Tips for Healthy Eating
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Km818818
Posts: 47 Member
I'm just starting back into running and trying to get back into shape. Looking for some tips to help eliminate the constant cravings for unhealthy food. Like most I know how to eat healthy, but knowing and doing are constant battles for me. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
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Replies
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Depends on what you mean by healthy, if you're looking to fuel your running carbs and protein will be helpful for that. I don't worry too much about what form they come in but I try to get the most of the two nutrients out of what I'm eating. For instance I could get carbs from fast food french fries but most times the fat content entails a higher calorie count for those carbs, so I choose to make my own from a regular potato so I can control how much fat goes into them. I hope that makes sense.2
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Thank you. That does make sense. Fast food is a killer for me but I struggle with finding the time to cook. That is the biggest hurdle I need to get over.0
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Honestly, it is no trouble finding the time to cook if you want to. Whether it is for a goal of some sort or not, if you want to do something, even if that is cooking, you can find a way to do it.1
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Its ok to "cheat"... Have a bunch of those "lite and easy" "lean cuisine" etc meals ready to go.... I have a bunch in the freezer, because I have a busy life and I dont always have time to work out how many calories are in a particular food or spend time cooking myself a meal (when I have just cooked a meal for my family)...0
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Thank you. That does make sense. Fast food is a killer for me but I struggle with finding the time to cook. That is the biggest hurdle I need to get over.
Once you do the shopping, it doesn't have to take any longer to cook than to stop for fast food. I keep trail mix and protein bars around for when I am having a hard time believing that, but I have timed it with my quickest meals.
A nice seared tuna only takes a few minutes and goes well with salad or leafy veggies that cook quickly, or other veggies if you have more time. Lamb takes a few more minutes, but goes with an even wider range of veggies.
Falafel mix hardly takes any time at all.
When you do have time, grill or roast lots of veggies and you can make a quick veggie quesadilla at any time.
DH and I rely on rotisserie chicken to help make quick meals, as well.
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I honestly cook about 2-3 times a week and eat leftovers, frozen meals, sandwiches the rest of the time.0
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concordancia wrote: »Thank you. That does make sense. Fast food is a killer for me but I struggle with finding the time to cook. That is the biggest hurdle I need to get over.
Once you do the shopping, it doesn't have to take any longer to cook than to stop for fast food. I keep trail mix and protein bars around for when I am having a hard time believing that, but I have timed it with my quickest meals.
A nice seared tuna only takes a few minutes and goes well with salad or leafy veggies that cook quickly, or other veggies if you have more time. Lamb takes a few more minutes, but goes with an even wider range of veggies.
Falafel mix hardly takes any time at all.
When you do have time, grill or roast lots of veggies and you can make a quick veggie quesadilla at any time.
DH and I rely on rotisserie chicken to help make quick meals, as well.
I learned rotisserie chicken works well plus is surprisingly cheap. I think the best option would be to meal prep but I think ill get drained out on the same meals over and over. I love veggies though so I could probably pair those well with anything.0 -
Its ok to "cheat"... Have a bunch of those "lite and easy" "lean cuisine" etc meals ready to go.... I have a bunch in the freezer, because I have a busy life and I dont always have time to work out how many calories are in a particular food or spend time cooking myself a meal (when I have just cooked a meal for my family)...
When I was younger I used to eat the michalena's (sp) all the time for easy meals. I'd eat the steak and potatoes and chicken and potatoes a lot and was able to keep weight down with that. Lite and easy is definitely the way I want to go.0 -
I honestly cook about 2-3 times a week and eat leftovers, frozen meals, sandwiches the rest of the time.
Do you cook the same things over and over or do you cook a variety of different meals every week? I only get 30 minute lunch breaks at work so ill probably do sandwiches for those times.0 -
concordancia wrote: »Thank you. That does make sense. Fast food is a killer for me but I struggle with finding the time to cook. That is the biggest hurdle I need to get over.
Once you do the shopping, it doesn't have to take any longer to cook than to stop for fast food. I keep trail mix and protein bars around for when I am having a hard time believing that, but I have timed it with my quickest meals.
A nice seared tuna only takes a few minutes and goes well with salad or leafy veggies that cook quickly, or other veggies if you have more time. Lamb takes a few more minutes, but goes with an even wider range of veggies.
