No clue what I'm doing! Please help:(

misslynn4 · March 2017

Hi! I'm looking to lose around 100 lbs and I don't even know where to start! I'm busy with a toddler all day and find it hard to take time for myself. Before I got pregnant I managed to lose about 70lbs just by controlling my portions and trying to make healthier choices, but Ive gained it all back. Breastfeeding made me so hungry all the time in the beginning and now im having a very hard time cutting my portions back down and I find I have very little time for preparing or eating so I'm just going for fast and easy foods.
I've tried teaching myself how to eat healthy by researching online but there is so much information, I don't know where to start and I get very overwhelmed.
I don't even really know what else to write, I just need some help to become a healthier person for myself and for my daughter! I want to be able to teach her how to take care of her body and eat healthy but how can I do that when I don't even know how to take care of my own!

kommodevaran · March 2017

Healthy eating isn't that complicated. It just seems complicated because you feel overwhelmed, maybe even scared, right now. So first, relax and take a deep breath.

Understand that just losing weight will benefit your health tremendously. Then, understand that all you need to do to lose weight, is to consistently eat a little less. Understanding these two things can make it easier for you to calm down enough to get focused.

Then let's get to work. Going for "fast and easy" may be the main reason you're struggling with portion control. Real food takes time and effort, but it will also nourish you - and it's not necessarily going to be any more work or time than fast and easy, just different. You'll have to plan your meals and your shopping, and cook more from scratch. You don't have to do anything elaborate. Pick a protein, a starch, and a vegetable, and you have dinner. A sandwich and a glass of milk, with a fruit/veg on the side, is a perfectly fine lunch.

Eating with your child will be beneficial for you both - you will have company and learn good eating habits. Don't expect to be "perfect", there is no such thing. Just use your food preferences and the feedback your body gives you to guide you towards good choices.

estherdragonbat · March 2017

First thing is to feed your data into MFP and get your calorie allotment. Once you have that, eating healthy is great, but so long as you are in a deficit, the weight will come off.

The foods that keep you satiated can vary from person to person. Many people swear by high-protein low-carb. I'm vegetarian and, while I've upped my protein, carbs are my comfort and most of my protein sources (beans, lentils, whole grains) contain carbs too. As do fruits and veggies.

Fast and easy breakfasts can be built around oatmeal, Greek yogurt, and/or eggs. My own go-to is one 6-oz container of Greek yogurt over 1 cup of red seedless grapes, with a granola bar (i.e. 1/2 of a Nature Valley 2-bar pack) crumbled on top.

My lunch is often a salad that uses 1/2 cup of corn and a sliced veggie dog as a base, adding in a bunch of raw vegetables, like tomato, cucumber, onion, etc and tossing it all with salsa, vegan sour cream, and sweet pickle relish. If I'm on the go, though, I might throw something into a flour tortilla. Adding fruits and vegetables to your meal will help keep you fuller. (If you're having a chicken sandwich, try adding lettuce, tomato, and shredded carrot, for example.)

You said you don't have much prep time. Is there one day where you can make a large batch of something like soup or lasagne and freeze it in individual portions?

Commercially-prepared frozen foods are often higher in sodium, but they're quick and convenient.

Tips:

1. The closer your eating choices are to what you plan to eat after you lose the weight, the more sustainable your weight-loss will be. In other words, there are no "bad" foods. There are foods that you may want to save for special occasions, or when you want a treat. But don't tell yourself, for example, that you're not going to have cake until you reach goal. Or that you're giving up fast food. A treat does not have to be a cheat. I plan my indulgences and fit them into my calories for the day. I have 1520 calories to play with. And if I choose to use 300 of them to have a piece of cake at my nephew's birthday, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I have a lighter supper than I would if I weren't having the cake, but so long as I am eating less than I'm burning off, I will lose weight.
2. When you exercise, MFP will give you more calories to play with. Most people will tell you that the calorie burns are over-estimated. It's wise to eat some of them back, but not all. Generally 25-50% is good.
3. Measuring cups are for liquids. They can be very inaccurate for dry measures. Kitchen scales are better. (Ideally, grams rather than ounces). Having said that, I think you noticed I talked about "a cup" of seedless grapes. I'm not perfect. Also, like you, I have quite a bit to lose. I was 124lbs overweight when I started. Now, 85. With this much to lose, accuracy isn't as vital. However, as we get into the home stretch, the last 10-15 pounds are, from what I've gleaned from other posts, the hardest. And at that point, accurate measure could make all the difference. But I've always used measuring cups before, so far, I am losing weight, and bad habits are hard to break. If/when I plateau, that's going to be the first thing I try to change.

