Healthy Lifestyle Choices That Work For You Heat In The Kitchen

Healthy Lifestyle Choices that work for you

sparow64 14 years ago

We have been discussing diets and weightloss, etc, in Our Daily Dinner, and thought I would start a thread here to share what works for us. You never know when you might grab a good idea from someone, or, when your idea might help them!

I have incorporated alot of tips my Mom taught me over the years, that she has read in magazines, that really do help and work.

I have lost almost 50 lbs in the last 2 years. I did it by walking, changing from diet soda to water, and just cooking healthier. It slowed down last year when I couldn't walk anymore when the arthritis got so bad in my hip. BUT, now that I have my new hip and am able to walk again - even supposed to walk, I am ready to jump back in when the weather cooperates. We don't have a mall or anywhere to walk indoors that's close enough to the town where I live.
Here is what I do: (walking was what I did before, and plan to again SOON!)

* I walked for an hour most nights when I got home from work. Got to the point of walking 3 miles in about 55 min. About 4 times a week, realistically. Did this in town. We live close to a historic downtown of a very small town, and walked on sidewalks through neighborhoods.

* 1st I went from regular soda to diet soda. (I used to keep one in my hand all day and all evening!). Then I started drinking water. I still fight my diet soda demons, now that I like it, but I try to only have 1 a day then drink water.

* Cut out sweets, cut down on cheese. For sweets, if it's a special occasion like a bday, then yes, have a small piece of cake and a small scoop of ice cream. Denying yourself all the time only sets you up for failure by binging later. CHEESE: I don't like lowfat cheese. So, I cut way back on the amounts. AND, you can have parmesan! ; )

* I never fry anyway, but that's a big thing if you do fry. We are lucky to live where we can grill the major portion of the year. Love grilled meats and veggies.

* We use lowfat prodcuts we like. Sour Cream and dressings, croutons, cottage cheese for us. Something I have heard alot on Calorie Comando and some of the older FN shows that were about eating healthy is that some of the nonfat products are not worth it. Like sour cream, you son't save enough for it to be worth giving up all the flavor. Lowfat is much tastier and creamier.

* It costs a little more, but I always buy the 93% lean ground beef. (Unless I'm grilling burgers, then I mix half that with half 80/20). I make beef n bean burritos with fat free refried beans, the lean ground beef, garnish with salsa and lowfat cream cheese, tomatoes, and a little cheese...that's an almost fat free meal that sacrifices no flavor. And doesn't feel like you are eating diet food. LOL (Recipe is Beef N Bean Burritos or Dip in my posts.)

* EAT SLOW. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you are full. A trick we read in a magazine years ago, that really works, put your fork down between every bite. You eat less when you eat slower.

* Eat until satisfied, NOT full (see above)

* I had to cut down on bread, and learn to like whole grain. I don't love it, at all. I love white bread. But, I found one I can live with.

* I put my meal on a salad plate instead of a big dinner plate. Smaller portions, eating slower, seconds only when I'm really hungry.

* I snack on "free" food and use them in cooking whenever I can. Like salsa. Baked chips are ok, and salsa has no fat and no calories. It's great on a baked potato, pour it over chicken and bake it in the oven, etc.

There are so many ways to cut back. What's important is to move around, try to take in less, and burn at least some of what you take in.

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

Some really great tips Lori!

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sparow64 14 years ago said:

What got me started was a diabetes diagnosis. It's rampant in both of my families. And, I don't want to have the problems my mother-in-law had with her feet, etc. And, heart disease runs in both sides of my family as well. Anyway, I went to a new dr who gave me that diagnosis, and he told me I HAD to walk every day. THEN he said, "Well, every day that you EAT". LOL

Something the nutrionist that he sent me to told me was that I should not get home from work and walk on an empty stomach, because as a diabetic my body stores and burns fat and calories differently (I don't remember the full explanation). I spread 1 T of peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat bread and eat that first. (A protein and a carb). You could do other combinations of a protein and a carb, that was what I did. And I take a full bottle of water with me.

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essentialingredients 14 years ago said:

Hey, Lori - that's great stuff you posted! I really love to exercise, but unfortunately, can't always find the time in my day! I love to do kickboxing and weighted workouts and, of course, running. I try to do at least 30 minutes a day of exercise.
I really have a hard time with conventional dieting, since it feels so restrictive and I'm a rebel at heart. :) So, I try to stick with easy basic principles like not relying on pre-packaged meals, cooking from scratch and I try to eat only things my grandmother or great-grandmother would have eaten (which eliminates a lot of the processed food). I eat lots of fruit and vegetables too.
Also, I've always liked and relied on the trick of drinking a glass of water when you feel hungy or like snacking. Usually, this takes away my urge to eat, since I wasn't really hungry in the first place.

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sparow64 14 years ago said:

I think kickboxing sounds like so much fun!

