It All Starts in the Kitchen

hey!

A food scale + tracking your food is all you need, the types of food you eat has no effect on weight loss, so don't punish yourself so that you go on binges from limiting your food choices.

I like to keep it simple for right now for time, money, and sanity reasons. I keep rice, veggies, and lean meats stocked. I keep one bag of chips and either pudding cups or 100 calorie dark chocolate almond packs. I have to be able to satisfy my sweet tooth which prevents binges. I also have a full spice rack. I can always do a seasoned meat and veggie which is easy and sticks with my calories while being satisfied. I do love to cook and be creative but the more ingredients I add the harder it gets for me to track and the more I eat. So I stick to a simple meat-rice or veggie plan right now.

I second the first two posts there^^

Also, I keep my freezer stocked with lean proteins: chicken & turkey breast, taco seasoned ground meat (1/2 turkey 1/2 beef) and pork loin or pork chops. I cook them with marinades, rubs -- things that don't add a lot of calories. Then I freeze them in a serving size so that i can just pull out what I want during the week. It's just as easy to cook 3 pounds of chicken as it is 1/2 pound.

I also have fish fillets and shrimp in the freezer -- they cook fast and don't freeze/reheat well so I don't cook them ahead.

Actually it all starts with the DECISION to COMMIT to lose weight. There are lots of people out there that will eat "well" for a couple of weeks, then abandon it. There's desire, but no commitment. One is always going to eat and while nutrient dense food is a better choice, it's gonna come down to calories in/out and being consistent. Unfortunately on 10% out of all the dieters in the world stay committed to it.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

hey!

A food scale + tracking your food is all you need, the types of food you eat has no effect on weight loss, so don't punish yourself so that you go on binges from limiting your food choices.

Yep this. A food scale made a HUGE difference to me, I was really underestimating portion size.

If you enjoy your treats try just logging what you eat now and so you can see what calories things have. As long as you are in a deficit you lose weight. You can then gradually make healthier choices. There is nothing to say you can't enjoy a cookie each day, but sometimes seeing the amount of calories in said cookie makes people think twice.... or just have them at weekends.... or make healthier choices through the day so they have some free calories to enjoy that cookie on a night.

For me personally, I have some yoghurts and fruit at all times in my kitchen. Sweet potato is another and I even been known to just make a plate of sweet potato wedges as a snack if I am hungry (chop in to wedges, spray with some frylite, sprinkle of salt and bake until soft on the inside and crisp up a little outside, very yummy!).

A food scale, a set of measuring cups and spoons, some decent pans and a couple of good knives. Lots of fresh foods, as well as healthy frozen ones...and you're off to a great start!

Haha if I tell myself it doesn't matter what I eat, it won't help me turn my eating style around. I'm trying to lose weight, but also get into the habit of healthy eating.

I know where you are coming from. The idea that you can eat what you want as long as you control your calorie intake may be true, but it doesn't necessarily work for everyone. You need to make choices that YOU can stick with. I, too, grew up in a house with a lot of junk food, so my choices have to be as much about being healthy as losing weight. My advice is to stock things you enjoy. It's easy to buy a lot of broccoli and carrots, but if you don't like broccoli it won't help you in the long run. I've discovered there are veggies I LOVE, such as zucchini. I always buy zucchini, because I enjoy it. And, make sure you have stuff that is easy to grab. If you are too hungry and you only have raw chicken breasts, you are more likely to overeat something unhealthy. A scale is a good idea, and they are not very expensive. You should still allow yourself some of your favorite "no so healthy" foods so you don't end up binging later. The scale is a great way to pre-portion those items so you can indulge without overindulging! Good luck and feel free to add me. My eating habits have improved a great deal, but I still have a long way to go! We could help each other with good food ideas.

Quick list - produce carrots, celery, onion, garlic, romaine lettuce, bananas, melon if in season - protein - canned beans, individually frozen chicken breasts, canned tuna, eggs - staples - flour(white whole wheat), salt, pepper, a couple of seasoning mixes like Italian or Cajun, oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, canned whole tomatoes, canola oil, skim milk

You would be surprised how many meals you can create with this simple list.

Things I try always to have around:

Spices
low sodium soup stocks
chickpeas
wholewheat flour
canned tuna
canned tomatoes, diced and crushed
canned black beans
canned corn (all cans are reduced or no salt added)
wholewheat or smart pasta and spaghetti
brown rice
321 cake mix for when I need cake (a mix of any flavor cake mix I use chocolate, and angel cake)
Cheese
eggs
frsh veg and fruit
1% milk
In the freezer I have lean ground beef and turkey, chicken breasts, pork slices and fish. I also keep a couple of bags of frozen veg for times when the fresh has run out and I have not yet gotten to the store.
Bran flakes
Wholewheat bread/english muffins
Snacky things are sesame ryvita crackers, wholewheat goldfish, pretzels