Trying to get myself to a healthy place

Final1286

Hi everyone. I’m looking to gain some support and also get some tips on how to keep myself focused and motivated? I have a lot of weight to lose and want to make weight loss and healthier choices a focus. Most of my struggle is finding time to meal prep and not go the route of just getting take out. I work 10 hours a day usually and by the time I come home I’m just exhausted and weekends have been filled with helping my 89 year old grandmother who lives 1.5 hours from me so I haven’t had much time to do meal prep on The Weeknd’s. I have tried doing Beachbody I have tried Atkins weight watchers south beach and I always go strong a week and then cave back to ny old ways. I want things to be different and just need some help to get myself there without putting too much stress on myself

smoofinator

Welcome! There's a great community of people here to support you and answer any questions you might have. While meal prepping might be better for your budget and nutrition (depending on what you make), you don't need to do it to lose weight. I'm super busy (and also quite lazy) and fall back on Lean Cuisines and other convenience food regularly. If your main goal is to lose weight, it's as simple as burning more calories than you consume. Use the MFP guided setup to figure out how many calories you should aim for, and go from there. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Read the stickies (most helpful posts) at the top of the forums (really helped me hone in on what I was supposed to be doing, and realize how hard I was initially making it for myself): https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
   https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
2. Log everything you put in your mouth (solids and liquids, gummy vitamins, coffee creamer, etc.) Everything. Ev-uh-ree-thing. And be honest! There are tons of incorrect entries in the MFP food database. Do you really think that jelly donut only has 100 calories? No. So don’t select that option when you type “jelly donut” in the search bar.
3. That leads to… select the correct entries in the database (compare to the food label) or add your own entry so you know it’s accurate.
4. Weigh your food! Measuring cups and “eye-balling” can be way off (see helpful link above) and consider that packaged foods can be deceiving as well! I’m looking at you, Skinny Pop. The package might say 28g, but I’ve never had a bag with contents weighing nearly that little!
5. You won’t weigh the same every day, so don’t freak out if the number on the scale goes up. Read this too: http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/
6. Be patient! No, but seriously, be patient… for real. Losing weight healthily (and, ideally, permanently) takes time. Some weeks will be better than others. The MOST you should aim to lose per week is 2lbs.
7. Don’t over restrict! Pick a calorie goal you can actually stick to day in and day out. There’s no point in being hungry all the damn time… you’ll eventually crack. Increase your chances for success and pick a way of eating that you can commit to. I’d be miserable on 1200 calories/day, so I set my goals accordingly (lose 0.5lb – 1lb per week) and eat more… because food is good and I’ll still lose weight, even with a smaller deficit.
8. Binges happen. Relax. You won’t gain 5lbs of fat after one day of stuffing yourself. Read this, and calm TF down: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10603949/big-overfeed-ruins-everything-nope/p1

There are a lot of other things I could include, but start with the fundamentals. If that’s all you do, you’ll lose weight.

Good luck!

dare2begin

Thanks for sharing your wisdom !

Danp

I am also very time poor. I love my job so tend to work longer hours as well as being a serial learner so am always undertaking some kind of development or education course in what little time I have left over. Add to this that I really dislike cooking and am terrible at it.

So, I don't cook or meal prep.

I tend to live on take away that I pick up on the way home from work or pre-made meals that I can throw in the oven when I get home. I just make sure I log everything as accurately as I can and make choices that allow me to maintain my calorie deficit. I'd say the only real downside is that it tends to be somewhat more expensive than cooking my own food but that's something I'm willing to accept in exchange for the ease and convenience.

Because doing things this way is simple, convenient, easy and stress free I've been able to maintain the calorie deficit required to lose weight for the past 18 months pretty easily, without the need for "motivation" or struggling and so far have lost 47kg (about 100lb).