Finally, my diary is open. I'm not going to pretend I'm perfect. I'm not. But feel free to look if you want ideas. Friend me. Friend other people. And hopefully, you'll get an idea of the stuff we're eating and maybe that'll help you figure out what to put on your own plate.

You can do this.

ccsernica · March 2017

If what you're primarily trying to do is lose weight, that's easy in theory. Just eat less. There are no magic combinations of macronutrients that will bring you to perfection and no poison foods that will ruin you irredeemably. You just need to eat fewer calories than you burn in a day, and you will lose weight. If all you have time or energy for is fast and easy, then eat fast and easy. Just eat less of it. Get onto MFP, input your stats and an estimate of your activity level (if you're chasing a toddler around all day you're at least "lightly active") and tell it how fast you want to lose weight. It will tell you how many calories you eat. Then log what you eat -- EVERYTHING you eat. The app makes that simple to do if you're on the go. Even if you go over your calories at first, this will give you a good idea of where and how much you need to cut back.

Do that and the weight will come off. Not all at once, and not in a straight line, but it will happen.

Eating healthy has its own benefits, but it's very hard to change everything about your eating at once. In your place I'd start with how much. Over time, I'd work on develop healthier habits (which I bet will become miraculously easier in a couple of years once your child turns 5 and enters kindergarten) but in my view one thing at a time is more manageable.

BonnieDundee78 · March 2017

All of the above is excellent advice - plus here's a little dollop of tough love: lots of MFP users are dealing with babies, toddlers and young kids (some brave souls seems to have a whole posse of young 'uns) but if they're committed to losing weight, they don't use it as an excuse.

Use your network (partner, parents, siblings, friends, daycare) to MAKE time for yourself. Giving yourself a few hours a week to plan your meals, and batch cook in advance can make a massive difference.

choctaw529 · March 2017

Congratulations on joining MFP. I agree with the others before me but also strongly encourage you to speak to your own physician for advice. He/she would be a good place to start. There is so much out there and it can be confusing and you may have to try more than one change. Maybe gluten free or vegan is for you or perhaps high protein no carb. I am using the low GI (glycemic index) "diet", as recommended by my doctor and am having more success now than anything else I have tried. Also, having a baby or children is stressful all by itself. If you have a husband, bf, partner, or even a bff, ask them to help w/meal preparation. My son & his fiancee shop on Sunday and prepare as much as possible for the week and they have four children and demanding jobs. Please feel free to friend me. I would love to give you more advice and words of encouragement. I wish you the very best.

snowflake954 · March 2017

There is a group of mothers with small children on here and they'll have the best advice. All of the above is great. First--plug your stats into MFP and get your daily calorie goal. Once you have that get a digital food scale and weigh and measure everything you eat and drink. Try to stay within your calorie goal every day. Eating "healthy" is a huge craze right now, and it's a great thing to do, but for now, just worry about hitting your calories. Be consistent and patient and you will do fine. Best.

kommodevaran · March 2017

choctaw529 wrote: »

Congratulations on joining MFP. I agree with the others before me but also strongly encourage you to speak to your own physician for advice. He/she would be a good place to start. There is so much out there and it can be confusing and you may have to try more than one change. Maybe gluten free or vegan is for you or perhaps high protein no carb.

