Articles | Disneyland | Walt Disney World
Page 4 of 10 FirstFirst ... 2 3 4 5 6 ... LastLast
Results 76 to 100 of 244

Thread: Weight Loss and Dieting - What works for you?

  1. #76
    The Blue Bayou Lagoon ChurroGirl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Wherever Candlelight's flicker....
    Quote Originally Posted by MickeyDogMom View Post
    I like to work out right before I sleep because it officially wears me out and I can go to sleep easier but I know it winds some people up.


    I'm on week 4 of my running routine, and for an asthmatic during summer with no health insurance, I feel like I'm playing a game of chance. However, I've been being careful and building it up rather than just wearing myself down. I'm even wearing my ankle braces each time too! My goal is just to be able to run a solid length of time at a good speed, so I've been building both speed and endurance. I'm up to running 3 min. 30 sec., then walk 3 min. 30 sec.
    I do the same thing(minus the asthma). I have been trying to work out before work for at least 45min and then after work for 20-30min. Right before bed after a long day just wears me out and I sleep pretty good.

    To help build up my endurance I have been alternating the treadmill and elliptical.

    My ultimate goal is to soildly run a mile in under 10min. I incorporated a higher speed on the treadmill today and my legs are killing me right now. I hope it gets easier!
    "That's the Evil Stepmother...She's 6 kinds of nasty"- Rowlf the Dog
    "You cannot make authentic guacamole out of lima beans and Ritz crackers" -Peggy Hill

  2. # ADS

    Join Date
    Location
    Posts
     

  3. #77
    Tortoise Thief bennette's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Far from Gariguettes
    Blog Entries
    4
    Quote Originally Posted by LauraGar View Post
    Hi Bennette, I really like the idea about the five and five, but I'm having an issue finding the 5/5 that are portable.

    I can get the five fruits together including dried but the veggies are hard.

    Kicker, I hate carrots, but LOVE carrot cake.

    May I have a few suggestion you use?
    I made one of my favorite summer meals today; leftovers transport well. Do not be put off by the length of the ingredient list; it's really fast to make once you have the stuff.

    It's shelling beans and summer vegetables stewed in their own juices and served with a pistou, which is similar to pesto minus the pine nuts.

    I halve this recipe for a filling two servings. Do it in order (really) and it's pretty low maintenance.

    Take three tablespoons olive oil and two bay leaves and heat them over low heat in a French or Dutch oven. (No french oven? Use your heaviest pan.) When warm, add two medium onions, chopped into large wedges and six plump garlic cloves, peeled and halved. Toss in two good sized thyme springs or a 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme along with six fresh sage leaves or a 1/2 teaspoon dried.

    Let those go while you scrub or peel 12 baby (three-five inch carrots or six thicker carrots). If you find skinny carrots, dump them into the pot as they are. If they are larger, cut into three to four inch lengths. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

    Now add in 3/4 quarters of a pound of small new potatoes. I like fingerlings. If they are larger, quarter them; cut fingerlings in half lengthwise. Salt and pepper these, too.

    While you are doing this or before you start the whole process, peel 1 or 2 pounds of shelling beans, cover them with an inch of water. Toss in a thyme sprig and a little olive oil along with another plump garlic clove. Bring them to a boil then let them simmer for about 30-45 minutes, depending on how hard they are. (No clue what a shelling bean is? Rinse a can of cannelini beans and drain them and hold them for later.)

    Next add a 1/2 pound yellow or green beans, ends trimmed and snapped into three inch lengths.

    Now take a red, yellow, or orange bell pepper and cut it into one inch strips. Dump that in, too. Add a little more salt and pepper.

    Add one pound summer squash, any color, cut it into decent sized chunks. More salt and pepper.

    Take either five medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped and throw them and their juices into the pot. Or do what I sometimes do and dump in a 14 and 1/2 oz can of good grand tomatoes or even some leftover tomatoes from something else. (I used some leftover homemade tomato soup today!)

    Let it cook for 40 minutes to one hours, tightly covered, until everything is quite well cooked and you have lots of nice juices. Add a little white wine to the pot if it's dry.

    While everything is cooking, make your pistou.

    Take a lightly packed 1/2 cup basil leaves, one plump garlic clove, three tablespoons olive oil, and 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional). Run the basil and garlic in your mini chopper with the oil and enough water (if needed) to make a puree. Mix in the cheese and season with salt if necessary (I never find it necessary). You could replace this with premade pesto, if you are pressed for time but it is higher in calories from the nuts.

