I need to loose weight, and want to do it in a healthy way.

[MomInCalifornia]

I am 5'4 and weigh 163 pounds. My ideal healthy weight for my body is between 130-140 pounds.

In the last 2 months I have lost 15 pounds with exercise and Jenny Craig, eating 1200 calories a day. I get to the gym 4-5 days most weeks, and do 45-60 min of cardio and then 20-30 min of weights.

While the Jenny Craig program has been very helpfull, I just don't feel it is healthy to eat so much premade processed food.

I would like to start loosing weight by eating a more healthy diet or whole foods, fruits and vegies.

Can anyone suggest ways I might do this. I prefer to not eliminate any one food group, but to use everything in moderation. I don't enjoy spending tons of time in the kitchen, so quick and esy is great.

I have a 15 month old and a husband to also cook for, and I am not breastfeeding.

Thanks!

[SnuggleMom]

Sarah,

First of all, congratulations on your weight loss to date. That's terrific, and it looks like you've built a great habit of working out. That is so important, and the piece I haven't yet managed to put in place.

I would encourage you to create meals for yourself that are built around a variety of whole foods that you love. I have found for myself that if I work on eating healthy food, then I lose weight. About a year and a half ago I started making changes in how I eat. The first thing I did was stop using anything with NutraSweet in it. Then I declared a goal of eating salad with dinner every night. In reality, I manage about 5 nights a week -- but it's a lot better than the once or twice a week I was doing before. Then I focused on adding whole grains. Then I started reading about organic, and decided to have organic produce delivered weekly. My goal is to use up the box before the next box arrives.

All of this meant my meals were much healthier than before. I don't know how much weight I've lost because I threw out my scale. But, before I started the changes, I wore a size 30/32. This week I bought new pants that are a size 24 and they fit great!

In the time I've been doing this, I haven't denied myself anything. If I want chocolate or ice cream or even McDonald's, then I have it. What I have found though is that the healthier I eat, the healthier I want to eat.

You asked for some specific suggestions. Here's what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast -- Cascadian Farms organic granola w/Brown Cow maple yogurt

Lunch -- Avocado, sprouts, tomato & cheese sandwich on ww bread and a small salad w/lemon tahini dressing

Dinner -- Taco salad made with ground turkey, kidney beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onion, olives, sour cream and salsa. Served with Doritos!

Snack -- ice cream

Hmm, looking this over I can see I was a bit shy on fruit yesterday.

[Marlena]

Congrats on your program to date - it sounds like you've been doing a fabulous job!!

Do you (or does your dp) do much cooking? If you do cook, do you cook from scratch?

I suggest trying to cook from scratch if you don't already do so.

The Moosewood cookbooks are fabulous sources of healthy, yummy recipies.

[mmgarda]

Love Jane Brody

Marlena - I'm almost EXACTLY where you are weight/height. I, too, want to get healthier and I am TOTALLY AMAZED at your working out. That is so AWESOME!!! Ok, now I'm gonna have to get off my butt and get moving in the mornings.

Anyway, I really, really love the Jane Brody cookbooks (even though I don't focus so much on high-carb). I find that the recipies are great and very easily adaptable. My favorite is The Jane Brody Good Food Book: Living the High-Carbohydrate Way. If you are pressed for time, I find that doing a bunch of cooking on the weekend so that I have things handy throughout the week is making a big difference. It's hard to justify grabbing something to-go when I know there's a ton of brown rice, cooked chicken and easy veges at home.

[Ravenmoon]

Personally i lost 75 lbs in 8 months by cutting out all refined carbs and sugars.It was hard becasue i was addicted.But after the first week or so i was fine.I quit coffee too.

I upped my proteins and filled my carbs with veggies and fruits.

For breakfast~3 scrambled eggs with veggies and a small amount of cheese

snack~fruit

lunch~4oz chicken breast with a huge salad,lots of veggies

snack~almonds(hard boiled egg)

dinner~stir fry veggies with steak

No rice,noodles or bread.If i really needed it i would have like 1/4cup rice with my stir fry.But brown rice.Or rice noodles and gluten free breads.

After getting over the sugar cravings i was so good at turning down desserts.I filled myself up on water.And tea.

After the 8 months when i lost all of my weight i slowly added in the carbs and sugars.I eat them in moderation and i have maintained my weight.

I didn't exercise at all during my weight loss.I am now exercising 4 times a week at a gym to strenghten my body and tone it.

Also taking a chromium supplement or getting some L-glutamine capsules and breaking them open under your tongue will help curb the cravings.

[MomInCalifornia]

Thanks for the helpful advice, please feel free to keep the ideas coming!

Ben and I both do the cooking, though with him in grad school and working 50 hour weeks, it is mostly me. No, I do not cook from scratch, I more assemble.

