I am new and have some concerns...

tristan83

As for the lower the sugar...while I'm not going to tell you what you should eat I would recomend cutting the overly processed fake crud. I can't stand when I hear people spout off telling others to eat cool whip and skinny cow icecream (read the ingredients and you'll see why). While I'm not a purest about eating clean I try my best (I do cave for some items).

Thanks for the recipe!

How long will the oatmeal keep? Also, what do you suggest for sweet treats? I have a weak spot!

TheMaidOfAstolat

As for the lower the sugar...while I'm not going to tell you what you should eat I would recomend cutting the overly processed fake crud. I can't stand when I hear people spout off telling others to eat cool whip and skinny cow icecream (read the ingredients and you'll see why). While I'm not a purest about eating clean I try my best (I do cave for some items).

Thanks for the recipe!

How long will the oatmeal keep? Also, what do you suggest for sweet treats? I have a weak spot!

Sure thing. The oatmeal keeps well for about an entire work week (5 days). I use a steel cut blend by Bobs Red Mill it's the 10 grain cereal and I personally love it (so does my 6 year old).
As for sweets...I love dark chocolate (I know many people who won't touch the stuff). Make hot cocoa with milk and some simi sweet chocolate and it's wonderful. I also have a weakness for chewy snacks. I love Starbursts and they aren't too bad for you...I limit myself to 2-3 peices. I'd rather have a few bites of something extraordinary and an entire serving of something that still leaves me craving more. I have a great recipe for chocolate cookies (it's out of Clean Eating magazine).
INGREDIENTS:

•Olive oil cooking spray
•6 oz dark bittersweet chocolate, broken up
•3 large egg whites
•1 1/2 cups Sucanat, divided
•1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
•1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
•4 1/2 tsp arrowroot powder


INSTRUCTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly mist 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.

2.Place chocolate in a microwavable bowl and heat on high until chocolate melts, approximately 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Set aside to cool slightly.

3.Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup Sucanat and continue beating until mixture appears creamy. Add vanilla.

4.In a separate small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup Sucanat, cocoa and arrowroot powder, then beat into egg whites on low speed.

5.Stir in warm chocolate and continue stirring gently until mixture thickens.

6.Place rounded tablespoons of batter onto prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes. Cool on sheet pans for an additional 10 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely.
NUTRIENTS per cookie:
•Calories: 90
•Total Fat: 3 g
•Sat. Fat: 1.5 g
•Carbs: 16 g
•Fiber: 1 g
•Sugars: 14 g
•Protein: 1 g
•Sodium: 15 mg
•Cholesterol: 0 mg
There are 24 servings in this. Also, most people don't like sucanat or can't find it...just sub in sugar.

lessertess

Oatmeal! With eggs. And a piece of fruit and/or fruit juice (100% fruit not the stuff with added sugar/glucose).

Can you make Oatmeal the night before and then reheat it in the microwave? I have an hour commute every morning so waking up and cooking oatmeal and sitting down to eat would take way to long. I really like oatmeal though so I think I could do that! Do you make it with milk or water?

When you say eggs do you mean just egg whites or the entire egg?

Thanks for the help everyone! I feel smarter already (and motivated too)!

Instant oatmeal: just add water and nuke for 1 minute. Not as good as making "real" oatmeal but it's not bad.

stratdl

As for the lower the sugar...while I'm not going to tell you what you should eat I would recomend cutting the overly processed fake crud. I can't stand when I hear people spout off telling others to eat cool whip and skinny cow icecream (read the ingredients and you'll see why). While I'm not a purest about eating clean I try my best (I do cave for some items).

Thanks for the recipe!

How long will the oatmeal keep? Also, what do you suggest for sweet treats? I have a weak spot!

Sure thing. The oatmeal keeps well for about an entire work week (5 days). I use a steel cut blend by Bobs Red Mill it's the 10 grain cereal and I personally love it (so does my 6 year old).

MaidOfAstolat, you and I have a lot in common! Well, two things, really. I have made that waffle recipe from allrecipes.com and it is absolutely FABULOUS!!!! Think I need to make some more this weekend!