Falafel mix hardly takes any time at all.
When you do have time, grill or roast lots of veggies and you can make a quick veggie quesadilla at any time.
DH and I rely on rotisserie chicken to help make quick meals, as well.
I learned rotisserie chicken works well plus is surprisingly cheap. I think the best option would be to meal prep but I think ill get drained out on the same meals over and over. I love veggies though so I could probably pair those well with anything.
I love rotisserie chicken. I'll pick every piece of meat I can off the bones and use it in a variety of dishes. Chicken tacos, chicken with red beans & rice, jumbalaya, chicken chili, chicken soup, chicken omelettes, whatever I feel like making when I get home. I keep canned veggies, stock, cream of chicken soup, canned beans, dry rice, etc. on hand and a whole lot of different frozen veggies (my freezer is seriously half full of frozen veg). Then most of the prep work is done and I can just throw some things in a pan with spices to make a quick meal.
You might also look into a crock pot for cooking. You can dump everything in when you leave for work and come home to a meal. I find it a lot harder to swing by a fast food place when I know there's food already waiting for me.
And yeah, I honestly keep some frozen meals around for days when cooking just isn't going to happen. And not all of mine are Lean Cuisine-type meals. There are plenty of higher cal frozen meals that still fit into my day if you want to branch out and buy what you like.0 -
I smoke several chicken breasts on my smoker on Sunday. I then use them for lunch throughout the week. On salad, in a wrap, etc. When I get sick of chicken, I switch to something else. I do throw in a Healthy Choice Steamer now and then for variety.0
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I'm just starting back into running and trying to get back into shape. Looking for some tips to help eliminate the constant cravings for unhealthy food. Like most I know how to eat healthy, but knowing and doing are constant battles for me. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
I have a personal rule that if I'm craving the same thing three days in a row I'll make it fit into my diet somehow. Lunch today was a cup of mac & cheese with some thai chili-flavored tuna. I had cake last week. I've been craving cookies this week so I'll probably buy one of those fancy protein cookies on my way home from work. I was craving taco bell, but it has passed so I probably won't get any.
It's not always the best solution and I get that, especially if you're craving things that just don't fit in your diet at all. But sometimes having a little bit of something I want when the craving doesn't pass on its own keeps it from turning into a bigger monster.
All of that said, cooking is a good life skill and it's a lot easier to stick to my calories when I'm cooking at home rather than eating out. So play around, try different things, and see what works best for you.1 -
I plan my entire day of meals ahead of time, and I will even start to log it in my food diary the day before as well. I find having it physically written down and knowing what my calorie count for the next day will be is a ton of motivation for me to stay on track. When I have time, and the meals I plan are simple, I will make all three meals and two snacks the day ahead as well.
For example today I prepared for tomorrow my breakfast of 2 hard-boiled eggs and a banana. My lunch of a sandwich and chowder. And My dinner of salad and tofu. Not only does this mean I get to be lazy in the cooking department tomorrow, but it also means it helps motivate me not make any last minute cheesy pasta-type decisions.1 -
Dont shop while you are hungry.0
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Honestly, I eat pretty much the same thing most every day, except for the breakfast I have with a friend at a local bakery on Fridays and one day on the weekend when I cook a nice meal. Every other day, I am in grad school and working nights on top of that . . . Time is a hot commodity for me right now.
As a result, I played around with foods that I like and meet my goals. It's like a jigsaw puzzle of food. I found some meals that work super well for me (e.g. plain oatmeal with cocoa powder, sweeter, and grapefruit on the side for breakfast, broccoli with black beans and frozen corn for lunch, cottage cheese with arugula and blueberries for dinner, etc.). All of these are super fast to assemble. I also have a whole bunch of things I add to these meals for taste and nutiriton goals. I also have a hard boiled egg with every meal, and I have a whole bunch of other items (e.g. peanut butter, cheese sticks, dark chocolate, frozen peas) that I use as instant filler foods as needed to hit my calorie goals.
Furthermore, I will say that frozen veggies are my best friend. I honestly eat them frozen a lot, as I like the crispy texture (and they are much faster that way!).
