February's "Getting Healthy" thread...

[gwyncara]

Okay, so I am having an issue today with the dreaded "D" word that we all know and HATE!! Let's just get healthy! It's time for the February thread...

[*Shira*]

I wondered whether anyone would pick up the torch after Dani's departure! Thanks for doing it!

[jenlindseys]

the truth is...we all have a diet! its just weather its a good one or a bad one!
as you said-lets get healthy...haha. My diet is pretty healthy (except when i travel) so I'm looking to get back on my workout schedule in order to get healthy. It is the end of the lazy winter for me :)

[Jaseena]

I don't call it a diet, rather a life style. The word "diet" seems to have a negative feel to it for me. Being an urban gypsy, I actually eat better when I'm traveling than when I'm in one place for very long because all I eat is salads (with a little cut up chicken for some protein).

[leenanyc]

I am on a d-i-e-t and it seems that I lost two pounds last week on Nutrisystem. It was my first week on the program and I admit that there wasn't one single day that I ate just the Nutrisystem stuff. For instance today I ate nutrisystem oatmeal bar for breakfast, and pasta w/beef for lunch but then I made myself PB&J sandwich on wheat bread(yummmmy) and also had a cup of coffee this morning. I will eat their healthy dinner tonight. If I lose another two pounds this week that would be spectacular. I'm doing QVC's Nutrisystem plan that offers weekends off. There is no way I could eat so little 7 days a week.

[*Shira*]

So, I'm looking for ideas for healthy snacks. My recent problem has been that I reach for cookies and candy when I want to graze.

Here are the things I've started stocking for use as snacks. Any other suggestions?

• Carrots, celery and bell peppers, with salsa to dip them in
• Peanut butter on whole grain bread
• Oranges eaten with coconut and marshmallows
• Mixed nuts (pecans, Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, hazlenuts)

What other suggestions can people offer for healthy snacks?

[JeanneLF]

• Plain yogurt that you add your own fruit to
• Whole wheat pita bread with hummus
• Granola bars or other bar-type snack (careful which ones you pick -- some are surprisingly sugar-heavy
• Peanut butter on slices of apple
• Sliced avocado on whole-grain crackers or bread

[azahara]

grapes and cheese
pear and cheese
pita bread and anything i no longer eat chips i use flat bread or veggies

[jenlindseys]

haha when i travel....all i see is buffet buffet buffet! I guess engineers like to eat. I still eat healthy- salads, fruit, soup...but it is a lot of salt in the soup and I don't just go to the buffet once! Haha, a ton of fruit isn't the best, even if it is good for you!

[jenlindseys]

for healthy snacks soy nuts! they are awesome. small and hollow so you feel like you're eating more than you actually are

[yasmindiab]

Carrots and hummus are my best friends.

I actually forced myself to eat a banana this morning for breakfast instead of M & Ms! ;)

My Weight Watchers leader says "Don't Diet, Live it!"
:)

[songofincense]

Yes, soy nuts are very good for you... but I'd rather have almonds or sunflower seeds (wish I could justify cashews & peanuts!)

[leenanyc]

speaking of soy, I love edamame

[ssipes]

What is working for me:

eating 5 times per day.
each meal has protein, fat, and carb
aming for ~1500 cals: 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat
aiming for 5 or more veggie servings per day (potatoes don't count)
Muscle Milk!!! yumyumyum
Eliptical 30 mins every morning, even when I really, really, REALLY don't want to.
Omega 3 supplements
Fiber supplements

[maranajla]

