Eating at home! Difficult!
Replies
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Buy a huge bag of salad leaves
Fill your bowl with salad leaves then put a small portion of whatever they've cooked on top ..try to find a restaurant version of the food and guesstimate the calories
Learn to cook lower calorie versions of whatever mama is making alongside her then you can calorie count
Offer to cook for everyone...I'm sure your mother will thank you
Check skinnytaste.com for recipes0 -
I like the idea of capturing her recipes. I took a bunch of our family comfort foods a couple of years ago and adjusted them into a healthier version that was still tasty and made cookbooks for my siblings at Christmas.
Maybe if you feel something is perhaps not the healthiest option or you're worried the calorie content is too high for your personal needs you could say mom I really liked _____ do you think it would work if we used chicken instead of beef or brown rice instead of white and so on. I really think the key here is to involve the family that cooks, it's possible you guys could create magic.0 -
i want to eat at your mom's. what is she making today?
Dude, it sounds like you might need to turn down your mom's cooking if you want to make strides reaching your goal. you said it yourself, "if I'm going to be serious about having a healthier diet then I need to know what I'm putting in my body." You are going to have to put in extra effort into making your own meals for the week on weekends to fit into your busy schedule. if losing weight and getting fit were easy, we ALL would be. and, if you do want to have your mom's cooking on occassion, try to estimate the calories and you just might find that might be your only meal for the day to fit within your daily intake. good luck to you.
BTW: as a mom of 3 now older kids, i love that you mentioned that you love your mom and that she is amazing.0 -
Capt_Apollo wrote: »i love seeing posts like this, saying that because you're mexican/asian/german/whatever that your culture predominantly eats unhealthy. that is simply untrue. the people in your home eat poorly and you eat the unhealthy version of foods from your culture.
learn to cook your mom's foods... when she asks why, you say you want to learn. i think i was 19ish when i really learned how to cook.
I'm stating that we cook like the stereotype of mexicans like rice and stuff and flour tortillas so yes it is unhealthy because we eat a ton. xD Hence me trying to lose weight. Im not blaming my ethnicity but I do say its a cause.
She knows why I want to cook.0 -
iandrew124 wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »i love seeing posts like this, saying that because you're mexican/asian/german/whatever that your culture predominantly eats unhealthy. that is simply untrue. the people in your home eat poorly and you eat the unhealthy version of foods from your culture.
learn to cook your mom's foods... when she asks why, you say you want to learn. i think i was 19ish when i really learned how to cook.
I'm stating that we cook like the stereotype of mexicans like rice and stuff and flour tortillas so yes it is unhealthy because we eat a ton. xD Hence me trying to lose weight. Im not blaming my ethnicity but I do say its a cause.
She knows why I want to cook.
It's not what you're eating, it's how much you're eating. You can still eat rice and flour tortillas. Just limit your portions.0 -
Laurend224 wrote: »iandrew124 wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »i love seeing posts like this, saying that because you're mexican/asian/german/whatever that your culture predominantly eats unhealthy. that is simply untrue. the people in your home eat poorly and you eat the unhealthy version of foods from your culture.
learn to cook your mom's foods... when she asks why, you say you want to learn. i think i was 19ish when i really learned how to cook.
I'm stating that we cook like the stereotype of mexicans like rice and stuff and flour tortillas so yes it is unhealthy because we eat a ton. xD Hence me trying to lose weight. Im not blaming my ethnicity but I do say its a cause.
She knows why I want to cook.
It's not what you're eating, it's how much you're eating. You can still eat rice and flour tortillas. Just limit your portions.
there is not such thing as limiting the portion of rice, beans and flour tortillas you eat. it doesn't exist.
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Honey, don't take this the wrong way, but it sounds like you're still in the excuse phase of this journey. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way to make it work (and your mother will still love you no matter what). Turn your want power into will power. Don't say you want to eat better; say you will eat better. Take any of the suggestions above and modify them until they do work for you.
And don't take this as criticism because we've all been at the point of making excuses why it won't or can't work. You'll find your way, just keep plugging at it.0 -
Capt_Apollo wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »i love seeing posts like this, saying that because you're mexican/asian/german/whatever that your culture predominantly eats unhealthy. that is simply untrue. the people in your home eat poorly and you eat the unhealthy version of foods from your culture.
learn to cook your mom's foods... when she asks why, you say you want to learn. i think i was 19ish when i really learned how to cook.
Don't be rude. He didn't say her cooking (or his culture) was inherently unhealthy, just that he didn't always know what was in it or in what proportions. Yeah, he said maybe not the "best", but that's pretty open to interpretation.
exactly. you interpreted it one way, i interpreted it a different way.
Yeah, you interpreted in a way that was rude and judgmental. Looking from the posts, the OP has been clear as to what their issue is.
