Anyone try the diets

[luvmyfam444]

I really do agree with all comments...this is why I haven't run & dumped the $ into the program - once I noticed the huge weightloss.

I have to say I am at a loss without packed foods. I really don't know how to cook without them. Of course my g'mother would say it's not cooking,heating up the processed foods.

BUT I don't know what to buy or what to cook. We only use grnd turkey or fresh chicken. But lots of starches = potatoes, corn, beans - that's about it.

This summer I'm likely gaining weight - dh insists on eating out everyday he's home - so that's 3 days + a week we eat junkfood (not McDonalds - a step up - like Subway -but still junk).

I have always been the food nazi for my kiddos. I pretty much control what they eat (I know - I'll put on my flame retardant suit now). I don't allow them to eat all the junk I do. If they can eat 1 - I may eat 3.

I think it was bob's thoughts from Biggest Loser that said until we know WHY we're overweight we won't be able to loose & keep the weight off.

 

[asta]

I really do agree with all comments...this is why I haven't run & dumped the $ into the program - once I noticed the huge weightloss.

I have to say I am at a loss without packed foods. I really don't know how to cook without them. Of course my g'mother would say it's not cooking,heating up the processed foods.

BUT I don't know what to buy or what to cook. We only use grnd turkey or fresh chicken. But lots of starches = potatoes, corn, beans - that's about it.

This summer I'm likely gaining weight - dh insists on eating out everyday he's home - so that's 3 days + a week we eat junkfood (not McDonalds - a step up - like Subway -but still junk).

I have always been the food nazi for my kiddos. I pretty much control what they eat (I know - I'll put on my flame retardant suit now). I don't allow them to eat all the junk I do. If they can eat 1 - I may eat 3.

I think it was bob's thoughts from Biggest Loser that said until we know WHY we're overweight we won't be able to loose & keep the weight off.

An important thing to know about the MediWeightloss plan is that there is no magic pill that makes you lose weight. You lose weight with them because they help you severely restrict what you eat. They provide pills and advice that assist with that but, in the end, it is still about not eating. The faster weightloss comes because you are only allowed 1000 calories or less a day. That is very hard to do and I don't think it is possible to eat fast food at all and stay under 1000. If you go on their plan you will probably have to eat separately than your family at first. That helped me.

 

[cornflake]

I really do agree with all comments...this is why I haven't run & dumped the $ into the program - once I noticed the huge weightloss.

I have to say I am at a loss without packed foods. I really don't know how to cook without them. Of course my g'mother would say it's not cooking,heating up the processed foods.

BUT I don't know what to buy or what to cook. We only use grnd turkey or fresh chicken. But lots of starches = potatoes, corn, beans - that's about it.

This summer I'm likely gaining weight - dh insists on eating out everyday he's home - so that's 3 days + a week we eat junkfood (not McDonalds - a step up - like Subway -but still junk).

I have always been the food nazi for my kiddos. I pretty much control what they eat (I know - I'll put on my flame retardant suit now). I don't allow them to eat all the junk I do. If they can eat 1 - I may eat 3.

I think it was bob's thoughts from Biggest Loser that said until we know WHY we're overweight we won't be able to loose & keep the weight off.

If you don't know how and what to cook - you can learn! You can move in small steps, learn tips and tricks and substitutes and maybe even things you'll really like more than what you eat now.

As for the eating out thing - because he is doesn't mean you have to. Even if you go, you don't have to eat, or eat a whole meal. You can have a cup of coffee and eat later, or have something healthful. Or, maybe, if you're cooking new and better things, even things that mimic what he likes to eat out - he'll want to eat in too and you'll both be eating better AND saving money.

What do you make during a normal week, say? What categories do you have trouble with that you might want to expand?

 

[FireDancer]

I really do agree with all comments...this is why I haven't run & dumped the $ into the program - once I noticed the huge weightloss.

I have to say I am at a loss without packed foods. I really don't know how to cook without them. Of course my g'mother would say it's not cooking,heating up the processed foods.

BUT I don't know what to buy or what to cook. We only use grnd turkey or fresh chicken. But lots of starches = potatoes, corn, beans - that's about it.

This summer I'm likely gaining weight - dh insists on eating out everyday he's home - so that's 3 days + a week we eat junkfood (not McDonalds - a step up - like Subway -but still junk).

I have always been the food nazi for my kiddos. I pretty much control what they eat (I know - I'll put on my flame retardant suit now). I don't allow them to eat all the junk I do. If they can eat 1 - I may eat 3.

I think it was bob's thoughts from Biggest Loser that said until we know WHY we're overweight we won't be able to loose & keep the weight off.

Have you tried a cooking class or even watching Food Network? I've cooked my whole life but have still done lots of cooking classes (they make great dates) and have learned a lot from just watching Food Network. I would recommend checking out episodes of Good Eats or even grabbing a season on DVD. Even if the specific dishes Alton makes don't appeal to you he teaches a lot about the methods and science of cooking so you can apply them to dishes you do like.

