One thing they tell us in Weight Watchers is to not cut out foods. We can roll over points so if you want to have that pizza for lunch or that glass of wine with dinner on Saturday night, that’s okay. Everything within moderation.
And good for you walking on the treadmill. I’ve worked with dieters for most of my career and they come to work with a nice healthy salad for lunch or low fat cheese etc. but when it comes to exercise that’s a whole nother story. I go for a walk every day at lunch so when I’m ready to leave I ask around to see if anyone would like to come with me and the answer is almost always no. It’s too hot, it’s too cold, oh look there’s a cloud in the sky it will rain. I think I’ve heard every excuse in the book by now I had a walking buddy a few years ago since she was given a talking to by her doctor. She used to buy her lunch every day and when it became obvious to the doctor she wasn’t going to make her own lunch anytime soon, her doctor gave her some pointers as to how to order restaurant food sensibly. And she was advised to get some exercise. She knew I liked going out for a lunchtime walk so she asked me if she could come with me and I always like the company so it was nice having a walking buddy for awhile.
This is what I’ve always known but didn’t really learn for myself until after my hospitalization. I refuse NOT to have a cookie; I refuse NOT to have duck or red meat - just a lot less of it in quantity and much less often. Portion control has been the biggest thing. I’ll eat less, and I’m still full. I’ve never liked the humongous portions served at so many chain restaurants, which is why I prefer smaller tapas-sized dishes spread out over a longer period of time. Quality over Quantity is much better for you, IMO!
Yeah, I prefer actually walking on the treadmill, although I was a staunch non-exerciser before - having a heart attack will all of a sudden shake you out of that mindset! But I don’t like the “too hot/too cold” as well - I prefer walking to music that has the beat of the speed I’m using on the treadmill. I heard an old song a couple of weeks ago and Googled “Songs with the same beat as ‘Addicted to Love’ by Robert Palmer” and found a LOT of songs! So I’ve created a “Walking” Spotify list that keeps me going at a steady pace for the 25-30 minutes I walk during the week. The Thompson Twins, Dan Hartman, George Michael and Wham, Glen Frey, Bruce Springsteen, Santana, and Aretha Franklin all keep me company as I walk.
I’m a ‘treadmill person’ as well. I try to walk 6 days a week. My problem is portion control, which is why I gain instead of lose weight Lately I have been partially trying Mrs. P’s diet during the week. I try to eat Healthy Choice chicken and noodle (or rice soup) for dinner at least 2 or 3 times a week. Mrs. P adds sugar snap peas and carrots and some Costco canned chicken into the soup to make it a meal. It takes a half hour to chew all of those vegetables Mrs. P lost a lot of weight doing this 4 times a week. I have lost a couple of pounds. This allows her to eat some nice restaurant dinners on the weekend.
What a fantastic solution to find a whole list of songs that move to the beat you are walking on the treadmill!
My young adult son chooses different music for the different moves and maneuvers his Parkour coach assigns at his weekly training and that also align with the mood he’s trying to conjure up for himself in the moment. The music really inspires and encourages him and also helps him emotionally regulate during what is always a very challenging session both emotionally and physically for him.
Add vegetables you like to almost everything helps with fiber, portion control, nutrients, as well as fewer calories. I think liking the taste is crucial at least at the beginning. Then some people find they are actually liking the taste more and can add a few different veg.
Greens are so healthy and I’m lucky that I really like chard, kale, collards, mustard greens, arugula, raab, etc. My husband has found that adding some greens to stuff he really likes has helped him to develop a tolerance and even a slight like for them over time. Having fresh local greens readily available finally at our Boston area farmers markets helps, too. They take up a lot of room in the refrigerator so are calling to be cooked!
Homemade banquet burger with a side of grilled asparagus for dinner.
I was gonna have salad on the side, but I figured since I was grilling the burger and bacon, might as well not waste valuable real estate. Thin sliced tomato/Kosher dills/ mustard and catsup. I sauteed some shrooms and onions earlier for the burger, and had them warming in the oven, but I totally forgot about them
Oh well, it was still a delicious burger.
Question. I almost picked up a “burger press” the other day, are they worth it, $15 from Winners, or is it just another tool that I’ll hardly use?
Over the past 40+ years, I’ve looked at them at the old Kitchen Etc., at Target, at Macy’s, Kohl’s, at everywhere, and have never chosen to buy one. I just make my own and have gotten good with forming patties close enough in size.
It is now really dark out and raining cats and dogs. I am curled up on the sofa sipping on my milk and watching the sound and light show outside. (We are having an epic thunderstorm right now and it’s hailing out.) I had an arugula salad with tomatoes and cucumber for dinner. I had planned on going to a vegetarian food festival tonight. I wonder if they closed it early… Picture of dinner:
Yeah, that’s a nope from me, dawg. I can’t see how you could get a proper medium-rare burger by pressing it. I don’t mind when it puffs, and if it does, I can press it a bit with the flipper.
A Wegmans chuck and Angus brisket burger on a toasted Brioche bun. with bacon (BACON!!!), white American cheese, and a mix of the greens mentioned below.
A salad of Buttercrunch lettuce, baby spinach, Sorrel leaves, sliced watermelon radish, cuke, and sweet grape tomatoes with a fig balsamic vinaigrette.
Well, there are worse soups out there. The main ingredients are chicken broth, cooked chicken (chicken breast with rib meat), carrots, celery, white rice, etc. 190 calories for the whole can, 5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat. Plus adding sugar snap peas and carrots helps. My wife has certainly lost a lot of weight eating this ‘processed food’. It’s a lot better than eating a 1,000 plus calorie dinner, which is what I was doing before.
I had a walking buddy a few years ago since she was given a talking to by her doctor. She used to buy her lunch every day and when it became obvious to the doctor she wasn’t going to make her own lunch anytime soon, her doctor gave her some pointers as to how to order restaurant food sensibly. And she was advised to get some exercise. She knew I liked going out for a lunchtime walk so she asked me if she could come with me and I always like the company so it was nice having a walking buddy for awhile.
Lately I have been partially trying Mrs. P’s diet during the week. I try to eat Healthy Choice chicken and noodle (or rice soup) for dinner at least 2 or 3 times a week. Mrs. P adds sugar snap peas and carrots and some Costco canned chicken into the soup to make it a meal. It takes a half hour to chew all of those vegetables 
Mrs. P lost a lot of weight doing this 4 times a week. I have lost a couple of pounds. This allows her to eat some nice restaurant dinners on the weekend.
