I am entering a plea for your advice. I've got the workout part down pat, so I think the thing tripping me up right now is my diet. I feel hungry all the time. The meals I cook aren't unhealthy by any means (at least not on a daily basis), but I know that when I'm at work and I get hungry, the only things I ever have to munch on aren't exactly calorie-friendly. Any suggestions on filling, yet low-calorie, snacks that I could bring to work? Also, as a precaution, note that I hate raw carrots. (Which is a pity really, because they sound so crunchy and delicious, but it's all a lie! Carrots are nature's most deceptive vegetable.)
But now, onto something more cheerful and green:
bow top, ann taylor loft
green cardigan, gap
a separate space skirt, anthropologie
gray fishnet tights, j.crew
quarter-strap heel, urban outfitters
studded car belt, j.crew
pave heart ring, coach
gold bangle, kate spade
I'm sure you've figured it out by now, but when I said that this was a "green" outfit, I did actually mean that it featured the color green and not that it was vegan or anything. Sorry, Natalie Portman.
So, to recap: Suggest dieting tips. Outfit is not vegan. Enter to win a $100 Shopbop gift card.
OMG, you crack me up. I love your being green. When I was trying to lose weight, it seemed liek going to work out five days a week, 2 hours each time, eating healthy and all that didn't make much of a dent. It just takes your body a while to adjust, while it builds up a higher metabolism. Are you doing any weight training? Sometimes it appears that you're not losing weight because fat is being converted into muscle, and muscle is denser and weighs more than fat. I would use a measuring tape in addition to the scale.
ReplyDeleteunsweetened dried fruit (like apricots, dates, cherries); hummus (but check labels b/c some brands have more fat than others!) w/ slices of bell pepper, cucumbers, celery for dipping; unsalted nuts like cashews, pistachios and almonds; kale chips.
ReplyDeleteDieting isn't really something I do (not cause I don't need to, I do, I just always binge when I think I'm dieting) so I'm not a big help there. I did just find these really great munchies, called apple straws in my local grocery store(in the organic section) and I think they are decent. I really like your skirt! You always have such cute combo's, and I really like the fishnet thing you've been rocking for the past few days. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHahaha awww you're hilarious! I actually LOVE raw baby carrots. But I've been trying to lose weight with no luck whatsoever, too. Of course, the extent of my "trying" is basically wishing the excess weight away. I wish really hard, though.
ReplyDeleteYou're adorable. I LOVE the fishnets with the sandals! You look great!
ReplyDeleteOkay so snacks - cottage cheese, string cheese, yogurt, almonds. And drink lots of water. If you eat meat, try having some rolled up lunch meat as a snack (I don't eat meat, but that's a thought.)
Come take a look inside A Working Mom's Closet
I used to hate raw carrots too, but I bet I could convert you! I cut them up into bite size pieces, or better yet, you can use the pre-cut mini-carrots, about 3 cups, place in an oven safe dish, drizzle some olive oil, add a pinch of salt, add some seasoning, i use italian herbs, and put in the oven uncovered for 45-50 minutes at 400 degrees. They turn out to be super-crispy and yummy, and since the water content is reduced by baking, the taste is more like baked potato chips...you can make quite a few batches in advance and keep in an air-tight container to munch away without feeling guilty about it :)
ReplyDeleteOMG I love your skirt! Sorry I can't offer any dieting tips but I stopped by to let you know you outfit is adorable.
ReplyDeleteComplex Cardigans
I ALWAYS bring 3 pieces of fruit with me to work. Apple, banana, orange... anything mobile. Cheese stick is good too. A lot of diet mistakes usually surround the lack of protein -- protein keeps you full longer. Plain greek yogurt with frozen fruit and a little honey will last you for awhile. A spoonful of peanut butter on whole wheat sandwich thin + banana is a good small lunch along with a second fruit or a salad!
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of exercises are you doing right now as a part of your work out routine?
ReplyDeleteThis past summer, I was eating pretty normally. I was just making sure to avoid eating sweets all the time and drinking LOTS of water. I mean it, drink lots.
Unless you're changing up your workout routine, then your body might be adjusting and being accustomed to what you're currently doing. If you run, you should probably try intervals of sprinting and then jogging, back and forth.
Personally, I'm not big on running. My knees tend to hurt after several days of it.
Have you tried yoga before? Last summer, I was going to hot yoga classes daily, and drinking tons of water. It really helps to regulate your diet. I felt less hungry going through that kind of work out routine. I did that for about a month and saw results after. Your skin also, feels amaazzzinngg after hot yoga classes.
