Healthy food and eating healthy are two different subjects. I had a student once who started eating only salads ...it's all he ate. Ended up really sick and in the hospital with IBD. I think you have to include a balance of sorts in the diet.
...If you can post what you buy, like for example Stouffer's Stir Fry or whatever, and how much you eat that could help me out.
Most people could not eat my diet day in and day out, but it works for me. I'll list it here with the idea that you can modify it to suit your own tastes, keeping in mind that any substitutions made need to be equally low in fat.
By the way, have you ever looked at the fat content in a pack of Ramen noodles? They are not the best thing you can be eating.
Here's my current diet:
Breakfast: Whey shake w/banana
Brunch: Bowl of pasta
Post-Workout: Whey shake
Late Afternoon: Tuna & Rice
Supper: Chicken Breast
Late Evening: Whey shake
I allow myself two large fat-free hard pretzels as snacks when I find myself tempted to eat something worse.
Look at those numbers. I can eat for an entire day on less than what one combo meal would cost you at McDonalds.
Note: I save a few bucks a week by buying all of the items above in bulk at Costco. (Except the pretzels, since they don't carry the kind I like). You can add in a few bucks per week for things like fat-free salsa (makes the Tuna & Rice tasty), a dozen eggs (I eat them now and then- hardboiled; whites only - as an extra snack), and stuff like hot sauce, BBQ sauce, etc as condiments. I also eat a baked potato now and then as a replacement for either the pasta or the rice. I also have a small serving of vegetables daily, along with an apple as an extra snack.
Total nutritional values:
-1940 Calories
-257g Carbs
-175g Protein
-10g Fat
On this diet I find that I often have to make myself eat, since if I get behind a couple of hours I end up having to gorge later in the day to catch up.
I could write a book on this subject if I wanted to. The point is, you can make tasty, low-fat meals without spending a lot of money.
One of my new year resolutions was to loose 10 pounds by my bd in April and 20 by June. I decided to do the simple things first, decrease my portions overall and increase physical activity. Decreasing the portions has been the most difficult part. Especially in the evening I feel increasingly hungry toward dinner, and start eating whatever I find, then complete my day with a large dinner. The solution I found was Metamucil. You might already know, this is a natural dietary fiber supplement to increase the regularity; it is not advertised as a weight loss formula. But if I drink two tea spoons of Metamucil (orange flavor, the others do not taste good) mixed in a large cup of water, it decreases my craving in about 15 minutes so that I can wait until dinner. And, I feel full with about the half of my regular portion. I found this method two weeks ago and started to take it once a day when I arrive home hungry; seems to be working for me, I am eating definitely less. Just wanted to share.
On this diet I find that I often have to make myself eat, since if I get behind a couple of hours I end up having to gorge later in the day to catch up.
I know that feeling. When I'm eating according to my diet plan, it's damn near impossible to eat everything I'm supposed to eat, and I've found it very difficult to get in enough calories to counteract my BMR + activities. It's difficult for me to gain muscle without losing what little weight I'm actually carrying.
Here's my ideal day's diet plan:
Breakfast: (8AM-9AM)
1 banana
16 oz. coffee with Equal and 1/2T of cream
8 oz nonfat vanilla yogurt mixed with 1 scoop of whey protein and 1/3c of lowfat granola
Lunch: (11AM)
24 oz. serving of my recipe chili with TVP or 2 PJ&J sandwiches made with whole wheat, Smart Balance Omega PB and Smuckers Simply Fruit jelly
11.5 oz. can of V8 with Tabasco or 16 oz. 100% juice mix
1 orange or apple
1 "Laughing Cow" light cheese wedge or 1 babybel light cheese wheel
Afternoon: (2PM-4PM)
1/2c quick oats mixed with 1c boiled water plus 1 scoop whey protein and 1c natural apple sauce
16 oz. hot tea with Equal
Pre-workout: (6PM)
whey protein shake with 8 oz. nonfat milk
Dinner (8PM)
2-4 c fortified pasta (cooked) with meatless tomato sauce or
2 tuna sandwiches made with lite mayo and mustard on whole wheat or
2 egg salad sandwiches made with only 1 yolk and lite mayo on whole wheat
Throughout the day I try to drink at least 32 oz. of additional water. On days that I go to the gym, I usually drink 48-64 oz. of water.
