Diet Change Help

robnybbq · December 2012

OK - Got the numbers back from the Dr(Blood test) and it is NOT pretty. I need to lower my triglycerides and cholesterol ASAP. DR wants me on a low carb and very low fat diet. I do not like most vegetables and especially the ones that taste like grass (Green beans for example).

This is what I do like and what can I cook to eat healthy?

Meat
Beef - steaks, hamburgers(no more bread), meatballs,
Pork - chops, ribs (Forget having them for a long time)
Chicken - (If spatchcocked - Forget chicken breasts - can not cook them and can not stand them) or parmigiana(tomato sauce/cheese)
Fish - Salmon and most fish (Wife does not like most so its limited to get unless we eat out which I do not want to do anymore)

Vegetables on occasion but usually buried in a sauce (Like a cheese sauce)
Broccoli
Carrots
spinach (in a sauce)
corn
potato
celery
lettuce (buried in a salad dressing)
peppers once in a while

Do not like "Indian" or Curry flavored foods

What can I make? How can I shop for these types "Healthy" foods for the house for the week? I have been searching but can not get a good grasp on it. What spices do I need?

We are working on getting a food saver in a few weeks that may help as well. Cooking will mostly be done on weekends and lasting the week. This is the problem now as we cook allot of junky foods or order out during the week as they are easy.

Doc_Eggerton · December 2012

Get a basket and grill 'em. I also like sweet potatoes and asparagus.

Lean meats, no bigger than the palm of your hand. Chicken, turkey, pork or beef. Fish, of course.

NO BREAD, except sprouted varieties like Ezekiel Bread.

We have back slid a bit lately, but the spouse and I lost a good amount of weight while Egging, and I went from one point away from diabetic, to in the middle of the normal zone.

Eggcelsior · December 2012

Learn to wok. It allows you to eat quite a bit of veggies with a smaller serving of meat than you are likely used to and feel satisfied. They can be very simple dishes to make and make quickly.

robnybbq · December 2012

What exactly is a lean meat?

I am guessing a 3 oz piece of pork chop or similar is it. Wont they dry out being so small cooking on the grill?

I like asparagus - wife dont. She lies sweet potatos - I dont.

We want to get a wok as well. I would need to learn how to do that. Isn't there allot of oil needed to cook in a wok?

robnybbq · December 2012

Oh and please bare with me as this is very hard for me. Everytime I start thinking about what to do I get very frustrated,

BlueOvalBruin · December 2012

I’m on a similar diet and I think it’s very manageable and very effective. Pick lean cuts of meat like skinless chicken breast or skinless chicken thigh, skinless turkey breast, pork and beef tenderloin are good options (remove the fat). Ground beef is fine if you pick the super lean varieties. Eat egg whites for breakfast instead of normal eggs, mix in some turkey sausage and scramble it. Fish is good and are a good source of omega3 fatty acids. Don’t let fat creep into your other foods like sauces, condiments, and salad dressings. I use a lite pomegranate dressing on spinach that’s really good. I also cut up some fresh veggies and will munch on those during the day. I prefer fresh veggies to cooked. Eat lots of veggies, they help fill you up but mostly they help with getting proper nutrients and replacing the fiber you were getting from the breads. For sauces, generally forget American and French based sauces because they are often full of sugar or fat. Lots of Mexican and Asian sauces can be made low/non-fat, low/non-carb and taste awesome. They tend to be based on spice and vegetables rather than butter, cream, or flour.

Limiting the types of food I can eat has made cooking a bit of a challenge. The challenge has made cooking even more interesting though and I’m learning a ton about cooking because of it. You’d be surprised how lazy we become as cooks when we have liberal use of fats and sugars.

nolaegghead · December 2012

What exactly is a lean meat?
beef tenderloin, sirloin, poultry breast, frog legs, pork loin/tenderloin, lemon sole - you can look up nutritional info.

I am guessing a 3 oz piece of pork chop or similar is it. Wont they dry out being so small cooking on the grill?
No, unless you overcook them.

I like asparagus - wife dont. She lies sweet potatos - I dont.
Cook both.

We want to get a wok as well. I would need to learn how to do that. Isn't there allot of oil needed to cook in a wok?
No. Cook lean food in a seasoned wok. You can use a (people will be aghast here) teflon wok with very little oil. (in NOLA we pronounce that "earl").

robnybbq · December 2012

Do you load and fire up the egg for a small piece of a single pork chop? Seems like allot of work and time (an hour) to cook something so small.

nolaegghead · December 2012

Cooks in 15 minutes or less. Light 20 minutes before if I'm relighting old lump. I do, but that's because I light from the top.

nolaegghead · December 2012

Cook chops to 140. If they're under an inch thick, that's less than 15 minutes at 350-ish.

Mauch5 · December 2012

It's not going to be easy. You have to change a number of your dislikes into likes. Cooking on the egg has helped me lose 40 lbs this year.

robnybbq · December 2012

What do you do to make pork chops taste good without a sauce? We have cooked low and slows with rubs that came out good. When we tried the same rubs on pork chops they come out not tasting good - my guess not enough fat to "water the rub down".

