Great Substitute for pie filling

[Rubystars]

Oh and Lisa I don't want to start another controversy over this but have you tried vegetarian options in the health food sections? Quorn is a pretty good meat substitute and its chicken patties and turkey burgers are fairly low calorie. It's made from a type of fungus but it looks and tastes almost like the real thing, a lot better than soy substitutes. Some people don't like it but it's worth a try anyway as an occasional substitute for a higher calorie meat. I would buy it more often but it's kind of expensive.

Amy's brand is also a pretty good brand for vegetarian meals. They have a low calorie tamale pie and shepherd's pie.

[Lisa]

I've never heard of Quorn, and same with that siricha (sp?)  Just out of curiosity, what kind of diet are you following? 

[Rubystars]

I've never heard of Quorn, and same with that siricha (sp?)  Just out of curiosity, what kind of diet are you following?  

My diet is to eat mostly healthy foods and stay between 1200 and 1800 calories a day.

I log what I eat every day to keep track of calories. I have a food scale for things like produce or oatmeal or crackers so I get the right serving size in ounces or grams entered in.

Sriracha is in the Asian section and has a rooster on the bottle. It tastes really good but is also really hot so just a little tiny bit makes things taste good without being overpowering with heat. And by a little tiny bit, I really mean a little tiny bit.

I try to get at least 5 servings of vegetables and/or fruits every day and it helps me stay less hungry by being able to eat more.

I use lower calorie bread like Sara Lee 45 calorie bread for sandwiches.


I don't think Quorn is kosher but Amy's says it is. It has a regional kosher organization doing oversight on it so it doesn't have an OU symbol and I think its status is in dispute, just for those who try to follow those things. I think there are other brands that do have an OU symbol on them though and I tend to try a lot of vegetarian foods, I ate them even before I started trying to eat really healthy because I like to try new things.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

1200 calories a day is dangerously low. 2000 is the benchmark norm. 1800 sounds better both healthwise and so you don't run the risk of burning out and crashing.

[Dr. Dan]

Just make sure you also count sodium and sugar intake.  Have a lot of protein and try to take supplements so that you dont miss anything.

Counting calories and keeping a log is awesome.

Are you under the care of a nutritionist?

When possible, try to add some exercise and log that also (eg brisk walk 1mile for 30 minutes, 10cm sit ups)

[Rubystars]

Just make sure you also count sodium and sugar intake.  Have a lot of protein and try to take supplements so that you dont miss anything.

Counting calories and keeping a log is awesome.

Are you under the care of a nutritionist?

When possible, try to add some exercise and log that also (eg brisk walk 1mile for 30 minutes, 10cm sit ups)

My dad went to a nutritionist once and she told him a lot of stuff that I remember because I was there (I was a lot younger then but I remember a lot of what she said), it was all basic common sense stuff. She told him to limit meat at one meal to the size of a deck of cards and he made a face and she said "Ok for you, two decks of cards" LOL Then she told him to make vegetable soup. She also told him not to eat fruit as a between-meal snack without protein because it causes a sugar spike and insulin response. She also told him frosted mini wheats weren't the best breakfast option.

Of course he ignored a lot of that stuff she said and probably shouldn't have even gone because for him it was a waste of time if he wasn't going to actually take the advice.

I've also read a lot about nutrition myself so I know in basic terms what's healthy and what's not. I don't know what they know of course but I don't really want to pay to go to one as long as I'm making progress.

I have a really physical job at night putting up freight (including steel toe boots), climbing ladders, walking around fast pushing a cart full of stuff, pulling around pallets on pallet jacks, etc. So I get a lot of exercise from that. Sometimes I'm really tired when I get home especially if it was a lot of freight. I try to save my energy for that although on weekends or when I was on vacation for a week I will do some other exercise like walking.

I buy supplements but I don't always remember to take them.

1200 calories a day is dangerously low. 2000 is the benchmark norm. 1800 sounds better both healthwise and so you don't run the risk of burning out and crashing.

Usually I average out about 1500-1600. I go to 1800 on some days and some days closer to 1200, it depends on how I feel that day. One reason I started eating avocados is that I would find myself at the end of the day last summer having eaten a lot of fruits and vegetables all day and then finding myself around 1000 calories and realizing that wasn't healthy and I needed more. So sometimes even if I'm not all that hungry I'll eat just to get into a good range so I'll have enough energy for work. I think 1200 average over several weeks probably would be unhealthy but a day or two now and then isn't too bad. I do always try to stay above that number though there were individual days where I didn't and then individual days when I went over 1800 a little bit.

