I have a date

[Alex39]

I don't eat a lot of packaged foods at all, no frozen foods, I don't drink any soda, rarely juices, and don't eat any deli meats or even red meat. I don't eat any of that. I don't eat out rarely at all. I rarely eat pasta or rice. I do enjoy cereal sometimes. 

My weakness is carbs and sugar. I love homemade desserts, pastry, ice cream. I love Bagels, donuts, and bread. So I started not having those in the house. Started only having salads, chicken, fruit, yogurt, eggs, light snacks, veggies.  I eat a lot of eggs, and maybe the occasional splurge bagel once a week.  I started just eating chicken and veggies for dinner. I cook it all different ways to make it taste new and different. I eat lots of yogurt and fruit. The occasional sprinkle of Granola. Oatmeal and sometimes toast with peanut butter for protein. I make light Smoothies too. 

Not buying bad stuff and having it in the house has helped me. I already lost around 4 to 5 pounds in one month. I have healthier snacks around now. Pretzels, fruit, 100 calories snacks, little tiny squares of dark chocolate for sweetness, and drink lots of water and Flavored no sugar water. 

I have to stick to it and so far I am. I know I'm at risk for diabetes. My doctor told me that. My cholesterol is borderline high, but that can be diminished if I lose weight too. I want to eat healthy and stick with it.

I want to not only look better but feel better. I know I can do it. I am doing it. 

[boltnrun]

Those are all great things. If you can supplement with daily exercise like a walk you could see great improvements in your health.

Has your doctor tested you for thyroid disease? 

[boltnrun]

PS: the reason I mention thyroid disease is if you have it, it doesn't matter how much you cut back on junky, fatty and sugary foods or how much you exercise, you won't be able to lose weight until you're treated, usually with medication.

It's a simple blood test. 

[greendots]

57 minutes ago, boltnrun said:

PS: the reason I mention thyroid disease is if you have it, it doesn't matter how much you cut back on junky, fatty and sugary foods or how much you exercise, you won't be able to lose weight until you're treated, usually with medication.

It's a simple blood test. 

This. Some medical conditions make it difficult to lose weight, thus best to get a full medical checkup.

Anyway, great to hear about your progress!

[Alex39]

2 hours ago, boltnrun said:

PS: the reason I mention thyroid disease is if you have it, it doesn't matter how much you cut back on junky, fatty and sugary foods or how much you exercise, you won't be able to lose weight until you're treated, usually with medication.

It's a simple blood test. 

No thyroid issue. I do lose weight when I stick to my diet. 

[Wiseman2]

14 hours ago, Alex39 said:

I think this is way too harsh. I'm not having a heart attack tomorrow.  Am I a bit overweight, yes. 

It's based solely on your own words. You're the only person who needs to care about your physical and mental health. And that is entirely up to you.

[Wiseman2]

11 hours ago, Alex39 said:

  The occasional sprinkle of Granola. Oatmeal and sometimes toast with peanut butter for protein.. Pretzels, fruit, 100 calories snacks, little tiny squares of dark chocolate 

Maybe you need a commercial diet plan. 100 cal snacks? Peanut butter? Toast? Granola? Pretzels? Chocolate? These are not healthy nor nutritious and certainly very high calorie and saturated fats. Yoyo dieting is also not healthy. 

Of course it's up to you, but  sometimes a better understanding of health is good.

[Alex39]

3 hours ago, Wiseman2 said:

Maybe you need a commercial diet plan. 100 cal snacks? Peanut butter? Toast? Granola? Pretzels? Chocolate? These are not healthy nor nutritious and certainly very high calorie and saturated fats. Yoyo dieting is also not healthy. 

Of course it's up to you, but  sometimes a better understanding of health is good.

I went to a medical nutritionist whom told me those things were healthier fats in moderation and gave me this plan I am on. 

[greendots]

1 hour ago, Alex39 said:

I went to a medical nutritionist whom told me those things were healthier fats in moderation and gave me this plan I am on. 

I'm not a nutritionist, but whilst natural peanut butter is made of peanuts only, some brands list sugar as their second ingredient which really irks me. Added sugar is also found in some commercial white toast bread, yogurt, granola, and some instant oatmeal varieties. As for fruits, some are high in natural sugar.

And don't get me started on brands that tout themselves as healthy, however add artificial sweeteners to their products.

Anyway, Alex, hope you are having a good day today.  🙂

[boltnrun]

Peanut butter has nutrients but it's extremely high in fat.  It's a good thing to enjoy occasionally in small quantities.  Pretzels are a better substitute for chips, but they basically have zero nutritional value.  They are what's known as "empty calories".  Granola is something else that's high in calories and can be high in sugar.  Yogurt and oatmeal can also be high in fat and sugar.

A banana is a great snack.  Also raisins.  If you want something that tastes and feels like dessert, try yogurt covered raisins.  They're not "healthy" and are high in sugar but at least the raisins have nutritional value.

