Resignation....

Here is one of my faves. Low cal, low carb, high fiber, high protein chicken wrap
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/staciekins/view/low-cal-low-carb-gaucamole-chicken-wrap-99247

I'm an extremely picky eater too. EXTREMELY. I generally only eat the stuff that I know I like and it is very hard to get me to try new things.

The best thing to do is experiment. "Healthy" foods aren't as gross as they used to be. A lot of them are actually quite good and being that they're good for you too.

Brown rice is way better than white rice for you. I only eat Uncle Ben's brown rice because it, to me, tastes better.

If you don't like whole wheat bread, try whole grain white. It is better than white, but tastes more like white.

You have to just go out and try stuff.

It's hard to enjoy healthy foods for me too sometimes. I recently picked up a Betty Crocker 300 meals under 300 calories cookbook. It's a lot of real food made so that it's lower calorie. Basically the recipes taste like you are eating real food not the pages of the book. There are also a lot of cookbooks that "make-over" comfort foods or unhealthy things that you crave. You have to be realistic, you can't cut out every food you like and live on carrots. It's just not possible. Find a way to make the things you do like healthier and stay active. Slowly try to add healthier things to your routine and do the best you can!

I'm a pretty picky eater myself. And of course all the "good" stuff is good because it's loaded with cals, fat, sugar, whatever. I just decided to branch out and just start trying new things. I'm using the show Take Home Chef as inspiration and trying some of the recipes he does. There's also a website my hubby's friend introduced us to that has some awesome recipes: allrecipes.com. There's an awesome tilapia recipe we just tried a couple days ago (trying to like fish is one of my "branching out" attempts). We both loved it so much, we made it 2 days in a row! If you don't like eating veggies plain, or want to cut down on the butter/salt/whatever you normally put on them, try mixing them into things. When we make pasta, I'm always mixing in broccoli, or zucchini, or yellow squash, or something to add the veggies but "hide" them in the good stuff. Good luck! You can do it!

I first want to start out by saying... HANG IN THERE!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!! I like to look at things as it doesn't matter what did or ate yesterday... when you wake up today, it's a new day. Everyday we have a chance to make it different from what we did the last. As far as food... you can eat the same "bad" foods you like, it's just all about how you prepare them. I love chicken, burgers, steak etc... Instead of preparing them the way as before, try grilling or using a george foreman grill that gets rid of a lot of the fat and grease but leaves it tasting awesome!! To add taste and volume to veggies, grill them. I cut up some yellow squash, zucchini and green peppers, tossed in a little extra virgin olive oil, salt'/pepper and threw them on the grill. They were super yummy. Try different types of fish. I LOVE tiplapia (it's a very mild, non-fishy fish) and also tastes great grilled.

I understand what you're going through... i'm there too. I want to be able to chase my kiddos and not be fat. I graduated high school in 1998 and I've gained 120 pounds and I'm sick of it. WE can do this... Let's make a promise that from this moment on... we will NOT let food control us, but we will control it!!! Hang in there and let me know if I can be of any help. I just started my change this week and already feel great.


Lecia

It might be good to know what are some of the foods you like. A lot of favorite dishes can be modified for more healthier alternatives. Also, one thing I've learned is that some foods we healthy foods we dislike (in particular, vegetables) is due to how poorly they were prepared the first few times we had them. A change in cooking technique combined iwth use of the right seasonings might make something more palatable. It's not necessarily taste, as texture is a factor in how we determine what we like or dislike.

friend me / check out my diary!!!

I felt the same way until I woke up and felt like a ton...(I was 414pounds)
So, I came to the conclusion that food is for nurishment....If I wanted to indulge (alittle) I have to excersize more/drink more h2o....
But I will not deprive myself....take alittle and walk away - do something to distract yourself from it.......
before you know it you wont be touching it at all....

I always ask myself am I hungry??
Did I eat 20minutes or less already...
I always have a protein bar in my bag - so I have something to nibble on
( So, I dont get starved and eat everything in sight later)

If you want it - you'll do it.... slow and steady....
You can do it!!!

Take care, Joey

Don't give up sweetie!! Think about your daughter and your ultimate goal... visualize it and you will be able to attain it. I love fatty foods too and sometimes I cave in too, but when I do cave in and have some chocolate I make sure to go extra hard in the gym. Work out, drink lots of water and believe me, your cravings for all those 'bad' foods will diminish. You can do this!!!!

Love the pic with you and your daughter!!!