[Debbie Shafer]

Sugar can definitely put on the pounds, once people get used to using less, they don't need it, their taste buds adapt to the fresh fruits which have their own natural sugars...I would say this to be true with the one exception... Rhubarb.

[Rubystars]

Sugar can definitely put on the pounds, once people get used to using less, they don't need it, their taste buds adapt to the fresh fruits which have their own natural sugars...I would say this to be true with the one exception... Rhubarb.

I think when people eat a lot of sugar it can actually cause cravings for more sugar.

[GunsAndRosesFan]

Hahahahaa there ain't no substitute to a real fat creamy cheese cake!! Yummie!

[Rubystars]

Hahahahaa there ain't no substitute to a real fat creamy cheese cake!! Yummie!

Well cheesecake is pretty good, but I imagine there are ways to make it a little better. There are lower fat cream cheeses I think it's called Neufchatel or something like that, you can use to make it with. It would still be pretty high calorie but it would be a little better.

[Lisa]

I remember reading somewhere a while back about using low fat ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese. 

[Rubystars]

I remember reading somewhere a while back about using low fat ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese.  

That stuff is so gritty though

[Lisa]

Or how about that thick Greek style yogurt?

[Rubystars]

Or how about that thick Greek style yogurt?

That tastes just like sour cream so would probably work well as the basis of a chip dip but I don't know about sweet things. You'd have to add a lot of sweetener to it to make it sweet, which is probably why so many of the "Greek Yogurt" things in the store are big calorie bombs. I've had the plain greek yogurt though and it's pretty good as far as calories go.

[Lisa]

Is it possible that the low fat ricotta cheese would be less gritty if you put it in a blender and mixed it with the other ingredients (besides crust)?

[Rubystars]

Is it possible that the low fat ricotta cheese would be less gritty if you put it in a blender and mixed it with the other ingredients (besides crust)?

That might make it ok actually. I tried mixing it with sugar and strawberries a couple of years ago and the taste was ok but I didn't like the texture. A blender might fix that.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

Rubystars, I really think you need to seek the consultation of a professional dietician or nutritionist. I really don't think that these eating choices and caloric intake are healthy. No legitimate medical professional is going to tell you artificial sweeteners are a sound way to lose weight. (That being said, pies generally are not healthy anyway, but not because of sugar, but because the crusts are typically loaded with trans fat.)

A severely limited calorie diet is very unhealthy in the long run--not just because no human has the willpower to stick to it, but because you are (a) likely robbing yourself of some vital nutrients and (b) you are going to be setting your metabolism to starvation mode, which will maximize your body's retention and deposition of fat. Once your metabolism enters starvation mode, it can take years upon years to break it.

May I ask why you aren't incorporating more exercise into your weight-loss program?

[Rubystars]

Rubystars, I really think you need to seek the consultation of a professional dietician or nutritionist. I really don't think that these eating choices and caloric intake are healthy. No legitimate medical professional is going to tell you artificial sweeteners are a sound way to lose weight. (That being said, pies generally are not healthy anyway, but not because of sugar, but because the crusts are typically loaded with trans fat.)

I wasn't eating the crusts, and not eating the other stuff on a daily basis either. Also many doctors say it's just fine to use no-calorie or low calorie sweetener substitutes because eating too much sugar can cause diabetes and sweeteners won't. On top of that the only sweetener I've ever heard of anyone having a problem with is Nutra Sweet, but most people aren't harmed by it.

A severely limited calorie diet is very unhealthy in the long run--not just because no human has the willpower to stick to it, but because you are (a) likely robbing yourself of some vital nutrients and (b) you are going to be setting your metabolism to starvation mode, which will maximize your body's retention and deposition of fat. Once your metabolism enters starvation mode, it can take years upon years to break it.

People with excess fat don't go into starvation mode. Well they can starve... but I mean people have fasted for a month or so with no ill effects on health so I really don't think there's much to worry about here in my case.

And I'm not 'severely limiting' my intake.

I'm in a calorie deficit but that's absolutely necessary to lose.

As far as sticking to it, it's been since June with only a very few days going over (like Thanksgiving).

Most of the time I'm not hungry.

May I ask why you aren't incorporating more exercise into your weight-loss program?

I have physical activity for 8 hours a night most days, then end up going to the store or run some other errand for more activity on a lot of days, then sleep the rest of the day until it's time to go to work again.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

It doesn't matter what your weight is, if your body is suddenly deprived of a normal daily amount of calories it is going to instinctively go into "power save mode". Any weight-loss expert will tell you this and this is why drastic weight-loss diets never are effective. Your body doesn't know that you will be able to eat more if you need to--it is doing what is designed to do, digging in for a famine that could stretch four or five years. Once you leave that "famine", your body will pack away every calorie you eat because it doesn't know how long this food supply will last. This adaptation is what has enabled the human race to survive to the present; it's only within the past sixty years or so that humanity (at least in the developed world) can count on a plenty of food at all times.

