Wednesday, October 16, 2019

11 Fall Casseroles Your Taste Buds & Family Will Fall For

The first nip of chill in the air makes home cooks turn their thoughts from cold, light fare to something more filling, comforting and substantial. The problem is, fall casseroles are rarely the epitome of diet-friendly food, particularly when they’re held together by gooey cheese. We’re changing that with these 11 delicious one-pan meals that fit into your Nutrisystem program. Some of them are even held together by gooey cheese (low fat, of course) with the help of other nutritious ingredients. Despite their healthy label, they’re so good that even your family will love them.

6 Reasons Fall is the Best Time for Weight Loss

Here are 11 fall-inspired casseroles that your taste buds (and family) will fall for:

1. Chicken Chili Cornbread >

Calories per Serving: 306

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 2 PowerFuels, 1 SmartCarb, 1/2 Vegetable and 2 Extras

You have your game day chili recipe right here. Double it for a crowd. No one’s going to know this is part of your diet plan. Chock full of veggies, such as onion, red and green bell peppers, diced tomatoes, chilies, tomato sauce and corn, it can be spiced for all tastes with chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Maple syrup sweetens the cornbread just enough to make it the perfect foil for this spicy dish. At 306 calories per serving (the recipe makes eight), you’ll feel satisfied even if your team loses.

2. Italian Chicken Casserole >

Calories per Serving: 202

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 PowerFuel, 1 SmartCarb and 1 Vegetable

This is a delicious, slimmed-down version of the Italian favorite, Chicken Cacciatore. Nutrient and fiber-packed quinoa and cauliflower are included to make it extra filling. Boneless, skinless chicken breast is cut into chunks and incorporated into a rich sauce of tomatoes, onions, low-sodium chicken broth, garlic, oregano and basil. A sprinkle of part-skim mozzarella is added in the last 15 minutes of baking. The recipe makes six servings, so it’s great for a family dinner or as a cook-ahead dish you can freeze for later.

3. Autumn Chicken and Farro Casserole >

Calories per Serving: 244

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 2 PowerFuels, 1 SmartCarb, 1 Vegetable and 1 Extra

If you’ve never had farro, you’re in for a treat. This ancient grain is shaped like rice and cooks like it too. It has a nutty flavor, a bit more chew than rice and a quarter cup contain three grams of filling fiber. This recipe combines farro with chicken breast, sweet yellow onion, cubed butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, unsweetened dried cherries and chopped pecans for extra crunch. It makes eight servings, so you can save the extra for one of your on-the-go nights.

Printable Recipe Book: 12 Pumpkin Recipes to Make Autumn Taste Awesome

4. Healthy Corn Pudding Casserole >

Calories per Serving: 121

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb

This recipe is a triple threat: You can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner! It’s also easy to make. Whisk together cornmeal, milk, egg whites, ricotta cheese, corn and chives. Throw it in the oven and next thing you know, you’re sitting down to enjoy this hearty fall casserole. Just add a veggie side like green beans or broccoli. Unlike the corn pudding of your childhood, this one isn’t a calorie bomb.

5. Italian Vegetable Quinoa Bake >

Calories per Serving: 193

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 1 PowerFuel

Our next dish is perfect for “meatless Monday” and for those who need their fall casseroles gluten-free. This easy bake combines roasted cauliflower and zucchini with quinoa, tomato sauce, fat-free cottage cheese, dried oregano and thin-sliced fresh basil leaves for a rich, Italian taste. The recipe makes 8 servings so your family may be able to have a meatless Tuesday too!

6. Green Bean Casserole >

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel and 1 Vegetable

A Thanksgiving staple gets a makeover in our healthy recipe. We substituted canned creamed soup for low fat yogurt, bread crumbs for crushed whole wheat crackers and high-fat, fried onions for fresh, oven-baked onion rings. In fact, this version is so delicious you can serve it at Thanksgiving for the entire family (or keep it for yourself for a special lunch).