Doctors rarely know anything about nutrition. The OP is already more than enough confused. Please don't add even more faddy diet advice

misslynn4 · March 2017

Thankyou so much for all of the replies! If anyone would like to add me, that would be awesome! I need the support. I was never taught how to eat healthy, I grew up eating complete junk!
I like the idea of meal prepping on weekends! I never even thought of that. I think the hardest thing for me with eating healthy is just not knowing what to eat. I need to make a meal plan, but I don't know what to put on it!
I can be pretty picky with food and hesitant to try new things. I know I need to get over this.
So far my plan is to try smoothies with fruit and veg for breakfast! I currently eat two pieces of peanut butter toast, a banana if I have some and a glass of milk. I use light rye bread..I'm not sure if that's healthy or not?
Lunch is usually leftovers from dinner the night before or some soup and crackers. I plan on changing this to salads or wraps.
Dinner and late night snacks is where I need the most help. During the day my appetite is barely there but at night I'm almost constantly hungry until I go to bed.
Counting calories can be confusing sometimes! I make a chicken stew in the crockpot, but I have no idea how to tell how many calories it is or if it's even healthy? I usually just assume home made=healthy. And then I read how much sodium was in one can of cream of chicken soup!!! I switched to low sodium after that lol
Or if I'm making chicken stir fry, how do I tell how many calories? Idk how much sauce I'm getting if everything is mixed in together?

kommodevaran · March 2017

misslynn4 wrote: »

Thankyou so much for all of the replies! If anyone would like to add me, that would be awesome! I need the support. I was never taught how to eat healthy, I grew up eating complete junk!

Having an idea that healthy eating is a thing, but not knowing what it is, can be frustrating. But frustration can be a good thing. You can learn, if you are willing.

I like the idea of meal prepping on weekends! I never even thought of that. I think the hardest thing for me with eating healthy is just not knowing what to eat. I need to make a meal plan, but I don't know what to put on it!

Meal prepping and meal planning are two different things, and you usually start with a plan. You plan what you want to eat.

I can be pretty picky with food and hesitant to try new things. I know I need to get over this.

We humans are hesitant to try new things, that's how we are. Just keep an open mind. Maybe aim to try one new fruit or vegetable per week? Google recipes and find one you want to try. Incorporate new ingredients into meals you already like.

So far my plan is to try smoothies with fruit and veg for breakfast! I currently eat two pieces of peanut butter toast, a banana if I have some and a glass of milk. I use light rye bread..I'm not sure if that's healthy or not?
Lunch is usually leftovers from dinner the night before or some soup and crackers. I plan on changing this to salads or wraps.

You don't have to change everything at once - the more change, the harder to keep up. And even more so, unnecessary changes, and changing into somethign you don't really fancy. You need some sort of idea of "healthy eating" that will answer all your questions of whether this or that is healthy or not. I like the concept of "food groups" as a base for that idea: Different foods have different nutrients in different amounts and proportions, and we need a wide range of nutrients every day. A variety of foods from every food group will thus provide us with what we need. Similar foods can be grouped based on their nutritional profile - I like to divide foods into these seven groups: 1) Fruit, 2) Vegetables, 3) Grains and starchy vegetables, 4) Meat, fish, eggs, pulses, 5) Dairy, 6) Nut and seeds, 7) Fat and oils. Having some food from several food groups for each meal, is a good idea. That's also how we usually like to eat.

Dinner and late night snacks is where I need the most help. During the day my appetite is barely there but at night I'm almost constantly hungry until I go to bed.

Schedule meals to fit your natural appetite pattern. Decide whether snacking makes it easier or harder for you to stick to a reasonable amount of calories.

Counting calories can be confusing sometimes! I make a chicken stew in the crockpot, but I have no idea how to tell how many calories it is or if it's even healthy? I usually just assume home made=healthy.

You use the recipe builder. You weigh and log each ingredient, then MFP calculates the total amount of calories. You then either divide the stew into servings of your choice, or weigh the stew and log one gram as one serving. Then MFP will calculate the right calories when you weigh out your portion and log it in your food diary.
Home made, as in balanced meals - when you hit your macro goals for the day, you're eating balanced - made from single food ingredients - foods that belong to one of the food groups - will be healthy.