    When the veggies and beans are all cooked, toss everything including the bean juices into the pot and give it a stir. Things should be a little overcooked by American standards but that's where the flavor comes in.

    Serve in a bowl topped with some pistou and maybe some crusty bread (optional). Dig in with spoon and enjoy!

    The next day, it travels to work great. Keep the pistou in a tiny Tupperware until you mix it with warmed up braise at work. You can even eat this at room temperature and pretend you are French!
    Last edited by bennette; 08-29-2010 at 06:52 PM.
    "The white coating is filmy and there’s another creamy layer in there that’s kind of like cream cheese or perhaps unscented foot balm." Cybele May; Candyblog.net

    The most expensive thing I ever had was a free kitten.

  4. #78
    Registered User mousecanuck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Canada's piece of California Kelowna, BC

    I am just looking through some older threads for good info and came upon this one (have to love this forum - I'd never really looked for it and I'm not a marathoner or anything so didn't realize there was health-y stuff in here, plus I wasn't motivated before...)

    Quote Originally Posted by bennette View Post
    I focus on eating five fresh fruits and veggies a day--first. If I do that, the rest is not so hard because I'm not as hungry.
    THAT is a great tip - I am NOT a fruit/veggie eater, at all. I grew up on 'mush' - my mom boiled everything until it was good and dead. I do like a good, interesting salad, but that requires a little time and effort (happy to have discovered raspberry vinegrette and 'craisens', though - I often will add these and maybe a few almonds or pecans to some leafy greens, but other than that we (my own family) do not get enough, ever. My husband does a nice stir-fry or grills veggies with a little Italian dressing which we enjoy but we'd get sick of it if it were every night. Once in a while I've had a nice 'roasted veggie medly' but I'm not a cook and I don't know quite how to accomplish this (I've searched on line for recipies but they all have too many ingredients for me!) and usually - four to five of seven nights - we're rushing to get somewhere and don't have/take the time to cook a decent meal.

    If I try hard to focus on getting the fruits & veggies out of the way early in the day I think it will help. I do have a large bowl of cereal and milk or yogurt and granola (got hooked on this after having a Disney yogurt parfait five years ago; now I make it at home, minus the fruit usually - see?!?) for breakfast, but if I just take several pieces of fruit to work and then have one for a snack, I'd at least get that out of the way.

    Thank you!
    “I think most of all what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place, where parents and children can have fun, together.” - Walt Disney

    And we do!!!

  5. #79
    Registered User codewoman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Beautiful Colorado

    mousecanuck - I work two fruits and a vegetable into my day easily. All are available all year, too, so season isn't an issue.

    If you like bananas, have one with your breakfast. They don't "travel" well, so I don't like to take them to work. If there are yucky spots in the banana, feel free to remove them with a spoon. You don't have to eat the WHOLE banana!

    I'll also cut an apple into wedges (taking out the core as I do) and put it in a baggie. But the apple wedges will get a little brown, you say? Yes. And that is a good thing. They are releasing the pectin and I understand that is good for your cholesterol and a natural stomach soother. When I get hungry in the morning at work I just whip out the baggie of apple wedges and I munch them all down without a thought. Then I've eaten a fruit and I'm not so hungry. Win win.

    If you really want to go crazy, cut up some carrot sticks when you prepare your apple in the morning. Peel the carrot with a vegetable peeler, slice it in half, then slice the halves into 4-6 sticks. Put them all together in a plastic bag.

    If you've gotten in a large apple, a large carrot and a large banana in one day, you may have eaten all your fruits and veggies as at least two of them would likely be considered two servings.

    On the days I do this I feel much much better in so many ways. Voila!

    Remember to drink a reasonable amount of water throughout the day. Sometimes you might think you're hungry, but you're really thirsty.

    Okay, now I really have to start doing this myself. Thanks for the reminder.


  6. #80
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    N.O. LA
    Blog Entries
    5

    And if you don't like the look of the browning apples anyway - when you put them in the baggie, add a smidgen of lemon juice and 'toss' them in it. (You may have to experiment to get the right balance for you between adding too much citrus so that it affects the taste and adding enough to keep them from browning.

    Cathy

  7. #81
    Registered User mousecanuck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Canada's piece of California Kelowna, BC
    add a smidgen of lemon juice and 'toss' them in it
    THIS I knew

    that is good for your cholesterol and a natural stomach soother
    THAT I did not know - wow! I take Prevacid (actually the generic of it) daily for heartburn (had heartburn for years and years - since I was in my early 20's and only weighed 120 lbs!) Wonder if this'd help?

