New Year Badasses

[Matt_72]

Good stuff on those websites, thanks!  I think it's so much more about diet than it is about exercise and the diet is where I have the most trouble so definitely not paying a bunch for a trainer, between NF and Marks Daily Apple there's so much great info and ideas for workouts there's no need for one.  Great info about eating real foods too, one of those things I know but just have trouble implementing consistently so that's where I really need to put in my effort for the next challenge round.

How often do you cook dinner? Do you take your lunch to work/school?

[erinlaurel]

How often do you cook dinner? Do you take your lunch to work/school?

I eat most of my meals at home, I get to eat at home for lunch even.  My down fall is I end up buying cookies and junk food at the grocery store and if it's in my kitchen I'll eat it so I need to get better about making a list and sticking to it.  The other thing I do is if I go to starbucks for coffee then I end up getting a muffin or a big cookie as well.  What kind of things do you guys snack on?  I tend to eat small amounts all day rather than just 3 big meals, I find it hard to think of good paleo friendly easy snacks to replace things like crackers or chips.

[Matt_72]

I eat most of my meals at home, I get to eat at home for lunch even.  My down fall is I end up buying cookies and junk food at the grocery store and if it's in my kitchen I'll eat it so I need to get better about making a list and sticking to it.  The other thing I do is if I go to starbucks for coffee then I end up getting a muffin or a big cookie as well.  What kind of things do you guys snack on?  I tend to eat small amounts all day rather than just 3 big meals, I find it hard to think of good paleo friendly easy snacks to replace things like crackers or chips.

I don't subscribe to any particular way of eating/dieting in terms of paleo, atkins, dukan or anything like that mainly because I don't particularly like rules and also because when I started cooking I wanted to take into account a way of eating that was A. sustainable for the rest of my life and B. sustainable for a family with a toddler. I did start fasting a few months ago and even though I have 2 days a week where my caloric intake is restricted to 600 calories I don't feel restricted in what I can eat on any given day. 

So with all that out of the way the "secret" to me losing almost 10kg last year was learning how to cook. I could cook before last year, however I didn't enjoy it all that much and I didn't feel like I was getting a great return on my investment. I would spend 20 minutes figuring out what I wanted to cook, then I would spend lets say an hour shopping for the ingredients (factor in driving to and from the shops as well as shopping time) then let's call it another hour or so between starting in the kitchen and sitting down to eat. So all up we are looking at almost 2 1/2 hours to eat something that didn't taste fantastic. That's a real waste of time for just one dinner.

So that had to change because it wasn't just myself and my wife I had to think of any more it was also our baby daughter who was making the move to real chewable food and not real mushed up food. I needed a plan, I didn't have one but I definitely needed one. I happened to buy a copy of Jamie's 15 minute meals in early January and just started to cook. I cooked a few dinners from the book and while it took me a lot longer than the 15 minutes claimed on the book it was a lot quicker than what I had been doing and that taste was amazing. I looked forward to sitting down with the book and looking at what I would try the following week. I started using my Shopping List app a lot more and found that even if I was cooking 4 nights a week the time I would spend shopping remained about the same because you still walk down all the same aisles and drive the same distance to and from. I probably spent an extra 30 minutes on picking recipes for the week and putting all the ingredients in the app. So if I am taking 5 hours to do the shopping and cooking for 4 nights (plus leftovers for lunch) and the food I am creating is exciting, tasty and wholesome then I am way out ahead of where I had been previously. Factor into that the fact that even if I am not cooking I have to go shopping every week for household stuff and or travel time to and from take away joints and I am actually saving time.

 

So I think you need a plan. You need to arm yourself with 2 new recipes. Something you have the equipment to cook and something that the idea of eating makes you smile. If you want it to be paleo then find a couple of paleo recipes and plan your shopping trip and pick the nights you will cook. If it doesn't have to be paleo then find something else and write a shopping list and get moving. 

I am sure people lose weight by buying microwave meals and eating them but is that sustainable? Is that something you want to be doing in 10, 20, 30 years time?

