I’m new and need some pointers 🤦‍♀️

nicolecampbell1220 · August 2018

First off I’m trying to diet but after a few days I see myself failing... miserably. I consume too much carbs and sugars. I’m in nursing school so lack of movement is a huge problem as well. I can’t break myself from sweet tea or Moutain Dew. I can’t find that replacement that gives me the same satisfaction along with I love pasta and breads that’s my down fall. I’m trying hard to find something that is actually good to eat as well as satisfying. I’ve researched meal prep and recipes and nothing seems appealing. Someone please help me with meal prep ideas, foods to replace, and support cause I need it!

Panini911 · August 2018

You don't need to cut carbs or sugar to loose weight. It's all about calories in VS calories out. Try not to tackle EVERYTHING all at once. Either calories or macros, not everything all at once.

have you set-up your stats in My Fitness Pal to see what calories you should be eating?

You can still eat the real stuff in smaller portions (bulk them up with veggies and such) if you don't want to try new recopies (though, you need to try eating them to get a real idea for if they are good or not not just say "they don't appeal to me so I won't try anything new").

janejellyroll · August 2018

Have you considered eating less of the foods you already like instead of trying to replace foods? You may have to experiment a bit with adding some new foods or strategies to ensure you feel full, but you can eat bread and pasta literally every day and still lose weight if you're in a calorie deficit.

Candyspun · August 2018

Welcome 😊 just start by tracking what you do eat and take it from there. It will snowball before you know it.

You can still have pasta, bread and Mountain Dew if you want, just aim in time to keep it within your calorie allowance. Does Mountain Dew have a low calorie version?

Btw, I love sweet tea, too! I was adding 3 teaspoons to every cup! I started reducing it by half a teaspoon at a time, and now I’m down to 1 and a half. And sometimes, if I’m not craving sugar, I have none, my goal being to have none all the time, eventually.

Weigh your foods with a scale, it’ll help load with accuracy. If you want, you could also try zoodles, which is zucchini cut into noodle shapes. It’s surprisingly delicious!

Don’t be hard on yourself, either; just do whatever you can manage and build o that over time.

kommodevaran · August 2018

nicolecampbell1220 wrote: »

First off I’m trying to diet

You lose weight by eating less (and moving more), and that's something you do, not try.

but after a few days I see myself failing... miserably.

It's easy for an outsider to see why. And you can learn, too.

I consume too much carbs and sugars.

You're eating too much. Too many calories. Demonizing foods, food groups and nutrients, in an attempt to lose desire, makes us crave the things we fear and love, even more, instead.

I’m in nursing school so lack of movement is a huge problem as well.

You can lose weight without exercise. In fact, MFP is designed for just that.

I can’t break myself from sweet tea or Moutain Dew.

Yes you can. You are in control of what you eat and drink.

I can’t find that replacement that gives me the same satisfaction

That's because a replacement is not the same. But you may focusing too much on satisfaction.

I love pasta and breads that’s my down fall.

It's not. You're eating too much.

I’m trying hard to find something that is actually good to eat as well as satisfying.

Ordinary food you like is good to eat. You may have to redefine "satisfaction" for this to work.

I’ve researched meal prep and recipes and nothing seems appealing. Someone please help me with meal prep ideas, foods to replace, and support cause I need it!

You can eat food you like. You just have to eat less.

kksmom1789 · August 2018

as someone who once thought I had to cut out certain foods or food groups in order to lose weight I totally understand your head space right now. I was once 212lbs I currently weight 166lbs. I would cut out ice cream, cookies, breads for a good week or so then I would binge and binge for days because I felt deprived then I would be sad and feel disgusting and it was a really ugly cycle. I then learned this great thing called CI vs CO and did some research and realized I was eating WAY too many calories for my 5ft tall frame. I put my stats in MFP and stuck to my calories I thought of it like a bank account I can eat whatever I want up to that amount but I knew if I blew all my calories on breakfast well that's not a good thing so I now pre log my food the day before just a rough draft obviously things come up and change like tonight I had a lean cuisine logged for my dinner but I decided you know what my kids have been good this week so lets go to mcdonalds for dinner and guess what even some choices at places like mcdonalds can fit into your calorie budget I mean I only get 1260 calories a day and I am making it work ( I even have an ice cream logged for my night time tv snack....)

the point I am trying to make... is it going to be hard well yes.... is it going to be easy well no... but can you do it? I think you can I mean losing weight and still eating the things you want but maybe smaller portions if thats wrong then I don't want to be right

mariluny · August 2018

I was 250 pounds and lost 75+ and that only worked once I learned that I would need to eat like I would want to eat at maintenance to succeed. I LOVE carbs. Pasta, bread, rice, potato, all of them. I cannot have a meal carbs less and be satisfied. I think of my weight loss journey as something that I can sustain forever once I reach my goals. I would not be able to not eat carbs, but I can learn portion control, learn to eat more vegetables, see some higher calorie food that I enjoy but don't crave as a treat once in a while, juste because I feel like it, and not every day like before. By telling yourself you can't have something will make you obsess over it. Have them but make it work.

