:phanvan :phanvan :phanvan :phanvan :phanvan :phanvan :phanvan

Hello everybody it's been a while since I been on here ! The reason I haven't been on much is because I have been working two jobs & I barely have time for myself, which has led me to this post ! I have not been losing weight and I have had my 3rd fill my Dr tells me after about 2 more I will lose again like I did in the beginning, I know I haven't been up to exercising as much because i'm so tired and I never have a day off & if I should get a day off I just want to be lazy & sleep:notagree and also having two jobs it lead to me to getting very UNHEALTHY high calorie food :hungry: on the go ! So I just need some advice for u guys or just some encouraging word please and, just what I can do to start losing again ! Because i'm starting to wonder why did I do this surgery at all if I can't do what i'm suppose too ! I hope I don't sound like i'm whining or complaining I just need some suggestions for on the go healthy foods for a busy person and exercise advice for me with a busy schedule !

:help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: :help:

Why not prepare a healthy lunch and take that to work with you, its going to be home made better for you and substantially less calories. Do you live far from work maybe you could try walkng there, walking is a very good form of exercise. Dont give up you will start to lose again. good luck xx

If you have to eat fast foods, try salad, Wendy's chili, chicken, etc. Why not hang in there until you do get the fills to get you where you are supposed to be?

Im so sorry this is happening to you. And you are right, we're all in this together.

I agree with Betty - there's alot of fast food places that have a great selection of low calorie foods. Ive been enjoying Burger King's whopper jr with no bun or mayo (just another idea). Things like this offer protien and veg's... and its healthy.

Try getting back to basics... drinking 60 oz's of Water a day, eating protien first, veg's lastly carbs.

You can do this. Youve done it before and you CAN do it again!

good luck

Ms. H S you have come to far to turn back now. Are you 2 jobs sit down jobs? Can you bring your own food, do you have time to sit down and eat or just snack?

Look at your before and after pics. Put on some of your old clothes and remember how you use to fill them out.

Why did you have the surgery? Remind yourself of your goals and what you want for your future. Are you any happy since losing 30 some pounds?

You need a support system, at home, work or by phone. Sometimes you need someone to remind you of how good you look or much better you feel about yourself. You know what to do, it just isn't real easy to do it.

Please don't give up, you can do this! Do you have just one day during the week where you would have time to do a good amount of cooking? If so, then you could prepare your meals for the week and freeze them. Then, all you have to do is grab them out of the fridge and go.

As far as exercise, any thing you can do to get moving more counts. Park as far away as you can from the building, take the stairs, take a 15 minute break and take a quick, brisk walk, walk during lunch, stand up and do some stretches periodically.

Good luck to you and keep your chin up! Your band will be there for you when you need it.

We have a very busy lifestyle too. I never enjoyed making lunches, it was a real effort and a chore to do it until the last year or so. At first, I had to make myself do it, for so many reasons. Now I've got used to it, it's an adventure to see what I can dream up to take in my lunch bag.

I find the trick is to plan ahead and to keep things on hand at home for grab and go lunch making and taking. I also keep a supply of basics at in the cupboard / fridge at work (canned food, butter, bread, Soup etc) for emergencies. My hubby is often on the road, so also has an old electric kettle and a small esky in his car as a dry food store - he keeps coffee, tea, UHT milk jiggers, cuppa Soups, fruit snack packs, museli bars etc in there also.

For the taking:

A supply of small containers (I like GladWare - they are reusable disposables, microwave & diswasher safe - you probably have an American alternative), snap lock bags, sandwich bags, and a good quality, large insulated lunch bag are basic essentials. You could have two bags - one for each meal / job you do throughout your day.

I have an insulated lunch bag - a reasonably large one (2 litre / 1/2 gallon size) into which I pack a diet drink and two to four of the following: fresh fruit, fruit snack pack (in natural juice), yoghurt snack pack, museli bars or fruit & nut bars. I take extra so I can be picky later. The rest stays for the next day, or if I work late, for a later snack. The bag is big enough to fit enough for 2 meals if needed.

For the making, I have an number of tricks:

The main one - SHOP and COOK in bulk.

