Help with food choices

mbrummer

Hey guys. So I have lost almost 40lbs but thats been over the course of about a year.
I am needing some help getting some results.

I won't lie or sugar coat. I work out maybe a few times a week. I am a Kindergarten teacher and move around alot at school. But not enough to see changes.

I eat decent, this is what I ate today
slimfast for breakfast
2 small biscuits for snack (at school)
meatloaf patty, small scoop of mashed potatoes, and small scoop of applesauce
wheat thin crisps snack
grilled chicken salad, with low cal ranch
small dq soft serve vanilla cone

While I can sit here and say I don't eat bad obviously ice cream, biscuits, and potatoes are not the way to. I am always motivated but then when it comes time to eat, I eat basically whatever is put infront of me. I'm still under 1700 calories for the day, but I was doing only 1200 back a couple weeks ago.

When I go to the gym I am doing Zumba for an hour, or elliptical for an hour, and some weight lifting. I get to the gym about 3 to 4 days a week.

I need to lose this weight. Whats the best thing for me to do. I've thought about cutting the carbs back out but that seemed to be when I lost control of my diet last time.
Need advice. I'm ready to change, just need to find what is going to work for me.

*Side note, the school I teach in requires me to eat lunch with my students everyday, which means I also have to eat what they eat.

Tomorrow is chicken nugget day and they are like lays potato chips, you can't just eat 10.

Katetw

don't cut out carbs. Sure, you'll lose weight but it won't be sustainable--as in, at some point, you will eat carbs again and the weight will come back.

Make SUSTAINABLE changes. Eat more fruits and veggies.

It makes sense that you have to eat with your students, but why do you have to eat what they eat? Bring your own healthy lunch. Again--fruits and veggies are your friends. see how many calories you get a day, and eat no more than that. Make good choices so you are not hungry (1200 cals of cookies and ice cream will not make you full all day. 1200 cals of fruits, veggies, lean protein, whole grains, etc will.)

Good luck!

phoenixrizez

I agree with Katetw. You are making a LIFESTYLE change so fad diets are definitely out. I think that you should just change what you can and move around more at the gym when you can. Have you thought about incorporating weight lifting into your fitness routine? Muscle helps burn fat and tone you up so those inches begin to come off as well. You have really lost an admirable amount of weight! You are obviously hanging in there. Perhaps just make some small changes. I am a teacher too! If you have to eat with students, just make sure the rest of your day is healthy. So if you go chicken nugget crazy tomorrow, have something healthy for breakfast, snack, and dinner later on. I have only been at this for a couple of months and I am still figuring it out too so I hope I don't sound offensive or anything. These are just my thoughts...

Missrye

Personally, I have no self control, so I have had to force myself to have control by stripping my pantries and refrigerator of anything and everything that is unhealthy. For sweets, I eat fresh fruits, and for meals I stick to lean proteins (fish, chicken, and VERY rarely red meat - and I do mean rarely). I have also recently cut out all carbs and took every package of pasta I had to work to give away to my co-workers and substitute pasta for quinoa, which I have found is a reasonable substitute and was easy to get used to. For cheese I eat feta and swiss in moderation and really track what I eat. I've seen amazing results without punishing myself at the gym, because besides not having self-control, I'm lazy to boot, after a long day, I'm not typically inclined to head to the gym and have a hard work out. I take all of my lunches to work, and if you can do that, do it, or if you can sneak in a meal before lunch with the kids, do that so you can eat significantly less. I don't want you to feel like you will be derailed if you have slip-ups at lunch time.

Good luck!