2014-08-10, 03:08 AM
(Mostly) Vegetarian because that's been your family's preference all along, or because you think that is what your mother needs?
Just pointing out that meat isn't particularly bad for weight-loss, as long as it's lean.
What you do need to cut out is fat, empty carbs, and alcohol.
Fat means oil, butter, shortening, etc, and also cream and high-fat (over 5%) cheeses. Good fats include avocado, tahini (sesame paste), other seeds or nuts(whole or as paste/butter), and deep-sea fish oil. Don't overdo them, though.
Empty carbs are sugar and starch in forms that don't have any other useful nutrients. That means sugar (including brown sugar, cane sugar, honey, maple syrup, and whatever other "healthy" substitutes - they're all way more calories than they're worth) and also white flour (including white bread and white pasta), white rice, and to some extent potatos and corn. Fruit and whole grains are ok, but again, don't overdo.
Alcohol is all empty calories, and bad for the liver besides, so if your mother consumes it she just needs to stop.
If you're talking about dinner, replace any starchy sides with vegetables, and you've already saved a couple of hundred calories out of a typical meal. (Even more if those carbs used to be soaked with fatty sauce/gravy...)
I do feel that calories need to be counted. Or Weight-Watchers' "Points". Or something. Otherwise it's too easy too eat too much of "legal" foods and fail to lose weight. And there are so many apps and websites out there now that can help you do it, including allowing you to put in your own recipes, so there's really no excuse not to. The websites usually have support group forums and recipe boards too.
After this long lecture, I should offer a recipe, though I'm not much of a cook, myself, so this is very simple: Cauliflower.
Cauliflower makes a great starch substitute for dinner. It's a basically calorie-free way to add bulk and some fiber to a meal that would otherwise fail to fill the stomach.
So:
Get a head of cauliflower, clean off all leaves, wrap it in microwave-safe plastic wrap, and microwave for about 10 minutes (time varies with the size of the cauliflower and the power of the microwave, obviously).
For a rice replacement, cut the steamed cauliflower in big chunks and put in a mixer. The mixer will flake off the flowerettes.
For mashed potatoes replacement, put it in a food processor and puree.
Add spices or sauce to taste (but mind the fat). I like to keep things simple so I just add salt, pepper, and some sauteed onions.
Bon appetit and good luck.
Just pointing out that meat isn't particularly bad for weight-loss, as long as it's lean.
What you do need to cut out is fat, empty carbs, and alcohol.
Fat means oil, butter, shortening, etc, and also cream and high-fat (over 5%) cheeses. Good fats include avocado, tahini (sesame paste), other seeds or nuts(whole or as paste/butter), and deep-sea fish oil. Don't overdo them, though.
Empty carbs are sugar and starch in forms that don't have any other useful nutrients. That means sugar (including brown sugar, cane sugar, honey, maple syrup, and whatever other "healthy" substitutes - they're all way more calories than they're worth) and also white flour (including white bread and white pasta), white rice, and to some extent potatos and corn. Fruit and whole grains are ok, but again, don't overdo.
Alcohol is all empty calories, and bad for the liver besides, so if your mother consumes it she just needs to stop.
If you're talking about dinner, replace any starchy sides with vegetables, and you've already saved a couple of hundred calories out of a typical meal. (Even more if those carbs used to be soaked with fatty sauce/gravy...)
I do feel that calories need to be counted. Or Weight-Watchers' "Points". Or something. Otherwise it's too easy too eat too much of "legal" foods and fail to lose weight. And there are so many apps and websites out there now that can help you do it, including allowing you to put in your own recipes, so there's really no excuse not to. The websites usually have support group forums and recipe boards too.
After this long lecture, I should offer a recipe, though I'm not much of a cook, myself, so this is very simple: Cauliflower.
Cauliflower makes a great starch substitute for dinner. It's a basically calorie-free way to add bulk and some fiber to a meal that would otherwise fail to fill the stomach.
So:
Get a head of cauliflower, clean off all leaves, wrap it in microwave-safe plastic wrap, and microwave for about 10 minutes (time varies with the size of the cauliflower and the power of the microwave, obviously).
For a rice replacement, cut the steamed cauliflower in big chunks and put in a mixer. The mixer will flake off the flowerettes.
For mashed potatoes replacement, put it in a food processor and puree.
Add spices or sauce to taste (but mind the fat). I like to keep things simple so I just add salt, pepper, and some sauteed onions.
Bon appetit and good luck.