us get via veggies and fruits (I know you aren't to eat fruits).
You got good suggestions above about steam-in-bag veggies. I'm concerned that those may be on the expensive side, if budget is a challenge. If that's the case, consider the store brands of frozen veg that come in boxes or regular bags. I microwave these in any glass dish with a cover, or just put a plate on top to hold the moisture in.
I hear what you're saying about difficulty of microwaving veggies so that they come out tasty. Frozen ones come out of the microwave a little better for me (following package directions) compared with fresh, but I'd also point out that certain types if frozen veggies come out of the microwave nicer than others. For example, frozen winter squash - if you like it - comes out great. Corn and peas come out decently, too.
I have more trouble getting greens or soft things like broccoli to come out nicely, but one option might be to cook them, mash a bit, and mix in an egg to make a microwave frittata type thing (stir a couple of times mid cooking), which is tasty and a bit of extra protein.
Also, as others have said, consider raw veggies. Some, such as celery or cherry tomatoes or baby carrots, are very easy - just wash and eat. There are a few fresh veggies you can pretty much wash and microwave, too, like sweet potatoes (poke them through with a knife to release steam, and wrap or contain them, of course).
IMO, beyond the micronutrient issue, the only thing you're giving up by going with all packaged foods and so many shakes is learning how to remodel your everyday eating to keep weight off satisfyingly forever. But from what you're saying, this is a temporary set of especially challenging circumstances that you don't expect to be permanent, and your path toward health will allow time to work on that experimentation/learning part later.
I hope I'm not overreaching here, but I'll also add that increasing movement, to the extent you can within physical constraints, will also help with your weight loss and health. I know you're mobility limited. Sometimes people think they need some kind of fancy exercise program or it won't be of help . . . but that's not true. There have been studies showing that fidgety people burn up to a couple hundred more calories daily than non-fidgety ones! Anything you're able to do that is more movement, even stretches, fidgets, head nods, arm waving - they can help a little.
Good luck: Keep on persistently being the strong and resourceful person you are, and I'm sure you'll succeed!9 -
Thanks everyone for the feed back! Our landlord ordered a stove, but with the holiday it wont get here until thursday morning (he paid extra so we could still have a thanksgiving). We don't mind. Our landlord is very quick about everything. It has only been broke since yesterday.
Dr. has me on low carb (no fruit) to help with weight loss due to my PCOS. I am hoping the wheelchair isn't permanent. I have central vertigo. When I stand, I fall because my body can't find up anymore. I have home health doing vestibular therapy to try and help with that. I also have a physical therapist who comes out twice a week to help me with exercise and I do a home exercise program myself with resistance bands and ankle/wrist weights.
I am not in ADA housing because any low income housing, my mom and I don't qualify for with our income together. but she has so much come out of her check for insurance that we really dont make that much money with her income and my ssdi. Plus, finding a two bedroom ada apartment in this town has been literally impossible. On the brightside, i have a vanity in my room. Occupational therapy has taught me how to do my own laundry and clean my room, make my bed, be independent in everthing except showering, cleaning the house, doing outside work, and dishes/cooking on the stove. I chop things up and stuff on the dining room table. And put everything in the oven. I steam my veggies in the oven too.
Ill probably get the veggie steamer bags to add to my frozen meals.
Oh my yogurt is only vanilla flavored, not anything else and only has 8 grams of carbs (4 of which are fiber). Nuts also have tons of calories and carbs. I eat 1 serving of jolly ranchers sugar free (35 calories, no carbs) for my sweet tooth.
He said to have no more than 1400 calories a day. But my goal is more of 1200. I have breathing problems and have gone into respiratory failure 10 times in 3 years. The quicker i can get weight off my chest, the better for my lungs and heart. Thats why hes monitoring my weight loss and if its too fast, will make me eat more calories. I rely on my mom for somethings but ive worked with therapy for a year to get as independent as i an which is a huge accomplishment. I can bake chicken and steam veggies in my oven. Shes not a caregiver. More of a helper. Helps me shower, cleans the house, do any outside work, takes me to appointments and stores. I try to be an adult and independent. I hate having to rely on other people when i have been independent since i was 16 and been in this wheelchair for a year... I hope i answered everyones questions. Oh and i cant affors to buy more kitchen appliances.9 -
witcherkar wrote: »He said to have no more than 1400 calories a day. But my goal is more of 1200. I have breathing problems and have gone into respiratory failure 10 times in 3 years. The quicker i can get weight off my chest, the better for my lungs and heart. Thats why hes monitoring my weight loss and if its too fast, will make me eat more calories. I rely on my mom for somethings but ive worked with therapy for a year to get as independent as i an which is a huge accomplishment. I can bake chicken and steam veggies in my oven. Shes not a caregiver. More of a helper. Helps me shower, cleans the house, do any outside work, takes me to appointments and stores. I try to be an adult and independent. I hate having to rely on other people when i have been independent since i was 16 and been in this wheelchair for a year... I hope i answered everyones questions. Oh and i cant affors to buy more kitchen appliances.
