Quick and low-cal breakfast suggestions....

[thatgirlsevil]

...that are NOT porridge (hate the stuff, yeuch!) and will keep me full enough to do an hour or running and perhaps a shred afterwards.

I'm planning on starting a fitness regime to get in shape for Christmas starting Monday the 10th, which will also be the day my PFB starts school.

THE PARK IS NEXT DOOR TO THE SCHOOL...so I have NO excuse and I want to do this so badly. I just have to get my (increasingly lardy) arse fed and out of the door whilst getting DS sorted.

Lunch and snack suggestions are most welcome too...

Thanks for any help.

Scrambled eggs, done in the microwave - takes about a minute and keeps you full for ages. You could grate some cheese over it or have some cooked veg ready and mix those in as well.

What Rose says. Scrambled eggs give you superpowers. Perhaps a banana too if you are going to run more than 8k.

Ooh, I love scrambled eggs (and veg)...I was blinded by the constant porridge, porridge, porridge chat.

I thought cheese would be an absolute no-no TBH.

Are there any lower cal cheeses you might recommend or can I just get busy with the (modest) amount of Cathedral City?

One more thing, because I'm shit at this and you ladies seem like fountains of endless knowledge.

How many eggs for one portion of scrambled? I would normally use 2 but put milk, butter, cheese, cream, lard 12 rashers of bacon in there.

2 eggs, made with butter and milk is good. Any cheese is good. If you are going to add veg, steer clear of potatoes. And have a read of the low GI/low carb threads. Pulses are also good (but not baked beans as they are full of sugar).

My only caveat is if you are going to do extended cardio e.g. run more than 8k at a decent pace, you do need some blood sugar in you if you don't want to hit the wall - pulses or a single banana is easily enough. For a 5k run round the park and a 20 minute shred you probably won't need it.

2 eggs. I use butter as well because I do not believe in low fat, just low(er) carb as the best way to lose weight. But you can use 2 eggs, skimmed milk and, say, a few mushrooms. Grate the cheese on once cooked as it goes further. Yummy!

Sounds lovely, I'd have no problem eating this most mornings with a piece of fruit.

malinois I honestly don't know how far or how fast I plan on running but I can't see it being anywhere near 8k. I'm pretty unfit at this point TBH...my focus is on building it up slowly and the shred will be the more intense part of the workout for now. I hope to do the shred most days as it gives me a real sense of achievement.

snack suggestions: nuts and olives - loads of them. If you are craving something sweet than protein shakes (whey power) are gorgeous and come in lots of flavours. Get the ones aimed at athletes, not at dieters - they are the same thing but cheaper.

lunch suggestion: keep a selection of bag salads, cherry toms, chick peas, cottage cheese, olives, nuts, smoked mackerel, hard-boiled eggs cold meats and do a salad plate - takes less than a minute. Use a really good, full-fat dressing, preferably homemade. If you want something hot, do a salad with poached egg, grilled salmon or mackerel (hoisin or teriyaki for variation), chicken livers, bacon/lardons - not all at once!

AT ALL COSTS, avoid anything that says "low fat" on it :)

And, it should go without saying, don't eat bread, potatoes, pasta or rice.

Or Bircher muesli- soak muesli or porridge oats in a little apple juice, add yoghurt and berries/grated apple/ banana to taste.

thatgirl - in deciding to do it, and setting a date to start, you're 50% there :) Have you looked at the couch-to-5k and couch-to-10k programs? They are very good. I haven't done shred myself but I hear it is very good.

Do bear in mind that weight loss is probably 80% diet and 20% exercise, so while exercise is fantastically important for overall fitness and well-being, if weight loss is a priority, you need to look very hard at diet.

I know many people (men mostly) who have embarked on an exercise routine to try to lose weight without looking at diet, and while they are now much fitter and healthier than they were, they tend to be disappointed that they haven't seen dramatic weight loss.

On the other hand, low GI/low carb diet + exercise, if you stick to it, will result in substantial weight loss along with many other good things such as increased fitness, increased muscle mass and a better relationship with food.

Sounds delish, I needed good breakfast ideas, handy thread! I would just be worried about the cholesterol in eggs - would eat them every day if it wasn't for that! Is it an issue? If you're exercising a lot does that lower your cholesterol? I know nothing about cholesterol but still worry. Anyone know? Because eggs then a run would be my perfect start to the day!

malinois - Thanks for the advice and words of encouragement.

I'm definitely looking to change my entire diet and significantly reduce my alcohol intake (I'll be allowing myself one bottle of wine between Friday and Saturday or 4 spirits with soda water).

DP and I have got into a terrible habit of drinking beers, yes CANS of beer! in the evening as we watch movies (both MASSIVE movie buffs) and I also drink an excessive amount of diet soda which I'm giving up completely in favour of the 8 recommended glasses of water per day. Thankfully I don't really like chocolate or sweets but I find it hard to resist a packet of crisps or a bowl of peanuts and bloody cheese!! THANKYOU for the olive snack suggestion...one of my dream foods.

As well as getting fit and changing my diet I'm going to start taking a calcium supplement and looking after my skin a LOT more. I really want a complete overhaul as far as my mood and state of mind is concerned...I feel sluggish most days, sometimes hungover, bloated, a bit miserable. I mean...I stay upbeat and I get out and about every day for the sake of DS but it's all a bit of a front really. If I don't do something about my lifestyle now I foresee myself being very overweight, unhealthy and unhappy within a couple of years time.

Right now I'm probably just a stone or two heavier than I would like to be (coming up to a size 14) but it's all on my stomach and face... I'm wobbly all over with almost 3 chins in every other photograph and my skin looks and feels a bit grey and worn. My chest is bigger than ever at 36DD but it doesn't make me feel attractive at all...obviously you can tell by the fact that I've now whinged on for 4 paragraphs that I'm pretty fed up with looking and feeling like this.

Anyway, thanks again for all the suggestions. Please keep them coming, I am making notes of everything.

Cholestrol in eggs (or prawns or liver) does not have any impact on blood LDL levels - this was a media myth that was debunked years ago but seems to persist. See here

I also love chicken livers...what do you think to sauteing them then adding some creme fraiche and serving with a mixed salad?

thatgirl: sounds like a great plan but don't ditch the cheese!!! Cheese is good! Oh, I forgot hummus+celery and carrot sticks as a snack.

Not drinking during the week is a great idea, and if you get into your running, you will find yourself drinking less anyway as even one drink the night before has a noticeable effect on your morning run. Also, it makes that Friday evening bottle glass of wine feel like such a treat!

If you restrict your alcohol content, eat more protein and non-starchy veg, and start exercising, I can guarantee you will feel a lot better within a couple of weeks.

oh, x-post

thatgirl - yes to chicken livers + creme fraiche - yum! Do also look at pulses - high in protein and fibre, and the carbs in them are low-GI - i.e. they are released very slowly so they are far less fattening than the same calories from bread or pasta.

I have slimfast for breakfast most mornings, it's quite filling and about 230. Or philli (or any cream cheese/cottage cheese) on 2 slices of nimble bread toast.