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  #1   ^
Old Sun, Nov-09-14, 01:08
NightowlRS NightowlRS is offline
New Member
Posts: 14
 
Plan: Ketosis / low carb
Stats: 235/160/160 Male 5'8
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default Living off shakes and rotisserie chicken? Is this healthy?

Hi, I'm new to the low carb.. sorta... for most my life I lived off junk food and sat at a desk...

Four months ago I explored the world of low carb... It worked out great - Went from 235, to 200 in no time... Eating mostly meats cheese and veggie. But when I got off it, I went back to 215...

This time when I started back up, I made a custom plan to fit my lifestyle needs. And to be honest.. I hate cooking.

I have two cups of coffee on days where I want the extra boost. I use splenda or sugar-free hazlenut/french vanilla creamers.

2 Shakes a day (these are my home-made shakes blended with raw eggs, whey protein, almond milk, and sometimes avocado or strawberries thrown in)

For lunch or dinner I usually snack on Rotisserie Chicken already hot from the grocery store. Throughout the day I might have bites of Polish Sausage or some Bacon if I feel like cooking.

I walk/jog/run on a daily basis.
I workout (pushups, crunches, etc.)

My goal is to get to my recommended BMI weight and then start building muscle / looking toned.

My question is: How healthy is this lifestyle... is it something I can do for long periods of time? I have plenty of energy, I've lost almost 10 lbs so far.... any advice/criticism/comments are appreciated, thanks.
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  #2   ^
Old Sun, Nov-09-14, 05:45
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is offline
Posts: 13,370
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

It seems to be working for you and is far better than your previous junk food diet. If using a high quality, low carb whey powder is what helps you stay on track, then go for it. Some people don't do well with dairy, and it is highly processed, but not bad either. Your plan seems a bit light on the vegetables, but some LC plans are all meat and result in long term health. Something to consider...I add greens to my shake, almost cant taste them with frozen fruit, almond milk and flavored whey, plus you can get quite a few servings as they are liquified. But even without more veg, you are using real foods and seem to eating much healthier than before. Keep up the progress,
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  #3   ^
Old Sun, Nov-09-14, 09:42
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
Default

You're doing something lots of people do, a diet. A short-term eating plan that results in weight loss. Unfortunately it is usually unpleasant and someday the house of cards comes tumbling down. There's enough commitment to see it through until X number of pounds is lost, but not enough to make the effort to learn to cook (really, it can be fun... watch Alton Brown) or make lifestyle changes.

I'd recommend adopting something you can stick to for life, otherwise you'll be joining the ranks of yo-yo dieters who periodically muster up the will to make radical, if temporary, changes.
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  #4   ^
Old Sun, Nov-09-14, 09:59
Judynyc's Avatar
Judynyc Judynyc is offline
Attitude is a Choice
Posts: 30,111
 
Plan: No sugar, flour, wheat
Stats: 228.4/209.0/170 Female 5'6"
BF:stl/too/mch
Progress: 33%
Location: NYC
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
You're doing something lots of people do, a diet. A short-term eating plan that results in weight loss. Unfortunately it is usually unpleasant and someday the house of cards comes tumbling down. There's enough commitment to see it through until X number of pounds is lost, but not enough to make the effort to learn to cook (really, it can be fun... watch Alton Brown) or make lifestyle changes.

I'd recommend adopting something you can stick to for life, otherwise you'll be joining the ranks of yo-yo dieters who periodically muster up the will to make radical, if temporary, changes.

I have to agree with Nancy on all her points, including watching Alton Brown on the cooking channel. That's one of the ways that I learned to cook and I didn't want to cook either....but I saw it as necessary if I didn't want to keep being a typical yo-yo dieter. So, I taught myself how to cook.
I cook foods in a way that I love its flavors. But first I had to figure out what I wanted my food to taste like. I like tangy, sour, savory....not sweet. I had to learn how to make that happen. I like my sweets to be from fruit or sweet treats, not in my food.