I find it a struggle to actually consume this much in a day. It's a lot easier to eat healthy (and a lot harder to gain weight) since my wife left me. I particularly struggle with eating enough in the evening when I'm alone. It's easy to eat all day at work when I'm just sitting bored at my desk.
I do a lot of bulk shopping at Costco as well. I don't think I spend more than $125 per month when I stick to this. The guys like to go out to eat at work once a week though, so I probably still spend $50 per month eating out between our weekly lunches and the dinner I usually buy before game night each Wednesday (I don't go home from work Wed).
Steve, do you get your whey protein at Costco too? I bought a big tub of it there and it seems to be very reasonably priced. The only downside to consuming so much whey protein is the amount of dietary cholesterol that it introduces. With my cholesterol being as high as it is, I really have to watch what I intake.
Yeah, I try to put more variety into my diet... I know I can stick with eating the same thing day in and day out for maybe a couple months, but then I loose it for a while.
Maybe some help forming a plan?
I love tuna, I can eat it all day as it stands... it's the cheapest thing I can think of. 2cups of Fiber One cereal and 1cup Silk Soymilk with fiber fills me up, it's hard to eat an extra banana with it. But that lasts like 2 to 3 hours... but that single meals gives me like 140% of my fiber, which I need. 2 cans of Tuna(2.5servings each) would be able to keep me going, 5 or 6 boiled egg whites is another thing.
How do you make your shakes? If that could fill me up, then we can add that.
The RDI states 50% of your calories should be from carbs, and 20 from fat and 30 from protein. Because I am not very active, I think I need about 50% from protein(due to natural body mass), 30% from carbs, and 20% from fat.
Any suggestions?
Also to note: I think when I was starting to actually go under 2000 calories for a few days during my diet my weight started going back up. Perhaps it's too little for me? 2000 to 2500 may be my sweet spot?
Fifty percent protein is way too high. A lot of it will end up converting to fat, plus you'll feel a lack of energy in the meantime with the loss of carbohydrates. A second party of it is that it's very hard to build muscle and lose fat at the same time, so a lot of protein may be counter productive to your weight loss goals unless you are simultaneously lifting weights.
My scale says I should join the 30 pound challenge.
I'll have to give this some thought as I have never dieted before and I'm not one for counting calories and such.
I know I drink way too much Coca-Cola Classic and I don't exercise outside of normal chores. I rarely drink water so I think I'll start replacing coke with water and do some light exercises and see what happens. I don't think it can hurt anything.
Fifty percent protein is way too high. A lot of it will end up converting to fat, plus you'll feel a lack of energy in the meantime with the loss of carbohydrates. A second party of it is that it's very hard to build muscle and lose fat at the same time, so a lot of protein may be counter productive to your weight loss goals unless you are simultaneously lifting weights.
pft... whatever. 1000g of protein sounds fantastic!
No I didn't add that up, but damn it too many carbs is bad as well.
I rarely drink water so I think I'll start replacing coke with water and do some light exercises and see what happens. I don't think it can hurt anything.
I've been doing this since December, and I like it. I found that the right place between quantity/portability is a 500ml bottle. I like the small-mouth nalgene, so water doesn't slosh out when you're drinking it.
Check out Water Joe if it's available in your area - it's caffeinated water. Or maybe get some caffeine or taurine from GNC??
pft... whatever. 1000g of protein sounds fantastic!
No I didn't add that up, but damn it too many carbs is bad as well.
In my opinion, the low carb thing is a lot of hype. You lose almost all your strength doing that, and a lot of people find themselves quite cranky out of lack of energy, and the lack of food they can eat. So long as you're using the carbs towards something, don't worry about it.
...How do you make your shakes? If that could fill me up, then we can add that...
My breakfast shake is 8 oz. of skim milk and a scoop of whey powder. My post-workout shake is a scoop of whey powder in water. My banana shake is 8 oz. of skim milk, a scoop of whey, one banana, and several ice cubes, all stirred up in a blender. If I'm slightly relaxed in my fat intake I will toss in a small handful of dry-roasted unsalted peanuts.
Well I picked up some whey protein, fiber pills, snickers protein bars, I have more eggs than you wanna know, and about 16 cans of tuna, with two types of fiber one cereal and honey wheat oats or whatever, with silk soymilk with a bunch of omega 3 and fiber to boot.