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essentialingredients 14 years ago said:

I think it is lots of fun and it also gives you the added benefit of really feeling powerful. I love it!

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notyourmomma 14 years ago said:

Liv just took her first kick boxing class on Saturday and she loved it! Lori, great job on the weight loss and your hints are wonderful. Brooke, sensible eating habits and exercise sound like just the ticket to avoid weight gain.

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notyourmomma 14 years ago said:

Copied Windy/Connie's tips from ODD to this thread so it won't get lost.

1. Drink approximately 64 oz of fluids daily with 1/2 of that being water, and the other half being juices, milk, coffee, tea and flavored drinks such as Crystal Light, for example.

2. Don't eat a heavy meal any closer than 4 hours prior to bedtime.

3. Don't eat a lot of salty or sugary snacks late in the evening. I found this practice eliminated my late night leg cramps.

4. Exercise, even if low impact is all you can do. It relieves stress like you wouldn't believe!! At present, I am limited pretty much as to getting out and about, so I make tracks up and down the stairs. I also do walking in place and squats while waiting at the kitchen counter for the toast to pop up. Additionally, I have some 1- and 2-pound bells to work the upper body. I have up to 8-pound weights, but I am definitely NOT ready for those yet. hahaha

5. Make time DAILY for some private space (read "prayer/meditation"). This can be done, even if you're with other people... it's just a matter of focus and letting go of stressful matters, i.e. stuff you can't do a darn thing about. In other words, letting go of control, puts you more in control. Ironic, ain't it?? ;-)

6. And lastly, take your time. Slow loss is more permanent loss. I know I didn't get this way overnight, and I'm surely not going to heal overnight. Besides, if I tried to rush the process, I know there'd be lessons I'd miss along the way.
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On October 31, 2010, I weighed 253 pounds. As of Sunday, January 16, 2011 (which would have been mine and the late Mister Windy's 40th anniversary), I had lost a total of 16 pounds. So I know it works. And even after I've stabilized my weight, these practices I've just mentioned are valuable for a lifetime. I do not stick to a rigid diet, as it never worked for me in the long run, the reason being that I found myself always focused on my food. The trick is to get your mind off of it. Deprivation, in my case, eventually only made me feel like binging, in other words "rewarding" myself... with FOOD.

I'm smart enough to know that what works for me, might not necessarily work for you. So take what fits, and see if it works for you.

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chuckieb 14 years ago said:

Very nice thread Lori! Wow....50 lbs. in two years. That's awesome. Good for you! I've lost almost 20 in the past year and a half. And its because of very similar stuff to you. I changed my habits because my Doctor wanted to put me on high blood pressure pills. I was about to turn 50 and it was creeping up. She too said to exercise for a half hour every day, so I do my morning walk on the treadmill before going to work (3 km. in 30 minutes which works out to 1.86 miles) I cut way, way down on cheese. It's my favourite thing, and I just cut it out more or less. Smaller portions, just as you say, lots of water, don't eat a lot of sweets and we rarely eat fried food (unless I am at the mall and sneak some KFC...LOL!). The majority of what you said I also try and do, very similar.
Kick-boxing does sound like fun but it's hard to fit exercise into your day especially if you also hold down a job. I'm beat after work and there's no way I'm going to have the energy to go exercise at that point.
I think eating three square meals is also important, so you don't feel ravenous at any point. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day my Mother always used to say. LOL!

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laurieg 14 years ago said:

In 2000 i joined WW did it for a few months before I realized I was preggo with Becca. went back the week after she was born! Lost over 50 lbs. gained some back. then tried it again the following year and became a lifetime member. i kept the weight off for about 2 years by staying strict during the week and eating what i wanted on the weekends. But its been a battle. it seems like I go back every year and lose the same 20 pounds! this year when i went back I was basically where i started in 2000!!!
my problem isn't the food, because i can do that with my eyes closed. Its the exercise. I hate it. i finally got into a rythem of walking with joy in the morning but now the weather and streets prevent that.
Almost everyone in my family has had gastric bypass!

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sparow64 14 years ago said:

Janet, you are so good to go walk on the treadmill! Bryan likes to walk, too, and he lost quite a bit of weight and has put most of it back on this last year. We need to get a treadmill, for sure. Walking after work is good for me all months except winter. I get home 2 hours before Bryan, since he works 12 hour shifts. And if he's off, he walks with me. But when it's dark out and cold...no thanks. lol Yep, we need a treadmill. ; )

Laurie, sounds like you do well on the ww program. Exercise is definately the hardest part. And I think as we get older it gets harder and harder to lose inches, even when we are doing what we are supposed to! What's up with that? lol

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windy1950 14 years ago said:

Just did my 3 trips up and down the full-flight basement staircase. Wow, that is invigorating!!! Here's a link that describes stair climbing as exercise and details the bennies. Check it out...

http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/stair-climbing-as-a-workout-830079

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lasaf 14 years ago said:

I have been a diabetic since I was 18 months old. Here are a couple tricks that help. Get a notebook, each day write down every single thing you put in your mouth and how much. When you want to "reward" yourself, just read and see if you really need to be rewarded. Also the calorie counting book called The Calorie King is very helpful and interesting. It stops me from eating fast food. Or at least it slows me down. Now if somebody would force me to walk each day, maybe I could lose weight.

