Hi, everyone! I just started the LA weight loss program about 5 days ago. Though I can already see and feel it (me!) working, I am frustrated by trying to make meals for my family versus buying single serving box meals. I'd appreciate any guidance you all can offer. I am especially interested in grab and go breakfast ideas and crockpot recipes as my life, probably like yours, is quite busy. I hope to hear back from lots of you out there! I'm going to need support! Goalsuccess
Welcome- There are many ways that you can still make a good healthy meal that you and your family can all enjoy. Check the recipe threads often as we are always adding new recipes. Some grab and go breakfasts that I like would be:
*yogurt, by itself or mixed with fruit or even fiber one cereal
*ricotta cheese or cottage cheese mixed with fruit
*scrambled eggs wrapped in a la tortilla factory tortilla
*you can cook up some veggies and eggs in a muffin tin and throw them in the freezer, take them out and nuke them as needed.
*smoothies
*hard boiled eggs
*cheese stick
*fruit
*celery and peanut butter or Laughing cow lite cheese
Good luck and come join us over in the LAWL friends and losers thread for daily chatter.
Have you bought the LAWL cookbook yet? I'd highly recommend it...I've only found one recipe in there that my family didn't like. Also, of course, check the recipes posted in our forum, and check out the Daily Menu thread for some ideas on daily plans that others are following. It might give you some inspiration.
Welcome
I have a 3 year old and two year old and they have enjoyed almost every recipe I have made from the Cookbook as well. Variety and meal planning is key so plan for a few days or week and that gives you time to pick some things ahead of time you know you will like!
My kids love the recipes too.. It helps that my wife is on the plan too, but I haven't had any problems coming up with meals for all of them.. Sometimes it is a challenge coming up with new things, but the best part of the diet is that we can still have many of our favorites.
We used to do "dinner in a box" meals, and luckily, LA has taught me how bad those really are for us, especially with the salt content...
A timesaver for me is to make things ahead of time, on the weekends and then freeze it.
Even if you just buy a bunch of chicken breasts, or sirloin. You can cook it ahead, then put it in a family portion sized freezer bag. I spread the meat out, and make the bag as flat as possible (ie/ cut the chicken into strips), then it takes little room in the freezer and only minutes to defrost.
If you have a bunch of those in your freezer, you can get home and just steam some veggies in the microwave, or put together a salad, and then warm/defrost your already cooked meat.
Also, if you make some of the recipes ahead you could whip them out and warm them up at the last minute too. I made the cheeseburger & fries casserole tonight and it really only took about 15 minutes to prepare, I could have made an extra batch and frozen it easily.
Hi,
I Am Kind Of A Newbie Myself, But I Have Found A Great Breakfast For Me Is Wheat Toast With Low Fat Peanut Butter And A Piece Of Fruit. Its Fast And Pretty Good. I Also Cheat With The Egg Beaters And Can Scramble Some Eggs In 3-4 Min And Throw In Some Chopped Vegetables That I Have Started Sealing Already Prepared. I Am Looking Forward To The Bagel With Cream Cheese In A Couple Of Weeks Also.
It's posted in the recipe thread under main dishes.
I cook "pots" of whatever once a week. Last week it was a pot of chicken chili. This week, it's a smoked turkey and a pot of green beans. Sometimes it's a pot of chicken veggie soup or a huge turkey meatloaf. Then I either freeze a portion of it or we eat it every other day. My DH and I are both on LAWL. I also do large batches of turkey burgers, chicken breast on the grill and then later put different seasonings on them, and large batches of veggies like greens, brocolli, or cabbage. That way, I've always got a meal in a second if needed. On days I have more time, I cook other recipes. Variety is essential on this new way of life to keep your body guessing what you're putting in it! I also ALWAYS have fresh veggies and salad mix, apples and oranges, yogurt, rice cakes, crackers, egg beaters and cheese on hand.
Hope that helps.
Hi, Everyone!
I was really pleased to see several responses to my distress call yesterday. I've never been in a weight loss forum before, so this is all new to me. Right now, with only my first 6 days behind me on LAWL, my counselor (?) has told me that I should just stick with plain foods (i.e. a chicken breast, etc). That gets boring fast!!! Tomorrow, I'm taking in a bunch of foods I have that I don't know if they are on program or not and what they'd equate to. I'm also going to be pretty clear that I can't make myself one type of meal and my family another. Thankfully, my husband is doing the program with me (he didn't buy in; but he's following what they tell me to do). That makes it a bit easier. On a good note, I survived my first weekend and a day off (today was a holiday at my job). I'm proud that I made it through 3 open days. My next hurdle, after purchasing one of the those cookbooks tomorrow and bringing in the recipes I have printed off from this web site, will be going out of town for 3 days. I have about a week before I'm going; and I want to be well planned. Again, thanks for the ideas. I'll keep watching and posting.
Goal success!
There's a really long thread called "LA Weight Loss Losers and Friends - Jan 2007" that's where we do most of our chatting and little questions or tips on the plan. It's probably 60 pages long, so you can just click on 'last page' and it will bring you to the most recent posts.
I'm with everyone else... the cookbook is awesome. Definitely a good investment!! My soon to be DH has really liked everything I have made from it so far. Also string cheese and fruit is a good on-thego breakfast!
I cook for a big family, and although they don't all eat EVERYTHING I make, they do eat most of it. I REFUSE to make two meals, unless it is COMPLETELY kid unfriendly food. I figure the deserve good nutrition. Did y'all know that NUTRITION is the biggest determinant of cancer? (of course besides smoking and other OBVIOSLY unheatlhy lifestyle choices). One of my professors also worked the the Cancer Centers of America, and she said that diet was the most overlooked health risk for cancer. My kids complain sometimes, but they get to eat what I make (and I am fair about it....I dont' make them brussels sprouts or anything), or they can make a sandwich. My little ones (2 and 4) really only pick off of their plates most of the time anyway, so I sometimes add a food group (baby carrots, cheddar cheese slices, grapes) or two to my dinner to ensure they get what they need, but other than that............you eat it, or you wear it.....LOL j/k about the wearing it.
I'm new to LA Wt Loss. HELP!
