I'm posting on a Thursday.

I'm thinking about getting obsessed with fitness again, but i haven't taken the big leap yet.
I've been eating better - less q'doba, less fast food, ess snacks, less soda... but every time i go to the grocery store i just don't feel like eating healthy.

Maybe it's because i remember what eating healthy tasted like. When i made chicken i would use spices, etc, and it still never tasted good.
Sweet potatoes never tasted good.
The thought of eating plain talapia makes me want to die.
I hated eating healthy, mainly because i can't cook.
I know how to work an oven/stove - but i don't understand ingredients, and i always tend to cook things too long or too short.

Someone make me a food plan, k? 6'1, 187lbs, 15%bf

I should also start exercising again, but it's easier not to exercise.
Maybe because i don't want it bad enough; the whole perfect body thing... but i sorta want it.


^^This post probably describes every out of shape person in the world; and now i'm one of them.

You like beer? I bet your first beer was not pleasant. Eventually, however, they just got to taste good! Well, eating healthy is the same way. Junk food will always taste better, but you can enjoy eating healthy.

Only 3 months of zealous dieting, and I can sit down and eat a bag of raw veggies with nothing on them, no problem. I can even enjoy skim milk! Most people would consider my diet extremely bland, but without any junk food, all the healthy stuff suddenly tastes better.

It's just a matter of how determined you are.

Here's some diet tips, though, if you just don't know what to eat -
I like making veggie salads (no dressing) with cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, and celery. Tastes better than it sounds, especially if you eat several types of veggies at once.

Drink carrot juice, it's tasty!

I hard boil a bunch of eggs, and just eat the egg whites for clean protein. I found alaskan salmon tastes a bit like chicken, and is nearly equal nutritionally to tuna.

Try Ezekiel bread (from most health food stores or natural food stores) for good carbs. There are also a bunch of decent whole grain fruit and nut snack bars out there. They have some bad sugars, but if you only snack on them occasionally, no problem.

I LOVE pizza, but it's terrible for me. So I've found several healthier alternatives at places like Trader Joes. Just limit your intake to a 400 calorie portion, and you might still feel hungry when you finish, but grab some water and wait 15 minutes. The hunger will pass as your body realizes it's got enough food.

Also, keep eating every 2.5 to 3.5 hours, in 250-400 calorie portions, depending on your needs. Try counting calories (keeping the 20/40/40 ratio) for one week. After that, you'll be able to more accurately estimate your daily intake. Do that and keep working out, and you'll hit your goals pretty quick. I'm astonished at how quickly I'm seeing results from this.

When you feel like eating junk food, just think, "good taste now, or good body later?" Good luck!

Hello wh0,

Welcome to John Stone Fitness.
I'm glad you decided to make a change in your life, like many here before you.
Be sure to check out the stickies in the beginner forum.They'll get you orientated.
Good luck :gl:

I'm posting on a Thursday.

I'm thinking about getting obsessed with fitness again, but i haven't taken the big leap yet.
I've been eating better - less q'doba, less fast food, ess snacks, less soda... but every time i go to the grocery store i just don't feel like eating healthy.

Maybe it's because i remember what eating healthy tasted like. When i made chicken i would use spices, etc, and it still never tasted good.
Sweet potatoes never tasted good.
The thought of eating plain talapia makes me want to die.
I hated eating healthy, mainly because i can't cook.
I know how to work an oven/stove - but i don't understand ingredients, and i always tend to cook things too long or too short.

Someone make me a food plan, k? 6'1, 187lbs, 15%bf

I should also start exercising again, but it's easier not to exercise.
Maybe because i don't want it bad enough; the whole perfect body thing... but i sorta want it.


^^This post probably describes every out of shape person in the world; and now i'm one of them.

Nobody is going to make you a food plan unless you pay them.

You either want it or you don't. *shrugs*

First of all you need to figure out what you like. We all have different tastes.

Simple things even I can make :D

1) Baked salmon. Get yourself a salmon. Whole. Fillets. Doesn't really make much of a difference. But whole might be best for this. Place it on some aluminum foil. Spice it. Maybe put some lemon wedges inside. If you're like me slice some hot peppers and put them in the whole fish. Wrap it up in the foil like a packet. Stick it on a cookie sheet. Place the whole thing in the oven. 325F Depending on frozen/fresh size etc you'll have to wait. But when it's done just pull it out. Nothing to clean up if the packet doesn't leak. If it does just clean the cookie sheet.

