Help needed please - diet overhaul!

SarahMZxx · May 2014

Hi everyone,

So I am sick and tired of yo-yoing...trying different diets...trying to live off meal replacement shakes...trying to eat "clean" and failing miserably...

Basically I work very long hours & currently do not have a kitchen to prepare food in (moving into new house next month hopefully) so I buy food on the go a lot.

My main problem is that I am up at 5am every day....I then have a long commute into work and arrive around 8.30am...i am then not home until about 7.30pm/8pm. If I go to the gym from work then I am home around 9-9.30pm.

I feel hungry ALL the time!!! My energy levels are low and I have just come back from holiday where I truly pigged out and have put on a nice 10 pounds!

Any advice on what to do? In the past I have done things like weight watchers which worked well but I struggle to maintain it as counting points can be a pain! Also we socialise a lot at the weekend which always involves eating out (fine as i can make healthy choices) or eating round peoples houses when food is more out of my control.

I am also sick of food/diets taking over my life...i always feel like I am on a diet and it's making me miserable!

Does anyone here just eat 3 healthy meals a day...snack on fruit...and still manage to lose weight ok? And then maybe relax a little more at the weekends? I just want to eat NORMALLY and still lose the weight - is this at all possible?!

I find things like clean eating are great but not sustainable for me at the moment xxx

cwoyto123 · May 2014

How bad do you want it?

All it comes down to, if you want it bad enough, you'll pack a lunch - you'll FIND A WAY.

SarahMZxx · May 2014

How bad do you want it?

All it comes down to, if you want it bad enough, you'll pack a lunch - you'll FIND A WAY.

I did try to prepare my lunches this week...chicken, wholemeal pasta, pesto and broccoli & tomatoes. It just tasted so dry and horrible though

BeckiCharlotte13x · May 2014

Chuck a tablespoon of lighter than light mayo in (11 calories)

How bad do you want it?

All it comes down to, if you want it bad enough, you'll pack a lunch - you'll FIND A WAY.

I did try to prepare my lunches this week...chicken, wholemeal pasta, pesto and broccoli & tomatoes. It just tasted so dry and horrible though

aarnwine2013 · May 2014

I think it's trial and error. When I first started I was eating really boring food and just made do. Do some research, try different things, push yourself.

You have to make time to workout. Do it for you. I count my workout time as my time and nobody, and I mean nobody bothers me during me time!

gypsy_spirit · May 2014

This should answer all your questions. Make a plan that is right for you and sustainable.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

horndave · May 2014

It really is how bad you want it.
1. Prepare meals (Do it on the weekend if you have to) Vary your meals, you can eat anything within reason and it doesn"t have to be bland and the same old thing.
2. Workout. Find the time, you know you have the time.

lissaann29078 · May 2014

I think it's trial and error. When I first started I was eating really boring food and just made do. Do some research, try different things, push yourself.

You have to make time to workout. Do it for you. I count my workout time as my time and nobody, and I mean nobody bothers me during me time!

This is great advice.

Calliope610 · May 2014

Hi everyone,

So I am sick and tired of yo-yoing...trying different diets...trying to live off meal replacement shakes...trying to eat "clean" and failing miserably...

Basically I work very long hours & currently do not have a kitchen to prepare food in (moving into new house next month hopefully) so I buy food on the go a lot.

My main problem is that I am up at 5am every day....I then have a long commute into work and arrive around 8.30am...i am then not home until about 7.30pm/8pm. If I go to the gym from work then I am home around 9-9.30pm.

I feel hungry ALL the time!!! My energy levels are low and I have just come back from holiday where I truly pigged out and have put on a nice 10 pounds!

Any advice on what to do? In the past I have done things like weight watchers which worked well but I struggle to maintain it as counting points can be a pain! Also we socialise a lot at the weekend which always involves eating out (fine as i can make healthy choices) or eating round peoples houses when food is more out of my control.

I am also sick of food/diets taking over my life...i always feel like I am on a diet and it's making me miserable!

Does anyone here just eat 3 healthy meals a day...snack on fruit...and still manage to lose weight ok? And then maybe relax a little more at the weekends? I just want to eat NORMALLY and still lose the weight - is this at all possible?!