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It'd be great if you can cook for yourself. If not, eat your mom's food. Take a portion of her food. Weigh/measure it. Look in MFP for the nutritional value of a cup of rice/beans, 1 large corn tortilla, 4 oz of asada, whatever. It won't be precise, but at this point until you have total control over what you eat, approximation is still better than nothing. You do NOT need to be 100% accurate to get results.
If it turns out what you took was like 50% of your daily allotment of calories, take less next time. After a couple of weeks, or months, you'd have a pretty good grasp of how much you should take for your nutritional needs.
In the end, like several people have said. It's NOT what you eat, it's how much you eat that determines your weight gain or loss.
Good luck.0 -
I know what you mean! My only suggestions are to cook with her (so you can measure how much she is using of whatever) and to over estimate
Leave a few hundred calories unplanned every day so that you have wiggle room. If you're low at the end of the day, then you can have a treat. 0 -
Buy a bunch of bagged salads for yourself. Make sure salad fills over half of your plate, then take whatever your mom has cooked in a much smaller portion. Also good suggestions to start cooking yourself because you'll be on your own soon. Home cooking is often healthier than restaurant/take out and quality control is a zillion times better. Enjoy!0
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Another idea, go shopping with her and pick out whole grain rice, low carb/high fiber tortilla shells, leaner meats, more veggies and tell her to work her magic on them. Then you will have an idea of what goes into it and she will get to continue to make meals you can appreciate.0
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lbetancourt wrote: »Laurend224 wrote: »iandrew124 wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »i love seeing posts like this, saying that because you're mexican/asian/german/whatever that your culture predominantly eats unhealthy. that is simply untrue. the people in your home eat poorly and you eat the unhealthy version of foods from your culture.
learn to cook your mom's foods... when she asks why, you say you want to learn. i think i was 19ish when i really learned how to cook.
I'm stating that we cook like the stereotype of mexicans like rice and stuff and flour tortillas so yes it is unhealthy because we eat a ton. xD Hence me trying to lose weight. Im not blaming my ethnicity but I do say its a cause.
She knows why I want to cook.
It's not what you're eating, it's how much you're eating. You can still eat rice and flour tortillas. Just limit your portions.
there is not such thing as limiting the portion of rice, beans and flour tortillas you eat. it doesn't exist.
I must be doing something wrong then. I have no problems limiting my beans, rice, or my flour tortillas.0 -
Laurend224 wrote: »lbetancourt wrote: »Laurend224 wrote: »iandrew124 wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »i love seeing posts like this, saying that because you're mexican/asian/german/whatever that your culture predominantly eats unhealthy. that is simply untrue. the people in your home eat poorly and you eat the unhealthy version of foods from your culture.
learn to cook your mom's foods... when she asks why, you say you want to learn. i think i was 19ish when i really learned how to cook.
I'm stating that we cook like the stereotype of mexicans like rice and stuff and flour tortillas so yes it is unhealthy because we eat a ton. xD Hence me trying to lose weight. Im not blaming my ethnicity but I do say its a cause.
She knows why I want to cook.
It's not what you're eating, it's how much you're eating. You can still eat rice and flour tortillas. Just limit your portions.
there is not such thing as limiting the portion of rice, beans and flour tortillas you eat. it doesn't exist.
I must be doing something wrong then. I have no problems limiting my beans, rice, or my flour tortillas.
I think it was a joke, lol.
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I agree with the idea of filling your plate with salad or steamed veggies and add a small portion of your mom's food on top. You can also cook for yourself during the weekend and fill out a bunch of tupperware for the week.0
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I can relate. My wife makes these Cowboy Enchiladas, she uses flour tortillas instead of corn. All of the ingredients are available in the database so it's pretty easy, once you get the hang of it. Anyway, I break it down as best I can and estimate it like this:
Flour tortillas have about 130 calories and there are also calories for homemade tortillas on MFP, if your mom makes them herself. Corn tortillas are about 50 cals.
80/20 Hamburger is 80 cals per oz and one to 1 1/2 lbs is pretty normal for making a hamburger based meal. If you guess the meal has 8 "portions" you can figure 160 to 240 calories form hamburger for each "portion."
Plain pinto or black beans are about 100 per half cup. Re-fried beans can get real "heavy" very quickly because of the added fat. You've got to figure at least 150 cals per portion if she adds oil to them.
Spanish rice is harder because you have to know how much oil goes into the rice but, if you estimate 150 per half cup you should be OK.
Cooking oil is 120 cals per tablespoon. If mom deep fries anything, add about 220 cals to whatever it is.
Shredded cheese runs 100 cals per 1/4 cup.
I figure that my example enchilada dinner is at least 900 calories:
2 flour tortillas - 260
Hamburger - 200
Enchilada sauce - 40 cals
Re-fried beans - 150
rice - 150
Cheese - 100
To be sure, I'd round it up to an even 1000 calories.