    I usually take a banana or apple and a granola bar of some sort (low fat, or at least not the fattiest on the market); what I should take is one each banana and apple, and maybe something else (carrot sticks would be good, too). Only problem is I get cold-ish over the winter months and then none of these appeal to me, at all - what I want is warm soup or something. There are a couple of heart healthy brands out there and often that's what I wind up taking in the winter. But I still like the idea of trying to get five in asap - and the banana with my cereal is something I used to do all the time as a kid and when I was younger, somehow forgotten about it more recently and a good idea!

    AND fruit smoothies - my kids like these; I find it a pain to have to clean the blender all the time (and it's a pretty new-ish & simple style). We could all use more fresh fruit...

    Thanks for the ideas, guys - keep 'em coming!
    “I think most of all what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place, where parents and children can have fun, together.” - Walt Disney

    And we do!!!

  8. #82

    I am on a celery and apple kick right now I love them both with reduced fat PB. I also get FF Sour Cream and mix it with a packet of onion soup mix for a dip. I also have a vita mix, and have used that to make smoothies. I also have made soup in it too (Chicken Tortilla).

    Siggy aka Jill

  9. #83
    Registered User mousecanuck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Canada's piece of California Kelowna, BC

    Nice - with peanut butter, I mean! Apples & peanut butter is one of my kids' favorite snacks, and everyone knows it takes more energy to chew and eat celery than is IN celery, PB aside!

    How goes it otherwise? I had a super busy week last week, including today, but I managed to still get my exercise in and walk the dogs (dogs really should win if I HAD to choose - not fair to not take them!) It just never ends - now I'm making Xmas earrings for a craft sale and to give away after and I just found out I'm 'more involved' in the craft sale than I planned and have some prep to do for that, too!!! Crazy!

    How 'bout you? How are has your week been?

    “I think most of all what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place, where parents and children can have fun, together.” - Walt Disney

    And we do!!!

  10. #84

    I like to mix peanut butter with Greek yogurt to make a dip for my apples. Yum.


  11. #85
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    N.O. LA
    Blog Entries
    5

    Do you use plain yogurt for that or vanilla (or another flavor)?

    Apples and Peanut Butter bring back good memories for me. Growing up, we brought sack lunches to school, and Mom was a big believer in the 4 food groups, so we always had a piece of fruit for lunch. Since in the middle of winter, even the apple quality could be marginal, she'd cut them in half, core them, and put PB in the 'hole' so we'd not notice (as much) if the apples were a little mealy.

    Cathy

  12. #86
    Quote Originally Posted by Drince88 View Post
    Do you use plain yogurt for that or vanilla (or another flavor)?
    Usually vanilla, because that's what I have on hand.

  13. #87
    Quote Originally Posted by mousecanuck View Post
    Nice - with peanut butter, I mean! Apples & peanut butter is one of my kids' favorite snacks, and everyone knows it takes more energy to chew and eat celery than is IN celery, PB aside!

    How goes it otherwise? I had a super busy week last week, including today, but I managed to still get my exercise in and walk the dogs (dogs really should win if I HAD to choose - not fair to not take them!) It just never ends - now I'm making Xmas earrings for a craft sale and to give away after and I just found out I'm 'more involved' in the craft sale than I planned and have some prep to do for that, too!!! Crazy!

    How 'bout you? How are has your week been?
    I did not do well-gained back what I lost. But I think I did not drink enough water, ate what I should not have and it was "that" time, so I had issues. I have to turn it around this week. I am really going to make an effort to drink more water. I bought more celery for the week! I am also going to make a cream cheese spread with fat free cream cheese for the apples.
    Siggy aka Jill

  14. #88
    Registered User mousecanuck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Canada's piece of California Kelowna, BC

    "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." I somehow went up almost two lbs also ( ) BUT - just have to keep going forward!!! I hear ya on the water, I just forget about it. I often fill my big cup at work and then drink half of it and the next day when I come in, there it sits (blech!) And if I'm out and about a lot it's totally out the window...sigh...

    Oh well...it WILL happen, for both of us, I'm sure!!!

    “I think most of all what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place, where parents and children can have fun, together.” - Walt Disney

    And we do!!!

  15. #89
    Registered User codewoman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Beautiful Colorado

    I did better than I thought I would this week. In other words, I'm almost back to my goal weight.

