A healthy Lifestyle is completely new to me....

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nikinyx6
nikinyx6 Posts: 772 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I really want to adapt to a healthy lifestyle, but I'm not sure how to start.

The excersise bit, not a problem, as I am the outdoorsy type, but I have never worried about what I eat before. I've always been a 'if it tastes good, eat it' kinda gal, and it's starting to catch up to me.... I just don't know how to form a well balanced meal it seems.

Any good meal ideas? or websites to get me started? I love to cook, so that part isn't the issue, I just don't know WHAT to make.


Thanks everyone

Be Healthy, Be Happy :)

Replies

  • Taryn1627
    Taryn1627 Posts: 120
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    skinnytaste.com is amazing!
  • Shelby814
    Shelby814 Posts: 273 Member
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    Skinnytaste.com is a good website. I suggest trying to stick to whole foods; fresh fruit, veggies & lean protein that you cook yourself. Stay away from processed food; anything that comes in a can, box or package. Make one or two changes at a time so you don't get frustrated or overwhelmed. You'll feel amazing! Good luck! You can do it!
  • shirayne
    shirayne Posts: 263 Member
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    I struggled with the same thing at first and then I started buying low-cal cookbooks and hired a nutritionist. I've read a lot and I'm learning how to change my favourite recipes in ways that make them healthier and lower in calories. I think the best one is my spaghetti sauce. By replacing the beef with ground chicken or turkey, using "no salt added" tomatoes and tomato sauce, and bulking it up with more veggies, I've cut down the calries and the sodium and now I can keep eating my beloved spaghetti (with whole wheat or ricec noodles) and still lose weight! I also make cake with tofu! Holy nutricious and low-fat! Make low-cal icing with pudding mix and light cool whip and you've got a fantastic desert that gives you added protein! Check out the recipe boards on here too. People have awesome ideas. (I love skinnytaste.com too)
  • nikinyx6
    nikinyx6 Posts: 772 Member
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    ooooh! Skinnytaste does look great!

    Also, wild meat is probably better for me than what I can buy right? I'm a hunter/fisher and I can't give up moose, deer, or trout....
  • biznoche
    biznoche Posts: 43
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    Are you on Pinterest? I've gotten tons of amazing healthy recipes off of there, and started following a few people who post healthy recipes similar to my tastes. You could try "mypyramid.gov" if you really want to learn how to eat in balance. It's free and teaches you how to eat balanced meals according to the food pyramid. You seem like your eating habits aren't really bad, you might just need to do a little fine-tuning! Good luck!
  • Magdalene2011
    Magdalene2011 Posts: 7 Member
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    Tasting Table is terrific!

    Interestingly, I was raised by (30 years ago) ardent vegetarians and organic gardeners/orchard folk, and they just started eating (very rarely) wild-caught meats and fish/seafood. When asked, they responded that, well, "it smelled good to them!" Along with a previous poster, I support eating as non-processed as possible. My spouse calls it eating "clean." I agree. We also have an 8-month-old, and we want to continue as long as possible his clean little body.

    My guy was a professional cyclist for years, and is a certified national cycling coach, so he knows a LOT about nutrition and exercise. After watching FOOD INC, though, his perspective has totally changed. His ideas about "clean" eating and living are now much more in-line with minimal processing and "dead" calories. Make the calories count by getting them from sources that are as nutritionally packed as possible. Fresh, organic if possible, fruits, veggies, meats, etc., are the aim. (A great video for more information is FAT, SICK, AND NEARLY DEAD.)

    I've been investigating a combination between traditional low-calorie, low-fat, whole food diets, with the paleolithic approach (see Mark Sisson's website THE DAILY APPLE), as well as the glycemic index/glycemic response perspective. Much of it makes a LOT of sense. It can be overwhelming, especially since I'm a data-head and tried to make spreadsheets for every food out there (silly me, but I have to start over-doing it, then I calm down to a reasonable level). Do what makes sense. There's so much to weigh (pun intended!) - scheduling, finances, body type, support network, inclination to activity...

