stressing over dinner

Posts: 2
1/9/13 9:08 P

You made the decision to start eating better and you are trying. That is a success in itself. It will get easier. I just started "dieting" on Sunday. The first day I thought I was going to seriously die. I am only a few days into in and it is beginning to get easier. I have been eating a lot of lean meats to help keep myself full longer. But I am also having trouble with feeling like I am starving all the time! I am hoping the cravings go away soon! Just stay positive and you will do great:)

current weight: 142.6

148 137.25 126.5 115.75

105

Posts: 702
1/9/13 7:28 P

The important thing is that you learned your lesson! :) You learned that not planning your food ahead of time MAJORLY hurts your chances for success.

Don't be upset with yourself! You are no worse off now than when you started, right? Not to mention, going over your calories a little bit doesn't mean you will gain weight. It's probably still significantly less than you were eating before. When I first started out, I had plenty of bumps in the road. Each time, I vowed to learn something from the situation. And I would always remind myself that even though I went over my calories, as long as I didn't exceed my daily BMR, the day wasn't completely lost.

You already know now that you need to plan your meals out. Personally, I plan out all my foods the night before. So tonight, I go through and plan everything I'm going to eat tomorrow. Sometimes I'll plan a couple days in advance. Good luck on your planning and on your journey!

Pounds lost: 114.0

0 33.75 67.5 101.25

135

Posts: 200
1/9/13 5:53 P

CLR,

Thanks! Yes, I do plan on meal planning, but just haven't got to it yet. I plan on doing this weekend. I jumped in head first yesterday and decided I had to loose weight! Thanks for the sites, I will definately have a look at them. For tonight, it is mixed frozen veg, baked pot, and lemon pepper skinless chix breats. I am starving, I can't wait for it to be ready!

Pounds lost: 25.0

0 12.5 25 37.5

50

Posts: 200
1/9/13 5:51 P

Veg Girl,
Thanks for the kind words and I will look for your friend request, could definately use one right about now. I plan on coming up with a meal plan this weekend, that should help. I know life never works the way you plan, but you have to start somewhere.
I used to do sparkpeople a few years ago and it worked for me, so I know I can do it again, but it seems over the last couple years, I just keep giving up. I last a couple days, maybe a week if I am lucky and get frustrated and quit. I'm worried because I started already frustrated this time. Maybe that is a good thing?

Pounds lost: 25.0

0 12.5 25 37.5

50

Posts: 200
1/9/13 5:47 P

Omender,
Thanks for looking at my food track. That's awesome! Yes, I knew the dressing and olives hurt me, but salad is easier for me to do for lunch, but I am picky. I won't eat it without a dressing I like. As for the olives, realized after I ate them the mistake. No more of those for a while. I jusmped first feet into this and have not had time to do a meal plan yet. I am going to work on that this weekend.

Pounds lost: 25.0

0 12.5 25 37.5

50

SparkPoints: (9,019)
Fitness Minutes: (2,858)
Posts: 438
1/9/13 5:08 P

Please take a deep breath, stop stressing yourself, and listen to the advice people have given you here.

Really start using the site. The keys of planning ahead, evaluating things like salad dressing - anything that might be your problem areas - someone here has had the same experience. I've learned this a lot this time around on spark people. The more sparkpoints I get - the better I seem to do - it's because I'm listening to the Podcast, reading blogs, reading articles, learning planning techniques, etc.

I've also sent you a spark friend request. Please feel free to message me to talk through things, or to share meal ideas, struggles, articles, planning techniques or cute inspirations.

Know that everyone here is behind you - and it will start making your negative talk become positive! You CAN do this - because you want to be a healthier happier you!

current weight: 131.8

147 141.5 136 130.5

125

Posts: 99
1/9/13 3:17 P

I looked at your public nutrition tracker and I noticed some thing. You have a lot of calories tied up in salad dressing and olives. Try 2T and maybe even combine your likes. Instead of oil packed olives and oil and vinegar dressing, why not get an olive salad/tapenade and use that as your dressing (again about 2T). If it were me, I would increase the lean protein and maybe add a good bread and cut way back on dressing. I often use just a balsamic glaze with no oil if I have other fat in the salad already.