2) Lean ground beef burgers. Buy lean ground beef. Add an egg or two. Spice it to your taste. Make patty. Stick it on the grill.

But you need to figure out what you like. Fast food never tasted great to me. Some people like the sugar. Some like the fat.

I hated eating healthy, mainly because i can't cook.
I know how to work an oven/stove - but i don't understand ingredients, and i always tend to cook things too long or too short.
Sounds like we'll need to bring in a professional:

07W7-4Meffo

Nobody is going to make you a food plan unless you pay them.

You either want it or you don't. *shrugs*
worst post ever.

I'm posting on a Thursday.

I'm thinking about getting obsessed with fitness again, but i haven't taken the big leap yet.
I've been eating better - less q'doba, less fast food, ess snacks, less soda... but every time i go to the grocery store i just don't feel like eating healthy.

Maybe it's because i remember what eating healthy tasted like. When i made chicken i would use spices, etc, and it still never tasted good.
Sweet potatoes never tasted good.
The thought of eating plain talapia makes me want to die.
I hated eating healthy, mainly because i can't cook.
I know how to work an oven/stove - but i don't understand ingredients, and i always tend to cook things too long or too short.

Someone make me a food plan, k? 6'1, 187lbs, 15%bf

I should also start exercising again, but it's easier not to exercise.
Maybe because i don't want it bad enough; the whole perfect body thing... but i sorta want it.


^^This post probably describes every out of shape person in the world; and now i'm one of them.

I suggest you read the stickies at the top of the beginner's forum.

First of all you need to figure out what you like. We all have different tastes.

Simple things even I can make :D

1) Baked salmon. Get yourself a salmon. Whole. Fillets. Doesn't really make much of a difference. But whole might be best for this. Place it on some aluminum foil. Spice it. Maybe put some lemon wedges inside. If you're like me slice some hot peppers and put them in the whole fish. Wrap it up in the foil like a packet. Stick it on a cookie sheet. Place the whole thing in the oven. 325F Depending on frozen/fresh size etc you'll have to wait. But when it's done just pull it out. Nothing to clean up if the packet doesn't leak. If it does just clean the cookie sheet.

2) Lean ground beef burgers. Buy lean ground beef. Add an egg or two. Spice it to your taste. Make patty. Stick it on the grill.

But you need to figure out what you like. Fast food never tasted great to me. Some people like the sugar. Some like the fat.
Not a bad idea.
I need to start off slow, like find 1 healthy food at a time that i enjoy.
Once i master this salmon idea, i'll try something else, and eventually my days will be filled with goodness.

I suggest you read the stickies at the top of the beginner's forum.
I suggest you calm down.

I know wh0 is a bit of a class clown, but that does not make this thread the Wasteland (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=36451).

I assume the request for assistance is a serious one. Please keep your replies civil and helpful. Sarcasm and rudeness are not welcome here.

Thank you.

IME the key, the absolute key to enjoying healthy eating is flawless ingredients. A perfectly ripe tomato? Who doesn't like those? Salad greens need to be perfectly fresh and varied in type. A lovely piece of steak or chicken requires just a little salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon to be enjoyed. Fish...ah, fish. First of all, tilapia, bleargh. Get haddock or halibut or if you like that salmon-y taste, some salmon or steelhead trout. Don't eat trash fish like tilapia or (apologies for those who like it) orange roughy. Secondly and most important, it needs to be perfectly perfectly fresh. If it's fresh it will smell like the ocean. Anything that doesn't smell like the ocean (as in, if it smells like fish) isn't fresh, don't eat it. Steak, chicken and fish...do not overcook them. If the cuts are good, the source is good, they are fresh and not cooked to death, these are all wonderful. Whoever invented those heavy sauces and batter coatings did so to disguise substandard ingredients. You don't need 'em.

You don't like sweet potato? Not even cut into "fries", tossed with a little olive oil and curry paste and roasted? It's so good! Zucchini grated with some onion and fresh thyme into a little olive oil and sauteed until tender...mmmm.

There are so many ways to eat healthy. Start with fresh ingredients from a foodie's market and you are well on your way.

Good luck, I hope you come over to the "good" side.

I'm posting on a Thursday.

I'm thinking about getting obsessed with fitness again, but i haven't taken the big leap yet.

The bolded is problem number one, IMO.

Don't get obsessed.