And then I read how much sodium was in one can of cream of chicken soup!!! I switched to low sodium after that lol

Unless you have a reason to watch sodium, you could just ignore that.

Or if I'm making chicken stir fry, how do I tell how many calories? Idk how much sauce I'm getting if everything is mixed in together?

Use the recipe builder as mentioned above. If you're eating the whole thing, it doesn't matter if you're getting more sauce on day 1 and less on day 2, it evens out.

Pooshka2 · March 2017

misslynn4 wrote: »

Thankyou so much for all of the replies! If anyone would like to add me, that would be awesome! I need the support. I was never taught how to eat healthy, I grew up eating complete junk!
I like the idea of meal prepping on weekends! I never even thought of that. I think the hardest thing for me with eating healthy is just not knowing what to eat. I need to make a meal plan, but I don't know what to put on it!
I can be pretty picky with food and hesitant to try new things. I know I need to get over this.
So far my plan is to try smoothies with fruit and veg for breakfast! I currently eat two pieces of peanut butter toast, a banana if I have some and a glass of milk. I use light rye bread..I'm not sure if that's healthy or not?
Lunch is usually leftovers from dinner the night before or some soup and crackers. I plan on changing this to salads or wraps.
Dinner and late night snacks is where I need the most help. During the day my appetite is barely there but at night I'm almost constantly hungry until I go to bed.
Counting calories can be confusing sometimes! I make a chicken stew in the crockpot, but I have no idea how to tell how many calories it is or if it's even healthy? I usually just assume home made=healthy. And then I read how much sodium was in one can of cream of chicken soup!!! I switched to low sodium after that lol
Or if I'm making chicken stir fry, how do I tell how many calories? Idk how much sauce I'm getting if everything is mixed in together?

MFP has a great recipe program! Just plug all of the ingredients (except water, no calories) and the number of servings, and the program will display the number of calories per serving (and remember, when making the dish, measure and weigh to the tee!). As you become familiar with the recipes and become more comfortable with cooking, you can make your own revisions ~ you can just go in and modify the recipe.

Some recipes tell the number of servings, others don't. And, even if the number of servings are noted, they don't say the size (cups, ounces, or grams) of a serving. It's easy to divide a casserole into x servings, especially if it's in a flat, rectangular baking dish.

Accurately dividing soup into x servings is a challenge, though. What I do is pour the whole batch into a large measuring bowl and divide the total number of cups by the number of servings to arrive at serving size. Or, I consider a serving to be one cup, so I figure the total number of cups is the total number of servings in the recipe.

Another easy way to cut calories or eat healthier is to substitute: Air popped corn instead of microwave; brown rice instead of white; plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream; whole grain bread instead of white; skim (or 1%) milk instead of whole or 2% (although I think your toddlers need the extra fat in the milk).

Starting your journey can be daunting, it was for all of us. It's going to take effort to plan, measure, weigh, and track, but in the end it will be well worth it. You'll have ups and downs, successes and letdowns. But you've got a wealth of information (recipes) out there and support from a lot of people who will cheer your successes and talk you through your let downs.

It'll take time, perhaps upwards of a year or two, for you to steadily lose that excess weight and become a lighter, healthier you. Treat each day as the first day of your journey, and think about a year from now in a year, not now.

macgurlnet · March 2017

If you're looking for recipe ideas, check out skinnytaste.com and budgetbytes.com - lots of calorie & money friendly dishes in both of those places!

Log your food here and evaluate how you feel after certain things. If you find something leaves you feeling hungry, you may need to swap out that food for something else. I find I do pretty well with a combination of fiber and fat as snacks - things like a half servings of nuts + popcorn are good for me.

Best wishes!

~Lyssa

estherdragonbat · March 2017

Just sent you a friend request.

No clue what I'm doing! Please help:(

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