What foods to eat and avoid

susie_q1968

Does any one have any advice on what foods to help and to avoid to lose 200+ pounds. I am rock bottom here I know I have to eat more veggies and fruit and my meals should be portioned out. I know I have to make good choices .I would like if I could make friends who are in the same way for support and to give each other confidence to lose the weight we need to

sunfastrose

Eat foods that make you feel good, both physically and mentally, in measured portions. It's really that simple. Avoid "eat this,not that" thinking. Just about anything fits in an overall diet - it's just balancing when.

malibu927

Eat the foods you like that satisfy you and help you reach your calorie/nutrient goals. Avoid foods that put you over your calorie limit, have gone bad, or that you don't like.

sosteach

You can eat what you want when you are counting calories. That being said you will feel better if you are eating healthier. Fresh food is good food. Lean meats, vegetables, fruit, some whole grains. Good luck on your journey

Heather4448

Eat what you like, but weigh and measure *EVERYTHING* that goes in your mouth.
Get a food scale- they're generally $10-20. Log everything honestly and don't beat yourself up when you slip.
It may seem daunting, but you can lose the weight. Read the most helpful posts. Ask questions on the forums when you need help-- You'll get honest, direct advice.
Good luck!

rainbowbow

Here's my 3 rules:

1. You should eat the foods you enjoy in portion sizes that fit your calorie goal.
   
2. If the foods you love and enjoy cannot be reasonably accommodated in your calorie goal you should look to make substitutions or swaps so that they can still be enjoyed. (for example, baking vs. frying, lowfat vs fullfat, lite vs full calorie, etc.)
   
3. If these certain foods still cannot be reasonably accommodated in your diet or you simply lack the willpower to eat these foods in the proper portions consider getting them out of your house or cutting them out for now.

So here's what I recommend everyone does...

• determine the calories they need to eat to lose weight
• write a list of all their favorite foods in the following categories: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts, drinks
• determine how many calories each and every one of these items has
• plan a week's worth of food based on these items
• You'll find that if you have this for dinner you have to cut back on breakfast, or if you have this for breakfast you'll have to cut out a snack, etc. etc. etc. Do this for an entire week. You'll find very quickly that some foods aren't worth the calories they contain or that eating less calorie dense foods means you get to eat more volume.
• Write out each and every item needed to make/eat for that week
• Go grocery shopping for those items
• Pre-prep items first for example: pre-portion your chips/nuts/cereal into snack bags, wash and cut all fruit and put in individual ready-to-grab portions, wash and chop base veggies like onions, etc.
• Prep items which can be cooked that day and will stay good for the week

I of course recommend everyone go through their pantry, cut their losses, and donate any food which doesn't fit into their current plan and throw out anything (condiments, cans, spices) which have expired. It's soooo much easier to find exactly what you're going to cook for the week if you only have the ingredients for that week in your pantry. It's also easier if you put those items together so that for any food you're cooking that night it's already right next to each other (for example the spaghetti noodles are already right next to the pasta sauce).


Essentially, you want to do everything you can UPFRONT so that it's easy for you during the week and you don't have to think about what you're going to eat, what you can eat, etc. Our willpower is a finite resource and the less willpower you have to exert over your diet the easier it's going to be to stick to your goal. I also find completely clearing out and starting fresh and making things look beautiful and appealing to be key in finding the right mindset.

OliveGirl128

You can eat whatever foods you want, you just need to learn how to fit them into your calorie goals. As you move along you'll figure out what foods have more staying power for you, (this varies between individuals), what foods just aren't worth the calories and then you'll begin finding low calorie options to replace some of the higher calorie foods that you had been eating, which will give you more wiggle room and then volume.

Weight loss comes down to hitting the correct calorie deficit for your weight loss goals. No need to make drastic changes that aren't sustainable or that make the process miserable!

Chadxx

Eat foods that you enjoy and keep you satisfied within your calorie budget. Avoid foods that cause self control issues or that don't taste good. For most of us, it is primarily protein and fiber that best keep us satisfied. For some it's fats. For me, fats just don't give enough volume. For some, carbs trigger their appetite. At first, while I was still obese, I did better with relatively low carbs but now that I am pretty lean, I actually find more carbs help keep me full. I would recommend primarily trying to build meals around a protein source and vegetables but ultimately you can eat whatever you want because weight loss is entirely about calories.