Starving vs. Eating Junk

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  • nissafull
    nissafull Posts: 48
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    Well said!:happy:
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Throw in an ounce of chocolate for your heart too. One ounce a day will keep the doctor away! And we do love our chocolate.
    Good luck on your health. It's great to hear from younger people who are interested in their health. I'm 60 and never thought about health until I was prediabetic and in my later 50s. You are doing the best thing you can for yourself. To sound like the grandmother I am, even though I don't know you, I'm proud of you.



    Thank you!
    That warmed my heart. :)
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
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    sounds like me in grad school :) between school, an internship, and homework, i had very little free time and i essentially lived off 700 bucks a month. here were my staples on my grocery list:

    baby carrots
    cheese (either a block of cheese or cheese sticks - cheese block will be cheaper in the long run)
    rice
    beans/lentils
    chicken breasts (expensive, yes. what i did was cut them in half - three breasts became 6!)
    potatoes
    pasta (whole grain)
    soup
    pita bread

    i did a LOT of cooking on the weekends, when i did have some down time. i have no idea what your schedule is like, so if you have any time to spend at home cooking, then go for it! and i hear you - i can't cook at all. my husband tells me my food has no flavor. but here's the thing, if you like it - eat it. i can easily eat the same meal for like, a week.

    if you're going to try to live out of a vending machine, go for things like pretzels, granola bars, animal crackers, etc., or anything with some protein in it too...maybe some peanuts or trail mix. the combo of fats and protein will keep you fuller longer.

    honestly, the best investments i have made have been on lunch boxes, ice packs, and containers. yes, they're more expensive in the beginning, but they last! i've had the same containers for something like 4 years now. they're ugly and stained, but they still function. i like to pick up lunch boxes/ice packs when school's about to start. they're usually on sale then.

    good luck!


    Thank you for the list!
    I know I NEEEEEEED to grocery shop.
    I don't WANT to live out of the machines.
    I want to make changes in my lifestyle and be healthy now, so I don't have to face serious health problems later.
    It's just changing after nineteen years takes an awful lot of work!
    Slow and steady progress. :)
  • amjmomma
    amjmomma Posts: 41
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    I would definitely suggest frozen meals. Sometimes with coupons and sales, you can get them for dirt cheap. Have you tried tofu? It's kind of blah, but if you marinate it in some sort of sauce or dressing it can be pretty dang good mixed with cooked veggies! Try those Zip N Steam bags from Ziploc. They're AWESOME! You just stick your frozen or fresh veggies or meat in them, microwave, and ta-da! You have steamed food that hasn't lost a lot of nutrients. They are a little more expensive, but if you don't have pots or pans, they are the best route. (You might suggest hints at gifts for birthdays, Christmas, etc. if you are living on your own for pots and pans!) Just don't NOT eat. Considering how you are tearing it up at the gym, your body needs that fuel. You can't get your car to run without gasoline, same as you can't get your body to run without food. Trust me, I did the bulemia and starving myself in high school and it messed me up. I would hate to see such a lovely girl with so much potential put herself through such a frustrating situation. Don't worry, you can do it! Get together with that friend you mentioned after you guys go shopping and make some meals together! It will be fun! Better yet, invite a whole bunch of friends and make it a party! =) Good luck! I know it can be really discouraging, but you'll catch on. BTW, that turkey wrap you suggested sounded great. Go for it! =)
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
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    First, take a deep breath...you will do fine and you are stressing yourself out. All of this can and will be fun, and you will see!
    Second, don't listen or pay attention to the negativity. Most have forgotten that they were in your shoes once. No one instantly knows how to eat healthy. That is one of the primary reasons why we are all here.
    Third, there are many good tips given to you. Try them, one at a time. If one doesn't work, move on to the next. Make a list, or re-read the thread on a periodic basis so you can remember some of what others do to stay on track.

    Welcome to the life of being busy! And fast food fits right in, or so that we have been told, until we realize its too late.
    As I said, smile but don't starve. That's not fun. Make eating the correct foods a game and you will definitely win!


    Thank you for your feedback!
    :)
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
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    I would definitely suggest frozen meals. Sometimes with coupons and sales, you can get them for dirt cheap. Have you tried tofu? It's kind of blah, but if you marinate it in some sort of sauce or dressing it can be pretty dang good mixed with cooked veggies! Try those Zip N Steam bags from Ziploc. They're AWESOME! You just stick your frozen or fresh veggies or meat in them, microwave, and ta-da! You have steamed food that hasn't lost a lot of nutrients. They are a little more expensive, but if you don't have pots or pans, they are the best route. (You might suggest hints at gifts for birthdays, Christmas, etc. if you are living on your own for pots and pans!) Just don't NOT eat. Considering how you are tearing it up at the gym, your body needs that fuel. You can't get your car to run without gasoline, same as you can't get your body to run without food. Trust me, I did the bulemia and starving myself in high school and it messed me up. I would hate to see such a lovely girl with so much potential put herself through such a frustrating situation. Don't worry, you can do it! Get together with that friend you mentioned after you guys go shopping and make some meals together! It will be fun! Better yet, invite a whole bunch of friends and make it a party! =) Good luck! I know it can be really discouraging, but you'll catch on. BTW, that turkey wrap you suggested sounded great. Go for it! =)


    Thank you so much for your positive feedback!
    I am trying my hardest to make progress.
    We all know a real life change takes work! :)
    (and that's why we're all here, right?)
    I'm glad I have the chance to learn from wise people such as yourself.
    my family will definitely see pots & pans on my wishlist. :)
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
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    I understand not cooking, I was never a cook and that led to lots of take out and fast food, which is a good part of the reason that I need to lose weight.