TL;DR
Food is food regardless of who cooks it and as long as you maintain a calorie deficit and have something even resembling a variety of food you'll lose weight and be just fine.

ttt123123

Definitely add me! I am a busy mom and I too find it hard to meal prep. I am looking for friends so we can encourage and support each other!

amusedmonkey

You're absolutely doing the right thing by choosing not to put unnecessary stress on yourself. This will benefit your diet in more ways than you can imagine. Is there a takeout option that hits the spot? As in, you enjoy it and it fits your calories. Some fast food options, some convenience options, some frozen dinners, ramen noodles with tuna or rotisserie chicken...etc. You don't need to meal prep if you don't find it sustainable, and it's possible to get a calorie appropriate balanced diet on take out and quick prep food.

Most of my meals are cooked at home because that's what I'm used to (and I don't prep in advance), but I sometimes order in. When I do, I don't find it any harder to control my calories than when I eat home cooked food. One of my favorite quick meals when I have 20 hour workdays is simple 3 minute noodles with a can of tuna thrown in. Great macros and keeps me full for hours. Lunch could be a quick sandwich with cold cuts, and breakfast could be a few boiled eggs from the fridge (I keep a few boiled eggs in the fridge at all times for meals and snacks) with a piece of bread and a tomato. A can of beans with ready made salsa and a few spices...etc. I snack on fruits and vegetables a lot, so even when my ultra fast options don't have vegetables, I still get enough fiber. I eat most vegetables like you would an apple, wash and eat. No prep needed. So even when I barely have enough time to sleep, I still manage to do well with calories and nutrition when work stress doesn't cause me to stop caring about my diet.

As long as you log your food as accurately as you can, you should be able to lose weight healthily regardless of where your food was prepared.

ceiswyn

Chiming in with the 'you don't need to meal prep' chorus If ready meals and takeaways suit your lifestyle, it's OK to live on them! Just try to be honest about the calories, not optimistic.

And you can always bulk out a supermarket sandwich with a few tomatoes or other veg on the side, or a bit of fruit for dessert. Remember, frozen is almost as good as fresh.

belindachanner12

Wow guys, I might be shot down here but Take Aways and ready meals in any form are not good for you
Read any label - if they even have one. I'll bet they have seed oils, starches and loads of chemicals within the first
5 ingredients.
If you buy any chain food - they are always cooked in seed oils (Sunflower oils) and covered in dressings (more seed oils). These cause you serious inflammation = disease
You may loose weight but you wont attain health an you will pay for the lifestyle in medical bills later.
If you are in a hurry try to eat fresh or unprocessed foods only.

I beg you to be careful
You only have one life - make it count for yourself, your family and loved ones

amusedmonkey

I cook with sunflower oil because it's high in vitamin E, which is what I usually seem to be low on. Starches are very satisfying to me so I make sure to eat them every meal.

The result: I'm more than 100 lbs thinner and I'm no longer nearly diabetic - an average decrease of about 40 mg/dl. My blood pressure is down from very high to normal. Please tell me again how my way of eating lead to inflammation and disease.

ceiswyn

belindachanner12 wrote: »

Wow guys, I might be shot down here but Take Aways and ready meals in any form are not good for you
Read any label - if they even have one. I'll bet they have seed oils, starches and loads of chemicals within the first
5 ingredients.
If you buy any chain food - they are always cooked in seed oils (Sunflower oils) and covered in dressings (more seed oils). These cause you serious inflammation = disease
You may loose weight but you wont attain health an you will pay for the lifestyle in medical bills later.
If you are in a hurry try to eat fresh or unprocessed foods only.

I beg you to be careful
You only have one life - make it count for yourself, your family and loved ones

...since when have seed oils been unhealthy?

smoofinator

belindachanner12 wrote: »

Wow guys, I might be shot down here but Take Aways and ready meals in any form are not good for you
Read any label - if they even have one. I'll bet they have seed oils, starches and loads of chemicals within the first
5 ingredients.
If you buy any chain food - they are always cooked in seed oils (Sunflower oils) and covered in dressings (more seed oils). These cause you serious inflammation = disease
You may loose weight but you wont attain health an you will pay for the lifestyle in medical bills later.
If you are in a hurry try to eat fresh or unprocessed foods only.