Mmmm...edamame! I love it in the shell- it's fun to pop the bean out in my mouth, keeps my hands busy, and I can eat quite a bit since I only steam mine with a bit of sea salt on top to serve.
My morning snack has been the peanut butter flavor of the South Beach high protein bars; it has 10g of protein and is only 140 calories and is low carb if you're into that. (Which I'm really not, but I love these bars!) I did pick up Slim Fast shakes for after my workout in the am as I don't really want to eat right away but I need something for the low-dipping-blood-sugar. Again, I have the low carb one but only bc it actually has 5 more grams of protein than their high protein one. (20 v 15)
Aaaaaand speaking of protein, GNC has protein 'juices' that are really yummy- I drink a half a bottle mixed with water and I honestly don't want to eat (and I'm a total muncher, even when not hungry, just for something to do). I've discovered protein is my friend! :) I'm not crazy with it (I am not sitting here in ketosis, honest) but when I have the mindfulness and discipline to balance my food and eat the proper portion of protein, I find I'm really not hungry. It's such a loverly feeling... sigh. :D

[maranajla]

PS: "Dani's departure"? Where did she go?

[leenanyc]

PS: "Dani's departure"? Where did she go?

http://www.bhuz.com/forum/off-topic/8269-bhy-bhuz.html

[ejaghana]

http://www.bhuz.com/forum/off-topic/8269-bhy-bhuz.html

Tear...


I have been looking into ways to eat healthier too. Lemme tell you, last night I had a hamburger. I don't remember what I ate this morning but it wasn't healthy. Oh! I remember now! It was McDonald's hash browns and a buiscuit with butter and grape jelly. Then for lunch I ate a cinnamon sugar pretzel from Auntie Anne's. I haven't had any dinner...

I DID eat an apple, and I was gonna eat an orange but when I peeled it and took a bite it was really yucky.

I've never looked at the diet thread before because I wasn't interested in a "diet". I'm glad this one's called "getting healthy" otherwise I wouldn't have looked. I'll be using these snack ideas! Fudge Shoppe cookies are not healthy!!!

[mish_mish]

I am not doing the right things for myself lately. I'm having some red wine right now. It's so yummy!!!! :)

[Taj]

I'm just trying to drink more water, less caffeine. My husband and I used to drink carbonated water 'cause it's more, uh, interesting than plain. But all that plastic bottlage bugged me, plus it's ridiculously expensive. So I've switched to filtered tap water and now add a wedge of lemon for interest.

And yeah, I should probably give up the wine, but dammit, I don't eat sugary stuff or other junk food. I gotta have something fun! I can't remember the last time I ate fast food--we cook in, most nights. It's just cheaper and more nutritious.

Okay, I lied somewhat--we do eat popcorn. I bought us a Whirley-Pop for Christmas and it's awesome. Soooo much better than microwave, and so much easier than regular stove-top shaking. I think therein lies my problem . . .

[Monica]

My husband and I used to drink carbonated water 'cause it's more, uh, interesting than plain. But all that plastic bottlage bugged me, plus it's ridiculously expensive.

I love sparkling water, too, but also hate the packaging. I got myself a handy seltzer bottle that carbonates water with CO2 chargers. It is great and highly recommended! Not to mention, I feel quite 40s film era glamorous when I use my sleek silver seltzer maker. :) We have a filter attached to our tap, and that water is great plain or made sparkling.


BTW, I like the title of this thread better, too. I tend to resonate more with a focus on being healthy and strong over being skinny.

[sumayasaahir]

huh, I gained back to 144, now I lost 6 lbs this last week on the "im too disgusted by the gluten free dairy free diet, just thinking about eating another lentil, chicken or vegetable is going to make me sick, Im too tired to think about what Im going to have for dinner, Ill just have some carrots and go to bed diet.

[nasila]

Yay for the health-oriented thread!

I love Gala apples & almond butter, hummus and whole grain pita chips (salty but yummy and still kinda nutritious), cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers (also good with hummus) for snacks. Also straight up beans of any sort (canned, but still good for you -- and so easy) and raw cauliflower (marinaded in mom's dressing of rice wine vinegar, olive and toasted walnut oil, seasonings).

When I'm at my healthiest I'm really keeping an eye on the sugar that goes in...makes a huge difference in the cravings.

[Taj]

huh, I gained back to 144, now I lost 6 lbs this last week on the "im too disgusted by the gluten free dairy free diet, just thinking about eating another lentil, chicken or vegetable is going to make me sick, Im too tired to think about what Im going to have for dinner, Ill just have some carrots and go to bed diet.

