WEIGHT MANAGEMENT IS HARDER ON YOUR OWN
Weight management is not easy; it involves core lifestyle changes which may not be easy at first.
And it's harder for singletons and couples to lose weight.
They're great on the big stuff -- the 3 balanced meals a day, plenty of raw fruit and veg, choosing quick & easy recipes instead of processed food or takeout.
Bay when it comes to other essentials which are key to a successful diet -- variety, planning, portion control and regular time off -- at least 3 of these factors are harder on your own. That's even more true if budgets are tight or food tolerances are involved.
Variety
Shopping for 1 or 2 is more difficult to plan and execute because weight control depends on high vegetable & fruit consumption.
Fibre keeps you fuller longer and dampens cravings for fatty foods or sweets. Weekly shops should aim for all colours of the rainbow but following that rule, the solitary can end up with a lot of wastage.
What is a good weekly shopping list for a healthy singleton or couple? A starch (potatoes?), cabbage or cauliflower, easy cook veg (e.g. beans, broccoli); lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions, beetroot; apples, seasonal fruit or berries; nuts, rice (brown and white) & pulses.
Obviously not everything will be purchased at the same time in the same week (root veg, beetroot & celery keep well in the fridge; fruit & nuts are easily stored) but they should all be consumed during 7 days.
Singletons can get around the leftover/waste problem by shopping more at independent grocers who are happy to sell small quantities such as a handful of fine green beans or cherries. For the same reason, independent butchers who don't mind selling a couple of rashers, fishmongers and whole foods sections offering weigh-your-own nuts/pulses are a better deal than pre-packed supermarket food.
Money will actually be saved shopping in this way; the quality of the food is better and food cravings ease.
And with a greater variety of food to cook with, it's easier to stick to a diet and to lose weight.
Planning
Most people plan their meals on a weekly basis, often incorporating a couple of occasions when last-minute choices are allowed. That's great because it's much easier to plan healthy meals around imaginative uses of leftovers.
But few plan for snacks. And snacks can de-rail any healthy diet.
When you arrive home famished and there's nothing healthy to keep you going until dinner, 'healthy' snacks like bread and peanut butter will rapidly put paid to weight loss goals.
So try to have on hand healthy low-carb snacks which come in many shapes and sizes and don't require much work. Here's what 67goingon50 relies on:
- apple slices lightly smeared with peanut butter or alongside a thin slice of cheese
- small bunch grapes or cherries; half a banana; handful of berries
- if you must have carbs make it a small portion of something like fat-free homemade tortilla chips
Easily transported
- a handful of nuts (Bag them up and slip into pocket for post-gym)
- home-made sugar-free popcorn (frugal, high fibre & taste; easily transported)
- Carrot curls, celery sticks, raw cauliflower florets, radish roses (keeps 2 days in iced water in the fridge - see Oriental Crudités)
Liquid
- a mug of strong builders' tea with milk
- weak Jasmine tea with a slice of fresh ginger (Sunflower logo: pale green box with Arabic writing in Loon Fong Supermarket Gerrard Street London; not expensive)
- Banana Soothie - a half cup will calm anxiety (don't drink this regularly - bananas can be fattening!
67goingon50 is creating more recipes designed for singletons/couples but if you're using a recipe designed for 4, halve it. Alternatively, make it and freeze leftovers OR gift one half to a vulnerable friend/family. (67's new recipes are shared with a retired 80+ priest and his young assistant.)
One thing about planning...wo/man cannot live by diet alone. The most successful weight-loss programmes encourage regular breaks - usually weekly - involving at least one day when anything goes and indulgences are allowed. (See 67goingon50's Principles of Healthy Eating.)
Portion Control
Applies most to stews/casseroles and desserts. A will of iron is required to not overdo the portions when faced with a steaming casserole intended for more than one meal. Only one thing will prevent over-eating -- develop discipline!
Have a look at How to...calculate Daily Protein. Nothing will encourage weight gain more than excessive protein intake. Even with vegan or vegetarian casseroles, caution is required -- Mac 'n Cheese is a classic example.
67goingon50 Tips on Healthy Eating & Diets:
See the How to...page (click on Navigation Bar below the Blog Title at the top of the page). The pages, Recipes I & Recipes II (also on the Navigation Bar) contain recipes grouped by category including Fat-free/Low-fat & Cholesterol; Skinny/Skinnier and Low/No-Added-Sugar.
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DISCLAIMER: The author accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.