    To get my water in, I'm trying to just make a habit of getting a nice big (16 ounce) cup of decaff peppermint tea in the morning at work. This is for cold weather. For hot weather it was tea sometimes and water sometimes. At home I have a harder time. But if I sit down to do anything, I try to have a good beverage at hand. If it is there, I will drink it. Also, if I'm hungry and I want to try not to eat I'll have a glass of water and wait 15 mins to see if I'm still hungry. Sometimes I am, but it helps me get that water in.

    I hear weight/resistance exercise is more effective for weight loss than cardio. Which is great, because even folks who can't walk can use stretchy bands for their arms and core. And stretchy bands travel well. And they are much less expensive than a treadmill, right? Exercise also makes me sleep better at night.

    Okay, so if you gain weight, just realize you're gaining less because of your healthy habits.

    Just keep swimming!


  16. #90
    Registered User mousecanuck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Canada's piece of California Kelowna, BC
    Quote Originally Posted by codewoman View Post
    even folks who can't walk can use stretchy bands for their arms and core. And stretchy bands travel well. And they are much less expensive than a treadmill, right?
    But you can't hang clothes on a stretchy band!!!!

    Actually I have a small weight set I am staring at and thinking about regularly. Would like to tone my arms a bit, just have to actually take the five minutes to do it!!! I definitely need to take it up a notch soon (other than going up a level on the eliptical, which I just did so I'm good for a while) but I'm not quite sure what, yet. Time is a huge issue in this household, for me and everyone else (because if I spend the few minutes I have always exercising, nothing else gets done, even worse than now!) And periodically I'd like to get to my scrapbooking again, that is once I'm finished my Christmas earrings and cards and such...and what may be the 'online' photo albums I make for my brothers (not sure if I have the time to get these done before Christmas).

    Just keep swimming...
    “I think most of all what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place, where parents and children can have fun, together.” - Walt Disney

    And we do!!!

  17. #91
    MousePlanet Staff
    MousePlanet Staff
    adriennek's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    In Toxic Levels of Testosterone
    Blog Entries
    8

    I shall shamelessly brag. I'm due for an off week because so far I haven't had any "bad" weeks. I've had a couple of "lower losses" but nothing at all to complain about - and last week blew me out of the water.

    So I rewarded myself with my very favorite incentive... That's right!

    I went to Ann Taylor LOFT today. I had two gift cards and a 30% Friends & Family Special Offer coupon to help offset the pain to my AmEx card.

    I love incentive days.

    Adrienne

    Parenting in the Parks[/url]
    Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you do with what happens to you.[/b]
    "You should do totally do this thing, but just remember, it's going to suck eggs" #ThingsMyFriendsSayToMe

  18. #92
    Registered User mousecanuck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Canada's piece of California Kelowna, BC
    Ann Taylor LOFT
    Ummm... what's that ? Something I'm not familiar with in our little town (or maybe all of this little country)???

    Good on you. I am kind of holding steady, but this week has been exceptionally nuts - up two hours earlier today for a 'breakfast' open house we had at work and our annual bake & craft sale is this weekend so I've been doing a lot of prep for that, also. Once Saturday's over I can relax a tiny bit and re-focus. I haven't been eating too badly or skipping MUCH exercise, but it was SOOOO cold today (now it's snowing, actually it's lovely) that I really shortened the dogs' walk this afternoon. I only went 20 mins on the eliptical as I had to take the kids to thier stuff tonight so I was rushed (and didn't want to get up at 4:30 am to get it in this am...go figure...)

    Four months until we're on our first real day of trip (Sea World)...any thoughts on a realistic goal each month between now and then??? I'm hoping for at least five lbs but would like more like seven or eight per month (wouldn't ten be fab?!? but unlikely and worse - not likely to keep off!!!)

    Sigh...Christmas is in between then, too, which could put a bump in The Plan...anyhow, I suppose I could be doing more eliptical now, but I just wanted SOME downtime today, just a bit - until I go to pick up the kids at 9:00. Usually on Thursdays I'm guaranteed 1.5 to two hours 'off' and I head out shopping or something, doing errands. Tonight I am just too pooped!

    Anyhow, what's Ann Taylor LOFT???
    “I think most of all what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place, where parents and children can have fun, together.” - Walt Disney

    And we do!!!