I beg you to be careful
You only have one life - make it count for yourself, your family and loved ones

In a perfect world, OP would have the time, energy, and inclination to make healthy, nutritious, fresh meals everyday. Heck, we all would (probably)! But life gets in the way. OP has a pretty demanding schedule, like many of us here on MFP. If she doesn't have the time to prepare fresh, balanced, healthy meals, what do you suggest she do? What is the alternative? In my mind, it's "do the best you can with what you've got," and what she's got is a tough schedule with difficult and inflexible commitments. Losing weight would be a healthy step for her and, if the only way she'll be able to swing it is through easy-to-access meals, she should make the best of it.

Danp

belindachanner12 wrote: »

Wow guys, I might be shot down here but Take Aways and ready meals in any form are not good for you
Read any label - if they even have one. I'll bet they have seed oils, starches and loads of chemicals within the first
5 ingredients.
If you buy any chain food - they are always cooked in seed oils (Sunflower oils) and covered in dressings (more seed oils). These cause you serious inflammation = disease
You may loose weight but you wont attain health an you will pay for the lifestyle in medical bills later.
If you are in a hurry try to eat fresh or unprocessed foods only.

I beg you to be careful
You only have one life - make it count for yourself, your family and loved ones

Firstly, there's nothing at all wrong with seed oils or starches. Where on earth did that come from? Sounds like the sort of garbage someone like David 'Avocado' Wolfe would spout.

Secondly, loads of chemicals? Really? Here's a quick science lesson for you. Everything is a chemical. Everything. Even your organic, direct from farm, pesticide & herbicide free, free range, wild, communal farmed kale is nothing but a bunch of chemicals. Just because you can't pronounce something doesn't make it bad or harmful.

As for you claims that eating pre-made foods be they packaged or from a store won't make you healthier. Well, the health markers tested by my doctor, my overall wellbeing and the triathlon I just completed indicates otherwise.

LyndaBSS

When I was working, I would cook only two times a week and then package things up so I could bring lunch to work and had leftovers to work through on the other days.

Lord knows what's in most take-out foods. That said, if you're able to find healthy choices, kudos to you.

You just have to decide what your priorities are. If you don't have a choice, then you do the best you can. We're behind you.

Pamela_Sue

I hate to cook, but I also personally needed to get away from too much sodium in processed and frozen foods for blood pressure reasons. So what works for me is to cook in batches. I make what I call hamburger (or chicken) fajitas. Cook meat, add bag of frozen, already chopped bell peppers and onion, add can of low salt chopped tomatoes, maybe a fresh chopped onion if I feel like chopping, plus a few spices. Make enough to last 3 days, lunch and dinner (fortunately I don't get bored). Eat with whole wheat or corn tortillas. If bored, freeze into individual portions. For breakfast it is oatmeal, or a Jimmy Dean Delights breakfast sandwich. Rest of day is some fruit and veggies, crackers, a bit of cheese for snacks. This is just an example; recommend trying to find a few recipes that are easy like this, that you can make in batches, and either eat on for a few days, or freeze in individual portions. If you don't have time to cook meat, you can also buy pre-cooked, frozen fajita beef or chicken strips, however, they are too high in sodium for me.

With this method, I only have to cook once every 3 days, and supplement occasionally with frozen meals if need to. It has helped me a lot and gotten me away from so much processed food, and allows me to meet the nutrients my dietitian and I have set up. Which is another good point. Ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian. They can help greatly with your meal planning dilemma. Best to you finding the healthiest route for you given your very demanding schedule.

smoofinator

Danp wrote: »

belindachanner12 wrote: »

Wow guys, I might be shot down here but Take Aways and ready meals in any form are not good for you
Read any label - if they even have one. I'll bet they have seed oils, starches and loads of chemicals within the first
5 ingredients.
If you buy any chain food - they are always cooked in seed oils (Sunflower oils) and covered in dressings (more seed oils). These cause you serious inflammation = disease
You may loose weight but you wont attain health an you will pay for the lifestyle in medical bills later.
If you are in a hurry try to eat fresh or unprocessed foods only.

