Starting to Slip ~ need Help!

Those are the cutest dang molds.

You can also sauté in it :D

I'm not an oatmeal person..and presumably none of us are rice people..but you can use it as an oatmeal cooker and a rice cooker. You can bake in it. You can also make yogurt in it! I'll never attempt that, but nice to know that I could. I googled "Bariatric instant pot recipes" and there are soooo many. I think it's a great tool -- especially for the time-pressed.

Hey, can you PM your sous vide instant pot egg recipe, please?

I sent you a friend request...and the link to the egg mold that I use.

This is the recipe I used, but you can pretty much do whatever you want! Bacon, Gruyere cheese, ham, mushrooms, etc.

Minutes to Prepare: 5
Minutes to Cook: 20
Number of Servings: 7

Ingredients

6 large Eggs

3 oz Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1.5 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup Spinach, cooked

1/2 cup Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Red Peppers, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Instant Pot - steam setting 8 min, natural release 10 min

Serving Size: Make 7 Bites (each are 110 cal, 1 carb, 9 pro)

I don't know if this is an option for you, but are there any services you can pay someone else to do that will give you a little more free time and energy? Housecleaning, laundry, etc. sometimes cost less than you think. In some areas you can get healthy meals (or all the ingredients you need to cook them yourself) delivered to you.

True but I know the food ones are so overpriced! They sound good but I can generally buy stuff cheaper at the store. I should be open minded and try it for a month and see how it goes, it may get me back on track and try something new.

I have the issue of having very little extra time too. The things that take up my time are slightly different, but the best solution I have found to my problem is to get up earlier. I tried to exercise in the evening, but I'm too exhausted after everything I do in a day to be consistent. I now go to bed 1 hour earlier, and get up 1 hour earlier to exercise. It actually isn't as hard as I thought it would be, and it feels so good. My mood and energy levels are much better after my morning workout.

If you don't already, prep in the evening for your mornings. Pack your lunch and get your clothes ready, so you can sleep in a little more.

There is no easy solution to your problem. Getting exercise in is a challenge, and it's just something you HAVE to make time for, at least that's how I see it these days. Wishing you the best, I know it's not easy!

If you're looking for exercise ideas can you get one of those exercise bikes that fit under your desk? Or maybe try exercise bands or bring some light weights to work. I'm not sure if you can keep any of those things at your job. It'd be a way to squeeze in some exercise while you're at work rather than limit it to the weekends when you have more time.

You got so much good advice! I really like the idea of getting off public transportation a few stops early and walking the rest of the way. Joining the VSG menu thread(Watcha Eating VSGers?) is a great place to find support, recipe ideas and staying accountable. You have caught yourself early and came back to OH, I wish you the very best!

Thank you all for the advice! Have a lot of thinking and planning to do

I used to live alone yet I had a large freezer in the garage. (The large - not the chest)

When my partner moved in , we bought even bigger one, ice-free. I can cook in batches and freeze. We have quick meals available because of that. Theoretically I work 8-5, practically - I can still be at work at 9 or 10 pm. So we need optiond that are easy. Thank God my partner is so easy to feed. I cook on weekends, or some quick meals during the week - i.e individualy frozen fish fillets, a few bites of cucumber, and 1/2 avocado.

As for exercise- maximize the exercise- walking - you can use wrist weights to work upper body.

When you commute- use passive abdominal crunch exercise. "Pull gut miscels in, count to 10, let go, repeat" Believe it or not that can make the abdominal muscles rather strong.

Initially- to train myself, I used a leather belt - so if I relaxed my gut too much - the pressure of that on my mid section reminded me to pull in my muscles.

Commuting is hard, but since you are ona public transportation, you can try to reduce the stress you are under by listening to meditiation podcasts. Stress causes extra cortisone release, and cortisone is known to cause "the spare tire". There is a theory, that when we under the stress - our body may try to put the fat in the areas to protect the vital organs. This is supposed to be from days when human stress was from dangerous animals and the fat around your middle can protect the vital organs from atack of an animal.

Working on your stress, abdominal crunches, plus using wrist weights as you walk - those small changes may help enoght in time being.

Good luck.