Also, I'm a HUGE fan of the steel cut oatmeal, as well! I make it in a rice cooker (mine has a plastic rice bowl, which makes cleanup REALLY easy) - using the settings for white rice. I'll make up a batch of 4 servings and portion it out as soon as it's done. I'll take one serving with me to work (or make it at home). I add cinnamon, dried fruit (blueberries, apricots, cherries, cranberries, dates, or raisins - but not all of them at once) or fresh fruit (sliced bananas, diced apples), and sometimes nuts (walnuts or almonds). I usually re-heat it in the microwave with 1/4 cup milk (either skim or almond milk). I highly recommend it--so very yummy!

angelwing97

Please, 1 slice of tomato and 6 spinach leaves DO NOT count as a daily dose of veggies. Add some more fruit and fresh veggies, add the caffeine back (I would not live without caffeine) in and enjoy it but be real with yourself...you can't eat cookies at every meal the rest of your life and expect to loose weight- I don't care who makes them. The labels and ads will lie to you...sugar comes in many forms and names. It is hard to loose weight and eat healthy. I agree- make small changes, we have to make changes we can live with long term or the weight we fight so hard to loose...comes back! I work 40+ hours a week in an extremly stressful job, go to bootcamp at 5:30am (class not military) and then to the gym after that for another hour, have a husband, go to school full time, have a daughter in college and a grandchild...there is no excuse or easy answer. This is hard work, it's worth it though. You will get it and your body will come into things, it's tough and sometimes slow but "it's all downhill from here"

Nocobwebs

Hi, I'm also new and have a very sweet tooth. I love fruit smoothies in the morning and now as a healthy snack I freeze them as ice pops. They are not an icecream replacement (a personal weakness) but delicious all the same. I usually make this one in the morning and share it with my partner for a healthy delicious breakfast but otherwise it can make approx 12 icepops. They work out at approx 45kcal each :

Fresh - Straberries, 2 C. 100 24 0 2
Bananas - Raw, 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long) 105 27 0 1
Pears - Raw, 1 pear, small (approx 3 per lb) 81 21 0 1
Danone - Actimel - Raspberry, 1 Bottle 29 4 0 3
Minute Maid - Orange Juice - Pulp Free, 8 oz. 110 27 0 2
Kiwi - Kiwi, 2 fruit without skin, medium (76 g) 92 22 0 2

Total: 517 125 0 11

I hope you find this useful. Best of luck!

tristan83

Please, 1 slice of tomato and 6 spinach leaves DO NOT count as a daily dose of veggies. Add some more fruit and fresh veggies, add the caffeine back (I would not live without caffeine) in and enjoy it but be real with yourself...you can't eat cookies at every meal the rest of your life and expect to loose weight- I don't care who makes them. The labels and ads will lie to you...sugar comes in many forms and names. It is hard to loose weight and eat healthy. I agree- make small changes, we have to make changes we can live with long term or the weight we fight so hard to loose...comes back! I work 40+ hours a week in an extremly stressful job, go to bootcamp at 5:30am (class not military) and then to the gym after that for another hour, have a husband, go to school full time, have a daughter in college and a grandchild...there is no excuse or easy answer. This is hard work, it's worth it though. You will get it and your body will come into things, it's tough and sometimes slow but "it's all downhill from here"

I was just counting everything I ate. And I don't want the caffeine back! I feel much better without it. Thanks for the input.

TheMaidOfAstolat

[/quote]

MaidOfAstolat, you and I have a lot in common! Well, two things, really. I have made that waffle recipe from allrecipes.com and it is absolutely FABULOUS!!!! Think I need to make some more this weekend!

Also, I'm a HUGE fan of the steel cut oatmeal, as well! I make it in a rice cooker (mine has a plastic rice bowl, which makes cleanup REALLY easy) - using the settings for white rice. I'll make up a batch of 4 servings and portion it out as soon as it's done. I'll take one serving with me to work (or make it at home). I add cinnamon, dried fruit (blueberries, apricots, cherries, cranberries, dates, or raisins - but not all of them at once) or fresh fruit (sliced bananas, diced apples), and sometimes nuts (walnuts or almonds). I usually re-heat it in the microwave with 1/4 cup milk (either skim or almond milk). I highly recommend it--so very yummy!
[/quote]

I do the same thing. I love to add in almonds (yummy chrunchieness) and berries. You can't beat the protein and fiber either.