I should be poopin like a mad man soon.
Gotta say, this is eating a lot less, and filling me up, but I am getting some acid reflux, but that may be due to the actual food I bought which include hash browns, country fried steak, and some mexican food. In small portions I should mention. Much smaller than I have ever done before with these foods.
It was still expensive($86), but I am working on that, this time around I decided to spend more in hopes of spending less in the future, IE pills and whey.
When you buy whey protein look around on the internet. Just walking to to GNC and buying a tub is going to make you go broke fast. Everything in that store is $$$$.
I like ON Whey 100% because it has less fat and more protein than GNC, it tastes better, has more flavors, and even with shipping is cheaper. A two-pound can of it will last you about a month (31 servings). If you buy from a store, it's about $20.00 USD.
Ahh hell I might as well join the fun. I dont weigh as much as most that posted here but I dont like the direction that I am going in. Lets see, a little but about me...
In high school I was an athlete, was always fit (helps to be a wrestler and a farmer, aint that right Prime), pretty much had a 6 pack all the time, fairly cut, could run 3-5+ miles at about any time during school no matter the season. Never worried about what I ate or anything, cept for wrestling season I cut back.
Then came college. Unlike most other people I left college at probably the same weight I entered it. I point at the fact that I worked for FedEx to keep my butt in shape all the time. (A motherload of calories were burnt in the building by me in nearly 3 years.) Again I pretty much ate whatever I wanted but had to watch it a little more. My body didnt change much but I added a slightly thinner later of fat on me, but still probably the same weight. Different muscles were strong and I couldnt run like I used to be able to (mostly because of back problems due to work.)
Then comes the working life.....my job is 12 hours a day 3-4 days a week. I dont get any physical exercise anymore. I eat less, but still eat more than I burn. At 3-4 hours at FedEx I probably burnt more calories than my 12 hours at Micron. Huge difference. Now I am probably over 160, maybe 170, depending on muscle mass I lost vs fat put on. 170 would put me like 10 over what I graduated HS with. Its to the point that when I sit down the stomach fat rolls over my pants a little. Having always been fit, that disturbs me.
I am not all into keeping calories or going into that much strickness on my diet, hell I am only 22. Maybe I should try FitDay anyway though. I am planning on attending college again next fall...need to get out, help my job position, and girls. The last part is a real motivator to get me moving to look better cause I'm damn lonely.
Anyways while reading this I decided to join the Gym that Micron Emps. get a discount on and to get a scale (never have had one besides the one at school during wrestling season) tomorrow.
I would like to work out before work, the 12 hours isnt hard, but having time to do something besides work + sleep + normal life stuff is hard on work days. Plus when I am on days a workout before 6 am is gonna be hell. I have always liked to workout on an empty stomach anyways.
As far as eating....my problem is getting motivated to cook stuff/prepare a meal. I dont like to spend time on it most days, esp after being used to coming home from FedEx or 12 hours at Micron. I just want to do other stuff besides cook, so I mainly eat frozen stuff that I can put in the Oven/Toaster Oven/Microwave and have a meal cooking while I am doing something else, most likely on the computer.
Thats another thing, I admit, I'm addicted to WoW. And I hate myself for it. I dont know what else to do so I end up playing WoW. The other day I spent 15+ hours straight in game....****ing sad I know. Hopefully if I get on a workout routine I can get myself off from playing so much.
The biggest help I think I would need are suggestions on what to eat on a daily basis that is healthy. I eat before work, cereal (Frosted Mini Wheats, has been for years) at 5:20 or so, lunch sometime between 12-2 and supper after work, 7ish. Now if I work out before work there is not much time after supper and bed. So if anyone has some stuff I could bring along to work or something to make after that would be awesome. I usually have a turkey sandwish/wrap with lettace and tomato with water, sometimes a yogurt so I am good there along with breakfast. I think I just need help with dinner.
I have a few things on working out though for others. I was reading the Washington Post this week and it had a nice workout for those businessmen traveling or those that just dont have a place to workout. It takes nothing but a stairwell. The link is here (think you might have to sign-up to see it.)