..l;,

Mine is the disgusted by low-carb diet, just thinking about chicken and greens for dinner is going to make me hurl, let's get a pizza or sushi instead diet. I'm not losing any weight on this one.

[Souzan]

I wondered whether anyone would pick up the torch after Dani's departure! Thanks for doing it!

What happened to Dani? Did I miss something?

Souzan

[Souzan]

What happened to Dani? Did I miss something?

Souzan

NEVER MIND! Just saw the post about Dani leaving. Shedding a tear...

Souzan

[lizajuk]

I've lost 3lbs in a fortnight which I am very happy about. Most meals area stir fry with quorn or seafood. Jacket potatoes. Lunch is wholemeal sandwich and fruit. I am also enjoying Kelloggs elevenses :ginger bar as a snack.
Unfortunately just lost a nice sunday lunch. Have noticed nausea developing along withcough, back pain and slight dizziness over the last week or so. Put it down to going back to working for a living but now realise these are side effects of the ACE inhibitors the doctor put me on 3 weeks ago! Anyone "over there" know if my guess looks likely?

[MaryRaks]

Today marks the end of week 4 on my new healthy eating plan and I'm down 6.5 lbs. I'm quite excited about it! :)

I'm doing something similar to Sedonia by eating 6 small meals a day. It's great because I'm never very hungry.

Favorite snacks of mine:
- Wasa crackers with tuna (mixed with a bit of spicy mustard and a little lowfat mayo)
- apples and cheese
- hummus and anything - my current thing is making my own pita chips in the oven from store-bought pita bread. They even heat up well in the microwave at work later and don't get soggy.
- one of those Detour "runner" protein bars... the current favorite is the lemon yogurt. I eat those as my dinner between teaching classes on Tuesdays

[Nazarah]

oooh, a "getting healthy" thread! I am at a bump in my journey with this. I made a pact with myself a bit under a year ago to eat to honor my body. First thing I did was stop buying diet soda. I figured I don't let my kids have it, why on Earth would I not nurture my self in the same way? Being addicted to it, I still allowed myself to have it outside of my home, just no 12 packs of it in the pantry. I found I was generally too lazy to go out to get it, but knowing that I *could* kept me from obsessing about it too much. I think I am beginning to lose my taste for it now. When I really began to listen to my body, I found I really wanted a lot more protein and fats (nuts, avacadoes, cheese, olives, love that stuff, used to try to avoid it because of the fat content) and less sweets (exception: dark chocolate, I eat a lot of that). And the weight just fell off, 15-20 lbs, even though sometimes my body WANTS a ridiculous amount of food, and if I'm truly hungry I will honor that. Now I seem to be stuck, I'm at a healthy weight I think, but still weigh more than I would like for my small frame. Maybe more will come off when the weather warms up, it often does, but I'm feeling very antsy about it. My job had sign-ups for a "biggest loser" contest recently, and a year ago I so would have signed up for that, starved myself for the team, lost a few pounds, and then gained it all back after it ended... I passed on it, don't want to go there, but a part of me was still tempted to do it. I would really like my stomach to be flat, and to at least find acceptance for my thighs! I've always moved, and I'm satisfied with the level of exercise I'm doing, and I'm not going to overdo in that department either (which I have a tendency to do). I am hoping that my weight loss has only slowed and not stopped, but if it has stopped, I want to make peace with the body I have instead of picking up the fight with it. I really don't know how to do that.

PS all these great snack ideas are making me hungry!

[MirandaPhoenix]

I'm sad to say, the last two weeks have been kinda rough. I couldn't exercise at all last week due to a damaged shoulder joint (no more overhead shoulder presses on the machine for me!!) and I was frustrated about not losing any weight the week before, so I... um, ate whatever I felt like all last week.

But I'll be back on track this week, and back in the gym.

Thanks for all the snack suggestions! It makes a huge difference to have a list available instead of trying to come up with stuff on my own.

Good luck in February, everyone!!

Miranda