Don't know what to eat!

kslc73
kslc73 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 13 in Food and Nutrition
I've read so much contradicting information on diet that I really have no idea what I'm supposed to eat. Carbs? Protein? Wheat or not? Dairy? Rice? I'm so confused. The only thing everyone seems to agree on is that water is good!
Those of you that have lost a bunch of weight, what did you eat and avoid? Help!
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Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Food you like at a calorie deficit
  • sy_19440
    sy_19440 Posts: 55 Member
    Certain foods I don't keep in the house because I enjoy them too much but still will get an ice cream when I go out but other than that I don't really restrict anything. I watch my portions and tend to eat nutritious foods in general from all of the food groups so I have a calorie deficit at the end of the day. The only thing I avoid is the microwave meals because I don't like the taste.
  • I avoid wheat and most grains because I have a severe intolerance/sensitivity to them. I also don't eat most dairy because I'm lactose Intolerant. That's it. I eat anything and everything else. Unofficially down almost 106 so far. It's a lifestyle change and what's the point of making yourself mieserable if you dont have to.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I avoid my trigger foods (fast food, pizza, soda), but that's about it. I don't have a lot of calories to spare, so by default it's "healthy food" that I eat. Lots of lean meats, rice, potatoes, veggies, fruits, and eggs mostly. I loosely manage to my recommended macros but am often +/- in the carb/fat/protein suggestions.
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    1. Calories
    2. Macros
    3. Micros/fiber/sugar/etc.

    In that order.
  • applesandtapeline
    applesandtapeline Posts: 58 Member
    Easiest way - eat smaller portions of what you usually eat.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    For me 'eat less of what you eat' would never have worked because I was mostly eating not filling high calorie foods.

    I had to eat more lean meats, more veggies, more fruit, more Greek yogurt. I've been maintaining for 2.5 years and I still have to seriously limit fried foods, bread, and sweets, or I just get too hungry. I try to fit what I really want in my calories, but I really have to ask myself if it's worth it...
  • PaulaCribben
    PaulaCribben Posts: 12 Member
    I agree with the members here who have mentioned the theory of sticking to a calorie margin. Eat whatever you want, but don't go over your calorie goal for the day. You have so much more variety and don't feel deprived of stuff you like. And of course, you get calorie credit if you exercise!!
  • kristinak48
    kristinak48 Posts: 110 Member
    A healthy balance!!! I like recipes/foods that help me stay full longer but I don't deprive myself of things, I could just cut back on them in a smaller portion or reduce how often I eat that item because of the high calorie content... for me... when I know I can have a large amount of veggies vs a small amount of some high calorie item, I'm going for the large amount of veggies because it's a visual thing!
  • ccjlgrider
    ccjlgrider Posts: 49 Member
    You know, I was just as confused as you. What do I eat? Is this a protein or fat (peanut butter)? Is this a veggie or a carb (sweet potatoes)? It mattered to me because I wanted to figure this all out and how much of each type of food to eat. Then, about a month ago I stumbled onto 21 Day Fix by Beachbody and I feel like it is much clearer now. What I'm supposed to eat, how much of each thing I'm supposed to eat, etc. Yet, no food group is excluded. I lost just shy of 4 lbs my first 21 days. Then I've been doing maintenance on a Disney trip and I'm getting ready to start another round on Monday. I was happy with 4# because I only had 20 to lose total. Anyway, I know that contradiction/confusion feeling. You may want to look into it. I'm not a coach or anything. I just really think the program makes crystal clear sense and is sustainable in real life for those of us who didn't grow up learning this info.

    Good luck!
  • 100poundsx
    100poundsx Posts: 87 Member
    Weight loss is CICO. Calories in < Calories out. Don't buy into the no carb, no sugar, no fat, no sodium or whatever is the no no of the week. Burn more than you eat and you'll see results :)
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
    I am down 115lbs since last October and when people ask me how I did it, I always say "I quit eating so much!"

    Seriously I have not changed my diet, meaning WHAT I eat, but I sure as heck have changed HOW MUCH. I have learned portion control through calorie counting and logging. Changed my life for the better. So glad I found this site.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Don't avoid anything unless you;

    a) Have a medical reason
    b) Don't want to eat it

    This^
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
    kslc73 wrote: »
    I've read so much contradicting information on diet that I really have no idea what I'm supposed to eat. Carbs? Protein? Wheat or not? Dairy? Rice? I'm so confused. The only thing everyone seems to agree on is that water is good!
    Those of you that have lost a bunch of weight, what did you eat and avoid? Help!

    The MFP program isn't about dieting. It is about Calorie Deficit based on Calories In and Calories Out.

    Just log ALL your food and ALL your exercise on the MFP chart, and see if you're under the suggested number of calories each day. If you're over, you can fix that with portion sizes rather than actually changing what you eat. Also you can look at which foods are adding the highest amount of calories and make a decision on those. Finally you can add more exercise if you find it difficult to reduce the amount of food.

    Wishing you every success as you log your food and activity in the future.
  • izzie218
    izzie218 Posts: 32 Member
    Well.... When I was anorexic I eliminated every form of carb except certain low calorie fruits and veggies. I lost 35 pounds in 3 months when I was just 12 years old, and was classified as severely underweight.