I think your nutritionist meant for those things to be occasional snacks, not meal substitutes.  Lean meats, fish, vegetables, fruits and whole grains with a small amount of dairy is the way to go for regular meals.   And be sure to drink lots of water.  Be wary of fruit juices that are often 90% sugar water!

If you are adamant about not wanting to stop baking, give what you bake away to family and friends.  You don't have to eat everything you bake!  And try some healthy recipes like whole grain bread.

And get moving.  Nothing you do will be effective if you aren't exercising.  I started being diligent about daily walks about three months ago and I can see and feel the difference.

Finally, some mental and emotional support is key.  You mention feeling discouraged and somewhat depressed.  Those things can be helped with healthy eating and exercise but that won't get to the root causes of why you overeat.

Are you opposed to therapy for some reason?  Do you think you "don't need" therapy?

[Kwothe28]

I have a friend that went to nutricionist. He lost 20kg(44 pounds in American units) in 4 months. But he was very scrict regarding his diet that he got from nutricionist. For example no processed meat or processed sugar food. Trick is to get faster metabolism. So he ate very small meals 5 times a day. Meals only what his nutricionist wrote nothing more or less. As it is just the right ammount of intake that your body needs for a day or week. If you have your nutricion program, stick up with that. Dont stray with peanut butter that is certanly not healthy food.

[greendots]

1 hour ago, Kwothe28 said:

Dont stray with peanut butter that is certanly not healthy food.

Peanut butter, made purely of peanuts, is healthy for you (in moderation). It contains healthy fats, it's a good protein source, it's rich in antioxidants and it's also fairly rich in vitamins and minerals.

I feel that from a health perspective, we need to opt for food that benefits our (own) body. What worked for us may not work for someone else. Competent nutritionists and doctors exist for a reason.

Bottom line, eating healthy (in the long-term) is a lifestyle, read food labels, and don't merely rely on fads. Competent medical practitioners / nutritionists should be able to give you a professional opinion.

🙂

[Batya33]

1 minute ago, greendots said:

Peanut butter, made purely of peanuts, is healthy for you (in moderation). It contains healthy fats, it's a good protein source, it's rich in antioxidants and it's also fairly rich in vitamins and minerals.

I feel that from a health perspective, everyone needs to opt for food that suits them / works for them. Bottom line, eating healthy (in the long-term) is a lifestyle.

🙂

I would add to that hydrating healthy (and almond butter is more nutritious than peanut, from what I know) hydrating healthy does a couple of things- it gives you something to do -I don't nibble between meals or when I prepare meals for my son anymore - but my water bottle which I drink from regularly between the hours of around 5am-5PM means I can sort of "snack" on water -gives me something to do sort of like people who smoke (which I did for a year as a teen so I know that whole thing about the habit of having a cigarette, etc).  Plain water helps keep you full between meals (I don't like to drink a lot during meals), helps curb carb cravings I find and helps you differentiate between true hunger and thirst). 

[Alex39]

I'm following the nutrition plan. You have to understand, before I was slathering big pieces of white toast with butter. Now my nutritionist suggests I switch to English Muffins with a dab of peanut butter on each. Way less calories and fat. I only eat low sugar high protein Greek yogurt and only sprinkle the occasional Granola, which my nutritionist approved of. She said I can eat all the fruits and veggies I want. And I eat lots of greens. She said I can have my once weekly bagel, which is my splurge. It's good to look forward to my bagel. And I'm sticking to lean chicken,fish, and occasionally pork. No beef at all. I never ate beef before anyway. 

I mostly drink water. I occasionally flavor it with no sugar flavoring. I indulge in dark chocolate, a small piece when I want sweets. It helps. She suggested Pretzels over Chips, so I do that. Oatmeal was suggested because it's high in fiber. So I eat that here and there. I'm sticking to what my nutritionist says. 

[Batya33]

7 minutes ago, Alex39 said:

I mostly drink water. I occasionally flavor it with no sugar flavoring.

I found that diet drinks triggered carb cravings -so over the last couple of years I virtually cut out all diet drinks.  I drink 10-11 glasses of plain water a day. At night I might have a bit of flavored sparkling water (no sugar or fake sugar).  I now drink 3 glasses of water in the morning before breakfast while I am on the treadmill (or out power walking if we're away from home).  

I'm delighted you have a nutritionist - one tip -scoop out what you can from the english muffin so you have even less carbs.

[greendots]

Hey, Alex, what your doing is commendable!

You know I had some oatmeal yesterday with cinnamon and peanut butter. Would have never paired the two together but someone recommended it. Turned out to be delicious! Now I want some bagel with crispy bacon and egg. ☺️

 

 

[Batya33]

2 minutes ago, greendots said:

Hey, Alex, what your doing is commendable!