As for the exercise, you need more than your job. In fact, if you have a stressful job, it could be causing you to produce cortisol and other hormones that increase fat retention. Have you thought of taking up hiking or something like that?

[Rubystars]

It doesn't matter what your weight is, if your body is suddenly deprived of a normal daily amount of calories it is going to instinctively go into "power save mode". Any weight-loss expert will tell you this and this is why drastic weight-loss diets never are effective. Your body doesn't know that you will be able to eat more if you need to--it is doing what is designed to do, digging in for a famine that could stretch four or five years. Once you leave that "famine", your body will pack away every calorie you eat because it doesn't know how long this food supply will last. This adaptation is what has enabled the human race to survive to the present; it's only within the past sixty years or so that humanity (at least in the developed world) can count on a plenty of food at all times.

It's not drastic. I'm losing weight slowly. It's been 80 lbs since June, and bigger people lose it faster so now that I lost all that it may slow down a bit now too. I intend to keep pretty much the same calorie level forever. When I look up the maintenance level for my goal, it's about 1800 calories. So if I'm staying around 1500-1800 then I may hit my goal or go a little lower (giving me a few pounds of leeway to still look normal if I do something like eat more on a vacation or something).

I made the mistake of doing the yoyo thing once and I decided I wasn't going to do that again. As a young adult I had lost all the excess weight but wasn't eating enough and ended up gaining it all back plus some so I didn't go on another diet again for years and years and years, deciding it wouldn't work or wasn't worth it. One day last June I went to the doctor's office and found out I was a good 30 lbs. heavier than I expected to be plus I knew it was affecting my health and that I was at high risk for all kinds of other problems so I decided this time to try to do it the right way and it's been working out for me great.

As for the exercise, you need more than your job. In fact, if you have a stressful job, it could be causing you to produce cortisol and other hormones that increase fat retention. Have you thought of taking up hiking or something like that?

When I'm smaller I'll probably have more energy left over, but being in a calorie deficit right now plus doing all the physical work at my job at night I don't have a lot left over when I get home. I have more energy than I used to, by a long shot, but I'm pretty worn out when I get home. I also think you have NO IDEA how much physical work I do.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

"Physical work" does not equal massive amounts of weight loss. In fact like I said, it is possible that it could contribute to weight gain if your body is manufacturing lots of cortisol in response to stress. Look around at manual laborers such as landscapers, road crews, and construction workers--they tend to be on the pudgy side more often than not, and they certainly work their butts off. In fact they are usually more overweight than upper-income workers whose jobs are not physical in the least. I'm not saying that you don't work hard, not at all, but to lose weight consistently through exertion it has to be something cardiovascular, something that causes you to get out of breath some. Very few jobs consist of sustained cardiovascular exercise and therefore you need to incorporate it into your life some other way.

The reason you feel like crap all the time is because living at a severe calorie deficit for long stretches just is not healthy in any way. Just because the human system is able to do it doesn't mean that it's good for it to do it on a daily basis. Your body does not have the energy to take care of its daily needs and having lost 80 pounds in five months is extreme. Your body is likely already in starvation mode, thinking you might not eat well for another three years, and is in maximum calorie conservation, and you are more vulnerable to all kinds of illnesses (not to mention deficiencies) because your immune system doesn't have the building blocks it requires. Most professionals would want that amount of weight loss spread over three years. Also, another thing to consider is that rapid weight loss frequently involves quite a bit of dehydration because a lot of it is fluid loss, and puts you at a high risk for developing gallstones which is an emergency. That's terrible for your kidneys. From everything that you are writing, I'm starting to become concerned that you are developing an eating disorder and that's very bad, as all of us know.

I think you need some professional consultation and input but here is my advice for a healthier way to lose weight in order of what I think is best:

1: Cardiovascular exercise--something sufficient to make you huff and puff to some degree for a minimum of a half hour a day. This could be:
a--running
b--vigorous walking or hiking, especially if uphill
c--treadmill
d--dance
e--martial arts

2: Healthier food items, particularly removing trans fat completely from your diet as well as excessive added salt and sugar. Only whole-wheat carbohydrate sources. This does not include artificial sweeteners, or cutting out all animal fats.

