How far should goals go?
emmies_123
Posts: 513 Member
In the last month or so I've been wanting to focus on my nutrition and I have made some changes easily and others I'm struggling with. Recently I have been worried I'm backsliding into bad habits. Really wanting y'alls opinions to see if I'm worried for no reason, or should be pushing myself harder/faster on food goals.
Allergies (all oral, aka must be consumed before triggered): Tree nuts, pineapple, onion.
Don't have any diet style, just want to hit macro goals set by nutritionist:
80-90g Protein, 20-25g Fiber
Changes I have made relatively easily:
-Changed dinner habits from chicken nuggets/fish sticks every night to cooking instead. Usually cook in crock pot once a week and eat leftovers all week. Dishes are usually a meat, paired with vegetable.
-Changed work lunches from regular pasta to veggie pasta. Have tried Lensi Lentil Pasta, Banza chickpea, and Barilla Chickpea, happy with all.
-Formed habit of protein shake on the way to work and 1 serving of carrots on way home from work.
-Drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily.
Struggles:
-Hitting fiber goal. I can do it if I have Greek Yogurt with fiver (Oikos Triple 0 for example) but don't come close on days without it
-Breakfast: Was doing well with casseroles but tired of those. Craving bagels but not sure if that is backsliding.
-Cooking/Prepping time: friends have suggested more prep-intensive meals and work snacks but thinking about it wears me out. I took to cooking dinner ok so not sure why my brain is fighting more prep work...
Allergies (all oral, aka must be consumed before triggered): Tree nuts, pineapple, onion.
Don't have any diet style, just want to hit macro goals set by nutritionist:
80-90g Protein, 20-25g Fiber
Changes I have made relatively easily:
-Changed dinner habits from chicken nuggets/fish sticks every night to cooking instead. Usually cook in crock pot once a week and eat leftovers all week. Dishes are usually a meat, paired with vegetable.
-Changed work lunches from regular pasta to veggie pasta. Have tried Lensi Lentil Pasta, Banza chickpea, and Barilla Chickpea, happy with all.
-Formed habit of protein shake on the way to work and 1 serving of carrots on way home from work.
-Drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily.
Struggles:
-Hitting fiber goal. I can do it if I have Greek Yogurt with fiver (Oikos Triple 0 for example) but don't come close on days without it
-Breakfast: Was doing well with casseroles but tired of those. Craving bagels but not sure if that is backsliding.
-Cooking/Prepping time: friends have suggested more prep-intensive meals and work snacks but thinking about it wears me out. I took to cooking dinner ok so not sure why my brain is fighting more prep work...
3
Replies
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emmies_123 wrote: »In the last month or so I've been wanting to focus on my nutrition and I have made some changes easily and others I'm struggling with. Recently I have been worried I'm backsliding into bad habits. Really wanting y'alls opinions to see if I'm worried for no reason, or should be pushing myself harder/faster on food goals.
Allergies (all oral, aka must be consumed before triggered): Tree nuts, pineapple, onion.
Don't have any diet style, just want to hit macro goals set by nutritionist:
80-90g Protein, 20-25g Fiber
Changes I have made relatively easily:
-Changed dinner habits from chicken nuggets/fish sticks every night to cooking instead. Usually cook in crock pot once a week and eat leftovers all week. Dishes are usually a meat, paired with vegetable.
-Changed work lunches from regular pasta to veggie pasta. Have tried Lensi Lentil Pasta, Banza chickpea, and Barilla Chickpea, happy with all.
-Formed habit of protein shake on the way to work and 1 serving of carrots on way home from work.
-Drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily.
Struggles:
-Hitting fiber goal. I can do it if I have Greek Yogurt with fiver (Oikos Triple 0 for example) but don't come close on days without it
-Breakfast: Was doing well with casseroles but tired of those. Craving bagels but not sure if that is backsliding.
-Cooking/Prepping time: friends have suggested more prep-intensive meals and work snacks but thinking about it wears me out. I took to cooking dinner ok so not sure why my brain is fighting more prep work...
