I started losing weight after my doctor told me that if I didn't lose 115 pounds, then I may not live long enough to see my kids graduate from high school.
He gave me a very strict diet that I worked at first, but I couldn't stay on it. It made me give up everything I liked to eat, and focused on foods I just did not like to eat. And they were too hard to prepare. That was a big learning lesson for me-- if the diet food is too difficult to prepare, I won't keep doing it.
I still had to fix good tasting meals for my family, and the temptations were too great for me to withstand.
The main things I found that seemed to work the best was swapping out high nutritional foods for the empty calorie foods I was eating.
For example, I switched from white potatoes to sweet potatoes. They had similar uses, but the sweet potatoes had a lot more nutrients for me and my family.
Until I started dieting, I had never even heard of butternut squash. But now I love it. I just roast it in the oven. My family actually likes it.
I even roast beets in the oven, and they like them, too. I was so surprised about this.
I also switched to using extra virgin olive oil as much as possible so I could get a heart healthy alternative to the oils and shortenings and butter.
I stopped drinking sodas and instead I drink 100% blueberry juice or 100% pomegranate juice, so I can increase my intake of antioxidants.
I stopped eating regular candy, but to satisfy my chocolate urges, I eat a tiny square of dark chocolate-- actually baker's chocolate with 100% cacao. It is bitter, but I like it. It has a very rich chocolate taste. I eat it along with my afternoon coffee.
I switched away from pork and beef, and I mainly make chicken and turkey dishes for my family now. I know I should be eating more fish, but my family hates the smell and the taste of fish. About all I can get them to eat in terms of seafood is tunafish.
Anyways, I have a lot to learn still, and I am going to read this forum for some new ideas.
