Is this a well balanced diet?

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24

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  • batorkin
    batorkin Posts: 281 Member
    edited October 2017
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    riffraff2112 wrote: »
    I admire the confidence of someone who lost 5 lbs and has 85 left to go!
    Your food choices look top notch of course, but make sure you do not undereat.
    Maintenance from my experience has been more difficult than losing, despite the few hundred extra calories.

    Can you handle tuna? Its super low calories and pack a good protein hit.

    What do you do for exercise? Weight training?

    40 minutes on my elliptical before work. I will likely add some weight training after losing the majority of the weight and rotate it daily with cardio (doctor's advice).

    I like Tuna, but usually only on sandwiches. I hate wheat bread, and my doctor told me to stay away from white bread, so I kinda just removed bread from my life.

    After losing 30 pounds previously, it took me nearly 5 years (of very unhealthy eating) to get back up to my previous weight. Then I just kept going and another 5 years, I gained doubled what I loss. Never letting that happen again. I have a very good metabolism (so maybe that's why I think maintaining is easy), the problem is I was eating about 3 whole pizzas a day and munching on chips every second in-between. I also work at a desk job, so I live a very stationary lifestyle. My doctor was amazed that I wasn't triple my current weight with how many calories a day I was consuming, about 5000-6000 a day, but I was only going up about half pound a month.
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    OP, for what it's worth, chocolate is not an unhealthy food. Dark chocolate in particular contains a surprising amount of fiber and iron, plus antioxidants, and not too many calories. It's worth working it into your diet, especially if it helps you avoid feeling deprived. And for me at least, a small piece of top quality chocolate doesn't make me crave more, because the flavor is more intense and less sweet than milk chocolate.

    Sadly, I hate dark chocolate. :(

    I would rather eat almost anything else, including fruits/veggies. I love white and milk chocolate but those just seem flat out bad for you?
    bmitchelmfp wrote: »
    Nutritional adequacy on anything other than a vlcd is usually pretty easy to reach, though, so I don't think you should feel you need to pursue something so extreme.

    Thanks for the advice, the main reason I just don't want the stuff around is because I can't control myself. If there's something unhealthy that taste really good in the house, I eat it. Then an hour later I find something else and eat that too. These aren't small proportions either! I'll eat an entire pizza and then eat an entire boxed family meal. This repeats throughout the day. I have a serious food addiction, and my doctor recommended removing them from my life/house entirely. As long as they aren't near me or in the house, the cravings are greatly reduced.

  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
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    tyrindor wrote: »
    riffraff2112 wrote: »
    I admire the confidence of someone who lost 5 lbs and has 85 left to go!
    Your food choices look top notch of course, but make sure you do not undereat.
    Maintenance from my experience has been more difficult than losing, despite the few hundred extra calories.

    Can you handle tuna? Its super low calories and pack a good protein hit.

    What do you do for exercise? Weight training?

    40 minutes on my elliptical before work. I will likely add some weight training after losing the majority of the weight and rotate it daily with cardio (doctor's advice).

    I like Tuna, but usually only on sandwiches. I hate wheat bread, and my doctor told me to stay away from white bread, so I kinda just removed bread from my life.

    After losing 30 pounds previously, it took me nearly 5 years (of very unhealthy eating) to get back up to my previous weight. Then I just kept going and another 5 years, I gained doubled what I loss. Never letting that happen again. I have a very good metabolism (so maybe that's why I think maintaining is easy), the problem is I was eating about 3 whole pizzas a day and munching on chips every second in-between. I also work at a desk job, so I live a very stationary lifestyle. My doctor was amazed that I wasn't triple my current weight with how many calories a day I was consuming, about 5000-6000 a day, but I was only going up about half pound a month.
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    OP, for what it's worth, chocolate is not an unhealthy food. Dark chocolate in particular contains a surprising amount of fiber and iron, plus antioxidants, and not too many calories. It's worth working it into your diet, especially if it helps you avoid feeling deprived. And for me at least, a small piece of top quality chocolate doesn't make me crave more, because the flavor is more intense and less sweet than milk chocolate.

