Healthier eating and cooking

[nandm]

Join me at the healthier and good cooking social group.

Many times people in recovery have used and abused their bodies by not eating right, not exercising right. Here is a place to get a jump start on eating healthier.

Share your recipes, find and try new ones. Share and find tips on changes others are making to live a healthier lifestyle.

[Bamboozle]

nandm...

I had to smile when I saw this thread...NO ONE had replied...


...I guess no one wants to be healthy?



Well, I need to be in this group. I've gained so much weight in the past month...I'm starting to feel like I did at the beginning of the year. At least I'm not getting out of breath going back up the basement steps..., but it's going to happen soon.

I've made a start today...no more chocolate! I'm weaning myself off of the junk. When I start cooking healthy meals again, I'll be sure to post about them here.

[Bamboozle]

Wow, took me a long time to get back here. Still have a drinking problem, BUT I have changed the food that I eat. No more chocolate or ice cream.. If I want sweets, I eat fruit. Whole wheat/whole grain pastas and breads. I try to watch it on the salt and fat. I eat chicken sometimes. I need to add more vegetables to my diet. If I can kick the drinking to the curb, then I'll be good.


What I'm doing is pretty simple...I'm trying to pay attention to what my body is saying. I am trying to eat only when I'm hungry. When I can, I eat small amounts throughout the day. A little dab of this and that for variety.

[Bamboozle]

Well, not drinking, but my eating is complete crap.

Where is everyone? Hello? I need some recipes...some inspiration here. My pants are crying because they're being stretched to the limits.

[baldjim]

i eat really healthy now(now its to late)i eat shredded cabbage both green and the purple ,shredded carrots,celery,onion and peppers all eaten raw in a toasted whole meal pitta bread

tasty or what ???


guys ?? .......... guys

oh well

[Angel1]

I started a healthy eating plan a year ago...and let me tell ya...it's made a world of difference in how I feel!
Some of the changes felt awkward at first, but within a few months they became 2nd nature, and now I eat very healthy, and get no cravings for the junk food I used to consume.
I now can tell the difference between physical & emotional hunger & act accordingly... that for me, has made a HUGE impact on my eating habits.

[Astro]

It took me 4 years sober before I finally decided to lose the weight I'd put on in early recovery. Too many sugary foods, cookies and other sweets at AA meetings, I'd practically cross-addicted to eating.

There's a good thread going in the Fitness, Health and Nutrition forum http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...g-recipes.html (Healthy eating recipes) and check out this one in the Eating Disorders forum http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ml#post2289495 (#9- 100 Day Goal - Abstinance from Obvious Sweets - Want to join? Please Do!)

[Angel1]

I have yo-yo'd with taking off & putting back on the same 20 pounds all my adult life. Last year I finally said 'enough is enough'... I decided to give myself a year to take the weight off, find an eating plan that I not only could stick with but enjoy.
I found that the Flat Belly diet fit me perfectly... I get to eat the foods I love (avocados, nuts, whole grain bread, popcorn, all fruits & veggies...plus...PLUS *drumroll please* D A R K C H O C O L A T E .... need I say more?? lol).
I took the weight off in less than 5 months... and have maintained that weight ever since "Maintenance" is now what I have to focus on... I have to make sure I don't let the pounds start creeping back...that will be one of the things I have set as a goal for this next year.

[Sweets79]

I like this group

I've been doing good since quitting drinking almost 3 months ago. Drinking and not watching what I ate put some weight on me, which I am trying to get off now. I slacked on cooking (which is my first love) when I was drinking, but now I am back into it full force.

I am making mainly light recipes, and baking some low fat desserts. I think I need to cut back on the carbs now, because I want to get some weight off my waist. Cutting carbs is really hard for me. Being Italian, I was raised on pasta and bread, and I LOVEEE it. I am trying to limit them though, because I want to see faster results.

I also joined the gym and I am taking a bellydancing class at the current moment. I want to take salsa or tango classes eventually and maybe even a pole dancing class. It's important to mix it up and have fun while you work out!

[Bamboozle]

Uh...my pills make me a little ill at times and have really cut my appetite down, so I've been losing weight. Does that count?