6 Fall Fudge Recipes You’ll Melt Over

7. Twice Baked Cauliflower >

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 PowerFuel and 1 Vegetable

Cauliflower replaces potatoes in this cheesy casserole that’s perfect for cool, fall nights. You’ll be surprised how much cooked cauliflower tossed into the food processor with nonfat Greek yogurt, Parmesan cheese and parsley looks and tastes like mashed potatoes. Add some scallions and cheddar cheese, then bake your mashed cauliflower for 15 minutes, with a few minutes under the broiler to make the top nice and crispy.

8. Baked Chili Casserole >

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 Nutrisystem Lunch, 1 SmartCarb and 1 Extra

You won’t be dicing and chopping to prep for this quickie meal. It all starts with one container of Nutrisystem’s Vegetarian Chili. Simply prepare some polenta, place the prepared chili into a ramekin and spoon the polenta on top. Sprinkle with fat-free cheddar and bake until it’s bubbling, switching to the broiler setting for two to three minutes until the cheese is melted and the polenta is golden brown.

9. Meat and Potato Casserole >

Calories per Serving: 179

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 1 PowerFuel

This casserole is so hearty, even the name sounds filling. However, rest assured that it doesn’t come with the same fat and calories as your usual meat and potatoes meal. To slim down, this casserole uses lean ground turkey instead of beef. Egg whites and whole wheat flour cut the fat and add the fiber. Add this one to your families list of favorite fall casseroles!

5 Sneaky Fall Weight Loss Traps & How to Beat Them

10. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Bake >

Calories per Serving: 244

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel and 2 Extras

Our recipe developers managed to spin everybody’s favorite school lunch into a hearty and satisfying casserole that your whole family will love. It’s slimmed down by the addition of reduced-fat cheddar and multi-grain sourdough bread. Tomato paste, almond milk, garlic and basil replace tomato soup and is poured over the cheese sandwiches in a casserole dish. Even your kids will be asking for seconds of this healthy dish!

11. Vegetable Lasagna Bake >

Calories per Serving: 231

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 1 PowerFuel

You don’t have to live without lasagna, even when you’re dieting. Add this light version of the Italian favorite to your weekly menu. One serving is only 231 calories because you’re using low fat cottage or ricotta cheese and low fat mozzarella. Spinach, butternut squash and sliced tomato add fiber and a slew of nutrients so that you can enjoy your lasagna guilt-free. Fall casseroles never looked (and tasted) so good!

It’s Soup Season! 5 Simple Soups for Your Fall Menu

The post 11 Fall Casseroles Your Taste Buds & Family Will Fall For appeared first on The Leaf.

from The Leaf https://ift.tt/2OU2DV8

6 Healthy Root Vegetables You Have to Try This Fall

Root vegetables are the edible parts of plants that grow underground, but these super-nutritious, health foods are finding their way into the spotlight and onto the plates of healthy eaters. Carrots are the most familiar root vegetable—we eat the long, orange bottoms, not the leafy tops. These six other roots are, like carrots, rich in flavor and nutrients, and they’re ideal for slow-cooking in diet dishes that warm you up on cool fall days. Here’s why each is a healthful addition to your diet plan and a few ideas for enjoying them:

1. BEETS

Most of us recognize the dark red roots, though you can also find varieties that are striped with white inside and some that have golden yellow skin and flesh. All are naturally sweet—beets are a raw ingredient in table sugar—yet they’re low to medium on the Glycemic Index, so you can enjoy them even when you’re trying to lose weight.
Nutrisystem category: Vegetable
Nutrition facts: A cup of raw beets has 58 calories, 3.8 grams of fiber, 13 grams of complex carbohydrates, 22 milligrams of calcium and 442 milligrams of potassium.
Try: Beet salad with arugula and goat cheese blends the sweetness of the roots with peppery greens and the creamy texture of the cheese. When you roast beets, the sugars are caramelized, giving them an even deeper, richer flavor.

