I need help when it comes to buying and preparing meals

sdeloris37

I don't post her much, but I really need some help. I need some help in what foods to eat. I try slowing getting rid of bad foods, but I still get hungry. My stomach will literally growl. When I eat bananas or apples, I have to eat almost all of them because they don't feel me up. I read in a few of the threads to eat protein with fruit.

I don't cook my own meals. My family cooks, so they add a lot of grease and salt to the food. I do most of the grocery shopping and I buy foods that every one will eat because I know they won't eat diet food. Should I start cooking my own meals? What are some things I should shop for? I'm sorry if I sound immature.

martinel2099

It's important to know what you are putting into your body. I tend to cook for myself and my family once in a while and when I do, i measure/weigh every ingredient and create a recipe on my fitness pal. I then measure the portions by taking large bowls and filling as many as possible until all the bowls are full. If I fill 4 bowls that means there are 4 servings. Don't have to eat an entire bowl but at least I have a basis to work with.

You can eat what your family cooks, but if they are consistently making food that'll put you over consider making your own meals / substitutions.

farfromthetree

As long as you log your food and eat at a deficit you will lose weight. Even if it is what your family has cooked. Just watch portion sizes, and try your best to log appropriately. If their foods are too high in calorie for you, try just baking chicken (I use a rub if I am cooking it in the oven) and frozen vegetables! It doesn't take much time to do that. I stock up on the frozen veggies and chicken/fish/burgers, anything I can quickly make when I get home from work. I do not really look at fat, carbs, sugars anymore. Just calories. That is what works for me.
Fruit makes me hungry! Though I still eat it because I like it. Protein is what helps my hunger.I have also learned that I do not need to eat a "traditional" dinner anymore. You know, meat, potatoes, veggies, and bread...Sometimes I will just eat the meat and veggies, or the meat and a roll. Sometimes it is a yogurt, eggs, or a protein shake. As long as I stick to my calories on most days, I am in good shape.
I love walking around the market to look for quick, easy meal ideas! Good luck to you. I hope you find what works for you!!

akdetweiler

Try salads! They are super filling, easy to make, and you can have them along with just a small portion of your family's not-so-healthy meals. Get prepared dressing and measure out your serving. I love romaine lettuce, its inexpensive and easy to prepare. Also, two whole cups of most salad is only 20 calories Other great additions to make it more of a meal are avocado, walnuts (or any nuts), apples, mandarin oranges, tomatoes, feta cheese, blue cheese, chicken, sweet peppers, cucumbers, craisins, etc. be creative. Just make sure on some of the more caloric additions you watch your portioning, as they can add up quickly.

I hope that helps a little and good luck, I can imagine it must be difficult to eat right when you are surrounded by unhealthy choices!!

Aaron_K123

When I eat bananas or apples, I have to eat almost all of them because they don't feel me up

LOL...okay sorry I just had to get that off my chest, I spit milk over here when I read that. Great mental image of you being annoyed that your apple wasn't coping a feel.

If your intent is to lose weight it doesn't really matter what you eat as long as you:

A) Are eating less calories than you expend
Are getting sufficient nutrition to be healthy.

You don't need to eat only fruits and vegetables and whole foods and blah blah. You can eat what you want, just in moderation.

As for how to feel full yeah I would suggest eating more lean protein and veg as both are very filling for the amount of calories they contain.

StaciMarie1974

Fruit on its own is not very filling or me either. Works as a mid-meal snack when I'll be eating a meal in a couple of hours though.

IMO it can be helpful to have a few things on hand that are easy to make. I am not great in the kitchen - I have little patience & creativity. Time is limited as well. So it needs to be simple and easy, and I don't like to mess with a bunch of unknown ingredients. Therefore using common spices and such is also good.

My staple items: I buy tilapia, in the frozen seafood section. Usually a 2 pound bag is about $6. I can thaw 1-2 filets (3-6 ounces) by running under some cool water, and bake. To bake: I put it on a pan and spray olive-oil spray to avoid sticking. Then season it w/ some pepper, parmesan cheese, garlic salt. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350. (Depending on how well thawed it was, may need longer.)

For veggies, I eat some raw or some baked. Cauliflower, broccoli, zuccini are good for baking. Just chop up, toss w/ a little olive oil and season as you like then bake for 15-20 minutes.

Add a starch or grain as you see fit, to make it more filling and/or add more calories.