[Sweets79]

Originally Posted by Angel1

I have yo-yo'd with taking off & putting back on the same 20 pounds all my adult life. Last year I finally said 'enough is enough'... I decided to give myself a year to take the weight off, find an eating plan that I not only could stick with but enjoy.
I found that the Flat Belly diet fit me perfectly... I get to eat the foods I love (avocados, nuts, whole grain bread, popcorn, all fruits & veggies...plus...PLUS *drumroll please* D A R K C H O C O L A T E .... need I say more?? lol).
I took the weight off in less than 5 months... and have maintained that weight ever since "Maintenance" is now what I have to focus on... I have to make sure I don't let the pounds start creeping back...that will be one of the things I have set as a goal for this next year.

Hey Angel,

I was just looking up the flat belly diet. Does it really work? I am having alot of difficulty in this area.

I see the MUFA foods, but what would you make for lunch or dinner? I'm not big on avocados or dark chocolate, it seems like there's alot of that on there. I like oil and nuts though, but it seems a little hard to make a satisfying meal.

I'm just curious, because if it's good I'd like to buy the book.

[Angel1]

Hi Sweets

Do you like black olives? That's a MUFA, and I use black olive tapenade all the time for flavoring. And nut butters are great...have you ever had cashew butter?? Yummmm!!!!!

I ordered the book & got a 3 month free online membership...that really helped me for the first month...made it easy to plan my meals & I learned what portions I was allowed. By the end of the first month I didn't need to log my food anymore, the meals had become 2nd nature for me.
Alot of people were having success with the diet, only saw a few that said it didn't work for them. What I love is that MUFA's really do trim down the midriff area I think why this eating plan has worked so well for me, is that I am able to eat all the foods I love & keep my weight down! I did the South Beach Diet about 5 years ago...I took off the weight, but I always felt like I was denied many of the foods I really like, yep...I'm a carbaholic too lol.
I've made some changes in my carb intake, and these seem to be working for me:
1) I now eat Quinoa instead of rice & pasta...and also put it in salads, omelets, etc.
2) I eat only sprouted grain bread now. Ezekiel 4:9 makes everything from bread, hot dog & hamburger buns to English muffins. I always toast mine first...a little too 'raw' tasting for me if I don't.

The basics of the Flat Belly diet are:
eat 4 times a day (3 meals, 1 snack)... which are 400 calories (1600 calories per day), each has a serving of MUFA, and eat 4 hours apart. That's basically it!

One of my easy lunches is to have a spicy Mexican veggie burger on a sprouted grain bun with either avocado slices or olive tapenade, slice of tomato, lettuce & a glass of skim milk. (yeah... finally got used to drinking skim...never thought I would, but I realized the difference the calories were between skim & 1%, and decided it was worth trying to get used to 'blue' milk lol).

My afternoon snack at work usually consists of a serving of non-fat yogurt, tea, an apple (which I sprinkle cinnamon on... did you know that cinnamon is an appetite suppressant?), 2 tablespoons of raw unsalted sunflower seeds & half a toasted English muffin

Stir fries are another tasty thing you can do... using sesame oil really adds some nice flavor...or you can add almonds to the dish too...those would be your MUFA's.

Because MUFA's are high in calories, care must be taken that you measure accurately...it's very easy to over-do it. I pre-measure all the nuts & dark chocolate, makes it quick & easy when I need them...and a whole lot less tempting to have "just a wee bit more" lol

[Sweets79]

Originally Posted by Angel1

Hi Sweets

Do you like black olives? That's a MUFA, and I use black olive tapenade all the time for flavoring. And nut butters are great...have you ever had cashew butter?? Yummmm!!!!!

I ordered the book & got a 3 month free online membership...that really helped me for the first month...made it easy to plan my meals & I learned what portions I was allowed. By the end of the first month I didn't need to log my food anymore, the meals had become 2nd nature for me.
Alot of people were having success with the diet, only saw a few that said it didn't work for them. What I love is that MUFA's really do trim down the midriff area I think why this eating plan has worked so well for me, is that I am able to eat all the foods I love & keep my weight down! I did the South Beach Diet about 5 years ago...I took off the weight, but I always felt like I was denied many of the foods I really like, yep...I'm a carbaholic too lol.
I've made some changes in my carb intake, and these seem to be working for me:
1) I now eat Quinoa instead of rice & pasta...and also put it in salads, omelets, etc.
2) I eat only sprouted grain bread now. Ezekiel 4:9 makes everything from bread, hot dog & hamburger buns to English muffins. I always toast mine first...a little too 'raw' tasting for me if I don't.