Yoga & Pilates are really good core exercises. And I think everyone needs to start out from there and branch out to different routines to keep things interesting.
Good luck! :) I'm continually trying to stay fit as well. I work out in the mornings now so I can get it out of the way and have no excuses for skipping.
Okay, so I'm a big fan of weightwatchers (a program I'd highly recommend, PS!), so my advice is definitely informed by that program.
ReplyDeleteFirst, as for the lack of weight loss, one thing to consider is that if you're exercising a lot, you may be retaining water and/or building muscle, which could result in slow or weird results on the scale. When I was most active, I would lose very little or gain a bit at most of my WW weigh ins, then one week suddenly I'd be down 2 pounds when by body finally "caught up" to what I was doing, then the process would repeat. So that's one thing to think about.
Still, if you're not seeing the results you want after several weeks then it's definitely good to reexamine what you're eating. Hunger is a terrible feeling!
* Are you getting enough protein? Try to incorporate protein (meat, eggs, beans, cheese) into more of your meals and snacks. It's a longer-lasting energy that will keep you feeling full.
* Are you drinking enough water? Getting 8 glasses a day will help with the hunger. I don't really like plain water, but I love flavored seltzer. No calories, no sodium, and still gives me that delightful fizz of soda.
My favorite healthy snacks are:
* greek yogurt (high in protein!) either flavored (by the manufacturer or by me with jelly/fruit/honey) or plain (I dip apple slices in the plain yogurt)
* fruit smoothies (harder to do this at work, but I make them at home with 1/2-2/3c milk, 1/2-1 banana, and whatever frozen berries I have on hand)
* clementines are a great, portable fruit to munch on. I also love Asian Pears, pineapple, and pomegranate.
* 94% fat free microwavable popcorn
* Babybel light cheese wheels (the kind that comes in red wax, a la elementary school!) or babybel light wedges (spreadable cheese...you can put it on toast, veggies, or a few crackers, or THESE, which are my newest obsession! Only 15 calories each!)
* I love Lindt excellence dark chocolate bars. I usually feel satisfied with one or two squares because they are so rich. It's a nice way to finish off a meal for about 100 calories (for two squares). Studies have shown that the strong taste of dark chocolate can actually keep you from snacking for a while afterwards because your palate is satisfied. Plus, dark chocolate has antioxidents. My favorite is the Dark chocolate + sea salt flavor.
* This sounds super-diety, but fat free/low fat cottage cheese or ricotta cheese is really good when mixed with crushed pineapple (get the kind in its own juice, not in syrup).
I could go on forever so I'm gonna cut myself off now. haha.
I love your "being green" today. Just keep working out everyday it will pay off.
ReplyDeleteawesome outfit!!! I love the skirt.
ReplyDeleteI'm a personal trainer and LOVE giving advice. If you're interested (for free obvi since we don't belong to same gym) you can message me specific goals and I can help you come up with a plan of attack! Some things I'd need to know:
1. specific goals you have
2. current exercise plan
3. current eating habits (daily food log is so helpful)
4. current stress level
acooney08 (at) hotmail (dot) com
:)
my husband recently cut carbs and sugar from his diet [no rice, bread, potatoes, dessert, etc.] and lost over 10lbs in one month ... without exercising. he's now strength training to tone up.
ReplyDeletei personally love working out to dance central on the xbox kinect.
Ahhh that green is beautiful on you. And with that skirt...love.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm healthy snacks - fruit and lots of it! Oooh and hummus and Larabars ooh ooh and almmonds.
oh, a couple other things I used to bring to work to stay full and avoid the vending machine/bakery next door:
ReplyDeleteinstead of prepackaged oatmeal, i would make my own and put 1/4 cup of plain quick oats, some cinnamon and unsweetened dried fruit into a ziplock. i don't like the prepacked stuff b/c who knows what additives are in it, and the organic ones are expensive.
fat free greek yogurt as others have mentioned. sometimes i can't even finish! siggis (icelandic yogurt) is super thick, the blueberry kind is like eating frozen yogurt.
as you know i am a vegetarian that often eats vegan, so of course i am going to tell you that your protein, iron and loads of other necessary fuel can be found in stuff like lentils, quinoa, beans, and dark leafy greens. :)
aww amy! i agree with everyone's replies, your body is probably just getting used to it so don't stress.