These are just examples. Other easy things to do: peanut butter on veggies/fruit (to make them more filling), tuna on crackers, pasta. Pasta has a bad rep, I know, but there is no bad food. Just use portion control. I do measure mine (dry weight) and cook in a separate pot but that's no biggie. Pasta + red sauce is easily under 300 calories, add some protein and its a great meal. They even make pasta now that is made from veggies.

sdeloris37

When I eat bananas or apples, I have to eat almost all of them because they don't feel me up

LOL...okay sorry I just had to get that off my chest, I spit milk over here when I read that. Great mental image of you being annoyed that your apple wasn't coping a feel.

If your intent is to lose weight it doesn't really matter what you eat as long as you:

A) Are eating less calories than you expend
Are getting sufficient nutrition to be healthy.

You don't need to eat only fruits and vegetables and whole foods and blah blah. You can eat what you want, just in moderation.

As for how to feel full yeah I would suggest eating more lean protein and veg as both are very filling for the amount of calories they contain.

Sorry about that. I was rushing when I was writing.

sdeloris37

Thanks everyone for your replies. I did notice that one banana has a ton of carbs and calories. I think I may have to cook for myself because my family uses Crisco and salt in everything. Also, bakes everything. I don't like salt, but I do eat whatever food they cook. Also, how do you feel about frozen meals like those lean cuisines or are they just a waste?

farfromthetree

I don't like Lean Cuisines and things like that because #1, they don't taste that great and #2, they do not fill me up. I am sure they are good in a pinch but I prefer the food I prepare. I personally wouldn't eat them on a daily basis.

sdeloris37

I have eaten a few Lean Cuisines and they don't fill me up either.

SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222

You don't need to be "filled up" - you just need to get rid of the hunger pain - if it comes back in a little while - eat something else small. Try eating a banana and drinking a giant glass of water. Eat protein, moderate healthy fats and slow burning carbs. Sugar tends to leave you especially dissatisfied.

cherow123

Spend a few hours in the kitchen and make your own meals- portion them into containers like gladware and pop them in the fridge or freezer. I usually do grilled grilled chicken breast, 1/2 baked sweet potato and a veg like steamed cauliflower or green beans. A big pot of homemade Vegetable soup is so easy and freezes really well. If I want protein added to it it's really easy to add in some cooked ground turkey or throw in leftover chicken.
It's easier for me to cook the majority of my meals in 1 day and seperate them into containers than try to figure out what's for dinner each night when I'm already hungry.

missiontofitness

I like to cook ahead of time if I know I'm going to be very busy. I personally don't like frozen meals, because they're so overpriced. Much cheaper to mimic the recipes myself!

One recipe I like that's super nummy and kills an alfredo craving is to buy a Birds Eye Recipe Ready package of frozen veggies, use 1/4 a cup of Prego alfredo, any pasta of my choosing, and 4 ounces of chicken breast. Their alfredo is surprisingly low calories/fat (80 cal/7g per serving, 3.5g sat fat), but it's great if you need to get some extra calories in for the rest of the day.

Another one I enjoy is southwestern veggie soup. If you want the recipe, shoot me a message in my inbox! I don't use any salt in it, but it packs a helluva punch to your taste buds, and the veggies fill me up no problem.

FollowYourArrow8

I have eaten a few Lean Cuisines and they don't fill me up either.

Try to avoid frozen meals. While convenient and cheap, they are filled with chemicals and way too much sodium for one meal.

The best way to go is to make your own meals. I suggest writing what you're going to have for lunch & dinner every day of the week before you grocery shop and that way you don't spend money on things you don't need. If you need ideas try skinnytaste.com, she has some really great recipes. I'll often make big batches of casseroles or soups/stews and freeze it so I always have something for busy days.

As for the feeling of hunger, it's important to know the difference between actual hunger and your mind thinking you are hungry. Make sure you drink water when the "hunger pains" come and if they are still there, try snacking on protein. For example, have some almonds with your banana or mash your banana in 1/4 cup of yogurt and you won't be so hungry.

jrose1982

Should I start cooking my own meals?

Yes. Either that or hang out in the kitchen and measure everything they put into the food. Otherwise it's very difficult to accurately log what you're eating.

And don't discount the value of fat, it's the most filling macro. Trans fat and partially hydrogenated fat are bad news, but saturated fat (like from meat and butter) and mono-unsaturated fat (like from olives and avocados) are good for you. You just have to work it into your calorie budget. Fruit isn't likely to fill you up, carbs generally don't. Your body burns them too fast.