The basics of the Flat Belly diet are:
eat 4 times a day (3 meals, 1 snack)... which are 400 calories (1600 calories per day), each has a serving of MUFA, and eat 4 hours apart. That's basically it!

One of my easy lunches is to have a spicy Mexican veggie burger on a sprouted grain bun with either avocado slices or olive tapenade, slice of tomato, lettuce & a glass of skim milk. (yeah... finally got used to drinking skim...never thought I would, but I realized the difference the calories were between skim & 1%, and decided it was worth trying to get used to 'blue' milk lol).

My afternoon snack at work usually consists of a serving of non-fat yogurt, tea, an apple (which I sprinkle cinnamon on... did you know that cinnamon is an appetite suppressant?), 2 tablespoons of raw unsalted sunflower seeds & half a toasted English muffin

Stir fries are another tasty thing you can do... using sesame oil really adds some nice flavor...or you can add almonds to the dish too...those would be your MUFA's.

Because MUFA's are high in calories, care must be taken that you measure accurately...it's very easy to over-do it. I pre-measure all the nuts & dark chocolate, makes it quick & easy when I need them...and a whole lot less tempting to have "just a wee bit more" lol

Aww Angel!,

You are soooo sweet to post all this info for me. I like black olives and I would most definitely like Cashew Butter.

When I was younger I noticed I had a little more leeway with food. (Not that much, though, lol) Now I really wanna trim my waist most of all and what I'm doing isn't cutting it.

So if I am understanding correctly, you can have any meal that's 400 calories, 4x a day, as long as you add a MUFA? Or are the MUFA calories included with the meal? That sounds pretty good. I am going to browse through the book tomm. at Barnes & Noble.

I also read about the sassy water lol. I think I am going to try this diet!

[Angel1]

The MUFA is included in the calorie intake of the meal...meals are smaller than what we're used to, but what I found is that they were 'enough' to feel satisfied.... and over time my stomach has shrunk so now I'm content with less food.

They start the diet off with a 4 day anti-bloat jumpstart... now talk about people whining!!!! LOL You wouldn't believe it! I went in with the attitude "hey...I quit smoking...I've quit drinking.... what's the big deal about a measly 4 days???" People really do lose quite a bit on in the first 4 days & lose their bloat... once you're over that part of it, the rest of the diet feels like a real treat!

I love the Sassy water! ... and continued it long after the 4 day jumpstart. But that was another thing people were moaning about... there were quite a few that couldn't stomach it.

Oh! And another other menu idea is making single serving pizzas from pita bread...quick & easy...and very good!

[Sweets79]

Originally Posted by Angel1

The MUFA is included in the calorie intake of the meal...meals are smaller than what we're used to, but what I found is that they were 'enough' to feel satisfied.... and over time my stomach has shrunk so now I'm content with less food.

They start the diet off with a 4 day anti-bloat jumpstart... now talk about people whining!!!! LOL You wouldn't believe it! I went in with the attitude "hey...I quit smoking...I've quit drinking.... what's the big deal about a measly 4 days???" People really do lose quite a bit on in the first 4 days & lose their bloat... once you're over that part of it, the rest of the diet feels like a real treat!

I love the Sassy water! ... and continued it long after the 4 day jumpstart. But that was another thing people were moaning about... there were quite a few that couldn't stomach it.

Oh! And another other menu idea is making single serving pizzas from pita bread...quick & easy...and very good!

Should I be scared of the sassy water? lol

[Angel1]

Originally Posted by Sweets79

Should I be scared of the sassy water? lol

LOL! Only if cucumbers, lemons, ginger & spearmint make you

[Sweets79]

Originally Posted by Angel1

LOL! Only if cucumbers, lemons, ginger & spearmint make you

Hmm seperately they're good, but all together? ...not sure

[Sikkisirus]

Im lucky in that chocolate does to me what garlic does to a vampire. I really don't like chocolate. Does lamb moussakka count as healthy? I pretty much love most Greek and Italian foods, and im told they're healthy. I prefer herbal tea too. Chocolate and caffiene make me ill.