For exemple, bulk up your pasta with veggies, use tomato base sauce and you can easily have a 300-400 calories pasta meal that should leave you statisfied.

I always add roasted cubed potato or sweet potatoes, rice, or quinoa to my salad meals. It makes them more filling and I just enjoy them. and again, it might make your salad 400 calories but then if you aren't hungry afterward, it's a sucess.

Same goes for bread. You crave that sandwich and you can't have 2 slices, just do an open face sandwich. Swap the mayo for mustard, it has less calories, etc.

amyepdx · August 2018

As they say - if you say you can’t - you’re right!

kimny72 · August 2018

Pro Tip: Diet Mountain Dew is awesome.

Other than that, I find it is easier to focus on things you need to ADD rather than things you need to give up. What is lacking in your diet? Are you coming up short on protein or fiber? Focus on small ways to increase what you are lacking. Add one serving of veggies each day for a week. Add one more bottle of plain water (hopefully it will push out one sweet tea). Are there small ways to increase physical activity, like a 10 minute walk?

Choose one small easy goal, just shoot for that until it's habit. Then add another. Make logging a habit. Be patient. Read the Most Helpful Posts pinned to the top of each forum. Good luck!

saires_au · August 2018

Sound alike there are lots of changes you would like to make to your diet. I’d pick one or two a week and work on that

Swap the Mountain Dew for a diet soft drink

I eat pasta most weeks, now I have less pasta and more veggies/lean meet. I’m surprised at how small a serve of pasta fills me and hits the spot in terms of cravings now I’ve beefed my recipes up with lower calorie fillers

I found a recipe for a creamy pasta that I like. I use 35-40g spiral pasta, 120g chicken breast, mushrooms, onion and lots of broccoli, 1/2 cup skim milk, tsp flour and chicken Stock cube, garlic. Cook pasta as per packet. Brown chicken, add mushrooms, onion and garlic cook for a bit, add broccoli florets. Mix milk flour and stock cube/powder in a jug. Add to pan with other ingredients at the end of cooking and stir until it thickens. Toss pasta through and add Parmesan if you like. I don’t use oil as I have a good non stick pan.

Make room for foods you enjoy, I save 100-200 calories most days so I can eat chocolate after dinner.

squeaker87 · August 2018

Crystal light packets in water. I recommend the raspberry lemonade. May give you the citrusy flavor you crave for 5 calories.

sijomial · August 2018

You seem to be looking for reasons or excuses to fail instead of looking for methods to succeed.

Swap Mountain Dew for diet Mountain Dew.
Sweeten your tea with an artificial sweetener of your choice or slowly wean yourself off sweetening your tea.
You can still eat and enjoy bread and pasta while losing weight, just eat less and think about what you add to them (a tomato based sauce on your pasta is far lower calories than a cream based sauce for example).

Why can't you exercise before or after nursing school?

In the end no one is too busy to simply eat/drink less, saves money too as a bonus.

stfpa · August 2018

I’m in nursing school too, I know it’s hard to get in exercise when you’re either in class or studying 24/7 but it’s possible. If you really don’t have the time, just know you can still lose weight without exercise!

You keep saying you can’t do this and you can’t do that and I think that’s the biggest problem. Of course you can’t do anything until you believe that you can. You can still have everything you like, just in smaller portions and maybe not everyday but honestly, sometimes you just need to make some sacrifices. I love pasta too, and I could eat a small portion everyday but I know it wouldn’t be nearly as filling as a plate full of vegetables, I would be hungry again sooner and I wouldn’t have enough calories left over to have ice cream every afternoon lol. Unfortunately losing weight isn’t always easy but once you get into the rhythm of things, it’s really not that bad at all!

amusedmonkey · August 2018

Things stop working when everything feels forced. You can white knuckle it for so long before you give in.

