BuffyBear's Journal, 08 March 2014

Lettuce is good for you if you are using lettuce as the primary greens in salad but so many other veggies pack a bigger nutritional wallop. Never ending ways to prepare them. Flax seed is easy to add to many things, grind it first as the whole seeds are not very digestible. In use them instead of oil in most of my breads and toss a tablespoon whole in my smoothies (my smoothie maker grinds them). Love it when aldis puts avocados on sale for 29 cents. You can actually purée avocado and freeze to use in recipes.  

Wholefoodnut: Actually my preference does not even contain lettuce. Dole Chopped Salad - Asian Blend ingredients: green cabbage, carrots, red cabbage, broccoli shreds, pea bods, & kale. But, I know I need more variety - including flax seeds. I have a Magic Bullet which should do the job. But got to go shopping. If these foods aren't they aren't in my kitchen I can't very well cook with them.  

PS - Thanks for the tip on freezing avocados - I never know that!  

Put a kick in your salads and other foods. I use McCormick's Perfect Pinch Seasoning. Fav is "Asian". I've got 4 others here. I have actually been able to cut back on the amount of dressing from 4 tbs most times to 2. It's also good when steaming veggies. Love it on brussel sprouts and cauliflower. 

I'm sure you'll work it out, though 1200 calories seem to be quite a challenge, and a very lean intake. I'm doing good to keep my intake below 2900 calories.  

Classic - never thought about sprinkling that on veggies - thanks!  

ShyGuy - when I was heavier I could eat a lot more and still lose. Now that I am closer to goal I find I have to cut back more and more to still get the same results. Still, I know that it is important to get a variety of good fats. So hard to juggle it all - but it will be worth it in the end!  

Be warned. It's crunchy. And wonderful. 

Great work, Buffy. I have most of my days with protein under 100g. Don't know how to fix that other than protein shakes and I don't love that idea. Hemp seeds are another idea you can use in salads or in smoothies. Juices help me too. Juice is often a meal replacement for me between the work it takes, and how filling it is. Not inexpensive, though. 

Buffy, I know what you mean, and actually my current RDI is still based on when I'd gotten down to about 265 lbs, otherwise my caloric allowance would be somewhat higher, but I didn't want to change it based on the weight gained during my fall/jump off the wagon.  

Heather - I understand how getting enough must be especially hard for you. But thanks for mentioning hemp seeds. I've yet to try them but no time like the present!  

Hemp hearts taste great added to salad or porridge...or just as a snack. 

Hear28. Thanks for the heads up on the hemp hearts. Ordering vitties and will also order the hemp from Amazon. Thanks to everyone for sharing your precious finds.  

Same here. Tough to get the protein intake ratio higher. I just choose higher level protein snacks or entrees if the option is available. A can of tuna here and there gives me a protein boost without adding much calories.  

hear48 - Now I've really got to try these. 

DairyKing - good old canned tuna - who would have thought? Thanks.  

Buffy - Read somewhere the hearts are better then just the seeds and make sure they're hulled. I did the search for the Bolthouse and will be passing by several stores in the next state who has it on Monday. Again, thanks.  

Classic - No, thank you!  

From what I read the hearts are hulled seeds. Didn't know anything about hemp hearts. Dang should have harvested them when I lived on a farm that had been a hemp plantation before it was outlawed. I used to cut the huge plants down and mulch my garden with them, they were great for keeping bugs off my veggies.  

Buffy, you are doing great! Your weight chart looks fantastic! Keep on keepin' on. :)