No Daylight? No Problem! 5 Ways to Work In Your Workout

We get it: Its chilly outside, it gets darker so much faster—and for many, that can make working out a little (or a lot) tougher. Part of the sluggishness has to do with how your body is wired: “Our brains are stimulated by light, which in turn wakes up our bodies,” says Lyssie Lakatos, nutrition expert and certified fitness trainer. More sunlight makes you alert; less daylight hours leave you more tired. To help you push through, stay motivated and keep your fitness goals on track, try these expert-recommended tips:

1. Schedule exercise appointments.
And treat them that way, like you would unmissable doctor appointments, says Lakatos. Plus, consistent exercise can help fight winter fatigue: Researchers at the University of Georgia found that sedentary, otherwise healthy adults who did 20 minutes of low-to-moderate aerobic exercise, three days a week for six weeks, reported feeling less tired and more energized.

How to Fit Fitness in Your Day

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2. Consider group classes.
Particularly during winter months, exercising with other people is not only a bonding experience but can also boost your mood, says Lakatos. You can also try online live classes through websites and apps.

3. Maximize lunch breaks.
Take advantage of the time when the sun is at its peak to get in some exercise outdoors, suggests Lakatos: “Fresh air and exercise is invigorating, and vitamin D can help lift your mood.”

7 Pain-Free Lunch Habits That Melt Pounds (and Burn Calories!)

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4. Sip on tea.
Not only can it help keep you hydrated, but tea naturally contains a little bit of caffeine to help perk you up. Choose green, black or oolong, suggests Lakatos. These teas contain theanine, an amino acid that helps calm your mind as well as boost alertness.

5. Set a spring goal.
Sign up for a 5K or charity walk in the early spring to help keep your workouts in track in the winter. Or, use mini-goals as motivation, suggests the Mayo Clinic, such as the number of minutes you walk in a week or how many workouts you fit into seven days—make them simple and realistic, but also specific and measurable, so you can track your progress and reward your results.

The post No Daylight? No Problem! 5 Ways to Work In Your Workout appeared first on The Leaf.

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Busy Week? 11 Piping Hot, One Dish Meals

Busy weeknight meals shouldn’t be a challenge–and they shouldn’t be an excuse to fall off of the wagon, either. Nutrisystem has a collection of recipes that require no more than one dish. Convenient and easy, minimal clean up? Yes, please!

All of these one dish meals follow Nutrisystem’s flex meal guidelines, incorporating the perfect portion of SmartCarbs and PowerFuels. Recipes balanced with protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates are the key to keeping you on your weight loss plan for a lifetime, and enjoying it, too!

One pan. One pot. One dish. However you refer to them, these easy recipes cut down on clean up and are easy to throw together in a flash. Plus, they’ll help you learn how to incorporate healthy habits into your busy schedule and maintain your weight loss for a lifetime.

Here are 11 one dish meals everyone should be using:

1. Seafood Paella >

Paella is a Spanish dish of rice, seafood and spices, served in a single large shallow pan. Nutrisystem has the perfect healthy take on the delicious dish! Shrimp and mussels dance in flavorful spices together in one pot, making the dish a complete meal with little mess. Shrimp is a wonderful addition to your healthy eating plan since it’s loaded with flavor, protein and vitamin B12. But the best part: Shrimp are low in calories and fat. This recipe delivers one SmartCarb, one Powerfuel, one Vegetable and one Extra for those following the Nutrisystem program—and one serving will deliver just 311 calories. Click here for the full recipe >

2. Greek Fish and Vegetables >

Mediterranean food has all sorts of cancer fighting, heart healthy, waist friendly benefits that cannot be ignored. Packing fish and vegetables together in every meal can provide the nutrients your body needs to support a healthy weight. This tasty flex meal recipe combines fresh white fish, delicious olives, chickpeas and plump, nutritious tomatoes. Change the dish by changing the fish! It’s simple to make this a weekly staple by rotating between tilapia, halibut, cod and flounder. Olive oil provides the healthy fats you need in your diet, keeping this meal well-balanced. Each serving provides one SmartCarb, a couple PowerFuels, a Vegetable and two Extras in just 364 calories. Click here for the full recipe >

3. Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) >

Feijoada is pronounced (fay-ZHWA-dah) and is a traditional Brazilian stew. All you need is one large saucepan to cook up this flavorful meal. Black beans are loaded with folate, B6, potassium and our weight loss secret… fiber! The tiny little nutrient-packed bean helps with satiety and provides plant-based nutrients that are heart healthy and waist friendly. Chicken sausage is added to this meal along with onion, garlic, heart healthy olive oil, chicken broth, tomatoes and brown rice. Things even get zesty with orange. This Nutrisystem flex meal counts as one SmartCarb, a PowerFuel, a Vegetable and one Extra. This is an easy recipe that goes like this: Sauté, cook, simmer and simmer! Click here for the full recipe >

4. Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry >

Skip the takeout with a one pan meal that is easy to cook and even easier to clean! Eat your broccoli, and enjoy it! Broccoli is loaded with fiber and is known to be a great inflammation fighter. It’s rich in vitamin K, A, C and plant-based compounds called phytonutrients. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli fill you up with little calories. Combine this vegetable powerhouse with chicken breast for lean protein, and brown rice for complex carbohydrates and you have a well-balanced, well portioned, perfectly satisfying week night meal. This meal counts as a SmartCarb, two PowerFuels, two Vegetables, and two Extras for those following the Nutrisystem program. No thinking required. Really! Click here for the full recipe >

5. Savory Turkey Chili >

No need to give up your warm hearty chili when you’re on a weight loss plan. Just a few changes to an old favorite can boost the nutrition and your weight loss. This Nutrisystem flex-meal-friendly recipe can be done in one pot for easy clean up during your weeknight rush. Turkey breast is a low fat meat option full of protein and lower in calories than ground beef. Add in the green bell peppers, onions, celery, spinach, tomato sauce, pinto beans, kidney beans and you have plethora of nutrition—a rainbow of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Just cook your turkey, add your vegetables, season and simmer for a delicious meal ready in under 20 minutes. You can make that less than 15 if you’re a wizard at dicing, or buy store cut containers. Click here for the full recipe >

6. Turkey Cranberry Salad >

This make ahead one dish meal could not be any easier. Combine shredded turkey with nonfat plain Greek yogurt, dried cranberries and pepper to taste. Add to a salad or enjoy on a whole grain roll. The lean protein found in the turkey and Greek yogurt are weight-loss-promoting kitchen staples. One serving counts as a SmartCarb and a Powerfuel on the Nutrisystem program, so dress this combo up to your liking for flex meal perfection. Click here for the full recipe >

7. Butternut Squash Turkey Chili >

Make this one ahead and freeze it for later because it’s an easy one pot dish you’ll have ready in a heartbeat! Protein rich lean ground turkey combines with butternut squash for a vegetable-packed chili that will be the perfect ending to a cold winter day. One large pot is all you need to cook your turkey. Add in the rest to simmer and serve in less than an hour! One cup counts as one SmartCarb, PowerFuel, Vegetable and Extra. Click here for the full recipe >

8. Sloppy Joe >

Combine the freedom of the flex meal with the convenience of Nutrisystem’s meal plan for the perfect weeknight meal–sloppy joe. Take the already prepared Nutrisystem Hamburger and combine it into one dish with onion, carrot, tomato sauce, tomato paste, a splash of maple syrup and some other tasty additions. This counts as one Nutrisystem Lunch, a Vegetable and an Extra! Click here for the full recipe >

9. Slow Cooker Chicken Gumbo >

Cook your dinner while you’re at work and come home to a well-balanced, heart healthy meal ready to eat at the end of your day! This chicken gumbo provides lean protein perfect to fuel your body and keep your diet on track. Loads of vegetables provide the fiber, vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body craves. It’s easy to add these ingredients to the slow cooker, and set it on low. One serving, or two flavor-bursting cups counts as a SmartCarb and a PowerFuel. Add creole seasoning to the grocery list! Click here for the full recipe >

10. Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas >

Mexican night made easy: Just add chicken breast, your favorite salsa, onion, spices and black beans to your slow cooker. Shred the chicken, simmer on low and, once the day has come to a close, you’re ready to feed your whole family! This one dish meal is perfectly balanced counting as a SmartCarb and a PowerFuel on Nutrisystem. Add to a whole wheat tortilla and you have a complete meal ready in a flash! Click here for the full recipe >

11. One Dish Pork Tenderloin >

There is nothing quite like One Dish Herb Pork Tenderloin with potatoes and carrots. It’s got all the savory flavor of a staple hearty meal, with none of the guilt. Plus, when you add in potatoes and carrots, you get the added boost your body needs to stay healthy while you chow down!

Hungry for more? Explore our healthy fast food recipes (burgers, shakes and more!) >

Rather not cook? Check out our top grab-and-go lunches right here.

