How do I do this weight loss thing?

caraeo
caraeo Posts: 1 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I feel so stupid when it comes to foods to eat and foods to avoid. Plus I love food. My husband and I are both good cooks. I don't like seafood....believe me, I have tried it all, but don't like it. I just don't know how/what to cook that the kids will eat and that is healthy? I know that sounds stupid, but it is the truth. Every website gives you different no foods and there doesn't seem to be an owners manual on this. Does anyone have any good food ideas? What to avoid? I greatly appreciate it!!

Replies

  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    Eat food you like but maintain a reasonable deficit. Weigh your food and if you cook it put it in the recipe builder. Log your food correctly. Don't buy into fads or that certain foods are bad. It really is that easy
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,165 Member
    It's actually easier if you like to cook. You can try different recipes and learn techniques to maximize flavour without adding tons of calories.
    Figure out what you like to eat and how you can make that work within your calorie goal. Sometimes you learn that certain foods just aren't worth the calorie cost and you can live without them, or eat much less of them.
    Healthy doesn't have to be complicated. Eat a variety of whole foods, add some foods you enjoy and you are pretty good to go.
  • TxTiffani
    TxTiffani Posts: 799 Member
    Eat less of the calorie dense foods and bulk up meals with veggies. Most veggies are super low cal so you can eat ALOT! I like to eat a lot of volume so veggies save me and my appetite;) If I still feel kind of hungry or munchy after I eat then I will do raw veg with Italian dressing or an apple chopped into slices and that will do the job for very little cals:)
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Have you had a chance yet to read any of the Most Helpful Posts ( must reads ) stickied at the top of each forum section? There's some great info there, especially on the Getting Started and General Diet boards.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

    And

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-general-diet-and-weight-loss-help-must-reads#latest

    The basics are:

    Eat foods that you like in portion sizes that fit your goals.

    Get plenty of fats & protein for health and satiety.

    Get plenty of fruits & veggies for the micronutrients.

    Fill in the rest of your calories with carbs, sweets, and treats as you see fit.

    You may find as you progress that there are some foods you don't consider worth the calories, but that's going to be highly individual. Start logging for a few days and make changes as you go along until you find what works best for you.

    Do some exercise if you can. And some kind of resistance or strength training if you can. Any movement can help, so pick whatever program or activity you enjoy.
  • RobD520
    RobD520 Posts: 420 Member
    Avoid avoiding foods whenever possible.

    I love seafood. But other proteins that worked for me included:

    Flank steak, New York strip, filet, ribeye, ground chuck, beef short ribs, bottom round, chuck roast, bone-in pork chops, pork loin, pork tenderloin, pork shoulder, prosciutto, bacon, chicken (in many forms and recipes), lamb chops, leg of lamb, ground lamb, turkey...etc


    Just get a digital food scale, weigh your portions, and eat what you and your family like within your alotted deficit.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,488 Member
    Eat what every one likes. Just eat smaller portions that will fit within your calorie goal. You don't need special foods.

    Get yourself a digital scale and liquid measuring cups and weigh all solids, measure liquids. This is the most accurate way of doing it. As you cook a lot yourself when entering an item, chicken breasts, put a USDA after it that means the information has come from the USDA site and is most reliable. But do compare information.

    It is a learning curve so just concentrate on logging your food accurately.
    Then work to massaging things so you are within your calorie goal.
    Then start looking at your macros, protien is the most important, treat the MFP goal as a minimum, then fat, carbs are last and just fill up your calories.

    Everyone has different ways of eating, and different things that keep them full, find what yours are.

    Make your calorie deficit one that you can live with it can be as low as .5 or as high as 2 lbs if you have a lot to lose.

    MFP is set up for you to eat your exercise calories back. It is worth doing that right from the start it helps reduce burn out and lethargy and helps with stamina. Eat 50-75% and adjust so you are losing at your goal rate after a month or two.

    Cheers, h.
  • RobD520
    RobD520 Posts: 420 Member
    I would add I LOVE cooking light magazine. They have many excellent recipes that are filling nc low calorie.
  • dmt4641
    dmt4641 Posts: 409 Member
    edited July 2016
    Calories are king, there are no special foods you NEED to eat or not eat to lose weight. Some people start worrying about macros and micronutrients but start with the basics of tracking calories.

    I love skinnytaste.com, cooking light and eating well for family friendly recipes. For example, this week we are eating mini meatloafs with potato wedges and veg (eating well), turkey meatballs (skinny taste) and baked chicken parmesan (skinnytaste). All are kid friendly, "normal" foods that fit within my calorie and macro goals but my kids and non-dieting husband like them. Look around on those sites and find some foods your family already likes but has been made lower calorie.
  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
    I agree with the other posters. You don't have to give up any foods you like. That's probably the worst thing you can do don't look at this as a diet look at this is a lifestyle change. When your on a diet you're miserable you give up stuff that you enjoy and it'll never work.

    To put things in perspective since January 1st I've lost approximately 70 pounds. During that time I haven't given up anything I like I still enjoy the occasional Wendy's hamburger one or two slices of pizza or beer on the beach. If I had to give those things up I would have never succeeded.

    As crazy as it sounds it's just a matter of eating less calories than your body Burns. Plug your information and goals in City app and just follow the guidelines it will work. It worked for me and I haven't been miserable at all
  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
    I meant the MFP app
  • realcalm
    realcalm Posts: 63 Member
    I don't mind avoiding donuts, pizza, etc, but I make a rule that I will not not not eat anything that does not taste good to me. And some surprising thing are amazingly delicious. Dole sunrise grapefruit cups. Oikos triple zero yogurt - vanilla. Red bell pepper pieces with light ranch veggie dip. Raisins. Local blueberries in my Cheerios. Find your bliss, haha!
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