I find things like clean eating are great but not sustainable for me at the moment xxx

So QUIT going on diets and try a lifestyle change. Maybe eat less than you did before and move more than you did before. It's worked for me (any countless other members of MFP).

leggup · May 2014

Prepare lunches you actually want to eat. Keep food in the house that you actually want to eat. If you see that you're going over on your calories, give yourself smaller servings of the calorie dense foods (pasta, cheese, meat) and add more veggies.

I eat 3 meals a day and a snack and I'm losing weight. I do exercise so that I can eat more, but I've had days where I just relied on the deficit from my diet.

mamaomefo · May 2014

Add some extra protein and healthy fat into your packed lunches. These help you feel full for a longer period of time. Cut back on the carbs a little. Cheese, tuna, eggs, chicken, Keilbasa, etc. these are foods I actually eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You won't get nearly as hungry! Best of luck!:flowerforyou:

MissMissle · May 2014

So - I get up at 5 everyday, am out of the house by 530, and don't get home until after 8 at night.

You just have to suck it up and make packing lunches work. Every night when I come home, I have a zobie like routine. I drop my crap on the floor, throw a toddler like temper tantrum to myself as I wash out my water bottles and tupperwear from the day as if it's the most annoying task in the world (seriously, I do this every night and my BF knows just to stay away), shower, get dressed, then make and pack my lunch for the next day. Then I make dinner, at this point it's 9pm. Then I eat dinner, watch some TV, and go to bed. Just is what it is... It's really not that bad - except for the mild temper tantrum I throw...but then that's over and I move on.

I don't feel like Im "dieting". yes, I've cit back on stuff... but I mean really, i don't need a king sized pack of reses cups or a jumbo bag of Mike n Ikes everyday - I really don't. And i don't need to eat an entire pound of pasta with half a block of cabot cheddar on top of it at 9pm. I think these are my "time to be an adult" responsible desisions more than "dieting". I still go over my "goal" for calories ....often....generally on weekends in for form of sangria, beer, or cupcakes. It's fine. I just log it, see the red number, and vow to not do it two days in a row.

Learn how to cook better - go on pintrest and google stuff. Prepare your foods for the entire week on Sunday - make a grocery list, only buy whats on it, then as soon as you get home just make enough food for the week. I do "taco salads" because I never get sick of them - ground turkey, taco seasoning, sometimes tomatoes, peppers, carrots, avacado, corn... all on a bed of lettuce with no dressing or a spritz of fresh lime. I cut up fruit on Sundays and do the same... this makes it super easy to log calories too - because you just take the full caloric content of the entire "package" of whatever youre eating and divide it by 5 or 6 days...

Snack on fruit - the sugar will help curb sugary cravings. Or how about celery and peanut butter? Super easy. Marinate some chicken in greek yogurt and grill it up for the week - it will be the moistest chicken youve ever had - promise! Stir fry up some peppers and onions - alternate chicken stri fry / chicken on salad every other day.

You can eat normal... and logging is really fast and easy once you get started. Youve got this.

ashdawg8790 · May 2014

So - I get up at 5 everyday, am out of the house by 530, and don't get home until after 8 at night.

You just have to suck it up and make packing lunches work. Every night when I come home, I have a zobie like routine. I drop my crap on the floor, throw a toddler like temper tantrum to myself as I wash out my water bottles and tupperwear from the day as if it's the most annoying task in the world (seriously, I do this every night and my BF knows just to stay away), shower, get dressed, then make and pack my lunch for the next day. Then I make dinner, at this point it's 9pm. Then I eat dinner, watch some TV, and go to bed. Just is what it is... It's really not that bad - except for the mild temper tantrum I throw...but then that's over and I move on.

I don't feel like Im "dieting". yes, I've cit back on stuff... but I mean really, i don't need a king sized pack of reses cups or a jumbo bag of Mike n Ikes everyday - I really don't. And i don't need to eat an entire pound of pasta with half a block of cabot cheddar on top of it at 9pm. I think these are my "time to be an adult" responsible desisions more than "dieting". I still go over my "goal" for calories ....often....generally on weekends in for form of sangria, beer, or cupcakes. It's fine. I just log it, see the red number, and vow to not do it two days in a row.

