DamaskRose I can't estimate how heavy things are so have to weight and measure everything. I allow myself 1,200 a day. Because of my health for years I have had to cook my meals like this. I live alone not by choice but my husband died in 2004. This is how I eat all year round as I found sandwiches or salads in the summer do not satisfy me and I what something to eat a hour after eating them.
I have porridge made with 50g dry weight of oats. Using usually coconut milk or for a change skimmed milk with 20g honey. Coconut milk doesn't taste of 🥥 and you don't need any sweetener. Plus it gives the oats a lovely texture. Cook it in the microwave .
Lunch is always soup made using 150g red lentils,5 veg oxo and whatever veg I have. Because of my hands I can't cut lot of veg up and don't like to buy all frozen veg. Only frozen veg I buy are cauliflower, broccoli,sprouts and peas. I can manage to top and tail carrots and using a flippy peeler peel them and put them whole into the freeze ,same with onions,leeks same but cut in half down the middle to wash. Peppers are halved deseeded ,mushrooms sliced,spring onions topped and tailed left whole after washing. Chard and kale washed, Pak Choi, pulled apart washed and frozen. Butternut and sweet potatoes washed pricked put into foil lined tin with water covered baked for hour. Once cold easy to peel SP put into freezer whole,BN cut into 3 peeled and frozen . So I always have a freezer full of frozen veg . I don't blanch anything doesn't need it that's a throw back to the 70's when freezers became cheap enough for everyone.
So I just weight the veg I want in my soup . I use my largest saucepan add herbs and s&p cook 90 mins and blitz with a hand blender and ladle into a large plastic container . Allow myself 4 ladles a day plus add extra water as it thickens in the fridge lasts 6 days..
Dinner is stew made in same saucepan using either large chicken breast ,300g Quorn chicken pieces or mince. 8 Quorn sausages browned in little oil cut into 8 pieces each. Either 150g of pearl barley put in the start with veg straight from freezer or 150g pasta or Bulger wheat added last 20 mins. Total cooking time 90 mins. Once cooked and cooled I use large kitchen ✂️ but I have to hold handle one in each hand and cut into the stew to dice veg. Portion into 6 oven proof dishes and put into fridge.
I do make a lasagne when I feel like it using Quorn mince make as stew . Using large enamel baking dish only use 4 sheets of pasta and only put cheese sauce on top made from 50g mature cheddar ,30g p flour and skimmed milk . As I do the all in one method using a whisk no need for any spread so saves cals. There is always to much filling so put extra into 5 oven proof dishes. Lasagne lasts 6 dinners and make sure first portion take extra filling . Once cold portion rest into dishes and in the fridge . This way I always have a lunches and dinners in the fridge. My ability to do things varies each day. But this works for me and how I lost 7 st. Plus going to sit fit class. Still trying to loose the last stone and bit for the last 2 years but I will do it one day.
If I have a bad day and over eat because I have been eating this way since 2017 I still weight and measure and count the cals so I know how many cals over I am . But I start each day anew. Feeling guilty I found is why I always gave up every diet in the past but I haven't given up since I decided to finally stop being morbidly obese and yes I was over 19st and size 32. Now 12st few pounds and size 16. Want to get to 11st but no time limit as that does not work for me.
Everyone here has their own way to lose weight. You need to find a way to suit you and don't beat yourself up if you have a bad day . No feeling guilty and be kind to yourself. Don't forget to measure yourself at the start and every month or so. I found once I started exercising after a few months my weight went up but had lost inches.
Find a way that works for you and it will become second nature. Yes I still have treats but I count the cals . Cakes and biscuits I make for craft made cheats ways as my hands and stamina don't let me able to do some things. But I don't have lunch on craft days but have extra 10g of dry oats for breakfast. Only bake ever 2 weeks for group . But do have a few biscuits others bring in with cuppa during our 2 hours together.
I know it's a ramble but there is no short way to explain how I have to do things. 🤦.
Main thing is not to give up. You will win in the end .
Still it’s an historic event and nice to join in with the celebrations even if they do involve scoffing naughty treats 😆 Back to normal for me today, just put a chilli con carne in the slow cooker and will have that with cauliflower rice. I’ve had far too many carbs over the weekend, mainly in the form of a scones!!! Here’s to the next five years and more successes for us all along the way 
