Very frustrated!!!

GRed4059

Hi
I'm new to this and would like some guidance. I'm 55 weighed 184 at my lowest now I'm 197. Here is the frustrating part, I'm currently recovering from ACL reconstruction & meniscus repair. Injured it 3 times in last 15 months most recent in April & May. My leg is still very weak and swollen. My exercise is very limited. Bicycle about 20 mins then I use a stretch band and other stretching technics. after each stretching and or cycling I'm icing.

I would like to see if someone could help with my diet. I trying to get off the sweets and some fats. What are some of the best things to eat to compensate for the snacking & sweets. I know portion control is also important. I was on "everydayhealth.com. trying to monitor my portions. It would help a little. I just some suggestions on types of things to eat. I appreciate your help. Thx

baleywhary1

Hi! I'm no expert on this, either, but I've done a lot of reading (time to put the reading to practice, I say!). Definitely start filling up your diet with fruit (will help with sweet cravings) and veggies! Try veggie dip made with greek nonfat yogurt mixed with ranch mix. Hummus is awesome (I just recently discovered how easy and delicious homemade hummus is) and goes great with carrots and cucumbers. Don't forget greens and broccoli and serve them with smaller portions of your favorite pasta and/or meat dishes. Swap white rice/pasta for brown rice/whole wheat pasta. Use guacamole instead of sour cream as a condiment (still fat, but healthy fat). For me, personally, having healthy snacks ready and available helps prevent bad choices, and also helps with portion control (if I'm starving come dinner time I'll eat a lot more). Maybe take your normal lunch and reserve part of it for a snack later instead of eating all of it at once. I've really learned a lot from this blog: http://www.organizeyourselfskinny.com/ She has lots of ideas for snacks and good tips for prepping them ahead of time. Also, if you fill up your food diary before you even start eating that day with all that you've planned, you can see where you have room for more and where you don't! It really helps put the food you eat into perspective!

Good luck! I hope you can find some low-impact exercises so you can be more energized! Any chance you have access to a pool?

redhd7

I have found a nice large tomato and an oz of sharp cheddar cheese kill my sweet cravings and my hunger. Great for after dinner snack when you want dessert!

Branstin

Yogurt
Raisins
100 calories snacks including popcorn and ice cream
Fruits
80 calories cheese strings and blocks
Baked Goldfish crackers (pretzels and cheese)
Low sodium trail mix
Fiber bars
Protein bars

Kalikel

I'm the only person I know who does this crazy thing, but I eat bags of shredded lettuce with my fingers. I like to snack. I like the hand to mouth thing. I want mindless eating with some flavor. Sometimes, I dip it in salsa. I do it when my boyfriend is around, but never in front of anyone else, lol. It's a rather piggy thing to do, eating lettuce with your fingers, but I decided it was better than eating Dry Roasted peanuts or fried chips with my fingers. Nobody has to see it, so what the hell.

Fruit is good for snacking. You can eat all the grapes and blueberries you want without even thinking about calories. They're easier than strawberries, if you're watching TV and don't want to look down.

Rice thins.

Rice cakes.

Special K popcorn chips

Special K cracker chips

Salsa, salsa, salsa.

Craisins (I guess that's fruit, though?)

PoohMama59

I feel your pain, GRed4059! I'm also 55, weigh 196 and status post meniscus repair (4 months ago). I haven't been able to return to my exercise routine. No doubt carrying around an extra 60 lbs contributed to my knee injury. I love Zumba, Hula, anything dance oriented, and before my surgery, had started Les Mills BodyPump (LOVE!!), but since my knee is still recovering and is still painful, I don't want to risk a re-injury. Plus, being in menopause, losing weight feel impossible! I am new to My Fitness Pal and appreciate the helpful hints that others have shared here. Hopefully, I'll have a few to share as I get rolling..Hang in there! We can do this!

caracrawford1

I'm the only person I know who does this crazy thing, but I eat bags of shredded lettuce with my fingers. I like to snack. I like the hand to mouth thing. I want mindless eating with some flavor. Sometimes, I dip it in salsa. I do it when my boyfriend is around, but never in front of anyone else, lol. It's a rather piggy thing to do, eating lettuce with your fingers, but I decided it was better than eating Dry Roasted peanuts or fried chips with my fingers. Nobody has to see it, so what the hell.