  19. #93
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    N.O. LA
    Blog Entries
    5

    Ann Taylor is a nice women's clothing store. Ann Taylor Loft is the same people, but more reasonably priced. Pretty 'classic' styles with enough 'trendy' thrown in to not be 'old'. Www.anntaylorloft.com


  20. #94
    Registered User mousecanuck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Canada's piece of California Kelowna, BC

    Thank you - they have some nice stuff with some really cute little details.

    I don't really have a specific 'reward' place - saving my $$$ for Disney trip I think (plus I'm pretty sure I'll have to buy some new shorts and things before we go, due to massive amounts of weight lost... ) BUT a week ago, I decided to 'invest' in a couple of nice sweaters, which - though I live in the Great White North - I next to never wear or buy because I'm too hot, always!!! We recently moved offices and now I'm in a really cold room, the only plus being I can now wear the odd sweater (yay!) so I got a long 'over' sweater (short sleeved, open except for a couple of buttons near the top, can wear it over anything, even leggings - but not for me, not yet!) and a nice, chunky grey long sweater that is super slimming and nice looking...I guess it was kind of a reward as they are the first couple of things I've purchased since losing the tiny bit I have so far.

    Have to 'get at it' again - started the morning right, maybe do some more tonight...just keep swimming (I should make myself a poster, or a t-shirt - anything to inspire me to keep at it...!)

    “I think most of all what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place, where parents and children can have fun, together.” - Walt Disney

    And we do!!!

  21. #95
    At home in the hills candles71's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    foresthill Ca

    Mousecanuck, cleaning the blender, when you are done making the smoothy, (while everything is still wet and not dried on) add hot tap water about half full or so and a drop of dishsoap, and then put the lid back on and blend it. It cleans itself. Just rinse it afterwards then I just turn mine upside down and let it dry.
    ADK, I thought of you while in NYC, everytime we were walking past the Ann Taylor Loft on the way back from the subway station.
    Siggy, when someone mentioned resistance bands, it reminded me, my MIL has a chair aerobics video she uses at home. Target has both the bands and videos. You could even try the library for them. That way you could try out different ones and choose one you like. (My Mil loves Richard Simmons, I believe he has one out) You can search the catalog online.


  22. #96
    MousePlanet Staff
    MousePlanet Staff
    adriennek's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    In Toxic Levels of Testosterone
    Blog Entries
    8
    Quote Originally Posted by candles71 View Post
    ADK, I thought of you while in NYC, everytime we were walking past the Ann Taylor Loft on the way back from the subway station.
    This made me .



    Adrienne
    Parenting in the Parks[/url]
    Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you do with what happens to you.[/b]
    "You should do totally do this thing, but just remember, it's going to suck eggs" #ThingsMyFriendsSayToMe

  23. #97
    Registered User mousecanuck's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Canada's piece of California Kelowna, BC

    So I survived the weekend, bake sale and all (including a plate of asst'd goodies and a popcorn cake that I brought home). I had a cookie or two, one piece of popcorn cake, a nibble of my husband's homemade eatmore bar and we still have a chunk of fudge to break into and share - so I'll have a little piece of that. But I don't crave chocolate as much as I have in past, and I'm not denying myself anything, just keeping it in check and having only a little.

    We're in a cold-snap right now - it's -16 C out there this morning and supposed to get colder tonight & tomorrow, then warm up a bit near the end of the week. In the meantime, I bundle up and take the dogs for the absolute minimum walk I can get away with - it's just to chilly, even for them (and the little one has a jacket - pink, no less [I swore I'd never be one of those dog owners] as she has short-ish fur right now and needs the warmth). Anyhow, a tough couple of days (husband is out each night frantically trying to get a 40' long patch of ice ready for hockey - insane but cute at the same time!) but at least I still have the eliptical!!!

    I'm down about two more lbs...hoping to keep it down (last time it bounced right up again but it's been a few days now so hopefully it's off for good!)

    “I think most of all what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place, where parents and children can have fun, together.” - Walt Disney

    And we do!!!

  24. #98
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    N.O. LA
    Blog Entries
    5

    Good job.
    What's popcorn cake?

    Cathy

  25. #99

    A method I discovered yesterday by accident:

    My coworkers bring in massive amounts of sweets between now and Christmas. However, I had a dentist appointment yesterday so after lunch I went and brushed my teeth. With my minty mouth I didn't want to eat any of the sweets that turned up! HA!

    Keep Moving Forward!

  26. #100
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    N.O. LA
    Blog Entries
    5

    That's a good one!

    When I'm baking/making candy/etc, I will sometimes chew gum to minimize the sampling.

    Cathy

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •