8 Sept 2015

My Pauper Dinner Woes - A Call for Help

A life like this lead to me becoming the size of a house. Predictably, I started worrying about my weight for a good year, conducted research on "how to lose weight fast" for another, and planned my healthy eating for another six months before I actually got around to changing my lifestyle.

And after episodes like this, many, MANY of them, I've finally found my juju aka workouts that I actually like and are easy for me to incorporate into my life. So I'm on my way to a good place/ Shilpa Shetty's waist-ness (or so I'd like to think).

Imma be le cat, in case you're wondering.
BUT (there is always a butt but, no?)

If you have ever tried to lose a couple of kilos or even find a fitness workout that you like, you will know how much advice is out there in the Universe. You will also know that ALL the advice is pretty much the same, an oft-repeated part of which is to have a light dinner.

Breakfast like a king - check -> I have managed to sustain this habit after almost a decade of skipping breakfast.

Lunch like a commoner - check -> I indulge sometimes, I eat right sometimes, but nothing excessively crazy.

Dinner like a pauper - THEBANEOFMYEXISTENCE -> so what happens is that, traffic drives me nuts, and I'm bone tired by the time I get home. And then I workout. And then my stomach starts growling (despite pre-workout snack). And then I start thinking from my stomach. And then I order loaded nachos, crispy jalapeno poppers, and a giant sundae, inhale it in three seconds flat and go to bed after an hour of Castle. You see where I'm having a problem?

Just FYI: I HATE APPLES.
So tell me, how can I stick to my plan and do right by my pauper dinner? Any advice?
What do you guys eat? And how does that help you stay healthy?

P.S: All you people with insane metabolism, kindly excuse -_-

**Linking to #IBOT**

38 comments:

  1. I would suggest a protien drink if you like milk and any fruit which you like (would suggest mosumbi or papaya). Also buttermilk, those small packets from nandini, you can add crushed garlic to these and they are just heavenly. Stay away from carbs before bedtime. This has worked very well for me.
    I would really like to know more about your workout :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I tried getting Herbalife, their distributors are so useless :/
      Buttermilk~!!!!!!! Why didn't I think of that?! Thank you so much Fineapple..
      P.S: Still cracking up at "A Fineapple" :D

      Delete
    2. You can get Herbalife from snapdeal. I will ping you the details on fb. :)
      P.S: Glad it made you laugh.. :)

      Delete
    3. Woman, you are becoming a frequent life-saver. I feel obliged to buy you a present. Which book you want?

      Delete
  2. Have a about 5-7 nuts and that could be either walnuts, badams or pistachios as soon as you get home. You will notice your hunger pangs coming down drastically. I used to have the exact problem as you, this helped!

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    Replies
    1. Oooh, I'll try that, they are appetite-suppressants, are they...

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    2. Also, what kind of workout do you do? Send some links, if you can. :)

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    3. Ping you on FB okay? Sorry I'm replying so late :/

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  3. That's the bane here too :P So will be returning to check for ideas once you get a few.

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  4. Ok. I need to get my breakfast. Regularly. For a while I almost forgot what it meant. Breakfast ? Breeeaaakfaaast ? Breakfast. Yeah. I wake up at 10 , reach office by 11. It's almost lunch time. So why bother with the BF. Yeah, silly me.

    Dining like a pauper : The problem seems to be the mode of transportation. You could either walk or better get a cycle right ? Burning all the fat. And then probably you could do a little workout. And eat. Eat like a pauper ? Nachos, jalapeno, sundae. What's pauper in that ? 😱😒
    I have coffee for dinner. Sometimes. Sometimes I have 2 Apples. Othertimes, I have chips. I mean this is the real pauper situation. Don't you think ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Start eating breakfast man. At the risk of sounding like an aunty: we are young and fairly healthy now, all this crap we do now will affect us only in a decade or two. So take care of yourself for the future you.

      Walk ah? From Cessna to BTM? I'll not last another day, why do you want me to die, what do you have against me?
      The point is that I'm supposed to eat like a pauper and I don't. THAT is the problem :P

      Delete
  5. He he, wrong person to ask. I have, with great difficulty, cut down my dinner to 3 dosas on most days but some days I just gobble the entire kitchen in hunger. Sigh! So much for weight loss!

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    Replies
    1. heehee, gobble up the entire kitchen it seems :P I know the feeling :D

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  6. Apparently, I'm the one with the insane metabolism, but, I'd rather drop by a suggestion anyway. Might help, who knows..
    How about working out in the morning and then have the KING BREAKFAST and stop getting ravenous at night after the workout?

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    Replies
    1. You and your metabolism. HMPH. *glares*
      :P

      I'm trying that now, but doesn't sort the problem of not being motivated enough to eat healthy at night, when it is the most necessary :/

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  7. I have no idea how you are supposed to eat like a pauper after a full day of work and late exercise :/ Can you maybe move your exercise to the morning? Or have a filling smoothie instead? #TeamIBOT

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for dropping by, Malinda!
      I know, right :/
      I have moved the workout to the morning.
      Smoothie plans have to wait, I don't have a blender yet. But yeah, that seems to be a good idea to try out.
      Thank you!

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  8. Dont know if this makes sense - You can try a work around the Pauper dinner by eating a royal/commoner dinnner but you have to do it insanely early - like before 6:30 PM - earlier the better.