    Sadly, I hate dark chocolate. :(

    I would rather eat almost anything else, including fruits/veggies. I love white and milk chocolate but those just seem flat out bad for you.

    Well, if you'd rather eat a bug, there's no need to eat it! ;)

    I had a mini Snickers bar this morning - 42 calories and 5 g carbs - from the candy we bought for Halloween. But I completely understand going cold turkey because it's just too difficult to moderate certain foods.

    The nutritional difference between white and wheat bread is almost nothing. But if you want to avoid bread and keep sandwiches, the humble lettuce wrap is your friend. I also use cabbage leaves and nori for wraps.
  • batorkin
    batorkin Posts: 281 Member
    edited October 2017
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    AintTooProudToMeg wrote: »
    OP, I know folks are being coarse, but it's bc we've seen your mentality 1000 times before and it usually is the mantra of people who start really strong but fall off the wagon quickly when they have one "bad" food/meal/day and it takes a long time for them to get that motivation back.
    I am much the same mentality as you, I understand the aversion to problem foods for you. Any ooey gooey comfort food can make me crazy, sweets I can keep in the house and not feel tempted by. I do urge you to not close your mind completely to learning how to adapt foods you love to a lower cal and healthier version, and how to be satisfied with smaller portions of "problem" foods. If it's just pizza you plan to never eat again, that's difficult enough, but you've ruled out the majority of foods that exist. My unqualified opinion is that it would be helpful down the road when this journey isn't new anymore to be open-minded.
    Anyhoo, I'd love to support you as you go and I keep my diary open, and share recipes (when I think of it) so if you'd like to add me I'll accept!

    Thanks. I don't mind people being coarse as long as it's constructive and mature, which everyone has been (minus 1).

    I will probably expand this diet further down the road as I find more healthy foods I enjoy. I don't really enjoy many healthy foods so even this small list took me awhile.
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    Well, if you'd rather eat a bug, there's no need to eat it! ;)

    I had a mini Snickers bar this morning - 42 calories and 5 g carbs - from the candy we bought for Halloween. But I completely understand going cold turkey because it's just too difficult to moderate certain foods.

    The nutritional difference between white and wheat bread is almost nothing. But if you want to avoid bread and keep sandwiches, the humble lettuce wrap is your friend. I also use cabbage leaves and nori for wraps.

    Oh boy I almost forgot Halloween was almost here.. what a terrible time to start dieting! Haha... I love Snickers, but when I have one I will have another and another and another until I feel like puking. I just can't be around that stuff.

    I will look into lettuce wraps, as I love sandwiches and really wanted to keep them in my diet.




  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    tyrindor wrote: »
    As far as I can tell I am vastly under eating. 800-1100 calories a day, and the website wants me to eat about 1500-1700 calories to lose 2 pounds a week.

    Eat more.

    How tall are you and how much do you weigh?

    You should only be aiming to lose 2 lbs a week if you are extremely overweight.

    No matter what you weigh, if you're 700-900 calories under MFP's recommendation, you are doing it badly wrong.
  • batorkin
    batorkin Posts: 281 Member
    edited October 2017
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    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    I'd suggest a visit to a registered dietitian to get some more advise on your plan forward with weight loss and maintenance. From what you have posted you are severely restricting your food choices and underesting. Also, labelling food as healthy and unhealthy can lead to problems with your relationship to food. Nothing is unhealthy in moderation, unless there is a medical reason to avoid that particular food.

    I will expand the diet as I find more food I like + isn't bad for me, mainly just wanting to make sure I am getting off on the right foot.

