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hearttash posted an update in the group
Diabesity / Diabetes 1 year ago Rough day today! 2nd week into Advanced plan. First day back at work since beginning it, as I took the first 10 days off work to start it. I didn’t plan ahead for dinner, was starving after work, wandered aimlessly around Whole Foods for 30 minutes, left without buying anything, went home and made tuna with avocado. Evenings after work are the hardest, as I’d fallen into quite a regular routine of getting takeout then eating something sweet every. Single. Night. Habits are hard to break.
One day at a time
Thank you. Very true.
Hi hearttash, As hard as it was you did good. This is very challenging and getting organized and even getting ahead of the game is a huge challenge. I’m on my 2nd wk, advanced too. I am just now able to think about things I can cook ahead and have in the freezer. Since I just cook for one it may be easier for me but I think it helps keep me on track. Obviously I don’t mind left overs so I usually cook at least two chicken breasts at one time and each will cover two meals, also the salmon I baked yesterday was large enough to cover 3 meals. I like that our protein is limited to 3 oz./meal so that saves some effort. Protein is not my favorite. I make a huge bowl of mixed greens to store in the fridge for salads. Making a quick salad with some flaked salmon or chicken, sliced strawberries, or a sprinkle of blueberries, a few chopped walnuts or almonds or sunflower seeds and I mix an olive oil viniagarette with red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar. I like the little bit of sweet taste in my salads with protein added. Don’t be discouraged, Planning and organizing is the hardest part for me too. Just like anything new it takes time to get in the groove. Giving up sweets was the 2nd hardest so I’m with you on that part too! Maybe just one walnut on the way home will cut down on the hunger a bit. Best to you. barb wk2 dy3
Thanks Barb, it’s good to hear that others struggle with the organizing/implementing of this plan. Tonight was a little easier, thanks to all the good feedback and advice.
Now you know it would benefit you to have a plan for food for the evening. Perhaps even a snack on the drive home will curb your appetite. If you are taking the PGX maybe you could have that ready to go as you leave work. It will make you feel more full and you can then shop at Whole Foods without extreme hunger. I am figuring it all out too. Hang in there.
Thank you!!
This happened a little bit to me yesterday, too. I didn’t plan my shopping correctly and was completely out of lettuce when I got home. Evenings after work are definitely the hardest. I feel like by the time the day has gone on and on at work (which makes me tired, anyway) and then I have been thinking about this plan all day long and staying vigilant, all I want to do when I get home is take a nap! I know it will all get easier as I stick with it, though. I am just in week one, so the hardest part is right now when we’re breaking our habits.
Barb – I love your salad recipe. It’s so simple but it sounds so delicious!
Heartash – One thing that I started doing in my prep weeks was instead of having something with sugar in it, I would save my 1/2 cup of berries until the evenings. Then after dinner if I felt like I needed something sweet, I could have the berries, instead of wanting something bad for me. After a couple of days, I didn’t even want the berries anymore! Might be worth trying.
Lisa – I agree. Now we know how important it is to have a plan! This is all a learning curve and we’ll all get there if we stick with it! Thanks for the great suggestions!
Yes, stick with it! Tonight was easier. I would like to get the point where I’m not exhausted after work. I thought much of that exhaustion was due to all the sugar/caffeine ups and downs through the day, concluded by a full-on crash. But this exhaustion feels sort of similar. I’m chalking it up to my body still detoxing, I guess. Thanks for your ideas Nicole. Tasha
I think it’s detoxing. Because that is what I feel like too, and it can’t be the sugar ups and downs. Also, I have noticed that each day is slightly easier!
One of the things I do, is to preplan meals for a week at a time. I shop every 3 days or so so things are fresh from the marches (oops so accents on this interface) here as much as possible.Fresh seafools is caught close by or farmed and I alway buy that the day off. I try to cook so that I have leftovers for a lu nch or second dinner. I try to stay flexible with some things I can pull together super fast, frozen broths in the frig, with chicken frozen if needed, frozen ginger,karfir lime, shrimp frozen along with berries, tofu, eggs are always in the frig circulation. I always have carrots, celery, onions, salad greens, garlic, and any cruciferous or greens I want to pull together. I buy pre-smooshed garlic and lemon grass for times I need something fast. Nuts, nut butter, coconut butter are in the pantry ready to go. I also prechop and freeze some common herbs like cilantro and chives so they are easy to grab.
Sumemrs I grow window boxes of small leaf basil, mint marjoran, thyme, oregano, savory – various types then strip the leaves and store them labelled in freezer baggies so they are always there for vinagrettes, soups, sauces. These get pretty cheap late summer if you have not grown your own.
If I plan, I do ok including eating out. I carry nuts, and an emergency pack to help out. It’s like ahuge p uzzle figuring some of this o ut at times. There some great strategies in the book.
Thanks Margo. Great ideas for me to try out. What have you found are your staple ”quick dinners,” either fresh or frozen?
Well, it’s super quick to throw together a stirfry with whateve vegys you have and either tofu or chiken or a firm fish like salmon…..with or without brown rice or another healthy grain. It’s also to cook up a chicken breast and serve it on a bed of spinach or another greenie so that the warmth of the chicken witls the spinach. You can add whatever else moves you, tomatoes, little red onion, slivered almonds, olices..whatever….drizzle with a little lemon and olive oil
. Super quick and elegant: take a flat cookie sheet with raised edges, place 2 salmon filets skin side down, sprinkle with herbs you prefer and a little olive oil .Take some baby bok choy, rinse and cut in half length wise, add some finely chopped cabbage and add to a bowl, toss with a a T or two of good olive oil and a few drops of sesame.Add the vegys to the same pan as the fish. Bake at 425 F for 20 mins or more depending on how well done you like your fish. Simple, quick and yummy. Make extra salmon and use it in a salad the next day.
I also make a vegy spaghetti sauce with roasted eggplant, mushrooms, onion, pepper, tomato, garlic, little bit of carrot and some spinach and serve it over steamed zucchini or roasted eggplant slices instead of pasta. Easy, pretty fast and can last a few meals. Lots of rich layered tastes and mouth fulfilling food.
I have almonds with me all the time for just such times!!
Don’t know if this will help – but I get a pound of almonds, raw walnuts and pecans and keep the containers on my kitchen table. When I need a snack I go to them. A handful seems to satisfy me completely.