Diet Ideas.

[korinna5555]

When I do community events (as required by MT school), the people who don't train properly for marathons often end up injured.

[MollyMac]

Eat clean. 5-6 smal meals a day each with a complex carb, protein and fat. Avoid processed food, higher sodium foods, and artificial fats/sweeteners. Your body has a craving for a reason and artificial fillers will make you overeat in the end.

Your daily estimates of each should be:

On work out days:
60% carb/20% fat/20%protein

On rest days
40% carb/30%fat/30% protein

Carbs are good for you, but it's what kind of carb you eat that determine your energy and ultimately your fat stores. Simple sugars burn faster and make you feel hunger pangs sooner- BUT they can be aweseme before a work out to get you through. Think whole fruit over doughnut. Complex carbs are higher in giber and lower on the GI and make you feel fuller longer.

Before sleeping for 7-8 hours a night, have a glass of fat free milk as it will keep your metabolism going, provide protein, and keep protein and ultimately muscle from being wasted away.

All that being said, have planned cheat meals of the food you love about every other day. this allows you to eat what you want in a controlled setting and avoid the binge.

Workouts should be at least 30 minutes 5 times a week of RPE 7-8 of cardio with resistance training of 3-4 days a week, alternating days. Aim for 2 sets of 8-10 reps on major muscle groups. But at your age- go for restistance bands over free weights. Bone ossification can be slightly retatded from overbearing weight exercise in a non-supervised setting.

Have at least one rest day per week to let muscle repai and build so that it can more healthfully burn fat on your next workout.

Lose the scale, get a tape measure.

Best of luck!

[Altemese]

thnks so much MollyMac. I didn't know the amount of carbs to take in a day. i hope this works.

[korinna5555]

Look into Ezekiel breads and granola for excellent carb choices. They are complex carbs, minimally processed, and sprouted. That means it's digested more like a vegetable than a grain. Tasty, too. :-D

[Saya]

Keep a food diary so you can see where your problem is. If you're not ready for a marathon and you're probably not, look into walkathons and such, so you can raise money for a charity and get a lot of walking done. Learning to cook your own food from scratch is great too, you're more aware of whats going into your meals.

[Altemese]

yeah. i think i'll try for the walkathon. the Diary is a great idea!

[korinna5555]

BACK ON TOPIC.

I have a soft spot for frozen Milky Way Midnights. They're my guilty pleasure.
And while not nearly as bad for you as say.. Starbucks ice cream (java chip, I love youuuuu, even though you make me sick), I effing love TEMPT hempmilk chocolate ice cream.

[Saya]

I can't switch to hemp milk, its good but if I forget to shake a layer of oil comes out first and its gross. Chocolate almond milk ftw.

I want an ice cream maker, I fucking love green tea ice cream.

[korinna5555]

I'm kind of a compulsive shaker. Kombucha and I had some issues when I first started drinking it. >_<

[Kalitrima]

I'm the weird kind of person who can eat the same thing over and over again for weeks without getting tired of it. And I'm attempting to diet right now. (I'm about to cheat for my birthday tomorrow, but let's not talk about that.) My schedule is weird, so I only end up eating two means a day. Bad, I know, because it slows my metabolism. But I've been eating simplified taco salads and scrambled eggs, and. . . er. . . well, diet started recently, so I don't know how well it'll work.

The salads are simple enough. Cut up lettuce, grate a little (liiiittle) bit of cheese, crush up some corn chips (try to use few of those as well, because they're salty and I assume that's bad), pour in some salsa. And if you need a bit of flavor, use a Mild sauce packet from Taco Bell. My mom stocks up on all packets (ketchup, soy sauce, you name it), so I have a neverending supply. Ziploc bag full of 'em. They're good for adding a touch of flavor. I personally dislike salads, but I find that this way of serving it dodges that. And it's delicioussssss.

The eggs are also pretty simple. I only eat them because I need protein of some sort, and I don't think I'm getting it any other way. Of course, there's a trick to not getting tired of those, too. I use hoisen sauce (Soy Vay makes the best, I think, but I've only tried two kinds) to add a bit of flavor. Just crack one or two eggs into a bowl (to prevent eggshells from getting in by accident), add some of the sauce, mixy mixy. Use butter-flavored non-stick spray instead of butter in the pan when you start. And keep an eye on it when you're cooking it. The sugar content in the sauce makes it easier to burn, I think. And I know there's a lot of cholesterol in egg yolks, but I don't know if that's where the protein is too. So you might want to put making these eggs on hold until someone who knows better than I weighs in on this idea.