I love bagels and eat about one a week. They make me a little hungrier a little sooner and make my protein intake a little harder to balance. Try working in one a week and see how it affects your balance. Maybe try half a bagel with some lean ham and egg white on top, or those bagel thins that aren't quite the calorie commitment of a whole regular bagel.
They might help you get your fiber up, especially if you get the whole wheat kind!
I sometimes cheat my fiber by adding a spoon full of psyllium husk to my protein shake, but just adding spinach will give you a good bump without changing the flavor too much. I've also added spinach to my scrambled eggs with a good flavor result and the fun "green eggs and ham" jokes between me and my kiddo.
If you have a skillet, cooking pork chops and chicken breasts isn't terribly complicated and has very tasty results. Literally just salt and pepper both sides, set your skillet to medium high heat, add a smidge of olive oil (I use a cast iron pan) to the bottom and put the meat on there. I cook it for 4 minutes to a side and DO NOT POKE AT IT. Just literally smash it onto the pan and set a timer for 4 minutes and walk away. Then flip and smoosh down, set the timer for 4 more minutes and walk away. Then pull it off the pan and it's golden brown and crispy on the outside, delightful to eat, and easy and fast. Those are frequently my work night dinners as they're super simple and fast enough that I don't eat my child before dinner is ready.3 -
Don't really know what you mean by "backsliding." There's nothing wrong with pasta...if you like the veggie pasta then great...I do that sometimes, but I also eat regular pasta sometimes.
I eat a wide variety of things for breakfast...sometimes an egg scramble...sometimes oats...sometimes leftovers (I just had chicken tandori and rice from the other night for my breakfast this morning)...and sometimes bagels (I like to make a little egg sandwich)...or toast and peanut butter. There's nothing wrong with any of that, including bagels.
If you want more fiber, include things like legumes, lentils, oats and other whole grains in your diet...like even a whole grain bagel for example.
As far as cooking more intensive prep meals, I don't see why that would be necessary. None of what my wife and I do during the weeks is very prep intensive...more prep intensive has nothing to do with nutrition, so I'm not really getting that.1 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Don't really know what you mean by "backsliding." There's nothing wrong with pasta...if you like the veggie pasta then great...I do that sometimes, but I also eat regular pasta sometimes.
I eat a wide variety of things for breakfast...sometimes an egg scramble...sometimes oats...sometimes leftovers (I just had chicken tandori and rice from the other night for my breakfast this morning)...and sometimes bagels (I like to make a little egg sandwich)...or toast and peanut butter. There's nothing wrong with any of that, including bagels.
If you want more fiber, include things like legumes, lentils, oats and other whole grains in your diet...like even a whole grain bagel for example.
As far as cooking more intensive prep meals, I don't see why that would be necessary. None of what my wife and I do during the weeks is very prep intensive...more prep intensive has nothing to do with nutrition, so I'm not really getting that.
Maybe that is just the route my friends went with their prep, to be more intensive. Things like measuring out servings of cheese & yogurt & fruit & spread Every Day! Or making the sandwich out of bagel or english muffin, I'm not sure I"m awake enough to do that in the mornings and still be on time for work...Personal failing, it shouldn't be that hard I know!
I've gone ahead and told hubby, who does the shopping, to get me some bagels and english muffins for the next week. Hopefully I can work them into my calorie goal without losing space for anything else.0 -
oh and I guess by "backsliding" I mean going back to carb breakfast instead of casseroles with egg and meat, etc.0
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You can precook a little "egg puck" to put on your breakfast sandwich, and you can even put your cheese slice and ham in a pre-measured sandwich bag. I usually eat my one "breakfast sandwich" a week on the weekends when I have a lot more time to futz around in the kitchen, but my kiddo likes them before school, so I've simplified the process for her. All she has to do is grab the baggie with the "ham/egg/cheese" on it, slap it on top of her bread and throw it in the toaster oven for a few minutes, then assemble and shove it in her face.
Well... In theory. She usually chooses the microwave over the toaster oven, but that's the one compromise my adult palate refuses to make. I WILL ALWAYS CHOOSE TOASTED.
