How do I decide?

kkaiser104

So I'm getting back on the weight loss train. I'm 21 years old and have always been heavy--I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't the biggest girl in class. I'll be going to graduate school next year and I want a new start! My undergrad tuition gives me access to a great gym and free group workout classes, so I'm going to start taking advantage of that. My biggest problem is going to be figuring out diet.

I'm a busy girl, and that has made my diet awful. I eat a lot of cheap, easy foods which are not that healthy. I need a diet where I can go pick recipes weekly, buy the ingredients, and make them up (fast). I'm thinking about a low-carb diet, what are opinions? Is there a low-carb recipe book where I could just pick a weeks worth of meals easily? Any good smoothie recipes for the morning? Time is definitely a problem.

Also, I've been reading about fasting/detoxing/etc...any favorite methods? Are there any that have actually worked/helped?

TIA!!!

ritchiedrama

You can eat any foods as long as you hit sufficient targets and calories.

kkaiser104

You can eat any foods as long as you hit sufficient targets and calories.

In order for me to be able to do this, I need some form of structure. I've tried just counting calories in the past and it never works out because finding just basic "healthy" recipes is a pretty time consuming task. I don't mind an overall diet, I just need to know how to figure out recipes and such.

tasha_1306

Hi,

Good job on getting back on the wagon.
Here's a sample of what i eat for meals If that will help at all. I think the most important thing is to eat less processed food, more meat/veg/fruit. I try and avoid rice and only eat pasta once or twice a week. I bring my lunch to work and i cook dinner every night. Take out is just a terrible idea.

Breakfast Ideas:
- Eggs (cooked any way) on Wholemeal toast. Can add baby spinach and trimmed shortcut bacon.
- Protein Cereal & a Banana
- Smoothie (milk, banana, protein powder, honey) or (milk, protein powder, berries) You can be as creative as you like.
- Oats or Porridge
- Fruit Salad
- Homemade pancakes with fruit

Snacks:
- A piece of fruit
- Spreadable cheese with rice cakes
- Peanut Butter with rice cakes
- Nuts (Almonds or Pistachios are the best)
- Greek Yoghurt
- Carrots/cucumber sticks with hummus or a nut spread
- Cheese Sticks

Lunch or Dinner
- Salad with tuna or chicken and lots of colourful vegies
- Salad and ham/turkey/chicken sandwhich
- Zucchini Slice with lots of added vegies: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/23318/carrot+and+zucchini+slice
- Homemade sushi or rice paper rolls
- Pizza with a cauliflower/zucchini crust
- Chicken/Beef/Kangaroo/Turkey fillet with Vegies (I love adding sweet potato)
- Soup
- Stir-fry with a protein of your choice and vegies
- Roasted Vegies with Pasta and Pesto
- Cous Cous with meat and vegies.

For more healthy recipe ideas take a look at this: http://www.taste.com.au/zone/healthy+recipes,4/
Honestly healthy recipes don't take that long and I do all of this on a budget. I live by myself and cook bigger lots and then eat them for lunch the next day.

Good luck!

itsscottwilder

With all due respect, the essential thing that has to matter is calories.

More calories expended through activity than is taken in by eating.

Grilled chicken salads are super easy to make up and you'll be hard pressed to exceed your calorie limits.

mrmagee3

Whatever you pick, pick one thing and stay with it for a couple months. See your results. Adjust as necessary.

There's no need to start out with carb-cycling, intermittent fasting, and juice cleansing all at once. Pick something and roll with it.

People here love saying that calories are the only thing that matters. My personal experience tells me otherwise, and others feel the same way. The important thing is finding something that works for you, and working at it.

lorenzovonmatterhorn7549

With all due respect, the essential thing that has to matter is calories.

More calories expended through activity than is taken in by eating.

Grilled chicken salads are super easy to make up and you'll be hard pressed to exceed your calorie limits.

^This. Eating healthy doesn't have to be a chore either if you plan ahead. Replace junk food with things like apples, oranges and veggies.

southerndream24

I suggest taking one day out of the week to do meal prep. Then portion out everything you're going to have that week so each day your meals are already done. Buy a cooler and pack everything you'll need for the day and go.

mjrkearney

You can find cookbooks and cooking sites for literally any diet you could want. Figure out what works best for you while providing adequate nutrition and sustainability. There will be some hit and miss but there are plenty of people on here who are willing to steer you in the right direction.

MENichols5

At the beginning of the week I hit the grocery and pick up a few essentials:
1) berries: strawberries, blackberries, raspberries
2) bananas
3) avocados
4) cherry tomatoes
5) chicken breast
6) salsa
7) sweet potatoes
8) onion
9) string cheese
10) greek yogurt
11) quinoa
12) black beans
13) one snack item...usually wheat thins or popcorn

As soon as I get home, I mix all of the berries and cut up banana into a big tupperware container. Now I have an easy fruit salad to pull from throughout the next few days.

An incredibly easy and delicious meal I make at least once a week is crock pot salsa chicken. Simply put frozen or raw chicken breasts in the crock pot before work, pour a jar of your favorite salsa over it, cover and put on low. 8-9 hours later, it will be perfectly tender. Shred with two forks and eat alone or in a small tortilla (or however you want!).

As a side you can sauté chopped sweet potatoes and onions in a small amount of olive oil in a skillet.

I also love making quinoa (pre-rinsed). All you do is bring it to a boil in water then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Then you can add whatever you like on top. My favorite is avocado, black beans, salsa, and hot sauce.

Lastly, one of my all-time favorite "salads" is just combining chopped avocado and halved cherry/cherub tomatoes. Lightly toss in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and add some garlic salt!

Hope this helps

itsscottwilder

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=low+calorie+meal+recipes

notnikkisixx

Learning how to eat healthy is definitely tough, but after you've done it for a while, it becomes second nature. You need to be diligent about counting calories, it may get tedious but it is the only thing that will wire your brain to be more conscientious about the foods you're eating.

Start eating healthy protein-rich breakfasts and when you make your healthy dinners, try to make enough for lunch the next day. Feel free to check out my diary for ideas, I make lots of easy and nutritious food....even when I'm running low on time.

Good luck!