That's all I can really offer in terms of help, I guess. I've never been good at this, so it might be a good idea to hold off on trying what I said until someone else says it sounds good. . .

[Saya]

Originally Posted by Kalitrima

I'm the weird kind of person who can eat the same thing over and over again for weeks without getting tired of it. And I'm attempting to diet right now. (I'm about to cheat for my birthday tomorrow, but let's not talk about that.) My schedule is weird, so I only end up eating two means a day. Bad, I know, because it slows my metabolism. But I've been eating simplified taco salads and scrambled eggs, and. . . er. . . well, diet started recently, so I don't know how well it'll work.

The salads are simple enough. Cut up lettuce, grate a little (liiiittle) bit of cheese, crush up some corn chips (try to use few of those as well, because they're salty and I assume that's bad), pour in some salsa. And if you need a bit of flavor, use a Mild sauce packet from Taco Bell. My mom stocks up on all packets (ketchup, soy sauce, you name it), so I have a neverending supply. Ziploc bag full of 'em. They're good for adding a touch of flavor. I personally dislike salads, but I find that this way of serving it dodges that. And it's delicioussssss.

The eggs are also pretty simple. I only eat them because I need protein of some sort, and I don't think I'm getting it any other way. Of course, there's a trick to not getting tired of those, too. I use hoisen sauce (Soy Vay makes the best, I think, but I've only tried two kinds) to add a bit of flavor. Just crack one or two eggs into a bowl (to prevent eggshells from getting in by accident), add some of the sauce, mixy mixy. Use butter-flavored non-stick spray instead of butter in the pan when you start. And keep an eye on it when you're cooking it. The sugar content in the sauce makes it easier to burn, I think. And I know there's a lot of cholesterol in egg yolks, but I don't know if that's where the protein is too. So you might want to put making these eggs on hold until someone who knows better than I weighs in on this idea.

That's all I can really offer in terms of help, I guess. I've never been good at this, so it might be a good idea to hold off on trying what I said until someone else says it sounds good. . .

EVERYTHING has protein in it, you pretty much have to be starving to be protein deficient. For taco salad I wouldn't use iceburg lettuce, its pretty much nutritionally void, and yes tortilla chips are salty but you can always make your own. But really if thats all your eating for two meals a day that can't be good. I know its really easy to get stuck in a rut like that and I do that myself sometimes, but its really not good, you need a lot of variety.

[Solumina]

There is loads of protein (and vitamins) in the egg white and very little cholesterol. Personally I would never waste part of my food but a lot of people will just use the egg whites (for me it is easy since I have very low cholesterol and Jake's is high, he gets scrambled egg whites and I get bird's nests). Also using free range eggs (not just cage free or organic) is a good idea as they have much less cholesterol as well as much more Omega 3s and vitamin A.

As Saya said iceberg is pretty much water and fiber, not a whole lot of nutrients in there, try Boston lettuce as it still has a nice crunch and isn't too bitter. To me the bigger issue with the salad is the salsa. Store bought salsa has a lot of sugar, a lot of salt, and very few vitamins. Try making your own as, when properly made, it adds a lot of nutrition with the flavor.

You really do need variety in your diet, a good rule of thumb is to have a colorful diet as things with different (natural) colors have different nutrients. That isn't really comprehensive and there are a lot of exceptions but it is a pretty good starting point.

[MollyMac]

Check out Tosca Reno's "Eat Clean Diet" book- she has some killer overhauls of fave foods. Her book is stripped down, but easy to follow. There are some good takes on dessert and some carb faves (sweet potatoe fries instead of McDonalds, etc). The down side to eating really healthy is that you have to make most of your food (i.e. time and money until you get used to it) but if you bulk buy and cook and carry a cooler of your healthy foods, you will have no excuse to eat badly.

Focus not on the foods you are missing, though, this will create a craving that is irrational. Look forward to culinary challenges and different foods (more Ethnic to different ingredients).

It is never about a 100% change at once, but a 1% change, 100 small times.

[Kalitrima]

Aaaaah. Thanks, Saya. And I don't see why getting stuck in a rut is a bad thing. I mean, before this, my dinners have always been the same three things on the plate anyway. I'm on a limited amount of money, and I don't control the groceries that come into the house. Besides, I'm going to be cheating a hell of a lot tomorrow, but that only comes once a year. . .