    I have no moderation when it comes to extremely good tasting food, so I guess that's my reason to avoid it entirely. ;)
  • maryannprt
    maryannprt Posts: 152 Member
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    If you're concerned about getting enough calories, think about adding a few nuts to your oatmeal or salad (in addition to your snack of nuts) do you not like yogurt or cottage cheese? I mostly use 2% or full fat rather than no fat. I think the no fat is gross and a little fat helps me feel full longer. Recent studies show saturated fat is ok in moderation. Also you can use a little olive oil when you roast or pan fry your fish or chicken or veg.. If these are the foods you like, go for it. Also whatever fruit or veg is in season I like to try new things when I can. We had delicata squash for the 1st time the other day. Yummy. Also if you can have it in the house without eating the whole thing a little piece of chocolate or some other treat goes a long way. I don't keep chips in the house because I WILL eat them. Chocolate I can do.
  • batorkin
    batorkin Posts: 281 Member
    edited October 2017
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    maryannprt wrote: »
    If you're concerned about getting enough calories, think about adding a few nuts to your oatmeal or salad (in addition to your snack of nuts) do you not like yogurt or cottage cheese? I mostly use 2% or full fat rather than no fat. I think the no fat is gross and a little fat helps me feel full longer. Recent studies show saturated fat is ok in moderation. Also you can use a little olive oil when you roast or pan fry your fish or chicken or veg.. If these are the foods you like, go for it. Also whatever fruit or veg is in season I like to try new things when I can. We had delicata squash for the 1st time the other day. Yummy. Also if you can have it in the house without eating the whole thing a little piece of chocolate or some other treat goes a long way. I don't keep chips in the house because I WILL eat them. Chocolate I can do.

    Excellent idea, never thought of that.. Thanks!

    I like yogurt, hate cottage cheese. I've read full fat yogurt is the way to go and might be a way for me to fill the low-fat foods I currently have in this list. I love squash as well, but only when I coat it in butter and cinnamon. :(
    Orphia wrote: »
    tyrindor wrote: »
    As far as I can tell I am vastly under eating. 800-1100 calories a day, and the website wants me to eat about 1500-1700 calories to lose 2 pounds a week.

    Eat more.

    How tall are you and how much do you weigh?

    You should only be aiming to lose 2 lbs a week if you are extremely overweight.

    No matter what you weigh, if you're 700-900 calories under MFP's recommendation, you are doing it badly wrong.

    Male, 6'1 and 256 pounds. Doctor said he'd like to see me at 165-170 (though I think those numbers assume very little muscle mass?).
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    tyrindor wrote: »
    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    ive lost 100 pounds and eat the same foods i always have.

    not as MUCH as i used to, and i ate a pretty balanced diet to begin with.

    And i eat chocolate every day. not in some weird shake form.

    cause ... chocolate.

    today i had a bacon egg and cheese biscuit. and philly cheesesteak. and chocolate.

    earlier this week, dinners included chili, BBQ, an alfredo. and chocolate. (lunches are usually leftovers)

    next weeks dinners include stuffed bell peppers, chicken and rice casserole, and .... whatever else i come up with.


    learn to WEIGH your food on a food scale. Solids on the scale, liquids by the measuring cup or spoon. log it. eat it. stay within your calorie goals. lose weight.

    done.

    PS i lost about 3 pounds total this week.

    PPS my calories are around 1200, but i can eat up to 1500 and still lose weight pretty consistently.

    PPPS whatever you do, you have to make it a LIFESTYLE change. This has to be somethng you can continue with .... forever. I maintained my weight for a year without weighing a single thing. Why? because in the previous TWO YEARS, i learned how (mostly how MUCH) to eat. and what items have way more calories than you would think.

    PSx4 lite ranch is gross. seriously gross lol. i LOVE ranch dressing. its gross. try the yogurt based ranches- so much better tasting and fewer calories than regular ranch (probably similar to light but actually tastes good) lolol

    I want to be healthy, not just lose weight. Sure I can eat unhealthy foods in lower amounts, but it's not as healthy and then I starve throughout the day because I can only eat so little of them. I will still eat the random less healthy meal when I am out with friends, but at home I want it to be strictly healthy (for now).

    Maintaining weight is a lot easier than losing weight,     so after I lose the weight I will definitely be more relaxed about what I eat, but I definitely won't return to my old ways of living off pizza and chips. Just eating exclusively fresh food for 2 weeks made a VAST difference in energy for me.

    I like how light ranch tastes. Maybe different brands?
    anewell28 wrote: »
    100 calorie muscle milks are a good option to get protein without the added calories of too many carbs in the drink.
    Maybe consider finding a lower calorie salad dressing. Some light ranch dressings are surprisingly high in calorie.
    As long as you are careful with portion sizes with nuts, that looks like a pretty well balanced diet.

