Well on Monday we started our kitchen renovation. We are not DIY, instead we have a company doing it. I was nervous about this and staying on track while eating out 3x day for at least 5 days. They say they are on scheule to be done Friday evening but I'll believe it when I see it.

I have not even been able to use the fridge. And I have tried to choose healthier options, but the "healthy" versions of take out end up being either not so healthy or to be honest a very small serving , where at home I can make low calorie foods that are a larger volume and more filling. So when I choose the healthy low cal option at a take out place, I'm hungry like 2 hours later.

Also the stress of this with the kids has made me basically not give a crap about what I'm eating. The baby has not been able to nap well because of all the noise, so he's up most the day and cranky. By dinner time I'm just like whatever and eat what's easiest. I wouldn't say I'm over eating though since here's no snacking going on because no kitchen.

I don't think I've gained weight but I know I can't be losing. I just want this reno to be done and everything back to normal.

Oh and I haven't been able to use our treadmill 1. Because the wall it's on is on the other side of the kitchen and I had to move it because they have to access the inside of the wall from that side for electrical work. 2. Baby is not napping. I'm with him all day. 3. Don't feel comfortable working out infront of the construction guys, especially being fat

Hopefully it will be done soon, and this will all be behind you. My first thoughts are something like high fiber bread, peanut butter and a banana for breakfast, lunch can be canned/foil packed fish with crackers (sardines and rice/nut crackers are my absolute go-to meal), tuna sandwiches, tomato salad (tomato, olive oil, salt and pepper).

Snacks like fruit, any kind of jerky, high fiber bread/rolls/pita, nut butter, vegetables that don't need refrigeration (carrots, cucumbers, peppers), trail mix or nuts and dried fruits, cereal, protein bars.

Wow, this is hard! I'm sorry you're having a tough time - at least you'll have a wonderful new kitchen at the end. Maybe if you are able to get through two meals at home and eat dinner out, for example, it will help.

Do any of your supermarkets have a salad bar? If so, maybe give that a try? The new kitchen will be worth it in the end. Hang in there!

It's Friday so hopefully the contractors really are done. If not and you can afford it, go to an extended stay place which has a kitchen of sorts (at least a frig) and have some peace and quiet. Got a friend who can take you in for a few days? Or know someone with an RV that would let you borrow it? These are kind of off the wall suggestions and not as helpful as the eating ideas in terms of foods that don't need refrigeration, but when I feel desperate, I tend to accept that off the wall thinking may be ok. Hope that you're close to enjoying your new kitchen!

You've gotten some great suggestions for the food. As for the exercise, if you have a laptop, take it and your baby into a bedroom, close the door, go to youtube and choose a free 20- to 30-minute exercise video to do. I do Leslie Sansone's indoor walking videos. It will make you feel better, knowing you're doing something exercise-wise.

That must be tough with no kitchen. Could you put the baby in a stroller and go for a walk? This would relieve stress for you and baby and you would get exercise. And maybe the baby would nap.

Relax, don't worry. It's a blip in the road.

In the meantime get a bit creative! Do the best you can and soon it will be over and you will have your kitchen back.

You can always invest in a cheap styrafoam cooler and a bit of ice, to keep some veggies cool. Tuna! Open the can. You can always plug in a crock pot in another location in the home. Paper plates, bowls, plastic silver ware, toss it!

I understand that it these things throw us out of our routine, but at the same time it is an opportunity, to take on a new challenge!

I had a very nomadic childhood, so going times with kitchens and whatnot was liberally interspersed throughout that.

It's really very basic.

~If no electricity, we used coleman camp stoves. Two burners, so common meals were pan sauteed meats with onions/veggies/potatoes cooked in them, then the other burner used for something like white rice.

~When there was electric, just buy the plug in burners (about $10 a piece), or of course crockpots, rotisseries, etc.

~Wash your dishes in the bathroom, we usually did in the tub. You just have the small plastic tubs and make one for soapy water, then rinse using the faucet.

~I would imagine you have your fridge plugged in somewhere, but if you don't, then get a cooler and separate your items by basics, and keep it chilled.


A few weeks ago, I was at the boyfriend's house and the electric went out while I was cooking. Honestly, I didn't think much about it, I went and got out the camping coleman and finished supper. The kids were totally amazed and spent all night talking about how cool is was that I just 'went right on and kept cooking'.

They thought it was cool I knew to do that, and I was amazed they didn't. LOL. We are so often separated by the most basic experiences.

BBQ! That is what we do when we lose power, even in the snow.

I have been undergoing a kitchen reno for the past 6 weeks! Major with removal of walls between kitchen and breakfast room and laundry room. We too have a contractor and the reno has been progressing pretty much as quickly as possible for all the many things being done.

We moved the fridge to the dining room and have been cooking in a crock pot and a nifty all purpose cooker that can brown, slow cook and pressure cook all in the same appliance. It would be much more difficult without the fridge but I've been staying on plan for the most part. Mostly I've been slow cooking meats and microwaving veggies. Now that they have finished the floor I can walk through to the back yard most days and can use my gas grill. It is much easier for me than it is for you though since my husband and I are older and our kids moved out long ago. It's just the 2 of us and the dogs. I have only ordered out a few times.

Besides the suggestions above, another one you might keep in mind is roasted chicken from the supermarket or Costco (which has the most enormous ones). Costco also has lots of prepared meats, like meat loaf and pulled beef that are very good.

We have been using paper plates and bowls and cups so clean up is just whatever glass bowl I've microwaved the veggies in and any knives/forks/spoons plus the occasional crock.

Congratulations on your reno and I hope it turns out wonderfully. So far mine looks great - I'm really excited to see my countertops later this week. I am hopeful but not optimistic that I will have a functional kitchen by Thanksgiving.

I agree that it is just a blip, don't stress about it too much. We are considering redoing our kitchen but it is one of my biggest fears and we will be doing a total gut including the floors and ceiling. The company we used for our bathrooms said they would move our fridge out and we do have a pressure cooker, microwave and rice cooker we could use so I think we'd be ok but it still worries me.

Good luck Nelie - Mine was a total gut too. I thought it would be much worse that it has been. Just figure it will take twice as long as whatever the contractor says. Mine said one month and it's going to take at least 2. But things just take time. For example, the cabinets have to be installed before the countertops and it takes about 1 week for them to measure and cut the stone for the countertops, and nothing else is happening all that time because they have to wait for the countertops to do the tile backsplash, and then that has to be done before the electric and plumbing are finished. So nothing has been happening since last Thursday and nothing can until the countertops show up. It is frustrating, but there's nothing they can do to make it go faster. I don't know what I would have done without the refrigerator.

THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our kitchen is up an running (fridge, stove, microwave, so I'm back to normal eating...but its not done, stuff had to be reordered and the glas for hte cabinet doors...omg,..we have a small kitchen, it was supposed to be done last Thursday...we were warned to not count on the schedule as well...seems no contractor stays on schedule because stuff happens etc..

Thank you all for your advice. Our kitchen was functional as of Saturday, so I went back to doing some light cooking as I was able to unpack some cookwear...and the details they need to finish up (they are coming back again friday and they were here yesterday) don't impead the cooking...and my treadmill is back as the electrical work is done too..so I was back to that Saturday as well...

I did skip my weigh in on friday because I know I gained, even if it was just water weight from all the take out / salty processed stuff...but I'll be back thiis friday..hopefully I'll have at least maintained.