Help PLEASE :)

DangerRanger

I'm 23 years old and I’m in the worst shape of my life. I was always athletic in high school but now I sit behind a desk 40 hours a week. I started using MFP about two weeks ago and noticed a change in my body and mind. I'm about 8lbs lighter now. I'm eating healthy and staying active; however, my food choices are started to get old, turkey, chicken, etc. Could someone give me tips on "healthy meals" per say. Maybe a blog on your favorite food to eat and/or cook.
Thank you in advanced

ltlhmom

Welcome! Have you tried looking a the recipe/food section of the message board? You can sometimes get some good food or meal idea there. I agree with you that you need change up you food or you will get board! Add in some beef. low cal pizza. Good Luck!

kingnatalie

I have bought a few low calorie cook books to help me out with that. Just make sure they share with you the amount of servings and calorie information. A second hand store or goodwill usually have a great selection at reasonable prices. Then you will have many recipes to choose from depending on what you are hungry for and it is fun to try new recipes.

dcy007

Congrats on your 8 lb.loss, that's great! I go through the same thing with the food choices feeling like they are getting old. Have you tried a pita pizza? It's great for lunch or dinner and so easy....1 whole wheat pita,pizza sauce,and veggies (I use mushrooms,onion, peppers and sometimes turkey pepperoni) You can add whatever veggies you like. Top it with low-fat skim mozzarella cheese and bake it at 300 until the cheese melts. I also eat a lot of seafood usually shrimp and or scallops. Quick and easy to cook, add them to whole wheat pasta and salads. I have a ton of recepie's so anytime you get bored just ask, good Luck!

-De

dragonfly81

Oh boy, did I ever go through this!! I started out on this eating a turkey sandwhich EVERY single day for about a month straight! lol
There are lots of options out there -- be sure to check out our Recipe board too.

Depending on how many calories you are allowed daily, take a look in your local frozen food section (Wal-mart is usually the cheapest.) Lean Cuisine's are good for fast lunches that don't use up all your cals. (Their Pizza's are to die for!!) I've also started shopping by calories. By that, I mean, I make a list of things I want, or think I'd like to eat. Then when I get in the store, I start looking at the calories while I shop and plan my meals. For Instance, I know that if I'm going to buy Wheat tortilla's, pepperjack cheese, chicken, fat free refried beans, salsa and jalapeno's, that I'm going to be making Chicken Chimichanga's and it's going to cost me 380 cals if I eat just one. This helps me plan out my meals better, because I am like you.. I pretty much just eat chicken, turkey and steak!

Another thing to think about: If you go out to eat often or on a regular basis, try telling the server that you are on a diet and you would like to have your meal specially prepared. I did that at Applebee's and now they serve me a 1/2 chicken breast with their Fiesta Lime toppings and no sides. The plus side is that I save on cals and money. What used to cost me $10.99 and I would only eat half of the meat, now costs me $3.99 - $5.99 (depending on which server rings it up) and I eat everything on my plate, so I also don't FEEL wasteful.

A couple of snack tips: Jello Pudding is a great, filling snack for me. I buy the kind at Wal-mart that is called Jello Live Active -- It comes in milk chocolate and chocolate tuxedo and has fiber added to it. (Fiber is VERY important! Make sure you get plenty of it!) They are only 60 cals each, and hey, chocolate! You can't go wrong there Slim Jim beef jerky is a good snack if you get the small ones, I think they are about 40 cals each! Also, the 100 Calorie Packs they have out now are great. They have them in just about anything you can imagine, so you will probably find your favorite snack. And our local grocery store here even sells 100 calorie candy bars!! They are in the candy aisle, at the very top, in a white box. You can get Snickers, Hersey's, Reese's Wafers, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way's, York Pepper Patties, etc.

The longer you stick with it, the more ideas you will come up with. Believe me, it was a challenge to broaden my tastes a bit, but honestly, I've been trying new things and since I've cut out so much sugar and bad fats, I've found that my tastes are changing! I can't stand the taste of soda now, or things with REAL sugar. I drink my unsweet tea with splenda, I bake and cook with Splenda. You'll find plenty to eat as time goes on.

Hope this helps you a little bit! You're doing terrific already! Good luck!