Calories, and the food choices we make to fill them.

notenoughspeed

I just want to say I am a mostly reformed person. I once was in a weight loss program called Shapedown when I was 10. I lost 10 pounds over 10 weeks. (134-124). I swear I was the best kid in that class. When I stopped going to the meetings, I was able to maintain 125 for a 3 month check, but not losing weight. I used to workout 60 minutes a day, tennis, basketball, cycling, running/walking, then things started slipping back into old habits, and I really never did much about it. My parents never did either.

The other ways I ever got skinny weren't the best of ways, I was definitely anorexic at one point of my life, and into a party lifestyle. another. Eventually, I fell back into old habits. Little by little I gained it all back, and then some. Throughout all this time, I never counted one calorie for myself. My mother must have done all that work with my Shapedown program.

Then I found this place at 32. I get it. You have to only eat a certain amount of calories to survive at a healthy body mass. I don't overeat, and when I have a big day, I have a smaller day the next. I have taken most of the \steps to my recovery here. I have changed the amount of my food intake, and increased my exercise per week tremendously, worlds over my prior self.

I am truly a different person than who I was 70 days ago. I never realized how big a change this is, but it's HUGE!!! It's so empowering, I feel like I love myself again. Even if I'm not where I need to be yet, I know I'm going to be there shortly, so I don't get down about my weight at all. Words cannot express how happy I am with just being me right now.

The one thing I really haven't changed is WHAT I eat. I still eat pretty much the same as before. I eat Pizza, Bacon Egg Cheese Biscuits from McD's from time to time. I eat what I would consider a mix of healthy proteins to sugars to carbs. I feel I should make a change in this aspect of my life, so I can treat my body better.

Please share with me some of your favorite nutritious foods in which you choose to fill your calorie book. I would love some ideas on other foods I can buy the next time I go grocery shopping. I feel I need to break the chain of bad processed food to complete my recovery.

mightyminerva

Well, you've seen my diary. I love my produce! That's been the biggest thing I've changed. I've gone from some fresh produce and frozen veg to almost entirely fresh.

Snacks? I love beef jerky, air-popped popcorn (both the salty AND the salty/sweet varieties in single-serving bags), Nakd bars (the chocolate orange ones are amazing!), and toast or chapatis with peanut butter and banana. Plus, most of those things are easy to take with me from home to campus/library.

Also, one of the biggest things to change was my cooking. On an average day, I do "whack in the pan" cooking in which I put a piece of chicken or fish on the hob and eat it with a salad or roasted veggies. Sometimes, though, I make curry or soup in big batches. That's dinner sorted for the rest of the week AND I have some to freeze! I know that I always have something delicious and healthy as back-up. Find what you love and make a soup, stew, or casserole that will tick all your flavour boxes. (For me it's warming spices in Moroccan and Indian dishes! I make my own spice mixes sometimes, too! I cannot recommend investing in spices enough. I love herbs and spices so much, and I not can't imagine not using them in something as simple as scrambled eggs!)

I think what you put into your kitchen is just as important as what you take out. I do usually keep some dark chocolate in the house (which I measure before eating), but I don't buy crisps or premade meals. If anything, I get inspiration from delicious-looking ready meals and replicate them at home. I know that the added oils, cheeses, and preservatives aren't good for me, and so I usually don't even think about buying those things.

Jamie_Lauren

Why don't you start small and try making some of your favourite foods at home instead of buying from fast food places or restaurants?

Home made pizza and burgers can be delicious and significantly lower in calories (trust me, you will never want store bought again!)

The other thing you can do is swap simple carbs for complex ones such as wholegrain bread and pasta. Start incorporating more fresh produce in your diet and find some yummy healthy recipes. I love to cook "clean" meals and so far all my experiments have tasted incredible.

cramernh

We are a 100% whole foods home - everything is cooked fresh from scratch.

One of my sincere favorites is making homemade kimchi (I dont use flour)- filled with TONS of fresh vegetables, a variety of spices, mmmmmmmmmmmm It goes great with my morning eggs and I love spicing up a nice korean soup with it too! Filled with TONS of vitamins, minerals and where its extremely "fresh" - the fermentation process only enhances the health benefits!!!