    These are 160 calories. I was worried about that but I am still under eating by nearly 500 calories a day. It actually seems hard to over eating when only eating healthy foods.

    Untrue. That belief is why people gain it back. Maintaining is almost, if not as, hard as losing.

    I didn't realize that this was true for so many people. I've been maintaining at goal for almost 6 years now and I think maintenance is way easier than losing. I mean, it's basically the same thing, except that in maintenance, I get more calories to enjoy - which is what makes it easier, IMO. I figured that people gained the weight back because they lost interest or shifted priorities and simply stopped putting in the basic effort to maintain. I didn't think it was because it was particularly tricky or difficult. Maybe my experience is atypical. Probably. I'm a bit of an oddball. This is enlightening to me. I honestly believed that maintenance was so much easier... :/
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    jenilla1 wrote: »
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    tyrindor wrote: »
    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    ive lost 100 pounds and eat the same foods i always have.

    not as MUCH as i used to, and i ate a pretty balanced diet to begin with.

    And i eat chocolate every day. not in some weird shake form.

    cause ... chocolate.

    today i had a bacon egg and cheese biscuit. and philly cheesesteak. and chocolate.

    earlier this week, dinners included chili, BBQ, an alfredo. and chocolate. (lunches are usually leftovers)

    next weeks dinners include stuffed bell peppers, chicken and rice casserole, and .... whatever else i come up with.


    learn to WEIGH your food on a food scale. Solids on the scale, liquids by the measuring cup or spoon. log it. eat it. stay within your calorie goals. lose weight.

    done.

    PS i lost about 3 pounds total this week.

    PPS my calories are around 1200, but i can eat up to 1500 and still lose weight pretty consistently.

    PPPS whatever you do, you have to make it a LIFESTYLE change. This has to be somethng you can continue with .... forever. I maintained my weight for a year without weighing a single thing. Why? because in the previous TWO YEARS, i learned how (mostly how MUCH) to eat. and what items have way more calories than you would think.

    PSx4 lite ranch is gross. seriously gross lol. i LOVE ranch dressing. its gross. try the yogurt based ranches- so much better tasting and fewer calories than regular ranch (probably similar to light but actually tastes good) lolol

    I want to be healthy, not just lose weight. Sure I can eat unhealthy foods in lower amounts, but it's not as healthy and then I starve throughout the day because I can only eat so little of them. I will still eat the random less healthy meal when I am out with friends, but at home I want it to be strictly healthy (for now).

    Maintaining weight is a lot easier than losing weight,     so after I lose the weight I will definitely be more relaxed about what I eat, but I definitely won't return to my old ways of living off pizza and chips. Just eating exclusively fresh food for 2 weeks made a VAST difference in energy for me.

    I like how light ranch tastes. Maybe different brands?
    anewell28 wrote: »
    100 calorie muscle milks are a good option to get protein without the added calories of too many carbs in the drink.
    Maybe consider finding a lower calorie salad dressing. Some light ranch dressings are surprisingly high in calorie.
    As long as you are careful with portion sizes with nuts, that looks like a pretty well balanced diet.

    These are 160 calories. I was worried about that but I am still under eating by nearly 500 calories a day. It actually seems hard to over eating when only eating healthy foods.

    Untrue. That belief is why people gain it back. Maintaining is almost, if not as, hard as losing.

    I didn't realize that this was true for so many people. I've been maintaining at goal for almost 6 years now and I think maintenance is way easier than losing. I mean, it's basically the same thing, except that in maintenance, I get more calories to enjoy - which is what makes it easier, IMO. I figured that people gained the weight back because they lost interest or shifted priorities and simply stopped putting in the basic effort to maintain. I didn't think it was because it was particularly tricky or difficult. Maybe my experience is atypical. Probably. I'm a bit of an oddball. This is enlightening to me. I honestly believed that maintenance was so much easier... :/

    Sorry, I should have specified for many people, not as a rule.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    tyrindor wrote: »
    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    ive lost 100 pounds and eat the same foods i always have.

    not as MUCH as i used to, and i ate a pretty balanced diet to begin with.