    I'm excited for you! And for me, and for all of us.
  • nikinyx6
    nikinyx6 Posts: 772 Member
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    I'm not on Pinterest. Actually I'm not much for computers in general....

    I guess the hardest part for me is going to be replacing junk food. Potato chips are my weakness, along with cakes, icecream, and anything made with butter....

    I think this will be much harder than I anticipated, but SO rewarding :)
  • emnk5308
    emnk5308 Posts: 736
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    A good place to start is cutting out sugary drinks, soda's, juice, stuff like that.. and Take some multivitamins =) Make changes slowly.. Cut out soda's one week, the next week cut out going to the vending machine, the next week remake your normal dinners. =D

    Good Luck!! =) You can add me if you want.
  • PunkyRachel
    PunkyRachel Posts: 1,959 Member
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    Baby steps, girl. I come from a meat and potato family. We don't exercise, just bum around and watch TV/movies. Always baking have cookies, cakes, brownies, ice cream, etc just about everyday. I never even ate fruits and veggies in the house, that often.

    I started just buy switching out ground beef with ground turkey, white sauces with red sauces, reg. pasta with whole wheat pasta, and reg chips for veggie chips. I eat a lot of chicken and tuna, too. Turkey bacon is awesome! Use spices to flavor not salt. If you can switch canned veggies and fruit for fresh or frozen, has a lot less sodium and sugars, and healthier for ya too. When I cook, I use olive oil in my skillet, and I do not fry anything anymore. I'll bake my homemade fry's and my homemade breaded chicken strips. When you brown beef, put it in a strainer and rinse it with hot water, and press dry, it gets all the fat off, then if you want add your spices. I learned that from my older brother who works in a restaurant.

    I'm still learning, I still get beef from my younger brother, who has referred to me as "fatty" for years. I'm slowly getting there. My parents don't really eat my cooking anymore either, because it's "health food". lol
  • emnk5308
    emnk5308 Posts: 736
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    I'm not on Pinterest. Actually I'm not much for computers in general....

    I guess the hardest part for me is going to be replacing junk food. Potato chips are my weakness, along with cakes, icecream, and anything made with butter....

    I think this will be much harder than I anticipated, but SO rewarding :)

    POPCORN. ;) I like to get the Hidden Valley Ranch mix and pour that on a cup of Popcorn, and I'm happy. Also, yogurt! I actually cut butter out of my diet quick.. I just reminded myself of what it Looks like :sick: you could get some Fiber One brownies, or skinny cow candy <3 So yummy
  • jazzy43
    jazzy43 Posts: 16
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    I am new to watching what I eat and having to be purposeful with exercise and changing my diet. I also thought that cutting my calories would be hard but once I got started it was not that bad. Now I actually prefer to eat a lower calorie diet along with the exercise. I took a couple of weeks to transition into the new diet so it would be a big shock to my system and this worked well for me. That way I could introduce new foods and experiment a little before making a complete commitment.

    Hope this helps!
  • judychicken
    judychicken Posts: 937 Member
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    Check out these sites Skinnytastes.com, Dashingdish.com and Can you stay for dinner.com
  • arcticfox04
    arcticfox04 Posts: 1,011 Member
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    I'd recommend you stay far away from processed food. Its made by the devil.
  • ktrn0312
    ktrn0312 Posts: 723 Member
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    Bump
  • terry_mtb
    terry_mtb Posts: 45
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    I have changed a lot of my groceries...frozen or fresh..I only by canned black beans, northern beans,,etc..I have given up boxed meals..which is still hard because they take little thought in making..But I have not given up my Reese cup 2 times a week!..lol
    Saying that the changes for the better have made us feel better resulting in looking better..Good luck in you journey to forever feeling better!
  • Bob314159
    Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
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    Skinnytastes.com appears to be an ad link site without real content
  • nikinyx6
    nikinyx6 Posts: 772 Member
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    skinnytaste....not 'tastes' looks tasty to me :)

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