Diet Chef anyone?

lesleyann21

Hi

Am currently just started this on my 4th day and am looking for sum ideas and help n support from other peeps?

Lesley x

jmmcclel

Hi

Am currently just started this on my 4th day and am looking for sum ideas and help n support from other peeps?

Lesley x

OOO OOO OOO PICK ME! PICK ME!

I strongly recommend investing in a wak, steamer (that can do brown rice and vegetables), and a good amount of triple virgin olive oil.

The only way i survive on my diets is by cooking my meals WAY ahead of time and eating the same exact thing everyday. Ok, so you don't have to be that hardcore, but cooking in bulk is definitly a secret weapon bodybuilders and athletes use.

Rules:
1) The only thing better for you then chicken, is free range chicken. (Vegiterians/Vegans... I'm sorry)
2) Your diet consumption should be evenly spread throughout the day (don't use up all your carbs on a breakfast and then go for a run at night).
3) Mix as many of the foods together at one time (safely) to cook them (some steamers you can add low sodium chicken broth, chicken, broccoli, and brown rice to all at once, let cook for 30 mins and its done). <-- btw DELICIOUS!
4) Never start a diet without consulting a doctor and doing the proper resource (any diet suggesting you constrict your fat and carbohydrate intakes without giving you a percentage of consumption on a given day, is nothing but wash).

Kminor67

Feel free to add me as a friend. My calorie allowance just changed to 1290... and my diary is open. I have some great recipes to share if you like. Just let me know!

lutzsher

Plan, plan, plan, did I mention you really must plan ahead?
I do up a 2 week food plan, including all meals and snacks. My husband and I both work full-time (more than that mostly) so I have to be proactive and plan ahead (we are paid every 2 weeks so this is why I do it for this duration).
I just love this as I post it on the fridge so we always know what to prepare ahead, take out of the freezer for the next day, or what to shop for, or what to pack for our lunches.
The added benefit of this is our grocery bill has actually gone down with our weight. We waste nothing now either.
By seeing it on paper I can also "tweak" each day to ensure that I have enough of each nutrient (protein, carbs, fibre) and don't overdue others (fats, sugar).
It took me a few months to hone it but I just love this system. My mom did this when I was young and times were lean to ensure we had a mix of healthy food on a budget. If I find a recipe I want to try I add it to the next menu and build my grocery list from there.
I also spend a few hours on Sunday preparing and portioning things for the work week ahead.

bjberry

Here were my successes:
1. Drink lots of water (get rid of colas, regular or diet--they make you hungry and are high in sodium which keeps your water weight high).
2. Reduce the fats eaten per day to no more than 25% of your calories allowed. And keep saturated fats down to about 10-15g per day (they are part of your 25% fats). Eat baked, grilled, or boiled meats, with the skin removed from chicken and turkey. Do egg-lites or limit eggs to a couple a week. Limit cheese use, drink skim milk, eat fat-free yogurt (great substitute for sour cream on baked potatoes). I buy the flavored fat-free yogurt and use it as a dessert (decadence without the calories!)
3. Eat lots of fiber: whole grain carbs (breads, pastas, beans), fruits (not just the juice), vegetables, flax (also high in omega 3).
4. Simple exercise: Park farther from the store, walk a little faster than you usually do, gradually increase time spent at new physical activities.
5. Most important: If you mess up--we all do from time to time, forgive yourself and get back on the Improvement plan. I always have little 42-calorie treats that I allow myself each day, as long as they are under my calorie max for the day (which should never be less than 1200 calories--the body won't lose for long if you eat less than 1200 calories a day--as a rule.) If you are 5' or less in height, a dietician may have to decide what your minimum calorie count would be. I'm an average person, so 1200 works for me.
Best of success! :drinker: (water)

Memah

Hi Lesley, and welcome. I have found this to be a great site. Never one to count calories, it's really helpful, and after a time I am learning not only what to eat but how much.

Manage your portions. Palm-of-your-hand size
Come to know what a cup and a half cup look like without having to measure all the time.
Eat three servings of protein every day, a low-fat dairy, two or three fruits (one citrus to help cut fat), five to six servings of veggies, one starchy vegetable, and one of fat.

Here are some things I eat: grilled chicken, well-trimmed pork, roast beef, fresh or frozen veggies (string beans, garbanzo beans, snap peas onions, alfalfa sprouts, baked potato, sweet potato, I Can't Believe it's Not Butter spray, squash, green grapes, Concord grapes, kiwi, bananas, apples, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, Laughing Cow cheese, Ry-Krisp crackers, Triscuit crackers, unsalted rice cakes, Progresso soups, 98% -or 97% fat free ham or turkey, rye or whole-grain bread, Pumpernickel, hard-boiled eggs, Blue Bunny yogurt, Puffed Wheat, skim milk, tomato juice -- watch salt -- Ocean Spray diet blueberry-pomegranate juice, romaine, spring mix, low-fat salad dressings -- I especially like Ken's walnut-raspberry vinaigrette -- brown rice, almonds, tomatoes -- grape tomatoes and Roma tomatoes are my favorites --

Watch the sodium content.
Read labels.
Exercise, exercise, exercise. Exercise first thing in the morning, and then get in as much as you can throughout the day. The main thing is to do it.
Remove everything from your refrigerator and pantry that is not healthy. That way, whatever you grab WILL be nutritious and you won't have to worry about slip-ups.
Use MFP daily to track your calories and exercise, and enjoy the people here who are full of encouragement and support. It makes a difference.
I don't use meal replacement bars but some people use them regularly.
Check out restaurants and fast-food places for nutritional content of foods so you know what you can eat where. There are a couple things at Panera Bread that I like, but I don't do it often.
Avoid cheese, mayo, butter, too much salt.

Let me know how you're doing.