Where to start eating healthy?

Hey only part of my post posted lol..

Pork chops in the frying pan --- these are easy and you can make enough for a few days.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/pan-fried-pork-chops-recipe

ChristianCabrera wrote: »

It's overwhelming though and I have no idea where to start. I don't know how to cook, and I'm young with a tight budget. How do I even begin to compose a shopping list? I need guidance as to where to begin. I know it's going to take work, but I want to change my life, not just the numbers.

Cooking is a lot easier than you think. For me I meal plan a week in advance (usually the Weds before) I have a bunch of recipes from Pinterest and Cookbooks that are mostly one-pot jobs or are very straight-forward.

I use the meal planner to make a shopping list (or 2 one for the beginning of the week and one for the end) of items I need and stick to that so I am not buying unnecessary items and throwing them out. I meal prep on a Sunday my work lunches for the week, my snacks (weighed out in to little tubs) and usually batch cook something (such as Thai Green Curry, Salmon Fish Cakes, Chilli, etc) that will make 3-4 portions for dinner that evening and use the rest during the week with different accompanients. I've a blog post on my take on meal planning, it may not work for you but feel free to have a read http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/tinkerbellang83/view/beginners-guide-to-meal-planning-prep-916154

Out of curiosity, why not any resistance training? Without it, you are neglecting your skeletal system. Cardio supports heart heath (which is great) but resistance/weight training supports muscle and both health, and metabolic functions.


For eating healthy, I eat a variety of items. Lots of fruits, some veggies and adequate protein (largely from meats, fish and dairy). But I also incorporate treats because you have to address the psychological component.

Great job with your success so far, for the self-awareness to recognize that a change is needed, and the willingness to make the change. It can seem overwhelming because there is SO MUCH STUFF – see @Leteca’s post. All her points are solid, but when you look at such a long list, you might think you’ll never get there. As a newbie, don’t worry about EVERYTHING. Focus on one thing. Pick one. Decide what is most important to you, and focus on that for a week. A good start would be to incorporate fruit or vegetables with every meal, if you aren’t doing that already. Frozen and canned veggies can fit within a tight budget. Steamfresh brand by Birdseye is good because the basic veggies only have water and the veg listed as ingredients – no extra salt or preservatives. Focus on that one thing you’ve chosen for a week or two, then when that has become easier, add the next thing. Maybe it’s more protein, maybe it’s water, but you pick, and add one new thing in a week. Adding the healthy eating habits in slowly will make it seem less overwhelming, and you will be building on your previous successes.

You said money is tight, so taking some paid-for cooking classes might be out of reach right now, but I bet you have friends & family that know how to cook. Ask them for help; I’m sure someone in your acquaintance would be willing to give you some basic cooking lessons to increase your skill set and confidence in the kitchen. If you learn a few basic techniques (roasting chicken, making soup or chili), you can mix and match similar ingredients as they go on sale and won’t have to always follow a recipe. Youtube videos can be a backup to learn basic cooking in case you do not have someone in your life that can teach you hands-on. Hands-on is always better though.

Meal planning can help once you get the cooking skills. Crockpots are a lifesaver because it’s really hard to mess those meals up. Whether you meal plan & prep or not, sitting down with the grocery ads and buying based on sales will save you money and go a long way toward eating healthier on a budget. As an example, if chicken is BOGO, buy two, cook one & freeze one for later. On a week where there are no sales, you can defrost & cook the frozen one and never have to pay full price for it.

We all started where you are, no one goes from zero to 60 with healthy eating and sustains it for very long. Good luck!

I'm a big believer in keeping things as simple as possible, which is a more realistic and sustainable approach. No need to make drastic changes or change everything in a day (or month or even a year). Start with easy adjustments that you'll be able to do long term.

Suggestions:

-start eating oats 1-2 times a week. Oats are nutrient dense and are a good base for other things like fruit. It's also fairly low calories (2 servings is 300 calories-throw in a banana and you have a meal around 400 calories).

-switch to whole grain bread/sprouted grains bread. This is one of my new things and I can get sprouted grains bread at Aldi for $3 a loaf and 2 slices is 120 calories, 4g of fiber and 6g of protein. I toast it and then use low calorie cheese spread (25 calories a triangle) to 'butter' it. I've also started adding a fried egg, to get in even more protein.