    That way you get to eat what you like and in the portion sizes that you like and on the other hand - you give your tummy enough and more time before bed to digest what you've eaten and avoid going to bed feeling all bloated from the food. Plus you also have time for your workout in about 2-2.5 hours after dinner.

    Cheers :)

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    Replies
    1. I think this is what I'm going to end up doing, AS. Days when I want to order out, I'm going to order really early. Thanks much!

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  9. Chill babe...it takes time. One thing I learnt with weight loss and then, maintenance was planning. You need to plan and prepare your meals in advance --- breakfast, lunch and dinner. I notice that I will eat crap dinners if I haven't planned them because I'm tired and the easiest is cheese on toast or getting takeaway. I work out in the morning because I'm dead tired after work and some evenings I have uni after work too. The other thing I need to do personally is to stay accountable and have a food diary. If you are on My Fitness Pal, happy to link up with you and we can motivate each other. Good luck! Don't give up...you'll get there. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meal prep!! I love prepping, I hate following. I'm trying though.
      Add me!! I'd love some help :) I'll find you...
      Thanks a lot, Sanch <3

      Delete
  10. I am not the person to ask here. I love pasta and would eat that every night if I could still fit in my pants doing so.
    Snacks are my downfall. As is chocolate. If neither existed I would be looking much more svelte for summer.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for dropping by, Jess!
      I FEEL YOU, WOMAN! That's what I'd do too if I had any clothes left to fit into :/

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  11. Ahh the eternal struggle of fitness and food!! My lunch and dinner portions are same and I make sure that it is somewhat a balanced diet (Dal chawal sabji). I loveeee to eat and then kill myself on the mat. :P I find it easier to workout than control my diet ... Good luck, let me know what works out for you.
    I love Castle btw.

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    Replies
    1. Bah, I'm the same as you... Will do..
      Me too!! :D

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  12. Me too hate apple.. I've tried to have it many times.. but no liking so far..!! As far as dinner is concerned, I too face the same problem. One, I cannot skip it any cost. Two, if I eat light then my stomach starts growling in the middle of the night or may be early morning..!! But, if you really wanna start with the healthy diet, then have vegetable soup, salad, fruits, light things like upma or poha I guess.. It really does wonders to your system..
    I hope you find the right solution asap..

    Cheers

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    Replies
    1. IT IS A FARCE OF A FRUIT. BAH! :P
      How do I motivate myself to have soup/ fruits when I'm so hungry I could eat a house... that is the problem statement, sigh.

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    2. IT IS A FARCE OF A FRUIT. BAH! :P
      Thanks, Geets :)
      How do I motivate myself to have soup/ fruits when I'm so hungry I could eat a house... that is the problem statement, sigh.

      Delete
  13. I am reading this after eating a plate full of rice (same thing happening since the whole last week! thanks to work trip in Chennai :-|)
    There are a few things I started doing to lose weight. Stop having rice and sugar completely. Both were my favourites, but I just decided to stop. And after a few months, it just became a habit. Now even if I want I can't over-eat, I start feeling sick. Chocolates and sugar stuff. . .never eat more than a few bites.

    Also have Green tea, it really works! And have warm water after every meal. I have a slow metabolism I think, so it helps.

    *note to self* need to get more serious about this :( thanks for the reminder

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't like rice/ sugar (except in desserts) and I've cut down already, S.
      Green tea for dinner? :O

      Entirely my pleasure, I must say..

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  14. I took months to decide which month is best for exercising :P Another few months to think of the right exercise. I work in second shift so my dinner is usually in office but I make sure I eat by 8. I try to keep away from rice at night but that's one thing I can't do (courtesy the hopeless rotis in office). By the time I reach home its already 12 and I am dead tired and hit the bed right away. If I have to stay up to do my pending work I binge on all kinds of snacks that I stock on weekends :P So the point I m try to make is that have your dinner as early as possible. Also keep some stock of ready to make soups if you workout late in the evening and are very hungry. The soups drastically reduce the appetite (although you might get pimples so make sure you have lots of water)

    Ok, so this comments is turning out to be bigger than your blog post. I am an expert on what to eat and how to eat, only thing I m working on is to start doing it :D :D All the best to us :D

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    Replies
    1. Heeheehee, we are EXACTLY THE SAME :D
      Soups, home made or instant ones?
      All the best, indeed :P

      Delete
  15. The problem is with what you are eating. chop a big plate of salad veggies and a small bowl of whole grain snack, like oats with milk, dalia, etc..and a bowl of fruits....i think it should help.

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    Replies
    1. What I lack is the motivation to eat all the above when I am ravenous at night. How do I trick myself into thinking all these things are extremely filling!

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  16. I know what you feel like! Been there! I have kinda started having dinner like a pauper after staying in Bangalore! The PG food makes me feel that it is better to go hungry than have some of that food. So for dinner I usually hunt for one decent chapathi out of the lot and some vegetables. And I then eat an apple. This has kinda worked for me. But how I miss home food!

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  17. Water. Lots of it. Imagine that the headlines were screaming NEW STUDIES PROVE THAT THIS NEW PRACTISE PROVES WEIGHT LOSS FAST -- and its dun dun dun... WATER. I mean, don't get into what you already KNOW about water, but rather drink water as if its the holy grail of spanking new invention. 1. It curbs appetite. 2. When you're hungry, its just a feeling - drink [a class of] water and poof magic. 3. If 2 does not work, drink more water. 4. repeat 3 as needed.

    FYI it actually IS the magic potion, we just take it for granted.

    ReplyDelete

Go on, you can say it.