I would hope your husband would listen to your concerns and adjust to eating in and even cooking with you. I'm always surprised how many couples don't cook together. Spousal support makes the whole process much easier in my experience.

Good luck.

 

[luvmyfam444]

well a normal meal would be Hamburger Helper, tacos, stroganoff, spaghetti, taco salad - have several recipes with taco flavorings. I make a chicken/wild rice/greenbean casserole that everyone loves.

That's probably the routine.

Side items are the hardest for me. I have tons of cookbooks, but haven't come up with anything new & certainly nothing healthy!

Used to love Food Network (no cable anymore) - but rarely liked anything they cooked on there - well except for Paula Deen's recipes!

 

[IDoDis]

This highlights another falsehood many dieters believe, and that is that the scale is the great arbiter of success. Muscle weighs more than fat so building muscle while you are losing fat might make the scale move more slowly in the down direction but that really doesn't matter, you are still losing fat which is ultimately the goal. Turning 5 pounds of fat into 5 pounds of muscle will not only make you generally smaller but will also increase you basal metabolic rate which is the number of calories you consume just existing.

When I or the experts talk about a lifestyle change sometimes that is overly vague. What I and most of them mean is that your new lifestyle will include the following (as mine does now):

Doing some form of exercise every day or just about every day. This could mean a nightly walk/jog/run, biking someplace instead of taking the car, joining a gym, or hitting the community pool. Ideally you will do a couple of these on alternating days.

Scrutinizing the menu at a restaurant and going with a healthier choice the majority of the time even if something less healthy looks better.

Cooking more and making processed food less.

Changing how you shop. Maybe you buy fresh food every other day instead of packaged food twice a month.

Reading labels. This can't be stressed enough. It will make you notice portion size (something often overlooked) and see what you are putting in your body. If you don't recognize something in the ingredient list chances are you don't want it in your body.

Doing small things like parking further away or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Altering your leisuretime activities. Maybe not reading for 3 hours a day but reading for 2 hours and walking or hiking for 1.

My favorite, doing more and watching less. Instead of watching tennis on TV for example grab a friend and go play tennis.

Hopefully this is helpful information.

Since when does a pound of muscle weigh more than a pound of fat? A pound is a pound. A pound of feathers weighs the same as a pound of steak. Of course the steak is denser than the feathers which is why it is said to not look at the scale but to look at yourself in the mirror and how your clothes fit. The fat takes up more room, but a pound is a pound, no matter what you are weighing.

 

[cornflake]

well a normal meal would be Hamburger Helper, tacos, stroganoff, spaghetti, taco salad - have several recipes with taco flavorings. I make a chicken/wild rice/greenbean casserole that everyone loves.

That's probably the routine.

Side items are the hardest for me. I have tons of cookbooks, but haven't come up with anything new & certainly nothing healthy!

Used to love Food Network (no cable anymore) - but rarely liked anything they cooked on there - well except for Paula Deen's recipes!

Ok, so first, I'd work on makingthe stuff you like, healthier and incorporating some new/different items into them.

By taco flavourings do you mean the seasoning packets? Those are horrid, they're just filled with insane amounts of salt, which not only isn't great but makes you expect that level of saltiness on other stuff and doesn't allow for tasting much else but salt salt salt.

I notice you've got hamburger helper, stroganoff and spaghetti. First, switch to whole wheat pasta. It's got a lower glycemic index (it raises your blood sugar slower than things with a high glycemic index, like white pasta and white flour foods), which means you get a steadier blood sugar and insulin response, stay full longer and your body works better. It also contains more fibre, which is good for many things, like your digestion.

If you cook whole wheat pasta a little more, it's very hard to tell it from white, texture-wise, and it makes you fuller with less and keeps you full longer, it's more satisfying.

I've never used Hamburger Helper so I looked up the flavours - there are more than I thought!

Since there's a 'crunchy taco' and you like taco stuff... (and btw, one box is more than 1600 calories, 600 grams of fat and close to 4000 mg of sodium, which, that box is close to all the calories a woman needs a day, more than the fat and one and a half or so times the salt. I know you're splitting it up, but what else are you having, or are you making more than one box and splitting that or... you know?)

It *looks* like rice, hamburger, seasoning, possibly cheese, and nacho chips?

You can make, very easily, a much healthier version of this! Like I said, start with small conversions and if you're not an experienced cook, there are more healthy prepared things to use.

Do you know those ... I think they're Uncle Ben's but they may be Success or Minute.... packets of rice that you just tear the corner and microwave for 90 seconds? It's already cooked, just vacuum packed? They make plain, unseasoned, brown rice. Brown rice is much healthier for you, it has nutrients and fibre that white doesn't.

