What do you guys eat?

TiredMom12
TiredMom12 Posts: 78 Member
edited December 19 in Food and Nutrition
I'm trying to lose 15 lbs. and have been trying for a while. I was doing the 17 Day Diet after the New Year and dropped about 8 lbs., but got off track and now just going up and down with 2 lbs. but getting nowhere with my goal. I'm trying to track my caloric intake and stick to approximately 1200 calories a day. I have 3 small children, work part-time and my normal day is from 5:15 am - 10:00 pm. I'm thoroughly exhausted, but do try to get out for long walks and/or do a workout video the days I'm off and on the weekends. I'm just wondering what a typical day looks like as far as your meals go.

My day so far today has been about 40 oz of water, 2 cups of coffee with splenda and a drop of cream, a GNC Lean Shake and a Weight Control Oatmeal. For lunch, I will have a salad with grilled chicken, lots of veggies and some low fat dressing and then won't probably eat until I get home. I try hard to plan my meals, but I'm so tired by the end of the day that some times I just can't. Dinner is usually so hard b/c everyone is hungry and it is after 6 before I get home and I just pick at whatever is around and very rarely sit for an actual meal.

Can someone just give me some examples of what you do? I can't let this diet take over my everyday life or the rest of my family will suffer.

Replies

  • hamiltonba
    hamiltonba Posts: 474 Member
    First, I would eat a snack in the afternoon. Second, I would up the water to 3 more cups a day. Sounds like you need a little more calories. If you are not eating until dinner, you are going to be starving and thus not eating healthy and overeating. Maybe eat something on the ride home (handful of almonds)? Also, is it possible for you to do dinner menu planning on the weekends? Maybe put things together in the morning so you just have to throw it in the oven - Ex: baked chicken - put herbs (oregano, garlic salt, pepper, etc) on the chicken (add whole carrots, red potatoes whole w/skin on) and place in a baking dish and put in the refrigerator. When you get home place it in the oven.
  • twinmomtwice4
    twinmomtwice4 Posts: 1,069 Member
    My diary is open so feel free to take a look. If you want any of the recipes, I can message them to you. I have 4 young children so I can't spend a lot of time in the kitchen so most of the meals I make take less than 30 minutes.

    Another thing that really helps me is meal planning. Every Sunday morning, I look at the weekly grocery ads and plan our meals around what's on sale (or I rely on what I already have in my pantry or freezer). And then I write down all my dinners for the week and do any prep necessary so I'm completely ready to go every day when it comes time to make dinner.

    Also, when you make some of your family's favorite meals, double the recipe and then freeze it. I do this all the time too. Then you can incorporate that frozen meal into your weekly meal plan. All you have to do that morning is take it out of the freezer and thaw it and you're ready to go by the time you get home...all you gotta do is heat it up.

    Oh and the crockpot...if it's not already your best friend, get to know it better!! It's a lifesaver for me, esp on those days I don't feel like spending 30 minutes preparing dinner!
  • samlankford
    samlankford Posts: 334
    for a quick snack on the go I keep those "kind" granola bars on hand.. I get a case delivered to me every month.. I agree that you need to eat a bit more then what you are currently eating and also need to drink more water.. I usually drink more then 1/2 gallon of water a day, but everyone is different.. I also exercise like a crazy person :smile:
  • ekone
    ekone Posts: 10 Member
    Tiredmom, I work full time with two toddlers. I think you have to cook some meals or prep on the weekends so on weeknights you just have to heat things up. On Sunday we grilled steak and we have some of that left over for a weeknight meal. I cooked a stew with chiken thighs so on Monday we only had to cook some rice and heat the stew- dinner in 20 minutes. We ate half the stew and will eat the rest tomorrow. Tonight is a pasta salad. I roasted the broccoli for it last night while doing dishes and making the kids' lunches, so tonight I just have to boil pasta and add the broccolli and other stuff that won't be cooked. All of this will take us through Thursday and, if we don't have left overs, we'll probably go out to eat on Friday.
    I usually have salad for lunch (I buy pre-washed lettuce in a big box). I boil 5 eggs for the week and take one each day for the protein portion of lunch. I add an apple and a slice of bread. I make a jar of dressingf and store it in the fridge at work. Breakfast is coffee with milk and sugar and cereal or greek yogurt with honey.
    I am concerned that you are not eating real food- what's with the shakes and "weight control" oatmeal? I think you still have to eat tasty, real food to stick to your diet. But, really, careful planning and cooking on weekends is the only way we could make it work for our family. Hope this helps.
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