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windy1950 14 years ago said:

On the "prayer/meditation" point, I might also add that learning to let go of issues beyond the scope of my control (excess baggage), seems to help my body let go of the pounds (excess weight), as well. Additionally, destressing reprioritizes my energy needs so that I have the fuel to attend to matters that I CAN do something about.

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windy1950 14 years ago said:

As of today, January 23, 2011, my total weight loss is 17 lbs. Still making 3 round trips on the basement staircase, at least twice a day. And with the furnace running almost continuously these days, the dryness keeps me drinking the right amount of water. Need to do something nice for my skin though... I like to use Oil of Olay for the face and neck, and Gold Bond Triple Action Lotion (green bottle) for the elbows, feet and hands.

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windy1950 14 years ago said:

Okay, here it is. Thanks, Wynnebaer for the direction.

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windy1950 14 years ago said:

As of Sunday, February 6, 2011, my total weight loss is 23 lbs. I couldn't do it and not feel deprived without the increased activity level and fluid intake. Feeling better and better!! ;-)

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laurieg 14 years ago said:

congrats Windy! great job!

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windy1950 14 years ago said:

Weight loss update... As of Sunday, February 20, 2011, my total weight loss is 28 lbs.

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windy1950 14 years ago said:

Haven't weighed since April 3... that was just prior to my Dad's last office visit to the lung doctor when we were told that if and when he had to be hospitalized again that he probably wouldn't be coming home. Six days later, he had to go to the ER, and he passed on May 7.

I'm just now getting to where I feel like restarting my exercise regime, so I'm going to wait a week or two before getting on the scales. However, I will say this... I can already tell a difference in my mood since getting back to the stair climbing.

Love you all so much. Your prayers were and still are my saving grace.

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windy1950 14 years ago said:

WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE...As of Sunday, June 19, 2011, my total weight loss stands at 37 lbs. I thought I had put back on a bunch of it during my Dad's decline and passing, but it wasn't as much as I felt. ;-) Anyway, Mom and I are starting to get our energy and focus back, and we're beginning to be able to tell a big difference.

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laurieg 14 years ago said:

Great Job Windy! as of today I am down 31.8 thanks to Weight Watchers!

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windy1950 14 years ago said:

WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE... As of Wednesday, July 20, 2011, my total weight loss stands at 41 pounds. This heat wave is making me rather lethargic, but I try to combat that by keeping myself well hydrated, which is good for me anyway. AND it keeps me moving cuz I have to make frequent potty breaks. LOL

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windy1950 14 years ago said:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2944902/what_is_the_one_weird_tip_for_belly.html?cat=5

Considering that many of you are most likely FBers, I know you've probably seen the ad "1 weird tip for getting rid of belly fat". Read the article at the above captioned link.

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notyourmomma 14 years ago said:

Congrats on the weight loss. How encouraging. Brava ladies.

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windy1950 13 years ago said:

WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE... As of Tuesday, January 3, 2012, total weight loss is 43 pounds. What I've gained in exchange for the loss, is a growing consciousness of my triggers (ego), and I've learned -- as a dear friend showed me -- how to invite them "for tea" and understand their nature. Situations, good or bad, all contain the gift of lessons and are to be valued. Love you all, and have a great New Year. And remember that every moment is a new beginning.

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laurieg 13 years ago said:

As of December I am down 45 pounds thanks to Weight Watchers, and I have kept up with the exercise :)

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windy1950 13 years ago said:

WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE... As of Wednesday, February 22, 2012, total weight loss is 50 pounds (since October 31, 2010)... not bad at all!! ;-))) Another thing learned is that my stress triggers can keep the weight on me, even if I'm not overeating. That's possibly because when I'm stressed, I'm overly fatigued and don't feel like moving. What I'm practicing more of are yoga stretches. These are easier than high impact exercise and relieve the mind as well.

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windy1950 12 years ago said:

Hello All --
I know it's been a year and a half since I've been here, but I've been through the fires of hell in that time. My Mom passed back in February, and I've had some serious grief work to do in the last 5 months... which makes sense because after Dad died I continued on caring for Mom and didn't have time to work through my loss issues.

Anyway, I'm back and I hope to "see" more of all of you. Besides being back, more good news is that I maintained my 50 lb weight loss. Yayyy!

Take care, and I'll probably be around for coffee tomorrow a.m.

Love, Connie

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