    As you can probably tell it was super unhealthy and I was almost hospitalized. So I think taking out a lot of carbs will help you lose weight, but not as much as I did. Trust me on this one.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    eat foods you like.. and spend 10 minutes a day researching nutrition and fitness . When you learn information it can naturally change your actions. Here's a few things i researched that translated into me eating much better without thought.

    1. the best foods for heart health
    2. the foods on the non organic "dirty dozen" list
    3. why is exercise important for heart health?
    4. how much sugar should an adult woman have a day?
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,746 Member
    If you want to eat more food with fewer calories, it helps to go to simple basic foods: meat, vegetables, fruit, whole grains. The more processed a food is, the more calories it usually has, or if it has few calories (i.e. some frozen foods) it will not be very filling. Eating foods that fill you will help keep you satisfied, so less likely to eat too much.

    Eating out will usually give you a lot of extra calories. (Some restaurant meals have a full day's worth of calories in one dish.)

    Sweet drinks will give you a lot of extra calories, so watch out for what you drink as well as what you eat. (i.e. Starbucks).

  • illusion2269
    illusion2269 Posts: 95 Member
    ccjlgrider wrote: »
    You know, I was just as confused as you. What do I eat? Is this a protein or fat (peanut butter)? Is this a veggie or a carb (sweet potatoes)? It mattered to me because I wanted to figure this all out and how much of each type of food to eat. Then, about a month ago I stumbled onto 21 Day Fix by Beachbody and I feel like it is much clearer now. What I'm supposed to eat, how much of each thing I'm supposed to eat, etc. Yet, no food group is excluded. I lost just shy of 4 lbs my first 21 days. Then I've been doing maintenance on a Disney trip and I'm getting ready to start another round on Monday. I was happy with 4# because I only had 20 to lose total. Anyway, I know that contradiction/confusion feeling. You may want to look into it. I'm not a coach or anything. I just really think the program makes crystal clear sense and is sustainable in real life for those of us who didn't grow up learning this info.

    Good luck!

    Suggesting a diet plan is not helpful. OP I suggest you read some of the millions of threads on here and you will see a recurring theme; weight is controlled by calories in vs calories out. It really doesn't matter what you eat because a calorie is a calorie.
    ^This^

    When I started here, I was just as confused as most people. I thought I had to cut out "bad foods" and only "eat clean" but I discovered its not about changing what I eat, as much as changing how I perceive nutrition overall. Losing weight for me was about changing my perspective of looking at food as good or bad, but about knowing what the food contains and how it will help my body continue to function. I lost 125 lbs and feel much better overall than I did when I started this journey. I still eat things like pizza, burgers, chinese takeout, drink beer and alcohol, and I have been maintaining for the past 8 months.

    Best piece of advice I was given, get a food scale and weigh everything you eat. Know how much you are consuming, and log it as accurately as possible in the food diary. Let it do the math for you, and it will help you hit your goals. Good luck!
  • renae161
    renae161 Posts: 334 Member
    Yea, I don't really avoid so much I portion control. I mean if it's something I know I will go overboard with then I either strictly restrict how much I intake or don't have it at all. Drink lots of water, and if you're really unsure what to do and it's bothering you that much then I'd suggest going to your doctor to set you up with a nutritionist and weight management instructor, so you can get started on an goal and what to start you off on the right track. Best of luck!
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    OP I took the approach of rather than arbitrarily restricting/eliminating certain foods, I would focus on adding things to my lifestyle instead. More lean protein, more vegetables, more whole grains, more exercise, more sleep. I found that by focusing on what I wanted to add, without cutting anything other than calories, I naturally reduced the space for "junk" foods but I still had room for reasonable portions of things like wine, chocolate, pizza, etc.

    Find a balance of foods that provide you adequate nutrition (macro and micros), foods that provide you satiety (fill you up), and foods you enjoy (treats in moderation). Log consistently, honestly, and accurately. Be patient. That's it.
  • graceanthony19
    graceanthony19 Posts: 47 Member
    ccjlgrider wrote: »
    You know, I was just as confused as you. What do I eat? Is this a protein or fat (peanut butter)? Is this a veggie or a carb (sweet potatoes)? It mattered to me because I wanted to figure this all out and how much of each type of food to eat. Then, about a month ago I stumbled onto 21 Day Fix by Beachbody and I feel like it is much clearer now. What I'm supposed to eat, how much of each thing I'm supposed to eat, etc. Yet, no food group is excluded. I lost just shy of 4 lbs my first 21 days. Then I've been doing maintenance on a Disney trip and I'm getting ready to start another round on Monday. I was happy with 4# because I only had 20 to lose total. Anyway, I know that contradiction/confusion feeling. You may want to look into it. I'm not a coach or anything. I just really think the program makes crystal clear sense and is sustainable in real life for those of us who didn't grow up learning this info.

    Good luck!

    Suggesting a diet plan is not helpful. OP I suggest you read some of the millions of threads on here and you will see a recurring theme; weight is controlled by calories in vs calories out. It really doesn't matter what you eat because a calorie is a calorie.

    Damn, you are really anti - beach body huh? lol and the poster didn't really suggest a diet plan. The OP asked for peoples opinions and this was ccjlgrider opinion on what worked for him/her.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    edited December 2016
    Start by eating what you normally eat within your calorie goal (set up by Mfp).

    Eventually you will learn what foods are worth eating occasionally.

    Read the forums you will learn a ton!!!
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