Dieting the Right Way

Since we have today off for the holiday, I took advantage of the day and cooked some meals for this week.  When dieting, I usually try doing this on Saturday/Sunday for the coming week because it takes some time and planning.

Why the Diet

Yep, I know, I'm not fat.  But if I want to work on losing a little of that hip fat I've been referring to, diet is the biggest factor.  Preparing meals like this for the coming week helps to avoid those bad choices we tend to make when the hunger kicks in and there's a McDonald's right across the street.  (We all do it every now and then.)

What I Do

It's kind of about cooking in bulk;  I choose a few complex carbs and cook a lot of those, a few greens and cook a lot of those, and a couple different kinds of white meat and cook a lot of that.

I bring out these little black containers that we have that are excellent for storing food; you can heat your meals in them and they're dishwasher safe.  And the food scale that we bought from H-E-B (local grocery store chain) last year.  Then I get to work.

Starting to cook some tilapia and greens

Everything laid out

More greens, brown rice and chicken breast

Creating the Meals

As things get finished, I weigh out the portions needed and place them into the containers.  So for example as a batch of green beans was completed, I would divide it out into several boxes in amounts of about 5oz each.  Then the same for the meat (6oz) and complex carbs (3oz).

You'll notice some of the green in this photo look a bit past the crunchy point.  When I diet, Eric diets.  And he absolutely cannot stand a crunchy vegetable.  In fact, it's gotta be limp, lifeless, pretty much noodly, for him to eat it.  I'm the total opposite, but I can cook the mess out of the greens if it makes him happy!

Also, we *LOVE* spicy food.  While I can eat more bland food now that I've gotten use to eating healthier, Eric is not about to go without Tony Chachere's.  ;)  Yep, we're southern.

~6oz white meat, 5oz greens and 3oz. complex carbs

When everything is finished, I put the meals for tomorrow in the fridge and the rest in the freezer.  Tomorrow morning, I'll take the meals from the fridge and put them in my lunch kit thing, then put them in the microwave for about 2 minutes at work when I'm ready for them.

Future meals stored in the freezer

What if I Don't Plan Ahead?

You might be lucky enough to have a My Fit Foods in your area.  They have many healthy options and are very yummy.  Purchasing from them is just more expensive than cooking your food yourself.  Or, if you're like me and you have a Cafe Express nearby, you can run and grab a grilled chicken breast and green beans for around $10.

Is This All I Do?

No.  This isn't everything, but it's a big part of it.  I'll write more in a coming post about my diet plan and what regimen I'm following.  But keep in mind that this is tailored to help me reach my goals with my current weight and body fat, and that this might not be the exact same plan that you should follow.  However cooking your meals like this in advance helps to save time, money and from making bad eating choices that you'll later regret.

Here's to the coming week!  Thank goodness there are only 4 work days.

=) Amanda