2. PARSNIPS

They look like large, white carrots and they have a similar mildly sweet flavor and crunchy texture. When cooked, parsnips become very tender and even sweeter.
Nutrisystem category: SmartCarb
Nutrition facts: A half-cup of raw parsnips has just 50 calories, yet gives you 3.3 grams of fiber, 250 milligrams of potassium, and more than 10 percent of your RDA of vitamin C, folate and manganese.
Try: Steamed and pureed parsnips make a hearty foundation for low-fat, creamy soups. Slice raw parsnips into “sticks” and bake them in the oven with a little oil, salt and pepper to make crispy “fries.”

3. TURNIPS

A roundish bulb shaped a bit like a large radish, turnips often have purplish tops and white bottoms but some varieties are all white. The insides of both are a creamy white color. They taste lightly spicy. When shopping, look for smaller turnips, which are more tender than larger ones.
Nutrisystem category: Vegetable
Nutrition facts: In a cup of raw turnips, you get 36 calories, 2.3 grams of fiber, 27 milligrams of vitamin C, and no fat or cholesterol.
Try: Instead of ordinary mashed potatoes, try boiled and mashed turnips with apples, a sweet and spicy weight loss combination that just might become a new family favorite. And don’t toss the green tops in the garbage—they’re also loaded with nutrients and they taste delicious raw or sauteed.

4. RUTABAGAS

Sometimes called swedes or wax turnips, rutabagas are a hybrid created from turnips and cabbage. Rutabagas are mildly spicy but become more sweet-tasting when cooked. They look a bit knobby on the outside, but they have smooth, starchy texture inside.
Nutrisystem category: Vegetable
Nutrition facts: In a cup of raw rutabaga, you get 52 calories, 3.2 grams of fiber, 60 milligrams of calcium, 35 milligrams of vitamin C, and 427 milligrams of potassium.
Try: With their sturdy texture, rutabagas make a solid base for a vegetable tart made with layers of potatoes, carrots and garlic. For a hearty and healthy side dish, toss chunks of rutabaga with mustard and dill, then roast them to tenderness.

5. KOHLRABI

The bulbous exterior of kohlrabi may be light green or deep purple, but all are white inside. Like its close relative broccoli, kohlrabi has a mild peppery flavor.
Nutrisystem category: Vegetable
Nutrition facts: A cup of raw kohlrabi has 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 83 milligrams of vitamin C, 472 milligrams of potassium, and a substantial amount of vitamin A.
Try: You can eat kohlrabi raw, sliced into salads or grated into your favorite slaw. Add cubes of kohlrabi to vegetable soups, where they become tender after slow cooking. Shredded kohlrabi mixed with egg and a little flour make tasty fritters your family will love.

6. CELERIAC

Also called celery root or knob celery, celeriac is a variety of celery grown for its edible roots. While celeriac won’t win the vegetable beauty pageant, its scent is fresh and sweet, and when cooked its aroma has a savory smell that may remind you of Thanksgiving dinner in the oven. The taste is mild, with gentle herbal notes that make it an ideal companion to stronger flavors.
Nutrisystem category: Vegetable
Nutrition facts: In a cup of raw celeriac, you get 66 calories, 2.8 grams of fiber, 67 milligrams of calcium, 12.5 milligrams of vitamin C and 468 milligrams of potassium.
Try: Celeriac’s smooth texture (after peeling the rough skin) lends itself to purees that can be used to add flavor and nutrients to soups and stews. Roast it with pears to make a sweet side dish for broiled fish or turkey breast.

Did you snap a picture of your root vegetable dish? We want to see! Share your weight loss inspired recipe creations.

The post 6 Healthy Root Vegetables You Have to Try This Fall appeared first on The Leaf.

from The Leaf https://ift.tt/2OdKCNv

I'm not losing any weight and it doesn't seem like that should actually be possible, concerned this might be medical

Hi r/loseit, I'm a 26m at about 260lbs who as of that last 2 weeks has been trying to lose weight.