Fruit is good for snacking. You can eat all the grapes and blueberries you want without even thinking about calories. They're easier than strawberries, if you're watching TV and don't want to look down.

Rice thins.

Rice cakes.

Special K popcorn chips

Special K cracker chips

Salsa, salsa, salsa.

Craisins (I guess that's fruit, though?)

Fruit is good for snacking yes, but I hate to burst your bubble it still has calories, esp dried fruit. Craisins have 140 per half cup. I have some in my cupboard. I'm not about to down the whole thing and think there's no calories

AllOutof_Bubblegum

You can still have sweets and fats. Neither of those are responsible for making or keeping you overweight. Track your food accurately and consistently, stay at a calorie deficit, and you will lose weight even without exercising due to your injury.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

I'm the only person I know who does this crazy thing, but I eat bags of shredded lettuce with my fingers. I like to snack. I like the hand to mouth thing. I want mindless eating with some flavor. Sometimes, I dip it in salsa. I do it when my boyfriend is around, but never in front of anyone else, lol. It's a rather piggy thing to do, eating lettuce with your fingers, but I decided it was better than eating Dry Roasted peanuts or fried chips with my fingers. Nobody has to see it, so what the hell.

Fruit is good for snacking. You can eat all the grapes and blueberries you want without even thinking about calories. They're easier than strawberries, if you're watching TV and don't want to look down.

The section in bold font is incorrect. Every food has calories, and while blueberries and grapes are lower in calories than some other foods, they still have calories, and they should be factored in. Especially when employing the potentially dangerous mentality of "eating as much of it as you want". You'd be very shocked at how quickly even low calorie foods can add up. Track everything, no food is "free".

pattyarc

You might want to try yoga. There are a couple of women in my class who have had either knee or shoulder surgery. You might not be able to do ever pose, but with the right instructor you will see improvement and weight loss. By the way, I'm 55, have joint arthritis and menopause completely changed me - I don't recognize myself sometimes. However, the yoga does help with my mind, body and spirit. Good luck!

AtmaKing

http://www.dailytransformations.com/food-cravings-here-is-what-your-body-really-wants/

Great link for cravings.

lee91356

Look for low cal options like sugar free sweets those you HAVE to limit yourself because if not :embarassed: lol
I LOVE carb-d-lite and carbo-thin frozen yogurt its very hard to find it but in my opinion well worth it - sugar free,low carb ice cream thats 65 calories a cup!!!!! If not there are many other great low calorie, sugar free ice creams and frozen yogurt.

Another option for sweets that I do is a cup of my own chocolate almond milk for about 50 calories. I have it at night when i feel the need to snack and it tends to help a lot (1 cup unsweetened almond milk and 1 serving sugar free chocolate syrup).

Kalikel

I'm the only person I know who does this crazy thing, but I eat bags of shredded lettuce with my fingers. I like to snack. I like the hand to mouth thing. I want mindless eating with some flavor. Sometimes, I dip it in salsa. I do it when my boyfriend is around, but never in front of anyone else, lol. It's a rather piggy thing to do, eating lettuce with your fingers, but I decided it was better than eating Dry Roasted peanuts or fried chips with my fingers. Nobody has to see it, so what the hell.

Fruit is good for snacking. You can eat all the grapes and blueberries you want without even thinking about calories. They're easier than strawberries, if you're watching TV and don't want to look down.

Rice thins.

Rice cakes.

Special K popcorn chips

Special K cracker chips

Salsa, salsa, salsa.

Craisins (I guess that's fruit, though?)

Fruit is good for snacking yes, but I hate to burst your bubble it still has calories, esp dried fruit. Craisins have 140 per half cup. I have some in my cupboard. I'm not about to down the whole thing and think there's no calories

You haven't burst my bubble. I've been doing this for a while. I know how many calories the grapes, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries have. I eat piles and piles of them and do not have a problem exceeding calories because of them.