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I often buy 1 bagel a week, slice it in 4 slices, maybe use 2 for a bacon and egg sandwich breakfast, the next day have one with cream cheese for a snack.
Easy to prep a few extra carrots, celery, cucumber, etc. for a high fiber snack at work.
I don’t usually do protein shakes, but haven’t I seen some high fiber ones?2 -
corinasue1143 wrote: »I often buy 1 bagel a week, slice it in 4 slices, maybe use 2 for a bacon and egg sandwich breakfast, the next day have one with cream cheese for a snack.
Easy to prep a few extra carrots, celery, cucumber, etc. for a high fiber snack at work.
I don’t usually do protein shakes, but haven’t I seen some high fiber ones?
I guess I'm just not ready to part with more of my free time. I spend almost 12 full hours out of the house, more if I have errands to run on the way home, so cooking time is still a mental struggle for me. I've been proud just of having carrots on the way home, and they aren't nearly enough fiber to help with goals.
Y'all are mostly saying one bagel a week. If it bad that I'm probably having one a day for the next week or so?0 -
emmies_123 wrote: »...
-Cooking/Prepping time: friends have suggested more prep-intensive meals and work snacks but thinking about it wears me out. I took to cooking dinner ok so not sure why my brain is fighting more prep work...
I like the INstantPot electric pressure cooker better than the crock pot because it cooks stuff in a fraction of the time and I can cook up a weeks worth of meals in a few hours. I portion-pack all my meals in widemouth glass mason jars, date them with a sticky label and freeze them. One a day into my lunch pack and one a day into my fridge for dinner. bing, bang, done.
i use MFP to set my calorie goals, and don't really care much where my calories come from , just that i don't eat more that i need. I do find that when My macros are balanced out, my energy levels are steadier through the day, i'm less likely to crash mid day feeling exhausted from sitting at my desk.
good luck.4 -
emmies_123 wrote: »corinasue1143 wrote: »I often buy 1 bagel a week, slice it in 4 slices, maybe use 2 for a bacon and egg sandwich breakfast, the next day have one with cream cheese for a snack.
Easy to prep a few extra carrots, celery, cucumber, etc. for a high fiber snack at work.
I don’t usually do protein shakes, but haven’t I seen some high fiber ones?
I guess I'm just not ready to part with more of my free time. I spend almost 12 full hours out of the house, more if I have errands to run on the way home, so cooking time is still a mental struggle for me. I've been proud just of having carrots on the way home, and they aren't nearly enough fiber to help with goals.
Y'all are mostly saying one bagel a week. If it bad that I'm probably having one a day for the next week or so?
Nothing is bad if you can fit it into your goals, find it satisfying and enjoyable. Why many people eat it once a week or split one up is because most bagels are quite calorie dense and not very filling (for most people). Ex one bagel usually has about 300-400 calories vs one slice of bread usually has about 90 calories. If you are used to having a protein/fat filled breakfast you might find the bagel to be less filling, but you won't know until you try. If you are adding any spread or additional food to that bagel it might be a much higher calorie breakfast than you typically have or it might not, not sure what your current calorie goals are.3 -
Do you like fresh fruit or can you have it? Apples, bananas, oranges, grapes and strawberries are good because there is no prep. I call it 'finger food' because I can just pop them in my mouth and you have the fiber you are needing.
I also eat raw veggies that way and include a fresh salad with most of my dinners.
I also don't want to spend a lot of prep time and don't like multiple ingredients meals, I want fast and simple. I hope this helps.3 -
The go-to breakfast I make for most of my family is 2/3 cup of oats, 1/3 cup of wheat bran, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Total, 370 calories, 31 gm protein, 12 gm fibre. It is filling. I add plain greek yogurt on top of mine (100 calories more, 18 gm protein), can also add berries for more fibre and nutrients. I mix all ingredients in bowls the night before and then in the morning I just have to add boiled water from the kettle. My husband takes his in a to-go container and eats it at work.1
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emmies_123 wrote: »In the last month or so I've been wanting to focus on my nutrition and I have made some changes easily and others I'm struggling with. Recently I have been worried I'm backsliding into bad habits. Really wanting y'alls opinions to see if I'm worried for no reason, or should be pushing myself harder/faster on food goals.