So get a couple or few packets of that, a couple of cans of plain black beans, some shredded cheddar or jack blend cheese, a can or two of chopped tomatoes or a jar of salsa, a packet of taco seasoning you like (small steps - that way it'll have familiar flavour though it's got some different ingredients, but much healthier ones), and some whole grain tortilla chips (Tostitos makes a whole grain chip, they're really good).

If you want to add meat you can. The above you just want to mix the rice, beans (after you drain the liquid from the cans and rinse the beans under cold water), salsa or tomatoes with the seasoning in a pan, then add cheese at the end so it's all melty, and crumble a handful of chips on top.

It's a bit different, but similar and healthier - beans have protein and fibre, brown rice is better than white, some salsa or plain chopped tomatoes are good for you and the whole thing is much better than the boxed, processed crap. If you make these kinds of changes at first, and add in some different things, slowly, you can move toward much healthier stuff and learn new things and how to work with things.

What kind of side items do you like and eat?

 

[FireDancer]

Since when does a pound of muscle weigh more than a pound of fat? A pound is a pound. A pound of feathers weighs the same as a pound of steak. Of course the steak is denser than the feathers which is why it is said to not look at the scale but to look at yourself in the mirror and how your clothes fit. The fat takes up more room, but a pound is a pound, no matter what you are weighing.

You are right, I mean a pound of fat takes up more space than a pound of muscle. I should have said it differently, like a square inch of muscle weighs more than a square inch of fat.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Our sides are typically a starch or bean.

If it's spaghetti - its spinach sald & green beans & garlic bread
If its Ham Helper its corn & biscuit (and yes, all 5 of us eat from 1 box & I buy only lasgana flavor normally)
I use baked beans a lot (though can't find any we like).
or I'll make pot salad that we'll eat with porkchops.
We'll make turkey hotdogs sometimes regular - sometimes chopped up into mac n cheese (one of the kiddos favorites!)

 

[Mickey Fliers]

Our sides are typically a starch or bean.

If it's spaghetti - its spinach sald & green beans & garlic bread
If its Ham Helper its corn & biscuit (and yes, all 5 of us eat from 1 box & I buy only lasgana flavor normally)
I use baked beans a lot (though can't find any we like).
or I'll make pot salad that we'll eat with porkchops.
We'll make turkey hotdogs sometimes regular - sometimes chopped up into mac n cheese (one of the kiddos favorites!)

I know meal planning for a large family can be difficult.

One staple at every dinner in our home is a spinach salad. I also ditched all the nasty dressings that make the salad a treat rather than a nutritionally packed meal. The second side in our dinners is a vegetable or bean. Try black beans with some lime, chili powder and cumin. Yum.

Also, if you can't read the ingredients on the package, don't consume it. Instead of hamburger helper, try a lean pork cutlet topped with diced tomatoe, spinach and feta cheese. Cooking this way will take more time, but so much better in the long run.

 

[cornflake]

Our sides are typically a starch or bean.

If it's spaghetti - its spinach sald & green beans & garlic bread
If its Ham Helper its corn & biscuit (and yes, all 5 of us eat from 1 box & I buy only lasgana flavor normally)
I use baked beans a lot (though can't find any we like).
or I'll make pot salad that we'll eat with porkchops.
We'll make turkey hotdogs sometimes regular - sometimes chopped up into mac n cheese (one of the kiddos favorites!)

It sounds like you're heavy on the starch yeah.

Have you tried plain beans that you season instead of baked beans? They're not the greatest - lot of sugar, not the best beans...

How about other veg?

Have you ever tried roasting vegetables? You can make a big mess of roasted root vegetables simply and use whatever you like, so you can start with starchier types and then work in some other things....

Roasted cauliflower, brussel sprouts (even people who don't like brussel sprouts will snarf roasted ones, honestly, they're like candy), carrots, beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes, fingerling or baby red or gold potatoes, mushrooms, cippolini onions, broccoli, butternut squash, turnips, etc., whatever you

Just cut everything into like inch and a half pieces, put in a big bowl, toss with a little olive oil, little balsamic if you want, then spread on cookie sheets (line with foil so as not to make a mess) in a single layer with space between each piece (not a lot just not touching) sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake at 400 for like 25 - 35 minutes.

You like spinach salad - do you like spinach? You can sautee a bunch of sliced mushrooms in a bit of butter with some salt and pepper until they're nice and golden and then wilt some spinach in - just jack the heat up on the pan and toss in damp spinach leaves and toss around for a couple seconds, just until they wilt down. Delicious.

You like green beans - what do you do with them besides in the casserole?

Do you make your own lasagna? It freezes very well - you could take a couple hours on a weekend afternoon or whatever and make a couple big ones and divide them up and freeze them into dinner portions.

 

[sissy_ib]

I see these "Medi-spas" offering deals on Groupon all the time. That is enough for me to know it is not something I am interested in. I'm not letting some 19 y/o working in a "spa" at a strip mall give me an injection of anything!