What do do to most foods to not make them "Bland" tasting?

What do you do to vegetables to not make them taste like grass?

Another issue is DR want me to cut WAY back on the finer beverages to a couple a week - that's going to be the hardest.

robnybbq · December 2012

And BTW - I need to take a trip back to New Orleans - I loved that food, gumbos, poyboys and etc - not that they are any good for you but they taste great,..

Lit · December 2012

I cook bone in split chicken breasts for lunch every week. Pull it and mix it with kale, water crest, turnip greens, broccoli, spinach, collards, and then top it with hot sauce or balsamic vinegar.

Doc_Eggerton · December 2012

robnybbq said:

What exactly is a lean meat?

Chicken, turkey, pork, beef. Beef not too marbled, like sirloin or strip steak. No ribeye.

No ham or bacon. Egg made Canadian Bacon is really pork loin, but you are getting salt in the mix. Ground sirloin is ok, in proportion.

Should not even have to talk about butter, cheese and milk. Almond milk is good. Soy powder, almond milk, and fruit shakes are good for breakfast, and a quick home from work snack.

IMO portions are more important. I think the best I ever did was giving up bread.

Skiddymarker · December 2012

robnybbq said:

What exactly is a lean meat?

I am guessing a 3 oz piece of pork chop or similar is it. Wont they dry out being so small cooking on the grill?

I like asparagus - wife dont. She lies sweet potatos - I dont.

We want to get a wok as well. I would need to learn how to do that. Isn't there allot of oil needed to cook in a wok?

Lean is simple, little or no fat. Diets tell you 3-4 ounces but even if you eat an 8 oz lean pork chop it is better than a 3 oz chicken leg.

Pork chops cut from a loin (not a tenderloin) remove the fat cap, cut them as thick as you like, 1-1/2" to 2" is nice. Fill yer boots!

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cube 'em, marinate in 2 Tbs EVOO, garlic, lemon juice, oregano and put 'em on a stick. Grill em direct - voila, Souvlaki. Served with grass and sweet taters, tasty. BS chicken or turkey breasts, any rub you want - no sugar no oil, stick to the herbs, spice and minerals (salt).

Beef, strip loin, NY strip - choice only, keep the fat down and trim off the outside.

Before you get a wok, try a skillet. Peppers, green/red/yellow/orange for color, celery, carrot, onion. chop into bite size pieces. 1 Tbs oil, stir fry medium heat for 1 minute, 2 Tbs water, drop a lid on it, 4 minutes. Take lid off, drain the water and put the veggies on a plate, cover them. Put a tsp oil and a chopped up (bite size) chicken breast into the pan, stir fry until almost done. Dump it on the veggies.

In the pan drop 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 Tbs minced ginger, some sesame oil. stir 20 seconds. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1 Tbs catsup or hot sauce if you like that, 1 Tbs soy sauce, 1 Tbs vinegar. Heat and then stir in 1 to 2 Tbs corn starch mixed in 1/8 cup cooking wine or what ever white wine you have too much of. Heat till it thickens a bit, put all the veggies and chicken back in to warm - serve. If you like it, buy a wok and get serious.

Eggcelsior · December 2012

Lean meat is low in fat. Research what they are. Roast a pork loin/tenderloin and use the leftovers in stir fry later in the week. Eat veggies you don't like in small amounts mixed with ones you like in larger amounts to slowly develop a taste for them. A normal protein serving size should be the size of your fist, about 6 ounces. Brine lean meats to aid with flavor.

Doc_Eggerton · December 2012

robnybbq said:

Do you load and fire up the egg for a small piece of a single pork chop? Seems like allot of work and time (an hour) to cook something so small.

Yes it is, and we do it almost every night. A lot of food holds up well for microwave. We cook at least a dinner and lunch each time, and frequently a couple days. Also you can freeze and store for future meals. Our favorite freezer lunch is smoke turkey thighs. Doing 30 of them next week just for the freezer.

Greeno55 · December 2012

+1 "IMO portions are more important."

You'll be amazed at how much simple portion control will do to you health and well being. Without making any drastic changes to my diet, I've lost 15 pounds in the last month just eating less and more often. Eating a little more often allowed me to make better food choices as well because I wasn't starving and going to something quick, and usually unhealthy. It took a lot of will power the first three weeks to stop eating when I was full. Such is a problem when food on the Egg is so delicious. The good thing is, the left over reheat pretty damn good.

GrannyX4 · December 2012

Chicken broth, garlic and seasoned salt and pepper should become your best friends. Stir fry or grill veggies you like. Twice a week add a new one to your cooking and you will be surprised how quick you can get a bigger list going. Shred them - it changes the texture. Don't let the fact that one doesn't like a certain vegetable cook it any way. My husband is now finally eating 4 times as many vegetables as he once did since I started ignoring his - I do not eat - list. Salads and try ALL lettuces. Once a week add a new spice. It will come, just take small steps. Ask me how I know. It's how we eat.