I've had experience losing weight in the past, I used to play rugby and lacrosse and always had to drop weight between rugby and lacrosse, then gain it back when going back to rugby. Because of this, I'm very familiar with nutrition and calorie counting, and understand how easily calories sneak up on you if you arent weighing and measuring.'

The last couple of years I stopped doing sports and stopped paying really any attention to what I was eating, and managed to get up to about 260lbs (usually I hovered around 200-220 while playing). I decided I needed to lose weight, and started a little daily schedule of habits to stick to lose the weight. I also went into it with 2 thoughts that always affected me when I'd lost weight in the past: 1. the first week I'll probably lose 5-8lbs of water weight, don't let it over excite me and 2. count and track absolutely everything.

So, I started 2 weeks ago following all of these habits to the tee ( I want to be clear, I have been meticulous, I have not cheated on any)

eat between 1000-1500 Kcal a day
sleep from 11pm-7am every day
drink 1.5L of water a day

My meals are pre planned, I make and measure all of my lunches and dinners for the week on Sunday with nothing but meats and fruits/veggies, and eat them at noon and 7 pm, meaning I always am on a 16:8 intermittent fast.

The first day I lost a pound. Cool I thought, but I know fluctuations happen, it doesnt really count for much. I missed weighing the next day, but the following day I was down another 1.4lbs. Again, probably doesnt count for much, but a good trend to be on. The next day I weighed the same, then the day after I was up .2lbs, then the next day I weighed the same, then the next day I was up .4Lbs, and that has just continued until today. 2 weeks of eating WAY below my maintenance, sleeping well, and drinking plenty of water, and I have lost NO weight at all, in fact as of today I am UP .2lbs.

Normally I know how unpredictable weight loss can be and just focus on the long term, but this seems like a literally impossibly trend and it's extremely wearing on my will to keep going. There are a few days where I've even eaten under 1000Kcals just to see SOME drop on the scale, and literally every time I still gain weight. Does anyone have any idea what is going on? Thank you for the time to read.

submitted by /u/sarkinson
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2MLzFEh

[DISCUSSION] Tips for saving money during weightloss?

I started my longest streak so far of constantly losing weight since the beginning of this year. I had done it a few times before but this time I had been constant and seeing much better results. The not so fun part is that my pocket has taken a bit of a hit. Losing weight can get expensive, gym membership, eat higher quality food (lean meats, organic produce, vegan “meats” etc) supplements, sports gear, etc. I think we all can relate to some degree. What are some tips to save some money while trying to stay on a budget?

Some things I’ve found helpful are:

Mealprep – definitely the best money saver for me. I buy my proteins in big box stores (Costco, Sam’s, etc) and freeze the rest for later. Thinking about getting a cheap fridge just dedicated to mealprep.

Stop eating out, even “healthy” options – Used to hit a lot of chipotle, Panera bread, salad bars. Most of the nutrition info on these places is not as accurate and ingredients are never going to be as fresh as just bought. Home cooking is way cheaper and most of the recipes found on restaurants can be copycat and improved at home anyways.

Hunt for sales and freeze – Always keep an eye open for sales and pull the trigger on foods, especially if they can be frozen. For veggies and fruits, I try to

Thrift shopping – Gadgets and stuff that have helped me out on my weight loss journey are expensive as health and wellness is a multibillion-dollar industry. You can find those yoga mats, air fryers, slowcookers, nutribullets, and mealprep containers, are way cheaper than amazon and some times you can find unopened items if you hit these places.

Discount stores for activewear – Same thing, there’s no sense on paying 3-4 times the price of activewear that you are going to soak in sweat anyway (hopefully). Get those Nike shorts and Under Armour shirts at your local Ross / Marshall’s / TJ Maxx, etc. It goes without saying but you can also just get great quality activewear on Walmart if you aren’t too picky on the brand (which I am not)

This is what has helped me so far. What other tips you guys have?

submitted by /u/javiwankenobi
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2MnQfv7

Cursed Weekend Adventure

Vacation: 3 day anniversary weekend in Vegas. Make reservations for dinner, eat amazing food, drink responsibly and have a good time. It is only 3 days!