Allergies (all oral, aka must be consumed before triggered): Tree nuts, pineapple, onion.
Don't have any diet style, just want to hit macro goals set by nutritionist:
80-90g Protein, 20-25g Fiber
Changes I have made relatively easily:
-Changed dinner habits from chicken nuggets/fish sticks every night to cooking instead. Usually cook in crock pot once a week and eat leftovers all week. Dishes are usually a meat, paired with vegetable.
-Changed work lunches from regular pasta to veggie pasta. Have tried Lensi Lentil Pasta, Banza chickpea, and Barilla Chickpea, happy with all.
-Formed habit of protein shake on the way to work and 1 serving of carrots on way home from work.
-Drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily.
Struggles:
-Hitting fiber goal. I can do it if I have Greek Yogurt with fiver (Oikos Triple 0 for example) but don't come close on days without it
-Breakfast: Was doing well with casseroles but tired of those. Craving bagels but not sure if that is backsliding.
-Cooking/Prepping time: friends have suggested more prep-intensive meals and work snacks but thinking about it wears me out. I took to cooking dinner ok so not sure why my brain is fighting more prep work...
Do not listen to your friends. What works for one person does not necessarily mean it will work for another. Keep things easy for yourself until/unless you are forced to get more complicated.
If your goal is to lose weight you need a calorie deficit. Everything else you can figure out along the way with gradual changes.
Your first goal is really how to make achieving your other goals as normal as possible for yourself. Think about it. If what you are doing is normal (or in the ballpark of normal) you have less reason to fight it. Then you make small changes so that you never leave normal too far behind. Allow it to catch up and then make more changes as needed.
Your protein goals and fiber goals are probably appropriate for you but consider them a work in progress.3 -
emmies_123 wrote: »corinasue1143 wrote: »I often buy 1 bagel a week, slice it in 4 slices, maybe use 2 for a bacon and egg sandwich breakfast, the next day have one with cream cheese for a snack.
Easy to prep a few extra carrots, celery, cucumber, etc. for a high fiber snack at work.
I don’t usually do protein shakes, but haven’t I seen some high fiber ones?
I guess I'm just not ready to part with more of my free time. I spend almost 12 full hours out of the house, more if I have errands to run on the way home, so cooking time is still a mental struggle for me. I've been proud just of having carrots on the way home, and they aren't nearly enough fiber to help with goals.
Y'all are mostly saying one bagel a week. If it bad that I'm probably having one a day for the next week or so?
Nothing is bad if you can fit it into your goals, find it satisfying and enjoyable. Why many people eat it once a week or split one up is because most bagels are quite calorie dense and not very filling (for most people). Ex one bagel usually has about 300-400 calories vs one slice of bread usually has about 90 calories. If you are used to having a protein/fat filled breakfast you might find the bagel to be less filling, but you won't know until you try. If you are adding any spread or additional food to that bagel it might be a much higher calorie breakfast than you typically have or it might not, not sure what your current calorie goals are.
Yes I guess my biggest fear is fitting in the calories of bagels with calorie goals. I believe it should fill me up about the same however, as my breakfasts used to always be carb heavy. The casseroles are a new thing for the last two months or so, to try and get more protein through whole foods. Before that I was a poptarts girl, and then I switched to pastries, then pre-made breakfast burritos, then homemade casseroles.
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Do you like fresh fruit or can you have it? Apples, bananas, oranges, grapes and strawberries are good because there is no prep. I call it 'finger food' because I can just pop them in my mouth and you have the fiber you are needing.
I also eat raw veggies that way and include a fresh salad with most of my dinners.
I also don't want to spend a lot of prep time and don't like multiple ingredients meals, I want fast and simple. I hope this helps.
I can have apples, grapes, and strawberries. Bananas used to upset my stomach as a kid, have yet to test one as an adult. Oranges/nectarines etc I can have occassionally but not every day. I have IBS so I have to watch my triggers pretty closely.1 -
emmies_123 wrote: »corinasue1143 wrote: »I often buy 1 bagel a week, slice it in 4 slices, maybe use 2 for a bacon and egg sandwich breakfast, the next day have one with cream cheese for a snack.
