Dieting on the road

[Pat]

I've been on a diet since before Christmas.  This time I'm going to keep it off, because I'm too old to carry the extra weight.  The challenge is how to keep it off.

Having always lived alone, I've never been a normal eater.  I don't have use for or even care about lots of variety.  My fridge isn't big enough to accommodate a bunch of groceries, and things like heads of lettuce often spoil before I can eat them.  I don't like to grocery shop every day or care to clean up cooking messes.  So I eat single-item meals.

Any techniques people have developed over the years would be welcome.  A bag of frozen vegetables microwaved is a fine meal.  Or some cottage cheese and nutmeg.  My favorite fruit-of-the-month is caramel apples.  I could eat those for days, but I suppose they're off my shopping list from now on.  A rotisserie chicken from the grocery store deli will last a few meals.  Once it's leftover and cold, I use a little real mayonnaise to give it some moisture and flavor.  Those are just about all my ideas.  If anybody has discovered anything else that makes a tasty meal, I'd be interested to hear.  I've been known to open a little can or baked beans and eat them cold from the can.  I'm easy.

--pat

 

[RREngr]

Just a couple quick ideas that came to mind.  Buy a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables.  You can stir fry those along with some pieces of your leftover chicken.  Also, brown hamburger, and onion if desired, add beaten eggs and shredded cheese--yummy.  Buy salad from fast food place, use half with a cooked chicken breast, then save other half for another meal.  My husband and I are saying the same thing about needing to lose some weight, so I have been trying to think of ideas that are easy too.  He is not much of a vegetable eater, so it is difficult.  They say even small changes will add up.  Keep up the good work.  Kay

 

[Betty Brewer]

I've been on a diet since before Christmas.? This time I'm going to keep it off, because I'm too old to carry the extra weight.? The challenge is how to keep it off.

Pat,
I am a lifetime member of weight watchers.  No secret to weight maintenance or loss really. Bottom line...you must burn more calories than you consume.  If I am faithful about  my walking program I can maintain.  A friend recently  watched  her portions and walked  one hour and 15 minutes daily every day no misses  She lost 35 pounds in one year.  The older I get the more difficult to lose even with "dieting."  Water is a key to weight loss.. at least 6 glasses a day.  Often when I think I am hungry it is really thirst and quenched with some nice fresh RO water. 

Sara Lee makes a pita  pocket bread low in points (calories) I put left over cooked veggies into 1/2 of the pocket along with one slice of wrapped cheddar cheese and zap it 30 seconds or so in the microwave.  Makes a nice hot sandwich with  very few points. Most vegetables are free in weight watchers. 
Good luck.

Betty

 

[Pat]

Finished the diet around midAugust.  70 lbs.  Now it's been a month, and I'm not having a hard time keeping it off.  Mainly I think it's because my tastes in food have changed.  It's amazing how much lettuce you can eat and not gain a pound. 

--pat

 

[Betty Brewer]

Finished the diet around midAugust.? 70 lbs.? Now it's been a month, and I'm not having a hard time keeping it off.? Mainly I think it's because my tastes in food have changed.? It's amazing how much lettuce you can eat and not gain a pound.? --pat

Pat,

Congrats on your weight loss!  You must feel terrific!  I'm always in awe of folks who  lose such a large amount. Nice to set a goal and then to reach it.

Betty

 

[Pat]

Betty:  I've been on 6 or 7 major diets in my life.  My mother always said I look like my dad's aunts.  (This would mean big and heavy.)  It's turning out to be easier to keep it off as a retiree.  A lot less stress.

I have always maintained that I looked just fine heavier.  Americans are so obsessed with weight that our children are starving themselves to death.  I'm not even sure why I lost it this time, except I feel so paranoid about all the prejudism against fat people.  And it's easier to bike my favorite trail out at McDowell Mtn Park. 

I look 20 years older, and my knees actually Drape.  I don't feel noticeably better.  A little less knee and hip pain.  Still can't bend them much anymore. 

--pat

 

[Wendy]

I've been on every diet ever invented. Done best on South Beach. I actually find it easier to eat "right" when we're in the motorhome. We eat more meals together, we exercise more (walking the dog, riding bikes, hiking, ....), and because of limited space, there are usually fewer junk food items in the motorhome. Hmmmm, another reason to full time???

Wendy

 

[Pat]

Wendy:  I agree there's not much space to store a bunch of junk food.  And I have always found that I lose a couple pounds after a busy day.  I just don't like exercise, unless it comes with a purpose.  I used to look at all the people on the machines in the health clubs in Chicago and think how clean the streets would be if all that energy were expended picking up. 

--pat

 

[Wendy]

I like exercise that doesn't seem like 'exercise'....hiking in Arches, bike riding the loop at Natural Bridges, taking the dog for a walk through the fall aspens. And I seem to do more of those things when we're out in the motorhome.

 

[dpickard]

Ladies,

The October 2005 issue of Good Housekeeping has a diet called "The Frozen Food Diet" on page 231.

I have been following it religiously since October 6th and have lost 17 pounds.

Breakfast usually consists of yogurt, cereal and orange juice.

Lunch is a salad..use dressings that have fewer than 50 cals in 2 tablespoons... and then you eat a frozen dinner like Healthy Choice or Smart Ones or something similar and a piece of fruit.

Dinner is a repeat of lunch and another piece of fruit.

There are SO many varieties in the frozen food case that you never get bored.

This may not be interesting to some, but for me, its easy to follow and not a lot of guesswork.

Dianne