ReplyDeletefor me, i like to eat peanut butter and sliced bananas on toast or avocado (sometimes tomato) and cheese on toast for either breakfast or lunch. it keeps me full for awhile plus i think the different flavors/textures satisfy me enough so that i don't go out and eat a giant burrito. i do love burritos though mmm...
oh and i really like your green shoes:)
This is almost cheating, but those Crystal Light mix-ins are the only way I'll get enough water in the day - plain water is so ... blah.
ReplyDeleteAnd I would die without carbs so I've recently switched from chips to pretzels - it'll get your crispity crunchity on.
I can't really offer any other diet-ish advice. I've been trying to lose five pounds for about 6 months now. ;oP
Well at least YOU LOOK ROCKING! You've already broken out the bare toesies!
I like the website called loseit.com it is free and it will tell you how many calories you can eat in a day in order to lose how ever many pounds you want to in a month. It has a bunch of foods listed to keep track of your calories and you can also add in your own food. I did it after I had my baby and lost 10 lbs that refused to come off before. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI am with JG, make sure you are getting plenty of protien. Snack on something lighter more frequently. Sometimes the hunger growl is actually thirst, so make yourself drink plenty. As for the workouts, have fun!
ReplyDeleteYou look SO cute today!
Pretty outfit! I love the color green and it looks so good on you. As for the snacks I would suggest looking for high protein items like yogurt or nuts. Cereal is another good one to munch on. Pickles are low calorie. Also any raw veggies are good if you cut them up. When I'm at work instead of sitting down to eat my whole lunch at once I'll eat it over the course of the day.
ReplyDelete-Elizabeth
Girls Who Wear Pearls
I've found the best diet plan to be stress! :) haha...well, only half laughing. I've lost weight (without trying) even though I'm terribly unhealthy. NOT what I would recommend!
ReplyDeleteBack to you - raw veggies with low fat dip / flavored rice cakes / LOTS of water / LOTS of fruit. Watch cheese though so some pkg cheese is coated with fat so it doesn't stick together. I'm guessing you don't want that :)
ahaha love that last sentence. I've been feeling "going green" this spring myself...such a beautiful color for spring/summer. I really love the details here...the turquoise nailpolish for example. beautiful!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.diyainherstilettos.com/
ps. as for dieting (I'm doing the same...eating healthy and exercising rather than crash dieting right now), I've found the following snack mix to be helpful:
ReplyDelete-plain cheerios (or whatever your favorite non-sweented whole grain cereal is. oats are just more filling for me)
-almonds, cashews, etc. all UNSALTED and preferably w/o added oils (PROTEIN & unsat. fat)
-dried cranberries, blueberries, etc. (antioxidants & FIBER!!!)
Also, water (like everyone else said) is esp. important. Not enough hydration would send hunger signals to your brain.
Yogurt is always a good bet since it alters the bacteria population of your stomach to one that is more beneficial for weightloss...I read some research on it but forgot the exact details.
GRAPEFRUIT! ppl that eat grapefruit often will lose more weight.
LOL at the last part Amy, LOL! ;)
ReplyDeleteI really love your outfit! Green is a color that I really want to start wearing more. I need more pops of color in my wardrobe! Also, that skirt is quite awesome!
I want to put into motion some plans so I can get onto a healthier lifestyle, and while I am definitely not the best eater, I do have a favorite healthy snack! I get some blueberries (I think 1/2 cup to a cup) and 1 banana. I wash the blueberries, then cut the banana up into slices. THEN, I add....*drumroll* HONEY! I love love love honey. I drizzle just enough to make sure that it gets over the top layer of the fruits and then I mix it all together so everything has a bit of honey and chow down! So yummy and filling. I drink a bottle of water or some coffee with it and it's awesomeness in a bowl.
Also, what is that color on your nails? So pretty!
--Ciara :)<3
Amy, I love that I see you re-wear a lot of pieces, because it inspires me to look thru my own closet and see combos that never occurred to me before. This outfit is no exception; I recognize your green cardi from a few outfits before! Thank you for that~ ;)
ReplyDeleteOh, and last year, I went pescetarian (no meat, seafood only) for a whole year, and I had what you are experiencing too: ALWAYS. HUNGRY. I realized that even tons of fish wasn't enough protein to last me between meals. I started eating a lot of what other girls have mentioned, including nuts (almonds) and yogurt (oikos + chocolate!). Milk and/or soy milk is also a good option. Fruits like apples did absolutely nothing for me. Neither did veggies like celery (pure water). You can do it!
also! i forgot to mention, making a giant vat of soup at the start of each week and rationing it out during the week is not only affordable but very hearty/filling:) plus there are so many different recipes out there, it's never boring...i eat soup way too much i think.