Eggcelsior · December 2012

Like Greeno said, portion control is key. I would even recommend joining weight watchers. It is a lifestyle change diet rather than a "fad" meal replacement diet like nutrisystem. Also, do you exercise? Even walking will do wonders.

robnybbq · December 2012

Doc_Eggerton said:

show previous quotes

robnybbq said:

Do you load and fire up the egg for a small piece of a single pork chop? Seems like allot of work and time (an hour) to cook something so small.

Yes it is, and we do it almost every night. A lot of food holds up well for microwave. We cook at least a dinner and lunch each time, and frequently a couple days. Also you can freeze and store for future meals. Our favorite freezer lunch is smoke turkey thighs. Doing 30 of them next week just for the freezer.

My biggest problem with during the week cooks is I get home after 7:00. By the time I load and light the Egg and burn off its almost 8:00 then I would start cooking. now that winter is here and its dark out - that means allot less Egging and especially during the week. Carrying all the food down stairs and into the yard in the dark to cook is not something I will do. I might be able to get some weekend cooks in if its not inclimate weather and that would be good for a day or two until we get a food saver.

So my thoughts were cooking on the Egg for Sundays dinner and leftovers on Monday. The rest of the week I have no clue yet. I told the DR this is going to me a mess and will cause lots of headaches.

robnybbq · December 2012

Portion control does sound right from what I have read. I need to learn to ignore the hunger feelings form eating smaller meals I guess.

Doc_Eggerton · December 2012

Big cooks and the freezer works for us. It is a lot more fun on days where you aren't getting home late.

robnybbq · December 2012

Doc_Eggerton said:

Big cooks and the freezer works for us. It is a lot more fun on days where you aren't getting home late.

Do you freeze complete meals together? Do you use a food saver? Using foil or zip lock bags has not worked well for us yet. Leftovers are usually thrown out due being to dried out.

Doc_Eggerton · December 2012

We freeze meats in the snack sized baggies, that is just the right portion. Veggies are not frozen, best is fresh every day, but if you don't over cook them they will hold up in a baggie for 3 or 4 days of reheating.

Don't overlook raw, fresh veggies.

There is no miracle pill for you if you don't like the veggies, you're just going to have to work on developing the taste for them.

GrannyX4 · December 2012

When you give up carbs and eat lean protein every 4 hours you don't have hunger pains. Carbs cause your blood sugar to spike and crash leaving you with wanting more carbs.

Doc_Eggerton · December 2012

Tomorrow's lunches. Pork and veggies from a couple of days ago. Dinner first, then leftovers for lunch.

Eggcelsior · December 2012

I don't know what you have read, but the lack of portion control is what is driving the obesity epidemic in the USA, not just what we eat. We eat too much too fast to allow our brains to process the signals from our gut saying that we are full. Slow down meals, chew thoroughly and have a drink of water between bites. Cut down on carbs and increase protein and fiber, which makes you feel full. Eat an apple or yogurt for a snack. Consider making smoothies where you can add stuff you don't like that will be masked by stronger flavors of strawberry, banana, apple, or orange.

Just look at fast food portion sizes over the last 30-40 years. What was "large" then is "small" or "child size" today.

On Sundays, I typically grill 4-5 servings each of chicken, pork, and beef to use throughout the week. I take it for lunch at work as well. Cut out processed foods and when you eat out, get asparagus or mixed veggies as a side instead of potatoes(except sweet potatoes). You may want to ask your MD to refer you to a nutritionist who can give you food lists and base recipes to use. There are more books than stars in the sky on this stuff too.

FanOfFanboys · December 2012

It only sucks bc it's different. Won't be after awhile. A lot of great advice here. Avoid processed foods, eat more often but less at a time, exercise (not that dreadful 30 mins a day at gym. Dull. Think more active life style. Stand instead of sit. Park middle of back of parking lot. Little things add up). There are so many vegetables out there and so many ways to cook there is def something you'll like. Try a couple foreign cook books where vegetables are a big part of diet.

scottc454 · December 2012

robnybbq said:

What do you do to make pork chops taste good without a sauce? We have cooked low and slows with rubs that came out good. When we tried the same rubs on pork chops they come out not tasting good - my guess not enough fat to "water the rub down".

What do do to most foods to not make them "Bland" tasting?

What do you do to vegetables to not make them taste like grass?

Another issue is DR want me to cut WAY back on the finer beverages to a couple a week - that's going to be the hardest.

I recently discovered Guy Fieri's Carolina #6 barbecue sauce. It is a western N. Carolina piedmont type of sauce. It contains very little sugar and is low sodium, but damn good - tangy and peppery. It's easy to make something similar, too. Put that on your pork chops, or even chicken breasts - you might end up liking them.

I would also look into some recipes for a chili-lime-garlic type of marinade. Also - chipotle-lime. The chipotle is a great thing.

What about avocadoes?

Make a salad with black beans, corn, grilled chicken strips, some cheese, some avocado, and roasted red pepper vinaigrette dressing. (To complete it you need those crunchy tortilla strips, b)

I guess I'm biased toward southwestern food.

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