If you can, plan ahead so you have a day or half a day free, and use it to get your meals ready for the busy work days. I usually only manage to cook once or twice a week (or less). If I can, I pland ahead to have a "chores day", or else, I'll grab an opportunity of a morning or evening before work to cook a meal or two.

I always make extra to top up my supply of frozen leftovers (eg. casserole, curry, chunky soup (more like a stew), spaghetti etc). I cook from scratch mostly, with no oil. I very rarely use recepie mixes or sauce jars as these add far too much sugar, fat and salt. I never cook just a single quantity - if I'm going to cook, might as well make the most of it!

The crock pot is a VERY good friend here - for "set and forget cooking", and you can really pack those babys full!! Add an extra half, double or whatever quantity it takes to fill you crock or pot to the top. I put mine on of a Saturday morning, do chores all day, and we eat out of it that night. The rest goes into the frozen stash. You will find after a month or so, you have quite an impressive "library" of ready made meals to choose in a hurry.

Of a morning, I just throw a meal from the freezer, into the lunch bag, and away I go.

In warmer weather, or when I want a change, I make up salads in individual bowls (just lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, capsicum and carrot, and store them in the fridge. I make up a week's worth (5 days) at a time on a Sunday night. I pack a small container of salad dressing, or add a dollop of mayo on the salad on the day I'm taking it. Sometimes I throw a bit of cubed tasty or fetta cheese, some olives, sundried tomatoes, pickles, cubes ham or strasburg meat, hardboiled egg or whatever to dress it up.

An uncut meat & cheese sandwich, no butter (which I toast at work) is another favourite, sometimes along with a plain salad from the stash. If you have a jaffle snack maker at work, pack some bread and take some cheese and / or small cans of creamed corn, baked Beans, spaghetti, chilli or some frozen spag bolognese etc from your stash to make yummy jaffles at work.

I hope that you find these ideas helpful, and inspiring. Enjoy the adventure!!!

I know how you feel about being busy. I work, go to college full time and have 2 kids. (kids are about 10 jobs right..lol) I have found it hard to eat at home. I now pack lunch, which takes me an extra 5 minutes in the a.m. If I run late I grab a protien bar or Meal Replacement bar. There are some very tasty and satisfying bars out there. I love Nutrilite bars though.

Breakfast is usually a protien shake or a meal replacement bar. For Snacks I carry a bar and break it into pieces. You can eat well in a hurry, it just takes dedication! I do not even go to fast food for good food. It is just too much of a temptation to fall back into that trap!

:hungry:

Thank you all so much for your replies, I have read a lot of tips and I plan on putting them to use, and hopefully I will start to see results again ! Thanks again for your help !

My desk drawer at work has become my kitchen. lol.

I buy the whole box of 6 Tuna lunch kits at a time and take them to work.

I also keep a box of Frosted Mini wheats at work to snack on for Fiber and something to crunch on.

I keep Protein bars and Protein drinks there as well.

I have packages of Carnation Instant breakfast and some of those one cup instant soups.

I think the hardest part of this journey is getting to that place of realizing we are eating to fuel our bodies. It doesn't have to be about 'enjoyment' all the time. So, if you have these types of things on hand, they will get you through the day, then when you do have some quiet time to yourself, you can focus more on something you 'enjoy'.

Another thing I do often is to boil several eggs at a time. This way I can carry one to work with me. I also use the small one cup containers from Glad to cook up soups or chili, etc and carry those to work or eat at home.

South Beach also makes some pretty good high protein frozen meals, as well as Lean Cuisine.

It's also pretty easy to cook up chicken breasts at home and take those along in foil or a ziplock container.

Just try to focus on the protein and veggies. Say NO to the carbs from breads and refined starches. Hard, I know... but you'll reap the rewards.

Good luck!!

I like to use string cheese, and roll sandwich meat around them and even a lettuce leaf to use as the wrapper. Those cheese singles make a great on the go snack as do the yogurt. Its all about staying ahead of the game and being prepared- PLUS it is a TON cheaper than pulling thru the fast food. Prepackaged meals and frozen dinners are a better bad choice when fresh is not available and you will be glad you did it. Take 1 hour and shop and package for the week- Good Luck. You can do it!!