Hi im very new to this. My problem is that I work any where from 6-10 or more a day. I work in the resturant business, yes I am a waitress. I am around food all the time.  And bad enough it is Itailan food.  Very fatty and unhealty food. When you get a break ha ha  it is usually very quick you never have time to sit. And when you do you might as well say your sitting for maybe if your lucky 1 minute or 2 then your off to check your tables.   My problem is shoving anything in my mouth just to get something in.  I try to grab healthy food but not to much to choose from. You get tired of eating vegetable soup. I'm also very tired all the time cause of my schedule of work and home. I NEED HELP!!!!!  CAN ANYONE HELP????  I know I need to do this for myself.  But i am very lost and need help. So please can somebody help me?

Hi Brandonb,

Welcome to the board! The goal here is to find what works for you and your lifestyle so you will be able to find a way to make this work for you. Have you ever thought about bringing food with you to work? I know that it seems like you should eat food that is "free" but if it's not helping you with your weight then it's not worth having. You choose how often you want to bring it and how often you want to eat there. When you do end up eating the food that is prepared at work you can have a lighter meal at home. Frozen meals are a great option for someone who has a busy schedule. Try to start off with some small changes and see how they go.

How does this sound?

Betty Kovacs, MS, RD

 I am also a waitress and work the same very long hours.  I have taken my own food to work such as a Lean Cuisine and microwaved that.  It makes a simple and quick meal that can be eaten one bite at a time.  I also take low calorie snacks.  I am not the only one that does this.  Per haps you can get others to join you.  No one knows that I have been taking alli, just that I have been trying to lose weight.  Since May 10 I have lost 30 pounds which I think is pretty good for someone that works in the resturant business. 

Take care and good luck!

Nettie

 Holy smokes - 30 lbs!  That's not pretty good - that's incredible!!!!   Congrats! 

 Hello!

I am also very new to this program, I've been at it for a week now.  Although I am not a waitress- I can somehow relate to your situation.  I grew up and live in an Italian household.  So, trust me- I know all about tasty and unhealthy food.  However, not all Italian food is unhealthy.  True Italian cooking makes use of all natural ingredients and vegetables.  And, I am sure you have salads at the restaurant...change them up with different veggies and low fat dressings with vinegar bases (balsamic viniagrette, etc.) and go light on the cheeses and croutons.

My 'hectic schedule' situation is that I work full-time in addition to attending college full-time.  And yes- it is VERY hard to make the right food choices when you are strapped for time.  Like others who have replied to you, my suggestion is to bring your own food.  I carry my lunch bag/box around with me to keep healthy food choices cold and nearby.  You can probably store things in the refrigerator at your job.  Great tasting snack items like light yogurt/popcorn, sugar/fat free pudding, granola bars, etc. are low in calories and even come in 100 calorie packs.  Fruits and veggies are also easy to prepare and carry along (my favorites are grapes, bananas, strawberries, carrot sticks and peppers- all of which don't need refrigeration).  You can also plan your meals ahead of time- it's easy to throw together a healthy and tasty meal the night before you eat it.  In addition, you are more apt to eat it because you took the time to put it together.  Watch out though, customers may be envious of your home made, healthy and yummy dishes!   :o)

Good luck- and once you get the hang of things, everything will work out!

one of the things I have learned while on alli is that I really can't get away with not planning out in advance what I am going to eat. the more time I've been on the program, I think a little less about my choices because I know most of them and what sort of calorie and fat content I am looking at. I try to pack things that will fill me up without really killing me calorie-wise. I have a box of quaker chewy granola bars in my car, and I've been choosing more fruit as I've become more conscious of what I'm eating. I find when I'm thinking about what I'm eating and really thinking about how full or hungry I really am, I make better choices. I don't need a lot to feel full and energize my body, and if I work at it that can be what drives me to eat, not what tastes good and what I want. if I had my way I'd lose weight choosing everything fried and processed and full of sugar every time - the reality is it doesn't work that way. explore alternatives to what you LIKE to eat (I've become excited about Skinny Cow ice-cream products because sugar is one of my 'things') - there seems to be some sort of relatively healthy alternative out there for every sort of junk food you could want. I haven't had to sacrifice bagels (I get the weight watchers kind), chips (I do veggie chips, goldfish, or popcorn), bread (weight watchers again), or ice-cream (the aforementioned skinny cows). some things were really horrible - I couldn't deal with the fat-free cream cheese, so I gain calories with the 1/3 fat free but I'm not mad about what I'm eating. 

