LCT 1313's Journal, 08 Sep 23

Thinking of picking the least processed option helps. Like chicken vs. chicken nuggets. Potatoes vs potato chips. Whole fruit vs. juice. That’s a general rule that can steer you in the right direction 

Ty for your suggestions. 

If you have an instant pot you can make a veggie soup and eat it every day of the week combined with some oven baked chicken or fish. Be sure to only add a minimal amount to oil to the meat to cook it like a teaspoon. I use my air fryer instead of the oven because it’s 105 degrees outside and it cooks the meat well and quickly too. 

What Shake says makes a lot of sense. Starting simply will help ensure sustainable changes. This is a lifelong journey. To add to Shakes great idea, maybe: ground turkey instead of ground beef, less sugary cereal or oatmeal instead of super sugary cereal, frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, proper portion sizes, etc This doesn't have to be an all or nothing game.. water for soda... that alone is a good start.  

I drink protein shakes for breakfast and dinner. I eat regular on lunch. I’ve lost 15mins since last week. Eat food high and protein and I believe you will start seeing results. 

Last week you said you have a dietitian, so that is your best bet to design a diet specifically for your diabetes and whatever else you’re dealing with. The grocery store replaces the drive thru.  

Eating vegetables like cucumber, spinach, zucchini, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and radishes are low in carbs and high in vitamins. Replace breads with low carb tortillas ( I use Mission Carb Balance wheat tortillas.) As for fruits, berries are best. I make up snack bags with raw veggies so they are readily available. Replace starchy foods with cooked vegetables. I make pasta for my Italian husband and I have zoodles. You can do this!👍 

Have cooked chicken and shrimp handy with a variety of steamed/sautéed vegetables 

I am also picky and prefer plain foods. Eat what you like but only have a serving or less.  

drinking water or water with a shake of salt  

You may find it hard to believe, but if you change your diet, over time, your taste buds will follow. Trust your dietician, trust the process, and make changes gradually if you have to. I'll echo the veggie thing. A lot of people don't realize this, but vegetables often have a high protein to calorie ratio. Because their calories are so low, you're not going to get a huge amount, but they often help. I need to ask - what is your definition of "plain food"? I mostly use the app, so can't pop into your diary to see what you've been eating  

Try egg roll in a bowl 

sometimes just little tweaks in your WOE helps, I've been and still am in your shoes, Everyday a struggle. 

meat, veggies, fruit. eggs. start there. cut processed foods, junkfood, candy, pop, etc 1st. its the easiest food elimination without having to read labels.  

try switching to lower carb options like zucchini noodles instead of pasta...no sugar in coffee etc 

For me, it’s not about counting carbs or fat but rather counting calories. I personally think one can lose weight on a high carb and/or high fat diet just so long as it’s low calorie. But the best way to get low calorie is to up the fruits and veggies and decrease the sugar, carbs, and fat but I personally wouldn’t outlaw anything in my diet, just limit higher calorie foods and only eat the higher calorie foods when I’ve spent the rest of the day eating low cal. Fruits and veggies also are your only way to get all of your essential daily vitamins and minerals to help your body function properly. 

Another tip - take the food that you love to eat and tweak it to make it healthier. For example, if you like pizza, then find a frozen pizza (or make it yourself) that’s got veggie toppings and a cauliflower crust. Then only eat 5 slices instead of the whole thing and replace the last 3 slices you would normally eat with bell peppers instead. (Just an example of something I did for myself.) 

I like to work with belief patterns. The earth made these food for us to eat. Somewhere along the way we judge and said this is gross I want what was conditioned to I think I like based on adds, parents feeding us... basically it’s the same addiction patterns many deal with to take back their own power. Ultimately only we can do it. Try and remember you are retraining your brain to make conscious choices. Not become a victim to it thru cravings. It takes time and dedication. You got this!!! 

I would say eat mostly what you like and just watch the portions and calories. Maybe a time to try to experiment with different things to see if you like them. I think the saying that the best diet is the one you'll stick to is true. You might be pleased to know that studies have found that one type of diet is not necessarily better than another once you count overall calories, so just aim to reduce those a bit. Good luck! 

rice is high in carb, but low in fat. brown rice has more fiber so it lowers net carbs if thats your concern. It's a plain food and super flexible in any meal. Prioritize higher protein- chicken has low fat. non/low fat plain yogurt, and nonfat cottage cheese his high protein/low fat. Canned beans-i prefer rinsing them. a simple meal to make is rice, beans/frozen veggies and we alternate between beef/chicken/salmon. sometimes it's stir-fry style. what's great is it makes easy leftovers or to meal plan.