The problem is 5 days leading up to vacation. “We don’t want to cook and have food to throw out before we leave or once we get home.” Which leads to “huh, there is nothing prepped or planned, I guess we will just grab something while we are out.” And “oh no! I’ve got to get kids from point a to point b and am starving, I’ll just hit the drive through.”

While at the same time, “golly gee, I’m tired and have so many errands to run to get ready for our trip. Guess I don’t have time for the gym.”

Vacation

Then get home and jump right into the next week. It is Wednesday and there still hasn’t been time for a big store run. And at this point I hear myself inching towards, “I’ll just start fresh on Monday.” So a 3 day vacation became an excuse for almost 2 weeks off course. Sigh.

I’ve learned this year that if I fail to plan, that I should definitely plan to fail (regarding all things weight loss). Does anyone else have these issues around travel? Has anyone got tips or tricks to shorten the vacation food hangover and re-jumpstart healthy habits?

submitted by /u/StarryEyedGrl
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/35Bq0J4

One Year of Weight Loss

43M, 5'10"/178cm , SW 210lb/95kg, GW 185lb/84kg, CW 178lb/80.7kg

I wanted to share my experience with weight loss over this past year. You may notice that my CW is lower than my GW. I've been successful! In my past, I've failed at losing weight so many times that I didn't think it was going to happen, but it did!

My history

I feel like I've been struggling with my weight all my life. I've always been a bit pudgy. Growing up I was always a little heavier than my peers, not by a lot, but enough to be noticeable. You know how little kids can be scrawny? That wasn't me. Also, I wouldn't say I had the best examples of eating growing up. We were a Midwest family eating a Midwest diet: hamburger helper; pork chops with scalloped potatoes; spaghetti with 1lb of ground beef in the sauce; kielbasa with mashed potatoes; BBQ chicken and baked potatoes, and my personal favorite Upside-Down Hamburger Casserole (don't go looking for it, it is not good for you). There was always a two gallon bucket of ice cream in the freezer. My go-to snack was chips and cheese liberally sprinkled with Franks Red Hot. It wasn't my intention to trigger personal cravings, yet here we are.

Looking back, I'm surprised I wasn't bigger than what I was, but I did like to ride my bike everywhere and I played golf and tennis and a job kept me busy. It was in college that I put on weight fast. My first semester, I went from a size 32 waist to a size 36 waist. Many of the meals served at the fraternity were very high in calories, e.g. tater tot casserole. Besides walking to class I was not getting much exercise, but I did join the karate club and swam a bit at the pool. I was grateful that my brother got bigger and was able to hand me down some jeans.

80.7My dad was diagnosed ALS the summer after my freshman year. He deteriorated quickly and I found myself driving home (2hrs one way) every weekend to help out the family which was not good for my grades. I had to drop out of university second semester to help nurse him full time. All we could really do was hang out and eat and smoke. Smoking was a bad idea and it made me exercise less. On the bright side, I started dating my future wife in my only free time on Sunday morning. During this time, I was first introduced to the Atkins Diet. I swallowed the information hook line and sinker after reading the book. And holy cow, I had no problems eating a high protein and high fat diet. I did the entire ketosis tracking and lost some weight. I was very happy with that. It was short lived loss, but a loss nonetheless.

After college I would like to say that I was active, but this is probably a little self delusion. I lived in Chicago and walked a lot, but I ate a lot too. I did go to the gym before work every morning, but had a cigarette and stopped by for a big muffin or doughnut on the walk to the office. Dinner and lunch were always out to eat. Living by yourself and not really having a proper kitchen does not lead to healthy eating. 43M, 5'10"/178cm , SW 210lb/95kg, GW 185lb/84kg, CW 178lb/80.7kg