Learn how to cook better - go on pintrest and google stuff. Prepare your foods for the entire week on Sunday - make a grocery list, only buy whats on it, then as soon as you get home just make enough food for the week. I do "taco salads" because I never get sick of them - ground turkey, taco seasoning, sometimes tomatoes, peppers, carrots, avacado, corn... all on a bed of lettuce with no dressing or a spritz of fresh lime. I cut up fruit on Sundays and do the same... this makes it super easy to log calories too - because you just take the full caloric content of the entire "package" of whatever youre eating and divide it by 5 or 6 days...

Snack on fruit - the sugar will help curb sugary cravings. Or how about celery and peanut butter? Super easy. Marinate some chicken in greek yogurt and grill it up for the week - it will be the moistest chicken youve ever had - promise! Stir fry up some peppers and onions - alternate chicken stri fry / chicken on salad every other day.

You can eat normal... and logging is really fast and easy once you get started. Youve got this.

^^Yup

mamahannick · May 2014

As far as feeling hungry all the time--make sure you are getting enough healthy fats. I started eating guacamole and whole eggs vs just the whites, etc, and it is amazing the difference in my satiety. Days I have guac with my carrots at lunch I am full for hours. And the eggs keep me more full in the mornings too.

As far as energy--maybe find a good multivitamin with iron and B vitamins. That helps a lot with my energy. Also water. Make sure you are well hydrated. I drag on days I don't drink enough water.

Experiment and find meals that taste good pre-prepped. I do a lot of food prep on weekends because I work full time and have a crazy busy toddler. That works for me. Like someone else said, make it a priority. I prioritize it right along with my weekly grocery shopping. Now it's just a part of my routine.

And finally...stop obsessing over eating "clean" and those meal replacement shakes can go. Eat food. Eat any kind of food that satisfies you and makes you feel good, just everything in moderation. Have a sweet treat in the evening if you want. Eat a meal out that you wouldn't normally if you want. All that matters is how MUCH of these things you eat. Track everything and you'll be fine.

novembersuse · May 2014

You can do it, or not do it. You just need to do it. There isn't an 'easy' way unfortunately - everyone who is losing weight is depriving themselves of things they'd like to eat and drink, and doing workouts they sometimes can't be bothered doing.

There are ways to encourage yourself though... sometimes I go through phases where I can't motivate myself to exercise - which is when I make myself stick rigidly to my calorie allowance. And other times when I just eat everything in sight - which is when I make myself run it off at the end of the day. Pick what you mind less - being hungry or exercising, and just do it. At least until your routine balances out a little bit.

There are other things too - you could eat your favourite food, but just in small portions OR eat less calorific foods and eat enough to be full. I'm finding that everything is a trade-off. But the easiest trade-off is the question of whether you'd rather be a bit miserable for a few months while you lose weight, or be disappointed int yourself longer term because you didn't.

Easier said than done, all of it though

2013sk · May 2014

No 1) Prepare your lunch in the evenings before you go to bed

No 2) The 10lbs you put on, on holiday will not be 10lbs of fat - Mostly water weight I would say - So to get rid of that...... You drink LOTS & LOTS of water, reduce any high sodium foods

No 3) If your hungry all the time, your probably snacking on quick easy carby foods / Quick sugar fixs to fix your hunger there and then!

You can easily lose weight when you put your mind into it.

I think you need to get lots of protein into your diet, good fats, lots of fibre, fruits, veggies etc. Try greek yoghurts, cottage cheese, almonds, seeds, - Eggs - I love eggs!!!!!!

Also keep water with you as much as you can - I drink LOADS of it!!!!

Try not to snack on sugar rubbish, trust me your be feeling hungry so much quicker.

For example - My day:

Breakfast - 2 scoops of peanut butter - With one alpen pot of porridge - Oats are amazing!!

Lunch - Something like a tuna salad, I add lots of chicken slices, toms, cucumber or a soup

Dinner - Meat with veg/ Fish with veg/ Stir frys/ Bologneses/ Pasta bake / Stews / Soups etc

Graze on: Chopped carrots, apples, blueberries, strawberries, chicken pieces/slices, boiled eggs etc

Hope this helps!

SarahMZxx · May 2014

WOW!! Thank you all soooo much for all the amazing advice!!! Really do appreciate it!

I think things will be easier when we have our own kitchen to prepare food in and can actually do a weekly grocery shop!!