I don't like cooking, so it's taken me a long time (and several failed diets) to find a rhythm that works for me. But here's what I end up doing. I keep meat and vegetables available at all times. I don't buy much fruit, but that's cause I'm on a low-carb diet. Other than that, I keep some salad dressings, and bacon and eggs handy as well. I also have a good sampling of dried spices (I don't cook often enough to make good use of fresh herbs).

When I buy meat, I buy whatever's on sale, and whatever I feel like buying. I usually buy more than I need. As soon as I get home, I separate it into 1-3 serving portions in freezer bags and put it all in the freezer.

When I buy vegetables, I focus on the kind that I can eat raw. This includes sugar snap or snow peas, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, lettuce. I always have leafy greens available, and I try to mix up with spinach, kale, romaine, etc. Focusing on vegetables that I don't have to cook makes it more convenient for me to eat them.

I take a package of meat out of the freezer every couple of days, and I'll cook 1-3 meals at a time. All I do is pair up the meat with some vegetables; maybe add some spices, oil, or salad dressing or other minor ingredients (like peppers and onions) to dress it up. I sometimes look up recipes. Sometimes I just wing it. Starting out most of my food was really bland, but I've learned how to make it better. It just takes some practice, creativity, and perseverance. The important thing is to weigh, measure and log everything. This way, not only can you look for patterns in what you eat that made you feel full, but you can also copy your meals from previous days if you're not feeling very creative.

For breakfasts, I always have some hard-boiled eggs and cooked bacon in the fridge (because I usually need something I can grab and go). I also have fixings for protein shakes if I have time to make one.

cldmolly

When I eat bananas or apples, I have to eat almost all of them because they don't feel me up

LOL...okay sorry I just had to get that off my chest, I spit milk over here when I read that. Great mental image of you being annoyed that your apple wasn't coping a feel.

If your intent is to lose weight it doesn't really matter what you eat as long as you:

A) Are eating less calories than you expend
Are getting sufficient nutrition to be healthy.

You don't need to eat only fruits and vegetables and whole foods and blah blah. You can eat what you want, just in moderation.

As for how to feel full yeah I would suggest eating more lean protein and veg as both are very filling for the amount of calories they contain.

I'm laughing at 'feel' too, but even more so that you highlighted it and wrote "coping" instead of copping. That poor apple, can't cope.

jrose1982

As for freezer meals, I agree with everything else people already said. But if you're not used to cooking your own meals, they can be helpful for making the transition. I mean, there will be days when you just don't feel like cooking, and you have to choose a lesser evil. The advantage of freezer meals (and packaged foods in general) is that at least you have the nutrition info so you can log it. Then, even if it's something you maybe shouldn't be eating, you can consider it in the big picture with everything else you've eaten that day.

suremeansyes

One recipe I like that's super nummy and kills an alfredo craving is to buy a Birds Eye Recipe Ready package of frozen veggies, use 1/4 a cup of Prego alfredo, any pasta of my choosing, and 4 ounces of chicken breast. Their alfredo is surprisingly low calories/fat (80 cal/7g per serving, 3.5g sat fat), but it's great if you need to get some extra calories in for the rest of the day.

I just bought their lighter alfredo today, hopefully it's good! Was thinking of doing chicken, broccoli and angel hair pasta with it.

Sebismom

It's tough trying to change your diet when there are other people in the house who are happy with things as they are. You mention that your family eats lots of greasy food. Is it homemade or is it processed food? Though calories are calories, if your family makes food from scratch then it means that you know your way around the kitchen. Adding a salad before the main course, and having a side vegetable (green beans, carrots, a mix of course, asparagus, etc.) that is steamed or lightly sautéed in olive oil, is a great way to start. Be consistent. If you need tutorials on how to prepare veggies, look them up on youtube.

I grew up in a household with lots of healthy homemade food, but sometimes it was very high in fat content. Luckily we always (and I mean always) started every meal with a salad, and we never ate dessert.

Start small. Add healthy sides, a salad. Eliminate beverages and have meals with water.

Also, you mention wanting to be full, that the fruits don't fill you up. Work on not eating to fullness. It takes practice, but it is the surest way to lose weight. Good luck!

sdeloris37

When I eat bananas or apples, I have to eat almost all of them because they don't feel me up

LOL...okay sorry I just had to get that off my chest, I spit milk over here when I read that. Great mental image of you being annoyed that your apple wasn't coping a feel.