3: Having a big, filling meal when you eat and no snacking during the day

4: SENSIBLE caloric reduction, meaning 1800 calories a day, not 1200

[Rubystars]

"Physical work" does not equal massive amounts of weight loss. In fact like I said, it is possible that it could contribute to weight gain if your body is manufacturing lots of cortisol in response to stress.

I've already had massive amounts of weight loss. I've lost 80 lbs since June, even with occasional plateaus, and by next year I think it'll be at least that much again.

Look around at manual laborers such as landscapers, road crews, and construction workers--they tend to be on the pudgy side more often than not, and they certainly work their butts off.

They also go and eat lunch at taco stands or eat big subway sandwiches or stop into McDonalds for lunch. No matter how many calories you're burning if you're eating more, you won't lose weight.

In fact they are usually more overweight than upper-income workers whose jobs are not physical in the least. I'm not saying that you don't work hard, not at all, but to lose weight consistently through exertion it has to be something cardiovascular, something that causes you to get out of breath some. Very few jobs consist of sustained cardiovascular exercise and therefore you need to incorporate it into your life some other way.

There are times during the night when the motion is really constant for a sustained amount of time. How would you like to take 50 steel toe boots up a ladder with nobody to hand them up to you (necessitating climbing up and down and putting about 4-5 boots on the rungs, then as I climb up lifting the boots progressively higher)? Would you feel like you had a workout? Well I do that then some other aisles immediately after.

I used to get very out of breath from this, it was probably putting a strain on my heart. Now I still feel like I'm working hard but I'm not gasping for air.

The reason you feel like crap all the time is because living at a severe calorie deficit for long stretches just is not healthy in any way.

I don't feel like crap. I feel much better now. I am tired after work, that's normal.

I'm curious what you would define as a severe calorie deficit. If I eat 2000+ calories I will never make my goal, I'll end up being chubby. I'm a petite woman I don't need that many calories. 1800 is a good level for women my height according to every calculator I've ever used. Plus take into account the fact that at least half my family comes from farming/ranching stock and tends toward being overweight (I don't really know why that correlates, but many people have noticed this correlation in their families). The other half also tends the same way, probably for the same reasons if you go back far enough.

Just because the human system is able to do it doesn't mean that it's good for it to do it on a daily basis. Your body does not have the energy to take care of its daily needs and having lost 80 pounds in five months is extreme.

People who are really obese lose weight faster than people who are slimmer.

Your body is likely already in starvation mode, thinking you might not eat well for another three years, and is in maximum calorie conservation, and you are more vulnerable to all kinds of illnesses (not to mention deficiencies) because your immune system doesn't have the building blocks it requires. Most professionals would want that amount of weight loss spread over three years. Also, another thing to consider is that rapid weight loss frequently involves quite a bit of dehydration because a lot of it is fluid loss, and puts you at a high risk for developing gallstones which is an emergency. That's terrible for your kidneys. From everything that you are writing, I'm starting to become concerned that you are developing an eating disorder and that's very bad, as all of us know.

When I went to the doctor he was really happy and said I was doing a great job.

I think you need some professional consultation and input but here is my advice for a healthier way to lose weight in order of what I think is best:

1: Cardiovascular exercise--something sufficient to make you huff and puff to some degree for a minimum of a half hour a day. This could be:
a--running
b--vigorous walking or hiking, especially if uphill
c--treadmill
d--dance
e--martial arts

2: Healthier food items, particularly removing trans fat completely from your diet as well as excessive added salt and sugar. Only whole-wheat carbohydrate sources. This does not include artificial sweeteners, or cutting out all animal fats.

3: Having a big, filling meal when you eat and no snacking during the day

4: SENSIBLE caloric reduction, meaning 1800 calories a day, not 1200

It's hard to hit 1800 if you're eating as many vegetables as I am. They fill me up. You're also assuming a lot of stuff about what I do and don't eat that's not accurate. Besides, Obese people should NOT run, my joints have been abused enough. I enjoy walking especially when I don't have to work.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

I've already had massive amounts of weight loss. I've lost 80 lbs since June, even with occasional plateaus, and by next year I think it'll be at least that much again.

It wouldn't matter if you'd weighed 1000 pounds. 80 pounds in five months is extreme. Nobody would support that. That is unsustainable and it is setting your body up for a big backlash.

They also go and eat lunch at taco stands or eat big subway sandwiches or stop into McDonalds for lunch. No matter how many calories you're burning if you're eating more, you won't lose weight.

Part of this is true but a lot of better-educated people with better jobs who are thinner don't eat much healthier. It's the stress factor and if your body is constantly doing something unpleasant it will go into maximum stress mode.