You know I had some oatmeal yesterday with cinnamon and peanut butter. Would have never paired the two together but someone recommended it. Turned out to be delicious! Now I want some bagel with crispy bacon and egg. ☺️

 

 

I recommend trying Irish oatmeal -meaning Irish oats.  Also when I used to prepare it more regularly I'd cook in bananas (and often raisins) while cooking.  Enjoy!

I like the Starbucks reduced fat turkey bacon sandwich on a whole wheat english muffin -egg white and a tiny bit of cheddr.

[greendots]

2 minutes ago, Batya33 said:

I recommend trying Irish oatmeal -meaning Irish oats.

Never heard of Irish oats. Will google it now. 🙂

Oooh, steel cut oats! Didn't know they were called Irish oats.

[Batya33]

1 hour ago, greendots said:

Never heard of Irish oats. Will google it now. 🙂

Oooh, steel cut oats! Didn't know they were called Irish oats.

Oh I’m sorry !  Yes !  But somehow I thought also referred to as Irish. I used to make oatmeal for us for dinner - haven’t in years. 

[Tinydance]

I think you're actually only supposed to eat two pieces of fruit a day, not as many fruit as you want. I do agree though that switching to healthier alternatives is a good starting point. Sugar is actually a drug so if you just go cold turkey on sugar, I think you can get very bad cravings and headaches and things like that. With something addictive I think you need to start slowly cutting down. So from that perspective I can understand the nutritionist's approach. I think unless someone here actually is a qualified nutritionist then we shouldn't be giving Alex diet plans to follow. I think it's also important to eat things you actually like. If you force yourself to eat things you don't like then you're more likely to slip up.

I also don't think it's good to have a "I'm on a diet mindset". I've tried actual diets and I became more obsessed with thinking about food. I think it just needs to be healthy eating and enjoying what you eat.

[MissCanuck]

22 hours ago, Alex39 said:

I'm sticking to what my nutritionist says. 

This is best. 

The person is a professional who knows your personal health status and can track you carefully. I would follow their suggestions. 

[Batya33]

I know of one woman who says she gave up all sugar -I think she went to overeaters anoynmous maybe or a similar organization.  She didn't have much weight to lose but she's gone on and on about how the weight loss and the increase in personal health is incredible.  For me personally I'd feel way too deprived and sad if I gave up all processed foods/sugar/junk.  But I had disordered eating many years ago.  I personally think limiting the junk/moderation goes a long way.  I also think avoiding/severely limiting alcohol plus in general drinking your calories if you love to eat (as I do!) is a good idea.

And overall -yes follow what your nutritionist says and good luck!!

[boltnrun]

I believe you said, Alex, that you have a genetic predisposition for diabetes.  In that case, cutting out sugar isn't a "dieting" decision but may be an absolute necessity.

What does your doctor say?

I have a medical condition that requires me to avoid certain foods such as red meat (I can eat ground red meat, such as burgers or meatloaf).  I am also lactose intolerant and am allergic to peanuts and tree nuts.

Do I feel "deprived"?  I do miss being able to eat certain foods.  But I don't feel like eating peanut butter mocha mud pie is worth dying over.

There are plenty of delicious foods that don't include sugar (or are low in sugar).

[Batya33]

1 hour ago, boltnrun said:

I believe you said, Alex, that you have a genetic predisposition for diabetes.  In that case, cutting out sugar isn't a "dieting" decision but may be an absolute necessity.

What does your doctor say?

I have a medical condition that requires me to avoid certain foods such as red meat (I can eat ground red meat, such as burgers or meatloaf).  I am also lactose intolerant and am allergic to peanuts and tree nuts.

Do I feel "deprived"?  I do miss being able to eat certain foods.  But I don't feel like eating peanut butter mocha mud pie is worth dying over.

There are plenty of delicious foods that don't include sugar (or are low in sugar).

For sure if I had to give up sugar for diabetes I would. I’ve never had a blood sugar issue. Possibly because I do eat enough fiber etc and the naturally occurring sugars in fruit (and I simply don’t eat a lot of food  of any type - small appetite ). No genetic predisposition.

If I were diabetic I would do what I needed to do for sure. For weight loss or maintenance I’m not a fan of cold Turkey deprivation of any kind  because to me that triggers yo yo dieting which is also bad for body and health. 
 I have a friend who is my age and a gym rat. Always posting photos showing off what she can do. She also drinks too much.  Not an alcoholic but my sense is part of the reason she struggles with her weight is because of alcohol consumption.
I once shared with her that I eat some ice cream every day. Some. Not a lot.   She was shocked and judgey as far as how I could do this and not gain weight.

people are quick to judge I find and won’t take an honest look at eating and drinking  habits especially mindless eating which I used to do (sit at computer and snack bag of chips that was full is suddenly empty - that was me 20 year ago and I would never do that now )

that’s why it’s great you have a nutritionist. People jump on their own bandwagons especially on Facebook  with the many diet plans women hawk as part of an MLM.  Beware of those. Good luck !

[boltnrun]

I was referring to Alex. She said her family has a history of diabetes.