This is a good educated guess and through my own experience, I trust it's accuracy. Let me know how it works for you.0 -
Maybe your mom would be interested in helping you log in what you eat. This might help her better understand what you are going through. I make the meals here, and I am a mom, and I also understand the whole thing about feeling like you are being rude by not eating mom's food or cooking your own food. That's why I think your mom will be supportive if she understands everything that you are doing. And you may be surprised to find, she may actually help you.... Just my thoughts as a mom, daughter and person trying to be more health conscious. See what happens. Good luck.0
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My next suggestion is to plan ahead and make your own food up for the week, store it in one section of the fridge with your name on it and be done with it. Then you always know what you are eating.0
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missiontofitness wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »i love seeing posts like this, saying that because you're mexican/asian/german/whatever that your culture predominantly eats unhealthy. that is simply untrue. the people in your home eat poorly and you eat the unhealthy version of foods from your culture.
learn to cook your mom's foods... when she asks why, you say you want to learn. i think i was 19ish when i really learned how to cook.
Don't be rude. He didn't say her cooking (or his culture) was inherently unhealthy, just that he didn't always know what was in it or in what proportions. Yeah, he said maybe not the "best", but that's pretty open to interpretation.
exactly. you interpreted it one way, i interpreted it a different way.
Yeah, you interpreted in a way that was rude and judgmental. Looking from the posts, the OP has been clear as to what their issue is.
what?? what is your problem??-1 -
It sounds as though you are getting good suggestions and poo-pooing all of them. If you really want to lose weight, you will find a way to deal with this issue.0
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Capt_Apollo wrote: »missiontofitness wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »i love seeing posts like this, saying that because you're mexican/asian/german/whatever that your culture predominantly eats unhealthy. that is simply untrue. the people in your home eat poorly and you eat the unhealthy version of foods from your culture.
learn to cook your mom's foods... when she asks why, you say you want to learn. i think i was 19ish when i really learned how to cook.
Don't be rude. He didn't say her cooking (or his culture) was inherently unhealthy, just that he didn't always know what was in it or in what proportions. Yeah, he said maybe not the "best", but that's pretty open to interpretation.
exactly. you interpreted it one way, i interpreted it a different way.
Yeah, you interpreted in a way that was rude and judgmental. Looking from the posts, the OP has been clear as to what their issue is.
what?? what is your problem??
My issue is that your response was incredibly rude to the OP, who specified their ethnicity so that we would know the food that is being served in the home. Not that they were implying that everything their family serves is unhealthy and calorie laden.
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I can relate. My wife makes these Cowboy Enchiladas, she uses flour tortillas instead of corn. All of the ingredients are available in the database so it's pretty easy, once you get the hang of it. Anyway, I break it down as best I can and estimate it like this:
Flour tortillas have about 130 calories and there are also calories for homemade tortillas on MFP, if your mom makes them herself. Corn tortillas are about 50 cals.
80/20 Hamburger is 80 cals per oz and one to 1 1/2 lbs is pretty normal for making a hamburger based meal. If you guess the meal has 8 "portions" you can figure 160 to 240 calories form hamburger for each "portion."
Plain pinto or black beans are about 100 per half cup. Re-fried beans can get real "heavy" very quickly because of the added fat. You've got to figure at least 150 cals per portion if she adds oil to them.
Spanish rice is harder because you have to know how much oil goes into the rice but, if you estimate 150 per half cup you should be OK.
Cooking oil is 120 cals per tablespoon. If mom deep fries anything, add about 220 cals to whatever it is.
Shredded cheese runs 100 cals per 1/4 cup.
I figure that my example enchilada dinner is at least 900 calories:
2 flour tortillas - 260
Hamburger - 200
Enchilada sauce - 40 cals
Re-fried beans - 150
rice - 150
Cheese - 100
To be sure, I'd round it up to an even 1000 calories.
This is a good educated guess and through my own experience, I trust it's accuracy. Let me know how it works for you.
Great summary! OP, if you can, use a food scale. Cups may not be the best option for most of these items, as they are solids. If she is serving rice or beans, do the best you can with the advice given above, and weigh things so you can have slightly more accurate logs.0 -
My doctor says that if you can't measure, use the My Plate method: 1/4 of your plate is meat/protein, 1/4 is starch/carbs, and 1/2 is vegetables (not fried). Is that a thing you can do?0
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missiontofitness wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »missiontofitness wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »i love seeing posts like this, saying that because you're mexican/asian/german/whatever that your culture predominantly eats unhealthy. that is simply untrue. the people in your home eat poorly and you eat the unhealthy version of foods from your culture.
learn to cook your mom's foods... when she asks why, you say you want to learn. i think i was 19ish when i really learned how to cook.