Work it in slowly. When you go to the supermarket, don't only buy things that are 100% healthy. Start with 25% healthier choices. Then 50%. Until you find a good balance.

You don't have to be "obsessed" to get into great shape. You just have to eat healthy the majority of the time and exercise regularly.

Are you still biking across the country every other day? Or have you completely cut off all exercise?

The bolded is problem number one, IMO.

Don't get obsessed.

Work it in slowly. When you go to the supermarket, don't only buy things that are 100% healthy. Start with 25% healthier choices. Then 50%. Until you find a good balance.

You don't have to be "obsessed" to get into great shape. You just have to eat healthy the majority of the time and exercise regularly.

Are you still biking across the country every other day? Or have you completely cut off all exercise?
I bike like 20-40 miles a week... other than that i do no exercise.
I think that's what killed me last summer - i was working out so much i could eat anything i wanted and then burn it off.
Then i stopped working out, but i kept eating that way.

And i agree about the obsession thing, im just not so sure i'm able to do something without being completely obsessed with it - that's just how i've been my entire life.

Today after work i'm going to buy a salmon, and then put some stuff on it, bake it, and eat it for dinner.
I will repeat this process until i've mastered the salmon, and then i'll start buying tuna for lunch.
Then i'll have lunch and dinner taken care of, and continue from there.

I also think if i bought some dextrose, i'd be motivated to lift weights again.
Dextrose was the only thing keeping me going before.

IME the key, the absolute key to enjoying healthy eating is flawless ingredients. A perfectly ripe tomato? Who doesn't like those? Salad greens need to be perfectly fresh and varied in type. A lovely piece of steak or chicken requires just a little salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon to be enjoyed. Fish...ah, fish. First of all, tilapia, bleargh. Get haddock or halibut or if you like that salmon-y taste, some salmon or steelhead trout. Don't eat trash fish like tilapia or (apologies for those who like it) orange roughy. Secondly and most important, it needs to be perfectly perfectly fresh. If it's fresh it will smell like the ocean. Anything that doesn't smell like the ocean (as in, if it smells like fish) isn't fresh, don't eat it. Steak, chicken and fish...do not overcook them. If the cuts are good, the source is good, they are fresh and not cooked to death, these are all wonderful. Whoever invented those heavy sauces and batter coatings did so to disguise substandard ingredients. You don't need 'em.

You don't like sweet potato? Not even cut into "fries", tossed with a little olive oil and curry paste and roasted? It's so good! Zucchini grated with some onion and fresh thyme into a little olive oil and sauteed until tender...mmmm.

There are so many ways to eat healthy. Start with fresh ingredients from a foodie's market and you are well on your way.

Good luck, I hope you come over to the "good" side.
the way i was eating sweet potato's before was:

Cook the potato in the oven ~400? degrees for 45 minutes.
Then i'd mash it up, put it in a container, and microwave it the next day at work.
Sometimes i'd sprinkle splenda on it, but i hated it.

Any advice to make this better?
What are these fries you speak of?

Here's some diets. Eat lunch twice if required.

The Feeling Great Menu (http://www.whfoods.com/new7day.php#intro) :dance:
Our Feeling Great Menu helps you enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks made from the most nutritious foods - The World's Healthiest Foods - that are combined into quick and easy interesting and exciting recipes.

The Abs Diet (http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=menshealth&channel=weight.loss&category=abs.diet&conitem=c54a99edbbbd201099edbbbd2010cfe793cd____)
Unlike most diet plans, which are laden with complex, hard-to-follow rules and verboten foods you love but have to live without, the Abs Diet lets you eat the foods you love, keeps your cravings at bay, and helps you control stress -- all at the same time.

V8 Diet (http://www.v8juice.com/V8diet.aspx) :spaz:
There are many diets that promise quick weight loss, but experts agree that gradual, steady weight loss achieved by reducing your calories and exercising regularly is the best approach. Since everyone is unique and has a different lifestyle, no one diet can fit everyone's needs.

The Peanut Butter Diet (http://www.peanut-institute.org/images/prevention_pb_diet.pdf) :eat:
Remember when you thought rice cakes were diet salvation, but were always hungry? Let the peanut butter diet come to your rescue.