Our main problem is knowing when to eat after work....if we eat before the gym then it is not long enough for our food to go down (and means eating our dinner in the car) and if we eat after the gym we are not eating until 9.30pm-10ish....yet we are hungry for dinner after we finish work and not really hungry after the gym!! xxx

novembersuse · May 2014

How often do you go to the gym? If maybe twice a week, you could just resign yourself to crappy dinner those nights, and then enjoy being able to properly plan meals the other nights. Trying to do this while moving etc. though is really hard. Maybe just take one day at a time, and try to make healthy choices until you can really get stuck in making meals.

I find that one thing that helps is eating the same things every day. I know I like it, I know I can easily prepare it, and most importantly, I know the calories add up correctly. So most days I have tea and toast with half fat marg for brekkie, a pitta and smoked salmon pate for lunch, then chicken breast in tomato sauce with veggies for dinner. Totally not ideal, lacking essential nutrients blah blah, but man it works. (At the weekends, all bets are off. I only do Mon-Fri. And that's Friday afternoon

)

neandermagnon · May 2014

This should answer all your questions. Make a plan that is right for you and sustainable.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

^^^^ this

yo-yoing is mostly caused by following diets that are not sustainable in the long term. whatever you do to lose weight, you have to keep on doing to maintain (yes you get more calories in maintenance, but not enough extra calories to revert back to your old way of eating)....... focus on making small changes that you can stick to for the rest of your life. you can still enjoy all your favourite foods, just that some of them you'll be enjoying in smaller portion sizes. whatever exercise you choose, make it something you can stick to for the rest of your life. This is how to succeed. Drastic changes and strict diets don't work in the long term. You don't have to be perfect, you just have to eat less than you burn off (and for maintenance, the same amount that you burn off). You don't have to lose weight quickly - in fact that's counterproductive to long term success - you just have to lose it and not regain it. If it takes twice as long to get there, who cares, if it's going to be gone for good after that? .... this change in mentality is important, and it's how to escape from the yo-yo diet cycle. yes it takes patience to lose it so slowly, but the way there is a lot easier as you won't be feeling deprived and it shouldn't be too difficult to stick to.

MissMissle · May 2014

also - IMO - As far as the meal replacement shakes go - you might be selling yourself short on them.

I use a meal replacement shake sometimes on weekends - but I use it as just that - a meal replacement. At 220 calories if you arent enjoying the shake you can get ALOT more food in your system for less calories... for breakfast you could have a couple egge whites, some pinnaple, some strawberries / blueberries, a piece of toast with peanut butter and some raisings and just be below 220 calories.

Personally, I look forward to when i have my shake because it tastes so good - but I definetly wouldn't consider it a low calorie breakfast - it actually has more calories in it then I generally have in the morning. I prefer it for lunch... but anyway, drinking them often (unless you love them) might be taking way a lot of extra calories you have to indulge on yummier things...

I had one for dinner a while ago because i was lazy and then I was like god damnit, for almost 250 calories (I add almosnd milk) i could have had so much MORE - but, I wanted to go to bed and not have to cook, so you know, sometimes you got to do it.

Not having a kitchen does suck. You end up spending way more money too, and again, get less bang for your buck. Even ordering "healthy" at restaurants doesnt always work because they are soaking everything in butter and oil, even if you ask them not too, because they are scared you wont like it.

You could always buy Perdue short cuts or deli meats to throw into salads? And as far as going out... I generally try to work out on those days, eat dinner at home, and save any extra calories and / or spluging on cocktails for social hour!

2013sk · May 2014

If your hungry before the gym I would say have something 'light' before the gym - Then something a bit more filling after.

Or why not try a protein shake before gym/ a banana then your main dinner when you get home. Your be hungry & ready for dinner after a good workout.

I try NOT to eat dinner before a workout, I have before & it really slowed me down. I also HATE going to the gym feeling hungry as I have NO energy or fuel to power through my workouts.

But I do find a couple of scoops of peanut butter/ big handful of nuts/ boiled eggs/ protein shake / Chicken slices or greek yoghurt keeps me on track!

I think its just about getting a bit more organised & food prepping that's all - Once you have that sorted - Your be fine!

Also it doesn't matter what TIME you eat your food - Calories in v calories out.

Help needed please - diet overhaul!

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