Ok I Think I Figured It Out!

[june13sleever 223]

I just weighed in yesterday. Lost only 4 pounds in a month. I did have a little ice cream here and there, but I feel like I can almost eat normally. Not 3 burgers and two fries of course...but i did figure something out...which i am making some changes starting today...i was really eating a lot of Soups. I still will eat them, but the soup...even with meat...is almost a slider food for me. I eat a cup of chicken chilli and am still hungry. I was eating cheese in the AM which is also basically a slider food for me. So I decided to get out some fish and grill it. NOT a slider food. I ate 3 oz and maybe was hungry two hours later. I have learned, for me, that I need to make sure most, if not all of my meals have to be low cal dense Protein. I had such great restriction that I could only eat a handful of chips or a couple bites of ice cream, but now no no no no no...these are not foods I can eat on a regular basis as they just slide right on through. I went to McDonald's, and i had a grilled chicken sandwich on a regular bun. That was at around 2pm. I got hungry around 8pm and had some more chicken. So i know they say protien first, but I was sort of not doing this or eating like a lean cuisine which really doesn't have enough dense protien. so after just an hour I was hungry again. I wanted to be able to do things easy (microwave) but I am learning...yeah I gotta bake some chicken. I just like to tell you all this just in case anyone is wondering or feeling the same thing. I will start working out on monday so I am really hoping to pull a good number (biggest loser style) this week! I also know that I am hungrier than I have ever been so I really need to watch it! anybody have some helpful hints or can share your experience please do so. i also saw someone say if you are taller you might have a longer stomach...is this true? I only have 42 pounds to go. I really need some tips!

[Lissa 2,631]

I'm not as far out as you, but I'm re-learning how to cook and how to eat. I keep frozen chicken breasts in the freezer and cook them up either with my little george foreman grill or in a skillet with some low cal italian dressing. I also bought and cooked a small pack of pork chops, then froze them separately. They nuke up in the microwave in a couple of minutes and I add seasoning once they are reheated.

Since I'm cooking for one, I will open a can of dense Soup, like bean with bacon, and heat up half. The other half goes in a small plastic container in the fridge for another meal. I keep cheese sticks and mini babybel cheeses on hand for Snacks, along with a bag of almonds from Sams. I also have a box of Protein bars in the pantry, for those mornings when I'm running behind and some pre made Protein shakes in the fridge, although they arent my favorite.

Good luck!!

[june13sleever 223]

i was thinking nuts...so i bought them...i can eat alot of nuts...and they have so many calories...they are yummy. I think I will get the george forman grill again. I forgot about that thing. I was just in the store and they had these already cooked and seasoned chicken breasts. I will try anything! Thank you for your input!

[lsereno 2,525]

I like to eat, but I don't like to cook for just myself:

• I like ground beef.You can have it as a patty or, crumbled with some veggies and sauteed real fast.
  
• I buy the chickens from costco and use the meat in chicken salad (made with lite mayo, greek yogurt, honey mustard, and some apple), chicken strips, or sauteed quick with veggies.
  
• thin pork chops
  
• fish on the george forman or baked in foil with lemon and then served over wilted spinach.
  
• I buy premade Soups, like the Vegetable barley at costco, then I add 3 oz. of dense Protein. I don't use all the liquid in the Soup. Winds up being more like a casserole. Needs to be a good quality, low calorie soup like from Costco or Whole Foods to work well.
  
• I have lowfat salami and string cheese at lunch.
  
• Check the deli for pre-cooked kabobs.
  
• I like tuna salad too.
  

I know what you mean about being hungrier. I'm a month ahead of you and my appetite is increasing. Hope it is getting close to being what it will be permanently.

Lynda

[june13sleever 223]

Kabobs!!! Awesome!!! I am totally going to look for those and the already cooked chickens. I am also going to add more protien to the soups! Good ideas!!! Thank you!!!!!

[dramagirl28 22]

I always keep some frozen food on hand for nights when I don't feel like cooking (which happens often!). Frozen meatballs are great. I have also found pre-cooked hamburger patties that you just microwave. I hunted around for the lowest-carb chicken strips/nuggets I could find and I have those occasionally. When I do cook, I try to make enough food that I can eat the leftovers a couple times, but not so much that I end up throwing a bunch of food away. That takes practice. If you have a Trader Joe's near you, you can buy "Just Chicken" and eat it plain as a snack or throw a few pieces into your Soups or on a salad or mix it in teriyaki.... the possibilities are endless!