If your intent is to lose weight it doesn't really matter what you eat as long as you:

A) Are eating less calories than you expend
Are getting sufficient nutrition to be healthy.

You don't need to eat only fruits and vegetables and whole foods and blah blah. You can eat what you want, just in moderation.

As for how to feel full yeah I would suggest eating more lean protein and veg as both are very filling for the amount of calories they contain.

I'm laughing at 'feel' too, but even more so that you highlighted it and wrote "coping" instead of copping. That poor apple, can't cope.

LOL. I didn't even notice that the OP made an error. I guess next time the OP will proofread before telling someone else about their own stuff. I'm glad you put that out there. The OP made it serious when it wasn't.

sdeloris37

As for my eating habits, I cook. I bought a lot of frozen and raw vegetables. I have been baking all of my meats. Breakfast is a challenge for me because I don't and can't eat scrambled eggs. I have been like this since I was a child. I have been eating anything really, like multi-grain cereal, sausage (bad), banana, or yogurt. I'm not much of a breakfast person. I have never been. It's hard for me to eat in the morning. I don't get hungry until 12:00 or 1:00 p.m.

I appreciate all of the advice that you all have given me.

jrose1982

As for my eating habits, I cook. I bought a lot of frozen and raw vegetables. I have been baking all of my meats. Breakfast is a challenge for me because I don't and can't eat scrambled eggs. I have been like this since I was a child. I have been eating anything really, like multi-grain cereal, sausage (bad), banana, or yogurt. I'm not much of a breakfast person. I have never been. It's hard for me to eat in the morning. I don't get hungry until 12:00 or 1:00 p.m.

I appreciate all of the advice that you all have given me.

I'm sure somebody is gonna argue with me about this, but I'll put it out there anywhere.
The reason sausage is (or was?) considered bad is mainly because of the saturated fat content (there's also the nitrates, but that's a different debate). But more recent studies have debunked that myth; saturated fat does not cause heart disease. Fat is a steady burning fuel source. Whereas carbs burn out quickly, leaving you hungry again. So if you're having trouble feeling satisfied with what you're eating, you should reduce your carbs, and replace those calories with fat. I'm not saying to eat low-carb. Just take what you're eating now and reduce the carb total by maybe 20 g/day. After a week, decide if you're comfortable or reduce it again.

Another point is that you should listen to your body. If you don't want to eat at "breakfast" time, then don't. Just prepare some food so it's handy when you are ready to eat. Eating when you're not hungry doesn't really help you much. Similarly, if you don't like scrambled eggs, don't eat them.

missiontofitness

As for my eating habits, I cook. I bought a lot of frozen and raw vegetables. I have been baking all of my meats. Breakfast is a challenge for me because I don't and can't eat scrambled eggs. I have been like this since I was a child. I have been eating anything really, like multi-grain cereal, sausage (bad), banana, or yogurt. I'm not much of a breakfast person. I have never been. It's hard for me to eat in the morning. I don't get hungry until 12:00 or 1:00 p.m.

I appreciate all of the advice that you all have given me.

I'm sure somebody is gonna argue with me about this, but I'll put it out there anywhere.
The reason sausage is (or was?) considered bad is mainly because of the saturated fat content (there's also the nitrates, but that's a different debate). But more recent studies have debunked that myth; saturated fat does not cause heart disease. Fat is a steady burning fuel source. Whereas carbs burn out quickly, leaving you hungry again. So if you're having trouble feeling satisfied with what you're eating, you should reduce your carbs, and replace those calories with fat. I'm not saying to eat low-carb. Just take what you're eating now and reduce the carb total by maybe 20 g/day. After a week, decide if you're comfortable or reduce it again.

Another point is that you should listen to your body. If you don't want to eat at "breakfast" time, then don't. Just prepare some food so it's handy when you are ready to eat. Eating when you're not hungry doesn't really help you much. Similarly, if you don't like scrambled eggs, don't eat them.

Agree! In regards to sausage, there are plenty of more natural options out there, that have less of the "bad" stuff (like nitrites. I personally try to limit my consumption of those!), but are still able to fit into your macros. I personally don't eat those sausages you get in that yellow box anymore (I think they're by Banquet?), or anything that you can find in the freezer section. I've seen a brand called Al Fresco in the grocery store, and they have a chicken sausage that is apparently awesome. If you're looking to try and eat breakfast, or at least try out a new sausage that can fit in your macros, I'd def recommend it.

