Clean eating???

von66

Just left slimming world after 3yrs and ending up pound heavier than when I started.

Starting logging calories and gym have lost 6lbs and 7in in last month which I'm very happy about.

Logging in a fish in breadcrumbs has got me worries though. The salt content was 1300gm or 22%!!! I was shocked. I use quite a few ready made sauces and other products to make my busy life a bit easier but I'm concerned now about the amount of sugar and salt I'm consuming. I definitely need lose another 2st but I also need to eat better but have no idea where start. Any tips or advice?

janejellyroll

If there are products that have more salt or sugar than you want to eat, then start noting them and looking for substitutes. You may find that you have to make some more sauces yourself, as it can be harder to find some kinds of sauces that are lower in salt and sugar (this will vary, of course, depending on what kind of sauces you're looking for).

I would start by just looking at your diary and seeing where you want to make changes.

ValeriePlz

Logging is working - it's giving you the information you need to reduce macro- or micronutrients you want to reduce, and get more of the ones you're not getting enough of. The same thing happened to me with logging and protein - I was not getting nearly enough.

Maybe only have one of those ready-made sauces or meals once a week if you can't fit it into your calorie / nutrient goals, like on a really busy night, and try to cook on other nights.

You can also use your weekends to do meal prep - make a ton of healthy sauce or a big meal, then portion it out and freeze or package for future consumption. I know we are all busy, but it can be easier to avoid sugar and salt (if that is important to you) if you cook more yourself.

There was just an article in the MFP blog about low-calorie, high protein breakfasts you can make and freeze. I printed out the veggie & egg burritos, made ten of them, and froze them last night. Now hubby and I have ready-made breakfasts that just need to be microwaved.

steveko89

I put monitoring sugar and sodium third on the hierarchy of priorities behind calories and macros; hit your calories, get adequate protein, adjust carbs and fats to personal preference/satiety, and eat "healthier" in terms of sugar and sodium. Everyone has their own view of "good enough" when it comes to this and that will come with trial and error. I agree with Jane that the key is in your diary; if you identify something that you don't love the content of, try to substitute or modify to improve it to your liking. In the long run, making incremental improvements through substitutions will likely be more sustainable and successful than making drastic eliminations or wholesale changes.

toxikon

Unless you have a medical concern, salt and sugar shouldn't be a huge worry for you.

Eating a higher amount of salt will just result in a bit of water retention for most healthy folks.

Keep in mind you can eat ANYTHING and lose weight, as long as you're in a calorie deficit. You could eat Big Macs only and lose weight. Obviously that wouldn't be healthy though.

For a general healthy approach to weight loss, don't deprive yourself but focus mainly on fruit, veggies and protein. You can still enjoy a cookie for dessert every day, or a nice meal out once and a while. It really doesn't have to be a monumental change!

von66

Thanks everyone that does make things more manageable. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the information out there but yes I can use MFP and make smaller changes.

ceolyn

Read ingredient lists before you buy stuff, that's always really helped me. If you do, you can make more informed choices when you select which ones to buy. Personally I don't worry a ton about sodium, but I work out a lot, drink 2-4 liters of water and unsweetened herbal tea a day. I also don't have any issues with blood pressure, which I know is a reason many people keep their sodium intake low.

Sometimes we can't make stuff from scratch, we all live busy lives, but being aware of what's in our food is always a good thing. I tend to avoid things that have a bunch of added sugar, but that's because sugar is a trigger for migraine headaches if I have too much.

A good place to start is, what vegetables and proteins do you like? Me, I'm particularly fond of fresh fish, chicken, and I think the only veg I really dislike is lima beans. Try to do a little menu planning around ingredients YOU like. That can go a long way to eating better AND keeping you happy about your food choices. It's a lot harder to stick to an eating plan if all you're eating is dry toast and boiled egg. Add in a little whole grain to your meals, steel cut oats, or brown rice.

Make sure you have a food scale - they're about $15-$20 on Amazon. Weigh your ingredients out. Especially your ready made sauces.

If you have a crockpot or InstantPot you can make a big batch of something healthy, portion it out, and freeze what you aren't going to use right away. Then you have homemade ready to eat meals in your freezer.

You didn't say if you're just cooking for yourself or a family either, which can have a big impact in how and what you cook. I struggling more with healthy cooking when my roommate is around because I cook for her too, and she's a bit of a picky eater.

It sounds like you've made a good start - so give yourself the acknowledgement you deserve for that! You can do it.

blackcatfitness

toxikon wrote: »

Unless you have a medical concern, salt and sugar shouldn't be a huge worry for you!

That’s a bunch of BS

ccrdragon

blackcatfitness wrote: »

toxikon wrote: »

Unless you have a medical concern, salt and sugar shouldn't be a huge worry for you!

That’s a bunch of BS

Please explain why it's BS.

jgnatca

I agree with @toxikon . If you have high blood pressure you may be asked to reduce your salt intake. If you have any sort of insulin resistance you will be watching your total carb count. Otherwise, treat salt and sugar like everything else. It’s all good in moderation.

Home cooking is the surest way to control sodium intake. Salt tastes so good and it’s an excellent preservative. So it is in most of the prepackaged meals out there.