Diet Chef anyone?

Hi

Am currently just started this on my 4th day and am looking for sum ideas and help n support from other peeps?

Lesley x

OOO OOO OOO PICK ME! PICK ME!

I strongly recommend investing in a wak, steamer (that can do brown rice and vegetables), and a good amount of triple virgin olive oil.

The only way i survive on my diets is by cooking my meals WAY ahead of time and eating the same exact thing everyday. Ok, so you don't have to be that hardcore, but cooking in bulk is definitly a secret weapon bodybuilders and athletes use.

Rules:
1) The only thing better for you then chicken, is free range chicken. (Vegiterians/Vegans... I'm sorry)
2) Your diet consumption should be evenly spread throughout the day (don't use up all your carbs on a breakfast and then go for a run at night).
3) Mix as many of the foods together at one time (safely) to cook them (some steamers you can add low sodium chicken broth, chicken, broccoli, and brown rice to all at once, let cook for 30 mins and its done). <-- btw DELICIOUS!
4) Never start a diet without consulting a doctor and doing the proper resource (any diet suggesting you constrict your fat and carbohydrate intakes without giving you a percentage of consumption on a given day, is nothing but wash).

Plan, plan, plan, did I mention you really must plan ahead?
I do up a 2 week food plan, including all meals and snacks. My husband and I both work full-time (more than that mostly) so I have to be proactive and plan ahead (we are paid every 2 weeks so this is why I do it for this duration).
I just love this as I post it on the fridge so we always know what to prepare ahead, take out of the freezer for the next day, or what to shop for, or what to pack for our lunches.
The added benefit of this is our grocery bill has actually gone down with our weight. We waste nothing now either.
By seeing it on paper I can also "tweak" each day to ensure that I have enough of each nutrient (protein, carbs, fibre) and don't overdue others (fats, sugar).
It took me a few months to hone it but I just love this system. My mom did this when I was young and times were lean to ensure we had a mix of healthy food on a budget. If I find a recipe I want to try I add it to the next menu and build my grocery list from there.
I also spend a few hours on Sunday preparing and portioning things for the work week ahead.

Hi Lesley, and welcome. I have found this to be a great site. Never one to count calories, it's really helpful, and after a time I am learning not only what to eat but how much.

Manage your portions. Palm-of-your-hand size
Come to know what a cup and a half cup look like without having to measure all the time.
Eat three servings of protein every day, a low-fat dairy, two or three fruits (one citrus to help cut fat), five to six servings of veggies, one starchy vegetable, and one of fat.

Here are some things I eat: grilled chicken, well-trimmed pork, roast beef, fresh or frozen veggies (string beans, garbanzo beans, snap peas onions, alfalfa sprouts, baked potato, sweet potato, I Can't Believe it's Not Butter spray, squash, green grapes, Concord grapes, kiwi, bananas, apples, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, Laughing Cow cheese, Ry-Krisp crackers, Triscuit crackers, unsalted rice cakes, Progresso soups, 98% -or 97% fat free ham or turkey, rye or whole-grain bread, Pumpernickel, hard-boiled eggs, Blue Bunny yogurt, Puffed Wheat, skim milk, tomato juice -- watch salt -- Ocean Spray diet blueberry-pomegranate juice, romaine, spring mix, low-fat salad dressings -- I especially like Ken's walnut-raspberry vinaigrette -- brown rice, almonds, tomatoes -- grape tomatoes and Roma tomatoes are my favorites --

Watch the sodium content.
Read labels.
Exercise, exercise, exercise. Exercise first thing in the morning, and then get in as much as you can throughout the day. The main thing is to do it.
Remove everything from your refrigerator and pantry that is not healthy. That way, whatever you grab WILL be nutritious and you won't have to worry about slip-ups.
Use MFP daily to track your calories and exercise, and enjoy the people here who are full of encouragement and support. It makes a difference.
I don't use meal replacement bars but some people use them regularly.
Check out restaurants and fast-food places for nutritional content of foods so you know what you can eat where. There are a couple things at Panera Bread that I like, but I don't do it often.
Avoid cheese, mayo, butter, too much salt.

Let me know how you're doing.