Starting again after failing...again help!

SEJ721

I am once again on a path to lose weight, I need to lose 125lbs. I can't stay like this anymore but anytime I try to get healthy I give up. I like calorie counting because I still get to enjoy the foods I like and it helps me learn moderation, but I have a real problem with it. I have to meal plan so I can shop for the things I need, because with 4 kids I'm on a limited budget, and my dinner has to be a large enough meal to feed the whole family. How do you meal plan without feeling so overwhelmed? I have to pack a lunch for work and I can't think of much beyond a salad for lunch. Any tips? I would be grateful for ANY tips. We're going to Disney in June and I'm terrified I won't fit on the rides with my kids!

lindsaymarcin

For dinners just take extra vegetables and small portions of the other stuff (casseroles, potatoes, noodles, etc.) You don't necessarily have to change everything up. For lunch I like to add simply perdue chicken chunks to my spinach salad or have a lemon herb chicken breast with steamed mushrooms. For breakfast I usually have an egg and toast. Bread is something that I really keep an eye on the calories because some are only 60 calories a piece and others are much more. My advice is to continue eating some of the foods you normally like just keep track of the portion sizes.

dmt4641

I agree with taking a smaller portion of a main dish and add lots of filling but low cal veggies or veggie broth based soup. I eat lots of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, zucchini which are all pretty cheap. Also, I make some veggies ahead of time for the rest of the week so you don't have to make yourself something extra every night. Lunch can be leftovers, low cal wrap with meat and veggies, or homemade soup.

One thing that helps with meal planning is having a list of all the meals you have made before that your family enjoys, along with a list of veggies and side items you like. Every time I make a new dish that we enjoy I add it to the list. That way you aren't wracking your brain for meal ideas every week. I go shopping once a week and plan out breakfast, lunch, dinners and snacks for the week, then make a grocery list. You can save your weekly meal plan and grocery lists to reuse other weeks. After 4 weeks of doing this, you will have a month worth of weekly meal plans that you can reuse and rotate. I have a drawer full of weekly meal plans my family enjoyed and I can just pull that out if I'm lazy meal planning that week.

Also, I never make more than 1 new dish per week so that I don't get too stressed and I know my family will enjoy the majority of the meals I make. Don't start out by making a meal plan of only new recipes, it will be a stressful week.

FatSLPSally

I always take my own lunch. I like black bean burgers (no bun) with guacamole, greek quinoa salad… A turkey sandwich (2 slices Udi's gluten free break, turkey, 1 wedge of laughing cow cheese, onions, and cucumbers). I also like to keep healthy snacks because I almost always get hungry mid afternoon. I usually have some combo an apple, a weight watchers smoked string cheese, a clementine, veggies and ranch or hummus…

Also, weighwatchers.com and skinnytaste.com both have a lot of good healthy recipes. Skinnytaste is my personal favorite because she gives the calories in each of her recipes.

SEJ721

Thank you! Thank you so much FatSLPSally sknnytaste.com is AMAZING! It has helped me so much! I'm on day 2 right now, and have meals planned for the next week!