Dieting tips

[NewRider]

who's got 'em?

I've decided to stop eating really crappy foods and switch to Pabst Blue Ribbon Light. Anyone got any good tips of what to eat in a day that isn't Beef n' Cheddar or Curly Fries?

[NewRider]

Goodbye old friend

[Blane]

for fast results:

1. stop eating meat (or at least red meats, pork, and very meat-centric dishes)

2. stop eating anything pre-packaged or heavily processed (chips, canned soup, etc.)

3. reduce restaurant eating unless you know that they're preparing food along the same lines as 1 & 2 above (ie. no fast food).

This basically means investing more time into cooking for yourself and planning your eating, but in the long run it's a way healthier way to live.

Good luck!

Edited June 19, 2008 by Guest

[badams]

A few years back I lost nearly 70 pounds in about 5 months...

I cut out most processed and fast foods. I stopped drinking pop and when I did I drank diet pop.

For myself I had a cheat day on Sundays. I would treat myself. On that same day I would also prepare a weeks worth of lunches and even dinners. I found it easier to eat better if the food was already prepared. If I got home and it was ready quickly there was less of a chance I would order a pizza or eat crap. It may not be for everyone but it worked for me.

Also don't think of it as a diet...

It's a lifestyle change. Eat better and exercise. It really is a simple formula, It's just sometimes hard to follow it through the world of fast food and convenience.

This all being said I need to get back at it myself. I have put back on 30 of those pounds.

[NewRider]

I would also prepare a weeks worth of lunches and even dinners. I found it easier to eat better if the food was already prepared.

I know this would work for me but what would you prepare? This is where the real difficulty comes in for me as I'm so used to processed foods.

[Blane]

as an example, last night we made a big batch of a pasta dish we like for lunches:

- whole wheat spiral noodles tossed with mixed veg (onion, garlic, chillies, mushrooms, red peppers, etc.)that have been fried in a bit of olive oil, and cooked salmon (we used tinned salmon for this, but fresh would be even better).

we put those into several meal-sized tupperware containers, and then when you want lunch, you just grab one and heat it up, or in the case of this dish, it's also tasty cold.

Edited June 19, 2008 by Guest

[bouche]

join weightwatchers.ca 3 mth online and track every single thing that you eat, including spreads for your sandwiches, dressings for your salads, every single beer, the cream in your coffee. Get a digital scale (Or clean up your weed scale and use it) and weigh every portion out. Drink only water.

you'll be really surprised at how much more you're eating than you should be. Especially if you want to lose. I think 3 mths will cost you $70, but with the planning involved for your weekly meals, the booze that you won't be drinking, you'll save it and end up with more in the end.

hell, you'll be shocked after the first couple of weeks at how well and easy it works.

[Schwa.]

Wanna lose weight? Stop listening to Corb Lund.

[Biggest Fan]

I lost a lot of weight just cutting out on 2nd -n- 3rd go 'arounds'. Just watching how much you eat will help you loose weight.

[djmelbatoast]

cook a roast on the weekend then have sandwiches all week.

[bradm]

When it comes to cooking at home, freezing is also a good option. Things like soup, pasta sauces, chili, burrito mix, etc., freeze really well, and if you freeze them in individual (or dual) servings, you can make a big batch one weekend and enjoy it for quite a while.

Aloha,

Brad

[wavinginthewind]

Paging dimafleck...

[thomson]

Drink only water.

I can't stress this one enough. Oftentimes what feels like hunger is actually thirst or mild dehydration. Drinking lots of water between meals can help prevent snacking. Also, drinks other than water is essentially empty calories.

Miso soup is another nutrient-packed food with relatively few calories. There was a good recipe posted in the Foodies forum somewhat recently which is quick to prepare.

[snarfmaster C]

Wanna lose weight? Stop listening to Corb Lund.

what's corb got to do got to do with it

[bradm]

Also, drinks other than water is essentially empty calories.

Except for the zero-calorie drinks. Since Diet Coke (et al) has no calories at all, it has, by definition, no empty calories.

Aloha,

Brad

Edited June 19, 2008 by Guest

[phorbesie]

but drinking a diet coke makes me feel hungry! true. i dunno if it's just me...

[snarfmaster C]

the no-calorie sweet drinks will encourage a sugar-dependency, though. and cancer. it's a vicious cycle.

[CyberHippie]

Loosing weight is surprisingly easy. Just don't eat anything that has refined sugar in it. The pounds will disappear overnight. And your energy levels will even out and you'll feel like a million bucks...

Surprising how sweet a carrot or peas taste when you've cut out refined sugar (ie: sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, fructose).

Stick to fruit for sweetening things or Stevia, or in a real pinch use honey (which is really good for you) or maple syrup. And if you really have to use 'sugar' use un refined sugars like Turbinado.

Refined sugars have been added to almost every packaged food. That doesn't make them ok to consume though...

[Schwa.]

Wanna lose weight? Stop listening to Corb Lund.

what's corb got to do got to do with it

he needs more Disco Biscuits in his life! out with the slow in with the new

[paisley]

3 months on tour with The Disco Biscuits would likely shed a few of those extra pounds

[hamilton]

Diet is only half of the plan if you're going to lose weight - exercise is key. While I could never recommend the Disco Biscuits to anyone, getting out for regular long walks at a decent speed is a good start. Also, scan the newspaper classifieds to see if you can find an inexpensive treadmill, stationary bike or ellipitical (even better because they don't cause your knees and hips any stress) - people are always buying new ones then not using them and unloading them when they realize that they aren't going to use them, so you should be able to find one without too much difficulty.

[Hartamophone]

In no particular order:

1. Water. Can't be said/drank enough.

2. Exercise. The good thing about exercise, even if it's light or moderate, is that it ups your metabolism with every session. Therefore you benefit long after you've stopped sweating. Even a nightly walk can work wonders. Hell, even not nightly. Do what you can and try to stick with it. Setting unrealistic goals right away is a fast-track to failure.

3. Park farther away, take the stairs, walk instead of drive, etc.

4. Eat at regular intervals. Skipping a meal will slow down your metabolism and therefore cause you to gain, rather than lose. Three average-sized meals and snacks along the way is the way to go. Never let yourself get hungry and make sure your body always has something to process. Apples are probably the best natural food (from what I've heard) at getting metabolism going.

5. Don't try and be too strict. Again, that's a fast-track to failure.

Good luck. A few years ago I decided to stop being so unhealthy after writing the book on beer, pizza and inactivity for a long time (I had an awesome time at university). Starting with subtle changes and avoiding quick-fixes (no Atkins, pills or anything like that) I really managed to turn things around, and have now started competing in triathlons. That said, I still enjoy me some beer and pizza, just not several nights a week. Have fun with it - you'll be surprised how much mileage you get out of even the smallest changes.

[djmelbatoast]

for the last three months I've eaten pretty much nothing but potatoes, pizza and beer, and I've lost 40 pounds.

[Schwa.]

While I could never recommend the Disco Biscuits to anyone......

[Jaimoe]

Lots of good advice. I'll second bouche's Weight-Watchers recommendation: I lost close to 30 lbs a few years back. One thing that makes WW a step above the rest of the diets is that it teaches you how to eat healthy. Fad diets do not. Also, if you don't exercise, you may as well not diet.