weight loss...tips, recipes, someone to talk to??

Also, my mom just gave me a bunch of new loose teas for my birthday and my current favorite is this one that has sasperilla root in it, so it's root beer flavored I made a jug of iced tea with about 5 cups of water, and then stirred in 1 tablespoon of honey to sweeten. I have a glass every night, and it totally gets my sweet fix and is helping me get off soda once and for all (hopefully).

My mom also says the blood orange one is excellent iced.


Another thing I'm working on is getting rid of anything fake or chemically in my diet. I'd rather put a little real sweetener in something and re-teach my body that sweet = calories, than continue to chug 40+ oz of diet soda a day and trick my body into thinking sweet doesn't equal calories.


And yogurt - you can make your own greek yogurt! If you get the regular stuff (make sure it has just a few ingredients, and isn't one with all of the extra starches), put 2 or 3 coffee filters in a strainer, scoop some yogurt in, and let drain for 1-2 hours. The extra liquid will drain out and will leave you with the thicker, greek style yogurt.

I like eating that with a spoonful of honey and some chopped roasted walnuts. I also mix lemon juice or lime juice in, so make kind of a key lime pie kind of thing.

Not really advice, but I guess just something to add, on the order of what rahma said about beans. I actually like a lot of beans, just on their own. But I know a lot of people don't, because they're dry, or bland, or whatever. That said, think of beans like tofu. They can be made to taste like whatever you want them to taste like! I am vegetarian, and I don't like plain tofu, ICK! , but i like it in a lot of recipes. It's a blank slate. Beans are similar. Put them in soup with whatever seasonings you like, put them in pasta, mash them and make a 'meat loaf' of sorts or make a spread for sandwiches or to dip things in, even puree them and put them into soup to make a thick soup.. There's millions of recipes on the internet, and of course cookbooks too.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by strange_wings

If a person is wanting to diet with a focus on healthy natural foods putting that chemical garbage in their body is worse than the HFCS found in sodas. It's truly amazing the political and financial gain that was behind pushing aspartame through FDA approval when what few studies where done (it was approved after too few) showed it as being quite bad. Many have serious side effects from splenda, too. (I'm one who does.

) There's also the problem with it not breaking down and waste treatment plants not really being able to filter it all out - thus its getting out into oceans in some areas. This is currently being studied as to just how much harm it could be causing.

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I second the above..

I am using the weight watcher points system with success, not so much in the lbs lost but in the inches lost... This allows my weekly 1000 calorie hamburger and fries with a smoothie outing .. I find it very easy to follow and if your like me with differing nutritional needs they are easily met by adjusting things a tad...

I also try to follow a "square meal" which is one part protein, one part raw veg, one part cooked veg and one part starch...

Best diet advise came from a nutrition trained acupuncturist, something I was taught in school but I forgot( I went to school for nutritional science / Dietetics ).. Make sure you have at least 10-15 grams of protein in your breakfast , ie most cereal with milk is half of that...

If you drink milk use skim... less fat , less calories and more calcium

This is what I flavor my water and teas with as needed

www.truelemon.com You can cook with it, bake with it ,makes water taste good without sugar or many calories... oh and they will send you samples.. Note I found lemon and lime at a store in the next town for about half what they charge online

One other FYI type deal... Does the dr think you are overweight ? I ask as some folks are built on bigger frames... My grandma was one , very thin she wore an OLD 14/16 which today depending on maker would be 12-18.. At a solid weight she wore a 18/20 ie in the late 1980s /1990s

I'm a big Weight Watchers fan as well. For me, it's all about learning how to eat right, and keep track of what I'm putting into my body. The meetings are also very helpful, and I'm generally not a "meeting" type person.

Weight Watchers is all about balanced eating for me. And, for the 4 weeks since I've joined, I'm having a ball cooking some of their recipes. Portion control is key, and you can really have anything, as long as you keep track of the portion and measure stuff.....which seems like alot of work at first, but I've really gotten into it.

It's also about not feeling deprived. I swear, I feel like I'm eating more than I've ever eaten, but it's working for me!

I spelled it wrong -- it's TruVia, and yes, it's a sugar substitute that's based on stevia, which has been used in health foods for decades and doesn't appear to be harmful. Unfortunately, you can't cook with it, but as long as I don't make my tea too hot, it works fine to sweeten it.

