Weight Loss Tip Day 1!

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Let Tupperware and frozen entrees help you understand portions! Now I know those frozen dinners aren't the best option for you but when you’re already eating junk food and other bad food choices, these will be a good transition for you. When I started on my weight loss journey I realized I did not really know what portions looked like and frankly did not care! I ate everything and I ate a lot of it! Now when I go to the grocery store and pick up a weeks’ worth of Smart Ones, frozen dinners. They have a huge variety so you don't have to get bored or eat the same thing every day. Plus if you’re working and don't have a lot of time to prepare these are a great idea! They can be used for lunch or dinner! I also accompany my frozen dinners with fresh food as well such as a salad or fruit. I have also tried Jimmy Deans Delight breakfast bowls, if you know you rush in the morning and just don't have the time to prepare a whole breakfast, try these out! They low in calories, and quick! Both of these products have the calorie count right on the front of the box and the Smart Ones entrees are attached to the weight watchers points system and have the points right on the front for tracking! To be clear, I don't believe these frozen dinners/lunches should be what you eat for years! Just for a little while so you start understanding what a certain number of calories look like. Also, they are good transition into healthier options. There are many people that give up on their weight loss because it is too much work when it comes to preparing food. These frozen dinners will get you over that hump I believe! All weight loss is, is making sure you are not eating more calories, than you are burning. There really is no complicated science behind it! If you love to eat like me you just have to exercise! The frozen dinners will help you with the calorie control for sure!

Now if you are totally against frozen foods or you are beginning to transition was from them like I am, you and Tupperware should become very close friends! I am all about reading serving sizes and calorie counting (Thanks to MFP app for all the help with tracking) and I am using Tupperware to keep my portions under control! Now when I say Tupperware, I mean Glad ware, Ziploc containers, store bought containers, pretty much anything plastic with a lid. I recommended getting a good variety of sizes! Glad and Ziploc containers have measurements on the side which can be a huge help! My fridge and pantry are full of these containers! I read the label and determine what the serving size is and then separate that food into one or two serving sizes so when I go to grab my breakfast, lunch, and dinners I already know they are sorted! I do this with salads by making the salad and then separating the big salad into 1 cup or two cup sized containers. They are now quick grab salads and they stay fresher longer! However you can do this with any food which is why it's a good idea to have a big variety! I do this with a lot of my fruit that is not a serving size by its self-such as a banana or apple. My prime example is grapes; I know the average serving size for grapes is 20 grapes. However I almost always have two servings at a time so I load in 40 grapes and put it in the fridge for later! This process can be done with any food as long as you know the serving size! This system vital for snack foods! I used to be able to inhale a big bag of Funyuns or Hot Cheetos! Not just the little kid size...the big ones in one sitting! Now I get those big bags and break them down into their serving sizes! I don't deprive myself if them I just use portion control now and so can you!!!

Well that's the first tip I have! Thanks for reading!

Replies

  • MaggyMaizy2
    MaggyMaizy2 Posts: 148 Member
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    I am a couch potato. I have lost 73 pounds just by watching what I eat.
    That needs to change but I can't seem to get off my butt. I hate exercise!
    So, I joined this group hoping for motivation. Any other struggling couch
    potatoes out there?
  • lostemt
    lostemt Posts: 152 Member
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    I go the gym 5 days a week. Trying to figure out how to change it up a bit. My cardio is usually the arc trainer and trying to work the treadmill in to my workouts more. I do weight lift 2 days a week but thinking its time to push that up to more days. Also swim 3 to 5 days a week. Also do aqua zumba 2x a week. Should I increase my lifting schedule to more?? Also what else can I do? Note do have bad knees and it hard to the bike and ellipitcal.
  • Zoeegirl
    Zoeegirl Posts: 100 Member
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    Love this idea!! Thx for sharing :flowerforyou:
    maggymaizy2: unfortunately I am a couch potato but I am trying to become active :smile:
    I am just starting out and need to loose about 140ish, any advice is great- keep it commin. :happy:
  • Tina2Cats
    Tina2Cats Posts: 493 Member
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    I am a couch potato. I have lost 73 pounds just by watching what I eat.
    That needs to change but I can't seem to get off my butt. I hate exercise!
    So, I joined this group hoping for motivation. Any other struggling couch
    potatoes out there?

    I have always tended to be a couch potato myself until I reached the 200 lb on the scale and decided that I needed to take action. That is when I found MFP and started making myself accountable for what I ate. I always hated exercise, too. I currently do Leslie Sansone's walk it off dvd's. Walking is a good way to burn calories if you hate exercise. You can find free workout dvd's on you tube. We can all help motivate each other.

    Kudos to you for losing 73 lbs! That is a great accomplishment!!!
  • Tina2Cats
    Tina2Cats Posts: 493 Member
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    Hazelthecat, thanks for starting this group. I like your ideas about the tupperware and portion control. I never really exercised portion control so this is new to me. Especially is portion control important with the holidays here. I did pretty well pacing myself during Thanksgiving even though I went over on my calories. I still limited myself and didn't get 2nd's on everything. That was a 1st for me. In the 2 months since joining MFP, I am learning so much and still have a lot to learn. I like your idea about the Smart Ones, too. Seems like a good way to start out.
  • MaggyMaizy2
    MaggyMaizy2 Posts: 148 Member
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    Thank you for the suggestion, Tina2Cats! So today I am saying that tomorrow morning I will go for a walk.
    I will report in when I'm finished. :smile:
  • MissTapTap
    MissTapTap Posts: 16 Member
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    What a brilliant idea!
  • KAR1959
    KAR1959 Posts: 4,261 Member
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    Thanks for starting this group Hazelthecat. One of my plans is to start cooking more meals on the weekend and putting into individual containers.

