menu planner

[bakerloo]

Not sure if i asked this already but if so didn’t get an answer. Can i plan my own menu with the journal and have a way to choose from what i should eat in the right combinations. Is there anyplace that can tell me how many carbs vs proteins i should have at a particular meal or snack. I’m not crazy about any of the menus and would like to build my own.

[Ossie-Sharon]

Hi, Bakerloo. Yes, of course. Just take note of the food patterns in the Menu Planner menus, which give you an idea of the food combinations (for example, nearly always a protein with a carb).. In the future, the plain patterns will be made available. In the meantime, if you post your gender, height, weight, and weight goal (i.e. loss or maintenance), and I will post your pattern here.

[melanieo]

yes, I just signed, havent had a chance to read much, but after going through the extensive process of picking menu foods, I was a bit thrown back when I saw the completed menu. It doesn’t look easy, and it look far far from tasty. The dinner combination is so bizarre and sounds so awful I am ready to give up before I start. What’s up with that?

[Sgoettler]

I am having difficulty with this plan. I transitioned for three days into the plan, followed the menu for 1 week, and followed the plan with recommended substitutions the second week. I also increased my exercise with one additional aerobic workout plus 4-30 minute swims each week. I lost 2 lbs the first week, nothing the second week, and after just 2 days not following the plan at Easter I gained back the 2 lbs and 2 lbs on top. I am having difficulty with the protein evening snack as well. I’d rather skip it than eat tuna at night! I only have 20 lbs to lose, so I wasn’t expecting dramatic weight loss, but a slow steady loss. I should not plateau just two weeks in! I agree with the principles of several meals throughout the day, the larger meal at lunch, and reducing refined and packaged foods. This is what attacted me to this plan, however, the menu plans do not seem to work with my metabolism. Should I adjust portion sizes?
Discouraged

[Ossie-Sharon]

Hi, melanieo, and welcome. Can you describe what about the menu does not look “easy,” because there may be some ways to go through the Menu Planner application that may help there. As far as the combinations, please do post examples here, and I will forward them to tech support. In the meantime, do feel free to swap out foods from similar food groups to create meals that suit your tastes. The menus serve as frameworks, and when you get the principle of the food groups, it can be a big help.

[Ossie-Sharon]

Hi, Sgoettler. I’m happy to help. First, note that the weight you gained at Easter is probably largely water weight, as fat can’t accumulate that quickly.
Second, if you give me the following bits of information, I can run some calculations and get back to you: gender, age, height, weight, and a sample day from the menu you got from the Menu Planner.

[aholland]

Hi, I am wondering if after you make your meal planner for the week, if there is a place you can print out what groceries to buy for that week?

Thanks
April

[Kathryn57]

Hi! I new to Trim Down Club as of last night. I’ve got my menu planned but trying to work out the shopping list is a bit challenging. I’m interested in if there is an automatic grocery list based on my menu.

[Ossie-Sharon]

Hi, Kathryn and April. A shopping list generator is under production. Stay tuned…

[aholland]

Ok, thanks:)

[Sgoettler]

Hi Ossie,
How do I send you a sample menu from my planner? As for the other information, I am a 51 year old female ,5’4″, and currently weigh 140 lbs. I realize that the Easter issue is likely water weight, but it also makes me suspect that the initial 2 lb loss was water weight as well.

[Ossie-Sharon]

Hi, Sgoettler. Most people just select the daily menu text on the screen and do copy and paste into this field here.

[Sgoettler]

Hi Ossie
My ipad would only copy one meal at a time. Here is a sample day:
Breakfast 1/2 english muffin 1/4c granola with yogurt 1/4 dried currant
Snack 1 slice rye bread 1oz tuna 1c fruit
Lunch 4oz tomato broccoli cheese bake 1serving almond chicken 1/2c green beans
Snack 2 1 cup fruit
Dinner 1 omellette 1oz salmon 1c rice 1c peppers
Snack 3. 1 oz almonds

I would not normally have a starch with dinner. I usually drank 3 servings of milk a day and miss that though there seems to be enough dairy during the day in the form of yogurt or cheese. I made the homemade granola and that works out for me for breakfast, but then the morning snack becomes more difficult. Some days the evening snack is tuna or salmon and I just skip it. Is it necessary to have the third snack?
I don’t seem to be going anywhere in terms of weight loss, but the food choices are healthier.

[Ossie-Sharon]

Hi, Sgoettler. According to the sample day you provided, your menu does appear to be providing you with the correct amount of food. It is considered to be important to include all the meals because it you eat too little, you could be slowing down your metabolism, which makes it difficult to lose or even maintain weight, especially considering that your weight is close to being within the normal range.
Have you been on diets before? If so, it may take your body a bit of time to get used to normal amounts of food. Keep exercising – this is the most effective way to wait out the plateau.

[marsi]

Hi,
I’m new to the group and have diabetes 2. When I follow the menu plan I have extremely high blood level readings. I am losing weight but I know this isn’t good for my diabetes. I have never been allowed to eat so much fruit. Can you suggest something to replace the fruit?

[Author]

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