Meal plan advice

bombfacter

What up guys. Im looking for maybe someone to help me lay out a simple meal plan weekly. Im not sure how to do it and i dont have the money to spend on something like that. Im 274lbs and 6foot at 18. Really looking to slim down for spring break so i can finally turn my life around and get a girl. Im in college rn too. Im really looking to do like 4 hours of cardio or so a week maybe more and a good diet. Not trying to gain muscle rn. Thanks guys appreciate it.

Lounmoun

Weight loss is about having a calorie deficit. You can create a calorie deficit by reducing calorie intake, increasing activity (calorie burn) or both.

You don't have to buy special food to lose weight.
A healthy diet is not a specific list of food but everything you consume working together to meet your body's needs. You need to look at nutrients of foods you eat and how they fit your whole day. There are a lot of ways to "eat healthy".

Meal planning is a good idea if you have a tight budget.
Low budget friendly foods where I live are oatmeal, tuna, whole chicken or chicken thighs, dry beans, lentils, rice, pasta, bread, peanut butter, eggs, potatoes, carrots, apples, ground turkey, cabbage, onions, canned tomatoes, frozen vegetables.

You should start with just logging what you normally eat and sticking to your calorie goal. You want to eat in a way you can sustain. You can alter your diet in small steps like getting more protein or having more vegetables on your plate.

Typically I eat things like this:
Breakfast- low prep foods like Greek yogurt, granola bars, cereal with milk, sandwich, dinner leftovers, fruit, cottage cheese
Lunch- things like sandwich, salad, or dinner leftovers
Dinner- something different every night of the month. Soup is a good dollar stretcher and I have that once a week usually.
Snacks- things like fruit, chips, popcorn, pretzels, chocolate, cookies, granola bar, carrots, celery, broccoli, trail mix, deviled eggs, pickles, cottage cheese

Low budget menu planning and recipes:
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/40dollarmenu.htm
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/70dollarmenu.htm
http://www.budgetbytes.com
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/03/35-meatless-meals.html
http://www.meatlessmonday.com/favorite-recipes/
http://www.lentils.org/recipes-cooking/recipes/

Some MFP threads you may find useful:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10518784/healthy-food-choice-on-a-budget/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10500423/costing-a-lot-more-money-to-eat-healthier/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10490067/most-healthy-food-options-are-very-expensive-and-im-on-a-very-poor-budget-what-to-do/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10020804/looking-for-vegetarian-recipes#latest
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/a-beginners-guide-to-protein/

H_Ock12

What calorie intake does MFP give you if you set your weight loss to 1lb/week? Do you have a meal plan? What kind of foods to you enjoy?

Quick tips - Walk to Class, if possible. Join an intramural sport. Don't snack while you study/watch TV. Minimal alcohol intake. Minimal intake of sugary drinks. Take a good look at your current meals and cut them in half. Be active on the weekends...an early morning jog around campus on Saturday morning is a great way to start your day.