My history

For my wedding, I went back on Atkins and dropped weight again, but my bride-to-be hated eating that way, so after we were married there was no more Atkins dieting for me. On the bright side my fiance said she wouldn't marry a smoker, so I quit cold turkey two months before the big day. Not smoking allowed me to keep being active even though I was heavy. I feel like I dodged a bullet with the short lived Atkins diet.43M, 5'10"/178cm , SW 210lb/95kg, GW 185lb/84kg, CW 178lb/80.7kg

My history

For my wedding, I went back on Atkins and dropped weight again, but my bride-to-be hated eating that way, so after we were married there was no more Atkins dieting for me. On the bright side my fiance said she wouldn't marry a smoker, so I quit cold turkey two months before the big day. Not smoking allowed me to keep being active even though I was heavy. I feel like I dodged a bullet with the short lived Atkins diet. I had a manager that lost a ton of weight by living on chicken wings and then had to have a triple bypass surgery. I think a lot of Atkins dieters forget to eat from the diabetic friendly sources (lots of greens) and focus on meat.

We moved to Colorado and started our family. There were periods where I would get interested in something seriously like karate, running, or road biking for a year or so and then something comes up and I would get busy and I'm back to being sedentary. I had one good period where we joined Weight Watchers and I started running at lunch time at work. This was inspired by a work weight loss competition and I took it seriously. I made it down to 185lb from 210lb. This was huge for me and that is why my initial goal was 185lb. It was the biggest drop I ever had and it made me feel so good. Weight Watchers was good because we learned how to cook vegetables and season food instead of just adding salt, bacon, and cheese. Weight watchers was also bad because I always felt hungry. There was no relief. Good morning hungry! Before and after lunch hungry. Before and after dinner hungry. Good night hungry! It worked but it didn't work well for me and I relapsed.

Blood Pressure

One of the things that started getting me focused on my health was my blood pressure. I am a frequent blood donor and year after year, I was seeing my blood pressure creep up at the donation center. I was 'high-normal' (135/90) before they changed the guidelines. I followed the common advice of trying to reduce stress, reduce salt, and get exercise. I tried to get get my blood pressure to come down for a couple of years, but it didn't budge. However, I read "The China Study" and followed that up with "How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease". These books provided the evidence that I needed that a whole foods plant based diet is what I should be doing. After eating this way for six months, I had my blood work done as part of my yearly physical and my blood pressure was down 125/85 and my cholesterol was under 150 combined. I was shocked at how quickly it came down by changing my diet after trying to bring it down for years. At my last checkup my blood pressure was 102/70 and a combined cholesterol of under 150. I am very happy with those numbers and I attribute it to a plant-based diet. That being said, the transition was two-steps forward one-step back. It is hard to learn to eat, buy, and cook differently, but totally worth it. I really don't miss eating meat anymore as long as I get some vegan junk food periodically, e.g. french fries. We also save a ton of money on food because we buy in bulk from azurestandard.com like we are awaiting the apocalypse, but we're just frugal planners.also

Getting Active

The thing that helped me be active consistently is that I got a dog. He was acquired third hand and was a high energy animal. Hero was a mutt but looked like a Belgian Shepard. He chewed holes in his limbs and haunches and we were told it was allergies. We tried hot spot spays and medicines but nothing worked and he spent a lot of time in the 'cone of shame'. I was watching 'The Dog Whisperer' and I thought Cesar Milan knew his business so I read a couple of his books and found out that hot spots and chewing can be a physical manifestation of a dogs anxiety. Hero started getting three mile walks every morning. He stopped chewing and I made an exercise habit with my wife. This didn't make me lose weight, but I stabilized around 220lb for years. We had to say goodbye to Hero this year after seven years, but I still walk 3mi each morning with my wife and our new dog Pearl. I lift weights three times a week with a focus on the big six: squat; deadlift; bench press; row; pull ups; overhead press. I get some cardio with some P90X3 videos and I stretch and do yoga on Sundays. My friend became my workout partner on Saturday mornings and keeps me accountable during the week. I highly recommend a partner who is not your spouse and already has a fitness habit. My goals for exercise are that I want to enjoy retirement and be able to care for myself. The exercises are geared toward health and not body shaping. Bring able to travel and have life experiences are very important to me.