The post Busy Week? 11 Piping Hot, One Dish Meals appeared first on The Leaf.

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No Longer Class II Obese

Today I reached 221 pounds at 5'7". Started at 235 on October 1.

My Libra app which I use to track my weight loss showed I am now only class 1 obese, with a BMI of 34.7. I have not been below 225 pounds in almost 2 years.

I am accomplishing this with CICO, lifting weights, and at least 30 min cardio 5 days a week. I have lurked for a long time, and I have lowered my weight in the past. But for one reason or another I always got lazy, gave up, or just stopped caring. Something has changed in the past 5 weeks and this feels different. I am not stressed, I'm not starving and binge eating, and I'm not 100% focused on the scale alone. Maybe I finally gathered all of the knowledge from this sub and am being more consistent. Not sure why it is different now but everything just clicks and it feels fantastic to be exercising, eating well, not spending $25 at Arbys for a single binge meal.

I could not have done any of this without this fantastic community. Thank you all. I'm gonna return to my lurker status now, but give another update when I leave Obesity :)

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How to go about clothes shopping?

I’m in the middle of where I want to be in terms of my weight loss. I’m only just now reaching a point where my clothes are too big. For the past few weeks I noticed my smaller pants were becoming more baggy and only looked like I’d bought them 2-3 sizes too big. I’ve retired all but 3 pairs of pants because they simply won’t stay up. Ive now reached a point where I can’t even tuck my shirts in because the waistbands are gaping so much. The 3 pairs that I have not yet retired, while loose, are not going to fall off my body and I can wear a belt if I need (although they do not look very stylish haha.) Do I buy new clothes? Or do I wait until I’m closer to my goal weight? I don’t want to spend unnecessary money and work clothes are expensive

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Control Loss and Guilt

Hey all, stumbled on this community through my Google journey and I was happily surprised to see a supporting community for weight loss.

I was basically googling Guilt and Binging as ive felt out of control with my lack of exercise and eating habits these last few months. Long story short, I weighed about 105kg a couple of years back and I want on a weight loss journey that saw me lose 20kg and gain some muscle mass and much needed confidence in the way. I am 27 and a male btw, ive struggled with my weight for as long as I remember so achieving these goals meant a lot to me. I work a pretty physical job so that wad one of my main drivers but overall the more I lost the more I started to actually like myself and body which was very new to me and I got hooked on the feeling.

The problem started about a year ago due to work getting in the way of my eating schedules ( I was doing IF - 8hours of eating and 12 fasting). This kind of knocked me back but I managed to stay at my weight rather than gain any which was somewhat better but lately, since I had stuff going on both in my work life and personal I have spiralled out of control in terms of binging and not going to the gym. I lost a ton of muscle mass and definition that I was so proud of and I actually started gaining weight and struggling to fit into my old "skinny" clothes. This has added to my mental stress which already has been impacted by other factors and I just find myself isolating and eating which has not only worsened the way I feel but is adding yo the problem the more I do it.

I don't really know what the purpose of this post is other than just trying to find some support out there and reassurances as I have read a few people state that they managed to battle the weight gain and go back to their healthy weight. I guess I just want someone to tell me I can do it and put me back on track although I know I am the only one who can do that. Sorry for the rant I just feel very defeated lately.

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Getting serious about CICO: losing 30 pounds in 100 days when I travel to the Bahamas!

F29 | 5'10" | SW: 202 | CW: 195 | GW: 165 | CICO | Vegan

I just booked a week-long getaway to the Bahamas with a friend of mine, which is exactly 100 days away!! This means that I have just over 14 weeks to get into a shape where I feel capable enough to scuba dive, comfortable enough to wear a bikini, and healthy enough to enjoy my vacation. I'm working to lose two pounds per week so I can drop thirty pounds by when I leave on February 15th.

What I'm already doing:

• Eating ~1,200 calories per day and logging them into MFP. This has worked for me with weight loss in the past, and it eliminates all the extra calories I usually gain when binge-eating bags of chips or boxes of oreos.

• Exercising more, although I'm still working to get a daily regimen. Right now I'm doing at-home yoga and fitness apps like 30 Day Fitness Challenge; I just found an affordable gym nearby and want to start daily, 1hr classes soon.

What advice do you have? I'm looking for ways to improve my current strategy as I'm really serious about losing weight this time around :) Would love to hear your tips and tricks!

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Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Wednesday, 06 November 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!

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