Also, another tip. I don't think this one would need anyone verifying it because I'm pretty secure in it, but you never know. Anyway, if you need a bit of sugar (though it'd be better to mostly avoid it, I'd think), try getting a huge lollipop or something. For me, at least, the compulsion will last all of a few licks before I set it back down. I just got a ton of them for Easter for a dollar each, and they came with a little plastic thing to support them and keep them from cracking. Also doubles as a thing to rest it on. The trick for me is that if I can't stuff it in my mouth, I'll set it down again after a few moments. Jawbreakers, lollipops, anything like that. It helps me deal with being exposed to sugar. Mom happens to have a sweet tooth, and with all that temptation around. . .

[Apathy's_Child]

Originally Posted by Kalitrima

I'm the weird kind of person who can eat the same thing over and over again for weeks without getting tired of it. And I'm attempting to diet right now. (I'm about to cheat for my birthday tomorrow, but let's not talk about that.) My schedule is weird, so I only end up eating two means a day. Bad, I know, because it slows my metabolism. But I've been eating simplified taco salads and scrambled eggs, and. . . er. . . well, diet started recently, so I don't know how well it'll work.

The salads are simple enough. Cut up lettuce, grate a little (liiiittle) bit of cheese, crush up some corn chips (try to use few of those as well, because they're salty and I assume that's bad), pour in some salsa. And if you need a bit of flavor, use a Mild sauce packet from Taco Bell. My mom stocks up on all packets (ketchup, soy sauce, you name it), so I have a neverending supply. Ziploc bag full of 'em. They're good for adding a touch of flavor. I personally dislike salads, but I find that this way of serving it dodges that. And it's delicioussssss.

The eggs are also pretty simple. I only eat them because I need protein of some sort, and I don't think I'm getting it any other way. Of course, there's a trick to not getting tired of those, too. I use hoisen sauce (Soy Vay makes the best, I think, but I've only tried two kinds) to add a bit of flavor. Just crack one or two eggs into a bowl (to prevent eggshells from getting in by accident), add some of the sauce, mixy mixy. Use butter-flavored non-stick spray instead of butter in the pan when you start. And keep an eye on it when you're cooking it. The sugar content in the sauce makes it easier to burn, I think. And I know there's a lot of cholesterol in egg yolks, but I don't know if that's where the protein is too. So you might want to put making these eggs on hold until someone who knows better than I weighs in on this idea.

That's all I can really offer in terms of help, I guess. I've never been good at this, so it might be a good idea to hold off on trying what I said until someone else says it sounds good. . .

Shit girl, sounds like you're headed for scurvy and osteoperosis. There's almost no nutritional value to this, and it doesn't sound like enough to keep a person going, especially one so busy they only get to eat twice a day. Can't you at least throw in a couple of pieces of fruit on top of this or something? I don't claim to know that much about nutrition or dieting, but this sounds to me like the kind of diet people get sick on.

[Kalitrima]

Well, I maaaaay have a soft spot for banana bread. Which my mom makes frequently. And when I do get a chance to snack, it's usually a banana. Gonna have to stop that when summer comes, though. Something about how your body processes bananas attracts mosquitoes. But then again, that could also just be one of those unverified things you hear and take for fact. Still, I'll add more fruit into my diet. Thanks for the recommendation.

[disorder]

Green tea can help stop cravings! Unless your cravings are so strong they overpower your green tea-seeking sentiments, which is a problem I have a lot :\

[honeythorn]

If it's protien you're after but you don't eat meat then you can always have some nuts ( though not too many as they also contain a fair bit of fat ) they go well with fruit and you can throw both into some plain yoghurt with a little honey or something like that. There's also Tofu and soya products ect.

Just eggs and salad and banana bread won't keep you going if you're only eating twice a day. There's a world full of healthy foods you're missing out on from the looks of it.

Just chuck in loads of fresh fruit and veg, some nuts, a bit of low fat yoghurt, perhaps a little wholemeal bread, that type of thing.

I usually take chicken breast and a microwaveable steam bag of mixed fresh vegetables to work for lunch, and fruit and a yoghurt for my 2 short breaks . I do also add a small drizzle of sweet chilli sauce to the chicken to make it a bit more interesting though .

[Kalitrima]

I'm not much of a tea person, but I'll start trying to get myself used to drinking it. Perhaps that will help.

The other problem with me is that I can't cook to save my life. I know it's pathetic, but I don't have anyone around who could teach me well. Whenever I ask my mom to teach me. . . well, she's the kind of person who'll rip things out of your hands should you do them even slightly wrong. Literally. And, ah, I don't react positively to people grabbing things from me. And if I calmly ask her not to, she gets all huffy and makes partially-veiled insults about how I'm too touchy and why the hell am I complaining when she's trying to HELP ME and so on. It's just a generally unpleasant experience. Either I get mad, or she does. Then we don't talk for the rest of the day. So really, anything I make has to have a very clear-cut and concise recipe. With absolutely nothing I'd have to ask for help on. Else she'd be right behind me, looking over my shoulder the entire time. And constantly telling me how I do things wrong. I love her, but she's good at being hypercritical.

