Weight-Loss Purple Team Thread

[San2]

That's how we are all different. To me, crispbread is a good alternative to real bread, and does give me a sense of actually having eaten something. I just had fruit and yoghurt, and it feels as if I ate a dessert, but forgot the actual food. I'm still hungry, and will most likely remain so until dinnertime. I don't snack, because again, snacks feel like treats, not big enough to actually give me a sense of satisfaction, just big enough to leave me wanting more. I think I really just have to learn to completely ignore the sensation of being hungry. I'm determined to lose at least another 25 lbs before September, and since exercise isn't going to be on top of the list for a while, I have to do it through food.

 

[San2]

Monday food (so far)

Breakfast
crisp bread
ww cheese slice

Lunch
kiwi fruit
yogurt

Dinner
Tagliatelle with chicken
mushrooms
broccoli
tangerine
glass of freshly squeezed orange juice

Fruit portions: 4
Vegetables: 2

Exercise: 30 minutes walking

Just over 1000 kcal today. Low, but on non-exercise days, I guess that's all I can do.

 

[Omega]

I need the satisfaction that comes from protein to stop me from feeling hungry.

A little pot of yoghurt does not touch the side - that is like a dessert - but if I have 500g of Total 0% that gives me 51.5g protein for 285 calories which is a brilliant amount of protein for the calories and I can add in a fair bit of fruit and still be ok on the calories and can see me through a long day with a heap of exercise...

When you consider that a 6 oz very lean steak has 42g protein - you can be talking quite a substantial protein hit that is prepared in no time and does not cost too many calories.

 

[MandyH]

You can have servings made up of a variety of vegetables if that helps... For instance if you have half a serving of green pepper and half a serving of cucumber to make a veg serving if it helps.

Also - it is worth checking your serving sizes to see how they compare to the official ones... Some of these serving sizes come in as really wimpy to me - as I am used to eating big portions... I probably always serve myself multiple portions of just about everything...

If you do not get the points - that is not an issue - but you do not want to rob yourself if you actually deserve the points.

That's makes sense! A part of the problem that I have is that we don't measure it. We make one big bowl of salad that feeds us through the week. We have 3 large stalks of romaine, 2 cucumbers, 1 green pepper, 4 tomatoes, and chicken all thrown together into a big bowl. I'd have to sit there and pick each veg out of my bowl to get measurements. I'm not trying to be difficult, this part's just very feasible for me.

 

[Omega]

Its probably enough. Most measures are about a cup full of chopped salad - so three cups full would do it for the 3 veg... After that you just need your 2 fruit...

 

[San2]

I need the satisfaction that comes from protein to stop me from feeling hungry.

A little pot of yoghurt does not touch the side - that is like a dessert - but if I have 500g of Total 0% that gives me 51.5g protein for 285 calories which is a brilliant amount of protein for the calories and I can add in a fair bit of fruit and still be ok on the calories and can see me through a long day with a heap of exercise...

When you consider that a 6 oz very lean steak has 42g protein - you can be talking quite a substantial protein hit that is prepared in no time and does not cost too many calories.

The problem for me is that protein does jack all for me. I had a 500 gr pot of yoghurt with fruit just over an hour ago, and I am desperately hungry right now. It's about as effective for me as drinking water - not at all. I could easily finish off 2 or 3 big pots of yoghurt, and I would probably feel bloated, but half an hour later, I'd be ravenous. Give me the steak, which I would consider actual food, over the yoghurt any day. It's the same with salad. I can eat salad until it comes out of my ears without ever having the feeling of having eaten proper food. It's not until I add some chicken, egg and/or cheese when it becomes a meal.
Maybe I'm just weird, I don't know.

 

[MandyH]

Its probably enough. Most measures are about a cup full of chopped salad - so three cups full would do it for the 3 veg... After that you just need your 2 fruit...

So if I measure it to at least 3 cups of salad that'll be acceptible for the veggie side? Does unsweetened apple sauce count? I have those little cups of unsweetened apple sauce. If not, I have canned pineapple and canned peaches (no sugar added) along with my naval oranges. Hmmm... guess I CAN do this!

 

[AAA1]

Ima put down my Monday food so far including what I have planned for dinner and then edit my post later if anything changes:

Monday food:
Veg - Mixed Veg
Corn
Cranberries
Peach
Cherries
Coffee
Skim Milk
Vitamins
Peanut M&M's
Banana
Almonds
Soup (chicken, green beans, peas, corn, sweet potato, bouillon, rice)
Cookies

3+ veg, 5+ fruit

 

[San2]

Just re-checked the bonus thingie description - I had 6 portions of fruit/vegetables altogether, but it only counts if at least 3 of them are vegetables, did I read that right?

 

[AAA1]

Just re-checked the bonus thingie description - I had 6 portions of fruit/vegetables altogether, but it only counts if at least 3 of them are vegetables, did I read that right?

Yes, that's how I understand it too.

 

[Loch]

Yeah, Mandy! Eat 3 cups of that salad a day and you're golden. I can't say much for the apple sauce, but canned fruit is also considered a portion of fruit.

I think it would be fair to at least get 1 point for meeting the 5 portions, but that's just me.