 

I snack on nuts, guacamole, fruit, yoghurt, chocolate, chips. I have 1 square of chocolate every night with a coffee before bed and try not to have much more than that (the last 2 weeks being a huge exception to that rule). I had a pack of chips yesterday but I don't have them very often. I make guacamole for myself, my wife and my daughter so 1 avo split 3 ways doesn't hit me too much, plus they are much more beneficial for you than their caloric value would indicate. A handful of cashews eaten 1 at a time can fill a much larger void than you would expect. Fresh fruit with greek yoghurt is a great after dinner dessert/snack. Like you said if it is in the house you eat it, so you need to change what's in the house.

 

If you are interested in a really easy curry and or chilli recipe that lend themselves to cooking, batching and freezing let me know and I will post a couple of links for them.

[erinlaurel]

So I'm really liking having this group to through ideas out to and have for support.  I'd like to put it out there that my new 6 week challenge is to cut out sugar.  I'd like to improve my diet and go completely paleo but I'm going to keep it more simple and just go with No Sugar, meaning nothing with added or refined sugar in it for the next 6 weeks.  Challenge starts today!

 

What's your new challenge goal for the nest 6 weeks???

[Matt_72]

My new goal is my old goal. I want to get under, and stay under, 90kg and get my NF t/shirt!

[Matt_72]

Has everyone else moved on to new accountabilibuddy groups?

[Ba'sini'on]

Not me, I'm still here! Anyone else?

[otter905]

Still checking in!  And almost at my goal!

[erinlaurel]

I'm still here.  Why change when you're already with the best:)

[erinlaurel]

I just decided to change my workouts up a bit, as far as lifting I was doing heavy weights 2 sets of 10 but I want to move more towards an endurance type lifting so I've lowered the weights just a smidge and am doing 3 sets of 15 with only 30-60 second rests in between.  Don't worry, the weights are still heavy.  I'm doing this 3 times per week and doing 20-30 minutes of moderate cardio 5 times per week trying to keep my heart rate in my fat burning zone which based on what the trainer at the gym told me should be about 120-140 which is lower than I thought.  I also started taking a couple of new supplements, CLK and HD by Cellucor, I've only bee taking them for 2 days but I do notice more energy, focus and a decreased appetite.  I'm not looking for a magic pill but I think this may give me a little help sticking to my diet and keeping my energy up for workouts.  I'm a 30 year old female trying to lower my body fat so I'm thinking this is a good plan.  Along with it I'm cutting out sugar and trying to eat paleo as much as possible.  What do you guys think?

[otter905]

I just decided to change my workouts up a bit, as far as lifting I was doing heavy weights 2 sets of 10 but I want to move more towards an endurance type lifting so I've lowered the weights just a smidge and am doing 3 sets of 15 with only 30-60 second rests in between.  Don't worry, the weights are still heavy.  I'm doing this 3 times per week and doing 20-30 minutes of moderate cardio 5 times per week trying to keep my heart rate in my fat burning zone which based on what the trainer at the gym told me should be about 120-140 which is lower than I thought.  I also started taking a couple of new supplements, CLK and HD by Cellucor, I've only bee taking them for 2 days but I do notice more energy, focus and a decreased appetite.  I'm not looking for a magic pill but I think this may give me a little help sticking to my diet and keeping my energy up for workouts.  I'm a 30 year old female trying to lower my body fat so I'm thinking this is a good plan.  Along with it I'm cutting out sugar and trying to eat paleo as much as possible.  What do you guys think?

Sounds like you have a good plan.  Go with it if and while it works, if not tweak it!  That's why we are here to play with things and see what works for us.  If you the weights to keep going up you could to 2 days for the endurance and 1 going for personal bests.  Either way you are building muscle.  Personally, I would like to see the weight go up once in a while.

[Matt_72]

I'm ordering my NF T-shirt tonight clocked in at 89.3 Monday morning and been under 90 all week so I'm feeling confident

[otter905]

Amazing Matt.  My scale keeps jumping around on my.  Although I am confident is saying I finally weigh under 200lbs.  I'm just not sure how much under

 

Congrats on the NF shirt!!!

[Matt_72]

I propose that for the next challenge we roll this group into a current accountabilibuddies group.

 

All in favour/favor?

[SjardisDead]

I would like to be part of this group again next challenge!

[otter905]

Agreed!

[Ba'sini'on]

Aye aye!

[Matt_72]

Go go go