amandalynn0414's Journal, 07 April 2015

I can definitely sympathize with having a sedentary job, sitting at a desk for 8 hours or more a day. I would be cautious of the Lean Cuisines or any of the microwaveable frozen foods due to the huge amounts of sodium they typically contain. As a healthier alternative, bring leftovers from a dinner you've made the night before, or some other fresh food. Also, fresh fruits and veggies throughout the day make awesome snacks. As for the exercise, what works best for me is starting my day with a great workout or a jog...especially now that the temps are warming up. Also, it frees up my afternoons for other activities. Just a thought. Best wishes to you on your journey to a more fit, healthier you! 

Good job changing your routine. I also suggest eating real and unprocessed foods. Lean Cuisines have lots of sale and processed ingredients. Bring food from home - and it will save money! 

Thank you - I worry about the sodium also. I think at the moment I need to just get used to a portion size that small (Coming from a PA Dutch family, I'm a big eater!). Trying this week with prepped meals, then next week I will hit up the market for some fresh veggies! Would love to run again, but after ankle and knee injuries I'm down for the count, at least until the weight comes down a bit. Thanks so much for the advice everyone!! Need all the support I can get - I tend to abandon ideas when they get too tough, yikes! 

I started out with walking the neighborhood - and could only do 10 minutes total! start somewhere and be proud of each accomplishment. 

The way I've been successful so far is to log everything I eat, even if it wasn't part of my plan. If you plan your meals ahead, and only have good, fresh food in your house, it will help you make better choices. When I weaken my resolve in the evenings (my problem times), my only choices in the house are fresh fruit for a snack.  

Good job 15 minutes is a start and way better then No minutes tomorrow shoot for 17 minutes :) Look at some of the microwave veggies most of those are filling and low in calories, an apple for a snack or a boiled egg. The key thing is you have to eat to lose weight as weird as that sounds you just have to eat in the real world make good choice and if you want a cookie every now and then have one, not ten. Soup also works well for lunch but tends to be sodium rich and lower in calories 

While Lean Cuisine is a great choice if your previous choices were burgers and tacos ... I found that reading labels give me the real insight of what I am actually feeding my body. Most processed foods ... even those marketed as 'healthy' or 'diet friendly' are just packages of chemicals you really don't need or want. I started switching out the Lean Cuisines for a Tupperware of fresh lettuces and greens with a little chopped chicken on top with a small container of wine vinegar and olive oil to which I added some garlic and Italian seasoning. Put it in the fridge, mix at lunch and eat! No more time than heating up a L C in the microwave. If you don't want to do the garlic around your co-workers ... there are good alternatives in organic dressings with no added chemicals and delicious flavors. The biggest benefit is that once I did not have to process all those toxins, my liver was able to concentrate on processing carbs and fats into energy and weight loss. The difference was losing 2 MORE lbs per week after eliminating LC kinds of foods and replacing them with 'real' food like fresh greens and good protein like chicken or tuna. Small victories win the battle. 

Pass on the processed foods. They are loaded with sugars and carbs and toxins that make you crave the wrong foods. I agree with Catzz2 - take a super salad with chicken or tuna or hard boiled eggs to lunch. Just use oil and vinegar dressing. It's so refreshing and you'll feel full the rest of the afternoon. Also, write down everything you put in your mouth. You'll be surprised at what you're eating and you'll see what you should change in your diet. Good luck - make one small change at a time.