[Kayhm0711]

Okay So I have been a bad girl. For the past several weeks I have been way off plan. I just started College I have a 1 year old and I work 32 hours a week. I don't feel like I ever have plan to cook ahead or even come up with foods that are healthy. I just don't know what I can eat on the go besides chicken breat or turkey on wheat. I need variety. I feel awful for not sticking to my plan. Everytime I eat something I know I shouldn't I feel awful about myself.

I have to lose this weight. I have no choice. I want to be here for my daughter as she grows up and I want to be able to be mobile when I am older not in a wheel chair because I am fat and can't walk. I don't want to end up like that. I want to be healthy. I don't have any health problems now but my weight could bring on health problems that I don't want.

So if anyone could give me any idea's on foods for on the go? And if anyone knows of any easy healthy cookbooks that would be great too!!!

Thanks. I have lost about 17lbs. These past several weeks I haven't gained any back which is good. I am not gaining, because I am still working out regularly. But I haven't been watching what I am eating at all.

[greeneggsandtam]

Hey Kayhm;
Don't beat yourself up. And don't think of yourself as bad. We all make mistakes. I had pizza and chips this week...and guess what? I'm on plan today, and I'm here reading some good advice and learning from other people. And you are too. So good for us. One step at a time.
This losing weight thing doesn't happen all at once. You can do it!
Hugs,
Tam

[Shannon in ATL]

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time with breakfast on the go - I did a lot of fast food because it was easy to eat in the car. I've been making smoothies in the morning now with yogurt, whey protein powder, milk, frozen fruit (strawberries, blueberries, cherries), banana. It takes about the same amount of time to throw together as it used to take me to sit in a drive thru, and I pour it into a travel mug and drink it in the car on the the way to work.

I also find myself eating a lot of fast food with a three year old, so I plotted out specific items at the 'big four' fast food places he will eat - McDonald's, BK, Wendy's, CFA - so when I end up there I can still eat something that is okay with my calories.

I carry baggies of whole almonds and quaker oatmeal to go bars in case I get stuck somewhere and need something to munch on.

As to easy, healthy cookbooks, I'm still looking myself, but I have had success cooking on my George Foreman grill - it cooks quickly and drains off a lot of the excess fat.

Good luck honey! You can do it!

[Redheaded I am]

Oh crud.

I've had a big long replay written TWICE and both times things happened that erased it. sheesh

Anyhoo, you are NOT, I repeat, NOT a bad girl. You just didn't have a plan and the craziness of life got to you. I've definitely been there, and I'm sure a lot of others have as well.

The key is to plan, plan, and plan. It really helps me to get food ready on Sundays. That way I have lots of healthy food easily accessible. It's easy to invest in some containers, blue ice and a roomy lunch bag to take with you. Here are some of the things I do:

~Make up a weeks worth of salads (without dressing) in individual containers, stacked and ready to go in the fridge.

~Keep lowfat string cheese, laughing cow cheese wedges and Wasa crackers on hand at all times

~Get veggies cleaned, cut up and packed in snack-size ziptop bags.

~Cook chicken breasts and keep in the fridge. It's easy to do lots of fast things with them. I usually shred some chicken with a spice blend and melt it with a little cheese in a low-carb tortilla.

~Cook some ground turkey and add taco seasoning. It can be put onto a salad or melted in a tortilla. (As you can see, I love my tortillas!!)

~Keep lowfat deli meat on hand at all times

~Yogurt, cottage cheese, black beans, lentils, etc. can be measured out and put into small containers.

The trick is to figure out what you like to eat, and get as much as possible ready ahead of time. The key here is to plan, plan and plan more. I'm a single mom with a crazy schedule as well, and without a plan I'd be sunk. And a lot larger!!

Now go plan!!

[PhotoChick]

I have a great recipe that I'll dig up when I get home and post it.

It's homemade oatmeal bars - you use steel cut oats, egg whites, splenda, and whatever fruit you want ... make a square baking dish of them and you've got a weeks worth of breakfasts. They're big, filling, and yummy ... so you feel like you're eating something real, rather than just drinking a shake.

Also, something else I like to make are protein pancakes - rolled oats, egg whites, a little sugar, some cinnamon, and cook them like pancakes. You can make a double batch in advance and freeze them, then pop them in the toaster or microwave, just like store-bought frozen waffles. Smear one with some fruit preserves, or some peanut butter, and agian, a great "on the go" breakfast.

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