Help with meal prep for weight loss beginner

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akaihall
akaihall Posts: 1 Member
edited May 2023 in Getting Started
Trying to lose 180-200 pounds by next September that's my Goal. To be healthy,gain my confidence back

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  • sandriver
    sandriver Posts: 7 Member
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    is that 180-200 pounds in 4 months or 16 months? XD
  • Trixsterfan
    Trixsterfan Posts: 54 Member
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    It's an achievable goal. Realistically it's going to be a challenge, I've only lost a quarter of your goal, it's life changing. OK so here we go. Take a photo of yourself in your underwear in the mirror, Mark it up day one. Record your weight and your blood pressure. Whatever day you weigh and take blood pressure do it on the same day each week.
    I don't know how active you are but you need to try and get moving. Try short walks, download Strava so you have a measure of your achievement. Swim if you can. Light weights and resistance bands will help you loose weight and tone muscle, you must have good muscles to be able to carry so much weight around.
    Four weeks in take another photo.
    Foods, you know what you like to eat, forget fad diets, just eat sensible NON PROCESSED FOODS. The key is preparation, I prepare my breakfast after I've washed my breakfast bowl, sound bizarre but it works for me and when I wake I look forward to my breakfast. I generally have the same Monday to Saturday and a cooked lean breakfast on a Sunday.
    Hemp protein is my preferred choice of protein powder because it's natural and blends nicely with either banana, mango, mixed fruits. It's an acquired taste but four or five days in you get used to it. My smoothie is my lunch.
    I have fresh veg or salad with Chicken for dinner.
    I do have odd snacks like one low fat rich tea biscuit. Sometimes Crackerbread with Meridian crunchy peanut butter. Crunchy peanut butter is healthier than smooth.
    Finally DO NOT BUY JUNK FOOD, GET RID OF IT FROM YOU HOME. 😅😅😅😅
  • ckohler8224
    ckohler8224 Posts: 1 Member
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    Look up Get Fit with Rick on Youtube. Can't find it but has a great talk on nutrition and it will be a great place to start. He has a load of exercise videos you can do for free. I love him and helped me massively. There is a membership option but the free stuff is pretty great. Flo with Jo on YouTube is great too xx
  • suelatha
    suelatha Posts: 1 Member
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    Good grief. I have been stuck at 160-162 lbs over a year now. I stopped counting calories. My goal was 150 lbs.
  • lacylucy1935
    lacylucy1935 Posts: 73 Member
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    I keep waffling with 2-3 pounds, just can't get past that. However I have not been vert strict with eating or exercise!! Totally my fault....
    Good luck with your goals, you can do this!
  • spersha24
    spersha24 Posts: 1 Member
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    akaihal; amazing goal! A couple recommendations...
    1. Set small attainable daily & weekly goals, so as to see & feel inspired by your small incremental wins. I think your goal is attainable, but don't neglect to set smaller goals along the way. One this will allow you to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and also feel empowered by your smaller attained goals along the way. By way of example, my daily goals when I started were to: (log my food in MyFitnessPal, move at least 30 minutes a day; walking counts!, and drink at least 100 oz of water). When I achieve these goals, I feel very encouraged, and it starts to give you visibility into your calorie consumption.
    2. Food prep; KEEP IT SIMPLE! I prep the same breakfast to eat all week. I mix it up week over week, so I don't get bored of the same food. I incorporate/include FUN foods each and every day, full restriction will lead to binge eating, frustration, and deter you from the long term goals. Small incremental consistency equals big success. Some examples of easy breakfasts...
    * Toast, cream cheese, fresh basil leaves, and smoked salmon, fresh fruit.
    * 2 eggs scrambled w/ or without veggies, toast, and fresh food of your choice.
    * Greek yogurt (flavored) w/ high fiber cereal mixed in, or chocolate granola mixed in. Super yummy. Just weigh & log your food.

    Lunch same concept; pre-prep meals. I use StayFitMom's meal prep macro friendly recipes. Most are super easy, and SOOOO DELICIOUS!!! I pre-cook 5 lunches, and put them in easy to grab containers in my fridge or freezer.
    3. Work with a coach, or a group of like minded individuals. I recently signed up with a macro coaching program to help me re-align my strategy, and enjoy the journey vs beating myself up. The community helps tremendously.

    Best wishes for your success. Making the decision to change your life is a tremendous first step, and if you believe you can achieve it! SMALL changes = BIG rewards! You can do it.
  • christyc1256
    christyc1256 Posts: 5,146 Member
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    I find having chopped veggies to grab as snacks is helpful - you can do it at the start of the week to have them for the rest of the week.

    Also keeping salad ingredients prepped and ready to go so you can throw a quick salad together. I wash and dry greens, chop radish, cucumbers, etc. Some things you have to do as you make the salad but if everything else is done, it is still quick (apple, avocado) etc. Toast some pecans or walnuts (or almond slivers), I dont eat meat so I will airfry or bake some tofu to have available to toss in, if you eat meat you could pre-cook meat to add in. I am much more likely to eat salad if it is easy to put together especially when I am in a hurry and hungry.

    As far as prepping other meals - I am terrible at it, I always say I will and then I dont. I do try and plan what I will eat though and have groceries on hand for those meals as well as for quick/easy healthy meals for busy days.

    Good luck and good for you for taking care of you!
  • xrj22
    xrj22 Posts: 197 Member
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    Meal prepping has helped me a lot. I usually eat vegetarian, but some of these ideas might apply to you as well. I usually make one "salad" and one soup/stew/chilli at the beginning of the week and put them into single portion size tupperware. The "salad" is usually some sort of bean or lentil salad. These type of things keep well in the fridge. Each recipe is usually 4 servings. So, I have the main course for 8 meals done. Easy to grab one, plus a piece of fruit, and a baggie of raw veggies (plus or minus some dip), and I have a meal - either to eat right away or to take to work. I will also plan to have a large salad a couple times during the week. I prep a bunch of chopped vegies and put them in plastic baggies or tupperware. Those will work for a quick snack or for putting into a salad (I am much more likely to eat a salad if I have veggies pre-chopped. If I have to do all that chopping for 1 salad, it seems like too much work, and I am likely to grab something less healthy). I always have relatively low-cal dressings that I like in the fridge, and I try to have one of healthy dip ready (black bean dip, hummus, or yogurt-based dip.) Lastly, for breakfasts, I tend to do overnight oats, or chia pudding. I make up one serving the night before. If I have that sitting in the fridge ready, then it is easy to eat that rather than falling for something less healthy.

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