I feel like I'm rambling now, but try different things and see what works! and don't show up to work unprepared, or you WILL shove anything in and then get into that cycle of guilt and shame and "whatever I already ruined my goal for the day, might as well have that brownie" type stuff. I broke down and bought a big nerdy lunch-box and it's made life and planning my meals a lot easier. 

also, I hate to do it because there's so much packaging and waste, but I really rely heavily on snack size containers. cottage cheese, pudding, yogurt, raisins, whatever - it gives me a set amount of whatever I'm eating that I can rely on and avoid that cycle of just eating continuously without even realizing I was full 15 bites ago. 

 Great post!
You're right - there is LOTS of stuff out there that qualifies for a healthy alternative to almost everything, you just have to look for them, and be willing to pay a little bit more, too, but that's OK with me and it's worth it!

amberliz213:

one of the things I have learned while on alli is that I really can't get away with not planning out in advance what I am going to eat. the more time I've been on the program, I think a little less about my choices because I know most of them and what sort of calorie and fat content I am looking at. I try to pack things that will fill me up without really killing me calorie-wise. I have a box of quaker chewy granola bars in my car, and I've been choosing more fruit as I've become more conscious of what I'm eating. I find when I'm thinking about what I'm eating and really thinking about how full or hungry I really am, I make better choices. I don't need a lot to feel full and energize my body, and if I work at it that can be what drives me to eat, not what tastes good and what I want. if I had my way I'd lose weight choosing everything fried and processed and full of sugar every time - the reality is it doesn't work that way. explore alternatives to what you LIKE to eat (I've become excited about Skinny Cow ice-cream products because sugar is one of my 'things') - there seems to be some sort of relatively healthy alternative out there for every sort of junk food you could want. I haven't had to sacrifice bagels (I get the weight watchers kind), chips (I do veggie chips, goldfish, or popcorn), bread (weight watchers again), or ice-cream (the aforementioned skinny cows). some things were really horrible - I couldn't deal with the fat-free cream cheese, so I gain calories with the 1/3 fat free but I'm not mad about what I'm eating. 

I feel like I'm rambling now, but try different things and see what works! and don't show up to work unprepared, or you WILL shove anything in and then get into that cycle of guilt and shame and "whatever I already ruined my goal for the day, might as well have that brownie" type stuff. I broke down and bought a big nerdy lunch-box and it's made life and planning my meals a lot easier. 

also, I hate to do it because there's so much packaging and waste, but I really rely heavily on snack size containers. cottage cheese, pudding, yogurt, raisins, whatever - it gives me a set amount of whatever I'm eating that I can rely on and avoid that cycle of just eating continuously without even realizing I was full 15 bites ago. 

Hey I just wanted to say thanks for all that great information, I am truly in need of some tips and motivation!!!!! I get so mad at myself when I fall off track! anyone else feeling like this?

hope some of that stuff I posted before was useful :) just wanted to add, (or reiterate) that one of the most important things for me has been to stay positive. I find it really easy to sabotage my day if I even THINK I went over or ate too much or whatever. like, today, I had half a bagel and some fruit... my breakfast calorie count was 400 and that is running high for me. the bottom line is, I can't allow my own perception to get in the way, because the first thought I had when totalling my calories was, "well, I hit 400 already, so I might as well just let this be a cheat day."

I don't know if anyone can relate, but a lot of negative stuff goes on in my head and it gets easy to get off track when I think I'm already there. the reality is, 400 calories for breakfast isn't really a big deal. it's less than 1/3 of my daily goal! with 3 meals a day, I think I'm doing pretty good!

so yeah. I guess what I wanted to add was to not let your own head get in the way - and, if you happen to go over your calorie count, THAT'S OKAY! you've always got tomorrow. I think half of our problem as people who struggle with our weight is that cycle of eating because we feel bad, and feeling bad because we eat. I'm working on eating because I'm hungry and because I need to nourish my body - and if I eat a cookie or a bag of chips, I'm not going to eat 10 more because I've already "ruined" my day; I'm going to work on making healthier choices and cutting out things I might have otherwise eaten to account for the junk.

 Thanks everyone!  I am just starting my alli plan and everyone has given some great tips and information.  I am printing out your suggestions and making it part of my plan so that I can have a good solid foundation.  I also work two jobs, one full time and one part time, so this infomation will help get the start I need.  Congratulations to everyone who is taking the necessary steps to improve your life, one day at a time!

Keep up the good work!