Also I had found this AB video that I think is pretty good. I used to do it twice a day, right when I woke up and when I went to bed. I could see some results from this alone right way in looks and the way my abs felt. Its only 8 minutes and I think does wonders. It is really easy on the back and works on all areas of the abs. I uploaded it to Filefront even for everyone.
If someone wants to called out for some past motivation here is a quote from Brian a year ago.
By the time the lake jump of 2007 rolls around, I might be as skinny as Marc, so this could be your last chance to see me embarass myself for the sake of charity.
I wanna see you get back into that spirit!! So 2007 was like 2006. Lets make 2008 like 2007 was supposed to be!
Most people I know cook a lot Sunday afternoon or evening, they'll make chicken, some pasta, etc., and throw it in the fridge. It's good for about a week so you just come home and eat it. Prepackaged food is bad because of all the trans-fat.
About once a week I make a huge pile of steamed rice and an enormous bowl of pasta. I also make a couple dozen hardboiled eggs.
My nifty little George Foreman grill knocks out a chicken breast in under ten minutes, so I make those fresh daily. I nuke my veggies in the microwave, which is fast, easy, and doesn't add any fat from sauteing them in butter or oil.
I got a single George Foreman grill for Christmas. That was one of the most use gifts I have ever recieved.
Every night I fire it up and am grilling some chicken or fish.
Great investment if you don't have one!
cheers
0
KwitkoSheriff of Banning (Retired)By the thing near the stuffIcrontian
edited March 2007
I have officially crossed the halfway point of the challenge. I'm down 16 since the start. I've lost inches, but I know I've picked up some muscle mass along the way. My jeans are two inches too large now.
Comments
By the way, have you ever looked at the fat content in a pack of Ramen noodles? They are not the best thing you can be eating.
Here's my current diet:
Breakfast: Whey shake w/banana
Brunch: Bowl of pasta
Post-Workout: Whey shake
Late Afternoon: Tuna & Rice
Supper: Chicken Breast
Late Evening: Whey shake
I allow myself two large fat-free hard pretzels as snacks when I find myself tempted to eat something worse.
Totals:
(2) Regular Shakes - 40 cents each; 80 cents total
(1) Banana Shake - 65 cents
(1) Serving Pasta w/ Fat Free Dressing - 35 cents
(1) Serving Tuna & Rice - $1.10
(1) Chicken Breast - $1.20
(2) Pretzels - 15 cents each; 30 cents total
Cost per day: $4.40
Cost per week: $30.80
Look at those numbers. I can eat for an entire day on less than what one combo meal would cost you at McDonalds.
Note: I save a few bucks a week by buying all of the items above in bulk at Costco. (Except the pretzels, since they don't carry the kind I like). You can add in a few bucks per week for things like fat-free salsa (makes the Tuna & Rice tasty), a dozen eggs (I eat them now and then- hardboiled; whites only - as an extra snack), and stuff like hot sauce, BBQ sauce, etc as condiments. I also eat a baked potato now and then as a replacement for either the pasta or the rice. I also have a small serving of vegetables daily, along with an apple as an extra snack.
Total nutritional values:
-1940 Calories
-257g Carbs
-175g Protein
-10g Fat
On this diet I find that I often have to make myself eat, since if I get behind a couple of hours I end up having to gorge later in the day to catch up.
I could write a book on this subject if I wanted to. The point is, you can make tasty, low-fat meals without spending a lot of money.
I know that feeling. When I'm eating according to my diet plan, it's damn near impossible to eat everything I'm supposed to eat, and I've found it very difficult to get in enough calories to counteract my BMR + activities. It's difficult for me to gain muscle without losing what little weight I'm actually carrying.
