Advice on how to revamp my diet ...

wilsonunc

Hi guys. So I lost around 80 pounds (215 was my highest recorded weight, now I'm ~130) starting in mid summer of 2013. I did this via the 'Special K' suggested diet (I know, not the best but I was naive), and I followed it pretty religiously, along with regular exercise.
For those not familiar with the Special K diet plan, you are afforded two 'meals' of meal bars/shakes and one healthy regular meal of your choice, plus any amount of fruit or veggies that you desired. They claimed that you would lose weight. I can say with some certainty that probably 1000 calories was a high estimate on how much I was eating during this time. This diet is also pretty high carb and high sugar.

Flashback to now. I am recognizing that my eating habits are a little off. I've bumped up my intake to 1200 calories per day without eating back exercise calories and some days I get close to that. I'm afraid that I'll gain weight if I increase it anymore, but I haven't been feeling very well for a month or two. I've been dizzy, my skin is dry, I am worried I am shedding far more than I should be ... and I haven't had my period since April. I mean, maybe I'm making it up and things are fine ... I am a healthy weight for my height (5 foot 5) but facts are facts in terms of my diary contents.

I'd love some advice on low carb, high protein and high fat foods that I can incorporate into my diet that will keep long and are relatively inexpensive and easy to prepare. I'm a college student, and I can be guilty of 'grabbing and going' or taking food with me for meals because I don't have time.

I also have some staples that I go to regularly for meals and whatnot ...
I eat a whole, whole lot of bread. and yogurt. and fruit (particularly apples, peaches, and pears). For you to get an idea, I bought a loaf of bread and 10 cups of yogurt Wednesday. I have eaten more than half of the loaf of bread and I have 2 cups of yogurt left. Embarrassing ...

JustFindingMe

First of all, you really should see your DR.

Second, If you search the forums for protein snacks etc, you will see tons of healthy, high protein ideas

Third, there is nothing wrong with what you;re eating now, just add in the protein and some veggies and you will have a well balanced diet.

Good luck!

AyanaJolie

My favorite book is called "cinch" by Cynthia Sass. I love her recipes. She is more about portion control which is laid out in her recipes. The recipes are made to feed one person so you its good if you don't like having a ton of leftovers. Also you don't have to calorie count or all that. Just follow her recipes and then you start getting an idea of how much vegetables to meat to seasoning you neeed to eat every meal. You can go to the library and check it out to see if its something your interested in. Plus you get to eat 4 meals a day and I had trouble being able to eat all the meals.

xsmilexforxmex

My first advice is to see a doctor just to check there isn't anything going on that needs medical care and not just a diet deficiency. Then, Don't be afraid to add a few hundred calories to your diet, but do so slowly, no more than 100 extra a week - aim for closer to 1500 for a month or 2 and see where you're at after that, you may gain a few pounds at first but it won't be anything extreme so don't freak out, it will probably come right back off. Increasing slowly will also reduce any weight gain, BUT, it does sound like you do need to eat more.
- Good, easy to grab and go, high protein/high fat items are mixed nuts, almonds, peanut butter, beans, cheese, milk, eggs. fish/chicken for protein but are lower in fat.

Francl27

Go see a doctor, then start eating real food but you'll have to weigh and log everything so you know you're not overeating.