The Oikos is much better than two other Greek yogurt brands I've tried, but it's still a tad thick and not quite sweet enough for me... so I stir in about a tablespoon of lowfat milk and a half-packet of TruVia before I add the granola, so I really feel more like I'm having cereal with milk. I bet you'll like it!

Originally Posted by DarkMavis

think of beans like tofu. They can be made to taste like whatever you want them to taste like! I am

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I love tofu and I make delicious tofu brownies.

Oh I love tofu too, just not on its own. I make a mean tofu lasagna. And tofu brownies sound really yummy! Could you possibly share the recipe?

Originally Posted by DarkMavis

Oh I love tofu too, just not on its own. I make a mean tofu lasagna. And tofu brownies sound really yummy! Could you possibly share the recipe?

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Tofu is very good, cubed, in chili.

Soon as I get today's dinner in the oven for His Lordship, I will post the recipe.

I went to the store today and got a ton of stuff from the bulk section! I ended up with small bags of a bunch of different beans and brown/wild rice and lentils so we can try some new recipes! i was so proud of us...we typically go to whole foods and end up with a dessert from the bakery, or chocolate from the local chocolatier or something delicious but not at all good for us. And today we didn't. We got lots of fresh veggies, bulk rices/beans & such, and they had a deli bar with a few kinds of marinated tofu so we got that to try. I am trying to replace the fakey meat we typically eat with tofu and beans. I like the fakey meats but I am trying to cut out a lot of preservatives and added ingredients and add in more natural items. So we got a few more blocks of tofu so I can work with marinating it and finding new ways to prepare it.
Adding tofu in chili sounds amazing btw! I think I might have to try that soon. Do you have a recipe for chili with tofu? I have never made chili before...

Here is the recipe for DarkMavis for tofu brownies.

Ingredients

8 oz. lite silken tofu
1-1/2 c. plus 1/3 c. flour
2/3 c. water
3/4 c. sugar plus 2 T.
t. vanilla extract
3/4 c. baking cocoa
1/2 c. olive oil
t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pam-spray a 9" square baking pan.

In blender, process cut-up tofu until pureed. In small saucepan, wisk gradually 1/3 c. flour with the water until smooth. Stir in one cup only of pureed tofu and wisk until blended. Discard any extra tofu. Cook, carefully, over medium heat, wisking occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Set saucepan aside for later use.

Add sugar, salt and vanilla to the bowl and wisk until well-blended. In the saucepan you used before, wisk cocoa and oil together until well-blended. Then wisk cocoa mixture into tofu mixture in bowl. Stir in remaining 1-1/2 c. flour and baking powder until well-blended. Scrape mixture into prepared pan and bake 35 minutes only. Even if it doesn't look done, it is done. Don't overbake. When cool, tip out of pan onto wire rack. Don't tip out of pan until it is cool since it can crack. Cut into 16 squares. Can be frozen.

About 12 years ago, I lost 80lbs, going from a size 18 to a 4/6. I only did it because I found out I was pre-diabetic, which scared me. I never really exercised, nor tried to lose that much weight. I was simply trying to get my blood sugar down (which weight loss does, though). I cut out as much sugar as I could--and that meant giving up my beloved lemonade and sugary foods (I'm a chocoholic). I actually ate MORE food each day; I just ate healthier foods. I ate 6 small meals a day, which has been proven to help weight loss and stabilize blood sugar.

1. That sweet tea may not sound like much, but that sugar adds up each day. I'd suggest not drinking it at all. Try sugar-free. If you're paranoid about artificial sweeteners, then don't; but I think, in moderation, they are safe. Also, try it just straight, with sliced lemons, I actually prefer my iced tea without sweeteners of any sort.

2. Eat 6 small meals daily. Eat only fat-free snacks. Cut out as much sugar as possible.

3. The only exercise I did was a brisk walk around the mall after I ate lunch.

4. You CAN eat pizza regularly! I lost weight eating a big slice of veggie pizza, and 1 carton of fat-free, no sugar-added yogurt for lunch 5 days a week (work lunches--the pizza place was at that mall I mentioned!). Mine had broccoli, cheese, tomatoes, and spinach toppings.

5. And you CAN eat fast-food, too. Once a week, I'd eat a Wendy's Jr. cheeseburger deluxe, small fries, & a diet Coke for lunch.