I first want to start out by saying... HANG IN THERE!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!! I like to look at things as it doesn't matter what did or ate yesterday... when you wake up today, it's a new day. Everyday we have a chance to make it different from what we did the last. As far as food... you can eat the same "bad" foods you like, it's just all about how you prepare them. I love chicken, burgers, steak etc... Instead of preparing them the way as before, try grilling or using a george foreman grill that gets rid of a lot of the fat and grease but leaves it tasting awesome!! To add taste and volume to veggies, grill them. I cut up some yellow squash, zucchini and green peppers, tossed in a little extra virgin olive oil, salt'/pepper and threw them on the grill. They were super yummy. Try different types of fish. I LOVE tiplapia (it's a very mild, non-fishy fish) and also tastes great grilled.

I understand what you're going through... i'm there too. I want to be able to chase my kiddos and not be fat. I graduated high school in 1998 and I've gained 120 pounds and I'm sick of it. WE can do this... Let's make a promise that from this moment on... we will NOT let food control us, but we will control it!!! Hang in there and let me know if I can be of any help. I just started my change this week and already feel great.


Lecia

DITTO!!!!!

Try to make healthier versions of the foods that you like. Use low fat cheeses, whole wheat grains, low fat dairy, lean meats, artificial sweeteners (I can just hear the people getting ready to flame me for that one), decrease the sodium. If you love pizza, make it with low fat cheese, whole wheat crust, turkey pepperoni and whatver veggies you like. If you like burgers, use ground turkey and fat free mayo and low fat cheese, if you like pasta, use whole grain pasta. If you love dessert, stick to ONE a day and make it a lower cal choice--like skinny cow ice cream. Just try really hard to take each thing you like ingredient by ingredient and make better choices for each ingredient. Then, overall, the entire dish will be healthier. :drinker:

Since you've gotten some great suggestions on food substitutions, here's another form of substitution that I think will benefit you even more.

Instead of:
"I'm resigned. I'll just be one of those people who is overweight forever."
Try:
"I'm committed to this weight loss journey. It won't come overnight, but I can break up with my fat, one good decision at a time. I will get there."

Instead of:
"I won't like it. It's healthy." (This is usually fear of the unknown talking.)
Try:
"I get a chance to try something new! I bet I can find something to like about (fill-in-the-food)."

A lot of weight loss is a giant head game. Have you looked in the mirror and taken some time to envision what you're body might look like w/o the excess weight? Or how much better you might feel? Or how much more energy you might have?

All of those things are achievable. They are NOT out of your reach (unless you decide they are).

It's a long road, but if you keep your head in the game, you can reach your goals.

Here are 3 assignments I'd suggest:

1) Navigate away from Stinkin' Thinkin' (as my dad calls it). Journal your private thoughts - even if it's just a scribble on a note pad. You journal your food here, but what about your negative, counter productive thoughts? (It's proven that happy people lose weight more quickly). For each one you write down, flip it to something that will help you with your goal. For me, I call then "break ups". For example, I hate my belly. When I start thinking down about my belly/myself (because it's part of me) I switch it to a "dear John" thought - only about my belly. Such as "Dear belly, we've had some good times. lots of laughs. You've always stretched to accomodate any new food I've thrown at you. But your time has passed. As a baby, you were cute. Now, well, I've out grown you. I understand it make take a while for this to sink in, but I just can't let you run my life anymore." Funny - I know, but it feels pretty empowering to me! Get those negative feelings about your image out on paper and AWAY from you.

2) Decide what is more important to you - short term happiness (aka eating something that fits your current taste preferences) or long term happiness (living a long, energetic, and healthy life, free from painful joints, shortness of breath, diabetes, hypertension, etc). Sometimes you can have both - like Skinny Cow, but the majority of the time you'll have to choose what best fuels your body (veggies, fruits, meats, prepared in a healthy fashion). You can not change your body without changing your habits. No change happens overnight, but every decision is a step toward (or away) from your overall goal. And you'll find as you eat cleaner and get away from bad habits, the weight WILL fall off, you'll gain energy, and your tastes will change. You'll enjoy more of the subtle flavors, and the peace of mind that you're doing something good for your body.

3) Make it an adventure! Instead of thinking of all the foods you'll miss, why not think of all the money you'll save?! Buying fresh usually turns out to be cheaper in the long run and better for your body. You consume less when you meet your body's needs and only eat when you're hungry. Make an adventure of scouring local fruit stands and Farmer's Markets! Spend time to read labels in the grocery store. Buying fresh my SEEM more expensive, but most people end up SAVING money when they don't have their trigger foods around to overeat on. Start a scrapbook full of new ideas for cooking. Whatever inspires you, do it! You deserve it!

I think fear runs the lives of far too many of us overweight folks. Fear of change - of the unknown. It's true, you could start and fail a million times before you're truly prepared to make the changes you need to make.