Good Luck!
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  #5   ^
Old Sun, Nov-09-14, 14:36
bkloots's Avatar
bkloots bkloots is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,147
 
Plan: LC--Atkins
Stats: 195/162/150 Female 62in
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: Kansas City, MO
Default

Well, Nightowl--you asked, and you pretty well got answered. Just my two cents in agreement with the above. That is to say, you answered your own question this way:
Quote:
But when I got off it, I went back to 215...
this is what will happen again "when" you decide to quit your limited-menu temporary diet.

However, if you hang around this forum, you will discover some easy ways to create a more sustainable lifestyle in support of your health goals. Welcome!
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  #6   ^
Old Sun, Nov-09-14, 15:01
Kristine's Avatar
Kristine Kristine is offline
Forum Moderator
Posts: 25,581
 
Plan: Primal/P:E
Stats: 171/146/150 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 119%
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Default

Hello and welcome.

I can hear you on the anti-cooking thing. I happen to like it, but not when I'm on my feet 40 hrs a week and when I'm trying to keep my electricity bills reasonable.

If I were you, I'd definitely work in more variety. There are so many easy foods that require about the same amount of effort as that shake you're making.

So you're at the grocery store for a cooked chicken? There are other fully-cooked options. Grab some pull-tab cans of flavoured tuna. My mega-grocery store has all sorts of pre-made salads. I'm sure they have a ton of frozen/cooked meats I could pop in the microwave, but I haven't even looked lately.

When you do cook, make enough portions to last a few days and/or freeze. You mentioned bacon in the 'favorite meal' thread - cooked bacon freezes really nicely. Of course, that's another fully-cooked-from-the-store option. The brand name is ReadyCrisp here. I buy it at the dollar store. Make easy soups and chili; that freezes well, too.

Good luck and don't give up on cooking. It doesn't have to be messy or time-consuming.
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  #7   ^
Old Mon, Nov-10-14, 10:15
KDH's Avatar
KDH KDH is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,247
 
Plan: Atkins/Taubes
Stats: 270/168/160 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 93%
Location: Dallas, TX
Default

I'll admit it, I hate to cook. Luckily I'm fine with a rather limited menu, although it is a bit more diverse than 'shakes and rotisserie chicken'. Mainly I hate being obese way more than I hate to cook. and have lived the "bounce back" of 20-25 pounds more than once because of the whole "diet/off diet" mindset. I'm weary of things like rotisserie chicken, or anything I don't prepare really. They baste and inject those things with god knows what. Will it hurt? Probably not every once in a while. But every day? Hmm...

It is really easy to somehow believe that once you get there, you'll deal with how to stay there. But the fact is, maintenance is SO much more difficult than losing. You don't have windmills left to tilt at, you just have to practice balancing your lance, metaphorically speaking. Which is boring.
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  #8   ^
Old Tue, Nov-11-14, 14:38
CallmeAnn's Avatar
CallmeAnn CallmeAnn is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,728
 
Plan: HFLC/IF
Stats: 218/176/140 Female 5'4"
BF:27%
Progress: 54%
Location: Houston area
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by KDH

It is really easy to somehow believe that once you get there, you'll deal with how to stay there. But the fact is, maintenance is SO much more difficult than losing. You don't have windmills left to tilt at, you just have to practice balancing your lance, metaphorically speaking. Which is boring.


Wow, K. That's such a great way to say what I have tried to express. Without the rewards of delayed gratification, i.e. excitement over weight loss, it's hard to just live normally at one size. I think we need a "non-loss excitement" thread in the vein of the "non-scale victory" one that's so inspiring.
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  #9   ^
Old Tue, Nov-11-14, 14:41
CallmeAnn's Avatar
CallmeAnn CallmeAnn is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,728
 
Plan: HFLC/IF
Stats: 218/176/140 Female 5'4"
BF:27%
Progress: 54%
Location: Houston area
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Judynyc
I like my sweets to be from fruit or sweet treats, not in my food.

Good Luck!