The Present

I have a good desk job, happily married, a couple of kids, and set a personal record of 223lbs a couple of years back. I tried intermittent fasting and that helped shave off the first 13lbs over a year, but I found that I could eat enough during the feeding time to offset the fasting time. I still try and keep IF going as I find that if I skip breakfast that I am just as hungry at lunch as if I ate breakfast. Having two large meals instead of three medium sized meals works better for my mental health and feels sustainable after a couple of years.

I started following /r/loseit about a year ago. I started with CICO and MyFitnessPal. Now everything has changed and I shed the weight very consistently. There are days when hitting the 500 calorie deficit is too difficult and I shoot for maintenance, but most days are easy if there is no beer or snacks in the house. I like knowing that I'm not leaving any calories on the table if I am hungry. I can eat a bit more if I still have some budget. It doesn't help that I currently have a cold and tore something in my shoulder and ribs trying some golf exercises. That really put a damper on my lifting.

My biggest challenge right now is alcohol. Having two teenagers in the house really makes me feel like I could use a drink to help me relax. My friend also runs a brewery and make great beer. The wife and I also like to socialize and have people over which usually involves snacks and drinks. The end of September and October have been rough with Oktoberfest and The Great American Beer Festival and having visitors stay with us. I'm also buying a new house and have a new project at work that is keeping me really busy. Now we are headed into the holidays. I'm going to have to focus.

The Future

I've changed my goal. I'm going to try and lose my 'standing fat' around my belly. I've always had a bit of a saggy belly and love handles from childhood. I want to see if I can make it go away for once in my life. I'm confident that I can get there as I have more muscle in my back, flanks, and abs than at any other point in my life.

I'm worried about transitioning into maintenance as I think that I may relapse. I'm going to have to keep doing CICO, because it is just so easy to get out of control and binge eat. Right now, I think this is sustainable and I'm going to run with it. I've been experimenting with maintenance days and so far so good.

Blood Pressure

Getting Active

The Present

The Future

In summary, a bit of intermittent fasting, eating a plant based diet, counting calories, cardio and weight lifting has transformed my body. Low blood pressure, low cholesterol, more strength, more endurance, more muscle tone, less fat, and I look good in clothes. I hope you experience as much success as I have and I hope that my experiences have been helpful to you. Good luck! For my wedding, I went back on Atkins and dropped weight again, but my bride-to-be hated eating that way, so after we were married there was no more Atkins dieting for me. On the bright side my fiance said she wouldn't marry a smoker, so I quit cold turkey two months before the big day. Not smoking allowed me to keep being active even though I was heavy. I feel like I dodged a bullet with the short lived Atkins diet. I had a manager that lost a ton of weight by living on chicken wings and then had to have a triple bypass surgery. I think a lot of Atkins dieters forget to eat from the diabetic friendly sources (lots of greens) and focus on meat.

Blood Pressure

Getting Active

The Present

The Future

submitted by /u/jaystile
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2MKp24L

Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Wednesday, 16 October 2019? Start here!

Today is your Day 1?

Welcome to r/Loseit!

So you aren’t sure of how to start? Don’t worry! “How do I get started?” is our most asked question. r/Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we’ve found most useful for getting started.

Why you’re overweight

Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.

Before You Start

The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.

Tracking

Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. r/loseit recommends an app like MyFitnessPal, Loseit! (unaffiliated), or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don’t cheat the numbers. You’ll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.

Creating Your Deficit

How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. r/loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.

The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you’re eating you won’t stick to it.

Exercise

Is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.

It has it’s own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel awesome and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.

Crawl, Walk, Run

It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.

Acceptance

You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.

Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don’t need perfect. We just want better.

Additional resources

Now you’re ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.

Quick Start Guide - Build your foundation!
Loseit Compendium - Frame it out!
FAQ - Answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!

submitted by /u/AutoModerator
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/35D2yev