Easy to prep a few extra carrots, celery, cucumber, etc. for a high fiber snack at work.
I don’t usually do protein shakes, but haven’t I seen some high fiber ones?
I guess I'm just not ready to part with more of my free time. I spend almost 12 full hours out of the house, more if I have errands to run on the way home, so cooking time is still a mental struggle for me. I've been proud just of having carrots on the way home, and they aren't nearly enough fiber to help with goals.
Y'all are mostly saying one bagel a week. If it bad that I'm probably having one a day for the next week or so?
It’s not bad at all. May or may not be a little bit hard to fit in calorie/protein goals. If it is, try the 1/2 bagel or mini bagels next week, or if you have a cheat/treat meal/day, try a whole one once a week.
It’s not backsliding, it’s a continual journey. One that you will have to determine the best route for you. We are just making suggestions, hoping that one will help you.
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Do not listen to your friends. What works for one person does not necessarily mean it will work for another. Keep things easy for yourself until/unless you are forced to get more complicated.
If your goal is to lose weight you need a calorie deficit. Everything else you can figure out along the way with gradual changes.
Your first goal is really how to make achieving your other goals as normal as possible for yourself. Think about it. If what you are doing is normal (or in the ballpark of normal) you have less reason to fight it. Then you make small changes so that you never leave normal too far behind. Allow it to catch up and then make more changes as needed.
Your protein goals and fiber goals are probably appropriate for you but consider them a work in progress.
Thanks
I tend to get up in my head when I'm not doing things at the same pace as everyone else. So far I have mostly been following your advice already
My goal is to lose body fat % and tone up a bit. I could lose another 5 lbs but it would just be a bonus and not a true goal. When I started going to the gym regularly their nutrition trainers actually upped my net goal so I could fit in the macro stuff without fretting. So far I have stayed the same weight for the last 7 weeks.
I think maybe it would help me if I reminded myself my current goal allows me decent amount of choc at night. Soooo I could try to reorganize my thinking that a bagel is my daily indulgence and I just have to cut back on chocolate while I have those. I'm sure I'll go back to casseroles once I"ve had a break for a bit.
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emmies_123 wrote: »corinasue1143 wrote: »I often buy 1 bagel a week, slice it in 4 slices, maybe use 2 for a bacon and egg sandwich breakfast, the next day have one with cream cheese for a snack.
Easy to prep a few extra carrots, celery, cucumber, etc. for a high fiber snack at work.
I don’t usually do protein shakes, but haven’t I seen some high fiber ones?
I guess I'm just not ready to part with more of my free time. I spend almost 12 full hours out of the house, more if I have errands to run on the way home, so cooking time is still a mental struggle for me. I've been proud just of having carrots on the way home, and they aren't nearly enough fiber to help with goals.
Y'all are mostly saying one bagel a week. If it bad that I'm probably having one a day for the next week or so?
There's is nothing inherently "bad" about a bagel. Some people might have issues with eating them regularly while trying to lose weight because they are typically calorie dense and can crowd out other things, especially if one has a low or very low calorie target.emmies_123 wrote: »oh and I guess by "backsliding" I mean going back to carb breakfast instead of casseroles with egg and meat, etc.
There's also nothing inherently wrong with a carbie breakfast. There's nothing inherently wrong with carbohydrates...they are just one of three macro-nutrients. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat. There are numerous foods high in carbohydrates that are also very nutritious. I eat a lot of legumes, lentils, quinoa, potatoes and other root vegetables, fruit, veg, etc...all very nutritious.
Also, looking at your diet on the whole is far more beneficial than drowning in the minutia of this particular food or that particular food or this particular meal, or that particular meal. This morning I had some leftover tandori chicken over rice and a small salad for breakfast. For lunch I have a homemade chicken and noodle soup I made last night along with another salad. This evening we're ordering pizza because it's Friday night and Friday night is pizza and movie night at home...a couple slices of pizza doesn't somehow undo the rest of my nutrition for the day or for the week. It's just one meal out of many.2 -
emmies_123 wrote: »
Do not listen to your friends. What works for one person does not necessarily mean it will work for another. Keep things easy for yourself until/unless you are forced to get more complicated.
