elljak

Apple and cottage cheese is a good standby
Protein powder and cereal
Spicy lentil soup - dead easy to make, tastes good, uses lots of veggies and you can vary the flavour to suit. Freezes well too
Tinned fish is good - mackerel on toast (yummy), tuna and pasta with balsamic vinegar.

Enjoy

rpmcduff

Protein Shakes and whey powder are probably better alternatives than the protein bars. The bars have more carbs, fat and calories. You can create a treat making a protein shake and adding a few berries. High in protein and you get a dessert!

Deanna0404

Thank you for all the tips! I actually did better yesterday than I have all week. I felt like I ate alot but actually had less calories and more protein. Now I just need to find more foods to eat because I know I will get tired of them fast. I have only just begun and I hate eating the same things all the time. That is the problem I had with weight Watchers was that I found some things I liked and got tired of counting points so I just ate the same things all the time. BORING!!!

I like fruits and vegetables but I tire of those easily also. I can eat watermelon and pineapple like crazy but I also need something salty.

I hate Progresso Southwest Vegetable soup last night and it was very good.

Thank you again!

davej323

As someone else mentioned, those frozen meals are nice to have as an occasional stand-by, but sodium and other preservatives should be a concern if you are thinking about eating them regularly. In order to avoid the pitfall of cheating on my diet when I don't feel like cooking, I try to make big batches of generic ingredients such as chicken breast and hard-boiled eggs. Adding spices and vegetables to some already cooked chicken (or perhaps tofu if you are looking for a vegetarian option) can give you a different flavor of stir-fry every night. Likewise with hard boiled eggs. They can be made into egg salad, added as a green salad topping, deviled, etc. I also like to keep a big bag of broccoli florets in the fridge and a bag of asparagus spears in the freezer because those are also ingredients that can be added to many things to make a quick meal. One of my favorite vegetable side dishes is asparagus cut into bite-sized pieces and sauteed in a little olive oil with some minced garlic. As far as the broccoli goes, it is very easy to put it on a plate, top it with a little cheese and crushed peppers, and cook it in the microwave just long enough to melt the cheese (use low-fat cheese if fat content is a concern on your nutrition plan).

Hope this helps and best of luck!

BlueIx

My microwave recently died, and I decided not to replace it right away, to see how much I miss it. And actually, I don't. The extra counter space is great, and though I always tried not to eat too many microwave meals, this ensures that I don't ever eat them. All my food is either raw or cooked on the stove/in the oven... I'm not a great cook, but the best way to learn is to just DO it. I am getting better, bit by bit. I am a vegetarian, and honestly don't find it too difficult to keep the protein up. Remember a lot of green veggies have lots of protein, as well as nuts and beans. Also, have you tried Quinoa (pronounced Keenwah)? It looks almost like sliced up rice, and acts pretty much the same - though it's actually a cereal rather than a grain and has amazing amounts of protein in it. I will often just buy one new ingredient that I've never used before, then look up a bunch of recipes for that thing and decide from there whether I should add it to my list of stuff to always keep around. Trial and error!

I think finding the right foods for our bodies is one of the most important things we can do for our health, yet it's something that so many people are lazy about and then don't understand why they don't feel good.

I wish you luck in your food quest!

davej323

I would be interested to see a study that shows how much of an increase there has been in heart disease and diabetes since the introduction of retail microwave ovens in the mid-80's. Without even seeing such a study I am fairly confident that there has been an increase in both. We have a similar story in our household. I had a roommate move, and she took her microwave with her. We switched to a very small one that we had in storage. It is low-powered and so small that it won't fit a dinner plate in it. Although we had intentions of getting another big one, I am thinking we might just stick with the little one that we have nicknamed the "easybake oven." Having to rely on the easybake oven has forced us to use the electric griddle, oven, stove-top, and barbecue for most of our cooking, and I must say that we are better off for it because we now typically eat whole, fresh food rather than microwaved crap.

blinkblink

Like you, I am not into eating a lot of meat but I do need to eat protein frequently throughout the day. Your salty cravings and protein needs can both be addressed by a handful of nuts or seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, etc). Just try not to overdo, a little goes a long way! Some other suggestions for non-meat protein sources:

- greek yogurt
- dried edamame
- soy nuts (I love the wasabi flavor!)
- spirulina/carob "energy chunks" (usually found at any health food store or co-op with a bulk section)
- chickpeas/hummus

Best of luck!

Jennybeeb

I personally order a lot of frozen Fruits and Veggies from Schwan's, and they also have an entire line of "LiveSmart" foods which are limited in calories, sodium, fat, etc.

The food is still delicious, and I lost about 40lbs. while incorporating their foods into my daily menus.

I love that most everything is individually packaged (including their plain chicken breasts) and that it gets delivered to my front door. I'm never tempted with buying junk at the grocery store because I don't have to shop there often except produce and dairy.

I definitely would take a look at Schwan's - they have a lot of healthy items, that are easy to cook while at work, or even if you're just eating by yourself

Deanna0404

Schwans is a great idea! I am always tempted when I go to the store to buy things I don't need. I always try not to go hungry either - that will kill my diet everytime.

I have to say that I went off the diet this weekend, but not badly. I was doing so well this past week and I truly could feel the difference. I don't want to weigh myself till the end of this week, because if I didn't lose, I don't want to be bummed about it all week.

Thanks to all of your tips and comments!

davej323

I remember a statement about grocery store temptation in the very first Atkins book that I read. Doctor Atkins suggested that we try to do our grocery shopping around the edges of the store. I have followed this philosophy, and except for the occasional personal care and cleaning items, spices, and some frozen vegetables, I never need to browse the aisles of the grocery store. Most of my shopping consists of fresh meat, cheese, and produce. Not only is my shopping a lot quicker than it used to be, but I avoid all that processed temptation in the aisles.