Here's their website with an example of one of their product for you to scope out:
http://www.alfrescoallnatural.com/products/dinner-fresh-chicken-sausage

melaniecheeks

You dont have to eat breakfast if you dont like it.

It's OK for your stomach to rumble now and then.

alereck

You can find grocery lists on some websites to start, I like bodybuilding.com
You should definitely cook for yourself, you have to know everything that you are putting in your body if you are serious about losing weight. Counting calories is very important, which means weighting and measuring everything you eat. One tablespoon of olive oil to pan fry something, add it in there. If someone cooks for you, then you will never know. And since they don't care instead of one tablespoon, here goes 5 :sick:

Buy vegetables, tons of vegetables, they fill you up but have very few calories. Anything that I can find at the store that looks fresh I buy and then I either grill or sautéed them. Buy things like egg whites, peanut butter, sweet potato, chicken breast, turkey sausage, wheat pasta, wheat bread, oatmeal, cottage cheese...

I am married and have two kids, they do not eat the food I eat. So I cook for them everyday but I pre plan my meals twice a week. I peel and chop things then put in a Ziploc bag, things like onions, sweet potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes. That way cooking actually takes 15 minutes, add stuff to the pan and take it out when it's tender. Don't forget to season it well.

I also boil chicken breast, shred it and season it to have it ready to add to my plates. If you feel like pasta, put the pasta to boil, on a pan add onions and garlic, let it brown, add tomatoes and a bit of water or chicken broth until you have a sauce, add mushrooms and the chicken and voila! You got yourself a meal in less than 15 minutes.

Good luck, my best advice is to buy and cook your own food and definitely plan ahead. The worse thing is to be caught hungry without healthy food prepared, especially if you live in a house where others have unhealthy food available, you will eventually reach for that.

TavistockToad

As for my eating habits, I cook. I bought a lot of frozen and raw vegetables. I have been baking all of my meats. Breakfast is a challenge for me because I don't and can't eat scrambled eggs. I have been like this since I was a child. I have been eating anything really, like multi-grain cereal, sausage (bad), banana, or yogurt. I'm not much of a breakfast person. I have never been. It's hard for me to eat in the morning. I don't get hungry until 12:00 or 1:00 p.m.

I appreciate all of the advice that you all have given me.

Why would you eat a sausage that's gone bad??

sdeloris37

I read an article where they said it's not good to starve yourself for too long. So I like to eat something when stomach growls, but the article said your body can go in starvation mode or something. I have to find the article and post it. I guess it was saying it's good to eat something for breakfast. instead of waiting a long time to eat. I don't know. I have to find the article.

This morning I ate about 11:00 a.m. and I hate one sausage link, the little ones, even though, some of you may say it's bad. One thing that I have been doing since I started cooking for myself is to make sure my lunch and dinner has some sort of vegetable. Last night, I had broccoli and baked pork chops, probably not the best choice of foods, but I haven't given up meat quite yet. lol. I ate probably 2 servings of broccoli in order to fill myself up. I didn't get hungry at all during the night.

jrose1982

Last night, I had broccoli and baked pork chops, probably not the best choice of foods, but I haven't given up meat quite yet. lol. I ate probably 2 servings of broccoli in order to fill myself up. I didn't get hungry at all during the night.

Sounds like a pretty good meal to me.

jrose1982

I read an article where they said it's not good to starve yourself for too long. So I like to eat something when stomach growls, but the article said your body can go in starvation mode or something. I have to find the article and post it. I guess it was saying it's good to eat something for breakfast. instead of waiting a long time to eat. I don't know. I have to find the article.

There's conflicting information about this. Some "experts" warn against skipping a meal; others tell you to eat small meals every couple of hours; others recommend intermittent fasting (i.e. occasionally skipping a meal or two). I've found that most days I'm comfortable with just two meals: lunch and dinner. I usually don't feel hungry in the evening. My energy levels are good, and I'm still averaging 2.4 lbs/week.

You're just going to have to try some different routines and pick one that works for you.

sdeloris37

Oh, OK. I have been eating breakfast or brunch since it's so late in the morning because my stomach is growling. I don't have much energy throughout the day. Maybe I'm not cooking the right food. I don't know.