Newbie seeking advice and wanting to introduce myself

[mississippi_man]

Hello all. I am a male 39 years old 5'9'' tall and........approximately 345 pounds!!!!! Yikes! it really hits home when I type it out. I have watched numerous McDougall videos and read many of his articles etc and am ready to take the plunge and change my life for the better. I have a wonderful wife and 3 beautiful children ages 13,12 and 1 and I think I am having a mid-life crisis wake up call! I am type 2 diabetic with hypertension. I think anything I do besides what I've been doing at this point will yield benefits but McDougall just seems to resonate with me and I feel this is the best plan.

I would love to get some ideas for recipes I could use. You see, I am an oilfield worker (geologist) that works weeks at a time hours away from home. I live on the rig site while I am at work in a trailer. It has a small kitchen that is shared with 3 others. I work 12 hour shifts 7 days a week while I'm out here. So I ask that if anyone has some ideas on recipes, meal prep, storage. shopping list, etc. please let me know.

I can't wait to hear from some of you and I look forward to making new friends on this forum, learning, and changing my life.

Sincerely,
Mississippi Man

[Quinda]

I focus on simple. I prepare foods, don't create lavish dishes. I make soups from frozen mixed veggies, canned tomato sauce and cubed potatoes. I fix that in a pressure cooker but it can be done in any way, of course. I eat lots of microwaved potatoes, collard greens, broccoli florets on a daily basis. Oatmeal, old fashioned for breakfast. Cheerios with soy beverage or a banana or apple for snacks. No added sugar, a little added salt on some things. Husband adds raisins to oatmeal. He eats beans and rice every single day and he enjoys frozen stir fry veggies heated in microwave with beans and rice added to that. I cook large batches of rice, beans and soup, refrigerate and we never tire of it. Life is simple here and in our travels we manage to do quite well. The way we feel is remarkable and he has lost lots of weight plus gotten off all the prescription meds. I wish you the best of luck.

[pregofit]

Hello!

I have not been here long and still have my struggles despite knowing what ought to be done and what is best for my body and my family. A work in progress. I stumbled upon an interview with Dr. Doug Lisle and it has been such a great way to logically work through any mental blocks. Here is a video that I recently watched. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_x_c-pac9Y Dr. Mcdougall has TONS of webinars that are all free, they have been a great resource. He has them listed at the following link by topic: https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/webinars/.

For meals we are still going between meal planning everything (I find this exhausting) and just having staples on hand and whipping food together at whim. We always have potatoes, rice, frozen corn, frozen veggies, and some miscellaneous sauces on hand.

Bean burgers
BBQ Lentils with buns and lettuce
Spaghetti
Stirfry veggies over rice
Mashed potatoes with bbq beans, corn on cob, and veggies
Oatmeal with cut up fruit
Cold cereal with almond milk
Hummus and cucumber sandwiches
"Tuna" sandwiches with relish. I mash up chickpeas and add mustard and relish and it has a tuna like consistency.
Baked fries
Chili
Chipolte bowls with lime and cilantro rice. Toppings: tomatoes, refried beans, corn, shredded lettuce, taco sauce.
Veggie dumplings (I have a recipe that is SO good but I have to find it. It is easy and cheap too!)
Veggie sushi (surprisingly simple)
WINGS! You batter and bake cauliflower and dip in a no oil wing sauce. Add fries and it is actually really fantastic. Have not figured out a ranch recipe though.
Pasta salad with fat free Italian dressing. Cold corn, pasta, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and whatever you like are really great.


These seem to be our go to meals right now. You can make it as complex or as simple as possible. I am pregnant and went three days eating Cajun potato fries for my meals!

You will find success as all those good food decisions add up, it is inevitable. Just be patient with yourself and if you stumble just do better at the next meal. I find that keeping myself satiated is helpful. I bring fruit and sandwiches with me when I go out as much as possible.

[frozenveg]

Keep it simple is the mantra! Quinda hit the nail on the head. You don't need recipes as much as you need to find what you like in the long list of the food we can eat! So my list below focuses on what I have discovered that I like. My seasonings are mostly Tex-Mex. My husband prefers a much wider variety day-to-day, and you may, too. But experiment to see what tastes appeal to you!

I understand, if only second-hand, the pressures of 12 on and 12 off. My so worked on the North Slope in Alaska for four summers during college. So I know you must keep your approach very basic. Luckily, that's the kind of food we eat in this way of life!

I'm currently living in a kitchenette motel for a month or so. Here's how I settled in:

From the canned goods section, I bought tomatoes (no added salt), mushrooms, and pinto beans (those are my favorites--you can find what you like!).
In the frozen section, I bought a 3-pepper-and-onion mix, mixed veggies, spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cherries. I also bought frozen potatoes with nothing else added--some are hash-brown shreds and some are supposed to be turned into mashed potatoes (I will just eat them once microwaved).
Dry section: I bought (big indulgence) microwavable rice bowls (just brown rice, no other ingredients), and oatmeal (rolled oats--the 5-minute-cook kind). And--don't forget!--some food storage containers!
For condiments: cinnamon, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, ketchup and low-sodium soy sauce.