ReplyDeleteWell I have not figured out the diet thing all the way I just use one of those calories counters on my phone and keep track of what I eat and how much I exercise. I hate trying to stay on some specific meal plan so I just eat what I want and log the calories. You look beautiful in green!
ReplyDeleteI munch on roasted chestnut. They're good for you, too!
ReplyDeleteMy answer is fiber....everything is PACKED with it these days. I always feel pretty satisfied after eating some kind of fiber-infused wrap (La Tortilla or Flatout), or Fage yoghurt (2% is my fave). On a simpler note, maybe some sort of lunch meat like turkey? That seems to help fill me up as well. :D
ReplyDeleteGreen is really pretty on you, and I love your shoes! As for dieting, I usually eat a lot of chicken and lean cuisines, so I guess thats really no help lol! I just dont buy things at the grocery store that are bad for me, so then its not in the house!
ReplyDeleteHowdy, I've never commented before, but what you said about doing everything right with diet and exercise and still not losing any weight just reminded me of myself and how frustrating it is. One thing that has really been helping me is the primal/paleo/caveman diet. You can find a lot of good information about it here www.marksdailyapple.com/
ReplyDeleteNow, before you go, "No bread? No way am I doing that crazy diet" yes, it does look very limiting and like you'd have to give up many of your favorite foods (I was a serious carb addict myself), but I think there is some REALLY good info on there that can help you lose weight even if you don't go 100% primal
YOU NEED TO EAT A LOT MORE VEGETABLES AND PROTEIN
I don't mean to internet shout, but I think that is the most important point, and it is actually the only thing that seems to be true for every different diet or nutritional guideline. Some of the comments above have suggested this as well. We all should just be eating a lot more veggies. Find the veggies you like, and make them a larger portion of your meals.
The other point that I'd like to make is that you don't have to go on an extremely low carb diet, and you may have heard that these are dangerous, but being a typical american you probably eat too many carbs. I hope this makes sense. For example, if you eat cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and pasta for dinner, that's a lot of carbohydrates. Calorie-wise, you haven't eaten that much, but with all those carbs it's hard to lose weight. And it's so frustrating because you feel like you're being healthy.
The last thing I'd like to share is this http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/NU00595
http://www.riversideonline.com/source/images/image_popup/fn7_mayopyramid.jpg
I think this just gives a better picture of how we should be eating, though this has of course more carbs that the primal/caveman diet would suggest, it still puts the focus on the veggies and fruits. Sorry to ramble, I know there is just so much conflicting information on the internet about how to eat right, plus about 10,000,000 diet books out there. I wish you the best of luck!
ok. shut up! how cute are you and ure blog kelinda! ure newest fan! ;-)
ReplyDeleteawww you look tres cute!! Your 1st pic looks so radiant, its like its professionally airbrushed! wow....j'adore
ReplyDeleteXisses, Onyxsta
http://say-bleurgh.blogspot.com
I love all these suggestions. I am very partial to baby carrots myself- I can almost convince myself that their cuteness atones for not being cheezies (mmmm...cheezies...)
ReplyDeleteand those damn lovely green shoes!! also totally going to copy the green with stripes...
AmyK, you are awesome in every way, and your outfit today made me make a really big smile! That's right: somewhere between the kelly green, big bow, and adorable shoes, I was smitten.
ReplyDeleteAs for dieting, think about maintaining diverse meals, meaning, a combo of fruit, veggies, complex carbs, low-fat dairy, protein, fiber, and a little bit of dark chocolate to keep yourself sane!
Are you getting close 40 too???
ReplyDeleteFor pity's sake after a pig out in my 20's I could just skip a meal to make up for it, but those days are long gone for me!
I look at a cupcake and one pops out of the side of my thighs!
Yet my husband could stop drinking soda for a week and lose 20 lbs. Ok I'm exaggerating.
He could stop drinking soda and lose about 18 lbs!
So not fair.
I should have been a boy.
xoxo
You'll get there!
What I think is first and foremost is the *quality* of food. Anything that's in a box or carton is probably processed. So while a microwave meal might be low in calories, it probably has high fructose corn syrup and other things you don't want to ingest in a quest to drop lbs. There are commercials about hfc and how it's really not bad for you, but I don't believe that to be true. #1, too many things have hfc in it, so the quantity we ingest is likely to be bad. #2 it's sugar and has a chemical in it. Also not good.