TheMaidOfAstolat

Please, 1 slice of tomato and 6 spinach leaves DO NOT count as a daily dose of veggies. Add some more fruit and fresh veggies, add the caffeine back (I would not live without caffeine) in and enjoy it but be real with yourself...you can't eat cookies at every meal the rest of your life and expect to loose weight- I don't care who makes them. The labels and ads will lie to you...sugar comes in many forms and names. It is hard to loose weight and eat healthy. I agree- make small changes, we have to make changes we can live with long term or the weight we fight so hard to loose...comes back! I work 40+ hours a week in an extremly stressful job, go to bootcamp at 5:30am (class not military) and then to the gym after that for another hour, have a husband, go to school full time, have a daughter in college and a grandchild...there is no excuse or easy answer. This is hard work, it's worth it though. You will get it and your body will come into things, it's tough and sometimes slow but "it's all downhill from here"

I was just counting everything I ate. And I don't want the caffeine back! I feel much better without it. Thanks for the input.

Must agree with the caffeine. I was having really bad migranes on a weekly basis, turns out it was from all the caffeine...once I cut it out (yes, I did have some major caff withdrawl) I no longer have weekly headaches.
There is a thread out there about giving up coffee because of the caff. There are some good tips on there as well. I'll see if I can find it and shoot you a PM.

sonjavon

I'm totally late to this conversation but wanted to add my $.02. You got some great advice. I will seconde the advice about not "giving up" anything. This is not a diet... this is something that you need to feel that you can do for the rest of your life. I have not given up anything - but there are things that I eat much less of now.

I cannot stress the importance of fruits and veggies enough. You asked for breakfast options.... I eat an omelet of sorts every morning... I always start with a cup of spinach, 2-3 egg whites and whatever else sounds good to me gets added... some tomatos, a sprinkle of cheese, some garlic, some peppers, zucchini... if I have it and it sounds good - I put it in my omelet. I cannot even begin to tell you the good feeling you have when you've eaten a ton of veggies for breakfast! I eat at least one fruit and one veggie for every meal...

If you can live without caffeine - more power to you! Me? I'd kill someone... I need my little morning coffee boost!

Make sure that you haven't added in too much whole grain/fiber too quickly... your body will have a hard time eliminating all of it... and yes, you'll temporarily gain weight... make sure that if this has already happened that you're drinking massive amounts of water.

Watch your PROCESSED foods. Try to avoid stuff in cans, boxes and cartons as much as you can... anything that comes in a can will automatically have more sodium than it's natural counterpart. Boxed dinners, bars and products are generally packed with stuff that you just don't need. The old advice about shopping the perimeter of the grocery store really works... I rarely need anything in the center aisles anymore.

You're going to be fine... just make sure that the changes that you're making are not so overwhelming that you can't keep up with them. Just eat as naturally as you can... it's the best advice I can give!

TheMaidOfAstolat

I'm totally late to this conversation but wanted to add my $.02. You got some great advice. I will seconde the advice about not "giving up" anything. This is not a diet... this is something that you need to feel that you can do for the rest of your life. I have not given up anything - but there are things that I eat much less of now.

I cannot stress the importance of fruits and veggies enough. You asked for breakfast options.... I eat an omelet of sorts every morning... I always start with a cup of spinach, 2-3 egg whites and whatever else sounds good to me gets added... some tomatos, a sprinkle of cheese, some garlic, some peppers, zucchini... if I have it and it sounds good - I put it in my omelet. I cannot even begin to tell you the good feeling you have when you've eaten a ton of veggies for breakfast! I eat at least one fruit and one veggie for every meal...

If you can live without caffeine - more power to you! Me? I'd kill someone... I need my little morning coffee boost!

Make sure that you haven't added in too much whole grain/fiber too quickly... your body will have a hard time eliminating all of it... and yes, you'll temporarily gain weight... make sure that if this has already happened that you're drinking massive amounts of water.

Watch your PROCESSED foods. Try to avoid stuff in cans, boxes and cartons as much as you can... anything that comes in a can will automatically have more sodium than it's natural counterpart. Boxed dinners, bars and products are generally packed with stuff that you just don't need. The old advice about shopping the perimeter of the grocery store really works... I rarely need anything in the center aisles anymore.

You're going to be fine... just make sure that the changes that you're making are not so overwhelming that you can't keep up with them. Just eat as naturally as you can... it's the best advice I can give!

I wholeheartedly agree with Sonjavon on all these points (just wish I had thought to mention them, lol).
I'll add to it on the veggies and fruits...eat the rainbow. That way you're getting different nutrients from each. I also prefer my whole grains in their purest form (I do enjoy bread and pasta but it's not the be all to end all with grains)...try amaranth, quinoa, teff, barley, millet, and kamut.