Finally, as others have pointed out, pre-logging is the way to go. It allows you to develop a solid, actionable plan before temptation strikes. It's a lot easier to pass up cravings when you already have a plan for what (and when) you're going to eat next.1 -
diannethegeek wrote: »concordancia wrote: »Thank you. That does make sense. Fast food is a killer for me but I struggle with finding the time to cook. That is the biggest hurdle I need to get over.
Once you do the shopping, it doesn't have to take any longer to cook than to stop for fast food. I keep trail mix and protein bars around for when I am having a hard time believing that, but I have timed it with my quickest meals.
A nice seared tuna only takes a few minutes and goes well with salad or leafy veggies that cook quickly, or other veggies if you have more time. Lamb takes a few more minutes, but goes with an even wider range of veggies.
Falafel mix hardly takes any time at all.
When you do have time, grill or roast lots of veggies and you can make a quick veggie quesadilla at any time.
DH and I rely on rotisserie chicken to help make quick meals, as well.
I learned rotisserie chicken works well plus is surprisingly cheap. I think the best option would be to meal prep but I think ill get drained out on the same meals over and over. I love veggies though so I could probably pair those well with anything.
I love rotisserie chicken. I'll pick every piece of meat I can off the bones and use it in a variety of dishes. Chicken tacos, chicken with red beans & rice, jumbalaya, chicken chili, chicken soup, chicken omelettes, whatever I feel like making when I get home. I keep canned veggies, stock, cream of chicken soup, canned beans, dry rice, etc. on hand and a whole lot of different frozen veggies (my freezer is seriously half full of frozen veg). Then most of the prep work is done and I can just throw some things in a pan with spices to make a quick meal.
You might also look into a crock pot for cooking. You can dump everything in when you leave for work and come home to a meal. I find it a lot harder to swing by a fast food place when I know there's food already waiting for me.
And yeah, I honestly keep some frozen meals around for days when cooking just isn't going to happen. And not all of mine are Lean Cuisine-type meals. There are plenty of higher cal frozen meals that still fit into my day if you want to branch out and buy what you like.
I definitely need to do more crock pot meals. Anything simple and easy is right up my alley. Seems like planning ahead is really the key to success.0 -
rheamunroe wrote: »I plan my entire day of meals ahead of time, and I will even start to log it in my food diary the day before as well. I find having it physically written down and knowing what my calorie count for the next day will be is a ton of motivation for me to stay on track. When I have time, and the meals I plan are simple, I will make all three meals and two snacks the day ahead as well.
For example today I prepared for tomorrow my breakfast of 2 hard-boiled eggs and a banana. My lunch of a sandwich and chowder. And My dinner of salad and tofu. Not only does this mean I get to be lazy in the cooking department tomorrow, but it also means it helps motivate me not make any last minute cheesy pasta-type decisions.
I have my lunch planned for tomorrow. I feel like I need to get more healthy snacks though to keep me full throughout the day.0 -
CaladriaNapea wrote: »Honestly, I eat pretty much the same thing most every day, except for the breakfast I have with a friend at a local bakery on Fridays and one day on the weekend when I cook a nice meal. Every other day, I am in grad school and working nights on top of that . . . Time is a hot commodity for me right now.
As a result, I played around with foods that I like and meet my goals. It's like a jigsaw puzzle of food. I found some meals that work super well for me (e.g. plain oatmeal with cocoa powder, sweeter, and grapefruit on the side for breakfast, broccoli with black beans and frozen corn for lunch, cottage cheese with arugula and blueberries for dinner, etc.). All of these are super fast to assemble. I also have a whole bunch of things I add to these meals for taste and nutiriton goals. I also have a hard boiled egg with every meal, and I have a whole bunch of other items (e.g. peanut butter, cheese sticks, dark chocolate, frozen peas) that I use as instant filler foods as needed to hit my calorie goals.
Furthermore, I will say that frozen veggies are my best friend. I honestly eat them frozen a lot, as I like the crispy texture (and they are much faster that way!).
Finally, as others have pointed out, pre-logging is the way to go. It allows you to develop a solid, actionable plan before temptation strikes. It's a lot easier to pass up cravings when you already have a plan for what (and when) you're going to eat next.
What snacks do you eat throughout the day?0
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