. . . Also, I do eat meat, just not lately. Well, okay, yesterday I pigged out. But that was a special day. Only once a year, blah blah blah. Also, sorry for ranting just there. Erk.

[Saya]

Oh, thats one of the reasons I didn't learn to cook while I lived at home, Mom was pretty anal about things. I would say look things up online, and get a cookbook or two when you can. Mostly when I learned to cook it was by experiment (actually half my meals are experiments, its fun that way) so don't get discouraged when you screw up.

What about instead of taco salad, have actual tacos? When I'm uber lazy I just mash up some black beans, sprinkle in chili powder, fry it up in a little oil and that's my taco filling, with lettuce, soy cheese and salsa. Or even a basic bean and rice burrito is nice and filling. Beans are just great for protein anyway, and dirt cheap.

Or what about other salads like spinach salad? Spinach, strawberries, shaved almonds, raspberry vinaigrette.....Excuse me, I need to go get something to eat now.

[Kalitrima]

I'm not a huge fan of salads, though. In fact, I rather hate them. It's unfortunate for someone trying to lose weight, but it's the same reason I didn't hold to the grapefruit diet for long. First grapefruit? Tastes fine! I can do this! Second grapefruit? Oh god, this stuff is nasty and I'll never touch it again. And I also realized I'd never be able to keep that up for an extended amount of time.

For some reason, I enjoy taco salads more than tacos. I'm weird like that. Though your suggestion sounds much better than the one I used. I'll have to try adding beans, because I've always just used corn chips, salsa, cheese, and lettuce. I don't want to add hamburger, because that's fatty fatty fatty. And I'm avoiding sour cream for the same reason. For someone who's 180 lbs, is that going to send my body into the oft-mentioned 'starvation mode'?

. . . Also, if I'm five foot nothing (bwaaaah ;w; ), what should my target weight be? I don't trust the BMI scale too much, and I figure that some of you would know better. I was thinking of losing forty pounds. . .

[Saya]

Well I'm vegan and so far avoiding hamburger and sour cream hasn't sent me into starvation mode yet. But yeah, if you like the salad better than by all means just add beans, I'd blend it into a black bean dip then put it on top of the lettuce, then add the salsa and cheese. NOM, I want this now.

[Kalitrima]

I still hold by my 'add a packet of Taco Bell seasoning'. Mild sauce gives it a nice added flavor. And are you the same weight? I just thought I read something in another thread on here that suddenly dropping your caloric intake too far below what your body needs or is used to can make it hold on to things. I wouldn't think that dropping those two items would do harm, but considering that I went from eating heavy meals to just this, I was wondering if this was a good idea in general.

. . . Yeah, I think I'm gonna go make a taco salad now. Or eggs. Whichever strikes me best when I get up. And I totally know what you mean about tinkering with recipes. I was apparently the first person in my family to think of mixing something with eggs before cooking them.

Of course, all this diet talk kinda sucks when I realize that this is Screw My Diet week. Birthday was yesterday, but we're making the cake today. (Rainbow cake. It's gonna be awesome.) And Mom bought my favorite food ever, which is one of the least healthy things on the planet. Looks like I'll have to start wearing those ankle weights to Lane just so I can get a bit of extra exercise while walking around campus. . . My black pants hide them from view, so I can pretty much use them anywhere. And kick people harder. Not that I'd kick someone, mind you. . . well, without provocation.

[Saya]

Forgot about the seasoning, bet that helps too!

I've always been underweight, but since I went vegan my weight has been improving, actually, I weighed myself the weekend and I'm just one pound shy of my ideal weight. Mind you there's plenty thats vegan thats very fatty or unhealthy, but when I'm eating good whole foods (which is most of the time I get enough calories. But yes, when your calorie intake suddenly drops your body will prepare itself for famine, and hold on to the weight.

The best thing to do is to find a diet that you can stick with. Going on a diet off and on and especially with fad diets (like grape fruit diets), you just gain the weight back after the diet is done, I read somewhere that 90% of people who diet just gain it all back a year later. You need something that you can live with in the long term.

[MollyMac]

Quinoa is your friend. It's a mega-awesome grain with fiber and protein. Friendly to any diet.