What's on your plate?

Happyoceangirl

Hi peeps! I'm new to this group and also on a quest to melt my middle. They say "calories in / calories out" is all you need to focus on - but for apple shapes who store belly fat - i don't think this approach alone is going to cut it.

This bums me out because I LIKE sugary snacks and processed foods, and I'm willing to exercise more so that I can eat the "junk". I'm one of those people who still enjoys fast food even knowing how unhealthy it is. I don't mind "healthy" foods but i have failed to maintain an overall healthy diet.

Has anyone here had success in cutting out refined sugars and processed foods / fast foods? Is anyone eating large amounts of fresh veggies, leafy greens, lean protein, etc.? Can you offer any tips on how to make this shift and sustain it?

Anyone wiling to share what's working with you, what your favorite meals / snacks are, your calorie goals, macro goals, any pictures of yummy food.... please post here! Thanks! :flowerforyou:

AmyEm3

This bums me out because I LIKE sugary snacks and processed foods, and I'm willing to exercise more so that I can eat the "junk". I'm one of those people who still enjoys fast food even knowing how unhealthy it is. I don't mind "healthy" foods but i have failed to maintain an overall healthy diet.

This is so me. Sigh. I love sugar. I have a sugar problem. I like a lot of processed food. I think I'm finally starting to realize that I can't eat like this anymore if I want to try to get rid of some of this belly fat. I'm trying to really cut back on my sugar intake for a while to see if it helps.

I've been usually eating at least 100g of protein since last October-ish. I'm trying to eat 1600-1800 calories per day (that's gross calories--not eating back exercise calories right now) and I think I'm set to 40c/30p/30f right or it could be 40/35/25.

I'd appreciate any tips on cutting out sugar too. This is going to be really hard for me.

inlander

This is random, but a couple of different sources that I've read indicate that a lower-carb and high-fat/high-protein diet is ideal for apple shapes. I don't know if the sources I read could even substantiate this scientifically or if it was just some kind of random study, but... I know that when I was at my thinnest, I followed a low-carb (NOT no-carb, let's be clear) diet. I think bananas are technically muscular/athletic apples, when I think about it.

I don't think you were really looking or advice or anything but I know that in order for ME to cut sugar out of my diet and not crave it at all, I have to cut out all carbohydrates that are not derived from vegetables (so no pasta/bread and a smaller amount of fruit than usual). After a few weeks my body is usually 'over' the cravings.

That said, I really need to get back there. I completely subsist on frozen pizzas and Easter candy right now and I know I'd feel so much better if I'd cut that right out.

Celeigh12

I've done it - it can be done! My shift was gradual. A fast food junkie, I started by cutting out the real junky stuff I loved and getting things like grilled chicken sandwiches. Then I cut out fries. Then it wasn't so fun to get fast food when all I was ordering was grilled chicken... So I cut fast food out completely.

I really like the stuff I eat. Oatmeal with fresh berries and walnuts for breakfast with a couple of eggs, a salad for lunch, yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts or string cheese as snacks, some sort of meat and veggies for dinner. I pretty much only shop from the outer edge of the store. It's kind of fun to go to the checkout and realize how great and healthy your "haul" looks!

I won't say never to the junk I used to love, because that is a recipe for failure, but so long as its an every-once-in-a-while thing, I think I can do that.

Living alone, it's probably easier for me. If its in my house it's something I can eat, so I'm not tempted by someone else's junk!

fourluvbugs

This is an issue for me as well. I can't stop myself once I get started on a loaf of fresh bread, an easter basket, a plate of pasta. I adore sugars and starches and can't cut them out completely, but definitely find that I'm more successful when I choose those things with a lot of care and plan for them. I wish I could just not have them in my house (I'm jealous Ceci!) but that's not realistic for me or my family will rebel. I try to eat a lot of protein. My macros are set to 40, 30, 30 for carbs fat and protein. When I get close to the protein target I feel better and I'm less likely to binge on some sweet or starchy thing. I'm also less likely to do it on days that I run because I don't want to undo all that effort!

For lunch and breakfast I'm eating a lot of greek yogurt (Chobani with fruit on the bottom), smoked salmon, avocados, hummus with carrots or sweet peppers for dipping, tuna fish. I try to prepare a typical dinner for my family and just control my portions for that. I made a lasagna last week that fit my goals and was tasty and satisfying. I also permit myself 2-3 york peppermint patties (the small ones) each day so that I don't feel deprived. And water, water, water.

Having said that, I'm really, really struggling getting back to the habits that I know work for me in the wake of Easter. There are so many yummy leftovers or delicious candy things lying about. I'll be glad when most of it is gone.

andy2486

Having a husband that can eat anything he wants and LOSE weight is extremely hard for me. But since I have been adjusting my habits for a while now, it's becoming easier to not eat the pizza, chips, cookies, candy, etc. with him. I now think about what I eat and I actually eat the portions and thats it. I won't lie, weekends are harder because I am home and don't have too much going on to distract me like when I am at work and yes, some days I splurge. But I am being more leinient on myself because for a while I was beating myself up about it when I was plateaued for over a month and I think that I was stressing myself out and causing that plateau.

My breakfast and lunch is usually within 200-300 cals, a yoplait light yogurt for snack, maybe a 100 cal popcorn or a piece of fruit for afternoon snack and then I eat dinner with my husband and it is usually 400-700 cals depending on how many I have left. Then I go work out for 60-120 minutes and if I am hungry when I get home, I have a weight watchers ice cream bar or something 150 cals or less. I consume 1100-1500 cals a day (my MFP goal is 1200) and I try to burn 600-1800 cals per day depending on what my workout consists of that day. I know many people say to eat back their exercise cals but honestly, that doesn't work for me. Since I work out late at night and don't know how much I have/will burn that day until 9:30 or 10 p.m., I can't eat that heavy after my work out and then go to sleep. I have eaten a little over 300 cals a couple times after my work out and I NEVER lose anything the next day (Yes, I weigh in every day to keep myself on track).