    Exercise wise I find that when I work at home I can break it up throughout the day...15 minutes on the treadmill 3-4 times during the day. It seems to work for me. Or doing a dvd early and walking in the evening.

    Looking forward to more ideas.
  • chuckles9189
    chuckles9189 Posts: 343 Member
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    I LOVE TUPPERWARE!

    The biggest portion eye opener for me was yogurt! Turns out 1/2 a cup of yogurt is not a bowl full! I like the 8 oz ziploc containers...it gives me enough room for my toppings and everything! (fruit, cheerios etc.)
  • jenafer22
    jenafer22 Posts: 26 Member
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    I am such a couch potato! I used to exercise twice a day. I'd do weights and cardio at work and then come home from work and power walk 6-7 miles. Over the last 5 years, I have been exercising off and on. I just can't get motivated to workout. I lost 20 lbs. last year at this time. By the time summer came I started gaining it all back. Now here I am today 20 lbs. heavier.

    I definitely need some emotional support! :)
  • raeganjayne15
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    I am a couch potato. I have lost 73 pounds just by watching what I eat.
    That needs to change but I can't seem to get off my butt. I hate exercise!
    So, I joined this group hoping for motivation. Any other struggling couch
    potatoes out there?

    Give Couch to 5km a try (C25K) theres plenty of free apps out there. It starts really easy and having something to strive towards helps get you motivated!
  • Hazelthecat11
    Hazelthecat11 Posts: 25 Member
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    Thanks for starting this group Hazelthecat. One of my plans is to start cooking more meals on the weekend and putting into individual containers.

    Exercise wise I find that when I work at home I can break it up throughout the day...15 minutes on the treadmill 3-4 times during the day. It seems to work for me. Or doing a dvd early and walking in the evening.

    Looking forward to more ideas.



    Well it seems like your cardio is right on track with what you should be doing to lose weight and get in better health! Good job! If you have joint or knee problems water work outs for cardio are the best for you. You get the same benefits but almost no strain on muscles, bones, or joints! Once you lose more weight, you may want to venture more into running or cycling. I prefer running outside on dirt or on a track. The treadmill and cement are really hard on your body!

    Now with weight training! A lot of women are scared to weight train because they don't want to get big. You would have to work out like an animal and take steroids to get "big or bulky". We just aren't built to get big when weight training. We get toned and leaner but not big if you are just doing normal weight routines! With that being said, yes you should up your weight routine frequency and here is why. When you do cardio you are burning those calories! However, as soon as you get out of that pool or off that tread mill, the calorie burn stops pretty quickly if not immediately! When you do weight training you burn just as many calories if you are doing a quick tempo work out or what is known as circuit training and after your done you are still burning calories for some time after. This is caused because after you are finished with your weight training, your body starts repairing itself and it needs a lot of calories to do that! Therefore, you could be burning calories from circuit training and hour after you have left the gym! Isn't that awesome! I usually do some type of cardio every day and circuit training every other day! You do not want to do weight training or circuit training every day because you need your body to have time to heal and recover! Circuit training can also improve your cardio by increasing your stanima. If you do not understand what circuit training is check out the link below! Hope this helps. Sorry it was so long!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit_training

    http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-is-circuit-training.html

    http://www.brianmac.co.uk/circuit.htm
  • Hazelthecat11
    Hazelthecat11 Posts: 25 Member
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    I am a couch potato. I have lost 73 pounds just by watching what I eat.
    That needs to change but I can't seem to get off my butt. I hate exercise!
    So, I joined this group hoping for motivation. Any other struggling couch
    potatoes out there?


    Honestly, getting up every morning to work out is a struggle for me as well. The only thing I like about working out, is being done with it! I love the post work out feeling! I am a morning work out person because I have no motivation at the end of a work day to go to the gym. I have found getting it over with before I do anything else really helps. This may sound odd but I have found if I sleep in my work out clothes I am more motivated when I get up because I'm already winning half the battle of getting ready for the day! I get all of my work clothes, lunch, and whatever else I would need ready the night before so I can just grab my bag and go. I have also found if I give myself a plan the night before I am more motivated because I am not going into the gym just wondering around trying to figure stuff out!
  • GottaLoveRenee
    GottaLoveRenee Posts: 30 Member
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    Thank you for posting this. It is a great read and reminder to take notice.
  • Hazelthecat11
    Hazelthecat11 Posts: 25 Member
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    Thanks for starting this group Hazelthecat. One of my plans is to start cooking more meals on the weekend and putting into individual containers.

    Exercise wise I find that when I work at home I can break it up throughout the day...15 minutes on the treadmill 3-4 times during the day. It seems to work for me. Or doing a dvd early and walking in the evening.

    Looking forward to more ideas.


    That's an awesome routine! Doing cardio through out the day is a great way to keep burning calories! Once you step off the tread mill the major calorie burning stops so doing it through out the day is great! Your'e really giving your metabolism a good boost!