The "I'm not a Guy" Diet (http://www.wannabebigforums.com/showpost.php?p=1073474&postcount=1)http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/bubbles.gif

Weekly Superfoods (http://www.defeatdiabetes.org/Articles/foods040216.htm) diet. You'll have to change it to a daily one.
(There's a misprint. Oats should be five to seven times a DAY. But it could be any of wheat germ, brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, and quinoa instead.)

I learned how to cook a few year back by taking cooking classes. There were some at the Y and they had some cool resterants around here that would teach you to make this like good gormee food. I mean other then that you can find great recipies on sites for low fat cooking. Say you want some chicken breat. Look up chicken breast recepies. I found some great ones for salsa chicken, lemon pepper chicken, Garlic basil chicken, dijon mustard chicken and even one that used melon. At that point you just take a look at the recipie and follow the instructions. If there's an instruction you don't understand you can just google it. I had no idea what dicing meant. Now I know how to make really good low fat, nutritious food by being able to control all the ingrediants in something.

Good luck man,

Talio.

Any advice to make this better?
What are these fries you speak of?

I usually peel and quarter it (or cut it into smallish pieces), boil until soft. I'll either mash or keep it in said smallish pieces, salt and pepper, and add either smart start buttery spread or a helping of low fat cottage cheese. I know that sounds weird, but it's actually pretty good. I went from 15% to 10% eating one of these everyday.

Cook the potato in the oven ~400? degrees for 45 minutes.
Then i'd mash it up, put it in a container, and microwave it the next day at work.
Sometimes i'd sprinkle splenda on it, but i hated it.

Any advice to make this better?
What are these fries you speak of?

Cinnamon. That and Splenda. I even ditched the butter or Smart Balance. Then again, this is one of my favorite Thanksgiving foods. I just tell myself that I've improved the dish by making it healthier to eat. That's how I'm downing all these new vegetables at dinner.

I suggest you get John Berardi's Gourmet Nutrition book. Filled with very good, healthy food.

+ If you force yourself to get "healthy" it usually leads to failure, you have to do it because you want too.

the way i was eating sweet potato's before was:

Cook the potato in the oven ~400? degrees for 45 minutes.
Then i'd mash it up, put it in a container, and microwave it the next day at work.
Sometimes i'd sprinkle splenda on it, but i hated it.

Any advice to make this better?Do you only like it sweetened? I like it with cottage cheese.

Try with these (or a combination of):
- fat free cheese
- mustard (honey ones also)
- turkey bacon
- any lean meat
- onions
- minced garlic
- :sleep:

There are so many ways to enjoy sweet potato. One is the way I mentioned above. By "fries" (were you joking?) I just meant to cut them into fry-like shapes. Or you could slice them and treat them the same way. Or you could cube them and roast them in an oven-proof dish with garlic, onions, salt, pepper, and some olive oil. Or you could slice them, spray a cookie sheet with Pam, lay the slices in a single layer, spray with Pam again, salt and pepper, and roast until crispy.

When I mash them up I like them salty and garlicky, a little bit of butter or lowfat/ff cheese or cottage cheese is good.

Mmmmm, I am jonesing for some sweet potato right now. The curry paste way is a very good way to try.

I think JSF forums could benefit from a "Recipes" forum if there's not one already..

I'm new.. so maybe there is and I missed it..

Because those foods Queenie described sound delish!

I think JSF forums could benefit from a "Recipes" forum if there's not one already..

I'm new.. so maybe there is and I missed it.. :spank: Recipes (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/forumdisplay.php?f=13)

:spank: Recipes (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/forumdisplay.php?f=13)

Sweet. Thanks!

Buy Eating-for-life. Most recipies are pretty good but very simple and quick.

I would suggest you look at my diet but its pretty plain cause I use the cheap person's lazy diet. I try to spend the least amount of money on food and make it with as least preperation as possible. You get used to certain tastes.

The above advice probably didn't help out at all but do you have a favorite flavor? Me for instance I love anything garlic flavored or spicy foods so I carry around hot sauce or garlic salt every where I went. If I get sick of those i'll use soy sauce which i'm also a big fan of where i'll make a dip consisting of soy sauce, crushed red peppers, garlic powder, pepper, and sometimes chili oil or sesame oil if my diet allows for it. This actually overcame my sick of chicken syndrome where the taste of plain chicken always made me gag. Afterwards you can put the rest of the dip away for later use or pour the rest on veggies or brown rice if you don't like the taste of that as well. I'm still on the sick of tuna syndrome this one is a lot harder to shrug off as tuna just tastes bad.