Monday
Food
2 Toast w/ cheese whiz - 220
4 Hard boiled egg whites - 80
Asian Pear (1 portion fruit) - 50
10 Pretzels - 50
1 can of green beans (2 portion vegetables) - 50
1 can mini corn (2 portion vegetables) - 50
Butter - 100
Cereal Bar - 130
Chips - 100
2x mini pizza w/ fries - 480

Exercise
Strength training - 35 min
Just Dance - 20 min

Fruit/Veggies
Servings of fruit = 1
Servings of vegetables = 4
Total: 5 portions

 

[Omega]

Yes the challenge target is 5 portions with at least 3 portions of veg in there...

That means that 3 portions of veg with 2 fruit is ok.
Alternatively 4 portions of veg with 1 of fruit or 5 portions of veg are all ok.

I put that in because fruit is much easier for a lot of people - I know that I find my fruit really easy because of the sweetness.
The fact is that we are all here to try to control our weight and the fruit tends to be higher calorie... If we can just fill up with some veg it should provide us with the fibre and vitamins and indeed help to fuel us. It can be much easier to opt for food that we like best - but we are trying to adopt healthier eating habits...

Mandy - your unsweetened apple sauce can count... It is a bit like Icy's bought juice... Cooking fruit can make it less filling than leaving it raw - but it does get those vitamins and health benefits into you... I will allow it for the challenge.

 

[Omega]

canned fruit and veg counts and so does frozen.

 

[Loch]

Hey, a helpful tip for anyone struggling, a healthy and tasty way to get veggies into the diet is via stir fry! Toss in 1 1/2 cups of veggies (mini corn, peas, green beans, broccoli) and fry it up with some meat and it can be super healthy AND filling.

You can typically buy a can of mini corn or green beans at a store for 1-2 dollars a can. One can is about a cup. Find a vegetable that you can be creative with, or that you find tasty, and use it to your advantage.

 

[MandyH]

Mandy - your unsweetened apple sauce can count... It is a bit like Icy's bought juice... Cooking fruit can make it less filling than leaving it raw - but it does get those vitamins and health benefits into you... I will allow it for the challenge.

Thanks, but the apple sauce won't count for this one. I thought I grabbed the unsweetened one, but checked the label to be safe. Unfortunately, I grabbed one with corn syrup, high fructose syrup, etc. so I didn't eat that. I had canned peaches instead. I have enough canned peaches and pineapple to get through the week. I also had a naval orange and my garden salad so I hit the bonus points for today!

 

[Omega]

Well done Mandy

 

[San2]

Yes the challenge target is 5 portions with at least 3 portions of veg in there...

That means that 3 portions of veg with 2 fruit is ok.
Alternatively 4 portions of veg with 1 of fruit or 5 portions of veg are all ok.

I put that in because fruit is much easier for a lot of people - I know that I find my fruit really easy because of the sweetness.
The fact is that we are all here to try to control our weight and the fruit tends to be higher calorie... If we can just fill up with some veg it should provide us with the fibre and vitamins and indeed help to fuel us. It can be much easier to opt for food that we like best - but we are trying to adopt healthier eating habits...

I find it difficult enough to squeeze the fruit in, so I think those points are definitely not going to happen for me. Sorry team.

 

[Omega]

Tuesday food:

diet cola
1.5 ltr water
2 bananas
1 tin apricots
250g total 0% Greek yoghurt
large (at least 3 cups) mixed salad
cooked ham
4 shape yoghurts
3 pork loin steaks
1 tin baked beans with chili sauce
sugar free butterscotch


Exercise
walking
1 hr afternoon salsa lesson
3 evening salsa classes
1.5 hrs social salsa dancing

Tuesday night is my big salsa night - and now that Rod is not working we have moved our Saturday lesson to this afternoon.

Rod's contract finished at the end of last week and he is going to focus over the next few months on trying to lose some weight before his next hospital appointment in June... If he can lose some weight it may save him from having a couple of operations this summer... He has yet another kidney stone and is still too big for stones to be treated with shock waves so it always means operations... Stones are caused in part by not drinking enough water for your size... It is all too easy to think that you have surely had enough really and stop early... I just had to look up the letter (he had a back pain and I wanted to check which side the stone is) and was reminded of the consultant's instructions... Luckily the pain is in the other side so we do not have to race off to A & E.

 

[San2]

As expected, didn't get the fruit/veggie thing yesterday. On the plus side, I made it to 4.25 l of water, plus some other stuff. Trying to stick with the water, at least 3.5 l per day. I think my kidneys need all the help they can get at the moment. Plus, running up the stairs to the bathroom every half hour or so burns extra calories.

Tuesday food

Breakfast
crispbread
Leerdamer Light cheese slice
cooked chicken slice
tangerine

Lunch
Muesli
Yoghurt
Cucumber
Italian dressing

Dinner
Vegetable Rice (peas, peppers, carrots, mushrooms)
chicken kievs

Drinks: 3.75 l water, diet pepsi

Exercise: 45 minutes walking

Fruit: 1
Vegetables: 4

 

[Omega]

Well done with the water San. I know how difficult it is to keep on drinking when it feels like the biggest effect is making you spend all the time in the toilet.

I really cannot exaggerate how scared I was when Rod had to have his first (of five) operations two years ago when his BMI was 62... He was in major agony and there was no choice over it since one kidney was fully blocked and the other was also very blocked. Having gone through that - it is no surprise that I think that water drinking is pretty important for us all. We don't know that there is a problem the first time - until it is an emergency - because the pain didnt start until it was blocked.