Don't be rude. He didn't say her cooking (or his culture) was inherently unhealthy, just that he didn't always know what was in it or in what proportions. Yeah, he said maybe not the "best", but that's pretty open to interpretation.
exactly. you interpreted it one way, i interpreted it a different way.
Yeah, you interpreted in a way that was rude and judgmental. Looking from the posts, the OP has been clear as to what their issue is.
what?? what is your problem??
My issue is that your response was incredibly rude to the OP, who specified their ethnicity so that we would know the food that is being served in the home. Not that they were implying that everything their family serves is unhealthy and calorie laden.
okay, whatever.0 -
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Capt_Apollo wrote: »i love seeing posts like this, saying that because you're mexican/asian/german/whatever that your culture predominantly eats unhealthy. that is simply untrue. the people in your home eat poorly and you eat the unhealthy version of foods from your culture.
learn to cook your mom's foods... when she asks why, you say you want to learn. i think i was 19ish when i really learned how to cook.
Don't be rude. He didn't say her cooking (or his culture) was inherently unhealthy, just that he didn't always know what was in it or in what proportions. Yeah, he said maybe not the "best", but that's pretty open to interpretation.
OP, good for you, starting out on this journey! I hope one day, my son is as sweet as you are to your mama. I would say, sitting with her and learning while she cooks, or helping her cook, is a great start! I would also explain to her what you are trying to do, so her feelings don't get hurt. Try to use portion control on things that are easily identifiable, like carb sides: bread, rice, tortillas, etc. And if you really have no idea what's in something, maybe try to fill up half your plate with simple fruits and vegetables or a salad. That way you can still enjoy the delicious food, but don't throw yourself off for the day. Good luck!
Thank you! And yes I have tried a couple of times but she forgets and I can't blame her for just cooking what she knows how and not knowing a recipe because she's tired and just wants too cook, eat and go to bed since she gets home at 10:30 or 11 so I can't blame her for forgetting or not having the energy. Hence, my post in this forum for ideas. xD Psh, I guess I'm sweet, I've just been raised with manners. o: Oh! Yeah, I should try that. c: Thank you! Now if only fruits and veggies weren't so dang expensive.
Thank you!0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Capt_Apollo wrote: »i love seeing posts like this, saying that because you're mexican/asian/german/whatever that your culture predominantly eats unhealthy. that is simply untrue. the people in your home eat poorly and you eat the unhealthy version of foods from your culture.
The OP didn't say his or any other culture ate unhealthily.iandrew124 wrote: »So I still currently live at home with my parent and another sibling. We are a Mexican family so our meals tend to be whatever we can throw together and well its extremely difficult logging in those foods.
Throwing meals together and difficult logging =/= unhealthy. Lot's of people cook by throwing meals together rather than from a recipe and it does make logging difficult.
You're right, it doesn't mean it isn't healthy but what would be the proper portion size so I don't eat over my caloric intake? But yyes, very difficult to log.0 -
I would suggest doing more cooking yourself. I definitely throw things together like that all the time, but after many years of cooking I have a good understanding of how much is a teaspoon, tablespoon, cup etc. of a particular ingredient. I've also developed a pretty accurate palette and can approximate things at restaurants that don't have their nutrition facts listed because I'm adventurous in my cooking. This isn't going to give you a short term solution but it's something that will help you tremendously in your journey. The best way to learn is to start cooking more!
Yes, I do cook more now than before. Thank you! . c:0 -
Buy a huge bag of salad leaves
Fill your bowl with salad leaves then put a small portion of whatever they've cooked on top ..try to find a restaurant version of the food and guesstimate the calories
Learn to cook lower calorie versions of whatever mama is making alongside her then you can calorie count
Offer to cook for everyone...I'm sure your mother will thank you
Check skinnytaste.com for recipes
Salad leaves and then random Mexican food on top. . sounds interesting as for a diet. xD
Yes I've tried to learn her cooking and am still trying.
I actually cook for my brother and I most of the time but it random when my mother cooks because she has a busy schedule.
Ooh. Thank you for telling the website. o:0 -
dawnmcneil10 wrote: »I like the idea of capturing her recipes. I took a bunch of our family comfort foods a couple of years ago and adjusted them into a healthier version that was still tasty and made cookbooks for my siblings at Christmas.
Maybe if you feel something is perhaps not the healthiest option or you're worried the calorie content is too high for your personal needs you could say mom I really liked _____ do you think it would work if we used chicken instead of beef or brown rice instead of white and so on. I really think the key here is to involve the family that cooks, it's possible you guys could create magic.
Oh dang. That's awesome. o: You should publish it so people can buy it.
But yes, ive been trying and will still try to get cooking as a family going. Schedules are hectic so hopefully we can make time when she isn't too tired so we can cook.0
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