I suppose a person could worry about eating too many grapes for their calorie limit. The vast majority of people will not be exceeding their calorie limits due to fruits and veggies.

Dried, processed fruit, like Craisins, is different. But I include them on my list of healthy snack alternatives.

What you do is entirely up to you. You should do what you like and what makes you happy! Of course you should. . I am not here to harass anyone into making any choice they don't like.

It is good that everyone has different tastes and ideas. Gives a nice variety of selections for people who ask questions.

Kalikel

I'm the only person I know who does this crazy thing, but I eat bags of shredded lettuce with my fingers. I like to snack. I like the hand to mouth thing. I want mindless eating with some flavor. Sometimes, I dip it in salsa. I do it when my boyfriend is around, but never in front of anyone else, lol. It's a rather piggy thing to do, eating lettuce with your fingers, but I decided it was better than eating Dry Roasted peanuts or fried chips with my fingers. Nobody has to see it, so what the hell.

Fruit is good for snacking. You can eat all the grapes and blueberries you want without even thinking about calories. They're easier than strawberries, if you're watching TV and don't want to look down.

The section in bold font is incorrect. Every food has calories, and while blueberries and grapes are lower in calories than some other foods, they still have calories, and they should be factored in. Especially when employing the potentially dangerous mentality of "eating as much of it as you want". You'd be very shocked at how quickly even low calorie foods can add up. Track everything, no food is "free".

Thanks. I do track everything. Grapes and berries are never something I (or most people) have to worry about,

Maybe I should've said "most people." Most people will not have to worry about the calories from their fruits and veggies. They won't be the culprit when the calorie limited is exceeded. It will, for most people, be something else that had the high level of calories.

But I stand corrected! Some people may eat so much fruit that fruit becomes the thing they must worry about.

I apologize for my error.

GRed4059

Thanks to everyone for their SUPPORT and that viewed their thoughts and ideas. I really do appreciate it. I'm now tracking everything. getting back to the sugar free stuff along with these new ideas. The tomatoe with sharp cheddar is a good idea since im growing them in the back yard. everyone has given me some great ideas and selections to put into my diet. Rice cakes, 100 cal. snakes, Low sodium trail mix. Great ideas to keep away from the sweets, again thanks soo much!

socajam

I'm the only person I know who does this crazy thing, but I eat bags of shredded lettuce with my fingers. I like to snack. I like the hand to mouth thing. I want mindless eating with some flavor. Sometimes, I dip it in salsa. I do it when my boyfriend is around, but never in front of anyone else, lol. It's a rather piggy thing to do, eating lettuce with your fingers, but I decided it was better than eating Dry Roasted peanuts or fried chips with my fingers. Nobody has to see it, so what the hell.

Fruit is good for snacking. You can eat all the grapes and blueberries you want without even thinking about calories. They're easier than strawberries, if you're watching TV and don't want to look down.

Rice thins.

Rice cakes.

Special K popcorn chips

Special K cracker chips

Salsa, salsa, salsa.

Craisins (I guess that's fruit, though?)

Fruit is good for snacking yes, but I hate to burst your bubble it still has calories, esp dried fruit. Craisins have 140 per half cup. I have some in my cupboard. I'm not about to down the whole thing and think there's no calories

I hear you, also have craisins and raisins in my cupboard, for the small amount you are allowed, I only use as a luxury food item. I would rather eat 2 tbs of crunchy almond butter and 1 apple.

Athijade

Sugar free is usually nasty. I stay far away from that junk and just watch my portions of what I want. I don't understand the whole "bad" food mentality that seems to be all over the site. Especially when it comes to sweets and fats.

Sparky1030

Have you tried working on your upper body and core? There a lot of videos on Spark People.com through You Tube you workout with. Obviously, you don't want to re-injure your leg so until it's healed enough to do your regular exercises you can focus on strength training and core workouts. I'm disabled and have to do my exercises while seated; you'd be surprised how good a burn you can get. Hope this is helpful. Have a terrific day.

Chris
aka Petta1030

cookfit10

I would suggest trying a product like shakeology. That help curb my hunger for sweets