    And i eat chocolate every day. not in some weird shake form.

    cause ... chocolate.

    today i had a bacon egg and cheese biscuit. and philly cheesesteak. and chocolate.

    earlier this week, dinners included chili, BBQ, an alfredo. and chocolate. (lunches are usually leftovers)

    next weeks dinners include stuffed bell peppers, chicken and rice casserole, and .... whatever else i come up with.


    learn to WEIGH your food on a food scale. Solids on the scale, liquids by the measuring cup or spoon. log it. eat it. stay within your calorie goals. lose weight.

    done.

    PS i lost about 3 pounds total this week.

    PPS my calories are around 1200, but i can eat up to 1500 and still lose weight pretty consistently.

    PPPS whatever you do, you have to make it a LIFESTYLE change. This has to be somethng you can continue with .... forever. I maintained my weight for a year without weighing a single thing. Why? because in the previous TWO YEARS, i learned how (mostly how MUCH) to eat. and what items have way more calories than you would think.

    PSx4 lite ranch is gross. seriously gross lol. i LOVE ranch dressing. its gross. try the yogurt based ranches- so much better tasting and fewer calories than regular ranch (probably similar to light but actually tastes good) lolol

    I want to be healthy, not just lose weight. Sure I can eat unhealthy foods in lower amounts, but it's not as healthy and then I starve throughout the day because I can only eat so little of them. I will still eat the random less healthy meal when I am out with friends, but at home I want it to be strictly healthy (for now).

    Maintaining weight is a lot easier than losing weight,     so after I lose the weight I will definitely be more relaxed about what I eat, but I definitely won't return to my old ways of living off pizza and chips. Just eating exclusively fresh food for 2 weeks made a VAST difference in energy for me.

    I like how light ranch tastes. Maybe different brands?
    anewell28 wrote: »
    100 calorie muscle milks are a good option to get protein without the added calories of too many carbs in the drink.
    Maybe consider finding a lower calorie salad dressing. Some light ranch dressings are surprisingly high in calorie.
    As long as you are careful with portion sizes with nuts, that looks like a pretty well balanced diet.

    These are 160 calories. I was worried about that but I am still under eating by nearly 500 calories a day. It actually seems hard to over eating when only eating healthy foods.

    Untrue. That belief is why people gain it back. Maintaining is almost, if not as, hard as losing.

    I didn't realize that this was true for so many people. I've been maintaining at goal for almost 6 years now and I think maintenance is way easier than losing. I mean, it's basically the same thing, except that in maintenance, I get more calories to enjoy - which is what makes it easier, IMO. I figured that people gained the weight back because they lost interest or shifted priorities and simply stopped putting in the basic effort to maintain. I didn't think it was because it was particularly tricky or difficult. Maybe my experience is atypical. Probably. I'm a bit of an oddball. This is enlightening to me. I honestly believed that maintenance was so much easier... :/

    Sorry, I should have specified for many people, not as a rule.

    Well, no. You're probably right. It probably is difficult for most. I just didn't realize that so many people struggled with it so much. I just figured people just stopped bothering once they got to goal, because it seems so straightforward to me. Losing was such a PITA I just don't want to ever have to do it again, so I maintain so I never have to lose again. But it's not so straightforward for everyone. People are more complicated than that! ;)
  • batorkin
    batorkin Posts: 281 Member
    edited October 2017
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    jenilla1 wrote: »
    I didn't realize that this was true for so many people. I've been maintaining at goal for almost 6 years now and I think maintenance is way easier than losing. I mean, it's basically the same thing, except that in maintenance, I get more calories to enjoy - which is what makes it easier, IMO. I figured that people gained the weight back because they lost interest or shifted priorities and simply stopped putting in the basic effort to maintain. I didn't think it was because it was particularly tricky or difficult. Maybe my experience is atypical. Probably. I'm a bit of an oddball. This is enlightening to me. I honestly believed that maintenance was so much easier... :/

    It definitely seems to vary by person.