My first month, I went on Medifast and I was eating A LOT of salads and chicken. I actually stuck to it and I think that is what gave me the jump start to eating better. For me, it really is about portion control more than anything and eating slower to allow my body to realize I am full before eating everything in sight.

One of my favorite recipes when I was cooking a lot of chicken was balsamic chicken. Marinate the chicken breasts in a little EVOO and as much balsamic vinegar as you like (I love this stuff so I used quite a bit) for about half an hour. Place on a baking sheet in a preheated oven (I think I did 350) and cook through (I don't remember how long it took). This is really good on salad or with some steamed veggies.

miss_september

I enjoy sweets too, on occasion, and I used to be addicted to pasta/starchy foods. Not so much anymore. When I do make a pasta dish, I try to buy the Barilla Plus noodles (made with grain flours, not wheat), and I try not to make it often. My husband and I actually gave up all pasta for Lent, so I am looking forward to making homemade spaghetti next week. I've done the low-carb (not no-carb) thing a little bit, and decided that I could do it if I had to for health reasons (like if I was diabetic or something), but I'd rather enjoy food in all of it's glory =-). Having said that, I do try to eat whole grains, homemade "junk" (if I have a cookie/brownie/cake craving, whatever, and I try to make it healthier), and fruit--which are the sources of most of my carbs. I try not to make sweets a lot though. It seems as though, for me, having the will power to stop eating desserts everyday, and trying to eat healthier sweets when I do eat them, has really changed my tastebuds and now eating some of the stuff I used to enjoy (particularly candy) can really be too sweet to enjoy for long. I won't say that my larger apple-shape has changed much over the past 23 lbs, but overall I am smaller, the upper part of my tummy has gotten quite smaller than previously, and even my lower tummy/belly area is smaller. I figure, once I've lost weight everywhere else, that is all that is left to lose, and so it eventually has to go away =-). Not sure if this is helpful, but different things work for different people, so you'll just have to experiment =-).

Happyoceangirl

These replies are all very helpful, thank you. It's encouraging to see that it IS possible to make these changes. I'm starting to understand that I'm probably addicted to sugar. Better to know it than to stay in denial, right?

Celeigh12 - For a while I was doing better in eating the way you described, and then would make "exceptions", which at first were no big deal, but i quickly slid down the slippery slope and am back to old habits. I think the suggestion of ordering grilled chicken sandwiches is the direction I need to go in - it is likely to slow me down at the drive throughs! LOL Do you notice that you feel a lot better when you're eating better food?

Inlander - thanks for the tips about the carbs, I highly suspect this would apply to me. I have been able to cut out white rice and potatoes for the most part without missing them much. I tend to only eat bread on a fast food sandwich (so fixing that habit would help) and also on holidays when we have sweetbread. I think I could allow it to stay in the holiday rotation.

Miss_september - This is also a good plan of attack, to make the junk "homemade" and make it healthier.

All very good ideas!

Celeigh12

Celeigh12 - For a while I was doing better in eating the way you described, and then would make "exceptions", which at first were no big deal, but i quickly slid down the slippery slope and am back to old habits. I think the suggestion of ordering grilled chicken sandwiches is the direction I need to go in - it is likely to slow me down at the drive throughs! LOL Do you notice that you feel a lot better when you're eating better food?

I do feel better. I was constantly crashing after my junk/sugar binges - I couldn't keep my eyes open! I don't get tired like that anymore. I also feel better emotionally, if that makes sense, knowing that isn't part of my life anymore. So better all around for sure. Take baby steps though! So often we bite off more than we can chew, then predictably fail at "perfection" and feel worse about ourselves than when we started. Just changing what you order is a great first step. If you have Chik-fil-a, their chargrilled chicken sandwich is only 290 calories and is good! Even with the fries it's like 690 calories, which if you were good the rest of the day could fit in your calorie counts.

opajee

I love my bread/pastas/rice/potatoes! I really tried to eat less rice, but it was driving me insane with more meat/veggies left on the plate. I'm Asian and we eat rice as our meal. The protein and vegetables are side dishes. I've come to a realization that in order for it to work for me, I had to cut back on the other carbs in order to enjoy more rice. Open face burger, smaller pasta serving, no fries with order, ect.

As for the sweets, to be honest I've been eating too much sweets in the past two weeks. A lot less than I used to but more than I would like right now. I found I couldn't eat much sweets after a long period of time because they were now too sweet/sugary. Usually if I want something sweet I grab some yogurt and fruit. I do notice that when I am eating more sweets it's because I'm feeling snacky. I try to keep strips of carrots handy in the fridge for these times I feel like snacking.

siwelh

I'm completely with Celeigh12. I was a drive thru addict. It became much more habit than hunger and I would actually get a pavlovian response when I saw a fast food sign!

Anyway, I did what she did, and now fast food is for true road trips only. I have one exception- Subway. I always order very healthy there and feel that it is minimally processed.

Once I eliminated fast food, I still went out to eat a lot- and I still do. I started not getting fries and getting a steamed veg instead. Then no cheese or mayo. Then sticking with the grilled chicken breast or boca. Now I eat my sandwich open faced with some hot sauce. Little by little, I took 1000 calorie meals down to 300-400 nutritious meals. I even traded my beer for a bourbon (usually).

Also- I agree with the high protein lower carb approach.

(I am 5'3, 131 lbs. Between a size 4 and a 6)