6. Really watch portions. It's easy to think you're "not taking too much!".

7. Drink lots of ice water each day.

8. Eat a diet composed mainly of fruits and veggies, with some lean meat.

What is awesome is Quinoa. I seriously love this grain. I have a recipe if you are interested in a Quinoa dish that tastes just like a chili but without all the calories and only takes about 20 minutes to make. I made it one night and my friend was totally skeptical and she was suprised at how much such a little grain filled her up and also how rich and full the dish tasted. It is vegeterain.

I have recently discovered Spaghetti Squash which I am starting to use as a subsitute for my rice pastas. (me and wheat pasta don't get along well)

finally about the artificial sweetners...I wouldn't use them (I can't anyway I'm allergic) but if you want to get the bitter taste out of unsweetened tea just sprinkle a bit of baking soda at the bottom of the glass or pitcher when you brew the tea. and i agree you should use a good quality tea.

A nice alternative to sugar that i have found (and have been using in DH's coffee since I am trying to get him to not use splendia) is Agave Nector. It is better for you and dissolves really well in hot liquids.

I gain weight very easily unfortunately but don't like counting calories, so instead I count food. I eat peanut butter and avocado pretty much every day. My aim is portion control and frequent small meals and snacks. On the counting food, I try to eat only real food. That means no diet stuff, artificial sweetners, no margarine, just real honest food.

I am fairly strict, no processed snacks foods in the house, never any sodas, no chips, no white breads, nothing with ingredients I don't know what they are or long ingredient lists, I don't care for sweets anyway so none of that stuff (sugar basically, like ice cream, cookies, cakes, pies, etc.). My husband who likes sugar uses local honey, real maple syrup, or agave.
Almost all fast food is out when you like to eat real live food. We can make homemade pizza crust that only has a few ingredients and is thin and healthy, the crust is more delicious than anything that can be ordered. If you order pizza make sure and order thin crust, extra sauce (depending on the red sauce used), and light cheese heavy on the veggies. Also salad dressings can be made at home to be simple, better for you, and very delicious.

I also don't eat beef or pork so most meals are vegetarian or vegan. I do eat fish. I use brown rice and whole wheat bread that only has 4 ingredients in it. I shop at the health food store and the outside of the normal grocery store. I have learned to prepare dishes using eggplant or tofu as the main players. Simple homemade veggie soups are great for you and good for helping with weight. We eat a lot of beans in various dishes for healthy low fat proteins. We use a lot of natural spices both dried and fresh to help with flavors.

Most meals and snacks are homemade around here. We travel a lot. Food is fixed beforehand and taken in a cooler, that includes drinks, even if it is just a half a day trip. If you want a snack you will probably end up making something here, cutting fruit, chopping veggies, organic yogurt or hummus to dip, air popped pop corn, etc. Although nuts, raisins, and boiled eggs are kept on hand for a quick snack. We would buy fish jerky but it is very expensive.

It is hard in this society to eat this way and a lot of time is spent in the kitchen, but gets easier with time. It is more of a way of life than anything. I feel it is better for my body and soul. I also wouldn't forget about things like positive thing, daily walks, yoga, sun, counting your blessing, appreciating the little things, and taking high quality vitamins from a health food store. These things really matter in the overall picture. Cherish your life. It is important and so much more than just the food we eat, although the food we eat matters. That is one thing there has been a lot of research on and has been proven to really help improve health. Focus on how the living food like plants that aren't processed can feed your body and soul. It is what they were made to do.

Hope some of this random advice helps. You can read people's blog's for inspiration online. I did that and it did help. But everyone has what works best for them and what doesn't. I just so happen to feel best on the above diet, it is more than a diet, it is a way of life and lifelong eating.

I am definitely trying to change eating habits for a lifestyle eating instead of a diet. We have gone the entire week without soda, I have made unsweetened tea also, and our other drink of choice is water.
We went to our local health food store and were able to buy some bulk grains, rices and such to make. I have been looking up recipes for beans, lentils, wheatberries, quinoa....I am trying to make new things we haven't tried, and do more cooking from scratch instead of box/prepared foods. I have been spending more time in the kitchen and my husband did complain a little today about how we have very little "easy to make food". I told him once we get more used to it, it will be easier. I am going to make some bread and pizza crusts that we can freeze so when we want pizza, we have crust ready.
I have also been measuring out my foods and counting calories. I have a lot of fresh veggies for snacks, and am making some homemade hummus this week also.

Thanks everyone for the awesome tips and advice!! I LOVE this thread!