    After I lost weight, it took me YEARS to put it back on and I was eating 5000-6000 calories a day. I was super lazy, and sitting in a chair 12+ hours a day. The odds were completely stacked against me and I still barely gained 1/2 a pound a month. I just got into lazy habits, extremely poor diets, and kept that way for an entire decade.

    I'd imagine as you get older, it gets harder to maintain. Those were my 20s. I am 31 now, so maybe maintaining will be harder, but I never plan to go back to 5000-6000 calories a day.

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    tyrindor wrote: »
    maryannprt wrote: »
    If you're concerned about getting enough calories, think about adding a few nuts to your oatmeal or salad (in addition to your snack of nuts) do you not like yogurt or cottage cheese? I mostly use 2% or full fat rather than no fat. I think the no fat is gross and a little fat helps me feel full longer. Recent studies show saturated fat is ok in moderation. Also you can use a little olive oil when you roast or pan fry your fish or chicken or veg.. If these are the foods you like, go for it. Also whatever fruit or veg is in season I like to try new things when I can. We had delicata squash for the 1st time the other day. Yummy. Also if you can have it in the house without eating the whole thing a little piece of chocolate or some other treat goes a long way. I don't keep chips in the house because I WILL eat them. Chocolate I can do.

    Excellent idea, never thought of that.. Thanks!

    I like yogurt, hate cottage cheese. I've read full fat yogurt is the way to go and might be a way for me to fill the low-fat foods I currently have in this list. I love squash as well, but only when I coat it in butter and cinnamon. :(
    Orphia wrote: »
    tyrindor wrote: »
    As far as I can tell I am vastly under eating. 800-1100 calories a day, and the website wants me to eat about 1500-1700 calories to lose 2 pounds a week.

    Eat more.

    How tall are you and how much do you weigh?

    You should only be aiming to lose 2 lbs a week if you are extremely overweight.

    No matter what you weigh, if you're 700-900 calories under MFP's recommendation, you are doing it badly wrong.

    Male, 6'1 and 256 pounds. Doctor said he'd like to see me at 165-170 (though I think those numbers assume very little muscle mass?).

    Squash with cinnamon and butter sounds like a great, healthy way to get your calories and fats up. What's unhealthy about it?
  • maryannprt
    maryannprt Posts: 152 Member
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    Also, what about beans and legumes, maybe a little hummus to eat with your carrots and cucumbers. There are tons of great chili or bean soup recipes. What about tortillas or wraps? Lots of whole grain options if you want to avoid white. What many people are concerned about is you seem to be limiting what foods you are "allowing" yourself to eat. Limiting yourself too much can lead to binges. Food is meant to be enjoyed. If you like squash, try butternut or delicata, cut in about 1/2-1" cubes, toss with a little olive oil, and roast in the oven until it gets nice and toasty around the edges. Sprinkle with a little salt and cinnamon or nutmeg, I'll bet you won't even miss the butter. I don't, and I LOVE me some butter on winter squash. Good luck!
  • CynthiasChoice
    CynthiasChoice Posts: 1,047 Member
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    tyrindor wrote: »
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    Untrue. That belief is why people gain it back. Maintaining is almost, if not as, hard as losing.

    I can eat nearly 1000 more calories a day to maintain my weight versus wanting to lose 2 pounds a week. How would it be untrue?

    It's only untrue if you just start ignoring your calorie intake completely again, and go back to your old ways that got you there in the first place.
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    If that was the case, then why do so many people manage to lose weight only to gain it all back (usually plus a bit more)?

    Most find maintenance more difficult, and you dont get that many more calories to play with.

    I'd add more fats to your diet - oils, full fat dairy, avo, nut butter etc. What about grains and legumes? (rice, quinoa, pasta, bread, beans, lentils)

    If you struggle to get enough calories, pre log your meals and make them fit your goal

    See above. Many people start ignoring calories completely after they lose their weight, and go back to the exact old habits they had. Maintaining weight is far easier, you can eat a lot more calories than dieting, but you can't just ignore them and go back to your old ways.

