Could do with some advice

Deedsie

Hi,
I think I am in the same boat as a lot of people at the moment, I just want to get myself fit and healthy again. The new year seems like as good a time as any to start.

So I'll get down to it, I have read the stickys and I found them a great help. I think I have taken in a bit too much info and confused myself. I went shopping this evening and tried to buy healthy food. For my dinner today and tomorrow I pan fried three chicken breasts, a carrot, a red & green pepper and I used uncle bens sweet Thai chilli sauce. Now I realise the sauce probably ruined the healthy side of this meal. What could I use as a healthy alternative? I didnt bother with rice as I had a sandwich earlier.

My main problem though, I have no idea what to buy when I am at tescos. What are easy healthy dinners to have?

I would really appreciate any advice on this. Sick of having a soft stomach.

El_Dangeroso

A good rule of thumb for the supermarket is to shop in the peripheral aisles and you won't go too far wrong. This is where all the fresh food resides.

So meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, dairy, nuts. That kind of thing.

You can make pretty much any dish healthy as long as you're willing to cook from scratch. That's the biggest pain of eating healthy, all the cooking

Deedsie

Thanks for that, the time wouldnt bother me that much. I just need a couple of suggestions. In relation to the sauces though, is there an alternative?

astra2000

Hi Deedsie I would doubt that the sweet chilli sauce would have done much damage did you check the label for calorie fat content? Usually it is the creamy sauces that do more damage. Tomato based ones are usually good but always check the calorie and fat content. I use uncle bens sweet and sour sauce that is low fat. I also make my own chilli sauce again low fat and easily made google a recipe. Tesco do a low fat selection of sauces as do weight watchers you just need to test a few to see which ones you prefer. A lot of sauces are easy made from scratch dont be afraid to try if you have the time. Best of luck

Zillah

Deedsie wrote: »

Thanks for that, the time wouldnt bother me that much. I just need a couple of suggestions. In relation to the sauces though, is there an alternative?

I never use jars of sauce. Salt, pepper, lots of fresh veg, some garlic, splash of soy sauce, herbs...delicious, barely any added calories.

Zippidy

Go to the wholefood section in Tesco and stock up on some oatmeal, milled flax, and seeds. Loads of complex carbs, good fats and protein and fibre. Oatmeal and flax combined is nutritionally superb and quite filling, and tasty with some strawberries mixed in.

fatmammycat

The selection of food in Tescos is pretty decent I think, you could get two salmon darnes, chop them up a little and stirfry them with chopped brussel sprouts, fresh chilli, shallots, peppers, splash of soy and pour onto a plate- believe it or not this is one of my favourite fast dishes, and tasty, sprouts cook this way are almost nutty in flavour and v.tasty.
Or you could buy some buffalo mozzerella, some pesto, beef tomatos, slice and and layer them with some fresh basil. Easy lunch that one.

Make a spicy omelette! Three eggs, splash of milk and a good splash of tabasco sauce or fresh chilli. Stirr it up. Meanwhile fry some chopped mushrooms, shallots, finely chopped green or red pepper, pour over egg mixture, while that is cooking gently, grate some chedder, add to top of omelette and then fold in half, the cheese melts into the omelette and is a gooey spicy delicious mess.
Buy a butternut squash, peel, dice, do the same with a large red pepper, a large onion, sweat a little in a deep saucepan, then add 1litre of vegetable stock and allow to cook, add fresh chilli ( I do like my fod hot, but you don't need to do this) then blend and you have great soup for at least three/four meals or you can freeze portions of it.
Sweet potato can be roasted, or carved into chips, or mashed with a knob of butter and fresh paprika!
There are loads of dishes you can make that are easy and fast and good for you, don't be afraid to experiment.

Deedsie

See i tried to change my diet before. I got totally confused by all the advice. I think this time I am just going to try one different dish a week.

I would love to be able make a healthy lunch for work. I am getting bored with the bland over priced muck we get every day. Sandwich/chips is far to big a part of my diet.

Whats the best lunch you can make at home that wont go soggy and you dont have to heat up?

Zippidy

Try to break your daily food down by calories, like determine what you need each day calorie-wise and then say to yourself, right, I want to eat at least 1g protein for every lb I weigh. Then say, I want 30% of my calories to come from good fats, and 40% to come from carbohydrates and choose foods that way. i use www.fitday.com to help me see what i eat in terms of carbs, fats and proteins per day. if you look at that site it will help you to figure out how much you need and u can plan around that.

astra2000

It can be really confusing, so many diets give different advice! You may be better off to do a little research and find a plan that suits you and your lifestyle. I find that if I am not following a set plan I am a little too "a la carte" and pick the bits I prefer from each plan and end up getting no where. Regarding lunch ideas make your own sandwich/wrap much nicer and you know exactly what is in it. Get a set of lunch boxes in varying sizes to bring in salad, if you find something is making it soggy eg tomatoes put them in a smaller box and add when you are ready to eat. I know salad may sound boring but if you use a lot of different varietys you wont get bored. Use dressings to add flavour. you could bring ham/chicken/tuna/cottage cheese/salmon. Or make your own homemade soup its delicious bring it in a flask and have some brown bread with it delicious!