    Tuna salad doesn't involve any cooking and has lots of protein and not many calories, sandwiches are a good choice especially if you add a lot of lettuce or spinach to help fill you up, I get the store brand light wheat bread which only has 80 calories and 20 carbs for 2 pieces or I use whole wheat pita pockets. Low sodium canned soups are also a good choice and you can microwave those and you can usually get it for around $1 a can. Raw fruit is also good for a snack.
  • tessava
    tessava Posts: 2 Member
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    Hush one suggestion that might help with meal planning. There are lots of great ten minute recipes on the internet. I usually try to set aside about an hour a week cooking about four or five little meals with atleast two portions. I put them in freezer bags, label them, and put them into the freezer. If you are worried about what to eat at lunch time grab one on your way out the door and throw it in the fridge at work until it is lunch time.

    Before you start looking for recipes sit down for a few minutes and think about the kinds of food that you like and make a short list. After you have your list go to one or two of the recipe cites that list out calories and other nutritional facts and then just start browsing. For instance if you find a recipe that is say chicken carbonara but you don't want all of the calories and fat you can subsitute fat free sodium free chicken broth. You can use wheat pasta or gluteon free in place of enriched pasta. Instead of bacon you can use a little bit of turkey bacon in it's place. Just kind of think of it that way. Then when you package it for the freezer measure it out into 1 cup portions.

    Most often I tell people not to look at the scale every day but in my case I have a scale that measures digitally with decimal points. I am losing it very very slowly too but I hop on the scale each morning to see if I am keeping up a weight loss of .2 to .3 pounds per day. That is a healthy number so if you think of it that way it is still only about two pounds a week but it's better to do it this way. It means you are making life changes and not just dieting. Besides exercise remember to do things like park at the far end of the parking lot and get an extra 100 or so steps into your day. You will be suprised at how every little bit adds up.

    Just remember you can't force the weight loss but you can manage it. Don't let the frustration get you down. You can do it making new life choices! :happy:
  • vwbug86
    vwbug86 Posts: 283 Member
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    Breakfast cereal with as much fiber as possible. Take the sugar amount in a serving and subtract the fiber amt. This will tell you how much sugar you are really eating in the cereal. The less the better. Throw in some blueberries or whatever fruit is cheaper and that you like. Do not get granola. It is a fattener.
    Low fat string cheese is a good snack. Weight watcher's has a good one.
    A tablespoon of chopped walnuts or one ounce (1/8 cup) of any nut that you like.
    Peanut butter is good with or without apple slices.
    Lunch: a slice of ham or turkey or chicken without skin. I like to bake skinless chicken with lemon pepper for 30 minutes on 350 degrees. Add a little salad or greek yogurt with splenda and fruit.
    just some ideas


    String cheese is an awesome idea! So are nuts. Are almonds good, too?
    Thank you for your input!

    Almonds are a supper food! They are some of the best nuts out there and they are amazing!
    Also If you are missing chips Terra chips are a great option. They are made out of root veggies like beets, taro root, and sweet potatoes. They are tasty and have more nutritional value than regular chips.

    My favorite quick Breakfast/Snack are Celery and Peanut butter, English muffin, Laughing Cow Cheese, Greek Yogurt, Carrot sticks, Cheese, Terra Chips, and Bananas.
  • Achoooo
    Achoooo Posts: 130
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    you mentioned you were worried about too many carbs from bread?
    I too figured I must be on carb overload!
    If you have your diary set to track carbs, this can help. I have mine set to track carbs and when I log everything, I was really surprised. turns out I'm under my carb allotment everyday. maybe you can utilize that tool to check that you aren't getting too much?
    I eat bread everyday, heh heh.... seriously I'm not gonna live in a word without bread :)
    I did switch to whole wheat and I am trying not to eat more than my 2 slices for my sandwich. Its hard i could go for another one hehe! But I'm glad to know I'm not overdoing it on carbs afterall.
    Good luck and hope you are doing well!
  • SmashleeWpg
    SmashleeWpg Posts: 566 Member
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    Oh man! It's sad to see you write that it's easier to just not eat. I definitely understand where you're coming from, but with a little elbow grease and research there is a whole world out there of speedy, delicious and healthful meals!! I can sympathize with you because I myself work full-time, part-time, and study part-time. Paired with volleyball classes, book club, my sewing obsession, and family and friends, it certainly is hard to find the time to fuel our bodies properly! But, we owe it to ourselves and it's great to hear that you're trying, and want to learn. I don't know if anyone has suggested it, but the Eat Clean Diet is a really great resource for quick easy recipes (make extra and you've got leftovers for the next day!) that are wholesome and nutritious. If you're in a pinch, Lara Bars make great grab and go snacks, as do a handful of nuts, some veggies (but don't just limit yourself to carrots - think pepper slices, celery, broccoli, cauliflower...) with a lil hummus they're a refreshing choice.

    Quinoa is an awesome grain and takes 15 minutes to cook from start to finish. It's lovely hot as a side dish, for breakfast the next day with a lil yogurt, honey and fresh fruit mixed in, or even cold as a salad... honestly there are so many amazing things that are quick and healthy, I could type all night!

    You're headed in the right direction, so keep it up and good luck :)

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