well, turns out this weekend i am going to fail my weigh-in for the first time since i've been in the navy. i am beyond upset. besides the negative mark on my record, i will be forced to attend extra physical training (not a bad thing), be accountable for weekly weigh-ins, and most likely will not be able to transfer to my next duty station when i am supposed to next spring.

i wanna say i dont believe in weight loss? but in reality i am just extremely jealous of people who transform their lives! i wanna be an "after" picture. i've posted here before about my distaste for diet pills and such, but how does weight loss really happen? i only have to lose 10 lbs to make weight, but i could stand to lose 25-30. ive always been a little pudgy, but i'm through with this.

i'm tired of eating SmartOnes and heathy choice frozen dinners, boring salads with 2 tsp. of dressing. i hardly eat vegetables and fruit (i know i should. heres the kicker: my boyfriend and i just moved into a small 1 BR apartment... with no stove. what should i do?! i need advice for preparing meals.

excuse me if i am being ignorant, i know ive posted similar things on here before, but i need to hear it again. please no mean responses... i'm extremely stressed (not to mention 3 days late!!!)

Hey allison! Always nice to see someone in the military posting!

Well, I would think the Navy has programs to help with weight control, so make use of that resource if you haven't before?

I used to "not believe" in weight loss either, and all that did for me was allow me to rationalize becoming obese.

You may have to change your eating habits or your attitude toward some foods. If a salad with 2 TBS of dressing seems boring, then you'll have to figure out how to make it more exciting. It's not hard--add different kinds of lettuce, some chopped purple cabbage, sliced peppers, green olives, edamame (whole soybeans), sprouts, etc. And find some tasty low-cal dressings--there are plenty out there!

When you say your place has no stove--consider getting some kind of cooktop or a hot plate, so that you can boil water or heat food in a pan as needed. Microwaves can do a lot, too. You'll need to get creative. Buy deli meats and other cold foods that you can go to without cooking.

There are tons of books that include menu plans that you could adapt to your situation--but you'll need to go look for them. Sure, it's easier just to eat pizza. That leads only one place, though.

I hope you succeed!

Jay

The extra physical training should help a lot. Many of us focus on diet and don't spare enough effort for the exercise part of the equation. But diet is very important if you want to lose weight.

To liven up boring salads, you might try adding nonfat crumbled feta (I buy it at Trader Joe's). Someone else suggested salt & pepper as an often-overlooked way to dress up salads on a different thread. If you don't mind spending more for your greens, try baby spinach or mesclun mix.

But if salads aren't up your alley, cooked veggies may be the way to go.

I think it will be very hard for you to eat healthy if you can't cook your own meals. Can you get one of those two-burner thingies (I had one in my dorm room)? I basically never eat pre-prepared diet meals. They do provide portion control, but most brands don't contain particularly healthy food.

I assume you have a microwave? If you are looking for easy prep, there are some brands of soup that are very tasty and low calorie (but be careful if you need to watch salt!). Cambell's Select Harvest *Light* has good selections -- Savory Chicken with Vegetables is my favorite. Add a bag of mixed vegetables (I like "oriental mix") to a can of one of these soups and nuke till hot in a large microwave container. This can be the high-volume basis of a meal for both you and your bf.

Other than that, are there ay veggies you like to eat raw? I like to snack on grape tomatoes. Also, don't forget about berries -- fresh raspberries are one of my favorite foods, but my daughter swears by strawberries.

I'd suggest you count calories, and over time you will collect a set of foods that you can prepare (or eat unprepared) that you like (well enough, doesn't have to be haute cuisine) and you can rely on as the basis of your diet.

I'm sure other folks will have lots of other suggestions. You could also try searching the posts for other tips. Keep posting and good luck!