I don't enjoy spending tons of time in the kitchen, and have a hard time doing to much "labor intensive" cooking with a 15 month old!

I really like the idea of preparing lots on the weekend! I need to look more into that.

Thank You!

[Artemisia]

I know you mentioned that you did not want to cut out any food group but I did want to say that I lost a lot of weight when I stopped eating meat. (We still eat sea food and dairy) I was not trying to loose weight at the time but ended up loosing about 20 pounds without even trying. (And have not gained any weight back!)
Maybe it would help if you cut down on your meats?
Anyway just a though......

[cjinaz]

Congrats on your weight loss and workout program. You are doing great.

I've been doing WW for a while. I'm about 12 pounds from my goal. I find it really helps me make healthy choices. I just do it online. Like you I don't want to cut any one thing out - that makes me want it twice as much. I think that's why I do well on WW.

I've also found some great semi-homemade meals at some of the stores like Wild Oats. Today I picked up a premade lowfat fresh meatloaf at one of our local farmers market type stores and just popped it in the oven to bake. Not homemade (at least not by me), but not McDonald's. I find having some things like that around helps when I'm tired, stressed, low on time and would normally make a bad food choice because it's easier.

Good luck, you are doing great. You will reach your goal.

[amnesiac]

My dh started doing SugarBusters about 6 months ago. He really likes it because it is more of a lifestyle change as opposed to a "diet." Any grains are 100% whole grains-- brown rice, whole wheat pasta, bread etc. We don't eat potatoes either. And we do watch fat content as well. We don't stick to it so much on the weekends though. He says he has more energy than ever & has lost weight slowly but consistently & feels he can keep it off.

[Staceyhsmom1]

I think one of the easiest ways to eat healthier is to add something to your diet, instead of taking something away. It's all a mind game, lol, as what you add will eventually replace unhealthy habits.

For example, oh, 10 years ago I added water to my diet, small but concious change, I 1st tried to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Now I rarely drink anything but water. Other drinks have unneeded calories and sugars. I rarely drink soda, maybe 1-2x a year, and drink water, some cranberry juice and herbal teas. Quite a big change, but it's natural for me now and very healthy.

Another is eating more fruits and veges. I decided, oh a few years ago, to add more fruits and veges to my diet. It seemed easier for me if I started this 1st thing in the morning. This was a big change for me, as I prefer a hot breakfast or just coffee. Now I wake up and have a pear and an orange, or a vege omelet.

So you can add whole foods, fruit, water, veges, salad, healthy snacks until the change is natural and you'reon your way!



Good luck to you! I am joining ww next week for moral support with a dear friend. We are both sz 22/24 and have been this sz since college, so I'm focusing on my sz instead of my weight.

[carminex]

I am a fan of weight watchers. I like it beacuse I can choose to eat what I want. (I like whole foods/Non processed stuff but do not want to eliminate food groups either) The habits are healthy ones and ones that can be maintained. I do the nursing program which allows for more points.

I am not doing it right now because I am doing a total elimination diet for my nursing son to see if it helps his reflux. I have lost 4 pounds in one week but don't feel too healthy only eating about 5 things!

[pamamidwife]

1200 calories a day? That is atrocious! wow!

I'm thinking about doing WW - last time I tried I was so into getting more points by eating their crappy frozen food and Campbell's soups. Not good food choices. However, I'm willing to try it again. Yep.

[rainsmom]

Im doing WW and having some success so far. My sister who's been on it for years says when she reaches a plateau where she cant lose or gain, she cuts out the carbs and loses weight pretty quickly. You can still eat healthy by cutting back/out carbs......

[kylewilliamsmom]

I am 5'4 and 156 lbs and I want to get down to 130. I have tried lots of diets from Suzanne Somers to Atkins etc.. The best way I have found to actually lose and maintain is to :
1. Don't eat past 8 pm
2. Drink lots of water. I don't drink much soda or juice. and I drink non fat milk
3. I eat in moderation what I want to eat.
I feel that completely cutting out one food group may work for some people but not for me. It should be a lifestyle change and not a diet if I want it to last. Don't get me wrong, some days or weeks go bad, but you just start again the next snack or meal or day.
I also joined the MDC weight loss group that weighs in every Monday and that has been a great morale booster to have people to share the losses and gains, It is a great support.
I try to work out when I can but I have a 5 month old and a husband who works difficult shifts so when I can I do. Classes (Body Pump(weights) and Body Step at Gold's gym) and the eliptical are my favorite.
Good luck and hang in there!
Rachel
PS I did try WW when my son was 10 weeks old. I am breastfeeding and even with the extra points was still very hungry and trying to measure and count my food for the rest of my life did not appeal. However it was a healthy balanced way of eating. My mom loves it.