fatmammycat

Agreed on the salads. You could make a chicken and veggie cous cous salad, that would be delicious cold, or with prawns.
For lunch I like to make an avocado, courgette and crab meat salad with a fresh lime juice and chilli dressing that is a doddle to throw together but very filling. All you need is a crab meat, fresh or canned you choose, nice ripe avocado, a chilli, a courgette and a lime, some black pepper.
Scrape avocado out and mash slightly, shave courgette outer skin and layer around the avocado, thinly slice about half the rest of the courgette and add that and crab meat, juice your lime, cop finely your chilli, mix those two and drizzle over everything, grind over some fresh black pepper and off you go. You can use a tin of wild Alaskan salmon either instead of crab meat, it's really filling and so good for you.

Frogdog

astra2000 wrote: »

Hi Deedsie I would doubt that the sweet chilli sauce would have done much damage did you check the label for calorie fat content? Usually it is the creamy sauces that do more damage. Tomato based ones are usually good but always check the calorie and fat content. I use uncle bens sweet and sour sauce that is low fat. I also make my own chilli sauce again low fat and easily made google a recipe. Tesco do a low fat selection of sauces as do weight watchers you just need to test a few to see which ones you prefer. A lot of sauces are easy made from scratch dont be afraid to try if you have the time. Best of luck

What's good or healthy about low-fat foods/sauces for someone who's trying to lose weight?

Generally the main difference between low fat and full fat foods is that the healthy fats are removed and replaced with sugar. Surely someone who is trying to lose weight would be better off to avoid low fat foods?!

astra2000

Frogdog wrote: »

What's good or healthy about low-fat foods/sauces for someone who's trying to lose weight?

Generally the main difference between low fat and full fat foods is that the healthy fats are removed and replaced with sugar. Surely someone who is trying to lose weight would be better off to avoid low fat foods?!

I agree with you usually when they make low fat sauces they replace the fat with sugar. Having said that a lot of tomato based sauces are not too bad. I prefer to make most of my sauces/dressings but for someone who cant they need to become label wise and choose the ones with the best nutritional value, there isnt a lot of point using high fat sauces either if you are trying to lose weight. Have you any reccommendations for the op? I am sure all good advice would be welcome.

Deedsie

Has anyone here any recommendations for fish oil supplements? I hear they are hugely beneficial to your health?

Frogdog

Deedsie wrote: »

Has anyone here any recommendations for fish oil supplements? I hear they are hugely beneficial to your health?

Either Lidl or Aldi are doing a fish oil supplement at the moment, a lot cheaper than the famous brands too!

Lantus

Deedsie wrote: »

For my dinner today and tomorrow I pan fried three chicken breasts, a carrot, a red & green pepper and I used uncle bens sweet Thai chilli sauce.

I would really appreciate any advice on this. Sick of having a soft stomach.

3 chicken breasts for one dinner or split across 2?!?

a lot of commercial suaces are not that great but if your regular diet is chips and beans then it's a significant step in the right direction. Ideally all flavour can come from herbs and spices, garlic, fresh veg, and a small amount of salt and as much pepper as you like.

There is a massive amount of info out there and lots of tricksters and sharlatens who want you to believe that good health is only one pill and 2 minutes of exercise a year away.

It takes time and patient to achieve a long term healthy lifestyle.

1/ Nutrition
2/ Cardio
3/ Resistance training

Use these 3. Nutrition is your foundation upon which a solid combination of resistance and cardio training will reap long term rewards.

Deedsie

Lantus wrote: »

3 chicken breasts for one dinner or split across 2?!?

a lot of commercial suaces are not that great but if your regular diet is chips and beans then it's a significant step in the right direction. Ideally all flavour can come from herbs and spices, garlic, fresh veg, and a small amount of salt and as much pepper as you like.

There is a massive amount of info out there and lots of tricksters and sharlatens who want you to believe that good health is only one pill and 2 minutes of exercise a year away.

It takes time and patient to achieve a long term healthy lifestyle.

1/ Nutrition
2/ Cardio
3/ Resistance training

Use these 3. Nutrition is your foundation upon which a solid combination of resistance and cardio training will reap long term rewards.

Thanks for the info, it was three breasts over two nights, a red pepper, a green pepper & a carrot mixed with uncle bens sweet Thai chilli. What could I substitute for the sauce? I'll prob be cooking tomorrow for tuesday and Wednesday aswell.

My diet fluctuates, when I am arsed it's ok. For the most part i get lazy. Pasta and stir in sauce, pizza etc. I damaged my achilles tendon in august. Diet, training all went out the window.

I have decided to try one new thing a day this time. Gonna lower the carb intake, up the protein, and start running again. Try to remove the excess weight. If my ankle holds up and I can get some bit of fitness, I will get under the squat bar again.

My intended diet this week will be weetabix at 7:30, porridge and a banana at 10. Sandwich at 12:30 (or any other suggestions from here as an alternative would be great)

Apple and orange at 3

Dinner at 6

Spin class at eight, gonna have a protein shake after it.