Here's my ideal day's diet plan:
Breakfast: (8AM-9AM)
1 banana
16 oz. coffee with Equal and 1/2T of cream
8 oz nonfat vanilla yogurt mixed with 1 scoop of whey protein and 1/3c of lowfat granola
Lunch: (11AM)
24 oz. serving of my recipe chili with TVP or 2 PJ&J sandwiches made with whole wheat, Smart Balance Omega PB and Smuckers Simply Fruit jelly
11.5 oz. can of V8 with Tabasco or 16 oz. 100% juice mix
1 orange or apple
1 "Laughing Cow" light cheese wedge or 1 babybel light cheese wheel
Afternoon: (2PM-4PM)
1/2c quick oats mixed with 1c boiled water plus 1 scoop whey protein and 1c natural apple sauce
16 oz. hot tea with Equal
Pre-workout: (6PM)
whey protein shake with 8 oz. nonfat milk
Dinner (8PM)
2-4 c fortified pasta (cooked) with meatless tomato sauce or
2 tuna sandwiches made with lite mayo and mustard on whole wheat or
2 egg salad sandwiches made with only 1 yolk and lite mayo on whole wheat
Throughout the day I try to drink at least 32 oz. of additional water. On days that I go to the gym, I usually drink 48-64 oz. of water.
I find it a struggle to actually consume this much in a day. It's a lot easier to eat healthy (and a lot harder to gain weight) since my wife left me. I particularly struggle with eating enough in the evening when I'm alone. It's easy to eat all day at work when I'm just sitting bored at my desk.
I do a lot of bulk shopping at Costco as well. I don't think I spend more than $125 per month when I stick to this. The guys like to go out to eat at work once a week though, so I probably still spend $50 per month eating out between our weekly lunches and the dinner I usually buy before game night each Wednesday (I don't go home from work Wed).
Steve, do you get your whey protein at Costco too? I bought a big tub of it there and it seems to be very reasonably priced. The only downside to consuming so much whey protein is the amount of dietary cholesterol that it introduces. With my cholesterol being as high as it is, I really have to watch what I intake.
Maybe some help forming a plan?
I love tuna, I can eat it all day as it stands... it's the cheapest thing I can think of. 2cups of Fiber One cereal and 1cup Silk Soymilk with fiber fills me up, it's hard to eat an extra banana with it. But that lasts like 2 to 3 hours... but that single meals gives me like 140% of my fiber, which I need. 2 cans of Tuna(2.5servings each) would be able to keep me going, 5 or 6 boiled egg whites is another thing.
How do you make your shakes? If that could fill me up, then we can add that.
The RDI states 50% of your calories should be from carbs, and 20 from fat and 30 from protein. Because I am not very active, I think I need about 50% from protein(due to natural body mass), 30% from carbs, and 20% from fat.
Any suggestions?
Also to note: I think when I was starting to actually go under 2000 calories for a few days during my diet my weight started going back up. Perhaps it's too little for me? 2000 to 2500 may be my sweet spot?
I read the people who are really hardcore go up to ~300g protein per day.
I work out everyday and I have been sticking to the 1g per lb rule, so far so good.
Yeah, that's the general rule of thumb. 1 ~ 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. I usually have between 170 and 210 given cafeteria food.
I'll have to give this some thought as I have never dieted before and I'm not one for counting calories and such.
I know I drink way too much Coca-Cola Classic and I don't exercise outside of normal chores. I rarely drink water so I think I'll start replacing coke with water and do some light exercises and see what happens. I don't think it can hurt anything.
pft... whatever. 1000g of protein sounds fantastic!
No I didn't add that up, but damn it too many carbs is bad as well.
I've been doing this since December, and I like it. I found that the right place between quantity/portability is a 500ml bottle. I like the small-mouth nalgene, so water doesn't slosh out when you're drinking it.
Check out Water Joe if it's available in your area - it's caffeinated water. Or maybe get some caffeine or taurine from GNC??
In my opinion, the low carb thing is a lot of hype. You lose almost all your strength doing that, and a lot of people find themselves quite cranky out of lack of energy, and the lack of food they can eat. So long as you're using the carbs towards something, don't worry about it.
I should be poopin like a mad man soon.
Gotta say, this is eating a lot less, and filling me up, but I am getting some acid reflux, but that may be due to the actual food I bought which include hash browns, country fried steak, and some mexican food. In small portions I should mention. Much smaller than I have ever done before with these foods.
It was still expensive($86), but I am working on that, this time around I decided to spend more in hopes of spending less in the future, IE pills and whey.
cheers
I like ON Whey 100% because it has less fat and more protein than GNC, it tastes better, has more flavors, and even with shipping is cheaper. A two-pound can of it will last you about a month (31 servings). If you buy from a store, it's about $20.00 USD.
72 servings, baby!
True, but Costco whey tastes like smegma
I wouldn't either but the gimp tells me it isn't so good.