-start eating fish 1+ times a week. Fish has so many health benefits and it can be a low fuss meal. I buy frozen salmon and tilapia, defrost (they come individually wrapped so I just put one serving in a sink of warm water for a few minutes to thaw), and then I bake it at 400 degrees for around 20 minutes. Throw on some lemon pepper seasoning and serve with tartar sauce

-and then slowly start adding veggies. No need to go crazy when you're just starting out, but things like mini-sweet bell peppers taste great with a bit if dip. Or add some frozen California blend veggies to rice and chicken dishes (white instant rice, canned chicken, a bag of California Blend veggies and Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet n' Sour sauce all mixed together is a quick, filling meal). If you eat pre-packaged meals like Lean Cuisines you can add frozen veggies to give them more bulk/nutrients.

One of the things that helped me a lot when I was younger and also working 10 hour days, was having a crock pot. You can have healthy, great-tasting meals that take little to no experience in cooking. You can find tons of recipes out there that you can spread out for several days if you are on a budget as well. Keep up the work, I believe in ya.

Leteca wrote: »

I'll tell you few things I've changed that helped me lose more than 100 pounds and maintaining my weight.

I eat minimally processed foods - I don't eat store bought stuff like dips, dressings, microwave dinners, cake mixes, etc. I make everything I can HOMEMADE. That way I control ingredients I use.
I eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and I eat seasonally.
I consume only healthy fats - extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, etc..
I don’t eat processed meats (salami, store bought sausages, pâté, etc.).
I don’t consume refined sugars and white flour produce.
I eat high-quality lean protein (chicken, turkey meat, tuna, etc.) NO PORK and watch the intake of unnecessary fats (for example, I drink low-fat cow's milk, eat cottage cheese, I remove chicken skin etc.).
I eat whole wheat produce that is full of fibers and enriched with other nutrients (whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta...)
I prepare my own meals. That way I control what I put in our body.
I use a lot of spices that contribute to my health – ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, etc.
I don’t drink store bought soda drinks and juices.
I eat healthy homemade snacks (energy balls, trail mixes..).
I prepare my own desserts made from healthy ingredients (whole wheat flour, healthy coconut oil instead of margarine or butter, honey or syrup instead of white refined sugar).
I eat several smaller but well-balanced meals a day.
I eat mindfully.
I’m active. I do a lot of daily walking. I practice yoga and run.

I don't restrict myself - when I feel hunger, I EAT! BUT I eat "smart" ... I eat HEALTHY food - mostly fresh and seasonal.

Healthy eating doesn't have to be expensive. I'm making weekly meal plans and I only purchase food I need for that week. I buy on discounts and buy in bulk (cans - like beans, pasta, etc...). I freeze leftovers.


Hope that helps

Great list, but huge and overwhelming to start. Pick one thing at a time and work on it. One recipe a week is a great start! And you can also look what is in your refrigerator and pantry, ditch the "bad" stuff. Do not go overboard buying fresh vegetables at first, you won't know what to do with them and they will just sit there and rot. Stick to a recipe or two and shop for those ingredients. See what you enjoy. Don't panic, have fun and enjoy the process!

ChristianCabrera wrote: »

So over the past three or so years I managed to lose about 60 pounds, recently gaining about twenty of it back. In a way it was good in that I've realized I need to start being more accountable again, and that being mindful isn't going to work for me.

However in the past, I've always been good at calorie counting and cardio, hence being able to lose all that weight in the first place, but I've realized I've never known how to live a healthy lifestyle. I no longer wish to just restrict what I eat, but instead expand.

It's overwhelming though and I have no idea where to start. I don't know how to cook, and I'm young with a tight budget. How do I even begin to compose a shopping list? I need guidance as to where to begin. I know it's going to take work, but I want to change my life, not just the numbers.

My suggestion: buy a bag of dried lentils. They cost about $1.00 in the USA (I don't know where you live). Just buy one bag to see if you like them first.

You don't have to soak them. Put in a large pot of water, boil, then put the heat on low and simmer for about an hour. Turn the heat off, leave the lid on, and let them sit for another hour or so until they are very soft. People lack an enzyme to digest the cellulose shell, so cook until soft.

Pour the water out. Stir fry some of the lentils in a pan with whatever cut up vegetables you have on hand -- plum tomatoes, onions, etc. You can freeze or leave the rest of the lentils in the fridge.

Cost: $1.00 for one bag of lentils that should make 2-3 meals, plus whatever vegetables you add.
Protein: 18 grams for 1 cup of lentils (that's the protein of 3 eggs)