Hear! Hear! I can't make certain family members understand that carrots, sweet cole slaw dressing, and other sweet foods (except for baked beans - delicious) seem to be a waste of sweet flavor. They just really don't do it for me, so why have the carbs?
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  #10   ^
Old Tue, Nov-11-14, 14:46
CallmeAnn's Avatar
CallmeAnn CallmeAnn is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,728
 
Plan: HFLC/IF
Stats: 218/176/140 Female 5'4"
BF:27%
Progress: 54%
Location: Houston area
Default

You seem to be in the same transition phase that I have gone through whenever I jump back in the lc saddle. It's always an issue of motivation for me, so to be successful, I have to make it easy and extra tasty. Then, after some loss success, I get the umph to actually do some cooking. You might develop some of that as you wean yourself off the carby junk by eating the easy stuff you mention.
I'm just saying for you to be willing to evolve as you stay on plan. Maybe when you hit a slow down but aren't willing to gain back, you can look at making some changes. It provides that magic motivation ingredient for me. Maybe it will for you.
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  #11   ^
Old Tue, Nov-25-14, 14:13
2thinchix's Avatar
2thinchix 2thinchix is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 852
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 315/315/240 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 0%
Default

eh - I'm not so sure about the learn to cook thing. I do best low carb when I eat pretty much the same thing every day. Default dinner is scrambled eggs and bacon and I can have those 5 nights a week. For me the key is to just not be thinking about food much. I overeat if I'm looking forward to a new recipe.
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  #12   ^
Old Tue, Nov-25-14, 20:05
Meme#1's Avatar
Meme#1 Meme#1 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 12,456
 
Plan: Atkins DANDR
Stats: 210/194/160 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 32%
Location: Texas
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2thinchix
eh - I'm not so sure about the learn to cook thing. I do best low carb when I eat pretty much the same thing every day. Default dinner is scrambled eggs and bacon and I can have those 5 nights a week. For me the key is to just not be thinking about food much. I overeat if I'm looking forward to a new recipe.


Thinchix, Just a thought about bacon and eggs.
You say that you can have them 5 nights a week and yes they are really good and good for you but the question is can you have them every night for the rest of your life?
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  #13   ^
Old Thu, Nov-27-14, 14:08
2thinchix's Avatar
2thinchix 2thinchix is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 852
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 315/315/240 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 0%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Meme#1
Thinchix, Just a thought about bacon and eggs.
You say that you can have them 5 nights a week and yes they are really good and good for you but the question is can you have them every night for the rest of your life?

Why would I have to? I'm not saying that I WILL only eat bacon and eggs. I'm saying that I currently DO eat lots of them.I just don't want or need much variety, and the less I "think" about food the more successful I am.
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  #14   ^
Old Thu, Nov-27-14, 14:41
Aradasky's Avatar
Aradasky Aradasky is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,116
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 199/000/000 Female 5"3'
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: Southern California
Default

I do not like cooking too much either. But I consider throwing a roast or even a whole chicken, chicken parts, pork or just about any meat, along with onions and some veges (not starchy) into a slow cooker, herbs, garlic and salt then on for hours...not cooking. And if enough is in the pot, I can eat off it for days. You can grab a bag of broccoli that can be microwaved or steamed in minutes slathered with butter, or raw with blue cheese dressing as a dip. I love raw for the crunch.
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  #15   ^
Old Fri, Nov-28-14, 15:51
shades65's Avatar
shades65 shades65 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 495
 
Plan: Atkins '72
Stats: 230/165/140 Female 5' 5"
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: Midvale, Idaho
Default

Guess I am the odd one out here. I love to cook. I am also one that can eat the same thing over and over and over. Right now I am trying to make things really good tasting for me and stay within the low carb. I HAVE to cook for hubby and it has to be good meals to hopefully keep his cancer at bay. I need him as healthy as I can keep him so no skimpy meals for him. He also likes variety.

So this is a life style change and it is time to take care of me too. I need to learn how to work around good meals for him and the low carbs for me. And of course I do not have to eat everything he eats. I was on Atkins for 10 years before and some how I managed. I will figure it out again.

I can totally see eating eggs every night with bacon. I am usually doing it in the morning and just bought 6 boxes of bacon. On sale of course. Also bought 5 dozen eggs. Hubby eats oatmeal EVERY morning and once in awhile will have eggs, usually for lunch egg sandwich or some thing. But he needs to eat special because they had to re-plumb him when they took out part of his pancreas.

I am not cooking anything hard. Mostly roasts for my meats only non sandwiches. Love to slice thin and roll up a little bit of mayo and maybe mustard in a lettuce leaf and make it look pretty on fun dishes.

Chris
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