In high school I was an athlete, was always fit (helps to be a wrestler and a farmer, aint that right Prime), pretty much had a 6 pack all the time, fairly cut, could run 3-5+ miles at about any time during school no matter the season. Never worried about what I ate or anything, cept for wrestling season I cut back.
Then came college. Unlike most other people I left college at probably the same weight I entered it. I point at the fact that I worked for FedEx to keep my butt in shape all the time. (A motherload of calories were burnt in the building by me in nearly 3 years.) Again I pretty much ate whatever I wanted but had to watch it a little more. My body didnt change much but I added a slightly thinner later of fat on me, but still probably the same weight. Different muscles were strong and I couldnt run like I used to be able to (mostly because of back problems due to work.)
Then comes the working life.....my job is 12 hours a day 3-4 days a week. I dont get any physical exercise anymore. I eat less, but still eat more than I burn. At 3-4 hours at FedEx I probably burnt more calories than my 12 hours at Micron. Huge difference. Now I am probably over 160, maybe 170, depending on muscle mass I lost vs fat put on. 170 would put me like 10 over what I graduated HS with. Its to the point that when I sit down the stomach fat rolls over my pants a little. Having always been fit, that disturbs me.
I am not all into keeping calories or going into that much strickness on my diet, hell I am only 22. Maybe I should try FitDay anyway though. I am planning on attending college again next fall...need to get out, help my job position, and girls. The last part is a real motivator to get me moving to look better cause I'm damn lonely.
Anyways while reading this I decided to join the Gym that Micron Emps. get a discount on and to get a scale (never have had one besides the one at school during wrestling season) tomorrow.
I would like to work out before work, the 12 hours isnt hard, but having time to do something besides work + sleep + normal life stuff is hard on work days. Plus when I am on days a workout before 6 am is gonna be hell. I have always liked to workout on an empty stomach anyways.
As far as eating....my problem is getting motivated to cook stuff/prepare a meal. I dont like to spend time on it most days, esp after being used to coming home from FedEx or 12 hours at Micron. I just want to do other stuff besides cook, so I mainly eat frozen stuff that I can put in the Oven/Toaster Oven/Microwave and have a meal cooking while I am doing something else, most likely on the computer.
Thats another thing, I admit, I'm addicted to WoW. And I hate myself for it. I dont know what else to do so I end up playing WoW. The other day I spent 15+ hours straight in game....****ing sad I know. Hopefully if I get on a workout routine I can get myself off from playing so much.
The biggest help I think I would need are suggestions on what to eat on a daily basis that is healthy. I eat before work, cereal (Frosted Mini Wheats, has been for years) at 5:20 or so, lunch sometime between 12-2 and supper after work, 7ish. Now if I work out before work there is not much time after supper and bed. So if anyone has some stuff I could bring along to work or something to make after that would be awesome. I usually have a turkey sandwish/wrap with lettace and tomato with water, sometimes a yogurt so I am good there along with breakfast. I think I just need help with dinner.
I have a few things on working out though for others. I was reading the Washington Post this week and it had a nice workout for those businessmen traveling or those that just dont have a place to workout. It takes nothing but a stairwell. The link is here (think you might have to sign-up to see it.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/23/AR2007022301803.html
Also I had found this AB video that I think is pretty good. I used to do it twice a day, right when I woke up and when I went to bed. I could see some results from this alone right way in looks and the way my abs felt. Its only 8 minutes and I think does wonders. It is really easy on the back and works on all areas of the abs. I uploaded it to Filefront even for everyone.
8_minute_Absworkout_fitnes.AVI:
http://files.filefront.com//;6843146;;/
If someone wants to called out for some past motivation here is a quote from Brian a year ago.
I wanna see you get back into that spirit!! So 2007 was like 2006. Lets make 2008 like 2007 was supposed to be!
About once a week I make a huge pile of steamed rice and an enormous bowl of pasta. I also make a couple dozen hardboiled eggs.
My nifty little George Foreman grill knocks out a chicken breast in under ten minutes, so I make those fresh daily. I nuke my veggies in the microwave, which is fast, easy, and doesn't add any fat from sauteing them in butter or oil.
Every night I fire it up and am grilling some chicken or fish.
Great investment if you don't have one!
cheers