You can search for 500 Calorie meals here. Search for the main ingredients that you have and you can probably come up with something from the recipes on here.

If you have a headache, you need to eat more. You will not stick with this if you feel miserable all the time. Go have a good snack and plan dinner and for tomorrow. Have some fruit and cheese or veggies and hummus or something like that.

Pounds lost: 7.2

0 5.5 11 16.5

22

SparkPoints: (22,316)
Fitness Minutes: (15,876)
Posts: 778
1/9/13 2:02 P

Have you given any thought to meal planning? sit down once a week and plan out your meals I have the same thing for breakfast on weekdays, but lunch and dinner are usually different. Obviously, it can be flexible, so if you don't want to make fajitas on Wednesday, you can make them on Thursday. I get home from work/gym around the same time you do, do a little exercise, shower and then start dinner.

Foods I'm making this week (with links to recipes)
Daily breakfast: Eggs and oats
http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2011/12
/12/the-best-300-calorie-oatmeal-youll
-ever-have/
Modified by doubling the vanilla, adding brown sugar and lots of cinnamon

Lunch for the week (Lentil soup recipe):
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=2335246

Dinner recipes (can also use leftovers for lunches)
Lemon Ricotta Pasta (I also served with chicken breast sauteed in a pan)
http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2011/03/lemon-ricotta-pasta-352-recipe-088.html

Crock pot chicken fajitas
http://eatathomecooks.com/2012/12/easy-crockpot-chicken-fajitas.html

Garlic brown sugar chicken with brussels sprout and potatoes
**Chicken recipe missing oil to saute. Can use garlic powder if you don't have garlic.
http://jujugoodnews.com/baked-garlic-brown-sugar-chicken/
**Used cut up yukon gold potatoes instead and frozen brussels sprouts
http://www.familycircle.com/recipe/vegetables/brussels-sprouts-and-fingerling-
potatoes/

Chicken Kale Casserole
http://www.marthastewart.com/862208/chicken-and-kale-casserole?czone

As for the second paragraph, think of it as a lifestyle change, not a diet. No foods are off limits- you just need to learn portion control with less-health foods. Check sparkrecipes.
As for tonight, make some frozen (or canned or fresh) vegetables, saute some chicken with salt/pepper/garlic powder/whatever you want and call it dinner. Even if the chicken is frozen, defrosting it in water and getting it on the table won't take longer than an hour from frozen to finished.

140 Days since:  10 minute daily exercise streak

0 37 75 112

150

Posts: 200
1/9/13 1:42 P

Only my second day back, and stressing. Decided the other day I was going to try again. So unprepared. Did go to store and get a bunch of salad stuff for lunches, but unprepared for dinner. Have no clue what I am going to cook tonight. It doesn't help that I don't get home until about 5:30 from work and then have to cook, and then will finally get to eat. Plus, I still haven't figured out the right combo of foods yet, so only have about 500 calories left today. That seems so little! Thought I chose wisely today, but used more calories than I thought. Hate to figure the amount of calories I was eating just days ago. UGH!
I hate dieting, I hate being hungry, I hate calorie counting, I hate not eating what and how much I want....But, I hate being overweight, I hate feeling bad about my self, I hate being emarassed, and I hate being unhealthy. It seems easier to just eat and forget about it. I wish the diet fairy would come and plan all my meals for me and cook them. Wouldn't that be nice. I know the longer I go, the easier it gets, but the beginning is so hard. I have a headache for second day in a row, feeling depressed, and I want something bad to eat (like a cake, pie, or chips)! Can I cry now?

Pounds lost: 25.0

0 12.5 25 37.5

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