On Sunday (for you, some time once a week), I make a big pot of food--pop the frozen peppers/onions in the pot--no water or oil needed--saute for 5 or 10 minutes, then add 2 cans of tomatoes, get it bubbling, add the mixed vegs, the seasonings (chili p, cumin, garlic p, soy sauce), and cook for 20 minutes or so. I add a can of beans, and it's done. Serve over the microwaved rice. If I'm feeling very lazy, I will make the rice and add it to the pot. That is somewhere between 5 and 10 meals for me. You're a bigger guy than I, so it might be less for you. If fridge space is at a premium, don't use 2 cans of tomatoes and don't add the rice--make the rice when you're ready to eat instead.

In between those meals, I might make a whole bag of Brussels sprouts and eat it for a snack, sometimes with some potatoes I microwaved, and some ketchup.
For breakfast, I microwave some rolled oats with cinnamon, add the frozen cherries at the end and let them thaw in the oats while I'm doing other things (like writing this reply!).

You will find that this is almost as easy as microwaving a very unsatisfying frozen dinner--I always find I wanted 2 or 3 of the darned things to be satisfied, anyway. And the best part is that you will start to feel so much better!

Keep us posted--let us know how you are doing!

[mississippi_man]

Great advice and thank you so much. I certainly will keep you posted on my progress. I will make a trip to the store in the next day or 2 and will post things I bought and recipes I use for those that are in similar living situations. This site is such a rich resource of knowledge. I hope to add some small contribution to it in the weeks, months, and years ahead!

Sincerely,

Mississippi Man

[sirdle]

Hey MM,

I, too, work in the oil patch... although it's been many years since I worked 12-hr days or a 7-on/7-off schedule.

The oil patch... the deep South... 12-hr days... a small trailer... not the easiest environment to work in when you're trying to make changes to your lifestyle. I don't envy you!

But you've come to the right place. Lots of good ideas here already.

The job trailers that I've been in have not had any cooking equipment except a microwave and the refrigerator usually lacks a decent freezer. How are you set?

Anyway, just wanted to stop by and wish you the best. Look forward to hearing about your progress.

Cheers,

[mississippi_man]

@sirdle

We have a full kitchen. The trailer I live in on the rigsite is the same size as a standard mobile home. So the kitchen is small, but it is full size with ample cabinets, a stove/oven, and full size fridge/freezer. But with 4 people sharing it things can get crowded because there aren't any "community" items. So in 1 refrigerator you have 4 of a lot of the same things. Real estate is precious lol.

After some thought and advice I have received here I am thinking crock pot veggie chili and rice can be the main attraction. And when I have some extra time I might do baked potato wedges with some ketchup and A1. And being from Mississippi I can't forget sweet potatoes. I happen to like them baked and plain so that's a no-brainer. But they could never be a staple for me; I see them too much as a dessert and that is ingrained culturally into me I guess! LOL

To clarify, I do not work 7 days on/ 7 days off. When I said I work 7 days a week I was meaning I don't have days off while I work. I don't have a set schedule and work when the rig needs my services and go home when they don't. I usually work about 4 weeks straight and then have about a week off. But I have worked as long as 7 weeks straight and stayed home 4 weeks. It's crazy I know but this is only temporary for me. Maybe I will do it for the next year or so. I'm paying debts off and trying to pile up some money. It's boom and bust so, "Make hay while the sun is shining."

You are so right tho. This environment and work schedule isn't the most conducive one to healthy eating. Pigging out is my only vice and past time out here. Sad but true.

Sincerely,
Mississippi Man

[Plumerias]

Welcome! My husband and I live in a motorhome, so I have some idea as to the size and limitations of your kitchen. A suggestion...... whatever starch(es) you favor, make sure you cook them in volume regularly so that you always have access to quick and easy dishes. Refrigerator space and time permitting, make a whole bag of potatoes, a large pot of rice, a bunch of those sweet potatoes to keep your desire for dessert satisfied. Then make sure you have some pantry staples, which, by the way, can fit in a whole lot more spaces in a small unit than the officially designated pantry, some of my canned tomato products are in the cupboard beneath the bathroom sink. These would include canned beans, canned tomato products, maybe even canned vegetables. This way you always have options. If your share of the freezer permits, stock up on whatever frozen vegetables you prefer.

Now, as for recipes, here are a couple of very useful threads that could really save you at the end of one of those extra long days, weeks, months. They are from our resident dietitian, Jeff Novick, who does have his own portion of this board.

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=7168

viewtopic.php?t=10519

One of the newer, very popular appliances is something called Instant Pot. Tons of discussion here, you could look in your spare time ( like you have lots of that). It can function as a pressure cooker, great for beans and large bags of potatoes. It's electric, and you could probably even plug it in outside, like I do my rice cooker. It can also function as a slow cooker, similar to your crock pot. It's large though, so storage space might be iffy. Or you could store it in its box in your truck.

[Partly Cloudy]

Yes! What Plumerias said.

I'm a fan of Jeff Novick's recipes. They're simple, easy to shop for, quick to make, and actually really delicious!

Once you understand the proportions, Jeff's recipes work especially well if you need to substitute any ingredients. For example, you can easily use rice instead of millet, swap vegetables, use canned tomatoes instead of broth, etc.

And they're good big-batch recipes that you can cook in literally 15-30 minutes.

Pick one and give it a try, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

A few more here: in a printable PDF
http://www.shamanicspring.com/Jeff%20Novick%20recipes_Beyond_the_basics_no%20tomato.pdf

[pundit999]

You got great input. I would add that you should get the instant pot pressure cooker.

[Franchesca_S.]

Mississippi_man,

You might also check out the Plant Fueled Trucker on Facebook. He produces some amazing meals while away from home.

Franchesca