I know you want to get the weight off as fast as possible but sometimes slower is faster. I'd aim for 1300-1400 every day otherwise as MANY of us have experienced in the long run you'll end up going backwards.
If you want to go faster add as much movement as you can (weight lifting might be a good option) and maybe one day a week do a fast or very low cal day. But only one day a week.
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Bird's Eye has some great SteamFresh packages.
A group that is higher protein than you'd normally get with vegetables - though not that high compared to meat.
A group that is the current popular ancient grains and such.
Those heat in microwave, and might be decent enough tasting compared to high sodium offerings.
One bag is 300-600 cal depending on version.
The estimate of amount of servings in package is of course very off, actually weigh the bag before you heat it, remove contents after done cooking, weigh empty bag, calculate servings per package.
They seem to be good getting the stated weight in the bag, so could just use that too.
Except the calories are typically given for frozen, not cooked, so weighing after it's cooked will be way off as well.1 -
I think you are doing great with the restrictions you have on cooking and what not right now, and I applaud your independence. People seem to forget that 1200 isn't too little calories if you are petite, female, and fairly sedentary.
My only advice to you is to perhaps find a better shake if you can. There are plenty of shakes that have more nutrients than an atkins shake. I'd do a low calorie protein shake and put in a scoop of Greens blend or something. I'm not sure what they have in your area, but I used to get this stuff that was basically vegetables and fruit in powder format. It wasn't high in calories, and had all the micronutrients. A health food store or drug store or Wal Mart would have something similar I think. If you have a blender, some frozen greens might even be a good addition. Some kale or spinach.
We all end up doing this weight loss thing within the parameters that life sets out for us, and that is okay. You seem to have a good problem solving ability in that regard. I know a lot of people who would just say, screw it, I don't have a stove and no one wants to help me I'm just going to eat take out.
So just keep doing what you are doing. You'll get your oven back in no time and have more options. In the meantime you're doing great.
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Bird's Eye has some great SteamFresh packages.
A group that is higher protein than you'd normally get with vegetables - though not that high compared to meat.
A group that is the current popular ancient grains and such.
Those heat in microwave, and might be decent enough tasting compared to high sodium offerings.
One bag is 300-600 cal depending on version.
The estimate of amount of servings in package is of course very off, actually weigh the bag before you heat it, remove contents after done cooking, weigh empty bag, calculate servings per package.
They seem to be good getting the stated weight in the bag, so could just use that too.
Except the calories are typically given for frozen, not cooked, so weighing after it's cooked will be way off as well.
Yes, but the weight of the bag doesn't change with cooking...0 -
stanmann571 wrote: »Bird's Eye has some great SteamFresh packages.
A group that is higher protein than you'd normally get with vegetables - though not that high compared to meat.
A group that is the current popular ancient grains and such.
Those heat in microwave, and might be decent enough tasting compared to high sodium offerings.
One bag is 300-600 cal depending on version.
The estimate of amount of servings in package is of course very off, actually weigh the bag before you heat it, remove contents after done cooking, weigh empty bag, calculate servings per package.
They seem to be good getting the stated weight in the bag, so could just use that too.
Except the calories are typically given for frozen, not cooked, so weighing after it's cooked will be way off as well.
Yes, but the weight of the bag doesn't change with cooking...
It does if there's a lot of ice in it and it evaporates during cooking. Although I tend to assume I'm not supposed to be counting the ice, so I would think post-cooking weight might be more accurate, although did the ice come from the air in the bag or from liquid that was in the veggies to begin with ... What I end up doing is discarding any loose chunks of ice that I can before weighing, and then cooking.0 -
Bird's Eye has some great SteamFresh packages.
A group that is higher protein than you'd normally get with vegetables - though not that high compared to meat.
A group that is the current popular ancient grains and such.
Those heat in microwave, and might be decent enough tasting compared to high sodium offerings.
One bag is 300-600 cal depending on version.
The estimate of amount of servings in package is of course very off, actually weigh the bag before you heat it, remove contents after done cooking, weigh empty bag, calculate servings per package.
They seem to be good getting the stated weight in the bag, so could just use that too.
Except the calories are typically given for frozen, not cooked, so weighing after it's cooked will be way off as well.
That's why you have to do as I stated.
Weigh before heating, weigh bag after heating and emptying.
That would be the frozen weight of product, per the label comment.
Or accept they are very controlled about hitting their stated grams on the bag.0
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