If your goal is to lose weight you need a calorie deficit. Everything else you can figure out along the way with gradual changes.
Your first goal is really how to make achieving your other goals as normal as possible for yourself. Think about it. If what you are doing is normal (or in the ballpark of normal) you have less reason to fight it. Then you make small changes so that you never leave normal too far behind. Allow it to catch up and then make more changes as needed.
Your protein goals and fiber goals are probably appropriate for you but consider them a work in progress.
Thanks I tend to get up in my head when I'm not doing things at the same pace as everyone else. So far I have mostly been following your advice already
My goal is to lose body fat % and tone up a bit. I could lose another 5 lbs but it would just be a bonus and not a true goal. When I started going to the gym regularly their nutrition trainers actually upped my net goal so I could fit in the macro stuff without fretting. So far I have stayed the same weight for the last 7 weeks.
I think maybe it would help me if I reminded myself my current goal allows me decent amount of choc at night. Soooo I could try to reorganize my thinking that a bagel is my daily indulgence and I just have to cut back on chocolate while I have those. I'm sure I'll go back to casseroles once I"ve had a break for a bit.
Seems like my last piece of advice would be to trust yourself more. You seem like you have the wisdom to take on new information and figure out how to apply it to your life. You won't always get it right immediately but as long as you remain objective I think you put together a workable solution. I think that is, finally, a key to my own success. I look at ways of eating and suggestions and then try to see if any particular piece or set of pieces fit(s) in my puzzle. I am not afraid to have a bad day or even a bad week because something doesn't work for me. I still learn from it.2 -
Ideally any goal and any objective should go all the way to the day the objective was set for. If there is no closing date, it's not a goal. That's the reason why I set myself mini - goals, once I have achieved it, I set myself the next one.0
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neugebauer52 wrote: »Ideally any goal and any objective should go all the way to the day the objective was set for. If there is no closing date, it's not a goal. That's the reason why I set myself mini - goals, once I have achieved it, I set myself the next one.
Well then I guess currently my goal is to hit protein and fiber goals set by nutritionist for at least two weeks straight. And keep up water consumption (before trying I would only drink 3-4 glasses max). Once I can consistently hit those goals they will add a new one. But there isn't a "nail this macro by 10/31" thing. They aren't as concerned about calorie net goal, that is more my mental issue trying to switch to maintenance instead of loss.0 -
neugebauer52 wrote: »Ideally any goal and any objective should go all the way to the day the objective was set for. If there is no closing date, it's not a goal. That's the reason why I set myself mini - goals, once I have achieved it, I set myself the next one.
I disagree. Of course a goal can have an open-ended closing date. A disciplined person can push towards a goal as it is appropriate. I like to say that we need to push ourselves not shove ourselves. Arbitrarily picking a closing date could result in the latter. This is a learning process and the most important part is knowing how much we can handle and how fast. It is sometimes forgotten that life is not always clean and orderly.
A fiber goal can be tricky for instance. If you go too fast you may experience a lot of discomfort and bathroom issues. If it involves food that is very different than normal it is a bigger adjustment there too.
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I just read Chia Seeds are great for fiber. Sprinkle on yogurt or put some in your smoothie?
Chia seeds are tiny black seeds that are immensely popular in the natural health community.
They’re highly nutritious, containing high amounts of magnesium, phosphorus and calcium.
Chia seeds may also be the single best source of fiber on the planet.
Fiber content: 10.6 grams per ounce of dried chia seeds, or 34.4 grams per 100 grams (30)0 -
Dry chia seeds stick in my teeth. I've read they can be soaked for as little as 15 minutes but I prefer at least a few hours or, even better, overnight. I soak 1/2 T in a 1/4 C water, but for more fiber, use larger quantities.
Overnight oats with berries and chia seeds would have a decent fiber count, and you can include Greek yogurt and a half scoop of protein powder for protein.
Here are other good sources of fiber: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/22-high-fiber-foods3
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