new to dieting, loads of questions :)

[noangel666]

Hi all

Im 28 and on 6th jan 2010 i had the fright of my life when i tipped the scales @ 271lbs.

I have dieted before and never stuck to it BUT this time im determined!!!!

I have lost 24lb so far with 120 more to go

Ive started swimming 5 days a week and eating about 1200-1500 calories, and its not as hard as i thought (although i do have my moments)

I find it VERY hard when i have a drink, alcohol seems to make me ravenous!!!

Also this is TMI but i always have and still only poo once a week, will this effect my diet? i thought the extra fruit, veg and fibre would help but it really hasnt. surely the calories are just stuck in my body absorbing?

Also i eat quite a lot of those frozen weightwatchers meals so i can keep track of my calories better as im new to this and havent really got a clue but i have heard these types of processed foods are no good for you, so im a bit confused!!!!!!

Also sugar free pop? is that a no no?

Thanks all in advance x x x

[KimmyRocks]

Good for you on your decision to make changes happen to create better health! You'll want to build habits and strategies to incorporate foods that taste great and you can eat throughout your life. You can do a lot better than frozen diet foods.

Frozen diet meals are generally low in nutrients, fiber and - most importantly - flavor! They're also high in sodium and food additives no one can pronounce.

Pick up an expandable stainless veggie steamer - they have them in the kitchen gadgets isle of walmart or target - and you'll have a great tool to help keep you well fed. Use it to steam broccoli, snow peas pods, cauliflower, baby carrots, brussel sprouts, sugar snap peas - you name it - in just 5 minutes. It's a great time-saver and steaming retains nutrients.

You can sautee, pan-grill or bake a chicken breast or fish portion with a sprinkle of herbs from the cupboard, add a squeeze of citrus and serve it next to your steamed veggies to make a beautiful, healthy and yummy meal in no time.

Here are two good books for people wanting to learn new food habits:

365 Days of Healthy Eating from the American Dietetic Association (by Roberta Larson Duyff and the ADA) - which you can buy through Amazon.com for around $5 including shipping.

and/or

ADA's Complete Food and Nutrition Guide (by the same authors/editor as above) which can be had for around $15.

Best of luck!

[betkay]

Poo every day! First thing in the morning, drink 2 cups of warm-hot water and wait 20-30 minutes before eating breakfast. This acts as a great "flush". If this doesn't work the first day, keep doing it because your bowels may be sluggish while you improve your diet. If 2 cups is not enough, have one more cup. This works wonders for me. (This tip came from my weigh-loss clinic.)

[pcmyhrt]

I have never been regular either. Once a week is also my norm and I get bloated and pain until I do go. Will definately give the water trick a try. Come to think of it, my husband has a couple of cups of coffee each morning. Within 20 minutes, he has to go - every day!!

[Lizzycritter]

Frozen meals can be OK if you use them right, Weight Watcher's is a decent brand, also Lean Cuisine is decent, Kashi is awesome if you can get them where you live. You do have to watch the sodium, and they aren't a complete meal on their own. I add a fresh fruit and vegetable to mine. Diet pop is better than regular pop, no pop is better. I keep unsweetened iced tea in the fridge because I can only do so much water (decaf Lipton cold brew). I work 10 hr shifts with no scheduled breaks and very little time for lunch, so salads and home-cooked health foods just aren't practical. The frozen meals can help you with portion control until you learn how to cook healthy appropriately sized meals.