There are times during the night when the motion is really constant for a sustained amount of time. How would you like to take 50 steel toe boots up a ladder with nobody to hand them up to you (necessitating climbing up and down and putting about 4-5 boots on the rungs, then as I climb up lifting the boots progressively higher)? Would you feel like you had a workout? Well I do that then some other aisles immediately after.

I used to get very out of breath from this, it was probably putting a strain on my heart. Now I still feel like I'm working hard but I'm not gasping for air.

There are other ways to get fit than eating only vegetables and consuming toxic chemicals.

I don't feel like crap. I feel much better now. I am tired after work, that's normal.

You've said you are much more tired than you used to be. How does that count as feeling better?

I'm curious what you would define as a severe calorie deficit. If I eat 2000+ calories I will never make my goal, I'll end up being chubby. I'm a petite woman I don't need that many calories. 1800 is a good level for women my height according to every calculator I've ever used. Plus take into account the fact that at least half my family comes from farming/ranching stock and tends toward being overweight (I don't really know why that correlates, but many people have noticed this correlation in their families). The other half also tends the same way, probably for the same reasons if you go back far enough.

It sounds like you are probably genetically programmed to be of a certain body type. Honestly I think people should learn to accept this sort of thing and try to be the healthiest they can for the body type they are supposed to be. Some people are naturally thin and others, especially females, are naturally heavier. I don't see what is wrong with that unless they are grossly obese or have unhealthy fat concentrations like on the abdomen.

People who are really obese lose weight faster than people who are slimmer.

See above. Losing that much weight that fast is never, ever healthy. A pound and a half a week should be anybody's tops: http://www.iliveslim.com/weight-loss-rate.html

When I went to the doctor he was really happy and said I was doing a great job.

If that's really true then your doctor's not doing a great job.

It's hard to hit 1800 if you're eating as many vegetables as I am. They fill me up. You're also assuming a lot of stuff about what I do and don't eat that's not accurate. Besides, Obese people should NOT run, my joints have been abused enough. I enjoy walking especially when I don't have to work.

Are there any places where you can walk uphill, or go hiking so your legs have the added exertion of having to navigate rough ground?

[Lisa]

Rubystars, when you say you lost 80 pounds since June, do you mean June 2011?  Or June 2010?  If it's June 2011, then it comes out to 16 pounds a month and 4 pounds a week. 

Axl, it's true that very heavy people lose weight more quickly at first, and then plateau when they get closer to their goal weight.  So four pounds a week for her is OK.  If she lost 80 pounds as of June 2010, then she's going very slowly and being extra careful.  I've read that 1-3 pounds of weight loss per week is the norm. 

Also Axl, I don't think you or I know Ruby's medical condition and other issues.  If that extra weight was stressing her joints, that's very bad for a young person.  Furthermore, carrying all that extra weight would put her at risk for type 2 diabetes, which can do all sorts of bad things to her body. 

Anyway Rubystars, I'm very proud of you.  It looks like you found a way of eating you can stick with and make into a way of life, which is really what it's all about. 

[Rubystars]

Rubystars, when you say you lost 80 pounds since June, do you mean June 2011?  Or June 2010?  If it's June 2011, then it comes out to 16 pounds a month and 4 pounds a week.

It was June 2011.

Axl, it's true that very heavy people lose weight more quickly at first, and then plateau when they get closer to their goal weight.  So four pounds a week for her is OK.  If she lost 80 pounds as of June 2010, then she's going very slowly and being extra careful.  I've read that 1-3 pounds of weight loss per week is the norm. 

Thanks Lisa. I think Axl really cares about me and wants me to be healthy and I do appreciate that. I think he might be concerned that I'm not getting enough food, but I'm charting my nutrition on a web site where I enter all my food in and it says I'm doing ok on most nutrients most of the time, which I'm sure is way better than whatever I was doing before.

Also Axl, I don't think you or I know Ruby's medical condition and other issues.  If that extra weight was stressing her joints, that's very bad for a young person.  Furthermore, carrying all that extra weight would put her at risk for type 2 diabetes, which can do all sorts of bad things to her body. 

My knees and hip joints were sore from climbing ladders and being really overweight and I was afraid I was going to have a heart attack which I'm not quite as worried about now. I had this sort of daymare where I thought about what it would be like to have a stroke and have half of my face and body frozen and not be able to talk and/or end up mentally disabled and I realized I had to do something before that or something else bad happened. My aunt died of breast cancer and my grandmother died of diabetes, I really didn't want that to be me.
 

Anyway Rubystars, I'm very proud of you.  It looks like you found a way of eating you can stick with and make into a way of life, which is really what it's all about. 

Thank you Lisa and thank you too Axl for you both caring so much.