    I also noticed a lack of "fat" in this diet, but wasn't really sure what to add. I'll look into some healthy fat foods, thanks.
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Eat enough of this to make up the calories 1500-1700 MFP gave you to lose weight. Absolutely no need to use a Meal Replacement Shake especially if you are under eating. And the consuming it 40 minutes after exercise is not necessary either. You can get all your protein through food by eating the protein sources you listed in your OP.

    I've started to drink them with meals on some days to fulfill my protein needs, and help me get closer to 1500-1700 calories a day. I like how they taste, and they fulfill my cravings for chocolate. I may just eat more and take them out of the diet.
    Tried30UserNames wrote: »
    It looks like a good selection of foods to me. If you are lacking in calories, use full fat milk instead of skim. Use regular dressing instead of light ranch. Cook the meat in some butter or oil, and drizzle the vegetables with same. I'd probably prefer sweet potatoes and legumes over regular potatoes for a starch, but that's just personal preference.

    Great ideas, thanks. Should help me get some more "fat" in the diet too, since I wasn't getting enough of that either according to the site.
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    Are these the foods you most enjoy and want to eat? Do you like cooking these foods? There's nothing wrong with this list except that it's a little bit boring. If it helps you to eat a boring diet, that's great. If it helps you to eat more variety, do that instead. The best diet is the one you stick to long term.

    I picked these based on foods I like. I find if I have even 1 serving of something I REALLY like (pizza, etc), it becomes very hard to maintain my diet. It's easier for me to just cut them out of my life completely.

    Right now I have a frozen stuffed crust pizza STARING me down in the freezer. I can't control myself when it comes to that stuff, and I am in the process of just giving this stuff to friends/family so I am not tempted.

    I'm so happy for you that you've begun! Congratulations on the 5 pounds lost! Please do what you think you need to do to guard your sanity. Don't let anyone tell you you're wrong to limit your food choices. You know best what you need. And take comfort in the fact that it's just for now - till you're stronger in your eating habits.

    11 months ago I began doing a very similar diet to the one you've listed, with a wide variety of veggies. I use a bit of olive oil on my veggies, and I added plain Greek yogurt, nut butter and red meat.

    Since I was trying to reprogram my brain to crave healthy foods, I eliminated everything that seemed to bring on cravings for sweets. For me, this meant no grains, no added sugars, and fewer than 100 carbs per day. Not everyone reacts this way, but for me, it made dieting easier. I'm happy to say that after almost a year I'm down 70 pounds and my habits and thought patterns have changed dramatically. I can now eat some grains and potatoes again without diving into a binge, but I'm not ready to test the added sugar yet. For my sweet fix, I like the Quest protein bar, chocolate chunk. I'm not telling you to eat like this, just giving you an example of how one person found success.

    For some people, it's hard to go straight from disordered eating to moderated eating. Some of us need a short (or long) detour into a very restricted diet in order to encourage and develop good eating habits and thought patterns.
    Whatever you do, don't lose hope that you can see this through and live as a thin person the rest of your life! What you believe is so important!
  • maryannprt
    maryannprt Posts: 152 Member
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    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    maryannprt wrote: »
    Also, what about beans and legumes, maybe a little hummus to eat with your carrots and cucumbers. There are tons of great chili or bean soup recipes. What about tortillas or wraps? Lots of whole grain options if you want to avoid white. What many people are concerned about is you seem to be limiting what foods you are "allowing" yourself to eat. Limiting yourself too much can lead to binges. Food is meant to be enjoyed. If you like squash, try butternut or delicata, cut in about 1/2-1" cubes, toss with a little olive oil, and roast in the oven until it gets nice and toasty around the edges. Sprinkle with a little salt and cinnamon or nutmeg, I'll bet you won't even miss the butter. I don't, and I LOVE me some butter on winter squash. Good luck!

    Doesn't adding oil achieve the same thing as adding butter (added fats, great taste, more caramelisation)?

    Of course. Maybe I'm overthinking what the OP says, but it sounds like he doesn't want to eat winter squash with butter, so this is another option. Adds a few calories, adds a little fat, which we all need, and adds a food to his rather limited list.

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