ReplyDeleteI would never recommend something I don't eat, so I can't get behind hummus, yogurt and some of the healthy go-to snacks that are often recommended these days. I say if you don't like them, don't feel bad. I hear you on the carrots, but they really are a good snack that will fill you up w/the high water content. Try the teeny, mini carrots. They tend to be much sweeter. If you have to, put them in a little bit of balsamic vinegar, unless the acidic taste bugs. I also like almonds and other unsalted nuts. In short, anything you can do organic and natural as possible is going to get on you a good path. This is juices and all sorts of things that you think are good for you, aren't if they have a high sugar content. Specifically w/juices, I do 10% juice, 90% water, even if it's unsweetened, natural juice.
Like others, I could go on & on. Maybe if you list the usual things you like to eat, people can make alternative suggestions. They did that for me at 24 Hour and it made a difference. Like I said, I'm not going to eat certain things, so I need to eat the healthiest versions of my favorites..
In closing I'll just say I hope you're eating a breakfast of some sort. It signals the body that you're breaking the fast, the new day is beginning and the metabolism should kick in. I you're not having breakfast, it's not good.
ughhhh I am such a snacker too and have been sooo bad the last few weeks... have you tried a high protein cereal or a trail mix as a snack?
ReplyDeleteand ps i love how your green cardi makes this outfit P-O-P!
You look darling!
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I think you look great. That said, finding healthy and filling snacks are always difficult. One thing I find that helps is drinking more water...I think sometimes we feel hungry when we are really just dehydrated. Sounds like you are doing everything right so just be patient :)
AMy, I don't see any reason for you to be on a diet - you look fantastic the way you are, and you look so gorgeous and adorable.
ReplyDeleteRather than think of it as a "diet", approach it like you would to become healthier in the long term. Diets to me are short term. So, eat a nutritious brekky, graze throughout the day with fruit or dried nuts/almonds, a healthy lunch and finish with a healthy dinner. Drink plenty of water. Do some excercise - even if it's incidental or using the stairs instead of the lift. And it's OK to have chocolate or icecream - moderation is key. It's important not to deprive yourself - life is way too short!
You are so gorgeous in this outfit, I am dying over how long and silky shiny your hair is!
ReplyDeleteamy, i love kelly green paired with this skirt and top. you look fantastic as always. i'm digging the fishnets with the open toes. ;) and personally, i don't think you need to lose one pound! ~ susan
ReplyDeleteSince you asked...
ReplyDeleteEat whole food. No processed food period. Cut out soda (not sure if you drink it to begin with.) Cut out diet soda. Cut out cheese (or lower your consumption by half.) No "sweeten" water even if it says diet. Pure water is the perfect drink.
Cut down your sugar consumption.
When you feel hungry don't automatically reach for good. Wait, you have to train your stomach and body. Once you get used to your new diet and feeding schedule, it'll become easier.
Yes, it's a lifestyle change. Good Luck.
i hate carrots too, but i really wish i didn't. sometimes i dip them in ranch and franks hot sauce to remind me of buffalo wings & how they always come with carrots & ranch. it actually makes them bearable. do you like peanut butter? one of my favorite & most satisfying snacks is a rice cake with lots o peanut butter. oh and 100% fruit leathers from costco. i pretty much count those for all my fruit servings now, yikesss.
ReplyDeleteoops, a typo. I meant when you feel hungry don't automically reach for FOOD (not good.)
ReplyDeleteAnd lower your salt consumption (start out small, but aim to lower it significantly. Same for Sugar.)
Amy I missed this yesterday sorry. What helps me is just eating whole foods, no processed. It takes planning and prep at the start of the week, but the rest of it goes well. Also juicing and green smoothies help a ton! If you can learn to love veggie juicing, you can replace one meal and it drops the pounds. It's 80% what you put in your mouth and only 20% exercise. My husband worked out like a mad dog for months, didn't drop an oz. Started counting calories and lost 40 pounds!! I would recommend Jason Vale's 7 pounds in 7 days as a good book to read on benefits of juicing. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteLove your green outfit!!
Super cute outfit! Can you believe it--I don't own one single green thing in my wardrobe! This will have to change :)
ReplyDeleteI eat about 8 times a day (small meals) and for snacks I'll have fruit, dried fruit, nuts, brown rice cakes, and yogurt. These are just a few of the things that get me through the day. I do drink a lot of water and absolutely no soda which I believe makes a big difference. Good luck!
Love this outfit!!
ReplyDelete