I beg you to be careful
You only have one life - make it count for yourself, your family and loved ones

Secondly, loads of chemicals? Really? Here's a quick science lesson for you. Everything is a chemical. Everything. Even your organic, direct from farm, pesticide & herbicide free, free range, wild, communal farmed kale is nothing but a bunch of chemicals.

Perfect

Final1286

I appreciate all of your input and yes fresh is best but honestly I try to eat cleaner day by day but if I’m running late for work and it was the option of eating something quick out or hitting the gym I’m trying to choose gym. I’ve lost 4 lbs in the last 8 days so I’m getting there. But there are occasions where I eat processed foods because I’m starving exhausted and just have no time. I’m a nurse practitioner and so in light of my giving nature I neglect myself and spend a whole lot of time taking care of others.

smoofinator

Just log everything, stick to your calorie goals based on MFP, and do the best you can. You got this. It won't happen overnight, but it'll be worth it. Good luck!

greagerkathy

Kudos for starting your journey. I wonder if there is a meal delivery service like home chef that offers quick low-cal options. That might be a way to get more fresh homemade into your diet. I know that many of the meals I make at home are done in 30 minutes or less. I know that's a lot when you work such long hours, but maybe something to think about.

COGypsy

Final1286 wrote: »

I appreciate all of your input and yes fresh is best but honestly I try to eat cleaner day by day but if I’m running late for work and it was the option of eating something quick out or hitting the gym I’m trying to choose gym. I’ve lost 4 lbs in the last 8 days so I’m getting there. But there are occasions where I eat processed foods because I’m starving exhausted and just have no time. I’m a nurse practitioner and so in light of my giving nature I neglect myself and spend a whole lot of time taking care of others.

One thing that has been helpful to me lately is realizing that my meal prep is pretty hit or miss between a busy schedule and general dislike of cooking. I've been using a meal delivery service that sends out prepared meals that are ready to just heat up. It gives me more variety than meal prep, the meals use fresh food, don't have a lot of sodium (I usually have to add salt to my taste), and run about 500 calories a meal or so. If for some reason I don't eat all the meals, they freeze really well too. Then in addition, I make batches of some grab and go things once or twice a month. Things like burritos, breakfast sandwiches, soups. They go in the freezer for whenever I need to grab something quick. I keep a few snacky items around like soy and wasabi almonds, beef jerky, or Fiber One bars. About the only thing I "cook" regularly is a smoothie for mornings I work out and those get made the night before.

So far I've lost 60 pounds and maintained that for over two years. Plus I haven't died of scurvy or chemicals yet!

cheryldumais

Honestly calories are the most important thing. Find things that keep you full a long time and are a good bargain calorie wise. I often buy a roast chicken at the supermarket which is pretty lean and if I remove the skin and bones can be used for numerous meals. I tend to buy extra lean ground beef and fry a big pan of it all at once then spice it differently for multiple meals. For example part for tacos, part for spaghetti some for a stir fry etc. Frozen veg is usually easy to buy and quick to prepare. Premade chopped salad with a low cal dressing and some meat and maybe a bit of cheese for flavor can fill you up and be prepared quickly. I second taking your time losing and not restricting too tightly at the start. It makes it much easier to stick with it. Good luck and God bless you for taking care of grandma!

Final1286

cheryldumais wrote: »

Honestly calories are the most important thing. Find things that keep you full a long time and are a good bargain calorie wise. I often buy a roast chicken at the supermarket which is pretty lean and if I remove the skin and bones can be used for numerous meals. I tend to buy extra lean ground beef and fry a big pan of it all at once then spice it differently for multiple meals. For example part for tacos, part for spaghetti some for a stir fry etc. Frozen veg is usually easy to buy and quick to prepare. Premade chopped salad with a low cal dressing and some meat and maybe a bit of cheese for flavor can fill you up and be prepared quickly. I second taking your time losing and not restricting too tightly at the start. It makes it much easier to stick with it. Good luck and God bless you for taking care of grandma!

Thanks Cheryl! She means the world to me so I have to take care of her! Never know how much more time you’ve got so have to make the moments count!!!