advice

Options
I am a cook a foodie and I know how to make food real food. But when I start a new lifestyle of eating IE weight watchers and calorie tracking. I find something I do a lot more of. I buy a lot of what I would call junck food. To me junck is anything I could make on my own but choose not to and instead buy it pre made. Today I had pre made hot coco, pre caned chicken salad and crakers two thing nomaly I would make on my. So what do tips do you have for someone who can cook about anything her heart wants but is finding counting calores so much easier when all i have to do is scan the bar.
I think a few dude really would be ok the answer is so simple make recipes use them move forward... but I am still thinking yo play yougert sounds good for a snack...

Replies

  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,676 Member
    Options
    Maybe just enter in some of your favorite homemade recipes, then you won't have to log all the ingredients separately every time you eat them.
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
    Options
    Just remember what nasty stuff is in most of those processed foods. They aren't going to make you healthy. Take the time to make up your recipes and things will get easier and easier. Stuff you eat regularly you won't have to hunt for as it'll be there in the few pages of food you've eaten recently. I think you just have to decide whether you're devoted enough to getting healthy right now to do this.
  • pobalita
    pobalita Posts: 741 Member
    Options
    I'd take the time to calculate the calories for your favorite 10 to 20 recipies. It's a lot of work up front, but once they are in, you can use them forever. I've been tracking for several years, and don't have to add new recipies for my home cooked meals too often. Also, the recipies are easy to modify if you substitute ingredients.

    You can also copy meals from day to day, so you don't have to re-enter this every time. I find this helpful for my lunches since I take the same ones a couple times per week.
  • Jodyraedoula
    Jodyraedoula Posts: 69 Member
    Options
    Thank you very helpful. I will try a few.
  • kdillson70
    Options
    When I make things from scratch, I just list each ingredient separately. Yes, it's more time consuming, but if it's something you eat often, once you put it in, it's saved. Or, you can figure out how many calories/fat/carbs are in each recipe, then build it from there per serving and call it-Homemade chicken salad?
  • Keep_The_Laughter
    Keep_The_Laughter Posts: 183 Member
    Options
    I'd take the time to calculate the calories for your favorite 10 to 20 recipies. It's a lot of work up front, but once they are in, you can use them forever. I've been tracking for several years, and don't have to add new recipies for my home cooked meals too often. Also, the recipies are easy to modify if you substitute ingredients.

    You can also copy meals from day to day, so you don't have to re-enter this every time. I find this helpful for my lunches since I take the same ones a couple times per week.

    All of this^^^^^^^^^^^^

    If you have a basic shake recipe in MFP like:

    3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
    1 scoop (favorite protein powder) vanilla

    And basic yogurt recipe

    1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
    1/2 blueberries (or other fruit)

    All you have to do is check those 2 boxes to come up with a quick pre-work out/post work- out/snack entry for a might tasty shake.

    If you use mirepoix in your regular cooking, give it it's own entry in your recipe tab so that you are not constantly entering carrot-onion-celery separately. If your regular marinade is something like ginger, sesame oil, soy and rice wine vinegar give that it's own entry "favorite marinade" as well. Your home cooking is going to be tailored to what you like, why not enjoy it?