Is this a good idea?

stephgreene
stephgreene Posts: 143 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all, so recently I transferred from my smallish university and living away from home to transferring to Rutgers (which is huge) and commuting from home. I ended up gaining 4-5lbs from the constant eating fast food and crap during the day just because it's fast and easy and also not working out and being swamped with hw and a new job.

Anyway, I am doing my best to prepare food for myself in the morning (mostly the same stuff, so I have to start looking up other stuff I can take to school that will stay, but that's besides the point).

So, my goal is:

1. 50 crunches in the am
2. 50 squats in the am
3. 1 mile walk after dinner
4. no fast food for a month
5. no junk food for a month (i really want to try my best to eat clean!!!)

Do you guys consider lean cuisine meals and prepackaged (healthy-ish) snacks to not be eating clean? Opinions?

Replies

  • IveLanded
    IveLanded Posts: 795 Member
    Well it's not a bad idea........but I can't see you seeing any significant loss either.

    You're talking about burning less than 300 calories a day. Possibly close to 200 depending on how fast you walk. And that's not even an entire one of those Lean Cuisines.

    The idea of "eating clean" is usually attached to eating the least amount of processed foods, and so no Lean Cuisine or other packaged foods aren't really "clean". How about grabbing a pre-done salad instead of a frozen meal? They cost about the same and you can get more veggies, protein, and less sodium and weird chemicals.

    I would set a goal to work out for a time frame rather than a set number of reps, personally. Maybe 20 minutes when you wake up, 20 minutes in front of the TV before dinner, and then do your walk and you have somewhere around 500 calories burned. And remember a lot of the key to that stuff is pushing yourself. The higher your heart rate, the more fat your burn.

    I think the idea of no fast food for a month is a great idea! Having tangible goals like that is always a good idea. :)
  • refinley2
    refinley2 Posts: 52 Member
    Cutting the fastfood out is the best thing to do. Lean cuisines are good for counting calories, but they aren't very filling. They're also pumped with sodium and processed stuff that messes with metabolism. I'm also a university student (Tx) and I found the healthiest microwave meals are the organic- vegetarian-hippie ones at whole foods stores. They have lots of vegetables that are easy to microwave and aren't lurking with scary hidden preservatives or dyes.
  • stephgreene
    stephgreene Posts: 143 Member
    @i'velanded I'm trying to cut down spending money also! So, since the lean cuisines are what i happen to have in my house purchased by my parents, that was the logical choice
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
    I would not do the same exercises every day... Do the strength part every other day, the walking you can do daily. Also, short on time, look up HIIT on the Internet.. Great way to get in great workout in minimal time... Incorporate about 1-2 times a week.
    As far as food, I have to pack my lunch and dinner for work every Wednesday with no access to microwave or refrigerator. I have come up with creative ways to help address my issues of eating healthy.

    I pack greek yogurt that i put in the freezer (approximately 30-60 minutes) while i am getting ready in the morning. I pack frozen edamame snack packs or frozen peas. Both are high in protein and also double as a veggie. They also help keep the green beans and yogurt cold. just add an extra cold pack. I also pack fresh washed green beans. I pack a fruit such as an apple with natural peanut butter. There's a brand called Justin's and a few others that come in single serve packets and in different flavors such as honey peanut butter or maple almond butter... Great on an apple or banana! I am vegetarian so I also bring along seitan, shiitake mushroom or tofu jerky but if you aren't a vegetarian you could pack other kinds of jerky like turkey to get protein. I also like to pack some sort of meal replacement bar like a Kind fruit and nut bar, Larabar or something similar. Pouches of tuna are great and you can "find" packets of salt/pepper, mayo and/or mustard/honey at your local WaWa to mix with the tuna. i assume Rutgers in NJ so you should have wawas's everywhere.). Eat the most perishable items first such as the yogurt. Also if you don't want to stop at fast food go to a Wawa. I eat a double egg white, one slice of American cheese on an English muffin almost daily from there. It's about 275 calories. If you can find a Wawa that has the multigrain English muffin it brings it down to 230 calories. But Wawa has awesome convenience foods that are healthy choices such as veggie snack packs, yogurts, some soups, built to order sandwiches, etc. Just read labels. If you must go to fast food, grab a salad or just a burger... No meal with French fries. Hold the cheese, add extra veggies. Or if you go to Burger King they have a morning star veggie burger sandwich, without cheese and condiments, that I eat once in a while. Those options are higher in sodium but not overly high in calories or fat.
    Hope this helps!
  • cheaton13
    cheaton13 Posts: 16 Member
    Congrats on the new job and the school program! I understand trying to adjust to new everything and the demands of school and work. I am in the middle of it myself, and it isn't easy.

    However, those packaged goods are not "clean" by any stretch of the imagination. If that is what you can afford or have available to you, then so be it, we all have realities facing us. Make the best of it....if the Lean Cuisines fill you up then great! If not, I would try to at least pair them with some carrots or snow peas. Something to give you a few more vegetables without a high cost. There are also a lot of small packages of carrots that are easy to grab and throw in a lunch on the way out the door. I would also try and keep snacks in your car to help keep you from driving through fast food. Grab some granola bars or portioned nuts (Trader Joe's has dry roasted almonds and trail mixes in portioned bags) and keep them in your car, desk, purse, whatever. That should help get you through your commute without going through a drive thru.

    I agree with I'velanded in trying to move from a set number of an exercise to a time goal. Over the course of the month if you start with 50 crunches you will be decreasing the time it takes to complete them. If you have a time goal of say 20 minutes you will be able to burn more calories as you are able to do more of the exercise.
  • stephgreene
    stephgreene Posts: 143 Member
    I'm thinking 50 as a goal to start and then a basic outline, not an absolute statement, if that makes sense
  • SweetCheekszx0
    SweetCheekszx0 Posts: 478 Member
    As for frozen foods.. When I'm lazy I eat healthy choice top chef frozen meals there so good I'm not kidding lol like soo good.. Also my professor graduated from Rutgers ❤ good luck
  • In stead of the frozen meals, cook a bigger pasta dish with whole grain pasta and chicken, veg and whatever sauce you like to use...then portion out and freeze the left overs, way yummier, way cheeper and way healthier unless you go with super creamy pre-made sauces!
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