I have no doubt that you can do it! Start with small substitutions and tell those thoughts of failure that they are not welcome here!

Since you've gotten some great suggestions on food substitutions, here's another form of substitution that I think will benefit you even more.

Instead of:
"I'm resigned. I'll just be one of those people who is overweight forever."
Try:
"I'm committed to this weight loss journey. It won't come overnight, but I can break up with my fat, one good decision at a time. I will get there."

Instead of:
"I won't like it. It's healthy." (This is usually fear of the unknown talking.)
Try:
"I get a chance to try something new! I bet I can find something to like about (fill-in-the-food)."

A lot of weight loss is a giant head game. Have you looked in the mirror and taken some time to envision what you're body might look like w/o the excess weight? Or how much better you might feel? Or how much more energy you might have?

All of those things are achievable. They are NOT out of your reach (unless you decide they are).

It's a long road, but if you keep your head in the game, you can reach your goals.

Here are 3 assignments I'd suggest:

1) Navigate away from Stinkin' Thinkin' (as my dad calls it). Journal your private thoughts - even if it's just a scribble on a note pad. You journal your food here, but what about your negative, counter productive thoughts? (It's proven that happy people lose weight more quickly). For each one you write down, flip it to something that will help you with your goal. For me, I call then "break ups". For example, I hate my belly. When I start thinking down about my belly/myself (because it's part of me) I switch it to a "dear John" thought - only about my belly. Such as "Dear belly, we've had some good times. lots of laughs. You've always stretched to accomodate any new food I've thrown at you. But your time has passed. As a baby, you were cute. Now, well, I've out grown you. I understand it make take a while for this to sink in, but I just can't let you run my life anymore." Funny - I know, but it feels pretty empowering to me! Get those negative feelings about your image out on paper and AWAY from you.

2) Decide what is more important to you - short term happiness (aka eating something that fits your current taste preferences) or long term happiness (living a long, energetic, and healthy life, free from painful joints, shortness of breath, diabetes, hypertension, etc). Sometimes you can have both - like Skinny Cow, but the majority of the time you'll have to choose what best fuels your body (veggies, fruits, meats, prepared in a healthy fashion). You can not change your body without changing your habits. No change happens overnight, but every decision is a step toward (or away) from your overall goal. And you'll find as you eat cleaner and get away from bad habits, the weight WILL fall off, you'll gain energy, and your tastes will change. You'll enjoy more of the subtle flavors, and the peace of mind that you're doing something good for your body.

3) Make it an adventure! Instead of thinking of all the foods you'll miss, why not think of all the money you'll save?! Buying fresh usually turns out to be cheaper in the long run and better for your body. You consume less when you meet your body's needs and only eat when you're hungry. Make an adventure of scouring local fruit stands and Farmer's Markets! Spend time to read labels in the grocery store. Buying fresh my SEEM more expensive, but most people end up SAVING money when they don't have their trigger foods around to overeat on. Start a scrapbook full of new ideas for cooking. Whatever inspires you, do it! You deserve it!

I think fear runs the lives of far too many of us overweight folks. Fear of change - of the unknown. It's true, you could start and fail a million times before you're truly prepared to make the changes you need to make.

I have no doubt that you can do it! Start with small substitutions and tell those thoughts of failure that they are not welcome here!

I think I'm gonna print this out where I can read it every day. BRAVO!!!! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Thank you guys sooo much. Just from reading your responses I'm motivated to try something new TONIGHT for dinner. I'm not sure what... but I'm leaning towards some veggies on the grill. I don't really like fish... but maybe I'll try some tilapia. I've "resigned" myself to trying new things. lol

YAY!!!!! You'll LOVE the grilled veggies. If you feel like you still need butter on veggies, try the spray butter that has no calories . I was looking for a new recipe to try tonight and found one for CHICKEN AND BROWN RICE PRIMEVERA. Below is the recipe and it was AWESOME!!! Even my picky husband went on and on about how it tasted. It was easy to make and really good.


1 tbsp oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in to strips
2 cloves minced garlic
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 red pepper in strips
1/2 cup diagonally sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced yellow squash
1/4 tsp black pepper
1.5 cups uncooked brown rice
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Heat oil in the pan then add chicken and garlic. Heat until chicken is lightly brown.
Add broth, broccoli, red pepper, carrots, squash and black pepper and bring to a boil.
Stir in rice, return to a boil. Reduce to low heat, cover, simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand for 5 minutes, add parmesan cheese.

**I also added zucchini to it and it was really good.

Only 330 calories per serving. You'll love it. It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's not really and it's quick and TASTY!!!!