Daily Nutrition

takedajones

Hey Guys, I'm trying to live a healthier lifestyle. I hate diets. I need suggestions on how to ensure I'm getting enough protein, good carbs and fats into my body. Thanks for the help.

kommodevaran

There are lots of ways to do that.

You can read up on the MyPlate and various Food pyramids and other government guidelines.

You can enter your stats into MFP and aim for the calorie and macro goals it gives you.

You can mix and match as you please. Eat whatever and however suits your taste and lifestyle.

I have a few guidelines for myself:
Eat five meals a day, no eating between meals.
Every meal should have a fatty protein source and a vegetable.
Dinner is some fatty meat/fish, a starch, and vegetables.
Eat three pieces/servings of different fruit every day.
Have 1/4 l of milk and some nuts every day.
Fill up remaining calories with grains, starch, sweets, or whatever.
I eat anything I want, but not everything at once, and not all the time.
Go for home cooked and fresh whenever possible. Eat real food, but steer away from hypes (=expensive gimmicks).

takedajones

Thanks. Very helpful.

Nottafattie

kommodevaran wrote: »

There are lots of ways to do that.

You can read up on the MyPlate and various Food pyramids and other government guidelines.

You can enter your stats into MFP and aim for the calorie and macro goals it gives you.

You can mix and match as you please. Eat whatever and however suits your taste and lifestyle.

I have a few guidelines for myself:
Eat five meals a day, no eating between meals.
Every meal should have a fatty protein source and a vegetable.
Dinner is some fatty meat/fish, a starch, and vegetables.
Eat three pieces/servings of different fruit every day.
Have 1/4 l of milk and some nuts every day.
Fill up remaining calories with grains, starch, sweets, or whatever.
I eat anything I want, but not everything at once, and not all the time.
Go for home cooked and fresh whenever possible. Eat real food, but steer away from hypes (=expensive gimmicks).

Agreed.

Things I did when starting out was avoid too many things from a box or a can, switch out my processed flour products for whole grains, eat more fresh fruits and veggies and cut back on things with sugar that Mamma Nature didn't add. I didn't go too strict on anything, just small changes over years that helped build a better nutritional foundation.

Diet is just a word I stay away from. I make lifestyle changes because diets mean restrictions and a lifestyle change means improved habits that allow for me to be human.

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

Personally, if I do my best to hit the protein and fiber goals MFP has assigned to me, the rest (carbs, fat, even calories) fall into place pretty well.

Wade406

Log what you're eating to evaluate how you're doing.
The World Health Organization recommends that you get between 0.66 and 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of your ideal body weight each day (non-pregnant adults). For me that works out to 10% of my calories from protein, based on a 2,200 calorie diet.
I choose to eat low fat, so I keep my fat around 10-15% of my calories. That leaves about 80% of my calories come from plant based carbohydrates.

takedajones

All of these are great suggestions. I feel relieved. I can do this. Thanks a lot!!!!

jgnatca

When you enter your stats in to MFP it does a calculation for you and sets protein, carb, and fat targets. You can start with that. I pay more attention to the ratio than the targets. An easy way to balance out a meal is to divide your plate in to imaginary sections. This is what diabetics do.

2lhasas

Good luck to you on this journey to change your life (not diet). I think if you focus on eating natural foods - mostly veggies, fruit, non-cured meats, whole grains, legumes etc. the nutrition falls into place. You might eat less protein one day, but make up for it the next. Every day doesn't have to be the perfect balance.

The key for me has been planning. Get the junk out of the house if possible. Make sure you have lots of quick healthy options you can grab easily - fruit, hummus etc. and plan your meals. I cook for a couple of hours every Sunday to prepare meals I can take for lunch and make for dinner during the week. Having it ready to go keeps me out of the drive through line.

takedajones

2lhasas wrote: »

Good luck to you on this journey to change your life (not diet). I think if you focus on eating natural foods - mostly veggies, fruit, non-cured meats, whole grains, legumes etc. the nutrition falls into place. You might eat less protein one day, but make up for it the next. Every day doesn't have to be the perfect balance.

The key for me has been planning. Get the junk out of the house if possible. Make sure you have lots of quick healthy options you can grab easily - fruit, hummus etc. and plan your meals. I cook for a couple of hours every Sunday to prepare meals I can take for lunch and make for dinner during the week. Having it ready to go keeps me out of the drive through line.

I love fruit but veggies is one thing I have to work on. Thank you.

takedajones

jgnatca wrote: »

When you enter your stats in to MFP it does a calculation for you and sets protein, carb, and fat targets. You can start with that. I pay more attention to the ratio than the targets. An easy way to balance out a meal is to divide your plate in to imaginary sections. This is what diabetics do.

Thank you. I'm going to save this in my phone.

dbmata

I switched to soylent. 100% of everything, daily.

kommodevaran

takedajones wrote: »

I love fruit but veggies is one thing I have to work on. Thank you.

I have always loved fruit and always struggled a bit with vegetables. The clue is to find the kinds that don't have a too strong flavor, and prepare them in a way that makes them delicious. Overcooked or canned vegetables is disgusting! One exception here is tomatoes, that only can be eaten as pulp from a can or jar (my opinion lol). Some vegetables should be eaten raw: cucumber, lettuce. Some can be eaten raw, and I mostly prefer these raw: carrots, beets, peppers (red are sweetest), cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, snap peas, kohlrabi. Some have to be prepared (either chopped or heated, or both): Onion, garlic, chili, parsnip, peas, green beans, pumpkin. Some are very mild and shouldn't count as vegetables, but starch, but they are valuable for their nutrients and taste: Potato, sweet potato, corn, brown/white/black beans. Start with these, and ease into it. Try new varieties and recipes whenever you feel adventurous. An immersion blender can save lives. Happy hunting!

handsomemule

dbmata wrote: »

I switched to soylent. 100% of everything, daily.

I've been eating soylent for 6 months. Man does it save time! Best thing in the world for busy people.

dbmata

handsomemule wrote: »

dbmata wrote: »

I switched to soylent. 100% of everything, daily.

I've been eating soylent for 6 months. Man does it save time! Best thing in the world for busy people.

Are you using the actual product, or a DIY version?

I'm doing a DIY because it's a 6 month lead time to try the manufactured product.

Niff314

I've been on Soylent (v1.3) for a week and am loving it.