Think why you consume too much carbs and sugary drinks (calories, in reality. Carbs don't make you fat if your calories are on point). Is it out of preference? Because you're busy and that's all you can get your hands on? Because that's how you're used to eating? Because you don't have a plan in place or the plan you have doesn't accommodate your preferences?

After you identify the issues, think of practical ways to solve them that feel easiest to you.

If you like carbs, that's easy to solve practically. Eat carbs. Eat bread and pasta. Since you need to stay within calories, what would feel easier? Eating thinner bread slices? Bulking up your pasta with vegetables? Using less oil to make pasta sauce? Having your bread and pasta in your usual portions but less often? Experimenting with foods to see what other foods you like other than bread and pasta? There are many things you can do about this one.

For sugary drinks, how do you feel about sweeteners and diet versions of these drinks? What would be easier for you? To eat less food in order to accommodate drinks into your calories? To gradually reduce the amount you drink? To drink the diet version or use artificial sweeteners?

As for lack of activity, what would feel easier? To stick to your calorie budget and not exercise? To dedicate a time before or after school? To incorporate activity into your day (pace around while reading flash cards, get an under desk bike for $30, walk to places instead of driving...etc)

Basically, don't look for rules to follow, look for tweaks to the things that lead to more calories than you'd like then form your own strategies. The only real rule you need to follow is that you need to create a caloric deficit, everything else is just things you do to personalize the way you achieve this to make it easier and sustainable.

monkeystikx · August 2018

Plenty of people have,already given some good tips. Following a diet isn't easy. You can not assume to have all the same foods and portions and lifestyle as before. It seems to me like you are giving yourself excuses to fail. Pleny of people work busy schedules, have plenty to do and still find time to exercise, plenty of people love pasta and bread and ice cream and are able to find alternatives or limit the intake.
Instead of assuming you are going to fail, why don't you put yourself in a positive mental attitude and believe you can do it. You will be surprised how fast the cravings for sugar go away after a few days.

Good luck

Psychgrrl · August 2018

I love pasta and eat it often. I still lost 117 pounds. I found some pastas I enjoyed with higher nutritional value including carbs-nada egg noodles and muscle mac mac&cheese. Today I made a box of muscle mac, added two servings of black beans, 4 servings of tuna, and two servings of spinach. I should get about 4 meals out of it, plus lots of protein, fiber, and other old stuff.

elsie6hickman · August 2018

Instead of eliminating everything at once, just make a substitution one thing at a time. Start ordering your tea unsweet and then add sugar substitute. Or trade Mountain Dew for coffee or tea to get that kick. Try just trimming back your portions just a bit and make it more healthy with additions of tomatoes, beans, lower fat cheeses. Also try whole wheat or whole grain pasta - yes, it looks different, but I don't think it tastes different. As a nurse, you know that at some point, you will have to choose healthy choices over just what you want in any quantity you want. One thing I have done successfully is to load my plate to the amount I want, and then I slide off half of each thing for later. Try to think positively and envision your success. Be proud of yourself when you make a healthy choice, but don't get down on yourself if you have a bad day. And from a medical viewpoint, think that by losing weight, you will be avoiding diabetes, heart disease, HBP, bad cholesterol. These thing don't just happen to old people. And learn to manage your stress, because it can be a loaded pistol for over eating. I have a lot of friends that are nurses - you need to get healthy now, because when you get out on the floor, you will be so busy that you won't always have time for meals and it will be easy to fill up on empty calories. Change now.

vingogly · August 2018

Using a sweetener like stevia in your sweet tea or drinking diet Mountain Dew will be difficult at first because the taste won't be the same as what you're used to, but if you give it time you'll get used to it. Switch to whole grain high fiber breads - I like Thomas' Light English Muffins because there's only 100 calories in one of them, and 8 grams of fiber. Same with Brownberry Sandwich Thins: 100 calories and 5 grams of fiber. For pasta, you can switch to whole grain and reduce portion sizes. Fiber helps with your feeling of satisfaction and is good for your gut.

divcara · August 2018

I eat pasta almost every day. I typically get whole grain pastas and do a 2oz serving size. I have it with 5oz grilled chicken or make turkey meatballs. (Which are a great meal prep option because you can make a ton at once and just grab them during the week.) Add in my veggies. I like no added sugar or no added sodium marinara sauces. Got my carb, protein, and veggies and satisfying as a meal.

I’m new and need some pointers 🤦‍♀️

Replies

Categories